Tuesday January 22, 2001- Issue 1, Volume 1
Tuesday January 22, 2001- Issue 1, Volume 1
By: Mark Masters
The SOLA Spectator has learned from a source within the school office that at least eight students from SOLA have been caught plagiarizing. One unnamed student has been expelled from SOLA after being caught plagiarizing an assignment. The seven other students are on final warning, and have been ‘severely’ disciplined says a SOLA staff member who wishes to remain anonymous. This is the first masse outbreak of plagiarism at SOLA, and school officials want to put a stop to any further possible infractions. The plagiarists were not from one subject, but rather from many different courses. The source told the Spectator that the main area of trouble, however, was the History department. (Continued on PG 2)
Inside Today’s Spectator . . . . . . . . . .
Page Subject
The latest on the war in Afghanistan, and a report on the latest developments regarding cloning.
Emily Goldin reports on the upcoming school formal,
snowboard trip and on the effects of tuition regulation on SOLA grads.
SOLA takes on the 53rd Police Division in
volleyball. Anticipation grows for the upcoming basketball tournament, and the
final standings from SOLA’s Snow Bowl.
A letter from editor Mark Masters. Rosa Jones asks
why drugs seem to be all we talk about, and Robert Lake explains why the future
is now.
Entertainment Weekly’s predictions for best picture nominees at the upcoming Oscars. The results of a survey about our relationship with money. An obituary for an old friend, the Coke Machine.
Mark Masters takes an in-depth look at Spectator
treasurer Christian Bonner. Profiles on Team Canada hockey player Brendan
Shanahan and Pakistani President Musharraf.
14 Exam
Schedule (ONLY IN PRINT EDITION)
Bird Dismemberment Shocks SOLA Community
Anonymously submitted to the Spectator.
(Toronto- SOLA NEWS) Monday morning, January 14, 11:30 am,
students were shocked to find a gruesome scene strewn across the sidewalk in
front of the steps of our beloved school SOLA. The gruesome scene was
overshadowed by an even more sinister story.
It was a dark and cloudy day when
SOLA students broke free of their chalky-fingered oppressors in anticipation of
an ordinary lunch period. Much to their despair, students heading in a westerly
direction found themselves trapped between two crudely severed extremities of
what appeared to be some sort of avionic. Luckily enough a group of quick
thinking "authority" figures were on hand to direct the panicking
pupils through the hazardous area.
Earlier that morning "key
witnesses" claimed to have seen a suspicious individual fleeing the scene
cackling wildly. The "suspect" is described as a Caucasian male,
standing about 6'3", with wild uncombed dirty blonde hair, wearing brown
cowboy boots. The "suspect" is still at large and considered armed
and legged.
Our hearts at the spectator go out
to the victims of this horrible monstrosity.
Plagiarism has become a problem across Canada
(Continued from page 1) The School of Liberal Arts
lists two definitions of plagiarism. The first definition is taken from the MLA
Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Theses and Dissertations. It reads,
“Plagiarism may take the form of repeating another’s sentences as your own,
adopting a particularly apt phrase as your own, paraphrasing someone else’s
argument as your own, or even presenting someone else’s line of thinking in the
development of a thesis as though it were your own. In short, to plagiarize is
to give the impression that you have written or thought something that you have
in fact borrowed from another.” SOLA’s official definition is listed two pages
later in the handbook, “A student who copies or paraphrases facts and/or
opinions from reference works, no matter the medium, is guilty of plagiarism.”
The penalty for committing plagiarism at SOLA is surprisingly strong. In each
case of plagiarism at SOLA there is a conference with the student’s parents,
the offending student, and the Headmaster. If the case is viewed as minor than
the student must rewrite the assignment using proper documentation form. In a
major offence a mark of zero is given for the assignment, and a deduction will
be made to the student’s overall grade in the course. The credit may also be
taken away from the student in a major case. In both circumstances a notation
is made on the student’s internal documentation file. If a student is caught
plagiarizing a second time then expulsion may occur at the discretion of the
Headmaster. A third offence would result in immediate expulsion from the
school. Immediate expulsion will most likely be considered for any offense at
SOLA after the rash of plagiarism cases. Other schools have instilled weaker
penalties including rewriting the assignment, and apologizing to the teacher.
After these events it is rumoured that the SOLA handbook will be altered in
order to be even stricter in cases concerning plagiarism.
Cheating or plagiarizing an
essay has become much easier since the invention of the internet. Many SOLA
teachers blame the internet for causing plagiarism to breakout at SOLA. One
teacher commented that the internet makes plagiarism easy to carry out. The
internet has, however, made catching plagiarists much easier. The SOLA teacher interviewed
said, “It’s as easy to catch a plagiarist as it is to actually plagiarize. If I
though a student was cheating I would simply type the subject into a search
engine.”
Plagiarism has become a rapidly growing problem not just in SOLA but also around the country. At Simon Fraser University, one of Canada’s most respected Universities, a recent case of plagiarism has been uncovered. A total of forty-seven students were implicated in a plagiarism scandal that resulted in a media frenzy. The students allegedly submitted identical papers in a third year statistics course. Roger Blackman, the associate dean in the faculty of arts, called it the worst case of cheating he has seen in thirty-five years of teaching. The plagiarists were uncovered when a staff member at the University made the connection between the papers and an old report the faculty member read on his computer. The University College of the Fraser Valley has recommended that the students accused of the crime be given a failing grade in the course. At Simon Fraser, academic fraud carries a punishment of a failing grade. The students might also be forced to appear before an academic tribunal, which can ultimately rule that the students be suspended or expelled.
Last year, 120 students were caught
plagiarizing works at the University of Alberta, despite the fact it has one of
Canada’s most extensive anti-cheating programs. Of the 120 students caught, 45
were expelled.
At the University of Toronto,
150 students are now under investigation for plagiarism by the Faculty of Arts
and Sciences at the St. George campus. The University has a reputation for not
accusing students without an ironclad case and, therefore, those accused will
most likely be found guilty. Less than 5% of those caught cheating, however,
are hardcore plagiarists. The other offenders are simply guilty of bad
judgment, says Susan Bartkiw, who handles cheating cases for the faculty’s
Office of Student Affairs.
If
you have any questions or comments about this, or any article in the Spectator,
do not hesitate to contact us through our website at:
ca.oocities.com/solapaper/
U.S.
Chasing Al Qaeda Leads Across Globe
WASHINGTON (Reuters)
- Authorities are chasing intricate leadds on al Qaeda across the globe from a
windfall of material seized in Afghanistan that included signs Osama bin
Laden's network was plotting new attacks inside the United States, U.S.
officials say.
Videotapes,
documents, computers and computer disks seized from homes around Kabul,
Kandahar and other Afghan sites had filled in some blanks in identifying bin
Laden's followers and the group's operations, officials said.
``There is literally
so much that we are lead rich at this point,'' House of Representatives
Intelligence Committee Chairman Porter Goss, a Florida Republican, said.
The United States
has set out to destroy al Qaeda and bin Laden, blamed for the Sept. 11 attacks
in which hijackers used planes as weapons to destroy two skyscrapers in New
York and strike the Pentagon near Washington, killing more than 3,000.
Information from the materials collected and the interrogation of detainees
captured in Afghanistan uncovered plots against the U.S. Embassy in Yemen, a
shuttle bus in Singapore used.
They would not
identify the internal targets and said it was not clear how the attacks were to
be conducted.
``There are some
things which might give the appearance of focusing on U.S. landmarks or
prominent places or businesses,'' one official said on condition of anonymity.
By Tabassum Zakaria.
Expert Panel
Urges U.S. to ban Cloning
WASHINGTON (Reuters)
- Experiments to make cloned human babiees are much too dangerous to try now
and should be legally banned, with ``substantial penalties'' to those who
disobey, scientists who advise the U.S. government said on Friday.
In a strongly worded
report, a National Academy of Sciences panel said both public and private
sector efforts to clone a human baby must be stopped until it can be shown the
procedure is safe. Scientists usually rely on voluntary action by their
fellows.
``The data was so
clear,'' said Dr. Irving Weissman of the Stanford University School of Medicine
in California, who chaired the panel. ``And it was clear that there were people
who were about to do it.''
The panel of experts
said the ban should be reviewed in five years, and reconsidered if it looks
like scientists have improved the safety record and if the country appears to
be ready for a debate on the contentious issue. It urged such a debate. The
panel of experts said the ban should be reviewed in five years, and
reconsidered if it looks like scientists have improved the safety record and if
the country appears to be ready for a debate on the contentious issue. It urged
such a debate. Many experiments have shown that animal cloning is still
experimental and dangerous, the Committee on Science, Engineering and Public
Policy said in its report.
``Only a small
percentage of attempts are successful ... many of the clones die during
gestation, even in late stages ... newborn clones are often abnormal or die;
and ... procedures may carry serious risks for the mother,'' it said.
Many of the clones
are unusually large. Studies suggest they have an abnormal placenta, which is
the organ that connects the mother and fetus. It also usually takes hundreds of
efforts to get a single embryo to grow, and then only a very small percentage
of these survive.
No one claims to
have cloned a human although one Massachusetts Company, Advanced Cell
Technology, said it made some hours-old human embryos using cloning technology.
Last year the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that would ban
all human cloning, but the Senate has put off action. ``The president was ready
to sign that legislation into law,'' White House spokesman Ari Fleischer told a
news conference on Friday. The Food and Drug Administration, which claims
authority over cloning, has also said it will not give permission for
experiments to begin on cloning people.
By Maggie Fox
Plans in the Works for
Upcoming Formal
It is time to dust off your dance shoes, and put on
your best outfit because the 2001-2002 formal committee has proudly announced
that there will be a fabulous formal once again this year.
The formal committee has made arrangements to have
the formal on a beautiful boat called the Stella Borealis, which can be found
down at Harbor front. The tentative date of the formal is Friday, May 31st.
The ticket prices will be the same as last year,
$50, and will be going on sale on Curriculum night. The night will include a
pre-party, dinner, dancing and surely lots of fun!
The formal is open to OAC, grade 12, grade 11, and anyone who graduates first semester. Buy your tickets early because there is limited seating.
In February, SOLA Is Hitting The Slopes
By:
Emily Goldin
It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner snowboarder/skier or an expert when it comes to the SOLA Ski day! It will be held during second semester and is a great chance to show of your skills. Ski day operates much like a field trip, if you don’t go, school is still mandatory. More details will be coming in future Spectator issues.
Tuition Regulation Likely to Effect SOLA Graduates
By:
Emily Goldin
Queen’s University has already seen the affects of
the deregulation debate. On Tuesday January 15th, five Queen’s
students locked themselves in Principal William Leggett’s office protesting the
deregulation policy that it has requested from the government. It is an issue
that will most likely hurt a lot of students who have to pay their way to
university each year.
Deregulation
gives universities and colleges the ability to set their tuition at whatever
they deem necessary. If tuition fees are deregulated, it is estimated that
tuition would go up 60 percent by 2006, making the price of tuition around
$6,000. Students argue that if tuition fees are raised, that they would no
longer be able to afford the amount of time needed to complete a university or
college degree. The universities and colleges argue that they need the money to
fix up their aging buildings and to pay for all the research facilities that
they provide. ‘You are paying for a bettered education, it’s an investment in
yourself,’ seems to be the trendy argument for deregulation supporters.
For many private school students, the proposed 60
percent tuition hike to $6,000 dollars is about two years tuition at their
present school. To many students who intend on spending a few years in
university to complete doctorates, law degrees or any other lengthy program,
the thought of paying $6,000 a year with other expenses, is ominous.
“There aren’t enough flexible jobs that students can
hold down.” states one concerned university student.
“ Students don’t have the time, or if they do, they
burn themselves out by not leaving themselves any time to relax. Deregulation
is a double-edged sword. If it happens it hurts the students which in turn
hurts the universities. If it is avoided then the universities suffer and then
so does the education that the students are receiving.”
The outcome at Queen’s will determine the future for
the rest of Canadian universities, as Joel Duff, President of the Canadian
Federation of Students-Ontario recently predicted. If Queen’s is granted
deregulation abilities, then the rest of the universities will be able to
deregulate.
Queen’s is the first university to formally ask for undergraduate
fees to be deregulated. Their Arts and Science undergraduates paid $4,200 this
year in tuition and by the time that they finish their undergraduate degree
will have shelled out anywhere between $16,800 and $21,00 depending on their
degree. This is roughly the equivalent of about one year in an undergraduate
program at a decent US college.
In the first of what many hope will be several
matches, the police officers from the 53rd Division across the
street, defeated SOLA’s finest 3 games to 1 in a four game volleyball showdown.
The match was secretly convened after the Police challenged SOLA Co-director
Mike MacConnell to a match. MacConnell assembled a group of students and
teachers to face the much vaunted Police force.
The 53rd Division has
challenged many schools in the area, and recently had the privilege of
competing against Canada’s national volleyball team. With this in mind a team
of volleyball gurus was compiled. Jon Ferguson, a volleyball child prodigy
before burning out at age eight, led the unheralded team. Bill Heckadon came
out of retirement to play in the crucial contest. Heckadon had previously
played competitive volleyball before hanging up his sneakers only a few years
ago. James Fisher and Mike Conforti, SOLA’s answer to the odd couple, also were
selected to the team. Other notable players included Laurence Boma-Fischer and
Mike K., members of the Snow Bowl winning team out to prove they can play two
sports. Mark Masters, always too thin to handle the physical nature of
volleyball, beefed up just in time to join the squad of misfits. Andrew
Kingston, plagued by injuries in the past months, got the go ahead from his
doctor to participate in the competition.
The Police Academy players wore
dark, menacing black jerseys in stark comparison to the rag tag group of SOLA
players. In the first game the brave SOLA side faltered, looking rusty in
falling behind 9-0. A late surge by SOLA could not stop a crushing defeat. A
raucous home court bolstered the Police Officers, and they stormed to a victory
in the second game despite many questionable calls in their favour. The third
game was a close affair, but the SOLA side let it slip away.
After the third defeat Bill
‘givem hell’ Heckadon rallied the troops. After the harsh pep talk the SOLA
players worked more as a team, communicating, and showing a team first attitude
that was lacking in the first three contests.
The fourth, and most important game
was a nail biter as both sides took, and then squandered leads. Mike Conforti
and James Fisher constantly pushed each other to do better by yelling
encouraging comments at each other. The under hand serve of Mark Masters kept
the Cops off balance the entire game. Jon Ferguson sacrificed his body with
reckless abandonment, while Bill Heckadon yelled instructions from the
sidelines. The SOLA team finally was victorious in what many critics are
labeling the greatest volleyball victory in SOLA history. Tears flowed freely
as SOLA players flooded onto the court as the disgruntled, but unarmed officers
walked away in stunned disbelief.
The amazing success of the
tournament has many SOLA students calling for an eight game summit series
versus the Officers. The idea has yet to be approved, but after such a spirit
raising performance the school will most likely approve the proposal.
Dynasty Wins
SOLA Snow Bowl By: Mark Masters
On a rainy and cold December day a group of
talented students combined to edge a bunch of ageless wonders.
Team Dynasty featured league MVP
Mike K., who quarter-backed the squad into the finals. Matt Wilson was the team
captain, and along with American import Andrew Kingston led the league in
receptions. Laurence Boma-Fischer supplied a physical, yet versatile game that
made the Dynasty so formidable.
Opposing them were the Teachers.
Always counted out, the group of injured, and aging educators simply found a
way to win. Ryan Anderson, the team quarterback and spiritual leader, guided
the under-dogs all the way to the championship game.
In the finals the Teachers
quickly grabbed a 7-0 lead. The resilient Dynasty, however, fought back holding
the Teachers to just one more touchdown the rest of the game. Mike K. hooked up
with receivers Andrew Kingston, and Matt Wilson to put the game out of reach.
SOLA Basketball
Tournament to Tip Off in February
By:
Mark Masters
The SOLA Sports Committee will launch a three on
three-basketball tournament that will begin in the new semester. The tournament
follows a largely successful touch football tournament, also sponsored by the
Sports Committee. The tentative date for the tournament’s first game is February
11th. Every game will most likely be played at a nearby church, a
two-minute walk from SOLA.
Jon Ferguson will act as commissioner of the
basketball tournament that will most likely run for about a month. Ferguson
expects around ten teams to sign up at a price of two dollars a person. Each
team must include at least one female player. The female players must be given
adequate playing time according to the tournament’s rules.
Other tournament rules follow a similar pattern to regular
intramural tournament. Fouls will be called in an honour rule system. Foul
calls will not result in foul shots, but rather possession of the ball. A
meeting of all team captains to discuss the rules is scheduled to take place on
February 8th, preceding the start of the tournament. Sports
Committee sources tell the Spectator that the tournament rules will be enforced
more strictly after a few incidents during the recent football tournament.
On
the right is a list of all teams currently entered in the tournament.
By: Mark Masters
The
SOLA sports committee is ‘extremely pleased’ with the results of a two-month
raffle it organized. The raffle ran from early December to late January with
the final draw expected to be held on Wednesday January 23.
The most sought after item is a Steve Shutt
autographed jersey. Shutt played on both the Montreal Canadians and Toronto
Maple Leafs in a successful thirteen year NHL career. Shutt accumulated 474
goals in his career 50 of which were scored in the playoffs.
Those who purchased a raffle ticket are also vying
for a gift basket from the Body Shop. The basket is valued at one hundred
dollars and contains a wide variety of objects.
One Sports Committee member, who wished not to be identified, says that the raffle has raised upwards to one hundred dollars. Tickets were being sold at two dollars a piece or two for three dollars. Each ticket holder currently has a 6% chance to win a prize. Members of the Sports Committee donated all prizes.
Roster of Teams
to Compete in SOLA Basketball Tournament
The
Replacements Kevin
Barnhorst Jon
Ferguson Mark Masters
Portland
Tailchasers Paul Sidi Stu Reid Jess Stiener Ted Sablatnig
Unnamed Scott Witrup Marc Borins Shira Twena Charlie Fogul
Unnamed Ian Lambur Siddarth K. Lindsey Van
Wert Nick
Brether
Team #6 Laurence Boma-Fischer Andrew Kingston Mike K.
Teachers Mike MacConnell Any other teacher
signed up.
Unnamed Barry Barens Matt Wilson
Individuals
Signed Up Andrew Rozehnal Russell
Willer
Josh Hertz
Vincent Li
Jon Henderson Robbie Finder Adrian Monsorbs
It has been eight years since SOLA last had a
newspaper. It was entitled the ‘SOLA Eclipse.’ Now, here we are in the year 2002,
and SOLA has a newspaper again. I could use my editorial commentary to tell you
how much this new paper will make the school a better place. I could urge you
to come out and join the paper staff and write articles. I could shamelessly
promote myself as a visionary, but I won’t. Every issue I get to write to you
the reader, therefore I must ensure it is of tremendous importance. Something
very important happened over the holidays that I feel obligated to write about.
Every December, around Christmas time, a hockey
tournament is played. It is not the Olympics or the World Championships, not
even the Woman’s World Cup of Hockey. It is the World Junior Hockey
Championships. A classic duel between ten countries featuring the top players
in the world under the age of twenty.
From 1992 to 1997 Canada won five straight gold
medals at the juniors, but since then we have not struck gold. This year, with
Jason Spezza, Jay Bouwmeester and Rick Nash, Canada looked destined to become
champions. All that stood in the way was our fiercest rival, Russia. Perhaps
not the rivalry it used to be, but nonetheless a fitting match up for the
finals.
Canada had destroyed Russia 5-2 in the regulation
round of the tournament in a game where Canada’s top defenseman, Dan Hamhuis,
was checked from behind into the boards by Russian Alexandre Svitov. Hamhuis
missed the rest of the preliminary round with a shoulder injury. Throughout the
preliminary game Svitov dived at the slightest touch of a Canadian player. One
replay even showed Svitov falling without being touched. Yet the international
referees still called an obscene number of penalties against Canada. Svitov was
also accused of spitting at Canadian players. He was eventually suspended for
two games when, in a later game, he viciously beat a Swiss player while two of
his teammates held the player down.
The final is when Canada should have had revenge.
Our brave boys stormed out to a commanding 3-1 lead, but the game was far from
over. A Russian goalie change seemed to spark the Russians. A controversial
penalty was then called. A delay of game penalty sent Canadian winger Steve Ott
to the penalty box for shooting the puck over the glass as a way of relieving
pressure in Canada’s zone. The last time delay of game was called on a player,
not a goalie in the juniors was thirty years ago. The Russians scored on the
power play eventually taking a 4-3 lead. Canada did not give up, but fought
back with only one goal in mind. The comeback was almost complete. A 5-4
deficit could easily be erased with the goalie pulled and the Russians pinned
deep in their own end. Canada was all over Russia when the Russian net minder,
Serguei Mylinikov, purposely pushed the net off its moorings so if Canada
scored it would not count. Under international rules a penalty shot should have
been awarded to Canada, but alas the referees did not see the illegal act that
cameras clearly documented.
The heartache must have been unbearable for Canada’s
pride, but the worse was yet to come. A group of Russian players skated by the
dejected Canadians and taunted their fellow competitors. Yelling at our Junior
team, asking them how it felt. Did Canadian players start a fight? No. They
walked away. They showed class, something lacking within Russia’s junior hockey
system. Our boys had enough guts not to respond to the rude, and disrespectful
Russians, but I will. I will say one word as a retort. This one word will make
the Canadians who played at the juniors feel better, and most importantly make
me feel better. It is not a word so much as it is a number.
1972.
Mark
Masters
Editor
in Chief
By:
Rosa Jones
I have been here at SOLA for two years now and despite the fact that I now enjoy school more than I ever did before, one thing continues to bother me: drugs and the debate around legalizing them. It seems that every time we talk about something in class, whether it is a legal, political, moral, or even a literary concern, someone has to say, “it would all be better if they just legalized pot”. Worse still, you cannot even ask someone what he or she did over the weekend without some reference to the legalization issue. One often feels like some sort of ultra-conservative outcast if they try to say they are not interested or find the whole thing a waste of time. It is all getting pretty tired.
The proponents of legalizing drugs, usually restricted to so-called “soft drugs” like marijuana and hashish, always talk about how great it would be since police could do more worthwhile things than bust people who “just want a smoke”. They also claim that the government can use the “lost” revenue from taxes on these drugs to help fund some of their under-funded social programs like healthcare. However, they gloss over the many problems that come with legalizing drugs.
First
of all, there are many problems with distinguishing between which are harmful
to one’s health and which are not. Many
hempites claim that their “all-natural” product never really hurt anyone; they
obviously have not spoken to long-term users, most of who can barely string a
meaningful sentence together. Secondly,
removing the legal “stigma” will in all probability lead to a large increase in
their use and the creation of many hard-core addicts. Third, is the link between the “soft” drugs and the more
dangerous narcotics, which have never been completely disproved. Fourth, is the ridiculous claim that is does
not harm anyone! Would you want your
surgeon, pilot, or dentist to be a drug-user?
Perhaps they would get “incurable munchies” or better yet a flashback
while they have your life in their hands.
In addition to all of these reasons, many of which some of you are sure to dispute, there is the most important reason of all: there are far better things to worry about! The two main reasons the adult world does not listen to us teens are that they find our issues trivial or that we talk like morons (“huh, huh, spark the j baby!”). Some of my friends find we are deemed “losers” because we care about things like the environment, poverty, and homelessness, or that we can have fun without substances. If that is true, then fine, I am a loser. But I would ask all of you who read this “Don’t you have something better to do with your time?”
By: Robert Lake
One problem that many people suffer from is the
constant look to, and even reliance on the future. Many thoughts and actions that are involved directly in the
present dwell on the possibilities of the inevitable future. It is, however, seldom realized that only
the present provides the opportunity for the future to even exist as one
believes it should, the potential is there for it in abundance.
“Live everyday like it is your last,” many
a wise men have been heard to say. And
why not? It is the only way of thinking
that truly makes sense. As long as
everyone continues to proclaim, “tomorrow, tomorrow…” nothing will ever
be finished or completed. Obviously
nothing lasts forever, life and this planet included, so why not make the most
of what you are given? If I were to
tell you that you were to die tomorrow how would you react? With regret, no doubt, and that is quite
silly. If what is truly important to
you is television and vanity, attitude and falseness than dine away, fill your
stomach with the most deep fried of foods.
If spending your last waking minutes hearing of wars in far off places
and the redundancy of the situation comedy or pretending you were raised in the
ghetto and acting correspondingly than go ahead, all the power to you. But, if you wish to dance, to write, to
create, to help, to talk, to listen, to love, to laugh, to wish, to dream, to
live, than spend your time doing so, make the most of what you have. Do not constantly rely on the future and be
an ass now by saying you will be pious tomorrow. You must rely only on yourself
and on the present for it is all that is guaranteed.
I am no way am claiming to be an ideal man but I do claim to aim towards some sort of virtue. In no way is this meant as a critique of anyone’s personal choices either but, wretch at the sight of a world filled with so much self inflicted anguish and wasted potential. Arm yourselves, I say, for the future is coming.
Previewing the Possible Best Picture Nominees for March’s Academy Awards
This article was originally published in
‘Entertainment Weekly’ in their issue dated January 18, 2002.
For months now, we've been muttering that 2001 was the
worst year for movies in a decade that it would be impossible to come up with
five worthy Best Picture contenders. Now the race is on, and who were we
kidding? There are plenty of candidates for the big prize -- although, with one
major exception, they're not the kind of movies that usually get nominated. The
exception is A BEAUTIFUL MIND. The story of
schizophrenic Nobel laureate John Forbes Nash Jr. had "Oscar bait"
stamped all over it from the moment Ron Howard and Russell Crowe signed their
contracts, and, unlike many of its competitors, the film lived up to the hype.
Growing critical dissatisfaction about the liberties taken with the facts of
Nash's life could eventually hurt its chances to win -- but that's later.
The other films in the race, though, will mark 2001
as a strange year. For instance: No otherworldly sci-fi/fantasy film has earned
a Best Picture nod since ''Star Wars,'' but the huge critical and popular
success of the LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
should snap that hex. No live-action musical has competed since ''All That
Jazz,'' but the technical prowess and visual virtuosity of MOULIN
ROUGE should be hard for voters to ignore. And dark, bleak dramas,
however acclaimed, usually settle for acting nominations (''Leaving Las
Vegas,'' ''Requiem for a Dream''), but IN THE BEDROOM may
just go all the way.
The fifth slot is even more of a wild card. Will
Academy voters surprise everyone and go for the studied wackiness of THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS or the acclaimed alt-reality of MULHOLLAND DRIVE? Will they allow DreamWorks' SHREK to settle for a mere Best Animated Feature nomination,
or Miramax's AMELIE to languish in the best foreign
film ghetto? (Given the massive rivalry between the studios that goes back to
''Shakespeare in Love'''s Best Picture win over ''Saving Private Ryan,'' it's
no surprise that the ''Shrek'' trade-ad campaign has been arguably the year's
most aggressive.) Will members prefer the hard-swinging filmmaking of ALI (hurt by a fast box office drop) or the well-liked but
frothy country-house high jinks of GOSFORD PARK? Our
guess: in a year when the U.S. military is on the minds of voters, Ridley
Scott's combat drama BLACK HAWK DOWN appeals to the
Academy's older male voters enough to edge the competition.
“What would
you do for Money?” Survey Asks
Money talks and motivates. Hands
down, the best incentive to get action is cash. Nine out of ten prefer it to
miles, points, and other frills in rewards programs. So how far would you go
for it?
Would you walk on the wild side for a big payout?
Generally (and legally) speaking, 73 percent of us say we'd
take risks to reap rewards, although 55 percent of those say the payouts have
got to be big-time to interest them.
Would you live on a deserted island for a year for $1
million?
Sixty-five percent would do the Robinson Crusoe thing for $1
million.
Would you kiss a stranger for $200?
One-third of us (32 percent) might even plant a smooch on a
frog for that quick cash. Another one-third say that to overcome their shyness
or aversion they'd need at least $500, but 37 percent wouldn't be interested.
How about the frog for $50?
Three out of four people say they'd do it.
Survey is continued on the next page.
Money Survey (continued)
For $2,500, would you eat a
healthy but restricted diet for a year forfeiting all of the money if you
snacked?
Three out of five of us find that inducement too great to
pass up.
How about wear the same underwear for a week for
$500?
Sixty-one percent of folks say it's a deal if they could
wash themselves. Forty-eight percent would go two full weeks sans bath or
shower for $2,500.
Would you go up against a heavyweight-boxing champ
for $100,000?
Only one in five of us would take the punches for the dough.
Would you swallow a worm for $300 if it wouldn't make
you sick?
Twenty-one percent would do it for $300, but 26 percent
would need at least $1,000. Forty-seven percent wouldn't for all the tea in
China.
Would you serve six months in jail for someone else
for a cool million bucks?
Prison is pretty uninviting. Only 30 percent of us would
take the rap for someone else in a medium-security jail.
Would you dress more revealingly to double your
salary?
Unscrupulous sellout or not, just 47.5 percent would hike up
our skirts and show some cleavage if it meant doubling our pay.
Would you keep a job you hated for big bucks?
Twenty-three percent say they would hold their nose and
collect the cash for a short time at least. Ten percent wouldn't take this
Faustian bargain for a minute. Seven percent confess that they are already
doing it.
How about take a three-month vow of silence for
$20,000?
Two-thirds of us would button up assuming we could write our
thoughts and listen to others. A third doubt they'd have the resolve to remain
mute that long.
How much would you pay to be stress free?
Everyone complains about stress, but 55 percent would not
fork over even $50 a month to be guaranteed to be worry free.
Would you sleep on the street, beggar style, for a
week for $2,000?
Fifty-eight percent of people feel that's a fair deal.
From Are You Normal
About Money? Do You Behave Like Everyone Else? By Bernice Kanner. Copyright 2001
by Bloomberg L.P.
Obituary
The Coke Machine
1995- 2002
By: Christian
Bonner
After serving SOLA for many years the Coke Machine’s reign of terror has come to a dramatic end.
Since the expulsion of the Macdonald Academy, the Coke Machine has gone unattended, and neglected.
Opinions vary upon the issue of the Coke Machine, though not at the Spectator. The unanimous appreciation of fine carbonated beverages has suffered a severe blow. Until the Coke Machine has found an heir SOLA will have to go unquenched.
That may be soon as the office reports that a new machine, to be placed on the third floor, will be installed in a few months.
By:
Mark Masters
Christian Bonner, treasurer of the Spectator, refused to comment on the possibility he is involved with the Communist Party of Canada. Bonner, who idolizes Keith Richards, made the statements during an interview with the Spectator on Wednesday January 16. Bonner has long been rumoured to be involved with high-ranking officials within the Communist Party. The outspoken OAC student has come under scrutiny lately for several controversial statements he has made.
Bonner expressed an interest in
one day ruling Poland, a former Soviet satellite nation, if he had a choice. “I
feel left out, everybody else has taken it (Poland) over,” Bonner says, “No
offence to the Polish people.” Bonner was also recently implicated in the
homicide of a bird committed Monday January 14. Bonner was seen by eyewitnesses
beside the remains of a dead bird during the Monday lunch hour. Bonner
instructed passersby to avoid contact with the mutilated bird. Bonner responded
to these allegations by stating, “I’ve always been a big fan a birds. I would
never allow harm to come to birds. I emphatically, and categorically deny
harming any birds, in particularly the one outside the school.” As for motive,
it is believed the bird was a capitalist who disagreed with
Shanahan
Looks for Redemption in Salt Lake
Compiled
by Mark Masters from an article written in Maclean’s magazine, 1/14/02
The
scene is Nagano Japan; it is the 1998 Winter Olympics. Team Canada battles the
Czech Republic in the semi finals. Trailing by one late in the game Canada
scores to force overtime. Canada dominates the ten minute overtime period, but
cannot score on the magnificent Czech goalie Dominik Hasek. From Newfoundland
to British Colombia Canadians are gripped by the action on the other side of
the globe. Then the word that strikes the most fear in every Canadian hockey fan,
shootout. The Czechs score first, but Canadian goalie Patrick Roy closes the
door and stops the next four shooters. Hasek foils Canadian shooters time after
time. There is one shot remaining, one last chance for gold. Brendan Shanahan
took that shot, he missed. It became
the most played clip on Canadian television, and the vision of Shanahan staring
at the ice, leaning on his stick is splattered across every newspaper. It is a
disaster.
Four years later Brendan
Shanahan is once again preparing for the Olympics. To this day Shanahan is
asked about the final shot by reporters. Shanahan has moved on, and pushed the
disappointment of Nagano from his mind. At the start of the season Shanahan was
considered a long shot to make Canada’s hockey team. The Detroit Red Wings
winger was not, however,
Pakistani
President: A Key Figure in World Politics
Compiled
by Mark Masters from an article written in Biography magazine01/02
The
world’s must volatile region is not Afghanistan or the Middle East, but rather
the border between India and Pakistan. Tensions have been rising since
Pakistani terrorists stormed the Indian Parliament and opened fire. The Prime
Minister of India was outside the building when the attack transpired. The two
long time foes have argued over who owns the rights to the province of Kashmir.
President Pervez Musharraf has led Pakistan since seizing power in a bloody
military coup in 1999.
Since mid-September he has been
the target of criticism from his own country, and compliments from other world
leaders. President Musharraf has joined the American led war on terrorism. This
move would seem trivial had the primary target for this war not been
Afghanistan, and the ruling Taliban. Pakistan had been one of two nations to
recognize the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan. Pakistan had been a
close ally of Afghanistan. President Musharraf, however, went against the
popular opinion of his people, and allowed American planes to land and refuel
in his country.
In the last few months President Musharraf has toured Ground Zero, addressed the United Nations, and met with President Bush.
Christian
and the Communists (continued)
communist policies.
The Communist Party of Canada
could not verify whether Bonner was a member or not. The evidence, however,
suggests that Bonner is indeed a communist. In his exclusive interview with the
Spectator, Bonner showed great admiration for the movie Casablanca. Casablanca takes place during the
Second World War in which the Red Army was greatly involved.
Bonner also alluded to the fact
his favourite colour is magenta. Magenta is very similar to the colour red.
Magenta can be made in a combination of several paints including red. Many
people believe that magenta is simply a variation of the colour red. Red also
happens to be the official colour of the communist party. Many SOLA students
believe this to be more than simple coincidence.
Bonner continues to remain
silent on this sensitive topic, and plans to continue his academic season at
SOLA through the second semester. He has applied to Trent University, an
educational facility with no communist student groups, and would like to enter
the field of journalism. Trent would be fertile preying grounds for Bonner, who
could use his savvy media skills to recruit for the communist party.
Shanahan’s
Last Chance (continued)
obsessed with making the team. “I took it very hard, losing at the Olympics,” he says. “And maybe I did take it more personally, having been the last guy in the shootout, having the last chance after everybody else missed. And it came down to that one last shot.” Shanahan’s teammate Brett Hull understands why Shanahan can be so easy going about the Nagano failure. “He (Shanahan) takes in everything, and deals with it very rationally, and logically,” says Hull. “In some ways, he’s always going to be a big kid, which is the great thing about him. But intellectually, he’s older than his years, especially in the way he deals with stuff. There’ll be situations where I’ll be ranting, and raving about something, and he’ll calm me down and say, ‘Maybe there’s another way of looking at it.’”
Shanahan’s mental toughness is a trait inherited from his father, a firefighter. Donal Shanahan emigrated from Ireland to Toronto in 1952, but died in 1990 of Alzheimer’s. Shanahan is never afraid of a fight dating back to his high school days. “In high school, I got into a fight in every sport- basketball, soccer, football and, even track and field,” Shanahan laments. He will face his toughest challenge in just a few weeks time when Canada opens its Olympic schedule against Sweden. Shanahan, however, is ready to win this fight.
The Olympics begin in 17 days.
Musharraf
Fears Backlash from own People (continued)
President
Musharraf knows his actions have been a gamble, “I am stepping on the toes of
some people who may not want me around. So therefore one has to be careful.” Meanwhile,
back in his homeland protestors gathered on the streets shouting, “Death to
Musharraf.”
“I am stepping on the toes of some people who may not
want me around. So therefore one has to be careful.”
- President Musharraf
President Musharraf has fought two wars against India, and won a medal for gallantry. In 1998 he was appointed chief of the Pakistani army, and he used this position to seize power on October 12, 1999. He has promised to return Pakistan to a democracy by October of 2002. The fifty-eight year old leader continues to be the centre of an ongoing international crisis, and his actions may well decide whether peace is possible in these difficult times.
If you would like to suggest a person within the SOLA
community to be featured in the Spectator’s ‘People’ section then you can
contact us through our website.
The Spectator will profile one member of the SOLA,
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