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The day of protest planned to protect and promote the rights of teachers all over Ontario, but was determined illegal in the early morning of Jan. 11. The ruling came from the Ontario Labour Relations Board and the decision was met with mixed reactions. Teachers who are part of the Upper Grand District School Board were prepared to stage a walkout to protest Bill 115 a bill
gaining the reputation of impeding on the rights of teachers all over the province. More specifically, Bill 115, otherwise known as the Putting Students First Act, has been under scrutiny since it first came to public awareness in late 2012. Among the main points of Bill 115, all teachers are subjected to a twoyear pay freeze, a reduction of ...se e wa lkou t pag e 3
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Global to Local:
Participants will either cut their Kids just want to be kids. And hair or shave their heads to stand it makes it difficult for them when in solidarity with the children and they feel like they look sick, said women who are undergoing che- Kellenberger. These wigs have The media recently reported that, as motherapy. Professional stylists from an absolutely huge impact on part of Sexual Awareness Week, the U of T Sexual Education Centre has Kharisma Hair Design and Colorist self-esteem. will provide all haircuts in a 30-minIn the past three years, $35,000 rented out a club that permits sex on ute session. For additional styling, has been raised for research, along the premises. The event is meant to encourage a sex-positive attitude donors are welcome to return to the with 190 ponytails donated. salon at a later date for half price. Kellenberger retells a story where and allow students to experience Hair longer than eight inches will past event organizer Bethanny Le- the sex club scene in a safe space. Dr. be donated. rman, two-time childhood cancer Ruth Neustifter, an assistant professor Its definitely a statement, Kel- survivor, witnessed first-hand the within the Couple & Family Therapy program at the University of Guelph lenberger remarked. Together with effect these wigs have. Kira Seki and Amanda Kubik, the She told a story [about] when she who specializes in sexual well-being as Guelph students will be working to- was in Sick Kids, [and] a little girl well as survivors of intimate violence, wards their goal of $15,000 for the who was waiting for a wig finally re- spoke to The Ontarion on the topic. Childhood Cancer Canada Foun- ceived hers, and was so excited that The Ontarion: Is this topic as controdation. Dyed hair is sent to Locks she never took it off. of Love in the United States, while Ultimately, says Kellenberger versial as it seems or a step in the right untreated hair will be given to Pan- of the children living with cancer, direction for exploring sexuality? tene Beautiful Lengths, a Canadian They just want an opportunity to ruth neustifter: It can be both controversial and a step in the right direction. organization. live a normal childhood. There can be a great deal of value in pushing social boundaries to creregion of the world will be immune agriculture has a lot to offer. We are ate space for students to learn more or resilient to the impact of climate at the forefront of the next revo- about safe, consensual opportunities change. lution in green agriculture, said to explore and express sexual diversiAsrar concluded his talk with a the speaker. ty. Events like this are strictly optional message of encouragement. The talk was part of the Plant Ag- to attend, and every good club makes Let us work towards a prosper- riculture Seminar Series, which will consent and safety ous future for our children and be held every Wednesday in Thorn- their top priorities. In fact, places their children. Clearly the field of borough 1307 at 3:30 p.m. like this can be a unique way to explore sexual Negotiation and respect within a supportive and safe atmoand maliciously). All of these conseDespite criticisms from various sphere, should students choose to quences of Bill 115 are just some of the sources, teachers in the Guelph attend. Whether students choose to be reasons why the Upper Grand District community as well as all over On- more intimately involved or not, they School Board planned a day of pro- tario are continuing to receive can witness diverse bodies, sexualities, test for all of its elementary schools. support from all over the country. and sexual negotiation skills within an Just hours after the decision to As of right now, all future pro- accepting environment where both no abandon the walkout, buses in the tests have been called off, including and yes are respected. area were cancelled due to weather, the political protest that was set The Ontarion: What kind of response which caused a great deal of confu- for Jan. 16 by the Ontario Second- have you received from your own exsion among parents. ary School Teachers Federation periences with teaching sexuality to [We] realize that parents were (OSSTF). However, it has become young adults and to larger audiences extremely inconvenienced [with] evident that the fight against Bill through media? scrambling for child care, and then 115 is far from over and the Guelph rn: There is a huge need and interest in bus cancellations for inclement weath- community has not heard the last sexuality information that is accessible, er adding to the frustration, said Chair from the teachers union or the applicable, shame-free, and respectful of the Board Mark Bailey. government at large. of an individuals ability to determine their own sexual morals and ethics [] There are certainly plenty of opportunities to explore more traditional ideas of sex and intimacy; events like this help to add a bit more balance, diversity, and perspective. The Ontarion: Is this a news topic that Rafaela , students at U of G should pay attention to? rn: Diverse sexual interests and practices are nothing new, although they may be garnering more attention recently. However, the way our culture responds is always changing. Im sure that U of G students with a personal interest in this event will take note, but it should also catch the eye of anyone interested in sexual diversity, intimacy and eroticism, cultures of sexual consent, and related topics. Thanks to the participant for this weeks interview. If you have an international news story that you want to see here, contact News Editor Alicja Grzadkowska at onnews@ uoguelph.ca.
. . . cl imat e con t i n ue d In the wake of Octobers Bill C-45, which makes changes to the Navigable Waters Protection Act to reduce Canadas protected rivers and lakes, many protests such as the Idle No More movement have arisen. These movements
demonstrate that a part of Canadian society believes now may be time for a resurgence in interest regarding green issues, and a time to repair Canadas crumbling international reputation regarding environmental and climate change policy. As Asrar pointed out, no
... wal kou t con ti n ue d annual sick days from 20 to 10, and a limitation on the legality of teachers unions and support staff going on strike. Dalton McGuinty was on record saying that teachers unions that want to protest the wage freeze bill, which limits their collective bargaining rights, are welcome to do so outside school hours, but ultimately the fight against Bill 115 belongs in the courts, not the classroom. Teachers have reacted to this bill in a variety of ways, including provincewide walkouts and the cancellation of
extra-curricular activities as a way of fighting back against the government. This means that children in the Upper Grand District School Board are currently without school clubs, sports teams, or extra help after school. The implementation of Bill 115 seems to be weighing heavily on some teachers, students, and families. Due to the unpredictable nature of the walkouts, parents have been forced to find alternate methods of childcare, students are being denied the luxuries they once received daily, and teachers are having their rights taken away (some would say forcefully
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The HHns symposium brought together four speakers to discuss heart health.
The program began in 2009 as a pilot outreach project to help people struggling to live on less.
series to try and live a more simple life, cope with the attitude of poverty, thrive, and be positive. Before this program, I had no idea of so many small ways I could help myself or where I could go for help when needed, one participant was overheard saying during the first session on Jan. 14. Different local experts and counselors lead each session, focusing on things such as housing, health, food and eating, and financial plans. They cover topics such as developing a personal spending plan, staying healthy, employment services, transportation, legal aid, fraud, and practical ways to save. Theres
a community kitchen workshop to explore the topic of eating on much less, and even a workshop discussing how to lessen your environmental footprint by making your own cleaning and skin care products. The series is sponsored by HBC/ Zellers, the Anglican Diocese of Niagara, and St. James the Apostle Anglican Church. Despite some misconceptions, there is not religious focus to the workshops, and every community member is welcome to attend. The Living on Less series, located at Paisley St. and 86 Glasgow St. N. is held every Monday and begins with a light breakfast.
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arTs & cuLTure 6 w w w.th e on ta r ion . c om Vinyl show brings emotional rollercoaster
foreshadowed when all members of the newer songs. Overheard of the band entered the stage clad were some listeners claiming the in dark suits. The concept behind sounds familiarity with the great the project of NWL, led solely by David Bowie, but for the most part Daniel Victor as recording artist the atmosphere lacked a collective colleen mcdonell and producer, is to present a wide hype, making the band resemble array of different voices and styles something past its prime. If you accidentally stumbled into while retaining a focused sound. Some redemption came near Vinyl between 6 and 10 p.m. on It can be dark and hopeful, and the end. Those who stayed were Jan. 11, you would have discovered it evokes a lot of emotion, said treated to what Neverending brighter lights and not the typical Victor on NWLs music. Its not White Lights is best known for, top-40 and hip-hop beats. Instead, just like party music or straight up The Grace (2005) featuring Dalthat night GAIN Music showcased rock-and-roll. Sometimes people las Green. Truppe stepped in for bands Medicine Hat and Never- say, I get shivers listening to that the vocals, and though he was no ending White Lights. song or I cried listening to that City & Colour, he deserves credit Medicine Hat, like always, song. As long as there is a sort of for hitting those notes. The band brought a joyful and energetic vibe strong feeling that comes with lis- finished with another old favouto the room. Guitarist Tyler Ber- tening to our music. When I finish rite, Always (2007). sche joked in between songs that a song, and I dont get emotion or Nearing the end of the set, Victor him and singer Nabi Loney have [it] doesnt trigger shivers, I throw explained that he strives to put out decided to get married in order it out and start again. music that is the opposite of Justo help promote the band. The Victor demonstrated his versa- tin Bieber stuff. The melancholia evident closeness that all the band tility in using different instruments that settled in post-Medicine Hat members shared translated into from guitar to the tambourine and definitely attested for this to be an extremely cohesive and uplift- in sharing the stage with special true, and although they may not ing show, as the artists alternated guest Pete Truppe, singer and DJ have been exactly what concertgobetween old and new songs. The on Loveless Radio. Theatrical and ers were expecting, Neverending crowd enthusiastically moved to sometimes playful, Victor joked White Lights still proved to be a the music as Loney employed the with the audience in between uniquely collaborative and proaccordion and keyboardist Aaron songs while messing around with found project. Hoffman nailed down a couple the other band members hair or solos. Despite being very early in fixing their ties. Visit www.theontarion.com for the evening, the dance floor was Yet as the show went on, NWL a web-exclusive Q&a with Dancrowded. lost a lot of the audience. Perhaps iel Victor. More brooding and dark, Nev- it was the unbearably loud sound erending White Lights brought that Vinyl always hosts, or the aufor web-exclusive photo Reel a very different performance, diences unfamiliarity with some
Wendy sHepHerd
neverending White lights werent afraid to rock out as the walls reverberated at vinyl on Jan. 11 as part of a GAin Music showcase.
THe enVY
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signed to the label of rock icon Gene simmons, The envy stormed the Brass taps on Jan 10. for a frost week rock show.
Odd Years and Ben Doerksen help the Cornerstone reign in their 11th year
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Odd years filled the Cornerstones cozy front corner on Jan. 12 to treat the caf to an upbeat set in honour of the venues 11th anniversary.
and effortless sound filled the entirety of Cornerstones tightly packed space, and thoroughly entertained the crowd with sing-a-longs and overall earnest energy. Continuing the themes of celebration in honour of their hosts, the bands set included upbeat and infectiously catchy numbers as well as touching, striding indie ballads. The material is at once clean, concise and professionally performed, with original touches lent largely by retro keyboard work. As a special birthday treat dedicated to the Cornerstone, the band joyfully performed not one but several Beatles covers, including incredible and absolutely bang-on versions of Golden Slumbers, Carry That Weight, and The End, and even including that infamous ode to her majesty. By this point, Odd Years had already successfully charmed the entire crowd as well as a few passersby, and were cheered on into doing another fantastic cover, this time to the tune of Paul McCartneys Band on the Run. This rousing and gleeful number brought the evening to a close, but in a larger sense ushered in the beginning of what promises to be another great year of live music not only at the Cornerstone, but in downtown Guelph.
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arTs & cuLTure 8 w w w.th e on ta r ion . c om cardinals Pride and end of crisis get intimate
Ontario shows some love for Quebec hardcore bands
shonda white
Cardinals Pride and End Of Crisis describe their music as melodic hardcore, and they have both built a respectable fan base in Quebec. In order to branch out of the province, the bands decided to kick off the new year with The Mayans Were Wrong Tour, which includes nine shows in 11 days within Ontario and Quebec. This past Friday, Jan. 11, saw the musicians in Guelph at the ANAF Club for their second night of touring. Cardinals Pride is a six-piece band from Quebec City with a fresh hardcore sound. They admit their first full-length isnt that great, but theyve redeemed themselves with the release of their latest EP, Priorities, of which most of their set list was comprised. With two vocalists, theyre able to get up close and intimate with the audience in a way that lets people have a choice of who they can relate to, while relating to the band as a whole as well. End Of Crisis is a five-piece band from Montreal with a similar musical taste and sound, but with a heavier and more aggressive twist.
The crowd was hesitant to get deeply involved in the music at first, but eventually welcomed the bands with open arms, reckless dance moves, and lots of head banging.
Despite the intimate nature of the bands, their music, and even the venue, it was clear that few people had heard of Cardinals Pride or End Of Crisis prior to the event. The crowd was
sHOndA WHite
Guitarist Antoine Mcnulty-lasalle of Cardinals pride looks on as hardcore and metal fans fill the AnAF hall on Jan. 11.
hesitant to get deeply involved in the music at first, but eventually welcomed the bands with open arms, reckless dance moves, lots of head banging, and even some cash in exchange for their CDs. Opening bands Seducing Medusa of Guelph, Ivory Coast of Barrie and Mercenaries of Georgetown also pulled a decent crowd early in the night. There was enough space to let everyone get a little wild while getting a sample platter of new music.
You often look at the fashion, the dress over top, but its the underwear that gives the shape to the dress. Bev Dietrich
Wendy sHepHerd
The often-overlooked history of womens underwear is being showcased at the Guelph Civic Museum. The touring exhibit includes pieces from as far back as the 1700s.
For more Arts & Culture content, visit theontarion.com for a web exclusive edition of From A to Zavitz.
idle no more
ChriS mller
The field house was home to the second annual SoccerFest, a festival promoting the merits of street soccer to Canadians on Jan. 12.
so many young Canadians occupied after school. While it may have been on a different continent, Hagag has tapped into the sense of community that sports organizations help foster, and the universitys new facilities were constructed with this in mind. Due to the extensive growth of the event, Hagag is looking to extend the reach of the program by having a summer edition of the event where streets in downtown Guelph would be closed to facilitate a makeshift pitch to play on. Future meetings with Guelph City Council and potential corporate sponsors could make this a reality in the near future. Hagag and other SoccerFest organizers showcased the viability of street soccer in Canada, and if doubling the size of the event over the course of a year is any indication, only bigger and better things are on the horizon for Hagag and Guelphite Sports.
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members of the mens hockey team look on during a game earlier this season.
The high-flying Gryphons should present some problems for the Waterloo goaltending, which has struggled at times this year. Keaton Hartigan has started twice as many games as his backup and has kept up his end of the bargain posting a 2.86 goals against average with a .915 save percentage. The decent numbers havent translated into wins for Hartigan, who is a mediocre 6-8 on the season. With that, the stage is set for what is sure to be an exciting game between two potential playoff contenders with playoff implications on the line. Its not an event hockey fans should want to miss its an excellent opportunity to experience the excitement of OUA hockey the night before the NHL resumes, convenient timing to say the least for fans of the game. For those unable to attend, RogersTV (Cable 20) will be replaying the game on Jan. and Jan. 20.
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Gryphon forward Kaitlyn mora (12) moves the puck up ice during the teams 3-1 victory against Western on Jan. 13.
season play. With 220 penalty minutes, the Gryphons are second-best in the league at earning tickets to the penalty box, something theyll look to correct moving into their final six games of the season, the most important of which could be when the first-place Laurier Golden Hawks come to town on Feb.3. Guelph hosts the York Lions (411-3) on Jan. 19 at the Gryphon Centre; the puck drops at 7:30.
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Manning, having concluded the season that witnessed his return At the end of this week, I hope sports from a nearly career-ending neck fans will have learned something. injury, waited for Lewis to conclude We have been given two polariz- his press-related obligations before ing examples in the realm of public finding Lewis (presumably) outside perception, one from the NFL and the reach of camera lenses. one in which a world-renowned cyFortunately for the media, and the clist cemented his place as one of the adoring sports public it serves, we most disgraced public figures in re- have visual evidence of the meeting. cent memory. While the content of what was said Starting with the good news, an during the brief meeting may never image was tweeted by Chad Steele, be known, the sheer fact that Manthe Baltimore Ravens Director of ning stuck around to congratulate Media Relations, about an hour after the soon-to-be retired Lewis sugthe conclusion of the double-over- gests a class of character that is not time thriller between the Ravens and often witnessed in the United States the Denver Broncos in the divisional most profitable entertainment sport. round of the playoffs on Jan. 12. It was a brief glimpse into the huThe photo is nothing scandalous, manity of these extensively marketed, nothing incriminating, and nothing high-profile athletes, and it was a out of the ordinary. Its a picture of welcome one for fans of football. two professional athletes talking to Flipping the coin, Lance Armeach other after a well-played game. strong has chosen this week as the The tweet identifies that the pic- one in which he will attempt to corture was taken an hour and a half rect his public image. This is of course, after the games conclusion. The as farcical as reconstructing a snowlocker rooms were empty, both ball that has been thrust deep into an teams had concluded their respec- inferno belonging to a man named tive press conferences, and just Dante. about everyone in the stadium was However, the most powerful at home reliving the great moments woman in America, Oprah Winfrey, of the game. Little did they know the must have presumably jumped at the greatest event of the evening was opportunity for airtime and publicity. happening at that very moment. The two-episode special will be
Jonathan Daniel
Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton manning is one of the subjects in this weeks From the Bleachers.
broadcast on OWN (The Oprah Winfrey Network) during primetime on the evenings of Jan. 17 and 18. Its important to note that primetime commercials generate more revenue for television networks, so thats why theyll be playing the interviews at that time. Splitting the special into two parts allows for two one-hour blocks available to advertisers and thus a greater reach for the
Illusions of comfort
How alcohol cant keep you warm
Colleen MCDonell
You take a few sips of whiskey. Your arms feel a little tingly. After several more sips, you experience warmth flowing over your body. Four glasses later, you decide theres no need to bring a coat to the bar. Alcohol tricks the body into feeling warmer, when in reality it actually lowers your core temperature. It causes warm blood vessels to dilate which means it makes blood move closer to the skin. Its that change which makes you feel warm temporarily, but that also causes you to lose your core body heat. And heat is something your body cannot afford to lose, especially while waiting endlessly for a cab during a biting January night. Melanie Bowman, the manager of the Wellness Centre and Student Health Services, explains how the overconsumption of alcohol can act as a double-edged sword. The problem is that alcohol numbs out a lot of things. Its not only not helping to keep you warm, but you also might not notice how cold you are because youve had too much to drink, said Bowman. When mixing alcohol and the great outdoors this winter, its important to keep this illusion in mind. Dont be fooled by images of St. Bernard dogs bringing brandy to skiers or ice fishermen indulging in a hot toddy or two while sitting on the lake. Hypothermia is a real health concern that is more easily attained than some people imagine. I would say function before fashion when it comes to dressing for a night out, said Bowman. It might be fun to have on more fancier shoes, but at the end of the night and after youve been drinking, I think the pros outweigh the cons in terms of health benefits. It would be nave and altogether unrealistic to send a message that students should completely abstain from drinking alcohol. No matter what time of the year, parties will continue and bars like Trappers will forever have hordes of people lining the sidewalk. Instead, Bowman suggests drinking in moderation and at a low-risk level. We work from a harm reduction model [and] our program is never to tell people not to drink. Our programming is about knowing the implications of alcohol use. I think students could benefit from understanding in general the implications of overconsumption and to do more reading themselves to understand what it means to have a lot to drink.
16 w w w.t h e on ta r ion . C oM This Week Brew review: Bock to the Future in History
Chris Mller
east German purge begins In the midst of the Cold War, authorities in East Germany began a purge of senior officials that posed a threat to the state through plotting against [it] and spying for imperialistic powers. Officials affected by the purge included several Jewish politicians and the Christian Democratic Foreign Minister that, according to the article, have either been removed or have disappeared in the past few days. The article identifies a general anti-Jewish sentiment during similar occurrences that took place in 1952 when 14 senior communists were charged with espionage and treason during a trial in Prague. The revelations of the supposed crimes included a conspiracy to poison Joseph Stalin by a group of doctors. Unsurprisingly, Stalin encouraged the purges in the eastern bloc countries. (The BBC Jan. 15, 1953) Green Bay Wins Football title On this day 45 years ago, the world was introduced to the Super Bowl in the first professional football game between the champions of the National and American Leagues as the Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 35-10. In a stark contrast to todays Super Bowl, the Memorial Coliseum where the game was played was only two-thirds filled with spectators with an additional 60 million people, compared to 111 million today, watching on television from home. The tickets cost between $6 and $12 dollars, compared to up to $4,000 today, and the reporter commented that, The great interest had led to naming the event the Super Bowl, but the contest was more ordinary than super. The article also notes that the event cost $2,750,000 and was the richest for any American team sports event. Thats significantly less than even the amount of chicken wings consumed during the most recent Super Bowl: 1.25 billion, according to Time Magazine. (The New York TimesJan. 15, 1967) Jeans business kicked in the pants, and other stories While the Monday edition of The Globe and Mail had some interesting stories, like Select trust firms given three days notice of takeovers, the real attention grabbers collected at the bottom and the sides of the front page, rather than the centre. The newspaper reported that over the weekend, a familys Doberman keeps sitter at bay under boys orders, in Whitby, Ontario. The 7-year-old kept his babysitter under guard while he played in his room. The sitter finally telephoned her mother who called the police. When they arrived, they warned Derek to behave. (The Globe and MailJan. 17, 1983) Compiled by Alicja Grzadkowska Perhaps the most interesting thing about beer is the unique history each style tells. Last week the Brew Review looked into the history of India Pale Ales, then offered up an excellent example for the reader to try at home. Next up is the lesser-known but highly rewarding Bock style of beer, originating from Germany. festivals and religious celebrations. The Bavarian accent of citizens in Munich that enjoyed the beer were told of its origin, Einbeck. The accent gave the town a pronunciation of ein bock, which literally translates into a billy goat. Whether by fact or by legend, the tradition of calling the beer bock is compounded by brewers almost always placing a goat on the label. Creemore Springs Brewerys urBock is no exception. The goat prances within the label of this seasonal offering from the marvelous copper kettles of Creemore. The maroon trim that adorns the top and bottom edges of the cans surface serves as a prelude to the opulent colouring and aroma of the beer once poured into a glass. This bock comes in at 6 per cent alcohol, which might appear high for many lager drinkers, but at no point does the alcohol content overwhelm the flavour of the dark beer. The flavour is one of robust caramel, varied malt, and mild sweetness. The beer is subtly hopped, a reminder of the brewing tradition it came from in which hops were only available in limited quantities. The head should be poured about a finger high for a beer like this, though head retension (the amount of time it takes for the frothy head of a beer to subside) leaves a little to be desired, subsiding before the texture of the head might act as a compliment to the brew itself. Overall, Creemores urBock serves as a more than suitable introduction to this beer style, and its widespread availability at LCBO and Beer Store locations make it an excellent beer to be enjoyed in the winter months.
lIFe
Whether by fact or by legend, the tradition of calling the beer bock is compounded by brewers almost always placing a goat on the label.
Original bock first emerged in 14th-century Einbeck, a German brewing town. By the 17th century, techniques of lagering (an adaptation of the brewing process) infiltrated the largely traditional German breweries. The result was a very popular, caramel coloured beer that came to be associated with
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Creemore Springs urBock provides a modern link to an ancient brewing tradition, goats included.
p e t oF t H e W e e k
kiera VanDeborne
Sarah KavanaGh
Bun Bun is a half lionhead holland lop bunny that chews on everything in sight. his favourite food is Cheerios. he loves running up and down stairs (lets face it, its a cheap, conveniently located Stairmaster). Check out the buns on Bun Bun!
if you have a pet that you would like to submit as Pet of the week, send your photo to onphoto@uoguelph.ca
opInIon
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CoUrteSY
Unlike most images circulating in the media of Sandy hook elementary School shooter adam lanza, this photo presents him as an average american boy. Yet it is speculated that adam suffered from mental illness, and many others among us suffer from the same difficulty.
serves only the purpose of shoving these folks further into the closet of despair. So much struggle could be assisted; so much pain could be eased; so many lives saved if we just reminded ourselves we are human. We cannot afford to turn the other way, when the result may be turning our heads down in a moment of silence.
Inordinate ordnance
Chris Carr
Lets address the elephant in the classroom. Im talking about incessant questioners, the one-on-oners, the talkers, the bigmouths, the braggers and the when I spent last semester in France-ers. All are infractions of proper classroom etiquette, and this is a problem plaguing my classes (and Im willing to bet yours as well). You know who I mean. The guy who asks a question 15 seconds before the end of class. The gal who thinks class time is actually a private conversation between them and the professor. There is also the one-timers, as I call them. You know the type: they start every interruption of class by saying, This one time followed by the regurgitation of a boring story about their mundane relative that did something and some time or another, adding nothing, only subtracting from time spent learning. Let it be clear, I dont blame these people. They are taking their education in their own hands and owning it. I wish I had even a tenth of the gumption to do the same. Classroom etiquette isnt something taught, it is gleaned from years of class, spent observing your peers. My beef isnt with the questioners, as such, but rather the time-wasters. We spend a lot of money on our education actually we spend too much on our education (but that is for another column). With this in mind, it is difficult to swallow someones anecdote about some- they cannot be trusted with their thing vaguely near the subject being shifty eyes and two-week beards. discussed in class. Class should be Finally, a common criminal defacengaging, and in that room, it should ing the book of classroom etiquette is be a space free from judgement, the person who sits in the front few however it shouldnt be a therapy rows of the room, on their laptops session (unless, its a psych class, I cruising Facebook, leaving comsuppose). ments about how wasted they got First infraction in the dossier: the night prior. These are the sneakicomments from the unknown voice est of the culprits because they dont in the room. This specimen can be a overtly distract the entirety of the one-on-one-er, but occasionally, is class, but rather the 12 people besomeone who thinks they are hi- hind them that can clearly see their larious. This rare breed of student is private picture collection. This is the amateur comic who thinks the $6000 classroom equivalent to dancing in spent on tuition is the fee for open your underwear in front of a winmic night at the Apollo. dow. It is reverse voyeurism, and it Second to these folks are the causes distraction and inadvertent blowhards. Now blowhards usu- first-year arousal. ally pen-chewers for some reason Some of you might be reading this need for you, the professor and ev- and thinking, I never see this in my eryone within the room to know how classes and I hope you have found the feel about the subject in question the nexus of education sans distracwhile simultaneously adding nothing tion. For others, you are probably one to the discussion. They usually cite of these people. To you I say, chase someone they have only read. Just that rainbow unicorn of the kind of watch the professor cringe at hav- education you want, but dont make ing to address them. me drink that Kool-Aid too. Just be Thirdly, and possibly the worst aware some people are there to learn, culprits are those of the Peanut Gal- without your personal philosophies, lery. You know those two guys in the relationship stories or hilarious Muppets that sit up on the balcony punch-lines. Save it for the seminars. and launch criticisms in the form of verbal bombardment at the try- Chris Carr is Editor-in-Chief of The ing, and worthy Muppets on stage? Cannon. Inordinate Ordnance pubConsider them, but in the back of lishes every Thursday in The Cannon the classroom, hidden behind a and in The Ontarion. The opinions laptop. These guys pipe up with a posted on thecannon.ca reflect those quick quip, every so often, just to of their author and do not necessarlet everyone know they are there ily reflect the opinions of the Central and possibly fact-checking the pro- Student Association and the Guelph ceedings. Watch for these specimens: Campus Co-op, or The Ontarion.
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The Ontarion is a non-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors. Since the Ontarion undertakes the publishing of student work, the opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Ontarion Board of Directors. The Ontarion reserves the right to edit 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 Editorin-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.
Its fairly safe to assume that those who work at a student newspaper are exposed to a little more news and information about current events than other members of the student body. This assumption gained more validity in a recent conversation I had with a few friends regarding the Idle No More movement that is fundamentally challenging the existing state of affairs between the Canadian federal government and First-Nation groups both north and south of the fortyninth parallel. Seeing as how this movement possesses the potential to alter items of legislative significance, it seemed as reasonable a topic for discussion as any. Whether it is the quality of my associates or some other factor, I was concerned with their response, the likes of which I have dramatized below. Have any of you looked into this Idle No More movement? I asked. Whats that? replied a friend. You havent heard about it yet? Its all over the news, cant open a newspaper without reading something about it, I asked, alarmed by the lack of an immediate response. I dont watch the news, doesnt interest me, said another. Havent opened a newspaper in years, said the first friend. Dejected, I drowned the sorrow only a recognized ignorance can imbue, and witnessed the last of my audience beginning to speak behind the frothy, transparent veil the pint glass had created between us. I know what youre talking about, my colleague said. Thats the thing where people are lobbying to stop people from leaving their cars idling too long, you know, save the environment and all that thats why the natives blocked off parts of the highway, because they thought too much road traffic was contributing to too much pollution from idling, he explained, beaming at his superior intellect. If this story was a Hemingway novella, I would have walked to the next caf, ordered a grappa, and told my friends to Go to Hell from across the street. Unfortunately, that is not what happened. Rather, the conversation stalled for a minute and then turned somewhere else, leading the discussion into a heated debate on the merits of slip-on versus laceup shoes, Velcro not receiving an invitation to the delegation. I left shortly after, bypassing the verbal jabs men often use to scrutinize each others genitalia and excusing myself for having had too much to drink. I had not overindulged in drinking, but recognized that my
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overindulgence in thinking had placed me in a tenuous position in the conversation something that bothered me extensively. In my third year of university, I had a marvelous English professor that taught a course on Shakespearean texts and the contexts of their publication. In the very first class of the semester, the professor told the large lecture hall why the government endorses a university education for citizens of the state. It creates critical thinkers, generating the skills that contribute towards being a good citizen and participating in the democratic process. The government values these skills because critical thinkers are critical voters, and in theory the critical voter should be able to sort through the garbage and select political figures that best represent the needs of their constituency. The implication of this lies in the recognition that an informed and educated population contributes to the improvement of society, a functioning economy, greater breadth of human rights, etc, etc, etc. That has always stayed with me, and I hope it always will. One of the most important cultural movements of human history was the Renaissance, a period of intense and resplendent artistic and intellectual development in Western Europe from the fourteenth to seventeenth century of the modern era. Part of what allowed that intellectual revolution to happen was the creation and massive implementation of the printing press, developed by Johannes Gutenberg of Germany around 1440. Yes, the pamphlets, periodicals, books, translations, classical texts and religious documents (95 Theses, anyone?) were transported far and wide, fuelling the inexhaustible desire for information throughout
of the digital age is the accessible the known world. What a time to be alive, when nature of information outside the all of our information is no longer glass, outside what were used to reliant on moving heavy leather- dealing with. This is not an invitation to bound books across countries in order to gain information about think outside the box, a term the world! Rather, weve created that is successfully abused each cross-platform news agencies time it is uttered. A box would providing information through suggest an enclosure, a limit to newspapers, magazines, radio, visibility of the outside world. The television, the Internet, tablets, pint glass is clear and open; we and smart phones. Suffice to say choose to fill it with the informathat if you wanted to learn about tion/liquid we choose, while the something, youd probably know outside world always remains visible through this looking glass where to look. I appreciate those that have of university life. My issue is not what we choose gotten this far into the editorial are probably not the intended to put into the pint glass, or how audience of this piece. Im sure often we choose to do it. Im the audience that ought to be only asking that we consider life reading this hasnt even picked up outside the university, of the economic and political institutions the paper yet, if they will at all. This is not intended to be that will control many facets of an indictment on the student your public life upon graduation bodys intelligence, but rather an (my apologies to the disapproving observation on the unique char- anarchists). Much like one whos had too acteristic of university life that became abundantly clear during much to drink, the world outside my Idle No More discussion with of university life is spinning constantly, rapidly disorienting and several drinking buddies. We live inside the prover- reorienting itself in relation to bial empty pint glass, staring at the viewer. If we choose to fill our the frothy veil of university life glasses with the same information/ that shields us from the outside liquid all the time, then the world, world, distorting our perception. and our subsequent understanding In truth there is no harm to this of it, will continue to spin in such a position, not immediately any- way that we may never truly grasp ways. The university student can it, a danger many binge-drinkers survive (and quite enjoyably, I could relate to. But if we look outwould argue) without ever look- side the pint glass once in a while, ing beyond the empty pint glass. look at the world around us and To look at an empty one, to desire gather as much information as we information, is an exercise in anx- can about it, then the world levels iety do we dare look beyond it off for a moment. For successful university stuor should we choose to fill it with enjoyable but inevitably useless dents, graduation is inevitable. When that degree gets framed and liquid/information? Im certainly not against filling put up on a wall somewhere, the the pint glass occasionally with pint glass that produced it will one, two, three, or 10 volumes of irreparably shatter. I for one wish information that serves to provide to encounter a world that I can enjoyment (provided it is enjoyed come to terms with, not one spinresponsibly), but the great beauty ning out of control.
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39- Schematic 42- Raps Dr. ___ 43- Work up lather 45- Stuffing herb 46- New York city 48- Whos there? reply (2) 50- Violent in force 51- Flat-bottomed rowboat 54- Elevate 56- High-spirited horse 58- Amoung 62- Singer McEntire 63- Carries 65- Prefix with meter 66- Ringing instrument 67- Sic on 68- Actual 69- Downhill racer 70- Accumulation of fluids 71- Roys singin pardner down 1- Coil 2- Mogul capital until 1658 3- Faucet problem 4- Grades 5- Computer enthusiast 6- Bellowing 7- ___ canto 8- Whats ___ for me? 9- Republic in E Africa 10- Prison 11- Punctuation mark 12- Chipped in 13- Beethovens ___ Solemnis 21- Like Wrigley Fields walls 23- Apr. addressee
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across 1- Shane star 5- Nun wear 10- Con game 14- Barbarous person 15- Stadium used for sports or musical events 16- Actress Anderson 17- Not a dup. 18- General Powell 19- Tsp. and tbsp.
20- Red powdery condiment 22- Uproar 24- Tennis champ Chris 26- Spanish fleet 27- The other inheritor 30- Wash lightly 32- Got up 33- Actress Rogers 34- Former Virginia senator Charles 38- Apiece
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CoMMunIty lIStInGS
Thursday January 17 CSA Club Days runs from 8:30am -5pm on Thurs, Jan 17 & Fri, Jan 18. Visit the University Centre to check out the almost 100 CSA clubs and student organizations you can join. For more information about clubs, please visit: http://www.csaonline. ca/clubs/ Saturday January 19 Rainbow Chorus of Waterloo-Wellington winter concert Bright Side Songs of Warmth in a Cold Season. 8 pm at Harcourt United Church. Advance tickets $15 can be purchased at Guelph Artisans Market in Old Quebec St Mall, from choir members, or PayPal at www.rainbowchorus.ca. Guelph Poetry Slam - Grandslam Finals! Top 10 poets of the season compete for their slot on this years national team. Doors 6pm, show start 7pm. No Open Mic this month. The eBar (41 Quebec St.). 7pm. $20/ door, $15/advance at The bookshelf & Out On The Shelf. HELP: Join Student Volunteer Connections from 8-4:30pm to spend a few hours with Habitat for Humanity (house build). All skill levels are encouraged to join; there will be on site training and instruction. Transportation organized to/from, free lunch. Dress for the weather! Information: projects@dosomuch.ca Guelph Hiking Trail Club: Halton Agreement Forest. 2-3 hour hike. Level 2; Speed Moderate. Meet at TD in Clair Rd plaza at 12:30 to car pool. Bring water and snacks. Optional pub stop afterwards. All welcome. Leader: Gayle 519 856-1012, Mary 519 827-1814 Monday January 21 Career Aviators Business Career Club: Students and professionals welcome. Mondays 7pm -9pm, Innovation Guelph (111 Farquhar Street). Strategic advice and support; guest presentations; motivation to stay on track; worldwide Information exchange. PWYC. Info:1 866 873 7633 www.careeraviators.com
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