By: Miranda Babbitt
Walk outside, take a breath. What you smell and what has seeped into your soul is sheer evil, my friends. Hamilton isn’t a place for sissies no more. Maybe London is better for you. Or Waterloo. But not Hamilton.
Walking into the enormous confines of Screemers, Canada’s #1 Haunted Scream Park, you may see a lone, eighteenth century girl slowly stagger by you, or be joyously greeted (in his own charming way) by a chainsaw wielding serial killer. This is all part of the fun, or at least what adrenaline junkies define as fun. A pleasant sign then warns you that you there are no refunds for chickens.
Strangely enough, throughout the night, this fear you feel, these sweaty palms, the quickened beat of your heart, the creeping paranoia about what or who is behind you, it becomes something of a challenge. You begin to want to challenge your nerves. As you pass by the various haunted houses in this empty factory like building, you can hear screams all around you, and the cackles of disturbed clowns, and yet you’re literally being drawn into these dark entrances.
Now don’t get me wrong. I’m often not one to willingly say, “Yes, please terrify me to the point of jumping into the arms of my friends and/or strangers in front of me,” let alone journey through four or five haunted houses in one night, but something flickers inside of you each time you bolt out of the exit, declaring yourself “lucky to survive.” If you’re thinking, “Oh, pshaw, haunted houses are just full of actors anyway,” then I dare you, bold sir, to enter into what is known as The Black Hole. Let’s see how brave you feel when the only thing to guide you is a single red dot in the distance, and the walls creep closer and closer towards you until you’re inching sideways towards the exit… or what you think is the exit.
And even with the mindset that everyone around you is an actor, every clown with his mouth falling off is just another high school boy, or every maniacal creature with eyes darting through the holes in the mask is just a mother on her day off, somehow this isn’t enough to bring your heartbeat back to the casual jogging pace you would like it to be at.
For the first time in my life, I can confidently say that I was relieved to see the two prepubescent boys, with their hats delicately placed at an angle to convince us of their evident swag, book past us at a startlingly confident pace, acting as our first line of defense against the creatures lurking behind each corner.
Entering into Screemers shows you just how you’d cope in a horror movie. Will you freeze or will you run? Will you scream or will you shout? Will you laugh or will you cry? Your horror movie persona awaits you.
By: Arnav Agarwal
While many couples like to match up for a spooky Halloween celebration, the idea of complimentary couple costumes does not settle well with everyone. A costume duo might be cute to some, but many find the combo a little bizarre and too much to handle.
“We trick-or-treat together every year,” said one young couple in Mississauga. “It only makes sense to costume-code. It keeps us feeling young. And getting candy, of course. Who doesn’t like candy?”
From Peanut Butter and Jelly twosomes to NASCAR match-ups, and Air Pilot and ‘Sexy Flight Attendant’ duos, shops are stocked with just the right couple-related Halloween gear to draw some serious attention (and candy, for those who never tire from trick-or-treating). If the classic pairings don’t suit your taste, feel free to throw in some contemporary mixes like Zoolander and Mugatu, Gwen and Amazing Spiderman, Red Foo and Skyblu from LMFAO, or Red and Yellow Angry Birds, and that should be enough to get any party on the road!
And although many a couple pairing may be cheesy and weird, matching costumes can up their perks under the covers. The fun doesn’t have to stop on the streets and dance-floors, couples can often take their role-plays one step further: All Hallows’ Eve need not spare the bedroom setting.
“What’s Halloween without a little bit of spicing up?” said a Hedden Hall McMaster student in response to the costume ideas. “If we’re dressing up, let’s dress for double trouble. By the way, this is kept anonymous, right?”
For all the femme fatales and Prince Charmings out there, a chance to dress up might be far more than a Halloween costume stunt; it is a chance to step up the intimacy in the bedroom with their significant other even after the festive night has passed. While having fun with role-play, the heaps of candy and the spooky tunes of Halloween might be drowned out for many couples, for whom the attention will be on the “afterparty” of the traditional celebrations.
By getting creative with intimate attire, frisky fantasies and holiday excitement is just one step away. Who needs the candy when there are plenty of goods already waiting at home?
Halloween has always been a fun and festive time of the year where it is finally socially acceptable to put on a ridiculous outfit and demand free candy from your neighbours. And although many a student these days refrains from the routine knocking on doors and sugar seeking, All Hallows Eve can still merit a good time via costumes and the handing out of candy, rather than the gathering of it.
By taking on the task of giving instead of receiving, trick-or-treating receives a breath of new life and a positive spin for students, as Engineers Without Borders (EWB) puts on their costumes and struts the streets with a determination to promote fair trade goods in and around the McMaster neighborhood.
After multiple years of travelling around Hamilton, “Reverse Trick-or-Treating” returns on Wednesday Oct. 31, as EWB commits to their fair trade initiative by handing out Camino brand, fairly-traded chocolate and information packages to homes neighboring Mac’s campus.
“We try to change our route every year to cover more ground and spread the message farther into the community,” explains Dany Mejia, Fair Trade Director of the EWB McMaster Chapter. “We’ll hand out chocolates to students during the day on campus, but we mainly try to target family homes while reverse trick-or-treating.”
EWB is set-up with a variety of different teams catering to the different goals of the organization, including a specific branch for fair trade initiatives. For this particular activity, not only will the FT group be setting out into the community, but the entire Mac chapter will be sporting creative fair trade costumes and helping with the cause.
“A few of our team members will be dressed in banana costumes with giant fair trade logo stickers,” states Mejia. “The costumes help develop the theme of the evening and encourages discussion about what we’re promoting.”
This activity is just one of the many events EWB hopes to present this year in order to help achieve a Fair Trade Campus status for McMaster. Mejia, who is currently spearheading the initiative for a Fair Trade Campus, explains that last year brought about discussion with the Sustainability Office, the Dean, and Hospitality Services while looking into the promotion of this ideology. Mejia along with her team are currently looking into further developing these conversations and continuing the campaign to promote fair trade goods and services on campus.
Run through Fairtrade Canada, the Fair Trade Campus status was first achieved by the University of British Columbia in January of 2011. To achieve this status, a series of standards must be met that fall under the categories of Availability, Visibility and Committee.
In terms of Availability, EWB is working to have on-campus restaurants provide fair trade options. For instance, the MSU’s Union Market has already adopted the sale of fair trade tea, coffee and chocolate.
Working towards the goals of Visibility, EWB’s ventures, such as the reverse trick-or-treating along with their other events, like the fair trade candy grams that were handed out last year at Valentine’s Day, are used to promote information about the cause and make their efforts visible to the Mac community.
And for the Committee aspect, EWB, specifically their fair trade team, is working hard to keep up their game and continue to have a community representing their goals and aspirations for the cause.
As Engineers Without Borders continues to work towards the promotion of fair trade, look forward to hearing more about new product offerings and information on upcoming events and activities. And next Wednesday, remember to also keep your eyes peeled for do-gooder bananas handing out chocolates in a neighborhood near you.
Sarah O'Connor
Thanksgiving is over and as the last leftovers of turkey slowly depart from our refrigerators, a new holiday is quickly approaching: Halloween.
Yes, Halloween. A night to dwell into the supernatural, to stay up late watching horror movies, to dress-up and be something you're not. It's the one night we allow ourselves to re-kindle those warm feelings of childish glee from Halloween. We stuff our face with chocolate and don’t have to worry when our next exam is due.
But like anything that brings the slightest bit of joy, Halloween comes with a price.
Even D.O.T. Patio and Home have gotten into the spirit of Halloween by selling costumes and accessories for that haunted evening. And as I've wandered through that store on lazy afternoons, I can't help but notice one thing - the price of the costumes.
The price range for most women's Halloween costumes is between forty to sixty dollars. And let's be honest with ourselves, there isn't much to them. A typical woman's costume is sexy and sparkling with tight-fit tops and skirts that look like belts. A skimpy thing like that for sixty dollars? I don't think so.
On the other hand, the price range for men's costumes is typically between $20 - $40. True, there isn't as much variety as there is for women's costumes, the costumes tend to focus more on pop-culture or being hilarious parodies instead of being sexy. But people seem to care greatly about what they will wear on Halloween night, no matter the price.
It's not just D.O.T., all companies that sell adult Halloween costumes have these prices. We allow companies to commercialize holidays that are dear to our hearts. We empty our pockets on the conviction that by doing so we ensure the greatest night of our lives, when all we really have an over-priced costume hanging in our closets only to be replaced by a new, over-priced costume next year.
We always mourn the commercialization of Christmas but what ever happened to Halloween? What happened to the night of chills and thrills, of fear and excitement? What happened to a holiday about fun? When did money start ruling our lives?
Kacper Niburski
Assistant News Editor
Halloween had more than its share of frights, bumps, and bruises this year.
On Oct. 29, at a Halloween event hosted by TwelvEighty, three men, two of which sustained knife wounds to their chests while the other suffered facial injuries, were rushed to hospital. A fourth may have also been stabbed, but has yet to seek medical assistance.
At approximately 2:30 a.m., police were called to investigate a disturbance outside the campus bar by McMaster campus security who were first to respond to the event.
Due to the influx of students convening at the bar, the campus security required assistance by Hamilton Police.
Sergeant Terri-Lynn Collings, Media Relations for Hamilton Police Service, noted that most of the investigation is still ongoing, and a variety of details are still not known.
She went so far to call the event a “disturbance” as opposed to a “stabbing.”
“We do not currently know how the three individuals sustained their injuries simply because the three victims, all of which went to hospitals, are somewhat uncooperative with the investigation,” said Collings.
When asked whether there has been any movement in their co-operation with the police investigation, Sergeant Collings said, “No. I have not received any further information.”
She did add, though, that they “were not from Hamilton. They were from out of town.”
Andrea Farquhar, director of Public and Government Relations for McMaster University mirrored this information.
“They were not McMaster students,” she said.
Farquhar added that the University will also conduct its own investigation, a procedure common to all security measures.
As an establishment, TwelvEighty is not known for being a hub of conflict.
Throughout the years, few altercations have been noted other than a few isolated cases of poorly coordinated dance moves and equally misplaced fist pumps.
As such, the stabbing event stands as an anomaly to the McMaster campus.
Farquhar stressed this in an interview.
“There are times where non-McMaster students come on campus and cause problems.” She said.
Farquhar added, “I wouldn’t call it an issue.”
While the details of the altercation are still unclear, Sergeant Collings stressed that the investigation will be ongoing.
“As a police service, we recognize that there maybe people who have witnessed the event who, at the time, did not feel comfortable reporting it to the police.”
Collings continued, “If there is anyone who has any information and has not spoken to the police yet, then they should definitely give us a call.”
Needless to say, the police can be reached at all times and any advice would certainly be appreciated.
Kacper Niburski
Assistant News Editor
Although Halloween may be a time where our younger selves yearn the bygone days of mountainous piles of sweets and goodies, a group of students from McMaster, dressed primarily in gorilla costumes, have found something else to go bananas about.
In an effort to promote Fair Trade consumption and awareness, Engineers Without Borders (EWB), World University Service of Canada (WUSC), and MacGreen participated in an annual reverse Trick or Treat campaign entitled “Scare them Fair” on Oct. 31st.
Members, many of whom dressed as bananas, the Fair Trade product logo, or gorillas, gave out Oxfam Belgian Mini’s, one of the many Fair Trade chocolates sold in Canada, to unsuspecting passer-bys while participating in an open dialogue regarding the merits of Fair Trade, a stance taken by ethical supply chains.
“That’s the beauty of it,” said Amy Tang, a member of the EWB McMaster chapter. “Not only we’re we out there giving sweets – Fair Trade ones at that – but we were also giving information.”
Much of this “information” was meant as an introduction to Fair Trade for those who had not heard of it before and an attempt to clear up any ambiguities to those who have.
“Contrary to what the name of the campaign suggests, we want to use the fun of Halloween to start conversations with students, faculty, staff, and the general Hamilton community,” said Brandon Desbarbieux, coordinator of Fair Trade Awareness for EWB.
The event stands as an ongoing drive for consumer responsibility in the marketplace that originated in Vancouver, Canada’s largest Fair Trade city and home to Canada’s first Fair Trade Campus, University of British Columbia.
Similarly, McMaster is seeking Fair Trade Campus status. Tang noted that it has been a topic constantly up for discussion, and “that much of the faculty support it: Patrick Deane, Ilene-Busch-Vishniac; those are just some of the many.”
Some, however, have been known reject Fair Trade because it is often more expensive than other producers.
“This is a common misconception,” said Tang. “It does not have to be more expensive. If you look at Union Market, if you look at OPRIG Office on the second floor of MUSC, if you go to any chain super market, it is not. It actually costs less.”
Financial costs are only one consideration though.
While it is true that money may be the mitigating factor for some, it is certain that the social benefits are unquestionable. Even if it is the case that finances are a concern, the social costs greatly outrun the worries of any paper trail.
Tang argued this point. Highlighting the “Scare them Fair” event, she added that this pursuit of equitable consumption is becoming more popular, even at McMaster.
“When we were giving the chocolate out, a girl said, ‘Look, Mommy! Fair Trade chocolate.’ She didn’t say chocolate. She specified the kind. That’s evidence enough of the movement spreading.”
This, coupled with the joint advocacy of ethical purchases by three groups at McMaster, may very well be compelling. If it is, then perhaps in the near future, Halloween will become a time of united chants, “Monkeys. Bananas. Fair Trade. Oh my.”
Sonya Khanna
Business Editor
Halloween leaves holes in your pockets. It drains your bank account faster than you have time to rethink purchasing that $60 cop costume, made up of two carefully crafted pieces of cloth.
Costumes are only half the battle. Gone are the carefree and cash-free days of childhood Halloween frolicking, where the wads of candy thrown into your hands offset whatever you spent.
With consumers spending increasingly impressive numbers on Halloween, the holiday has moulded into yet another stressful and expensive holiday, souring whatever joys it brings. Don’t get me wrong, Halloween is fun for many reasons, but I could do without the inevitable monetary woes associated with it.
This Halloween, monitor your spending. Alleviate the financial discomfort by fashioning yourself a costume out of materials around your house, or take a trip to your local fabric store. You might be surprised with the ideas you can concoct out of the most arbitrary items. Value Village or other thrift stores are another budget-friendly alternative.
Another way to restrict expenditures is to create a personal budget for all of the items you wish to purchase and all of the items that have been purchased.
For smartphone junkies, a variety of nifty apps are available to ease the budgeting process. The finance app, Budget Tool, created by Consolidated Credit Counseling Services, is a money management application that “tracks your total expenses and creates a simple to use budget to keep your personal finances in check.”
The order viagra online app seeks to help you establish whether you are living within your financial means, as well as comparing current budgets and recommending ideal budgets in a “visually appealing way.”
If smartphone apps or other computerized gadgets aren’t appealing to you, there are other means by which you can easily track overspending. If your Halloween plans involve two-night binge drinking festivities or even coughing up cash for more than one outfit, put aside a fixed amount of money before you go out to ensure you are aware of how much money you actually have to spend.
“When I go out I tend to get caught up in the fun of everything and sometimes I tend to overspend,” says McMaster grad Filipa Jackson. “Now when I plan to go out I always set aside money before, I only take out a portion of it and I always make sure I put aside the rest for emergency – especially if we plan to go out again after.”
Going out can be financially exhausting for many reasons, especially on holidays. Ticket prices and transportation costs add up and the consumption of any beverage, alcoholic or not, costs a pretty penny.
If you are genuinely feeling distressed about Halloween spending, talk to your friends about changing plans around to something more budget-conscious.
Compiled by Karianne Matte and Alex Rockingham
Cane-wielding phone bandit arrested
Hamilton Police have arrested a woman who they say is a cane-wielding phone bandit. Around 1 p.m. last Tuesday, a 21-year-old woman was robbed of her cell phone and beaten with a cane by a woman at the corner Mohawk West and Upper Paradise road. The police located the woman, a 50-year-old Hamilton native, suspected of committing the robbery within the area and charged her with robbery with a weapon. Police declined to reveal the suspect’s name as she was released on a promise to appear in court on Nov. 7.
Pan-Am velodrome project axed
The Hamilton City Council has decided to kill the controversial velodrome project. After a lengthy debate at City Hall, the council decided to cap its proposed contribution to the cycling centre at $5 million, a mere fraction of the $22.5 million that was requested. Pan-Am Games CEO Ian Troop said the city’s offer was not enough to go through with the project. He then said the 2015 Pan-Am games “will pursue discussions with other municipalities who have expressed interest in this significant legacy facility.”
More Ontarian students are choosing to go to college
Colleges Ontario recorded their highest ever first-year enrollment this fall. Colleges Ontario says that student enrollment in Ontario’s 24 applied arts and technology colleges has risen more than 20 percent than five years ago. More than 116,000 first-year students have enrolled in full-time classes this fall. Colleges Ontario released statistics that showed that, even during a recession, more than 83 per cent of college graduates were hired within six months of graduating.
Ghosts, goblins and ghouls for half price?
While the Waterdown Rotary Club’s haunted house has come to an end, its contents are being sold and all the proceeds will be collected for charity. The haunted house, a long-standing Waterdown attraction for decades, had helped raise money for the alleviation of worldwide poverty. The owners have said they will continue to donate all the money they’ve earned from setting up these household haunts to charitable funds.
Andrew Terefenko
Opinions Editor
I think pumpkins are kind of weird.
I don’t mean in that something-isn’t-quite-right way one might feel about dragonfruit or gooseberries. I mean in that fundamentally disturbing feeling I get from looking at them, touching them and eating things made from them. Right off the bat, I have trouble believing in any animal, vegetable or mineral that I can’t just eat raw.
Why are we so hung up on devoting a whole month to this orange phenomenon?
I feel there are so many other vegetables and fruits that deserve a month rather than these monstrous squashes. Why do we not devote all of April to apples? We can just as easily carve them, display them and smash them in the streets.
As a vegetable, it tries so hard to not be eaten, with its thick, hard shell and prickly stem. Then there is the weight of it all, with the average pumpkin clocking in just over ten pounds. That is an absurd amount of obstacles in the way of eating something we give so much attention to.
I understand that they are extremely plentiful in North America, and we didn’t have the squashes and gourds our European neighbours used for their carving traditions, but why did they inexplicably take over a holiday tradition?
On some level, I get it. They are pretty useful for carving scary faces into, but without fail, their lack of edibility leaves them to rot well into November, and in the case of particularly lazy seniors, compost into the ground by mid-February.
Of course, there is also the all-too-powerful temptation for rowdy youth to thrash them onto private property and cause their own brand of uncommonly common orange wrath and havoc. This would be far less or a problem if they were throwing something small, solid and delicious.
I am only pointing this all out because I am an advocate of vegetable and fruit fairness, in that we should give equal treatment to some of the lesser-prized veggies that equally deserve our thirty-day worship. Like rhubarbs, maybe, which are a vegetable equally resistant to being eaten without special care, and yet are just as questionably useless in a larger scheme of food.
So, I ask you, either cease pushing pumpkins on me all month long, or prepare everyone for a fun-filled November, heretofore known as Rhubarb Appreciation Month.
