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MARCH 6, 2014 • 173.8 STUDENT SPACE REFERENDUM PAGE 3 • ALEXANDRA BEATON: “THE NEXT STEP” PAGE 7 • IBS AND STRESS PAGE 9 |

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Gryphcon goes on 26 years of lo-tech gaming Sameer Chhabra The University of Guelph Games Club hosted the 26th annual Gryphcon gaming convention from Feb. 28 to March 2. The convention drew in a crowd of over 220 enthusiasts and vendors dedicated to board games, tabletop roleplaying games (RPGs), collectible card games, and Live Action Role Playing (LARP) adventures.

Spread across four floors of the University Centre (UC), Gryphcon’s main hub was Peter Clark Hall, where attendees were able to purchase products sold by vendors while joining live gaming sessions, demos, and tutorials.

Smaller games and underground tournaments were held across the third and fourth floors of the UC, and more tabletop games were coordinated by the Ontario Pathfinder Society in the Alumni Hall.

“Gryphcon is an annual tabletop gaming convention run by a combination of the University of Guelph’s Games Club’s elected executive and club-appointed coordinators,” explained Daniel Pawliw, one of Gryphcon’s coordinators. “You’ll find the club’s game library and a different gaming vendor each year with their own game library, wares, and staff available to help teach

game rules and provide advice.”

Convention-goers were encouraged to travel the UC, dropping in on games and joining groups that they would otherwise not have a chance of experiencing.

“Anyone can drop in and play,” explained Matt Courtney, a volunteer games coordinator affiliated with the Games Club.

“We’re here all day.”

Attendees also gathered in the UC courtyard to take part in a largescale LARP adventure, dressing up as personally created characters and acting out fictitious battles.

Gryphcon was first hosted on Apr. 1, 1988 in Creelman Hall as a collaboration between the now-defunct Guelph Adult Gaming Association (GAGA) and the still-running Games Club. The event was lauded as a chance for students to get together to play popular board games and tabletop RPGs. Since then, Gryphcon has moved from Creelman Hall to the UC and has grown to include a wide array of games from all mediums.

“Gryphcon has expanded from Creelman Hall to the University Centre [to include] card games, RPGs, LARPs, electronic games, movie showings, vendors, artists, [and] miniature games,” explained Gryphcon’s website. “To this day, Gryphcon continues this tradition of

a larger sense of the gaming community – the new and the experienced, the young and younger.”

The University of Guelph Games Club, alongside the FLASH club and the Electronic Gaming Organization (EGO), is part of three on campus student organizations dedicated to the popularizing fandom. Despite the three organizations sharing a similar member base, EGO and FLASH are affiliated in a minimal way.

“FLASH is not associated with Gryphcon in any official, direct capacity,” explained FLASH club president Kevin Neil. “FLASH provides support to [Gryphcon] by offering things like storage space, advertisement, and similar things.”

EGO is the university’s central student organization dedicated to electronic games and has little to do with the largely physical gaming that takes place at Gryphcon.

“EGO is the central student club in all matters of video gaming,” explained EGO President Vee Pike. “This is but a small fraction of gaming, and one that isn’t heavily focused on at Gryphcon.

Though we did run the video game room in the past, we no longer have any involvement.”

Key sponsors outside of the university community include the Ontario Pathfinder Society (PFS) and The

PHOTO BY MATTHEW AZEVEDO

Fans of ELGY, a doompunk Live Action Role Play (LARP) game based in the Greater Toronto Area, attend Gryphcon dressed in their full combat regalia. The 26th annual physical gaming convention was held in Peter Clark Hall from Feb. 28 to Mar. 2.

Dragon comic book shop. The PFS is an online collaborative tool that helps RPG gamers find people to play with and places to gather. Both The Dragon and The PFS provided funding and support to Gryphcon.

For students interested in learning more about tabletop RPGs, or those looking for people to play with, the Games Club encourages students to come to their clubroom, meetings, and other events.

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173.8 • Thursday, MARCH 6, 2014

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Student Space Initiative seeking votes during CSA election

Referendum question on collecting fees to increase student space Stacey Aspinall

During the Central Student Association’s (CSA) annual general election happening on Wednesday, March 5 to Friday, March 7, students will be given the opportunity to vote online on a referendum regarding student space on campus.

Kat Lucas, President of Interhall Council and head of the Student Space referendum team, started this campaign to address the lack of viable student space on campus. The Student Space Initiative will aim to update and modify current student spaces on campus, which will be achieved by “updating furniture, installing new receptacles, improving lighting, and repurposing university space into student space,” according to the preamble.

In the initial stages of the referendum, Lucas talked to student organizations on campus, encouraging them to speak with their members and get feedback. The team also launched a survey to collect student feedback, asking students where they prefer to study and how much they would be willing to pay to see better study space on campus, Lucas explained.

On the referendum ballot, voters can decide whether they support

the collection of a $2 fee per semester for full-time students (75 cents for part-time students) to fund the improvement of student space. The University of Guelph will match this fee. It will be collected for five years beginning in Fall 2014, and cannot be opted out of. If implemented, the campaign will bring in $750,000 over five years to make a difference in student space on campus.

A student space committee, comprised of students and staff, will be in charge of determining where to allocate funds.

“The majority of the members of the committee will be students, so the student body’s voice will always have priority in having a say of where we will see changes,” said Lucas. “From the survey feedback, the Library, the University Centre and the Science Complex Atrium were the top three places students would like to see changes,” said Lucas.

Some other changes include demand for more individual seating, outlets, and Internet access.

The Student Space Initiative will aim to implement changes on campus as soon as possible, so current students can benefit.

“Many of our proposed uses for the fee can be quickly implemented and students will see the difference the fee makes. For example, adding more tables and chairs would be a quick fix that would benefit the current

PHOTO BY WENDY SHEPHERD

The Student Space Initiative was created to improve existing student space on campus. A survey of students found that the Library, the University Centre and the Science Complex Atrium (pictured) are three spaces students where would like to see changes. students within a few weeks of the fee being collected,” said Lucas.

According to Tom Heeman, Vice President of Internal Affairs at CSAHS Student Alliance and member of the Student Space Initiative, “The real benefit of the Student Space Initiative is that, from its original inception, it has been an inherently consultative process.”

“The idea for the Student Space Initiative came from someone

who, during the course of the summer, worked with the Physical Resources department. So they got to experience firsthand the issue of student space as a student and also as a worker, and [work with] people who are actively trying to prepare and improve the spaces we live and study in,” Heeman explained.

The Guelph Student Mobilization Committee (GSMC) has taken

a stance against this initiative. The GSMC – a committee who strongly discourages increasing fees – launched a “Vote No to the Student Space Initiative Referendum” campaign on Monday, March 3.

Students will be given the chance to vote on the referendum ballot online. The question requires a quorum of 20 per cent of the affected population, and a simple majority.

Prestigious innovation contest coming to Guelph

Guelph will host Singularity University’s first Canadian “Global Impact Competition” Michael Long and Siobhan Noade

This April, the first Canadian Global Impact Competition (GIC) will take place in the City of Guelph. The GIC will bring five innovators from across Canada in front of a panel of judges to present a solution to the following problem: “How can we improve the standard of living of one million Canadians in the next five years through the use of technology?”

Applications for the GIC were

due on Feb. 28, and now a team of experts will begin the process of selecting from among them five finalists. The finalists will travel to Guelph for the competition’s evening gala on Apr. 2, 2014.

Global Impact Competitions are the invention of Singularity University, an institution located in NASA’s Research Park in Silicon Valley that is dedicated to addressing humanity’s “grand challenges.” Its programs are funded by high-profile donors like Google and Nokia, and emphasize emerging technologies. Singularity University was founded in 2008 by the chairman of the XPRIZE Foundation, Peter Diamandis, and Google’s Engineering Director, Ray Kuzweil.

Singularity University runs GICs in

countries around the world, though this is the first time they have sponsored a competition in Canada.

The winner of the first Canadian GIC will receive entry and tuitionfee enrollment to Singularity University’s 10 week long summer Graduate Studies Program, an award valued at $30,000 USD. Innovation Guelph, a group that works to promote entrepreneurship locally, is one of the sponsors of the Canadian competition. Dr. Jamie Doran, Chief Operating Officer of Innovation Guelph, said that the group “is proud to help make Canada’s first Global Impact Competition happen.”

In an Innovation Guelphs press release, Dr. Adam Little, spokesperson and organizer for the Canadian Global Impact

Competition, said this about the challenge: “The spirit of the competition is to bring together academics, scientists and entrepreneurs from across Canada who are ready to transform their big ideas into reality.”

Little happens to be an alumnus of both Singularity University’s Graduate Studies Program and the University of Guelph. He was still working on his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the U of G last year when he was selected to attend the prestigious summer program in California. Of the several thousand applications received from over 40 countries, only 80 were accepted and Little was the only veterinarian to take part in the program.

The University of Guelph is also helping to sponsor the Canadian

Global Impact Competition. Singularity University says it chose Guelph as the host city in recognition of its “long history of innovation in agriculture, food systems, engineering, and community development.”

In addressing the challenge question, applicants were asked to focus on one of these thematic areas: health, education, community development, resource management, and food. (The latter is presumably a nod to the host city). The GIC also expects applicants to incorporate a technology that is growing “exponentially.”

The venue for April’s gala, where the five finalist will present a 10 minute PowerPoint presentation on their solution to the panel of judges, has yet to be determined.

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Outcry over Inuk SMU student’s murder

Head of Ukraine’s navy defects one day after appointment Just one day after Rear Admiral Denys Berezovsky was made head of the Ukrainian navy, he defected.

Ukraine’s interim leaders have since fired him and put him under investigation for treason.

Admiral Berezovsky announced his intentions before a crowd of reporters, which, according to Ukraine’s Ukrainska Pravda newspaper, were predominantly from Russian TV channels.

“I swear allegiance to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea,” said Admiral Berezovsky. He also said he had given orders to Ukranian naval forces to disregard any instruction from the “self-proclaimed” authorities in Kiev.

Since pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych was overthrown last month, Russian troops have moved soldiers into Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula, claiming to be protecting ethnic Russians in the region.

NATO has called on Russia to withdraw from Crimea and said there will be consequences if it fails to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Student president of uOttawa subject of sexually explicit online chat Anne-Marie Roy, head of the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa, says that a sexually explicit Facebook chat in which she was the target shows that “rape culture” is still all too prevalent on university campuses.

The male students who participated in the chat, who held various leadership positions at the university, counter that the conversation was private. A screenshot of the messages was sent to Roy via an anonymous email.

The male students have since apologized to Roy and resigned from their offices, though four of the students have also threatened legal action if the copy is not destroyed.

“Rape culture is very present on our campuses,” said Roy. “I think that it’s very shameful to see that there are student leaders who are perpetuating that within their own circles.”

According to the CBC, the chat referenced sexual activities some of the students wrote they would like to engage in with Roy, as well as suggestions that she suffered from STIs. “I would never say that kind of thing out in the public,” said Pat Marquis, one of the participants in the conversation.

The University of Ottawa has said that the conversation demonstrated attitudes about women that have “no place on campus, or anywhere else.”

Compiled by Michael Long

Loretta Saunders’ death has sparked calls for action on missing aboriginal women Amy Van Den Berg

When 26-year-old Saint Mary’s University student Loretta Saunders went missing on Feb. 13, the circumstances were all too coincidental. When her body was found nearly two weeks after, the suspicions and fears were confirmed.

Saunders, who is Inuk, and was also three months pregnant, had been writing her thesis on missing and murdered aboriginal women at the time of her disappearance.

Her death has prompted many Canadians and aboriginal groups to demand a further inquiry into the larger issue of missing and murdered aboriginal women.

Saunders’ body was found on Feb. 25 near the Trans-Canada Highway west of Salisbury, New Brunswick. A week earlier, authorities in Harrow, Ontario located her blue Toyota Celica. Sanders’s roommates, Victoria Henneberry and Blake Legette, were apprehended on charges of the possession of a stolen vehicle. They have since been charged with the first-degree murder of Ms. Saunders and are in custody in Windsor.

Saunders’ boyfriend, Yalcin Surkultay, last saw Saunders on Feb. 13 as she was heading to the apartment she shared with Henneberry and Legette. Surkultay says that Saunders was hoping to collect the long-overdue rent money the couple owed her.

Authorities believe this is where she was killed.

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Loretta Saunders, an Inuk student at Saint Mary’s University, was found dead on Feb. 25 near Salisbury, New Brunswick. Her death has sparked renewed calls for a federal inquiry into the issue of missing and murdered aboriginal women.

Delilah Saunders-Terriak, Saunders’ sister, has called for vigils to be held in her sister’s name.

Cheryl Maloney, the president of the Nova Scotia Native Women’s Association of Canada, has organized a vigil that will be held on Parliament Hill on Wednesday, Mar. 5. It will honour Saunders and other missing and murdered Canadian indigenous women, and Maloney hopes it will prompt the federal government to consider a public inquiry into the murder rates of aboriginal women.

Darryl Leroux, Saunders’ supervisor for her Honours’ thesis, published an essay on the Halifax Media Coop website explaining

his shock and sadness over the news of Saunders’ death.

“She presented all of the vulnerabilities to which indigenous women are prone,” he wrote, “through no fault of her own.”

Saint Mary’s University will hold a public Memorial Service on Mar. 7. According to Global News, the university’s Aboriginal Society held a traditional smudging ceremony – where smoke is burned to cleanse the mind, body and spirit – then raised Mi’kmaq Grand Council flag at half-mast.

Since 1990, an estimated eight hundred aboriginal women have been killed or gone missing.

According to the Native Women’s

Association of Canada, Saunders is one of eight indigenous women murdered since September. The Association adds that 10 per cent of all female homicide victims in Canada are aboriginal women and girls, despite them representing only three per cent of the Canada’s female population.

Many hope that Saunders’ story will be a significant turning point in the long effort to recognize the vulnerability of indigenous women in Canada.

“This is about patterns,” NDP Halifax MP Megan Leslie told The Globe and Mail. “We need to look at what the systemic issues are here.”

GSMC Report Card causes controversy

Some CSA election candidates concerned about conflict of interest Michael Long

When the Guelph Student Mobilization Committee (GSMC) asked Connor Doherty, the Central Student Association’s Chief Electoral Officer, to circulate an online questionnaire to the eleven candidates running for CSA Executive positions, Doherty had no idea doing so would stir such controversy.

“I was completely surprised by the backlash,” Doherty said.

The GSMC questionnaire was styled in the form of a report card, and the candidate’s answers to its questions were to be made public and given a letter grade based on their proximity to GSMC’s own “basis of unity.”

The GSMC has partnered with the CSA on past campaigns,

but the CSA was not associated with the Report Card outside of communicating it to the candidates. The GSMC is best known for its vocal campaigns against tuition fee increases and budget cuts.

In an email addressed to the candidates, Doherety stressed that completing the Report Card was not mandatory, but he did recommend that nominees fill out the survey “to ensure that your competition does not get an advantage.”

“I think people were upset because it seemed almost as if I was pushing people to do it,” said Doherty. “To clarify what I meant there: If you were not to [answer the Report Card], your opponent would be at an advantage for they would have more material about them circulating, where you do not.”

Still, some candidates were taken aback by the request, not least because some nominees are active in the GSMC. Many thought it best to avoid this

survey altogether.

“I decided to not participate as I know GSMC is affiliated with some of the candidates and I was concerned that there might be accusations of slate candidacy or slander regarding the whole affair,” said David Alton, who is running for the Human Resources and Operations Commissioner.

Kimmi Snider, a candidate for Academic and University Affairs Commissioner who is not affiliated with the GSMC, thought that she would be “at a disadvantage” if she filled out the Report Card. “[Candidates affiliated with the GSMC] did not vote or grade these reports,” said Snider. “However, they have deep connections and longstanding relationships with those who did.”

Doherty says that because candidates who run in the CSA elections are so involved in campus life, the potential for conflicts of interest is unavoidably high. Nonetheless, he says

that the elections office requires all candidates to take steps to avoid those conflicts.

The elections office also requested that the Report Card contain a disclaimer explicitly stating that the grading scheme reflects the views of the GSMC, not the CSA or the electoral committee.

Doherty also suspects that the Report Card would have stirred less controversy if other student groups also took the initiative to ask the candidates for their opinions. He says more outside participation in campaigns would be a good thing. “[The GSMC] was just the only group that came to me,” said Doherty. “If other groups expressed interest, I would have been more than happy to relay that information.”

On Mar. 4, the GSMC released the results of the Report Card along with the candidate’s responses. The six candidates who chose not to respond were given failing grades.

ARTS & CULTURE

173.8 • Thursday, MARCH 6, 2014

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A to Zavitz: The Lamp & the Laboratory Angel Callandar From Feb. 24 to 28, Zavitz Gallery exhibited a solo show by Sam de Lange, titled The Lamp & the Laboratory. The show contained four separate pieces, which, as de Lange described, are “part of an ongoing investigation of the ecologies of photography.” In simpler terms: the relations between images, their modes of production, and the viewers in the physical surroundings.

The four works – “The Lamp (or Equivalent),” “After Use Before,” “culled from the same cloth,” and “Exerpts from the Laboratory” - were presented in separate groupings, which together considered the larger subject of image-making technology through photography, video, and installation.

By keeping most of the gallery lights turned off and using his own fluorescent light bulbs where needed, de Lange

created an almost chapel-like environment in which each work was given space to be truly admired.

“Exerpts from the Laboratory” consisted of a series of test prints made using experimental developing methods, including de Lange’s own recipe of an instant coffee and vitamin-C formula.

The images were made as cyanotypes (entirely blue-tinted), calotypes (paper coated with iodide), and salt paper prints, which hung on long strings of nylon rope between the left and back walls of the gallery. Images of industrial parks conveyed through this DIY approach to development contextualised manmade edifices and developments in a new photographic manner.

“After Use Before” was a series of small, framed Polaroid 545 prints taken with expired film.

The images moved between industrial landscapes, open fields, and otherwise desolate

sceneries. The unforeseen effects of the expired film added another dimension of presence to each image, such as a dark circle in the middle or the appearance of tearing, like tangible versions of ghosts caught on film.

While looking at the Polaroids, the soft humming and crackling sounds coming from “The Lamp (or Equivalent)” made it feel like one was watching an old film shot through a car window, roving through the back roads of some unknown place. Peaceful, secluded, unpredictable - yet somehow safe and controlled.

“The Lamp (or Equivalent)” was a digital video projected onto a large screen hanging diagonally to the back right corner. The projection appeared as a scene of what looked like clouds with a large bright spot in the centre. The video played at such a slow rate that it seemed to not be moving at all. Standing between the screen and the corner produced silhouettes

of the viewer onto the video, implying a human presence in the landscape.

As with “After Use Before,” interacting with the work was like observing a scene. It resembled a meta-exercise in watching a video of oneself watching the sky, as the clouds slowly part on an overcast day and the white sunlight comes through. This was an obvious manufactured environment - an opportunity to stare directly into the sun without the consequences of blindness.

The fourth piece, “culled from the same cloth,” was a reclaimed muslin backdrop from the Kodak film testing facilities in Toronto.

By hanging the large cloth to cover the gallery window, the dark fabric put the final touch on preparing an environment that was isolated but comfortable.

The subject matter of de Lange’s work negotiates the associations of the natural and the manufactured. Images that represent and imply physical landscapes

are intersected by the manmade technologies of photo-based processes that make up the contemporary media landscape.

His multidisciplinary approach addresses the relationships between outmoded forms of photography and contemporary media interventions, and draws a connection between the ‘high tech/low life’ notions of what de Lange calls the “first-person cyberpunk narrative.”

In dealing with the concepts of “provisional history,” metadata, and “future archive” in his work, de Lange constantly seeks to smudge the boundaries of past, present, future to tell a rhizomatic story in which everything can be connected.

The Lamp & the Laboratory created a symbiotic installation in which the darkened and austere physical environment felt like an inviting embrace, situating the viewer in the space between distance and deference.

Curtain Call Productions’ The Drowsy Chaperone

A musical, a wedding, and a surprising amount of vodka Alyssa Ottema

The University of Guelph’s own Curtain Call Productions has done it again, successfully staging the hilarious comedy-musical, The Drowsy Chaperone.

The show is a newer musical, having hit Broadway in early 2006, which parodies the traditional American musical comedy of the 1920s. The main character is a middle-aged, agoraphobic musical theatre junkie, named simply “Man in Chair.” To chase his blues away, the Man in Chair

– played in this production by Lauren McGinty – puts on the record to his favourite musical, which is a fictional show, conveniently also called The Drowsy Chaperone. The Man in Chair’s dingy apartment is soon transformed into a full-scale Broadway production.

The plot centres on the wedding day of Robert Martin, a successful businessman played by Brandon Vollick, and Janet Van De Graaff, a Broadway star, portrayed by Emma Moroni. The attendees include the elderly and forgetful hostess, Mrs. Tottendale (Savannah Stuart); her exceptionally loyal right-hand man, known only as Underling (John Gallant);

Robert’s hilarious best man, George (Duncan Tilford); Mr. Feldzeig (William Mackenzie), the producer of Janet’s Broadway show, who hopes to derail her wedding to save “the Follies;” Kitty (Jenay Hikele), a ditzy flapper who wants to take over Janet’s leading role; Adolpho (Ron McKenzie-Lefurgey), the amazingly over-the-top, self-proclaimed Latin lover extraordinaire; and, of course, the Drowsy Chaperone (Michelle Bruno), assigned to keep Janet away from Robert until the wedding.

The show is filled in by a talented ensemble, along with standouts Jacob Citron and Aaron Cadesky, who play two gangsters disguised

as bakers, who show up to complicate the “B plot” – that is, to threaten Mr. Feldzeig’s wellbeing should Janet not return to the stage. Of course, all could not have ended well without Trix the Aviatrix, played by Emily Nunez, who flew in at the last minute to save the day.

Standout numbers include “Show Off,” with Moroni’s angelic vocals backed by the talented cast; “Adolpho,” which showcased the impeccable comedic timing of McKenzie-Lefurgey and Bruno; “Toledo Surprise,” which put the hilariously wonderful Hikele front and centre; and “I do I do in the Sky,” which wrapped the plot up nicely and put a bow on it, just as a good

musical comedy should. Extra congratulations should go out to Vollick, for tackling an entire love scene blindfolded and on roller skates, and McKenzie-Lefurgey, for successfully taking on two ridiculous racial stereotypes in one show.

Of course, McGinty should be commended not only for tackling the difficult role of Man in Chair tremendously, but also for doing so as a female in a male role. McGinty’s performance is, at once, touching, engaging, and downright hilarious.

The entire cast and crew should be proud of an excellent production. Curtain Call’s The Drowsy Chaperone runs from Mar. 5 to Mar. 8 in War Memorial Hall.

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ARTS & CULTURE

The Weekly Review: The Lego Movie

4 Studded-Bricks out of 4 Sameer Chhabra

The question audiences should ask about The Lego Movie isn’t “What is the movie about?” as much as “How would anyone produce a coherent story about a Danish building block play-set?”

Choosing to answer this question with the literary panache and visual flair they’re known for, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have constructed an engaging coming-of-age story filled with fun, and driven by heart. What truly separates Lord and Miller’s directing and writing from other similar features, however, is the expert way in which Lego bricks are used as both the film’s main literary and visual conceit.

The film is shot using stopmotion animation.

Each sequence is a collected vignette of Lego bricks and figures assembled together to form a scene of animation. By incorporating stunning panoramic sweeps, long tracking shots, and a camera intent on capturing everything it

possibly can, the cinematography

by Pablo Plaisted, and editing by David Burrows and Chris McKay, help bring this stop-motion to life.

Light and colour have always been the two driving forces behind animation; what The Lego Movie does is combine these two forces to create a stunning visual palette that does everything it can to enhance the story. Lord and Miller’s production is yet another perfect example of beautiful images working together to tell a great story.

Every sequence in the film is constructed using the Danish building blocks and simple Lego blocks allowed the film’s artists to create settings and sequences of varying emotional depth.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have a great script - delivered by a great cast - to even a film out. Starring as the voice of ordinary construction worker Emmet Brickowski, Chris Pratt is joined by a star-studded cast including Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Alison Brie, Will Arnett, Liam Neeson, Nick Offerman, Charlie Day, and the golden-voiced Morgan

Freeman. With no exception, each voice is a fantastic performance on the part of the actor, with Arnett deserving extra praise as the gloomy and brooding Batman.

The film’s main story features the evil Lord Business (Ferrell) attempting to isolate and divide the Lego universe with the aid of his mysterious assistant. Only the chosen one, with the help of the legendary Piece of Resistance, can bring

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balance, unity, and harmony to the world. Admittedly, the plot is a standard rehash of the hero’s quest, but thanks to the wide array of characters Lego is capable of bringing together, the audience stays engaged by getting to know exactly what would happen if Superman and Shakespeare ever fought an evil army of Lego robots. In a way, The Lego Movie’s strongest asset is the Lego brand itself.

The plot’s originality can be called into question (J.R.R. Tolkien must be spinning in his grave), and film purists can argue that the movie is yet another cheap Hollywood cash-in on a beloved childhood franchise. However, the truth is that what Lord and Miller have created is far more than just another movie. In the span of 100 minutes, Lord, Miller, and everyone involved with the film’s production build a compelling world lead by nothing more than a vibrant cast of multifaceted Lego bricks and figurines.

Against all common sense, standing in the face of all logic, The Lego Movie manages to form

something spectacular out of those little bricks that everyone steps on in the middle of the night.

Mention must be made of the film’s theme song, a collaborative effort by Teagan and Sara and the Lonely Island. “Everything is Awesome” is simply one of the catchiest tunes ever produced, and its integration into every sequence and setting only adds to the humour. Surprisingly, it doesn’t get old.

Imagination is the cornerstone of construction, and nothing exemplifies this more than the Lego Brick. Builders of all ages, ethnicities, beliefs, and creeds can create anything their minds can imagine by piling on brick after brick. It’s this spirit of childlike ingenuity that is captured, bottled, and sold by The Lego Movie.

The film also takes the big risk of several not-so-subtle jabs at multinational expansion and corporate brainwashing, which is ironic considering everything in the movie is built from Lego. That the film preaches a message of uniqueness is the perfect example of everything Lego represents.

The Overview: Once Upon A Time

Magic is coming Stephen Banic

I remember the day ABC’s Once Upon A Time was recommended to me. I was sitting in McLaughlin library with group members, working on a presentation that was due the following day. As with most group work, course material soon dissolved as the topic of conversation, and was replaced by recommendations of shows to start watching. At the time I was in between shows, and was looking for something new to watch.

One of the group members said Once Upon A Time was the best show on television. “Watch it,” she said. “You will love it.” I was intrigued by her excitement, and so I began to watch.

Once Upon A Time is in many ways a sequel to all the fairy tales you read and heard as a child.

Most of these stories ended with a ‘happily ever after,’ but, the show tells a different version. As an act of revenge against Snow White (played

by Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (Josh Dallas) for overcoming the plan of to kill Snow White and becoming the fairest in the land, the Evil Queen Regina (Lana Parilla) unleashes a powerful curse

upon the land of fairy tales. Not only does this curse wipe clean everybody’s memories, but it also transports all characters, from Cinderella to Pinocchio, into a land without magic: our own planet Earth.

Before the curse is unleashed however, Snow White and Prince Charming are able to transport their only infant daughter, Emma (Jennifer Morrison) to our world ahead of the curse, under the belief that she will one day save them all.

In the pilot episode Emma is well into her twenties, living in Boston, and working as a bailbonds person/bounty hunter with no memory of being the daughter of Snow White, or the fact that she is from another dimension. It is hinted that she has somewhat of a troubled past. She comes home one day to find her birth son, Henry Mills (Jared Gilmore), who she had given up for adoption many years ago. He begs her to return with him to his home in a small Maine town called Storybrooke, claiming that she is the chosen one, destined to break a curse cast by an evil queen and save all the fairy tale characters who have forgotten their true identities. Believing him to just be a troubled child, she ends up taking him home.

After developing a close bond

with him, she decides to stay in Storybrooke.

The show revolves around Emma as she builds a relationship with her son, while slowly discovering her true heritage and destiny. This is done through the multiple encounters with the fairy tale characters living in Storybrooke, under the assumption that they are all normal people. The only one aware of the town’s true past is the mayor, Regina Mills, who is Henry’s adoptive mother - and the evil queen. She serves as the primary antagonist for the show, and often clashes with Emma over varying issues.

Once Upon A Time has two seasons completed, with the third currently airing on Sundays. It draws in millions of viewers with every episode and is currently one of ABC’s most popular shows.

However, this show is not Overview approved.

I have watched every episode of this show aired to date. Not because I enjoy it, but because I am a mutant who feeds on TV show. I have this deep motivation to complete a series that I cannot control, but I can save your time and advise you to spend it elsewhere when it comes to this fairy tale.

Generally speaking (and based on the show’s viewership) it is not an entirely bad show. However, it does speak to a certain

COURTESY PHOTO family-friendly demographic.

University students who are looking for mature themes and complex storylines they will not find fulfillment here.

Instead, they will find childish ideas of romance, uneventful confrontation, drama between characters, and predictable storylines. A few surprises and plot twists are present, but not enough to hold an audience

that does not have a love for fairytales.

Those of you with a strong admiration of fairy tales and love for that nostalgic feeling of being told a bedtime story, you may actually enjoy Once Upon A Time. To everyone else, I promise you there are other shows that are better worth your time in these pre-final exams stressful days.

ARTS & CULTURE

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173.8 • Thursday, MARCH 6, 2014

Amanda Beaton of The Next Step

A driven young woman with a passion for life Emily Jones

Everyone hopes to find something they really love and then find a way to make a living out of it. In an interview with University of Guelph student and actress Alexandra Beaton of The Next Step, Beaton revealed that dreams can come true with hard work and dedication. Beaton has always wanted to be an actress, and has known since childhood that this was the career for her.

“I was in all the school plays not always as a lead role - but I really felt that any kind of experience was a good one, especially in the acting world, because you always want to expand the range of emotion you are able to portray - when I say portray, I mean realistically,” said Beaton.

It was obvious in speaking with Beaton that she had known what she wanted from the beginning, and that her desire to get into acting wasn’t a fluke. Beaton had an agent from a young age, knowing that if she wanted to make her dream a reality, she was going to have to work hard to obtain it.

“I always wanted to make sure that my resume was as full as it could be, and just like in school, networking is one of the most important things you can do” said Beaton. “The more people who know you, not only personally but [who] have seen you [and] know you are a good worker, [they] will gravitate to you if they know you are not just in the industry for a short amount of time.”

Beaton described The Next Step as a show “about a group of dancers [whose] lives intertwine with [one another],” the show is moving into its second season on The Family Channel.

“Like competitive dancers know, it consumes your life. There are crushes, betrayal, money problems, obviously a lot of drama, boy issues, and girl issues,” Beaton continued. Beaton called the show “more realistic than people would expect,” noting that “it deals with problems that are facing young adults and preteens today and it does that [in an honest way].”

Beaton, a second year CJPP student at the University of Guelph, began filming The Next Step when she was seventeen, the summer before arriving for her first year of study. When asked about landing the role of Emily on The Next Step, Beaton said “[They had filmed] the pilot already - we went in knowing that all of their main roles were already filled.” But as Beaton expressed earlier, the more people who know of you, the better, and “Temple Street Productions, The Family Channel and Bell Media are huge platforms for any artist.” With great determination, Beaton auditioned in hopes of landing a spot in the show. “I am more of an actress, [and] we had to do dancing, so that was a little bit funny for me,” said Beaton but she “decided to go in there and give it my all.”

Although being determined, Beaton remembers being paired with Jordan Clarke, who was the winner of So You Think You Can Dance Canada, which she said was “a little disconcerting.”

ALBUM OF THE WEEK: RISER

Beaton expressed that one of the most important qualities to have when getting into acting is having “thick skin,” stating that, “You have to be able to understand that you could be the Meryl Streep of your audition, but if you don’t have red hair, they won’t cast you.” Beaton believes that without a thick skin, it is easier “to get discouraged and start doubting yourself and your talent and all of that kind of stuff, which is not good for anyone’s self-esteem.”

Beaton emphasized that it is ok to step back and re-evaluate life and one’s career, and that the most important thing is to do something you love.

When asked about the best advice she had ever received, Beaton had two responses, the first coming from Gerrard Butler, with whom she worked with on the film 300.

“He said: when you do stage work, go to the audience – when you do film or TV work, let the audience come to you. This is something I have been very mindful of - the differences between mediums,” Beaton recalled. The second piece of advice came from Beaton’s father, who she describes as “a man that instilled self-respect and confidence” in both her sister and herself. He told her that “no matter what you do, there will always be someone who loves you, and that someone will be me.”

Family means everything to Beaton, who stated that “My role model is my younger sister, Sophie - [she is] my sister and best friend. We are 14 months apart and she has a quiet strength – not that she is a quiet person, but she looks at the world in such a good way, a way that I hope

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOANNA LANDSBERG

Alexandra Beaton plays Emily on The Next Step, and is a second year student at the University of Guelph. to be able to look at [it]. She has always been my number one fan.”

In wrapping up the interview, it was apparent that Beaton was a mindful 19 year-old who is every

bit deserving of the success she has worked so incredibly hard for. Beaton is full of passion and dedication, and is someone to look out for in the future.

STYLE PICK OF THE WEEK: ANDREA PATEHVIRI

COURTESY PHOTO

Dierks Bentley’s new album, Riser, is said to be his most personal yet. After Bentley’s dad had passed during the making of the album he originally intended to release this year, it was decided to take the album from a whole new direction by employing a “new emotion palate outside the sterile studio environment.”

PHOTO BY WENDY SHEPHERD

Andrea Patehviri caught our eye this past week on campus wearing a colourful floral skirt, burnt orange tights, and a mustard yellow cardigan. Patehviri mixed the soft details of her skirt with a cute and casual printed T-shirt to balance the look.

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SPORTS & HEALTH

www.theontarion.com

Top 6 “musts” for Jays to make playoffs Andrew Donovan No sports fan in Canada can forget the hype that went into the 2013 Toronto Blue Jays. 2013 was supposed to be when the World Series trophy was brought back north of the border and paraded down Young Street in front of hundreds of thousands of people reliving their memories of twodecades past.

Instead, a nation collectively covered its eyes and cringed as their beloved Blue Jays went 10-17 in April and 74-88 overall – good enough for last place in the AL East.

Outside having arguably the best bullpen in the Major Leagues, the entirety of the Blue Jays season was a flop, and as far as sports bettors are concerned, 2014 won’t be a whole lot better.

In what was a very quiet offseason for the Jays, Toronto’s odds to win the World Series are a daunting 50/1, with their over-under for total wins staked at 77.5, which would (again) place them at the bottom of the AL East.

Even as a lifelong Jays diehard, I have no grand aspirations about Toronto making the playoffs, never mind winning a World Series this year. So, with that in mind, here are my top six musts for the Jays to even contend for a Wild Card spot:

1. Fast Start: The Jays not only need a fast start to the month of April, they need fast starts to each and every game. The Blue Jays gave up 756 runs last year, fourth worst in the MLB, and there were countless amounts of times that the going into the third inning, the Jays would be down a handful of runs. April features the likes of the Rays, Yankees, Orioles, Indians, Red Sox, and Royals – all of which are playoff-contending teams. If the Jays can leave April at .500, they’ll be in a good spot to contend in May and onwards.

2. Starting Pitching: On top of letting up fourth most runs, the Jays had the sixth worst team ERA, second most home runs, third in total bases, and second worst ERA for starting pitchers at 4.81. In one word, the Jays starting rotation was horrendous. In 2014, the Jays rotation looks almost identical to the 2013 roster, the only difference being that J.A. Happ will replace Ricky Romero. Dickey and Buehrle, the workhorse first and second starters for the Jays, need to go 200 plus innings this year, and Brandon Morrow must stay injury-free.

3. Health: “We have to stay healthy – I mean our whole 25-man roster,” said Edwin Encarnacion. No truer

DERIVATIVE OF ORIGINAL PHOTO BY KEITH ALLISON

Jose Bautista’s best statistical season was when he was wearing the above (old) uniform in 2011. Though he didn’t make the list, Joey Bats needs to hit .300 with over 100 RBI for the Jays to be successful. words have been spoken. Of the 162 games the Jays played last season, Reyes, Cabrera, Bautista, Encarnacion, Rasmus, Lind, and Lawrie only played together seven times.

4. Defence: Four out innings, botched ground balls, poor pitcher fielding, and a bipolar middle-infield made for an incredibly frustrating season defensively for players, coaches, and fans. Anthony Goins will

Gryphons: inaugural ‘University Ringette League’ champs Ringette team looks to future after most successful season in team history Morgan Faulds The University of Guelph Gryphons ringette team made history this weekend in Niagara Falls, winning the championship title in the inaugural season of the University Ringette League (URL). With a league record of 17-1-1 and a total season record of 22-2-4, the Gryphons dominated the competition all year.

The Gryphons entered the Niagara Falls tournament as the team to beat, with the most points in the URL going into the final competition. Due to injuries and midterm conflicts, the first game found the Gryphons with only 7 skaters. Despite such a short bench and lots of double-shifting, Guelph easily handled an aggressive Brock team, winning 12-5. Game two found Guelph still short of players, with only nine skaters against their toughest opponents, the Nipissing Lakers. Although Nipissing had a

full bench, and managed to tie the game 4-4 in the last seven seconds, the game belonged to the Gryphons, whose conditioning work in practice paid off against a very strong Nipissing squad.

Guelph finally had a full lineup for their next two games, and easily beat Laurentian (8-1) and Brock (5-1), earning the chance to play Nipissing for the title of the first ever URL Champion.

Although it was a tough game, Guelph once again showed off their superior conditioning and talent and handed their opponents a 5-2 loss.

This year, the Gryphons ringette team had the most successful season in team history. In addition to winning the URL, they also won gold at the University Challenge Cup (UCC), went to the finals in all five of the tournaments that they attended, and came home with four gold medals. The only silver came in the first tournament of the year in a hard-fought overtime loss to Western.

Following this year’s success, the Gryphons will be playing in the top tier at the UCC next year for the first time in team history.

Guelph will also be competing in

the newly formed “A” division of the URL, facing teams such as Western, Ottawa and Carleton.

This new division was created when top teams expressed their desire for more competition and the formation of an official Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Varsity League.

This desire comes from the fact that university ringette players face the same challenges as a varsity player of any other sport, but without the recognition or school support. The players attend practice every week, spend time in the gym, and attend multiple tournaments and exhibition games. However, the ringette team faces barriers that varsity teams do not, such as difficulty acquiring sufficient ice time, and transportation to tournaments and games.

Gaining recognition as a varsity team – first by the University of Guelph, then by the OUA – would help the ringette team to improve upon their success this season.

However, heading into next year’s UCC, which will take place at the University of Calgary, the Gryphons ringette team intends to compete hard, with or without varsity status.

likely provide consistency at second base, but the league’s fifth worst fielding percentage and errors must improve.

5. On-base-percentage: The Jays were ranked right in the middle of the pack at 15th (.318) in OBP and every playoff team, with the exception of the Pittsburgh Pirates (who arguably had MLB’s best pitching), had an OBP substantially better than Toronto’s.

6. Strong ‘Pen: Steve Delebar and Brett Cecil were unlikely All Star Game choices for the American League bullpen, but they absolutely deserved their nomination.

Coming off a season where the bullpen pitched 552.5 innings, third most in baseball, the Jays are going to have to repeat that performance, and with the plethora of young arms they have, opposing batters will always be exposed to something new.

Men take bronze, women 6th for wrestling Andrew Donovan The University of Guelph wrestling team travelled to Fredericton, New Brunswick, where the seven men that represented the Gryphons brought home bronze, and the three women for the red, black, and gold claimed sixth place overall at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Championships.

Brock, by and large, dominated the weekend. The Badgers were coming off an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Championship where they picked up two silver medals, narrowly losing to Guelph’s men’s side and Western’s women’s side by two and three points, respectively.

The St. Catherines University made right on their second place finishes the weekend prior by dominating the competition. The Brock men won by 14 points over second-place Alberta, and the women won by a dominating 16 points over Calgary.

Brock’s dominance in New Brunswick saw their teams go home with seven gold medals in 18 total events, along with another four silver and a bronze.

As far as Guelph’s performances on the weekend were concerned, Jeremy Latour won gold in the 130 kg class, Tyson Frost won silver in the 82 kg class, Jake Jagas won bronze in the 76 kg class, Kevin

Iwasa-Madge won gold in the 65 kg class, Oren Furmanov won bronze in the 54 kg class, and Kelsey Gsell won the women’s only medal, a gold in the 82 kg class.

Frost, who we interviewed in November 2013 for the article “True Grit: Hard work pays off for Tyson Frost,” had CIS gold on his mind all season, and went into the Championships in the top seed.

Unfortunately, Frost lost in the last handful of seconds in the gold medal match to Brock’s Matrixx Ferreira, who he had beaten in last week’s OUA Championships.

Despite the loss on the national stage, this was, overall, a successful season for Frost, who had come off a two-year hiatus due to injury.

The overall success of the Gryphons team is encouraging going forward. Frost, who still has OUA eligibility next season and plans to return to Guelph for a master’s program, won the Keegan Trophy for the most outstanding male wrestler at the OUA level, while Guelph’s Doug Cox won Coach of the Year honours, also at the OUA level.

Despite placing third and sixth at the CIS, Guelph will still enter next year as an OUA top contender, defending their men’s gold and women’s bronze.

Freshman Latour and senior Gsell brought home Gryphon athletes of the week for their medal-winning performances at the Championships.

SPORTS & HEALTH New law forces calorie count on fast-food menus Liberals move forward with controversial new law Andrew Donovan Putting the calories of meals on fast-food menus has been debated for some time, but as far as the Ontario Liberals are concerned, there is no more time for debate and the law must be passed.

Health Minister Deb Matthews announced the tabling of this new bill on Feb. 24 after consulting with health professionals and businesses.

“We are focusing on calories because that’s the single best proxy up for the issue we are trying to tackle - childhood obesity,” said Matthews. “Our rates of childhood obesity are high and growing higher. We simply must invest now in healthier kids so that we’ll have a more sustainable health care system going forward.”

While the intent of Matthews and the Liberal party appears to be virtuous – especially with her consistent emphasis on the health of the province’s children – critics in the health industry question the effectiveness of this

type of legislation.

An article out of The Boston Globe examined research from a 2009 study that examined four fast-food chains in New York City, which found that customers actually bought food with slightly more calories than average after the calories were mandated on menus.

These findings were supported in a 2011 study at New York University School of Medicine, which found that calorie postings at Wendy’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Burger King, and McDonald’s did not alter order choices.

“There could be 10,000 ways to make a pizza. How do you put that out there?” said James Rilett, the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association’s Vice-President for Ontario. “It’s not simply just ‘stick a number up there and people will understand it.’”

Nutritionists shared in Rilett’s sentiments, saying that we shouldn’t be making food choices based strictly off of caloric intake.

“If you take a fruit smoothie and compare it to a Diet Coke, a fruit smoothie is going to have more calories. Does that mean that Diet Coke is a healthier option?”

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173.8 • Thursday, MARCH 6, 2014

PHOTO BY SIMON MILLER

Big Mac: 550 calories + medium fries: 380 calories = 930 calories. Will that dissuade you from the taste of this familiar bite? asked nutritionist Aviva Allen in an interview with the CBC. Allen believes that companies need to start labeling trans-fats, as well as sugars, sodium, and a few other important indicators that can help consumers make healthier choices.

The comments online were largely of the libertarian variety,

with respondents arguing that the government has no business interfering with business, and that people need to take responsibility for their own health – even if that means they choose to consume fast-food often.

Despite the statistics that argue this legislation will not help

prevent obesity and cries from citizens who just want to be left to their own devices, the rhetoric is in place for the Liberals.

When asked when the legislation would pass and be seen on the menu items of Ontario’s fast-food chains, Matthews said, “very, very soon.”

Exploring your body’s “little brain”

Understanding the links between IBS and stress Andrew Donovan

“You’ll notice,” says Kathy Somers of the University of Guelph Stress Management and High Performance Clinic (SMHPC) as she points to a handout, “that your heart rhythm is very similar to a healthy breathing pattern.”

To the roughly 20 attendees of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Stress talk hosted in the University Centre, this revelation seemed blatantly obvious, but only in retrospect, after Somers’ had explained the correlation between healthy breathing and a healthy heart.

We’re about half way through the seminar, and I can’t help but think how relevant the information is to those who experiences periods of high stress in their life – and presumably at a university, that includes everyone.

This seminar was the first of four seminars in a series that the SMHPC has set up for students and residents of Guelph alike.

“With over 100 million neurons, including a clump of 3 million neurons called the solar plexus, which is the largest group of nerves in our body outside of our brain, nicknamed the “little brain,” the GI tract is like a grand central station of nerves carrying our thoughts and emotions through the body,” reads one of a handful of handouts

attendees received.

The theory that healing can come from the release of tensions in the body, particularly surrounding one’s stomach, is based off of bioenergetics – a branch of biology that theorizes that energy transformations and exchanges happen within and between living things and their environments.

In laymen’s terms, that tightness you get in your stomach when you experience high emotion or stress is your “little

brain’s” physical reaction to an emotional trigger. When this happens, people tend to cramp up, feel discomfort in their gastrointestinal tract, and begin to breathe from their chest, as opposed to breathing “low and slow” from their stomach.

The first part of the lecture series focused on breathing techniques which involved breathing from the diaphragm in a comfortable and slow rhythm, working up to a count of four on the inhale and six on the exhale.

This “low and slow” breathing technique will lead to Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), and will almost immediately begin to release tension in the abdomen, lower back, and hips. However, to get the full benefits of PMR, it is advised to practice “low and slow” breathing 15 minutes a day, twice a day, for a few weeks.

The following three seminars will be held weekly on Monday evenings at 7:30 p.m. and will cover diet,

exercise, and autogenic training.

“Next week we’ll be talking about diet and things that release [stomach] constriction such as peppermint oil, and supplements. But there will also be talk about exercise – moving your body,” said Somers.

Coming seminars will also deal with more relaxation techniques for stress, and understanding how the nervous system responds to different environments.

CSA ELECTIONS

LOCAL AFFAIRS COMMISSIONER Caitlin Drew Zeran

Having experienced the Guelph transit system for several years now, I feel as though there are improvements that could be made in order to better accommodate student patrons, such as longer “peak periods� during the week. As well, I would like to strengthen the relationship that exists between students and the community that they are living in while attending the university; for example, it is important to encourage students to vote in the upcoming municipal election. Furthermore, I take pride in the positive and safe vibe that our university puts out, and I want to continue to foster this - specifically, I would like to work more closely with the residences in order to ensure that they are as secure as possible. Finally, I am interested in improving the bus pass distribution process, as well as increasing student usage of the abundance of wonderful CSA programs.

Luna Shen Specific to my office, I would work to improve transit and toward making the campus a safer space. I would like to see the late-night buses also service Monday nights and for the Sunday late-night service to become more prominent. I would like to push for a new Greyhound station as well. While it doesn’t fall under the Local Affairs portfolio directly, I see it as both related to transit and municipal issues. The temporary location is a tiny portable and students are sometimes forced to wait outside in the cold for several hours for a bus. The wording of the second task is not as goal-oriented, I realize, but what is considered safe for one individual may not be so for another. One of the better ways to accomplish this goal is to bring awareness to such issues as sexual assault and to educate students on its reality.

Brittany Skelton There are several goals I would work toward if elected. I would work to improve transit, ensuring that the highest quality of service is provided and expand upon alternative transportation options for students. I would establish a safer campus through challenging rape culture and raising awareness regarding sexual assault and prevention programs. I am committed to expanding student space on campus and in the community. I am dedicated to continuing my support of the work of the Student Food Bank and its newly founded community garden. I will advocate for creating space for student-led-and-initiated food providers on campus. I will be a strong voice to see our issues on the forefront of the public agenda. I plan on working alongside the City of Guelph to develop a strategy on engaging students, including creating a forum regarding the municipal election and new bylaws as they arise.

External Affairs Commissioner Sonali Menezes If elected I would work with groups on campus to continue the United for Equity Campaign which challenges students to challenge sexism, racism, homophobia, racism and transphobia. I would focus on establishing this campaign in residences as well as working on a campus taskforce on racism which I feel is important to the health and strength of our community. I would continue to work to achieve a bottled water-free campus with more water fountains and refill stations for students and work on sustainability on campus. I will advocate for more funding for post-secondary education when lobbying the government and to protect programming at Guelph in light of PPP cuts. With a likely provincial election coming up, I will also create an online CSA video newsblog to keep students in the loop and work on a strong campaign against rising tuition fees.

Academic and University Affairs Commissioner Peter Miller

If elected, I will organize with students to stand for public, accessible, and quality education. This will include working with students against the 32.4 million dollars of cuts from happening on campus over the next three years. The cuts threaten the quality and diversity of our education including a 25.8 per cent cut to the College of Arts and a 15.1 per cent cut to the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences. I will work with students to put pressure on the Board of Governors and administration to not increase tuition fees by 200 to 300 dollars per student each year. We need to work with student unions across Ontario for accessible education.

I am also committed to other aspects of the Academic and University Affairs portfolio, including being a resource for students encountering academic problems and campaigning to make professors and students aware of affordable textbook options.

Kimmi Snider If elected as the Academic and University Affairs Commissioner, I hope to reach out to more students to make sure to accurately represent and campaign for students. My main focus will be creating a more accessible campus by eliminating the social and physical barriers. I hope to include more students during the budget cuts to ensure that programs are not cut and some programs have an efficient restructure. I hope to reach out to more students while working on the calendar day change and fall reading week. As the day change from before exams to mid-semester was controversial, I hope to get more feedback for more accurate results. If elected, I will be bringing more innovative and out-of-the-box campaign ideas to create a more engaged campus and raise more student voices.

S

Question: What goals, specific to your desired office, would you work to achieve if elected?

This is the first of two questions the Ontarion posed to candidates running for executive office in the Central Student Association’s general election. Responses to the second question, which are specific to the office of each commissioner, can be found at theontarion.com Undergraduate students can fill out their ballot (accessed through Gryphmail) between Mar. 5 and Mar. 7. Students will also have a chance to vote for members of the CSA Board of Directors and decide on a referendum question put forward by the Student Space Initiative.

Communications and Corporate Affairs Commissioner Matt Brown

First and foremost, increased flow in communications in four areas (CSA internally, student populations, campus groups - students and administration, and off-campus communities). By strengthening communications to all parties, we are able to work better together to create a unified campus life. Next, I would like to create a virtual community through social media and new avenues. This includes constant updates, highlights of events, campaigns on student issues, and general student engagement and involvement. Promoting the CSA services is very important as many students still do not know that they exist. Finally, I would like to implement a system where students can grade the CSA and its services to know how well we are doing and what we can improve on. Introducing innovative ideas and new ways to connect with students, as well as creating a high energy and engaging Orientation Week, is all top priority.

Sonia Chwalek If elected as Communications and Corporate Affairs Commissioner, my goals will be two-fold: 1) Improve communication between you and the CSA to ensure your voices are held paramount in decisions for a strong student union by expanding social media activity, increasing website and mass-email user-friendliness, and collaborating extensively with groups and CSA clubs; and 2) ensure that campaigns and services reflective of your needs are supported and clearly communicated to you, such as those advocating for more student space, quality accessible education, and a more sustainable campus. I will work to engage with you in new ways, like by running welcome back events open to all students regardless of year of study, and bringing in big name speakers to AGMs to draw interest. It will be my priority to not only listen to what is important to you, but also make sure that you are aware of the CSA services, resources, campaigns, and events from which you can benefit.

River Roy If elected I plan to promote available CSA services to students and inquire what they need from the CSA in terms of new services and initiatives. Getting this feedback and putting it into action is very important to me as the CSA is there for students completely. I’d also like to increase the visibility and knowledge of what the CSA is to all students; giving them a chance to hear what the executive is working on and new projects would be fantastic to gain support! Making sure the CSA runs smoothly is another priority. It may be more behind the scenes, but it is necessary for the success of the organization.

Human Resources and Operations Commissioner David Alton

My primary goal is to bring administrative stability to the CSA. The past couple of years the CSA has been working through some internal instability. Because of this the organization has suffered and stagnated. If you haven’t noticed, the Bullring had to phase out bacon due to a ventilation issue. By focusing my energy on the internal issues I plan to start moving funding back to the Bullring to cover the cost of major renovations needed to bring back bacon. I also want to focus on clubs who have faced a lot of internal uncertainty and mismanagement in recent years. I want to spend the year righting some of those wrongs by engaging in extensive consultation with clubs to identify major issues and major goals. By bringing stability to internal issues I hope to allow the CSA to spend more time communicating with students and planning for the future.

Colin Morris I see student space on campus as a critical issue and one that I would prioritize. Our campus is lacking sufficient student space for all of the undergraduate students. This past summer, I worked hard to reach out to stakeholders across the campus to secure $35,000 worth of furniture for the MacKinnon building. At a time when the university is tightening its belt, we found a way to improve student space for all students. But this is just the beginning, and as a CSA executive I hope to build on this project in other locations across campus as well as investigate the possibility of a new student building. This new space would result in increased student space and offices for the wide range of organizations that we have on campus. I will be your full time student space champion and together we can make the impossible possible.

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LIFE

www.theontarion.com

A new authentic food experience

Owner of downtown staple expands business to the East end Marc Sgrignoli

Guelph’s East side is about to get a Latin American facelift as Rodolfo Hennigs – owner of The Salsateria on Wyndham Street – gets ready to launch his new Chilean and Mexican restaurant, Mojitos, on Mar. 10.

To Guelphites, Hennigs is an artist, but not of the kind that uses a brush. He is the gastronomic aficionado who began his career renting a stall at the local farmers market in 1992, and has since grown his business, year after year, on the popularity of his pebre (salsa) and his self described “fusion of traditional Chilean, Mexican, and Caribbean flavours.”

With this new location differing in flavour and theme from previous restaurants, Mojitos is being built with the love and inspiration of his homeland, Chile.

While Hennigs loves Guelph, he “misses his native Chile,” which is why he is going to extremes to make Mojitos look and feel authentic.

The calming waters of the 4000 plus kilometer Chilean coast are represented in gorgeous detail

on the mural he commissioned to adorn the building. From the mountains surrounding the capital of Santiago to the idyllic coastal waters of Valparaiso, this work of art is stunning in scope, adding cultural value to a city that has always admired and encouraged artistic creativity.

When asked about his vision for Mojitos, Hennigs said that he’d like it to be “like the relaxing place you look for when you are on vacation,” and then joked about patrons being able to “wear bathing suits at lunch, if they wish.”

Indeed, the wooden roofed houses splashed in the mural’s sun-drenched surf are reminiscent of this.

Hennigs is a modern mixologist whose enthusiasm was apparent when he said, “everything I create is an interpretation of things I have tried.”

Hennigs noted that he has “no recipes, and everything is made from scratch,” which is evident in what he is trying to create at his new restaurant. He imagines customers eating a savory Chilean dish – similar to jambalaya – called Pul Mai, engaging in friendly conversation, and enjoying the relaxing views of the babbling brook and ponds across the street.

“In the summer, you will

be able to sit on the colourful South American inspired patio and listen to Latin music, while ordering from our special outdoor taqueria,” Hennigs continued.

Hennigs wants his new restaurant to be a gathering place, and his price point reflects this desire, offering high quality menu items for significantly less than his competition.

In addition, patrons will be able to order two or six tacos, making the summer patio the perfect place to meet for a mid-afternoon bite when you and your friends are afflicted by differing degrees of hunger.

While previous restaurateurs at this location have bet that people would come for their food alone, Hennigs expects to entice crowds by combining a number of culinary, artistic, and natural elements.

Mojitos seeks to provide an offcampus haven for students who want to unwind, as well as a yearlong “staycation” destination for family-oriented Guelphites looking for a more authentic cultural food experience.

While Hennigs has risen on the popularity of his cilantroinspired salsa and delectable sauces, he is hoping that Mojitos will mark the beginning of another culinary revolution in Guelph.

PHOTO BY WENDY SHEPHERD

Rodolfo Hennings, owner of The Salsateria on Wyndham Street in downtown Guelph, will be expanding his business to the East side with a new Chilean and Mexican restaurant called Mojitos.

Alumni Spotlight: Lorne Rubenstein Successful golf journalist had career foreshadowed at U of G Stephanie Coratti Lorne Rubenstein may have applied to the University of Guelph with the intention of completing a Master’s in Psychology, but the hands of fate had other plans. After graduating from York University in a program then called Liberal Sciences (which is now the equivalent to Psychology), Rubenstein took a year off from academics. The man who would later work as a Globe and Mail columnist for 32 years only applied to graduate school at U of G after becoming aware of a Professor, Richard Lonetto. “It was just the opportunity to really work with him that brought me out there,” Rubenstein explained.

Rubenstein and Lonetto worked together on a study concerning Clinical Psychology - nothing to do with golf, or even sports in general. However, upon first arriving to the university, Graduate Student Housing directed the

late applicant to an apartment at University Avenue which overlooked a golf course - a lingering foreshadow, no doubt.

Despite his later career having nothing to do with psychology – at least formally – Rubenstein suggested that the work he completed with Lonetto developing programs in Clinical Psychology helped build a foundation for the immensely successful writer he would later become. “[The work] gave me a perspective on life… working with people at the other end of life,” Rubenstein explained of the programs developed to permanently help patients. “It was the experience of being around people, learning how they coped; and the most important thing, to me, was to really listen to them. That translated into how I approached my work as a writer and as an interviewer.”

Working with people nearing the end of their lives also had a significant impact on the writer - perhaps a significance even Rubenstein wasn’t quite aware of at the time. “Realizing people have stories and [that] given a trusting relationship, they might

like to be heard,” Rubenstein explained. “It was very meaningful to be around. It helped me approach my work in that way.

Just valuing the human spirit.”

After completing his Master’s at U of G, Rubenstein returned to York to hopefully attain his PhD in Psychology. However, that was a goal left unfinished, as the hands of fate stepped in once again. “I started to just write about golf,” Rubenstein explained, which led to his being offered a part-time job working for the Royal Canadian Golf Association. “One thing led to another…When you look back, I’m sure I could find a direct line with everything and stitch it all together. But it didn’t feel planned. I just enjoyed it, kept at it, and kept getting published. I was fortunate.”

Rubenstein wrote while he played in the Ontario Amateur and British Amateur Championships, which was then followed by caddying on the PGA Tour.

“That led into my proposing a column to the Globe and Mail,” Rubenstein explained of his first real start. “Once you get

published in one place, it’s easier to get another. It just became a career.”

It was quite a career for something that was never planned or organized. Rubenstein worked as a golf columnist for the Globe and Mail for 32 years and was published in several other publications - such as Golf Digest and Golf Magazine - as well as publishing 13 books. He was also the co-host of the Acura World of Golf on TSN for 11 years, and has received an incredible amount of awards and recognitions, including an induction into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Canadian Sports Media Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009.

With such a decorated resume, it’s no wonder Rubenstein has difficulty deciding on just one proudest moment. About what he holes pride in: “Just being able to sustain a career in writing for so long and being able to write about the game,” Rubenstein said. “But if I were to really pick, it would be in 1980, going to the Globe and Mail [and] suggesting a general golf column to them. That’s

what got it going.” Rubenstein also added that having the ability to write beyond the professional side of the game, into the “architecture” and “literature” of golf, is something he never took for granted throughout his career.

“I’ve had the opportunity to write lots of different things… I had the opportunity to write the book about Mike Weir when he won the Masters, that was great.

I started before he had even won and as we all know, that turned into ‘The Road to the Masters,’” Rubenstein said, reminiscing about great accomplishments and additional works of fate.

“Just being able to stay relevant in a career revolving around a genuine passion for so long…that would be it.”

Through it all though, Rubenstein still remembers that little apartment overlooking the golf course. The once Guelph alumni didn’t think then that he would become a tremendous force for the growth of golf in Canada, but 30 years later, a lot has changed - except for one very important thing: “I really enjoyed those two years there, I really did.”

LIFE

173.8 • Thursday, MARCH 6, 2014

13

Torn between measures of success The role of formal education in the Canadian Arctic Genevieve Lalonde At the top of the world surrounded by glacial valleys the red sun rises over the community of Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories. The mechanized buzzing of a bell shatters the serenity of the environment, almost as if to indicate an emergency. Children

scatter out of their homes; some head towards the Helen Kalvak Elihakvik (school), and others ignore the buzzing sound and set out on their snowmobiles, far onto the frozen Arctic Ocean.

Many younger generation Inuit are torn between southern educational values and their traditional Inuit values. Since moving from the rural landscape into the community in the late 1960s, Inuit have been encouraged to attend school. A large number of Inuit

I don’t know how it was to live traditionally [on the land], but today I am taught that school is important in order to make money to head out onto the land.

- Koral Kudlak

students, however, leave well before high school graduation, often to pursue subsistence activities rooted in traditional Inuit culture.

As Inuit Elder Robert Kuptana shares, “[I]t is important for us to teach the younger generation how to walk in both worlds, one with the southern values, the other as a true Inuk.” Inuit who attend school learn the required math, sciences, and english language skills while those on the land learn the traditional

knowledge and skills necessary for successful hunting.

Along with University of Guelph Adjunct Faculty member Dr. Tristan Pearce, I have been working on a new research project with Inuit in Ulukhaktok that addresses community concerns regarding the relevance of formal education for young Inuit. This project builds on a decade of research conducted

by Dr. Pearce with the community, and examines perceptions of learning success among Inuit and southern educators. Semistructured interviews were conducted with over 35 Inuit students and southern educators to document perceptions of learning success and the tools required to achieve success. Many of the respondents described a successful person as someone who completes tasks and achieves their personal goals, no matter what path they take.

While observing an Inuit elder nimbly push her needle in and out of a sealskin to make a pair of mittens, Koral Kudlak shared, “I don’t know how it was to live traditionally [on the land], but today I am taught that school is important in order to make money to head out onto the land. For me, to be successful just means that you are busy and happy.” Kudlak eludes to the reality of life in a modern Inuit settlement, where money is needed in order to purchase equipment, fuel, and supplies for traveling and hunting on the land.

Grade 1 teacher Jennifer Dickson commented that “[t]he current education system in Ulukhaktok works for some students, but not for the majority. For many at this time, there is a choice to be made: either the students become successful by embracing their traditional values of hunting or sewing, or they learn to read and write.”

At the end of the day in Ulukhaktok, the sun sets and students head home from school.

Young Inuit in Ulukhaktok face the pressures of achievement in both a southern-structured education system and a traditional subsistence-based culture. Success is relative to the evaluator, and the students who receive their high school diplomas will be celebrated at the end of the year, while those who return from hunting trips will be encouraged daily for their efforts.

A balance needs to be reached between formal education and traditional learning in Inuit communities. This research responds to this knowledge gap and is positioned to contribute to the renegotiation of education in Ulukhaktok and elsewhere in the Canadian Arctic.

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OPINION

www.theontarion.com

Is this drink the reason you’re single?

New relationship survey suggests men don’t prefer women who drink beer Diana Kurzeja

If you’re like me, you’ve probably done one of those Cosmo Relationship Surveys at least once in your life. These surveys can tell you which hair colour, outfit, and personality type men prefer, letting you know exactly what you need to change about yourself to become that perfect “dream girl.”

What’s interesting is that a new relationship survey was recently released, titled, “A Man’s ‘Dream Woman’ Apparently Doesn’t Drink Beer.” According to the national survey conducted by the makers of an app called “wist,” a man’s preferred female drinking preferences are as follows: “On a date, most men think their ‘dream woman’ will drink wine (35 per cent) or a specialty cocktail like a Mojito or Margarita (26 per cent). Most guys don’t care for a girl who drinks beer (preferred by 18 per cent), [or] drinks like a rum and Coke (15 per cent),

Why we should care about the lies they tell

or a shot or shooter (only 1 per cent).”

The way I see it, if you order anything other than wine or a cocktail on a date, you’ve pretty much lost any shot you had at being the ultimate dream girl – although placing that much emphasis on someone’s drink preference seems a little strange, and I have yet to see a survey about what a woman’s dream man would drink on a first date.

How weird would that be?

I’ve always wondered to myself, who exactly are these men that are answering these surveys?

They can’t possibly represent the entire population of men and their varying opinions, so why do these surveys gain so much attention? However, the real issue here is the concept of a “dream girl” - seeing as if every woman out there reading these surveys took them seriously, we would all be drinking wine on dates, listening to the same music, and rocking the same hairstyles. That doesn’t sound so great, does it?

Most of these surveys focus on the small, superficial aspects of a person that shouldn’t be held

PHOTO BY EMILIANO DE LAURENTIIS

We encounter a countless amount of relationship surveys on the Internet, most of which like to tell us “what men want.” But can we reduce all of our vastly different preferences in a significant-other to statistics compiled on websites such as cosmopolitan.com? to such importance. A guy might like it if a girl orders a cocktail on the first date, but he obviously shouldn’t avoid going out with her if she doesn’t. In retrospect, these details seem so small and insignificant. Having people check off boxes and use percentages to rate what they do or do not like – and applying it to everyone

out there – starts creating statistics out of people. It seems almost like an interview process, where you have to meet specific and lengthy criteria just to get yourself a date. The truth is, we are not statistics, and what one person likes may not be the same as what the next person likes. It is impossible to mould yourself into the

perfect person that fits each and every one of these surveys, and it would be silly to even try.

So, the next time you see one of these countless relationship surveys, just remember that the results don’t apply to everyone, and that it definitely won’t be the end of your dating life if you order a beer on a first date.

Politicians and their secrets

Carleigh Cathcart Anyone who’s seen the show Pretty Little Liars knows that in every episode, one question is answered and about five more are created. Just when you think you have all the information and understand what’s going on, something else pops up and it’s chaos again.

Almost none of the characters are who we think they are, and we’re constantly learning about their shady pasts. The ones that are innocent are often the ones who get hurt the most, and those causing harm often escape any true punishment.

Sound familiar? It should, because on many days this is very similar to the current Canadian political landscape.

In Canada, we like to think of ourselves as a free, open, and safe country – and for the most part, we are, and for that, we should be very thankful. However, that doesn’t mean our politicians should be off the hook for their misbehaviour. The problem in dealing with corrupt, laissez-faire, or bad politicians lies in three main factors: our unwillingness to actively address their indiscretions; our lack of power in doing so, and primarily, our inability to even acknowledge these shortcomings.

The latter arises from the prominent secrecy seeping through our

Parliament Hill, Queen’s Park, and even local City Halls.

Parties are always touting (usually around campaign season, conveniently) a more “open and transparent” government. But like most platform promises, this talk of transparency fades away as quickly as the polling stations disassemble, and the constituency is left with the same old secretkeeping, truth-hiding government mentality they had before casting their votes. I’m not sure whether we allow this to happen because we actually believe things will change this time, we feel there’s nothing we can do, or we think it’s easier to pretend it doesn’t even happen.

The former is naive, the latter is irresponsible, and believing we have no power is just dangerous.

Better lock it in your pocket, taking this one to the grave.

Whether it’s the Senate scandal of upper chamber elites who evaluate complicated legislation but don’t understand the rules of defining where they live, provincial geniuses who choose to construct an expensive gas plant and pay for its phantom presence to garner a few extra votes, or power-hungry mayors with a penchant for white powders, there is a lot to be cynical about in regards to the current state of Canadian politics. However, as a young person who believes it isn’t yet too late, I recognize that being cynical will do nothing to make the positive changes that are needed.

If I show you then I know you

won’t tell what I said.

First and foremost, we can’t do anything if we aren’t informed. That means you - yes, YOU - have a civic duty to educate yourself at least on the basics. Familiarize yourself with campaign platforms and vote accordingly. Don’t be swayed by tempting offers without knowing the details, because as your mother always told you, if it seems to be too good to be true, it probably is. Secondly, realize that what politicians present and what they actually have on their agendas are often two very different things, just as what you see in a McDonald’s commercial and what you get at the drive-through are rarely equivalent. Thirdly, hold politicians accountable. They love to keep secrets, and love even more to pretend they didn’t know about the secrets of others.

Finally, you must react. Secrets

are powerful because they keep people in the dark until they explode, upon which someone always feigns ignorance or attempts to justify the secret keeping by whatever means possible.

But no explanation or pretend innocence will protect taxpayers’ money, maintain the integrity of our system, or prevent exploitation of the power politicians possess.

When something does happen (and things always do), we are responsible for ensuring that those who were responsible are held accountable. It is our duty to write letters, take action, discuss with others, and demand retributions where appropriate. Sadly, for many of these politicians, the only way they will stop their abuses is if the risk of penalty outweighs the pleasure of reward. Even then, they are sometimes selfish enough to take the

gamble. Let’s make it not worth it.

Because two can keep a secret if one of them is dead.

Okay, so we don’t want anyone to die over secrets like they do on Pretty Little Liars. But we can’t allow a system to run where our politicians thrive on the secrets they keep, either. So, the aim here should be this: if our ‘representatives’ decide that keeping secrets for their own benefit is more important that serving their electors, then we as a voting public should decide to kill their political careers.

The views represented in the opinion section do not necessarily reflect the views of the Ontarion nor its staff.

OPINION

173.8 • Thursday, MARCH 6, 2014

Plate waste in restaurants

How to reduce plate waste and achieve sustainability

Inthuya Wamathewan Plate waste from restaurants is problematic and plays a big role in total restaurant waste, yet nothing is done about this waste, because it is hardly ever considered a problem. When looking at waste in restaurants, plate waste makes up, on average, five to thirteen per cent of the total waste. In the past few years, the sizes of plates have increased, and the portion sizes have equally increased. Not only has this being seen in restaurants, but also in hospitals and cafeterias.

We tend to look for restaurants that offer us a high quantity of food for the money we spend.

As such, we all enjoy buffets and cafeteria style eating – but they create a lot of food waste.

Buffets allow customers to fill up more than one plate, with unlimited amounts of food available to them. Many take advantage of this, but end up throwing out a large portion of what they took due to the privilege of having unlimited food

available to them. After a certain amount of time, the food left out in restaurants must be thrown out, and it cannot be donated due to health regulations.

To reduce plate waste, the University of Guelph Sustainable Restaurant project looked into the waste produced at PJ’s restaurant to discover the causes of food waste and how to reduce it. It was found that food items that contained a lot of carbohydrates, like French fries, resulted in more plate waste. There was also a correlation with portion size and garnishes to plate waste.

As well, it was found that more waste was associated with a lower value of food items or customer dissatisfaction.

To reduce plate waste in restaurants, customers can pack up their leftover food to eat at home.

Eighty-three per cent of people do not ask for a take-out box because they are either embarrassed or do not think that they have the option. Restaurants could encourage take-home bags and offer to wrap leftover food to minimize plate waste.

Decreasing the portion sizes of all menu items can result in a decrease in revenue. Therefore, only meal items that are

15

PHOTO BY SUSY MORRIS

Plate waste in restaurants in a huge issue, especially when trying to live sustainably. By applying a few changes to how we eat in a restaurant, we can minimize plate waste in the future. consistently left uneaten should be recorded and decreased in portion size, such as high carbohydrate menu items. Restaurants can also offer a children’s menu with smaller portion sizes.

When eating foods at buffets,

customers should remember not to overfill their plate and consider taking less to start, only taking seconds if needed. The food waste that remains could be composted, picked up by sustainable waste collection services, fed to

animals, or used for industrial purposes, such as using leftover oils for fuel.

By applying these few changes to restaurant settings, we can achieve sustainability and minimize plate waste in the future.

Inside Farming: View from an Iowa farm

Misconceptions in agriculture in choosing seeds, ‘I’m no pawn of Monsanto’ Brendan Louwagie, CanACT Member

Winter allows a bit of downtime for most farmers. We use it to look back on the prior year and to make plans for the next. We learn from mistakes, failures, and successes, and attempt to make sense of it all.

Personally, I think of each growing season as a clean slate to test out theories and debunk some popular myths about how a corn or soybean plant creates maximum yield.

It’s also a time when we get to make choices about what to plant, where to plant it, and what seed to use in each situation. It’s often a very personal and private decision.

I put on some Stevie Ray Vaughan; pull up a mountain of reports, yield data, my own yield maps, and spreadsheets; drink lots of coffee; fire up the old adding machine and go at it. Our decisions are based on dollars and cents as well as market demand.

Each decision must make the most sense to our bottom line and align with the goals we have for land stewardship. It’s a burdensome responsibility. The right decision

assures future success for the farming business, puts food on the table for our family and hundreds more, helps ensure the land will yield its bounty for years to come, and allows us the income to enjoy life as a family. The wrong decisions can be disastrous.

If you believe many of the cyberarguments, the seed and chemical company Monsanto has control over what farmers do, say, plant, and so on. I’ve been told by denizens of the online forums that Monsanto “controls” farmers. I suppose the company may have secretly adapted some sort of Vulcan mindmeld without our knowledge, but this seems improbable. Others claim Monsanto has some really deep pockets and influential people working for it to tell every commercial farming operation what to do – a daunting task, I’m sure, but also a completely baseless accusation. No, really, spend some time on the Monsanto Facebook page and read the comments.

There are no seed company minions running around out here in the countryside telling us what to do.

Sorry to disappoint, but it simply does not happen. If someone from Monsanto, DuPont, Syngenta, Dow, or whomever else tried to come into my office and tell me what to do, they would likely get a tongue lashing that would make a sailor blush, then quickly be told

were to put that opinion and to get the hell out or be removed. Without a shadow of a doubt this would happen, and it has.

So, what does influence my decision? Actually, it’s pretty simple and no great secret. You see, I’m a no-nonsense, dollars and cents, ‘just the facts’ kind of guy. When the seed salesmen come around each year, we sit down and have a conversation about what he has learned, and what I already know.

I ask for data – tons of data – and then the conversation is over.

On goes the Stevie Ray Vaughan, and I fire up the coffee pot. I will occasionally call with a specific question on disease resistance or best population for a certain hybrid, but I don’t leave much room for someone “selling” me.

For our operation this spring it will be the traited seed, or the Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) seed, that I think will have the best impact on the bottom line and the least impact on the environment. The last time we set up a comparison of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn versus non-Bt corn and measured it strictly for yield, the Bt showed a 14 bushel per acre advantage, mainly due to corn borer damage in the non-Bt hybrid. At the current price, that’s about $60 per acre. Sure, the GMO seed costs more, but adjusting for that, Bt still has a significant advantage in profit per acre. It protects the

yield against pests that we might otherwise have to use non-selective insecticides to control. It allows us to use more environmentally friendly herbicides and reduce the amount of tillage used to control weeds.

Reduced tillage in turn reduces soil erosion and allows us to sequester more carbon in the soil. Reducing tillage also saves me wear-and-tear on the machinery and equipment,

saves labour, and saves diesel. It’s a win-win, really, and one that those in the green movement are just starting to realize – or at least, I hope they are.

In the end, it’s a choice that we are free to make, and it’s our personal choice. We are not pawns of some Illuminati-like seed and chemical company, and I’m fine with that.

16

EDITORIAL

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The Ontarion Inc. University Centre Room 264 University of Guelph N1G 2W1 ontarion@uoguelph.ca Phone: 519-824-4120 General: x58265 Editorial: x58250 Advertising: x58267 Accounts: x53534 Editorial Staff: Editor-in-Chief Jessica Avolio News Editor Michael Long Arts & Culture Editor Emily Jones Sports & Health Editor Andrew Donovan Associate Editor Stacey Aspinall Copy Editor Alyssa Ottema Production Staff: Photo & Graphics Editor Wendy Shepherd Ad Designer Justin Thomson Layout Director Stephanie Lefebvre Office Staff: Business manager Lorrie Taylor Ad manager Al Ladha Office Coordinator Vanessa Tignanelli Circulation Director Sal Moran Web Editor Alexander Roibas Board of Directors President Heather Luz Treasurer Alex Lefebvre Directors Bronek Szulc Harrison Jordan Sohrab Rahmaty Anthony Jehn Melissa Yan Patrick Sutherland Contributors

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Danielle Mihok

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Stephanie Coratti

Marc Sgrignoli

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Amy Van Den Berg

Diana Kurzeja

Inthuya Wamathewan

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 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 2011 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 the Guelph Mercury.

Under the veil of irony, sexism persists

The words and language we use on a daily basis hold a great deal of power. They have the ability to reveal our society’s prejudices and stereotypes, but also the ability to influence and perpetuate these ideas. This common discourse will often contribute to the prevalence of the ‘isms,’ such as sexism, racism, and ableism, among others.

Even though the prevalence of overt sexism, for example, has continued to drastically decrease over the history of Western civilization, it is clear we aren’t quite past it. Many may claim that we are now in a post-patriarchal society where we are (mostly) equal, and that sexism is an issue of the past - but what we actually have now is a new breed of sexism to contend with.

Hipster sexism, also known as liberal or ironic sexism, is a term defined by Alissa Quart in New York magazine as “the objectification of women but in a manner that uses mockery, quotation marks, and paradox.” This new breed of sexism refers to the deliberate appropriation of sexist attitudes by those who wish to point out its purported ridiculousness. It is often done in a tongue-in-cheek manner, using irony and satire to poke fun at the concept of sexism as a whole.

This form of self-aware sexism is often deemed acceptable, given that those who joke in this manner state that it is rooted in the idea that sexism itself is an outdated institution that people do not engage in anymore - thus making it ironic. It is often done by those whose own privilege makes them immune to encountering the type of sexism that is sustained through these “jokes.”

In an article titled “Hipster sexism is not a new concept,” s.e. smith states that “There’s something that happens behind the ironic veneer of hipster sexism, and that’s actual sexism...It allows people to express actual sexist ideas, and maintain sexist social structures, without having to be nakedly open about it.”

Some common examples would be: telling a woman to get in the kitchen and make you a sandwich; casually calling someone a bitch, slut, or whore; or posing provocatively for the “male gaze” - all in the name of irony, of course.

A popular example is the hit song “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke, which uses sexist lyrics that riff on male sexual aggression and the view of females as sexual objects, all the while presenting a questionable view on the issue of consent. Thicke, describing why they wrote the song, stated: “We tried to do everything that was taboo … everything that is completely derogatory towards women. Because all three of us are happily married with children, we were like, ‘We’re the perfect guys to make fun of this.’”

We see examples of this ironic sexism in art or advertisements, with the most notable example being the work of Terry Richardson, a controversial fashion and celebrity photographer who has built his reputation on depicting models in a highly sexualized manner. Richardson typically draws inspiration from 70s porn aesthetics, but uses an ironic twist on this “male gaze” that dominates media and pop culture. A prime example is the photo of model Bar Refaeli eating a giant sandwich protruding out of the crotch of Mike “the Situation” Sorrentino from Jersey Shore.

These are far from the only examples in popular culture: just last year, comedian Seth MacFarlane had misogynistic undertones in his Oscars set, and later that same evening, satirical news source The Onion tweeted that 9-year-old Best Actress nominee Quvenzhané Wallis a “cunt.”

In addition, the clothing industry continuously supports this new brand of sexism, with British clothing company Madhouse printing an additional option under the standard washing instructions label, reading: “Give it to your woman: It’s her job,” and Topman releasing a T-shirt which read, “Nice girlfriend: What breed is she?” And just last year, Spinnin’ Records posted a picture of some DJ gear rigged to look like a stove burner, which they called “a CD-J for women.”

This type of sexism is all too prevalent in mass media, but it is also littered throughout popular websites such as reddit, and can be found in just about every Facebook newsfeed or YouTube comment section, where people attempt to pass off sexist “jokes” as edgy and ironic.

Meghan Murphy states in an article titled “The rise of hipster sexism” that “this brand of humour suggests that we live in a post-sexist … society now and that these issues are safe to joke about.” Murphy argues that this type of humour is used to dodge accountability, and it sidesteps any important points one could make about inequality of oppression.

The main issue here is that instead of achieving its goal of poking fun at these issues we are purportedly past, ironic sexism is accomplishing just the opposite. As a result of this type of usage, we are experiencing a new wave of prejudice that only slightly differs from the overtly sexist framework our society abided by in the past. We are now presented with a more subtle form of discrimination that is more difficult to detect - one that continues to influence the type of discourse we have about the roles of men and women in society.

This new variety of sexist discourse continues to establish

COURTESY PHOTO an environment where negative viewpoints about women are perpetuated and normalized, and it reinforces ideas about female inferiority. In a way, it could be argued that this new wave of sexism is even more harmful, because it creates a public that doesn’t see the prevalence of sexist discourse in everyday language - a public that thinks we are post-sexism because we have the ability to

joke about it. The truth is, we are not past it, and sexism is still sexism, whether you’re being ironic about it or not.

Have a question, comment or complaint?

Send us a letter to the editor at ontarion@uoguelph.ca.

Deadline is Monday at 4 p.m., 300 word max.

18

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CLASSIFIEDS

Vote for the OPIRG Board of Directors on March 11, 11am-4pm at the OPIRG Office (1 Trent Lane). All full-time undergraduate and graduate students are members! www.opirgguelph.org.

Better Bagel Nutrition Study at the University of Guelph is looking for participants >40yrs old. Financial compensation. bagel@uoguelph.ca or 519-824-4120x58081

COMMUNITY LISTINGS

Friday, March 7th - B.A. Johnston with The Galacticats @ Silence, 10pm.

Folkway Music Workshop “Looping for Songwriters with Norm Zabala”, March 8th. 1:00pm. A demonstration of the basic features of a single channel loop pedal. Free to attend!

Canadian classic rock legend Kim Mitchell will be coming back to Guelph to perform at the Guelph Concert Theatre, March 8th.

Monday, March 10 - STOP WORRYING workshop, 7:00 - 9:00 pm. by the Stress Management Clinic. Identify the pitfalls that perpetuate worrying, and strategies to address them. Student fee $5. Details at www.uoguelph.ca/~ksomers.

University of Guelph’s School of English and Theatre Studies is proud to present The Man of Mode, a comedy set in the 1980s. March 17-22, George Luscombe Theatre. Tickets available at box office.

Sistas in Soccer outdoor recreational soccer league for women aged 18 and up. Games every Sunday afternoon, end of May until October. No previous soccer experience necessary. Register online at www.sistasinsoccer.com.

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FUN PAGE Down 1- Sell 2- Actor Novello 3- Nerve network 4- Numero ___ 5- Orch. Section 6- Unemotional 7- Boor 8- River to the Seine 9- Accidents 10- Role player 11- Peachy!

12- Captivated (by) 13- Jump on the ice 18- Angry 23- African sir 24- Tractor-trailer 25- ___ see it...

26- Not ‘neath 27- Single entity 28- Hammock holder 29- Has on 30- Suitable 33- ___ can of worms 34- Strike out 35- Building additions 37- Fuzzy buzzer 39- Devour 41- Din 42- Secreted 43- Sacred song 44- Exclamation of relief 47- Pong maker 48- Trig functions 49- List of candidates 50- Pertaining to people

51- Composer Khachaturian 52- Worthless person 53- Bang-up 54- Italian bread?

55- “___ quam videri” (North Carolina’s motto) 56- Elevator man 59- Beehive State athlete 60- Siesta

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