All Posts Tagged With: "hockey"
‘Israel Apartheid,’ Oberlin College & pro-gay Carly Rae
What students are talking about today (March 5th)
Jepsen (Dance Photographer - Brendan Lally/Flickr)
1. Carly Rae Jepsen, the 27-year-old Canadian singer, has cancelled a performance at the Boy Scouts of America Jamboree in July because the Scouts still ban gay members. In a series of Tweets she wrote: “As an artist who believes in equality for all people, I will not be participating in the Boy Scouts of America Jamboree this summer. I always have and will continue to support the LGBT community on a global level and stay informed on the ever changing landscape in the ongoing battle for gay rights in this country and across the globe.” This seems like a smart move.
2. It’s Israel Apartheid Week again and both Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney and Prime Minister Stephen Harper condemned the annual hate-fest on Monday. So did at least one student op-ed, in Trent University’s Arthur, whose author argues the term apartheid is inaccurate. There was also a review of a film that compares Israel and apartheid South Africa in The Concordian. Here’s part of Kenney’s statement, which one might call overheated, even though he makes a valid point:
Continue reading ‘Israel Apartheid,’ Oberlin College & pro-gay Carly Rae
Dalhousie women’s hockey team feels ‘betrayed’
University stands by suspensions
A former Dalhousie Tiger (RicLaf/Flickr)
Dalhousie University is standing by its decision to suspend the women’s hockey team over an alleged hazing incident, saying the squad’s most recent version of what happened that September night is only half the story.
The team issued a statement Thursday saying it held a party to welcome new players that involved dressing up rookies in “odd clothing,” and asking them to eat sardines, hot peppers and whipped cream.
It also said the get-together at a private house included drinking games, but no one was forced to drink alcohol and no activities were mandatory.
“Throughout the evening, senior members of the team looked out for the first years to ensure that they would come to no harm,” read the two-page statement.
Continue reading Dalhousie women’s hockey team feels ‘betrayed’
Women told “keep it together,” #NoHomophobes & Reddit
What students are talking about today (January 10th)
"Who's Watching Your Drink?" poster (Alcohol Awareness Committee via TheMeliorist.ca)
1. The University of Lethbridge’s Alcohol Awareness Committee has put up posters showing two girls enjoying a night out on the town beneath the headline “Who’s watching your drink?” and, in smaller print, the words “Keep it together. It can happen anywhere.” The Meliorist’s Leyland Bradley isn’t pleased, saying the poster implies woman can avoid sexual assault “if they know better.” Bradley says this is an example of “blaming the victim” and that it “perpetuate shame and self-loathing rather than working to prevent assault.” I don’t see harm in asking women to keep themselves and each other safe, but I do see how that “keep it together” line might offend.
2. The University of Albertaʼs Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services, creators of NoHomophobes.com, have released a forceful new video showing how odd it is that we still use words like faggot and dyke. “We no longer tolerate racist language… but sadly we still see and hear homophobic and transphobic language in our society,” Kristopher Wells, the Instituteʼs Associate Director, told The Huffington Post, adding “While this language might not always be meant to be hurtful, we must not forget that words like “faggot” contribute greatly to continued alienation and isolation.” The video has nearly 5,000 views.
Continue reading Women told “keep it together,” #NoHomophobes & Reddit
Former beauty queen pleads guilty in Stanley Cup riot trial
Sophie Laboissonniere was local Miss Congeniality
A former beauty queen has admitted to participating in the 2011 Stanley Cup riot in Vancouver.
Sophie Laboissonniere of Richmond, B.C., who was crowned Miss Congeniality at a local beauty pageant, wasn’t in court for the guilty plea.
The woman’s lawyer entered the guilty plea of one count of participating in a riot.
She was among the first people charged following the riot, which broke out on June 15, 2011, after the Vancouver Canucks lost Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final.
A sentencing hearing has not been set, though the judge has granted the Crown’s request for a pre-sentence report with a psychological component.
Rioters spent hours burning cars, smashing windows and looting stores over several blocks of downtown Vancouver until police in riot gear used tear gas to bring the crowds under control.
What students are talking about today (December 13th edition)
Puppy parties, NHL lockout and the plot to kill Bieber
Therapy dogs in Hawaii (Photo: Beverly & Pack on Flickr)
1. If you’ve fallen into an exam stress hole and your university doesn’t offer the burgeoning (and cute) service of dog therapy, watch this video – you can’t possibly be in a bad mood after watching a man high-five a Labradoodle. CBC Edmonton reports that the University of Alberta is the latest Canadian school jumping on the dog therapy wagon – and it’s wildly popular. Students lined up down the hallway for a chance to play with the pups, and a university official told CBC they hope to make the visits an ongoing program throughout the year.
2. In a bid to improve the college experience for LGBT students, the AP reports that the University of Iowa has become the first U.S. public university to pose options question about sexual orientation and gender on its application. The application asks students whether they “identify with the LGBTQ Community” among other optional questions, data the university hopes to use to gauge how well LGBT students feel supported. If a student answers yes to the question, Iowa’s admissions office will also e-mail them with information on housing options and campus resources.The AP reports that the only other U.S. college to track LGBT students is Elmhurst College, a private liberal-arts school in suburban Chicago.
Continue reading What students are talking about today (December 13th edition)
What students are talking about today (December 12th edition)
The pope’s first tweet, Mount Royal’s money woes and beer for your cold
(Photo: angelocesare on Flickr)
1. Stressed out from exams and warding off a cold? Drink beer! The National Post writes that Japan’s Sapporo Breweries is promoting a study that says hops, a key ingredient in beer, may have respiratory virus-fighting powers. Researchers at Sapporo Medical University (a partner in research, but no relation to the brewery) found that humulone, a chemical compound found in hops, helps protect against cold-like symptoms in adults and more serious illnesses like pneumonia and bronchitis viruses in children. Note: Do not actually guzzle IPAs for breakfast. Sapporo researcher Jun Fuchimoto told the AFP that someone would have to drink around 30 350-mL cans for the beer to have any anti-viral effect.
2. On Wednesday, Pope Benedict XVI joined well-known Twitter user Jesus and sent out his first tweet “in perhaps the most drawn out Twitter launch ever,” the Associated Press reports via CBC. The ceremony included a proclamation as the 85-year-old pontiff tapped the screen of an iPad: “And now the pope will tweet!” The inaugural papal message: “Dear friends, I am pleased to get in touch with you through Twitter. Thank you for your generous response. I bless all of you from my heart.” Aw. At last count, the pontiff’s English @Pontifex account was closing in on 850,000 followers. Bad news for anyone hoping to hit up the pope via direct message: The Vatican told AP the pontiff won’t actually write his own tweets.
Continue reading What students are talking about today (December 12th edition)
Too fat for the team
Scott Hems overcame bullying and lost 100 pounds
Scott Hems
This story originally appeared in The Aquinian, the student newspaper at St. Thomas University.
In high school, I was a typical big guy. I took a lot of shit from people. I got teased and laughed at. Girls wouldn’t talk to me. I could never eat enough, and I never felt good about myself.
There was one thing did make me happy, though, and that was hockey. I loved hockey in high school, but couldn’t make the high level teams because of my weight. During AAA tryouts one year, the coach called me. He wanted to tell me I was a fantastic goalie and had the heart of a champion.
He followed up the pep talk by saying I was “too fat to present the image we want on this team.”
What students are talking about today (November 8th edition)
Alcohol Studies, the Sandy Five, & a riot over Obama
1. A protest by disgruntled Republican students at the University of Mississippi following President Barack Obama’s reelection on Tuesday wasn’t a riot, according to the school’s chancellor. But it sure looked like one. There were racist epithets and Obama signs lit on fire as hundreds gathered on campus, reports ClarionLedger.com.
2. I regret to inform you that the University of Calgary is not offering a course called Alcohol Studies with samplings in class, as The Gauntlet student newspaper had reported in a humour piece, and which I pointed to in an earlier post as fact. (Mea culpa.) Too bad. It sounded fun.
3. The more than 110 deaths in the United States and the tens of billions in property damage weren’t the only consequences of Superstorm Sandy. New Yorkers say that after a week of eating processed foods while the power was out, they have trouble buttoning their jeans. The New York Times is calling the five pounds of weight gain the “Sandy Five.” Our thoughts are with them.
Continue reading What students are talking about today (November 8th edition)
What students are talking about today (November 7th edition)
Trump is mad, pot is legal & U. Manitoba’s “racialized rep.”
Donald Trump is one of the angriest men in America today (Gage Skidmore/Flickr)
1. Barack Obama got a second chance, winning the presidency for another four years with 50 per cent of the popular vote to Mitt Romney’s 48 per cent plus victory in battleground states like Ohio. From Obama’s victory speech: “Tonight, in this election, you, the American people, reminded us that while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back, and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America, the best is yet to come.” Full text here.
2. Upon hearing the election results, Donald Trump threw a tantrum on Twitter and threatened to “March on Washington,” the site of this democratic “travesty.”
3. Washington and Colorado passed ballot initiatives during Tuesday’s election that legalize marijuana for recreational use. But pot-heads shouldn’t pack their bags for Denver or Seattle just yet. Legalization may lead to a Supreme Court challenge from the federal government.
Continue reading What students are talking about today (November 7th edition)
Mike Thompson, 25, takes care of fans
What it’s like to work at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment
Thompson (University of Windsor)
Your Job Makes Me Jealous is an interview with a young Canadian whose career is so cool that people at parties crowd around to hear about it. We discuss the ups, the downs and the pay.
This week, Mike Thompson, a 25-year-old from Oshawa, Ont., talks about his job as coordinator of fan services at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, based at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. It’s his job to oversee customer service at events from Raptors basketball games to last week’s Barbra Streisand show. When something goes wrong, he’s the one who makes it right.
Thompson holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master of Human Kinetics in sport management from the University of Windsor. He’s worked with MLSE since 2010. The hours are long, the pay is fair ($45,000 to $55,000 per year), but he can’t imagine doing anything else.
Click to listen to Mike Thompson talk about his job as coordinator of fan services at MLSE.
What students are talking about today (October 25th edition)
Supreme Court, Halloween costumes, & UBC “dimes”
daniel.richardson0685/Flickr
1. The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that Conservative MP Ted Opitz legitimately won his seat in the Toronto riding of Etobicoke Centre in the 2011 federal election, but the court was split 4 to 3. Opitz appealed an Ontario Superior Court ruling that set aside his victory over Liberal incumbent Borys Wrzesnewskyj because of procedural irregularities with 79 ballots. The Supreme Court overturned the ruling, deciding that 59 of those votes should count, reports The Canadian Press. The lesson: every vote matters.
2. A Twitter account dedicated to highlighting “dimes” and referencing “sluts” at UBC Vancouver has been removed. University officials told The Province newspaper that several varsity athletes, including hockey players, were behind the @UBCDimeWatch handle. “Dime” is a slang term for a woman whose appearance might be called a “perfect 10.” Photos were apparently posted without women’s permission. That’s a bit creepy.
3. The UK Border Agency’s decision to revoke London Metropolitan University’s license to sponsor overseas students strengthened the image of UK higher education, says Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. He told Times Higher Education that Canada intends “to go the same direction,” noting what he calls, “many sub-par institutions that are not providing quality programmes, and which are mostly facilitating various forms of legal migration.”
Continue reading What students are talking about today (October 25th edition)
What students are talking about today (October 17th edition)
Free textbooks in B.C. and a couple of dumb online posts
wohnai/Flickr
1. British Columbia says it will become the first province in Canada to offer students free online textbooks. They will be available as early as 2013-14 and will cover the 40 most popular post-secondary courses. Printed options would come at a “fraction of traditional textbook costs.”
2. An Ontario man who wrote “Thank God this b—- is dead” on a memorial page for Amanda Todd was fired from his job at a London, Ont. menswear store. Justin Hutchings told The Toronto Star that he wanted to “stir up the pot” and called it “more or less a social experiment.” A Calgary woman called his boss after seeing the post about the teen who killed herself last week.
3. Speaking of dumb internet postings, Lena Dunham, the writer and star of HBO’s Girls, is making headlines for her offensive Tweet to a couple of friends. It says: “You guys go as killer Canadian couple Paul Bernardo & Karla Homolka. I’ll be her sister they murdered. Scariest! Luv U.”
Continue reading What students are talking about today (October 17th edition)
What students are talking about today (October 12th edition)
A Bieber fan attacked, James Franco & #RIP Amanda Todd
Kevin Bieksa (Loxy!!/Flickr)
1. A Vancouver Justin Bieber fan had her night nearly ruined. Simran Mann wrote her name inside a heart with a Bieber reference on a pillar outside Rogers Arena. The problem was that pillar was a memorial for Canuck’s player Rick Rypien. Hockey fans tracked her down on Twitter and unleashed a fury: “Please hang yourself, so I can destroy your grave,” wrote one. Ouch.
2. Speaking of the Canucks, Kevin Bieksa and Daniel Sedin will play a charity game at UBC on Oct. 17. Both men are angry that sold-out tickets are being re-sold by scalpers on Craigslist.
3. Canadians are standing up against bullying with the hashtag #RIP Amanda Todd, in honour of the 15-year-old B.C. girl who killed herself after releasing an anti-bullying video on YouTube.
Continue reading What students are talking about today (October 12th edition)
Day one: Canada descends into anarchy
One man’s satirical take on the NHL lockout thus far
Poor underpaid LA Kings (prayitno/Flickr)
Connor Simpson was the editor and is now a contributor to The Cadre, the online-only student newspaper at the University of Prince Edward Island where this column appeared on Monday.
The NHL and the NHLPA could not come to an agreement on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement by the deadline, set by the devil himself Gary Bettman, of midnight Saturday.
The league has officially entered a lockout, its second in eight years.
Canada was nearly overrun with anarchy.
Protestors gathered on Parliament Hill almost instantly. Drunken Senators fans threw beer bottles at Parliament and lit effigies of Gary Bettman on the steps. Liquor stores in Manitoba were sold out by Sunday morning. Shelves were completely barren, according to online reports. There wasn’t a bottle of skootch for a hundred miles.
Stanley Cup rioter spared jail time
UBC student penned famous online apology
A B.C. judge says a university graduate who appears to have a bright future in front of her should be spared jail time for participating in last year’s Stanley Cup riot.
Instead, provincial court Judge Joseph Galati has given 23-year-old Camille Cacnio a suspended sentence that includes two years of probation and community service.
Cacnio pleaded guilty after online photos showed her stealing two pairs of men’s pants and a tie from a clothing store during the riot on June 15, 2011.
She turned herself into the police and posted an online apology that explained she was drunk and fell into the mob mentality.
Video protesting possible NHL lockout goes viral
Finnish fan wants people to “get mad”
A Finnish hockey fan is so angry about the possible NHL lockout that he made an emotional video asking other people to “get mad.” It has had nearly half-a-million views already after it was Tweeted by the NHL Players’ Association. “We’re in a point where hockey is more a product to make money than a beautiful game, which revolves around big money. Money seeming to be the bigger value than the game itself,” wrote 21-year-old Janne Makkonen on his YouTube account. Here’s the film:
Ontario hockey team sues student newspaper
$1-million suit for alleged defamation
Kitchener Rangers (Tabercil/Flickr)
The Kitchener Rangers, an Ontario Hockey League team, is suing a Michigan student newspaper, a journalist and his anonymous source for $1-million over what they say are false allegations about promising to pay a top player $200,000 to join them instead of the Wolverines.
They team alleges defamation because such a payout would break rules. From the Detroit Free Press “OHL teams are allowed to pay a player to go to school while he’s with the team or allowed to pay him an education package after he’s done playing. Teams are not allowed to give players money instead of the education package.”
Coach suspended after players skip ceremony to study
Junior hockey team fined $2,000
A hockey coach in Newfoundland was suspended for a year and his team was fined $2,000 after he allowed players to skip a tournament’s opening ceremonies to study for their university exams. Brian Cranford, the coach, has volunteered for the Mount Pearl Junior Blades for 20 years. Several of the 23 players, aged 18 to 20, were writing exams in April when the Don Jonson Cup was held. Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador (HNL), which issued the fine and suspension, said they did so because they expected at least a representative of the team to attend the cup ceremony, but none came. Cranford told The Toronto Star that he will appeal the decision to Hockey Canada.
Does hockey culture lead to sexual assaults?
University strikes task force after second alleged assault
BU hockey player by Marcusvfx/Wikimedia
Boston University has created a task force to study the “culture and climate” of its men’s hockey team after a second player was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a female student.
Max Nicastro, 21, a BU Terriers defenceman and Detroit Red Wings draft pick, was charged on Feb. 19 with two counts of rape.
That came after the Dec. 11 arrest of former teammate and Toronto-bred centre Corey Trivino, 21, who allegedly forced his way into a student’s room and groped her against her will. Trivino has pleaded not guilty.
BU president Robert A. Brown said in a statement Thursday that the task force reflects “a University-level judgment that the two incidents indicate something systemic or habitual may foster a team climate that does not comport with the highest standards of conduct we seek to maintain…”
Continue reading Does hockey culture lead to sexual assaults?
Professor opposes honourary degree for Don Cherry
Too bad, says Royal Military College
A member of the faculty at Royal Military College in Kingston, Ont. is speaking out against an honourary doctorate degree that will be awarded to hockey commentator Don Cherry, reports the Kingston Whig Standard. French professor Catherine Lord argues that Cherry has said contemptuous things about gay and lesbian people, immigrants and French Canadians. But the college’s spokesperson said that the degree will go ahead, adding: “for more than two decades, Don Cherry has been a supporter of the military and of military families.” Cherry, co-host of Coach’s Corner on CBC, has raised funds for military families and made visits to Afghanistan to raise the profile of Canadian troops. Cherry recently faced threats of legal action for calling three hockey players ”turncoats” and “hypocrites” for their beliefs on fighting in hockey. He has since apologized.
