*/+'+
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Getting around on two wheels has never been more popular with new ‘cyclists’ emerging every day. The centre
spread examines the concerns of the urban cyclists including the fear of bike theft, sharing the road with cars,
maintaining your bike and more.
U of G Prof Hopes to Alleviate Food Allergies in Children
A trial study shows a
possible solution for
those with food allergies
LAURA SCHEP
A
nyone living with severe
food allergies can attest
to how inconvenient and
worrisome they can be, often
forcing the afflicted to be carrying
medication with them at all
times in case of a bad attack, not
to mention having to constantly
check food packaging ingredient
lists and notify restaurant servers
of their allergy ahead of time to
ensure their meals are prepared
appropriately.
Fourth-year University of
:EE>K@B>L%iZ`^,
Guelph student Kathleen Keon,
who has had a severe nut allergy
since childhood is familiar with
these difficulties.
“When eating out, I always tell
the waiter or waitress that I have
an allergy to peanuts and tree
nuts…there is rarely a problem
to accommodate that, although a
couple times I have been told that
the restaurant couldn’t guarantee
anything,” said Keon. “When I
grocery shop, I always read the
labels of anything I haven’t tried or
haven’t had in a while, and I avoid
eating things that don’t have labels
and usually have to stay away from
dessert food.”
Six to eight per cent of children
residing in North America are
Megan Verhey
“When I grocery shop, I always
read the labels of anything I
haven’t tried or haven’t had
in a while, and I avoid eating
things that don’t have labels
and usually have to stay away
from dessert food.”
University of Guelph student
Kathleen Keon
afflicted with some type of food
allergy, the most common of which
include milk, eggs and various nuts,
and from an early age are weighed
down with the extra responsibility
of being particularly careful about
everything they ingest.
But what if this could be
+)
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Bike Centre moves with
Foodbank across the street
Spacious location found
to house important
campus services
NICHOLAS MANN
A
long with the many other
changes that come with
the onset of summer on
campus, the University of Guelph
Bike Center is going to be changing
its location. The Bike Center and
Foodbank are currently located in
the basement of the Biology House
at the corner of Gordon St. and
Southring road. The move, which
will come in early to mid August,
is due to the scheduled demolition
of the Biology House. Although it
is moving, the new location for the
Bike Center is only a stones throw
away from the old one. The new
location for both the Bike center
and Foodbank will be in the Federal
Building located on Gordon Street
across the street from the Edmund
C. Bovey Building.
The Bike Center is a volunteer
run center that is fully stocked
with all the necessary tools, bike
equipment, fluids, and know-how
needed to build and repair bikes.
changed and children with food
allergies could build a tolerance
to the food that triggers allergy
attacks? U of G Food Science
professor Yoshinori Mine has been
seeking to answer this question
through his recent research with
mouse models. Mine found that
mice predisposed to an egg allergy
became desensitized to the allergen
after repeatedly ingesting only a
particular portion of the protein-
one of its smaller subunits, known
as a peptide- known to trigger the
allergic reaction.
“By ingesting only the peptides
and not the whole protein, the
L^^
The center is open to community
members of all skill levels so that
everyone from cycling neophytes
beginners to racing enthusiasts can
freely use the facilities.
“The Bike Center is a facility open
to University of Guelph students
and also the Guelph community
at large,” said Anastasia Zavarella,
the local affairs commissioner for
the Central Student Association.
“Its purpose is to give people the
opportunity to not only build a
bike at cost, but to assist them
in learning how to repair and
maintain their bikes.”
The new location of the Federal
Building is a more spacious and
accessible location. The Bike
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Construction moves ahead at Hanlon Creek
HCBP gets the ‘green’
light after salamander
investigation
ANTIK DEY
The City of Guelph will move
forward with the development
of the highly contested, yet
lucrative Hanlon Creek Business
Park (HCBP) after a recent
Salamander monitoring program
finds no presence of the Jefferson
Salamander, an endangered species,
in the vicinity. Concerns over the
effects of industrial development on
the environment have been raised.
According to the Guelph
Mercury, between March 11 and
April 30, the Natural Resource
Solutions Inc. surveyed the 670
hectares of the proposed business
park for the presence of the Jefferson
salamanders, which is listed as
a threatened species under the
Endangered Species Act.
“Thirteen salamanders were
captured and sampled during the
monitoring program,” reported
the Guelph Mercury on May
11 2010. “In all cases, the DNA
analysis found no presence of pure
Jefferson salamanders or Jefferson-
dominated hybrids.”
Guelph Mayor Karen Farbridge,
believes that the HCBP will benefit
the city’s economy, because business
taxes will help fund public programs
like libraries. At the same time, she
has expressed her concerns for the
environment.
“The HCBP will be home to
10,000 to 12,000 new jobs, helping
Guelph accommodate 32,400 new
jobs by 2031,” wrote Farbridge in her
blog on July 29, 2009. “The HCBP
project strikes a balance between
meeting our community’s economic
needs, the need to protect our natural
:EE>K@B>L%\hgmbgn^] unfortunate allergies, Mine has
body suppresses the urge to react,”
Mine explains. “After repeated
exposure, the body learns to
accept the protein instead of
trying to defend itself against it.
This approach has huge promise
for humans for providing a
safer more convenient approach
to dealing with allergies in
children.”
Mine, originally from Japan,
relocated his family from Tokyo
to Guelph when his daughter
was only three years-old. At such
a young age, she was already
afflicted with a severe egg allergy
that could trigger unpleasant
and dangerous symptoms
including hives, vomiting, and
anaphylactic shock. Although
the relocation to Canada was not
enough to alleviate his daughter’s
After the investigation into the presence of the Jefferson salamander on the Hanlon Creek Business Park site
wrapped up, construction is moving ahead as planned.
heritage and ground water.”
This balance between industrial
development and protecting the
environment, which is proposed by
the Mayor and the City, is considered
a myth by the HCBP occupation,
a group that took a strong stance
against the industrial development
of the HCBP.
“Mayor Farbridge’s “balance”
is essentially sacrificing [the]
beautiful land for economic project
that is costing the City millions,”
said Monica, a member of the
HCBP occupation group. “I see no
been successfully researching this
field of study for some time now.
Mine fed peptides from egg
protein over a period of several
weeks to a group of mice with
egg allergies. Then, he exposed
them to the full egg protein.
The results were promising with
approximately 80 per cent of mice
no longer exhibited symptoms
of allergic reaction and the
remaining mice only displayed
symptoms much milder than
previously shown prior to his
multi-week exposure to the egg
peptide treatment. Mine is now
looking to gain approval and
funding to commence human
trials, perhaps as early as next
year, although treatment would
likely not be made available for a
several more years.
FZr+)&+/%+)*)
balance here.”
In an open letter published on
the HCBP occupation website, the
group has raised awareness about
protecting the drinking water
reserve that is present in the HCBP
lands. They explained that the
Paris-Galt Moraine is a deposit of
soil, sand, and gravel left over from
glacial times, which is not only the
home to many species, but essential
to the recharging of our ground
drinking water.
In the same open letter, the group
conveyed the larger message of living
Courtesy
on this planet and coexisting with
other species of animals and plants;
where it’s not only the endangered
species that require protection but
also all species.
“When will we realize that we
cannot eat money?” wrote Marcy
Goldstein, a HCBP occupation
member, in the open letter. “If we
follow along the track that the
Minister of Natural Resources
set out for us, where species are
only protected once they are
‘endangered,’ then I fear we will
realize this far too late.”
Megan Verhey
,
Eyjafjallajokul Volcano
Erupts
Dense clouds of volcanic ash
produced by Eyjafjallajokul volcano
in Iceland has prompted officials
to close airports in Northern
England, Scotland and Northern
Ireland. Although the volcano is
hundreds of miles away from the
UK, Civil Aviation Authority has
imposed this flight ban to avoid
unnecessary damage and risking
lives of travelers. Aircraft managers
believe that the clouds contain
concentrations of ash, which could
be damaging to aircrafts and could
clog jet engines. This volcanic
eruption has lead to more than
100 000 forced flight cancellations
and left approximately 10 million
passengers stranded for days.
(CBC)
Landslide Causes
Tragic Family Death
A landslide struck the outskirts
of Saint-Jude Que, near Yamaska
River, northeast of Montreal. It
left a hole four times larger than
a football field, damaged two-lane
road and destroyed many homes.
Rescue crews have been using
helicopters and heavy machinery
to gain access to the homes and
have found bodies of four family
members: Richard Prefontaine,
Lynne Charbonneau, nine year-
old Amelie and 11 year-old
Anais. Geologist Judith Patterson
explained that parts of the region
sit on “quick clay” that can liquefy
causing lateral spread. About 100
landslides occur in the province
every year, but most are minor.
(CTV )
York University
Students are Shaky
after another Sexual
Assault.
On April 21, 2010 around 11:50
pm a 20 year-old York University
student was approached by three
men in their twenties and was
sexually assaulted. After the men
fled the woman managed to run
to her apartment and call 911. The
police said the woman suffered very
serious injuries during the attack.
The incident happened just a week
after a former York University
student was sentenced eight years
to jail for sexually assaulting two
women on campus in September
2007. Students are nervous, and
fear for their safety. Toronto police
are looking for the three suspects,
who are described as having dark
skin and were wearing hooded
sweatshirts. (CTV)
Compiled by Parveen Begum
- FZr+)&+/%+)*)
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center and Foodbank will be
sharing the space with the
Aboriginal resource center who is
the existing tenant.
“The Federal Building’s
accessibility and spaciousness is a
positive feature of the new space,”
said Zavarella. “Unfortunately the
space is not perfect as the location’s
washrooms are not accessible by
mobility device. The washroom
location in the new location will
be an issue although the current
:kml
Guatemalan native SPIN ‘slams’ at the ebar
From humble
beginnings the Guelph
Poetry Slam steadily
grows larger
NICHOLAS MANN
T
he latest installment of
the Guelph Poetry Slam,
a spoken-word poetry
competition, took place at the
ebar on Saturday night. Each
competitor is given a shot, or
two, at convincing the judges
their spoken-word poetry is the
best of the night. Much of the
energy at a SLAM is generated
by the interactive poet-audience
exchanges which can include
booing, jousting, cheering, and
pleading form both sides. In the
case of the Guelph poetry slams,
the competitors are fighting for a
$100 first prize.
Event organizer and spoken-
word poet Matthew Dryden thinks
the Guelph events are good for
bringing both people out to slam
and also for bringing individuals
out of themselves.
LSAT MCAT
GMAT GRE
Preparation Seminars
• Complete 30-Hour Seminars
• Convenient Weekend Schedule
• Proven Test-Taking Strategies
• Experienced Course Instructors
• Comprehensive Study Materials
• Simulated Practice Exams
• Limited Class Size
• Free Repeat Policy
• Personal Tutoring Available
• Thousands of Satisfied Students
OXFORD SEMINARS
1-800-269-6719
416-924-3240
www.oxfordseminars.ca
location is not only remote but has
no paved road access.”
The future of the bike center
under the supervision of Zavarella
looks bright. It was a big part of
her platform while running for
the position of Local Affairs
Commissioner and it continues to
be a huge interest for her.
“The current plans for the Bike
Centre are to continue to make it
a more open and less intimidating
environment for people to be in,” said
Zavarella. “We are really excited to
“I found that when I first
started doing spoken word I was
very nervous and very drawn into
myself,” said Dryden. “Through
doing spoken-word I found that it
opened me up to new ideas, new
people and having more confidence
in myself and giving myself enough
credit to believe in my art.”
Dryden, who is also involved
with the Guelph Youth SLAM
and the Blue Works Erotica events,
believes that the Guelph events are
well attended because they are a
safe and welcoming environment
for people of all ages, races, genders
and lifestyles to come together and
exchange spoken-word poems.
The mix of people interested in
spoken-word poetry is also finely
showcased in the featured spoken-
word poets at the monthly events.
Saturday night’s featured slam-
poet SPIN is a veteran of the scene,
currently living in Toronto. SPIN
came to Canada from Guatemala
as a political refugee and feels that
his past experiences in life not
only motivate his poetry but also
inspire him to live his lyrics. After
*/+'+
continue the women and trans night,
and also make sure that women and
trans feel completely comfortable [not
only] during the woman and trans
night, but at all times in the center.
There are also plans to continue the
workshops that help empower
people from the community to use
sustainable, environmentally friendly
modes of transportation.”
The bike center will continue
to function during reduced
summer hours up the early to Megan Verhey
mid August move. The CSA bike centre will be moving along with the CSA Foodbank.
a solid start in the slam scene in
2004, Spin took some time to live
out his lyrics.
“I went back into what I was
saying whether it was police
brutality, global oppression, racism,
or what not,” said SPIN when
speaking about sharing his poetic
messages at gatherings ranging
from political events in El Salvador,
to schools in marginalized regions
of Toronto. “Slam really just breaks
all rules and pushes artists to the
limit. I’m very happy to see it going
and I think it needs to continue
growing,” said SPIN.
And growing it is. From its
humble beginning in Nov. 2008,
the Guelph Poetry Slam has
exploded in size and diversity to
the point of including a youth
division.
“These events are a rare
opportunity for Guelph poets to
present their work,’ said long time Courtesy
poet Michael Kleiza. The 60 year-
old Guelph poet was pleased with SPIN el poeta, a Guatemala native, was the featured poet at the recent
the event’s success and feels they Guelph Poetry Slam. He writes poetry about social issues and performs
help fill a small hole in an otherwise them all around Ontario.
thriving Guelph arts scene.
 .com FZr+)&+/%+)*) .
Lihkml
Full-time assistant football coaches still yet to be named
tarion
On

period. In the first round of practices, signal-caller, likely second-year

MIKE TREADGOLD
When Stuart Lang was introduced
as the Guelph Gryphons’ new
head football coach in March, the
announcement was accompanied by
a statement from the Department
of Athletics that the team would
also be hiring two full-time
assistant coaches in the near future
to aid Lang with coordinating the
Gryphons offence and defense. The
Gryphons would become one of the
only a few teams to employ three
full-time coaches, a shrewd move
that will hopefully help accelerate
the rebuilding process for a team
that may be losing a number of
key starters heading into the 2010
season.
Nearly two months later, those
full-time assistants have still yet to
be named.
Initially, it was expected that
Lang’s assistants would be
introduced around when the team
hosted its annual spring camps in
April, before and after the exam
prior to exams, Lang and the team’s
part-time assistants were running
high energy drills in the Gryphon
Dome; however, during the second
set of practices, Lang was joined by
a number of ‘special guest’ coaches,
fuelling the speculative fire about
who will ultimately be named as the
new head coach’s assistants.
Canadian university football
message boards and chat forums
have been riddled with speculation,
name-dropping and an abundance of
questions wondering just who these
two critical hires will be. Everyone
from former Gryphons coaches to
CIS football alumni to former CFL
superstars have had their names
brought up at one point in time, but
as of yet, nothing concrete has been
determined or announced.
On offence, the Gryphons will
begin the 2010 season with a new
look under centre. For the first time
in the past four years, the coaching
staff won’t be able to simply plug
Justin Dunk in at quarterback and
be able to feel confident that their
system is in veteran hands. Instead,
with Dunk having graduated, the
Gryphons will send out a new
southpaw Chris Rossetti, who
played sparingly last year.
If he is named the starter,
Rossetti will be faced with the
difficult tasks of not only taking
on a new full-time playing role,
but also developing a relationship
with a new offensive coordinator.
Former head coach Kyle Walters
called the plays in recent years, a
responsibility that will now rest
with the yet-to-be-named offensive
coordinator. For a rebuilding team
with unproven offensive talent, this
relationship between quarterback
and coordinator could make or
break the season.
Perhaps the late April practices
were an opportunity for Lang to
gauge who, among the guest coaches,
would be the most appropriate to
take on such a critical role with the
team, or perhaps the right man for
the job has yet to take to the field Rashad Bhamjee
and the guest coach roster was Stu Lang, the new Guelph Gryphons head football coach, has yet to
merely a smokescreen of eye candy name his two full-time assistant coaches but many speculate about who
for speculators. Only time will tell. may fill those slots.
But, sooner rather than later, this
team will have to make the final making such a significant transition sense of team chemistry, unity and
decision as to how they plan to fill to a new era—with both new coaches collective direction among its staff
out their coaching ranks. As a team and key players—developing a will be critical going forward.

Eb_^

Foodstuffs delights in rhubarb season

NICOLE ELSASSER

W
hile the coming of
spring signals the
arrival of many beloved
fruits and vegetables, it is an
especially exciting time for rhubarb
lovers. In the modern grocery store
the changing of seasons doesn’t
effect the availability of many
things but for some reason, rhubarb
continues to be something that
appears only in those few months
that it would naturally grow. There
is a kind of excitement in these few
months and I find myself searching
for new and thrilling things I can
do with rhubarb; racing against
the clock before nature hides it
from me yet again. While I have
nothing but affection for this
plant’s rose-coloured stalks, some
can’t get past the sour taste; often
very difficult to avoid. The solution,
in most cases is to add a lot of
sugar and often ginger, which is
thought to compliment the flavour
of rhubarb quite well. Having
tired of using ginger with rhubarb,
I sought out recipe that would
embrace the natural flavour of this
plant I so love. To hell with those
rhubarb-haters! I had no use for
K^\bi^_hkKan[Zk[&OZgbeeZCZf_khf_hh].+'\hf
Serves 1/2 pint
t
8 3/4 ounces rhubarb
t
1/2 cup granulated sugar
t
2 tablespoons water
t
1 vanilla bean
1. Chop the rhubarb into small pieces and place in a heavy saucepan
with the sugar and water.
2. Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds with the flat side
of a knife and drop into the pan. Add the bean.
3. Stir the mixture over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved,
stirring to scrape the bottom. Continue cooking over medium
heat, stirring and breaking up the fruit with the back of the
spoon. Cook for about 20 minutes until the jam is thick, just shy
of spreadable, as it will thicken when it cools.
4. Remove the vanilla bean and discard. Carefully spoon the hot jam
into a half-pint jar and leave unsealed to cool. When cool, screw
on the lid and refrigerate.
them and wanted a solid helping lot of rhubarb flavour. I altered the
of that rhubarb-ery goodness in original recipe slightly to include
every bite. After experimenting about half the sugar as I like things
a bit, I stumbled upon this recipe tart but other than that left the Nicole Elsasser
for rhubarb-vanilla jam that has instructions as is.
just a hint of vanilla and a whole
 O
utside of suffering some kind of serious bodily
harm, there are few things that a cyclist fears more
than their bike being stolen. Aside from the obvious
financial loss when one’s bike is swiped, many people form
real attachments to their bicycles even going to far as naming
them and referring to them like a close friend. The horror
stories echo in the heads of many dedicated cyclists of the

I
t’s difficult to ignore the
increasing number of bikes on
the road. The bikes themselves
and their rider’s alike come in
all stripes and no matter the
rider’s taste, be it for a road bike,
mountain bike, hybrid or a vintage
three-speed that appeals to their
inner Eurofile, now is the time
people are declaring themselves
cyclists.
And why not?
While the exact cause of
cycling’s recent surge in popularity
remains unclear, some attribute
this to a sort of ‘perfect storm’ of
benefits that riding a bike can
bring the average individual.
“I always call it the trifecta,”
said Tim Plunkett, a University of
Guelph student and employee of
Speed River Bicycle in Guelph’s
downtown. “The environment is
a huge thing in a lot of people’s
minds, especially in Guelph.
Economy is the second thing
that’s huge in people’s minds in
the long run, especially with the
buses having the bike racks on the
front. It’s less expensive to
ride somewhere
than drive a car. The third one is
health with weight loss and just
quality of life. You’re outside.”
Plunkett explained that he has
also seen a change in people’s
attitudes towards cyclists in the
last while.
“Cycling is more of an
acceptable form of transportation
now,” said Plunkett. “You’re not
looked down upon for riding your
bike. It’s almost a source of pride.
For some people it definitely is.”
Another U of G student and
avid cyclist, Rashaad Bhamjee,
attributes the growing number
of people biking to more cyclist-
friendly laws and a general nod to
their needs by city planners.
“The laws have changed and
have made it easier to be a cyclist,”
said Bhamjee. “It’s given them
more rights and also clarified
some of the things that they can
and can’t do. And most cities have
a huge bike path plan of some sort.
The more these get implemented,
the safer people feel biking on
the roads, especially major
roads.”
Because it prioritizes many of
these things, Guelph is widely held friend-of-a-friend who had locked their bike up and left it
for just a moment only to discover it missing upon return.
by many of its citizens as being a
To conquer bike thief anxiety, people cope differently.
bike-friendly city. Bhamjee, who Rashaad Bhamjee, a U of G masters student, has both a
has ridden bikes in many cities, pricey mountain bike and road bike but also, he explained,
sees Guelph as a leader in this one that he wouldn’t care if it got stolen. For fear of one of
area. the better bikes being snatched, he rides the ‘beater’ bike if
“[In Guelph] there are decent he commutes.
bike paths along major roads and “I did use my road bike to commute until one of my
trails all the way up to the lake friends got his bike stolen [from]campus and then I stopped
and at the lake,” said Bhamjee. commuting with my [good] bike,” said Bhamjee. “With my
“There are lots of places to go and one bike, I could care less, but with my mountain bike I care
there are always people on bikes. a lot. I can’t afford to replace it.”
Others follow the advice of Sergeant Doug Pflug of the
It’s probably one of the friendlier
Guelph Police and think strategically about where and how
cities I’ve been in.” they leave their bicycles.
While the idea of riding a bike “Park the bike in a well-lit area and park it in a designated
is fairly simple, not to mention rack if you can because there’s a lot of volume,” said Pflug.
one that many have been “Periodically check on it because sometimes people leave
comfortable with for most of their bikes for three or four days and then they come back
their lives, there is a lot more to find that it’s gone.”
for one to consider than According to Pflug, if a bike is left totally unlocked it will
simply putting wheels likely be stolen simply because the opportunity presented
to pavement. itself but bike thieves will often go to the trouble of cutting
the locks of nicer bikes that can be resold for a lot of
money.
Tim Plunkett, who works at Speed River Bicycle in
Guelph, had his bike stolen from in front of a U of G
campus building while it was locked and is now very choosy
about the kind of lock he’ll use.
“As a university student you will probably be leaving
[your bike] for an extended period of time in a busy area,”
said Plunkett. “My advice would be to use a U-Lock. You
can have a relatively inexpensive one for like 25 to 30
dollars and you can get comparable cable locks but the
cable lock is easier to cut…With the U-Lock, the
convenience factor is down because they are
quite heavy but the [security] factor is
raised quite a lot.”

R
ashaad Bamjee has been
hit by a car while biking on
two occasions. He has been
cycling on two wheels since age
they’re definitely quite aggressive.” said Bhamjee. “I’ve hit my head
While many motorists seem multiple times and smashed at
unaware of the rights of cyclists least one helmet. Ever since I was
on the road, Sergeant Doug Pflug a kid and I got in one good bike

six and yet in two very different
instances, he was struck by a
motorist.
For many cyclists, sharing the
road with motorists is the worst
part of riding a bike. It’s not the
unfortunate weather conditions,
nor the physical difficulties of the
ride. It’s the cars.
“Some cars will try to pass when
they probably shouldn’t pass and if
a cyclist takes up a lane, which they
are legally allowed to do, most cars
will get pretty mad about it,” said
Bhamjee. “[Cyclists] don’t have
quite the presence that a four-
by-four has on the road. With
some motorists it’s just a matter
of ‘There’s a bike on the road. It’s
getting in my way.’ They’re not
necessarily out to cause harm but
advices cyclists to yield to pushy
motorists to save themselves from
harm.
“Always air on the side of
caution,” said Pflug. “A car is
several thousand pounds and [a
bike] is not. When in doubt, give
way to the car because there’s no
point being a martyr with a broken
leg.”
In a list of bike safety tips
distributed by the Guelph Police
cyclist are urged to make sure
their bikes are complete with
bells and lights, that they scan the
road around them as they drive,
that they obey all traffic signs
and signals, ride headphone-free
and, everyone’s favourite, wear a
helmet.
“I’m a huge helmet wearer,”
accident, I’ve been a helmet wearer
ever since.”
Despite this demonstrated
dedication to helmets, Bhamjee
acknowledges the awkward
appearance of protective headgear.
“It sucks but it’s less dorky than
having to wear a helmet for the
rest of your life because your head’s
been smashed in or something,” he
said. “The temporary dorkiness
outweighs the long-term...Ever
since they changed the law where
people under 18 have to wear
helmets, it’s been less of an issue
because everyone grows up wearing
a helmet. It’s not quite as crazy.”
W
ith all of the different
bicycles out there, it can
be a little overwhelming
when one walks into a shop filled
with all manner of them. The most
important thing, according to Tim
Plunkett of Speed River Bicycle in
downtown Guelph, is to come into
a bike shop with some idea of what
you would like to use the bike for.
“One of the most important
things is what [you] plan on doing
with the bicycle,” said Plunkett.
“Whether it’s primarily for
commuting, commuting with some
mountain biking, commuting with
some road-cycling or road cycling.
Having a good idea of what you
wish to be doing for now and in the
foreseeable future and what their
goals are is the biggest thing.”
The work is not over once the
bike is purchased though. Rashaad
Bhamjee, a proud owner of ‘too
many bikes’ has always done all of
his own maintenance. Regularly
he cleans the chains, tightens the
cables and keeps air in the tires
and once a year he takes everything
apart and cleans it.
“When I bought my first road
bike, I could barely afford to buy
the bike let alone maintenance.
It’s really not that hard because
everything’s exposed. You can’t
botch it up too much.”
But according to Bhamjee,
there are dire consequences to not
maintaining ones bike properly.
“It would sound like a lot of the
bikes on campus seem to sound,”
he said. “It’s my kryptonite when
a bike goes by and it’s all squeaky,
the wheels aren’t really straight
and things aren’t shifting properly.
Most bikes are pretty decent if you
don’t take care of them then you
can only expect so much from it.”
1 FZr+)&+/%+)*) */+'+

Eb_^
I really want to get into…movie musicals
MEGAN VERHEY bucks on a student’s salary is not Technicolor Dreamcoat written

I
t all begins with tapping
your toe to that catchy tune.
This turns into a constant
interruption of your daily activities
because you are too busy humming
along. Finally, you find yourself
feverishly searching the internet for
that song that you just can’t seem
to shake. Whether you like it or
not, you are on the road to joining
the extremely addictive aspect of
the arts known as musical theatre.
Now that you have come to terms
with hopping the bandwagon, I
will suggest some great places to
start your journey.
When experiencing your first
taste of show tunes, knowing
where to start can be very
overwhelming. There are literally
thousands of talented composers,
writers and big Broadway stars
to experience. Since nothing
beats the live experience, I would
suggest heading over to Broadway
in New York City and sit in on as
many musicals as you possibly can.
Unfortunately, shelling out the big
always possible. For that simple
reason, we will be examining the
very accessible, yet equally as
entertaining, musicals to view on
DVD.
My first musical suggestion is
Leonard Bernstein and Stephen
Sondheim’s West Side Story
released on film in 1961. With
the addition of racial profiling
and gang violence, this musical
is widely known for mirroring
Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet
plotline. Accompanying the
famous love story, this musical
includes many intricate dance
sequences, diaphragm-popping
ballads and touching moments
between characters. I chose this
musical because of the pivotal
impact it has had on the musical
theatre world. The controversial
nature of the script and constant
energy in the show has made this
a memorable piece of art that I
highly recommend.
Next we have another classic,
Joseph and the Amazing
by Andrew Lloyd Webber and
composed by Tim Rice. The film
version was released in 1999
starring Donny Osmond, but
began as a stage show in 1974.
This story is based on the “coat of
many colors” story of Joseph from
the Book of Genesis. Falling in the
category of “a musical for all ages”,
it can be described as lighthearted,
entertaining and fun. There
are multiple fantastic musical
performances from the Narrator,
Joseph and Joseph’s Eleven
Brothers. After seeing this show, I
could not get the music out of my
head. Although it isn’t without its
cheesy moments, Joseph remains a
universal classic. Megan Verhey
Lastly, we have the popular jazz
stylings of Bob Fosse with his hit in Prohibition-era Chicago, this this musical will not disappoint.
musical, Chicago. The Academy- story is riddled with crime, steamy Other must-watch musical films
Award winning film version dance sequences and all the glitz you can also watch on DVD are:
was released in 2002 starring and glamour of the underground Jesus Christ Superstar, RENT,
Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renee 1920’s jazz scene. With hit Oklahoma, Into the Woods and
Zellweger. Being the most recent numbers like “Cell Block Tango”, Little Shop of Horrors. If you start
on our list, this musical lands in “We Both Reached for the Gun” watching today, I can guarantee a
a whole different category. Set and “When You’re Good to Mama” guilty addiction will not be far away.

Hibgbhg
Ehhl^<Zgghg To choose or
Compassion clubs show marijuana laws going to pot not to choose
Other nations deprived
GREG BENETEAU As such, so-called compassion purchased marijuana outside the Lest you mistake marijuana of the means to decide

L
ast week’s police raid on clubs like the MCCG operate law, though I doubt they will. distribution for the jaywalking
the Medical Cannabis in a legal gray zone, growing For one thing, arresting people of drug laws, it should be noted
Club of Guelph was an non-approved marijuana with chronic illnesses makes for that Kovacevic and the other KATIE DUNCAN

unexpected and, some might
say, curiously timed event.
A month after Toronto police
arrested staff and volunteers
at a similar facility – only to
stay charges against everyone
except the owner – Guelph
police followed suit, charging
Club founder Rade Kovacevic
and three other individuals
with a myriad of trafficking
and possession offenses.
But the real confusion lies in
the fact that the MCCG has
been operating in plain sight for
more than three years without
intervention f rom authorities.
This haphazard approach to
policing raises questions about
whether cops are serious about
controlling marijuana, or just
blowing smoke for the sake of
appearances.
Since 2001, people with
chronic or debilitating illnesses
have been able to apply for
licenses to grow or possess
limited amounts of medical
marijuana supplied by Health
Canada.
<AHB<>%IZ`^2
for sale in a non-approved
setting by individuals who, by
and large, aren’t qualified to
dispense medication of any
kind. Under the law, police had
good reason have shut down
the club immediately. Instead,
they waited until a high-profile
raid in another city brought
attention to the issue.
If police were compelled
by media exposure to look
for trouble at the MCCG,
they didn’t need to dig very
deep to find it. Kovacevic,
who police say is not licensed
to grow marijuana, readily
admits that more than half of
the club’s 330 members don’t
show Health Canada-approved
documents when accessing
the pharmacopeia of several
strains of marijuana. Many
clients brought in doctors’
prescriptions instead, which is
technically illegal.
Now that police have
confiscated the MCCG’s
records, they could conceivably
go after individuals who
terrible optics. Secondly, many
of the club’s members will be
amply punished by having their
supply of medicine cut off.
What is most bizarre is
that Guelph Police directed
untold resources to shutting
down a local business – the
club, located on Baker Street,
even paid taxes to Revenue
Canada – while doing little to
address the underground drug
trade in the city. Paradoxically,
many club members say they
plan to buy their pot off the
black market until the facility
reopens, if it reopens at all.
Protesters at a rally in
downtown Guelph (some toking
up in front of police) accused the
cops of having no compassion
toward medical marijuana users.
I disagree: police seem to have
ample compassion towards
marijuana users of all stripes, just
not ones who remind us that our
marijuana laws are ridiculously
antiquated, and thus routinely
ignored by large number of
Canadians.
accused face jail time if found
guilty. But, as with the Toronto
Compassion Club raids, it
is likely many of the more
serious charges be dropped,
for no other reason than
judges have been throwing
out cases against medicinal
marijuana distributors for
some time. Court cases, you
see, are important PR for the
War on Drugs: better to claim
a small victory than suffer a
humiliating defeat.
Meanwhile, the federal
Conservatives have brought
back a bill that would impose a
mandatory minimum sentence
of six months in jail for people
convicted of growing as few as
five marijuana plants.
It seems silly to tighten drug
enforcement laws when police
are reluctant to enforce the
ones we have. Then again, very
little about the War on Drugs
makes sense.
T
he state of affairs in this
country hangs on a hinge
of fine balance. It sways
back and forth with the same
arguments trying to adjust to a
new equilibrium. Should we allow
same-sex marriage? Do we send
troops overseas? Can we fund
international abortions?
That hinge swung backwards so
swiftly with that last one that the
door between the choice of choice
itself and the choice of life closed
swiftly, without room for debate.
Since abortion is already legal
in Canada, I will spare you the
redundant message of pro-choice
in this country because we already
have it. However, I will not let
go of the decision that Prime
Minister Stephen Harper and the
Conservative government recently
made of not funding abortions in
other countries, most importantly,
the third world.
Picture this if you will: how hard
it might be for you to raise a child
L^^
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<AHB<>%\hgmbgn^] war, genocide and disease are Your religion might be a factor ourselves but not another human
Ngbo^klbmrh_@n^eia in Canada today. You might have common occurrences and threaten but what bearing should your being; that same human being
G*@+P* to take a second job, you might the fragile state of life a parent religion have on a person who does who was probably never asked if
need Social Assistance but you already has without adding an not share those same views? they wanted a choice. Sadly, we
hgmZkbhg9nh`n^eia'\Z have the luck of the draw on your unwanted pregnancy. Your own personal choice will don’t even realize the privilege and
side. A strong healthcare system Now I understand there are most definitely have something freedom that is a choice.
Iahg^3 where you need not pay for your some legitimate outcries from the to do with it, but why should A sociologist named Charles
.*2&1+-&-*+) baby’s cold. A problematic, but public. They want to know why your choice hinder the ability of Wright Mills sums this idea of
@^g^kZe3q.1+/. still existent daycare system and they should have to pay. Well I say another’s? freedom of choice, perfectly:
>]bmhkbZe3q.1+.) the help you might need to get an to you, why did we have to donate You might even think to yourself, “Freedom is not merely the
:]o^kmblbg`3q.1+/0 education for a chance of a better to Haiti? Why did we have to send why can’t education, condoms opportunity to do as one pleases;
:\\hngml3q.,.,- job. troops to Afghanistan? And why and birth control be enough? The neither is it merely the opportunity
Picture this life, how hard do we continue relief efforts all answer is at your doorstep, because to choose between set alternatives.
?Zq3 it might be to raise a child in over the world? its not even enough here, in our Freedom is, first of all, the chance
.*2&1+-&01,1 North America, and magnify The answer is you don’t have to, country. to formulate the available choices,
this problem in a country where but what your actions say is that How ignorant of us is it that to argue over them -- and then, the
>]bmhkbZeLmZ__3 poverty, homelessness, job scarcity, you choose to. we can support abortion for opportunity to choose.”

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No federal pride in annual gay pride festival
F^`ZgO^ka^r Last year the federal government With the Conservatives having
:]]^lb`g^k saw fit to give Toronto’s annual gay no problem allowing social
:gg^MZ[ZmZ pride festival a “marquee events” conservative ideology to enter into
EZrhnm=bk^\mhk grant of $397,500 to fund the these aforementioned policy and
:eblhgMb[[e^l event. This year the festival will funding decisions, what is to stop
get nothing in the way of federal those burned by the lack of pride
H_Û\^LmZ__3 funding. This, despite the festival festival funding to assume this
being a major tourist attraction recent development to be of the
;nlbg^llfZgZ`^k for the city of Toronto drawing same vein? It’s difficult for anyone
Ehkkb^MZrehk hundreds of thousands to partake not to raise an eyebrow at the
H_Û\^fZgZ`^k in the excitement and give the long string of heavy-handed social
Fhgbjn^Obl\al\akZi^k local economy a boost estimated at conservative moves recently made
:]fZgZ`^k close to $136 million. by the federal government.
<akblAZf^ebg But some have yelled foul at According to representatives
the decision not to fund the pride from the conservatives, the decision
;hZk]h_=bk^\mhkl festival and we at the Ontarion about who was to receive the grant
must admit that we are yelling money was based on merit. The
Ik^lb]^gm right along with them. While, it’s goal being that the money given
=Zob]>oZgl entirely possible that the decision to the event would not only help
<aZbki^klhg not to grant funding to the pride the event grow but stimulate the
MbfhmarF\;kb]^ festival was made in the spirit of local economy. As much as the
Mk^Zlnk^k equality for all marquee events and ‘smaller’ events are probably very
<akblOZgEZ^\d^ that it wasn’t ideological in any deserving of the funding they are
L^\k^mZkr way, is it likely? A trend is revealing now receiving at the expense of the
ChZggZLnesr\db itself and it’s not looking good for pride festival, with the revenue that Megan Verhey
=bk^\mhkl Prime Minister Harper and his Toronto’s pride events generate
FZmma^p?k^\a conservative cronies. and the large community that the is mainly of the way that the pride funding, but less to allow for other
:g]k^p@hehb]Z Recently, Harper’s conservative festival celebrates, how is there not festival found itself sans federal events to receive grant money, the
CZf^lAZpdbgl Ottawa has been responsible merit? funding. Having come accustom decision was to spread the wealth
EblZF\E^Zg for such glittering decisions The Ontarion is not suggesting to receiving federal grant money around at the complete and total
FZklaZeF\E^kghg as the defunding of many that Toronto’s gay pride festival in order to grow, the Toronto gay exclusion of one of the most
women’s groups and keeping the should always get such a large pride festival went from being able participated in marquee events.
international maternal health share of the federal marquee to count on hundreds of thousands It certainly sends a message,
initiative wholly free of abortions. events grant money by virtue of it of dollars of funding to nothing at whether the Conservatives
<hgmkb[nmhkl having merit in principle and being all. Just like that. Rather than giving intended the sharp blow or not.
revenue generating. Our criticism the festival a smaller amount of
IZko^^g;^`nf
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KZlaZZ];aZfc^^
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Gb\aheZlFZgg
EZnkZL\a^i

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 2009 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.
*) FZr+)&+/%+)*) */+'+

<khllphk]<hfb\l
Down
EZlmP^^dlLhenmbhg
1- Jagged parts
2- Lofty nest
3- Fenced areas
4- Numerous
5- Unit of energy
6- Wreath of flowers
7- B & B
8- U.S. film actor
9- After John in the NT
10- Laziness
11- Calk
12- Cornerstone abbr.
13- Date
18- Commercials
22- “Hold On Tight” band
24- Wise
25- In addition to
26- Bump off
28- Inscribed pillar
29- Passover feast
30- Multitude
31- Nursemaid
33- Examine thoroughly
34- Of the kidneys
35- Pay more than one can
afford
36- Cartoon dog
Across 38- Append
40- Atlantic mackerel
1- Express 43- Caribou 41- Lubricates
4- Pertaining to song 44- Ingot 43- “Losing My Religion” band
9- Barbecue leftovers? 45- Ardently 46- “Much ___ About Nothing”,
14- Teachers’ org 48- Additional play by Shakespeare
15- Concert venue
16- Shut
50- Band’s sample tapes
51- Devices for fishing
47- Deutsch, here
49- Muse of lyric poetry
Submit your completed
17- Organising
19- Rich cake
55- Earlier
57- Serf
51- Japanese computer giant
52- Best of a group crosswords by
20- Dizzy 58- Chucked weapon 53- Emblem
21- Bird homes
23- Cong. Meeting
60- Untruthfulness
64- Actress Berger
54- Eye sores
56- OPEC member
Monday May 10 at 4 p.m.
24- Long-winded speech
27- Pianist Myra
65- First name in photography
66- Driving aid
57- Circle of light often seen
around the head of saints for a chance to win!
30- Tranquil 67- Radioactive gas 58- Georgia, once: Abbr.
32- ___-Foy Quebec 68- Marsh of mystery 59- Green shade
33- Postpone 69- Dash lengths 61- Chang’s twin
37- Oohed and ___ 62- Code-breaking org.
39- Venerates 63- Agnus ___
40- Express sympathy
42- Upright (2)

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OXFORD SEMINARS
1-800-269-6719/416-924-3240
www.oxfordseminars.ca Kevin Shea
 .com
<hffngbmrEblmbg`l
Thursday May 20
Guelph Hiking Trail Club www.
guelphhiking.com. Starkey Hill 8
km hike. 9:30am start. A lunch is
planned after in Arkel. For details
call Leader: Jane Kenyon, K/W
1-519 746 0821 janekenyon64@
hotmail.com
Ontarion Volunteer Meeting
5:30pm in UC 264. Come by and
see what stories we’re covering
for our next issue. Writers,
photographers, graphic artists –
everyone welcome, no experience
necessary. Information: ontarion@
uoguelph.ca
Saturday May 22
Guelph Hiking Trail Club
www.guelphhiking.com. Caledon
Trailway hike. This will be an
easy 15 km hike over 5 or 6 hours.
Bring water and lunch. Start time
9:30am. Call Mike for details of
the rendezvous place.
1-905-877-4134.
Wednesday May 26
Wednesday Night Walks
at the University of Guelph
Arboretum’s Gosling Wildlife
Gardens. This week’s topic: ‘Fun
with Frogs and Tadpoles’. Cost
$2. 7-8:30pm every Wednesday
night all summer. Meet at the J.C.
Taylor (Nature) Centre in the
Arboretum. Info: 519-824-4120
x52363 or www.uoguelph.ca/
arboretum.
by Norm Foster, Directed by
Robin Bennett. May 27-June
13 at 176 Morris St. Tickets:
$17. 519-821-0270 www.
guelphlittletheatre.com
Friday May 28
Guelph Food Bank Gigantic
Fundraising Garage Sales &
Silent Auctions. 100 Crimea St.,
8am-6pm. Rain or Shine! Today
and Saturday, May 29.
Saturday May 29
Guelph Potters’ Market - Over
50 potters set up ‘Market Style’
at the picturesque Goldie Mill
behind the Guelph Youth Music
Centre, 75 Cardigan Street.
Saturday May 29 and 30th, 10am-
5pm. FREE!
Aids Committee of Guelph Red
Ribbon Gala: Silent Auction.
6pm. Delta Hotel. 519-763-2255
x128.
Sunday May 30
Guelph Arts Council Historical
Walking Tour: Downtown
Walkabout. 2-4pm. Starts at
Guelph Civic Museum, 6 Dublin
Street S. Admission: $3/person
(does NOT include admission to
Guelph Museums). Tour booklets
($5 each). (519) 836-3280 or
gac@sentex.net
Tuesday June 8
FZr+)&+/%+)*) **
Water St. (519) 836-1221, guelph. Tuesday June 15 Macdonald Stewart Art Centre
ca/museum. Summer Hours ( July- Exhibit: ‘Slip’ Cheryl Ruddock
Nov) Daily 1-5pm. Big Brothers Big Sisters of opening reception, 3-5pm.
Guelph Golf Fore Kids Sake Exhibit continues until July 18.
Wednesday June 9 fundraiser at Guelph Lakes Golf 358 Gordon St. 519-837-0010.
and Country Club. $160/per info@msac.ca www.msac.ca
Storytelling at the Boathouse golfer if registered before May 15.
(every second Wednesday through Includes lunch and steak dinner,
December). 8pm at 116 Gordon complimentary driving range and Guelph Civic Museum - an
St. This week features: ‘The road more. www.bbbsg.ca interactive travelling exhibit from
less travelled’ with Ann Estill. the Royal Ontario Museum -
storytellers@guelpharts.ca, 519- Fakes and Forgeries: Yesterday
767-0017. www.guelpharts.ca/ Ongoing: and Today. 115 real and fake
storytellers. Free. Donations historical objects, guess which are
graciously accepted. real, which are fake. Continues
Peace by Piece, an art show
until June 6. Info: guelph.ca/
centered on the theme of peace
Saturday June 12 museum.
and featuring work by local high
school students. Exhibit runs until
Guelph Creative Arts Association
May 29 at the Barber Gallery,
49th annual Painting on the
167 Suffolk Street West. Gallery
Green Show & Sale. Saturday
hours, Mon - Fri. 9-5:30, Sat. 9-5
11am-5pm. Sunday June 13,
(519) 824-0821.
11am-4pm. Arboretum Centre.
Information: 519-837-2849 or
www.guelpharts.ca/gcaa
Ln]hdn
Guelph Civic Museum Exhibition
Opening – Spirit of change:
One Building Tells the Story of
Guelph. Tracing the history of
the second oldest church building
in Guelph. 2-4pm. Exhibit runs
from June 12, 2010 – January 9,
2011. 6 Dublin St. S. Open daily
1-5pm. guelph.ca/museum.
Sunday June 13
The Macdonald Stewart Art
Centre Volunteers present
Gardenscapes 2010 – A self-
guided tour of 8 Guelph gardens

Thursday May 27
Guelph Little Theatre presents
The Affections of May. A comedy
McCrae House Pipe Evenings
with the Guelph Pipe Band – 2nd
Tuesday of each summer month.
Enjoy the Guelph Pipe Band as
they practice. Bring lawn chair. 108
– Noon-6pm - Rain or Shine.
Admisison: $15. Master Gardener
Advice Clinic at each garden.
Info: 519-837-0010 or
www.msac.ca.
Sudoku Instructions:
Fill out the grid so that each row,
column, and each marked 3x3 square
contains each number from 1 to 9
with no numbers repeating.

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