The Queen's Journal, issue 33

Love and sex supplement meeting matters

APHRODISIACS

Find out where the best places are to meet potential romantic interests on campus.

Page 3

Food to get you in the mood. page 10

gender bends

Exploring monogamy in long-term relationships.

Page 11

Looking at the presence of androgyny in fashion.

Page 9

dating lives Encountering a small dating pool in the Queen’s gay and lesbian community.

Page 10

fidelity

education on sex Examining the state of sex education in high school.

Page 13

photo illustration by justin tang

F r i d ay , F e b r u a r y 11 , 2 0 11 — I s s u e 3 3

j the ournal

Q u e e n ’ s U n i v e r s i t y — C a n a da ’ s O l d e s t S t u d e n t N e w s pa p e r — S i n c e 1 8 7 3

Bringing satisfaction

elections

Voter turnout declines B y L abiba H aque Assistant News Editor Even with an emphasis on early advertising, this year’s AMS election saw a significant decrease in voter turnout.

Calum MacBeth, AMS commissioner of internal affairs, said this year’s elections team focused on marketing and getting information about the elections out to students.

“We did a lot of postering, we sent out emails, updated information on the AMS website and also made See There wasn’t on Page 2

Internationally renowned DJ Benny Benassi unleashed his trademark beats at his Stages gig on Wednesday night.

Inside a look at atheism The Journal examines the history of atheism at Queen’s.

Page 3

arc machinery The Journal investigates broken machines at the ARC. Page 2

Triple threat The latest Apple Crisp music festival offers hip hop, experimental and blue grass events.

Page 17

chocolate cravings As Valentine’s Day approaches, indulge in chocolate recipes.

Page 23

volleyball Men’s volleyball team continues a winning streak over the weekend.

Page 19

stackhouse speaks Editor in Chief of the Globe and Mail John Stackhouse discusses the importance of campus journalism.

Page 7

Photo by Christine blais

Health

At the heart of the matter

Defibrillator to be installed at Duncan McArthur gymnasium B y C lare C lancy News Editor As fencing practice ended on the night of Jan. 27, head coach Hugh Munby looked across Duncan McArthur Hall gymnasium to see that a member of his club, a Queen’s professor emeritus, had suffered ventricular fibrillation. Ventricular fibrillation is a potentially life-threatening abnormal heart rhythm which leads to a person’s sudden collapse.

“The response was really quick. I was out there like a flash,” Munby said, adding that there happened to be a medical doctor on scene when the incident occurred.

The doctor performed chest compressions until paramedics arrived along with Kingston Police and campus security.

Upon arrival, paramedics

used an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to shock the professor’s heart. He responded to the first shock.

In cases of ventricular fibrillation, AEDs are life-saving machines which are able to deliver an electric shock to the heart if it is no longer beating effectively.

“The medical statistics are that if the heart goes into fibrillation then the chances of survival with defibrillation are 80 per cent in the first minute and those chances decrease by 10 per cent per minute,” Munby said. “So if defibrillation doesn’t occur for eight minutes, if you do the math, the chances of survival are close to zero. We were very lucky the compressions were very forceful. Defibrillation for him happened after about eight minutes. Had we had a defibrillator we could have done it in the

first minute.”

While there are five AEDs located in the ARC, currently there are none in Duncan McArthur Hall on West Campus.

“About a year and a half ago I asked for one. I honestly don’t know what happened with the response,” Munby said, adding that he had contacted Environmental Health and Safety as well as Athletics and Recreation about having a defibrillator installed.

“About [one week] before the incident here, I asked again, can we have one,” he said.

“At a point where I ask twice for a [defibrillator] and nothing happens … when no one responds by saying ‘right, let’s get it in there right away and we’ll worry about the money later’—that to me seems inappropriate.”

See Defibrillators on Page 5

2 •queensjournal.ca

News

Friday, February 11, 2011

athletics

Working out the kinks in the ARC Five to ten percent of machines are typically broken in any athletics facility, says Herbert Steacy, associate director of facilities and business development for Athletics and Recreation B y J essica F ishbein Assistant News Editor

Herbert Steacy, associate director of facilities and business development for Athletics and Emilie Breuvart, ArtSci ’13, is used Recreation, said that upkeep and to waiting in lines to use machines repairs are always needed.

“Five to 10 per cent of at the ARC. “It’s frustrating to get there, equipment will always be down see machines aren’t working in any athletic facility,” he said, and then wait in long lines,” she adding that out of 56 treadmills said, adding that she goes to the and ellipticals only about five ARC on average three times a are currently marked as out week and uses the elliptical and of order.

Steacy said that while he hasn’t treadmill machines.

“I used to go around 4:30 [p.m.], noticed any large increases in but it was really busy then. I usually broken machinery, higher traffic go around lunch, because there’s can increase the incidence of out of order machines. less people,” she said.

Over the month of January this While only some machines are fully broken, other machines keep year, there were a recorded 74,611 people away because of technical visits to the ARC. This compares to issues, she said.

12,454 visits in October 2010.

“Maybe there are a few that are “From 11 a.m. to about 1:30 broken. Many times the machine [p.m.] is our peak time. From 3:30 works fine but the TV doesn’t, so to 8 [p.m.], we’re also jammed,” people won’t use that machine he said. “This is such a popular because they want one with a spot, so it puts more pressure on the equipment.” working TV,” she said.

Currently there are three broken ellipticals and two broken treadmills in the ARC. National Fitness Products staff member James Hunter assesses the condition of an elliptical.

Photo by justin tang

Prior to the ARC opening in the suppliers who are responsible December 2009, just under 1 for this maintenance work.

Steacy said the nature of the million worth of equipment was purchased, Steacy said. This year problem determines how long it $100,000 more was contributed takes for machines to be fixed. towards machines. Depending on the machine, each one was This is such a purchased from anywhere between popular spot so it puts $2,000 and $8,000. more pressure on the “In our original agreement with equipment. suppliers we have a three year warranty, so most of the repair work is being done under that,” —Herbert Steacy, associate director of he said. facilities and The ARC is putting business development self-generated funds, from things like external memberships, “If parts are on hand, the into a reserve account so they’ll be able to purchase new machine can be fixed that day,” he error occur in online voting.

The AMS elections team is in machines when the warranty said. “If we’re missing a part for two to three weeks, it may appear charge of sending emails providing runs out.

Every week, suppliers come we’re neglecting the machines, but a link to an online portal where students can log in to vote. in to see if the machines need we’re not.”

However, this year many students repairs, Steacy said, adding that National Fitness and AC/DC are received a broken link.

MacBeth said the characters in the link itself were correct but the hyperlink was broken so although it was possible to copy and paste the link, you couldn’t just click on it. But he said the error likely had little impact on voter turnout.

Tuesday, Feb. 15 Friday, Feb. 11 “The ones who truly wanted to vote and have their voices heard, I Christopher R. Drahozal lecture: Freedom to read series don’t think it [deterred them].”

“Why Arbitrate: Substantive Stauffer Library, Speaker’s Corner AMS Chief Returning Officer versus Procedural Theories of Noon to 1 p.m.

Alex Miller said there are other ways Private Judging” Photo by Justin tang in measuring an election besides Macdonald Hall, Room 201 Although the AMS elections team advertised this year’s Wednesday, Feb. 16 voter turnout.

1 p.m. to 2:20 p.m. election, voter turnout decreased by 15 per cent compared to last year.

Miller said that this year the Three Sister’s Feast year EngSoc had four candidates elections team joined with AMS Saturday, Feb. 12 Four Directions Aboriginal Centre Continued from page 1 a marketing video, which was a running for president,” he said. services and had staff wear large 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. parody of the Old Spice video. We “This year the ASUS president buttons encouraging students Cezanne’s Closet: Union Gallery’s really tried to do things early this and vice-president positions to vote. annual gala fundraiser Chinese Film Night “It’s hard because there was Union Gallery were acclaimed.” year,” he said.

Kingston Hall, room 200 Since the two AMS executive a low voter turnout but it’s not 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Last year’s elections saw 5,428 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. students out of an eligible 13,709 teams running this year were both something that is [always] in $150 for ticket and one guest cast a ballot. The AMS calculated internally involved, MacBeth said the hands of the elections team. Email ugallery@queensu.ca Thursday, Feb. 17 this to be a 40.48 per cent voter that they may have appeared This year the marketing was very for tickets thought-out,” she said, adding that turnout. This year’s election saw a similar in choice to students.

Political Studies speaker series “Last year the two teams were they did two rounds of postering, Monday, Feb. 14 24.85 per cent voter turnout. With Joanna R. Quinn on “Transitional only 3,540 of an eligible 14,246 very different. One of the biggest filmed an election video, put rave Justice in Uganda” Mackintosh-Corry Hall, room students voting, turnout decreased debates over last year’s elections cards on computers on campus Noontime meditiation was the idea of the solar panel,” to promote student voting. Miller Ban Righ Centre B313 by 15 per cent over the last year.

2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

MacBeth said online voting was he said, adding that oftentimes said the team also worked towards 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. first introduced last year, and led to students need a controversial issue creating an incentive for students a three per cent voter increase over that will engage debate for them to to vote by bringing back the free coffee coupon. the year before. Thus, the online have an incentive to vote.

Miller said the elections team system is likely not the cause of the “When we are looking at all the decreased voter turnout.

Facebook pages, both team SDL next year could try to reach out “The accessibility of having it and CES had less than 300 likes to students earlier in order to online is far greater than not having on their pages. Last year halfway encourage voter turnout.

Yesterday Journal staff elected Clare Clancy and “I think that getting out and it. Financially it’s a lot cheaper too,” through campaigning, CHR and Jake Edmiston as editors in chief for Vol. 139, he said, adding that the decrease is PNF were both approaching actually talking to first years is good 2011-12. They were acclaimed with a vote of 21 too,” she said. “If they wanted to likely due to other factors.

1,000,” he said. in favour.

As well as lacking a divisive issue start taking initiatives for the winter “There wasn’t a lot of competition this year. Even like implementing solar panels, this election in the fall.” towards the faculty societies. Last year’s election team had a technical The machines in the ARC are meant to last 104,607 km and some have already hit 57,936 km of use.

Besides treadmills and elliptical the ARC has stationary bikes, weight machines and other pieces of equipment.

“

”

‘There wasn’t a lot of competition this year’

Campus Calendar

Editors in chief elected

Friday, February 11, 2011

queensjournal.ca

•3

Features

Following a decision by then-Principal R.C Wallace to bar the Queen’s Atheist and Agnostic club from campus, an onslaught of coverage and strongly worded letters appeared in the Journal throughout Jan. 1950.

Journal Files

Campus history

Atheism throughout the ages Queen’s Atheist and Agnostics club barred from campus 60 years ago, current campus atheists says they still face challenges B y C raig D raeger Dialogue Editor In 1950, the Queen’s Agnostic and Atheistic club was barred from campus by then-Principal R.C. Wallace.

“There is no room for any club or organization which is anti-religious, nor will any such organization have a place in Queen’s,” Wallace said in a statement published by the Journal on Jan. 24, 1950.

The decision, which sparked significant debate on campus, was reversed less than a week later.

“The danger with atheists and agnostics is that they may shatter the faith of one of the ‘little ones,’ as Christ called them, the disciples of week faith,” Pamela Clarke, Arts ’50, said in a letter to the editor following the reformation of the club under the formal title of the Agnostic Club.

To remove a club from campus today, the AMS constitution requires a two-thirds vote at AMS assembly to revoke the club’s ratification.

“Students are keeping other students in-check,” AMS Clubs Manager Josie Qiu said. “We kind of expect club members will speak up if there’s an extremist view or against the mandate of our school or our Society.”

University Chaplain Brian Yealland said attitudes that saw the Queen’s club barred from campus over 60 years ago still exist today, though on a smaller scale.

“It’s been acceptable intellectually to say ‘there is no God.’ And yet, there are people who are atheists and agnostics who

say they feel a stigma about it, and they keep their mouth shut. Even today,” he said.

Yealland conducted a survey of undergraduate and graduate students to gauge the prevalence of religious beliefs on campus in 2007. Of 301 students surveyed, 21 per cent said they considered themselves to be religious, 21 per cent said they were spiritual, 19 per cent identified with both and 39 per cent claimed to be neither religious or spiritual.

Yealland said his survey demonstrates that religion and science can co-exist in harmony.

“Somehow the world of religion and the world of scientific thought get melded together,” he said. “By the time you’re in graduate school, you’ve decided to not throw out either, and to make some kind of a mix work for you.”

Queen’s first shed its Presbyterian ties in 1912, when the Federal Parliament removed all religious restrictions from the University’s Charter. However, the first non-Presbyterian Principal wasn’t appointed until 1930 and Queen’s students and sports teams continued to be informally referenced as “The Presbyterians.”

Queen’s Principal William Fyfe, the first who wasn’t a Presbyterian minister, was warned by colleagues at Queen’s about an “outbreak of atheism at the University of Toronto,” reported the second volume of the History of Queen’s University.

Fyfe was cautioned that “Queen’s religious traditions were taken seriously by many influential graduates and that he as

principal should do his utmost to check any such [atheist] tendency on campus.”

Raissa Killoran, ArtSci ’10, is co-chair of the Queen’s Secularists and Inquirers (QSI)—a club that meets every Monday at the Grad Club to discuss a pre-selected topic. Killoran, herself an atheist, said she’s sceptical about how far Canadian society has advanced toward tolerating and accepting atheists and agnostics.

“Very little has changed,” she said. “For example, I think there are very common conceptions of atheist or non-theist people as being somehow either amoral or simply lacking ethics altogether.” “ ‘Coming out’ as non-theist does feel uncomfortable,” she said.

“I definitely had an interesting experience talking to my parents about being non-religious, and some of the interesting assumptions that come with that.”

“They basically attributed it as a teenage phase—which, from my perspective, it certainly wasn’t.

That’s the difficulty, especially when telling these things to parents, of not being taken seriously or being seen to have an immature attitude.”

When Killoran was in a lecture for a Christianity class, she said the professor used the phrase “Christians like us.”

“It’s depicted as ‘I’m talking to you about something you’re obviously all participants in,’ ” she said. “There would have been many people in the room [with reservations]. I took it for granted that it wasn’t just me who felt wary about that claim, there were probably quite a few other people.”

“I hope that QSI can be a part of dispelling those [misconceptions],” she said, adding that common misconceptions include the idea that atheists replace reverence for a deity with self-egoism.

The persisting distrust that many people have toward atheists and agnostics results from a breakdown in the lines of communication, she said.

“Maybe it’s this communication barrier. I think part of it is the way ‘new atheists’ present atheism.

This sort of [Richard] Dawkins, [Christopher] Hitchens crowd, I think they present atheism in a very bad light, and they kind of ruin it for the rest of us,” she said.

“It does leave a very bad taste in people’s mouths, to have people like Sam Harris calling Islam ‘the cult of death.’ Those are horrible things to say about religious people.

This creates a very violent divide, and I don’t think that’s necessary at all.”

Killoran said QSI’ mandate is based on inclusion and debate, and that they welcome students from all religious and non-religious affiliations.

“We seek to provide a very positive and welcoming space for students who identify as atheist, non-theist and agnostic and give them a space to talk about their views,” she said.

“We enjoy each other’s perspectives, and we enjoy debating and arguing with each other. In that way, we enjoy where we differ.

It’s really great to sometimes have a bunch of people in one room where you know that no two of you agree.”

Professor John Young of the School of Religion said Canadian society has made great strides toward accepting the non-religious.

“In the present day, in the Canadian context broadly, to self-describe as either an atheist or an agnostic [doesn’t] affix you any kind of stigma. I think at one time it did, but sitting here in 2011, I don’t think … it’s a problem.”

He conceded that there are still pockets of society in which the secular-minded may face prejudice.

“Could I find places in this country where people would face discrimination for holding those views? Sure I can, there’s no question about that. I think particularly if you lived in a rural area or a small town, where most people were involved in a religious community,” he said.

“In the Canadian context, we’ve been on a fairly significant trajectory away from [intolerance of non-believers] since ... the late ’60s, early ’70s,” he said. “There are certainly particular communities where there are exceptions, but I think generally, that’s where we’re at.”

Young said despite today’s secularism, religiosity was once closely associated with the concept of civic responsibility.

“There was a sense that to be a good citizen of the country was also to have a formal religious connection.

We inherited something here from Western Europe ... where, historically, Christianity and the state were very closely related. So that’s the historical origins of it.”

News

4 •queensjournal.ca

S E G T N C A E C H AT AFF TH

Friday, February 11, 2011

YOU

The new Student Administration System, SOLUS, is replacing QCARD.

& TUITION PAYMENT DATES

It will change how we access marks, how we add/drop courses, how we access and change our transcript...

The University will be changing the date that tuition fees are due from September 30th to September 1st, effective September 2011. There will be no minimum registration payment; the total amount of your tuition will be due on September 1st and no later.

This deadline is not subject to change. For students who will be unable to make this payment, the University will be accepting what is called a “commitment to pay,” which will enable students to defer payment to a later date. Currently, the commitment to pay will automatically take OSAP and other forms of provincial and federal funding into account; however, how the commitment to pay takes other forms of funding into account is still up for discussion.

So, what do you think the “commitment to pay” should consist of? Let the University know.

Send your thoughts to feedback@ams.queensu.ca for us to present on your behalf, or directly to the Registrar at regmail@queensu.ca.

This new proposed tuition deadline may have serious implications for you.

To speciically address tuition payment dates change and commitment to pay we invite you to:

TOWN HALL, MARCH 1ST. The time and location will be announced on myams.org/aac by the week before.

For regular updates as they occur, “like” www.facebook.com/queensams or follow us on Twitter at @QueensAMS.

News

Friday, February 11, 2011

Defibrillators on campus

Defibrillators increase a person’s chance of survival significantly after they suffer cardiac arrest.

Continued from page 1

Duncan McArthur Hall is owned and operated by the Faculty of Education but Athletics and Recreation rents out the space to various clubs.

Fencing assistant coach Rodney Carter, ArtSci ’02, said because of the number of people using the gymnasium, a defibrillator needs to be installed in Duncan McArthur Hall.

“This is something that is recognized by public schools, Goodlife Fitness … because it’s not just overweight people or higher risk groups … there’s a possibility for young athletic, predominantly males, to go into this cardiac arrest,” he said, adding that as well as the fencing club, community groups and students in the Faculty of Education use the facility.

“As the technology improves, they’re becoming more available and people are recognizing that these are easy-to-operate machines,” he said.

According to the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation, only people who are trained and authorized to use an AED can do so. Training is usually administered in conjunction with a CPR course and is relatively brief.

Dan Langham, director of Queen’s Environmental Health and Safety, said that prior to the Jan. 27 incident, there were plans to install a defibrillator in the Duncan McArthur gymnasium.

“The process of ... putting [in] an [AED] was actually initiated about a week before the incident occurred. The Faculty [of Education] had contacted Environmental Health and Safety

PHOTO BY JUSTIN TANG

to find out the process to get one installed,” he said. “The Faculty itself takes on the installation and having a program in place to do the maintenance checks and the inspection processes.”

Langham said the AED should be installed within the next two months. AEDs come in a small kit, placed in a wall mount, so that the device can be brought to the individual who has suffered cardiac arrest.

“I don’t have a specific date at this point in time … we’re just continuing to work through the process to get one put in,” he said. “Environmental Health and Safety only became aware of the request to have a AED put in at that location three weeks ago. As soon as we found out the request, we started the process.”

According to Langham, AEDs cost between $2,000 and $3,000.

“Putting AEDs in higher risk environments like athletics centres

… is becoming best practice, somewhat of a standard,” he said, adding that he is unaware of any legal requirement to place a defibrillator in an athletic facility.

Langham said campus security has one AED kept in a vehicle and located at the office which is ready to be deployed in case of emergency. “Queen’s First Aid also carries a unit that’s deployed to all the incidents they go to,” he said.

Herbert Steacy, Athletics and Recreation’s associate director for facilities and business development, said installing defibrillators is an option left up to the management of an athletic facility.

“Defibrillators are the responsibility of people that manage and oversee a facility,” he said. “We use McArthur quite a bit as we use other facilities around Kingston … it’s not our facility to manage. Certainly Athletics and Recreation is prepared to support it both in principle and we’re prepared to put some funding in towards it to help the school purchase one.”

Steacy said the management of a facility has to be responsible for defibrillator installation because of long-term care.

“There’s some maintenance issues that need to be assumed by facility [operators],” he said, adding that batteries need to be checked and the gel coating used to administer the shock needs to be replaced regularly.

“That really boils down to why the individual facility needs to take ownership,” he said.

queensjournal.ca

•5

NEWS IN BRIEF Staalduinenon wins computer science presidency

up and running,” he said.

“I want professor input in this.

We need to know if the group tutorials are something that would Computing Students’ Association help them out, we want to make (COMPSA) elected Rob sure that this is something that will Staalduinenon Wednesday as their help students as well.” next president. He received a 91 He said the guide to computer science courses will be an extension per cent vote of confidence.

“I was confident going into the of a course guide from a student’s election but for it to actually be perspective and it will be featured confirmed, it was surreal,” he said. on the faculty society website.

“I am prepared for this job. Right “That [process is] gonna involve now I’m pretty much trying to take asking a lot of students questions in a wealth of information to help as to what courses they like, what me best prepare for my term.” they thought of the course material Staalduinenon said the first and so on,” he said, adding that order of business as the elected he hopes to incorporate students’ president is to hire council and testimonials of the level of difficulty to work closely with the current and applicability to career fields in president to ensure a smooth the guide.

“I really hope to do the best I can transition period.

Following this, he said he hopes and hope to have a positive impact to begin organizing student group on COMPSA,” he said. tutorials and the guide to computer science courses for students.

— Labiba Haque “I want to get the online system

WANT TO WRITE FOR NEWS? Email journal_news@ams.queensu.ca

6 •queensjournal.ca About The Journal

Editorial Board

The Journal’s Perspective

Editor in Chief

Tyler Ball

Managing Editor Rachel Kuper Production Manager Leslie Yun

News Editor

Clare Clancy

Assistant News Editors

Katerine Fernandez-Blance Jessica Fishbein Labiba Haque

Features Editor

Editorials Editor

Jake Edmiston

Elias Da Silva-Powell

Editorial Cartoonist Dialogue Editor

Adam Zunder

Craig Draeger

Arts Editor

Ally Hall

Assistant Arts Editor

Alyssa Ashton

Sports Editor

Editorials

Kate Bascom

Assistant Sports Editor

Lauri Kytömaa

Postscript Editor

Kelly Loeper

Supplements Editor

Holly Tousignant

““

Unless a medical expert advises you otherwise, there’s no reason to avoid getting vaccinated annually.

Flu myths flights of fancy

A

n article published in the Journal on Feb. 8 documented a downward trend in Canadian flu vaccinations, which showed a 10 per cent decrease this season.

The article included an interview with Dr. Gerald Anthony Evans, an infectious disease specialist at Queen’s, who suggested that the lowered vaccination rate may be due to “flu fatigue,” which refers to a disinterest in vaccination after the H1N1 pandemic which occurred last year—prompting a spike in vaccination rates.

Evans also pointed to a host of misconceptions surrounding the flu which contribute to a disinterest in vaccination.

For one, the flu vaccine is produced with an inactive virus—so the vaccine can’t give you the flu.

Getting vaccinated doesn’t

protect you against every possible iteration of the flu—only the most dominant strains that year.

However, the influenza virus is made up of thousands of strains and getting vaccinated annually significantly increases an individual’s resistance to the flu as a whole.

While the flu isn’t a serious health risk for a healthy individual, it’s dangerous for individuals with weak immune systems, including the elderly and newborn children.

Getting vaccinated doesn’t just protect you; it also protects those around you.

Having few available hosts in the population makes it harder for the flu to spread. Everyone should view the flu as a public health issue and treat getting vaccinated as a social responsibility.

It’s likely that health services

need to radically adjust their approach to disseminating this information, given the tendency among young people to avoid getting vaccinated. Roughly one in four Canadians gets vaccinated for the flu each year, and Evans said that the rate on campus is even lower.

Health services need to aggressively target young people via the Internet and social media—areas that are currently neglected. Without reaching out to youth directly using a medium they’re already using, indifference and misinformation concerning the flu vaccine will only continue.

Ideally, no one would need to be convinced to get the flu shot.

Unless a medical expert advises you otherwise, there’s no reason to avoid getting vaccinated annually.

Christine Blais

Assistant Photo Editor

Justin Tang Andrew Stokes Catherine Owsik

Web and Blogs Editor

Terra-Ann Arnone

Web Manager

Dianne Lalonde

Business Staff

Business Manager David Sinkinson

Advertising Manager

Tina You

Advertising Representatives

Carlee Duchesne Lianne Lew Jesse Weening

Staff

Writers Elamin Abdelmahmoud Caroline Garrod Dan Osborne James Simpson Anand Srivastava

Contributors

Gilbert Coyle Lindsay Kline Emily Lowe Marcin Mazur Devin McDonald Jessica Munshaw John Stackhouse Friday, February 11, 2011 • Issue 33 • Volume 138 The Queen’s Journal is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the Alma Mater Society of Queen’s University, Kingston.

Editorial opinions expressed in the Journal are the sole responsibility of the Queen’s Journal Editorial Board, and are not necessarily those of the University, the AMS or their officers.

Contents © 2011 by the Queen’s Journal; all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission of the Journal. The Queen’s Journal is printed on a Goss Community press by Performance Group of Companies in Smiths Falls, Ontario.

Contributions from all members of the Queen’s and Kingston community are welcome. The Journal reserves the right to edit all submissions.

Subscriptions are available for $120.00 per year (plus applicable taxes).

Please address complaints and grievances to the Editors in Chief.

Please direct editorial, advertising and circulation enquiries to: 190 University Avenue, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3P4 Telephone : 613-533-2800 (editorial) 613-533-6711 (advertising) Fax: 613-533-6728 Email: journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca The Journal Online: www.queensjournal.ca Circulation 6,000 Issue 34 of Volume 138 will be published on Thursday, February 17, 2011.

”

Health

Photography Editor

Copy Editors

Friday, February 11, 2011

LIFE

Hostile social climbers

N

ew research focusing on teenage aggression and bullying has concluded that many problems originate from an unexpected group.

Sociologists from the University of California surveyed 19 schools in North Carolina and found that students are quite likely to use bullying and aggressive behaviour as means of social climbing. Thus, popular children were much more likely to show signs of aggressive behaviour.

The researchers concluded that children are likely treating aggression as a tool to gain or maintain social status. This conclusion is supported by their finding that aggression peaks among children who are just below the top in terms of popularity. They speculated that the most popular children in a social network have no need to advance their perceived level of popularity—and thus don’t resort to bullying behaviour as much as

their slightly less-popular peers.

This study has confirmed something that most adolescents already know from first-hand experience. Bullying isn’t limited to threats and intimidation.

Reputation is a valuable—and vulnerable—source of social capital.

Any teenager who has had their reputation tarnished by a peer knows that the perpetrator usually stands to gain status by doing so.

One might expect a typical bully to be anti-social and prone to acting out. It’s encouraging that a study like this opposes the stereotype of the maladjusted bully and provides teachers a new perspective on how aggressive behaviour works.

However, it’s important to acknowledge the risks of treating one study as conclusive. While certain students may be more likely to engage in aggressive behaviour, any student can bully or be bullied.

Teachers should be prepared to look for instances of bullying on a case-by-case basis, and not

get fooled into profiling certain students as instigators.

While the researchers suggest that any anti-bullying measures need to address the perception of bullying as a social tool, it’s hard to be sure how teachers can put this information directly into practice to combat bullying before it starts.

This is further complicated by other forms of bullying, like cyber-bullying, which often occurs outside the school environment—and creates another form of social stratification for students at all levels.

The social dynamics of a high school are instinctual to the students who function within them, but are often opaque to the instructors tasked with maintaining order and discipline.

Giving teachers another perspective to consider may help them recognize bullying behaviour as part of a developing trend, not a personality trait.

Adam Zunder

Food friendly

Y

ou walk into your house after a long day of intense lectures, take off your shoes and beeline it to the kitchen.

Opening the fridge, you can’t wait to see the bevy of delicious and fresh sustenance that awaits your consumption. But, not only is your fridge almost empty, the remaining food you do have is old, mouldy and starting to smell something fierce.

We’ve all been there before.

Most important life lesson of second year: Food doesn’t stay fresh forever and your fridge doesn’t miraculously replenish itself with nutritious goodness. Having been spoiled by the cafeterias on campus in first year, upper-year students must come to the realization that they have to buy their own groceries and feed themselves. You can’t sustain yourself off of pizza pops and KD forever.

At first, taking time out of my day to make trips to Loblaws was simply annoying, but with more and more grocery buying experience, I have learned to actually love buying food—despite the fact that I have to drop $150 every time (another life lesson: food is expensive).

Strolling through the various aisles is a delight as I imagine eating absolutely everything that I place in my cart and filling my fridge to relieve it of its dark, sad and empty state.

Yet, another great thing about buying food for yourself is knowing that you’ll eat through everything.

You don’t buy any unpalatable or unfamiliar dishes (looking at you Leonard Caf), only delicious cuisine that you know you’ll gladly munch.

Some people hate taking the time to make meals, but I actually look forward to coming home and making dinner. There were bumps along the road; there were times where foods were undercooked, burnt, on fire, liquefied, gelatinous and sometimes just downright nasty, but with a little practice my cookery drastically improved.

Whipping up delicious pasta, preparing a fresh salad or throwing together a tasty stir fry is certainly not as hard as I had originally thought.

Who knew that in order to make a stir fry all you need to do is stir and fry?

All in all, being forced to buy groceries and making meals for yourself isn’t as bad as it seems.

Second year has taught me that eating can be surprisingly rewarding.

There’s nothing like appreciating a decadent meal that you prepared yourself. All this deliciousness can be yours too, just remember to buy your groceries and eat through them all before they go bad!

Friday, February 11, 2011

DIALOGUE

Perspectives from the Queen’s community

queensjournal.ca

““

The uncovering of information, the telling of stories and the pursuit of truth was what sparked a fire in our hearts.

”

Special feature

Wisdom from a veteran The Globe’s John Stackhouse on the importance of campus journalism at Queen’s

John Stackhouse, editor in cheif of the Globe and Mail, was Journal editor in chief from 1984-85.

Photo by Justin Tang

J ohn S tackhouse , C omm ’85 rest of the country, Queen’s is a bit manual. No one with more than a bright, inqiusitive and intellectually E ditor in C hief, G lobe and M ail of a country club. Those who go few years experience at this. So we restless individuals. there know it’s not. It’s a campus taught ourselves. And we stayed Personally, I think the Journal Walk through the Globe jam-packed with competitive, high- because we thought we could gets a lot of intellectually restless newsroom and you might think achievers, young women and men make it better, perhaps way better. people because there are few No one gives you a credit along other places on campus to explore you’re at a Queen’s Journal who are not used to placing second the way, or a paycheque, or even and test ideas. The collision of reunion. Greg McArthur, Omar at anything.

El Akkad, Jennifer MacMillan, Jeff This hard-driving culture much of a thank you. You stay brainpower and energy is magical.

And then there’s luck, that great Grey, Carol Toller, Sol Chrom. kicks into overdrive in extra- because you’re driven to stay and fluke that brought so many of us And then there’s the ones who curriculars. It’s not a campus make the Journal better.

That kind of drive is the rarest, through the doors of the Journal have moved on—Matt Hartley to where things are done lightly, or the Financial Post, Matt McClure shoddily. Especially at the Journal, and most valuable quality, in in the first place. Pretty much to the Calgary Herald, Drew Fagan which you know everyone journalism. I’ve seen it in so many none of us went to Queen’s to become journalists. We were and Giles Gherson to Queen’s Park, else on campus is going to see people coming out of the place.

I also have come to see how looking for something else. where they’re deputy ministers and judge. No one needs to work Instead, journalism found us. (and my colleague and friend at the Journal. We all signed up no story, no scoop, no rip-roaring Margaret Philp to a tragic loss because we thought it would exposé was ever achieved without The Journal found us.

Instead of working in the pub, to cancer). be fun, or a creative outlet, or a that kind of drive.

On to smarts. Queen’s attracts or organizing AMS events, we What makes the Journal such chance to engage in the pursuit of only smart people (hard to discovered that the uncovering of a good breeding ground for print campus democracy.

And then we discovered we had believe when you think of your information, the telling of stories journalists? I think it’s hunger, brains and a bit of luck. no idea what we were doing. And housemates). That means the and the pursuit of truth was what Let’s start with hunger. To the there was no one to teach us. No Journal is stocked with a lot of sparked a fire in our hearts.

•7

Talking Heads ... in the JDUC Photos By Craig Draeger

Where do you expect to be in 25 years?

“Still getting massaged by Rick Mercer. This time on the moon.”

Sean Torrie, ArtSci ’11

“Holding hands with my campus crush, on the moon.”

Sacha Gudmundsson, ArtSci ’11

Talking points panel

The ups and downs of staff unionization

The Queen’s administrative staff recently decided to unionize with the United Steel Workers (USW). In this week’s web feature, our panellists discuss the impact this decision will have and the ethics of labour relations.

E lamin A bdelmahmoud : Though I’m decidedly in favour of unionization, I recognize there are reasonable objections to some union structures, and that’s a conversation any organization ought to have.

When discussing unions, there’s a tendency to discuss the impact of unionization on the employer.

I don’t want to take away from the legitimacy of the questions being asked, but we must examine why they revolve around the employer. We need to shift the conversation to also include the impact on employees.

The way we currently frame unions is bound to produce an anti-union stance—after all, we’re always asking how they might inconvenience the employer.

We need to trace the linguistic genealogy of the terms we use to talk about unions. Only then can we gain a more holistic view.

D evin M c D onald : Some of my colleagues might argue that the union is an institution that was once instrumental in raising working conditions to hospitable levels but no longer serves a purpose.

In response, I’d contend that unions still play a vital role in representing the voice of the

worker. Thus, unions do fulfill a vital role in modern society that hasn’t been replaced by the protection of the law.

The government holds the capacity to play a more significant role in the negotiation of labour disputes. A government entity could act as a collective voice for workers. By holding the interests of workers at heart, it could remain a sober body of thought when pursuing concessions in bleak economic climates.

D an O sborne :

“Being Sacha’s campus crush.”

Calum MacBeth, ArtSci ’11

York University and lose an entire year of school.

Quite simply, union members play on a different playing field J ames S impson : than non-union members. The legislation protecting a union Last year, the staff association member, primarily the Ontario that preceded this union agreed Labour Relations Act, makes it to take smaller pay increases, nearly impossible to outright fire an expecting that other staff groups employee who doesn’t work. would follow suit.

Supporters of unions suggest In the midst of one of the that they’re needed to improve the worst economic crises Canadian working conditions of the working universities have ever faced man. There are some critical flaws (a situation that continues to in this argument. deteriorate), staff unions refuse to L indsay K line : In protesting for higher wages, consider pay cuts. unions are protesting for wages Historically, unions have served Put simply, unions aid in above their equilibrium level. an important function in society, the safeguarding of jobs, the Unions make all of us worse but they’re now little more than a improvement of working off economically, especially liability. Instead of relying on unions, conditions and the enforcement of those who the most unskilled government should legislate more and impoverished. rights in the workplace. effective employment standards.

Unions are truly destructive The staff union that has recently This action could finally emerged at Queen’s comes at a and ought not to exist, if for no make the last useful vestiges of crucial point for the University other reason than that we could unions obsolete. because budget cuts are threatening be unfortunate enough to emulate job security.

For example, unionization Every week, Journal Dialogue brings together provides opportunities for wage members of the Queen’s community to discuss negotiation, the ability to report events of the day and try to find solutions to discrimination without worry of being ignored and a pension to pressing issues. An abriged version is above. look forward to at the end of your career.

Visit queensjournal.ca to see the panel’s Unionization at Queen’s is a discussion in full, and see next weeek’s issue for well thought out solution to threats the panel’s take on usage-based billing and in the workplace that Queen’s the CRTC. administration and so many others have been facing.

“Being on the moon.”

Josie Qiu, ArtSci ’12

“I will be a successful thespian, on the moon.”

Rachel Kobric, ArtSci ’11

Have your say.

Write a letter or visit queensjournal.ca to comment.

8 •queensjournal.ca

OPINION

Friday, February 11, 2011

Friday, February 11, 2011

LOVE AND SEX

queensjournal.ca

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•9

I see there is more room than there has been in the past for some gender fluidity and for some sexual fluidity too.

”

RELATIONSHIPS

Hotspots for finding dates and mates From clubs to class, the Journal Copy Editor Catherine Owsik examines the most popular meeting spots for students B y C atherine O wsik Copy Editor Let’s face it, a lot of the romance on a university campus can be lost in the large classes, the incessant technology and the hunt of finding someone you can actually relate to.

Yet somehow, amidst all this, relationships are forming all the time.

With this in mind, I narrowed down the most popular ways Queen’s kids are meeting.

O nline Unlike in high school, many of the classes students take at Queen’s showcase hundreds of their peers, which can make meeting someone new pretty intimidating.

According to Sidney Eve Matrix, assistant professor of media and film at Queen’s, social media plays a vital role in connecting students both inside and out of the classroom.

“It’s a hugely positive thing … It personalizes the classroom and pulls people closer together,” Matrix said. “It really helps make those large classrooms feel more intimate.”

The trend towards instant intimacy is epitomized by the website likealittle.com, which is based solely on students flirting with strangers they see around campus.

This past December the site became instantly popular in libraries where students were often more focused on those around them rather than the exam notes in front of them.

“A post came up describing what See There’s on page 13

Inside SEX EDUCATION The SHRC provides resources many students didn’t have access to in high school.

PAGE 14

APHRODISIACS Sexy foods and scents to put you in the mood.

PAGE 15

(IN)FIDELITY

POP CULTURE

Gender bending trend

Androgyny may be making it way into fashion, but societal attitudes towards gender aren’t necessarily changing, prof says B y K elly L oeper Postscript Editor Androgyny is increasingly finding its way into mainstream culture, especially the fashion industry.

But is this trend a sign of more acceptance towards different gender expressions, or simply an exploitative form of fetishization?

I don’t see gender “fluidity for little girls

and little boys growing up anymore than I did 10 years ago.

To cheat or not to cheat.

PAGE 15

PHOTO BY CHRISTINE BLAIS

Bars, school clubs and online are among the most common places for students to find dates.

”

—Margaret Little, Gender Studies professor

The “femiman” has been described in fashion as strongly androgynous: a strong, broad face and eyebrows, high cheekbones

and full lips.

Serbian-Australian Model Andrej Pejic caught the interest of many designers with his androgynous look. He’s walked for Jean Paul Gaultier’s Spring/ Summer 2011 show and was even in Vogue Paris’ September 2010 issue.

Lady Gaga has also had an influence on popular culture in terms of gender fluidity. Gaga has been quoted before discussing her physical relationships with men and women. This, combined with her often androgynous appearance and her commitment to gay rights has inspired questions about sexuality and sexual orientation.

Margaret Little, a professor in the departments of political studies and gender studies, said she has noticed some of these influences in the fashion industry locally.

“On campus I see there is more

room than there has been in the past for some gender fluidity and for some sexual fluidity too in terms of who your sexual partner is,” Little said.

We have reason to “believe that our queer

youth are harassed and tortured and bullied just as much and if not more than they were in the past.

”

—Margaret Little, Gender Studies professor Changes in the fashion industry don’t necessarily always lead to changes in society, she said, citing the popularity of RuPaul, who became the first drag queen supermodel in the 90s.

Little said models like RuPaul were used to make fashion seem edgy.

“It meant the fashion industry got a new cutting edge, got a new group of people buying clothes,” she said.

But this type of cross-dressing manifests more discretely in most people’s wardrobes.

“Women in my classes are wearing their boyfriend jeans,” she said. “That doesn’t mean they’ve given up their gender identity by doing that. Often you wear something else that makes it clear what gender you’re trying to perform.”

Androgyny in fashion is a novelty, she said.

“It doesn’t have a politics behind it of real inclusiveness,” Little said, adding that she still sees gender polarization in school-age children See I don’t on page 12

Love & Sex

10 •queensjournal.ca

Friday, February 11, 2011

RELATIONSHIPS

Same gender, same scene Students discuss the obstacles and difficulties of same-gender dating at Queen’s B y Terra -A nn A rnone Web and Blogs Editor

Because of the small LGBT dating pool, sharing a mutual past hookup with a current partner is not uncommon, student says.

PHOTO BY CHRISTINE BLAIS

SEX

Asking sex ed questions

There are so many “steps and obstacles you

The Sexual Health Resource Centre provides information that students may not have received in high school B y H olly Tousignant Supplements Editor For most teenagers, high school is a time for learning about their own sexuality.

For some, the bulk of this knowledge comes primarily from outside of the classroom, with many students turning to their peers and the Internet.

Allie Klenke, ArtSci ’12, said sex education at her Catholic high school was insufficient.

“The only sex education we got was anatomy and sexual reproduction in biology,” she said, adding that sexual and gender identity issues were never discussed.

“Unless I skipped that class, it wasn’t touched on. I don’t remember it ever being touched on in school.”

Klenke said she does remember occasionally discussing abstinence in her physical education and religion classes.

“In both classes we watched a video of some woman speaker talk about abstinence,” she said. “It was really a joke when they started talking about sex ed.”

According to Sexual Health and Resource Centre (SHRC) Director James Hotze, Klenke’s lack of proper sexual education coming into university is not unusual. Hotze

said many students who come to the SHRC seeking advice didn’t have regular sexual education at school.

“There’s a lot of misinformation about sexuality and sexual health.

People often turn towards the Internet for resources, which can be really good, but there’s also a lot of people who are trying to spin their own agendas when they’re publishing things on the Internet,” he said, adding that that’s why an impartial service like the SHRC is so important.

“Really the most important thing for the Centre [is that] it tries to be as safe a space as it possibly can be and so anyone can we want anyone to be able to feel like they can come and talk about whatever they life without feeling judged.”

Hotze said the SHRC’s non-judgemental approach means students can feel safe asking them about anything sex-related, from the most basic queries to more serious issues. He added that while university can be a good place to explore and learn about sexuality, the campus environment also has its drawbacks.

“There’s lots of ways in which university gives the intellectual environment to kind of grow and experiment, but there’s also a lot of ways in which a lot of oppression

“I have a lot of trouble with people trying to distinguish the straight dating scene from the gay dating scene,” said a third-year Arts and Science student.

“For me, I’m not part of a gay community— I’m part of a hetero-normative society, but I happen to be gay. I look for partners the exact same way that my straight friends do,” he said.

The student, who has identified as gay for seven years, said the size of Queen’s same-sex dating pool is the only thing which distinguishes it from heterosexual dating.

“When you meet a guy and you get to sleep with them or go out with them, chances are you’ve shared a hookup in the past. It can be strange, because there are a lot of gay people at Queen’s but there is a definitely a group that—while in different social circles—tend to attract one another,” he said, “You’ll often find yourself feeling a bit passed around.”

goes on on any university campus,” he said. “That can be something people have to struggle through and that can be an issue for anyone.”

Klenke said by her first week of university, she was already learning more about sexuality than she had in high school, citing a presentation by the SHRC she saw during Frosh Week.

“I remember them showing condoms, including female condoms, and I had never seen that before,” she said.

Hotze said the SHRC is staffed mostly by volunteers, who train for around 20 hours. “[Training] is really a combination of trying to impart knowledge but also trying to get our volunteers to think in a way that they’ll be able to enact our mandate which is to be a feminist, non-judgemental, pro-choice, queer-positive information referral service concentrated on sexuality and sexual health,” he said. “We’re just there to listen and talk and give information. And even if we don’t have information, even someone coming in and feeling like they can talk about it is great.”

For more information and resources check out SHRC’s website at clubs.myams.org/shrc/.

have to overcome just to be open with your relationship. It feels so unfair that I had to go so far out of my regular comfort zone just to do what felt natural, and straight couples have it so easy in comparison.

”

—Fourth-year student Nonetheless, he said that for him, dating a member of the same sex is the same as someone from the opposite gender.

“I treat my relationships the exact same way I would treat a relationship with a woman. I want to get married, I want to have kids.

I recognize that if I want to have my own biological children I will have to make a lot of money to afford surrogacy,” he said.

The student, who was raised in Toronto, said that attitudes toward gay dating differ in Kingston.

“I dress differently in Toronto than I dress in Kingston when I go out. I’m a lot more likely to display homosexual affection in public in Toronto,” he said. “In terms of Kingston, I don’t think it’s anywhere near as accepting as Toronto … but I enjoy testing people. I make them feel uncomfortable until they can feel comfortable.”

Although Kingstonians sometimes can get awkward in the face of homosexual affection, the student said that his sexuality rarely

makes him feel disadvantaged.

“I have white privilege. I have male privilege. People don’t see ‘gay’ when I walk down the street.

I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve felt threatened [because of my sexuality],” he said.

“The biggest advantage [of being gay] is the ability to befriend females and the ability to have wonderful relationships with women, free from them ever being threatened by me as a male,” he said.

The individual added that while they may be useful to certain individuals, institutions like the Equity Office as well as events such as Gay Pride Parade don’t interest him.

“For me, being gay doesn’t define me. It’s just one of many things that characterize me. It’s just so inconsequential to me. I don’t care if you’re straight or gay or male or female,” he said.

The student isn’t alone in arguing that a person is more than their sexuality.

A fourth-year female student, who has dated males and females, said that the gay community isn’t relevant for everyone who identifies as gay. She said gender isn’t an important factor to her when it comes to dating. Instead, she looks for the person beneath the gender.

“It’s like you’re all united by something but you’re not actually like each other,” she said. “It’s important to have friends you can relate to, but I don’t give a shit about the gay community.”

She also said that meeting people is a natural process regardless of sexual orientation.

It’s important to have “friends you can relate to, but I don’t give a shit about the gay community.

”

—Fourth-year student

“I’ll meet people when I naturally meet them. I’m a really social person and I just do my regular party scene,” she said, adding that meeting potential partners can be easy, but explaining the resultant relationship often isn’t.

“There are so many steps and obstacles you have to overcome just to be open with your relationship.

It feels so unfair that I had to go so far out of my regular comfort zone just to do what felt natural, and straight couples have it so easy in comparison,” she said. “At first it’s exciting, but then after a while the novelty wears off entirely. It’s like a really long, annoying checklist of challenging conversations.”

Friday, February 11, 2011

Love & Sex

queensjournal.ca

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RELATIONSHIPS

Making sense of monogamy At least 35 per cent of university-aged students cheat on their partners at some point, study says B y K atherine Fernandez -B lance H olly Tousignant Journal Staff

and

Many of us equate infidelity with the cardinal sins.

It’s not just confined to tired marriages anymore either, as some studies show that at least 35 per cent of university-aged students cheat on their partners at some point in their relationship.

We imagine that “being in a relationship

with only one other person, we won’t have to confront feelings of jealousy and insecurity.

”

— Steven Maynard, history professor One third-year student described himself as a reformed cheater. He said that he blames an emotionally barren relationship for his temporary unfaithfulness last year.

“Actually, I don’t regret it at all,” he said after much deliberation.

“I had been emotionally

cheating for a good month at least, but only physically cheating a few times before I broke up with [my girlfriend],” he said, adding that this happened during his second year at Queen’s when he was with his girlfriend of over two years.

“I did it because I wasn’t emotionally happy with my girlfriend,” he said. “I was falling in love with someone else.”

He defined cheating as doing anything that you would normally only do with a partner with somebody else. He said he never told his girlfriend at the time that he cheated on her.

“What good could possibly come from telling her?” he said.

“I was already breaking her heart.”

While he said he wouldn’t do it again, and would himself be devastated if his current girlfriend cheated on him, the majority of his friends at Queen’s cheat and aren’t ashamed to say that they do.

“I don’t know if it’s just the university atmosphere, going out and partying and hooking up,” he said. “There are people who are continually cheating and ones that just cheat once and a while. Most of them don’t seem to feel bad about it at all, they seem to have no regrets.”

Many scientists believe that

Monogamy is a historically constructed concept and is not as normal and natural as some believe it to be, History prof says

evolution may predispose us to infidelity, and that different cultures place different values on it. In one study, university-aged participants identified emotional disengagement, sexual disinterest and increased anger as dominant factors that could signal infidelity in a relationship.

High Voltage Burlesque

High Voltage Burlesque troupe, led by Queen’s student Sarah Jacobs, ArtSci ’11 (aka Faryn Fireball), will perform a burlesque show in Kingston on Feb. 13.

PHOTO BY JUSTIN TANG

James Hotze, director of the Sexual Health Resource Centre (SHRC) said definitions of fidelity are specific to individual relationships and that it’s important to not necessarily equate infidelity with wrongdoing.

Hotze, ArtSci ’11, said that while the SHRC doesn’t take a stance on whether infidelity is right or wrong, he defines cheating as being outside the boundaries of a relationship that have been negotiated within the relationship.

“The way we deal with relationships is heavily influenced by hetero-patriarchy,” Hotze said. “[It’s important for people to] communicate openly and honestly.”

History professor Steven Maynard teaches a course called “The History of Sexuality in Canada.” He told the Journal via email that the concept of monogamy is not as natural as some people may believe.

“One of the things we discuss in my course … is this notion that fidelity or monogamy is somehow the ‘natural’ or ‘normal’ way to organize our personal or intimate relationships. This, in fact, is not true,” he said. “Monogamy—two people together, to the exclusion of all others—is, like so many other aspects of sexuality, a historical creation.”

Maynard said he thinks there are a couple reasons why monogamy is still such a taboo subject to raise.

“First, even though it flies in the face of the historical evidence, we’ve come to identify monogamy and one of its frequent offshoots, the nuclear family, as unchanging bedrocks of societal stability, and so any effort to question them or tamper with them is, for some people, tantamount to chipping away at the cornerstone of society.”

Maynard said the second reason is that people look to their intimate

PHOTO BY CHRISTINE BLAIS

relationships as a place to find safety and security.

“We imagine that being in a relationship with only one other person, we won’t have to confront feelings of jealousy and insecurity,” he said. “This is totally understandable, but I think we also know that monogamy doesn’t always deliver on its promise. Still, rather than rethink the shape of our relationships, many people opt for a sort of serial monogamy. It’s a bit of a paradox.”

Maynard said it’s impossible to generalize historical attitudes towards monogamy in Canada.

“In the 19th century, for example, First Nations cultures had a remarkable range of relationships, including plural marriages and relatively uncomplicated ways of ending relationships that were no longer satisfying,” he said. “The model of monogamy was in fact imposed on Native peoples as part and parcel of the efforts by white Euro-Canadians to colonize western Canada.”

Maynard also cited other past examples of non-traditional unions in Canada, such as the country’s long history of polygamy, which has become the subject of legal struggle in British Columbia, and the “free unions” of early 20th century Finnish immigrants in Northern Ontario.

“I think if we understand our relationships—monogamy, marriage, etc.—as products of history rather than as somehow natural, unchanging monoliths, we can do away with the idea that we are simply saddled with them and, instead, see them as open to change, experimentation, and exciting possibilities.”

Love & Sex

12 •queensjournal.ca

Friday, February 11, 2011

‘I don’t see gender fluidity for little girls’ Continued from page 9

now more than ever, such as when she takes her six year old daughter to Toys R Us, where the sections are still very much divided by toys appropriate for girls and boys.

“I don’t see gender fluidity for little girls and little boys growing up anymore than I did 10 years ago.”

Despite the fashion industry

having little effect on how society treats gender fluidity, Little said she’s still hopeful for the future.

“I like to be hopeful, but I’m amazed by all the anxiety we have ... [with] people holding onto a very polarized notion of gender.”

Androgyny trend doesn’t have politics of real inclusion behind it, prof says

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JUSTIN TANG

In the mood for sexy food With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching and love in the air, many students are searching for ways to spice up their love life, or simply attain one. Search no more, because we have some answers.

Throughout history, the term aphrodisiac was associated with foods and objects merely for their mimicking appearance of certain ... features. For instance, rhino horns were ground up and consumed, the ancient Greeks celebrated figs with sexual rituals and avocados were called “testicles” by the Aztecs for the way they hung from tree branches in pairs. Nowadays, there is a much more modern and scientific approach to coining certain foods and scents as aphrodisiacs. Pull out your grocery list, because the following chart contains some of the more popular (and surprising) supposed aphrodisiacs.

Warning: aphrodisiacs may increase sexual desire and result in more time spent between the sheets.

Aphrodisiacs

The science

The sexy truth

Dark chocolate

Inreases the feelings of attraction between two people. As well, a study Contains phenylethylamine, a compound that releases the same endorphins showed that by consuming at least one cube of dark chocolate daily, people triggered by sex. are more likely to experience greater desire and better overall sexual function than those who don’t.

Bananas

Helps release serotonin (a.k.a. the happy chemical) into your bloodstream. They The serotonin helps lift your mood and calm your nervous system, also contain potassium, a mineral that increases muscle strength. while the increased muscle strength is a crucial element for a pleasurable experience in bed.

Sushi

Common ingredients like salmon and mackerel are high in omega-3 fatty acids which aid sex-hormone production, while tuna is a good source of selenium, which This powerhouse of a meal adds up to: a sock on the doorknob, shafted helps increase male sperm count. Don’t forget about the sides: ginger is a natural roommate, and two very tired people with sheepish grins on their faces the blood thinner, aiding in overall circulation and edamame contain phytoestrogens next morning. which act as natural lubricants.

Oatmeal

Surprised? So was I. However, oatmeal is made of whole grains, which increase He won’t be able to keep his eyes—and hands—off you. On top of that, testosterone levels thus boosting the male sex drive. Add honey, which contains the reports have shown that people with higher intakes of Vitamin C have mineral boron, proven to have a libido-enhancing effect and a cup of OJ (high in overall better moods and have more sex.

Vitamin C).

Asparagus

Contains folate, a B vitamin that increases blood levels of histamine, a Histamine helps you orgasm, while protodioscin has been shown to boost neurotransmitter. Also contains the plant chemical protodioscin. arousal and even help combat erectile dysfunction in some guys.

Pizza

Cheese contains magnesium, a mineral required for muscle contractions. Add some healthy toppings like broccoli and mushrooms, which contain vitamin A, known It’s quite simple: stronger muscle contractions equals better orgasms. to regulate progesterone (a steroid hormone that helps turn on your sex drive). Higher sex drive equals more frequent desire for sex.

Interesting fact: studies have shown that the scent of cheese (any kind) increases blood circulation to his nether regions by up to five per cent.

Jasmine

Musk

Has a powerful erogenous effect, boosting libido, self-esteem, and sexual interest.

This floral scent is an aphrodisiac for both sexes, leaving people feeling confident and aroused. No wonder it is one of the most famous fragrances in the perfume industry.

The scent of musk, which is obstained from the gland of the male musk deer, has Men feel more masculine and their partners generally feel more turned on. been shown to closely resemble the scent of testosterone.

It’s a win-win situation.

— Jessica Munshaw

Friday, February 11, 2011

Love & Sex

queensjournal.ca

“There’s a whole other set of laws of socializing at a bar.”

Continued from page 9

I was wearing and sitting where we were [in Stauffer], and so once I came to the conclusion that none of my friends had written it, I messaged them back,” a secondyear student said, adding that the messages stopped by the time second semester began.

“Eventually I stopped messaging because I thought it was kind of pointless to carry on a relationship over the Internet when they didn’t want to expose who they were,” the student said. “If instead of playing this game they had said exactly who they were and if they just wanted to get to know me, I’d have probably gone.”

N ightclubs and B ars Ian Wight, ArtSci ’13, started a serious relationship with a girl he initially met at Ale House.

Wight said that although nightclubs may not be the best location to look for a long-term relationship, people are generally looking for some sort of contact while they’re there, and that could be the grounds to start something new.

“With society nowadays everyone’s so closed in, especially around people you don’t know, so it’s an opportunity … where you can be around strangers and meet strangers,”

he said, adding that most students just go to clubs looking for fun.

Nightclubs provide us with an entirely different environment to interact in, which gives the people involved a shared experience yet a slew of different problems, Wight said.

“There’s a whole other set of laws of socializing at a bar rather than in the street, I guess some stuff can crossover but there’s a different etiquette because you can’t hear the other person so there’s other ways that you communicate,” he said, adding that body language and other simple cues were important in getting to know the other person.

S chool clubs As opposed to nightclubs where the only thing in common you could have with a stranger is your love for dubstep, extracurricular clubs on campus cover a broader range of interests.

For Michelle Lavery, ArtSci ’13, her involvement in Queen’s Bands led to her meeting, dating and eventual engagement to a fellow Bands member.

She first met her fiancée during her audition and shortly thereafter they had their first date. According to Lavery their first date wasn’t awkward at all because both of them being involved in Bands gave them

easy conversation starters yet their different programs gave them separate things to share that the other person didn’t already know.

“Everyone in Bands was really supportive but I was kind of worried that if this didn’t work out it would be really awkward because we were together all the time and we have all the same friends,” she said, adding with a laugh that this obviously wasn’t a worry anymore.

“I didn’t go into bands looking for a serious relationship, but when the right person comes along just don’t let them go.

Because they will eventually come along,” Lavery said. “And put yourself out there and meet people.”

H onourable

• 13

Talking Heads ... in the Queen’s Centre PHOTOS BY HOLLY TOUSIGNANT

What are your plans for Valentine’s Day?

“Absolutely nothing” Alison Shoulice, ArtSci ’13

mention

R esidence We are told not to do it by Dons and even the Existere performance throws in lyrics against it, but floorcest often does occur.

Occasionally it even proves to work itself out without the awkwardness we’re always warned about. Just keep in mind that this is only applicable to first-years; those upperyears awkwardly lurking in your hallways usually aren’t seen as prime dating material.

L abs /Tutorials Even though there is the chance that you’ll be paired with someone you’re not interested in, if you are then the sparks will fly (just like those ones created when you weren’t focusing on your lab and almost burnt down the room). At least you’ll have something fun to talk about over dinner.

G ym Although not everyone may look their best while at the gym, it can be a very social place. And working up a sweat is something you already have in common, so just turn that workout adrenaline into nervous first-date adrenaline and it’ll be fine.

Just remember to take a shower first.

“A good friend is coming down from Ottawa.”

Jaenelle Dundas, ArtSci ’13

“Completely ignore it.”

Evan Dacey, Sci ’12

“I’m going to my grandma’s.”

Katie Redpath, ArtSci ’12

Nightclubs can be the place for both hookups and budding romances, a student says.

PHOTO BY CHRISTINE BLAIS

14 •queensjournal.ca

Friday, February 11, 2011

Behold, bold Vogt gets Bold is the student-run theatre company’s second studio series of the year, bringing Beckett, audience hopping actors, whistles and strobe lights to Carruthers Hall

Arts

Vogt gets Bold, a series of one-act plays features four shows: “Act Without Words,” “Noses Off,” “The Machine” and the strobe-light-accented “Hot Chocolate” (pictured above).

For a review of the plays please see page 16.

photo by justin tang

interview

Onto the right radar Toronto’s Off the International Radar experiment with heady sonic drone , creeping listeners out in the best way possible B y A lly H all Arts Editor

supplied

Off the International Radar has evolved from “parties crammed with projected images and sweaty minds to sharing stages with Holy Fuck.”

supplied

The quartet’s latest release Hot Lips cover art by James Mejia.

next issue palace sound system Check out an interview with the folks who bring you Sloppy Footwork.

the invisible man See a review of the bilingual play before it leaves town Feb. 25.

“Holy Radar” (side B1. of Hot Lips) is a remix/ reworking of OTIR’s “E bowl Of Iris” by Holy Fuck (band pictured above).

Having sped up the original OTIR song on a record player in studio, Holy Fuck played along and added their own layers. As a result the vinyl record plays as two versions.

A turntable tidbit: Play at 45 RPM in the spirit of the remix and play it at 33 1/3 RPM in the spirit of the original recording.

“I’m a big record-collecting nutcase,” Don Kennedy told me over the phone. “Film, architecture, painting, the arts, all of it helps to inspire what we do.”

Kennedy is one quarter of Toronto-based band Off the International Radar, a group who have navigated in and out of the public consciousness since their inception a decade ago.

With a genre-defying sound, guitarist, vocalist and synth player Kennedy’s love of music and various influences trickle down into the foursome’s tracks.

Kennedy partners with Henry Sansom, Aaron Dawson and Aaron Roy in the band.

“I’ve seen the words ‘minimal techno,’ which was probably the strangest one, post-punk, post-rock, experimental, ambient, shoegaze … it’s kind of all over the place,” Kennedy said. “Whoever’s perceptions are what they’ll bring to it … I guess that’s a good thing.”

Though their probing sonic adventures haven’t ceased over the years, Kennedy said the constant practicing and touring has paid off.

“We’ve just become better musicians, we write better songs than we used to and I think we have a better understanding of what the project is all about,” he said. “In the beginning … we’d write these songs but didn’t really understand where it was going.

“Over the years with maturity I think we’ve managed to have a better understanding and I think it comes through in the stuff we’re writing now. It seems to be more cohesive and more succinct.”

Kennedy said one of the most challenging aspects of being in the game so long is the need for constant awareness of staying inspired.

“Always look to keep learning, keep your eyes open and stay curious and not set in your ways,

it’s something you have to be conscious of.”

In the last few years with their steady release of material like their latest EP Hot Lips, Off the International Radar have progressed from playing “parties crammed with projected images and sweaty minds to sharing stages with Holy Fuck,” as record label Hand Drawn Dracula describes.

Kennedy said the band and label are on the same page.

“I like the idea that Hand Drawn Dracula is about community and collaboration rather than contracts and money and all that kind of crap,” Kennedy said.

The band is no stranger to collaboration, they put out a single called “Holy Radar” with like-minded experimental jammers Holy Fuck in 2009.

“It was this idea we’d talked about with Brian [Borcherdt] for a couple years and it just sort of came to fruition,” Kennedy said.

“Basically … they took our track, sped it up and created a song on top of that. I was really really happy with the way it turned out and obviously really pleased we could do something with those guys.

Collaborating with your friends is always the best.”

Hearing Kennedy affirm a love for collaboration was no surprise.

He said giving collaborators free range on steering projects often leads to a great final product.

“We’ve always welcomed it, all the studio recordings we’ve done we’ve wanted to collaborate with people and we have,” he said. “I like the spirit of collaboration.

I think it yields really really exciting results.”

The stunning visual elements that accompany the band’s live performance are all original, juxtaposing the signals and noise erupting and gurgling from the stage.

“We didn’t want to have this cultivated personality behind the band,” Kennedy said. “I didn’t want

myself and the other guys didn’t want themselves as individuals to be out there in the forefront of what we were doing, we wanted the music to be in the forefront or say, the artistic expression, the visual compliment to be in the forefront.”

In addition to putting a greater emphasis on creation rather than creator, the group opted to add an engaging physical and attention-holding element to their performance.

“At the time we were kind of thinking we’re not very interesting to look at live because we don’t jump around and do kicks off the monitors and stuff, we just play,” Kennedy said. “So we thought lets do some video projection and that adds a nice visual compliment to the audio.”

The artistic and musical elements of the group are saturated in all aspects of their performance, from the writing to the recording process.

“We’re very visual people. I think we use sort of cinematic things to describe things to each other,” Kennedy said. “When we’re trying to write music, if we lack the music terminology, sometimes we’ll use a visual cue.”

The projections will undoubtedly be present at their gig at The Mansion tomorrow night. Despite the biting weather, Kennedy said they’re looking forward to the visit.

“Driving in the dead of winter across eastern Canada could be a very romantic notion,” he said chuckling. “It’s the unknown, you get to go out there. We’re really looking forward to our show in Kingston, that’s for sure.”

Off the International Radar play The Mansion tomorrow night as a part of the CFRC Funding Drive Showcase Concert with Mausoleum, Shotgun Jimmie, Megan Hamilton and Jay Baird at 9 p.m. Tickets are $8.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Arts

queensjournal.ca

• 15

concert review

Irrepressible energy Tuesday night brought five bands to Clark Hall Pub, duking it out for the chance to play the Exposure art finale

supplied

James Kirkpatrick combines his fine art and music practice as Thesis Sahib.

Q&A: thesis sahib

Indie rap chew

An integral part of the underground hip hop and graffiti realm is coming to Kingston How do people describe your sound? Why? Indie rap chew with an electro 8-bit new wave post punk folk twist to it.

I think people call it that because it sounds like me rapping/ranting/ chewing/singing over electro 8-bit sounds with a touch of new wave post punk folk twist to it.

To let you know chewing is this term that my friends in England used to describe this kind of See Far on page 18

B y C aroline G arrod Staff Writer On Tuesday night, five student bands went head-to-head at Clark Hall Pub for Exposure Arts Festival’s Battle of the Bands.

Exposure Arts Festival is a weeklong event put on by the AMS Campus Activities Commission devoted to showcasing arts on campus. The event was a complete success: Clark was packed with music fans who took the time out of their Tuesday to support their fellow students—and get in some crowd surfing at the same time.

The opening band, Graven, who introduced themselves as “interesting people,” played a folk set that made impressive use of oftunderused instruments the banjo, the harmonica and the tambourine.

The lead singer’s smooth, evocative voice meshed well with their mellow sound and his ability to mix singing while playing the guitar and harmonica was very impressive.

Graven is soon to release a second album, Cottage Rock, a title fitting for such a folksy, Americana sound and a band so obviously influenced

by Bob Dylan. The harmonica riffs were so reminiscent of “The Times They Are A-Changin” that the Tambourine Man himself might as well have been playing along

with them.

Despite their strength, they suffered due to an incredibly uniform song selection: their songs seemed to meld into one long piece, making it difficult to maintain interest. The Ten O’Clock People, who would go on to win the Battle of the Bands, as determined by popular vote, quickly dispelled this brief feeling of ennui.

The Ten O’Clock People demonstrated total musical mastery.

Although they played a few original songs, their cover songs were their true strength, and their range was truly impressive. From The White Stripes to The Fratellis to The Black Keys, The Ten O’Clock People demonstrated total musical mastery. Their stand-out moment was absolutely their cover of Elvis’ “Blue Suede Shoes”, which brought the crowd alive. Then they seamlessly shifted into a cover of The Beatles’ “Rocky Raccoon,” again proving themselves the most diverse and entertaining band of the evening.

Short Straws began with a cover of The Strokes’ “Is This It?” and continued their cover success as they successfully turned Rihanna’s dance-floor staple “Shut Up And

supplied

The Ten O’ Clock People were victorious with their combination of original material and covers from The White Stripes and The Black Keys.

Drive” into a head-banging rock anthem. Their amped-up version of Billy Idol’s “Dancing With Myself” started out promisingly, but soon turned into a screamo song that had many audience members scratching their heads in confusion.

The penultimate band, Sleuth Bears, provided a welcome respite from the deluge of cover songs, with a number of highly inventive original songs, including my personal favourite, an ode to a girl named Marion. Sleuth Bears’ pounding beats and howling voices served as an excellent introduction to the band, who also played The Mansion on Thursday night.

Band member Kenneth Hall, ArtSci ’13, said that he was really excited about the opportunity to play at the event.

“Sleuth Bears have never played

a Battle of the Bands before! We think that it’s a great idea; it should be a lot of fun,” he said.

Closing band Last Flowers were certainly the hardest-rocking band Clark saw on Tuesday. The then-dwindling crowd made up for their size with their enthusiasm, closing in around the stage, leading to some crowd surfing. Although a StuCon quickly put a stop to it, it was an excellent expression of the energy and excitement that Clark Hall Pub reverberated with all night long.

Exposure’s finale is on Friday night in Wallace Hall at 8 p.m. Winning band The Ten O’Clock People play with Excetera, All The Queen’s Men, Sweet Charity and others. Tickets are $5.

Arts

16 •queensjournal.ca

Friday, February 11, 2011

Concert Follow-up

Electroman

Journal photographer Christine Blais was on hand to capture Benny Benassi’s gig at Stages Arguably the best known and well loved DJ in the world, Benassi’s visit to Stages on Wednesday night brought out sweaty masses waiting for the night in full gyrating force.

Photo By christine blais

Theatre Review

Hot choreography The Vogt Studio Series’ second production aims for an open minded audience with language, nudity and racy elements taking center stage B y M arcin M azur Contributor

Photo By Justin Tang

Jacqueline Andrade’s standout piece, “Hot Chocolate,” combines intricate choreography, strobe lights and music to create a sensual and stimulating atmosphere.

Upcoming EVERY WEEK Monday - All you can eat Spaghetti Tuesday - 1/2 Price Large Nachos for Members (5-close) Wednesdays - Open Mic - 9pm Thursday - Trivia - 9pm

Friday Feb 11th NQ Arbuckle w/The Matthews Brothers Saturday Feb 12th Jim Bryson and Weakerthans Band Friday March 4th Jenn Grant Saturday March 5th Yukon Blond with The Paint Movement Friday March 11th Siskiyou Friday March 25th Born Ruffians

Tickets available at Tricolour Outlet and The Grad Club and online at ticketscene.ca www.queensu.ca/gradclub 613-546-3427 162 Barrie St.

Variety is the spice of life and Vogt Studio satisfies this desire with their second production, Vogt gets Bold, a series of one-act plays. Featuring four shows, “Act Without Words,” “Noses Off,” “The Machine” and “Hot Chocolate,” Vogt gets Bold has something to offer everyone.

As a student-run theatre the Studio boasts a unique range of theatrical genres and creative individuals, but be warned, this is not a conventional theatre experience.

The show contains sensitive language, partial nudity and even a strobe light in the final play; the show is intended for a mature and open minded audience. Although some plays are stronger than others, Vogt gets Bold will appeal to both avid drama enthusiasts and casual theatre goers.

Lauren Jackson’s adaptation of Samuel Beckett’s first play, “Act Without Words” doesn’t live up to the author’s reputation. A man is cast out on the stage and taunted by a shrill whistle. As it jeers him on, a white pillar is illuminated with the words “the tree of life,” drawing the man’s eager attention.

The action follows the man responding to the whistle, which has him commit increasingly strenuous acts, apparently for the tree’s enjoyment.

The lack of dialogue in the play creates an intimate atmosphere; unfortunately the director didn’t use this to their advantage.

Some of the man’s most crushing defeats at the hands of the whistle were met with a laugh, leading me to believe the adaptation fails in capturing the original’s bleak commentary on human culture and its many alterations have no apparent significance.

Perhaps it can be taken as the director’s attempt to make the play more appealing to a modern audience, but this doesn’t excuse the detrimental changes.

Steven Suepaul’s dramaturgy “Noses Off” can best be described as an interactive experience with a ragtag group of misfit players clad in clown noses. After introducing themselves, the group (made up of a variety of vibrant characters ranging from grouch to egomaniac) are addressed by their Clown Master from the audience.

While the characters’ unique idiosyncrasies speak to the capability of the actors, the real thrill of the show is its self aware approach to drama. With players hopping in and out of seats in the audience and at one point even

handing out candy, “Noses Off” sets itself apart as a truly unique theatrical experience.

Austin Shaefer’s “The Machine” takes a dramatic turn from the other plays. The haunting figure of an elaborate mechanical edifice overshadows the stage as the light comes up. An eerie glow emitted by the machine sets a tone of intrigue and mystery.

The play follows the struggle of two women, who having spent three days anticipating some climactic discharge from the machine, are slowly driven against each other under its mysterious influence.

The strange and ominous atmosphere does a great job of drawing the audience into the well-delivered dialogue, however sloppy pantomiming can at times detract from the immersive experience, especially when an actor forgets about the smoke their character had in their lungs.

Jacqueline Andrade’s “Hot Chocolate” is the veritable aesthetic climax of the show.

Featuring the aforementioned strobe light, dancers take the stage accompanied by energetic house music. The entire show is a masterfully choreographed dance piece, always stimulating and often sexy.

The alluring makeup left me wondering how the director got their hands on so much glitter.

While the audience enjoys a sensual feast the show falls short of raising any meaningful questions or themes, I was confused as to why some of the cast had specific roles such as “The Sceptic” or “RoboCop.” Although it doesn’t leave much to interpretation, you will get caught up in “Hot Chocolate’s” energetic ambience and find yourself bobbing along to the beat.

Production Manager Jennie Appleby suggested that the right seating makes the show. Be sure to arrive early and secure a center row seat for an optimal viewing experience. Seats on the periphery make for odd viewing angles, at times facing an actor’s back for the duration of a play. However, the variety of theatrical genres and proficiency of cast and crew will leave you with plenty to talk about after the show, so bring a friend.

Despite some forgivable shortcomings, Vogt gets Bold is an essential experience for anyone interested in learning about and experiencing phenomenal student theatre.

Vogt gets Bold runs tonight and tomorrow at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. at Carruthers Hall, tickets are $4.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Arts

festival guide

Bridging the gap The latest edition of Apple Crisp’s Music Festivals offers hip hop, experimental and bluegrass tunes B y A lly H all Arts Editor

in programming,” Tilson said. “It helps us bridge some of those gaps with audiences.”

New acts are featured from in and out of The folks at Apple Crisp are paying attention town, with a night dedicated to each style of music. This speaks to a demand from to what their city desires.

With ears to the ground, the arts audiences in Kingston for a multitude of organization’s festivals, concerts, records and musical niches.

“It’s to reach out to different communities,” zine releases consistently seek to inspire and engage the community. Apple Crisp Tilson said. “Friday is hip hop themed wants to make the community more but we’re also featuring a Queen’s break vibrant, diverse and supportive of Kingston’s dance group called Kinetiq and a high school hip hop band called Unconscious performing artists.

Their latest festival kicks off tonight at Encore. Some have graduated already …

The Mansion with hip hop, experimental they’re a pretty new band, they’re just and bluegrass artists throughout the weekend. so passionate.”

Saturday brings experimental themed This time around, the Apple Crisp volunteers programming to The Mansion with had some additional hands on deck.

“A pretty big focus this year is collaborating captivating local performers Decomposing with CFRC and with artignite,” said Greg Pianos and Vancouver based improvisational Tilson, one of the many faces behind the transcendental violinist Jesse Zubot and his Apple Crisp collective. “We wanted to accompanying drummer Jean Martin.

On Saturday Zubot will host a free support the initiative that artignite has taken to take steps towards bridging the workshop to break down the mystifying gap between the Queen’s community and layers of his creative production, an event the Kingston general community and of Tilson said he was particularly looking course to compliment that partnership, forward to.

“I got to see him perform with Tanya we’ve teamed up with CFRC for a lot of Tagaq, who’s an Inuit throat singer, at the the programming.

“A good chunk of our proceeds will help Vancouver folk festival and he is insane,” he go to the funding drive that’s taking place said with a laugh. “The sounds he makes on that fiddle … I want to learn what his with CFRC right now.”

Holding a festival boasting three strikingly barrage of pedals and wires and all the crazy different genres might seem like a logistical electrical things he does with his fiddle. I’m nightmare, but with the help of the CFRC really excited to learn how he does it … to radio skill set, the harmony should come as sit in and hear, ‘this is how I make this noise.’”

Bringing Zubot to Kingston speaks to the no surprise, he said.

“More than any other year, we’re goal of increasing the festival’s reach as well trying to show a huge range of diversity See They’re on page 18

queensjournal.ca

• 17

Arts

18 •queensjournal.ca

Far from the end Continued from page 15

rant-hop thing, I don’t know where it came from.

What inspired the unique format of Before the End?

it comes with a download card. France. Most of the recording for I listen to vinyl at home and an this album was done by Jason MP3 thing when on the road. It Holinatay (Middlesex Wrestling just makes sense to me. I will keep Team) who was my DJ for years. some CDs but most of the time I Some of it was recorded [in] just rip it and put it on my player. London, Ontario in his parents’ So I am left with this plastic CD house on the same street that I and package. I really only keep grew up on ...

A few songs were recorded by CDs that have a nice booklet.

The bag that Before the End Nyles in Toronto. I love recording comes in is acid free and resealable with those guys ... to protect the artbook. It’s all intended to keep except the download card that doesn’t really have a function when it is used.

My passion for printed matter, vinyl and unique objects. I am a What was the writing process like? collector as much as I am a creator.

Well the book is mostly art What has been the most except for the forewards written rewarding part of creating it? The by Robin Metcalfe and Jesse most challenging?

Dangerously. The writing of the words in the album comes from so The best part is having a nice many places based on observations, home for the album and the art relationships and experiences.

The oldest song on the album that I feel matches it. For once it’s a is about five years old. I made format that I am happy with.

The worst part is trying to make it in LA right when finished my my money back on it and learning previous album LOVED ONES. I to be an accountant to keep all write quite a lot in my drawing of the shipping and money for it sketchbooks, mostly while I am on the road, which is often. Those in order. writings are the launching point to Why did you decide to include an most ideas in the songs. element of the book listeners could Can you tell me a little bit about plant? the recording experience?

I don’t really like CDs and I The songs produced by Funken don’t like wasteful plastic. I seem to only buy vinyl and I like when were recorded at his house in Tours,

Friday, February 11, 2011 Thesis Sahib plays tonight at The Mansion with Unconscious Encore and Kinetiq Dance Crew at 8 p.m. See ‘Crispy compass’ for ticket details.

—Ally Hall

See queensjournal.ca for the full Q&A with Thesis Sahib.

‘They’re dying to go out to concerts’ Continued from page 17

as syncing with what has worked for other festivals and events in the city.

“That programming was inspired by the past successes of the Tone Deaf festival which also like us was a collaboration between Modern Fuel Artist Run Centre and CFRC,” Tilson said.

“We’re definitely inspired by other areas of the community and other audiences where we’ve seen success in bringing people together.”

Though the Apple Crisp collective’s mandate aims to provide music to a younger crowd, Tilson said they’ve evolved to reach out to a variety of demographics.

“We’ve discovered that it’s

a significant part of the arts community. It’s 20-30 something parents who just can’t get out to the evening shows,” he said. “We held a matinee last weekend, it was a fundraiser and we raised over $5,000 with all the families, they’re just dying to go out to concerts.”

The high ceilings at Grant Hall should provide great acoustics for Sunday’s bluegrass show, featuring Handsome Molly with local bluegrass and a visiting band from Montreal, Lake of Stew.

“They’ve just been a hit with the Skeleton Park neighborhood families,” Tilson said.

See ‘Crispy Compass’ for festival and ticket details.

CRISPY COMPASS All shows $7 at the door.

Festival passes $15, available at Brian’s Record Option and at shows.

Saturday’s workshop is free. Sunday’s performance is free for children under twelve.

Friday Feb. 11 Where: The Mansion 8 p.m.

Who: Thesis Sahib (London) Unconscious Encore (Toronto) Kinetiq Crew (Kingston) Saturday Feb. 12 Where: The Mansion Workshop, 3 p.m.

Performance 8 p.m.

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Who: Jesse Zubot (Vancouver) Decomposing Pianos (Kingston) Sunday Feb. 13 Where: Grant Hall 3 p.m.

Who: Handsome Molly (Kingston) Lake of Stew (Montreal)

Friday, February 11, 2011

queensjournal.ca

• 19

Inside Super Saturday The Gaels are busy at home this weekend with all six teams in action. Check out our preview for the weekend.

page 20

Athletes of the Week Kelly Jackson of men’s hockey and Shawna Griffin of women’s hockey talk to the Journal about their experiences as Gaels. page 22

Gaels at Home Men’s Volleyball

sports

Queen’s faces the McMaster Marauders and the Guelph Gryphons.

Games start at 2 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday

Women’s Hockey The Toronto Varsity Blues and the York Lions come to the Memorial Centre.

Saturday’s game begins at 8:30 p.m. and Sunday’s game begins at 2 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday

Men’s Hockey The Ryerson Rams and Toronto Varsity Blues visit the Memorial Centre.

Friday’s game begins at 8:30 p.m. and Saturday’s game begins at 7 p.m.

Friday & Saturday

Women’s hockey

Gaels firing on all cylinders

Strong January pushes Gaels higher in OUA standings heading into playoffs B y G ilbert C oyle Contributor The women’s hockey team came back to Kingston Sunday night with six points and smiles on their faces after two emphatic wins on the road over the Brock Badgers and the Guelph Gryphons.

The Gaels rolled into St. Catherine’s on Saturday to face a red-hot Badgers squad riding a five-game winning streak. Led by rookie Shawna Griffin, who recorded her first CIS hat-trick, the Gaels made short work of Brock and earned a decisive 6-1 victory.

“Shawna has been consistent all year, and she’s only getting better,” said head coach Matt Holmberg.

“She’s an extremely hard worker.

She’s been a bit snake-bitten this year, so it’s great to see her get some bounces.”

Griffin got the Gaels off to a good start with a power play goal in the first period, and forward Kelsey Thomson scored the eventual game winner soon after.

Griffin scored again in the second period and then completed an

exceptional day with another in the third period. Forward Kristin Smith rounded out the scoring for the Gaels, and goaltender Mel Dodd-Moher made 19 saves in net.

On Sunday, the Gaels extended their winning streak to four games with a strong performance against the third-place Gryphons.

Deadlocked at 1-1 after a Guelph

needed four points if we wanted a chance at home ice for the quarter-finals.

The Gaels didn’t look back, as forward Morgan McHaffie and Thomson wrapped up the game with a goal each in the third period.

Goaltender Karissa Savage made 16 saves, for a 4-1 final score.

Holmberg said a strong performance from the special teams played a large part in the Gaels’ success. The Gaels held the Gryphons scoreless on seven power-play opportunities.

“Coming out of the winter break, we wanted to improve our

The 15-3 men’s volleyball team stays grounded while racking up the wins

The men’s volleyball team continued to charge towards the playoffs with victories over the Ryerson Rams and the York Lions last weekend. The wins pushed the Gaels’ winning streak to six games and gave them sole possession of second place in the OUA with a record of 15-3 with one weekend remaining in regular season play.

Outside hitter Joren Zeeman recorded a career high 30 points, including 26 kills, three service aces and a solo block against Ryerson,

[I]t was a big “weekend ... we

”

Keeping it real leading Queen’s to a 25-20, 25-23, 22-25, 25-27, 15-10 victory.

Outside Niko Rukavina also had eight digs.

Despite letting Ryerson back in to the match on Saturday, head coach Brenda Willis said she was pleased with her team’s play over the weekend.

“We got up 2-0 against Ryerson and I thought we were playing quite well and had good control of the match,” Willis said. “There was a point in the third set when [outside hitter] Brain Fautley, who had been playing very well, tweaked his ankle and needed to

equalizer had matched forward Alex Cieslowski’s early goal, the Gaels came alive in the second period, thanks to forward Liz Kench’s power play goal.

—Kelsey Thomson, forward

Men’s Volleyball

B y A nand S rivastava Staff Writer

Supplied by Gryphon Athletics

See Second on page 21

The men’s volleyball team swept their weekend games against Ryerson Rams and York Lions in Toronto.

come out.

“That seemed to burst our bubble and I thought we played less fluidly for the balance of the match.”

The following day, Rukavina continued his strong play with 12

File photo

kills and nine digs to put away York in straight sets.

“On Sunday, [York] wasn’t quite as strong physically,” Willis said.

“They’re smaller and they have very good ball control but they have trouble scoring. We were just

too big for them.”

Zeeman’s dominance was apparent over the weekend as he added another 14 kills on Sunday against the Lions.

“Joren was pretty much unstoppable,” Willis said. “He did some pretty special things this weekend.”

Willis said the team is focusing on passing the ball well and serving tactfully to their opponents.

“We want to be a tough serving, big blocking team and that hasn’t changed,” she said. “We feel that when we pass well, no one can See Career on page 22

20 •queensjournal.ca

SportS

Friday, February 11, 2011

PReVIeW

Full house at Queen’s

The ARC will be busy with six Gaels teams playing at home this weekend B y K Ate B ASCoM Sports Editor

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impressive offensive power, their goaltending tandem of Mel Dodd-Moher and Karissa Savage Gaels fans will have a lot to cheer sit fifth and sixth respectively in about this weekend with all six goals against average in the OUA. teams at home to close out their The Queen’s goaltenders are regular seasons. The ARC will be behind the Laurier, Brock and taken over on this Super Saturday Guelph goaltenders, nationally with women’s and men’s volleyball ranked teams.

“We’re in fourth place right now playing at noon and 2 p.m. and women’s and men’s basketball but I would say we’re probably taking the night shift with games at the scariest team in the league,” Conroy said. “Since Christmas, 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

With the playoffs looming, we’ve been killing a couple teams many Gaels teams have made and last weekend was huge. If we strong pushes to ensure a place in can get two more big wins this the postseason but none more so weekend, we’d go into the playoffs than the women’s hockey team. with lots of confidence. “ After an average start to the season, the Gaels have exploded out of the [the fans] always Christmas break going 8-2. add to the atmosphere.

“All three lines are clicking,” You have the whole forward Becky Conroy said. “It’s crowd behind you. gut check time now. We had to get a playoff spot. Everyone was working hard for that.”

—Michael Amoroso, middle Since their last loss on Jan. 22 against the Windsor Lancers, The women’s basketball team the Gaels have outscored their opponents 20-4. Conroy said the has endured a difficult season. important factor in their winning A young squad and four season streak is that every player has ending injuries have been factor in their 4-14 season. been contributing.

“We’ll look back on it as a “It makes it difficult for other teams to match one line and shut us learning season; learning to adjust down,” she said. “Now they have a to all kinds of situations,” post Jill rookie [Alex Cieslowski] scoring a Wheat said. “Adjusting to losing hat-trick, there’s not much they can players, to injuries, adjusting to only do about that.” having four veteran players on the Along with the Gaels’ floor. For most of the team, it’ll be

“

”

a good setup for the postseason and next year.”

The Gaels broke a seven-game losing streak last weekend, beating the Ryerson Rams 62-61, which Wheat said contributes to momentum going into this weekend’s matchup against the York Lions and the Toronto Varsity Blues.

The Gaels beat the Lions 71-62 earlier this season at York.

“We have confidence facing York,” she said. “We match up well against them. We have size advantage.

They have a couple quick guards but we have as well. We’re really confident and ... determined to win this weekend.”

Another dominant season by the men’s volleyball team is challenged by tough competition this weekend with the McMaster Marauders and the Guelph Gryphons travelling to Kingston.

The Gaels had tight battles with the teams before the break, defeating the Gryphons but falling to the Marauders in five sets.

Middle Michael Amoroso said the team is confident going into the weekend.

“We’re ready,” he said. “Every time we play, we can battle [and] ... it’s really close. There might be some nerves among the younger players but for the older guys, we’ve seen these guys before so I think we’re ready.”

With their regular seasons wrapping up, all teams will be looking for Queen’s students to come out and support the Gaels.

“It’s always good to have fans,” Amoroso said. “The fans that come out to our games are always really excited. They always add to the atmosphere. It also adds to the effect of home-court advantage because you actually feel like you have the advantage at home. You have the whole crowd behind you.”

stat of tHe Week Since coming back from Christmas vacation, the women’s hockey team has outscored their opponents 39-20.

Excluding their tough 8-1 loss to the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks that margin grows to 38-12.

SportS

Friday, February 11, 2011

Goaltender Karissa Savage lets in the Guelph Gryphon’s lone goal.

She finished the game stopping 15 of 16 shots.

queensjournal.ca

Supplied by Gryphon AthleticS

Second half domination Continued from page 19

special teams, and it has definitely been something that we’ve focused on in practice,” he said. “On Sunday, we took too many penalties, but our penalty kill really bailed us out.”

More importantly, the Gaels secured two wins on the road against strong opposition.

Leading scorer Thomson said that, with playoffs looming, this weekend was all the more important.

“We knew going in that it was a big weekend in terms of the standings and that we needed four points if we wanted a chance at home ice for the quarter-finals,” she said.

“Obviously, the team was very happy to walk away with two wins.”

Thomson scored two goals this weekend, to extend her point total to 31, good enough for second in the OUA. She attributes much of her success to her line mates Becky Conroy and Liz Kench.

“We’ve all played on the team for five years, so we know each other very well, and have lots of experience playing together,” she

said. “Becky and I have been line mates for four years, and we’ve developed that natural sense for each other. Of course, Liz fits right in there too.”

Most importantly, Thomson said the Gaels seem to be gelling as a whole leading to the playoffs.

“We’re working harder, and it seems as if the team is coming together at the right time,”she said. “In past, we have had strong starts to the season, but might have been a bit burnt out for playoff time. Right now, we are peaking at the right time. Every line is firing, and that helps a lot.”

The Gaels now sit fourth in the OUA, just ahead of the Windsor Lancers. They host the Toronto Blues and York Lions this weekend to close out the regular season. With the standings so congested, the Gaels are still jockeying for a good playoff seed.

“This weekend is going to be very important,” Thomson said. “We have a lot of confidence right now, and we want [to] carry that into our games against Toronto and York.”

MAKE IT LARGE FOR $5.00 MORE

• 21

Sports

22 •queensjournal.ca

Friday, February 11, 2011

Athletes of the Week

Career game for Zeeman Continued from page 20

Kelly Jackson Men’s Hockey

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counselor 15 Ugly duckling,

eventually 16 Circus organ 18 Mineral in milk 20 Beginning 21 Dine on 22 Wapiti 23 Rear of a ship 26 Island music style 30 Moray, for one 31 PETA concern 32 Mess up 33 Heat measure 36 Eagle’s home 38 Actress Courteney 39 Blend 40 Cruising 43 Pasadena school 47 Squid 49 Distorted 50 PC picture 51 Dickens

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Right angle Pool stick Apiece — Lanka Raw rock Repair Atlantic and Pacific Wander Have a bug Still existing Corn Alkali neutralizer Mexican entree Trudge (through) Boast Basin accessory Algonquian tribe Stevenson villain Lawyers’ org.

Last Issue’s Answers

Forward Kelly Jackson of the men’s hockey team was named game MVP Saturday by scoring the first two goals for the Gaels, leading them to a 5-3 win. This was their fourth consecutive Carr-Harris Cup victory over the RMC Paladins.

“It was definitely an honour, especially being a rookie; it really boosted my confidence,” he said.

“There were lots of other good candidates so it was really nice.”

The Gaels were down 2-1 in the third period, but Jackson was able to tie it up on the power play.

“Our power play was working really well,” he said. “I was happy I was able to [contribute], take the reins and get the ball rolling.”

Although hockey was important to Jackson when deciding on a university he says it wasn’t the only factor.

“It was a lot about academics,” he said. “I was looking into the [US] as well, but the academics [at Queen’s] stood out and the facilities did too.”

Although his 10 goals and eight assists in 26 games this year suggest otherwise, the transition into university wasn’t easy at first for Jackson.

“It was definitely hard. I took a year off, [and then] I was part time at [University of Toronto] last year. It was a big transition getting back into the workload,” he said. “But I’ve been doing a good job of handling it all, I’m really looking forward to the next three years here.”

Prior to their win on Saturday, the Gaels won against the Ryerson Rams on Friday; clinching them a playoff spot.

“We knew what the task at hand was and were determined to [win],” he said.

Despite going 7-3-1 so far in 2011, Jackson says the Gaels know there is still work to do.

“Our [upcoming] game against [Toronto] will determine where we end up in the playoffs,” he said.

“We need to keep the momentum going and keep our streak alive. We want to be playing good hockey going into the playoffs.”

Shawna Griffin Women’s Hockey Women’s hockey team forward Shawna Griffin opened the scoring Saturday against the Brock Badgers and later added two more goals to help the Gaels to a 6-1 win. It was Griffin’s first CIS hat -rick in only 25 games in a Gaels uniform.

“It was really great,” she said.

“I’ve never had [a hat-trick] before and getting it as a rookie and in a CIS league was a pretty great feeling.”

[W]hen I visited “[Queen’s] and walked around the campus it felt like the school for me.

”

— Shawna Griffin, forward

However, Griffin isn’t taking all the credit for her breakout performance.

“With the help of my line mates, I was really able to move the puck well and fore-check and back-check hard,” she said.

For Griffin, hockey played a large role in deciding which university to attend.

“I contacted [Queen’s] and the coach was really interested; it was a good [fit]” she said. “It just felt right to come to Queen’s, when I visited and walked around the campus it felt like the school for me.”

Although Griffin’s five goals and five assists ranks her seventh on the team in points, learning to balance school and hockey was difficult at first.

“At the start it was definitely tough coming to Queen’s and adjusting to university life and on top of that [I had] hockey every day,” she said. “The girls on the team were great, they really made the adjustment easier.”

TheGaelswonbothoftheirgames on the weekend in a convincing fashion, helping them improve to 8-2. Griffin said the team is feeling really confident.

“We are playing very well [right now], we are definitely peaking at the right moment,” she said. “If we keep it up we will be headed for a —Emily Lowe playoff race.”

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big blocking team and that hasn’t changed,” she said. “We feel that when we pass well, no one can stop our offence. I’ve got great weapons at every position and an outstanding setter, so as long as we pass well, we can take advantage of all of that.”

Queen’s will host the McMaster Marauders and Guelph Gryphons this weekend, both of whom hold a 14-4 record and sit tied for third place in the OUA.

We were trying to “adopt the idea that a

game is a game. We wanted to play carefree and play relaxed with no other worries.

”

—Joren Zeeman, outside hitter

“We’re sitting in full possession of second place at 15-3,” she said.

“Both Guelph and Mac are right on our heels at 14-4 and we host both of them this weekend, so those games are huge. We’re really happy to be at home.”

Zeeman said the Gaels are continuing to work on skills like serving, but their biggest tests will come against opponents close to them in the OUA standings.

“Just playing tougher opponents heading in to the playoffs will be a really big help for us in terms of our headspace,” he said. “Guelph and McMaster definitely provide a tougher opponent than teams we’ve been playing of late.”

Zeeman said he hopes to maintain the team’s strong play right in to the playoffs.

Joren was pretty “much unstoppable. He did some pretty special things this weekend. ” –Brenda Willis, men’s volleyball head coach

“For any team heading in to the playoffs on a high and having won the last few games is good for confidence,” he said. “We want to go in to the playoffs winning and not losing to teams that are around us in the standings.”

The team has adopted a new

—Emily Lowe mentality to help them focus and continue to come out on top.

Zeeman said the team’s motto of “geeve [sic] the game” has been essential in calming the team down in their run to the playoffs.

According to urbandictionary.com, ‘geeve’ means “to be apathetic” or “to not care.” The team hopes this attitude will keep things Special in perspective: 2 12” Cold Cut Subs “We were trying to adopt the idea that a game is a game,” he said. “We wanted to play carefree and play relaxed with no other worries.”

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• 23

Food

Seductive sweets Chocolate—a classic way to someone’s heart on Valentine’s day B y K atherine Fernandez -B lance Assistant News Editor I did my grade six science project on chocolate. While I’m not sure how this qualified as a second-place winning scientific endeavor, I do know that exact moment began my love affair with chocolate.

Since then, I’ve been called a chocolate snob, fiend, connoisseur and a self-described chocoholic.

It’s a surprise that my addiction hasn’t made me obese, but I do sleep better at night knowing that my addiction isn’t uncommon, especially around this time of year.

Valentine’s Day is the busiest single day of the year for chocolate sales in North America. Deborah Johnston, Manager of Kingston’s Laura Secord said sales typically go up by 300 per cent on Valentine’s Day and around 500 to 600 customers will come into the store every year on this one day.

“Traditionally, flowers and chocolate have always been associated with expressing love,” Johnston said.

Until the late 18th century, chocolate remained a good only the elite could afford, equating chocolate with luxury for the upper class. Although most types of chocolate are easily affordable in North America now, chocolate is still said to be an aphrodisiac, which may explain why it has become so synonymous with romance and Valentine’s Day. Johnston said that males dominate the sales around Valentine’s Day and they’re particularly fond of the store’s truffles and heart boxes, she said, which they believe truly are a way to a woman’s heart.

Rachel Allison, Sci ’11, is the President of Queen’s International Food Appreciation Team (IFAT), a cooking club on campus. While she told me that she rarely eats chocolate just for the sake of it, she does like to bake with it.

“It’s very versatile for confectionary. It’s easier to manipulate in baking than something like sugar, for example,” she said.

In the past, she has received chocolate for Valentine’s Day, she said, but she’s usually disappointed because the gift-givers aren’t aware of the quality of the chocolate before purchasing.

“I only consider dark chocolate to be actual chocolate … you can tell the difference between the less expensive ones, which use sugar to hide flaws, and the more expensive varieties,” she said.

Allison, a frequent reader of one of my favourite food blogs, Smitten Kitchen, shared her favorite pudding recipe with me, which she describes as simply “to die for.” I would call it a simple end to a romantic meal, or gluttony for one in my case.

postscript Student-Friendly Easy Oreo Truffles (above), are one of many recipes to make for a get together or as a Valentine’s Day gift.

Best Chocolate Pudding Ingredients • ¼ cup (227 ml) cornstarch • ½ cup (125 ml) sugar (I’d add a little less if you’re using cheaper chocolate) • 1/8 tsp (0.5 ml) salt • 3 cups (682 ml) whole milk • 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (or about half a regular sized bag) • 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract Directions • In a heatproof bowl (pyrex is best), mix together the first three ingredients. Fill a medium sized pot half way with water and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and being it to a gentle simmer.

• Slowly add the milk into the bowl of dry ingredients, and stir until everything is incorporated. Place the bowl on top of the pot with simmering water and leave the bowl alone for a little bit.

• Every few minutes, stir the mixture with a heatproof spatula. Once lumps start to form, gently whisk the mixture to get rid of the lumps.

After 15 to 20 minutes, the mixture should begin to thicken. When it can coat the back of a spoon, add in the chocolate chips and stir to melt them.

• Allow the pudding to thicken for two more minutes and remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract.

• Pour the pudding through a strainer to remove any lumps and cover the bowl of pudding tightly with plastic wrap resting on top of the pudding (this will prevent a skin from forming.) Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, then serve and enjoy!

—Source:Smittenkitchen.com

Photo by Justin Tang

Student-Friendly Oreo Truffles Truffles, one of Valentine’s Day’s best-selling items, are not overly complicated to make, but they do require a solid chunk of an afternoon. However, there are still shortcuts to creating truffles, which make an ideal gift for romantic partners, housemates and bosses alike.

Ingredients • 1 regular sized package Oreos • 1 regular package (226 g) Cream cheese, softened • 2 packages (225 g each) of Baker’s Semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted Directions • Crush nine Oreos in a reusable plastic bag with a rolling pin (or beer bottle) until finely ground. Set aside. Crush the remaining Oreos in the same way.

• Add the larger amount of crushed Oreos to a bowl and stir in the cream cheese. Mix until completely combined.

• Line a baking sheet with parchment/wax paper or aluminum foil.

Using your hands, roll the Oreo/cream cheese mixture into small balls one inch in diameter.

• Dip each truffle into the melted chocolate and sprinkle the crumbled Oreos that have been set aside, on top of each truffle.

• Refrigerate for an hour and enjoy! (These must be stored in the fridge due to the cream cheese.)

—Source: Allrecipes.com

Fail-Proof Chocolate Fondue If you’re looking for an easy way to entertain or class-up your weekend, look no further than this ridiculously simple, but super tasty fondue recipe that I concocted. It can be scaled down for one or up for a crowd, and you don’t need fancy fondue equipment—just a pot on the stove and some skewers or forks will do.

Ingredients • Semi-sweet chocolate chips (a couple handfuls works) • Cream (I use 5% to cut down on fat, but you can use higher percentages for a richer taste) • Washed, sliced fruit (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc.)

• Mini marshmallows Directions • In a pot over medium low heat add the chocolate chips. Pour in a couple dribbles (or 1 tbsp) of cream and stir the mixture around until everything comes together and the chocolate melts fully.

• Place the pot on a heating pad if you have one. (If not you can just return the mixture to a gentle heat when the chocolate starts to harden). Serve with the fruit and marshmallows, give everyone a skewer and dip away!

Best Chocolate Pudding (pictured above) serves up to six servings and is featured on popular food blog Smitten Kitchen.

Photo by Justin Tang

24 •queensjournal.ca

Postscript

Friday, February 11, 2011