The Ontarion - 184.12 by The Ontarion

184.12 APRIL 05, 2018

YOUR NEWSPAPER ESTABLISHED 1951

TAYLOR “THE BOSS” REDMOND: Special Olympian, CFRU host, motionball ambassador.

LIGHTS Canadian singer Lights on inspiration for her album and comic Skin & Earth. PG 05

PG 12

OH POOP!

A documentary debunking fecal matter myths. PG 02

Young women turn to sugar daddies to pay their tuition . PG 10

NEWS

THE ONTARION

0 3 | P R OTESTI NG 101

04 | RESIL IENC E SC HOLARSHIP

@Ont ar i on _ News

ON THE RADAR Compiled by Tiann Nantais

ELIZABETH MAY-HEM

At a protest against the KinderMorgan pipeline expansion in Burnaby, B.C. on March 20, Federal Green Party leader Elizabeth May and NDP MP Kennedy Stewart, were arrested and charged with civil contempt. May will return to court on June 14. CBC PREZ

Catherine Tait, a champion of Canadian media content, has been named the first female president of CBC/R adioCanada. Tait has worked in Canadian television and film for over 30 years, serving as Canada’s cultural attaché to France as well as the president of multiple production companies.

“Myth or Science: The Power of Poo” premiered April 1 at 8 p.m. on the CBC. | PHOTO COURTESY OF CBC

Poo Power CBC documentary featuring two Guelph professors

MARCH MADNESS

The Villanova Wildcats defeated the University of Michigan on April 2 to become the new NCAA men’s basketball champions. Villanova’s Donte DiVincenzo scored 31 points and was named Most Outstanding Player. OBITUARY

At the age of 81, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, “The Mother of the Nation,” passed away in Johannesburg on April 2. Second wife to Nelson Mandela, Madikizela-Mandela was the face of South Africa’s anti-apar theid movement throughout her husband’s time in prison. She also served as a member of Parliament in South Africa and deputy minister of arts, culture, science, and technology.

Index News ..............................................02 Arts & Culture..............................05 Sugar Babies............................... 10 Sports & Health ......................... 12 Opinion............................................ 14 Editorial ......................................... 15 Fun Page........................................ 16

investigates myths and facts about poo C AT C O O P E R

The Nature of Things has come out with a new episode and it’s all about poo. From fecal bacteria on your toothbrush to producing drinking water from sewage, the show explores the “myth or science” behind some of the more commonly held conceptions about human waste. It also features two University of Guelph professors: Dr. Cezar Khursigara and Dr. Emma Allen-Vercoe. In the documentary, Khursigara debunks the myth that we can’t digest corn by comparing a fresh kernel with one that has been digested by the presenter. While at first glance the digested kernel appears mostly intact, Khursigara explains that the only thing that hasn’t been broken down by the digestive microbes is the cellulose shell. Allen-Vercoe, a microbiologist, focuses on the human intestinal biome and the effects that different conditions or human-microbe interactions can have on those organisms. In order to do that, Allen-Vercoe explains, “we culture a lot of microbes that were once considered to be ‘unculturable.’ They turn out to be nutritionally very fastidious and many find even a whiff of oxygen highly toxic. So, we created a ‘life support system’ to be able to grow these microbes in the lab in vitro, using conditions that mimic those in the gut.” Allen-Vercoe describes how they

THE CBC’S

Dr. Cezar Khursigara PHOTO BY ALORA GRIFFITHS

Dr. Emma Allen-Vercoe PHOTO BY ALORA GRIFFITHS

can use this system to demonstrate disruptions to the microbiome and estimate the possible repercussions to human health. “We have a project allowing us to study, for example, the premature infant gut microbiota and how it develops, and how this development may go awry in some infants and cause serious disease — this would not be easy to study in vivo [in the living organism] for obvious reasons,” she states. “ T he study of the human gut microbiome is relatively uncharted territory that science has only started looking at within the last 15 years or so. I’ve been lucky to

have been involved in this field for most of this time, and what fascinates me the most is how much we have underestimated the importance of microbes to human health. We know far more about microbes that cause disease, and yet these represent only a tiny fraction of microbial species in our bodies,” said Allen-Vercoe. A llen-Verc o e a ls o t ack le s another common myth: a vegetarian diet makes your poo smell better. For the smell test, Allen-Vercoe created “smell-alikes” of each sample of vegetarian poo and meat poo, and had volunteers rank the smells, with higher ratings

What fascinates me the most is how much we have underestimated the importance of microbes to human health. smelling worse than lower ratings. The meat poo came out on top, with a lower ranking of 7.2, while the vegetarian poo was a close second with a ranking of 7.3, debunking the myth that vegetarian poo smells better. The full episode of “Myth or Science: The Power of Poo” can be viewed at cbc.ca.

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Your right to a peaceful protest is protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. | PHOTO COURTESY OF THOUGHTCO

The dos and don’ts of protesting A hands-on way to advance your movement O D E S I A H OW L E T T

Take Back the Night, justice for black lives, a union workers strike, or Nestlé boycotts, the Guelph community is no stranger to a protest. Different types of protesting show solidarity with different causes, with rallying/marching being one of the most well-known.

WHETHER IT’S SLUTWALK,

Rallies intend to take up space and inconvenience others to highlight the importance of a specific cause. Walk-out rallies, on the other hand, create an inconvenience because of the absence of people. Strikes are similar to walk-out rallies and are typically organized by union workers to pressure their employers into making a compromise. In extreme cases, breaking the law, or civil disobedience, can be a powerful protesting tool. However, this tactic is best used when a cause is more important than one’s own freedom.

Here is a list of dos and don’ts to help keep protesters safe, and to keep the motive behind your movement at the forefront of conversation.

DO: • Bring water: this is a great time to bust out your reusable water bottle! • Wear comfortable shoes and clothing: especially if you’ll be marching, these are a must. • Make a poster: people should be able to see what you’re protesting if they walk past (bonus points for comedy) • Research what you’re protesting: there’s nothing worse than being

O PI N I O N

Fighting back against debt Generation Screwed raises awareness of

In Ontario, your share of this debt is over $22,000.

Canada’s crushing $600 billion national debt C AT C O O P E R

is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to raising awareness about our national debt, and let’s face it: it’s about time. According to Generation Screwed, Ontario accounts for over $300 billion worth of the over $600 billion national debt. Yes, billion. And if you’re wondering why you should care about the national debt, here’s one reason: in Ontario, your share of this debt is over $22,000, and growing. “Generation Screwed is just the network of young activists on Canadian campuses that are fighting back for their financial future. What we do is we fight against large deficits and large government debt because their deficits and this debt is nothing more than tomorrow’s taxes being used for today’s spendings,” said

GENERATION SCREWED

PHOTO COURTESY OF GENERATION SCREWED

Renaud Brossard, executive director of Generation Screwed, in an interview with The Ontarion. This “tomorrow’s taxes for today’s spending” attitude is not unlike a child putting off doing their chores, hoping that ignoring them will make them go away — which is not an attractive or desirable trait for a government to have. What’s more, no matter who you are, you are born into this debt, unable to absolve yourself of it until the people we elect to represent us get their act together, balance the budget, and start chipping away at the crushing sum. To battle this debt crisis, Generation Screwed endeavours to educate voters, especially on college

and university campuses, about the national debt and what it means for our financial futures. “For us, it’s really about getting more people to know about what the problem is, so ultimately when they vote, they vote taking financial responsibility into account, and they try to analyze which parties are promoting this, and if there’s more and more people who believe in it, there’s going to be more and more politicians that are trying to promote it,” said Brossard. Though there are currently no representatives from Generation Screwed for the University of Guelph, Brossard is hopeful there will be one soon. Ultimately, this debt will be pushed onto our shoulders, and we need to stop pretending this isn’t a problem, or that someone else will take care of it, because our lawmakers have proven time and time again that they will not.

• •

•

asked why you’re protesting and not actually being able to have a coversation about it Bring friends so that you can be safe in numbers Know your rights if approached by law enforcement: you have the right to peaceful protest and are protected by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms Tweet, Insta, Snap, Facebook your protest: getting the word out should be your top priority, and is the most important reason for protesting Bring music, bells, whistles: the louder it is, the more people will stop to see what is happening

DON’T: • Push/hit/slap/hurt people: violence turns protests into riots, which are illegal in Canada • Bring drugs or open alcohol: if things go wrong, you don’t want the police to find any illegal substances in your possession • Protest on private property: the protest won’t last long because the owners of the property can legally kick you off • Resist arrest: if the police detain you, ask why you are being arrested and what laws you have broken, demand medical attention if needed, and know you have the right to remain silent until a lawyer is present

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TH E O NTA R I O N

Choose2BeResilient encourages youth to confront grief In honour of the memory of Kaya Firth, Zach Sutherland, and Eion Campbell M AT T E O C I M E L L A R O

U of G students Kaya Firth and Zach Sutherland passed away in a tragic kayaking accident. One year later, the Firth and Sutherland families wanted to give back and honour the memory of Kaya and Zach in a positive and constructive way. They founded the Choose2BeResilient scholarship, which awards $2,500 each to two post-secondary students based on their stories of resilience in the face of adversity and grief. The scholarship is now in its second year. The foundation expanded the scholarship this year to award another student $2,500 in honour of the memory of Eion Campbell, a close friend of both families, who passed away from cancer this past January. The scholarship is open to any student who has shown

TWO YEARS AGO,

resilience despite a serious physical or mental health challenge. Jennifer Firth, Kaya’s mother and co-founder of the scholarship, told The Ontarion that Kaya and Zach “impacted so many people in such a positive way that we didn’t want their passing to end that, so this positive ripple effect came out of that initial response.” And the response to the scholarship has been tremendous. Dozens of applications detailing personal hardship, tragedy, and grief poured in from Kaya’s local Georgetown community and throughout Guelph and southern Ontario. “The idea started in our local community, [and] it completely took off. We got so many applicants, and they were so heartfelt that it helped us identify that this was a need,” Firth said. Destigmatizing grief by confronting it

Following the tragedy, the parents of both Kaya and Zach — Jennifer and Duncan Firth, and Darlene and Jeff Sutherland — sought to confront their own grief at a societal level after seeing the impact of the grief process on the younger brothers of Kaya and Zach. “It really became evident that our society’s approach to managing grief, particularly in young people,

Eion Campbell. | PHOTO COURTESY OF JS JONES AND SON FUNERAL HOME

Scholarship created to honour Zach Sutherland and Kaya Firth. PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNIFER FIRTH

is lacking. We saw that there was this societal tendency [for youth] to either shut themselves down or to distract, and we know from ourselves that that wouldn’t work,” Firth said. For the Choose2BeResilient foundation, a more constructive grieving process is about making it possible

for grief to be present, allowing a period of time for “someone to not be okay before they are okay,” Firth said. She also noted that many students learned that lesson through the application process. “ T he scenes that emerged from the applicants is that they understand that [grief ] is not

something that can be bypassed; they’ve learned that [grief] is not something that can be pushed down and pushed aside or skirted around,” Firth said. Firth also notes that, for many applicants, it was the first time that they wrote about their experiences. And many, including the Sutherland and Firth family, paid their experiences forward, allowing the grieving process to open up from something personal and private to something collective and conscious. “For us, this is part of our healing — it’s a way to give back,” Firth said.

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ARTS & CULTURE

THE ONTARION

0 6 | OP EN STUD I OS

07 | NAP EYES

@Ont ar i on _ A r t s

SHE’S A SINGER-SONGWRITER,

Lights talks Juno win, Skin & Earth inspiration, and more Canadian singer wraps up We Were Here Tour K AREN K . TRAN

Between writing a Juno award-winning concept album and being a mother, Lights wrote and illustrated a tie-in six-issue comic. PHOTOS COURTESY OF MATT BARNES/ UNIVERSAL MUSIC

“Lights” isn’t just a stage name — she legally changed her name at the age of 18 to get around copyright infringement.

Lights dyed her own hair bright red to recreate the likeness of Enaia Jin, the protagonist of the Skin & Earth comic. | COURTESY OF DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

mother, and now a comic book artist too. Canadian singer Lights not only recently released her fourth studio album, Skin & Earth — she also published a six-issue comic of the same name that she wrote and illustrated. As Lights nears the end of her We Were Here Tour, The Ontarion had a chance to speak with her over the phone ahead of her upcoming stop in Kitchener on Friday, April 6. Karen K. Tran: First off, congratulations on winning the Juno award for pop album of the year. What was that experience like, especially considering your last album, Little Machines, also won back in 2015? Lights: That is pretty crazy. It’s like a two for one. I’m feeling pretty good. It’s funny, and I commented on this when I went up — my first Junos was in 2009, and it was in Vancouver, and that was almost 10 years ago, so this is all full circle. [This year’s Junos] was back in Vancouver and I feel like so much has changed in those years. Every album has helped shape my sense of self and I’m so thankful for the journey. And being able to come back here, almost 10 years later, and still feel that support and still feel nervous going up and giving a speech and screwing it up — it was so good. KT: With your new comic and album, Skin & Earth, you’ve drawn this really cool character, Enaia Jin. In the past you’ve also referenced anime that you like in your songs, and now in your live shows you’ve played clips of Sailor Moon and Chun Li from Street Fighter when you perform your song “Fight Club.” So I was wondering if you took inspiration from your favourite anime or manga while you were drawing the comic, and if you have any specific characters you really love. L: Yeah, definitely. I think the comic was a fun opportunity to give a nod to all the things that have ever inspired me. Diablo, for one. The world of Diablo is called Sanctuary, so the forest in [my] comic is called Sanctuary Forest. I put little things like that through it that nod to things I like. With manga in particular, I really like Bleach and Attack on Titan and Death Note and Fullmetal Alchemist, and I got to nod to that style of art in a children’s book within the comic. In the comic, the main character Enaia’s favourite children’s book while growing up is called Mitsuki: The Moon Princess. It shows snippets of it throughout and that’s

Every album has helped shape my sense of self. all manga-style. So that was an opportunity to nod to manga-style characters within the comic. I’m actually not that good at drawing manga-style, so I have to work on that a bit more. But it was fun to integrate that a little bit. KT: During this tour, you’ve had your family with you, so what’s that experience been like? Having your daughter, Rocket, on the tour bus with you? L: It’s awesome. She was actually only out on the first month of it, but I think she probably caught a bit of cabin fever spending too much time in the venues. What people don’t realize is that you’re not seeing the cities when you’re on tour, you’re just waiting to play all day for the most part. I think after a while, she was like, “I want to go home.” So she’s at home right now with my husband, but it was awesome. I mean, it really grounds me having her there. She brings a youthful, innocent energy to the tour, which helps when we’ve been out for a long time and everyone gets tired. You have a crappy show or you have a good show — she doesn’t care and she reminds you what really matters. It’s a lot of work though. I mean, I wake up in the morning and instead of playing on my phone for half an hour, I have to get dressed, make her breakfast, and get into Mom Mode for every minute that I’m not in Music Mode. KT: Any plans for a comic and album sequel? L: You know what? When I was working on this, I thought this would just be a tidy six-issue series that closes and it’s all finished. And when I finally got to that last issue and I was perfecting the ending and making sure that it was just right, I realized this isn’t the end. It’s just the beginning. So I think there will be more, but because it’s a one-woman show, and I probably can’t take another year off tour, it might be a while. But I’d like to say that this is just the beginning of Enaia’s story. This interview has been edited for clarity and length. Check out the full interview at theontarion.com

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TH E O NTA R I O N

MFA and specialized students open their studios to the public Artists gain valuable feedback as visitors discuss their work at Open Studios S TO RY & P H OTO S BY L AU R A VAU TO U R Cassandra Ferguson (left), surrounded by her sculptures, talks to a visitor at Open Studios. DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR ,

art students are busy finishing up their semesters and getting ready for the many shows that occur during the last month of school. Open Studios is one of those shows in which MFA students and a number of upper-year undergraduates in the specialized studio class open up their private studios to the public. Sculptural pieces, drawings, paintings, mixed media, and even some film pieces had their place in the show. Some of the themes surrounding the work ranged from cultural, societal, personal,

Emily Lalonde’s work features provocative images of masturbation and sex organs to inspire open conversation.

sexual, and environmental issues. Open Studios is a chance for artists, like MFA student Cassandra Ferguson, to have their work seen by a larger audience. Ferguson expanded on this by saying, “It is good exposure. There are a lot of people here that I don’t think I would have met in another situation, so it is fostering those kinds of connections.” She also shared that one of Canada’s most well-known art collectors made an appearance at the show.

Walter Scott — an MFA student who has shown his work in Canada, Japan, and L.A. — pursued a master’s at Guelph after deciding he wanted to focus on his sculptural practice. Scott views the show as an outlet for discussion, adding, “I mostly just like having conversations about my work and bouncing ideas off of people and seeing what other people’s perceptions are of the work. I focus on the kinds of conversations that I can have. I think that’s very important.”

Walter Scott (left) has focused on sculpture in his MFA — he’s also known for a popular comic, Wendy, satirizing the art student life.

Emily Lalonde, an undergrad in her final year here at Guelph, displayed sculptures conceptually focused on female masturbation and sexuality. Lalonde said she views this show as an opportunity “to talk to gallerists and artists and see how they read my work, to see if it’s actually getting the meaning that I want across.” I asked Lalonde what she wants to accomplish with her art, and she responded: “To get conversations going that aren’t necessarily spoken about. Art is not just to stand back. It is to speak up.” Underg raduate L eonard Walsh’s work is all dependent on chance, as he bases his artistic decisions on dice rolls from Dungeons & Dragons, the tabletop role-playing game. Certain rolls determine everything from what colour of paint he uses to where it ends up on the canvas. Even the words stenciled on the canvas are determined by chance within the game. Walsh had some concrete hopes for Open Studios. “A show would be nice,” said Walsh, “but I still think I have to develop the work a bit more. Just to be seen would be good.” The central theme that these artists discussed as to what students gain out of shows like these

Leonard Walsh’s artistic choices are determined by dice rolls in games of Dungeons & Dragons.

is the feedback and conversation initiated between the audience and themselves. “The best thing about it is being able to clean my studio and set it up in a professional manner and then have people

in here to spark that dialogue… because I think the conversation is the most valuable thing right now,” said Ferguson.

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Conductor Gerald Neufeld bids Guelph Chamber Choir farewell Choir’s founding conductor lays down the baton after 36 years MICHAEL CIMESA

ON MARCH 31 ,

the Guelph Chamber Choir (GCC) performed a farewell concert for their founding conductor, Gerald Neufeld, who has been with the choir for 36 of its 38 years. Held at the River Run Centre, the concert featured one of Neufeld’s favourite works, Brahms’ A German Requiem. Neufeld, who has had a love for choral music all his life, told The Ontarion in a phone interview how he joined the GCC: “Back in 1980, I was teaching at the University of Guelph and a group of community [members] formed a board and advertised for a conductor of a chamber choir that they wanted to establish,” said Neufeld. “So

Neufeld conducting the beginning Members of the Musica Viva Orchestra set up before the performance. | PHOTOS BY WILL WELLINGTON of the Requiem.

I applied and was the lucky guy who got to work with them.” When asked whether he has a favourite memory from his time with the GCC, Neufeld said he has “too many after 36 years.” Neufeld still enjoys every show, even the ones he’s done repeatedly: “Every year, we do [Handel’s] Messiah, and I still enjoy it after over 30 times.”

Neufeld also recounted other highlights of his time with the GCC, including trips to Austria, the Czech Republic, and England; performing in cathedrals; and performing in the Guelph Spring Festival. He also recalled performing in the ’90s at the then-new River Run

Centre: “We did the first major concert in the River Run Centre with a performance of Orff’s Carmina Burana, which was certainly a memorable occasion. The River Run Centre was hardly [finished]. I mean, the structure was there, but there was no sound shell, the floor was just cement. We were just

happy to be in there.” Neufeld will continue to act as the Guelph Chamber Choir’s artistic director in 2018–2019 while the choir searches for a new conductor. The most successful candidates will perform as guest conductors at two concerts in the fall.

Nap Eyes’ new record blends self-critique and self-acceptance

Nap Eyes still good as ever. | PHOTO COURTESY OF NAP EYES

Halifax band gets even more introspective on third record I’m Bad Now | JONATHAN ST MICHAEL WHILE LISTENING through

Halifaxand-Montreal-based band Nap Eyes’ discography, one cannot help but draw comparisons to artists like Lou Reed or Pavement. Though their songs are far from punk, it’s frontman and songwriter Nigel Chapman’s lyricism that truly highlights the band’s potential. While the lyrical content on their

sophomore album Thought Rock Fish Scale focused on the dynamics of interpersonal relationships, I’m Bad Now stands as an evolution of Chapman’s character, as his lyrics appear more self-reflective, critical of his own nature, but accepting nonetheless. Given the way Nap Eyes works — Chapman writes the songs in

his Nova Scotia home before sending them off to his bandmates in Montreal, who bring them to completion — one can see Chapman as a solitary figure, something reflected in his creative output. Chapman’s lyrics are dense and poetic, displayed in opening track “Every Time the Feeling”: “I can’t tell what’s worse, the meaningless or the negative meaning / I’ve figured out a way to get on with my life and keep on dreaming.” The lyrics almost appear as notes torn from a journal — he muses over his own thoughts, bouncing ideas off himself and coming to his own conclusions. The title I’m Bad Now doesn’t mean that Chapman has become “bad” — he hasn’t been in any barroom brawls or started wearing leather jackets. Instead, he has started embracing his own flaws. In the almost-title track “I’m Bad,” Chapman seems in dialogue with himself: “You say you’re a hated son / And disappointment haunts everyone / But if it’s you worst of all,” which leads into the emotional chorus, in which Chapman delves deeper with the lyrics: “Nothing gets past you now / ’cause you always see it come / Said if it’s even slower than you / Which is amazing, because you’re so dumb.” It’s in this self-critique that Chapman appears nearer to accepting his own flaws. “Dull Me Line” finds itself in the same vein, as Chapman muses over the perception of his music: “Dull me heart / Heavy with bored and

It’s ... Nigel Chapman’s lyricism that truly highlights the band’s potential. lazy disappointment art.” Chapman appears critical of himself, musing over aspects of self-deprecation. With the second-last song of the album, “White Disciple,” Chapman frames the theme of the album with the lyric “Your life is pointless / Unless it sets you free / So won’t you set me free / Set me free.” The

song continues to deal with dynamics of morality, as he sings: “But to my spiritual brother, I remained spiritually blind / Until my venetian blinds was left behind,” leading to the bridge: “My soul of sin / My bowl full of gin.” In this dialogue of salvation and sin, Chapman rests between the two in spiritual contemplation. Lyrically, I’m Bad Now is a reasonable next step in the Nap Eyes’ catalogue. In terms of instrumentation, the album does not stray far from the folky guitar sound of their previous albums, making it somewhat stagnant. Nap Eyes are undeniably becoming masters of their craft, but too much of a good thing is not always a good thing.

’s Top Ten Albums INNES WIL SON** Northumberland Slums (Out Of Sound) VICTIME* La Femme Taupe (Michel Records) V E R S A* * VERSA (Self-Released) SOFTSIDE** Luxur y Lounge (Self-Released) NAP EYES* I’m Bad Now (You’ve Changed) BIRD CIT Y*** Winnowing (Label Fantastic/Coax) OUGHT* Room Inside the World (Royal Mountain) MUT T** Power-Up (Self-Released) MARC RIBOT ’S CE R AMIC DOG YRU Still Here (Northern Spy) PRIME JUNK* Ladybird (Sleepwalk Tapes) *C A N A D I A N A R T I S T

* * LO C A L A R T I S T

W W W. C F R U . C A

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TH E O NTA R I O N PI E C E S O F M E

Q +A W ITH G U E LPH

Are you worried about writing any upcoming exams? No, I’m underwhelmed 19.9%

Yes, I'm Stressed 80.1%

RESULTS: YES, I’M STRESSED: 80.1% NO, I’M UNDERWHELMED: 19.9 %

Every week we’re asking readers to participate in a poll and tell us what you think about a chosen topic. Look for our polls posted on our Facebook and Twitter page every Wednesday, and post your comments for a chance to see your opinion printed in next week’s issue of The Ontarion!

Turn of the Tide FAT I M A B U E L A

Gravitational feelings pull us in closer Caused by the Moon and the Sun Darkness harmonious with light Oceans breathe in and out Letting thoughts sail across Internal struggle thrashing among us Submerse yourself Let the current take you Under and over Let it flow through you Bring you to where you’re supposed to be Somewhere only you can see New horizons come to those who wait After the turn of the tide

Cherry Blossoms K U R T D E L EON

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On a cloudy day I looked up and saw the sky In disarray, cast down upon the cherry trees. A haze of fog and stubborn mist obscured what they sought most: The light, the sight, the warm embrace of a sunny evening’s rays. Remember when we sat together there, And talked about the future? The blossoms were in full bloom And anything was possible. I smiled briefly and then frowned Because I remembered you left today. As I walked I thought the scent would be sweet as once before But now it seems so bittersweet instead. The flowers shrinking, petals peeling How fleeting their time seems. Yes, the petals fall today Leaving branches briefly barren. But one day we’ll chat and laugh again Underneath the blooming cherry trees.

THEONTARION.COM ILLUSTRATIONS BY LONPI

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PET OF THE WEEK

PHOTO BY DANA BELLAMY

PHOTO BY KAREN K. TRAN

Fatima Buela THIRD YE AR , SOCIOLOGY MA JOR

What is your favourite part about writing for The Ontarion?

What are your favourite things about the Guelph community?

It gives me the freedom and public platform to speak my mind through my writing.

I find Guelph to be a very artsy, easygoing place to live, work, and go to school in.

What is one of your favourite things that you’ve done for The Ontarion?

Tell us one fun fact about yourself.

I write the “Pieces of Me” column and try to write poetry for it biweekly.

FOLLOW FATIMA

I like doing things and regretting them afterwards. In other words, I like to prove myself wrong by putting myself in not-the-most-ideal situations.

@fatimasjournal

@ontarion

@fatimakells

@theontarion @theontarion

We’re celebrating our awesome contributors! Interested in seeing your name in print? Come to our volunteer meetings on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. (UC264). If you can’t make it, just drop by the office or email Mirali at oneditor@uoguelph.ca for more info!

ZOWIE

The Border Collie

Human: Dana Bellamy Pet’s Age: Nine years old Fun Fact: Zowie feels the need

to bark at every single train that runs behind our house. It works every time though — she always scares it away.

Do you think your pet deserves to be the next pet of the week? Send your photos to onweb@uoguelph.ca by 9 A.M. on MONDAY, APRIL 9, along with your full name, pet’s name and age, and a fun fact about them.

The sweet (and not so sweet) world of sugar dating. Students share their experiences. FIONA CASHELL

Editor’s note: The names of the three sugar babies have been changed to protect their privacy. It comes at no surprise that life as a university student has never been more expensive. Student debt is a constant worry for many, as is the struggle to find a job post-graduation. In the wake of economic uncertainty, one type of relationship has become popular for some students. Sugaring, or sugar dating, is a relationship between an older, richer partner (or “sugar daddy/momma”) who offers a younger partner (or “sugar baby”) gifts or cash for fulfilling their agreed upon relationship goals. These arrangements can be simply companionship, but more often than not the relationships are sexual in nature.

PHOTOS BY ALORA GRIFFITHS

“

Don’t do it. That’s my advice. It’s a very dark and dangerous and addictive industry.”

Guelph in particular is a hot spot for sugar babies. As of 2016, there were 554 registered sugar babies who reported attending the University of Guelph on the popular sugaring site, SeekingArrangement. This puts the university third overall in Canada for number of students signed up, after the University of Toronto and Ryerson University. In order to better understand the appeals and drawbacks of sugaring, The Ontarion spoke with three sugar babies: 1. Robin, a graduate from Humber College who was a sugar baby during school and after graduation 2. Kara, a current Guelph student who is no longer a sugar baby 3. Charlotte, a Guelph student who is new to sugaring I also set up an account of my own to see how the site worked.

The world of sugar dating Right away, it is clear how tempting it could be to become a part of the sugaring world. The industry is marketed towards students, as those signing up with a .edu email address get upgraded to premium for free. After opening an account on Friday and having it screened by SeekingArrangement overnight, by Saturday morning I already had six messages. By Monday I had 12 different users contact me, without reaching out to any men on my own. The messages I received ranged from single worded “heys” to arrangement proposals. Kara told The Ontarion that she found the world of sugaring to be a far cry from her undergrad dating experience so far. “It was a rush and it really made me feel in control of my relationships which is something I lacked in the past. Suddenly I had men offering to fly me to NYC for the weekend and I would just say, ‘No, thanks.’ It’s a very different world than that of a typical undergrad student, which I found really appealing.” Some of the requests Robin received were both bizarre and fun. “I had one ‘client’ whose fetish was to have me take a bubble bath full of cash. We didn’t touch each other.” In terms of a time commitment, the actual dating is often not as time consuming as a typical relationship. In Charlotte’s case, her sugar daddy (SD) has a hectic work schedule and doesn’t have the time to date, so he uses SeekingArrangement instead. Their dates last anywhere from four to six hours a week. Charlotte admitted that she has been lucky with the arrangement she was able to find. “I genuinely like my sugar daddy. He is in his early thirties and good looking, and I enjoy being around him. I would consider spending time with him without an arrangement, but if he’s

able and willing to spend money on me, then why not?” “I can definitely see where it can go negatively though,” she added. “It’s the nature of the relationship. When someone is paying your bills, you feel you need to give back to them in some way. Although he has never pressured me, I have done things with him I wouldn’t normally do because of the nature of our relationship.”

Can sugar dating be feminist? In a post #MeToo world, is suga ring empowering or degrading? The movement is inherently meant to call out rich men who feel entitled to sexual favours because of their power. Is suga r ing d irec tly in opposition to this movement? U of G political science professor Dr. Carol Dauda expressed a belief that sugar dating is supporting power imbalances between men and Professor Carol Dauda. women. “It seems to me that, although the idea is that there can be sugar mommas as well as daddies and that there can be samesex as well as heterosexual matches, the majority are young women who are looking for a benefactor through fulfilling stereotypical patriarchal gender roles,” she explains. “It is interesting that this fantasy is still potent and attracts both the daddies and babies in our contemporary society.” In contrast, Kara saw her experience of sugaring as a subversion of power structures. “The best things about sugar dating were the money and the power it gave me. Old rich white guys are pretty much the biggest powers in our world and suddenly they were at my beck and call, trying to get my attention.” I must admit, some of the offers I received sounded incredibly tempting. One of the users who contacted me offered to pay for my next vacation and give me an allowance of $400 a week, which I admittedly thought about longer than I should have. I was later informed that this was a low offer, but it nonetheless demonstrated the possibilities that sugaring can hold.

Personal safety

Unfortunately, sugar dating is not as simple as it seems. While sugaring may have a number of benefits, it ultimately comes with serious costs too. “It ended up being a lot of work for me emotionally to be the person I was for my SD,” Kara said. “It is important to note that I am not great at faking emotions and my SD was so incredibly dull that an hour with him every week nearly killed me. He was more than three times my age, so we had very little in common and I found that it fell on me to maintain the conversation, much to my chagrin.” Kara added that there were instances where she did not receive the money she had been promised. “[It] becomes awkward and frustrating,” she explains. “It was just a little stressful, and underlying all that, it is hard to shake the fact that a lot of these guys are huge creeps.” When asked what advice she would give to people considering sugaring, Robin replied: “Don’t do it. That’s my advice. It’s a very dark and dangerous and addictive industry.” If you decide to participate in sugaring, safety must be your top priority. Like any time you meet a stranger online, make sure someone knows where you are and who you are with. Kara and Charlotte both had trusted friends who were aware of what they were doing and who they were with. Charlotte also always has a friend pick her up and drop her off from her dates, and makes it clear to her sugar daddy that someone is going to come pick her up. Be prepared that not everyone is who they appear to be. In the profile I created, nothing I stated was the complete truth, and I got away with it. Furthermore, it is not unheard of for pimps to create accounts and use their position on the website to lure women into human trafficking. Always remember that if something is too good to be true, it usually is.

Final advice

Sugaring is not the right lifestyle choice for everyone. “Don’t do it for the wrong reasons, there’s no point in royally messing up your mental health for some extra cash,” Kara said. “I wouldn’t suggest it if you don’t have some other motivation besides just money. For me, it was the rush, and honestly bragging rights; I liked being the girl who was crazy enough to take that leap and actually be a sugar baby.” Charlotte’s advice is to treat sugaring like you would any other relationship. “When searching for a boyfriend, you don’t date the first guy you see. You need to be selective. Know your limits and know your worth. Don’t let anyone take that away from you.” RCMP Human Trafficking Helpline (Ontario): 1-800-387-0020

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Taylor Redmond and Don Cherry pose for a photo after a one-on-one interview. The full interview with Cherry can be found on YouTube. | PHOTOS COURTESY OF TAYLOR REDMOND

O N TH E PRO C E S S

Taylor “The Boss” Redmond From media personality to decorated

Redmond ON being a media personality and public speaker

Special Olympian, Redmond does it all

Off the court, Redmond’s body of work is extensive. He co-hosts a current events show (Redmond’s section focuses on local sports news), he runs an interview series with sports personalities, and he’s an ambassador and public speaker with various non-profit foundations, most notably motionball — a non-profit organization that raises awareness and funds for the Special Olympics. In between his busy schedule, Redmond finds time to work parttime for Gryphons Athletics as an intramural referee and score recorder and to hit the weights to train for gold. This notable Special Olympian has been an on-air personality for the last five years with CFRU, where he inherited his nickname, “The Boss.” For his interview series, he has spoken with sports legends like popular Canadian hockey personality, Don Cherry, and American driving icon, Mario Andretti. “I think [Don Cherry] had some good answers. I liked the question about his favourite junk food. He said ‘fish sandwich with cheese,’” Redmond said chuckling. For his public speaking gigs, Taylor has spoken to groups of all ages in the past, including Special Olympics International

B U KO L A TO LU Y E M I & M AT T E O C I M E L L A R O

coinciding with World Down Syndrome Day, The Ontarion sat down with local Special Olympian, Taylor Redmond, to discuss his work on and off the court.

ON MARCH 21,

Redmond ON athletics

Redmond is a 26-year-old Special Olympian basketball player who has played competitively since the age of eight. In the offseason, Redmond is a decorated track and field athlete, winning four gold medals in shot put, javelin, 50-metre sprint, and long jump at the track and field provincials in Peel region. Redmond’s success at the provincials qualifies him for the upcoming nationals in Antigonish, N.S. from July 1 to Aug. 4, 2018. Redmond is coached by his father, Steve, who has been coaching him since he began playing almost 18 years ago. The pair began a Special Olympics program with only 12 athletes and one sport — basketball — here in the Guelph-Wellington area. Now they have expanded to five teams and 65 athletes.

Re d m o n d O N h i s f avo u r i te basketball memory

Redmond’s favourite basketball moment occurred 10 years ago during the gold medal game in Oshawa. Redmond’s squad had one last adversity, a red-hot spotup shooter, requiring a disciplined defence and strong box-outs. “That was the year we had a whole lot of abilities, few who were taller, shorter,” Redmond said, “but we had to play this team from York South, and we had to cover this one guy who was shooting three-pointers like Stephen Curry, but we were able to box out on him [when he missed], and we won the game.” Redmond and his squad were then able to count down the seconds to their gold medal victory. “Normally, there aren’t threepoint shooters [like that] in the Special Olympics, at least not in your division,” Redmond’s father said with a laugh.

Redmond defending the inbound.

in Washington, a University of Guelph fourth year human kinetics class, the Guelph Wellington Men’s Club, and many others. Redmond was chosen to be the 2018 Honorary Athlete for motionball; he has been an ambassador for motionball for years, helped facilitate charity events on campus for the past few years, and helped to spearhead YELLOWCARD day in 2015, which aimed to encourage Canadians to take a pledge to eliminate the casual and

negative use of the R-word. “Special Olympics started seeing he had this unique quality about being fearless, and he started being recognized in Toronto, where the motionball headquarters is,” Steve Redmond said. After seeing Taylor Redmond’s impressive body of work, it’s clear to see why he’s called “The Boss.”

BossTaylorRedmond

I S SU E 18 4.1 2

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| S P O RT S & H E A LTH

Stress buster event lends students a helping paw during exam season

TALK N E R DY TO M E

for over 1,000 therapy

Developing a stressfree sex life through sex positivity

sessions this year

TA S H A FA LC O N E R

$10,000 PetSmart Charities Grant allows

A LO R A G R I F F I T H S

EXAMS ARE A stressful time of year, and tensions are raised higher than the temperature that water boils. So what better way to bust that stress than with doggies? The Ontarion caught up with two representatives, Diane Myers and coordinator Peggy Pritchard, of Therapeutic Paws of Canada to talk about their event held last Wednesday. Alora Griffiths: What is the difference between a therapy dog and a service dog? Diane Myers: A therapy dog’s job is to go out and provide comfort, and help individuals to reduce stress. A therapy dog goes out and interacts with many people. A service dog [on the other hand] is working for a particular person to provide medical care. [Therapeutic dogs] go into seniors’ homes, and schools [for Paws To Read]. Paws To

Mack the dog. | PHOTOS BY ALORA GRIFFITHS

Read is a program where the dogs provide therapy and a child reads, it is a non-judgmental activity for the child. AG: Tell me more about the funding you recieved. DM: Therapeutic Paws of Canada just received $10,000 of funding from PetSmart Charities to increase our therapy dog children program. The dogs have to go through a specific evaluation to interact with children, so the

Peggy Pritchard.

program will be able to certify more children-program dogs. AG: When did the Take A Paw foundation start? Peggy Pritchard: The first Take A Paw event started in 2016, and since then the program has helped thousands of students. The engineering department hosts this event once in the fall and once in the spring. AG: Any more events lined up this year?

PP: The library will be hosting another event the first week in April. We’re bringing in dogs from the St. John Ambulance therapy dog program. AG: What’s the purpose of the event? PP: The purpose of the events is for the students to relax and chill out with dogs. This time of the year is very stressful for students with exams. All the dogs love to be pet, and even cuddled!

Boredom: The new cure? After a long day at work, a bit of boredom might be just what you need B E R E N G A RV I E

Jules Renard said, “To be bored is an insult to oneself,” he may have been on to something. The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word “bored” as, “feeling weary and impatient because one is unoccupied or lacks interest in one’s current activity.” But, more often than might be thought, boredom can be a choice, not an unavoidable phenomenon. Many great thinkers throughout the ages have mercilessly disparaged those who are content to sit back and let their minds fester, failing to see the world for what it is. It’s an exciting place filled with interesting things almost designed to keep us occupied. But what would they say if they were alive today? Would they approve of our hectic lifestyles and the intricate balancing act that most of us have to perform as we schedule our lives? Deciding how

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to divide our time between work, school, friends, relationships, exercise, eating, and family is no easy task, and leaves many with barely a minute to spare. Perhaps Renard would now say that a bit of boredom could actually do us some good. According to The Independent, many different studies have concluded that boredom not only makes us more productive, but also more goal-oriented and creative. It seems to make sense, in an intuitive way, that if we chronically overuse our minds and bodies we will eventually wear them out, much like a knife. We all feel better after a good night’s rest, but is that enough? Can we realistically expect to stay on-the-go all day, every day, and remain healthy and productive at the same time? It seems unlikely; according to Inc., a media hub for small businesses, numerous studies have found that working too hard is linked with: • Increased risk of heart problems • Weight gain in men • Depression in women • Significant drop in productivity If we acknowledge the connection between the mind and the body, these findings suggest that boredom, or even just some

Is our plugged-in culture ruining our capacity to be bored? PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSHUA RAWSON HARRIS

good old-fashioned relaxation, is needed in order to help counterbalance a hectic lifestyle. This may help us be better able to meet the demands of modern life without our health suffering. But this is easier said than done. As anyone on a university campus will tell you, finding an hour (or even a few minutes) to relax is sometimes very difficult. In today’s world, we have never been more rushed or busy. Our minds are constantly occupied and called upon to stay engaged. However, there is an important part of this issue that has been overlooked: technology. Technology is everywhere and we are constantly using it. Be it a phone, iPod, or computer, we spend massive amounts of time pluggedin. The problem with this is that it doesn’t allow us to relax. Our

minds are just as engaged whether we are texting a friend or perusing a textbook. We have already established that overworking is generally unhealthy and that boredom may be quite beneficial. It is also reasonable to conclude that if we remove the texting on the bus, or the Snapchatting during lectures, or the Netflix before bed (even occasionally), that these moments can become opportunities for our minds to experience the boredom it needs and zone out into contemplative nothingness. Without this time, our minds are never allowed to relax, even just for a few minutes. If we don’t learn to recognize that our minds do need to rest, and that they don’t have immeasurable amounts of stamina, we will surely suffer the consequences.

THERE ARE many interactions between mental health and sexual health. One connection made between them is that both are generally stigmatized. The place where someone falls on the spectrums of mental health and sexual health can lead to discrimination. The stigma and discrimination behind mental illness and various aspects of sexuality are partially rooted in a lack of knowledge and a negative societal view. When it comes to sexuality, a lot of these negative assumptions and views stem from a place of sex negativity. According to Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights, sex negativity is the idea that sexual activity is harmful, shameful, or disgusting. The general exception is procreational, heterosexual, monogamous sex. This negative view supports only “normal” sex and creates a “wrong” type of sex, which leads to feelings of shame and fear. Sex shouldn’t be about what everyone else is doing, but what you yourself find pleasurable. Sex negativity is everywhere. From the comments made about someone’s sexual orientation to outright slut-shaming. Sex negativity is not just about what people are doing, it is also about what people aren’t doing. An alternative view to all this negativity is sex positivity. Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights defines sex positivity as embracing sexuality with the understanding that the only concerns about sexual encounters should be consent, pleasure, and wellbeing. This does not mean that being sex positive means that you must be sexually adventurous. Sex positivity is about not judging people for the sexual choices that they make, and knowing that one type of sex is not better than another. Not only does sex positivity decrease discrimination, but Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights notes that sex positivity supports mental health through increased self-esteem, a positive body image, and sexual fulfillment.

Tasha Falconer is completing her M.Sc. in Health Psychology studying sexting and holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Guelph. She has co-facilitated the sexual education program, BabySmarts, run by Beginnings Family Services in Guelph.

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The power of true curiosity in scientific practice Focusing on “just the facts” may be detrimental to our future R AY N A M I D D L E TO N

Pounding the pavement to bring about more open discussion about sexual violence and support the movement. | PHOTO BY DANA BELLAMY

V-Day Guelph and SlutWalk Guelph march against the patriarchy Because some people still think clothes are an excuse for the atrocity that is rape, and that’s ridiculous | I JOINED The Vagina Monologues in 2016 because I wanted to spend time with my girlfriend, the director of the show that year. I didn’t plan on auditioning (if you ask me, I didn’t audition at all), but I was given very small parts to introduce me to acting. Rehearsals were a gathering of women who were unapologetically themselves. As participants in the show, their goal was to start a dialogue around sexual and genderbased violence and put a great deal of time and effort into the production. In my opinion, they joined because they had a calling to create a supportive network for those who have been abused. I initially joined because I wanted to act. Now, I have been part of The Vagina Monologues for the past three years, and as every year passes, I feel more and more connected to the actual cause. Although I recognize my privilege as someone who has never been sexually abused, many people in my life have not had that same privilege. With every story I hear, the more I wish I could do. Luckily, The Vagina Monologues does do something. The show gives all proceeds to organizations

O D E S I A H OW L E T T

in the community that fight sexual and gender-based violence. It’s an opportunity for me to join a cause that deeply cares and actually helps people. Since joining The Monologues, my partner has introduced me to the annual SlutWalk event. SlutWalk Guelph is “a movement that works to challenge the mindset and stereotypes that surround sexual assault, victim-blaming, and slut-shaming,” according to their Facebook page. The event demands the respect of people’s bodies regardless of what they are wearing — because clothing does not justify rape. Since V-Day Guelph and SlutWalk Guelph have a similar goal, they often collaborate on the event. Walking through the streets, chanting, and holding signs that challenge slut-shaming is powerful and I wish everyone could experience it. Being surrounded by strong people who are fighting the patriarchy empowers me to stand up for the rights of my friends, family, and even strangers. Everyone deserves to be respected. SlutWalk is meeting at Guelph Market Square this Saturday, April 7 at 1 p.m.

CHANCES ARE, that as a student, you consider yourself a creature of the sciences or the arts. Some aspect of how you define yourself comes from the discipline that you feel most comfortable in. This “separation” between disciplines did not reflect my experience. Taking both microbiology and philosophy through the Bachelor of Arts and Sciences program has, in my opinion, allowed me to understand both the sciences and the arts better. However, a common reaction to what I studied is something along the lines of “that seems like an odd combination.” I often wonder why this is the case. Should ethical values, logic, and a comprehensive understanding of what it is to be human — all learned during the course of a philosophy degree — not necessarily play some role in our understanding of science? I think this is especially so for the many science students here on campus. A wellrounded education is not only a good idea, but may even be critical to their role in the future of science as a discipline. Science is not simply a slew of facts to be memorized or even applied; a science degree ought to provide students with the tools they need to innovate, discover, and create. Many great innovators that some would cite as the inspiration for their love of science can be described as well-rounded individuals: • Leonardo da Vinci was a talented engineer, but his list of documented interests covers just about every subject there is. • Albert Einstein, aside from developing the theory of relativity, was a gifted musician, and once said that “the greatest scientists are artists as well.” • Sir Isaac Newton, often credited with the invention of calculus and the discovery of universal gravitation, was also an accomplished author of philosophy and theology.

It’s easy to think that what these individuals possessed was a kind of unteachable talent, reserved for the great thinkers and doers of our time. While this may be partially

Who’d have known that Einstein was also a talented musician? (Top right) Sir Isaac Newton, (bottom right) Leonardo da Vinci. PHOTOS BY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

true, this assumption could also be problematic and could stall further development of interdisciplinary intelligence in ourselves today. It’s still common to find science students who view their arts and social sciences electives as chores, or worse, as GPA boosters. In reality, these electives are opportunities to be exposed to more than just the bare minimum and to learn about the ways in which disciplines overlap. Becoming too comfortable in our specializations limits our appreciation for knowledge. It stops us from going beyond what is required or expected and from participating in true curiosity. Also, history teaches us that science hasn’t always gotten it right. As we progress, old ways of seeing the world become obsolete. Hypotheses, once accepted as fact, are revised. The evolving nature of science is not something that can be avoided, nor should it be; but it should also not be forgotten. Questioning science means more than simply checking the facts themselves. Scientists should also have the obligation to question the implications that these facts may have on our daily lives. Science students — presumably, future scientists — should have some interest in ethics and social justice. Although this may not be what they feel comes naturally to them, ethical thinking and social values need to be essential components of scientific education and advancement. This interdisciplinary approach

to scientific learning can give students the tools and the language they need to maintain the innovative nature of science. Philosophy and ethics are of vital importance to all disciplines, but particularly to science degrees. In fact, this kind of thinking was not even separated from science in the past. Scientists, once called natural philosophers, have the job of theorizing, modeling, and finding things out about the world. This is the same job description of a philosopher, but in addition to this, philosophy also teaches strong critical thinking skills, logic, justification, and argument. It provides evidenced hypotheses about what it means to be human, beyond biology. Science students, and those from adjacent disciplines, should not hesitate to take a course in philosophy, or any arts subject. Rather, such courses should be a welcomed and expected component of the degree a student has chosen. As university students, our reality arrives quickly. That reality is a future for the world that is partially within our control. To be best equipped for a future of our own scientific discoveries, we must recognize that the best outcome may only be possible with the redevelopment and normalization of a multi-perspective intelligence.

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What’s the deal with HQ Trivia? Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. Let’s get this show, on the road! T I A N N N A N TA I S

and I’m a trivia-holic. Like millions of other trivia hopefuls around the world, I am obsessed with HQ, “the live trivia gameshow on your phone.” In case you have no idea what I’m talking about — which is basically impossible — let me break it down for you. HQ is an app (available for iPhone and Android) that lets you win money just for answering questions. Every day at 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays, and 9 p.m. on weekends, you get a phone notification letting you know it’s time to play. At that point, a couple million people hop on to the HQ app and wait for the game to start. Your host will appear on your screen to explain the rules and crack a few lame jokes. Then, the game begins! The game consists of 12 questions in total. You are given three options for each question and only 10 seconds to answer. The questions start out easy — and I mean easy. But as you move forward, the difficulty level increases (kind of like life!). If you get a question wrong, you’re eliminated. But, if you get all 12 questions right, you split the prize with the other winners. It’s literally free money! The guaranteed prize each game is currently $5,000, however, on special occasions it has been as much as $250,000! When I started playing HQ back in November, having a $1,000 prize was a big

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Your girl Tiann, the original HQ-tie. | PHOTO BY ALORA GRIFFITHS

deal. At that time though the number of players in any given game was only in the tens of thousands, meaning you split your loot with far fewer people. Quemero número uno when I started playing HQ was, “Where do they get all this money from?” There are no ads on the app and there is no cost to play. According to my research, a spokesperson for the app told Time that the trivia show is backed by venture capital. This basically means that silicon valley big shots with deep pockets are funding the game, in hopes that eventually, companies will pay to be associated with it, and it will become profitable. As it turns out, they were right. Major companies Nike and Warner Bros. have both recently signed on as sponsors. The app is only growing in popularity, so the real question is,

Major companies Nike and Warner Bros. have both recently signed on as sponsors. what makes HQ Trivia so damn addictive? Is it the fact that you can submit your own trivia questions to be used on the show? Or that logging into the app provides 15 minutes of distraction from your boring day? Or is it that everyone’s favourite host, Scott Rogowsky (“the Trap Trebek”), is

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just so dang charismatic? At the risk of getting hate mail from die-hard Scott fans, I have to say, Rogowsky needs to shut the eff up. I don’t care about your puns, Scott, GET TO THE GAME! In my opinion, t here a re three main reasons that HQ has exploded seemingly overnight. I think it partly has to do with a pathological need for disappointment. Almost every night, I tune in to the game. I know I won’t win, and even if I do, chances are I would only win about $10. Still, I continue to put myself through the torture of making it to about the eighth question and then getting eliminated. My second theory is that people continue to tune in to HQ to be a part of something bigger — a community of HQ-ties, if you will. When you login to the app, you

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know there will be about one million other suckers putting their self-confidence on the line for a chance at a measly couple bucks. My final theory is simply that people like to win. There is something so satisfying about being able to say you won a trivia game show that had over one million other contestants. It doesn’t matter if your prize was only $0.51 — you still won. I have yet to win a game of HQ trivia, but the more I lose, the more determined I am to make it to that final question. I have friends who were hardcore players for a couple months, but then lost interest when they kept losing. Another group of friends think the game is fun, but only play every once in a while. All I have to say to both of those groups is, “You lack commitment.” Now that HQ has become a worldwide phenomenon, I’ve noticed a few different copycat apps trying to get in on some of the action. As a self-proclaimed trivia connoisseur, I had to give them a shot. One such app goes by the name, “The Q” — as if we don’t know you’re copying. While this app’s prize money is normally only $250 per game, I have never seen more than 15,000 players in the game at any given time, meaning you get more of the prize money to yourself. Whatever the explanation, it is clear the HQ phenomenon is only going to continue to grow. If you’ve been living under a rock, and haven’t downloaded the app yet, I advise you to stick with your guns. I don’t need any more competitors trying to steal my prize money.

The Ontarion is a non-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors. Since The Ontarion undertakes the publishing of student work, the opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of The Ontarion staff and Board of Directors. The Ontarion reserves the right to edit or refuse all material deemed sexist, racist, homophobic, or otherwise unfit for publication as determined by the Editor-in-Chief. Material of any form appearing in this newspaper is copyrighted 2017 and cannot be reprinted without the approval of the Editor-in-Chief. The Ontarion retains the right of first publication on all material. In the event that an advertiser is not satisfied with an advertisement in the newspaper, they must notify The Ontarion within four working days of publication. The Ontarion will not be held responsible for advertising mistakes beyond the cost of advertisement. The Ontarion is printed by Hamilton Web.

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April 11 to April 15

The Just for Laughs Road Show Stand-up comedy 8 p.m. River Run Centre

Mad Marion Ft. Cedar Symphony & Drunk at the Library 8:30 p.m. ANAF

Kazoo! Fest 2018 Various times and venues

April 5

April 6

DJ Shub CSA Noon Hour Concert 12 p.m. UC Courtyard

M-B Comedy #121: Headliners Ft. Sara Hennessey 7:30 p.m. The Making-Box

OUTPUT Ft. Cedar Spring Motel & Redcoat 9 p.m. Jimmy Jazz

Guelph Talks Relationships Conflict, re/conciliation and the tree of life 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. UC Courtyard

TO DO LIST

Guelph Talks: Perspective From space to waste to art 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Summerlee Science Complex Student Life presents: The Last Lecture Ft. alumna, faculty, & student speakers 5:45 p.m. War Memorial Hall Book Signing with Lauren Toyota Vegan cookbook author 6 p.m. Science Complex Atrium

SOUL Ft. Daimon Miles, Blvck Mass, & more 9 p.m. DSTRCT Micah Barnes Canadian pop-singer/songwriter 8 p.m. River Run Centre

April 11

April 8

April 12

Kim Mitchell of band Max Webster 8 p.m. River Run Centre

Last Ontarion issue of the s c h o o l ye a r o n s t a n d s ; includes satirical stories in The Contrarion.

Contemporary Music Ensemble at 10C U of G experimental group 1 p.m. 10 Carden

April 7

April 9

HIGHPARK farewell show Ft. two beds 8 p.m. Silence

Monday Night Makes Macrame Plant Hanger 7 p.m. Guelph Tool Library

Start to Build Good Credit Now. Get Your Mortgage Intelligence Student Mastercard. No Annual Fee. Purchase Protection Extended Warranty coverage.

Apply exclusively at

www.greentreemortgages.ca

WE WANT YOUR COMICS! Comics are due Monday at 9 a.m. Contact onphoto@ uoguelph.ca for submission guidelines. Or, drop by UC 264.

F U N PAG E

THE ONTARION

CROSSWORD 1

For your chance to win TWO FREE BOB’S DOGS, submit a completed crossword to The Ontarion office, UC 264, by APRIL 10, 2018 at 3 P.M.

N O

N E

A 45

R O

S 40

O R

O N

D N

L 51

D O D O

E 52

10–Adoration of Mammon

22–Recompense

11–Dramatic conflict

24–Hawaii’s state bird

12–Not barefoot

25–Hebrew month

13–Tins

26–Attack

18–Circus structure

29–Unequal

23–Barker and Bell

33–Troy story

24–Myopic

34–Tolstoy’s Karenina

25–Kofi of the U.N.

35–Suffix with concession

26–Long walks

36–Actress Deborah

27–Warn

37–Actor Ryan

28–Summer babe

38–Dr. Zhivago’s love

29–Late bedtime

39–Energy units

30–Roman goddess of the

40–Alaska’s first governor

moon

41–Cruise ship

31–Made a mistake

42–Philosophy of Zeno

32–The Wreck of the Mary

44–Marquis ___

___

45–Golden

34–Emo anxiety

46–Actor Neeson

37–An amorous glance

47–Jacob’s favorite wife

41–Directing

50–Reddish-brown gem

43–Ltd., in Paris

51–Suffix with meteor

44–Grime

54–Amo, amas, ___

46–”Mule Train” singer

55–Supplementary

47–Super Bowl XXXIV

58–Silent performer

champs

59–Faculty head

48–French girlfriend

60–Mother of pearl

49–Showed up

61–Tournament favorite

50–Neb. neighbor

62–Actress Sommer

51–Member of a great

63–Rasp

Peruvian people

K E

O N

21–Cattle group

Fill in the empty squares so that each of the digits 1 through 9 appear once in each row, column, and 3-by-3 block.

N H

N O

E 49

9–You’re on!

SUDOKU

20–Paris possessive

8–Convent dweller

7–Female servant

19–Animated character

17–Amuses 31

R O

6–Chicago hub

N O O

R O N D

N 23

5–Dolt

16–Turkish honorific

15– ___ monde

4–Driver’s aid

D O R

I E

S C

G O

E M S

18 22

N 21

O G

14–Japanese-American 23

ANSWERS FROM 184.11

3–Ballpark figs.

2–Pit

10–Not fem.

6–Prefix with present

1–Supermodel Sastre

Down

1– ___ man with seven wives

Crossword Winner from 184.11 NO WINNER :(

Across

Winners are announced in the paper each week and should collect their voucher from The Ontarion office.

5 5

2 2

1 4

52–Fruit-filled pie 53–Robert ___ 56–”Runaway” singer

3 2

7 6

9 2

Shannon 57–Sculler’s need

8 WWW.THEONTARION.COM

CL A SS I FI E DS Free Apartment for MANDARIN SPEAKERS! Free apartment for Mandarin speaker in exchange for teaching our young son Mandarin. Includes some child care and light household duties. Your accommodations include: private entrance, private kitchen and living room, private bedroom, private bathroom and shared laundry. Furnished. Utilities included. Families considered. Please email: melanie.blass@gmail.com

The Ontarion is setting aside space for three free classified ads in each issue. First come, first served. Free classified ads cannot be booked more than a week ahead of the issue they appear in. NEXT WEEK’S FREEBIES ARE AVAILABLE NOW. The deadline for the next issue of The Ontarion is 1 p.m. on Monday, April 9, 2018. Classified Ads have a limit of 90 words and start at $6/30 words. Email ontarion@uoguelph.ca to book yours.

Place an ad in our CLAS S IFIED S

We are looking to hire up to 160 full-time Summer Students for this summer! 2 MEAT PROCESSING/PACKAGING FACILITIES:

JOB FAIR

We are hosting a Job Fair/Open House to recruit Summer Students for plant ﬂoor production jobs!! THURSDAY APRIL 12, 2018 10:00 AM TO 4:00 PM CARGILL LIMITED 180 WATSON PARKWAY GUELPH, ON

DETAILS:

• Day and Afternoon shifts available • $16.60 per hour plus shift premium if applicable • Summer positions are from May 1 to Sept.1, 2018 REQUIREMENTS:

• Weight handling from 20 lbs. up to 60 lbs. • Able to work in both hot & cold (temperature controlled) environments • Comfortable working with meat (Beef, Pork & Chicken) • Must be able to stand on your feet for 8 hours and complete physical repetitive labour in a fast-paced environment 2 Locations in Guelph:

TO APPLY: Go to: www.cargill.com/careers/ hourly-production and apply to Requisition # GUE00544 Direct Link: goo.gl/Z9YMKj

Title: General Production - Student Guelph, ON-GUE00544 Scan QR code for a Direct link:

*MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER*

*You must apply online to be considered*

Case Ready Packaging Facility: 180 Watson Pkwy. South Guelph, ON N1L 1K8 Beef Processing Facility: 165 Dunlop Dr. Guelph, ON N1L 1P4

THE ONTARION IS GOING CONTRARION SEND IN YOUR STORIES! The Ontarion is going Contrarion again on April 12, 2018. Email your funny/satirical stories to oneditor@uoguelph.ca by 9 AM on Monday, April 9, 2018 to be featured.

THEONTARION.COM