Imprint_2008-03-21_v30_i32 by Editor Imprint

Impr int The university of Waterloo’s official student newspaper

Friday, March 21, 2008

vol 30, no 32

imprint . uwaterloo . ca

Warriors go green Residence reduction results, page 27

Scouting our stacks

Jamie Demaskinos

Chtanelle McGee

Jamie Demaskinos

In preparation for Winter 08 exam season, Imprint offers a guide to campus libraries on pages 16 and 17.

Celebrating student success Marco Baldasaro assistant news editor

ate Gardiner, a fourth-year science and business student, will receive Studentof-the-Year awards from both the Canadian Association for Co-operative Education and Education at Work Ontario. To top it all off, Gardiner will also receive the University of Waterloo’s faculty of Science Student-ofthe-Year award. The annual Co-op awards ceremony took place on the afternoon of Wednesday, March 19 in the William M. Tatham Centre. In addition Gardiner’s honours, Co-op Student-of-the-Year awards were presented to top representatives from the faculties of applied health sciences, arts, engineering, environmental studies, mathematics, and science. Gardiner’s recognition and rewards are the result of an impressive and demanding co-op term. She spent an eight-month co-op term as a research analyst on palliative care at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. She assessed new methods of pain treatment, and proposed research ideas on how to improve the quality of life among cancer

patients. Drawing praise in addition to her accomplishments at Sunnybrook was the time Gardiner spent outside work as a volunteer. Gardiner was recognized for being a residential don here at the University of Waterloo. Her volunteer resume includes organizing events benefiting the campus food bank and one weekend of every month, volunteering at the Peel Region distress hotline, providing solace to callers. Peggy Jarvie, executive director of co-operative education and career services stated in a press release, “We are delighted that, for the third year in a row, the University of Waterloo has been recognized both provincially and nationally for the high calibre of our co-op students. This is the second time that the award has been granted to the same person in both categories.” In addition to Gardiner, the top representatives in each faculty received a cash prize in recognition of their hard work during workterm employment, academic achievements and volunteer activities. The other recipients of the UW Co-op Student-of-the-Year awards were as follows: For Applied health sciences: Amanda Hird,

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third-year health studies, for her work at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto aimed at preserving the quality of life for cancer patients with bone metastases. For Arts: Carolyn Fitton, third-year arts and business, for her work for Microsoft Canada’s community affairs department and organizing the annual Microsoft Miracle Cup fundraiser. For Environmental studies: Tegan Renner, fourth-year environment and resource studies, for her work at Alternatives Journal compiling an educational directory detailing every university-level environmental studies program in the country. For Mathematics, Anton Markov, third-year computer science, for his work at Kaleidescape, developing a graphic interface and adapting Kaleidescape products for foreign-language users. Finally, for Engineering: Ray Cao, third-year systems design engineering, for his work as a consulting analyst with professional services firm Deloitte, taking over the reins after his supervisor fell seriously ill. mbaldasaro@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Clarification In relation to the cover story “Duped,” in the March 7 issue of Imprint, Studio-T Salon is a legitimate salon that has confirmed it does honour the packages that AD-EFX sold in the SLC. Further, StudioT is now working through AD-EFX to provide exchange certificates to students whose packages for other salons could not be used. Students who purchased packages from AD-EFX representatives on campus are encouraged to contact their respective salons to confirm which ones are operational businesses that have active relationships with AD-EFX, and which ones are not. Imprint apologizes for any confusion.

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Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008 news@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Grad elections at last But fewer than 300 came out to vote for president Michael L. Davenport assistant editor-in-chief

he first Grad Students Association election since 2003 was held last week, with polling open from March 10 to March 12. Craig Sloss and Michael Kani won their respective bids for president and vice president, Student Affairs (VPSA). However, voter turnout was leaner than even a Feds election: of the 3,671 eligible voters, only 297 cast votes for president and 239 cast votes for VPSA — that is 8.1 and 6.5 per cent of the grad student population, respectively. The turnout is even marginally lower than the 2003 GSA election, where only 350 of 2,468 eligible voters cast ballots. Said current President Ian MacKinnon, “I believe this is mostly on account of grad students simply not being used to having elections. Hopefully, with a few more years of the high interest in the positions available with the GSA, students will become more accustomed to voting and paying closer attention to the issues at this time of year. The election was also a learning experience for the GSA itself as there isn’t the same institutional experience for holding elections like Feds has. It’s also difficult to spread the word of an election across campus with posters, given the smaller number of graduate students spread across campus.” There was a candidate forum open for all grad students, the recording of which GSA uploaded to their website. Said Kani, “This turned out to work really well and for the first time the GSA’s website was visited over 10 times its normal volume.” Both Kani and Itakura said that the old political tools of social contacts and wordof-mouth were important factors in mobilizing their personal voting base. Itakura stated that “the most important part for me was to get those people who normally do not care for GSA to vote for me.” Kani added, “This campaign is quite different from that of Feds. Candidates cannot address grad classes. Nonetheless it wasn’t as tedious. For me it involved no posters but had reps in the different faculties who put

the word out there for me and advised people to read my profile on the GSA website.” Sloss wrote in his position papers that he plans to continue some of the work initiated by current GSA president Ian MacKinnon, including working on “a university-wide grievance policy for teaching assistants and research assistants.” Kani, a former science society executive, echoed Sloss’ concern about working conditions for grad students and also raised the issue of childcare for grad students. David Pritchard was acclaimed to the position of vice president, communications and organization (VPCO). The position of vice president, operations and finance (VPOF) was left open until the end of the regular nomination period; the position of VPOF was not voted on during the regular election period. Kelly Itakura and Alicia Catherine Tomaszczyk, runners up for president and VPSA chose not to run for the open position; Itakura said she plans to “[contribute] to GSA in some other way.” Alireza Bayat, Michele Heng and Jaime Ruiz are vying for the position; a vote had occured at the GSA AGM on March 19. The winner was not decided by press time, but results can be found at www. gsa.uwaterloo.ca/elections/. GSA will sometimes partner with the Feds for collective bargaining using the combined membership of both the undergrads and graduates — one example being the dental plan. (GSA would have also partnered with Feds with regards to bus pass negotiations, but the bus pass was voted down in the grad student referendum.) GSA is also getting more involved with CASA, the student lobbying group of which Feds is already a member. GSA also hold seats on many high-level bodies with Feds, such as the UW Senate and Board of Governers; said MacKinnon, “so the GSA president also plays a role in setting student fees and tuition.” Both groups are also represented on the Campus Master Plan Project Steering Committee, which is involved in revising the zoning for south campus.

Federation of Students Leadership Award winners Allan Babor

Renjie Butalid

Matt Heppler

Caitlin Cull

Mike Spendlove

Ross Ricupero

Arts Student Union president; captain, UW varsity cheerleading team; chair of the Arts Endowment Fund. Founder, UW Vegetarians; co-president of the Independent Studies Society; Sustainable Foods co-ordinator, UWSP Engineers Without Border president, WEEF student representative, Feds engineering councillor

Claire Van Nierop

Director of development, Laurel Centre; Senator-at-large; Feds councillor and board member; St. Paul’s don Feds councillor and board member; Diversity Campaign Steering Committee member, Education Advisory Committee Engineering FOC; engineering society director; VP social, First Year Integration Conference

Steven Hayle

Arts FOC Member; VP social, Arts Student Union; event planner and secretary, Anthropology Student Society

Board of governors; UW senator; arts councillor; Feds board member; Student Life 101 co-ordinator

Rob Blom

Kristin Valles

Imprint staff liaison; involved with WPIRG, MathSoc; current UWSP coordinator

WatPub coordinator, Out in the Cold Project; FedsMarketing volunteer; AHSUM Executive

Every year, nominations for the student leadership awards are solicited by Feds. These student volunteers were selected by a committee consisting of Kevin Royal (Feds president), Justin Williams (Feds president-elect), Sam Andrey (Feds councillor) and Greg Fitzgerald and Andrea Murphy (2007 winners). Each winner receives a $100 certificate and their names will be forever immortalized on a plaque in the Feds office. These involved Warriors will be presented with their awards at the Feds exec gala event, a dinner and dance event being hosted on Thursday March 27 at Fed Hall.

Look for follow-up information on the winners in the March 28 issue of Imprint.

mdavenport@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Feds pres a finalist in PM competition Travis Myers news editor

ederation of Students President Kevin Royal could very well be the winner of CBC’s Canada’s Next Great Prime Minister. In January, Royal was voted out of 144 contestants into a top 10 slot, and this week he made it into the top four contestants. Royal sat down with Imprint to discuss his experience on the show, which was filmed in early February, but refused to give up the goods on what viewers can expect to see when they tune in on March 23.

Ruby Hsieh & Joanna Sevilla

How did it feel to be chosen as one of the top four contenders? Boot camp was a phenomenal experience in Toronto — it was one of the most challenging things I’d ever been through. I had so much respect and admiration for all nine of the other semi-finalists, so it was incredibly humbling to have made it to the final four. It was unclear what the producers were looking for in selecting the finalists, so I was myself for the duration of the boot camp, fought for what I believed in, and had the time of my life. It felt a bit surreal, too. I entered the contest for fun, shot a video in one take on the last day of submissions (October 31), and things sort of took off from there. I took the

experience for what it was, made the most of it, and lived in the moment. You once said “If I get into the final four, I know I’ll win.” Do you still stand by this statement? I think all the candidates who made it to the top 10 had the capacity, will and desire to win. I’m an incredibly competitive person, and I entered the contest to win, but so did the other semi-finalists, and certainly the three other finalists. We all wanted and expected to win — I think it’ll make for a great television show. How do you plan to use the nationwide exposure of this television show to your advantage? If I can use it to my advantage to give something back to the community, I’ll certainly do so. I’ve been looking to become more involved in mentorship programs in the region, and I expect I’ll do some work in that direction. That said, my involvement in the competition doesn’t change my life plan of getting some business experience, and heading back to school for an MBA. Has your involvement in the contest hindered your responsibilities to the Federation of Students at all? With the exception of taking some vacation days in early February that I would’ve otherwise taken in late

March, I took part in the competition on my personal time. On the flip side, the Feds exec and staff were incredibly supportive and rooting for me from Waterloo, so it was great to have them rallying behind me. How did you positively represent UW and KW throughout the contest? My initial entry in the competition was inspired by living in Waterloo and attending UW. Attesting to virtues of entrepreneurship, innovation and technology, and encouraging those values in a knowledge economy was very natural for me. Further, in the spirit of giving when you take, I’ve fundraised to create a scholarship for the Waterloo Region District School Board called the TIE, Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship scholarship. I raised almost $400 in the fall, matched the funding from my savings, and further committed 10 per cent of my winnings (the winner gets $50,000, the other finalists $5,000) to the scholarship. Members of the UW community can tune in on Sunday, March 23 to CBC Television if they are interested to see how Royal fared against the three other finalists. The showdown also features several former Prime Ministers and is hosted by Canadian funny-man Rick Mercer. tmyers@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

News

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008

Moving at the speed of bureaucracy Taylor Helferty reporter

o you ever walk by the SLC and look at that giant pit in the ground? The one behind Bomber that never seems to be going anywhere? Well stop worrying, because it is going somewhere. The speed of projects on campus here at UW has never been the quickest and delays have occurred, but is this something to be worried about? No, not really. Construction or renovation projects almost always have their delays and obstacles to overcome, and UW is no exception. We’ve seen our fair share of drawn out projects. There is a very prominent project on the go today – the Quantum-Nano Centre. Although this is more an issue of construction than bureaucracy, with the university’s track record, one can be worried that we won’t see it by its deadline of September, 2010. However, VP of Administration and Finance Dennis Huber said it is a realistic goal, even if it is ambiguous. It could be finished by that date, but anything can happen. “Construction’s just a giant jigsaw puzzle and it’s influenced by a wide range of pressures, from commodity prices and copper to availability of labour,” said Dennis in an interview. Currently, the building construction is out to tender, which means contractors are in the process of bidding for the job. This in itself is a task and can even cause delays, as you need to right number of contractors bidding, as well as having qualified contractors doing the job. It’s also very expensive for the contractors in time and money to bid, and if the

market is busy, they need to decide which projects to bid for and which they won’t. Basically, the Quantum-Nano Centre needs to be well advertised to receive bids. We can see the beginnings of the building now though, with the aforementioned hole in the ground behind the Bomber. That may look like no work is being done, but keep in mind that most of the work is in the ground, out of sight, and there are more obstacles with former structures from the SLC already in place in the ground. Also keep in mind the sporadic weather we’ve been seeing this winter – the constant snowing, thawing, and raining makes for a very wet environment, creating delays in the construction. Although the design planning is done for the Quantum-Nano Centre, it’s not just a matter of putting it together. The construction planning is a whole other story. The rolls of blueprints weigh about 50 pounds, and those need to be gone through, costs need to be calculated, and materials need to be purchased. The design can also change by request – if the needs of parts of the building become different. Take, for example, the EIT building, which was designed and developed in the 1990’s. However, the government put a hold on funding – due to a change in government – and the project was paused for a couple of years. During that pause, the building was redesigned by about 50 per cent. Accompanying the possibility of changes in use for the Quantum-Nano Centre, there are goals that could cause delays – two of those goals being the massive clean room, and the elimination of vibrations or movement in the

building’s structure. Everything needs to be done correctly and slowly for these goals to be reached, and for the building to come together successfully. “Construction is all about sequencing many elements, thousands of elements, of different jobs and they all rely on each one going right,” said Huber. Before that was the Aussies movement, which was conceived and started while John Andersen was President — although the hard work of it was left to Michelle Zakrison, former Feds president. Aside from normal construction obstacles, like with the QuantumNano Centre, the movement was being ignored. “The project was being neglected - sitting on a UW priority list as number-who-knows-what, until Del got the priority bumped up to the top of the list vis-a-vis some very helpful senior UW employees,” former President John Andersen said about the movement in an interview. The biggest obstacle — and this can probably be said with any project — was getting started. There are many UW staff members who are cynical of student projects, and it wasn’t all that easy to get UW plant operations to work with Feds to evaluate the space and initial costs of the project – a critical component to the process. Are these drawn-out projects becoming a recurring theme in UW? It certainly was the case with the building of the Bombshelter Pub, which took seven years. The Bomber was delayed mostly because of a university construction project in the SLC. Normally, different construction firms and projects can’t work in the same building due to

conflicts. No, there would be no throwing of wrenches across the SLC Great Hall, but due to lack of communication between the two, there could be issues and dangers. If one project cut the power to work on wiring, and another project turned it back on because they needed it, the workers working on the wiring could be electrocuted. In Becky Wroe’s year as president, the funding for the Bomber was reviewed as costs were beginning to look too high. Not to mention the disagreements over space and infrastructure between UW Foods Services and Feds. The politics behind construction of the Bomber caused delays, and this is why we didn’t see it as quickly as we hoped.

Needless to say, the two projects were completed, so we can’t really complain. So unless the university promises us all a term free of tuition fees if a project isn’t done by a certain date, don’t put high expectations into that due date. Whether you’re a university, a city, or a person building a house, the amount of things that can delay your project are unpredictable and high in the digits. A comment from former President Andersen: “Things can happen quickly. Sometimes very quickly. Because there are so many things happening at one time it can mean having to make difficult trade-offs and rely on the commitments and work of others - UW staff, outside staff, Feds staff, and even students.”

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Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008

Campus events Jennifer Henderson staff reporter

Debate Society weekly meeting Glaciers melting at increased Monday, March 24 rate 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.

Linda Melsted (baroque violin) and Terry McKenna (lute & theorbo) over your lunch break for some good tunes!

and many could disappear within decades, the UN Environment Programme reported to CBC, Sunday. Scientists measuring the health of almost 30 glaciers around the world found that ice loss reached record levels in 2006, reported the UN agency. He urged governments to agree stricter targets for emissions reductions at an international meeting next year in the Danish capital, Copenhagen. On average, the glaciers shrank by 1.5 metres in 2006, the most recent year for which data are available.

New German Cinema: Films from the 1970s and 1980s

Dalai Lama in conflict with @ RCH 301 China over Beijing Olympics Glaciers are shrinking at record rates In Beijing, Premier Wen Jiabao accused the Dalai Lama of orchestrating violent clashes to taint the Beijing Olympics, reports CBC News. Premier Jiabao said Tuesday that the Nobel Peace laureate was provoking violence to promote Tibetan independence. The Dalai Lama urged his followers to remain peaceful, saying he would resign as head of Tibet’s governmentin-exile if the situation spun out of control. He also suggested that the Chinese may have formed the protests in Tibet and neighbouring provinces in order to discredit him. In China’s highest-level response to the unrest, Jiabao underscored the Communist leadership’s determination to regain control of Tibet and nearby parts of China and reassure the world it is fit to host the Games.

Mexican backyard burial ground Mexican officials reported Saturday that 36 bodies were found buried in the backyard of a house in a city across the border from El Paso, Texas. According to the Associated Press, Mexican federal agents began digging behind a Ciudad Juarez house allegedly used by the Juarez drug cartel two weeks ago after receiving an anonymous tip, officials said. In the raid, investigators found 3,740 pounds of marijuana in the house. They initially found six dismembered bodies, but as excavations proceeded the tally rose. The Attorney General’s office said in a statement that a total of 36 bodies had been found in 16 pits in the house’s yard.

Man for sale Sydney, Australia is the site of a painful marital breakup that has led a man to put his entire life up for sale. MSN news reported that Ian Usher, a British immigrant to Australia, said Tuesday he would auction everything he owns and more on eBay starting June 22. This includes his house, his car, his job — even his friends — all in an effort to start over. “On the day it’s all sold and settled, I intend to walk out of my front door with my wallet in one pocket and my passport in the other, nothing else at all,” Usher said on his website. He said he hopes to set off traveling, including a visit to his mother in England, as soon as the auction is over. “My current thoughts are to then head to the airport, and ask at the flight desk where the next flight with an available seat goes to, and to get on that and see where life takes me from there,” he wrote online.

Tuberculosis fight slowing CBC News reported Tuesday that the World Health Organization announced the fight against the global tuberculosis epidemic is slowing to a crawl. A new report from the WHO says the worldwide rate of TB infection has been declining for several years. But between 2005 and 2006, the rate of new cases fell by less than one per cent, far less than the annual decrease of five to seven per cent sought by health officials. However, at the same time, the prevalence of drug-resistant TB is growing faster than ever, the WHO said last month. CBC reported that independent health experts criticized the WHO’s TB policy as too passive, and urged a more proactive strategy. Dr. Marcos Espinal, executive secretary of the WHO’s Stop TB Partnership is calling the most recent decline in the overall infection rate “very modest.”

Paterson replaces Spitzer after prostitution scandal New York Lt.Gov. David Paterson was sworn in as the state’s 55th governor Monday, announced BBC News. Paterson replaced Eliot Spitzer who resigned in disgrace after being linked to a high-priced prostitution ring. Spitzer announced he would step down on Friday, days after news broke that he allegedly spent tens of thousands of dollars hiring hookers from an agency called the Emperor’s Club. Paterson is New York’s first black governor. He formally took power Monday in a speech to a joint session of the legislature in the assembly chamber in Albany. Paterson, a graduate of Columbia University and Hofstra Law School, is also legally blind. “This transition today is an historic message to the world: That we live by the same values that we profess and we are a government of laws, not individuals,” Paterson said. — with files from the CBC

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Come on out for the weekly meeting of the debate society. This meeting will be of particular interest to those who will be on campus next term because executive positions and duties for the society will be decided during this session.

Free the Children fundraising

Through March 26 @ SLC, MC, and Carl Pollock Hall booths WPIRG is pre-selling Krispy Kreme boxes to raise money for “basic sanitation projects” in Kenya. All proceeds will go toward this cause, and the $8 boxes can be picked up on Thursday, March 27. Drop by the WPIRG office for more details.

Noon hour concert Wednesday, March 26 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. @ Conrad Grebel Chapel Hosted by the University of Waterloo music department. Join

Tuesday, March 25 7:30 to 10:00 p.m. @ RCH 301

All are welcome to come by and enjoy classic German films from the 1970s and 1980s with a few recent films thrown in for good measure. All of the films are in German with English subtitles or are dubbed English. This event is open to the public. Admission is free.

GLOW Wednesday Night Discussion Group

Wednesday, March 26 8:15 to 9:30 p.m. @ PAS Building, Room 3005 This group provides an opportunity for members of the local queer & questioning community and their allies to get together to meet new people while discussing topics of interest.The group has its roots in Peer Support so confidentiality is assured. All are welcome.

Women In Politics

Friday, March 28 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. @ Great Hall, Student Life Centre (SLC) An opportunity to hear from prominent women politicians, along with several student leaders, who will be discussing diverse issues pertaining to women in politics. Panellists will share personal experiences, and dialogue with the audience about how to encourage female student leaders.

Environment and Business Conference Wednesday, March 26 All day @ Hagey Hall

This progressive conference is a one day event that will bring many people from local businesses,Waterloo students and other organizations that are interested in the idea of environmental innovation within the Region of Waterloo. together here on the university’s campus. For more details on this event, contact ebconference@ gmail.com.

Opinion

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008 opinion@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Looking into imprint Friday, March 21, 2008 Vol. 30, No. 32 Student Life Centre, Room 1116 University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 P: 519.888.4048 F: 519.884.7800 http://imprint.uwaterloo.ca Editor-in-chief, Maggie Clark editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Advertising & Production Manager, Laurie Tigert-Dumas ads@imprint.uwaterloo.ca General Manager, Catherine Bolger cbolger@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Ad Assistant, vacant Sales Assisstant, Jason Kenney Volunteer Coordinator, Angela Gaetano Systems Admin. Dan Agar Distribution, Peter Blackman, Rob Blom Intern, Dylan Cawker 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 Yassin secretary@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Staff liaison, Rob Blom liaison@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Editorial Staff Assistant Editor, Michael L. Davenport Lead Proofreader, Eric Gassner Cover Editor, Mark Kimmich News Editor, Travis Myers News Assistant, Marco Baldasaro Opinion Editor, Christine Ogley Opinion Assistant, Monica Harvey Features Editor, Dinh Nguyen Features Assistant, Cait Davidson Arts & Entertainment Editor, Andrew Abela Arts & Entertainment Assistant, Duncan Ramsay Science & Tech Editor, Adrienne Raw Science & Tech Assistant, Sherif Soliman Sports & Living Editor, Yang Liu Sports & Living Assistant, Olinda Pais Photo Editor, Jenn Serec Photo Assistant, Jamie Damaskinos Graphics Editor, Joyce Hsu Graphics Assistant, Yosef Yip Web Editor, Hoon Choi Web Assistant, vacant Systems Administrator, vacant Sys. Admin. Assistant, Peter Sutherland

nce a year at Imprint we do midterm reviews of the Feds exec. Then at the end of their terms we try to assess the legacy they leave behind. And throughout their time in office we also call attention to their work in the community — both the good and the bad. But this paper also has an impact on the university community, and while there are already many channels for accountability, I feel the lack of a strong media opposition on campus makes it difficult to provide the sort of critical assessment any organization needs to ensure it never becomes complacent. Of course, this is by no means unique to Imprint: I feel Canadian media as a whole would be stronger if more media criticism were done on a public level, with media organizations reporting on other media organizations, and columnists keeping regular tabs of the rhetoric used both within and without the bodies for which they work. But the lack of any real opposition on UW campus makes it especially difficult to foster that sort of environment here. Take my position, for instance: Where will I be publicly called to task for systemic failures — and just who will do it? Even if I got a volunteer to write such a review, there’s no way readers would trust its legitimacy: after all, all the writing in this paper goes through me; and just how comfortable would any of my volunteers feel writing about the very environment in which they work? The problem is the same in reverse: what Imprint produces is the sum total of a great many volunteers’ efforts, so I have to be very careful in the accession of personal blame, lest I also unfairly point fingers at the very people who, under our two-part mandate of producing a paper and providing a student learning environment, are essentially in my tutelage. Nonetheless, I do feel I have to try — in the pursuit of transparency, yes, but more generally in the pursuit of an open dialogue. I’ve been selected to head this publication as editor-in-chief for the next year, and as I came into this position with a great many ambitions, I sincerely hope I can realize the bulk of them before my time is up. But perhaps some of these ambitions are unrealistic; and perhaps others are out of step with what

Next staff meeting: Monday, March 24, 2008 12:30 p.m. Next board of directors meeting: Tuesday, April 1, 2008 11:30 a.m.

Response to the community This is, I think, the most important aspect of any newspaper: How accountable are we to the feedback we receive, and what steps do we take to act on it? It is a discouraging fact of journalism life that we’re not always going to get it right — and as an organization that promotes itself as a “learning environment,” we’ll perhaps fall into more traps than most. And we have this term. And I take full responsibility for everything I’ve let go to press in an imperfect state. Among those campus groups misrepresented this term were the UW Haifa Exchange Program, Students for Palestinian Rights, and UW Engineers. As for coverage that was more “underrepresented” than “misrepresented,” varsity and campus rec sports take the cake — but Women’s Week, Black History Month, and International Celebrations Week also received less page-space than I would have liked. Some of these issues arose from the nature of this paper — we’re really at the whim of my volunteers’ school schedules, so if we can’t get anyone to attend an event, it’s hard to cover them. But some of these issues (and especially the misrepresentations) have no such excuse: We needed more sources and more research, period. And you, readers, did an exemplary job this term pointing out lapses in reporting; now it’s our turn to strengthen our reporting team, improve story-writing timelines, and enhance in-office documentation archives. That’s our challenge in the coming months.

New features This term has seen the advent of term-by-term serial reporting, something I intend to continue with our summer series “How green is my campus?” This term’s series, “Understanding student governance,” is available online, and I’d love any criticism you might have about its execution. Also new is the photo feature, which should allow more students to be published in the paper, and a re-branding of sections to better reflect the interests of our student body. We’ve also set comics on a page all their own, and forwarded a very successful media essay competition — the results of which will appear in next week’s issue. This issue also showcases a new spotlight feature in the Arts & Entertainment section, and something similar should also manifest in Sports & Living, so we can better represent the breadth of student activity on campus. Time management I came into this position finishing up the contract of my predecessor, Adam McGuire, which gave me only a guaranteed five months in office. I now have another year to complete my goals, but I didn’t know that until three weeks ago. What thus ensued was a frenzy of trying to get as much done as I could, as quickly as I could. This had its pros and cons. One pro is all the new features we’ve introduced. One con is all of the initiatives that got lost by the wayside. I promised workshops, but didn’t have nearly enough time to run any myself (although one of my volunteers ran two). I promised a completed web redesign; I’m still longingly flipping through my design notes, as meeting after meeting fell through. (We’re outsourcing in April, so I can train my staff on the new website this summer.) Office archives still aren’t finished; the lauded head reporter position still needs to be entrenched in our policy and procedures. As for volunteer training, I ran midterm performance reviews to assess what their positions need in the future. But have I given them all the skills and resources they need to grow and succeed? Probably not — and I hope to improve in that regard too. As for what else needs to be done to improve Imprint, well, I leave that assessment to you. editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Homosexuality and Islam

Production Staff Andrea Lorentz, Tim Foster, Paul Collier, Sonia Lee, Rajul Saleh, Alicia Boers Imprint is the official student newspaper of the University of Waterloo. It is an editorially independent newspaper published by Imprint Publications, Waterloo, a corporation without share capital. Imprint is a member of the Ontario Community Newspaper Association (OCNA). Editorial submissions may be considered for publication in any edition of Imprint. Imprint may also reproduce the material commercially in any format or medium as part of the newspaper database, Web site or any other product derived from the newspaper. Those submitting editorial content, including articles, letters, photos and graphics, will grant Imprint first publication rights of their submitted material, and as such, agree not to submit the same work to any other publication or group until such time as the material has been distributed in an issue of Imprint, or Imprint declares their intent not to publish the material. The full text of this agreement is available upon request. Imprint does not guarantee to publish articles, photographs, letters or advertising. Material may not be published, at the discretion of Imprint, if that material is deemed to be libelous or in contravention with Imprint’s policies with reference to our code of ethics and journalistic standards. Imprint is published every Friday during fall and winter terms, and every second Friday during the spring term. Imprint reserves the right to screen, edit and refuse advertising. One copy per customer. Imprint ISSN 0706-7380. Imprint CDN Pub Mail Product Sales Agreement no. 40065122.

you, the student body, really want. Or perhaps I just need a wake-up call as to how far my actions to date have strayed from the promises I made. Whatever the case may be, I hope you’ll fill out the survey opposite this page, and let me know what needs to be done to make Imprint the paper UW students deserve. To that end, I hope it will prove useful for you to know where I see the paper right now — where I feel we have started to succeed, and where we have not. Hopefully you, the readers, and the heart and soul of this organization, can help fill in the rest.

Part 2 in a two-part series on homosexuality and religion

f you keep a keen eye on the papers or have a penchant for searching LGBTQ in Google News to try and find a topic for your next column, you may have heard about the story of 19-year-old Mehdi Kazemi. Mehdi is a gay Iranian man who is desperately seeking asylum in Europe to avoid what he fears will be an execution because of his sexual orientation if he is forced to go back to his home country. The fate he is seeking to outrun is, sadly, the fate that befell his partner. This treatment of gays, is all too common in Islamic Republics, and is something that has been going on for quite some time. The western world has only recently become aware of it with the media spotlight on Kaemi’s case. After looking at my experience and the experiences of others in last weeks’ first installment, this week I’ll be looking at the world of Islam. As someone who isn’t and has never been a Muslim (although I did take a free copy the Quran when they were giving them away in the SLC) I’m probably not the best person to explain the ins and outs of lesbians in hijabs. My understanding of the Muslim faith doesn’t go much beyond knowing that there are a lot of rules, and Muslim people pray. A lot. To get a better understanding of the situation being faced by gay Muslims, I spoke to a friend of mine. He prefers to remain anonymous for a variety of reasons, but for the purpose of this column he will be referred to as “X.” When

asked about the religious atmosphere of his Muslim household, X explained that although his parents could be considered liberal, religion was still a very important part of his family life. “My father is a very devout Muslim, prays five times a day, fasts throughout the month of Ramadan and often quotes passages from the Quran in response to everyday questions.” X explained the Muslim religious outlook on homosexuality for me: “The passage in the Quran that is often used to condemn homosexuality is very similar to the Biblical passage concerning Sodom and Gomorrah ... The prophet Lot asks the people of Sodom ‘Ye do commit lewdness, such as no people in Creation committed before you. Do ye indeed approach men and cut off the highway? And practice wickedness in your councils?’(29:28-29)” Now, let’s pause for a minute. Speaking from my own viewpoint, I don’t see the correlation to homosexuality there at all. Unless cutting off the highway is some sort of shorthand for plugging up a man’s Hershey highway. Then maybe. But a little digging shows that the common interpretation of this passage is that the men of Sodom were homosexuals (hence the term ‘sodomy’) and were being condemned by the prophet — and because the prophet said it’s wrong, it’s wrong. Back to X’s story — he hasn’t come out to his parents yet. When I asked him why, he told me that his reasoning didn’t have a lot to do

with his religion. He is out to friends, but he is afraid (like many in his position) that being away at school and being so busy all the time could leave the raw emotions of coming out unhealed for quite a while. I asked X if being Muslim had made it harder for him to be gay. “Yes. I was raised to view homosexuality as immoral. Growing up as a gay teenager in a Muslim family in a relatively conservative country was very confusing [...] There was essentially a war being waged in my psyche between my religious identity and my sexual identity.” X, though, like many in his position, retains his faith. Much as I previously discussed with Christianity, people who have an existing religious connection prior to coming out as homosexual stay involved with their religious self. There is hope, too, as progressive Muslim groups, such as the Progressive Muslim Union of North America, are beginning to achieve prominence. Some view the passage of Sodom and Gomorrah as a condemnation not of homosexuality but of thievery and other immoral acts. Things for homosexual Muslims in Canada are looking pretty good these days. As for the future of Mehdi Kazemi, well—to any and all Muslims out there reading: I think he might need a little help. One little prayer out of so many couldn’t hurt, right? tmyers@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

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Opinion

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008

Permission to speak

ight now, you are under assault, and one of the greatest freedoms Canadians are supposed to enjoy is slowly being eroded. You might find yourself unable to feel this or describe it, but slowly and surely, our mouths are being sewn shut. Free speech has been under a gritty assault worldwide, but of late the assault seems to have reached our borders. Turning to music for consolation, as I wonder if what I write could grow teeth with which to bite me, I find a little solace in my music, for it has seen the battle coming. The Clashâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Know Your Rightsâ&#x20AC;? states it about as succinctly as you can nowadays: â&#x20AC;&#x153;You have the right to free speech, as long as youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not dumb enough to actually try it.â&#x20AC;? A recent New York Times headline that reads â&#x20AC;&#x153;China Tries to Thwart News Reports From Tibetâ&#x20AC;? should not surprise anyone, reporting on how China has been blocking the mediaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s access to Tibet and neighbouring regions to avoid having them report on the protests there to

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the rest of China or the world. David Yipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s take on China last week told of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;inaccessibility of certain websites and the occasional blackouts that occurred during news programs when the Hong Kong based anchors talked about sensitive issues like the latest coal mine explosion, Tibet, or Tiananmen anniversary.â&#x20AC;? The Chinese government has even gone as far as to block Youtube, which features videos of the Tibetan protests. Yet again the musicians seem to understand reality all too well, as Metricâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Emily Haines sings their song â&#x20AC;&#x153;Succexy:â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;War as we knew it was obsolete, nothing could beat complete denial.â&#x20AC;? Thoughts, headlines, and actions such as these are not as familiar when doing a Canadian introspective. Our much-touted Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees us all â&#x20AC;&#x153;freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication.â&#x20AC;? How does one define these freedoms though? Does freedom of expression apply to films? Last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passage of Bill C-10, which gives the Heritage Minister the ability to deny tax credits to any production that is deemed contrary to public policy, would suggest otherwise. The CBC reported that the Conservatives intend for this to prevent taxpayers from funding violence or pornography. If I recall, two of acclaimed Canadian director David Cronenbergâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most recent Oscarnominated works, Eastern Promises and the Ontario-shot A History of Violence, were incredibly violent; would they be denied the credit? Would Brokeback Mountain, shot in Alberta, be considered â&#x20AC;&#x153;pornographicâ&#x20AC;? and get shut out as well by the Conservatives who not so long ago wanted to deny Canadians the right to same-sex marriage? How about freedom of the press? Mark Steyn, a columnist for Macleanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, has been attempting to defend himself for a December 2007 work. The CBC reported that the Canadian Islamic Congress, spurned by four students of Torontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Osgoode Hall Law School, launched complaints with the B.C., Ontario, and Federal human rights commissions over a Steyn column that the students deemed â&#x20AC;&#x153;anti-Islam

It might be better to say that the world works hardest now to defend those who feel offended, those with a complaint, and defend them no matter how baseless their grievance is. and anti-Muslim,â&#x20AC;? both of which should be unacceptable. However, in his defence, Steyn points out the telling fact that â&#x20AC;&#x153;the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;plaintiffsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; are not complaining that the article is false, or libelous, or seditious.â&#x20AC;? Their complaint, according to Steyn, is quite simply that it â&#x20AC;&#x153;offendedâ&#x20AC;? them. Rex Murphy of the CBC defended Steyn well, reminding us that â&#x20AC;&#x153;not every article in every magazine or newspaper is meant to be a valentine card addressed to every readerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s self-esteem.â&#x20AC;? How does something that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a lie or libelous or attempting to insult or incite hate violate human rights? Apparently it violates them enough that two of the three HRCs have agreed to hear this case. It is also interesting to note that while Steyn will have to spend a great deal of time and money to defend himself, his accusers needed only to point the noses of the HRCs in Steynâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s direction, and on their own they will pursue him, with every reason to be confident because the HRCs have not once come out supporting the defendant in their cases. Not just the large media, but the small media as well has been targeted for their words. According to the CBC, the University of Ottawaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Engineering newspaper, the Oral Otis, recently published a sex column. This particular column contained graphic references to anal sex, sexual aggression, and pedophilia, using â&#x20AC;&#x153;hostileâ&#x20AC;? language, prompting the paper to be pulled from the racks. It is still available at the society office, and defended by their Engineering Student Society Vice-President of Social Affairs Rob Arntfield, who feels that â&#x20AC;&#x153;personally, I think that some of the content in the paper is meant to be humourous.â&#x20AC;? Similarly to this incident, a few terms ago our own Iron Warrior faced the possibility of losing its space in CPH over the publishing of its

first sex column in ages, a column without any of the graphic or violent elements in the U of O one. and certainly nowhere near the level of sexual discussion found in Imprint over the years. It would seem that our world might have gone beyond defending the persecuted and the minorities. It might be better to say that the world works hardest now to defend those who feel offended, those with a complaint, and defend them no matter how baseless their grievance is. Each time I read these headlines, I hope that our elected officials, our defenders high up in our countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s government, would come to defend our freedoms that we now find under attack. Regrettably, it seems that, once again, only music understands the way I feel. I do not walk around our great country feeling that my rights and freedoms are ironclad and steadfastly defended. Instead, I sit at home and watch the music video for Radioheadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;2+2=5â&#x20AC;?, because â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll stay home forever where two and two always makes a five.â&#x20AC;? adodds@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

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I guarantee that your friends are tired of hearing itâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; start writing it down for Imprint instead. We need 100-200 words on whatever you care about. Send it to opinion@imprint.uwaterloo. ca. Everyone should hear what you have to say.

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Opinion

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008

Letters

Had a reaction to one of our articles, editorials or columns? Write a letter to the editor at letters@imprint. uwaterloo.ca Re: Body Woes and Body Pros As someone who volunteers at UW Women’s Centre, I was disappointed by the article Body Woes and Body Pros. While it is true that the Women’s Centre chose not to run Love Your Body Week this term, Brittany Baker’s article neglected to mention that the centre intends run the week next fall term. Baker’s article also omitted any information about the week of events the Women’s Centre did run this term: International Women’s Week on March 2 - 8. International Women’s Week at UW had 14 events, including some favourites from past Love Your Body Weeks, such as bust casting and sex toys workshops, as well as Sexual Health and Hot & Spicy presentations from UW Health Services. While the Women’s Centre is certainly on the lookout for new volunteers, by focusing on the events the centre chose not to run this term, and omitting the ones they did, Baker’s article gave the false impression that the Women’s Centre is unable to run successful events to engage and inform the UW community. — Shivaun Hoad 4B English

Re: “When Does Debate Become Wrong?” Last week’s article “When Does Debate

Become Wrong?” said that abortion rights should no longer be debated because it challenges a woman’s right over her body, while at the same time saying that the definition of life depends on your personal opinion, and that this should be discussed “outside of civic life and removed from public institutions.” However, the definition of life is a critical part of our legal system. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which the article mentioned, is based on the definition of life. In Canada every person has the right of freedom, of belief and expression, to a fair trail, and many others. But the most important is that every person has the right to life. Each one of us was a fetus at one time, but at what point does the fetus gain rights? Or is considered human? Every country seems to have its own definition, and this changes regularly. Currently in England the fetus gains rights at 24 weeks; before 1990 it was 26 weeks, and before 1967 it was considered a person at the first sign of movement. The U.S. has had similar changes in its abortion law. If abortion is a clear cut issue of a woman’s rights over her body, then why is it so difficult for governments to decide what’s right and what’s wrong? Presently, in Canada there are no restrictions on abortions and the fetus is a person once removed from the birth canal. Theoretically, abortions can take place up until the ninth month of pregnancy. However if an abortion is performed on a healthy fetus during birth and then removed from the birth canal, it becomes a crime because the fetus would have been a person had the doctor not terminated it. If performed moments before birth this would not be a crime. Who determines these restrictions and what are they based on? What is the difference between a baby born today and the same one in the womb yesterday? Most arguments in favour of abortion seem to ignore the fetus altogether. It is compared to any other medical procedure, which would be unconstitutional for the government to prevent. But whether right or wrong abortion is not

like any other procedure. This fetus/unborn child/lump of tissue or whatever you want to call it, becomes a person after nine months, with rights just like us. This isn’t something to be taken lightly. Recently there has been controversy over prenatal testing, where abortions are done after determining that the fetus will grow up to have autism or another disability. Also, in China and India abortions are often performed to avoid giving birth to girls. Feminist groups are especially against this practice, calling it “Female Infanticide.” And some governments are already stepping in to prevent gender testing. But why do people have a problem with this? If the fetus isn’t a person then why does the sex of it matter? Whose body do feminists want to protect more? The female mother? Or the female infant? Doesn’t a woman have the right to have an abortion regardless of her reasons? Something doesn’t add up here, and it is ridiculous to suggest that it should no longer be discussed. — Sean McCallion mechanical engineering

Re: This is your Mac on Windows While I choose not to drone on how unnecessary it is to basically re- write an old and existing online article, using the same screenshots and slap those on as the centrefold story, I can’t help but to point out how outdated the content of the article is! Contrary to what the article says, users of Mac OS X 10.4.x (Tiger) can no longer use Boot Camp. The beta version of Boot Camp, which was available as a download on Apple’s website for users of Tiger, expired on December 31, 2007. It is now advertised as a new feature available only in Leopard. In other words, in order to use Boot Camp, Mac users must upgrade to Mac OS X 10.5.x (Leopard). I guess I should also point out that it’s not technically “free” as you are still supposed to purchase a license for Windows, although you are entitled to one copy of Windows XP and

Windows Vista Business Edition as an student or faculty member of UW from IST. As a Mac user myself, I would suggest checking out other software applications that have been coming out lately which would also be useful such as VMWare Fusion and Parallels Desktop, which allow users to run Windows simultaneously with Mac OS X through a technology known as virtualization. They even work well with Boot Camp too! In contrast to what the writer started in the original article, having a dual-core processor is not necessary to run Boot Camp, in fact the first Intel Mac Minis had Intel Core Solo processors, which were, well... single-core processors and they are still fully capable of running Boot Camp, considering with Boot Camp you are only running one operating system at a time. Multi-core processors are only necessary to utilize applications like the ones mentioned above. The reason why Macs can now run Windows is because Macs’ processors now have the same architecture as PCs. Another useful piece of software to check out is MacDrive, an application that allows users to browse into Macintosh-formatted hard disks while in Windows, which becomes very handy if you choose to move files around from Windows to Mac OS. — Sunny Ng 3B computer engineering

Re: “Lighting the Cultural Fire” - March 7, 2008 issue “Lighting the Cultural Fire” concerning 2008’s Cultural Caravan is a positive article in depicting the intentions of the performers in the planning of their presentations, but fails to visually portray the essence of Cultural Caravan in the use of its visuals. The Imprint’s articles concerning university events acts as an advertisement inviting students to attend future events. see LETTERS, page 11

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Opinion

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008

Letters Had a reaction to one of our articles, editorials or columns? Write a letter to the editor at letters@ imprint.uwaterloo.ca Continued from page 10

“Lighting the Cultural Caravan” successfully describes the costumes and pace of the night, but a stronger emphasis on visuals in order to capture the essence of the cultures in Waterloo’s community would have been significantly effective in encouraging the university’s community to partake in such future events. Furthermore, there appears to be a bias toward the Polish presentation in comparison to the other presenters of the night. All cultural groups worked equally hard in giving the audience insight into their cultures and, as such, preference toward one group is an injustice to the efforts of all presenters; there should be an equal distribution of recognition rather than preference to one group of performers. — Mauricio Forero-Miranda. 1st year planning, environmental studies.

Re: The Modern Novel, Mar. 14 In her article, Rickert simultaneously attempts to elevate video games’ storylines to the level of literature and to relegate literature to little more than plot. Not only is this an unrealistic comparison, Rickert admits as much herself: “we can see that the vast and

in 2007, compared to 268 million computer and video games (NPD 2007), it seems paper retains a vast advantage over its flashy counterpart. Regardless of sales, the priority of a video game is not literary. While the first video games to seriously develop literary elements are coming out, games and books remain completely separate entities. We believe video games have the potential to evolve into their own sphere parallel to the literary world. Whether that day will come, we are unsure. We agree with Rickert that “there’s room for video games to evolve into modern storytellers.” However, Rickert has provided insufficient evidence (literary, commercial or otherwise) that this evolution has occurred in any video game to date. The two media are, in any realm conceived of by Rickert, incomparable. —

Sarah Baxter (2B English literature) and Nolan Waite (2B computer science)

Re: Sikh gurus feed fans Among the students of UW exist individuals who belong to a religion which was founded by 10 teachers or Gurus, and the followers of this religion are called Sikhs, or literally, students. On March 7, Imprint printed that Sikh Gurus served a meal to fans on Langar Day, even though the food was brought to campus and served by students. However, this is no fault of Imprint, rather, it is due to ambiguous floating bits of information. Ergo, in order to set the story straight, one must consider what Langar is. Langar was created by the first of the Gururs, Guru nanak, who wished for equality in the divided nation of India. Langar is a place where individuals, regardless of caste, creed, or colour can

Langar is cooked by anyone who is willing to do seva, selfless volunteering. This is exactly what those students who are part of the University of Waterloo’s Sikh Student Association (SSA) decided to do. in-depth storylines [in video games] will make up for a lack of direct character depth.” Unfortunately, this assertion ignores the 500 years of English literary history. Neither of us can think of a novel or play which has both a vast, in-depth storyline and shallow characters. Both of us, however, can recall video games with shallow characters. As to which medium can claim more fans, Rickert suggests that the “flashy graphics and interactivity will draw more of a crowd today than their paper counterparts.” Given that the Book Industry Study Group noted over 3.1 billion book sales in the US

eat vegetarian meals together. This means kings eat with beggars, Sikhs with non-Sikhs, and English majors with engineering students. Langar is cooked by anyone who is willing to do seva, selfless volunteering. This is exactly what those stuents who are part of the University of Waterloo’s Sikh Student Association (SSA) decided to do. Members of SSA wished to bring the varied students of UW a little taste, no pun intended, of Sikhism. Langar being one aspect of Sikhism not only reflects the idea of the entire religion, but it embodies what a Sikh is. A Sikh is someone who is fond of being selfless, peaceful, and serving others who

are in need of protection, refuge, or a free meal during midterms. — Purneet Mith Boparai

Re: Tartuffe Review I am writing in response to Cait Davidson’s review of the UW Drama department’s production of Tartuffe not as an outraged cast member, nor as a proud member of the Drama department, but as a discontented member of the University of Waterloo’s artistic community who is tired of the lack of professionalism in the treatment of artistic endeavours on campus which your publication puts to print. It has come to my attention that, despite an awareness of his credentials and expertise in the field of theatre criticism, former student Greg Carere was not permitted to write a review of the department’s latest production. (Editor’s Note: at the time of Mr. Carere’s offer, another writen had already been assigned the review. We encourage participation from all interested writers.) I’m not making the following request because his particular review is far more positive, but because Carere is a more well-informed and well-qualified writer than Davidson. I would kindly ask that his review be printed next week, as both a response to Davidson’s trivial one, and as an example of excellent theatre criticism. Having worked both independently and professionally as a playwright, producer, dramaturge, director, and performer for the last six years, I have become accustomed to criticism, and I welcome it if it is informed, constructive, and professional. Cait Davidson’s review, in addition to those of her colleagues over the past three years, namely Duncan Ramsay and Kemet Bahlibi, offered a kind of theatre criticism that is nothing short of laughable. Does Cait Davidson know anything about theatre? How can she collectively attack the entire cast for a supposed lack of passion in one paragraph, and praise them for the very opposite in the next? Why, if she was assigned to review a play that she was unfamiliar with, would she not read the script before attending the performance? (I am aware that Ranjit Bolt’s new translation is quite difficult to come by, but the play is almost 400 years old and has been translated more than several times; most of which, I will add, have been written in rhyming verse to mirror Moliere’s style.) And why would anyone even write a theatrical review if they were unaware of who Moliere is? Perhaps second only to Shakespeare in terms of his influence on theatrical history, Moliere ONLY wrote comedies. Saying that Cait didn’t know Tartuffe was a comedy and blaming the department’s publicity for her ignorance is like informing her readers that, before seeing a production of King Lear, no one mentioned to her that it was a tragedy — that she would have liked someone else to have informed her of

the genre beforehand, doing no research herself, and ignoring her lack of the basic knowledge one should generally possess before writing for publication. To paraphrase her equally disrespectful colleague Duncan Ramsay, Cait’s act of writing and publishing this review was like savaging a kitten. Like most of Moliere’s moralistic comedies, the content of Tartuffe is only funny until you look at it closer. The depth of character and theme are apparent underneath the outrageousness of the humour. Cait Davidson’s review is startlingly similar. It is entirely laughable, but reveals a dark, underlying motive. In this case, it is the absurdity of the conflict between our department and the Imprint, and the lack of artistic and journalistic integrity condoned by the Imprint staff and imposed upon its readers. Our university offers a course in theatre criticism annually, taught by professionals in the field. I suggest that,

in the future, those who wish to write reviews of performances for Imprint must have, at least, taken this class. I would also suggest that when a more qualified writer on any kind of subject matter, especially those requiring artistic sensitivity and a wealth of background knowledge, request to write for your publication (as Greg Carere did), you do everything you can to bring their talents to the forefront. Your paper could certainly do with a few more informed, well-spoken critics than you currently employ. I request an apology be printed in the paper alongside Greg Carere’s review, and that future artistic endeavours on campus are covered with the same amount of respect, knowledge, and integrity as goes into their creation. — Michael Albert year 3 arts

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Opinion

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008

Not inhumane, but pointless

ourting the usual uproar, the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) recently announced that the total allowable catch for this year’s seal hunt was 275,000 seals, up 5,000 from last year’s. Although this is a small increase, especially considering that two years ago the allowable catch was significantly higher at 335,000, animal welfare groups did not take it lightly. The Associated Press reported that a researcher at the International Fund for Animal Welfare was “quite frankly, [...] stunned.” The American Humane Society’s Rebecca Aldworth said that “this reckless quota is the Canadian

Many of the arguments against the sealing industry rely at their base on an emotional appeal. government’s attempt to kowtow to industry and is in total disregard to conservation.” The Society’s website has even taken the serious step of posting a video with Martin Sheen condemning the seal hunt. The battle over Canada’s seal hunt exploded in the 1970s, when video and images of the slaughter of white coated baby seals came to worldwide attention. Animal rights groups alleged that new born seals were frequently skinned alive, that sealers were exceeding their quotas, and that the method used to kill seals was inhumane. Since then, things have changed to some degree. The DFO has passed legislation that

mandates certain standards in the killing of seals, standards which have recently been updated. The killing of white coated harp seals, which are the cute seals that feature prominently in anti-sealing literature, was banned in 1987 following fears of an international boycott. The DFO itself has made much more rigorous attempts to monitor the annual hunt and punish those who fail to adhere to the regulations. Other aspects of the hunt have changed very little; the weapon of choice for sealers is still the hakapik, which is essentially a club with a spike on the back. While white coats may be off the hunted list, most of the harp seals killed are still less than a month old. Opponents of the seal hunt continue to claim that many seals are skinned alive, and that the quota is not representative of the number of seals killed because so many fall into the water after having been killed. Even the economics of the hunt are a matter of contention. The DFO put the value of the 2005 hunt at $16.5 million, at a time of year when most of the east coast fisheries are shut down or at low levels. For some fishers, the seal hunt can make up as much as a third of their annual income. Of all the fisheries that the DFO monitors on the east coast, the seal hunt is the fifth largest. Still, statistics may only tell one side of the story. That $16.5 million in income pales in comparison to the over $600 million annual value of the Newfoundland fishery. Seal hunt opposition groups also claim that the value is further reduced when subsidies are taken into account. The images of cute seals being bludgeoned in the back of the head are difficult for anyone to

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watch, and the hunt has no shortage of critics. Celebrities have flocked to the cause in droves, including Pamela Anderson, Paul McCartney and Brigitte Bardot. However, despite the convincing weight of celebrity endorsements, there are a number of glaring problems in the arguments made against the sealing industry. The most damning claim of the animal rights movement is that the hunt is inhumane. The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, the Royal Commission on Seals and Sealing in Canada, and an independent report commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund all found the Hakapik to be at least as humane as the methods used in slaughterhouses, and in line with international standards. The animal rights movement has also erred in framing this as a sustainability issue; the seal population continues to expand and is three times what it was in the 1970s. Many of the arguments against the sealing industry rely at their base on an emotional appeal. The harp seal is not endangered, the hunt is heavily regulated, and the method is considered humane. As Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams has argued on numerous occasions, what’s going on in many abattoirs is at least as bad if not worse than the seal hunt; it simply

receives undue attention because its victims are cuter than cows and easier to observe. Ignoring the weaker arguments that appeal to emotion and misinformation, the most convincing thing against the seal hunt is simply the purpose of it. Seal meat is eaten in very few countries, and mostly ends up as pet feed. Seal oil is sold as a health supplement, rich with Omega 3 fatty acids, but faces stiff competition from fish oils, like salmon. The pelts are really the only truly valuable aspect of the harvest, but they’re an extremely contentious product, with the European Union currently considering a ban on seal products. Whether the seal hunt should be ended doesn’t really hinge on principles of sustainability. Rather, it’s a question of whether the potentially dubious economic needs of a few should trump international sensitivities. If it’s the brutality of the hunt that bothers people then the campaign that should be waged is one for overall higher animal welfare standards, both inside and outside of the slaughterhouse. The seals make for good photo opportunities but they are a microcosm of a much larger problem.

ghalpern@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

What would Jesus think Monica Harvey assistant opinion editor

here are a few things that you can confess that will cause people to immediately become disgusted, defensive and strongly opinionated. One such thing is confessing to running an underground dog fighting ring. Another confession is being Christian. When I mention that I go to church, participate in Lent, or pray for things, I am often met with one of three reactions, a declaration of a disbelief in God and a disapproval of religion (especially Christianity), an apology for swearing and general apathy, or a series of stories about religious missionaries beating and raping children until they converted — with references to the Crusades and Hitler. It seems that most people take the antiChristian/religion stance because they feel that Christians are closed-minded, intolerant and judgmental. While I do understand this misconception when seeing the anti-abortion rallies, the protests against gay marriage, and the people around campus trying to convert people on their way to class, there are some fundamental things about Christianity and religion in general that people should understand before they begin to loudly discredit a very personal set of beliefs. The fundamental teachings of the Bible are: to love your neighbour and the Ten Commandments, which include believing in God, not worshipping any false idols, not using God as a swear word, remembering to keep Sunday holy, to respect your dad and mom, to not murder, to not commit adultery, to not steal, to not lie and to not covet other people’s things. The rest of the Bible has other stories and proverbs that teach valuable lessons about family, hope, community, and love. The people that make picket signs and embark on wars and so on are basically focusing on the small amount of misinterpreted scripture in a very old and much translated piece of writing and going against the fundamental values that are the core of this religion. The people that preach about the evils of homosexuality and abortion are often quoting passages that also condemn fornication in the same sentence (which they don’t seem to be picketing against) and from the same chapters that teach people not to judge others. Evolution is another topic that is quite controversial, and again, isn’t explicitly discussed in the Bible, but is somehow associated with religion

because of someone’s interpretation. Galileo was attacked by the Catholic Church in 1616 for his theories of the earth moving around the sun, which were stated to be against the teaching of the Bible. He famously quoted: “I do not feel obliged to believe that same God who endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect had intended for us to forgo their use.” If the only argument you have against a mountain of logic and scientific evidence is an interpretation of a book full of symbols and poetry, then it is most likely that your interpretation is wrong. The people that fight with anger and hate for the interpretations of a book that constantly talks about love and brotherhood aren’t motivated by religion, but use religion to justify their own motivations. Evolution is this generation’s earth-aroundthe-sun theory and it’s just a matter of time before it is common sense. I haven’t actually met anyone who was the stereotypical Bible-thumping, gay-bashing, and abortion-rallying “Christian.” (Although I do realize that this is mostly likely due to the fact that I only started going to church when I started University at Waterloo, where most people in my age group are students and more likely to be more open-minded.) I often meet self-proclaimed atheists, who seem to take pride in their ignorance to Christianity and strive to annoy and offend people who believe in something different than they do. I have read many books about various religions and different belief systems, including atheism. So I was annoyed when one day, I read this review: “Bible-thumpers doubtless will declare they’ve found their Satan incarnate.” – Kirkus Reviews (starred reviews). Why is the fact that something will anger people a selling point? Aren’t you just as angry, against religion because it’s stupid and that angers you? The greatest irony here is that the ignorance of people who do non-Christian things in the name of Christianity evoke anger and resentment — in people who blame religion for their actions. It seems that people who hate religion have a lot in common with the people who make them hate religion. The war isn’t between religious beliefs, it’s between extremists who name religions as their cause. This confrontational attitude on both sides is unacceptable. We should all respect each other, Christians and non-Christians, regardless of what we believe. mharvey@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Features

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008 features@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Behind charts and tables Cait Davidson assistant features editor

hat do Al Capone, Richard Pryor, Willie Nelson and Martin Luther King Jr. have in common? They’ve all been arrested on charges of tax evasion. It’s been said that only two things are guaranteed in life, death and taxes. This year many students relaxed by having their taxes filed by the UW’s Tax Clinic. The clinic which provided their services free of charge was put on by the Accounting Students Education Contribution (ASEC), and ran from March 12 to March 14. Each tax season, a member of the ASEC board volunteers to run the clinic. In the past two years, it’s been run by first years students, who both carried out the program differently, as there is no set guide or direction for the program. The difficulty with the way the tax clinic is run is that AFM students involved in the program are typically away on co-op during tax time, as director Ian Gutwinski commented. He stepped up to take the reigns for the tax clinic this year, being the first year representative on the board this year. The Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) runs the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP), which assists ASEC in putting the tax clinic on annually. Training sessions, software and tax packages are all donated by CRA. Once Gutwinski knew he would be running the tax clinic, he put together a committee of nine people. Three groups ran separate teams; advertising, logistics and scheduling. Advertising took care of PR and public

knowledge of the event, on CTV, Conestoga Radio, in class announcements, posters, the banner and logo and other advertisements. The logistics team took care of the basic needs of the clinic. These being the scheduling of the multipurpose room; tables, chairs, tablecloths, and other minute details that were important to the day-to-day running of the event. This team allowed the clinic to run smoothly, although through miscommunication, some volunteers spent until four in the morning setting up the room for the event, the night before it began. Scheduling had the most difficult job by far. With 120 students needing to be trained and scheduled into shifts throughout the three day clinic, the team was looking at a difficult road ahead of them in January. Working around classes, midterms, and generally busy schedules, the two days of training were set for February 27 and 28. Unfortunately for the students involved, a major AFM midterm was on February 29. This made the training sessions interesting as students needed these to volunteer, but also needed to be on top of their game for the midterm the next day. The training sessions put on by CVITP were run by Saylor Kain, who trains accounting students each year. Each training session was four hours long. The two sessions had 60 students each, with only 5 no-shows. Mei Chen, an AFM student who volunteered with the tax clinic, commented that a lot of the training was spent learning how to do the taxes on paper. Understanding that this approach allowed her to further comprehend the purpose behind the software and learn the basics of these taxes, which are the foundation of her future career choice.

Once the training was scheduled, the team still had more work to do. For the actual tax clinic, shifts had to be scheduled for students to work around their classes and lives. Each volunteer was assigned two shifts that were two hours long, over a period of three days. Perhaps others shared Chen’s point of view when she told me, “Taxes are fun!” As well as the philanthropic benefit, students had an opportunity to apply what they were learning in the classroom in a real-life situation. Chen also commented that it felt good to be able to help others in a way they couldn’t do for themselves. There was a great responsibility on volunteers to make sure they knew what they were doing when they were handling another person’s taxes. Gutwinski also reflected on the experience as a learning experience. As a director, when something fell through, it was his responsibility to pick up the slack. Entering the AFM program with intention to become a manager in business, Gutwinski used this opportunity as a lesson in what he’ll face in the real world. Walking into the program with little more than the contact information for Saylor Kain, he found that he can make things more efficient for whoever runs it next year, when he puts together a manual for a student guide on how to run the clinic. While Gutwinski admitted he will be on co-op, he mentioned that he’d like to stay close to this project, hoping to take a few days off work to come back to Waterloo, volunteering and continuing to stay involved. cdavidson@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Tip now, save future taxes Cait Davidson assistant features editor

n the the Certified Accountants of Ontario website (www.cga-ontario. org), there are a number of helpful student tax tips. Both Ian Gutwinski and the website point out reforms for students living taxes. Students who pay rent can claim a portion of their rent as part of the Ontario property tax credit, while students living on campus can claim a $25 occupancy cost. Students who move more than 40 kilometres for the purpose of employment can claim moving expenses for income earned at that job. This includes co-op students, and the year after graduation. Moving expenses are catergorised as travel costs, like food and lodging. As long as you have your receipts, you can claim staying up to 15 days near either your new place, or your old one. Storage costs,

canceling a lease and cost of connecting or disconnecting utilities are also included in things you can claim for moving expenses. Filing a return is useful for the future; when students graduate and start making more money, they’ll find that the tax breaks they get from school will carry over. Students can file for tuition costs and book credits after they graduate if they’re not making enough money while in school to make claiming them here worthwhile. Other tax credits can carry over as well. Gutwinski mentioned that when students make charitable donations, they often donate smaller amounts. The credits for donations can carry over to other years. The larger their contribution the larger

percentage deduction the government will give a person for their donations. Gutwinski recommend that students carry their donations over a few years in order to achieve a higher percentage break. cdavidson@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Features

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008

The life of onion and pie

Home-style onion and cheese pie

his is a super easy and soulsatisfying recipe. It’s not a pie per se, more like a pressed in cheddar crust that’s cobbled together in a matter of moments. The sautéed onions are cooked on the stovetop before hand, dumped into a pie plate and sealed with the crust. To unmold, do as you would for an upside down pineapple cake: flip it — lovingly and carefully of course.

Ingredients For the dough crust: For the onion • 2 cups all-purpose flour • 4 medium red onions • 1 tsp baking powder • 1 tbsp canola oil • 1 tsp salt • 2 tbsp unsalted butter • 1/2 cup milk • Salt and Pepper • 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted • 1/4 - 1/2 tsp dried sage, parsley, • 1 1/4 tsp grainy mustard • thyme, or rosemary • 1 large egg, beaten • 1 1/2 cups old cheddar cheese, grated • You’ll also need a 9 inch glass pie plate, lightly sprayed with cooking oil.

Direction Preheat oven to 400F and place rack in second (from bottom) rung. Peel, then halve each onion. Take each half and cut into 1/2 inch thick segments. Over medium high heat, add oil and butter in a large skillet. Once butter mix becomes frothy add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft and tender (about 30 minutes). Season to taste with salt, pepper and herbs. Put onions in pie plate and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese. Meanwhile for the crust: In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, salt and remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese. In a glass measuring cup, melt the butter then add milk, and whisk in mustard and egg. Add wet mix to dry to form a slightly sticky dough. Pat dough out on a work surface into a circle same diameter as the pie plate. Place dough on top of onions and press sides to seal the edges. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn oven down to 350F and bake for another 10 minutes. Unmold onto a large plate and cut into wedges. Reheat leftovers in a preheated 350F oven for 5 to 8 minutes or until filling and crust are warmed through. Serve with sour cream.

he dazzling spherical star in this entrée is the onion. However, onions tend to end up more as the bridesmaid rather than the bride. Maybe it is because it never settles; not that this is a bad attribute, because it can be used countless ways in different dishes. The onion never sees the light of day until it is plucked from its underground home. The name ‘onion’ is derived from the Latin word unio, meaning “single” or “one,” because the onion plant grows only a single bulb. Meanwhile, its cousin garlic produces many small bulbs. There are two classes of onions, green onions, also referred to as scallions or spring onions, and dry onions, in which the majority of onion varieties are found. Green onions are thin, tubular, with long stems. They have a more delicate aroma and flavour than the latter’s pungent taste. Dry onions have a juicy, thick interior with a papery skin. Types of dry onions include the yellow or sometimes white Bermuda onion which is in season from now through to June. Spanish onions are more spherical in shape and in season from August until May. You can usually find them with white or yellow skins. The Italian (red) onion is available year-round. These three onions are good for recipes that call for a tinge of onion flavour because they are the milder variety. The Maui (Kula) onion, which hails from Hawaii, ranges from white to a light yellow, and the Vidalia onion from Vidalia, Georgia taste best when they are large and pale yellow. These Americanbased onions are prized for their sweet

taste and juiciness. The peak season for the Maui and Vidalia are from late April to June/July. If we travel to South America, we will find the Oso Sweet Onion. Packed full of sweetness, the sugar content of the Oso exceeds its onion counterparts by a third. In some crops, these onions have had higher sugar content than most fruits. They can be found in speciality markets from January to March. Small dry onions include the pearl onions which are delicately flavoured. They are sometimes found atop a meal as a garnish or as apart of a side dish. They are usually cooked until tender or creamed and infused into a side dish. When you purchase onions, choose those that are firm (avoid those with soft spots) and heavy for their size. Onions should be stored in a cool cabinet and they last up to two months. Once cut open, wrap the unused portion in plastic wrap, place in the fridge, and keep away from odour sensitive items (i.e. butter). Use within four days.

The sulphur-containing compounds that are released from a cut onion are guilty of making your eyes water. However these same compounds are also responsible for the many health benefits found in onions. Onions help lower blood sugar levels, high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, have antiinflammatory properties, and protect against colon and ovarian cancers. They are also high in chromium (a mineral that helps process carbohydrates and fats and helps cells respond properly to insulin), vitamin C and dietary fibre. Although there are methods such as wearing goggles or freezing the onions (for 20 minutes) to stop you from tearing up, I find the best method is to place a mini fan on one side of the onion to blow the compounds away from you. For me, it’s worked every time. Try this delicious homey pie and you’ll agree that onions and cheese are a match made in heaven. tli@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

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Features

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008

Features

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008

photos by James Damaskinos unless stated otherwise

Within the book keepers’ walls Chantelle McGee staff reporter

library is a necessary tool for academic life, but it can be difficult to navigate the amount of information it houses. Learning the strengths of each UW library can help aid one’s studies, especially when finals are so close at hand. In terms of research, a good library facilitates any requirement for information the student might encounter that is suited to their level of study. In a university setting,

= research resources

Library Hours (#)= extended hours Dana Porter Monday to Friday Saturday to Sunday

8 a.m. to 11 p.m (2. a.m.) 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Davis Centre Monday to Friday Saturday Sunday

8 a.m. to 12 a.m (24 h.) 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.(24 h.) 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.(2 a.m.)

St. Jerome’s University Monday to Thursday Friday Saturday and Sunday

8 a.m. to 11 p.m (2. a.m.) 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

= independent study environment

1. Dana Porter

2. Davis Centre

The giant of the campus libraries hosts information for the arts, which includes environmental studies, humanities, and social sciences. The Doris Lewis Rare Book room is a valuable asset that is located on the first floor and has a collection of historical documents and early editions of books. Another valuable asset is the government publication collection located on the fifth floor. This collection contains federal and provincial documents from Canada as well as documents from international governments and organizations. These assets, in combination with the breadth of information the DP provides for the other UW programs make DP a one-stop place to attain information.

This library hosts information for the sciences, which includes engineering, and the physical and life sciences, and mathematics. A lot of the cutting edge science research can be found through online journals to which the library has a subscription, thus greatly expanding the possible avenues of gleaning information.

The first floor offers couches, sanctuary (complete with newspapers from selected hometowns if you are homesick). The muted atmosphere is almost palpable and can afford one a place to unwind. This atmosphere is also felt in the reading room on the third floor. I quite enjoy the study carrels added on the third floor last April, though the carrels on floors five through ten are serviceable.

Amongst the group study tables taking up the central area of the library, a constant low rumble of noise can be heard. The individual carrels, with their high partitions, help to minimize the level of noise and distraction. However, the noise filters are down the stairs to the reading area in the lower level. As such, the library is better suited for group study, since discussing one’s homework at the other libraries can earn reprimands from fellow library patrons.

icons by Peter Trinh

3. St. Jerome’s University The library houses materials, with as strong emphasis on Roman Catholicism, Math and Arts. It can be argued much of the collections in math and arts can be supplemented by the divisional libraries, giving this library room to expand its religious collection. However, I cannot imagine that it would be convenient for the students and researchers at SJU having to run over to the main campus when they want a book. I feel there can be room for more specification its collection.

Sufficient and medium sized, SJU library is a breath of fresh air when compared to the overwhelming monstrosities that are DC and DP. Its open space and well-lit atmosphere are conducive towards studying. The noise level is negligible, especially on the second floor.

4. Conrad Grebel

University College Note: A distrinct service offered by these two libraries is the ability to book study rooms on-line at https://bookings.lib.uwaterloo.ca/sbs/day.php.

a top-rated library will complement the research and teaching interests of the university. A top-rated place to study will be quiet, arranged to minimize distractions, and comfortable. The following libraries will be reviewed based on two levels: how they accommodates research, and their capacity as a place in which to study. Futhermore their ratings will be indicated by either computer icons for research, and book icon for study environment following their reviews. They will be rewarded one to five icons, 5 for an excellent score, 4 for good, 3 for satisfactory, 2 for adequate, and 1for inadequate.

This library, situated on the third floor of the of the college’s academic building, offering resources for music, religious studies, and peace and conflict studies. It also has a large historical collection for Anabaptist-

Mennonite Studies, which includes Mennonite periodicals and fiction.

The best things about this library, in regards to studying, are its carrels. Their design is such that a partition is built up to help minimize distraction and keep one focused on his or her work.

5. Renison College Lusi Wong Renison College’s programs and areas in which it offers diplomas and certificates include Social Development Studies and East Asian Studies. As such, its library collection is made to facilitate these areas. It has a collection of Chinese language books and books on Psychology and social work. The collection also consists of books on Anglicanism and English as a second language.

This is the most aesthetically pleasing library with its high ceiling, dropped lights, and soft colour scheme in contrast to the utilitarian nature of DP and DC. The small library has a partitioned reading room, though the collection of unbound journals is not as extensive as the other libraries. The library has two group study

rooms and the best-designed study carrels, yet. They are large and feature partitions on either side to block out distraction.

researchers in optometry, providing for them journals, slides and audio or visual resources.

6. University Map Library

There are two group-study rooms, however, only Optometry students can book them. The centre is divided into two areas, linked by a narrow hallway. Two computers are located in the room near the entrance. The room includes a small gathering space filled with cushion chairs. The inner is structured in an inverted design in comparison to the other libraries where the individual study carrels are in the centre of the room and the books line walls. Also lining the walls, on top of high shelves are old optometry instruments.

Though not the prettiest library, it does have the most specific content. This library houses maps and aerial photographs, with a focus on Ontario. They also provide workstations to make use of the Geographic Information System.

The library is quiet but for the general sound of unfolding maps. The library has a small student study area with an assortment of dual study carrels and two areas for group study. One quiet space is cloistered in the corner behind a tower of atlases maps. However, most of the space is dedicated to holding the map collections.

7. Optometry Learning Resource Centre Up the winding staircase to the third floor of the Optometry building in Room 346, one finds this little library. It specializes in the providing information for students and

7. Chantelle McGee

All of these libraries are a part of the tri-university group, which includes Wilfrid Laurier University and University of Guelph. With this system, the student can request books that are located at any of these libraries through TRELLIS. This group is the greatest strength of the libraries because they pool informational resources thereby expanding the amount information students can access. cmcgee@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Library Hours (#)= extended hours Conrad Grebel Monday to Thursday Friday Saturday

8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Renison College Lusi Wrong Monday to Thursday Friday

8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

University Map Monday to Thursday Friday Saturday and Sunday

8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m (2. a.m.) 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Features

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008

Entitlement and self-control

here’s magic in the air these days, and it isn’t pollen. For hundreds of students in their final year of studies, the next month and a half will see the end of a journey that has taken a number of years of (assumedly) hard work, sacrifice, and (a small number of) personal crises to complete. Come April, this round of final exams will be the final finals, the only thing separating you from that wonderful, slightly-personalized piece of paper — your degree. I’m probably not the first person to be ambivalent about the notion of graduation. On one hand, I’ve actually grown to appreciate living in Waterloo. I like the fact that I can recognize more than one person on a day-to-day basis as I walk down the street. I love that I can walk almost everywhere I need to go, or when that isn’t an option I can (as of recently) take the bus for

free! And when that doesn’t fill the void, I remember that I can actually see the stars at night here. In the hellish metropolis where I’m from (Toronto), none of these things are even remotely possible. On the flipside, after taking into account both school and co-op work terms, being in my fifth consecutive year of school does seem rather burdensome after a while. I mean, starting at UW when I was 18 and leaving when I’m 23 doesn’t really do anything for my self-esteem except make me feel old(er) and (more) crusty. I’m sure many other students — co-op and not — can agree with me. At this stage in the game, most of us are really just burnt out. We’re walking a fine line between caring just enough to get by in our courses, and wanting to wash our hands of the whole situation completely. Personally, I know I’m kind of disgusted that all-nighters

BE A LEADER! Nominations for WPIRG Board

of Directors

The Waterloo Public Interest Research Group is governed by a Board of Directors of nine members. Five Director positions will be ﬁlled by election at the

WPIRG Annual General Meeting, April 7th, 2008 5:00 PM in Environmental Studies 1 room 221

Nominations open 10am, March 20, 2008 and close 4:30pm, March 31, 2008 Nomination packages are available at the WPIRG office (UW SLC 2139). To be a Board member, you must be a WPIRG member in good standing (a UW full-time undergrad who has not obtained a refund, or any other person who has purchased a membership). For more info visit the ofﬁce, wpirg.org, or call 888-4882.

JOIN US! WPIRG's Annual General Meeting For the purpose of reporting on the last ﬁscal year and programming activities, electing 5 members to the Board of Directors (nominations close March 31, forms available at WPIRG -- SLC 2139), appointing an auditor, and bylaw ammendments. Also, join us for food and fair trade coffee as we appreciate WPIRG’s many great volunteers!

April 7, 2008 - 5 PM

Environmental Studies 1 room 221 To be eligible to vote, you must be a WPIRG member in good standing (a UW full-time undergrad who has not obtained a refund, or any other person who has purchased a membership). For more info visit UW SLC 2139, http://wpirg.org, or call 888-4882.

have completely lost their novelty to me: the sense of martyrdom and one-upsmanship (if there ever was one) died down when I realized that I was pulling them as par for the course. Sometimes the only silver lining is the sense of self-awareness one gets after experimenting with cocktails of their favourite alkaloids to figure out which one leads you furthest down the yellow brick road of productivity. It’s no surprise that this school is filled with hard workers. Regardless what Macleans has to say or what reputation you go by, there are enough quantitative and qualitative indicators around campus and the community to indicate that UW students give’r on a regular basis. But do you ever stop to ask yourself why? When times seem a bit ridiculous, do you ever want to throw your hands in the air (and wave them like you just don’t care, for real) and ask yourself, “Why the hell am I doing this?” It’s probably safe to assume that most of us are doing it for our futures. We’re working hard now so that we can land a good job and work hard in the future at said “good job.”. We have our noses to the grindstone and our eyes on the prize, and that prize is usually a job offer with any of the following: a nice salary, room for upward mobility, lots of perks, respect, opportunities for travel, etc. We all know what our dream job may give us, even if we don’t quite know what it is just yet. That dream job is what’s likely keeping us in workaholic mode. At the end of it all, we want to look back and say “I busted my ass for this, and now I’m reaping the benefits!” Post-secondary education is a really valuable asset, not just as job training, but as life training. You may not realize it but all those days, weeks, and terms you’ve been toiling away in Stress Mode do a lot to build character, to say nothing of time management skills, integrity, and problem-solving capabilities. (“Do I sleep now, or drink my third coffee? Exactly how well do I need to do on

this midterm to pass the course?”) From a monetary perspective, being a student provides us with invaluable experience on how to budget (or get by magically, without one), prioritize our needs, and probably most importantly, how to survive on very little cash, and likely heaploads of debt. You may be more than willing to forget about the Unspoken Period of Student Life once you enter the workforce, never looking back. You? Eat ramen noodles twice a day? Never! Don’t you know how much cholesterol is in those things? Disgusting! As potentially embarrassing as it is to reflect on the extremes we’ve gone to as students eking out an existence, there is value in the hardships we go through. Likely the most important life lesson we learn is how to get by with very little money — true penny-pinching. As students, we all try to live within our means, or well below them, because most of us don’t have much choice. The money just isn’t there, or if it is, it comes at a high interest rate. Unfortunately, these frugal habits are usually the first to go when we land our first “good jobs. ” When we suddenly have a steady income, we forget our penny-pinching pasts and spend on ourselves like there’s no tomorrow. We now add huge credit card debt to our repertoire of student debt but we don’t seem to notice because we revel in the fact that we can actually afford to buy something nice for ourselves. Isn’t consumerism great? How did we get to this place? The big E: Entitlement. Some people call it “Lifestyle Inflation”, but I like entitlement because I can’t separate “lifestyle inflation” from “waistline inflation” in my head. It’s the sense that we deserve something. Without question. Why? Because you’ve worked for it! That’s why! Now, to be fair, a sense of entitlement is an important thing to have. It’s not hard to see that entitlement ties into self-respect and self-confidence rather snugly. We all want to be rewarded and appreciated for the hard work we put

in. Entitlement is really just another version of recognition. However, entitlement is something we need to monitor closely. The minute we start on our “I’m fantastic and thus deserve Prada” binge, we enter a purchasing spiral that can be really difficult to break. And when the smoke and credit card bills clear, it’s not difficult to find us in our 30s with a high paying job but no long-term savings, no budgeting skills, and, aside from large purchases that are depreciating in value, nothing to show for it. Oh, except for debt and feelings of hopelessness. So what can you do to protect yourself from the demons of overentitlement? Here are some points to consider. Most of them you’ve probably heard before, and that should be saying something. Help for this section provided by two fantastic personal finance blogs: Get Rich Slowly (http://getrichslowly.org/blog/) and My Money Blog ( http://www. mymoneyblog.com/). Put savings first Apparently, my mom’s not the only person who espouses the “pay yourself first” mentality. It’s probably one of the few pieces of her worldly advice that I actually adhere to, next to “don’t be stupid – there’s no point in low-fat baking,” and “if you don’t like it, go live with your father” (word to children of divorcees!) Take a portion of every paycheque and sock it away for savings. I’ve found that 10 per cent is a good amount but do what works for you. If you automatically set up savings contributions, things are made even easier. They key here is you won’t miss the money if you don’t have a chance to spend it. It’s true! Just remember, as soon as you start earning more money, increase the amount you’ll save proportionally. Put more debt last Just because you make more money, doesn’t really mean that you can spend more. That’s just what the credit card companies want you to think. A good rule of thumb to consider is that you should avoid buying things that depreciate in value on credit. Think about it, the food you just ate isn’t increasing in value with time, but the interest you’re paying on the purchase is. Money isn’t everything Seriously. There are only so many hours in the day. As you advance in your career, you may realize that you’re not content at work anymore. You may want some time off to spend with your family, or make a family from scratch if you don’t have one already. There’s something to be said for the little pleasures in life that are free or close to it. Make sure you don’t become so involved in your job that you lose sight of what’s important to you. Before you know it, “mental health days” may be your only safety valve to prevent a nervous breakdown. Yippee! Until next time, keep those fists tight! isherr@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Photo Feature

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008

Students getting their “Irish” on at the Bomber.

A minivan being consumed by a tree.

Arthur Kai hei Kok

photos by Jamie Damaskinos

Campus Clicks This week’s theme: St. Paddy’s Day madness

An expansive shot of the Environmental Studies building from the residence green across Laurel Creek.

Lynn Thomas

Send your campus photos, along with the names of any people in them and a brief description, to photos@imprint.uwaterloo.ca.

Comics & Distractions

Crossword

Tim Foster

Across 1. Otherwise 5. Guitarist Clapton 9. Sixth letters of the Greek alphabet 14. Open from disk 15. Greek cheese 16. Playing field 17. Extended 18. Piece of information 19. Scam 20. Clay pigeon 22. Book divisions 24. All the same 26. Remunerated 27. Basket’s wicker strips 31. Breathing organ 32. Standard time (acronym) 35. Woven containers-worth 37. Equipment 38. Sits with engine running 39. Snitch 40. One of Columbus’ ships 41. Fastens with rope 42. Corrosiveness 44. Congeal 45. Journals 46. Prohibition bars, with prefix speak 47. What the buffalo do while the deer and the antelope play 48. Food and lodging business 49. Shoulder tassels 52. Today’s significant partner 57. Circumvent 58. Animal home 60. Nope opposite 61. Quite thick 62. Sigma followers 63. Close to extinction 64. Curl your lip 65. UW alternative energy program 66. Heard the one about the volcano? Down 1. Perpendicular annexes 2. Search visually

Sudoku 5

9 8 4 6 1 3 7 9 3 M.C.- (And thus my cowardice and creepiness reaches new heights!) By now you’ve most likely noticed my awkward (borderline creepy) glances. Now see here; I’m the sheriff in this here... er... region and like an outlaw, you’ve stolen my heart. It seems quite apparent that we’re fast approaching high noon and what seems to be our inevitable duel; However, this here lone ranger can’t seem to make it out of the saloon, too afraid to step out into the bright Waterloo desert sun. I’m no Clint Eastwood, but make no mistake, I’m gunnin’ for you nonetheless! To my lady in red, from the first time I saw you, I couldn’t help but be drawn to the pink Avrilesque streak in your hair. Your kickin’ shoes were clearly made for walkin’ and the oh so sultry way you eat M&M’s makes my pop-punk heart skip a pop-punk beat. Hey hey, you you, I could be your boyfriend/sk8er boi/Deryck Whibley/whatever you want me to be. In conclusion, I need you. Forever yours – GC

21 24

31 36

How are you getting geared up for summer? by Dylan Cawker

43 46

3. Not crazy 4. Polygon boundary 5. Failing grade, spelled 6. Act in response to another 7. Skin irritation 8. Medieval artillery 9. Somewhat plump 10. Made a mistake 11. Drop of eye-lubricant 12. Tail end of the intestine 13. State causing 11 down 21. British car wheels 23. Skillets 25. Ontario’s time-zone before Mar. 9 27. Death notifs. 28. Beetles song “Sexy ____” 29. Hormone-producing cells in pancreas 30. Rations 31. Hawaiian parties 32. Groups of species

Tim Foster

4 9 4

1 4

5 6

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008

33. Lusterless 34. Platters 36. Pieces 37. Safe investment options (acronym) 40. Glenn Gould’s instrument 42. Primary world electricity fuel 43. Basis of our number system 45. At greater volume 47. Not lower 48. Give forth 49. Lined up 50. Cornbread 51. Nipple (usually animals) 53. Ancient middle-east merchant city 54. Increase molecular kinetic energy 55. Work for 56. Zeus’ mother 57. Commercials 59. Twelfth of a cup

“Life stays the same — I’m in school for summer!” Elizabeth Conde 3B arts

“I’m too hungover from St. Paddy’s Day to answer.” Josh Bears

1B arts and business

Mar. 14 solutions

tfoster@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

8 6 5 1

7 2

I see you all the time at the SLC with your Tim Hortons coffee after lunch.You’ve glanced at me a couple times but I don’t know if you’ve really noticed me. Every time I see you I imagine what you’d look like while you’re pumping iron. I’ve been watching you for a long time even though we’ve never met. I’ve also tried approaching you many times but could never go through with it. I’m taking second year bio-med, so give me a call at 519573-6751 and maybe we can explore certain parts of our anatomy together. I saw you once in that Jedi costume, so finely handcrafted. You’re just missing the boots, maybe I can lend you mine. Oh tall, silly, walking one, stop slouching, wrap your long slender arms around me and whisper sweet Jedi nothings into my ear. Ditch those two white kids you walk to class with and hop in my speeder with me. I am not looking for a friend, I am looking for a Jedi Master in bed. Love, a princess of another sort. ICEKAT, It’s not selfishness — it’s entitlement

B E A R D

U N T I E

S T O P S

T O P S H O P O L I H O C O P E M E M E R A R A N

3 7 5 8 6 9 1 4 2

9 4 1 7 2 5 8 3 6

Y E R N Y D P E A R I R T E R D E E N O R T O E E

8 2 6 1 3 4 7 5 9

A R E T E

P E R M A N E N T

A V E S T A N

U E G M B A M O N A N D C A E N

1 9 7 4 5 6 2 8 3

4 3 8 2 1 7 9 6 5

R N E C S E R E L E L Y S E S T A S I T U U P P R R A D A Y E A Y D S

5 6 2 9 8 3 4 7 1

7 1 3 5 4 2 6 9 8

E A V E

P R O P A T R I A

C O N E Y S S P M I E R N O

2 5 4 6 9 8 3 1 7

A L I E N

L O R E N

“I’ve already stopped studying.”

“Looking for a house.” Peter Zhang

Jessie Faris

1A mathematics

“Practising pointing to the beach.” Justin Pedersen

“Wearing summer clothing in my house... and shopping.” Sue Chakraborta

hesitate to say hi. Love u forever and always. GEORGE ..... ;)

your famous hot sauce. Is there an animal under those chef whites? I’m sure you’re more than meets the eye. – Jorm Ahmm

2B arts and business

A H N E T S E R R E D

D E S K S

6 8 9 3 7 1 5 2 4

To my leopard print goddess. I see you everywhere! I saw you shakin’ your bootay at bomber on saturday, in that sexy leopard print top. Next time Holla atcha boy! Ballin! Stephie, you owe me chicken wings.Tonight: you, me, and some finger licking fun. --T.C. I keep seeing you at dc wearing your jersey and I try so hard to get your attention. I stare you down but when we make eye contact, you turn away. Its okay to be shy, most people are; but not me.Tell me what courses you are taking so I can take them with you, this way I can stare at you most of my day You dont know it (maybe you do) but I want to touch you... oh yea I want to touch you, and I dont care if everyone knows it either. Oh yea baby, me and you can make some butt ugly kids, but that is fine. I dont mind taking care of ugly kids, my parents did it their whole lives. I am always either hanging out with my asian friends (cuz I wish I was one) or with people of my kind... next time we make eye contact... don’t

1B physics

To my Nerdy Goddess, during Biol 373, I always try to gaze into your beautiful eyes through your beer-bottle thick glasses. When you pass by to find a seat, your perfume stimulates my olfactory bulbs and reminds me of my grandmother.Your dazzling train-track teeth brightens the dim RCH lecture hall for the 2 hours and 50 minutes. During breaks, I watch you intently, do you see me? On the night of the last class, I’ll be wearing a red sweater to signify our love, please wear red too and come talk to me. If you’re embarrassed, my sweet Goddess, and want a more “private” avenue, e-mail me at letsgetgeekyfreaky@hotmail.com. P. I watch you from a far at SJU, but in person you’re as sweet as I had always hoped. With your fiery red hair burning with passion, you remind me a rugged viking ready to pillage my heart. I wanna know if you’re as spicy as

2B arts

A.T. – It hurts to know that you have another person that admires and likes you (I.B.B.I). I have always felt a connection to you since the first time we lived together.You have ‘Wowed’ me from the beginning. I think about you and your tight pants every night on my bed. I am sure we both are perfect for each other and can test it on your new Queen bed at home.The closer I am to you, the happier I am. And I don’t get mad when I lose in NHL PS3 game against you. I know you are the best from all aspects. I’ll miss you in Brazil and will surely let you have my PS3 for the summer so that you can always think and miss me while I am way. I hope to be with you as soon as possible. – E.T.

Missed a connection? Wanna break the ice? Email mkimmich@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008

Comics & Distractions

The Imprint caption contest And the winner is...

In need of a caption... “After embarrassingly showing up to the strike wearing the same orange tank top as Jim, Joe went home to change.” — Monica Harvey, Environmental Studies

E-mail submissions along with your name, your year (e.g. 2B) and your program, under the title “caption contest,” to: mkimmich@imprint.uwaterloo.ca.

Arts & Entertainment

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008 arts@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

InTrepid times

Beginning this week, Imprint Arts will be bringing in “Spotlight On,” a new weekly feature. “Spotlight On” will highlight the ongoing events at a number of local venues, bringing you the movements of the KW scene as they unfold.

Render Gallery Duncan Ramsay assistant arts editor

Owen Cherry

B.A. Johnston entertains the Trepid House with his unique brand of folk-pop rap. Paul Parkman reporter

here is a house located just on the outskirts of Uptown Waterloo that plays host to some of the best local independent music that our region has to offer. Known as the Trepid House, or “130 King,” it has been hosting one or two shows a week for the past two and a half years over a wide spectrum of musical tastes. Jeff Woods (resident and “main Trepid House man”) started the alternative music venue with his brother “out of necessity, just because the people that originally lived here — or had friends that, or knew people from out of town or in town — that couldn’t find space to play in, weren’t getting booked, that we felt were important that they play in town, and that there was enough people that wanted to see them.” The house itself has been transformed into an alternative music venue through minor additions and uses the main living room as the stage and main audience space. About the intimate feel of the venue, Woods noted, “a lot of it’s about breaking down the artificial barriers between performers and the audiences, and allowing a real interaction between them… Music really is about interactions and a local feel and being able to interact between the performers and the audience, that’s how it’s intended to be enjoyed.” “There isn’t a ton of venue space in town right now, and we mostly want to have bands play that we feel are important and should be heard, but who might not get the chance otherwise,” Woods noted. “Plus, the bar music scene isn’t for everybody.” Every show is set up for a five dollar entry, or PWYC. “It’s a ‘Pay What You Can’ venue, because you can’t afford to go to big shows often if you’re a student,” commented Owen, another resident

of the Trepid House, who takes photographs at all the shows for the website, and is a recent UW graduate. “Usually bands leave [the house] pretty happy… they may not get paid as much as they would have in a bar, but in this town, they may even make more playing here,” noted Owen. Woods added, “We don’t take any money off the door, we give it all to the bands — so if a show doesn’t succeed it,s money out of my pocket.” One notable thing about the house is that Woods and co. are not in it to make any money – they are in it for the pure joy and love of music. Jeff holds a job at RIM and occasionally sells tricks at the magic shop within the Princess Twin to make a living, and runs the house on the side. “I’ve run shows out of basically every place I’ve lived, it’s just something I’ve been doing for a long time… I was lucky enough to live with people that were willing to put up with it, and allow so many people in to use our living space... everybody is really respectful of the place, and I think there is a pretty good understanding that we aren’t making any money at it. We get a pretty reasonable crowd out, responsible people. We haven’t had any problems.” The house is set around a good support group of friends that help out with the doors and running of shows, often working for free, and it doesn’t hurt that they are surrounded by a school, a parking lot, an auto-body shop, and an empty house. Woods likes to define the role of the house with respect to the movement towards alternative music venues recently, noting that “a lot of what drives alternative venue spaces is counter-culture ideas, or ideals that the people have. A lot of it is driven by musicians and the people that have been in the industry that aren’t satisfied with the status quo.”

The Trepid House also has a lot to do with the way music is being presented in Canada these days; Woods reflects, “the alternative venue space is naturally a big part of music in Canada, because we aren’t part of the American label system; even though it exists and extends to within Canada, that’s not really what Canadian music is about. If you look at the roots of Canadian music history, it’s forever been played in people’s houses. It’s not a new thing.” The house also hosts a three-day music festival called “Carl!” during the last weekend of April, spanning all kinds of different musical genres and walks of life which Woods lists as one of his favourite events of the year. “It’s going to be a pretty mixed line up and a pretty awesome line up this year, I’m pretty excited. There are some real gems on the list that haven’t been in town before.” In the end, Woods sums up the Trepid House, saying “the focus is on getting good music, and important music to play in town. We’re not trying to do just trendy shows, it’s about what we honestly believe is worthwhile and music that people need to hear and need to listen to… people will always respond to good music regardless of what style or genre it is.” On the success of the house, Woods added, “Most places don’t last six months, as a house show venue — it takes a lot of experience and luck… we’re doing something that is more than just appealing to 20 university kids…. we have people from all different walks of life that are doing all different kinds of things. We have people here anywhere from 16 years old to 60. It’s always a wide spectrum of people.” For more information on the Trepid House and upcoming shows, visit www. trepid.org.

hroughout the next few weeks, the UW Render Gallery will be seeing a blur of activity, beginning with the book release party for the published portion of the Pavillion Project, a collaborative work between the Render gallery and the UW Masters program of Architecture, taking place this March 18. Moving forward, this Thursday will see hardcore band FightWithBears bring Render’s latest exhibit DEADERER to a crashing close with a live recording session in-gallery. Finally, Render will end the term by hosting the 07/08 Graduation Exhibition, featuring the collective works of the fine arts fourth year class. The Pavillion Project represents a thus far unique collaboration between the Render gallery and the UW Masters in Architecture. Challenged by Render curator Prof. Andrew Hunter to create a portable studio usable for a variety of purposes within the gallery, students within the program created a cubic structure, expandable to 24 feet on a side, that incorporates various media, computer and work related stations. The project, created through a seminar led by Prof. Hunter, was fully documented in an illustrated book, The Pavillion Project designed by Lisa Hirmer and released this Tuesday. Next, as DEADERER comes to a close this Thursday, Render will be commemorating the occasion with a live performance by FightWithBears. The exhibit, which deals with music, violence and youth culture, will be turned into a recording studio for the night, bringing the death metal influences present in the exhibit into hardcore reality. The final exhibit of the year, the 07/08 Graduation Exhibition, will open Friday March 28 from 5 to 8 p.m., and will run from 12 to 4 p.m. during the week until April 4. The exhibit will feature a wide variety of styles and mediums, encompassing the entire breadth of the fine arts faculty. The exhibition will feature in both the Render and the Modern Languages galleries. dramsay@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

CKMS: mixing it up Daniel Simac reporter

t is unfortunate for CKMS-FM, but many students first discover the campus radio station after paying their first tuition and fee bill, where one of the fees is the CKMS-FM fee. For Steve Krysak, however, this did not provoke any annoyance, but rather, intrigue. A couple of clicks later, after exploring the CKMS website, and completing the online application, Krysak was on track to becoming a volunteer for CKMSFM. “I’ve always had a passion for music, and this seemed like a good idea to me,” said Krysak, who was also interested in pursuing a career in broadcasting before coming to the University of Waterloo. Krysak’s show, Mixed Frequencies, mainly focuses on independent Canadian bands both from Waterloo and the GTA. Krysak, who considers his show a resource for local bands, actively seeks and invites bands to be showcased on his show, especially for his feature, “Now Hear This,” where a band deserving of attention, according to Krysak, is presented. Krysak explains, “The show is based on what I would want to hear on the radio, mainly, less talk, and more music!” With 25-30 songs per show, which is two hours in length, Krysak is fulfilling his major goal of providing music, besides exposing local talent. The playlist for the show builds during the week before the show, slowly being filled with music Krysak hears and likes. New releases from the CKMS music library, and bands that have messaged Krysak on MySpace, are also regularly included. Of course, Krysak said, “There are the mainstays that I play a lot, bands like the Weakerthans, and Better Friends Than Lovers, who have a lot of great tracks which deserve the air time.” CKMS-FM is definitely no stranger to exposing local talent, connecting the campus and community, and Krysak agrees, “I would think the most rewarding thing as a volunteer for CKMS is the ability to give a band its first break. Campus radio is an integral part of the independent music scene and I love that I can be a part of that.” Krysak is just one of the many who would agree. Tune in at 100.3 FM on the radio dial, channel 946 on Rogers Digital Cable, or online at www.ckmsfm.uwaterloo.ca from 6 to 8 a.m. Wednesday mornings.

Arts & Entertainment

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008

Alberta selling out Tar Sands: The Selling of Alberta Tom Radford CBCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DocZone

eter Raymontâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest documentary, Tar Sands: The Selling of Alberta, premiered Thursday March 13 on CBCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Doc Zone. Directed by the Edmonton-based Tom Radford, and produced by the Emmy-Award winning Peter Raymont (awarded the Emmy for Shake Hands with the Devil: the Journey of Romeo Dallaire), the one hour film tracks the expansion of northern Albertaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tar sands mega-project and raises questions about the implications for Canadian sovereignty. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scary how quietly this colossal project has grown out of control. While we werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t watching, Albertaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unconventional oil reserves have become the nexus of a tangled web of economic, environmental, political, and social interests. Radford and Raymont begin Tar Sands: The Selling of Alberta with Fort McMurrayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oozing bituminous tar sands, earth-chewing machinery, and non-stop workweek. To separate the oil from the earth, boreal forest must be cut down, land torn up, water pumped out of the Athabasca River and natural gas consumed. The oil sands are the single largest source of greenhouse

gas emissions in Canada. In this â&#x20AC;&#x153;energy el dorado,â&#x20AC;? the storyline takes us into Washington, D.C. boardrooms where politicians and businessmen market the tar sands as the solution to American energy security worries. Further to pristine Norway, where public ownership of oil reserves and a philosophy of contained development have led to continued prosperity. Next, to Beijing, where the need for more oil could make the Chinese Albertaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest customer. The film features interviews with stakeholders including: former Alberta Premier Peter Lougheed (1971-1985); oil broker Paul Michael Wihbey, President of U.S. Company GWEST; Stig Bergseth, Senior VP of STATOIL, Norwayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest oil company; Newfoundland premier Danny Williams; and oil sands workers from Alberta and Newfoundland. Absent from the narrative are the voices of First Nations and international migrant workers. With Anne-Marie Macdonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s narration of darkly clichĂŠ phrases such as, â&#x20AC;&#x153;whoever controls the tar sands controls the world,â&#x20AC;? and foreboding background music, The Selling of Alberta sends a message of impending doom. Hyperbolic, perhaps. Raymont and Radford clearly have an agenda. As I watched greasy politicians with dollar signs in their eyes

courtesy CBC

Trades people at a Syncrude work site in Fort McMurray in Tar Sands: The Selling of Alberta. make clumsy dealings about the fate of Alberta and Canada, I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help but feel terrified and outraged. Perhaps fear is the best wake-up call and Albertans and Canadians as a whole need our heads to be yanked out of the sands. The documentary states that if the

tar sands are included among Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conventional oil reserves, that Canada will be launched from 21st to 2nd place in the world as an energy power, second only to Saudi Arabia. And as the world wrestles for a piece of the boom, as Calgary journalist An-

drew Nikiforuk says in the film, there will be winners and losers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The environment is a loser, water users in Alberta are losers. Democracy itself is a loser because the more dependent a country becomes on a single resource the more oil begins to make the decisions.â&#x20AC;?

New media outlet for Arts and the Humanities Crissy Schneider reporter

he Boar magazine is the latest student publication endeavour to come out of the Faculty of Arts, with Ashley Csanady at the helm as editor-in-chief. The goal of the Boar is to provide a medium for Arts students to learn more about the magazine publication process. The Boarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s content will be divided into five sections; The Coffee Shop, The Library, The Gallery, The Forum and The Pub. The Coffee Shop will focus on fiction and poetry, film, music, literary criticism, and foreign language content. The Library will include content based in the humanities and social science, including political commentary, historical inquiry, and sociological musings. The Gallery will devote itself to the visual arts, photography, art history, and criticism. The Forum will be just that; a forum for

opinions, comments, and letters to the editor. And lastly there is The Pub for fun and miscellaneous content including games, puzzles, and comics. I had the opportunity to discuss with Csanady where the idea for starting a campus magazine came from. She mentioned the frustration she was experiencing with the environment at Imprint and was â&#x20AC;&#x153;looking for something else to do on campus.â&#x20AC;? It was suggested that she get involved with ASU who were â&#x20AC;&#x153;immediately supportive.â&#x20AC;? She also said â&#x20AC;&#x153;it seemed absurd that the faculty of arts, which would seem the most logical to have its own publication, didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. The Boar is an effort to fill that void, and give arts students a medium through which to express themselves. We do not report on campus [events], but aim to strike a balance in content between the arts and the humanities. We run everything from op-ed pieces, to photography, to features based analysis, to criticism, to

creative writing, to graphic art... the possibilities are really endless.â&#x20AC;? Inspiration for her vision for the Boar came from The Walrus, Adbusters and The Atlantic. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The final result is both better and worse than my original aspirations, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just getting on its feet and I think it will only bloom over the coming terms.â&#x20AC;? Some of the challenges faced in getting the magazine off the ground are according to Ashley still â&#x20AC;&#x153;ahead of [them].â&#x20AC;? Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve â&#x20AC;&#x153;gotten the ball

rolling by getting the first issue out, but long-term sustainability is still shaky until [they] get the advertisers and the volunteer base behind [them].â&#x20AC;? She also said that â&#x20AC;&#x153;as bureaucratic as UW can be, getting the Boar off the ground was definitely very fast. Without the assistance of the ASU and the generous grant from the Arts Endowment Fund, it never would have happened so quickly. The biggest challenge was really getting people behind us to get the first issue out.â&#x20AC;?

As of right now the magazine will be published once a term. The first issue hits the stands on Friday, March 21. Copies can be picked up at arts buildings, the SLC, and a few locations in uptown. The Boar hopes to have online publishing bi-monthly by the end of the summer. Eventually Ashley would like to see a monthly print version with weekly web updates. Anyone interested in donating or volunteering should e-mail Csanady at theboarmagazine@gmail.com.

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Arts & Entertainment

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008

Fantastic ink

or the most part, almost everyone has seen, read, or witnessed a science-fiction or fantasy story. It’s come to us in books, movies, toys, T-shirts, and a whole slew of items including comics. However, from what I’ve seen, most of these sci-fi/fantasy products derive themselves from major franchises that didn’t start as comics, and that makes perfect sense. If an idea such as Star Wars becomes that popular, why not make hundreds upon hundreds of comics based on it to crank up the franchise? Even I own a couple of these comics, but with a slight bit of regret. I don’t know how big these webcomics will ever be in terms of major franchises, but while I’ve mentioned a few of these comics, such as Dominic Deegan: Oracle for Hire (Terracciano; www.dominic-deegan.com) and Earthsong (Yates; www.earthsongsaga.com), I wanted to talk about a few fantasy and sci-fi webcomics that have been some of my favourite bits of literature for a good amount of time. One comic that I briefly mentioned in my column last week has become a good favourite of mine, and it explores a very common sci-fi/futuristic theme that’s gotten a lot of hype for the past years. Sault Ste. Marie’s Jenny Romanchuk writes and draws The Zombie Hunters (www.thezombiehunters.com), the story of a group of soldiers in a world

under years of torment after a zombie infestation. The artwork has recently been upgraded in skill and detail, but Romanchuk’s work was never shy of skill to begin with, complete with natural characters, great settings, and a whole lot of gore. The reason I wanted to talk about this comic specifically is that Romanchuk has included with her comic an encyclopedia of the world she writes. She’s created heavily-detailed lore within her story, complete with different military classes and zombie types. It’s a great read, but I may want to recommend the faint of heart to keep back from this comic. When I say there’s a lot of gore, I mean it, which is why I enjoy her work so very much. The Phoenix Requiem (www.seraphinn.com) is a webcomic by Sarah Ellerton, the same artist and author of another fantasy webcomic I’ve mentioned called Inverloch. TPR is a lot different from its predecessor however because it takes place in a 19th-century industrial-age setting, although there is some form of link between the mythos within both comics. Currently, there isn’t much within the comic that relates it to Inverloch, but there has been mention of the Da’kor, a race of beings used in Ellerton’s previous webcomic. To summarize the story, it follows the events of a small town called Esk, where a man is found

injured by the forest and the town undergoes a sudden and abnormal plague as ghosts begin to haunt the town. As of today, the comic has gone past the 100-page marker, and it’s no surprise that Ellerton’s work is still as entertaining as it’s always been. The last webcomic I want to talk about today is one that’s been around for a few years that I’ve just recently caught up to in reading. Zap! (www. zapinspace.com) is a sci-fi webcomic written by Chris L. and illustrated by Pascalle C., and it revolves around the character Zap Wexler, a guy with amnesia and a lack of common sense, who happens to be a psychic and is chosen by chance to be the captain of a starship and crew that he randomly meets. The artwork is a bit archaic in the earlier pages, but there’s been a lot of improvement in Pascalle’s colouring and drawing in the past year’s comic pages, becoming some of my favourite comic art recently. If you’re looking for comedy, fantasy, sci-fi, and romance, this comic pretty much has it all. Comics are a great form of expressing imagination, so writing and drawing a webcomic on fantasy and science fiction should be only natural. From what I’ve read, it’s still really good. ptrinh@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Say what?

s I’m sure any English major will tell you, language evolves. Though nobody is really 100 per cent sure where language began, they’re sure that it’s always changing. Not only do the words change, but so do the methods we have to manipulate them. We all experience the complexity of rhetoric on a daily basis whether we realize it or not. Advertisements, essays, discussions with friends, television programs — all forms of conveying a message through language and symbolism. Just like I mentioned last week, video games are emerging as a new form of storytelling for our society. However, in addition to their potential for conveying epic tales, they also serve as great rhetorical platforms. First, we all know of the advertising side of gaming. Sponsors endorse our fave (and not so fave) titles and as a result we are doomed to stealth past that giant AXE billboard in Splinter Cell. There are yet still more in-your-face versions of in-game advertisement at play in the gaming world — something of great debate today. What’s more important for my point however, is the actual fact of video games themselves as advertisement. Today’s youth are less likely to pay attention and absorb informa-

tion from commercials, banner or Google ads than their parents were. Advertising companies are becoming increasingly aware of this and have found gaming to be a medium which actually gets into kids’ heads. Let alone the simple aspects of tossing in a real-life movie poster or product endorsement in the game, how can we forget ventures like Burger King’s King games? Truth be told, most of these advertising rhetorical devices are pretty harmless, but there are always those who’ll use gaming for more than just product placement. As much as advertisers have quickly picked up on the selling abilities of the gaming market, political and religious organizations have picked up on it as well. Gaming provides a perfect medium to convey a very distinct message, shrouded in flashy graphics, hardened characters and alternate-reality storylines. Politically, gaming can serve as a perfect platform to help people become more passive and adjusted when facing war times. In WWI and WWII, people were less likely to be able to actually kill someone on the battlefield than the troops of today are. See RHETORIC, page 25

Study music for the weary student

he giant looming pressure of exams is nearly on our backs and in our back-packs at this time of year. Soon we will be grabbing at our shoulder straps to relieve the weight of textbooks from our academically over-slopped shoulders, as we trudge to DP. Yes, the stress is nearly upon us and with it comes tempting ideas of dropping out. Solutions of starting a rock-band or becoming a professional Pogs player in the

underground circuit dilute the mind. You think, “if I just spend six hours a day practising my chords or if I just upgrade to a metal slammer, I will be successful, and probably famous without the hassle of school.” Well, you’re wrong, because my parents tell me so. What you really need in this upcoming time of doubt is some chilled out study music. I suggest “Twenty Two Fourteen” by The Album Lead Lead Leaf at the beginning of February for

similar situations, but here are a few more suggestions for the long haul. The idea with this type of study music and this kind of study break is not to launch a full-out rebellion against schoolwork with spastic angry dancing to spastic angry music – although this may have its place in your study ritual. The idea is to sit back, relax, and recharge for a minute while your brain recovers from whatever it is you’re studying. “Alone in Kyoto” from the 2004 album Walkie Talkie by Air is a good song for this type of break. It’s an instrumental track with a soft repetitious sound which means there are no words to sing along to and you’re not going to be distracted by the song’s build-up and subsequent

apex. “Alone in Kyoto” appeared in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation, and is just one of many excellent tracks from Air. This year, Moon Safari, one of Walkie Talkie’s predecessors, will be reissued as a three disc set with bonus items to celebrate the album’s success as it sold two million copies in 10 years. This success should show that if “Alone in Kyoto” doesn’t grab you, surely another song by Air will. Similar to Air, Explosions In The Sky should have a few songs that may aid in your de-stressing. The band is from Austin Texas and likes to keep it simple. Falling into the post-rock genre, the southern foursome generally plays three electric guitars and a set of drums, venturing into the world of the electric bass guitar only on rare occasions. While this instrument selection may seem restrictive, it does not damper the band’s creativity as many of their songs are melodically adventurous. For studying purposes I recommend the less adventurous tune “Your Hand in Mine” from the 2003 album The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place. It’s eight minutes and 17 seconds, and worthy of making your de-stress playlist. If the potent sound of the electric guitar

becomes too distracting however, you may find the tune better suited for working on essays and assignments where your mind may be more active and less likely to travel. Finally, the soothing track, “Soul and Onward” from the 2002 LP entitled & Yet & Yet by Do Make Say Think. If this song doesn’t chill you out, perhaps you should consider the spastic route to de-stressing that was mentioned above. Do Make Say Think is a postrock instrumental group originating from Toronto. Established in ‘95, the band has gained a sizable audience with its wide range of sound. Using wind instruments such as the saxophone, flute, and trumpet along with the guitar, drums, bass, and violin, DMST is able to offer a diverse sound to listeners. This is evident in “Soul and Onward” which incorporates most of the above mentioned musical instruments in a easy-paced track. Although the songs of DMST are difficult to track down on the net, for a low-quality preview of the band’s work there are quite a few live performances taped by audience members available on YouTube. ktremblay@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

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Arts & Entertainment 25 Rhetoric: gaming

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008

CD Reviews

though both versions are commonly acceptable. What’s most interesting about these terms is what gaming has done to the already existing language. Often these words will find their way back into the general populace’s speech coding with refreshed meanings. Many a hardcore gamer will find too that these gaming words can drop into everyday speech. While this can be slightly alienating for non-gamers in the conversation, gamers can often bond further with the use of gaming terminology in real life activities. The next time you let “n00b” fall into an every day conversation, don’t fret; just look at the bigger picture. With language evolving just like everything else, it is only natural that videogames are being used as a rhetorical item to further social ideals, cultural messages and sub-culture vernacular too. Just be careful not to alienate your non-gaming buds with a “wtfp4wnd” attitude when they ask you to stop “QQing” because you’re worried you’ll “aggro” your significant other after “fragging” too much last night on Xbox LIVE. Relationships are “OP.”

Continued from page 24

Nine Inch Nails Ghosts I-IV

Madonna Hard Candy

Goldfrapp Seventh Tree

Independent

Warner Bros.

Mute

arch 2, 2008 saw the surprise release of a new album from industrial alt rockers Nine Inch Nails. Without any prior notifications, front man Trent Reznor dropped a 36-track instrumental album on the world. Ghosts I-IV has the feel of every classic Nine Inch Nails album neatly wrapped into four different sections. The album epitomizes the sounds that made albums like The Downward Spiral and The Fragile such resounding classics. Nine Inch Nails connoisseurs will recognize some of the disjointed and haunting jazz work that was present in Reznor’s work on the soundtrack for the movie Lost Highway. From a technical standpoint, the album is certainly no masterpiece. Then again, the appeal of Nine Inch Nails has never really been technical mastery. Reznor’s intuitive sense and successful embodiment of raw emotion is what makes his music so epic. The album opens with a slow-burning number that sets the tone for the remainder of the album. This song’s slow and melancholy piano work is set to a steady ambient background of a woman’s haunting singing. Much of NIN’s heavier sound is present on this album as well. In fact, Reznor does a throw back to classic industrial music by using heavy, metallic, drumbeats that sound like they were recorded straight from a factory. Check out track 19 for a volatile, static-filled beat full of volatility and sharp rhythmic beats featuring the drummer from the Dresden Dolls. Overall, the album has captured a wide range of emotions within a spectrum of unique sounds. Reznor stays true to his roots while experimenting and expanding on his potential. It is a truly bold musical project and is certainly worth a listen.

adonna is back and she is still the definition of sex. With her new album, Hard Candy, scheduled for release towards the end of April, Madonna successfully conquers the arena of crunk-infused pop, delivering hot songs such as “4 Minutes” and “Candy Shop” that are impossible to avoid dancing to. Madonna, traditionally an artist who works alone, has opened up her latest album to include collaborations with some of today’s biggest megastars such as Pharrell, Kanye West, Timbaland and Justin Timberlake. The first single, “4 Minutes,” is a high energy, multi-layered, urgent duet with Justin Timberlake that showcases about everything but Madonna’s voice. The new sound Madonna has experimented with on this track and others on the album comes naturally for Timberlake and producer Timbaland, but has a tendency to override Madonna’s presence on some of the higher energy songs. Madonna finds the perfect mix between the production overload of “4 Minutes” and the too-brightspotlight on Madonna’s lackluster vocals that was found on American Life and some tracks of Confessions on a Dance Floor on this latest album with the track “Beat Goes On” featuring Pharrell. In total, I’d say pick this album up when it comes out; it might not be perfect, but it is still Madonna. And I mean, come on – that is MORE than enough reason to buy an album.

n their fourth album, Seventh Tree, the British duo Goldfrapp try a lot of new things. First, it should be plainly stated that if you bought this album looking to hear the heavy beats and danceable tunes that shot them to notoriety, this is not the right album for you. If you want to hear Will Gregory and Alison Goldfrapp revisit the slow, ambient sounds of their earlier work, or generally enjoy unhurried electronic music, then this might be the album you’ve been looking for. Breaking away from traditional dance music is difficult for many artists, but essential to their longevity as musicians, and it is a feat accomplished by Goldfrapp on this album. The songs are mostly very light and reminiscent of summer, which can be seen on songs like “Caravan Girl” and “Road to Somewhere.” The album opens with the song “Clowns” (which I suspect contains no real lyrics but instead a collection of gibberish words thrown together, a concept used again in the song “Eat Yourself ”), a song that sets the tone for the rest of the album – relaxed, experimental and enjoyable. The first single from the album, “A&E,” although using more upbeat and synthesized sounds than the majority of the songs on the album, also has a fresh sound that wasn’t present on any of Goldfrapp’s earlier albums. In total, this is an album worth picking up for summer road trips as the songs lend themselves to being played again and again during the countless hours that can go by in vehicles. I’d also recommend the album to anyone looking to break their mindset away from the bleak Canadian cold in the months before the actual weather catches up.

— Travis Myers

I’m not trying to say video games incite violence, as I feel quite the opposite, but what I will say from this is that it is rather convenient how desensitized gaming can make us towards real war. The U.S. Military took full advantage of this when they released their own game America’s Army based on real military methods. The religious sector has done this as well with games like the post-Armageddon RTS (real-time strategy) Left Behind: Eternal Forces. Just like political cartoons, comic books and televised programs from generations prior, gaming can also serve as a medium to convey messages about the world around us. Not only can people use gaming to manipulate people’s opinions, they can also be used to manipulate our language in turn. There are countless words and speech patterns that have developed from the gaming world. Each genre of game, even, has its own dialect of the gaming code. Fragging, kiting, buffing, aggro, boom-sticks, Easter eggs — all terms developed and tweaked by the gaming industry. Even the term “video game” 1/4RENT_imprint:Layout 2/19/08 itself has evolved into a single1word,

12:11 PM Page 1 jrickert@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

— Travis Myers

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Campus Bulletin ANNOUNCEMENTS

“Morning Drive Radio Show” – 6:30 to 9 a.m., www.ckmsfm.ca, click on webcast for the latest news, traffic, school closures, interviews and a great mix of music! To get your important events on the air, e-mail morningdrivel@yahoo.ca. If you have an interesting person that CKMS should interview call 519-884-2567 between 6:30 to 9 a.m....qualify for a prize! Need help with your tax return? KW Access-Ability is hosting free income tax clinics for persons with low incomes. For info/appointment call 519-885-6770. The Grand House Student Co-operative is a non-profit housing co-op comprised of architecture students from UW, community members and professionals. Workshops are being organized on environmental techniques, solar power, non-toxic materials and more. For info/registration visit the website at www.grandhouse. wacsa.org. Napkin Books is currently accepting manuscripts for its next publication cycle. Publishing Canadian writers of sci-fi, horror and fantasy genres. To apply see the application process on the website www.napkinbooks.com. The Greater K-W Chamber of Commerce is presenting a curling event with great prizes. For info call Laura at 519-749-6035 or www.greaterkwchamber.com or lrichards@greaterkwchamber.com. Nominations are requested for the following graduate student seats on Senate: two graduate students of the University to be elected by/from the full and part-time graduate students of the University, terms from May 1, 2008 to April 30, 2010. Nomination forms are available from the Secretariat (ext 36125) and from the Secretariat webpage; see http:// ww.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/elections/nomelections.htm. At least five nominators are required in each case. Nominations should be sent to the Secretariat, Needles Hall, room 3060, no later than 3 p.m., Friday, March 28. Elections will follow if necessary. Graduate student senators whose terms expire April 30, 2008: Rashid Rehan (Civil and Environmental Engineering), Craig Sloss* (Combinatorics and Optimization). *not eligible for re-election having served for two consecutive terms. Have you lost a baby? Bereaved Families of Ontario is now taking registra-

tions for our Spring Support Group for Parents who are grieving the death of a baby starting April 30th. Registrations need to be received by April 21st. Call 519-894-8344 for more information or visit our website: www. bfomidwest.org.

UPCOMING

Friday, March 21, 2008 UW Accounting Conference: May 2-4 weekend at Delta Hotel, Kitchener. Case competition with accounting/business students from across Canada, with keynote speaker Phil King! Sign-up booth in SLC on Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m. Registration ends March 21, 2008. Come & play in support of literacy! KWWLC is holding a Scrabble tournatment. Registration begins at 6:45 p.m. and awards will be given out at 8:50 p.m. Participants are encouraged to donate to Frontier College. Tax receipts are issues for donations of $20. Located at 225 Frobisher Driver, Waterloo. RSVP with Andrew by Friday, March 21, 2008 by email at andrew@kw.igs.net. Thursday March 27, 2008 DesignCamp Waterloo is an informal, open-forum opportunity for student and professional digital designers to gather, talk, and show off their work to likeminded folks. Register to attend at www. designcampwaterloo.com. 4:30 - 7:30 pm, Tatham Centre, room 2218. Friday, March 28, 2008 Women in Politics: panel discussion in Student Life Centre, Great Hall from 2 to 4 p.m. Brought to you by student volunteers and the One Waterloo Campaign. Politicians from various levels of government have been invited to speak on diverse issues pertaining to women working in politics, their experiences and ways for students to get involved. Question/answer session. All welcome! United Nations International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination. All day starting at 8:30 a.m. at Kitchener’s City Hall. From 3 to 6 p.m. is the “Freedom of Speech” panel discussion. A detailed full day programs can be viewed at www.crosscultures.ca. RSVP to (519) 748-9520 or by email to crosscultures@ bellnet.ca. April 2008 Used books wanted for CFUW Book Sale, April 18-19 at First United Church, King and William Street. Drop off donations at church (back door) April 16 and 17. For info call 519-740-5249. No textbooks please.

Friendly, Energetic, Reliable Person Required Immediately! to work an indoor booth at St. Jacob’s Farmers Market. Dead Sea Salts and Therapeutic Bath Products: see our website: www.thehealingbath.ca Saturdays 6:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. (immediately), Thursdays (beginning May 1) with additional days possible during the summer. $10/hour + 5% commission Must provide own transportation. Please call Teresa at 519-276-9015 and/or e-mail your resume to: the healingbath@gmail.com

Monday, April 7, 2008 Faculty of Arts Class of 2008. Come celebrate your accomplishments with UW President David Johnston, Dean of Arts Ken Coates, Alumnus Gerry Remers, President and Chief Operating Officer, Christie Digital. Register with mobriens@watarts.uwaterloo.ca or on Facebook. Sunday, April 21, 2008 You are invited to attend a special meeting of the Waterloo Wellington LHIN Board of Directors with special guest speaker, Dr. Alan Hudson, Lead, Access to Services and Wait Time Strategy. The session will be of particular interest to hospital boards, senior leadership teams, hospital surgical programs, emergency department staff, and physicians. 190 College Street East, Guelph at 6:00 p.m. RSVP with Kate Borthwick by April 21, 2008 by email or phone. kate.borthwick@ lhins.on.ca or 519-822-6208 ext 212. Friday, April 25, 2008 Call for Nominations! 10th Annual Independant living awards, hosted on June 5th by the Independent Living Centre of Waterloo Region (ILCWR). The awards recognize individuals, organizations and businesses that help make a difference for people with disabilities. The seven award categories are: Barrier Free Access, Community Partner, Distinguished Volunteer, Influential Advocate, Skills Development, Outstanding Individual, and Staff Recognition. All nominations must be received by ILCWR by April 25, 2008. Visit www. ilcwr.org or phone 519-571-6788 or email Kristen@ilcwr.org.

VOLUNTEER Volunteer with a child at their school and help improve their self-esteem and confidence. One to three hours a week commitment. Call Canadian Mental Health 519-744-7645, ext 229. City of Waterloo, 519-888-6488 or volunteer@city.waterloo.on.ca has many volunteer opportunities. Check out the website today. Volunteer Action Centre, 519-7428610 or www.volunteerkw.ca, has many opportunities available – visit the website or call today! The Kitchener Youth Action Council is currently seeking volunteers aged 14-24 who are concerned about issues facing youth and young adults across Kitchener. For more info e-mail youth@kitchener.ca. 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 519744-7645, ext 300. The tri-Pride Community Association is looking for people to get involved with various projects leading up to Pride Week 2008 which will take place during the month of June. For more info e-mail info@triPride.ca or www.tri-Pride.ca. Local Red Cross Youth Group – want to volunteer in the community? Raise local awareness about International issues? Between 16

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008 ads@imprint.uwaterloo.ca and 25 years of age? E-mail Lisa.Allen@red.cross.ca.

COUNSELLING SERVICES English Language Proficiency Program (ELPP) – all workshops are scheduled between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. For more info/registration call 519-8884567, ext 32655 or kmaclean@uwaterloo.ca or ext 33245.

CHURCH SERVICE St. Bede’s chapel at Renison College offers worship on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. or take a break midweek with a brief silence followed by Celtic noon prayers on Wednesdays. Come and walk the labyrinth the second Thursday of each month, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more info contact Megan at 519-884-4404, ext 28604 or www.renison.uwaterloo.ca/ministry-centre.

Classified HELP WANTED

SERVICES

Weekend counsellors and relief staff to work in homes for individuals with developmental challenges. Minimum eight-month commitment. Paid positions. Send resume to Don Mader, K-W Habilitation Services, 108 Sydney Street, Kitchener, ON, N2G 3V2. Fun, games, sports and crafts with after-school children at Laurelwood Public School. Only a short walk from UW. Interested persons should leave a message at 519-741-8997. Employment opportunity – Success is Mine Textiles is looking for sales reps, bookkeeping, clerks, account manager, computer specialists and employees with business skills. Email resume to oguns4mine@yahoo.com. Weekends – permanent, part-time for varied shifts. Must be energetic, work independently and have good communication skills. Drop resume off at Club Willowells, 40 Blue Springs Drive, Waterloo (beside East Side Mario’s on King). Accountant representative, sales representative, store keeper, clerk and secretary needed. Must be computer literate, along with CV. For more info e-mail gina.limited@ gmail.com. Teach in Japan! Canada interviews – INTERAC, Japan’s leading private provider of teachers to Japanese public schools, is interviewing individuals of Caribbean descent in Canada for Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) positions starting in September 2008. A Bachelor’s degree is a MUST to apply for these positions. An attractive remuneration package is offered for experienced and qualified professionals. Qualifications: Native speaker of English with a BA/ BSc (or equivalent) of 12 years education in the medium of English. Have a passion for teaching school children and a strong desire to live and work in Japan. Apply online at www.interac.co.jp/recruit. Deadline date is April 10, 2008.

TechTown Dentistry – “Smile With Confidence” – welcoming new patients. Complete dental care including whitening and Invisilign, the invisible way to straighten your teeth. Located at 340 Hagey Boulevard, R&T Park, UW. Contact us at info@techtowndentistry.com or 519-746-7333.

LOST & FOUND

Found: a bracelet in REN 2102. E-mail description and contact information to wordchick@gmail.com (put “bracelet” in the subject line) and I’ll get it back to you.

COURSE INFO

SP-100 Forest Firefighting course to be held in London, Ontario March 1216, 2008 and Waterloo, Ontario March 19-23, 2008. Course will be held during evening hours during the week. To register, please call Wildfire Specialists Inc., 2233 Radar Road, Suite 5, Hanmer, Ontario, P3P 1R2, toll free 1-877381-5849. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources accredited. No guarantee of employment.

HOUSING

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 Darlene or Joanne at 519-746-1411 for more details. Summer sublet, May to August 2008, at 31 High Street, Waterloo. $300 plus utilities (negotiable) Call Jason at 519208-5017 or kenkaniff02@hotmail. com. San Diego housing – five bedroom, three bathroom furnished home with pool, jacuzzi, big screen TV, wireless internet, cable, washer and dryer, FREE calls to Canada! Available May 1 – pictures available. E-mail slukas62@gmail. com.

1 week left in the winter term!

Science & Technology

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008 science@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

UW res, greenest of them all? UW college residences take first place in regional Residence Reduction Challenge

Adrienne Raw science & tech editor

stonishment and delight was the response to UW’s recent win in the Residence Reduction Challenge, a recent sustainability initiative at UW. The grand prize, a solar panel, was awarded to UW on March 14 in a ceremony that marked the end of the University of Waterloo Sustainability Project’s (UWSP) Green Week. Of the three universities that participated in the challenge — UW, the University of Guelph, and Queen’s University — UW won the grand prize in the competition by demonstrating the greatest overall reduction in energy and water consumption. The Residence Reduction Challenge, currently in its inaugural year, is a two-month long event that started in January of this year. The challenge was organized by UWSP, a Feds service dedicated to sustainability on campus, and the Sierra Youth Coalition, a youth organization that encourages a sustainable society in Canada. The purpose of the event is to demonstrate to students that simple behavioural changes can reduce their ecological footprint and promote sustainability on campus. Over 750 students living at four UW residences — Conrad Grebel, Renison, St. Paul’s, and St.

This accomplishment really speaks to the passion and commitment of these students to making a difference.” — Lindsay Restagno, director of operations at St. Paul’s College Jerome’s — participated in the challenge. The Residence Reduction Challenge was partially funded by the Ontario Ministry of Energy that contributed $16,000 to the Residence Reduction Challenge through a community conservation grant. UWSP coordinator Rob Blom (full disclosure: also Imprint staff liaison) and other project coordinators have high hopes of gaining another grant from the Ministry of Energy to run the project a second time. The challenge involved an external compe-

tition between the three universities to reduce water and electricity use and an internal competition between UW’s residences to reduce waste. Water and energy reduction were easily measured through the utility bills from each college, but measuring waste reduction was much more difficult… and dirty. Ben Tolton, a waste auditor and UWSP volunteer who waded into dumpsters and tore apart garbage bags to tally the contents, said “The findings ranged from astonishing to humorous, but in some cases disappointing.” Still, auditors found that much more was being recycled than being thrown out, which made the dirty work worth it. The Residence Reduction Challenge marks UW’s involvement in the broader Campus Climate Challenge taking place at 600 campuses in the U.S. and Canada. The Campus Climate Challenge, a project of the Energy Action Coalition that is in its second year, aims to create a clean and renewable energy future by bringing forward local and regional climate policies. UW was a last minute addition to the challenge. The original third competitor, the University of Western Ontario, withdrew and Monique Woolnough, Ontario Sustainable Campuses Coordinator for the Sierra Youth Coalition (SYC), approached UW about participating in the challenge. Blom jumped on the project immediately and began inviting UW residences to join the challenge. For Marco Melfi, Residence Life co-ordinator at St. Paul’s College, the challenge “embodied what St. Paul’s is about — a small but strong community who works together — and reflected [their] partnerships with the Faculty of Environmental Studies[.]” Once he found out about the challenge, he contacted Blom, who invited St. Paul’s to take part in the challenge. During the challenge, he acted as liaison between the challenge’s organizers and the staff and students of St. Paul’s. The Residence Reduction Challenge officially began in January. For two months, students from the three southern-Ontario universities worked to reduce their water and energy consumption. The reduction in energy and water consumption was largely the result of small lifestyle changes — from keeping windows closed and turning off lights to taking shorter showers and turning off the taps when brushing their teeth. It doesn’t seem like much, but small behavioural changes like these really do make a difference. The results were impressive. Residents from St. Jerome’s reduced their water consumption by 18 per cent, while residents from Conrad Grebel reduced their electricity consumption by 4.1 per cent. Of the four UW residences, St. Paul’s College

courtesy of andrew lee

UWSP volunteer Allysa Roth (left) and UWSP co-coordinator Mathieu Poirier (right) suffer through wind and cold as they sort through Renison College’s recycling to calculate the waste reduction for the Residence Reduction Challenge.

courtesy Ashlea Hegedus-Viola

UWSP volunteers and waste auditors weigh and record the waste at St. Paul’s College to calculate waste reduction as part of the Residence Reduction Challenge. managed the most astounding reduction, reducing their water consumption by 62 per cent. “[The students’] accomplishment really speaks to the passion and commitment of these students to making a difference,” said Lindsay Restagno, director of operations at St. Paul’s College. Restagno also added that she was “… not at all surprised to see UW students come out on top.” As much as the success of the Residence Reduction Challenge was the result of the initiative and drive of the students involved, the co-ordinators and staff behind the scenes were also crucial to UW’s success. “This project has facilitated a much closer relationship between students and staff and administrators, who were immensely supportive throughout[,]” said Woolnough. Staff like Melfi and the residence dons promoted the event and kept students motivated through floor meetings, posters, and the St. Paul’s Source, the monthly newsletter. Melfi describes the staff ’s reaction to the significant reduction evidenced in the statistics as “a combination of excitement and shock[.] But there was also satisfaction in that.” “[T]his couldn’t have succeeded without the help of key individuals — all of whom came together to result in a resounding success for sustainability,” said Blom. The biggest value of the Residence Reduction Challenge, said Blom, is “that through hard work and determination, a culture of environmentalism is attainable at a student level here at the University of Waterloo.” UWSP co-coordinator Mathieu Poirier, who helped conduct waste audits of St. Paul’s, St. Jerome’s and Renison, and compile the electrical and water usage data, commented that, “The main benefits of this challenge are that everyone involved has come away with a greater knowledge of our impact on the environment, and that students have become aware of how small changes can make a difference.” Tolton hopes that “… students will recognize that making more environmentally responsible lifestyle choices does not mean a life of sacrifices or reduced standards of living.” Co-ordinators also hope that the benefit students take from the Residence Reduction

Challenge is not limited to the two-month period when they participated in the initiative. “We hope this [challenge] will serve as inspiration to students to further explore how they can take action in their [individual] lives to contribute to a sustainable future, as well as make links with some of the structural changes that need to occur to get us there,” said Woolnough. “[B]uilding momentum through people’s personal involvement” is one of the important values of initiatives like the Residence Reduction Challenge, said Ashlea Hegedus-Viola, a waste auditor and UWSP volunteer. The Residence Reduction Challenge benefited more than just the students, though. Residences that participated in the challenge saved hundreds of dollars on their utility bills for a single month. The solar panel that was the challenge’s grand prize will also benefit the campus. It will be incorporated into the initiatives of Sustainable Technology Educational Project (STEP), a working group within UWSP, to retrofit the Village 1 residence with solar heating technology. The solar panel will likely provide power to an information board that displays the energy and cost savings resulting from the retrofit. With the resounding success of the inaugural year of the Residence Reduction Challenge and the continuing support for the Campus Climate Challenge, organizers said there were definite plans to hold the Residence Reduction Challenge again. Woolnough said that a number of Canadian schools have been inspired by the results of the challenge at UW, University of Guelph, and Queen’s University. Woolnough hopes that in future years an academic component can be added to the challenge by faculty in campus-wide initiatives. Future challenges will build on this year’s lessons and successes, and the healthy competition between the residences and the universities. “We are confident that with the experience we developed this year, we can make this Challenge an even greater success next year!” said Woolnough. araw@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Science & Technology

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008

A different kind of cocktail

emen is like an America’s Most Wanted character: it goes by many names. Whether you know it as spunk, cum or “love gravy,” the following biological explanations are meant to arm you with enough knowledge that — upon encountering semen — you will not run screaming in the opposite direction, but know exactly what you’re dealing with. Semen, also referred to as ejaculate, is actually a cocktail of sperm and seminal plasma. I am using the term cocktail because the ratio of sperm to seminal plasma is actually similar to the amount of alcohol in a weak mixed drink: one part sperm to nine parts seminal plasma. A shot of ejaculate is typically 5ml (one teaspoon) in quantity, but can vary

with age and other factors. As such, an oral intake of a single ejaculate shot provides five to seven calories per serving, and its ingredients include protein, fructose sugar, vitamin C, zinc, enzymes and water. However, unless an individual has the resources and willpower to consume glasses of sperm on a daily basis, it cannot not suffice for a valuable dietary supplement — only a tenth to a third of a gram of protein are provided per ejaculate shot. Sorry, vegetarians. As previously mentioned, semen consists of sperm and seminal plasma. Sperm refers to the spermatozoa cell content, which comprises only 10 per cent of ejaculate. Male testes

Joanna Sevilla

are responsible for the production of millions of spermatozoa on a daily basis, which

are then either released through intercourse or masturbation, or are absorbed back into the body without any negative consequences. The testicles, which store sperm, are located just outside the body to maintain prime temperature of 35 degrees Celsius. Some may find it fascinating that it takes two to three months for sperm to mature, and even more so that for every 150 sperm cells there is one Sertoli “nurse” cell, which is responsible for the protection and nurturing of premature sperm cells. The remaining 90 per cent of ejaculate is sperm plasma, which acts as a protective medium for

sperminal nourishment during its travel through the female reproductive system and towards fertilization. The presence of seminal plasma is necessary as the vaginal environment is naturally hostile to sperm due to its high lactic acidity. The alkaline bases of sperm counteract this acidity to protect the sperm. Curiously enough, in 1992 the World Health Organization reported that the pH of normal human semen varies between 7.2 to 8.0, which places it above saliva and blood levels, which waver around 7.4. Among the substances of sperm plasma is pre-cum, a clear liquid produced by two pea-sized organs of the male reproductive system, bulbourethral glands — commonly known as Cowper’s glands. Pre-cum forms at the opening of the penis in the early phases of sexual arousal. Being an alkaline liquid, its purpose is to lubricate and neutralize the acidity of the urethra in preparing it for the passing of semen. Amazingly, these details only cover a small portion of semen processes in the body. Already it is apparent that the thick white liquid is not to be underestimated — it is the tour de force of the male reproductive system. alomako@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

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Science & Technology

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008

Sherif Soliman assistant science

Maria Karpenko

Adverse drug reactions account for three per cent of deaths in Sweden

reporter

Dynamic hologram photoreactive polymer

Engineers from Nitto Denko Technical Corporation, in Oceanside, California, and researchers at the University of Arizona’s College of Optical Sciences (OSC) in Tucson have developed a new photoreactive polymer that conveys a dynamic hologram. Copolymers that absorb light and act as a photosensitizer and plasticizer, as well as other materials, are formed into a film and melted between four inches of glass electrodes that are coated with indium tin oxide. 3D images can be recorded, erased and replaced fast enough on the polymer so that 3D film is observed by the naked eye. A green laser with a 532-nanometer wavelength is used to record images onto the polymer. The capability to change images on the polymer swiftly enough so that the eye does not detect it is crucial to creating holograms. Presently, prototypes offer four square inch monochrome images. The next step is to manufacture a polymer that can display multicolored 3D images. Applications for holograms range from diagnostic medicine to architectural design and multidimensional entertainment. Gecko’s aerobic skills attributed to its tail

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have uncovered the role of the tail of a gecko. “Initially, we thought the gecko’s climbing ability was all in the feet, but now we know that this is clearly not true and the tail is critical,” said Bob Full, director of UC Berkeley’s new centre for Interdisciplinary Bio-inspiration in Education and Research, to BBC News. The investigators used high-speed video to study the gecko’s aerobic ability. They observed that when a gecko was climbing up a slippery surface and lost its footing, it would press its tail to the wall to prevent itself from slipping backwards while recovering its grip. The researchers also discovered that geckos also used their tails during dangerous falls. “They started off with their backs to the ground, but when they start to fall, they swoosh around their tails, and by doing this they are able to rotate themselves so they move into a sky-diving or ‘superman’ pose,” Full said. Thus, the geckos would land on their feet. Additionally, geckos use their tails to manoeuvre during aerial descent. “We put them in a vertical wind tunnel, and we found they could glide stably and use their tails to turn: they sweep it one way, they turn left; they sweep it the other way, they turn right,” Full explained. The team believes that the gecko’s tail could inspire new climbing robots and unmanned gliding vehicles.

Bad reactions to pharmaceuticals are known to be responsible for 3 per cent to 12 per cent of admissions to hospitals and fatal adverse drug reactions (FADRs) account for approximately 5 per cent of those patients in U.S. hospitals. Previous evidence is scarce and often not reliable. Therefore, teams of researchers studied the details of one seventh of all deaths in three counties of Sweden in 2001. The case records were systematically assessed by two pharmacists, clinical pharmacologists and a forensic pathologist. “To the best of our knowledge no previous study has determined the proportion of FADRs on the basis of death certificates in combination with case records, autopsy findings and so on,” wrote Anna Jönsson, lead author of the new research and a pharmacologist at Linköping University, in the British Journal of Clinical Psychology. The researchers concluded that three per cent of 1,574 deaths were most likely caused by an adverse drug reaction. Hemorrhage, associated with blood-thinning drugs such as Aspirin or Warfarin, accounted for most FADRs. “This is only looking at one side of the coin,” says Simon Thomas, a therapeutics expert at Newcastle University, U.K.. “The kind of drugs that cause haemorrhage actually have large benefits. What the figures don’t pick out is the number of patients with cardiovascular risks who don’t have myocardial infarction or stroke because they are taking aspirin.” Currently, the researchers are looking though the case records again to see what percentage of FADRs could have been avoided. Donald Singer, a pharmacology expert at the University of Warwick, points out that the study is from a localized part of Sweden and outdated, and a result may not be generalizable to other areas. Disease forecasts, a health risk?

A report for the London-based charity Sense About Science assembled by British doctors states not to waste money on whole-body scans or blood and DNA test that claim to predict disease an individual may get in the future. They say that these tests might endanger an individual’s health by giving false assurance that a certain disease is not a threat or incorrectly predicting that it is. For example, some smokers may continue smoking if their cholesterol levels are normal. Furthermore, the tests may carry risks such as exposure to unnecessary radiation and a one-in-a-thousand chance of bowel perforation of a colonoscopy. Andrew Green, a family doctor in East Yorkshire and co-author of the report, advises to simply follow the guidelines for healthy living. — with files from Scientific America, BBC News, and Nature

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& tech editor

Vista service pack hits the web sooner than expected

While many users and professional bloggers were skeptical of whether Microsoft would be able to deliver Service Pack 1 for Vista in midMarch as it had promised, it seems that MS has taken everybody by surprise. Microsoft has made Vista SP1 available for download via Windows Update and on their website beginning Tuesday, March 18. Also, they started shipping full retail versions of Vista SP1 on the same day, and announced that Amazon.com would be able to start sending out

copies beginning Wednesday March 19. This announcement comes as a surprise — albeit a pleasant one — since Microsoft had earlier said that they wouldn’t be able to have SP1 ready for shipping before April. However, if you’re looking for retail boxed copies, or computers that have SP1 pre-loaded, Microsoft says that those won’t be available before April. More light for less electricity: could we ask for more?

Luxim has just released its new revolutionary plasma light bulb. The bulb is as small as a Tic Tac, yet produces light that is stronger than regular streetlights. (Check

Imprint online for the link to a video of Michael Kanellos from CNET.com testing the light bulb.) Despite its rather small size, the bulb produces 140 lumens — unit for measuring the perceived power of light — per watt, which is double the light intensity of a high end LED, and 125 lumens per watt more than a regular light bulb. It raises questions as to when it will start replacing domestically used light bulbs. Such a groundbreaking energy-saving solution means that the $40 million Luxim received in funds did not go to waste. ssoliman@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

— with files from CNET.com

Sports & Living

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008 sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Track team caps off season Karen Pohler reporter

he University of Waterloo Track and Field Team was wellrepresented at the Canadian Interuniversity Sports Track and Field Championships on March 6 to 8 in Montreal. Waterloo qualified in the men’s 4 x 200 m relay and both the men’s and women’s 4 x 400 m relays. As well Jenna Bell, the only individual qualifier, represented Waterloo in the shot put, 60m hurdles and the pentathlon. For many of the athletes the championship would be their last competition as a Waterloo Warrior and one last opportunity to wear proudly the black and gold colours. The meet commenced on Thursday with the pentathlon athletes. As per usual, Jenna Bell displayed that she is truly one of the top athletes in the CIS with solid performances in all her event areas. Bell’s pentathlon opened with the 60 m hurdles where she posted a quick time of 9.18 seconds. In the long jump and high jump Bell jumped 5.26 m and 1.44 m respectively. Throughout her pentathlon events Bell also achieved two personal bests: one in the 800 m run with a time of 2:34.65 and the second in shot-put with an incredible 1.06 m life time personal best of 12.55 m. All of these performances earned Bell a very respectable seventh place finish, while earning points for the Warriors.

The Friday followed with Jeremiah Derkson, Kirk Ewen, Jacob Muirhead, Kyle Raymond and Mathew Bahm (team alternate) running in the heats of the men’s 4 x 200 m. Both Kirk and Kyle ran personal bests with times of 21.9 seconds and 22.5 seconds respectively. Jeremiah and Jacob rounded out the team’s performance with great times of 22.6 seconds and 23.2 seconds allowing them as a team to post their fastest time for the season at 1.30.58 which placed them 10th overall in a field of tough relay competition. Jenna also competed on Friday in the individual 60 m hurdles and shot-put event. Even after a rigorous pentathlon competition the day prior, Bell still excelled by placing 12th in the hurdles and 7th in the shot-put earning additional points for the Warriors. The final day of the competition was filled with excitement as both the men’s and women’s 4 x 400m teams were competing. The women’s team was represented by Kate Bickle, Cindy Willits, Jaime Hauseman, and Jenna Bell. The team had a solid performance with a time of 4:02.52 which placed them 12th overall. On the men’s side, the team consisted of Kirk Ewen, Jeremiah Derkson, Colin Lawrence and rookie sensation Jacob Muirhead. The men ran a spectacular race with every member of the team running life time personal bests. They crossed the line with a time of 3:21.91 placing them 8th overall and picking up some

courtesy Uw Track and Field

The UW track team poses for a team picture after competing at the CIS Championship. points for the men’s team. Their time was the second fastest in the history of Warrior Track and Field — only four one hundredths of a second off the current standing record. The family and friends of the Warrior athletes were well entertained with great

Upset in CIS final 8

performances all around. The next item on the agenda for the Warriors is a little rest and relaxation and then many athletes will begin training for the outdoor season. For some this will extend their final season of competition and for others the outdoor track

and field meets will prepare them for next years university competition. Congratulations to all the track and field athletes and to the coaches Jason Dockendorff, Shane Ferth, Ian Morton, Dave Tomlin and Luc Vangrootel on another successful season.

Silver Lifeguards

The Brock Badgers defeated the Acadian Axemen 64-61 UW lifeguards finish second at 100th in a battle of two teams not expected to be in the finals national lifeguarding championship Yang Liu sports editor

or the first time in 16 years, the Brock Badgers are the Canadian Interuniversity Sport men’s basketball champions. The seventh seed Badgers defeated the fifth seed Acadia Axemen 64-61, on Sunday March, 16 before 8,251 fans at Scotiabank Place. The victory

year’s tournament by 48 points. This time however, the Axemen would play Carleton very tough as the game went into double-overtime, Acadia would triumph in a shocking 82-80 upset putting them in the championship game for the first time since 1988. “That’s karma,” said Acadia head coach Les Berry. “Twenty years ago our assistant coach Kevin Venoit ended Victoria’s streak of 18 straight wins at Nationals

I have been dreaming of this day since I was five years old and Dad won his last championship. He was the first person I thought of when the buzzer went and I turned to him and just wanted to hug him. would be Brock’s second national title, their last championship came back in 1992. The CIS championship game featured a match-up between two unlikely contestants. Coming into the CIS final eight tournament, the five-time defending champion and undefeated Carleton Ravens were the overwhelming favourite to win their six consecutive CIS title on their home turf. Carleton tied the CIS final eight tournament record with their 18th consecutive win after beating Alberta 66-57 in the quarter finals. In the semifinals they had a rematch with the Acadia Axemen who they beat in last

in the semifinal round of the Final 8 so we had a feeling coming into tonight’s game that we too could do something special.” The Brock Badgers entered the tournament as the seventh seed after losing to the Western Mustangs in the OUA west final. However, they got their revenge in the CIS semifinals with a 85-75 win over Western to advance to the gold medal game. The Badgers are a veteran-laden club with three fifth-year players and they are led by fourth-year forward Owen Wilson who had a career game with 25 points and 14 rebounds against Western. “[Western] took away our

chance to win the Wilson Cup [OUA championship] two weeks ago so we wanted to get back at them by preventing them from winning the national championship,” said Wilson. The stage was set for a final between two unlikely upstart teams, Brock and Acadia were not the two teams most observers expected to be there in the end. Nevertheless, the two teams were excited to play for the title. Although in the first quarter both teams came out sluggish, Brock shot just 2-12 from the threepoint line but jumped out to a 14-7 anyway. Acadia would storm back in the second quarter, starting off on a 16-5 run to take the lead 24-18 with 2:38 left in the half. They went into the half with a 31-21 lead, and had Brock on the ropes. Brock however, would not give up on their season prematurely. They pulled even with Acadia at 51-51 by the end of the third quarter. The final frame proved to be an intense one, with the two teams trading baskets until Dusty Bianchin of Brock put the Badgers ahead for good with 1:45 left in the game. Then with 11.4 seconds left in the game, Bianchin hit a fade way jumper to seal the game for Brock 64-61. “I knew that the shot clock was running down and I had to put it up and the ball just fell through,” said Bianchin.

See FINAL 8, page 32

Olinda Pais assistant sports editor

ifesaving is the only sport recognized by the International Olympic Committee in which athletes are trained to aid in humanitarian rescue situations, and then tested in intense competition. The 1930s marked the first organized lifesaving races developed as a way to encourage training, which later evolved into full-blown competitions in the 1960s and stands true today. Competitions include both physical events and technical (situational) events. The first Canadian championship was held in Winnipeg in 1977. With this form of sport gaining greater public awareness and athletes becoming more competent each passing season, teams are now preparing for the World Championship being held in Germany aptly called Rescue 08. On March 6 snd 7 the Ontario universities definitely proved to have churned out the best lifeguards this year, nabbing gold and silver at the 100th Anniversary Canadian Lifeguard Emergency Response Championship in Toronto. Queen’s University Lifeguard Club came first followed by the University ofWaterloo’s Lifeguard Club ranking a close second overall. Teams competed against 100 other lifeguards from across Canada spanning from Halifax, Alberta and Edmonton to Montreal, Vancouver

and Ontario, in three technical events. The preliminaries consisted of challenges involving first aid, priority assessment and water rescue. After receiving scores in the preliminaries, teams are ranked and the top 16 teams compete in the finals. The University of Waterloo’s team made it to the finals in 11 out of 12 categories. Peter Whittington and his team won a gold medal in the Priority Assessment event final by dealing with a situation involving only two minutes to rescue 17 victims with only a small boat and two oars. Carly Gasparini and Jordan Andersen’s team took silver in the Water Rescue event. The individual events competition consisted of various challenges as well; Gasparini and her partner shattering the old record of 13.43 seconds in the Line Throw (athletes hold an unweighted line which they toss to the victim in the water, and the clock stops as the victim is pulled to the finish) at 12.92 seconds, taking gold. Brad Johnston, a former UW student, currently holds the men’s record in the 12 m Line Throw that he set in 2006. It is a record he has broken and set three times since 2004. If you are interested in joining UW’s Lifeguard Club whether for practise or competition, contact rgwhite@uwaterloo.ca. opais@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Sports & Living

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008

Politcizing the olympics A boycott of the upcoming Beijing Olympics is politically ineffective

s protests by ethnic Tibetans against Chinese rule turned violent over the weekend in Lhasa, Tibet, calls for a western boycott of the Beijing Olympics was renewed in many activist circles persuing a free Tibet. Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Xinhua news agency reports that 10 people were burned to death in the riots that occurred on Friday, March 14. The Tibetan Association of New York and New Jersey claims there were at least 70 deaths and more than 1000 arrests made over the weekend. The Communist Party in China has been looking to use the Beijing Olympics as a springboard for international prominence showcasing the economic and cultural rise of 21st century China. However, the protests and ensuing crackdown is not the type attention the Chinese government wants with the Beijing Olympics now only five months away. The last time the International Olympic communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s focus was turned to Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s human rights record, it arguably cost them the Olympic games. The Tiananmen Square massacre was still fresh in the minds of International Olympic committee voters when they gave Sydney, Australia an upset victory for the host of the 2000 summer Olympic over odds on favourite Beijing at the time. Many observers felt then that concerns voiced by the international community over the Chinese governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s human rights record caused IOC voters to move away from China

ting the 1984 Olympics in Los Angles, which resulted in the Americans sweeping many of the medals. Taken together the two moves accomplished little politically; the Soviets would stay in Afghanistan till the end of the decade. The Americans would not back down with the anti-Soviet rhetoric or policy until the collapse of the Berlin Wall. The boycotts accomplished little more than political grandstanding, and deprived thousands of athletes in their prime a shot at their Olympic dreams. In ancient Greece, wars were halted for Olympic competition, When Frenchmen Pierre de Coubertin revived the Olympic games in 1894 he had hoped the games would bring nations closer. Over the years many countries have used the games as a venue for political protest. In the 2004 Athens Olympics, an Iranian judo athlete refused to compete in the same heat as an Israeli judo athlete. He returned to Iran as a national hero. These political grandstanding moves undermine Coubertinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original intentions for the Olympics as a venue for countries to put aside differences and simply compete in sporting events. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important that this time around the games move forward with all the countries participating. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We believe that the boycott doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t solve anything,â&#x20AC;? said IOC president Jacques Rogge, speaking to the Associated Press. â&#x20AC;&#x153;On the contrary, it is penalizing innocent athletes and it is stopping the organization

Coubertinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original intentions for the Olympics were a venue for countries to put aside differences and simply compete in sporting events. in 1993. In 2001 with memories of Tianamen fading, Beijing tried again for the Olympics and won by a landslide victory on the second ballot over Toronto. The use of the Olympics for grandstanding is not a new phenomenon; in 1936, Hitler had hoped to use the Berlin Olympics as a platform to demonstrating Aryan superiority. Those plans were dashed in part by Black American Jesse Owens as he won four gold medals in track over several German track stars. The sight of a furious Hitler with his fists clenched as he watched Jesse Owens triumph in the 100 metre dash is one of the timeless moments of the Olympic games. The U.S. and several of its allies boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow in protest of the Soviet Unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s invasion of Afghanistan. This move did little on the political front and mostly resulted in the Soviets sweeping many of the medals in the absence of the US. The Soviets returned the favour by boycot-

from something that definitely is worthwhile organizing.â&#x20AC;? The European Union seemed to agree with Rogge on the issue. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Under no circumstance will we support the boycott. We are 100 per cent unanimous,â&#x20AC;? Patrick Hickey, the head of the European Olympic Committees, said in an interview with the Associated Press. Many Olympic athletes have been training a lifetime for their fleeting shot at Olympic glory. The window of opportunity is short for most of these athletes, as their peak condition often only spans maybe one Olympic game. As deplorable as the treatment of Tibetans by the Chinese government is at times, the situation in Tibet is a delicate political problem that should be dealt through political avenues. The Olympic games are a sporting event and should be limited to just that. Sports should not carry the burden.

courtesy ashwini Bhatia

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32 Sports & Living FINAL 8: Brock wins thriller Continued from page 30

“This was our last shot at the title and we can now call ourselves national champions.” For fifth year Brock Badger Scott Murray son of Brock head coach Ken Murray, the win was all the more special. “I have been dreaming of this day since I was five years old and Dad won his last championship. He was the first person I thought of when the buzzer went and I turned to him and just wanted to hug him.” Owen Wilson took the Jack Do-

Imprint, Friday, March 21, 2008

nahue trophy as the most valuable player in the tournament. Wilson turned in 22, 25, and a 12 point effort in the quarters, semis, and finals respectively. Teammate Mike Kemp won game-MVP honours with a 23 point performance, including 15 points in the second half comeback effort for Brock. The championship tournament remains at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa for 2009 and 2010, after a five-year stint at the Halifax Metro Centre. yliu@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Joyce HSU and Jen stanfel

Spring training is here and Imprint sports gives you the lowdown on the baseball terms for opening day Yang Liu sports editor

Base on balls

What it means: When the batter recieves four pitches from the pitcher that the umpire deems is outside the strike zone. The batter is rewarded with a free trip to first base. Better known as a walk.

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The count

What it means: The number of balls and strikes a batter has in his current plate appearance. Usually expressed as a pair of numbers. E.g. three balls and one strikes is said as three and one.

Batting average

What it means: A commonly used stat that divides the number of hits a batter has accumulated by his total number of at-bats. A batting average over .300 is considered extremely good. Hit and run

What it means: Occurs when the baserunners are in motion before the ball is hit. The batter then attempts to make contact with the pitch. A hit and run is employed to make it more likely that a baserunner advances an extra base on a hit or to its used avoid the double play with slow baserunners on. Chin music

What it means: A baseball slang term for a pitch that comes near the batter’s face. The term is usually used when the pitcher intentionally pitches the ball near the batter to intimidate him or brush back him in the batters box.

Bases loaded

What it means: Refers to when there is a runner on each base (1st, 2nd, and 3rd). A bases loaded situation is the only time there can be a forceout at home plate.

What it means: Better known as a strikeout. “K” is often used as an abbreviation for strikeouts in game boxscores and by fans and announcers as a shorthand form.

On-base percentage

What it means: A measure of how often a player gets on base, excluding fielding errors and fielders choice. Calculated by taking the total number of hits, walks and hit-by-pitches and dividing by the number of at-bats, walks, hit-by-pitches and sacrifice flies. Grand slam

What it means: A home run hit when the bases are loaded. Results in four runs scored, the most possible from one plate appearance. Grand slams are a fairly rare event, rarer than even triples.

Double play

What it means: When the fielding team makes two outs during the same continuous playing action. This is a huge boon to the defensive team, as they get two outs from one at-bat and can end the inning if there is already one out.

Bullpen

What it means: The area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering the game. A team’s relief pitchers are collectively refered to as it’s bullpen.

Sacrifice

What it means: The act of deliberately bunting the ball to advance an runner already on base. Called a sacrifice, because teams are giving up an out for the sake of moving a runner up a base.

Slugging percentage

What it means: A common measure of the power of a hitter. Caculated by adding the number of total bases obtained from singles, doubles, triples and homeruns then dividing by the total number of at-bats. Run batted in

What it means: A stat in which a batter is credited with an RBI when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run scored. An RBI is not credited if a run scores as a result of a fielding error, fielders choice, or a steal of home plate. Pop-up

What it means: Refers to a ball thats hit in the air, but not very far or hard and is usually easily catchable for the fielders. Pop-ups can also fall for hits sometimes and is often referred to as a “bloop-hit” in those situations. graphic by Sonia Lee