THE NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO ENGINEERING SOCIETY

volume 23 issue 14 | 25 October 2002

Looking at Canadas Military

Page 6
Check us out @ http://iwarrior.uwaterloo.ca/

Engineering Jackets Exposed

Page 12

Who is this? Why you should care

Page 9

What Are The Ramifications of ATOP?

Jason Griese
workers that the Canadian technology sector was experiencing by increasing enrollment in Computer Science and Electrical, Computer, and Software Engineering programs across the province. This increase in enrollment would be backed by both government funds and the support of such industry giants as Nortel, IBM, and RIM. Waterloo, dealing with an oversupply of applicants to its computer related departments as well as employers looking to hire those people, jumped at the chance to be involved with this expansion. Nowadays, Nortel stocks sell for about $0.80 a share and students in the ECE department are being told that there is a shortage of jobs for their discipline. Could the ATOP expansion have been a little short-sighted? Is it responsible for the current difficulties ECE students are having finding co-op placements? The ATOP program aimed to double post-secondary enrollment in computer related fields. The ECE departments contribution to this expansion has been to increase its enrollment by about 100 students a year, 50 of which are enrolled in the newly created Software Engineering department. Over the last four years, this has meant that an extra 400 students have joined the Engineering faculty. The extra load that this has put on co-op is obvious. Added into that is the expansion of computer related programs at other universities, such as U of T, Queens, Western, York, and Ryerson, which also have co-op programs that compete with ours for North American jobs. This pressure on co-op may be beginning to show. As of this writing, there is an estimated 95 co-op students without a job for the Fall term, a number which is expected to fall to only 75 students by the end of October, when co-op publishes its statistics for Fall term employment. Students had so much trouble finding jobs in the summer term that ECE Chair Continued on page 11. See Addressing the Lasting Effects of ATOP

3B Computer
Back in the heyday of 1998, when Nortel stocks sold at around $90 a share and the telecommunications sector was booming, the Ministry of Education and Training forged an alliance between Universities and Industry. This alliance was called the Access To Opportunities Program, or ATOP. The goal of this program was to address the shortage of skilled

Ein Prosit!!!
entertainment, from a charity casino and some carnival games to George Cash and Chris Deck his band with many antics going on either on or in front of their stage. Of course not to be left out of the action and antics in front of the stage, our brethren from B-Soc 3B Computer Dave Clegg and Joanne Hastie gave waltzing lessons at the beginning of the night What do McMaster engineering, when the band played a slow rendition of University of Toronto engineering, Edelweiss. When they were called up as a University of Waterloo engineering and couple on to stage to be recognized for University of Waterloo alumni have in their fine abilities, Alex Matan tried to get common? They all had someone who in on the action by upstaging Joanne as decided that they would celebrate their Daves dance partner, much to the amusebirthday in style on October 17th when ment of all. they joined the Oktoberfest party and met More music and revelry, including each other at Bingemans. As always, snippets of the Engineering Hymn, really Oktoberfest at Bingemans was quite the got the party going with the Engineering way to celebrate. student dominated crowd. But of course, Joining in on the celebrations early on, some of the best entertainment of the night was the beloved Uncle Hans who got the was George Cash and his marvellous dance floor going as many groups still drinking abilities. Several times he called were arriving. For anyone who is not upon friends from the crowd to join him on familiar with the festival, Hans is the mas- stage, from the shooter girls to Miss cot of this annual celebration which start- Oktoberfest and Lawrence Bingeman, and ed back in 1969. And like any good he showed his respect for his friends by mascot he really likes the birdie dance standing on his head and... Eins! Zwei! and loves to pose for pictures with people Drei! Souffas!!! Up went his drinks. That who are having a good time. is correct, up went his drinks, because of The celebrations continued with great course George Cash drinks while standing on his head, often with no hands. The rest of the evening quickly became a blur of entertainment full of beer and fun, for me and many others in the crowd. Highlights would definitely have to include the great dancers from the Schwaben Club who put on a real show and dancing Octoberfest: The one time you can take a Polka lesson without being ridiculed clinic, and the sauerkraut stuffing competition. It gave two girls the opportunity to get down and dirty in this traditional German food, stuffing the pants of two long term acquaintances (of about 30 seconds) full of cabbage. It was messy and boy was it entertaining to watch. As the night drew to a close however, the harsh reality of looming midterms took many of us away from our revelry and to bed so that we could prepare to relearn all that was lost in a night of killing brain cells. Hopefully everyone had as good of a time as I did. Well be looking to do some more social trips, so keep your eyes open for more information about that.

Theyre just playing a game. Thats why theyre grabbing each others legs. Yeah, thats it.

Its The One and Only Uncle Hans!

The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them. - Twain

Friday, October 25, 2002

Letter From the Editor

for educational value. I have read countless online articles discussing the qualities that define artistic merit in comic books. But, Im not really a snob about comics. I look at comics the same way that I look at movies. I enjoy well crafted, well written comics about superheroes, fantastic situations, serious realistic settings and socially conscious works. I have developed an interest and appreciation in comic books, that is shared by relatively few people. Id like to address this question: If I have so much interest, so much love even, for comic books, why then am I studying Computer Engineering? I think that if I devoted enough time, my art skills could get pretty good. I dont draw all that often, but when I do, it usually turns out better than I expected. If I actually developed this skill, I could probably get pretty competent. Eventually, I would even figure out how to draw human faces. Besides that, I have been doing some fun things with Photoshop lately, so I could probably manage pretty well to turn my sketches into pretty slick illustrations. Even if I could hone my drawing skills to their full potential, I would not be good enough to find work-for-hire gigs, so I would have to write my own material. Frankly, I do not have the necessary imaginative talent to write my own stories. Conceivably, I could rip off Jim Mahfoods writing style, since hes not terribly imaginative, but still very entertaining. But, my artistic style is already pretty similar to Jims, so Id be in trouble if I also ripped off his writing style. I really do not have the talent, the creative spark to make it in the comic industry. So, like anyone who loves a subset of human creativity, but lacks the ability to create, I am only able to analyze and critique. By a roundabout way, this brings us back to engineering. As engineers, many of us will be involved with designing new technologies. The remainder will likely implement or maintain existing technologies, applying creativity to design solutions to any problems that may come your way. So, are there any of you reading this who have a love for your engineering discipline, but you do not have the creative talent for your area of interest? That is a scary proposition. I would imagine that a few of us worry that we lack the talent to innovate in our field. We may not really even put our design ability to the test until after graduation. Does that mean we should pack it in and find a new field where we can make a real difference? Not hardly. Even if you find you are not the most creative member of a design group, you can really contribute by applying skills of critical analysis to the work of your peers. I think that is really what we are here for. University can not guarantee that we will be able to have great ideas when we get into industry. What university can do is give us the knowledge and tools to assess and evaluate the work we are involved with. So remember, even if you are not the primary source of innovation, you could end up garnering massive acclaim, by locating a design error, with possibly disastrous results. I may never write the a great comic, but I will keep on reading them. You may never reinvent the wheel, but you should keep on crunching those numbers. Questions? Comments? We welcome letters and feedback from all our readers. Please email us at: iwarrior@engmail.uwaterloo.ca

Matthew Harper 2B Computer Editor-in-Chief

Beneath this piece is a three-panel comic that I hand drew, and then touched up in Photoshop. I would like to critically break it down now. The art is reasonably competent, except for the dancing girls. I have a real weakness for human faces. Perhaps if I attempted to develop a more cartoony style, something like a fusion of Frank Miller and Jim Mahfood, I could overcome this limitation. Now, the subject of the comic is moderately amusing. but not terribly imaginative. I have really just referenced a bunch of humorous videos from the Internet. Now, if you are familiar with these videos, you will look at the comic and be reminded of watching those clips for the first time. If you found them funny the first time, you ought to enjoy this comic. If you are completely unfamiliar with the subject matter, which is fairly likely for panels two and three especially, you may not get the joke. However, I would hope that the absurdity of a refrigerator shaped, open mouthed monster dancing with Japanese schoolgirls or a cute Boston terrier violating a Pikachu stuffed doll would be amusing enough to elicit some reaction. If I were to objectively grade this comic, I would give it a C-. I consider myself a pretty well versed in the comic art form. Personally, I prefer long form works, such as those that you would find in comic books, rather than the strips found in newspapers. I have read Scott McClouds Understanding Comics

The Newspaper of the University of Waterloo Engineering Society

Editor-in-Chief Matthew Harper

Assistant Editor Sophie Shahrokhi Photo Editor Jon Fishbein Layout Editor Dan Foong Technical Editor Maria Simoes Webmaster Katherine Chiang Distribution Manager Elisa Zhang Business Manager Vacant Staff Andr Beltempo Ryan Bayne Matt Gagliardi Jason Griese Jeff Henry Janna Hickson Kristina Hotz Laura Jones Mike Kerrigan James Kunz Sandra Le John Olaveson Jose Penate Rajat Suri

Classic Additions to C:\Downloads\Funny Vids

October 15, 2000 February 24, 2002 June 2, 2002

Contributors Kristin Farn Mike Henheffer Laura Mooney Jenna Olmstead Ryan Walker Leanne Whiteley

Xiao Xiao: Stick figures artistic merit are finally vindicated

Domokun: He tests the boundaries of absurdity

Punchie: Hes gotta hump em all!

The Iron Warrior is a forum for thought provoking and informative articles published by the Engineering Society. Views expressed in The Iron Warrior are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Engineering Society. The Iron Warrior encourages submissions from students, faculty and members of the university community. Submissions should reflect the concerns and intellectual standards of the university in general. The author's name and phone number should be included. All submissions, unless otherwise stated, become the property of The Iron Warrior, which reserves the right to refuse publication of material which it deems unsuitable. The Iron Warrior also reserves the right to edit grammar, spelling and text that do not meet university standards. Authors will be notified of any major changes that may be required. Mail should be addressed to The Iron Warrior, Engineering Society, CPH 1327, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1. Our phone number is (519) 888-4567 x2693. Our fax number is (519) 725-4872. E-mail can be sent to iwarrior@engmail.uwaterloo.ca

Friday, October 25, 2002

LowRider

Dear LowRider:

Columns UWLOWRIDER@Hotmail.com

Happiness is a Low Ride. Bang, Bang. VROOM, VROOM! LOWRIDER LIVE!!

4A Chemical
Editors note: LowRider has done it again! They said it couldnt be done in a newspaper but LowRider is coming at you LIVE! We proudly present the Iron Warriors first Live Event! LowRider representative: Hello Waterloo! LowRider will be taking questions and giving advice. I have been told by LowRider that you should remain calm and only pose one question at a time. Yes, the brown guy in the back... Ranil: Uh Hi, my name is Ranil. I just needed some advice. A friend of mine stood me up at FED last week... how should I fix this problem? LowRider: Could you please elaborate? Ranil: Yeah, basically, I came up to him in DC the week before that and said, Yo guy, you going to the jam? and he said, Yeah! but then didnt show. LowRider: I imagine that your friend probably intended on going to the Jam but then got side-tracked with work or something. Wait, wasnt there a Weezer concert on the day of the last Jam? Ranil: Yeah, but my friends not white. LowRider: I dont know then... Next Question... Yes, the white guy with the Weezer shirt. Greg Peddle: Hi, Im a long-time reader, first-time question asker... LowRider: Whats your question? Greg Peddle: Ive been doing a lot of skateboarding and I havent yet been able to do a proper Ollie. Should I quit? LowRider: Yes! But I am sure that there are other sports you could try... mechanical bull riding or darts? Next question... Yes, the young lady in the back. Rita: Hi, I just wanted to ask you, did you get my letters or the box of chocolates I sent you? How come you werent home this weekend, LowRider? I spent all day Saturday outside your house... what about the shaving lotion, why did you change razors? Was the blue one too harsh, LowRider? LowRider: Right... can someone please take her away... remember the court order, Rita. Next question... Yes, the ugly kid in the back. Rick: Hi um, I need some advice. During my last co-op term I didnt do any work. I sort of just stared at the wall and tried to focus on the individual fibres of my cubicle wall... LowRider: Rick? Rick: I got up to 4 hours once. Then I was looking out the window and I ate my friends scab. LowRider: Please Rick, youre not on co-op anymore. You can step out of that daze. Its school term now, your brain is needed. Rick: What? Oh School term? Great! Thanks LowRider! You mean no more sleeping on the toilet and using the toilet paper rolls as pillows? LowRider: You got it! Rick: Im free at last! LowRider: Next question, please! JJ: I feel really committed to my girlfriend, I mean, Im pretty sure its a longterm thing... but um... I have this big problem: she hates my dog and complains that Molly Dolly (my dog) is dumb and smells all the time? I feel hopeless... do you think this will come in the way of our relationship? LowRider: Is that your dog, Molly Dolly, sitting on your lap with the little dress and the bows? JJ: Yeah... shes usually more peppy, but lately shes really sad because my girlfriend hates her and... LowRider: Wheres your girlfriend? JJ: You know what? I dont know. LowRider: Hmmm, seeing as how you have a better relationship with your dog than with your girlfriend, I think theres only one solution: date Molly Dolly! LowRider: OK, we have time for one more question... yes the Asian girl with the big muscles. Dave: Im a guy! LowRider: Sorry, whats your question? Dave: Sometimes when I am in class, I skip out so I can go work out. Am I obsessed? LowRider: I dont know. Why dont you answer this simple question: Would you rather a) work out or b)... Dave: a! LowRider: Ok, that is all the time I have. Thank you all for coming, and all the groupies come with me! NOT YOU RITA!

Letters To The Editor

Dear Editor, I enjoyed reading your opinions on the issue of cloning and stem cell research. I have to admit that I was unclear on many aspects of this issue as well but you know what? The inconsistencies in your stance highlighted to me the need for society at large to oppose such research. I think first of all I should address your claim that you respect the decisions made by our judiciary and legislature regarding abortion. The fact is that there is no abortion law. Abortion itself is not legal, but it is not illegal. The Supreme Court struck down the abortion law for parliament to re-address and parliament has yet to do so. It is an issue that politicians are scared of dealing with despite its importance. So you cant really say you respect the decisions made when at this point abortion exists in a legal vacuum because the only decision politicians have made regarding it is to not make a decision on it at all. But the issue of embryonic stem cell research and cloning are in some ways related to abortion and in other ways not related. It is related to abortion in that we are being faced with the fundamental question: what is an embryo? It is not related to abortion in that we are not balancing the rights of a mother versus her unborn child. Hence discussion of embryonic stem cell research allows us to put the focus solely on the entity being affected by such research. As a starting point, your own belief on the embryos humanity: human life is created at conception. Conception occurs before the embryonic stage doesnt it? This means that an embryo is human life. If this is the case, the embryo has humanity and therefore deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. The embryo has the same humanity that makes it unacceptable to kill. To support research which would essentially kill the embryo in order to harvest its cells is therefore downright immoral. It is interesting that you would say that an embryo might be wasted. It is a symptom of our society that we objectify human beings. We often do not view our neighbour with compassion and love, but with a utilitarian outlook that views human beings as useful, as if they were a tool. Such an outlook leads to the sweatshop mentality where human beings are used solely for the generation of capital, or the slavery mentality where human beings are owned by others. If an embryo is a human being to which we accord dignity and respect, the proper treatment for a dead embryo would be a proper burial and allow it to rest in peace. The argument that this is the same as organ donation falls apart when we get into the principle of consent. If I die and my organs are used for research, it is fine if I consent to it. If I do not explicitly give consent, then my organs cannot be ethically used. Likewise, no explicit consent was given by the embryos to use their stem cells and since you say so yourself that they are human, it would be irresponsible to harvest their stem cells for research. I share your sentiments that a clone has a human soul and therefore has the right to life. The danger that lies here is the inherent dignity in being created through such a mechanism. I believe that every human being has a right to be brought up in what can be called a family environment. Alternative family models notwithstanding, I am scared of the prospect of an army of clones being created in a lab somewhere by a mad scientist. I would hardly call that a family. In fact I highly doubt that clones would be created as objects of compassion and love, especially since the same proponents of cloning are the same proponents of scientific research which objectifies humans as useful things rather than beings of dignity and respect who deserve happiness. I really dont mean any offense to you but to believe that human life begins at conception, affirm the full humanity of a clone and still say that you find it unacceptable that the majority of Canadians who have no moral qualms against using cloned embryos should be denied smells of a lack of moral integrity (I wish I could say this with a less harsh sound). The use of clones and embryonic stem cell research is downright immoral and should be vehemently opposed. Im not even sure what majority of Canadians you are referring to because the polls Ive seen indicate strong opposition to cloning. Let me give an example of why we cannot responsibly benefit from immoral research. The infamous Dr. Mengele did all kinds of nasty experiments on Holocaust victims during World War II. He may have found cures and a lot of useful data. Ethicists agree that it is immoral and irresponsible to benefit such destructive research. Hence, it would be immoral and contradictory to treat human beings using research which denies the fundamental right to life that all human beings deserve. Whether its the old man suffering from Parkinsons disease, a Jew in the labour camp, or the embryo in the test tube, all human beings deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. If society does not wish to progress in this direction, then we had all better be prepared for a truly Brave New World. Lawrence Lam 2B Computer Engineering Mr. Lam, your point about consent to organ donation is very interesting. I had not considered that, and it is a significant aspect of the issue. Your claim that I suffer from a lack of moral integritydemands a response. I have my own personal moral stance on this issue, which is not very different from your own. However, unlike you, I do not feel like I have the certainty to exert influence on the body politic, in the hopes of denying possible medical benefits to people, who do not share my beliefs. If this means that I lack moral integrity, then so be it. -Ed Dear Editor, On page 13 of the October 11, 2002 edition of the Iron Warrior, there were not one but two articles about how much civil classes could drink. How is this news? Why should I care? Go tell your friends in the hallway if you want people to know. The Iron Warrior highlights the accomplishments of Waterloo Engineering not just to its own students, but to the rest of campus and universities across Canada. Is sitting around trying to drink as much as someone who wasn't even that good a wrestler really something to be proud of? -Anonymous Some members of the Engineering Society do engage in social activities, which improve their class spirit. If certain members wish to submit articles, which promote safe, successful events such as these, the Iron Warrior is happy to print those messages. -Ed Dear Iron Warrior, I am an avid reader of your newspaper, and always look forward to the quality and (somewhat) unbiased opinions held therein. However, whilst reading the September 27th issue of the Iron Warrior, I noticed a couple of big black boxes being used as filler. I was somewhat surprised and appalled that the Iron Warrior would be reduced to using toner as filler. Even MathNEWS (another one of my favourite campus publications) had something to say about it, stating that the big black boxes support the supremacy theory of MathNEWS. I hope that in the future the Iron Warrior will continue with quality and finesse, such as I am used to (and will try and avoid such obvious uses of filler). -Avid Reader The black boxes were a result of the need to make a last minute omission of material that was not yet allowed to become public domain. Unfortunately, the late recognition of the materials sensitivity required a fast and efficient solution. Hence, the black boxes. -Ed

Friday, October 25, 2002

EngSoc

ENGINEERING SOCIETY EXECUTIVE REPORTS

You Guys Are Awesome!!

Leanne Whiteley
about these events, please checkout the EngSoc web site (www.engsoc.uwaterloo.ca). If you havent attended an EngSoc event so far, you are missing out! Make sure you attend at least one before the end of the term. On another note, the 2003 Federation Orientation Committee (FOC) members (for Engineering) will be Justin Bishop, Grant Holohan, James Kunz, and Laura Mooney. Congratulation guys and thanks to everyone that applied! I would like to encourage everyone that wants to get involved in next years Orientation Week (a.k.a. Frosh Week) to look for applications on-line and in the Orifice in late October. Be sure to check out my other article about the next Dean of Engineering. As always, if you have any questions and/or concerns, please feel free to contact me (asoc_prez@engmail.uwaterloo.ca).

The Opportunity of Life After Midterms

Jeff Henry
nificant success in the design and entrepreneurial categories. For more information on the categories themselves and how you can compete, visit the engineering society website. Details on what you need to send to the Faculty advisor, John Thistle (jthistle@kingcong.uwaterloo.ca), are there as well. Get your team together today! Our outgoing Dean has been very generous over the years to the Engineering Society conference goers and competitions by fully funding travel and delegate fees, so get some of your tuition back and get a sense of where you fit in the bigger picture at the same time. When it comes to competitions, you can even win money in the process. Finally, the last Bridging the Gap lecture is happening on Tuesday November 5 from 11:30-12:30 in CPH 3385. Daryl Schnurr, a professional engineer and a practicing lawyer, will be talking about what you need to know about intellectual property laws when it comes to domain names and trade marks. As you will find out as you get out to the field, engineers need to prove they know a little about ethics and contract law. But, they also need to know about intellectual property unless, of course, you dont plan on coming up with any useful ideas for the rest of your life. Dont miss out on this wonderful chance to bridge the gap between your intellectual property and your ability to keep it. Of course, you can also bridge the gap from student to professional engineer by becoming a student member of the PEO and the OSPE. From topical magazines to resume and job postings to discounts, between the two student membership programs you can get great value for yourself and for your future. Thats all for now, so stay tuned for the latest developments on engsoc_a_general, the Engineering Society meetings, and on the walls.

President
Well, we have already reached the midpoint of the term and it seems like the term just started. Where does the time go? This has been a great term so far. I am really pleased with the work of the EngSoc executive (Jeff, Kristen, Laura, and Ryan) and all the Directors (sorry, there are just too many to mention here) to date. The best part is that there is still so much more to come. Some of the things that I would like to highlight are Shadow Day(s), MOT, Mudbowl, Semi-formal, Tal-Eng, Women in Engineering Reception, Engineering Play, and EOT. For more information

VP External
By the time this makes it to print, Ill have been finished my four midterms, so I hope youre doing better this term then I am. That being said, theres nothing like a little distraction from the tedium to keep you going, and more importantly, to keep you sane. With that philosophy in mind, Ill move on to the small applications and competitions all of you should consider filling out - and yes, some of these I have mentioned before. First of all, I still have only the one application for CFES Congress this coming January 3-9 in the flat and beautiful landscape of Saskatoon. Dont miss out on the opportunity to meet fellow engineering students from around the country as you work through the day to make a difference on the national level and as you play through the night. Apply online from http://engsoc.uwaterloo.ca by November 8. First Year Integration Conference applications are also available online. If youre in first year and would like to visit scenic Toronto from February 7-9, applications are also online and are due in the next month. Interact with fellow engineering frosh from all around Ontario, learn about how you can help your engineering society serve you better, and make friends from outside the Waterloo bubble to start networking for the future in a relaxed and entertaining setting. The Ontario Engineering Competition is yet another opportunity for you to spread your engineering, entrepreneurship, and debating wings and potentially win thousands of dollars in the process. Almost every year Waterloo cleans up in the debating categories and achieves sig-

EngSoc Resume Bank

Maria Simoes
how it is done! Even though they can readily get cookie-cutter resumes online, this is not the same as looking at a great resume from ones peers. This is similar to the Exam Bank that is currently in place, in the Engineering Society Office (Orifice, CPH 1237). So what can you do? If you think that you have an amazing resume, please send it our way (e-mail it to mssimoes@engmail.uwaterloo.ca or drop it off in the Orifice (CPH 1237)). We will blank out names, addresses and all other personal information that you request to have removed. Please help out and donate your resumes for the good of your fellow co-op bound students! Thanks!

Post-Thanksgiving Food Drive

Astha Gupta 2B Computer
It's that time of the year again! Turkey, stuffing and all the fixins! Oh wait, wasnt that the week before last? Yep, two weeks ago, the usual food bank and other charity drives that usually characterize the pre-thanksgiving season came to a close. Unfortunately, post-Thanksgiving (i.e. now), food bank shelves are a lot less full. Donations typically die off after Thanksgiving and do not pick up until Christmas time. There are still people out there who need food! So, EngSoc is having a two-week long post-Thanksgiving food drive starting Oct 27th (Monday after midterm week). All donations will be given to the Food Bank of Waterloo Region. Donations of non-perishables will be accepted in the Orifice in exchange for, you guessed it, P**5 points!! Each donation will be worth 2 P**5 points. With this deal, you can only win! So come on out with those food cans that I know you have hidden somewhere, win some points, and make a difference!

3B Computer
This term, the Engineering Society is trying to put together a Resume Bank - a collection of the best and brightest resumes spanning all years and disciplines of Engineering. We (the Engineering Society) hope that by doing this, people with not so great or even mediocre resumes can get a chance to look at some amazing resumes in their field, and see

Upcoming Events from EngSoc

SUNDAY 27 Food Drive Begins 3 4 MONDAY 28 29 Shadow Day(s) Today and Tom. 5 BTG with Daryl Schnurr 6 Red Green Show Trip TUESDAY WEDNESDAY 30 EngSoc Meeting #4 THURSDAY 31 Boggan Burgers for sale @ RCH 7 Boggan Burgers for sale @ RCH Semiformal Dance Tickets 1 2 available in the Orifice ($12) MOT Poets Mudbowl See the EngSoc Pub Night whiteboard 8 9 (outside Orifice) for furCFES Congress That 70s Semi ther event info Application Due FRIDAY SATURDAY

Friday, October 25, 2002

EngSoc

ENGINEERING SOCIETY EXECUTIVE REPORTS

Finalized Budget and Donation Proposals

Kristan Farn
Directors should also check this out to find out what the balances on their budgets are, at this moment. On that point, to all the directors, please submit your receipts regularly so I can keep track of the status of our budget. If you are apart of a student project or have an initiative that you would like funding for, then pick-up a donation proposal application. There is $1500 available this term to split among applicants. Applications are available in the Orifice, or you can e-mail me at asoc_vpfin@engmail, for a copy. Proposals are due by November 6th and should be placed in the VPF mailbox in the Orifice. Proposal presentations are scheduled for November 13th, at which time council will vote to determine the amount of money each group will receive. Thats it. See you at MOT.

VP Finance
Hey everyone! Since its already the middle of term and all my beginning of term prep has been dealt with, this report should be short and sweet. The finalized and approved EngSoc budget for this term is printed in this IW issue and a copy is also available on the society page of the EngSoc website. It is a general breakdown of where your $14 EngSoc fee will be spent this term. As well, check out the society page for information on what has been spent so far this term and where it has been spent.

Dont Forget About Co-op

10am from the paging desk in co-op, rank the employers who ranked you, and then Laura Mooney return the form before 4pm. Thats right... it all happens in one day. Youll also be able to view your rankings online on Tuesday. Match results will be posted by VP Education 3:00pm November 4, which is some time after the start of continuous phase, so if To quote Charles Schulz, No problem you think that you wont end up with a is so formidable that you cant walk away match after ranking day, make sure to get from it. Unfortunately, while all of us your applications in for the first round of could walk away from midterms and work continuous. If you do end up being term report resubmits, its not really some- matched, you can always pull your applithing Id strongly encourage. However, cation after the fact. now that much of that Also, for all frosh (and particular misery is any other interested stualready over for this dents) this is just a quick Ranking day is term, its time to relax of the financial October 29... ...it all reminder a bit before finals planning seminar on come along. Dont for- happens in one day. Tuesday, October 29, get that when you get 11:30am - 12:30pm in those midterms back, RCH 301. Come out to you can add a copy of them to the Exam learn some great strategies to manage your Bank in the Orifice and get P**5 points for money so you can afford the things you your efforts. need and the things you want without runOn to the first note of any real impor- ning into a huge debt. The last thing you tance: ranking day is October 29 (thats want to be saying to yourself at the end of next Tuesday in case the Waterloo time your education (or the end of a term) is I warp already has you in its grip). If you have enough money to last me the rest of dont know or dont remember, ranking my life, unless I buy something. (Quoted day means you can pick up your form after from Jackie Mason)

Midterms Bad. Exec Report Short

Ryan Walker
term; dinner tickets have already sold out. MOT is happening on November 1. come to POETS and celebrate the end of midterms. Mudbowl has a field. We will be playAny inquiries about the budget should be directed to asoc_vpfin@engmail ing on November 2, 9am to 5 pm at Bechtel Park, just past hwy 86 on Dont let midterms get you down doesnt take too long to read a few articles University, weather perbecause we all know you and everyone needs to unwind sometimes. mitting. I know that it is can always make up for If youre super keen or just a super a bit far, so let me know Mudbowl has a field. it on the final. procrastinator, its Friday today so why not if you have a car that Final word of advice. grab a friend (no not there) get a snack We will be playing on can help move people or Study but dont stress to from the C&D, go to POETS, buy a beer November 2, 9am to 5 much. Take time to keep and socialize. The weekend is just around need a ride. Some other post pm at Bechtel Park sane. Read the IW and the corner and you deserve a rest. So find midterm activities take a bit of time for a comfortable spot and enjoy a little nothinclude, November 6th yourself. Wait a minute ing, play some darts, or if you really need Red Green show trip, November 7th if your reading this Im preaching to the to, go up stairs to the balcony and do some Brunny trip, and just hanging out doing converted. When youre done pass the home work. less than nothing with your friends. paper to a friend who needs a break. It Cheers

2B Computer
Midterms, midterms, midterms. A necessary evil of your undergraduate degree. Keep your head above water and youll be fine. Dont forget that you still have classes and assignment to do. When they are finally over, remember to bring your completed midterms to the orifice to add to the exam bank. Just a quick reminder that dance tickets for semiformal are still on sale in the orifice. This event is going to be a big hit this

Friday, October 25, 2002

Opinion

Standing on Guard for Thee: The State of Canadas Military

Andr Beltempo
onwards. During the latter years of the north, so well have to refit them with an Cold war, Canadas military funding was alternative power plant, which will cost cut, and as military equipment became money. Still another example I think exorbitantly high-tech and expensive, we weve all heard of is the helicopter fiasco, could afford fewer and fewer replacements, where the Liberal government scrapped the and yet, our commitments remained the plan to replace those old 60s era Sea Kings same, and we took on even more. An with EH-101 Helicopters, and are now example of classic Canadian political logic scrambling to find replacements. In each of is our one-time aircraft carrier, the HMCS these examples, the problem was that the Bonaventure, which was used for antisub- political administration did not understand marine warfare in military requirethe North ments, and ended Atlantic. So profiup not only spendcient were ing taxpayers Canadian naval money irresponsiaviators that the bly, but shortCanadian navy changing the became one of military, and leavonly two navies in ing them holding the world that the bag. could maintain a Dont get me round-the-clock wrong. I grew up as air antisubmarine an air force brat, I patrol for extendlike the military a ed periods of lot, but it saddens time. In 1966 the me that were Bonaventure went attempting to do through a refit to everything all at update her sysonce, and not doing tems, at great any one thing right. expense to the We need to decide Canadian taxpaywhat we want our er. In 1970, when military to do for she was still only us as Canadians, 13 years old, she and then ensure was sold for scrap that they have the at the behest of best equipment, the Trudeau govmanpower and talernment. Note ent that money can that U.S Carriers buy, so they can go usually serve for do it. If we do not forty five years. do that, then in the The sea-king helibest case, despite copters bought to The monument at Vimy Ridge is a testament to the courage, self- the fact that we fly on lessness and ability of our past military. How will Canadas mili- pretend to care tary of the future develop? Bonaventure are about international still used today. problems, well They take off from our frigates. Another have to let someone else fix them for us, as example is our stillborn nuclear submarine well as being content that were entirely program, in which the Mulroney govern- reliant on someone else to defend our borment planned to use up to 12 nuclear sub- ders. In the worst case, it would leave us marines to patrol our coastline, spending with dead Canadians. Today, we have sevmillions in feasibility studies, and eventu- eral directions in which to go: ally scrapping the project when the studies Option A: Status quo. Leave things as became too expensive. But then our older they are, meaning we have to still meet all submarines began to fall apart, so we pur- our commitments, keep all our planes aloft, chased four used diesel-electric submarines boats afloat, and tanks serviceable, while from the U.K. for three quarters of a bil- maintaining ridiculously high op-tempos lion. The only problem is that these subs that necessitate a lot more manpower then cannot operate under the polar ice in the we have available. At some point in the future, funding will HAVE to increase, or the forces will become even more personnel starved then they are today. This is likely what will happen, but we need to be made aware of the fact that we cannot maintain this level of commitment forever. Either we voluntarily reduce international commitments, or we increase funding and manpower. We cant have it both ways. Option B: Canadian Peacekeepers. We could choose to create a precedent, and shirk the traditional military mould by making our military primarily an aid to civil power/peacekeeping force. Our forces would be primary arm of the U.N., and would be tailored more to suit international commitments, theoretically allowing our bigger, stronger allies to entirely take over any actual warfighting. Our troops would not be equipped to fight a war in the traditional sense. In that case, we should get rid of our five submarines, most of our Leopard tanks, and the majority of our F/A-18 fighters, since these cannot do much other than fight wars or train for them. We will not need the heavy war fighting capability these entail, and they eat a significant portion of our budget. We should then buy more transport aircraft, either C-130s or maybe even C-17s, and look into some kind of in-house marine transport capability. This would help for humanitarian logistical reasons. These changes would allow a smaller, leaner, more rapidly deployable force, and would at least give the U.N. a much needed boost, since essentially any Canadian foreign commitment would only be useful for them. Personally, I dont see this option occurring, for the simple reason that Canadians still wish to maintain the ability to conduct offensive operations and kill people. Option C: Spend big. Very few generals would say no to additional funding. To increase our offensive capability for a coalition-style, international military action, we could spend more for logistics, meaning more maritime and air transports, as well as buying more and newer tanks, and some new artillery too. Our present APCs, the LAV IIIs, are actually quite good, and even made in London, Ontario. We could also purchase some more F-18s or Joint Strike fighters when these come into the mainstream. This would allow us Continued on page 11. See Standing on Guard for Thee.

2A Civil
Canadians have a lot of heady issues on their plates right now: Iraq, Health Care, Kyoto, The Economy, Softwood lumber and Genetically Modified Organisms. One recurring theme in the background, which I believe has been ignored for far too long, is the plight of our military. Canada is a country that has been indefensible from the day it was created, and has (fortunately) never had to fight as a dominion on her home territory. Despite this, Canadians have a keen interest in the events that occur overseas, and have dispatched military forces to fight in several conflicts through the last century. Canadian involvement in world affairs shown our commitment to international order, despite facing no direct threat from any of the problems in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, or anywhere else that Canadian troops were sent during the World Wars, Korea, Suez and the spate of U.N. operations since. What that means to me is that throughout the turbulent 20th Century, Canada, through its military, was well represented abroad as a country that fought for her ideals, and was willing to stand with the international community wherever problems arose. Even today, as you read this, there are Canadian troops abroad, supporting our allies, and working for international order in places like Afghanistan, Bosnia, Macedonia, on the Golan Heights, Cyprus, Jerusalem, the Sinai, Sierra Leone, Congo, Ethiopia and Eritrea. In total, over 3,100 Canadians in uniform are serving abroad, with the majority serving in Peacekeeping or other U.N. roles. Thats all well and good, and on the face of it, it appears that our military is struggling manfully under these international burdens, yet fulfilling her commitments. The truth is that our military is overloaded, under funded, and misunderstood, and the fact that it is struggling so manfully under this burden says much about the integrity of our people in uniform. The funny thing is that its not at all about equipment, despite the fact that everyone always points at the aged Sea King helicopters. What its about is that our military has lacked a clear focus from 1970

Trees: The Silent Killer

John Olaveson
initial attack came. I jumped back in terror as the branch of the tree began to tear apart my screen in a ferocious frenzy. I stood rooted to the floor of my room. Never in my life had I seen such brutality from a tree. I had always believed trees to be gentle, steadfast creatures, not mindless killers. I was spared that day by a higher power. Just as the branch was reaching out to tangle me in vines and leaves, a blast of wind knocked the tree off its roots. The massive beast fell away from my window with a roar of pain and anger. When it at last halted its descent, it had managed to strike one final blow against the inhabitants of my house. The tree had come to rest upon the side of the building. I must send out my praise to the team who designed Village 1. The building withstood the impact and held up the tree all night and well into the morning before relief arrived to remove the offending tree. Unfortunately, our house had to be evacuated during the removal process, early in the morning (just past noon to be exact). I was fortunate to have escaped from the grip of the tree army this time. Others suffered more than I. Some people lost entire panes of glass from their windows. My heart goes out to them. But this incident is the final straw. It is time for the inhabitants of the University of Waterloo to end the threat of the trees once and for all. We must remove all trees from our campus. We must be able to live and learn and work in safety again. We must destroy the trees!

1A Civil
Trees have plagued this campus for many years. Fortunately, I have not been privy to the horrors that campus trees have unleashed upon the staff and students here at the University of Waterloo. On Friday, October 4, I was treated to a traumatic tree attack. I was sitting peacefully in my dorm when I heard a terrible sound. Of course, as I was trying to enjoy the Planets Suite by Gustav Holst, I moved to close my window and block out the sound. Thats when the tree stuck out at me. First the ferocious tree broke through the screen protecting me from the dangers of outside. I was only feet away when the

An example of one of the University of Waterloos many Evil Trees

Friday, October 25, 2002

Opinion

WEEF Is GOOD!
Mike Henheffer

The Illusion of American Hegemony

Jeff Henry
nance effort. From the Berlin blockade to the Korean War to the Cuban Missile Crises, in the end it was always the same the line never did move, until Vietnam. In the unwritten agreement, the world had divided into two parts: those under the communist influence of the Soviet Union, and those under the free influence of the United States. All others were relegated to, effectively, third parties with no allowance for a change in allegiance. The Vietnamese, however, wished no part of this and demanded an end to their colonialism and to rule themselves. Simply put, the United States decided to involve them in suppressing the fight for independence in order to maintain the status quo and in doing so brought about the end to their influence. Not only was Vietnam a military defeat, it ruined the American economy by depleting the once plentiful US gold reserves. At the same time, Japan and Western Europe had economic upswings. The reaction from the world on Vietnam became more widespread and was not just focused on ending the war, but also to end the supposed collusion between the Soviet Union and the US that maintained the status quo. In the Eastern Bloc, this meant the denunciation of communist rule and in the west it meant the denunciation of social-democratic movements. The political centrism that had existed for the last century fractured into radicalism and conservativism, thus eliminating the ability for the US to maintain its ideological position of being antifascist, anticommunist, and anticolonialist. The policy of developmentalism installing regimes in third world countries that allowed the countries to take care of themselves without being rational - could not be sustained under the economic stagnation of the 1970s. Radical groups took control of those nations and watched the United States fail in their interventions from Lebanon to Somalia. Grenada and Panama were cited as countries where the US could invade and restore order as they had no troops. No serious resistance could be overcome by the alleged superpower. Since there was nothing they could do about it, the US simply chose to ignore the Pledge. 5. WEEF lab. I dont think there is a single student at UW who hasnt had at least one first year class in the WEEF lab. It is called the WEEF lab for a reason. In trend of declining hegemony from the withdrawal from Vietnam through until last year. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the raison detre for US hegemony collapsed with it. The United States needed someone else to stand up against to justify its power. Iraq was the perfect opportunity, after all, for some muscle flexing and leading the free world do-gooding. Since then, diplomatic influence has been tendered in the two major conflicts the world has seen - the Balkans, and the Middle-East - neither of which has been more then one step forward, one step back.

3B Computer 3B Computer
Youve all heard people say WEEF is GOOD (or you may have seen it on a shirt) but have you asked yourself what makes WEEF so good? Im about to present some facts to you that prove that WEEF (Waterloo Engineering Endowment Foundation) is good. 1. Over 2.1 million dollars spent. Thats right, WEEF has spent more than 2.1 million dollars on lab equipment, computer upgrades, teaching facilities and student projects. If you see a WEEF sticker on an item, that means part (or all) of it has been paid for using funding from WEEF. Equipment for labs in all faculties, student teams (Midnight Sun, Concrete Toboggan, UWAFT, etc.) and wireless internet are just some of the projects WEEF has helped fund. 2. $70 000 to spend this term. WEEF has allocated $70 000 to be spent on undergraduate engineering this term. This brings me to another great thing about WEEF; any engineering student or faculty member can make a proposal for how to spend this money. This means we get a wide selection of choices for funding, which allows the funding council to always spend the money on useful projects. If you are interested in making a proposal for this term, information is available at www.eng.uwaterloo.ca/~weef/proposals.h tml. 3. $4.46 million principal. The WEEF principal was at $4.46 million as of June and is growing quickly. The fact that the principal is continuously growing and we only spend the interest means that the endowment fund can continue to improve the quality of education in engineering at UW for years to come. As the founders of WEEF( Avi Belinsky and John Velinga) put it, When we went to summer camp, canoe trips taught us a lesson: Always leave your campsite cleaner than you found it. Anything, no matter how good it is, can be made better. It is this philosophy of constant improvement that drives WEEF and makes it so great. The $75 Economists would agree that the economy is cyclical, each rise happening on the backs of the next big industry. Physicists, too, agree that what rises must eventually fall. The superiority of nations on the world stage has traditionally done the same. They gain power and influence by capitalizing on opportunities and building a strong economic base. From Portugal to Spain, Holland to the United Kingdom and as far back as Rome, the powers that be rise and then inevitably become lost in the cluttered landscape of all other nations. An article in the summer edition of Foreign Policy magazine has made the suggestion that we are not watching the downfall of the hegemony that is the United States, but that it has already happened.

...the perfect opportunity, after all, for some muscle flexing ...
The question of the power and influence of the United States finally hit the world stage a little over a year ago on the second day that will live in infamy. Without a military power to focus on, the threat was missed or, as the case has been made since then, dismissed. At that point, the United States abandoned the foreign policy stance it had assumed under every presidency since the end of the Vietnam War - prudence. You are either with us, or against us was the new message, and they have been ready to go alone into Iraq. When a country faces the end of its empire, the end of its control, it has but two choices: simply fade away into the sea that is everyone else, or go out guns blazing. The only catch so far is that nobody has noticed that the might and influence of the United States is an illusion and has not put up serious opposition to the go-it-alone strategy. The same circle that wanted to drop the bomb on nam wants to try and get away with removing the only mediocre regional power to stand up to their might. For a nation who did not have to ask for permission during the Cold War, even the go-italone strategy has taken months of backdoor dealing throughout the United Nations. Indeed, what does that say about how much power they truly have? 6. Students make funding decisions. The fact that all of the members of the WEEF funding council are students really makes WEEF a good thing. This means that only the projects and equipment that the student body deems important will be funded by WEEF. If you want to have your say on what gets funded, talk to your class WEEF rep (listed on the WEEF website) or even try to become your class WEEF rep in future terms. 7. Imitation of WEEF. Since WEEFs inception, many other faculties at Waterloo have created endowment funds based on WEEF. In fact, the WEEF reputation of excellence now even extends to other schools as we have been contacted by another schools engineering faculty that wants to start its own version of WEEF. I hope the points listed above have convinced all of you that WEEF is GOOD and it is worthwhile to make a contribution to. If not, a little bit of Waterloo Engineering history may convince you. In 1990, UW Engineering held a Voluntary Student Contribution referendum to decide on whether or not to create WEEF. An overwhelming 95 per cent of the students were in favor of the endowment fund. You see, even before its existence, people knew WEEF was good.

When a country faces the end of its empire... it has two choices: simply fade away... or go out guns blazing.
The rise of the US came off the back of Britain more then a century ago. Production efficiency and superiority was a trait it shared with Germany throughout that rise. Only through the carnage for humanity and infrastructure that was the Second World War, did it alone capitalize to become the predominant world influence. With troops from Russia and the US settled in Germany, the country divided as other regions around the world divided at the end of the war. The unwritten agreement between the US and Russia was to maintain that split as the status quo. The raison detre for the influence the US wielded was the suppression and containment of the communist threat as the selfdeclared leader of the free world. The article highlighted the mainteto WEEF. The last three graduating classes have pledged a total of $467838 to WEEF. This shows that the people who have been through Waterloo Engineering before us believe that WEEF is GOOD

people who have been through Waterloo Engineering before us believe that WEEF is GOOD and are dedicated to preserving and improving the quality of education
each of us gives to WEEF today will go on to help countless classes of UW engineers who follow in our footsteps. Essentially, UW engineering is our campsite and we are helping to make it better (cleaner) for those who use it after us. In the future, WEEF money will not only be used to make up for inadequate lab funding. It will not simply make funding adequate, it will go above and beyond that and provide UW engineering students with an even better education. 4. Plummers Pledge. The Plummers Pledge is a program where members of graduating class make a three year pledge

If it doesnt say WEEF, somebody else paid for it.

and are dedicated to preserving and improving the quality of education in engineering at UW even after they leave. Hopefully, we all remember this, when it comes time for us to make a Plummers

1998 WEEF gave $50 000 for an upgrade of what was then known as the graphics lab. The name of the lab was then changed to the WEEF lab, in recognition of the substantial contribution.

Friday, October 25, 2002

Activities

EDCOM Wins B**5 Bowling! (Sorta)

Leanne Whiteley
ever and had to continue after the alley was technically closed. Im told that they had a great time and thats all that matters. The real winner, Team Domination, was absolutely phenomenal. They were untouchable. For those of you who were around in the Winter, you may remember them dressing up as grumpy old men. Well, this time, they showed up looking like an 80s rock band. Good work boys! The team I affectionately called Random Team Members were 4 individuals that could not get enough people to form a group of 6 and were put together to form a team. They each bowled their own game and took turns bowling as the 5th and 6th bowler (this was agreed to by all the team captains prior to the start of the tournament). Who would of known that a group of strangers would pull together to finish in 3rd place (2nd if you dont count EDCOM). Members in Tension also did pretty well, considering they looked like they should have been at the beach instead of a bowling alley. Not only did they all show up wearing Hawaiian shirts, but they also brought their lawn chairs and a Frisbee. I think there were a couple of Bsoc teams that showed up too. Thats right, they finished somewhere in the middle of the pack. I hope you guys learned a few good lessons from your ASoc counterparts. Seriously, thanks for coming out guys. You did well. I didnt hear any com-

3B Civil
Thanks to everyone that came out on October 7th to participate in the B**5 Bowling Tournament. As a side note, next term, the name will be changed to A**5 Awesome Amazing ASoc Alley Action. Special thanks to Frederick Lanes in Kitchener for hosting our event, providing us with pizza, and allowing all our teams to play at least three games of cosmic bowling for a mere $10/ person. I would also like to thank Junette Tan, John Olaveson, Mike Henheffer, and Jonathan Fishbein for helping me out with posters, organizing the event, video-taping, and finding pictures for my article. Please refer to the Table for each teams results. The points indicate the total score for all three games. Obviously, EDCOM wins! Technically they finished fourth, but as soon as these guys of rather large magnitude showed up complete with EDCOM paraphernalia, we all knew who would be declared the winner. However, I would like to point out that I had to bargain with the Manager to keep their lane open because they were the slowest bowlers

plaints, so Im guessing that everyone had a great time. I just hope that the WEEF TAs are better at TA-ing than they are at

bowling. Sorry guys! Thanks again to everyone that came out!

Big Bad Bowling Bonanza Photo Album

Edcom celebrating their victory

Clegg just obliterated a 7 - 10 split

Hey guys, Glass Tiger called, they want their denim jackets back

Another civil class, another themed team that knows how to have a good time

Friday, October 25, 2002

Feature

And the New Dean of Engineering is...

Leanne Whiteley
opportunity to vote on the recommendation. Following that vote, the recommendation was then brought to the Senate and then the Board of Governors; both approved the recommendation. Therefore, with all the required approvals being made, it is with great pleasure that I can report that the next Dean of Engineering will be Professor Adel Sedra. Professor Sedra has received several Electrical Engineering degrees including a BSc. degree from Cairo University (1964), as well as MASc. and PhD. degrees from the University of Toronto (1968, 1969). After obtaining his PhD., Adel Sedra joined the University of Toronto Faculty of Engineering. Professor Sedras most recent position was Vice-President and Provost of the University of Toronto, where he served for 9 years. Those of you in the E&CE Department may recognize Professor Sedra as the co-author of your textbook, Microelectronic Circuits, which has been in publication since 1982 and is currently in its fourth edition. Professor Sedra is wise, energetic and a team player. He has a keen interest in the University of Waterloo and is ready to take the Faculty of Engineering to the next step, that is to take an excellent Faculty of Engineering and make it one of the best in the world! I hope that you will join me in welcoming Professor Adel Sedra to the University of Waterloo.

3B Civil
In the second issue of the Iron Warrior, a portion of the EngSoc Prez report was blacked out. The Iron Warrior was not using the black spots as filler, nor was the Iron Warrior censoring the content of the article. The article contained confidential information that could not be released until the appropriate consultations were made and approvals given. For those of you who may be unaware, the current Dean of Engineering, Sujeet Chaudhuri, will soon be completing his five-year term. The Dean of Engineering Nominating Committee (herein, the Committee) was formed in the spring of 2002 to search for his successor. The Committee, chaired by Amit Chakma, the Vice President Academic and Provost, consisted of staff, faculty, and students. The position was advertised nationally and internationally and produced a pool of exceptional individuals, whose CVs were reviewed by the Committee. In the end, the Committee agreed to recommend one candidate to the faculty and staff of the Engineering Faculty, who then had the

Dr. Adel Sedra, a distinguished educator, with years of experience and a vision for Waterloo Engineering

What Gradcomm Is All About

Janna Hickson
The basic purpose of the fundraising is to keep costs down for three main things: Gradball, Yearbook and IRS (Iron Ring Stag). Non-forth years, before you lose interest and conclude that you cant possibly benefit from these endeavours, be assured that there are ways for you to benefit from these events too. Gradball - March 22nd Gradball is our big gala event. This year it is going to be held at Bingemans, which was strongly recommended from previous classes. From a previous budget, this event costs in the neighbourhood of 30-45 thousand dollars to run. A lot of this money goes towards dinners. Professional photographs, decorations, music and other charges also come into play. The objective is to make the ticket prices as low as possible so that everybody can afford to attend. Non-forth years usually come to this event as dates and ushers. Being an usher doesnt sound glamorous, but they are treated extremely well. Well make it worth your while.

4A Systems
When I was at the Bomber this summer, I was approached by a friendly looking individual to buy a lei for two dollars. I instantly started to search my pockets for change. Not only was the price pretty reasonable, but I could wear something pretty cool for the evening while supporting her obviously worthy cause. Or was it a worthy cause? I paused my search and asked her what the money was going towards. I found out that it was basically for parties. I was unimpressed and decided to decline. Gradcomm members must seem like lei salespeople. We appear to always be asking for money to support our cause, but havent really broadcast what we need this money for. In this article, I hope to give you a bit better of an idea what the money is going towards, so you can make an informed decision to support us (or not) in our efforts.

Going.. going... gone. Steph gets sold to the highest bidder, for a good cause

Iron Ring Stag (IRS) - Feb 18th.. a.k.a. The second day of reading week. The Iron Ring Stag is what the clock in POETS is counting down to. Its a big party at a large venue, such as Fed, to celebrate recently acquired Iron Rings. There are several old traditions associated with this party that will be explained, closer to the time. This party, to be suitably excellent for the occasion, is quite expensive to stage. Again, the motivation for fundraising is to make this event as accessible as possible. The forth years pick a select group of other engineering students to join the fun as security. Security gets to witness the crazy actions of the grads. People around engineering usually end up only hearing about what happens, while security gets to see this first hand. Obviously, the grads never want to have just anybody witness these things, so they tend to pick people that theyve met through their years here, at pub crawls, slave auctions and the like. Yearbook Each graduating class has a yearbook. The engineering yearbooks are much larger than the ones you might have encountered in high school. A bunch of the content will vary depending on the editors; however, some things tend to be included

Found: A Set of Keys

This set of keys was found in the Iron Warrior office a few weeks ago, and no one has come by to retrieve them yet. We think they were left here during Scunt, when the 3B Computer class was using the office as a headquarters. So, maybe the keys belong to a Scunt God, a 2A Software. So, if you know someone who lost there keys a while ago, show them this picture. If you recognize these keys, e-mail the Iron Warrior at iwarrior@engmail.uwaterloo.ca and well set up a time to meet in the office. We do not want to just hand the keys out to anyone who comes in asking for them, so it would be great if you brought your car and demonstrated opening the car

with the door key. At the very least, youll need to bring ID, so we can know who to contact if a second person comes in looking for them.

every year. There are usually many pages of individual pictures and blurbs. Another thing that is usually included in the yearbook is larger sections for each of the classes. Each class should have a couple of yearbook reps who are responsible for putting these pages together. Theyll ask for photos and other material to include. The yearbook is rather expensive to produce, being so incredibly large. Some of the money that we make fundraising will go towards this so we can keep the costs down, so that everyone can afford a copy. Non-fourth years may be less excited about about supporting the yearbook. However, it will benefit you indirectly as your years treatment from the publishing company is unfortunately effected by their relationship with us. If you have any ideas to keep the costs down or to fundraise, consider joining Gradcomm. All the contact information for the committee is available at the website at www.eng.uwaterloo.ca/~gradcomm As an important note: Id like to thank everyone who has supported us so far this term. I was really impressed by how many people not in fourth year came out and helped with the slave auction last Friday, which happens to be our biggest fundraiser. Please know that you are always are welcome to come out to our grad events during this term and next.

10

Friday, October 25, 2002

Opinion

POINT VS. COUNTERPOINT

Is Getting Involved With EngSoc a Good Way to Make Friends?

impact on my decisions. I had always had an interest in journalistic self expression. Maria Simoes They convinced me to join the staff of the paper, and it was one of the best things I ever did. It was something that I could be passionate about, knowing that every fac3B Computer tual article I wrote, every introspective rant could possibly affect the lives or So, youve just arrived in Waterloo. thoughts of others. Its Frosh Week, and you realize that you About four months into my career as a know practically nobody in Engineering. Computer Engineering student, I began to What do you do? Well, one thing you attend Engineering Society meetings. It could do would be to join the Engineering was there that I witnessed the hard work Society. Why? Well, the Engineering and dedication of my fellow peers. Society is a good way to meet new people People who would spend hours planning and to make friends. an event to raise money for charity (Bus When I came to Waterloo three years Push), help high school students decide ago, I knew only three other people in this on their life path (Shadow Day), or edufaculty. Two of them came from my high cate children and parents on the wonders school - one of them wrote the counter- of science (Explorations). These people point to this point, and the other is off put the needs of others before their own. stream from myself in Electrical They took time out of their lives to enrich Engineering. The third is my cousin - also the lives of others. It looked (and feels) off stream in Chemical Engineering. As like a rewarding experience. such, I think its safe to say that I knew I have had the fortune to meet these very few people in Engineering when I people, to become their friends. They arrived. have coloured my life in My first few days They are supportive, an especially bright here were filled with an way. Engineers are creative, energetic undeniable feeling of often thought of as and loyal. They are socially-deficient; howhomesickness. I missed my friends. I missed my people I am proud to ever, the people I have family. I missed my met and become friends call my friends. home. As time went on, I with through EngSoc had the opportunity to are nothing of the sort. meet new people. Some of the them were They are the kind of people who will in my frosh group, others were frosh lead- spend money and time to help their ers. These people were my first acquain- friends. They are supportive, creative, tances in Waterloo - and they were the energetic and loyal. They are people I am people who helped lead me to the point proud to call my friends. Im currently at. We (Engineers) are generally people One of the people who had a big who came out of high school as miscreimpact on my decisions at the time was ants. We were people living on the outone of the Huges from my frosh group. skirts of coolness and normality He calmed my fears about Computer through our teen years. When I first Engineering. He made me realize arrived here, it was a strange sensation to (through his own actions) that know that there were more than just a Engineering was not just about learning handful of others out there with the same La Place or Fourier; rather, it is about the interests as myself. Strangely enough, in impact we make on the lives of others, a place like Engineering, there is a niche both in work and in our personal lives. He for all people. Bookworms, exceptional (whether he knows it or not) had a pro- geniuses, and leaders all abound within found impact on my life. Had I not met this marvellous faculty. I am proud to call him, I might still be the bookwormish per- myself a Waterloo Engineer. I am happy son that I was when I got here. to have made so many diverse and wonThe first week of class, I had the for- derful friends. They and the work that we, tune to run into the current Editor in Chief as a group, do on behalf of others has been and Assistant Editor of the Iron Warrior. a very rewarding experience. Thank you They, like my frosh leader, also had an Waterloo, and thank you EngSoc!

Dan Foong

3B Civil
As I think back upon the countless hours that I have poured into the Engineering Society (EngSoc), I start to wonder a few things. The first thing that I start to wonder about is was all that effort really worth it? Did all those hours of behind the scenes work that nobody seemed to notice really make me a better person? Id like to think so, but I cant. EngSoc is heartless, and soul-sucking if nothing else. People would argue that the Engineering Society is a great way to make friends and get involved. I cant argue that it is a great way to make friends, but I could argue that it is a good way to get involved. If nothing else, EngSoc is a great way to make enemies and people that you can distrust. One mess up, one screw up, and the people who are partaking in your event see the entire collapse of the Universe because of what happened. There is little respect left in Engineering and whats worse, EngSoc is becoming more of a clique, than anything else. People must adhere to certain standards that have been set in order to be accepted in this random mish-mash of people who werent cool in high school and are trying to make up for it now. They feel like big people because they get to choose who becomes a part of their elite society. Let me just point out something that I have noticed over my 3 years here at Waterloo. Engineers believe that they are the high and mighty of everyone else on campus. NOT TRUE. Whoever said that just because it requires higher marks to get into this program that it makes it harder than the rest. We just dont have this right. Unfortunately, people have gotten it into their skulls, that this is the absolute truth and look down at an Arts-Major. The countless hours that people pour into the Engineering Society, a sham if you ask me, is over-shadowed by the people who make Engineering out to be their own. In order to become a part of it, you must adhere to their rules. The directors that put hours of thought and planning into their events only to see people hate them because of things beyond an organizers con-

trol. Take for example last terms Mudbowl (for all you Frosh out there, no one would let us use the field so we just went out and played. We were summarily booted and Mudbowl never finished). You wouldnt believe the amount of people who I overheard complain about how little work I had put into Mudbowl. What they didnt know was that I called every field within the City of Waterloo to try and book a field. They didnt know that I had tried booking several fields well in advance only to be told that they were in the middle of the re-growing season and would not let ANY field be booked. That, plus the fact that there were at least 4 teams breathing down my neck making sure that Mudbowl happened. It happened, I took the heat, and everyone complained! Friends? More like hapless cry-babies. What has the Engineering Society become? I would say that it has become nothing more than people making announcements about what their class is doing or what event that they are running. No one looks at the broader spectrum of things that happen outside of our little corner of campus and what may or may not affect us as profession once we graduate. The Engineering Society doesnt really need to exist. We dont need it. If all it is, is a forum for people to announce that their class is going to have a kegger, then what good is the society for? I can find out about keggers around Waterloo, or better yet just head over to London, where theres a kegger every week. We used to deal with issues, we used to deal with real problems that plagued Engineering at Waterloo. We dont seem to do any of that anymore, we just try to put these problems aside and forget our problems by going out for a pint. The Engineering Society has become a clique, plain and simple. In order to be accepted we must adhere to a chosen few rules and behave accordingly. It is not a place to make friends, it is a place to hide when you dont want to deal with the rest of the University. Editors Note: Point vs. Counterpoint is intended as a forum for objective and thought provoking debate on various issues. The views and opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the author(s), the Iron Warrior, or the Engineering Society.

Addressing the Lasting Effects of ATOP

...continued from Page 1. Anthony Vanelli recently announced to a gathering of ECE students that he was taking an initiative to create jobs within the ECE faculty for co-op students who were unable to find work at the end of the school term. As well, uwstudent.org reports that there are 614 fewer jobs in the initial interview phase than there was last year at this time. Many of these missing jobs come from the absence of companies like Nortel and Alcatel who have historically been significant employers of computer technology students, but who have scaled back significantly on their co-op programs with their recent revenue problems. So, has the university subjected itself to an expansion that is no longer there? Not according to Bruce Lumsden, Director of Co-operative Education. Mr. Lumsden points out that, while the number of students without jobs has increased, the total number of placements has increased from 3000 two years ago to about 3700-4000 now. Instead, he points to the recent recession, as well as fears about a possible war between the USA and Iraq, as factors making employers edgy in committing to coop at this time. When asked if ATOP had placed undue pressure on the co-op department, Mr. Lumsden indicated that while there has been increased pressure on the co-op department to place students, it hasnt been anything that they have felt was beyond UWs ability to handle. So will it continue to be difficult for ECE students to find co-op placements in the future? No one that I spoke to could say for sure. The current recession is a bit of an odd one. While the rest of the Canadian economy is generally recovering, the technological sector continues to struggle. Wayne Loucks, Associate Dean of Engineering Undergraduate Studies, stated that he didnt expect co-op opportunities to return to the pre-ATOP heyday, of several jobs available per student, but he did expect the situation to improve. There is just no indication of when. Until then, ECE students will just have to dig in and weather the slowdown. As for ATOPs effect on the situation, there isnt really any indication as to whether the situation would be better without the extra students around. Mr. Loucks indicated that he didnt see ATOP as a problem, and Mr. Lumsden also indicated that ATOP doesnt affect the co-op department all that drastically. It just seems that it was bad luck that the enrollment expansion and the recession occurred so close together. Despite the slowdown, ATOP may yet achieve its objectives in the tech sector. With more students graduating with computer related degrees, and perhaps more entrepreneurship experience, we may see more Nortels in the Canadian economy to support future ECE classes. These companies may even do it right next time.

Friday, October 25, 2002

11

Opinion

Defining Canadian
Maria Simoes
have been tenacious and strong. Whereas the United States has cut most of its historical ties - ties to Spain and Britain Canada continues to glorify and revel in its history. This is one difference between ourselves and our southern counterparts. Just as individual people are not truly defined by their family and friends, Canada is not just the sum of its ties and relations. Part of our uniqueness is our diverse cultural heritage. During a recent stay in the United States, I conversed with one of my American friends about her cultural background. When I asked her for her ethnic family history, she could not tell me any details. All that she new was that she was an American, born and raised in the United States. On the other hand, if you were to ask a Canadian about their cultural heritage you would get two possible answers: I am Canadian or I am ______ [fill in ethnicity of choice]. An American will likely know only one answer: I am American. Our country is a cultural mosaic, and not a melting pot. We, as Canadians, are in tune with not only our countrys history, but also our own. This is very different from many other immigrant populated countries, such as the United States. In the United States, people end up within a singular cultural mold. In Canada, citizens keep pride in both their Canadian and traditional ethnic heritage. Heritage events and culture-centric entities entitle all people to remember their ethnicity and to express those internal feelings to the world at large. One last thing that separates Canadians from Americans is our cultural pride. Anyone who has ever seen an I am Canadian commercial knows it to be true. We, as Canadians, are generally very proud of our Canadian-ism. While I was in the United States, I managed to catch a Tragically Hip concert. Pretty much every single concert-goer was garbed in something red, white and labeled with the word Canada. When Canadians travel the world, they flank their backpacks with Canadian flags. No other people are so fond of their heritage. Speaking of the Tragically Hip, one other thing Canadians take pride in is the products of our nation our music, our comedians and our television. Heritage minutes (those video clips that you see on T.V. and in the theatre) and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation ensure that our music and our heritage do not die out. The Canadian entertainment quota that is enforced by our broadcasting corporation is an innovative way to promote our entertainment and music, not only to Canadians, but to the world at large. We have fostered a pride in our nation that is unshakable. We have a right to be proud of our country. We, as Canadians are liked and respected. In the end, being Canadian, is knowledge and pride in our nation, its history, its cultural heritage and its future. Its the ability to speak with love the words I am Canadian.

3B Computer
What is Canadian? This is a question that has plagued Canadians for many years. When trying to define what it means to be Canadian, one must look into the very heart of this country. However, this can sometimes be hard, since we are very closely intertwined with our neighbours to the south. Our history is richly painted. We have roots and ties with many countries - the United States of America, Great Britain and France. As a commonwealth country, we are very closely affiliated with Britain. Francophone Canadians in all provinces have roots in France. From the very beginning, our ties with the United States

Standing on Guard for Thee

...continued from Page 1. to field at least a full mechanized brigade proper, and a credible air force in the field. Our navy does not need much updating, and is actually fairly modern and capable already, once those submarines are sorted out. We would also need more training time, and would have to seriously update our bases. I dont see this option occurring, as it would require some enormous initial expenditures to buy equipment, and then some serious expenditures to keep stuff up to date, train new people on new equipment, etc. This option would make us popular with the Americans and NATO, but would cost a heck of a whole lot, and if nothing else, our traditionally non-militaristic political leaders would probably kill the idea. Option D: The Car Canada option. The Americans are renowned for their military problems, like the F-18 fighters and the Sea potential. Having said that, with a few King helicopters, and the additional manexceptions, they basically update their power would certainly ease the burn-out entire inventory every 10-15 years. If we rates were getting today. decided to be Option E: behind the times Drop off the by about 10-15 We need to decide what we want map. We could years, and maintain our our military to do for us as equipped ourmilitary at the selves with their Canadians, and then ensure that level it is at cast offs, we today, not adjust they have the best equipment, could stand to spending one save a lot of manpower and talent that money iota, and still be money. In the relatively happy, can buy, so they can go do it. worst case, we with the only could at least use catch being that the older equipment for spares. The money we drastically reduce international deploywe save we could apply to our desperate ments. This would leave us with the milimanpower shortage. Although we wouldnt tary basically staying in Canada, and do this for everything, it would help to almost entirely abandoning the peacekeepround out some of our rougher equipment ing question. It would save us money and especially manpower, but it would leave us with no representation abroad. Personally I dont like that at all, since the military does such an excellent job of representing us today. These are just a few options open to Canada today, and some are pretty out there, but I must urge everyone to consider what happens if we maintain the status quo. We are not a militaristic people, and were not gun-toting Americans, but if we wish to be able to take part and have a say in international affairs, it certainly wouldnt hurt to have a capable military force behind any commitment. Our military today is doing the best it can with the resources it gets, but our political leadership needs to wake up, and begin to invest in our military. If they dont, one day very soon they will call on our forces, and be embarrassed when the military cant answer them.

Iron Inquisition

the

Jonathan Fishbein, 2A Software

What's the smell coming from Engineering?

Turpentine and Tar. Chris Deck - 3B Comp

Nasty Hippy Smell. The Notorius DGC - 2B Arts & Crafts

Dead Bodies. Krionne Motz - 2A SMF

Burning Brains. Rob Teft - 1A Comp

Fish. Ryan Consell - 2B Mech

Engineers. The Recyclers 3B - Enviro-Chem

Were not Dating! Donna & Fish - 2A Software

Together? Jeff Smith & Ian Miller - 3B Civ

12

Friday, October 25, 2002

Feature

UW Engineering Jackets: Inside and Out

Janna Hickson
carefully when your hard-earned coop salary is at stake. Jeff Henry, our VP External, nicely summed up this sentiment; Many of the attitudes here weigh the cost against the how long will I wear this after graduation factor and have the math simply not work out for them. Were a very practical group. I firmly believe that for those who do buy it, the math simply works for them. A lot of students get their jackets as gifts. Dave Clegg, EngSoc B president explained My dad offered to pay for it as my high school grad gift. Im not sure I wouldve gone for it otherwise... I never pictured myself as the leather jacket type. But now that I have it, Im glad I do. Daves satisfaction with his jacket is typical. Most of the people that said that they have jackets also said that they wear them practically all the time.. save times when they want to protect them from the elements. The Association People want their jackets to last because they are regarded as an emblem of prestige. The jackets command immediate recognition of our well-reputed program throughout North America. As one respondent said, ... when I took a course at U of T it was fun to walk into the final wearing a Waterloo Engineering jacket. Of course, as one student shared, Sometimes spirit and pride can be mistaken for snobbery and perhaps people dont want to be seen in that view. Some people might not want to be associated with the other engineering students that wear the jackets. This problem is the basis behind a major concern at all engineering society conferences. One of the explicit instructions given to all delegates is to be especially mindful of their behaviour while wearing school jackets. The delegates must be careful to not exemplify negative stereotypes of engineering students while acting as an ambassador for their school. Other schools Conferences are a good venue to see the range of jackets that exist across the country. Every single member of some delegations will sport their schools jacket during the evenings. Ryersons jacket is practically identical to ours. They also have gold lettering on black leather. This is distressing, as we have put Ryerson below American light beer on our Hierarchy of Life. However, imitation can be interpreted as flattery. Queens jackets are likely the most recognizable. This school takes tremendous pride in their jackets. Each jacket is extensively customized. First, each year has a contest to design a year specific crest that goes on all the jackets. Next, students may be awarded special bars to put onto their jacket for participating in certain events. Finally, as many people know, Queens engineering students thoroughly enjoy making their jackets look as un-new as possible. Not only do they dye their gold jackets purple, but they request cars to drive over them to loosen the leather. The University of Saskatchewan students seem to also take great pride in their jackets, which are certainly the easiest to spot from a distance. Unlike the neutral colours that prevail in most Ontario schools, the Saskatchewan jackets are a bold red and white. This well suits Saskatchewans energetic student body. The Design While on the topic of jacket styles, a lot of proud engineering students dont get a jacket simply because they arent partial to the look. The black leather bomber unfortunately isnt universally appealing. Several female engineering students that I spoke to criticized the jacket as too masculine. One respondent shared, I could see more people wearing them if they were tailored to peoples individual tastes. Other students dont want to wear leather. As an environmentally-conscious classmate of mine said, I think most people like them - its a symbolic thing... if youre not anti-leather. Jackets Throughout the Ages UW Engineering Jackets werent always leather. The first engineering class had purple corduroy jackets with gold lettering. If this reminds you of our neighbouring school down the street, it is not a coincidence. When these jackets were made, engineering was part of what is now Wilfred Laurier University. Soon afterwards, when the University of Waterloo began, they switched to grey melton jackets. Melton is a super-thick type of wool. When I spoke to Bill Lennox in the First Year engineering office, he reflected that these jackets had a special inside pocket for your slide rule or mickey - whichever you prefer. The Numbers One part of the design that has remained constant throughout the years is the numbers on the sleeve. The numbers have often been classified as a sign of the times for senior students. The mathNEWS published a warning two years ago regarding jackets: Hold off on buying that 05 jacket until after your Sophomore year. An 05 Jacket may cause the upper years to feel old, and needlessly unleash fourth years of their unbridled wrath upon you. This Service announcement has been funded by the Frosh Protection Agency. MathNEWS MathRANT, Friday September 22, 2000 The numbers do not only cause anxiety for senior students, they are also perceived by many students to be a big investment risk. Kristina Hotz in 3B Computer Engineering shared, I was afraid that Id jinx myself by buying a jacket with my year on it. I thought of buying one in 4th year, because by then Id be pretty much guaranteed to pass... When I spoke to Beth in the UW shop, she said that they, on occasion, do switch the numbers for people. However, only

4A Systems
You have your textbooks, a good backpack and a calculator. But, do you have your Engineering jacket? The Engineering Jackets have been around since the beginning of our faculty, however, they are not currently considered a must-have item. Other schools have jacket fitting days in their engineering buildings that their respective engineering societies assist in promoting. Many Waterloo students dont even know where to get jackets. As my family, or more precisely my

Bill Pinkerton, Class of 62 Mechanical Engineering

Rod Coutts, Class of 64 Electrical Engineering

mother, is pressuring me to buy a jacket before I graduate, I went to find out more about the black leather jacket that many of my classmates and friends possess. Where do the Jackets come from? The mysterious origin of the jackets is none other than the UW shop, the epicentre of UW branded accessories. People may order a jacket at the counter at the back of the store. However, it is advantageous to wait and order on the days when the sales rep from the jacket company is in town to do fittings. On these days, the shop offers a 15% discount. After a jacket is ordered, it will take about eight weeks to be ready. This is because they are custommade. The remaining jacket days this term are Nov 5th and December 3rd. The cost? Each jacket costs approximately $400. This lofty price tag must be considered

about one person requests this each year. Is this a sign that perhaps the jacket somehow elicits extraordinary efforts from students? Maybe there is more to it. An old classmate of Kristinas, Joseph Fung, sheds some light on this issue. I think people worry too much about having the wrong year on the sleeve - even though now Ill be graduating with 05, I dont plan on changing my jacket to reflect that. The incorrect year will serve as a reminder of the fun times I had with my old classmates, and the decisions I made. To Buy or Not to Buy Im not sure if I will get a jacket yet. Well see if OSAP is going to help me cover the cost... or just, perhaps, if Im lucky, my mother will read in this article and notice that many students receive jackets as gifts.

Elisa Zhang

Fine Dining And Entertainment In K-W

lion, and has a capacity of over 1500 people. In here you can find 3 roomsthe Main Room, Air Lounge and Fire Room, all with their own dance floors, and the Worlds Biggest Disco Ball. Dress Code is enforced. The decoration inside is classy. They used nice carpets and leather couches. On Friday, Main Room plays Hip Hop and R&B music, while Air Lounge play House music. Saturday is the most crowded night. Hip Hop and R&B music are played all night in Fire Room; The Main Room plays mainstream pop, Hip Hop and R&B; Air Lounge plays House and Trance with weekly rotating guest DJs. Once in a while, they bring a Foam Party into the Main Room. My friends and I have been to one of them and it is a lot of fun. Wax has just been opened up in this summer. It is located right across from Elements. It has two floors inside. The structure is more like Fed Hall, but yet well-decorated. It plays a variety of music on different days. There is a stage in Wax, and it hosts many performances from live bands. Since it is a new bar, my friends and I have only visited it once, on the opening day. I believe both Wax and The Still have really good deals for students since they really try to attract students to downtown Kitchener. Wax normally open on Fridays and Saturdays. The Still is a Grill and Bar. If you are a more laid back type of person, you would like it a lot. It has outdoor seating for over 200 on the glass patio, 150 seats in the dinning room and over 30 at the bar. The menu is casual and has really good prices. The food there is very unique, because they have their own very unique recipes. The biggest deal they have is the 10 cents wings. They marinate fresh chicken wings, and best of all they are 10 cents each from 3pm-7pm everyday. Their jumbo wings are probably the best in town, that I have tried. Pizzas are $6.95 each. Almost everything on the menu is under $10 including steaks. Some night life entertainers or DJs are brought in to entertain guests. Being a student, you can order a pop on Wednesday night and get a pound of wings for free. Show your student card, who knows what deals you can get? Since all three places are owned by the same owner, he also arranged shuttle service for students going from school to downtown Kitchener. So I say, students, dont get stuck in school, go out and have fun sometimes!

2A Computer
Last issue we had visited the University Plaza. In this issue we would like to go somewhere further, in search of some more entertainment, downtown Kitchener. There are many attractions in downtown Kitchener, but we are going to show you the new night club block near city hall, this time. One bus stop down from city hall, there are three night clubs on the block, Elements, Wax and The Still. All three of them are very large night clubs. Elements has been in Kitchener for a while. It opens Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The club itself cost over 2 mil-

Friday, October 25, 2002

13

Upcoming Events

Important Dates from CECS Oct 25 Nov 8, 2002

Jenna Olmstead Co-op and Career Services 5:30pm. Business Etiquette and Professionalism - Covers dining etiquette as well as appropriate behaviour at interviews, employer receptions/sessions, and other networking activities. 10:30 11:30am. Sign up at www.careerservices.uwaterloo.ca November 6 Acceptance of Employment Meetings with co-ordinators continue. Check the Postings Board in Needles Hall for your scheduled appointment. Co-op Job Posting #2 (Continuous Phase) Available by 12 noon. CAREER SERVICES WORKSHOPS: Interview Skills: The Basics Learn the fundamentals of successful interviewing. 3:30 4:30pm. Sign up at www.careerservices.uwaterloo.ca Interview Skills: Preparing for Questions Discuss and learn from taped excerpts of actual interviews. 4:30 5:30pm. Sign up at www.careerservices.uwaterloo.ca November 7 Job Posting #2 (Continuous Phase) expires at 8pm (includes architecture). CAREER SERVICES WORKSHOPS: Successfully Negotiating Job Offers - Increase the odds of getting what you want when negotiating salary and other details related to the job offer. Geared towards graduating students. 2:30 4:30pm. Sign up at www.careerservices.uwaterloo.ca November 8 Co-op Job Posting #3 (Continuous Phase) available by 12 noon. Work Reports (marked by co-op co-ordinators) available for pick-up at Co-op Reception. CAREER SERVICES WORKSHOPS: Letter Writing Learn how to use letters to your advantage in the job search. 10:30 11:30am. Sign up at www.careerservices.uwaterloo.ca. Resume Writing Discover techniques for writing an effective resume. 11:30 12:30. Sign up at www.careerservices.uwaterloo.ca

October 25 This is the last day of employer interviews. October 26 CAREER SERVICES WORKSHOP: Career Essentials morning: self assessment, resume writing, interview skills. Afternoon: letter writing, work search, networking, employer research, interview skills. 9:00am 4:30pm. Sign up at www.careerservices.uwaterloo.ca. October 29 Ranking Forms available after 10am at the Paging Desk, 1st Floor, Needles Hall. Forms due back by 4pm Co-ordinator Ranking and Interview Consultation ends at 4pm (excludes Architecture and Teaching faculties). October 30 CAREER SERVICES WORKSHOPS: Letter Writing Learn how to use letters to your advantage in the job search. 3:30 4:30pm. Sign up at www.careerservices.uwaterloo.ca Resume Writing Discover techniques for writing an effective resume. 4:30 5:30pm. Sign up at www.careerservices.uwaterloo.ca November 1 Co-op Job Posting #1 (continuous phase) available by 12 noon. Apply to this posting if you had no interviews or were not ranked in the initial interview phase. November 4 Job Match results posted at 3pm. Meetings for students without employment at 4:30pm. November 5 Co-op Job Posting #1 (continuous phase) expires 8pm Acceptance of Employment Meetings with co-ordinators for students matched with a job. Check the Co-op Bulletin Board, 1st floor Needles Hall for your scheduled appointment. CAREER SERVICES WORKSHOPS: Work Finding Package for International Students International students learn best approaches to search for work in Canada after graduation from UW (including visa requirements). 4:30

The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in a period of moral crisis, maintain their neutrality . - Alighieri

14

Friday, October 25, 2002

Arts and Entertainment

Live to Tell It
Sophie Shahrokhi
sales record in the first days of its release. Gabriel Garcia Marquez is a LatinAmerican journalist, novelist and short story writer, who is a central figure in the so-called Magic Realism movement. The term Magic Realism movement originates from the tendency of Latin-American writers to combine fantasy elements and mythology with realistic fiction. The 75 year-old Garcia Marquez, whose most famous novel is One Hundred Years of Solitude has lymphatic cancer and has not visited his home country for three years, as he is living in Mexico City. Marquez won the Nobel Literature prize in 1982 for his novel Love In The Time Of Cholera. Life is not that which one lived, but that which one remembers, and how one remembers to tell it, wrote Marquez opening his 579-page autobiography. The first volume of the memoirs details the first 30 years of Garcia Marquezs life, up to 1955. It tells of the writers youth in Aracataca, where he was born, the town that provided the inspiration for his fictional town Macondo in One Hundred Years of Solitude. This town is a metaphor for Latin America, a town of war and peace, love and despair and a lost paradise. Marquezs memoirs is mostly dedicated to his passion for journalism, and recounts his days in the Colombian newspapers, where he developed his narrative technique. Live to Tell It expresses the secrets that inspired Garcia Marquez and shows how colourful characters in his life stimulated his imaginative storytelling. The book is due to be published in Latin American countries and Spain within this month. English, French and German translations of the memoirs are underway as well. So, if you are interested in Latin-American literature and Marquezs works, you now definitely have some reading to look forward to within the next few months.

2A Computer
More than one million copies of Gabriel Garcia Marquezs memoirs hit the bookstores on October 8th in Colombia while the national anthem was playing over the speakers to honour the Nobelwinning author. A wild success, Vivir Para Contarla (Live to Tell It) which is the first volume of Marquezs memoirs, broke national

Formula 51: A Formula for Success?

Dan Foong
powerful than cocaine, 51 times more hallucinogenic than acid, and 51 times more explosive than ecstasy. As the Lizard plans to sell this new drug to the highest bidder, McElroy has different plans. Setting up an accidental chemical explosion he attempts to kill the Lizard and sell POS-51 to the first person who is willing to pony up the dough. Jackson plays up his usual, Im the bad guy, and no one should mess with me role that he played so very well in Pulp Fiction. I dont think that he can do anything else but play that kind of character, however, he plays these characters so believably that its hard not to see him play any other kind of character. All hell breaks loose when McElroys

3B Civil
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Carlyle, Emily Mortimer, Sean Pertwee, Ricky Tomlinson, Rhys Ifans, and Meat Loaf 30 years ago, Elmo McElroy (Jackson) made a mistake, a mistake that took his life from possible comfort to the wrong side of the tracks. Working for The Lizard (Meat Loaf), he creates a powerful new wonder drug, POS-51, supposedly 51 times more

plan to kill the Lizard goes wrong, and the Lizard survives. McElroy is now caught between his own ventures, and the desires of the Lizard, and every other shady character between Pasadena California and Liverpool England. Once arriving in Liverpool, McElroy is escorted to his first drug meeting by Felix (Carlyle). Felix is somewhat of a delivery boy, in that he seems to want to be told what to do rather than decide for himself. In any case, Felix is a witty character that Carlyle plays most excellently. Aside from being your typical errand boy, Felix stumbles his way around and somehow manages not to get killed in the process. The story becomes more complex when it is discovered that Felixs exgirlfriend, Dakota (Mortimer), has been hired by the Lizard to first kill McElroy,

but later is re-assigned to protect him. Dakotas character is not well developed and throughout the movie, it seems as though Mortimer wants to do something with the character, yet is unable to get out of the horrible lines that she has been given. What makes this movie a rather watchable production is the non-stop action, and interesting twists and turns that the story line takes you through. What kept bothering me about this whole episode was that each and every character that we are introduced to is nothing more than a blithering, gun-toting idiot. Even so, I couldnt stop watching this particular movie. If you feel like you need to do something with your life on a Friday or Saturday night, I highly recommend watching this movie.

Ryan Bayne Computer 02

Mutant Dog Fun Comic Art

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Where to Get the Best Bang for Your Cup!

Maria Simoes
Pros: Great Desserts, Lots of Coffee Variety, Cool Hang Out, Nearness to Engineering Campus, Caters to the Engineering lifestyle (its open late at night for those of us stuck in the lab!) Cons: Mediocre coffee, No longer open ALL NIGHT, Usually pretty busy Website: http://www.williamscoffeepub.com The Turnkey Desk This fine establishment, located in the SLC and run by the SLC Board, happens to be a great place for all night coffee. Many are the times that I have been studying all night in the SLC study rooms (provided by the SLC Board, and booked through the Turnkey Desk) and have turned to the Turnkey for a quick pick me up. Cheap coffee, hot chocolate and tea are available. Bring your own mug, and not only do you help save the environment, but you get more bang for your mug! Pros: Open all night, On Campus, Cheap Coffee, Can bring your own mug Cons: Not too much in the way of caffeinated variety Website:http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/ infosa/tkserv.htm Second Cup If you are willing to walk a little bit outside of the university bubble and across Phillips Street to the other University Plaza, then you are in for a treat. Second Cup, a national coffee retailer, is available right beside the HMV. This establishment happens to be one of my favourite coffee imbibing places. It is a little bit small to hang out in (unless youve managed to grab one of the couches); however, the great coffee makes up for it. As Im typing this, Im drinking an extra large cup of Vanilla Bean Latte (one of their new European-styled beverages) which is currently really cheap on Tuesdays (the price of a regular cup of coffee). If you are on a tight budget, then this place probably isnt for you. However, the true coffee connoisseur will enjoy the variety and the taste. Pros: Delicious Coffee, Great Variety. Cons: Not all that close to campus, Close at 11:00 pm, Small Environment, Expensive Website:http://www.secondcup.com Engineering C&D As an Engineering student, I cant help but love the Engineering C&D, located in CPH Foyer. This is the place where I get my morning fix (since it gives me the ultimate bang for my buck!), and is affordable for those who need their coffee on a daily basis. For the mere price of $0.60, one can get a medium sized cup of coffee (lots of flavoured and traditional variety). If you bring your own mug, its even cheaper only fifty cents! One of my friends usually starts his day off with a Tall Boy - an extra large mug that he fills to the brim. Definitely a place to go if youre an addict (and youll be helping out with Engineering Services too!) Pros: Really Cheap Coffee, On Campus in Engineering, Can Bring your own mug (with discount), Lots of coffee variety, Open Early Cons: No real European styled coffee, Closes Early on Weekdays (7pm Monday to Thursday & 5pm Friday), Not open on Weekends Website:http://engsoc.uwaterloo.ca/w ww/srv_cd.html

Opinion

3B Computer
If youre like me, and you cannot live without your morning cup of coffee, your afternoon coffee pick me up, or your evening grabba jabba, then this article is for you. Three years ago, when I arrived at this University, I was lost - I had no idea where the best coffee joints were located, and how to get the best bang for my caffeine driven buck! Well, after three years of experimenting and getting a coffee buzz, I have compiled a list of the best coffee places located around campus, their prices and availability. Williams Coffee Pub One of the first places that I tried out when I arrived at Waterloo was Williams Coffee Pub, a conveniently placed coffee joint, located in the University Plaza. Originally, it had the ber plus points of being a twenty-four hour establishment; however, approximately two years ago, it decided to relegate itself to the realm of opening really early and closing really late; usually around midnight or one in the morning, according the night of operation. There are a couple of good and bad things about this place. First of all, it is usually crowded late at night (right up until the time that it closes). Secondly, the coffee isnt all that great. Their European beverages are somewhat tolerable, especially anything flavoured with sugar syrup. I used to really enjoy their Bodum au Laits (french-pressed coffee made with a tonne of milk); however, about a year and a half ago they stopped being readily available (due to a shortage of French Presses). Since then, I havent bothered asking for their availability, due to laziness and somewhat forgetful memory. On a brighter note, they have well priced teas, and really delicious desserts (in case youre not a coffee fanatic).

Math C&D If youre like me, and have been stuck with classes in the Math building far too often, then youve probably had the opportunity to visit the Math Coffee and Donut. Located on the third floor of the Math Building, this coffee and donut is similar to that of the Engineering Coffee and Donut. The coffee here is also $0.60. There are however a couple of main differences. Firstly, this coffee and donut is usually open later than the Engineering C&D. Secondly, the Math C&D does not always give me a price discount when I bring in a really big mug to fill up with coffee, even though the Engineering C&D will give me one. Pros: Cheap Coffee, On Campus, Can Bring your own mug, Coffee Variety, Open Relatively late for a campus C&D Cons: No real European styled coffee, Not open on weekends, No Website (see below) Website: Surprisingly, I couldnt Google the Math C&D with any success. The above are my most frequently visited coffee establishments on and near the University of Waterloo campus. This is by far not a completely comprehensive list, since this list is not intended to be comprehensive but to inform and enlighten. Remember the Coffee Break motto: Keep drinking and have coffee!

Cartoonist Wanted
Are you an aspiring cartoonist? Do you have a love for the artistic medium of comics? Do you have characters in your head whose want to speak to the world from time juxtaposed panels? Please, let us know. The Iron Warrior would like to supplement the excellent work of Ryan Bayne, with other vibrant, wonderful comics. Any topics are fair game. You can write small strips or ongoing storylines. Are you a good artist, with no ideas for stories or characters? Do you have a wealth of great ideas for comics, but you hate the way your drawing turn out? Contact us and we will try to hook up a writer/artist combo. The Iron Warrior is interested in printing all kind of genres. You can write straightforward humourous comics, lampooning the world i which we live. Alternatively, you could use the Iron Warrior to create an audience for an serious, epic story, you would like to tell. You cold also draw political cartoons deliver social commentaries through a comic. So, come on folks. I know there are a lot of you out there that like to draw and have a few crazy ideas they want to get out there in the collective conscious. Now is your chance. E-mail iwarrior@engmail.uwaterloo.ca and well get the ball rolling.

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