Author: George Menexis

Categories
Opinions

‘Tis the season to be broke

Graphic by Phil Waheed.
Graphic by Phil Waheed.

It’s that time of year again. The first snowfall has passed, the jolly tunes have come out, and, most importantly, preparation has begun for the annual visit from the big man from the North Pole. Christmas trees are up, decorations are set, and Starbucks has officially started serving Christmas in a cup.

With this time of year comes something I like to call “the list.” It seems that, year after year, this
“list” gets exceedingly long and expensive. I am indeed talking about the Christmas gift list. The grandparents, the parents, the close friends, the siblings — it seems that there is an endless supply of people that you need to get presents for that have us creating a budget worthy of passing through parliament. The stress of having enough time and money can sometimes be unbearable, but anything is better than having that feeling in the pit of your stomach of not coming through with your list.

This, my fellow jolly friends, doesn’t sound like a very pleasant start to your Christmas, does it? It sounds like the start of a bad Christmas horror movie. Who would want to experience such stress in what is supposed to be the happiest time of the year? Mark my words, this list is what has ruined everyone’s Christmas spirit.

Is this really what Christmas has come to? Spending hundreds of dollars in presents that people may not even want, as a sign of love? The American Research Group recently did a study to determine Americans’ average spending during Christmas this year. A sample 1,100 adults were asked the following question: How much are you going to spend on Christmas gifts this year? The average was $854. Needless to say, a hefty amount.

Call me corny, call me old-fashioned, call me one of those annoying people that always goes against the norm, but no, this isn’t what Christmas is all about. It isn’t about expensive gifts, it isn’t about trends. Well, maybe for the kids it is, but they too need to be taught from a young age that just because they didn’t get the latest Apple product, Christmas can still be the most amazing day of the year.

So let’s go back to the basics. Christmas is about family. Family, the way I see it, represents the closest people in your life. It could be your immediate family, it could be your best friends, it could be your dog, if that’s how you feel. As long as you’re happy surrounded by those you love the most, you’ve succeeded in finding the true meaning of Christmas.

But what can we do to escape the incessant shopping fueled by Christmas? My past observations of different family traditions have given some pretty good ideas, and here’s the one I like the most: organize a secret Santa gift exchange with the people you always spend Christmas with. This means putting all of your names in a hat, picking out only one name, and buying this person a present. Can we all live with one present? I think so. Put a certain spending limit that everyone must follow for the gifts, and make it reasonably priced because you only have one gift to buy. This way, everyone gets one good, quality gift, instead of 82 gifts that, to put it nicely, can be ‘decorative’.

“It’s a great way to save money,” said Amanda Sotos, who will be doing this with her family for a second-straight year. “It’s as exciting as having a bunch of presents all at once.”

But what to do with all this extra money? Well, not only is Christmas a time of family, but also a time of giving. Give some of it to those who are less fortunate than you, and I guarantee you it will be money well spent.

I can only hope for the future of this one-of-a-kind holiday that people will start praising the core values that Christmas portrays: love and family. Presents are great, let’s not kid ourselves, but one good gift, as mentioned above, is much better than a great number of bad ones, and your wallet will also end up thanking you in the new year.

Categories
Opinions

There’s no such thing as bad press

Graphic by Phil Waheed.
Graphic by Phil Waheed.

Since Harper has been Prime Minister of Canada he’s been accused many times of having a lack of transparency in office; and his administration has often been called the most private government that Canada has ever seen. Despite various complaints demanding information, Harper hasn’t changed his ways.

This time, however, his actions have crossed the line.

The Toronto Star recently learned through an access-to-information request that the Harper administration has been working for over a year now on a government owned media organization worth over $2 million. The project was called the “Shoe Store Project”. According to the Star, the new centre may be located in a former shoe store in an Ottawa mall.

Harper going through with this project is a slap in the face to the democracy a country like Canada values so much. We, as a people, deserve to know the inner workings of our government. I believe the information coming from this media outlet, if it does go through, will be absolutely useless.

Harper’s government-controlled media centre is said to “put in place robust physical and information security measures to protect the prime minister and cabinet.” According to the Star it would also be able to give the government control over which journalists attend news conferences and to do their own filming, as well as provide the filming to journalists.

This is absolutely ridiculous when you think of the changes Harper has already made regarding media relations since his election in 2006. Considering he ran on a campaign based on an open and accountable government, this is wrong.

So what exactly is Harper’s problem? Why does he have such a shaky relationship with the media? According to Centre for Constitutional Studies, by managing what is said to the press “Harper is also able to manage communication between his government and the Canadian public, limiting the possibility that the media will run off in a direction that has little to do with the message that Mr. Harper wishes to send.” Oh please.

Needless to say, many journalists in this country have been extremely frustrated since Harper’s election. This new government-owned media centre will only go further to push Canada away from democracy. Sandra Buckler, the Prime Minister’s director of communication, said that “when the government has something to say, Canadians are going to hear it.” I don’t think I need to explain what’s wrong with that statement.

As citizens, we have the right to hear what goes on during Harper’s public addresses and be able to make our own conclusions on our government. Besides, no leader should have the right to control which questions are asked of him because he is accountable to all of us.

As journalists, it is our job to inform the people. However, our job becomes extremely difficult when our calls aren’t answered, when most of us are excluded from press conferences and when what the government says is controlled by an enormous team of image-management professionals.

“It’s a privilege to govern and our duty as the press in a free society is to pick and choose the issues that we cover…by restricting access to cabinet ministers, it amounts to restricting the issues that we can cover properly,” said Emmanuelle Latraverse, Radio-Canada reporter and Press Gallery president.

Harper has been on thin ice for a while concerning his relationship with the media. We journalists have one of the most important jobs— to inform the people. Obviously, with Harper in power, it’s nearing impossible. It’s time to demand change and get projects like the “Shoe Store” taken to the curb.

Categories
Opinions

The making of an informed people

Image via Flickr.
Image via Flickr.

They don’t have the power to put criminals behind bars. They don’t have the power to take people to court. They certainly don’t have the power to accuse witnesses of wrongdoing. However the Charbonneau Commission has the ability to inform the people and in a society like ours, an informed people is the greatest power of all.

“The commission’s investigations are going well, in terms of one of the purposes of the commission, which was to make public the corruption in Montreal,” said Marcel Danis, Concordia University professor, lawyer, and former politician, in an interview with The Concordian.

The Charbonneau Commission was created by Jean Charest’s Liberal party on Oct. 19, 2011. As I look at the past year, I must say, I’m fairly impressed with the work this commission has done. As a result of the testimonies made by witnesses on the stand at the commission, two major Quebec politicians, Gerald Tremblay, now ex-Montreal mayor, and Gilles Vaillancourt, ex-Laval mayor, have resigned amid corruption allegations.

This is what Montreal’s corrupt construction industry, and the system as a whole, needs; a fresh start. The Charbonneau Commission, chaired by Justice France Charbonneau is doing just that. Although they don’t have the power, like I said, to accuse people in court, they have shed substantial light on the process in which public contracts are given out, and many politicians, Vaillancourt and Tremblay among them, were ratted out in the process.

The commission, however, does have certain drawbacks. Not only can they not make arrests, but witnesses who testify are completely protected. This, according to Danis, has pushed many people to come and testify.

“One of the bad things about the commission is that when someone goes to testify at the commission, what they say cannot be used against them,” said Danis. “That’s why some police officers were against the fact of creating the commission in the first place.”

However, one must not focus on that aspect of the commission, because it seriously undermines what the commission is actually doing, which is more valuable; scaring corruption out of the industry.

Lino Zambito, ex-construction boss and one of the more popular witnesses at the Charbonneau Commission, said it himself that the “process really hasn’t been the same lately.” People are finally aware of how corrupt the process was, and measures are being put in place to try and fix the system. This, all thanks to the commission.

“There’s no doubt that one of the good things of the commission is that it will scare people who are civil servants to work in the city of Montreal,” said Danis. “They’re more likely to be very careful at least for a number of years.”

According to Danis, prices for public contracts have dropped substantially since 2009, having “gone down between 25 and 30 per cent for sewer work and sidewalk work.”

More importantly, the commission is enlightening the people. Montreal is littered with corrupt politicians and a large mafia. Joe Pistone, also known as Donnie Brasco, infiltrated the New York mafia in the 1970s and ‘80s, and was invited to testify at the Charbonneau Commission. His experience has taught him a lot about the inner workings of the mafia, and he put it simply enough.

“Without that corruption, they really can’t operate,” said Pistone. “And as soon as the public realizes that, it lessens the impact that the mafia can have on us.”

Montreal needs to get back on track as one of the best cities in North America. The first step is by cleaning up our streets, and we have the Charbonneau Commission to thank for the progress we’ve made this year.

Categories
Opinions

A new way to kick the old habit

Image via Flickr
Image via Flickr

There’s no doubt that one of the biggest mysteries in this world is why people deliberately smoke a substance that severely deteriorates their health. Right now, it seems impossible that one day cigarettes will no longer be a cause of concern for people, because it’s still such a serious problem today.

What we can do as a society, however, is discourage smokers and potential smokers by making sure that the risks associated with smoking are made loud and clear. This is the ultimate goal of the warnings we see on all cigarette packages.

In a recent report done by the Canadian Cancer Society for cigarette package warnings, Canada has jumped from 15th for fourth place internationally. According to Health Canada, warnings on cigarette packs sold in Canada now cover 75 per cent of the front and back of the box, up from 50 per cent.

Australia ranked first in the world in terms of effectiveness of tobacco warnings. Tobacco companies are banned from using any colours, logos or design elements on the branded part of the package, and the warnings cover a little over 82.5 per cent of the pack.

“Plain packaging would curb the industry’s use of the package as a promotional vehicle, would increase the effectiveness of package warnings, would curb package deception, and would decrease tobacco use,” the authors of the Canadian Cancer Association report told CBC.

Although Canada has done well, jumping 11 spots in only two years, we need to follow Australia’s example and seriously limit tobacco companies’ right to advertise. The study did, however, applaud the country’s efforts but maintained that more still needs to be done. After all, Canada was the first country in the world to introduce graphic warnings on cigarettes boxes, and they should renew their efforts to become leaders in this particular field once again.

“We urge the federal government to take steps toward implementing plain packaging in Canada,” said Rob Cunningham, senior policy analyst for the Canadian Cancer Society, to the Globe and Mail. “If Australia can do it and other countries are actively looking at it, Canada can similarly make steps to move forward.”

Now, you may be questioning if the labels really have any kind of significant influence. The general reaction of most tobacco giants to larger warnings labels are lawsuits which is proves that these warnings help deter clients from using their products. Additionally, multiple studies have shown that they are effective at making a mark.

One of the recent studies was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the U.S. National Cancer Institute, the U.S. National Cancer Institute Center of Excellence in Cancer Communication Research, and the U.S. National Institute of Health.

Published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, the study put 200 smokers in a room and showed them static, text-only cigarette warnings. Then, they were exposed to graphic warnings. The results showed that 83 per cent of participants remembered the graphic ones, as opposed to the 50 per cent who remembered the plain ones.

As of now, Health Canada has no plans of following Australia’s lead and forcing cigarettes to be plainly packaged with bigger graphic warnings. However, more needs to be done to discourage smoking — it’s something that would benefit our society as a whole, and should be seriously considered for the future.

Categories
Opinions

If you take public transport, you better speak French

Graphic by Jennifer Kwan.
Graphic by Jennifer Kwan.

Living in Quebec, for better or worse we have become used to seeing ridiculous posters on walls that say “In Quebec, we speak only French,” hearing people say, “go back to your country” or even seeing services being refused to English-speaking civilians.

However, when all of these things were done jointly by employees of one specific public company, it raises concern about our society; especially when that company is the the Société de transport de Montréal.

The STM has been under some intense public scrutiny in the past few months. Not because of their slow service or growing prices, but for abusing a certain nonexistent power they think they have as a French public company.

Now, it is true that under Quebec’s controversial Bill 101, companies aren’t required to insist their employees know any language other than French. But as a public company in a bilingual country, it is absolutely preposterous that we have heard of so many cases in which people in Montreal can’t be served in English.

As a trilingual Montrealer of Greek origin reading about such incidents at the STM, I can’t help but shudder at what our society has come to. In a free and democratic society like Canada’s, people still frown on each other over the language they speak. An STM worker allegedly went as far as allegedly flipping off 23-year-old commuter Mina Barak when she spoke to the employee in English.

These incidents, especially in the STM, have the older generations buzzing, saying how it reminds them of when the Parti Québécois first emerged into Quebec politics.

“I feel like it’s the René Lévesque era all over again,” said Jacqueline Corbie, a 69-year-old retiree. “It’s saddening to hear about these incidents weekly.”

“The STM is a joke,” said Helen Merkouris, a 45-year-old also born in Quebec. “It’s so frustrating to see this happening and not be able to do anything about it.”

Quebec has come a long way since then. These incidents, however, have been frequent in the STM for quite some time now.

Marvin Rotrand, vice-president of the STM, has been speaking to many news agencies about these incidents. He said that the STM would look at these incidents and investigate further and told Global news that the incident involving violence “will be discussed at the board meeting next month.” Similarly, when an unofficial sign was put up in Villa-Maria metro last month by a teller that roughly translates to “In Quebec, we do things in French,” STM spokesperson Marianne Rouette told The Gazette that the employee “will be met [with] and if necessary, appropriate measures will be taken.” Needless to say, no measures have been taken, despite the STM saying that “by posting the sign, the [employee] expresses his personal political opinion, which is not acceptable to the STM.”

What does this all mean? It means that the STM is a public embarrassment. It means that these employees will continue working at the STM as if nothing happened. It’s sad to say that in a company like the STM, ignorant acts, acts of violence, and even potential racism, go unpunished. There’s only one word to describe what’s happening: disappointing.

It personally makes me sick to my stomach to think about it and until they start taking legitimate punitive actions against ignorant, politically-ignorant employees, incidents like these will keep surfacing, and the STM will keep making idiotic excuses for itself.

Categories
Opinions

There’s no place like home

Graphic by Jennifer Kwan.
Graphic by Jennifer Kwan.

Another Major League Baseball season has come to a close, with the San Francisco Giants winning their second World Series in three years after sweeping the Detroit Tigers. Their manager, Felipe Alou, celebrated with his players as they won the most prestigious title in baseball.

What does this mean to Montreal? Well, Felipe Alou was part of the Montreal Expos organization from 1976 to 2001, going from batting coach to team manager in just a few years. This is just another reminder of how much Montrealers miss the Expos.

Our city made a grave mistake. It’s true, the Expos didn’t have the most fans, they never made it to the World Series and they played in a crumbling stadium: it’s no wonder they ended up relocating to Washington. But like any successful business, money needs to be invested in the team; to acquire star players, to fix stadiums and to win seasons. That’s how a good business is run, and that’s how you attract fans. The Expos just needed an enormous push in the right direction, not an unceremonious relocation.

As you walk around the city today, vintage Expos hats and shirts can be seen everywhere worn by old and especially young. This tells me one thing: that despite the Expos being long gone they are still not forgotten, and they are sorely missed.

Tony Portolese, lifelong Expos fan, said it best when he said “there’s an emptiness” in the summer. No more ball games. No more rooting for the home team. No more Expos.

Montreal needs a baseball team. More precisely, we need the Expos back. In such a diverse, enormous metropolis, the more sports teams, the better. They bring the city together. Despite having made the move to Washington eight years ago, the past year has seen many rumours about potentially bringing a baseball team back to Montreal.

It all started when Expos legend Gary Carter passed away from brain cancer in February. Thousands of fans mourned, and a park in Montreal was renamed in his honour.

The hype was back. Even in a province like Quebec, which has many European characteristics compared to the rest of North America, baseball was a sport that helped define our city. We had the Expos in the summer and the Habs in the winter. What do we have now? After 35 years of representing in the MLB, Montrealers haven’t simply forgotten about the sports they loved.

“You have to start somewhere, and what better time to start than now?” former Expo Tim Raines told The Canadian Press. “So hopefully we can get a team back here in the near future.” Raines explained that the city should immediately build a small league team, that can move up to the big leagues in a few years.

Montreal summers need more life. I want to see dads bring their kids to a ball game. I want to see life again in the Olympic stadium. More importantly, I want to see the Expos back in Montreal.

There’s no better feeling than watching a baseball soar out of the parc and being the one to catch it in the stands. It’s every kid’s dream. Watching baseball games was an important part of my childhood, and I don’t want Montreal’s youth to miss out on one of the greatest sports ever created.

Categories
Opinions

He said, she said: Halloween costumes in 2012

Graphic by Jennifer Kwan.

We want you to remember what Halloween costumes are all about, so here’s our take on the difference between men’s and women’s costumes:

Women’s costumes: slutty is the new sexy
by Paula Rivas

You’ve seen it in all the teen movies, Halloween is that one time of the year when it’s socially acceptable for ladies to dress down and there is no doubt that it gets worse and worse every year.

It feels like girls nowadays are looking towards Halloween costumes that are more and more outrageous. I have seen it all, from the emergence of touchy costumes that mock cultures to the creation of sexier and sexier costumes for young women. Let’s not forget how some girls will compare and judge each other even more than is already happening in the ferocious jungle of the girl world.

Don’t get me wrong, women do occasionally come up with hilarious and innovative costumes. Unfortunately these costumes aren’t on display anywhere. Upon entering a Halloween store, all we can see is different characters in slutty outfits.

Lena Haddad has been working at a Halloween store in Montreal for the last three years, seasonally. She says that she sees the same patterns in costume buying for women.

“Look at the wall, it’s every costume possible, made into a slutty dress,” she said. “I’d say about nine in 10 women looking for a costume here end up picking one that shows a lot of skin.”

My question is this: why do we insist on squeezing into skin-tight thigh-high stockings and tiny dresses in the freezing autumn air, spending $60 or more on a piece of cloth that you will only wear once? Girls, it’s time to change it up.

I once entered a party exactly like the one portrayed in the movie Mean Girls, where the guys dressed up as beer kegs, political figures and one even came as a penguin! Meanwhile, the girls primped, plucked and stuffed themselves like turkeys on Thanksgiving only to show up as sexy police officers and sexy nurses.At this party a catfight broke out over a girl (dressed as a sexy firefighter) insulting another girl (dressed as a sexy boxer) for looking too “skanky.” Talk about ridiculous. They spent about half an hour analyzing and yelling at each other over what they were wearing while the Halloween party went to waste . . . all because of a costume.On a tireless search for originality in women’s Halloween costumes, the other day I was browsing costumes online when I stopped in shock to see a new costume which has been created for us girls. To my horror, I was looking at a “sexy burka” costume sold for $49.85. A girl was dressed in the traditional style black burka, but everything else was a different story — she was wearing a tiny black matching dress exposing cleavage and legs but only leaving a slit for the eyes on the face.

This is not only offensive, but makes me embarrassed to say that this is the western culture of today, mocking other cultures through this candy-crazed festivity.I think it is time to step away from the herd and try something different this Halloween. This year let’s try to lay off the racy costumes and embrace original and hilarious costumes such as Princess Leia or Veronica Corningstone. Trust me, you will win more high-fives wearing these classic costumes than if you show up in an outfit that looks like it could fit a toddler.

Men’s costumes: go funny or go home
George MenexisEven as we get older, students somehow still feel the need to dress up on a frosty Halloween night. It’s a part of our childhood that we are slow to let go of.

Because it is such an important part of the year, we need to learn to do it justice. Halloween is a time of imitation and creativity. It’s a time to think of the extreme and to try and find a costume that really exceeds all expectations. It’s a time to be competitive with your friends as to who can come up with the dumbest costumes. To dress up as something original instead of wasting $100 at overrated Halloween stores. As a Halloween admirer and costume-lover, I’ve been bitterly disappointed by what I’ve seen the past few years. Men, like their female counterparts, are lacking imagination.

Let’s not lie to each other boys, we’ve been doing the same thing year after year. It’s no wonder we find doubles and triples of stupid characters these days. “The Situation” from reality T.V. show Jersey Shore, a cowboy or a nerd. It’s getting way too repetitive.

Look around you. The world is filled with inspirational people, objects and ideas.

Here is one of my favorite Halloween costumes that would stick out in 2012: the other day, I saw a kid in a ice cream truck that was made out of cardboard, with the kid walking in it acting as the ice cream man. If a toddler can do that, imagine what us young adults would be able to do.

I think the secret to a good Halloween costume is to make it yourself. You just can’t find what you want at a Halloween store. Also, making your costume at home is much funner than it sounds. Imagine walking around your house, looking at pieces of clothing and random objects you see everyday, inspiring yourself to make a costume out of these. It’s a project everyone should attempt once in their lives. You’ve become an artists attempting to do this, and I tell you, it’s a great feeling trying on your somewhat ridiculous looking work of art.

Lena Haddad has worked at a Halloween store seasonally for three years and said that most of the costumes stay the same year after year.

“People are always interested in the same stuff, from what I see,” said Haddad. “It’s always the same costumes that sell out fast, and the same ones that stay on the shelf year after year.”

There’s been a lack of imagination, it’s no secret. That being said, I do think men’s costumes have become the pioneer of innovative, new Halloween costumes. Year after year, party after party, I find myself laughing at something a guy was wearing. From bananas to parisiens to presidential candidates, variety is something that is somewhat present in men’s costumes, but there’s still a long way to go.

My advice to all: Halloween is a time of invention, so this year go out there and be different. Start by looking in the deep confines of your closet to see what you could whip up. I swear you won’t be disappointed.

TOP 5 HALLOWEEN COSTUMES IN 2012:

1. Get a cardboard box and cut it round. Big enough so that your head can be smaller than the circle. On the circle, write 25 cents on the top. This is the good part. You need to dress as the Queen of England. That’s right, the Queen of England. Take the cardboard, stick it behind your head and there you go, you are the Queen of England’s face on a Canadian quarter.

2. This one’s going to make you giggle inside. Get an enormous white paper and cut a square hole in it for your face. You’re going to become a Youtube clip. Write Youtube on the top, or print it for a more legitimate look. As for the caption, get imaginative. You can write stuff like “sexiest man on earth” or “the honey badger, ‘Gangnam Style’”.

3. Who has become one of the biggest symbols of manliness to our generation? That’s right, the Dos Equis man. Get an empty Dos Equis bottle and walk around with it all night. The rest is simple: fake white beard, nice suit and you’ve become a legend.

4. One of the better ones I’ve seen in a while, and also very simple to make. Dress as a woman if you’re a man, or dress normally if you’re a woman. Get a fake baby and either carry it or attach it to your stomach. Now, print a face sized picture of Angelina Jolie’s face. Genius!

5. Let us go to the extreme here. This is especially crazy for those of you that have a full set of hair and want to go a little bit crazy. Shave your head, I don’t want to see one stray hair. Shave it. Get red and yellow drapes and cut them in the form of robes. Simply put, you’ve become a monk.
Categories
Student Life

Bevo Bar and Pizzeria: The modern-day nonna

Bevo Bar & Pizzeria. Photo by writer.

One of the main reasons I adore the Italian culture is for their wonderful, diverse cuisine. The pizzas, the pastas, the meatballs; I’ve fallen in love with it all. Some may say that you haven’t really lived until you’ve had an authentic nonna, that’s grandmother in Italian, cook you an authentic meal; because that’s what the nonna does, she cooks, and she cooks well.

Montreal has become a haven for Italian restaurants, some good, some not so good. Bevo Bar and Pizzeria has done something that many other restaurants have failed to do— bring authentic Italian food into a 21st century setting.

Bevo Bar and Pizzeria isn’t easily describable. It’s a mix of two distinctly different decors: an Italian trattoria worthy of a Sicilian village and a supper club in the heart of an urban city. They come together, however, to create something quite special. This is the core of Bevo.

Bevo Bar & Pizzeria. Photo by writer.

We see it in the decor and most importantly, we see it in their cuisine. Bevo has become the modern day nonna, who could give any master chef a run for their money.

Now as you sit in this chic setting you see beautiful dark oak floors and an amazing glass bar, serving up some innovative martinis. The tables are dressed with classic red and white tartan cloth napkins, and what looks like century old lanterns are creating a dim lighting worthy of a scene in The Godfather. All in all, an amazing atmosphere.

Now, I’ve been into the deepest confines of Naples and entered the smallest looking trattorias on my quest to finding the best pizza ever made in the town where pizza was invented. I managed to succeed when I entered a small alley and sat at a tiny trattoria, run by a joyous looking old Italian man, who served me a pizza that changed my life. I had given up hope of ever tasting pizza that good again.

I’ll say one thing about the menu. If you don’t order a pizza your first time at Bevo, then you should kindly step out. An enormous wood oven run by Chef Giovanni Vella is creating pizzas worthy of the trattorias in the confines of Naples. For the first time since that day in Naples, I was brought back to that small trattoria. This was a pizza. Add bocconcinis, Italian sausage, fresh parsley, Italian cold-cuts and you have a masterpiece. Ranging from $13 to $21, there is a pizza to satisfy anyone’s taste. From the vegetarian Giardino to the Bosco in Bianco topped with roasted mushrooms and black truffle.

Needless to say, the menu was filled with a variety of Italian hors d’oeuvres and main dishes that will make your mouth water. Juicy, massive, Italian meatballs dressed with a fresh tomato sauce definitely makes the honour roll. Perfectly cooked veal scallopini with homemade potatoes definitely makes the cut. An aromatic pesto sauce with fresh clams makes the list as well. All in all, a simply amazing menu.

From Thursday to Saturday, Bevo has a DJ spinning hits into the wee hours of the morning. It isn’t easy finding a restaurant like this in Montreal, where you can appreciate both the food and the nightlife experience a great city like Montreal has to offer.

 

Bevo Pizzeria is located at 410 Saint-Vincent St. 

Categories
Opinions

Mayor Tremblay needs to take a hint

Graphic by Jennifer Kwan.
Graphic by Jennifer Kwan.

A famous American author by the name G. Edward Griffin once said that “to oppose corruption in government is the highest obligation of patriotism.”

He was right. Why live in a society run by a corrupt leader? Why live in a society which wastes people’s money in hopes of being re-elected? Why put up with the antics of a leader such as Gerald Tremblay?

Mr. Tremblay, Montrealers have had enough. In the past few weeks, a chorus of people have put their voices together, screaming out corruption in City Hall and in the good old construction business. This came after allegations brought forth at the Charbonneau Commission when an expert witness showed and alluded to corruption “so deep, so systemic, that kickbacks to the Montreal mayor’s political party and payments to the Italian Mafia were handled by the same person,” wrote the Huffington Post.

The Charbonneau Commission was created by the Charest government in 2011. Its goal is to bring forth allegations of corruption in Quebec’s construction industry all while protecting witnesses and victims alike. It was set to run a two-year mandate and is being chaired by Judge France Charbonneau.

The expert witness was Lino Zambito, former construction boss, who further testified that the cost of construction was driven up by corruption and that for every contract, three per cent of it went to the mayor’s political party, Union Montreal. He continued, giving amazing details about how contracts were handled, and naming everyone who got a share of the cut. Major mafia strongholds in Montreal were mentioned more than once, such as Rizzuto, Accurso, and Nicolo Miloto.

“People knew about it at the city. The business people knew about it. The suppliers knew it… [It was] business as usual… There was wilful blindness. It was accepted,” said Zambito.

These recent allegations made by Zambito have turned many people against the Tremblay government. The most prominent name was Yves Francoeur, president of the Montreal Police Brotherhood. He said that recent allegations have “tainted” his view of the Tremblay administration and has publicly asked the provincial government to come in and strip Tremblay of his power.

“It’s unbelievable in the circumstances that we always have to go to the Tremblay administration to have them approve our orientation, our budget, our priorities because all the corruption allegations that we heard lately are very severe,” he said.

Whether or not Tremblay is actually corrupt remains to be seen by the authenticity of Zambino’s testimony. Although he may not be accused of corruption yet, he’s definitely being accused of making major mistakes as mayor of Montreal.

Suzanne Decarie, city councillor for the Pointe-aux-Trembles district for Vision Montreal, said publicly that his behaviour is unacceptable.

“One cannot let himself be so naive as mayor of Montreal,” said Decarie. “Whether it was voluntary or involuntary, Mr. Tremblay was blind and laid his trust in too many people.”

There’s a serious problem in Montreal. The Charbonneau Commission is a step in the right direction, but it’s only the beginning. When substantial evidence is shown against the mayor of a city you’re trying to clean up, the mayor in question has no choice but to step down.

But not here. Not for Tremblay. Tremblay is so used to having it his own way that the recent allegations have him smiling and even considering running for another term.

“I will not comment on the everyday happenings of the Charbonneau commission,” said Tremblay in a press conference after Zambito’s testimony. “As far as the funding of our political party, Union Montreal, [Quebec’s chief electoral officer] verified on a regular basis our financial statements and found no wrongdoing.”

Corruption will always have a place in politics, whether we like it or not. However, when the majority of people know the details of just how the government is going about its dirty dealings, changes need to be made. A Leger Marketing survey for QMI Agency conducted over the internet on October 3, suggests that 62 per cent of Montrealers want the mayor to step down. According to the survey, 67 per cent believe corruption is built into Montreal’s political system.

My message to Montrealers: wake up! In any other city, a politician accused of this much corruption would’ve been long gone. We know what’s happening, and we can’t sit and watch while our city crumbles.

Categories
Sports

Late goal puts Carabins on top

The Stingers women’s soccer team gave first place Université de Montreal Carabins a run for their money but came up short in a 3-2 loss on Sunday afternoon at Concordia Stadium.

The last time these teams met this season, the Carabins beat the Stingers by a score of 5-0. The team has substantially improved and has one thing they didn’t have in the first game, according to head coach Jorge Sanchez.

“A lot of what we have more of is confidence,” said Sanchez. “Results get confidence and confidence gets results.”

This loss is the first for the Stingers in five games. Their last loss came on Sept. 23 against Sherbrooke. Since then, they won and and tied twice and lost once, including today’s result.

“It’s tough, we’ve been on a good run,” said Sanchez. “We took goals from Laval, we took points from McGill, and taking points against them would’ve been a great accomplishment. They’re the second ranked team in the country.”

The game started with both teams getting their equal share of chances. Stingers keeper Saby Dagenais kept the score even when she pulled off an amazing fingertip save in the 22nd minute.

However, the Carabins did manage a goal in the 27th minute. Samantha Gauthier showed great individual skill, splitting the Stingers defence with a burst of speed to smoothly put it over the keeper with a nice touch.

Concordia worked hard to get back into the game, and they got their chance with a set of corners in the 32nd minute. Philippa Lyttle had her volley blocked after a corner, leading to another one. She then got the ball in the box from the second corner kick, spun around, and placed it in the bottom corner. The game was tied at one apiece.

The second half started in the same fashion as the first, both teams getting their fair shares of opportunities. A good set of runs on the wing by Stingers forward Melissa Kedro gave Concordia two good chances to take the lead, but both were parried by a strong Carabins defensive line.

The deadlock broke when Carabins midfielder Éva Thouvenot-Hébert hit a free kick from 35 yards out in the 58th minute that eluded the Stingers keeper and found its way in the back of the net.

The Stingers proved that they’re capable of coming back from behind. A partial break from Stingers Gabriela Padvaiskas was impressively saved by the Carabins keeper. The time was quickly winding down.

After a Concordia corner was cleared successfully by Montreal’s defense, a quick counter from the Stingers defenders led to Padvaiskas having her shot trickle into the back of the net in the 73rd minute.

The game remained tied, but the Carabins got more chances, hitting a crossbar and a post in the process. As time winded down, the unthinkable happened. A Carabins player came in from the left side, cut in perfectly, and hit the bar. The rebound was smoothly put in by Carabins striker Isabelle Dumais.

Despite the loss, coach Sanchez said he was happy with the game.

“We were five minutes away from tying a great team,” he said. “We were competitive, we fought hard and we stayed in the game. I’m very proud of the girls.”

The Stingers find themselves four points out of a playoff spot with four matches remaining. The next game is on Oct. 19 when they travel to play the last place Bishop’s University.

Categories
Opinions

Pros and Cons: Is video reviewing ruining the game?

Graphic by Phil Waheed.
Graphic by Phil Waheed.

PROS: Waiting on the right call
by Gregory Todaro

Sports are deeply ingrained in cultures around the world. However, the world has changed significantly since the beginning of sports, and it’s no wonder sports have evolved too. Sports are played at a faster pace than ever before, where players kick harder, shoot more accurately, and make the referee’s life much more difficult.

While these changes certainly make sports more interesting to watch, referees are having a harder time coping with the evolution of the game. Officiating sports was already a difficult task, but the quickness at which sports are played makes it harder to make accurate calls. One of the best ways referees can improve their ability to run a game is through the use of video reviewing, which has already been implemented into several sports, the most popular being football and hockey.

Despite numerous critics, video reviewing is an improvement on officiating. As a former soccer referee I know firsthand how fast-paced a game can be, even at a high school level.

I remember one incident during a high school game where a player took a shot that bounced off the post and rolled along the goal line before being scooped up by the goalkeeper. I was positioned directly on the goal line, but even then I couldn’t be completely sure the ball crossed the line. I made the best call possible, though I was not entirely sure.

The pursuit of accuracy is something referees have to go through every game. No official in the world of sports is perfect, and video reviewing allows for officials to make accurate calls.

Video reviewing has benefited the game as a whole. It has helped officials make the right calls and is keeping sports honest and accurate. Video reviewing should be used at the professional level, especially for quick sports.

People throw around the term “necessary evil” when talking about video review. While fans are concerned that reviews are time consuming and disrupt the flow of the game, the right call is always worth the wait. When you look at other game stoppages, such as TV timeouts, they take about as much time and contribute nothing to the game.

There are many incidents that have been controversial and that have brought up many serious questions about the lack of video review in sports. The examples are endless, some more serious than others, and they create a large unfairness in many sports.

While the technology isn’t perfect, it’s the best system we have available. Eventually technology will allow balls and pucks with interior sensors to report information in real time to officials. In the meantime, video reviewing is vital to ensure a game is played and judged as accurately as possible. After all, referees are only human.

– – – – –

CONS: Don’t fix a good thing
by George Menexis

I live in the past, I’ll admit it. Although I admire progress, there are some things that shouldn’t be changed or tampered with. Indecisive calls in sports are one of those things.

Video reviewing is ruining the world of sports; however, there’s still a chance to escape it. Although I do understand why many admirers would find it an attractive solution to indecisive calls in sports, it’s also seriously interferes with the entertainment factor that each and every sport has to offer.

Jack Todd is a sports columnist for the Montreal Gazette and agrees wholeheartedly that endless video review is ruining sports.

“It’s the worst trend in sports, worse than Gary Bettman and his neverendum lockouts,” wrote Todd.

“They keep pulling more tricks from the bottomless bin of technology, but the result is no better than it ever was. Nine times out of 10, the video replay exercise is either inconclusive or the officials still get it wrong.”

Why spend countless hours and piles of money to provide video technology that will do little to ensure the fairness of a score? Do not think I’m ignorant. I do recognize that some plays are simply impossible for the referees to judge appropriately. However, for the sake of the game, it is a compromise sports fans need to make in order to ensure that the passion for sports is kept intact.

As a sports fan, I recognize specific allures that are common in every sport — the competitiveness, the passion, the fans. However, this also includes the indecisiveness, the wrong calls, and the game changers. These are moments that have marked sports history since the very beginning, and this is also what video-reviewing is getting rid of.

“But the real problem is that replay reviews have drained all the drama from the game,” wrote Todd. “You can’t jump up to cheer a great play anymore, because you know you’re going to have to wait 15 minutes for the video review.”

“It’s hurting hockey, where a goal is not a goal until it’s reviewed for an hour or so by the war room in Toronto.”

That’s the serious dilemma that many sports will face in the coming years. The battle for accuracy against passion. In my books, passion wins by a mile. There is no need for video review in sports. If anything, it’ll just drive more fans away.

The mistakes made by referees have created a controversial history in sports that still have people reacting emotionally when mentioned. That is what sports are all about. That’s the tradition; and, in my opinion, it can’t be ruined. It’s ingrained in the world of sports and needs to stay there for years to come. The referee’s call stands, and that’s that.

 

Categories
Student Life

Rubs: A carnivore’s heaven

There are, in my opinion, only two types of people in this world: meat-lovers and vegetarians. Today, I am sending a defining message to those who boast about the amount of meat they could eat in one portion and who take pride in finishing a 32-oz. steak. I am sending a message to those who not only enjoy meat on occasion, but to those who can truly understand the meaning of a glistening, fresh piece of premium meat. My message to you is clear: Go to Le Fumoir Rubs Smokehouse.

Please do not misinterpret my passionate banter. This is not a steakhouse, nor is it a mere restaurant. This is a good, old-fashioned smokehouse. This means that everything, from the mouth-watering prime rib to the enormous brisket, is smoked in a $20,000 first-class smoker.

George Riskas, co-owner of Rubs, was all pride when speaking about the main reason behind the restaurant’s success.

“Our smoker smokes 2,000 pounds a day of meat,” said Riskas. “The smoker cost me more than the whole kitchen.”

There aren’t many things that I like to call perfect, but these meats have exceeded all expectations. The fact that everything is smoked daily and that all sauces are made from scratch, makes this place a winner.

Behind every excellent food establishment lies a great story.

This is one of two childhood friends, Riskas and his partner George Vourliotis, who decided a few years ago to buy a smoker for their backyard — much smaller than the one they currently own — and eagerly started testing different ways to cook and spice some of their favourite meats. Ribs, briskets, steaks and pork were among their long list. They endlessly tried various spices for different meats, desperately looking for the perfect rubs. These were the foundations of the restaurant’s menu.

“We’ve created our own rubs, our own spices, for every different meat; and these rubs have at least 12 to 15 spices in them,” said Riskas.

Not too long ago, they decided it was time to become restaurant owners, and that is when Le Fumeur Rubs Smokehouse, the first restaurant of its kind in Montreal, was born.

Although neither of these fine gentlemen have ever owned a restaurant before, they’ve done a hell of a job for their first time. Their success can be attributed to a sincere attitude, as well as a simple knowledge of how their ideal restaurant should be.

“I try to recreate what I want when I go to a restaurant. I want top service and great food, plain and simple,” remarked Riskas.

The food isn’t the only part of Rubs that’s attracting an endless line of customers. The decor is a rich mix of old-fashioned and a modern, creating a cozy atmosphere.

“We got some ideas and then we brought a designer in. We gave him our opinions,” said Riskas. “He took some of our opinions, and then he did his own thing too. That’s how the store turned out. It keeps people feeling warm.”

There you have it folks. In a city renowned for its amazing culinary establishments and world class chefs, two gentlemen have managed to introduce a new concept to the city, and they’ve done it just right.

 

Le Fumoir Rubs Smokehouse is located on 17 Prince Arthur St. E.  View map.

 

 

Exit mobile version