The Future Issue

Editorial & Publishing

Nathan Langdon

Editor-in-Chief Bryan Myers traviseditor@gmail.com Editor-at-Large Jenn McBride travismagonline@gmail.com Media Editor Chris D’Alessandro Publisher Sheridan Student Union Inc.

designer

Writers Julia Langlois, Tania MacWilliam, Matt Main, Jenn McBride, Sarah Munn, Bryan Myers, Colin Rabyniuk, Jakki Tyson, Michelle Whittemore, Riley Wignall

Nathan owns Pugs and loves retro video games. Pending grant approval, Nathan will be taking his own video game, a retro throwback to iOS and Android platforms.

“The video games that we all grew up with were better. Graphics were limited, so they demanded your imagination, now it’s all eye candy.” Nathan is a new designer to the Travis team, in this issue, he designed Drake: In the Spotlight (pg.48 ).

Travis Online Chris D’Alessandro, Rebecca Gregg, Shannon Hodgen, Julia Langlois, Tania MacWilliam, Julia Marcello, Jenn McBride, Scott Meiklejohn, Sarah Munn, Bryan Myers, Colin Rabyniuk, Courtney Reilly-Larke, Jakki Tyson, Michelle Whittemore, Riley Wignall

Creative Creative Director Josiah Gordon josiah.gordon1@gmail.com Design Tyler Doupe, Josiah Gordon, Nathan Langdon, Miko Maciaszek, Satesh Mistry, Sabrina Smelko Photography Matt Barnes, Drew Grav-Graham, Steph Martyniuk, Luis Mora, Danny Nguyen (online), Hilary Langfrey (online) Illustration Colin Davis, Satesh Mistry, Sabrina Smelko

Marketing & Sales Marketing & Communications Manager Dan La Cute daniel.lacute@sheridanc.on.ca

Printer Chris Beetham Unique Media Solutions

Miko Maciaszek designer Mikolaj (Polish for Nicholas) Maciaszek is from Warsaw, Poland. He is currently studying Illustration and Design so that he may one day make pictures for a living.

Miko is new to the team (we have a few if you didn’t notice). He cites Rupert Bear as his greatest inspiration and likes dogs.

Check out his work at mikoillustrates. com. Miko designed this month’s Travis Challenge (pg.50).

Colin Rabyniuk writer Before Colin joined the Travis team, he planted trees in Chile. That’s pretty badass. We need bad-ass. It’s what makes this magazine worth picking up. Colin is the kind of bad-ass that watches TED lectures and quotes articles from the National Post. Colin wrote Random Words on Culture this issue (pg.46).

Special Thanks Mac-Tech Ninjas, Marquee menu, Drew GravGraham, Evan Ungar, Chuck Erman

Offices Brampton Campus 7899 McLaughlin Road, Brampton, ON 905.459.7533 ext.4350 Oakville Campus 1430 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, ON 905.845.9430 ext.2300 HMC Campus 4180 Duke of York Blvd., Mississauga, ON 905.459.7533 ext.2335 travismag.com, @travismag

Sabrina Smelko designer Sabrina is the only female designer on the team this year. She might be pretty quiet (possibly from working six years in a library) and her jokes might not always be the funniest, but now that we know she’s one step away from a black belt in karate, we have no choice but to laugh.

Check out her infographics in the editor’s letter (pg.5) and q & a (pg.20), she also designed Who the Hell is? (pg.18).

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Volume Six, issue Two

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Matthew Sherren by Bryan Myers

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Alex Zouev by Jenn McBride

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The Future of Sheridan by Bryan Myers

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The Future of Food by Camille Llosa

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Fearless Fred by Bryan Myers

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New Faces of Fashion by Sarah Munn

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The Coffee Grind by Chris D’alessandro

PHOTOGRAPHY Drew Grav-Graham DESIGN Satesh Mistry Make sure to follow us on the world wide web at travismag. com or on that stupid twitter site at twitter.com/travismag.

Please understand if you follow us, we will stalk you. No joke.

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photo by Drew Grav-Graham (we thought this photo was so sweet we had to make it an entire page)

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Editor's Letter I always thought I was a communist. Somewhere, that line is going to get me on J. Edgar Hoover’s blacklist. I believe that everyone deserves a fair shake when it comes to healthcare and education, and that the environment is something we’re all accountable for. But Occupy Toronto has got me thinking that maybe I’m not a communist.

I’m somewhere right in the middle. I think that certain rights should be granted to everyone, but that working hard should pay off. In 2001, the top 10% of Americans owned 71% of the wealth in America. The top 1% owned a whopping 38% of that. The shocking part was that the bottom 40% owned less than 1%. Out of context those numbers are pretty disturbing. But I just don’t feel right feeling like that top 1% owes us something.

That top 1% worked and struggled and sacrificed just like the rest of us. I think of it like a race, the people who finish at the top are the ones that ate right, worked out every day, and made sacrifices in their daily lives to achieve what they wanted. Then there are the average people, they tried, but it was hard to eat right and exercise every day, but when it came race day, they put their best foot forward and tried. And then there’s the bottom, who didn’t do either and probably slept in.

There’s a lot wrong with the top 1% but re-appropriating their hardearned dollars isn’t going to change anything. That 1% will eventually rise to the top, and it will be because they are the ones innovating and

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selling us cars, gas, iPhones, and Artizia. What it boils down to is that we, the 99%, paved the way for that 1% to rise to the top. They’re selling what we’re buying and it’s making them rich.

I saw Fight Club a long time ago, and I guess that’s where I gave up fighting “The Man”. It’s ridiculously ironic that a commercial success like that sparked a generation of angst towards consumerism.

That top 1% packaged our proletariat rage and sold it back to us and we fell for it.

It’s a mad world that we live in, but I don’t feel full of rage that we live in a capitalist state. My philosophy is that change comes from within. There’s a line in the Darcys’ new album, that’s really stuck with me, “stop thinking like a millionaire,” and in this financial climate it makes perfect sense. If we’re ever going to close the gap, we need to stop feeling entitled to the wealth in the country and start working for it. It’s so much harder to change our lifestyle for the better than it is to tell others their lifestyles are wrong. We can make conscious purchasing decisions, we can ask questions. We are part of the 99%, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have an individual responsibility to affect change.

I know we’re not American, but the Occupy Toronto event is based off the American Occupy Wall Street and their goal seems to coincide with the American economy rather than the Canadian.

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sound check

PRETTY MUCH EVERY ALBUM WE LIKE RIGHT NOW... AND A FEW WE DON'T

Get Scared Best Kind of Mess Glam Metal Get Scared’s debut LP, Best Kind of Mess, was released this past July on Universal Motown Records. The songs, raw yet polished, evoke images of lead singer Nicholas Matthews crouched in a corner scribbling lyrics feverishly onto a pad.

Many say the album was a cry for help (following Matthews’ crisis this past August).

Intense messages aside, the sound quality is spectacular compared to their EP, Cheap Tricks and Theatrics, thanks to a greater guitar presence. Pick it up. T.M.

Coldplay Mylo Xyloto Alternative Rock Anyone who is really into music must have heard non-stop about Coldplay’s new album Mylo Xyloto. Before the album’s release, we got the singles “Every Tear Drop is a Waterfall” and “Paradise”, which had people checking The Pirate Bay praying for an album leak. Rihanna being featured on the track “Princess of China” might turn off some Coldplay fans but it’s also a change that could attract new fans. It might be jumping the gun but if this isn’t album of the year, I’ve lost all faith in music. M.M.

Marilyn Manson Born Villain Industrial Metal What separates Born Villain from his past albums is that it lacks a catchy single that might earn even a little bit of radio airplay. A lot of whispered lyrics followed by a lot of yelling behind a barrage of pounding drum-beats. The first video, “No Reason”, shows the typical graphic imagery that we’ve come to expect from Manson. But that’s exactly the problem, Manson no longer shocks and we can find our rock elsewhere. A coffee table book and a film, directed by Shia Labeouf is to be released with the album. M.M.

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Evanescence Self Titled Pop Rock I’ve never really been a fan of Evanescence, but I’ve also never been a hater.

They’re just not on my radar. Giving it a listen though, the guitar is nice and heavy, the drums pound, and Amy Lee has some real pipes, and she’d be a looker if she stopped dressing like an extra in Twilight. It’s not that bad, but I do sort of feel like a 13-year-old girl listening to it. C.D.

J. Cole Any Given Sunday Hip Hop Rap should not be soft or watered down. It’s really annoying when it is, and frankly sometimes it’s sort of creepy. This is a surprise coming from the Roc-a-Fella camp that is enjoying a huge boom right now. I guess you just can’t win them all. If you like Kanye or Jay-Z you’ll probably like this album, especially since a few tracks sound like updated versions of Jay-Z songs. Bottom line: it’s okay. C.D.

Neon Indian Era Extrana Indie Electronic Following Psychic Chasms, Neon Indian’s new album, Era Extrana, builds on much of the same. If you’re not familiar with the band, it sort of sounds like living in an 8-bit video game, so it’s awesome in a all too familiar ‘80s way. Lot’s of synths, keyboards and effects, although the reverb does sometimes go off the charts when you turn it up. The new album is a little more polished, more hi-fi as well and better mixed than the last. It’s also more rooted in the genre. Not so poppy this time around, which is a good thing. C.D.

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sound check

PRETTY MUCH EVERY ALBUM WE LIKE RIGHT NOW... AND A FEW WE DON'T

Blink-182 Neighborhoods Pop Punk The biggest fear when everyone heard that Blink-182 was getting back together wasn’t that it wasn’t going to be any good. How were three middle-aged guys going to make a good album when their bread and butter was making fun of their middle-aged parents? Many of these fears might have been vanquished after hearing the new single “Up All Night”. It sounds like Blink 182 should sound at this point. They’ve grown (up) as a band and that philosophy carries through on much of the album. While there’s a lot of the band member’s side projects influencing this album, there’s still plenty here that is purely Blink. C.D.

Jane’s Addiction The Great Escape Artist Alternative Rock When you hear Jane’s new single “End to the Lies” you might mistake it for something else. Not because it doesn’t sound like Jane’s Addiction. It just sounds so contemporary you might think it’s some new band you haven’t heard before. That’s the great thing about Jane’s Addiction. They manage to have a unique sound while still being current and relevant. It’s hard not to like a jukebox band like Jane’s. There’s always something for everybody. Heavy bass, rock drums and guitar are still at the core of this new album and the band itself. C.D.

Red Hot Chili Peppers I’m with You Alternative Rock It’s hard to get excited about a new RHCP album with Stadium Arcadium still fresh in our minds. Critics loved it and it got more airtime on the radio than Howard Stern. However, can you ever be sick of the Red Hot Chili Peppers?

Oh, you say that you are? Bull. You know that when “Adventures of Rain-Dance Maggie” comes over the radio you are going to stop and tap your toes no matter where you are. RHCP just has that affect. It’s ‘cause they make people groove so hard that this album will be heard on the radio for years to come. C.D.

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The Darcys Self-Titled Shoegaze Indie Part rock, part experimental, part melancholy. I’m a big fan of The Darcys and this album has been no slouch. It’s an album that’d be perfect for an intensive listen, preferably in a beanbag chair. At the same time, it’s a good driving album, it’s complex and powerful and in many ways is a piece of local art. For fans of Do Make Say Think this is a no-brainer. B.M.

Ohbijou Metal Meets Indie It was nice to see Ohbijou before the cold weather set in, but as it sets in, the band leaves us with an album to get us through the winter. Metal Meets is a fittingly winter-wonderland album that keeps the summery weather in our minds.

The tracks are rich with a variety of string instruments and Casey Mecija’s fairylike voice narrates a mellow album. B.M.

Drake Take Care Hip Hop I’m not interested in Drake, but every time I hear new stuff by him on the radio (rather than the same singles over and over) I’m impressed. In this album, he’ll hopefully stop trying to sound like Weezy and do more of his Drake voice.

“Marvin’s Room” is an impressively honest track from a guy who boasts about fame in every other song. But then again, it’s kind of a backhanded compliment to himself. Nonetheless, it’s Drake, he’s due for at least one more good album. B.M.

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Literary Love

READ IT HERE BEFORE THEY MAKE A MOVIE OUT OF IT

Neal Stephenson Reamde Try to follow this. A man with an interesting past involving draft-dodging and drug-smuggling, creates an online role playing game that gets hacked with a virus which holds it’s subscribers’ files for ransom. A plot that we can certainly all relate to whether it’s World of Warcraft, Facebook, or Minecraft.

The only catch here is that this hardcover doorstop is close to a thousand pages long. Stephenson seems to assume that the average Joe can keep up with obscure technological jargon sans explanation. Flattering maybe, but I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t Google a word a page. Challenging yet stimulating. Have fun. M.W.

Jennifer McLagan Odd Bits: How to Cook the Rest of the Animal Ever tried priming a brisket? Well you should know that it’s a pain in the ass.

Don’t let that shy you away from culinary exploration. Jennifer McLagan has provided us with a user-friendly guide to preparing the “rest of the animal.”

The recipes make you feel like you’re on Fear Factor: Gourmet Edition.

There is a certain pride however in being able to invite your friends over for Moroccan-Style Braised Heart. As a bonus there are tons of historical and anthropological information woven into the book’s recipes. T.M.

David Thorne The Internet’s a Playground David Thorne’s narcissism and general smart-ass-ness is just what the doctor ordered. Seriously, I think he’s just my type. The book is a compilation of all the articles on his website (27bslash6.com) . Of course, by “articles”, I mean “documented exchanges with everyone from haters to his landlord”. As well as blog posts, homemade graphs and illustrations, usually at the expense of others. Perfectly timed screen grabs are oh so sweet. His shenanigans are so relentless, so cleverly immature that coffee tables everywhere need have this book on their Christmas list. M.W.

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Teasers

MOVIE REVIEWS... THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE 3-D

The Other F Word Tony Hawk, Mark Hoppus, Flea (RHCP) “What happens when a generation’s ultimate anti-authoritarians – punk rockers – become society’s ultimate authorities – dads? ” This documentary gets the camera up close and personal with some of our generation’s bestknown punk rockers, from Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus to Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It takes a focused look at a side of them that isn’t often depicted – their lives with their families as they raise their children. R.W.

Immortals Micky Rourke, Kellan Lutz, Frieda Pinto Imagine 300 combined with the characters of Greek mythology and you pretty much have Immortals. Henry Cavill is Theseus, who is chosen by Zeus to battle against a King Hyperion who is destroying Greece to look for a weapon that can destroy the world. This promises lots of action, gorgeous cinematography and also stars heavy hitters Mickey Rourke, Kellan Lutz and Frieda Pinto. R.W.

Like Crazy Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jonesh With the weather getting cooler, you might be looking for an excuse to cozy up with someone special. Get your romance on with this flick starring Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones. It’s about two college students – one British and one American – who fall for one another, only to be separated when her visa runs out and she is deported back to England. R.W.

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Waste Time

GAME REVIEWS FOR ALL THE N00BS OUT THERE

Battlefeild 3 PC, XBOX 360, PS3 Set a few years in the future and based on the current situation in the Middle East, Battlefield 3 is easily one of the most realistic and intense shooters you’ll get your hands on, short of the release of Battlefield 4 or actually serving overseas. The sound, lighting, and graphics engines are top notch and provide nothing short of spectacular. This combination added with the amazing particle and destruction system turn every single firefight into a seemingly do or die situation. A well-designed and frankly addictive multiplayer should keep gamers coming back for more and more online action. C.D.

Batman: Arkham City PC, XBOX 360, PS3 Following up the last Batman title was no easy feat since it was arguably the best superhero game ever. But the Dark Knight has returned. This time, part of Gotham is sectioned off to hold Arkham Asylum’s growing numbers.

Of course it all goes wrong and you have to don the cape and cowl once again to set it all straight, as well as save Catwoman. Fan favourite baddies (including voice acting by Mark Hamill), new gadgets, and an even better combat and glide system make this title every bit as good as it’s predecessor.

Playable characters Robin and Catwoman are nice additions. C.D.

Forza Motorsport 4 XBOX 360 Unless you’re more of a gear-head than a gamer, you may be having some trouble getting excited for Forza 4. By now, you’re probably familiar with the Forza-mula (see what we did there?). Hundreds of cars, dozens of tracks, endless customizations all make a return. These are all well and good but what sets Forza 4 apart is how it integrates the Kinect into gameplay. The Kinect allows you to feel like you’re actually opening the car door and starting the engine. The driving itself is incredibly visceral. It’s also hard not to love Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson giving his unique in game review on cars. C.D.

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Tech’d out

THERE REALLY IS AN APP FOR THAT

Dyson Hot Heat Fan Whenever I go to the bathroom in public (which is as little as possible), I’m always pumped to see a Dyson Airblade to dry my hands. When there’s no paper towel, there’s little to no chance of drying your hands with a conventional dryer, but with the Dyson Airblade, I actually wish it took longer.

The Dyson Hot is like having an Airblade in your house, but to heat it rather than to dry your hands with, I’m sure you could probably have fun with it.

There are no fan blades, it just blows hot air wherever you point it (a little like [ insert your least favourite politician here ] ). If you’ve got a drafty apartment and some wealthy relatives, this is what I’d put on my Christmas list. B.M.

Artefact SWYP Touch Screen Printer This might only be a conceptual printer, but it’s a sign that it’s really not that far away. For anyone who relies on colour print-outs, this is going to be an essential improvement. The colours will print out exactly as they appear on the printer’s touch-screen. What’s more is that documents can be resized and scaled via the touch-screen before going to print. Ideal for the environmentally conscious designer. C.S.

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15 Minutes of (student) Fame: Matthew Sherren written by Bryan Myers, photos by Drew Grav-Graham

There are certain people you see around campus that stand out. For whatever reason, their style, or their presence will catch your eye as you’re staring blankly after a long day of classes. For me, Matthew Patrick Sherren is one of these people.

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t might be that he’s like six-foot six. It might be that his hair cut looks a little like the late Andy Warhol’s did. Or it might just be that Sheridan isn’t all that big, and if you hang out in the same spots day in and day out, you’ll get accustomed to the people who hang out there too. He simply seems like a cool guy who I could probably talk about cool bands with. In actuality, we never talked about music. But we could probably have had an exhaustive dialogue about the merits of George Lucas’ dubious improvements to his iconic trilogy if time allowed it.

A recent grad from Sheridan’s VCA program, Sherren is now enrolled in the three-term Advanced Special Effects Makeup, Prosthetics and Props Program. The first time I actually meet him, he’s sanding down a Styrofoam skull for class – and the next time, he’s sketching a design for a mask that reminds me of a comic book villain. He admits, the design is somewhat inspired by his roommates playing of the new Batman game, Arkham City. It wouldn’t be out of place – his drawing, that’s for sure. He admits that he prefers Saturday morning cartoons to superheroes, but that his real preference lies with serials that begin with “Star” and end with either “Trek” or “Wars”.

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First off, what the hell is the Special Effects and Makeup Program anyway? The answer is pretty much in the title, but the actual work is a little more complicated. The program is fully hands-on. Students learn to create, design, and acquire industry standard skills and products.

The program is only a few short years old, but it is a program that’s already adapting to the changes of the industry. Students learn about prosthetics for film, stage and everyday usage. They also learn about makeup techniques, animatronics, puppetry, and all sorts of essential industry skills. And, this is just an asumption here, but I bet they can probably throw together one hell of a Halloween costume. Sherren admits that while his costume this year wasn’t spectacularly complex, he helped friends add a touch more realism to their zombie disguises.

“In every class we’re doing something,” says Sherren. “We either make something or start to make something by the end of each class.”

“All of our teachers are pretty young and they work in the industry. Older teachers are more dated when it comes to their technique even if they still work in the industry,” says Sherren.

Grads of the program aren’t tethered to the world of film – there are opportunities for theater or commercial work such as in museums or galleries.

Sherren is from Kingston and attended the University of Ottawa for fine arts before dropping out and coming to Sheridan to take VCA. “VCA was what I’d wanted to get from university. At university, we painted one painting per semester, and I didn’t think that not painting would help me develop as an artist,” says Sherren. “It doesn’t really lead to a job, but it helps you develop your skills as an artist – which is important.”

When Sherren was a child he says that he had a passion for sci-fi and fantasy.

“I was a Star Wars geek, I built my own Lightsaber with my dad, and I drew my own Jedi. But near the end of high school I moved away from all that and started being an art geek and developing my art,” says Sherren.

I was a Star Wars geek, I built my own lightsaber with my dad Sherren explains that Star Wars isn’t technically science fiction, the science involved in the films is inaccurate and impossible. Instead it’s based in a magical world. On the other hand, Star Trek is science fiction as it is loosely based on science.

Those subtle distinctions make the shows very different despite their outer space theme.

This program seems to reconnect Sherren to his sci-fi /fantasy roots while at the same

time allows him to work in a creative field and continue with art.

“I’m feeling like myself again - being able to go back to my love of film,” says Sherren.

“My main reason for taking this course is to work in the industry. I’d rather be working in the industry and on my art than just be working at Starbucks and working on my art,” says Sherren.

So where is Sherren headed? Ideally, he admits that he wants to work in the sci-fi and fantasy realm, but that CGI is a threat to the art of special effects.

“From what I know, CGI is taking over and special effects in film is becoming less prominent. Personally, I prefer special effects and animatronics over a CGI monster, even if it looks faker, it adds realism,” says Sherren.

For some reason, the human brain seems to be able to determine what’s computer graphics and what’s real. Even the most believable CGI doesn’t feel right, there’s always something missing.

“There’s a scene in the second Matrix movie – it’s an intense battle that’s all computer graphics. It’s cool, but when you compare it to a Jackie Chan movie from the ‘80s and it’s all him doing everything, that makes it infinitely more realistic,” says Sherren.

“The golden age of movies, I think that’s even what they call it, was the late ‘70s to early ‘90s. That was when special effects were at their peak,” says Sherren, “when I have kids, I’m going to make sure they see those films first.”

During those years, Sherren notes that a lot of Star Trek’s technology became the inspiration for the technology of today. Flip cell-phones were inspired by Star Trek’s communicator device. There are iPad like devices and countless technology that we see in every day life. Today’s grads of the Advanced Special Effects Makeup, Prosthetics and Props Program could be the artist that will inspire the technology of 2050. t

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X E L A V E ZOU

written by Jenn McBride, photographed by Mike Palangio

When we started planning the Future issue, we knew we wanted to talk to someone at Sheridan who has experience with robots.

We had questions, mostly about how close we are to having the Terminator fill in for us at work.

Alex Zouev assures us, that it’s pure fiction. Robots will likely take over the dirty work, but our jobs are still going to be necessary.

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Things were off to bad start – I was late, which never happens, and Alex Zouev was early – which when you’re late always happens. He sent me an e-mail exactly 13 minutes prior to our meeting that he would be sitting by the window drinking coffee.

Occasional tardiness is unavoidable, but shit, he was already there, and I was hitting every red light Brampton could throw at me.

True to his word – there he sat looking everything like I imagined a professor of the Electromechanical Engineering program would.

This could be part and parcel that I had never before given it any thought at all, Zouev’s small-statured, casually-dressed, invisible-framed appearance is the epitome of the mechanically-inclined.

“Are you getting a drink?” he says with a crooked smile.

He smiles a lot – the kind that makes you unsure whether you are supposed to

smile back to or nod under some shared intellectual understanding. I did both.

He’s a teacher. But let’s start with the fact that because it’s where most everyone starts out now – he’s a teacher who only a year ago held onto a prestigious Sheridan student card.

“Sheridan wasn’t my first choice of schools,” he said, “I originally went to school for Electric Engineering at another school and dropped out after one semester because of family issues.”

But when priorities shifted to getting a job, Zouev saw the Electromechanical Engineering program as a way to combine both his passion for mechanics and hands-on creativity into a career. And now – he’s teaching it.

“The program gives students the understanding of the scope of the industry and addresses robotics in the manufacturing environments, HVAC, and programming industrial computers,” he says.

In a world obsessed with convenience both physically and economically, this kind of program is shaping the future…even if us on the outside aren’t completely aware of it.

The here-and-now truth of the matter is that 26-year-old Zouev (along with a heaping amount of other technologists and engineers) is the guy who is partially responsible for changing how we work – and in some cases keeping us home altogether.

It’s all in the name of productivity, and machines today are faster than anything we could have imagined. But if the dual robotic arms working together to inspect machine parts he showed us on his iPhone are a testament of what is to come – then at least it looks impressively cool.

Bryan Myers – who joined in on our interview and whose time spent in line for coffee proved my theory that coffee shops have the slowest cashiers on a Friday is a glass half full type of guy. He saw Zouev’s premonition of automated assembly lines as a way for people to do other things than work. Sounds good in theory but Zouev is confident that not everyone’s working identity is headed for the guillotine.

Basically, you could lose your job, or just maintain the machine that’s doing what

you used to do cheaper and faster instead.

He doesn’t make it sound too horrible… but it could just be the Serbian accent.

Everything sounds better with an accent.

Zouev is full of mannerisms. He uses his hands – a lot. Folds them, claps them,

spreads them apart or together to illustrate the scale of things.

The man never breaks eye contact, and half an hour into our interview, my eyes are starting to strain.

And now he’s smiling again – because he knows his job is going to be safe. “The whole automation versus people concept is rather simple. The demand for technically competent graduates is only increasing as manual labor is replaced with automation.”

“We already have robots that bring you beer, that vacuum your house – you can get ’em at Costco,” he says, “I was looking at my mom’s Samsung [phone] and I can have Google Street View in the palm of my hand. It’s kind of creepy yet it’s so cool to have this kind of technology. 20 years ago you could never have imagined this without the advancements of machines.”

I guess this is what they mean when they say that the future is now.

In an industry where by the time something is created – it already seems outdated, Zouev’s teaching and the program are holding a steady pace.

“Sheridan graduates are versatile technicians and technologists,” he says, “ They are trained in a variety of engineering disciplines and are able to pursue various specializations within the engineering industry.”

But to get to graduation, they have to get through Zouev first – and he pushes his students to not only be the best at

what they do, but the quickest too. Zouev is a master of automation and teaches his students to reduce their workload by using automation to their advantage. A design that might take a student two hours to draw, can be automated through the use of computer programming and completed in under an hour and a half. That kind of speed and precision is what the employers of the future are looking for.

It’s what his students are doing now, and it’s the work that he seems most proud of.

There’s no denying that the man’s got passion.

So while the future of some jobs is a touch murky, Zouev’s is confidently set on teaching – that, and trying to get a robot to pick up one item at a time. He says the latter sounds kind of boring, but all I can think of is when Optimus Prime can take my possibly unemployed future self to the beach. Poor humans…we never stood a chance…well some of us anyways. ’t’

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QA You’ve got questions and we’ve got answers... which we found on the internet...

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WITH TRAVIS

HOW DOES DRY-CLEANING WORK?

I’m skeptical of what dry-cleaning really does. How can something be cleaned without soap and water? Why pay to just shake off your clothes or lint-roll them a couple times.

Dry-cleaning is a bit of a misnomer, as it’s not dry at all! It just doesn’t involve water.

Since “waterless cleaning” is a mouthful, dry-cleaning is an inaccurate facsimile.

The process, like corn flakes and America, was discovered by accident. A French dyemaker’s maid accidently spilled kerosene on his fabrics when he noticed that they were actually cleaner, save for the gasoline-smell and flammability. After experimenting with a whole mess of long-named chemicals, drycleaners settled on just one: perchlorythylene, which was less volatile than kerosene, easier to use and much faster.

Clothes are tagged, pre-treated for stains, dry-cleaned and finally folded, packaged and set aside for you to pick up.

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HOW DO CATS AND DOGS GET ACTING GIGS?

How do they find the right cat for the Purina commercials? How much do they get paid? Are they on contract? Do they have agents? These are questions I ask myself when I watch TV. I just don’t know how it’s done. If Snooki has an agent, then it must stand to reason that a smart Pomeranian would need one if he wanted to make it in the hustle and bustle world of animal acting.

It turns out that there are talent agencies for animals, even teaching courses (for your pet) on how to become a star. BC’s agency, Dog Stars, offers a class titled “Sparkle Puppy”, their site notes that they have to be at least five months old, but it’s unclear if they’re talking about the owners or the dogs.

So if you have a really cute pet, or you just really want to feel like a celebrity and you don’t have kids to live vicariously through by forcing them into a Toddler’s and Tiaras-esque pageant, animal talent might be a great solution.

WHE RE DO FRUIT FLIES COME FROM?

The short answer is that fruit flies come from fruit. At the packing house for the fruit, fruit flies have an opportunity to lay their eggs in under the skin of fruit in the fleshy fruit part.

Thus, when you leave your apple or orange or gooseberry out on the counter for a few days, the eggs mature and hatch, and since fruit flies love fruit, they tend to hang around.

This is kind of gross on two levels. The fruit is blasted with industrial bleach (and then rinsed) before being shipped off to the store, meaning every piece of fruit you eat has had pesticide and bleach all up on it. So from now on, I’ll rinse my grapes thoroughly before enjoying. It’s also gross because no matter what, when you eat a piece of fruit, you’re going to eat some fruit fly eggs which is downright disturbing.

Have you checked out the Coffee Loft? It’s a great place to enjoy a cup of coffee, catch up on homework or just relax.

If you’re wondering why Travis writer Chris here has an axe, check out the story on page 50.

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When I first started my postsecondary education five years ago, I didn’t own a cell-phone, my laptop required a separate bag to transport, and I had no idea what Wi-Fi was.

Five short years later, I not only own a cell-phone – but a smart-phone, my laptop fits nicely between my textbooks, and I could rig up a wireless network in no time. Five years ago is now only a distant memory that I’ll lecture my kids about how hard we used to have it while they roll their eyes and continue with their Kindles and cloud computing. written by Bryan Myers, photos by Drew Grav-Graham

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round this time last year, Travis published an article about the new Mississauga Campus. At the time, this seemed like a distant dream – a concept drawing that would become a reality long after my college career had ended. The Hazel McCallion Campus is alive and well and this is only the beginning. If you haven’t had a chance to visit the state-of-the-art campus, it’s worth the trip. Yet, this is only a small step towards the future of Sheridan College. The non-physical steps are what will really transform our college.

In my opinion, the future won’t be about what we can see and touch, it will arrive on the wings of concepts and ideas. Our entire species is ideally working towards eliminating the space-hungry buildings our less-tech savvy ancestors erected. Instead, we’re entering an age where we can reduce our footprint. The first computers (only fifty years ago) required a school gymnasium of space to house them and even then they could only perform the simplest of equations. Today, computers can operate from a microscopic chip.

The college isn’t going to end up on a microchip though. But the kind of thinking that helped create the microchip is what is driving Sheridan to its future potential. By constantly trying to improve, Sheridan will continue to be an outstanding college, or more accurately, an outstanding university.

When we started working on this article, I wanted to talk about Sheridan in the distant future - but the reality is that the future of Sheridan is happening right now. Whether it’s a brand new campus, a new title, or an Office for Sustainability, this is a great time to be a Sheridan student.

The Hazel McCallion Campus When we talked about the Hazel McCallion Campus last year we discussed what the new campus had projected. It would be home to 1800 students, about 1200 of which would be business students. The remaining space would be allocated to training and re-training new Canadians who were foreigntrained professionals. This year, the campus delivered on their projections.

It’s important for a school to be able to deliver on their promises. The campus opened its doors right on schedule and is an elegant and modern work of architecture.

If you’re not a business student, you might be wondering how this new campus affects you, and it does. The new campus isn’t designed just to expand the business program at Sheridan, but rather it is designed to eventually house the business programs entirely, thus freeing up space

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at both Trafalgar and Davis Campuses.

More space means more classes and more opportunities.

This is only the beginning of the Hazel McCallion Campus. It’s the end of Phase 1.

Phase 2 will welcome a whole new building that will be equipped to handle about sixthousand students, establishing a full-sized campus on par with Trafalgar and Davis.

Technologically speaking, the Hazel McCallion Campus is state-of-the-art, and employs technology such as touch sensitive boards, short throw data projectors, and HD video conferencing. These features will give students plenty of hands-on learning experiences as well as prepare them for the ever-advancing work force.

It’s important as students that we continue to collaborate. It’s easy to stay among our peers on campus, but it’s interacting as a community that makes great things happen.

One group didn’t build the Hazel McCallion Campus with one set skill; many hands with many capabilities constructed it. As Sheridan expands by one campus, the importance of collaborating grows stronger. What artists at Trafalgar may dream up can be constructed by engineers at Davis, which can be made sustainable and marketable by the business minds in Mississauga. The school may expand, but it’s a chance to collaborate in a more realistic setting.

College to University Within ten years, Sheridan College will become a university. It’s likely that you’ve already heard rumours that your program will be adding an extra year that will allow students to graduate with a degree instead of a diploma. It’s true. Slowly but surely, Sheridan is offering more. This is the first step in the process of becoming a university.

“Sheridan won’t become a typical university,” says Dr. Jeff Zabudsky, the college’s president. “Instead, it will become a hybrid of both, similar to the educational institutions in British Columbia that offer industry-standard training as well as bachelor programs.”

Sheridan’s goal is to meet the needs of the workforce, where both hands-on experience and technical education are valued. In the working world, what one can do is increasingly more important than one’s qualifications. By combining aspects of both university and college, Sheridan offers the best of both worlds to students and employers: technically trained students with hands-on experience.

“There will be multiple points of access for students. Programs will be tailored towards helping students achieve a two-year diploma,

THE NON-PHYSICAL STEPS ARE WHAT WILL REALLY TRANSFORM OUR COLLEGE

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or helping to achieve a two-year degree.

Some students will want to move on to grad school, and Sheridan will aim to offer opportunities for students to carry on their education there,” says Zabudsky.

The college will educate students to their desired end - be it entering the workforce or moving on to higher education, Sheridan will be able to provide.

“We’re creating a provincial understanding of what Sheridan’s goals are - to create new legislation for a new breed of university. It’s going to happen, it’s just going to take time,” Zabudsky says.

“If you don’t have a goal, you’ll never get there,” says Zabudsky.

Zabudsky explains that Sheridan is working to change education in Ontario. In a typical university setting, about 40 per cent of faculty time is devoted to research. Sheridan University will continue to focus on educating students.

Becoming a university isn’t just a name change, it’s a process that requires a lot of work and a lot of legislation. In Sheridan’s case, it’s a leader in the way post-secondary education functions. By becoming a hybrid institution, it will create new energy and a new demand to meet the needs of the workforce. This is particularly important as many students graduating from university find themselves requiring even more education before entering the work force.

The Office for Sustainability So far Sheridan College has been expanding to serve students better. In the summer, the Office for Sustainability was formed to bring new initiatives to the school that will support and encourage sustainable actions.

Elaine Hanson, the office’s director explains, “Our mandate is to move Sheridan along its journey to becoming a more sustainable organization. Right now there’s a heavy focus on the operations side looking at waste and energy systems and new purchasing and processes for more sustainable procurement.”

This means that the Office for Sustainability’s first order of business is to

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reduce waste and find an appropriate way to recycle certain materials. However, this is only one of the office’s responsibilities.

“We view ourselves as an office or funding agency within the school. We’re not the only people that have great ideas for sustainability, there might be great ideas from other parts of the college. We help develop those projects further and establish the business side, as well as take the ideas through implementation,” says Hanson.

“We’re making the move forward. There are key things we had to do immediately.

We were a little behind on waste and energy strategies. We’ve got huge support throughout the organization to move our strategies forward,” says Hanson.

Sheridan will also see a change in campus infrastructure in the coming years.

Claire Ironside, who teaches Information Visualization to Illustration students, says that “Sheridan is working with PLANT Architects, a firm out of Toronto who is responsible for renovating the grounds at Nathan Phillips Square to develop a more sustainable campus at the college.”

“This isn’t an isolated initiative,” explains Ironside about the Office for Sustainability.

“There’s a global initiative to tackle environmental problems like global warming.”

“We are building a sustainable ethic,” says Ironside, who explains that while global warming may be inevitable, as a population, we have to learn to live within our means and to become less dependant on the things we can’t control.

“The day of sitting and waiting is gone when it comes to sustainability. We have to join forces and work together and use creative problem solving,” explains Ironside.

The truly sustainable changes come from the co-operation of many individuals from many disciplines. What could be dreamt up by artists, requires engineers to build, and then requires those with an understanding of business to market it and make it viable.

While the Office for Sustainability might be a new addition to the campus infrastructure, it will be crucial in maintaining, improving as well as adapting the college for environmental awareness in the future. t

“IF YOU DON’T HAVE A GOAL, YOU’LL NEVER GET THERE” - DR. JEFF ZABUDSKY @travismag

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We’ve come a long, long way from our huntergatherer roots as cavemen, and it looks like modern man is doing more than just playing with our food, we’re reinventing it. written by Camille Llosa illustration by Satesh Mistry

e all have fond memories of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: that wonderful, mythical place where epicurean delights and inventions awaited eagermouthed children. But who knew that in 1964, Roald Dahl was on to something, a food movement that would one day become a reality, and a loved trend of the bourgeoisie.

Remember that scene where gumchewing Violet Beauregarde pops a piece of experimental three-course meal gum in her mouth, and balloons to a giant blueberry when she gets to the blueberry pie dessert?

Welcome to the future folks.

Imagine, a delicious breakfast. Fried eggs, hash browns, bacon, brown toast with just the right amount of butter, all on one spoon, in the form of a foam, all flavours perfectly articulated and balanced.

Hope you weren’t hungry, ‘cause one spoon of foam is all you get in the world of molecular gastronomy.

Molecular gastronomy explores the relationship between scientific processes and food preparation. It employs the use of gels, foams, dried ice and deconstruction of food to change how and why food is eaten.

It got its start in the 1980s and has had progressing popularity, with restaurants such as El Bulli in Spain with a rumoured six-year waiting list, and carpeted kitchen.

Molecular gastronomy isn’t for the hungry or the poor. Each meal is a tiny sample, an artistic slice of a larger meal, and the price tag would equal a typical persons monthlong food budget.

Executive chef and owner of Jam martini bar in Oakville, Cory Cherry, sees the merits of molecular gastronomy, but sees the pitfalls too.

“It’s like being an older sports player and watching the young guys come in. I think it’s what they like, and I think it’s what excites them, but for me it’s not food,” he says.

Cherry sees the younger generation coming into the restaurant industry with heads full of dreams, and not much else.

“These young guys, they watch TV and see the glamorous side of it, but the reality is quite different. I don’t know if these guys have the basic knowledge of cooking, or even if they care about the basics. They come in and first thing, they reach for the blender or juicer, but I teach everyone how

to do everything by hand first. Technology is fallible,” he says.

How we cook is changing, but what we cook with is changing too.

Designer fruit anyone? Zaiger’s Genetics in California has been producing tailored fruits for the last four decades like the Pluot (plum apricot cross) or a Peacotum (peach, apricot, plum hybrid). These breeds are not genetically modified (GM); they are a product of cross breeding through inter-pollination.

They are even working on a flat peach, intended for easier eating for kids.

Consumer demand is what dictates in which direction foods are developed.

However, like the true nature of consumerism, our demands are sometimes conflicting. A recent report in The World of Food Science notes that consumers desire more nutritionally rich foods, but that are more convenient.

Scientists are working to change how we preserve our foods and are looking to nature to synthesize bio preservatives.

They are also looking to Nutraceuticals, transgenic plants that have amped up health benefits.

In general there has been a backlash against GM foods, however it is estimated that in the next decade nearly 50 agricultural crops will be GM. Some include: a potato richer in starch, which will absorb less fat when fried, strawberries and broccoli with higher antioxidant agents, and rape seed (the plant that canola oil is made from) with better composition.

GM foods have been hotly contested for years, but they are indicative of our 12,000year relationship with farming and food.

Of course our ancestors didn’t set out to change the genetics of plants they wanted to eat: they did so inadvertently.

Take wheat for example. The plant wheat originated from was tiny and was meant to shatter its husk and distribute its seeds (the grain we mill into flour) onto the land, thus propagating itself, just how nature intended.

The wheat we eat today is a mutant nonshattering variety that grows large and fat and doesn’t shatter its seeds, allowing for us hungry humans to harvest its goodness.

This came about through a long process of artificial selection, by us.

Regardless of what we choose to call food, ultimately we have to grow it first.

In Canada, our total farmland is about the size of France, and our population is about the same as Morocco. Albeit we do export

a vast amount of our farmed goods, there is an imbalance in our food production system.

And it’s not just here, in the Great White North, but it’s a global epidemic.

“Ultimately the current farming system is not sustainable as it is,” says Laurie Schoeman, director of New York Sun Works, a non-profit organization that promotes urban sustainability through science education.

Now, and for the past 12,000 years we farm in fields, on plots of land planted, tilled and harvested by the iconic farmer. Small farms used to be interspersed among small communities, and would feed surrounding families.

Currently farms are far removed from the general population, and a disconnect has arisen between the farmer and the consumer.

The product of the farm is trucked, flown and shipped many miles away to a shiny grocery store, where you buy it, cook it and serve it.

It’s a system that is in serious trouble.

Dr. Dickson Despommier, author of The Vertical Farm, has an apt analogy for the current system: “Try to go to a bank and see if they will accept this as a business plan: I’m going to make cars, within a ten year span I’m going to have two great years, but eight years will be disastrous, and I’ll take great losses, can I have a loan?”

Yeah right, you’d be laughed out of the bank, but this is the plight of the current farmer, particularly in the US. Ultimately we have to eat, so the government subsidizes the farmers’ losses, just to keep a failing system going.

“Eventually, farming as we know it will disappear,” says Despommier.

It’s not a matter of if we change our ways, but when.

New York Sun Works is a leader in urban agriculture education. Through their Greenhouse project they implement working urban farms in urban New York City schools, and teach children about sustainability and environmental stewardship.

The food from these farms is distributed to the school’s cafeteria, community, local

restaurants and soup kitchens. “Food is part of the process, and learning how it is distributed is part of it as well,” says Schoeman.

New York Sun Works is also responsible for The Science Barge a prototypical fully functional floating farm. It served as an illustration for building integrated systems, how building more sustainable can contribute positively to our environment.

Schoeman sees urban farms as a part of the solution for the future of food, but acknowledges that consumer demand would have to change.

“America is famous for the one-size-fits-all idea of having whatever you want whenever you want. The 24-hour-aday-consumer. In New York, if you want a pineapple in the middle of January, not only should you get it, but you also think its your god-given right to have that made available to you.”

Despommier on the other hand, thinks we can have it both ways. He has a plan of how to sustainably farm almost anything, anywhere.

Dubbed the father of vertical farming, Despommier takes the idea of urban farming to new heights.

He proposes the vertical indoor farm. A massive skyscraper if you will, of stacked greenhouses, each floor producing a different crop.

In 20 years 80 per cent of us will be living in cities, he says, why not grow our food there too?

Indoor farming avoids weather events, climate change, temperature shifts and the constant scourge of farmers, the seasons.

“You would treat your plants like patients in a high tech hospital, isolation, clean filtered air,” he says.

Indoor farming would negate the use of pesticides because you control the environment, there would be no pests.

And the best part: “the yield is better, much better than traditional farming, about five to ten times more per year,” says Despommier.

With no seasons to contend with this makes harvest a year-round process.

“The food supply of any country, I don’t care if its Canada, the US or Kenya, the government supports farming with billions of dollars, so if some of that money can filter its way to vertical farming, yeah it would be expensive to begin with, but it’s the reward you get back from it. I think it would be worth the money.”

It sounds like science fiction, but the plan Despommier is suggesting is actually already in place in countries like Japan, Korea and the Netherlands.

The Dutch firm, PlantLab is already growing food inside, with special LED lights designed to maximize photosynthesis.

It’s not a matter of if our eating habits will change, but when. The ever demanding fickle consumer is at the heart of both the solution and the problem.

It is our demand for variety and quantity that has helped to contribute to our global food crisis, but it is our choice going forward that will change it.

“People are getting more picky and expecting more,” says Cherry, “I expect that we will go back to our roots. I think people will get sick of all of this pretentiousness, and want good wholesome, simple, clean food at affordable prices.” ’t’

one spoon of foam is all you get in the world of molecular gastronomy Because of this, one indoor acre is equal to 10 outdoor acres of farmland he says.

Currently with traditional methods in the developed worked 50 per cent of all seeds planted don’t make it to your dinner plate. In less developed places the number is closer to 70 per cent.

“Indoor farming gets 90 per cent survival rate,” says Despommier.

So what would we do with all of that farmland if we moved everything inside?

“Leave it alone god damn it,” jokes Despommier.

In actuality he persists that we replant it all with hardwood forests to offset the carbon debt we have incurred and help to restore and revert climate change.

Indoor urban farming would also dramatically reduce water consumption and fossil fuel use, but Despommier conceded that the electricity consumption could be comparable to traditional farming methods.

It’s also incredibly expensive.

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FEARLESS

FRED on the future Sixty years ago society dreamed of a future filled with flying cars, weekend trips to the moon, and sassy robot butlers. Today, we are eons away from hover-cars, we’ve nixed the plans for a resort on the moon, and the closest we’ve come to a robot butler is the Roomba. What has changed the most, arguably, is how we communicate.

We had a chance to meet up with Fearless Fred Kennedy of The Edge to discuss where our media is going. And Fred served up all sorts of scatalogically-laden truth. written by Bryan Myers, photos by Stephanie Martynuik

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t : How has technology affected the mainstream?

How is radio changing?

Fred: The mainstream has always been segmented, but now there’s so much media out there that everyone has an echo box. The sci-fi guys felt marginalized, and the industry didn’t realize there was a market for them. Subgenres are now big genres. Society itself has changed.

There are countless TV shows on everything now. If you’re a sci-fi guy who just likes robots, you can literally find hours and hours of movies and television, just about robots.

This is an exciting time for media, and it’s all on one big multichannel highway. The best thing is that there’s something for everyone.

In the future, there will be a lot more automation on the radio, probably on the weekends. They tried to do it before, but people just didn’t like it. Radio is also going to be more local, it used to be all local, and slowly it got away from itself, but now it’s coming back to being about what’s local, and that’s what the people want.

How will that affect the radio host?

The hosts job is going to be even more important. There’s going to be more talk, and people with a legitimate personality will do well. When you’re in broadcast, people immediately think you’re a douche bag.

Lots of reason to crap on this era, but there are as many reasons as there’s ever been. There’s always a lot of crapping going on.

Are there negative consequences to having so much of what you want?

Politically, we start to be sectioned towards one side or another. When someone is slightly conservative, they can go to a channel that tells them that everything they think is right.

A good parent has to tell their kids what is right and wrong, and can’t always agree with their child.

The other side of the coin, forces you to think about whether you’re right or wrong. One channel will tell you you’re right, it’s terrible. It will divide us. The G20 is a perfect example of how it can be a bad thing.

One channel would say everything the protestors did was wrong, and another would say everything the police did was wrong. Neither side was 100% to blame though. No matter what side you’re on, people do dumb shit. That’s the human experience.

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There are a lot of jaded people in the industry. Howard Stern is the one who changed it. Before him, radio announcers in the 80’s lacked personality and character. When Private Parts came out, I read it right away and that’s what got me wanting to go into radio. Before I say anything, I think, ‘is it in my wheelhouse? Is this something I would talk about with my friends?’ and I try to separate it, maybe pop culture and then something local.

What sucks is when people shit on what you say. Because when they shit on what you talk about, they’re really just shitting on you.

Fifty years ago, society dreamed of taking vacations on the moon, driving flying cars, and having a sassy robot butler, what happened?

We stopped dreaming and stopped going to the moon. It used to be that you opened the news and saw the house of tomorrow, or the

car of tomorrow, or the clothes. And you never see it any more. Space exploration let us see beyond ourselves.

These things take time and effort, but celebrities acting like morons doesn’t cost anything. It’s fun to fantasize about being super rich, but space travel and things like the Archimedes Project 1 are really important.

FEARLESS FRED The New Flash

RECOMMENDS The Goon 100 Bullets Conan from Darkhorse

How does science fiction affect our perspective of the future?

The sci-fi future creates the ability to dream and create in a fantasy way, even if the science and physics aren’t right. Star Trek bends the laws of science whenever it wants, but it sucked in all sorts of scientists in the viewership because it gave them something to dream about.

Before there were all sorts of dystopian feelings about the future in science fiction like The Omega Man 2 , Logan’s Run 3 and Zardoz 4 , and then Star Wars came out and changed everything. (Ed. Note: A New Hope was actually very realistically a new hope.) Blade Runner is the benchmark for modern fiction.

When will we start to see some of the technology we’ve been dreaming up as a society?

A large scale military conflict is probably what it will take. As grim as that is. Love it or hate it, wars promote innovation. The military starts creating new inventions so our society won’t get killed and they eventually trickle down into civilian life. A lot of technology happened because of the Second World War. At the end of world war two, we were building a better tomorrow.

After a generation spent fighting a war, society wanted something to work for. The governments were different back then. Eisenhower went on TV and said the biggest threat was the US military industrial complex and the rising elite, and that racism was wrong. Barack Obama can’t even do that now. Society back then was so much more liberal.

There would never have been a civil rights movement without war. All men fighting were together on an equal plane, and the same for women, and when the war was over people saw each other more as equals.

What’s something you miss from a past era?

The biggest tragedy regarding technology is the loss of cassettes, as it’s the end of the mixtape. You used to have to put so much effort and listening to the song to get it just right. My friends and I used to drive around and listen to each others mixtapes for who had the best side A and the best side B.

How has technology improved comic books?

I think it’s fucking fantastic. Today, it’s so much easier to make comic books. Making issues available on technology like the iPad takes away from the polluting properties of the dyes and the energy spent to produce a comic book. The hardcore comic fans love having it in their hand, but it takes a long time for a trade comic book to get released that it could replace buying the issue and then the full collection later. t

1. The Archimedes Project The mission of the Archimedes Project is to develop and disseminate technologies that will have a positive impact on people regardless of their ability, needs, preferences, location and culture.

3. Logan’s Run (1976) A dystopic story about a futuristic society that balances the population and resources by ending the lives of everyone who reaches the age of 30.

2. The Omega Man (1971) From the book I Am Legend (the Will Smith film is also based upon it.)

Set in an apocalyptic Los Angeles, the film is about a race of mutants that set out to destroy technology, and a survivor who has created a vaccine for surviving in the new world.

4. Zardoz (1974) A post-apocalyptic story about class-warfare in the future. Where one class lives in stifling luxury, and the other class lives in squalor.

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makeup by Brittany Daigle styling by Theresa Evans photography by Steph Martyniuk model Bryanna @ Spot 6 Management

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top Yvonne Lin skirt Guess by Marciano

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dress Yvonne Lin

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leather jacket Guess by Marciano dress Guess by Marciano

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girls of t.o.

kendall donaldson

i want – i got

textstyles written by Sarah Munn, photography by Luis Mora

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Back in the day, fashion writing was for the bourgeoisie, a handful of fashion writers attended runway shows, and galleries were responsible for spreading the new trends to the masses. In recent years, the market has changed significantly due to the ease of mobile computing. We’ve cut out the middleman, and now more people than ever are able to attend shows, and share their opinions via the World Wide Web. Toronto is Canada’s hotbed for fashion and fashion writing. We tracked down some of Toronto’s finest fashion bloggers for a little Q & A.

Kendall Donaldson,

kendalldonaldson.ca

Age 24 Marketing Co-ordinator kendalldonaldson.ca What is your fashion knowledge base?

My grandmother was a ballroom dancer, so usually all the vintage stuff that I have is from her.

What is it about fashion that you love?

The expression.

What is the future of fashion in your mind?

I think bloggers need to pick a specific stance on how they work with brands to make it unique. I think for Canada, blogging is definitely the future. I think bloggers have the opportunity to pave the way and they really need to be smart about it. They really need to find a niche because if you just keep doing give-aways and sponsored posts, it’s gonna get old.

What is your favourite fashion era?

The 1960s and ‘70s. I’m very hippie-ish.

I’m very BoHo. What outfit are you most comfortable in?

Probably a dress. I wear a dress or skirt probably three out of the five working days.

It’s just so easy and so convenient and I just love the feminity of being in a skirt or a dress.

I never wear jeans. I hate them. I hate jeans.

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Dani Goddard, Girls of T.O. Age 25 Student (Creative Advertising) girlsofto.com What makes you who you are?

I have an amazing family. I’m the youngest of 7 children and I have 2 of the best parents in the world. I have the best support and I am truly the person I am because of my family. From a young age I was an athlete and competed in gymnastics on a high level for many years. It was not only fun, but it taught me fundamentals of dedication and fostered a competitive drive. I have always been somewhat of a creative girl growing up, always into crafts and making things ‘my own’. That is what led me into fashion. I was fascinated with the craftsmanship of fashion and the idea of design that can reflect us as individuals.

Ally Lesniak, Girls of T.O. Age 25 Blogger girlsofto.com

What are your passions?

Passion is in everything I do. It’s about challenging yourself and the reward of achieving goals while truly enjoying what you are doing. I am passionate about creativity.

That is why I study advertising. I am genuinely passionate about making women feel beautiful by expressing themselves confidently as individuals.

What is your favourite fashion era?

Oooh, do I have to pick just one? I’m the kind of girl that loves to mix things up. I’d have to say I tend to be influenced by the ‘70s. I adore sheer flowy tops draped over the body and wedges are a comfortable alternative for a comfy shoe option but I also find myself drawn towards a masculine style of dressing as well. Mixing feminine pieces with hints of ‘50s inspired masculine cuts that flatter my body type and style.

What is the future of fashion, in your mind?

Fashion is constantly evolving. We are bringing back trends from the past as well as introducing new concepts and designs. No one could possibly anticipate the trends of the future. With advances in technology, fabrics and designs are reflective of society.

As the attitudes of society changes, so will the desire for intricate but functional designs.

What outfit are you the most comfortable in?

First and foremost, I feel most comfortable in anything that I feel flatters my body frame and style. Whether that be skinny bright red jeans, paired with high heels and a blazer, or a patterned sheer top with faux leather tights paired with boots that are flattering but comfortable. I’m not a sweatpants kind of girl.

Ask anyone who knows me!

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Why do you blog?

Because I love fashion and I love writing and sharing things that I really like with other people, because I find that there’s a lot of negative things out there, and I like to stay focused on the positive a lot more.

What is it about fashion that you love?

Fashion’s always been an art form and I love how it’s forever changing but at the same time forever the same. I just think it’s really neat how it’s constantly reinventing itself. It’s amazing how it can really affect a person and it says so much about a person as well. And I like to look at pretty things too!

What outfit are you most comfortable in?

I guess I feel best in a cocktail dress and stilettos, and I actually am comfortable in that. If I were to have to wear something for the rest of my life every day, it’d probably be skinny jeans, a blazer and flats.

Stefania Yarhi, Toronto Textstyles Age 27 Freelance Writer and Photographer textstyles.ca What is it about fashion that you love?

It’s a self-expression. It’s beautiful. It’s a wearable art.

What is the future of fashion in your mind?

The thing about fashion is that it’s just always repeating itself. More technology, less technology, whatever that may be, and however we proceed with the Internet and blogs and live-streaming and all of that, it’s always the same thing. Somebody has an idea, they put it into production and then people wear it. Or they don’t.

What is your favourite fashion era?

The ‘40s. I love the tailoring, I love the lines, there’s still a sexiness to it.

What outfit are you most comfortable in?

Jeans, a silk button-up shirt, and either Oxfords or Chucks.

Anita Clarke, I want – I got iwantigot.geekigirl.com What is it about fashion that you love?

Everything about it. It’s a nice way to express yourself. It’s interesting. It’s an interesting, cultural thing.

What is the future of fashion in your mind?

I’m hoping that what’s gonna come is a resurgence of local manufacturing.

What is your favourite fashion era?

The 1920s.

What outfit are you most comfortable in?

I try not to wear anything I don’t feel comfortable in.

A RANDOM NUMBER OF WORDS ABOUT CULTURE

The Future of Art-omation written by Colin Rabyniuk, illustration by Colin Davis

We’ve entered an age where our computers know more about us than even we do. For a pessimist, this is a very Orwellian era, computers analyze everything we do and Big Brother guides us towards what it thinks we want best, but for optimists, this is a time of automating the minutiae of our lives to lead us to richer, fuller, more personal journeys.

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f

or many, the biggest upcoming milestone is the year 2012, the conclusion of the Mayan calendar and the supposed end of the world. Excuse me while I yawn. 2012 is peanuts when you think that just three very real, definitelygoing-to-happen years later is 2015, the year the future officially arrives. How do I know this? Because this is the year Marty, Doc and Jennifer time travel to in order to save the McFly family from some perilous danger I don’t really care to remember right now, in the remarkable sequel, Back to the Future II. The director goes to great lengths to sell this future world. The Delorean is flying, there is a hoverboard chase, Marty’s Nikes can even lace themselves. In 1985 this world seemed totally plausible, but now, in 2011, it is wholly impossible. If you’re still waiting for these things, I suggest not holding your breath.

Canadian author Douglas Coupland wrote an article for the Globe and Mail last year titled “A Radical Pessimist’s Guide to the Next Ten Years.” In it he gives some 40-odd tips to help you cope with the quickening advance of the future. His first tip is that things are only going to get worse. Secondly, he says things aren’t going to feel futuristic, just weird and out of control. If they didn’t, he says, something would be wrong.

In 2011, nothing feels weirder than technology, specifically the internet. You feel it when Google predicts your search, when Netflix knows what movie you want to watch next, or even on Facebook when you have the ability to lurk that cutie you met at the party last weekend from the comfort of your living room. Our online lives are becoming weirder and weirder, in large part thanks to proprietary computer systems called algorithms.

And increasingly these algorithms are quietly curating our digital lives.

Take your 1286 Facebook friends for example. If you saw every piece of information posted by those friends you would probably lose your mind, or at the very least stop using the service. To combat this information overload, Facebook uses an algorithm called EdgeRank to present you with the most significant, relevant and up to date information it thinks you want to see.

Based on what you comment on and who you lurk, Facebook decides which information is most important, then cuts out the rest. You see what Facebook thinks you want to see.

Google does the same thing with its PageRank algorithm. Using previous searches, your online documents, even your Gmail account, Google tailors your results (and your advertisements) to exactly what it thinks you want. Even if you are logged out,

Google can still filter your results. There are 57 signals the Google algorithm uses to cut out your queries; things like your location, where you’re sitting, which OS and browser you use. There is no such thing as a standard Google search anymore.

And this personalization is now spreading to Yahoo! News, the Huffington Post, the Washington Post and the New York Times.

Eric Schmidt, one of the founders of Google, recently said in the future “[i]t will be very hard for people to watch or consume something that hasn’t in some way been tailored for them.”

At first blush, this may seem rather innocuous but there are serious consequences that come with the rise of the algorithm.

In a TED Talk this Spring, Eli Pariser discussed some of the negative impacts these algorithmic curators will have on our society. As these filters become more ubiquitous, the end-user will become trapped inside what he calls a filter bubble, sheltered environments you cannot see beyond. You will have no idea what’s on the outside. This will have a profound effect on our freedom and democracy he says. “You can’t have a functioning democracy if citizens don’t get a good flow of information.”

It goes deeper than that too. Algorithms are now beginning to show up offline as well.

Over 70 percent of the US stock market is traded via algorithms. Financial firms use these so-called algo traders to hide their massive positions, long or short. Those same algorithms can be used to discover these hidden positions as well, creating this electronic tug-of-war on Wall Street.

The best example of this digital struggle came on May 6, 2010, when the Dow Jones Index, the main American equity index, plunged 1000 points in about five minutes.

That’s about 9 percent of the entire market gone. It’s called the Flash Crash of 2:45. No one can explain where that money went, or why it came back almost instantly. No human being ordered those sell and buy orders. They were the result of this strange, algorithmic screw up.

Algorithms are now even starting to creep into the entertainment industry. Blockbuster movies are risky business, and just one less flop a year means big things for the bottom line. A British company called Epagogix has put together an algorithm to predict the box office haul for any given movie. It breaks the down the script into dozens of small, weighted factors, analyzing them against each other, and against how previous movies have done. This is all very scientific and involves something called a neural network – a means

for a computer program to learn through repetition – but the algorithm can predict how a prospective movie will perform to within a few million dollars. Epagogix is tight lipped about which companies access their services, but rest assured, they are being used.

What Epagogix does for movies, a small New York based company called Platinum Blue is doing for music. Their algorithm has mathematically mapped thousands upon thousands of songs. In doing this they’ve found that every Billboard Top 40 song falls within 60 small and distinct areas on that map. The algorithm is accurate about 80 per cent of the time. Why wouldn’t major record labels utilize this new tool? God knows they bitch enough about lost profits.

For millenia, culture has been subjective and undefined. Philosophers have consistently agreed that what constitutes the sublime and beautiful to be utterly unknowable. But we now live in an age where art can be reduced to a series of objective

You feel it when Google predicts your search or when Netflix knows what movie you want to watch next and quantifiable metrics. Increasingly these cultural institutions – the movie studios and record labels – are turning to these algorithms as a means to hedge their risk and make more money. What happens though when these processes fuck up, like in the Flash Crash of 2:45? What does that mean if you’re in a creative field here at Sheridan? Shouldn’t you be taking computer science rather than photography? Do we have a right to know what’s coming from a computer or from a human? At this point, does it even matter?

No, the future isn’t a flying car or a hoverboard that doesn’t even work on water. It’s an algorithm that knows more about you than your family, that controls 70 percent of your parents’ retirement fund, that can predict what you’re going to think next. And these algorithms are already here. We interact with them on a daily basis and don’t even realize it. Welcome to tomorrow. t

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

DRAKE written by Jakki Tyson, photo courtesy of Matt Barnes

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He may be “overdosed on confidence”, but with the amount of success he’s had in a few brief years, he has every right to be. The “man of the year”, and for many years to come, is the one and only, Drake.

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ight now, it’s impossible to turn on the radio and not hear his voice. In a few short years he’s managed to rack up over 25 awards and over 80 nominations, including 2 Junos, and an Emmy nom.

His success is the result of his natural abilities and rock-solid connections in the music industry. Mentored by Lil Wayne in 2008, Drake’s spent time in the company of Kanye, Eminem, Jay-Z, and Dr. Dre. A weighty roster for a kid out of the rich Toronto neighborhood of Forest Hill whose original claim to fame was the wheelchair bound Jimmy on Degrassi: The Next Generation.

By 2009, Drake’s single “Best I Ever Had” made it’s way from the underground to the radio and the hype surrounding him was incredible, though at this time he was still unsigned.

The thing about hype is that most artists don’t live up to it, but Drake’s continued to impress critics and fans. By the time he signed to Lil Wayne’s Young Money Entertainment label and released his EP So Far Gone in 2009, he was dominating the hip-hop world and was the most sought out rapper in the game. His long awaited debut album Thank Me Later was released in 2010 and has since gone platinum.

Sure, some of his songs have that cocky

For Drake, it’s about making thoughtful rhymes that people can actually sit and listen to. He has always cared about making quality music and that’s what makes him so exceptional. As well as his devotion to making good music, early in his career, Drake followed Weezy’s example and blasted the market with countless singles and mixes.

His new album Take Care was set for release on October 24th but he then later announced that it would be pushed to November 15th. He stated that he had hit a roadblock on clearing 3 samples and his option was to take the songs off, or push the date back. He decided on the latter of the

The thing about hype is that most artists don’t live up to it So Drake didn’t have the crime and drugridden past many of his colleagues have had, he’s managed to overcome a different type of adversity. And the only thing he has in common with 50 Cent is that they’ve both been shot… well, Drizzy’s only been shot in that one episode of Degrassi. While none of this screams “street cred” re-branding yourself from a high-schooler to a rap sensation is pretty impressive.

It works for Drake though. He has never been ashamed of his past, and has never hid it from fans. Drake is proud of who he is, where he’s from and represents both with confidence.

He has received praise by critics for not rapping about crime and violence, something that he’s not familiar with. Instead, Drake sticks to things that he knows, like love and fame.

edge, like his singles “Over” and “Headlines” but he’s such a big deal that they’re allowed to. His lyrics still remain authentic because in the end they are still based on his life.

The difference between Drake and most hip-hop artists these days is that he doesn’t make a song hoping it’ll be number one. His songs are emotional and honest, and quite frankly, are just so good that they reach that status on their own. A great example is, “Marvin’s Room”, a song about drunkdialing an ex-girlfriend. The lyrics come off as honest and natural to Drake’s persona. It’s an apologetic song that contrasts well against his usual boastful nature about fame and money.

two so the album would be made the way he wanted fans to hear it and would better enhance the experience.

That’s pretty damn cool of him. The album has been so highly anticipated that he would have made the same amount of money without the extra work. Drake could have easily picked the earlier date and then just rolled around in his cash. Yet, “October’s Very Own” decided to push the date and put some extra work into it.

An artist who cares about making good music is what our generation needed, and that person has arrived. It’s safe to say that Drake isn’t going anywhere soon, and for the hip-hop world, that’s a good thing. ’t ’

Want a free copy of this?

Tweet the name of the 1st place mo’ team from your campus to win the Drake Take Care CD. Use the hashtag #travismagswag FTW!

@travismag

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TRAVIS CHALLENGE

written by Chris D’Alessandro, photos by Drew Grav-Graham

30 DAYS WITHOUT CAFFEINE

This may sound easy to some, but a little bit of background information is required before understanding what I’m about to undertake here. My average day starts with a triple-triple, once a break between classes I usually grab a small Red Bull, maybe a few Cokes at lunch then a Rockstar in the afternoon and another double-double before bed. I decided that maybe, while starting the new school year, I’d try doing it without the aid of caffeine.

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OUCH.

It’s day one. I hate myself and I want to die.

Clarification: Okay. That was a little extreme. I’m better now. Well, sort of. Perhaps some explanation is needed. For non-coffee-drinkers this probably doesn’t seem like much of a challenge at all. But if you’re like me, and live off of coffee and energy drinks, then you are able to grasp the sheer terror that is the next month.

So why put myself through such pain?

Why suffer so seemingly without need?

Well, I am addicted to caffeine. Over the past three years or so I’ve found it harder and harder to function without it. And I know I’m not alone out there. So besides the desire to flush my system and perhaps get back to a more natural way of feeling energized. I also want to prove that it can be done.

I want to prove that as a student, I can function perfectly fine without the use of caffeine. I’m not taking the easy way out either.

Believe me, I have a very busy, very full schedule.

Multiple 8am classes and a part time job factor into the mix.

I’m not just avoiding coffee and energy drinks though. Anything that lists caffeine as an ingredient is no longer welcome in my body. This includes many much enjoyed soft drinks and chocolate. As of right now, I haven’t found any solid alternatives.

Water has been my biggest friend. Already it’s been helping headaches and mid-day drowsiness. Night time crashes are pretty severe as well. Over the past few days, I’m just floored by 10:00pm.

Slip up: I completely caved yesterday and had an espresso. This past week has been incredibly tough. I’ve just had so many individual things stressing me out. No caffeine being a big one but I’ve also been dealing with car issues and of course the pressures of starting a new program.

While at the mechanic, I was handed a free espresso.

I thought about not taking for maybe a second. I’m not proud, but it was pretty enjoyable. It was good, though temporary stress relief.

Zeitgeist: I am feeling a lot better. The first week was a living hell, especially in the zeitgeist. I knew I would be tired, but there were a few things that I was not prepared for. According to caffienewithdrawalsymptoms.org (yes, that’s a website) some other horrible things that might happen to you when giving up a certain delicious beverage may include headaches, depression and anxiety. The site also says “symptoms generally start to diminish after 2 to 9 days”.

I had all those things, and it lasted

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about seven days. I was constantly shaky and nervous about everything. If it weren’t for the crushing fatigue, I wouldn’t have been able to sleep. The depression was pretty intense as well. There was a lingering feeling of loneliness that wasn’t just from being apart from my good friend, Mr. Red Bull. I’m not ashamed to say that I lost a good portion of my sex drive, either.

I haven’t read anywhere that caffeine withdrawal stunts your mojo, but what can I say? The ladies just weren’t looking as good. Maybe it was just the depression, or anxiety, or fatigue…most likely a combination of three of them.

The good news is I’m feeling a lot better.

I’m awake, calm, and happy and my girlfriend and I are still dating.

While I’ve been using some good caffeine alternatives like Vitamin Water and green tea, the hardest part has been avoiding the not so obvious stuff. Coke Zero for example, has a little caffeine in it. I’ve slipped up on that one a few times (completely forgetting). I also may have had a chocolate chip cookie or two. I’m trying my best to

as when I was dependent on caffeine.

So how is this all affecting class time?

Well since I don’t really feel the need to procure a certain bean-based beverage, I’m not dying for a break when I get there, nor am I late for that matter.

I feel like I’m really able to concentrate and focus. I find myself less and less straying off of SLATE and onto Facebook.

So, really, I’m doing just fine. I can say with confidence that it is possible to function as a student without the use of caffeine.

One draw back though; I went up to check out the new Coffee Loft above the pub. Man do I want to have a coffee here. It really was a bad idea, like bringing a recovering alcoholic to a bar.

This time around a smoothie sufficed just fine. But I think I can predict some very serious fresh pots consumption going on in this place.

Back to the Grind: This has been a big accomplishment for me. Really. I do know

The answer is 'Holy Sweet Mother of Monster' YES! avoid even the little things, but common, it’s like I’ll be up until 4am because I had a cookie.

End of the tunnel: I sort of screwed up the other day and had, like, an entire thing of mini eggs. They’re delicious and I couldn’t help it. That really has been the most difficult thing. Avoiding all those things that we don’t realize contain caffeine. For me it’s been chocolate and soft drinks. Throughout the month I’ve been trying to remedy the soft drink problem primarily with the ‘diet’ and ‘zero’ alternatives.

Be wary however of Coke Zero. It does list caffeine as one of its poisons.

Now, it’s not like these are big deals. I don’t think anyone would really consider a few mini eggs, or a can of Coke Zero as a sufficient pick-me-up. That being said, in the interest of journalistic integrity (oh, you had better believe I have it), I feel it’s best to fess up.

Small mishaps aside, I’m feeling great.

I’m on a really good sleep schedule, and even early wake-ups are not nearly as painful

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some people who just don’t drink coffee.

They really didn’t understand why this was a big deal, why I was doing it and why I was apparently suffering so much.

The biggest question I’ve gotten from most people is ‘are you going to go back to caffeine?’ The answer is Holy Sweet Mother of Monster yes.

Not that I’m going to go crazy. I have learned a few things, mainly how to use my drug of choice responsibly.

It’s just not a good idea to use caffeine to wake up. You become reliant on it and you’ll start to find you can’t wake up without it. Wait until you’re firmly awake before enjoying that first fresh pot. Inversely don’t drink it too soon before trying to sleep, you’ll find you start to become nocturnal. I speak from experience.

Like any other beverage with drugs in it, it is to be enjoyed responsibly. There’s nothing wrong with a good cup of coffee or an energy drink pick me up. But if you think you might start trading favors for a four pack of Red Bull, it’s time to scale it back. t

H EALTH & NUTRITION

BEATING THE W I NTER B LU ES written by Julia Langlois

W he n you’r e k nee - deep in sno w, we a r ing t w o pa irs of w ool sock s a nd your fa ce is suffe r ing f rom mil d f ros t bi t e a nd e v e n t he t hough t s of summe r a r e n’ t wa r ming you up. A sk yourself t his .

Is winter kicking your ass? Aside from being frozen 90 per cent of the time, do you find yourself extra moody or feeling sad? This feeling of depression can be caused by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), or more commonly referred to as the “winter blues”.

Researchers believe this is due to the individual not receiving enough light during these seasons, which in turn has an effect on our circadian rhythms, a psychological rhythm that people experience throughout the course of a 24-hour day.

People with SAD may experience excessive fatigue, over-eating, poor sleep, lack of motivation, or irritability. They may also experience depression, anxiety, and feelings of hopelessness.

Do these sounds familiar? If you’re finding it hard to see the end of this winter solstice, give this a go and you might be pleasantly surprised.

Try and get as much sun as you can on clearer days. Winter days are colder, darker and shorter, which leaves most people hiding inside like a hermit. Experts say that natural sunlight provides our body with Vitamin D and can improve our moods. Try sitting near windows whenever inside, especially in classrooms. This gives your body the chance to absorb some of this natural light.

Keep that social life of yours active. When you’re feeling a case of the SAD’s sneak up on you, call your friends or family. Pre-plan get

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togethers and nights out. Schedule your time so that when you’re out enjoying good company you’re not slacking on your schoolwork.

Stay active and keep your body healthy. You already know that being active causes the serotonin levels in your body to increase, which in turn causes your stress level to decrease. This means, by doing aerobic activities (things that get your heart beating) you’ll release endorphins that make you happy. That student card of yours doubles as a gym membership. The Sheridan Athletic Centre provides free fitness classes and a full gym that is accessible to students and staff. When it comes to food, eat complex carbohydrates like whole wheat breads, brown rice, veggies and ruit. These foods pack your body with nutrients and stabilize your blood sugar and energy levels.

Stay relaxed. Although it’s easier said than done, allow time in your day just for you. Yes, you. This is a great time to do all those things you’ve always wanted to do but never had the time. Try to practice positive thinking. A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health and a successful outcome of every situation and action.

If you feel any signs of SAD, depression, or any other mental health concern visit the campus health centre immediately or your family doctor. You can also contact the student advisement centre at askanadvisor@sheridanc.on.ca t’’

FUTURISTIC FAD WORKOUTS

written by Jenn McBride

HAWAII CHAIR Have you ever found yourself torn between sitting down and hoola-hooping? No, me either. But someone saw dollar signs in combining the two and created the Hawaii Chair – a chair that claimed to “take the work out of your workday” by rotating your abs in circles while you sit. (If sitting is the most strenuous activity the 9-5 grind throws at you – don’t quit…ever). And the downside? You can’t write, drink, talk or stay upright while sitting in it. No big deal.

TAE-BO Personally, dedication to finish an at-home workout video is in short supply – but there’s something about Billy Blanks that turns me into a kickboxing maniac as soon as I press play. He just looks like an exercising success story. And as I throw pitiful punches and do mediocre squats in my living room, I get the feeling that tomorrow, I’m going to see results. Why? Because Billy says I will. Plus, he’s covered in sweat form the very beginning so it’s gotta work.

BUNS OF STEEL Buns of Steel was invented by a guy who did the unthinkable and actually exercised. Promising a total “bun rebirth,” this aerobics-at-home video was a huge hit in the ‘80s and had every housewife with a fringe high-kicking in a spandex onesie. If you’re not into the $100 gym membership, then this is still the way to go. It’s fun, great for the ass, and a skin-tight leotard just looks better in front of your TV than it does in the cardio room.

SAUNA PANTS Recognizing the importability of a cedar-lined sauna, some genius went and developed the Sauna Pants. Then they went and made them vibrate. In just 50 minutes a day, you can melt the fat away from your nether regions while you sweat it out to every day tasks. In my unprofessional opinion, for maximum results, I recommend you wear the Sauna Pants while sitting in the Hawaii Chair. You can’t compete with that kind of efficiency.

VIBRATING BELT MACHINES Back in the day, people thought that you could shake the fat off the hips like you would salt onto fries. So when a machine unofficially called the “fat shaker-offer” was invented, it was the pinnacle of exercise innovation. A belt wrapped around the hips vibrated at top speeds, while the exerciser stood there doing nothing but assumedly praying for their 15 minutes to be up. I’m not sure if it actually works, but it looks self-deprecating enough that I would try it.

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RANDOM AWESOME

Travis Magazine is now officially available for iPad! We are so stoked to be able to announce this. The Travis team put a lot of hard work and dedication into the app so please let us know what you think. The Travis app is available through iTunes for FREE! The future is now Sheridan, the future is now...

The above statement is entirely false and it’s what we will be saying when we do release a Travis Magazine app.

Like any banker says, you have to plan for the future and that’s exactly what we’re doing. So prepare for the future, the Travis Magazine app will be out some time, you know, in the future.

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