The Ontarion - Issue # 174.4

Thursday June 19, 2014

Issue No. 174.4

1964 – 2014 See Centre

Alastair Summerlee

page 3

Alexis Wagner

Interview with Brett Harris from The Maladies of Adam Stokes page 5

page 10

NEWS 3 • ARTS & CULTURE 5 • SPORTS & HEALTH 7 • LIFE 11 • OPINION 13 • FUN PAGE 14 • EDITORIAL 15

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Issue 174.4 • Thursday, June 19, 2014

A farewell to: Alastair Summerlee

U of G honours outgoing president of 11 years ALYSSA OTTEMA

Alastair Summerlee’s 11 year term as President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guelph will end on Monday, June 30. The university and local community teamed up to celebrate the numerous contributions Summerlee has made not only to the university and the City of Guelph, but also to local and global communities.

A farewell celebration was held on Friday, June 13 on Johnston Green, recognizing the longest-serving president in University of Guelph history.

Several people spoke at the event, appreciating Summerlee not only for his contributions as an academic and an administrator, but also as a humanitarian and an inspiring teacher.

Tye Burt, Chair of the Better Planet Project, announced at the celebration that the project has already exceeded its goal – to raise $200 million in four years – by $3.5 million, largely thanks to Summerlee’s efforts.

Burt also announced that the university plans to establish the Alastair Summerlee Scholarship in Civil Society, a president’s scholarship to be awarded to a graduate student completing international field research

MATTHEW AZEVEDO/THE ONTARION

Outgoing University of Guelph President Alastair Summerlee admires his honourary degree during a farewell event June 13, on Johnston Green.

in line with the aims and goals of the Better Planet Project.

Brad Rooney, President of the Alumni Association, named Summerlee an honorary alumnus – a status complete with the coveted University of Guelph leather bomber jacket.

Letters of congratulation were also read from Guelph Mayor Karen Farbridge, MPP Liz Sandals, and MP Frank Valeriote, who applauded Summerlee as “the gold standard of educators.”

Towards the end of the ceremony, Dick Freeborough, Chair of the Board of Governors, announced that that the science complex, designed and completed in Summerlee’s term as president, would be re-named the Summerlee Science Complex.

“Alastair played a pivotal role in creating the science complex from vision to completion,” said Freeborough.

“Having this pioneering facility bear his name is the perfect capstone to his presidency.”

NEWS As for the future, don’t expect Summerlee to slow down too much. In a recent interview with the Guelph Mercury, Summerlee looked ahead to a busy year.

“I’m going to be taking some time the next year working on four projects,” said Summerlee, counting two projects with former graduate students, a volunteer chair position with the Hunger Solutions Institute in the US, and hopes to complete work that supports education for women and girls in refugee camps amongst his future plans. “That will, I hope, keep me busy for the year, and then … I’m coming back on faculty in the Veterinary College.”

However, a much-needed break is planned before diving back into a packed schedule.

“I just live and breathe the University of Guelph 24/7,” Summerlee said.

“That’s the reason, after my wife and I have gone away on holiday, I’m going to walk across the Kalahari for a month to change my perspective on life, so I stop thinking about the university 24/7 and exchange it for ‘am I going to be alive by the end of today?’”

At his farewell celebration, Summerlee said he was proud of everything that has been accomplished over his 11 year term, crediting the support of students, faculty, and staff for a “learning centred and research rich” campus and the overall growth of the university.

“Everything that happened, it was all done by you,” concluded Summerlee. “I will miss you.”

OVC guest lecturer: Nucharin Songsasen Speaks about Canid Conservation SAMEER CHHABRA The Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) hosted Dr. Nucharin Songsasen, a visiting guest lecturer from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) on June 16, 2014.

Songsasen, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Kasetsart University in Thailand, received an MSc in Biomedical Sciences and a PhD in Cryobiology from the University of Guelph in 1993 and 1997, respectively.

“I love coming back to Guelph,” explained Songsasen during her hour-long lecture. “Guelph is like my second home.”

Songsasen began her research with the SBCI after spending two years working on conservation efforts with the government of Thailand. At the SCBI, she has been involved with both ex situ and in situ conservation efforts,

studying canids in natural, foreign, and controlled environments.

For much of her lecture, Songsasen discussed her efforts to study canid reproduction in order to preserve the populations of wild canids, like the South American maned wolf and the Asian wild dog.

The unique oocyte biology associated with canids has been an especially challenging obstacle to overcome.

Dogs have an unique reproductive cycle, involving a prolonged proestrus and estrus cycle (the periods before and during menstruation), as well as an obligatory diestrus period. The diestrus period (the time following mating) involves similar hormones levels between pregnant and nonpregnant females.

In humans, non-pregnant diestrus hormones return the body to its baseline state; in dogs, diestrus hormones often induce pseudo-pregnancy during which non-pregnant females display weight gain, mammary gland development, and milk production.

During her lecture, Songsasen explained the predicament associated with attempting to grow a canid

oocyte in order to preserve valuable genetic information.

“Everything takes longer with dogs,” explained Songsasen. “Oocyte maturation doesn’t work [because] the follicles are very small…when we get ovaries from clinics, we see oocytes that haven’t completely matured. So we tried to grow the [ovarian follicles] instead.”

Ovarian follicles are the basic unit of female reproduction. Containing an immature oocyte (also called an egg or an ovum), these follicles grow the egg until it can be released during ovulation.

Songsasen’s efforts eventually paid off once her team started using agarose gel to grow the follicle.

“After 15 days of growth, agarose gel shows higher survival of follicles,” explained Songsasen. “So we got rid of the other two methods and started using agarose gel.”

Alongside follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), the protein complex activin showed potential for follicular growth and healthy oocyte production.

While discussing on-site conservation efforts, Songsasen explained that the main threats to most canid species

is habitat loss and human involvement.

The Asian Wild Dog, for example, is an endangered species with an estimated population of 3,500 left in the world. The Asian Wild Dog often approaches farms to search for food, and is subsequently killed by farmers attempting to secure crop safety.

Songsasen emphasized the importance of unity and participation across countries and scientific groups.

“It’s about building partnerships and training the next generation of researchers,” explained Songsasen.

“I train young scientists so they can help save the species.”

In an attempt to explain the importance of educating the public and reviewing policy, Songsasen also mentioned the different attitudes American and Thai citizens had towards her research and the government’s involvement with species conservation.

“People in America are less trusting of their government, while people in Thailand are more open to listening to researchers and scientists,” explained Songsasen.

3

Under the Radar

IKEA shuts down IKEAhackers site after eight years On Saturday, June 14, Jules Yap, creator of IKEAhackers.net, announced that IKEA’s trademark lawyers had issued a cease and desist order – eight years after the website’s birth.

The site was created in 2006 by Yap, gathering “hacks” of IKEA furniture from all corners of the internet to one convenient website. These hacks cover a wide range of difficulty and creativity, from adding simple decorations that make average furniture pieces more unique to large-scale overhauls requiring time and access to power tools.

“IKEAhackers.net was [not set up] with the intent to exploit their mark.

I was just a crazy fan,” wrote Yap in her June 14 post. “Long story short, after much negotiation between their agent and my lawyer, I am allowed to keep the domain name IKEAhackers.net only on the condition that it is non-commercial.”

Yap will transition to a new, yetto-be-determined domain name before June 23, which is when the C&D would have her “take down the ads, not earn any income, and still advance their brand on [the] site.”

IKEA’s legal move hardly appears to be eight years in the making, although the timing of its delivery is certainly poignant, coming less than a month after Google’s controversy with “trademark bullying.”

Japanese soccer fans clean stadium after loss The Côte d’Ivoire team recovered from an early 1-0 setback on Saturday, June 15 to score two second-half goals against the Japanese to win the match 2-1.

Following their loss to Côte d’Ivoire, the Japanese team sits in third place in Group C. They will have to win against both Greece and Colombia to secure their spot in the next round.

Despite the heart-wrenching loss, the Japanese spectators gathered up all the litter from their end of the stadium after the match.

“CLASS ACT: Japanese fans were seen cleaning their part of the stands after the match,” tweeted twitter user World Cup Problems after the match. Thousands of others also took to social media to praise the Japanese for their high spirit postloss after photos of the good deed began to circulate.

The act of picking up your own garbage might be shocking to soccer fans on this side of the globe, but clearing out waste after a sporting event is simply customary in Japan.

-Compiled by Alyssa Ottema

54 NEWS

Liberals win surprise majority government Looking at Ontario politics post-June 12 ALYSSA OTTEMA “You voted for jobs, you voted for growth. Thank you for voting to build Ontario up,” said Kathleen Wynne in her victory speech at the Sheraton Centre, downtown Toronto, on June 12.

The results of the election, pushed forward by Andrea Horwath’s decision to reject the proposed Liberal budget, were far from expected. While the first four weeks of campaigning saw polls predicting a close race between Wynne’s Liberals and Tim Hudak’s Progressive-Conservatives, the final week saw predictions all over the map, from a three-way, neck-in-neck race between the Liberals, PCs, and Horwath’s NDP to a blow-out win for Hudak.

There was almost no inclination, however, that the Liberals would win a majority, especially following several scandals at the hands of former Premier Dalton McGuinty – more specifically, following the billion-dollar gas plant scandal.

But win a majority they did, and with their upset comes question as to the future of the Ontario political landscape.

The Liberals picked up seven seats in the Greater Toronto Area, and several more in Kitchener-Waterloo, Barrie, and Northumberland. The party only lost two seats in all, one each in Sudbury and Windsor-West, which both went to the NDP. Hudak, who won in his riding, announced he would be stepping down from PC party leadership in his concession speech following the release of election results. Roy MacGregor, in an article for the Globe and Mail, posits that this isn’t exactly shocking.

“Mr. Hudak screwed up with his jobs pitch,” wrote MacGregor. “In a

province increasingly concerned about school standards and basic math, he showed himself incapable of reading a simple flash card when he came up with that one-million jobs promise.”

Others feel that Hudak made other critical errors on the campaign trail – specifically in his treatment of his fellow candidates.

“Hudak made the choice to personally attack the credibility, likeability, and trust of Kathleen Wynne,” said John Mraz, a former strategist for several previous Liberal campaigns, both federal and provincial, “while every piece of research in the province said that Kathleen Wynne as an individual was more likeable, more trustable, and had more integrity than Tim Hudak was perceived to.”

The Progressive Conservative party failed to pick up any seats in the election, losing a total of ten to the Liberals and NDP. The party’s share of the popular vote dropped more than four per cent from 2011.

While Hudak’s future in Ontario politics is clear, Horwath’s future is less

so. Her rejection of the Liberal budget is what triggered election, which will likely run the province over $90 million when the bills are in. Prior to the election, several long-time party supporters published a letter of dissent in the Toronto Star, criticizing Horwath’s decision to reject the Liberal budget, which they cited as one of the more progressive budgets in recent Ontario history. Despite these controversies, Horwath was the first of the party leaders to win in her own riding, and NDP candidates across Ontario – both those elected and those defeated – have stood by her decision.

Overall, the NDP vote share rose a little over one per cent from the 2011 election. Horwath said the election result wasn’t what her party had been hoping for, but she still holds no regrets about triggering the election.

“People were able to make a decision, and that’s all along what I had said was the important thing,” said Horwath.

CBC News, however, in their recent article, “Ontario election: 5 key

Ontarion provincial election 2014 Facts, figures, and results ANN WESTBERE On June 12, 52.1 per cent of eligible Ontarians voiced their opinion and expressed their democratic right to vote. This was the first increase in voter turnout in two decades, surpassing the 2011 turnout of 48.2 per cent. The increase was a pleasant surprise, as numbers for the advanced voting were down in comparison to the previous election. In Guelph, the voter turnout increased to 56.5 per cent, up from the 50.3 per cent in 2011.

Most polls and voters thought this would be a tight race between the Liberals and Conservatives.

However, after the ballots were tallied, the Liberal party won a majority with 58 seats, for which they only needed 54. The Progressive Conservatives came out with 28 seats, the NDP with 21, and the Green Party with none.

Initially, the Liberals had 59 seats, but after a data entry error was discovered in the Thornhill, the Progressive Conservative candidate took the riding by 85 votes.

In Guelph, Liberal incumbent, Liz Sandals won with 41.3 per cent of the popular vote. Progressive Conservative candidate Anthony

MATTHEW AZEVEDO/THE ONTARION

Newly re-elected Liberal MPP, Liz Sandals, celebrates upon arriving at the Guelph Golf and Curling Club before addressing some of her supporters on the evening of June 12.

MacDonald came out with 21.1 per cent, while Green Party leader Mike Schreiner received 19.2 per cent, NDP candidate James Gordon 17.7 per cent, Communist candidate Juanita Burnett 0.4 per cent, and Libertarian candidate Blair Smythe with 0.3 per cent. This is the fourth consecutive win for Sandals.

Leaders for the NDP, Progressive Conservative, and Liberal

parties won their seats, but Schreiner did not win his. However, he did receive the most votes of all the “non-major party” leaders and he doubled the number of the Green Party’s votes in Guelph from the 2011 election.

Shortly after the Liberal majority was declared, Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak announced that he would be stepping down. Andrea Horwath,

leader of the NDP, and Schreiner will continue in their positions.

The election was a win for more than just the Liberals, as Kathleen Wynne became the first elected female Premiere of Ontario. The province also elected a record number of 38 women MPPs. The election garnered attention outside of Ontario from Star Trek and Social Media icon George Takei, who congratulated Ontario for

questions after Liberals win majority,” expressed less certainty towards Horwath’s political stability.

“In the next few weeks, she’ll be left to answer why this was done when the result was a Liberal majority and an NDP seat count that stays static at 21,” reads the article. “Horwath [woke] up Friday as the leader of a party … whose views the Liberals no longer have to listen to.”

Wynne has said that her party will not waste time, and she plans to follow through on her election promises to get provincial parliament back up and running within 20 days. Now commanding 58 seats in parliament, the Liberals should also waste no time in getting their pre-election budget passed.

Voter turnout this election topped 52 per cent – four per cent higher than the 2011 election, which saw the lowest voter turnout in Ontario history. While turnout is improving, levels still remain below that of the 2007 election, and well below those of the 1990s.

electing the first openly LGBTQ head of government. Takei commended Ontarians for Wynne’s sexuality remaining a non-issue throughout the campaign period.

In her victory speech on election night, Wynne congratulated the other leaders and thanked all of her family, friends, supporters, volunteers, and the voters of Ontario. She was quick to add that the government would be back to business in twenty days, working in the legislature by July 2nd.

In total this election cost Ontarians 90 million dollars, but Elections Ontario employed over 70,000 citizens. Elections Ontario significantly improved their information and resources for Ontarians through their website, social media, brochures, and online and TV advertisements.

On Election Day, they were also busy monitoring social media sites, primarily Twitter, as several voters were tweeting and posting photos of their ballots.

While signs did say to turn off all electronic devices, they did not explicitly say “no photos or posting to social media.” In this age of social media and “the selfie,” Elections Ontario may have to clarify some of its signs. But with a Liberal majority government in power, they have a good four years to work on it.

Issue 174.4 • Thursday, June 19, 2014

ARTS & CULTURE

In conversation with:Brett Harris from The Maladies of Adam Stokes Guelph alumnus chats about music, U of G, and this year’s NXNE set DANIELLE SUBJECT The Ontarion recently sat down with Brett Harris, bassist for Toronto indie band, The Maladies of Adam Stokes and former University of Guelph student.

The Maladies of Adam Stokes are very popular in downtown Toronto, and usually play at venues like, The Horseshoe Tavern, and Lee’s Palace.

They are emerging within Toronto’s indie music scene, and are set to play in this year’s NXNE festival in Toronto.

The Maladies of Adam Stokes came out with their album City of Trees back in 2012, and received a solid response from fans. Although Brett did not really get involved in performing music until after he had graduated

from Guelph, he still loved the city and all it had to offer. He chatted with us to talk about the band’s album, how he started playing, and what he loved about attending the U of G. Danielle Subject: You can start off by telling me how you got into music in the first place, why you started playing?

Brett Harris: I actually started playing guitar when I got my first electric guitar from my cousin Kohji [Nagata], who is also in the band. I started playing bass when he asked me to join this band. Him and Mikey [Hill] – our lead singer, used to played in sort of a hard-core band, and they decided to branch off and start something in a different direction and asked if I wanted in, I said sure, and that’s when I first started playing bass. Now, 4 years later, still doin’ it and lovin’ it. Pretty much how I got into music.

D.S.: How did you get involved in The Maladies of Adam Stokes?

B.H.: It was at a family dinner, actually. Kohji was telling me about this new band that he was starting and said they were looking for someone to play bass ‘cause the guy who they originally wanted to play bass ended up playing

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drums, so he’s now our drummer. I basically said yeah on a whim, like, I’ll learn to play bass for the band.

D.S.: Tell me more about the name The Maladies of Adam Stokes – I realize there’s nobody in your band named Adam.

B.H.: There isn’t. Mikey is a doctor, and during med school he read a book that was written by these two doctors Adams and Stokes and he sort of just jotted it down in a notebook, The Maladies – of Adam Stokes. I think the book was entitled The Maladies- or something along that line – and he thought it was

poetic, we wrote it down, and when it came time to forming this band he drew it out on the table and we all said sure. There’s no actual Adam Stokes – that we know of anyway.

D.S.: And you went to the University of Guelph.

B.H.: I did, for 4 years.

D.S.: What did you love about attending the university?

B.H.: I loved the small town atmosphere – it is for me. It’s like the best thing in life. I loved walking around campus and you end up seeing everybody that you know, and same thing going downtown

to the bar. Everything was close by, unless you’re going to the outskirts like the farming part of Guelph.

I just loved everything about it – there wasn’t one thing that I didn’t like.

D.S.: Finally, are you excited to play in NXNE this year?

B.H.:Yes. I love playing in NXNE. Last year was a lot of fun too. I’ve never played at the bar or club that we’re playing at – The Tranzac – so that’ll be interesting. We’ve got a great set time. Hopefully we’ll have a couple new songs ready to send out when we’re there.

(Shane from The Walking Dead), and Kevin Hart, the film is about Pittsburgh boxers Henry “Razor” Sharp (Stallone) and Billy “The Kid” McDonnen (De Niro).

30 years ago, Razor and Kid had both lost and won a single match against the other. Before getting to the fateful tie-breaking bout, Razor retired, never allowing either boxer to achieve closure. Years later, Razor is employed at a shipyard while Kid has blatantly sold out and cashed in on every modicum of success he had won.

The character of Razor is that of a slightly more educated Balboa. The character of The Kid is slightly tamer than LaMotta. In an attempt to appeal to an audience looking for a by-thenumbers comedy, the screenplay by Tim Kelleher and Rodney Rothman drains all sense of emotional subtlety, replacing it with disappointing jokes that barely land. These are two washed up boxers, the film reminds its audience; they’re old and they don’t fit in this new world with fancy technology like iPads and flat screen TV’s. Fighting is the only thing these two men can do, we’re informed – there’s nothing else they’re good at.

While Raging Bull offered an analysis of the masculine condition, Grudge Match is content with squandering De Niro’s time and talent. Whereas Rocky explained that Balboa had no other choice but to fight if he wanted a chance at a better life, Grudge Match insists on beating the audience over the head with the knowledge that Stallone’s character is fighting for his ageing trainer and friend (played by a grumpy Alan Arkin).

Worse still is the script’s delusional ignorance of build-up and pay-off. Razor’s reasons for retiring are explained within the film’s first 20 minutes. Uninspired direction and boring editing by Segal and William Kerr fail to add anything special to the film’s scene. Indeed, even the fight choreography is spectacularly average. One would think a boxing movie starring two of cinema’s most famous boxing actors would feature choreography worthy of their legacy.

Grudge Match is, overall, spectacularly average in every way. It’s not terribly boring, it’s not absurdly unfunny, and it’s not horrendous. It’s average and mediocre, and a disappointing match-up for its lead actors.

The weekly scene: Grudge Match

2 disappointingmatch-ups out of 4 SAMEER CHHABRA

Raging Bull and Rocky are two of American cinema’s greatest films. Rising above mere sports drama, the two films transcended cinematic history by acting as unbridled social commentary, assessing the structure of masculinity and commenting on the role of family in American society. These were two great movies created by people who had a strong idea of what they wanted to accomplish.

Martin Scorsese’s 1980 Raging Bull was created as a directorial last resort – after failing at impressing critics and audiences with the flop New York, New York, Scorsese was supported

by Robert De Niro to direct a biopic about self-destructive Italian American boxer Jake LaMotta. As LaMotta, De Niro delivered the performance of a lifetime, accomplishing a kind of pain, suffering, delusion, destruction, and redemption in 129 minutes that most

actors spend their entire careers never achieving. Scorsese proved that everyday America was ready for the kind of highly stylized films that were only immensely popular in New York Arthouses and European theatres. More importantly, Raging Bull proved that the success achieved by Scorsese’s earlier work was entirely merited and that the young director from Queens was more than ready for the big leagues.

Contrary to popular belief, Rocky was never directed by Sylvester Stallone. The script, written by Stallone, was picked up by United Artists who were originally hoping to cast the role of Rocky to anyone other than Stallone. Under major financial restrictions, with a meager budget of barely over $1 million that forced filming to be condensed to a paltry 28 days, Rocky went on to make film history. The rags to riches story about an uneducated, plucky, wannabe boxer from Philadelphia getting a chance to live the American Dream resonated with audiences. On its budget of barely over a million dollars, Rocky earned $225 million, in addition to ten Academy Award nominations and three wins in the categories of Best Picture, Best

Director, and Best Film Editing.

I bring up history because the Peter Segal-directed Grudge Match tries to be the fateful showdown between Rocky Balboa and Jake LaMotta, but fails miserably in almost every convention.

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Starring De Niro and Stallone (playing diluted versions LaMotta and Balboa) joined by an ensemble cast of Alan Arkin, Kim Bassinger, Jon Bernthal

56 ARTS & CULTURE Jam space: musings on sound and culture

The fog of globalization a critique and defense of Vaporwave ADRIEN POTVIN Even if you’ve never heard of the label for it, you’d know the music to hear it - relaxed, warm electronic grooves with the odd chorus-drenched saxophone solo or blue-eyed soul sample. It’s like mall music, ironically chopped and screwed to act as a pastiche of early digital-era commercialism. And when you’d hear it, you’d probably think “This must have been made in the 80s.” You wouldn’t be entirely wrong, but “vaporwave” is a very current, budding movement in underground music culture, with literally hundreds of albums released by anonymous or monikered producers on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, and

elsewhere in the streaming sphere.

At the risk of suggesting the trite “90s kid” adage, have you ever had a melody or image from an old commercial or obscure computer game stuck in your subconscious? Do the warm analog synth timbres of artists like Boards of Canada take you into a familiar atmosphere that can’t be fully articulated? This vague, fleeting nostalgia, stirred and conjured by A/V images of mass-produced cultural artifacts (commercials, industrial films, documentaries), is at the aesthetic core of vaporwave, and serves as a major point of contention for critics and listeners. Alternately dystopian/utopian themes in the music of Macintosh Plus, coolmemoryz, and Oneohtrix Point Never’s EP Memory Vague bring to mind the culture industry of the 80s and 90s, and it does so in a way that engages those monolithic qualities with the forward-looking, democratized space of internet creativity.

Having listened to a lot of vaporwave lately, considering its place in the post-everything condition is certainly valuable to understanding

remix culture as a whole. The word itself, stemming from “vaporware” (software that is announced to the public, but never released and/or officially cancelled), essentially describes itself. Like “vapor” software, the aesthetics of the music reflect a sort of nostalgia for its form and not so much content – a form that is re-appropriated to comment on creativity in the cynicism of the internet age. This is evident in the genre’s fixation with old computing technology, blatant (and sometimes obnoxious) Japanophilia, ironic use of yuppie lounge muzak, and classical, Reboot-esque animation aesthetics and conventions.

Call it what one may – a legitimately engaging facet of remixing culture, or short-lived, oversaturated hipster dreck – the genre certainly has its important place in the sphere of possibilities in the Web 2.0 era.

By fetishizing early computing and establishing its aesthetic as an artifact, the music of the movement speaks volumes about the value of collective memory and fleeting nostalgia in the post-global, postcommodity world.

Macintosh Plus’ 2011 album The Floral Shoppe

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Album of the Week

Style of the week: Kana Horita

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MATTHEW AZEVEDO/THE ONTARION

Kana Horita, was spotted strolling through campus with friends. Horita effortlessly pulled off one of the season’s hottest trends – the full-length jumpsuit. Horita paired the jumpsuit with a simple metallic sandal, a cardigan, and a skinny belt. To take this look from daytime on campus to a night out, simply pair with pair of pumps, and a leather or jean jacket.

In honour of the University’s 50th Anniversary the album of the week was one of the top albums of 1964. Released early in the New Year, this album was an anthem of the generation coming to grips with the massive social and political change happening around them. The first time I heard this album I was fourteen and I’d dug it out of my parents c.d. collection, I lied on the living room floor feeling young and enraged and excited for change, I’m sure like many had on their first listen in 1964. The times they are a-changin’ …but this album is timeless.

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Issue 174.4 • Thursday, June 19, 2014

SPORTS & HEALTH

MATTHEW AZEVEDO/THE ONTARION

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MATTHEW AZEVEDO/THE ONTARION

The sixth-ranked Guelph Varsity Gryphons hosted the Hamilton-Wentworth Hurricanes, the province’s top ranked team, this past Saturday night at Alumni Stadium in Guelph.

Both teams entered with identical 3-0 undefeated records and it was a tightly contested affair that went down to a winning Hurricanes field goal in the final minutes. Final score Hamilton 24, Guelph 21. The Gryphons’ next game is June 21 at Alumni Stadium, where the Jr. Varsity and Varsity teams kick off at 1p.m. and 5p.m. respectively.

Scientists genetically modify malaria mosquitoes Malaria prevention via mosquito elimination SAMEER CHHABRA Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that causes flu-like symptoms that eventually lead to coma and death. An estimated 3.4 billion people in over 97 countries, including some in Asia, Latin America, and Europe, are at risk of contracting the disease. The WHO estimates that anywhere between 473,000 and 789,000 people die each from the disease spread by mosquito bite.

Spread by protozoans of the plasmodium genus in the anopheles gambiae mosquito, malaria is especially prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, often claiming the lives of young children.

Despite malaria mortality rates having fallen by 42 per cent since 2000, the WHO estimates that an African child dies every minute due to the disease.

However, scientists may be even closer than previously thought in eliminating the spread of malaria.

Researchers at Imperial College London published a study on June 10, 2014 in the journal Nature Communications that stated that it was possible to breed mosquitoes that eliminate their own species.

“Malaria is debilitating and often fatal and we need to find new ways of tackling it,” said lead researcher Professor Andrea Crisanti in a press release from Imperial College London. “We

think our innovative approach is a huge step forward. For the very first time, we have been able to inhibit the production of female offspring in the laboratory and this provides a new means to eliminate the disease.”

By genetically modifying the anopheles mosquitoes, scientists created a fully fertile strain of the mosquito that produced 95 per cent male offspring.

Since only female mosquitoes bite, and therefore spread malaria, male mosquitos are harmless.

The modification was accomplished by inserting a DNA cutting enzyme called I-Pol into the anopheles mosquito. I-Pol works by cutting out the X chromosome during sperm production so that males only pass on a Y chromosome to their offspring.

Mosquito chromosomes are similar to human chromosomes in that the X chromosome codes to create male

offspring while the Y chromosome codes to create female offspring.

After modifying the mosquitoes, scientists placed the modified insects into five cages with natural wild-types to breed. In four of the five cages, mosquito populations were eliminated after six generations due to the lack of females.

“What is most promising about our results is that they are self-sustaining,” explained Dr. Nikolai Windbichler in the same press release. “Once modified mosquitoes are introduced, males will start to produce mainly sons, and their sons will do the same, so essentially the mosquitoes carry out the work for us.”

Though it took researchers six years to produce the enzyme, research is still in its early testing phase. The next logical step is to introduce the genetically modified mosquitoes into the

wild to begin the elimination of the anopheles species.

“The research is still in its early days, but I am really hopeful that this new approach could ultimately lead to a cheap and effective way to eliminate malaria from entire regions,” explained Dr. Roberto Galizi from the Department of Life Sciences at Imperial College London. “Our goal is to enable people to live freely without the threat of this deadly disease.”

Malaria prevention has been threatened by insecticide-resistant mosquitoes and drug-resistant parasites. Though malaria is completely treatable, there has been no effective vaccine produced thus far.

For those in malaria prevalent countries, in addition to researchers hoping to eliminate malaria, the research published by Galizi et al. is especially notable.

As Brazil enters centre-stage, protestors clash with police World Cup host, Brazil, deals with controversial spotlight EMILIO GHLOUM The World Cup is undoubtedly one of the most unifying events in sports.

On a world stage, countries get to showcase and show support for their talented soccer teams. However, in this year’s World Cup, Brazilian protestors have taken the opportunity to voice their outrage and take action. In Rio

de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, hundreds of protestors took to the streets last week before the first match kicked off on June 12.

In Rio, protestors marched peacefully along the Copacabana where hundreds of fans were watching the opening match on a big screen. Holding up signs and banners bashing the world cup, the protestors are looking to bring worldwide attention to the issues the World Cup causes. Several of the protests have also taken a violent turn.

Meanwhile, in Sao Paulo, within 10 minutes of the demonstration police fired tear gas, stun grenades, and rubber bullets at the protestors to try and diffuse the situation. Many locals are

outraged at the amount of funds being spent on the World Cup as opposed to public institutions including hospitals and schools. Approximately £6.7 billion was spent on building facilities for the World Cup������������ , while millions of Brazilians live in poor villages and slums.

Social media outlets have been set ablaze, with multiple pictures of protestors surfacing amidst the beginning of the 2014 World Cup, illustrating the frustrations of many. Banners and signs held by demonstrators and some Brazilian youth, which read “FIFA Go Home,” and “We need money for Hospitals and Education,” tell a tale of an impoverished nation furious with the way their country is prioritizing

the World Cup over basic necessities and institutions. While many view the world cup as a stage for glory and competition, there is a much darker story to be told: the effects that hosting the tournament has on the country and its economy.

More recently, a protest has been disrupted by police in Belo Horizonte, where a group of aggressive fans were carrying knives, masks, and petrol bombs on Saturday. Fifteen of the rowdy protestors were arrested following the threat of violence during an Anti-World Cup rally.

While excitement and glory awaits fans and viewers of the World Cup, the conditions in which the tournament has been staged are extremely

controversial. The World Cup has been idealized to bring nations together and create a sense of national unity among countries through the love of sport; however, that message becomes diluted when contrasted against the current condition of Brazilian institutions. The Anti-World Cup protests have been going on since it was announced that Brazil would host the tournament.

While the number of protestors had decreased during the duration of the World Cup so far, the protests have become more condensed and violent.

More protests are expected in the cities where teams will be competing, and police and business owners are poised to attempt to pervade threats of violence and rioting.

The UniversiTy of GUelph CelebraTes

Alumni Weekend 2014 celebrates the University of Guelph milestone ALYSSA OTTEMA The festivities celebrating the 50th anniversary of the University of Guelph are set to continue on this year’s Alumni Weekend, held on June 21 and 22.

Since the official campus and community kickoff back in January, events across campus and around the city have celebrated this milestone: everything from the museum exhibit, University of Guelph: 50 Years of Building a Better Planet, to a concert with the Juno-nominated Eccodek, to the Global Development Symposium.

The 2014 Alumni Weekend will not simply mark the annual trek back to campus made by hundreds of U of G alumni. Several months of celebration will culminate in the full schedule planned for the weekend, recognizing 50 years of community and worldwide contributions from the university.

The weekend will include several exciting events, including almost 40 reunions for various graduating classes, clubs, and groups; the annual President’s Lunch in Creelman Hall; an alumni family picnic honouring legacy families (those with three or more generations of Guelph graduates); and the unveiling of the newly landscaped main entrance and the accompanying Gryphon statue.

The new main entrance park, located on the corner of Gordon Street and Stone Road, was completed to the tune of $300,000 in donations and funding, much of which was provided by the Alumni Association. The new Gryphon statue was custom designed by the University of Guelph’s own FASTWÜRMS, also known as husband-and-wife art duo Kim Kozzi and Dai Skuse, both Associate Professors at the university. The unveiling of the park will kick off Alumni Weekend on June 21 – only fitting with the generous support of the Alumni Association and individual alumni in its development.

The most anticipated event of the weekend, however, is without a doubt the return of the Conversat Ball. As the “signature event of the year,” the Conversat will include a three-course dinner and reception on Johnston Green, followed by six separate themed parties across campus, fireworks, dancing at the Bullring, and a midnight buffet.

It has been nearly 40 years since the last Conversat Ball was held at the University of Guelph. The first Conversat – the word itself Latin for “meeting for conversation” – was held as a simple social in its first form, beginning in 1904. Over several decades, the social evolved into a full-fledged evening dinner and ball.

“We felt there was no greater way to pay tribute to the history of the university than by reviving a central feature with the ball,” said Maureen Mancuso, Provost and Vice President Academic and Chair of the university’s 50th anniversary celebration committee.

“We think this will be the highlight of Alumni Weekend, and we’re delighted to have so many people attending.”

The Conversat revival aims to bring together almost one thousand guests for the event.

The tickets for the gala dinner on Johnston Green have already sold out.

Tickets remain available for the six themed parties, with each featuring unique evening entertainment. Each separate venue will play host to a different decade and style of music and celebration: a 1920s style Speakeasy full of jazz music; a beatnik-influenced coffee house; a Casablanca-themed big band event; a showcase of British music from the 1960s; a dance party featuring the big hits of the ‘70s and ‘80s; and funk-music-filled futuristic galaxy.

The entertainment at each venue will be timed to allow guests to attend each event without missing an act, with sets scheduled into separate 45-minute time slots. Each venue will also feature snacks, desserts, and a signature drink.

The organizer of the Conversat Ball, Sue Bennett, Director of University and Community Relations, believes the event will be an excellent way to top off the 50th anniversary celebrations.

“We have a dedicated team of staff and volunteers who are excited about this night,” said Bennett, “and they are looking forward to celebrating Guelph’s rich history and culture with our guests and alumni.”

The University of Guelph Alumni Association is equally optimistic about the weekend, which stands to be one of the “most widely attended and memorable events in our university’s history,” according to Brad Rooney, President of the Association.

“Not only does this occasion give us the opportunity to reconnect with old friends, classmates, faculty, and co-workers,” said Rooney, “but it also serves to foster new relationships, based on the shared values we all hold as [members of the U of G community].”

Alumni Weekend 2014 looks to be an excellent top off to a season of celebrating 50 amazing years of the University of Guelph – changing lives and improving life.

Photos by MATTHEW AZEVEDO/THE ONTARION

1964 – 2014

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SPORTS & HEALTH

Gryphons Revealed: Alexis Wagner Field hockey star player named U of G’s top undergraduate STEPHANIE CORATTI Alexis Wagner, both a President’s Scholar as a Biological Engineering student with a minor in Food Engineering and a star for the varsity Gryphons field hockey team, was awarded the W.C. Winegard Medal as the University of Guelph’s top undergraduate, recognizing academic achievements and efforts on campus and throughout the community.

On the field, Wagner has four consecutive national bronze medals as a Gryphon, was a carded Ontario High Performance athlete for five years, and is a dedicated youth coach.

The recent Guelph-grad was also a two-term student senator and VicePresident of the Engineering Society, and has had research recognized by the American Society of Plastic Engineers, the Canadian Society for Bioengineering, and Project SOY. Her resume doesn’t stop there, as Wagner also founded the Guelph Golden Gears, a volunteer network of 150 engineering students.

Taking some time to reflect on her incredible university experience, Wagner covers everything from the beginning of it all, the unforgettable, the challenges, what it means to be a Gryphon, advice, and what’s next.

Stephanie Coratti: Entering University, most have the sole aspiration to “survive.” It’s very clear you did much more than that. When you first came to Guelph, did you know you would be walking out four years later with so many great achievements and experiences?

Alexis Wagner: Student life can be overwhelming if you don’t build a support network for yourself and learn how to prioritize. I have always been motivated to do things that bring both others and myself happiness.

When you’re motivated by happiness your intentions are more honest, your actions more powerful, and your outlook more optimistic. I am a poor planner, so I find it easier to follow my passions rather than work towards specific goals and achievements.

S.C.: And a very busy woman, no doubt. What was the hardest, and most enjoyable, thing about being so involved with the University of Guelph and the Guelph community?

A.W.: I suffer from severe indecisiveness, and as a result I am involved with a lot of activities that attract very different demographics. The best part of being so involved is meeting new people across campus and throughout the city. I look forward to going to school every morning because I know that I will run into great friends over the course of the day. The hardest part is trying to decide between events and meetings that will inevitably conflict with each other, especially when I feel like I am letting my friends down by being somewhere else.

S.C.: What does the W.C. Winegard Medal mean to you? What was your

initial reaction upon being honoured with it?

A.W.: When I found out that I was receiving the W.C. Winegard Medal, my jaw just dropped. To say I was shocked is a huge understatement.

My classmates and professors help me and inspire me everyday, so it feels a bit uncomfortable to accept the medal on my own. I am thankful that the honour reminded me to give gratitude to my family, friends, and mentors. I hope that as I grow older I can look at the medal and remember all helping hands along the way.

S.C.: Let’s talk a little bit about the Guelph Golden Gears. What was the inspiration behind it?

A.W.: The School of Engineering is renowned for its community and we are working hard to preserve that spirit as the number of students continues to grow. Pursuing active involvement in our city helps to change the engineering

stereotype and enables us to contemplate new perspectives. It’s all about building relationships, exploring opportunities and having fun. Each month I organize a few different volunteer events and get the Golden Gears to sign-up online for events they want to attend. We do things like playing games at a retirement residence, packing vegetable boxes, and cleaning the Speed River. Once they have volunteered three times, they earn a free Golden Gears t-shirt to wear to all our future volunteering gigs.

S.C.: Describe your experience as a member of the women’s Field Hockey team.

A.W.: So much of my character and so many of my friendships were built while I was wearing the Gryphon jersey. Guelph is a collection of communities within communities, and athletics is no exception. There is so much camaraderie between Gryphon athletes and such love between teammates – I think that sense of community is the most important part about being a Gryphon athlete.

At the end of the day, of course I will remember our four CIS bronze medals, but it is the journey of each season and the trials along the way that we will cherish.

S.C.: What is your ultimate aspiration in life?

A.W.: My biggest dream is to do something that will positively affect global food systems. There are many logistic and nutritional issues with what people are eating in Canada and elsewhere that need to be reigned [in] to improve environmental sustainability and human health.

S.C.: What was your most memorable moment at the University of Guelph? What are you most sad to leave behind?

A.W.: It is incredibly hard to pick one memorable moment, but I would say our Iron Ring Ceremony day. I love my class and we worked so hard to earn our rings. I received mine from my brother - he inspired me to take engineering at Guelph.

More than the ceremony, I will remember the feeling of unity our class formed that day. What I will miss most is not something that I am leaving behind, but something that once was. I will miss the feeling of walking through the halls of Thornborough and seeing so many friends – students, faculty, and staff.

S.C.: Any advice for future Gryphons?

A.W.: Trash your relationship with Facebook and Netflix and go do something. Explore every new situation with the curiosity of a 5 year old and you will be amazed at how much the quality of your experiences improves.

Going to school in Canada is such a privilege. We have so many opportunities to make the world a better place, so why not take advantage of them and have some fun along the way! If you have trouble limiting your internet use, download the SelfControl App – it works wonders on procrastination.

S.C.: What’s next?

A.Wr: Make up for some sleep debt and then travel for two months with my best friend! Starting in September, I will be working for Labatt on the East Coast and I’m excited to explore another part of Canada.

the messages were negative and not supportive, our self-esteem and confidence were affected, leaving us on our own to develop coping skills, which can result in an adult using tools they taught themselves as a child.

We are always thinking. What we think and say to ourselves impacts how we feel and ultimately how we react and behave. As adults, we can choose to replace any repetitive negative messages we have incurred and relearn a healthy, kind approach with our thinking.

If we take a look at different situations that occur in our daily lives, we start recognizing the thoughts and feelings we have and the behavioural results that come from them. Here’s an example: Two friends are invited to a party. One looks forward to enjoying themselves, excited to see and engage with others. The other doesn’t really like social gatherings, feels miserable, and sees people as judgmental

and rejecting. Because of the way we think, we determine the outcome of the experience before it has happened.

Being aware and in the present with our thoughts allows us to change learned, negative self-talk into positive self-talk, altering the experience.

We don’t always realize how tough we are on ourselves through our thoughts. We might ask ourselves, “What would a supportive, positive person say to me in this moment?”

Looking at it this way, we realize that self-talk should be non-judgmental, kind and free of expectations. We start becoming our own best friend and taking ownership for what we think and feel.

When one is depressed, the thoughts and emotions that accompany depression are feelings of hopelessness, unworthiness, fatigue and sadness. No one seems to understand and our feelings don’t seem to be acknowledged. Our thinking is

negative. By challenging negative thought patterns and replacing them with positive ones, we start to feel empowered, and the process of regaining our self-esteem begins. We cannot control what others think, feel, or do.

We can, however, choose a positive way of thinking for ourselves. Positive thoughts, affirmations, and being in the company of positive people all feel good. We gradually begin to hold our head up again. We start feeling hopeful and confident.

When we are in the present moment, not in the past or the future, we are taking time to listen to our thoughts. We know how they make us feel, whether they are positive or negative.

Using this tool when we are depressed allows us to aid the recovery process. Through a cognitive approach, we start living a more content and wholesome life from the inside out.

COURTESY OF GRYPHON ATHLETICS

Alexis Wagner (above) in action.

Mental health & wellness Using the power of our minds to create change in our lives DONNA GERVAIS Talking about depression often makes people uncomfortable.

Whether you are a person that struggles with depression or a part of a support system, educating yourself is key to the recovery process.

The stigma that often accompanies depression can be immensely frustrating for a person who is struggling or trying to find coping tools. Depression is not a sign of weakness. In fact, many intelligent, accomplished, and capable people have been depressed.

There are ways to learn new skills and integrate them into daily living that can help mitigate the effects of depression. Using a cognitive approach and implementing change takes courage and may feel frightening at first.

When we are ill, everything feels like work. There are choices we can make to start feeling well again. Sometimes, we just don’t know where to start.

There are different factors that cause or continue a depressed state. One of these factors is our thoughts and what we do with them. We start developing self-talk at a very young age. Messages received from our caregivers and role models influence how we think about the world and ourselves. Teachers, parents, siblings, and friends constantly communicated to us and our thinking patterns started to evolve. We digested and internalized the information and if the messages were healthy and positive, we usually functioned with a healthy, assertive approach in life. If

Issue 174.4 • Thursday, June 19, 2014

Simply authentic: diary of a local foodie Turkey burgers, an alternative for BBQ season EMILY JONES Now that barbeque season is upon us, it’s helpful to change up what’s on the grill from time to time. Today, I want to share with you a recipe for turkey burgers. To be completely honest, I made turkey burgers for the first time last week, typically choosing to go with my tried and true beef & pork medley, or my best-ever veggie burgers (which I developed

before a camping trip years ago, and they were delicious). These turkey burgers met all the requirements and had one extra bonus - they consisted of plenty of health benefits.

Let’s get started. First, I got out a cutting board and a large mixing bowl and placed the ground turkey in the bowl. Then, I finely chopped one small cooking onion and added it to the bowl, following it up by mincing three cloves of garlic. Next, I ventured out to my deck and grabbed a handful of parsley, which I rinsed, chopped up, and added to the bowl. For added colour and nutritional value, I grabbed a handful of spinach from my fridge, rinsed it and roughly chopped it up, and

added it into the bowl with the other ingredients. After that, I added in one tablespoon of ground flaxseed (which I substituted in for bread crumbs), and added in a light dusting of salt and pepper. Next, I cracked a locally sourced egg and added it to the mixture.

Then, it was time to mix everything together and hope for the best! I separated the mixture bit by bit with the use of a large spoon and rolled the mixture into balls approximately the size of the palm of my hand. I laid out a piece of parchment paper and flattened the balls into patties one by one. The mixture held together perfectly, and the patties were ready to be placed on the grill.

LIFE

While the patties were cooking, I decided to cook up a few slices of peppercorn bacon, thinly slice some red onion, and slice an avocado. Once the burgers were cooked, I added a nice applewood smoked barbeque sauce and allowed some old cheddar to melt overtop. Dinner was ready to be served.

I laid out the plates, sliced freshly baked burger buns and placed a burger on each, topped with the peppercorn bacon, sliced avocado, and red onion. Not only were they delicious, they were visually appealing – a real treat when wanting to switch up the barbeque routine. Delicious!

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Shopping list: - Ground turkey - Spinach - Onion - Garlic - Salt & Pepper - Egg - Ground flax seed

- Parsley - BBQ sauce - Avocado - Cheddar cheese -Peppercorn Bacon

You’ve probably seen this on Pinterest Four books you should probably read this summer ALYSSA OTTEMA I am a hard-core book addict. I go through at least three books a week.

This is certainly not healthy, nor is it sustainable, as my library card has expired and I do not make nearly enough money to support my habit.

Regardless, I have become somewhat of a (self-proclaimed) official authority on books – a quite picky authority, at that. As such, I present to you the results of many hours that I cannot consider wasted, pruning through many lists of the “13 best books of summer” on Pinterest, even

though I should have been doing many other things.

Everything is Perfect When You’re a Liar by Kelly Oxford The best thing about Kelly Oxford’s book is that she is unflinchingly honest with her reader, providing every detail in every less-than-perfect event, from the time she peed her pants in a gas station before buying her first cigarettes to the time she got drunk at a strip club with her husband after meeting David Copperfield. This series of essays depicting the reality of growing up is sure to make you laugh out loud, but it might also make you feel a little bit better about your own life.

The Opposite of Loneliness

by Marina Keegan This book is perhaps one of the best books I have ever read. This collection of short stories and essays might actually change your life. The author, Marina Keegan, wrote the collection

between the ages of 16 and 22. The Opposite of Loneliness was published shortly following her death, and since then, the essay from which the

COURTESY PHOTO

collection takes its name has gone viral.

I don’t even want to say anything else about this book, because I don’t think I can do it justice with my words. Just read it.

Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate situations, flawed coping mechanisms, mayhem, and other things that happened

by Allie Brosh I have never before read a book that can have me laughing hysterically one moment and crying hysterically the next. If you have ever had feelings, a stupid dog, or a deep desire for cake, you should read this book.

If you’ve ever experienced depression, social awkwardness, or childhood, you should read this book. If you like cartoons, you should read this book. If you like words, you should read this book.

You should probably just read this book.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)

by Mindy Kaling This is an excellent book for you if you are: looking to break into the television writing industry (because it will probably convince you not to); a fan of Mindy Kaling’s (because it can only make you love her more); a fan of the American Office (because there are several hilarious mentions of life in the original writing room); someone who had to wear really large, really plastic glasses on their face throughout childhood (because she understands); or someone who has dealt with really terrible haircuts.

This book might not be for you if you are the kind of person who prides themselves on their masculinity, although you may find pleasure in laughing at pictures of Kaling throughout puberty. You should probably read it anyway, just to find out.

dollars. The more people you have to split the costs with, the lower they are.

MEC allows you to rent all kinds of camping gear (sleeping bags included) so you can ensure that your weekend getaway involves minimal spending.

in Muskoka or Algonquin, you get the road trip with friends, generally complete with 90’s pop sing-alongs -which is the best way to get away, if you ask me.

Perfecting being perteptually poor Budgeting for your getaway GABRIELLE DICKERT When we think about getting away, we think about travelling abroad; going to the UK, or Australia, or Thailand. After long, tiring, semesters, it’s natural to want to get away from Guelph and away from your normal routine. But many people just can’t afford a plane ticket and the associated costs of a big trip. If you’ve found a full-time job in town for the summer, it can even be hard to get time off to

get away. There is so much to explore within this city, within this province.

If you feel like you need a getaway this summer, consider trading the trip abroad for something a little closer to home.

Check out places close to home Don’t overlook the beauty that exists within Ontario. Besides Guelph Lake, there are a number of options within a short drive where you can go and check out for a nice weekend away. The Rockwood Conservation Area is about a 15 minute drive from the university and is great for outdoor sports, whether that be hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking, cave exploring, or

rock climbing. Even if you’re not into outdoor sports, it’s great to spend some time outside, appreciating what nature has to offer. If you’ve been to Rockwood recently, head over to the Elora Gorge, Belwood Lake Conservation Area, or Hilton Falls Conservation Area – or do a quick Google search for a variety of other options.

Consider camping While couch surfing and hostels can be an inexpensive way to travel, camping is something that is so often overlooked. Grab a few friends, rent a campsite, grab your bathing suit, and head out. If you don’t have a tent, you can rent one from Mountain Equipment Co-op for less than twenty

You can have a true cottage experience Renting a cottage or trailer for the weekend can be less expensive if you split the costs among a group of friends. There’s nothing better than going away and spending some time on a lake with late-night campfires, and you can have this experience along with a comfy bed if you’re just not the camping type. The bonus of renting a cottage is that if you find one

Actually saving for the trip While you’re working these long hours and spending even longer hours sipping patio beers outside your favourite bar in Guelph, consider opening a TFSA at your bank and putting some money away.

This account can be for your trip, a new car, or even a future downpayment on your house – it’s your cal\Saving this money means more weekends away and more financial stability for your future.

512 LIFE

Science Avenue:Vaccines

Protection against death and disease SAMEER CHHABRA What are Vaccines?

There’s a lot of controversy surrounding vaccination.

Critics of vaccines say that vaccines can cause autism (they don’t); that too many vaccines at once can result in an immunological overload (that doesn’t happen); or link vaccination to a widespread list of almost entirely unrelated medical conditions, including sudden infant death, schizophrenia, epileptic seizures, multiple sclerosis and Type 1 diabetes.

The truth remains that vaccines are safe and they prevent the spread of death and disease. At their most basic level, vaccines are nothing more than dead or inactive organisms given to host bodies to form antibodies to immunize against active forms of the organism.

How do Vaccines work?

Understanding vaccines requires a rudimentary understanding of immunization. To begin with, antigens are foreign invaders to a host body that trigger antibody generation.

When an antigen is detected by a host body’s immune system, white blood cells mobilize to contain the contamination. During the first encounter process, white blood cells, called T cells (or T lymphocytes), mobilize to surround the antigen to prevent any further spread. There are multiple kinds of T cells, and each kind is responsible for a different immunological response, but the standard mobilization is the same: T cells try to subdue or destroy antigens so B cells can form antibodies.

B cells (or B lymphocytes) are responsible for antibody formation.

Once the antigen has been subdued, B cells surround the antigen, consume it, digest it, and replicate it into antibody-producing plasma cells.

B cells react differently in different situations; for example, some B cells can mobilize alongside T cells, while others only mobilize once they have been activated by T cells.

T cells and B cells that have previously encountered specific antigens mature into Memory T and Memory B cells. These cells “Memorize” antigen code and mobilize once a specific antigen is detected again. Memory T cells attack specific antigens based on previous experience, while Memory B cells produce specific antibodies based on previous experience. Whatever worked or didn’t work last time is taken into account during second encounter conditions, and cells adapt until the antigen is contained and eliminated.

Vaccines work by introducing inactive antigens into a host body in order to allow T cells to figure out how to eliminate foreign invaders and to allow B cells to form antibodies against foreign invaders.

Why are Vaccines important?

The human body is resilient and able to protect itself against foreign invaders; chickenpox, for example, is a highly contagious disease caused by the varicella zoster virus, but the body is more than capable of dealing with the antigen without the need for a vaccine. At this point, I should mention that if it’s possible, children

should be vaccinated for chickenpox. It’s safer than actually getting infected, and there’s no annoying itchy sensation to worry about.

However, certain bacteria like variola minor (smallpox), and viruses like rubella (responsible for rubella measles) are fatal and the human body is unable to properly heal itself against such antigens. Vaccines, therefore, make previously fatal illnesses that are incredibly easy to contract, like smallpox, measles, mumps, and polio, almost impossible to come across.

More importantly, vaccines ensure that the spread of such illnesses is greatly reduced. The term “herd immunity” refers to widespread immunity that prevents the distribution of illnesses. Simply put, if 99/100 people in a village are vaccinated against smallpox, the last 1 person has an incredibly small chance of contracting smallpox if they remain within the community. Thanks to widespread vaccination and herd immunity, the World Health Organization (WHO) certified the eradication of smallpox in 1979, followed by the certified eradication of rinderpest in 2011.

Today, the WHO list 25 fatal and near-fatal diseases that are certified “Vaccine-Preventable.”

What is the future of Vaccination?

Up until the early 1800’s, there were only two forms of medical prevention against viruses and bacteria: inoculation and coming into direct contact with an active antigen. Inoculation is akin to direct contact, except that the antigen is diluted, and therefore less dangerous. The risks associated with inoculation are still far greater than any potential minor risk associated with vaccination.

As always, I’m excited for the truly absurd possibilities. DNA Vaccination is a form of disease prevention that utilizes small, circular pieces of genetically modified bacteria that code for the creation of specific antibodies within host bodies. Simply put, DNA vaccines don’t utilize inactive organisms; they’re nothing more than instructions for the body to create a protective shield against illness. As of right now, DNA vaccination is still undergoing experimentation and testing.

I’m not pollen your leg!

Bees really are important CARLEIGH CATHCART Ah, summer. The sun shining on your face, a delicious snack of berries at your side, some pesky bee buzzing in your ear. What you may not be aware of is exactly how important that “pesky” bee is in helping bring that scrumptious berry plate to your table.

Believe it or not, there is a lot more to bees (with this article concerned about honeybees in particular) than their identity as a summertime nuisance. Bees actually contribute significantly to many industries, including agricultural, medical, and retail.

As a summer student with the Ontario Beekeeper’s Association, I have been lucky enough to land a position that sees my days spent learning about and interacting with these surprisingly fascinating creatures. I do believe people are under-informed of their importance, and I would love to enlighten our readers on the many contributions of honeybees.

Honey – Perhaps the most obvious honeybee product, but delicious nonetheless! Honey is a staple ingredient in countless food products, including pastries and alcohol -yes, alcohol! The fermentation of honey, combined with varying preparation processes, creates a satisfying product called mead, which is available in many flavours.

Wax – Everybody knows about beeswax candles, which are useful and fun to make. But beeswax is also used in a multitude of other everyday items, including in polishers and cosmetics. So, next time you freshen up for a night on the town, bee thankful!

Apitherapy – Apitherapy is essentially the practice of using bee-derived products in the treatment of various maladies. From the conventional combat of skin infections with honey’s antibacterial properties to the rumoured anti-aging effects of queen-developing royal jelly, there are several established and purported applications of honeybee products that offer many benefits in dealing with our physical woes.

CORY BARNES VIA CC BY-SA 2.0

Pollination – This is likely the most important - and yet, overlooked - contribution of honeybees. The transfer of pollen between flowers is a crucial step in the successful fertilization of plants. A huge portion of what you eat every day can at least partially be attributed to the work

of bees.

As you can see, the influence of honeybees on our lives goes far beyond the taste enhancer we put in our tea.

Unfortunately, there have recently

been significant declines in bee numbers, referred to as Colony Collapse Disorder; speculated to be due in large part to pesticides.

A certain class of pesticides in particular, neonicotinoids (commonly referred to as ‘neonics’), are currently being researched for their possible detriment to honeybees. It is the hope of those in the bee industry that we can arrive at some answers, and go forth accordingly in educating farmers, the government, and the public on what is happening to our

bees and how we can fix it.

Until then, a cautious use of pesticides, along with a (hopefully) newfound respect for bees can be exercised. Because with bees, the world is just a little bit sweeter!

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

Issue 174.4 • Thursday, June 19, 2014

OPINION

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Reaping the benefits of environmental destruction?

David Suzuki on money, job creation, and the future for non-renewable resources ALYSSA OTTEMA Following the most recent scandal in the oil industry – the criticism of energy company Kinder Morgan as “insensitive” for their statement on the possible positive economic effects of pipeline spills – David Suzuki threw his hat into the ring with an op-ed piece for the Huffington Post.

Kinder Morgan, in their submission to the National Energy Board, noted that “Spill response and cleanup creates business and employment opportunities for affected communities, regions, and cleanup service providers.” With the extra business created, these environmental hazards “can have both positive and negative effects

DR. OSCAR GARCIA/FSU VIA CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Smoke plumes from spill-response crews gathering and burning oil in the Gulf of Mexico near the site of the leaking Macondo well, June 22, 2010.

on local and regional economies, both in the short- and long-term.”

Although insensitive, Suzuki notes that what Kinder Morgan is saying is true. “Destroying the environment is bad for the planet

and all the life it supports,” Suzuki reiterates in his piece, “[b]ut it’s often good for business.” Suzuki cited the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico as an example of this, as what was disastrous for

the environmental stability of the Gulf added billions (find an exact number) to the United States gross domestic product.

But the economic boom created from these environmental destructions cannot foster long-term, overall stability, says Suzuki.

“The company will make money, the government will reap some tax and royalty benefits, and a relatively small number of jobs will be created,” he writes.

“But the massive costs of dealing with a pipeline or tanker spill and the resulting climate change consequences will far outweigh the benefits.”

The problem Suzuki hammers home is that “Everything is measured in money.” Despite several studies from recent years which point to the uncertainty and danger surrounding fracking and pipeline creation, fossil fuel dependant infrastructure continues to be built. These actions, which hold some potential for easy money and an economic fix, actually serve to further necessary development in the future.

According to Suzuki, these fast economic fixes fail to recognize

the limits of fossil fuels – “precious resources” which need to be conserved, not wasted. While oil and gas are currently necessary in cities and their infrastructures – and likely will be “for some time,” Suzuki notes – new options need to be considered, and old practices need to be re-evaluated.

“By conserving and switching to cleaner energy, we can ensure we still have oil and gas long into the future, perhaps long enough to learn to appreciate [its potential],” writes Suzuki. “If we dig it up and sell it … we consign ourselves to a polluted planet ravaged by global warming, with nothing to fall back on when the fossil fuels are gone.”

Suzuki believes that the change required will encompass more than just simply weaning ourselves off fossil fuels. “We must also look to economic systems, progress measurements, and ways of living that don’t depend on destroying [the planet],” he concludes, rather than “relying on … an economic system that depends on damaging ways and an absurd measurement to convince us it somehow all amounts to progress.”

– while going back to school – to keep his concern going. It’s a state known as “dry alcoholism,” a kind of emotional incontinence that makes loved ones long for the days of the bottle.

The real addiction of which there needs to be more awareness (though I have no idea what the PSA would be like), is moral presumption. We are aware of non-substance addictions such as gambling and sex, but more needs to be done to get the judging monkey off our collective backs. We also need to recognize bullying as an addiction. In my view, every bully has a morality to justify their behaviour, and every moralist must be a bully to impose their subjective values.

A while ago, a man was killed down the street from where I live who it turned out I had grown up with in Acton. When I was a kid, he and another older boy had nearly killed me by coaxing me out onto the ice on Faerie Lake with the intention of seeing me fall in, being unaware

of the consequences of their actions as some children are. So I had a legitimate reason to avoid him, in contrast to the patent racism directed at him for his native status even as a little boy. Bigotry is what passes for knowledge among the willfully ignorant, hence its allure and habit forming properties. In response to some of the off-colour jokes that were made after his passing, my friend Jessy Bell Smith dedicated to Joe a performance of John Prine’s “Bruised Oranges (Chain of Sorrow).” It was a beautiful shamanistic moment reminiscent of a soul being championed by the living before it can move on to the next world. Joe had serious problems with substance abuse, and a lot of people got their moral fix judging his human vulnerability.

It’s as though love were in limited supply, finding ourselves huddled around a mirror, dividing up every grain of every line, only for the deserving, only for those who can pay.

Getting clean in a freak world: The morality and moralizing of addiction KYLE FITZSIMMONS What is need? What is want? Writers bank on the universality of their ideas to reach their audience, but on the subject of addiction, anything I have to say feels as useless as anything I could say about mental illness to someone in throes of madness. Currently, I’m on day four of smoking cessation after falling off the wagon last weekend. Before that I went three months, and earlier on, about two and a half years. Now, I’m trying not to talk about it, my strategy being to take life as it comes, and rely on others to take me as I am without feeling the need to divulge my struggle. But I’ve dealt with insufferable smugness in response to one of my lapses, and that got me thinking

about the issue of moral accountability for addiction.

A certain entitlement exacerbates my problem, believing I can do whatever I want and damn the consequences. The social activists would accurately call it privilege, believing emphysema would pass me over because I’m a nice guy. Those sympathetic to my plight would cite the highly addictive properties of nicotine, but that would be cold comfort to me when I’m carting around my own oxygen a few years from now.

Like anyone, I would be more sympathetic to others than I would be to myself, which in itself bodes ill for me when I ascribe my own weakness to others and legitimize it out of a misguided sense of compassion.

Addiction is tricky. My addiction is tricky. But that’s only my problem.

Sometimes I tell myself that “I shouldn’t have to” chew licorice root and toothpicks, suck on Halls, drink water and breathe deeply, or walk around the block (which I just did). But that’s the addiction

talking, bolstering my stubbornness and feeding my privilege. I also tend to remember all the cringe-inducing things I’ve done in my life with each attempt to quit, but that’s also the addiction inuring me to privilege with the luxury of self-pity. It speaks with many voices, and I can afford cockiness as little as I can afford self-loathing.

Years ago, when I was recovering from schizophrenia, I volunteered at a dry cafe, a place for AA members to meet between their perpetual forays to meetings across the breadth of the earth. I was having some distressing problems relating to my living arrangements that included the disconnection of my phone without my knowledge. I called a friend to vent and left him the number of the cafe, which he called, asking for me.

He later told me that the proprietor could be heard bellowing in the background to “tell Kyle to tell his friends not to call here.” He had forgotten in his state of disproportionate outrage that I was working full time hours

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514 FUN PAGE COMMUNITY LISTINGS Saturday July 5th. Stained glass, paper masks and stories: A collection of work by Barbara J. Bryce. Whitestone Gallery, 80 Norfolk St. Opening reception 11am-2pm, Mask building for kids 11-12pm, Story teller at 12:30.

Join the Guelph Guild of Storytellers every Friday morning this summer at the south end of Riverside Park.

10:30-11:30. Free. Stories of interest to adults and teens. www.guelpharts.ca/storytellers 519-767-0017 guelphstory@gmail.com Love cats? Love movies? Guelph Humane Society presents the Cat Film Festival June 19th at The Bookshelf. 7pm for VIP ($45) and 9pm general admission ($17.50). Call GHS (519-824-3091) for tickets.

Arboretum Wednesday Night Walks! Every Wednesday evening this summer, 7-8:30pm. Adults $2, children under 5 Free! Meet at J.C. Taylor Nature Centre. 519-824-4120 ext. 52363

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Across 1- ___ sow, so shall...

5- Writer Loos 10- Witches 14- Blueprint detail 15- Happen again 16- Siouan speaker 17- Auditorium 18- Thorax 19- ___ dancing is popular with cowboys!

20- China’s Zhou ___ 22- Superficial 24- The jig ___!

27- Propagative part of a plant 28- Variety of sour cherry 32- Thorny flowers 36- Sorrowful 37- ___ Gay 39- Young hooter 40- Gush forth 42- Maker of Pong 44- ___ a soul 45- ___ once 47- Mouthlike opening 49- “... ___ the cows come home” 50- Caterpillar rival 51- Worker 53- Racetrack boundary 56- Just ___!

57- Unlocked 61- Bond servant 65- High time 66- Bothered 69- Till bills 70- “___ She Lovely?”

71- 1,000 kilograms 72- Fluid-filled sac

73- So ___ say 74- Computer key 75- The Green Hornet’s sidekick

Down 1- 1975 Wimbledon winner 2- Bridge 3- Shout 4- Cream cake 5- Circle section 6- O.T. book 7- Frozen treats 8- Elephant parts 9- Bandleader Shaw 10- Limitation 11- End in ___ (draw) 12- Vanished 13- Leak slowly 21- Aha! 23- Pianist Peter 25- Forearm bone 26- Schemes 28- Syrian president 29- Sap tree 30- “Die Fledermaus” maid 31- Overjoy 33- Stony gray 34- So spooky as to be frightening 35- Genre; 38- Fragrance 41- Written guarantee 43- Little devils 46- Eye drop 48- Some are pale 52- Word of the hour?

54- Fit to be tied 55- Divulge 57- Single entity

58- Snack 59- Marrow host 60- Fender bender 62- Author Seton 63- Sleeveless garment 64- This, in Tijuana 67- “Wheel of Fortune” buy 68- Thrice, in prescriptions;

Last Week’s Solution

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Issue 174.4 • Thursday, June 19, 2014

EDITORIAL

The effect media has on the human psyche An investigation of the destruction of self-esteem Like everything else, the necessity to keep up with the Jones’ has evolved throughout the twenty-first century. With the rise of Internet culture, a powerfully driven capitalistic society, and the never-ending need to fit in, personal self-esteem is something that needs to be carefully protected and powerfully reinforced. The world was a very different place twenty years ago, and the effect that media had on people was different. This is not to say that it did not exist, or that it was or was not detrimental to the way people viewed themselves, but it was not deeply embedded in every space – a constant reminder that you may not stack up.

Today, everywhere people look they are surrounded; and worse yet, there is a lack of material that has not been altered in some way or another to make the focus something that is not

EST. 1951

natural – something fabricated to be visually appealing and to render itself a call to consumerist reflex. The altering and morphing that goes into making something or someone more visually appealing does not only take away from what someone is; it also triggers a response in the viewer to believe that they are not necessarily the best they can be, that they too can be changed by use of such a product or through material belonging – as if obtaining a piece of designer fashion makes you a higher-end human being or gives you a status.

Society will change and it will adapt, but the way in which society is socially driven will stay the same. The media will continue to be a strong presence in the lives of everyone who has access to technology or ventures outdoors.

There is no way to hide from it or take oneself out of it. The only way to not allow the media to disrupt personal self-esteem is to understand it - to understand it deeply and to absorb it for what it is, realizing that the human mind is capable of rejecting media influence while accepting that this is no simple task.

Each person (today, from a very young age) is bombarded with hundreds, if not thousands, of visual and audible advertorial cues each and every day.

These cues penetrate deeply, and until a person is capable of distinguishing the meaning behind advertorial materials, these cues are absorbed and embedded. To acknowledge that advertorial materials are targeted to young, easily persuaded individuals is a detrimental inevitability. This alone is reason to teach the youth of society, from a young age, what advertisement and the media is and how to protect oneself from the negative effect it can have when not understood correctly.

A lack of self-esteem is due to many factors and is a complex issue, but a partial culprit is undoubtedly thanks to the bombardment of unrealistic altered image of perfection in association with the human physical form. Adolescents spend a good deal of time on a regular basis watching television, browsing the internet and social media platforms, and looking at magazines – not to mention seeing movies and going to shopping

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malls. During these impressionable years, young people are consuming large amounts of advertisements that are displaying unnatural representations of the human body, and these can deeply affect how one views themselves in society and where they believe they should “belong.”

It is unrealistic to shelter people from today’s society, but it is critical to find and develop ways to ensure people do not absorb the wrong messages or allow themselves to have negative responses to them. Once the negativity sinks in, it is difficult to erase and it’s a lengthy process to recover the self-esteem that has been robbed unconsciously during the young years of life.

It is absolutely critical that people begin talking about strength of the hold the media has on people of all generations. It is crucial that people begin to create new methods of protecting themselves from the media through the knowledge and understanding of where it comes from, what its intended purpose is, and how it affects the psyche and human perception inwardly.

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The Ontarion Inc. University Campus Room 264 University of Guelph N1G 2W1 ontarion@uoguelph.ca Phone 519-824-4120 General: x 58265 Editorial: x 58250 Advertising: x 53534 Accounts: x 53534 Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief

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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 of refuse all material deemed sexist, racist, homophobic, or otherwise unfit for publication as determined by the Editorin-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.

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