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04 GRYPHON FOOTBALL PREVIEW 09 IT’S A TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW 24 MAKING HUNGER HISTORY Community members package over 650,000 relief meals

PHOTO CHRISTOPHER SCHOENBOHM

| 3 News | 6 Arts & Culture | 9 Sports & Health | 19 Science & Tech | 22 Life | 23 Opinion | 24 Editorial | 25 Fun Page |

NEWS

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172.2 • Thursday, September 12, 2013

McLaughlin redesign unveiled to students

New plan for library envisions more flexible spaces, but students will have to wait Michael Long

On Sept. 9, students were offered a chance to view and provide feedback on the new plan for McLaughlin Library’s long-awaited redesign. Back-to-back information sessions were held at the Library’s Academic Town Square and in the Science Complex Atrium.

Members of university staff, along with representatives from the architecture firm, Cannon Design International, the group hired to develop the plan, were on hand to answer questions as students familiarized themselves with the proposed changes.

In an effort to glean constructive criticism, students who left formal written comments were entered in a draw to win a new MacBook Air. The buzzword of the session was ‘flexibility.’ The redesign intends that library space become more multi-functional than ever; capable, for example, of transitioning

from open study space to enclosed conference room as need dictates.

More dramatic changes include: a new entranceway, the reservation of the entire sixth floor for graduate students, the allocation of a section of the first floor for 24-hour use, and the creation of an outdoor study space on the fourth floor.

In the long term, a five-story addition will adjoin the current building, situated on what is currently green space on the north side of the building.

Additionally, the library’s collection of 1.2 million books will be weeded down to 800,000, with much of what remains destined for high-density shelving.

The oak paneling on the first floor will also be removed to increase space, reduce the area allocated to library administration, and let in more light.

In the end, usable public space is expected to increase by 20 per cent.

As the project is still in the planning stages – the contract for the implementation of the design has yet to be awarded, and the project itself is at the mercy of flighty university funding – it may be some time before these plans are realized.

“It might be a year or two years

PHOTO BY WENDY SHEPHERD

Reconsolidating the library’s collection and constructing a new addition on the north side of the building are just some of the new ideas proposed in the library’s new master plan, unveiled to students on Sept. 9.

before we even get to build any of this,” said Jill Vigers, manager of architectural design for Physical Resources.

Generally the plan was well received by students. Third year English major, Will Wellington, expressed some reservations about the about the high-density shelving,

but was generally optimistic.

“I definitely feel a lot less skeptical, they’ve done a good job [here].

Of course, I still feel that the books are what I come here for, and I don’t want to see them go away.

But I am open to what they’re suggesting,” said Wellington.

Information from Monday’s

meeting will be incorporated into the plan’s final version, to be presented sometime in November or December. The design, pending its approval, will be implemented in piecemeal in order to ease the expense and cause minimal disruption to the daily functioning of the library.

SMU frosh week chant glorifies rape A viral video depicts students participating in an offensive frosh chant about non-consensual, underage sex Maddy Rowland Saint Mary’s University has been under fire over the last week, after a video of frosh leaders and students singing a cheer promoting rape and sexual assault went viral. The video was originally posted on Instagram, and showed orientation leaders leading a chant based off of the word “young.”

Students can be heard shouting, “SMU boys, we like them young. Y is for your sister. O is for oh-so-tight. U is for underage. N is for no consent. G is for grab that ass.”

The video quickly sparked outrage online and garnered lots of attention on Twitter.

Many who commented on the incident argued that the subject of sexual assault is particularly sensitive in the province of Nova Scotia, due to the recent suicide of Rehtaeh Parsons. The 17-year-old took her own life after she was allegedly raped by four teenage boys at a party and was subsequently bullied by her classmates. Since Parsons’

death, the provincial government has taken steps to spread awareness about sexual assault, rape, and consent. Colin Dodds, the university president, apologized to the Parsons family during a CTV interview last Thursday night.

“I want to apologize, by the way, personally to the Parsons family because they’ve had enough to deal with and I think this is just another blow for them,” said Dodds. “I’m deeply troubled by that.”

The Saint Mary’s incident has raised questions about whether messages about rape, sexual assault and consent have successfully reached university campuses.

“What is happening at St. Mary’s

is not an isolated incident,” said University of Guelph gender and women’s studies professor, Victoria Kannen. “We live in a world that is supposedly post-feminist and so the sexism that they are mocking is somehow considered to be a thing of the past, as if it can be mocked, because we are enlightened and ‘over it’. Sadly, the rhetoric is completely wrong as media objectification is everywhere and sexual violence is globally pervasive.”

Saint Mary’s has pledged that they will take disciplinary action against the student leaders involved. All members of the university’s student union, as well as all frosh leaders, must

now take part in mandatory sensitivity training. Additionally, the president of the Saint Mary’s University students association has stepped down and the university has announced that they have brought in outside professionals to lead campaigns against sexual violence.

“Issues like this take place on every campus - not just St. Mary’s,” Professor Kannen added, “The media coverage that has been emerging on this seems to misplace blame on this individual school, rather than using this exposure of an explicitly sexist violent tradition to begin a national discussion on the entrenched sexism, racism, and homophobia that exist on our campuses.”

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Making hunger history

Students, staff, and community members rallied together to package over 650,000 relief meals Kelsey Coughlin

When you combine 17,550 pounds of soy, 4,750 pounds of vegetables, and over 101,000 vitamin packets, with thousands of volunteers, what you get is a new world record and a huge global impact.

On Sept. 7, students, staff, and members of the Guelph community joined together in the Gryphon Field House to fight world hunger in an event brought forward by the BetterPlanet Project. The aim of this event was to package over 650,000 emergency relief meals in two hours to be sent to Mauritania, West Africa.

This was the third annual World Record Event to Fight Hunger at the University of Guelph. Last year, Guelph beat their own world record with over 350,000 meals packaged in one hour.

This year, sights were set even higher by doubling the time and packaging 659,000 meals in two hours. By doing this, Guelph beat another world record by assembling over one million meals in just one year.

The organizer of the event was Gavin Armstrong, a PhD student

at the University of Guelph. Armstrong spearheaded the event in 2011 as a way to encourage students to make volunteering and eliminating hunger a priority in their everyday lives.

At the event, Armstrong urged students to “take the power [they] feel now in influencing so many lives and to keep it going in the future.”

Volunteering is fun and easy, and [I] can’t think of a better way to help people.

- Mandy Gibson, first-year student

As Armstrong pointed out, “more than 25, 000 people die each day from hunger – more than tuberculosis, malaria, and AIDS combined.” This is precisely the reason why it is so important for the community to come together to fight this issue, even if just for two hours.

The event consisted of participants acting as part of an assembly line to prepare, measure, and package meals. Each meal consisted of rice, soy, vegetables, beans, and a vitamin packet, which were then sealed in boxes and sent on their way.

The meals will be distributed in

PHOTO BY RIVER ROY

Students, staff, and members of the Guelph community joined together in the Gryphon Field House to package over 650,000 emergency relief meals to be sent to Mauritania, West Africa.

Mauritania to help combat a great food crisis in the region. In addition to poor access to water and sanitation, Mauritanians suffer from high rates of food insecurity and malnutrition. This means that the country relies heavily on food imported from other countries.

Of the many volunteers present at the event, groups representing Scotia Bank, TD Banks, and Guelph Alumni were some of the most high-profile and spirited.

Also present were Mandy Gibson

and Katie Yeandle, two first-year students new to the university.

“Our team alone packaged over 900 meals,” explained Gibson.

“Volunteering is fun and easy, and [I] can’t think of a better way to help people.”

President and Vice-Chancellor Alastair Summerlee was also active at the event.

“It was absolutely fantastic, and the participants definitely exceeded all expectations,” said Summerlee.

The World Record Event to

Fight Hunger was made possible through partnerships with Numana Inc., ONEXONE, the World Food Program, and Kinross Gold Corp, who donated the food used for the event.

Combating global hunger is only possible with the cooperation of people who want to see a change in the world. Students are encouraged to get involved through other initiatives on campus and to remember that together we can create a better planet.

“Shanah Tovah? Sorry, I have homework to do” Meaning behind Jewish holiday may be losing priority status to school work Mike Ott The calendar year is full of religious celebrations, big and small, many of which have lost their original significance and are being relegated as ‘extrastudy’ time for busy students.

Some Jewish students on campus feel that Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year celebrated last week, may be forgotten in the minds of students that are more focused on school. The High Holiday of Judaism, celebrated on the fourth of September this year, traditionally has a heavy focus on repentance and renewal, much like that of the Western New Year. Unfortunately, some Jewish students at the University of Guelph feel that the holiday may be lost in the

modern age.

Nicole Goldberg and Jenna Collins are both Jewish students at the UofG who observe Rosh Hashanah. They both agree that the meaning behind most holidays is slowly being lost with each generation.

“We’re not as religious as our parents or our grandparents would have been,” explains Goldberg, “age is definitely a factor.”

Collins agrees, stating that the true stories and traditions are being lost, and most of the holidays, including Rosh Hashanah, as well as Yom Kippur and Passover, are becoming more focused around “spending time with family rather than the traditional practices.” Examples of Rosh Hashanah practices include lengthy prayers, the sounding of a traditional shofar (an instrument made of a ram’s horn), and the emptying of the pockets into a river, to symbolize a discarding of the last year’s sins and hardships.

Goldberg admits that she had to use Google to figure out what

the holiday stands for. She states that she is “embarrassed to not know what it is,” but adds that her “parents and grandparents know everything about the holiday.” Goldberg says she avoids going to synagogue on Yom Kippur—a Jewish holiday later in the year—out of fear of humiliation. “I won’t go to Ottawa to see [my boyfriend’s] family because they’re more conservative than I am and I have no idea what’s going on during the prayers and practices.”

Both Collins and Goldberg feel that most Guelph students are in the same position they are, having less of a conservative position in their religion, as opposed to other schools with more of a Jewish population. “I went to the Hillel’s (the Jewish resource group on campus) Rosh Hashanah dinner and there were only about thirty or forty people there, out of 20,000 students in Guelph.

People just don’t have time with school in the way.”

Another important factor

contributing to the loss of understanding of Rosh Hashanah, Goldberg argues, comes from the fact that Judaism is not as strict as other religions.

“It is easier in Judaism than other religions to be more secular but still consider yourself Jewish,” she explains, “Jews can forget the true meanings of the holidays and why they are significant but still continue to observe them.” She continues, “I’m sure I learned the importance of Rosh Hashanah. I went to Hebrew school three days a week as a kid, but it never intrigued me. As a kid, you want to celebrate holidays where you receive a gift.” Collins adds, “Holidays like Hanukkah or Christmas, where everything has been materialized.”

Collins believes that consumerism and material value has severely damaged the observance of holidays without some sort of consumer value, such as Rosh Hashanah or even certain Christian holidays like Easter or Christmas. “That’s why every

non-Jew knows when Hanukkah is, because it is so close to Christmas.”

The women differ on their opinions towards the solution to the decline of traditional religious values. Goldberg believes that “not celebrating traditions causes them to gradually lose meaning over time,” and that it is “up to our generation to pick it up again.” Collins disagrees.

“If you recognize yourself as a Jewish person, that’s enough,” and argues that attempts to retain Jewish heritage is what matters, “that’s why they have to have things like the Birthright trip, to send kids to Israel to learn more about their Jewish identity.”

Whether or not the decline in knowledge about traditional religious holidays will continue is uncertain. However, it is clear that there is a worry about this loss of culture among the faithful.

It is this sense of worry that Goldberg and Collins hope will inspire people to preserve the history and culture of their religion.

NEWS

Is university worth the cost?

Examining the debate of the returns of a university degree Scott Parry

The start of a new school year is always an exciting time for students as we catch up with friends and enjoy everything university has to offer. This time of year also has no shortage of commentators asking the question, “is university worth the cost?”

It is no secret that university tuition is expensive. Add to that the cost of textbooks, food and housing and university becomes a massive investment for most students. According to Statistics Canada, in 2012 and 2013 students on average paid $5,581 for a semester or almost $45,000 for a four year program. So why are students and their families so willing to spend this kind of money?

For most people university is seen as a safe investment for the future. Students hope that a university degree will eventually lead to higher salaries, more employment opportunities and an improved quality of life.

Canadians who graduate with a university degree will earn, on average, $1 million more over their lifetime then someone without a university degree.

So, economically it makes sense for students to borrow money now to eventually make more in the future.

However, many commentators do not agree. Some, like Brian Lee Crowley of the Globe and Mail, argue the million dollar payout is only an

average, and by definition half of students will make less than that. In fact, many graduates don’t even come close to this number.

According to the co-founder of PayPal, Peter Thiels, a University degree is not as sound of an investment as it used to be.

“I think if we want to have a single discussion where there’s a bubble in the United States it is in education. In practice, one of the problems is that people end up amassing enormous amounts of debt in college or graduate school and this tremendously constrains their future options. They cannot choose to do things they really want to do or things which will really transform society.”

To promote his argument, Thiel’s started a foundation known as the Thiel Fellowship, where 20 students are given $100,000 not to go to university and start their own business.

The fellowship’s motto is a Mark Twain quote: “I have never let my education interfere with my learning.”

Of course, the value of a university degree cannot be solely measured in dollars and cents.

University is about learning the work habits and social skills needed to survive in the real word, not to mention having a little fun along the way. Still, others are more practical.

“I think the way you have to see it is that university today is basically the equivalent to a high school diploma a few decades ago. If you use your bachelor’s degree to get into a graduate program like medical school, it will be a worthwhile investment. It’s unfortunate but just having a bachelors

isn’t going to cut it,” said Josh Rosenberg, a student from the University of Guelph.

One option to reduce costs is to replace traditional lectures with more distance education courses. This trend has started with many universities, including the University of Guelph, which now offers more online courses. Another recent innovation seen throughout academia is Massive Open Online Courses also known as MOOC’s. For a small fee and an internet connection a world-class education

is available to anyone who is willing to work hard. One day it may be possible to earn a degree without even setting foot onto a university campus.

Is university worth the cost?

The answer is different for every individual, but one thing is for sure, if over our four years, we learn to manage our time, communicate with clarity, think critically and develop technical skills, we’ll be well on our way to future success. After all, university is worth only as much as we put into it.

PHOTO BY WENDY SHEPHERD AND NICK ARES

In the modern economy, a university degree is no longer the guarantor of job security it once was. And as the school year begins, the question, “Is a degree worth the cost?” looms larger than ever.

CSA and CFS dispute: far from over?

Amy van den Berg Since 2009, University of Guelph students and their representatives, the Central Student Association (CSA), have been caught in a seemingly never-ending quarrel over whether or not they should be paying the annual fee of $31 per student to remain members of the CFS, or Canadian Federation of Students.

The University of Guelph has been a member of the CFS since the 1980s, yet in the fall semester of 2009 undergraduate students distributed two petitions that disputed continued membership in the CFS and CFS-Ontario. They proposed a referendum.

These petitions were rejected by the CFS who maintained that the petition’s delivery had not been in accordance with the

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172.2 • Thursday, September 12, 2013

Federation’s bylaws.

In defense of the mandate of the UofG student population, the CSA sought a court order from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice that would allow a referendum to be held for the discontinuation of membership.

The referendum took place in April of 2010. With a voter turnout of 40 per cent, 73.51 per cent of voters opposed the continuation of membership. The CFS appealed the ruling, and here is where the dispute turned especially sour.

The CFS was granted the appeal and the poll was dismissed, despite a strong student consensus to halt the Federation’s funding. The CSA, at this point drowning in $407,000 in legal fees, made the decision to bite the bullet and look into settlement options with the CFS.

“The Board of Directors is confident that its decision to pursue a settlement out of court with the CFS is the best way to reach a resolution to this three yearold issue without incurring further significant expenses or liabilities for the CSA and its members,” said the CSA in an official statement.

Since the CSA relies mostly on student fees collected by the University of Guelph’s administration to fund their membership with the federation, there has been a further internal dispute on who pays these fees.

Fearing the lack of consultation with students, the University of Guelph’s administration discontinued the collection of CFS and CFS-O membership fees for the 2012-2013 academic year, leaving the CSA liable to pay all of the fees for that year.

The University suggested that the CSA canvas the opinions of undergraduate students in order to fairly represent their wishes. In a statement of facts released by the University in April 2013, the administration made it clear that if the survey were in favor of the continuation of the CFS membership, the University of Guelph would recommence the collection of CFS membership fees for the year 2013-2014.

The CFS and CSA have pursued a joint application against the university that aims to put the issue of uncollected fees to a judge.

“I can’t speak to if the dispute is going to continue or not/for how long,” says a member of the CSA, “but eventually someone is going to have to pay up for the annual fees we stopped collecting so until then it will have to go on.”

Under the Radar Stoli defends itself against boycott Earlier this summer, when the Russian government passed a patently homophobic bill outlawing ‘homosexual propaganda,’ scores of gay rights advocates around the world called for a boycott of Stolichnaya vodka in retaliation. An obvious and accessible target, the boycott generated much support online.

But The New York Times has reported that Stoli may not be quite as Russian as its name would suggest. While the vodka’s constituent origins are not so easily distilled, it is apparent that Stoli is manufactured in Riga, the capital city of Latvia – a country frequently at odds with the Kremlin.

Though the grain used to make the vodka still comes from Russia, and though the company has advertised itself as Russian vodka in the past (not since 2010), most of its Russian ties have been severed.

The brand is owned by Yury Shefler and is a subsidiary of the Luxembourg-based SPI group, which Mr. Shefler also owns.

Since the boycott, Mr. Shefler has launched a PR campaign to show that it is not Russian and is a “fervent supporter and friend” of the LGBT community. Mr. Shefler added that, “you will not hurt Russia by dumping Stoli.”

Others fear the consequences of a successful boycott.

“If the boycott works, Latvians will lose their jobs. Who are they going to blame? Putin? No, they are going to blame gays,” said Kaspars Zalitis, a Latvian gay right’s activist.

Turkish newspaper fabricated ‘highly suspect’ Chomsky quotes It appears as though Google Translate has embarrassed another imprudent publication.

As the Wall Street Journal reports, when the Turkish daily newspaper, Yeni Safak, conducted an interview with Dr. Noam Chomsky, the Turkish journal evidently felt that many of the famed linguist’s answers left something to be desired. So, naturally, they fabricated some better answers themselves – albeit ones that do not make a whole lot of sense in English. For example, this gem: “This complexity in the Middle East, do you think the Western states flapping because of this chaos?

Contrary to what happens when everything that milk port, enters the work order, then begins to bustle in the West. I’ve seen the plans works,” Mr. Chomsky is ‘quoted’ as saying.

Mr. Chomsky, understandably, denies having made these statements and adds that he did not have time to adequately research the publication before the interview.

During the June anti-government protests, Yeni Safak had taken a staunchly pro-government stance, thus making Mr. Chomsky, who had repeatedly voiced his support for Turkish anti-government protestors, an unlikely, and evidently rather difficult interviewee.

Yeni Safak has since issued a curt apology.

Compiled by Michael Long

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ARTS & CULTURE

Missed Connection Records Download cards are now a part of the Guelph music scene Emily Jones Tyler Belluz of Missed Connection Records is stirring up some excitement throughout the city of Guelph. He is a graduate of Indiana University and his specialty is classical music. Belluz’s new venture is to showcase local talent by choosing an artist of the month who appears both on the Missed Connection Records’ website and also on their new download cards that are popping

up around downtown Guelph.

The idea is for local artists to become better known in the community. “The download card project is to promote local bands, a way to help friends with a little boost in media,” says Belluz. The download cards are available at most individual coffee shops downtown including: Planet Bean (downtown & Gordon locations), The Red Brick Café, The Bookshelf, The Cornerstone, Ray’s Antiques and Ouderirk & Taylor.

Belluz chose to disperse the download cards where “people will be like minded” and that have “a certain vibe”. Belluz stated that “each artists of the month has something coming

up, whether it be an album release or a concert, it’s a way of cross promoting.” This is the kind of project that is created and run on passion, “I could only print so many because I don’t have a lot of money but next month I hope to print more because I hope to have more sponsors,” said Belluz.

This month 250 were printed and ready to be handed out for September 1, next month 500 cards will be printed and a new location for pick up will hopefully be available, the Bullring on campus.

Belluz spoke highly of Guelph and believes we are lucky to have a “great local music scene” and encourages everyone to “explore what is happening.”

Decorating your space

How to create a personalized room

Kimberly Northcote Moving to a new place, or moving back in to your previous housing, is a good opportunity to sort through your things and narrow down what you need. But sometimes what we need is still a lot. Between your printer, your bar fridge, your clothes, and your giant stuffed panda, the small space you have can seem overcrowded and messy. Luckily, there are a lot of creative options to turn this cluttered space into a more organized and attractive place to live.

If your closet space is limited, or you are one of those students with no closet at all, canvas storage boxes are really flexible options. You can store them in your closet, under your bed, or pretty much anywhere you please. Stack them vertically to make a small bookcase-type structure, or stick them on the floor like an open box and throw your socks or pyjamas in there. Buying hooks that attach to the back of a closet door can make it easy to store hats, bags and scarves. Many department and hardware stores also have racks to store

clothes on hangers, as well as units to store folded items.

Desks can be another problem area. Random bits of paper and broken pens tend to take over desk space. Sorting through this mess and designating an area for school supplies, important papers such as bills, and the textbooks and notebooks you use on daily basis should make for an easier system. File folders, pencil holders, and paper trays come in handy during this process.

And finally, the best part: decorating! The options here are endless. Be as creative as you wish and make sure to display items with meaning to you, whether they are photos, art, books, or concert tees. A popular way to get started is to hit up the poster sales that happen in the UC at the beginning of each semester. Corkboards are a great option for those who can’t put too much on their dorm room walls. Keep it functional and put business cards and important reminders on it and hang it by your desk, or have fun with it and put ticket stubs, wristbands, CD covers and anything else you please on it. They are also easy to change up whenever you feel like it. Peel and stick chalkboards are a relatively new but very fun decorative item.

You simply stick them on your

wall like a sticker and you have chalkboards to write down things such as reading lists and workout goals. An easy way to display photos is to tape some string along the wall and pin your photos onto it with paperclips. Full length mirrors are great, not only for checking that your pants and shirt match, but for making a space seem larger and adding some depth to the room. Twinkle lights, lava lamps, and desk lamps are dorm room classics for those who hate fluorescent lights.

The most important thing to remember is to have fun with it. You can make your own art in many different ways; write out quotes in fancy lettering, create a collage of photos and keepsakes, or cut out magazine pages into cool shapes. When I moved in, I cut out old posters into letters to display words on my walls. I also put CD covers on my wall alongside photography projects of my own.

Many people have T-shirts from concerts or summer camp or other memorable events that hold meaning for them; pin these shirts up on your wall or a corkboard for something other than the common poster.

Putting a little effort into some decorations will make the room more unique to you, and you will feel even more at home.

This is a community-building project, it is time to venture out and find new connections.

Word of mouth and lending a helping hand is something that strengthens Guelph’s artistic community as a whole, we are moving in a technologically driven culture and Belluz has found a way to create a movement that is worth something in a meaningful way. He said that he is “willing to help any genre,” and it is apparent that his passion for music delves deep within him.

Belluz has already been featured in numerous publications that are spreading the word of this innovative idea and is now looking to grab the attention of

the diverse collection of bodies and minds on campus.

This venture is unique as it is a collaboration of different forms of media and entertainment are centered in our home of Guelph, Ontario. It’s a special collection of talented people wanting to help each other out and promote each other in new and exciting ways. It brings back a side of business that isn’t always readily apparentBelluz is bringing back a form of attention that has gotten lost over time, a kind way of doing things, building strong bonds and ties within the community.

This is the kind of thing that makes Guelph such a culturally rich place to live.

Check us out online

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www.theontarion.com ALBUM OF THE WEEK: PSYCHIC CHASMS

COURTESY PHOTO

Psychic Chasms is the critically acclaimed debut album from electronic music band Neon Indian. Receiving an 81/100 Metascore and an 8.6 User Score on metacritic, this album perfectly eases one into the hectic school year by continuing to produce a feeling of nostalgic summer vibes. Track “Psychic Chasms” is a perfect intro to the festival energy this album radiates.

ARTS & CULTURE

172.2 • Thursday, September 12, 2013

Geeks, don’t get your Batsuits in a knot

Devon Harding

Geeks are weird. This has been obvious for a while now, since the times of the Dungeons and Dragons panic and before our imagined metropoli and obsession with brooding bat based crime fighters.

We have an intensity of opinions that sometimes gets in the way of perspective. This problem seems to be compounded by the geeks rise to the mainstream as of the turn of the century. Hordes of rabid, ravaging geeky anger can roll through the ports of Twitter, twirling until it gets a bit up its own ass. Suddenly geek outrage isn’t limited to the less pleasant neck-bearded manchildren parts of fandom.

Even level headed “casuals” can turn into the type of ponytail and fedora wearing crazies that defend power girl’s boob window.

The reason I bring up this sweaty, odd affliction of ours is that recently the geek world collectively ruined

our trousers as Warner Brothers announced that Ben Affleck would star as Batman in the upcoming Man of Steel sequel. As of this writing over 91,000 people have signed a petition on Change.org asking Warner Bros to remove the actor.

Another petition was placed on whitehouse.gov asking President Obama to do the same. When we petition for an executive order just to remove actors we don’t like, it may be a sign that things are a little out of control. This is the same kind of outrage that occurred when Heath Ledger, previously known for romantic comedies and movies like A Knights Tale, one watched mainly by 4th graders on late June school days, was picked to play the Joker. That case turned out well.

And while I don’t think Batman vs. Superman, as it will probably be called, will be quite The Dark Knight quality, you’d think we would at least have learned that great performances can come from

left field actors. Look at the Town and Argo. The man can act, and he has the bat-chin, he’ll do fine.

Now, just because Mr. Affleck will probably do our favourite emotionally scarred yet lovable billionaire justice, doesn’t mean Batman vs. Superman will likely be good. Firstly, Frank Miller is being consulted. While the man did write Sin City, it’s also the man who wrote a version of Batman whom likes to get busy on piles of burning criminals.

The man is inconsistent at best.

Add to that the fact that the film is being directed by Zack Snyder, who is admittedly extremely talented at making stylistic action movies, but has a bad track record in terms of characterization, and things start to look mediocre. More than anything, Affleck could possibly bring up the quality of the movie. So why do we freak out?

The Change.org petition claimed

he wasn’t physically intimidating enough for the role. Successful Batmen have come from prior roles like Mr. Mom, Top Gun, and Swing Kids, so perhaps we shouldn’t judge Affleck’s physicality from Gigli. It’s not like Batman runs around shirtless.

If we were so concerned about Bruce Wayne being physically intimidating, perhaps we should have petitioned to replace Christian Bale in the Dark Knight with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnston.

However, the most objectionable complaint, that Mr. Affleck didn’t do justice to Daredevil, is perhaps the most questionable. This illustrates the problem with the fan base; that we make up our minds and never look back. Daredevil was ten years ago, and was at worst mediocre, it’s more than time to give an actor of Affleck’s current caliber another shot.

Since the great Affleck controversy of ’13, as it will be known, voices of reason have revealed themselves. Kevin Smith, writer of the innovative “Batman: Cacophony” and frequent collaborator with Affleck has defended him, as have ex-batmen Val Kilmer and Adam West. Josh Brolin, Hugh Jackman, and Matt Damon have stepped forward.

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When our actors have to defend Oscar winners from hordes of disgruntled Hot Topic sporting teenagers and guys who think The Dark Knight was the best movie ever made, something is wrong.

But perhaps I’m looking at this the wrong way. Maybe the fans are right. Imagine if you will, a Batman who meets the fans demands for physical intimidation, with actors that they will love.

Lex Luthor, played by Bryan Cranston, has a plan for Metropolis. He, with the help of the Joker, presented via ingenious editing techniques and clips from 10 Things I Hate About You, A Knights Tale, and secret, never before seen footage from The Dark Knight, will poison the water supply and use Lex’s Wall Street Money to take over not just Metropolis and Gotham, but the world. Only Superman, played by that one guy from Smallville in an extended cameo, can go get Batman, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, so that the caped crusader can save the day. But will the Joker betray Lex? Will Batman be swayed by the Joker’s totally reasonable philosophy? Will one of the guys from Supernatural make a fanbaiting appearance as the Riddler?

Find out next week, same bat channel, same bat time.

STYLE PICK OF THE WEEK: ANGEL CALLANDER

PHOTO (ALTERED) BY THE ONTARION STAFF

Ben Affleck appears to be prepping for his role in the upcoming Batman flick. Looking polished.

Album Review: Diamond Rough by Autopilot

Jonathan Webster

Diamond Rough is the sophomore album of indie-rock trio Autopilot, hailing from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The band recently returned from a hiatus following the release of their debut album, Now It’s Time You Know What You’re Losing For, in 2007.

The album kicks off with “Diamond Rough,” a rollicking anthem dedicated to memories of wild youth and life on the road.

“Last Play” and “Life and Death

by Radio” continues the theme of road-trip reminiscence, both

evoking a sense of regret. “Down and Out” and “Last Night” brings us to the immediate past, detailing a strife-ridden night of quarrel.

The second half of the album is centered on an extensive stay in the hospital, introduced by the song “Bad Poetry,” followed by the two-part “A Song from a Hospital Hallway.” Sandwiched between the two parts is “Dark Skies,” a somber song about addiction. The album finishes off with “Every Single Time,” a spirited finale that serves as a testament to change.

Diamond Rough is a gem for anyone dedicated to the Canadian indie-rock scene.

PHOTO BY WENDY SHEPHERD

COURTESY PHOTO

Angel said she enjoys looking for unique pieces to add to her wardrobe from a number of different places and makes her own alterations if a piece of clothing doesn’t fit off the hanger. With Angel’s attention to detail, a superior sense of personal style is fairly obvious.

SPORTS & HEALTH

Just win, baby

Gryphon’s football stages late game theatrics to win at home vs. Lancers Andrew Donovan

If you’re new to Guelph, here’s the skinny on our football team – it’s not over ‘til it’s over. No truer expression of the aforementioned adage could have been exemplified than when the unranked Windsor Lancers visited the Canadian Interuniversity Sport’s (CIS) #7 ranked Guelph for a Labour Day matchup last Monday.

It was a game that, for Guelph, was filled with interesting and unusual dichotomies; take for example the 327 pass yards by Windsor’s Austin Kennedy contrasted by the defense’s 10 sacks and only 87 total rushing yards for the Lancers. Or, as another example, the high powered Guelph offense, an offense that was supposed to lead the relatively young defense the first half of the season, not scoring a touchdown while the defense put up two scores.

To say it was a peculiar game is a tad understated.

The 3,758 fans, a relatively large crowd by OUA standards and something the Gryphons are becoming more accustomed to, erupted at the 9:38 mark of the first after a Lancer player muffed

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172.2 • Thursday, September 12, 2013

a punt return in the end zone that James Ingram immediately fell on to put the Gryphons up 7-2.

The third quarter began with the Gryphons down 13-12 and in less than a minute, fifth year defensive back, Taylor Palmer, intercepted a Kennedy pass and ran it back to the house for a Guelph touchdown; Coach Stu Lang elected to go for two but failed, keeping the score at 19-13 Guelph.

Up until this point the play from Guelph’s interior defense was nothing short of game changing. Junior linebacker John Rush had four unassisted tackles and eight assisted tackles and junior defensive lineman Cam Walker, who doesn’t just tackle players but hits through them, recorded two and a half sacks.

Furthermore, although the defensive secondary was flawed, giving up big gains on numerous occasions, they did manage to keep a very good Kennedy to 50 percent passing and one interception.

In the fourth quarter you could see the run game for the Lancers starting to ware down the defensive front for the Gryphons and it showed as Kennedy, with ample time in the pocket to set his feet, hooked up with his favourite receiver on the day, Evan Pszonak, for a 52 yard gain. The drive ended on a Lancers field goal after Kennedy failed to connect

with a wide-open receiver in the end zone. The score was 23-21.

Queue the unexpected Hitchcockian twist in this game’s plot on Guelph’s final drive of the fourth quarter with only 1:01 left to play.

The lackluster Guelph offense that netted only 239 yards that afternoon began their final drive on their own 9-yard line. A dump pass from Jazz Lindsey to Alex Charette for a gain of 45 brought the ball to midfield. The following play was a refreshingly familiar sight when Jazz when to brother Saxon Lindsey on a perfect spiral to bring the Gryphons to the Lancer’s 16.

With the anxious crowd on their feet, Daniel Ferarro, CIS special teams player of the week, booted a no-doubter through the uprights to give Guelph the 24-23 win which was followed by an increasingly routine rushing of the field by players and coaches.

There is another old adage in sports that says the best teams find a way to win when they deserve to lose and, frankly, when a team is able to put up 24 points with no touchdowns scored by the offense, give up 434 net yards and they still find a way to win, it is no wonder the CIS

thinks Guelph is deserved of their #7 rank.

I reflect on the miracle comeback that occurred not even a season ago in the OUA semi-finals versus Queens and in front of me I see a scoreboard that tells much the same story – Our boys won a game they probably shouldn’t have won but their character decided otherwise. When I think Guelph Gryphons football I can’t help but hear the words of the late, great Al Davis run through my head, “Just win baby;” and winning is what they so dramatically continue to do.

defense going into the year but it has been a bit of a reverse.” Lang commented.

His statement was blatantly obvious, especially in the game at home to Windsor when Guelph’s defense and special teams compiled 10 sacks and scored two touchdowns.

Throughout the interview Lang made it clear that the expectation was undoubtedly the CIS finals but he acknowledged the need to focus on the task at hand before worrying too much about the future.

“People have called Toronto our kryptonite….We’re trying to make sure we focus on Toronto, get a win, then concern ourselves with our next game,” said Lang.

This philosophy will be put to the test this week, no doubt.

The Gryphons website is already advertising homecoming tickets before letting you proceed to the main page and, as always, homecoming is the talk around campus.

The current bye-week has been all about what Lang calls a “correct and polish” week, which essentially means the team has worked on correcting what they did wrong in previous games and polish what they did right. With veteran running back Rob Farquharson expected to return in the game versus Toronto, Lang was expecting some of the polishing

on offense to take care of itself, though he notes high optimism in his other young backs.

Guelph has certainly been the bearer of much media attention the past few years with what was formerly The Score, but rebranded as Sportsnet360, carrying national coverage of our past two homecomings and the Hamilton Tiger Cats playing out of Alumni Stadium. Lang welcomed the forever growing attention to our program. “Previously, when we recruited out East and West, no one knew where Guelph was nor could they spell it but now they know,” Lang said, smiling.

Lang is humble enough to admit they have copied pages from the successes of other programs around the continent, specifically the Oregon Ducks, who have turned a small town team into a year-in, year-out contender with branding and a culture they’ve built around the team that Lang refers to as a “sizzle.” I joke with Lang asking if this is why the team has so many different jerseys and he doesn’t hesitate to nod with a “yes.”

After seeing Lang at the “Jesus Who” conversations that happened around campus last year, I felt it necessary to ask about how he incorporates his faith into his job as a football coach. “After

attending a chapel service in my rookie season with the Edmonton Eskimos,” Lang said, “… [the experience] subsequently changed the way I look at my life and the way I live my life.” He says in a state of reflection. “I encourage players to develop a system of beliefs and live by them regardless of what they are…I try to be a good role model but you have to decide how you’re going to live your life and live up to your principles.”

Regardless of whether Lang is expressing his faith in Jesus Christ

or his football program, you can be assured, by simply speaking to players, students and faculty across campus, that when Lang speaks, they are paying attention.

It is this attention and respect in the front office that, for the entire university, will hopefully pay off with a national championship in the near future. “Let’s climb this mountain,” Lang spoke of reaching the OUA finals, “…and once we get to the top of this mountain, we’ll be able to see all the other mountains.”

COURTESY PHOTO FROM GRYPHON ATHLETICS

Guelph’s Curtis Newton, sporting the Gryphon’s Georgia-esque helmets, avoids Windsor’s Akeen Whonder on Sept. 2.

Ain’t no mountain high enough

Gryphons football coach talks expectation, faith, diet and culture Andrew Donovan

I sat down in coach Stu Lang’s office inside Alumni Stadium this Monday morning after Guelph’s early bye-week quickly faded into the past. There are papers and coffee cups scattered on large tables; something you’d expect from the coach of one of Canada’s most successful football programs.

“You sure made us wait for that win last week, coach.” I sarcastically commented on the nail biting 24-23 win over Windsor on Labour Day as we sit down for the interview.

Lang reclined in his chair with laughter, “I keep tellin’ the players you can’t live on a diet like that.” He paused and reflected momentarily, “…But it’s a good sign. The leadership has continued from last year after losing good fifth year guys.”

Leadership was a big part of the conversation with Lang as we spoke about the Windsor game last week and the Laurier game the week before. “We thought the offense was going to carry the

COURTESY PHOTO FROM GRYPHONS.CA

With expectations constantly growing, coach Stu Lang stays humble and concentrated.

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SPORTS & HEALTH

www.theontarion.com

Storm ready to contend

Fueled by experience and young energy Stephanie Coratti

Experience is one of the most intimidating characteristics a team can have in the world of sports. A key factor that needs time to mature and develop, experience is often welcomed as the true make-or-break advantage for a squad. The Guelph Storm are no stranger to this glorified quality as the upcoming 2013-14 season holds promise with 11 returning forwards, and five returning defencemen.

Storm Head Coach and retired NHL veteran of 17 seasons, Scott Walker, knows all about the double-headed sword that comes with experience.

“Experience in junior hockey is obviously something that gives you the advantage early on,” Walker explains, “But having guys that are experienced that aren’t good kids can actually be a negative. All the kids we have coming back are good, character people, and want to be pros.

That’s very important.”

Though experience plays a significant role in a team’s success, Walker is sure to recognize and value the young guns the Storm has ready for this season. “First year guys are always ready to go and eager to play, so you never usually get less than their 100 percent. Obviously for a 16-year-old, Garrett McFadden, is gonna be a guy that reminds a lot of people of Drew Doughty and we all know how he is as a defenceman.”

McFadden, the rookie defencemen who played his midget hockey with the Grey-Bruce Highlanders, was drafted in the first round by the Storm. In 40 games with the Highlanders,

UPCOMING

SCHEDULE

McFadden put up an impressive 16 goals and 16 assists.

When asked of what he hopes to contribute to the Storm this season, McFadden did not shy away from ambition. “Offense from the back-end. I like to join the rush,” the Kincardine native explains, “But at the same time, I need to play strong defense.”

The determined, young spark doesn’t die there for the Storm.

“The 17-year-olds who have played last year, it’s fun to see them too ‘cause now they play with more confidence,” Walker explains, “Robby Fabbri is gonna have one heck of a year. I got a feeling he’s gonna be one of those guys that people enjoy watching.”

Hopefully we can get one of the guys to take the ball and run with it, but we’re also hoping to see the battle between them and how they push each other.

- Scott Walker, Storm head coach Fabbri, coming off a 33-point rookie season with the Storm, was a first round OHL draft pick, and is a sought after name for the upcoming 2014 NHL draft.

When asked if the NHL draft would change how he approached the season, Fabbri was not hesitant with his answer. “No, not at all,” the Storm centre explains, “I’m just gonna stay levelheaded, and just try and play my game and not let anything get to me.”

With former goaltender Garret Sparks graduating the OHL ranks

COURTESY PHOTO

The Guelph Storm have big expectations with an experienced team hitting the ice on Sept. 13. for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, the Storm might find at least one hole in their almost perfect foundation entering the season. The newly formed goaltending duo consists of Jason DaSilva and Matt Mancina, neither of which has started an OHL game.

“DaSilva is our veteran goalie now, and we have Mancina who’s our highly rated goaltender and comes with a lot of promise,” Walker explains, “Hopefully we

can get one of the guys to take the ball and run with it, but we’re also hoping to see the battle between them and how they push each other.”

Battling for the number one spot always has the potential to bring out the best in goaltenders. The Storm and their fans will just have to wait to see what this season brings for the question mark between the pipes.

The already 2-0 Storm look to close out the pre-season schedule flawlessly as they begin a homeand-home with the Barrie Colts Sept. 13 at the Sleeman Centre.

The regular season begins Sept.

20 as the Storm host the Erie Otters, with the perfect storm brewing a mix of strong experience, ambitious young energy, and a goaltending duo ready to battle. If nothing else, it’s going to be exciting.

SEPT. 14: GUELPH  TORONTO 1pm

OCT.4:

YORK  GUELPH 7pm

SEPT. 21: McMASTER  GUELPH 1pm

OCT.11:

GUELPH  CARLETON 7pm

SEPT. 28: GUELPH  WATERLOO 1pm

OCT.19:

GUELPH  QUEENS 1pm

Inappropriate apparel, signage or behavior will not be permitted and fans may be removed from Alumni Stadium.

SPORTS & HEALTH

Gryphon women’s soccer remains perfect

Off to a 4-0-0 start, the diverse squad has made Gryphon soccer a legitimate contender Andrew Donovan

The lady Gryphons are in top form early on this season as they’ve managed to earn themselves a spot atop the OUA West standings with a perfect 12 points in four games.

Their current winning streak is impressive when you look at some of the numbers being produced by the team leaders. Alexandra King produced three straight clean sheets before letting up her first goal of the season in the 73rd minute of a 2-1 win over the Waterloo Warriors. Fifth year striker Erica Bain has 4 goals in four games with only seven shots on net and third year midfielder Courtney Whiteside has 3 goals and an assist on eleven shots.

Those numbers are impressive on their own but being at the game shows what the numbers don’t. Take for example the play of the defense, which is just as much to commend for three clean sheets as King is. Balls in the box are never there for long and Guelph seems more keen on knocking away headers than their opponents which has helped keep the back of the net relatively clean.

Whiteside has shown impressive vision on the field and that one assist could easily have been three or four had it not been for great goaltending on the other end.

Guelph has out-scored their opponents 8-1 this season, second

only to Western who has outscored their opponents 12-1 but tied 8th place York Lions 1-1, sitting them with 10 points on the season and 2nd place on the West table.

“It’s been a really good year this year,” Whiteside said of the team’s start, “Definitely high expectations and it’s a little nerve racking but hopefully we can keep playing the way we are and make it to the final four of the OUA.” Head coach Randy Ragan attributes the women’s success to quick starts, “It makes life easier when you get first goal and we haven’t been doing that in past years but this year we have…players seem relaxed when we do that.”

Bain shared the same sentiments as Ragan but also added that the women have done a great job holding the ball in their possession. “We needed momentum to get things going and working hard off the start.” She said of Guelph’s 3-0 win over York, “We were holding the ball really well and we were relaxed.”

The Gryphons have been relaxed most the season but in their last game versus 9th place Waterloo Warriors, the Gryphons waited until the game’s last 10 seconds of injury time to win on a Whiteside goal off a goalie deflection.

The Gryphons have arguably their biggest test of the season to date coming up on Friday when they travel to 3rd place #9-ranked Laurier to take on the Golden Hawks at 8 p.m. on Friday night; it will be their first match-up versus a team outside the bottom half of the West table and a good barometer for the level of play needed to take top seed in the West.

172.2 • Thursday, September 12, 2013

11

PHOTO BY RIVER ROY

Sarah Magalhaes (right) fights her opponent for the ball. The Gryphons women’s soccer team is 4-0 heading into a crucial game against Laurier.

MEN’S RUGBY TEAM FEELS THE HEAT

PHOTO BY PABLO VADONE

The men’s rugby team opened up their season at home to McMaster with a 24-16 win.

PHOTO BY SARAH DRURY

Ready for battle, Gryphons men’s rugby looks to improve upon a 7-1 season and an OUA semi-final.

JAZZIN’ IT UP During the latter half of last week, downtown Guelph housed its annual Jazz Festival which was a must see event that is held in the beginning of September every year. Even though the weather was gloomy, people came out to see the unique talent that had been brought together through a love and passion for jazz music.

As the day went on the crowds grew bigger and people were venturing around downtown Guelph to see a mixture of shows that inspired and moved them. The beats and vibrations of the sound of the music filled the streets of downtown and attracted viewers to come have a drink and explore something they have or have not been introduced to before.

Looking around at the faces of the people watching these shows, it was apparent they were not only at the Jazz Festival to fill their day with activity; they were there to absorb the experience. The audience was captivated by the musical ability of the artists who were performing before them. The act of seeing a live musical performance is a personal experience; one isn’t just listening to something that is meaningless but rather building their own relationship with the sound, the lyrics and the overall vibe of the show.

Watching a musician perform their masterpiece is a moving moment in many respects; their artistry can move an audience while, at the same time, each individual can take something unique from the experience. These experiences can impart a memory that will last a lifetime.

BadBadN

Nuit Blanche

BadBadNotGood kicks off Jazz Festival schedule wi and enthusiastic performa George’s Church

Katherine Chabot For a four-day (and night) period, various sounds and music were vibrating through the atmosphere and within the eardrums of people lucky enough to be witnessing Guelph Jazz Festival celebrating their 20th anniversary.

Musicians were scattered around the city serenading their audiences, while their viewers jumped from event to event in search of new sights and sounds that laced the town.

Nuit Blanche was an extraordinary event for those willing enough to sacrifice some of their sleep and watch performances, starting at midnight and lasting until 7 a.m. the next morning. With different genres to choose from, one could decide to venture off to Mitchell Hall located at St. George’s Anglican Church to attend a Soul Jazz Orchestra, or walk down to Market Square and participate in a Silent Dance Party alongside two DJs for a complete opposite experience.

I had the privilege of attending Silence on 46 Essex Street, where I listened and observed many different acoustic performers while pulling espresso shots from the convenient café located in the same building. Although the caffeine may have played a small role in keeping everyone alert, the performances had the ability to captivate its audience and keep them at the edge of their seats wanting more.

At 2:30 a.m., Montreal percussionist Patrick Graham began his rare solo performance unveiling his unique talent. Influenced from Japanese percussion through Indian and Irish rhythms to Mediterranean frame drumming, it was clear to recognize that Graham’s style was charged with his musical passion for new sounds and improvisation. From using an actual drum kit, to collaborating with the noises from the squeak in an old wooden chair, Graham’s musical styling’s spoke to it’s listeners and left it’s splendor resonating in everyone’s ear’s even when his performance ended. Nuit Blanche was well worth the lack of sleep, and an event that should be highly advised to any music-loving individual.

A G an w ex

Braeden Etienne PHOTO BY AMY VAN DEN BERG

Nuit Blanche attendees take a break from the festivities to “puddle jump” in the market square splash pad.

PHOTO BY VANESSA TIGNANELLI

Isaiah’s solo cello performance brought an energy that pulsated through the veins of onlookers in the crowd. A truly remarkable performance, that was an experience that shaped way for the day and night ahead in Market Square on Sept. 7.

Last Wednesday, jazz and hip ho Good came to Guelph as a part of th Alex Sowinski (drums and sample (keyboards), Chester Hansen (bass Leeland Whiity (saxophone) stop an eager and sold out crowd. It wa Toronto musicians found time to d After the release of their second alb the band have been busy working w Future’s Tyler the Creator and Ear as playing to thousands of people o their European tour, including the val in England. However, on this p trio arrived in Guelph and our sligh venue of St. George’s Anglican Ch crowd was small, and at first, sat q fold out chairs on the hardwood hall. As, BBNG started their set w back and more jazz-influenced so crowd in with melodious sax and k top of the solidly help hip hop bea bass. The audience watched silent songs and applauded loudly at the up an anticipation and excitemen of the small church hall.

By the end of the night BBNG’s so informed everyone there, of who and politely waiting for the next s did encourage both dancing and

PHOTO BY VANESSA TIGNANELLI

An exciting event to have been a part of, St. George’s Anglican Church was packed full nd the crowd enjoyed a lively and oh so well put together performance by a group of xtremely talented artists on Sept. 7.

NotGood kicks it off

f the Guelph ith a rowdy ance at St.

hop trio BadBadNothis year’s jazz festival. er), Mathew Tavares s), and special guest pped by to entertain as fortunate that the drop by the festival. bum over a year ago, with the likes of Odd rl Sweatshirt as well over the summer on e Glastonbury Festipast Wednesday, the htly-more-intimate hurch. The sold out quietly on the white floor or the church with their more laid ongs, they drew the keyboard lines overats of the drums and tly entranced during e breaks, which built nt in the atmosphere

oft spoken Sowinski om was still sitting song, that the band d mobility at their

performances. At Stowinski’s request, the audience instantly and eagerly rose to fill the small, chairless area at the front of the stage, and at the drop of the next song, seemed to explode with a pent up frustration of sitting in their chairs all night. With the next few songs of the set, BBNG showed a dynamic change from the laid back jazz-inspired songs that started off the evening and shifted towards a more enthusiastic electronic and hip-hop inspired set.

The new atmosphere created allowed the audience to emphatically dance along. In the final song before their encore, a cover of Gucci Mayne’s “Lemonade” (that has garnered viral success thanks to the promotion of Tyler the Creator), had drops causing the rowdy university crowd to excitedly jump around and even mosh. With the dancing crowd and their smiling, screaming faces, it was easy to see that BBNG was easily entertaining the young audience, who perhaps was a little less sober and a little more eager to dance, than the few confused adults who had remained in their seats.

After BBNG’s final song, a restless audience called them to return the stage for an encore. The band’s energetic cover of Kanye West’s “Flashing Lights,” was complete with a steady building bass line and verbal countdowns to drops from Stowinski, which ensured both synchronized rowdiness and expulsion of energy from the now, heavy-breathing crowd. After the show, a happy and energized audience left the church hall as a very humble BBNG graciously thanked the crowd for their energy and expressed gratitude for being allowed to participate in the festival. The three person band’s energetic, exciting performance left the crowd satisfied and set the bar for the remaining performances of the week. With the release of BBNG’s third album later this year, one can only hope for their return to Guelph in the near future.

PHOTO BY VANESSA TIGNANELLI

(Above and right) Bomata, a trio of Jazz musicians entranced the crowd Saturday afternoon with their mixture of talent.

Unexpected instrumental changes shook the crowd and demanded attention in the best way possible in Market Square on Sept. 7.

PHOTO BY VANESSA TIGNANELLI

PHOTO BY WENDY SHEPHERD

BadBadNotGood performs at St George’s Anglican Church in Guelph on Sept. 5.

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www.theontarion.com

SPORTS & HEALTH

HIV vaccination breakthrough

The University of Western Ontario announces success of Phase 1 human clinical trial

By Jessica Myers It is estimated that more than thirty-four million people around the globe are infected with HIV/ AIDS, a lethal virus for which no available preventative vaccination currently exists. A hopeful and innovative research team at the University of Western Ontario seeks to alter that; their study has been praised for their wildly successful completion of the Phase 1 human clinical trial, which began in March 2012.

In Phase 1 of human clinical trial, the primary objective is ensuring the safety and uncovering possible side effects of the vaccination. SAVoo1H was tested on a wide sample of healthy HIV positive volunteers, none of whom experienced notable side effects.

Additionally, a number of positive results were observed, such as an increase in antibody production in the volunteers. This forecasts success for Phases 2 and 3 of testing, in which the emphasis is ensuring the effectiveness of the vaccination The vaccination SAVoo1H is currently being developed by Dr. Chil-Yong Kang and associates, and is supported by East Asian biotech firm Sumagen Co Ltd. Although not the first to attempt a vaccination against this deadly virus, Kang’s strategy differs tremendously from his predecessors.

The team at Western uses the killed whole virus strategy, in which they are genetically modifying versions of the whole virus. This technique is much like that used by vaccines for polio, influenza, rabies and hepatitis A. In order to ensure the modified version is less dangerous and easy to mass-produce, Kang’s team uses the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus, SIV. “We infect the cells with a genetically modified HIV-1. The infected cells produce lots of

virus, which we collect, purify and inactivate so that the vaccine won’t cause AIDS in patients, but will trigger immune responses,” Dr. Kang’s said in an interview with the Ontario Business Report.

The vaccination specifically targets sub type B HIV, the most predominant strand in Canada, South America, parts of Europe and Australia. It is anticipated that if the vaccination is effective, however, that it can be modified and customized to meet requirements of specific regions.

Although primarily a prophylactic vaccination, meaning it is preventative, it can have therapeutic benefits for those living with HIV without AIDS symptoms.

Those involved in the project are extremely optimistic about the vaccination’s future and are in agreement that a commercially available version will be available within the next five years.

Through University of Western Ontario press release Jung-Gee Cho, CEO of Sumagen, is quoted as saying “We are now prepared

PHOTO BY NIAID

An illustrative diagram of a single, infective viral particle of HIV virus. More than 34 million people are affected worldwide by HIV/AIDS.

to take the next steps towards Phase II and Phase III clinical trials. We are opening the gate to pharmaceutical companies,

government, and charity organization for collaboration to be one step closer to the first commercialized HIV vaccine.”

Beating breast cancer before it’s begun

University of Guelph researcher studies the link between diet and breast cancer Kaileigh Watson

One in nine women will be impacted by breast cancer in their lifetime. One in nine women will deal with doctor’s appointments, hospital visits, surgery, and chemotherapy. One in nine women will sit with her family and wonder what could have

been done to prevent this.

Salma Abdelmagid, a researcher at the University of Guelph, is conducting a study exploring the link between diet and breast cancer. Abdelmagid says, “The question we want to answer is if a mom takes omega-3 fatty acids when she is pregnant, will that prevent her baby girl from getting breast cancer later in life?”

Omega 3 fatty acids are thought to be anti-inflammatory where as omega 6 fatty acids are believed to be pro-inflammatory. A number of the mice involved in this study

will consume diets enriched in either omega 3 or omega 6 fatty acids. The effect this has on the mammary gland development of their offspring will then be studied. There will also be mice fed omega-3 enriched diets after birth to observe whether this can make up for the lack of these fatty acids during fetal development.

Abdelmagid explains how they will then examine the mammary glands of the mice in order to determine the impact of their omega 3 or omega 6 enriched diets. “In the mammary gland there are specific morphological

and molecular changes that we know are indicative of the mammary gland later being more susceptible to breast cancer or less susceptible.”

The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation clearly sees the value in Abdelmagid’s study as they have awarded her a $142,500 post-doctoral fellowship. With diet and lifestyle being implicated in 30-50% of cancers, this study could be an important step forward in breast cancer research.

Omega 3 fatty acids are most commonly found in fish oils and

can easily be incorporated into one’s pregnancy diet. It would be these simple preventative measures that could potentially save so many lives. After all, what wouldn’t an expectant mother do to prevent her daughter from developing breast cancer later in life? What wouldn’t she do to save her baby girl from undue hardship? An alteration in pregnancy diet would be such a simple preventative measure that could potentially save so many lives.

Let the mob to the fish aisles begin.

New GryFIT program to connect students with campus life Laura Castellani It is easy to get lost in the crowded commotion of campus life. A community where tight schedules are littered with lectures and looming deadlines, the art of living well is lost in sleepless nights and overplayed worries.

And while committing to clubs, teams, sessions and workshops may only threaten to add to the chaos, a new program, GryFIT emphasizes the benefits of connecting students with campus events and organizations that spark their interest and excite their enthusiasm.

The program, new to campus this fall, challenges students to explore the seven

dimensions of wellness: social, occupational, intellectual, environmental, physical, emotional and spiritual, to enhance their university experience.

Rather than limiting fitness to little more than journeys to the gym and eating well, the program promotes wellbeing as a balance of the seven categories.

Each month, a series of events will be held relating to each of the categories. The activities range from midnight swimming sessions at the athletic centre to resume building at the library.

For each event attended, students receive a stamp of their GryFIT passport, which can be picked up in the wellness centre on the second floor of the JT Powell Building or the

Client Services desk in the Athletics Centre. While passport stamps translate to prizes for eager students, the real reward comes from the connections gained and the experiences earned. Students are also welcome to join in on events without a passport.

The seven dimensions of wellness span a spectrum of interests that offer students a taste of the variety of opportunities available throughout campus and the city of Guelph.

It offers a chance for students to try new experiences, such as a yoga class, volunteering throughout the community or discussing all those matters that “Mamma Never Told Me.” Attending events can help

students develop a network that supports their needs, as well as spark interest and awareness of issues and resources otherwise unnoticed.

Melanie Bowman, of the Wellness Centre, appreciates the strength of the program in helping students find their stride on campus.

“There is a link between student wellness and the connection students have to their campus. We want to help students experience the campus in a complete way that will support all dimensions of wellness, and thereby contribute to their success as a student,” she shares.

Meanwhile, Jazmin Holdway of GryFIT recommends the

program as an effective way for students to become connected with individuals and resources available to enhance student life and wellness.

“GryFIT is such an amazing opportunity for students to become aware of programs and events that are occurring on campus, and open the doors to really get involved.”

The program is geared toward any student who wishes to become involved in the campus community and explore the various issues and opportunities available.

While the obvious target audience is the first year students eager to explore their new home, program events are open to any student.

SCIENCE & TECH

172.2 • Thursday, September 12, 2013

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Guelph family relives the ’80s

Modern technology is put away, it’s all about “reconnecting” Emily Carlisle

Campus is bustling again, which not only means that fall classes are up-and-running, but that our technology usage is at its alltime high. Whether it’s printing lecture slides on Courselink or sending a text to ask a friend to save a seat in class, it’s nearly impossible to imagine life without technology; and life before technology, for that matter.

However, fellow Guelph resident Blair McMillan and his family are currently proving that even in today’s society, living without modern technology can be done. McMillan, his partner Morgan Patey, and their two boys, Trey and Denton, ages 5 and 2, have reverted back to the lifestyle of 1986 – the year McMillan and Patey were born.

Triggered when his five-yearold son refused to play outside because he wanted to play on their iPad, McMillan told The Record, “My whole life has basically been reverted back to when I was a kid and I’m reinventing that with my kids and using exactly the same technologies that I used back in the day”. That means no internet, no social media, and even guests are asked to leave their cell phones in a box outside before entering the house.

This experiment, which started in April and is to last a year, is an attempt to give the kids a chance to experience what the couple’s own childhood was like – and yes, that means that the entire family are also sporting mullets.

Though living in such a way would negatively affect the average university student’s schooling (no email or Facebook – yikes!), there is still something to be taken from McMillan’s experiment. A report from The National in December 2011 revealed that young people ages 15 to 26 spend roughly 9.9 hours a day with media, more time than is spent sleeping. That’s 9.9 hours spent in virtual interaction as opposed to face-to-face communication.

PHOTO BY ETHAN HEIN

Could you go an entire year without the technology you use everyday? For many, it would be difficult to imagine a world where technology comes in the form of cassette tapes, rather than the technologically-advanced products and services we have today.

Needless to say, young adults are becoming increasingly dependent on media as a means to maintain their social standing.

McMillan himself reported that the experiment has caused a strain on some relationships, not only because friends are unable, or unwilling, to give up their own cell phones for a few hours, but because the McMillan family is hard to reach.

This mentality is strikingly similar to some of the reactions gathered from typical university students.

When asked how she would cope without modern technology, second year student Rachel Ackford replied that without texting, Facebook and messaging on various other sites, “It would be harder to keep up to date on what’s going on in other’s lives.”

She later added that her long distance relationship relied heavily

upon technology to keep in touch and plan visits this summer, noting that media was “an added convenience to save some hassle.”

Alyssa Green, also a second year student, agreed with Ackford, stating that technology is extremely beneficial in this day and age.

“You aren’t always going to be at home, so it would be a lot harder to get in contact with someone if you were only using, say, a landline to do so,” Green added.

Upon learning about McMillan’s experiment, however, these initial responses became less resolute.

Green commented that though it wouldn’t be easy, she’s sure she would be able to do it. While Ackford noted, “It’s not necessary to always be able to text or message each other. In fact, visits would be packed with stories and feel that much better after less

communication while apart.”

That is exactly the idea that McMillan has behind his experiment. As he told The Record, “It’s about reconnecting, and basically disconnecting from technology to reconnect with friends and family”. McMillan’s family is finding other ways to occupy the 9.9 hours that young people spend connected to media, finding value especially in being active and sharing faceto-face interaction that is now

commonly taken for granted in society.

It is this aspect of the experiment that students can embrace.

As course work picks up and more time is spent on the internet, it would be beneficial for students to keep McMillan’s experiment in mind. Though technology certainly has its advantages, and proves to be quite necessary, McMillan’s family has shown that everyone could use a little bit more “reconnecting.”

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www.theontarion.com

Big in Japan?

Japanese news station does story on dumpster diving rap video made in Guelph Ryan Matheson

“Is this for real?” Eli Winterfeld wondered. “I thought it was a prank,” said Dan Kruger. How would you react upon learning your homemade video had made it onto Japanese television?

In October of 2012, Winterfeld, Kruger and Matt Little released a homemade rap video addressing the alternative, anti-waste act of dumpster diving. In the video the three rappers, each under their respective aliases, ramble around Guelph spitting rhymes and picking food from dumpsters. Less a year after the single, “We be Dumpsta Diving,” was released it has had over 10,000 views on YouTube, and has subsequently been picked up by a

Japanese television station.

The lines as to how the video reached the other side of the world are a little blurred. According to Kruger, “There’s a guy writing a musical in New York called “Dumpster Diver: The Musical” and he was thinking about using our song in it. We never heard from him but somehow he has a connection with this [Japanese] TV station and told them about our YouTube video.” From there the television station contacted Dave Lawless, who was responsible for the filming and posting of the video, via his YouTube account asking for an interview with the rappers.

The interview, carried out by popular Japanese host John Kabira, has yet to be translated word for word, but Kruger says, “From what I’ve heard, they are talking about how much waste there is in North America, specifically in the US.” Kabira and his co-host acknowledge the serious waste problem, but still have their reservations about

dumpster diving. “They’re sort of incredulous, as most people are when they first hear about [dumpster diving],” said Kruger.

So are the three getting bombarded with Japanese fan mail, you ask?

“Here’s the little secret about this whole saga,” said Kruger “We don’t think that [the interview] was actually ever aired. The [YouTube] views didn’t go up at all on the day it was ‘aired,’ and when I asked if it was aired, the producer replied with, ‘I told you it was a live interview.’ And that’s all he said.”

Dumpster diving is considered illegal, despite much of the wasted food being totally edible. Winterfeld says he still collects some of his food in this manner, attaining “20 to 40 per cent,” of his calories from dumpsters of big-box retail and grocery stores, “depending on the season.” He has been doing this for quite some time now, and has yet to get sick from it.

Although the interview may not

SCIENCE & TECH

PHOTO BY MIKEY WALLY

“Dumpster divers” are those who sift through dumpsters in order to find their next meal. Three Guelph residents made a YouTube video about their experience with dumpster diving, and their video made it all the way to Japan. hit the airwaves overseas, Kruger and Winterfeld are glad to have had this unique experience. They’re not

famous in Japan yet, but both the interview and the original rap can be found on YouTube.

Internet addiction clinics on the rise

The rise of Internet addiction and how to combat it Gagan Batra

With all the innovations being made in digital technology, it’s no wonder that we’re constantly finding ourselves browsing the web for longer than we may intend. The latest computer, tablet, and smartphone models are all trying to one up each other in order to make it easier for us, the consumers, to access the Internet in various ways.

Not only do all smartphone companies ensure their models have Wifi capability, the carriers provide networks so we can literally access the Internet at any time, as long as there’s cellphone service.

While these advancing technologies are making our Internet browsing a lot more convenient, and our lives easier in some respects, they also have a negative impact on consumers. Internet addiction is a phenomenon sweeping nations all around the world. The issue has become so serious, in fact, that various countries are responding by opening Internet addiction clinics to help people deal with the problem.

The Globe and Mail recently published an article called “U.S. Internet addiction clinics on the rise,” explaining that, as is the case with many other forms of addiction, people who are addicted to the Internet are at risk of developing a number of physical conditions, including obesity, carpel tunnel syndrome, and deep vein thrombosis. Additionally, heavy Internet

use has been linked to social skills atrophy, where people become increasingly isolated from the realities around them and forget how to live in a real-time world. An article published by the National Post titled “Internet addiction has same effect as cocaine on brains: study,” reveals that people who are unable to control their Internet use have certain abnormal white matter structures in the brain that are similar to what can be seen in cocaine or crystal-meth addicts.

Specifically, people with what has come to be known as “Internet Addiction Disorder” have impaired white matter fibres that connect the different regions of the brain and play a critical role in emotional processing. They experience cravings, compulsive-repetitive , and poor decision-making,, similar to people

with other forms of addiction. Dr. Kimberly Young, a psychologist at the centre of research on Internet addiction, explains that it is a compulsive disorder, while other researchers maintain that it is a serious mental health issue that is prevalent all around the world.

North America is in the midst of accommodating the rise of Internet addiction, but the issue is far more prominent in South Korea and China, which are the current leaders in treatment. Like other types of addiction clinics, those for Internet addiction in North America offer inpatient and outpatient treatments, which can range from $8,000 to over $14,000. Dr. Young explains that the inpatient recovery at the Bradford Regional Medical Center consists of medically supervised detoxification and

intensive daily sessions with a psychiatrist and licensed psychologist, discharge planning, and aftercare.

Dr. Young has stated that there is currently no standard treatment protocol for Internet addiction, but is hoping that the program offered at her clinic will steer doctors in the right direction.

It is clear that Internet addiction is already a major issue bring fuelled by new technologies making it simpler for us to access the web.

There is no need to worry, though.

If you are able to consciously exercise control over the time you spend online, it is a sign that you have not succumbed to the cyber illness.

There also exist Internet addiction tests where you can determine whether or not this is something that affects you. Ironically, these tests are available online.

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LIFE

www.theontarion.com

Simple tips for inexpensive, healthy meals

How to keep from actually becoming a “starving student” Gagan Batra

Students are notorious for coming up with the most absurd, nutrient deficient, and completely disgusting (at least in the eyes of our parents) meal options.

Whether you’re accustomed to the seven-days-a-week ramen diet during your time at school, or making grilled cheese sandwiches out of hotdog buns (which unfortunately I have been guilty of on at least one occasion), these recipe tips will help you steer away from the “starving student” lifestyle, at least when it comes to food.

Beans are a great staple to have in your kitchen. Some of the simplest and least expensive meals I’ve made have included cooked beans.

Some great uses of beans include: baked beans on toast; black bean bowls with salsa; and black bean burritos. The beauty of beans is that they are loaded with protein and dietary fibre, while being low in sodium and fat. This combined with the fact that they are cheap and quick provides for great meal options for a student on a budget.

When in doubt, potatoes are always a good bet. If you’re like me and need to have some form of carb with your dinner, potatoes are the way to go. Not only do they have a much longer shelf life than bread, but they are also fairly inexpensive. The best part about potatoes is that they are so versatile and easy to cook. If ever you’re stressed about cooking dinner, just wrap a baking potato

COURTESY PHOTO

It is easy to stick to packaged meals when you’re a busy student, but there are plenty of options to creatively expand your palate. up in aluminum foil and toss it into the oven for about an hour.

When it’s done just take it out, season it, and enjoy. Virtually effortless, while still delicious.

Ramen isn’t all bad. While Ramen Noodles have come to be considered a poor college student staple, there are many ways in which it can be spruced up to make it into a fairly delicious and filling meal. Adding some of your favourite frozen vegetables to the water to cook is an easy and

inexpensive way of adding some bulk to the noodles. Additionally, cracking an egg into the pot and scrambling it near the end adds some protein and great flavour.

Buy your food in bulk and freeze it. If ever you find yourself at Costco or any regular grocery store with a sale on a jumbo pack of chicken breast, ground beef, or any other perishable food with a short ‘safe to eat’ time frame, buy it, use some, and freeze the rest. Not only is it cheaper to buy

things in bulk, it is more practical as it calls for fewer trips to the grocery store when you’re too busy with schoolwork to bother with shopping. Just defrost the frozen ingredient by putting it in the fridge overnight and you’ll be good to use it the next day.

Do not rely on packaged or processed foods to fill you up. While those cheap processed frozen meals may seem alluring when you’re shopping on an empty stomach and worried about having time to cook

yourself a meal, do not succumb to their appeal. These processed and packaged foods are often loaded with preservatives, hold close to no nutritional value, and despite being loaded with calories, they will most likely do nothing to fill you up. The best option in this scenario is to get raw ingredients (like black beans, chicken breast, veggies, etc.) to prepare something simple yourself, and to eat a small snack in the meantime to keep your stomach at bay.

Perfecting being perpetually poor

Mastering the art of the back-to-school budget Gabrielle Dickert

Disclaimer: I am not a personal financial planner; I’m just a student who has learned to deal with her finances. I have four years of student life under my belt, and it’s safe to say that I’ve experienced every amount of financial support from my parents in that time. I’ve gone from having an RESP that covered everything (including a few too many not-so-necessary purchases), to graduation, to oh look I want to go back to school – Wait, you mean I have to pay for it myself this time? Now that I’ve been financially on my own and sustaining my current lifestyle for over a year, I think I’ve learned some helpful tips and tricks that can help perpetually poor students.

You know exactly what I mean when I say perpetually poor.

You probably go from summer to summer scraping by on savings and part-time jobs. Putting money away for the future isn’t an option when you can’t even buy what you need today. You might be the student with racked up credit card bills who’s now wondering, “What did I even buy that could have cost this much money?”, or “What else was I doing that I couldn’t find a parttime job?” Sound familiar?

Step one when dealing with your finances is the creation of a budget. Let’s take a look at what you have to work with. Do your parents pay for tuition or rent or both? Did you put away money for university while you were in high school or over the summer?

Do you have OSAP? A student line of credit? If you are receiving a lump sum amount of money, subtract whatever you need to pay for tuition and books (for both semesters) and then take what you have left and divide it

by eight. This will be your base amount for each month. Set a realistic income for yourself. Do you have a job? Still receive an allowance? How much money do you think you’ll be making each month? Add this to your base amount. Next, figure out where you spend your money. Take a look at your bank statements, credit card statements, and any receipts you’ve collected and try to put your financial puzzle together. If you’re savvy with Excel, I recommend the creation of a spreadsheet. If you’re not, don’t worry! You don’t have to get too fancy with how your budget looks – a pen and paper work just fine too.

After you’ve made your list of past spending, go through it and divide each expense into a category. For example, I use the categories rent, tuition, books, necessities (e.g., food, toilet paper, tooth paste, cleaning supplies, etc.), entertainment, and miscellaneous (e.g.,

new clothes, birthday presents, etc.). Rent and tuition are fixed expenses (at this point, you can’t change how much they cost or whether or not you can pay them) so we’re not even going to look at them. I also treat books as a fixed expense, since they’re something you need for school and can’t necessarily go without.

Now come up with a total amount you spend on each category. This is a time for harsh truths with yourself, so don’t play with the numbers to make yourself feel better. Figure out what expenditures can be cut back on, and what expenditures you want to keep. Remember to be realistic. If you and your friends go out for breakfast every Saturday morning, you’re not going to stop doing that just because you created a budget. If you really need to cut back, talk to your friends and see if maybe they want to do a potluck-style breakfast at someone’s house. Or maybe going out

for breakfast once a week is your “thing” – you’re allowed to have a “thing.” Realize that now that you’re on your own, you’re not going to be able to maintain the lifestyle you once had while living with your parents. You’re going to need to make some cutbacks, but it’s up to you what you decide can be cut back on.

Another option if your budget isn’t balancing is to increase your income. You can think about things like picking up more hours at work, getting a better-paying job (or simply getting a job), or applying for some scholarships or bursaries.

Creating a budget is an important skill to learn and helps you be aware of where your money is coming from and where it’s going. It’s an important part of being a student and living independently (and yes, growing up).

It doesn’t have to be complicated or take up a lot of time – a little work can go a long way when it comes to managing money.

OPINION

172.2 • Thursday, September 12, 2013

Learning to love your foreskin

Why doctors, moms and men are advocating against non-religious circumcision Sophie Feltes

Circumcision is a mighty controversial subject in today’s world, labelled as everything from a violation of human rights akin to female genital mutilation, to the cure for AIDS in Africa. As one brave soul mentioned in the new documentary Cut: Slicing Through the Myths of Circumcision, boys are not even shown a picture of an intact penis in health class. Their point of reference for natural, healthy genitalia is in fact modified genitalia, leaving intact boys feeling like something must be wrong with them. Rates of circumcision are highest in America, still sitting at around half of the population, but also significant here in Canada, in Australia, New Zealand and the UK, and in predominately Jewish and Muslim

areas. Its prominence in these countries is puzzling, as it has never been embraced as routine practice in Europe, South America, or Asia. The vast majority of the world’s men remain intact.

The American Association of Pediatrics, the American Cancer Society, Health Canada, and the World Health Organization all consider the risks and negative effects to outweigh any potential benefits.

While Jewish circumcisions date back to BCE, it wasn’t until the 1800s that they began to be touted by non-Jews as a cure for masturbation. Then came the argument that an intact penis could not be properly cleaned. As a woman who has come across her fair share of both non-circumcised and intact penises, I have come to the same conclusion that medical experts have; all men are equally capable of laziness. I want to put this myth to bed because it is not difficult to pull back and rinse, and we need to have more faith in our children. Speaking of myths, let’s get a few more out of the way:

An uncircumcised boy will feel awkward in the locker room.

Times they are a changin’. Estimates for the rate of Canadian circumcision range from 10-30 per cent, varying greatly by province with the highest being Alberta and the lowest Newfoundland. Fitting in is the most common reasons parents cite for circumcising their kids, reflecting their own childhood experience perhaps 30 years ago when rates were sky high, before the bulk of studies discrediting the practice were published.

Girls find intact penises offputting and will not want to sleep with an intact man.

The few girls who might feel this way have likely been sheltered from sexual education and/or experience. Lots, and I mean lots, of women love the ease and fun of giving a hand-job to an intact man, and many women report a more pleasurable sensation during penetration similar to a ribbed condom.

Circumcision protects from penile cancer, UTIs and HIV. Penile cancer, for example, is one of the least common cancers for men. Urinary Tract Infection rates are a little lower in circumcised children, but again with proper cleaning this risk can be easily mitigated. The biggest conversation surrounding circumcision right now is on HIV prevention. A couple of recent studies have indicated a reduced risk of transmission among heterosexual males in Africa, and a chunk of the aid that was being devoted to sexual health awareness and contraception has been diverted to offering the surgery. However, many worry that this could in fact bring HIV rates up in that men may be more inclined to have unprotected sex under the false assumption that it is safe, and women will have less power in negotiating contraception. Circumcision shows no advantage in preventing transmission between gay men.

Circumcision is easier on infants than children or adults.

It is an easier procedure to perform on babies, but babies are

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extremely sensitive to pain, and it is not safe to give a newborn general anesthesia. Pain relief in the form of a local cream or injections may be offered, but these do not relieve all pain nor do they prevent the emotional distress babies experience.

Circumcision doesn’t have an impact on sexual sensation.

Only recently did scientists bother to investigate the incredible number of nerves in the tip of the foreskin, in addition to the protection it offers the head from desensitization. The foreskin also provides fabulous natural lubrication. Foreskins are not like our appendix; they do serve a very real function.

If having read this you are still inclined to have your child circumcised or you are considering the procedure as an adult, ask yourself, “Is it really worth it?” If the answer is yes, no one should disrespect your autonomy, but your child’s autonomy should be respected as well.

Feeding corporate responsibility

Background to the food packing world record challenge Deaglan McManus, Drew Garvie and Padraic O’Brien

This past Saturday over 659,000 meals were packaged for the West African country of Mauritania by 1,600 caring volunteers from the University of Guelph community.

This event was also part of the university’s BetterPlanet Project, which “is a call to action for the University of Guelph community and people around the world to work together to find solutions for a healthy, equitable and sustainable world.”

The food was paid for the second year in a row by Kinross Gold Corporation, a Canadian-based mining company that operates a gold mine in Mauritania. The company’s logo was featured on the packages, complete with English-only instructions for the Arabic and French speaking country.

Kinross is one of the top five gold mining companies in the world. One of its largest operations is the Tasiast open-pit mine in Mauritania, which it acquired for $7.1 billion in 2010.

The mine is attracting more and more controversy in the West African country for its detrimental social and environmental impacts and lack of benefits for the wider population. Local

communities have seen unusual numbers of livestock die from poisoning, and are pointing at open-pit storing of cyanide tailings, which can poison water sources. The Tasiast mine has yet to receive certification for cyanide management and no independent environmental impact assessment has ever been conducted for the mine.

The Mauritanian government does not have the capacity to conduct such a study, let alone enforce environmental regulations. Kinross has benefited from the government’s lack of capacity and notorious corruption to minimize benefits to the country: royalty taxes are a meagre 3 per cent, work is largely outsourced to foreign subcontractors with low labour standards, and unionbusting occurs on a wide scale.

When the Mauritanian president made his impatience with the company clear, Kinross appeased him by hiring his cousins as administrators.

This past summer, 90 per cent of the workers at the Tasiast mine went on strike.

Their grievances included a call for Kinross to respect the commitments made in 2011 with regards to pay, medical coverage, and the decent treatment of mining staff. The workers also protested against various positions taken by management, such as moves to cut bonus pay and the refusal to transfer seriously ill employees to the capital Nouakchott. It was clear this summer that Kinross’

own Mauritanian workers did not consider them a “socially responsible” company.

In addition to all this, Mauritanians find themselves routinely struggling with famine. Chief among the root causes are the economic policies adopted by Mauritania over the recent decades, under the unrelenting pressure of international financiers. These policies embrace large-scale mining investments, while leaving little place for traditional small-scale domestic food production.

Under this agenda, the country’s economic sovereignty and its ability to address famines are surrendered to corporations like Kinross, allowing them subordinate local populations to its greedy interests.

What is not addressed by Kinross or the University of Guelph is whether they are making an effort to address the root problems of the famine, poverty, and exploitation in West Africa. Could the vitamin packets that were manufactured in the USA, shipped to Canada, and then packed and shipped to Mauritania be obtained more locally to those in need? Could the food have been grown and shipped from a local provider to Mauritanians who we could pay to package the food? If 1,600 Mauritanians were paid for two hours at their legal minimum wage, it would cost just $2,272 CAD to pack that same food. What is the price of our

“experience” of helping the less fortunate in other countries?

It is certainly impressive that 1,600 students and community members at the University of Guelph showed up to package food for Mauritanians in need.

This demonstrates that we care significantly about fighting hunger and poverty across the world. Although we may not have the answer to solving world hunger, it is certainly worth asking how we can make the most helpful, dignified, and long-lasting impact.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is now a cornerstone of the vast majority of major corporations’ public relations strategies. It is a concept where companies use social and environmental concerns in their business operations. This can include “corporate philanthropy” (e.g., Ronald McDonald House), “cause related marketing” (e.g., breast cancer research branding on products), sponsoring awards (e.g., Reebok’s Human Rights Awards), and the ever popular corporate “codes of conduct” that many companies have now instituted. This can be seen very clearly in the fossil fuel industry that has almost universally adopted the language of environmentalists in their public relations. Take for example British Petroleum’s slogan “Beyond Petroleum.” BP was responsible for the largest offshore oil spill in history in 2010 at their Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico.

CSR dollars from Kinross are being spent right here in Guelph. Kinross has donated $1 million to fund the Kinross Gold Chair in Environmental Governance as well as $1 million to start the Canada-Brazil Research Network for “responsible resource extraction.”

Contrast this last manoeuvre with Kinross’ vocal opposition and lobbying efforts to defeat Bill C-300, which would have given the Canadian government the ability to investigate human rights and environmental abuses of resource companies abroad. How’s that for corporate social responsibility?

Why is it that our universities are being increasingly drawn into these “photo-ops for cash deals” with major corporations?

This is happening in the context of ever-increasing tuition fees to compensate for public underfunding, and a piling of crushing student debt. Corporate “donations” and research dollars are being used fill the gap in public funding. As they increase, as corporations slap their name on buildings, research chairs, entire departments and fund more for-profit research, our universities will become more likely to participate in these CSR projects. Our role as a community is to push back, question these for-profit relationships and to demand a university system that sees education as a social good, not only a training and research centre for large corporations.

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EDITORIAL

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The Ontarion Inc. University Centre Room 264 University of Guelph N1G 2W1 ontarion@uoguelph.ca Phone: 519-824-4120 General: x58265 Editorial: x58250 Advertising: x58267 Accounts: x53534 Editorial Staff: Editor-in-chief Jessica Avolio Production Staff: Photo & graphics editor Wendy Shepherd Ad designer Justin Thomson Layout Director Stephanie Lefebvre Office Staff: Business manager Lorrie Taylor Office co-ordinator Stacey Aspinall Ad manager Al Ladha Board of Directors President Bronek Szulc Treasurer Lisa Kellenberger Chairperson Michael Bohdanowicz Secretary Alex Lefebvre Directors Aaron Francis Harrison Jordan Heather Luz Lisa McLean Marshal McLernon Shwetha Chandrashekhar

It’s a bitter pill to swallow

Our dependence on hormonal contraceptives in order to prevent unplanned pregnancy Jessica Avolio

Each day, over 100 million women take a tiny little pill for their daily dose of synthetic hormones. These contraceptives, colloquially known as “the Pill,” give women the ability to inhibit their fertility and offer a 99 per cent success rate in avoiding unplanned pregnancy. The fear we have instilled upon ourselves in regards to becoming unintentionally “knocked up” is great enough that millions of women take these hormones, often without seriously contemplating the potential side-effects.

Sex hormones are defined as a substance that is “held to influence behaviour or mood,” and while most women are often taking the pill to inhibit fertility (among other reasons), we rarely consider how strongly it can affect our physical and emotional self.

Now, not every woman will experience any of the 600 adverse side-effects as listed by Health Canada, but many do deal with the ramifications, however subtle, because the anxiety over an unplanned pregnancy is so great.

Some of the side-effects of the pill include pain and cramping,

unpredictable bleeding, impairment of muscle gain, increased chance of heart attacks/stroke, an increased risk of cervical cancer, and most commonly, an increased risk of blood clots.

This little pharmaceutical can also alter a woman’s emotional wellbeing with side-effects such as depression, sexual dysfunction, a loss of sex drive, intense mood swings and other mood disorders. It is unfortunate that a drug meant to prevent pregnancy and offer women the freedom to have sex without the consequences of bearing a child also has the ability to decrease or totally diminish one’s sex drive.

A 2011 study revealed that these contraceptives altered how women remembered information. Women both on and off and Pill were told a story and shown photos of a car accident. The women on the Pill remembered more emotional aspects of the story while the women not on the Pill were more likely to recall the details of the scene. Only a handful of studies exist that research the cognitive effects of the Pill, and this specific study demonstrated that the Pill had the potential to alter one’s ability to recount information regarding an event.

The alteration of testosterone is another effect of the Pill, and it has the ability to modify a woman’s choice in sexual partners by making them more attracted to those with lower testosterone levels, therefore altering one’s

choice in long-term partners.

What many are unaware of is that two of the most popular pills, Yaz and Yasmin, have been suspected as the cause of death for 23 Canadian women as a result of complications from blood clots. Many have predicted that even more deaths have occurred, but these deaths go unreported because doctors do not recognize the link between the cause of death and the risk of these medications.

It is estimated that about 10 in 10,000 women taking pills containing drospirenone will develop a blood clot, compared to six in 10,000 women on the regular pill. With either option, the risk of developing a blood clot exists, and many women are uninformed about this potentially fatal side effect. Pharmaceutical company Bayer has paid hundreds of millions of dollars to settle lawsuits that alleged these hormonal contraceptives were responsible for the deaths, heart attacks, strokes, blood clots and gallbladder ailments of thousands of women.

In the least extreme of cases, women on the Pill do not experience any side-effects at all, but in the most extreme, it can result in death. Why are these drugs so widely distributed and accepted as the norm? In addition, why are these drugs only commercially available to women?

The popular use of the Pill also drives down the use of condoms as a method of birth control,

and many stigmatize the use of condoms as being “unsexy” and “intrusive” to an enjoyable sexual experience.

Heather Corinna states in her article Love the Glove that “Condoms are the LEAST intrusive and demanding of all methods of contraception...If we’re going to talk about condoms changing how sex feels, we need to remember that something like the pill does too, and, unlike condoms, it changes how a woman feels all the time, both during and outside of sex.”

As a society we should be working on promoting non-hormonal methods of birth control by making them widely available to all men and women, because men are equally capable of taking steps towards preventing unwanted pregnancy.

We also need to release ourselves from the stigma that condoms muffle sexual sensation in such a burdensome way that we must turn to hormonal methods as the ultimate solution to achieve freedom from unplanned pregnancy.

When a drug such as the Pill has the ability to alter one’s physical and emotional state, the most logical solution is to turn to a method less intrusive. Even though condoms are a slightly less effective method of birth control, the increased risk of unplanned pregnancy should be a fair toss up if it means we no longer depend on synthetic hormones that chemically alter the state of our bodies in such a dramatic way.

Contributors Gagan Batra

Mike Ott

Emily Carlisle

Scott Parry

Laura Castellini

Maddy Rowland

Katherine Chabot

Amy van den Berg

Kelsey Coughlin

Kaileigh Watson

Gabrielle Dickert

Jonathan Webster

Brarden Etienne

Pablo Vadone

Sophie Feltes

Sarah Drury

Drew Garvie

River Roy

Devon Harding

Christopher Schoenbohm

Ryan Matheson

Mikey Wally

Deaglan McManus

Ethan Hein

Jessica Myers

Jeff Parker

Kimberly Northcote

Nick Ares

Padraic O’Brien

Vanessa Tignanelli

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Since the Ontarion undertakes the publishing of student work, the opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Ontarion Board of Directors. The Ontarion reserves the right to edit or refuse all material deemed sexist, racist, homophobic, or otherwise unfit for publication as determined by the Editor-in-Chief. Material of any form appearing in this newspaper is copyrighted 2011 and cannot be reprinted without the approval of the Editor-in-Chief. The Ontarion retains the right of first publication on all material. In the event that an advertiser is not satisfied with an advertisement in the newspaper, they must notify the Ontarion within four working days of publication. The Ontarion will not be held responsible for advertising mistakes beyond the cost of advertisement. The Ontarion is printed by the Guelph Mercury.

COURTESY PHOTO

Hormonal contraceptives, colloquially known as “the Pill,” is a drug taken by over 100 million women every day. These drugs are often taken without considering the potential side-effects that can affect one’s emotional and physical well being, and in the most extreme cases can lead to death.

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172.2 • Thursday, September 12, 2013

CLASSIFIEDS SERVICES Sept 24 – RELAXATION & STRESS Management Skills Training. A 12 session program at 5:30pm to decrease anxiety, headaches, insomnia and muscle tension.

Details at www.uoguelph. ca/~ksomers

COMMUNITY LISTINGS Friday, September 13th Friday Afternoon Jazz Series at the Bullring starts this Friday September 13th, from 2pm-4pm! This week features the jazz trio, Threefold Standard! Free.

MISCELLANEOUS Trillium Gift of Life Network (TGLN) is encouraging all Ontarians to register their consent to become organ and tissue donors. By registering as a donor, you could one day save up to eight lives and enhance as many as 75 more. Online donor registration is now available at BeADonor.ca. It’s easy and it only takes 3 minutes to register www.beadonor.ca NON PROFIT Join the ‘University of Guelph Gryphons’ run team in the 33rd annual Terry Fox Run taking place on Sunday September 15th 2013 at Silvercreek Park between 8am-12pm. Visit www.terryfoxrun.org to register!

Meetings begin September 2013.

MISCELLANEOUS U of Guelph Cheese Study: Participants Needed. Adults not taking Vitamin D supplements with a BMI>25 needed for 6-month UofGuelph Cheese study. Financial compensation. 519-824-4120 x58081 or cheese@uoguelph.ca.

BestCrosswords.com

Across 1- ___ lazuli 6- Neighbor of Cambodia 10- Beaver creations 14- Home ___ 15- Beige cousin 16- Comics canine 17- Feel grief 18- Attire 19- River to the Ubangi 20- Chest of drawers 22- Handicapped 24- Mao ___-tung 26- Less cluttered 27- Person that is no longer popular [2 words] 31- Monopoly quartet: Abbr.

32- Choir members 33- Animated 36- Quattro minus uno 39- Inert gas 40- Part of an act 41- Coconut-husk fiber

42- New Zealand parrot 43- Group of eight 44- Homerun king Hank 45- ___-Wan Kenobi was a character in “Star Wars” 46- Burrowing rodents 48- Superior of a convent 51- Getting on 52- Stocky [2 words] 54- Inchworm 59- French 101 verb 60- Not a dup.

62- Mazda model 63- Are you ___ out? [2 words] 64- Numbered rds.

65- Blue book filler 66- Tirade 67- Franklin D.’s mother 68- Bird homes

Down 1- Gyro meat 2- Baseball family name

3- Rain cats and dogs 4- As to 5- Governing bodies 6- Lower limb 7- Mil. School 8- Hatch on the Hill 9- Serve as a subordinate 10- Misgivings 11- Designer Simpson 12- Distance runner 13- Bird feed 21- Employ, utilise 23- Swiss river 25- Make into law 27- Williams of country music 28- “Hard ___!” (sailor’s yell) 29- Greek portico 30- ___ vivant 34- Bruce ___ was a famous kung-fu movie star 35- Emcee’s job

36- Singer Amos 37- Public disturbance 38- Sea birds 40- Cutting instrument for paper 41- Taxi 43- Comply 44- Belly 45- To show a different surface 47- Competitor of Tide and Cheer 48- Big name in insurance 49- Member of the nobility 50- Simmons rival 52- ___ to the throne 53- A wedding cake may have three of these 55- River to the Seine 56- Get an A, say 57- Coup d’___ 58- Beams 61- Govt. property overseer

Last Week's Solution

Congratulations to this week's crossword winner: Kin Lam. Stop by the Ontarion office to pick up your prize!

SUBMIT your completed crossword by no later than Monday, Sept. 16th at 4pm for a chance to win TWO FREE BOB’S DOGS!