volume 29, issue 18 • Tuesday, January 13, 2009 • thelinknewspaper.ca

Better than a nail in the face, Concordia student brings the side-show home et CSU debt: Disclosing the STUDENT FUNDS•PAGE 3 LIGHT OFMISMANAGEMENT INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY IN bromancing concordia’s independentnewspaper

ConU’s big dig: tunnel under de Maisonneuve in the works The Aquinian The since 1980

Men’s hockey team off to perfect start in second half of the season

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News page 4

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• Features page 8

Sports page 16 THE LINK • JANUARY 13, 2009 • THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA/NEWS NEWS 03 2006-07 Negligence pushes CSU (433,488) deficit over $500,000 Former employee spent union into the red during 2005, 2006, 2007

• TERRINE FRIDAY where we are by far,” Leroy said. The current numbers provided by Keyana Kashfi says she’s concerned the CSU are those available to all under- about rumours surrounding the graduate students and not those written Concordia Student Union’s finances and in the financial investigation report how undergraduate students may inter- launched by former VP finance Fauve pret them. Castagna in June of 2007, which the Kashfi, president of the CSU, wants CSU has refused to disclose. to put allegations and questions regard- ing the finances of the CSU to rest by A non-bargain opening up to the student press. In addition to the deficit incurred for This comes in light of various accusa- the 2005-2007 academic years, the tions made against the student union, alleged culprit may be held accountable which include everything from embez- for other damages. zlement to non-disclosure. In light of the allegations, the CSU “It’s my job to look out for the inter- approached The Link to disclose more ests of the student union,” Kashfi said in confidential information to its reader- an interview with The Link. “Wrong ship—but only on the condition that The information is damaging to the CSU.” Link sign an agreement that would have Amidst confusion and the buzz of compromised The Link’s editorial con- questionable finances, the CSU has trol, which according to The Link and its decided to open up—but without dis- legal counsel, was not in the best inter- The CSU remains adamant about not letting the cat out of the bag. closing too many details. est of the paper and its readership. GRAPHIC GINGER COONS When The Link refused to sign the Cat out of the bag agreement, the CSU contacted The take a year,” Blais said. “The numbers On Nov. 25, 2008, The Link reported Gazette, confirmed Kashfi. “These kids don’t were never kept away from CSU mem- of questionable finances on the part of bers.” the CSU based on information obtained Speaking Out know what the Blais said he’s still waiting for the from confidential sources. Former student union executives current deficit numbers to be made According to both CSU councillors have spoken out about the financial dis- hell they’re public and overall, wants a transparent and the CSU executive, the closed ses- array. student union. sion that wrapped up the Nov. 12 A former CSU executive, who wishes doing.” “What I do know is there is a CSU Council meeting had an item that was to not be named, is concerned for the executive […] who aren’t telling people not on the agenda. current executives. —former CSU what’s the real deal here.” The last item on the agenda read “These kids don’t know what the hell “Budget,” but only part of the discussion they’re doing,” the former executive executive Tomorrow’s Another Day surrounded the budget. The rest was said. “This is very, very serious […] This Kashfi and the VP finance ensure about previous mismanagement of is not something you play around with.” from a chartered accountant is unrea- that the current financial situation is funds by persons no longer associated This former executive said full disclo- sonable,” Shuriye said. “I’m appalled under control and everything they with the CSU. All councillors signed a sure is the best solution for the CSU and that this executive has the tenacity to know has been conveyed to The Link. legal confidentiality agreement before its membership: undergraduate stu- question my judgment especially since However updated figures were not details of the financial irregularity were dents who pay fees to them. they’re being recalled.” disclosed, nor has an interview with disclosed. But this former executive questions Both Shuriye and Kashfi concur that the CSU’s former VP finance—who “That’s why things were discussed in the role of the councillors. all notices sent by the federal and undertook the investigation during closed session,” said Elie Chivi, VP com- “Fingers start pointing at councillors. provincial government were addressed the 2007-2008 school year—been munications for the CSU. “This isn’t a Why didn’t they ask where the audits to the alleged culprit and not to any of granted. very cut and dry situation and we’re still were? This is huge.” the executives. Kashfi says the alleged culprit still trying to figure out what happened.” Mohamed Shuriye, former CSU “I didn’t open the mail, it’s a federal has not been charged with any offence president for 2005-2006, confirmed he offence,” Shuriye said, noting that a year and that the investigation is ongoing. Half a million gone was contacted by The Gazette and is after his mandate expired, “the [CSU “The numbers are going to change, According to the CSU, negligence on afraid his name will be tarnished due to executives] realized [the alleged culprit] but the people involved will not,” the part of a former employee, as well as the investigation. didn’t even open the mail,” which Kashfi confirmed. former executives of the union, caused According to Kashfi, Shuriye and the detailed delinquency in tax payment. Kashfi summed the CSU to incur a combined deficit of alleged culprit did not handle student Former CSU president and VP up the financial 2005-06 nearly $500,000 for the fiscal years money responsibly by keeping track of finance Patrice Blais doesn’t seem sur- disorder: “It’s a (85,763) ending May 31, 2006 and May 31, 2007. financial transactions. prised by the news of questionable bigger thing than The CSU must pay back-taxes for the “They didn’t know where they finances, but is disappointed with the just money miss- affected fiscal years—which was realized [stood], but they just kept spending,” ongoing investigation, which has ing or that there’s when a former executive couldn’t with- Kashfi said, “so as long as their cheques already taken more than a year. a deficit.” draw money “because our bank cleared, they kept spending.” Blais was VP finance in 2001, shortly accounts were seized,” said Kashfi. But Shuriye said he could not have after Sheryll Navidad, former VP VP Finance of the CSU, Andre Leroy, foreseen the mismanagement by an finance of the CSU, was accused of 2004-05 said that the deficit figure is probably employee, especially since he wasn’t the embezzling almost $200,000 in student (19,707) inflated because an investigation is still one in charge of the books. money. ongoing. “For this current executive to say that “A forensic accountant was hired and A graphic representation of the CSU’s increase in debt as per their “These numbers are not close to we should have questioned the numbers [the investigation into Navidad] didn’t end-of-year financial statements. GRAPHIC GINGER COONS 04 NEWS THE LINK • JANUARY 13, 2009 • THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA/NEWS Money missing, CASA’s Gold suspicious Co-organizer claims money missing from Hallowe’en event

• TERRINE FRIDAY I have all the receipts to prove it.” attempts to meet with Alejandro Lobo-Guerrero also claims the the case.” Gold, who was co-collaborator and have been cancelled on each accusations of mismanagement Arts and science councillor Arts and science councillor of the event, says it isn’t so. and every time, some cancella- come amidst his refusal to share Louise Birdsell-Bauer defended Alejandro Lobo-Gerrero says he’s According to Gold, the event— tions being made minutes leading the financial burden of the upcom- Lobo-Guerrero and called the on a mission to clear his name, which was co-hosted by ASFA, up to it.” ing spring break New York trip mass email “a character assassina- even if it means taking legal CASA and the Engineering and with the Concordia Student tion on Alejandro.” action. Computer Science Association— “I said ‘I don’t think Union, as proposed by ASFA “Even if the accusations were Lobo-Gerrero, VP social for the saw two separate monetary issues it’s a good idea,’ given President Peek. true, why would [Gold] send an Arts and Science Faculty of under the supervision of Lobo- all [the CSU’s] “I said ‘I don’t think it’s a good email to councillors instead of Associations, is under scrutiny for Guerrero: the cost of missing idea,’ given all [the CSU’s] prob- bringing it up three months ago?” questionable finances for last drink tickets and the cost of the problems right now.” lems right now.” Birdsell-Bauer said. semester’s Halloween party. door prizes, the latter of which was —Alejandro Lobo-Gerrero, According to Peek, “Alejandro But according to Gold, repeated In an email sent out by Adam supposed to be provided for free. VP Social for the Arts and actually pursued the CSU himself arrangements were made to meet Gold, president of the Commerce “Alejandro assured us the Science Faculty before the Christmas break.” Peek with Lobo-Guerrero to discuss the and Administration Students’ Daytona [door prize] tickets [...] said that firing Alejandro seemed losses incurred. Association, to ASFA councillors were free,” Gold argued. “We then Lobo-Guerrero said he’s yet to a little far-fetched but hopes the “Obviously if I want to meet, on Jan. 9, Lobo-Guerrero was found out we paid over $1,000 for be accused of anything by phone, special meeting called by ASFA there’s a reason,” Gold said. accused of “financial irresponsi- them.” email or direct conversation with councillors—to be held Jan. 14— bility” and mismanagement of Gold says that he has tried to Gold. will settle the issue. Although a special meeting has funds. meet with Lobo-Guerrero on sev- “They didn’t accuse me of any- “I will participate in discussion, been called for Jan. 14, the next reg- “There was no missing funds,” eral occasions to rectify the finan- thing until [the email],” Lobo- but [course of action] will be for ular ASFA council meeting is sched- Lobo-Guerrero said. “There was cial discrepancies, to no avail. Guerrero said—an email which he Council to decide. I certainly uled for Jan. 15 at 6:30 p.m., place no mismanagement of any money, “I have made numerous was not copied on. hope [firing Alejandro] will not be to be confirmed. Tunnelling towards the future Concordia tears up de Maisonneuve for a tunnel • JUSTIN GIOVANNETTI excavation work has already begun on de Timeline for Maisoneuve Boulevard, south of Norman The heart of Concordia’s downtown Bethune Square. the project campus will remain a construction site for The work, running eastward from the the next 12 months as the university GM building, will be at its noisiest over the builds a tunnel between the Hall building next four months during the excavation Jan. 12 to April 2009 and Guy-Concordia metro. and piling phase. “They will dig a trench, —Piling (tunnel walls built) With an estimated completion date of you can already see where its going to be, December 2009, the $5 million project and build a temporary wall in the earth February to May 2009 calls for the digging of a trench in which [piling] so that sides don’t cave in while —Excavation work the 120-metre tunnel will be built. The there are people in there,” explained Bolla. final passageway, running under de Garnier Construction, the Lavalois Maisonneuve Boulevard, will link the cur- company that built the new Parc avenue March to September 2009 rent Hall-LB tunnel with the Guy- intersection, will build the tunnel. “The —Concrete poured Concordia metro station, exiting beside bidding process was held last summer, in the Uniprix. August,” Bolla confirmed, “and we gave September 2009 “This idea has been around for about 10 out the project in November, after the —Tunnelling west of Mackay complete years, it is finally going to be realized,” board approved.” said Peter Bolla, the associate vice-presi- Concordia and Bolla’s department have October 2009 dent of Concordia’s Facilities co-ordinated with the city so that the final —Tunnelling east of Mackay complete Management, the organization responsi- phase of the city’s Norman Bethune ble for the project. Square overhaul, part of the Quartier December 2009 Pedestrian traffic has already been Concordia project, is finished along with “T” marks the spot where the tunnel will run. —Project Complete GRAPHIC GINGER COONS routed around the construction site as the tunnel.

editor-in-chief opinions editor layout manager The Link is published every Letters to the editor are wel- CONTRIBUTORS The Link SEBASTIEN CADIEUX JUSTIN GIOVANNETTI MATHIEU BIARD Tuesday during the academic year come. All letters 400 words or CONCORDIA’S INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER web editor Leila Amiri, Matthew Brett, Beth Clarke, Madeline Coleman, news editor copy editor by the Link Publication Society Inc. less will be printed, space permit- Volume 29, Number 18 BRUNO DE ROSA Content is independent of the ting. Letters deadline is Friday at Ginger Coons, Chris Gates, Hannes Hafele, Elsa Jabre, TERRINE FRIDAY R. BRIAN HASTIE University and student associations 4 p.m. The Link reserves the right Mathieu Jarry, Madelyn Lipszyc, James Lynch, Marlee Tuesday, January 13, 2009 MacMillan, Alex Manley, Julien McEvoy, Paolo Mingarelli, student press liaison business manager (ECA, CASA, ASFA, FASA, CSU). to edit letters for clarity and Concordia University features editor Editorial policy is set by an elected length and refuse those deemed Ross Perigoe, Sinbad Richardson, Pascale Rose Licinio, ACHEL OUCHER Redmond Shannon, Amy Smith, Renee Tousignant, Hall Building, Room H-649 CLARE RASPOPOW OPEN R B board as provided for in The Link’s racist, sexist, homophobic, xeno- 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W. ad designer constitution. Any student is wel- phobic, libelous, or otherwise con- Giuseppe Valiante photo editor Montreal, Quebec H3G 1M8 fringe arts editor CHRIS BOURNE come to work on The Link and trary to The Link’s statement of become a voting staff member. The principles. editorial: (514) 848-2424 ext. 7405 JOELLE LEMIEUX JONATHAN DEMPSEY distribution Link is a member of Canadian Board of Directors 2008-2009: arts: (514) 848-2424 ext. 5813 literary arts editor graphics editor University Press and Presse Giuseppe Valiante, Ellis advertising: (514) 848-2424 ext. 8682 ROBERT DESMARAIS DAVID KAUFMANN Universitaire Indépendante du Steinberg, Shawna Satz; non-vot- fax: (514) 848-4540 CHRISTOPHER OLSON OPEN Québec. Material appearing in ing members: Rachel Boucher, business: (514) 848-7406 sports editor managing editor The Link may not be reproduced Sebastien Cadieux. without prior written permission Typesetting by The Link. Printing cover photo by Jonathan Dempsey [email protected] DIEGO PELAEZ-GAETZ JOHNNY NORTH from The Link. by Transcontinental. http://thelinknewspaper.ca THE LINK • JANUARY 13, 2009 • THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA/NEWS NEWS 05 World Cafés not a bust: the tablecloth debates Concordia airs its laundry, both clean and dirty GRAPHIC GINGER COONS • JUSTIN GIOVANNETTI Gobby, director of the Student Concordia answers McGill Envy? Transition Centre. “It’s an alterna- In the colourful chaos of com- “With the Nobel questions we Geoff Selig has worked at tive to the way we traditionally look munity organizing, the answers wanted people to think, ‘Gee Concordia for almost 30 years, at public consultation.” showed a schism in thinking. that’s a good idea, what would 4 number of times tuition is nearly as long as the university Some saw Concordia as a “com- that look like?’” Selig said as he mentioned in table talks. itself has existed as such. The Questioners munity organizer: reputation as admitted that the Nobel question It seems only natural that as Along with Gobby and Ann community focused,” and a resulted in much debate on what systems analyst for the Waymann, the program director of research-based university with a one participant called “McGill Institutional Planning Office, Selig Concordia’s Facilities “marketable myth: identity for envy.” would be the think tank to produce Management, Selig proposed the Concordia that can be sold to “What would allow us to be Concordia’s World Cafés, whose World Cafés to university attract scholars, public interest like that? But people got distract- goals were to start a conversation President Judith Woodsworth in and research dollars.” ed with McGill comparisons,” 2 amongst Concordia students, fac- April 2008. To add to the confusion, Selig continued. number of times a tuition ulty and staff about the future of “I was participating in the town Concordia was also called a The Link called the World freeze is metioned. their university. halls that were held in April and “green university; peace univer- Cafés “a bust” at the times they At two World Café events in May and it seemed to me that we sity [or] U. of the Street Café.” were held due to the few students early November, 100 Concordia needed to have a more participato- One participant asked “Is it who turned up. “Where are the students, staff and faculty sat down ry approach for [getting] feed- just about the money? Necessity students???” asked one partici- and shared a cup of coffee. back,” said Selig. Along with of growth?” as another called for pant in all caps. Selig confirmed After three hours of conversa- Waymann and Gobby, Selig over- the president to “focus on what’s that “several hundred” randomly tion their tables were a colourful saw the planning for the two there already.” selected students were contacted 22 mess of scribbles. events. Some of the biggest comments by email, of which only 15 attend- number of times “corporate” The results of those two World The questions at the first World questioned the questions them- ed among the 100 participants. or money is mentioned. Cafés, 25 tablecloths with cues to Café, held on Nov. 11 in the selves. One participant drew a A question at the second the future of Concordia, had been Webster Library atrium, asked line from the Nobel prize World Café, held Nov. 12 in the advertised prominently on the uni- participants to react to a hypothet- question to their own CJ atrium, asked participants to versity’s homepage for nearly two ical situation where a Concordian words inked in red, “What’s hap- identify one key idea about what months, until Jan. 12. wins a Nobel prize; and to apply pened to Concordia??” while Concordia can become. “The World Café is designed to American President-elect Barack another wrote “Concordia’s mis- One view of the university’s 14 go deeper into a question and build Obama’s “Yes we can” mantra sion is not for Nobel potential stood out: “Concordia is number of times Concordia is on people’s ideas,” said David to Concordia. Prize Winners.” a growing teenager.” compared to McGill. Fuelled with rage

• JULIEN MCEVOY

Children held Palestinian flags and bright banners on Saturday as a crowd of Montrealers marched behind them chanting “Israel, assassin. Harper, accomplice.” For a sec- ond weekend in a row, opposi- tion to Israel’s invasion of Gaza reverberated loudly off the glass of Montreal’s downtown sky- scrapers. During the week preceding the protest, competing rallies were held by pro-Israeli and pro- Palestinian organizations across the island. On Jan. 8, a thousand people were present at the Jewish synagogue in Côte St. Luc to hear Israel’s consul general speak. Earlier that day, a Montreal- based collective called Tadamon—solidarity in Arabic—made global headlines by blocking the doors to the Israeli consular offices in Montreal. Protests continued in downtown Montreal in response to Israel’s offensive on Gaza. PHOTO IAN LAWRENCE THE LINK • JANUARY 13, 2009 • THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA/NEWS NEWS 07 Pending Something academic matters hang Obama’s inauguration: Notes from a Quebecer in a redneck state over CSU

• ROSS PERIGOE John McCain and Obama, which was near- long it has taken, and how much further • JUSTIN GIOVANNETTI ly cancelled in late September, sucked the they and we have to go. Ross Perigoe has a diploma in Radio and air out of Mississippi politics. A new Chief Electoral Officer is Television Arts from Ryerson, a Masters of It was supposed to be hosted by the Some other quick thoughts: to be appointed at a Concordia Science in Communications from Syracuse University of Mississippi in the tiny town of Barack Obama will most certainly call Student Union Council meeting University, and a Ph.D. from Royal Oxford. Ole Miss had planned to show the upon the words of Martin Luther King Jr. this Wednesday. The names of Melbourne Institute of Technology rest of America—and the world if they and Abraham Lincoln in his inaugural possible CEO candidates have yet University. could—that Mississippi, the state that had speech. He probably won’t acknowledge the to be released to the public or CSU Perigoe was a radio and television pro- seen race riots over the University’s refusal help that black actors Dennis Haysbert, councillors. ducer, reporter and manager for 15 years in to admit James Meredith in 1962, had D.B. Woodside, Morgan Freeman and even The fate of the recall petition private and public television in Canada and changed. comedian Chris Rock all afforded him. delivered to the CSU on Dec. 19 is the United States. He was one of the They wanted to obliterate the memories Haysbert and Woodside played the Palmer still unknown. The final decision youngest national radio producers in the of President Kennedy calling out 30,000 brothers who were presidents on the TV on the petition’s legitimacy, due to history of CBC Current Affairs Radio, attain- soldiers to quell the rioting and to protect show “24”; Freeman played president Tom contested last-minute rule ing the position at the age of 20. He also co- Meredith. Ole Miss wanted the world to Beck in the movie Deep Impact (1998); and changes, rests with CSU Council authored an analysis of the television cover- know that the state, that 46 years ago had Rock played Mays Gilliam in Head of State Chair Jessica Nudo. After repeated age of the 1990 Oka crisis. refused a black man admission to attend (2003). Fiction often works as a pre-condi- requests for interview, Nudo has Perigoe has been teaching journalism at courses, was now inviting a black man to tioner to reality. So these presidential roles refused to comment. Concordia University for over 20 years, spe- contend for the presidency. all gave visual examples of white Americans cializing in broadcast journalism. McCain absorbed all of that energy when working for blacks—an idea that Americans He is currently on sabbatical. he nearly cancelled the debate in the heat of obviously became accustomed to, and the economic crisis. So Mississippi will learned to accept as a possibility. Senior I am living in Mississippi on sabbatical have to find another moment to tell the There will be a series of 10 inaugural for a year. It is a place I had driven through world that there is now a black enrollment balls, including the first ever Neighborhood in the past to get to more interesting places of roughly 14 per cent in universities across Inaugural Ball for residents of Washington Concordia like New Orleans or Houston—a place I the state. DC who don’t get the invites to the black-tie never thought I’d live in. But the place is For white Mississippians, the entire affairs. director fascinating. For a Journalism professor, it question of race has become moot. They Among the greatest concerns is the mas- is a place rich with stories—never more so point to black enrollment as a testament to sive number of cell phones that will be because of the seismic impact of the elec- change. turned on during the inauguration proces- packs bags tion of Barack Obama. Things haven’t changed all that much. I sion and speech. Between two and four mil- Mississippi is a paradox. It is a ‘red’ state watched on election night as black, and lion people are expected to attend the open- for UofO characterized by right-wing ‘redneck’ some white, Mississippians literally danced air ceremony, filling the National Mall in music. When I was growing up, red was for joy in the streets as the election results front of the Washington Monument. Pray • JUSTIN GIOVANNETTI symbolic of socialism and communism. poured in across the country. for good weather and plenty of cell phone ‘Better dead than red’ used to mean that A 14 per cent university enrollment cer- transponders to receive the signals. The The University of Ottawa has being a communist was a fate worse than tainly is progress for the black community cell phone carriers in the U.S. have added lured away the long-time director death. Now red means conservative. Go fig- but it has to be tempered with the knowl- massive amounts of capacity to their sys- of Concordia’s Centre for ure. edge that 37 per cent of Mississippians are tems in downtown Washington. We’ll see if Continuing Education, Murray I wish I could tell you that black. So, despite the joy in some quarters it was enough, or if the whole system Sang. Serving as director of the Mississippians are, to a person, looking for- of the state (mostly the Delta—home of the crashes. centre since 2000, following 11 ward to inauguration day on Jan. 20. It’s blues and preponderantly black), the morn- years in the assistant position, not true. More people are talking about gas ing after the election, Mississippians Let the merchandizing begin… Sang’s departure was announced prices, and the auto industry and bail-outs. learned they had voted for McCain by a The QVC shopping network will originate by the Dean of the School of Mississippi has a brand new Toyota plant substantial margin (56—43 per cent). its TV programming from Washington the Extended Learning, Noel Burke. under construction, ready to build the next Mississippi stayed red in a solid Republican week of the inaugural. Well over $2 million in Sang had also chaired the organiz- generation of Priuses. south, sticking to faith in God and country; Obamania souvenirs have already been sold, ing committee of the Concordia But the construction on the building has faith in a strong defence; the war in Iraq; with more expected. Shuffle, a source of scholarships stopped. Toyota lost $1.7 billion last year— pro-life and anti-gays. Meanwhile, USA Today has produced a for many Concordia students. the first time in its history that the compa- Now all of Mississippi—all of special edition newspaper that it is giving ny lost money. This state—one of the poor- America–will for the first time be led by a away on inauguration day and the Chicago est in the country—is clearly worried. black man. Sun Times is putting out a special afternoon You should know that white Black Mississippians will sit and marvel edition, hoping to cash in on the souvenir Mississippians are proud of the racial as they will have on the day before the inau- hunters. Maybe all this spending will jump- Frosty Fest progress that has been made in the past 40 guration—Martin Luther King Jr. Day—at start the American economy. It sure does years. The presidential debate between how far they and we have come, how very need something. thaws frigid Join us for our annual Science & Technology freshman special issue brainstorming session. • JUSTIN GIOVANNETTI With the thermostat predicted Pitch stories, write articles, create graphics, to bottom out at -30C on Friday, the CSU’s Frost Fest is not a mis- or just eat the free popcorn! nomer. A screening of the cozy comedy Step Brothers on Jan. 13, followed by a Wine & Cheese at This Friday at 4 p.m. is when it’s at. Loyola on Jan. 14, is set to get stu- dents moving. A concert by the The Hall building’s room H-649 is the place to be. aptly named Wintersleep at Metropolis on Jan. 15 marks an See you there! end to the fest, and hopefully also the frost. 08 FEATURES THE LINK • JANUARY 13, 2009 • THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA/FEATURES

Breaking One man’s search

Denton eats flame at Nevada’s Burning Man festival. PHOTO HANNES HÄFELE

• PASCALE ROSE LICINIO cent sure you can do.” sideshows because of the reactions, ten. They’re just used to there being One of his friends, a fire breather, whether people are amazed, disgusted or music around,” he said. Nick Denton always has a nail on inhaled too much fuel and got chemical even yelling at him. He remembered the On stage, with music or poetry, he him…to hammer into his face. He says it’s pneumonia—pools of paraffin formed in time an audience member started shout- feels that he offers a different part of the least painful and least dangerous cir- her lungs. ing at him during one of his routines as he himself. cus stunt he performs. “As far as circus performing goes, Visually, nothing about Denton betrays “It’s really bizarre to be gay-bashed by a gay person there’s really no personal attachment to his passion for performing. His black hair for not being gay enough,” he said. it,” he explained. “I don’t have to put is short. None of his tattoos are visible. “And vice versa, being gay-bashed by a straight person anything of myself in it. It’s performing And he recently took out the piercing he a trick, that’s what it is.” Poetry slams had on his lip. The 24-year-old looks like for not being straight enough…” are about revealing something genuine any other Concordia Literature student, and intimate. and he’ll tell you that he’s an artist, not a —Nick Denton, “I think it’s wonderful when you hear hipster. poet, musician and sideshow performer somebody say something that’s deeply Eight years ago, Denton started doing personal. People in the audience are Poi—a stunt of Maori origin. The per- Amazingly, Denton is self-taught. Block stood on broken glass and hammered a taken aback, they gasp or say some- former spins two weights connected by a head is the only exception. nail into his face, uncomfortable that he thing. That really establishes a connec- rope, manipulating them about in differ- “There was a lot of room for error and I wouldn’t step off of the glass. tion,” he explained. ent ways. Soon enough, he began lighting did end up hurting myself a lot,” he “She yells out, ‘You’re STILL on broken When performing slam poetry on the weights on fire. remembers. “Eating fire, I’ve hurt myself glass!’” he laughed. “I had given everybody stage, he stands straight in front of the Denton also began sideshow perform- very seriously. I got a second-degree burn warning before, you know. But I guess she microphone, focused. His voice is ing, starting with block head—a stunt that on my upper lip. Denton is well aware that didn’t expect to be so shocked.” intense and deep. He strives to open involves hammering a nail into one’s face. most people would not play with danger When he’s not performing stunts, himself to the audience. He has since moved on to fire-eating, the way he does. Denton’s a slam poet and musician. But he “After a performance, a woman walking on broken glass and eating light “It’s an audience thing for me,” he finds that music brings about fewer spon- came up to me and said that my poem bulbs. admitted. “The best thing about perform- taneous reactions. was really touching, that she had felt I “It’s extremely dangerous, but you only ing is the way the audience reacts.” “If I play the acoustic guitar, it’s some- was being really genuine,” he said. hurt yourself if you’re careless and you Performing plays a huge role in his life. thing you can see just about anywhere on That’s the kind of reaction he was look- don’t know what you’re doing,” he argued. “It’s just kind of a constant for me,” he any given day. At open mic sessions, ing for, not only striking the audience— “But when you perform, you don’t perform smiled. someone can be great, but the audience the way a circus trick can do—but also something you’re not one hundred per Denton admitted that he loves circus might not clap—they might not even lis- involving people in his emotions. THE LINK • JANUARY 13, 2009 • THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA/FEATURES FEATURES 09

At the edge of a café bar sits a boy Dressed in striking reminiscence of a young James Dean And you pen love poems on napkins But your shy hands find the corners And fold them into flightless white birds Perched in a cage called reluctance. You blush.

—excerpt from “Folding Patterns,” Patterns a poem by Nick Denton for self-expression with words, song and broken glass

“It feels amazing when someone tells he said. about it, but a lot of people are not aware on stage and coming out every single you they felt connected to what you did “The poem was just trying to address of the fact that I am bisexual,” he time,” he said. after a show,” he said. the fact that that is where a lot of appre- explained. Denton does not come from a family of He believes that poetry is about writ- hension lies,” he explained. “It’s terrifying Denton is aware that people make artists. His father is a physical therapist, ing for yourself. “If you don’t write for to think that trying to show your emotions assumptions based on first impressions his mother a real estate agent. “They are yourself, why are you writing poetry?” to someone can make them want to physi- and that there isn’t anything about him to more timid than I am when it comes to he wondered aloud. cally harm you.” tip people off. “I don’t personify either a performing,” he said about them. “But they Although he writes for himself and He has never found himself in that sit- flamboyant gay side [or] a straight macho are extremely encouraging.” rejects political correctness in general, uation but he feels deeply that bisexuality side,” he laughed. “Letting people know is There is only one sort of performance he draws a line when it comes to being does not yet have a place in our society. about tossing aside their assumptions, that his parents don’t really encourage and offensive. “Obviously, that sounds a lit- “It’s really bizarre to be gay-bashed by a which can be an unpleasant process.” he finds it perfectly understandable. “[My tle hypocritical from someone who gay person for not being gay enough,” he “I’m not ashamed of any kind of sexual- parents] have no desire to see me hammer- hammer nails into his face and under- said. “And vice versa, being gay-bashed by ity at all, but I don’t try to force it on peo- ing a nail into my face,” he said, amused. stands that that will offend somebody a straight person for not being straight ple. I like people to know,” he said. That’s “They like the fact that I’m performing, but in a way,” he laughed. “But I don’t like enough…” why he also put his poem in the chapbook they don’t like what I’m performing.” personally, emotionally offending peo- Denton’s parents still don’t know that ple.” he is bisexual. He’s not afraid of being Denton was a little apprehensive [My parents] have no desire to see me hammer a nail into my rejected. “They are the most understand- about the poem that he had written for face. They like the fact that I’m performing, but they don’t like ing, intelligent people I have ever met,” he the live recording of the Throw what I’m performing. said. He is more worried about their first Collective at Casa del Popolo last reaction to his coming out but is confident October. —Nick Denton, that in the long term his parents will accept His poem “Folding Patterns” dealt poet, musician and sideshow performer it. with the difficulties men can experi- “So, for now, they don’t know. But they ence, whether they are gay or bisexual, know about the recording and they want to if they want to walk up to another man Being rejected because of his sexual ori- that was sold the night of his recording. have the CD. So they don’t know… until and try to express their attraction. “It entation is not something that he feels might Performing pieces like “Folding they get the CD!” he said with a larger can go a lot of different ways. The per- happen to him within the circle of the slam Patterns” is always a nerve-racking experi- smile, opening his hands in front of him. son can be accepting; the person can be poetry community. He thinks that most ence, admits Denton. “It’s difficult to say Sometimes things suddenly start mov- friendly; the person can entirely brush poets and artists are extremely accepting. those kinds of things in front of a group of ing faster and just like a circus stunt, you you off; or you can get your ass kicked,” “It’s not that I don’t want to be open people that have no idea. It’s like getting have to be 100 per cent sure of yourself. 10 FRINGE ARTS THE LINK • JANUARY 13, 2009 • THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA/FRINGE Do you Nomi? Montreal playwright Marie Brassard receives this year’s Carte Blanche

• CHRISTOPHER OLSON artists is Isabell Spengler, whose 1998 short film, Psychic Tequila Tarot, centres For the second year in a row, the around a bare-breasted tarot card reader Goethe-Institut of Montreal is awarding its whose readings often involve downing Carte Blanche to native Montrealer, actress large quantities of tequila in the passenger and playwright Marie Brassard. seat of her car. The Goethe-Institut, which aims to fos- One of the most prominent films at this ter an appreciation for German culture and year’s Carte Blanche is the critically the German language, holds a film series acclaimed 2004 documentary The Nomi each year to highlight the work of German Song, about the rise and fall of a German artists past and present. countertenor who became a rock star in As always, the selection of films is New York’s East Village. diverse, with films by and about heavy hit- Unlike Superman, the alien immigrant ters like Werner Herzog and Leni who stressed the importance of blending- Riefenstahl, as well as underground in, Klaus Nomi was a German immigrant artists like Isabell Spengler and who made every effort to stand out. Germany’s “enfant terrible” Christoph Singing in a rousing countertenor, Nomi Schlingensief. accentuated his already elfin appearance This year, as in others, the films chosen and crafted the persona of Nomi, an alien for the Institut’s Carte Blanche were made who appeared on stage in a hush of whis- by a non-German who nevertheless recog- pers and left in a cloud of smoke. nizes and values Germany’s contributions Nomi captured the attention of the likes to world culture. of David Bowie, and even appeared on Brassard remembers falling in love with “Saturday Night Live,” where he performed her second home after the fall of the Berlin a blend of opera and the avant-garde, Wall, which became the subject of one of pomp and circumstance with pop music. Klaus Nomi made every effort to stand out; accentuating his elfin appearance and crafting the per- her many plays performed in her non- Nomi died due to AIDS complications, a sona of Nomi. GRAPHIC CHRISTOPHER OLSON native country. then unknown disease which rose to inter- “I lived in Berlin and go back often, so national attention just as Nomi found score which attempts to evoke the spirit of of a City. part of my life also takes place there,” says recognition in Germany for his accom- the city. The films screening at the Goethe- Brassard. Every time she returns, she is plishments in the U.S. Attached to that film is Berlin Song, a Institut this month are alternately flippant struck by how the city continues to rein- Nomi’s eclectic mixing of genres reflects 2007 feature about six musicians from and demanding of your attention, both vent itself and foster the works of incoming the unique mix of film subjects chosen by countries across Europe and the United sumptuous and disturbing. artists. Brassard. A screening of the 1927 experi- States who, like Brassard, have adopted With this film series Brassard wanted to mental film Berlin: Symphony of a City Berlin as their home away from home, and For a list of screenings, or for information “explore the avant-garde artists, the con- features various locales in 1920s Berlin try to capture the modern spirit of about the Goethe-Insitut, visit troversial ones.” One of those controversial and is accompanied by a symphonic Germany—80 years after Symphony goethe.de/ins/ca/mon. Life outside of Sweaty palms and Magic Christians the womb

• CODY HICKS Munoz of The Plimsouls. being drunkenly baptized on taken over by corporate because you don’t hear that Rounding out the roster is stage with Red Mass last Friday I America,” he says with dismay. many bands that rock out like I don’t often get the shakes rock ‘n’ roll preacher vocalist understand the spiritual aspect “That’s why we’re coming up to this. This is definitely the most before an interview, but I had Paul Kopf, who might be the of rock, and I’m excited to see its Canada, the land where people rockingest band I’ve ever been butterflies an hour before calling most enjoyable interview in rock evangelism from another angle. wanna rock, and are still free in.” Cyril Jordan, leader and guitarist ‘n’ roll, spilling over with excite- Magic Christian’s message is from this kind of bullshit fascist The songs on their MySpace of power-pop super group Magic ment about being in a band that positive, a yin to the evil and takeover.” are incredibly catchy ‘60s throw- Christian. he describes as “high energy chaotic yang of Red Mass. But They’ve been showered with backs, but be sure to check their If Jordan’s name is familiar, rock, the opposite of Emerson Jordan makes it clear that Magic more love and positive press Youtube videos for a true taste of it’s because he was the leader of Lake and Palmer, escapism at its Christian is not a part of the limp from one east coast tour than the the rock ‘n’ roll salvation that is shit-hot rock ‘n’ roll revivalists finest.” Christian rock movement, but is four years they’ve spent gigging promised by Jordan and Kopf. The Flamin’ Groovies. Although he’s been playing actually a reference to “the on their home coast. Those dudes look jazzed up as I was raised on a steady diet music since the ‘60s, talking to coolest cruise ship of all time” in Although he’s been at it for 40 hell and ready to spit more fire of The Who and The Rolling Cyril Jordan is like talking to a the 1969 Peter Sellers and Ringo years with loads of different than most bands half their age. Stones so when I first got my hungry kid who just discovered Starr flick of the same name. bands, Jordan says that life on So, have some beers and be on hands on a CD copy of The the primitive power of playing This will be Magic Christian’s the road is more fun than ever your wildest behaviour, because Groovies albums Shake Some air-guitar in his bedroom to the second visit to the east coast with Magic Christian, citing their we are the rock ‘n’ roll ambassa- Action and Teenage Head from raw early Kinks’ 45s. after a recent successful tour last stripped down approach coupled dors of Canada! And we don’t the Saskatoon Public Library I “Rock ‘n’ roll is my religion,” September. Although the boys with overly passionate fans. wanna disappoint some of its was floored. Since then, I’ve says Jordan. “It enhances you in are terrified of the weather, “For the first time what elder statesmen on their first nearly worn out the grooves on the same way religion enhances they’re excited to finally make a appeared to be women’s under- visit now, do we? my vinyl copies. your life. I worship the musi- pilgrimage to Montreal, which wear flew onstage from the bal- Check out their sound at If The Groovies don’t ring a cians who make me feel the way Jordan sees as a kind of rock ‘n’ cony,” Jordan recollects about a myspace.com/magicchristian or bell, you might recognize the I do about rock.” roll sanctuary in comparison to particularly wild show. “At first I see them live this Sunday at Sala name of ex-Blondie drummer I might have been skeptical of their home of San Francisco. thought it was a fucking bat! Rossa, 4848 Saint-Laurent, with Clem Burke or bassist Eddie this kind of talk, but ever since “The west coast has been “People are getting jazzed Sonic Avenues. Tickets are $14. THE LINK • JANUARY 13, 2009 • THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA/FRINGE FRINGE ARTS 11 Solo Niko Strokes’ bassist Nikolai Fraiture steps out of the shadows

• JAMES LYNCH exile,” he coos on “Back From Exile” which, on top of sounding cool, makes me In 2001, The Strokes brought an indie think that Nickel Eye may just have an axe rock aesthetic to an age of rap and boy to grind. If nothing else, Fraiture proves bands, opening the floodgates for a myriad his knack for storytelling on this cowboy- of copycats. inspired track; a song that wouldn’t be out Now, in 2009, Strokes bassist Nikolai of place in a Clint Eastwood western. Fraiture will release his first solo effort, Guitarist Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah The Time of Assassins, under the moniker Yeahs fame adds some punch to “Dying Nickel Eye. Star,” while Brooklyn scene alumni Regina With Nickel Eye, Fraiture has found a Spektor joins Fraiture on piano in “Where way to transcend his lyrics and newfound the Cold Wind Blows,” a gloomy ballad vocals in a project that recalls the best of about a man down on his luck. Frank Black and Leonard Cohen. But how did it start? On album opener “Intro (Everytime)” After stumbling across an old shoebox we hear Fraiture plug in his bass, starting full of rants and poems that he had written the album with a driving riff that’s sure to at 19, Fraiture found inspiration. With catch the listener’s attention. “You and plenty of time on his hands, he flew to Everyone Else” shows off Fraiture’s Hackney, London and sought musical Strokes roots—his voice sounds the way refuge in the band South, a fixture of the Strokes’ bassist Nikolai Fraiture finally steps up to the mic. the lovechild of Strokes lead singer Julian British indie rock scene. The record effectively displays I mean, c’mon… even Mick Jagger let Casablancas and Montrealer Rufus He recorded a handful of demos with Fraiture’s songwriting talent and feels like Keith take the mic sometimes. Wainwright would (after smoking for 10 them as Nickel Eye; he finally had the a delicate self-examination leaving the years). Backed with a stomping beat, blueprint to his first opus. A few months audience with a bittersweet feeling of nos- To see Nickel Eye take centre stage, Fraiture delivers the goods on this rockin’ later, he completed the album and named talgia. Leaving long-time Strokes listeners check out the Green Room, 5386 Saint- laid-back track. it The Time of the Assassins, an homage to wonder why Fraiture’s been hiding behind Laurent, this Wednesday at 9 p.m. Tickets “Hello motherfuckers, I’m back from the book by Alistair MacLean. Casablancas all this time. $12 on admission. 12 FRINGE ARTS THE LINK • JANUARY 13, 2009 • THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA/FRINGE The BC artist gives new DOWN-LOW meaning to ‘hanging out’ Events listing Modification artist Russ Foxx talks flesh and hooks

Jan. 13-19 • KARA CHOW, OMEGA (THOMPSON RIVERS ART GALLERIES UNIVERSITY) IGNITION Steve Bates, Amélie Guérin, Mark Igloliorte, KAMLOOPS (CUP) – The human body Miriam Sampaio, Meera Margaret Singh, is Russ Foxx’s canvas. Malena Szlam. The annual exhibition of Foxx, a 26-year-old Toronto native, is not selected works from Concordia’s Graduate your average paint-and-brush artist. The tools Program in Studio Arts. This year, IGNITION of his trade are hooks, ropes, and the occa- features six artists whose practices include sional scalpel. photography, video and sound installation, “I practice body art in all its forms, barring painting, drawing, and sculpture. tattooing,” Foxx said. “I’m also lucky enough Now to Jan. 17 to make a living from my art.” Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery, 1400 blvd. People aren’t usually shocked or turned off de Maisonneuve West on the ground floor of by his profession, he says. the McConnell Library Building “People are generally intrigued by my work. I’m sure some are put off, though,” he DANCE said. Occupants Foxx sees body-modification work as The students of the Concordia Department another form as art. The body is just his of Contemporary Dance are proud to present “medium of choice.” Russ Foxx “looks the part.” Occupants, a dance performance event of Growing up, Foxx didn’t know what career site-specific choreography created by third- path he would follow, and when he first got charges laid,” he said. “They’ve even stuck Sure, his ears are stretched and he has a year students, which was inspired by a two- into getting his own body art done, he was around and watched.” few facial piercings, but as society becomes week residency where students experiment- inspired to learn how to do it himself. People looking to have body art done often more accepting of body modifications, Foxx ed with dance and architecture. “I did have a few peers and mentors who contact him through referrals, in person at his almost seems like an average Joe. Wednesday, 1-3 p.m.; Thursday, 1-3 p.m. helped me along the way, but I was self-taught studio, or through e-mail. Foxx is outspoken about the common and 7-9 p.m.; and Friday 1-5 p.m. for the most part,” he said. But, it’s not as easy as dropping him a stereotypes surrounding people with body art. Concordia University’s EV Building, 1515 While much of his work is done at various line–Foxx goes through a client screening “There are criminals, deviants, uneducat- Ste. Catherine Street O. tattoo and piercing shops where he makes process. ed, and offensive people in every class and FREE category of society. There is no reason to pro- “I’ve had police show up during suspensions in public places, file modified people as any more deviant than LECTURE but have never had any charges laid […] They’ve even stuck anyone who is not modified,” Foxx said. “That “Speaking of Photography: John Raeburn” stigma is slowly being left behind, thankful- John Raeburn is the author of A Staggering around and watched.” ly.” Revolution: A Cultural History of Thirties —Russ Foxx, For some people, getting a modification Photography (2006). Professor of American modification artist done or being suspended in the air with noth- studies and English at the University of guest appearances, Foxx carries out suspen- “[It’s] in place to avoid going through with ing more than some hooks, pulleys, and ropes Iowa, John Raeburn has been writing and sions and pullings outdoors. any procedures that a client may regret,” he can be a spiritual-like experience. Foxx says lecturing on documentary photography, Recently, he suspended people from hydro said. the experience is often what the suspendee racial representations, and photographic lines outside of Vancouver, where he has “People often back out of modifications makes it. culture since the 1980s. He has recently resided for the past four years. before going through with them. I also decline “If you treat it like a spiritual experience, it completed a book-length study of Ben This meeting was pulled off without any working on many people for different rea- will be one. If you are looking to get some- Shahn. interruptions, but sometimes the police sons,” Foxx said. thing else out of it, you’ll likely find what Monday, 6:30 p.m. dropped by to check up on things. With such an out-of-the-box profession, it you’re looking for,” said Foxx. “I’d say out of Concordia University’s EV Building, 1515 “I’ve had police show up during suspen- would be easy to assume that Foxx looks the people I’ve suspended over the years, it’s Ste. Catherine Street O. sions in public places, but have never had any the part. about half and half.” FREE

MUSIC Justice Jam spins Found. Fans can only hope that Mudvayne’s plain cheesy—no excuses. And though the album continues to take listeners on a rock Benefit for the International Justice Mission. With live perfomances by: New Groove next project makes a major effort never to band released, “Optimist, Pessimist” as opera experience based on his world of rela- Orchestra & Strength in Numbers. Mudvayne settle for mediocrity again. their single, “Closure” is the standout tionships. Unlike Weezer’s latest releases, Friday, 8:30 p.m. The New Game 1/5 track. Cuomo’s songs are all demos geared on La Sala Rossa, 4848 St-Laurent Epic Record —Johnny North “You’re gorgeous and you always will be, child-like melodies and lyrics based on his Tickets $12 but you’re always taking the air out of me failures, guilt and obsessions. The album At the start of this decade they were filled and we see the world so differently,” sings can get depressing and weird—in “Walt THEATRE with powerful screams, hard-rock melodies CAVE$ Carey, his voice full of emotion. “But you Disney” he compares his feeling of being Zeppelin Was A Cover Band and aggressive riffs. In comparison, Get On With It have such a beautiful face,” he repeats abandoned during the winter to Walt Disney’s Written and directed by Stéfan Cédilot & Mudvayne’s latest album, The New Game, is Independent hauntingly. suspended animation. In the piano ballad of Ben Kalman awful and disgraceful. Instead of delivering Other into-it tracks include, “Rock You to “My Day is Coming” he sings about overcom- Halfway between presentation and per- a heavy sound, Mudvayne is geared towards What can you say about a band that pro- Sleep (Manic),” “I Lied,” and “Soldier.” ing his critics, but you question it all when he formance, Zeppelin Was A Cover Band making pop-metal for radio, but in doing so fesses to be simultaneously minimalist and 3.5/5 starts sniffing at the end. Three parts of the retraces the history of the blues through the they have lost their attractive sound for glamorous? Vocalist Jacob Carey, drummer —Joelle Lemieux lost Weezer album Songs From the Black Hole work of rock band Led Zeppelin. Originally money. Vocalist Chad Grey doesn’t even Brian Morris, guitarist David Benedetti, and appear on the album; the first part starts off produced in French at Mainline Theatre in come close to delivering passionate screams bassist Tim West form Portland, Oregon’s in a dream-like environment followed by an November 2006, this version, in English, or even feigning interest in what he’s CAVE$, whose debut Get On With It makes it Rivers Cuomo argument and ending in a calm, goofy was premiered at the Montreal Fringe singing. All of these songs stand as a hard to say a lot. Alone II: The Home melody. The album is suited for fans of Festival in 2008. reminder of what a major disappointment Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t a bad debut and Recordings of Rivers Pinkerton and those that found the first one Tuesday, 9 p.m. and Saturday, 7 p.m. this once revolutionary band has become. It’s although some tracks could use a little Cuomo left them with cravings for more of Cuomo’s Centaur Theatre, 453 St. François-Xavier hard to believe this is the same band that work, others are glam rock at its finest. Geffen Records eccentric pop-rock. Tickets $12.50, $10 students produced hot-selling albums such as L.D. Album opener “Curiousity” was a straight- 3/5 50, The End of All Things to Come and Lost & up disappointment and “Samurai” is just The sequel to Rivers Cuomo’s first Alone —Johnny North —compiled by Joelle Lemieux THE LINK • JANUARY 13, 2009 • THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA/LIT LITERARY ARTS 13 Poetry never slammed so good Throw Collective releases its first album of poetic beats • PASCALE ROSE LICINIO the experience, or, for others to enjoy it for the first time. “Sometimes a poem Next Sunday, the Throw Collective is can hit you harder when you can focus offering a 3-in-1 poetic night at Casa in on the sound of it,” explained del Popolo, with a slam session, a Denton, also a Concordia student. concert of poetic music and the The Throw Slam Poetry simultaneous launch of its first Collective has been very active album. over the past two years, help- On stage, poets will compete ing make Montreal more visible in the first slam session of the sea- SLAM on the Canadian Spoken Word son. Poetry and music will merge POETRY scene. Thanks in part to that, during the Montreal debut of Instant Montreal will host the Canadian Release, the band fronted by slam Festival of Spoken Word in 2010, poet Greg “Ritalin” Frankson, one of which means that the best slam poets the founders of Ottawa’s Capital Poetry will meet and compete in the city for the Collective. national slam championships. Copies of 3, 2, 1 THROW! will be sold in In preparation for the nationals in the café, featuring 20 slam poets who partici- 2010, the Throw Collective will hold pated in recording the CD at Casa del Popolo slams starting February at a new venue, last October. It features, among others, mem- Le Parc des Princes, on Avenue du Parc, bers of the collective such as Chris Masson, the third Friday of every month at 7 p.m. Jason Freure, Nick Denton and Chloe Masson said that the collective was also Haboush, special guest Kaie Kellough and considering “a poetry-meets-circus members of Ottawa’s Capital Poetry Collective. cabaret style show,” as well as a new kind As Masson explained, the slam poets who of performance inspired by an initiative participated and their fans now have a perform- born in Victoria under the name “Poetry in ance that will live on in the physical world, instead the Raw.” of just their memories. “It’s like a regular spoken word show, “The ephemerality of spoken word shows is part except all the poets are naked,” he of their magic, but it can be sort of bittersweet, like explained enthusiastically. ‘Hey show, where’d you go? We were just starting to have fun... I miss you. Come back,’” said Masson, a The show is free and starts at 7:30 p.m., Concordia student and head co-ordinator of the Sunday January 18th, at Casa Del Popolo, Throw Collective. Walt Whitman and Robert Frost combat for the ultimate honour of Slam Poetry Champion. 4848 Saint-Laurent. 3, 2, 1, THROW! (Wired The album allows fans the opportunity to relive GRAPHIC VIVIEN LEUNG on Words) costs $15. Too much information Hodgman hilarious in small stretches Ask me about my • JOELLE LEMIEUX “Some Lists I Confess to Compiling,” includes bits Mole-man Army! like: “Some Insects Who May Have Been Friend To I was so ready to love it. In fact, it was sold the sec- Man,” “Several Sexually Suggestive Christmas Songs: ond I laid eyes on it. John Hodgman’s More Deck The Halls (with Boughs of Penis),” and “Four Information Than You Require was, or so I thought, Get-Rich-Slow Schemes” including knife-dulling and my dream book. wishin'. While Hodgman’s first book discussed his areas of While the 700-strong list of mole-man names bor- expertise, the second was more an exercise in misin- ders on tedious, Hodgman’s section on how to be formation: “A further compendium of complete world famous is hilarious. More importantly, his “Where knowledge in 'The Areas of my Expertise,’ assembled You May Have Seen Me On TV” includes: “Get a Mac, and illuminated by me, John Hodgman, a famous various networks, 2006 onward. In this series of tel- minor television personality.” Essentially this was a evision advertisements for the Apple Macintosh, I challenge issued to and from Hodgman to outdo him- play the ‘Personal Computer’ a nerdy, blow-hard self in hyperbole. obese person who is constantly failing, much to the Naturally, he succeeds: “September 14, 1341: delight of his friend Justin Long, a supercool Dante Alighieri, author of several popular tour guides android with a secret past.” to the afterlife, dies. Upon finally visiting the inferno Although it should be noted that he didn’t he had previously only imagined, he was surprised to play the smart-alecky kid in the old learn that Hell does not actually consist of nine con- Encyclopedia Britannica commercials— centric circles, but is actually a few relatively “that is just a myth. That actor is named cramped caves of no particular shape (plus one fur- Donovan Freberg, and now he has a porn nished waiting room with French people in it). blog,” Hodgman admits—he certainly Frankly, it just hasn't been the same since the Pope seems to know how to sell books. closed Limbo.” Yes, More Information Than You Require is also a More Information handy page-a-day calendar that starts the day the than You Require book was published. “October 21, 2008, New York John Hodgman City: This book is officially published.” Riverhead The book is also filled with chapter titles like: “The October 2008 Presidents Of The United States: Are They The New 368 pp Hobos?” and “All of Your Questions Answered, Or At $27.50 Least Five More.” Don’t deny that there’s a government conspiracy to cover up mole men. GRAPHIC GINGER COONS 14 LITERARY ARTS THE LINK • JANUARY 13, 2009 • THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA/LIT Skating like a man Checkout Girl visits Ontario in the 1970s

• PASCALE ROSE LICINIO Kathy Rausch has just come back feeling to her native province after an her skates The year is 1970, and the times unsatisfying commune experience slide and grind they are a changing, as Bob Dylan in Vancouver. The 20-year-old on the ice gives her said. And, for better or for worse, as checkout girl has no goals, no ambi- back a sense of the local industry struggles to keep tion… Except for an impossible humour. It is also a trib- its head above water, Varnum, dream. She wants to make her liv- ute to her father, a hockey Ontario is trying to adjust to the ing on the ice, and not as a figure fan, who died when she was a changing pace of the modern world. skater, but like Bobby Orr, her idol, child. It can even be a cure against University professors now buy the kid from Varnum who is now the most traumatic events of life. LSD, middle-aged housewives have playing for the Boston Bruins. Susan Zettell has already written become hardcore feminists, and yet Skating like a man has never about hockey and industrial pregnant women still have to find a helped any woman Kathy knows Ontario in her short story collec- way to go to Montreal to get abor- find a job before, but there has to be tions. With The Checkout Girl, her tions. a way to get a future on the ice, and first novel, she offers an uncompro- The Checkout Girl is a realist Kathy waits for it to be revealed to mising portrait of the beginning of novel, punchy and tender, where her. How would she keep faith in the 1970s and paints stroke by nothing is black or white, where herself if she gave up her dream? stroke the crudeness, disillusions disenchantment and pugnacity How would she stand sharing her and small conquests of daily life. meet and mix. It is about acknowl- room with a boa constrictor in the edging raw pleasures such as eating basement of a drug dealer’s house, The Checkout Girl too many candies or spinning on a deal with her caring mother's con- Susan Zettell skating rink with a child in one’s cerns or bear the prevailing sexual Signature Editions arms. It also deals with the silent pressure? October 2008 hopes and unbearable longing of Skating is central to Kathy’s 256 pp the youth for something hard life—it helps her connect with her $19.95 to define, something new, some- autistic younger sister. Skating is thing different. her way to let the steam out and just For your enjoyment, Bobby Orr as a figure skater. GRAPHIC GINGER COONS Lit Writ Dancing

• RENEE TOUSIGNANT hips shimmied.

I flipped the disk onto the record player “Rebel Rebel You've torn your dress and the cracked music came out in spurts Rebel Rebel your face is a mess.” before the smooth sounds flowed over us. His lips curled up. His stare turned serious, and he The red light flooded the room, inter- grabbed my hips. He pulled me down and twined with the music, intoxicated us. I the feather twirled as I crashed onto him. circled. I was dancing. My hair flowed My white dress met the white sheets and I down. laughed. His eyes danced with me as I grinned Only he was no longer laughing. and did my very best Bowie impression. His lips were on mine before I had time The bed shook underneath me, white to gasp. feathers blowing up around my legs. My invisible mike silently echoed the “Rebel Rebel How could they know? words I mouthed. Hot tramp, I love you so.” His eyes crinkled around the sides as he laughed. His hands tangled in my hair and I He laughed wrapped my body around his. I loved his laugh, even after all this His lips explored me, making sure my time. geography hadn’t changed. It had been far too long… He let them gravitate towards my I shook my head, refocusing on my light shoulder, my hips my thighs and back up Bowie echoed off the walls as his hands shook. GRAPHIC ALEX MANLEY mood. I knew better than to expect any- again. thing from him. After nine years, the clos- His black shirt contrasted the rest of the I wished for a multitude of answers to was home. est I could get was his laugh. scene, the only thing not red patterns on come pouring down on me. I wished for Sure, there had been momentary lapses white cotton. clarity and rationale and piece of mind. I “You like me and I like it all. in his armor, but now that he had her, even I wish I knew what to think. I wish I wished we had never met. Or I wished we We like dancing and we look divine.” those were gone. know what he meant when his mouth did had met again and again. But above all, I We were simply, innocently enjoying all the work. wished I didn’t think this through, reliving For as long as this would last, I was some quality time, I forced myself to He pulled off his shirt, tugged on my how it felt when we were whatever it is we home. remember. hair, kissed my neck, caught his breath in were. He folded his arms over his chest, lean- my ear, and a million other things that all I danced around him. Bowie echoed off To submit your fiction or poetry to ing back against my pillows and shook blurred into one and happen all at once in the wall. the Lit Writ column, email them to his head. His eyes sparkled as my my memory. His hands shook and I knew I [email protected]. THE LINK • JANUARY 13, 2009 • THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA/SPORTS SPORTS 15 Unlucky number seven Carleton prevails in seven-round women’s hockey shootout

• PAOLO MINGARELLI Concordia 4 Carleton 5 Hoping to bounce back from an unfortunate loss to the Ottawa Gee-Gees last Saturday, the Stingers were determined to come out of the weekend with at least two points. Regrettably, the Carleton Ravens made the most of all their chances to bring the game to a shootout from which they ulti- mately emerged victorious last Sunday at the Ed Meagher Arena. The Stingers set the pace early by forcing the puck into the Carleton zone. Carleton was unable to sustain the offensive pressure being imposed and ulti- mately they succumbed to a penalty. Con U’s powerplay dom- inated, as a wrist shot deflected by Emilie Luck put Concordia up 1-0 less than five minutes into the game. Unfortunately, Concordia’s lead didn’t last long. The Ravens took advantage of a breakaway deke on Stingers goalie Audrey Doyon-Lossard to tie the game at 11:34 of the first. For the remainder of the peri- Rookie Stingers defender, Keely Covo, nets Concordia’s lone shootout goal. PHOTO CHRIS GATES od, the play was even with both defensive squads standing out. ward Lassaline’s blade as she teams got better, we work for our with a laugh. finally put an end to the match by The Stingers, after killing off a skated from behind the net goals and it shows.” With the period all but over, it scoring on a deke with a shot penalty and with momentum on towards the slot, releasing a At 9:38 of the second period, looked as though the game was from the left side. their side, saw captain Esther backhand that somehow trickled the visitors managed to get their going to the Stingers, but the “It’s a disappointing loss, but Latoures manage to sneak a goal its way past Doyon-Lossard. third of the night that tied the Ravens pulled their goalie. With from a team point of view we’re in during a scramble in front of The Stingers penalty-killing game. the extra attacker and 50 seconds extremely happy with the way we the Ravens’ net. Hoping to end unit redeemed themselves with During the third period, the remaining, Carleton tied the played,” said coach Lawton. “We the period on a high note with less than three minutes left in the momentum swung back and game with a wraparound played well but we were not the lead, Stingers incurred an period. A beautiful shorthanded forth until a late penalty against attempt. “It’s a shot that gets rewarded for our play. If we play untimely penalty forcing them goal by defender Catherine the Ravens put the Stingers on saved 99 out of 100 times and like today and yesterday we’ll be into the second period short- Desjardins, thanks in large part the powerplay for a seventh time. they score,” said a frustrated great […] our team is better than handed. to the pressure applied by Mary- The result saw a great point shot Lawton. our record shows.” Notwithstanding the quality Jane O’Shea, who managed two from rookie defender Keely Covo With the game tied and over- play of Con U’s penalty kill, the assists on the day, and took the that found the top shelf past the time resolving nothing, the game Concordia’s women’s hockey second period began with a goal puck away from the Ravens Ravens’ net with 1:58 left. It was went to a shootout. After five team plays at Ed Meagher arena that tied the score at 2-2. The behind their net and into the her first goal of the year, and she shooters, the teams were tied at twice this upcoming weekend, Ravens took the puck into the slot. celebrated accordingly with a few one goal each. The only scorer entertaining the Ottawa Gee-Gees Stingers’ zone, when Con U When asked about the special leaps on the ice. “Yeah, I was for Con U was Covo. on Friday at 7:30 p.m, then they failed to clear the puck properly. teams Stingers head coach Les pretty excited […] nice goal to The shootout required seven play the McGill Martlets on The puck landed on Ravens’ for- Lawton highlighted, “The special score as a Stinger,” said Covo more shooters before the Ravens Saturday at 2:30. scoreboard schedule Home Away Record Who When

Concordia 6 VS UOIT 3 @ McGill Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. Men’s Hockey 10-7-0 Men’s hockey Concordia 5 VS York 0 @ Guelph Saturday, 7:30 p.m @ Brock Sunday, 2 p.m Ottawa 2 VS Concordia 0 Women’s Basketball VS McGill Friday, 8 p.m Women’s Hockey 2-9-0 @ Concordia 4 VS Carleton 5 McGill Saturday, 6 p.m

VS Ottawa Friday, 7:30 p.m Women’s Hockey VS McGill Saturday, 2:30 p.m

thelinknewspaper.ca/sports Men’s Basketball VS McGill Friday, 6 p.m. @ McGill Saturday, 8 p.m 16 SPORTS THE LINK • JANUARY 13, 2009 • THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA/SPORTS Trying to catch first place Men’s hockey squad scores comeback victory

• DIEGO PELAEZ GAETZ responding. Rookie forward Corey Concordia 3 Garland ripped a pass from Alex Sciangula past screened Ridgebacks UOIT 6 goalie Jeff Dawson a mere 30 sec- After falling behind early, the onds later to cut the deficit to one. Concordia Stingers men’s hockey Both offences were lively early team showed the toughness that is on, but the solid play of both goal- helping them into position for the tenders kept the game close. top spot in the conference as they Dawson made a spectacular glove stormed back to defeat the visiting save on Des Alliers, then Joyal University of Ontario Institute of answered with a diving stop on a Technology Ridgebacks 6-3. slapshot from Noyes to keep the Despite controlling the action for score 2-1 heading into the first inter- much of the first period last Friday mission. at the Ed Meagher Arena, the Concordia rookie forward Stingers found themselves down Nicolas D’Aoust evened the scoring early thanks to a perfect one-timer early in the second period. The from UOIT forward Derrick UOIT defence couldn’t keep up with Bagshaw that beat sprawled the speedy D’Aoust, as he snuck Stingers goalie Maxime Joyal. behind the defence and rifled a The Stingers couldn’t seem to wristshot into the top corner to tie stay out of the penalty box in the the game 2-2. “[D’Aoust]’ll be a top first period, but the short-handed scorer in this country during his uni- unit stood tall early on in killing off versity career,” said coach Figsby. two consecutive penalties. Con U’s penalty woes continued However, as the Stingers were late in the second period, as defence- Stingers defenceman Jesse Goodsell gathers puck. PHOTO JOEY TANNY regrouping following a penalty to man Nicolaus Knudsen was sent off at the side of the net to tie the game Jesse Goodsell unleashed a deadly complete his first university hat- forward Renaud Des Alliers, for high sticking. UOIT capitalized less than two minutes into the accurate wristshot from the point trick. Ridgebacks defenceman Mike on the ensuing powerplay, with frame. that found its way past Dawson to With first place Trois-Rivieres Noyes found himself wide open at Bagshaw scoring his second of the The teams continued trading give the Stingers a 4-3 lead. coming up next week, the Stingers the blue-line and capitalized with a game on a goal-mouth scramble to penalties in the last period. Stingers The Stingers sealed the deal with understood the importance of the slapshot from the point that gave the give the visitors the lead yet again. Alex Sciangula and Andrew less than five minutes remaining in game. “We needed to get this win,” visitors a 2-0 lead just over 11 min- Despite trailing 3-2 entering the Palombaro received back-to-back the game. A terrible giveaway at the said D’Aoust. utes into the game. final period, the last 20 minutes penalties, but the Stingers held Ridgebacks’ blue-line led to a two on Coach Figsby also felt confident “It was a butt-ugly first 20 min- belonged to Con U. The home team strong. none for Con U, with D’Aoust scor- regarding the team’s future. “We are utes from my perspective,” said wasted no time making their mark, Fittingly, the go ahead goal for ing his second of the game to push competing with the dominant Stingers coach Kevin Figsby. with Stingers forward Marc-Andre Con U came with a Ridgebacks play- the lead to 5-3. D’Aoust would finish teams, and we are becoming one The Stingers wasted no time Element jamming home a rebound er in the penalty box. Defenceman the scoring with an empty-netter to of them.” Stingers don’t back down Rookie Corey McGillis records first goals as a Stinger • JOHNNY NORTH that kept pucks from going in the net,” said near the start of the third period, as a wild “As soon as the game was 2-0, they ran our Concordia 5 Stingers head coach Kevin Figsby. “Our scrum in front of the net saw second-year goalie three times, which I thought was really defencemen kind of stumbled a bit at the winger Renaud Des Alliers find the loose puck cheap,” said Figsby. “But I expect that kind of York 0 beginning of the game. I think we found our and put the Stingers up 3-0. play from them. They’re known as an undisci- “It happened like this last year,” said stride in the second and third period tonight.” plined team.” Concordia Stingers men’s hockey captain A little over a minute into the second peri- “It was a very physical game, quite a few Simon-Pierre Sauvé when asked about the od, Con U made it onto the board when third- scrums after the whistle, definitely they are a amount of roughhousing that went down last year centre Brad Gager found rookie right- big team,” said Wells who acknowledged that Saturday afternoon in a 5-0 victory over the winger Nicolas D’Aoust right in front of York’s 29 his team played a hard game the night before shots stopped by Stingers goalie York Lions. net for the first goal of the game on the power- and the play of Con U got under his team’s “We knew how their team was. They’re play. Nicholas Lafontaine also assisted on the Maxime Joyal, leading to a shutout. skin. pretty physical with a lot of big guys on goal. “We were tired and hurt,” he said. “I really defence but we stood up to them.” Less than three minutes later, rookie Around the eight-minute mark Concordia wasn’t impressed with a 5-0 score they were A crowd of over 200 fans attending the Stinger Corey McGillis came streaking down struck again. This time, Des Alliers capitial- still trying to hit from behind and run at guys’ game at Ed Meagher Arena saw the taller the boards and beat York goalie Dave ized on a rush to the net by Rizk. The Stingers heads. That’s obviously not acceptable.” Stingers come out and try to set the tone early Davenport, when McGillis dodged an attempt- ended the scoring about four minutes later “I thought our guys handled the situation by nailing the York Lions with bone-crushing ed pokecheck by Davenport—exposing a large when McGillis got his second of the game on a really well,” said Figsby. “We’re a stronger body checks. Yet holes in the defence allowed part of the net. Stingers Eric Bégin and Marc- two-on-one break with Sauvé. emotional team. If I had let the reigns go, York to generate the most quality scoring André Rizk assisted on the goal. It was the first “It was a great pass from Sims,” said things could’ve gotten out of hand. It’s not our chances in the first frame—a few odd-person goal of McGillis’ Concordia career. McGillis. “It was an easy tap-in goal. You just style of play. From our perspective it’s not in rushes just missed the Con U net. “Corey is an offensive player, we were crash the net and good things happen.” anybody’s best interest to intimidate us.” “We outshot them in the first,” said York expecting that kind of offence,” said Figsby. By the end of the game, 42 penalties were “It could’ve got really ugly—we got a really head coach Jim Wells. “I thought we had the “He scored one of the nicest goals I have seen called, each team got 22 with a majority of the big team,” said McGillis. “Kev calmed the guys better scoring chances, but we missed on some in a long time—the play where he faked calls being roughing penalties. Scrums after down pretty good. We just stayed focused, we opportunities and let them in the game. I around and tapped the puck in the net. Corey the whistle were a common trend. wanted to get the shutout for Maxie [Joyal].” think if we would’ve put the pedal to the metal adds a different dimension to our second line.” Once Con U had the lead Stingers goalie early you would have [seen] a different out- “I just wanted to get it out of the way,” said Maxime Joyal got rushed multiple times. Concordia (10-5-2) renews their rivalry with come.” McGillis about his first goal. Joyal was still able to stop all 29 shots he the McGill Redmen (8-6-2) this Wednesday at “I think early on it was solid goaltending Con U’s powerplay was relentless again faced. 7:30 p.m. at McGill’s McConnell Arena. THE LINK • JANUARY 13, 2009 • THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA/OPINIONS OPINIONS 17 La survivance, non ‘Survival’ admits defeat, Montreal’s winter needs to be lived

• REDMOND SHANNON dad. Layering is an effective tool to bridge the only increase divide. your dread of When I first arrived in Canada, it was wintertime. the next winter. Four years on and it feels as though it has Get active Get a dog. Okay, been winter ever since. When the snow hits Take up skiing, snowboard- this may not be prac- the ground for the first time every year, the ing, sledding or skating. You tical for many people, memories of summer seem to fade quickly. need a reason to look forward to but if you can own a As winter is the dominant season in winter, or just a reason to look dog, it’s the best way to get outside. No matter Montreal, it ought to be a time that doesn’t forward to the weekend that does- the weather, Fido will need to do his business and go for drive you nuts. In my first year here I joined a n’t involve beer. If your budget a walk. Once you get outside, you’ll be glad you did. In French-language group for newcomers. An doesn’t allow you the luxury of a fact, Quebec’s sunny blue skies on a winter’s day are far Ethiopian girl told me that in order to survive trip to Mont Tremblant, there more tolerable than the wet and cloudy days of the coasts. the cold one needs to “make peace with the are ski clubs and buses that go Oh, and dogs are great. winter.” to many of the hills near Montreal. Now I must admit, at the time I didn’t understand And if that is too much of a trek, then take a “Comfort food” isn’t what she was talking about—not just because she was sled to Mount Royal and plough into the bails of Now there are those out there who will offer different speaking French. But I do now, and the Saharan had it hay every weekend. It’s not just for kids, trust me. advice. But don’t listen to them. These are folk who eat down. For a more sedate experience, hire a pair of skates at “comfort food,” a phrase that admits defeat to winter. If I have come to realize that you don’t “survive” the win- Lafontaine Park some evening. It’s truly beautiful there. you think you need to be comforted, then you’re in trou- ter at all. Once you make your peace with the cold you will If the cold is too much for you, join the gym, go for a ble. not just survive, you will embrace it. However, if that swim or take up an indoor sport. There is nothing worse In my very first winter here, I met a Habs fan who told sounds a bit abstract and flaky, there are some concrete than cabin fever at this time of year; you need to get out me that his whole winter was ruined by the NHL lockout. measures that will bring you toward your frigid Zen. of the house. He used the word “hibernate” when he talked about surviving Getting dressed for the occasion Adopt the right attitude Beaver Lake winter. The poor guy was a Invest in proper boots, gloves, a hat and a jacket. Royal Park miserable soul. Rather than buying one pretty Using the refuge for Montrealersand Mount look- If you want to coat and one functional jacket, winter as an ing to escapeare thea naturalcity. survive the win- combine your budget into one excuse to not Tobogganing down the side ter, start by garment that is both cool and exercise is a of the mountain is a must, dumping the word warm. This will give you recipe for the just remember to pack a light survive, and get your- the proper attitude to go blues and a lunch. self outside. outside, without freezing big belly, to death or looking like your which will

Just because poutine comes from Quebec doesn’t mean its made for winter. you’ll beAvoid surprised comfort how much food more energy you have. Unless you’re a polar bear, avoid adding layers andof fat for the cold weather. The best way to keepConcordia’s the winter Le blues down is to move around. The $60 membership at Gym, in the basement of the EV building, is a cheap way to stay active. Pack your skates and head for Old Montreal. There is almost a kilometre of pristine ice surface at the Quays of. Eachthe eveningOld Port has Skating Rink a musical theme as you skate in the glow of downtown—$5 for an adult. Beavertails are a must.

Parc Jean Drapeau Windswept may seem foreboding during the win- ter months, but the intimate island is only a metro stop away from down- town. Strap on your snowshoes and go for an unforgettable hike along the water, a great way to unwind and be home for supper.

GRAPHIC GINGER COONS 18 OPINIONS THE LINK • JANUARY 13, 2009 • THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA/OPINIONS Green [email protected] Time for Woodsworth went to greater lengths than any Western about this conflict, the use of appropriate to stand up country to prevent civilian deaths, as it facts and figures must be the basis for any The drastic space As the newly-appointed president of attempts to wage war on a terrorist organiza- valid opinion. The Link and its writers have a Concordia University, Dr. Judith Woodsworth tion that has entrenched itself in one of the responsibility to provide those facts to the cannot be held responsible for past decisions most densely populated places on Earth. This best of their abilities and in this case they plights of plastic made by Concordia administrators. However, certainly puts lie to her attempted compari- have let their readers down. Woodsworth is no doubt aware of Concordia’s son between Israel and one of the most bar- recent history with respect to Middle East baric regimes to have ever existed. —Menachem Freedman One trillion bags floating politics. At a time when there is so much confusion Liberal Arts major between LA and Tokyo Students at Concordia are known for their solidarity with the Palestinian people living The Link’s letters and opinions policy: The deadline for letters is 4 p.m. on Friday before the issue prints. The • MADELYN LIPSZYC under occupation, so much so that it has Link reserves the right to verify your identity via telephone or email. We reserve the right to refuse letters that become common for Concordia’s pro-Israel are libelous, sexist, homophobic, racist or xenophobic. The limit is 400 words. If your letter is longer, it won’t appear in the paper. Please include your full name, weekend phone number, student ID number and program Since the large-scale manufacturing of plastics began in the 1950s, detractors to call our University “Gaza U” as of study. The comments in the letters and opinions section do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board. practically every piece created, used and discarded is still with us on a kind of racist insult—although many stu- Earth. Few things are more universally visible than the one trillion plastic dents and former students wear this label as bags used yearly, many of which are strewn alongside roads and mar our a badge of honour. countryside. Concordia administrators, on the other Each of those plastic bags is an ecological time bomb and will take over hand, have generally claimed “neutrality” in 1,000 years to break down. The use of the words ‘break down’ can be mis- political matters while in fact supporting the leading as those bags are actually photodegrading: decomposing into tiny state of Israel. toxic particles that enter the water, the air, the soil and inevitably the food Concordia administrators invite former chain. Israeli prime ministers to speak while stu- According to the 2007 BBC documentary Message in the Waves, many dents denounce them as war criminals. parts of the Pacific Ocean are host to more plastic than food, in some Most recently, Woodsworth’s predecessor areas by as much as 6-to-1. This presents a real problem when starving as president, Dr. Claude Lajeunesse, issued a birds assume that bobbing pieces of bright plastic are food. While it has statement denouncing the proposal of mem- been a fair assumption for millions of years that anything floating in the bers of the British University and College ocean is edible, it is no longer good today. Entire species are struggling as union to debate the merits of a cultural and they attempt to subsist on plastic bags, toothbrushes and golf balls. academic boycott of the state of Israel. The In the Northern Pacific Ocean, between Japan and Hawaii, there exists boycott takes its inspiration from the anti- a naturally occurring gyre—a swirling vortex of ocean currents—that col- Apartheid boycotts of the 1980s and 90s that lects debris washed away from land and passing ships. Over the past two helped isolate the racist South African decades, nearly 100 million tonnes of plastic have congealed on the sur- regime in the international community. Dr. face of this gyre to create the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Lajeuness rejected the boycott on the This plastic trash has accumulated into an unprecedented mass slight- grounds of “academic freedom.” ly smaller than Russia. Although the size is still debatable—the smallest Now that the state of Israel has bombed estimate has the size of the garbage patch slightly smaller than British the Gaza Strip’s Islamic University, a clearly- Columbia—it highlights the permanence of plastic material, and it’s identified United Nations School—which inability to biodegrade. gave its GPS coordinates to the Israeli In an attempt to reverse the spread of the nearly ubiquitous plastic Defense Force—and other educational sites bag, Leaf Rapids, Manitoba, and Huntington, Quebec, have gone plastic in the Gaza Strip, killing tens and wounding bag free. The Quebec Alcohol Corporation, SAQ, recently phased out plas- hundreds of innocent civilians in the process, tic bags to great fanfare, following in the steps of corporate giant IKEA. I hope you agree that it is time for the presi- Further abroad, parts of Germany, Greece, Australia, and Ireland have dent of Montreal’s “Gaza U” to take a princi- introduced a plastic tax. Other parts of the world including the U.K., pled stand for real academic freedom. China, Bangladesh, and New York City are imposing initiatives to stop the It is an understatement to call Israel’s war mess. crimes an attack on academic freedom. I Aside from coastal pollution and the death of millions of animals, the urge you to join other academic groups such environmental consequences of plastic production are nearly as severe. as the Scottish Committee for the Plastic bags entail the extraction of oil, the creation of enormous amounts Universities of Palestine and California of greenhouse gases during production and transportation and further Scholars for Academic Freedom in calling on pollution during recycling. Plastic bags impose a heavy burden on the Israel to stop targeting the Gaza Strip’s edu- Earth’s biosphere. cational institutions. It is argued by some that the manufacturing of paper bags also uses a great deal of energy. But the simple fact is that paper does not stay in the —Dr. David Bernans, Ph.D. earth for 1,000 years or end up in the stomachs of dead albatrosses. Concordia University Alumnus Despite its highly recyclable nature, paper bags aren’t the solution to the problem of permanent pollution. For instance, re-using one cloth bag is Not just numbers more efficient than single use paper bags. Terrine Friday’s article in last week’s The North America has recently seen the inception of so-called “green” Link commits a grievous factual error when it plastic bags: oxo-biodegradable bags or starch-based recyclable bags. But states that Israel has killed “over 500 civil- these green bags are misleading. During production, these recyclable bags ians.” (Happy New Year, Jan. 6, pg. 5) While contaminate other very recyclable materials, making them less so. These there are certainly different statistics coming bags also require two years to breakdown in compost under the right con- out of various organizations with their vari- ditions. This problem is compounded by the limited availability of proper ous biases, it would be appropriate policy on composting facilities, which simply cannot match the number of recycla- Ms. Friday’s part to refer to the UN estimates. ble bags. These place the death toll of civilians at 25 Bathed in greenwash, these bags are also produced in factories that per cent of the total, which at the time was create greenhouse gases, require polluting transportation and contain 500 and since then has unfortunately risen. plastic. Although these “green” bags are a step in the right direction, they This is not merely a debate about numbers. avoid the best solution: re-using your own bag and creating less waste. Friday has decided to depict Israel’s The best thing for the environment right now is to use and re-use cloth attempts to defend its citizens as wholesale bags or organic cotton bags. Furthermore, it is evident that the problem is slaughter of innocents. This is enhanced by not just with plastic bags, but the use of plastics as a material. Plastics her very troubling decision to juxtapose don’t decompose; for 50 years they have sat in growing piles, Israel’s military actions with those of Hitler. threatening the life that continues to flourish with ever-greater difficulty In fact, using various means from pam- around them. phleteering to SMS messages, Israel has THE LINK • JANUARY 13, 2009 • THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA/OPINIONS OPINIONS 19 crswrdpzzlol editorial THE FOOD OF THE LINK • R. BRIAN HASTIE & BRUNO DE ROSA Where did your money Across 12 1. One of the many foods that can come from that 3 go? We don’t know “magical animal”; a pig. 3. Quebec's main export; the syrup of choice for the 4 Half a million dollars of student money is gone. non-diabetic breakfast and lunch. 5 When The Link wrote in late November that not all was well with the

4. From whatever generic animal this comes from, 6 Concordia Student Union’s books (“Student Union Admits Financial this can fit between two pieces of bread. Irregularity,” Nov. 25) the union’s first reaction was a legal letter requesting a 6. Orange vegetable that is known for improving 7 retraction while their second was a short-lived campaign of disinformation. eyesight or vicious stick that can cause blindness? No retraction was made. 7. Extinct bird that could make a good meal for the It’s discouraging to know that the CSU would take legal action against a adventurous and provides tasty breakfast egg. student paper whose mandate includes informing the students who the CSU 8. Preferred in the sweet chocolate variety, not the 89work for. bitter fungus kind. 10 11 Shortly thereafter, the CSU offered to disclose information about the union’s

10. Mysterious white spread that can be a part of 12 finances to The Link—but only if a special agreement was signed on behalf a sandwich, a salad or a horrible dessert. of The Link’s editorial staff. 13. Small fruits that comes on vines, preferably 13 The contract would have given the CSU the right to editorial input until May not involving wrath. 31, 2009 over all articles related to their finances. The Link does not believe

15. Known as a French stick, this looks more like a 14 15 in playing politics with student money and decided to run the risk of trusting blunt weapon than a side dish. the CSU with transparency on their own financial history. 16. These fruit beverages go into your mouth, not 16 Why would the CSU think that there would be a need for a binding agree- your veins. 17 18 19 ment whereby The Link would run the risk of being sued for content, unless 17. Green vegetable that should be washed before there was something to hide? being put into a sandwich; what food eats. This turn of events makes little sense. This mess is not that of president 20. Long yellow food that is tough to eat with its 20 Keyana Kashfi or her current executive, it was committed years before their skin on. 21 time.

21. Round flat bread that should never be used as 22 In that light, the CSU’s current relaying of information about their books has a substitute for a Frisbee. been astounding. Not only has there been no real disclosure of new informa- 22. Amazingly enough, most foods in the world tion, but the CSU executive are still hiding behind the fact that Council is now taste like this animal. Not quite the same as a aware of the questionable finances and that alone is important. rooster. issue 17 Student representatives being made aware of this situation is an improve- it’s seedless? solutionz ment, but there is much more to be done. Down M 12. Comes in either dry crunchy form or soggy bare- M L C UFC What’s important right now is the fact that our student union controls about 2. Best to spread this in its non-gaseous form. ly edible form. A PROGRESS $1.2 million obtained from student fees. Not only do Concordia students have AUTHOR I TY U I I 3. Whether you want the Brazilian kind or the hazel 14. Another circular food that has a wide variety of L E D CATC I I the right to know what their money is spent on but also how it’s spent and variety, this often comes in a tin container. possible toppings. Do not use as a substitute for a O LOANSHARK A misspent. C C K N E L 4. Round food filled with water and pulp. Not a Frisbee, no matter how overcooked it is. K H A I T STUFF The fact that CSU councillors were given a legal document to sign at E T M H A human head. 15. The smoky taste of charred meat in a thick liquid. I NCARCERAT I ON I C approximately 2:00 a.m. at the Nov. 12 Council meeting banning them from 5. Small red fruit whose jam can be used for an Pour generously on all fruits, vegetables and B L N E disclosing financial matters to people who gave the union their money to be HULAHOOPS G B assortment of fake injuries. desserts. A S O spent in their best interest is questionable and daunting. 7. Could the dough removed in the holes of this 18. Red spherical fruit that is close to impossible to EARTHDAY O So councillors, although they have done fairly well this academic year, are L D BANKS dessert be used for something else? share without a knife. Debate rages on if this is a A P I wavering between putting students’ best interests at heart or simply not. S E N 9. Too much of this candy tube can cause damage to vegetable. TECHNOLOGY President Kashfi herself noted that during the academic years of 2005-2007, your liver. Disliked by many due to its flavour. 19. With enough effort, milk can become this. Can R P when no financial statements were presented, “no alarm bells sounded […] S LANDLORD 11. Does this still count as a small spherical fruit if come in a multitude of colours, such as white and E nor did CSU Council raise any red flags.” We surely hope a warning bell has gone off to our current Council in realizing each one of them represents a voice for over 1,000 undergraduate students. Will the student body be shocked? Placated? Or has the student union’s THIS WEEK IN HISTORY JANUARY 17, 1995 stock sunk so low that it won’t attract the element of surprise? Poverty reigns in Montreal Even The Link was astonished by how easily the current financial muddle went unnoticed. “The financial records. How could we have overlooked their • JUSTIN GIOVANNETTI financial records?” many editors asked, vacillating over an opportunity that had long since vanished. As the Canadian economy is pulled Of course in the ideal world, this duty should fall only on the shoulders of into a dramatic global recession, a retro- the CSU. But in reality, the students have a responsibility to check up on their spective on the fallout from Canada’s last investments from time to time—whether or not they’ve invested in a bear major downturn during the mid ‘90s is market. in order. According to the CSU executive, there have been no requests to see their At the tail end of five years of econom- financial documents this academic year. Concordia’s 30,000 undergraduate ic malaise, Montreal found itself in dis- students have chosen a path, and their investments, their education and their mal shape in 1995. student life has suffered. “Neighborhoods that once made up previously mentioned neighborhoods industry were gone for good. Instead, The current CSU executive has insisted they’ve “implemented new controls the industrial heartland of Canada are were on welfare and 15,000 people were systemic poverty gripped le Sud-Ouest and improvements,” as noted by Kashfi. However outlining the positive now listed by Statistics Canada among homeless across the island. for the better part of a decade. improvements in financial tracking and responsibility of the current executive the poorest in the nation. Areas like Philip Amsel, a member of the NDG In a prophetic interview, Royal Bank does not provide insight for previous wrongdoings. Point St. Charles, St. Henri and Little Anti-Poverty Group, said that the pover- economist Benoit Durocher warned that, To the current CSU executives: the half a million deficit is not your fault. It’s Burgundy have gradually deteriorated ty situation was different from previous “the jobs being created today are for understood that you inherited a setback near the beginning of your mandate, into industrial ghost towns with boarded recessions because it was concentrated skilled workers in fields like pharmaceu- but where did that money go? Could it be that the student union has too much up businesses and abandoned build- among the middle class due to the loss of ticals, telecommunications, information money to lose? An auditor’s report of “denial of opinion” doesn’t give a clear ings,” wrote The Link journalist Adam blue-collar jobs. “These are people […] technology and biotechnology.” enough picture. Emery. that never would have had these finan- The jarring consequences of the early A deficit has been collected, interest is owed on money that was borrowed, Unwary Montrealers awoke to being cial problems 20 years ago. Poverty is ‘90s recession would signal the end of the taxman wants his unclaimed share and bank accounts have been seized. “the poverty capital of Canada,” accord- growing in Montreal because there aren’t Montreal’s industrial base. Although the Too much is still in the air, and the final price is anything but certain. ing to StatsCan. A quarter of Montreal’s enough jobs being created.” economy has been improving for nearly So in light of the discovery of the financial mess, we want answers. It’s households earned less than $10,000 a The jobs that Amsel lamented the loss a decade, no sustained recovery has yet our money, too. Show us the financial documents, president Kashfi. Show us year, a third were below the poverty line of would never return to the city; textiles, to elevate many areas of the island to the documents. of $20,000, half the populations of the unskilled manufacturing and heavy they’re past prosperity. —Terrine Friday, News Editor