Friday, February 19, 1999

The Magazine of the University of Waterloo Engineering Society

" To build may have to be the slow and laborious task of years. To destroy can be the thoughtless act of a single day."
- Winston Churchill
Volume 23 Issue 3
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keeping the faith
Letter From The
Editor
what we have together each
day. I cannot specify a spe-
cific day that we began our
that I will ultimately have a chance to
achieve the goals I originally set when I
started university. Because I am able to
"keep the faith" in my program, I am able
to hold my head high and carry on, know-
ing that thi is where I want to be.
Luke Windisch
2A Systems Design
relation hip because my feel-
ings for my girlfriend were
strong long before people
might have packaged us up
There are certain things for which 1
will always be thankful, including the fact
that I have never been to a Bon Jovi con-
cert. Besides, I have no need lO go to a
concert, r get onc every night, since one of
my roommates is a proud Jovi fan and has
no problem lelling the house know it (I'm
sure the neighbours know it too) .
Sometimes T think 1 should look into get-
ting Guinness to induct him into their book
of records, as the oldest grown man to still
"ROCK-ON" to such classic numbers as
"Bad Medicine" and "Lay Your Hands on
Me".
But for all the ridiculous song titles,
and laughable images that Bon Jovi has
provided for me over the years, he has also
provided me with a serious message, one
that I am always thankful for, and that r
cherish on a regular basis: Keep the Faith.
This message repeats with such ferocious
intensity and regularity in so many aspects
of my life, that I sometimes start to wonder
if I'm mistaking my faith for something
el e, and if ) should start to cut down on
the amount of bran that I'm eating.
Whatever the case may be, faith has come
to be an unrelenting sword in my life, pro-
tecting me from all that might cause me to
become disenchanted.
But it is important to clarify that by
faith, J do not mean a belief in religion, my
definition of faith is much more encom-
passing than that. What I mean i faith in
myself. which touches upon every aspect
of my life.
Faith in Love
With St. Valentine's day just past, there
has been a nood of questions surrounding
what I did with my girlfriend; in fact the
monsoon has only just subsided. My
answer to questions about the day is sur-
prisingly simple: we didn't do anything
different than normal. Often. this answer
meets with a slightly taken aback look, and
the question always asked by their eyes, if
not with their voice, is the same: "After
being together for so long, you don't do
anything for Valentine's day to celebrate
your love?" The reason why we don't is
rooted in the same place as the reason why
we don't have an anniversary: we celebrate
and affixed the label of "cou-
pIe". Whether I am with her in person, or
only in spirit, the feeling of completeness
that she brings to me is present every day,
and I don't need a special reason to cele-
brate it, such as St. Valentine's day or an
anniversary. To me, the ideas of anniver-
saries and days for lovers seem like a
euphemism for relationship life-support.
If ) don't have faith in our love everyday.
and I need reminder of what we have, then
we really don't have anything at all. You
shouldn't have to run a regular "check" on
your relationship; you put oil in a car at
scheduled points to keep it running, but
you don't put roses into a relationship at
specific times to keep it going.
So here is an area in my li fe where I
have a great deal of faith, and for that I am
thankful. Like any relationship, we have
our low-points, and without our faith in
what we have, it would be difficult to
emerge from those tough times. Every
time we do emerge though, I am so happy,
and lowe that in part to faith .
Faith in School
From the onset of my program, I've
known that I don't just want the security of
ajob when I graduate, because with that as
my only goal and the only reason for my
presence here at engineering, I will ulti -
mately be doomed to passionlessly scale
the dark mountain of discontent and di -
satisfaction that will become my profes-
sion. I want far more out of engineering: I
want an opportunity to take the ski ll s I
have learned and use them as a tool to
achieve a larger, nobler purpose that will
have a beneficial impact on the world. But
there arc times in my option-barren under-
graduate curriculum when [ cannot under-
!>tand why I am slaving away under the
merciless whip of time-lines. working
through material that I don't always enjoy
when J could instead be doing so many
other things with my life, such as writing
for thi s paper. These are difficult moments
for me, because the urge to get up and
walk away from the univer ity' cotton
trees reaches a limiting point, where it toes
a line in the sand and just about walks over
it. But what keeps me going in school and
pulls me back from that line is my faith
Faith in Others
Faith in my education is not the only
thing that keeps me going through times of
despair though. Often, another motivating
factor is that f have others in my life that I
can lean on to help me along should I
begin to tumble. The old axiom, "No man
is a mountain" is very true, because we can
not always do it on our own, and knowing
that you can rely on others to help houl-
der a burden is just as important to keep
your spirits high as any "ultimate goal"
you are striving towards. I have mentioned
this importance of others before, and
although it is worth repeating, it is just as
important to believe that you too can be a
pillar of strength for others when they need
it. I have faith in myself in this respect,
which again goes to show how important
faith is in my life, since this confidence
allows me to face each day.
Faith in God
Now, although my definition of faith is
a tape try comprised of all elements of my
Ii fe, it is the sum of these individual pieces
that allows me to have faith in the conven-
tional sense: a faith in God. But my faith
is not in a higher being, because I do not
believe in a higher, omnipotent being. I
believe with all my heart that ultimately,
we all only answer to our own conscience,
and that the reason many of us subscribe to
a belief in a higher power is because it is
eern paradoxical that the being responsi-
ble for an action is also responsible for
judging it. Hence, we affix the name of an
outside party to our conscience, whether it
be God, or any other dei ty of any other
faith, since this seems to make more sense.
But J don't want to delve further into the
intricacie of my religious convictions
here. It is sufficient to know that my God
is my conscience.
So, what this all mean is that since my
faith in all other a pects of my life offers a
piece of mind that r am doing what I do for
what are ultimately the right reasons, and
that my heart is in all that I do, I appease
my conscience. Since I can appease my
con cience, I can feel that my God is guid-
ing me along the right path for my life. As
a result, I have a faith in God, and I can
keep my faith in myself.
Tolerance - Child Porn
pg 6
What Has Mike Harris
ne For You Lately?
10 .
What Have We Got
How To Build The
Itimate Snowfort 2
pg 15
The I ron Warrior Friday. Feb(uary 19. 1999

The Magazine of the University of
Waterloo Engineering Society
Editor - in - Chief
Luke Windi ch
Assistant Editor
Mat Pigozzo
Layout Editor
Richard Kuttner
Web page Editor
Andrew Hately
Staff
Wil Aballe
AJlison Annan
Cory Amundrud
Yasin Bismilla
Lind ay DelTah
Stuart Doherty
Sabrina Foster
Nick Gaganiaras
Alison Kudelka
Aaron Leiba
Jenny Mitchell
Caroline Page
Mary Robinson
Min Song
Zhan Huan Zhou
Contributors
Milton Chan
Ryan Chen-Wing
Peter Cresswell
Kelly Fawcett
Mike Hermann
Dave Kennedy
Amy Kim
Chris McCullough
Mike Nevill
Mike Olley
George Roter
Ian Tien
The Iron Warrior is a forum for thought provoking
and infonnative anicles published by the Engineering
Society. Views cxpre,sed JR The [ron Warrior are
those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the
opinions of the Engineering Society.
The Iron Warrior encourages submissions from stu
dents. faculty and members of the university commu-
nity. Submissions should reflect the concerns and
imelleclual 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 re""rves the
righlto 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. Authers will be notified of any
major changes that may be required.
Mail should be addressed to The Iron Warrior.
Engmeering Society. CPH 1327. University of
Waterloo. Waterloo. Ontano. N2L 3G I. Our phone
number is (5 I 9) 888-4567 x2693. Our fax number is
(519) 7254872. E'mail can be sent to

rese v ng E art 2
Further response to Point vs. Counterpoint,from January 22 edition
Concerned
Students
__ oy
and Faculty
A
fter reading the Point v . Counterpoint feature in
the January 22 edition of The Iron Warrior maga-
zine, a number of students and faculty members
were quite anxious about the future of our Co-op system.
This triggered us to formulate a collective response to the
feature in the February 5th edition of the magazine. Five
major point constituted the product of that response, and
were brought to the forefront of the article. For continu-
ity, we will restate these points:
I. To maintain the reputation of the University of
Waterloo (and specifically the Faculty of Engineering) we
. must strengthen the Co-operative education programme.
And thus, weakening the programme in any way, and
specifically by the methods presented in points two
through five below, jeopardizes the reputation of our uni-
versity.
2. Demanding higher salaries from employers can
only weaken the Co-op system.
3. Trading experience for money only weakens the
education system and lowers future per onal financial
capacity.
4. By assuming large corporations do not offer useful
experiences, option for job placement are needlessly
reduced and the education system is compromised.
5. Your position within a work-term placement is only
what you make of it, and being apathetic only lessens the
education derived.
At the conclusion of our February 5 article, we
promised to offer suggestions on how every student can
help to attain the goal of a stronger Co-operative educa-
tion system. This article serves to uphold that promise. As
well , thi article strives to change tone from the previous
state of concern, and embrace a more positive way of
thinking about our Co-operative education system that
wa abandoned in the previous article. After all , we still
have the strongest Co-operative education system among
Canadian universities, and arguably among those in North
America. Let us examine ways to build upon that strength.
Students can take actions to improve the Co-operative
education system at every single point on their journey
through the Co-op process: applying for jobs, interview-
ing for jobs, ranking each job, both at the beginning of
each work-term, and at the end of each work-term. To
quote Lewis Carroll, "let us begin at the beginning and go
on until we reach the end."
The application process toward the beginning of each
school-term launches every new Co-op work placement.
Whether using the computer "access" system or scanning
hard copies of the postings on the bulletin boards, the
selection process for submitting resumes is essentially the
same - establishing criteria that maximize the opportunity
for a successful work-term. At this point it is useful to
define a successful work.-term as one that will provide an
opportunity to acquire practical engineering knowledge
and skills. Thus, having defined a successful Co-op work
experience, the criteria become trivial for choosing which
jobs warrant the submission of resumes. First criterion:
Jobs applied to should be situated at an experience level
that neither greatly exceeds nor undercuts that of the stu-
dent. Ending up in ajob that is too senior may overwhelm
a student, and conversely, too junior a job may reduce the
level of chaJlenge.
Second criterion: Job descriptions should be trusted
and decisions should be based on how much interest is
elicited and how much experience is expected upon exam-
ination of each description. Although tales circulate about
job descriptions that are entirely misleading, the majority
of these descriptions are quite accurate, and in the very
lea t, describe the general area of employment.
Following these two basic criteria (and possibly
adding a couple of the "1 do/don't want to work close to
home" type applications), will help to strengthen the Co-
operative education system by ensuring that each student
has the potential of being placed in a fulfilling job, and
that each employer will have the potential of receiving a
happy, and therefore, productive student.
However, positive action must carry forward into the
interview process. When checking the computer "Access"
y tern or the bulletin board each morning during the
interview proces try to imagine ho> good you felt \\ hen
you received your very first " ere ned e, ". Sure! you
regarded the en uing interview a arrying a great deal of
importance. That feeling of importance to\\ard interviews
hould not fade awa after your first work-term. EYe!)
interview hould be attended (with extraneous exceptions)
and tudent , hould act in a profe. sional munner within
the interview etting, regardle of any conditions that
may have establi hed a negative bia toward that mplo)-
er (e.g. having a great interview with a highly acclaimed
company the day before). Treating each interview equall}
trengthen the Co-operative education ystem in three
ways: Fir t and foremost, employer sari, faction i main-
tained, and thus, job position will likely be available from
that employer in subsequent term . Acting in an unprofe -
sional manner may leave the employer with a "sour taste"
that may affect other students.
Secondly, "burning bridges" will reduce the prospects
of future employment with that company, even if a high-
quality opportunity arises.
Finally, "pracbce makes perfect" and attending a
many interviews as possible in a professional mindset will
ensure that future interviews that are deemed important
can be very successful. Thus, by attending all interviews
with a professional attitude, employer relations are
strengthened and interview skills are upgraded.
Closely following the interview process i "Ranking
Day". A rational decision proce s on this day is crucial,
and any deviation from this train of thought can have dam-
aging effects on the ensuing work-term. To begin the
rational decision proce s, the "Ranked" or "Offer" status
of each job should essentially be ignored; the quality of
the job, not its status as either "Ranked" or "Offered",
should be the controlling factor in deciding on an employ-
er. The algorithm that govern the job match process is
designed such that most tudents will receive either their
flrst or second ranking choicy, if their ranking decision
process was rational. Obviously, one should'not rank ajdb
highly if the interview was not successful. If students are
honest with themselves, they can typically rely on their
instinct with regards to the success level of any given
interview. If a student deem. an interview successrul, we
may as ume that the employer gave a '2' ranking to the
student. Thus, if the student ranks the interview' I', using
the algorithm, there is a lrong possibility that he or she
will win the job, and based on that possibility. the
"Ranked" or "Offer" status should be ignored in the
majority of situations. If a student deems that more than
one interview was successful, the decision process must
not break down to the point where compensation is con-
sidered. As outlined above, making decision. based on
money is not advantageous when a career is still in its ado-
lescence. The rational process hould continue, and deci-
sions should be formulated on job experience, working
environment, and student interests. Ranking employers on
these three criteria will help ensure that students are
placed in educational working environments that are also
enjoyable.
Once the job matching process is completed and the
work-term is about to begin, students should become very
open-minded. After all, four months of employment lies
directly ahead. Due to the variable nature of the market-
place, companies are rarely in the same position that they
were during the interview process, and thus, employers
should be given some slack with regards to student job
definitions. If an employer advertised the position as
"Original Design Engineering", and then the new product
was scrapped, students should not be appalled that the
position now entails reworking existing products. By
going into a workplace with an open-mind and a keen eye,
required duties can be accomplished in unison with
actions that show initiative. Students hould not be afraid
to explore aU areas within a company. Rarely will an
employer discourage a student from expanding his or her
horizons within the confines of the company structure.
This showing of initiative is a "win-win" situation for both
the student and the employer. The student benefits by
enhancing the educational experience and reducing the
potential for tedious work, while the employer benefits
with increased and diversified production. As well, one
student showing initiative will innuence the employer to
raise the Co-op position to a higher level of responsibili-
t} , therehy improving th education experience for the
next student.
Tht: final point in the jOlln1C) through (he Co-op
process is the end of the work-term. t this point commu-
nication between. tudent., Co-op coordinator., and Co-op
administrators is cs, ential. By pro iding an honest report
of the worJ...-terl11 to the Co-op coordinators, student are
cn uring that new and e isting employment positions are
. ecured with the employers. As well, the inside in['01111<1-
tion that :tudent. have compiled can hdp th' coordinators
to b lIer understand the perspectivc of th 'se cmployer .
t this time, we would like to remind students that the
coordinators and administrators are working together on
the same team a, , tudents to improve the Co-operative
education , ystem. Since team ' function on the basi of
teamwork, and teamwork is made possible by communi-
cation, tudent mu t begin to r lay morc information to
both coordinator and administrators. Both coordinators
and administrators welcome constructive feedback
throughout the school-terms or work-terms. However,
constructive feedback at the end of the work-term allow
the Co-op cycle to be examined in it entirety with regards
to the concerns. Thu , changes can be implemented to
more effectively trengthen the Co-operative education
system.
We, the concerned student and faculty, believe that
the recommendations outlined in the present and previous
reports establish a direction of thought for Co-operative
education tudents. On the basis of our numbers, engi-
neering students must become leaders toward attaining
our goal of a stronger Co-operative education system. We
must accomplish this through solidarity with the adminis-
trator of the Co-operative education ystGm and an
increased share in the respon ibility for the quality of our
Co-operative education system. Following this direction,
our Co-operative education system will maintain its top
ranking in Canada, will climb the echelon or North
American programmes, and will align itself with the most
distinguished programmes in the World. "Reach for the
moon, and if you mi s, you will st ill lie amongst the
stars. "
The I ron Warrior Friday, February 19. 1999
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Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race
Brought to you by the good people in the University of Waterloo Engineering Department
Amy Kim
3A Civil
W
hat do you get when you Lake 33 engineering
school s from all across North America, 600
civil engineers in costume, 33 concrete tobog-
gans, endless partying and tons of excitement, and bring
them all to Waterloo? You get the 25th annual Great
Northern Concrete Toboggan Race, which was hosted by
UW from February 4th - 7th.
The first GNCTR was held in 1973 in southern Alberta
with two schools competing. Over the last 25 years it has
grown tremendously, now with over 30 teams gathering to
compete for the title of the world's fastest concrete tobog-
gan. Over the last several years the competition has come
to include not only Canadian teams, but those from south
of the border (and northwest) as well.
There was a ton of energy on Friday at the SLC, where
teams were showing off their designs, costumes and spir-
it at the Technical Exposition. The participants were defi-
nitely in full form, crammed as they were into a tiny
square of the building. At first it felt more like a costume
party than an engineering competition - devils hung out
with angels and monks from the Church of Concrete, log-
gers mixed it up with flappers and Elvis wannabes,
Hawaiian shirts mixed margaritas, and toga-clad gold peo-
pie mingled with gangsters and freaky doctors wearing
Fisher-Price stethoscopes. However, this was only until
you were able to . ee the matching toboggans and techni-
cal displays. The technical requirements included that the
toboggan must weigh under 300 pounds, it must have
some sort of braking system, and the running surface that
contacts the snow must be made entirely of concrete. I
was surprised by the incredible diversity and ingenuity of
all the technical design that was put into each toboggan.
Some notable entries I couldn't help but notice for their
unique looks included the Traumaboggan from Manitoba,
the U of A Roughnecks' Oil Tower, Herbie from
Saskatchewan, and of course our very own Ice Dragons'
toboggan (which I might add was one of the most unique
looking designs at the competition).
The races were held all day Saturday in St. Mary's.
Apparently (I couldn't tell you firsthand) the University of
Manitoba had the best run in terms of speed, the RMC's
toboggan fell apart halfway down the hill (it seemed to be
a general audience consensus that they should have taken
the prize for Most Spectacular Run!) and several teams
finished the race sliding backwards.
The banquet on Saturday night was held at the Four
Points Hotel in Kitchener. It was a really fun night, not to
mention a great dinner. The best thing about the banquet
was feeling the incredible energy the competition brings
together from across the continent. Awards for the compe-
tition were given out at the banquet as well. The overall
The Iron Warrior Friday. February 19. 1999
first place fin-
ish went to the University of Manitoba' Traumaboggan,
second place to Carlton University's Thunder, and third to
Quebec Superstar from Ecole Poly technique. The Ice
Dragons took awards for concrete mix and asthetics, and
finished fifth overall. Best rookie team was claimed by the
University of Alaska at Fairbanks. The "official" evening
came to a close with a video presentation of the week'
events, which also included outdoor games held at North
Campus on Thursday morning and other crazier things
(such as the Quebec Superstars dancing to the tunes of
two gyrating Elvises, complete with amazing sideburns).
After the "official" evening was over, I'm sure everyone
had a great time and felt like death the morning after.
All in all, the GNCTR this year was a great success,
due to some fabulous organization and teh hard-work of
the chairs and directors, Carrie lunker and Mark Popik.
Knowing that technology, engineering design and going
to school is considered so boring or dry by many, it's nice
to see how they also can be the catalyst for so much fun
and excitement. This is one amazing event for civil stu-
dents - or all engineering students for that matter; I defi-
nitely don't want to miss it in my 4B term!
3rd Ecole Poly technique de Montreal - Quebec Superstar
2nd Carleton University - Thunder
1st U of Manitoba - Traumaboggan
Best Concrete Mix
3rd U of Manitoba - Traumaboggan
2nd Ecole Poly technique de Montreal - Quebec Superstar
1st U of W Ice Dragons
Superstructure
3rd Concordia
2nd Ecole de Technologie Superieur(ETS) - Rockets
1 st U of Calgary - Heaven
Aesthetics
3rd U of Manitoba - Traumaboggan
2nd ETS - Rockets
1 st U of W Ice Dragons
Technical Report
-tie U of Wand U of Mani oba
Top Speed
3rd
2nd
1st
Ecole Poly technique de Montreal - Quebec Superstar
U of Manitoba -Traumaboggan
Carleton - Thunder
Most Spectacular Run
Western - Lumberjack
Best Braking
3rd Carleton - Lightning
2nd U of Alberta - Roughnecks
1 st U of Manitoba - Traumaboggan
Best Uniforms
Spirit
3rd U of Saskatchewan - Team Herbie
2nd U of Calgary - Hell
1st Ecole Poly technique de Montreal - Quebec Superstar
3rd U of Calgary - Hell
2nd Carleton - Lightning
1 st U of Manitoba - Traumaboggan
eo e' S oi e - ni veT ity of Mary land - etpu a unri
Best Rookie Team - University of Alaska Fairbanks
Most Improved - University of Saskatchewan
Alumni - University of Waterloo Artie Fire Circle of Death
I"l Illlll" d,'I.!I"- (ll',' Ilul Ill' II,' "lie' ,II
\\ \\ \\
Weavers
Arms
Columbia St.
...;
(f) _ Weavers is behind the
.9- I ...... world's biggest deck in
.r:. - the middle of the WCRI
Q.
University Ave.
Tile Iron Warrior Friday. February 19. 1999
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o erance
Child Porn
At what point does tolerance for individual rights
begin to pierce the moral fabric of society?
George Roter
???
O
n Friday January 15, 1999 the British Columbia
Supreme Court struck down a section of the
Criminal Code of Canada that outlaws the posses-
sion of child-pornography. Section 163.4 of Canada's
Criminal Code states that:
Every person who possesses any child-pornography is
guilty of
a) an indictable offense and liable to imprisonment for
a term not exceeding five years; or
b) an offence punishable on summary conviction.
In his 33-page judgment, Mr. Justice Duncan Shaw
justified this decision in two major points:
I) " ... the invasion of freedom of expression and per-
sonal privacy is profound."
2) "The prohibition extends tOoo. those who make no
harmful use of pornography ... land] also includes
pedophiles, who, instead of preying on children, use
pornography for very private purposes. lit] is used to
relieve pent-up sexual tension of otherwise potential
aggressorsoo.[which] is a significant factor to take into
account. The ban includes 'mildly erotic'
pornographYoo.although evidence indicates that 'mildly
erotic' pornography has the effect of reducing sexual
aggressions against children."
This judgement, which is only binding in the province
of British Columbia, stems from a case against a
Vancouver man, John Robin Sharpe, who, when faced
with two charges of possessing child-pornography, repre-
sented himself in court and argued that the charges violat-
ed his constitutional rights. When passing down his
ruling, judge Shaw stated that a per on's private home and
belongings are an important expression of an individual's
identity, and prohibiting an individual from pos essing
child-pornography infringes upon that identity.
In response to the B.c. Supreme Court ruling. the
British Columbia Attorney General's Office filed an
appeal against the decision by the court on Monday
January 18. Along with the appeal, Attorney-General Uiial
Dosanjh urged provincial judges to adjourn provincial
cases, and asked the RCMP to continue investigating
cases of this nature and forwarding them to the crown for
prosecution. This move by the Attorney-General was
sparked by a Surrey provincial judge dismissing a case on
January 18 in which the defendant was charged with pos-
sessing child-pornography.
Reacting to this dismissed case, the initial ruling, and
the media attention following the ruling, the Reform Party
forced a vote in the House of Commons on Tuesday
February 2, 1999, pushing the government to use the con-
stitution to quash the B.C. Supreme Court ruling. Reform
Leader Preston Manning stated that his party "[has] no
confidence that [the situation] is going to be remedied by
law in [the] land", and adhering to typical party-line vot-
ing, the Opposition motion was defeated 143-129. with
only four Liberal backbenchers voting in favour of the
motion. If passed, the Opposition motion would have
forced the government to take "immediate measures to
reinstate the law", even if it meant invoking the so-called
notwithstanding clause. The notwithstanding clause
(which has never before been used) gives governments the
option of claiming a five-year exemption from application
of rights guaranteed in the Charter of Rights and
Freedoms, and invoking it would have been an extreme
measure.
Now that the current facts of the case have been out-
lined, a discussion can take place on the validity of the
arguments presented in the media. To defend the justice's
decision, groups have relied upon two distinct arguments
- the protection of Charter rights and the validity of
pornography in the reduction of sexual crimes being com-
mitted. Judge Shaw's ruling explicitly refers to ,the second
argument by allowing that a cathartic effect of pornogra-
phy is a significant factor to take into account, and that it
may outweigh the harm caused by the possession of
pornography. The ability of child-pornography to relieve
the impulses of some pedophiles is generally accepted by
the social science community, however, the issue is cloud-
ed when the creation of the pornography is considered.
That is, the act of masturbation to a picture of a sexual
explicit act involving children does not directly harm any
children. and it may in fact reduce the likelihood of a
pedophile harming children; but indirectly, children have
been harmed in the maktng of that image. Children
cajoled and coerced to pose for the cameras to create the
aforementioned images are being severely violated in a
way that affects their entire life. Other than the immediate
effects of a sexual act being filmed, the consequences for
children are a sense of shame, guilt, and loss of self-
esteem due to the knowledge that records of this act are
being distributed. The argument follows that by allowing
the possession of these images, society is acting contrary
to our moral duty to protect its children, the most vulner-
able people in our society, from predation. However, this
argument is weakened greatly if the creation of the
pornography does not hurt any children in any way.
pedophile producing the same images as Mr. Langer and
th.en using them to facilitate masturbation? Is the judge-
ment of acceptable art now subject to the intentions of its
creator? What about the case of a pedophilic voyeur tak-
ing pictures of naked children running around on a beach?
What if the same picture was taken with the intention of
capturing the scenery beyond the beach? None of the
above examples seem to adversely affect children, even if
the images or stories are distributed. Thus, the above argu-
ment against all child-pornography, based upon the
assumption that the pornographic material cannot be cre-
ated without haJ)lling children, appears to be invalid. But
there is still some all-encompassing validity to the argu-
ment.
In accepting that child-pornography can have a cathar-
tic effect on pedophilic actions toward children, some
exceptions must also be accounted for. That is, there is a
chance that child-pornography could have a neutral effect
or the effect of enhancing the need for a pedophile to per-
form sexual acts against children. These pedophiles that
might still be inclined to perform sexual acts against chil-
dren could now rely on child-pornography as a tool for
breaking down the inhibitions of children. This is accom-
plished by displaying illicit material to the children and
misleading them into thinking that certain deviant styles
of sex (or any acts of sex at all) are not unusual for chil-
dren. In this way, child-pornography facilitates harm to be
inflicted upon children, regardless of how the pornogra-
phy was created. Therefore, Judge Shaw's second point of
justification is proved to be invalid on the basis that there
is a chance that even images not intended to be porno-
graphic can potentially harm children. At the instant one
child is harmed, the potential risk for harming children far
outweighs the possible cathartic effects of child-pornogra-
phy.
But is the p(}tential risk for harming children balanced
by the liberties guaranteed under the Charter of Rights and
Freedoms? More accurately, when do the liberties guaran-
teed under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms balance
this potential risk? There is no logical progression that can
even begin to answer this question. On one extreme, all
depictions of children, both in text and in pictures, must
be destroyed to ensure that there is no risk for a child to
be harmed as a result of these depictions. On the other
extreme, any depiction of children that did not directly
harm a child during its creation should be allowed. In
between these two extremes is a grey area in which defin-
itions of art and intention begin to enter the equation. So
what is settled? Only that any depiction of children that
directly harms any child in its creation should be out-
lawed. That is, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms guar-
antees the liberty of a vulnerable group (children), when
such a liberty is being directly threatened, at the expense
of the liberty of a more powerful group (pedophiles).
However, the disconcerting thought exists that the
grey area will continue to remain grey. To pass judgement
within this area, society must depend on the moral
absolutes upon which it is based. In a society that consis-
tently overindulges in talk of rights, there must be a move
to recognize that individual rights end at a point where
society's collective right to the self-preservation of its own
decency begins.
__ the court", and further. "it's going to take time."
_ Responding to the reform leader's claims, Prime Minister
........ Jean Chretien urged his party to "maintain the system of
Consider the case of John Robin Sharpe (the case that
initiated Judge Shaw's ruling). One set of possession
charges placed by police was based upon a collection of
fictional short stories describing children engaged in sex-
ual acts with adults. The arresting officer stated that
Sharpe's writings "were the sickest stuff she had ever
come across", and indeed, the average member of society
would agree with this officer. Nonetheless, assuming that
Mr. Sharpe kept the stories for his own personal enjoy-
ment, children would not be harmed in the creation or
existence of these stories. This example could even be
extended further. Suppose that instead of writing stories,
Mr. Sharpe drew pictures of children engllged in sexually
expliCit acts. In fact, the Ontario courts ruled in favour of
arti t Eli Langer, a Toronto man charged in 1993 under the
child-pornography law. Mr. Langer wa granted artistic
latitude by the court with respect to drawings that depict-
ed children performing sexual acts. Liberty was granted to
Mr. Langer on the basis that he produced the drawings
with artistic intentions; that as Alan Borovoy (Canadian
Civil Liberties Association) stated. "art."must be able to
portray evil as well as virtue." But what, other than the
essence of the production, would be the difference in a
-

The Iron Warrior Friday. February 19. 1999

I
Is the increase in spending on Science & Tecllnology the Right
Approach?
Point
Yasin Bismilla

2A Mech
T
he current provincial government's initiative to increa e the
emphasis on science and mathematic beginning in middle
school is long overdue. When I started high school, the extent
of my mathematical education was some complex arithmetic of frac-
tion and a complete memorization of the multiplication tables.
Today, a grade five education includes such topics as solving two lin-
ear systems of equations and elementary probability, which previous-
ly was not taught until OAC finite mathematic.
The problem used to be that the onus on the level of education was
left up to individual schools, and in some cases individual teachers.
Without any accountability, the level of education at different schools
was not equal, and in some cases below the capabilities of the students
at the school. When the decision to standardize education was made,
it was only fitting that these standards were placed as high as possible.
Numerous studies have shown that the ages of highest learning capa-
bility are in the early years of our lives. Why not seize thi s opportu-
nity to enhance and motivate childrens' education in such subject
area?
There has been little argument that the education system had to be
revised. The debate ha been regarding what changes are necessary
and how to go about implementing reforms. Society and tech-
nology have changed a great deal in the last few decades and educa-
tion has to keep up with these change, . Memorizing the
multiplication table and efficiency with fraction is of little impor-
tance today. Years ago, when calculators were not in such widespread
used, such skills would have been useful but this is no longer the case.
Education has to adapt to improved technology and utilize the bene-
fits brought forward. The use of calculator at an early age wil l not
create a dependency on them. Basic arithmetic is incorporated into all
aspects of science and mathematic and students will still pick up
these skills by studying more advanced topics. Moreover, mathemat-
ics enhances methodical thought and such kills are necessary in most
occupations today. Teaching these skills at an earlier age will only
make them more natural in later years and will allow for a more effec-
tive adaptation into the computer and technology driven market.
One of the major arguments against the new education reforms is
the fear that students will lose exposure and appreciation for the arts.
Such fears are unfounded and are rooted in the general fear that the
world is becoming too technologically minded. Read through the li st
of education reforms, and nowhere does it say that time spent on lan-
guages will be reduced. In fact, the plan caJls for an increase in
emphasis on math, science, and languages (see the Conservative
Party's official website). History, music, art, and other such subject
will always be a part of education, the current plans simply call for an
increase in standards for mathematics and science, not a decrease in
standards of these subjects. Most people who are interested in these
subjects will embrace them regardless of how they are taught at
school. The whole debate surrounds society's perception of knowl-
edge. Some people define knowledge as the ability to think logically
and others go by the maxim "the more you know, the smarter you are".
Both definitions are legitimate. The current education reforms are for
the first time, increasing the rol e of logical and independent thought
in the education ystem.
The idea of adapting the education system to the direction of social
change is the only acceptable route, Society is not going to adjust to
the education system anytime soon, so there are no other options. The
definition of a good education cannot remain the same over a number
of years. This whole fear of technology and its tremendous role in
society is old and ridiculous. Science and mathematics are a part of
our lives now and adjustments have to made. Education has always
been changing to fit social change and that should not stop now.
That's simple arithmetic, as simple as two plus two equals four.
Counterpoint
Luke Windisch
2A ystems Desig/l
I
see electives as a chance to use the skills I have learned so far in undergrad-
uate courses as keys to unlock a great door that still remains firmly shut by
the rusty hinge of core curriculum conformi ty, behind which lies true knowl-
edge and understanding. I see a chance to shuck the academic shad.lcs I carry,
and to finally begin to pur ue the areas of engineering and other discipline. that
will offer me a chance to feel passion for what 1 do. But often these goals are
shrouded by a dark lust for what else electives can provide: an easy ticket.
When I sit in a cold computer lab at 3 a.m., I yearn for an "art y" course that
doesn't screwing-up the basic equation: 24 hours + sleep + a life + (6
courses*assignments*exams)labs = impossible. r want this easy ticket in my
electives later on, and my lust will be my undoing because with this mentality
entrenched, I no longer reap any benefit from my courses,
If you can relate with the situation in the computer lab you know in your
heart why this new focus on scientific and technological training (S&TT) is
wrong: you already you have certain disrespect for non-technical courses. You
see them as an easy way to get an 80 by regurgitating the text. But the. e cours-
es should be embraced as opportunity to exerci e the right-Side of you brain.
because rarely are you asked to disprove or counter that what is presented to you
in engineering.
So where then did the roots of contempt for these courses ftrst take hold?
ing more than a displeasure to be endured until university arrived. never again
requiring us to take our marks in such a course eriously.
Thlls. by thl' cmpha!'>is 011 S&rr ('\\.'11 cmJil'l' (i. .. PUhIJl SdIOOI.
as outlined in PC Party policy) (hI! S' 'ds of dlsrl!slX'(" and Wnlt'nlpl for Ilon-
technical courses will only be planted cadil'l", ullowlllg thcm to limit a nun-
square picture frame IS not an artistic stalCll1l'lll, but Ull '\.' tlon.
At this stage, it seems likely thaI Ihe impoJ1ancc of these courses to/ lkvclorin '
critical and non-linear thinking, an invaluable skill, will be losl. "Hilt ." you say,
"the party policy says that there will be un increased emphaSis on languages tlK),
so this situation should not arise. So why is an increase on S&11" bad'''' The
answer is that it is not bad, if the party were to truly back their words, But you
only need look as far as current publicity to sec that the claim to also increase
spending on languages is a had cheque, returned to the voters marked "insuffi
cient funds".
Most of you reading this paper knew beforl' that !.pcnding on S&lT was
increasing, but how many knew the same WHS true for languages hefore reading
the "counter-point" side to this argument? If the government was truly gong to
back it's claim, publicity should make it crystal clear that both aspects of educa-
tion are receiving increased focus. And this imhalance is happening in the two
areas that arc recieving increased focus; history and social sciences arc not even
at that level. Can you realisticaly believe that children and parents, inundated
with reports that "the new market is the technical market" will sti ll try and round
out their education? What few courses arc laken in these fi elds will he token ges-
tures to fill out a resumee, and not to increase a student's capaicty for critaical
and non-linear thought. So already the creed for the 21 st cl.'ntury seems to be
established: "(coloured) Arts and language step aside, it's time to let (white)
technology take the stage". We arc heginning to live in thc educational equiva-
lent of 1892 Mississippi.
So perhaps the new impetus of the govcrnment is not wrong. provided a few
changes are made. First. the areas that arc to recieve increscd focus should
recieve that focus equaJly. Second, the other arcas of education should not be left
behind, otherwise their capacity for critical and non linear thought will be com-
primised. Balanced education provides the keys necessary to unlock that great
door otherwise shut by rusty hinges, Thus far, the PC party has not done enough
to ensure that the distributed education of which they speak is achieved, and until
they do, the increased emphasis on science and technology is a terri hIe move; it
fails to provide any keys, and instead throws water on the hinges.
The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the authors, or the Iron Warrior staff. Point Counter Point articles are meant to be a
thought-provoking debate on a prevalent issues related to engineers. They are not meant to be a statement offact.
Tho Iron Warrior Friday. Februar'y 19.1999
-
-

ea ure
Wil Aballe
2A Systems De.\ign
T
he dawning of the new millennium has been in the
stream of consciousness of society longer than any-
one can imagine. Even as far back as 1873,
Florence Nightingale asked, "What will be our religion in
1999?" Nowadays, reminders of the millenni al future are
inescapabl e. With the Y2K problem at hand, it is hard to
tune one's self out and forget that the clock is ticking;
especially in Pari s, where a digital clock has been set up
in front of the Eiffel Tower to remind all the world what is
impending.
"Ten and a half months from now, January
1st will be an anticlimactic day because con-
trary to what many now believe, everything
will notfall apart around us."
Eager to escape this century, companies have even
started naming themselves and their products into the mil-
lennial future. There's the 2000 Flushes toilet boil clean-
er (just kidding) , the Twenty-First Century Bulova watch
and the Pontiac 2000 automobile. Why has such an
emphasis been placed, and so much anticipation built up
on one single year? Ultimately the answer lies in the
innate tendency for humans to predict the future. The year
2000 is a stark symbol for what lies ahead, and the times
demand vi ions and goals. The new millennium i the
great and exciti ng unknown, a brave new world.
As prospective engineers, we will be responsible to
improve on all aspects of human life, health and public
welfare in this brave new world. The possibilities of what
can he achieved seem endless. "The future is empty and
is filled by our imagination", someone once remarked.
BUl, people fear the millennium because it is wrapped up
in an enigma: it is uncertain.
The Doom-And-Gloom Mentality
Millennial anxiety has led a large number of people to
believe in doomsday scenarios, and in the importance of
hoarding food and survival supplies. There is a urpri sing
number of New Agers, bred by the hippie culture of the
1960's, that are relying on Y2K as an opportunity to break
away from our present corporate structure and reconstruct
society. They believe that when communication, trans-
portation, banking and financial systems collap e when
the year turns over. people will walk away from their com-
puters to create old-fashioned communities. Together,
they will rai e thei r own vegetables, and use solar cells
and windmills (0 heat up and energize their homes. For
these visionaries, the change from 1999 to 1900 symbol-
izes a change to an older way of life. and a chance to stop
making compromise brought on by a capitalistic way of
thought.
The Utne Reader just announced recently that 360.000
copies of the "Whole Earth Catalog" will be produced for
the "new millennarianism". It is a guide on how to
become self-sufficient, like in a Woodstock-era commune.
"As we prepare for Y2K, something surprising and quite
wonderful is going to happen," it predict.. "We're going
to get to know our neighbours. Our communities will
become safer, more intimate, more resilient. more neigh-
bourly places to live. "
Further down the spectrum arc those who fear the
approaching end of the world. They believe that soon
after the coming of the second millennium will be a trag-
ic and total catastrophe that will spell the end of the world
as we know it.
Apocalyptic endtime prophecies for the year 2000
vary in the details, but the point is all the ame: Various
cultural and religious group, from nco-No tradamian ,
_ to Hindu , to Christians, to Jews, believe in predictions of
_ destruction and creation. exile and redemption. In fact,
-
Last Call?
Countdown
To The
New
these predictions have given birth to deep-seated Western
millennial visions of decay and disaster and the subse-
quent start of a "new era". Ex-US President Ronald
Reagan often told those within hi s influence, "We may be
the generation that sees Armageddon."
Looking back at movies alone over the past ten years,
it becomes obvious that an overwhelming number of di s-
aster flicks are cashing-in on society's greatest fear.
"Outbreak" and "Virus" both dealt with the idea of a virus
that kill s people by turning one's internal organs into mush
within the course of a day. "Armageddon" made heroes of
Ben Affleck and Bruce Willis who saved the day by
drilling a hole into an asteroid hurtling towards the Earth
and detonating a nuke within, thereby preventing the col-
li sion from occuring. "Last Night" examined the actions
of various characters only a few hours before the end of
the world.
Many psychologists believe that hidden in the inner.
recesses of many people' s minds is a terrifying vision of
an event like an inescapable nuclear holocaust, except that
these thoughts of doom are often silenced by .our daily
preoccupations: school. work, money, health, and diver-
sions.
The Millennium - The First Time Around
If there are two things that history has taught, it is that:
(1) the more things change the more they stay the same;
and thaI, (2) history repealS itself, though never in exactly
the same way. On the eve of the year 1000, the people of
Europe were stricken with panic. Knights and ladies
donated their lands to the Church, gave their worldly pos-
sessions to beggars and headed for Jeru alem, where it
was envisioned that Christ would appear to judge the
world. Similarly some merchants halted trading goods
and committed to life in mona teries. Peasants deserted
their livestock and their crop and journeyed to the clo est
acred relic. Shopkeepers in December 999 closed up
their busine es and distributed their money to the desti-
tute.
Though there are few accounts of what occurred in the
years 999 and 1000, books state that Europe was over-
Year 2000 brings to humanity pardon alld a second chance at
taking charge and amendillg wrollgs. The future is empry and is
filled by our imagination.
Millennium
come with mass frenzy. Debts were annul ed, convicts
were set free and many saw visions of flaming swords and
arrows shooting across the skies. In household , wive
forgave adulterous husbands, and hu bands who saw no
point in holding their grudge so close to the end of the
world, in tum. pardoned licentious wives.
"What history has shown us, is that each
and every one of us, as engineers, are to
contribute to a new renaissance."
This year, travel groups expect that Jerusalem wi ll be
one of the most popular, if not THE most popular destina-
tion for December 1999. And the fact that Bill Clinton got
off for impeachment without even a mild reprimand may
be the spark that will make people consider forgiving their
relations, whatever their indi scretions may be.
Many people fret about what January I , 2000 will
bring. Will all Y2K bugs will be rid of before that fateful
day? Subsequently, money is distributed mostly in elec-
tronic forms and not in terms of paper cash, so if banking
systems bai l-out couldn't all our savi ngs be lost? In fact,
aren't household items also su ceptibl e to fa ilure, since
even the most common appliances are dependent on
clocks?
"In the years 999 and 1 000, books state that
Europe was overcome with mass frenzy."
Ten and a half months from now, when the millennial
timer brings in the new year, everyone who is hoping that
the Y2K dilemma will bring in the new age will feel an
overall sense of disappointment. There may be minor set-
backs and disruptions, but it i doubtful that there will be
a disaster anywhere. After all the commotion and antici-
pation, January I st will be an anticlimactic day because
contrary to what many now believe, everything will not
fall apart around us.
Corporation and small busines es have been working
for months and years to lick the Y2K bug and most have
been successful at meeting the timelines that have been
et. Solving the problem may prove to be co tly, but they
are being confronted. This can be demonstrated by the
fact that everyone now carries a credit card expiring in
2000 or 2001 .
The people in the year 999 were overwhelmed with
frenzy and fear over the approach of 1000, presuming that
the end of the world was at hand. We now know that the
new millenium will not spell the end of civilization, but
what will we make of the year 2000 and what follows?
A Brave New World
Year 1000 was a year pregnant with hopes and fears.
Whether it would deliver forth good or evil the people
then living were too doubtful to presume. Perfectly sane
people, and not just lunatic walking the streets with bills
proclaiming "The End i ear", thought that our planet
Earth might not persevere. Presently, perfectly ane peo-
ple uch a scientists. among them obel Prize laureates,
fore ee our ruin due to overpopulation, famines. defor-
estation, pollution, the depletion of the ozone. errors in
genetic engineering and the exhaustion of vital , nonre-
newable raw materials.
Since history has been proven time and again to
repeat, it is important to illustrate the following point.
Though many men and women in the tenth century
a sumed that the new millenium will bring doom, what it
really brought was a brave new world. Eleventh century
Continued on pg. 10 ...

The Iron Wan ior Friday February 19. 1999
The
u
u.
u
"
What are your plans for
New Year's Eve -1999?
By Alison Kudelka and Jenny Mitchell
Amy Gohn
IB Enviro-Chem
"What 1 was planning on doing probably isn't proper to put in the Iron
Warrior."
Rob Schmidt
2A Mechanical
"If we actually assume something bad will happen, I'll wrap myself up in a
sleeping bag and blanket in the back of my K-car and close my eyes ... so they
don't burn."
Shauna Hutton
3A Enviro-Chem
"Pow Wow Point Lodge, up in Huntsville. It's out in the middle of nowhere
on a lake with a hot tub and a swimming pool."
Andrew Roszko
3A Electrical
"The ullimate plan is to be in Paris under the Eiffcl Tower. W"II se' what
happens ... "
Betty Beaver
Orifice Manager
"I don't know yet...nothing's planned."
Andre Brisson
4B Civil
John Gaudet
4B Electrical
Andre: "Drink! Drink! Drunk! I'm not going to some extravaganza. I'm
partying with friends and family. I'm not spending thousands of dollars for
some b.-s. And I'm going to be standing next to my computer to see if it
crashes! Oh no, don't put that! It's a scam! I don't believe that at all!
John: "I'll be a cheap drunk. No matter what, I refuse to pay money for fire-
works. My PC will still work, that's all I know.
The Iron Warrior Friday, February 19. 1999
-
-

history was dotted with vast improvements in trade, new
methods of agriculture, the resurgence of old traditions
and the emergence of new philosophies, art and literature.
The Year 2000 too is pregnant with possibilities. True,
terrorism may bring us to the verge of a nuclear
Armageddon, but that may be just the impetus to force
nations to ignore boundarie and work towards world
peace. The pollution of bodies of water and jungles may
threaten to mother humanity, but it challenges us and pro-
vide us the opportunity to reclaim our planet.
So, what IS our religion in 1999? Florence
Nightingale predicted that the religion, or moral centre of
our era, is dependent on the actions our societies have
taken in the past. There is a lot of truth in her statement;
the millenium's end has proven to be a time of examina-
tion and retrospect, a time to look at repercussions of past
actions, and regret missed opportunities and unchangeable
mistakes. Year 2000 brings to humanity a pardon and a
second chance at taking charge and amending wrongs.
Indeed, the" .. .future is empty and is filled by our imagi-
nation."
The author John Guare was correct in saying that "the
imagination is (just) another phra e for what is most
uniquely us". It is simply our personal link from our inner
thoughts and beliefs to the world we live in. It teaches us
our limitations, and then how to grow beyond them. It
leads us to examine ourselves and prompts us to see clear-
ly the direction we wish to take with our futures. The
imagination sorts out our ni ghtmares such that they trans-
form into dreams and, furthermore, into aspirations.
As engineers, we are given the great but formidable
opportunity to imagine how we can improve on our oci-
ety in the 21 t century and work towards it. Ultimately,
what hi tory ha shown u ,i that the individual, each
and every one of us, are contributing to a new renai ance.
We are to determine the course to a new world, in pursuit
oflife and all things good. We are Columbu for the time
to come, at least for another thousand years.
What has Mike Harris done for
Caroline Page
3A Enviro Chern
O
n Thursday, February 4th, the Honourable Jim
Wil son, Ontario Minister for Science, Technology
and Energy, gave a presentation here at the
University. The topi c of the presentation was supposed to
be the future of engineering, but Wilson opted for a less
formal question and answer period following hi s initial
presentation which focu ed on the role of the Minister of
Science, Technology and Energy within the provincial
government, but also detailed the strate Ie of the PC
party in general. For those of you who missed the presen-
tation, this article provides a summary of what Wilson di s-
cussed.
In 1990, the Ontario population had an
entitlement mentality. Most of us have prob-
ably heard the joke about the Canadian who,
after arriving at the pearly gates and being
told that he can return to life on earth if he
gives Saint Peter $ 100, waits around for the
government to pay it for him. This mentali -
ty resulted in a high provincial deficit
accompani ed by a large debl. This in turn
resulted in a need to cut spending, reduce
the deficit, and reduce the debt. This was
one of the major goa ls of the PC party.
Over the course of the PC party's term ;n
office, Ontario has witnessed numerous
spending cuts, pal1icularly in the (\fens of
health care and education. These cuts have
made a lot of people very bitter. Many peo-
ple understand that the cuts needed to be
made, but that the government went too fa l.
Wilson stated that the PC approach was to
"get the tough stuff over with so [the Ontario peoplel
could enjoy the fruits of labour" while the party was sti ll
in office. This makes sense, as a party that progres e
through a term making cut after cut, but at a low pace,
will not demonstrate any positive accomplishments to the
people, and therefore will not likely remain in office for
another term. Wil on think that we have reached a period
of slowing down: The teachers, having had time to adju t
to the new curriculum and to working longer hours, are
starting to come around. He also feels that most people in
Ontario agree with the direction that the government is
going in. Indeed, preliminary polling results indicate that
the party is in "excellent shape, particularly in central
Ontario". In addition, Wilson stated that the government
can still do more to bring down taxes. He feels that we still
pay a tremendous amount, and acknowledges that waste
and duplication still exist within the government.
The main focus of Wilson's presentation wa the new
ideas and the accomplishments of the PC government. He
discussed the creation of the Ontario Jobs and Investment
_ Board, which is charged with devising a new economic
_ strategy following the common sense revolution in eco-
-
lately?
nomics. The government feels that the province is still too
heavily reliant on resources, and that the people have the
mentality that we need a recession every 5 years. Wilson
stated that "it i going to take brain power to smooth out
the highs and lows", but that there is no need for these
reces ion to be as significant as they have been in the
past. The Board plans to draft a blueprint by the end of
next month.
Wilson's ministry itself is a result of the PC govern-
ment. The Ministry of Science and Technology was creat-
ed in November of 1997 to recognize the job growth of the
previous 5 years. Ontario is currently leading North
America in growth and job creation (it has the highest net
new jobs for the last three years). Two thirds of the jobs
created are in the high tech sector. This incorporates both
the growth of the high tech sector itself as well changing
definitions within this ectrnl. For example, many cornpa-
nies now consider many of the shop floor positions as
high tech job .
The Ministry of Science and Technology created the
Acce to Opportunitie Program. With studies indicating
that over 45,000 high tech job are going unfilled right
now, thi Program called for the enrolment of an addition-
al 17,000 student into high tech programs. Students in
high tech program are virtually guaranteed a job. Wi I on
stated that this program was over ub cribed, as mo t uni-
versities and college responded with enthusiasm. The
Ministry also underwent negotiations with Waterloo,
accepting that the univer ity was doing the best that it
could do to incorporate the required changes as well as the
current co-op program.
The Ministry has also been investing money to "stop
the brain drain" that occurs as Ontario graduates are lured
into the United States by opportunity and money. Wilson
feels that the future of Ontario will be brighter if we can
keep more people in the province (or at least in the coun-
try) after graduation. Attempts to stop the brain drain and
to lure people back include investing large amounts of
money into state-of-the-art facilities, and paying to create
new jobs in high tech companies. Wilson asked that, when
we graduate, we can ider Ontario first. He encourages us
to contact the government via the Ministry, and to let them
know what would make it ea ier for u to stay here.
Another project initiated by the Ministry has been the
creation of the $75 million Premier's Research Excellence
Award. This award is for student pursuing graduate stud-
ies, and is de igned to recognize young researchers with-
in the fir t seven years past graduation. Thi is an attempt
by the government to "make the young people household
names very young so they aren't tempted to leave". Most
of the awards are for doctorate students, but the program
is flexible. The Ministry has also created the Economic
Development Fund, which is much broader in appli cation.
This and many other new programs we probably haven't
heard about can be found on the Ministry website at
www.esl.gov.on.ca. Overall , the Ministry has spent more
than $180 million on research and development in
Ontario, with more money still to be spent. Wil son
stressed that "even in tight times, we are spending money
in key areas, using government money to lever private
funds". He complained that unfortunately, this money is
not getting the attention of the media like the many spend-
ing cuts received, which is making it diffi-
cult for the government to show most
Ontario residents the positive results of the
PC government.
Justi fying the money spent recently on
the PC party ad campaign, Wilson aid that
the party has pent less than the Liberal
party ha on advertising, but that they have
spent the money all at once. He stated that
the party i trying to get better at communi-
cation because many people don't know
what the government did, especially the
good things. The party feels that people are
entitl ed to know what the party did and
why. Again, Wilson stressed the record
number of job created, and the growth that
Ontario is seeing.
Jim Wilson is a member of the
Progressive Conservative party, the party
that the province of Ontario seems to love
to hate (at least right now). His presentation, therefore,
mainly reflected the views of the PC party. For this reason,
the presentation may have leaned toward Tory propagan-
da, at lea t at times. Overall, however, Wilson was articu-
late and informed, and provided some valuable insight
into the actions undertaken by the PC party over the last
four years. A the Minister of Science, Technology and
Energy, Wilson was not an expert in all matters that con-
cerned these fields or his Ministry. However, he did
appear to have an understanding of what he was responsi-
ble for, and a genuine belief in what he was doing.

The I ron Warllor Friday Febr uar y 19. 1999
What have we got ourselves into?
IJ '
. ." I

Chris McCullough
2A Chem
I
t's the middle of February, only a month and a haJf into
1999; we still have to endure ten more month of talk
of the "new millennium" and "Y2K", omething I, for
one, am not looking forward to. Now don't get me wrong,
I am very aware that in the span of one econd, when the
clock strikes twelve and the ball drops. we could sudden-
ly be witbout ome very essential thing. uch a hydro
and water. Ontario Hydro itself does not know what will
happen this coming ew Year's Eve. And they cannot
offer any assurances as to whether there will be any power
available for even the biggest. most important service .
So where are we left? Scrambling for wind up radios and
flashlights, wood burning stoves, bottled water. canned
good, generators and anything else that will make us feel
ready to face the next century? All because of a comput-
er tbat can't understand the number "OO"?
What do you think was going through the minds of our
great grandparents on New Year's Eve 1899? Do you
think they were full of anxiety and fear about the turn of
the century, a our society seems to be? I don't think so.
I am sure that the majority of them were excited, not anx-
ious. After all. they were there ready and waiting, poised
on the edge of a new era. a new century of ploration.
innovation and growth. And that is what this century ha
yielded, and more. ' ow we don't have to walk an where
if we don't want to - there are cars. la i , and publi tran-
portation waiting to take u where we want to go. We
don't have to leave our house to buy a book, . ince you can
find it online and have it ent to ou. Soon enough there
won't be any need for bank tellers. for ou can do all your
banking by phone 24 hour a day. And there i no sen e
in cooking when you can pop a frozen dinner in the
microwave, then throw out the plate and tos. the cutlcl) in
the dishwasher when you are done. ewspapers arc
redundant ince you can get all the new you need on one
of the many 24-hour news . tat ion available through
cable. It i all very convenient, efficient and easy. Make.
you wonder what exactly we are doing with ourselves
with aJl this time we save.
Well , it certainly isn't pending more time with our
familie because the institution of the family i quickl)
falling apart. And it i n't exerci ing more, because obesi-
ty is at an all time high. It i n't helping out tho e less for-
tunate than us because homelessness, poverty and hunger
are all epidemic in thi society. It isn't taking care of OUf
spiritual sides, since attendance at religious meetings i
rapidly dropping. So what are we doing? It eems not
enough.
When was the last time you got a real, hand-written
note in the mail? Planted a vegetable garden? Gave to a
charity? Spent quality time with your parent or grand-
par'nt. ? Volunteered? Baked? Gone for a long hike,just
for the sake of being outdoors? When was the last time
you de ided to forgo the casy route in favour of a olution
that might not ave you time, but in. tead might make you
a better person, or might improve society a little. Now, the
la t time you did omething like this, do you remember
how good it felt?
Plea. e don't misinterpret thi" I am grateful for all the
advances that have been made over the past I 00 years in
te hnology. Improvcml:nt in medicine have saved lives.
better communications have sent early warnings of natur-
al disaster., and wide spread availability of education ha
increased lih!raC). Technology has benefited us in many
ways, But there has also been a great cost.
I incerel) believe that to prepnre for the new millen-
nium, we need not oilly preparc for the immediate crisis's
that may occur, but nlso for the more damaging and more
la ting crisis' . It is time we paid H little mor' attention to
mankind and a \ittl' to technology. So a, 1 leave my
computer ' creen to go 10 class, 1 hope that mayhe you will
abandon your vigil at your TV or computer or microwave
or dishwasher or car and get back to what really matters.
And I hope that you will feel better because of it. You
never know, on January 1.2000 we could wake up feeling
the same excitement that ollr great-grandparent. did 100
years ago. An excitement knowing that we stand poi . ed
and ready to start to affect and changl: our world through
more than just technology, but also through our hean and
soul.
E
All the Free Fun you can Handle!
Acts
Peter Cresswell
---0
2A Systems Design
T
he Conservatives are coming! The conservatives are coming! Quick!
Hide your OHIP and public education teacher. The Conservatives are
coming!
On Thursday February 4th, the Hon. Jim Wil son was here to repre. ent his
thugs . . . err ... petty thieves ... err ... political party in a discu sion concerning
post secondary education and, in particular, enrolment in high tech computer
programs. His vis it provided an opportunity for us to ask ome important ques-
ti ons and to reflect on how our "friends" in Queen' Park have tried to improve
post-secondary education in Ontario. Let's refl ect for a moment shall we?
To start with, the Ontario government. through the genero ity of its kind
heart made OSAP information more widely avail abl e via an information phone
number. Unfortunately. that number happened to be a 1-900 number, charging
each call er $2 per call. Annual revenue from students hoping to borrow money
from OSAP: approximately $750 000.
To foll ow up on the success of their information line. they have decided that
they simply can't raise tuition fast enough and moved to deregulate the darn
thing. A nice easy way of shi fting the bl ame for any future tuiti on increases.
Not that slashing funding' for post-secondary education would force
Universities into raising tuition. Not at all. Remember, it' s now the Uni versities
that are raising tuition. no the innocent government.
But wait a second here. Will deregulation really translate into hi gher tui tion
fees? Well you don't see them rushing to put a cap on how fast they can decrease
tuition do you? But,in truth. Ontario has the second highest tuition fees in
Canada. First place goes to Nova Scotia who deregulated their fees a while ago.
But why go as far as Nova Scotia when you can ask a U of T medical student
how they like their 60% plus increases. I'm sure they love it!
And lastly. (at least for this article. Don't think I'm done though) there is the
wonderful ATOP program to thank them for. Its goal of doubling enrolment in
CS, computer and electrical engineering programs reminds me very much of the
circus act in which a small car drives out and unloads a million clowns. It's a
real blast unless you are the clown on the bottom and paying $3000 plus per
year just to get stuffed in some confined space and get stepped on by people
with big feet. Ooch!
So thank you Mr. Wilson and thank you Mr. Harris. I can now sleep sound-
ly knowing that post-secondary education in Ontario is in good hands. Well. at
least there's an election coming and everyone can vote. Even us clowns.
x
A
Jacqueline McAra 0

co .iJil'('(lor
I
n co-operation with the Engineering Society. the Faculty of
Engineeri ng will be hosting the annual Explorations event.
This event is targeted at fami lies with chi ldren in the Grade 5
to 8 age group in 0\lr local Ki tchener-Waterl oo community.
Expl orations brings almost 1500 people onto campus for an
evening event of di spl ays and pre entations meant to educate the
communi ty about Engineeri ng. and Engi neering education. Thi s
event is run by a group of Faculty. Staff, and Students. and takes a
large number of people to complete. Approx.imately 70 student
volunteers will be needed to lead tours whi ch will lake visitors to
di splays and presentations including student proj ects, interesting
faculty research projects, and various Engineering topics.
Explorations is on Monday, March 15th. 1999 and runs from
6:00pm till about 9:30pm. A volunteer commitment of just a few
hours will help make this event an amazing display of what the fac-
ulty and students can accompl ish for the community. Volunteers
for tours, registration, information, parking, and directions will all
be needed. PI. ease contact the Explorations Directors Jacqueline
MeAra Umcara@engmail ) or Andrew Roszko (aprroszk@eng-
mail) to volunteer for an evening of alJ the free fun you can han-
dle!
The Iron Warrior Friday FebluClty 19.1999
-
-

-
-
-

Milton Chan

2A Comp Eng
Offstream
W
ith another election done, we engineers
have maintained the tradition of electing
engineers as president every other term.
Christine Cheng, the sixth engineer since 1988
(Adam Chamberlain 88-89, John Vellinga 90-91,
Dave Martin 92-93, Steve Codrington 94-95, Mario
Bellabarba 96-98), won the election with 50.5% of
the vote. She came in first in all six faculties (defeat-
ing three candidates who were all prominent in their
own faculties) and swiped the Co-op votes. Christine
is also the fourth female Federation President in the
school's history. She also listed no EngSoc involve-
ment (other than being a frosh leader) during her
campaign, which differentiated her from the previous
'Engineering Presidents' (Codrington and Martin
were presidents of Eng Soc, Mario was speaker).
The other engineering candidate, Mike Moore,
who ran for VP Internal, was not able to beat the tick-
et effect. He lost in all six faculties, including engi-
neering, to Chris Harold, team-mate with Christine.
All four candidates on Christine's ticket (the other
two being Veronica Chau, VP Education, and Jason
Risley, VP Student Issues, who round out what will
now be called "the foursome") won their respective
positions with more than 50% of the vote.
So where do we go from here?
The victory of Christine's ticket leaves Josh
Doig, who was on the Chris Farley and Mike
Moore ticket. in the same strange position that
Robin Stewart was in last year (he adapted really
well though). The foursome is very close friends
and has worked together in one way or another. Josh,
a rather right wing individual, will probably have
trouble adapting to the seemingly radical stance the
foursome has. But on the other hand, Josh may be
able to provide a good balance for the foursome in
terms of representing student opinion, since he repre-
sents the silent majority who are not as involved in
student politics as the foursome. Electing a slate of
candidates will create a very united team. The exec-
utive should be able to reach agreement without too
much trouble, and a a result, we can expect more
joint initiatives between the different VP's. However,
electing one single slate also presents a potential
problem for Students' Council. The executive may
think that they have a huge mandate from the student
population, which leaves them in danger of under-
mining the Students' Council. A number of passed
executive members have been noted for disregarding
the opposition in the Students' Council since most
councillors are acclaimed. However, since both the
President and VP Education are former councillors,
we can certainly hope that they will have a strong
respect for Students' Council.
Other news out of the election include the results
of the referendum questions. Waterloo students over-
whelmingly said NO to both questions. This is a great
embarras ment for the current executive ince aJmo t
all past referenda in our chooI' hi tory have been
passed (expect the Campus Centre Referendum
decades ago). Both questions were defeated by a two
to one margin. Five out of ix faculties voted 0 for
both que tions, and ES voted 0 for the Bomber Tax
and Ye for the Capital Improvement Fund. This
result can be attributed to number of factors, but none
of them are important anymore. The Federation made
a few mistake and so did the 0 committee that I
chaired.
As the 0 committee chair, I believe the re ult is
NOT an indication that students do not have faith in
the Federation anymore. I for one still have great
faith in the Feds and plan to stay involved with it.
However, the result is a clear message that students
want the Federation to be more fiscally responsible
and accountable, that they want the Federation's busi-
nesses to be run as businesses, and want to keep stu-
dents' service money where it belongs.
So there is a lot of news, and after letting it settle,
I have a good feeling for the Feds in the coming year.
Tal<e A
Power Hour
Zhan Huan Zhou
3A Comp
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A
I sit here writing this article, my conscience is telling me that I have too
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column for this issue. However, somewhere in those sleepless nights and
hours of frustration, I realized that I have a commitment to produce an article to fill
my allocated pace in this newspaper.
We're looking for innovators - peopl. with the drive to develop the next
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The I ron Warrior Friday. February 19. 1999
Sure, I may lose another hour of sleep or obtain a lower mark on my labs, but
the reward in the end is greater than any amount of sleep or marks I get. I get to see
my article in print for hundreds of people across campus. This hour of writing is
precious to my sanity in many other ways too. For instance, it provides a break from
real-time operating systems, transistor and probability theory. I also get a breath of
where my personal life is at and who I reaJly am. My life isn't school work and I
never want it to be.
Setting aside one hour a week to do something that you really love is more
enjoyable and rewarding than working on school assignments, surfing the web or
watching TV, for it helps preserve the essence of who you are. By falling inLo the
trap of pulling all-nighter and goofing off when time is scarce, you are losing your
defining characteristic. You become someone who you really are not and the cycle
continues until you forget who you are.
Everyone has enough free time to do something useful and enjoyable. How can
you have the time to put in ten hours of work for a lab, but not a single minute for
doing what you really want? Does finding that missing semicolon in your 'C' code
actually enrich your life? What have you gained by finding that missing negative
sign in your calculus assignment? Are those extra marks really worth losing your
individuality?
Instead of wa ting your time during study breaks, why not go to PAC and play
your favourite sport that you haven't played in months or pick up that book that has
been lying on page 132 for the past two weeks. You are never going to relive that
one hour of your life. Would you like it to be tilled with calculus assignments or
omething pleasurable? The choice i yours to make, not mine. Do what you will,
but do what you want.
Take A Zhance has been regularly featured in The Iron Warrior since September 1997.
Pal t sniele can be found al http://www.eng.uwaJer/oo.ca/srUlientlzhzhou
\
\ Every winter term. \ aterloo Engin er. raise
mone} for the K- W chapter of the Big L t 'rs \\ ith a
Bu h Pu. h (\\ell. actually. we pull it - bllt \\hat '.' lhe
diff?). The rOUle b from C\ down King t. to
\ WATERLOO
1arket quare. Luckil). the bu. dri\es us ba 'k. and
rarely docl> an} one get run-o\ cr.
\ University
\ of bIt.S 'N
\ Waterloo
\
Donation. generrtllj e'\ceed five thou. and dollars
(whi h incidentall) . is a. ignit'icant portion of the Big
Si ters' operating budget). and one term. on' per. on
rai . ed O\'er three thousand dollars b;. h1ll1self. The;.
even offered to make him a Big Sister! Push is a
blast. :0 come OU! and join the fun. 'cau.e
\ ..........
WE DON'T GIVE :t DrUIN, FOR ,1S), DA.UN
ONE, THAT DON'T PULL THE BUS!!!
Guest Writer
2A Mech
Aquarius (January 21-February 18):
Dre.aming e past does not bode well for the
" ?" "
If d9 t get your head up and start wor-
0i1). .. ' ut you' re going you'll soon land
difflcult times, No more debating, it' s
ime t 7'choo e. Although it may be painful, there
comes a time when we have to move on.
Pisces (19 February-March 20):
Etiquette is the name of the game right now.

can gain you much attention.

1u re is some substance behind your
fade away, There's a special
house lately. Have you ever
thought of attending a ceili?
Aries (March 21-ApriJ 20):
Q.LJjt chol}1pi_ng at the bit. Your impatience has
,.'
u Y It a of\ trouble lately (even if you aren't
et. flyou don't snap out of it you'll end
ore before you're through, Fortune may
e\lth the branches of a cypress tree.
Gemini (May 22-June 21):
Wise words come from
n pe I providing new direction and
pUlllos. ere is det'inite sign of Wale. in your
future. ot the animal, although. ea joumeys
time so get a move on.
Your oat Is setting ail for uncharted water, . Enjoy
the ride.
Cancer (June 22-July 22):
the time to uncover your hidden talent.
lP'- - y --.- is: you mi ght try adding kiwi
if.:tO' y.. r'1fier: What does adventure mean to
y ut n ry,lto find one. If that fails, make
y own. e are a source of in piration; but
also of distraction - if you let them. Your strength
currently lies with action. Remember to keep the
ball rolling, especially in personal relationships.
Leo (July 23-August 23):
time, all things are possible.
is one luxury you seem to be
laying about on your palmy
....that mound of work. It isn' t as
imposing It 's time to leave any inhi -
bitions behiild and make life happen, If you ee
something th.at catche your fancy go [or il, there's
nothing to lose.
Libra (September 23-0ctober 23):
Sometime, you just ahvc to . urrender and let life
happ n, Of en maller. can take care of themselves.
..1hcte' n need to give yourself an ulcer. Live
d n't 1 11trol it. There is a lot of hao on
the horizon. 'But with chao come 0ppOitunit y if
your're able to see it. Just relax and ride the wave.
You never know where it may take you.
Scorpio (October 24-November 22):
new and exciting is comi ng your
a p nwrtunately you probably won't reali ze or
if until after the fact. Open yourself to
experience, You have extra
{j,g . how so get out and do omething
active thatwlJ1 exerci e your body and mind, You
may want to think about investing in ome ginger;
either for cooking or to make your place smell good.
Sagittarius (November 23-December 21):
The stars shine brightly upon you thi month.
Now is th pte to eek out your true love. A word
of wamil)g"t . slhe isn't who you might other-
expect an s e won't be found in any obvious
'. must be true to your elf before you
carl fully realize the truth in others. Have you seen
Bambi lately? Maybe you should. Keep our eyes
open at the video store too, you never kriow ...
Virgo (August 24-September 22): Capricorn (December 22-January 20):
You can't 'please everyone nil the time; or cven
I of the time. So stop beating your
wall. It's time to rcap what you haw
rl){ about your own pleasurc a littl e more.
u.din the air, Now if only you can find u
way to gra p and hold onlO some of it.
When? - Wednesday March 3 at 4:30 PM
Where? - EL 101
Who? - All Interested Students and Faculty
Only you can voice
your concerns and
ask your questions.
Guest Speakers
Jim Kalbfleisch - Provost
Sujeet Chaudhuri - Dean of Engineering
Tony Vannelli - Chair of E & CE
-
....
The Iron Warrior Friday, February 19, 1999

ust a chromosome away

Caroline Page
Women in Engineering
Director
I
guess I'd better prepare you. This is yet another article
on sexual harassment. This issue flood the daily
media. Some say that this is a positive thing, because
we are cracking down on harassment. Others feel that the
issue has been taken too far. I hope that most of you will
keep reading, if not becau e of the topic, then perhaps in
spite of it. I did a little digging on the topic of sexual
harassment, and I think I've found some. tuff that gives a
little more insight into this important issue.
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is a form of sexual discrimination.
There are two types of sexual harassment: "quid pro quo"
and "hostile environment". Both types of harassment are
characterized by unwelcome exual advances, requests for
sexual favours, and other verbal or physical contact of a
sexual nature. "Quid pro quo" harassment is when sub-
mission to such conduct is made to be a term or condition
of an individual's employment, or when submission to or
rejection of such conduct by an individual is u ed as the
basis for employment decisions affecting the individual..
For this reason, "quid pro quo" harassment may involve
one isolated incident. "Hosti le environment" harassment
is when the conduct has the purpose or effeet of unrea-
sonably interfering with an individual's work performance
or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working
environment. Thi type of harassment involves a decision
by the courts regarding whether or not the criteria are met.
When making this decision, the courts con ider the fre-
quency of the conduct (isolated incident or daily event?),
the nature of the conduct (flirting comments or physical
contact?), and other factors. For this reason, "hostile envi-
ronment" harassment tends to be charged when there is
repeated conduct. This type of harassment also leaves
more room for interpretation by the courts.
Sexual conduct is considered unlawful only when it is
unwelcome, in that the employee didn't solicit or incite it,
and it is regarded as unde irable or offensive. In other
word , a comment or joke appreciated by one individual
can con titute harassment to another. The victim of sexu-
al harassment may be a woman or a man. The victim does
not have to be of the opposite sex, nor doe the victim
have to be the person harassed, but could be anyone
affected by the offensive conduct.
Sexual Harassment and Male Victims
By far the majority of sexual haras ment is by men on
women (50 to 67% of women report harassment). For a
couple of reasons, however, this is almost to be expected.
First, the law and guidelines are often written and lan-
guaged as if sexual harassment is something done only by
"I think that the true situation [of the women
who make up 47% of Playboy managers]
becomes more clear if you imagine Jews
working for a magazine in which Jews are
naked and Christians are clothed."
- Gloria Steinem
males to females. If a male is sexually harassed, he won't
always recognize his right, within the laws and guidelines,
to put a stop to it. Men are viewed a societal oppressors.
As women struggle to upset the balance of power, new
legislation is often written with women as a focus, rather
than with true equality in mind.
Second, gender demographic trends point toward this
phenomenon. Imagine a hypothetical company that
employs 800 men and 200 women (an unfortunate but
realistic example). Assuming that men and
women have an equal tendency toward
harassment, and assuming that this number
is around 10%, there will be 80 male and 20
female harassers. There will therefore be 80
women and 20 men harassed (more assump-
tions, but stick with me here). This repre-
sents 40% of the women, but only 2.5% of
the men. Ron Green, a lawyer who defends
companies in sexual harassment ca es, feels
that more men will experience harassment in
the future as women assume more po itions
of power. This repre entation also ignores male on male
harassment. Men who experience this type of harassment
are not nece sarily homosexual. Effeminate men, men
who are "different", or men who hold traditionally female
roles such as nurses, secretarie , and dental hygienists are
often exposed to harassment and teasing that is much
more vicious than mo t harassment against women. On
top of outrageous verbal abuse and pranks, men can be
subjected to assault, sabotage, and extraordinary levels of
isolation. If the man complains, he is sent for counselling.
The treatment of the victim as being
"By confusing sexual expression, erotica, and even art
with sexual harassment in order to serve the agenda of
narrow-minded prudes hiding behind a feminist banner,
resources that could be spent to help victims will be
spent to pursue censorship."
the person with the problem is due to the
third, and likely the most damaging cause
of the imbalance. There exists a societal
perception that allow men and women to
get away with hara ment, and force men
who endure hara ment to keep it to them-
selve . Men who come forward to report
-posted anonymously by a male on a discussion website
exual harassment are perceived a effemi-
nate and weak, and will be harassed even
The Debate over Sexual Harassment
We live in an environment where discrimination, rape,
and sexual oppre sion are unfortunately a reality. The sex-
ual harassment laws were intended to reduce the discrim-
ination people feel as a result of sex. This doesn't eem
like a bad idea. So why are so many people, particularly
men, critical of the exual hara sment legislation? Are the
men aJI sexist jerks? Or are the women taking it a step too
far?
Two of the common complaints about sexual harass-
more. For this reason, many men don't
report harassment. Although reported case show many
more women reporting sexual hara ment than men, when
privately surveyed. the percentage of men admitting to
receiving unwanted exual attention approaches the per-
centage of women.
It is important to realize that sexual harassment affects
both exes, and is inflicted by both sexes. The damage that
results from harassment varie , but the victim is always
demeaned.
ment are that it is sexist in itself because it is used pri-
__ marily by women, and that no one knows what is
_ considered offensive. I've addressed these issues in order
_ to expand our understanding of sexual harassment.
Sexual Harassment and Human
Sexuality
So when is it harassment and when is it acceptable?
A well-known American sexual harassment case
-

Th8 Irorl Warrrm FmiC'ly FebruClry 19 1999
involves a woman working at a hipyard who is up et
about explicit pin-ups on site. She called this sexual
harassment, and the courts agreed with her, ruling that the
pin-ups contributed to a ho tile environment constituting
sexual harassment.
A less-known case involved a female professor at
Penn State. This professor demanded that a print of
Goya's "Nude Maja" be removed from a cla sroom wall
She felt she was sexually harassed by the idea of male
students looking at this artist' interpretation of the
female body while she was lecturing. A committee on
women's concerns located at the university supported the
position of the professor, and the painting was taken
down.
So were either (or both) or these cases sexual harass-
ment? Each of the women felt that she was being
harassed, so in one sense they are both instances of
harassment. Both the pin-ups and the painting involve
nude women, so if one constitutes sexual harassment,
shouldn't the other constitute it as well? But most people
agree that the pin-ups constitute harassment, while many
fewer will agree with the ruling regarding Goya's paint-
ing. For this reason, the debate over sexual harassment
may be more about sexuality than about harassment.
Depending on how sexuality is expressed, our comfort
levels change. When female bodies are painted in oils or
watercolours, most people seem to feel quite comfortable.
Goya's "Nude Maja"
But when female bodies are photographed, particularly
when the photo involve sexual paraphernalia, men's gen-
italia, or hints at masturbation, many people start to have
issues. Perhaps this is because most people see the paint-
ing as sensual while the photos are sexual. Depending on
who is viewing the material, both can be considered erot-
ic, but both can be considered offensive.
It has come to the point where many people are saying
"if it's sexual, it's harassment". But the true problem is the
perception of what is sexual. Even the best intentions can
be misinterpreted or just plain unappreciated. I can't say
whether Goya painted the his nude with the noblest inten-
tions, appreciating the true beauty of the human form. But
I also can't say whether the Playboy photographer set out
to portray his nude as an object, and meant to demean her.
It is all in the eye of the beholder.
If you feel that you are being sexually harassed, then
legally you probably are, and you have the right to stop it.
This is regardless of whether or not you are a man or
woman, and regardless of what other people tell you. But
for the sake of harmony between the sexes, I would ask
you to consider all of your options before taking the mat-
ter to the Supreme Court. If you receive an unwelcome
remark, make it known, but do it privately. If the harass-
ment continues, you have a case. In terms of harassing
others, be aware that comments you make and comments
made by those around you may not be appreciated. The
majority of people mean nothing derogatory by what they
say. But in order to put a stop to those who do, we must
all be aware of who the perpetrators and who the victims
of sexual harassment really are. Heightened awareness
and tolerance of the issue by both sexes is the only way we
can hope to make it go away.
How To Build T
Jenny Mitchell
3A Enviro-Chem
ENVidious
O
kay, so you've now had over a week to finish the
construction of your fort. Unfortunately, due to
the recent snowmelt. there's probably nothing left
of it except for a puddle. Well, even with the lack of snow,
the snow fort discussion will continue.
Get a New Plan Stan
There are many other things that need to be taken into
consideration before your carefully constructed mound of
snow can truly be declared a fort. This is where strategy
comes into play. Basically, there are two strategies possi-
ble: either to be the aggressor or to pretend to not be the
aggressor. 'Being the aggressor' strategy is fairly straight-
forward: you take on the role of the intimidator. Those
who fear you may consider you the 'bad guy', but if that's
what it takes to be in control of the situation, then you're
going to be bad to the bone! Pretending to not be the
aggressor is the sneaky, devious, and deceptive strategy.
Being meek, friendly, and unassuming wiJIlure them in.
Yes, it's an evil plan ... but it works if done correctly. You
have to earn your enemies' trust, at least enough so that
they come within snowball-throwing range. This strategy
definitely requires a lot more patience. In the end, the look
on their faces as they stand in shock at a full, no holds
barred pelting, is more than rewarding. This is very sim-
ilar to successfully pulling off a double-cross; they never
expect it and are completely dumbfounded when it hap-
pens. Problems do arise when you and your fort are actu-
ally being attacked all the time. This is a very serious
situation; however, with some careful planning, the tables
will tum and you will emerge the victor. It's all about tim-
ing and waiting, and snowballs. You should get this
favourite phrase of mine stuck in your head: "Maybe not
today, maybe nOl tomorrow, but someday (when you least
expect it) [ will get you back." The key here is to wait.
Make them wonder when you are going t 1
them worry about it. Then, when they have finally
relaxed, you jump out of the bushes with your army of
snowmen and attack! This works all the time, but make
sure that you have more snowmen then they do and that
your snowmen know how to throw snowballs.
Some Help from Bob Vila
Based on your choice of strategy, you will want to
appropriately decorate your fort; either as Caslle
Grayskull or Little House on the Prairie. The exterior of
the fort is for the enemy to see, and the interior is for your
own enjoyment. There are a number of ways to impres-
sively decorate your fort. The main thing is to be creative.
If you want to follow the foreboding castle look, archways
and turrets are great. These are most easily built using
blocks of snow (as discussed last issue in Part I). You'll
also want to consider the functionality of these compo-
nents. Turrets, if large enough, can act as watchtowers to
observe the movements of the opposition. Archways, if
carefully constructed, can also double as a defence mech-
anism (refer to the section on weaponry for more details).
You'll also want to consider where to put windows and
doors. The 'windows' should actually be quite small,
resembling peepholes because the only purpose they serve
is for spying on the enemy. There's no sense in having a
large open hole in your fort because this would only allow
unsuspected snowballs to hit you in
the back of the head as you eat your
snow cones at the dinner table (yes,
you will have a table). In the case of
doorways, you'll have to decide if you
want to be able to close the door.
Open doors are the easiest to make, but
can be very disadvantageous. A closed
doorway, on the other had, needs a lit-
tle more planning. The actual door can
be a large snowball that you roll in
front of the doorway, or you can use
some wood or fabric. You'll also want
to consider how visible your door is
going to be. Sometimes having a
secret entrance is very useful, especial-
Jy if you need to escape quickly during

an attack. Tunnels are another excellent idea. Depending
on how large your fort is, you can have an entire maze of
tunnels. If you're concerned with defences, nothing can
Part 2
help delay the enemy from knocking down your door
more than a large moat surrounding your fort. Ju t dig out
a large trench, and fill it with slu h, mud, eggs, spaghetti,
roadkiU, or anything else you can find that is completely
disgusting (remember, you want to be entertained by those
who fall in). You can even have an alligator or monster in
your moat.
A fort isn't complete without a little exterior paint to
dress it up. However, I would suggest leaving the latex
paint in the can. The best and cheapest way to colour
snow is using food colouring. Just add some food colour-
ing to some snow. mix it around a bit. and then place the
snow on the fort where you'd like the colour to be. You
can really personalise your fort this way and make it stand
out above the rest (a real help when trying to be intimi-
dating). Once the exterior is complete, give it a light spray
of water. The water will harden to ice and make the walls
even stronger.
o e
You can add colour to the interior of your fort too.
Although this serves no real purpose
in your quest for domination. it'll
make your fort cosy and comfortable.
There are also a few essential items
for the interior of your fort. Firsl of
ail, you'll need shelve . ... and lots of
them. At least one entire wall should
be dedicated to shelve. This is where
you will store your ar ena1. The
shelve should be about 15 crn apart
(just enough space for a snowball).
Just think. rows and rows of now-
balls - it's so beautiful it nearly brings a tear to my eye.
You'll also want to include a 'refreshments' cooler. This is
simply a section designated in the fort for beverages.
Since you are working outside. in the snow, with temper-
atures below zero, it is not necessary to drag your little bar
fridge out with an exten ion cord. That's just being silly.
You'll also want a chair and table in your fort because
you'll have to put your beverages on something! The chair
can be as simple as shaping a mound of snow to fit your
body, and the table the can be a big block of snow.
However, if you want to get fancy, you can use a board of
wood as the tabletop and use small blocks of snow as legs.
---_ ...........
A Game of Hide and Seek
You'll always want to include some sort
of decoy in order to keep the upper hand on
your enemies. The decoy techniques you use
greatly depend on the strategy you have cho-
sen. Here are just a few ideas you can use to
trick your enemies. Having people stand
guard outside is a great way to spot the
enemy ahead of an attack, however, it seems
that no one ever volunteers for this position.
This is rather surprising since it comes with
so many employee benefits - frostbite,
hypothermia, and dental coverage (for those
chattering teeth). A simple solution to this
problem is to use snowmen. When carefully
constructed and well dressed, it's very diffi-
cult to tell that they aren't real people. In
fact, you could make an entire army! Another way to
trick your enemy is to lay a track of footprints. You can
be very creative with this: tracks to nowhere, tracks to
art
their home. tracks that tum into rabbit tracks. tracks that
tum into Bigfoot tracks. All you have to do is walk to
wherever and walk back. But you have to be extremely
careful on your walk back. Each tep should follow your
original track . Walking backwards, although difficult for
some, is easy if you go cautiou ly and keep your balance.
This may be easier said than done though since you'll be
walking backward on snow and ice. Also, pick a time
when your enemies won't ee you making the e tracks.
Not only will it prevent them from laughing hy tericallyat
you, but al 0 they'll be Ie, s likely to attack your fort if they
think you're . till in it. Now for the baule. What you want
to do is make your enemy waste his or her re ources on
fake target and one way of doing thi i to get a whole
bunch of toques. hat, caps. and beanies. You'll want to
place them around your fort in uch a manner as to simu-
late the top of someone' head peaking out over the wall.
If done well, the enemy will never know that il i not the
top of someone's head. By time they realize that the tar-
get aren't real. mo t of their ammo will be used up and
you can finish the attack.
Attack of the KHler Snowball!
So, your fort is complete. And you sit, waiting for
them to arrive. But the question remains, when you see
the whites of their eye, what do you do? Well, there are
actually many options when it comes to either protecting
yourself or attacking the enemy. The most obvious of
course is the phere of ice and snow - the snowbalJ. A
time honoured and cherished weapon, its effectiveness is
entirely dependent on the user's aim and throwing ability.
I'm pretty sure that everyone knows how to make a snow-
ball, so there really is no point in discussing it. You do
want to make sure that your snowball will explode on con-
tact; however, otherwise your just giving the enemy more
ammo. It would be like saying, "Here, I don't need this.
d ' t u Lak it d lhr w itri ht ba I 1" Thi '
is not a particularly good idea if you want to win. Slush
balls are another very
effective weapon. They are
a littlt' to work wllh
hut ill the end Jl'S all wmth
it , especially wlwrl they
splatter Ihe
lael' . 11' you'vc ever be n
'slushed' hy II pas:-.ing car.
you will thl'
feeling. If you rcally want
to do some damage though.
"------.... II tnck is to usc potu-
loe. (just he prl!pHrcJ to have tlwln CO/llC right hack at
you). A peeled potato. although ()ff while. is the perfect
snowball twin. And the best thing about potatoes is thut
sometimes they come with potato guns. A potato gun is
made out of PVC piping and involves the usc of nammil
ble aerosol (you're cllaincers, you figure it out). Never in
my life have I seen a potato ny as far and as high as when
launched from a potato gun. Therc may be objects around
your fort that can be used as weapons LOO. Trees with
snow accumulated 011 the branches, for example, can be
very useful in dumping tOilS of snow on someone all at
once. By tying a string lo the branch. a little tug will start
all the snow tumbling down like an avalanche. Also, as
mentioned earlier, an archway can be used as a weapon.
All you have to do is remove the keystone to have it come
crashing down on your enemy. Now that you have a few
ideas for your weapons, it is important during planning of
your fort that the weapons are accessible from all areas of
the fort. In other words, you don't want to be attacked
from the back door only then realising that all of your
weapons are placed near the fronl door.
So now you're set. You know how to get the fort con-
structed and decorated, and how to stock all of your
shelves. You even know how to trick your enemy. The
main thing is to be creative and have fun. But unfortu-
nately, due to the recent snowmelt, you'll probably have to
wait awhile before you can unleash the creative monster.
However, it never hurts to plan ahead. So get started on
your designs and when that next snowstorm comes you'll
be all set to start construction on your snow fort - after you
finish shovelling the driveway.
The Iron Warrior Friday. February 19. 1999
-
-

A
S ocial C ODlmentary
Sabrina Foster
lB Mech
P
our girls in a room; ordinary in any circum-
stances, but not here. This is an engineering
classroom: row upon row of dull grey planks,
surrounded by a sea of plastic and metal. The multi -
coloured, stencilled identifiers brought uniformity to
the chaos. Remnants of arduous days gone by lay scat-
tered about every horizontal surfaceband then there
were these girls. It is the weekend. Who is this quar-
tet and why don't they belong?
None of these girls posses any striking features or
disfigurements that would distinguish them from any
average member of the population. Their face are
serious, but not pained, exuding a sentiment of purpose
and strength. Their dress is relaxed, yet not unattrac-
tive. The air is tepid and stale, but sweetened slightly
by vapours of carbonated, brown liquid, the essence of
the new generation. Their aura is not one of anger or
hostility. No evidence of pagan sacrifice is apparent.
Their only possessions are great bound tomes of much
pain and suffering: the dreaded <shudder> calculus
textbook.
We do not know their identities, and yet we seem
to know who they aren't. Their names do not belong
to the great pyramid of racquet sport strength, but they
also aren't being ostracized for their tardiness in con-
tributin to the pot of wealth. What makes them stand
out is their presence.
Many hours pass, and they remain, constant like
the hellish prick of Needles. As each one of us opens
the door and takes a step in, like the Bears coming
back to the cottage where Goldilocks lies fast asleep,
we catch a glimpse of them, assess, and choose to
retreat.
Predictably, like a simile in a short story, one brave
soul dares to encroach. Wary, but assured, he unpacks
his effects and tries to setlle himself into the contami-
'Rose in Charcoal' M. J. Pigozzo
nated clean-room. This new element keeps to him-
self, and tries to focus on the task at hand. Although
unobtrusive, the presence of these four girls becomes
more pronounced as the second hands tum in their
uniform, continuous and bounded motion. He cringes,
re-evaluates the situation, and decides to press on, just
to prove something to himself about inner strength.
Then his will is tested as the girls start to mark their
territory a little more. A little Chinese food here, a lit-
tle Britney Spears there, and suddenly, the aneurysm
bursts. In the end, our hero has to admit defeat.
The girls were saddened and put their minds
together, so as to find a way to stop scaring away the
masses. Their fearless leader came up with a scheme
to welcome others by creating a message that could be
affixed to the outside of the door. In ostentatious flu-
orescence, it read: "We don't bite (much)". However,
it was too late. The word had already spread about the
girls. All there will ever be is a room of outsiders.
Wheel of morality, tum, turn, tum. Tell us the les-
son that we must learn:
# 69 - Change is an unwavering giant with no
David in sight.
Epilogue
The next day, one of the girls happened by the hall-
way outside the infamous enclosure. To her dismay,
she saw that the message of hope had been cruel1y tom
down, and that it was now a doormat for those that it
was meant to welcome.
Some say that the sign just fell off (girls don't know
how to use tape, and they didn't even use the duct
kind), but that just wouldn't fit with this commentary.
Appendix
In other words, there were four engineering chick
silting in a Sy tems cia sroom, drinking Pepsi and
studying for calculu. Every shmoe who came in the
room either quickly left, or came in and became dis-
gruntled. What's with that?
Mat Pigozzo
2A Mech
With the millenium approaching one wonders what we
can expect. How did people deal with such significant dates in
the past? Well...
2.000,000 B.C. - "J am bacteria, hear me roar!"
3,000,000 B.C. - Somewhere on the African savannah "I can
walk (upright) - it's a miracle. Wait a
minute. how do J know english?"
7,000 B.C. - Mesopotamia: The birth of civilization "Every
year fruit" and vegetables come here to feed. If we wait here for
them we won't have to travel to catch them. Let's build a city to
celebrate. "
1,000 B.C. - Fear grips the planet. Only a thousand years left.
No one is sure what will happen when we run out of years. The
people lament: 'Why didn't they start counting at a higher num-
berT
o -Mass confusion strikes the global community. No one can
decide whether to us the B.C. or A.D. suffix. Oh and some kid
named Jesus is born in a stable.
1,000 A.D. - Prophets and soothsayers proclaim the end of the
world is at hand. The first teJe-psycic scam.
2,000 A.D. - No more video games!?! Truly the end is upon us.
3,000 A.D. - What would have been the greatest New Year's
party in history - jf we hadn't nuc\early erradicated ourselves
several hundred years earlier.
Glass
I have heard the silent sorrow of the stars
held rigid in their frozen prison
I have drank of the cup of love
of a beauty lost
a soul woven of tears
I have shunned the beginning
____________________________________ ______________________
Love Heart ilie middle was confusing revelation
Life is ilie maiden of pain
Oh but a spark against the cold emptiness of the abyss,
the only weapon with which to fight the darkness,
an ember - thrust boldly into the uncaring void
to be swallowed
_ but illuminate the universe
The heavenly vision
an angel wreathed in flame
I would rather face a thousand warriors
than a woman's questioning heart.
A stairway to heaven
I have dreamt of the rule of man
the death of gods
and the end of time
________________ ________________
The Imn Warrior Fr iday. February 19. 1999
THE
IRON
RING
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL '99 GRADS
Iron Ring Ceremony - Introductory Talks:
Thursday, February 25,1999 - in EL 101
- 4:30pm - all Chern , Geos, Mech and System
- 5:30pm - all Civils, Comps, Elecs, and Enviros
Iron .Ring Fittings:
Thursday, March 4th, 1999 - in CPH 3385
- 4:00pm Electrical
- 4:30pm Chemical and Computer
- 5:00pm Civil , Environmental and Geo
- 5:30pm Systems
- 6:00pm Mechanical
IRON RING CEREMONY (this is where you get
your iron ring):
THURSDAY, MARCH 11 TH, 1999
Theatre of the Arts
- 4:30pm Civil (B), Computer (B), Mechanical (B)
- 5:30pm Chern (A), Enviro (A), Geo (A),
Mechanical (A), Systems
- 6:30pm Chemical (B), Electrical (A&B)
note: You mu t bring the card that you received at
the ring fitting to the ceremony in order to be admit-
ted. The Iron Ring Ceremony i a incere ceremony
- dress code is in effect. Plea e be prompt, there is
no admittance to the Theatre of the Art. once each
ceremony begin .
IRON RING STAG:
- this is the big party after the Iron Ring Ceremony
- black clothing rule in effect (ask someone if you
don't know)
THURSDAY, MARCH 11TH, 1999
Bingemans 8pm - 2am
- buses will be leaving the E I cul-de-sac on the 112
hour starting 7:30pm
- tickets are available in the orifice
- ticket purchase includes: bus ride there and back,
IRS shorts, IRS mug, and admission to Bingemans.
Plummer's Pledge
YEAR AFrER you graduate.
Mike Nevill
Plummer's Pledge cards will be distributed at
4B Elec Eng
the Iron Ring fitting on March 4th. If you don't
Plummers Pledge Director pick up your pledge card then, you will probably
--- be able to find it in your 4th year room after-
W
ith only 20 days left until IRS'991 hope all
you fourth years are contemplating how
much you will be giving to Plummer's
Pledge. If you don't know what Plummer's Pledge is,
let me tell you. Plummer's Pledge is something that
started up about 10 years ago at the same time WEEF
did. The idea is that ince fourth years are graduat-
ing and will soon be making some good money (we
are Waterloo Engineers after all I), they could afford
to pledge to donate money to WEEF over a three
year period starling one year after they graduate.
That's right, if you participate in Plummer's Pledge
you do not start making any payment until ONE
wards. Also, if you lose your card, you can stop
by the WEEF office and we will have extra pledge
cards there. n the pledge card there wil vari-
ous suggested amounts to pledge plus a spot to fiJi
out any amount that you would like to pledge. So,
when you receive the pledge card, fill it out with the
amounl you want to pledge, and drop it in the
Plummer's Pledge box that will be in the Engine 'ring
Society Office, or stop by the WEEP office wh n
someone i there, and they will collect it from you.
So, I hope to see ali your names on pledge cards
in a few weeks time. Ir you have any questions, feel
free to email me at mjll evill @engmail and I will get
back to you as oon as pos ible.
The Sandford Fleming Foundation
CPH 4306
888-4008
WINTER 1999
Sgnal
or
Q&A with Edward
Trapunski
Ian Tien
O?
2A Comp Eng
Off lream
E
dward Trapun ki has a regular egrnent on technology
inve ling on CP24, and his new book "The Secret of
Investing in TechnOlogy Stocks" re ently topped the
Financial Post be tseller list. Iron Warrior caught up with Mr.
Trapunski while in Toronto.
In your opinion, what's the best age to start investing in
technology companies?
I have a son who's eventeen and he ha friend who have
been in for a long time. You've got to start early, yOll have to
invest in what you know, and young people know more about
technology than older people do so this particular sector is a
good one for them to tart with. It' s never too early to start as
soon as you have an interest in it.
What's the best time to sell a holding?
My advice on selling is that you follow the Tarzan syn-
drome, swing from vine to vine, but before you drop one vine,
you look for another one that you could latch onto. If you're
going to sell AT! you're going to have to think of what you're
going to use the money for and what's going to give you a bet-
ter retum than AT!.
What are the characteristics of a strong technology compa-
ny?
The three things you should look for in a technology com-
pany are management , marketing and concept. And you look at
in that r. e m r imp I jJ i ement
of the company, marketing is very important, and concept has to
be there, but it's really the third thing you're looking at.
Which sectors of the industry do you think will lead
in the next live yellrs'!
Evel 'onc\ looking alll!l' 1111cII1cI nghl IlOW. TIll'
the riski 'sl hUI it's also goillg to I'll' the h 'st 1\ wald 111 alc 11Ir
too many Internct compunic:-. urmllld right now, .,0111' of tilem
arc vastly overvalucd It'sJllst ridiculous. Bul if you pick till! I igilt
ones, those arc going to hc Ihe or the BC'1's of thc fululc.
So you wallt to look at Ih,lI particular scpm 'lit alld you want to
look at it carefully and with caution.
Waterloo Campus Activities
sff@dean
TECHNICAL SPEAKER COMPETITION
Winner: Jason Tham, Systems Design Engineering
"Toucan Sam Meets Taguchi"
Other Bamdad Afra, Electrical Engineering
PartiCipants "Code Processer and DSP Devc10pnlcnt Cycle"
'Leah Nacua. Chemical Engineering
l'Conversion of the GaAs Substrate Via Process"
Ryan Sparkes. Computer Engineering
"Attitude Tracking of Space Vehicles"
Shelby Winkler, Mechanical Engineering
"Hard or Soft, Is This A Quality Concern?"
Funding for this award comes from your student contributions and depends on it for continuation.
An organization devoted to the advancement of engineering education.
-
....
The Iron Warrior Friday. February 19. 1999

--
Report
Ryan Chen-Wing
President
eng_prez@engmail
Kelly Fawcett
VP Internal
eng_ vpint@engmai/
Mike Hermann
VP External
eng_ vpext@engmail
Mike Olley
VP Finance
eng_ vpfin @engmail
George Roter
Comissioner
EducationNP Education
From the desk of the President
Feds Elections
You likely know that the Fed elections concluded last
week and the turnout in engineering is the highest it has
been in five years. So for those of you who voted, well
done in lelling the engineering voice be heard; those of
you who didn't vote, please try a little harder next time.
Order of the Engineer
Recently I contacted an engineer in the USA and
found out some interesting things about an organisation
called the "Order of the Engineer". This organi ation gives
out Iron Rings to accredited engineering grads in the US.
It's all pretty interesting stuff. If you want to know any-
thin about it, 'ust e-mail me r come talk 0 me.
Bridging the Gap #3 - Professional Engineers Ontario
Johnny Zuccon is coming from PEO to talk to us about
some of the issues facing engineering students and pro-
fessional engineers. Pre-graduation experience is some-
thing important to us because now we can count up to
twelve months of co-op experience towards our licensing
requirements. Student membership in PEO is something
that is being planned to create ties between students and
the PEO. I hear Johnny is a good guy and a very fine
speaker and I encourage you all to come hear him speak
on 2 March, at II :30 in DWE 1501.
Orientation
The Orientation 1999 Organisers have bcen chosen.
They are, Carolyn Sparrey, Aron Levitz, Mike Mufrels, OJ
Swan and Jacqueline MeAra. They have al l started work-
ing on mak.ing thi next frosh week the best one ever. Be
on the look out for Fro h Leader applications and make
sure you register for the leader training session .
Yearbook
Last issue J described the situation we were in regard-
ing our yearbook contract with Jostens. We obtained some
legal advice and it seems we arc justified in con idering
the contract no longer valid due to Jostens not fulfilling
their contractual obligations. Before the end of the semes-
ter we will meet with Jostens and with other suppliers
again to ensure that whoever upplies our yearbook and
grad photography will provide us with the quality and er-
vice that we require.
From the desk of the VP External
First Year Integration Conference (FYIC)
On March 5-7th we will be sending 10 people to
McMaster's FYIC conference to repre ent Engineering
Societies A and B. This conference is specifically aimed
at first year students with the purpose of encouraging
involvement in student societies, provincial and national
organizations, profes ional development activitie , and
other areas of student interest.
(head delegate). The A society delegates will be Mia
Lafontaine, Amy LaFrance, Marc Rizkallah, Graham
Taylor, and a head delegate to be named later. I have total
confidence that the e students will represent the
Engineering Society with enthusiasm, innovation, and
style.
Project Room
With the conclusion of the GNCTR (Great Northern
Concrete Toboggan Race) the organizers of that confer-
ence have agreed to donate their computer and furniture to
the establishment of a new office for the running of con-
ferences and similar events. This room would be open for
u e by groups such as the ESSCO AGM organizer and
the Career Fair organizers. The specific location of this
room has not yet been defmed, but discussions with the
Dean's office have begun.
Shadow Days and Explorations
The Engineering Society will be hosting two awe orne
events in March for the community and prospective stu-
dents. Shadow Day will be on March 2nd and 3rd, so jf
you're interested in being a Shadowee (taking a High
School student around for the day to ee your cla es and
labs) then you can sign up with your cia rep or in the
Orifice (CPH 1327).
Explorations is a community event where we invite
children to bring their parents to see what engineering i
all aboul. On the evening of March 15th there will be
almost 1500 people on campus to tour over 30 di plays
and presentations. Volunteers are definitely needed, and if
you're interested, please e-mail Jacqueline McAra, the
Explorations director (email: jmcara@engmail.uwater-
ioo.ca). There will be food and a free t- hirr for each vol-
unteer. And all the free fun you can handle!
ESSCOAGM
Each summer the Engineering Students Societies
Council of Ontario holds it's Annual General Meeting
(AGM). This conference will be held here at the
Univer ity of Waterloo on June 4th-6th. The Engineering
Society will also be sending delegate to this conference
as usual. Application will be done on-line at
engsoc.uwaterloo.ca. Check the ~ e s i t e later in the term
for the application form.
From the desk of the VP Internal
Howdy everyone! I hope everyone has done well on
their Midterms. ) fini hed all of mine before the reading
weeks so I celebrated by going to Mont Tremblant, 2
hour north of Montreal. To ay the lea t, the snow was
incredible, and the night life was even better!
Past Events
So thing have been fairly quiet for the la t two week .
tum out than usual but we sti ll made quorum. Keep in
mind our next Council meeting on February 24th, certain
members of our society should be dressed to perform.
Upcoming Events
So watch for up coming events now that Midterms are
over (Mudbowl, and many more but I can't think of them
right now). Our MOT (Middle Of Term) pub night in
POETS will be on Friday, Feb 26th, Come one, Come
ALL!
Elections
So nominations will be open on Monday 22nd for all
the five EngSoc executive po itions. ]f anyone has any
questions about VPI plea e contact me by e-rruHl aw-
cet@engmail and I would be happy to spend some time
with you to explain this po ition. There is also some infor-
mation on our webpage at engsoc.uwaterloo.ca and under
our resource manual. That's all for this week, folks.
From the desk of the VP Finance
Expense Forms
Keep in mind that the weekly deadline for the forms is
Fridays at 3:30, with cheques being ready for pick-up in
the Orifice on Tuesday.
From the desk of the Comissioner
Education
Engineering Society Policy - Number B2
The second reading of this policy took place at the
Engineering Society Council meeting on Wednesday
February 10. After the reading was completed, the floor
was opened for discu sion; however, council members
were rather apathetic (or the drafting of the policy was
completed so perfectly that no debate was required!). The
policy was then put to a vote and passed unanimously.
With the policy in place, the position of Vice President,
Education will be included as an executive position to be
filled in the upcoming Engineering Society elections.
Furthermore, the unanimous nature of the vote suggests
that a permanent voting position of Vice Pre ident,
Education is backed in spirit by the members of the
Engineering Society. Thus, a motion for constitutional
changes to include the position will be pre ented at the
next Engineering Society Council meeting.
From the desk of the VP
Education
The B Society delegates will be Dave Clegg, Chris
_ Dixon, Meaghan Gibbons, Amy Gohn, and Mik.e Olley
GNCTR went extremely well and I hope everyone had a
chance to either volunteer or come out and join in the fes-
tivities. We had our third council meeting on February
IOlh, which was during midterm week so it wa a maller
Thition Deregulation Forum
All students and faculty are invited to attend a Tuition
-

The Iron Warrior Friday. February 19. 1999
Deregulation forum on Wedne da) March 3rd at 4:30 PM in EL 101.
University Provo t Jim Kalbflei ch will be giving a hon pre entation on
the i sues urrounding tuition deregulation at the University of Waterloo.
These issues will include the task. force report on ruition. ATOP, and dif-
ferential fee . Following the pre entation, Sujeet Chaudhuri. Dean of
Engineering, and Ton) Vannelli. Chair of E &CE, will be joining Mr.
Kalbfleisch in addres ing tudent que tion and concern . Thi is an excel-
lent opportunity for students to communicate their concern to faculty and
administration. and imultaneou Iy become more infonned about the
Vniver ity's po ition on the e difficult is ue . I per onally look forward to
seeing excellent student participation in this very important di cu ion.
@=J my nose
FINGERg
Stuart Doherty
2A Sy. (fill'} Design
POSTIONS:
n
President
g
Vice-President, External
Vice-President, Internal
Vice-President, Finance
Vice-President, Education
WEEF Director
Woohooo. They let me write again. It 's a good Ihing too because I was looking in
our beloved IW editor's fish tank lh other da and the beer cell in my brain, I mean the
brain cell in my beer, I mean the brain cell nonnally subjected to a , eriOlls drowning
after a night at the bomber, started to crank. 1 had to talk to somebody about this. What
is going on in thi Ii h tank? There' , a whole aquatic soap opera taking place in that tank,
and we can only begin to peculate on how dramatic it must be. Who lept with who 1a t
night? Actually, 1 guess for fi h it would be: Who drifted \\ ith who last night? This kind
of thing mu t happen a lot. And don't think the other fi h aren't watching. Everyone
knows everything, and anyone who doe n't can go ask the go sipy Dalmatian-looking
fish, even though everyone thinks she's gaining weight - even Luke (we were actually
talking about maybe developing a pecial diet for her. When she wims to the top of the
tank to eat, we beat her back with our fingcr every other day. Don't worry though. we
would never actually do it). Now when the tank light goes out, that's when the real drama
unfolds. Whose fin rubbed again t mine? What happencd to the baby fish? Help, the
scavenger fish i nibbling at my dorsal fin!
What about per onal dramas like the de ire to e, cape from thi 'go-no-where' tank to
move on to bigger and better thing, like the ocean. "No no littlc Sammy", say old
Grampa fish. "The ocean isn't for regular fish like you and me. Only special fi h can go
there .. Just be happy Luke bought us a water hcater." Little Sammy gets to.ld this enough
times and he will never dream anything again. I gues as far as a fish's life goes Sammy
would have to really get cracking on tho e ocean plans oon.
s
o
c
DATES:
Nominations:
Open 22 February
Close . 26 February
Campaigns:
Sta
End 8 March
Voting:
9 March
Nationa
National Engineering Week (NEW), now in its eighth
year, i an annual event dedicated to raising public aware-
nes of the important role engineering plays in the lives of
all Canadians. There are more than 160,000 professional
engineers in Canada and we are the world's fourth largest
exporter of engineering services. Canadian engineers are
helping to increase the quality of life around the world.
NEW is an opportunity to celebrate Canada's engineering
achievements, highlight the academic and career opportu-
nities which abound in engineering, and demonstrate how
Canadian engineers contribute to the nation's 'economy
and global competitiveness.
More than 500 events organized by provincial and ter-
ritorial engineering associations will be held across the
country during NEW 1999, which takes place this year
from February 27 to March 6. The opening ceremonies for
NEW will be conducted at the National Museum of
Science and Technology in Ottawa on March 1, 1999.
At this event, NEW organizers will unveil the five
most significant Canadian engineering achievements of
the 20th century and announce the results of a national
poll asking Canadians which of these achievements makes
them most proud to be Canadian. To be considered as one
of Canada's most significant engineering achievements,
projects had to meet several key criteria:
I. They must have been conceived, designed and exe-
cuted with significant input by a Canadian engineer or
Then there's the scavenger fish. He is a complete out-cast from the group.
Slithering up the sides of the tank, eating all the minuscule deposit of fish excrements.
How can the other fish be expected to rcspect a fish like that? Not to mention the fact
that his colour isn't the most vibranl in the lank. All the others are red, and speckled, or
have rainbow tails. You are what you eat hold true meaning ror this guy. As I write thi
article he is gnawing away at the funky shaped log at the bottom of the lank while Wil
taps at the sides, confu ing all the fi h. Poor little scavenger ft sh. Luke likes him becau. e
he doesn't ave clean r. ca 118 r . l grow
to resent Luke for this.
With all the stress of living in the confined space of a fish tank its no wonder
fish don't live very long. I wonder if the monkey T wllnt to have would !wt alolll' with till'
fish. Maybe he would be more sensitive 10 thi' fish thull Luh' and I Iwc:ItIM' Ill' lIndt'l
tand them. I don't know. Either way, mayhe we can :111 learn a tmlll the
monkey and be more sensitive to ollr fish ulld their plight.
gWee
team of engineers;
2. They must have involved groundbreaking engi -
neering thinking and ingenuity; and
3. They must have demonstrated the scope and
sity of Canada's engineering proression.
The shortlist of Canada's live most notable engineer-
ing achievements was compiled by NEW's Executive
Committee based on extensive research, as well as inpul
from national engineering organizations.
Each year, a high-profile Canadian engineer is invited
to serve as Honourary Chair of NEW. This year's
Honourary Chair is Micheline Bouchard, ing., President
and CEO of Motorola Canada Limited. She hopes to moti-
vate students to consider a career choice in the engineer-
ing field (bio available).
As part of NEW 1999. organizers will present the
Canadian Engineering Memorial Foundation Engineering
Students' Project Award and honour the winners of the
Science and Engineering Olympics. ]n addition, there are
several professional initiatives taking place during NEW.
Participants of the First National Forum on Engineering
and Continuing Education will discuss formalizing con-
tinuing education as part of an engineer's life-long learn-
ing experience. The Honours, Awards and Fellowships
Banquet of the Engineering Institute of Canada will rec-
ognize the achievements of Canada's outstanding engi-
neering professionals.
NEW is organized by a national Executive Committee
with representatives from the Canadian Council of
Professional 8ngineers ( PE), the Canadian Academy
of Engineering, the Engineering In"titutc oJ Canada, lhe
Association of Consulting Engineers of' Canada, the
National Coullcil of' Deans of Ellginccring and Applied
S(;icncc, and the Canadian Federation of Engineering
Students.
NEW i" made posslhle thanK:. 10 the financial support
of many organilatiolls. including AGRA, Meloche
Monnex. Manulire Financial, Bombardier. Encon
Insurance Managers Inc. and Motorola Canada Limited.
The Iron Warrior Friday. February 19, 1999
-
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A.T.S. Ltd.
Ainley and Associates Ltd.
Allied Signal Aerospace Canada
AMP of Canada Ltd.
AMS Management Systems Canada Ltd.
Architel Systems Corp.
Array Systems Computing Inc.
Astron Specialty Metals Ltd.
Babcock & Wilcox
Barrick Gold Corp.
Budd Canada Inc.
Canadian National
Centerline (Windsor) Ltd.
Cosburn Patterson Mather
Dofasco
DOW Chemical Canada, Inc.
DY-4 Systems Inc.
Engel Canada Ltd.
Evertz Microsystems Ltd.
Exco Engineering
The '99 Grads woud like to recognize the generous COlltributions of the follow-
ing organizations to their yearbook:
Fa1conbridge Ltd.
Ferranti-Packard Tran formers Ltd.
Fisher Canada, Stainles Steel Tubing Inc.
G N Nettest (Canada) Inc.
GE Multilin Inc.
Genesis Microchip Inc.
Gerdau Courtice Steel Inc.
Gold Crown Brewery
Hammond Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
Hatch Associates Ltd.
Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Co., Ltd.
Husky Injection
I.B.1. Group
IBM Canada Ltd.
Interautornation
I -S tat Canada
I.T.S. Electronics Inc.
J.S. Redpath Ltd.
Janna Systems Inc.
Linamar Corp.
Lumonics Inc.
Marshall Macklin Monaghan Ltd.
Messier-Dowty Inc.
Mitel Corp.
Mold-Masters Ltd.
Moore Products Co. of Canada Inc.
MOSAID Technologies Inc.
N armco Group
NCR Canada Ltd.
New Automation Corp.
NOVA Chemicals
Ornron Canada
Ontario Concrete Pipe A ociation (OCPA)
Parker Hannifin (Canada) Inc.
Paron Metal Fabricating Inc.
PIXStream
Proctor & Redfern Ltd.
Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO)
QNX Software Systems Ltd.
Raytheon Canada Ltd.
Rockwell Automation/Allen-Bradley
RohMax Canada
Royal Bank of Canaoa
Schlumberger of Canada Inc.
Scientific-Atlanta Canada Inc.
Stantec Consulting Ltd.
Stone & Webster Canada Ltd.
Syncrude Canada
Syndesis Ltd.
Telesat Canada
Timberjack Inc.
Triton Engineering Services Ltd.
UMA Engineering Ltd.
Viessmann Manufacturing Company Ltd.
Vilo Systems Ltd.
Vista Engineering Corp.
Volkswagon Canada
VRP Web Technology Inc.
Wescast Industries Inc.
Westinghouse Canada Inc.
Woodbridge Foam Corp.