Wednesday, December 4, 2013

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Disney still makes hot animated films Frozen kindles pleasant nostalgia of past Disney Classics >> pg. 7

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Grad student for USC prez? Board of directors Declaration ignites debate on candidacy change approved Tristan Wu GAZETTE STAFF

Logan Ly GAZETTE

AND THEN THERE WAS ONE. Former Social Science Students’ Council president Matt Helfand declared his candidacy for USC president yesterday, becoming the first person to do so. His declaration is ruffling some feathers, though, since he’s a grad student — unusual for a presidential candidate.

Richard Raycraft NEWS EDITOR Matt Helfand has become the first person to declare his candidacy for president in the upcoming University Students’ Council elections, causing some concerns over candidate eligibility.

Helfand is a graduate student at Western, which is unusual for a presidential candidate. However, due to an apparent loophole in election rules, he is allowed to run, according to the Elections Committee. Helfand served on the USC last year as Social Science Students’ Council president.

“I was under the impression that my time with the USC was over, but I did find out upon looking at the bylaws that there did appear to be a chance that I would be eligible, and I sought to explore that chance to sort of further my previous ambitions, so to speak,” Helfand explained.

“So I saw that there was a chance, and I chose to pursue it very earnestly and very much out of the motivation to do the position,” he

continued.

Due to new declaration of candidacy and declaration of endorsement rules enacted earlier this year, candidates can now officially declare and organize before the new year, though the official campaign period does not start until late January.

Helfand is currently the only candidate and members of his slate are currently unknown, as candidates for vice-presidential positions may declare separately.

Although the USC Elections Committee cleared Helfand to run Monday, USC president Pat Whelan expressed some reservations about the decision.

“The current ruling the Elections Committee has made suggests that anyone could run to be president, which I think is a potentially troubling precedent to set for our organization,” he commented. “Their ruling was based, I think, on a grammatical inconsistency in one of the clauses.”

The clause Whelan referred

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to is 7.03(2) of bylaw 2, concerning candidate eligibility. It states that, “Candidates in the Spring Elections shall be full or part-time undergraduate students […] except for Presidential or Vice-Presidential candidates.”

Though Whelan didn’t specifically say he would appeal Helfand’s eligibility, he said that he would be speaking with the chief returning officer on the issue.

“I would strongly encourage the Elections Committee to reconsider and to think of the broader implications of this particular decision,” he said.

As for Helfand, he expressed that his primary focus would be on campaign readiness.

“In terms of what appears to be an intention to appeal this decision, I don’t want to let that impact [the campaign] at all,” he said. “I’m here, I have a reason to be here and that’s to run for this position. I have a lot to add to the conversation and I want to take my message to the students,” he said.

Nine lucky students will have the opportunity to oversee the stewardship of a multi-million dollar corporation for the next fiscal year.

An amendment to last year’s overhaul of the University Students’ Council Board of Directors was approved last Wednesday, making all nine voting positions on the board available to students-at-large.

Since the USC’s inception in 1965, members of the Board of Directors were composed of six USC executives — president and five vice-presidents.

Conflict of interest was a prevailing issue, however, and in response, the council passed a motion last year to completely overhaul the board’s composition. The president and vicepresident finance were to remain on the board as chair, while nine voting positions were created for students-at-large and community members.

“This year is the first time there has been a body recognized as the Board of Directors that is actually external to the executive, which is really great, and will probably result in some good governance,” Jasmine Irwin, USC vice-president communications, said.

One year after the overhaul, the board’s composition has been changed once more. The motion was challenged previously because of how quick decisions regarding the board were being made. Last Wednesday’s decision to amend the original overhaul plan was made without debate.

In the new amendment this year, community members will sit only in an advisory capacity, opening additional voting positions to students-at-large. Several factors contributed to this new change.

“First and foremost, we are

an organization that is all about empowering students. We want to be a student-run organization […] and the idea of keeping it within student hands was one that was very appealing to us,” Irwin said.

“We entrust all of our government aspects to students in terms of council, there is no reason to say that we should not be doing the same for our corporate aspects.”

The move intends to give community members on the board more freedom to express themselves as mentors and persons of experience, possibly without the repercussions associated with a voting position. Decision-making positions are inherently held with a higher fiduciary duty.

They are there to ensure the health and vibrancy of the organization as a whole, and to act as stewards for the longterm planning —Jasmine Irwin

Vice-president communications

The responsibilities of the Board of Directors will remain unchanged.

“They are there to ensure the health and vibrancy of the organization as a whole, and to act as stewards for the long-term planning,” Irwin said. “I think [upcoming board members] will be excited by what the board is, it is not something we are exposed to often […] the entire world runs this way […] it’s a really phenomenal opportunity.”

Application for the opening Board of Director positions will be available as early as January on the USC website.

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thegazette • Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Caught on Camera

Logan Ly GAZETTE

WHO COULD RESIST THOSE PUPPY DOG EYES? In preparation for exam season, the Mustang Lounge hosted a therapy dog session yesterday where students could pet different types of puppies to relieve studying stress.

Have a safe and happy winter break, from your friends at The Gazette.

We resume publishing January 7TH.

Budget priorities unveiled to council Aaron Zaltzman ASSOCIATE EDITOR It’s the most budgety time of the year.

Last Wednesday’s University Students’ Council meeting featured a presentation about the upcoming budget priorities, delivered

by Spencer Brown, vice-president finance for the USC. “We promised to update the

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council on what we were thinking for the budget before January, because last year there were issues where people didn’t know what the priorities were,” Brown said.

The priorities presentation follows a campus-wide survey and town hall earlier this fall to gather and assess opinions in preparation for the budget process. These initiatives came in response to a perceived lack of preparation from council in regards to last year’s budget. The yearly process begins in January and must be completed in early March.

The current USC budget has a deficit of $549,814. The USC is not in debt, though, because of cash reserves.

Brown explained the new priorities revolved around moving to a service-based budget next year.

“Before, we had a unit-based budget, so individual areas would have a certain amount of money,” Brown said. “We’re trying to move to figuring out exactly what those dollars mean and what they’re going towards.”

“Right now council only approves one year’s budget, but we’re trying to show projections of years two and three,” he explained. “It’s just better planning so that we can identify trends and make better decisions.”

The new budget will also look at cost-cutting measures to allow a decrease in the $2 per student stabilization fund, which was put in the budget amid controversy last year.

“We proposed some cost-saving ideas and potential new revenue streams — it’s always tough in a government organization to find new revenues,” Brown said.

“Last budget cycle we didn’t have Body Nutrition signed as a tenant in the University Community Centre, so they’ll be bringing in funds that we can budget for next year. Also, we’ve looked into different insurance providers and we’re hoping to get a savings there.”

“In the executive branch, we’re tearing apart the PVP [presidential and vice-presidential] budgets and finding to find some cost-savings,” he explained. “Over the last two years there have been surpluses in those lines, so we’re trying to cut down on those and make sure we budget properly.”

The Cryptoquip is a substitution cipher in which one letter stands for another. If you think that X equals O, it will equal O throughout the puzzle. Single letters, short words and words using an apostrophe give you clues to locating vowels. Solution is by trial and error. © 2002 by Kings Features Syndicate, Inc.

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thegazette • Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Money can’t buy me (One) Love

Iain Boekhoff GAZETTE

CAN YOU SAVE MY SEAT? Many of these chairs remained unoccupied at Thursday’s One Love rally in Alumni Hall. The University Students’ Council says the event cost approximately $30,000, but only about 100 tickets were sold. Approximately 200 students attended the event.

The University Students’ Council has revealed the preliminary costs, and an even lower ticket sales estimate than the one they previously cited, for Western’s One Love held last Thursday.

Slow ticket sales and a low turnout, even with a significant portion of students attending for free, plagued the event, which was held for the second time this semester.

Concerns over the cost of the event to students have also been raised.

Spencer Brown, vice-president finance for the USC, said that while the numbers have not yet been reconciled, he estimates that the production and technical costs and performer fees totalled around $30,000. He stressed that the event was always going to lose money, with 1,000 tickets available at only $5 each.

He also revised the USC’s previous estimate of tickets sold. He said approximately 100 were sold, rather than the estimate of 150 given Monday by Adam Smith, vice-president student events for the USC. Approximately 200 people attended the event.

Brown said it was unfortunate that so few had been purchased, but that the event was about spreading a message of equality and inclusiveness and that was more important.

“We did not sell as many tickets as we had hoped, but this event was about the message not the money,” Brown said. “The real shame of the event is that not many people came, not that we didn’t sell enough tickets.”

He said about half the funding for the event came from the USC and the other half from the university, who he said tied it to holding another One Love event this year.

“Most of this money was granted with the O-week money and we were tied to putting on a One Love event after O-week this year,”

Brown said. “Essentially we had to do a One Love during the year.”

An official from Western could not be reached to elaborate.

Many students did like the event, like Ryan Durgy, a reporter for Big Purple Couch. He wrote a blog post in response to The Gazette’s editorial yesterday, “Tough love for One Love,” which criticized the timing and promotion of the event.

“I was so proud to have gone to that event and at the end of the day, even if one or two people were affected positively through the event, the mission of the One Love event was successfully completed,” Durgy wrote.

Brown concurred, saying the messaging of the event was important for campus to hear.

“One of the things [the USC] does stand for is inclusivity and overall equality for the students we represent,” Brown said. “One Love is a program that stands for these ideals, and in my opinion this event is the best event that the USC has run this year, and I think we should continue to do events like these.”

Durgy added that the low turnout added to the feel of the event and made it more intimate.

“While waiting in a line for a selfie with Jessi [Cruickshank], I talked to students I had never seen before and saw countless students interacting with each other after the event. With thousands of people in one venue, there’s no way that the event would have felt as personalized as it did,” Durgy wrote.

Brown also addressed the poor timing of the event for the student body and the late promotional activities advertising what the event was.

“In hindsight putting the event in Frost Week would likely have been better, but hindsight is 20/20,” he said. “The promotions were a little late, but we did not nail down the acts until the week before the event. We would have liked to promote earlier but without the acts it was out of our control.”

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thegazette • Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Jesus comes to King’s

Spencer Fairweather GAZETTE

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Alex Seger GAZETTE STAFF King’s University College is hoping that their new statue depicting Jesus as a homeless man will incite discussion among students and visitors alike.

Displayed outside the King’s College Library, the statue depicts a homeless person in a blanket with crucifixion scars on his feet.

While a replica of the statue was denied display by St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York and St. Michael’s Cathedral in Toronto, the replica will soon be put on display near St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican City.

The statue was received by King’s as a gift from Christ the King University Parish. The two institutions have actively worked together to bring forth positive change in communities.

“The Parish and the college are actively engaged in the Hospitality Centre on Dundas East and we try to

raise money and awareness around various issues of poverty and justice here and in the global community,” Reverend Michael Béchard of King’s affirmed.

The artist of the statue, Timothy Schmalz, graduated from Ontario College of Arts and resides in St. Jacobs, Ontario. He was inspired to sculpt the statue after seeing a homeless person wrapped in a blanket in Toronto.

“The statue is intended to unsettle the viewer,” David Sylvester, the King’s principal, said.

The affiliate college received much feedback from students and visitors concerning the statue.

“For the most part, the response to the statue has been very positive.

Whether or not people are Christian, the call to minister to the poor and work for justice is common to all faith traditions,” Béchard affirmed.

The college expects that the statue will provoke insightful discussion among its viewers.

“Our hope is that people will

stop, look at it, and reflect upon what it means to be privileged,” Sylvester said.

Sylvester affirmed that there is a deeper meaning behind the statue depicting as a homeless person.

“The homeless are around us everywhere, yet we tend to not take them into account, they’re really invisible in some ways,” Sylvester asserted.

When asked about why the university college wanted to display the statue, Sylvester stated, “A big part of what we do is break down barriers between people, economic barriers, social barriers and ethnic barriers.

So having this kind of statue made sense to us.”

Even Pope Francis himself expressed his admiration to the statue and its message. According to Sylvester, this is reflective of the new pope’s views and opinions.

“The statue reflects very closely to Pope Francis’ vision for, not just the church, but for humanity,” Sylvester said.

Minding your mind during exams important: Experts Hamza Tariq GAZETTE STAFF With final exams around the corner, stress runs high among university students of all years.

According to Ryan Walsh, the health and wellness support service coordinator at Western, students should take time to themselves, especially now, whether it is watching a movie during a break or spending time with friends.

Mental health on university campuses is always a hot topic, but a recent, disturbing suicide attempt broadcast online by a Guelph University student has brought back the debate of the availability and depth of mental health resources on campus.

The Association of Atlantic Universities, in a recent conference, outlined the importance of students’ mental health on campus, and set an agenda with a five-point action plan of how the universities in the association can raise the level of their mental health services for students.

The action plan includes peerto-peer support, sharing of trending and working practices among universities and the overlap of

on-campus as well as local mental health resources.

“Going into exams, make sure your mind is full of that balance — taking the time to yourself and also understanding that there are more layers to mental health than just taking a break, so if you feel like you have to talk to somebody, then there are resources available,” Walsh said.

Western offers a variety of mental health and support services on campus. The University Students’ Council also highlights its support with the annual mental health week and the Peer Support Centre, among other initiatives.

Services like the Peer Support Centre work to connect students with other students as well as resources on and off campus.

Residence counsellors are available for students living on-campus.

The Student Development Centre offers individual, group and crisis counseling and has psychologists available for students. Student Health Services also has counseling and psychiatry services available.

“A one-sentence answer to deal with stress would be looking after yourself: Taking care of your body, your mind and your social circles,” Walsh said.

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thegazette • Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Arts&Life

wednesdayword Solicitous Adjective. characterized by or showing interest or concern.

Coatsworth returns to perform at The Grand Jesica Hurst ONLINE EDITOR Performing is something that has always felt right for Diana Coatsworth.

Since the mere age of five, the accomplished Canadian theatre actress has been developing the skills that she currently uses for her career in entertainment. Though it all started with her parents enrolling her in a dance class, Coatsworth has since earned the opportunity to perform in dozens of theatre shows and films all over the world.

“My parents didn’t expect me to go into the business, but about the time I was a teenager I realized I really wanted to [perform] for a living,” she says.

She tried to get as much experience as possible when she was younger, taking on acting, singing and dancing roles in various shows around Niagara Falls, where she grew up.

“I then went to York University for dance, but I only stayed there for a year,” Coatsworth explains.

“After that, I went to New York to go to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts for the summer, then came back and went to Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts,

which is based out of Toronto.”

Though she has graced the stages of numerous theatres, her path finds her back at London’s Grand Theatre this season where she has taken on the role of Deb in the theatre’s interpretation of the film Elf. Coatsworth originally auditioned in Toronto for another role, but after being offered the role of Deb she thought it would be fun to return to The Grand. Last winter, she played Judge and Mrs. Beeler in the theatre’s performance of Miracle on 34th Street, The Musical.

While the close proximity between London and Toronto — where she currently resides — did influence her decision, the reason she chose this show over others was because of the people she got to work with.

“I get to work with the same creative team as last year, but the whole cast is different,” she says. “But the team at the theatre is really great, so I really like working here. I knew what I was getting into because of last year, and I thought this show, in particular, would be a lot of fun.”

“It’s nice around Christmas to just have a nice, fun show to work on. It’s not stressful, and everyone likes it because it’s really funny,”

Courtesy of Kara James

MORE THAN SANTA IS COMING TO TOWN. Canadian theatre actress Diana Coatsworth returns to The Grand Theatre this season to take part in its interpretation of the Christmas film, Elf. The show will continue to run until January 4, 2014, and you can purchase tickets online at www.tickets.grandtheatre.com

she adds.

Even though some shows require quite a bit of preparation, such as reading up on the era, the weeks leading up to the opening of Elf was fairly easy for the 2011 inductee to the Niagara Falls Arts and Culture Wall of Fame.

“I didn’t have to prep too much for this one. The rehearsal was three weeks long, and we got right into the dancing and running the scenes,”

she says. “We did rehearsals from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. six days a week, and then would have the chance to drive home on our one day off.”

However, since the show has opened, there are no more rehearsals — Coatsworth just shows up about an hour before the performance to warm up with the rest of the cast.

While this lifestyle and schedule may seem unusual for anyone

who is not in the entertainment business, Coatsworth ensures she is used to it — it is all she has ever known. While she may decide to be at home more in the future, for now she would like to continue getting as much out of performing as she can.

“I really just love entertaining,” she laughs. “Maybe that’s selfish, but I do love the laughter and finding the moments that work. It’s really just as simple as that.”

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thegazette • Wednesday, December 4, 2013

The humbugs of the Christmas break Arts & Life reviews their least favourite moments of the holidays Worst Dysfunctional Family Moment Playing Trivial Pursuit Every year after Christmas dinner, my family will sit down for a game of Trivial Pursuit. The game is an experience of merriment and Christmas cheer for all until it inevitably breaks down into an all-out brawl because the other team keeps cheating.

While many families may find disagreements emerging at the dinner table, my family will annually fight the most violent war known to mankind over who can get the last pie piece. If your family ever chooses to play this game, may the odds be ever in your favour.

Worst Christmas Movie Die Hard II Die Hard was a Christmas classic—a film about a down-onhis-luck cop trying to return to his family for Christmas. After this heart-warming action story, Die Hard II offers nothing but Bruce Willis asking the same question the audience is — how the same thing can happen twice to the same guy.

Without the presence of Alan Rickman, Die Hard II is a disappointing follow up to one of the best Christmas movies of all time.

Worst Gift Clothes Nothing reminds me of my poor sense of fashion like receiving clothes for Christmas. Sporting new duds upon returning to school is a guaranteed way for everyone to judge you, knowing that your updated sense of style was in some way motivated by your mother.

Unlike books, movies, or video games, clothes offer no way to escape your family during the aggravating holiday season.

— Brent Holmes

Worst Dysfunctional Family Moment Antiquated Racial Expressions At my last major family holiday gathering, my Grandma described a trip to Tim Hortons with her two other elderly friends. They both received, what my Grandma described as “a china mug” with their coffee but to her surprise, she got hers in a paper cup. When she was retelling this riveting tale, she used the unfortunate expression, “What am I, black?” Now, my Grandma is not racist but her upbringing might have produced some expressions that have fallen out of use. I feel like other old people are legitimately a little racist sometimes, so yeah, there’s that.

Worst Christmas Movie Call Me Claus I love Whoopi Goldberg incredibly but Call Me Claus is perhaps one of the most perplexing holiday films that has ever been conceived. Goldberg portrays a Shopping Channel like television network executive who has a lack of Christmas spirit. She ends up hiring none other than the jolly old man himself to present on her channel.

In a totally non predictable plot, she comes around...and becomes Santa Claus herself. Whoopi Goldberg dons white dreadlocks and it’s ridiculous.

Worst Gift Gum in Stockings While I appreciate the novelty of rifling through a stocking and finding all kinds of small, awesome gifts—some are a little unnecessary.

Like gum. I have received heaps of gum packets all over the various years and while I love fresh breath... come on. In the pile of candy and chocolate and important toiletries it just seems as though gum was an afterthought. “This stocking isn’t full enough...quick! Go to the gas station!”

— Bradley Metlin

Worst Dysfunctional Family Moment Grandpa still likes the ex In the past I was pleased (albeit slightly creeped out) by the bromance that developed between my boyfriend and grandfather. Now that we’ve broken up, however, my grandfather lacks the tact to stop asking me how he is. Last time we had a family gathering and I was talking to a guest about travelling overseas next year and my grandfather interjected with, “But the problem is, she still can’t decide if she should travel next year or just get married to Phil.” It’s been a year Grandpa, I’m sorry for your loss, but I think it’s time we both moved on.

Worst Christmas Movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Full of clichés and wrought with misogyny, it’s high time that this “classic family favourite” is put to rest. This lowbrow comedy features cats dashing across dinner tables, absurdly large objects stuck to tree sap covered fingers, and Clark slipping off a snowy roof. Hilarious. The zany guests, sulky teenagers, dim but doting wife and silly but wellintentioned husband fill in all the character archetypes and lead the story to its predictable and sickeningly sweet conclusion.

Worst Gift Gift card for a store you don’t like The gift card is the go-to present for distant relatives who don’t really know you but feel obligated to give you something for Christmas.

Although this could work to your advantage if the gift card was general enough, the trouble is when the present-provider takes a shot in the dark and you end up with $25 to La Senza Girl. Don’t emphasize how little contact we have with each other by giving me a gift card most appropriate for pre-pubescent females.

— Mary Ann Ciosk

Logan Ly GAZETTE

Logan Ly GAZETTE

Logan Ly GAZETTE

Arts & Life wishes all of you a tolerable Holiday Season

•7

thegazette • Wednesday, December 4, 2013

All family dogs Reheating classic Disney go to heaven Josh Teixeira GAZETTE STAFF Television deaths seemed to be quite prominent last week, first occurring with hit American crime drama Person of Interest, and now with beloved animated series Family Guy. As forewarned by the series producers at Comic Con earlier this year, plans to kill off one of the Griffins were set in motion during the airing of the show two Sundays ago. The character to bite the dust turned out to be Brian — an anthropomorphic Labrador known for his sophistication and wit, among other things.

Brian was struck by a car and ultimately killed, using his last breath to express his love and appreciation towards the family.

As one would expect, many fans and viewers alike are not taking this decision very lightly. (What about the famous “Road to” episodes?!)

Loyal viewers of the show have gone so far as to make a petition demanding the beloved alcoholic pooch be brought back to the show and it currently has over 100,000 supporters on change.org.

Others believe that Brian isn’t really dead to begin with. Perhaps two of the biggest contributions to this theory are the names of two of the upcoming episode titles that have been registered with the US copyright catalogue, titled “Brian’s a Bad Father” and “Brian’s Got Back”, respectively.

In a recent Entertainment Weekly

interview with Family Guy executive producer Steve Callaghan, an episode to-be was highlighted that apparently features SNL and Up All Night veteran Maya Rudolph an avid runner who catches Brian’s eye. Could this mean that Brian isn’t really dead after all?

“We always make choices that always work to the greatest benefit of the series,” Callaghan told EW. Regardless of personal intake, surely all can agree that the move was gutsy, to say the least. Yet, as a result it has gotten several people talking — many of whom likely haven’t paid attention to the show in years.

If this whole affair is just a means to draw in more viewers and ratings for the show, then it’s certainly one that is proving to be particularly effective. As somebody who hasn’t watched the show regularly for a number of years, I was immediately drawn into all of the commotion and actually took the time to go back and watch the episode. Admittedly, I was a little underwhelmed to find out that Brian was being replaced by yet another dog. Casting The Sopranos star Tony Sirico seems another gutsy decision, albeit in more of agreeable way.

The decision highly complements the series’ future, although whether or not that is positive remains to be seen. As for myself, I’ll be there every step of the way to see what treats the producers have to dish out.

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Janice Fung CONTRIBUTOR Frozen GGGHF Directed by: Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee Starring: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad, Santino Fontana For anyone who grew up loving the Disney princess fairytale animations of the 1990s, Frozen will be a fantastic nostalgia trip to the Golden Age of Disney.

Frozen focuses on the adventure of princess Anna (Kristen Bell) as she searches for her older sister, Elsa (Idina Menzel), who has run away from home after accidentally casting an icy spell over the land of Arendelle on the day of her coronation. Along the way, Anna encounters ice salesman Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), his reindeer, Sven, as well as a funny snowman named Olaf (Josh Gad). Together, these characters attempt to save the kingdom from destruction.

Through this animation, Disney has revisited the theme of the healing act of true love — traditionally a true love’s kiss — creating a nostalgic feel to those who grew up watching films such as Sleeping Beauty

and Snow White. Bringing about an unexpected twist, Disney has modified this traditional idea, and showcased the touching theme of familial love instead.

Frozen’s princesses Anna and Elsa are characterized as the heroines of the story, straying from the traditional motif of a charming prince posing as the hero. This reveals the theme of female independence and again displaying Disney’s attempt to incorporate modern themes into their animations.

In most of the Disney animations, the villains possess seemingly unending sources of power and knowledge. However, Frozen’s antagonist lacks these crucial traits that usually cause anxiety in the audiences. Additionally, the background to the villain’s story is only partially explained while his character development is both incomplete and predictable. While not immediately revealed as the villain, the twist will not come as a shock.

Olaf being used as a source of comedic relief was often unnecessary and annoying — designed as a cute addition for younger audiences, his character will fail to impress older members of the audience.

The romantic element between Kristoff and Anna also seems underdeveloped and rushed. While

admittedly, older princess animations often made use of the motif of love at first sight, after experiencing the slow development of feelings between the main characters of Disney’s more recent animations — Tangled and the Princess and the Frog — the relational development in Frozen seems too quick and unlikely.

Despite these slight character flaws and rushed plot lines, the overall visual aspect of the film was absolutely stunning. Filled with sparkling diamond-like snowflakes and icicles, and scenic wintery images, audiences feel as if they have entered a winter wonderland.

These visual elements were also enhanced with 3-D effects.

Typical for a Disney animation, Frozen comes with many catchy and fun sing-along songs. Moreover, the addition of the ballad “Let it Go” sung by Idina Menzel was a powerful addition to the animation’s soundtrack. Kristen Bell’s voice casting as Anna was also very fitting for the character.

Frozen has differentiating modern themes as well as beautifully animated imagery that makes it entertaining and visually appealing.

The film is an enjoyable throwback for many who grew up loving Disney princess films.

8•

thegazette • Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Opinions HAVE YOUR SAY

The Gazette asked students what they thought about last week’s One Love event.

Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.

—Albert Einstein

The 5 worst exam takers especially lucky — vomiting. Other than the usual germ distance, you’ll want to put some space between you and this noisy peer. Early indicators: Someone putting a tissue box on the corner of the desk.

Seven Minutes in Kevin

Alana Stevenson

Languages III I went to part of [the rally]. I liked One Love during O-Week, and so I thought I’d check this one out. I think it wasn’t advertised the best and I also think first-year students didn’t know about it — it wasn’t really advertised in residence and that could have really helped. I think One Love during O-Week is fantastic, I don’t think having it during the year was ideal unless you’re going to advertise it well.

Jenai Kershaw

MTP – Journalism II I did not go to One Love Rally. I went to O-Week One Love, so there wasn’t as much of a desire to go to this one. It’s a great idea, I just think it should have been publicized more. I also think they could have had more musical acts and different speakers. They could have definitely had more incentive to grab the older Western population like the second, third, and fourth-years.

Brie Berry

English History II I had just gone to the O-Week one so I was like, do I really need to see it again and pay? If I hadn’t seen it in O-Week I would have definitely gone because I loved it. I think maybe changing the speakers around just so you add some variety, because it was so good I would have gone again if there were similar speakers — not just the same ones over again.

Scott Kennedy

BMOS III I heard about [the rally] the day after it happened.

It’s a good thing to have, but I didn’t hear about it till later so they could have worked on promotion.

thegazette

Volume 107, Issue 49 www.westerngazette.ca

Julian Uzielli Santa Claus Cameron M. Smith Santa’s Elf Jason Sinukoff Managing Editor

Contact: www.westerngazette.ca University Community Centre Rm. 263 The University of Western Ontario London, ON, CANADA N6A 3K7 Editorial Offices: (519) 661-3580 Advertising Dept.: (519) 661-3579

The Gazette is owned and published by the University Students’ Council.

2. The Sloth You likely won’t recognize these students from class, mostly because they’ve rarely been to a lecture. The sloths will sit the exam, but take the first 10 minutes sharpening a pencil. After dedicating some time towards counting ceiling tiles, the sloths might take a well-deserved nap.

An hour into the exam, you might see them write something — probably their name. Though not particularly loud, you will be distracted with disbelief, wondering how on earth this person made it this far. Early indicators: Someone wearing sweatpants and asking who the professor is.

Kevin Hurren OPINIONS EDITOR With exams beginning this weekend, students prepare to be herded into Alumni Hall or a converted gym and seated in one of many identical desks.

When first entering an exam room, it can be intimidating. Where in this sea of chairs and desks would prove the best for productivity? Which seat will yield the best exam results?

One of the most important factors in a seat’s potential is its neighbouring student. The people around you can have an enormous effect on your ability to focus, so it’s important to avoid what I call the five worst exam neighbours.

3. The Eraser Indecision reaches unprecedented levels with the eraser. Convinced that they could word a question differently — or worried that the combination of “A, A, C, C” on a multiple choice is dubious — these students will spend chunks of exam time erasing old answers. Few sounds are as irritating as an eraser scraping against a yielding sheet. You also won’t want to sit next to erasers for fear of internalizing

1. The Sniffler Because students are rife with stress and abandon more than a few hygiene habits, colds and flus often sweep through exam season. That means that you might sit next to a sniffler — an exam participant who will spend the next three hours alternating between sniffling, coughing, blowing into a tissue, and — if you’re

For once, libraries talk Re: “You can’t sit with us, Western Library.”

Tuesday, November 19.

To the Editor: Two weeks ago, Chris Miszczak wrote in The Gazette, “I don’t know a perfect solution, but something needs to be done about this.” Miszczak was referring to his frustration with noise in the library, as well as his difficulty in finding a good spot to study.

So, what are some solutions? First, Western Libraries have designated learning zones (conversation-friendly, quiet study, and silent study) with guidelines in place that outline expectations related to noise and use of space. These zones are designed to accommodate the different ways in which students want to use the libraries, and they have signage to remind users about the designations. Library staff regularly facilitate student discussions about respecting each other’s use of the space, making sure that the signs are clear and understood, and working to make library users aware of noise expectations throughout the libraries.

Second, Western Libraries regularly ask for feedback about the libraries through surveys, interviews, focus groups and forums. We also consult with student councils and other student groups about

To submit a letter, go to westerngazette.ca and click on “Contact.”

All articles, letters, photographs, graphics, illustrations and cartoons published in The Gazette, both in the newspaper and online versions, are the property of The Gazette. By submitting any such material to The Gazette for publication, you grant to The Gazette a non-exclusive, world-wide, royalty-free, irrevocable license to publish such material in perpetuity in any media, including but not limited to, The Gazette‘s hard copy and online archives.

library spaces and services. We use this information to help make all of our libraries work most effectively. Each library on campus has its own unique environment and mix of library space, designed to meet the changing needs of our students.

Third, we are working to improve and increase the space available — particularly in our two largest libraries, which today have a combined seating capacity of approximately 3,660. The Taylor is currently undergoing renovations, with plans to add additional individual study spaces (a high need as identified by students) and a collaborative learning zone equipped with technology to support student learning. In Weldon, plans are also underway to improve study space by adding electrical outlets and updating furniture in high use areas.

Clearly, Western Libraries needs to do more to address how library spaces are being used. We will be looking to students to help us understand the ongoing challenges with using the libraries. Together, we can work out solutions for making every library on campus a welcome, safe, productive and useful space. Stay tuned!

You might just get asked to participate in a survey, interview, focus group or forum.

If you have any comments or concerns, please feel free to email me at libadmin@ uwo.ca.

— Robin Keirstead University Archivist and Acting Librarian

Gazette Composing & Gazette Advertising Ian Greaves, Manager Robert Armstrong

4. The Rock Star When I say “rock star,” I don’t mean those students who enter the exam with confidence. The rock stars are students who think they’re putting on a impromptu concert and we’re the willing audience.

They’ll drum their pens, tap their feet, rhythmically click their pens, and — if particularly inspired — will even hum.

Although the musical talent of these students might otherwise be appreciated, the fact that they’re tapping to “We Will Rock You” will certainly not rock you during an exam. Early indicators: Someone with an AC/DC shirt and a bad haircut.

5. The Mastermind Everybody wants to be the mastermind, but very few are. These students are the ones whose pen doesn’t leave the paper until the full three hours are up. While the masterminds aren’t directly distracting, they will fill you with insecurity as you wonder how they just filled four pages to answer a question asking for a definition.

You may end up wasting precious exam time dumbstruck by the speed of the mastermind, suddenly contemplating the possible existence of human-robot cyborgs. Early indicators: Someone who isn’t blinking.

Dear Life

Letter to the Editor

Editorials are decided by a majority of the editorial board and are written by a member of the editorial board but are not necessarily the expressed opinion of each editorial board member. All other opinions are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the USC, The Gazette, its editors or staff.

their doubt and freaking out. Early indicators: Someone with two coffees and covered in eraser bits.

Diana Watson

Gazette Staff 2013-2014

Christine Bonk, Jonathan Dunn, Sam Frankel, Stephanie Grella, Kevin Heslop, Jenny Jay, Nathan Kanter, Taylor Lasota, Katie Lear, Emory Liu, Cheryl Madliger, Sara Mai Chitty, Soheil Milani, Vidhant Pal, Lily Robinson, Alex Seger, Tiffany Shepherd, Hamza Tariq, Josh Teixera, Anne Wozney

News Richard Raycraft Megan Devlin Iain Boekhoff Jeremiah Rodriguez Arts & Life Brent Holmes Mary Ann Ciosk Bradley Metlin Sports Daniel Weryha Nusaiba Al-Azem Caitlin Martin Newnham Opinions Kevin Hurren

Your anonymous letters to life Dear Life, Why do drivers at the Western gates try to run over students? What happened to pedestrians first?

Dear Life, What happened to the hot dog stand on concrete beach?

Dear Life, Bye Movember. Welcome back steamy, scruff-less Western hunks!

Dear Life, 404 Error, “My Sex Life” not found or doesn’t exist. wgaz.ca/dearlife Correction The article “A list of reasons I can’t stand lists” published Tuesday, December 3 contained an error.

The piece of advice “have a roommate you love” did not come from the list “9 ways most people ruin their relationships,” as implied. Loving thy roommate is, in fact, a pretty good way to maintain relationships. The Gazette regrets the error.

Associate Kaitlyn McGrath Aaron Zaltzman Photography Logan Ly Bill Wang Kelly Samuel Graphics Naira Ahmed Illustrations Christopher Miszczak John Prata Online Jesica Hurst Graphics/Video Mike Laine

• Please recycle this newspaper •

•9

thegazette • Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Sports

saywhat?

“I was watching the tape (and) I could see he was moving his, just moving his jaw around. You could tell it was bothering him. But he played and played really well. But it doesn’t surprise me. In the short time I’ve been with him that’s what he’s about. That’s what we’ll miss a lot of in the room, is that type of guy.”

>> Vancouver Canucks head coach John Tortorella said of Alexander Burrows’ continuing to play on Sunday after a puck fractured his jaw.

Rundown >> Both the men’s and women’s swimming teams placed in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport Top 10 rankings of the fall semester > Both teams currently sit at fifth place for their respective leagues.

‘Stangs bounce back to beat Nipissing Second period power plays crush threatening Lakers Daniel Weryha SPORTS EDITOR With a 21-shot and two-goal second period performance,the Western Mustangs men’s hockey team defeated the Nipissing Lakers 3–2 to secure their ninth win of the season on Sunday.

After dropping their first game of the weekend to their regional rivals the Windsor Lancers, the Mustangs bounced back on Sunday with a dominating game over the cellardwelling Lakers as they out-shot them 41–24.

“I thought we had a great start; it was one of our better starts of the year and we weren’t unhappy at all with the first period,” Mustangs’ head coach Clarke Singer said.

“We had out-shot them and outchanced by a fair bit.”

Western’s winger Daniel Erlich, who finished with three points on the night, highlighted Sunday’s win.

His first-period goal gave Western the early lead, which he then followed up with two second-period assists.

Down 2–1 in the second period, the Mustangs rallied back with special teams production as they were able to out–play the Lakers on the power play. The Mustangs were two-for-four with the extra man.

“It was one of our best special teams games of the year,” Singer said. “Our power play did a great

FILE PHOTO

On November 29, Mustangs’ wrestler Riley Otto traveled to the Henri Deglane International in Nice, France. He was joined by teammate Steven Takahashi who, unfortunately, lost his opening match against Chakir Ansari from France. Otto, however, placed fifth in the 84 kg division.

Otto defeated French wrestler Akhmed Aibuev 5–1, but lost 0–7 to Latvia’s Armands Zvirbulis and 1–5

Jonathan Dunn GAZETTE

POWER MOVE! Luke Karaim takes the puck around the net. Karaim will be penciled in for Western’s up-coming Winter Classic game in Detroit at Comerica Park. The game will be played on an outdoor rink built on the infield of the Detroit Tigers’ home ballpark. For many players, it will be their first sanctioned outdoor game.

job, scored a couple of big goals and we did a good job on the penalty kill.”

Late in the second period, Mustangs’ centre Steven Reese netted the game-winning power play goal, assisted by Matt Clarke less than a minute after the tying goal

to American Brook Climmons. His participation in the 84 kg division in the Henri Deglane International was an excellent test of this star athlete’s capabilities, because he is between the 96 and 84 kg divisions.

This is not the Nova Scotia native’s first success on an international stage this year. After transferring to Western from Concordia University this year, Otto traveled with his fellow Mustangs to represent Canada at the Francophone Games in Nice, France on September 12. He was awarded a silver medal in the 96 kg division after a series of wins, followed by a defeat by the eventual goldmedal winner — Viktor Kazishvili of Armenia.

On November 23, Otto also raked in a gold medal at the Ontario Senior Open after taking down the University of Guelph’s Tyson Frost in the 96 kg division.

With several competitions approaching in the new year, Western can expect great things from Otto who has proved his wrestling skills in both the provincial and international stages.

—Caitlin Martin Newnham

scored by Clarke himself. Clarke’s assist completed his two-point period and helped closeout the threatening Lakers.

“What hurt us was the unnecessary penalty when we were already shorthanded,” Mike McParland, Lakers head coach, said. “We had

a player that was dragging the puck a little bit, he turned it over and had a little hook on the guy at the blue­-line. Western capitalized on both of those power plays.”

The Mustangs did, however, give up a crucial shorthanded goal and their first period lead to Nipissing’s

Connor O’Donnell for his ninth goal of the season, but were able to play solid defence to hold on to the win.

“We’ve actually been playing pretty well in [our] last games, including the Western game which could have gone any way,” McParland said. “We need everybody playing at their top level for 60 minutes for us to have success — our guys have confidence.”

After two goals against in the first period, Greg Dodds, Western’s rookie net-minder, held it together and shutout the Lakers for the rest of the game. Dodds is now 4–1–0 in relief of starting goaltender Josh Unice and continues to be a reliable option for the Mustangs with solid 0.956 save percentage, and a goals against average of 1.26. “[Dodds] was great,” Singer said.

“He stopped every [shot] he should have, he controlled rebounds and was very calm — it was a really good bounce back after giving up a couple quick ones.”

The 9–5–0 Mustangs now prepare for their long-awaited outdoor rematch against the 11–4–0 Windsor Lancers set to be played at Comerica Park in Detroit as part of the SiriusXM Winter Classic Festival on December 16. The Lancers won the first of the two meetings and the Mustangs will therefore look to pick up a much-needed divisional win to move them closer to first place in the West.

10 •

thegazette • Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Go figure: Western places first in Ottawa Skating seeks fourth OUA win after invitational Nusaiba Al-Azem SPORTS EDITOR The Mustangs figure skating team traveled to Ottawa this past weekend and placed first at the Carleton Fall Figure Skating Invitational.

The one-day event consisted of various individual performances, which in turn contributed to a collective team total. Western won the event with a combined 63 points, while contenders Guelph University and Queen’s University ranked second and third with 47 points and 45 points, respectively.

In the dance categories, Clarissa Luo and Aysha Thomas won gold in the junior silver similar dance.

Likewise, Carly Smith and Lauren

Malott finished first in the senior silver dance.

Individually, Christina Liao finished second in the women’s gold singles while Gary Wong finished first in the men’s singles.

Finally, the Mustangs brought home medals in the pairs categories as well. Andrea Richards and Carmen Wong took home gold in the intermediate similar pairs, and Katherine Malcolm and Cynthia Yeung earned silver in the senior similar pairs.

Christina Liao, who finished second in the gold singles, explained the differences between podium positions at such an elite calibre of skating. “There’s room for improvement

There’s room for improvement on all aspects but I would especially like to improve the choreography and passion in my program. —Christina Liao

Mustang’s figure skater

on all aspects but I would especially like to improve the choreography and passion in my program,� said Liao, who is looking to defend her gold title at the provincial championship again this year. “It is not

hard for top skaters to land all their jumps, so the differentiator is really the connecting parts.�

For some medalists, the win held more sentimental value. Carmen Wong, who competed in the intermediate similar pairs program, placed first along with partner Andrea Richards. For Wong, this year is also the first year she competed alongside her rookie brother Gary Wong, who won gold in the men’s singles. “It was great to celebrate both of our successes at this competition,�

Wong said.

Three-time Ontario University Athletics champions, the Western Mustangs figure skating team is optimistic about its chances this

season. “A lot of our events are group events, so spending more time on the ice with each other will only add to our strength and performance in competition,� Mustangs’ silver medalist Kendra Graham said. “First competition is really just a chance to get out there, to see what we’re up against, and introduce the judges to our routines. As long as we do our job on the ice, I don’t see why a fourth OUA championship isn’t within our reach.�

After the Christmas break, the Mustangs will continue on their road to the OUA championships with a winter invitational in Aylmer on January 22 and 23.

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UPCOMING EVENTS SATURDAY DEC. 7 St. Luke’s (Broughdale) ACW, 1204 Richmond St. N at Bernard, will be holding their annual Old Fashioned Christmas Bazaar & Silent Auction between 12 and 3.00 p.m. A chili lunch will be available for purchase. Tea room. Jewellery, treasure table, books, preserves, marmalade and Christmas baking plus many other items. Enter off Bernard Ave. Parking on Mayfair, Bernard and Raymond. Free admission. We are wheel chair accessible.

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thegazette • Wednesday, December 4, 2013

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thegazette • Wednesday, December 4, 2013