toadlane - February 2007

~dPP~ St. Vdle.ntine.5 ()d~

toadlane Winter 2007 #1 Editorial Staff

Staff Contributors Mohaddesseh Azimlu Meghan Bunce Debbie Chan Dharmine Ehamparam Angela Lau Sudeep Manchanda Atif Parvaiz Golnaz Tajeddin Sumeet Tandon Christopher Tuckwood Christopher Yu

Editor in Chief

Dan Lynch Layout

Edward Ho

Special Contributors

Kevin Yip

Cynthia Chiang Colin Chiu AnnMarie Edward Alice Leung Amy Leung Ritu Mathew Arthur Poon Tina Szeto Kimberley Wong Desmond Yu Lorna Yuen

Cover

Minnie Xu

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From the Editor Thank you for taking a look inside this first issue of toadlane for the winter 2007 term.

This is the first issue of toadlane under my editorial leadership, and I hope you enjoy reading it.

Our theme for this issue is St. Valentine’s Day, and readers will learn about how to apply game theory to decide on which movie to watch on this special evening, and how to cook some delicious treats for dinner and beyond. In addition, we have a number of un-themed articles, including ones about auroras, finding good food in Waterloo, first aid, identity theft, the evils of cell phones, veganism, low-stakes poker strategies, and how to have fun in the winter at Waterloo. We also have DM introductions for winter 2007, along with the usual selection of games and puzzles.

The deadline for submission of material for publication in the next issue of toadlane is February 23, and that issue will be published and distributed on March 5. I look forward to receiving your submissions.

Dan Lynch, editor-in-chief toadlane@wcri.coop

Editorial Policy toadlane is a creative outlet for the members, staff, and friends of Waterloo Co-operative Residence Incorporated. It is a medium in which they can communicate information, express ideas, and share interests. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of toadlane or WCRI. Submissions for publication in toadlane are welcome from any member of the WCRI community, broadly defined, and are accepted unsolicited via e-mail at toadlane@wcri.coop. Submissions to toadlane must be accompanied by the full name, address, and contact information of the author, but names may be withheld from publication upon request. toadlane does not print material that is obscene or libellous, nor does it print material that is poorly written. In addition, toadlane reserves absolute editorial control over its own content, and may refuse to print submitted material for any reason or for no reason.

This editorial policy is subject to the toadlane Policy of the board of directors of WCRI.

Publication Information toadlane is published several times per year by Waterloo Co-operative Residence Incorporated, 268 Phillip Street, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 6G9.

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North DM Introduction: Kimberley Wong Hi, my name is Kimberley Wong and I will be co-DM with AnnMarie Edward for North Division. I have lived at WCRI for four terms and all four have been at North.

While living at North, I have been a COWs supervisor and supplies representative twice. I am a fourth-year student at the University of Waterloo, majoring in Biomedical Sciences, and I will be graduating after this term. I am a goal-oriented, organized, and disciplined person, as well as approachable and very talkative. I’d like to think I’m quite a fair person as well, since I’ve had to share just about everything with my sister. My interests are playing tennis, the piano and home decorating, so of course my favourite channel would be TLC! Aside from everything on TLC, I am a devoted fan of House, CSI (Las Vegas only), and Gilmore Girls. My hopes this term for North is for all the residents to have a nice, clean, and enjoyable environment to call home.

North DM Introduction: AnnMarie Edward Hi Everyone! Welcome to WCRI (or back to WCRI, if you are here for another term)!

My name is AnnMarie Edward and I am one of the Division Managers at North. I am a fourth-year student in Honours Science at UW. I have lived at North for the last four terms and I am thrilled to be your DM for the winter term. During the last four terms, not only have I had a great time, but I have also had the opportunity to get involved in residence life as being floor manager, social rep, and COWs supervisor. There are many ways to get involved at North, whether it is acquiring a floor position, or a working on a committee. I strongly urge each and everyone one of you to join a committee or take up a floor position. Not only are they fun, but it is also quite rewarding to know that you have contributed to WCRI, a place you can call home for the next four months.

Message from Your DMs 4

South Division DM: Colin Chiu

South Division DM: Ritu Mathew

Hi, I’m Colin Chiu and I am co-Division Manager for South in Winter 2007. I’ve been living in WCRI since Fall 2004 and I’ve been involved in various positions over that time, including social rep, toadlane writer, and assistant DM last term. Winter terms have always been my favorite at WCRI, whether it’s been tobogganing at the CIF hill or Guys and Girls Night. Last March, it was amazingly warm and a good dozen of us were playing beach volleyball on the court on a regular basis.

Hi, my name is Ritu Mathew and I am coDivision Manager for South in Winter 2007. I was DM last term and have held various positions during my stay here.

It’s been something of a transition this fall term. For the first time, the building operated without a meal plan and made its first foray in the Inter-Divisional COW system. Despite these changes, I still loved my experience as ADM and I’m excited to be taking up greater responsibilities for the winter term.

To get the most out of WCRI, I highly encourage members to take part in various administrative and social events that take place throughout the term. It’s a great way to understand how the co-op works and to meet new friends.

Ritu and I look forward to meeting everyone in the building this term. Feel free to stop by at my room to chat! Or in the infamous “bored” room during the exam period! Ciao!

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Last term was challenging and fun. As Colin mentions, it was our first term without a meal plan and our first term being part of the InterDivisional COW System. Nevertheless, the presence of frosh within the division made the place livelier. DDR nights (very popular), Cranium and Poker nights were regular events within the division.

I loved my time as DM last term. It gave me the opportunity to get to know my members, help them out and ensure that they had a clean and fun place to come back to. I made many friends and I remember most of my members’ last names and room numbers. Being DM also gave me the opportunity to get to know the other DMs well and to meet more people at inter-divisional social events.

This is my last term at school and also here in Canada and Colin and I want to give back to South, our home for many terms, all the fun we have had and ensure that returning and new members love it as much as we did. We look forward to meeting you and personally welcoming you back. Have an awesome term!

God bless. ☺

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B-Div DM: Alice Leung

Welcome new members and returning members for another exciting term at WCRI! Hopefully you all had a wonderful holiday. I’m your new DM for B-Div this term (co-DM with Amy). I’ve been living at WCRI for the past five terms and had quite a lot of experience with B-Div. Hopefully with the knowledge I have about WCRI, I can assist you and be a resourceful person that you can rely on for the rest of the term. This is going to be my last term living at WCRI, so let me make this the best term for you and me. A little about myself: I love playing computer games and video games, and love watching movies and anime, so please share any great games or movies you have with me! I hope all of you will enjoy working with me this term!

Hi everyone! Alice and I are your division managers this term. We are your most useful resource for WCRI-related concerns and inquiries, and if you have any suggestions we would love to hear from you. WCRI has a lot to offer and we hope to make your stay at B-Division this term fun and enjoyable. A bit about myself: I am a fourth-year kinesiology student; I have been living at WCRI for five terms and am loving it. Currently, the only show I follow is Desperate Housewives. Two things that take up most of my time are YouTube and celebrity blogs.

B Div DM: Amy Leung 6

Hello to my adoring public, My name is Desmond Yu and I am Carver’s Co-DM for Winter 2007. While Tina is actually the brains of the operation I am like a concept car—all show, no substance.

My interests include; 80’s music, using bad pickups lines, comic books, brainy wizardy card games, making fun of people, and looking in the mirror. I am also known for offering COW credit for members who do my bidding.

If you need to find me I like to hang out with other beautiful people so can be found bothering the other DMs or camped out on the couch in the Member Services office. I would also like to add that I’m very street smart! (Too bad the street is Sesame Street.)

Believe it or not, this will be my last term at UW. After graduation my future plans include a career in the fast food industry (if that modeling contract doesn’t pan out) or exotic dancing on a cruise ship.

For any WCRI related inquiries please contact Tina. If you want to talk about hair products however feel free to stop on by.

Tina Szeto & Desmond Yu

CARVER DM Welcome to WCRI! My name is Tina and I’m the co-division manager for Carver this term.

I’m currently a fourth-year student in science and psychology at the University of Waterloo. I was asked to introduce myself as your DM for this term. Personally, I find it hard to describe myself to people. Instead, I’ve decided to take testimonials from various sources (you know what I mean) to describe what I’m really like: •

• • • •

“She doesn't take crap from people, and she is a very "real" person, if you know what I mean. Tina will tell you if she doesn't like something about you, but that's beside the point. She gives good advice (although she’s moody at times) and will be there if you need her to be.”

“Well I met this girl in ‘loo during frosh week—haha, so random—I just walked up to her and started talking. LOL! Tina is great to talk with, easy going, nice and really friendly” “All my memories with her basically involve my true love: food!”

“Tina is music to my ears; she doesn't even need a cello.”

“She only seems to talk to me when I update my picture or offer to make certain people disappear from her life.”

Disclaimer: all the positive attributes mentioned are most likely true. To all Carver residents: if you ever need anything, please feel free to drop by Ca-13 for some assistance, information (WCRI-related of course) and/or discussions on who should have been the winner for Project Runway Season Three!

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Welcome back to another term here at WCRI, and a warm welcome to our newest members! The start of a brand new term always brings about the beginning of new friendships, fun social events, fresh ideas, and much more!

For those of you whom I haven’t had the opportunity to meet as of yet, my name is Cynthia Chiang and I am the Clayfield Division Manager of the Winter 2006 term. I am currently a fourth-year kinesiology major, and a psychology minor candidate. My interests include everything from fitness, sports, health and wellness, to the outdoors, music, and fine arts. Pretty much anything really!

I feel privileged to work with each and every one of you in this upcoming term by continuing to contribute to the co-operative, imposing positive changes for the enhancement of the WCRI community as well as implementing suggestions from you the members, so that your concerns can too be voiced and heard.

Hope to see you guys around the co-op; don’t hesitate to drop by just to say “hi!”

Clayfield DM: Cynthia Chiang

Kershaw DM: Lorna Yuen

Hi! My name is Lorna Yuen and I am the Kershaw Division Manager this term. I am a fourth-year social development studies student at UW. I have been the Kershaw DM for the past two terms and was DM for two terms before that. I have had an awesome experience working with WCRI members and I'm looking forward to another exciting term! If you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns, or just want to chat, please feel free to contact me or drop by my apartment Over the last two terms I have been involved with fundraising initiatives for the Children's Wish Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society. I plan on having another interdivisional initiative this term. If you are interested in fundraising for organizations to help out those in need, please speak with your DM. If you have any questions or suggestions please feel free to email me at kershawdm@wcri.coop.

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Hammar DM Introduction: Arthur Poon My name is Arthur Poon, and I'm here to welcome you to Hammar Division as the Division Manager for Winter 2007. I am in my 4B term majoring in anthropology and minoring in philosophy. This is my sixth term at WCRI; I have lived in every residence division, and have volunteered in every position from dishwasher to DC rep. I look forward to meeting both the returning WCRI membership, as well as the new WCRI members.

I hope that this Winter 2007 term is both an exciting and plentiful term for everyone. I am always available to talk: either in the P-Floor common room or in my room P-3. Please come by and say “hi!�

Wandering Ghosts in the Night Sky

By Mohaddesseh

Azimlu

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Have you ever seen bright colourful lights moving along the sky? Did they frighten you?

Did you think they were celestial ghosts? In Inuit folklore these moving lights were believed to be spirits of the dead going to the sky, and sometimes they came back to visit.

They were playing in the sky and made amusing colourful shapes in the dark night.

Auroras are bright glows observed in the night sky in northern latitudes and that's why they are sometimes called the northern lights. But what they are? Why they can be seen only in north? Can we see them here in Waterloo too?

When we should wait for them?

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What are auroras?

Why they can be seen only in the north?

An aurora is caused by the collision of charged particles (e.g. electrons), coming mostly from the sun, with atoms in the earth's upper atmosphere (at altitudes above 80 km). When they collide with atoms of gases in the atmosphere, the atoms become energized. They cannot stay in this unstable state forever, and after a while the atoms emit their gained energy as light— it's exactly like what happens in a fluorescent lamp. Light emitted by the aurora tends to be dominated by emissions from atomic oxygen, resulting in a greenish glow and, especially at lower energy levels and at higher altitudes, the red glow.

Many other colors, especially those emitted by atomic and molecular nitrogen (blue and purple, respectively), can also be observed.

When the charged particles arrive in the earth's magnetic field, they are guided to the magnetic poles. We are lucky because one of the poles in located here in Canada, very close to geographical North Pole. The same happens for charged particles arriving near the South Pole, so there are auroras in southern latitudes as well; for example in Australia. So, they are the “northern lights� only in the northern hemisphere.

Can we see them here in Waterloo?

Yes, of course; I have seen them several times, even from my balcony! Sometimes the flow of charged particles is lead to southern regions and they are strong enough to be seen here in Waterloo as well. I've seen them several times in Waterloo, once while camping close to Ottawa, and even once while driving on the 401 coming back from Toronto. You just need a clear dark night sky, and a wide horizon to the north. But you still need to know when to wait for auroras.

When we should wait for auroras?

We can see auroras on earth because of solar activities that release charged particles into space.

When these charged particles arrive in the earth's atmosphere, we might be able to see auroras.

So, if we know about solar activities and can track them, we will know when to wait for auroras. http://www.spaceweather.com is a useful website to stay up-to-date about auroras. You can even register there, and they'll send you e-mails to alert you. Too lazy to check your e-mail? No problem! If you want, they will call you and wake you up to see auroras.

Auroras are not always very fascinating in all places. Most of the times they appear like a shallow yellow glow near the northern horizon in Waterloo. If you missed the ones in late January, be alerted for the next one. When will it happen? Nobody knows; it depends on the sun. Be sure to check spaceweather.com!

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First on the Scene: The Importance of

FIRST AID

By Angela Lau It was almost two o’clock in the morning,

bandages, no facemasks, no blankets, nor

and I was on my way home alone in the

splints or paramedic shears. The one night I

busy subway of downtown Toronto. As I

decided not to carry my gloves was the night

approached my last transfer at Spadina

I encountered an accident. My heart

Station, I ran quickly towards the streetcar

pounded very fast, and I convinced myself

that was awaiting new passengers. To my

that I could manage somehow. I got down

disappointment, the driver was not in his

onto the train platforms, and saw a crowd of

seat, and I turned to look for a seat when I

people; I pushed my way through the crowd

noticed the spots of blood all over the floor

to see that the paramedics and police had

of the streetcar. I quickly asked the nearest

already begun treatment on the man with

passenger what had happened, and one

deep cuts on his neck. In a way, I was

young woman quickly replied with a

relieved I did not have to respond, and in

confused look on her face, “There was this

another way I was disappointed in myself,

guy that got off the street car. He was

for not carrying gloves with me at all times.

holding his neck, and bleeding all over, I

And ever since that night, I have stocked up

thought he was going to die. He got off the

on gloves and pocket masks in my bags and

streetcar but the driver went after him.” She

backpacks just in case.

quickly pointed to one of the escalators, and I immediately ran after the stairs, hoping to see what I can do with my knowledge and experience with first aid. As I approached the escalator it suddenly struck me that I had just come home from a new years party. I was not drunk, but the concern was that I had no equipment. No gloves, no gauze, no

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“...The point of the story is that first aid situations can spring up anywhere, and unexpectedly…”

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The point of the story is that first aid

Safety always comes first, and you are of far

situations

anywhere

more use as a fully functional responder

unexpectedly. Apart from being certified to

than as an injured one. This includes

treat anyone, one must also know the risks

stepping back and waiting for a fight to end,

and be prepared to deal with situations. If

calling the police in case of a violent

there is any doubt at all, everyone has the

casualty, and in cases dealing with drugs and

right to refuse treatment. Unfortunately,

weapons. In a university setting, it is

many more physicians in the U.S. are

common to see intoxicated individuals

walking away from first aid situations due to

become violent and shattered beer bottles all

the overabundance of lawsuits. But in

over the ground. Even if you are a friend,

Canada, there are several organizations and

make sure that you take care of yourself first

laws that protect a first aider if proper

and above all. The most important thing for

instructions are followed.

the first person on the scene to decide

For many that have taken first aid courses, it

whether or not more help is required.

is emphasized that the first action of a first

Ambulances can be on scene at WCRI or the

aider is to assess the scene. No matter how

universities within six to eight minutes, and

courageous you feel, who the victim is, or

sometimes even quicker. And as a member

how bad the situation is, the most important

of society, you are at a great advantage to be

person in the first aid scene is yourself.

first aid trained.

can

spring

up

COURSES There are several different courses that can be taken for those that are interested in first aid. These include courses that are more specific to children, or adults only, and emergency first aid. Many organizations or job placements have different requirements, but the safest bet is Standard First Aid and CPR-C. This course will teach the standard first aid such as slinging, burns, medical emergencies, soft tissue injuries, etc. CPR-C will teach infant, child and adult CPR, and for those that have not recertified themselves as of late, the standard CPR breath to compression ratio has changed. Upon receiving certifications in Standard First Aid and CPR-C, more advanced training is available from organizations such as St. John Ambulance, and the Canadian Red Cross. Medical First Responder certifications are much more advanced, and are aimed towards people who wish to go into paramedicine, fire rescue, or any other occupations that require them to be at the scene of injury. And finally, Toronto paramedics offer a course on International Trauma Life Support, this is even more advanced and deals with equipment to keep patients ranging from infants to elderly people alive while on the scene.

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Where to Get Certified:

Volunteer Opportunities

Campus Recreation at the University of Waterloo offers several courses ranging from the most Basic first aid courses to Medical First Responder. Most courses are taught by the Lifesaving Society, but Medical First Responder is strictly Canadian Red Cross. For more information on rates and certification dates please visit the website. Rates outside of the universities are usually a bit higher. (http://www.athletics.uwaterloo.ca/CampusRec/Inst ructional/Course.aspx?DivisionId=481)

As many certifications as you may have, there is no other way of learning first aid quite like experiencing and responding to situations yourself.

St. John Ambulance is another place to get certified for a broad range of courses as well. (http://www.sja.ca/english/offices/on/kitchenerwaterloo.asp) The Canadian Red Cross is well known for its neutral positions in all conflicts. The KitchenerWaterloo branch is located just down King Street near Grand River Hospital, and they offer a broad range of courses as well. (http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=001557&tid =001)

As part a first aid organization, I have had many opportunities to learn, apply, and mentor in situations regarding injuries and ailments. Here is a list of organizations currently available relating to first aid: Canadian Red Cross – Kitchener Waterloo Branch St. John Ambulance – Kitchener- Waterloo Branch University of Waterloo Campus Response Team – www.crt.feds.ca Wilfrid Laurier University Emergency Response Team http://www.wlusu.com/ERT/home.htm Waterloo Regional http://www.wrreact.com/

REACT

Certain faculties also offer first aid training at lower rates, including the faculty of applied health sciences at the University of Waterloo. In such cases, departmental offices can be contacted for more information

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-

Basic Random Tips: 1. Always assess the scene first; make sure its safe for you.

2. Absent major injuries, place an intoxicated person in recovery position.

3. If there is any suspicion of injuries to the head and spine, do not move the victim! Moving may cause more serious injuries!

4. When in doubt, call 911! No matter how minor you think the situation is, the paramedics understand the concept of “better safe than sorry!”

5. Never move an unconscious person by their arms; always support the chest.

6. When talking to and treating small children, get down to their eye level and smile! ☺ 7. Always wear oven mitts (I have treated several of my own burns this term)!

8. Always protect yourself: wear gloves, facemasks, etc.

9. Ice packs must always be applied in on-and-off intervals.

10. Always, always introduce yourself to a conscious victim. Get permission before helping; everyone has he right to refuse care.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS ARTICLE IS IN NO WAY A SUBSTITUTE FOR WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN A FIRST AID COURSE! COURSES OFFER MUCH MORE DEPTH, AND TO BE CERTIFIED AND ELIGIBLE TO GIVE PROPER TREATMENT, YOU MUST BE COVERED UNDER A RECOGNIZED ORGANIZATION. For any more questions, about treatment, specific first aid questions, volunteer opportunities, or any comments or concerns please feel free to contact me at wcrifirstaid@gmail.com.

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Cell Phones: The Root of All Evil By: Atif Parvaiz Technology has become an integral part of all of our lives. Across university campuses, iPods, cellular phones, mp3 players, BlackBerrys, lasers, and pagers (okay, who honestly owns a pager), can be seen on any given day. But recently, there has been a push to have a ban on cell

“…should cell phones be banned in all high schools?” phones in Toronto high schools, an intriguing idea to say the least. This recent debate was sparked when videos on the popular website YouTube began to appear showing a teacher blowing a gasket at her students, a schoolyard fight, and hundreds of teens making out, all by the video feature on most cell phones.

So the question is: should cell phones be banned in all high schools? Should this ban be extended to university lectures?

The current recommendation is to have a complete ban on having cell phone while in class and in school hallways. In terms of the classrooms, the ban makes perfect sense. We all know how annoying it is when some hero’s cell phone, usually with a rap song ring tone, goes off during lecture.

Then he gets that sheepish look on his face like he’s embarrassed, when we all know that if he were truly

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embarrassed he wouldn’t have had his ringer on in the first place. As well, texting test answers can be done in seconds, and browsing the Internet or saving textbooks onto a phone for answers. In today’s age, you don’t need to study to go to university; you just need a quality phone.

“It says something about parents when they can’t even trust their children to go to school…”

Teens argue that a ban on cell phones in hallways is a little harsh.

They say that it is difficult to find their friends at lunch without their cell phone and they often need to call home to their parents to let them know of their activities. Which brings us to a larger problem: parents. It’s often the parents that buy these cell phones for their kids in order to keep in touch with them, or in other words, keep an eye on them. It says something about parents when they can’t even trust their children to go to school and come home without calling them every hour to make sure they are not in trouble. Some parents argue that they

“texting test answers can be done in seconds” need to keep in touch with their

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children to remind them of appointments or certain events.

Please, you’re telling me that high school students can’t remember when they have appointments?

“Do not under any circumstances chat on your cell phone in a quiet study area; I once saw a guy nearly killed for this at DP…” In terms of university campuses, cell phones have also become a problem in two areas. One: during lecture, do not leave your ringer on. It’s a simple concept really, just put it on silent, and get your messages, but don’t disturb the rest of the class who paid good money to be there.

Second: the library. If you get a call at the library, go talk in a public area.

Do not under any circumstances chat on your cell phone in a quiet study area, I once saw a guy nearly killed for this at DP, and I’m not kidding about that. Aside from that, university students should be responsible enough to know not to cheat, and there are strict rules against cell phone use during tests.

The greater problem lies in technology itself. If we look at our history, the world has changed

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dramatically within the last twenty years. Human interaction is at an alltime low. I mean, do you really need to be listening to music all the time, not looking, talking or smiling at anyone?

The only people benefiting from you listening to your iPod are audiologists who will be making money off of you when you’re tone deaf at fifty.

Remember that people went to high school in the 80’s too; none of them owned a cell phone, or a laptop, or an iPod. They lived through those times and survived. It’s not as though we need these technological devices to live, so why does it seem that way?

It’s because humans adapt with change.

This Darwinian notion has merit, because as technology has boomed, the people using it have adapted to the change right along with it. Is this a good thing?

Maybe. But we as a society have definitely lost something. There was a time when it was great to hear your favourite song on the radio, now people wonder what a radio is. There was a time when people used to say “I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” now it’s “Why is your phone off?”

Either way, technology is here to stay—but we can’t allow it to control our lives.

Let’s Play a Game Game Theory in Action for St. Valentine’s Day By: Golnaz Tajeddin It’s St. Valentine’s Day and you are planning to go to a movie with your boyfriend. You would like to see a drama movie and your boyfriend prefers an action movie. Of course, neither of you prefer to go to your favourite movie alone. How do you decide to which movie to go? To make it measurable, let’s say each person gets one point if you end up going to her or his favourite movie and two points if you end up going together.

This is what is, generally, called a game.

A branch of applied mathematics and economics that studies games and rational behaviours in games is called “game theory”. A game is a situation where your payoff depends not only on your own actions but on other people’s actions as well. Most of our decisions, from small daily decisions to major ones, are games; whether we acknowledge the other players or not.

As another example, suppose you are trying to choose a route to your home that has less traffic. The traffic, clearly, depends not only on your choice of streets but on other travelers’ choices, as well.

A simple way of showing a game is by using a table. Table 1 shows the St. Valentine’s Day game discussed above. The first number in each cell shows the payoff of the row player and the second number shows the payoff of the column player. For example, if you end up going to a

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Your boyfriend Drama

Action

Drama

( 3, 2 )

( 1, 1 )

Action

( 0, 0 )

( 2, 3 )

You

Table 1

drama movie, you get three points (one for going to your favourite movie and two for going together) and your boyfriend gets two points.

Before using the table to find a good decision, we need to define what we mean by a good decision. A good decision is such that no one has an incentive to change her or his mind given that the other person's decision remains unchanged. As an example, assume you both decide to go to a drama movie. Given that your boyfriend doesn't change his mind, you don't have an incentive to go to an action movie because that would change your payoff from three to zero.

Similarly, given that you don't change your mind, your boyfriend doesn't have an incentive to go to an action movie because that would change his payoff from two to one. So, both going to a drama movie is a good decision.

There are two important points about good decisions. First, a good decision here doesn't mean that it is best for everyone; sometimes you

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have to accommodate. In our example, although both going to a drama movie is a good decision, your boyfriend prefers you both going to an action movie. Second, a game might have more than one good decision.

Our example has two good decisions.

What is the other one? Yes, both going to an action movie is also a good decision. The technical term for good decision in game theory is "Nash Equilibrium", named for the Nobel Prize winner John Nash.

You might have seen the movie A Beautiful Mind based on his life story.

Now let's go back to our original question: how do you decide to which movie to go? If your game has only one good decision, the answer is simple: take the good decision (duh)! But, in our case, the answer isn't that simple; we have two good decisions, and each player prefers one of them. There are many ways to converge to one decision. A simple method is to just flip a coin. A different approach is to consider that this game will be played repeatedly.

You will, hopefully, continue your relations with your boyfriend and there will be more movie occasions.

So, you can take turns in choosing the movie.

An interesting approach that leaves room for a lot of creativity is to try and change other players' payoffs

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so they converge to your favourite choice. For example, you can tell your boyfriend that you have bought him a present that you will only give to him if he comes with you to the drama movie.

With this offer, your boyfriend's payoff in the top-left cell in table 1 increases, say from two to four. This new game has only one good decision: both going to a drama movie. The technical term for this action is threatening (or in this case, rewarding). An important point on threatening is that your threat should be credible. If your opponent can find out, in any reasonable way, that you will not follow through on your threat, your threat is not credible and has no effect on the game.

For example, threatening to kill yourself if you don't go to the drama movie is not credible.

There are many examples of games in everyday life. Next time you are making a decision, think about how other people’s decisions affect your payoff. It's fun and it's rewarding.

For more information on game theory, visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_theory

You can find a list of some famous games at the bottom of the page.

Low-Stakes Texas Hold’em Strategies Part 1 By: Christopher Yu I do not claim to be a poker master, but I am definitely a winning low-stakes Texas Hold’em player. By definition, the term “winning poker player” is a player who wins more money than he loses, so maybe some of you who are playing in a local home game in university can get some insight about how to play this popular game. First off, I am not a high-stakes player, so some of you who are interested in playing high stakes ($5-$10, $25-$50 no limit or higher) should not be listening to me; in fact I should probably learn from you! The stakes I usually play at are micro to low limits ($0.10-$0.20 blinds, to $2-$4 dollar no limit), which is about the norm when it comes to college kids. My target audience is those who play at the stakes I play at, so if you are one of them, you can have a gander at my poker strategy.

First off, when you get into the game, never ever have a pre-set way of how you are going to play on a certain night. That is a mistake.

Usually, a good strategy is to play the exact opposite of the other players at your table. If the table is playing loose, play tighter. If it’s playing tight, play looser. The reason: if you are in a table that raises constantly, by playing better hands, you can trap a player into betting with the worst hand, and you will come out on top. If the table is playing tight, you can steal blinds and pots by betting when you have

toadlane Winter 2007 #1

the worst hand, and slowly increasing your chips. Part of being a good poker player is to adjust to your surroundings and be unpredictable.

That way, it will be harder for your opponents to get a read on you, and they will make more mistakes against you. The best way to be a good poker player is to make good decisions. Whoever makes the least mistakes will usually come out on top.

If you are playing small stakes, especially $0.10-$0.20 and $0.25$0.50 blinds, chances are the people you are playing against are not very good. These are the games I try to play in because I can be sure I am one of the better players there.

People always ask me “Why do you like playing bad players? Why don’t you want to challenge yourself and play the better players?” My reason is a simple one: why play the better players and lose, when you can beat the bad players and win? The point of playing in a poker game is to win, simple as that.

Secondly, a mistake that good and logical players have is that they overestimate or underestimate their opponents. To play poker well, you must take your ego out of the game, and get inside your opponent’s head.

What I mean by this is when you are in a hand with another player, you must think like the player when thinking of what he might have.

Some questions would be, “How would my opponent play his hand?”, “By the pattern and way he is betting,

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what could he have to call or bet with?”, and “Is this player capable of making a move like this?” These are just some of the questions you must ask yourself, and once you take a moment and think about the possible hands your opponent could have, you are well on your way in making the right decision. This will also help you not to overestimate or underestimate your opponent. This is a common mistake when poker players play an opponent and give him too much, or too little respect.

Against a bad player, checking the flop (the first three community cards) with the intention of check-raising any bet by your opponent is a mistake. If your opponent is a bad player who’ll call any bet you make, it is best just to lead right in and bet your good hand. If you try making a sophisticated play on a bad player, it will not work because the bad player is not thinking at your level. Similarly, if you underestimate your opponent and act how you would against a bad player, a good player might fold because he smells something fishy, and you will not get maximum value out of your hand. You must get in the head of your opponent so you can get the maximum value out of your hand, and lose the least when you are behind.

Thirdly, an important part of knowing how to play poker, is to know the hand values. A lot of beginning poker players will overvalue hands like Q-J and K-J, or K-Q and A-J just because they look pretty. This is a mistake. Beginners tend to call a big bet before the flop with these hands. This is bad because the raiser could easily have a hand like A-K, A-Q, or even worse,

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a big pocket pair like Q-Q, K-K, or AA. I am not saying you should never play hands like K-Q or K-J, but do not fall in love with them. For example, a person might raise, and another person re-raise, and you look down at K-J. This is an easy fold. Whatever hand that the reraiser has, surely has a K-J beat.

The problem with calling a big reraise with K-J is that it is easily dominated, meaning the re-raiser can easily have a hand like A-K, K-K or J-J, both of which has the K-J in bad shape. Also, if a king or a jack hits the board after you call a reraise, you don’t know if your hand is good since the re-raiser could easily have a hand like A-K, which is a hand that people often like to reraise with. In that case, you are going to lose a lot of money in the hand if you continue.

Finally, I would like to talk about hands that work unbelievably well in low limit cash games. I love—no, I really love—playing small to mid pairs (2-2 to 8-8) in a low limit cash game. Why? Simply because of the “implied” odds I am getting. Don’t get me wrong; I am not playing these hands because I think a hand like 44 will win on its own. I am playing this sort of hand to hit a 4 on the flop, and bust someone holding a bigger pair, or top pair. How I will play these hands, is that I will try to see a flop for cheap, and call a pre-flop raise if there is one. So I will call the big blind, and if there is a raise after me, I can put the raiser on a strong hand because usually when there are several limpers, and a person raises a large amount, they most likely want to thin out the field and play against fewer players and protect their big

hand from getting beat. This is good, I want to play with a guy who has aces or kings because I know if I am lucky enough to hit my three-of-akind, I am most likely going to bust him. You do not know how many times I have played a small pair and busted a big pair when it comes 2-49 and I am holding pocket deuces or fours. Usually I get berated on how I am such a bad player and whatnot, and how I shouldn’t have played that hand after a pre-flop raise. I usually laugh at how ignorant the guy is because these hands play extremely well in a cash game. If you don’t hit your three-of-a-kind, it is an easy hand to get away from and fold to a post-flop raise, but when you do hit, a bad player with the big pair will often think a flop like 2-4-9 could not have possibly helped you if you were able to call a pre-flop raise.

Therefore he will not put you on any sort of a hand, and he will go broke with his big pair. Remember that I said there are a lot of bad players in low stakes poker games.

The next time, I will write PART 2 of my poker strategy and how it will help micro to low stakes players like me pay for food and tuition!

The goal of this series is not to make a case for adopting a strict vegan diet, but to encourage readers to reduce the amount of animal products they consume, and to be conscious of the source of these products if and when they choose to buy them. Using a logical approach, the advantages of such a diet will be described by addressing three main topics: animal cruelty, the environment, and human health.

toadlane Winter 2007 #1

A Logical Case for Adopting a More Vegan Diet

by Sumeet Tandon Part One: Is eating meat cruel?

Many people justify consuming meat in light of the claim that “eating meat is cruel” by making reference to the natural world. Sharks, tigers, and crocodiles all eat meat. Are we to believe these animals are cruel and malevolent in their actions? Of course the answer is no. These animals are just following their instincts of predation. So why then is it cruel for humans to consume meat?

This brings me to a very important statement that many nonvegetarians would agree with, and which puts me at odds with many vegetarian organizations in existence.

In and of itself, there is nothing wrong with eating meat. Who can criticize aboriginals who hunt and fish in a sustainable manner?

It is now appropriate to make the important distinction between vegetarianism and veganism.

Vegetarians do not to consume the product of an animal’s death.

Vegans do not to consume the product of an animal’s suffering.

The concern is not whether an animal has died, but the way in which an animal has lived. This is where the practices of humans and those seen in the natural world diverge significantly. In developed society, industrialization has increased the scale and speed in which consumable goods are produced. Even our food and the lives of animals did not escape this industrialization. Now a mere commoditized product, animals and their ‘welfare’ were left to large

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businesses whose only concern was to increase profits. The picturesque farms, in which free-roaming animals were seen to graze, have been increasingly out competed by intensive factory farming. Factory farming increases the density of animals, reducing the space available. Pigs and cows are often put into pens in which they cannot turn around. Chickens are cramped onto floors in such high numbers that there is barely room to move. To reduce the time it takes for the animal to reach ideal weight, growth hormones are added to the feed. The animals’ growth is so unnaturally accelerated that quite often their legs cannot support their own weight, resulting in suffering and injury. With animals in such close proximately to one another, the potential for disease is very high and the animals are constantly sick.

Factory farms solve this problem by adding antibiotics to the feed, whose consequences will be discussed later on in this series. There is no shortage of criticism of this industry, as is evident in the large volumes of hidden video footage taken in factory farms. The horrors depicted in these videos cannot be described in words.

The inhumane treatment applied to animals is not exclusively caused by the meat industry, but the dairy and egg industry as well.

This demonstrates that, from a logical perspective of animal cruelty, vegetarians who consume such products sourced from factory farms are no different than those who consume the meat.

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Driving along Highway 401, there are many places where cattle are seen to be roaming freely. These cows seem to be in better condition than those described earlier.

However, the vast majority of animal products sold in the grocery store, especially from brand name companies, are sourced from factory farms. Options are available for people who still choose to consume animal products but who are also concerned with animal welfare.

Hunting an animal yourself ensures that the animal has led a free and natural life not subject to human impoundment.

Unfortunately if every person in Canada obtained their meat by hunting, our forests would be devoid of life. Organic and free-range chicken and eggs are available in certain grocery stores, as are organic meats and dairy products. The animals involved in producing these foods are allowed to roam freely and exist in significantly better conditions.

There is, however, a price premium on these products. Raising animals naturally and without antibiotics and hormones means fewer animals per farm and a longer time needed to raise them. These higher prices provide a lesson that animal products are somewhat of a luxury, and excessive consumption should be avoided.

How can eating beef be compared to driving a sports utility vehicle? Watch for the next article in this series entitled Part Two: Veganism and the Environment.

Finding Food: A guide to quick and healthy meals for WCRI members By: Meghan Bunce Living where we live, directly across from University Shops Plaza, we are given numerous choices when buying “fast food” or dinning out. If you enjoy a hot meal on the go, and don’t mind spending some money, you are fortunate—but these costs can add up. Yet as students, we are faced with making valuable use of our time, and “fast food” can really be a helpful time saver.

Sometimes, eating out is fulfilling both a social and a personal need.

At the end of the week, you may find your fridge looking bleak: the items are edible, but flaccid celery, with a baking soda and mustard garnish, is not appealing, and it is nice to spend some time catching up with a friend.

Other times, a self-cooked meal is in order. Typically being much cheaper than fast food options, this is the financially wise choice. But time and effort are still commodities, and sometimes it’s easy to get into a habit of eating peanut butter sandwiches or a bowl of cereal every night for dinner. Here is a look at food resources and time, getting the best deal for you dollar, and a tasty reward.

Some meals are more expensive to cook than others; it is important you take all ingredients into account when calculating the “total cost” of your meal. Sauces, spices, mixes and packets can add varying amounts of to the cost of a meal. An olive tapenade is an expensive garnish, along with some gourmet salad dressings.

While these

toadlane Winter 2007 #1

Mr. Sushi provides cheap fresh food, amenable to a student budget

products add much flavour to any dish you’re making, it can be a costly addition.

Making your own dressing, or preparing a seasoning made of spices you frequently use, is good idea.

Coming up with tasty healthy food ideas that don't require much preparation can be difficult. When coming up with food ideas, take a look at some of the healthier fast food items you enjoy, and make your own variation. There are a three pita restaurants located near us—clearly pitas are a popular choice of healthy “fast food.” The pitas they produce are indeed very tasty, but something similar could be done at home for about the same amount of time it would take for you to wait in line and have your pita made. How so?

Buying a family pack of chicken breasts and cooking a few breasts in advance is a very handy way to enjoy meat into the week, if you are an omnivore. Keep some strips of meat on hand in a leftover container in your fridge. If you share a common room fridge, remember to label it! And remember to eat it; it’s easy for containers to get lost amongst all the other food. You can

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also refrigerate your pita pockets.

Pitas usually come in packages of six, but have a limited shelf life.

Refrigerating pitas will help them stay fresh longer. If you're on the run and it's the middle of the week you can pick-up a package of pitas at Farah’s Foods. The convenience store is more costly than purchasing pitas at a grocer’s, but if you’re in a pinch, it is still cheaper than having a pita made at one of the pita restaurants. Given that you are satisfied with a pretty simple pita, some humus or mustard for garnish, you can add a lot of flavour if you add spice to your meat when cooking. You can save at least three dollars from the cost of your commercial pita. If you are a vegetarian, making your own pita with just humus is much cheaper too.

If you have a vegetarian or vegan diet, sometimes eating out is difficult.

While more places offer vegetarian meals now, vegan meals are exceptionally hard to find. The Vegetarian Fast-food Restaurant is located near the corner of University Shops Plaza facing Phillip St. The staff is friendly and welcoming, and their menu is filled with a very wide variety of options to suit many dietary needs—from wheat-free foods to vegetarian Atkins, there is much to choose from. However most of the meals consist of rice, cooked vegetables, and a soy product. You could make many healthy meals from this template of veggies, rice, and soy/bean product, relatively inexpensively. If you buy a large brick of firm tofu, you will spend a little under three dollars, a large bag of frozen veggies, depending on the mix, could be three and a half dollars,

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and the rice, much less than a dollar.

From this amount of food, it is easy to get several meals. If you already eat a lot of rice, you may have a rice steamer. You can cook rice while doing some homework and not have to worry about pots and pans overflowing. You can cook your rice in advance and store it in the refrigerator until you would like to have your vegetarian meal. The meal will take only ten minutes to make. The frozen veggies have already been washed and can be put in a non-stick skillet or pan with out any preparation time, the tofu, just needs to be chopped. Put all your ingredients into the pan and season as you wish. You can use many variations on this basic meal. Instead of tofu, try different kinds of beans.

You can try a tomato broth, and V8 has more flavour than just plain tomato juice and adds a nice taste to the tofu. Instead of rice, you can add leftover noodles. You can even use peanut butter with some pepper as an inexpensive satay sauce. For seven dollars you can have at least three meals prepared, while at The Vegetarian Fast-food Restaurant many of the meals are at least seven dollars each.

Another popular restaurant is Curry in a Hurry, flavourful and quick food, but the main ingredients are usually basmati rice and meat. Rice when purchased in bulk can be exceptionally cheap and as mentioned above, buying a large family pack of chicken is wise way to purchase meat. This meal can be imitated! There is a line of curry sauces called Patak’s that is available in many grocery stores. If you don’t feel comfortable adding

your own spices or creating your own sauce, you can try using premade sauce to add flavour.

If you are looking to go out for food, and you want something you may not be able to make yourself, Mr. Sushi is a very reasonably priced sushi restaurant located in the plaza opposite to University Shops Plaza, next door to Sugar Mountain, around the corner from Fubar. It is possible that you may leave the restaurant only having spent three dollars! With tax, their “four piece” containers come to three dollars. Along with your sushi, you also get free miso soup and green tea. You may be a heartier eater, but Mr. Sushi's prices are still very low for the ingredients, time and care it takes to make sushi.

Happy eating! Enjoy the satisfaction of a delicious self-prepared meal, and the extra money you'll have in your pocket.

to prepare, but if you’re attached, why wouldn’t you put the extra effort for your loved one? It is, after all, only one day of the year, and if you’re single, who says you need a significant other to enjoy a great meal?

The first recipe contains a so-called aphrodisiac: oysters. This starter will surely impress your guy or gal, and the two of you will be able to see for yourselves whether the aphrodisiac properties of oysters is a myth or not.

St. Valentine's Day Bacon and Smoked Oysters Ingredients: • • • • •

2 cups smoked oysters 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/2 lb bacon strips 40 round wooden toothpicks 3 tbsp minced garlic

Directions:

FOOD CORNER By: Debbie Chan So it’s February and you fall into either one of two categories: single or attached. If you’re part of the second group, I’ve got some recipes to impress your significant other for St. Valentine’s Day and make him or her realize what a great catch you are. If you’re part of the first group, you can cynically dismiss this day as a Hallmark-contrived holiday. But if you’re single, who says you have to sit back and watch all the couples spoil each other? This is the perfect day for you to spoil the one person that understands you the most…YOU! You’ll find that this issue’s recipes are fancier than usual and more complex

toadlane Winter 2007 #1

1. Cut bacon strips into thirds.

2. Wrap a bacon slice around each oyster and place a toothpick through to hold it in place.

3. In a medium skillet, heat oil, and add garlic.

4. Cook wrapped oysters in oil until bacon is crisp.

5. Remove from pan and drain on a paper towel.

The next recipe, a main entrée, is something that is time-consuming but, if done right, is just as good as, if not better than, any high-end restaurant recipe.

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Crab-Stuffed Filet Mignon Ingredients: CRAB STUFFING: • • • • • • • • • •

2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp minced onion 1 tsp minced green onion 1 tsp minced garlic 1 tsp minced celery 1 tsp minced green bell pepper 2 tbsp shrimp stock or water 1 (6 oz) can crab meat, drained 2 tbsp bread crumbs 1 tsp Cajun seasoning

PEPPERCORN SAUCE: • • • •

1 1/4 cups beef broth 1 tsp cracked black pepper 1 oz whiskey 1 cup heavy cream

STEAKS: • • • • • • • • • •

4 (6 oz) filet mignon steaks 4 slices bacon, cooked lightly salt and cracked black pepper 1 tbsp olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tsp minced shallot 1 cup mushrooms, sliced 1 oz whiskey 1 tsp Dijon mustard toothpicks

2. Prepare Peppercorn Sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine beef broth and cracked black pepper. Simmer until reduced to 1 cup, stirring frequently. Add whiskey and cream. Continue simmering until reduced to 1 cup. Remove from heat, and set aside.

3. Prepare Steaks: Slice a pocket into the side of each steak, and stuff generously with crab stuffing. Wrap bacon around side, and secure with toothpicks.

Season to taste with salt and pepper; set aside. Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Sauté garlic and shallot for 1 minute. Stir in mushrooms, and sauté until tender.

Remove mushroom mixture, and set aside. Place steaks in skillet, and cook to desired doneness. Remove from skillet, and keep warm. Deglaze skillet with whiskey. Reduce heat, and stir in peppercorn sauce and Dijon mustard. Add mushroom mixture, and reduce sauce until thickened. Remove toothpicks and bacon from steaks, and arrange steaks on a plate. Top with sauce.

Directions: 1. Prepare Crab Stuffing: Heat oil in a large skillet. Sauté onion, green onion, garlic, celery, and green pepper until tender. Stir in shrimp stock, crab meat, bread crumbs, and Cajun seasoning.

Remove from heat, and set aside.

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St. Valentine’s Day without chocolate is like Thanksgiving Day without turkey. To end your already-perfect meal, here’s a delectable dessert that of course includes chocolate.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Cherry Puffs

Winter Fun In Waterloo

Ingredients: • • • • • • • • • •

Commercial puff pastry 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar 2 tbsp cocoa 3/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup corn starch 2 tbsp butter 1 tsp almond flavoring 1 can cherries chocolate sauce

Directions: 1. Cut puffy pastry sheets into six four-inch triangles, bake until golden.

2. Beat heavy cream in cold mixer until whipped, fold in powdered sugar and cocoa, chill.

3. Combine remaining ingredients in saucepan, cook until thickened, let cool.

4. To assemble, cut pastry in half, fill with cherry mixture and top with chocolate cream. Replace top, sprinkle with powdered sugar and drizzle with chocolate sauce. Serve immediately.

by Christopher Tuckwood I'd like to begin by welcoming everyone back to Waterloo and WCRI after the holidays and saying that I hope everyone enjoys the winter term here. For those of you new to Waterloo, or even some who have been here for a while, you may not know that there are lots of fun things to do in and around this city when there is snow on the ground.

Just so you know, the articles I write are usually about different ways that you can enjoy life at university, in WCRI and in Waterloo in general.

This is only the first of several articles this winter covering different topics. If there is anything you would like to see me write about, please send me an e-mail message at christophertuckwood1232@hotmail.com.

First, though, here are today's tips:

Cross-Country Skiing: All the parks in Waterloo and the surrounding countryside provide excellent trails for crosscountry skiing. If you have your own skis then you can have the freedom to go anywhere you want. If, however, you’re not so lucky you can still rent them. Laurel Creek Conservation Area rents skis for only $10, and charges a $4 entrance fee to the park. They offer 8 km of nature trails to be enjoyed at your leisure. All skill levels are welcome.

toadlane Winter 2007 #1

Downhill Skiing: If you would prefer something a little faster and adrenaline producing than cross-country skiing, perhaps downhill is the way to go for you. Most people who are into this will have their own equipment and know all about it, as it can be quite expensive. Around Waterloo, the closest place to do this type of skiing is Chicopee Ski Hill in Kitchener. If you don’t have your own equipment, they do rent it out, and if you are a beginner they also will provide lessons and slopes for all skill levels.

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Winter Fun in Waterloo (Cont’d) Waterloo Park: I wrote about this great park last month as part of the "artsy side of Waterloo." At that time, though, global warming was still showing its ugly face around here and the park was pretty green. Unfortunately, a lot of the winter fun that can be had there normally goes on in December around Christmastime when there was no snow. Christmas lights, horse-drawn wagon rides, and hot chocolate are all part of the holiday fun in Waterloo Park. Now that the snow is here though, there is a still lot to appreciate. The snow blanketing the ground and trees makes the park very picturesque and it is a great place for a walk by day or night by yourself, with friends, or on a date. Silver Lake is usually partially frozen and a lot of the birds that make it their home stay there year-round. They aren't the only animals in the park though, because it is also home to a little zoo full of donkeys, llamas, emus, rabbits, deer, and various other animals that are fun to visit. The sports fields of the park can be used in the winter for sports or building snowmen, having snowball fights or whatever other fun you can find to have in the snow.

Ice Skating: If you’re light on your feet and own a pair of skates, then you should get out to one of the rinks in town and show off your skills. There is an outdoor rink at the City Hall in downtown Kitchener which frequented by families and other people during the day but often fairly empty at night, making it a great location for a date, or even to avoid prying eyes if you’re new to skating and trying to avoid embarrassment (like I would be). Unfortunately, if you are new you need to bring your own skates, as there is no rental there.

Somewhere that you can skate a little closer to home is at the University of Waterloo’s Columbia Ice Fields arena on North Campus. This is an indoor rink which plays host to a lot of scheduled sports events but is also open free of charge for students to use during scheduled recreational skating times. For more information, go to www.athletics.uwaterloo.ca/Campus Rec/IceActivities/IceActivitiesHome. aspx

Tobogganing: What’s more fun than zooming down a hill at high speed while clinging for dear life to a flimsy piece of plastic or wood? Nothing. Now that there is snow on the ground and likely will be for the next couple of months, you should get out and enjoy the fun of tobogganing. All you need is a hill with snow on it and a sled of some kind. As for the hill, the best place nearby would probably be the hills around the sports fields on North Campus by the Columbia Ice Fields. There are lots of other parks and hills around the area though, so go exploring. As for what you’ll be riding, anything can work. You can make a sled as simple as a piece of cardboard (seriously) or—in the good old days of the meal plan—from one of the trays from the North or South servery. Of course, you can also go to a store and buy one, which opens up your options even more depending on how much you want to spend.

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Sudoku

WORD JUMBLE Unscramble the following letters to make ten different words for each.

Note: You don’t have to use all the letters to make new words, but you should try to get at least one word that uses all the letters.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

stacilp mesag rsngip abedet srearse

TV TRIVIA Test your TV knowledge. In what TV shows can you find these characters?

1 5

7

8 3

9 2 5

6 1 2

6 1

9 8

4 7

3

5 8 4 7

1

2 6 1

4 4

7

2

Across 1. Cristina Yang 3. Kate Austen 6. Julie Cooper 7. Bree Van De Kamp 8. Miranda Hobbes 9. Wilhelmina Slater

3 2

9 8

1

7 9

Down 1. Luke Danes 2. Isaac Mendez 4. Jane Barrow 5. Marin Frist

1 2 3 4

5

6

7

8

9

ANSWERS ON PAGE 31 toadlane Winter 2007 #1

February 12, 2007

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Someone else could be

YOU! By: Sudeep Manchanda

We are lucky enough to live in the world of eBay, Amazon, Yahoo!, Fry’s and many of those brick and mortar stores such as Best Buy, that provide an online shopping experience for those who would literally like to shop from within the comfort of their computers, anytime, 365 days a year. But just like every blessing, this technological advancement also comes with a curse— identity theft. For all those who love to buy online and get the best deals on things from computers to cameras and from tickets to toys, make sure that you are not one of the victims of identity theft.

The idea of assuming someone else’s identity for some purpose or other has been there for many centuries, and the twenty-first century recognizes identity theft as one of the fastest growing white-collar crimes, involving billion dollars of losses.

Identity theft is the fraudulent use of someone else’s personal information (e.g. name, date of birth, social insurance number, driver’s licence number, credit card, bank account, and phone-card numbers), usually to gain access to his finances or frame him for a crime. It can significantly traumatize anyone because it is upsetting to know (or not know) the extent of the damage to your name, credit, or reputation.

30

To name just a few, it involves criminal activities such as bank fraud, securities fraud, and credit card fraud. The rise of the electronic society has given identity fraudsters easy access to carry out their tasks. It is done through the use of hightech electronic systems, obtaining false primary documents, directing mail to new addresses, obtaining new credit accounts, and improperly charging existing ones.

The scope of the problem of the identity theft is increasing everyday. As our global society continues to advance, the problems of identity theft will grow. Law enforcement and legal professionals are working every day to find solutions to fight this kind of crime. The introduction of technological solutions such as biometrics and encryption has given some possibility to protect against identity theft, but it is also the responsibility of ordinary people across the world to be safe and take precautionary measures to protect themselves from being attacked. New technologies and solutions have surely brought some help to the society, but those changes my also, in some cases, do as much harm as good. I would encourage active online buyers and especially students to visit the following websites to protect themselves from being one of the thousands of victims of identity theft.

Some links on the web: http://www.privcom.gc.ca/fsfi/02_05_d_10_e.asp http://www.safecanada.ca/identitytheft

Word Jumble Answers:

Sudoku Answer: 1 5 2 6 3 7 9 8 4

6 8 3 9 4 1 2 5 7

7 4 9 2 5 8 1 3 6

9 7 6 1 2 3 5 4 8

8 1 4 7 6 5 3 9 2

2 3 5 8 9 4 7 6 1

5 9 8 4 7 2 6 1 3

4 6 7 3 1 9 8 2 5

3 2 1 5 8 6 4 7 9

1. last, past, cast, list, clap, lap, lisp, slip, clip, plastic 2. me, sag, gas, game, games, mega, same, age, sage, meg 3. spring, ring, rings, spin, sprig, grin, in, grins, pig, pigs 4. debate, bead, bat, bed, beat, beet, ate, date, debt, tab 5. eraser, see, sea, rare, are, era, eras, sees, seas, erasers

Crossword Answers:

T H E D S E X U G

G I L M O R E G I R L S

R E Y S A N A T O M Y O S T C S N Y

P M R E I N P E R A T E H O U S E W I O N T H E C I T Y N T B R B E T T Y R E E E A S K

toadlane Winter 2007 #1

February 12, 2007

H E R O E V E S

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WCRI Members' Site The members' online meeting place

news events forums information

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