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thegazette ... sleeping in the UCC since 1906
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WESTERN’S DAILY STUDENT NEWSPAPER • EST.1906 • VOLUME 103, ISSUE 55
UCC opens its doors to those put out by strike By Shreya Tekriwal Gazette Staff
The University Students’ Council will be holding a sleepover and everyone’s welcome. Starting on the evening of Dec. 10 and going until Dec. 21, the USC will be providing students with dorm-style accommodations in the University Community Centre. “It’s called ‘Overnight at UCC.’ It’s primarily going to be used for students as a last resort,” Carolyn Hawthorn, communications officer for the USC, said. “The idea behind it is if you can’t make it for a 9 a.m. exam, there is a safe place for students to rest,” Emily Rowe, USC president, added. According to Hawthorn, the program was developed as a result of student demand and various emails, which suggested the very idea to the USC. “Students are already [sleeping in the UCC]. I’ve done it […] We’re just responding to a need on campus as of now, in regards to exams and no buses,” Hawthorn noted. Rowe mentioned mattresses will be set up in the UCC gymnasium and a security guard will be swiping students cards to ensure safety and validity of the student cards. “We have some cots and mattresses that we are pulling out and moving over [to the UCC] […] We are also helping the USC put in place a linen service,” Gitta Kulczycki, Western’s vice-president resources and operations, said. Hawthorn estimated the USC currently has approximately 30 cots in its possession. She added the cots and linen will be sanitized every night and draperies will be
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2009
How did you learn the truth about Santa Claus? “Probably
just
through
friends and stuff. My parents were pretty disappointed when I said I didn’t believe in Santa Claus any more.” —Tonni Budge Social Science II
“I don’t remember exactly. I guess it just sort of happened gradually; it wasn’t a big shocker.” —Eric Campbell Arts II Photo Illustration by Corey Stanford/Gazette
CONVENIENCE? CHECK. COMFORT AND PRIVACY? NOT SO MUCH. As part of its response to the London transit strike, the University Students’ Council is rolling out the bed mats in the University Community Centre gymnasium so students will have the option of sleeping over. Male and female sections will be separated; so don’t plan on seeing a rise in August babies. put into place to separate males and females. “I think that the USC is doing a good job of responding to what students want […] They thought very carefully through [the safety concerns and] […] have done a very good jobs of thinking through all the issues,” Kulczycki added. While students were not against the idea of people sleeping in the UCC, some admitted they personally would prefer not to do so.
“I feel like a lot of people might think that’s weird […] it might just be something that nobody would use,” Nicole Piasentini, a third-year English student, said. “I personally wouldn’t probably use it. I also don’t think it would necessarily be the most comfortable or the most quiet place to sleep,” Mandy Butcher, a fourthyear medical science student, added. According to Hawthorn, lights
in the gym will be turned off by 12 a.m. and the general wake-up time will be 7 a.m. However, she added the wake-up time is flexible and there will be emergency lights in place for safety reasons. “I don’t know how well it will work. I guess if that gets you to your exam on time and you’re willing to put up with the noise,” Karyn Olsen, a fourth-year anthropology student, said. “I wouldn’t sleep [in the UCC].”
CRTC hearings Property tax hike likely begin in Quebec By Abid-Aziz Ladhani Gazette Staff
By Meagan Kashty Gazette Staff
The Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission is seeking Canadian input to determine the future of local television. This past Monday, a public hearing began in Gatineau, Quebec giving Canadians the chance to address the CRTC with their suggestions and concerns. A random sampling of Canadians across the country was chosen, along with representatives of the Local TV Matters and Stop the TV Tax campaigns. The hearing is the result of months of campaigning between the two parties. Konrad Von Finckenstein, chairman of the CRTC, mediated the hearing. “The purpose of the present hearing is to collect the necessary information to prepare a full report for the government,” Finckenstein said in Monday’s meeting. Included in the report will be the views expressed at the hearing and recommendations to regulate television signals. The recommendations will centre around ways to PLEASE SEE END P3
Expectations of a 2.7 per cent property tax hike are apparent as city hall is set to present a draft of the 2010 budget. Although a specific percentage increase has not been agreed upon, a rise in property taxes has been deemed necessary to maintain a balanced budget and to handle the rising cost of social services. “That’s one of the issues we have to deal with,” Bud Polhill, London controller, said. “If we have any surplus some of it needs to go into a fund to cover up increasing venture works claims, otherwise we’ll be coming in next year saying we don’t have enough money to cover it and we’ll have to raise your taxes by five per cent.” According to Polhill, the unemployment rate in London is approximately 10 per cent, meaning some people could have trouble paying the higher property taxes. “We’re now third worst in the country [for unemployment] I understand,” Gina Barber, London controller, said. “Even if you have more jobs with fewer dollars attached, people aren’t going to be in a position to pay taxes
or buy houses or anything else.” She added there have not been any significant changes in Londoners’ ability to pay their taxes. This has been coupled with a better than expected assessment growth — the percentage increase of property owned — according to Barber. However, beyond finding the funds for social services, the funds allocated to police services are in question as they have experienced growth from $48 million to approximately $77 million over the past seven years. “That’s a major part of our budget,” Polhill said referring to the police services as one of the largest items in the draft of the 2010 budget. “I am sure we’ll get some people on council that say ‘you know that’s just too fat.’ But in a time when things are tough, where you got unemployment, that’s when you need a very active police department.” “We all value a good police service, no doubt, but we need to make sure the cost of policing is manageable,” Barber said. According to the London controller, the previous year’s tax hike manifested itself as an approximately $100 charge for the average homeowner.
“I was suspicious as a kid, because my dad would dress up as Santa […] and the minute when Santa left he would just appear, so I was like ‘he always misses Santa.’ So I just kind of put two and two together.” —Diana Nikolova Criminology II
“I think it was someone at school who told me. Or I realized one day, he would have to eat an awful lot of cookies, just to keep up with everyone.” —Rob Volcko Engineering I
“My brother [is] six years older then me and he kind of held it over my head for a while until I put two and two together. I was pretty young and my parents denied it. I think they still deny it.” —Spencer Matheson Kinesiology III
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theGazette • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2009
Child porn images hacked on to old PrideWestern site By Jaela Bernstien Gazette Staff
Early yesterday afternoon the University Students’ Council was informed of child pornography on a USC-affiliated message board. An individual visited the USC offices around 12:45 p.m. claiming the content was posted on a message board left over from PrideWestern’s former website. After receiving the tip, Will Bortolin, USC vice-president campus issues, investigated the matter by searching the old message board. “I saw the title of a few of the posts had long spam-like titles […] I clicked on one, saw a couple pictures of young girls in bathing suits, felt nauseous, and immediately proceeded to delete the site without further investigation,” he recalled. Within 20 minutes of notification, the domain was deleted. The USC and PrideWestern have confirmed the material does not appear to be the result of personal
attacks. Bortolin noted the spam seemed to be coming from some sort of Internet bot rather than an individual hacker. “It looks like a malicious computer program is responsible for the spam,” PrideWestern co-ordinator Johnathan Sawicki agreed. However, he added they were still unsure and would be examining the issue further. “I will be working with the USC to investigate this matter,” Sawicki said. “It is my hope that the findings will ensure changes so that something like this will not be able to happen again to PrideWestern or any other groups on campus.” Bortolin said the message board had not been in use since the release of the new PrideWestern website and, as a result, was not being monitored. He warned others to learn from this example. “It’s important for web managers who aren’t aware of this potential issue to be careful with discussion boards.”
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NEWSBRIEFS When not making dinner pays off Lisa King was just another working mother when her life changed forever last week. King, a London resident and mother of two kids, won a free pizza each month for the rest of her life after becoming the one millionth customer to use Pizza Pizza’s online ordering form. “I was very excited to find out I won the grand prize,” King recalled of the fateful night. After ordering and enjoying two large three-topping pizzas Sunday night, King received a call informing her of the contest and prize. “It was a lazy Monday night and I didn’t feel like cooking and pizza is one of those foods that gets delivered right to your door and [you] don’t have to go anywhere,” she said. The lifetime supply works out to be about 550 pizzas, she said. While King said she enjoyed the mushroom, bacon and pepperoni pizza she ordered that night, she would try to diversify her order in the future. “I might get a little adventurous as the years go on,” she said. “I have a lifetime to try out new pizzas.” — Stuart A. Thompson
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Yesterday morning youth representing People for Climate Justice staged a sit-in during a meeting at Parliament, resulting in the arrests of six protesters. The sit-in was one of several recent acts of protest intended to draw the government’s attention towards new goals for climate change. The protesters were arrested and charged with trespassing but have since been released. “[We are] demanding that the Canadian government signs onto a fair, ambitious and binding deal in Copenhagen that respects scientific-based targets, and also respects the views of the majority of Canadians,” Cameron Gray, spokesperson for People for Climate Justice, said. Since Monday morning, world leaders from 192 countries have gathered in Copenhagen, Denmark for the United Nations climate summit to discuss the creation of a new global treaty on climate change. “There will be more events occurring over the course of Copenhagen,” Gray explained. “This Saturday there will be internationally a vigil for climate change, and in demanding climate justice.” According to Gray, People for Climate Justice is a youth organization that is asking for the Canadian Government to sign a climate change agreement. “People need to be demanding from their elected officials that this is something of the utmost importance,” Gray explained. —Kaleigh Rogers
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A portion of the article “Tuition increase possible” appearing in the Dec. 2 edition of the Gazette that paraphrased a press release from the University of Toronto should have read as follows. According to a press release from the University of Toronto, the school has decided to carry a short-term debt of $45 million. The university does not plan on cutting financial aid to balance the books: The Gazette regrets any confusion.
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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 9, 2009
End in sight for TV tax commercials CONTINUED FROM P1
Photo Illustration by Corey Stanford/Gazette
WE’RE GOING TO TAKE THE HIGH ROAD ON THIS ONE AND SKIP ANY ATTEMPT AT HUMOUR. “Micro-volunteering” is a way for busy individuals to contribute small amounts of time to a group effort by doing things such as tagging or uploading photos.
“Slacktivism” catching on By Stuart A. Thompson Gazette Staff
You don’t have to work in a soup kitchen or stand in a picket line anymore to make a difference in the world. At least that’s what a new website is promising. The Extraordinaries is a group of online activists who “micro-volunteer” from the comfort of their home — or bus stop, or lineup — using their computer or cellphone to perform “micro-tasks” like tagging photos. “A lot of us are really busy in our day-to-day lives and devoting six hours in a weekend is not a possibility for a lot of people,” Dale Zak, mobile software developer for the Extraordinaries, said. “But there’s a lot of downtime,” he added. Now people can use that downtime to upload photos and translate passages one sentence at a time, Zak noted. It’s a kind of small-scale activism based on “crowdsourcing,” which asks many people to contribute in small ways, according to Kane Faucher, an assistant professor in Western’s faculty of information and media studies. “The idea of ‘many hands make light work’ is at the heart of any crowdsourcing effort,” Faucher said. “Its success may depend on how well it can mask the idea of volunteer labour with an entertaining premise.” According to Faucher, the earliest example of this is Wikipedia, which was originally designed so users volunteered their time to add information to a free database. NASA also uses “crowdware,” an online video game where users navigate millions of pictures of Mars’ surface — a task too daunting for NASA staffers. But critics call micro-volunteering and crowdsourcing a sneaky way of making an easy buck on the backs of volunteers. “We are providing the value. They are harnessing our labour,” John Reed, another FIMS instructor, said. “I’m not saying it’s insidious or even bad. But let’s just call it what it is. It’s unpaid labour.” The Extraordinaries recently added a way to make money by charging organizations for some micro-tasks like getting users to take photographs and upload them to the site.
“The application and the website will be free for people to use, but organizations will pay to have missions published on the system,” Zak said. This kind of small-scale activism has also been called “slacktivism” — a light protest where people can join a Facebook group or sign an online petition thinking they’ve made a difference. “The idea that minimal effort by a maximum number will result in great social change remains to be seen,” Faucher explained, adding not all social movements benefit from online involvement as much as having your feet on the ground. One “grounded” organization is United Way, whose volunteers usually commit more time than any online activist, according to CEO Andrew Lockie. “Some volunteer roles, like being on our board of directors, takes a lot of time and effort,” Lockie said. Lockie believes online activism like crowdsourcing can rope more people into the cause and he said United Way is trying to find more ways to get people involved using their Facebook and Twitter pages. “I could be overly optimistic but I don’t think I am,” he said. “[Crowdsourcing] is a way for people to feel like they can be engaged even if they’re really busy.” In recent years, United Way of London and Middlesex has seen an increase in community involvement and philanthropy. Lockie predicts the web and micro-volunteering will round out their participation and make it easier to get involved. But Zak and the Extraordinaries believe exposure for these groups is enough to make a difference. When
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a user tags a photo or does a translation for an organization, they also learn about the group and their issues. “I think just being knowledgeable about these kinds of topics in their day-to-day lives is important,” he said. Beth Zener, a third-year student in the media in the public interest program at Western, said people joining activist Facebook groups care more about being perceived as socially aware than actually understanding the issues. “If you don’t care, I don’t think you can start caring, even if it’s on a smaller scale,” Zener said. “I don’t think there’s anything bad about it, but it’s not a great method of making people more sensitive about the issues.”
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improve the current regulatory process while ensuring the interest of the consumers, as well as ensuring a smooth transition to digital cable. Carolynn Parsons, a Vancouver Island citizen, appeared before the CRTC via Skype lamenting the ineffectiveness of the advertising campaigns of Local TV Matters and Stop the TV Tax. “As a concerned citizen, I tried to find the [information] concerning the two sides of the hearing, one being the local stations and the other my cable provider,” Parsons said during the hearing. “I cannot help but think there is more to this than what meets the advertisements.” Parsons added she holds a lot of value in local television, but was unwilling to pay the costs requested by local television networks. Anthony Hémond, telecommunications analyst for the Unions des consommateurs, voiced concerns a shift to digital would risk the creation of two levels of consumers:
those who would have access to the signal, and those in urban areas who wouldn’t. Continued at Tuesday’s hearing, representatives from cable service providers including Cogeco and Bell had the opportunity to introduce their Stop the TV Tax panel. Marko Bibic, senior vice-president regulatory and government affairs at Bell Canada, noted many Canadians are unwilling to pay extra to receive local TV stations. “The broadcasters that launched the Save Local TV campaign in April of this year know this,” Bibic said on Tuesday. “This is why they have gone to such great length to assure consumers that the fees for basic service would not go up as a result of their compensation charges.” The hearing will end Dec. 21, with results to be sent to the government to determine the future of local television.
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opinions
theGazette • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2009
thegazette Volume 103, issue 55 “Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, kiss my ass. Kiss his ass. Kiss your ass. Happy Hanukkah.” — CLARK GRISWOLD
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.
Merry Christmas? This may come as a shock to all of our readers: the holiday season is upon us. In traditional Gazette style, we’ve put together a collection of things we hate about the holiday season, as well as some solutions. So presented in no particular order, here are our 2009 Festive Frustrations: Reunions with curious family members: Everyone has the family members who spend their time at family gatherings judiciously asking everyone what their plans are for the future. Perhaps it’s because they no longer have a life of their own. Whatever the reason, these persistent questions often sour the festive spirit. For fun, why not tell them you’re joining the Peace Corps or plan to study Buddhism in Nepal? The early shoppers: Let’s not forget the “holier than thou” jerks who go around asking everyone if they’ve done all their Christmas shopping. These people bought their Christmas gifts in mid-July while normal people went to the beach, and now they’re sanctimonious pricks to anyone who hasn’t finished buying gifts before Dec. 20. The mall: Yes, it’s a clichéd item to add onto the list. But our hate extends beyond the massive throngs of shoppers pretending they’re auditioning for American Gladiators. There’s also the slow walkers. Or how about the pushy sales clerks hoping to rack up enough commission for their holiday bonus? Carolers: While they are a welcome addition to every festive occasion, few things are quite as awkward as figuring out what to do after the carolers stop singing. Are we supposed to give them money? Applaud? Provide hot chocolate? Slam the door in their faces? The fake show of enjoyment: Maybe some people can’t wait for that three-pack of grey tube socks under the tree — we’re not ones to judge. But it can be pretty difficult to act enthusiastic for some of those less desirable gifts. In order to avoid this predicament, the Gazette recommends taking drama classes and opening presents early — that way there’s plenty of opportunity to act surprised about the ugly sweater Grandma got you. The meals: As with virtually every other family gathering, the winter holidays provide our parents with the opportunity to dote on their children. Unfortunately, this normally comes in the form of excessive quantities of food being forced down our throats — usually in the form of Grandma’s inedible fruitcake. But things don’t have to be this way — pretend you’re allergic to get out of having to down extra helpings of food. As with everything, a healthy supply of booze can be the cause of and solution to many festive problems. With the LCBO bringing in their annual holiday supply of comically oversized bottles, why not find your way to some Christmas cheer with a high rum-to-eggnog ratio? 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 •
We know you’re stressed
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
It’s a stressful time for everyone, there is no need to turn your heavy workload into a competition
Student interests not so “special”
Kash-Money Meagan Kashty News Editor
I’m more stressed than you are. It’s true. I doubt you can even fathom the amount of stress I’m under. But this time of year, everyone thinks their stress level far exceeds that of any other student. As essay and exam season roll around, I find myself surrounded by people trying to out-do my workload. Eventually, I am unintentionally participating in competitions with friends and acquaintances to determine who has the most on their plate. The catalyst of this is usually the honestly distressed student who complains they have a midterm the following day. Their adversary then immediately counters this argument in saying they have both a midterm and a final essay. The claim is then topped by the person who has a midterm, multiple final essays and works part-time. The winner of this battle of academia is either the person who groans the loudest, or the one who ultimately has so much work it’s questionable whether they will actually finish it all. I’m tired of hearing it. I’m tired of having to defend my workload against individuals who feel the need to belittle my stress in order to indulge theirs. OK, so I don’t have any exams during the traditional exam period. This doesn’t mean I’m coasting
Forget Santa, write to us this holiday. The semester may be over but we still want to hear from you. Get a head start on next term and send your letters to:
[email protected]
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
through December. There’s no denying exams are a stressful time of year, whether you have one or five, but there are certainly ways to alleviate the stress. For those individuals who have three exams, two essays and five Christmas parties to attend, I can’t help but wonder why you would let yourself get to the point where you’re chugging Red Bull and staying in the library until it closes. Exam schedules are posted at least a month before exam starts, and due dates for final essays are found on the syllabus given on the first day of class. Maybe you should have anticipated this busy season, and started researching for that 25-page paper a month ago rather than the night before it was due. In the end, there is no need for a competition at all. Stress is subjective, and while it may seem you’re workload is heavier than your friends’, it’s unfair to assume you’re automatically under more stress than they are. Everyone handles stress differently – some better than others. While you may consider your roommate lucky for only having one midterm, sometimes there’s more to their situation than you imagine — the format of that midterm and its weight can increase that roomie’s stress to levels you may not have anticipated. I suggest if someone approaches you complaining about their workload, the best thing to do is listen quietly and offer a bit of acknowledgement. Avoid the temptation to retaliate and list off everything you have to do. You’re only satisfying yourself in doing so.
Senior Mike Hayes Lauren Pelley Opinions Jaclyn Haggarty Photography Laura Barclay Brett Higgs Corey Stanford Graphics Ali Chiu Jesse Tahirali Web Stuart Thompson
Re: “Forced to pay for unused services” Dec. 4, 2009 To the editor: I would like to dispute the assertion that PrideWestern and EnviroWestern are “special interest groups.” In order to be a “special” interest group, there must be other special interest groups in opposition. However, I am not familiar with anyone at Western who is opposed to a safe, inclusive and socially aware campus. These are not “special interests,” these are student interests. Student government sponsorship of services like this is standard practice across nearly every major Ontario university. Certainly there are some students who value these services more than others, although the same can also be said of nearly every other service at Western — including the Gazette, which is also subsidized through student fees. —Will Bortolin USC VP Campus Issues
What’s in Our Mailbag? One semester down and only one left to go. Here are the number of letters we’ve received on some of the hot topics of 2009. LTC strike. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 CFS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Palestine and Israel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 The role of TAs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Arrest in the SSC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Waste Audit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Midterm Frustrations. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Niqab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 USC Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Swine Flu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Puppies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
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Elana Abramovitch, Ryan Abreu, Fadesola Adedayo, Tara Athar, Katherine Atkinson, Erin Baker, Mary Ann Boateng, Jordan Brown, Dylan Clark, Julie-Anne Cleyn, Caitlin Conroy, Sari Rose Conter, Adam Crozier, Angela Easby. Adam Feldman, Mark Filipowich, Allie Fonarev, Jennifer Gautier, Ricki-Lee Gerbrandt, Jeremy Gritten, Elton Hobson, Eliot Hong, Alan Hudes, Aras Kolya, Aaron Korolnek, Jay LaRochelle, Colin Lim, Jared Lindzon, Julia Lovgren, Kevin Melhuish, Paula Meng, Lauren Moore, Ora Morison, Jessie Murdock, Maciej Pawlak, Jonathan Pinkus, Aaron Pinto, Jaymin Proulx, Gennelle Smith, Cali Travis, Jennifer Urbanski, Drew Whitson, Dale Williams, Casey Yetman, Emily Zhou
Gazette Composing Ian Greaves, Manager Maja Anjoli-Bilić, Cheryl Forster Gazette Advertising Alex McKay, Manager Mark Ritchie, Karen Savino, Diana Watson
P5 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2009
ArtsEntertainment Arts & Entertainment’s holiday wrap Festive ways to keep your sanity during exam season By Arts & Entertainment Gazette Staff
Let’s be honest. It is almost impossible to study 24hours a day, seven days a week leading up to an exam — you have to take a break at some point. Since the usual stress relief of excessive drinking and hitting up Richmond Row may not be the ideal solution for getting rid of the pressure of the end-of-yearcrunch, there are plenty of alternative activities you can use to help maintain your sanity during the exam period. ‘Tis the Season for Movies and Music Seeing a good concert or catching a flick at the theatre are great ways to give your mind a break from information overload — a two-hour break will probably be more beneficial for your mind in the long run. Some upcoming shows include Faber Drive at Call the Office on Dec. 11, Three Days Grace at the John Labatt Centre Dec. 15, Protest the Hero at London Music Hall Dec. 16 and Constantines at Call the Office on Dec. 18. If you’re feeling festive check out London Concert Band’s “Spirits of Christmas” at Aeolian Performing Arts Centre on Dec. 15. If movies are more your style, hit up the theatre to see The Lovely Bones and The Prince and the Frog opening Dec. 11, or James Cameron’s latest, Avatar, which comes out Dec.18. If you’re really into fashion, check out Coco Avant Chanel, a biopic about the fashion icon’s early life, playing at Hyland Cinema for the next couple of weeks. If you don’t feel like venturing too far from your cubicle at Weldon, go no further than Western Film to catch a screening of Couples Retreat or Law Abiding Citizen starting this Friday. All I Want for Exams is Caffeine and Sugar Coffee and comfort food are key for getting through the stress of exams. Luckily, there is plenty of festive food available at this time of year — even on campus. It’s likely you will be consuming more than one caffeinated beverage per study day, so start your “Coffee Crawl” at William’s Coffee Pub with a candy cane hot chocolate. Next, try Starbuck’s newest holiday beverage, the caramel brulée latte. Before you hit the library, stop at the Tim Hortons for a gingerbread hot chocolate. No hot beverage is complete without a sweet treat. Plan some time with friends to have delicious baking session, or better yet, try a cookie exchange. This involves baking multiple batches of cookies, and exchanging them with your friends’ baked goods. This way you’ll have a variety of treats to get you through those long nights of cramming. Other ideas involving food and friends include a planned potluck dinner — because who has time to cook a multi-course meal anyways? You’ll appreciate a well-rounded feast with good company instead of the usual Kraft Dinner.
Skating, Walking, and… Tobogganing? Don’t worry about binge eating — we have an exercise plan all figured o u t . Plus, exercise is one of t h e b e s t s t re s s relievers. Victoria Park’s skating rink if officially open, so grab your skates, someone’s hand to hold and make your way down to the winter wonderland of ice and lights. If Mother Nature ever decides to give us enough snow, you can grab your toboggans — or laundry baskets — and head to the nearest slope. Not only is tobogganing a fun activity, but walking up those hills also gets the thighs burning. Of course, people are getting more exercise than normal with the lack of buses — having to walk and bike everywhere might be the silver lining to the strike. If you don’t have time to trek it to the gym, try YouTube for “8 minute Abs” or “Insanity,” a couple exercise videos you can do in the comforts of your own home! It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year… for Decorating! Half the fun of the holiday season is decorating — a little festivity can go a long way towards brightening up a gloomy study session. Go to a dollar store, grab some garlands, window decals and other ornaments to hang around your place. If you have a lot of time on your hands — or you’re just looking for a really big distraction — make some popcorn, grab a needle and some thread and create your very own garland. Tip: make sure you don’t use buttery popcorn. If you don’t have a tree to string your popcorn garland around, don’t worry — it makes a delicious study snack. To add a warm and cozy feel to your place, rent or buy a fireplace DVD — it provides the ambience of a crackling fire without the risk of burning the house down. Twinkle lights strung around a room also help to create a fun and festive atmosphere. The holiday season can be rough with exams, crappy weather and now the lack of transit. Whether you take heed of our advice or not, just remember there’s a light at the end of the tunnel and the break is just around the corner. Stay positive, keep motivated and take care. From your Arts & Entertainment editors, happy holidays!
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theGazette • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2009
Can Disney conquer stereotype with new heroine? The Princess and the Frog will be put to the test in theatres Friday By Jonathan Forani Gazette Staff
This is a big week for Disney — not only will it try to prove 2D animation is still a hot commodity, but all eyes will also be on the corporation as it unveils The Princess and the Frog, its first African-American heroine in nearly 90 years of filmmaking. This Friday marks Disney’s return to hand-drawn animation, a method abandoned after the box office failure that was Home on the Range in 2004. The Princess and the Frog will be the 49th addition to the Walt Disney Animated Classics line of films, a list ripe with favourites like Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King. However, it is also a list lined with accusations of prejudice,
sparking many critics to ask whether the new heroine, Princess Tiana, can finally repair Disney’s reputation for stereotyping. Over the years, the Disney brand has been panned by cultural critics for its misogynistic and racist character representations. For example, in 1993 Aladdin drew enough criticism from Arab groups — saying the film’s depiction of the Middle East was offensive — later versions of the movie and soundtrack were altered. Kane Faucher, a media, information and technoculture professor at Western, notes that while Disney films like Aladdin do have an Arabic protagonist, “all the ‘good’ characters in the film are highly Americanized in appearance.” Dumbo also found itself in hot water with the character “Jim
Crow,” which referenced American segregation laws of the same name that remained until 1965. Until this week, the crow was one of few African-American characters in Disney films. The production of The Princess and the Frog was one riddled with racial controversy from the beginning. The original plot featured the main character as a chambermaid working for a wealthy white debutante. She was then to win the heart of a white prince who saves her from the clutches of her superior. This idea was quickly scrapped after critics slammed its clichéd depiction of subservient black workers. Revisions to the script are still being met with concern — will it be able to rectify the image of African-Americans in Disney classics like Dumbo? Will the film approach its setting of New Orleans appropriately? Still, others will undoubtedly ask, “What is the big deal?” After all, many grew up with Dis-
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ney and remember it as a fond childhood memory. However, the Walt Disney Company is a business — one of the world’s largest media conglomerates to be exact. The ways in which race is represented is not necessarily of immediate concern for the company. “Economically, any Hollywood film should be taken with a grain of salt,” former Disney employee turned Western media, information and technoculture lecturer John Reed says. “Disney is in the business of marketing emotions.” Disney also wields a unique amount of influence over a
child audience, and the company’s depiction of race is important because it “targets the demographic least capable or experienced to make an informed opinion on the consumption of media content,” Fa u c h e r s a y s . “These films run the dangerous risk of impacting the way a child sees the world and how they will interact with those belonging to other ethnic groups.” Perhaps more d a n g e r o u s l y, Faucher notes, is how those of Disney’s audience “who do not belong to the dominant ‘white American’ discourse may come to subconsciously believe that they are lesser.” For some, Disney has become a corporation that bears responsibility for defining the ways in which children are exposed to culture and race. The Princess and the Frog may be a step forward.
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[email protected]. Our business is waking up...UWO! 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. MAN WITH PICK-UP. $40/hr within London. Great for small moves. Flat rates on large appliances. Senior/student discount. Rick 519-281-2497. TREATED UNFAIRLY? Talk to the Ombudsperson in confidence. This service is free to all Western, Brescia, King’s and Huron students. Contact info: UCC251, 519-661-3573,
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P7 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2009
Sports
ON DECK: HOLIDAYS... Not a moment to soon
MUSTANGS TRACK AND FIELD SEASON OPENER
Mustangs track destroys the field Western athletes earn 42 medals at season opener By Elton Hobson Gazette Staff
For one day, the ice at Thompson Recreation and Athletic Centre was covered with turf, and the normally empty track was a hive of activity. The Mustangs looked to start their season and send a message about their championship intentions — and delivered. The men and women of the Mustangs track and field team kicked off their season at the 35th annual Season’s Opener meet at Thompson last Saturday. The team combined for a strong total of 42 medals, including 14 golds. The women’s team led the way with 25 team medals, while the men took home 17. On the women’s side, the core sprint team was on fire, accounting for eight medals. Veterans Lisa Grieve and Jennifer Perrault paced the sprinters with two medals each. In the field, Cara Marcantonio was a highlight for the Mustangs, setting a meet record of 15.50 metres in the weight throw. It was the second strong performance from Marcantonio in as many weeks, and the Mustang is starting to make some noise.
“Cara is really showing [us] early in the season that she’s going to be one of the top throwers in the country,” Mustangs head coach Vickie Croley said proudly. Marcantonio already has her sights set on the all-time Western record, 17.55, set by Kate Forbes in 2002. The most exciting event of the day on the men’s side was the 60metre hurdles. Three-time Canadian Interuniversity Sport champion Mark Stewart achieved the CIS standard, the only Mustang to do so at the meet, earning a place in the national finals in March with a time of 8.27. “We’re really glad to have someone of Mark’s ability level, and strong level of leadership, competing for Western this year,” Croley said of the former Toronto Varsity Blues athlete. His time was enough to earn him a silver medal as Andrew VandenDool of the St. Thomas Legion Track Club broke the all-time meet record with a time of 8.21, earning the gold. “It was a really good, high quality race and it was a pretty big record to break — no doubt about it,” Croley said.
Laura Barclay/Gazette
THIS CUTLINE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY 3M. Felix Li (left) and Matt Morden (right) are neck and neck in the preliminary round of the men’s 60-metre high hurdles. Li finished 5th while Morden finished 7th which qualified both hurdlers for the finals. However, neither athlete could best Andrew VanDendool of St. Thomas Legion who claimed the gold medal in the finals. Morden finished 4th while Lee finished 8th. Jason Kerr and Scott Leitch came through with gold medals in the 60-metre and 600-metre runs respectively. The throwing team also impressed with fifth-year veteran Dan McDonald winning the shot put and rookie Jesse Francis taking the gold in the weight toss. While satisfied with her team’s
performance, Croley admitted the location might have played a factor in the Mustangs’ strong play. “There is a home field advantage,” she said. “Our athletes are used to training there, so it does take away some of the pressure.” The pressure went far beyond the location of the meet because
many of the athletes were competing for their spot on the team. The athletes who make the cut will return to action after the holiday break as they head to Windsor for the Can Am Meet on Jan. 15. This will be Western’s first crack at the defending CIS champion Windsor Lancers.
D’Alleva shines for Mustang wrestlers
Having a good day and getting a little lucky can be important too.” D’Alleva — in her first year of OUA competition — has been a pleasant surprise for the Mustangs this year — immediately stepping in and winning gold medals. “Larissa has done really well this year — she’s fit in very well with us,” Takahashi said of the Prince Albert, Ontario native. “She was one of our top recruits for the women. She’s strong, really good technically and she’s physically sound.” D’Alleva also won gold in the 63 kg division at the Toronto Open earlier this year, taking down several seasoned, university-level veterans. The rookie is a product of Team Impact — a wrestling club in Eastern Toronto, which has turned out several national and provincial junior champions. “She has a really good background. She’s coming out of a wrestling club that has a really strong background and really good coaching,” Takahashi said. “Larissa has integrated really well [at the university level].”
erade Centre in Brampton this past weekend. The Mustangs trampled over the competition, finishing 113 points ahead of second place Queen’s. “Our performance was almost perfect,” Mustangs cheerleading coach David-Lee Tracey said. “In a judged sport like this, it is extremely difficult to fuse the monstrously difficult athletic skills into a visually appealing routine and then hit it. We only made two minor miscues.” With 21 college teams competing, Western had to seamlessly execute their routines in order to stay above the competition. “Queen’s University has been on our heels most consistently over the past six or seven years but they struggled this year,” Tracey noted. “Regardless, we left everyone in the dust in the overall score breakdown.” With another national title penned into the books, the team is ready to take a brief break before coming back to get ready for more competition. “[The team will get] some much deserved rest time during exams and holidays, then we gear up for the CheerSport Nationals in Atlanta. We have won the past four years in the Elite College Coed Division,” Tracey said.
SPORTS BRIEFS
Provided by David-Lee Tracey
THIS… IS…. CHEERLEADER SPARTA! Fourth-year cheerleader Sara Lord leads the Mustangs onto the floor at the national championships at the Powerade Centre in Brampton, last weekend. The Mustangs came away with their 24th national title in the last 25 years.
The London-Western Wrestling Club, buoyed by several top Mustangs wrestlers, finished second in the women’s division and sixth in the men’s division at the Ontario Senior Wrestling Championships on Nov. 28 in Barrie. While not an official Ontario University Athletics event, the Mustangs use the provincial competition to stay sharp during their long season. “It’s a full year sport, so we really won’t peak until mid-February when we host the OUA championships,” Mustangs head coach Ray Takahashi said. On the women’s side, Olivia Gunnell and Larissa D’Alleva won gold in the 59 kg and 63 kg weight classes, respectively. Brianne Barry and Lesley McCallum claimed silver and bronze in the 55 kg division. Meanwhile, Jennifer Nguyen won bronze in the 51 kg division and Liz Sera finished fourth amongst the 59 kg competition. For the men, Ilya Abelev and rookie Eric Jacobson both finished sixth in the 66 and 74 kg weight classes. “We’re doing very well,” Takahashi said of his squad’s season thus far. “We need to be well conditioned, work on our technique, get match experience and stay healthy.
—Arden Zwelling
No surprise as Mustang cheerleaders win again The Western Mustangs cheerleading team furthered its winning reputation by taking home its 24th National title in 25 years at the Pow-
— Grace Davis
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theGazette • WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2009
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10
ARTS
ARTS
Exhibitions at Museum London James Lahey: Guido’s Rhombus; Modelling the World; A(l)lure of the Local; David Merritt: sham, 421 Ridout St.
Exhibitions at Museum London James Lahey: Guido’s Rhombus; Modelling the World; A(l)lure of the Local; David Merritt: sham, 421 Ridout St.
Something Wicked This Way Comes The Arts Project, 203 Dundas St.
Something Wicked This Way Comes The Arts Project, 203 Dundas St.
CLUBBING
CLUBBING
Groove Tank Molly Bloom’s, 700 Richmond St.
Karaoke Night The Wit’s End Pub, 235 North Centre Rd.
LIVE MUSIC
DINING
State of Shock, 9 pm, 19+ London Music Hall, 185 Queens Ave.
Christmas at Dickens’ Dinner – Victorian Christmas dinner with performance of An Upper Canada Christmas Carol, $50 General, Fanshawe Pioneer Village, 1424 Clarke Rd.
SPECIAL EVENTS So You Think You Can Dance, 7:30 pm $41.25 to $61.25 John Labatt Centre, 99 Dundas St.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12
DJ Boogie, Cello Supper Club, 99 King St.
CLUBBING
Christmas at Dickens’ Dinner – Victorian Christmas dinner with performance of An Upper Canada Christmas Carol, $50 General, Fanshawe Pioneer Village, 1424 Clarke Rd.
Jennifer White (Celtic Harp, vocals) with Robert McMaster (percussion) Dinner and Concert, starting at 5 pm (Jambalaya and Marienbad restaurants) $55 (inclusive), The London Fine Art Centre, 124 Dundas St. (next to Kingsmill’s)
DINING
DJ Zoltan/DJ Sternberg Barking Frog, 209 John St. DJ Matty Ceeps, 671 Richmond St.
LIVE MUSIC A Celtic Christmas, The Sheridan Band Aeolian Hall Messiah performed by Fanshawe Chorus London & Concert Players Orchestra, 7:30 pm, $15 student/ $25 adult Centennial Hall, 550 Wellington St. SPECIAL EVENTS A Visit with St. Nicholas – hot pancake breakfast, decorate a gingerbread man, horse-drawn wagon, and visit St. Nick! Sittings at 9:30 am, 11 am, 1 pm, $12 general, $40 family of four Fanshawe Pioneer Village, 1424 Clarke Rd.
LIVE MUSIC Die Mannquin, Call the Office, 216 York St. THEATRE
Perhaps English, 8 pm, $15 student/ $20 regular McManus Theatre, 471 Richmond St.
Perhaps English, 1 and 8 pm $15 student/ $20 regular McManus Theatre, 471 Richmond St.
The Wedding Singer, 7 pm London City Music Theatre, 900 King St. (at Western Fair Grounds)
The Wizard of Oz, 7:30 pm $28.35 to $54.60 Grand Theatre, 471 Richmond St.
Domino’s Accepts Western One Meal Cards
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11 ARTS Dagmara Genda & Kristin Ivey Forest City Gallery, 258 Richmond St.
SPORTS 091209
THEATRE
The Wizard of Oz, 1 and 7:30 pm $28.35 to $54.60 Grand Theatre, 471 Richmond St.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12 Something Wicked This Way Comes The Arts Project, 203 Dundas St.
North & U.W.O. (519)
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THEATRE
672-3030
Perhaps English, 2 pm $15 student/ $20 regular McManus Theatre, 471 Richmond St.
1673 Richmond St. N (at Fanshawe)
Molly Bloom’s
Exhibitions at Museum London James Lahey: Guido’s Rhombus; Modelling the World; A(l)lure of the Local; David Merritt: sham, 421 Ridout St.
Irish Pub
Something Wicked This Way Comes The Arts Project, 203 Dundas St.
London Knights vs. Guelph Storm, 7 pm $15 student John Labatt Centre, 99 Dundas St.
The Nutcracker, presented by Dance Steps London & London Community Players, 2 and 7 pm, $22 adults/ $18 children and high school students Palace Theatre, 710 Dundas St. The Wizard of Oz, 2 and 8 pm $28.35 to $54.60 Grand Theatre, 471 Richmond St.
CLUBBING
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13
Allure Fridays with DJ Flash Up on Carling, 153 Carling St.
ARTS
Join Mike O’Brien & his band this New Years Eve!
Christmas Customer Appreciation Party, 29 Park, 359 Talbot St.
Aidan Urquhart: Heaven and Hell Museum London, 421 Ridout St. Something Wicked This Way Comes The Arts Project, 203 Dundas St.
Call for all the details.
Finally Famous Ceeps, 671 Richmond St.
CLUBBING
519-675-1212
DINING Christmas at Dickens’ Dinner – Victorian Christmas dinner with performance of An Upper Canada Christmas Carol, $50 General, Fanshawe Pioneer Village, 1424 Clarke Rd.
Christmas Party & Pub Caroling (London Food Bank) Chaucer’s Pub, 122 Carling St.
700 Richmond St. at the tracks
www.mollybloomslondon.com
LIVE MUSIC
091209
LIVE MUSIC
Monday’s
Baby, It’s Cold Outside – Morgan and Kristina Jones, Stephen Holowitz Trio 7:30 pm, $20 in advance/ $22 at door Aeolian Hall, 795 Dundas St. SPORTS London Knights vs. Kitchener Rangers, 7:30 pm, $15 student, John Labatt Centre, 99 Dundas St. THEATRE Perhaps English, 8 pm $15 student/ $20 regular McManus Theatre, 471 Richmond St.
The Wizard of Oz, 8 pm $28.35 to $54.60 Grand Theatre, 471 Richmond St.
39¢ WINGS with beverage
Chicken Fajitas and $3.00 Coronas
A Visit with St. Nicholas – hot pancake breakfast, decorate a gingerbread man, horse-drawn wagon, and visit St. Nick! Sittings at 9:30 am, 11 am, 1 pm, $12 general, $40 family of four Fanshawe Pioneer Village, 1424 Clarke Rd.
Thursday’s
FULL Rack Friday’s Ribs 1/2 Price of $ $ Appetizers every night after 9pm
15
$
John Labatt Centre Open House Skate – Fill the Zamboni Toy Drive 3 to 5 pm, $5, Please bring toy or cash donation John Labatt Centre, 99 Dundas St.
4 (2 oz.)
$
Martini’s
Oxford St. West location ONLY beside Blockbuster • 519-657-6888
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12
B o o k N ow Fo r Yo u r N ew y! t Yea r’s E ve P a r
Dagmara Genda & Kristin Ivey Forest City Gallery, 258 Richmond St. Exhibitions at Museum London James Lahey: Guido’s Rhombus; Modelling the World; A(l)lure of the Local; David Merritt: sham, 421 Ridout St.
091202
Live Ba nd ~ W ildw ood Flow ers ~ plus our house DJ LO TS O F GIVE-AW AYS Adm ission Free/No Door C ha rge
THEATRE The Nutcracker, presented by Dance Steps London & London Community Players, 7 pm, $22 adults/ $18 children and high school students Palace Theatre, 710 Dundas St. The Wizard of Oz, 2 pm $28.35 to $54.60 Grand Theatre, 471 Richmond St.
ARTS Aidan Urquhart: Heaven and Hell Museum London, 421 Ridout St.
Messiah performed by Gerald Fagan Singers & Concert Players Orchestra 3:30 pm, $15 student/ $25 adult St. Peter’s Basilica, Richmond and Dufferin SPECIAL EVENTS
091202
The Nutcracker, presented by Dance Steps London & London Community Players, 7 pm, $22 adults/ $18 children and high school students Palace Theatre, 710 Dundas St.
Tuesday’s Wednesday’s HALF Price
Drop in for our 32oz Super Mug of Beer and Monday Night Football
iwrestledabearonce, 7 pm, $12.50 London Music Hall, 185 Queens Ave.
M onda y 39¢ Wings after 7PM Tues da y Rib & Wing Night W ednes da y Ladies Night T hurs da y Karaoke Night Frida y & Sa t urda y After 10PM - Dance to Live Music or DJ
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235 North Centre Rd (corner of Richmond & North Centre Rd.) 519-850-9487
MONDAY, DECEMBER 14 ARTS Something Wicked This Way Comes The Arts Project, 203 Dundas St. THEATRE Stuart McLean – A Vinyl Café Christmas $42.50 to $47.50 Centennial Hall, 550 Wellington St. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15 ARTS Aidan Urquhart: Heaven and Hell Museum London, 421 Ridout St. Dagmara Genda & Kristin Ivey Forest City Gallery, 258 Richmond St. Something Wicked This Way Comes The Arts Project, 203 Dundas St. LIVE MUSIC Three Days Grace, 7:30 pm $41.75 to $46.75 John Labatt Centre, 99 Dundas St. THEATRE Stuart McLean – A Vinyl Café Christmas $42.50 to $47.50 Centennial Hall, 550 Wellington St.
www.ceeps.com join us on : The Ceeps