Impr int The university of Waterloo’s official student newspaper
Friday, July 13, 2007
vol 30, no 6
imprint . uwaterloo . ca
What’s the deal with airline peanuts?
REZ WOES
No holds barred humour at comedy festival ► page
New head coach for Warriors’ women’s basketball Adam McGuire editor-in-chief
The UW women’s basketball program is hoping that two minds will be better than one for the 2007-08 season. The Warriors, who finished last season with a 10-12 record, announced recently that former McMaster basketball standout Christin Dickenson will become the club’s new head coach. However, in a unique twist, outgoing head coach Mano Watsa will be staying on as
part of the coaching staff for one more season until Dickenson takes the reins herself in 2008-09. Dickenson and Watsa will serve as co-coaches this season, giving the Warriors a more well-rounded albeit unique situation behind the bench. “It’s the very best scenario you might like,” said UW Athletic Director Judy McCrae. “My intent is to honour Mano. He wanted to stay on to coach one more year. But his business and family commitments are growing.” McCrae went on to say that Dickenson was a perfect fit for the position, based on her desire to be a full-time coach — a commitment that is new to the women’s basketball program. “This is a new fulltime position, and we wanted it to be a woman,” McCrae said. “We saw where we needed a strong woman’s leadership.” And while Dickenson is relatively new to the coaching ranks, both her and her new employer, McCrae, are confident she can get the job done and make UW a threat in the eyes of other OUA clubs.
Courtesy Christin dickenson
what’s inside News Engineers Without Borders organize events to raise awareness for Canada’s foreign aid obligations. ► page
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Newly proposed cigarette restrictions butt smokers out from entrances. ► page
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Room shortages continue
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happy birthday
CANADA! ►
See WARRIORS, page 13
page 9
michael L. davenport
Opinion
Science
As area municipalities scramble to slap decals on public vehicles, Adam McGuire suffers ribbon rage over the “Support the Troops” campaign.
Freeing your mind and your software, famous programmer Richard Stallman tackled DRM on a recent trip to UW.
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Features Tiffany Li offers up a perfect way to beat the heat with homemade parfaits. ► page
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News
news@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Imprint, Friday, July 13, 2007
Step back before you light up that cigarette
Teamwork is Impact linchpin Zoe McKnight reporter
Adam McGuire
Modifications to Policy 29 will require that smokers stand well-clear of building entrances, like this one at the Student Life Centre. Ashley Csanady assistant editor-in-chief
Smokers huddled around building doorways will soon have to step back as the main campus joint health and safety committee has put forward a policy that would see all smokers at least 10 metres away from the nearest entrance. The changes would effect Policy 29, UW’s smoking policy. In efforts to comply with the new Smoke Free Ontario Act, the committee recommended prohibiting smoking within three metres of all entrances, but the administration decided to push it to 10 following many other Canadian campuses, including Laurier. Director of Safety Kevin Stewart explained that previously, dealing with enforcement of non-smoking policies on campus was the responsibility of the head of the department at which the violation was made. He said that
while no monetary fine or other such punishment will be implemented to enforce the possible policy change, campus police will assist with enforcement. Stewart said that steps are being taken towards UW becoming a smoke-free campus. The policy change would also prevent the sale of cigarettes on campus — a loss of funding for the Feds-run Aussies that President Kevin Royal described as the “government controlling consumer choices.” He explained an outright ban will not stop students from smoking. Instead, they will just spend their money elsewhere, rather than it being funneled back into Feds’ initiatives. The Feds would like to see the policy change amended to allow Aussies to continue to sell cigarettes, with the provision that they will put all products below the counter and also sell anti-smoking
products at below cost. He wants to see profits from cigarette sales reinvested back into the organization and, in turn, into on-campus anti-smoking campaigns. “From what I understand, the amount of money the Feds make from selling cigarettes is not ‘huge’ — at least not as they expressed it at a meeting last week. This is an issue of principle and safety. UW should not be selling a product which is a known cause of cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. — especially given our commitment to wellness and smoking prevention in our AHS Faculty,” said Catharine Scott, associate provost of HR and student services, in response to the question of whether the money from cigarette sales would be better served on campus than distributed in the community. The Feds would also like to see the policy revert to the suggestion that smoking be prohibited within
“This is an issue of principle and safety. UW should not be selling a product which is a known cause of cancer and other life-threatening illnesses” ‑ Catharine Scott Associate provost of HR and student services
three metres of an entrance. This, Royal said, would balance the “rights” of smokers and non-smokers alike. The “rights” of students who smoke was far from Scott’s mind. When asked about the policy’s potential to infringe on the rights of smokers she said, “No. Smoking policies and laws are about safety — protecting others from second -hand smoke. This must be the first consideration.” “It would limit our smokers to a very small portion of the Bomber patio,” replied Royal when asked about how the change would be implemented at Bomber and Fed Hall. Whenever a policy change such as this is made, four stakeholder groups are consulted before it goes to President David Johnston for approval. Those four groups are staff and faculty associations, the Graduate Students Association (GSA) and Feds. Royal explained that the GSA support the Feds’ stance on the policy change. “Both faculty and staff relations committees expressed the view that this was a positive first step and hopefully will lead to a complete ban of smoking on campus,” said Scott. acsanady@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Teamwork. That was the linchpin of success at this year’s Impact Apprentice challenge held June 26-29 in Vancouver, B.C., where 32 of Canada’s top university students competed in a series of business scenarios for cash and prizes. Each of the three University of Waterloo representatives cited teamwork as the number one determinant of success. Over four days, students from across Canada competed in teams of eight in consulting, management, advertising and sales-related challenges, and were awarded points by the sponsoring companies’ executives. Although his team placed last in the event overall, UW accounting and financial management student Michael Pipe found the Impact Apprentice humbling and rewarding, noting that all 32 students — leaders in their own realms — were forced to come together and work as a coherent team. “You can’t really do much on your own,” he said. “One of our [team’s] members tried to do a lot on his own and as a result our team didn’t place as well.” Honours arts and business student Christine Lu, whose team placed second overall, noted that her greatest challenge was learning to let go of responsibilities and to delegate, trusting team members to do the work. “That’s what I found the most remarkable of our group,” she said. “There was no one specific leader. Everyone contributed.” In the face of fierce competition and little interaction between the four groups, every detail became the difference between first and second place. “We all had the same ideas,” said Jennifer Yorke of the teams. “That’s how fierce the competition was [...] The smallest difference can place one team on top of another.” Lu described the advertising challenge’s recipe for success as going just one step further than the rest, even if only slightly. Yorke, a Master’s student in business, entrepreneurship and technology, believes that her team members’ distinct capabilities combined with good communication was the combination that led them to win overall in Vancouver. “We really knew how to draw out people’s skills and talents — and we all knew when to shut up,” she said in a phone interview. Yorke said she drew from her experiences with group work in her MA program, while Pipe cited a decade of competitive hockey and Lu credited her involvement with the Canadian Asian Students’ Association, of which she is president. Without even having time to unpack, these ambitious 32 students were presented with a whirlwind of business challenges to test the mind and try the spirit in front of some major potential employers. When asked about the relationship between corporate sponsorship and higher education, Lu responded that it is a “win-win situation.” Impact Apprentice provided a foot in the door for students and a free pool of ideas coming from eager minds. “In essence, we are a portal leading to infinite possibilities,” said Lu. Yorke seconded the positive sentiment. She vows to keep in touch with the “phenomenal” people she met in Vancouver, both for business and personal relationships, while Pipe encourages all students, business and otherwise, to apply for the event next year, calling it “life-changing.”
News
Imprint, Friday, July 13, 2007
Receptionist celebrates 20 years Christine Ogley staff reporter
After 20 years of working at the University of Waterloo, Sheila Davidson is still smiling. Beaming, in fact, despite that Davidson started working here at nine years old, before there were labour laws to prevent such things. Well, that’s her story, anyway, and she’s stickin’ to it. Davidson has been working with Feds for 18 years, after working for the Dean of Engineering for two years. There have been good days and bad days, she says, as with any job. Imprint sat down to discuss some of the good times and funny stories collected over the years. When Feds started, they occupied a small office above the Imprint office, in the area where Feds Clubs now operates. The main reception was a small desk, with room for a phone, computer and little else. It was also utterly inaccessible for disabled students — so at the ring of a buzzer — Davidson would run down to greet disabled students and respond to their queries. Since then, the Feds office has moved and many new positions have been added. Also, the Feds executives change on nearly a yearly basis, so Davidson has had the chance to meet and work with many different people. How does she feel about working with so many 20-somethings? “They keep me young,” she said. Davidson has the opportunity to work in a fun and active environment at Feds. She notes the stark contrast between her office and, say, Needles Hall. “People who have moved to Needles Hall tell me it’s so quiet.” Davidson has also had the chance to partake in some practical jokes. After some reflection, she was able to share some of the cleaner stories — ones “fit for print.” One memorable prank was played on Davidson by former manager AB_GENER06_imprint.qxd 3/29/06 had 8:48 Chuck McMullan. Davidson and McMullan
a friendly bet which rewarded the winner with a pint of beer, at the loser’s expense. When Davidson won, she told McMullan of her intention to collect her reward, only to have him retort that no such reward would be given. Determined to get her prize, Davidson warned McMullan that she would be stopping by Fed Hall after work to receive her “cold Canadian,” which was “what I drank at the time.” Sure enough, Davidson headed over, remarking how many Feds employees were present, some giving her some strange looks. Nevertheless, she presented herself at McMullan’s office and demanded her beer. McMullan redirected her to the kitchen fridge, which Davidson remarks now, “was kind of weird. I should have known.” Well by the time Davidson reached the door for the kitchen walk-in fridge, she was pretty suspicious. She opened the door, at McMullan’s urging, and low and behold, there was a naked man, beer in hand, with a sign over his crotch, reading “Here, I’m your cold Canadian.” In retelling it, Sheila laughed good-naturedly at the prank, noting that she never had a chance to retaliate. Apparently she was able to share a chuckle about the incident years later, seeing McMullan at an alumni event. Although Davidson stresses that Feds work terribly hard, there have been more than a few practical jokes over the years. Probably most of you don’t remember Chris Edey and Liam McHugh-Russell, but their office boasted a wealth of silliness. Davidson recalls that once, Edey and McHugh-Russell placed boxes inside of David Capper’s office, preventing the door from opening. After resorting to climbing in through the ceiling, Capper found revenge by putting a smoke bomb in Edey’s office. More PM aPage 1 executives have been known to than few Feds
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chair race down the hall during stressful times, “to break some of the tension.” Davidson herself once raced her puppy against Heather Fawcett’s, former orientation co-ordinator. This fall, Davidson anticipates a lot of hard work. Every fall is busy with phone calls from parents, queries from students and administrative work. Apparently, when the health and dental plan was introduced, which is refundable, there were scores of calls to complain about it. So, she expects the same types of calls concerning the new bus pass. Davidson is ready for the rush though. She has enjoyed her time with Feds, and continues to do so. “It’s like a family,” she says. They’ve been there through it all, and she appreciates that, especially since — like any job — she spends a lot of time in the office. There have been Feds baseball teams and afterwork hours spent at the pub. Davidson’s line of work has also allowed her to see some great bands, such as The Tragically Hip, Barenaked Ladies, Kim Mitchell and David Wilcox. She also appreciatively recounted Feds’ response when her husband passed away — they were very understanding, and gave her the time and space she needed in order to grieve. So on behalf of our student body, Imprint wishes Sheila Davidson a happy 20th anniversary with the university, and many more years here to come. Just no more cold Canadians, okay? cogley@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Christine Ogley
Imprint, Friday, July 13, 2007
Student numbers are in for 2007-08 residences
News 07.07.07 event sends persuasive message
Courtesy Engineers Without borders
EWB organized events for symbolic 07.07.07 Britta Hallberg reporter
Angelo Florendo
Resident rooms at Ron Eydt Village. Photo on left shows the more spacious two bed style living space. Photo on right depicts the newly renovated rooms. These rooms will have three bunks, three desks, leaving less space. Karina Graf staff reporter
After receiving confirmations from first-year students who accepted UW’s offer of admission, UW’s housing office was 650 beds short of what they needed to accommodate all of the incoming students in residence. However provisions have since been made, and now all but approximately 50 spots have been made for the influx. Jennifer Ferguson, manager of admissions and marketing in the department of housing and residences, said that UW’s housing office will not be making any further arrangements for students over the next several weeks, as they will not have finalized numbers until that time. She said, “We’ll be re-looking at those numbers in the next few weeks after our room assignments go out and our contracts are due, because there’s a lot of movement at that point in time.” The extra students will be placed in Columbia Lake townhouses (which were originally intended for upper year students and graduate students) the university colleges (rooms originally set aside for exchange students) and double rooms converted into triple rooms in Ron Eydt Village. Attrition will account for some of the remaining shortfall as some incoming students will change their minds about living in residence.
All of the 191 students who ranked triple rooms as one of their top three residence choices will be housed in REV, and the remaining 169 triple room occupants will be chosen from among the 477 incoming students who did not indicate a preference or complete the online form. Ferguson detailed the provisions that UW’s housing office has made for graduate students who were unable to procure a spot in residence. In regard to graduate students who were in the application pool for residence spots but had given them up for incoming students, she noted that, “We have given them the option of those two rental properties.” As a result, 60 graduate students have taken single rooms and 43 families will be living in both townhouses on Phillip Street and an apartment building near the intersection of University Avenue and Erb Street. Although the Phillip Street townhouses are close to campus and presented a convenient option, they were not considered viable for firstyear students. Ferguson indicated that by using the townhouses the students “wouldn’t get the residence experience that they’re going to get living here. The Phillip St. townhouses […] will be dealt with by that property management, so there’s not going to be any residence staff.” Ferguson reported that UW’s housing committee is working hard
Aussies “eXpresses” its new image Chris Miller staff reporter
Aussies will be getting a new moniker in addition to a new location, as snackers and connoisseurs of ice cream sandwiches will soon be offering their patronage to “Federation eXpress” instead. Aussies move to the upper level of the Student Life Centre prompted discussion of a more appropriate name, said Kevin Royal, President of the Federation of Students. “Our convenience store was named ‘Aussies’ exclusively due to its location, in effect, ‘down under.’ The move precipitated discussions surrounding rebranding the store, and although we also considered sticking with the name for its historic value, we wanted to move in a new direction.” The new name is intended to match the “grab and go” nature of the
convenience store, including quick dry cleaning hosting and Xpress Post mailing services. Royal, along with the Marketing staff and Executive, hope that fast and effective service will become the focus of their overall branding strategy. Initially, Feds launched a poll on their website offering the choices of FedsMart, Feds Convenience, Feds One Stop Shop, and Feds Grab and Go. Though FedsMart was considered the strongest possibility and won the straw poll, Feds continued to receive feedback opposing the name. “We were able to build consensus around Federation eXpress,” said Royal, explaining that VP-Education Jonah Levine solicited feedback and found that most of those contacted were favourable to this newer name. cmiller@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
to ensure a positive experience for first-years. She concluded by saying, “We are doing everything we can to accommodate our first-year students into residence. We’re trying to give them the best first year experience by putting them into residence. And we did give thought to going off-campus and different options, and we felt we’ve come up with the best plan for them. […] And we think it will be a good experience for them.” kgraf@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Correction In the June 29 issue of Imprint, facts on page one were incorrectly attributed to UW housing and residence manager of admissions and marketing Jennifer Ferguson. These facts should have been attributed to associate registrar Nancy Weiner. Imprint apologizes for the error.
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The Engineers Without Borders (EWB) of UW used the symbolism of a date on the calendar — 07-0707 — to send an important political message this weekend: The Canadian government needs to commit to spending 0.7 per cent of the country’s GDP on foreign aid. UW’s EWB, as supporters of the Make Poverty History campaign, welcomed interested students to join them in sending a message to our Prime Minister. July 7 was a day of fun, education and activism for students and members of the community. EWB students spent the day on campus and at the St. Jacobs Farmer’s Market sharing their overseas experiences and explaining their commitment to reasonable technological development goals overseas. Dane Corneil, EWB’s vice-president and communications outlined the day’s events as opportunities to make both local citizens and Members of Parliament aware of EWB’s commitment to foreign aid. “We know that foreign aid can make a huge difference,” he said. “The government needs to spend more money on foreign aid, and spend it more efficiently. Canadians want to help [...] but we’re falling behind. The response has been great on campus.” Members of EWB are passionate about Canada’s responsibility and capability of international aid. “We want to be an example for other countries by how effectively we spend and by how much we give,” said Corneil. “Stephen Harper said he wanted to be an average supporter, rather than a leader in foreign aid. This is not enough.”
EWB is not afraid to dig up the government’s past promises. Canada’s history of continuous failure to Lester B. Pearson’s 1970 poverty reduction strategy of 0.7 per cent GDP to foreign aid has led EWB to hold the government accountable. Erin Antcliffe, also a member of EWB discusses Canada’s political involvement in foreign aid: “Most politicians are supportive of foreign aid, but it’s just not a hot enough political topic right now for them to act on immediately. What we’re doing right now [...] is making the government aware that there are a significant number of people who want them to act right now.” Though it is unclear whether the government will respond right away, Antcliffe optimistically stated that “every little bit counts,” emphasizing the constituents’ ability to make a difference. She continued to discuss the current bill being passed through Senate, calling for more effective, direct aid as opposed to “money being thrown at bureaucracies.” Bill C2-93 proposes that all foreign aid go to poverty reduction and development strategies. The events were well attended, encouraging EWB members to continue to act both locally and globally to make a difference. Josh Vanwyck, president of EWB, was happy to see people of all different faculties at the event. “We’re here to send a message to the government that we’re committed to the pledges we’ve been making for the past 37 years.” The message to Stephen Harper, videotaped at 7:07 p.m., was followed by events at the Bomber, along with a barbecue and piñata. Local restaurants and bars gave 27 per cent of the night’s profit to EWB/MakePovertyHistory.
Opinion
opinion@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Imprint, Friday, July 13, 2007
Tie a yellow ribbon Friday, July 13, 2007 — Vol. 30, No. 6 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, Adam McGuire editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Advertising & Production Manager, Laurie Tigert-Dumas ads@imprint.uwaterloo.ca General Manager, Catherine Bolger cbolger@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Sales Assistant, Andrea Hession Board of Directors board@imprint.uwaterloo.ca President, Adam Gardiner president@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Vice-president, Jacqueline McKoy vp@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Treasurer, Lu Jiang treasurer@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Secretary, Alaa Yassim secretary@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Staff liaison, Rob Blom liaison@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Editorial Staff Assistant Editor, Ashley Csanady Lead Proofreader, Kinga Jakab Cover Editor, Angelo Florendo News Editor, Emma Tarswell News Assistant, Adrienne Raw Opinion Editor, Mohammad Jangda Features Editor, Scott Houston Arts Editor, Andrew Abela Science Editor, Brendan Pinto Sports Editor, vacant Photo Editor, Michael L. Davenport Graphics Co-editor, Peter Trinh Graphics Co-editor, Christine Ogley Web Editor, Gunjan Chopra Systems Administrator, Dan Agar Sys. Admin. Assistant, vacant
Apolitically ribbonating K/W crash wagons Members of the Canadian armed forces must be breathing a sigh of relief today. Sure, some of the troops may be in constant grave danger or horrifying conditions. But, thanks to local municipal governments, Canadian soldiers now have the difference maker: They have yellow ribbon magnets in the Waterloo region. Earlier this week, the cities of Kitchener, Cambridge and Waterloo along with the regional municipality of Waterloo all agreed to place “support our troops” magnetic decals on emergency vehicles. Furthermore, while Waterloo Regional Police cars don’t have the ribbons (yet), they have offered a yellow ribbon pin to any officer who wishes to wear one. And, of course, this all culminates into one poignant question: What the hell do these ribbons do? Short answer — nothing. Long answer — absolutely nothing. Supporting soldiers is like supporting oxygen — everyone automatically does it, right? There’s an inherent problem with the yellow ribbons. Some see these things not as supporting the troops, but supporting a war. People who back the ribbon initiative all say the same thing: this is supporting the troops, not neccesarily a support of war. And as for those who loathe the idea of ribbon decals, they say... well, they say the same thing — they support the troops, but not the war. Seemingly, everybody supports the soldiers, they just can’t figure out how to support them. So why pass a motion for a cause that every Canadian being already believes in? Cue Waterloo councillor Mark Whaley. Whaley introduced the motion to Waterloo city council, which passed unanimously. So I called councillor Whaley to try and find out why he brought this issue up in Waterloo city council. “It’s an apolitical decision to show that we care.”
Wait a minute. An apolitical decision? You’re a politician, councillor Whaley. You go to council to conduct political business. You’re on taxpayer dollars, sitting in a taxpayer building, using your taxpayer BlackBerry to distract yourself from the more mundane business of council. You had better not be making apolitical decisions. So, I asked him to tell me how a politician can make apolitical decisions. “We’re not promoting or not promoting whether or not troops should be anywhere that they are right now,” he said. “I think you understand — we’re not making a judgement to send troops or to not send troops […] Have I made myself clear? Do you understand how we, as elected officials can do that?” Aside from my condescension meter going haywire, I understood the councillor perfectly well — I understood he made a very poor judgement in word selection, and he needed to back-pedal. But Whaley wasn’t the only one to bring this issue up (he was just the only one brash enough to call it “apolitical.”) In Cambridge, the motion to add ribbons passed 6-1. In Kitchener, they didn’t even need a vote — after what The Record called “informal discussions” amongst city councillors, the go-ahead was given to ribbons there, too. And for regional emergency vehicles, including all ambulances, regional council waived a policy prohibiting support of any group or cause by giving the thumbs-up to yellow ribbons. Wait another minute. Surely this policy has been challenged before. And sure enough, it has. With a little networking help, I was pointed in the direction of regional councillor Jane Mitchell. In a phone interview, Mitchell informed me that she had attempted, some time ago, to have purple ribbons affixed to regional vehicles in
support of ending domestic violence. It didn’t even make it to a vote, because she was told of the region’s no-public-support policy. However, that same policy was waived — readily — for the yellow ribbons. So, councillor Mitchell, what’s the difference between yellow and purple ribbons? “In my opinion, there is no difference,” she said. So Mitchell plans to bring forth a motion for the purple ribbons on August 14, the next council meeting. She also expects representatives from other ribbon campaigns — such as breast cancer, missing children and AIDS — to apply for their ribbons on regional vehicles too. Mitchell said she feels as though she has to explain herself, just because she doesn’t believe there should be a magnet on regional vehicles. “Everyone says ‘you don’t support the troops,’” said Mitchell. “I consider it emotional blackmail.” Mitchell added that, personally, she not only supports Canadian troops, but also the war efforts in Afghanistan. As for the city, Whaley said the ribbons will cost the city about $350 in total. He also added that, since the ribbons are magnetic, each employee will have the right to remove the ribbon for the duration of his or her shift. Great, now taxpayers have wasted money on an apolitical decision for a vehicle decal that might spend some of its time tucked neatly in the glove compartment. And all this for a yellow ribbon magnet. No matter how much political speak councillors like Mark Whaley feed us, it doesn’t change the fact that — for our soldiers — the ribbon doesn’t actually do anything. Sometimes I wonder if our municipal governments do anything, either. editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Production Staff Shivaun Hoad, Paul Collier, Phil Isard, Harry Potter, Tim Foster 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 07067380. Imprint CDN Pub Mail Product Sales Agreement no. 40065122. Next staff meeting: Monday, July 16, 2007 12:30 p.m. Next board meeting: Friday, July 13, 2007 10:30 a.m.
The Missing Link I like porn. I do. I’m not ashamed of it. Being a fan, I think it’s fantastic that porn is slowly entering the mainstream. Not that I want 24 hour access on CBC, but I think it’s good and healthy that sexual material is becoming less and less censored and that enjoyment of porn is being de-stigmatized. The best part of porn losing its stigma is that it is giving people permission to explore sexuality and to try things that they might never have been willing to try otherwise... and many, one hopes, are discovering that they actually like things like plugs, clamps, bondage, oral, anal, exhibitionism, voyeurism, group, etc. Others are trying them and taking them off the to-do list forever — and that’s OK too. The old Mae West adage, “I’ll try anything once, twice if I like it, three times to make sure,” had it exactly right. So now that porn is entering the mainstream, people are seeing it more and more and what they’re seeing tells them to explore. So far, though, all the experimentation appears to
COMMUNITY EDITORIAL be one-sided. Women are portrayed as more experimental, and so they are trying new things and being more adventurous. While the girls are going out of their way to discover themselves, men are just sitting back and watching the show. Another imbalance has been created, whereby women are encouraged to perform for their partners — sometimes with their partners — but never in ways that push their partners’ boundaries. Porn provides only one set of models; men like watching women engage in lesbian sex, so women are portrayed as being curious about lesbian sex; men like fucking ass, so women are portrayed as enjoying anal sex; men like ejaculating on women’s faces, so women are portrayed as passionate about facials. It’s nearly impossible to completely avoid hetero-normative porn, but you have to work to find porn that would make a second-year male university student say “Dude,
I don’t think I could ever do that.” The missing link in the mainstream is porn that exemplifies men pushing their boundaries. Not just in what they’re willing to ask for, but in what they’re willing to do, or have done to them. What we need now is the mainstreaming of porn that encourages women to ask for their needs to be met — porn that models men enjoying things that lie outside of socially acceptable behaviour: men fucking each other, men begging for a strap-on, men exposing themselves to their partners in public, men being spanked and so on. I hold no illusions about why this porn is not mainstream, but I think the result is everyone gets short-changed: women are not being given permission to have the full range of fantasies, let alone fulfill them; and men, by being permitted to stay in their safety zones, are denied a world of sexual experiences they might otherwise enjoy. Men should be quoting Mae West too. — Anonymous
Opinion
Imprint, Friday, July 13, 2007
Take back the night? I live behind Mel’s Diner, so late night trips through the plaza on Fubar and Caesar Martini’s nights are always interesting, to say the least. A few weeks ago, I was crossing the plaza to a set of stairs I use as a cut-through when a group of guys hanging from a giant pickup truck started heckling me. It was late — around 1 a.m. or so — and I was alone, mildly intoxicated and completely powerless but to keep my head down and suffer through their pigheaded remarks. As I approached the stairs, they proceeded to pull their truck in front of the entrance. When I tried to go around the front, they pulled forward; around back, they backed up. Furious, I stormed around the back of the truck, giving a wide berth and just daring them to test me further. Shaking with rage, I stalked home. My own helplessness, my inability to do anything except try not to exacerbate the situation further and even the prickle of fear I felt infuriated me. Every fiber of me wanted to turn around and tell those motherfuckers exactly how ignorant and childish they were — but I knew that doing so could potentially result in a very nasty situation so I left the four rednecks to their longnecks and stormed around my room instead. It’s not the first time that something along these lines has happened to me and I’m sure it won’t be the last. Discussing the event with a group of female friends, I heard tales of fear — both real and imagined — when walking somewhere alone at night. I hate the fact that I have to consider what path to take through a park or walk in fear to my own front door just because I’m female. I know 90 per cent of my paranoid freakouts stem from too many scary movies and episodes of Buffy when I was little, but the question still remains: how valid are those fears, and how many of them are our own fabrications from years of pop culture submersion? From Little Red Riding Hood to Scream, women are taught to look twice when going down a dark alleyway or to look over their shoulder when walking through a park. From our first fables through present day horror flicks, cautionary tales have been told to young girls so they know what kind of situations to avoid. However, what if those little life lessons are actually perpetuating the problem? I have to wonder, if I didn’t have that tiny grain of fear twitching at the back of my head, would I have turned around and faced them? Told them off and stopped them from bothering another girl? Or would I have made it worse? Most likely, had I stopped, they would have laughed, said something crude and that would have been it. They would have done it to the next girl too, and I probably would have been even angrier. The situation could have proved dangerous, so logically I know that walking away was the best thing to do. Are scary movies and modern day fables created to teach women to protect themselves from necessary evils? Or, are they abetting the system by normalizing a female culture of fear? My thoughts are split on this one, because I feel pop culture is more a manifestation of the ills of our society than a catalyst; however, its impact on our society is equally undeniable. So, I leave it to you. Go online to http://imprint.uwaterloo.ca and share your thoughts in the comment section because this issue is too complex and multifaceted to be fully explored here. I’ll be adding thoughts, research and links to other articles throughout the week on this very subject to help further the discussion.
Letter TO THE EDITOR Disagree with Pastor Russo? Read something else that irks or excites you? Send us your your thoughts.
Thank you Christine & Imprint
Most people I know would be really offended by Christine’s opinion (“Genocide of free thinkers,� Imprint, June 29). While she has her ways of being cheeky, she does raise an important perspective. As a campus minister in the city, I thought it appropriate to say thank you for bringing these problematic evangelistic methods to the forefront. Also, I’d like to assure Christine and the readers of Imprint that many Christians are doing their best to re-examine and re-articulate their evangelistic zeal in a way that is truly authentic. I’m also sure the Campus for Christ desires to grow in their approach to serve and support students on campus. Christine’s important perspective is a great sign on how much we can learn even from those who don’t particularly agree with our perspective. Thank you. — Domenic Ruso, M.A.
opinion@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Pink tie activism The Internet Collective actively tries to court computer geeks to work on a centralized WPIRG infrastructure so that the rest of the organization can do the important things like, you know, change the world (instead of changing their web pages). They don’t get all that many people, but it’s a great resource for people who want to carry the revolution without being that in-your-face or even all that idealistic about it. I was at a meet’n’greet for the Waterloo Sustainability project a few weeks ago. I encountered a few people who were frustrated with the state of their group’s online communication and infrastructure. They were not at all aware of what other like-minded groups were doing, and it even sounded like these groups shared similar mandates but remained isolated; two different groups dividing resources that could better be spent together. But that’s a political issue upon which I’m digressing. You’d figure that, in the centre of nerd batongaville, there would be at least a sizeable enough bunch of nerd-activists to set up these ships and keep them running. This fourth-year CS nihilist shouldn’t have to be concerned about the state of his faculty’s attitude on social activism. This school has untapped power — coder power — and we haven’t yet done a damn thing about it.
COMMUNITY EDITORIAL This is probably due to the following reasons: 1) This school loves balkanization. I have heard arts faculty crave interested people to work on their convergence of English/philosophy/etc. and computer science and not even think about asking their northern neighbours, many of whom would love to work on an educational video game based on the Canterbury Tales or whatever. For goodness’ sake, we have at least one class per term of idiots who sacrifice sleep for OpenGL! In general, one faculty’s population tends to be ignorant, condescending and rather scared of any other. If that stupidity permeates our primary function, can you expect it to dissipate when it comes to our extra-curricular activities? 2) Surely there are a significant number of people who don’t partake in co-op, but this school is structured such that too many CS people spend two months settling into their roles at Waterloo before preparing themselves to leave again. I’m certain that no matter how many people stick around, too much time
is spent dealing with revolving-door attrition and retraining instead of matters at hand. 3) I wish I could say that all university students spend most of their time doing work, but it does feel like select non-math faculties work in extreme workload bursts while math is more of a constant churn. If this is actually the case, who can blame students for spending their time on weekly assignments instead of taking advantage of their student population membership? I hope that the Internet Collective, Waterloo Students for Information Commons and all other geek brotherhoods continue growing as I’ve seen them do in these last few months. I hope that the UW Website Designers (a proposed Feds club pending approval) achieve their plan of forming a centralized computing resource for Feds organizations, and that some kind of movement allows Waterloo to have a strong activist presence in math/CS that matches that in the interest/ethnic groups we tend to favour. — Gaelan D’costa
Gaelan D’costa was one of those OpenGL idiots, in which case the term is apt description and not one of endearment.
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Features
features@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Imprint, Friday, July 13, 2007
Saving a life: making the donation The final installment of Imprint volunteer Steven R. McEvoy’s story of bone marrow donation Steven R. McEvoy staff reporter
Day 35 — Collection 5:00 a.m. The day began with a 5:30 a.m. wake up call. Yet, it was hard to get to sleep with knowing what would be happening today. I didn’t feel like sleeping with the combination of bone pain and an unfamiliar bed. We got ready and headed to the hospital. 7:00 a.m. The day started off rather slowly; we reported to the apheresis unit in the blood diseases ward. The registered nurse (RN) who would oversee the day’s activities had to verify that some of my answers to the health questionnaires from earlier in the procedures had not changed. After that, a line was inserted into a vein in my left arm. Blood samples were collected and the RN walked the samples down to the lab in the hospital. She noted that she gets quicker results if she transports them and waits for the results herself. Grant and I were free to wait for her or to go grab something to eat. Since we had already had breakfast on the way, we set up Battle Star Galactica (BSG) on the DVD player in the room. 9:00 a.m. After the RN returned, she programmed the centrifuge machine to the specific characteristics of my blood that day based upon the results of the samples. Once the machine was configured and prepared, we began the preparation. Our blood is usually about three per cent stem cells, after taking injections of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). My blood was running around 20 per cent based on the sample. A second, much larger needle was inserted into a second vein in my left arm. This needle, unlike the flexible ones used for IV drips or for the return line, is a steel needle. From this point on I was not allowed to bend my arm until we had finished for the day and all the lines were removed. Had I bent this arm, the needle would have sliced through the vein and we would have to start over on a different vein somewhere else in my body. This line was used to draw blood out of the body. It was mixed with Anticoagulant Citrate Dextrose (ACD) solution to prevent it from clotting and clogging up the centrifuge machine. Then it was run through the centrifuge. This machine spins the blood and separates it into different components based on size. Every so often the machine would slip
some of the cells it wanted out of the lines and collect them in a separate compartment. It was now time to sit back and wait. The goal was to let the machine run until 4 p.m.; then Grant and I would be free to return to the hotel for the night, and if we did not get a call, we had to be back the next day at 7 a.m. again. We watched the mini-series that launched BSG, and the first disc of episodes from season one. It was hard to concentrate and focus on the movies; all I could really think about was the recipient and wonder how they were doing, where were they and were their treatments going well? What were they doing this day in preparation of receiving the peripheral blood stem cells? Grant’s role at the hospital was varied; he was part gopher, part emotional support and part assistant. Grant went across the street to Tim Horton’s and grabbed my extra large double double, a large iced cap for the RN and a small coffee for himself. At lunchtime, Grant — again in his role as gopher — ended up going to a Williams Coffee Pub and grabbed lunch for him and myself. 1:45 p.m. The ACD actually strips calcium from your blood to help prevent it from clotting. By early afternoon, I was starting to feel the side effects of this — a little tingling in my lips, fingers and toes. First we tried to treat this with some calcium from TUMS and Usana’s Optimizer Active Calcium Chewable. This helped hold it off for a few hours, but finally I asked for the drip. A third needle was now inserted into the back of my right hand to run a Calcium Gluconate drip. We started this around 1:45 p.m., and very quickly the tingling in my lips and face subsided. However, from not moving my left arm most of the day, it was now numb and tingling. My legs were also a little tingly from not being able to get up or stretch out at all. I was, by this time, getting very fidgety and constantly changing my leg position. Grant again went to get supplies. He grabbed juice for both of us and a stress ball for me to squeeze with my left arm. It really helped me get through to the end of the day. 2:00 p.m. Grant and I were informed that it had gone very well today. The RN expected us to be done by 4 p.m. and ready to go by 4:30 p.m. Thus, we were ahead of schedule. We had
Grant Carioni
Steven R. McEvoy has the needle removed after a four hour session of donating peripheral blood stem cells. The centre harvested twice as many stem cells expected. filtered about 20L of blood; based upon my size, that is my total blood volume by about three and a half times. Out of those 20L, only 200ml had been removed as collected substances. The RN even informed us that she had reduced the rate of extraction for the last hour. It was very overwhelming to see this bag with such a little volume of material in it and know that that was all that was removed during the day. I wondered if it was enough or if would we be back tomorrow. Would it help the recipient? These and many other questions ran through my mind again and again. 3:00 p.m. It was time to start wrapping things up. The RN began taking the lines out. First the draw line was stopped and back-flushed with saline to clean the line and prevent a blood clot from forming. Then it was removed and the RN applied pressure for at least five minutes. While maintaining pressure on this spot, she prepared and removed the return line. She was holding both tight till she wrapped the whole arm in gauze. Next she removed the IV drip line from the right hand. I was informed it looked like a good volume and that if we did not hear from the nurse by 9:30 p.m. we were to come back for a second day of extractions.
4:30 p.m. Grant and I returned to the hotel. I immediately took a nap. We went out for supper to a nice Irish pub. 7:00 p.m. Grant and I received voice mail from the RN stating that they had actually harvested twice the requested amount of stem cell count. I could go have a drink and celebrate. I had to stay in town for 24 hours in case there were complications or any reactions, so that if needed I could go back to the hospital and the ward where the bone marrow peripheral blood stem cells were extracted to obtain more. What happens after: I am on hold specifically for this patient for one year from the date of donation. I cannot donate blood during this time, and my profile in the International Blood Donor Registry is on hold so that I do not match another person. This is in case the recipient is in need of a top-up of stem cells or bone marrow and I can help by donating again. What happens during and/or after the year? Well, that depends on the recipient and the body overseeing the recipient. In Canada, that is Canadian Blood Services (CBS) through the Unrelated Bone Marrow Donor Registry (UBMDR), and after three months, I can find out how the patient is
responding to treatment. At six months we can exchange letters with no personal information. At one year if both recipient and donor want to, the CBS will make arrangements for them to meet. The number of people involved to help make this happen amazed me. The doctors and nurses at both the collection and requesting hospitals who live and work with this day in and day out; the CBS coordinators at both the national and regional levels, who over see the procedure for the donors after a match is found. The care and attention members of the CBS pay to donors to make sure they have the best possible experience. Having gone through all of this, would I do it again? Yes, there is no doubt. There would be no hesitation on my part to be uncomfortable for about a week for the chance to possibly save someone’s life. I would also encourage anyone in good health and in the age range to be a bone marrow donor; check out the information on www.blood.ca and consider joining the registry. Also tell others about the registry and how easy it could be to change someone’s life. Even if you find out you cannot be a donor, help to inform others about the registry. The more people we can get on the UBMDR, the more lives we can help to transform. smcevoy@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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Features
Imprint, Friday, July 13, 2007
Rock the cock ring
Every once in a while, a reader will ask me a question about sex toys. But the toy that seems to confuse people the most is the cock ring. Cock rings are pretty simple little doodads — they are literally a ring of material, be it stretchy rubber, jelly silicone, neoprene, cloth, leather, or even metal. Some come in a lasso form which you can loosen or tighten to your own liking; others are more standard rings that you slip on. As the name implies, cock rings are meant to encircle the penis and sometimes the testicles as well. The first documented use of cock rings comes from China, where cock rings were fashioned from the eyelids of goats. The flexible eyelid was tied around the base of a man’s erect penis to help preserve the erection’s strength. If the eyelashes were still intact it was an extra bonus for the man’s partner because they could stimulate her during sex. Personally, I’d take jelly ticklers over goat eyelashes any day! A cock ring restricts the flow of blood in a penis, which can help a man attain and maintain a thicker and harder erection. In fact, some men with erectile problems will use cock rings in combination with a pump to preserve their erection so that they can put it to good use.
Men can have many difference reasons for wearing a cock ring — it can be a sex-life saving device for some men, but others wear a cock ring just because they enjoy the look of it on their penis, and still others find that they really enjoy the sensation of the pressure it creates. Some men also use the cock ring for the extra stimulation of their partner’s genitals as well as their own. Jelly rings are made to give you to option to wear them higher up on the shaft of the penis and often have soft knobs or spikes for stimulating a partner. Some rings even come with a vibrating attachment which can be great for masturbation or can be used to stimulate both partners during sex. Using a cock ring alone or with a partner can be a simple way to spice up your sex life. But remember that the cock ring can be dangerous if not used correctly. A cock ring should not be worn much longer than around half an hour and should be removed immediately if you experience any pain, discomfort, or a feeling of coldness. It is also important to ensure that you have the right sized ring to prevent these symptoms and the tissue damage that follows. To find the diameter of a snug fitting ring, measure the distance around the penis and testicles (at the base, behind the scrotum) and then divide by three. Don’t go smaller than that. Another quick tip: don’t try snapping the ring while you are wearing it — that would be pretty darn painful!
UW celebrates Canada Day in style at Columbia Lake On July 1, an estimated 60,000 people gathered to watch the fireworks at Columbia Lake celebrating Canada Day. The impressive show was preceded by activities such as a petting zoo, face painting and performances on the two stages by acts such as Ron Sexsmith and Knock Knock Ginger. The event was a joint venture between the city of Waterloo and UW. Photos by Michael L. Davenport
ssparling@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Arrange for a ride using your Facebook David Yip reporter
No one with a Facebook account could possibly miss the deluge of applications appearing on profiles everywhere. From SuperPoke to Food Fight, most of these appear to have questionable amounts of utility, but there is at least one with a practical cause: Carpool. The Carpool application began as Zimride, an independent carpooling website that allowed users to find and share rides with other users at UW. The difference between this and other ride-sharing sites is that Zimride users logged in with their Facebook accounts. The idea came simultaneously but independently to Rajat Suri, a chemical engineering and economics graduate from here at Waterloo, and to Logan Green, a student at the University of California at Santa Barbara. “The advantage of Facebook” Rajat says, “was that it allowed riders to know a little about each other before agreeing to a ride, which helped them feel safer and more comfortable to share a ride.” The idea came to Rajat while driving home to Toronto one day. “I was driving home to Toronto for reading week ... and I was the only one in my car. I started to wonder how many other people in Waterloo would have needed a ride to Toronto? Sure we have a ride-board in the SLC but is that really the best technical solution?” Rajat contacted a few of his friends, and while doing some market research for the website came across zimride.com, started by Logan, got in touch, and they began to work together. The Facebook Applications feature took the Zimride team by surprise, but after “three weeks of back-breaking work from Logan and me”, the team ported the code from the Zimride
website to the Facebook Applications platform, and was officially launched this past week. The application has had some success so far. “I hear stories all the time of great ride-sharing experiences — and I’ve had them myself. The Facebook thing really makes a difference - people are just more comfortable taking the leap to share a vehicle with someone else if they know something about them first.” However Rajat has no statistics on the number of rides shared — yet, as tracking ride matches is a new feature. At last check, the SLC ride-board had 10 rides either offered or wanted, excluding special road trips. By contrast the Waterloo Carpool network had 29 rides posted, so Rajat and his team may be on to something. Apart from tracking ride matches, other new features include the posting of available rides to profile, tracking rides shared, and on a greener note, an estimate of the amount of carbon dioxide saved by sharing rides. Rajat credits his Waterloo experience for nurturing his ideas: “I think there is a general feeling around campus that any student with an idea and the drive to see that idea be implemented can achieve anything he or she wants. Whether it’s the presence of RIM looming over us, or the effect of Larry Smith’s lectures, or the quality of students I’m not sure. But the combined effect of all these factors really gave me the feeling that something special could happen if I tried.” Despite initial successes, many challenges lie ahead. “It is an ambitious endeavour.” Rajat said, “We’re trying to move ride-sharing from the margins of mainstream culture to its very heart. The main challenge for Carpool is reaching critical mass for sure... it’s the type of application that gets more useful the more people use it.”
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Features
Imprint, Friday, July 13, 2007
Pretty as a picture and even more delicious Perfect parfait “You know what else everybody likes? Parfaits. Have you ever met a person, you say, ‘Let’s get some parfait,’ they say, ‘Hell no, I don’t like no parfait’? Parfaits are delicious.” Shrek’s Donkey was certainly right about that; how could anyone resist a layered, “pretty as a picture” parfait? Not only that, these pick me ups can be enjoyed at any time of the day. In addition, with a bounty of luscious summer fruits that are in season, you’ll be armed with deliciousness as you create your own masterpiece. While you can use store-bought granola, it is much more rewarding to make your own. Once you try it you’ll never go back! Spend a day and make yourself a whole batch that will keep well in an airtight container for about two weeks. This recipe is extremely flexible; any type of nut can be replaced with your favourite type — pecans are divine, as are aromatic hazelnuts. Ditto for the seeds — I love flax seeds and pumpkin seeds, for instance. The same goes for dried fruit — a large yum factor for dried blueberries, cherries and strawberries if you can get a hold of those bad boys. Make sure you use real vanilla extract. I tried the artificial kind once and was left with a horrid aftertaste. Anything is fair game; in the end it all makes the belly happy, so be imaginative and have fun!
Ingredients: 1 cup of homemade granola 1 cup of fresh berries (blueberries, cherries, raspberries) 1 cup of vanilla yogurt (or your favourite flavour)
Tiffany Li
What I like to do is purchase plain yogurt so I have a canvas to play with. I take one of my extracts — whatever I’m in the mood for that day — standby vanilla, or maple, almond, pineapple and add 1 1/2 tsps for a cup and add 2 tbsps granulated sugar. You can add more extract and sugar if you want a stronger
flavour and sweetness. Mix it up, and voilà — your own flavoured yogurt. Method: Take a clear glass and put a layer of granola on the bottom (1/4 cup), then 1/4 cup yogurt, followed by 1/4 cup berries. Repeat until you top off your parfait, ending with granola. Garnish with fresh cut mandarins if desired for that extra colour oomph. Top with a cherry and a drizzle of honey. Makes one serving.
Homemade granola for your parfait Ingredients: 4 cups old-fashioned oats 1 cup sliced almonds 1/4 - 1/2 cup golden brown sugar 3/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut 1/3 cup sesame seeds 1/2 cup dried fruit 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup honey 2 tbsp granulated sugar 4 tsp pure vanilla extract
Method: Position rack in middle of oven and preheat to 250°F. Lightly spray large baking sheet with non-stick spray. Mix the first eight ingredients in large bowl together. Combine oil, honey, and sugar in small saucepan; bring to simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour hot liquid over oat mixture; stir well (a rubber spatula works well for this.) When mix cools a little, use hands to thoroughly coat mixture. Spread
granola on prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes. Transfer sheet to rack. Using clean rubber gloves, mount granola on top of each other, to make a sort of granola mountain.This helps create those large clumpy pieces. Cool granola completely and break up into pieces. Makes about 8 cups.
tli@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Campus Bulletin Classifieds VOLUNTEER
UPCOMING
HELP WANTED
Distress Line volunteers wanted – Canadian Mental Health Association is seeking caring volunteers to provide supportive listening and crisis deescalation to callers living in Waterloo Region. Please call 519-744-7645, ext 300. Volunteer Services — City of Waterloo — 519888-6488 or 519-888-0409 or volunteer@city. waterloo.on.ca — “Celebrate Waterloo” seeks volunteers for many positions for this summer’s events from parade to picnic activities.”Waterloo Home Support Services” needs drivers, shoppers, etc. “Aquatics” looking for volunteers with bronze medallion qualifications. Call the above numbers for information.
Friday, July 13, 2007 15th Annual UpTown Waterloo Jazz Festival – July 13, 14 and 15 at the City Centre parking lot, Regina and William Streets in UpTown Waterloo. For further info 519-885-1921 or www.uptownwaterloojazz.ca.
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. Bilingual Undergraduate Program Assistant – department of French studies – secretarial experience in an academic environment and working knowledge of UW policies and procedures as they relate to undergraduate students. Post-secondary education preferred. Fluency in oral and written French required. Excellent computing skills. Experience with web site design and management. Excellent communication, customer service, interpersonal, analytical and organizational skills. Proven ab ility to interact effectively with faculty, staff and students. Ability to work independently and as a team member within a fast-paced multi-tasking environment. Demonstrated ability to handle confidential information with discretion. Please e-mail cover letter and resume to Human Resources hrresume@admmail.uwaterloo.ca, quote position #3804.
FRENCH M Ainc ess C I N to Ethe Pr com es
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July 2007 Some grant cheques are available for pick-up. Stop by the Student Awards Office to see if yours is here! July 13 – last day to submit Undergraduate Bursary Appeals for spring term. July 16 – last day to sign Confirmation of Enrolment for spring term.
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HOUSING Premium three-bedroom townhouse unit in a professionally managed student complex. Perfect for students, close to UW campus. Now renting May or September 2007. Call Perry now at 519-746-1411 for all the details and to set up a showing. 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. Five bedroom house available September 1. Walking distance to both universities. Free parking, laundry, central heating, air conditioning, newly renovated, hardwood floors. A must see – call 519-575-1973.
A perfect four bedroom apartment to live in comfortably within a short walking distance to both campuses. Enjoy the convenience of living in a great location close to many shopping amenities and the life of Uptown Waterloo. Call Perry now at 519-746-1411 to set up a viewing today. Three bedroom apartment Hazel Street $400 includes utilities and parking. Also two bedroom apartment $900 and five bedroom $350. Also eight rooms at 120 Columbia $400 plus. Call 519-746-6327 or 519-501-1486. Only one bedroom left – fall 2007 – very clean house located on Quite Street, 15 minute walk or two minute car ride to UW. Newly renovated, free parking and laundry, 12 month lease. E-mail tollgate295@hotmail.com or call 416266-3351. Room for rent for a quiet individual in a detached home near both universities. Please call 519-725-5348.
FOR SALE MAC G4 533/128/L2/40G/NVID for sale. Six years old. For more info or to see it, come to Imprint, SLC room 1116 between 8:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Selling by auction with a reserve bid. 1994 Cavalier - Excellent condition, two-tone blue interior, blue exterior, 126,000km. $1,500. Call 519-501-1497 or 519-886-4037 evenings.
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paper to go! Please have all submissions in by Tuesday, July 24 to SLC1116 or ads@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Distractions
Imprint, Friday, July 13, 2007
Crossword Timothy Foster
Across 1. Swimmer’s answer, “Polo” 6. 70% of China’s power generation 10. October birth stone 14. Hawaiian greeting 15. A single time 16. Bone opposite radius 17. L’Engle Book: ____ Planet (3 wds) 20. A majority 21. Half dozen 22. Regions 23. Lancelot du ____ 24. Hesitates 26. Harsh noise 30. Vend 31. Hardy purple flowering bush 32. Thorny flower 33. Cleansing emulsifier 37. Can’t be sounded out 40. Tops 41. Kick out 42. Home of the minotaur’s labyrinth 43. Private theatre balcony 44. Childhood writing implement 45. Chide 48. Egyptian god of cool winds 49. Dull 50. Health resort 51. Surface extent 55. ASU headquarters 59. Long white onion relative 60. Fanciful idea 61. Din 62. Missteps 63. Ireland, to natives 64. CGS Newtons
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Aussie’s is becoming Feds eXpress. What would you name the new store?
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5. Clumsy idiot 6. Acute abdominal pain 7. Zebra coloured agate 8. Major script division 9. Flower necklace 10. Very unconventional 11. Half a gripping tool 12. Sixteenths of a rupee 13. Falls behind 18. Russian monarch 19. French “wash” 23. Spanish crazy 24. Past of isn’t 25. Actor Guinness 26. Exclusive group 27. Queue 28. Central European mountain range 29. Store 30. Soak 32. Blush
Down 1. Feminine “sir” 2. In addition 3. Not columns 4. Bill
10
11
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33. Ferris Bueller star Mia 34. Submit to authority 35. Lower female voice 36. Claw end of hammer 38. Cozy hiding place 39. Very light brown 43. Calm period 44. Blackened burn 45. Less common 46. Go in 47. Takes pleasure in 48. Sea foam 49. Bundle 50. Mix 51. Nautical hail 52. Precipitation 53. Otherwise 54. Heavy beers 56. Ram’s mate 57. Chinese life energy 58. Not beginning
“Fed-Horton’s.” Joanna Wong Jackal Ngai 4A kinesiology 3B biomedical science
“They should call it ‘57¢.’ That’s the cost of a pop.” Johanna Santiago Abigail Cabunoc 3A bioinformatics
Sudoku
Timothy Foster
4 3 8
6 8 1 4
6
Difficulty: medium
7
8 7 3 2 6 4 7 3 9 6 5 2 8 5 2 4 3 5 4 1 8
Why not... Mark your calendar??
June 29 Solutions
tfoster@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
P R A T E R
P R E P A R E
S A V A G E D
A D E N O M A
T E N U R E S
A D D R E S S
3 1 2 9 8 4 5 6 7
7 5 6 3 1 2 8 9 4
L I N D S A Y
L O P E
M A G E
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S A P R E T U O P E R W H E A E P E B S E O I N L A E O N D S
4 8 9 7 5 6 1 2 3
1 3 5 6 2 8 7 4 9
6 7 4 1 3 9 2 8 5
P E N E T R A T E
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5 6 1 8 4 3 9 7 2
I N V I T R O
M A E S T R O
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9 2 3 5 6 7 4 1 8
“Empty’s, because no one goes there anyway.” Adam Timmermars 3A pure math
“FedsMart, what the studnets voted for. Fight the Power!” Stephanie Finsina Colleen Reinhart 2B arts and business
“Watmart...that’s actually not too bad.”
“Aussie’s, because the other ideas are awful.”
Rachel van Geost
Jeff Muizelaar
WLU, 4 english
4A software engineering
50 years of campus journalism As the successor to 50 years of campus journalism, Imprint is hosting a keynote speaker, followed by dinner to pay tribute to the many successes and contributions that student journalism has made to the University of Waterloo. For details, contact anniversary@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Science
science@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Imprint, Friday, July 13, 2007
Richard Stallman speaks on copyright Michael L. Davenport staff reporter
On July 6, the UW Computer Science Club hosted a talk given by Richard Stallman titled, “Copyright vs Community in the Age of Computer Networks.” The talk was supposed to be centered on copyright law and DRM (Digital Rights Management or Digital Restrictions Management, depending on who you ask) though Stallman did spend some time talking and fielding questions about free software. Stallman is widely known in the computer science and information technology fields. In January of 1984, he left a programming job at MIT to pursue the idea of “free software.” By “free,” Stallman means “ideologically free” as in you get the source code to the software and can adapt it to suit your needs, rather than “zero cost,” — costing no money to procure. While advocating free software is how he rose to prominence, he has applied similar ideology to copyright law. Stallman contended at his presentation that copyright law was a deal made by the government on behalf of the public. Much like patents exist to “promote the progress of science and useful arts,” (according to the United States constitution), copyright law exists to create incentive for authors to create content by allowing them a time-limited monopoly during which they have the sole right to copy and thus profit from their work. Authors and publishers do not have an inherent right to restrict Michael L. Davenport copying. Wrote Stallman in one of his Richard Stallman spoke to a packed AL 116 for nearly two hours on the dangers of overreaching copyright law. essays, “If copyright were a natural right, something that authors have because they deserve it, nothing could justify terminating (time intensive). But today, where practically incentive for authors to write as well as if it successors to DVD (Blu-Ray and HD-DVD) this right after a certain period of time, any more any piece of information can be expressed in were only 10 years in length. being encumbered with DRM designed to prethan everyone’s house should become public computer bits, copying is very cheap, and thus Whether you agree with the views of Stall- vent format shifting, this question isn’t going to property after a certain lapse of time from its the bartering away of the right to copy, once man or not, copyright is a growing issue in our simply go away. If you made it but I bought it, construction.” insignificant, now represents a great loss on society. With the Recording Industry Association who owns it? A quick history lesson was part of the behalf of the public. of America (RIAA) threatening lawsuits against lecture. Stallman said that during the time It was also pointed out by Stallman that students in America, and both the potential mdavenport@imprint.uwaterloo.ca copyright law was drafted, government gave up the USA seems to be constantly extending the the right of the public to copy works (books, term of copyright. Back in 1998, the United for example) to create incentive for authors States extended copyright law by 20 years. This ...copying is very cheap, and thus, bartering away of to write, but that wasn’t a right the public was change was heavily lobbied by Disney; under the right to copy, once insignificant, now represents a able to use anyway — copying books was the old law, Mickey Mouse would be coming expensive. Either one had to own a print- out of copyright in 2003. Stallman argued that great loss on behalf of the public. ing press (costly) or copy the book by hand copyright would serve the function of creating
COMMUNITY EDITORIAL
What about the right to earn money? The public benefit and the rights of individual authors and coders need to be held in balance If a girl works 60-hour weeks to be able to keep her car with her student debts, does her boyfriend have the right to also own a car, despite a considerably more sedate lifestyle? That was the idea behind Richard Stallman’s July 6th lecture Copyright vs. Community in the Age of Computer Networks. He refused to recognize the right to copyright or the right to profit by one’s own ingenuity, at least with respect to the industries the fruits of which he was interested. However, everything from car blueprints to wedding photos were “completely different” for the non-driving and unmarried Stallman. Stallman held that all utilitarian material including software, reference material, and recipes should be totally free with no restrictions on use, modification, or sharing. He claims every user has the right to use, modify, distribute (verbatim or modified copies) and access the source code, in the case of software.
But if everyone is distributing their modifications, then who bears the responsibility for mistakes and malicious content? Without a centralized copy like Wikipedia, any user could very easily disseminate compromised copies. Stallman shrugged his shoulders and sidestepped the issue, citing the Mars probe a few years ago that crashed due to a bad metre/ foot conversion. When access to code is limited by an official source or centralized copy safety and reliability is vastly improved. Practical issues with uncopyrighted material is one thing but to completely abolish copyright is quite another. Why shouldn’t programmers be able to profit from their own ingenuity? Stallman argued that only in the context of completely collaborative software would users be able to get effective applications. Stallman must suffer so, not being able to take code into which he invested no effort to make his life easier.
In a social democracy, citizens have a guaranteed minimum standard of living to ensure survival and the capability to prosper. Citizens are not guaranteed the ability to satisfy their wants but rather the oppourtunity to earn the means to such satisfaction. Contrary to Stallman’s assertions, the profit motive has encouraged the production of some of the most sophisticated material available. Some may choose to share their work for the public good but to be stripped of the right to profit from labour is to be robbed of one’s livelihood. And not for any dire public need but to smooth the road for a few geeks like Stallman. Stallman loved ranting about the trammeling of freedom, but he was really advocating communism. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but call it what it is. The principle that one does not own the products of one’s labours, that one’s neighbour has an equal claim to it can theoretically lead to a perfectly functioning society. However it is necessary to clearly delineate between the two models. Are there problems with copyright? Perhaps. Perpetual copyright doesn’t serve
individual authors, and it’s arguable that corporations, not having the costs of living or limited lifespan of an individual, can bear more constraints for the public good. Additionally, with the new disc media formats coming out, copyright is being used to compel users to buy new and expensive third party products. Most disturbing is the possibility of hidden malicious software such as Sony’s recent rootkit scandal. However, none of these problems merit the abolition of copyright. Adjusting the term of copyright easily solves the first complaint, and anti-trust and criminal investigations are specifically for the latter two. Society need not make sweeping changes to core assumptions to right these wrongs. It’s just fine for someone to dedicate their life to serving the community and living cheaply. It’s quite another to try to sell one’s social agenda of non-materialism and self-centred industry reform. Leave people free to work for themselves or not. That’s freedom. — Timothy Foster
Sports
sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Imprint, Friday, July 13, 2007
Warriors: welcome new bench boss
“I’ve known I wanted to be a coach since grade nine,” said Dickenson. “I “I spent two years overseas [after did a co-op placement with [McMaster university],” Dickenson said. “After head coach] Theresa Burns when I was my career I started coaching with in grade 10. I’ve always been another our national program, so I have been coach on the floor.” Dickenson’s first foray into coachexposed to a lot of trends.” “With the risk of hiring young, ing was in Sweden, where she led an there’s a real upside to that too,” McCrae under-19 team from Stockholm to added. “She’s bettered herself at every a championship. Since then, she’s served as the head coach for two prostop in her coaching career.” vincial girls teams, Dickenson as well as assisting compiled nothat Canada Basketing less than a ball’s Centre for spectacular ca“I’ve known I Performance in reer as a Marauder, competing for wanted to be a head Ontario. Watsa, head McMaster from coach since grade coach since taking 2001-2004. Her long list of acnine [...] I’ve always over the women’s program in 2004, colades includes been another coach has compiled a two OUA all-star career record of selections, a Most on the floor.” 21-45. However, Valuable Player with that foundaaward in the 2003 — Christin Dickenson tion in place and a OUA gold medal game, a provinUW women’s basketball strong nucleus of talent returning cial championfor the upcoming ship for her Maseason, the new rauders in 2003 and an OUA player of the year award bench boss feels confident that her team will turn a lot of heads. in 2004. “This isn’t a program that needs Upon her graduation with a bachelor’s degree in social science in 2004, to be rebuilt,” said Dickenson. “There Dickenson’s playing career continued is a lot of stability here.” Dickenson will commence her onto professional basketball, where she played in Sweden and England official duties at Waterloo on August before returning to the sidelines at 1. At the conclusion of the Warriors’ her alma mater as an assistant coach season, Watsa will step down and give full reins to Dickenson for the last year. Despite her illustrious playing 2008-09 season. career, however, Dickenson said she always knew she would be a coach. editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca continued from cover
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New UW women’s basketball coach Christin Dickenson, shown here while playing professionally in Sweden, said she will lean on her European experience extensively in her duties with the Warriors.
Arts
arts@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Imprint, Friday, July 13, 2007
All laughs but no substance, eh
Comedy college without the books
Phil Isard
Kinga Jakab
Michael L. Davenport
staff reporter
The Waterloo Region Comedy Festival’s second night of comedy, Comedy Eh!, began comically and ended somewhat tragically, with a 45 minute rant about Canadian Tire and something called a “Flushin’ Roulette.” The opener and host Tony Krolo’s humour covered a range of topics, from experiences as a CroatianFrench Canadian — boasting the best Goulash-Poutine recipe — to body shaving and the KW transit system, which Krolo awkwardly compared to the frequency of his bowel movements — he may have lost the audience there. The steady decline of intelligent things to contend began its descent with the second comic, Michelle Shaughnessy. Her bit about living in a ghetto in Toronto, running home “like someone’s already chasing you,” showed insight and was hilarious. Shaughnessy’s self-deprecation, however, was a little much at times, and her focus on marijuana and cocaine may have alienated the majority of the audience, who seemed a generation or two behind her. Looking like a weathered rock star, the next act Tim Nutt quickly asserted that he would begin with a tragedy — so that it could only go up from there. Unfortunately for the audience, that never happened.
Well, it did for a minute. A quick line about a hokey-pokey burial had everyone laughing. The next 45 minutes or so were spent expressing his distaste for a few of the 50,000 employees of Canadian Tire. It was clear that Nutt was a standup pro as he was incredibly comfortable with the audience who seemed to be enjoying themselves. He presented himself as a stickler — a real hard-ass — so his comedy relied heavily on giving people shit. One can only take this so far until they are walking the line between witty and know-it-all. Nutt swerved across this line with his narrow focus of the household and its woes, which worked against him. If Canadian content is what Canadian Eh! needed, Nutt’s focus on Canadian Tire was as pigeon-holed as Bob from Canada who lives in an igloo. There is obviously a Canadian market for these comedians; all of them are successful in their own right. The audience in Hagey Hall that night seemed to enjoy each one and was genuinely laughing, but was it because most of the material was an easy laugh, free from true critical thought? Passion, conviction, opinions — they were all there; what was missing was some good old-fashioned substance.
staff reporter
On the evenings of July 6 and 7, comedy came to Hagey Hall. No, it wasn’t another FASS production (I said comedy), it was the first annual Waterloo Region Comedy Festival. Friday night’s show featured student comics, many of whom are fresh graduates of the Humber College’s School of Comedy. The student comics didn’t have the same level of polish as professionals; a few of them were on stage with cards or small pieces of paper in hand. However, this didn’t detract from the comedy — Some of the funniest comedians were cheating in this way. Friday’s show did a good job of mixing different styles. From storytellers to two-liner droppers who all used different bases for their humour, the show itself remained fresh throughout its two hour run. Emcee Michelle Shaughnessy, herself a storyteller (who would return the next night with different material), did a good job of tying the whole affair together. The website for the event states that “Comedians subject to change without notice.” The program lists only seven comedians, but 10 took the stage that evening, excluding the emcee. One of the comedians that got the best crowd response was Ryan Dennee, who played the “angry, sarcastic man” angle, occasionally bursting into impersonations of Wilford Brimley. While Dennee’s style has been done before, he was very good at it and kept the crowd in stitches the entire time.
kjakab@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Another highlight was comedian Bobby Mair. He engaged the audience by standing at the very edge of the stage and even addressing audience members directly. Mair spent the first third of his act questioning his own parentage in a way that was humourous from its sheer severity. “I don’t know what my mother does for a living,” he told the crowd, “and that makes it hard to enjoy a lap dance.” Sometimes comedy shows have musical or other talent acts, and there was one here. Bryan Paccagnella, with his guitar, sang two songs; one about the joys of being a hobo, the other about his (presumably fictional) one night stand with a transsexual. While not recommended for those obsessed with political correctness, the bit got a great response from the audience. The only noticeable low point in the evening was Ashley Corcoran. She portrayed a sweet, innocent fiveyear-old-esque character. Like Dennee, she’s doing something that has been done before. Unlike Dennee, she doesn’t quite pull it off. She certainly looked the part of a child with pigtails and bright eyes, but too many of her jokes fell flat. “I like breasts! After all, they’re the tastiest part of the chicken!” She wasn’t all bad, but could certainly benefit from working on some less predictable material. Overall, the jokes were mostly hits with only a few misses all night. Maybe graduates of College Comedy don’t have the standard professional polish, but they sure know how to make people laugh. mdavenport@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Phil Isard
465 PHILLIP STREET LOCATION ONLY
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Michael L. Davenport
Beginning clockwise from left are comedians Nathan Mackintosh, Michelle Shaughnessy and Troy Martin from the New Faces of Comedy night of the Waterloo Region Comedy Festival.
Arts
Imprint, Friday, July 13, 2007
Book Reviews
Music Reviews
Pink Martini Hey Eugene!
Interpol Our Love to Admire
Heinz Records
Capitol
There’s a ridiculousness about world music that’s somehow escaped even its most adamant supporters. For a genre meant to celebrate diversity, most offerings usually amount to the same easy (boring) listening that fills atwork radio stations — except they’re sung in another language to add a hint of exotica. Ask any Frenchman picking up women at a bar and he’ll tell you an accent is better than a defective belt at dropping pants. Case in point: Pink Martini’s Hey Eugene! Not sticking to any single language, the Oregon 12-piece have lyrics sung in French, Japanese and even in Arabic, all in an attempt to show just how worldly they are. I wish I could say they’ve proven that kilometres travelled have something to do with quality (I mean, the Harlem Globetrotters are awesome right?) but all that distance is only covered in centimetres on a map. Putting a thumbtack on Tokyo, Japan and reading a wiki about the country doesn’t make you a seasoned traveller, and doing the same with a song’s lyrics is equally facetious. No, I am not familiar with the group’s previous two albums, but my parents are but two of the large fan-base that swears to Pink Martini’s blend of smooth numbers and varied classics. I think they perfectly represent the Pink Martini listener: middle-aged, disconnected and looking for some pretentious background music to add a little spice to their mundane dinner parties. Sorry, mom. Let’s give the group some credit though — they’re certainly apt musicians. But even their technical proficiency is a problem, as every one of their songs has the plastic sheen of overproduction. Everything is played with a dry, robotic precision and lead singer China Forbes sings as elegantly as a beauty pageant host. If their intent was to compile a travelogue of tunes, all they’ve managed to achieve is an atlas of adult contemporary, or perhaps a compilation of cra- — hey, let’s be nice. When it comes down to it, that “world” part of world music is applied here only in the most superficial sense. Listening to Hey Eugene! is like flying to Paris and only experiencing the city of lights from the view outside your hotel window.
Interpol’s latest release is like a jumpy, happy kid trying to be dark because it’s the cool thing to do. It might be a new direction, but the eerily gloomy music I was expecting when I first heard Our Love to Admire wasn’t there. It was good enough, yes, but it wasn’t the Interpol I’ve grown to enjoy. Our Love to Admire is as catchy as their second release Antics, but with only a small tinge of the black mysterious greatness that made their debut Turn on the Bright Lights so damn good. It opens with “Pioneer to the Falls,” which re-introduces fans to Paul Banks’ mournful, stoic vocals and their bass-fueled groove rhythms. With the track “No I in Threesome,” it’s evident that Interpol have gone from well-dressed social awkwards who cry themselves to sleep due to lack of “physical activity” to oversexed orgy-experts in just a few years. “The Heinrich Maneuver” is complete with a guitar riff and a reprise that is pop enough to make anyone’s stomach churn, unless standard pop music is exactly what you were looking for in Interpol. It’s even completed with cheesy lyrics such as “today my heart swings,” which is altogether too similar to The All-American Rejects’ “swing, swing, swing from the tangles of my heart” for me to take it seriously. Luckily, they redeem themselves with “All Fired Up,” which is the strange, offbeat Interpol I was expecting. “Rest My Chemistry” is a slowed-down ballad of sorts that sounds like it would be a good slow-dance song to request if I were still in high school and if people would actually consider dancing to Interpol singing about cocaine problems instead of Mariah Carey wailing about her boyfriend. The closing track “The Lighthouse” is no doubt the highlight of the album, which begins with heavenly, jangly guitar leading into some distant crooning. It’s a nice close to the album since it leaves you smiling and feeling nostalgic; perhaps for a sadder Interpol you might have once known and loved. Maybe it was marriage or countless orgies for the dapper New York boys, but either way, Interpol have no doubt become a lot happier and are not afraid to sing and play about that fact.
— Angelo Florendo
— Andrew Abela
Wooly Leaves Quiet Waters Independent
The first listen of this CD was great. It made me think of sitting on a porch with close friends, playing guitar beside some candles and wine — which is totally perfect listening material for the summer. In fact, I’m pretty sure nostalgia was part of my appreciation. By the third listen my patience was tested, but that could be due to the mood I was in. The songs have a very minimal, indie feel to them, with echo-room type, emo-ish vocals. Unfortunately, the chord progressions repeat themselves a lot. This can be good — if you’re The Clash — but it’s easy to overdo, and at times Wooly Leaves does. In order to listen to this disc, you’ve got to be feeling quiet, tired, romantic, whiny or otherwise sappy.
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Wooly Leaves would put a good show on at Jane Bond, or on an east coast beach or anywhere really chill like that where the music is the background rather than the focus. At times, they remind me of Ben Folds Five a bit, which is good. At others, the album reminds me of The Decemberists, which is bad — yes, I’ll admit that I can’t stand them. It’s better when you’re in a relaxed mood for it; a Sunday night rather than a Bomber Wednesday, for example. I think the main element contributing to the emo-ness of the CD is the voice. It’s like you took an alleyway French accordion or a circus performer and added, say, a glass of warm milk with honey. I’m more a fan of the former than the latter — unless I need to fall asleep or relax after a long day. There’s a good chance that Wooly Leaves plays local shows, and Quiet Waters makes me want to see them play live. — Christine Ogley
The Dark River John Twelve Hawks
Interior Freedom Father Jacques Philippe
Doubleday
Scepter
In his Fourth Realm trilogy, John Twelve Hawks weaves unforgettable tales of suspense and drama that will draw you in and captivate you in a way that few other authors can. The Dark River continues a year after The Traveler — the first book in the trilogy. Much like The Traveler, the action races at breakneck speed and reads like what I would term a post-9/11 conspiracy theory meets 1984. Hawks portrays a world where people are collectively selling their freedoms for perceived peace or security. There are four main categories of people in these books: civilians, travelers, harlequins and brethren. The brethren wish to create a system of control over the whole world — what they call “a virtual Panopticon” created through computer surveillance. For the first time in history, a traveler named Michael Corrigan is working with the brethren and trying to conquer the only other surviving travelers — his brother Gabriel and their father Matthew, who has been missing for 15 years since the Brethren attacked the family home. Both brothers are searching for their longlost father and are trying to figure out how to use their abilities as travelers. The two of them incongruently believe they are on the right side. Only through reading will you find out what happens in this battle of wills between light and darkness. This is a masterfully written book that will draw in readers from all walks of life and of all ages. Read it and see if you can hardly wait for your friends to read it so that you can discuss it and debate it. It will also have you looking very differently at all the cameras that capture our images hundreds of times a day. Hawks has written another bestseller that will surprise, stun and amaze you — both with the story and the way it is told.
This is the third book by Father Jacques Philippe that I have read, and already I wish there were more than four available in English. I am certain he will go down in history as one of the spiritual masters like Brother Lawrence and C.S. Lewis. This book is written in such simple and accessible language yet with a message so profound any believer could grow from encountering it. Philippe’s main message is that true freedom comes from God. He argues that the internal peace sought by so many people in so many ways comes from learning to be content in where God has us in life. Philippe shows you how to appreciate what you can control, which is your response to what life brings your way. This book seeks to teach us to live from a heart and mind that has been liberated and set free. It outlines that freedom — true freedom — is being free to do whatever we want, but also choosing to live for others and living with our responsibilities. Jacques draws from many sources to illustrate his points, such as Holocaust victim Etty Hillesum, Georges Bernanos, Henri J.M. Nouwen, Catherine de Hueck Doherty and many saints from both the Eastern and Western traditions and the Jewish wisdom tradition. He draws most extensively from Hillesum’s journals, An Interrupted Life, which are her stories during the year leading up to occupation and going to the concentration camps, and tell of her work among the Jewish children at the holding camp. Philippe has written an amazing little book that will explain to you the freedom many seek in faith and how that freedom can lead to interior freedom — or as a title of an earlier book of his calls it — “Searching for and Maintaining Peace.” This is a little book by a little-known author that is truly valuable for the seeker of spirituality in life.
— Steven R. McEvoy — Steven R. McEvoy
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Arts
Imprint, Friday, July 13, 2007
Love or loathe? Have it heard Andrew Abela arts editor
Hippies and haters alike, we can all admit to either loving or loathing a variety of things. A recent multimedia art installation entitled “The Love and Loathe” project wants to know exactly what everyone at UW loves and loathes. Complete with a handwritten polling station and online digital form, the project seeks to find out what inspires these two emotions in the general UW population. As stated on the UW art gallery Render’s website, it is suggested that you don’t think about it too hard because “anything goes.” For example, on the online form at iloathe. uwaterloo.ca there are people who loathe penises, pantyhose, unicorns and peacocks — all of which seem like touchy subjects to hate. For those who are shy, don’t worry; though the boxes that contain the hand-written responses are fully transparent, no name is required with each response. Even on the website everyone is referred to as “somebody,” which lists what other “somebodies” love and loathe. Every answer to this exhibit is completely anonymous, so now you have somewhere to safely vent how much you loathe (or love) your boss, your professor, a religion or the geese on campus. Though the responses could potentially become controversial, free speech is crucial to this project. If someone responds with “I loathe (insert creed, nationality, race or sexual orientation here),” it might very well make its way into the final display of the results. According to creator Christine Ogley, “I have had some of those kinds of responses in my boxes and it presents a challenge as to how I am going to display that.” She explained that “on the one hand, I want the final project to be representative of who we are and if I have to say that a small portion of students are racist and not afraid to say so, that might be what I put.” Although the display seems lackluster for now — unless clear cubes and a cart turn you on — Ogley assures that eventually “all of the responses will be presented in a creative way” with statistical representations of sorts. Basically, whatever UW loves and loathes will be made public in an artistic manner sometime in the fall. But until she has more answers, not much can be done. The Love and Loathe project thrives on public input and has no limit to the amount of participation accepted. Luckily, there are also an infinite number of things for people to both love and loathe. For now, the polling booth is at the SLC throughout the week in the Great Hall, but look out for elsewhere around campus soon. Don’t be lazy — become a statistic and have your hateful or amorous voice heard. This is your chance to publicly announce what you love and loathe in an artistic fashion, so don’t miss it.
Andrew Abela
(From right) Carol Daugherty and Amanda Tkaczyk tell installation artist Christine Ogley (left) what they love and loathe.
Euro comics for the common Canadian To those of my fellow readers who don’t know, I’ve been spending the last two weeks abroad in (moderately) sunny Prague enjoying the sights, cuisine and less-thana-dollar beer. While I was on the tram heading back to the residence hotel, I remembered some really good webcomics that have originated from this very land — that land being Europe, of course. As you can expect from these comics, like most European work, there’s a good amount of wit and style in these sophisticated and accessible tales. Bunny hails from Wales made by college artist Huw Davies, whom is better known as Lem. His comic, which usually updates daily, stars anywhere from one to many rabbits involved in crazy and bizarre situations. The most significant rabbit is a pink one named the Pink Bunny. The design of the comic is as outlandish as the content. Lem uses a typical one-panel-with-witty-caption setup with a tiny wide-screen aspect ratio and he inks and colours in a very sporadic, sketchy style. The story isn’t meant to be consistent as each comic plays on a different gag, but many themes play on pop culture and, according to Answers.com, Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books. Search around another part of the UK and you’ll probably stumble upon a clever comicist by the name of John Allison. Known for his popular webcomic, Scary
Go Round, John writes of mystery, a teenage-to-post-college-student cast and the supernatural. While this may seem like just a re-imagining of Scooby-Doo, it goes a bit further than that. For example, some of these characters actually die. Other than the story, there are three unique points about this comic. For one, the comic’s a sort of sequel to another comic he had called Bobbins which used the same characters but in a different fashion. Another point is that the art style has changed to a significant extent, turning from vector art — via Adobe Illustrator — to inking and digital colouring. The last quirk I’ll share about this comic — and my favourite — is the style of dry humour in the dialogue. Allison has a genuine sense of humour where his characters speak in a natural manner yet have bizarrely obvious or outrageous lines. This is the genius of his writing, which has a funny sophistication similar to that of the famous sci-fi writer Douglas Adams. What is it about these comics that have to do with my trip to Prague? Other than the fact that Prague’s in Europe, nothing really, but I’m glad I could lead you fine comic fans to them! ptrinh@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
aabela@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
?
What do you ?
Love
&
Loathe
iloathe.uwaterloo.ca ? ilove.uwaterloo.ca ?
Christine Ogley