2006/04April/11
Transcription
2006/04April/11
theGazette www.gazette.uwo.ca Western’s Daily Student Newspaper • Est.1906 High 17C Low 5C Volume 99 Thanks for a great Volume 99, Western!... VOLUME 99, ISSUE 101 • TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2006 Course wins award By Claire Neary Gazette Staff Lindsay McNab/Gazette WHAT A GOOD-LOOKING BUNCH. The staff of Volume 99 takes its final bow. Just because the photo was taken in a bowling alley doesn’t make the ‘boy, they sure took The Gazette into the gutter’ jokes funny. Gun-toting man arrested in Westmin By Claire Neary Gazette Staff Westminster residence experienced a scare this past weekend when a visitor was charged with the possession of illicit drugs as well as a concealed weapon. John Moore, a 22-year-old male who is not a Western student, was legitimately signed into Westminster on Friday night when residence life staff called campus police and reported that Moore was causing problems. “We believe that Moore was visiting a former girlfriend who is a Western student, and that he was also trying to contact another friend at the residence,” said Campus Community Police Services director Elgin Austen. When the CCPS arrived, Moore was initially arrested for mischief. However, when Moore was handcuffed, police found that he had been concealing a gun in his pants. The search revealed that Moore was also concealing drugs, and that he may have been attempting to sell the drugs on campus. The investigation was immediately passed to the London Police Service, who charged Moore with possession of ecstasy for the purpose of trafficking, and possession of crack-cocaine and marijuana, along with several other charges related to the unauthorized possession of a firearm. Moore has been banned from campus and is currently in jail, awaiting sentencing. According to LPS media rela- tions officer Amanda Pfeffer, Moore already had a criminal record which prohibited him from possessing any kind of weapon. “Although these are all extremely serious offences, Moore was not charged with issuing any threats, and at no time did he attempt to use his gun,” Pfeffer said. Susan Grindrod, associate vicepresident of housing and ancillary services, said Western is always reviewing its security policies in order to ensure student safety. “Although this is the last year we will be using Westminster as a residence, we take security in all residences very seriously. It can be hard to establish a balance between living in an environment that is both safe and feels like home, but safety is our first priori- ty,” Grindrod said. “Despite this occurrence, Western is known to be a very safe campus,” Austen said. “But it is important for everyone to work together to make sure this reputation continues. For example, students need to take every measure to avoid attracting drug dealers to campus, and they can do this by monitoring their own personal behaviour. “Dealers would not be here unless they thought that people were willing to buy drugs… We rely on honest individuals to help us prevent these types of occurrences,” Austen added. “If you have friends who are having problems with drugs, Student Health Services should be your first source for help,” Austen said. Honors English students have the opportunity to take an award-winning seminar that is the first of its kind in the field of Restoration and 18th-century drama. Western English professor Lisa Zeitz was honoured by The American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies with the 2005-06 award for Innovative Course Design on April 1. Zeitz received the award for her creation of a new course titled Performing the Past: Restoration and 18th-Century Dramas. According to Zeitz, the course brings together canonical plays from the Restoration period and the 18th century and contemporary plays from the 1980s to the present that re-stage the drama and the theatre history of that period. “Unlike other survey courses, my seminar brings the past and the present into conversation with each other, and asks big questions about how we imagine historically and how the past is re-figured and interpreted and, most importantly, why we should be interested in the past in the first place,” Zeitz said. Zeitz won the award along with her former student Cameron McFarlane, who now holds a tenure-track teaching position at Nipissing University. “This course was a true seminar because it was based on the assumption that students were prepared for each class and ready for discussion,” Zeitz added. “It was my favourite course ever,” said Abbie Borland, a member of the seminar. “Dr. Zeitz is really encouraging of students’ ideas, and she pushes you to get involved at a higher level than most undergraduate courses,” she added. “She makes you feel like you’re contributing to academia.” Last year the class was full within the first 24 hours of registration, as enrolment is capped at 16 students. Minn. challenges English-challenged profs By Cigdem Iltan Gazette Staff Minnesota professors who have difficulty lecturing clearly in English will soon face an examination by a task force established last Wednesday. With the establishment of the task force, the newly formed Minnesota Higher Education Committee will address a problem that exists in the American college and university system, said Bud Heidgerken, a member of Minnesota’s House of Representatives. “Once the bill was introduced and the elements of what it entailed were publicized, feedback from students who could relate to the bill poured in,” he said. “I received e-mails of horror stories… students were avoiding certain universities and classes because of the fear of not being able to understand their professor’s English. “We realize there’s a problem out there, and we have to address this issue — and address it fairly,” Heidgerken said. The task force will consist of students, state representatives, and state secretaries. The goal will be to establish one standard of English language proficiency within the state of Minnesota, Heidgerken said. “We’re going to try to come up with a standard for all professors in a classroom. We have a lot of students with scholarships and financial aid… it has reached the point where students are having to withdraw from courses, and lose their financial aid,” he said. Western does not have any formal tests to gauge the language proficiency of its professors, but the selection process is such that the ability to communicate efficiently is vital to a professor’s appointment, said Alan Weedon, vice- provost of academic planning, policy, and faculty at Western. “All of our faculty are appointed to their positions through a specific process… this includes an interview, and also commonly includes a professor giving a sample lecture, or seminar to a panel. Part of our decision to hire them is [based on] the lecture,” he said. Faculty members who teach a course at Western also experience course evaluations, Weedon added. “That would be an opportunity to hear about any problems regarding language proficiency,” he said. Weedon also said he is not able to recall any student complaints regarding a particular faculty member’s English proficiency. Third-year civil engineering student Stephen Black said he is content with the level of English proficiency among Western professors, although some of his classmates have expressed concerns regarding certain classes. “I think it is up to the students to be able to adjust to the accents [certain] professors may have,” he said. “In the real world, not everyone you encounter will be able to speak English perfectly, and you have to be able to adjust.” P2 ➤ news theGazette • TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2006 Student stocks Einstein’s snacks By Dave Joyce Gazette Staff Although final exams are an endless source of stress for students, they also bring a few benefits — like a great excuse for snacking. This year, stressed-out students looking for late-night treats can eat happily, knowing their food is provided by a fellow undergrad. Einstein’s Café, located in Taylor Library, now stocks a range of treats supplied by Circles & Squares, a student-run bakery. The snacks were brought to Western by Andrew Hamer, a fourth-year business student, and the business development manager for the fledgling bakery. According to Hamer, the bakery is the brainchild of longtime friend David Baxter, a student at Tyndale College in Toronto. “Around October or November, we were talking — he was working for another bakery, and saw an opportunity. A lot of the bigger bakeries were starting to chase the big grocery stores, forgetting about their smaller clients in the process,” Hamer said. In December, Hamer joined Circles & Squares, working to expand the bakery’s client base and providing creative input on Baxter’s ideas. Circles & Squares’ main challenge is competing with larger bakeries. Hamer explained that flexibility is one of the only advantages for a smaller company. “Instead of trying to push a set product line on the customer, we ask what they need,” he said. Einstein’s manager Denise McPherson agreed, noting that customer feedback is essential to the café’s operations. “I don’t want people just buying something without any feedback,” she said. According to McPherson, Hamer is the first student to do something like this, and the response so far has been great. One of the snacks’ selling points is the packaging, as many packets are not only re-sealable, but also noiseless. What about the products themselves? Hamer said favourites include the chocolate-covered espresso beans and, for healthy eaters, the fruit and nut square and multigrain cookie. “Personally, for taste alone, the cheesecake brownie is just incredible,” Hamer said. “We all work hard here at university, so we all deserve to indulge once in awhile.” MOVING? Low, Low Rates! We buy & sell furniture FREE pickup & WE PAY CASH! Local and Long-Distance Moving Anywhere in Canada “Let us make your move, smooth as silk” Cell: 519-319-7215 • 662 Dundas St. Call: 667-0527 98.89.C.01 Review of The Faculty of Information and Media Studies A Senate Decanal Selection Committee for the Faculty of Information and Media Studies has been constituted and is now engaged in a review of the Faculty’s operations in preparation for the selection of the next Dean. Input from faculty members, staff, and students forms an important part of the assessment of the Faculty’s scholarly and educational programs, its academic plans for the future, and its administration. This input also will be most valuable as the Committee develops a sense of the characteristics that are most important in the next Dean, and in the selection process itself. External Reviewers will visit the campus on April 25 and 26, 2006. They will meet with members of the University and Faculty administrations and with representatives of particular constituencies within the Faculty, including students, to seek their views about the Faculty’s operations. The Reviewers’ itinerary also will include an open meeting to which faculty members, staff and students will be invited. The External Reviewers are: Dr. Vincent Mosco, CRC in Communication and Society, Department of Sociology, Queen’s University Dr. Edie Rasmussen, Professor and Director, School of Library, Archival and Information Studies, University of British Columbia Dr. Leonard Ray Teel, Professor and Director, Centre for International Media Education, Department of Communication, Georgia State University Faculty, staff, and students in the Faculty of Information and Media Studies are encouraged to make written submissions regarding any aspect of the Faculty’s operations, and the characteristics required to be a successful Dean in this Faculty at this time. Submissions may be addressed directly to: “External Reviewers Faculty of Information and Media Studies, c/o The Office of the Provost”, prior to Friday, April 21, 2006. Submissions addressed in this manner will be reviewed only by the External Reviewers and will otherwise be held in strict confidence. Those wishing to make comments directly to the Selection Committee may address them to: Fred Longstaffe, Provost and Vice-President (Academic), and Chair of the Decanal Selection Committee for the Faculty of Information and Media Studies, Stevenson-Lawson Building, Room 115, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B8. These submissions will be shared with Committee members but otherwise kept in strict confidence. 99.91.C.02 Reality Check Jen Johnston/Gazette HIS GAME IS DUNN. USC President Ryan Dunn is helped off the field after suffering a knee injury in Sunday’s USC/Gazette football clash. The extent of Dunn’s injury is unknown, but he owes Gazette Editor-in-Chief Mark Polishuk $0.45 in gas money for driving him to the hospital. Gazette wins! By Matt Larkin Gazette Staff Ninety-nine years of The Gazette may mean 99 problems, but a loss to the University Students’ Council ain’t one. The scrappy Gazette squad outhit and outhustled a timid USC team for a 35-21 victory in Sunday’s annual Gazette-USC football game to continue its winning streak against the politicians. Led by news editor Mitch Tucker, whose outstanding play on both sides of the ball earned him game MVP honours, the Gazetters relied on an explosive ground game, some tricky passing plays, and a ravenous defence that left the USC bloodied and field general Ryan Dunn hospitalized. The Gazette set the tone on the game’s opening drive with a long completion from pivot Adam Gibson to wideout Brad Yandon, followed by a Tucker touchdown run. “[Tucker is] just a tank to take down,” said new social science councillor Neil Duffy. “He is like Jamal Lewis. You go at him, you can hit him, but he’s going to break the first two or three or four tackles. No one is going to take him down single-handedly.” The USC’s first two possessions were downright disastrous. USC President Dunn, the team’s quarterback, was picked off by Dan Dedic on his first pass of the day. Yandon picked off Dunn’s next pass and went the distance for a return touchdown; worse yet, Dunn collapsed on the play after his knee buckled and was helped off the field. “It has to be a little demoralizing,” said Gazette sports editor and incoming Editor-in-Chief Ian Van Den Hurk. “That guy’s their leader. He’s the USC President, so I’m sure that was a bit of a downer for them. When he went down it was pretty symbolic. I think the game was over at that point.” Led by outgoing Science Students’ Council President Tom Stevenson, the USC rallied for a quick score after Dunn’s exit. The resilient Gazetters answered right back with a Dedic touchdown catch and escaped the first half with a 21-7 lead. Early in the second half, graphics editor Brice Hall made a nifty run after a catch for an early touchdown to put The Gazette up 28-7. The game appeared out of reach, but the USC capitalized on a fatigued Gazette defence to score two straight touchdowns. News editor Ian Denomme, however, broke the USC’s collective heart late in the half. Left wide open, he bolted for the end zone and caught a touchdown pass from Gibson to put the nail in the coffin. The Denomme score put the finishing touches on a game in which the USC couldn’t stop the Gazetters’ smashmouth running game or match their defensive grit. “They just didn’t have the guys who were willing to bang bodies,” Denomme said. “I think they lacked heart and didn’t want to get hurt. They’re politicians, you know, so they have to keep their faces pretty and can’t afford to get banged up before they go in front of the cameras.” CORRECTION NOTICE Friday’s paper reported the upcoming lecture from Canada’s Justice Minister Vic Toews will take place in Room 36 of the law building at 1:30 p.m. on April 21. In fact, Toews will be speaking on Wednesday, April 12. The Gazette regrets the error and, frankly, we’re mad that our last freakin’ issue had a correction notice. 3-day forecast Wednesday Thursday Friday Chance of thunder- showers High 18C Low 8C Cloudy periods High 15C Low 4C Scattered showers High 17C Low 4C Weather news ➤ P3 theGazette • TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2006 Volume 99’s head honchos get their last word Shuk Shuk Goose Mark Polishuk Editor-in-Chief *cues up that Vitamin C song* I hate starting off my last Gazette column with a cliché, but time really does fly when you’re having fun. It has been five years since I first stepped through the doors of UCC Room 263, a longer span of time than it takes most people to get their degrees. A lot of you reading No guts, No Lori Lori Mastronardi Deputy Editor I took a deep breath when I woke up this morning. And I’ll take several more before the day is through. See, today is a big day. An emotional one. A memorable one, I’m sure. It’s the last day I’ll be part of The Gazette, a publication I’ve contributed to for the past four years. I knew this day would come; there were definitely warning signs along the way. As this year’s Deputy Goy meets world Aron Yeomanson Managing Editor Nobody deserves a bigger shoutout than this year’s editorial board. The editors worked their tails off to bring you an informative, entertaining and thought-provoking newspaper every day. They were dependable, talented and more than capable of overcoming my occasional Michael Scott-from-The Office moments as their ‘boss.’ As for my two front office mates Lori and Aron, I couldn’t have asked for a better duo to share the year with. I’d also like to salute you, the readers. The Gazette is many things to many people, and we try to provide something for all of these viewpoints with a happy medium of hard news and wacky articles. I can state with confidence that we do this better than any student newspaper I’m familiar with in Canada. I’m proud of our paper, and I’m proud of Western’s pride in our paper — it’s gratifying to overhear people in The Spoke talking about one of our articles, whether it’s positive or negative. Even the negative comments are appreciated (well, some of them), since it shows that students care about their newspaper. Some of you even show your appreciation, like that one drunk guy at the Ceeps who pointed at me, shouted ‘SHUKVISION!” and offered to buy me a beer. He then waited 10 seconds and repeated the entire routine again, apparently having forgotten about the first time. Ah, the trials of being a minor campus celebrity. I feel like I’ve graduated twice — once getting the official piece of paper in sweaty Alumni Hall, and now today, with the last issue of my Gazette career. I wish all the best to Volume 100’s staff in finishing off our first century with a bang, and to all future Gazetters to keep the paper strong. Thanks for reading the newspaper. Editor, I shared an office with Mark Polishuk, Editor-in-Chief, and he ensured I knew whenever a significant amount of time had passed. “Lori, it’s Issue 25. Wow, we’re a quarter of the way through.” “Mark, shhh. We have lots of time left.” “Lori, it’s Issue 50 — you know what that means. We’re halfway there.” “Mark! I don’t want to think about it.” “Lori…” “Mark…” “Lori…” “MARK…” I guess my rationale was just to get through each day, enjoy each day, and think about the future when the future became the present. Well, ready or not, here it is. I’m sure many of you can relate to how I’m feeling . Maybe you were a varsity athlete. Maybe a Theatre Western star. Or maybe a member of the Improv Club. Whatever the case, if you’re graduating and parting ways with something you belonged to for so long, you’re probably feeling quite nostalgic. People keep reminding me that everything I do today, no matter how tedious, is the last time I’ll be doing it. This Is It. Every song I hear sounds a little bit different; every hello and goodbye, more meaningful. But today I’m thankful. I’m thankful my roommate in first year introduced me to The Gazette. I’m thankful someone took a chance on me and hired me on as an Arts & Entertainment Editor. And, most importantly, I’m thankful I had the opportunity to work with some of the greatest people I’ll ever meet. I don’t think I could have asked for more from my Western experience. I had the opportunity to work for a publication I respect, one that I am proud to have been a part of, and one that, quite frankly, changed the person I am today. Well, this is it. As Mark so kindly reminded me this morning, there’s only one issue left of The Gazette’s Volume 99 — and you’re reading it. I am happy to be leaving Volume 100 in the hands of Ian Van Den Hurk, Anna Coutts and Matt Larkin. They have the passion and the talent to maintain The Gazette’s longstanding tradition of being the nation’s leading student newspaper. I’m excited to see what’s ahead. I’ll be reading. I hope you will be, too. position. The greatest thing about the paper is the people who contribute to it, and the greatest thing about being Managing Editor is dealing directly with those people. Every contributor to this paper is talented, dedicated and has my utmost respect. You made my university experience. To those of you reading this, thinking The Gazette might be for you, don’t hesitate to get involved. It’ll be the best decision you make — I’ll guarantee it. Whether you’re into sports, news, entertainment, photography, or are just looking for a cool place to eat between classes, UCC Room 263 will be your kind of place. Volunteering is easy, fun, and, in my opinion, way more valuable than some $20,000 piece of paper. And so, the time has come to walk out the door. While I do, three eager people will pass me by on their way in. That’s The Gazette’s greatest strength. People move on, but the paper gets better volume after volume. It’s an amazing cycle. Every year, students become volunteers, volunteers become editors, and a few lucky editors become front office members. Next year’s lucky few — Ian Van Den Hurk, Anna Coutts, and Matt Larkin — are some of the best people I have ever known. Their editorial board looks equally promising. Volume 100 will undoubtedly be the best yet. So, my final farewell: To all those who came before, thanks for the inspiration. To those who worked with me, thanks for the memories and so much more. Finally, to those who come after, have fun. Remember, this experience comes once in a lifetime and, before you know it, you’ll be sitting at a desk, writing the only column you won’t want to write. ENTER THE e-WORLD solution to today’s puzzle ( from page 11) $100/account plus residual money to carry over for 6 months 9 2 6 7 8 3 5 1 4 3 4 7 5 1 6 8 9 2 5 3 8 1 2 4 7 6 9 1 6 9 3 5 7 4 2 8 4 7 2 9 6 8 3 5 1 7 9 1 8 3 5 2 4 6 6 8 3 2 4 9 1 7 5 digiBee.net 2 5 4 6 7 1 9 8 3 GRPDLQVD\HDU ZHEKRVWLQJDPRQWK DIIRUGDEOHZHEGHVLJQ GLJL%HHQHW www.gazette.uwo.ca 0) Global company wants sales reps to sell e-marketing campaigns & internet solutions to businesses across Canada. Call David at 1–866–993–0002 Work from anywhere! www.creativewsiebizsolutions.com JUST AROUND THE CORNER VARSITY MILLS Gives you more for your rent. St. fort Beau West ern R d. Going Fast! . fe Rd rnclif Wha A NEW Student TOWNHOME development that’s ,affordable, spaciouus, luxurious. Give us a call...before there gone! 1 Thames River Varsity Mills t Eas St. d for Ox est t. W S d or Oxf CALL 435-1445 Spacious Rooms and walk to Campus Unbeatable location near Gibbons Park, Bike and Walking Trails Learn more at… www.varsitymills.com 99.93.C.05 • Private Access to Fitness Centre & Study Centre • Large Bright Windows • Large, Brand new kitchens, includes dishwasher • 5 appliances included • A/C • Spacious Bedrooms • Window Coverings in every room • 2 and a Half Baths in every unit • HighSpeed internet available in each room PLUS easy access to Campus! 7REHHRUQRWWREHH" 99.98.C.07 8 1 5 4 9 2 6 3 7 99.101.C.4 I don’t want to write this column. Goodbyes, after all, are never easy. While I couldn’t feel more privileged to be in a position to write these words, it seems like this has come too soon. Three years ago I never imagined I’d be writing a year-end column as the Managing Editor of Canada’s finest student newspaper. Having enjoyed The Gazette on a daily basis, I knew the paper enhanced my life. However, I never imagined it would become my life. After two years of university and several minutes pacing outside The Gazette’s door — hellos, it seemed, weren’t that easy either — I finally made the plunge. Starting at the paper as a sports writer, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. Thanks to tutelage from the likes of the extremely ‘sharp-looking’ Ian Denomme and everybody’s favourite ‘Chinadian’ David Lee, I was deemed good enough to become a Sports Editor, which eventually led to my current this weren’t even at Western when I started volunteering at The Gazette, which makes me feel older than even my premature baldness indicates. Working for this paper has not just introduced me to some great friends and been an incredibly creative experience, but it has also given me a passion for journalism that I hope to turn into a career. I started university with the stereotypical English student goal of “being a writer, or something,” but I am now looking to become the next Clark Kent, including the wirerimmed glasses and (if possible) superpowers. P4 ➤ opinions theGazette • TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2006 theGazette Volume 99, Issue 101 “This is the end. My only friend, the end.” — THE DOORS Mark Polishuk Lori Mastronardi Aron Yeomanson Editor-In-Chief Deputy Editor Managing Editor Editor - gazette.editor@uwo.ca Deputy - gazette.deputy.editor@uwo.ca Managing - gazette.managing.editor@uwo.ca website at www.gazette.uwo.ca University Community Centre Rm. 263 The University of Western Ontario London, Ontario, CANADA. N6A 3K7 Advertising Dept.: (519) 661-3579, Fax: (519) 661-3960 Editorial Offices: (519) 661-3580, Fax: (519) 661-3825 The Gazette is owned and published by the University Students’ Council. Awareness key to safety A straw poll among The Gazette staff showed almost a 5050 split between those who feel safe on campus and those who don’t. With another frightening incident on campus last week, some are questioning how safe our campus actually is. On Friday, a 22-year-old, who is not a student, was arrested in Westminster residence and charged on eight different counts, including possession of a firearm. He was also in possession of ecstasy and marijuana, which he was attempting to sell within the residence. He was arrested by London police and has since appeared in court. But this incident, combined with last week’s armed holdups, has some students understandably questioning their safety. It is generally assumed that campus is very safe. Most would agree that it is well lit, the blue-light safety poles are helpful as is Foot Patrol and, if you are familiar with campus, you feel safe walking across it. Many people, however, feel less safe after dark on campus. Foot Patrol is not always available and some appear hesitant to use the service, in fear of losing a sense of pride. Even for those who do feel safe, it may just be a false sense of security. The further from Concrete Beach one endeavours, the less safe it generally becomes. There’s a chance of letting your guard down when you think you’re safe, but we must remember anything can happen on campus. Regardless of the measures in place, what can be done to make campus safer? The suspect in the Westminster incident was signed into the building by a student who lives in the residence. Beyond installing metal detectors into residences it would be difficult to prevent a similar incident, and it is highly unlikely that any student would want metal detectors in their home away from home. Event staff works at residences on weekends and for special events, but maybe they should be present all the time. It seems controlling, but if it prevents crime it should be worth it. While the media may sometimes overstate a crime problem, such as the problems in London or Toronto last summer, it only takes a couple of instances in close proximity to develop fears. An increase in crime doesn’t necessarily represent an outbreak in criminals, as isolated incidents sometimes occur on a short timeline. Students need to be somewhat responsible for their own well-being. When there is an incident it is important to learn from it. It is also important not to get stuck in a bubble mentality, and to be aware of your surroundings. Western is relatively safe, but it is not perfect. Last week’s incidents prove we are not always safe on campus and we need to take advantage of all available services. We can, however, take solace in the fact that no one was hurt in the incidents and the authorities acted quickly to make campus more secure. There is no need to be scared, but be aware and use your common sense. Let’s drink to Playboy Re:“McGill makes Playboy,” April 7, 2006. To the Editor: I was distraught to see that Western was left off Playboy’s list of the “Top 10 Party Schools” in North America. Our Frosh Week (excuse me, “Orientation Week”) and Homecoming celebrations are widely regarded as the best in the country, we have an extremely lively bar scene and Saugeen’s reputation needs no elaboration. Regardless of all these things, we were still left off the list. Therefore, I am challenging myself and the rest of Western’s student body to raise our alcoholism to new levels, in an effort to get the international recognition we truly deserve, and have rightfully earned! Ben Rich Political Science II sexual latitude of the women who reject him, but I hope for everyone’s sake he’s not representative of the male geek population. 4. A daily dose of ‘smart’: Someday I’m sure my tits will be saggy and my ass less ‘compact,’ as Mr. Ahmad predicts, though I’m quite sure I’ll still be far from requiring whatever wealth he imagines he’ll have, much less his mediocre brand of ‘smart.’ Finally, as a geek of the female persuasion, I’d just like to point out that this entire article-letter series which The Gazette elected to publish has demonstrated a new low in sexist, brainless, painful-to-read campus ‘literature.’ Did it occur to anyone at any time that there are women on this campus? And that we have to read this crap, too? Here’s a startling revelation for Mr. Ahmad and any so-called ‘geeks’ who share his opinions: women don’t not dig you because you’re ‘too smart,’ they don’t like you because you’re an asshole. Sarah Ghabrial Like sex, sexism always gets people excited Re:“I love gettin’ my whore on,” March 31, 2006. To the Editor: There are several matters on which I doubt I will ever require Israr Ahmad’s assistance: 1. Sudoku: I prefer the New York Times Sunday Crossword. 2. Sexual theories: I get the feeling the only sex Mr. Ahmad is familiar with exists entirely in theory. 3. The hospitality of my (or any) vagina: Again, something I’m not surprised Mr. Ahmad has not had much exposure to, considering his, oh I dunno, deeply misogynist and borderline violent opinions on women. Not sure how or when Mr. Ahmad decided it was his right to call any woman a ‘dirty skank,’ or to speculate on the International and Comparative Studies and Political Science IV grating the entire female gender when I was merely offering a valid description for a specific group of women, based on its actions and approach to men, not the female gender; questioned my upbringing; and lastly, assumed I was not dealt the “alpha male” card. Which brings me to the issue at hand. Ms. Mohr: How did you come to the conclusion that I had no success with women? I thought that was awfully hurtful. Luckily, it’s also awfully untrue, so I’m already over it. Please do not deride the women’s movement by assuming that my incredibly hilarious, although politically incorrect, comments would weaken it. Women’s rights aren’t about simplistic political correctness but of political and social progress. Please be cautious in making weak references to women’s rights. Also, it’s important that when you profess your knowledge of proper debating techniques that you adhere to them. Whores are whores, be they men or women. Israr Ahmad Social Science II Re:“‘Dirty skanks’ isn’t a typical rights slogan,” April 5, 2006. To the Editor: I am appalled that since Lisa Mohr doesn’t agree with Israr Ahmad‘s views she thinks that his letter should not have been printed. I applaud The Gazette for upholding the doctrine of freedom of speech, one of, if not the most important freedoms. I hope Ms. Mohr will remember that “sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me” and realize that everybody is entitled to his or her opinion, regardless of how ludicrous it is. Thomas Armstrong Medical Biophysics II To the Editor: Ms. Mohr, I was disappointed that because of one letter, you fantastically assumed that it jeopardized women’s rights; questioned Western’s commitment to them; accused me of deni- No ‘Panties for Panama?’ To the Editor: The e-mail promoting the “Negligee’s For Niger” event boldly emphasized “cheap drinks, sex toys and condoms galore,” while the information about donations was typed in a smaller font. I know this was a good ploy from a marketing perspective. However, by leaving promotions to the Purple Spur, too much emphasis was placed on the party, rather than the actual cause. If people got together to celebrate because they contributed to something positive, then the event was a success; but if they went for more shallow reasons, then they abused the cause, and that is sickening. Dennis Sinanan Political Science II Editorials appearing under the ‘opinions’ heading are decided upon by a majority of the editorial board and are written by a member of the editorial board but are not necessarily the expressed opinion of each editorial board member. All other opinions are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the USC, The Gazette, its editors or staff. Section Editors 2005-2006 News Ravi Amarnath Ian Denomme Nancy Gray Mitch Tucker Arts & Entertainment Anna Coutts Chad Nevett Associate Editor Dallas Curow News - gazette.news@uwo.ca Malcolm Aboud, Julie Achilles, Erin Baker, Marshall Bellamy, Dino Bratic, Krystale Sports - gazette.sports@uwo.ca Campbell, Rachel Cartwright, Mark Chesterman, Andrew Cionga, Chris Clarke, Jessi- A&E - gazette.entertainment@uwo.ca ca Collins, Leah Crane, Alana Daley, Kate Daley, Jennifer Davidson, Dan Dedic, Brian Campus Life - gazette.campus@uwo.ca Fauteux, Desiree Gamotin, Brian Gasparek, Ryan Gauss, Adam Gibson, Dominika L. Letters: Must include the contributor’s name, identification (ie. Economics II, Dean of Arts) and a telephone number, and be typed double-spaced, submitted on disk in Macintosh or IBM word-processing format, or be emailed to gazette.editor@uwo.ca. Letters more than 300 words or judged by the Editor-In-Chief to be libellous, sexist or racist will not be published. The Gazette reserves the right to edit letters and submissions and makes no guarantees that a letter will be published. Sports James Hayes Matt Larkin Ian Van Den Hurk Opinions Jonathan Yazer Opinions - gazette.opinions@uwo.ca Grzelak, Conor Houlihan, Cigdem Iltan, Nina Janowski, Holleh Javidan, Dave Joyce, Photo Jen Boucher Cole Yates Gazette Composing Mike Last, David Lee, Scott Legree, Aaron Lynett, Ryan Mackay, Kyle Malashewski, Ian Greaves, Manager Cheryl Forster, Maja Anjoli-Bilic Andrew Mastronardi, Maggie McCutcheon, Heather Miles, Bonita Mok, Claire Neary, Gazette Advertising Stephanie Ramsay, Joel Saucier, Leah Stevenson-Hastings, Andrew Sullivan, Antonio • Please recycle this newspaper • Campus Life Allison Buchan-Terrell Tina Taus Graphics Brice Hall Web Dallas Curow Shawn Foster Gazette Staff 2005-2006 Shawn Katuwapitiya, Sarvenaz Kermanshahi, Tim Kocur, Travis Kruger, Tyler Kula, Alex McKay, Manager Doug Warrick, Mark Ritchie, Sandra Rule Danielle Neziol, Wahid Pabani, Alex Paterson, Dave Picard, Sarah Prickett, Jon Purdy, Tan, Georgia Tanner, Elynn Tucker, Jessica Waks, Dave Ward, Sheila Weekes, Lulu Wei, Jennie Wilhelm, Alex Williams, Dave Winter, Brad Yandon, Shree Ziradkar opinions ➤ P5 theGazette • TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2006 Care for a life with your degree? They perform tasks and possess skills I could not possibly dream to understand. But if you’re as smart and educated as you say you are, then perhaps you can recognize a joke for what it is, not a personal attack against your divinely blessed studies. Re: “Do you want a BA with your Fries Supreme?” April 7, 2006. To the Editor: I was surprised to say the least at Mark Bruder’s negative response to my letter last week. Mr. Bruder, I believe you took my words the wrong way, as they were not meant as a shot at your faculty. I have nothing but the utmost respect for engineers. You take far more courses than I do, your work is far more complex and you do something I could never hope to wrap my brain around. In my letter I attempted to point out the ridiculous research fetish this school seems to have. I could have easily said that the school wastes money on the Canadian Chair for the study of cell divisions of ostrich eggs. I never once said engineering was a waste of time or that “sausage fest” scrawled on the Engineering Building this week was a hilarious truth. You made this personal and took it personally. I would, however, like to thank you for your point that a study in the Arts is utterly useless. I have never been able to grasp why some engineers feel the need to point out that English or film is useless. I take it your life is completely devoid of anything creative; you don’t watch TV, movies, listen to music, read books for recreation, or enjoy anything other than Engineering? If that is the case, then it’s a shame because an education in the arts and humanities is about enriching your life and exploring the nuances, the beauty and sometimes the sadness that exist in this world. As I said, I respect engineers. Tim Lade Honors Film IV Re: “Care for a life with your degree?” April 11, 2006. To the Editor: Your statement offended me because it is easy for people to make fun of what engineers do by stringing together long and difficult words. I agree some research is fruitless in many faculties, but because engineering research helps save lives, I took it personally. My wording was meant to mock the standard relationship between Arts students and engineers. It was a joke, as was yours, and I hoped that most engineers and Arts students would catch on. I have no concern with anything you said. Just understand that most engineers take their work seriously. would it mute the game if over 75 per cent of the people were there to watch basketball? If The Spoke is the only place on campus broadcasting the game, why couldn’t these guys have played somewhere else? Like the patio. Hell, considering it was only a couple of friends there to watch them, they could’ve played at home. How are the college basketball finals supposed to be taken seriously when a band that resembles Tenacious D is littering the air with its awful acoustic noise? This was one of the biggest sporting events of the year; surely someone working at The Spoke was aware of this. Although the bar tried to save face by giving us the volume back for the last three minutes, by then the game was a blowout and the majority of people had already left. A little word of advice to The Spoke: Next time, when there is a championship game on, kindly ask the corner peddling musicians to stay outside where they belong. Matt Demeo Administrative and Commercial Studies III Mark Bruder It’s called a ‘Talk about Spoof Issue a buzzkill’ Civil Engineering III Re:“April Fool’s Insert,” April 1, 2006. To the Editor: I would really like to know who the scheduling genius was at The Spoke Monday night (April 3). I mean, who would hire an acoustic duo to interrupt the NCAA basketball championships? Talk about a buzzkill. I understand that The Spoke wants to attract more patrons by having bands play, but why the hell To the Editor: When did Western’s Daily Student Newsletter become such a filthy tabloid? I think there’s a certain line between what’s comedic and funny, and what’s plain rude and demoralizing. Many others like myself feel strongly that the line was crossed in these past publications. This makes me wonder what our institution stands for: display- ing such tasteless, borderline pornographic pictures that humiliate not only us students but our university’s core values. The Gazette is funded by student fees and, as a student, I’m ashamed to be a part of this morally depraved publication. They want our $? Hard to believe... Doreen Hsu To the Editor: Wow — pretty much that’s all I can say after reading The Gazette last Friday. I was astonished as to how much indecent material was present. To the editor: what were you thinking?! How would this not offend the general readership of this newspaper? Yes, we are university students, and yes, we are open-minded, but this goes beyond all that. How do you justify putting soft-core pornography in a daily university newspaper? At least the editor had the decency to cover the faces of those on the cover-page picture. But still, knowing all well the incident which tarnished our university’s reputation, do we really need to start showing those images again as a refresher? Do show a bit more restraint the next time you try to create a “comedic” issue and consider using taste and common sense. My degree is a monetary investment for me, and by destroying the image of this institution, you are decreasing its value, and frankly, I will not tolerate that. To the Editor: Last summer I borrowed a book from Taylor Library and returned it a few days before it was due. A few days later I received an e-mail notifying me the book was one day overdue. I walked over to Taylor, found the book on the shelf and took it to the circulation desk. They recorded it as returned. On its own, this is not a notable incident. Then about one month ago, a friend of mine was notified that he owed a considerable replacement fee for a book that he had returned. He, too, found the book on the library shelf. Last week, a similar incident occurred to another friend of mine; she, too, found the allegedly missing book on the library shelf. There are two possible explanations for all this: either simple human error or the library is deliberately scamming students. I assume most people will believe the former possibility is more likely; however, in order to believe these incidents were the result of human error, you have to also believe the process of removing a book from the return bin, scanning its barcode and reshelving it is such a complicated endeavour that it is so frequently done erroneously. I think the library is deliberately attempting to profit from students. Whether you buy into my conspiracy theory or not, just be aware that if the library says you owe money, you’d better investigate! Shahrukh Siddiqi Jason Brown Computer Science IV M.Sc. Biology Health Science IV Editor’s note: We’re actually Western’s Daily Student Newspaper, not a ‘Newsletter.’ A newsletter is usually 1 to 4 pages long, is printed on regular 8 x 12 paper and is usually boring as sin. Sheesh, at least give us more credit than that. STUDYING LATE at Weldon or Taylor Libraries? SHUTTLE SERVICE For your safety and convenience, the University Students’ Council is providing a late night shuttle service departing from Weldon and Taylor Libraries through April 30. The service runs from midnight until 2:30 am. Complete scheduling details are available on the USC website at: www.usc.uwo.ca PICK UP TIMES 3 SHUTTLES 12 a.m 12:30 a.m. 1 a.m. 1:30 a.m. 2 a.m. 2:30 a.m. leaving Weldon and Taylor Libraries SHUTTLE B SHUTTLE C CENTRAL WEST NORTH with stops along University Drive to Delaware, Sydenham, Medway, Elgin Hall and Alumni House. Route: •Richmond south to Central. •East along Central to Colborne. •South on Colborne to Queens Ave •west on Queen’s to Richmond •north on Richmond to Central •west on Central to Talbot •norh on Talbot to St. James •east on St. James to Richmond with stops along Western Rd to Essex and Perth Hall Route: •Western Rd. south to Wharncliffe •west on Oxford to Proudfoot Ln. •north on Proudfoot to Farrah Rd •west on Farrah to Wonderland •north on Wonderland to Sarnia Rd. •east on Sarnia to Western Rd. with stops along Western Rd to Saugeen-Maitland, Ausable, Bayfield and Lambton Hall. Route: •Western Rd. north to Windermere. •East on Windermere to Richmond •north on Richmond to Sunnyside •east on Sunnyside to Jacksway Cres •north on Jacksway to Richmond •north on Richmond to Fanshawe •east on Fanshawe to North Centre Rd •south on North Centre to Sunnyside •west on Sunnyside to Richmond •south on Richmond to University Dr. LATE NIGHT FREE SHUTTLE SERVICE April 7 - April 30 A service of your University Students’ Council 99.101.C.01 SHUTTLE A P6 TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2006 STAY TUNED: Don’t know, don’t care... ArtsEntertainment Movie preview: the good, bad and ugly By Tyler Kula Gazette Staff Feel you need a little time away from your textbooks and notepads? Want to unwind between exams? Heading out to the movies is likely just the thing students need to relax. To ensure you enjoy your muchneeded movie break, The Gazette has helped you decide what’s worth watching. Here’s the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of films hitting theatres this month. THE GOOD Scary Movie 4 Directedy by: David Zucker Starring: Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Leslie Nielsen Release Date: April 14 Faris and Hall return as Cindy Campbell and Brenda in another instalment of the Scary Movie franchise. Spoofing recent blockbuster flicks such as War of the Worlds, The Grudge, The Village, Million Dollar Baby, Saw and Saw II, Scary Movie 4 promises to deliver a huge dose of hilarity. American Dreamz Directed by: Paul Weitz Starring: Hugh Grant, Dennis Quaid, Mandy Moore, Chris Klein Release Date: April 21 In order to regain popularity, the President (Quaid) agrees to be a guest judge on American Dreamz, the hot TV talent show hosted by the boisterous Martin Tweed (Grant). From talented director Paul Weitz (American Pie, In Good Company), American Dreamz explores the current atmosphere of popular culture, twisting and satirizing it to no end. The film boasts strong performances from an A-list cast, and promises to satisfy both young and old. The Da Vinci Code Directed by: Ron Howard Starring: Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou Release Date: May 19 OK, so exams are over by the end of April, but come on — it’s The Da Vinci Code, and it deserves some attention. For the few people who don’t know the film’s plot, The Da Vinci Code follows Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon (Hanks), as he attempts to solve a baffling cipher left at the site of a murder at the Louvre. Langdon must work through the clues with the help of Sophie Neveu (Tautou) in order to unmask a monumental truth, hidden by the Priori of Sion for centuries. With all the hype surrounding The Da Vinci Code book over the past couple of years, the movie had better be damned good. THE BAD The Wild Directed by: Steve “Spaz” Williams Starring: Kiefer Sutherland, Jim Belushi, William Shatner Release Date: April 14 An odd assortment of animals from the New York Zoo set out to rescue the son of their lion leader, Samson (Sutherland), who has been mistakenly relocated to the wild. Clearly, this movie is basically a remake of Madagascar, only with less tact and humour. At least in Madagascar, Chris Rock actually made witty and wacky remarks. The only humour The Wild seems to offer is a koala bear spouting off lame jokes about looking trashy wearing a popcorn container skirt. While there’s a small chance the stuff in the previews is mediocre compared to the rest of the movie, it’s definitely a small, small chance. RV Directed by: Barry Sonnenfeld Starring: Robin Williams, Kristin Chenoweth, Jojo Levesque Release Date: April 28 In RV, a father (Williams) decides to deal with the teenage rebellion of his formerly affectionate daughter (Levesque) by renting an RV. For some odd reason he believes taking a family RV trip will help him re-establish the lost bond he once knew. While it’s good to see Robin Williams return to comedy after starring in serious flicks such as One Hour Photo, this film’s comedic potential is dashed by Jojo Levesque’s horrid acting. RV’s success as a decent movie will ultimately be determined by a good versus bad acting tug-of-war between Williams and Levesque. Will funny trump nauseating? Probably not. Stick It Directed by: Jessica Bendinger Starring: Jeff Bridges, Missy Peregrym, Vanessa Lengies Release Date: April 28 From the people who made Bring It On, “it” is once again being “broughten” in Stick It. Haley Graham (Peregrym), a rebellious 17year-old, is punished for vandalism and forced to re-join the same gymnastics team she walked out on at the state championship years before. By the end it all comes together in a wonderful triumph of teamwork and sport. The problem with this movie, other than its shady acting, poorly written dialogue and tired premise, is that it tries to make gymnastics seem bad-ass. Enough said. THE UGLY Silent Hill Directed by: Christophe Gans Starring: Radha Mitchell, Sean Bean, Laurie Holden Release Date: April 21 Rose (Mitchell) brings her daughter to the town of Silent Hill in order to find a means to alleviate her psychiatric illness. When her daughter disappears and strange occurrences plague her every move, Rose begins to frantically search for her, only to realize things aren’t as they seem. This film is sure to feature grotesque creatures and disturbing instances, firmly classifying it as “ugly.” Still, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as critics say the movie may actually deliver some decent scares, despite its lame-ass video game origins. Then again, it is a video game movie. Judging by how well Resident Evil and Doom turned out, this movie never had a hope in hell at being classified as “good.” arts&entertainment ➤ P7 theGazette • TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2006 A&E farewell, Pt. 1 Anna says hello and goodbye Annamaniac Anna Coutts A&E Editor Get Up Kids’ Matt Pryor gets a fresh start with the New Ams By Brian Gasparek Gazette Staff apr 7-13 BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN Rated 14A 16 BLOCKS 143 Minutes 112 Minutes 7:00 Nightly Rated PG 9:40 Nightly $4.25 Tuesdays $3.00 second floor UCC Kids always $3.00 99.101.C.2 regular admission for movie listings 661-3616 www.westernfilm.ca FREE Parking call or see website for details castically. “I’m really just excited to see bands like the Go Team, My Morning Jacket and Sigor Ros!” Joking aside, the New Ams’ audience has grown with the band’s increased exposure. Apart from what people may expect, the New Ams aren’t running on the fame from Pryor’s former band. “If we spun it as a connection to the Get Up Kids, we’d get a lot of the same fans, but I really feel like this band has legs of its own. I really feel like a lot of the fans are growing with this band, plus there are a lot of brand new fans who have only heard this work and are getting into it,” Pryor says. As for fans wondering what Pryor’s guilty iPod pleasure is, Pryor says: “I have full disclosure of everything on my iPod! You can ask the guys, I love my ’80s hair metal, and I wear it like a badge of honour!” Get Your Map Now! Seriously, we’re running out. They’ll be gone really soon. And you’ll be sad. Really sad. Go to Mustang Alley and buy one today! Your UWO Student Bus Pass expires April 30, 2006 Don’t forget to purchase your LTC monthly Bus Pass @UCC Info Source 661-3722 99.96.C.06 Although the beloved Get Up Kids called it quits last summer, fans can still rejoice as the indie band’s lead singer-songwriter Matt Pryor is still going strong. After putting the Kids behind him, Pryor invested his musical energy into his longtime indie roots-rock side project, the New Amsterdams. With the recent release of the New Ams fifth full-length album, Story Like a Scar, Pryor is excited to give the project everything he’s got. Despite Story’s breezy sound and shimmering textures, accompanied by optimistic lyrics on tracks such as “A Small Crusade,” Pryor says the album’s fresh sound came naturally. “We didn’t really have a conscious idea in mind of how we wanted it to sound,” Pryor says. “When I wrote the songs I didn’t really have a collective mindset; however, there is kind of an overall element of rebirth. It was pretty accidental how it turned out.” In the past, the New Ams was basically Pryor’s solo project, featuring friends and former bandmates helping out on tour or in the studio. On Story, however, Pryor solidified a talented full-band lineup of Eric McCann (bass), Bill Belzer (drums) and Dustin Kinsey (guitar). Each member played a big role in the album’s writing and recording process. “Once I worked out the lineup, we recorded 12 songs as a band and really found each other,” Pryor says. “There was a total burst of creativity between us. We’ve been working so well together that we’ve already recorded two new albums.” The band has re-recorded last year’s Internet-released LP Killed or Cured, as well as the follow up to Story, though Pryor doesn’t know when they’ll be released. Throughout his career in TGUK and the New Ams, fans have gravitated towards Pryor’s painfully sincere and emotional lyrics. He explains that the inspiration for his lyrics has shifted over the past few years. “A lot of the early material with the Get Up Kids dealt with the personal hard times that I was going through. “Now I’m really happy and no one wants to hear about that, so I write about other people or just make things up,” Pryor laughs. “Now I try to challenge myself, and just try to do what sounds good.” With the release of Story, a new video for the album’s first single “Turn Out the Light” and a current tour of the United States and Canada, the New Ams’ popularity is growing quickly. The band has been invited to perform at three major festivals, including a recent stop at South by South West, and upcoming spots at Cochella and Lollapalooza. Despite the honour, Pryor seems more excited to get a chance to see the other bands perform. “At festivals we usually go on at noon, get 15 minutes of dressing room before and after the set and only get to play for 20 minutes,” he says sar- Classes are ending and exams are beginning… the end is in sight for us fourth-year kids. Or is it? While it’s a Gazette tradition for our departing staff to fill the year’s fantastic final issue with tender reminiscences about Western, I’m not going to. After all, who’s to say graduating means our Western experience is ending? To me, graduation is just the beginning. The friends we’ve made, the classes we’ve taken and, of course, the articles we’ve written, will help shape our lives in the coming years. We might be leaving Western, but as cliché as it sounds, Western won’t leave us. So I say, let’s forget about reminiscing, regretting, or reflecting on our time at Western. Instead, let’s celebrate a new beginning — and, of course, show off the drinking skills we’ve acquired over the last few years. Then it will be time for us grads to prove to the world that Western students really are better than everyone else. As for returning Westerners, if you want to have a fantabulous 2006-07 school year, I suggest you follow your three R’s: Read, w(R)ite for, and Respect The Gazette! Wondering what will happen to my brilliant blonde self? It’s time I say both hello and goodbye to good old Western. For while you may have been worried The Gazette would lose my bitter sarcasm and my ridiculous rants, really, there’s no need to cry. That’s right, although I’ll no longer be a part of it, next year’s A&E section will rock. It’s been placed into the extremely capable hands of three witty, equally sarcastic and much hotter individuals: Brian Gasparek, Maggie McCutcheon and Andrew Sullivan. If you’re a longtime Gazette reader — which I assume you are if you’re reading this self-indulgent column — you’ve surely seen several samples of the talented A&E crew. In fact, I’ll take this moment to brag about the talented staff of Volume 100: be prepared to see us kick some serious newspaper ass. And, since I’ll be back as deputy editor, it’s time to say... screw goodbyes, I’m saying hello. I’ll see you next year! Infoline: 451-1347 www.londontransit.ca Summer Students Wanted! Full time summer contracts available with $2 Billion dollar Energy retailer! Average 18.50/Hr. $ • Student Scholarship Programs • Working in teams • No experience Necessary • Full training for successful applicants Phone: 434-4628 99.97.C.03 P8 ➤ arts&entertainment theGazette • TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2006 A&E farewell, Pt. 2 Dallas gives shout-outs After four years I’m officially a Gazetteosaurus. I’ve been a part of this paper since the moment I set foot on campus, and have been steeped in the student-journalist lifestyle since. I could make this a jaded farewell of a veteran writer who longs for the good old days, but I’ve loved my time here and have only positive things to say at this point. So, I’ve decided to write an Oscar speechesque goodbye in order to thank people who deserve a shout out. I would like to thank the faculty of information and media studies for providing me and my colleagues with a solid education. Thank you for encouraging us to be curious, vigilant and rigorous, and giving us the critical tools in order to do so. Also, thanks to the faculty members who have become role models and mentors of mine. Thanks to Medway-Sydenham Hall for giving me a fabulous place to live first year, and two subsequent years of unforgettable experiences as a Med-Syd soph. Thanks to the staff of The Spoke, Wave and Grad Club who have offered great events, provided cheap food and patiently hosted thousands of raucous students (especially during St. Patty’s day and soph pubs). Many thanks to the bus drivers who let you on without your bus pass when it’s raining at midnight, the Teriyaki guy who is generous with the sauce, and the CCPS officers who kindly gave my friend Diana and I a lift home when we were stuck in a rut. Naturally, I have to give a shout out to my housemates with whom I’ve survived everything from raccoon attacks to being robbed, and who have become my extended family. At this point, I have come to think of my time at Western as such a grand adventure. Each club I’ve joined or avoided, each class I’ve picked up or dropped, each person I went for coffee with, each night out, they’ve all combined to form a constantly-changing, vibrant experience on campus. For us graduating students, the next steps are entirely uncertain. I truly believe that lots of amazing things will happen for all of us after being at Western. Although I’m certain a career in journalism would be challenging and rewarding, I doubt anything would compare to working alongside other students each day. What other part-time job would make posing in my underwear all in a day’s work? Well, probably one a great deal sketchier than The Gazette. So thank you to all my fellow students who have read, contributed to, or even criticized this beloved paper of mine. It’s been a pleasure writing for you. CARGO VANS from $ Dallas in Wonderland Dallas Curow Web Editor CALL NOW! 99* Moving? Call Thrifty! 666 Wonderland Rd. N. 472-9900 460 York St. 432-6000 Certain conditions will apply The last movie reviewed this year and it sucks ass By Chad Nevett 29 16’ Cube Trucks also available @ Special Pricing Gazette File Photo DAMMIT, I PAID FOR BLOODY KILLING, NOT KISSY KISSY! Slevin (John Hartnett) and Lindsey (Lucy Liu) become involved in Lucky Number Slevin. 99.93.C.01 Gazette Staff Lucky Number Slevin Directed by: Paul McGuigan Starring: Josh Hartnett, Bruce Willis, Lucy Liu Far away in Hollywood, studio executives once had a conversation about a script entitled Lucky Number Slevin. One executive said to the group, “This script isn’t that good. GRAND OPENING IN LONDON Excellence made affordable Starting at Canada’s leading team of laser eye surgeons 490 $ State-of-the-art Bausch & Lomb technology Custom ZyoptixTM Wavefront available /eye* Ask about our lowest price guarantee. Book your free consultation today (519) 963-2222 Answering your calls 7 days / week City Place 320 Dundas Street Ground Floor, Unit # 5 * Valid until May 31, 2006. Applicable to surgery on both eyes. Toll free (866) 366-2020 Dr. Richard Bains, MD, FRCSC, DIP.ABO Dr. David Johnson, MD, FRCSC, DIP.ABO www.lasikmd.com Halifax • Montreal • Ottawa • Kingston • Toronto • London • Windsor • Edmonton • Calgary • Vancouver It’s not funny, the plot is weak, and the ending is horrible.” The head executive took a drag from a cigarette, paused, and responded, “Yeah, but it’s close enough, isn’t it? Just throw in a bunch of big name talents and a director who emphasizes style over substance. It’ll look cool, so people will think it’s cool.” At which point the other executives began slapping high fives and, subsequently, this two-hour timewaster was created. The entire film is based around the idea of mistaken identity. Slevin (Hartnett) is mistaken for his friend Nick while visiting New York. And, unfortunately for Slevin, Nick owes money to two rival gang bosses — and both debts are being called in. The first boss, simply known as The Boss (Morgan Freeman), is willing to forget the debt, but only if Slevin is willing to kill his rival’s son. However, the second boss, Rabbi (Sir Ben Kingsley), just wants his money. Throw in a spunky neighbour/wannabe detective (Lui) who wants to find Nick, and you’ve got the set up for an ever-so-witty movie full of chills, thrills and spills. Oh wait... no you don’t. Much of the film’s so-called witty dialogue is just lame. Slevin is supposed to be a guy who shoots off his mouth at the wrong times, but he doesn’t really do that — ever. Unless you count “I’m not Nick Fischer” as shooting one’s mouth off. Or then there’s banter like “Why’s he called The Rabbi?” “Because he’s a rabbi.” Unfortunately, the film repeats that about five times and for half a dozen other names. However, there are a couple of funny moments, like when Slevin is picked up by the gangsters wearing only a towel. Or when… sorry, there’s only one funny moment. My bad. The film falls further apart when the romance between Slevin and Lindsey heats up and there’s an attempt at sweet, funny, romantic dialogue while the two lovebirds discuss James Bond. Sadly, it just comes across as laboured and forced rather than sweet or funny. The problem isn’t with the cast, though. Everyone in the film does the best job he or she can, but the material just isn’t there to work with. It’s frustrating to see these talented people give their all and fail. The only weak actor is Bruce Willis as the assassin Mr. Goodkat — but that’s because he’s stuck playing a role we’ve seen him play a thousand times before. He does it just as well, but it lacks any punch this time. Even the plot itself has potential, but is presented and structured in such a way that it falls flat on its face. It relies too much on revealing “shocking” pieces of information that are completely surprising to the point of not making sense. The ending relies heavily on a huge revelation that was obvious halfway through the movie, and thus causes the ending to drag on slowly and painfully. As well, McGuigan’s directing has the feel of a Tarantino imitator in all of the worst senses of that label. With Tarantino, the film looks good, but also serves a purpose with each shot. Here, the goal is obviously to look cool, but it lacks substance. Lucky Number Slevin looks like a good movie, acts like a good movie and comes so very close to being a good movie — but is not a good movie. Don’t be fooled by the cool trailer and the hype promising the next Pulp Fiction. The Usual Suspects this ain’t. arts&entertainment ➤ P9 theGazette • TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2006 A&E farewell, Pt. 3 : Chad’s top five university albums It’s Now or Nevett Chad Nevett A&E Editor Forget classes, friends and all of that other usual “look back at my university career” stuff. You know what really mattered in my four years at Western? Music. If you’ve seen me around campus, on the bus, in a class or even in the Gazette office, odds are very good I was listening to music. I’m that guy with the headphones in the back of class who doesn’t really talk to anyone. And, quite possibly, my music was turned up a little too loud — sorry about that. With my four years almost up, it only seems natural to reflect upon the music that made my time here so memorable. That can only mean a top-five list. So, here are the top five albums released during my time at Western. In alphabetical order, they are: Ryan Adams — lloR N kcoR: Sur- prising no one who knows me, Ryan Adams made my list. Most Adams fans will disagree with my inclusion of this album but, to hell with you, it’s my favourite. If I were stranded on a desert island with only one CD to listen to, this would be it. I got this album purely by chance. I joined Columbia House’s music club and needed to get, like, 15 CDs and lloR N kcoR’s cover haunted me. It screamed out to me that I must get it. So I did. When I finally got around to listening to it, it dominated my summer, and I don’t think I go a month without listening to it. It’s not a perfect album by any means, but it’s just so good. The Hives — Tyrannosaurus Hives: The Hives make confidence music. With their brash attitude and cocky arrogance, one halfhour Hives album is the confidence-building equivalent to a night of drinking. The band’s latest release is its tightest and most diverse yet. Kicking off with “Abra Cadaver” right through to “B is for Brutus” and the faux-strings screamer “Diabolic Scheme,” Tyrannosaurus Hives proves that these Swedish rockers may be the best band in the world. Sam Roberts — We were Born in a Flame: Are you a guy in your late teens/early twenties, unsuccessful with women, and worried about the future? Well then, this is the album for you. Somehow, it perfectly captures those frustrations in 50 minutes of rock. My favourite song, “Dead End” especially captures these frustrations, and, sadly, every time I hear it, I can’t help but think “Yeah, I know all about that.” I’ve also seen Sam Roberts in concert more than any other artist — including watching from backstage at this year’s Orientation Week show before interviewing him. Being an editor has its perks. The White Stripes — Elephant: Do I really need to explain this one? I shouldn’t have to. You should already know why Elephant is great. And, if you don’t, there’s no hope for you. So move on. Nothing to see here. Hawksley Workman — lover/fighter: There are many good reasons why this album makes my top five, but I’ll give you the main three: 1) The line “fighter soul alive in a whiskey-fuelled rage” in “Anger as Beauty.” Put simply, that may be the single greatest line I’ve ever heard in a song. 2) The song “Autumn’s Here.” I’d heard songs capture t h e spirit o f every season except for fall — until I heard this song. I remember waiting for the bus near Talbot on a windy fall day with this song playing and it was a perfect moment. Every fall since then, lover/fighter invariably gets played at some point. 3) It starts with the line “Fuck you, you’re drunk.” How can you not love an album that begins like that? There you have it folks; my favourite five albums from my four years at Western. I don’t have m u c h else to say, I guess. Later. *when we do your student taxes Not a valid coupon. Get a coupon for a free medium Domino’s Pizza with student tax preparation. † Come in today or call 1-800-HRBLOCK † To qualify, student must present either (i) a T2202a documenting 4 or more months of full time attendance at a college or university during 2005 or (ii) a valid high school identification card. Offer and coupon expire June 30, 2006. Coupon valid for a medium one-topping pizza only at participating H&R Block locations in Canada. P12 ➤ sports theGazette • TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2006 Jen Boucher/Gazette Kurt Stolberg/Gazette Cole Yates/Gazette WHO FORGOT THE HORSE TRANQUILIZERS? IT’S A STAMPEDE! Women’s volleyball and men’s basketball look to build next year on disappointing seasons, while the men’s ruggers came up just short in the OUA title game. The Gazette’s year-end Mustang grade reviews CONTINUED FROM P16 combined for gold in the dance variation. Grade: B+ Scott Nason, J.J. Jones, Justin Anania and Derek Schiavone were named second team all-stars. Grade: B —Ian Van Den Hurk —Matt Larkin MEN’S GOLF FOOTBALL Western’s gridiron stars showed improvement this season, but couldn’t get over the hump. Finishing in second place at 6-0-0-1, the ’Stangs managed a playoff win over Ottawa before losing the Yates Cup to Laurier. The Purple and Silver’s offence benefited from new pivot Michael Faulds, but he was never 100 per cent after returning from a midseason wrist injury. In an odd twist, it was the Mustangs’ offence that let the team down in the end, not the ‘D.’ Individually, Andy Fantuz cleaned up, earning multiple allstar selections, MVP awards, and the Hec Crighton Trophy as the nation’s most outstanding player. Randy McAuley, Andreas Antoniou, The men’s golf squad didn’t have a great season in 2005. Western finished fifth at the OUA championships, trailing first place Waterloo by 19 strokes. Geoff McLeod was solid for the Mustangs, however. He finished in a tie for ninth at the individual OUAs with a two-day score of 152 and fourth overall at the Western Invitational. The ’Stangs certainly have some room to improve next season. Grade: C —Greg Gorman WOMEN’S GOLF Alan Edmunds must be smiling — not only did he win Coach of the Year in women’s golf’s first season as an OUA-sanctioned sport, his team also went undefeated and won the OUA championship. Why Not Buy? MEN’S HOCKEY The men’s hockey team couldn’t ride the momentum of an impressive regular season, slumping badly in postseason play. In a huge upset, Western was defeated by the rival Lakehead Thunderwolves in the OUA quarter-final. Prior to the playoff round Compiled by Gazette Sports Gazette Staff Over the past year, Gazette Sports have run into some characters. Some short, some tall, some big, some small, some dingbats and some aardvarks. The following is a compilation of the best quotes we’ve heard during Volume 99: ReMax Centre City Realty —James Hayes WOMEN’S HOCKEY With a 1-7-3 start, the ’Stangs seemed destined to repeat their 211-8-1 performance of 2004-05. This year’s hard working squad, however, finished the season with a 7-12-4-1 record. The surging Mustangs went 6-51-1 during an impressive push for the playoffs, but came up two points short. The slow start cost the team, but the strong finish offered a glimpse of what the future may hold. Western’s 11 rookies will have a year’s experience next season, and with only a few players leaving, the Mustangs should be much improved. Grade: C+ —Conor Houlihan LACROSSE After a 3-6-1 regular season record, the women’s lacrosse team qualified for the OUA championships. The Mustangs just missed PLEASE SEE WHO P13 the fans can give it a hug.” thing spectacular.” —J.J. Jones —Jason De Thomasis, on a bobblehead in his likeness Western men’s soccer star “In the end, we’ve been to the dance before, and we like going home with the girl — anything else just isn’t acceptable.” “I don’t know which is harder to swallow — the fact that you’re not good enough, or the fact that you screwed up.” —Brock 2B Adam Vella —Bob Vigars, on the Mustangs before the OUA baseball final Western’s cross-country coach on the OUA track meet “I bought my first house as a first year student – and my second in 2nd Year!” “I actually thought it was going to be one of those plastic ones that they give out at the baseball games, but that thing is quality handcrafted in Japan or China or somewhere in the Orient. I better get one, or somebody is going to get hurt.” WHY NOT YOU? Call now to find out how! “The game was ours. We outplayed York all three periods. We tried to outplay the refs.” —Amanda Somerville, Mustang hockey player on questionable officiating after a 3-3 draw with York. —Mustang DT J.J. Jones “Honestly, I just think we’re going to romp them.” on the Andy Fantuz bobblehead —Mustang DT Tom Dolezel “The J.J. Jones doll would be more of a teddy-bear style than a doll... It would be big and fluffy but I’m not soft or anything. It would be like a nice teddy bear-style doll so “I think if you cut her she would bleed purple. That is how dedicated to the program and university she is.” —Dave Peak, Mustang soccer coach on Cristina Bonasia before a 62-10 romp over York at Homecoming. 99.98.C.01 Jason@studenthousing.net —Greg Gorman against their hated Thunder Bay opponents, the ’Stangs were 4-0 against Lakehead this season. The team did compile a stellar 21-2-1 regular season record and sat comfortably atop the OUA Far West division rankings for most of the season. High expectations weren’t met in the OUA playoffs, and the victorious Thunderwolves went on to play in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport’s Telus University Cup final against the Alberta Golden Bears. Statistically, the team was paced by Sal Peralta, who finished 13th in Canada and third in Ontario with 34 points. Mike Rice and Chris Rowan were also difference-makers, with 30 points and 29 points, respectively. Goaltender Scott Dickie was solid between the pipes, and third-year forward Jamie Chamberlain won a Purple Blanket for his steady, strong contributions throughout his career. Grade: C+ Mustang quotes of the year Over 14 Years Experience in the UWO Student Housing Jason Sims Market! Sales Representative 851-7653 Superstar sophomore Sue Gleeson earned OUA individual player of the year honours and helped the Mustangs win the OUA title by 20 strokes. Gleeson was joined by sophomore OUA all-star in Christian Bosley. The team also travelled south to take on NCAA competition in Michigan, where it placed third, and to Pennsylvania, where Gleeson medalled. The ’Stangs are now preparing for national competition at Thornhill in Toronto this May. With plenty of youth and talent, they have a bright future. Grade: A+ “Tom Lee, the backup goalie for Brock, mooned us. Section 105 got a good look at his anal beard.” —Nick Berardi, “I didn’t play the best soccer. I finished plays I guess, and had three goals on three chances, but other than that I didn’t do any- Fourth-year history student at a Mustang hockey game PLEASE SEE THE TOP P14 theGazette • TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2006 sports ➤ P13 Who made the grade? CONTINUED FROM P13 medalling in the finals. Losing to undefeated Queens in the semifinal, Western faced off against Toronto in the bronze medal game. In a grueloling quadruple overtime game, Toronto finally scored the winning goal, defeating the Mustangs 7-6. Western’s OUA first team all-stars included Melissa Kendola, Lisa Howe and rookie goalie Lesley Suchter. Grade: C —Drew Clemenhagen MEN’S ROWING 2005 was memorable for the male Mustang rowers. At the OUA championships, Western knocked off longtime rival Queen’s to capture the overall team banner in a courageous effort. The triumphant weekend’s highlights included Tim Colson’s gold title defence in the heavyweight single, a dominant win in the men’s heavyweight eight, and a massive upset of the Golden Gaels in the lightweight four. At the Canadian University Rowing championships, the men combined with the women to give Western a first-place combined score. Their strong showing included silver medals in the heavyweight pair, four, and eight, and a silver in the lightweight four. 2005 marked a large leap forward for the men’s rowers. Making Rumplestiltskin proud, they weaved 2004 OUA bronze and CU fifth place finishes into 2005 OUA gold and CU silver. Grade: A+ —Matt Larkin WOMEN’S ROWING The superstar women’s rowers wouldn’t let their male counterparts show them up. They too took the overall team OUA title. Their heavyweight rowers obliterated the competition, winning the single, double, four and eight. Standout heavyweight rower Jane Rumball won gold in both the single and double. The ’Stangs finished strongly at the nationals as well. Rumball came home with more gold than the Yukon Territory, winning the heavyweight single, double and eight, and earning the Canadian University Rowing Association’s Female Athlete of the Year award. As a team, Western was a close second to the University of Victoria and capped off one of the strongest seasons in its history. Grade: A+ —Matt Larkin MEN’S RUGBY Despite falling two points short of a repeat OUA championship, the men’s rugby team nonetheless had a high-calibre season. Western lost the OUA title 15-13 against McMaster, another OUA rugby powerhouse. The championship loss was one of only two suffered by the ’Stangs in 2005. Western finished 7-1 during the regular season and beat its opponents by nearly 25 points per game. Dan Polakoff had a big season; he was named an OUA all-star and won won the Trillium Award for best all-around player. Other all-stars include Sam Jenkins, Sean-Michael Stephen, Chris Haban and Kevin Feheley. Grade: B+ —Greg Gorman WOMEN’S RUGBY Running roughshod over the competition, the women’s rugby team repeated as national champion, claiming the coveted Molinex Trophy. Capping off a perfect season, Western shut out the Alberta Pandas in a 22-0 victory. This was no easy feat, as Alberta had won the Molinex five times since the trophy’s inception in 1997. Western went undefeated during the regular season and outscored its opponents 349-5. Throughout the year, the ruggers were led by CIS Player of the Year Barbara Mervin. Mervin was supported by a powerful cast that included fellow all-Canadians Jane Cation and Jennifer Kryszak. Grade: A+ —Greg Gorman MEN’S SOCCER The men’s soccer team won the OUA West division with a solid 7-0-3 regular season PLEASE SEE BEST P14 Alex Williams/Gazette HIGHER THAN AN OPEN-MINDED WOODSTOCK PATRON. The women’s basketball team hopes to enjoy more success in the postseason next year, having lost in the quarter-final the past three seasons. By achieving your goals, you further ours. It starts with you. We congratulate the exceptional Western Ontario graduates who have chosen to pursue a rewarding career with UBS. As part of a global financial powerhouse, you’ll enjoy a world of opportunities. Our diverse culture of mutual respect and support gives everyone the opportunity to excel. Your skills and ambition are recognized from the first day on the job. www.ubs.com/graduates Fulltime Hires Summer Intern Hires Ashish Bagai Jung Hyuk Han Christopher Cruz Karim Kherani Logan Middleton Harish Venkatesh UBS is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in its workplace. (M/F/D/V) P14 ➤ sports theGazette • TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2006 Best and worst of 2005-06 WOMEN’S SQUASH CONTINUED FROM P13 record, but was dumped in the semifinal by Toronto. In the OUA bronze medal game, the Mustangs went head-to-head with the York Lions. First-year forward Kyle Washington scored the game’s lone goal to secure the ’Stangs a bronze medal. The finish was disappointing after the team earned OUA gold and national bronze last season. The team’s six OUA all-stars included netminder Haidar Al-Shaibani, defenders John Gallo and Steve Meagher, midfielders Paul Speakman and Dante Biscaro and striker Michel Daoust, who tied for fourth in Canada with nine goals. Grade: C+ —Erin Baker The women’s squash team maintained Western’s top-notch pedigree in the sport, winning an OUA championship. Seeded No. 1, Western edged the No. 2 seed University of Toronto, 4-2. The win marked the eighth time Western has won both the men’s and the women’s squash titles, dating back to 1979. The ’Stangs won the Lillian d’Urzo Plaque, possibly the worst-named title in sports history, as OUA champs. Despite mixing in some Colgate Total, the squad loaded up with determination and procured themselves the Plaque. Heather Lamb and Stephanie Edmison stood out as vital contributors, and Edminson joined Jessica Senior as a first-team OUA all-star, while Lamb and Laura Savage were named to the second team. Grade: A+ WOMEN’S SOCCER —James Hayes The women’s soccer team had an impressive 8-2-1 regular season record, good for first place in the Ontario University Athletics West division. Down by a goal in the divisional finals against Queen’s, Jessica Tasios evened the score late in the game. After two periods of overtime, the Mustangs — the defending OUA champions — lost the divisional final on a penalty kick and were forced to make a heartbreaking exit. OUA all-stars included midfielders Cristina Bonasia and Kate Crowley, as well as defenders Carmel Pringle and Tasios. Grade: C+ —Erin Baker SWIMMING The 2005-06 season was solid if unspectacular for Mustangs swimming. The men took OUA team silver and the women won bronze. At the national championships, the men fell just short of the podium with a fourth-place finish, while the women placed 11th. Powerhouse men’s swimmer Kurtis Miller made more headlines than bird flu this season. He was named CIS Rookie of the Year after winning four bronze medals at the nationals. He was an all-encompassing force at the OUA championships, snatching six gold medals and breaking OUA records in the 100m freestyle and 4x50m relay. Grade: B MEN’S SQUASH —Matt Larkin A consistent reign of dominance continued this season for the men’s squash team, as it brought home a remarkable 23rd consecutive OUA title. The team swept the No. 3-ranked McGill Redmen in six matches in the final. First-year standout Iain Crozier was named OUA MVP for his efforts, and fellow ’Stangs Greg Hutner and Andrew Jones joined Crozier on the OUA first all-star team. Coach Jack Fairs also finished in a tie with Brock coach David Forgeron for Coach of the Year honours. The award was Fairs’ third in the past four years. Grade: A+ Expectations were high after an OUA championship last year and a 6-1 regular season. The men’s tennis team almost measured up. After an impressive regular season, the Mustangs advanced to the OUA finals but failed to defend their championship, falling to York 4-0. The dethroned Mustangs gave a valiant effort, but will aim for another championship next season. Andrew Nisker and Justin Kates were named OUA all-stars. Grade: B+ —James Hayes PLEASE SEE ’STANGS P15 MEN’S TENNIS —Malcolm Aboud Mike Last/Gazette CANCEL THE TRIP TO OFFICE DEPOT, BECAUSE YOU JUST GOT STAPLED. Sean Scully and the men’s hockey team dominated Lakehead in the regular season only to fall to the Wolves in the playoffs. The top quips of 2005-2006 Let’s Get Moving! 21 yrs old with a valid G License. CONTINUED FROM P12 Some restrictions apply “We had front row seats to see the purple shirts dance around the ice,” When Only A Truck Will Do Pickup, Cargo Vans & 16ft Cube Vans -automatic —Jeff Reid, BOOK NOW! on his team getting smoked 455-8296 A member of the Bennett Automotive Group serving London & area over 45 years. 100% Canadian owned & operated 99.97.C.02 Your Community Leader in Health Care Education assessing his team on Varsity Night “[Coach Singer] pulled me into his office and I thought he was going to tell me to start riding the bike harder or something, maybe congratulate me on my 10 km bike sprint. When I heard about it, I thought he was lying. He didn’t even sell it well — he pretty much said I had to do it.” —Mike Sellan Attention Kinesiology & Health Science grads! You may be eligible for CTC’s 1 yr. Advanced Standing Massage Therapy Program on the date contest “This was the first question asked by many teammates: What if a dude wins the contest? I guess I’m going to hammer back a lot of beers on the Western Mustangs’ tab, and I’m going to have to outeat him for sure, just to show him who’s the man.” —Sellan again Please call for upcoming information evenings. Toll Free: 1.877.278.8888 905.632.3200 Canadian Therapeutic College 760 Brant Street, Burlington ON L7R 4B7 CTC is registered and approved as a Private Career College under the Private Career Colleges Act. Financial Assistance available if eligible. For info: info@canadiantherapeuticcollege.com or visit : www.canadiantherapeuticcollege.com Excellence in Education with food flying everywhere.” —Mike Rice, Mustangs winger on Sellan’s upcoming blind date — Ben Rich, Mustangs catcher Guelph men’s hockey head coach 71 Clarke Road (North of Gore) 2 yr. Advanced Standing Sports Injury Therapy™ Program “We are the shit. The heart of this team cannot be matched by any other squad in the OUA.” “I’ve gotten a few girls in the jugular before. It doesn’t happen very often. I usually pretend like its no big deal, but I’m laughing on the inside. As long as they’re all right, of course.” —Erin Miller on smoking opponents with volleyballs “As athletes they all work really hard and I am nothing but proud of them. That being said, if someone ever asked me if I would consider transferring to Windsor, I would laugh them out of my house.” —Alanna Boudreau on the Windsor Lancers “I obviously want to compete the best I can. The starting gun is the best pain killer.” —Beth Janzen on overcoming injury to compete in the World Cross-Country Championships “He’s a real gentleman. He has a good personality and should be able to keep the conversation going. He just has to be a little civil when he eats. It’s like shrapnel “You don’t use 10-dollar moves on 10-cent players.’” —Randy McAuley, quoting Western football coach Larry Haylor sports ➤ P15 theGazette • TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2006 ’Stangs year-end review CONTINUED FROM P14 WOMEN’S TENNIS The women’s tennis squad was favoured for an OUA championship after its 4-0 start, but slowed down near the end of the season. After finishing the campaign 5-1, the Mustangs fell in the OUA semifinal and then again in the bronze medal game, dropping off the podium. Top player Mariam Al-Shikarchy served as the team’s lone representative as an OUA allstar. Grade: B—Malcolm Aboud TRACK AND FIELD Western’s track and field team had some impressive results this season. At the OUA Championships, both the lads and the lasses finished second overall in team standings. The men brought home 14 medals (3 G, 7S, 4B) and recorded 17 top-eight finishes while the women bagged 11 (3G, 4S, 3B) and had 15 top-eight finishes. At the CIS Championships, male and female teams both finished sixth in overall team standings. The combined medal tally was three gold, three silver and one bronze. This season’s standouts included Jason Kerr, Andrew Judge, Randy McAuley and Abdul Zubair in the 4x200m relay, Jen Cotten in pentathelon and Alanna Boudreau in triple jump. Grade: B+ —Maciek Pawlak MEN’S VOLLEYBALL Western’s men’s volleyball team had a solid regular season, finishing fourth in the OUA at 14-6. The team suffered a disappointing exit in the playoffs, however, getting bounced by the defending champion York Lions 3-1 in the quarter-final. Western lost to York last season in the OUA title match. Alex Jerome earned individual honours as an OUA first-team all-star. Jerome finished seventh in the OUA with 204 kills. Grade: B—Nina Janowski WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL Jen Boucher/Gazette SLASHING AND DASHING THEIR WAY TO ANOTHER TITLE. Jayne Cation and the women’s rugby team cemented their dynasty status this year with a second straight national championship. The Western women’s volleyball team had an incredible regular season, finishing first in the OUA standings with a 17-2 record. The team suffered a crushing defeat in the OUA quarter-final, however, after being upset by massive underdog Windsor. Windsor went on to win the OUA title. The Mustangs earned plenty of individual accolades; Melissa Mann and Lauren Cosentino were OUA first-team all-stars, Erin Miller was a second team all-star, and Jori Hardin won the Award of Merit. Still, the playoff was a disaster, as the ’Stangs should have been contenders for national gold. Grade: C+ —Nina Janowski WATER POLO Sadly, the water polo team had a season about as enjoyable as a prostate exam, as it was winless. It was a very tough season for the team, as it finished 0-10. Ryan Pallett was fifth in the OUA in goals, finishing with 17. Grade: F —James Hayes MEN’S WRESTLING The men’s wrestlers performed reasonably well this year while overshadowed somewhat by the women’s superstar Terri McNutt. Keenan Miller, Jeff Werden and Vi Nguyen-Huu were standouts on the men’s team. Miller led the way, garnering a respectable fourth-place finish at the CIS championships, while Werden and NguyenHuu’s season culminated in a set of fifthplace finishes at the championship. Wrestling coach Ray Takahashi must have his men’s team poised to improve for next season. Grade: B —James Hayes WOMEN’S WRESTLING The women’s wrestling team was highlighted this season by outstanding work from Terri McNutt and Kirby Steinhoff. This season, McNutt was awarded the F.W.P. Jones Trophy for female Athlete of the Year. Her accomplishments included a fourth straight OUA title and a gold at the CIS championships. First-year wrestler Steinhoff won her first ever university wrestling meet, and contributed with solid results all season. The team captured an overall silver at the OUAs, and fifth place overall at the nationals. Grade: B+ —James Hayes THE GAZETTE’S MUSTANG AWARDS 2005-06 Men’s Team of the Year: Baseball Women’s Team of the Year: Rugby Transform Your 3-year Diploma to a University Degree In 2 Years Degree-Completion Programs offered in: • Manufacturing Technology • Computing and Information Technology • Civil Engineering Infrastructure Technology Male Athlete of the Year: Andy Fantuz, football Programs target the needs of college graduates with a technology diploma and foreign-trained professionals who require Canadian credentials and experience. Female Athlete of the Year: Terri McNutt, wrestling Full-time and part-time study available Programs begin September 2006 Men’s Coach of the Year: Mike Lumley, baseball Women’s Coach of the Year: Alan Edmunds, golf Male Rookie of the Year: Kurtis Miller, swimming Female Rookie of the Year: Amanda Anderson, basketball HOW TO APPLY: btech.mcmastermohawk.ca info@mcmastermohawk.ca 905.525.9140 ext. 27013 P16 TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 2006 Sports ON DECK: 101 Issues later, Travolta still sucks rocks... Photo courtesy of the McMaster Silhouette REVENGE IS A DISH BEST SERVED COLD. It took four years, but this season Western finally beat the McMaster Marauders on the gridiron, winning 55-31. The 2005-2006 Mustangs year in review Another year of Mustangs sports is down the drain, and with it came an avalanche of crazy promotions, dominant individual and team performances, choke jobs, and hate mail for The Gazette. Now it’s time to assess the 2005-06 season; who surprised, and who disappointed? Check out our yearly awards, team report cards, and quotes of the year. Thanks for another great season, ’Stangs. And sorry for forgetting you last year, track and field. Note: Team grades are assigned based on performance and team expectations. BADMINTON The Western badminton team had another great year, securing its fifth Ontario University Athletics championship in seven seasons. After beating McMaster in the OUA semifinal, Western knocked off the Waterloo Warriors 12-1 to capture the title. The team also received a number of individual honours this season. Toronto native Jenn Lam won her third straight OUA MVP, going undefeated in 2005, while Caroline Chee was awarded OUA Rookie of the Year and was named to the all-star team, along with teammates Cara Parkes, Shauna Wong, Sen Hoong Phang and Hollam Sutandar. Grade: A+ —Stephanie Ramsay BASEBALL The Mustangs had a remarkable year on the diamond, taking a 12-6 regular season record into the postseason. From there, they mauled the competition on their way to an OUA championship. Catcher Ben Rich won the OUA Most Valuable Hitter award and the OUA first-team and second-team all-star squads were smattered with Western players. Western coach Mike Lumley was awarded OUA Coach of the Year along with Brock’s Jeff Lounsbury. Grade: A+ be competitive again next year; Bess Lennox and Amanda Anderson made the West division rookie team, and Anderson was the West Rookie of the Year and a first-team OUA all-star. Grade: C+ —Ian Van Den Hurk the Mustangs to sixth place, finishing fifth in her individual race and earning a spot on the first team allCanadian squad. Grade: B—Ian Van Den Hurk MEN’S FENCING The men’s fencing team had an impressive season, qualifing six CROSS-COUNTRY MEN’S BASKETBALL The ’Stangs had another solid sea- athletes for the OUAs; the foil, sabre and epee teams each Coming off a 5-17 seaqualified for the OUA son, the men’s basketball finals. team struggled again, MUSTANGS TEAM MEDAL WINNERS The men showed finishing last in the West 2005-06 their mettle, capturing division with a 3-19 second place overall and record. Western has finOntario University Athletics going unbeaten in the ished in the cellar for Gold Silver Bronze foil and sabre while three consecutive seaBadminton Fencing (M) Cross Country (W) snagging silver in the sons and is a dismal 13Baseball Football Figure Skating epee. MVP David Collins 53 in that span. Golf (W) Rugby (M) Soccer (M) brought home individThe team was marred ual gold and won the with injuries for most of Rowing (M) Swimming (M) Swimming (W) Charles Walter Trophy. the season, though Rowing (W) Rugby(W) Squash (M) Jason Milliquet made Grade: B+ Track & Field (M) Track & Field (W) the West all-rookie team. —Drew Clemenhagen Squash (W) Wrestling (W) Most of the squad remains intact next year, WOMEN’S FENCING Canadian national championships leaving hope that the The women’s team Gold Silver Bronze Mustangs can improve looked promising to Rugby (W) Rowing (M) None and earn their first winstart the year. Six fencers Rowing (W) ning season since 2002qualified for the OUA 03. championship by placing in the top eight in Grade: D—Ian Van Den Hurk son under coach Bob Vigars. At the individual competition at the OUA OUAs, the women earned team West qualifiers at Ryerson. Susan Evans led her team, bronze and the men finished WOMEN’S BASKETBALL These ballers managed a 14-8 fourth. Bethany Janzen was her placing second in women’s foil. record this year, good for fourth usual spectacular self, earning a She was followed by fellow teamplace in the OUA West division and bronze medal at the provincial mates Tandy Briggs (third, foil), a playoff berth. But the squad’s championship. Rookie Stephanie Hollis Sinker (third, epee), Grace disturbing trend of early postsea- Van Veen — who garnered OUA S. Lee (fifth, sabre), Amanda Marson exits continued; the women’s MVP honours — chipped in as tin (seventh, epee), and Grace F. basketball team has been bounced well, finishing among the top 20 Lee (eighth, foil). Western qualifrom the quarter-final each of the runners. Fellow rookie Mike Del fied for the OUAs in all three Monte was the men’s highest fin- events and the foil, and entered past three seasons. the competition ranked first in the Though the ’Stangs lose a few isher at 23rd. At the nationals, Janzen helped West division. key cogs to graduation, they should —James Hayes However, the women fell short of expectations in the OUA championships, placing second overall. For her remarkable coaching efforts, Christie earned OUA Coach of the Year, a first for her and Western fencing. Grade: B+ —Drew Clemenhagen FIELD HOCKEY There’s no beating around the bush with the women’s field hockey team; the 2005 season wasn’t pretty. Western went the entire year without a win and could only watch as the Toronto Varsity Blues defended their OUA title. The only bright side of an 0-14 season is knowing that things can’t possibly get worse next season. Rookie Michelle Weber, however, gave the ’Stangs something to smile about, as she was named an OUA second-team all-star. Grade: F —Matt Larkin FIGURE SKATING The Mustang figure skating team did its best Emanuel Sandhu impression this season; in other words, it didn’t win top honours, but performed pretty well. The 2006 squad left last year’s team in the dust, capturing the overall bronze medal at the OUA championships after finishing fifth last year. The Purple and Silver clinched the medal with a win in the synchro event. Aivory Ann Gaw twirled her way to gold in the senior silver freeskate and grabbed another with teammate Alyssa Trivelli in the intermediate similar pairs. Melissa Hill and Michelle Robinson PLEASE SEE THE GAZETTE’S P12