Thursday October 13, 2011 - Issue 4 // www.thesputnik.

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News Student Life Features A&E Sports Opinion

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Celebrating Beer
A first-person perspective of Kitcheners Oktoberfest. page 6 A behind-thescenes look at a craft brewery. page 7

Occupy Wall Street page 2

Creepy Bunnies page 9

Hawks Still Perfect page 10

The Sputnik // Thursday October 13

NEWS
Matt Mente News Editor

Matt Mente // news@thesputnik.ca

Occupy Wall Street Continues To Pick Up Steam

Thousands of protestors have descended on Wall Street in downtown New York City over the past three weeks, creating one of the largest revolutions in America in recent memory. The leaderless movement, called Occupy Wall Street, have no set demands but are protesting economic issues such as corporate greed, the influence of money over government officials, and the imbalanced distribution of wealth in America. The original idea behind the protest came from the Canadian group Adbusters, though they have no direct role in the protests. New York police officers have had a hard time dealing with th protestors. Over the first few days of the protest, numerous arrests were made. Most arrests were for obstructing traffic though some protestors were charged with disrupting the peace and resisting arrest. On Oct 1, protestors set out to cross the Brooklyn Bridge. After they were on the bridge, police arrested 700 people for disrupting traffic, sparking even more outrage as protestors alleged the police forced them onto the streets. The police used busses to clear the protestors from the bridge, and were later sued by the drivers for comandeering city busses. Later, the New York City Transit Union offered solidarity with the protestors, and no longer will use city busses to transport detained protestors. Some people have critisized the protests for being unorganized and lacking cohesion though others point out that many social movements and revolutions started out in a similar fashion. Regardless of any individuals personal opinion, there is no denying that the protest is happening and the scent of revolution appears to be in the air. Many are comparing this movment to that of the Republicansided tea partiers, which is similar in form but has a radically different impact and focus. The protestors are no longer on Wall Street but based at the nearby Zuccotti Park. Several hundred protestors have been sleeping at the park each night where, among other things, protestors have set up a media station consisting of wireless routers and laptops powered by a generator. During the day numbers swell. The largest number of protestors yet was during a march on Oct. 6 which saw over 15, 000 protestors march through lower Manhattan. Political response to the protests has been mixed. Republican candidates have been largely disissive and critical of the movment while Democrats have generally been supportive. With President Obama stating that, I think it expresses the frustrations the American people feel. In addition to politicians many labour unions have begun to show thier support for the movment. On Oct 5 ,representatives from over fourteen of Americas largest unions attended the protests to show thier support. Since the protests began, the word has spread across the country and indeed the world. Similar protests have begun to pop up in dozens of cities across the states as well as internationally. The movement is expected to reach Ontario this Saturday, when similar movements have been organized for both Ottawa and Toronto.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kyle W. Brown kyle.brown@thesputnik.ca
ADVERTISING & DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR

Evan Robertson evan.robertson@wlusp.com (519) 756-8228 ext. 5719 PRODUCTION mANAGER Jen Schwenker jen.schwenker@thesputnik.ca PHOTO EDITOR Venetia Bodanis venetia.bodanis@wlusp.com ART EDITOR Bridget Parker bridget.parker@thesputnik.ca

WEB EDITOR Katelyn Wong web@thesputnik.ca COPY EDITORS Matthew Cook Alicia Saunders SECTION EDITORS Kiley Bell, A&E Jillian Courtney, Features Kristen Curtis, Student Life Kyle Denton, Sports Matt Mente, News Lin Abdul Rahman, Opinion CONTRIBUTORS
Kiley Bell Allison Bowerman Kyle W. Brown Venetia Bodanis Jillian Courtney Kristen Curtis Kyle Denton Brent Duguid Marcie Foster Craig Hagerman Allison Leonard Kyle Lowry Matt Mente Ahmed Minhas Nikyta Polyak Lin Abdul Rahman

Leisha Senko WLUSP BRANTFORD

The 1% versus the 99%. (Art by Bridget Parker)

Whats really going on in the oil sands

mental groups are concerned because of the large amounts of refining required to get to the bitumen. Canadas oil sands have been a touchy subOne environmental concern is that the reject for years. They have been cited as a de- finement process releases polluted water waste structive force in the Albertan landscape and that travels into Albertas Firebag River and environment. other freshwater sources. Another concern is The same oil sands are now attempting to that the pipeline will inevitably leak the bituexpand and incorporate a brand new pipeline, men into the surrounding environment during dubbed Keystone XL, between Alberta and its 3,186 km journey from Hardisty, Alberta to Texas. Nederland, Texas. This has brought forth extreme opposition The pipeline extends over the Ogallala from environmentalists across Canada and the Aquifer in the U.S., which supplies eight states U.S. It has been argued that CO2 gas emissions including Texas with clean, fresh water. from oil sands are the highest in comparison to Economic benefits other sources. Bitumen, or asphalt, the prodAlthough there is an impact to the enviuct pulled from the oil sands causes significant ronment through the growth of Albertan oil environmental damage both near and far from sands, there is a huge economic benefit. the oil sands. TransCanada argues that the Keystone XL Bitumen is a highly viscous form of petro- pipeline and the expansion of the oil sands leum trapped within sand and clay. Environ- will create thousands and thousands of jobs especially during an economic downturn. Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver also sees the economic If you are pregnant and need a nurturing benefit. and loving home for your child, then we The oilsands, would love to talk to you about our family. weve been told, can generate $2.3 trillion in We look forward to hearing from you! economic activity over Call Trish at 1-519-304-1555 the next 25 years, Oliver told reporters. Ahmed S. Minhas Staff Writer If Keystone goes ahead, that would add another $600 billion and hundreds of thousands of jobs can flow from the oil sands development. Nobel Peace laureates The oil sands are such a serious concern that Nobel laureates have become involved. A group of Nobel laureates have signed a letter asking Stephen Harper to stop the expansion of the oil sands. The laureates include Mairead Maguire, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Jody Williams, and Shirin Ebadi, among others. In the letter they ask Harper to reject the Keystone XL pipeline, citing the environmental damage through the release of greenhouse gases and the impact it will have on human lives through violent conflict and instability, as well as famine. The laureates also call for an end on the dependence of non-renewable energy sources, and instead to focus on renewable energy sources as it is the right thing to do. -The expansion of Albertan oil sands will be pending an approval on the Keystone XL pipeline. Both Canada and the U.S. will decide near the end of this year. The approval of the pipeline comes at the same time as the European Union is pending a decision to classify bitumen dirtier than conventional crude.

mANAGER OF OPERATIONS Allison Leonard allison.leonard@wlusp.com PHONE (519) 756-8228 ext.5948 202-171 Colborne Street N3T 2C9

WLUSP OFFICE 75 University Avenue West Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5 PRESIDENT Erin Epp (519) 884-0710 ext.3565 erin.epp@wlusp.com ADVERTISING Angela Foster (519)884-0710 ext. 3560 angela@wlusp.com
The Sputnik is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications, Waterloo. Contact Erin Epp - WLUSP, 75 University Ave W, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3C5 The Sputnik is a proud member of the Canadian University Press (CUP) Opinions expressed in The Sputnik are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the Editorial staff, The Sputnik, WLUSP, WLU or CanWeb Printing Inc. Page One photo credit: Venetia Bodanis

Thinking about Adoption?

The Sputnik // Thursday October 13

Election Wrap-Up: Liberals win Brant, minority

Matt Mente News Editor The polls are in and Ontario has once again elected the Liberal party to lead Provincial Parliament. Voting took place on Oct. 6 and at the end of the day the Liberals won the provincial election for the third consecutive time. Change was evident in the results though. The Liberals secured 53 seats, coming up one short of a majority government. The Progressive Conservatives secured 37 seats, a much closer second than in pervious years and with 17 seats the NDP nearly doubled their presence in provincial parliament. Running on a platform which included creating jobs, cutting tuition, and reducing bills, leader Dalton McGuinty and the Liberals saw their support flagging. His administration has had issues with public trust ever since he broke a promise not to raise taxes after the 2003 election. Despite these hiccups McGuinty is once again Ontarios premier, only the second Liberal to receive the position three times consecutively. In an election which had a record low voter turnout of 48.3 per cent, the Liberals finished with 17 fewer seats than they had previously won. A large number of those seats went to the NDP who hold a record high 17 seats for the party. This is reflective of the large increase in popularity the NDP saw during the recent federal election, most of which occured in Quebec but some of which was also felt in Ontario. The rest of the seats that the Liberals lost went to Tim Hudak and the Conservatives. Running on a platform of reduced expenses and senior support, the PC Party manLevac took the riding with just over one thousand more votes than that of St. Amant. NDP candidate Brian Van Tilborg brought up a respectable third with 10,948 votes and the Green Partys Ken Burns trailed in fourth place with 957 votes. Candidates Martin Sitko, Daniel Hockley, Rob Ferguson, and Dustin Jenner all came within 110 votes of one another straddling 200. Placing last was John Turmel with a meagre 87 votes. Incumbent Levac has held the position of Brant MPP since 1999. Since that time he has placed a strong focus on education, due in no small part to his background as a teacher and principal in the Brantford area. Levac has generally followed party policy and is a strong supporter of tuition cuts. Levac did spark some controversy during the campaign when he twice misspoke during a televised debate and indicated that the Liberals had plans to implement a carbon tax, something they have long denied. Conservatives were quick to jump on this slip Dalton McGuinty will return for a third term as Ontario Premier. (Photo provided by Ontario Liberal Party) but Liberals maintained aged to deprive the Liberals of a majority the Ontario NDPs in 2009. that it was a simple accident. Voters will government but failed to take the election. Brantfords election mirrored that of the now have to wait and see whether or not This was Hudaks first election as the party province. Liberals will enforce a carbon tax and how leader. Hudak has been a member of the PC After a remarkably clean and amicable they will follow through on their campaign Party for a number of years and his wife campaign from all candidates, Liberal in- promises, particularly those related to job served as a senior advisor to Mike Harris. cumbent Dave Levac has held onto his seat creation and tuition His views on abortion and prison inmate by a narrow margin against Conservative labour were quite controversial throughout Michael St. Amant. the election campaign. The NDP were also led through this election by a first time party leader. Andrea Horwath has been a member of the provincial NDP party since 2004, when her victory in a by-election resulted in the NDP holding enough seats to regain official party status. Horwath became leader of

Whacky News
Matt Mente News Editor Keeping up with current events is important, but life can get pretty stressful and sometimes its best to just ignore the world and relax. Here are three off-beat stories to help you do just that. First, an interesting tale of a German woman who has spent the past 15 years living without money. It began when she opened a pawn shop where people, particularly the homeless, could swap possessions or services. Over time, she began to realize she was dissatisfied with her life and began to rely more on trading her skills and possessions for what she needed. Now she lives entirely without money, carrying her possessions in a rucksack and trading her skills for room and board. Bordering on the alarming, the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort has announced that it will be giving away $25,000 worth of plastic surgery as a prize. The promotion is being given out as a loyalty bonus to the winner of a players card contest. The casino will allow the winner to choose whatever procedures they want; from liposuction to breast implants, so long as the total cost doesnt exceed the prize pool. Just plain ridiculous. A Swedish man heard a strange noise coming from his vacationing neighbours garden. When he went to investigate, he found a moose stuck in his neighbours apple tree. The moose had been eating the apples, which had fermented. This caused the moose to become intoxicated and eventually lodge itself in the tree. After authorities freed the drunken moose it wandered back into the garden where it proceeded to fall asleep.

ATTENTION
prospective graduates:

Go to www.wlusp.com/gradphotos to book your photo sitting today. Time slot available between November 1-17th.

The Sputnik // Thursday October 13

STUDENT LIFE
Marcie Foster The Cord (Waterloo) - Next year, students may see the addition of a new fall study break, however, this may bring considerable changes to the structure of O-Week. A proposal of a two-day fall reading break, which would be placed at the third weekend of October, would potentially affect the placement and possibly the length of WLUs traditional weeklong O-Week. It came up at senate last fall, when I was presenting the academic dates, said Ray Darling, registrar and commissioner of oaths at WLU. That day, people had questions. They were questioning the length of the orientation period, as well as the possibility of a fall study break. After the senate meeting, a committee was formed that included David McMurray, vice president of student affairs, and former Wilfrid Laurier Students Union president and CEO Kyle Walker. We drafted a proposal that would have people start class on the Thursday instead of the following Monday after Labour Day, said Darling. What wed have to do is start classes a little bit earlier. The proposal was then discussed again

Kristen Curtis // studentlife@thesputnik.ca

Shortened O-Week likely

last week by the committee and was also sent out over the summer to all the division councils. Darling aims to present the finished proposal to the WLU senate in November, should it pass at the senate academic meeting next Monday. The reason why were doing this is to benefit the students, he said. The big concern is the impact on orientation week. Orientation week could shorten by up to two days with classes taking place on the Thursday and Friday in order for two days to free up later in the term. The other option was to use the two study days in between classes and finals. Youre going to run into issues when you push it back, said Emily Butcher, a head icebreaker during this years O-Week. Dons would also need to be trained earlier, and prepared earlier, and would have to be on duty longer, because theyd have that extra weekend to have to watch students. Although this is one issue that may arise, Butcher claimed there would be more to the logistical issues than residence life and programming challenges. Nobody really likes the idea of having to change O-Week, and this year we made a lot of changes. There were a lot of issues but there were also a lot of positives that happened with it, she reflected. Changing so much at once, there have been a lot of questions as to what is the value of OWeek, and cutting it down to four days is a possibility. Butcher was concerned that, even though with WLUSU out to represent students interests in this proposal, O-Week would be cut down regardless. In defense of a weeklong O-Week, Butcher stated that she, along with other icebreakers and volunteers, would be enraged should orientation week be cut. The programming is really important. Laurier is supposed to be the number one orientation program in the country. Its like that for a reason. Thats why we have a week. Its called O-Week, she explained. Its not just about pushing O-Week back two days when you really think about it. Nick Gibson, WLUSU president and CEO, was also concerned about the proposal. As long as were not overly compromising our ability to deliver great programming for Orientation Week, Ill be okay with it, he said. I know there are many merits, its pretty well known that there is overwhelming support from students to have that break. How it is actually done, thats where some conflict tends to come up. Gibson sees the opportunity to create synergy between orientation week and academics. Id envision there would be programming going on the Thursday and Friday nights, with classes going on during the day, he explained. Essentially, the idea there, my fear is that people will see this as cutting up O-Week, but I see it as sort of an integrated thing. It is Gibsons expectation that allowing students a break in the fall semester would benefit everyone with their academics. If youre in a spot where there seems like no end, theres no room to breathe, by any stretch of the imagination that is a huge mental health strain. He claimed that at the end of the day it is important that students get a break, even just to relax for a few days whether or not they have work to catch up on. Whatever they decide to do thats their prerogative. Giving them that opportunity, ultimately if we want to be a university that supports academic success, we need to be open to what most of the universities do, and thats giving some sort of a break.

Whats the point in a two-day reading week? I personally like it the way it is, just because it gives me time to prep things for class, and really in my mind two-days are not going to make a difference in the fall like a full week would. -Amy Curtin

Have your say! Like The Sputnik on Facebook

O-Week was a great time to meet people and make connections (although the events themselves were not necessarily very well planed in my year). After first year O-Week is a great opportunity to make some extra money with the summer job, catch up with friends you havent seen all summer and settle into school mode. I never felt the need for a Fall reading week through all 5 years of my undergrad. -Kyle Degabriele

We asked you to give us feedback on what you think of a two-day reading week which would cut short part of Orientation Week on Facebook. This was what some students had to say

MISSING CAT

O-week dragged on for sooo long and the idea of two days to catch up would definitely make a difference because its like an extra weekend that you get to prepare for midterms and get organized. -Jaay Blake

$500 REWARD
A Small Pure White Cat with Green Eyes. Her name is Snow White. Last seen Sept. 23rd in the area of Chatham St. and Queen St. If you find or have seen her PLEASE call 519-770-4153
(Art by Bridget Parker)

The Sputnik // Thursday October 13

Facebook: A post-secondary complaint forum

Tannara Yelland CUP Prairies & Northern Bureau Chief (Saskatoon) - The university teacherstudent dynamic can be a strange one: on one hand, students are students, and should reasonably be expected to act accordingly, deferring to professors as superiors and as more knowledgeable. On the other hand, students know they pay a good chunk of their professors salary, and this can sometimes lead to students feeling as though they deserve more equal footing with their instructors. Professor June Madeley of the University of New Brunswick is one of a growing number of post-secondary instructors who has found a distinctly modern way to deal with the frustrations of an increasingly entitled student body. Thats PROFESSOR Uptight to you, Johnny is a private Facebook group where professors meet to gripe about students and to support each other. Madeley, who joined two years ago when a colleague forwarded the group to her, says it fills an important void in professors professional lives. In public schools, she said, in high schools, they have a staff room. Im sure they have conversations about frustrating things there. Profs dont have that [in universities]. There isnt a lot of room for commiserating. Madeley also explained that while professors share complaints about students and sometimes post hypothetical scathing responses to student emails, it is more often a venue for self-support. Its also very helpful to know that the kinds of things were facing, others are facing them too, Madeley said. Its a morale thing. The private group, which has members from Canada, America and the UK, has never been a source of trouble to a professor, as far as Madeley knows. This is very different from how a group of University of Calgary students were treated after creating a group to vent about a professor. Twins Keith and Steven Pridgen have been embroiled in a legal battle with their university since being placed on 24 months of academic probation for their membership in a Facebook group called, I NO Longer Fear Hell, I Took a Course with Aruna Mitra. The group was not private, Keith said, though it was not intended to be for the public. The Facebook groups creator, Tom Strangward, said that he did not really think about that aspect of it when he made the group. The Pridgens won their case against the U of C in late 2010, when Justice Jo-Ann Strekaf ruled that the university was required by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to respect the Pridgens right to free speech. In early 2010, the U of C announced its intention to appeal the ruling, claiming it was seeking clarification. Keith Pridgen said the appeal hearing could reasonably be heard before the court by early November, although the date is not set in stone as of yet. When asked about the Pridgens case, Madeley said she hopes students exhaust every possible official option before turning to online complaining when faced with an unsatisfactory teacher. I think the fact that [the U of C group] was public was more of a problem, she said. Professors have contracts, they need to meet tenure; if review committees were looking at it, that would be inappropriate, in the same way that Rate My Professor is inappropriate for [assessing professors]. Pridgen said he and his brother had, in fact, already contacted the university through conventional channels, and had met with no success. We brought questions to to the professor during class, he said. Then we began to appeal our grades to the head of the program. After this led to many students receiving an even lower grade, Pridgen said they took their complaint to the associate dean of law. This led to higher grades for many students, but the Pridgens also found out that the head of their program, who had lowered their grades, was married to the professor they were upset with. It was only after all this that we decided to join a Facebook group intended only for fellow students to voice their concerns about the professor. On the other side of this fraught relationship is Madeley, who said that it can be difficult to teach class upon class of students who expect more and more from professors in return for less and less work. [Teaching] really is such a demoralizing experience, sometimes, said Madeley.

LAURIER l o w - d o w n
Allison Leonard Staff Writer

Gwynne Dyer to speak at Laurier Brantford

Gwynne Dyer, renowned journalist, broadcaster and commentator will speak at Laurier Brantford on Thursday, Oct 13. The lecture, entitled A New Middle East will take place in RCW 002 at 7:30pm. Dyer will address the Middle Eastern political situation, analyzing whether its ramifications will have an impact on liberty, poverty and the rise of Islamist movements. This lecture marks the final portion of Laurier Brantfords Lives of Leadership and Purpose speaker series, a part of the centennial celebrations.

Former boxer to receive honourary Laurier degree

Lennox Lewis, former heavyweight boxing champion, will receive an honourary doctor of laws degree at Lauriers fall convocation on Oct 28, 2011. The heavyweight Olympic gold medallist has been previously honoured by the Order of Canada and the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. Lewis retired in 2004 and now raises money through the Lennox Lewis Foundation for disadvantaged children in Canada, The United States, The United Kingdom and Jamaica. Lewis is known for his advocacy surrounding issues of domestic violence.

University of Ottawa

DISCOVER

Graduate Studies at uOttawa.

Learn more about graduate studies, visit www.discoveruOttawa.ca.

The Sputnik // Thursday October 13

FEATURES

Jillian Courtney // features@thesputnik.ca

Fear & Loathing in Kitchener-Waterloo

Kitchener celebrated its 43rd Oktoberfest this year. (Photo by Venetia Bodanis)

Jillian Courtney Features Editor Its that time of year, Oktoberfest is here again! Those words rang out across the square at Kitchener City Hall. Feathers bobbed on the heads of excited Oktoberfesters, my mothers especially as she hit me in the face every time she turned to point out something else in the crowd. I had to resist the urge to rip the feather out of her hat, and Im sure I wasnt the only one. Being a Kitchener native, Oktoberfest has always been something that was part of my life, whether it was going to the family breakfasts or in the later years visiting the Festhallen and spending way too much money on beer. The food, music, and brews give Kitchener a new life. Theres a certain buzz that runs through everyone as this week approaches. This year, I was more concerned about getting tickets and organizing a schedule, thereby replacing the excitement with concern, frustration, and a hectic aura. Going to the opening ceremonies, watching the dancers, smelling the sausage reminded me very quickly how much I love this time of year. It helped that the weather was absolutely beautiful and I could still get away with wearing shorts and not freezing. As soon as the keg was tapped, I knew what I wanted: beer. I was thrilled I got to check out a venue I had never been to but had heard so much about, the Schwaben Club. Its a traditional German club, so there were a few older people, and one side of the Club stuck to the traditional music and food, while the other side was more aimed towards the younger crowd.

The night is still a bit hazy. After looking in my wallet the next morning and finding that I had hardly spent anything, Im still not too sure where most of the beer I was drinking came from. All I know is my cup was never empty, the music was awesome and our pitchers name was Brad. I also know that everything I was wearing that night now smells like beer, and my brand new boots may be ruined thanks to the massive crowds spilling my beer. No, it was knocked clear out of my hand, on to the floor, and all over me. I do remember the music though, and I was surprised when the band (I couldnt tell you what they were called) covered Maroon 5 and a few other Top 40 hits. And I can tell you all I wanted to do was the Chicken Dance, which is by far the best Oktoberfest dance of them all. The next morning was one of the roughest Ive had in a while. When I finally made it home, I curled up on the couch with the seventh season of Friends and completely passed out. My mother even woke me up at one point to make sure I was still breathing. Yes, it was as bad as youre probably imagining. All I could think about was I still have another night of festing ahead of me what have I gotten myself into? The original Oktoberfest was likely to have begun on October 17, 1810 in Bavaria in celebration of King Ludwig I to Therese Von Sachesen-Hildenburghausen. The National Guard thought that horse races would be a fitting way to celebrate the union, and with King Maxs (Ludwigs father) permission, they made up the last five days of the wedding celebration. This quickly became an annual event and combined with a local farmers market to provide food and drink to accompany the races. Later on in the

1800s, the booths grew into the large beer halls one would see today, and a midway and fair are now part of the annual celebration in Munich. Oktoberfest spans over two weeks, and ends on the first Sunday of October. The Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest is entering its 43rd year, and has much more humble roots than that of its Bavarian counterpart. It started with a small group of volunteers who ran their own Oktoberfest at Concordia Club, largely due to the large German population of the area, evidenced by Kitcheners former name of Berlin, until WWII. But a small group of dedicated volunteers decided that this could potentially be something that could be good for the community. With the hard work of Richard Hermansen, Owen Lackenbauer and Darwin Clay Oktoberfest began in KW on October 14, 1969 at Bingemans. We got the enthusiastic support of the German clubs and a tourism official from Munich, Germany. All we had was $200 and a vote of confidence from the Chamber to get it going. It was a phenomenal success for the first five days, and we turned a small profit with just short of 75,000 visitors, recalls Lackenbauer. I dragged myself off the couch, got cleaned up and tried to choke down a slice of pizza. All I kept telling myself was that I would ease up tonight and eat lots of the delicious German food to try to soak up some of the beer. I even managed to gain some knowledge, I wore flip flops instead of my new boots, which Im sure didnt matter anyway because theyre probably already ruined. Press pass in hand, I went off to Queensmount, the notorious university kid venue.

I was so excited to get in for free by flashing my shiny press pass, but like most things, thats not quite how it went. My group got completely split up after my failed attempt to get in with the normal ticket holders. It left my roommate and me standing outside for an extra half hour being told by the security guard that we wouldnt get in for a long time. My frustration was mounting, and all I could think was that this was going to be an interesting night. I stared around the arena for a moment. I could have sworn it was a lot smaller last year, but then again last year is still a mystery to me. Finding anyone in that place is next to impossible, so the sight of our lost friends walking towards us with beers in hand for us was indescribable. The music was a little bit more traditional, with some classic hits thrown in which made for the perfect combination. There was more selection when it came to food and a few games to participate in. People will always tell you that Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, but if youre from Kitchener-Waterloo and you like to drink, Oktoberfest gives Christmas a run for its money. Forty-three years later, its something that nearly every local resident has some memory of. Its the festival that goes for a week, almost completely shuts down the downtown and has something for everyone. For some, its even a Thanksgiving tradition. Either way, its safe to say that Oktoberfest is something that is near and dear to the hearts of many, and is a tradition that I hope to see going for many, many more years. Even if I cant remember most of the time Ive spent festing.

The Sputnik // Thursday October 13

Kyle W Brown Editor-in-Chief

Inside an Ontario craft brewery

Everybody drank beer, it made you big and strong. Up until about 100 years ago, people got most of their nutrients from beer. Your average North American man could live for about three months on nothing but beer, and when hed die, hed die of dehydration not malnutrition.
that provides most of the foundation for all beers, and then specialty grains are added to create different flavours and colourations. The rollers of the mill open the husks of the grain but leave the body intact, and the grains are then augured into a mash tun and mixed with warm water. Once the proper temperature is reached, the grains sit for an hour to attain starch conversion. After the hour is up, something called wort has formed at the bottom of the mash tun. Tremaine defines wort as, the sweet and malty liquid that forms the foundation of beer in your glass. The wort is circulated to the top, and then the brewmasters lauter the beer, by which they separate the wort from the grains, and move it to a kettle. The wort is placed in a kettle where it is then brought to a boil. Once the boiling begins, bitter hops are added to give the beer its hoppy flavour as well as add its bitterness. Once the boil ends, aroma hops are added to the beer to give off the scent. After boiling the wort, it is then whirlpooled so as to separate it from the hop pile through centrifugal force. The wort is then passed through the heat exchanger which lowered the temperature. The wort is then moved to a fermenter, where it stays for ten to fifteen days where the sugar converts to alcohol and carbon dioxide is produced. Lastly, the beer is filtered to remove any leftover yeast and proteins, and is then bottled. Tremaine is perhaps most excited at this last part, as he beams while talking about the new bottling machine the brewery just picked up. We can now bottle in one hour what we could only do in a day before, he says gleefully. With Grand River Brewing just four years young, it is one of many craft breweries on the Ontario scene. In fact, among students, there appears to be a renaissance for craft beers. More and more, local and obscure beers are popping up in bars, pubs, and restaurants offering the public more choice, and different choices. We are about 25 or 30 years behind the States, they had their brewing renaissance in the eighties, and then ours was about ten years ago, Tremaine said. There is now a resurgence of craft breweries, there seems to be more everyday. Bob Hanenberg, owner and president of Grand River Brewing Company, acknowledges the changing tastes in the consumers demand for the return of craft beers. More people are looking to expand their horizons and expand their tastes, said Hanenberg. I think that beer can help people expand their horizons, they can do pairings [with food], have different types of beer for different times of the year, and who wants to drink Labatt Blue all their life? Theres more to life than drinking the same thing all the time. When asked why he felt that investing in craft beers was the proper retirement hobby for him, and how he knew it would be successful, he pointed to comparisons between the craft beer industry, and the wine industry. I could see that the craft industry was at its infancy in Ontario, probably about the same stage as the Ontario wine industry was 25 years ago, so it looked like it had nothing but growth potential for the next few years, owner said. Regardless of what it is you fancy, whether youre a beer-geek who brews in your basement or a person who goes with the regular order of one of the beer giants, dont forget to try different beers, and expand your horizons.

The Grand River Brewing Companys brewery does not look like much from the outside. Instead it looks more like something of an old factory. The reason for that is simple: it was the old home of the Galt Knife Factory. And though remnants of the old factory still remain both outside and on the interior, significant changes have been made to sway the focus of production inside the building to one thing: beer. Zac Tremaine, the assistant brewmaster with Grand River, explained the process in which the delicious beverage known as beer is actually made. The first stage of the brewing process is to prepare the malt, or as Tremaine calls it, the backbone of your beer. Depending on the style of beer being created, such as a lager or an ale, different amounts and types of grain are loaded into a machine called a mill. Bright yellow and resembling a wood chipper, the mill crushes all of the grains. There is usually one constant grain

How Its Made

The Return of Craft Beers

Ontario Craft Brewers

In recognition of this being a Beer Issue and our acknowledgement of the resurgence of craft brewers, The Sputnik has offered a list of some that we hope you will try. The Muskokas may not necessarily bring to mind images of beer, instead focusing on the natural beauty of the area, but one of Ontarios best craft breweries is located in Bracebridge. Celebrating their fifteenth year, Muskoka promises no additives, preservatives, or adjuncts in their brews. Try the Cream Ale, its one of the best-tasting beers Ive ever had. Based out of Cambridge, Grand River Brewing offers five beers available at any time, as well as five seasonal beers. Their Galt Knife Old Style lager is a beer for anytime, while their special pumpkin beer is a nice addition for Thanksgiving or Halloween. One of the more prominent breweries in eastern Ontario, Beaus specializes in all-natural beers. Running on pride of pure independence, Beaus beer is a must for anyone visiting the Ottawa area. Their Lug-Tread Lagered Ale is acclaimed by beer critics across the province. While likely the most renowned brewery on the list, dont let the Toronto home of Mill Street confuse you. They are still a craft brewery, specializing in pushing the envelope and trying rather different combinations of beer. For those just getting into craft beers, try the Original Organic Lager, or for the more adventurous, give the Coffee Porter a whirl. Self-described beer artistans, Camerons is a lesserknown craft brewery situated just up the 403 in Oakville. Using only all-natural ingredients, Camerons prides itself on their dedication to the craft. Try their Camerons Lager, a previous bronze medal winner at the Beer World Cup, making it one of the top beers of its kind in the world.

Muskoka Brewery

Part of the brewing process involves letting the beer ferment for 10-15 days. (Photo by Brent Duguid)

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Grand River Brewing Company

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The Sputnik // Thursday October 13

A&E

Kiley Bell // arts@thesputnik.ca

Mandel chirps Brantford to grand applause

Good-natured profanity-laced show takes aim at city and audience at the Sanderson Centre last week.
Kiley Bell Arts & Entertainment Editor The Sanderson Centre became a place of laughter, inappropriate jokes, and overall rowdiness as comedian Howie Mandel took the stage in front of a full house last week. The main theme of the evening was poking fun at Brantford and everything the city offers - or rather, how little the city has to offer. I dont know where I am, Mandel started. But we went through 725 fucking Tim Hortons just to get here! After impatiently waiting for half an hour for Mandel to begin his act, the audience was thrilled that he launched straight into making fun of their hometown. We were wandering around downtown Brantford today looking at the beautiful skyscrapers, Mandel said with a laugh. Theres no-one on the streets here, I seriously thought it was condemned! said Mandel. I actually like this town though, Im not even lying, Mandel promised. Im a big Gretzky fan and I use the telephone! Of course, no comedy show is complete without drunken hecklers trying to throw the comedian off his game. Mandel, being an old pro however, was able to handle the disorderly audience members with ease. One particular woman in the front row could not refrain from obnoxiously yelling rude comments throughout the show. Im sorry, Mandel said after the womans fourth outburst. Was there 10 percent off tonights event if you had Tourettes or something? causing the audience to clap and cheer as he silenced the woman. This is my first time in Brantford, but you must be the town slut, he grinned. By far the most hilarious part of Mandels act was the interaction he had with the audience. Howie targeted a woman named Karen in the front row and asked if her husband had a good sense of humour. After hearing Karen say that her husband decided to stay home tonight instead of coming to the comedy show, Howie demanded the womans phone so he could call her husband himself. The audience waited with nervous anticipation as Howie dialed the number and held the phone up to the microphone so everyone could hear. After ringing several times, the answering machine picked up. This is Howie Mandel calling on behalf of your wife Karen. The show ended 10 minutes ago, but she wanted to stay later so she could blow the crew, Howie said into the phone as the audience exploded into laughter. Now well see if he has a sense of humour! Howie yelled as he snapped the phone shut. After a few more lewd jokes, and some anecdotes about his family, Mandel suddenly fell silent and stared at the audience in disbelief. You know what? said Mandel. I had a real act planned, and then I met you people. The audience cheered, clapped and even chanted his name appreciatively as Mandel finally waved goodnight and left the stage. Howie Mandels next stop is this Saturday at The Colosseum at Caesars in Windsor, Ontario, where hell hopefully make fun of the residents of Windsor as much as he made fun of those in Brantford.

Fans file out from the Sanderson Centre following Howie Mandels show. (Photo by Venetia Bodanis)

Fall fashion trends

Kiley Bell Arts & Entertainment Editor As the temperature begins to drop and the leaves start to fall, now is the time to reevaluate your wardrobe for the upcoming season, focusing on a few easy-to-pull-off trends for autumn. Every time fall rolls around, designers everywhere break out their chicest furs to wrap around their pin-thin models. From Alexander Wang to Miu Miu, designers have created luxurious and outrageously expensive fur wraps and parkas. To work this trend, try a simple fur lined vest, or accents of fur on your hat or gloves. While this idea throws PETA into a fit of rage, there are ways to make fur acceptable, just make sure that the label reads synthetic or faux fur. Normally when summer ends, a trigger goes off in our brains telling us to put away our brightly coloured clothing and don more somber hues, like grays and browns. This season however, some of industrys biggest names are recommending cheery colours for when the weather gets cold. Elle Canada suggests bringing cobalt blue

Fall Colours

Fur

into your wardrobe in the form of sweaters, jackets and even pants, as seen on the runways at Christian Dior and Jil Sander. FASHION magazine reports that mustard is an extremely big colour this season, which is no surprise since its been on Marc Jacobs and Givenchy runways not to mention practically every store in the mall. Other colours to watch out for are plum, burnt orange, gold, and emerald. Lets be honest, we could sit here and talk about the latest fall fashion trends until were cobalt blue in the face. But none of that matters to us non-model folks unless

Warm Clothing

we can guarantee that we are comfortable and warm in what were wearing when the cold wind starts blowing. That is why Im recommending warm clothing as a third trend this season. Although its a fairly obvious idea, I want it to be known that you dont have to suffer for the sake of beauty. Layer up those thick knit sweaters, wrap a crochet scarf the length of a python around your neck, and pull on those warm wool socks before donning your knee-high leather boots. Be fashionable, be cute, but most importantly, be warm this season.

Septembers Best-Dressed Student

Yasmine Boyd, 3rd year.

What shes wearing: The Beatles crop top t-shirt from H&M. Vest from Forever 21. Copper double buttoned, high-waisted navy blue shorts from Topshop. Her favourite stores: Topshop, River Island and H&M How she describes her personal style: Thats hard. Im not really sure how I would describe my style. Im not really into buying trendy things or fads. I guess I would describe my style as being atypical, and I really like vintage so I wear a mix of things.

Yasmine Boyd shows off her fashion style. (Photo by Venetia Bodanis)

The Sputnik // Thursday October 13

Demonic bunnies, styrofoam steak, and bloody deer, O My!

Kiley Bell Arts & Entertainment Editor Last Friday, the Brantford Arts Block held an opening reception for its latest exhibition, Rabbits and Other Issues, created by artists Heather Verplanke and Dwayne Mahoney as a way of showcasing their pieces over the next six weeks. Having never gone to an art opening before, I nervously threw on the most hipster outfit I had, slung my camera around my neck, and deemed myself worthy of fitting in with the arts crowd. However, I had barely made it five feet into the gallery until I felt extremely confused and out of place. I sunk a little lower in my phony artistic outfit, and shifted uncomfortably back and forth, while staring at the bizarre art hanging on the wall in front of me. What appeared to be a metallic mask in the shape of a rabbits face stared dauntingly back at me. This definitely wasnt the friendly Easter bunny or the cute face of Peter Rabbit that I had become accustomed to in my childhood. This rabbit had empty eye sockets, long sharp fangs, and two horns protruding from its forehead. If Satan had a pet, it would probably be this rabbit. Confused (and admittedly creeped out) by the rabbit masks, I hunted down the artist, Dwayne Mahoney, to hear the inspiration behind these odd creations. Its a bit of a long story, Mahoney said. There used to be an ongoing joke that I thought bunnies were the devil. And then one day we were going to have a party around Easter, so as a joke my wife said How about an evil bunny party? I took that and just ran with it. I made my first mask and we even had a ritual..., he said, trailing off. I stared at him with a confused expression, waiting for him to further explain his Easter ritual. I dont really know if I want you to write about the ritual, Mahoney laughed after some time. I suddenly felt relieved to see him smile, because until this point in the interview he had remained stone faced, somber, and frankly a little eerie. Lets just say the rabbit masks were created as the finishing touch to our ritual, he said. Having to end my interview quickly with the busy artist, I ventured to the opposite side of the gallery where Heather Verplanke, the other featured artist of the night, had her acrylic paintings and papiermch sculptures on display. As I stared at a massive papier-mch piece of steak mounted on bloody styrofoam on the wall in front of me, I could barely refrain from touching it. The Arts Block must have put up the Please do not touch the art signs for amateurs like myself. Looking around Verplankes side of the gallery I noticed a beautifully detailed painting of a little girl, which seemed to clash with the bloody steak hanging in front of me. Even as an art amateur, I could tell there were definitely two different sides to this artist. Im bipolar, so I can have really high times and I can have really low times and I think that between the two poles, this is the art that comes out of me, explained Verplanke. Sometimes my art might portray something that is depressing or something that is hyper. Thats kind of where it comes from, depending on where my emotions are at the time. To me its whimsical, its sort of dreamlike. After admiring several of Verplankes other pieces- including a painting of a deer smeared with blood- I wandered back over to Dwayne Mahoneys side of the gallery where I bumped into Chris Blenkinsop, a friend of Mahoneys for over admire how brilliantly created they were. 20 years. The masks Dwayne creates are actually for a big Easter party he puts on every year. Its an interesting thing, and Im one of the rare few that are privileged In 1978 Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols was enough to see them in action, Blenkinsop said. arrested for murdering his girlfriend, There it was again, Nancy Spungen. Spungen was found talk of the strange Easdead with a knife wound to her abdoter ritual that inspired men on the bathroom floor of their hoMahoney to create these tel room. Four months later, Sid Vicious fantastic rabbit masks. As committed suicide. I pressed Blenkinsop further, I made the mistake of saying that Mahoney wouldnt With reveal any details about their ritual. Halloween If hes not going into detail, then I around the corner, I probably shouldnt either, Blenkinsop would definitely recommend stopping by said with a laugh. the Arts Block to see their certainly unusual Leaving the gallery later, I felt satisfied pieces. And if you do get a chance, be sure that I had definitely seen something quite to ask Mahoney about his mysterious Easter unique. As mystified as I was by both Ver- ritual, because Im dying to know more. plankes and Mahoneys artwork, I had to

On This Day...

Fans mingle at the Rabbits & Other Issues art event at the Brantford Arts Block. (Photo by Kiley Bell)

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The creepy bunny mask. (Photo by Kiley Bell)
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10

The Sputnik // Thursday October 13

SPORTS

Kyle Denton // sports@thesputnik.ca

Golden Hawks hope to keep winning ways alive

Kyle Denton Sports Editor For Coach Gary Jeffries and the 2011 Laurier football team, this season has been a roller coaster ride of emotions. After dominating their season opener on the road against York with a decisive 46-7 win, they had lost their next three contests to Windsor, Queens and Western. The final two losses, although disappointing, are not overly surprising since both Queens and Western are two of the top ranked teams in the nation, with Western remaining undefeated through 6 weeks. Losing to the Windsor Lancers on a last second rouge, however, was a devastating loss that may have left a seed of doubt in the Golden Hawks minds, as well as in the minds of their fans. The Golden Hawks would not win another game after their season opener as they entered the month of October with a dismal 1-3 record. With homecoming right around the corner and the 3-1 Ottawa Gee-Gees lurking, it looked as if the Golden Hawk's postseason dreams had faded away. Laurier shocked the analysts, however, and picked up a convincing 51-16 victory against Ottawa and followed that up with a 69-3 annihilation of the Waterloo Warriors this past Thursday to even their record at 3-3. When asked at what point in the season he saw his squad beginning to turn it around, Jeffries was quick to explain it was before the winning streak. I think the energy right from the Western game on, our confidence is certainly starting to build. It is apparent in how we practice. In terms of excitement, there is a tremendous amount as well as a large amount of anticipation. said Jeffries. That excitement and anticipation carried onto the field at the battle of Waterloo, where the Golden Hawks had a whopping 658 net offensive yards to complement their 9 touchdowns, 4 of which were thrown by quarterback Shane Kelly. That victory, which brought along the 4th single highest point total in team history, was the second straight game, and victory, in which Jeffries and the Hawks were using an adjusted defensive scheme, one that was more restricted and conservative. We play a dangerous style (of football). A risk, reward style, so we had to tone it down a bit. The real wake up call was down in Kingston [Queens]. We didnt play well so we changed some things defensively and tightened up. Jeffries has said that this is the point of the season where he has got to keep the team mentally sharp, in hopes to compete once again in the OUA playoffs. Next up for the Golden Hawks is the second place McMaster Marauders, whose record stands at 5-1. When asked if he or

The Golden Hawks have disappointed this season at 3-3. (Photo by Rosalie Eid - The Cord)

his team think they can make the playoffs in 2011, Jeffries pauses to answer a question he no doubt has had to answer every week since the start of the season. And his response seems rehearsed and to the point, an answer from a man who is thinking about the next game on the schedule, not the end of the season. I said August 21 when we came to camp, weve got talent. Weve got to keep building on what weve done and we have

to think about picking (our opponents) off one at a time. With two games remaining on the schedule, at home against McMaster then on the road facing Guelph, the Laurier Golden Hawks are in tough to make the playoffs this year. They will have to keep the winning streak going, a streak that will be put to the test this Saturday at University Stadium.

Lady Hawks look to continue soccer dynasty

mances, as well as a solid defence, which includes five shutouts by fifth-year keeper Mallory Woeller, has helped a team that The Laurier womens soccer team is on MacLean believes is a strong, balanced yet another roll this season with a perfect group of women. 10-0 record. However, the OUA and CIS titles do With only four games relurk in the near future and maining in the regular season, MacLean admits there are this year has closely resembled many strong teams that will the impressive success the girls likely be competing for the experienced last year, going titles. He mentions oppo11-1 during the regular season, nents such as Montreal as winning the Ontario University tough competitors who will Athletics (OUA) championship present plenty of trouble for and coming one goal short of the rest of the participants. the Canadian Interuniversity Laurier has already Sport (CIS) championship, losdealt with the competitive ing 1-0 in extra time against Montreal squad first hand, Queens. beating them 2-0 in the CIS The womens team has been semi-final in 2010, a game very successful in recent years, in which MacLean said was holding a winning record every even more difficult than the year since 2007 and claiming the final game against Queens. OUA title in both 2008 and 2010. When asked who the favouHowever, the CIS title has conrite is on the CIS final weektinued to elude the team in this end, MacLean explained dynasty era of womens soccer that question is too hard to at Laurier, and the added presanswer, with no team being sure looms with each victory in the favourite. the 2011 season. There are six or seven Although undefeated this teams, especially teams out season, Head Coach Barry Maof the West, that could win Lauriers Krista Cellucci, #10, is currently tied in second for OUA scoring. (Photo courtesy Laurier Athletics) on that weekend. Queens cLean explains that each team in their division presents a problem, and no has paid off on the pitch and he says that with the addition of a few key players has will definitely be a handful too, since they one should be taken lightly. the squads focus and mentality along with really helped the Golden Hawk girls re- didnt lose any players [from last years bringing the main at a level of excellence throughout the team]. same style of entirety of the season thus far. Still, MacLean is quick to say that his play to the field We are a stronger group than we were team is taking this journey one step at each week has last year. We are definitely more balanced. a time, with the next step being a battle contributed to We lost one starter, but we also brought in against Waterloo Saturday, when the the teams suc- four very strong rookies, one of which is Golden Hawks will travel to Columbia Ice cess. our leading goal scorer, and that has helped Fields to take on the Warriors. The Golden W e v e us. Hawks already defeated the Warriors 4-1 stayed pretBoth the aforementioned rookie Emily four weeks ago, and hope to sweep the seaty consistent Brown, as well as third-year player Krista son match-up in order to keep their perfect throughout the Celluci, have eight goals each on the sea- season intact. entire season. son, tied for team best. These strong perfor519.753.4921 Toll Free: 1-800-550-4900 Kyle Denton Sports Editor Windsor is in second place so they will be a handful, they will certainly give us a tough time. Waterloo has improved and Mac and York continue to stay competitive, MacLean said. MacLeans respect for the other teams When asked to compare his 2010 team to the 2011 team, MacLean admits that their current team is stronger. The team understands that they face a tough division, and an even tougher association, but he feels that a continued veteran presence along

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11

Laurier Brantfords emergence on the extramural scene

Craig Hagerman Staff Writer Its no secret that the Laurier Brantford campus is small when compared to most other colleges or universities, but that does not mean that there is any shortage of athletes and talented students at this school. This abundance of talented athletes has been part of the reason for the introduction of extramural sports at Laurier Brantford. For those unsure of what exactly extramural sports are, Nolan Kreis, captain of the dodgeball extramural team, offers a description. [They are] higher than intramurals, but not as competitive as varsity sports. In other words, these teams participate against other post-secondary institutions, but do not follow a structured league as one would find in OUA or OCAA athletics. The different extramural teams that Laurier Brantford has are mens basketball, mens hockey, womens hockey, co-ed volleyball, co-ed dodgeball, and co-ed indoor soccer. Dodgeball extramurals first start lasted year, when the dodgeball team was asked to participate in a tournament at George Brown College. Kreis was asked if his intramural squad, along with a few other players, would like to go to George Brown and take part in a tournament against other colleges, to which he agreed. The team faced competition tougher than expected, and used this as a lesson. as now all extramural teams are chosen through tryouts. Besides just getting the athletes to play for these teams, there is also a lot of work done behind the scenes. These duties are handled mostly by Extramural Coordinator, Kate Doyle, and Manager of Athletics and Recreation, Greg Stewart. Its my job to go to tryouts, pick captains and help pick the teams so its fair, says Doyle. Meanwhile, Stewart describes his job as, Finding, entering and arranging tournaments along with seven other senior students. The mens extramural hockey team got their start in 2009 and co-ed volleyball entered extramural competition last year. Although the mens hockey team performed decently, finishing one tournament in fourth place out of eight, the mens hockey team were often met with a small roster and an inconsistent line-up that could be judged as one of the reasons they did not fare better than they did. The volleyball team, on the other hand, performed well last season even finishing first in their inaugural tournament. Across campus there appears to be support for Laurier Brantfords extramural teams and the idea of extramural sports in general. As Doyle says, (Extramural sports) are great for athletes who dont have the opportunity to take on varsity. Stewart also believes they are great for the school on the whole. Extramurals offers extra stuff for students, they are small in cost, but they are close to varsity, he said. The hope is that extramural sport may serve as a warm-up for what is to come in the 2014-2015 school year when Laurier Brantford will start to participate in varsity sports as part of the OCAA. In the 20142015 season, Laurier Brantford will take part in men and womens soccer.

Volleyball is one of the sports Laurier Brantford will field extramural teams in this year. (Photo by Venetia Bodanis)

Classes Start October 15, 2011

12

The Sputnik // Thursday October 13

OPINION

Lin Abdul Rahman // opinion@thesputnik.ca

Maggie Goes on a Diet moral issues with children diets

Alison Bowerman Staff Writer Paul Kramers book Maggie Goes on a Diet is due to be released in October, but not without great controversy. It is not surprising that Kramers use of the term diet in a childrens book sparks outrage, but even more disturbing is the books message. The story is about Maggie, a 14-year-old girl who goes on a diet and becomes her schools popular soccer star. Paul Kramer claims his intention for the book is not to encourage eating disorders but, rather, to have children feel better about themselves, discover a new way of eating, [and] learn to do exercise. According to the Childhood Obesity Foundation, approximately 27% of children between the ages of two and 17 are currently overweight or obese. The numbers dont lie; childhood obesity is a major problem in society today. However, is a book about dieting really a step toward a healthier life for our youth? Diets are common in our culture, and most often consist of calorie restrictive meal plans. These are also the same eating habits that created the term yo-yo dieting. According to Eat Right Ontario, this type of dieting occurs as a result of these nearly impossible-to-maintain diets, and people regain all the weight theyve lost, and sometimes more. Healthy eating is not restricting. Canadas Food Guide recommends children eat the servings of fruits and vegetables, grains, meat and dairy recommended for their age. These food groups should be eaten in small meals and snacks throughout the day. Children should also be active for 60 minutes per day. In order to decrease obesity, this idea of health should be our goal instead of short term dieting. The books disturbing emphasis on a thin figure out weighs its value of ending obesity. Furthermore, Maggies transformation from a chubby girl to a thin soccer star sends the message that being thin is where happiness lies. This should not be the idea of happiness we send to our children. Its no secret that there are girls with thin body types on our TV screens, the covers of our magazines, advertisements and clothing stores. Models are becoming thinner and thinner and the last thing girls need is another reason to think that thin is the ideal. Instead, we should teach our children to love themselves, but in order to do this we need to first learn to love ourselves, as we are.

Is our voting system broken?

Leisha Senko Staff Writer As an unapologetic leftist, its difficult to admit that living through the Conservatives rein in a minority government wasnt painful. Sure, their social policies are cringe-worthy in their ruthlessness, economically theyre always rearing to expand tax cuts to the wealthy and, globally, their war doctrine is repugnantly invasive, but at least they couldnt call all the shots. That changed with the election this year when Harper won a majority of seats. The structure went from an open debate forum, where different sides had to work together in order to accomplish anything, to an express line where Harper and his like-minded allies have the ability to bowl over their opponents. Its believed that the electorate swung and Canadian voters decided that the Conservatives best represent them as a whole... or did they? A closer look out the makeup of actual votes seriously shakes the foundations of this theory. According to Elections Canada, while the NDP received 30.6 percent of the votes and the Liberals got 18.9 percent, the Conservatives with 39.6 percent managed to score most of the seats and therefore have the loudest voice. These numbers tell us that it isnt a small number of people being underrepresented, but in fact almost half of all voters. A whopping 49.5 percent reside to the left of the political spectrum and yet, we still have a Conservative majority because of the way our voting system works. To the right of spectrum, there is only one real option: the Conservatives. There are simply no other substantial traditional parties on the ballot. If youre a pro-life, religious individual, the Conservatives are really your only viable option. For the left, this simply isnt the case. If you are looking for economic reform and a social policy that fits with a giving agenda, you have two real choices: the NDP or the Liberals. The past election proved that this causes severe issues. In fact, because of this split, many votes cast for either party are completely lost altogether. If you vote Liberal in a riding, and your neighbour votes NDP, you arent sending a coherent message; often the Conservatives can sneak up and win despite the fact that the two other major parties amount to a higher number of votes. The questions that inevitably come up are, Is this fair? Is this just the way our democracy works? Is this a solid formula we must follow? Simply put, the answer is no. There is a fairer way to do things and its known as representational voting. This system allows you to write a number two choice on your ballot. If, say, the Green party falls short, you can rest assured that your vote isnt wasted and your default for the Liberals comes into play. Its a system used in numerous countries, from Brazil to Denmark to Greece. Whats clear right now is that what we have isnt working. For a while, with the Harper minority, things appeared stable, but as of now anything could happen. The Globe and Mail has reported that there are Conservative plans to get rid of the long form gun registry, to cut $200 million from the CBCs budget and, finally, to completely shift tax codes in the next four years, all without input from 49.5 percent of the Canadian voters. People need to know that their votes count, and with the current system, its clear that massive changes can be made despite the stance of the majority, all thanks to a voting system which provides more opportunities for one group than another.

Harnessing the power of the media

Nikyta Polyak JHR Guest Writer What if we could eliminate the need for ourselves and the work we do? This may sound counterintuitive, but that is exactly what Journalists for Human Rights (JHR), a Toronto-based NGO, is striving for. JHR was founded in 2002 by Ben Peterson. Since then it has spread across Canada with the founding of university campus chapters like the one here at Laurier Brantford. JHR recognizes the power of the media in todays society and tries to harness it. Mainstream and new media sources are the most efficient channels to create awareness across international borders on the human rights issues that are affecting societies across the world. JHR always chooses a specific human rights issue on which to focus their efforts each year. This year it is womens rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Statistics show that four women are raped in the DRC every 5 minutes. Although cases of sexual violence have always been a factor in the DRC, experts and volunteers alike agree that rape is becoming more violent and more common. Gang rapes, sex slaves, female genital mutilation and murder are among the most prevalent crimes in Eastern Congo. Not only are these violent attacks on women a major violation of their human rights, but they have consequences on the populations health as well. HIV transmission, unwanted and unplanned pregnancy as well as STI transmission are becoming even more of a concern for the DRC. It doesnt stop with disease either; the damage to womens reproductive systems, broken bones, severed limbs and burns all over their bodies are taxing their already maxed-out health care. This is what JHR Laurier Brantford is trying to eliminate. The hope is that through campus events, local media, and fundraising, the public will take notice. When the public takes hold of an issue, it can break down barriers of distance and culture to be able to fight for the rights that every human being deserves.