Imprint_2008-08-29_v31_i08 by Editor Imprint

Impr int The university of Waterloo’s official student newspaper

Friday, August 29, 2008

vol 31, no 8

imprint . uwaterloo . ca

New to campus? This issue’s for you — Check out this year’s edition of...

The trouble with textbooks Maggie Clark editor-in-chief

tudents new to campus can be forgiven for not immediately grasping how much their course materials will cost throughout university — but their wallets certainly won’t receive such clemency. “The cost of textbooks is an oftenoverlooked added cost to education,” said Feds Vice President Education Andres Fuentes. “Yet the price for textbooks continues to rise well above inflation and that is very concerning.” What exacerbates these costs, which can set students back by up to $200 for a single requisite text? Fuentes notes that publishers “claim most of the cost comes from the research and pedagogy that goes into [the creation of] a textbook. As well, some of our books are imported from the U.S. and regulations allow publishers or distributors to mark up the price by a certain percentage.” These justifications seem well out of the average student’s capacity to effect change, but as Fuentes notes, there is flexibility when other explanations come to the forefront of this debate — and these forge the basis of a nation-wide student campaigns for less crippling resources prices. “The typical cycle for an edition is about 3 to 4 years,” said Fuentes. “Publishers justify this by saying that they are driven by competition to have something new or better [to offer] professors — including test banks, online quizzes, or other supplementary resources.” This creates a complex dynamic wherein professors may benefit from selecting a course text, which they then receive free copies of, but their students will be expected to offset the company’s perks by paying considerable sums for their own versions of each volume. This arrangement also debilitates a student’s ability to make back most of the money he or she spends on texts: for textbooks barely reused even term-by-term, students have little chance of seeing a return at the Used Book Store, the Feds student-run business geared to helping students better manage their textbook

costs. This can be especially bewildering for introductory courses to subjects that haven’t seen a drastic paradigm shift in years; or for students whose comprehensive tomes are only specified for the use of select chapters in the course of a single term. Strikingly, many publishers are themselves eager to be seen as working to improve the market for students. To this end, publishing companies like AbeBooks. com release research findings deliberating on the benefit of different media forms to students. One recent study, of over 1,500 North American students, noted that “79 per cent of want to use traditional textbooks in classes, but 21 per cent are considering purchasing an e-reader device, plus 22 per cent have already bought an electronic textbook in some form.” Studies like these bring into question the future of print versus new technology, which many see as a possible solution to the textbook dilemma; however, the sustained need for physical versions of educational resources makes on-going negotiations critical to the average student’s budget. To this end, the Federation of Students is part of at least three groups actively seeking change to the textbook situation in Canada: With the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), Feds is pursuing research that will hopefully lead to the development of better government policy on such costs. With the facilitation of Ontario University Students’ Assocation (OUSA), Feds is maintaining a dialogue between UW and the Canadian Publishers Council. And with the Canadian Roundtable on Academic Materials (CRAM), Fuentes explained that “student governments and university bookstores [are brought together] to discuss issues around academic materials, including textbooks.” With the UW campus bookstore itself, Feds is working toward implementing “best practices” for student resource needs — with the expectation of using new technology to that end. “Currently,” said Fuented, “there are no alternative models outside of using online journals that the university

Why your resource costs are so high, and what, if anything, can be done to bring them down

graphics by sonia lee

already pays copyright fees for,” or the use of a “print-on-demand system that would allow students to purchase only what they need” from different volumes, instead of paying for a full textbook their coursework doesn’t completely use. Meanwhile Bill C-61, a piece of federal legislation to be voted on this fall, is expected to restructure copyright law in a way that greatly favours copyright holders — and which might thus

only exacerbate textbook costs for students. For now, students are advised to be cautious and deliberate in their textbook purchases, seeking out best buys and giving professors feedback on selected materials — and above all else, according to Fuentes, to “ask your professor if you’re really going to need your course’s textbooks after all.” editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

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News

Imprint, Friday, August 29, 2008 news@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Growing pains

UW French graduate program yields difficult returns for undergrads Derek Lindman reporter

Big business

Welcome new students — this week’s for you! courtesy student life office

Students learn valuable lessons about the high stakes life of university at last year’s Monte Carlo Night, a staple and campus favourite of UW Orientation Week. Chris Miller staff reporter

rientation Week is just around the corner, and incoming students from across the world are about to experience life at Waterloo for the first time. A slew of activities have been packed into the Orientation Week schedule; some old and some new. Concerns that past Orientation Weeks failed to meet the needs of students are hoped to be addressed with new additions to the itinerary. In February then Feds President-Elect Justin Williams spoke about the Orientation Week process and changes that needed to be made. “We really need to review the process to make sure it’s serving Feds, students, and volunteers as much as it should be. I also don’t think Feds makes Warrior Weekends enough of a priority, but the event regularly has 300 students attending week by week, so that’s a real opportunity for [student] engagement and consultation that Feds exec should be using.” In discussing setting down a plan for the upcoming Orientation Week, Del Pereira had also added, “we’ve got some ‘Along the Path’ goals for student engagement, but we obviously need to sit down with the rest of the Feds exec and get

everyone on the same page,” said Pereira. “For now, let’s just say there are some really great things in the works.” First-years’ Orientation Weeks will differ based on which faculty and which residence. Architecture students from Cambridge will be shuttling back and forth from their satellite campus to Waterloo via bus. Their week will revolve around an Ancient Greece theme, including a faux Olympic Games. There are a few stalwarts that are available for students of all faculties though. The cast of Single & Sexy is back for its 20th year performance, hoping once again to steal the “neurotic, messed-up students” crown from Degrassi. Traditional favourite Monte Carlo Night will return to the SLC on Thursday. Ending Frosh Week will be a special Warrior Weekend - Black & Gold Day, held Saturday at 11am on the CIF Green. That night is the Toga Party on the BMH Green. Off-campus students will have the luxury of duct-taping their team leaders in the Duct Tape Your Don competition, along with information tailored to help them get around in the city of Waterloo. Residence students will get help on the insand-outs of residence life. Math students will be forced to

prove their mathiness in the Earn Your Pink Tie activity, possibly by slaying an integral. Engineers-to-be will meanwhile be earn their hardhats. Overall, Orientation Week has also maintained its themes of caution: Alcohol Awareness and safe sex remain part of the program, along with a number of don talks. It all this sounds too overwhelming for new students, don’t worry. Plenty of free time has been set aside to get yourself settled in, find your way around campus, take the English Language Proficiency Test, and buy your books if you haven’t done so already. But make sure you give as much of Frosh Week as possible a try. The friends you make during your first week can last a lifetime. Or at least until you enter a different co-op stream and never see them again. Also, it’s entirely likely this will be the last year UW will have grass of any kind, so enjoy the activities on the BMH Green while you can. I hear it’s going to be our 90th Tim Horton’s by December. For more information on Orientation Week, visit orientation. uwaterloo.com, where you can get a personalized schedule based on your faculty and residence, along with your team groupings. cmiller@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

ast year UW’s French fepartment acquiredaPhDprogram,asperthe u n i v e r s i t y ’s o v e r a r c h ing vision of enhancing its graduate studies profiles. With six French studies candidates already working toward their PhDs, department chair François Paré notes the development is “quite an accomplishment.” But the transition has been far from smooth, and growing pains are already evident in the department’s financial and educational models. The growing pains can be seen in the increase of the cap size of French 151 (the introductory language course for the department). Last year the cap size was 30, now the cap size is 60 with approximately a 100 per cent enrolment. This has been caused by several factors but the main cause, according to Paré,

French and, with the increased cap size, students are no longer going to receive the individual attention they normally would have. This is going to negatively affect the oral component of these classes, according to both Paré and a sessional who no longer works for the French Department. It also means that students are paying the same rates for a class in which they are no longer receiving the same quality of education. The decline, however, in education standards in French 151 is something that Paré says needs to be understood in a broader context. Guelph’ s first year French classes have 90 students and Western is moving into UW’s direction. Also, French 152, the second part of 151, has not seen an increase in cap size though he mentions that “there are pressures and there will be pressures in the next few years, on those courses, I’m sure.” He does

“There are pressures [in the program] and there will be pressures in the next few years on those courses, I’m sure.” —Francois Pare, French department chair is the ruling passed last year from the university and the graduate association, which requires arts departments to pay grad student TAs the same $6,300 rate that they would pay a sessional instructor. This ruling was passed to ensure the TAs would be paid the same amount of money across departments; however, this was not accompanied with an increase of funding to departments and so the French Department faced a choice. Either they could cut in half the amount of students able to take French 151, something Paré said would be “disastrous” to the department, or they could increase the cap size of these classes. The effect on the undergraduate students education who are taking French 151 is negative. French 151 is designed to teach the basics of

point out though that educational opportunities for second, third, and fourth year students has increased in the past couple of years. Yet, it is these pressures on 151 and 152 and other pressures on the French Department that are going to be a continuing concern for undergraduate students. How much more strain will there be on these introductory courses and will the French Department, in face of monetary pressures, continue to increase cap size for these classes. Paré is not completely pessimistic about these courses but then again he is not very optimistic either as he sees only limited options to secure new funding for his department. As it stands, for this upcoming term, French 151 students are going to be bearing the brunt of these growing pains.

News

Imprint, Friday, August 29, 2008

DP renovations to continue into fall Angela Gaetano staff reporter

he Dana Porter library, often abbreviated to “the DP” or affectionately termed “the Sugar Cube,” has been undergoing renovations for nearly four months now. The project leaves the main floor closed to the public, and many of the services normally housed there, including the circulation and information desks, relocated within the building for much of that time. Somewhat behind schedule, the UW Daily Bulletin reported on January 17, 2008 that construction was expected to take place “…from approximately April 28 to August 15.” This completion date would have seen the renovations wrapped up before the start of the Fall 2008 term, but with the main floor still disheveled, the DP’s facelift won’t be ready to welcome this year’s Frosh. In e-mail correspondence with Imprint, Communications and Liason Librarian Nancy Collins reported that, “The reopening of the main floor has been delayed to allow for the completion of construction. Despite best efforts made by the construction crew, the extra time is required to ensure that renovations are completed as quickly as possible, without compromising quality or safety.” Although boarded-up front doors and lingering building materials may frustrate students eager to have their campus “back to normal,” Collins suggested that their wait may soon be over, writing that “the largest portion of the construction is behind us. All electrical and main structural work on the walls and ceilings has been completed. Most of what is left is surface construction work, which takes much less time to complete. This includes tiling the floor, laying the carpet, painting the walls, and installing permanent fixtures — such as Browsers Cafe, the Circulation Desk, and the Information Desk.”

Collins went on to explain that after this is complete and library staff again occupy the main floor, they will start reestablishing computer connections and other services. After this phase is complete, the staff will start reestablishing computer connections and other services. According to Collins, this process is expected to begin in late September, with the main floor reopening to the public as soon as possible after that — hopefully in early October. The library’s website suggests that upon returning to the DP’s newly-finished floor, students can look forward to many improvements, including “more natural lighting and window views,” “two print stations, including the addition of a colour printer,” “10 additional public workstations,” and a group “collaboration booth” equipped with a large monitor to allow students to plug in and display content from their laptops.” Highlighting what she calls “the library’s commitment to enhancing the student experience,” Collins emphasized the fact that students were consulted regarding their desired improvements to the D.P., and that as a result, the renovated facilities will be “a reflection of what students want” and “a vibrant and student-centered space.” Although no firm date has been established for the Sugar Cube’s grand re-opening, students can continue to utilize all of the library’s normal services as they have been throughout construction. For information on where the circulation desk and other amenities have been relocated, as well as to find hours of operation, and regular updates on the progress of the ongoing renovations, students can visit the D.P.’s Renovation website at www.lib.uwaterloo. ca/porter_reno/index.html. agaetano@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

photos courtesy library services

News

Imprint, Friday, August 29, 2008

OSAP details for the fall semester Line-up locations and other measures to improve service to students in need Ashley Csanady staff reporter

etting your OSAP this fall will be a bit easier, thanks to the numerous changes in the pick-up process that were made over the Spring 2008. As the number of students receiving OSAP has increased, students trying to get their OSAP and staff trying to give it out have both felt the space crunch in Needles Hall. As the numbers kept rising, Maureen Jones of Student Awards and Financial Aid (SAFA) said the long lines and inefficient time ticketing system used last fall prompted her office to seek alternative methods to address student needs. Thus in the spring term, the office tried giving out OSAP at Fed Hall. This new location had a downside, however, as the number of students trekking over to Fed Hall quickly dropped off. “The smaller number of students and the location at the far edge of campus led to our closing the pick-up centre early, but we were not discouraged,” said Jones. “Based on this trial we knew that we could implement a similar process for our busier terms — fall and winter.” Many further improvements have been made, the most notable of which is that students will now make an appointment and head over to the Tatham Centre to pick up their OSAP. Students

will first book appointments online using their ID number and last name to log onto the SAFA website, http:// safa.uwaterloo.ca. And, according to Jones, as the SAFA office receives information from OSAP, they add new students to the database. According to Jones, all students receiving OSAP will receive an e-mail with instructions for booking an appointment. By making the appointments ahead of time, as opposed to giving out time tickets the day of their processing, Jones hopes to make the process easier and more convenient for students. “There should not be the long line ups at Needles Hall experienced last fall: students should be in and out much faster,” said Jones. As an added bonus, “The National Student Loan Service Centre reps will also be at the Tatham Centre so that students can do all they need in one place,” she stated. SAFA will remain open in the Tatham Centre until 6:30 p.m. to accommodate students who can’t get their money during regular business hours, and they will resume regular service in Needles Hall after three weeks – but students will still need to make appointments. “I hope that all students will see and experience an improvement in this service at the start of term,” said Jones. acsanady@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

News

Imprint, Friday, August 29, 2008

Recall on Canadian meat, eight-year-old seeking divorce, and police subdue Thai protestors Dinh Nguyen staff reporter

Toronto, Canada The Toronto Maple Leaf meat plant, which tested positive for listeria, a bacteria responsible for the nationwide outbreak of listeriosis, has remained closed after its scheduled reopening on August 26. Listeriosis is a bacterial disease which causes fevers, meningitis, and encephalitis. As of press time, the Globe and Mail stated that 12 Ontarians have already been killed by the disease. The StarPhoenix reported that 26 deaths in Canada have been linked to the outbreak. Aside from these deaths, Dr. David C. Williams, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, confirmed on CTVnews that so far there have been at least 40 cases associated with the outbreak. Of these cases, 13 were confirmed and the rest are still being investigated. Maple Leaf has spent at least two million dollars on recalling more than 20 different types of products (Toronto Sun). According to the StarPhoenix, Maple Leaf have brought in experts from the United States to extend their recalling process. It is estimated that Maple Leaf will have spend close to 20 million dollars by the time the issue resolves (StarPhoenix). For a complete list of Maple Leaf products being recalled visit www.mapleleaf.ca/pdf/BartorRdProductRecallList.pdf. — With files from CTV news, StarPhoenix, Toronto Sun, and Canada. com

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia The mother of an eight-year-old Saudi Arabian wife is pushing for the annulment of her daughter’s marriage to 50-year-old man. According to the Saudi newspaper al-Watan, the girl was married off with consent from her father, while herself being unaware of the

marriage’s existence. al-Watan’s interviews with marriage-licensing agents in Saudi Arabia highlight two school of thoughts on the issue: One indicates that only the guardian’s consent is needed for a marriage to take place, while the other firmly stresses that the consent of the both parties in the marrying couple is needed. According to the Associated Press, Saudi Arabia has no law defining the minimal age for marriage. Though, by law, the women’s consent is required for the marriage to take place, some officials, called “ma’thoons,” who have authority over marriage contracts only ask for the guardians’ consent. It is not uncommon for children to be married off as an economic exchange and or without their consent in Saudi Arabia — ostensibly, to prevent the women involved from embarking on illicit relationships. As reported by al-Watan, one 15 year old girl was married off by her father, who resided on death row, to another inmate. Another story speaks of a girl an 8-year-girl who got her marriage annulled from a 28 year old man just this past March. In another case, www.scotsman.com reported the marriage of a ten-yearold girl to a man in his 70s. Her father was to receive 150,000 Saudi riyals — about 41,879.05 CAD — for the exchange. The Kingdom’s Human Rights Commission intervened and delayed the marriage for five years. — With files from the Toronto Star, news.scotsman.com, UPI, BBC News and Daylife.

BANGKOK, Thailand After occupying a government compound for two days, thousands of protestors still refuse leave. Thai police have surrounded the complex in Bangkok and issued arrested warrants for nine of the anti-government protest leaders. According to BBC News, the King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej, has asked Thailand Prim Minister Samak

Sundaravej to deal with the protestors gently. Sundaravej has ordered the protest to be stopped, but has said he will not use force. According to the protesters, as reported on BBC News, they believe Mr Samak is a proxy for former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by a military coup in 2006. To avoid facing a series of corruption charges laid on to him this month, Thaksin is now living in self-imposed exile in London, UK. Samak, who is currently stationed in military headquarters, has rejected the protesters’ calls for his own resignation. As of press time, struggles between protestors and authorities have resulted in few minor injuries to both side, as hundreds of riot police cut through barricades and moved into the compound around Government House. However, according to BBC News, the “demonstrations were largely peaceful, with protesters posing for photographs, picnicking and singing.” Many protestors wore yellow clothing and headbands to symbolise loyalty to Thailand’s revered King Adulyadej. —With files from BBC News dnguyen@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

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Opinion Friday, August 29, 2008 Vol. 31, No. 8 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, vacant Systems Admin. vacant Distribution, vacant Board of Directors board@imprint.uwaterloo.ca President, Jacqueline McKoy president@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Vice-president, Sherif Soliman vp@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Treasurer, Lu Jiang treasurer@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Secretary, vacant secretary@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Staff liaison, Peter Trinh liaison@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Editorial Staff Assistant Editor, vacant Head Reporter, vacant Lead Proofreader, vacant Cover Editor, vacant News Editor, vacant News Assistant, vacant Opinion Editor, vacant Opinion Assistant, vacant Features Editor, vacant Features Assistant, vacant Arts & Entertainment Editor, vacant Arts & Entertainment Assistant, vacant Science & Tech Editor, vacant Sports & Living Editor, vacant Photo Editor, vacant Graphics Editor, vacant Web Administrator, vacant Systems Administrator, vacant Production Staff Adrienne Raw, Chris Miller, Andrew Dodds, Tina Ironstone, Sonia Lee, Emma Tarswell, Andrew Dilts, Cait Davidson Imprint is the official student newspaper of the University of Waterloo. It is an editorially independent newspaper published by Imprint Publications, Waterloo, a corporation without share capital. Imprint is a member of the Ontario Community Newspaper Association (OCNA). Editorial submissions may be considered for publication in any edition of Imprint. Imprint may also reproduce the material commercially in any format or medium as part of the newspaper database, Web site or any other product derived from the newspaper. Those submitting editorial content, including articles, letters, photos and graphics, will grant Imprint first publication rights of their submitted material, and as such, agree not to submit the same work to any other publication or group until such time as the material has been distributed in an issue of Imprint, or Imprint declares their intent not to publish the material. The full text of this agreement is available upon request. Imprint does not guarantee to publish articles, photographs, letters or advertising. Material may not be published, at the discretion of Imprint, if that material is deemed to be libelous or in contravention with Imprint’s policies with reference to our code of ethics and journalistic standards. Imprint is published every Friday during fall and winter terms, and every second Friday during the spring term. Imprint reserves the right to screen, edit and refuse advertising. One copy per customer. Imprint ISSN 0706-7380. Imprint CDN Pub Mail Product Sales Agreement no. 40065122. Next staff meeting: Monday, September 8 12:30 p.m. Next board of directors meeting: TBA

Imprint, Friday, August 29, 2008 opinion@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Finding your niche at UW

erhaps no single phrase has been so overused in our lifetimes as “we live in a changing world.” Often these words come from the mouths of older, institutional giants — world leaders and seasoned professionals who climbed the ranks in a far less technologically advanced social paradigm. To us, the generation born into a wealth of technological innovation, such words might feel antiquated. We might even detect a fear of the unknown, an apprehension towards some deep and impending paradigm shift, underlying them. There is, after all, so much to make us feel empowered by the technology we

our disposal, and with our sense of personal rights and freedoms. No matter how much you may hear praise over the course of your university career, couched as it will undoubtedly be in the terms of our wondrous technological age, never take that rhetoric for granted. We live in a changing world if and only if we commit ourselves to its constant transformation. But what exactly does that transformation entail? How do we maintain a constant hunger, a constant urge to grow and improve, in an environment where more and more is provided for us every day? For ideas, I humbly suggest looking to the media around you. Read campus media (Iron Warrior, the Boar,

between all the book-learning you have to do for class, and the need to maintain a connection to the “world at large” — then the real opportunities for transformation begin. It’s so simple it’s laughable, really: Just take a good look at the headlines you see in the news, the stories you see getting the most representation, and the kind of slant given to key issues, explicit or otherwise. Now ask yourself which stories are missing — which medical discoveries or social advancements haven’t yet been achieved, which sustainable alternatives and community initiatives have yet to prove viable, which business models and technological leaps

Envision, if you will, the headlines you yourselves want to realize, through or beyond your studies in Waterloo. You are empowered. These visions can become our reality. turn to every day. Just take a look around campus as you settle in — at the laptops and Blackberries in your classrooms, the videogames that broaden your lives in the course of just one, the news feeds that tie you more immediately (if not more thoroughly) to the world as a whole. How can we not be the enlightened ones, entitled to all the benefits and self-righteousness that comes from living in an “advanced age”? I certainly don’t want to quash your sense of wonder. (And if you’re in need of a boost, stop reading this right now, jump to YouTube, and watch the late Prof. Randy Pausch’s last lecture. It’s almost as good as a four-year university education — but much shorter and far less expensive!) However, I do feel the need to caution against complacency. It creeps up whenever we start to feel satisfied with our accomplishments, with the devices and privileges at

mathNews, and Imprint — to name just a few). Read the Waterloo Region Record, and local alternatives such as Echo and Qatalyst. Read national papers like The Globe & Mail and National Post (and of course keep up to speed with the news in your respective home communities). Read internationally, too — everything from the New York Times to Al Jazeera. Find diverse blogs and blog aggregate sites: whether they cater to your interest in techie news or punditry, artistic endeavours or social activism, it’s the exposure to broader communities that counts. Read magazines and journals you’ve made a habit of recoiling at; pick up a subscription, or add an RSS Feed, for a publication you utterly despise or distrust. Keep your eyes and ears sharp to the sights and sounds of different opinions, and see just what kind of news sources they take you to. And after you’ve got the hard part out of the way — after you’ve reached a kind of equilibrium

are aching to be fully realized. Ask yourself which perspectives need to be given voice, and which ones need to be challenged or brought down a notch or two. Envision, if you will, the headlines you yourselves want to realize, through or beyond your studies in Waterloo. Which headlines do you want to be reading 20, 30, or 50 years down the road, knowing full well that your own efforts were in part responsible for their existence? You are students at an incredibly cutting edge university: You are empowered. You are privileged. And yes, we live in an ever-changing world — or rather, we live in many of them: as many worlds, that is, as there are people willing to make manifest their life-long passions upon them. Good luck, new Warriors, and welcome to the future we will daily make for ourselves.

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Opinion

Imprint, Friday, August 29, 2008

Green ideas must Election bells keep growing commentary

ames Bond hunts down a prototype solar cell that is ninety per cent efficient, trying to keep it out of the hands of the bad guys and oil companies that would love to see it destroyed. It sounds like a modern plot based off of current events, but in fact it belongs to 1974’s The Man with the Golden Gun. The plot made perfect sense, coming off of the oil embargo that doubled prices overnight and sent the United States into an energy panic, with dreams of alternative energy sources alive and well. Almost 35 years later, and solar cells are still not at all widespread. The World Energy Council reports that over 80 per cent of the World’s energy still comes from oil, natural gas, and coal, all highly polluting, non-renewable energy sources. It sounds shocking, doesn’t it? Certainly not a situation that could be quit cold turkey, and yet with that much of our energy coming from sources that pollute, cause immeasurable damage due to climate change, and might dry up before our generation passes, it is a situation that needs rectifying. We must ask why more has not been done. Yes, it takes much work to solve a problem as grand as this, and yet such leaps have come before. 1957 marked the launch of Sputnik, the first artificial satellite. Four years later

in 1961, John F. Kennedy pledged to land a man on the moon and return him safely to earth before the end of the decade. In 1969, with the words “it’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” Neil Armstrong completed JFK’s pledge. Oil sands, deep-sea drilling, gas hydrates; all are touted as the solution to rising energy demands and dwindling fossil fuel supplies. How innovative is it, though, to continually invent methods that are more

currents that spread earth’s warmth. Even the absorption of CO2 by plants as they grow, and its subsequent rejection when they are burnt as biofuels, could redistribute CO2 into a global imbalance, and continues to ignore the plight of world hunger by dedicating the precious little arable land in the world to helping to fill up another SUV. There is always risk inherent in new ideas and technology, and imbalanced ecosystems are bound to

How innovative is it, though, to continually invent methods that are more expensive, complex, and polluting, all to fill the same fuel tanks as before? expensive, complex, and polluting, all to fill the same fuel tanks as before? At some point, people realized that no improvements could be made to horse-drawn vehicles, and along came gas-powered vehicles. The cost of hydrocarbons as our main energy source has grown too high, and new technologies are needed. Care is needed to advance. Excesses can always lead to disaster. Just as excess CO2 is causing global warming, excess water could affect ocean salinity responsible for the

change. Perhaps the ultimate technology could rest with solar power from space, not adding to or removing anything from the closed system that is Earth, but nobody knows for certain yet. The important thing is that we begin to think beyond the ideas we have, and look to the future, for as Edmund Burke said, “nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little.” adodds@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

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are ringing

t’s beginning to look a lot like election season again: Prime Minister Stephen Harper has given notice to Governor General Michaëlle Jean to stick around in early September for a potential writ drop. Turns out Bill C-16, the amendment to the Canada Elections Act mandating fixed election dates, doesn’t actually do anything, as an actual law preventing the Governor General from dissolving Parliaments prematurely would be very unconstitutional. Isn’t that wacky? So after dialogues with the opposition party leaders, Harper has almost all but stated that an October campaign is in the cards. For politicians, parties, and pundits, the news of an impending election has put them on alert, but where does it leave Canadians? The past four years has seen back-to-back minority governments, a phenomenon of the parliamentary system not known for its longevity. Stephen Harper’s government, at close to three years, has enjoyed being one of the longest surviving minority governments to date. Yet if recent polling is anything to go by, we will be seeing a minority government yet again, whether it happens to be the Liberals or the Conservatives at the helm. Since January 2006, neither

party has succeeded in building the support necessary to sustain a majority government, instead bleeding off support to the Green Party and soft undecideds. The truth is that a potential election would be more about the party leaders’ agendas than public agendas. The spectre of an economic downturn seems to have spooked Stephen Harper, making a fall campaign look more appealing than what could come in 2009, even if his current chances for success are lessthan-stellar. Meanwhile, Stephane Dion urgently needs to prove his leadership capabilities to a party (and country) that has given him a cool reception. The election offers the chance for either leader to overcome these predicaments. Then again, it could just be another opportunity to stare at Peter Mansbridge. Even if you’re resigned to a perpetual minority government, there’s still the hope that an election could once again provide a forum for pressing national issues. Mind you, some have given the odds of meaningful policy debate in a fast-paced election campaign a slim chance, echoing Kim Campbell’s observation in 1993 that “an election is no time to discuss serious issues.” See ELECTION, page 10

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Opinion

Imprint, Friday, August 29, 2008

ELECTION: here we go again Continued from page 9

Still, the parties will be arming themselves with wedge issues to raise during the campaign. Among the matters that will inevitably be brought to the table is the inherent wisdom of quashing your own promise for fixed election dates, a decision Harper will no doubt have to defend. Dion has gambled on his Green Shift platform appealing to voters, but already it has drawn fire. The NDP and Bloc, typically reliable at introducing new ideas into the public sphere, have so far languished. It may be up to citizens to press for the issues they want to hear about. The internet played a minor role in the last federal election, but passed by largely as an untapped potential. The current US Presidential election campaign has shown what the internet can do for candidates, both is terms of fundraising and setting the tone for debates. Even YouTube has begun to replace The City Times as a major political arena, nestled amongst videos of cats flushing toilets. By the way, did you hear Stephen Harper is a secret Muslim trying to spread his exotic, deadly brand of Afrosocialism? Okay, so the internet has its pratfalls as well. But the ability to send a few jolts into what’s already turning out to be a cynical, stale campaign could keep this from being politics-as-usual. — Chris Miller, Maggie Clark

Homobama? Think again

t’s a time for change, America. Is it so crazy to believe that there is hope? America, I see a brighter future. YAWN. All I hear is yadda, yadda, yadda, blah, blah, blah. It must be nice to be a Democratic candidate, wouldn’t you say? There is so much you can count on that you’d have to be a real Kerry-Heinz style wafflerabortionist to screw things up in the ring. I mean, think about it: as the Democratic candidate, Obama can count on votes from black people, poor people, Jewish people, women, holier-than-though-upper-middleclass-airheads-who’s-only-exposureto-politics-is-”Much Votes.” And who can forget, of course, that any Democratic nominee can count on every homosexual with a big enough cheque-book to support them, and every vapid club queer to pretend that they understand election issues enough check a box on election day. But when you get right to it, do the queers know why they are supporting Obama? Well, sure, they will tell you: Obama offers a new hope. Okay, so he’s the Luke Skywalker of America with Svengali powers and a massive personality cult, but really, why should gays vote for Obama over McCain? Well, they will say, traditionally parties to the left side of the political spectrum, like our Liberal Party or the Democratic Party,

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are more queer friendly, generally the ones to push forward hate crime laws, repeal sodomy laws, allow gays to adopt, and so on and so forth. In a nutshell, lingering remnants of Clintonism are today’s drive for queer support of democrats. Well, gays, consider this before you slap that Obama ‘08 bumper sticker on your car: Obama has stated clearly that he believes the definition of marriage is exclusive to a man and a woman. Essentially, what he has done is throw gays under the bus while trying to court the Bush/McCain powerhouse voting block of midwestern Christians - the same reason an old white guy found his way onto the ballot in place of Hillary

Tell” policy in regards to queers in uniform, while at the same time standing firm in his opposition to same-sex marriage. Obama has stated that he believes it should be up to individual states to decide where they stand in terms of civil unions, which, in essence, passes the buck on to the states and absolves him of any responsibility in regards to queer issues if he makes it into the White House. To put it more plainly, LGBT issues are so far down the list of Obama’s hope for America that he hired James T. Meeks, a man who’s biggest claim to fame is being one of the top ten black religious voices in the “anti-gay movement,” as part of his presidential exploratory commit-

Gays, consider this before you slap that Obama ‘08 bumper sticker on your car: Obama has stated clearly that he believes the definition of marriage is exclusive to a man and a woman. Clinton. It seems electability is key to being elected. Although Obama came out of left field with wild ideas about freedom and change, his hope seems to have been too audacious after all, judging by the slow ebbing of everything that made him different from John Kerry and John McCain. So where do queers fit into Obama’s message of change? Somewhere between the Defense of Marriage Act and the Federal Marriage Amendment, to be precise. Obama has vaguely mentioned reforming the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t

tee, as well as inviting two outspoken anti-gay pastors to be a part of his campaign trail - only apologizing for these missteps after some queens kicked up a fuss. Despite how much fun it may sound like, Obama is doing no great service to American gays by blowing smoke up their asses. Why then, despite evidence to the opposite, will a good chunk of American gays vote for Obama anyway with queer rights on their minds? For the simple reason that he isn’t George Bush and that he isn’t John McCain. Where Obama has made vague

statements and too-late apologies, Johm McCain has said nothing and agreed with dissenters. Obama is no great beacon for the gays of America, but he is a step up from John McCain and the Bush crowd. Like many either-or choices, making a decision based on choosing the lesser of two bad things is overly dramatic. Leave it to the homosexuals to beef up the drama whenever possible. Despite the skin colour of the two candidates, the situation isn’t entirely black and white, but a false dichotomy makes things easier for everyone to comprehend and takes the pressure off of us for making a poor decision. The solution, then, for our southern neighbours? Unfortunately for Americans, there is no real third candidate (yes Ralph Nader is still kicking around, but let’s be serious here) and no third party like the NDP with which they can use their vote to get their point across - and even if there were the American system of government would render those votes useless for anything but making a point. The solution isn’t one as easy as picking the right candidate. The solution is to find the right candidate, to raise the right candidate or to be the right candidate. Real change isn’t something that happens over night or across the campaign trail. It isn’t even something that happens over four years - it’s something that happens when real issues are addressed. For now it might seem right to elect the idea of change, but enacting the reality of change isn’t Obama’s job, the president’s job or the prime minister’s job, it’s your job. tmyers@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

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Features because they can

Imprint, Friday, August 29, 2008 features@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

A group of four students contribute to malaria awareness with fundraising initative Christina Ironstone staff reporter

any individuals can make the assumption that because they are one person they cannot make a difference, but the truth is the exact opposite. One person can make a difference; all it takes is one idea and one person willing to inspire others. And for examples of how individuals can make an impact, one doesn’t have to look outside Waterloo’s university community: Ted Livingston, a University of Waterloo student, had a simple idea and inspired others. It was because of his (read: one person’s) motivation that he and some friends (from UW and WLU) have sought to provide awareness and increase donations for malaria victims in Africa. For those who do not know much or anything about malaria, it is a disease which does not age-discriminate. According to the World Health Organization malaria is “a terrible disease killing many young children and adults in Africa. Malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, which is transmitted via the bites of infected mosquitoes. “In the human body, the parasites multiply in the liver, and then infect red

blood cells … Symptoms of malaria include fever, headache, and vomiting, and usually appear between 10 and 15 days after the mosquito bite.” Malaria is a serious and life threatening condition but it is curable and even preventable, which is why efforts to reduce those infected with malaria is very important. Yearly 500 million people become infected and gravely ill with the disease and many of these victims will die. What started Livingston’s venture into creating awareness on Malaria? He in turn was inspired, meme-style, by another individual’s idea: he watched a video on Youtube that furthered the notion of “Unknown Problem, Simple Solution” — the underlying concept behind his friends’ malaria-awareness campaign. The video was a Red Cross video about malaria and Red Cross involvement in Africa. As Livingston stated: “I wasn’t particularly moved until the part at the end [of the video], where text comes up mentioning that the child being profiled in the movie had died shortly after the filming of the video. You see a lot of World Vision stuff, but for some reason this was different: it was more personal, you knew his story, and how he had failed to overcome [Malaria].” It was that text that motivated Livingston

to speak with some friends and start work on Unknown Problem, Simple Solution. The founders of Unknown Problem, Simple Solution are: Ted Livingston (University of waterloo), Jeff Hong (Laurier), Ryan Hayes (Brock), and Ashley Quinn (Laurier). These individuals started their brainstorming and decided that their best approach for maximum effect within a limited time was to use provocative posters, exploit Facebook (with the cause name as the group name) and create a link to a secure site in order to make donations to Red Cross. 100 per cent of all the profits raised will go to the Red Cross. The group set forth a business plan for their cause and enlisted the help of Seattle designer Elena Chaika to create their posters on a student’s budget. These business-minded students continued their efforts by using focus groups and contacts from Research in Motion to increase the impact of their posters and slogans. They had 20 draft posters, which were narrowed down to a set of five by focus group testing and RIM’s marketing employees The top five slogans are meant to be intriguing and increase awareness with their clever sayings. The top five slogans, found on posters across campus that set a red Africa against a black background, read: 1. Ignorance is bliss. is it? 2. A child

killer larger than AIDs. 3. We know you got the invite. 4. An extra $7 didn’t stop you last night], 5. You saw it — you thought about it — act on it. To date the group has raised $2348, which has them in third place in the Red Cross Malaria Campaign for treatment and prevention fundraising across the country. Students can view the overall rankings on www. malariabites.net. Take a moment now to consider not just the fact that these people are trying to make a difference, but the fact that these university students are devoting their time to the cause despite many other responsibilities. Livingston, Hong, Hayes, and Quinn did not have to devote their time, money and effort to raise awareness but they did because they understand that one person can make a difference. These four individuals certainly have made a difference and a strong positive contribution to Malaria awareness. With this case study in mind, and a new year just dawning for fresh and returning students alike, I urge anyone reading this article to remember that you can always make a difference. It takes just one step: become involved. So do it. cironstone@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Features

Imprint, Friday, August 29, 2008

health and dental: a total package?

A guide to the ins and outs of UW’s full-time students health plans Dinh Nguyen staff reporter

pon arriving at UW, students are bombarded with mountains of information, regulations and services. The Feds/Graduate Student Association (GSA) Health and Dental Plan is just one gem in the overwhelming pile. Even through their final school year many students avoid finding out for themselves the useful, detailed information available: they choose to ignore the Health and Dental Plan — along with many kinds of coverage they might benefit from — until a serious injury or health condition occur. This makes it difficult to practise effective preventative health care on campus — and it’s a practice incoming students are encouraged not to fall into. To this end, here’s a run-down on just what UW’s student health plan entails: As its name suggest, the Feds/ GSA Health and Dental Plan is a healthcare package which covers full-time undergraduate students and members of the GSA. Though part-time students are not automatically covered, and the plan fees are not added to their tuition statement, they may choose to opt in on the plan by paying the fees at www.ihaveaplan.ca. Full-time students who are enrolled in the plan may choose to opt out, but only if they have met certain requirements and only during the “Change-ofCoverage-Period,” taking place on September 2 to 26 for Fall 2008, and again for the Winter term. Any student may choose to opt out of the “dental” part of the plan and get a refund, but cannot opt out of the “health” portion of the

Plan unless they show proof of coverage from an equivalent health plan. In the case where a student is covered by another health plan, that student also has the option of combining the coverage from both plans. Furthermore, by providing an additional fee, students have the option of adding a spouse, child, or family to their health package. The Feds/GSA Health and Dental Plan is divided into three sections, Health, Dental and Vision — each dealing with different health benefits:. The health benefits cover: Prescription Drugs and Vaccinations Students are covered up to 80 percent of their eligible prescription drug and vaccination costs. They are responsible for the remaining 20 per cent of the cost or $15, whichever is less. Students are also covered for 100 per cent of the drug dispensing fees, but only $8 per prescription. In addition, students are covered up to 100 per cent for some prescription and vaccines through the on-campus clinic at UW Health services. The Feds/GSA Health plan covers prescription and medication listed Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) Program form. However, a customized version of the form have been devised for UW students. A list of additions and deletion from the original form can found at: http://ihaveaplan.ca/pdf/Waterloo_Drug_additions_deletions. pdf. See HEALTH, page 14

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Features

Imprint, Friday, August 29, 2008

Health: How are you protected? Continued from page 13

How to claim prescription drugs: Claims can be processed immediately when a student provided their student card along with a Pay Direct Card (found at http://ihaveaplan.ca/displaypage.ch 2?UniID=110&p=6296&m=7.) In this case a student does not have to pay the full amount upfront and does not have to wait to be reimbursed. Health claims must take place within 18 months of the date when the expense was incurred or no later than 90 days after the coverage ends, whichever is sooner. Health Practitioners: Physiotherapist, naturopathic doctor, registered dietician, podiatrist/chiropodist, speech therapist, osteopath, massage therapist, and psychologist, are covered up to 80 percent for a maximum of $400 per practitioner per calendar year. Furthermore, the plan also covers the cost of a chiropractor up to a maximum of $20 per visit, and a maximum of $400 per calendar year. One x-ray scan is also included in the overall maximum for each of the following categories of practitioners: chiropractor, osteopath, and podiatrist/chiropodist. Home Nurse: According to www.ihaveaplan.com “A home nurse is covered at 80%, to a maximum of $20,000 per calendar year, when certified in writing as medically necessary by the attending physician and when approved by Sun Life.” Sun

Life Association is the provider of the program. Medical Equipment: Stipulated medical equipment such as hearing aids, crutches, elastic stockings, plaster of Paris or fibreglass cast, wheelchair rental, hospital-type bed, rigid and semi-rigid braces, and permanent prosthesis are covered up to 80 percent for health purposes only. Contraceptive devices, including cervical caps, intrauterine devices (IUDs), and diaphragms are also covered (except for the insertion fee). Eligible expenses for blood glucose monitors or insulin dependent diabetics are covered up to $120 per 5 years. The Plan also covers the services of a podiatrist for the surgical removal of toe nails or the excision of plantar warts, up to a maximum of $80 per calendar year. Hospitalization: Room, board and nursing care provided in a licensed nursing home or clinic are covered up to 80 percent at a maximum of $16 per day. Dental Accident: In the case of an external accidental blow to the mouth, up to 80 percent of the cost is covered. However, treatment must be completed within 12 months following the accident. Ambulance: Ambulance and air lifting services are covered up to 80 percent in the case of an emergency that requires immediate attention. Travel Health Coverage: Hos-

pital, physician, and other services for emergency treatment of an injury or illness while traveling outside of the province is covered up to 150 days per trip and up to $1,000,000 per lifetime. Dental Benefits: Students are covered up to 70 percent with a maximum of $750 per year for recall exams, cleanings, root planing, extraction of impacted teeth, fillings, oral surgery, endodontics (i.e. root canal), and periodontics. However if they get there dentistry done with a consulting a member of the Studentcare Dental Network, the will be covered for an addition 20 to 30 per cent. A list of dental and Vision networks can be found under the Network tab at the upper far right side of the www. ihaveaplan.ca homepage. Vision Benefits: Eyeglasses or contact lens are covered for a maximum of $75 and eye exams for a maximum of $50 per two years. Laser eye surgeries are covered up to $150 per year unless the surgery was preformed by Lasik MD Vision (www.lasikmd.com, 1 866 366-2020). In which case students would get an additional $150 discount. How to claim: According to www. ihaveaplan.com, in order to claim their vision benefits a student must: 1. “Complete the health claim form (indicate your student ID and group policy/contract numbers).” The form can be found at www.ihaveaplan.ca or the Student

Sonia Lee

Health office located in the SLC. Student contract and group numbers are: Group Number for the FEDS/ GSA Health Plan: 83307 Group Number for the FEDS/GSA Dental Plan: 50149 2.“Attach the original receipts and documents.” 3. “Keep a photocopy of all forms, receipts and documents.”

4. “Mail to the insurance company at the address on the form.” Dental claims must be made within 90 days after the end of the policy year or 90 days after the coverage ends, whichever is sooner. Without a pay direct card, prescription drugs can be claimed the same way. dnguyen@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

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Arts & Entertainment Single &

Imprint, Friday, August 29, 2008 arts@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

sexy?

dan lewis

Dance sequences are surprisingly common in this more upbeat and refreshing take on “issues-based” theatre. The girls of Single & Sexy (upper left) do their part to live up to the studly Steve Ulrich (right), while the cast and crew all pile into bed after a hard day rehearsing. (And don’t they look cozy together?) Cait Davidson staff reporter

ingle and Sexy is a play put on each frosh week by students, for students, on dealing with issues such as sexual encounters and assault, prejudice, drug use, plagiarism, and many more issues. This is S&S’s 20th anniversary and its production has more than certainly become a UW tradition. Directed by Dan Payne, with stage manager Kate Teddiman, this year’s cast is made up of eight students: Sarah Sosnoski, playing Nona, Jessalyn Broadfoot as Beth, Brenda Pilatzke as Heather, Jeff Ulrich as Steve, Reid Vanier as Nick, Dave Metcalfe as Damon, Terry Reid as Curtis and Jeremy Tsang as Ho-Li. Vanier, the actor playing Nick in the show, said that it became a tradition “because it takes the dry, boring, don’t do drugs, don’t have unprotected sex lecture and makes it entertaining and interesting and somewhat enjoyable to watch.” He continued by saying that it was better than the traditional lecture from a person standing on stage and telling students how to behave. Broadfoot describes the show’s format

as both a comedy and a dramedy, rife in either case with pop culture references, which allow students to relate to and enjoy the show. Single and Sexy isn’t just about sex, though, as the name might imply. According to Payne the show covers, “pretty much everything that a frosh would experience or come in contact with in their first year.” Pilatzke commented that the issues covered in S&S are incredibly diverse, saying the show covers things from sexual encounters, drugs, sexual assault, racism, homophobia, gender issues, eating disorders, conduct on campus, drug use, plagiarism and academic dishonesty. She added: “It also brings up a lot of issues as to how you can get help for them. It doesn’t just cover the issues, it covers problem and solution, not just here’s everything that can happen to you but here’s everything that can happen to you and here’s how to fix it.” The show has been called, by those involved, a project of “students speaking to students” — whether they’ve experienced the situations themselves, watched others go through them, or heard stories from their friends. Single and Sexy creates a dialogue that shows students how to solve the problems

Orientation Week just wouldn’t be the same without this 20-year-old campus tradition

the come across, and cope with the problems they can’t solve. A production like this often affects those involved in making and performing as much or more than its audience. Steve Ulrich, who plays Nick commented that “this play is largely about the relationships that people are going to forge in their first year. It’s interesting to look at; each of these characters sort of has an extreme issue pertaining to their relationships. My character, for example, becomes very controlling and abusive in his relationship with his girlfriend. I think it’s going to be interesting looking at that and then looking at the way that we all sort of handle our own relationships in our personal lives.” He continued, commenting that it would change how he viewed his own personal and academic relationships, as well as how he functioned within them. In the past 20 years many things have changed for students on campus. While some things remain the same at university through time, there are more, and different, challenges for today’s students than there had been when this production was first written. In order to keep up with today’s students the production of S&S is

ever-changing and growing. In the tenth year of production, music was added to the play. In the past year, gambling was added, and in this year’s production, theft has been added to the roster of issues dealt with in S&S. Teddiman mentioned that, “It’s constantly evolving with the needs of the campus. Whatever is a big deal for the students is added in, and it’s changed a lot.” So what is it about Single and Sexy that those involved really want the frosh to take away from the production? The cast of S&S agreed that the messages carried in the show, such as safe sex and academic integrity are the first, but not only, priorities of the show. Sosnoski also wanted to bring a new enthusiasm to the students for the excitement of their university careers, while Vanier wanted S&S to inspire students to get involved. Tsang summed up the production clearly for those who will be watching it: “ It’s not just a play, it’s something more than that. It’s something that people should really take in, and take seriously, and at the same time, make them laugh.” cdavidson@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Arts & Entertainment

Res rules:

irst yearsâ&#x20AC;Ś I, like you, received a lot of bullshit tips on how to adjust to residence life from a variety of shit puppets who call themselves guides. For example, my genius Don told me that if I ever got nostalgic or lonely, I should bring an inanimate object such as a teddy bear to reminisce about my home life and to â&#x20AC;&#x153;cheer me up.â&#x20AC;? Seriously, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m pretty sure that a monkey with leprosy could have said something more methodical. Although these â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;advisorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; mean well, for the most part, ignore their verbal diarrhea and read this article carefully because it is the pepto bismol to taking in and properly digesting university life. Firstly, the majority of you will get fat because youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re on a meal plan that is unforgivably high in calories while your grades will flop harder than Britneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second attempt at a comeback. But thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s okay because first year marks mean dick all and unlike Britney, you still have a sense

Imprint, Friday, August 29, 2008

The top 5 musical mandates

of worth and your dignity. During your time in residence, you will be exposed to many mind altering and influential experiences that will rightly shape your views and perceptions of society, people, and alcohol, while simultaneously molding the traits of the person who you will become over the next few years. New things such as unprecedented douchebaggery, floor drama, alpha males, stilettos paired with track pants, recreational drugs, social plagiarists, art, and most importantly music will become staples in your local geography. There are a handful of perks to lodging in residence, such as the courtside-esque proximity to classes, co-ed dorms, and a housemaid who will clean up the pukecovered carpet in the common room lounge. However, the most beneficial advantage of campus life is the opportunity for expos-

ing oneselt to new music with your peers. In the words of Lilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Wayne, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The sky is the limitâ&#x20AC;? to how much new music you will discover over the next eight months. Truthfully, I recommend you be like a sponge and absorb every last artist, song, melody, and note offered by your

as you, as well as individuals who prefer empty musical fodder and whose legs should be set in a serrated bear trap for purchasing the new New Kids on the Block album. But regardless of musical taste, your exposure to these new sounds will lead to many nights of late night

bullshit tips to get the most tuneful (pun intended) experience when habituating in residence: Rule #1 - Avoid the Res-net fascists: While the University of Waterloo manifests as a fairly liberal and demo-

Be like a sponge: absorb every last artist, song, melody, and note offered by your peers. peers, and similarly be as philanthropic as Mother Teresa with your musical library. Music, like alcohol, is a lubricant for social interaction, communication and fornication between individuals (see my â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rhythms for your Rhythmsâ&#x20AC;? article from Spring 2008). In residence you will meet a copious amount of people who will share the same musical tastes

conversations, IPOD exchanges, and fervent arguments over who is the all time one hit wonder artist MC Hammer or Vanilla Ice? That said, your era in residence and dorm rooms should be epically climatic, memorable, and as much fun as throwing a computer monitor off the roof of your dorm while ripped on shrooms and other illegal narcotics. So here are a few

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cratic social institution, the school undeniably frowns upon peer-topeer file sharing, as well as the free downloading of music and other forms of media. Administration sets bandwidth restrictions and tracks your IP address so they know exactly where and when you downloaded the newly-leaked Oasis album and will suspend your ass for downloading too much porn or episodes of Seinfeld in a given week. However, comrades, there is nothing culturally abnormal in DC++, external hardrives, and torrenting if you can get away with it, and if you so happen to get caught, my dear revolutionaries, I have but three words for you â&#x20AC;Ś Deny Deny Deny! Rule #2 - Leave your door open (unless you like countryâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; then do everyone a favour and keep it closed): During the first few weeks you are going to be shithouse drunk and if it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t for the likes of Facebook, you probably would forget most of the people you meet. So if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like F-book and are looking to meet some future Century Club and Kings competitors, leave your door open and make a playlist that is attractive and appealing to most individuals. To this day, some of the best people I met in residence were the result of conversations that started with â&#x20AC;&#x153;what you listening to?â&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;Is this the newâ&#x20AC;Ś?â&#x20AC;? That said, if you like a genre that is generally an â&#x20AC;&#x153;acquired tasteâ&#x20AC;? such as pop country or Norwegian death metal and often have your library and on random, you may inevitably experience â&#x20AC;&#x153;Shuffle Shameâ&#x20AC;? where a person will enter your dorm at the exact moment when the worst song in your collection is being played. See RULES, page 18

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Arts & Entertainment

Imprint, Friday, August 29, 2008

The great web-comic YOU WILL ALWAYS BE FROSH! circle jerk Online networking made fun

t’s that time of year again where we all join that industrial set of cogs and continue on with our school careers. Mind you, there’s nothing wrong with being a cog, but unlike that simple piece of manufacture, most of us don’t actually want to be used up until we die out. We all need a break, and while I already ponder about what the next holiday will bring, the pondering is replaced with another thought of continuous events. Namely, in the wide world of webcomics, I’ve noticed some staples in the most popular of sites. These staples almost always happen on these most frequented of sites, and their occurrences have helped define for fans what a great webcomic is. These trends, or “webcomic motifs” if you will, are what make these comics more fresh and different from their paperback and hardcover relatives. In fact, these trends have influenced a lot of current alternative graphic novelists and have blended in some form or other into their books or blogs. A friend of mine once told me that the webcomic artist community is like one giant circle-jerk, and for the most part, I agree with that statement. With webcomic collectives helping other webcomic collectives, there’s not a single webcomic I know out there that has never promoted another webcomic personally. I’m not talking about the typical ad banners on the site that are used for profit and traffic, but rather the personal links posted by the webcomic author, either in his news blog or in a webpage specific to links.

Many of the webcomicists out there aren’t classically trained in the skill of illustration and/or animation, and are more likely to be internet or blog geeks who happen to know how to draw and/or write, from what I’ve observed (or they can be both animation students and blog geeks). They understand the importance and function of networking online, so it does become a sort of professional orgy, if such a feat is possible. You get some great results from this networking. The most common gesture between fellow webcomicists is writing guest comics for each other. While many of these strips are created

(UNTIL YOU COME HERE)

all while doing devious acts such as punching babies and stealing their candy. While punching babies in real life is not a funny act at all, it indeed is amusing to watch in fiction. Holidays are a big thing for webcomicists, as I’ve said once before. Whether it’s Halloween, Christmas, or a popular favourite of comic writers, April Fools’ Day, there’s a good chance that their comic postings that day will follow the theme. How far these guys and girls will go to celebrate is pretty impressive, and liberating. Rewind, for instance, to April 1, 2008 — what Joystiq.com entitles “The Great Webcomic Switch-

It’s like the Mafia, but with less of a chance of dying and racketeering, and more of a chance of making friends. by the comics’ fans, you’ll get a nice treat every once in a while and see a guest comic done by a well-known webcomicist. For the most part, webcomics usually dedicate a week or so for a collection of guest comics to be posted, while the artists/writers take a well-earned break from their work. My favourite example of this style of fan-art is the collection of guest strips shared between the infinite rivals and Dayfree Press members Jeph Jacques (www.questionablecontent.net) and Sam Logan (www.samandfuzzy.com). The reason for the rivalry is mysterious, but the product from it is hilarious, with Jacques depicting Logan as a man who says he is kind and superior to Jacques

eroo.” Jacques, along with Ryan North (www.qwantz.com), and Randall Munroe (www.xkcd.com) switched URLs for an entire day, confusing everyone browsing their webcomics that day. I actually fell out of my chair, laughing. Unfortunately, I have no scars to prove that statement. The webcomics community is one of the most connected networks of internet and geek culture today. It’s like the Mafia, but with less of a chance of dying and racketeering, and more of a chance of making friends. And boy, do these guys make friends. ptrinh@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

THE MOST ENTERTAINING “ONE OFFILMS OF THE SUMMER! ” LEONARD MALTIN, ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT

GREAT HUGHES

TEEN’ IS THE “‘AMMOERIVIECANTHI THAT HUGHES NEVER MADE. S ONE HAS IT ALL. ” BRUCE HANDY, VANITY FAIR

ENTERTAINING THAN ANY “HIGHMORECOULD SCHOOL MOVIE. JOHN HUGHES N’T HAVE WRITTEN A BETTER SCRIPT! ” ALISON BAILES, LYONS & BAILES REEL TALK

WIN TICKETS!

Just sign the sheet in the Imprint office (room 116 in the SLC) and get a Free Double Pass to see American Teen at the Original Princess

55 465 PHILLIP STREET LOCATION ONLY LIMITED TIME OFFER

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SEPTEMBER 5 - 11 6 Princess St. W, Waterloo • 519-885-2950 • princesscinemas.com

18 Arts & Entertainment RULES: Some, like these, just aren’t meant to be broken

Imprint, Friday, August 29, 2008

Continued from page 16

Rule #2B - Invest in some decent posters: Sadly, your room is a reflection of your personality and you will be judged upon the posters you hang on your walls. While this is not directly musical in nature, posters are often associated

with the types and genres of music that you listen to. For example, no posters give the impression that you are boring and/or apathetic, while a poster of Tu-Pac and Biggie draw the stereotype in which you appreciate decent hiphop, ball, and smoke up…regularly. A poster of David Bowie means you’re a hipster with great taste in music, while

a poster of Hedley gives the impression that you’re a giant ass clown. Be wise, but more importantly be honest, because there is nothing more paralyzingly douche-y than hanging a Bob Marley poster on your wall to get laid rather than out of appreciation for his phenomenal music.

Rule #3: Avoid cliché and overplayed tracks You would think this one is a no brainier but, my god, music can get old real fast. By the end of my Frosh week, my entire residence had exhausted the Usher/Lil John club banger “Yeah!” to the point that anyone who played it louder than

the world’s smallest violin became a pariah faster than Michael Richards after his racial tirade hit the internet. So if you want to make friends and stay on the up and up, avoid blasting tracks from Rihanna, Coldplay, and Kanye because Bomber Wednesdays will do it for you. Rule #4 - Invest in a decent pair of headphones: Sharing a room with someone else can be difficult. There’s nothing more awkward than waking up to the sight and sounds of your roommate beating off to a Bollywood porno at 2 in the morning the day before your first midterm. If you have your own room this ‘tip’ wont really apply to you so you can skip this rule, you single-room-dwelling elitist. For those of you who do have a roommate, common courtesy and respect are fundamental in making your residence experience both enjoyable and bearable. Your roommate is the person you will be spending almost every night with so if you two clash when it comes to musical tastes or noise level, a comfortable set of headphones is essential to avoid such minor tribulations. Rule #5 - Leave your cookie-cutter pop music at home: This rule is similar to rule number three. However, music truly is subjective and you can damn well listen to whatever genre or artist you choose. Still, that by no means gives you the right to expose cheesy awful music made by prepackaged ‘artists’ to your roommate, floor mates, Don, or house mom. Please be a little considerate and follow the fourth rule or play this music when you’re alone to avoid personal ridicule from individuals with common sense and pompous asshole music snobs like myself when listening to these artists listed below. The Jonas Brothers, Hedley, Miley Cyrus, Fall Out Boy/Panic At the Disco, Ashley Simpson, Hilary Duff, Paris Hilton, Stained, Theory of A Nickel Fault (Any combination of Nickelback, Theory of a Deadman, and/or Default) By following at least three out of the five rules above, I can assure you that over the course of the next eight months your ears will experience a fresh resonance of sonic rhythms, grooves, and sounds while attempting to attain a higher education. hcolosimo@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Campus Bulletin Classified CHURCH SERVICE St. Bede’s chapel at Renison College offers worship on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. 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.

ANNOUNCEMENTS 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. Your garbage can be very worthwhile! UW Community Garden (behind Columbia Lake on north side, behind a row of tall hedges) needs any compost items that you might regularly throw away such as coffee grounds, egg shells, oatmeal, veg or fruit bits or garden waste such as dead leaves, etc. Meetings on Wednesdays, 5:50 p.m. and Sundays 4 p.m. For further info/questions, e-mail cwormsbe@ gmail.com.

VOLUNTEERING

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 at 519-744-7645, ext 229.

UPCOMING

Thursday, September 11, 2008 AEPi Charity Rock-A-Thon – BBQ, free concert, prizes, giveaways from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Corner of Hazel and University (across from WLU campus). Money raised in support of hospitals

including Grand River Hospital in Waterloo. For more info aepi.rockathon@ gmail.com. Tuesday, September 16, 2008 Volunteer/Internship Fair – from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Great Hall, SLC – come out and meet representatives from a variety of local agencies to find out about volunteering opportunities in a variety of different fields. Also, talk with representatives about opportunities that may include: administrative work, event planning/fundraising, marketing, etc.

STUDENT AWARDS FINANCIAL AID

2nd floor, Needles Hall, ext 33583. Please refer to safa.uwaterloo.ca to view a full listing of scholarships and awards. September 2 – first day to pick up OSAP loan documents for the fall term. September 19 – application deadline for Canada Millennium Bursary.

CAREER SERVICES WORKSHOPS

Monday, September 22, 2008 Networking 101 – 4:30 to 6 p.m., TC1208. Prerequisite for this workshop. Wednesday, September 24, 2008 Career Exploration and Decision Making – 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., TC1113. Thursday, September 25, 2008 Interview Skills – Preparing for Questions – 3:30 to 5 p.m., TC1208. Prerequisite for this workshop. Exploring Your Personality Type (Part 1) – 2:30 to 4 p.m., TC1112. Materials charge of $10 payable at Career Services prior to the first session. Once you have registered, you will be given information on how to complete the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) online.

HELP WANTED Weekend counsellors and relief staff to work in homes for individuals with developmental challenges. Minimum eight-month commitment. Paid positions. Send resume to Don Mader, KW Habilitation Services, 108 Sydney Street, Kitchener, ON, N2G 3V2. Distribution workers needed for fall term at Imprint Publications to deliver the newspaper every Friday. Hours range from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. Please email ads@imprint.uwaterloo.ca or call Laurie at 519-888-4048 for more info. Extend-A-Family part-time positions – providing in-home and community support to individuals with developmental/physical challenges in a variety of programs. Providers will be reliable, energetic and committed. $12.48/hour to start. If interested, please contact Recruitment at 519-741-0190, ext 238 or via e-mail at joy@eafwr.on.ca. Web – www.eafwr. on.ca. Imprint requires a marketing sales assistant to aid the advertising/production manager in contacting clients, updating data bases and other office duties on a weekly basis. This position is open to full-time undergraduate University of Waterloo students who qualify for the work-study program (OSAP recipients and registered in a minimum 60 per cent course load). If this position appeals to you, please e-mail resume to ads@imprint.uwaterloo.ca or bring them to the Imprint office, SLC room 1116 during office hours. Starting in September – part-time employment available. Fun games, sports and crafts with after-school children at Laurelwood Public School. Only a short walk from the university.

ads@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Interested persons should leave a message at 519-741-8997 before 10 p.m.

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.

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Entrepreneurial partner wanted – Training included ; comp plan. Serious applicants only – 1-888-266-8151.

HOUSING

FOR ALL YOUR CLASSIFIED NEEDS .... CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS 200 University Ave., W., Student Life Centre 1116, University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1 v 519.888.4048 ; f 519.884.7800 ; ads@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

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IMPRINT reserves the right to approve all copy before publication and the right to refuse or cancel any advertisement at any time. IMPRINT’s Code of Ethics states, “any material containing a racist, sexist, or othewise prejudical substance or tone, will not be printed.” All advertising must meet Federal and Provincial Canadian laws. Advertisements or classifieds for companies that offer plagiarism services, which include, but are not limited to, essay writing services, shall not be permitted to publish.

DANCE! DANCE! DANCE! SATURD�YS FRIDAYS

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GLOBAL WARMING With rotating DJ’s who will keep you dancing

The starlight Fall Schedule

�

Imprint, Friday, August 29, 2008

What wisdom would you impart to a first year student?

by Dinh Nguyen

“Turnkey knows everything... including all of your worse fears”

Deema Saleh

�

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

10Will CurrieAND THE COUNTRY FRENCH Sept

The Saigon Hookers 11 Sept

with

The Inner City Surfers, Chuck Koster, and The Lonely

Sept

Distractions

Masters student — managment science

“Rub Porcellino’s nose for good luck during exams.” “...pasta everyday is a bad idea” Reemah Khalid & Cassandra Piroutz 3A arts bussiness and 3A Theatre

“Be proactive...on campus...and explore the city.” Anum Tariq 4a Speech communication

starlight’s 5th anniversary

17 BOCCE SHAD & HEY OCEAN! 18 University of Waterloo 19 STUDENT APPRECIATION NIGHT APOSTLE of HUSTLE 20 23 Martin Tielli 24 You Say Party! We Say Die! 25 9 The Sadies Zeus, RockplazaCentral& JasonCollett 16 Ron Sexsmith 21 WITH

PUNJABI ROCK AND ROLL CONSERVATORY

AND

Sept

“You don’t have to buy condoms here.”

Shaun White 4B pure math

with special guest MANTIS

Sept

SHOW YOUR WATCARD AND DON’T PAY THE COVER

“Your midterms will happen faster than you think.”

Ian Cutajar

2B liberal arts

Sept

WITH

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OF RHEOSTATICS

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with Winter Gloves and Beast

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oct The Wood,

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THE STARLIGHT

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“You don’t have to attend your class section so long as their is another class available.”

Hannah Torres

3B mathematical Sciences

“Never underestimate the power of last minute.”

Payam Mehradnia 2B Mechatronics

All your favourite crosswords and sudoku, missing connections and comics will return on September 12, 2008. Want to be part of our next great comic term? Submit three samples of your work to editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca. Any other changes you’d like to see to the Comics & Distractions section? Write us with your feedback!

Science & Technology

Imprint, Friday, August 29, 2008 science@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

goodnight, don’t let the bedbugs bite

ith some people it’s obvious: they wear their sex drive on their sleeve, romancing everyone in sight and it’s clear that despite the self-proclaimed crabs jokes, an STD is lurking. You know exactly what I’m talking about, and may even have a friend or two who fit this description. Now, let me ask you this: did you actually fall for the last two sentences? If you did, you could not be more wrong. STDs and STIs don’t discriminate and anyone who leads a sexually active lifestyle has the potential to catch something from their partner. If you’re female, you can think of your body as a plane. And despite how much time it adds to your flight, you’d rather have tighter security that ensures that you land safely. The key to a great flight is making sure all your passengers have their seatbelts on, which come in convenient ready to-go-packages of one or twelve. If such is your seatbelt policy, it is wise to remind the passengers that a seatbelt fastening is mandatory prior to takeoff. Lastly, there is no need to point out the emergency exit. Sorry, I couldn’t resist making the analogy. In all seriousness, condoms should not be underestimated as they help slash chances of STD transmission for both genders. Condoms are also the only contraceptive that works by preventing sperm from coming in contact with the vagina by keeping the little

swimmers contained in the condom. This is precisely why pregnancy rates are so low for condoms versus other barrier methods, such as diaphragms. Unfortunately, preventing STD transmission isn’t as simple as putting on a condom, but it’s a solid start. Although the most common way to catch an STD is through anal, oral or vaginal sex, personal items such as towels can pass on pubic lice, while gonorrhea can be transmitted during childbirth through the

birth canal. Also, because some STDs, like genital herpes, have symptoms that are episodic, it is impossible to accurately determine whether a person is infected just by looking. Herpes, which is caused by a virus and is an incurable STD, is responsible for sores that start off as blisters and later pop to form painful ulcers on the genitals. As a side note, males should not be excused from STD and STI conversations because they have just as much chance in getting infected: gonorrhea, Chlamydia, syphilis, and herpes are just some of the many STDs that elicit

Superman was right — with great power comes great responsibility. The bottom line is, act responsibly with your junk and you can maximize your sex potential by staying clean of infections. To make sure your love life isn’t cramped by itchiness, sores or any other unpleasant symptoms, you can do three simple things to keep yourself on the safe side of things. First and foremost, keep a good hygiene. Use clean towels, your own toothbrush, and wash your hands thoroughly and with soap. See? Not that hard, you learned it in kindergarten.

Wael Elsweisi

Sciences Center in El Paso. Since the RNA molecules degrade over time, however, the method would have to be performed repeatedly, notes Shanker. It may eventually become a supplement to the anti-HIV drugs out there, potentially reducing their consumption and the many side effects associated with them.

Taylor Helferty

reporter

Brain trick: flavour modulation

After many years of elucidating some of the secrets behind taste, researchers have synthesized tiny compounds that can fool our mind by making the food we eat taste sweeter, saltier, and even more savoury than it actually is. Food modulation is thought to help us reduce our consumption of sugar, salt, and monosodium glutamate, reducing the rising incidences of obesity and heart disease. San Diego-based Senomyx is leading this flavour-enhancing technology. Nestle has already started incorporating some of Senomyx’s flavour modulators, while Cadbury and Coca Cola plan to join in early in 2009. Senomyx is also experimenting with bitterness blockers. The potential modulators would get rid of the aftertaste associated with some beneficial products such as soy bean and some medicines. In addition, successful flavour modulation would save food makers lots of money as large quantities of sugars and salts would be replaced with minute quantities of cheaper alternatives, which are also more nutritious. Silencing HIV in engineered mice

Efforts focusing on dealing with the spread of HIV have led to more promising news. A recent study involved the infection of genetically-modified mice with HIV; this modification is necessary in order to “humanize” mice since HIV is typically specific to humans. The scientists used a method called RNA interference (RNAi) to silence 3 key genes involved in the spread of HIV. Briefly, the infected cell is overwhelmed with small RNA molecules that go on to interfere with the normal production of specific proteins by “silencing” their respective genes. Results show that not only does the number of viral particles drop in infected mice, but the method also protects healthy mice from developing HIV infections. “This is a very potent antiviral mechanism... If it can be harnessed for therapy, I am sure it could become a very good treatment for HIV,” says study co-author Premlata Shankar, an immunologist at Texas Tech University’s Health

unpleasant symptoms in males as well as females. This is why it is important to consider protecting yourself from infection as well as pregnancy when choosing contraceptives. To put things in perspective, Public Health Agency of Canada states that 84 per cent of all reported STD cases are due to Chlamydia, the STD most commonly found in females, with 300 million cases reported worldwide. So far we can conclude two things: the world is a scary, infectious place and that

STDs and STIs don’t discriminate and anyone who leads a sexually active lifestyle has the potential to catch something from their partner.

Menstrual blood to the rescue

Scientists at MediStem Laboratories in San Diego, California, have isolated stem cells from the menstrual blood of two women. Studies involving the transplantation of the stem cells in mice whose limbs are facing restricted blood flow (ischemia) show prolonged survival of the limbs, suggesting the promotion of blood vessel growth. “I do think cells coming out of menstrual blood are highly regenerative,” said Caroline Gargett of the Monash University in Clayton, Australia. The stem cells originate from the endometrium, which is typically shed and rebuilt once every month, unless pregnancy takes place. It is estimated that 150, 000 people in the U.S. lose limbs every year due to ischemia. Trials in humans facing amputations are expected to begin next year. The study is published in the Journal of Translational Medicine. Promising new research results in a possible treatment for cystic fibrosis

Continued research in the treatment of cystic fibrosis has led to the development of a promising new drug that is now in mid-stage clinical trials. The drug is called PTC124 and is being developed by PTC Therapeutics in South Plainfield, New Jersey. Affecting about 700, 000 people worldwide, cystic fibrosis is the result of a genetic defect that allows for the excessive build up of mucus, clogging lungs and other organs. PTC124 is only one of a number of experimental new drugs aimed at bypassing the genetic defect associated with cystic fibrosis. Vertex Pharmaceuticals has a drug called VX770 that is also in Phase II trials. — National Geographic News, Newscientist.com, and Scientific American

staff reporter

Scientists compress light even further

University of California scientists have discovered a way to squeeze light into even tighter spaces. In the past it has been possible to pass light through the space of 200 nanometers — 400 times smaller than a human hair. That’s a pretty small space to begin with, however a team of scientists led by mechanical engineering professor Xiang Zhang squeezed light through an even smaller space: 10 nanometers. This is only slightly bigger than the width of a single piece of DNA. The only problem was that light does not like being compressed beyond it’s wavelength. Usually scientists use surface plasmonics, where light binds to electrons, but the light doesn’t make it far along this path. Rupert Oulton, research associate and lead author of the study, came up with a new idea using a very thin semiconductor wire, placing the wire close to a smooth sheet of silver. Instead of the light moving through the wire, the light is trapped in the gap between the wire and the metal sheet as it the wire gets closer to the sheet. Although this is mostly a theory, it would be fairly straightforward to build, and this kind of technology could vastly improve current optical technology, as well as push us closer to fully optical computers. Green computers hitting the frontlines

With most green initiatives being concentrated on gas consumption and pollution, it would be easy to overlook one of the bigger power-consumers in almost everyone’s home: the computer. Anyone who has hosted a LAN party and received a visit from the police investigating for a grow-op after the spike in power knows a computer is not the most efficient in power management. However, many companies are shipping out some very eco-friendly desktop computers. Here’s a few big names: Dell’s Studio Hybrid (26-44 watts, and it even comes with an optional bamboo exterior!); Lenovo ThinkCentre M57/M57p (58 watts at peak); Apple Mac Mini (20-28 watts); Zonbu Desktop Mini (8-11 watts and no hard drive, must subscribe for online storage); and finally the CherryPal PC which consumes only 2 watts of power, has no moving parts or hard drive, but 50GB online storage is available without subscrip-

The next step is to protect yourself by using a contraceptive that prevents STD transmission and to ensure your partner is protected, as well. Lastly, getting tested is extremely important, because it will keep you from getting people infected if you have caught something, and will help you treat an STD if you’re suffering from the symptoms. In a relationship, the better way to approach this topic is by presenting it as a health concern and not a trust issue. When backed into a corner, you can say, “Well, I hear you can catch some of these things from toilet seats, and I care about you so I want to find out if I’m clean. Only thing is, I’m scared to do it alone, and it’s a bit embarrassing. Will you go with me?” Now, I may be crazy, but if your partner doesn’t care enough about you to support you in this situation, who says he or she cares about letting you know they’re infected with something? Next week I will talk about the procedures involved in STD testing in an attempt to remove stigma on the topic. For now, I will leave you with some food for thought, a little jingle that is very useful for consideration whenever you are considering having sex: “Before you put it in, think about where it’s been.” alomako@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

tion. The computers come with non-hazardous or recycled parts as well as offer recycling programs for the computer itself if it dies. 64-Bit Windows (finally) gaining momentum

It was a slow ride for 64-bit computing, even though the hardware and software has been out for a fair amount of time. To blame is the fact that the efficiency boost of taking advantage of a 64-bit processor (such as being able to use more than 4GB of RAM) outweighed the cost. No one has really needed that much power, and many peripherals and software would not work well on a 64-bit operating system. However, recent statistics show that 20 percent of PCs running Windows Vista that connected to Windows Update in June were running a 64-bit version of the operating system. This is compared to three per cent in March. As well, more and more computers are being sold pre-installed with Windows Vista 64-bit. Soon, 95 per cent of desktops and 30 per cent of laptops will be pre-installed with a 64-bit operating system. Even software companies are starting to take stock in the growing market; Adobe just released their 64-bit optimized version of Lightroom — the popular photo management software. Asus continues mini invasion with Eee Box

Continuing the theme of small, affordable, and energy-efficient computers, Asus has built the new Eee Box. For those of you still not susceptible to Apple’s flashy commercials and Justin Long, the Linux or Windows XP based Eee Box is smaller than the Mac Mini. Albeit it’s not as powerful, but if you’re not a gamer or putting together the next six Spiderman movies, why spend the money? Like the famous Eee PC laptops, it has no optical drive or many bells and whistles, but does sport the Intel 1.6GHz Atom processor, up to two gigabytes of memory, four USB ports, and SD card slot, wireless N and Bluetooth. The box itself can be fit almost anywhere — even onto your monitor. With Fall coming up, people who are looking for a good desktop cheaper than their tuition that will do the job, I’d definitely recommend a look at the Eee Box with a price tag of $270 or $300. thelferty@imprint.uawaterloo.ca

Sports & Living

Imprint, Friday, August 29, 2008 sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Calling all Warriors Whether you’re a member of UW’s varsity teams,or a participant in Campus Rec programming.Whether you’re a team captain or a rookie. Whether you run before classes or catch a game between cramming sessions. Whether you’re active on campus or even in the community as a whole.

come out and play

An Imprint grab-bag of sports info Track and Field Try-outs — Walk-on Meeting: September 11, 5:30pm, PAC 2021 (Mandatory forms available at www.warriortrackandfield.uwaterloo.ca)

Scoreboard link (bookmark it now!) — http://www.athletics.uwaterloo.ca/varsity/2007_08_scoreboard/scoreboard.html (Listings updated weekly throughout the term.)

Red-letter GOLD letter days — September 6, 2008: Black & Gold Day. For the first time in UW’s history, we’re playing our football games on our turf. (Finally! A real home advantage!) Witness the inaugural game on North Campus, parallel Columbia Street, as the Warriors take on McMaster’s Marauders.

Wherever you are,whatever you’re doing,if you’re doing it the Warrior way Imprint wants YOUR stories of triumph,setback,hardship,teamwork,or leadership. Send us a 100 to 200 word story setting the scene of a Warrior moment for you.It could be your excitement at a friend scoring aher first goal,or the trials of writing a final exam right after returning from a sports tour. The new feature,Sports & Living Snapshots,first appears on September 12,2008 — to better celebrate your individual successes and teamwork as a community. Fill out your form,as a team or as an individual,online at www. imprint.uwaterloo.ca.Look down the right-hand menu for“Sports Snapshots”and get started!

September 6

Double Header vs WLU 1:00 pm and 3:30 PM Jack Couch Park, Kitchener Warrior Soccer

September 10

September 13

vs Guelph Gryphons

vs Western Mustangs

5:00 PM, CIF #1

{M} 1:00 PM, {W} 3:15 PM, CIF #2

September 14

1:00 PM, CIF #1

{M} 1:00 PM, {W} 3:15 PM, CIF #2

vs Windsor Lancers

Gold and Black Day

September 6

vs McMaster Marauders 1:00 PM Warrior Field

vs UOIT Ridgebacks Registered trademarks of Boston Pizza Royalties Limited Partnership, used under license. © Boston Pizza International Inc. 2005

IMPRINT | AUGUST 15

{M} 2:00 PM, {W} 5:00 PM Waterloo Tennis Club

Warrior Tennis September 10

LI V EN E

100.3

LI S T

vs McMaster Marauders

Warrior Football

UND SO F

Warrior {W} Rugby

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Black and Gold Day September 6th 1:00 PM Warrior Field vs It’s at Black and Gold Day... Carnival at 11 am Kick off at 1 pm Skydivers Info Booths Leader Dance @ Half-Time

Jobs!

Athletics Open House September 9th, 11:00 am - 3:00 pm PAC Main Gym Info Booths Demonstrations Learn to sessions Lots of prizes

CR Registration Intramurals Registration - September 8 - 12 Instructional Registration - September 15 -18 ®

Registered trademarks of Boston Pizza Royalties Limited Partnership, used under license. © Boston Pizza International Inc. 2005

Instructors Convenors Referees Lifeguards Personal Trainers Anthem Singers Sport Managment Sport Marketing Facilities Game Day Operations and Promotions Broadcasating Sports Journalism

Special Residence Move-in Hours: Sunday, Aug. 31 - 10:00am to 4:30pm Monday, Sept. 1 (Labour Day) - 10:00am to 4:30pm

STUDENTS GET

WAY MORE

PLANS PACKED WITH TEXT, TALK, FREEBIES AND DISCOUNTS WITH A ROGERS STUDENT PLAN.*

Student Life Centre (Lower Level) www.campustechshop.uwaterloo.ca

*See store for details. ™Rogers and the Mobius design are trademarks of Rogers Communications Inc. used under license or of Rogers Wireless Partnership. All other brand names are trademarks of their respective owners. © 2008.