New research finds same gene in fly and mammal, page 14 It’s tea time with Darren Hutz, page 12 UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO STUDENT NEWSPAPER UW students Kevin and Eric Martin left Queenston Heights park near Niagara-on-the-Lake April 30 for a six-week hike along Bruce trail. The brothers are raising money for the House of Friendship. FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2005 See EMBASSY, page 3 Dave George-Cosh MAY 6 , 2005 See TREK, page 4 Carla Sandham EDITOR - IN - CHIEF Carla Sandham EDITOR - IN - CHIEF
IMPRINT IMPRINT UNIVERSITY OF WAT E R L O O STUDENT NEWSPAPER MAY 6, 2005 VOL 28, NO 1 IMPRINT . UWATERLOO . CA DAVID MARTIN UW students Kevin and Eric Martin left Queenston Heights park near Niagara-on-the-Lake April 30 for a six-week hike along Bruce trail. The brothers are raising money for the House of Friendship. Brothers bear the elements Two years ago a Toronto woman lay wide-eyed in her tent pitched along Bruce Trail as black bears lurked in the woods around her. But bears are not what worry two UW students who are trekking the 1,368-kilometre Bruce Trail this month. “There are bears past Owen Sound, but I’ll be fine as long as I can run faster than him,” chuckles Eric as he points to his brother Kevin sitting across from him in the SLC. What worries Kevin and Eric Mar- tin most about their six-week adven- ture is what they are going to eat. “We have no idea about cooking,” said Eric, a first-year arts student. “We have minimal cooking experience and are only taking a little stove.” But Eric, 22, and Kevin, 19, are willing to eat hot dogs every day and risk meeting a bear in order to send disad- vantaged children to camp —some- thing they have enjoyed while growing up. “Camp is an important place for kids to learn and grow,” said Eric, now a camp counsellor. “All kids should have this worthwhile opportunity.” Under gray skies and light rain, the brothers started their hike at the head of the trail in Queenston Heights Park, just south of Niagara-on-the-Lake on April 30. They hope to raise $10,000 for the House of Friendship’s summer camp sponsorship program. By Saturday, the Martins, of Waterloo, had raised $4,815. “It’s great from our point of view,” said Brian Hunsberger, program co- ordinator. “It will raise the profile of the program and hopefully broaden our donor base.” Last year the program sent 117 children to camp. The program re- quires $25,000 in donations, added Hunsberger. Eric said it was always a long-term goal of his to hike the Bruce Trail, which stretches from Niagara-on-the- Lake through Kitchener-Waterloo to Tobermory. When Eric approached his brother about joining him on his adventure, Kevin was less than enthusiastic. “You’re crazy, I told him,” Kevin recalled days before the trek. But Kevin, a second-year environ- ment and business student, couldn’t stop thinking about his brother’s of- fer. He later surprised Eric by agreeing to go along with him. Kevin then suggested turning their trip into a fundraiser —to make the cold nights and sore feet worthwhile. And so they did. See TREK, page 4 Carla Sandham EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Carla Sandham EDITOR-IN-CHIEF The Federation of Students’ discipli- nary committee has dissolved the Embassy Student Association, end- ing –—for now —a lengthy battle over the club’s alleged $6,000 debt to the university. Feds clubs director Rick Theis said it’s unfortunate but policy states if a club is in debt “it must repay its debt or be dissolved.” The Embassy Student Association (ESA) refuses to acknowledge $5,951.88 in unpaid rental fees for Humanities Theatre, where it held weekly Christian worship events. “I believe the debt is illegitimate,” said Hebron Hailu, an ESA member. For eight months the club has contested the debt despite overwhelm- ing evidence, including e-mails and confirmation of the debt from theatre manager Catharine Scott, said John Andersen, Feds president. After the ESA failed to provide tangible evidence proving the debt void, Feds Internal Administration Com- mittee (IAC) voted 3-2 to disband the club on April 6. This is not, however, the first time the Feds has taken action against the ESA. Under the IAC’s advice, Feds suspended the ESA in 2004 after eight violations of Feds Clubs policies and procedures were discov- ered. “I am a bit disheartened by the lack of support from the Feds since they’re our voice,” said Hailu, adding members are saddened to see events taking place away from campus. He said between 600 and 700 people attended their embassy events at Humanities Theatre in Hagey Hall. Before moving its events to Fed Hall in 2002, ESA rented Humanities Theatre at a discounted club rental rate each week. Because the theatre is run on a break- even basis, it could not afford to fre- quently host large events at a reduced rate. “Their use was unusual in their numbers, wear and tear on the theatre and their weekly bookings year round,” said Scott. See EMBASSY, page 3 Feds shuts down ESA CKMS looks to raise fee For those students still sensitive about last term’s referendum on student fees, take note — soon you’re going to pay $1 more to maintain your local com- munity radio station. On May 2, Radio Waterloo Inc., known on campus as CKMS FM, held their general meeting in the SLC Multi- Purpose room. Aside from the usual tribulations that general meetings un- dergo (agenda reviews, acceptance of previous meetings’ minutes, etc.), the meeting’s focus was the discussion of the fee increase. CKMS has a detailed budget pro- jection analysis explaining why the fee increase is needed. The radio station has operated under the current student fee of $4.50 for the past 12 years, oper- ating below the standard cost of living. The station has planned carefully to keep costs at a minimum while posi- tioning itself to improve its service to Waterloo students. Funding is gener- ally acquired through student fees, however the organization also relies on fundraising (including an upcoming yard sale) and has applied for a grant from the Trillium Foundation. Reasons for requesting the dollar increase include maintaining the sta- tion manager position, increasing the responsibilities of the programme and spoken-word co-ordinators, the be- ginning of a fund that will be posi- tioned strategically to pick up a new, stronger frequency when it becomes available, rapid change of the North Campus and building links with the campus through programming and the acquisition of physical space on campus. CKMS members voted in the fee increase, with 26 in favour, one declin- ing and two abstaining. The budget projections will be submitted to John Andersen, Feds president. Andersen will then inform Dennis Huber, vice- president of finance at UW, on how to proceed further. If the university ac- cepts the student fee, the radio station foresees no additional fee increase for at least five years. CKMS can be heard at 100.3 FM or 95.5 FM on cable. More information about CKMS and the student fee in- crease can be found at www.ckmsfm.ca or by contacting Heather Majury at 886- 2567 extension 202. [email protected]Dave George-Cosh IMPRINT STAFF Raise the “tea” bar Humans and flies alike? New research finds same gene in fly and mammal, page 14 It’s tea time with Darren Hutz, page 12
Transcript
1FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2005 IMPRINT
IMPRINTUN I V E R S IT Y O F WAT E R L O O ST U D E N T NE W S PA P E R MAY 6, 2005 VO L 28, NO 1 I M P R I N T.UWAT E R L O O.C A
DAVID MARTIN
UW students Kevin and Eric Martin left Queenston Heights park near Niagara-on-the-Lake April30 for a six-week hike along Bruce trail. The brothers are raising money for the House of Friendship.
Brothers bear the elementsTwo years ago a Toronto woman laywide-eyed in her tent pitched alongBruce Trail as black bears lurked in thewoods around her. But bears are notwhat worry two UW students who aretrekking the 1,368-kilometre BruceTrail this month.
“There are bears past Owen Sound,but I’ll be fine as long as I can run fasterthan him,” chuckles Eric as he pointsto his brother Kevin sitting acrossfrom him in the SLC.
What worries Kevin and Eric Mar-tin most about their six-week adven-ture is what they are going to eat.
“We have no idea about cooking,”said Eric, a first-year arts student. “Wehave minimal cooking experience andare only taking a little stove.”But Eric, 22, and Kevin, 19, are willingto eat hot dogs every day and risk
meeting a bear in order to send disad-vantaged children to camp —some-thing they have enjoyed while growingup.
“Camp is an important place forkids to learn and grow,” said Eric, nowa camp counsellor. “All kids shouldhave this worthwhile opportunity.”
Under gray skies and light rain, thebrothers started their hike at the headof the trail in Queenston Heights Park,just south of Niagara-on-the-Lake onApril 30.
They hope to raise $10,000 for theHouse of Friendship’s summer campsponsorship program. By Saturday,the Martins, of Waterloo, had raised$4,815.
“It’s great from our point of view,”said Brian Hunsberger, program co-ordinator. “It will raise the profile ofthe program and hopefully broadenour donor base.”
Last year the program sent 117
children to camp. The program re-quires $25,000 in donations, addedHunsberger.
Eric said it was always a long-termgoal of his to hike the Bruce Trail,which stretches from Niagara-on-the-Lake through Kitchener-Waterloo toTobermory.
When Eric approached his brotherabout joining him on his adventure,Kevin was less than enthusiastic.
“You’re crazy, I told him,” Kevinrecalled days before the trek.
But Kevin, a second-year environ-ment and business student, couldn’tstop thinking about his brother’s of-fer. He later surprised Eric by agreeingto go along with him. Kevin thensuggested turning their trip into afundraiser —to make the cold nightsand sore feet worthwhile. And so theydid.
See TREK, page 4
Carla SandhamEDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Carla SandhamEDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The Federation of Students’ discipli-nary committee has dissolved theEmbassy Student Association, end-ing –—for now —a lengthy battle overthe club’s alleged $6,000 debt to theuniversity.
Feds clubs director Rick Theis saidit’s unfortunate but policy states if aclub is in debt “it must repay its debtor be dissolved.”
The Embassy Student Association(ESA) refuses to acknowledge$5,951.88 in unpaid rental fees forHumanities Theatre, where it heldweekly Christian worship events.
“I believe the debt is illegitimate,”said Hebron Hailu, an ESA member.
For eight months the club hascontested the debt despite overwhelm-ing evidence, including e-mails andconfirmation of the debt from theatremanager Catharine Scott, said JohnAndersen, Feds president.
After the ESA failed to providetangible evidence proving the debt void,Feds Internal Administration Com-mittee (IAC) voted 3-2 to disband theclub on April 6. This is not, however,the first time the Feds has taken actionagainst the ESA. Under the IAC’sadvice, Feds suspended the ESA in2004 after eight violations of Feds Clubspolicies and procedures were discov-ered.
“I am a bit disheartened by the lackof support from the Feds since they’reour voice,” said Hailu, addingmembers are saddened to see eventstaking place away from campus.
He said between 600 and 700people attended their embassy eventsat Humanities Theatre in Hagey Hall.
Before moving its events to FedHall in 2002, ESA rented HumanitiesTheatre at a discounted club rental rateeach week.
Because the theatre is run on a break-even basis, it could not afford to fre-quently host large events at a reducedrate.
“Their use was unusual in theirnumbers, wear and tear on the theatreand their weekly bookings year round,”said Scott.
See EMBASSY, page 3
FedsshutsdownESA
CKMSlooks toraise fee
For those students still sensitive aboutlast term’s referendum on student fees,take note — soon you’re going to pay$1 more to maintain your local com-munity radio station.
On May 2, Radio Waterloo Inc.,known on campus as CKMS FM, heldtheir general meeting in the SLC Multi-Purpose room. Aside from the usualtribulations that general meetings un-dergo (agenda reviews, acceptance ofprevious meetings’ minutes, etc.), themeeting’s focus was the discussion ofthe fee increase.
CKMS has a detailed budget pro-jection analysis explaining why the feeincrease is needed. The radio stationhas operated under the current studentfee of $4.50 for the past 12 years, oper-ating below the standard cost of living.The station has planned carefully tokeep costs at a minimum while posi-tioning itself to improve its service toWaterloo students. Funding is gener-ally acquired through student fees,however the organization also relieson fundraising (including an upcomingyard sale) and has applied for a grantfrom the Trillium Foundation.
Reasons for requesting the dollarincrease include maintaining the sta-tion manager position, increasing theresponsibilities of the programme andspoken-word co-ordinators, the be-ginning of a fund that will be posi-tioned strategically to pick up a new,stronger frequency when it becomesavailable, rapid change of the NorthCampus and building links with thecampus through programming andthe acquisition of physical space oncampus.
CKMS members voted in the feeincrease, with 26 in favour, one declin-ing and two abstaining. The budgetprojections will be submitted to JohnAndersen, Feds president. Andersenwill then inform Dennis Huber, vice-president of finance at UW, on how toproceed further. If the university ac-cepts the student fee, the radio stationforesees no additional fee increase forat least five years.
CKMS can be heard at 100.3 FM or95.5 FM on cable. More informationabout CKMS and the student fee in-crease can be found at www.ckmsfm.caor by contacting Heather Majury at 886-2567 extension 202.
Across1. Mountain basin4. Western exhibition9. You can find a few in the Great Hall14. The namesake for Needles Hall15. Asian flu16. Dwell17. Cookie or tea container18. Thick material19. Linus and Lucy’s brother20. Post-term relief22. Swiss city23. Official doorkeeper24. Small dining space26. Hit over the back of the head27. Range of control30. Waterloo’s cougar lair31. French impressionist33. Fifth wheel35. Rehabilitation therapy38. Tirade39. Typical font format40. Typical bathroom sign41. Hostile opposition42. Hershey product46. Sign of a dogs happiness49. Birthplace of Muhammed50. Flights while alone51. Impressive home54. Continental quilt55. Louisiana cookin’56. Accountant57. Sports rink
58. Turing and Shepard59. Efficient light60. Mrs Seaver in Growing Pains61. What to do when a traffic lanedisappears62. Comes before teeDown1. Lemon or lime flavoured2. Alternate spelling for ironicallyhumourous3. The last Chinese dynasty4. Secret WWII radiolocation5. Above6. Small dent in a car7. Gently squeeze into place8. The lonliest number9. Plastic wrap10. Corpulent11. A bad rental property12. Extramarital sexual relations13. Japanese penny21. Jeff Henry and his parents22. Tiny fragment24. Arabic currency25. Adam’s counterpart27. Singer DiFranco
28. Cattle noises29. German please32. Local timezone33. Part of the new Ceylon34. Electronic message fragment35. The goal of the Stag shop36. Post-Bomber problem37. Norman cathedral with a shortname38. German car41. Half the width of ems43. Thankful haven’t seen these in awhile44. Tulip flower stalks45. Rabbit foods47. America’s first astronaut48. Tiny bits49. Minister’s house51. Far boundary52. Slightly open53. Breathing organ54. East Indian tree that bears vermil-ion blooms55. The river in Cambridge, England
E R R S C E E S P A N D AD I A L O N T O S P U D SA C N E R E N O H A N T SM E G A L O M A N I A C
Z A N Y S W E D E NO N T I M E S A L E A M AH A R E B R A I N E D L E TM U I R M E T C A S AA S P O R I G I N A L S I NG E E M A D E E G O I S TE A S T E R S W O P
S L E E P I N G P I L LS E T A E D A R E I D E AA L E R T I C E S N O N UG L A S S T E N S G L A D
The Ontario government released its report lastmonth about annual salaries for public offi-cials exceeding $100,000, including those ofOntario university faculty and staff members.University of Toronto remains the schoolwith the highest paid educators, where over1,500 officials making the list. Top honourswent to U of T�s VP and Chief AdvancementOfficer Jon Dellandrea, who roped in a spiffy2004 salary of $376,523.46 before taxes. Big upsto the over 450 UW staff and faculty who madethe cut � y�all can buy us the next round, okay?
Canada
A Hollywood film about Karla Homolkamay be released early in Canada to capitalizeon her notoriety in Ontario. The film, Deadly,is based on the union of Homolka and PaulBernardo, which led to the torture and murderof teen girls Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy.(Homolka is portrayed by Laura Prepon, whoplays Donna on TV�s That 70s Show.) The pro-vincial government has no way of blockingthe film, nor can the Ontario Film Review Boardgive the film a prohibitive rating based on thesubject matter, though the board can approachthe police if they feel it breaches the CriminalCode. While Deadly�s producer has promised totake the victims� families into account, Con-sumer Services Minister Jim Watson said he was�obviously disturbed somebody is trying toexploit� those touched by Homolka�s crimes.
International
You hungry? As in really, really hungry? Why notvisit Denny�s Beer Barrel Pub in Clearfield,Pennsylvania, home of the world�s biggesthamburger � all 15 pounds of it. The new BeerBarrel Belly Buster consists of 10.5 pounds ofground beef, 25 cheese slices, a head of lettuce,three tomatoes, two onions and a cup-and-a-half each of mayo, mustard, ketchup, relish andbanana peppers on a bun. (Retail price: $23.95.)Last weekend, four men each tried to consumethe massive burger � which, says the restau-rant�s owner, can feed a family of ten � withoutfinishing, but in February, 100-pound collegestudent Kate Stelnick ate a Belly Buster withinthree hours, for which she received a certificate,a T-shirt and severely reduced blood circulation.
A grey Volkswagen Golf once registered inthe name of Joseph Kardinal Ratzinger �a.k.a. the new Pope Benedict � has been auc-tioned on Germany�s eBay outlet, reachingbids as high as a million euros (or $1.3 millionCanadian ). 21-year-old Benjamin Halbe, whobought the car from a dealer in the country�sSauerland region months before Pope Benedict�sanointment, described the car ironically by say-ing, �It drives like heaven.� Not to be outdonein the smart-ass department, one eBay postingreferred to the Vatican�s symbol for whether aPope has been elected by asking, �Does blacksmoke or white smoke come out of the exhaustpipe?�
Therefore, the university drafted a policy, limitingtheatre use to two dates per club per term. Anyadditional club rentals would not be discountedunless approved by Scott and Theis.
While the issue of the ESA�s theatre use wasunder discussion, Scott said Embassy declined topay the theatre rental costs believing they would beexempted because of their club status.
�When the Feds, the theatre centre and myselfworked out what we all agreed was a fair policy ofusage� the charges for two bookings wereremoved retroactively from ESA�s accounts,� Scottsaid.
E-mails show the ESA was aware of the policychange, but Hailu said a �zero dollar invoice� laterissued by the university indicates the ESA isdebt-free.
The proposal was turned down because itignored the ESA�s opposition to the debt andrequired them to pay installments over several years,said Hailu.�This would render our club basicallyincapable of running events for that period of time,�he said. �I believe it isn�t worthwhile to compro-mise the truth so the IAC will keep our club afloat.�
Hailu said the ESA has taken legal advice froma third party on the matter.
The IAC has done all it can, said Andersen, butit is willing to reinstate the ESA, providing �abinding legal judgment which nullifies their debt tothe University of Waterloo, and the universityformally decides not to pursue other legal avenues.�
Meanwhile, Embassy members still meet infor-mally at the Recreation Centre on Father DavidBauer Drive each week.
� It was assumed by the ESA that things weredealt with since then,� he said.
�The invoice proves nothing,� said Theis, �as itshows only what the club has paid for, not what itshould have paid for.�
Throughout the controversy, Theis said mem-bers of the IAC were threatened and personallyinsulted, including Andersen who was allegedlycalled anti-Christian by ESA members.
�My girlfriend is Catholic and that isn�t an issuein our relationship,� Andersen said, adding thatcurrent and past actions taken against the ESA havenothing to do with its religious nature.
�We weren�t out to get them; the evidence clearlyshows they owe the money,� said Theis. He insisteddissolution was their last resort.
The IAC first proposed a structured plan for theESA to repay their debt to the university, but �it wasflatly rejected by the club,� said Andersen.
Embassy: Disputed debt central issue
Darren HutzIMPRINT STAFF
The winners of the UW Distinguished TeacherAwards for 2005 have been decided. Four wonas �distinguished teachers� and two won asdistinguished student teachers. The winnerswere Carey Bissonette, Andrew Hunt, LyndonJohns and Dan Andreae. The distinguishedstudent teachers were Patricia Fitzpatrick andMike Cinelli.
Candidates were nominated by UW students,colleagues and alumni and will be recognized atUW�s spring convocation ceremonies in June.
A UW prof of social work at Renison Collegesince 1998, Andreae has been praised by his stu-dents as a �witty, funny, caring� genuine person.�He encourages discussion and debate in his class-room in order to try and connect course materialto the real world. He also states, �Learning is wherethe head meets the heart. It is important to make[course material] relevant to life by engaging stu-dents with discussion and allowing them to learnfrom each other.�
Bissonette has been in the UW chemistry de-partment for the past decade. He was �flattered,honoured and a little bit embarrassed to be recog-nized.� He says, �connection with students on apersonal level is important. If you know studentsin your classes, you feel more obligated to put acrossyour best effort. It�s harder to let down the peopleyou know.� He manages to keep the interest ofclasses of 200. A student said that, �even thoughchemistry was one of my largest classes, I felt apersonal connection with Prof. Bissonnette whichis usually found only in much smaller classes.�
Prof Hunt of the Department of History said,�For me, receiving the DTA is one of the highlightsof my teaching career at the University of Waterloo.But even more important to me than the DTA arethe wonderful students that I�ve encountered sinceI arrived here in 1997. To me, a great teacher issomebody who is excited about what he or sheteaches.� Hunt has become known for his passion-ate lectures in which he will go as far as screaming andweeping in his efforts to make history real.
Jones has won the Optometry DistinguishedTeacher Award four years in a row. Students com-
ment that he �is able to make the most complicatedof subjects both interesting and simple,� and thathis lectures are �interesting, relevant and well-pre-sented.� One student said, �Dr. Jones has realizedthat he has a flam, and a responsibility to pass thatflame on to the future generations of optom-etrists.�
Student teacher Fitzpatrick said, �It�s a bighonour that students went out of their way toappreciate me.� She demonstrates her �enthusi-asm to integrate the study of geography beyond thefour walls of the classroom.� She attributes hersuccess to having �really good mentors like JeanAndrey, Clare Mitchell and Mary-Louise McAllister.�
Currently pursuing his doctoral degree andCertificate in University Teaching, Cinelli says �pas-sion and dedication and a constant desire to im-prove is essential to being a good teacher.� Even abattle with cancer could not prevent him fromteaching. Cinelli barely missed a class through hisillness. He also coaches the UW women�s varsityhockey team.
After expressing disappointment with two articles inthe April 1 issue of Misprint, Imprint�s annual spoofissue, Muslim Student Association leaders LanaKanaan and Hammad Din met with editor-in-chiefCarla Sandham to voice their concerns.
According to Din, a past MSA president, Muslimstudents understand the articles Professor Elsamryfound drunk in Bombshelter pub and ESO launches Jihadagainst Feds were intended as a joke, but were offendedby comments made in the stories. The two receiveda high volume of calls from upset students followingthe publication of Misprint.
�Drinking and adultery in Islam is like murder orrape,� Kanaan and Din said of the first article, in-tended to parody Professor Mohamed Elmasry�srecent call for an alcohol-free campus and an earlierincident involving a student left overnight by staff inthe Bombshelter pub.
Students also took offence to the misuse of theword �jihad� and a reference to a space on the SLC�sthird floor, the same floor as the Muslim students�prayer room, as �jihad headquarters.� According to
Kanaan, who uses the prayer room four times a day,some students felt uncomfortable using the spacebecause it was associated with terrorism.
Kanaan said the Misprint articles changed heropinion of Imprint. �People didn�t feel comfortablecoming [to the prayer room] anymore,� she said. �Iteven made me feel uncomfortable.� However, shethinks �it�s a great idea to have Imprint,� and that her�change of heart is temporary.�
Din wasn�t surprised by the articles. �I don�t thinkmalice was intended but Imprint staff should be morecareful with the words they are using. You want tocreate a community, not divide it.�
�Muslim students are fee-paying members, theyshould be heard,� said Kanaan.
The students requested a front-page apology andcirculated a petition with their concerns. They gath-ered over 80 signatures before reaching a resolution.Sandham suggested the MSA provide Imprint with aneditorial outlining their concerns and agreed to offersensitivity training for Imprint staff beginning fall 2005.Her suggestions were forwarded to MSA memberswhich according to Kanaan, relieved present concerns.
�We were hoping for a printed apology,� said Din,�but what we got was the next best thing. We want
Imprint to be more conscious of such statements in thefuture.�
�Imprint chose not to print an apology,� saidSandham. �[Misprint] was a joke. There was nomalicious intent, and if we were to do an apology forthat story, we would have to apologize for everythingin Misprint because we�ve mocked other public fig-ures.�
While she promises to take a close look at nextyear�s Misprint for content, Sandham also encouragesstudents to take an active role in campus journalism.�They are always welcome to send in a communityeditorial or letter to the editor, and as students theyalways have the opportunity to suggest stories thatshould be covered, angles that should be covered orwrite themselves.�
�I think that the purpose of a newspaper shouldbe to unify a community,� said Kanaan, hopeful thatImprint is more careful in the future.
�All we wanted to do was highlight our concerns,�said Din.
Kanaan confirmed, �Our main concern is thefuture.�
A local not-for-profit organization heldits fourth annual “entrepreneurship bootcamp” at St. Jerome’s April 25-28.
The Business Start-Up AdvantageCamp, organized by UW Innovate, con-sisted of four days and nights of inten-sive lectures and experiences to give bud-ding entrepreneurs information on howto have a successful start-up venture.
The camp covered a broad range oftopics, from team building to marketresearch and corporate law to commer-cialization (getting the product out intothe marketplace). Many esteemed indi-viduals gave presentations through-out the course of the camp, from AlanQuarry to keynote speaker and former
Boot camp a success for local entrepreneursfederal cabinet minister, the Honour-able Sinclair Stevens.
Many presenters provided personal-ized information to the camp, based onpre-camp interest inquiries. Othersstrayed from previously preparedPowerPoint presentations, allowing forinformal question-and-answer periods.Most presenters stressed that they wouldbe available to serve as a resource toparticipants after the camp’s end. Feesfor such offers by these presenters usu-ally fall within the hundreds-of-dollars-per-hour range.
Numerous participants said the op-portunity to network with presentersand fellow participants was as valuable asthe knowledge component of the camp.Presenters were often available after theirworkshops, with many joining attendees
during mealtimes. With a lower thanone-to-one ratio of presenters to partici-pants, many potential entrepreneurs hadtime to seek in-depth assistance fromexperts in a number of fields. Otherattendees who had already initiated thestart-up process were able to networkwith others, finding resources for theirup-and-coming ventures.
Participants stayed overnight in theresidence spaces provided. The accom-modations proved to be quite useful,thanks greatly to the camp’s continuous7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. schedule.
The entrepreneurship boot camp isscheduled to return in April 2006. Formore information, contact UW Inno-vate at [email protected].
The third floor of the Dana Porter librarywill be closed during the spring term.
The “sugar cube” library will undergorenovations, made possible in part by ahalf-million dollar gift from Peter andBetty Sims. As a result of the renova-tions, periodicals and journal articles,normally housed on the third floor, nowmust be requested from TRELLIS andcan be picked up at the Porter circulationdesk by 5 p.m. the next day.
Continued from cover
To prepare, the brothers intensifiedtheir exercise routines to build en-durance for the 1,000 or so hours ofhiking.
“We stepped up our running,walking, squats and stair work,” saidEric, adding they will average about25 kilometres per day, while takingevery seventh day off.
Each of them is carrying 40pounds of gear, which includes acamp stove, tent, clothes and somefood. The brothers have also ar-ranged for food to be mailed to postoffices along the way.
The brothers decided to hike south tonorth — saving the best for last, they said.
“It is so beautiful the further northyou go,” said Eric, who has alreadyhiked some of the northern parts ofBruce Trail.
While they admit summer wouldhave made for more ideal campingweather, now was the only time theyeach had six weeks of available timeto make the trip. EnvironmentCanada has predicted normal to be-low normal temperatures for the nextmonth with normal precipitation.
“At least we won’t have to worryabout mosquitoes,” said Eric optimis-tically.
The brothers are expected back inearly June. If on schedule, Kevin willspend one night in his own bedbefore returning to the hard groundto sleep on at another summer camp.Eric, on the other hand, is lookingforward to his job at a local bakerywhen he returns.
“I will come home after eatingcamp food for six weeks and be ableto have all the free tarts and bagels Ican eat,” smiled Eric.
Imprint will update Kevin andEric’s progress in each publication.
Spring has seen an interesting turn ofevents on the federal political scene. Thelatest polls indicate a rebound in Liberalpopularity, and they are now ahead ofStephen Harper’s Conservatives by any-where from two to five percentage points.Still, Harper has signaled his determina-tion to bring down the government.
The Liberal Party was victimized bya tiny group of fraud artists intent onfleecing the taxpayer of sponsorshipdollars, but the opposition has tried topaint the entire party with the samebrush. How interesting that the Con-servatives criticize the Liberals for “los-ing” a potential paltry $100 million inthe sponsorship program, while thelegacy of the last Conservative govern-ment is still costing taxpayers nearly $20billion per year in interest payments ontheir debt.
While April 5 will go down in his-tory as the day when the Tories finallyacknowledged the threat of Québecseparatism, the secret Bloc Québécois/Conservative alliance has now come tolight. In fact, it may have been aroundfor a while; before the 2004 election, oneConservative said to the Bloc: “Youtake care of Québec; we’ll take care of therest of Canada.”
This is Canada’s “United Alterna-tive” to the Liberals?
The Bloc opposes Canada as acountry while the Conservatives op-pose Canadian values. We’ve taken awondrous step forward in legalizinggay marriage — the Conservatives bashour country and its great Constitu-tion. Canada takes a stand against theterrorist invasion of Iraq — the con-servatives go on U.S. television andinsult our country. Their fringe party isa tiny tent, refusing even to allow thecentre-right David Orchard to hold amembership!
The Conservatives have flip-floppedon the budget, praising it in the begin-ning but changing their minds evenbefore the Liberal-NDP deal was con-cocted. Desperate to avoid a Gomeryreport that could exonerate Paul Martinand the Liberal Party, the Tories aretrying to bring about an election to haltthe sponsorship inquiry.
The Liberals and NDP are co-oper-ating to try to pass a positive budget forCanadians while ensuring a finish toJudge Gomery’s work to get to thebottom of the sponsorship mess.Harper, on the other hand, wants towaste $300 million of taxpayer moneyfor an unnecessary election that will, inall likelihood, return a Parliament virtu-ally identical to the one we have now —with a Liberal minority government.
After all, the Conservatives — ac-cording to recent polling — are nomore popular now than they were lastJune. Their apparent lust (or despera-
tion?) for power has blinded them toreality and given them the image of ashifty, confused party — just look atthe bizarre flip-flop by Harper on theCanada Health Act.
What’s worse is, should the Con-servatives pull off a win, we will haveanother minority government — butpropped up by whom? The NDP andLiberals would be reluctant to supporta party so far right on the spectrum it’sabout to fall over the edge.
The Bloc would support their sisterparty on some fiscal issues — but onlyto a point. A Conservative minoritygovernment would be ineffective andshort-lived; we’d likely be back into anelection campaign inside of a year.
As far as I can see, the only possiblebenefit of an election now will be theNDP winning some more seats —they deserved a few more in the lastelection but got screwed by vote-split-ting on the centre-left. With a fewmore seats, the Liberals and the NDPwill have a combined majority and, inspite of the right-wing leanings of PaulMartin, will be able to get some posi-tive, progressive measures throughthe House.
The Conservatives make drastic,whimsical statements with no backup.They’ve offered few ideas to Canadi-ans — their only claim to fame is thatthey aren’t the Liberals. As they maysoon discover, that’s not good enoughto win an election.
Porter library gets renovatedA number of offices on the DP’s
third floor will also be affected. TheLearning and Teaching Through Tech-nology (LT3) centre will continue oper-ating out of their offices for most of theterm, “although construction distur-bances may shift working patterns onsome days.” The FLEX lab “is basicallyunavailable for public use … as theconstruction will make for a noisy learn-ing environment.” as stated on Water-loo’s library website.
Knight, director of internationalprograms for the office of research,went to Sri Lanka with World Univer-sity Service of Canada (WUSC) toidentify ways to rebuild the islandafter December’s devastating tsunamikilled more than 30,000 people.
Representatives from the univer-sities of Guelph and Manitoba, TrentUniversity and Queen’s Universityare also joining WUSC staff on theten-day fact-finding and needs as-sessment mission.
“This initiative represents an im-portant opportunity for Canadianuniversities to demonstrate their tan-gible commitment to Sri Lanka’slong-term deconstruction,” Paul
Davidson, WUSC executive director,said in a recent press release.
He added that it would helpWUSC, a non-governmental devel-opment organization (NGO), byintegrating the knowledge and exper-tise of Canadian academics and stu-dents.
Knight left Saturday with thegroup and will participate in a series ofbriefings, meetings and presentationson current post-tsunami develop-ment needs and challenges faced byWUSC staff in Sri Lanka and otherinternational and local NGOs.
The group will travel to Colomboand the Galle, Matara, Hambantota,Ampara, Batticaloa and Girtale dis-tricts.
Knight will return to work May 12and a full report of his trip will bechronicled in the next issue of Imprint.
UW helps tsunami-torn areas
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U N I V E R SIT Y O F W AT E R L O O S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R
OPINION FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2005
Imprint is published by Imprint PublicationsStudent Life Centre 1116University of WaterlooWaterloo, ON N2L 3G1
You’ve seen my photo, read my nameand learned about me in past Imprintstories, but do you really know who Iam?
It’s been two months since I startedas editor-in-chief of Imprint and I haveyet to be scared away by the sometimesintimidating and unruly staff. Theytried, but to no avail. Their witty “Ihate Carla Club” and one namelessperson’s repetitive drunk singing of aBob Marley song had no affect. SinceI am here for the long haul, I want tolet UW know my intentions for Im-print over the next year. It’s an ambi-tious agenda, but one I think willbenefit all of UW.
Before I reveal my master plan, Iwant to give you some insight into my
journalism experience. First, I hold athree-year diploma in print and broad-cast journalism from Conestoga Col-lege. During my graduating year, I wasrecognized as journalist of the year andwon both the best news story and thebest TV news reporter awards.
Immediately after college, I brokeinto the St.Catharines community byspearheading a new community news-paper called Niagara News. As a re-porter/editor/photographer/layoutartist there, another staff member andI produced a weekly paper from startto finish.
Prior to this, I had been a summerstudent (since high school) at theTillsonburg News and completedinternships at The Record and GuelphMercury.
Most recently, I placed second inthe Ontario Community NewspaperAssociation’s Better NewspapersCompetition for a heritage story Iwrote for the Tillsonburg News, where Iagain worked full-time before cominghere.
What can I say? It’s in my blood. Ilove journalism and I have the scars toprove it. Yes, scars — from nasty blackfly bites after trekking through a muddyforest for an interview and from thenumerous people who called me a“heartless bitch” after taking accidentphotos.
Now, without further adieu, myplan: Imprint is a member of the On-tario Community Newspaper Asso-ciation (OCNA) and my goal is tomake Imprint OCNA awards material.But I can’t do it alone and it willinvolve making some changes that
may not please everyone.The recent reader survey brought
awareness to areas needing improve-ment and also provided some helpfulsolutions, which I intend to act on.
Imprint has a great foundation foran award-winning paper, but needssome tweaking. Here are some sug-gestions:
1. Edgy professionalism. As a stu-dent newspaper, Imprint must be edgy.We can push the envelope further thanmost mainstream publications, but itshould be done with class — meaningproperly researched stories done withgood reasoning. Content should re-late to students and should be dis-played in an eye-catching way. We don’twant to be boring — or tacky.
2. Working relationship with theUW community. Imprint would notexist without you. We need studentsto provide content and layout the news-paper, but we also need to be in-formed about issues, events and theindividual accomplishments of stu-dents. We have only so much time to
Our university needs a top-notch newspaperdig up stories, so it’s doubly beneficialif you let us know about potentialstories. If you have a news tip, e-mailme at [email protected] ordrop by the office (SLC 1116).
3. In-house training and recruit-ment. Good staff results in a goodproduct. It is my responsibility tomotivate volunteers and provide themwith the tools required to do their jobssuccessfully. This will include trainingworkshops at the beginning of eachterm and regular one-on-one coachingthroughout the term. Recruitmentshould be continuous, seeking outthe best of the best. If you have aninterest in journalism, Imprint is a greatplace to start.
I could go on, but part of my jobis to set a good example. And the firstlesson all journalists should learn isthat brevity — clear, tight writing — iskey. (Columns are limited to approxi-mately 500 words. I apologize, mycolumn is137 words over.)
Hey, did you hear about…?Office gossip is a problem that has
plagued many a workplace. “I heard itthrough the grapevine,” sang MarvinGaye (and later, the California Raisins),although he didn’t have in mind anissue that has severely detracted frommany positive work environments.Workplace speculation, often fueled bygaps in information provided by higher-ups, has caused no shortage of troublein businesses around the world. “I hearthey’re going to fire us all…” “There’sa new job that’s supposed to be open-
ing up, but it’s going to create a lot ofnegative competition among our em-ployees …” “I hear that managementtreated X employee really poorly…”You name it and the rumours havebeen passed around.
So, how to best deal with suchgossip? The answer is surprisinglysimple. Straight out of the first-yearbusiness textbook comes the lessonthat a great solution for the problemof workplace gossip is to simply pro-vide accurate information to thegroup. Speculation is easily killed bya clear truth. “No, we’re not going tofire everyone, but our budget is goingto be a little tight this year…” “Yes,there will be a new position opening,but management is looking to recruitexternally.”
There are times, however, when alittle bit of secrecy is necessary in the
workplace. Confidentiality is oftenrequired for human resources-relatedmatters: hirings, firings, salaries andthe like. Other times, clandestine at-titudes are required for benevolentreasons. “Where’s the surprise activ-ity we’re going to do this Friday?”Well, that’s why they call it a surpriseactivity!
The need for clear and open com-munication in business matters —some use the term transparency todescribe this — is just as strong forexternal matters as internal ones. May1 saw a new batch of leaders acceptedacross the UW campus, including anew slate of Feds executives.
These new Feds, as well as the newboard of directors and council, woulddo well to maintain clear channels ofcommunication with their constitu-ents, lest their legacies be defined by
I heard it through the grapevinerumour and hearsay rather than truthand accuracy.
The new Feds are already workingon their first big issue of the term.Apparently, UW is talking about im-plementing yet another student fee— another $10 per term — for life-time access to transcripts and otheradministrativia. Is this fee worth-while? Is it in the best interest ofstudents? Both UW and Feds shouldcommunicate details about the issuevia councillors discussing it with theirconstituents before the matter is votedon at council. Clearly communicatingthe benefits and costs of the fee, aswell as its implications to UW stu-dents, could help to clear up anyambiguity among the student body.
The need for transparency is notlimited to leadership alone — manyprocesses and offices would benefit
from clear two-way communication.Besides the changes of office thattook place on May 1, a few otherchanges in leadership are in the workshere at UW. Both the faculties ofscience and arts are looking for newdeans, and student representatives(grad and undergrad) will sit as vot-ing members on both selection com-mittees.
What do you want in a new dean?What do you even know about thecurrent dean? What do you knowabout the selection process? Get intouch with the Feds and/or GSApresidents about this — they can letyou know who your student reps areand how you can add your input.After all, it’s better than leaving it tothe grapevine.
As I�ve said before, I�m one of the few Englishmajors involved in the co-op system and thisterm will mark my first job placement withinthe realm of �big business.� My two previousplacements were fun and exciting but are im-possible to compare with foraying into thedangerous politics and backstabbing of corpo-rate Canada, living forever in fear of being firedby a guy with a pink tie and a bad hairpiece.
Clearly, I need to stop watching The Apprentice.One cornerstone of working in nearly any
business environment in today�s modernCanada is the pages and pages worth of policiesand non-disclosure agreements and oaths ofconfidentiality � all of which are entirely nec-essary to keep capitalist competition alive.Within these are usually found the harassmentpolicy, typically a fairly significant few pages ofdire warnings to those who might possibly fallprey to the Freudian slip.
Across Canada, these warnings are all butrequired by law, upholding the guarantee ofevery citizen�s freedom from discriminationwithin the workplace, despite whatever differ-ences we may embody. This, of course, in-cludes sexual orientation.
In the United States, however, this is notthe case. Yes, some states do have clausesprotecting LGBT workers from discrimina-tion in the workplace but many still do not.One of these states is Washington, an area inwhich LGBT rights groups have been workingfor 30 years to gain some sort of protectionagainst being fired for their sexual orientation.
Of course, their cause was aided in a big wayby one of the biggest corporations around.Microsoft has been viewed as one of the bestcorporations in the U.S.A. in regards to itspolicies towards LGBT employees. In fact, the
L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, the largest gay andlesbian organization in the world, gaveMicrosoft an award �because the company hadbeen a leader in opposing anti-gay initiatives,was one of the first companies to offer domes-tic partnership benefits and include sexual ori-entation in its corporate non-discriminationpolicy and has supported AIDS and LGBTorganizations across the country.� For 10 years,Microsoft has been a big-name player in thefield of civil rights.
Last week, the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Centreasked for its award back.
Suddenly, Microsoft is in the midst of tur-moil, for a sudden and drastic reversal of policyat a critical point of time. A once staunchsupporter of equal rights, Microsoft removedits support from a bill before the WashingtonSenate that would create discrimination protec-tion in D.C. Directly because of this reversal ofpolicy, the bill failed. By one vote.
Why did the computing giant desert its postat such a critical time? Apparently, it was due tothe threat of a boycott by a lone extreme-right-wing minister and the nudging of $20,000-per-month policy consultant Ralph Reed, whoseoutlook on LGBT individuals is, well, far frompositive. Yes, you read it right � the massivecorporation that has to take care not to acciden-tally become a monopoly is afraid of a boycott.
Looking past that bit of ridiculousness, thepoint is that corporations have as much swayin the outcome of political debates as do lobbygroups � and not just when dealing with oilor the environment. It is for this reason thatnon-profit groups, of every colour and pur-pose, tend to focus a great deal on garneringsupport from big business. And so, whileMicrosoft whips its PR department into afrenzy trying to placate the public (not to men-tion its irate employees), gay rights groups arelooking to Apple to see if they will be as willingto take Microsoft�s place in this market, as theywere in the music market.
If I told you I was writing an angry column on theOlympic Games, you would probably assume thesubject matter would consist mainly of illegal ster-oids and banned stimulants. While that is certainlya valid topic, I will save my rant on the un-integrityof sport for another time.
No Marion Jones (or a number of past U.S.track-and-field athletes for that matter), no RossRebagliati (poster boy for the �legalize it!� cam-paign) and no Ben Johnson (I�m sure you feelshafted by this one).
Instead, I will share some thoughts with you onsome rubble that, when piled correctly, takes theshape of the 2010 Winter Olympiad�s official em-blem.
Last week was the official unveiling of the un-original, uninspiring inukshuk (a symbolic Inuitrock structure � the northern equivalent of etching�I was here� onto a desk in the Dana Porter library)as the central figure for the Vancouver Games�marketing campaign. There are so many inane quali-ties to it, I don�t even know where to start � but Iwill anyway.
The Olympic flag has long been an identifiablesymbol for its five linked rings, each a different colourrepresenting a world united (every country�s flagcontains at least one of the five: blue, black, yellow,green or red). Yet the colours of the five stones of theinukshuk differ. Apparently the selection commit-tee felt it was important to tell the world that Canada,
a country that has proudly produced such famousartists as Emily Carr and the Group of Seven, iscolourblind. Or maybe it�s just the selection com-mittee themselves. Either way, they screwed up.
Secondly, as pointed out by a native chief fromBritish Columbia, the symbol contains a strongsimilarity to Pac-Man, although I would argueGumby would be a better comparison. I don�tknow if this is a good or bad quality but I couldthink of a plethora of other cartoon characters moreappropriate. Don�t you think it would be consid-erably more impressive if the figure wore a head-band likening it to Ryu of Street Fighter fame? WithVancouver being the gateway to the East, wouldn�tthat be a much more fitting choice?
But perhaps the most disappointing aspect isthe continuing fallacy that Canada lacks culturallysymbolic artistic subject matter outside of our nativelinks (the Tim Horton�s logo being a notableexception, of course). Consistently choosing nativeart to represent Canada is so close to becoming cliché,it�s sickening.
It seems like every occasion our obsolete Gover-nor General Adrienne Clarkson spends our taxdollars on an overpriced gift for foreign dignitaries,it�s a soapstone carving of a seal or polar bear sculptedby an unknown native.
Being a country so intricately linked with theenvironment, world cultures and sport itself, I findit very difficult to believe that a more suitable designwasn�t submitted to the selection committee beforedeadline. That�s not to say we shouldn�t supportnative art, but frankly the only stack of stones worthcreating a lasting Olympic image after would beStonehenge, a choice that would also receive itsshare of criticism.
At the end of last term students votedto grant me honourary membership inFeds. The motion was brought for-ward at the Feds general meeting and isawarded, according to bylaw, in �recog-nition of outstanding service� to Fedsor UW.
I awant to express my thanks for thehonour.I will leave it to others to judgeif I have any of those other qualities butI have been and continue to be willing.
Consider making your commu-
Claire MousseauMOVING PICTURES
nity, your country or any part of theworld around you better places. Thereare plenty of worthwhile opportuni-ties around you. If contributing initself is not enough for you, you can stillbenefit personally from your experi-ences. To encourage good works inothers we should take every chance togive constructive feedback, sincerethanks or any more formal reward. Ireceived something like that recentlyand to the Federation and to the stu-dents I say �thank you.�
� Ryan Chen-WingUW administration
Continued from page 6
Then again, Canada does have along history with native-inspired art� after all, it was an Inuit carving thatwas the weapon of choice during thebreak-in and attempted assault onformer Prime Minister Jean Chrétienin the mid 1990s. And even thoughhistorically speaking, a cliché symboldoes not necessarily result in a poorOlympic Games (see: Sydney 2000�sboomerang athlete emblem), it�s cer-tainly a choice that is far from satisfy-ing on a variety of levels.
The other aspect making the em-blem irrelevant is that the only winter
sport someone of the same size andbuild as an inukshuk might be able toparticipate in is curling � assumingyou consider curling to be a sport.
Realistically, I doubt you�ll be seeinganyone of that stature going for gold inany cross-country skiing events or ex-ecuting a perfect triple lutz in the figureskating competition any time soon.
Now if they introduced ice sumowrestling, then it would be a com-pletely different story, although I wouldassume competitors would have towear a tad more than just the g-stringthey use currently; but I digress�
Although 2010 is years away and itis almost impossible to get through
Symbol: emblem is irrelevantthe lead-up to an event of this magni-tude without at least a fistful of con-troversy, we should probably cut themsome slack.
But if decisions like this continue,we may be the laughingstock of theOlympic world (we already have theinfamous distinction of being the onlynation to not win a gold medal whenhosting the games � twice).
We can only hope our athletes per-form better than their leadership hasso far � given this questionable start,it certainly would not take much.
Live From The ShortGreatest HitsYetiPurveyor Of Fine MusicSelf-titledFor ControlArularUntitledDouble CDThe Horse AlwaysGets It First
May 6Weezer — Kool Haus // From Fiction, The GoldenDogs, Bears vs. Shark, The Inflation Kills — Sneaky Dee's
May 7The Sour Keys, Vermicious Knid, Wintersleep,Thunderbirds Are Now!, Porcelain Gods — Sneaky Dee's
May 8Europe — Lee's Palace // Randy Rollo — Victoria Park
May 9Nine Inch Nails w/ Dresden Dolls —Kool Haus
May 11Gentleman Reg & Serena — Gladstone Hotel
May 12Old Reliable w/ The Swiftys — Starlight
May 13The Mars Volta — Kool Haus // The Medium, O.U.T.,Sing That Yell That Spell — Circus Room
1. Kid Koala2. Neil Young3. Caribou4. Matthew Osborne5. Martha Wainwright6. Hangedup Clatter7. M.I.A.8. Autechre9. Superex10. Agriculture Club
– What is Bruce Springsteen’s first name?– How many males are in the Indigo Girls?– True or False: Celine Dion is awesome.– List all the Limp Bizkit songs in order of awesomeness.– Write a 300-word essay on how Michael Bolton re-
shaped modern contemporary music– Name a song. Any song. It really doesn’t matter.– Do you like music?
Submit your answers to [email protected] beforefor a chance to win five free CDs.
Last term’s answers have been lost due to the negligent and illiterateformer arts editors of yore. Any individual(s) interested in reclaimingtheir throne of power, please come to the May 9 Imprint meeting formore information
Carla SandhamEDITOR-IN-CHIEF
“Nothing gets people together like making music,”said biotechnology student Matthias Gehder.
About 70 other UW students and staff shareGehder’s sentiments about the newly formedOrchestra@UWaterloo, which is in its third termthis spring.
Gehder, a German exchange student, has playedclarinet for years in bands and orchestras in Ger-many, therefore it was a “must” to carry on hismusical talent here in Canada.
“It is a great way to get to know some really nicepeople, especially people in completely differentprograms than oneself,” said Gehder, adding heconsiders the orchestra a “social place.”
For second-year engineering student Jerry Johns,the orchestra is an escape from the stress of school.He has played flute for the orchestra since it startedlast September.
“Time and time again, it’s the soothing soundsof the mellow cellos, the nimble plucking of theviolins or the thunderous bellows of the brass thatkeep me coming back,” he said. “Music might notbe a career, but it sure as hell is an integral part of mylife.”
The university has not had an orchestra forabout three decades — too long ago for anyone toremember, said Anna Lubiw, co-founder of the
born-again UW orchestra.Lubiw, a part-time computer science professor,
and conductor Erna Van Daele created the orchestrausing Heart House Orchestra at the University ofToronto as their model.
“To be the first orchestra on campus in a longtime, and to be based outside of the context ofa music department, which to me makes it feelmore accessible to the university population atlarge, more populist, if you like,” said Van Daele.
The group is not an official Feds club nor is itassociated with the music department. Lubiw saidthis allows grad students, faculty, staff and evenalumni to participate.
Last fall auditions were held to fill all positionsin the orchestra.
“It was madness,” said Lubiw, recalling the 120or so music enthusiasts who showed up for theopen rehearsal.
Johns was among the throng of musiciansvying for one of three flautist positions. Hesaid about 28 flute players tried out for thepart.
“Considering how many students showedup for the open rehearsal in September reallyshows people were waiting for an orchestra tocome,” said Gehder, who also joined thechamber ensemble at Conrad Grebel University.
The orchestra was comprised of more than 70people for the fall and winter terms. Fewer students
BRUCE SKELTON
Jennifer Lau focuses intensely during Orchestra@UWaterloo’s March concert.
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Don’t get me wrong. I’m a big fan of dance musicand I like to think I approach art with an open andfair mind. But come on, this record is junk.
The song is…oh, how to put this …minimalist? It features a simple tune that neverchanges in any way — a three-note progressiongraced now and then by an ill-advised flourishwhich seems an off-key, puerile attempt to over-come the teeth-grinding aggravation of the lyrics.It features a tribal beat that has its potentialsquandered by the cookie-cutter house beat thatoverwhelms it and the fact that there are never anyvariations or flourishes to the beat whatsoever.And it features the lyric, repeated ad nauseum inthe same staccato and cocky-sounding mono-tone, “I ask myself, is it a sin to be flexible, to beflexible.” Once in a while, the lyric is oh-so-cleverly deconstructed, as it were, into meaning-less pieces like simply “I ask myself” or “to beflexible”, or — brace yourself — “I ask myself tobe flexible” (please hold your applause).
Obviously, the lyric is gone from the
“instrumental” version of the song, but I refuseto say that’s an improvement, because it’s stillintolerable tripe.
I know, I know, there could be some kind ofartistic value to the song. It could be political —a comment on the nature of art. The lyric couldbe ironic, because even though it suggests thesinger is smugly proud of his own flexibility, thesong shows no flexibility whatsoever. One couldextend this line of thought to suggest the songis an attack on those who would lay down rulesfor what constitutes “good” or “real” music,since the song serves as a reminder of how god-awful rigidity sounds. All hail musical flexibility.And then there’s the double irony, since the songitself is actually produced by choice and artisticfreedom: ultimately, it is a product of flexibility,though it is inflexible itself.
Alas, I don’t care if it is ironic and meaningful.I’d rather listen to a symphony of alley cats in heatand people cutting tin cans with scissors. Therecord is limited to 1,500 copies, but you knowwhat? I think I’m about to create additionalscarcity. Go long!
— Simon Yarrow
Orchestra strikes a high note at UWare expected for the spring term, therefore noauditions will be held.
“We are calling on all players to attend the firstrehearsal on May 26,” said Lubiw.
The spring term will be a shorter season for theorchestra, with rehearsals in June and a concert onCanada Day. This is compared to the 11 rehearsalsbefore the fall and winter term concerts.
The orchestra held both concerts at HumanitiesTheatre — where the K-W Symphony used toperform.
Many orchestra members are not part of themusic program, but are rather engineers andmathematicians. However, Johns said their skilllevel is comparable to Wilfred Laurier University,which is known for its large music department andexceptional orchestra.
“I was a little jealous of WLU because they arehardcore, but we’re on the right route,” said Johns,who got a rare opportunity last term to lead andshape the musicality of the woodwinds.
Gehder too said the level of UW’s orchestra isone of the highest among the student orchestras hehas played in.
“The pieces we play are pretty difficult and thelength of our performance is really good too,” hesaid. “We are students and put together a two-hourconcert of not-easy music within just one term.”
Johns said many players have between three andeight years of experience, including him. Onemember is a graduate of Julliard — a top-notchschool for performing musical arts.
“The skill level of the group as a whole vastlyexceeds the level I was originally expecting,” saidVan Daele.
Both Johns and Gehder said they are lookingforward to playing with the orchestra again thissummer.
“The orchestra is super and I’m really glad thatI got in because it is a big and important part of mytime in Waterloo,” said Gehder.
The orchestra is organizing an auction on itswebsite (www.orchestra.uwaterloo.ca), where stu-dents can bid on a piece they would like the orchestraplay. A concerto competition. is also in the worksfor the fall.
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PATIONOWOPEN
Music is an amazing form of entertainment. Itis one of the only methods of communicationspanning across borders and the whole worldwhile still maintaining a strong sense of cred-ibility. Its influence and the emphasis it placeson culture itself is immeasurable and profound.It can stir up strong emotions from the firstnotes heard, driving even the coldest of peopleto warm their hearts. It can heal wounds andcreate them. Its power is subtle and mysterious,yet its omnipresence is astounding and hasrewarded millions of people, [many of whomunknowingly realize] the effect music has onthem.
Some people bring music into their livesfrom the moment they’re born to the momentthey die. Some people obsess over music inces-santly, ranging from the pre-teen girl whosewalls are plastered with the latest Tiger Beatcentrefolds to the 60-year-old hippie whoseGrateful Dead bootleg collection is cataloguedin sequential order.
I personally love music because it has givenme so much in my life. I’ve found joy, excite-ment, sorrow and defeat. Many of my fondestmemories are deeply rooted in the vein ofmusic. I can remember when I was six, sitting
down in front of my father’s vinyl player andputting the needle on side A of Sgt. PeppersLonely Hearts Band. Hearing that album was thestart of what was to be a defining period in myyoung life.
I love those moments where you’re casuallylistening to something and then it hits you.This big sweeping euphoric sound fills my headand I start nodding along to the beat. Theemotions come flooding out; I break open theCD case and pour over the booklet; I spendhours researching the CD on any resource I canget my hands on and tell anyone who’ll listento check out this album.
I love listening to my favourite albums andpicking up new sonic details I haven’t heard before.I love the little quirks and tricks that producers usein making the album. I love the simplicity of popsongs and the complexity of prog rock. I lovelistening to some majestic rock ballad and fantasiz-ing that I’m actually on stage belting out that tune.I love strapping on my headphones and pressingplay on music I’ve never heard before. I love thesmell of vinyl in the morning and the scent a newCD has when I unwrap it. I love waking up anddrifting off to sleep listening to music. I love goingto concerts to experience the performance of musicin its live setting and the energetic interaction theartist has with his or her audience. I love seeing thesmile on people’s faces when they hear somethingthey like, and the uproarious applause that usuallyfollows.
Hey, listen. It is spring term now. Grass is growing,attitudes are slowing and it’s time to get out the olddusty Yamaha acoustic guitar. You know, the oneyour parents got you for Christmas when you were15 that you haven’t played for years? I can see the wayyou’re looking at it and I know you’re thinking “thissummer, I’m going to learn how to play that damnthing.”
But we all know what happens next. Fastforward a month and you’ve picked the damn thingup once, strummed it once (sans pick, because whothe hell ever has a pick?) then put it right back on itsdusty stand. The strings are so old they sound likerusty clothes lines that are grossly out of tune. Andyour index finger is now bleeding. Just great. Afterthe tetanus shot, you remember why you let thatold Yamaha collect dust, gave up and startedplaying bocce ball or something.
There has to be another way! Playing music isone of the most rewarding activities a person canpursue. We all listen to music. We all appreciate iton very different levels. Some people are contentwith bobbing their heads to whatever comes onthe radio. I learn my favourite songs and play themfor myself and others. You can too.
The truth is, anybody — and I mean anybody —can learn a few chords on a guitar and entertain a
crowd in a relatively short period of time. With ahandful of tips and tricks and a little practice, you canbe playing Hootie at an open-mic in no time. AndI’ll show you how.
I’ve had six years of playing piano, three years ofplaying trumpet and four years of the guitar. I’veplayed open mic nights and school assemblies. Ihave come to understand various truths aboutmusic from the point of view of someone whoplays it.
I’m here to give you the inside track. Basically,music can be divided up into three main areas:performance, composition and technical ability—soul, brain and body. Each area must be honed indifferent ways. Technical ability increases throughpractice. Becoming a better performer is a matter ofovercoming inhibitions and mustering energy. Com-position isn’t for everyone. You don’t need to writesongs to be a good musician. If you can, though…
As daunting as that may all sound, you’d beamazed at how little the areas can matter. Somebands excel so much in one area that the other onesare irrelevant. Bands like Rush blow audiences awaywith their technical ability at the same time, punkrockers like the Ramones managed to tour theworld while some of their members were withoutthe ability to play guitar and sing at the same time.The Ramones got by with the energy and attitudeof their performance. For the final piece of the pie,look at Bob Dylan! Can’t sing, stiff as a board onstage, but as a songwriter he was spectacular.
Most musicians fall somewhere in betweenthose examples. You can too. So grab that oldYamaha and get ready for the grind.
If you’re one of the lucky few whohave been savingyour pennies to travel, it’s important to weigh youroptions before buying a travel guide. With theamount of information on the net, some might saytravel guides have become unnecessary. But, ifyou’re planning a longer trip or you’re heading outwithout a firm itinerary, they can become invaluable.Just try to keep them hidden on the road—nothingscreams “tourist” louder than a guidebook.
Rough GuidesPros: Their country and region guides have
beautiful photographs and extensive information.There are also Rough Guides for “First-Time”travels to Asia, Europe and even around the world.They provide invaluable pre-trip planning infor-mation for longer trips abroad. They’re also themost technologically savvy of the guidebooks, withan online store where cheap e-guides (including thefantastic mini-city guides and maps) can bedownloaded for less than $10.
Cons: The style is less chatty than the Let’s Goand Lonely Planet guides—if you’re looking for a
There’s a guidebook for every travelerbullet point guide telling you exactly what to visitwithout the background info, this isn’t it. LikeLonely Planet, there are also theme guides, such asSkiing and Snowboarding in North America, butnot as many.
Cost: $14-$36Best if — You’re an adventurous traveler look-
ing to go off the beaten path.
Lonely PlanetPros: Sometimes, it’s all in the name. These
guides are the best known for a reason—they’rebrilliantly researched with gorgeous photos and amassive amount of information written in a casual,humorous style. Their “shoestring” guides are thedefinitive low-budget travel guides, and their websitehas great trip-planning resources.
Cons: Their ubiquitous nature can lead you onthe path to an unofficial Lonely Planet tour if you onlystick to the suggested accommodations, activitiesand restaurants. They weigh a little more than otherguides and it’s reflected in the cost. Also, theirmaps—to put it bluntly—suck.
Cost: $16-$38Best if — You’re somewhere in the middle —
adventurous, but you still want to see the major sites.
IMPRINT ARTS FRIDAY, MAY 6, 200510
Kung Fu Hussle (14A) Today-Thurs 9:15, Wed 1:00
Sin City (18A) Tonight-Mon, Wed-Thurs 9:05
Saint Ralph (14A)Tonight-Thurs 7:00
The Upside of Anger (14A) Tonight-Mon, Wed- Thurs 6:45
Kandahar (PG) Tues 6:30. Special Screening. Presented byWords Worth Books. Book reading & screening $25.00. Tickets availableat Words Worth Books.
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Veda Hille - Live On StageTonight 8:00pmUp and Down (14A) Sat 2:40 & 7:00,Sun 9:00, Mon 7:00The Animation Show (14A) Sat 5:00& 9:20, Sun 2:15 & 7:00The Life Aquatic (14A)Mon 9:20, Tues 9:25
Million Dollar Baby (PG)Tues 6:45, Wed 9:00, Sun 4:15Open Heart Wed 7:00
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John Twelve HawksThe TravelerDoubleday Canada
This is an amazing book. I read be-tween 150 and 200 books a year andI must say that this is one of the bestbooks I have read in a decade. It is across between the Matrix and BladeRunner, or Dan Brown’s Angels andDemons and a Tom Clancy novel. Orlike a book by little-known authorJames Bryon Huggins, it has mys-tery, suspense and intrigue, weaponsand people who know how to usethem.
The main premise is that there isa war going on in this world, but it isa war that most are unaware of. Likeall wars there are two sides, The Har-lequin’s and the Tabula or as theyprefer to be called “The Brethren.”The Harlequins are warriors commit-ted to protecting the Travelers;
Adam & Keith McCuneThe Rats of HamelinMoody Publishers
This is a complicated little story. Atown at war with the pipers guild, achild at war with his father, both atwar with memories of things fromthe past. All of the people hold ontomemories, stories and the past, andno one knows how to forgive or
move forward. It is the story ofjustice and mercy. For too longJohannes the Master Pipers Appren-tice, on his first solo mission focuseson justice and forgets mercy.
This is a great tale of mystery andsuspense and redemption. The re-demption is both personal and cor-porate.
In this story the Pipers’ Guildrepresents the church and to enter thepipe-world through piping is to enterthe spiritual realm through prayer.Though this story is not explicitlyChristian much can be read into it. Itwould be a great read for a Christian,a family or the common man on thestreet. Barry Lopez in Crossing OpenGround states: “I felt exhilaration,and a deeper confirmation of thestories. The mundane tasks whichawaited me I anticipated now withpleasure. The stories had renewedme in a sense of the purpose of mylife.
This feeling, an inexplicable re-newal of enthusiasm after story tell-ing, is familiar to many people.”These are the feelings this book
Travelers are people who have theability to send their life energy fromtheir body and travel to other realms.They are lonely isolated people wholive to serve. The Travelers often be-come gurus or healers or prophets.The Travelers, after returning from adifferent plane of existence, returnchanged and their views of life chal-lenge other people to look at theirown lives and seek something more.The Tabula on the other hand wantto control the world.
They want to have control overevery person’s life.
Michael and Gabriel Corrigan arebrothers and believed to be the lastdescendants of Travelers. Michaelends up with the Tabula and Gabrielwith the Harlequin’s.
This becomes both a battle be-tween good and evil and a battlebetween brothers, like Cain and Abelof old. Also of significance is theirnames, as only three angels are namedby name in the Bible and the brotherseach bare one of those three names.
The book is a literary treasurefilled with religious and literary ref-erence from around the world andacross traditions.
It is a book for book lovers whowill be intrigued by finding all thereferences, yet the story is strongenough to capture the imaginationof even the most casual of readers.
I believe this is a book anyonecould enjoy, and I can only hope thatthe characters will return in a sequel tocontinue the story.
—Steven R. McEvoy
invoked in me. Like other classics,This Present Darkness, or The NarniaChronicles or many other, this is abook I will return to again and againand each time it will drive me deeperto prayer and to seek justice in thisworld but always justice temperedby mercy.
As Johannes states in the book,“My life as a piper was going to behard, harder than I had ever imag-ined. Apprenticeship was over —now the clubs and arrows were real.The grim weariness in the pipelord’sface, watchful for the next attack—now that would be my weariness. Iwould always be a pilgrim.”
I would re-write this paragraphfor my life as, “My life as a Christianis going to be hard, harder than I everimagined. Apprenticeship is over—now it is time to enter the battle.Time to be on guard against the evilone who wanders to and fro in theearth. I will always be on a quest!”And with that, this book calls usforth to enter the spiritual battle.
— Steven R. McEvoy
Even Fear Factor fans will like this book Traveling through life
Mark StratfordIMPRINT STAFF
It’s almost summer, and you know thedrill: trade in your long-johns, slap onthe shorts and take those pasty-whitewinter thighs around the block a fewtimes. And in case you need some choicecuts to make your 60 daily minutes ofexercise fly by, give these a try:
Olivia Newton-John — PhysicalThis tune, still sexy after almost 24
years, is a given. Not only is the melodynimble, energetic and fun (prime materialfor big strides on the treadmill), but theanxious lyrics about ending a first datewith a romp in the sack promote weightloss in the boudoir. Also, the video — inwhich muscle-dudes bust moves on ex-ercise equipment before deserting poorOlivia to rendezvous with each other —was one of few videos in the early ‘80s witha hint of homoeroticism to it. And ifanything speaks of gym culture better
Mixtape madness — work-out musicthan gay sex, I don’t know what it is.
Sir Mix-A-Lot — Baby Got BackIn 1992, Sir Mix-A-Lot did the un-
thinkable by praisinghefty female derrieresin song. He got in trou-ble with feministgroups and his careerwas derailed.
Today, 50 Centsidesteps a sense of hu-mour to rap about sub-jugating women by be-ing their “P.I.M.P.”and his star can’t risequickly enough. Oy.Do your crunches tothis smile-inducingtrack; also, stop worrying if your butt’stoo big and instead envision a world inwhich Fiddy’s “Candy Shop” is torndown to make room for “Tone Loc’sHouse of Exotic Weaves N’ Shit.”
Red Hot Chili Peppers — HigherGround
One afternoon, I caught a movie onTV called Center Stage, in which a bunch of
ballet academy students dance, dreamand develop bulimia on their way tosuccess.
In one scene, the young hopefuls leaparound to anonymous pop songs before
finally busting loose with this chestnut. Ithen realized that the Peppers’ fantastic-elastic gang-group take on Stevie Won-der’s “Higher Ground” is the perfect
song to “jazzercise” to.That said, this discovery isbetter left in theory than inpractice.
Daft Punk — Harder,Better, Faster, Stronger
Common sense sug-gests that this 2001 Euro-disco track should be an-noying: it’s not much morethan a robotic, heavily-vocodered voice singing thesame interchanging mantraabout doing things faster
to make us stronger over the same inter-changing jaunty electro-pop rhythm. Butit just builds into something so catchyyou have to hear it again, and any song thatcan trigger your beta endorphins so non-
chalantly as you Stairmaster your way intoinner peace is a gift.
Nine Inch Nails — WishKelis — Caught Out There
I’ve lumped these two very differentsongs together for a reason — a lot ofpeople work out at times of mountingstress and/or anger to help themselvesgel. So pick your tune depending on thekind of despair you’re more likely to bebombarded with: is it (a) the “everyone isout to get me, so I’ll exercise until I’m thinenough that they can see my blackened soulbetween my fragile bones!” angst of Mr. Reznor,or (b) the “I... hate you... so much... rightnow, society’s perception of femalebeauty!” sassiness of Kelis? Of course,either one could get you so disenfran-chised with life in general that you give uppersonal fitness and retire to a life ofCheetos and ennui. Everyone’s a winner!
As long as I can remember, my grand-father was always telling us storiesabout his experiences in the SecondWorld War. Up until now, other thanhis oral history, physical evidence otherthan his medals has been hard to comeby. My grandfather never mounted hiswar memorabilia or had it in anythingas formal as a scrapbook. A few yearsago, some photographs surfaced. Re-cently my grandfather rediscovered ashoebox full of letters and war memo-rabilia. Long hidden, it now sits safelyon a shelf. Until recently, I had not readany of the them.
The past week has seen a flurry ofpress coverage at home and abroadabout the 60th Anniversary of VEDay, the day hostilities formally endedin Europe. In reality, the war was notover until August 1945 when Japancapitulated. But for Europeans, VEDay was a day for celebration.
Two weeks shy of his twenty-thirdbirthday, and after the long push intothe Netherlands, my grandfather, Sig-nalman Edwin B. Moogk was on leavein a small English town. He was re-lieved to be in a country where civiliansspoke English after three years of fight-ing through Europe. As a man inuniform on VE Day he didn’t need tobuy drink for himself all day.
Though in my early years it neveroccurred to me, I recently rememberedthat I was exactly 60 years younger thanhe was. With each 60th anniversarycommemoration, the age that he re-membered was the age that I was.Anytime I would watch archival filmin the past few years, those men —
boys really — were not much differentin age than I was.
When I originally pitched this col-umn to my editor, I had hoped that Imight be able to locate a letter writtenin early May 1945 and compare mygrandfather’s thoughts to those thatwere displayed in the news reels andradio broadcasts. Unfortunately, thebox of letters that I have only datesuntil mid-1942. For my grandfather,1942 was an important year.
In spring 1942, his mother died ofleukemia when he had just turned 20.His family back home had tried to easethe news to him in several well-spacedletters that his mother was dying andfinally died. Unfortunately, only twoletters arrived, including the one thatannounced her death, within closesuccession. Fortunately for his mother,his family was able to arrange for a one-way broadcast home just weeks beforeshe died so that she could hear hisvoice one last time.
August 1942 saw the disastrousDieppe raid where many Canadiansoldiers were killed, wounded or takenprisoner. As a radio operator, mygrandfather was set to be driving oneof the first vehicles onto the beach. Astroke of luck and stubborness meantthat he was on leave when the troopshit the beaches. My grandfather saysthe night he returned to base was oneof the quietest as the invansion troopstrickled in. Practically everyone else waspart of the invasion. To this day, he isable to pick his vehicle out of photo-graphs, knocked out with feet of theshoreline. Among the letters, I founda newspaper clipping about the hisregiment, detailing the fate of a few ofthe invasion force. “A well liked man,”says a hand written notation about aman killed on the beach.
After 1942, my grandfather’s let-ters and personal effects were collectedby his older sister. It is hoped that the
collection has worked its way downthe family tree. With luck I can locatethem soon.
The collection that I have seen con-sists of several dozen letters sent to hisparents and his siblings. Wartime cor-respondence was closely censored forany information that might help theenemy. As a result, the letters consistof recounts of day-to-day life.
I examined one letter at length togain an understanding for what kindof experience my grandfather had. Itwas amazing how, across sixty years,many traits of have made their waythrough to me. The letter was writtenas a train of thought, much the sameway that I write my first drafts today.Modesty also sneaks through. As hewrites in thanks for a parcel that thefamily had sent to him, “I didn’t thinkI was worth so much attention whenit comes to parcels.” Perhaps the mostintriguing thing that I discovered, isthat many of the letters were writtenwith green ink. Green ink is the samecolour that I use for my correspond-ence today. Across the years, muchstays the same.
Time has not been kind to memo-ries or artifacts. That which was as clearas a bell has faded with distance. Someof the letters themselves have waterspots, or otherwise illegible sectionsthat only my grandfather might beable to decipher. For 10 years I havemeant to discover the full story behindmy grandfather’s war experiences. Now60 years on, I have the chance.
This summer, I hope to be able tosit down with my grandfather andrediscover with him what his war was.Family lore does not record any hugeheroics. Instead, he volunteered, hekept his head down, he did his job,and he survived. Were it not for him,or men and women like him, theworld might have been a differentplace. Unknown sacrifices can be easily
My grandfather’s war, 60 years on
squandered. I to never have his sacri-fices forgotten.
For the people, who as the actorand veteran William Hutt, recently said,“experienced death before they hadexperienced life” the six years of the
Tom LevesqueIMPRINT STAFF
With new revelations arriving daily fromParliament Hill, it is easy for the politicallyun-obsessed to lose sight of the bigpicture. Recent events in Ottawa haveplayed out like a drama, or perhaps evena circus. Here’s a look at where we camefrom — and where we’re headed.
A few months ago, Canada’s firstminority parliament since 1979 lookedlike it might work. Paul Martin’s Lib-erals unveiled a budget with moresupport for Canada’s military andminor tax cuts, prompting StephenHarper to say the Conservative Partycould support it in principle — or atleast not oppose it.
But the tide of co-operation changedas Groupaction marketing chief JeanBrault testified at Justice John Gomery’songoing inquiry into the sponsorshipscandal. The testimony was at first placedunder a publication ban to provide Brault
with a fair criminal trial at a later date.Despite the ban, Brault’s stories of
envelopes stuffed with taxpayers’ moneyand secret donations to the Liberal partywere leaked to an American blog.
Political chaos erupted when JusticeGomery partially lifted the publicationban on the news that Brault’s trial wouldbe held at a later date, the Globe and Mailreported on April 7. Just minutes afterthe ruling, the Canadian media wentinto a reporting frenzy and widespreadspeculation about the demise of theLiberal government surfaced.
On April 19, after polls showed theConservatives leading in most prov-inces, the two major national partiesquickly attempted to take control of thetiming of the next election.
The Conservatives, with the supportof the other opposition parties, plannedto introduce a motion to control thetiming of future opposition days —periods when opposition parties cancontrol Parliament’s agenda — while
Liberal House Leader Tony Valeri can-celled upcoming opposition days toprevent the motion from being intro-duced, an April 19 CTV.ca news storystated.
At the committee level, Liberal MPKaren Redman filibustered a motion toset the next opposition day. The proce-dural battle was eventually won by theopposition parties, setting the stage fora possible June election.
The chaos in Parliament, the ongo-ing sponsorship testimony and, pre-sumably, disappointing poll numbersprompted the Prime Minister to delivera rare prime time address to the nationon April 21.
During the televised address, Martinsaid, “those who are in power are to beheld responsible, and that includes me,”adding that he would call a general elec-tion “within 30 days of the publicationof [Justice Gomery’s] final report andrecommendations.”
Harper called Martin’s speech “a party
leader playing for time, begging for an-other chance,” while NDP Leader JackLayton suggested “there will be morepeople that are calling for some account-ability, perhaps in the form of an elec-tion.”
But Layton turned out to be Martin’ssaving grace when he offered an ultima-tum: drop corporate tax cuts from thebudget in exchange for social programs,and the NDP would support the gov-ernment until the budget received royalascent.
Martin eventually agreed to add $4.6billion in new social programs whilemoving tax cuts for large corporations toa separate bill.
Harper’s response was direct: “Mr.Martin and Mr. Layton think 4.6 billiondollars worth of taxpayers money is theprice to make corruption go away, Iwonder if the taxpayers of Canada willthink the same thing,” as quoted in aCFRA news story April 26.
The temporary Liberal-NDP alliance
has created dangerous arithmetic in theHouse of Commons. The Liberals andNDP together hold 150 seats, while theConservatives and Bloc have 153. Thethree independents hold the balance ofpower.
Ex-Liberal Carolyn Parrish has saidshe would support the government,while former Liberal David Kilgour andex-Conservative Chuck Cadman havebeen non-committal.
In May 2, Macleans.ca said Cadmanand two Conservative MPs have beenreceiving treatment for cancer, but allhave said they would show up for anyconfidence vote. Assuming all mem-bers vote, the Liberals would need allthree independents and the tie-breakingvote of Liberal Speaker Peter Milliken tostay afloat.
And that puts us where we are today— waiting for that all-important confi-dence vote.
There is no better way to celebrate withyour friends than by throwing a barbe-cue. Wait. Scratch that. There is onlyone better way: throw a Beer B Q. BeerB Q’s are a lot like barbecues exceptthey are cooler, more fun and havemore beer.
Step one: choose a date.First of all, pick a four- week period
within which to hold your Beer B Q.Think of when your potential guestsare available. If it’s during the springterm and lots of your friends are on co-op or have summer jobs, early weekdays will suck for them. Once you’vedecided on the day of the week, look atthe long range weather forecast for themonth and pick the day that’s sup-posed to be the rainiest. Since science(in general) is a sham, the weatherforecast will always be wrong. Therainiest day should end up beingsunny, with a low of 22 C and a highof 28 C.
Step two: the invitations.Since only grade school kids send
and receive invitations to parties, in-vite lots of grade school kids; they can’tdrink as much beer, but they’re theonly ones who will get your Sponge
Bob jokes. On second thought, justskip the invitations instead and avoidMeghan’s Law altogether.
When choosing a guest list, re-member to picture the party. “Wait,did I invite Tom and Mike? Oh man,I should have known that would betrouble since Tom accidentally sleptwith Mike’s girlfriend and sister.” Nowyour Beer B Q has been ruined by a guywith a slutty girlfriend and sister beat-ing the crap out of some guy who’sobviously cooler than you.
Also remember that if you havemultiple groups of friends, try to or-ganize the invites so that you can reachmaximum integration. This is whenall of your friends make friends withyour other friends. They then formone big group of friends who sitaround and talk about the last episodeof Friends and how good bad it was.
Step three: spread the word.Depending on how big or small
you want your shindig to be, you canuse word of mouth, e-mail, telephoneor take out an ad in Imprint. If youcannot afford to take out an ad inImprint, become a columnist so thatyou can blatantly abuse your powers.For instance, if I were to say that I’mhosting a Beer B Q on May 9, and thatpeople should show up around sixand that it’s BYOB and that everyone
should come around the side gatesince we’ll all be in the backyard and“see you there,” that would be anabuse of my powers as a columnistand I could get in trouble. (Remem-ber: side gate.)
Step four: Don’t tell anyone youlive in Kitchener.
Give people directions to your placebut never mention they’ll have to leaveWaterloo. Give them vague but pre-cise directions using landmarks in-stead of street names. Follow the ex-pressway until you reach the fourthexit; make a left at the top of the ramp.Go past the McDonald’s, turn at theFood Basics. Before they know it,they’re in Kitchener, Waterloo’s big-ger, uglier sister who rarely has dates,but frequently has herpes. Go figure.
Step five: make blessed music.Nothing gets a group of friends
together like some good old-fash-ioned party music. Be sure to slip insome trite, cliché summer songs withyour good songs and then remarkabout how you don’t know how thatsong got on your play list. “Summerof ‘69” by Bryan Adams? How thedevil did that get added to my play list?Well I guess we’ll never know.”
see BEER B Q, page 13
How to throw a successful Beer B Q
Darren HutzIMPRINT STAFF
One lump or two gov’na? Spot of teafor the missus? Nothing washes downa scone — I mean cookie — better thana nice cuppa tea. If you’re in the moodfor a hot beverage, sometimes there’snothing better than tea; an alternativeto coffee.
Tea originated in China, where it ispart of a 5,000 year old legend.The drink spread to Ja-pan and, throughtrade with Eu-rope, eventuallyto the wholeworld. Chinese teais traditionallyserved as loose leaf.The tea bag was in-vented by Americansand the western worldhas been happilyteabagging ever since.
One of the greatthings about tea is its simplicity. Tea leaves are harvestedthen treated to give them theirbrown colour. Tea is also just aboutthe cheapest thing you can drinknext to tap water. If you buy yourown tea from a grocery store, it maycost you a whopping three cents a cup.
For those of us who don’t knowthe difference between Oolong andstrawberry jam, here’s a simple guideto the many varieties of tea.
You can break it down into threebasic groups: the black, the herbal andthe green. Each type of tea comes withdifferent requirements and popularways of drinking them.Black teas
When most people say tea, they meanblack tea. It is dark in colour, usually adeep brown, orange or red. It usuallylooks black in a mug, thus the name.Black tea is usually served with milkand sugar and is usually caffeinated.
The cheapest and most commonkind of black tea (what I like to call buttwater) is Orange Pekoe. If you ask fora tea at a restaurant, that’s what you’ll
get. The most common brand is RedRose. This generic brew is rather blandbut rarely offensive.
Another popular black tea is EarlGrey, which is very similar to OrangePekoe but with a hint of bergomot.Bergomot adds a distinct eucalyptuslemony flavour to the tea. One of mypersonal favourites is the cinnamonand spice-flavoured Chai.
There are more varieties of black tea
than I’d care to count including IrishBreakfast, English Breakfast, LadyGrey, Darjeeling and Prince of Wales.
Herbal teasThis category refers to fruity and flow-ery light-coloured teas. They aren’ttechnically teas because they usuallylack any actual tea leaves, instead theycontain a variety of herbs and flowers.Herbal teas vary widely in colour and
taste based on whatever fruit orflower they are made from.
Many remedy teas fallinto this groupi n c l u d i n g
Echinacea tea.One of the
most commonherbal teas is
chamomile, whichhas a light flavour.
These are rarelyserved with milk or
sugar.
Green teasTypically more popu-
lar in Asian cuisine, greentea is green because the tea
leaves are not treated the waythat black tea leaves are. Green
tea has numerous health ben-efits such as reduced rates of heart
disease and cancer.You can get green varieties of most
black teas, which are often brewed withrice or jasmine. They go well withsushi.
That’s a basic introduction to theworld of hot tea. Tune in next issuewhen we tackle iced tea and bubble tea.
Three weeks ago I moved to Cambodia, notwhere I thought I would be when I graduated.
Twenty-seven hours, three continents, and12 time zones after saying goodbye to my mother,I arrived in Phnom Penh, where I would beginworking with a local non-governmental organi-zation to bring clean water and agricultural toolsto the rural poor.
I received a warm reception. I was taken to theoffice where an IDE worker greeted me and gaveme the grand tour, introducing me to all of theIDE office staff. This included Liz, an Australianwho is one of only two other non-Cambodiansin the office, and Sunday, director of research anddevelopment, with whom I will be workingthroughout the next several months.Everyone was extremely friendly, smiling andgreeting me enthusiastically. I quickly came toremember why the Khmer have a reputation forhuge smiles. Much to my delight, I also discov-ered EWB’s previous volunteer with IDE Cam-bodia had left me not only two new bike helmetsand a motorcycle helmet, but also a hammock, amosquito net and, better still, a bike!
While eating lunch with Sunday and Liz, theconversation soon turned to our families. Sun-day discussed his recent divorce and the custodyproblems he is having with his ex-wife and herfamily. He also talked of the family members lostunder the Pol Pot regime. It was during thislunch that I began to realize that the Khmer smileand chuckle is used not only to convey friendli-ness, but also to smooth over awkwardness.Sunday laughed awkwardly as he spoke of the
loss of family members in the genocide. Of all thepossible reactions to genocide I had imagined(anger, sadness or denial) laughter seemed unu-sually disturbing.
It seemed that Sunday didn’t want to be rudeby burdening the conversation with somethingas unpleasant and embarrassing as the yearsunder the Khmer Rouge. I’ve since noticed thatwhen mentioning the genocide, Cambodiansalways use the name of Pol Pot. The KhmerRouge themselves are never explicitly mentioned.It’s only an initial impression, but it seems thatwith so many former Khmer Rouge still in-volved in politics, it is considered inappropriateto blame them for the atrocities. Culturally, thereseems to be a desire to move on with life, tocontinue to build, and in some ways try to ignorethe nasty history of 1975-1979; hence the awk-ward laughter. Why discuss the genocide? It’ssomething of a national embarrassment. Fromwhat I’ve read, Jews initially acted the same wayafter the Holocaust, as did Rwandans.
I’m now living a block from the office in a flatthat is by Cambodian standards large enough fora whole family. I know this because I’ve met andchatted with my neighbours using my limitedcommand of Khmer. It’s also equipped with airconditioning, a fridge, a TV and a stereo. Thusfar I’ve avoided using the A/C on general prin-ciple. I’m still a romantic idealist at heart.
One day in Cambodia and already I have hadan opportunity to see some of the folks forwhom we’re working. Heading into the fieldhoping to promote our ceramic water filter projectin three small villages in Prey Veng province, theworkers at IDE agreed to let me tag along andobserve. Without being able to speak Khmer,there’s only so much I can learn at first but still,I’m really looking forward to it.
Adam Kaufman is a systems design grad, workingas an intern for Engineers Without Borders (EWB).His internship in Cambodia will last one year.
If I ask you to conjure an image of a “car girl” inyour head, what do you see? Do you envision anattractive blonde in a barely-there bikini perchedon top of a muscle or sport compact car? If so,I would like to introduce myself to you. If not,I thank you in advance for being a part of the(slowly emerging) minority.
I’ve been exposed to the automotive indus-try my entire life with both my parents workingin it. I rebelled, so to speak, by playing with mydolls and wouldn’t even let Barbie drive herCorvette until I was about six years old. Whenmy father decided to get rid of one of his twogorgeous trucks, each modified to include 454cubic inch engines, he picked me up in his arms,and asked me, “Kelly, which one do you want?”From that point on, the truck I picked was “mytruck” and is still in the family today.
For my 19th birthday, I bought myself myfirst new car and began modifying it. Now, at 22years old, I am president and co-founder ofTemptress Tuning (TT), an all-girls sport com-pact car club. I’m also writing this column. Soyeah, I guess you could call me a “car girl.”
I’ll even play up the car-bunny aspect once ina while, like when I wore a mini skirt and bikinitop during a charity car wash Temptress Tuningpromoted last summer. But when it comesdown to it, I know my shit — as more than a few
astounded males in the K-W area can confirm.As new millennium females raise the bar in
every aspect of their lives, I’m simply shockedwhen I meet resistance from guys who doubt myknowledge, capabilities and experience. Unfor-tunately the generalization that women don’tunderstand and aren’t interested in the technicalaspect of cars is hard to shake. More than a fewtimes I have heard “oh you just want to date thecar guys” when the girls and I mention we areplanning to attend a race or show event.
One part of the sport-compact culture I’vebeen deeply involved with over the past coupleyears is the car club aspect. Experience has led meto believe that, in some cases, girls need to provethemselves to their male counterparts, in termsof automotive knowledge, before being acceptedas an equal.
Partially, this is what TT aims to help anyfemale car enthusiast overcome. Additionally, asan all-girls car club we encourage other girls tolearn more about cars, whether it’s to develop aninterest in the car scene or just to have someknowledge of the vehicle they drive.
Over the past few years, I have met more thana few other women who are banding together toovercome the “car girl” stereotype. Every one ofus has experienced an encounter with a resistantmale and each of us has met many amazing malefriends who are completely accepting of our placein the car enthusiast culture.
It’s true that girls have always been a part ofautomotive culture, but as models. I never ex-pect this to end and if a female today chooses thisaspect of the scene, all the power to her.
Part of the mandate of many car groups I havebeen involved with has been to bring automo-
tive enthusiasts together, regardless of manufac-turer, modifications and most importantly tome, gender. A select few of these groups havedecided to have female “models” pose with theirmembers’ cars. Again, I don’t have a problemwith this. What I do have a problem with is howthe girls are being promoted and how it conflictswith the feminist movement.
Marketed as a way for females to becomemore involved in the sport compact scene, myfirst impression of these initiatives was that thegroup was promoting girls becoming involvedin the technical aspect of cars, while also promot-ing the fact that although involved in a male-centric hobby, a girl can still enjoy traditionalfeminine interests as well, like fashion. Furtherinquiry revealed, however, that these groupshave no requirement for automotive knowl-edge. In fact, a source has revealed to me, mostof the “model” applicants were girlfriends of theclub’s male members. These girls previouslyshowed no interest in learning about or workingon cars.
It’s possible that once these girls are furtherexposed to the car scene through the modellingaspect, they may take a further interest in thetechnical, hands-on work girls such as thosemembers of TT are involved in. I have a strongfeeling this won’t be the case.
While it saddens me to think that after somuch time inequality continues to reign su-preme throughout the car scene, I have anotheridea — since sex sells, and the female automotivemarket is growing daily, ladies, let’s put ourboyfriends on top of our cars!
Stop staring at my headlightsIf your friends are musicians, try and get them
to play. The only thing better than good musicis good live music. I usually give my neighboursa heads-up before throwing a party involving livemusic. I threw a Beer B Q last summer wheresome friend in a band threw an impromptushow. At one point I was walking someone totheir car way down the street and I could hear theband playing. It sounded awesome since it wasin the middle of a guitar solo and the sound justbounced off all the houses. But if I could hear itdown the street, my neighbours could too.
Step six: let flow the sacred spirits.Most people are considerate enough to bringsomething to a party. Though everyone’s on abudget, all people cool enough to come to oneof your parties is cool enough to bring their owndrinks. That said, I like to have a little extraaround — some to donate and some to sell. I tryto keep a 12-pack and a twenty-sixer on hand incase some idiot actually forgets to hit up theLCBO. One must realize, however, that there isa cost to hosting an event like this. You shouldexpect to spend around fifty bucks for food,drink and damages to person and property.
Step seven: sit back and enjoy thewonder you have created.Hosting a party is no fun if you’re busy lookingafter everyone else all night. Mingle, chat up theladies or stand back and let your friends toast toyour health and prosperity. Finally, rememberthe golden rule of hosting a party: never be thedrunkest person in the room.
IMPRINT SCIENCE FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 200514SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY [email protected]
FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2005
Custom essay writing and research as-sistance – Essay Experts can write an es-say or research papers on any topic, leveland for any deadline. Call 1-877-974-TEXT or visit EssayExperts.ca.English Editing Let me correct the gram-mar, spelling and style of your manu-script, document, technical report or the-sis. Satisfaction guaranteed. [email protected] or phone 905-525-9140. ext. 23438.
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HOUSINGWeekend counsellors and relief staff towork in homes for individuals with de-velopmental challenges. Minimum eight-month commitment. Paid positions. Sendresume to Don Mader, K-W Habilita-tion Services, 108 Sydney Street,Kitchener, ON, N2G 3V2.Help wanted for Summer – What do youususally do when you have four hours offree time? Socialize, watch a movie, reada book, exercise, daydream, nigh club-bing or volunteer? We all have busy livesthese days - we work, we go to school,we provide childcare, we socialize, etc.,etc. Sometimes it seems that we just donot have the time to do anything else inour lives. But did you know that it onlytakes four hours a week to provide animportant community service and poten-tially make a huge difference in some-one’s life? The Distress Centre is oper-ated by the Canadian Mental Helath As-sociation and provides supportive listen-
Wanna ... live purposefully - lead pas-sionately - influence powerfully?Twenty20 welcomes you! Twice a month- bus pickup at UW, SLC at 6:45 p.m andWLU underpass at 7:00 p.m. For moreinfo call 744-7447 or www.kcf.org [email protected] in Action. Join a discussionthat looks at how philosophy applies toeveryday life. Saturdays and Wednes-days at 7:00 p.m. in downtown Kitchener- 742-4433 (leave message).When your pet goes missing, a valuedmember of your family is lost – registerfor your free pet ID tag bearing your pet’sname and your contact telephone num-bers. This is a life time registration foryour pet and if the tag becomes lostsimply contact Creature Comfort for afree replacement. On the other side of thetag is a unique serial number linked toyour pet’s individual information, com-plete with a toll free number, whichworks from anywhere in North America.Call 664-3366 for more info or [email protected] National Quilt Show 2005-Air-borne from May 8 to June 26 at theKitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, 101Queen Street, N., Kitchener. Call 579-5860 for info.
VVVVVOLUNTEEROLUNTEEROLUNTEEROLUNTEEROLUNTEERACCKWA - The Aids Committee of Cam-bridge, Kitchener, Waterloo and area is anon-profit organization that is volunteerbased. As a volunteer at ACCKWA youcan make a valuable contribution to ourorganization and offer assistance in re-solving the concerns of AIDS in our com-munity. We are currently seeking volun-teers to fill the following areas: recep-tion, outreach, drivers, office cleaning,etc. If you are interested in helping orknow of anyone who would be, pleasecall Rana at 570-3687, ext 313. Manda-tory training is May 17 and 19 from 7:00to 9:00 p.m.
April 2005Scholarships Available:Millennium Excellence Award Program- National In-Course Awards for full-timestudents completing 2nd year in any pro-gram. The award value is from $4,000to $5,000! UW deadline is June 1, 2005.
FINANCIAL AIDFINANCIAL AIDFINANCIAL AIDFINANCIAL AIDFINANCIAL AIDCreature Comfort Pet Emporium offersstudent discounts. Save even more onquality pet food, supplies, accesories andgifts. 1553 King Street N, Upper Village,St. Jacobs. 664-3366. Visit our websiteat www.creaturecomfort.ca
Professional mother and five year olddaughter from Victoria BC wish to housesit in Waterloo, June through August.Please e-mail [email protected], orcall Pegan collect 250-385-2341.
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ing and crisis assessment and de-escala-tion for people living in the WaterlooRegion. Volunteers receive training in lis-tening skills, crisis de-escalation andcommunity resources. Volunteers workwith a highly trained Crisis InterventionTeam and receive on-going supervisionand feedback. If this sounds like the vol-unteer job for you, please contact JoanneMartin at 744-7645, ext 300.Extend-A-Family: part-time positionsproviding in-home and community sup-port to individuals with developmental/physical challenges in a variety of pro-grams. Providers willb e reliable, ener-getic and committed. Up to $10.40hourly. Contact Recruitment 741-0190,ext 38 or [email protected] Kitchen Ltd, St. Agatha, needswait persons with Sip program and linecooks. Weekends and weekday schedulesavailable. Call 747-1700, ask for Sharonor Mike Graham.
September rental – three bedroomtownhouse in student complex. Excellentunit with new carpets and vinyl beinginstalled before move in. New appliances.Utilities included, $350 per bedroom.Call Darlene 746-1411.Immediate rental – three bedroom largemulti level townhouse. Excellent studenttownhouse complex professionally man-aged. Utilities included for $350 per bed-room. It doesn’t get any better than this!Call Darlene at 746-1411, Haney PM.Five bedroom house for rent. Close toboth universities. Two kitchens, two bath-rooms, laundry, five car parking space,garage and central air. Available Septem-ber 1. Please call 575-1973.
Would you trust a fully automated car,one that moved on its own without anyuser interaction? Many would not, butMike Peasgood, a PhD candidate inmechanical engineering, decided to testit out slowly by creating RobotRacing,in which teams create autonomous ro-bots to race against one another.
“The idea for the competition grewout of an interest in mobile robotics,”Peasgood explained. “The goal was tocreate a competition that would getmore students interested in mobile ro-botics and to raise the profile of roboticsresearch here at UW.”
Clark said the purpose of the com-petition was to “bring mobile robotsand autonomous systems to the UWcommunity.” It not only made peopleaware of the technology, but allowedthem to learn how it worked and buildreal systems in groups.
RobotRacing’s inaugural event, Au-tonomous Racing Challenge 2005, washeld on April 23 in EIT 1015. Tenteams with a total of 50 participantsregistered for the event, and four of
those teams qualified for the races.“The vehicles had to autonomously
drive around a six-metre long racetrack:on a straight drag race, an oval circuitand a figure-eight circuit,” said Peasgood.“The goal was to finish 10 laps in theshortest possible time; however,penalty time was added for crashes intothe walls and other vehicles.”
The UW Robotics Club, led byChris Fox, won the $1,000 first prize.
“The competition was definitelyfun and totally worth it,” said Wong.
As the brutal cold diminishes intolong sun-filled days of bliss, woollensweaters come off and are banishedto the back of the closet. However,the warmer weather brings seasonalcreatures, such as incessantly buzz-ing, pesky fruit flies that attack yourhelpless fruit. But that fly taking a biteout of your golden delicious may bemore like you than ever perceived.
Apparently humans are not so farremoved from our fly enemies, as arecent study discovered humans andflies share similar wound-healinggenes.
In the early metazoan era, we
Fruit flies linked to humans Autonomous roboticcars debut at UW
MICHAEL L. DAVENPORT
A UW Robotics memberadjusts the final touches ontheir radio-controlled vehicle.
Darren HutzIMPRINT STAFF
I’m not fat, I’m leptin deficient!
With the use of advanced MRItechnology, a study by Drs.
Fat mice from Mars come to earth
shared worm-like ancestors who re-lied on their protective skin; half abillion years later, we continued toshare wound-repairing genes.
The study, conducted by re-searchers of the University of Cali-fornia San Diego, isolated a woundrepair gene in the fruit fly knownscientifically as Drosophilamelanogaster.
This gene, dubbed “grainy head”for its mutant appearance on the fly,has the same response in mice, whichwas shown in a separate Australianstudy.
Both insect and mammal have vis-ibly different outer layers of skin; theinsect’s is fibrous, while mammals,including humans, have layers of dead
Edythe London and Julio Licinioof the UCLA NeuropsychiatricInstitute suggests a hormone inthe brain influences obesity.Increases in leptin, a hormoneknown to have an important rolein body weight and metabolism,were shown to reduce cravingsfor food.
Morbidly obese subjects lostabout half of their weight overthe 18-month study.
MICHAEL L. DAVENPORT
cells mixed with proteins and fats.But the similarity between mammalsand Drosphilia is seen on a geneticlevel; in times of injury, the proteinslink in the broken area using similar“grainy head” genes, triggering woundrepair.
With such similarities, research onthese genes is highly beneficial forhumans as it may lead to discoveriessuch as rapid wound repair in injuredpatients as well as new ways to treatskin cancer.
So next time you swat at ourminiscule distant cousin, rememberit has a rapid wound repair systemthat can withstand the battle. Saveyour energy and eat the defencelessfruit instead.
Want to live on Mars?
The new Mars ReconnaissanceOrbiter (MRO) was transportedlast week to the Kennedy SpaceCenter in preparation for its August launch this year.
The orbiter could possiblylocate habitats suitable for life onour neighbouring planet. It willseek out features related to water,a necessity of life.
The MRO is scheduled to
This spring, reach outto farmers in thedeveloping world.
Support USC Canada sSeeds of Survival
Program.
Call 1-800-5656-USC (872)to pledge your support today!
56 Sparks Street, Ottawa ON K1P 5B1
www.usc-canada.org
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HELP WANTED
Self-Help Food Bank.Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Alzheimer Society presents “Grey PowerEducation Series 2005” from 7:00 to 8:30p.m. at Luther Village Chapel, 139 Fa-ther David Bauer Drive, Waterloo. Call742-1422 for info/registration.
Thursday, May 12, 2005Sexual Assault Awareness Month – lec-ture series – “Sexual Violence: An Inter-national Perspective” from 12:00 to 1:00p.m. at Regional Municipality of Water-loo, 150 Frederick Street, Kitchener withspeakers Amnesty International.
IMPRINT SPORTS FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2005 15SPORTSFRIDAY, MAY 6, 2005
Ian Forde learned last Thursday thecliché “It ain’t over until it’s over” mayjust have a little more truth to it for himthan he first thought. Ac-cording to a report in theCambridge Times, after goingonline on April 28 and fol-lowing the Canadian Foot-ball League’s draft, whichthe league’s nine teams con-duct via conference call, thethird-year history majorturned off his computerwith just four picks remain-ing, figuring he wasn’t go-ing to be selected.
Shortly thereafter,Forde, Waterloo’s top wide receiver andkick-return specialist, got a call fromWarriors football head coach ChrisTriantafilou, who promptly told himhe had been selected by the TorontoArgonauts in the last round of the six-round draft — the 53rd pick out of 53.
“He was just elated,” said Triantafilouin an interview with Imprint. “He’s agood young man. He worked hard forit.”
After breaking his leg in the thirdgame of the OUA season — a 55-33 lossto York on September 18 — the 22-year-old all-star and Cambridge native hadserious doubts as to whether he shouldeven stay in the draft or not.
“The [leg] injury wasn’t that severe,”added Triantafilou.
However, at that crucial point of theWarriors’ season, the Galt Collegiategrad’s absence was monumental.
“When we lost Ian we lost the heartof the team.”
Argos “can’t ignore” Waterloo’s FordeDespite appearing on the gridiron in
only a trio of games, his numbers reflectthe impact he can have on a game’soutcome.
In the first three games of 2004,Forde had two touchdowns and re-
turned five kicks, averaging18.4 yards per return.
However, in 2003, hewas the Canadian univer-sity leader in kickoff returnyards, averaging an impres-sive 24 yards per return.That same year he also fin-ished with eight touch-downs and 631 receivingyards.
Nevertheless, after miss-ing the last five games ofthis past year, Forde’s only
other opportunity to display his abilitiesto the pro clubs came when he attendedthe CFL combine camp in Laval, Quebecon March 17.
Seizing upon that chance, Forde’sstar shone brightly.
“He ran the fastest 40 [yards] in thecamp,” said UW’s Triantafilou.
Luckily, Waterloo’s coaching stafftalked him into staying in the draft, andas a result the defending Grey Cup champsdecided to take a chance on him despitehis prior injury.
“I talk to the kids every year aboutthat [entering the draft],” saidTriantafilou. “We thought that he couldat least get a CFL camp under his belt.”
The Warriors’ boss added that ifForde returns to UW for his last year, atleast he’ll still have another year of expe-rience at the varsity level before returningto a second CFL camp in 2006. Shouldthat occur, Forde would then knowwhat to expect and be able to head into
PHOTOS COURTESY UW ATHLETICS
Sports: the second-coolest thing in life
UW wide receiver Ian Forde (right) was drafted 53rd overall by theCanadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts on April 28.
another pro camp with more confidenceand less uncertainty.
“Just going to camp is a good expe-rience and he had a great spring camp[with the Warriors].
“He’s ready to go. He’s always kepthimself in good shape.”
According to an Argos press release,the Boatmen consider Forde to be “thesleeper” of this year’s draft.
“Forde was a great late round bar-gain,” commented the Argos’ directorof player personnel Greg Mohns. “He’ssmall but you can’t ignore what he didat Waterloo.”
Warriors coach Triantafilou disagrees.“I don’t think he’s a sleeper. He was
taken and will become a sleeper.“I think it was a good move by the
Argos,” said Triantafilou of Toronto’sdecision to draft Forde.
“They probably said ‘Who’s the bestCanadian out there?’ And that’s IanForde. That’s what you do with the lastpick of the draft.
“But ‘Pinball’ [Argos’ coach MichaelClemons] made a mistake by draftingIan… because Ian has a bigger smilethan ‘Pinball.’ Ian is one of those guys.He’s positive.”
Both Forde’s physical appearance —he stands only five feet, nine inches tall— and his explosive, agility-driven play-ing style are eerily similar to Clemons’when the latter used to wear the doubleblue before retiring in 2000.
Triantafilou added that Forde has abetter chance of sticking with the Boat-men if one or two receivers get injured incamp because the Argos’ strategy the lastfew years has been to have a completelyCanadian receiving squad. This has al-lowed them to have a mainly Americandefensive line that is much stronger.
Ian Forde
If Forde had gone to a team that onlywanted one Canadian receiver, his chancesof making the cut would have beenhindered right from the start.
And most importantly, “Anything
can happen,” added Triantafilou.Forde was unavailable for comment
I’ve spent the first twenty-one-plusyears of my life defending my almost-pathetic love of all things athletic, wastingcountless hours glued to whatever TSNhappened to be broadcasting at any giventime.
Over the course of my lifetime, I havebecome a serious sports junkie; the kindthat finds himself in nothing but hisboxer shorts, covered in a fine film ofDoritos nacho cheese dust, glazing at there-run of a Champion’s League soccerquarterfinal at 4 a.m.
I was so obsessed with sports Ineeded a 12-step program. But that allchanged on May 2.
That’s the day I met Andi.
Andi Marie Brook McGuire steppedinto my life last Monday morning at7:05 a.m., all seven pounds, 12 ouncesof her. And, at a time when I shouldhave been recovering from a Sundaynight binge of NBA playoff action andabout seven litresof Coca-Cola, Iinstead stoodalongside Andi’smom — my girl-friend Ashly —and held mydaughter for thevery first time.And, I can hon-estly say, that forthe very first timein my life, sports was not on my brain’sradar screen.
Life has a way of prioritizing theimportance of daily boxscores and semi-hourly NFL draft updates. The ESPNsof the world make it so easy to lose sightof life for the relative unimportance ofsport. And the Andis of the world makeit so easy to lose sight of everything else
that’s not Andi. That’s how children are;they take every piece of you and amend it— and that’s the best feeling in the world.
To be totally honest though, it wasstill during Andi’s first day here on earthwhen sports popped into my head again,
albeit only for aminute. But in-stead of hitting upTSN.ca to get thelatest scores andathletic gossip, Iwas thinkingabout how fun itcould be wakingup for Andi’s 6a.m. hockey prac-tices.
I thought about a lot more in thatminute, too — freezing my tail off atbarn-like arenas across Ontario, lob-bing softballs towards home plate dur-ing practice, seeing her first goal ticklethe twine on the soccer pitch. Sure, itseems cheesy and idealistic, but I thinkAndi and I could have a tonne of fununder the sports umbrella.
And if she never wants to pick up abasketball in her life, if she thinks sportsare the most destructive waste of timethere is, I will love her just the same. I can’thelp it; she’s so much cuter than anythingI’ve ever seen on TSN.
It’s Wednesday night, going onThursday morning as I write this col-umn. And, as I sit here feverishly pound-ing the keys, and as I can almost hear mysuperior editors at Imprint cursing myname for yet another horribly misseddeadline, I look over at beautiful Andi, inbed with her beautiful mom. She lets outa small cry and kicks her legs in the air. I,being the sports nerd I am, immediatelythink, “hey, that’s a good kick —midfielder, maybe?”
Then I give my head a shake. I alwaysthought I would be disappointed if mychildren showed no interest in sports.But in three days of fatherhood, I’velearned sports will never mean the sameto me again.
