Imprint_2009-06-26_v32_i05

Page 1

Impr int The university of Waterloo’s official student newspaper

Friday, June 26, 2009

Vol 32, No

imprint . uwaterloo . ca

5

Protests for the Iranian election

Nikoo Shahabi

Student protestors engaged in a silent march around Ring Road on June 22, 2009.

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pproximately 250 Iranian members of the UW community demonstrated at the University of Waterloo and along University Avenue on June 18. An additional silent rally this Monday, June 22, was also attended by local Members of Parliament Peter Braid (Kitchener—Waterloo) and Steven Woodworth (Kitchener Centre). For more than two hours during both afternoons, Iranian Canadians called for a recount of the June 12 vote in Iran, in which incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared the winner. They also voiced their concerns about the violence committed by the authorities against Iranian protesters, and mourned the deaths of fellow Iranians. Demonstrators of all ages wore green shirts, headbands, headscarves, or surgical masks. The green colour represents the campaign of Mir-Hussein Mousavi, whom many analysts and Iranians expected would win in the Iranian presidential election. Despite his past involvement with the Islamic revolution, he is seen today as a reformist candidate after taking a long hiatus from politics. Mousavi and his supporters allege that the votes were rigged. The Iranian government denies the charge and is already making plans for Ahmadinejad’s swearing-in later this summer. News reports estimate that more than 15 protesters and bystanders have been killed since the election day by Iranian authorities and Basij mem-

bers. The Basij is a volunteer paramilitary group that takes orders from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Far more have been injured, and many of those who went to hospitals have been taken away by the authorities. On Monday’s Green Walk of Silence, Braid expressed disappointment over the “tragic circumstances” the Iranian people are facing.

“I am here today to stand in solidarity with you,” he said. “Your loved ones and friends in Iran are being threatened with oppression, with brutal violence, and in some cases, as we speak, even with death.” “The very minimum that I can do... As a representative of the government of Canada, is to stand

Mousavi and his supporters allege that the votes were rigged. The Iranian government denies the charge and is already making plans for Ahmadinejad’s swearing-in...

“In Iran, voices are being silenced... The government of Canada strongly condemns the decision of the Iranian government to use force against its citizens,” he told a crowd of approximately 100 protesters. “We call on the Iranian government to verify the election results,” he added. “I want you to know that your voice will be carried to Ottawa... We will continue to stand with you and to condemn, in the strongest terms, the actions of the Iranian government to stifle dissent, to put a lid on journalistic freedom, and to impede democratic and human rights.” Woodworth also assured the UW Persian community of the Canadian government’s support.

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Features

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Opinion

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with you. To stand shoulder to shoulder with your calls for freedom, for democracy, and for human rights in Iran,” he continued in his speech. He noted that the Iranian people have “simply called for political reform. [They] have not threatened violence against the authorities… They are guiltless victims of oppression.” Following the MPs’ speeches, Woodworth and Iranian-Canadians walked around Ring Road in silence, holding pictures and signs of recent events in Iran.

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News

Imprint, Friday, June 26, 2009 news@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Protest: demanding electoral recount Continued from page 1

On June 18, UW protesters waved victory signs as they walked along University Avenue from UW to Wilfrid Laurier University and back. Passerby drivers honked in support as protesters chanted slogans demanding a vote recount and a stop to the Iranian authorities’ attacks on protesters in Iran. Protester chants in English and Farsi included, “Where is my vote?!”; “Mousavi, Mousavi, we support you!”; “One, two, three! Iran should be free!”; “Dead brothers: We will get back your votes!”; and “Stop the violence!” They held posters containing similar phrases, as well as graphic images of injured and killed protesters in Iran. Mohammad Shavezipur, a mechanical and mechatronics engineering postdoctoral researcher, said he is asking the world “not to recognize Ahmadinejad as president.” “Extreme violence has been committed and people are being killed,” he said. Many students would not give their full or last names as they

Joberloo The new Jobmine

Andrew Dodds

playing political cartoons that were critical of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameini. He explained why he would not join the official protest: “I am against the entire regime… [the protesters] find my message to be too harsh.” One UW graduate student disagrees with Michael’s viewpoint. “There is a movement inside the government for reform… there is still some possibility for reform.” Upon returning to the UW campus, protesters convened in front of the MC building. Organizers presented speeches in English and Farsi. Waving victory signs, protesters sang songs such as Yar-e Dabestani-e Man (translates to: “My Schoolmate”), a popular revolutionary song among Iranians. Copies of one of the speeches were handed out: “We have gathered here today to express our solidarity with the Iranian people, and to voice our strong condemnation of allegedly massive vote-rigging that has occurred in the presidential elections of June12… This is a nonpartisan demonstration to express our support for the basic rights and democratic demands of the Iranian people.” Law enforcement officers said both rallies took place success-

Text messaging has been cut off in Iran since election day. Protesters in Iran are relying on social networking sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, to update the world about the protests.

responded to reporters’ questions. They feared reprisals if they were to return to Iran, and were concerned that family members in their homeland may be targeted. Shean, an Iranian graduate student in engineering, explained why he and his friends were taking part in the rally: “There was a huge fraud… What we are asking for is that the votes are counted correctly under the supervision of the United Nations.” “What we see in Iran is a coup d’état against the Iranian people.” When an Iranian PhD student was asked what message she hoped to convey through the protest, her response was immediate: “Stop killing people!” Non-Iranian supporters were also present. “It would be nice to see a re-election… We support [the Iranian people] for their cause,” said one, who asked not to be named. A smaller number of non-UW local residents protested behind the UW protest on University Avenue. They were not part of the official protest and were expressing discontent with the Islamic regime, not just the alleged electoral fraud. Some were seen waving a Pahlavi dynasty flag, which was the Iranian flag until the Islamic Republic replaced it with the present flag in 1980. Michael, a Waterloo resident and former student activist in Iran, trailed at a distance from the protesters. He was carrying a sign dis-

fully, without incident. “It was very well organized and there were no concerns from campus police or the Waterloo Regional who assisted the off campus portion,” said Sgt. Christopher Goss, manager of UW Police and Security Operations on the June 18 rally. “[The Green Walk of Silence] was very well organized and attended. There were no concerns from campus police who assisted in the event,” stated UW Police Sgt. Alan Binns. Text messaging has been cut off in Iran since election day. Protesters in Iran are relying on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, to update the world about the protests. They have also been uploading raw footage of events to video sharing sites — in particular YouTube. Last week, Twitter agreed with the U.S. State Department’s request to delay a scheduled system maintenance due to its importance as a medium for the U.S. government and the world to learn about events in Iran. Google has since rolled out an alpha version of a Farsi translation tool. Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the Canadian government is “strongly displeased by the reaction that has taken place by [Iranian] authorities to events this week.” He told Parliament that the Iranian authorities should “respect people’s basic human rights, and to move forward on a democratic progress.”

Dubai update With only two months until classes begin, enrolment numbers are below target Ted Fleming staff reporter

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flurry of discussion continues to surround the university’s new satellite campus in Dubai, as preparations are made to begin classes in September. With only two months to go, enrolment numbers continue to be far below estimates. At the projects inception, the inaugural class was hoped to be around 120 students. By October 2008, estimates from Dean of Engineering Leo Rothenburg, had fallen to 60 students. Actual enrollment is even smaller. UW’s Registrar Ken Lavigne gave Imprint the most current numbers during an interview last Monday. Of the 45 students who have applied to the Dubai campus, 33 have been sent offers of admission (13 chemical engineering, and 20 civil engineeering). Of the 33 offers, 18 students have enrolled. However, students still have time to respond to offers of admission. Lavigne commented that as with any university program, these numbers are not final until “all tuition and fees have been collected.” The first class consists only of students beginning university in their 1A term. Classes will be held in facilities rented from the Higher Colleges of Technology, a satellite campus of an American school of the same name which has been operating in Dubai for some time now. The cost to attend the new campus is $14,000 CAD per semester, the same as an international engineering student pays to attend Waterloo’s main campus. With an average income per

capita of $33,500 CAD, these fees seem beyond the means of most people in the United Arab Emirates. Low enrolment is just one challenge the satellite campus faces. Concern for student and faculty safety, the high level of human rights abuses in Dubai, and the inequality of women are all issues on students’ minds. Could faculty and staff be pressured to participate in the exchange? Will UW pick up momentum in coming semesters? These are all questions that can only be answered with time. tfleming@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

The numbers Applications for Fall ‘09

45

Offers of Admission: Chemical Engineering

13

Civil Engineering

20

Total Offers of Admission:

33

Tuition per semester (in CAD)

$14,000

Average income per capita in UAE (in CAD)

$33,4777

staff reporter

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fter a couple years of development, the next evolution of the University of Waterloo’s co-op job matching software is coming together. Codenamed Joberloo, the replacement to the current Jobmine system is a ground-up refresh meant to simplify the system for both students and employers, while offering advanced functionality beneath the surface for a more customized experience to aid both parties in their search for the ideal match. Peggy Jarvie, executive director of CECS, sees the new system providing for both the short and long term. “There are three primary goals of the new system: to increase its effectiveness as a recruitment and job search tool, to improve the efficiency of the employment process, and to provide a base of data that we can turn into management information to support immediate and longer term decision making.” The rework itself began based on feedback gathered three years ago from both students and employers, Jarvie said. “The functionality in the new system is largely a result of an extensive review of the employment process, undertaken by Ken McKay and Miguel Anjos in 2006. In addition we’re providing opportunity for students and employers to provide input as the functionality is being developed. And a cross-functional group of CECS staff are heavily involved in reviewing the system as it’s under development.” The two systems can hardly be compared for potential. The Jobmine search options for students have been vastly expanded, and the interface should appear familiar to users of new media platforms. In a demo run-through of various tasks on the new system, intuition is the key word. For employers, the system will allow for easier paring down of data. Resumes will now be created within the system, giving employees the option of screening based on any number of readily-identifiable qualifications, and of viewing only certain pertinent portions of the resumes, and should bring the ideal candidates more clearly to the top. As the system develops, new features will be investigated and implemented to enrich the experience on both ends. One such feature will be a better platform for presenting additional non-standard material, such as portfolios and other accomplishments. Earlier reports in Imprint had the system set to go online this year, but schedules have adapted along the way. “The launch of the new system is targeted for winter term 2010 with a pilot group of architecture students and employers, and spring term for everyone else,” said Jarvie. “We are presently refining the user interfaces and integrating a number of subsystems that have been developed,” said McKay, who has been spearheading the project. The delays to the schedule were not without merit. “We have had approximately nine co-op students working with us each term, and the team is usually made up of students from mathematics/computer science, engineering, psychology, and sociology. The students have participated and contributed on many aspects of the system as we have prototyped and evolved; from internal systems work to external user interface design. The students working on the project contributed many suggestions and were also a good sounding board for design ideas.” Unlike the PeopleSoft system that was adapted to become Jobmine, Joberloo will be a complete UW production, another showcase for the school to further help it stand out from the pack. Bringing a new system into such an integral part of the UW experience is no easy task, but CECS is prepared, said Jarvie. “The take up for students and employers is critical for us, so we have a small team dedicated to preparing for implementation; they are looking at testing, communications, documentation and training requirements and preparing plans and materials to make the transition from JobMine to the new system as painless as possible.” Students interested in testing the current build of the system are invited to come to the Tatham Centre basement, TC 0201, between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to try out Joberloo and contribute feedback on the system to further help with its refinement. adodds@imprint.uwaterloo.ca


News

Imprint, Friday, June 26, 2009

studies, ticketing controversy, and intimidation Tejas Koshy staff reporter

Laurier offers Muslim Studies Specialization

Starting in the Fall 2009, Wilfrid Laurier University will grant students the opportunity to specialize in Muslim studies. The religion and culture department, in the faculty of arts, will offer it as a option. While an option means that the area of concentration is not a major, but more extensive than a minor. It will require four credits, two core classes and six electives, from a preset list of courses. The option will provide an interdisciplinary approach to the study of Islam and Muslim society. It will also focus on the historical, philosophical and theological development of Islamic thought and traditions as well as contemporary sociological, political and cultural contexts of lived Muslim experiences. — With files from cordweekly. com 2. University claims it has independent power to issue its own tickets

A Toronto city councilor is considering taking legal action against York University, with regards to it parking policies. Toronto city councilor Howard Moscoe, who is also the chair of the Licensing and Standard Committee for the City of Toronto, wrote a letter of complaint to York’s ombudsman John McCamus. The letter stated that the parking tickets that the university issues to student are illegal according to a Toronto City Council bylaw. According to Bylaw 725-2004, passed in 2004, no private agencies within the boundaries of Toronto have the authority to give out their own parking tickets. York University director of media relations, Alex Bilyk, has stated that the university does not fall under the bylaw. “Sections 10 and 13 of the York University Act, 1965, and the position of the City of Toronto bylaw is not applicable to York University,” Bilyk said. “York has a separate independent power and has the ability to regulate the activities of its community. That’s been our stance in parking and traffic regulations on the York University website. They are authorized by the Board of Governors and the president of York.” He stated. Moscoe called the letter of complaint he sent to McCamus a last resort, and if this fails, he is looking to take it one step further. Moscoe has also criticized the university’s current practice with regards to parking tickets. Under current practice, students are issued parking tickets, by the university, for illegally parking on York University property. The students have to pay the tickets; otherwise the university can deny them their student transcripts and diplomas until they pay their tickets. This is mentioned by Bilyk, on the university’s website “If you go on the website, you will find the regulations posted and it’s clear there... basically the degree is held until all of the financial matters are settled with the university,”

Bilyk said. Moscoe is upset that students are denied the right to fight against their university-issued tickets in a court of law, something they would have been able to do had those tickets been issued by the City of Toronto. Any appeals for parking tickets issued at York can only be directed to the university itself. — With files from Excalibur Mohammed Shouman reporter

Commission: York U Jewish students face intimidation

A Jewish communal commission has produced a report expressing that “intimidation, harassment, ridicule and virulent anti-Israel sentiment” at York University. The commission provided testimonials from members of York University’s Jewish community attesting that they have been “shocked and shaken” due to recent incidents at the university. The commission on the quality of Jewish life consists of the United Jewish Appeal Federation of Greater Toronto, Hillel of Greater Toronto, Hasbara at York, and the Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy. The report recommended York University: • Prohibit teachers from expressing personal political opinions if they are not related to the course they are instructing. • Establish a confidential hotline for students to report “abuse of the podium” incidents. • Have security forces undergo “enhanced training in order to deal more effectively with disruptive events and individuals.” • Increase sanction severity for repeat offenders of the university’s Student Code of Conduct. • Empower York security to “issue reprimands ... that would remain on a student's academic transcript for a period of not less than two years.” • “Rigorously define the academic standards expected of all university‑sponsored conferences.” • Prohibit Vari Hall — a central place for student meetings and special events — from being booked for political purposes. The recommendations were submitted to the York University Task Force on Student Life, Learning and Community. York University has made news for the anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli activities of some of its students. In February, a shouting match between two political factions lead a mob to shove Jewish students and shout intimidating remarks. The Jewish students found shelter in Hillel’s student lounge, where they were followed by approximately 100 people who chanted, “Leave our campus!”, “Israelis off campus!” and “Let’s break the glass and get them out!” Police had to escort the students out of the building. (Only two students were reprimanded, one of whom was the York Federation of Students’ Vice President of Equity.) — With files from the National Post tkoshy@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Robot guards, Maoist fighting and self rule in greenland Tejas Koshy staff reporter

US drones to patrol our border

Recently the U.S. Department of Homeland Security launched another unmanned surveillance drone over the Canadian border, around the Great Lakes region. US officials told CBC news, that the main purpose is to stem the flow of drugs, migrants and terrorists over the border. This recent launch is part of a series of tests the Department of Homeland Security is running with regards to drones and border protection. The current trial flight started Monday, June 22 and will wraped up on June 25. This is the second surveillance drone to patrol the US-Canada border. The first flight occurred in February, over Manitoba’s portion of the border. The current agreement between the United States and Canada, stipulates that the drone remain unarmed and that the United States will seek Canada’s permission before sending the drone over Canada’s portion of the border. The current drone that is being used is called the Predator and is able to fly at an altitude of 6,000 metres and can remain on station for 20 hours. The drone is controlled by a remote operator and is equipped with sensors and camera capable of tracking a moving person, from 10 km away. The British Columbia border may be the next location for the Predator. Homeland Security has mentioned that if the tests are successful, the surveillance will become permanent. The recent tests have brought a flurry of concerns in areas that are close to the border. —With files from cbc.com Indian Maoist Fighting

In a recent surge of fighting, the Indian military has closed in on the Lalgarh region of the state of West Bengal, where Maoist rebels have taken control. In addition, the Maoist Communist Party of India, has

been officially banned by the Indian government The offensive began in June,when the state government called in more than 1,000 paramilitary troops, after Maosist rebels drove out local police in the region. The Lalgarh area encompasses vast tracts of the forests of West Midnapur, Purulia and Bankura districts of West Bengal and adjoins parts of the states of Jharkhand and Orissa. Reports state that a “human shield” formed by villager to impede the miltary’s progress, was quickly disbanded. Many villagers have left the area, fearing impeding clashes between the military and the Maoist rebels. On Thursday, June 17, hundreds of police officers, armed with batons, charged and fired tear gas at a gathering of more than 3,000 people, in Pirakata, on the outskirts of Lalgarh. In addition four more Communist workers were found dead, bring to the number of dead party workers killed in the recent violence to 10. Police believe that the four dead men, were among six party workers kidnapped by the Maoist rebels. The Maoists rebels claimed Lalargh as their first liberated zone. According to the BBC’s correspondents, Lalgarh is part of the Maoist rebels long term plans. During the rebels tenure in Lalgarh, villagers backed by the rebels, destroyed offices belonging to the ruling state government Communisty Party of India (Marxist), a rival party. The tribespeople-dominated Lalgarh area in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district has been under control of the rebels since November. Violence in Lalgarh began last November after West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya narrowly escaped a landmine blast blamed on the rebels. Protests were launched when a number of locals were arrested on suspicion of attempting to assassinate him. There were also allegations of police torturing locals, including women and children.

Maoist-linked violence has killed 6,000 people in India over the past 20 years. —With files from hindu.com,news. bbc.o.uk, and wikipedia.org Greenland gets Self Rule

The Arctic island of Greenland has assumed self-rule the latest step towards total independence from Denmark. The recent move follows a referendum on greater autonomy, that took place in November 2008. As a result of the self-rule, the local government will take a greater share of revenues from its natural resources. Until recently most of the oil, gas, gold and diamonds resources were inaccessible due to the Arctic ice covering most of the land mass. However many experts believe that these resources will become accessible due to global warming, as it melts the ice sheets. Many advocates for total independence, hope the expected increase in revenues will fund a final breakaway from Denmark. In addition, the local government will also take control of the court system and the police. Greenlandic, otherwise known as Kalaallisut will be named the official language of Greenland. However Denmark still has control over defence and foreign policy matters. Most Greenlanders are native Inuit, will now be treated as a separate people under international law. Denmark, has ruled Greenland for three centuries. It granted Greenland limited sovereignty in 1979. However many analysts feel that the newly elected, left-leaning government is likely to put the push for independence on the backburner. Greenland’s new Prime Minister Kuupik Kleist has promised to concentrate on tackling social problems, such as alcholism, domestic violence and a high suicide rate. Greenland currently relies heavily on subsidies from the Danish government — who provides 30 per cent of its GDP. —With files from news.bbc.co.uk

No Saturday midterms

Michael L. Davenport editor-in-chief

The potential policy which would have allowed midterms on Saturdays was voted down by an overwhelming majority. At the UW senate meeting on June 15, every student representative and all but a handful of faculty voted against the measure. Registrar Ken Lavigne introduced the motion, citing concerns raised by faculty and the scheduling office about space for midterms, academic integrity (the use of certain lecture halls raises cheating concerns), and the ability to avoid scheduling conflicts. Lavigne also assured senate

that the measure wasn’t “the thin edge of the wedge” and would not lead to Saturday lectures. Even so, the measure did not garner widespread support. Faculty Association President David DeVidi spoke to concern that the measure could reduce the control faculty have over their time. Feds President Allan Babor cited scheduling problems for varsity athletes who compete on Saturdays, and other student representatives relayed concerns over part time jobs, the need for rest, and family time for students with children. Faculty member Frank Zorzitto remarked, “The problem isn’t that there aren’t enough time slots, the problem is that there are too many exams.” editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Light rail approaches waterloo Erin Harrison reporter

On Wednesday June 24, after delegation presentations and heated discussion amongst councillors, The Region of Waterloo councillors approved Light Rail Transit (LRT) as the preferred technology for the Region’s Rapid Transit system. During this meeting, it was also decided that the project will be implemented in stages. The first stage will consist of light rail from Conestoga Mall in Waterloo to

Fairview Mall in Kitchener with adapted bus rapid transit from Fairview Mall through to Ainslie Street Terminal in Cambridge. Stage two entails continuing the light rail from Fairview Mall to Ainslie Street Terminal. The system will cost approximately $790 million, with an additional $1 million each year for a ten year period to be allocated by council to build transit ridership and implement transit supportive strategies in Cambridge. Look to an upcoming edition of Imprint for further coverage of Waterloo’s LRT plans.


Opinion

Imprint, Friday, June 26, 2009 opinion@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Diversity misheard as apathy

Friday, June 26, 2009 Vol. 32, No. 5 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@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

U

niversity of Waterloo students are often accused of being apathetic. Frequently cited examples of this “apathy” include low turnout for Feds elections, poor attendance at UW sporting events, and lack of involvement in general. I’ve long contended that Waterloo students aren’t actually apathetic — merely that we’re very studious, and there’s a very narrow range of things each student actually cares about. For those who still believe UW is an apathetic campus, I point to the protests on June 18 and June 22 over the manipulated election in Iran, and the ensuing violence and government suppression. Attendance at both these events was over a hundred, perhaps over two hundred students. I don’t want to talk too much about the issue of the election itself, or about the importance of YouTube and Twitter, or about citizen journalism — all of those are well covered elsewhere. However, I do want to highlight the protest in the context of campus apathy, and our campus culture. A friend of mine remarked how unimpressed he was that only a couple hundred students protested over the situation in Iran. He noted that, considering the relatively large number of Iranian students on this campus, a couple hundred for a protest was a small turnout. Also, he complained that

Editor-in-chief, Michael L. Davenport editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Advertising & Production Manager, Laurie Tigert-Dumas ads@imprint.uwaterloo.ca General Manager, Catherine Bolger cbolger@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Sales Assisstant, Stefan Kovacevic Systems Admin., vacant Distribution, Christy Ogley Distribution, Garrett Saunders Volunteer co-ordinator, vacant Board of Directors board@imprint.uwaterloo.ca President, Sherif Soliman president@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Vice-president, Anya Lomako vp@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Treasurer, Lu Jiang treasurer@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Secretary, vacant secretary@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Staff liaison, Caitlin McIntyre liaison@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Editorial Staff Assistant Editor, vacant Head Reporter, vacant Lead Proofreader, Katrina Massey Cover Editor, vacant News Editor, vacant News Assistant, vacant Opinion Editor, Adrienne Raw Features Editor, Keriece Harris Arts & Entertainment vacant Science & Tech Editor, Bogdan Petrescu Sports & Living Editor, vacant Photo Editor, Ethan Oblak Graphics Editor, Armel Chesnais Web Administrator, Sonia Lee / Arianne Villa Systems Administrator, vacant Production Staff Jacqueline McKoy, Philip McCullough, Tejas Koshy, Tom Levesque, Paul Collier, and Tina Ironstone

Next board of directors meeting: Friday, July 3 10:00 A.M

eaboyeji@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

F

Why “aid versus trade” is the wrong debate, in the wrong place, at the wrong time

ar away in New York, in spite of my busy work cycle, I looked on as Toronto became the centre of a debate that the world of development experts had been itching to have. It seemed to the many in the international development scene, the climax of a back and forth that had been unsettling the development world since the release of Dead Aid by Dambisa Moyo. In the few days leading up to the event, Canada became the epicentre of the development world, garnering attention from all forms of media from coast to coast. In the end it was “resolved” that “foreign aid does more harm than good.” The world cheered. But like many other people from developing countries, I still wonder, what changed? For every five seconds that this “intellectually invigorating” “fauxbrouhaha” lasted, one child died. Nothing in the grand resolution that resulted changed this fact. Now I do not say this to invoke the same kind of misguided guilt and pity that has mandated the endless devotional sacrifice sent to appease Joy in Cameroon’s through the same “Free the Children” types that pierce your heart with beamed images of “poverty porn” whilst ignoring evidence of tangible progress. I very strongly feel that the current debate about the role of aid in development is hardly a priority — not

at this time of great crisis. Besides, even if it seems like a priority, is an air-conditioned room full of comfortable Canadians in Toronto the right forum for that debate? I know many Canadians, especially considering the resulting resolution, think Dead Aid is the bible of international development. I will reluctantly restrain myself from dismantling their misguided fanaticism. On the other hand, there are a lot of individual aid organizations have brainwashed with this weird and infantile notion that anyone who supports the ritualistic giving to their faux image of an eternally starving Africa is “saving Africa.” But there seems to me an inconsistency here. If the subject of this debate is the poor, then why, in the imperial north should poor Africans not be the ones to confirm the prevailing view? Why should we subject issues of life and death to a mocking amphitheatre of well fed audiences who couldn’t even imagine hunger — audiences that do not possess the practical wisdom of the poor? In this debate, what has obtained is the same 1884-redux of express decision making by the elite of opulent capitals far away from the bitter realities of the world’s poor. Say we even assume intellectual aggrandizement is enough of a reason for staging such a disgraceful show of arrogance by “experts” in the international development community, is

this the time for such a debate. Aid is clearly under siege as a result of the crisis. It would have been whether or not there was this debate because developed countries especially that are under fiscal pressure as a result of this crisis. Investment is also under siege because there is a glut in resources. At a time when international development should be focused on finding solutions to the problems raised by the impact of the financial

all be concentrating on solutions to this crisis? Is a financing shortage the best time to pick and choose as far as development financing is concerned? Perhaps what is in fact the biggest slap to the poor is the competition that this “aid-debating” industry now poses to its limited resources as far as development financing is concerned. Huge conferences entrenching this pointless debate are held with resources that would have better fared

For every five seconds that this “intellectually invigorating” “fauxbrouhaha” lasted, one child died. Nothing in the grand resolution that resulted changed this fact.

crisis on the world’s poor, a pointless and polarizing debate on aid is at the centre of international development. Why? This situation is tantamount to arguing over a house when it is clearly burning. Instead of arguing about resources that are in short supply either way, will our time not be better spent talking about how developing countries can optimally utilize their limited supply of funds to cushion the effect of the crisis on the majority of their peoples? Should we not

Next staff meeting: Monday, June 29 12:30 p.m.

behind the school football team when more students care about the soccer teams in their home countries? Good luck getting the students who religiously abstain from alcohol to attend “Pints with Profs.” But even though the disparate values and rituals of UW don’t lead to the same demonstrations of unity which come easily to other schools, I still believe we’re better off. Do you know how ears work? Your inner ear contains many small hairs called “stereocilia” which vibrate in response to air pressure changes (i.e. sound waves). Different stereocilia respond to different audio frequencies. Each little hair on its own isn’t very useful, but collectively they allow you to hear over a wide frequency range. UW is like that. So yes. Perhaps you think UW is apathetic, that a two-hundred-student protest isn’t very impressive. But I will bet my tuition that several universities, lacking the body of international students with which UW is gifted, had no protest. Those same monoculturual schools might have large turnouts for their football games, or be able to hold well-attended foam parties, and thus more easily avoid the charge of apathy. But if you listen to UW, if you attune yourself to the many different groups here, you can hear the whole world. That is our strength.

Dead debates

Graphics Team Ian Cutajar, Nikoo Shahabi, Sonia Lee 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.

most of the protesters were themselves Iranian, and would have been more impressed if there was more cross-cultural representation. (Side note: there actually are a lot of Iranians on campus. For the undergrad student in Iran considering grad studies abroad, it is difficult or impossible to get into the United States. So, many Iranian students come here. There was a time when fully a third of the physics grad students were Iranian, most hailing from the Tehran Institute of Technology.) I see the points there, but personally I’m impressed when a couple hundred students get together over anything. That’s more than attend any Feds election forum. It’s two orders of magnitude larger than the number of students attending any UW Senate meeting. Hell, I’ve seen a free cotton candy giveaway in the Great Hall of the SLC, and even that didn’t gather a couple hundred students. I know a couple hundred people doesn’t approach the size of a protest in a major metropolitan city, but admit it: two hundred UW students taking time away from studying to protest anything is amazing. I believe the protest emphasizes the double-edged sword of having a diverse campus. The highly diverse nature of our campus defaults to fragmentation. How can a university get students to rally

as capital for micro-credit facilities in Ghana; Money that would have gone to Kiva has now been dedicated to books flying off the shelves saying what we already know. At the end of the day, we find that the bottom line of the initial argument generating this irrelevant “debating-industry” allows the basic facts to remain unchanged: Three billion people remain in poverty. See DEBATE, page 6


Opinion

Imprint, Friday, June 26, 2009

Part 2: Don’t let the economic recession be the cause of your great depression

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ou’ve had two weeks to reflect on Part 1 of my article, find out what your FICO credit score is, and develop a way to create your emergency savings plan — or perhaps just panic that that, in fact, is your emergency and you have no plan. You may now be curious to know what else America’s most sought-after financial expert, Suze Orman, has to say about finding your light at the end of the dark financial crises tunnel. So, without further ado, here’s two more ways in which we can all stay positively connected in such times of gloom and doom. Spend less

This is the more obvious yet probably most ignored solution to many financial crises. However, it is certainly the most effective cashgenerating action you need to take in 2009, according to Orman. “There’s no room anymore for just getting by or putting off the hard

rthangarajah@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

decisions for tomorrow. Tomorrow is here,” states Orman. “The less you spend, the more money you will have after paying the monthly bills to put toward reducing your credit card debt, building your emergency savings, and increasing your retirement investing. It’s not a news flash; it’s just a fact.” Unlike what Suze Orman claims caused our financial troubles today — greed and dishonesty — the solution to spending less starts with doing just the exact opposite: being honest with yourself to separate your wants from your needs. “You can’t move forward building an honest financial life if you don’t first understand where you are today,” says Orman. She provides useful money-managing worksheets for the young and old alike, which are available for download on her website (www.suzeorman.com). This is not an easy or comfortable feat, but it must be done. If you’re currently barely scraping by on your

constrained student budget, unable to save up for an emergency savings fund, or fully pay those monthly phone and utility bills to raise your FICO score (let alone even consider saving for an inevitable retirement!), then Orman is here to tell you that you have no choice but to cut back on the “wants” and start truly identifying your needs. “Strike the word “deserve” from the conversation,” says Orman. “What you deserve is irrelevant; what you can truly afford is all that counts. Cutting down from four manicures a month to three is not going to get you where you need to go. Your financial security is buried in those expenses.” Or think about it this way: the $200 a month you don’t spend on gas for the car you can do without owning, given that you have a free student bus pass to get you around Kitchener-Waterloo, can be put towards building a stronger FICO score or perhaps into a savings account that will accumulate with interest over time. Try the 2009 pledge

armel chesnais

Suze Orman’s final suggestion to all lenders and spenders alike is to follow her personal pledge for 2009. “I’m a firm believer that action is often the entry antidote for overcoming fear or doubt, for burning through confusion, and for changing habits that have become ingrained patterns in our lives,” says Orman. I couldn’t agree more. However, as simple as her threestep process seems, I wasn’t in favour of following through with the pledge

Celebrating 3 Years in Kitchener!

when I read it. Here’s what Suze Orman is asking everyone who has either read her book or has been inspired by it to do: 1) Do not spend money for one day; then 2) Do not use your credit card for one week; and finally 3) Do not eat out at a restaurant for one month. Okay. Number one and two seem like a doable task, but then we get to number three. Not eating out anywhere for an entire month?! That seems almost impossible, especially when you’re a student fending for yourself. Every pit stop at a fast-food drive-thru and every leftover takeout from last night’s dinner counts. Even Oprah’s audience of parents and adults who have already learned to fend for themselves cringed when they heard the last of what was appearing to be an otherwise acceptable pledge. But Orman argues that it’s the small things we have to sacrifice to understand the big picture. “I have found that small, mindful acts can change your entire worldview,” she concludes. And maybe it will. We’ll never really know unless we give it a try. So, here’s the new reality: today isn’t like the yesterday that we’ve gotten so accustomed to coping with. Today, more people are without jobs, more debtors are without money, and more companies are without an explanation. It’s an imminent economic meltdown, and that’s as prepared as we can be right now. For that reason, it’s time to accept the current economic situation for what it is, and start making changes where it matters most. It’s time to

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break that cycle of financial faux pas and do the right thing when it comes to managing your balance sheet. Otherwise, the only Great Depression you’ll be left to face is your own. And I’m sure Suze Orman won’t be running to you with a financial therapy plan then, knocking at your front door to save you just in time.

Finally, we must examine the central question — misleading proposition. Foreign aid does more harm than good, they say, the obvious and false assumption being that other forms of development financing do more good than harm. Let me tear down that assumption piece by piece. Is it micro-credit? David Roodman, a thinking development economist has just concluded empirical studies in concert with other economists proving that micro-credit, as I have always suspected, does not work as well as advertised. My admittedly extreme view is that microcredit as it is practised in Africa, does more harm than good. Even though, I will hopefully deal more appropriately with this in another issue, a few reasons for my beliefs are that it engages the people in a cycle of debt with high interest and denies them the chance to save for expansion of scale to finance budgets stuffed with “human resource expenses” thanks to overpriced micro-finance “experts” from the developed world. Want more? How about the whole issue of debt? So the government gets a rating and borrows from foreigners at the standard interest rate instead

of the preferential interest rate of the World Bank. It may pay back the debt. It may also squander it and allow the next regime to scratch heads over the debt servicing. If we look at every development financing option, we can see downsides to it. But the question really is what exactly is the criteria for deciding that a development financing option is more harmful than others? If the criteria for deciding which development financing options are better than others is a good argument and votes from people judging with logic and eloquence (and a little bit of affirmative action) instead of practical wisdom and realistic perceptions of the situation on the ground, debates like these are undoubtedly misleading. The truth is that the only reasons why we perceive this non-existent conflicts between say aid and trade or other forms of development financing is that development economics has been divorced from the realities on the ground. The reality is that any perceived dichotomies can very easily be erased by co-ordination between aid and trade instead of the binary elimination this debate advances. Especially now, more than at another time, the last luxury Africa can afford is Dead Debates.


Opinion

Imprint, Friday, June 26, 2009

Letters Re: “Banning the Bottle: UW lags in initiatives to reduce water bottle usage” I read with interest the article written by Julia Hawthornthwaite that appeared in a recent edition of Imprint entitled, “Banning the Bottle: UW lags in initiatives to reduce water bottle usage.” In the piece, a number of municipalities and university campuses are identified as having banned the sale of bottled water in their premises. The information provided is incorrect. Over the last three years, 13 municipalities and school boards and one university across Canada have banned the sale of bottled water in their facilities while, over the last year, 58 local jurisdictions have rejected calls by the Polaris Institute, the Council of Canadians and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to do so. Several thousand local governments across the country have quite rightly determined that repairing aging water and sewer infrastructure, delivering high quality services and keeping taxes low are more important priorities. That said, we are fully supportive of the use of municipal tap water in pitchers during council or board meetings and at all other internal staff meetings within government facilities. During our discussions with municipal and education leaders

across Canada, we have advocated for that common sense approach. In closing, it is important to note that bottled water makes up about 40 per cent of all beverages sold in plastic containers in Canada. And, according to the provincial stewards responsible, 60 per cent of plastic beverage containers, including water bottles, were diverted from landfill last year. Waste audits indicate that bottled water containers account for less than .02 per cent of the waste stream. If the bottled water industry was to disappear tomorrow, there would be no appreciable reduction in the amount of refuse going to landfill. John B. Challinor II Director of Corporate Affairs Nestlé Waters Canada

granting councils that fund university projects are peer reviewed and their operations are supposed to be free of political interference. Gary Goodyear, Federal Minister of State for Science and Technology, crossed the line when he asked the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council to reconsider funding a conference sponsored by York and Queen’s Universities. His actions sent a chill through academia and are unprecedented in Canada. Goodyear should be defending academic freedom and not undermining it. I concur with the call by Jim Turk, executive director of the Canadian Associations of University Teachers, asking that Goodyear resign for the sake of academic freedom. If the science minister fails to resign, then the prime minister should fire him. Failure to do so makes the prime minister complicit with Goodyear’s actions — actions that undermine academic freedom at Canadian universities.

Re: Call for Gary Goodyear’s resignation

Andrew Telegdi UW alumnus Former Kitchener — Waterloo MP

Academic freedom is at the very foundation of our post secondary institutions. It allows for free discussion of both controversial and non-controversial ideas in the search for truth. Academic freedom is a given in western democracies. The

Community Editorial feds vp internal

W

hen many of us think about poverty or hunger we might think of starving children in developing countries, or the homeless. The reality is, hunger is all around, even in the Kitchener-Waterloo region. Hunger touches all kinds of people, those that are employed and those that are unemployed, families and single people alike. One group that is rarely considered is the student population. Hunger exists here on our campus. Many factors affect a student’s ability to meet their basic needs. Tuition costs have dramatically increased, especially in unregulated programs like international tuition or professional programs. The cost of living in larger cities is also considerably higher than rural areas. OSAP assistance and other student loans are often insufficient in covering all the costs of living for the average full-time undergraduate student, if you are eligible for any at all. The remainder is supposed to be made up of parental financial support and summer employment. If you don’t earn enough money yourself, or if your parents are unable to contribute… well tough luck. This disparity is especially apparent now that Canada is experiencing an economic

downturn. It is more likely now that students may very well find themselves in a situation where they are unable to provide for their own basic needs, including food. This is where the Federation of Students’ run Food Bank is able to help. The Food Bank — found in Student Life Centre, Room 2108 — is able to provide confidential service for students who are unable to purchase enough food to meet their nutritional needs. The Food Bank has many regular users, as well as many first time users. If you are struggling to meet your nutritional needs on a regular basis, or simply run out of money at the end of the term, the food bank is a non-judgmental place you can turn for support. The Food Bank also solicits food donations to fill their shelves. The Food Bank runs various food drives over the course of the year, as well as welcomes drop off donations. When you move out of your on-campus or off-campus residence at the end of term, consider donating all your extra food to the Food Bank. Any donations remain at our on-campus location to benefit students. What about donating your change the next time you visit Feds Xpress? There’s a donation cup right by the register! If you don’t have any extra food or change, consider volunteering your time with the Food Bank. Help plan a food drive, keep the

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office open, or even help pick up donations. Any little bit helps. The next time you find yourself short of cash and food, you are not alone. Many other students may be in the same predicament as you. The Food Bank is there to help, no questions asked.

The reality is, hunger is all around, even in the KitchenerWaterloo region. Hunger touches all kinds of people, those that are employed and those that are unemployed, families and single people alike. One group that is rarely considered is the student population.

Sarah Cook


Features

Imprint, Friday, June 26, 2009 features@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

KW from the ground up

“Among the places available price-wise, many landlords will not rent to people on social assistance. Slumlords profit off of this situation and rent out substandard units, which sometimes become utterly unliveable.“ Christine Ogley staff reporter

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Part 1: Substandard housing here was an article in Imprint last fall about homelessness in KW that you might have read. If so, you read all about Cambridge’s shelter, Bridges, and about one man who hates to say that he panhandles to pass much of his time. Like many students, you might have read it and then passed onto the next article, not remarking that there was no mention of KW’s shelters, or even that there are homeless people right here in Waterloo. I’ve had the privilege of doing my social work placement at St. John’s Kitchen this year, where I’ve been able to learn much about homelessness in KW that I didn’t know I was ignorant of. The myths surrounding homelessness are numerous and pervasive, and the article didn’t sit well with me. To start out, there are homeless people in Waterloo — right uptown. You won’t see every person who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, but they’re there. There are services and shelters and connections in KW — you don’t have to go to Cambridge to understand the issue. It seems that most students don’t know homelessness is caused by poverty. Rent is high, government assistance is low, and many people can’t find enough employment. Social assistance — Ontario Works (OW) for the region is set at $572 a month. This includes shelter, food, medical care, clothes, and anything else you may need. Average rent prices run around $400-450 minimum for a room, and $500 and up for a bachelor apartment. Food banks are not an option or a charity on OW, they’re a necessity. Even with full employment, one can be “working-poor.” Shift-workers, manual labour, service jobs — many jobs leave their employees far below national poverty lines. For whatever reason one is poor, housing becomes difficult to find and to maintain. Among the places available price-wise, many landlords will not rent to people on social assistance. “Slumlords” profit off of this situation and rent out substandard units, which sometimes become utterly unliveable. Add on health problems, mental health problems, marital problems, family problems, really any kind of problem — and you’re stressed out, living in terrible conditions and not able to bear it. It’s easy to lose an apartment that you can barely afford when a small crisis arises. The idea that homelessness is primarily a choice, a lifestyle, a problem

of laziness is false. It could happen to anyone. I spoke on record with Bea at St. John’s Kitchen about some of the housing problems she’s had in order to illuminate the issue — and there are enough that this article can only cover them in brief. Certain details will be exempted in the interest of her court case. Bea has physical and learning disabilities that limit her employment, and thus, income. She lives with her husband. Two bedroom apartments run as high as $900-1000 in KW, and their combined benefits/income do not come close to that amount. On top of the price, she feels that landlords discriminate, and she doesn’t have all the skills and defences she thinks are necessary to negotiate. “Because I’m on disability, it seems like landlords take advantage,” she says. Currently, Bea and her husband are living in their (aptly named) living room, due to black mould in their bedroom. The mould has already gotten into their lungs, causing health problems. Bea is bound by a lease, and doesn’t have anywhere near the money to pay for two places at once. She’s doing all she can to sort out the issues with the Landlord and Tenant Board, which includes filing complaints, paying fees to do so, calling administrators and contacting lawyers, and waiting for papers to be processed and judged by the board. At Bea’s last building, there were rats, faulty and dangerous electrical wiring, and structural disrepair. The fire marshal was called, and the building condemned, resulting in Bea moving to her current apartment. Better living conditions are out of her cost range, or blocked, often, by landlords who won’t rent to those on public assistance — even disability pay. In my time at St. John’s, I’ve heard stories of people who rent flooding basements, cramped spaces, and “accommodations” that necessitate peeing into a bucket. There are nice landlords, for sure, but there are also landlords who perform “inspections” monthly, without notice, and rifle through their tenants’ garbages. The number one blockage to proper accommodation, aside from price, is that good landlords often discriminate against OW and Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) recipients. It is no small roadblock. What’s hard about being on the street? I asked Colin, formerly homeless. “You know what’s harder than being on the street? Getting off of it.” Colin’s interview and five others will follow in KW From The Ground Up: Part 2, in the next issue of Imprint.

Nikoo Shahabi

cogley@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Through foreign eyes

Save me from the siesta Sukhpreet Sangha staff reporter

I

Tifa han

guess I’m more Westernized than I’d like to think, because I hate the concept of siesta. I acquired this hatred during a recent trip to Italy, where I stayed in a small town called Cosenza, within the Southern province of Calabria. I learned about siesta — a Spanish concept — in Italy. I didn’t expect it either, and I still don’t know the Italian word for it. It was in Cosenza that I saw what siesta really entails: a shut-down of virtually all town life for up to four hours, somewhere between twelve and four. It especially affected this conspicuous consumer, who just wanted to shop in her free time between language classes and workshops, a break which frequently fell within this post-lunch period. Sure, walking down—or rather, mainly up, what with Southern Italy’s hilly topography — long, winding, cobblestoned roads is interesting and entertaining unto itself, but looking into closed shop windows can only tide you off for so long. Especially frustrating when you have for once in your life managed to save up a considerable amount of money to spend on whatever your little touristic heart desires. So, I think I hate siesta. I mean, I understand its purpose: to allow residents to rest and relax for a small period each mid-day rather than rush around like their northern counterparts. Siesta also takes place during

the hottest hours of the day, making it a welcome reprieve from working in the heat. It’s all well and good, and fits neatly within the south’s aesthetic and philosophy of enjoying life and taking it easy. Southern Italians generally take pride in not working themselves to death like those in the north, which seemed ironic when I learned that one of the Italian leaders of my exchange frequently worked until four am, only to rise again four hours later, but I digress. Maybe the point of the siesta, then, was to elongate the day rather than lighten it? Either way, I was not into it. Happily for me, neither was Rome. I spent the last two days of the exchange there, and for one day, simply spent it walking around. Having learned some passable Italian during the three lessons our exchange provided, I spoke no English all day. I got lost twice but it was worth it. By the time we got to Rome, the initial focus of our exchange — a performance of a play entitled Differ/End: The Caledonia Project, which UW Drama students and faculty developed and premiered in February 2008 — was complete, meaning I could do whatever I wanted to. So I chose to eat nocciola gelato and read a novel at Di Rienzo’s Café, directly in front of the Pantheon, only to realize it cost me eight Euros. During the typical siesta period — to which I had by now grown accustomed, I was halfway across the city from our hotel and had no desire to walk back in my wedge sandals for a forced nap. ssangha@imprint.uwaterloo.ca


Features

Imprint, Friday, June 26, 2009

Wrongful imprisonment Adil Charkaoui— security certificate detainee speaks out Erin Harrison reporter

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dil Charkaoui is a native of Morocco, and a landed immigrant here in Canada. He was a teacher at a Montreal private school, a part-time Masters student at the University of Montreal, a loving husband, and father of three young children. One day without warning, he was pulled over while driving through Montreal and arrested for being a threat to Canada. Although the Crown had no evidence against him and he was never charged with a crime, he was detained by the federal government for nearly two years without trial. How does this happen in a country like Canada? Charkaoui is one of five men arrested in Canada between 1999 and 2003 and held for years without charge after being named on a security certificate. A security certificate is a controversial measure taken by the federal government on the advice of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). Once issued, a security certificate basically allows the Government of Canada to detain non-citizens (including refugees and permanent residents) without charging them and without trial, for an indefinite period. Individuals named on security certificates can be held on the basis of vague allegations and suspicions, and are kept under threat of deportation for years at time, often even unable to know the full circumstances of their arrest. Arrested in 2003, Charkaoui spent nearly two years in prison and another four years subject to numerous courtmandated restrictions to his movement and freedoms. Finally, in February 2009, the Federal Court lifted many of the conditions imposed on him, and for the first time in six years he’s able to travel freely outside of Montreal (albeit while wearing a GPS tracking device.) While still living under the label of “suspected terrorist” and under the threat of deportation, he is using his newly regained freedom to visit cities across the country to speak of his continuing struggle to pursue justice and clear his name. Charkaoui made a stop in Waterloo on June 17th for a speaking engagement co-hosted by WPIRG, Amnesty International, and Students for Palestinian Rights. Charkaoui’s journey Charkaoui started his talk by telling the story of his family’s journey from Morocco to Montreal. He explained

Security certificates: A miscarriage of justice in the name of national security? In 2002, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act reintroduced the security certificate, which basically allows the Government of Canada to detain non-citizens (including refugees and permanent residents) without charging them and without trial, indefinitely. Individuals named on security certificates can be held on the basis of vague allegations and suspicions, and are kept under threat of deportation. The certificates are issued by the Minister of Immigration and the Minister of Public Safety on the recommendation of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) or on the basis of secret information provided to them by CSIS. Under current legislation, a federal court judge will review the certificate, but has limited discretionary power in decision making. Unlike a criminal trial where the crown must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, a much lower standard of evidence must be proved at a security certificate trial, where the crown has only to prove that there are “reasonable grounds to believe” the allegations.

that once they’d settled, his whole family (consisting of his mother, father, sister and wife) received citizenship status, but he didn’t. Soon after, he was asked by officials whom he was led to believe were from Citizenship and Immigration to come in for an interview in order to discuss his citizenship application. Upon arriving at the interview, he found that the people interviewing him were not from immigration at all, but were from CSIS. During the interview, CSIS agents requested his assistance in gathering information about the Muslim community in and around Montreal. When he refused to collude, it changed his life. In 2002-2003, while in the midst of completing his Masters degree in French Literature and while taking care of his pregnant wife, he was named on a security certificate and was arrested. Why was he named? The court alleged he fit the profile of a terrorist sleeper cell. That’s right — he was arrested because he fit a profile. The ‘evidence’ outlined by the court stated that he was suspected of being a terrorist not because he could be linked to any terrorist group, but because he had the following characteristics : He was trying to integrate into Canadian society, was a practising Muslim, married, a university student, and that he practised karate. After being imprisoned for nearly two years, he was released in February of 2005, and although he had never been charged with a crime, he was placed under Draconian court-imposed conditions which forced him to, among other things, wear a GPS device on his leg at all times and required him to keep a curfew. He wasn’t permitted to leave Montreal, and could be subjected to random searches without a warrant. Since then, he has been battling the legitimacy of security certificates all the way to the Supreme Court, fighting to clear his name and for justice for the other four men named on security certificates. Charkaoui told his story with candour and a sense humour that was surprising given the serious injustice done to him by the Canadian government. He painted a vivid picture of the consequences of an imbalance between counter-terrorism measures and respect for human rights. His presentation begged the question: to what degree can or should the state limit liberties as basic as the freedom from arbitrary detention? —With files from CBC.ca and adilinfo.org

Interestingly, and perhaps most worryingly to those concerned with the fairness of the justice system, is that the information on which the judge basis his or her decision can be presented by the government in a secret hearing from which the detainee and his lawyer are excluded. “Evidence” in such trials can include heresay or information obtained from foreign intelligence services (info which may have been obtained through torture). Another strike against fair and open trial is that there are actually no precise charges laid against the person named on a security certificate, and allegations include terms that are vague and have no legal definition (for example “national security”). The long and short of it is that the person named on the certificate is forced to prove it’s not reasonable that he “posed, poses, or will pose” a threat to the security of Canada, without even having access to the case being presented against him. If the judge does find that the certificate is “reasonable,” the certificate becomes a deportation order — more or less a sentence to torture or execution in their country of origin. All five men currently subject to a security certificate and are at risk of torture or death if deported.

Feminists in Your Neighbourhood

W

mpankhurst@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

henever I hear people talking about growing up in “the hood,” I find it a little difficult to relate. Wanna know which ‘hood I grew up in? Sesame Street. So, feeling a little homesick, I flipped to Sesame Street’s official homepage and fell upon a newer skit, featuring Telly and Ben Stiller. Not exactly what I was used to, but before long the two of them familiarly burst into song, singing the classic “People in Your Neighbourhood.” The song featured “the letter carrier in your neighbourhood” as well as “the cable guy.” For me, here’s where political correctness has it all wrong. First off, the letter carrier (whom I would have normally referred to as a postman) was a female puppet. I would be wrong to call her a postman, because North American culture has stamped the genderless man as archaic. So what should she be called? Most, if not all, English-language post offices refer to postmen as “letter carriers”; letter carrier is the official name of the job (Even these letter carriers carry more than just letters; they carry all sorts of postage). I’ll live with that. But what I’d rather not live with is what happened right after: A green, male puppet came onscreen, holding a spool of wire. The singing Telly proclaimed him the cable guy. Cable guy? Really? From a genderequal perspective, a guy usually refers to someone particularly male. You wouldn’t say “hey, guy” to a girl in a miniskirt. So why did Sesame Street choose to make the letter carrier female, yet keeping the cable guy male? The obvious answer is that the show chose to start being more politically correct, right in line with having cookie monster eating veggies, but only cared about appeasing the feminists. Kids probably won’t care too much about Cookie Monster’s diet, but they won’t be

able to choose not to care about the language that the show is using. The question remains: “What do you call a female cable guy?” Our language is changing, but it’s changing slowly: although we often say “you guys” when referring to a group of mixed-gender people, the singular guy has certainly not yet progressed into the neuter realm. Don’t use the gender-ambiguous guy: feminists might get mad. But should they get mad? It might be my male ignorance, but I haven’t met too many women who get really offended when I say “you guys” when they’re in a group. Rather, I get weird looks when I say “you girls” or “you ladies.” Guys seems to have become the more genderneutral term; guy is strictly for men. So, yes — if I call a woman “guy,” she should get mad. Back to Sesame Street: I respect the show on principle, but I don’t respect its juvenile decision to tackle feminist issues while ignoring half of the problem. The reason that the show altered postman to letter carrier is because the letter carrier was portrayed as a female, and feminism teaches us that it’s wrong to portray a worker of a profession in genderloaded terms. But where’s the other side of feminism, that teaches us that a male worker shouldn’t be described in gender-loaded terms, either? Of course, no man will get angry at being called a guy, but what happens when the situation arises when we have no other term to describe a woman? In short: nice try, Sesame Street. But effort doesn’t count for much. You’re a step in the right direction, but your right shoe is on your left foot. Yes, you’ve appeased the feminists, but you haven’t appeased the future minds of your child viewers. Without realizing it, you’ve fallen right back where you started; cable guy is no better than mailman.

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10

Photo Feature

Imprint, Friday, June 26, 2009

Imprint, Friday, June 26, 2009

Iranian election protest. Thursday, June 18, 2009

Photos by Ethan Oblak, Design by Ethan Oblak and Kevin Shahbazi

Photo Feature

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12

Features

Imprint, Friday, June 26, 2009

Asian Nationalism ylui@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

L

ord Acton, writing in 1862, argued that nationalism, though “more absurd and more criminal than the theory of socialism,” was a necessary step in the evolution of human society. At that time, nationalism was the only strong political force in Europe that could displace the system of absolute monarchy and eventual revolution that followed. Acton presciently warned that if liberty and democracy were thwarted because of the progress of nationalism, nationalism would inevitably lead to a nation’s downfall. European nationalism eventually plunged the continent into two disastrous wars in the first half of the 20th century. As many of the Asian nations (Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Mainland China) rose in political and economic prominence during the latter part of the century, so did latent nationalism in these places. When European nationalism was at its peak during the turn of the 20th century, Asia by contrast was largely muted due to colonialism and internal strife. The exception was Japan, a country that had its ports forced open by American gunboat diplomacy after 300 years of self-imposed isolation. Japan would then rapidly modernize itself from a largely agrarian society to a military and industrial power within a generation, rivaling that of the European powers. Like the European nations, Japan looked to be an imperial power with colonies and spheres of influence of its own. Driven by internal ethnic nationalism conjured from freethinkers such as Fukuzawa Yukichi, Japan set its sights on other Asian

countries as nesting grounds for its imperial ambitions. First by annexing Taiwan and Korea, subsequently an invasion of China, and later on most of southeast Asia. Japan become fully embroiled in World War II as an Axis power. However, with America entering the war against Japan, Japan would eventually lose pacific war of attrition, and in the process lose all of it’s colonial possessions and see its cities razed to the ground by Allied air raids. During Japan’speriodof rapidindustrialization, many Asian reformers outside of Japan were also deeply influenced by Fukuzawa and other Japanese intellectuals. Liang Qichao, a leading Chinese reformer advocated a policy where civil liberties for the group trumped individual liberties. To avoid enslavement by other races, he argued, one should be a slave of one’s own. This deeply illiberal notion also informed Mao’s brand of Leninist nationalism. Japanese militarism in the 1930’s was strongly driven by the notion of a collective Asia headed by Japan (greater East Asia co-prosperity sphere), to ward off enslavement by western imperialists. Manchuria was turned into a Japanese puppet state where the Japanese built the world’s most modern railways, fine hotels, huge industrial plants, excellent hospitals and an efficient bureaucracy, all in the name of Asian modernisation. In the official propaganda, Japanese ethnic nationalism made way for Asian nationalism. This had some appeal among the Chinese elite, but failed to convince most people. The Japanese then tried to conquer the rest of China by force, adopting an air of racial and cultural superiority that was deeply humiliating

to the Chinese. Ethnic nationalism played an even greater role for Korea, like the Taiwanese but unlike the Chinese, were made subjects of the Japanese emperor, forced to adopt Japanese names and forbidden from using their own language. Since the “pure” Japanese were still deemed to be superior, Koreans and Taiwanese were made to feel like inferior Japanese subjects. In spite of this humiliation, many members of the Korean and Taiwanese elites collaborated with their Japanese masters, thinking this was the quickest route to national strength and modernisation. Although Japans brutal attempt at modernist imperialism failed, much of its propaganda stuck. The Chinese and Koreans were more than ever convinced that national survival depended on ethnic vigour and national strength, based on authoritarian institutions. Following the line of Liang Qichao, they would be slaves to their own leaders, so as never to be slaves of foreigners. This fallout from World War II and Japan’s attempt at a collective Asian empire has profound effects on the national consciousness of many modern Asian nations. While authoritarian institutions gave way to social-democratic ones in Taiwan and South Korean, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) still maintains authoritarian rule via the Communist Party, which despite abandoning Maoism and Marxism, has decided to quell internal strife by conveniently using ethnic nationalism. This is why perhaps the issue of Tibet and Taiwan remain so explosive, and why the hosting the Olympic games was more important to China than to any other host country in recent history.

Even overseas raised Chinese often take the side of homegrown Chinese nationalists, especially as China is poised to become a global hegemonic power in the 21st century. There is an underlying feeling among many Chinese ethnic nationalists, that China is finally in position to put its “hundred years of humiliation” behind it and rightfully retake its position as a global hegemonic power. This is of course unsettling to Japan and Taiwan, two places which has borne much of the brunt of Chinese nationalist rhetoric. With an authoritarian government in China, there are many fears in the two nations that the PRC could use military force to settle past and present grievances between the countries. Particularly, visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, which houses the military dead of Japan (including many convicted war criminals), by high ranking Japanese politicians, inflames tensions between Japanese nationalists and Chinese and Korean ones. However, modern Asian nationalism is unlikely to take the path that European nationalism took in the lead-up to World War I. The entanglement of the economies and pop cultures between many of the Asian nations is more likely to result in a Europe of the 1990’s than 1914. An economic union between the Asian nations is more likely than nationalistic conflicts of aggression. Despite inflammatory nationalistic rhetoric from many East Asian politicians, the pursuit of profit and the interests of large businesses will likely curb any patriotic fervor that goes overboard, as governments move to protect their own economic interests ahead of ideological ones.

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Arts & Entertainment

Imprint, Friday, June 26, 2009 arts@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Alternatives benefit An evening of music, community, and environmentalism

Erin Harrison reporter

T

agged an evening of music, community and environmentalism, the benefit concert for Alternatives Journal certainly lived up to expectations. For those of you not familiar with Alternatives, it’s a Canadian environmental magazine which provides analysis and debate on environmental issues at both the national and global scale. Feel like you’ve heard of it before? You likely have — with their office in the basement of the EV-1 building, Alternatives has a strong connection to UW. Also a registered charity, Alternatives depends on fundraising events for promotion and the financial support — and support they got. With the help of opener Brent Hagerman and headliner Bob Wiseman, the June 16 event at the Princess Café in uptown Waterloo was nearly sold out. Hagerman started the night, opening with an excellent (if short) set. With almost a folksy twang, he seemed to be a far cry from the ‘70s style reggae/ska he plays with his band, The Jolly Llamas. Hagerman, a Laurier PhD student, seamlessly weaves environmental thought into beautiful, well articulated lyrics. While the political subtext is clear in his songs, he still maintains a positive and upbeat vibe. The high point of the set was the debut of his new song called “Tiny Town” which will soon accompany a New City Institute video about radically creating “greener” and more vibrant urban neighbourhoods. After a short break to set up some equipment (specifically a DVD projector), Wiseman opened his set with an entertaining, if slightly disturbing, video about... well murder. Okay, it may have been a bit of a weird introduction, but it more or less set the tone for the rest of the evening — a colourful, and slightly bizarre, multimedia performance. Wiseman is a Canadian singer-songwriter and filmmaker, well known for his unique blend of folk, jazz and rock, often with explicitly environmental or political themes. His set was full of powerful overtones. Wiseman effectively uses films (which he tapes, directs, and acts in) as a medium to accent and highlight the meaning of his lyrics. This was particularly poignant in the song “Uranium” which tells the tale of a beautiful young girl from Elliot Lake (a Northern Ontario mining town) who goes to the big city, meets the love of her life, and dies an untimely death. The beautiful, painful song is contrasted with a childlike puppet show being projected onto the screen behind him. An evening full of celebrations, not only was it to the release of Alternative’s newest issue entitled “The New Ecology,” it was also an opportunity to promote the 25th anniversary and vinyl relaunch of Bob Wiseman’s 1989 album In Her Dream – Bob Wiseman Sings Wrench Tuttle. In Her Dream was Wiseman’s first solo album and was named by Chart Magazine as one of the top 100 Canadian albums of all time.

courtesy marcia ruby

Brent Hagerman opened the Alternatives Journal benefit concert at the Princess Café. The show also included Canadian singer-songwriter Bob Wiseman.

Make ‘em laugh page as a reference for one of the article’s facts. But the majority of people on campus who read this comic are very familiar with either science or math, which is the audience that Munroe particularly writes for. Those not so oriented in such logical forms of thought would barely get some of Munroe’s jokes. The humour only hits hard for someone depending on their knowledge of scientific pop culture. At the other end of the spectrum, there’s For Better or For Worse (Johnson). It’s got a humour that involves the endearing moments between families and friends, but to some the comic wouldn’t seem very funny at all. To some there are a few chuckle moments, but for those who don’t read comic strips for a narrative or slice-of-life nostalgia, the comic seems like a waste of valuable resources. PvP (Kurtz: www.pvponline.com) does

a good job at fusing geek culture with endearing moments of life with others. It’s a story about geeks, romance, and awkwardly funny moments between long-time friends, so how can you go wrong? With the way this article is going, it may sound as if I feel that

lagher: www.megatokyo.com) still big because of its simplistic form of video game humour? Hell, even Mr. Holkins and Krahulik (Penny Arcade: www.penny-arcade.com) are branching out from their typical humour by pitching their new noir/sci-fi comic idea, Automata.

With the way this article is going, it may sound as if I feel that all comics need to be funny. That’s not true; to me a comic doesn’t need to be, well…comical at all!

all comics need to be funny. That’s not true; to me a comic doesn’t need to be, well…comical at all! Do people like Batman because he’s funny? Do people read Sin City (Miller) because it’s so colourful and endearing? Is Megatokyo (Gal-

In short, comics don’t need to be funny to be entertaining. They just need to evoke a genuine good emotion from the reader. However, if the comic is meant to be funny yet fails to be, either the comic actually isn’t funny or it isn’t for you.

W

hat’s funny? Not like what’s-funnywith-this-situation funny, but rather what is actually funny? Tell a joke to a slew of your friends, and there’s a good chance that the same joke will have some crack up, while others will stare you cold in the face as if you’ve read a book to them called The Bachelor’s Guide to Silverware. Truth be told, I think this is a question that a lot of comic creators don’t bother thinking about when it comes to writing comedy. Sure, they find a type of humour to base their writing on, but sometimes that humour may only serve a specific audience. Let me list some comics for comparison, and you’ll see what I mean. Exhibit A: the webcomic xkcd (Munroe: www.xkcd.com). Yes, yes. I know. A lot of people on campus love this comic. I, in fact, owe a lot to the person who put my name up on xkcd’s Wikipedia

ptrinh@imprint.uwaterloo.ca


14

Arts & Entertainment

Imprint, Friday, June 26, 2009

From dyslexic to addict the story of how I became a bibliophile

have been asked by some of my readers to explain how I went from being dyslexic to becoming a reading addict. I was initially tested for learning disabilities in Grade 1 in 1976. That initial testing was inconclusive. So I repeated Grade 1, and in Grade 2 my teacher pushed for me to be retested. In January of 1978 during my second testing I was diagnosed with a dual form of dyslexia. Dyslexia is a genre of disorders and is like saying you have the flu. With my dual form I could spell words out loud correctly but write them on paper incorrectly, then spell them out loud a second time looking letter for letter at the paper and not recognize the error. I left my normal class each week for a few hours for assistance, and was passed

each year into the next grade. Towards the end of Grade 7 my parents sent me for private testing. I was reading at only a Grade 3 level. My parents enrolled me in a private summer school program eight hours a week for the whole summer break that year. It was an intensive program with low student-to-teacher ratios. Each day we did three reading tests. We read out loud for a set amount of time, then we lost words from our word count for any mistakes and for any wrong comprehension questions on the passages. Prior to this, I had never read any books from cover to cover. I made it through school by being a good listener in class, renting the movies, or asking other classmates. During this course I

North American reading averages

went from reading at a Grade 3 level to reading at a university level, and from reading about 30 words per minute to reading over 600 words per minute. To put that into perspective, take a look at the North American reading averages for words per minute (wpm). The average adult rate is the same for everyone, even for university graduates. Once people are not reading as much or as intensely as they used to, their reading rate atrophies. Yet all of this only took care of my ability to read. Because I had spent so many years lagging behind others, I was still behind in my writing and still had the problem with letters reversing while writing. Using a computer helped to some extent but when I am really tired it even shows up when using a keyboard. However, at the end of the course, I started reading, realized there was a whole world in books I had been missing, and I was immediately hooked. At first I read mostly science fiction and fantasy — the likes of Robert A. Heinlien, Piers Anthony, Steven Brust, Roger Zelazny, Edgar Rice Burrows, and more. Then by about Grade 10 I was reading classics, Greek dramas, Thomas Hardy, the complete works of Shakespeare and just about anything else I could lay my hands on. I became an addict in the true sense of the word. I would find an author I liked and read everything he or she wrote. I went on to be retested for my

learning disability to establish baselines for academic accommodations in 1982 and again in 1989. To be honest, if you had told me five years ago I would be a published author, and now a columnist, I would have laughed at you. With the learning disability I never even dreamed of being a writer. Today I have published over 200 book reviews in seven different publications, written news and features articles, and written two three-part serial features — the first on WSIB and the second on bone marrow. A few years

wrote to the editor-in-chief at the time and that first summer had two book reviews appear in almost every issue. I love to read. It is probably either my favourite pastime or ties with playing on computers (but that is a different column for the fall term). I always carry a knapsack with at least two books, a journal, and a pencil case. In the early years of my marriage I was defined as “the reader.” The question at gatherings was always “Who’s that in the corner reading?” and the answer was “Oh, that’s

The average adult rate is the same for everyone, even for university graduates. Once people are not reading as much or as intensely as they used to, their reading rate atrophies.

I

smcevoy@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

back I worked at Chapters and started getting books before they came out from contacts at publishing houses. I would write reviews that they could pull quotes from for sales and marketing. After about four months of this I thought “Why not try to submit these to Imprint?” Most newspapers have book reviews, and I had not seen any in the paper in a long time — there were usually just CD or movie reviews. So I

Andrea’s husband.” I almost feel naked without a book and a journal in which to make notes. Even in the last few years with having children, my reading has only increased each year. I read everything — fitness, self-help, theology, fiction, science fiction. I truly am a book addict. This is the story of how I became one. I never knew what I would find between the pages.

and purpose to the whole. What amazed me most about this book was that it was a story with which I was completely unfamiliar. I remember in school during the late ‘70s and early ‘80s we often had lessons on apartheid and the situation in South Africa, and even Africa as a whole. Later in high school and into university I often encountered the history of the Latin American situation and especially liberation theology — and then again in film with such powerful movies as The Mission, Cry Freedom, Amistad, and others — yet never have I encountered these stories and events, including: • 1911: In the northern territory, the Aboriginals Ordinance is given a protector appointed by the “whites” authority to take any Aborigine of “half-blood” into custody at any time. The ordinance remained in force until 1957. • 1937: The Native Administration Act gives Chief Protector legal instruments with which to “breed out” the Aborigines, the “final solution” to the race problem in Western Australia. • 1953: The Welfare Ordinance (NT) substitutes the racially neutral word “ward” for “Aborigine.” More than 99 per cent of the Aboriginal population is declared “wards” of the state. • 1962: Aboriginal people obtain the right to vote in state and commonwealth elections, even though they are still wards of the state. • 1964: Aboriginal people are no longer wards of the state, but in name only.

Reviews Books Terra Nullius: A Journey Through No One’s Land Sven Lindqvist The New Press

sonia lee

It Will Go Easier On You If You Just Come To Our Store.

In the last few years Sven Lindqvist has become one of my favourite nonfiction authors. He probes some of the worst situations in human history, yet always ends up giving us some hope for our future. In earlier books, such as Exterminate All The Brutes, he chronicles the history of European genocides in Africa, and in The Skull Measurer’s Mistake he chronicles a history of men and women who spoke out against racism. In this volume, Terra Nullius: A Journey Through No One’s Land, he chronicles the history of racism and systematic abuse against Aboriginals from Australia, from the arrival of James Cook in 1770, to 1992 when the Mabo Decision in the Australian Supreme Court outlawed the concept of “terra nullius.” Like many of his earlier books it is written as part history and part journal. He chronicles events and key places from the past, and side by side with that is his journey to and fro across the Australian countryside to personally experience the places discussed in history. He writes in a very fluid, lucid style. At times it appears to be written as a stream of conscious, yet as readers go further and further into the book, they realize that it was nothing so random. Every history event portrayed has a specific purpose; each personal recollection illuminates either the preceding or following events. Each portrait of a victim or someone who attempted to help the victim has specific meaning

1967: Aboriginal people are included in the national census. • 1983: Sixteen-year-old John Pat dies in police custody; five officers are charged but acquitted. • 1991: The Year of Indigenous People. Lindqvist’s book portrays brutal acts by individuals and by a people as a whole. It is not uplifting or enjoyable in the message it portrays — yet it should be considered essential reading, for man’s inhumanity must be remembered and we need to recognize those few who spoke out against it. Lindqvist’s book is easy to read and flows well, but the subject matter and events depicted therein will be seared into your memory. — Steven R. McEvoy


Arts & Entertainment

Imprint, Friday, June 26, 2009

15

Reviews CD

Books Beyond the Grave The 39 Clues, Book 4 Jude Watson Scholastic

It’s Blitz! Yeah Yeah Yeah Released March 31, 2009

In the 2004 No Wave/Alternative rock documentary Kill Your Idols, Karen O and Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs were featured in a brief interview where they liken themselves with the contemporary acts of the genre such as Swans, Teenage Jesus, and Sonic Youth. Karen O explained further by offering a brief synopsis of the New York underground music scene by saying “There’s no glitz or glamour.” Though she may have been simply stating the obvious, her sketch was valid on two levels: first, that the NYC-derived No Wave scene is definitely less glitty and glammy than most, and second, proving that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs don’t belong in the same company as the aforementioned bands, a sentiment supported by their newest release It’s Blitz! With their third proper album, the group has made what will surely be hailed as their “dance/mature record.” Elements of electronica and disco are more than just experimental asides in the twilight of the songs; they are the meat and bones. Zinner’s signature spastic guitar takes a backseat to dance-driven synths and drum machines while Karen O takes every opportunity to flaunt her excitable, New Age chick-rocker wail. However, the true ringleader of It’s Blitz! is longtime producer and YYY’s collaborator, Dave Sitek. He has at least shared production credit on all three of their full-lengths while at the same time maintained his day job as the producer, guitarist, and founding member of the best band in music: TV On The Radio. Given his longstanding, professional relationship with the band it may seem a bit overaccommodating to credit the album’s new angle solely to him, and rightfully so. By no means should Sitek reap all of the glory, but his inspiration for the direction of It’s Blitz! is certainly significant enough to still give the man his props. Sitek took an almost identical approach with TV On The Radio’s 2008 album Dear Science in which the band gave their best interpretation of a dance record. In doing so they managed to make an album that varied from the rest of their catalogue without abandoning the art rock characteristics that

defined them. It’s Blitz! follows suit by clearly announcing itself as a Yeah Yeah Yeahs album, except it takes place at the disco instead of CBGB’s. The opening track and first single, “Zero,” is an immediate representation of the album’s new direction: a distorted synth lead instead of a heavily effected riff, and drums that sound like they belong in the club and not on the marching band of the Armageddon, all topped off with the YYYs consistency of Karen O’s scenester howl. The party continues until the fourth track, “Skeletons,” when the band slows things down a bit for their token slow jam. One can’t help but relate the song to their most recognizable track, “Maps,” off their 2003 debut Fever to Tell. The ambient balladry of “Skeletons” doesn’t share the quiet-loud-quiet-louder structure of “Maps” but Karen O’s tender, almost whispered vocals are the constant between the two as well as the surefire YYYs indicator that yes, this is going to be a slow one. As admirable as it is for bands to be progressive, let’s face it, not everyone is cut out to be Radiohead. For a band that aligns itself with a scene that is characterized by its coarse, utterly uncommercial veneer, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs managed to pull the album off very nicely, making their best, most well-rounded one to date. Besides, it’s ludicrous to even mention them in the same breath as any No Wave band. They have always had an outside appeal because of their pop influences, thus ostracizing them their beloved New York sect. Just watch Michael Gira roll his eyes in Kill Yr Idols when the interviewer calls the YYYs a new No Wave band. It’s true that no matter how hard they ever tried, their brand of punk rock would never be welcome in the seethey, anti-music New York music scene. However, being outcasts to the aboveground world of pop and commercial success is not as cruel a punishment as they may have thought. No Wave definitely wouldn’t have led them to Dave Sitek, definitely wouldn’t have given them the leg room to experiment with different types of music, and most definitely wouldn’t have allowed them the “glitz and glam” that makes It’s Blitz! shine. — Devon Shea

If book three, The Sword Thief, was a little disappointing, then book four, Beyond the Grave, more than made up for it. This story takes place in Egypt in and around various cities and also some of the tombs and temples of the ancient Egyptians. In this book, Dan and Amy find themselves at odds with each other. They also realize that they are becoming more and more like the other Cahills; they are lying, cheating, and stealing, and they realize that they do not like it. They also encounter a friend of their late grandmother, Hillary Vale, and her grandson Theo. At first they seem friendly and eager to help the children, but looks can be deceiving, especially if the Cahills are around. This book has a better pace than book three; it is well-written and the characters seem more true to themselves. The story progresses at a breakneck speed. Yet with seven authors over ten books it will be hard to predict where the series is going and how it will get there. Like the earlier books, this one had a lot of historically accurate information, which gives a history lesson in a fun adventure book. The series is great for people of all ages. From young children to retirees, it seems that there is something in The 39 Clues for everyone. Jude Watson did a good job of reining in the story. She also carried the characters forward in a well-developed manner. My biggest complaint about the series is

that the books keep getting shorter. At this rate the last few will be novelettes, not novels. My second complaint is that the final book is not due to be released until the fall of 2010. This seems like a terribly long time, but ten books in three years is still a great feat. This book left me eagerly anticipating book five, due out in August of this year — titled The Black Circle by Patrick Carman. — Steven R. McEvoy

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Science & Technology

Imprint, Friday, June 26, 2009 science@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

THE RESULTS are in COURTESY Roy Feldman

Waterloo places fifth in EcoCar competition Bogdan Petrescu science & technology editor

T

he University of Waterloo Alternative Fuels Team (UWAFT) returned home feeling quite successful though still feeling like they can do more. They managed to obtain fifth place in the competition to design an environmentally friendly car. However, this is only the end of the first year our of three, therefore the team still has opportunities to win the competition. With this in mind, the team looks to the future. The first round of the competition came to an end on June 12, 2009 with the awards ceremony held in Toronto. This competition started on June 8 and marks the end of the first year in which 17 teams were supposed to design and present their EcoCar to a number of judges. Among the people that attended the event was David Miller, the mayor of Toronto who gave a presentation on June 11. The car presented by the UWAFT is a series hybrid between a hydrogen fuel cell and an electric powered vehicle. The hydrogen fuel cell may be used to both recharge the lithium ion battery or be used to power the two motors used to run the car. In either case the energy from the lithium ion battery is turned into electric power and both motors run on electric power. Based on their simulations, the vehicle should be able to produce 180 kilowatts as well as manage to obtain 241 horsepower. Though there are some disadvantages to using hydrogen power, such as a lack of stations from which the car may refuel, as well as the reliance on traditional energy

Right: Toronto Mayor David Miller sits in the Waterloo simulation prototype of the Ecocar Challenge and talks to UW team captain Alex Koch.

Courtesy Roy Feldman

sources (the most economically feasible way to obtain hydrogen still uses some fossil fuels), it provides a much cleaner alternative when compared to other energy sources. This may well be a solution. When asked about the way the competition went, the team was fairly pleased although they felt they could’ve done better. One member, Hung Nguyen said that their strength lies in their technical side, and that they need to work more on their presentation in order to secure a higher position. He feels that with stronger presentation and more dedicated presenters, they can advance further and achieve more in this competition.

Waterloo managed to get fifth place overall in this event, and also managed to win a number of other awards: second place in Dspace Embedded Award, third place in the Hardware in the Loop evaluation, and third place MathWorks Modeling award. These awards have given Waterloo $4,750 in prizes that will be reinvested in the car. First place overall went to Ohio State University. Their car uses E85 ethanol, a biofuel, as their main energy source in order to power their cars as well as a 1.8 litre engine. Overall, University of Victoria and Mississippi University won second place and third place respectively. The overall EcoCar Challenge

is supposed to last three years, with each year having a specific purpose. Each team is supposed to convert a Saturn VUE into an eco-friendly car. Each year end is marked by its own specific end of the year competition, where teams get graded on a number of different presentations. Teams are also supposed to attend a couple of workshops, once during fall and again during winter, when teams have another opportunity to obtain points for the teams. After the competition is done, every team gets graded and the results are tabulated. The team with the most accumulated points at the end is declared the winner. The purpose of the first year

was to design the car and provide simulations of different ways the car is supposed to run. The point of the second year is to build the car and have it ready by the end of the second competition, which will be held in Yuma, Arizona in June 2010. They shall be tested to see how they run in different environments. The cars are donated by General Motors. The third year is used to refine the car and the final presentation will be in June, 2011. The next workshop will be held in some time during fall. bpetrescu@imprint.uwaterloo.ca


Science & Technology

Imprint, Friday, June 26, 2009

17

Game, Set, Sound azchiang@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

weight in objects being carried, a change in mood, the health of the player, and so on.” Herein lies the heart of her research: unlike linear media forms such as cinema and television, which are the same every time they are played back, interactive media changes and adapts according to the user. “With interactive media, even if the wider narrative is the same, the timings and the paths taken are always different,” explained Collins. “Playing a game, for instance, is never the same twice, even if you’ve perfected most of the moves.”

is to have people tag sounds with emotional keywords.” These short “tagged” sound clips are then added to a large database that Collins has been compiling. Teaming up with computer science researchers, Collins hopes to generate a search engine where people can find clips based on properties such as associated emotional tags or tempo. Collins’ collaboration with computer scientists is only one example of the interdisciplinary work she does. Together with psychology professor Mike Dixon and CCAT colleague

Often research puts so much emphasis on extending our lives, but not so much on actually enjoying our lives

However, being able to generate real-time sound can be tricky. “We need to know the extent to which a sound can be changed, so that when a sound is changed in real-time for the sake of variability, the sound is not altered to the extent that the player keys in on the change and spends time searching for what created that change.” To carry out her research practically, Collins collects data by “tagging” and testing sounds and small clips of music through different means: “One way is using neural networks to look for patterns in music, and another way

E

ven though hardcore gamers may say they attribute much of their love for the interactive pastime to thrilling visual graphics, those who have tried to play a video game in silence know that it’s not the same game anymore. While sound is an undeniably important factor to the overall gaming experience, there has been relatively little actual research on it, according to Dr. Karen Collins, Canada Research Chair in Technology and Communication at the Canadian Centre of Arts and Technology (CCAT). Describing sound as the “underdog of the multimedia world,” Collins, who is also a professor at UW in the department of drama and speech communication, believes there is great potential in studying our interactions with sound in a variety of contexts. One of her on-going projects explores different ways of generating real-time sound for video games and other interactive media. To demonstrate how having real-time sound could enhance the player experience, Collins illustrated with an example: “Footstep sounds are ubiquitous and a now-expected stylistic trait of most First Person Shooter games…with thousands of footstep sounds required for a game, those that rely on unaltered sampled sound can expect to get short mileage out of those sounds.” “By adjusting parameters of the sound in real-time, however, we could show an increased

Kevin Harrigan, whose area of expertise is computer algorithms and mathematics, Collins is exploring the ways in which sound in slot machines influence player behaviour. “We’re looking at how the machines convince you that you’re winning when you’re actually losing. Sound plays a big role in this.” But while her research projects make an excellent case for sound playing “a big role” in human-computer interactions whether it be gaming or gambling, Collins is also cognozant that not everyone can hear sound. She is currently at work on developing a

To learn more about Karen Collins and her work check out http://gamessound.com new interface system to represent “what is happening where” in terms of sound effects. “My SoundSign deaf-gamer technology will hopefully get adopted in some games and help the hard of hearing community to enjoy games as much as the rest of us.” Collins admitted that the technology is still “very new and awkward” but believes that there are many practical applications for generative audio. She noted that these are “most obviously in video games, but also in terms of music therapy, theme parks, and so on.” In terms of her gambling research, Collins said, the eventual aim is to impact public policy such that it reduce the amount of gamblingrelated addiction. While her research is not all fun and games all the time, it is pretty darn close. Collins stated: “I get to meet all kinds of interesting people, play video games on ‘company time’ and work on ideas that interest me. Knowing that what I do can impact the quality of life some people experience is always rewarding. “Often research puts so much emphasis on extending our lives, but not so much on actually enjoying our lives.”

It’s not easy being a butt Plug alomako@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

L

ast year, at Sue Johanson’s lecture at Laurier University, I saw the woman hesitate before changing topics. I was puzzled and intrigued, as she had been educating youth about sex for 30-odd years. The words that came out of her mouth next explained everything. “Alright, kids. I have to talk to you about anal sex. I don’t know why you like it so much, but apparently you do, so let’s get one thing straight: anal play can be a high risk activity,” she said, or something to that effect. Of course, the college crowd went wild with laughter…until she explained that anal sex could result in anal bleeding and a trip to the emergency room. Try explaining that one to your parents. “Um, mom, I don’t think OHIP covers bum damage…due to sex. Do you know if our family health insurance does?” Anal sex has become surprisingly mainstream, taking punchlines in contemporary middle-life-crisis jokes by storm. However, a 2002 survey shows that 34 per cent of men and 30 per cent of women aged 15 to 44 reported engaging in anal sex at least once. As such, humour appears be to nothing more than an tool for dealing with an

inevitable trend. The survey indicating these statistics was conducted by the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) and involved a sample of more than 12,000 men and women. Before I move on, it’s a good time for a reminder that anal sex is legally limited to “husband and wife,” or “any two persons, each of whom is 18 years of age or more,” in Canada. Otherwise, any individuals who commit the act of anal intercourse are “guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction,” according to the Criminal Code of Canada, section 159. So choose wisely, especially since I spent my first year of university being 17. Just sayin’, don’t let a little bit of self-exploration turn into a court offence. Although anal sex is a frequent hobby of an increasingly large fan base, few people are adequately informed to perform it safely. And I kid you not, your bum’s nature is more sensitive than you think, and it needs to be protected. For example, did you know that both anal intercourse and analingus should be used with protection, like a condom for the first and a dental dam for the latter? Otherwise, the risk of attaining

STIs such as HIV or Hepatitis C runs high. This is because the lining of the anus is very delicate and does not produce as much natural lubrication as, say, a vagina or a mouth would. Consequently, lubricant is essential for anal play to be pleasurable and safe (FYI: oil-based lubrications are not compatible with condoms). Because the lining is sensitive, nails should be trimmed prior to having sex, and a disposable glove should be worn on top for extra caution. Because there are a lot of things that can go wrong, before having anal sex for the first time, do your homework! Now, moving onto anal toys. Most local sex shops have a plethora of these — you couldn’t throw a bottle of lube without hitting a wall of anal toys such as vibrators, anal beads, and prostate massagers. I feel it’s my job to make you aware these exist, but I urge you strongly to start small and slow when it comes to anal sex. Before you ask someone else to join you, experiment with yourself to know what you are and are not comfortable with. And most of all, be gentle. You only get one bum in this lifetime, so you’d better take good care of it. I have one more thing to add: I am so glad my grandmother can’t read English.

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Sports & Living

Imprint, Friday, June 26, 2009 sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Golfing for Warrior hockey

Michael L. Davenport editor in chief

How does one raise money for a hockey team? By playing golf. The third annual Warrior Hockey golf tournament was held on Saturday, June 13. After several months of planning, the event raised $9000 for the Mens Hockey Award. Mens Hockey Coach Brian Bourque told Imprint, “All of the money raised is going to be used for award (scholarship) money for players on the hockey team.“ The scholarship rewards varsity hockey players who also maintain high grades. Bourque noted in a statement that “our team average for the 2008 – 09 season was 74 per cent and we had eight players who were named academic all-Canadians for earning an average over 80 per cent” Photo: UW Alumni Dan Blum, Wayne Holden, Jamie Britt, Bill Lang pose during the fundraiser. photo courtesy brian bourque

Campus Bulletin UPCOMING

VOLUNTEER

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Friday, June 26, 2009 Learn to swing dance! Beginner lesson at 8 p.m. Social dancing, games and performances at KW Naval Association, 315 Weber Street, N., Waterloo. For admission/info www.waterlooswing. com. Saturday, June 27, 2009 2009 Non-Violence Festival: Victoria Park, Kitchener. Enjoy a day-long concert feat. local bands, entertainment & speakers. Learn about the cause and get involved. Noon to 9:00p.m. Thursday, July 2, 2009 Rotunda Gallery presents “Transitions” by James Olley. Reception is from 5 to 7 p.m. at Kitchener City Hall, 200 King Street, W. For info 519-7413400, ext 3381. Sunday, August 30, 2009 2nd annual Memorial Butterfly Release 2009 at Williamsburg Cemetery from 2 to 4 p.m. Proceeds support the work of Bereaved Families of OntarioMidwestern Region. To order a butterfly/more info call 519-894-8344.

Summer volunteer opportunities with Family and Children’s Services of the Waterloo Region. Summer reading club, bookbag club, and boys’ activity club volunteers needed. Contact 519576-1329, ext 3533 or Carey.Reist@ facswaterloo.org. Shadow needed to be paired with international students. Show them around and make their stay in Waterloo more enjoyable. Make friends and expand your knowledge. Please apply at www. iso.uwaterloo.ca. City of Waterloo needs environmental field assistant: occasional spring and fall weekdays. For info call 519-8886478 or www.waterloo.ca/volunteer. Volunteer Action Centre, 519-7428610 / volunteer@volunteerkw.ca, for all your volunteering needs! Do you text...do you iPod? We are looking for volunteers to take part in a study on mobile hand held device use and any related health or comfort troubles experienced during their use. The study is being conducted by the Department of Kinesiology and the institute for Work and Health. As a participant in this study, you would be asked to fill out a five to eight minute computer-administered confidential questionnaire. If you would like to participate, please follow this link: http:// ithumb.iwh.on.ca. If you wish more information about this study, please contact Sophia Berolo, Department of Kinesiology, University of Waterloo at sberolo@uwaterloo.ca. This study has been reviewed by, and received ethics clearance through, the Office of Research Ethics, University of Waterloo. Speak Laos? Volunteer needed to visit Laos-speaking woman with Alzheimers in Heritage Park, Kitchener. For info contact Jill at jmercier@alzheimersocietykw.com.

Crown Ward Status: attention students who are/were Crown Wards needed to work with large, Provincially funded transdiscliplinary team (including UW students) dedicated to helping current Crown Ward youth. Please contact Kelly Anthony at 519-888-4567, ext 32802. Paid position. Excellent exchange opportunity for UW undergraduate students to participate in the Ontario/Jiangsu Student Exchange Program in China for the 2009-2010 academic years. The OJS Program provides scholarships to successful applicants. For additional information and application form/deadlines contact Andreea Ciucurita, Waterloo International, Needles Hall, 1101, room 1103, ext 35995 or by email: aciucurita@uwaterloo.ca. Tune in to Sound 100.3 FM radio to hear DJ Cool with lots of music, entertainment, helpful info, weather and more. www.soundfm.ca >listen or www.ckmsfm.ca. Alternatives Journal is looking for the following work study positions – publishing intern ; marketing and business and web design and management. Email resume/cover letter to marcia@ alternativesjournal.ca.

UW RECREATION COMMITTEE

UW Recreation Committee events are open to all employees of the University of Waterloo. Register by emailing admmail.uwaterloo.ca. UW Book Club meets July 15, On Chesil Beach, by Ian McEwan ; August 19, Unfeeling, by Ian Holding. Cost is price of book if you wish to purchase it. Dana Porter Library, room 407 at 12:05 p.m. Details www.uwrc.uwaterloo.ca. Discount tickets are available for Centreville (Toronto) Island, Ontario Place, Ontario Science Centre, Royal Ontario Museum and Wings of Paradise. Email uwrc@uwaterloo.ca for a UW code for online ordering.

ONGOING MONDAYS Gambling can ruin your life. Gamblers Anonymous, 7 p.m. at St Marks, 825 King Street, W, basement. FRIDAYS Season of Argentine Tango lessons in Waterloo starts May 2009 at the Princess Twin, Waterloo at 7 p.m. Beginners and advanced lessons with dancing from 9 to 11:30 p.m. (Tango, Swing, Salsa) Call 519-581-7836 or casadeltango@yahoo.ca.

Imprint, Friday, June 12, 2009 ads@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

CAREER SERVICES WORKSHOPS Sign up for these workshops at careerservices.uwaterloo.ca. Career Exploration and Decision Making – July 9, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., TC 1112. Career Interest Assessment – July 15, 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., TC 1112. NOTE: $10 materials charge payable at Career Services prior to the session. Career Exploration Workshop - July 9, 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. TC 1112. Career Interest Assessment - July 15, 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., TC 1112.

NOTE: $10 materials charge payable at Career Services prior to the session. Exploring Your Personality - Part 1 July 6, 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., TC 1112. Part 2 July 13, 2:30-4 p.m.,TC 1112. NOTE: $10 materials charge payable at Career Services prior to the session.

STUDENT AWARDS FINANCIAL AID

June 2009 June 30, 2009: Last day to submit FullTime Bursary/Award Application for spring term. Refer to our website: safa.uwaterloo. ca for full listing of scholarships and awards.

Classified HOUSING

Attention Cambridge School of Architecture students! Live conveniently and comfortably right across the street from school in this beautifully renovated apartment. 4, 8 and 12-month leases available with excellent signing bonuses and rental incentives! Call Joanne at 519-746-1411 for more details. Sunnydale prime townhouses – 505517 Sunnydale Crescent. LIMITED OFFER: free 32” flat screen TV for one year lease. Spacious three bedroom units, large bedrooms, big common area, bright windows, backyard, free parking, laundry, many newly renovated, bus route 9. $475/person, utilities included. September start. Call 519572-0278. Room for rent for a quiet individual in a detached home near both universities. Parking and all amenities. Please call 519-725-5348.

Five bedroom house available September 1. Walking distance from both Universities. Recently renovated, hardwood floors, central air, two kitchens, living rooms and bathrooms. Backyard, laundry and parking included. Must see. Please call 519-575-1973.

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.

SERVICES

Does your thesis or major paper need a fresh pair of eyes to catch English spelling and grammar errors? Thesis English editing, $50/hour. Five business day turnaround. Neal Moogk-Soulis, ncmoogks@uwaterloo.ca.


Comics & Distractions

Imprint, Friday, June 26, 2009

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By Paul Collier

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Courtney Betts “All kinds of swimming and as many cold drinks as possible!”

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40 42 49

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2A Environment and Business

43

53 57

Devaka Wickramasinghe 44

”Upping my electricity bill! I have AC for the first time in Waterloo so I’m taking full advantage!” Amy Gao

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Computer Lab Diva: I’ve heard you belting your Katy Perry as you tapped away in the CS lab. I just wanted you to know that every time you tab those keys, I’m hot and not cold. Java Lover

2 Health Studies

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48

Across 1. Rusty planet 5. Half goat, half man 10. Uncategorized (abbr.) 14. Smudge 15. In music, “very” (Italian) 16. Mormon State 17. Second-highest musical range 18. Hungarian piano virtuoso 19. After the expected time 20. Northern Star 22. Hint 23. Salt water body 26. Succeeded 27. Vibrates 28. Ray gun sound (two words) 30. Transformers star 33. ___ minute now 34. Touch 35. Warns of trouble 37. Devolves 41. Director, actor Keaton 42. Larger than a quark, smaller than a molecule 45. Limb 48. Turn upside down 49. Transformers star car 51. Bundle 53. Face to face (internet abbr.) 54. What one is known for (abbr.) 55. Steinway & ____ 56. Celestial wanderer

“I don’t mind it... bring on the heat!” 33

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By Julia Hawthornthwaite (jhawthornthwaite@imprint.uwaterloo.ca)

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What are you doing to escape the heat?

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60. Give off 61. Unit of measuring small masses 62. Earth’s largest satellite 66. Snow surface ski lift (hyphenated) 67. Spy 68. Cancel 69. Grain storage structure 70. Tart 71. Swarm Down 1. Popular Laurier degree (abbr.) 2. “___ You Need Is Love” 3. Decompose 4. Halt 5. Cultivated but unseeded land 6. From the largest continent 7. Sent the first human to space (abbr.) 8. Swastika bearer 9. Takes a seat 10. Organic material for protecting soil 11. Roman name for Mediterranean peninsula 12. Ringed 56 across 13. Crummy 21. To be in debt 23. Sunscreen rating 24. ASUS netbook line 25. Inspired respect 27. Power unit

4B Math and Business

59 63

64

“I’m not avoiding it, I’m enjoying it... it’s been so cold!”

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Alix Priest 2B Biology

29. Commoner 30. Unconscious recuperation 31. Mister (German) 32. U.K. separatists (abbr.) 35. Opposing 36. Crease 38. Hogwash 39. Of study for non-Anglophones (abbr.) 40. Twinkler 43. Mineral rich in metal 44. Huge hairdo 45. Valuable properties 46. Equal-sided quadrilaterals 47. Lowly 49. Quality of a Facebook stalker 50. Space bar neighbour 52. Osamu Tezuka’s _____ Boy 53. Disguised: _____nito 56. Assigned position 57. Roman goddess of 62 across 58. Of unknown identity (abbr.) 59. Obscenity 63. Multiplicative identity 64. “___ to Joy” 65. Food consumption noise (internet)

Ostrich: The way you stuck your head under my ground when you felt scared really warmed my heart. Come closer, stay near me and I will host your egg. Looking forward to a baby ostrich! Your Hold in the Ground

Sudoku

4 1 7 9

3 5

4 9 5 1 6 8 3 7 2 L O O T

a U R a

4 9 2 7

4

6

O D D S

To Sun Goddess: Can I be as close to you as your newly found tan? Fr: Mr. PACman

2 9

9 8 3 2

solutionS: May 29, 2009

Crossword

19

8 2 7 9 5 3 4 1 6

3 1 6 2 7 4 8 9 5

1 4 2 6 3 5 7 8 9

F E L R X E a C O N D I N C a S a U P S I D E M E N U T B R I M R E L F S E L E F T O V E E W E U N W E L L S E a M S T R a I D E E O F L E D R O

7 1 4 8

1 7 6 8 4 9 1 5 2 3

9 5 3 7 8 2 6 4 1

5 7 9 8 1 6 2 3 4

2 3 1 5 4 7 9 6 8

E M I S B E C U B W E B B S P R U a I R F a C E B R E K I O F a N I R D E N a O N E P R E D a E S S R S I N T O S T S

6 8 4 3 2 9 1 5 7 O V I D

R E N E

T a G S

O M a N I

O U N C E

K N E a D

T O U T

E D N a

D E E R


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Comics & Distractions

Imprint, Friday, June 26, 2009

(postscript@imprint.uwaterloo.ca)

Peter n. trinh (impression@imprint.uwaterloo.ca)

GEOFFREY LEE & SONIA LEE (loosescrews@imprint.uwaterloo.ca)

RAJUL SALEH (differentperspective@imprint.uwaterloo.ca)


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