Thursday, December 3, 2009

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thegazette ... avoiding surveillance since 1906

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2009

WESTERN’S DAILY STUDENT NEWSPAPER • EST.1906 • VOLUME 103, ISSUE 52

Degree Audit bugs causing headaches for undergrads

WORKING TO KEEP THE STREAK ALIVE

By Meagan Kashty Gazette Staff

Corey Stanford/Gazette

HIS BARK IS WORSE THAN HIS BITE. Men’s hockey head coach Clarke Singer put his players through the paces at Thompson arena last night in preparation of tonight’s 7:30 game against the Windsor Lancers. The Mustangs will look to extend their winning streak to 14 games.

Students left in the dark about graduation may have to look beyond Western’s audit program to determine if they are eligible for graduation. The Degree Audit, a service available on the Western Student Services website, allows students to verify their progress in their current degree program and confirm they have the necessary credits to graduate. The service, however, is not without its shortcomings. When checking course requirements the service has a tendency to overlook special permissions and credit transfers. Penny Westmacott, academic manager for the faculty of science, confirmed the service will sometimes tell students they do not have certain requirements when they do in fact possess them. “It’s not perfect, and we all recognize that it’s because of some of the things we haven’t been able to program yet,” she said. “It’s not the only source of information, but it’s a good starting point.” Layton Wu, fourth-year media, information and technoculture student, was not even aware the program existed. “I always just check the requirements on [the faculty] website and make sure they add up with what I have,” Wu said. While Wu was aware some services were available, he agreed there is a lack of promotion of these services to graduating students. The faculty of science has taken some initiatives besides the Degree Audit offered by the University. The faculty offers checklists to their students to ensure they have all the necessary graduation requirements, according to Westmacott.

Despite bugs in the Degree Audit service, Westmacott said students still make use of it. “We encourage them to go through all the services available, then come to us if they have any questions. It can turn what would have been a four hour conversation with an academic counsellor into a 30 minute one.” The service was out of use last year as the University changed its course numbering, and a survey conducted last December gave students the opportunity to voice their issues with the service. Jo Skillings, security and team leader at the registrar’s office, noted the majority of feedback from the survey was positive. According to Skillings, to improve the service, the University is in the preliminary stages of planning a supplement to the current audit system. “The next phase will be a workbook for students,” she said. “When we originally started planning it there [were] a lot of disagreements on how special permissions and transfer credits would be handled […] We’ve had discussions and we’re hoping to draw some advice from members of the University Students’ Council and other students.” The additional service will give students the opportunity to open up a workbook in the areas the audit says are not yet met, and add any additional information. “Theoretically, after they’ve finished with the workbook, the system will be able to do some future speculation,” Skillings added. Skillings emphasized the project is tentative at the moment, and is being planned as a result of student complaints and recommendations.

Londoners split over value of Street View By Stuart A. Thompson Gazette Staff

London is one the latest Canadian cities to be part of Google’s immense Street View project. London joined a growing number of Canadian cities this week when it was added to the online map, which lets users travel through city streets in a virtual 360degree world. For users, it means an easy way to get a peek at most of the city without leaving their home. For

businesses, it could mean much more than that. “We’ve been anxiously awaiting it,” Peter White, chief executive officer of the London Economic Development Corporation, said. Larger cities like Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo were added to the Street View project in 2007, and were accessible in October 2009. The LEDC encouraged Google to add more detailed maps of London to its database just as the company began the expansion into Canada. “People have viewed it as being

an important element and more from a public relations point of view,” White said, adding London would look bad if equivalent cities like Kitchener-Waterlooo were added and London was not. John Winston, the general manager of Tourism London, is less optimistic. “It’s all cool stuff at this stage,” Winston said. “But does it drive business? That’s one of the things we need to ask.” He called the service more of a “novelty” than a promotional tool,

arguing what matters from a tourism perspective are tangible results like website traffic and tourists on the street. “Street-level photographs of businesses’ fronts don’t cut it,” Winston said. MainStreet London is a not-forprofit group working to promote the city to business investors and supporting them in London’s core, mostly on Dundas Street. Janette MacDonald, manager of MainStreet London, said the feature could help investors get a bet-

ter idea of what the downtown is like — depending on what they see. “There’s some things they could see that could hurt us,” MacDonald said. “Downtown is hopping right now, but there’s still some areas that still need some work.” Another concern for some is privacy. While Google blurs faces and licence plates, the idea of photographing an entire city has worried some. PLEASE SEE TOOL P3

Photo Illustration by Stuart Thompson

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news

theGazette • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2009

Brace for strike through exams Gazette Staff

It is looking less and less likely a resolution to the London transit strike will be reached before the winter exam schedule begins next week. “In the best-case scenario the buses could be back the week before Christmas, but at minimum capacity,” University Students’ Council president Emily Rowe said. “We were told because of [bus] maintenance and safety issues, it takes […] three to four weeks for the fleet to return to full capacity,” she added. While it’s possible the strike could end before Christmas, Rowe said she wasn’t confident it would happen.

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In light of this, the USC and university administration are urging students to plan ahead and take advantage of the transportation initiatives, which were released three weeks ago. An e-mail sent out Wednesday afternoon by Gitta Kulczycki, Western’s vice-president resources and operations, acknowledged there is a high demand for drivers coming from the south end of the city. “Western is urgently seeking more volunteers,” the e-mail read. Those with a valid drivers licence may help by assisting with the Share a Ride program, driving a Western community van or by participating in the Flag a Ride program. Rowe indicated once the exam season begins, the USC will be

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doubling the frequency of its exam shuttle service. While this will result in more opportunities to get to and from exams for students living within the shuttle routes, USC communications officer Carolyn Hawthorn pointed out there is no substitution for prudent planning. “Obviously if someone has an exam at 9 a.m. we hope they will realize there will be a high demand for an 8 a.m. shuttle,” she said. Rowe indicated the USC and administration are working on further developing their plan to accommodate inclement weather and early exams, although nothing tangible has emerged yet. “We’ll have a much clearer picture tomorrow,” she said when asked what to expect.

Facebook has decided to redesign its layout, yet again. The social networking site made some significant alterations in the past year. However, they are now experimenting with another new layout for the homepage. Developers of Facebook have created a forum allowing users to view and anticipate future changes to the platform. The detailed changes can be accessed at http://wiki.developers.facebook.co m, which also has a detailed list of possible innovations. After the redesign, requests and invites will go directly to an inbox, which will be relocated to the top left corner of the page. Another new feature includes the applications toolbar, which will move from the bottom toolbar to the top left of the page. Inbox messages will also be displayed on homepages. Shabnam Hamidi, a first-year medical sciences student at Western, mentioned she heard about the possible changes. “That’s annoying. Useless notifications are irritating and they keep changing stuff as soon as you get used to it,” Hamidi said. The changes to Facebook’s layout are expected to be in place between December 2009 and January 2010. —Alexi Cito

Study examines insect offspring A study conducted by scientists at Western has shown insects value their own survival above reproduction. The study, conducted by Western PhD candidate Katie Marshall and supervisor Brent Sinclair, was published on Tuesday by Proceedings of the Royal Society B — a biological research journal. According to Marshall, conventional research on insect reproduction found males in the wild tend to be either really successful or really unsuccessful. When weather conditions are extreme, it was assumed more female offspring would be produced to ensure the survival of the species. However, Marshall and Sinclair’s research showed in adverse weather conditions, fewer females were produced. “When a parent is affected by environmental stress, that can affect their offspring,” she said. Marshall was unsure as to what contributes to the lower numbers of female offspring, but suggested they could be more vulnerable or more costly to produce than their male counterparts. —Clark Armstrong

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. 091118

By Ryan Hendrick

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theGazette • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2009

Research funding Tool “commodifies public space” raked in over $226M CONTINUED FROM P1

By Shreya Tekriwal Gazette Staff

Source: 2009 Annual Report prepared by Ted Hewitt

school in Canada, but has fallen one spot this year,” Tithecott mentioned. “Although many funding targets are met, Western should not be complacent with this ranking. There is always room for improvement and we should always strive to be a better research institute.” “I think we are doing better and there’s still a lot to be done and we are certainly not moving in the other direction,” Hewitt said. “We need to help [researchers] secure the resources they need to do the research that they are looking to do.” Hewitt also mentioned Western should continue hiring researchers who are engaged and active and those who are developing large research programs in order to get ahead. “We need to tell the world how good we are. I think people need to understand that. I don’t think we’ve necessarily done the best job at that. We need to do a better job,” Hewitt added.

“Just imagine if there were vans labelled ‘Government of Canada’ driving up and down the streets, creating a virtual database. There would be a riot,” John Reed, an instructor who teaches a course on surveillance in the faculty of information and media studies, said. “Not so with a ‘cool’ company like Google.” Reed said while the technology is free to use, the company turns the photographs into profit through advertising and datamining. White confirmed paid services, like overlaying demographic data on top of maps, are a benefit of having Google Maps and Street View. “If you pay for Google services, there’s phenomenal things you can do,” he said. “This is going to be a great tool for the business community.” White also added the City has internal information sys-

“It gives them a feel, a sense of what the campus looks like and that’s important,” she said. But questions about privacy linger. “How does Google Maps update them and what time of year?” Gribbon added. “We would certainly have to be sensitive to that and find out.” Despite concerns, Reed said the service will prove useful to most despite what it says about society. “It’s basically a sad statement that we trust a sexy but stateless multinational that is in business to mine and commodify data and public space more than we trust the state,” Reed said. “But again, I still use it.”

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With approximately $226 million received in research funding, Western looks to improve its national ranking. “We rank second in provincial funding levels [behind the University of Toronto] and 10th nationally,” Michael Tithecott, senator-at-large for the University Students’ Council, said. “There are many places where we are meeting our targeted funding levels, and places where we are behind our targeted levels.” According to the 2009 Annual Report prepared by Ted Hewitt, vice-president research and international relations at Western, the University raised a total of $226,305,759 in research funding for the 2008-2009 period. Hewitt added the funding went up from $176 million, which was received in the 2004-2005 period. The report also stated 41 per cent of the funding came from the federal government, 17 per cent from the provincial government and 43 per cent from other contributors. “We’re not the biggest institution in Canada either so it’s hard to be number one. But I think we can be the best research-intensive university, certainly in Canada outside of the major metropolitan centres, which are much larger of course,” Hewitt said. Hewitt also mentioned the majority of the research funding is not allocated, but earned by the faculty and researchers at Western. “We do fund research internally, but it’s also competitive. [The amount we allocate] is only about 10 per cent of the total. We also have some allocations for professional expenses, conferences and such,” he added. According to the report, the University of Toronto, University of Alberta, University of British Columbia, Université de Montreal and McGill University were rated as the top five research-intensive schools. Hewitt added Western should compare itself to the top five institutions and try to get as close to the top ranks as possible. “Western is still a top 10 research

National Funding Rank, 2004-2008 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 Toronto 1 1 1 1 1 Alberta 5 4 5 2 2 UBC 4 5 3 4 3 Montreal 3 2 2 3 4 McGill 2 3 4 5 5 McMaster 8 6 6 6 6 Laval 6 9 8 7 7 Ottawa 10 8 9 10 8 Calgary 7 7 7 8 9 Western 9 10 10 9 10

tems that already offer some of these features. With its London launch, Google Street View now includes photographs around the south side of Western’s campus near Alumni Hall. According to Laurie Gribbon, director of undergraduate relations and admissions at Western, the University already uses a virtual tour system, but it is not as sophisticated as Google’s. “Now that [Street View] is up and running, we’re definitely looking at incorporating it on the web,” Gribbon said. The biggest benefit is for international and out-of-province students who want to see what the campus looks like.

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opinions

theGazette • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2009

thegazette Volume 103, issue 52 “Sites need to be able to interact in one single, universal space.” TIM BERNERS-LEE, CREATOR OF THE WORLD WIDE WEB

Ryan Hendrick

Carly Conway

Jaela Bernstien

Editor-In-Chief

Deputy Editor

Managing Editor

Editor - [email protected] Deputy - [email protected] Managing - [email protected] website at www.westerngazette.ca University Community Centre Rm. 263 The University of Western Ontario London, Ontario, CANADA. N6A 3K7 Editorial Offices: (519) 661-3580 Advertising Dept.: (519) 661-3579 The Gazette is owned and published by the University Students’ Council.

Western’s Web Woes Did you hear the collective groan yesterday afternoon when Western’s wireless system malfunctioned? It was just another instance in the lengthy history of Western’s sub-par web services. And the technological problems don’t stop at faulty wireless. It’s easy to understand student frustration when you consider there are two websites for managing student information — the Student Center and Student Services. It’s time for one-stop shopping. It’s entirely unclear why the two websites cannot be merged into one efficient destination for student needs. When important tasks such as course registration and tuition payments are being handled online, students should be privy to a single, userfriendly website. Also, more publicity of the web services offered is required so students know exactly what is available to them. For example, do you know about the degree audit service? Many students are unaware of this tool — which determines whether you are eligible for graduation or not — until fourth year, when academic pressures and stresses are higher than ever. It would save many headaches if students caught on to the service — which itself has proven to be inaccurate at times — in second or third year. All it would take is a simple e-mail from administration. Speaking of e-mail — students need more than 50 megabytes for their inboxes. Despite its lack of space, Western’s e-mail service is one of the online segments the University does well — it’s generally dependable and easy to access. However, students rely on it to e-mail assignments, pictures, and power points — files that can be anywhere from five to 20 MBs in size. Those 50 MBs are eaten up quickly when you add that to the flood of mass e-mails from faculties and students’ councils While those issues can be handled in house, WebCT is a whole other issue. We can’t blame the University for WebCT’s clunky interface, frequent glitches and general disregard for user friendliness. However, we can blame them for signing a contract with the maddening service they are now stuck in until 2013. Students have long complained about the annoyances and headaches associated with WebCT, and a handful of professors have given up on the service altogether. Certainly, there must be a better system out there and we would hope the University is currently looking into them. It is also possible prospective students could soon be influenced by a school’s web-friendly reputation as universities rely more heavily on online services. It would be a shame if Western’s recruitment abilities were hindered by poor web services. The best student experience does not stop in the real world. It extends to web as well, and that’s something Western has been slow to figure out. Editorials appearing under the ‘opinions’ heading are decided upon 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. Letters: Must include the contributor’s name, identification (ie. History II, Dean of Arts) and be submitted to [email protected]. Letters judged by the Editor-In-Chief to be libelous or derogatory will not be published. The Gazette reserves the right to edit letters and submissions and makes no guarantees that a letter will be published. 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, worldwide, 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. • Please recycle this newspaper •

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Wal-Mart has it right, unions not the answer Re: “Unions still serve purpose” Dec. 1, 2009 To the editor: While I understand many people believe unions can right injustices in the workplace and will keep employers from taking advantage of employees, this viewpoint is somewhat flawed and seems to take a shortcut from problem to solution without analyzing the deeper issues. Unions were only useful when the government was failing to uphold standards in the workplace. While we can see many situations where this is still occurring in our society, the answer is not turning to organized labour pools, but rather to petition for legislation to protect workers’ rights and safety. When a union takes it upon themselves to establish what rights they have in the workplace, they inevitably move past their believed rights and begin to focus on what they believe they “deserve.” The difference being that rights are universal, while what is “deserved” is based upon the value put on the service in question. Unions have no need to differentiate between these two claims because they quickly realize they have total control over their employers. A strike, however, is a situation where workers band together and decide not to do their jobs. Furthermore, they bind the company in question from hiring out-

Did you know? The Gazette looks back this week to 1986 when the University Students’ Council was forced to cut ties with clubs deemed high risk — one club in particular being the Western Gay and Lesbian Association.

Section Editors 2009-2010 News Meagan Kashty Abid-Aziz Ladhani Cheryl Stone Shreya Tekriwal Stuart Thompson Arts & Entertainment Amber Garratt Nicole Gibillini Maddie Leznoff Sports Daniel Da Silva Grace Davis Arden Zwelling

Senior Mike Hayes Lauren Pelley Opinions Jaclyn Haggarty Photography Laura Barclay Brett Higgs Corey Stanford Graphics Ali Chiu Jesse Tahirali Web Stuart Thompson

side labour, in essence forcing them to a standstill. With this threat looming over them, companies are often forced to enter into biased contracts favouring the unions. If the transit workers individually believe their services are worth the wage increase they’re striking for, then they are right in walking off the job. Similarly, if the London Transit Commission believes the demands are outrageous, they should be allowed to lock these employees out and hire from the massive pool of unemployed people in London. This is the approach Wal-Mart has taken and it’s why they are such a successful company. Wal-Mart may not have the best track record with regards to respecting the rights of its employees; however, it abides by all regional and federal legislation and refuses to employ workers who believe that they have a right to their job. In that respect, WalMart should be applauded for being one of the few companies who don’t accept the claim of employees over them. —Adam Poirier Political Science III

Tipping is a bonus, not a requirement

ly.” Tip (definition): Optional payment given in addition to a required payment, usually to express appreciation for excellent service; here also called gratuity. As a daily user of taxis, I make the effort of talking to the drivers, being polite and smiling. Even before reading your article on the dispute between AboutTown and London Taxi, I knew it wasn’t an easy life being a taxi driver. However, when after a 20-minute ride across London, all that was exchanged was a cordial “Hi. Where are you going?” how am I supposed to tip them fairly? Is not the fare on the meter the price we users have to pay in order to use their services? Why are we expected to tip a minimum of $1 after every ride — be it $5 or $30? Why is it that they are not satisfied when we do give them $1 or $2 when they do nothing out of the ordinary? Granted, I’ve had some exceptional taxi drivers and have, as such, tipped them generously. But why should I have to give them a tip if they spend 15 minutes ranting on how stupid the student population is, how much they hate their job or refusing to accept a cash payment of a flat fare I had spent the time to ask about before accepting their ride? And I do emphasize the cash because I know they don’t accept credit cards with flat rates. Shouldn’t we be able to choose not to tip a lot or at all if we feel that the service rendered is not above normal? —Victoria Tuason

Re: “Taxi riders: show some respect” Nov. 27, 2009

Science IV

To the editor: I was happily reading through your [editorial] “Taxi Riders: Show Some Respect” until three words snagged my general agreement with the article: “Tip them fair-

Ed note: In no way did the Gazette intend to imply that taxi drivers should be tipped regardless of their service quality. As mentioned, we recommended, “Tip them fairly,” meaning tip them an amount that fairly represents their service.

The USC faced a serious dilemma when it could no longer afford to maintain clubs without adequate insurance coverage. Among the many facing deratification was the WGLA because many insurance companies at the time were hesitant to cover candidates who were at a higher risk of contracting

HIV/AIDS. “There is no way people could be at risk in a discussion group,” Clarence Crossman, reverend of London’s Metropolitan Community Church had told the Gazette. “Anyone who said that was being quite professionally irresponsible.”

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P5 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2009

ArtsEntertainment Arkells toured Canada but hope to go global Band ready to give 110 per cent at third period show in London tonight By Lauren Moore Gazette Staff

Gazette File Photo

THREE GUITARS ARE BETTER THAN ONE. The Arkells are still thinking about their last show in London. They are stoked to be back.

With hype subsiding from their 2008 album, Jackson Square, and an extensive Canadian tour coming to a close, indie-rock band the Arkells are ready to blow London out of the water. The band plays Call the Office tonight, and they have high expectations for their Forest City reception. “London is burned in our memories as being one of the most exciting shows of the last tour,” says Dan Griffin, keyboardist and guitarist for the band. “For us, we’re still talking about it, so it made a real impression. It’s the kind of energy that we hope every live show has.” The Arkells officially began their latest tour on Oct. 24 in Brantford, and have been trekking across the country to appease their rapidly growing Canadian fan base. “For the last few years, we’ve been [touring] non-stop. So for us, it’s only been one pace and we’ve gotten pretty used to it,” Griffin says. Despite receiving rave reviews for performances at both the South by Southwest and England’s Brighton festivals, the Arkells remain grounded, gracious and focused on their music. “We don’t think of ourselves as being a strictly Canadian band,” Griffin says. “We think of ourselves as a band that wants to travel and play for as many

people as possible. Anyone that will take our music, we’ll gladly play for.” The Arkells are ready to make an international breakthrough by taking the success Jackson Square has seen in Canada to the next level. “In the new year, if all goes well, the album should be out and available to the whole world. We’ll be able to start touring in all the kind of places that we would really love to go,” Griffin says. However, even with international recognition, the band acknowledges they attained much of their success in Hamilton. “In Hamilton, because it’s a bit smaller, there’s enough of a support community to really give a band a chance if they’re willing to work for it,” Griffin says. The Arkells draw much of their inspiration from Canadian bands. Having recently opened for both The Tragically Hip and Sam Roberts Band, they aim to follow their lead in future years. “It was really inspiring playing with them this year because we learned what it is to truly be modest and gracious and good hosts, and everything that we hope from ourselves as Canadians,” Griffin says. When performing, the Arkells actively put themselves in the shoes of audience members and genuinely want their fans to enjoy themselves. “We always hope that [our shows] can sort of stir something up,” Griffin says. “The music that we love is the stuff that gets our fists shaking and gets us dancing.” Londoners should expect a rocking show from the Arkells. Even though the band admits to being exhausted from touring, they plan to deliver their performance with the utmost enthusiasm. “It’s like the third period of a [hockey] game,” Griffin explains. “Everyone’s feeling a little beaten up, but there’s the sense that we really want to make an impact on these last [shows]. “We feel so fortunate for every night we come out, and like the hockey players say, we give it 110 per cent,” jokes Griffin. The Arkells play tonight at 9 p.m. at Call the Office, located at 216 York St. Young Rival and Sweet Thing open, and tickets are $15 at the door.

Courtesy of Dustin Robin

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arts&entertainment

theGazette • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2009

Gazette File Photo

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*Please present your student card before ordering. Limit of one coffee per student, per visit. Not available with any Extra Value Meal or Value Picks® offer. Valid at the following McDonald’s® locations only: 61 Oxford St. W., 103 Fanshawe Park Rd E. and 530 Oxford St. W. Valid from December 7 to December 13, 2009. ©2009 McDonald’s

WORKS OF ART. Local artists David Strauss and Greg Benns display their different artistic styles and talent at the Arts Project.

Arts Project displays Fixation, an exhibit by talented friends By Drew Whitson Gazette Staff

The London Arts Project always tries to exhibit great local art, such

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as David Strauss and Greg Benns’ latest, Fixation. Local artists Strauss and Benns are the latest to display their work at The Arts Project. This is their second annual art exhibit at the venue and features some of their best new work that is heavily focused on movement and mixed media. Looking at Strauss’ work, one can immediately see a refined artistic style that gives his work a fluid sense of movement. In this exhibit Strauss explores the feminine body using newspaper and magazine print. Taking different facial expressions from photos and magazines, Strauss gives his paintings a realistic and emotional feel. Benns reveals a completely dif-

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Available to all students living in and around the UWO.

ferent artistic view. Relying more on the abstract, he creates his images by layering various painting styles. The focus is primarily on an application of multiple coats of paint that seem to change the texture of the pieces. Although the two friends differ greatly in the style of their work, their creativity and mastery of texture is obvious — their talent is certainly visible in their art. Fixation is a great opportunity to view beautiful works of art and enjoy the talent London has to offer. David Strauss and Greg Benns’ exhibit Fixation is on display at The Arts Project, located at 203 Dundas St. until Dec. 5.

WHITE OAKS MALL BUS SCHEDULE 12:00 p.m. 12:05 p.m. 12:10 p.m. 12:15 p.m.

Elgin Hall Delaware Hall Saugeen Maitland Hall London Hall

12:20 p.m. 12:45 p.m. 1:00 p.m.

Departs London Hall Arrives at White Oaks Mall Departs White Oaks Mall

1:30 p.m. 1:35 p.m. 1:40 p.m. 1:45 p.m.

London Hall Saugeen Maitland Hall Delaware Hall Elgin Hall

1:50 p.m. 2:35 p.m. 3:00 p.m.

Departs Elgin Hall Arrives at White Oaks Mall Departs White Oaks Mall

3:30 p.m. 3:35 p.m. 3:40 p.m. 3:45 p.m.

London Hall Saugeen Maitland Hall Delaware Hall Elgin Hall

3:50 p.m. 4:35 p.m. 5:00 p.m.

Departs Elgin Hall Arrives at White Oaks Mall Departs White Oaks Mall

EXCLUSIVE TO LONDON AT WHITE OAKS MALL: H&M, Bath & Body Works, Aerie and Club Monaco COMING SOON: Coach and Bath & Body Works Home Fragrance.

comics ➤ P7

theGazette • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2009

GAZETTE MARKETPLACE 4 issues thousands of readers for $29.40 (based on 30 words)

Call 519-661-3274 or email [email protected] Housing

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Services

2 BEDROOMS AVAILABLE, $660 plus $80 utility package that includes heat, hydro, water, internet, home phone, long distance. Free uncovered parking, newer building, on-site management, close to Western and bus routes, steps from Richmond St. For more information please call 519.858.2525 or go to www.varsitycommons.ca. 2,3,4 BEDROOM available at Varsity Commons located at 75 Ann St. just steps from Richmond Row. Enjoy great amenities such as our cardio centre, 24 hour laundry facility and game room. On-site management. For more information please call 519.858.2525 or go to www.varsitycommons.ca. 2,3,4 BEDROOMS available at Varsity Commons, London’s best student community for fall 2009. Enjoy great amenities such as our cardio centre, movie theatre, and game room. Free uncovered parking, onsite management. For more information please call 519.858.2525 or go to www.varsitycommons.ca. 3,4 BEDROOM apartments available at Varsity Commons, London’s best Student Community. Enjoy great amenities such as our cardio centre, movie theatre and fun events. From $485 inclusive per room. For more information please call 519.858.2525 or go to www.varsitycommons.ca.

ROOMMATE NEEDED, Female. John & St. George Streets, main floor $350/month Incl. & Laundry, 3 Bdrm Apt. Call Dave at: 519-657-4836 or [email protected]

LORI’S LASER HAIR Removal and More. Start today and get your bikini body ready for summer! Facial rejuvenation, pigmentation correction, acne treatments, spider veins. Non-invasive. No more razors, waxing, or tweezing. Affordable prices. Single treatments starting at $30. www.lorislaserplace.blogspot.com. SEEK HELP NOW. Don’t let little problems grow into big problems. If you aren’t sure how, ask the Ombudsperson in UCC-251, or call 519-661-3573. This service is free and confidential. WRITING AND EDITING professionals available to help you craft your assignments into perfect form. For help today call 1-888-345-8295 or email us at [email protected]. Visit our website: www.customessay.com.

Services ACOUSTIC AND ELECTRIC repairs. We also do custom made electric guitars. Come in for a free quote. Gilpin Guitars, call Robert Taylor 519-686-7895, [email protected]. DANCE CLASSES at Dancesteps. London’s closest dance studio to UWO. 743 Richmond St. at Oxford. Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop. 519-645-8515. www.dancestepslondon.ca. EXAMS, DEADLINES, APPOINTMENTS? Call Rise & Shine, Up & At’em Wake Up and Reminder Services at 519-777-1209 or email [email protected]. Our business is waking up…UWO! MAN WITH PICK-UP. $40/hr within London. Great for small moves. Flat rates on large appliances. Senior/student discount. Rick 519-281-2497. NAIL & WAXING (Richmond/Huron), 519-318-1999. Christmas Special: 25% off full-nail sets. Choose from gel, acrylic, and more. Join our membership and receive a complimentary service. Student special 15% off. PROOFREADING FOR STUDENTS-FAST and affordable from $0.01/word. Improve your grades instantly with clear and concise writing. Professional English-first-language editors ready to help with whatever you’ve written! Visit us: MadProofingSkillz.com/UWO.

Frosh, Soph, Senior, Grad Student

Today’s difficulty level:

SENIOR

For solution, turn to page 3

Employment SUMMER OF YOUR life! Camp Wayne- Children’s sleep-away camp, Northeast Pennsylvania (6/198/15/10). If you love children and want a caring, fun environment we need Counselors and Program Directors for: Tennis, Swimming, Golf, Gymnastics, Cheerleading, Drama, High & Low Ropes, Camping/Nature, Team Sports, Waterskiing, Sailing, Painting/Drawing, Ceramics, Silkscreen, Printmaking, Batik, Jewelry, Calligraphy, Photography, Sculpture, Guitar, Aerobics, Self-Defense, Video, Piano. Other staff: Administrative, CDL Driver (21+), Nurses (RN’s and Nursing Students), Bookkeeper, Mothers’ Helper. Interviews on UWO campus January 26th. Select the camp that selects the best staff! Call 1.215.944.3069 or apply on-line at www.campwaynegirls.com TIPS ON — HOW TO WRITE A CLASSIFIED AD THAT SELLS 1. Use a KEYWORD. This immediately tells the reader exactly what it is you have to sell. 2. Make your description CLEAR and FACTUAL. State the year, make, model, color, size, and tell what condition the item is. Also state the special features. 3. State the PRICE. Successful Classified advertisers have learned that the price in an ad helps increase the chances for results.

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5 ADMIRABLE BEDROOM home available May 2010. $460 all-inclusive. Bus #2 every 5 minutes, 10 minute walk. Bedrooms accommodate double bed.Dishwasher, laundry, parking, 519-380-0644, [email protected]. Won’t last! 5 BEDROOM Town Home living at Varsity Mills. Amenities include: on-site laundry and air conditioning. From $495 per room plus $85 utility package (including long distance in Canada). All students. 1 Beaufort St., easy walk to class and bus routes, roommate matching services available. For more information, please call 519.858.2525 or go to www.varsitymills.ca. BACHELOR, 1 BEDROOM, all-inclusive (including parking). At bus stop, walking distance to campus, mall, park, and many convenient amenities. $400$700, 519-671-2888.

Upcoming Events OUR FAMOUS OLD-FASHIONED Christmas Bazaar & Silent Auction, Saturday, December 5, 12-3 pm, St. Luke’s Church (Broughdale) ACW, 1204 Richmond St. N. at Bernard Ave. (north of University gates). Baking, preserves, treasures, crafts, books, and fresh poinsettias. Tea room, small charge for a chili lunch. Admission free.

HOW TO PLAY Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. Solving time is typically from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on your skill and experience. The Gazette publishes Sudoku puzzles with varying degrees of difficulty.

For Solution, tips and computer program at: www.sudoku.com

• Fast • Effective • Inexpensive

P8 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2009

Sports

ON DECK: Simon digs the Pipe... Friday

Dickson not just playing through By Arden Zwelling Gazette Staff

Who was your favourite pro golfer growing up? Fred Couples. He’s just so laid back. He’s not very emotional. He doesn’t get upset much. People always bug me about the fact that I’m so laid back. I feel like I really learned that from watching him golf. If you make a bad shot, don’t worry about it. His demeanor and how he carries himself is a lot like how I carry myself. What is the oldest piece of equipment you own? I have an old set of golf clubs with wooden shafts hanging on my wall. They were probably made in the 1920s. Who is the most famous person you’ve played a round with? Probably Mike Weir. Everyone loves Mike. I also played a round with Grant Fuhr once. Do you have any pre-round rituals? When it comes to golf I tend to be a little bit superstitious. I have to get to the course exactly an hour and 20 minutes before my round. Do you have a favourite game day meal? I’ll just stuff anything in my gut when I’m hungry. If I’m driving by a McDonald’s I’ll stop in and get that. I’m not a very fussy eater.

Courtesy of Chris Dickson

Going from the greens at Royal Montreal Golf Club to the greens of University College Hill is not exactly the direction Mustangs women’s golf coach Chris Dickson thought his life would take. “If anybody would have asked me three years ago if I thought I’d be going back to university, I would’ve said no way,” Dickson said. “But to get my master’s at Western and get to coach at the same time is just huge for me.” Dickson, studying towards a master’s degree in kinesiology, took the reigns of the women’s golf program during the summer after a seven year career as a professional golfer. “Golf is a huge part of my life — it has been for years,” the Bright’s Grove native said. “It’s always been a constant in my life. So it’s great that I get to coach and be around the game while I’m in school.” It’s hard to find a tour Dickson hasn’t played on. Since turning pro in 2001 Dickson has golfed on the Canadian Tour, Dakotas Tour, New England Tour, Asian Tour and the Tight Lies Tour. The game’s best like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are spoiled and pampered when they play tournaments around the world. Dickson’s experience as a pro golfer was a bit different. “I’ve been a bit of a journeyman. I’ve slept in my car, I’ve stayed at $20 a night hotels, I’ve had people try to break into my room,” Dickson said of life on the road. “It’s a very lonely experience.” Despite rarely getting a good night’s sleep, Dickson still found the time to practice eight hours a day while he chased his dream of playing professional golf. “Life as a pro golfer, trying to make it to the big show, is really a grind,” Dickson explained. “It’s an incredibly lonely experience. A lot of the time you’re staying places that you normally wouldn’t set a foot in but you’re just trying to sleep

10 questions with Chris Dickson

whenever you can.” Dickson even played in a PGA Tour event, the 2001 Canadian Open at Royal Montreal in Quebec. Dickson shot an impressive 74 in the first round, but struggled through an injury in the second, shooting an 84 and missing the cut. “When I look back on [life as a pro golfer], it was all worth it. I mean, that’s what my dream was and that’s what I was going through,” Dickson reflected. “I met a ton of great people and played golf with a lot of great players.” Now Dickson has taken over a Mustangs women’s golf team that is suffering through an identity crisis. After winning all four Ontario University Athletics championships since women’s golf was instituted as an OUA sport in 2005, the team struggled through a rebuilding season after losing standouts Cheryl Beech, Stephanie Grenier and Jennifer Mound.

Chris Dickson At this year’ s OUA championships in Markham, the team played admirably — Katie Lebel finished 10th in the tournament despite playing on a broken foot — but ultimately came up short of their fifth straight gold medal, settling for the bronze. “A lot of people called this a rebuilding year. I know a lot of the coaches from other universities were thinking that,” Dickson said. “We were trying to prove everyone wrong and the girls really bought into that and they gave it their all. “These girls can really play golf. I would take a rebuilding year anytime if I was given these girls,” Dickson said following the championship tournament. Dickson, himself adjusting to life after professional golf, can relate to the team’s struggle to adapt to unfamiliar circumstances. “I’m going through a really serious transition period in my life as

well. This past February my brother passed away which was hard because we were really close. Now all of a sudden I’m back in school and I’m coaching golf. It’s taken a huge adjustment on my part,” he said. A new head coach, a new cast of athletes and a new sensation of losing are what illustrated this year’s Mustangs. And one other thing — a different name on the OUA banner. The University of Toronto Varsity Blues own the OUA women’s golf championship — for now. “Next year is going to be fun — I’m really excited about it,” Dickson said after the disappointment at this year’s OUA championship. “We’re going to go into next year looking to get our title back. I feel really confident with the team that we’re going to have. “We’re going to start the streak all over again.”

How many mulligans do you take per round? I don’t take any mulligans. If I hit a bad shot, I just accept it and play it where it is. Although sometimes I’d like to take some. What’s the most exciting thing to do in Bright’s Grove? Well let me tell ya — go to the garage sales. [laughs] It’s a pretty laid back little spot. It’s right on the lake so we spend some time out there. The garage sales are really the best. What’s the most exotic place you’ve ever played a round? I don’t remember the name of the course — I probably wouldn’t even be able to spell it. It was in Johor, Malasia on the Asian tour. There were monkeys in the trees — I’d definitely never seen that. Also, when I got to the first tee there was a sign that said “beware of snakes.” I didn’t really think anything of it until someone told me that it was referring to cobras. So that was an experience. Who’s the best golfer on the PGA Tour right now? Tiger Woods. Hands down. I’d say he’s the best ever. I played a lot of junior golf with Tiger and everyone knew — even back then when he was just 17 — that he was going to be incredible. Who would you play with in your dream foursome? My brother Steve, Tiger Woods and Brett Favre

Mustangs grab first place after win over Warriors By Steve Howard Gazette Writer

The Western Mustangs men’s volleyball team makes winning look easy. On Friday night the Mustangs cruised to a straight-set win over the Waterloo Warriors to improve to 8-1 and slip into a first place tie with McMaster. Left side hitter and team captain Eric Simon led the way with 15 kills. “We were pretty consistent,” Simon said. “We had one or two lapses where we dropped our play. But other than that we played full sets, which is what we set out to do.” On the other sideline, Waterloo coach Chris Lawson was far from impressed with his Warriors. “For us it was a disaster really,” Lawson said. “Western played well, but we did absolutely nothing.

When your outside hitters have an efficiency of zero, you’re not going to beat a girl guide team let alone a nationally ranked team.” The win was over a Warriors team that terrorized the Mustangs last year. Not only did Waterloo beat the Mustangs twice in the regular season, but they also knocked Western out of the playoffs in last year’s quarter-finals. “We tried to not focus on the revenge factor because it’s a different team. They have different players; we have different players,” Mustangs coach Jim Sage said. “But I know the guys were thinking about it. It was sweet revenge for sure.” Simon, who was a member of last year’s team, thinks the Mustangs have what it takes to win an Ontario University Athletics championship this year. It would be the school’s first in men’s volleyball

since 1979. “This is absolutely a team with OUA gold potential,” Simon said. “[There is] talent and work ethic amongst the players.” Sage doesn’t want to look too far ahead, but he admits the team has a chance for a championship. “We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves,” Sage said. “But I think if we stay healthy and don’t get complacent with where we’re at, then I think we have a shot.” The Mustangs jumped on the Warriors early in the first set, taking an 8-3 lead. The Warriors battled back, but Western was able to hang on and win the set 25-22. In the second set it was Western’s turn to come from behind. Sage called a timeout with his team down 12-8 in an effort to rally the Mustangs. They went on to win the set 27-25.

Western may have caught a break after Waterloo’s Duncan Cairns appeared to have earned a dig on a ball that officials ruled hit the ground. Cairns argued, but the call stood bringing Western to within one point of the Warriors. Western gained momentum after the call and went on to win the next three points. “It’s a tough one,” Lawson said. “Calls happen, that’s the way it is. It certainly had no influence on the match.” After Western rookie Phil James tied the third set at 15-15 with one of his five kills on the night, the Mustangs won 10 of the next 15 points to take the final set 25-20. Simon, who won player of the game for Western, continues to be one of the OUA’s top players. “He’s really driven this year,” Sage said. “You can see it in his

leadership. He’s taking it upon himself to get us there and the other guys pick up on that energy. He’s been great.” Lawson was also impressed with Simon’s performance. “Eric always plays well,” Lawson said. “He’s a go-for-it kind of player. He’s trying to win — not trying to not lose. That’s a great attitude.” Despite a strong game, Simon thinks he can be even better. “I thought my passing was a little shaky,” Simon said. “They didn’t serve me too many balls. I guess it was because we had a sub come in. They tried to pick on him.” The Mustangs finished the 2009 portion of their schedule with their seventh consecutive victory, a 3-1 road win over Guelph on Saturday. They next see action at the York Excalibur Volleyball Tournament on Jan. 8.