W W W . W E S T E R N G A Z E T T E .
C A
photoblog
Gazette photographer Corey Stanford explains the real
beauty behind this shot on westerngazette.ca
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
London > Housing
A real luxury
Proposed student
apartments will be
furnished ‘upper
class’ suites
Monica Blaylock
NEWS EDITOR
Tanning beds, a lounge and bar, a
rooftop patio with a fireplace, a 24-
hour gym — the Western stereotype
just died and went to heaven.
On Monday night, Abode Varsity
Living held a neighbourhood open
house to gain feedback from the
community about their proposed
luxury student apartment building,
set to be built on Richmond Street,
north of campus main gates.
The apartment building would
house upper-year students in fully
furnished, two-bedroom apart-
ments with luxury amenities.
“The neighbourhood was more
optimistic about this than I’d seen
in almost any other project,” Nancy
Branscombe, Ward 6 councillor for
the City of London, said.
“It will help relieve some of the
pressure by taking some students out
of the areas where they are now, and
obviously that’s part of the ongoing
issues that we have [with student
housing],” she continued, referring
to the problem of overpopulated stu-
dent neighbourhoods that often
gather noise complaints and attract
the attention of London police.
However, hopes that the new
building will relieve pressure from
student areas might be jumping the
gun, according to some students at
the meeting.
The cost of luxury living will like-
ly be too high for most students
who currently reside in the student
housing areas around campus,
according to Brandon Sousa, exter-
nal affairs co-ordinator for the Uni-
versity Students’ Council .
“If students want to live there,
they better hope their OSAP pays
up. No way this rent is going to be
any cheaper than 800 bucks a stu-
dent,” Sousa said.
“It’s tailoring to a very small,
select market of upper-class stu-
dents — the ones who don’t have to
worry about tuition or student
loans,” Sousa continued. He noted
a building with such niche clientele
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thegazette
WESTERN’S DAILY STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1906
A STEP UP FROM BROUGHDALE. This apartment at Luxe Waterloo resembles
what a proposed new apartment on Richmond Street could look like. Luxe is
owned by Abode Varsity Living, which is currently gaining feedback on the idea
from Londoners.
could risk reinforcing Western’s
image as a well-to-do party school.
Sousa noted a spokesperson for
the building’s development could
not reveal the rental prices per unit
at the town hall, but told members
of the USC to look at other luxury
student housing in the area for
sample pricing.
Pat Searle, municipal affairs
commissioner for the USC, noted
Western is already struggling to find
affordable housing near campus for
students. He said a luxury apart-
ment might make that worse.
“Is there really that big of a
demand for this type of housing?”
Searle said.
“I know there’s a demand for
housing near campus, but is it right
that they specialize in luxury apart-
ments when [the USC] is concerned
with finding students affordable
housing?” Searle continued.
Branscombe said the new build-
ing likely won’t be geared toward
first-year students.
“They’re looking to attract upper
year students, which I’m not sure
can be guaranteed, even with all the
fancy trimmings,” she said.
She also said the town hall meet-
ing brought some new ideas for how
to develop the space, including a
taxi stand so cabs wouldn’t have to
turn around on Richmond Street.
“The developers are going to
look at some of the good sugges-
tions coming out of the meeting,”
DOMINO’S
Oh, it’s just a cookie since 1906
Courtesy of Luxe Waterloo
>> In Depth > Apartment
Amenities at the Waterloo location
Tanning beds
Party room with bar
Steam sauna with change rooms
Rooftop patio with stone fireplace
24-hour security
24-hour gym with group fitness classes
Home theatre room
Cafe and study lounge
she said. “It was generally well-
received.”
Abode Varsity Living is in the
process of building two other luxury
apartments — one near Wilfred Lau-
rier University and Waterloo Univer-
sity, and the other near Guelph Uni-
versity. They could not be reached
for comment by press time.
“They do own the land, and it’s
pre-zoned for a high-density resi-
dential. So they can build an
apartment building there already,”
Branscombe said of the London
location.
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Weldon goes 24hrs
Months of planning ends with
extended hours at campus library
Cheryl Stone
NEWS EDITOR
While students may not be thinking
about exams yet, the D.B. Weldon
Library certainly has.
The library will be going 24
hours a day for a week during this
year’s exams, in a repeat of last
school year’s spring exam period.
“We looked at the usage patterns
from April and it was quite clear
this was where there was the most
use,” Catherine Wilkins, assistant
university librarian for Weldon,
explained. After Dec. 17, the library
will return to its usual hours, clos-
ing at 2 a.m.
Wilkins noted there were fewer
exams later in December this year,
which allowed the library to save
some costs.
“There are many additional
costs to go on,” Wilkins explained.
This year, however, the University
would support these costs. Last
year, several student councils on
campus footed the $10,000 price
tag.
“It was a concern for them. They
were funding it, instead of the Uni-
versity,” Arjun Gupta, a former sen-
ator involved in the project,
explained.
Last year, one security guard
watched Weldon during the hours
Campus > Learning
The new market for
note sharing is online
Kaleigh Rogers
NEWS EDITOR
Sick of your classmate always bor-
rowing first-rate notes from you?
Why not get them to pay up?
That’s part of the motivation
behind several new websites allow-
ing users to share class notes online
— sometimes making money in the
process. It’s part of a market of note
sharing popping up online.
Second-year health sciences
student Yusaif Faraawi is the creator
of the Canadian site Note Wagon,
which allows students to buy and
sell notes online.
“This is the first time it’s hap-
pened in Canada, but note sharing
VOLUME 104, ISSUE 42
of 9 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. and was also
tasked with checking student IDs at
the door.
This year there will be one secu-
rity guard checking IDs and bags,
and another will watch over the
library.
“If you come into the library and
you choose not to have your bag
checked, you can find another
place to study,” Wilkins explained.
She noted she wanted to curb par-
tying in the library — a problem
which was exemplified by the dis-
covery of an empty wine bottle in
the library last spring. While there
were no thefts of student property,
several books were also lost.
She also felt there was inade-
quate reporting last year, due to
lack of staff.
“We’re hoping to keep things
tidier and a better place to study.”
One other complaint was the
amount of mess students created.
To solve this, floors will be closed
down regularly to give them a prop-
er cleaning.
“Cleaning staff are going to
schedule regular cleanings of all
sections,” Wilkins noted. She hoped
to have a schedule of these closures
posted within the library so stu-
dents would know when areas
>> see BUS pg.3
services are actually very common in
the United States,” Faraawi
explained. “So, we’re trying to expand
as much as possible before the guys
downstairs decide to come upstairs.”
After a summer of development,
the site currently serves seven uni-
versities including Western, the
University of Waterloo and the Uni-
versity of Toronto.
For students who miss a class, or
struggle to take effective notes,
Faraawi said the service intends to
replace borrowing and photocopy-
ing, which cost about the same. Still,
he stressed the site is not intended
to encourage skipping class.
>> see ONLINE pg.3
2•
Police arrest King’s
employee for threats
Arden Zwelling
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Two weeks after his arrest, the
details of a man who was appre-
hended for allegedly threatening to
kill a Western employee are slowly
being released.
The man was arrested on Nov.
10 and charged with three counts of
uttering threats. One of the individ-
uals he allegedly threatened is an
employee at King’s University Col-
lege.
“He made threats to kill people,”
Dennis Rivest, London Police Ser-
vice media relations officer, said.
“He was arrested for making those
threats. As a result of that arrest,
some firearms were seized.”
Police confiscated six registered
rifles from the man’s home and
charged him with improperly stor-
ing ammunition.
The man, a contracted custodi-
an at King’s, appeared in court on
Nov. 11 and was released with con-
ditions. Rivest could not elaborate
on what the conditions of Williams’
release were.
Campus police were aware of
the arrest and communicated with
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the individual who had been
threatened, according to Elgin
Austen, director of Campus Com-
munity Police Services. Austen said
he felt there was no need to notify
students of the arrest.
“There was no threat of that
individual bringing a weapon to
campus at anytime,” Austen said.
“It had nothing to do with students
whatsoever.”
A London radio station original-
ly reported the man had a “hit list”
of potential targets. However, both
Austen and Rivest denied the
rumour.
“There was not a hit list,” Rivest
affirmed. “One of the people he had
threatened happens to be an
employee at the University. It was
not a plot to murder people.”
“There was really no need to
make any notification. There wasn’t
really anything to say from a Uni-
versity standpoint,” Austen said. “In
this particular case there was no
threat and there was no hazard.”
Todd Williams, 34, was charged
with three counts of uttering
threats and was released with a
promise to reappear.
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thegazette • Wednesday, November 24, 2010
News Briefs
The NexGen
of fundraising
In a society still recovering from the
recession, charities are digging
deeper into the pockets of donors
to stay afloat — the pockets of a
younger generation, to be specific.
A lofty goal of $8 million has
been set for the United Way of Lon-
don Middlesex’s annual campaign.
But it is during times like these
when garnering support is espe-
cially difficult.
“It’s tough fundraising in any
economy,” said Jeff Preston, a com-
munity mobilizer for the United
Way of London.
Preston noted while the organi-
zation has just passed the 50 per
cent donation target for their cam-
paign, more help is needed if they
want to reach their goal.
“We’re on our way, but we defi-
nitely need more support,” he said.
The United Way has introduced
new methods of communication to
gain the attention of a younger
demographic. Part of this new
approach includes the introduction
of YouTube, Facebook and Twitter
accounts in an effort to engage a new
generation of volunteers through a
campaign called GenNext.
“What social media has really
allowed us to do is continue the
conversation with young people,”
Preston said. “The idea of philan-
thropy and volunteerism is some-
thing that needs to be deeply inte-
grated not only into their day-to-
day life, but into their social life.
“We knew that we did very well
with older people and high school
students […] but we don’t hear
about people in that 19 to 30-year-
old demographic,” Preston said,
noting the United Way is often con-
sidered “mom or dad’s charity.”
Events being held such as the
“Timeraisers” are among some of
the things the GenNext program is
doing to promote charity to young
people. Timeraisers are events
where participants pitch their own
time to volunteer rather than sim-
ply donating money.
— Nicole Young
Debit comes to Tims
The need to have cash on hand to
buy Tim Hortons might soon to be
a thing of the past. Franchises
across Canada will soon accept
Interac debit cards.
Tim Hortons is among the last
major restaurant chains in North
America to start accepting debit
payments country-wide, though an
extended trial run with debit cards
has been in effect in western Cana-
da since 2003.
The company issued a press
release detailing the new policy, cit-
ing the debit system will add speed,
value and convenience to stores.
John Brawley, supervisor of
operations at the Tim Hortons in The Cryptoquip is a substitution cipher in which one letter stands for another. If you think that X equals
Western’s Natural Science Building, O, it will equal O throughout the puzzle. Single letters, short words and words using an apostrophe give
you clues to locating vowels. Solution is by trial and error.
said campus franchises have yet to
be addressed in regards to the new
© 2002 by Kings Features Syndicate, Inc.
policy.
“We’re kind of an entity unto
ourselves,” he said. N
CANADA GOOSE
However, Brawley said debit
might be ill-suited to Tim Hortons O
on campus because many of them
have a high volume of customers. V
“I think that [if debit cards are
introduced], lines on campus will
A
get a lot longer. It will really slow C
things down,” Brawley said.
K Back In Stock… but not for long!
While he admitted debit might
be more convenient for people, if
debit cards are introduced to cam-
S www.novacks.com
LONDON’S MOST INTERESTING STORE AT 211 KING ST., DOWNTOWN LONDON
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pus franchises, students may have 3-DAY WEATHER FORECAST
to wait a little longer for their morn- Wednesday Thursday Friday
ing coffee. Variable cloudiness Cloudy with showers Mixed precipitation
High 3ºC High 7ºC High 3ºC
— Alex Carmona Low -1ºC Low 1ºC Low -2ºC
thegazette • Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Money can’t buy you marks
Study shows students do not increase grades
significantly when offered cash rewards
Cheryl Stone
NEWS EDITOR
Students who get paid for their
grades don’t necessarily work harder.
A recent study revealed students
who were rewarded monetarily for
getting higher grades didn’t work
significantly harder than their peers.
The study, commissioned by the
Higher Education Quality Council
of Ontario, guaranteed $100 to
every grade over 70 per cent the
student received. Students were
then given $20 for each additional
percentage they earned.
“Generally, the overall impact on
grades was modest, making it like-
ly that the overall return on invest-
ment was small,” explained Phil
Oreopoulos, economics professor
at the University of Toronto and a
researcher involved with the study.
He noted the program led to stu-
dents’ grades moving up by one or
two per cent at the most. However,
it did encourage more students
to achieve 70 per cent averages.
“These are average effects,
meaning that the program likely
generated some meaningful impact
for some students, but not enough
to feel the program holds promise
in significantly boosting overall per-
formance, especially over the entire
Campus > Learning
Online sharing a problem
>> continued from pg.1
“Some students are awesome at
turning 100 pages into 10 pages of
notes and some student don’t have
the skills for that,” he said.
But sharing class information
online is treading on dangerous ter-
ritory.
Chris Avenir, a Ryerson Uni-
versity student, was nearly
expelled in 2008 for creating a
study group on Facebook where
users shared notes and home-
work from the class.
In an interview with the Toronto
Star during the interim before his
expulsion hearing, Avenir
explained, “students are scared
shitless now about using Facebook
to talk about schoolwork.”
Although Avenir was ultimately
not expelled, the case raised ques-
Volunteer for the Gazette and become like this guy
Bags under eyes
from no sleep
Pen at the ready
Doodle pad
Note pad...
for quotes
Tough shoes
for hitting
the beat
Room 263 of the UCC
wgaz.ca/contributions
program,” he explained.
Michelle Brigler, a third-year stu-
dent in media, theory and produc-
tion, received a grade-based schol-
arship in her second year at Western.
“To a degree, [a grade-based]
scholarship helped with my grades.
It kept me motivated and not to set-
tle with an average grade,” she said.
Oreopoulos noted some stu-
dents who drop out of school or
scrape by with low grades do not
take advantage of supports in place
to help them — ones that are often
voluntary.
“Incentives are not large
enough, or [students] have limited
time to study,” Oreopoulos noted.
“Another possibility is that the
scholarships are not on the stu-
dents’ minds when deciding
whether to stay home or not on a
Friday night to study.”
Oreopoulos explained many
students in the study said they were
unable to get higher grades simply
because of time constraints.
Overall, Oreopoulos felt this was
an expensive way to encourage stu-
dents to study.
“Some [merit scholarships]
are paid out of operating funds
and others by private donors,”
Valerie Sarkany, team leader for
Student Financial Services at
tions of just what constitutes cheat-
ing when it comes to sharing class
work.
Faraawi felt this issue was
addressed through the use of site
monitors.
“It’s just like YouTube. Whenev-
er you see a video clip that’s not
supposed to be there [...] it’s not
YouTube’s responsibility. But when
it does get flagged, it does get
removed.”
Western representatives did not
return calls by press time.
Andrea Lemay, a first-year stu-
dent in media, information, and
technoculture, was hesitant about
note sharing services. She said she
wouldn’t want to pay for notes or
share her own work.
“I’m not sure what the policies
are on sharing ideas.”
Lisa Gilroy, a fourth-year science
quiet indignation
permanent 3’oclock shadow
Gazette
sweater
Well-deserved
beer gut
rips in jeans
(no money to replace)
Throne
>> By the numbers
First-year entrance scholarships
(no applications required)
Western
Continuing Admission Scholarship
(95%+) — $2,500/year for four years
Western Scholarship of Excellence
(90-94.9%) — $2,000
Western Scholarship of Distinction
(87%-89.9%) — $1,000
Queen’s University
Excellence Scholarship (90%-94%)
— $1,500-$2,000
Principle’s Scholarship (95%+) —
$4,000 (renewable)
Senator Frank Carrel Merit Scholar-
ship (92%+) — $5,000 (renewable)
Western, explained.
Brigler noted merit-based schol-
arships were not without their diffi-
culties.
“Honestly, I don’t think scholar-
ships should be based on just
grades. The University should most
definitely give scholarships based
on other factors as well,” she
explained.
“If one were volunteering their
time on a regular basis, but were
not able to maintain an 80 per cent
average, are they not worthy of
recognition? I think not.”
student, was also unsure about
whether of not the site could lead to
trouble for students.
“I don’t know — is it public
knowledge? As long as it’s your per-
sonal information then I guess
you’re allowed to.”
Solution to puzzle on page 6
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Campus > Libraries
Bus routes extend to
cover 24hr studying
Quotes café also remaining
24hr during fall exam period
>> continued from pg.1
>> In Depth > Hours
would be closed.
Students who plan on getting a Dec. 10-17
caffeine fix while studying will be in Weldon will be open 24 hours a
luck, as Quotes will be open 24 day all week
hours a day as well. Dec. 8-9, Dec. 18-20
“We started do this last spring. Weldon will be open until 2 a.m.
It’s worked out quite well for us,” Dec. 8-20
Scott Hitchons, Centre Spot man- Taylor Library will be open until
ager, explained. midnight
He noted coffee was one of the
biggest sellers in the café during
exams.
“Students are here for long, long the cleaning schedule and bus
hours,” Wilkins noted. schedules, a link to the library feed-
Students who choose to stay late back form will be posted.
will also have a ride home. Current- Gupta hoped to make the web-
ly, city buses stop running through site a one-stop source for every-
campus just after midnight, and thing related to studying in Weldon
start again at just after 6 a.m. The during exams.
University Students’ Council is Wilkins noted last year’s 24-hour
funding a bus to run from 1:30 a.m. schedule at Weldon had an unex-
to 4:30 a.m. to take late-night pected drawback: fewer students
studiers home. studied at Taylor library.
“If you know you’re going to “When we looked at the usage
study until [12 a.m.], you’re going to patterns, it was clear students left
take the [12 a.m.] bus home,” Ely Taylor at around midnight and
Rygier, vice-president finance for came to Weldon,” Wilkins
the USC, explained. He noted the explained. She noted Taylor would
USC used to pay for a bus, which close at midnight during exams in
ran from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. for stu- order to save some costs.
dents during exams before Weldon Wilkins acknowledged the earli-
went 24 hours. er cuts to library hours this year
Routes will soon be updated on were a matter of costs versus use.
Weldon247.com, which will feature “We tried to balance our
safety and studying tips. Along with resources to where there was need.”
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4•
Opinions
Mike Hayes
MANAGING EDITOR
mike@westerngazette.ca
Well, it’s almost over. With Harry Pot-
ter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
out in theatres, we may finally see an
end to the evil that has plagued our
world since the rise of the internet.
That evil? Harry Potter fan fic-
tion. Or Harry Potterotica, as one of
my co–editors suggested.
As if there wasn’t already enough
evidence that the internet is merely
a festering swamp where happiness
goes to die, I was recently exposed
to the dark joys of fan fiction by one
of my malevolent “friends” late last
week. Thanks, Steve.
Not that I wasn’t already aware
of the phenomenon. I was also
aware of the “furries” prior to that
extremely disturbing CSI episode.
But being aware of something and
actually descending into the dark
city of insanity it manifests itself in
Letters to the Editor
Policy already
in place
Re: “Silence is golden” (Nov. 18, 2010)
To the Editor:
Brian McNamara wrote of his aston-
ishment and disgust at the apparent
lack of observation of Remem-
brance Day on Western’s campus. I
agree that failure to observe even
two minutes of silence indicates cal-
lous disrespect for our veterans.
Mr. McNamara asks the admin-
istration “to set a policy in place to
ensure that this travesty never
again occurs, and that our soldiers
receive the commemoration they
deserve.” He may be interested to
know that as of Feb 26, 2010, the
university has just such a policy,
which states:
“That two minutes of silence be
observed on November 11 at 11:00
a.m. throughout the University and
that, where this is not possible, two
minutes of silence be observed
between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon.
That students be permitted to be
absent from class to attend a
Remembrance Day Service, provid-
ed the instructor is informed in
advance of the intended absence.”
It would seem that the issue is
not so much lack of policy as it is
lack of compliance with said policy.
thegazette
Volume 104, Issue 42
www.westerngazette.ca
Contact:
Stuart A. Thompson www.westerngazette.ca
Editor-In-Chief
University Community Centre
Rm. 263
Meagan Kashty
The University of Western Ontario
Deputy Editor London, ON, CANADA
Mike Hayes N6A 3K7
Editorial Offices: (519) 661-3580
Managing Editor
Advertising Dept.: (519) 661-3579
The Gazette is owned and published by the
University Students’ Council.
thegazette • Wednesday, November 24, 2010
wordup
Pot·terot·i·ca: Erotic fanfiction featuring characters from the
Harry Potter series of novels.
>> www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Potterotica
are totally different things.
Perhaps it’s something beyond
my comprehension. I fail to see the
entertainment (or titillation) inher-
ent in writing about sexual fan-
tasies involving characters from
your favourite book, television
show or movie.
The fact that for the majority of
the Harry Potter franchise the kids
are underage just adds another dis-
turbing layer. You know there’s a
problem when your collection of
pornography is more socially
acceptable than your fan fiction.
Let’s be clear here, folks — say-
ing your fan fiction is an homage to
the original artist is the same as me
saying my statue of David made out
of human excrement is an homage
to Michaelangelo.
If you start fantasizing about a
Note sharing no quick fix
Draco/Harry encounter, resist the
temptation to write those thoughts As students continue purchasing essays online and called tuition. Even students struggling to write down
down. Think of it as your move to reading SparkNotes instead of textbooks, online note notes while listening to their professor’s lecture should
make the world a better place. sharing is an unsurprising development and under- realize it doesn’t make financial sense to willingly pay
scores the decline of our education system. twice the price.
University is meant to be hard — that’s the point. There are many hardworking students able to get
University is about going to class, understanding and through school without spending more on frivolous
listening to the professors, and thinking about the shortcuts. For those who feel the need to pay a PhD stu-
It is interesting to note that
Remembrance Day is a statutory
material. But notes and slides are increasingly becom-
ing a valuable commodity. Internet services allowing
dent to write their essay, university isn’t the right place
for them.
holiday in all provinces except students to bypass studying are symptomatic of larger Shortcuts only hurt students in the long run. While
Ontario, Manitoba, and Quebec.
—Steven Craig
problems: more students getting accepted to post-sec-
ondary institutions and the declining value of a bach-
some might think they’re getting ahead, buying notes is
hardly a long-term solution to falling grades. If you give
MMus I elor’s degree. a man a fish, he’ll eat for the day, but teach a man to
At one time, getting into an undergraduate program fish, and he’ll eat for a lifetime. In the end, the ability to
was a triumph. Now it’s a whimper — the natural next coast through school provides students with habits that
Last plays step for high school students rather than a competitive will be detrimental to them in the real world.
program for those truly dedicated to expanding their There’s no quick fix to students falling behind, and
lacked education.
In a system where underachievers are herded like
as a result we’ll only see more opportunities for stu-
dents to treat education like a commodity they can buy.
judgment cash cows to the university gates, it’s no coincidence
numerous shortcuts are popping up online.
Universities need to stop viewing students as a
resource for tuition dollars and return to a more com-
To the Editor: Note sharing may be useful to students who strug- petitive model for university acceptance rates.
Two-point game, enough time on gle with taking notes in class, but most universities But we may have already reached the point of no
the clock for two plays, 10 yards offer workshops to remedy this problem. Additionally, return for undergraduate degrees. It seems prudent,
from field goal position — and note sharing services open the door to abuse and pave then, to turn our attention to preserving the integrity of
Western calls a draw and then a the way for student laziness. Master’s programs before the same fate befalls them.
deep pass. It’s as if the Mustangs In many ways, students already pay for notes — it’s —The Gazette Editorial Board
coaching staff was oblivious of the
circumstances.
I don’t want to criticize Greg
Marshall too harshly, because he’s a
fantastic football coach who’s
turned this team from an occasion-
dailyquote
al Yates Cup contender to a peren- Then I learned the real value of
nial Vanier Cup threat. He should college is to study, and work hard.
be credited with all the success this
HOMER
team has enjoyed this year, and I
have as much faith in him as I do in No you didn’t. You only passed your
any coach in Canadian Interuniver- course by cheating, which you always
sity Sport — that’s precisely why I’m
so shocked he’d have such an enor- taught us was wrong!
mous lapse in judgment at such a LISA
crucial point. — The Simpsons “Homer goes to College”
—Malcolm Aboud
Philosophy 2008
Editorials are decided by a majority of the editorial board and Gazette Composing & Gazette Advertising
are written by a member of the editorial board but are not nec- Ian Greaves, Manager Mark Ritchie
News
Gloria Dickie
Opinions
Jesse Tahirali
essarily the expressed opinion of each editorial board member.
Maja Anjoli-Bilić Karen Savino Monica Blaylock
All other opinions are strictly those of the author and do not nec- Photography
Cheryl Forster Diana Watson Cheryl Stone
essarily reflect the opinions of the USC, The Gazette, its editors Kaleigh Rogers Corey Stanford
Nyssa Kuwahara
or staff.
Gazette Staff 2010-2011 Arts & Life
To submit a letter, go to westerngazette.ca and click on “Con- Editorial Cartoonist
Katherine Atkinson, Alli Aziz, Christian Campbell, Elliott Nicole Gibillini
tact.” Amani Elrofaie
Cohen, Adam Crozier, Angela Easby, Mark Filipowich, Maddie Leznoff
All articles, letters, photographs, graphics, illustrations and car- Anna Paliy
Jennifer Gautier, Ricki-Lee Gerbrandt, Jessica Gibbens, Amber Garratt
toons published in The Gazette, both in the newspaper and online
versions, are the property of The Gazette. By submitting any such James Hall, Katie Hetherman, Elton Hobson, Eliot Hong, Grace Davis Creative Director
Lauren Pelley
material to The Gazette for publication, you grant to The Gazette Alan Hudes, Jesica Hurst, Elena Iosef, Aras Kolya, Jay Sports
a non-exclusive, world-wide, royalty-free, irrevocable license to Daniel Da Silva
LaRochelle, Colin Lim, Jared Lindzon, Pat Martini, Paula Gazette Creative
publish such material in perpetuity in any media, including but not Meng, Lauren Moore, Ora Morison, Maciej Pawlak, Kaitlyn McGrath Sophia Lemon
limited to, The Gazette‘s hard copy and online archives.
Jonathan Pinkus, Aaron Pinto, Jaymin Proulx, Chen Rao, Associate Richard Goodine
• Please recycle this newspaper • Cali Travis, Drew Whitson Arden Zwelling Anders Kravis
thegazette • Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Arts&Life
Songwriting contest sparks career
Georgas’ career picking up steam with release of latest album
Amber Garratt
ARTS & LIFE EDITOR
Passionate is the only way to
describe Hannah Georgas’ relation-
ship with music.
The Canadian-born artist fell in
love with music at a young age
when her mother signed her up for
piano lessons and began signing
her up for competitions in festivals.
“I was put into it when I was
really young. I liked it but I also
wanted to write my own stuff,”
Georgas explains. “I fell in love with
songwriting as soon as I started to
figure out what was going on [with]
the piano.”
Georgas moved from Newmar-
ket to Vancouver to pursue an edu-
cation, but found her attention was
drawn to music instead of books.
“I felt music wasn’t put on the
forefront and I was really suffering
from that, so I decided to stop
school and really give music my
all,” she states.
She moved to Victoria and
became a part of MusicBC, a non-
profit organization that helps musi-
cians develop their musical careers.
After receiving an email from
MusicBC about an upcoming song-
writing contest, Georgas entered
and won.
Western professor maps the Medievalism of Ontario
Three exhibits across London display native and colonial cultures
“I think that started everything
for me,” she says.
Then Georgas’ career began to
take off with the release of her EP
The Beat Stuff in 2008 followed by
winning the 2009 CBC Bucky Award
for Best New Artist.
Georgas’ first album This is Good
was released this past April and has
been well received.
“I am really excited about the
lyrical content of This is Good. I feel
really lucky that I have been able to
make a record. I think that is a pret-
ty big accomplishment,” she says.
“Just to be able to do music full time
and not have to do anything else is
an accomplishment in and of itself.
I feel like when I accomplish one
thing I strive to push harder to
accomplish more.”
All 11 tracks on This is Good
were written by Georgas herself.
“Connecting with other people,
people saying ‘you inspire me’ and ‘I
relate to what you wrote’ is probably
the most amazing thing to hear — to
have people respond to my music.”
Georgas’ talents as a singer and
songwriter are exemplified in both
her EP The Beat Stuff and This is
Good. Her songwriting talents are
something she prides herself on.
“Life has influenced my music.
Writing music for me is a very per-
sonal process. I tend to write what
is going on in my life. If it is not
deliberately about me, it is some-
thing that affects me in some ways
so I make it all very personal,” Geor-
gas says.
“As soon as I finish writing a
song it is the best feeling in the
Nyssa Kuwahara GAZETTE
funfact
Spider-Man is coming to Broadway. Featuring music and lyrics by
22-time Grammy winners Bono and The Edge of U2, a musical
production of Spider-Man will be opening Nov.22
world. There is nothing that com-
pares to that,” she adds
This is just the beginning of
Georgas’ career and she is dream-
ing big. Georgas says she’d like to go
on tour in Europe and have her
record be released in the United
Kingdom and the States.
Mark Filipowich
GAZETTE STAFF
For most people the Middle Ages
conjure up thoughts of Gothic cas-
tles and medieval courts, leaving an
implicit assumption that many
places, such as southern Ontario,
had no significant historical equiv-
alent.
Kathryn Brush, a professor of art
history at Western, along with 10
graduate students, have been
investigating Ontario as it was from
the years 800-1500.
Mapping Medievalism at the
Canadian Frontier is a research
project that focuses specifically on
the influence of both native and
colonial cultures and innovations
on Canada.
Mapping Medievalism has
begun releasing their findings to
London through three exhibitions
across the city, with each focusing
on a different area of their findings.
The first exhibition, at the McIn-
tosh Gallery until December,
chronicles advances in transporta-
tion technology and also displays
significant native and colonial lead-
ers of the period. Perhaps the most
interesting pieces at McIntosh are
the maps and landscapes that fol-
low the transformation of wilder-
ness into medieval-style towns and
cities, to a gothic-inspired universi-
•5
FILE PHOTO
“I just see myself following my
heart and continuing this path that
I am on right now and expanding,”
she says
Hannah Georgas will be per-
forming with Royal Wood at Aeolian
Hall Nov. 25. Tickets are $20 in
advance or $22 at the door.
ty campus built at Ontario’s so-
called “Western” frontier — the
University of Western Ontario.
The second of Mapping
Medievalism’s exhibitions can be
found at the Weldon Library. The
exhibit, found in the John A.
Schweitzer gallery, displays some of
the most important historical and
literary documents pertaining to
medieval Ontario. The exhibit also
explores myths about the Viking
explorers that landed in Canada
during the 11th century.
The last exhibit put on by Map-
ping Medievalism is on display at
Museum London until January. The
third, and possibly most compre-
hensive exhibition, includes arti-
facts of both European and Aborig-
inal origins. The collection reflects
the impact of both cultures on
Canada’s development in the Mid-
dle Ages and indicates the lasting
impact of both cultures on the
Canadian identity.
While these exhibitions are the
first attempt for the research group
to reach out to the general commu-
nity, their findings continue to
demystify a largely overlooked peri-
od in Canadian history. A book con-
taining 11 essays by the researchers
will be published this December
and will further explore the anthro-
pology and culture of London as it
was during the Medieval period.
6• thegazette • Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Find true love with dating websites

Sites that use music, books and other interests to match
picture. There’s also an option to
narrow down your search by age
and postal code. However in order
to see other users’ profiles you have
to sign up first.
tastebuds.fm

Maddie Leznoff Alikewise

Do you have an interest in
books, movies, film and music?
Do you want to pursue a
career in journalism?
Looking to improve your
writing skills?
Come volunteer with the
Arts & Life section!
Just walk up to
Room 263 of the UCC to
ask about volunteering.
thegazette
To place your ad in The Gazette Marketplace, please
contact us at 519-661-3579 OR adoffice@uwo.ca
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ARTS & LIFE EDITOR
Let’s face it — online dating web-
sites tend to have the stigma
attached to them for being used by
desperate, lonely middle-aged peo-
ple. But now dating websites tar-
geted at the younger generation are
cropping up. These sites match
people with similar cultural tastes,
so you can find your true love based
on music, literary and technologi-
cal compatibility. So much for the
idea that opposites attract.
Tastebuds
This free website is powered by
other popular music sites like
last.fm and Soundkick. It has a
clean, youthful aesthetic that defi-
nitely appeals to a younger audi-
ence. The website, whose tagline is
“Find single people who share your
passion for music,” asks you to type
in at least three of your favourite
bands, your gender and gender of
preference, and your country.
Alternatively, you can log in with
a last.fm account and the website
will sync your information and sta-
tistics about your most frequently
played artists. Once personal infor-
mation is entered, you get to see a
list of potential matches and their
HOW TO PLAY
Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1
through 9. Solving time is typically from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on your skill and
experience. The Gazette publishes Sudoku puzzles with varying degrees of difficulty.
Frosh, Soph, Senior, Grad Student
Today’s difficulty level:
For solution, turn to page 3
Alikewise tries to find your true love
through matching book tastes. The
website claims the service they pro-
vide is equivalent to being at “A din-
ner party where you wander over to
your host’s bookshelf, and strike up
a chat with the person next to you.”
Along with compiling a list of
their favourite novels, users list
their physical attributes including
physique, eye colour and hair
colour. Anyone can browse the user
profiles, but you have to sign up in
order to contact someone. Making
an account is free, and if online dat-
ing isn’t your thing, this website also
functions as a pretty good book rec-
ommendation tool.
alikewise.com
Where has all the
Cupidtino
“Meet an Apple fanboy or girl,” reads
the tagline of this website, which only
launched this past June. Not surpris-
good music gone?
ingly, the site was created by Apple to
unite avid users of Mac products —
in fact, you can only sign up on an Amber
Apple computer for this dating web- Alert
site. Users are called “Machearts”, and
once you have an account you can
sync your iTunes playlists, movies
and apps to increase your chance at Amber Garratt
compatibility. ARTS & LIFE EDITOR
cupidtino.com amber@westerngazette.ca
None of the music we listen to
today will transcend our generation
— we are a generation defined by
one-hit wonders and corporately
produced music.
Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and
Ke$ha fill the airwaves with sub par
instrumentals and trivial lyrics on a
daily basis. I don’t listen to the radio
anymore because I am constantly
disappointed by what is played. It
blows my mind that the same
mainstream artists are played con-
stantly throughout the day when
there are so many other musicians
to choose from.
Sometimes I wish I were alive
during the peak of classic rock. The
Beatles, Rush, Pink Floyd, The
Rolling Stones, Jimy Hendrix and
Cream, to name a few, made names
for themselves because of their
extraordinary talents — and their
music continues to influence peo-
SENIOR ple today. That’s the reason why we
have radio stations dedicated to
playing classic rock music —
because their music has transcend-
ed far beyond its generation.
A perfect example of this is
computer program at: www.sudoku.com
Cupidtino FILE PHOTO
have all cited Johnson as being
imperative to their musical devel-
opment. Plant has been quoted
stating, “Robert Johnson, to whom
we all owe our existence, in some
way.”
If this isn’t a testament to the
importance of music transcending
generations, then I don’t know
what is.
Music was once written with
meaning, such as Buffalo Spring-
field’s song “For What It’s Worth” or
John Lennon’s “Give Peace a
Chance.” Songs were written to
inspire social change, to reach a
wide audience and to make an
impact. The majority of the bill-
board top 40 songs today seem to
be written about California girls,
with lyrics like “poppin’ bottles in
the ice, like a blizzard” and “the
club can’t handle me right now.”
It seems anyone can become a
famous musician these days. Look
at Heidi Montag or Paris Hilton —
these “musicians” became famous
not for their talent, but because of
their celebrity status.
Music today is so intrinsic with
synthesizing and manipulation
that it doesn’t sound like the origi-
nal singer anymore. Nothing is
worse than seeing a live perfor-
mance and being shocked by the
lack of vocal talents, instrumental
talents and lack of emotion that the
musician has.
The internet has been the best
and worst thing to happen to
music. Music can go viral with a

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It’s important for music to influ- people the opportunity to develop

on
E&
Vfood
S Adrinks
ence musicians in the coming gen-
erations. Robert Leroy Johnson, an
American blues singer, songwriter
a fan base, but at the same time it
devalues talent. Having a huge fol-
lowing doesn’t make someone a tal-
when and musician from the ‘30s, left a ented musician — it means they
you use your sizeable impact on the develop- have the ability to market them-
ment of rock in the coming eras. He selves and get their name out there.
Westernizer was inducted into the Rock and Roll Only time will tell if music today
Coupons! Hall of Fame in their first induction
ceremony in 1986 and was ranked
will transcend our generation but
right now I would bet all my money
fifth on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 that it won’t.
Greatest Guitarists of All Time. I certainly do not want to be
Eric Clapton, Fleetwood Mac from a generation that is defined by
and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin “Bieber Fever.”
thegazette • Wednesday, November 24, 2010 •7

Sports
factattack
Cleveland Reds first baseman – and Etobicoke, Ontario native –
Joey Votto was selected by the Baseball Writers Association of
America as the National League MVP. He is only the third
Canadian to win an MLB MVP award, after Larry Walker and
Justin Morneau.

rundown >> The Mustangs women’s hockey team dropped both their games this weekend, losing to York 2-1 and Toronto 2-0 | The Mustangs women’s basketball
team lost their first game of the season, falling to the Carleton Ravens 67-65 > The women rebounded the next night and handily defeated Ottawa 58-35 | The
Women’s squash team lost at McMaster 6-3

Terrible third leads

to Western’s demise
Aarssen leads team with 2 points
Pat Robinson
CONTRIBUTOR
For the first two periods, the Mus-
tangs men’s ice hockey team could
not have been more dominant. They
went into the dressing room in the
second intermission up 3-1 against
the visiting Toronto Varsity Blues,
Graphics by Jesse Tahirali GAZETTE
and leading the shot total 39-14.
Early in the third, the game
looked to be all but won when sec-
ond-year defencemen Scott
Aarssen scored on the power play
to increase the lead to three.
Unfortunately Aarssen’s tally
would not be enough as the Varsity
Blues stormed back with three
unanswered goals to force over-
time. They stole a sure win away
from the Mustangs after winger
Byron Elliot scored halfway through
the extra frame.
“We have to play way better
defence in order to be a champi-
onship team at the end of the year,”
Mustangs head coach Clarke Singer
said.
The loss did not come without
controversy though, as many play-
ers, including goaltender Josh
Unice, were irate that Toronto’s first
Piotr Angiel GAZETTE goal of third period was allowed.
A GOALIE FROM TORONTO IN BLUE AND WHITE MAKING A SAVE? IT MUST BE PHOTOSHOPPED. Blues goalie Garrett “We were not given an explana-
Sheehan (#35) robbed Mustang forward Aaron Snow (#27) on the doorstep. Sheehan’s 52 saves allowed Toronto to steal a tion, the official said it hit the lower
5-4 overtime victory from the Mustangs at Thompson Arena.
half of the cross bar and it was in,”
Mustangs head coach Clarke Singer
said.
There is no question that the
Mustangs threw the kitchen sink at
the Varsity Blues, outshooting
Toronto 56-31 in the game.
Aarssen notched a goal and an
assist to lead the Mustangs, while
third-year forward Keaton
Turkiewicz had two assists. For-
wards Chris Corbeil, Jason Furlong
and Kyle Lamb scored the other
Mustang goals.
“We moved the puck around
really quickly in the game and it
really opened up a lot of shots,”
Aarssen said.
However, that opened the door
for first-year Blues goalie Garrett
Sheehan to shine. In his first Ontario
University Athletics game, Sheehan
put on a heroic performance, stop-
ping 52 shots for the victory.
“My team was great in front of
me, they kept a lot of shots to the
outside and clearing the front of the
net,” Sheehan said.
Despite the loss — only their
second of the season — the Mus-
tangs still gained a crucial point,
allowing them to maintain a five-
point lead over the Lakehead Thun-
derwolves in the competitive OUA
West.

Men rebound vs Ryerson

Farmanara kickstarts four-goal second period
Greg Colgan
CONTRIBUTOR
Coming off a tough loss the night
before, the Mustangs men’s hockey
team got back on track with a 6-3
win over the Ryerson Rams Satur-
day night.
The first period saw a sluggish
start from both teams, each having
played the previous night.
“We weren’t as sharp this week-
end as we have been in the past,”
Mustangs coach Clarke Singer said.
“We’ve had a real good first half and
[we’ve] done a lot of good things.
You always have that weekend
where things aren’t clicking, but we
still came out with three points, so
we’ll take it.”
Ryerson took a 1–0 lead in the
first period, despite being outshot
15–8 by Western. A late goal by
defenceman Julian Zamparo could
have deflated the Mustangs, but
instead they used it as a wakeup call
and came out stronger in the sec-
ond.
“It gave us that little kick we
needed to get going a little more
offensively,” Singer said. “It put us
behind and you don’t like playing
behind in your own building.”
The Mustangs showed their extra
motivation, burying four goals past
Ryerson goaltender Kori Coelho.
Western forward Yashar Farma-
nara started the scoring after
receiving a pass from defenceman
Brandon Greenside. Farmanara
took a quick wrist shot over Coel-
ho’s right shoulder to tie the game.
“We came out a little weak in the
first,” Mustangs forward Aaron
Snow said. “We lacked the urgency,
but we redeemed ourselves in the
second and third and finished
strong.”
The Mustangs continued to
press the attack with forward Kevin
Baker using his speed to catch Ryer-
son defenceman Michael Paolo
flatfooted. Baker finished the play
by sliding the puck past an unsus-
pecting Coelho on his right side.
“We just stuck to our game plan
and kept playing good defensively
and knew we would be rewarded
offensively,” Singer said.
The Mustangs were challenged
by Coelho who made several key
saves when it looked as though
Western was going to put the game
away.
“He played really good tonight,”
Snow said. “We got a lot of shots on
him in the first and couldn’t get
anything by him. We got some bod-
ies to the front of the net and get-
ting in his way a bit opened up
things to let us get a few goals.”
The Mustangs would add two
more goals from Keaton Turkiewicz
and Jason Furlong before the end of
the second.
After losing a third period lead
the night before, the Mustangs
ensured the same wouldn’t happen
again with strong defensive play.
Although a more determined Ryer-
son came out in the third with two
goals, the Mustangs iced the game
with goals from Snow and Kyle
Lamb to seal the victory.
In the midst of a 10–game losing
streak, Ryerson coach Graham Wise
still felt his team played a strong
game against the fourth-ranked
team in the country.
“We worked hard and had a
good effort tonight,” Wise said.
“Western’s pretty deep and a solid
team that just keeps coming at you
with three lines. They’re a hell of a
hockey team.”
The Mustangs continue their
crossover schedule in Kingston
next weekend against the Queen’s
Gaels and Royal Military College Piotr Angiel GAZETTE
Paladins. They return home to fin- IT’S THE… EYE OF THE TIGER IT’S THE CREAM OF THE FIGHT… Men’s hockey cap-
ish off their semester against Brock tain Kyle Lamb (#13) gives his opponent the staredown during Saturday’s win
on Dec. 2. over the Ryerson Rams. They’ll be back at Thompson Arena on Dec. 2.
8• thegazette • Wednesday, November 24, 2010

GIFT GIVING GUIDE

When You're Pressed for Time Avoid Crowds by Shopping Smart
Gift Ideas n has begun, and the da
ys will no doubt fly
Christmas shopping. Some love it and some hate it. Regardless, it's expected that
crowds will be part of the equation at some point during the holiday season. Avoiding
the biggest crowds is often the goal of many holiday shoppers.
The Christmas countdow Before you know, it's only Today most shoppers are looking to save time or money ... or both. They often wonder
y do every year.
off the calendar like the what are the best times to shop to realize the best deals and avoid the crowds. While
iday is here. Black Friday may offer low-low prices, crowds are definitely in abundance, with
a few days until the hol l pressed for time
o hav en' t yet started shopping may fee thousands of people anxious to score savings. However, if smaller crowds are desired,
Those wh s for everyone on their
rry that they will not be able to find gift many retailers offer similar prices the week after Black Friday.
and wo afterthoughts. But
don't look like they were Shoppers who want to avoid crowds as a main priority will want to shop weekday
lists -- at least gifts that mornings. If it is possible to take off a day in December to set aside for shopping, one
in the eleventh hour.
good gifts can be found should consider it. Just avoid the hours of 11 to 2. People who are at work may spend
their lunch hours catching up on shopping. While weekday shopping may not offer the
Children
or a de- sales that take place on the weekends, the stores will certainly be less crowded.
Adults
for a • Pop into a toy store
• Vis it the loc al liqu or sto re an d pic k up a Christmas is right around the corner. If Shoppers who know they will be giving gifts after the Christmas holiday, be it to distant
the price ran ge partment store -minute gifts, be
bottle of win e in
cud dly stuffed animal. you have to purchase last relatives or faraway friends, can take advantage of shopping after December 25. This
win e ba g like an afterthought.
desired. Wrap it in a e • Buy an art set for d mark-
older chil- sure they don't loo k can be a great opportunity to save a lot of money on purchases, as many items are
it as is wit h a nic deeply discounted after Christmas. Keep in mind, though, that crowds still may be
or leave dren, full of paints an
't be large because of people making returns or cashing in on gift cards.
bow. ers. If a complete set can
• Pick up passes to a
local at- art pa cka ge Teenagers
found , ma ke an be finicky, so a
traction, such as an amuse er
ment
of sup pli es • Teenagers can
eth wit h a bu nch
monetary gift wil l be one-size-fits-
park or a museum. Put tog packe d into a gif t ba g.
with a all.
tickets for a play paired • Choose an educatio
nal gift ciate
k of the pro duc tion . ha be t • Teenage girls may appre
soundtrac t is stil l fun , like alp of del icio us
ted. A tha a gift basket
• Food is often apprecia or puzzles. A sub-
box of fine chocolates or
one
ements
of fla sh car ds
scription to a children'
s mag- scente d lotions
• Passes for movies can
.
make t
Free gifhase
December 6th – 9th Enter to
those edible fruit arrang . az ine wo uld als o wo rk,
ht les s exp ens ive . rc
with pue first
will be a tasteful, and tas
ty, gift
seeing as children lov
e get- date nig
or e-gift
to th
pers
50 shopday!
20% off reg. priced clothing win an
• Fill a large bowl
with a • Consider a gift card each 30% off backpacks iPa
(and mo d
s, ting ma il. n for dig ital mu sic down-
scooper, sprinkles, che
rrie
tur n do wn a coupo
kid s wil l 10% off hats, mitts and scarves !)re
making • Few loads.
and other toppings for DVD of their favorite tele
vision a teen
am sun da es. Ds sho uld • Give a subscription to 50% off sale books (red sticker only)
ice cre rac ter s. The DV t eve ryo ne can
ces the cha magazine so tha 15% off office supplies
• Pick a gift that embra sic , fea tur e an age-appropriate- p ab rea st of the ir fav orite
mu kee
holiday spirit. Holiday nes s rat ing to ma ke cho osing Gift wrapping 12 – 4 pm
ornaments or table decora t.
tions celebrities.
this yea r or nex one even easier. And so much more!
can be use d
www.bookstore.uwo.ca

Set a Plan of
Attack for
Black Friday Shopping
If you're heading out to the United States for some cross-border shopping,
Black Friday (November 26) is one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
Every year thousands of shoppers flock to area malls and shopping centers in
the wee hours of the morning attempting to get the best deals on their holiday
gifts. Because shopping with the crowds and sales can be confusing, setting
a "Black Friday" shopping strategy can add some organization to the chaos.

• Make a shopping list. Think ahead of time about what to look for. Know-
ing what will be bought can help shoppers determine which stores to visit.
It helps to only choose one or more stores at which to shop.
• Preview ads. Many stores will start advertising their Black Friday hours and
some sneak peaks at sales a week or more in advance. There could also
be some "spoiler" Web sites that leak information about Black Friday sales.
Shoppers can know what's available and plan their shopping accordingly.
Also, some stores have "rules" to follow, such as wristband dispersal or a
numbering system, for shoppers to avoid crowds rushing the doors.
• Eat a hearty breakfast. Shoppers should be sure to eat breakfast so they'll
have enough energy to survive the morning shopping.
• Pack a lunch or snack. Chances are fast food restaurants and food courts
will be mobbed on Black Friday.
• Wear comfortable clothing. Crowded stores tend to be hot and chaotic, so
dress in layers you can remove. Wear very comfortable shoes for long
hours of walking.
• Be sure to know stores' return policies. It pays to know what stores will take
back discounted items bought during Black Friday.

GREAT MOVIES! GREAT PRICES!

matinees
$
6 00
$
7 00 SPECIAL
student STUDENT
evening PRICING
Movie
$
4 00 two toonie
Gift Certificates
An easy and fun gift!
Available at the Box Office
Tuesdays
24 HOUR INFO line • 519-434-3073
www.RainbowCinemas.ca