Imprint The university of Waterloo’s official student newspaper
vol 29, no 16
Friday, November 3, 2006
imprint . uwaterloo . ca
Prepare yourself for the municipal election page 15
Vowel change sparks 45 minutes of heated debate
michael l. Davenport
The vast majority of issues on which students were asked to vote were simply “cleaning up policy” — minor changes which received nearly unanimous support Michael L. Davenport staff reporter
Never before had the Federation of Students seen so much discussion over a single vowel. The Federation of Students held its annual general meeting in the Great Hall on Monday, October 30. Like previous general meetings, most changes to Feds policy were a matter of fixing grammar
or subtly modifying wording; those passed without discussion or contention. However, there’s always that one hot button issue which gets debated, picked apart, and ultimately garners a charged vote. Whereas that issue last year was the creation of a referendum committee (which ultimately failed 9-13-4), this year the hot issue was centred around a letter: changing the name of the Womyn’s Centre to the “Women’s Centre.”
The word “women” comes from the old English “wifman” (or “wyfman”) which meant “weaver human,” “man” itself was a gender neutral term at that time; adult males were referred to as “werman” (or wæpman), meaning “person with a weapon.” However, sometime between old and middle English the “wer” was dropped from “werman,” making the male gender default (according to various experts
and the Oxford English Dictionary.) The feminist movement of the 1970s took offense to the male gender being the presumed default and femininity being relegated to a prefix. Arts councillor Caitlin Cull told Imprint, “The issue really relates to a very important and interesting aspect of feminist thought and perspective, and that is the power and politics of language. Because we accept language as neutral and unbiased,
we fail to acknowledge the history and the sexism that are laden within the very words that we use.” The Women’s Centre was founded in 1981 without the alternate spelling — though at some point between then and now, the spelling changed to “The Womyn’s Centre” without an official vote by the student population. See AGM, page 5
N ews OUSA lobbies for change Friday, november 3, 2006
Imprint
news@imprint.uwaterloo.ca News Editor: Ashley Csanady News Assistant: Rachel McNeil
Dinh Nguyen staff reporter
Germany
A self-proclaimed witch from Munich has been ordered by the Munich administrative court to pay one of her clients the equivalent of $1,400 CAD for the failure of a love spell. The client, who has remained unidentified, approached the witch in 2003 after her boyfriend left her. The two engaged in a conversation which ended with the client going home carrying a love spell prescription to win back her partner. For the next several months the client preformed numerous corresponding tasks required by the love spell. The rituals, which took place under the light of full moons, were carried out without success. According to The Canadian Press, in her defense, the witch claimed that the client knew she was taking a risk because there was no guarantee to whether or not the spell would work. However, the court deemed her defence to be irrelevant because “a love ritual is not suited to influencing a person from a distance.” No information on the reason for the breakup was released. It is uncertain which witch was the real witch. U.S.
Rhyan Ahmed
Federation of Students vice-president of education Jeff Henry, and Kate Daley, Feds councillor listen intently at the OUSA plenary. Rhyan Ahmed reporter
The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) met on October 29 at Wilfrid Laurier’s Senate and Board Chambers to discuss the future policy iniatives of the organization. Since its inception in 1992, OUSA now represents over 125,000 undergraduate and professional, full-time and part-time students. Kate Daley, a delegate on the OUSA’s board of representatives as well as a Federation of Students councillor, describes the organization’s primary mandate as “creating policies on issues related to post-secondary education for the purposes of lobbying government for positive changes.” As an unforgiving blizzard hailed beyond the Chambers’ glass walls, an equally intense debate raged between OUSA delegates at the bi-annual general assembly. Major points discussed included how the organization plans to lobby the provincial government on issues of student financial aid and access for underrepresented and disadvantaged groups. Feds councillors and executives, in tandem with delegates from Brock,
Laurier, McMaster, Queen’s, Western and Windsor debated on lobbying strategies and effective methods of influencing provincial policy. In terms of OUSA’s lobbying history and track record, the organization’s successes are not few. Federation of Students vice-president of education Jeff Henry noted “in the past, we lobbied the Liberal party while in opposition to include a review of the [education] system and a tuition freeze which ultimately did happen.” Once OUSA had successfully earned the co-operation of the provincial government in this endeavour, they continued to act as ongoing advisors in the process. “Once the review was announced […] we produced a large paper on what a review of higher education should look like, how it should be structured, the questions it should be asking and that’s almost exactly what happened.” Undergraduates are often unaware of the flaws in the post-secondary education system that leaves students in unfavourable situations. “We have a new campaign coming up which is going to talk about some of the issues that undergraduates face but do not necessarily think about or take for granted,” said Waterloo’s
OUSA campus co-ordinator and Feds councillor Caitlin Cull. OUSA’s website urges students who are indifferent to the status quo to consider the facts in terms of dollars and cents: “Ontario stands dead last when compared to all provinces in per student funding, at $6,018 in 2001/02, as compared to the national average of $8,279.” The organization argues that the situation has improved little over the years and there remains a plethora of concerns yet to be addressed. Though undergraduates do represent a rather large demographic and indeed wield a sizable potential political sway, the problem lies in their participation rates. Daley speaks to the need for greater student involvement in organizations such as OUSA, “getting students interested and involved in the political process particularly at the voting level is important to our lobbying activities.” Daley argues that indifference to the educational system or disinterest in the political process makes it “more difficult to accomplish the priorities that we set out which are about improving access, affordability and equality.”
Former Governor General speaks from the Heart Neal Moogk-Soulis staff reporter
I’m wrapping up my interview with Adrienne Clarkson and she’s put me on the spot. When she asks if I’ll be attending her talk, I tell her that I’ll be taking dance lessons instead. “That’s fabulous!” she exclaims. “People wonder what is going to be attractive to women. I can tell you: someone who can actually dance.” Interviewing Adrienne Clarkson is a tough job. She is after all, a veteran journalist and broadcaster who has travelled around the world. She was also Governor General from 1999
through 2005. She recently published Heart Matters, a memoir of her life from war-torn Hong Kong to Rideau Hall. She’ll be reading excerpts from it Thursday, November 9 at 7:00 p.m. in the Humanities Theatre. In the course of a gruelling book tour, she has done more than 100 interviews in the past six weeks. “I always believed that the good interviewer always followed the track of what was being said. They can’t have a list of eight prepared questions and say ‘oh that’s very interesting, but now I want to ask you about something else.’ When I’m being interviewed myself, I can tell the people who have it and who can really do it.”
Luckily for me, this warning came midway through our conversation —otherwise, I might have given up. As it was, she suggested at the outset that I be more assertive as I spoke too softly. We started talking about Waterloo. “I’m really looking forward to coming to Waterloo; it’s such an exciting university.” Clarkson knew Doug Wright when he was UW’s president from 1981 to 1993. “I don’t know why I’ve never visited the campus, but I’m looking forward to it.” See CLARKSON, page 4
After stealing a public transit bus, and being charged with grand theft auto and driving unlicensed, a Florida teenager is now awaiting his trial. Ritchie Calvin Davis, 15, recently snuck onto a bus that was parked at the Central Florida Fairgrounds in Orlando and drove away. The bus, which was waiting to be auctioned off when Davis took it, was driven at normal speed along a bus route, picking up customers. According to Florida deputies, Davis drove along the route making all the regular stops, collecting money as customers boarded. Even though there were only two customers on the bus when police arrested him, it was estimated that Davis picked up at least three passengers. According to The Canadian Press, his court trial will determine whether or not he will be charged as an adult. Davis, who has previously been charged for similar bus thefts claims that he drove the bus better than most public transit drivers. The bus was returned undamaged. The same could not be said about the Florida’s transit drivers’ pride. dnguyen@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Maclean’s rankings hit stands UW has been named Canada’s Most Innovative University in Maclean’s Annual Rankings Issue, released November 2. We placed second in the Best Overall category, behind the University of Alberta. Maclean’s Magazine ranks 47 Canadian schools in this controversial issue. Watch for full analysis next week in Imprint.
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FRIDAY, november 3, 2006
Teaching resource office to improve education Anya Lomako staff reporter
What was the worst professor you ever had? These words usually bring a twitch of an eye to the common student. Thankfully, the teaching resource office (TRACE) is working on improving the quality of university teachers through the Certificate in University Teaching (CUT) program. TRACE organizes a program of educational development events for the UW community each term, including interactive workshops and presentations on a range of teaching and learning issues. This teaching improvement will be implemented through Focus on Teaching events, formerly known as “spa days.” These events are collaborative, facilitated sessions designed specifically for each department. Events range from a couple of hours to a full day and focus on issues that impact teaching in every discipline. The intended outcome of the CUT program is for participants to be self-aware, critically-reflective teachers who have gained both theoretical knowledge and skills that assist in the attainment of, and early success in, an academic career. The CUT courses work together to provide a comprehensive teacher-development experience. The program is designed primarily for doctoral students. TRACE consultants work with you every step of the way both to challenge and support you. They strive to help you continue to improve as a teacher and increase your confidence as you progress through the program. TRACE is committed to your success and to providing various learning op-
portunities that will allow you to build theoretical knowledge and skills to use in your future academic career. While the program is only a year old, consistent success brought the program back for its second year on a more stable basis. In fact, the TRACE’s September Teaching Matters bulletin said that, “CUT has been a runaway success in terms of satisfaction and enrolment, so much that it became clear over the past year that we need to address the issue that our resources are finite and we cannot meet the climbing demand.” The program’s popularity is due to the program’s benefit to both students and teachers — since both are a part of the educational system.While the program is aimed at teachers, it’s collateral focus is the students. “Our most important indirect client is the student. Everything is aimed to help them,” says Donna Ellis, assistant director of TRACE. TRACE director, Catherine Schryer and Ellis both agree, “good teaching always affects students.” They believe the CUT program will help the students because “the more we get instructors to share their teaching practices, the better it is for the students. Faculties often don’t have the time and this event provides the space and time to share their effective teaching practices. CUT aims to take a personal approach to faculty improvement by providing the teachers with a chance to get together with us to discuss the issues that are important to them,” said Schryer. Because CUT believes each discipline has customized teaching needs, separate representatives have been raised cross faculty to meet the diverse demand. CUT has been implemented in a variety of faculties, some of which being physics, school of
Anya Lomako
TRACE director, Catherine Shryer (right) and associate director, Donna Ellis . optometry, the school of accountancy, mechanical and mechatronics engineering, recreation and leisure studies and St. Jerome’s university, despite the program’s young age. Veronica Austen, a University of Waterloo English doctoral degree student and CUT prize winner considers the program a personal fruition. She says, “completing CUT taught me to always be a self-aware teacher, willing to
try new teaching strategies, and continually work to ensure my students have effective learning experiences.” If you have questions about general program requirements or other CUT program-related inquiries, please contact director of TRACE, Dr. Catherine Schryer at ext. 32132 or via email trace@uwaterloo.ca. alomako@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Clarkson: reveals the heart behind a prominent Canadian figure Continued from page 3
I asked if this book was written because she had some free time now that she was no longer Governor General and because she had been Governor General. “It’s mostly not about being Governor General. I wanted to write this, especially the story of my family. The main story is of a human being who gets certain influences from people that she loves and who love her and who becomes the kind of person who is a public figure and that people only know as a public figure. It’s not the whole story by any means, but I’m not interested in telling the whole story.” It’s evident that her family had a profound effect on her life by reading the book. Even so, she didn’t feel that she could write about them while they were still living. “I was going to interpret them and their relationship to me and mine to them through my eyes and of course they’d say, ‘Well it wasn’t exactly like that’ or ‘We didn’t do that for that reason.’” “All I can do is assess character — what they were like to me as parents. You come to a point where you understand your parents as adults and they are adults to you, not just the people who hold the power of everything over you.” Unlike her parents, who each came from a family of eight, Clarkson only had one brother, Neville. Her brother went on to become a doctor. “He was very fixed on that one goal which he achieved and did very, very well, whereas I was all over the place and did all sorts of things that I thought were interesting.” Sound familiar? If WWII hadn’t happened, her life
might have been different. She once asked her father what might have happened. “He said, ‘Well, I think you were bright. My business would have continued and been successful and we would have sent you to the States and then you could have come home and you would have married a rich man.’ And I said, ‘Thank goodness there was a war!’” If the war was the first major turning point in her life, the second major turning point in her career occurred in high school. At Lisgar Collegiate in Ottawa, she had Mr. Mann for English. She had considered taking mathematics at university: “I always loved mathematics.” He introduced her to the world of literature and opened the whole world of history and philosophy that accompanied it. He also encouraged her to enter public speaking contests that introduced to working in front of an audience. Finally he had gone to the University of Toronto’s Trinity College which influenced her final choice for university. “I think he was quite happy to steer me in that direction. Going to Trinity really changed my life.” Clarkson found that she really didn’t know what she wanted and didn’t care that she didn’t know. “I lived for learning things from the moment and I stretched out everything.” She wasn’t going to university to be trained, but instead to go to get an education. I asked her what she thought about the current trend of preparing students at a very early age for a specific career. “I think it’s awful; that’s not education, that’s training, and there’s a difference. If you want an education, you go in order for your mind to be totally expanded in all directions in whatever disciplines you want. But to
be trained for a job, it’s training, not an education. The opening of the mind is what’s really, really important.” A broad education is important in her mind. “The thing that education does for you is it gives you the latitude of mind and spirit to be able to understand things.” Clarkson took her open-minded and ever curious enthusiasm from her time at Trinity and transferred it to the CBC. The early years at CBC TV were a dynamic, much younger place than they might be today. “Everyone was under thirty-five except for the big, big supervisor, and he was forty-two. It may seem odd now, but it a way, it was great.” The relative youth meant that in a new medium, TV, production crews were inventive and creative both as a necessity and as part of their character. Clarkson and her colleagues were just ahead of the baby boom. “Part of it was demographic. The thing is that people like Barbara Frum, Peter Gzowski and I were born in the late thirties and there weren’t many people born in Canada for the next six years. [Our age at the time] made us seem unusual.” I asked her about journalism, and the role that curiosity and intuition play in shaping a good writer. “I don’t think you can teach people everything. Curiosity is the one thing that will carry me personally through life. I’m curious about everything. Some of the excitement comes from not knowing what the answer is to the questions that you’re asking.” While Clarkson may have started her personal and professional lives early, she was first married at age 25, things have changed since then. “To me, 30 is the new 20. People are now
doing things when they’re 32 that we were doing when we were 22 because we had time on our backs.” Memoirs skim and dip from a writer’s memory rather than providing a detailed chronological life story. “I left out an enormous amount of stuff; whole swaths of stuff. I didn’t want the book to be long. There were things that I felt I could excise without doing damage to the main story.” Even with this being the case, reviewers have tended to focus on her tenure as Governor General, which she finds annoying. Throughout the interview, she was always quick to point out that the book was not all about being Governor General. I asked her if that was the case, why did reviewers focus on it? “I think they focused on it because they wanted to and because they didn’t know how to write it any other way.” “I revealed what I wished to reveal of my true self. As I said earlier in the interview, I tried to do it without interfering with other people’s thoughts.” Despite her whirlwind tour, Clarkson will be ready for her appearance at UW. “I’m going to be reasonably quiet for the next week until I release myself on you.” As for dancing, Clarkson’s parents were good dancers and she danced often at university. Since then however, there has been little time for dancing. “John Ralston Saul and I have been promising each other to go for dancing lessons together for about 20 years, so I’m still hoping that this is going to happen within the next year. We had thought that we would have time to do it when we got to Rideau Hall. Ha!” nmoogksoulis@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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FRIDAY, november 3, 2006
Cultural experiences await computer science students Rachel McNeil assistant news editor
The University of Waterloo is, once again, expanding its educational opportunities for its more technologically inclined students, as it will be joining forces with China’s Tsinghua University to create a computer science exchange program. The university is situated on former royal gardens of the Qing Dynasty and surrounded by the historical sites of Northwest Beijing. UW’s David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science, along with Tsinghua University’s Department of Computer Science and Technology, recently signed a memorandum of understanding for academic co-operation that specifies details for the upcoming exchanges. Students will spend the first three years of their studies at their home universities, then transfer across the globe to complete years four and five – plus any additional years that might accompany a PhD program. Yet, says George Labahn, acting director of David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science, “Students will be paying their home school. A student going to China will pay UW, while a Chinese student coming here will pay their university.” At the end of the exchange, students enrolled at UW will receive a UW degree; the students are basically crossing borders to take the same courses. However, the cultural benefits of exchanges like this are innumerable. Thomas Coleman, UW’s dean of mathematics, states that “this agreement allows [UW] to reach out to the best students and researchers in China,
and gives the Waterloo students a chance to explore a new world.” By offering the option to finish their studies at Tsinghua University, UW is hoping to inspire a greater sense of social awareness amongst its students, in addition to the obvious academic rewards they will be reaping. These benefits are still largely geared towards students in the faculties of math and science and unfortunately arts attendees are still quite often left out of consideration. To this, Labahn remarked, “It can be beneficial [for arts students to take part in overseas exchanges] but we must keep in mind that there’s also a language barrier. Computer science sStudents are not as required to know the language while the arts students would have to know Chinese.” So for now, UW will have to settle for attracting China’s top technology students: Tsinghua is consistently selected as the university of choice by 70 per cent of the top 10 scorers from each province on the national university entrance exam. As well, 70 per cent of the students who ranked number one in the same ridings also chose Tsinghua as their favoured option for post-secondary studies. The exchange opportunity will be given to roughly five students from UW each year. The number of students entering the UW campus will have to be monitored as well, due to the greater amount of enthusiasm from Tsinghua students to study in Canada. However, the number of participants admitted in the program remains unknown. ramcneil@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Taking time off to be counted
filed in front of the Kitchener city council to voice their opinions. To their credit, the councillors were very patient. The only time that they got upset was when they were misrepresented, either deliberately or otherwise, and then they would ask the clerk to clarify their actions at earlier meetings. As it turned out, the bingo issue was not even on the agenda for the October 29 meeting, but the influx of delegates meant that The term can be broken into three parts: “I’ve council had to address the issue. As Mayor got time ‘til this is due,” “I’ve still got time” Carl Zehr noted, council could not approve and “Everything’s due!” These periods roughly the zone change that night for procedural correspond to three months of class. I won’t reasons, but that they could vote to kill it. even mention the fourth month which is “Don’t In the end, Council voted to defer deciding talk to me, I’m studying.” Why then, if things anything on the issue until their next council are so crazy, would I spend three hours in a city meeting, November 27. So, what was the point of attending what council meeting? In my spare time from university, I’m the might have otherwise been a futile meeting? treasurer for the local sailing club. The sailing After all, I was but one person, even though I club gets some of its capital revenue by oper- represented a larger organization that had a peating a bingo hall with 26 other charities and ripheral part to play. Others who spoke had far greater interests in the service clubs in K-W. issue than I did. What This fall, the bingo hall Backsides sitting in the I was doing was playing management proposed my part in municipal relocating the bingo audience chamber send politics. Backsides sithall from its downtown ting in the audience Kitchener site to a more strong messages to chamber send strong accessible site in the Rosemount neighbour- councillors that the issue messages to councillors that the issue at hand is hood. All seemed to be at hand is important. important. fine until the neighbours Allowing delegafound out. tions at council meetBecause a bingo hall needs a special permit to operate, it generally ings is a way of diffusing otherwise concan’t rent regular retail space unless the landlord tentious situations. Aggrieved parties, no receives permission for a zone change. Checks matter how right or wrong they are, have and balances exist to make sure that nobody is the satisfaction of knowing that their voices have been heard. In a way, it allows them to surprised when the change is permitted. Word filtered out first to the neighbours let off steam and get all of the issues out in the affected neighbourhood. When it on the table. As for me, November 27 is a particularly became clear that the move would not be friendly, word filtered out to the supporters awkward time, what with it being the final week of the term and all. And then we have the of the move. Due to another commitment, I arrived late sweet, sweet time for sleep (after the exams are to the council chambers around 7:30 p.m., in all written, of course). Maybe I can do some time to hear the city staff finish making their studying while I sit in the gallery. reports regarding the issue. For the next hour nmoogksoulis@imprint.uwaterloo.ca and a quarter, a host of delegations for both sides
AGM: Women’s centre name change not the sole outcome of meeting Continued from cover
However, some women find the “womyn” spelling off-putting. Former undergrad Erin M. O’Leary spoke out in favour of the change. She told Imprint, “I just chose not to utilize the service because the ‘y’ sent a fairly clear message to me that the purpose of the service was a political agenda and not an informative one — that could be because the service didn’t put out enough information to inform me of what its purpose was.” When the question was called, the motion to change “Womyn” to “Women” passed 38-17-4. It was hoped that changing the name will change how students view the service. It is one of the few, if not the only, recommended change to come out of the controversial service review to be implemented. However, one of the current coordinators, Rose Schmidt, thinks this effort is misdirected. “I believe that the time and money spent changing the name is time and money that could have been put into actually changing the perception of the centre, educating the university on women’s issues and accomplishing our mandate,” she wrote to Imprint. “I still believe that simply changing the name will not dramatically change the volunteers or users of the centre.” The name change wasn’t the only measure that was debated before it was ultimately passed. Feds’ bylaws, policies and procedures committee also proposed an amendment which would force all Feds councilors to attend all general meetings, including the annual general meeting every October and the other general meeting generally held every March. As BPP Chair Kevin Redmond told Imprint, “When faced with the challenge to make it easier to achieve
quorum at our general meetings, this was an option the [Feds BPP committee] considered. Students’ Council is a large body of people that can mandate certain responsibilities within the corporation. They are generally very knowledgeable about its current issues. They can make informed votes at meetings and they can be there to inform others present about the arguments for and against a particular issue.” The kerfuffle was over-wording: though councilors would be required to attend every general meeting, there is currently no explicit requirement mandating the same of the Feds executive. Engineering Councilor Jeffery Aho proposed an amendment which would mandate this, but it was ultimately struck down by Feds vice-president education Jeff Henry on a point of order (changes to exec duties were not allowed to be made at that time). The original measure passed with few people opposing. Another change warrants mention — the Feds AGM saw elimination of two of their other services, the Legal Resource Office and the Wellness Centre. Though in reality the services have been defunct since March of this year due to lack of volunteer interest or student use, a vote at a general meeting was required for the services to be officially discontinued. Feds President Michelle Zakrison told Imprint that the mandate of the Wellness Centre was being effectivly duplicated by Health Services, and the Pre-Law Club has taken on the duties of the Legal Resource Office. Zakrison also encouraged students having legal problems (i.e. student-landlord disputes) to speak to herself or VP Education Jeff Henry if they want assistance. mdavenport@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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Friday, november 3, 2006
opinion@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Opinion Editor: Paul Marchwica Opinion Assistant: Ryan Webb
Friday, November 3, 2006 — Vol. 29, No. 16 Student Life Centre, Room 1116 University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 P: 519.888.4048 F: 519.884.7800 imprint.uwaterloo.ca Editor-in-chief, Tim Alamenciak editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Advertising & Production Manager, Laurie Tigert-Dumas ads@imprint.uwaterloo.ca General Manager, Catherine Bolger cbolger@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Editorial Staff Assistant Editor, Suzanne Gardner Cover Editor, Anya Lomako Photo Editor, Tiffany Li Assistant Photo Editor, vacant Graphics Editor, Christine Ogley Assistant Graphics Editor, Veronique Lecat Web Editor, Mohammad Jangda Assistant Web Editor, vacant Systems Administrator, Gautam Khanna Sys. Admin. Assistant, Victor Ng Lead Proofreader, Emma Tarswell Proofreaders Shivaun Hoad, Adrienne Raw Leslie Havens, André Ulloa Production Staff Ryan Nahé, Michael L. Davenport, Linda Kong Ting, Paul Collier, Karina Graf, Michael Turman, Steven R. McEvoy, Kelvin Lam
Coffee time in my hovel This week has been one to mark off on my calendar. I was struck by a strangely drugresistant version of the flu. Having suffered through a good whack of childhood illness, my immune system is like that of Atlas. But this bug got through and knocked me flat on my ass. I also had to face the fire of public scrutiny. After an incident of social activism, I knew something was awry. So with a head full of anti-histamines, I trekked to the offices that I knew had a problem with Imprint. Bear with me here — this isn’t some heroic story. It’s a metaphor, or an analogy, or some other literary device... Regardless, among all the tangible concerns, one primary issue struck me in the heart: monolithicity. I know, it’s not a word. But as an interesting aside — accord-
ing to the Oxford English Dictionary website, one can suggest words. Intrepid readers, go forth and spread monolithicity. Although it may end up in the dictionary, I would like to hunt down every instance of it being used to describe Imprint. We are by no means a monolith. But I can understand how the presentation may make it seem that way. The hallway leading to the office is long and dark. There are usually people busily rushing to hit deadlines. Sometimes someone is asleep on the couch. And it smells like newspaper. But unlike major media corporations, I do not have a secretary. Hell, I don’t even have an office per se — more of a hovel. And that hovel is soon being moved to the heart of the production room so that I can be near the staff and help them whenever they need it. I live in a small townhouse with a couple of roommates and dogs. I make a reasonable income and work a second job in a kitchen at The Chill Bar & Grill. Not the one in the University Plaza — the ‘cool’ one on the outskirts of Waterloo. Things are pretty free and easy here at Imprint. If you can string a few sentences
POSTSCRIPT
together and have good journalistic instincts, we won’t turn you down. But sometimes it can be intimidating to walk in to a place with no real target in mind. It’s hard to just say, “I want to be a writer,” or “I want to propose a counter-argument to this editorial.” I’d like to give you a purpose — a destination in Imprint. I want you to come have coffee with me. Whether you’re a reader or potential volunteer, I invite you to come and chat over some free coffee in the Imprint office. You will have my undivided attention from 2:00 p.m. until 4 p.m. on Tuesday afternoons. My office is always open. As I said before, it’s a hovel — ain’t no doors on this thing. But if you come on a Tuesday, we can have a coffee and chat about anything Imprint-related. And if you can’t make it, just drop me an e-mail. I’ll see what I can do about the coffee, but I’ll definitely set aside some time to meet with you. Monolithicity be damned. Imprint is your newspaper — literally. editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Graham Moogk-Soulis
Office Staff Distribution, Gillian Flanagan Distribution, Amy Pfaff Volunteer Co-ordinator, Margaret Clark Advertising Assistant, Jason Kenney
Board of Directors board@imprint.uwaterloo.ca President, Jeff Anstett president@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Vice-president, Adam Gardiner vp@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Treasurer, Jacqueline McKoy treasurer@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Secretary, Vacant secretary@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Staff liaison, Darren Hutz staff.liasion@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Imprint is the official student newspaper of the University of Waterloo. It is an editorially independent newspaper published by Imprint Publications, Waterloo, a corporation without share capital. Imprint is a member of the Ontario Community Newspaper Association (OCNA). Editorial submissions may be considered for publication in any edition of Imprint. Imprint may also reproduce the material commercially in any format or medium as part of the newspaper database, Web site or any other product derived from the newspaper. Those submitting editorial content, including articles, letters, photos and graphics, will grant Imprint first publication rights of their submitted material, and as such, agree not to submit the same work to any other publication or group until such time as the material has been distributed in an issue of Imprint, or Imprint declares their intent not to publish the material. The full text of this agreement is available upon request. Imprint does not guarantee to publish articles, photographs, letters or advertising. Material may not be published, at the discretion of Imprint, if that material is deemed to be libelous or in contravention with Imprint’s policies with reference to our code of ethics and journalistic standards. Imprint is published every Friday during fall and winter terms, and every second Friday during the spring term. Imprint reserves the right to screen, edit and refuse advertising. One copy per customer. Imprint ISSN 0706-7380. Imprint CDN Pub Mail Product Sales Agreement no. 40065122. Next board meeting: TBA
Organic food is a fabrication Imprint reader questions the nutritious value of eating organic foods such inedible. Nowadays, to be called “organic,” crops have to have been grown by certain standards set by the Soil Association. The origin of these standards for growing rests with Rudolph Steiner, who had some
I recently read Trish Garland’s article about organic food in Imprint, which seems to take for granted that organic is good, and I have to speak out against this. The truth is that studies have shown that there’s no noticeable advantage to organic foods in their taste, health benefits or even environmental benefits. Trish glossed over most of the early history of organic foods, so let me fill in the gaps. First of all, the origin of the term “organic” came from chemistry, where it referred to a type of molecule. The most common definition here is that organic molecules contain carbon and usually hydrogen. The “organic” food movement has since picked up this term, presumably to imply that the alternative was inorganic, and as
The truth is that studies have shown that there’s no noticeable advantage to organic food in their taste... supernatural beliefs about the nature of soil. These beliefs influenced the group of Britons who founded the Soil Association. The association thought that the current industrial agriculture was harmful in various ways, environmentally, bodily, and spiritually. Part of their original beliefs were
indeed the use of animal manures plus locally-grown materials and animal feeds. But part of it was more mystical, such as planting at certain phases of the moon. Fortunately, most of the mystical beliefs have since been phased out. So now we come to the question of whether or not their methods actually do anything. For this, the Dick Tavern book The March of Unreason devotes a chapter to organic food and whether it really helps. He points out that in double-blinded tests, consumers can’t taste the difference between organic and inorganic produce. Additionally, the rules for which pesticides can be used seem to be counter-intuitive; some older and more harmful pesticides are allowed while newer and safer ones aren’t. The final problem with organic farming is that it takes up more land for a lower yield of crops. In addition to the economic hardships this would cause to overpopulated areas, it also encourages deforestation to increase farmable land. See PESTICIDE, page 8
opinion
FRIDAY, november 3, 2006
Barflies
Ian Blechschmidt
Man in a box draws crowd
Though this time it’s not David Blaine
Neither rain, nor sleet, nor hail, nor gay-bashing are, to be certain, rather blatantly discriminatory, they were still approved for distribution by Canada Post. They decided that it was not in breach of their mailing standards, which are similar to those of Canada Customs in blocking obscene material. The concept of “hate mail” is not one that is governed by Canada Post, and, as such, the pamphlet was approved for distribution — just not by those who were to actually deliver it. This has, of course, brought up a debate over whether letter carriers should be required to deliver mail which they find contrary to their beliefs or morals. While obscene material will be
servants, and as such should be governed equally as all other civil servants within Canada. Were we to simply allow one group of civil servants to refuse to do the job for which they are paid because certain tasks offend their belief system, we would need to allow the same for all other civil servants. For example, we would have to allow civil As the saying goes, there are but two servants to refuse to perform same-sex things that are certain in life: death and marriage ceremonies because they betaxes. I imagine that Canada Post would lieve in “traditional marriage” or allow love to add “delivery of your mail” to that pharmacists to refuse to administer list, but it seems destined not to be. contraceptives due to religious beliefs According to The Canadian Press, late that tell them that the use of such drugs last week there was an uprising in Vanis forbidden. couver over the delivery of a series of I really, really hate using the cliché pamphlets. Several “slippery slope,” letter carriers probut I fear it may tested and walked apply. out over apparently Were we to simply allow one group of civil There are arbeing threatened guments for eiservants to refuse to do the job for which ther side of this into delivering them along their routes. they are paid because certain tasks offend issue, of course. The pamphlet You could allow in question was in these individuals their belief system, we would need to fact a newsletterpass the task to allow the same for all other civil servants. someone who style ad published by the Fundamentalis willing to do ist Baptist Mission it, but this raises of Waterford, Ont., largely filtered, other things such as this the question of what to do when which featured an article entitled The pamphlet can manage to get through there is no one who is willing to do Plague of this 21st Century: The Consequences the screening system. the task. of the Sin of Homosexuality (AIDS). When It is very tempting to submit to the It’s hard to say which side I’d argue given the pamphlets, several of the let- knee-jerk reaction of “Well, don’t force for if pressed — though I feel I can ter carriers flatly refused to distribute them into carrying it” — as I did, I will safely say that it’s one of those “nothem along their route and managed to admit — but such a system will cause win” situations. convince others to do the same. problems down the line. While the pamphlets themselves gbarclay@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Postal workers are, after all, public
I saw him in real life for the first time last Friday. I’d heard of him before. He goes around to campuses, finds impressionable youngsters and deals the white stuff to any willing student who comes around, at the same time helping to support a multi-billion dollar industry. His giant box-shaped body stumbles around near the SLC as he gets students to pose in front of a video camera shouting, “Moo.” That’s right: the milkmen have invaded our campus. I tried to ignore them, but the students, probably from Markham (and who have never heard a real cow), present a constant mooing that haunted me as I walked on. I pondered to myself: Why this corporate advertising on campus? Do we really need milk? And why all this excitement to pose beside a giant milk carton man? And out comes my militant veganism. I assume I’m slightly less likely than your average Joe to purchase a “cow-spotted moo skin” or “moo ringtone” for my cell phone. It’s probably those underlying issues I have with milk as to why Friday’s incident bothered me so much, or why the hip-hop dairy farmer commercials tend to make me twitch. Studies in The New England Journal of Medicine have begun to link dairy with human health problems like heart and Crohn’s disease, prostate cancer, multiple sclerosis, premature puberty and childhood diabetes. 20 per cent of Canadians either can’t digest milk because they cannot tolerate the lactose (genetic reasons) or are actually allergic. Perhaps the reason is that cow’s milk is meant
for infant cows? We knew this back in the 1970s when Canadians boycotted Nestlé’s dairy formula with the slogan: “Nestlé Kills Babies,” because of its promotion to African infants. The treatment of most dairy cows is not kind, and includes removing the young from their mothers just after birth instead of suckling for 6-12 months. Females are susceptible to disease, and male calves face a fate of early death because they are not useful for meat (in Britain they call this the “Calf Processing Aid Scheme”). The industry is good at coming up with euphemisms for their work. It only took a quick search of the International Dairy Foods Association website to find a campaign claiming to be “grassroots,” when in actuality it’s a chance for big industry to lobby legislators. Now I know I’m not likely winning you over, because you’ve probably been drinking the stuff since before you should have. But how about trying to reduce your consumption a bit? My present dinner of veggie chili, potato wedges and garlic bread from Brubaker’s isn’t half bad! But yes, you need those green vegetables or fortified drinks to help you get the calcium you need. The environmental impact of eating this way is much smaller, because it doesn’t require the land and energy of feeding the animals or dealing with their waste. Other dairy products (you know, cream, cheese, cream cheese) are made up of a lot more fluid milk per unit, and therefore cutting down on these will reduce your impact and your waistline. And if your version of “joyful joyful we adore thee” is “drink milk, love life, fresh and cold,” please hang your head in shame. They got to you, kid. — Darcy Higgins
opinion
FRIDAY, november 3, 2006
STARHAMMER
John Lee
Buy our things, fatties! A new study about the girth of Canadians can mean only one thing
Good day fellow students, I hope this current issue has left an impression… Hmmm no wait, what would be a clever choice of words expressing this newspaper’s influence on you in a way that ties in an obvious truth? Well, I can’t think of something so I’ll just move on. There has been a recent report that Canadians are not eating a balanced diet. You heard right tubby. Like a petulant child, Statistics Canada is telling you to put down that deep-fried lard-centred butter stick you’ve been savouring, saying “look at me, look at me and my methodically compiled data set.” I’m a straight shooter. I don’t like to muddle facts with fancy rhetoric so I’ll present the findings in an unobstructed, elucidating fashion. More than 35 per cent of the average Canadian’s calorie intake is derived from fat. Expressed as a fraction, that is 35/100 or, more shockingly, 3,500/10,000 – now think about that number, 3,500. Would you really feed your children that many gravy-soaked
corndogs? Well that is what Statistics Canada is saying. It’s saying that you’d be, or are, a negligent parent. By following the eating habits of 35,000 Canadians, evidence showed that 15.9 per cent of this fat intake was ingested via fast food such as pizza, subs, hamburgers and hotdogs. Another 8.5 per cent came from cookies and doughnuts. In my experience, however, this doesn’t sound unreasonable at all. My uncle Xavier used to walk around with an IV full of bacon grease flowing directly into his arteries. He never complained once, and likes the intensive care unit he’s been indefinitely confined to just fine. Publishing data in this manner isn’t just alarmist, it’s downright irresponsible. Scare tactics like this can only come from a bunch of Nutritionazi fear mongers, who can’t figure out what to do with their degree now that their OSAP loans are due. Okay sure, it’s pretty bad that 20 per cent of the caloric intake of an average Canadian come from sources not even listed in the Canada food guide, but do we really need to put our bodies through the stress of knowing what we are doing to our bodies? My heart can barely pump my dangerously high blood sugar through my fat encrusted arteries as it is. Making me stressed out about it is only going to make things worse. Now in the wake of this “study” I
bpinto@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
NEXT ISSUE’S TOPICS: “Does Rememberance Day get the respect it deserves?” “What issues are most important to you in the upcoming election?” “Stem cell research: an act of compassion or murder?” Imprint wants to hear from you. Submit an editorial of approximately 500 words to: opinion@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Pesticide: Safe in tiny doses
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Continued from page 6
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can already see the sit up clerics, pilates rabbis and treadmill imams preaching that what we need is more exercise. Why? So we can line their pockets with our hard-earned cash while their muscular, colt-like bodies make us relive our high school locker room feelings of inadequacy? If anything, we should be doing less exercise. It can be inferred as such — who were the smart kids in school? The nerds. Who were the mouthbreathing troglodytes? The jocks. Now, who should we emulate, the geniuses or the morons? If you answered the latter, congratulations on your perfectly sculpted buttocks. You are also, however, trying to say that the nerds of the world — the pale, loose-fleshed, effeminate pansies — are wrong. Just remember, they are the ones who got the science award in high school and you ate soap. Jerk. We live in a first-world nation. That means we were the first world to die from an overabundance of food. Take that, famine-stricken regions. Perhaps a more even distribution of resources and wealth could help alleviate the problems which plague our respective geographies, but that would make us communists. I’m Brendan Pinto, and I’m single (perhaps this could be changed with a few more sit ups), so tell your friends.
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The last claim of organic food advocates that needs to be addressed is that the trace amounts of pesticides in inorganic foods are harmful to us. While I’ll agree that these pesticides are harmful in large doses, one must keep in mind the mantra, “The dose makes the poison.” Many things, even water, are toxic in large enough doses, but this doesn’t mean that they aren’t harmless in smaller doses. Our bodies are equipped with many methods to deal with trace amounts of harmful substances, and they’re generally excreted harmlessly. It’s only when the amount of these substances grows beyond our bodies’ ability to handle them that we have a problem. So, is the amount of pesticides in “inorganic food” enough to cause a problem? Most likely not. Plants, even organically grown, produce
natural pesticides far in excess of what we spray on. Our bodies can handle these just fine, so it’s unlikely the small extra amount will tip us over the edge. I should also point out that organic farming in fact does allow some pesticides to be used (such as copper sulphate, which is in fact more dangerous than many pesticides they’ve banned), but their standards don’t necessarily take into account the possible effects on humans. As a final note, I’ll admit that I do in fact agree with many of the humanitarian concerns of organic farming when it comes to the treatment of animals. But these concerns can and should be separated from their other claims. They’ve gotten rid of useless standards in the past, so I just hope they’ll continue to do so with many of their current standards. — Bryan Gillis
FRIDAY, november 3, 2006
opinion
Contest ads make women ‘desperate’ I work in an office. Besides the many movie-worthy hilarious moments I encounter, I am also subjected to listening to CHYM FM every morning. This is a very torturous experience, let me tell you. The music they play is horrible 90 per cent of the time — and they play the same bloody stuff in the same bloody order everyday. The relative crappiness of CHYM is not what’s really bothering me. The station is currently running a contest titled, “Desperate Housewives: Las Vegas.” The ads ask for women to phone in and tell the station why they desperately need a vacation. Desperate Housewives has gone from being a TV show to a cultural cliché. Used in advertising, magazine articles and contests on a regular basis, it has become a standard phrase to encompass not only actual housewives, but any wife or mother who feels a little confined by her situation. It’s not the capitalization on a popular TV show that bothers me, but what it insinuates. The concept that the CHYM ad perpetrates is one that women who try and balance motherhood, work and more in the modern world are automatically desperate and in need of a break. While this is a challenging task, it’s implied that they have to reach the point of desperation before allowing themselves a break. This is a common and disturbing trend in advertising that women have to feel guilty when they take a break — unless they are on the point of nervous collapse. In their tenth anniversary issue, Bitch magazine explored this very issue. It cited ads that marketed acts such as eating rich foods and taking a break from the daily grind as “guilty pleasures” for women. The CHYM ad does the same thing — and it’s not alone.
I think marketing and advertising are some of the most regressive parts of our culture. Cleaning, culinary and child-rearing products are all still primarily marketed towards women. For example, the Subway ad parodying B-grade horror where a woman’s family is literally about to eat her because she has yet to prepare dinner — and ta-da! Subway to the rescue! So if you don’t have time to make a nutritious meal, don’t think about delegating the task to your husband, just pick it up from Subway! I grew up in a single-parent household, so this is not a phenomenon that I witnessed in my own home; however, my sister-in-law constantly complains that she alone rears three children — one of whom is a toddler and she is currently eight-months pregnant — while working as much as my brother. When I visit friends’ houses, it’s always their mother who is cooking dinner, going grocery shopping and driving the kids around to various extra-curricular activities. So, is the advertising a reflection of the society in which we live, or is it a contributing factor? If ads started to portray both women and men doing housework, would it really change society? Would women then be allowed to take a break without having a guilt complex attached? Realistically, advertising is a minute part of society but it’s still a contributing factor. Yet, the way in which things are marketed to you significantly affects the way in which you engage with them; so, maybe if the ads changed, a trickle down effect would take place and society would change as well. If women weren’t shown that the cake they are about to enjoy, or the bubble bath that they are about to take, should be a “guilty pleasure,” they won’t feel it is. I’ve never really thought that CHYM FM could have the power to change the world, but who knows, maybe if they changed the way in which they market the K-W area might change a bit as well. acsanady@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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Features Imprint
Etiquette beyond Buckingham Palace
Friday, november 3, 2006
features@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Features Editor: Kinga Jakab Features Assistant: Ellen Ewart
This week,Features is providing an array of suggestions for students to practise better behaviour. For some, this might be everything your mother taught you and more. For others, get your fingers out of your nose and pay attention. If you have suggestions on how we can improve our etiquette, email features@ imprint.uwaterloo.ca.
Arguing politely is the new cat-fight Margaret Clark staff reporter
I barely had my foot in the door at the University of Waterloo before I gained a reputation as “opinionated” — namely, because I liked to argue and could hold myself well in most any debate. Ironically, however, the longer I spend at university, the more disinclined I became towards getting into debates. In part, this is because my views on the purpose, process and problematic consequences of argumentation have changed dramatically since I was a wee froshling. I now realize how ill-prepared most people — myself included — are for engaging in the kinds of debates one should expect from university life. The result being, of course, a less than productive learning environment outside the classroom. But change is possible, especially if we remember the cardinal rule: like any other facet of human interaction, arguments require a measure of mutual respect. This should be fairly self-evident, as debating with someone you don’t respect is never enjoyable for both members: either you’re seeking to humiliate your opponent and “prove” your own superiority (in which case you’re a petty, petty individual), or else your annoyance with that person and her ideas will just escalate until you’re both in foul and ultimately unproductive moods.
This rule ties into the ultimate purpose of debate — which is not, as I used to think, to persuade others to accept your opinions as the “right” ones. After all, if this were the real aim of discourse we could settle all philosophical debates by physical prowess alone. (Don’t believe me? Just try denying God’s existence while trapped in an arm lock or triangle choke!) Instead, though your opponent will occasionally change her mind in the course of the arChristine Ogley gument and perhaps even concede her point to you, a successful debate is invariably one in which both mem-
bers come away with a fuller understanding of each other’s opinions, as well as the different core assumptions that fuel them. It’s not necessary, for example, to convince someone either of God’s existence or non-existence, so long as at the end of the debate you have a better understanding of how and why your opponent holds the perspective she does. It’s also important to recognize when you’ve run a topic into the ground: when you and your opponent are just reiterating arguments you’ve already raised, the debate is over. When you and your opponent are continuing to speak just so you can each have the last word, the debate is still over. And when you’ve taken to ad hominem attacks in lieu of reasonable responses to each other’s arguments, the debate is so over it’s not even funny. But above all, showing your opponent respect involves more than not insulting their intelligence or raising your voice out of anger at their opin-
ions. Respect also involves sincerity, something that is often sorely lacking when debates occur between people who might be attracted to one another. You might think agreeing with whatever your love interest says will score you big points — or, at the very least, let you score — but while, oh, say, a gullible frosh might be flattered at first, she’ll also ultimately feel betrayed when she realizes everything you said was a lie. Certainly there is a place for the devil’s advocate in arguments — and in relationships, too, disagreement is healthy — but if you’re enjoying how much your shock-value statements are upsetting your opponents, chances are you’ve crossed the line. You don’t have to be an asshole to try on different perspectives — and you shouldn’t be. Ultimately, think of arguments as opportunities: for strengthening friendships and acquaintanceships, for fleshing out your own opinions and for gaining a better understanding of the opinions held by those around you. When you fail to exercise mutual respect and sincerity in your debates, not only do you lose out on all three of these; you’ve also started talking just to hear the sound of your own voice. And believe you me, in time even you will get sick of listening to that. mclark@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
How to win friends and influence people We asked people their etiquette pet peeves and here’s what some of them came up with: “People that sneeze and wipe it on a chair or desk.”
Tiffany Li, 3B arts and business co-op
“When people drink your beer but never give any back.”
Darren Hutz, 4B English rhetoric and professional writing
“People walking by on the street that you know but totally ignore you.”
Darcy Higgins, 4A environmental resource studies
“When people bother you with surveys when you’re trying to write a column.”
Brendan Pinto, 4A physics
“Bad grammar and spelling in e-mails. ‘U’ and ‘r’ especially.”
Suzanne Gardner, 4A English language and literature
“People who break your personal bubble and don’t even know you.”
Tim Alamenciak, editor-in-chief, Imprint
“People that let the door slam in your face.”
Ashley Csanady, 2A English and history
“Girls belching.”
“Waiters who bring you the wrong food and tell you it’s what you ordered.”
Stephanie Anderson, 4A honours biology
Shawn Bell, 4A environmental resource studies
“People that talk with their mouths full.” Sasha Campbell, Imprint intern
“People that steal the parking spot that you’re waiting for.”
Steven R. McEvoy, 3B religious studies
features
FRIDAY, november 3, 2006
11
Healthy eating for crunch time When left-overs are so good, they’re meant to be eaten twice! It’s also efficient in a rush
It’s crunch time, which means that students are being mauled with plenty of midterms to last them well into December. With all this studying, one wonders how we can still have time to make something healthy to eat. There is a solution dear readers! And it does not mean trudging to the local fast food chain for sustenance. What you can do instead is create an emergency meal. Make this a family-sized meal over the weekend, then portion the servings in
Tupperware and store in the fridge or freezer. If you happen to be pressed for time during the week, this emergency meal can be your saving grace. Just take out one of your Tupperware containers, reheat in the microwave and voila — an instant homemade meal within minutes! Now isn’t that just so much more wholesome than turning to purchased/fast food meals? I am envisioning that you are nodding your heads in agreement. The preparation and cooking for this recipe is simple. Clean up is quick, which is essentially one large skillet. This makes six servings and can easily last you a week. Beef is very temperamental so you will want to take caution and prevent it from going bad. If you are planning on using purchased
beef within three days, remove the plastic wrap and wrap it loosely with wax paper. The idea is to let the air circulate and keep the meat’s surface relatively dry, thereby inhibiting the growth of bacteria. Place the meat in the coldest part of the fridge and use it within three days. If you are not using the meat within a few days, keep the beef in its plastic wrap; put it into a freezer lock bag, and store in the freezer for up to three months.
Zesty and hot, this dish will definitely keep away those cold winter chills. On its own, this dish is great, but if you want, enjoy it with a side salad, oven baked french fries, any type of crusty bread or nacho chips and guacamole. This chilli pasta skillet offers the rich goodness of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron. tli@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Chilli Pasta Skillet Ingredients: 1 lb. (500 g) lean ground beef 3/4 cup chopped onion 1 15 1/2-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained 1 14 1/2-ounce can diced, undrained 1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce 1/2 cup of dried elbow macaroni (2 ounces) 1 4-ounce can diced green chilli peppers, drained 2 to 3 tsp. chilli powder 1/2 tsp. garlic salt 1 cup-1 1/2 cup Monterey jack or cheddar cheese
Method:
1. In a large skillet, cook meat and onion, on medium-high heat, until the meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off the fat. 2. Stir in the beans, undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, uncooked macaroni, chilli peppers, chilli powder and garlic salt. 3. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes or until macaroni is tender, stirring often. 4. Remove the skillet from the heat and sprinkle the mixture with cheese (your preference in adding how much you want) 5. Cover and let stand for about two minutes or until cheese is melted. Véronique Lecat
Etiquette of liveable roommate accommodation Tips to being a good roommate and avoid being the mate that everyone hates Meghan Withers reporter
It’s that time of year again, halfway into the term. Yes, the time for midterm exams, term papers and for your roommates to really start getting on your nerves. Those little quirks and personality flaws about these people that didn’t bother you too much when you first moved in together are now becoming more bothersome. Take for example a conversation I had with my friend Judy. Judy’s been having some issues with her roommates — well, more like just one
roommate. She always knew that this guy was a bit of a messy person and earlier in the term she and her other roommates enjoyed laughing at the dungeon of chaos that is his bedroom. But stuff piles up and eventually only so much stuff can be tossed carelessly into the bedroom. Now he’s slowly taking over the rest of the house and poor Judy is frustrated. In lieu of Judy’s roommate complaints, I asked around campus: what makes a good roommate and what makes a bad one? And how can you tell if you’re that roommate? Here’s what I found:
Music
Whether you’re listening to it too loudly, at bad times (e.g.four o’clock in the morning) or repeating the same song or CD over and over again (there’s only so much of the Chili Peppers that you can take in one day!). Music can be a major irritant with your roommates. Be considerate. Food
One of the most common complaints I heard was about roommates eating their food. Imagine coming home from a long day of classes — you haven’t eaten in several hours and are all excited to eat that last box of Kraft Dinner only to find that your roommate has just eaten it. I’d be pretty ticked. Cleaning
Just like our good friend Judy, many students here at UW have issues with their roommates’ cleanliness. Mile-high stacks of dirty dishes, piles of laundry and hair-clogged drains are definitely not anyone’s cup of tea. Visitors
Véronique Lecat
It may be great to have friends come visit you and stay over night, but the timing of the visit
may not suit your roommates. Don’t have a house party on the night before your roommate’s exam; it’s just plain mean. Significant others
Just because you think your girlfriend/boyfriend is all-that-and-a-bag-of-potato-chips doesn’t mean your roommates do as well. Don’t let their visits become overly frequent — your roommates agreed to live with you, not your girl/boy-friend. Plus, you don’t want your roommates to start trying to charge him/her for rent and utilities.
Pets
Whether you have pets visiting or your pet lives with you and your roomies, make sure you clean up after them. No one wants cat hair all over his or her house or apartment or a smelly fish bowl. If your roommates are constantly on your case about the above issues, I’m sorry, but you might just be that roommate. Try to be the awesome roommate — the one that is considerate of others but doesn’t let this consideration cramp their own style.
Making light of a stinky situation
Blowing smoke without burning bridges Tim Alamenciak editor-in-chief
Smokers have their own culture. The crew huddled around burning tobacco fending off the cold with shakes and sweaters even have their own system of etiquette. There are certain taboos — as with any subset of society. The first bit of smoking etiquette centres on the act of lighting the cigarette. Offering a light to others was once considered a gesture of kindness. To a small extent, it is still a graceful thing to do. I caution any potential lighters to ensure that all hair is out of the way. After several incidences of singeing my own hair, I dare not take the challenge of dodging a wiry maze just to light someone’s cigarette. Given that lighting another person’s cigarette is a gesture of kindness, you should avoid lighting cigarettes of people you don’t know or people who wear Nirvana shirts but do not fully understand Kurt Cobain. I hear there is a motion being passed at the federal level to extend a helping hand to these people, but until then they are bad, horrid creatures that should be avoided at all costs and ridiculed at every opportunity. When someone offers to light your cigarette, weigh your choices carefully. You could lean in and push your hair back, preventing any unnecessary hair fires. You could simply stand there and refuse the light. Both gestures are as significant as pushing a grade school crush down on the playground. Very, very serious. The actual act of smoking is a learned behaviour. Like the subtle nuances of prison culture, you can only pick this up from others. Observe the way of the smoker — the casual ash flicking, inhaling and exhaling, and talking while you exhale. All of these are valuable traits. Nowadays, smokers get a bad rap. I do my best to correct this. When a child is nearby, try to hide your cigarette. If you’re a bandana-wearing cool guy, the child will likely want to emulate you. Don’t blow smoke at people — hold your breath. Smoke in lowtraffic areas and never ever smoke while someone else is eating. Internally, smoking culture is rather complicated. There are many more intricacies that could be divulged if I had the space of a textbook. The way smokers interact with the outside world is becoming more and more vital. When a member of the tribe tries to leave the smokers circle, the other smokers should be supportive rather than critical. While it’s true that quitters never win, the prize for smoking isn’t really that great anyway. That being said, there are a fair amount of karmic influences. I won’t pretend to preach morality, but peer pressure definitely isn’t cool. Neither is interfering with a dedicated effort to quit. Armed with this set of rules, smokers and non-smokers will one day be able to get along. Perhaps a peace treaty could be drafted. editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
features
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FRIDAY, november 3, 2006
Pile-up: aisle #4 Cyclists may endanger many
Sharing this community means knowing the rules of the road and The “Dos and Don’ts” of grocery shopping to keeping the streets safe for everyone. It’s everyone’s responsibility. increase efficiency and perhaps even fun Tiffany Li reporter
Student life means shuttling — via bike, bus, car, rollerblades, unicycle (yes I’ve seen it) and even on good ol’ foot, for food to the local grocery store. Perhaps at home you may have had Mom ’n Pop assist you in this area. However, here you are living on your own and the majority of you are more-or-less trekking into unknown territory. In my years of trailblazing up and down football field-stretched aisles of many a grocery store, I have gathered some insightful knowledge and advice that you may find useful to follow. This is all in the hopes of creating the most satisfying, stress-free and even fun (yes, it’s possible!) time at the grocery store. The following is what I offer to you all as the super commandments of the market: 1. The carts are to be used on the premises. They are not take-home souvenirs. 2. Math skills tend to go awry at the supermarket: Taste-testing $5 worth of bulk goods does not equate to you insertChristine Ogley ing $0.10 into the white canisters. 3. Do not cut people off with your carts. 4. The right lane is for slower moving carts, and make sure you have other patrons’ attention when passing. Left lane is reserved for the return lane. 5. If you suddenly decide you don’t want an item (i.e. apples) put them back where you found them rather
than just discard them in some random area where they can rot and emit foul odours! 6. Look both ways before crossing a lane to pick an item up on the other side. 7. Try as you might, you can’t haggle for reduced prices at the grocery store. 8. If there are clothes for sale, don’t ask if there is a change room; there isn’t. 9. If it says “please don’t break the banana bunches,” don’t (and yet I still see it all the time). 10. The tank of seafood is not a visit to the aquarium — don’t expect tricks. 11. Bring hand sanitizer. Germs are gross and you know it — remember to use it before and after the trip. 12. Gather all groceries, pay for them, then eat them — not the other way around. 13. Shirts, pants and shoes are not optional items. Please wear them to the store. There’s a reason for how supermarkets can stay so clean, and this happens to be one of them. I hope that these commandments will serve you well. Please practice them. Before you know it, you’ll adore a trip to the supermarket as much as I do! Okay, maybe you won’t willingly spend one and a half hours there, but at least you’ll enjoy going there more often. If you have any other commandments to add to this fruitful list, please don’t hesitate to send me an email. tli@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Steven R. McEvoy staff reporter
I really want to rant about this subject, for a number of reasons. As someone who has been a student here at UW for eight years, I’ve frequently observed that most bike riders in the university area are a menace to themselves and to others. I love riding my bike and, for lack of access to a motor vehicle, I ride my bike eight to ten months of the year. But the cyclists around campus are most often obnoxious, dangerous and infuriating. It is against the law in Ontario to ride a bike on a sidewalk! On the Ministry of Transportation Ontario’s (MTO) website it states, “The Ontario Highway Traffic Act (HTA) defines the bicycle as a vehicle that belongs on the road. Riding on the road means mixing with other traffic. This is only safe when all traffic uses the same rules of the road. When everyone operates under these rules, actions become more predictable. Drivers can anticipate your moves and plan accordingly. Likewise, you too can anticipate and deal safely with the actions of others.” That means; if you are on two wheels, get off the sidewalk! This is especially needed, now that both University Ave. and Columbia St. have bike lanes. I recently checked with a member of the
RCMP and was informed that not only is it illegal to ride on the sidewalk, but also illegal to ride the wrong way on a bike lane. So if you’re on a bike, obey the rules of the road. I have a friend in town who is a professor and happens to walk with a cane. Bikes on Columbia St. have hit him more than three times. He has been knocked down and often the cyclist does not even stop to see if he is okay. Who in the world is that ignorant?! Below is a list of the HTA’s rules and regulations to follow when biking anywhere in Ontario. Yes, some of these rules are not very trendy, but neither is hurting yourself or putting someone else at risk. Use some common sense, be polite and be safe! It’s understandable that as a cyclist, sometimes, maybe even often, cars do not yield when you have the right of way or may even put you as a cyclist at risk. But you have choices; you can walk instead, you can ride and obey the rules of the road, being extra vigilant of cars, or you can do what most cycling students do and become a danger to others due to your behaviour. Sometimes the right decision is not the easy decision.
smcevoy@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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A few years back I was hit on my bike on Columbia St. near Weber St. A classic Volkswagen Beetle drove up over my front wheel while making a right hand turn to cut through a parking lot, without even doing a shoulder or mirror check. My bike was toast; the guy had the wheel fixed, but the forks were bent and it was never the same. However, if I had been on the sidewalk and not the road, I would have been the person at fault. I do want to acknowledge that there are many cyclists who do follow most of the traffic rules, and regulations. They are a credit to their mode of transport. Yet unfortunately, too many cyclists, especially around campus, have a flagrant disregard for the law and the safety of others. They endanger all near them, and need to be taken to task on their reckless behaviour. So I implore you do the right thing and ride on the road — not the sidewalks — please.
According to the HTA on the MTO’s website, a bike is legally responsible for: HTA 144/136 —Traffic signals and signs: Stop for red lights and stop signs and comply with all other signs. HTA 153 — One-way streets: Ride in the designated direction on one-way streets. HTA 147 — Slow moving traffic: Any vehicle moving slower than the normal traffic speed should drive in the right-hand lane except when preparing to turn left or when passing another vehicle. Cyclists must ride far enough out from the curb to maintain a straight line, clear of sewer grates, debris, potholes and parked car doors. You may occupy any part of a lane when your safety warrants it. Never compromise your safety for the convenience of a motorist behind you. HTA 142 — Signaling a turn: Before turning, look behind you and signal your turn. Cyclists can use their right arm to signal a right turn. HTA 140/144(29) — Crosswalks: Stop for pedestrians at crosswalks and walk your bike when crossing at a crosswalk. HTA 178 — Passengers: Passengers are not allowed on a bicycle designed for one person. HTA 178 — Attaching to a vehicle: You are not permitted to attach yourself to the outside of another vehicle or streetcar for the purpose of “hitching a ride.”
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HTA 104 — Helmets: Every cyclist under the age of 18 must wear an approved bicycle helmet. Parents or guardians shall not knowingly permit cyclists under sixteen to ride without a helmet. HTA 175 (12) — Stopped School Buses: Stop for stopped school buses when the upper alternating red lights are flashing and the stop arm is out. HTA 62 — Lights: A bike must have a white front light and a red rear light or reflector if you ride between ½ hour before sunset and ½ hour after sunrise.
attend our information session:
HTA 62 (17) — Reflective tape: A bike must have white reflective tape on the front forks and red reflective tape on the rear forks.
Wednesday, November 8, 2006 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
HTA 75 (5) — Bell: A bike must have a bell or horn in good working order.
To learn more about the MMPA Program,
Room 1113, Tatham Centre, University of Waterloo
www.rotman.utoronto.ca/mmpa
HTA 64 — Brakes: A bike must have at least one brake system on the rear wheel. When you put on the brakes, you should be able to skid on dry, level pavement. http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/pubs/cycling/cyclingskills.htm#traffic
features
FRIDAY, november 3, 2006
13
Hair expectations raise prickly questions Following up on the queries and conundrums of maintaining your pubic hair: what do people really want?
Pubic hair grooming seems to be quite a tricky issue for a lot of people. Last semester I gave you some tips for grooming your groin (see “The Lovin’ Blog” if you missed it: www. lovinblg.blogspot.com); since then I’ve received many questions about grooming etiquette. One reader wondered how to broach the subject of shaving with his girlfriend of about one year, who used to practice shaving but now lets things grow wild. This is a tricky situation indeed — depending on your partner and your relationship. For some couples, it isn’t a problem if one partner wants to try something new or wants their partner to do something different; they can ask without worry because they know that their partner will not be offended. But it sounds like this reader might be worried about his partner’s ability to handle (or perhaps even recognize) constructive criticism or suggestions about her appearance.
Some of us can get a little sensitive about our appearance — as if our partner asking for a change means that there is something wrong with us or that we have failed in some way. Of course, this is silly. A good way to bring up this topic is delicately. You need to let your partner know that you still think they are sexy but that you wish they’d start shaving/waxing again because it was a nice treat. Contrary to what some people might say, I don’t think you’re wrong to want her to groom again. It’s just pubic hair — people don’t usually flip out if you tell them that you liked how their hair was cut last year or that you think they would look better with longer or shorter hair. In fact, it’s not that different from asking if she would start wearing lacy lingerie more often. There are a few different ways to approach this issue with her: “Hunny, how come you don’t trim your pussy fur anymore? I really liked how it looked — it was really hot!” You could also try: “Hey sweetie, look at this picture I found online/in my e-mail from [insert crazy friend’s name here].” Yours looked like this when we first started dating — man, that was so awesome!” This is known as the “hint, hint” approach. Another approach would be to groom yourself — your partner might
notice the change and be inspired to follow your example or they might ask you about it and you can respond with, “I was thinking about how much I liked it when you used to shave/wax and decided to do a little grooming myself for you.”
It’s not wrong to ask your partner to try something different or to bring back an old favourite — but it wouldn’t be right to pressure them or make them feel guilty. You could even give your partner a gift certificate for a bikini or Brazilian wax as a gift. It’s not wrong to ask your partner to try something different or to bring back an old favourite — but it wouldn’t be right to pressure them or make them feel guilty. Maybe they’ve started taking you for granted and being reminded about how hot you think they look a certain
Avoiding dinner-date disasters Julie Vieth reporter
The meal you order on a first date can be equally or even more important than what you’re wearing or how your hair looks. I know this because over the past couple of years I’ve heard numerous first date horror stories involving food. I’ve also experienced my own first date food disaster. I am going to share some anecdotes about the most disastrous first date foods. 1. Mussels
Just a few Saturdays ago my boyfriend and I ran into a friend of mine at the Rude Native. He was out with a girl for the first time, but he invited us to join them. His date was very nice, attractive and things seemed to be going well for them. Let me just say that I am not a fan of seafood at all — actually, the smell of seafood absolutely disgusts me and I was a bit grossed out by the large plate of mussels his date ordered. He didn’t seem to mind them though — so I thought. I asked him about the date the next day and the first thing he said to me was “It was so disgusting the way she was slurping those mussels. I don’t think she has any manners at all!” I’m pretty sure they didn’t have a second date. 2. Chicken wings
One of my exes told me a story about a girl who ordered wings on their first date. She got wing sauce all over her face and licked her fingers continuously.
He was not impressed. She didn’t even attempt to be polite. Wait, is it even possible to be polite while eating wings? Needless to say he never took that girl out again and I made sure never to order wings when I was out with him.
first date with this guy who ordered a two-patty burger (that’s gross enough in the first place) with the works and extra hot sauce. After eating about half of the burger he began sweating — not just a little bit of sweat. He started off with sweat beads on his forehead that turned into constant dripping and visible sweat marks on his shirt. He looked like he just ran a half mile. She lost her appetite completely. The result: she avoided his phone calls until he got the point.
3. Noodles
I have made the mistake of ordering fettuccini alfredo on a first date — I don’t know what I was thinking. I have never been skilled at eating spaghetti, and fettuccini is basically the same thing.
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During the date the noodles hit me in the chin, giving me a beautiful alfredo sauce goatee. The worst part is that I found myself ignoring my date because I was concentrating on trying to eat my fettuccini. I learned my lesson. Now I always ask the server to substitute the fettuccini noodles with penne or macaroni. 4. Spicy foods
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Remember that these foods are okay to eat when you’re out with your girls, your buddies or your long time partner but when it comes to first dates, they are no-nos. Bear in mind that this is one of those things that is, as we say, skin deep. If you’re meant to be, or if a friendship flourishes from your date, then disastrous food experiences will become hilarious stories down the road. There is one exception to the rule of avoiding these foods: if you find yourself out on a first date that starts going badly before you even get to the restaurant and you don’t want your date to ever call you again just order one (or many) of these disastrous foods and go nuts. If you find yourself accepting a dinner date, think before you go. Suggest a restaurant that has lots of different choices. If you’re a messy eater no matter what you order, maybe you should avoid dinner dates altogether. Messes happen, do your best to just laugh them off but always remember that if you think ahead, you can at least try to avoid disaster.
way might remind them of how hot you both are for each other. Some people have equated pubic grooming (shaving, waxing, etc) to labial and other genital cosmetic surgery, but that’s like equating a new haircut with a facelift or nose job! It’s just hair — being two or three feet lower on your body shouldn’t make it taboo. Another nice thing about it just being hair is that it grows back. You can trim or wax or shave it any way you like and when it grows back you can try something different or let it go wild. But if you are going to let it go wild, please keep in mind a lover who might want to go down on you without having to bring along a comb. Personally, I think that trimming one’s pubic hair should be about personal comfort. But when you’re looking around for examples of what other people do and what potential lovers might expect, I can see how things can get a little hairy. In mainstream porn, it’s true that the majority of women seem to be either totally shaved or only have a tiny landing strip, but porn stars keep themselves groomed like this for two main reasons. One reason is that they are being paid to have sex and the people paying them to have sex want to be able to see everything. Hair is removed so that the viewer can see
exactly what’s going on, which is sometimes just a lot of red bumps from ingrown hairs. The other reason is that the makers of porn are trying to cater to what they think the average viewer wants and apparently they think that the average viewer wants to see their porn actors clean-shaven. Which now raises the question, if these “average viewers” do want this, how many now only want it because that’s what they’ve seen in porn? And this leads into the question — if your future lover has been watching a lot of porn, are they going to be expecting you to be clean shaven as well? You know what; I suspect not, they are just going to be happy to be allowed to see that part of you. Trimming will be just fine for keeping things looking neat and for making sure that you don’t have any hair getting in the way of your activities when you do reach the right time for your first serious sexual encounter. Shaving might be something you decide to do once in a while as a treat or it might be something that you later decide to do regularly — but there’s no need to worry that someone is going to be disappointed when they get in your pants, because they certainly won’t be, no matter what your hairstyle is. ssparling@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
The Queen sets the bar on issues of etiquette With Adrienne Clarkson’s upcoming book talk scheduled November 9 at UW, we thought it fitting to include a passage from her new book Heart Matters. Clarkson recalls the different issues of etiquette that she encountered when dining with the Queen: “I was interested to see that since we were having lamb chops they were (as I had always been told in good etiquette) picked up between thumb and forefinger to finish them off. And also that the Queen powedered her nose at the table. In Canada, we had always been brought up to believe, from the time we were little girls, that we were never supposed to do anything to our makeup at the table, so I am simply passing on the information for those who like to keep up-to-date with royal etiquette.”
Make Important Decisions ... Gain Valuable Experience Imprint is looking for a fee-paying student with great organizational and time management skills to serve on our Board of Directors until May 1st, 2007. Our new secretary will be an Officer of the Corporation and guide a dedicated team of volunteers and staff. Job specific roles include taking and updating minutes, revising and printing policies and procedures and other duties as a Board Member. All interested applicants should send a letter of intent to president@imprint.uwaterloo.ca by Monday November 13th, 2006 or introduce yourself in person to any Director in the Imprint Office, SLC 1116.
features
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FRIDAY, november 3, 2006
Hosting horrifies helpless hopefuls There is a real talent associated with hosting. Anyone can invite people over to their house, apartment or condo, but it takes a certain amount of flair to turn that invite into an affair. Luckily, hosting is something that can be taught and learned. Here are a few basic pointers that will get you started on hosting. However, the real trick to hosting is to find your own groove. The essence of hosting is to allow your guests to feel comfortable and for everyone to enjoy themselves. For some guests this means constant attention and a lot of attention to detail on the part of the host; for others, just providing the right type of atmosphere is all that is needed. Your job as a host is to create that atmosphere, whatever it may be. First, decide. It sounds simple, but the first step usually is. It’s your responsibility as host to decide what type of event you want to plan. Are you going to have an informal gath-
ering? Is it a black tie event? Is it a dinner party? You need to decide what type of party you want to throw or else it just won’t work. After all, you can’t expect your guests to decide for you. Which brings me to my next point: choose your guest-list carefully. Don’t invite your hard-drinking friends to a cocktail party if they’re used to doing keg-stands. Don’t invite your movie-loving friends to a book-ofthe-month club. Don’t invite your parents to your kegger. But most importantly, when you decide what type of party you want, plan your guest list accordingly. My parties are usually of 20-30 people. I try to invite between 15 to 20 and I limit the number of people who can bring friends. I’ve had bad experiences where friends bring friends who bring friends and next thing you know, some guy is puking in your pool and lighting their belly-buttons on fire with 151 proof rum. It was an awesome party, but not what I had planned. This leads me to another important step: plan, but don’t live by the plan. Parties are meant to be fun. Don’t spend your weeks prior to the party planning every little detail. “Okay, at 9:10 we’ll start Pictionary, but I want that to be done by at least
9:45 so the cheesecake has time to warm.” Micromanaging a party goes against everything a party is supposed to be.
Don’t invite your parents to your kegger. But most importantly, when you decide what type of party you want, plan your guest list accordingly. Next, make sure that you’re enjoying yourself too. After all, you’re throwing this party as much for your enjoyment as theirs. There’s a certain amount of joy in the pride you take for throwing a good party, but it’s not nearly as good as throwing a good party that you enjoyed too. On the flip side, as host you should never be the drunkest person at the party. In fact,
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part of your job as host is to set the barometer. People will take their lead from you, as host. So pop a bottle of the bubbly and try to create a sort of average drunkness that everyone else can set their intoxication levels to. Also, plan ahead. I know it goes without saying that every party takes planning of some sort, but here are a few things to focus on, namely, traffic. Remember where people will be arriving and where people will be leaving. If you’re inviting smokers, remember that they’ll probably be smoking on a porch or balcony (if not in your home) and you need to leave those pathways clear. Not only is it a safety concern, but it also helps the flow. Next you’ll want to plan for seating. Having a chair for every guest usually ends up having everyone sitting. I try to have enough seats for half of my guests and I try to place them so that there are a few different areas to sit and chill. If you place all the chairs in a circle, in a room, you’ll have a bunch of people in an awkward situation staring at each other. Use tables and other accent furniture to divide spaces and encourage mingling. Plan your time as host. Expect to stay awake and sober enough to stay in control until every guest has
been taken care of. If they’re crashing, make sure they know where the blankets, pillows and garbage cans are. If they’re leaving, make sure they have rides. It’s not the worst thing in the world if you go to bed while you still have guests as long as you can trust them and they don’t need your help. I’ve gone to bed during my parties knowing one of my close friends was still up and was keeping an eye to lock doors at the end of the night. Finally, remember to be a good neighbour. Remember that not everyone is a student and many people have day jobs. Worse yet, many people have night jobs, evening jobs and afternoon jobs. Never assume that your neighbours live the same lifestyle as you. Give your neighbours a heads-up when you’re having a group of people over. Even if they’re opposed to it, promise to try your best to keep it quiet. At least they’ll have been warned and will probably give you more slack than if you surprised them. However, don’t be surprised if your neighbours are more pissed at you not inviting them than the noise it may produce. After all, if you’ve taken my advice, you’re going to be throwing one kick-ass party. janstett@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Trivia Questions! 1. What is the name of Brendan Pinto’s uncle? 2. What is the monetary value of all the water a tree recycles in a period of 50 years? 3. What martial arts are the main inspirations for bboying?
4. Who are the three candidates for the Waterloo regional chair?
5. True or False: All bikes in K-W must have white reflective tape on the front and rear spokes. 6. What was the final score for last weekend’s Warriors vs. Gryphons men’s hockey game?
No one can possibly answer these!
The first three responses will get 2 free CDs. Email responses to editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Umm.... all the answers are in this week’s issue.
Friday, November 3, 2006
news@imprint.uwaterloo.ca News Editor: Ashley Csanady News Assistant: Rachel McNeil
Election Imprint
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Mayoral candidates have their say
Waterloo’s potential leaders sat down with Imprint to talk about issues that matter to students Tim Alamenciak editor-in-chief Suzanne Gardner assistant editor-in-Chief Jacqueline McKoy staff reporter
Brenda Halloran
Mayoral candidate Brenda Halloran takes a soft and fair approach to problem solving. Her focus is on involving all parties when resolving a conflict, garnering a sense of working together rather than against each other. Halloran exuded a strong sense of community throughout our interview. Environmental issues top the agenda for Halloran. She is strongly opposed to the proposition that Waterloo could build a pipeline to Lake Erie to replace our groundwater, saying that Waterloo’s groundwater is its most valuable resource. In addition to emphasizing the vitality of Waterloo’s natural resources, Halloran discussed the importance of maintaining a small-town attitude. “All the people I have talked to like the small-town attitude of Waterloo,” Halloran said in an interview with Imprint. “We’re a small town at heart.” Halloran’s approach to student issues maintained this strong sense of community. She emphasizes discussion between permanent residents and students living in close proximity, an investigation in to the placement of sound barriers and an established committee beyond the current regional Town and Gown Committee. The continual focus on community and cooperation is no accident: Halloran hails from a background in conflict resolution and mediation. Her post as an alternate dispute resolution advisor for the Canada Revenue Agency has provided this sort of training. Halloran, while in favour of improvement in our transport system, was hesitant to pledge support for a light rail service. “We could use buses too. They have some very efficient models in Europe.” The position of mayor is, in Halloran’s words, “the centre of the community.” Her focus is on maintaining diversity and tolerance within Waterloo. She cited an example, “If there was
a fire at someone’s house, I would want to be there just to say, ‘What can the community do for you?’” Halloran’s focus on the community extends beyond promises of post-housefire visits. When asked about amalgamation, Halloran said that she would not stop it if the community came forward and asked to amalgamate. If the decision was in good financial interest and the community backed it, she would go forward. Otherwise it is not a priority. In the past, Halloran has been nominated for the Oktoberfest woman of the year. She is a community and environmental activist. “The University of Waterloo is crucial to the success of [the city of] Waterloo,” Halloran said. “UW is one of the major players globally in the technology industry.” Brian Turnbull
Mayoral candidate Brian Turnbull cites three key turning point issues in the city of Waterloo as his main reasons for running for his position: transportation, growth and the water pipeline. His most important focus is on the water pipeline issue and how he thinks the city needs to change its usual plan of action. “Right now we plan first and consult second,” explained Turnbull, who has previous experience as a town planner. “We need to get input from the public first. It’s time for a change.” Turnbull thinks that it is important that students vote in municipal elections because they “deserve a say and they are a big part of the population in Waterloo.” He cites his previous work teaching a planning course at Wilfrid Laurier University, his many guest lecture spots here at the University of Waterloo and his previous nineyear stint as Waterloo mayor in the 1990s when addressing his competency in dealing with the issues of students in this city. “I listen, consult and then act,” explains Turnbull. According to Turnbull, the water pipeline is the most important issue in this election. Turnbull emphasizes that “there is no rush” and that the city “should keep looking for the big picture and tackle the issue on the basis of the entire region.” If elected, Turnbull plans to propose an innovative environmental challenge to the region, involving
various local environmental, technological and business groups for consulting purposes. In regards to striking a balance between student issues and the issues of the permanent residents of Kitchener-Waterloo, Turnbull refers to the recent noise bylaw complaints and student housing difficulties. In the matter of compromising between both parties, Turnbull thinks the city should relay this message to the students of this city: “live here in our community as you would in the community you just left.” He states that “if an issue is coming up we should jump on it as soon as possible, talk to all the parties involved and then come to the best solution.” Turnbull thinks that UW plays a central role in the future of Waterloo and its developing high-tech era. “This place is about to blossom,” explained Turnbull. “With its firm strong roots and green attitudes, in the next five years this city will truly blossom.” Herb Epp
If you ask Herb Epp, the key to running the region of Waterloo is experience — something he has no shortage of. The two-time mayor who’s been involved in municipal and provincial politics for nearly three decades is taking yet another run at the mayor’s seat. Epp started his second term in office five years ago amidst the RIM Park financing scandal, which set his and his council’s goals off track. “Because of the RIM park scandal a few years back,” he said, “we’ve had some budgetary concerns that have increased our spending by 20 per cent, which is way beyond what we wanted but very necessary for capital demands.” He hopes to start his next term in office by implementing some of his plans to revitalize Uptown Waterloo right away. “I’d like to get a four-star hotel in uptown. As you probably realize, there’s not much accommodation in the area and that’s something we need to improve. As well, we still need to improve uptown traffic flow and parking… I’d like to see a new parking garage built near CIGI.” Epp, a Laurier grad and former Waterloo high school teacher, is sensitive to the needs of Waterloo’s student population. He has served on
both UW’s and WLU’s boards of governors, as well as the Town and Gown committee, a group that examines homeowner-student issues in the region, such as the noise complaints during the frosh week toga party. Despite those few disturbances, “Here we’re cognizant of the tremendous impact that students have on the region…they’re very welcome here,” begins Epp. “It’s a multifaceted impact… we have this side effect of grads and almost-grads [like Mike Lazaridis] who create tremendous employment opportunities in the region and are able to invest in cultural initiatives and the community at large…they help provide a higher standard of living to Waterloo.” Epp wants to see student involvement in regional politics increase because “everyone regardless of age [should get] a chance to voice their opinion… whether they be senior citizens or students. I understand that it might be difficult to fulfill that since they have so many other priorities at the universities and they might not choose to live in the region past school.” The former mayor’s response to talk of amalgamation of essential services such as hydro is that it not only hurts residents’ wallets, but civic involvement as well. “I’m opposed to this because the system is working well as it is now, and it still leads to higher taxes and more expense. If you want to make the local municipalities impotent then you take away they their ability to control services…you can get delegations of citizens involved on a municipal level, but they don’t feel as comfortable going to the region about their concerns.” Despite his long and varied career, Herb Epp is still passionate about leading the region into the future. “What I’m saying is that it’s not enough to only have experience in municipal government. Knowing [the region] as well as I do is a tremendous asset, and if [other candidates] don’t have that, then I don’t think that they can fully appreciate what it takes to lead the region effectively.” editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca sgardner@imprint.uwaterloo.ca jmckoy@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
All-candidates debates rage across the region Managing Waterloo’s growth and housing issues take centre stage Sukhpreet Sangha reporter
All-candidates debates were held Wednesday, October 25 and Thursday, October 26 for the upcoming municipal election. However, the proceedings resembled question and answer sessions more than debates, as very few answers were rebutted and the discussion was not particularly passionate. Attendees were asked to fill out sheets with their questions, which the mediator proceeded to order and ask. The mediator also posed some questions of his own, when audience questions were lacking. Candidates were given one minute to answer each question and an additional 30 seconds each for rebuttal. The first debate was held at Waterloo Collegiate Institute for Ward 6, which consists of mostly University of Waterloo properties and student housing. The three candidates in this ward are Charles Borras, Mary Connolly and Jan d’Ailly, the incumbent. Both Borras and d’Ailly referred to fair student housing policies on their platform pamphlets, so they were asked to clarify what
exactly they meant by the term. Although one might assume fair student housing policies would refer to being fair to the students themselves, both candidates placed an emphasis on being fair to other citizens. D’Ailly said that the city “needs to make sure areas do not get overrun by students in a negative way,” while Borras’ only answer was “you’ll know it when you see it.” Connolly also commented, stating that she would like bylaw officers strengthened to improve the outside appearance of student properties and that she is concerned about students living in “damp” places. All three candidates also mentioned the problem of too many absentee landlords in charge of student homes and stated that they would attempt to rectify it. Borras’ solution was to increase high-density development near the university, for students to live in, but to also be reasonable about the amount of students — a seemingly contradictory answer that aimed to please both students and other citizens. Both Connolly and d’Ailly emphasized the importance of bylaw enforcement, while d’Ailly also noted that more permanent
residents should be brought onto the Town and Gown committee, which deals with student and citizen relations, to “nip permanent issues in the bud.” The candidates were also asked to comment on the most important issues relating to students in this election. All three agreed on the importance of affordable housing, while Borras also plans on advocating for reasonable tuition, despite the fact that it is out of municipal jurisdiction. Both Connolly and Borras remarked on how they believed that students are apathetic towards municipal politics, with Connolly saying that students are “not really interested in civic living, they have far too much to think about,” and Borras adding that students are “just not a good fit at this time, with municipal politics.” None of the candidates mentioned plans to get students more interested and involved in the city. The Ward 7 debate was held at the Centre for International Governance Innovation the following evening. Ward 7 encompasses the University of Wilfrid Laurier, so it is adjacent to UW’s ward. The candidates for this ward are Ian McLean, the incumbent, and Sher DiCiccio.
The Ward 7 candidates were also questioned on the issue of affordable student housing and they echoed the sentiments of the Ward 6 candidates, with DiCiccio saying she would look into the high number of absentee landlords and McLean emphasizing higher density student housing. McLean also stated he would consider conducting a study on homelessness and creating a housing development around University Ave. and Erb St. DiCiccio claimed she has “a good reputation with students,” so she would go to campus and talk to them to obtain input on municipal issues. McLean planned to get students more involved by getting student leaders to come to council meetings, which DiCiccio countered by proposing regular on-campus meetings with students instead. When asked why students should vote in this election, McLean stated that students should become involved to improve their own community while DiCiccio answered that they should vote because they have the unique position to be able to vote in two places (at home and in their school district.) More information on all the candidates and the schedule for future public debates can be found at www.mywaterlooregion.com.
election Development issues taint election Regional 18
Darcy Higgins
staff reporter
Waterloo Mayor Herb Epp received a $300 campaign donation in 2003 that is now raising eyebrows. The donation surrounds Planning and Engineering Initiatives, a business involved in one of the hottest issues in this year’s campaign. Oponent Brenda Holloran is concerned that Waterloo’s next City Council will allow dense housing development on Waterloo’s sensitive west end lands. At Thursday, October 26 evening’s candidate’s debate, she was to present documents showing the donation was made by the company who approved the development on the Waterloo Moraine in their environmental impact study done for the City. Holloran along with many community members oppose the development due to concerns such as groundwater protection. “They’re planning subdivisions so small that many of the houses can’t even support the planting of one tree,” Holloran told Imprint. “They will remove the protective layer of clay and put our groundwater at risk of contamination,” she said. Environmentalists say groundwater is threatened when increased pavement prevents rainwater from infiltrating the ground. “My support on any particular issue can’t be bought for one dollar, $100 or the max, $750,” he said, making reference to the maximum campaign donation. Epp defended himself, saying, “There isn’t anyone who can say to me, ‘You voted that way because somebody gave you something?’ Because I never have in my life and they couldn’t prove it because it’s never happened.” All local environmental groups have been in opposition to the development for several years. Presentations are periodically made to Council by local activists and hydrogeology experts. The City has an Environmental First Policy but activists say
that current council members have not lived up to it. Prominent UW experts Alan Morgan and Emil Frind have been two of those speaking and have lent their support to Holloran. Prominent activist and Waterlooians.ca representative, David Wellhauser, completed a 24-hour dance-athon at the Starlight Lounge on Sunday, November 5 to raise money for the “save the moraine” campaign. The Subdivision plan is currently on hold. After going to Regional Council, environmental and traffic concerns were raised. The subdivision is to be landlocked with just one street extending from Erbsville Road to connect it to 1,600 houses. According to Holloran, “there is no proposed transit in the area for ten years, forcing everyone to use cars.” Paul Puopolo, president of Planning and Engineering Initiatives has been a member of Home Builders’ associations and the Ontario Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, a group representing the aggregate industry including road-building materials. According to their website, “Mr. Puopolo is responsible for co-ordinating and supervising the major municipal environmental, recreational and developmental planning projects of the firm.” A pipeline has been proposed to reach Lake Erie for drinking water when Waterloo Region can no longer support itself with groundwater supplies. Holloran claims that could cost billions. “How can we afford that? We have time to protect our water resources and protect what we have while we still can,” Holloran said, while claiming to still be pro-business and development. The 7 Generations Network, a local environmental organization, has surveyed all local candidates on environmental topics including the issue of further development on the Moraine. Full survey results can be found by November 8 at: www.7generations.net. dhiggins@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
live? o t lace p a r g fo n i k Loo
Council candidate Mike Connolly speaks Tim Alamenciak editor-in-chief
Mike Connolly, currently a member of our regional council, is basing his re-election on a track record of listening, caring and taking action. During an interview with Imprint, Connolly initially expressed his enjoyment of students in our community, being a father and grandfather of several. When asked about the state of student housing in Waterloo, Connolly offered advice to students suffering from absentee landlords. “The bylaws that you don’t use very often are the safety and health [for housing]. You can get a landlord to make sure the house is safe. Very few complaints come through,” he said. Connolly was quick to speak about the region’s transportation situation, supporting some kind of alternative to our current Grand River Transit system. Connolly supported the decision for the region to investigate alternatives or improvements to the current system. “You measure a transit system by how frequently it runs and how quickly it gets you from A to B. Apart from our express route, the bus doesn’t run frequently enough and cover off the area.” The region is currently doing a study to de-
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cide between a light rail system or a revamped bus system. In addition to such student-centric issues, Connolly also discussed the state of health care in the region, focusing particularly on our capacity to offer rehabilitation to addicts. He noted that rehabilitation often takes two visits, but with our current facilities only one visit is timely. The second often comes too late. Connolly realizes the disconnect between regional council and the student population. “Students go mainly to city council. I would like more [students] to go to the region,” he said. Among many things, students can go to regional council to report bylaw infractions by their landlords or complain about regional services like transit. As for the amalgamation of Waterloo Region, Connolly says no-way. He cited the need for some hard evidence that it would lead to an economic improvement in the community. A further disconnect from government was also one of his fears. The amalgamation of Waterloo Region will be a major item on the agenda for the next four years. It would involve consolidating Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge under one name and one government. editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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FRIDAY, november 3, 2006
Why should students vote in the municipal election? “Who cares?!” many say, while others demand “we must, as it’s our civic duty.” Let’s examine the recent Imprint articles concerning municipal politics, then discuss. On October 6, reporter Sukhpreet Sangha’s article discussed the high percentage of students in Waterloo Region, citing that we comprise 25 per cent of the population. Unfortunately, despite the number of wards increasing from five to seven, University of Waterloo students, located in Ward 6, are still separate from students of Wilfrid Laurier in Ward 7. In any case, student apathy hurts our powerful potential as voters. Students find many reasons not to vote including our transient “coop” nature and our disregard for Waterloo as our community rather than just the place we go to school. Chris Miller’s September 19 article discussed the City of Waterloo’s “You Decide” campaign, which is geared at getting the students out to vote. The “You Decide” campaign highlights bylaws, recycling, housing and transportation as top student issues. I, for one, do get excited about bylaws and recycling because I’m an environmental studies and political science graduate. In fact, I cared so much that I interviewed regional councillors for my senior thesis, which analysed the Waterloo Region Pesticides Bylaw that was implemented last year. For those of you who might not appreciate such topics, I have more! Why wouldn’t you want a better transportation system? Imagine a Waterloo where buses came every
5-10 minutes instead of 30; a Waterloo with student housing that is close to campus, is owned by a good landlords and is — gasp — even affordable! This is a Waterloo that you can create. From my experience being the Federation of Students president, I have seen directly how municipal politics affect students. Sitting on the Waterloo Council Town & Gown committee, I meet regularly with City of Waterloo officials such as police, bylaw enforcers and councillors. One concern is usually bylaw enforcement of parties, especially those involving kegs and recently our Annual Orientation Week Toga party, which generated hundreds of complaints and much publicity due to the noise it created. This committee strives to maintain positive relations between the universities and the city. Student-friendly councillors are crucial in such a governing body in order to maintain the good relations that allow us to continue running events like the Toga Party. Councillors not only shape the future of Waterloo — they shape our future. Councillors now have four-year terms. That means that the councillors voted in right now will be here for the entire time that current first years are here. For you upper-years who are leaving Waterloo and think it irrelevant to vote — think of the first years — vote for their “generations.” UW strives to maintain its reputation in the community and to help bring Waterloo into the future. The community needs to recognize the importance of its students. However, the onus is on us. It’s our responsibility to demonstrate that students care and show them by voting. Until then, we will be underrepresented and have a small voice in this municipality and the region.
— Michelle Zakrison President, Federation of Students
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The role of the regional government Duncan Ramsay reporter
Given the fast approach of the upcoming municipal elections, it’s important to have a solid grasp of what exactly it is that these elections affect — what the person you’ll be voting for is, in fact, going to be doing. The newly elected government of Waterloo will have a direct effect on the lives of the UW student body and on a wide variety of issues throughout the city. Three different types of municipal governments exist within Ontario. Lower-tier governments, such as cities, towns, townships and villages, are generally responsible for issues only on a local level. These governments usually take responsibility for things such as local roads, garbage collection, fire prevention, recreation and local land planning. Regions and counties, known as “upper-tier” municipalities, deal with issues affecting a larger area, which will usually incorporate several lower-tier municipalities. These governments tend to be responsible for things such as policing, water and sewer systems, waste disposal, larger roads, regional land planning and health and social services. The University of Waterloo and most of its connected student houses currently fall under the jurisdiction of the City and Region of Waterloo. The third type of municipality is known as a single-tier municipality. These governments exist mainly in northern Ontario and in certain areas of southern Ontario, where upper and lower tier governments have amalgamated for reasons of efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The most notable example of this is the city of Toronto, which amalgamated its governments in early 1998. The local government of Waterloo is currently comprised of a mayor and five councillors, each representing one ward or area of the
city. This number will be increased to seven wards and councillors during the upcoming elections. Between themselves, the mayor and councillors are responsible for creating the laws, policies, budgets and other legislation, which will affect their respective jurisdiction, and in turn be carried out by the city administration. Most Canadian municipalities operate on a “weak mayor” system, in which the mayor himself is considered the first among equals on the city council, but has little or no special legislative powers. Each councillor is in turn responsible for representing the interests of his ward. The members of this council operate in a variety of ways. These include council meetings, public hearings and standing committees responsible for monitoring the states of specific issues. In addition, community members or organizations who wish to bring an issue before the council may do so by forming a delegation to the council, and may be heard near the beginning of most council meetings. The regional government of Waterloo works on much the same premise. The legislative branch of this government is formed of the Regional Council, which is in turn comprised of the seven local mayors within the region, eight councillors representing the tri-City area, and a chairman. Citizens of the Region of Waterloo will be asked to vote on two regional councillors, as well as the council chairman. The municipal government that will be elected on November 13 will have a profound effect upon the constitution of the tri-City area. By voting on Election Day, you won’t just be placing someone in office, but helping to decide how Waterloo citizens will live in this city. It’s a worthy cause — so get out there and vote!
different decision making, even in that group, is simply amazing.” She believes that getting involved is an asset for students themselves as “it’s one more thing you can say on your resumé that will help you get a job, [as it] shows leadership and involvement in your community. You can set yourself apart from someone who is just a great student.”
Tim Alamenciak editor-in-chief Suzanne Gardner assistant editor-in-chief Sukhpreet Sangha reporter
Charles Borras
Ward 6 councillor candidate Charles Borras states that he turns to “students newspapers [to] see that students are concerned with a variety of issues: cleanliness of drinking water, campus safety, environmental.” He explains that he is running for the position of councillor because he “cares what goes on in the community” and “this was a way [he] could try to have a say in what happens.” When asked about how he plans to balance both student issues and the issues of permanent residents, such as housing, Borras explains that “housing is housing. Housing doesn’t distinguish between student citizens and non-students. It’s about having enough housing, period.” Regarding the regional transportation system, Borras thinks that the cities need to join together in order to meet the needs of the region. He explains that he would like to “learn more about [the current system] because [he doesn’t] use the system. But [he thinks that] knowing how it’s meeting or not meeting students’ needs is important. “I’d like to see taxes reviewed at all levels,” states Borras. “For me I would like to see there to be more tree-planting, more green areas inside the city — reduce taxes for people who plant more trees and that kind of thing. Perhaps that tax increase could cover the decline in tax income for people who engange in that kind of activity.” Most importantly, Borras thinks that “students should inform themselves of the issues, check out the candidates and vote the way they think they should.” Mary Connolly
Waterloo Ward 6 councillor candidate Mary Connolly touts sustainable growth as a hallmark of her campaign. She predicts that Kitchener-Waterloo will grow in size over the coming years, and aims to equip the City of Waterloo to support that growth. Connolly has been behind the scenes in Canadian politics for 15 years, running the campaign for her husband, regional councillor Mike Connolly. He is up for re-election this term. Mary Connolly’s attitude towards students takes the stance of a compromise. “Unfortunately students like loud music — residents don’t. I don’t think loud music should go past 12 p.m. unless there is a special reason for it,” she said. Connolly also proposed solutions like decibel-level restrictions and allowances for distance from residential areas.
Ian McLean
John Toal
UW recently ran up against council and bylaw decisions when the orientation committee received flak for excessive noise at the toga party. Connolly stressed the idea of compromise, mentioning that if loud parties only occurred a few times a year, she would be inclined to ask the residents to let it slide. Connolly’s environmental concerns would see her revisiting the west side decision and working to protect Waterloo’s groundwater. The west side decision has been a controversial one during the course of the municipal election race. “The city has been spending the growth instead of putting it in to infrastructure. Unless you have certain things in place, when you grow things happen that shouldn’t happen,” she said. Connolly then cited absentee landlords as a symptom of this growth. She urges students to get in touch with a bylaw officer or councillor. “I think students’ main concern is safety in housing,” Connolly said.
Connolly’s feeling on the light rail transit decision is that a bus service with buses every three minutes — a system modelled after London, England -— would be significantly more cost efficient. Under this system, you can hail a bus rather than waiting at the designated stops. Express busses would augment this system. Accessibility is high on Connolly’s personal agenda. She recounted times of running her husband’s campaign and seeing what went on behind the scenes, noting the importance of being visible. “I don’t like what I see, and I don’t think it’s good for Waterloo. I would like to spend a few years of my life devoted to my community,” Connolly said. Sher DiCiccio
Sher DiCiccio is one of two candidates running for election as Councillor in Ward 7. She decided to run because she feels that “now is a good time in [her] life to make the commitment.”
DiCiccio has been involved with the creation of the Waterloo Community Arts Centre during the past 14 years, allowing her to interact with City Council and other community groups. Two years into that venture, she got the “bug” to get involved in municipal politics. She believes students should vote because “they are a really valuable resource in our community and they can play an important role in the development of the policies that affect them.” Not only does she encourage students to vote, but also to volunteer on committees that help the city form different policies, such as the Cultural Development Committee or the Economic Committee. DiCiccio thinks students should vote for her because she “tries very hard to get to know people on an individual basis,” so students could feel free to talk to her about their concerns. She also maintains that she “really, sincerely values input from everybody.” Balancing student issues with those of other residents is an im-
portant responsibility for a municipal councillor, and DiCiccio plans to do so by being proactive and going to the campuses to link with the student federations and student unions. She also feels that “students have to educate the council about what their issues are and council has to educate students about [their] concerns.” When asked what role UW plays in her vision of the future of Waterloo, DiCiccio responded that she “see[s] UW as a very important resource to city planners, city staff and council…at all levels, from the students to the professors.” DiCiccio maintains that “students are the ones who are learning the newest information. So, if we can get students involved in committees, we can make sure the latest information is getting used in our decision making.” As a councillor, DiCiccio would help students get more involved by “look[ing] for ways to streamline [the volunteer process].” She has mentored many students in the past 12 years and believes that “what they bring to our
Ian McLean, the current Ward 5 Councillor, is running for re-election in the newly formed Ward 7. Although most UW students do not reside in his ward, McLean has dealt closely with issues pertaining to the university in the past three years and he claims that this won’t change if he is re-elected. McLean feels that he is the best candidate for the job because he has lived in Waterloo for his entire life and he has a lot of experience in both the private and public sector. He owns a consulting firm in Waterloo and has three years experience on City Council. When asked why he believes students should vote, McLean responded “to help them fall in love with the community and stay here,” adding that the city wants students to continue to reside in Waterloo after their studies due to their high level of intelligence. He also believes that the universities are tremendously important to the economic vitality of the community and students need all levels of government working together to see their importance. More specifically, McLean feels that students should vote for him because he “brings a young perspective,” since he is a relatively young, former WLU student, who understands student life and housing issues. He is also committed to improving community services if elected, especially those which students use, such as the public library and various recreational facilities. In response to the low voter turnout at municipal elections, McLean proposes using new technology as an incentive for younger voters. He thinks Waterloo should try to make voting easier, such as employing the electronic balloting which other jurisdictions already have in place. According to McLean, the most pertinent issue for students in this election is sustainable growth, especially relating to the universities themselves. To him, the growth of the city is intrinsically connected to that of the universities, so new requirements must be established at both levels. McLean is most concerned with maintaining the environment, city services, recreation opportunities, arts and culture endeavours, and the quality of life in Waterloo. Unfortunately, due to technical difficulties on Imprint’s end, Ward 6 incumbent Jan d’Ailly’s interview will run in the November 10 issue. editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca sgardner@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Leslie Havens staff reporter
Every four years the cities of Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge, and the townships of North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich hold elections to determine their municipal governments. At the same time, residents of these seven communities will be selecting their representatives for the Regional Council of Waterloo. The Region of Waterloo is one of the fastest growing regions in Canada with a population of 450,000. The Regional Council is made up of two councillors from Waterloo and Cambridge, four from Kitchener and the mayor from each city or township. The Regional Chair candidates run in each municipality’s election so that the region as a whole can select one representative. The councillors, mayors excluded, are barred from holding positions in the municipal governments during their term to avoid any possible conflict of interest. The City of Waterloo has five candidates for the two councillor positions: Mike Clancy, Mike Connolly, Jane Mitchell, Ed Spike and Sean Strickland. There are three candidates for the Regional Chair position: Robert A. Ross from Cambridge, Ken Seiling from Elmira and J. Robert Verdun from Kitchener. The Regional Council’s vision statement reads: “The residents of the Region of Waterloo will enjoy the highest possible quality of life and equal opportunity. The Region will support communities, foster excellence, encourage entrepreneurship, manage sustainable growth, and maintain harmony between rural and urban areas.” The council provides the vast majority of the municipal level services we use on a daily basis. But what exactly does the Regional Council do? Here is just a sampling of their services: q Adopt-a-road program — with over 70 organizations and over 6200 bags of garbage collected from our streets q EMS service — a fleet of 27 vehicles and eight stations q Recycling Programs — including cart, textiles, electronics, battery, printer cartridge and cell phone recycling services q Waste Collection — including yard waste, hazardous household waste and wood-chip programs q Public Transit system q Waterloo Region Library — serving rural areas without access to the Kitchener, Cambridge and Waterloo public libraries q Licences — taxi, limo, second-hand shop and salvage yard licenses q Affordable Housing Strategy — addressing the need for affordable housing with 1200 units built as of September 2006
q Regional Waterloo Airport — industrial, commercial and recreational flights, both international and domestic q Water services — water conservation, low flush incentive program, road salt reduction programs q Waterloo Regional Police Services q Regional bylaw creation and enforcement q Regional roads and highways q Public health services q Winter road clearing If you’re interested in seeing the council work first hand, it meets every second and fourth Wednesday, at 7:00 p.m., at the Council Chamber in the Regional Administration Building, 150 Frederick Street, Kitchener. lhavens@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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TURNKEY DESK The Imprint/ October 27. 2006
election
FRIDAY, november 3, 2006
Tim Alamenciak editor-in-chief Suzanne Gardner assistant editor-in-chief Sukhpreet Sangha reporter
Jane Mitchell
Regional councillor Jane Mitchell is gunning for re-election armed with a platform of environmental concern and economic consideration. In the past, Mitchell has been responsible for the addition of several bike paths to Waterloo Region. She sits on the cycling advisory committee. In addition to providing more accessible bicycle transportation, Mitchell supports the renovation of our transit system at both the regional and university levels. “I know the U-pass, [a nonrefundable universal bus pass for students], is controversial, but when you have it, the bus becomes a good option,” she said. In addition to supporting a universal bus pass, Mitchell is committed to transit improvement, proposing either a light rail or articulated buses; long buses with a joint in the middle that run on a dedicated route. Mitchell noted the importance of a revamped transit system in light of UW’s current and future satellite campuses. With a notable distance between the two, Mitchell said a better public transit system would help the students who need to get to the main campus. Student housing was mentioned briefly. “With the two satellite campuses, student houses will be spread out a little more,” she said. Amalgamation, a hot topic during this year’s municipal election, is the furthest thing from Mitchell’s mind. “It’s not going to happen,” she said. “I would like to see fire and water turned over to the region, but there’s not the will for amalgamation.” Amalgamation, a provincial-level decision, has been the heart of questions from several citizens during this election. The region currently controls police and emergency medical services, but fire services are still left to the cities. Mitchell foresees the shift of fire services from the cities to the region, but is hesitant to predict the fate of water. When asked how regional council can serve students, Mitchell responded simply: garbage and recycling, and thorough education on the protocols. With two terms of service under her belt, Mitchell’s re-election to regional council will mark a long run. She sees environmental issues as the central focus of this election, particularly the fate of the Waterloo moraine and the new west side development of a YMCA and sports complex. Council approved an evaluation of the joint venture between the University of Waterloo and the City of Waterloo this year.
Sean Strickland
Regional councillor candidate Sean Strickland decided to run for his position because he thinks “we could use more leadership at the regional council than we have currently.” In order to change the current state of the regional council, however, Strickland emphasizes the importance of having students vote. “The region makes decisions that impact students directly, such as [regarding] transportation, which affect the quality of life for students,” explains Strickland. In addition to his desire to increase leadership in the regional council, Strickland also thinks students should vote for him because of his “track record of community service, postsecondary education support and being approachable.” Previously, Strickland was chiefly involved in supporting the high-tech park here at the University of Waterloo and the satellite campus in Kitchener, as well as being a key negotiator in striking a deal with regional transit for discounted student bus passes. Above all, Strickland said that the most pertinent issue in this election is growth, as he said that “we need to protect environmentally-sensitive lands where we can, but we also can’t stop development […] we need to find the right balance.” Strickland also said that “the relationship between students and residents has improved over 100 per cent over the years.” He cited both education and the work of the Federation of Students as contributors to this improvement, and said that he wants to “continue to keep the lines of communication open and respect the needs and wishes of both students and residents.” The candidate also addressed the issue of control over water and sewer services possibly being transferred from the city to the regional government. Strickland explained that this streamlined plan would lead to a “concentrated effort to maintain cleanliness, as well as savings in water bills.” He also referred to the 14,000 complaints of brown water in area houses last year, and the city of Waterloo’s plan to fix this problem within 25 years. If elected, Strickland would host “a public meeting to solve this problem sooner.” Strickland also expressed his thoughts that regional transportation should play a lead role in connecting all of UW’s campuses, including Cambridge, Kitchener and possibly Stratford. He emphasized the importance of “connecting the cities, and by extension the campuses” and proposed to solve this problem by increasing the number of buses and creating dedicated lanes for public transportation vehicles. In acknowledging that the students of UW, WLU and Conestoga College comprise a large portion of the Waterloo’s population, Strickland stressed that
he “would like to hear from students.” Ed Spike
Ed Spike is running for regional council in the municipal election because he “[has] a concern for what goes on in the governing of our area” and he believes he “can make a difference in terms of [his] approach.” In his opinion, the role of regional councillor involves “quite a few things, [including] what’s going on in the region as a whole.” However, he thinks that “the region should be more involved around activities, rather than being directly involved in it [financially.]” In 2004, property taxes were raised by 4.1 per cent, the largest such increase of the term. Spike would like to see this increased revenue used on transportation, to “save on the cost of developing major [infrastructure.]” However, the police are definitely his priority because “if the fire [department] is amalgamated there is going to have to be some cost for the rearrangement.” Regarding the issue of student transportation, to the increasing number of satellite campuses as well as the local Ixpress line, Spike said, “The more you put into developing urban structure, the more it is going to cost you.” So he suggested a high speed north/south line to connect the cities, and using a light-rail transit system as it would be more economical in the long run and is environmentally friendly. In addition to the financial aid already pledged, Spike believes the region should support UW’s new satellite medical campus by “looking at transportation, reducing traffic, [and by implementing] an economical lightrail transit [system.]” He also thinks that encouraging the GO train to come into Kitchener would be useful. When asked how he would balance serving student issues with those of other residents, Spike responded “I don’t think we [should] call them students and non-students.” Instead, he believes “it’s a matter of neighbourhoods” and that it’s “an educational process.” Spike believes students should vote because they “have an obligation to get involved” and they should do so to “sway the direction” the region is going to take. More importantly, students should vote for him because he would take “a different set of management parameters to council” and “help it as a team.” He also has children in school at Conestoga College, UW and WLU, so he “know[s] their needs and what they are and how they are different from the rest of the community.”
COUNCIL
Unfortunately Mike Clancy was unavailable for an interview by press time. editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca sgardner@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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Tim Alamenciak editor-in-chief Bob Verdun
Regional chair candidate Bob Verdun is mad as hell – really, he said so himself. Verdun, once a UW student, comes armed with a background in newspaper publishing, extensive community involvement and traffic. Verdun is aware of concerns about the Grand River Transit system, but doesn’t support the light rail system entirely. When asked why students should vote for him, Verdun responded, “Because I’m going to bring them the GO train.” “That’s not something that’s going to help a lot of students. Most students want to be within walking distance of the university and need some mode of transport to go to Toronto,” he said. In order to link UW with it’s future and current satellite campuses, Verdun proposes a more efficient bus route as opposed to a light rail system. Verdun served on the policy advisory committee to the minister of transportation for two years. Verdun also led the Elmira Independent through an award-winning series on water pollution in Elmira. “Building on the moraine can be done carefully,” said Verdun. Verdun’s problem with the development on environmentally sensitive land is the need for transportation. With a subdivision of that size, he said, the roadwork would encroach on vital environmental resources. Verdun wants to open council up to the citizens, encouraging people to approach their regional chair and council as well as the mayor. “I’m toying with a parliamentary type of concept. If I were regional chair, I would form a government and an opposition and then the issues can get debated,” said Verdun when asked about the inner workings of regional council. With the question of amalgamation being rushed to the forefront over the next four years, Verdun has solidified his viewpoint on the issue. “The two-tier government has to go,” he said. He then went on to discuss the possibility of conglomerating two cities, perhaps Kitchener and Waterloo, rather than mixing all three. The process, according to Verdun, would be done entirely democratically – ensuring that the citizens play a role in defining their city.
the region through multiple crises, a smoking ban and the creation of a growth plan, Seiling maintains bright hopes for the future. “The community is at a critical junction in it’s growth,” said Seiling in an interview with Imprint. Seiling spearheaded the initial growth plan for the region. In preparation for this growth, Seiling is in full support of a light rail transit system. He envisions a line running down the cores of Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge, linking UW to both satellite campuses. Based on studies and advice from other communities, Seiling thinks this is the ideal solution. The light rail transit system would be funded by investments; a method Seiling compares to Toronto’s subways. In addition to this, Seiling would like to see UW adopt a U-pass. “It’s good for students. My kids have gone to other universities where they have it, and it’s been great. Laurier’s has been a big success.” Seiling’s growth plan is focused on curbing urban sprawl while maintaining environmental concerns. “The plans for development are undergoing a compliance review,” said Seiling. The review is being conducted to ensure that building plans, particularly for the west side, meet Ontario requirements, preserving the natural landscape. To Seiling, amalgamation is a dead issue. “Our current government isn’t interested.” He will investigate the potential for shifting services around. Currently, the region controls ambulance and police services, with fire still being left to the individual cities. “Amalgamation will not go anywhere,” said Seiling. Seiling said that the regional council is very accessible to residents, citing an attendance level of approximately 200 citizens for a recent meeting regarding public transit. Universities rank high on Seiling’s list of accolades for the region. “Our universities bring research, job growth and investment potential,” he said. Seiling mentioned that many students will be living here in the future, looking for jobs and good social and health services. Seiling’s anticipation for the growth of Waterloo region was clear during the interview. He emphasized the importance of preparing for this growth, mentioning that the growth plan he spearheaded in 2001 was later implemented in 2003, and picked up by the province of Ontario.
CHAIR
Robet A. Ross Ken Seiling
Incumbent regional chair candidate Ken Seiling has 21 years of experience under his belt. Having seen
Unfortuately, Robert A. Ross was unavailable for an interview by press time. editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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Friday, november 3, 2006
crossword Across
If you were on city council, what would be your first motion? By Tiffany Li and Anya Lomako
“Help the homeless.” Andrew Grulich 3A civil engineering
“I’d implement better food on campus.” Tasha Barzso 1A arts and bus
1. Inflated self-important pride 5. First low-cost integrated circuits 8. The common people 14. Nederlander hoe (2 wds) 16. Bless religiously 17. Study of pronuciation 18. Give to charity 19. Haughty comportment 20. Oxalis crenata 21. Not max. 22. New French francs 25. Long edible pods 27. Bubbly might product 28. The American way (2 wds) 31. USA food admin 32. Cold and slippery 33. Baby’s first birthday 34. The allure of 24-hour news (4 wds) 40. Childhood bane 41. Period 42. No longer is 44. Plant expert 49. First murderer 50. Celery cabbage 51. Fuzzy from the dryer 52. Window covering 53. Adder cousin 54. Broadcast 56. Water lily characteristic 58. People of Israel 62. Earth colour 63. STD 64. Neater 65. Twentieth letter 66. Makers of the Walkman Down
1. Early modern Japanese period 2. Malian language “Get community members together to create a community vision.” Isaac Swanson 1A planning
“An initiative to get youth involved in both city council and local charitable efforts.” Rachel Small 1A environmental studies
October 27 Solution
“Lowering the drinking age.” Michael Kristanto 1A math
“Clean up Laurel Creek so that when you fall into it you’re not as dirty.” Andrew Lefler 1A kinesiology
“Complete protection of Waterloo’s natural resources and a puppy for everyone.” Nicholas Schwetz
3A environmental & resource studies
“I’d make myself mayor.” Damian Pelc 3A arts legal studies
3. Early NY Giants slugger Mel 4. Common fictional last name 5. Objetive case of thou 6. First-rate (2 wds) 7. Pastureland 8. Impulsive 9. Celebes buffalo 10. Henry VIII’s longstanding wish 11. Attached at the hip (2 wds) 12. Whole 13. Sec. pad 15. To hoist 20. Boston Bruin hockey phenom 22. Follows ee and before gee 23. Islamic language 24. Served a second term 26. Punched in (2 wds) 27. Japanese minority group 29. Louse egg 30. The Weasley’s youngest son
35. Small gull 36. Horse food 37. Dark Caribbean syrup 38. 1960s telephone powerhouse 39. The Orient 43. Eye infection 44. Aloha State 45. Insect between moults 46. Bottle top 47. Forearm bone 48. Frodo’s pursuers 49. Second person singular 53. Richard III’s queen 55. Greyish-brown eagles 57. American cuckoo 58. Whose got a lovely bunch of coconuts? 59. Feline constellation 60. James Bond’s creator Fleming 61. Sneaky
Friday, november 3, 2006
arts@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Arts Editor: Margaret Clark Arts Assistant: Dinh Nguyen
Arts Imprint
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Trews’ blue collar philosophy pays off Darren Hutz staff reporter
The October 26 concert at Fed Hall wasn’t afraid to work for the massive turnout, even though the tickets were free. With the openers preparing to hit the stage there was still a long line coming into Fed Hall, and they had been letting people in for half an hour. Inside, people milled around the bar area at the far end of the club from the stage, some sitting on the edge of the dance floor, and only a fistful of the first band’s diehards right up in front of the stage. There couldn’t have been any more than 15 diehards. In the vastness that is Fed Hall, it would require, and always does, a major feat to fill that dance floor. The Marble Index, an alt-rock band hyping their second album, Watch Your Candles, Watch Your Knives, waited for the beer guy MC to finish their introduction so they could emerge. They were the least known group — smallest name on the poster, certainly much smaller than The Trews. Only a few people, mostly staffers, applauded their entrance. Undaunted, guitarist Brad Germain, bassist Ryan Tweedle and drummer Adam Johann Knickle kicked off the concert with a bang. Marble Index is one of those bands that you probably won’t recognize by name, but you definitely know a couple of their songs if you’ve consumed rock radio or TV. They had a big hit a couple years ago off their debut album in I Believe. You’ve probably heard it. They also lent “All That I Know,” a catchy track from Candles/Knives, to a Zellers commercial. While they are largely unheard of, their music is similar in style to popular rockers. They’re somewhere between Hot Hot Heat and The Killers. They’re like Montreal’s answer to The Strokes, even though they hail from Hamilton. Knickle’s ruthlessly driving drum beats are characterized by Germain’s frantic drawl. It’s one thing to get a crowd on its feet when they own your CD and know all the lyrics to your songs, it is another thing entirely to get an audience that will only vaguely recognize your music, to do the same. To say their performance was spirited would be an understatement. They rose to the task of being the first act, and worked their asses off to get people to flood the dance floor from the wings and bar. All three of them were constantly in motion throughout the performance; Germain even took one his guitar solos into the middle of the audience. For their last song, they all switched instruments without missing a beat. They left the stage to the sound of strong applause. They brought such a high level of energy and straight work ethic, it was hard not to
darren hutz
Colin Macdonald, Sean Dalton, Jack Syperek and John Angus Macdonald dominated the Fed Hall stage on October 26. enjoy. Expect big things from these guys in the near future. The Miniatures, who played next, were comparatively bereft. When Mr. Beergut McAfro — you might recognize him from a beer commercial — got through their intro, the dance floor was close to full — due in part to their notoriety, and in part to the lingering effects of Marble Index’s contagious energy. That’s not to say that their unique brand of ambient rock is in any way bad, but they didn’t put nearly as much obvious effort into their performance as did the openers, and later, The Trews. Maybe in a smaller venue like Starlight, in another context, I would’ve enjoyed them more, but in this environment of hard-working, blue collar rock, they just didn’t fit. They had a few sparkling moments in an otherwise mundane 4/4 rock set. But what they lacked in enthusiasm, they made up for in pointy leather shoes and berets.
The Trews had the whole crowd, including folks up in the second floor, on their feet and cheering within seconds. Marble Index worked up sweat impressing the audience out of necessity; the Trews did it out of pure respect for the fans. Lead singer Colin Macdonald hacked through gritty vocal acrobatics, singing himself hoarse while lead guitarist John-Angus Macdonald thrilled the crowd with his electrifying solos. Like Marble Index, their energy was uncanny. They played each song like it was the last song of the concert; I was constantly surprised when they continued. They showed incredible endurance, particularly on Colin’s part. The Trews don’t bank on particularly complicated chordal structures or melodies. With simple and tough blues-driven rock songs that hang on notably pedestrian statements like “I’m tired of waiting” and conversely “I’m not ready to go,” they aren’t trying to impress anyone with any complexity.
Their virtue comes from the cathartic effect of shouting those refrains among others doing the same, and they made damn near impossible to resist with their engaging showmanship. Despite the simple structure to most of their songs, they brought a wealth of raw talent and musicianship to the show. The guitar solos were frequent and awesome. The vocal harmonies were subtle and pervasive. No song fell flat, each one was given the type of special treatment that is usually only reserved for the final song of the concert to leave the audience feeling as thought they had experienced something of note. At no point did the energy drift or wane through their whole set — including the encore and break preceding it. Fed Hall has always been a fantastic rock concert venue, and last Thursday’s concert epitomized everything a good rock show should be. dhutz@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
A tribute to lost musicians, Dr. Faustus truly diabolic Kinga Jakab staff reporter
How Much For That Soul? The Diabolical History of Dr. Faustus hit the stage on Monday, October 30. Doors were set to open at 9:00 p.m. but the production was running a bit behind and didn’t start until an hour later. The musical was presented at the Button Factory, also known as the Waterloo Community Arts Centre, on Regina St. North. I’d never heard of the venue before but was pleasantly surprised. It is in the heart of uptown Waterloo, which makes it easy for students, families and other community members to attend.
Before I tell you what happened next, let me give you an introduction to save you from wondering who the heck Dr. Faustus was and why you should care about him. The Faust legend is that of a man selling his soul to the devil for earthly power and riches. Shakespeare’s arch-nemesis, Christopher Marlowe, wrote The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, published in 1604 (11 years after Marlowe’s death). Since then, there have been many adaptations to the Faust legend. This musical was no exception — adapt they certainly did. In what can only be described as ambition at its finest, the performers proceeded to put on an exciting and compelling show
spotted with technical difficulties and lengthy transitions. But man, was it fun! Encouraged to dress up in the spirit of Halloween, handfuls of people stood amongst angels and witches and rock stars, waiting for the show. Kristy-Lee Palma (KLP) of UW’s own CKMS radio station appeared at the front door and lets us in first. Purgatory music played as we entered and we were seated in a big top floor room decorated with black curtains and obscure art. The stage was set up with a piano and chairs for the orchestra on stage right, while drums, amps and guitars were set up for the individual bands on stage left. In the middle,
a black door loomed, from which each artist would eventually appear. The rest of the audience was then ushered in, filling the entire room with about 150 people. In fact, there were so many people that a few rows of unanticipated audience members were left sitting on the floor. I found my own legroom was impeded by a girl’s dreadlocks. The orchestra entered the stage and we clapped. They were dressed all in black and were carrying violins, a bass, and flutes — not to mention the complicated-looking instruments I could never possibly name. See SOUL, page 24
arts
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Assassin granny on the loose
FRIDAY, november 3, 2006
Prominent people make Heart Matters
Mr. Bean star, Rowan Atkinson, and legendary actress Former Canadian Govenor General Adrienne Clarkson reflects on her life before politics Maggie Smith make a well-balanced comedy Adrienne Clarkson Heart Matters: a memoir Viking Canada
Courtesy IMDB
Maggie Smith as Grace Hawkin, secretly planning her murder assignment. Keeping Mum Niall Johnson THINKFilm
Based on my experience, elderly women are often the kindest and warmest people you can ever hope to encounter. Because of this, encounters with a “woman of experience” are usually short and sweet — especially if this meeting results in your quick death (short but perhaps not sweet for the victim, actually). Keeping Mum, similar to a rapid death at the hands of a woman more than twice your age, is short and sweet with just the right balance of comedy and story development. The central character of the film, Grace Hawkins (played by Maggie Smith), is your run-of-the-mill sadistic yet sweet grandmother assassin. In the film, Grace is hired as a housekeeper by a typically unusual family of four. The family consists of an extremely asexual father minister (who much prefers Bible-reading to sex with his wife), a slut for a daughter, and a sexually frustrated burntout mother. I know exactly what you’re thinking and to answer your question, yes I am capable of simple addition. I purposely left out the son, aged 8-12, who is practically left out of the entire film in comparison with the other three members. Although he is shown briefly in a few scenes concerning him being bullied and his subsequent revenge, his involvement is minimal at best compared to the rest of his family.
Grace Hawkins has no trouble adjusting to her new domestic life as housekeeper — apart from random murders in the village — which is surprising as she had been incarcerated in an insane asylum (or psychiatric ward, if you prefer to remain politically correct and whatnot) for most of her life. She is my personal favourite, just because of the unexpected nature of her character. Her madness is so subtle yet so clearly dismissed by herself and those around her that she is so morbidly amusing. I must admit that I half-expected Rowan Atkinson (who played the minister) to mimic his well-known Mr. Bean personality, since so many entertainers regrettably allow their popular characters to define them in other work that they do — take Michael Richards as Kramer, for example. It deserves mentioning that Rowan Atkinson portrayed Reverend Walter Goodfellow very well without any beany predispositions (and was still funny). With just enough of a story to keep you interested, ample character dynamics and a definite surplus of comedy, Keeping Mum is worth the trip. Even though I’m partial towards dark comedies — especially British ones — I can honestly say that if I wasn’t, I would have still thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Although I still firmly believe that elderly women are especially nice, I will be sure to take extra caution when encountering any in the future — as we all should. — Andrew Abela
When you retire from a prominent role these days, you’re often asked to write a book, typically a memoir or a biography about life before and during your tenure. When she left the post of Governor General, Adrienne Clarkson signed a contract to write three books. Heart Matters, the first book, is her memoir. Adrienne Clarkson has been a public figure since the age of 25 when she did pieces for the early CBC Television program Take Thirty before rising to the role of co-host. However, Heart Matters is not a book about her public life per se. Rather, it is a book about a small family that escapes a war ravaged Hong Kong in a Red Cross exchange and begins life again in Ottawa with virtually nothing to their name. More specifically, this book contains Clarkson’s reflections on the elements that gradually formed to create the person who becomes Governor General. While she does spend time commenting on her time at Rideau Hall, it only makes up the last third of the 257 page book. Nevertheless, reviewers and interviewers have tended to focus on this portion of the book. As she said in an interview with me, “I knew that [the reviewers] would all, especially the lazy ones, focus on the political stuff. That’s why
I have gone around publicizing the book so that people would understand and know what it was actually about.” Heart Matters is a fascinating memoir for someone who isn’t interested in taking the conventional approach to building a career. What looms large for Clarkson is the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong when she was three. It affected her as she grew up and she wasn’t alone, “When I was growing up in Canada in the ‘40s and ‘50s, it was a shared experience with a lot of people who became Canadian then, like all the displaced peoples from Europe.” University students can empathize with the student-aged Clarkson who had no idea what was after university except that she didn’t want an ordinary job. Like all young people full of ideals, Clarkson knew that her destiny was going to be different. While others soon grow out of this and turn to more pragmatic vocations, Clarkson details in her book how she took the road less travelled. If you are looking for a chronological biography, this is not it — nor was it meant to be. Clarkson has highlighted the events and the people in her life who were important to her. A quick and engaging read, this book will be a treat to those who have watched Clarkson since she was the fresh-faced book reviewer on Take Thirty and seen her mature into the woman who one day became Governor General. — Neal Moogk-Soulis
Grudge against bad films The Grudge 2 Takashi Shimizu Columbia Pictures
Most people detested The Grudge. I am not most people. Coming from a strict Vietnamese family, being raised to believe in supernatural philosophies similar to those of the Japanese, for me, The Grudge was a thought provoking horror thrill ride that could almost come true. However, the same could not, by far, be said about its sequel, The Grudge 2. The Grudge 2 reeked of both bad acting and an overly complicated, underdeveloped storyline. To start off, Sarah Michelle Gellar, the only convincing actor in the entire movie dies within 20 minutes. Bad actors then take the spotlight with horrible dialogue and facial expressions. The movie continues through three different time frames; two in the future and one in the present. As predicted the frames are all connected by the movie’s raging spirit, one taking place after the other but displayed in no chronologically ordered sequence. This made the movie very, very confusing. To make matters worse, the film breaks every Asian supernatural rule. First off, a spirit, unless it’s a demon and is known as a threat to everyone, should not kill in public. Second, ghosts cannot appear in the daytime, unless the
victim trapped in a dark creepy place. Lastly, there is always a way to dispel a grudge, and if there isn’t, the victims usually have something in common with each other. The first movie stuck to every one of these rules. Only people who entered the haunted house died. In The Grudge 2, anyone who meets someone that pays a visit to the house dies, completely changing the paranormal concept. Furthermore, it introduces unnecessary characters and themes that do nothing for the story. The Grudge 2 brings in Karen’s (Gellar) sister and tries to explain why she wasn’t mentioned on The Grudge. It does a poor job at this, and would have been better off with introducing new characters with no connection to its prequel. Somewhere in the middle of the story, a romantic relationship between Karen’s sister and a detective begins to develop. Suddenly, the detective dies. This does nothing for the movie. It would have been better off without the relationship. The movie then, like the detective’s life, unexpectedly ends. The Grudge is free to spread and affect whom ever it wishes, eventually ending the human race. Sounds like The Ring? Yeah, exactly. The Grudge 2 is superficial, lame and unoriginal. — Dinh Nguyen
arts
FRIDAY, november 3, 2006
Threat Signal Under Reprisal redink Music
Sometimes you just have to pick up a book or an album and take a second look. Under Reprisal’s cover art grabbed my eyes and I just had to see if the lyrics and music would be an equivalent feast to the senses. This debut album exceeds all expectations. Jon Howard produces an amazing range of vocals for a metal album. Most incredible are his counter points on “As I Destruct,” where he sings counterpoint to each line, and you would swear you were listening to two different vocalists. The powerful guitar work of Kyle McKnight and Rich Howard draw you in and keep you entrapped as Jon Howard’s voice coil around you, like a boa constrictor, growing tighter and tighter. This music is intense, powerful and a stunning example of extreme metal. It’s hard to believe, but they even have an anti-violence song called “One Last Breath,” where they criticize violence in society and how it will affect us all. All the song’s are written by Kyle McKnight, Jon Howard and occasionally with Rich Howard. The lyrics are to some extent what you would anticipate for a metal album. The sound is reminiscent of “Disturbed” or even early “Venom,” yet even though it sounds familiar, the sound does have its own unique undertones. Overall it does set itself aside as a new sound in a genre that is typically overly predictable. The acoustic ending to “Counterbalance” reminds one of Creed or Nickleback on their softer pieces. All in all, I would have to say that this album is something new
and intriguing in a genre that has become stale. The album will not disappoint any metal head in your circle of friends. So give it a try. — Steven R. McEvoy
Lamb of God Sacrament EPIC
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit cheesed out by Lamb of God’s image. I know this band fairly well, and have always suspected that the majority of their fanbase probably beat their wives and pets. I’m not a big fan of the middlefinger-in-the-air head-banger mentality to which future unemployment collectors adapt to compensate for their failure in the public school system. That being said, some Lamb of God tracks are on my iPod because I don’t let stereotypes (even my own) stop me from enjoying enjoyable music. Lamb of God is good in small doses, and deserve respect for really carrying the torch of quality North American metal with their shredding, double kick-drenched tracks that demand your attention, much like the ‘freckles’ around your pubic area, but never loved any of their records enough to warrant an album purchase. Sacrament, however, is great in the sense that it managed to keep my attention throughout its entire duration. These are ferocious metal tracks much like their back catalogue, but with a more prominent influence from Swedish bands like Soilwork or At the Gates — more intricate guitar leads and thrash drumming to add onto their tried and tested formula of pounding southern licks. I won’t say this album is much different from their old material,
but it just has a little extra of the key elements that make Lamb of God appealing to me — extra heavy breakdowns, extra ferocious screams, extra crazy guitar work and even less-ridiculous lyrics. If you don’t like heavy music, this is not the record that is going to make you shave your head and start selling weed. On the other hand, if you’re a fan (or fringe fan like yours truly) of this band, give this one a try for sure. This is metal at its near-finest.
November 4 Cambridge Metal-Fest — 69 Pickups Not specified — $12 to $15/ night, $20 both days November 4 Amos Lee — Starlight 9 p.m.— $15 in advance November 4 Buddhist Film Festival — First United Church 9:30 p.m. — $30 November 5 Blues on the East Side — Elements Night Club 12 p.m. — $30
songwriting and obviously a passion that thankfully doesn’t cross the line into Cheeseville. Think Death Cab songs heavy on folk and country influences — laid back music with great vocals and poetic lyrics. Try it if you like the aforementioned O.C. darlings or even great singer/ songwriters like Ben Harper or Jack Johnson. I honestly can’t see too many people being disappointed by Kevin Devine’s approach to music at all. — Andrew King
— Andrew King
Kevin Devine Put Your Ghost to Rest Capitol
I had a great time with this record. Prior to this, I’ve never heard any of Kevin Devine’s past material, but was aware of his existence from word of mouth. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this album, but I was so pleasantly surprised with how good the first track was that I was excited for more. This CD is written and performed by an actual dude named Kevin Devine, who is sometimes joined by an accompanying band with a stupid name. At first, I thought this was a real shame, not because the band necessarily spoils any of the songs, but because the tracks that really shine are those with just an acoustic guitar and soothing voice that overflow with raw emotion and conviction. I later realized that the additional musicianship on this record didn’t hinder the songs at all — they just add the exact amount of ‘that little something’ that gives these great tracks some extra flavor for a longer shelf life. This is a fun record from start to finish, full of extremely solid
November 3 Theory of a Deadman — Federation Hall 9 p.m. — $16 UW student, $20 at the door November 4 Hogan Boys: for Cystic Fibrosis — Lancaster House 9 p.m. — $10
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Imprint’s Music Mix Mel Torme “Too Close for Comfort” Evanescence “Hello” Temple of the Soul “Die Happy” Brothers in Arms “Dire Straits” Bob Dylan “Hurricane” Spice Girls “Viva Forever”
k-os Atlantis Hymns For Disco EMI Music Canada
Atlantis Hymns For Disco is a progressive hip-hop album that pushes the definitions of what a regular rap album should sound like. After claiming he was leaving the music industry for good after his debut album, k-os has released his third CD. The sounds have progressed in different directions since his first album, Exit. The most impressive thing about this new album is k-os’ ability to take this new record and within the first three songs flow from an old-school hip-hop song, to a blues jam, to a pop tune. The variety in this album is refreshing. I suspect that hip-hop fans will at first skip over songs like “AquaCityBoy,” but not for long. The sound is a bit rougher, more distorted possibly, but there is no denying that it is hip-hop. There are several songs that have an indie rock influence, especially “Valhalla,” featuring Sam Roberts. Guitars and rock inspired jams present a new layer to k-os’ music and as rock fan these new sounds are welcome addition to his songs. Despite having several genres on this album k-os still does not
ignore the type of music that he is known for: the catchy hook based conscious hip-hop song. Songs like “flyPaper” and, the first single, “Sunday Morning” will give people the hits that they expect. This album is not just restricted to the hip-hop lover — it exists for the music lover, period. — Andre Ulloa
Muse Black Holes and Revelations Helium 3
Just when you thought contemporary rock had choked, spluttered and died in its own bile of corporate bubblegum pandering and Nickelbackian monotony, Muse refuses to give up the ghost. In Black Holes and Revelations, the English rock band’s fourth album, a deceptively simple drum line fronts for an urgent set of synth samplings, the occasional Latino riff or orchestral sound and equally haunting male vocals. Nothing exists, the band seems to say, that cannot be made out as truly epic. From the very classic, even Elvis-esque intimacy of tracks like “Soldier’s Poem,” to the heart-rending, end-of-the-world solidarity epitomized in “Knights of Cydonia” (which features lasers, power guitar lines and horses — horses, for god’s sake; need I say more?), Muse doesn’t just demand empowerment from its listeners: the band takes your head in its hands and forces you to nod along until you remember what the whole goddamn point of the genre was to begin with. Nothing less, ladies and gentlemen, than the desperate, devil-maycare quest for as much immortality as our puny little lives can handle. — Margaret Clark
November 6 Political Coffee House: Making Things Happen Women in Politics — 20 Duke St. W. 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. — Free admission November 8 In the Minds Eye Film Festival: Facing Addiction in Sons and Daughters — Kitchener Public Library 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. — Free Admission November 9 Art Soup: Tasty Mix of Ideas and Perspectives — Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery 7 p.m. — Free Admission November 9 Stealing Dan — Starlight 7 p.m. — $20 in advance November 9 Cube 2006: CASA mix concert — Federation Hall 10 p.m. — $8 members, $10 non-members $12 at the door
FRIDAY, november 17, 2006
HELP WANTED
Classifieds
SERVICES
Weekend counsellors and relief staff to work in homes for individuals with developmental challenges. Minimum eight-month commitment. Paid positions. Send resume to Don Mader, K-W Habilitation Services, 108 Sydney Street, Kitchener, ON, N2G 3V2. Excellent student work opportunity! The Survey Research Centre (SRC) here at University of Waterloo is currently seeking part-time bilingual telephone interviewers. Must be able to converse in French and English. The SRC is an on-campus research centre that offers a variety of survey services. Telephone interviewers are responsible for conducting quality-orientated interviews and performing other administative tasks. Must have a clear, strong speaking voice and excellent communication skills. Experience in telepone work, data entry or customer service is helpful but not required. Ten to twelve (10-12) hours per week required, mainly evenings and weekends. Starting wage is $11.50 an hour. Please send resume to Lindsey Skromeda, at e-mail lmskrome@artsmail.uwaterloo.ca. For more info e-mail or call 888-4567, ext 36689. Student Works Painting Territory Manager – currently hiring hard working students. Don’t miss out! Open to all majors. Great resume builder. Average earnings last summer was $12,200! No previous experience necessary. Full training and support provided. Do you want to get a head at a young age? Interested? Please call 1-800-698-2770 asap and leave a great message to receive a call back. Deadline December 4, 2006. Waterloo Inn and Conference Centre now hiring – our catering department is looking for hard working banquet servers willing to work evenings and weekends on a part-time basis. Day shifts also available. Must be 18 years of
age to serve alcohol. Please contact: The Waterloo Inn and Conference Centre, 475 King Street, N., Waterloo, ON, N2J 2Z5 or fax: 519884-0321 or phone 519-884-0221, ext 518 or e-mail: ddoogan@waterlooinn.com. Tutrors Required Mathematics, Sciences Must have own transportation. Grad students welcomed. Excellent pay. Aver In-Home Tutoring. Fax: 519-888-7125. Phone: 519-88347477. Food prep servers needed at Just n’ Pita. Waitresses needed at Al Madina Egyptian Cuisine. Please apply at store location during business hours. University Plaza, 150 University Ave, beside Campus Coin Laundry, Waterloo. Summer of your life! Camp Wayne for girls – children’s sleep-away camp, Northeast Pennsylvania (6/16-8/12/07). If you love children and want a caring, fun environment we need Counselors and Program Directors for: tennis, swimming (W.S.I. preferred), golf, gymnastics, cheerleading, drama, high and low ropes, camping/nature, team sports, waterskiing, sailing, painting/drawing, ceramics, silkscreen, printmaking, batik, jewellery, calligraphy, photograhy, sculpture, guitar, aerobics, self-defense, video, piano. Other staff: administrative, CDL driver (21+), nurses (RN’s and nursing students), bookkeeper, mothers’ helper. On campus interview February 7. Select the camp that selects the best staff! Call 1-215-944-3069 or apply on-line at www.campwaynegirls.com. Christmas Gift Wrappers - Creative individuals, locations--Downtown Toronto, North York, Richmond Hill, Thornhill. Managers to $10.50/ hour + bonuses. Wrappers to $8.85/hour. Full/ Part time, December 1-24. 416-533-9727 or www.torontowraps.com.
UPCOMING EVENTS
December 8 to 10 at 7 p.m. Contact Jeff Strokan - office: 519-268-8294 - residence: 519-2680236.
Proofreading – editing: Assignments, theses, letters, statements. We correct grammar and improve logic and flow. Onscreen, fast, professional. 30 years experience. Full details at www. checkedit.com. E-mail checkedit@cogeco.ca. Phone (905) 335-3192. SAVE UP TO 50% at Cartridge World plus 15% off if you bring this ad Imprint, on your next printer ink refill - just in time before your project papers and exam deadline! Two locations to serve you – 247 King Street, Waterloo (University & King), 519-886-9645 and 470 Highland Road, W., Kitchener (Highland & Westmount), 519-576-8889 or visit our website at www.cartridgeworld.ca. J&A Airbrush, 84 Queen Street, S., Kitchener, 519-342-3147 or www.jandaairbrush.com. We paint anything on everything!
bonus and gifts! Room for rent for a quiet individual in a detached home near both universities. Parking and all amenities. Please call 725-5348. Attention Cambridge School of Architecture students! Live conveniently and comfortably right across the street from school in this beautifully renovated apartment. 4, 8 and 12-month leases available with excellent signing bonuses and rental incentives! Call Perry at 519-7461411 for more details.
FOR SALE
519-888-0020
DELL XPS Pentium 4 CPU 3.00 GHz, 1GB Ram, 110 Gig HD, includes 15” flatscreen DELL monitor $849.95; Volvo 850 winter tires on steel rims $199.95; Outback baby carrier $49.95; two night tables $29.95; bookshelf $29.95; dresser $49.95 – all IKEA; love seat (forest green) $29.905. All items in excellent condition. Telephone 519-746-2466.
test
Campus Bulletin Friday, November 17, 2006 Hildegard Marsden’s annual Toyfair - 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Davis Center, Room 1301 (ICR Lounge) University of Waterloo. Saturday, November 18, 2006 Ontario University Competition for Hip hop (O.U.C.H) - UW PAC, UW Hiphop Club, 3 p.m. http://www.geocities.com/uw_hiphop/ Monday, November 20th 2006 Research Lecture Series: Wild Crabs and Feral Apples: Research on Hybridization. rare Administrative Centre, 1679 Blair Road, Cambridge. 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. For more information call 519-650-9336 ext. 122. UW Pre-Optometry Club will hold Testimonial Night in MC 4080 from 5 to 8 p.m. Come hear speakers share about various stages in optometry, from first year student to established professional. Wednesday, November 22, 2006 Peace is a feeling - it begins with you. Free DVD event. Prem Rawat, internationally acclaimed speaker and teacher, speaks about the possibility of inner peace at Harvard University. 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.. Grad House, UW, Seminar Room (upstairs). Thursday, November 23, 2006 The UW community healthy population flu immunization clinics are being held November 23, 24, 27 and 28 - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Student Life Centre. Flu vaccine is now available at UW Health Services, walk-in nurse visits are Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, November 28, 2006 Lecture Series: Global Change Part 1: The Geological and historical background of Global Change and humanity’s impact on the planetary ecosystems. rare Administrative Centre, 1679 Blair Road, Cambridge. 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. For more information call 519-650-9336 ext. 122. Wednesday, December 6th, 2006 Movie Night at rare will present “An Inconvenient Truth”. rare Administrative Centre, 1679 Blair Road, Cambridge. 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. For more information call 519-650-9336 ext. 122. Friday, December 8, 2006 The Original Christmas story will be re-enacted outdoors at Dorchester Community Church located on Catherine Street. Performances are
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CECS Monday, November 20, 2006 Work Search Strategies: Special Session for International Students - Attend the workshop from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. in TC2218A. Wednesday, November 22, 2006 Career Interest Assessment Part2 - Two Sessions: Part2 - Find out how your interests relate to specific career opportunities from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and Thursday, November 30, 2006 in TC1112. York University Graduate Program Presentation from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. in TC1208. Thursday, November 23, 2006 Alumni networking workshop. Two hour workshop, offering practical strategies and interactive activities from 6:00 to 9:30 p.m. in TC 2218A&B. http://alumni.uwaterloo.uwaterloo. ca/alumni/services/workshops.
Camp Kummoniwannago
(a well known children’s summer day camp in Waterloo) is inviting applications for the position of:
CAMP DIRECTOR
to start immediately, Part-time; until April Full-time; April-Sept. Potential candidates should possess strong communication skills. They should also be comfortable working with children, adolescents and adults. Ideal job for an upperlevel post secondary student. Interested candidates should apply with cover letter and resume to: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church 54 Queen St. N. Kitchener, Ontario N2H 2H2 Attn: Stephen Eadie (camp chair) (519)744-1664 Email: p.meirowski@standrewskw.com www.campk.on.ca
EDUCATION
The Toronto Art Therapy Institute announces new options for streamlined training in art therapy. Please visit www.tati.on.ca or call 416924-6221.
HOUSING
Premium three-bedroom townhouse unit in a professionally managed student complex. Perfect for students, close to UW campus. Call Perry now at 519-746-1411 for all the details and to set up a showing. Ask us about your signing
160 University Ave., W, University Plaza WATERLOO
NOW HIRING full and part-time apply in person with resume
arts
FRIDAY, november 3, 2006
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“Bboying” a break from the routine UW Breakers keep the dance form alive and well, competitively and for fun, in the Student Life Centre Margaret Clark arts editor
It’s Friday evening. With the week’s classes winding down, most students are heading home to relax or start on their homework — but not the UW Breakers, University of Waterloo’s breakdancing club. Meeting every Friday at 8:30 p.m. in the Student Life Centre, the crew works the Atrium floor outside Campus Cove until as late as 2 a.m., honing their dance skills for competition and for kicks. Breakdancing, or “bboying” (beeboh-ing) as it’s called among practitioners, is commonly confused with hip-hop, a term that actually refers to the whole culture. Bboying is just one part of this culture, the other three main elements being graffiti, MCing and DJing. Originating in the late ’70s, bboying owes its development to a wide range of sources. Music-wise, the sounds and stylings of James Brown’s “Stay-on-the-Good-Foot” funk have had a profound and lasting impact on the form, while martial arts like capoeira and kung fu inspired whole generations of young bboyers to expand their repertoire. Gymnastics moves, tap-dance and salsa also contributed to the development of bboying, while hip-hop in general has gang ties through groups like Afrika Bambaataa and later Zulu Nation, which used DJing and MCing jams to gain street cred and exercise gang power. Today, however, when bboyers get together, it’s for the love of the form. “Ultimately you do it for yourself,” Jimmy Shin, president of the UW Breakers, explained, “not to show off.” But a great many misconceptions still exist about the art form, especially where its history and content are concerned. Shin especially noted that people often think of bboying as just being about the big “power” moves — the windmills, the flares, the helicopters — when really the form is so technical that everything, from top rock (a kind of introductory dance) to freezes to nuanced footwork, is of equal importance and merit. Christopher Chan, the UW Breakers’ “resident popper,” also added that “popping” is a distinct style people often confuse with regular bboying. Ta k i n g i t s name from the visual image created by the dance (that of one’s body “popping” at its joints), popping is an umbrella term that includes such stylistic moves as “Tutting” (think the song “Walk Like An Egyptian”), “Old Man,” “Boogaloo” and “Popping” itself. Michael Jackson is one of the better examples of a famous popper, though with all these distinctions the UW Breakers can understand how new members might get them all confused. “People come out at the beginning of the term thinking they’re going to
courtesy Jimmy Shin
Part breakdancing jam, part serious competition, last year’s Ground FX gathered bboyers from across Ontario and even the U.S. learn how to windmill in a week,” said Cyrus Chan, UW Breakers vice-president, “but it’s a steep learning curve. That’s why we don’t charge for the club. We don’t want people to pay, come out for a couple weeks and then realize it’s not for them. We like having an open, relaxed atmosphere where anyone can stop by and join in.” UW Breaker John Yau said he is especially excited about Ground FX, where he will be taking part in his first large battle with teammate Victor Cheng. Cheng added that he was looking forward to this year’s Ground FX, a bboying competition hosted at UW, “because it’s a really positive atmosphere. Everyone’s just there to have fun. It’s not all about competing; mostly we just want to dance.” In fact, when Ground FX started in 2000, it was originally just a jam session. Only in 2003 did the gathering take on a competition format, which in turn changes year by year. This year, Shin is proud to announce that Ground FX, the province-wide event taking place on November 24, 2006, and which is even expected to pull bboyers up from the US, will also be free of charge. Shin believes this change will exemplify the whole spirit of their organization — which makes sense since the UW Breakers’ very mission statement states that the club seeks to provide “a fun, friendly and safe environment where [...] members of all skill level[s] can learn and practise breakdancing.” Bboyer David Khuu added that he’d Christine ogley been dabbling in the form since grade nine (all the UW Breakers in attendance traced their bboying roots to high school), but that the environment offered by the UW Breakers was a great place to sharpen his skills.
“My favourite move is the air flare,” he said with a sheepish grin. “I can’t do it yet, but I know I’ll get it someday.” As for veterans of the form, they confess that bboying quickly becomes a way of life. “It doesn’t end for us after we go home,” said Shin. “We’re thinking about it all the time. We spend hours daydreaming new moves, watching performance videos and thinking to ourselves, ‘Hey, that would be a really cool thing to try.’”
465 PHILLIP STREET LOCATION ONLY LIMITED TIME OFFER
“They don’t always work out in practice,” Cyrus Chan added with a laugh. “But that’s part of the fun. We’re just always coming up with new ideas and testing them out, seeing what we come up with. There’s a lot of freedom with bboying, if you know how to use it.” Members of the UW Breakers also schedule impromptu sessions throughout the week, using their online forum (http://p201.ezboard. com/buniversityofwaterloobreak-
danceclub) to keep in touch, and they welcome the opportunity to introduce new members to the basics of the form — starting with moves like six-step and basic top rock. After that, it might well be said that there are as many distinct bboying styles as there are bboyers — so if you’re milling about the SLC late Friday night, consider taking the time to discover your own. mclark@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
746-6893
Campus Bulletin
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CECS WORKSHOPS
ANNOUNCEMENTS
VOLUNTEER
UW Fine Arts Students presents “Fired” that is on display from November 11 to December 4 at the Artery Gallery, 158 King Street, W., Kitchener. http://artery.uwaterloo.ca. Hey students! Tune in weekly to “Morning Drive” with DJ Cool at CKMS 100.3FM for important info on what is happening locally, on campus and in your area. Music, fun and more – morningdrive1@yahoo.ca. Before you go ... are you planning for a co-op term in the winter? Unsure of how to sublet your apartment? Want a second opinion on your sublet agreement before signing? Contact your Ombudsperson for all your questions by calling 519-888-4567, ext 32402 or drop in to SLC, 3rd floor, room 3104, Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Help shape YOUR student newspaper’s future. Imprint is looking for volunteers to help hire our next Editor-in-Chief. If interested e-mail Jeff Anstett at president@imprint. uwaterloo.ca. Volunteer assistance needed — Waterloo family is looking for enthusiastic, energetic people who are great with kids. We are running an intensive home-based program to help our lovable four-year-old autistic son recover. If you are reliable, fun and able to volunteer four hours per week, please call Nancy at 519-725-8255. No experience is required – training is provided by our autism specialist. Participants required for Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) deficiency study – the Biomechanics Laboratory is seeking volunteers who have had an ACL. Remuneration in the amount of $50 will be given for your participation. For information please contact Chris by e-mail at cistecro@ uwaterloo.ca. The K-W-Guelph chapter of the Canadian Association for Girls in Science (CAGIS) is looking for volunteers to help plan, run events, etc. For more info email ajung.cagis@ gmail.com. Thinking of going into the teaching profession? Volunteer tutors needed for adult high school credits - math, English, science, computers. Call the Open Door Centre (WRDSB), 108 University Ave., W., Waterloo, 519885-0800, ext. 205. Volunteer Action Centre recruitment – “Open up a whole new world of friendship.” Join the K-W YMCA Host Program where you will meet a new immigrant or refugee. 1-2 hours a week for 4-6 months. Training November 20/21 from 6:45-9:00 p.m. Call Rahma (519) 579-9622 or email relmi@kwymca.org - “Be a companion to a person with Alzheimer Disease or related dementia!” Training November 20/21 from 6:45-9:00 p.m., Call Jill at (519) 7421422 or email volunteer@alzheimer. com - “The Volunteer Action Center would like to invite interested individuals to apply for commitee postions with our center.” Contact Jane at (519) 742-8610 or email jane@ volunteerkw.ca - “CHYM FM Tree of Hope Campaign.” Assist with the kick-off event. Call Carrie at (519) 576-1329 or emai carrie.landry@facswaterloo.org - “Weekday Helpers for the ‘Tree of Angels’, Conestoga Mall, Waterloo.” Help Santa, the Salvation Army and their community partners collect donations to assist local families in need during the holiday season from November 24 - December 20. Call (519) 888-6499 or email volun-
CHURCH SERVICE St. Bede’s chapel at Renison College offers worship on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. or take a break mid-week with a brief silence followed by Celtic noon prayers on Wednesdays. For more info call 519-884-4404, ext 26604 or mcolling@renison.uwaterloo.ca.
FINANCIAL AID November 2006 3 - Deadline to November Friday, sign Confirmation of Enrollement for Canada Millenium Bursary. Wednesday, November 15 - Last day to submit Undergraduate Bursary Appeals for Fall only term. Wednesday, November 22 - Last day to sign Confirmation of Enrollment For more information, check out the Student Awards & Financial Aid web site at http://safa.uwaterloo.ca/.
ONGOING TUESDAYS Join us for Scottish County dancing every Tuesday from September to May, 8 to 10 p.m., at Historic St. Paul’s, downtown Kitchener. Adult classes, dances, annual workshops, Burn’s Supper. For info 519-5762378 or 519-884-5402 or www.rscds. kitchener.on.ca. SATURDAYS Common and unique technology – every Saturday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Kitchener’s Saturday Market, main floor above food vendors, free parking! www.eq-trm.com.
teer@city.waterloo.on.ca Waterloo UpTown Country Festival seeks a Sponsorship Coordinator. Call City of Waterloo Volunteer Services, at (519)6488 for further information International Volunteer Day takes place on December 5th and is officially recognized by the United Nations as a day on which volunteers around the world are recognized and celebrated for their contributions and dedication. For information email tdohn@volunteer.ca or call 1-800670-0401 ext. 298 - http/www.volunteer.ca/volcan/eng/media/index.php
SERVICES
i-TUTOR is a FREE student resource. We encourage learning and promote education within Ontario. Tutors are university students who are independent of this organization and have their own rate. http://www. i-tutor.ca.
Sign up for these workshops at careerservices.uwaterloo.ca. Wednesday, November 1, 2006 Exploring Your Personality Type, Part 1: two session workshop – November 1 from 10 to 11:30 a.m., TC1112 and November 21 from 2:30 to 4 p.m., TC1112. Career Exploration and Decision Making – after this session you will be in a better position to assess yourself and your “fit” in the world of work from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., TC1112. Thursday, November 2, 2006 Knowledge and Ability Test for Mathematical Statisticians – a Federal public service-post-secondary fall 2006 campaign test from 6:30 to 10 p.m., DWE3518. Saturday, November 4, 2006 Alumni career Planning Workshop from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 25, 2006 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in TC 2218 A&B. Visit https://alumni.uwaterloo.ca/alumni/ secure/epw2006oct21/. Monday, November 6, 2006 Explore the impact of culture and intercultural communication in the work environment and find strategies for success in a different work culture from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. in TC 1208. Tuesday, November 7, 2006 Key2Careers (www.key2careers.net) is offering a workshop on Assertiveness skills from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Toronto. Register with Career Services. Call 519-888-4047. Increase the odds of getting what you want when negotiating salary and other details related to the job offer from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in TC 1208. Wednesday, November 8, 2006 Information session on The Master of Management & Professional Accounting (MMPA) program is primarily designed for non-business undergraduates interested in pursuing a career in professional accounting from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. in TC 1113. Exploring your personality type Part2. Discover how to apply your MBTI type to explore potential career areas from 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. and Tuesday, November 28, 2006 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in TC 1112. Thursday, November 9, 2006 Begin your LSAT preparation on the right foot from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in TC 2218. Find out about TESOL certification, the relationship between a certificate and employment, skills required to teach ESL, jobs, etc. from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. from TC 2218, A&B. Attend a workshop on Business Eti-
test UPCOMING
Friday, November 10, 2006 Math Soc Charity Ball – tickets now on sale third floor in Math and Computer. University of Waterloo Fine Arts students presents “Fired” that will be on display beginning with the opening reception from 7 to 9 p.m. at 158 King Street, W., Kitchener. Saturday, November 18, 2006 Ontario University Competition for Hiphop – UW PAC, 3 p.m. For info www.geocities.com/uw_hiphop/ November, 23, 2006 The UW community healthy population flu immunization clinics are being held November 23, 24, 27 and 28 - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Student Life Centre. Flu vaccine is now available at UW Health Services, walk-in nurse visits are Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Battle of the Bands at the Bomber. Tryouts from November 3 to 10 with signup fee. Surprise prizes! All proceeds support Opwall Conservation Expeditions. Contact Mandy at 519-513-9458 or www.opwall.com for more information. MEng in ECE? Electrical and Computer Engineering invites you to attend an information session for our new MEng degree. Mark your calendars! November 23 from 5 to 7 p.m. at EIT 3142. For more info www.ece. uwaterloo.ca/MEng.
Support the Life Skills Education and Adolescent Development Program (LEAD) in Bangladesh.
Weekend counsellors and relief staff to work in homes for individuals with developmental challenges. Minimum eight-month commitment. Paid positions. Send resume to Don Mader, KW Habilitation Services, 108 Sydney Street, Kitchener, ON, N2G 3V2. Web designer wanted – K-W E-commerce company needs new websites created. Experience preferred but not necessary. Contact Brendan at brendan_sheehan@hotmail.com or in person at Colonial Times Clock Ltd, 2-564 Weber Street, N., Waterloo. Christmas Gift Wrappers - Creative individuals, locations--Downtown Toronto, North York, Richmond Hill, Thornhill. Managers to $10.50/hour + bonuses. Wrappers to $8.85/hour. Full/Part time, December 1-24. 416533-9727 or www.torontowraps.com Now hiring student fundraisers! $8.50/hour to start. Work on campus,
quette and Professionalism from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. in TC 1208. Learn how to prepare an effective curriculum vitae and cover letter when applying for positions in academia or research from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. in TC 2218. Contact www.trace. uwaterloo.ca/workhp.html. Monday, November 13, 2006 Learn how to apply successful networking strategies in your daily life in order to enchance your career opportunities from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. in TC 2218A. Tuesday, November 14, 2006 Interview skills: Preparing for Questions. Discuss and learn from taped execerpts of actual interviews from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. TC1208. Dreaming of going abroad to study or work? Come and find out what you can do to make your dream a reality from 4:30 p.m. -6:00 p.m. TC1208. Wednesday, November 15, 2006 Career Interest Assessment Part 1 Two Sessions: Part 1 - complete the Strong Interest Inventory. Attend the workshop from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and Thursday, November 23, 2006 from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in TC1112. Practice networking and other strategies in order to increase the effectiveness of your job search from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. in TC1208. Thursday, November 16, 2006 Interview Skills: Selling Your SkillsDo not stop at the fundamentals; you must also prove your skills in the interview. Learn how from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in TC1208. Monday, November 20, 2006 Work Search Strategies: Special Session for International Students - Attend the workshop from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. in TC2218A. Wednesday, November 22, 2006 Career Interest Assessment Part2 Two Sessions: Part2 - Find out how your interests relate to specific career opportunities from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and Thursday, November 30, 2006 in TC1112. York University Graduate Program Presentation from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. in TC1208. Thursday, November 23, 2006 Alumni networking workshop. Two hour workshop, offering practical strategies and interactive activities from 6:00 to 9:30 p.m. in TC 2218A&B. http://alumni.uwaterloo. uwaterloo.ca/alumni/services/workshops.
Support the Life Skills
Education and Adolescent Development Program (LEAD) in Bangladesh.
Classifieds
HELP WANTED
FRIDAY, november 3, 2006
Through education and peer support, teenage girls and boys can do more than just succeed - they can lead others to do the same.
Through education and Visit our website: www.usc-canada.org peer support, teenage girls or call 1-800-565-6872 and boys can do more to pledge your support today! than just succeed - they Charity Reg. # 11927-6129-RR0001 and improve logic and can every lead 20others the is helpful but not required. rect grammar flexible hours, raises shifts. to erdo service fully renovated apartment. 4, 8 and flow. Onscreen, fast, professional. 30 If you are a good communicator, 10-12 hours per week required, main12-month leases available with excelenthusiastic and dependable,same. then ly evenings and weekends. Starting years experience. Full details at www. lent signing bonuses and rental inwe want to talk to you. Please apply wage is $11.50 an hour. Please send in person at the Office of Developresume to Lindsey Skromeda, lmment in South Campus Hall. Please skrome@artsmail.uwaterloo.ca. For include a cover letter, resume, class more info e-mail or call 888-4567, ext schedule and three references. 36689. Excellent student work opportunity! The Survey Research Centre (SRC) EDUCATION here at UW is currently seeking part-time bilingual telephone interThe Toronto Art Therapy Institute viewers. Must be able to converse in announces new options for streamFrench and English. The SRC is an lined training in art therapy. Please on-campus research centreCharity thatReg. of-# 11927-6129-RR0001 visit www.tati.on.ca or call 416-924fers a variety of survey services. Tele6221. phone interviewers are responsible for conducting quality-orientated interviews and performing other administative tasks. Must have a clear, SERVICES strong speaking voice and excellent Proofreading – editing: Assignments, communication skills. Experience in theses, letters, statements. We cortelepone work, data entry or custom-
Visit our website: www.usc-canada.org or call 1-800-565-6872 to pledge your support today!
Support the Life Skills and
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Friday, november 3, 2006
science@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Science Editor: Rob Blom Science Assistant: Stephanie Anderson
Science Imprint
27
Carbon trading creates corporate loophole While wealthy countries continue to increase their emissions, others must reduce their load to make up for it could increase to $25 billion. Most of this money will be made by trading between firms, brokers and banks. In fact, the With global warming increasing in priority as an bank’s carbon finance fund increased from $415 environmental issue, industrialized countries must million in 2004 to $915 million in the past year, and now comply with the Kyoto treaty and reduce these figures are certainly relative to the amount their greenhouse emissions by roughly 5.2 per of carbon in question. In 2004 alone, 107 million cent between 2008 to 2012. Yet, while the treaty, metric tons of carbon dioxide had been exchanged which came into effect in February 2005, speci- — a 38 per cent increase from 2003. Carbon trading is largely done in one of two fies the importance of reducing the planet’s total greenhouse gas emissions, it acknowledges that ways: either through a cap-and-trade scheme or the origins of this pollution is irrelevant. This, by issuing credits. The first requires emissions to in turn, has sparked interest in carbon trading be limited before trading and is the largest companies-based scheme around, involving 12,000 — especially from heavy polluters. Carbon dioxide, a chemical emitted largely sites across 25 European Union member states during the burning of fossil fuels, has been rec- in compliance with the Kyoto treaty. The second ognized as the most influential greenhouse gas in way of treating carbon is by using credits to compensate for emissions. terms of global warming In this sense, more — representing more developed countries can than 70 per cent of Thus, carbon trading finance projects based all greenhouse gases. in developing countries Thus, carbon trading is is a practice allowing and receive emissions a practice allowing countries and companies to countries and companies credits in return. Unfortunately, the continue polluting and, to continue polluting greenhouse gas issues in turn, pay others to are not being taken reduce their emissions and, in turn, pay seriously by all countries output. others to reduce their — including the US and While the Kyoto Canada. The US govprotocol is the first of its emissions output. ernment decided not to kind to combine global comply with the rules of trading techniques with Kyoto. The US has been the issues of greenhouse gases, carbon trading is far from being a new idea. officially deemed the world’s largest CO2 polluter The U.S. traded sulphur dioxide and nitrous oxide and, by refusing to ratify Kyoto’s standards, they to tackle acid rain during the ’70s. Additionally, the could be rendering the system ineffective: tradEuropean Union has been varying national and ing only works if greenhouse gases are reduced local allowances for ecological production in dairy enough to counterbalance global warming. Canada hasn’t been doing much better. As production and fishery catches for some time. However, the market for carbon trading is in was mentioned in the October 13, 2006 issue of itself a fairly new practice — and one that is fast Imprint, the federal government has stated that expanding. The World Bank, which acts as a major Canada will not meet the requirements of the instigator in carbon financing, has estimated the international agreement to reduce emissions by value of carbon traded in 2005 to be about $10 six per cent compared to 1990 levels between billion and believes its potential within the market 2008 and 2012. Rachel McNeil
staff reporter
Christine ogley
Global carbon emissions from fossil fuel burning, 1751 - 2003. With data from the Earth Policy Institute, based on WorldWatch, ORNL, BP figures. Carbon trading critics argue that the system may as well be considered ineffective anyway because the CO2 ceilings are far too high to implement any change. Though acknowledging global warming issues, they say Kyoto fails to take the intense actions required and to emphasize the immediate need to move away from fossil fuels towards more environmentally-friendly renewable energies.
Meanwhile, critics must agree that although programs like Kyoto aid in creating global awareness around such issues, more strict programs will certainly have to be implemented before efforts to reduce greenhouse gases can be considered effective. ramcneil@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Fill the bag, not the environment, a new BYOB approach A consumer-driven initiative toward reusable grocery bags will ease the plastic chokehold on our environment
There are anywhere between 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags consumed every year. And I believe it. I work in a health food store and I am shocked at how many people don’t remember their reusable bags. But then, of course, there are the customers that always remember and even re-use old bread bags for their bulk flour and oat purchases. A person’s use of a plastic check-out bag can sometimes be counted in minutes — however long it takes to get groceries from the shops to their homes. These bags, however, can last for hundreds of years in a landfill when not recycled. Overall, plastic bags are bad for the environment. Most are made of polypropylene, a byproduct of oil refining. There is an emerging science of manufacturing “plastic bags” from corn starch and soy, but I have yet to come across any stores that carry them. Also, most plastic bags are made in China and then shipped all over the world, consuming even more fossil fuels.
In the marine environment, plastic bag lit- are heavier and larger than plastic, paper bags ter is lethal, killing thousands of sea creatures produce more carbon emissions from the added every year. Sea turtles mistake plastic bags for transport they require. jellyfish and then die of starvation because the It’s obvious for an environmentalist to rant plastic blocks their stomach. In 2002, a whale about the importance of using reusable bags, washed up on a beach but they’re so much at Normandy and was more. In addition to found to have 800 the environIn addition to helping the helping grams of plastic and ment, reusable bags other packaging in its are kinder to hands environment, reusable stomachs. and fingers, can hold bags are kinder to hands In cities, they litter twice as many items the sides of highways, conventional plasand fingers, can hold twice as allow for stagnant watic bags and have ter-breeding grounds handle straps that can as many items as for mosquitoes to go over the shoulpopulate your neighder, leaving both plastic bags and have bourhood and largely hands free. They handle straps that can go can carry more and contribute to the city dump. In the urban will not burst under over the shoulder environment they’re a the weight of heavy pain in the ass. Just ask items. They’re inexBangladesh. In 2002 pensive and can be the city reduced the number of plastic bags washed and used for years. Furthermore, reususe after drains blocked by bags contributed to able bags can actually be quite fashionable. widespread monsoon flooding in 1998. I was visiting Sydney in Fall 2004 and a most At the grocery store you’re often offered interesting fashion phenomenon was taking the paper alternative to plastic. Although the hold all classes of society in the city — rich or paper bag is recyclable and decomposes rather poor, young or old: the same bright green bag quickly, it’s still not good enough. Making pa- was seen everywhere. This reusable bag was the per bags uses even more trees and since they tangible product of the campaign to cut plastic
bag use put on by the Australian Government in partnership Australia’s largest grocery chain, Woolworths. By the end of 2004, five million green bags were sold nationwide at $0.99 a piece. Although the store continued to provide free plastic bags, forgetting to bring your green bag would result in a look of disapproval from the clerk, which is almost as scary as those judgmental girls you knew in high school. There was some controversy over the green bag campaign since they were made using woven plastic fibers — the argument being that the green bag was just a scam for the grocery stores to make money. But environmentalists countered that green bags are a better option because they can be reused for up to two years, after which they can be recycled. Mine is almost two years old and still going strong. So the next time you go for groceries or errands, don’t forget to BYOB (Bring Your Own Bags). If you’re in a pinch, using the odd bag is all right, just so long as you re-use or recycle it. And remember, when using a plastic bag as waste liner, make sure you fully fill the bag before throwing it away. As always, please visit my blog www.sustainablesteps.blogspot.com for additional information and previous Imprint columns. tgarland@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
28
science
FRIDAY, november 3, 2006
Genome reveals nature of bee’s complexities Ann Oni Mas reporter
Bees possess a complex social structure that is a manifestation of its genetic code. Uncountable years of evolution have resulted in a complex genome producing abilities such as colour recognition, scent, shape distinction and navigation based on the reward of food. The complexity of this behaviour astounds scientists because the bee’s neurosystem contains a hundred thousand times fewer neurons than human brains and only four times more than a fruit fly’s — and the fly possesses no organized society. Bees display behaviours that are unseen in insects of similar complexity such as the “dance language” used to announce the discovery of new food and the ability to understand abstract concepts like “same” and “different.” The article “Insights into Social Insects from the Genome of the Honeybee Apis mellifera” appeared in the October 26 issue of Nature. The
National Human Genome Research Institute and times longer than her subjects. She also has other the National Institute of Health published the unique traits like laying eggs and storing sperm for genome sequence and as a result many of the years without any decrease in their reproductive characteristics of the potential. bee’s society that can Current research be predicted by genetbeing done by the The bee genome is ics. The hierarchical National Human society stratified into Genome Research an oddity because it is queen and subjects is Institute and the Nacalled a “eusociety.” more similar to vertebrate tional Institutes of The societies are comHealth has revealed posed of not only a many unique aspects genomes then those of queen but also “nonof the genome. The close evolutionary reproductive altruisbee’s genome has very tic offspring.” These few transposons that relatives likes fruitflies workers care for young, are common in most gather food, build hives eukaryotic cells. The and mosquitoes and defend the colony. genome’s lack of extra The activity of differsequences might be ent genes creates bees the cause of the very with vastly different sizes, behaviour, physiology slow rate of evolution. The composition of genes and even lifespan. The queen can live up to ten in bees is unlike other insects as the bee genome
contains very few genes for toxin resistance, cuticle-forming proteins and gustatory receptors. However, it has many genes that are very similar to those of vertebrate genomes, such as odorant receptors. The bee genome is an oddity because it is more similar to vertebrate genomes than those of close evolutionary relatives like fruitflies and mosquitoes. The most important finding might be the discovery of the root of the Africanized killer bee. This bee possesses a chromosome that has been replaced in most of the widespread populations of bees. This chromosome is unique to just these bees and a previously dominant form of bee known as A. m. scutellata. The new found knowledge of bees represents and leap in the knowledge of invertebrate species and there evolutionary relationship to us and other insects. There are also the benefit for widespread gain as bee are the major pollinating species on the plant and their relationship is integral to agriculture.
New element discovered in blood flow control of the brain Faisal Naqib staff reporter
Scientists have discovered a cell that is responsible for fine-tuning the blood flow in neural tissue at the capillary level: the pericyte. It has been known for quite some time that an increase in local neural activity will increase local blood flow. This is a result of the neural tissue attempting to precisely regulate blood flow; it matches the metabolic rate of certain neural tissue with the delivery rate of oxygen and nutrients. This is the principle behind many imaging techniques that monitor the activity of the brain. Blood is supplied to the head via several major arteries. These vessels decrease in diameter as they penetrate deeper into the brain. The arteries branch into smaller arterioles, which branch into the smallest vasculature: the capillaries. Capillaries are narrow tubes with walls made from a single layer of endothelial cells. Capillaries have such a small diameter that red blood cells must pass through in single file. It is known that blood flow is regulated by pre-capillary arterioles, which have smooth muscle lining them, allowing them to constrict and dilate. However, this cannot be the only form of control over blood flow, seeing as the majority of neurons responsible for blood
flow control terminate at the capillaries, as well as the fact that signals to modify blood flow propagate from the capillaries as well. These observations point to the capillary being the primary regulator of blood flow. This has puzzled scientists since capillaries lack any form of smooth muscle to assist in varying the diameter of the vessels. The solution to this puzzle was found in pericytes. These cells are spaced at regular intervals along the capillaries and occur at capillary junctions. Each pericyte extends long processes around its nearby capillary which allows it to control the blood flow through the vessel. Since capillaries force red blood cells to pass through in single file, a small decrease in their diameter could completely occlude the flow of red blood cells. This allows the pericyte to vary blood flow instead of requiring a continuous sheath of smooth muscle to do the job. Researchers were able to constrict and dilate capillaries by electrically and chemically stimulating the pericytes. The discovery of pericyte involvement in the regulation of neural blood flow takes us one step closer to the ultimate goal of understanding the hierarchy of cerebral blood flow control by the different vascular elements. fnaqib@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
science
FRIDAY, novermber 3, 2006
Transgenic trees face ironic foe David Judah reporter
For years, people have been looking into the genetics of trees, especially the poplar, in order to discover ways to make more effective crops for the paper, construction and biofuel industries. This is usually done through the creation of transgenic trees, a type of plant with the genes from other plants. These plants can possess traits like disease resistance, faster growth or any number of other features not found in their naturally occurring counterparts. In 2001 however, science had a very bad year when it came to research on the inner working of trees. That year, a poplar researcher by the name of Steve Strauss lost 800 young transgenic trees when eco-activists snuck into his facility and killed the entire crop. Also that year, an even more striking attack was made when two women, Lacey Phillabaum and Jennifer Kolar, immolated a University of Washington horticulture centre. Their attack costing a total of $7 million in damages and years of research. All this was punctuated by yet another act of eco-terrorism three years earlier in 1998 when a research station specializing in developing ways to protect trees from parasites was razed by a small group of eco-terrorists. The group involved, the Environmental Liberation Front (ELF), has claimed responsibility for literally hundreds of such acts. But why were these, and so many other attacks, made against something as innocuous as a poplar tree? There
Basma Anabtawi reporter
British army tests zombie pills
A new drug being tested on the military is causing a lot of controversy. The new pills, which are often referred to as “zombies,” are able to increase mental and physical alertness without the need to sleep. The zombies consist of a drug called Modafinil, which was originally meant to treat a rare sleeping disorder, narcolepsy. The drug works by “turning off ” a person’s need to sleep while still keeping fully alert. The effect of the pills can last for several days, which is the main concern of the Science and Technology Committee. This type of drug could be abused if it were to fall into the public hands. The target users of the drug are exhausted students and keen clubbers. The Modafinil pills were prescribed and transferred in huge quantities to the American troops in Iraq during the war; however they were never used or approved by the Ministry of Defence due to the many ethical issues and possible side effects. According to the Defence Research Agency, Modafinil has been tested on a number of British soldiers but has yet to be approved for frequent use. Crushing pills and the fatal consequences
alternative methods. A scientific research group headed by pharmacists and lawyers is now concluding that crushing pills can cause very serious side effects that could harm the body and can sometimes even be fatal. Most pills require a special coating layer in order to control the rate of release of the medicine into the body. When the pills are crushed, however, the rate of release is disturbed which can cause many dangerous side effects. The most common crushed drugs are Tamoxifen and morphine which are prescribed for breast cancer and recurring migraines, respectively. Some of the possible side effects are dizziness and headaches, as well as increased risk of stroke and heart attack. Experts are now advising purchasing the same medicine in a different form, such as a liquid or a patch. The vast majority of drugs offered at pharmacies can be pre-ordered in these alternative forms to make them easier to swallow without the need to crush the pills. New hope in developmental biology
A branch of truth — Two mature trees provide enough oxygen for a family of 4. — Trees make excellent noise barriers, making cities and neighbourhoods quieter. — Trees prevent city flooding by catching raindrops and offsetting runoff caused by buildings and parking lots. — Trees are the longest and largest living organisms on Earth. — In 50 years, one tree recycles more than $37,000 worth of water, provides $31,000 worth of erosion control, $62,000 worth of air pollution control and produces $37,000 worth of oxygen. — One person causes about 10 tons of carbon dioxide to be emitted per year. One tree removes about one ton of CO2 per year. Planting 30 trees per person will remove each that person’s carbon debt for the year.
the human body. However, in diabetes patients these cells seem to have very low efficiency or in some cases no productivity whatsoever. According to new research, biologists are now able to specialize and grow stem cells into pancreatic cells with the use of growth factors present in the placenta of a pregnant mother. However, much research is still needed to learn the potentials and capabilities of these cells before being able to use them on real life patients. Urgency turns hotel in Panama into a frog sanctuary
A small luxury hotel in El Valle de Anton, Panama, Hotel Campestre, has been transformed into an endangered frog zoo. The frogs, which are considered a national treasure, have taken up residence in the hotel while hiding from a vicious fungus. The Chytrid fungus has already wiped out over 120 species of amphibians in Central America. The dangerous fungus has been migrating south of the equator and has finally reached Panama. Hotel Campestre has become the frogs’ last hope for survival since the fungus has not been able to reach it due to its location down in the valleys. Hundreds of biologists have travelled to Panama to help with the hotel’s transformation. The fungus causes breathing problems in the frogs since it invades their integumentary system and suffocates them slowly. Due to the huge efforts of the dedicated scientists, over 40 species of amphibians have been collected and placed in the hotel to attempt to preserve them and avoid their extinction.
In a time when AMD has overtaken Intel, Macs have taken over PC’s and graphics have become the biggest promoting factor of anything that is technology, we have a merger. It was almost half a year ago that ATI and AMD merged. AMD originally toyed with the idea of buying ATI — an idea which later became a necessity, and soon after official on July 24 of this year. A Central Processing Unit (CPU) and a Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) in one, a concept almost forgotten, has now returned. But what does it all mean? The CPU is the core of a computer. This, in older times, used to come hand-in-hand with a GPU. This led to what was and is still known as an on-board video card. Almost all Intel motherboards, now come with an AGP or PCI-E slot for an external card. I think the combination of ATI’s video card with the AMD Cool ‘n’ Quiet chips would not only nullify the competition, but would completely revolutionize the industry. Thanks to their exceptional concentrations, ATI and AMD can come together and make a CPU that’s capable of handling many GPU tasks. Instead
Evolutionary bee fossils
of offloading graphical functions to a video card, (which then has to be piped back to the CPU for additional computation), many things can be done on-board, saving time and resources for your computer. These CPU/GPU hybrids, codenamed Fusion, aren’t going to be available until late 2008 or early 2009, so whatever you purchase now should be safe from becoming obsolete until then. Based in Sunnyvale, California, with centers around the world, the new company will be an employer of approximately 14,900 employees. This transaction breaks new ground for both companies and is expected to provide increased customer benefits. As a combined company, ATI and AMD intend to develop commercial platforms that deliver simplicity, stability and manageability in graphics and mobile environments. Future users will look forward to advanced mobile computing through integrated platforms that are designed to extend battery life while optimizing graphics and media processing. This merge was meant to empower users to experience rich and immersive digital entertainment across multiple consumer devices. Their compatibility with PC’s, handhelds and digital televisions will finally deliver highlyintegrated, low-cost and power-efficient solutions to meet the expanding demands of billions of new users in emerging markets. The bottom-line, I believe Intel and Nvidia will need to distinguish themselves soon — or fall to Fusion. — Gautam Khanna
New passports with biometric technology
Scientists have discovered a new fossil of a species of bee dating back 100 million years. The bee is the oldest fossil in its family to be identified. Experts believe that the ancient insect relates to both wasps and bees due to its shared features, which further proves current bee evolution theories. The bee specimen was found in preserved mine amber located in Hukawng Valley of Northern Burma and the official scientific name of the bee is Melittosphex burmensis. According to research concerning bee species in general, scientists are now finding many similarities and collateral biological cycles between bee and mammal lineages. These new theories concerning the linkage between the two are now arising due to having sequenced bee DNA which has shown many similarities between the genomes. The research is quite fascinating with regard to predicting common ancestry between small insects such as bees and large complex mammals such as humans.
New United States passport regulations are officially in place as of October 26, 2006. All passports issued in Visa Waiver Program countries will be required to contain biometric data. Biometric communication uses computer technology to identify a person using their physical and behavioral traits. The need for such extreme measures has increased due to the high demand of security for international, business and personal travellers. Biometric passports use much more than the current passport picture for identification. They require fingerprint, eye and face maps of each traveller as recognition features. These highly developed passports will aid in preventing fraud as well as preventing terrorism. Some of the main countries using this new technology are France, Germany, Singapore and the UK. — With files from BBC News, Washington Post and Scientific American
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A new method which relies on following the pathways of embryonic development could lead to advanced approaches in treating diabetes. Embryonic stem cells act as the basis of medical research today, due to their ability to replace all types of damaged and dying tissues. Stem cells are important for diabetes patients as a substiture for their pancreatic cells which have stopped functioning properly. Pancreatic Beta cells are the main insulin producers in
Processor, meet graphics
Benjamin
According to new research, people who crush their pills to make them easier to swallow may have to seek
are many answers ranging from the protection of ecosystems to the purging of agriculture from the face of the Earth. The main argument against transgenics is that they can change the environments around them. Although the trees are designed to be sterile for copyright and environmental reasons, some still believe they may become invasive to the surrounding landscape. This would especially be a concern if the trees were designed to have traits that would make them more effective than their natural cousins, like pest resistance or faster growth. Another more likely, albeit still outlandish, threat is that pollen from the trees could interbreed with other trees, effectively poisoning the “natural” gene pool with foreign genetic material. Ironically, transgenic trees were designed not as a way of creating a new crop for humanity to farm but to remove some of the burden on natural ecosystems caused by logging. With that in mind, the acts of eco-terrorism against tree research seems counterproductive to anyone’s goals. Ultimately, it seems groups like ELF will have to admit defeat in this battle. Recently, the two women responsible for the University of Washington bombing were arrested. Also in recent news, the completion of the Poplar Genome Project promises huge leaps in humanity’s ability to modify poplar physiology. That, and evolution trends to make preserving a steady state in any environment next to impossible, regardless of human activity. But at least their heart was in the right place, right?
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^
~turn left at Farmer’s Market Road
tilhemp@sympatico.ca
Sports Imprint
30
Friday, november 3, 2006
sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Sports Editor: Shawn Bell Sports Assistant: Doug Copping
Waterloo Warriors rugby wins OUA bronze medal Women beat Mac 3 – 0 to earn final berth at Nationals Shawn Bell sports editor
Patricia Luciani
Lisa Kelly (1) holds Diane Kelly for Kendra Cook’s (5) throw in.
In first snow and then rain a biting wind blew straight off Columbia Lake to Kendra Cook’s back as she lined up a penalty kick from a few yards in front of the 22 metre line. The score was 0-0 and despite Waterloo’s dominance throughout the game there was tension up and down the line. The fans were yelling at the ref through a megaphone and the Warriors in black were lined up across the field from the Marauders in red and white who were shivering and stomping their feet to fend off the cold. Cook didn’t seem to notice — her kick split the upright with plenty to spare. The Warrior defence held the rest of the game and Waterloo defeated McMaster 3-0 to win OUA Bronze and earn the sixth and final spot at the Nationals in London November 3 to 5. Waterloo dominated the game. The defence was impeccable. Mac made it down to the two metre line once; the Waterloo line held tough. The rest of the game was played in the McMaster half. Every time a Marauder touched the ball two Warriors would smash into her and the ball would be down. On offence, Waterloo pushed Mac deep, over and over, until a dropped ball or a girl’s foot sliding out from her would turn it over and Mac would kick it out. The skies rained wet snow; my hands froze, holding the umbrella. These girls were wearing shorts and long sleeves pulled over their hands between plays and they were covered
in mud. The field was mud; the brown patches we saw weeks ago grew to cover the field. Bodies were falling everywhere. Injuries began to slow the play, the first all Marauders. The girls on the field huddled up in two circles and jumped up and down to keep warm. On the hill over Columbia Field, we huddled behind our umbrellas and the guys with a megaphone yelled “get her off the field.” When the play would start it was slow at first, like sap frozen to bark, but when the blood got flowing the pace picked up and Waterloo dominated some more without score until Cook’s penalty kick gave them three points and the win. Unfortunately, right near the end of the game Nicola Holmes, Waterloo’s scrum back went down with a knee injury. Her status is dayto-day for the Nationals. “We have confidence in our bench,” coach Ciezar said. “Judy Fung is a good scrum back.” The captains Sam Kristopherson and Dianne Kelly echoed each other after the game. “We knew McMaster would be a really tough team coming into this,” Kelly said, “But we’ve worked really hard and I guess we just wanted it more than they did.” “The weather was a contributing factor,” Kristopherson said, “although I find we’re one of the better teams playing in those conditions; we seem to have better ball control in crappy weather.” As a testament, every game I’ve seen has been the most miserable afternoon. Snow, rain, wind, hail, sun and biting cold—the Warriors have played in it all.
“The weather again affected our running game” Coach Ciezar said. “It became sloppy, with more little mistakes.” In the OUA gold medal match, Guelph upset Western 7-5 in similar conditions to snap Western’s 29-game winning streak and take the number one seed at the Nationals. Western, as the host, picked their division in the tournament. They chose to avoid Guelph in the round-robin and go into group B with Lethbridge and the winner of McGill vs Laval. Waterloo goes into the tournament as the sixth seed, in group A with Guelph and SFXU, the Eastern Canadian champion. “These will be two really tough matches,” Kristopherson said. “Guelph will be a tight game. We’ve played them twice now, they’re really strong, but we know what to expect so we can use that to our advantage. As for SFXU, we know they have a really fast back, who we played with in Ontario’s, so we’ve been talking of ways to contain her, bringing wingers back to strengthen the line.” Two teams advance from each group to the semi-finals on Saturday, with the two third-place squads playing for fifth on Saturday. The Gold and Bronze medal games are Sunday. “With the shorter halves in the round robin (25-minute half) we know we can be competitive,” coach Ciezar said. “With our good pack and disciplined backs, our objective is to make the medal round.” Kristopherson did her coach one up. “I expect to be top three,” she said. sbell@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Women’s Rugby National Tournament in London November 3 to 5 Group A
Guelph Gryphons St. Francis-Xavier X-Women Waterloo Warriors
Guelph Gryphons 2006 record: 4-1 Playoffs: 2-0 Nationals trip: Seventh Medals: 1 gld, 1 slv, 1 brz
Friday, Nov. 3 10 a.m. Guelph vs Waterloo 10 a.m. Lethbridge vs Western 12:30 p.m. St. FX vs Waterloo 12:30 p.m. Laval vs Western 3 p.m. Guelph vs St. FX 3 p.m. Lethbridge vs Laval
St. Francis-Xavier X-Women 2006 record: 5-0-1 Playoffs: 1-0 Nationals trip: Ninth Medals: None
The Guelph Gryphons are a scrappy bunch. Veterans Shannon Kane, Michelle Gauer and Meg Howat are their main offensive weapons, combining for 58 points on tries and converts between the three of them. With a regular season record of 4-1, all of their wins coming on shut-outs, the Gryphons avenged their one defeat in the Ontario final when they upset Western 7-5, ending the Mustangs’ 29-game winning streak. They’ll look for a repeat performance in London in hopes of improving upon last year’s CIS bronze medal.
The St. FX X-Women dominated the AUS championship game 33-5 against the UPEI Panthers on Oct. 28. The school is now just one Atlantic title away from possessing a decade’s worth of AUS final victories. Wrapping up an undefeated season with their ninth championship in a row is the perfect way for the X-Women to roll into nationals. The squad is led by the first-ever player to be named the conference’s top rookie and top player in the same season, 18-year-old Ghislaine Landry, who led the CIS in scoring with 19 tries.
Matthew Katzsch, The Ontarion Guelph, ON
Jarett Burke, Xaverian Weekly Antigonish, NS
Saturday, Nov. 4 10 a.m. (semi-final 1) 1st Pool A vs 2nd Pool B 12:30 p.m. (semi-final 2) 1st Pool B vs 2nd Pool A 3 p.m. (5th place) 3rd Pool A vs 3rd Pool B
Laval Rouge et Or 2006 record: 5-0 Playoffs: 2-0 Nationals trip: First Medals: None TheLavalRougeetOrcouldn’tgetenough of McGill this season. Last Sunday’s Quebecfinalwascalledduetodarknesswiththe teams tied 5-5 after regulation and wasn’t completed until Tuesday night. Neither team scored in two 10-minute overtime sessions until Laval’s Catherine Carrier booted the winning penalty kick to send the Rouge et Or to their first women’s rugby nationals in the program’s second year. Laval ended the Martlets’ 56-game undefeated streak against conference opponents. The Rouge et Or will enter the tournament as underdogs, especially with 12 hours to drive before Nationals’ four games in three afternoons. Dan Plouffe, CUP Montreal, QC
Sunday, Nov. 5 11:30 a.m.(Bronze medal) Loser SF 1 vs Loser SF 2 1:30 p.m. (Gold medal) Winner SF 1 vs Winner SF 2
Lethbridge Pronghorns 2006 record: No regular season Playoffs: 3-1 Nationals trip: Second Medals: 1 slv The Lethbridge rugby team has has caught the attention of Pronghorn fans everywhere for being the school’s only team to make it to a CIS national championship in over a decade. Although Canada-West has no regular season, the Pronghorns have managed to prepare themselves for national calibre competition through exhibition games and tournaments. They defeated UBC and two other teams in the CW playoffs two weekends ago for the conference title. The key to the Pronghorns’ success is the same as the motto they’ve followed all year: practice and play like champions every single day. Ainsley Doty, The Meliorist Lethbridge, AB
Group B
Lethbridge Pronghorns Laval Rouge et Or Western Mustangs
Western Ontario Mustangs 2006 record: 5-0 Playoffs: 1-1 Nationals trip: Fifth Medals: 2 gld, 1 slv, 1 brz Boasting an overall record of 6-1, the Western Mustangs are ready to go with standout players Tanja Ness, LaToya Blackwood and Martha Goodrow. Western is set to defend its national title as the team will try to establish its speed on the field with perhaps the deepest roster in the country. Speed on the wings, strong backs, and more-than-capable reserves highlight this year’s Mustangs team. With home field advantage in their corner, the Stangs want to send a message to the rest of the country: the title stays in London. Len Cabelles, The Gazette London, ON
sports
FRIDAY, november 3, 2006
Warrior men split weekend games
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In the big leagues - Maple Leafs Nate Bell reporter
The week of October 24 started off disastrously for the Toronto Maple Leafs. They hosted Ottawa and were embarrassed 6-2. Two days later, the Leafs traveled to Ottawa to complete the home and home. They allowed Jason Spezza and Joe Corvo to each tally five points en route to a 7-2 defeat. The Leafs
showed some resiliency when they bounced back with a 5-4 shootout win over Montreal and a decisive 4-2 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers. The Leafs look like a team that will struggle to stay in the playoff picture when the season gets into full swing if they cannot gain some consistency. Pavel Kubina and Nick Antropov are on the mend while Tomas Kaberle has been on a tear with four goals this week.
Fantasy Fix - NHL, NFL, NBA Brody Hohman
Warrior forward Doug Spooner taunts the opposing team. James Rowe reporter
The Waterloo Warriors men’s hockey team hosted a pair of games on the weekend and came away with a win and a loss. On Friday, October 27, the Warriors hosted the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks and both teams came out firing offensively. The Golden Hawks jumped out to an early 2-0 lead less than eight minutes into the game but the Warriors fought back. Frank Fazio and David Edgeworth beat Laurier goalie Mike Thomson less than two minutes apart to tie the game for Waterloo midway through the period. However, the explosive first period continued as the Golden Hawks’ power play would strike twice before the end of the opening frame giving them a 4-2 lead at the intermission. Just 41 seconds into the second period, the WLU power play connected as Ryan Courtney scored his second goal of the game to make it 5-2. On the power play Waterloo once again fought back, this time closing within one thanks to goals by Chris Golem and Edgeworth’s second. Laurier pulled away again with two late goals in the period, and heading into the third it was 7-4 in favour of the Golden Hawks. Waterloo struck twice in the third period, but Courtney’s hat trick goal put the game out of
Jim Hagan
reach as the Golden Hawks came away with an 8-6 victory. UW goal scorers in the final period were Ryan MacGregor and Dave Philpott. The difference in the game was the execution of Laurier’s power play, which scored four of the team’s eight goals of the night. The following night the Warriors hosted the Guelph Gryphons. Once again UW scored six goals, this time with a much better result. Rookie goaltender Jimmy Bernier was given his first start as a Warrior and he responded by making 24 saves for the shutout in the 6-0 win. Despite the lopsided final score, Guelph was able to keep it close through the first two periods. A first period goal by Shane Hart and a second period marker by Golem were the only scoring in the opening 40 minutes. Waterloo then exploded offensively, scoring four goals in the first eight minutes of the third period to run away with the game. The goals came off the sticks of Kyle Pellerin, Hart with his second of the game, and Golem with two more to complete the hat trick. Edgeworth, Philpott and Sean Roche each had two assists on the night. The 1-1 weekend leaves the Warriors record at 4-2, good for a share of first place in the Far West Division with Lakehead. This weekend UW hosts the Brock Badgers on Friday night at 7:30 at the CIF arena and then travel to Toronto to take on the York Lions Saturday.
A general manager in a fantasy world
Reality sucks. Escapism is the new religion. Sport has always been about escape. If you only, my son, practise hard enough, the world will be your oyster; you’ll play a game and make your fortune. So get your ass out of bed at 4:30 in the morning, throw that gear in the car and let’s go to the arena. Now we’re older, struggling through a world with no purpose, and our dreams have become externalized. Our fantasies of being the star, of scoring the winning goal in game seven of the Stanley Cup finals have grown old. Now, we are general managers, creating our fantasy team with nothing more to win than cold hard cash. So I found myself at the Bombshelter. As we sat around a long wood table under soft lighting, the co-ordinator passed around his stacks of papers. “Now listen, people” he said, “It’s $10 a head, winner take all, good Canadian fun. You all know the rules?” No one did. The co-ordinator explained. “We go around the table, up then down again, and we pick our team. Four centres, eight wingers, six defenders, two goaltenders and five bench warmers. The team at the end with the highest point total wins. Points are won through eight categories. Goalies have wins and shutouts. Players compete in goals, assists, points, plus-minus, penalty minutes and game-winning goals. In each category your team is ranked according to its
place in that specific category. Seven points for the highest overal goal total, one point for the lowest. All eight categories are added together to give your team a point total and the highest after all 82 games wins everyone’s $10.” I had the first pick. The only thing I could think was Brody’s Fantasy Fix saying a few weeks back to pick Joe Thornton. So I did. The second pick was JS Giguerre and I started to think these maybe weren’t hockey minds. After that it settled out with Heatley, Iginla, Cheechoo, Jagr and so on until the seventh pick when the round stopped because somebody wasn’t there. After much debate the co-ordinator decided to assign him a team that will be competitive. They should be European. Who the hell wants Europeans anyways? Alfredsson was his first assignee. Then Kari Lehtonen in net. By the time it got back to me Scott Niedermayer was gone so I took Eric Staal since he’s from Thunder Bay. Then Vokoun in net. I was like a little kid again playing with my hockey cards. The afternoon went on. I got Pronger and Lidstrom on D and Naslund and Selanne on the wing. Hasek in goal and Forsberg and Gagne from the abyss of Philadelphia. Lecavalier, Gomez, Mark Bell, Sergei Samsonov. Wade Redden and Mattius Ohlund, Shane Doan and Patrick Elias. In the end we each picked 25 players. Now the season begins. 82 games and everyday I’m to check online to see who’s playing and substitute my bench accordingly. Everyday I should check my stats, count my points, consider trades and watch for injuries. Everyday, for a half an hour, I can forget my troubles. For I am a general manager, and because of me, my team will win it all. cpeters@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
reporter
Another big week in fantasy sports, so I’ve got all three this week. NHL - Position Pics Goalie- Olaf Kolzig (Was)- Last 3 games: 2-0-0, 2.27 GAA, .947 SvPCT. Kolzig is a big reason the Capitals are looking decent, he’s allowed only 7 goals on 131 shots over this span. Defence- San Jose pumps out the young talent; this year’s defense is no exception. Christian Ehrhoff (4 goals, 14 PIM) and Matt Carle (12 points, +4) have proven themselves worthy of a spot in any defence’s rotation. Ryan Whitney (Pit) is also a great addition to any team, with 10 points and 10 PIM. Forward- Dustin Penner (RW) Ana- 2 G, 3 A, + 2 in last 4 games. Petr Sykora (RW) Edm- Looks like Sykora of a few years ago, 7 G, 8A. Christopher Higgins (C) Mon- 7G, 5A on the year, grab him if he’s available. NFL - Start ‘Em Ahman Green (RB) GB- 224 yards, 3TDs in last 2 games.
Damon Huard (QB) KC- Looks like the real deal: 8 TD, 1 INT, 1475 yards, 100.4 QB rating. But this could be his last start with Green looking healthy. Brandon Jacobs (RB) NYG- Has been a useful No. 2 RB lately. A touchdown in each of his last 3 games averaging 45 yards per game. He gets the goal line touches, and against a weak Houston team the big man should be good for a score. NBA - Notes - Andres Nocioni stepped his game up in last year’s playoffs (22.3 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1 bpg) and looks ready for a breakout year. He’s always a threat for a double-double. - With TJ Ford in Toronto, Mo Williams and Charlie Bell will compete for the starting PG job. Williams has the clear edge, he averaged 16.9 points, 5.8 assists, and 1.33 steals in 12 starts last season and is a good sleeper. - Leandro Barbosa was 9 of 16 for 30 points, with 6 triples in the Suns season opener. Barbosa will contend for the NBA’s Sixth Man award this year. - Detroit’s Jason Maxiell averaged 15.9 pts, 6.1 reb, and shot 57% in 24.5 minutes per game in the preseason. Worth keeping an eye on.
sports
32
Local club hosts mixed-curling Nationals Steve Utz reporter
The Westmount Golf and Country Club on Inverness Drive is usually the home of the Waterloo Warriors varsity curling teams. But from November 11-18, curlers from every province and territory will descend on it to decide this year’s mixed curling champions. Nonetheless, there will still be a strong varsity curling connection among the competitors. The defending champions, and one of the strongest squads in the competition, is the host team from Ontario led by skip (captain) John Epping and vice-skip Julie Reddick. Epping, junior (under 20) provincial champion in 2004, is the former skip of the Trent Excalibur while Reddick is a three-time junior provincial champion (1999, 2000, 2002) and the former skip of the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks. Joined by Brad Kuhn, the 2000 Canadian Junior Champion and past skip of the University of Alberta Golden Bears, the three young curlers form an intriguing triad of curling acumen. Yet each is quick to credit their junior
and varsity experiences in helping them reach the next level. “Curling [in juniors and varsity] definitely provided me with a solid foundation for competitive mixed and women’s play,” said Reddick. “It allowed me to know what to expect.” And while Reddick, like all curlers can expect the competition to be stiff once the event gets under way, it means nothing but the best performances and shot making for the fans. The effect of an audience, seated just inches away from the athletes, is considerable. “That will be one advantage that we have,” said Epping. “I think that the support will be really helpful as we try to keep the title in Ontario for another year.” Individual game tickets are still available for students who wish to see Epping and Reddick try to defend their title. Morning draws offer four concurrent matches for just $2, and a full week pass is just $75 including more than 70 round robin and playoff matches. Event website: www.westmountgolf.com/ mcindex.htm sutz@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
This week in brief Women’s soccer
The Warriors were eliminated from championship contention after losing their first round playoff match against the York Lions 1-0. The York goal was scored by Stefani Vescio late in the second half.
reporters
Cross-country
Women’s basketball
The Warrior’s basketball team split last weekend’s exhibition games. On October 28 they defeated the Roberts Weslayen College Raiders 64-62. Gillian Maxwell, Kate Poulin and Erin Button proved to be dominating forces inside, Maxwell grabbing 15 rebounds. The second game of the New York weekend saw the Warriors fall to Daemon College 74-54. The OUA season kicks of Friday November 3 at the PAC vs. Lakehead. Women’s volleyball
Waterloo got their first win this season with a 3-0 sweep over Lakehead. Sue Murray had 10 kills, 14 digs, and 10 points and was named player of the game for UW. This weekend the Warriors are home to Ottawa at 2 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday at the PAC. Field hockey
Warriors lost their OUA playoff game on October 27 to the Queen’s Golden Gaels by a score of 2-0 at York University. The loss ended the
Tough home opener for Waterloo volleyball
Simona Cherler
York’s size proved too much for Warriors in second game of home opening weekend. Shawn Bell sports editor
season for Waterloo after they posted a 4-8-2 regular season record.
James Rowe Adnam Khan
FRIDAY, november 3, 2006
The UW team competed in the OUA Championships in Kingston this past weekend. The men, led by Wesley George’s 40th place finish, finished 10th in the team competition. The women came in 7th place overall, paced by Kelly-Lynne Spettigue who came in 17th. Badminton
On October 28, the Waterloo team traveled to Hamilton to face McMaster and came away with a 10-3 victory. The win moved the team to 3-1 on the season. This Saturday the Warriors travel to York to take on the 2-2 Lions in their final regular season game before hosting the OUA Championships on November 18. Women’s Hockey
The Warriors lost against Laurier on October 28, 3-1. This loss leaves the Warriors’ record at 2-2-0-1 on the season. The lone goal for Waterloo was scored by Laura Sturch. This weekend UW hosts Guelph on Saturday, November 4, at 7:30 p.m. at the CIF arena.
The Waterloo men’s volleyball team moved into the confines of the PAC for a home opening weekend October 27 and 28, however the gym was not cozy for the young squad this weekend, as both the Ryerson Rams and York Lions handled the Warriors with ease. This is a young team. With only one senior and two third-year players, three freshmen starters and nine other first-year players coming off the bench, how good Waterloo will be depends greatly on how good this recruiting class is, and how quickly cohesion comes. “With three freshmen starters, [the results] of opening weekend could be a reflection on our youth,” coach Fernando Pardo said. “Granted, these are good freshmen. One, Duncan Crains [10], represented Canada in the world championships of beach, and the other two, Andrew Thorpe [6] and Stephen Hawke [2], have played at National Championships. So, they’ve been there, they’ve played for gold in front of thousands.” On October 27, the Ryerson Rams, ranked seventh in the country, came to the PAC. The first set was a battle. Waterloo was up 23-21 before the Rams came back to win 27-25. In the second, Waterloo pushed the Rams to the limit once more before losing 25-23. In the third set the Warriors fell apart and Ryerson won the match easily with a 25-13 third set. Middle Blocker Aaron Dam [7] led Waterloo with 7 kills, 1 service ace and one solo block. Setter Thorpe racked up 19 assists in an impressive start to his career in the PAC. “At first we were with them,” third-year hitter Kostya Kovalenko [12] said, “we thought we were going to win. Then we broke down in the third set, our passing game fell apart, we got served off the court.” “Ryerson is the best team in the OUA right now,” Pardo said. “they weren’t expecting what
they saw. If our passing was on, we should have had those first two sets.” The Warriors left that game looking like a team with confidence. “If we play our game,” Kovalenko said on his way to the locker room, “we should be able to beat York.” The next night York came to the PAC and beat up on the Warriors. In three sets (25-20, 25-16, 25-18) the game was over, and the large crowd in the PAC shuffled around, wondering it seemed, could it be over this fast? There was little to cheer about for Waterloo fans. However, second-year outside hitter Tyler Vivian [9] showed off his impressive vertical with big serves and big hits. The beach-volleyball specialist Crains brought his top game, hitting seven kills and digging seven balls in a lone bright spot on a Warrior defence that looked too small and too slow to block the Lions’ hitters. After the game the dejected Warriors left the floor with their heads down. “We didn’t come to play tonight,” Dam said. “We didn’t play as hard as we did [against Ryerson]. We expected to beat York, so we’re disappointed with ourselves.” Coach Pardo elaborated,“We didn’t come prepared tonight. At the university level you have to be prepared for every match. We had some good highlights, but we’re not hitting all seven cylinders. We need everyone if we are to be successful. But it is still early. I think you’ll see these guys come together; we’re a competitive team.” For the season we want to go 5 and 7 in the first half, and our goal is the playoffs. We have a strong work ethic, the guys are weight training at 6:00 in the morning, so they’re putting the body in front, and they’re all doing well in school. It’s a complete, 100 per cent improvement from last year.” The Warriors (1-3) will look to get back on track, and get that crucial first home victory, on Saturday November 4 when the Toronto Blues visit the PAC. Game time is 4:00 p.m.. sbell@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Presents
THIS WEEK IN ATHLETICS
Friday, November 3 vs vs Lakehead Lakehead Thunderwolves Thunderwolves 7:00 7:00 PM, PM, CIF CIF Pac Pac Gym Gym
Saturday, November 4 vs vs Lakehead Lakehead Thunderwolves Thunderwolves 7:00 7:00 PM, PM, CIF CIF Pac Pac Gym Gym
[W]
BASKETBALL
WARRIOR [M] HOCKEY
WARRIOR VOLLEYBALL
Friday, November 3, 2006 vs Brock Badgers 7:30 PM, UW CIF Arena
Saturday, November 4, 2006 vs U of T Varsity Blues [W] 2:00 PM, [M] 4:00 PM UW PAC Gym
WARRIOR [W] HOCKEY Saturday, November 4, 2006 vs Guelph Gryphons 7:30 PM, UW CIF Arena
WARRIOR [W] VOLLEYBALL Sunday, November 5, 2006 vs Ottawa Gee Gees 2:00 PM, UW PAC Gym
ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
IMPRINT | NOVEMBER 3
Oleg Chernukhin | [M] Swimming
Susan Murray | [W] Volleyball
Oleg, a third year Engineering student from Longeuil, QC won the maximum of 3 individual events on both days plus helping the Warrior relay team win the 4 x 100 medley relay on the Friday vs. Queen’s and Carleton and the 4 x 100 free relay on Saturday vs. Ottawa and Carleton. On Friday Oleg won the 200 IM in a time of 2:08.83 which surpassed the CIS qualifying standard. He then proceeded to win the 200 back and 50 breast. On Saturday against the Ottawa and Carleton teams he won the 50 free, 100 free and 50 back. In leading off the 4 x 100 free relay Oleg improved upon his time in the 100 free by going a lead off split of 52.90 as compared to his individual event winning time of 53.26.
Susan, a fourth year Arts student from London, Ontario has been an integral leader for the Warriors since the first pre-season match this year. More specifically, she has demonstrated key offensive and defensive contributions in this past week’s two OUA matches. Her aggressive game play kept the Warriors in the game against York last Wednesday and was a main contributor to the win against Lakehead this last Saturday, as well as earning her a Player of the Match nomination. Leading the team in kills in both matches as well as making consistent defensive plays both in the front row blocking and back row digging is becoming the expectation rather than the exception from this valuable veteran.
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