the

T h e Un ive r s i t y o f Gu e l ph s I n d ep en d en t Stu d en t New sp ap er

169.9 t h ur s day, nov e m b e r 1 s t, 2 0 1 2 w w w.the onta rion .com

features GM alfalfa debate yields controversy

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WInD POWER soHo GHETTO X-countrY CHAMPS

Canadian farmers skeptical of coexistence of GM alfalfa and organic alfalfa

stacey aspinall
A seemingly innocuous seed is garnering national attention: Alfalfa is at the centre of a debate about the implementation of genetically modified crops. Roundup Ready alfalfa is an herbicide-tolerant, genetically modified crop, developed by the Monsanto Corporation. Alfalfa is widely distributed and often used as a high-protein feed for pigs, poultry, dairy cows, beef cattle and lambs. It is also used to increase nutrients in soil, making it important for organic farming, but many fear that RR alfalfa seeds could interfere with organic farming practices due to potential cross-pollination. A rally against genetically modified alfalfa was held in Kitchener on Oct. 24 outside the Delta Hotel Kitchener-Waterloo, which was the site of an industry meeting on GM alfalfa. The National Farmers Union protested the potential introduction of GM Roundup Ready alfalfa into eastern Canada, claiming that the move would jeopardize the entire organic farming industry, they told Global News. While protesters voiced their

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vanessa tiGnanelli

Protests against GM alfalfa took place in both Guelph and Kitchener in recent weeks.
concerns, members of the Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA) held an industry workshop to discuss GM alfalfa. The CSTA are aiming to develop a plan that will allow the co-existence of both GM alfalfa and organic alfalfa. But critics argue that the GM and organic alfalfa crops cannot possibly co-exist; once the GM alfalfa is released, it will inevitably lead to contamination of the entire seed supply, Ted Zettel of the Organic Federation of Canada told Global News. According to a press release circulated by The National Farmers Union on Oct. 24, RR Alfalfa seed could appear in unintended places through cross pollination of seed fields, physical contamination of seed supplies, or as a hard seed that could germinate after several years. The CSTAs claim that it can prevent GM alfalfa from contaminating non-GM alfalfa crops is utterly absurd, Phil Woodhouse, president of NFU Grey County Local 344, is quoted as saying. So what is at stake here? The Monsanto website outlines the benefits of using GM Roundup Ready crops: maximum profit opportunity, time efficiency with reduced tillage, and the convenience of weed control (RR alfalfa has a built-in tolerance to Roundup agricultural herbicide which allows it to be sprayed directly). However, implementing the use of Roundup Ready alfalfa could lead to loss of profits for farmers who rely on exporting organic alfalfa, and the environmental impact is difficult to accurately predict and regulate, Rene Van ...se e a lfa lfa pag e 4

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Globe and Mail survey ranks U of G highly
nick revington

169.9 November 1st, 2012

Guelph among canadas top universities

Global to Local:
U of G students and staff on international and national news

Recently, The Globe and Mail published its annual rankings of Canadian universities. Based on a survey of about 31,000 undergraduate students, the ranking placed the University of Guelph among the top medium-sized schools in the country, based on a wide number of criteria. Guelph ranked particularly high for campus atmosphere, and a sense of personal safety and security, scoring A+ grades. Im only a first year [student], but so far I really like it. Its really calm, vanessa tiGnanelli peaceful, said Nicole Brucculeri. The university was also top in the The U of G received top marks for its on-campus eateries and overall student experience. medium-sized group for various I think its a fair ranking, for sure, Shepherd added that while it may be a couch, said student Mike Bijman, reasons, including having the most satisfied students, an adequate work- said first-year student Imran Bagha. difficult to find a variety of gluten free but just sitting down when you have play balance, research opportunities, They have a really wide variety, they foods on campus, the situation seems work to do for an extended time you environmental commitment, class have a lot of options, and they cater to be improving. need a library cubicle, and sometimes size, career preparation, and academ- to a lot of different peoples tastes Their [gluten-free] bread I always its just not there. ic counseling. It also scored highly for and needs. They have vegetarian op- found was awful, but I think they are The library added study space, the quality of teaching and learning, tions, vegan options, they have kosher, making that better, said Shepherd. primarily on the first floor, over the and instructors teaching styles. Halal. Shepherd also noted that the Bullring summer to address these concerns. The profs are really good. Im always But while there may be options has a number of gluten-free items on It fills up by 11am during midterms, The Ontarion: Have you heard interested in the lectures that Im in, for those with special dietary needs, the menu. said Kayla Stolinski. I feel like any about the sex scandal at the BBC? said Brucculeri. I would kind of un- some feel there could be room for imDespite the positives, two catego- changes they did make didnt help Krystal aubin, student: Well, I live in the International House, so we derstand that [Guelph is] one of the provement in terms of offering a wider ries in particular blemished Guelphs much. higher ones. variety of choices to meet these needs. report card. The university received Stolinski added that alternative have people who post internationGuelph has also upheld a dynastic They are good with having options, a C for quality of public transportation study spaces like the Science Com- al news stories about it, and I have record in terms of on-campus food. mostly, except usually when I go to the a situation over which the school has plex atrium also fill up quickly. Bijman heard about it, but its happened [before]. Its terrible. This year marked the ninth consec- UC, theres only one option at Moms little control as well as a C for the often resorts to studying at home. utive time the university has been Kitchen and one option at the veg- availability of library study spaces. You dont get any work done at Imran Bagha, student: I have not, ranked number one for its food, meal etarian place, said student Wendy If you just need [to get] reading done, home, said Bijman. Thats the no. plans, and healthy options. The Ontarion: Why or why not is Shepherd, who has a gluten sensitivity. you can just go to the Bullring and find problem. it worthwhile for you to pay attention to this issue in the news, or any news topic involving sex scandals? Ka: I think its important for everyone [to pay attention to], Queer Identities Week than just the identity of being queer, identity difficulties faced during this this, but that the event aimed to look especially when it does come to closer at the idea that people can be females because it [happens] and explored the breadth of but theres also so many sub-identities time. within the queer culture, so we wanted I think it was just a really honest and masculine and take responsibility for people should be aware of it. queer culture to bring that out. a heartwarming event in a lot of ways the privilege that they have. IB: I think theres more imporAn event on Oct. 27 called Say My that acknowledged the real-life diffiLooking at ways we can respect tant things that should be brought alicja grzadkowska Name: Stories of Transition was held culties of the mainstream LGBT[IQQ2] each other, and [building] a commu- forward. at The Square in downtown Guelph, magazines and how theyve interpreted nity based on care and friendship were The Ontarion: What feelings do you From Oct. 22-26, Queer Identities Week and featured two speakers, Kit Wilson- people, said Shabina Lafleur-Gangji, other important aspects of the event. have towards news stories that feaThe week is an annual event put on ture celebrities, politicians, or other took place at the University of Guelph. Yang and Elisha Lim, who spoke about the events coordinator for GRCGED. This year, the week was spearhead- their experiences with transitioning GRCGED was also involved in by clubs on campus, and acts as an im- prominent figures at the centre of ed by the Student Help and Advocacy between gender identities and being planning two other events: Feminist portant focalizer on queer issues, which sexual crimes? Centre (SHAC), and included a variety of mixed race. Lim has specifically been Masculinity with Sunny Drake on Oct. might not be discussed at other times Ka: I feel like when it comes to ceof events that brought awareness to involved with the cultural movement 25 and Allyship is a Process with Kim of the year. lebritiesnews people always try to towards the use of the gender-neutral Cosby. queer identities. Unless you go to the big cities, theres make them look worse anyways, so The Guelph Resource Centre for pronoun they. There was a lot of discussion in meet- not really anything thats queer year- theres a more of a negative [spin] Gender Empowerment and DiversiLims involvement with a peti- ings about allyship and about straight round, said Lafleur-Gangji. In terms on it already. ty (GRCGED), Guelph Queer Equality , tion asking Xtra!, Canadas biggest people being allies to queers but, also of having spaces where queers can IB: I suppose that [I feel] mild OUTline, the Multi Faith Resource Cen- gay magazine source, to use the pro- how to create allyship amongst each come meet each other, and have a space amusement. Its something thats tre and the Central Student Association noun they resulted in controversy. other, said Lafleur-Gangji. Obviously, to discuss issues that affect them, and not really shocking or anything. Its were also involved in this years week. However, other magazines, like This we dont come with the same experi- for their friends to come learn about it, not something that I pay a lot of Sessions that happened through- Magazines, proposed a review of Ca- ences, so that was definitely something we dont really have that. attention to or that Im really conThe week was considered a success cerned about, to be honest. out the week incorporated religion nadian media pronoun practices based that we wanted to explore. and queerness, two-spiritedness, and on Elishas story in its May issue, acThe decision to organize an event by both SHAC and GRCGED. We found that some students from Thanks to the participants for this kink in queer culture, as well as many cording to GRCGED. about feminine masculinity arose out Brock University as well as the Univer- weeks interview. If you have an other topics. During the course of the evening, of an interest among the group to meet We also had sessions on queer people Lim read stories from a calendar that with Drake and take part in Drakes sity of Waterloo attended some of our international news story that you living with a disability, said Matthew they had created, which touched on workshop on the topic. events, said Brown, so that shows want to see here, or if you want to I feel like often times, masculinity is how Guelph takes pride in their Queer be added to a mailing list of potenBrown, the human rights educator and peoples experiences with queer identievents coordinator for SHAC. The ties, including Lims own. Wilson-Yang notsomething that a lot of feminist Identities Week that we were able to tial interviewees, contact News main focus of this week was to educate read stories and poems, and performed circles embrace, said Lafleur-Gangji, attract students from other universi- Editor Alicja Grzadkowska at onthe general student population on more songs based on transitioning and the adding that there are valid reasons for ties to come out and enjoy our events. news@uoguelph.ca.

As a respected news program, the BBC has recently experienced the shock of being involved in a sex scandal involving one of its hosts, Jimmy Savile, who passed away last year. Approximately 300 people have come forward so far, claiming that Savile and other individuals sexually abused them. An investigation into Savile was cancelled last December by the Newsnight program on BBC, which has sparked questions about what was discovered during this time, and why it was never made public. The abuse apparently took place in Saviles dressing room, on BBC premises, and in hospitals and schools that he had visited. According to The Globe and Mail, Savile was known for his inappropriate behaviour towards underage girls, and though investigations into these relationships were started, most were dropped because of lack of evidence.

Drawing attention to gender identities

4 w w w.th e on ta r ion . c om The buzz on wind power

Sherri Lange, a researcher on wind power and an activist for the North American Platform Against Wind Power, has identified the risks of turbines on human and animal health. alicja grzadkowska Wind turbines are not green, said Lange. Many people who have Despite the apparent successes done their research believe that of wind energy in Ontario, con- theyre the brownest [source]. cerned activists are exposing the Wild habits are experiencing irevils of wind farms in the province, reparable damage from turbines, which differ significantly to claims according to Lange. made by wind energy organizations [In Europe], turbines are causand companies, and the provincial ing disorders, they are causing cardiac problemsand strokes, government. said Lange. Its very disconcertWind power needs to go ing to people who are experiencing ill health and have been displaced The effects of wind energy on the from their homes, because of loweconomy are excessive, and the en- frequency vibrations. Lange says ergy source is not cost-effective. that emerging research studies Glenn Fox, an agricultural and prove the validity of these health natural resource economist at the issues. University of Guelph, completed a report on the economic impact of wind power in 2011, and found Wind is a great option troubling results. Electricity bills, expected to rise Many people are supportive of wind 46 per cent by 2015 will actually in- turbines as a green energy source. crease by 65 per cent, and 141 per Kevin Surette, the manager of cent by 2030 due to wind power. communications for wpd, says that The excess of wind energy in the company is aware of opposition Ontario means its shipped to the to their development projects inStates at the cost of the provincial volving turbines. But, we do know that there are government. Sometimes Ontario has paid the nuclear plants to supporters within the communiliterally blow off steam, said Fox. ties as well, said Surette. At the same time we divert water In the developing process, community members and the general away from our hydroelectric facilities. Basically, were using wind public also have the opportunity to to displace the greenest source of voice their concerns or ask queselectricity, which is hydroelectric. tions, which are then evaluated by the Ministry of the Environment to Look at the negative effects of wind decide whether the project moves forward, says Surette. power in europe. In places that have gone down Furthermore, the developer is this track in Europe, [wind power] responding to encouragement for has created much hardship, said green energy solutions. [The International Panel on CliFox. Escalating prices particularly affected low-income households. mate Change] has pointed to the Rising electricity bills and taxes fact that wind energy is consishave killed jobs in Spain, Denmark tent in reducing greenhouse gases, and Germany in the non-wind tur- so they point to renewables as a bine industry because they become good way to reduce the overall efless profitable, says Fox. fect on the environments, said The wind energy situation in Ger- Surette. Our participating landmany has turned disastrous because owners are looking to minimize the the source is unreliable, and has effect of their activities for future been recently called the wind generations. power chaos. Health issues have not been linked the health of the environment to wind turbines in multiple studies. and people is endangered by wind There are a number of studies turbines. worldwide that have looked at the .. . al f al f a con t i n ue d Acker, professor in the U of Gs Department of Plant Agriculture and associate dean (external relations of OAC), said. The key is that if RR alfalfa is commercialized and grown widely in Canada, it will be more difficult for organic farmers and others who need to meet market requirements which demand the absolute

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Debates concerning the energy source present contrasting perspectives

saMantha Dewaele

The large presence of wind turbines in Ontario has sparked debates about their effects.
possibility of whether that those health effects are linked to the turbines themselves, said Surette. Those responsible for health worldwide have concluded that there is no evidence that suggests that wind turbines would cause health effects. In response to accusations that wind power is linked to poor health, the Canadian Wind Energy Association has responded with statements claiming that these are unscientific and that Dr Geoff Leventhall, a consultant in Noise Vibration and Acoustics and author of the Defra Report on Low Frequency Noise and its Effects 16, has said, I can state quite categorically that there is no significant infrasound from current designs of wind turbines. To say that there is an infrasound problem is one of the hares which objectors to wind farms like to run. There will not be any effects from infrasound from the turbines. ontario is thriving as a result of energy produced by wind. Moreover, these turbines are reliable. A 2011 progress report released by the government of Ontario stated that, Ontario is Canadas leader in wind power, going from 10 turbines in 2003 to over 900 spinning today. Our turbines have the capacity to produce enough energy for the average electricity needs of more than 350,000 homes. According to the Canadian Wind Energy Association, The wind turbines that you see today are the result of decades of research and developmentThe science of wind turbine placement has advanced a great deal, too nowadays, the output of a wind farm can be predicted accurately well before a shovel hits the ground.

absence of GM to meet these re- agriculture minister told Globquirements. Because RR alfalfa is al News. deregulated in Canadathere is But anxieties abound regardno requirement for it to be con- ing how this may affect Canadian tained when grown. farmers. The final decision lies with the Make no mistake - GM alfalfa federal government to decide will cross pollinate with nonwhether the implementation GM and organic alfalfa and will of the RR alfalfa will serve the threaten the very livelihoods of best interests of Canada, based Ontarios family farmers, said on scientific investments, the Woodhouse.

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169.9 November 1st, 2012

Lincoln alexander: an inspiration

Memorial on Oct. 29 demonstrated his courage, and embracement of diversity

funny man who was truly remarkable [and] whos touched the lives of many. He explained that Lincoln had the gift of making everyone he talked to feel extremely comfortable and the center of his complete attention something that hes made sure to spread to lindsay pinter every graduate that has had the fortune of speaking with him. A veteran of the Royal Canadian Being one of only five black lawAir Force, Canadas first black MP yers in Ontario at the time of his in Parliament, Lieutenant Gover- graduation from Osgoode Hall Law nor of Ontario, has held the first School in Toronto, Alexander was black chair of the Workers Com- courageous in the face of diversipensation Act, was the University ty and racism, and this was a trait of Guelphs longest serving Chan- that touched everyone who knew cellor, and the list goes on. him closely. Lincoln Alexanders record of Lincoln inspired people to accomplishments is extensive and dream, explained Summerlee impressive, but not so impressive during the memorial. He was a as the character of the man himself, trailblazer, and will continue to and the number of people that he inspire generations of students. RichaRD Bain touched during his lifetime. This, The mood grew solemn as U of above all, was the topic of Lincoln Gs Chamber singers and Wom- in the memorial, several speakers commemorated alexanders tremendous presence. Alexanders memorial held at the ens Chamber Choir performed a University of Guelphs War Memo- beautiful rendition of one of Al- should aspire to have the same Alexander had noted, It all be- everyone that hes encountered rial Hall on Oct. 29. exanders favourite songs, How dignity and generosity as Lincoln gins with respect, respect is has touched the lives of many. The night started with U of G Great Thou Art by Stuart K. Hine. Alexander. everything. Lincoln Alexander will be president Alastair Summerlee Guelph mayor Karen Farbridge During the ceremony, an exThe respect for Alexander that missed, but his legacy will carry speaking about his own experi- spoke at the memorial as well, cerpt from Alexanders book Go was shown at the memorial was on through the work that he has ences and memories of Alexander, pointing out that as a final lega- to School, Youre a Little Black both moving and incredible, and done, and in the generations of explaining him to be a blunt and cy to Alexander, the community Boy was read, and in the excerpt, the respect that he has shown for students that he has inspired.

What comes after the MDGs?

Waterloos Centre for International Governance Innovation offers a post-2015 development strategy
michael long
It has been nearly 15 years since the United Nations Millennium Declaration privileged a new paradigm in the international development field. By shifting the worlds attention to human development indicators such as maternal health and universal education, the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) eschewed popular economic modernization schemes and, in a very real sense, redefined what development means. All 193 members of the United Nations pledged to support these goals and meet its 21 development targets. But by 2015, the world will have reached the deadline for those targets. While there have been some notable successes for example, reducing worldwide hunger the majority of these goals will remain unmet. Thus as the deadline looms closer, discussion has turned toward what to do after the 2015 deadline. Adding its voice to the discussion, the Waterloo-based Centre for International Governance Innovation increasing inequality amid declining poverty. Lastly, and perhaps most controversially, the report notes that, Each country, based on its own context and patterns, should set its own targets. In effect, the 11 Bellagio Goals should act as a framework for countries to use in setting their own unique targets. CIGI argues that this will ensure, country ownership and development effectiveness. This is a significant departure from the existing MDG format, which outlines clear, global targets for example, MDG target 1C simply says, Halve the proportion of people who suffer from hunger. As targets are deemphasized in the report, CIGI has focused the bulk of its attention on indicators that is, statistics which allow for performance evaluation. This is done under the pretext that, what gets measured gets done: a popular, if provocative, management technique. CIGI argues that a goal will not be effective if it cannot be measured. The report states, Without solid information, we cannot measure where we are, nor can we prescribe what needs to be done. In short, the CIGI believes that, measurement affects behaviour. The group is no doubt hoping that the United Nations agrees with this perspective.

vanessa tiGnanelli

(CIGI), in partnership with the Ko- will find their way into the final focusing exclusively on developrean Development Institute, has result. ing countries. CIGI calls its plan a issued a report on post-2015 MDGs. CIGI argues that, given what has one-world approach. Based on its review of the exist- been learned in the past 15 years, Secondly, given that the maing MDGs, CIGI has proposed 11 an even more holistic approach jority of the worlds poor now new development goals which to development is required. Ac- reside in middle-income counit calls the Bellagio Goals (based cordingly, the Bellagio Goals make tries such as India and China, the on meetings held in that Italian some key changes to the existing report makes the following case: city) and will present these to MDG format: The concept of poverty reducthe UN this fall. Firstly, the report argues that, tion is being replaced by the more While CIGI is under no illusions Future goals should apply to ambitious and challenging nothat these goals will be adopted both developed and develop- tion of inclusive growth, as many verbatim by the UN, it hopes that ing countries. The current set developing countries are consome of its key recommendations of MDGs has been criticized for fronted with the phenomenon of

6 w w w.th e on ta r ion . c om Guelphs language diversity grows

Census also shows increase in mother tongues other than English
colleen mcdonell
Guelph is a predominantly Englishspeaking city. However, according to data released from the 2011 Canadian census, over 20 per cent of Guelph residents report speaking a mother tongue other than English. After English, the most common mother tongue in Guelph is Italian, for 2,645 residents. This may not surprise those who are aware of Guelphs large Italian community. The top ten then includes, in order: French, Vietnamese, Polish, Chinese, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, and Hungarian. One of the biggest changes in Guelph since the 2006 census is the rise of Asian languages: about two per cent of residents first language is Chinese, Cantonese or Mandarin. However, it is important to interpret the statistics carefully when trying to get a sense of true language usage in Guelph. We tend to look at languages spo- numbers of people. According to ken most often in the home, rather Goss, in Guelph in 2006, there were than mother tongue, said Alex Goss, eight languages that were spoken by project manager at Guelph Wellington at least 400 people in the home, in Local Immigration Partnership. For comparison to the 12 languages in us, that has been a better indication... 2011. This can be largely contributed of language barriers in the commu- to increased immigration to Guelph. What I am seeing in the numbers nity. If you look at it that way, Italian is language diversity in the commuis less common because it is spoken less. Maybe your parents speak Italian nity is growing as Guelph grows, and maybe it was your first language. said Goss. But as you get older and grow up, you In terms of the nation, 17.5 per cent may be speaking Italian less at home. of the population speaks at least two Goss pointed out that some lan- languages at home, which is 14.2 per guages are growing more quickly in cent more than in the 2006 census. English and French are still by far Guelph than others, such as Vietnamese and Punjabi. However, he the most dominant languages. About indicated that many immigrants 22 million people reported speaking arrive in Guelph with adequate English most often at home, and 28.4 knowledge of either of the national million have a working knowledge of languages, English and French. the language. As well, 9,960,585 peoLanguage is not always an indi- ple report having at least a working cation of multiculturalism, because knowledge of French. it could be immigrants coming here Not surprisingly, Toronto deemed from India that speak English fluently, the most multicultural city in Canada and speak English at home. These has the highest proportion of imresidents would not appear to rep- migrant language usage, with 32.2 resent a different culture in this type per cent of the population speaking of census. a foreign tongue at home. For Guelph, the numbers may not What we can take away from the latest census is that there are more accurately depict the rise of multilanguages that are spoken by large culturalism in the city, but can still

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saMantha Dewaele

according to a recent study, the percentages of people speaking english is declining.

indicate the increased need of services exist in the community, said Goss. in the community such as language It makes us think about how we can programs or interpretation services. better support them around those Its good that people are aware of barriers and make them feel more part some of the language barriers that do of the community, more welcome.

not your regular tuesday afternoon lecture

An interactive sex talk engaged students while discussing helpful information
Milhausen, a professor in the Depart- held last year. ment of Family Relations and Applied It was a big success [last year], said Nutrition who is also a regular on the Julia Pfeiffer, the president of ADEV SA. show, Steven and Chris on CBC, got Everyone loves Robin Milhausen since a break from studying to discuss sex. shes very informative and has a lot The event was held in Alexander of great tips and information to share, alicja grzadkowska Hall, and the atmosphere was live- and shes also the Adult Development ly and engaging. Milhausen created faculty advisor. Carolyn Boily, a fourth-year Child, In the midst of midterm season, inti- an interactive presentation that enmate relationships with other humans, couraged students to ask questions and Youth, and Family (CYF) student, and not textbooks, might be the far- participate in trivia throughout. The agrees with Pfeiffer, and says that she thest thing from students minds. event was organized by the Adult De- thoroughly enjoyed the talk. I had Robin Milhausen as a profesHowever, on Oct. 30, attendees of the velopment Student Association (ADEV sex talk, which was hosted by Robin SA), and was a repeat of a similar talk sor in first and second year, and when I had her, I wasnt really in a relationship, so I found myself wishing that all the information she gave me was more relevant to me, said Boily. I [am] in a relationship now, and I wanted vanessa tiGnanelli to get that information from the perspective of when it is relevant. And Prof. Robin Milhausen leads an engaging and animated talk about shes such an amazing lecturer, I love sex and relationships. her lectures. Milhausen spoke about several topIf things are going well in your sexTo keep the talk interesting (though ics related to sex and relationships, and ual life, thats likely a sign that things it didnt need much help as the audiher research focus, which is looking are going well in other aspects of ence was already riveted by Milhausen), at whether it makes a difference to your relationship, said Milhausen. the speaker tossed out condoms and peoples relationship or sexual satis- If things are going badly in the rest lubricants to those who answered faction if they have one reason to have of your relationship, its likely that her questions correctly, and awarded sex over another. itll affect your sexual relationships, two lucky students with bigger prizes Im so interested in why people have so these things are really, really when they volunteered to participate sex in the first place, said Milhausen, intertwined. in a trivia game. during the discussion. A new revMilhausen also went over turnBoily was thrilled with Milhausens elation in the sex research field that ons and turn-offs for both men and style of presenting. there are hundreds of other reasons for women, and many facts and tips I thought it was really informawhy were having sex, besides desire. related to topics like masturbation, tive, and [I] especially [like] the way Milhausen is specifically interested in orgasms, communication between she does her presentations, like shell consensual sex without desire. partners, and the effects of ovulation give you trivia questions so its not just Another topic that Milhausen pre- on the interactions between mem- her sitting there [talking] at you, said On-site spectacle lab & Saturday hours sented was the importance of sex in a bers of the opposite sex, and same Boily. Youre actually engaged and inwww.edinburghoptometry.ca relationship. sex couples. volved, so you do learn more.

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169.9 November 1st, 2012

The Bullrings beef with bacon

Guelph students will have to find a new place to get their fix
mira beth
Some see it as a breakfast necessity while others call it natures perfect food. Regardless of how you enjoy it, bacon has been a Canadian staple for a very long time. The University of Guelph has a solid reputation to uphold that of having the best on-campus food in Canada. Fresh vegetables, quality ingredients and delicious gourmet pizza are just some of the options for hungry students. With such high expectations in place, one would assume that bacon, with its level of greatness, would have a place in any food outlet on campus. This, however, is no longer the case. The Bullring has recently removed the BLT and the BLT bagel from its menu. In a release put out by the CSA on Oct. 24, the lack of an exhaust hood is to blame for this travesty. Bacon has allegedly been cooked at the eatery without this hood for a long time and has only recently been caught as an inappropriate practice. Exhaust hoods are meant to filter out the heat and steam produced by cooking away from the cooking area. Like an air conditioner for the kitchen, by not having one whilst cooking bacon, there is an immense amount of around campus that carry such a sandwich, but some students feel that there is something quite special and irreplaceable about the Bullring that keeps the students coming back. Be it for you the atmosphere, the freshness of the food, or both, many think that it truly is a wonderful place to eat. The Bullrings manager, Katrina Lindsay, says that they are doing everything they can to get bacon back. She called the position she is in right now a waiting game as the Bullring is looking for confirmation that the space they have is even adaptable to hold this essential exhaust hood. If indeed it is possible to install, Katrina said that, Best case scenario Christmas, worst case May, for the installation to take place. Until then, theyll be adding ham and bacon bits to a few of the Bullrings menu items in hopes of quelling some of the customer backlash. While this is a notable effort, it still does not fill the bacon-shaped hole that fills the hearts of many students, faculty and staff upon walking into the Bullring these days. It looks like Guelph students will have to find a new place to get their fix. For now.

The Bullrings manager, Katrina Lindsay, says that they are doing everything they can to get bacon back.
humidity being added to the air. The CSA release has stated that the bacon is gone for good, essentially quelling any hope one might have for a return of the BLT. There are other places

vanessa tiGnanelli

The lack of an exhaust hood at the Bullring had an unfortunate consequence.

arts & cuLture

Jimmy Jazz hosts east coast showcase

SoHo Ghetto and Andy Brown show their roots
robyn nicholson
The surprisingly bustling Jimmy Jazz crowd on Oct. 25 were greeted with some hearty folk rock from our neighbours to the east. Hailing from Halifax, Nova Scotia, roots rockers SoHo Ghetto and acoustic troubadour Andy Brown entertained with songs of love and loss, warming up the small bar against the cold autumn evening. Opener Andy Brown exuded a charming earnestness throughout his raw set of barebones acoustic tracks. His vocal delivery was a tender mix of soft tones which swelled to passionate forcefulness, effectively filling the space sonically without being overwhelming. Despite this honesty, there was a nagging sense of unoriginality lyrically, but this could very well be an issue not of shallow song-writing but of inexperience to be expected from such a young burgeoning act. Still, a highlight included an inspired and quietly rousing cover version of Bonnie Raitt's incomparable I Can't Make You Love Me. While the set ended up sounding somewhat repetitive, Brown's sheer sincerity has the potential for great growth as an artist. Headliner SoHo Ghetto's jovial set was chock full of lovely harmonies, stirring builds and an infectious energy. The seven-piece seemed to get along like one big family, churning out rootsy, almost alternative-country tunes like seasoned pros. While the songs lagged at first, the band seemed to gain speed as the set progressed, and the sound continued to expand and breath life into what had become a rather listless crowd. New song Heart, Beat, Skip featured a mandolin solo on top of very Latin rhythms and jazzy keyboard lead, and provided a much needed infusion of original material. After that, a spot-on cover of Tears for Fears's Everybody Wants to Rule the World had everyone feeling great, inspiring lead singer Marc-Antoine Robertson to exclaim, Guelph is where it's at! What a wonderful community you have. The Jimmy Jazz show was the first stop of several dates the group had in Ontario, having been in the province for just two days. The band has been hard at work promoting their new sixsong EP Humble Beginnings Make for Good Night Life, which was released in February. Chatting with Robertson, it was clear that the group had great

ROByn nichOlsOn

halifax seven-piece soho Ghetto turned out an energetic performance at Jimmy Jazz Oct. 25 alongside folk singer andy Brown.
ambitions. When asked about what his wishes were for this new EP Rob, ertson explained that in Halifax, they say if someone hears your name and your music three times, youre likely to stay in their mind, and that the album, in a sense, was a tool for spreading the word in order to become a buzz band. While this surprisingly honest response may have seemed a lot more serious than the easygoing persona the band embodies onstage, it is perhaps a more real vision of what it is to be a working band in this day and age. SoHo Ghetto are a group of people trying to make an honest living out of making music, and that means being aware of factors much more practical than the music itself. Despite these more economic motivations, the music itself still has a whole lot of heart. Heres hoping that, for future crowds sake, that passion and genuine creativity continues being the most important part of SoHo Ghettos musical career.

8 w w w.th e on ta r ion . c om Movie magic at Bookshelf cinema

Film fest celebrates Stephen King
andrew crozier
Last Sunday, The Bookshelf hosted the Short Chills and Thrills Film Festival an event devoted entirely to short films based on the stories of Stephen King. Guelph filmmaker Peter Szabo created this opportunity to hold the world-premiere screening of his film Love Never Dies based on Kings short story, NONA. In addition, the film festival was also a fundraiser for Ed Video Media Arts Centre, a Guelph-based organization that helps independent media art thrive. The intimate setting of Bookshelf Cinema was perfect for the event. The audience was sprinkled with members of the Love Never Dies production, and when Szabo spoke, it felt like we were all a part of his journey to create the film. It was also a great place for the creepiness of a film based on Kings writing to really ooze off the screen and get under your skin something thats usually lost at commercial theatre chains. Curating a successful and entertaining lineup of films is no easy task, but the Short Chills and Thrills Film Festival was able to do just that. As we worked our way towards the highly anticipated Love Never Dies, we were treated to two other shorts Grey Matter directed by James B. Cox from California, and Maxwell Edison directed by Warren Ray from Kentucky. These two shorts were very well done and offered an international high-water mark for Szabos production to reach. It did. Love Never Dies was the best of the bunch. It was a psychological thriller about a drifter who meets a mysterious and seductive woman by chance, and in turn triggers a destructive chain of events that leads him towards the horrifying truth hes been trying to avoid. Strong performances by Reese Eveneshen as the drifter and Erin Stuart as the temptress anchor a crisp production that was able to bring these characters to life on screen. My biggest fear when I watch a film that hasnt had a wide release is that its not going to feel like a movie either the lighting will be bad, the sound will suck, or the camera will be doing weird things, but Love Never Dies absolutely feels like a movie. Its a thoroughly impressive piece of work by Peter Szabo and company that has me excited for whatever comes next. The Short Chills and Thrills Film Festival was just what this Halloween needed, and I strongly recommend keeping an eye on the Bookshelfs upcoming events to see if an event like this comes around again.

arts & cuLture

cOURtesy

The short chills and Thrills Film Festival offered a selection of short films based on the stories of stephen King. The small venue was well suited to the spooky theme.

Jimmy Jazz hosted a halloween dance party on Oct. 27, with music provided by toronto-based blues band catl.

PaBlO vaDOne

album review: Julie Doiron So Many Days

Versatile singersongwriter moves away from previous sad sound
kim stemshorn
Julie Doiron is one of many darling Canadian singer-songwriters. As a musician Doiron has had many lives, first as a bassist for Erics Trip who was signed to the ultra-cool label Sup Pop, then under the name Broken Girl and now under given name, Julie Doiron. For Doirons most recent release, Doiron left the Indiana-based record label, Jagjaguwar for Toronto-based record label Aporia. Hailing from Moncton, New Brunswick and with Acadian roots, Doiron has released a num- Trucks, like many Doiron tunes, ber of tunes in French. Fortunately reads like a self-realizing confession for English speaking fans, the lat- but maintains its strength through est release titled So Many Days is in English. Often more sad than not, Doirons or Broken Girls trademark sad sound has become hopeful, even happier. Doiron has worked with countless musicians such as the Constantiness keyboardist Will Kidman, as well as Daniel Romano and Fredrick Squire in their folk super group Daniel, Fred and Julie. This diverse hard work has well validated the cOURtesy solo projects distinct sounds as Doirons own. a Silversun Pick-up like guitar patBranching away from simple tern. Its also refreshing to hear a full sounds, So Many Days boldly inte- band on this song as well as other grates a fuller instrumentation. The tunes Our Love and Where Are albums opening track Cars and You. While So Many Days tries ex- Guy and Sorry Part I. tremely hard to integrate a warmer Almost all of Doirons solo albums sound, this album doesnt stray too end with sweet, simple songs of a far away from Doirons typical song mixed bag of emotions. In true Canstructure. For instance, the repeated adian style, Doiron always ends with guitar part that serves as the chorus an apology or a thank you. While on the tune The Only suggests an only a minute and a half, So Many edgier slant, however beyond that Days closer Last Night I Lay In Bed disguise is just an average Doiron is thankful and appreciative. ditty. So Many Days is not a ground Ironically, the tune thats most breaking, chart topping release, but captivating is Homeless, which is consistent and thoughtful. Making is just Doirons vocals and a bass a bold statement here, I gather that guitar. The tune reads like a letter of Doirons fan base is comprised of reminiscence and regret. Doirons thirtysomething Erics Trip fans and emotions are well conveyed through many who have just come across animated, almost acted-out vocals Doiron on their own terms. Either and selective pauses in phrasing. The way Doirons rich musical past and walking bass line that accompan- various current musical projects ies it sounds eerie and nods to older work to attract many in a very acminimalist tunes like The Wrong cessible fashion.

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from a to Zavitz
Drawing new conclusions
nadine maher
Drawing is considered by many to be the most basic and straightforward of artistic mediums, and most people would believe they could recognize a drawing when they saw one. However, Processum Extremae challenged these notions the inverse. Riley Short used decontextualized speech bubbles from comics as the source drawings to fill her own comic book form, which hung from the ceiling. Frances Botden created drawings of blooming flowers on a hexaflexagon origami shape, which is a flat folded paper shape that can be manipulated to reveal its other surfaces and subsequently other drawings. An element of play and chance was a factor in the abstract forms of Daniel Wilsons ink bursts, Kara Lee Bloks pen drawings and Adrienne Gomezs ink bubble drawings. Some pieces employed more traditional drawing methods as well. Katie Arbour created a long charcoal drawing of a racetrack scene, and Casey Ward used the same materials to depict a panoramic war scene. Natasha Genge used overlapping alphabet fonts as the source for her drawings on paper. Rachel Loree drew patterns as well as cut shapes into a small piece of folded paper. Leah Shabaga drew an anatomical body on sheets of newsprint. Kyle Griffiths created a large portrait made up entirely of numbers, a kind of manual ASCII art. There were three pieces I found particularly engaging. Lindsay Walkers trompe loeil water leaks

For some it meant choosing unique surfaces to construct their drawings on.
and highlighted the flexibility of the drawing medium. The show was put on the week of Oct. 22 by the students in Will Gorlitzs Drawing III class. This expansion of the definition of drawing can lead to a number of overlapping areas. For some it meant choosing unique surfaces to construct their drawings on: Ian Dodds made drawings of militaryrelated scenes like tanks or fighter jets on colourful deflated balloons. Clare Binnie repeated a floral pattern on the length of a roll of toilet paper. Gianfranco Bozzo used the insides of an opened digital printer as the support for painterly colours. Elizabeth Sullivan used an arrangement of stones and pebbles to create a long ink line. Brittany Bogaert drew abstract forms on aluminum sheets. For others it meant broadening the materials used to create marks. Victoria Wells created sculptural forms by drawing water bottles out of hot glue and pinning them away from the wall. Linda Reist used repetitive fingerprints to create a large pattern on paper. Rachel Lauzon used a variety of papers arranged on the wall, some with the imprint of a piece of string behind them to create the impression of a solid line snaking through them. Some pieces invited an aspect of interaction with the works, like Savannah Snooks drawings produced throughout a copy of Anne of Green Gables, or Katrina Stubbs drawings with tape and pencil crayon throughout a sketchbook. Alex Hartsone created her drawing on both sides of a set of window blinds and installed them in the window of the gallery, inviting a viewer to adjust the blinds and see either a black square on a white background, or

naDine MaheR

it turns out theres much more to drawing than simply putting a pencil to paper, as will Gorlitzs Drawing iii class demonstrated the week of Oct. 22.
made from plastic wrap give the impression that water was leaking down the wall from a vent above the gallery door. Sarah Hughes used a piece of scrap metal as her support for pastel markings that mimicked rust and decay. Diana Topley collected maple leaves and inked them black, then used white chalk to gently highlight their natural veins and texture. The show was successful as a challenge to drawing as well as a support for it, and demonstrated the malleability of artistic practices into hybrid works.

Daniel Fischlin

silence., Guelphs portal for adventurous new sound events, was hosted by the Macdonald stewart art centre Oct. 25. acts included DJ techn (Paul watkins), Moon Phaces (an improvisation project directed by Mark laver) and double bassist David lee accompanied by Gary and Ryan Barwin.

10 w w w.th e on ta r ion . c om Pop Machine: a new hope?

Disney acquires Lucasfilm Ltd.; new Star Wars episodes not in a galaxy far, far away
tom beedham
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, the Star Wars franchise was something that fans could agree on. Then came 1997, and with it, director George Lucas was unleashing a special edition version of his original trilogy in theatres. The trilogy was launched as a celebration of the 20th anniversary of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, the first film in the original trilogy, but it also served the purpose of reigniting interest among older fans and introducing the series story and characters to the minds of new audiences to prep them for a prequel trilogy that would begin its theatre presence in 1999. Tampering with a classic is always a risky move, and the project received its share of backlash from fans. The special editions featured digitally remastered images and sound, extensive clean-up and restoration work that would make more aesthetic sense for new viewers that might be starting the series from the later released prequel trilogy, as well as added special effects, originally filmed but cut scenes, new digitally rendered sequences, and replaced older scenes. The most notable controversy associated with the special edition trilogy arose over an edit to the Mos Eisley encounter between the galactic smuggler Han Solo and the Rodian bounty hunter Greedo in A New Hope. Fans complain that in the original version of the scene, Han shot his hunter before Greedo could fire off a round. The new version makes things appear as though both fire at each other, but at point-blank range, Greedo still misses. The change is regarded to reduce audiences sense of Hans conviction and the overall impression of his character. That controversy reached its peak after 2006 when a limited edition box set was released that contained transfers from 1993 merely as bonus material. Something that perhaps contributed directly to the present net-using populations seemingly ambivalent attitude toward illegal movie pirating, the original trilogy has not been distributed in its original format since the special edition trilogy hit shelves. Add to all of that the general disappointment over creative decisions made for the prequel trilogy (Jar Jar Binks, apparently R2-D2 can fly, midichlorians, etc.) and youll get a sense of why fans have been announcing mixed feelings over a recent Star Wars announcement. On Oct. 30, it was released that Disney would be purchasing Lucasfilm Ltd. the Star Wars production company for $4.05 billion, already with a

arts & cuLture

vanessa tiGnanelli

leiGh lichtenBeRG

tusks took the stage at eBar Oct. 24 along with Guelph act From east to exit as concert #149 in the Kazoo series.

2015 release of a seventh Star Wars film labeled special editions graced and two more to follow thereafter in screens, the Star Wars universe alits sights. ready contained an expansive cache A fanbase that has faced its fair share of novels, comics, video games and of fandom trauma, its understand- other media related to and based on able that when this was announced, Star Wars storylines and characters that speculation was abundant and so was were generally well received. offence taken. Hopefully Disney will be as aware as How could we allow a franchise that it has been in its approach to other exwas brought to its lowest point by its terior franchises and take some of that own creator to be transferred into the material into consideration. hands of one of the most fan-exploiting In a YouTube interview following the machines in the entertainment indus- announcement of Disneys purchase of try? fans asked. his company, Lucas hinted that might But lets not worry so soon. be whats about to happen. We have a large group of ideas and Disney might be a major corporation thats delivered crappy sequels of its characters and books and all kinds of own movies, but it has also been recog- things, Lucas said. We could go on nizably wise in its handling of external making Star Wars for the next 100 franchises with established fan bases. years. It has been sensitive in its approach to In the meantime, lets hold our Muppets as well as recently claimed breath and hope that this new trilMarvel comics storylines, making ogy becomes the Empire Strikes Back sure to hire talent that respects both to the original trilogy, and not a Rethe source material as well as the fan turn of the Jedi to the Empire Strikes followings. Back that the original trilogy is to its Also, before any of the ambiguously prequels.

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What the tech?

controlled in a way that replicates how our bodies control our own legs. The computer sends commands to the legs in nick revington a way that mimics our nervous system. Robots are a pretty standard This progress in biomimetics fare in science fiction. Humans is mirrored in the field of artihave long imagined worlds ficial intelligence. Pioneering shared with human-like ma- computer scientist Alan Turing chines. Now, however, there argued that the best measure of is beginning to be less need for the intelligence of a machine imagination. Robots are pretty was its ability to convince us much here. it was human. The logic goes that since we cannot observe the machines consciousness, true intelligence can only be surmised by its ability to make us believe that it is human. Mistaking a robot for a human may seem a long way off, but scientists developing AI bots to compete in video games have shown otherwise. In September, it was announced that two such bots had passed the so-called Turing test. In a video game competition with a twist, half the players were human, and half were artificial bots. Staged in first-person shooter Unreal Tournament 2004, human players could tag opponents throughout the competition as either human or bot; the winning bot was that which was rated most human-like. UT^2, created by Risto Miikkulainen, Jacob Schrum, and Re c e n t ly , we h ave s e e n Igor Karpov, and MirrorBot, some interesting advances in created by Mihai Polceanu, the science of robots. Achil- shared this prize, each being les, nothing more than a pair of tagged as human 52 per cent of robot legs tethered to a com- the time. Strikingly, the averputer, has been called the first age score for real human players machine capable of moving in was about 40 per cent, meana biologically accurate way, ing that these bots were not using a system of motors and only convincing humans, they straps to replicate muscles. But were more convincing than real the way the legs move is also ones. UT^2, for example, was

11

Robots are (almost) people too

Mistaking a robot for a human may seem a long way off, but scientists developing AI bots to compete in video games have shown otherwise.

cOURtesy

achilles is a robotic pair of legs that mimics the human muscle and nervous systems to walk just like us.
able to mimic human behaviour such as holding a grudge, and losing shooting accuracy with distance or rapid movement. Of course, convincing someone that you are not a robot in a video game is a lot different than doing so in real life. Combining improved robot mechanics with improved artificial intelligence faces a number of barriers, not least of which is the uncanny valley, the phenomenon that we are uncomfortable with things similar to, but not perfectly replicating living humans the reason we are so terrified of corpses and zombies. Nonetheless, science fiction may soon be non-fiction.