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IRON WAR

Cfi ii- - 8 February 15, 1991 THE ENGINEERING SOCIETY'S STUDENT FORUM


I am an Individual
Gregory K. Cook
4B Civil
What is in a name? Letters, sounds,
phonetics, syllables and all those
other things English majors make a
living from by studying and
manipulating. There's something
else too; an individual.
Each of us is unique. Our parents
assert as much when we are children.
Our culture and economics system
reinforce the sense of individualism
in each of us. So it is somewhat
disheartening to learn that my very
own nomer does not share this unique
quality.
Funk and Wagnall's Standard
Dictionary defines name as "a word
or words by which a person, thing,
animal, class or concept is known or
referred to." Note the reference to
"a" person; again, some sense of
singularity. And yet we do not have
s. This fact became all
too obvious to me last .fall.
My name is Greg Cook, not John
Smith. You just wouldn't think that
my name is that common. One day I
was reading an issue of the Gazette
which had an article about St.
Jerome's new writer-in-residence. His
name, you guessed it, Greg Cook.
My arrogant delusions of uniqueness
of name were shattered as I reeled
with the thought of another Greg
Cook at UW. I mean, I had actually
been somewhat miffed in high school
to learn that out of some 1400 other
students, there actually was one
other person with the first name
Greg. Now at university I was
confronted by this stranger whose
photo benignly regarded me from the
pages of the Gazette and who dared
to have the same first and last name
as me.
Then I received a letter for him.
UW had received it first, didn't
know who this writer-in-residence
person was, and proceeded to mnil
the damn thing to me. Two days
later, a well-meaning classmate gave
me a fax for "me" or, that is rather,
my namesake. Posters appeared
around campus advertiSing speeches
given by my namesake. My fri ends
thought I was leading a double life,
not telling them about my new job.
No, it' not me! Then I got a phone
call for me which began in a very
conversational tone, like I should
know this perfect stranger, who
claimed to know my father. Now I'm
on the phone with this older guy who
sounds like he's about to sell me info
on my dad. Like I care. Once I
straightened the guy out, that yes, I
was Greg Cook but no, not the Greg
Cook he wanted, I started to worry
about my own sense of reality. I
stabilized by telling myself "It's
okay. I was here first. This guy's just
a poseur, a wannabe me."
In December, I cruised into Security
to get a parking sticker. They did not
have my file so they checked their
V'
New POETS securit force?
records. Was I in fourth year, they
asked. Yes. Was I in Optometry,
they asked. No. Oh no, not again!
Indeed, a third Greg Cook had
appeared on campus. Perhaps it was
a vogue or trendy thing to be my
namesake, I thought. Well if it was,
it was getting out of hand. I suddenly
worried that I would return home
only to learn that a string of phone
messages awaited lime" but none were
actually for me. Or even that one of
my roommates might have changed
his name to Greg Cook. Again I
reeled.
Fortunately though, neither ot
these apocalyptic fates awaited me.
Was I overreacting? Yes, all you John
Smiths would snap in a moment, you
were. Well understand that I wasn't
ready to deal with all the concepts of
being a member of the Greg Cook
namesake club. Maybe it is easier for
you John Smiths to deal with the
whole name thing without being
diminished as an 4ndividlJ4ll. ter
all, I do know over a dozen Dave's
and all of them are quite different as
indi viduals.
Are numbers the only solution?
Maybe. After all, we use our student
ID numbers for almost everything we
do on the campus. With it you become
a specific person rather than a
shallow namesake of others. Maybe
I'll just start signing with my middle
initial too. Yes, I think that will
probably make membership in the
Gregory K. Cook namesake club a
more exclusive asset.
s
Page 2
Bribes. Do you believe that bribes
are an ethical part of our world?
Would y'ou feel safe if you beli eved
that anyone could bribe a profes-
sional? Would you feel safe if you
thought that someone could bribe
your doctor to hurt you? Would you
feel safe driving over a bridge built
by an engineer who accepts bribes?
Should professionals be taught to
consider bribes as acceptable?
The answer to all these questions is
a resounding NO! So why are we
teaching professionals to bribe
others?
A major part of the Engineering
Havenger Scunt is bribing the
officials. Every team is required to
bribe officials to get several different
lists. Everyone knows that about a
quarter of the Scunt budget is
allocated towards bribes. Parti-
cipants usually have to provide food
and sometime beer. All so that they
can be given a list of things that they
are required to bring to judging.
With exams now upon us, I'm going
to keep this editorial extremely
short. There's really only one thing I
want to get off my chest.
The Iron WArrior ' is a forum Cor
dtought-provokina 8nd wcumative articles
presenred by the acatJemic cQmnuUlil)r of
the University of Views
expressed in the Iron Warribr. other than
the editorials. are Ihoie of die authors and
do not neceBiarily reneet the ophtiona ot
the editoo or the Engineering Society.
The Iron Wlttio, enoourager.
submissions from stpdents, facilIty and
othet members of the
community. SubmiSSiOns should reflect die
COftCel'nt and iDtenectftl standarck of the
university .ill lenttW. and should be
typewritten or on a :Macintoih or MS-DOS
, Ill" cIUk. .. 11NW!. dass (if
Il)d phone number should be
.' .
lQllaa. othuwise
Iron Warrior
As engineeri ng students, we are
trying to learn the s kills we need to
become professionals. Professionals
a re ups tanding ci ti zen s i n the
community, pillars of society, peopl e
who can be trusted to look out for the
well being of the ge neral public.
Professionals arc self governing not
only because they have expertise in
an area that is difficult to regulate,
but because they have the credibility
that s ays they can regula te
themselves and protect the public
interest. We were told in first year
that engineers subscribe to a code of
ethics. Who wiII believe that a
person who gives or receives bribes
will uphold a code of ethics? NO
ONE.
The only solution is to remove
bribes from the Scunt. We can' t
justify its place in our education and
it only degrades our credibility. It
will mar our reputation and lead to
being regulated by the government.
"Why should we get rid of bribes?"
you may ask. "They are fun!" Yea.
Right. I really enjoy paying
exorbitant amounts of money to GIVE
a specific food to a bunch of people
I've never met before just to get a
piece of paper that demands we bring
more stuff to them. On top of that,
this ten to twenty dollar collection of
paper is obsolete in under 24 hou rs.
Yea. I love wasting my hard earned
cas h.
"We did it las t term." d oesn' t
was h e ither. In the p as t our
forefathers dumped PCBs and dioxins
into our lakes and s treams. They
ignored the effect on the environment.
No one believes that anyone should
still be allowed to do thi s. Things
change. Bribes in the Scunt is one of
those things.
Other may say: "We paid bribes to
the las t group to run the Scunt. We
should get paid back. We won it. It' s
our ri ght. " Yes. Some daring,
courageous class is going to have to
bite the bullet. They are going to
have to be the first to abolish bribes
in a scunt. They are going to have to
drop the high school mentality of
"He got to .. . " and take the first
step. But they will do it and our
school will be better for it.
Remember A Professional docs
what is right: not what was done
before.
,Thought ProlJoking Rrticles
For some strange reason I was under
the impression that the role of an
editor was to present thought
provoking articles for the University
community to digest and, hopefully,
contemplate. In all my naivety,
however, I also believed that I could
do this without having to endure
personal attacks from my readers. I
believed that educated readers of the
Iron Warrior were confident enough
as members of society to present
opposing viewpoints without
reducing themselves to defamation of
character.
ObviOUSly, I was wrong. 1 was
under the impression that a letter to
the editor's purpose was to attack the
issue, not the editor.
Nobody wants to be associated
with a mass murderer like Marc
Lepine. I sure don't, and I don't
stated, become tho property of the h!U1
Warrior, which reserves the right to refuse
pu61i.ation of material which it deems
unsuitable. The Iron Wmjor also resetVers
the right to edit grammar. and
portions of "'Xl that do nol me university
ltandards. ' AUtIlon will be notified of any
major chanaes that may be required.
AU wbmislions and advertising
enquiries sbouJd forwatded to:
Imn Warrior
Engineerittl Society
CPH 1327
University of Warerloo
WATERLOO. Onwio
lf2L.3G1
phone: (519) 888 .... 762
f*X: (519) 8886197
o,mait: qsoci@SWlee.wlterloo.edu
believe I deserve to be. Peopl e like
Mr. Vcllinga who use these types of
intimidation and scare tactics to
silence the people who have views
that oppose their own threaten
insightful, constructive discussion.
Well, Mr. Vellinga, I certainly
hope that someday you will realize
that a more subtle, less 'holier-than-
thou' attitude will certainly carry
more weight in an objective argument.

February 15, 1991
Editors:
Kevin Johnson
Harvey Watson
Photo Editor:
Chris DeBrusk
Advertising:
Todd Bailey
Julie Shigetomi
Contributors:
A.J. Baxter
Brenda Beal
Gregory K. Cook
5.5. de 5il va
Milos Djokovic
Kim Farwell
Paul Fie uth
Katherine Koszarny
Hannah Krouse
Jonathan Lee
'w,e. Lennox
Sean Murphy
Ted Timar
Mark Verheyden
Mark Vidler
Layout:
Jeff Dyck
Derrick Jewlal
Ted Timar
Some Japanese dude
Ifl never get sick"
the JI< rule master
V AH-LOR-EEIi
Milinderoni
Dodgerino
Photography:
February 15, 1991
Dear IW,
I am becoming increasingly
disturbed by the accusation that
those who desire a peaceful solution
to the Gulf crisis feel hostile towards
the troops there. This is a distortion
of my concern. My concern is for the
emotional and physical well being of
the troops. Soldiers are now in a
position where their lives are
endangered and where they are being
forced to kill other human beings. It
is not the soldiers who are
responsible for this war. But it is the
soldiers who will kill and be killed
because of it.
In democracies, governments are
elected to represent the vision of the
people whom they govern. Our vision
of society should be based upon
accurate, complete and undistorted
i.nformation. It is irrational to pull
the heroic wool over our eyes and
declare that since our troops are
there, we must support them and
hepce this war. The people of Iraq
could use the same reasoning to justify
the occupation of Kuwait.
Moral and ethical considerations
must always be foremost.
Governments are not infallible. As a
society we are responsible to monitor
the actions of those whom we have
elected. This is difficult, if not
impossible, when governments use
censorship and propaganda. We
have been told that this is an ethical
war. Yet the US government will not
rule out the use of nuclear weapons. If
nuclear weapons are used, we will be
responsible for the deaths of many
innocent people. The environmental
consequences to Iraq will be felt for
generations. To me this would
represent a far greater evil than the
Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.
Bruce Fraser
4B Chemical
Editor's note:
Bruce, if you are referring to my
note in the last issue, 1 would
encourage you to re-read it. No
accusations were made at al"
especially of the type that you have
described.
Kevin
Da.y t.n the Lt.fe
Kim Farwell
lB Chemical
1
1 You wake (regretfully) to the
unwelcome sound of your alarm clock.
It's Thursday -- at least you think so -
- and it's raining. You can hear it.
Any traces of snow will have turned
to slush and any grass to mud, you
think. You yawn. If you hit your
snooze button and go back to sleep, go
to 2. If you stretch, groan and decide
to face the dreary day, go to 3. J
Iron Warrior
Dear IW,
I am writing this letter in response
to the "Opinions on Engineers" article
by Karen Murphy that appeared in
the last issue of the Iron Warrior. It
was obviously written without a
great deal of knowledge or thought. I
would like to set the story straight on
the topic of engineering unity.
First of all, there is the "class"
unit. Undergraduate engineering is
highly structured. As a result, the
majority of our classes are made up of
exactly the same grou p of people.
Each class has a name. Each class
has a phone list so if you're having
trouble with a particular assignment
you can call another member of your
class for help. My class certainly has
a "permanent group presence".
The Engineering Society does not
die after Frosh Week. There are lots
of activities going on, especially
during Engineering Weekend and
Engineering Week. For example, on
Saturday February 23 (well removed
from September) "a cohesive group of
students from the faculty of
Engineering" will be getting together
for the Annual Bus Push. This event
raises money for the Big Sisters
organization.
Last, but certainly not least, we
have this wonderful newspaper. No
other Faculty on campus has
anything that even comes close to the
Iron Warrior.
Pamela Lichti
4B Chern. Eng.
Dear IW,
We have now have living proof that
Marc Lepine is alive and well. His
spirit lives on among many sane
people; people in our midst. Kevin
Johnson, in his Iron Warrior editorial
(February 1, 1991) showed himself to
be one of these people. While it is
disturbing that men still harbour
resentment towards women, small
consolation can be taken in the fact
that at least some have the guts to
admit it, albeit in a round about way.
Nevertheless, this kind of naive
sexism should not be allowed to be
perpetrated without someone crying
"foul".
Mr. Johnson's comparison between
"bleen-eyed" people and women in
engineering is at once insulting and
ridiculous. He cited no evidence to
support his hypothesis that "bleen-
eyed" people are under-represented
in the faculty of engineering. This
incongruous comparison was merely a
thinly veiled attempt to ridicule the
efforts to attract women into
engineering.
Currently, only about 15% of
undergraduate engineering students
enrolled at Waterloo are women.
Less than 3% of all engineering
graduates in Canada are women. Far
more women leave the profession
than do their male counterparts. If
this is not a -serious problem 01 gender
disparity, r don't know what is.
Mr. Johnson's article displays obvious
resentment toward the assistn nCt'
given to women. This assistance is
given in an attempt to correct glaring
gender disparities in the engine 'ring
profession, specifically the number of
\
r 1


Page 3
EngSoc Presents:
S 1JJl1l11 Y (j1JJl r 181M 911
in
Y'Lcapu{co
April 28 - May 5
Info.
women entering the profession. It is
infuriating that someone of our
generation would be so unenlightened
as to poke fun at such a serious
societal problem. It is scary though,
that Mr. Johnson's sarcasm drips with
jealousy and resentment, the same
emotions which led Marc Lepine to
his despicable acts.
... still harbour resentment
towards wome11
Mr. Johnson and other men who still
harbour resentment towards women
should consider this: your resentment
is no different than that of Marc
Lepine. The only difference is that
your sanity causes you to write silly
and lnsensitlvc artiC\cs whi1c Marc
Lepine' S sbDQi
14 women.
I am sick and tired of insl'nsilivl' and
intran ' ig nl mNl. It is not W', the
m.lle gender, who hn Vl' t1w right to
complain ahout wh,l\'S (air wh(.'11 less
than onc sixth of our engineering
colleagues are women. It is not Wl'
who live in fcar when we walk homc
at night. It is not usually we who art'
raped. It is not one in four of us who is
assaulted. It is not we who are at the
brunt of disparaging comments and
jokes. It is not usually we who arc
sexually harassed by our bosses. It is
not we who arc in the minority and at
a disadvantage. It is not we who
have barriers erected (or us which
prevent us from realizing Ollr
potential.
Many people are
working to break
the barriers down.
It is men like Mr. Johnson who built
and maintained the barriers to
women in the first place. There are a
lot of people who were profoundly
affected by what happened at Ecole
Poly technique; a lot of people who
re-examined their own attitudes and
prejudices. Consequently, there are
many people who are working and
hoping to break the barriers down.
Mr. Johnson should watch out. He
might get run over by progress.
John Vellinga
Alumni: class of '90
Page 4 Iron Warrior February 15
f
1991
1)a-y Ln. the LLfe 23 i
Letter to
the Editor
Dear IW,
I have never encountered an urge to
respond to an s?
until now. KevIn Johnson s edltonal
(Iron Warrior, February 1) was both
flippant and insulting. It completely
ridiculed and denigrated a serious
problem: the extremely. low
representation of women In the
engineering profession.
Mr. Johnson stated in his editorial
"we're sure that in the end people
will realize that it is for the good of
the many tha t the few were
overlooked." ... The irony in that
statement is how close to the truth it
really is. Sorry for ruining the
attempt at sarcasm. Let me quote the
Minister for Science, William C.
Winegard, from his address in the
Canada Scholarships Program 1989-
1990 Report.
"Since its introduction in 1988 the
Program has become a highly visible
part of the Government's efforts
directed towards improving Canada's
international competitiveness. If
Canadians are to compete successfully
with increasingly innovative trading
partners, we must become a .more
scientifically and technologically
literate society. We must produce
sufficient numbers of the highly
qualified personnel who are key
industrial innovation and economic
success in order to assure the fu ture
standard of living and quality of life
that Canadians want. We must foster
the desire for excellence and reward
the ability to succeed ... "
The same report cites the
following:
"The Program aims to counter two
disturbing conditions:
while overalI undergraduate
enrollment in Canadian universities
has been increasing over the past few
years, enrollment in the natural
sciences and engineering, disciplines
vital to the country's future economic
competitiveness, has been decreasing
... given the current low
enrollment levels for women in these
fields, there is considerable potential
to alleviate projected shortages of
highly qualified personnel in
Canada by increasing the interest and
involvement of women in careers in
these areas"

23 "It's done but I left it at
home!" You check your watch. Then
you run out into the CPH foyer
check it again just to make sure time
in POETS corresponds with real time
(it doesn't always, you know).
"I won't be able to get it in time,"
you say. "Can I clone with the rest of
you? Maybe I can remember how I did
the last question."
You scramble madly but you do
complete the assignment. You know
question one is right but you're not
sure about the rest. It's legible,
barely. You envision the masterpiece
at home on your desk and almost start
to cry. Go to 25. J
Keep in mind that this fund has
been established to address the need
stated above. It is addressing thi s
need in a way that wilJ achieve
maximum results. It is an $80 million
program of a $1.3 billion package for
new science and technology
initiatives. If we took your advice on
fairness, it would be unfair to close
the scholarship opportunities to arts
students, kinesiology students, etc.
because they are also instrumental in
our national competitiveness.
However, it is not the most direct and
effective approach.
Let's look at a simple analogy. The
sport is fishing and the goal is to
catch as many fish as possible. There
are two lakes containing equal
numbers of fish. Should we fish
solely in one lake? That's what
we've been doing in the past. Sheer
numbers dictate that the greatest
potential for achieving the goal 's to
fish in both lakes, especiall y jf one
lake has a virtually untouched stock.
I understand Mr. Johnson's
resentment toward the Canada
Scholarship Program. It should've
been more appropriately termed as a
bursary or an incentive fund.
However, unlike Mr. Johnson, 1 agree
with the principle and the spirit of
this initiative. It puzzles me. Has
he researched any aspects of the
It puzzles me. Has he
researched any aspects
of the program at all?
program at all? It seems to me that
he has a heavy axe to grind. His
approach is subjective in that he has
not addressed any other perceived
weaknesses in the program. I wonder
if he knows that scholarships are
al10cated to institutions based upon
the number of graduates from each
school in eligible disciplines?
Participating institutions nominate
X
WESTMOUNT PLACE PHARMACY
50 Westmount Rd. N., Waterloo, ONT.
OPEN DAILY:
Sundays & Holidays:
9am - 10pm
11am - 9pm
WATERLOO ENGINEERING
ENDOWMENT FOUNDATION
CURRENT TOTAL

THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO DONATED
iflHIa GliIFif "lflHIA"lf OCIB.lE'rPS OM GiViNG
Canada Scholars from among their
best applicants for the first year of
undergraduate studies. A "best
applicant" to Laurentian may have a
significantly lower average than a
applicant" to Waterloo. Does
he also know tha t Canada
Scholarships are renewable for up to
four years, conditional upon the
attainment of a first-class academic
standing, and the continuation of
enrollment in an eligible field?
There are inequalities there as well.
Academic standards vary at
Canadian engineering schools, just as
they do at high schools. I missed
these points in Mr. Johnson's
editorial.
50% of these scholarships
awarded to women
Let me take this opportunity to
clear up some misconceptions. One of
the guidelines of this program is that
at least 50% of these scholarships be
awarded to women. The first year
that the scholarships were offered,
in 1988, they were announced after
the universities had put out their
offers of acceptance. In the confusion,
individual faculties offered the top
males and females scholarships,
with about 50% of all scholarships
being awarded to each gender. In the
previous two years, the University of
Waterloo has abided by the 50/50
ratio, but has spread it across the
math, science and engineering
facuIties. Since science and math
typically have higher female
enrollments, this helps to equa lize
the situation.
Mr. Johnson should be careful. His
anger at the system manifests itself
in a resentment towards his female
colleagues.
Mr. Johnson stated in his editorial
that " ... we will probably be hard
pressed finding enough qualified
people to award scholarships to ... "
How do those female engineering
students that did receive the Canada
Scholarships feel after that
statement? I don't think Mr. Johnson
would ever tum down an opportunity
or refrain from using contacts to land a
job.
I am sick and tired of hearing
comments like:
"You got the interview because they
wanted to see what a female
engineering student looked like."
"You only got the job because you're a
girl."
engineering student is a challenge.
Many women never make it into an
engineering program because their
parents, guidance counsellor or
teacher convince them that "it ' isn't a
career for women" or that "they will
never make it."
(A na.y tn the Litfe 26
26 You get a beer and sit down,
basking in the aura of relaxing
engineers. Your work doesn't matter
any more. True relaxation. You
throw some darts. You start to look at
your watch, but then you remember,
slowly, that time is a non-dimension
in POETS. You sit down, put your fee]t
up and finish your beer. Go to 26.
Mr:Johnson, have you ever
considered what being a female in
engineering entails? Put yourself in
my shoes for a moment as your
col1eague, and a woman. Have you
ever experienced sexual harassment
or debasing comments? I have, in all
five of my work terms . 0 you know
how degrading it feels when you
mention that you have to get help
from a T A and people say to you
" ... just smile and wear a low-cut
blouse and you'l1 get help ... " Do you
know what it's like to shell out
money on cab fare because the safety
van stops at 1 a.m. and you've stayed
late at school? I do, it costs $6/trip.
Do you know how draining it is to
have to prove your competence again
and again? Have you ever been told,
"you sure don't look like an engineer"
? I'm not trying to get sympathy from
you, only understanding.
I take offense to your comment on
qualifications. Give women in
engineering a little credit. We're all
in this together. Your female
col1eagues don't generally get breaks.
We get additional barriers and
inconveniences that we have to deal
with on top of our course workloads.
You know how hard it is to juggle a
full academic load with extra-
curricular activities. Over 45% of the
directors in the Engineering Society
are female. That's over 3 times the
overal1 proportion of females in
engineering.
Society is now awakening to the
serious gender disparity problem in
the engineering profession. The
federal government, profeSSional
engineering associations such as the
APEO, companies, and individuals
are attempting to deal with this.
Give them a chance.
, "It's reverse discrimination."
You don't have to be a part of the
solution. Just stop being a part of the
problem.
WE ACCEPT U of W STUDENT HEAL TH PLAN
Comments like those are both
insulting and sexist. Believe me, I'd
rather be a male in engineering than
a female. Even becoming a female
Katherine Koszarny
3B Systems Design
Page 5
Iron Warrior
Pres Says Pres Says
A.J. Baxter
President
Welt it is midterm week and you
don't have time to read rambling
spews and I don't have time to write
them, so here we go ...
Did you know that there are three
(3) vacant spots on the Federation of
Students council? Did you know that
these three spots are supposed to be
filled by Engineering students? If you
are interested in becoming involved
at the Fed level and being the voice
of engineering to the Feds come into
the orifice and get more info.
Did you know that there will be a
vacancy on the Undergraduate Senate
Council when Marc Gravel (4B Mech)
graduates? Did you know that he
says it looks good on a Resume? Talk
to him if you want more info on the
position.
Did you know that at the next
council meeting Herb Ratz froll) the
Sandford Flemming Foundation will
be asking for a motion to keep the SSF
fee at the SAM E level that it has
been for the last five years? Did you
know that all the fees that they
( A Da.y tn the Life 3
3 You leave your cosy bed and
shiver in the frigid room. You
wander to the window and squint into
the morning light . It is definitely
raining. You scan the neighbourhood
to see if anyone is building an Ark.
The thought of water on your skin,
hot or cold, is unpleasant so you
forego the morning shower. You
throw on some clothes. On a day like
this you don't even care if they're
clean or if they match. Breakfast. It
might be the most cheerful occurrence
of the day. If you live in residence go
to 4. If you live off campus go to 5.
that cleaned out the novelties that
have bccn hanging around the orifice
since it opened? Did you know that
their major has switched from
enginccring to u cd car sales? These
four directors were r cogni zed at the
last council meeting.
Did you know that the Waterloo
Engineering Endowment Foundation
constitution did not get passed at the
last Board of Governors BUT is
scheduled to be approved a t the
April meeting of the Board?
Did you know that this article was
actually finished be f or e the
collect go right back into the student deadline?
body via scholarships and other
means? Finally, a fee that has not Did you know that 1 really, really,
increased because of the GST. really dislike midterm week? You
Did you know that council was probably did but it feels good to put it
moved to Feb 27th? This was done so in print.
that you wouldn't have to rush back Did you know that I just booked the
from your TWO DAY study break to 1992 Iron Ring Ceremony for March
attend counci1. 5th 1992. I really liked confirming
Did you know that the ENG SOC that booking. Yes, anyone who is in
3B this term will be receiving their
elections are happening soon?
Nominations will be accepted during Iron Ring on March 5th 1992 so get
the week of Feb 25th. We are looking your beer bottles ready for some
heavy clinking of iron (or stainless
for a chief returning officer (eRO) to steel).
run the election. John Kingdon has
. . . Well now you know. And there
done It before so If you are Interested 't be 'dt h' . I
h Id t lk t h
won amI erm on t IS matena .
you s au a 0 1m. L t ' AJ
Did you know that the positions of a er... .
President, Vice President External,
Vice President Internal and Treasurer 1:i:I a.y
are interesting and rewarding
positions? Did you know that you get
to work with really cool people who
hav awesome ideas and amazin
enthusiasm. The people who
participate in Eng Soc are the
greatest. You also get to go to POETS
frequently.
Did you know that Julie Shigetomi
and Todd Bailey are the IW
advertising directors and they have
been working around the clock to
make the IW pay for itself. Did you
know that Lily Jung and Serge
Gravelle are the novelties directors
24 You dash out of POETS
without another thought and head
for orne at a prin er' w i
soon slows to a jog, and t en a walk.
This day is out to get you, you think,
but if you can just get that assignment
in your hand th curse will be brok f\.
You burst in the door and streak ()r
your room. There it is on your desk!
Your masterpiece! Uncloned!
Uncopicd! You gather it lovingly
into your arms, and, feeling new
stamina, head back to Engineeringj'
Go to 25.
February 15, 1991
( A Day in the Life 7
7 You gave up? 1 hope this is a
very rare day for you. If not, GOOD
LUCK. You'll need it. END J
Letter to
the Editor
Dear IW:
I am not the person who you quoted
in the editorial, "New Activities
Needed", in the Feb.1 issue of lW. I
am, in fact, the person you misquoted.
After only two issues of IW, I'm
becoming aware of an alarming habit
you have of distorting the facts. In
the past editorial, you claim that
you made an improper inference, in
reference to your first edi torial,
"More Beer". Well you've managed
to do it again.
1 believe that you misunderstand the
proper way to write an editorial. An
editorial is a forum in which a person
can present an opinion on a topic or, in
this particular case, make a
suggestion. It is not a forum in which
you, the editor, may present warped
paraphrases in order to make a point.
The privilege you have been given
as editor of our student newspaper
could make someone jealous. Abusing
that privilege wm certainly make
someone irate. In the future, listen
before you think, think before you
write ... and please Harvey, verify
before you publish.

2ASD
F:difor's 110 I t':
/'1/1 sorry l mis quo/rd thl' idea. 1'm
rold thaI Ifle actual sugges tion had
nOlhillg to do willi insiders excluding
others.
Harvey
President Vice President External
I
ENGSOC
NOMINATIONS
FEB. 25 - MARCH 1
See the article on page 7 for more information
/
Secretar IVice President Internal Treasurer

Page 6
VP
Katherine Koszarny
VP External
I wrote a letter to the editor in
response to Kevin Johnson's editorial
in the last issue of the Iron Warrior.
These are my personal views, I am not
necessarily representing the views of
the Engineering Society. I do,
however want to commend Kevin on
having the courage to talk about
something that he believes is wrong.
Until now, I had no idea that many
male engineering students feIt
resentment with regards to the
Canada Scholarship Program, I had
never come across anybody who did or
who would speak about it openly. I
would rather have it out in the open
than hidden under the surface.
When I was at the CCES conference
(attended by representatives from all
of the engineering societies across
Canada), a round table discussion on
public image was held. Each school
spoke about this topic in an informal
setting. One comment' especially
stuck in my mind .. The president of
Ecole Poly technique related
experiences that he had observed,
where sexist or racist remarks made
by individual engineering students
were received with vocal
disapproval and ridicule from their
colleagues. Do you feel that
atmosphere exists here?
Sean Murphy
Treasurer
Iron Warrior
February 15, 1991
Spews
Speaking about public image, on
January 29, I attended, along with
two other students, a seminar on
women engineers and scientists. It
was hosted by Ontario Hydro to
share perspectives, insights and
solutions. There were a number of
guest speakers. One of the speakers,
Sam Horton, P.Eng. is Senior Vice
President Human Resources. You may
have read his statements in
newspaper articles across the country
this past year. Last year, he wrote
Canadian university presidents and
deans of enginccring urging them to do
what they can to make sexist and
racist behaviou r by engineeri ng
students unacceptable, in addition to
implementing programs which would
give students the skil ls necessary to
work in a multicultural workplace. In
the letter he wrote " It is clear to us
money. The treasurer not only counts
the money, but that person must also
manage the C&D as well as run the
services that Engsoc offers the
students. ie. novelties, photo, Orifice,
C&O, Recycling, Iron Warrior,
P.O.E.T.S., etc ...
and Stews
that we can't afford to employ
engineers who are reluctant to work in
a multicultural workforce ... They
must be prepared to work with and
for women and men of all races."
Engineering graduates who cannot
show "sensitivity and genuine respect
for those who hold different views"
will not be qualified for advancement
within Ontario Hydro. This is a
stong message, as Ontario Hydro is
one of Canada's largest employer of
engineers, with over 4 000 on its staff
of 26 000. He feels that many of these
attitudes are created and nurtured ilt
engineering schools, through such
events as orientation wee.k.
some of these concerns. He replied
with the question "What type of
support do engineering schools want?
"For example, last term (" A" Soc),
the editors of thelron Warrior,
recei ved a letter from Cia udette
Mackay-Lassonde, Director of
Premier Accounts, Northern Telecom
Limited and a former APEO
president. She wrote "You may not be
aware that in previous speeches I
have singled out the Iron Warrior of
the University of Waterloo as an
example of what can be done ... " That
type of support is always welcome, in
addi tion to constructive criticism.
What do you think?
( A nay tn the Ltfe 2
We can't afford to employ
engineers who are
reluctant to work in a
multicultural workforce.
had the opportunity to speak
with Mr. Horton after the seminar. I
pointed out to him that it was his
generation and engineers before him
that created many of the traditions
that engineering schools are now
being condemned for I told him that I
understood his views, however I felt
that a positive approach and support
was needed as well to assist
engineering schools in addressing
they are my friends by having a
novelties sale that raised $2500
dollars in two days. They will serve
their bosses well in the future in the
2 You hit the snooze button
again. Then you give up and switch
off your alarm clock altogether. If
you're not getting up, there's no sense
in pretending you are.
A few hours later you awake,
refreshed and ready to face any day,
any weather. Then you look outside
and see that it has stopped raining
and the sun is straining through the
clouds. Your classes are over, but
there's still time to hang out with
the gang in POETS. You get ready at
a leisurely pace. You are even
humming a happy tune by the time
you go out the door.
Half way to CPH it hits you. You
have a lab this afternoon and it
started 20 minutes ago. If you ru "to
your lab go to 19. If you tum around .
and go back home go to 7. J
to manage effectively because
everything should be functional and
require only a Saturday morning to
make everything work rather than
the in-depth exhaustive mandate
that was previously required to
The novelties sale that brainstorm through the earlier
Ah well, it's the third issue and S ra,'sed $2500 t'n bottleneck.
o this message applies to all those On
time for me to spew out anything that two days that note, I can only express my
people in my class who never see me d'
you might find remotely interesting. Isappointment at the resignation of
anymore. Thanks for all the J
I first want to apologizc for missing anice Woods as VP Internal. To you,
last issue. At the deadline I was en photocopies of notes, assistance with Janice, I dedicate the above
route to the great Mecca of football, assignments and general putting up marketing area. So if you see Serge paragraph (or portion of it). Janice
with me arriving late for classes. The Gravelle and Ll'ly Ju tIt
Tampa, Florida for SUPER BOWL ng, congra u a e helped me out on many occasions with
apology is also extended to the them for a J'ob well done Als . t
XXV. See the SUPER BOWL . 0 m erms the workload and provided a spark
ROADTRIP article in the next issue professors of 3A Mechanical who of novelties, look for new stuff in the of life in exec meetings. Thanks
for the initial installment of constantly endure my coming in late Orifice. Serge and Lily promise not to Janice.
for class. For those professors who dl'sappol'nt
information. . I will leave my message to
don't know me, I'm the guy you Also I'n terms of reven h
With a month left to go in my post, ue, we ave Katherine and A.J. for my next report
always see in the C&D and the expanded the rol f d t" .
I have a unique perspective on what e 0 a ver ISing m with the story about the Super Bowl
has happened while I have been person who always sits near the front the Iron Warrior to include national Roadtrip.
of the class and comes in late. d t' th t '11 b
treasurer (or chief bookkeeper, chief aver Isers a WI contri ute a On that note, I'll conclude this
jerk or whatever). I have tried to be guaranteed amount of$l000 per issue. report. I realize not much was said in
as open as possible in fiscal and fA. DGY in the Life 16 Since we presently break even, we this report but I promise that my next
financial decisions. I hope I have will use that money to invest in a report, as my term comes to an end
made a few good decisions that you, 16 Remember, there isn't any desktop production scheme for the will be much more enthusiastic and
the students, have profited from. food at home. You'll have to stop and IW. It's high. that the society informative. Thanks for listening.
I realize that as treasurer I am not get something on the way. Do you was progressIve In an area that the
as visible as the president or vice- still want to go home? If yes go to 18. students actually see. (A. Da. in the Life 1 9
president or Cheryl in the day-to- If you go back to the C&D go to 1-1. J. For people who were Y
day running of the society. I accept ______________ Interested m obtaining SOciety funds 19 You break into a run! You
that. I also encourage everyone who If that above paragraph wasn't for projects, the list of monies through th.e hallways and
would consider themselves as a enigmatic enough .... 1 will now try to and projects that are approved are skId to a stop at the door of your lab
person who is willing to give a lot of tell you the direction of my thoughts loca!ed. on t.he of the you reach for the knob you see the
their time and effort in the hope that for the next month or so. Firstly, we Engmeenng Society offIce. sIgn:
the society will profit from it will be are the proud owners of a new VHS The accounting package and the
willing to run for this job. computer system are now fully LAB CANCELLED TODAY.
The treasurer is a very hands-on for more mformatl?Il operational for the C&D and by the POSTPONED UNTIL NEXT WEEK.
type of person because he or she must on slgnmg out the camera for lime this message reaches you, it will
control the grease that cause the Secondly, the be functional for the Society books as
grinding wheels of Engsoc to run, ie. dIrectors 'have proved to me that well. The next treasurer will be able
Mayas well go to POETS then, yO)
think. Go to 21.
February 15, 1991
Iron Warrior
Page 7
WEEF Update
Milos Djokovic
Endowment Director
It's time for February's WEEF
update. Cancellations this term
reached an all-time high of 30%,
leaving the Endowment Fund with a
principal of approximately $330,000.
This should provide us with capital
in the order of $10,000 to spend this
term. So if YOU have any ideas how
to spend this money, whether you are
a student, Faculty member or part of
another organization, please contact
the Endowment Director at the
Engineering Society office.
Written funding proposals must be
submitted to the Endowment Director
before March 1 1991 and they will be .
presented at a Funding Council
meeting on March 6. Final
ratification of proposals will occur at
the subsequent Funding Council
meeting on March 13.
Also, a contest is underway to
develop a logo for WEEF. This logo
will be used on plaques, stickers and
other advertisements which promote
the Foundation. The prize is $50 to
the designer of a logo which is
approved by the Funding Council.
Submit your designs by March 1 to the
Endowment Director at the
Engineering Society office.
On a brighter note, the following
letter has been brought to my
attention. I think it speaks for itself.
o 0
0
g
0
0
oC)
Dear Mr. Conway,
We recently hired our first
Cooperative Engineering student for
the fall term of 1990. The student we
selected, Karl Brehmer produced
excellent work during the term. His
high performance level helped
convince us to continue hiring students
throughout 1991. We would like to
express our appreciation and support
to the Cooperative Engineering
Program. Please accept the attached
donation on behalf of Chemacryl
Plastics Limited.
Sincerely yours,
Clifford J. Thompson
Plant Manager
The $500 donation was directed to
the Engineering Society and it was
decided by EngSoc that it would be
appropriate to use this donation to
further high quality engineering
education by placing it in the
Endowment Fund. Congratulations to
Karl Brehmer and Chemacryl!
There is something about the refund
procedure that needs clarification.
The last IW article r wrote mentioned
the fact that some students may
cancel their donations after the 3
week period. This is ON L Y
permitted for students which receive
their fee statement AFTER the
beginning of the 3 week period. The 3
week period is a deadline by
University policy on incidental fees .
CJ
0 o
o
0
%
0
0
A SERVICE OF THE FEOERATION OF STUOENTS
RESSA Conference
Ted Timar
4B Computer
In late October, four UW students
trekked to Quebec city to attend the
Regional Engineering Student Society
Association (RESSA) conference.
This conference takes place at a
different university every year,
alternating between Ontario and
Quebec. Next year's conference will
be hosted by the University of
Ottawa.
Unlike most other annual student
conferences, this conference is
sponsored by two separate
organizations: the Engineering
Student Society Council of Ontario
(ESSCO) and the Coalition des
Facultes d'lngenierie du Quebec
(CoFIQ).
This year, the conference seminars
covered topics of Aerospace, Hydro
Quebec, the St. Lawrence Seaways
and Project Management. On it's own
merits, this conference may not have
been worth attending. Fortunately,
there was another side to this
conference: it coincided with the
premier Jeux de Genie du Quebec (the
first Quebec Engineering Games).
This competition was an incredible
show of rivalry betwee!" engineering
. schools in Quebec. Each of Quebec's 6
engineering schools had 40 students
competing in deSign, debating, and
athletic competitions.
In my five years in engineering, I
have never before Seen so much school
spirit. Nor have I had as much
confidence in the engineers of
tomorrow.
Only a month earlier, we had tried
a similar event here in Ontario under
the ti tie of ESSCOlympics.
Unfortunately, ESSCOlympics ended
up being nothing more than a
glorified boat racing tournament.
They hadn't even considered boat
racing in the Jeux de Genic, though,
with the arrival of the Ontario
schools for RESSA, there was some
spontaneous boat racing McGill style
(120z). The incredible thing was that
this really was spontaneous. It
wasn't the act of a covert group of
planners, it arose out of the incredible
rivalries present. It rubbed off on all
ofus.
I hope that next year, we (or any
other of the 12 Ontario engineering
schools) will follow Quebec's
example, and run an ESSCOlympics
that will show the world that
engineers can do more than just drink,
and that engineering spirit is great:
not 200 proof.
Enginee'ring
emocra y
On Wednesday, March 13, 1991,
Engineering Society 'B' will be
holding elections for its four elect d
executive positions: Pre ident, Vice
President External, Treasurer, and
Secretary/Vice President Internal.
Nominations will be open from &30
am on Monday, February 25 to 3:15 pm
on Friday, March 1. Nomination
forms should be picked up and
handed in at the Engineering Society
Office (CPH 1327).
Nominees must expect to be full-
time undergraduate engineering
students in the Fall 1991 and Summer
1992 terms. Candidates must be
nominated by five full-paid members
of Engineering Society 'B'. In
addition, candidates for the positions
of President or Vice President
External must expect to be in their 3A
or later terms in the Fall 1991 term.
Brief summaries of the positions
follow.
The President is the leader of and
spokesperson for the SOciety, and is
ultimately respon!;ible for all of its
actions.
The Vice President Exte.rnal deals
with groups outside of the Society,
and is responsible for the Society's
representation at meetings and
conferences. In addition, the VP
External takes over the President's
duties in his or her absence.
The Secretary/Vice President
Internal takes minutes at EngSoc
Council meetings, and is also
responSible for miscellaneous internal
matters of the Society. This position
has been expanded in recent terms,
{.nd a nl'W 5< rct.lry/VP Internal will
hav considt'rabl(' (rt' 'dom to d finc
his or h('r duties.
Th<.' Treasurer is r(' I onsibll' tor till'
Sociely's finan CR. Il(' or 51\('
prepar S the budg<.'t, keeps thl' books,
and sup rvises all transactions. Si nCt'
the Engin ering Society has ,1 cash
flow o( over $50 000 each term, this
position is critical. Re nt Trt'asurl'rS
have made important changes,
including the install. lion o( a
computeriz d accounting system.
Fulure treas urers wi 11 ha ve the
opportunity to make equally
dramatic changes.
In addition to the above duties, the
elected executives each supervise a
number of the Society's directors.
It's impossible to exaggerate how
important it is (or the Society to be
led by enthusiastic and capable
executives with a strong mandate
from the students. If you think thilt
you have something to contribute to
your student society, please think
very strongly about running for one of
the positions. If you know someone
who you think would be perfect (or an
executive position, encourage them to
run.
[f you have any questions about the
election, get in touch with the Chief
Returning Officer through the
Engineering Society Office. If you
want to find out more about the
executive positions, the current
office-holders will be more than
happy to answer your questions.
And finally: on March 13, remember
to vote!
Page 8 Iron Warrior
February 15, 1991
How are engineers perceived by the
general public? This article and
others will try to show you how
engineering students are perceived
outside the engineering faculty.
David Huron
Music Department
Conrad Grebel College
Those who have travelled abroad
will recognize that it is pretty easy
to form stereotype images of different
nationalities. A week spent in France
or Germany is bound to leave some
impression that they are more
industrious, or more lazy, or more
angst-ridden, or more carefree. On
the other hand, if you have had the
chance to live abroad for an extended
period of time, you soon realize that
first impressions can be quite
deceptive.
With short visits, there is a
tendency to emphasize the apparent
differences while overlooking the
similarities. In truth, human beings
share a lot in common -- much more
than appearances might suggest.
Stereotyping and racism are close
bed-fellows. For these reasons I am
hesitant to characterize any group of
people -- including engineers.
Perhaps the only groups I am
qualified to characterize, are those
groups to which I belong.
I could say that some of my best
friend are engineers -- and so I will.
The ones I know and interact with are
intelligent and erudite individuals
with a lot of talent. They arc also
caring and thoughtful people, and so
valued friends. They are older
people, and so are tempered by the
wisdom that comes from experience.
(",t Da.y t..n the Li..Je 9
Various faculty and staff will write
their opinion which will be printed
in this column. This is how you are
perceived. What are you going to do
about it?
not quite sure what accounts for this.
Perhaps they are no longer as insecure
about their futures. But I'm am
tempted to think that the workload
in the first years of engineering study
is simply too heavy. There are a
number of bright minds, that are
given little time to think, and even
less time to reflect.
Engineering is, of cC'urse, a
profession. This means that society
explicitly limits the activities of the
majority of the population, and
grants a monopoly for those activities
to a select group of people. As an
engineer, you will be able to do things
that the rest of us are legally
forbidden from doing.
(A Day t..n the Lt J e 8
8 Well, the weather has
subdued your prof too. You have
distinct difficulty staying awake.
By the end of the class you aren't
even sure what was covered, but, then
again, your prof probably feels the
same way. Hopefully your next class
will be more exciting. Will you risk
it? If you do go to 10, otherwise go to
11. )
Of course, economists know that any
sort of monopoly has the potential for
abuse. This naturally gives rise to
public skepticism of professionals.
Some of this skepticism is even
sanctioned by philosophers. Sir Karl
Popper, one of this century's foremost
philosophers of science, has ou tlined
a specific philosophy of the
9 Well where did you go then? relationship between experts and
It doesn't take a whole hour to go to non-experts. Popper's view is that
the C&D, or even to say hello to an experts are to be used, rather than
old friend. After all that trouble to trusted. When you send your car to
drag your bag of bones out of bcd, it the garage for repairs, you engage a
makes sense to go to class, you know. certified mechanic to do the repairs,
Well, actually you didn't miss but there is no cause to place your
anything anyway. You have another trust in the mechanic. According to
class now. Are you going to go? If so Popper, it is simply a better gamble
go to 10, otherwise go to 11. J than entrusting your car to your next-
_ door neighbour.
My experience with engineering
students is somewhat different.
Engineering undergraduates are not
engineers. They are perhaps
"engineers in waiting" - not yet what
they aspire to be. Especially for
students with low marks, this status
as "proto-engineer" is prone to
generate a little insecurity. The
intelligence and erudition I expect
from seasoned engineers is not always
evident when I survey the faces in
those of my classes in which
engineering students predominate.
Louder voices can prevail.
Over the years I have come to
realize that there is a large
difference between those students in
first or second year, and those
students in fourth year. There is a
mellowness to fourth year engineering
students that I find comforting. I'm
Fortunately, (from the
professional's point-of-view) few
people view expertise in the way
Popper has suggested. Most people
not only use their doctor, they trust
their doctor as well. Contrary to
Popper, trust may well be one of the
essential fibers in the texture of
civilization. In any event, experts
will not retain their professional
monopoly for long in the face of an
erosion in public trust.
I could say that
some of my best
friends are engineers
Given the importance of public
trust, I am largely mystified by
engineers' traditional disinterest in
their public image. Recent attempts
by the Engineering societies to reform
the image of engineering schools are
laudable, bu t these reforms come very
late compared to other professions.
The disin terest in public
perceptions is in marked contrast to
other issues that engineering students
have taken seriously. More than any
other campus group, engineering
students have come to understand
that their engineering degree is only
... and I wish students in
the Arts faculty were
similarily motivated.
as prestigious as the school from
which they have graduated. Should
UW's reputation decline in the next
ten years, this decline will reflect on
all UW engineering graduates.
It is the awareness of this
relationship that leads to actions of
enlightened self-interest -- such as
the Plumber's Pledge. The support of
engineering students of their alma
mater is a remarkable achievement,
and I wish students in the Arts
faculty were similarly motivated.
But this action is oriented toward
the differences between different
faculties are quite small. However,
Welstead did find very significant
differences between two groups of
students: males and females.
The primary difference between
Arts students and Engineering
students is that the latter are far
more likely to be men. As a man, I
recognize that the unsavory antics
associated with Engineering students
arise less from some distinctive
"engineering culture" and have more
to do with being male in our society.
Examine the rituals, symbols, and
pranks of undergraduate engineering
life, and what one recognizes are
predominantly male rituals, male
symbols, and male pranks.
In my opening remarks, I noted that
perhaps the only groups I am
qualified to characterize, are those
groups to which I belong. When I
look at undergraduate engineering
culture, I don't see any uniquely
engineering "fraternity." I see fellow
males doing recognizably male things
in ways that occasionally make me
ashamed of being male.
the maintenance of a good
professional image, rather than a (
good public image. Most professions A
strive to project to the general public
Day tn tne Lt.. J e 11
a sense of professional competence
and responsibility. This is essential
if the socially-sanctioned monopoly
for a given expertise is not to be
rescinded. On some occasions some
engineering students appear intent on
projecting the reverse image: as
brazen ignoramuses less interested in
being builders of civilization than on
being makers of money.
Whenever a public image is bad,
there is a temptation to succumb to
the image. If, for example, a person
is persistently portrayed as a
criminal, there is a tendency for them
to give up trying to reform the image,
and instead to relish and heighten
their new-found identify. In wearing
a T-shirt bearing the slogan "J'm a
socially stupid engineer ... ", some
engineering students flaunt this
The best antidote
to men is women
(and vice versa)
image, whether or not it is an
accurate one. Like all acts of
deconstruction, the act of parading
this slogan relies on the perpetuation
of the very stereotype it seeks to
parody.
In the preface to these remarks, I
noted that in characterizing any
group of people there is a tendency to
emphasize the differences without
recognizing the similarities. Last
year, Greg Welstead carried out a
campus-wide survey of 500 students
that examined attitudes towards a
variety of social, lifestyle, and
values issues. Welstead was
particularly interested in seeing to
what extent faculty stereotypes were
reflected in respondents' attitudes.
For example, are arts students more
"creative" than engineering students,
etc. What Welstead found was that
11 I hope you did something
worthwhile instead as you missed an
important class. You'd better find one
of the few people who were there and
get the notes. Are you going to miss
your next class too? If so go to 13. If
not go to 12.
)
The best antidote to men is women
(and vice versa). Without a critical
mass of female students, I expect that
engineering education in English
Canada will continue to be doomed to
a sort of locker-room culture -- and
hence, locker-room mentalities.
Moreover this is not just some
stereotype image held by people from
other faculties. This is an image of
engineering students which has great
currency throughout our entire
society.
If I were an engineering student, I
would try to do something about it,
and I would start at the grass-roots
level. I would try to convince my
sister to enroll in engineering, and
then I would do everything I could to
make the environment conducive to
her wanting to stay.
6
6 Time to leave for class.
Something to take notes in? Check!
A pen? Check! Calculator? Vh huh!
Duck repellent, squirrel repellent,
mathie repellent? Check! Footwear
that doesn't leak too badly? Yup!
And that trusty umbrella? Let the
day begin... If you actually make it
to your first class, go to 8. If you don't,
go to 9.
J
February 15, 1991
Iron Warrior Page 9
Volunteers Required
Jonathan Lee
3B Systems
Okay, here we go again. It's
another one of those articles about
the predicted future increase in
demand for engineers and the fact
that because of low entrance rates
into engineering now, there will be a
shortage in the future. So what you
say!! Who cares ..... a shortage of
engineers means there will be more
jobs for me to choose from
and .... hah!! ...... I can negotiate a
better salary because more people
want me - I'm an engineer ..... .I know
economics and the laws of supply and
demand! I'm going to be rich!
But, lurking in the background are
countries like Japan and Germany
producing more efficient and better
quality goods. Then, there are
countries like Korea and Taiwan,
slowly creeping up with lower
quality but really cheap goods. Uh
oh, you say. We as Canada must
compete! We must beat these other
countries that think they are better
than we are! We must maintain our
status as the second most rapidly
growing economy behind that of
Japan and the second highest
standard of living behind that of the
US. Okay Great,,, .. what do we do to
compete? Here's the plan ....... we
introduce new and more efficient
processes to produce items better than
those other countries. We design new
goods and services that people need
in order to create new markets. Items
like VCRs, microwave ovens, CD
players, DAT(Digital Audio Tapes)
and HDTV which didn't exist a few
years ago but which every household
now needs or already has two of. We,
as Canada, will produce the future
goods which everyone and their
mother in the industrialized world
needs. Yes. We will maintain our
economic strength and continue to be a
leader in the world!!
... directly affecting you
in a negative way.
suffering the same fate because there
are not enough engineers to support
them. But again, lurking in the
background is Japan, Germany, Korea
and Taiwan who do have many
engineers and begin to do so many
more things better than Canada does.
Let them do better you say, as you
sit in your mansion and collect your
fat paychecks. However, as these
other countries prosper, Canada can
no longer compete in the international
marketplace because it's companies
don't have the resources, the
... the future of engineering
day camp. This is a summer program
intended to expose and interest
elementary school children in the
sciences and the maths. More can be
read about this in the first issue of
the Iron Warrior. The short-term
solution is being addressed and is not
really a solution but a temporary fix
which attempts to inform and
encourage high school students
through the Ambassador program
and the Shadow program.
The Ambassador program, which is
not yet implemented, wjJJ have
students on their coop terms going to
high schools while on company time
to speak to students abou t
engineering. The Shadow program on
the other hand is currently in the
process of being organized and as a
engineers, to do so. Canada, a nation
which depends on trade because our
population is too small to produce the
diverse number of goods we do need or r
buy the large quantity of goods that I A
we are producing. Our products can no
longer compete with those produced
Da.y tn the Ltfe 11
17 Aren't you creative! Did you
make your own lunch and bring it? A
packed lunch perhaps, or a food
voucher? Maybe you're going to a
friend's or out to one of the
neighbouring cafes. Whatever it is,
just recall that it is more exciting
than the average student's lunch and
be grateful. But don't linger over your
luxury too long, because you have a
lab this afternoon. Go to 20.
by other countries. So our economy
begins to degrade and eventually our
standard of living goes down as well.
Canadian companies which can't
compete go bankrupt and possibly
your company can no longer afford to
pay your exorbitant salary. Uh oh,
now it's bad because it is directly
affecting you in a negative way.
'Maybe I should have been concerned
when I was in university' you-say, as
you faintly recall the past when
someone said "only 8% of university
applicants opt for engineering".
Maybe I should have acted then you
say, as you can no longer afford your
mortgage payments, laser discs for
your Japanese video player and gas
for your German made automobile.
So, hopefully, you now understand
all the hype about why something
must be done. Why people like Eric
Langford, Kathrerine Kozarny,
Professor Bill Lennox, Canadian
Council of Engineers and business
people are all jumping up and down,
flailing their arms and yelling at all
of us to do something. Although the
preceding scenario is slightly
exaggerated, it does indicate the
urgency of acting now and not waiting
Wait one second! We need for someone else to act. Currently,
result your assistance is required. The
shadow program places high school
students with one of you for a half a
day to a day. It's intent is to give
them first hand experience and a
chance to speak directly with
someone in engineering. Therefore,
we need out-going volunteers willing
to act as a guide and take students to
lectures, around the campus and
discuss university and engineering
with them. Although the pilot
program is scheduled for the entire
month of March, the focus will be
from Monday March 4 through to
Friday March 15. If you are
interested in volunteering, please sign
up in the orifice by Friday February
22. Lower year students (2B and
below) are especially required, in
addition to volunteers from every
discipline of engineering.
50 the future is up to you. It is up to
you to inform others who haven't
read this article (which is probably
your classmate and 75% of those in
engineering) about the problem
which exists so that in the future you
can pay your mortgage, play your
laser video discs and drive your cars
without any worries. For the future
of Canada, the future of engineering
and especially your future, get
involved in trying to solve this
problem - ACT NOW!!!
scientists and ENGINEERS to design there are many ideas for increasing
these new products and processes. Oh engineering enrollment but only a few
no! But we have shortage now and are underway. The problem is being
this great demand for engineers (as attacked in two ways by means of a
you faintly recall your university long-term solution and a short-term
days when someone was constantly solution. The long-term solution is
repeating "demand for engineers will currently being addressed by Eric
increase by 45% in the next decade but Langford through the summer science
supply will increase by only 8%"). ~ _____________ _
No problem you say .... all this fA Da.y tn the Ltfe 21
demand.".lot's of jobs for me""higher
TIlI
C()ULU ~ ~ ) U
salary says the laws of supply and
demand. So, you take this one high
paying job and laugh at the 30 other
companies that didn't offer you more.
However, the 30 other companies
still can't fill their positions because
there are no more engineers to hire.
So with no engineers to produce new
goods and processes, those companies
can't compete and thus "go down the
tubes". Hah! Serves them right for
not offering you more money' as you
watch more and more companies
21 You approach POETS and as
you climb those sacred steps the aura
rushes out the door and envelops you,
enticing you into its haven. As you
cross the threshold you breathe
deeply soaking up the airs of
relaxation. Your reverie is
interrupted when you suddenly notice
your classmates in a frenzy, cloning
the assignment due at the end of the
day. Yours is done. And it's a)
masterpiece. Go to 22. ....
AT THE
Page 10
Ontario Engineering
Design Competition
Iron Warrior
February 15, 1991
Do you know what Rob Greenwald,
Mable Wu, Patrick Lau, Warren
D'Sauga, Lawrence Pilch, and Sylvia
Carrasco have in common? They are
all entrants in this years Ontario
Engineering Design Competition.
Braving midtenns and projects with a
smile, these, and many more, have
insanely added OEDC to their
workload. The projects are all
impressive. On March 1st and 2nd,
Engineering students from all over
Ontario will be unveiling their work
and meeting engineers from industry
and academia.
Editorial Communications
Military Research and
Engineering Ethics
- The Engineering Life
Stories should be from 2000 to 8000
words
- Moving Us Into Tomorrow
Explanatory Communications
- Object Oriented Programming
Stories should be typewritten, printed,
or submitted on disk (IBM or Mac)
- Wastewater Treatment
- The Fax Machine
The winning story will be printed in
the Iron Warrior
The competition will be both
interesting and rewarding. There is
an extremely wide range of topics
being addressed and the judges have
been selected to reflect the variety of
fields within engineering.
Deadline: 9:30 am, Monday, March 4
,
PRIZES
(In UW Bookstore Certificates)
First Place:
To give you an idea of what is going
on, here is a brief list of some of the
entries in each category:
Everything is building up nicely to
a feverish pitch in organizing OEDe.
The accommodations have been
finalized, the rooms booked, and the
begging for contributors completed.
Everyone is still hoping to make it
the best OEDC ever. All that is
needed is YOU! We still need
volunteers for the weekend to make
sure everything goes off beautifully.
The opportunities are endless. A
wann body is always welcome. The
sign-up sheets are in the Orifice.
Second Place:
$ 75
$ 50
$ 25
Entrepreneurial Design
Third Place:
\...
- Real Time 3-D Video Game
System For further information, see the Arts Board
- Ultrasonic Washing Machine
- Mechanized Com poster
Corporate Design
- Oil Tank Filter Closure
- Stabilization of Hazardous
Wastes
- Frequency Oscillation Detector
Quality and Alumni
1l"y tn the Ltfe 14
coming :Marcli 12
volunteers needed to do tours
W.e. Lennox
Former Dean of Engineering
(reprinted from WEAL)
14 You buy lunch at the C&D,
then wander into POETS. It's hard to
find a seat, but someone conveniently
vacates one just for you. You munch on
your lunch and bask in the aura of Each tour is 1/2 an hour The issue of quality in an
engineers drinking beer, eating lunch educational institution always gives
and relaxing. Someone from your $8 for your time rise to interesting, serious and often
class saunters over and says: emotional debate. How do you
"Hey, y'know the lab's cancelled, Interested Students should contact measure it? How important is it?
eh?" the 1st Year Engineering office (the elitist issue). We have it - you
"No way," you reply. (You might , ______________ don't - therefore appropriate budget
have said any other phrase of transfers should be made. The
similar meaning and intonation). / ""'" Faculty view; the student view; the
"Sure, it's posted on the door. r just PER SON S [[] N ({) 1L IV IE ID administrative view; Research and
went by." So you go and buy a beer Teaching; Research vs Teaching; etc.,
and put your feet up. (,D C ) etc. are all food for thought fuelling
A while later (time is non-
lIolunteers Needed the debate.
I::::::l Engineering is fortunate in that we
dimensional in POETS), some :::: Volunteers needed to gather
members of your class wander in, sit - information on local
down and start madly cloning the 1: missing persons and
assignment due later in the afternoon. unsolved homicides as
You smugly think of all the hard part of a National campaign.
work you did last night and the More information is available in
beautiful product it yielded -- the Student Volunteer Centre
complete and ready to hand in -- a CC150A
f1 are very favorably endowed in terms
I::::::l of quality, no matter how you wish to
measure it, in the two key elements
that must exist for a quality program
- faculty and students: We can take
pride in our distinguished teaching
and research programs and in our vel)'
talented and motivated student body.
masterpiece! Go to 22. J \... Monday to Thursday 11am 1 pm
However, we also have another
major asset that has to be tak(:!n into
account in terms of a measure of
quality and that is our loyal and
supportive alumni. I believe O_l!r.
graduates are proud of their. degrees
and the education it symbolizes and
this recognition is being felt in a
number of ways. Their giving is
substantially helping us equip our
teaching laboratories. This remains
our most serious problem and
obviously is closely connected to
Could YOU use an extra $50?
THE WATERLOO ENGINEERING
ENDOWMENT FOUNDATION
JD)e 11 dB lIll e
JD)etlliBs
NEEDS A LOgO
foll' slllllbmissiollllS: MIlll'clln
ilrll tllnis ITW's WEElF Illl'ticBe
another measure of quality - that of
space and facilities. With your ( the
alumni) help we are addressing this
issue. Not only have the' funds
helped equip the labs but the funds
also supplement major student
.. _________________________ .. projects.
Our alumni are also generous with
their time and ideas. They serve on
the ,Board of Governors, special
committees of the university and on
our own alumni committees They
bring to the university a perspective
enhanced by their own experiences in
business, industry and government.
Our alumni are also helping in
fund-raising, in preparing or assisting
in writing position papers for both
the university and the government
regarding university issues.
Clearly, the Faculty of Engineering
would not have the reputation it
enjoys today without this major vital
ingredient - our alumni - and on
behalf of the facuIty and students, I
thank you (the alumni}.
(
A 1l"y in the Lt f e 22
22 "Have you done the las
\ question?"
"Huh?" you exclaim.
':Have you done the last question or
are you deaf?" your classmate asks.
"We tan't get the last question." You
recall your masterpiece with ALL the
questions completed in their finest
form. Then, with a sinking feeling in
the depth of your bowels, you
envision that assignment in the last
place you put it - on your desk.
"Just a sec," you stammer. Do you:
,Go home and get it? (24) Attempt to
clone it with the rest of your class?
(23) Buy a beer and forget it. (26)
J
February 15, 1991 .
Iron Warrior
Page 11
Pledge to Waterloo Engineering
18 You stop at a grocery store
and pick up bread, milk and eggs, as
well as a few (that grocery store few)
other things you wanted. You lug the
food back to your home and bundle it
all through the door. You plunk it on
the counter next to a note in your
housemate's handwriting.
PICKED UP FOOD FOR
EVERYONE. TAKE A LOOK. PAY
ME LATER.
Dejectedly you squeeze your food
into the glutted fridge and ponder its
contents for something lunch-like. No
time to waste! You do have a lab thi
J
S
afternoon... Go to 20. _
Mark Verheyden
1991 Plummer's Pledge
Co-ordinator
When I was first approached about
organizing the 1991 Plummer's Pledge
Campaign I was very enthusiastic
and agreed immediately. But having
considered the amount of work
involved and what it would take to
convince the Eng '91 class to give, I
realized I had to be damn sure of my
own reasons for pledging. So I asked
myself why should I give to future
Engineers.
Being someone who likes to think
he has a social conscience but who is
also motivated by what is in it for
Novelties sale a fantastic success
me, I came up \ ith two r asons. The
first reason (for my conscience) is that
it is now our responsibility to support
the university system. If we look at
the history of university education in
Ontario we see that universities were
originally the domain of the
religious sector. The first post-
secondary schools were very much
affiliated and dependent financially
on the church. As the role of
Government increased so did its
involvement in post-secondary
education.
The state eventually replaced the
church as the prime financier of
university education. The old
University's consequently changed as
they were required to answer to a new
financier. New universities were
able to form as the government's
resources were larger than the
churches'. From this environment
came the University of Waterloo.
Today the government is not as
generous as it once was, nor will it be
in the foreseeable future. We can
talk about getting more from the
government to maintain our current
quality of education, but the fact is it
will not be enough.
It is now up to us as future alumni to
carry the ball that the government
has dropped. One way to do that is
through the Plummer's Pledge. By
pledging we can leave a legacy that
will last as long as Waterloo docs.
My "social conscience" tells me this is
my way of contributing towards the
education I have received as well as
helping the next generation of
engineers.
Now for the second reaSll\). This
reason is for the side in me that says
looking out for numb r 1 is ncccss.lry
too. The second reason to pledge is to
help ensure that Waterloo doesn't
become the next LAST CHAN E UW.
Waterloo has the reputation of being
one of the best engineering schools in
the country. But that repulation is
new and therefore fragile. We
si mply don't have the history that a
_The Sandford Fleming Foundation
McGill or a U of T has to allow us to
coast. If the quality of education
suffer, Waterloo may risk becoming
a flash in the pan.
Why should we care? How will it
affect the class of '91? It doesn't
matter for our first job ( if you think
you are having problems finding a job
in a recession talk to the Queen's class
of '91) bu t 10 years down the road
when we decide the job we are in isn't
enough, what will our degrees be
worth? What if no one picks up the
ball that the government has
dropped? Will it matter that our
degree is stamped from a time when a
U of W was the best in Canada?
Maybe yes but maybe no. I'm not
willing to take that chance. The
Plummer's Pledge is a small insurance
policy against that happening.
Once more the Plummer's Pledge is
a way of keeping Waterloo on the
right track. It has taken almost 30
years to develop Waterloo and it's
reputation; imagine what the next
10-15 years could do to it. How can
Waterloo not only maintain its
current standards, but achieve the
world class status that its graduates
have proven it can attain? The
answer is its alumni. They have to be
world class. I was recently talking to
the Co-ordinator of Canadian alumni
fundraising for Cornell. Cornell
raises $140 million each year from
alumni and industry. The best
Canadian school ( in terms of
fundraising at least!) is Queen's with
$5 million annually. That's a big
di fference. If we want to compete we
n to mobilin' Ollr <llllmni. Im,\ghw
what your job prospl't'ls will lx' in 10
years if Waterloo b om s the nl'xt
MIT.
These arc two of my r asons. They
are not necessarily yours, but 1
encourage you to think about it and
find your own. Then tell your
classmat s about them. The only way
this will work is if we all do it
together.
Room 4366, Carl Pollock Hall (519) 885-1211, Ext. 4008
University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1
Planning to attend a conference this term, either to present a paper, or just to observe? You may be eligible
for a Travel Grant from the Sandford Fleming Foundation. Also available are grants of up to $50 to cover
conference registration fees. Applications should be directed to Dr. W.M. Loucks DC 3524 or ext. 2097.
lJ
Ever have an uncontrollable urge to spew off on some meaningless topic? The Sandford Fleming Debates
may be just the thing for youl Each term, teams from various undergrad classes compete for fame,
prestige, and cash awards ($100 each to members of the winning team, and $50 each to the runners-up).
Contact the Debates Directors via the EngSoc Office for more details on this term's debating series.
An organization devoted to the advancement of engineering education.
Page 12 Iron Warrior
February 15, 1991
P**S Point Breakdown
Brenda Beal
P** 5 director
ACADEMICS
Discipline Rep
Old Midterm or Final
ARTS
Contest (/pcrson)
ATIiLETICS
Tournaments
Organization
Participation
Place
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
Leagues
Squash Ladder
Floor Hockey
Participation
Place
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
CHARITIES
Blood Donor *
General Volunteers
(eg. Plant Sale)
20
1
10
45
20
20
15
12
10
8
2
40
20
15
12
10
8
5
5
GENERAL
NO Class Member at Council
NO Class List
NO Course Critiques Rep
IRON WARRIOR
Articles
Layout/Typing Uissue)
Di stribu tion U class)
Pictures Uperson)
POETS BOTTLE DRIVE
1 st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th
PUBLICITY
Pos ters (/ class / week)
RECYCLING
Collecting,Sorting
(/person/hr)
Class Boxes
SCUNT
Organization
Participation
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
-1
-1
-1
10
10
10
10
100
80 '
70
60
50
40
30
25
20
15
10
5
5
300
100
200
120
80
40
20
DEBATES
Volunteers
Participation
Place
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
DIRECTORSIDPS
Executive
IW Editors
Others (/ directorship)
Subcommittee members
ENGINEWSLETTER
Prof Quotes
EOT PUB SLIDE SHOW
Per Slide Used
SPECIAL EVENTS
ENG WEEK(END)
Major
Organization
Participation
1st
2nd
3rd
Intermediate
Organization
Participation
1st
2nd
3rd
Minor
Organization
Participation
1st
2nd
10
40
100
60
50
50
10
75
50
10
1
1
16
10
6
4
2
8
4
4
3
4
2
2
1
STUNTS
Maximum 100
Stunts will be ranked at the end of
the term by a committee of three
people from classes that are not in
the race.
UNWANT ADS
Returned Ad 1
OEDC
Volunteers
BUS PUSH
Participation
1 point per $5 raised in pledges
5
The P**5 director has the right to
change the points awarded at any
time and has final say in all matters.
(A Day t.n thE UJE 20
20 Even with the previous
warning you are running a little late.
Lunch was that good. You rush to the
lab with less than a minute to spare.
You catch the knob and hurl yourself
into the very hard door. Yes, it is
locked. The hall is deserted. Then
you notice the sign:
LAB CANCELLED TODAY.
POSTPONED UNTIL NEXT WEEK.
What the heck? Go to POETS! Go to
21.
)
Bus PusH
Mark Vidler
IB Mech Eng
The time draws near for all
engineers to put their best feet
forward to help the Kitchener-
Waterloo Big Sisters. On Saturday
February 23 the 15th annual Bus Push
will be held.
At 10:00 in POETS there will be
coffee and donuts for all participants.
The parade will assemble in the E1
cuI-dc-sac at 10:20, where the Bus
Push will start at 10:30. The route
will be the same as previous years,
namely, up University to King, and
along King to Market Square in
Kitchener. It will arrive at noon.
Upon reaching this destination, the
bus which was the object of all that
Saturday February 23
lO:()O pm
work will drive all the engineers
that took it there back to POETS for
pizza and pop. That night there will
probably be a BUS PUSH PARTY in
POETS.
Pledge sheets can be obtained from
your class reps, along with all the
information necessary to canvass for
donations. The big sisters will issue a
receIpt for amounts of $10 or more if
requested. Bus Push T-shirts are
available in the Orifice.
Apart from the fact that every $5
in donations received will be
awarded 1 P"5 point, several
amazing prizes will be bestowed upon
the individuals with the highest
pledge totals. Up for grabs are:
1st prize - Toshiba XR-9028 CD
player
2nd prize - Toshiba 4541 portable
cassette player
3rd prize - $100 gift certificate at
MGM Clothes
4th prize - Gift certificates at
Phil's, Belberry St., etc.
5th prize - ParkCity windbreaker
This event has traditionally been a
blast, and with EngSoc B
participating this year, the goal of
$7000 should be easy to achieve. The
bus push is a parade, so all
respectable engineers will be adorned
with hard hats and class banners.
See you there.
( A Day tn. the Ltfe 5
5 You stumble into the kitchen
and yank open the fridge. There's no
milk, no bread, no eggs. You will be
having breakfast at the C&D, you
decide as a thunderstorm begins in
your stomach. Then you attempt to
make yourself presentable - can't let
your fans down even on a rainy
Thursday. You shake out your hair,
swab your face. with the edge of your
towel and give your reflection a
demonic grin. Go to 6. )
Iron Warrior Page 13
Japanese Extravagance: [\Jot ,-Just Tect'jnical
(
S.S. de Silva
4B Comp Eng
Last worktem I had the
opportunity to work for a Japanese
company at their R&D headquarters
in Japan. Most of my weekends were
taken up exploring the hills in the
Kyoto-Nagaoka area by scooter or by
foot, searching for temples. One of
the weekends when I left this area
and travelled, I went to a conference
in Tokyo. The following is an account
of my brief visit to the Tokyo Data
Show 90 on that trip.
The Data Show was held inside a
collection of buildings, the most
prominent of which was a dome. The
dome's roof was just like the roof of
the Big '0' in Montreal, except this
one was in Tokyo. The roof hung
above a multitude of elaborate
company booths; their bright signs
said HITACHI, TOSHIBA, JVC,
PANASONIC, OKI...etc and even
IBM, NeXT and APPLE, the
American contributions in what
seemed a Japanese-dominated
industry. On the rest of the floor
around all these booths there was a
moving carpet of people. This was
another day of the five day annual
Tokyo Data Show.
I had arrived with two research
lab colleagues at 4:00, just one hour
before closing. At the ferry that we
had to take, there was still a long
line up to get to the show. The
mentality in Japan, it seemed, was to
just do it ... if it was there, it had to
be-seen. And the less time it could be
seen in, the better. So it didn't
surprise me that many people would
rush through at the last minute.
Just do it.
Looking down from the roof high
above I was just another black haired
strand of the thick carpet. But at
ground level, I was a tall foreigner .
My height was an advantage here as
it allowed me a clearer view over the
sea of scurrying heads ( ... and as the
roof seemed miles above, there was
strangely nothing to hit my head on).
Over the heads at one booth there
was a colorfully dressed trio of girls
waving portable camputers and
dancing to the loud hi-fi beat of a
company jingle. this was
commercialism at its strongest. Over
the heads at another booth there was
a wall of computer monitors - maybe a
hundred, all on and working in
synchronization. Extravagance was
one method used to attract more than
2 seconds of attention from the mass of
grey-sui ted scurrying visi tors. The
4
4 Run a comb through your
hair, pop into the bathroom and stick
your face into some water and you're
off to the cafeteria. Is there
anything edible? Cereal perhaps?
You find something, wash if down
with milk and head back to your
room to get ready for class. Go to 6. )
other method summed up my
manager's view of the show: a place
to get gifts. Most booths were
handing out, for the price of a
business card, a promotional plastic
bag with a rope handle. CANO
and NeXT had joined together to
produce the largest of these bags
which hung over many shoulders.
The three of us quickly acquired
some bags and then proceeded to stuff
brochures and pamphlets into them;
it reminded me of the days of trick-
or-treating at Hallowe'en. We had
promised our manager that we would
investigate the show to find any
interesting desirable products and
also to double-check that nobody else
was making what we were grinding
away on at the lab. As the current
Japanese portable computer/
electronic notebook craze didn't
interest our project, we didn't find
much.
After one hour, we had seen maybe
half the dome, but it was closing
time. We were ready to return to the
conference that we had originally
come to Tokyo from Kyoto to attend.
That conference had a 12000 yen
($100 CON) per head entrance fcc,
which helped to make it less
crowded. There, all we had to do was
just sit and listen ... essentially.
Being a research conference meant
that the atmosphere was quieter and
more relaxed, compared to the Data
Show which, as its name implied,
was a show ... packed as much with
the blaze of ultra-commercial
displays as with people scurrying in
the blaze.
We visited our own company booth
to sec a colleague. Machima san was
a trainee who had been temporarily
transferred to the sales branch in
Tokyo; all trainees at the company
had to go through sales - one of many
unquestionable company rules of a
Japanese bureaucracy. He had been
handing out forms and complimentary
pens to potential customers all day
and seemed about to collapse. We
asked him for three pens and then
blended back into the scurrying
crowd.
Civils Speak out
Hannah Krause
4B Civil
Thursday, January 31, 1991 marked
the conclusion of the final round of
the second Civil Engineering Public
Speaking Competition. For this
event, students gave a ten minute
presentation on a work report or other
technical paper. Of the eight initial
entrants, four advanced to the final
round. The competition was tough,
but the judges finally awarded John
Straube the first prize of $200.
Second prize of $100 was given to
James Allen, and Gregory Cook
received $50 for third. Honourable
mention went to Teresa Laronde, who
received a book prize.
The Civil Engineering Public
Speaking Competition was the
brainchild of students Don Driedger
and Jeff Chambers. The vision was to
provide the students with an
opportunity to refine their public
spea ing skiUs and to promote their
engineering endeavours to their
fellow students.
This competition takes place at the
beginning of each term and is open to
all civil engineering students. F r
more information, please speak to
Bonnie Neglia in the Civil
Enginccring Undergraduate office or
drop a note off at the CSCE office in
E2-2339.
.a ...
... . . .
..... .
A Da.y in the Lite 10
10 You made the right decision.
The prof looks around the room. Well
under half your class is present.
"I didn't know you were all so
affected by the weather," he says.
Some smart alec in the back of the
room replies: "We aren't sir. See,
we're here. It's the rest of them .....
Your prof, in his infinite wisdom,
ignores him and starts to write on the
board.
"This problem that I'm going to
do," he says, "combines several of the
concepts we have covered in the past
few weeks. It might be a very good
idea to remember how this is done
come the final." Need any more be
said. You gratefully copy the
problem. It's twenty past before you
know it (which doesn't happen very
often). Time for your third class. Do
you go? If yes go to 12, if no go to 13. )
Problems???
For More Information Cootac!'
Tho AIDS Committeo of Cambridgo
Kilch nor nd Walerloo Ar
666 au n's Boulevord
Kilchenor, ON
N2M 1A9
Phone: (519) 741 6300
Fax: (519) 741 6612

'[ hllnk. In you It worl\/Il
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.. . .
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. ......
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... ,,;
ff>:Oelive!J' 7 AJ:. 1:J:.55
:.:; .. ' andTakeOu/ III iIiJ
. .....
. .. .. ...
. . .....
...

NOW HAS ONE NUMBER
FOR GREAT
PAN PIZZA!
Pizza Hut;' Pan Pizza.
Ooey, gooey good:
Page 14
Iron Warrior February 15, 1991
How It Works:
(A Da.y tn the Li..fe 15 fA Da.y tn the Ltfe 25
CRT Display
15 Lunch at residence. How
dreadfully unexciting, though it is
practical as you have already paid
for it. Hopefully there is something
Paul Fieguth
4B Electrical
Today's article will discus CRT
(cathode ray tube) di s plays :
televisions, monitors etc. The
discussion will proceed in three
sections: genera ting the el ectron
beam (via your own personal particle
accelerator), directing the beam to
form an image, and extending to
multiple beams to create colour
images. If you want to go into more
detail, the library has lots of good
books (many of which are real
classics - giving full schematics of a
black and white television including
all of the vacuum tubes ... ).
The image on the CRT screen is
generated by impinging an electron
beam onto a phosphorescent surface,
which glows when struck by
electrons. The basic apparatus shown
is, at least superficially, very
similar to J.J. who
discovered the electron back in 1897.
Your own personal
particle accelerator
At the thin end of the picture tube
(see Figure 1) is a piece of metal
which is heated to release electrons
(recall that electrons can be released
from a material by inputting energy
to overcome the work function - look
up the photoelectric effect).
Incidentally, the reason vacuum tubes
glow is because of the heating of this
metal. Near the metal is an
electrode having a negative
potential (which repels electrons)
which determines the minimum
electron energy required to pass
beyond the electrode to the screen: as
this minimum energy is increased,
fewer electrons pass the electrode and
the screen image appears dimmer.
The screen brightness control is
applied as a voltage offset to this
electrode. The electrons are directed appetizing or at least recognizable.
Don't linger over it too long, though.
towards the screen by setting up a G
You have a lab this afternoon. 0 to)
strong electri c fi eld as shown. While
the electron is within the fi eld, it 20 . _____________ ,
accelerates along the fi eld direction,
sending it at high speed to the screen;
this is the same principle upon which
linear particle accelerators function
(except that they need a bit more
energy and are bigger).
Having generated a beam of
electrons directed towards the screen,
the beam can be steered by means of
deflectors (see Figure 2) " fhich direct
the beam by establishing horizontal
and vertical magnetic fields (which
pOSition the beam in rows and columns
respectively - a horizontal magnetic
field deflects electrons vertically).
The screen width and height controls
on your monitor are input parameters
to these deflectors.
The screen itself is a glass layer
with deposited phosphors (actually
a mix of blue and yellow phosphors to
give a net colour of white). Inside the
phosphors is a thin layer of
aluminum, which serves to complete
the electron circuit (collecting the
electrons and returning them to the
heated metal).
The beam generation and direction
hardware described above is
sufficient to display a monochrome
image, however a colour image
requires additional complexity. The
basic colour system requires three
electron guns, slightly offset from one
another (see Figure 3). The screen,
which in a monochrome system is
uniformly covered in phosphor, now
has phosphors precisely deposited on
the glass in groups of three dots -
where each dot glows in one of the
three primary colours (red, green, and
blue) which, when combined, can
simulate any colour for the eye (see
note below). Just ahead of the
phosphorus layer is a layer (called a
shadow mask) which is everywhere
opaque to electrons with the
exception of a myriad of tiny holes,
each hole being accurately lined up
with a group of three phosphor dots.
The offsets of each of the three
electron guns ensure that each gun can
only illuminate one of the three dots
in any cluster.
An advance on the above shadow
mask method involves using a mask
of vertical stripes rather than dots
(see Figure 4). Now the camera guns
are offset horizontally, and the
. phosphor stripes on the screen can be
arranged as sets of vertical lines
rather than dots. The advantage of
this method over shadow mask
display is easier production and a
brighter screen image.
. --- .. -_ .. _ --- -
-SC.HEN
Eit 1<;111 ).liT!>

EL t.T(tOl../
A C.tEfL&:Ar/C>lV
"OL1" A It"
3
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. . --------- -- ..... ... .
25 You slip the assignment into
the box with a feeling of satisfaction.
It's done. You sigh. Well, the day is
now over. Time is now your own. As
usual you have a lot to do and you
know you should go home. But
something compels you to go to POETS]
again... Go to 26.
Note that in actual fact, television
screens are capable of generating only
the colours red, blue, and green. A
'true' colour, for example in a
rainbow, is determined by its
wavelength (long wavelength - red,
short wavelength - blue). The human
eye, however, is sensitive only to red,
green, and blue. The brain builds the
apparent colour from the relative
components seen of each of the
primary .colours; by mixing varying
amounts of each of these colours, the
television is able to simulate the
entire apparent colour range to the
eye.

l>enEO(J1\.
\oc::::::J



/
P
ALUt-I.HJ;': i '- GLI'lsS
'PH os t-h'l(
--------.-----_. ____ _____ 1
JlfLld&i: .:<-
A .. 'ill .
Y't m....: ''RG-B
ieAKS .. 1-1J.>E:1
SLIT 'PII oS I'll

A ONCE IN A LIFETIME
CHANCE ...
x
X
X
X
X XXXXXXXX
X XXXXXXXX
(.A. f)a.y tn the Lt 1 e 13 fA Da.y j,n the Li.. f e 12
EVERY THURSDAY & FR I DAY
AT POET'SIlIi
DON'T MISS I T UNLESS
YOU'RE IN JAIL OR
DEAD ..
AND IF YOU'RE IN JAIL
1
X
X
BREAK QUTIIIIII
YOU ARE HERE (or shou 1 d be)
13 You walk to a door and look
outside. The rain has stopped but it's
still dreary. What a waste of a day.
You really wish you'd stayed in bed.
In an attempt to make the most of it,
you go to the computer room and play
Tetris. Your wrist feels like a rotten
banana so there's no chance of a high
score today. You start to think about
lunch. Do you go to the C&D? (Go to
14) Do you go back to your residence?
tGo to 15} Do you go home? (Go to 16)
Do you do something else? (Go to 17)
J
12 And it was a class. Feeling
enlightened and full of new
knowledge (like you always do), you
realize that it is lunch time. You
look outside and the rain has
stopped. It's still dreary as the
water drips off the trees, but not quite
as dreary as it was. You start to feel
like it's a real day after all, even
though you have a lab this afternoon.
You have this urge to eat. Do you go
to the C&D? (Go to 14) Do you go
back to residence? (Go to 15) Do you
go home? (Go to 16) Do you dO]
something else? (Go to 17) _
February 15, 1991
Iron Warrior
Page 15
Brain Power
Paul Fieguth
4B Electrical
One person in my class (who shall
remain nameless), was of the opinion
that my last quiz was a little
condescending in that although I
implied that some of the questions
should be straightforward, he was
unable to do them. My apologies to
the rest of you in the same position -
no condescension was intended in any
way. Having said that, the questions
this week are a little harder than
usual ...
1. Consider the greenhouse effect;
some predictions suggest that global
temperatures may increase by 5
degrees over the next 50 years. If air
has a heat capacity of 0.24 call g K,
calculate the equivalent power input
into the atmosphere which this
temperature gradient represents (in
actual fact, of course, the effect wili
be much larger, since oceans and ice
caps will heat in addition to the
atmosphere). Radius of earth =
6370km.
'lalseJ
<- (Zv:>/ZvA-l)/(:>/ A+l) :J 'uo!leI!P
lewlou <- (Zv:>/ZvA-O/I :g 'MoIs AIaA
<- (Zv:>/ZvA-t)/(:>/ A-l) :y :SMOnOJ
se S! '1:>0[:> alllJo alel lualedde
alll 'slaAlasqo aallll alll 10J oS
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awn alll lelll S! 'auo S!lll
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'spafqo ,(Aeall 10J paJJa
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wnw!xew S! nqlo
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S! popad [enqlO U! a:>uala}J!p 'NP ,(q
paleledas spafqo OMl 10} oS
[eHqlO 01 ;mp S! paJ}a lueu!WOp
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'HqlO a[qels 10d 'sn!pel IeHqlo
= qlON '(w'lOOZ +
2. A large CANDU reactor
generates 1000MW of electrical
power. Say we connect a machine
(which is 100% efficient) to the
reactor, locate it on the equator, and
have it take stuff (rocks, whatever)
and throw it tangentially along the
planet at 10km/sec (see figure 1). If
the machine runs all day evcry day,
how long would it take to change the
length of a day by one minute? Mass
of earth is 5.98*101\24kg. Radius of
earth = 6370km. Moment of inertia of
solid spheres: 1= (2 M RI\2)/5.
3. Consider figure 2. A spherical
space station (of no mass), orbiting at
200km above the planet, has one room
(with no air). A massless, point
source astronaut (ok, I'm overdoing it
a bit) places two light objects
motionless as shown. After one orbit,
wiII the two objects have shifted in
relative pOSitions? How must the
objects be placed to exhibit
maximum/minimum displacement
over the period of one orbit. How
does the problem change under the
a:>loJ [elad!llua
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'a! 'slea,( u0!II!q tll =
= awn os = UOHe10l
U! 'alnu!w I ,(q ,(ep JO
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= d S! lopeal Ol anp a:>lOJ .suHelara:>ap
OS = W os 'MWOOOt = UZv('10l)
W = d laMod 'puo:>;)S l;)d
W ssew MOl4.L
= I lllle;) }O eHlaU! JO luawoW Z
}O Slunowe lll!M
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;)lll S! S!ll.L jjjsHeM LvOLjCL:' L =
(OS jC le;)A lad ':>as#) / jC
5! S!lll 'Sle;)A l;)AO ')1/ f
LZvOLjCC'S = Zv(W'l0L:9)!dy jC [e:>/fzt
.. .. S! ,)J;)ydsowle
)0 AnJede:> leay os 'ypea
uo lalaw cllenbs l;)d ;)l;)lldsowle
)0 = .. 1OL)
s! alaYl 'a1<>lldsowle <>lll }O
aYl l<>AO \:lIHH S\:lpeA AllAt:?12
;)JU!S 'Zvw/N'IC' tOt ';)! 'ed'ltOl
S1 amssald JPdydsowl\1' . L
..
JaMQd. U le.J.8. ON
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Figure I
following conditions: the space
station has mass, the room has air,
the objects are heavy.
4. Here is a good problem in
launch Speed
10 km/s
special relativity. Anyone who has
studied relativity know about time
dilation: moving clocks run more
slowly than tationary clocks. Is this
always the ca c though? Consider
figure 3. Three observers, at rest with
respect to onc another, all observe the
same moving clock. How fa t is the
clock obscrved to run for each of th
three obscrvers? Time dilation at
speed v is 1/ (1-v*v / c*c).
Figure 2
Space StatIOn
FIgure 3
A
R=6370 km
Clock, Speed v
(!f
B
A,B,C Stationary
Shake and Bake
C
These recipes were taken from More-No-More-Than-4-lngredient Recipes by
Joy Douglas published by Doubleday Canada.
Ham Dinner Dish
1
1-1/2 cup
80z
1/4 cup
1
375 rnI
227g
50 rnI
package of macaroni and cheese dinner
cooked ham
can of peas and carrots, drained
milk
Prepare macaroni-and-cheese dinner according to package directions. Stir in
ham and peas and carrots. Add milk. Heat thoroughly over low heat.
Serves 4.
Cauliflower with Butter and Lemon
1 1
1/4 cup
1/4cup
50 rnI
SOml
medium head cauliflow 'r
melted butter
juice of 1/2 lemon
Trim green leavcs from cauliflower. Cut off stem even with c,nlliflowcr. In il
sauce pan, boil cauliflower in boiling salted wat r until tend r, about 15 to 20
minutes. Drain and place in serving bowl. Pour melted butter and lemon juice
over cauliflower. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4 to 6.
LEATHER JACKETS!!!
Tues. Feb. 26
11am to 3pm
FOR E''iljINIERII'IG
AT E.TIIU CHARGE;
CHOlCE OF tv. V!NG
"WATERLOO E.'lGL"fEERL'lG"
ON BACK OF JACKET
LEATHER $315.00 MElTON & LEATHER $195.00
$100 DEPOSIT REQUIRBJ
* We're downstairs in the C.C.
'OUin
Page 16
Iron Warrior
February 15, 1991
y Pay More?
Support YOUR University!
Use the ON CAMPUS
Photocopying, Bindery and Typesetting facilities
Cash Copy Centre Locations
Engineering - E2 2353
Math and Computer - MC 5182
.\ Both Libraries - . LIB 218 and DC 1501
colour copying in Dana Porter Library - LIB 218
Photocopying
We serve at 7 per copy (plus PST),
discount on volume copying. Collating,
stapling and a variety of paper colours
available at no extra cost (see the list of
locations below)
Self serve copying at 5 per copy
(available in the libraries and various
locations on campus)
Venda card copiers are located in the .
Dana Porter and Davis Centre Libraries
Plastic Ring Binding
Same day service available at Graphic
Services, hours 8:00 am-4:30 pm
Copy Centre Locations
Dana Porter Library - LIB 218, ext. 2956
Math Centre - MC 5182, ext. 2335
- E2 2353, ext. 2334
Arts Centre - HH 370, ext. 2336
Davis Centre Library - DC 1501 , ext. 3878
High Resolution Typesetting
For high quality output try our Linotrbnic
300 Imagesetter (1270 dpi) or our
VT600W Laser Printer (600 dpi).
We can typeset any computer file in
PostScript format from a
Mac diskette
5.25 inch PC diskette (low density only)
3.5 inch PC diskette
SCRIPT on CMS
TROFF on UNIX.
We can translate your PC file to our Mac
and format into brochures, books, reports
and flyers, etc.
For more information about typesetting
located in GSC, call ext. 6324 or 5169.
Offset Printing
Graphic Services, hours 8:00 am-4:30 pm
General information, call ext. 3451.
Graphic Services
General Services Complex

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