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  • Mathieu Yuill 12:55 pm on January 20, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: affordable for students,   

    Cars you can buy for under $20k 

    Finding a car for under $20,000 with air conditioning and automatic used to be a tough challenge but thanks to today’s economic environment it seems automobile manufacturers are primed to cut prices to move some product.

    A lot of vehicles in Canada come with a sticker price of under $20,000 but if you’ve ever been through a car-buying process you know by the time the paperwork is signed, you’ve added taxes, destination charges, administration fees and probably a few options the actual cost has risen more than 25 to 30 per cent over the sticker price. (More …)

     

  • Mathieu Yuill 12:47 pm on January 20, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , Courier update, news stories   

    Courier staff just had an editorial meeting – first issue of the semester hits stands January 28 – watch for great stories.

     

  • Mathieu Yuill 5:59 pm on February 3, 2009 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , UGGs   

    UGGs – unfriendly to animals? 

     

     

    Are these boots really made for walking?

    Are these boots really made for walking?

    UGG boots on the feet of women all over Centennial College campuses and even on celebrities, UGGs continue to be all the rage these days. However, cruel methods go into making these boots, say People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) on their website. (More …)

     

    • karen 4:30 pm on February 21, 2009 Permalink

      i love it. that was the best article i read in a while. finally an animal activist here.

  • Mathieu Yuill 5:53 pm on February 3, 2009 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: 13 months of sunshine, , ,   

    Little known movie deals with marriage, immigration 

     

     

    13 Months of Sunshine is seen here as part of a gift basket after its screening December 19.

    13 Months of Sunshine is seen here as part of a gift basket after its screening December 19.

    On Dec. 19, 2008, the Toronto-based Ethiopian youth group Eternal A.B.Y.S.S. (Always Bringing You Soulful Spirit) held a special screening of the Ethiopian-American film production 13 Months of Sunshine at the Bloor Cinema  at 506 Bloor St. W. 

     

    The movie, directed by Ethiopian director Yehdego Abeselom, is an unconventional love story involving a green card and a coffee shop. 

    Solomon is an Ethiopian-born American citizen who works as a coffee barista and dreams of opening up his own traditional Ethiopian coffee house. Hanna comes to the United States from Ethiopia hoping to get a new start in life, but needs a green card to remain in the country. Their worlds intersect when Hanna’s family offers to pay Solomon US$20,000 to marry her. The immigration department requires them to remain married for a year and one month to prove the authenticity of the marriage before they issue her a green card. 

    What begins as a marriage of convenience quickly turns complicated as the beautiful Hanna goes into the world of modelling. Solomon finds himself becoming unexpectedly jealous of Hanna’s new agent, Morris.  

    The movie works as a celebration of Ethiopian culture and the traditions surrounding coffee, or ‘buna’ as it is known. In the movie, Hanna’s American agent is intrigued by the hybrid lives of Ethiopian immigrants, who integrate into the American lifestyle, yet stay close to their homeland through a strong sense of culture. This is mainly centred on coffee, which serves to unite the communities. 

    The filmmaker also effectively used a mix of traditional and contemporary Ethiopian music for the soundtrack.

    The film drew large crowds of Ethiopian-Canadians, young and old. Hanna’s struggle to obtain American citizenship seemed to resonate with the immigrant experience of some of the audience members. 

    This film should also appeal to students at Centennial College, especially those who have immigrated from other countries, since they could identify with the joys and difficulties of the experience.

     

  • Mathieu Yuill 5:45 pm on February 3, 2009 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , jerry springer, , opera   

    Jerry Springer – The Opera takes on a new stage 

     

     

    A scene from Jerry Springer - The Opera.

    A scene from Jerry Springer - The Opera.

    In its opening night performance at University of Toronto’s Hart House Theatre, one unexpected opera offers up adults dressed as babies, adulterers and vengeful strippers galore. All of this could only be found on one stage: that of TV’s king of guilty-pleasure smut, Jerry Springer.  

     

    From the opening of Jerry Springer – the Opera, running until Jan. 31, don’t expect Verdi or Wagner. In this Canadian premiere directed by Richard Ouzounian, the chorus line belts out typical Springer antics in an original and inviting score. Equally inviting is the special student price of $15, which creates a unique operatic experience that’s accessible on a budget. Sure to offend, the show delivers a multitude of wacky guests who divulge a kaleidoscope of sinful confessions. 

    Byron Rouse, who portrays the colourful TV veteran, offers a comical performance without being over the top. Periodically, Springer’s inner conscience emerges to offer advice, which he continually refuses, resulting in his descent into hell. He invites the audience to embrace the bizarre occurrences that grace the infamous Springer stage, which have transfixed followers of the notorious television show since its inception in 1991.

    Surprisingly, Springer’s “guests” reveal an insight into the larger-than-life personas that frequent the television show. The audience is left to wonder whether the psyche of Jerry Springer is really so different from their own.

    “The opera presents the controversy in a way that is really relatable to the audience,” said Ian Bender, who plays the roles of transsexual Tremont and Gabriel, the angel of death.

    The performances by main actors and chorus are quite strong overall, despite moments of weakness. Greg Finney, in the unlikely roles of both God and Dwight the bisexual adulterer, proves a standout by showcasing his quirky one-liners in a resounding baritone that allows the audience to forgive his shameless antics.

    Although the second act does not deliver as well as the first vocally, Springer’s “final thought” asks the audience to ponder the morality of the spectacle they’ve just witnessed. And as a potent mixture of high and low art, this new style of opera gives them plenty to think about.

    Tickets are available by phone (416-978-8849) or online at http://www.uofttix.ca.

     

  • Mathieu Yuill 5:40 pm on February 3, 2009 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: artist, , gary greenwood, , tourist   

    Gary Greenwood is not your average ‘Tourist’ 

     

     

    Centennial professor and artist Gary Greenwood's exhibit runs at the McLaughlin Gallery until March 8.

    Centennial professor and artist Gary Greenwood's exhibit runs at the McLaughlin Gallery until March 8.

    Moving through the gallery rooms, the shapes and colours bombard your senses.  A sculpture piece in the centre of the room is familiar, yet you can’t remember where you’ve seen it before.  That’s what Gary Greenwood wants: to make you step back and realize the connections are all around you.

     

    These ideas are what Greenwood tries to convey with his new exhibit Tourist, on display at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa (72 Queen St.) until March 8. Greenwood, a Centennial College professor and artist for over 30 years, thanks Centennial for helping to make the exhibit possible.  

    “(The college) sent me to India for the program I work in,” said Greenwood at the exhibit’s Jan. 17 opening reception. “That was great because it opened up the whole process of going through places, and when you go around the world it tends to give you a whole new horizon to work with.”

    Greenwood has been experimenting with perception and sense throughout his career. A graduate of Ryerson University, Greenwood has exhibited his works across Ontario, received numerous Ontario Arts Council grants and is a former curator for the exhibit Finding Camp X which was about the allies’ secret spy camp on the shores of Lake Ontario.  

    Greenwood’s art is unique; he creates it despite having a visual impairment called amblyopia (lazy eye) which increases his field of view while limiting his depth perception. From a book about his exhibit, Greenwood writes: “My work is rooted in a desire/need to figure out what I’m seeing, initially to determine depth but ultimately to understand where I am in the scene, in the world.”  

    In Tourist, Greenwood takes guests around the world as he shows similarities that come across only with time and thought. The exhibit consists of 27 pieces ranging from photos on mantles to large sculptures and even a video.  Unlike other art exhibits where individual pieces stand alone, to fully enjoy Tourist you must view the pieces individually, while constantly thinking about what has come before it in the exhibit.  

    “The logic of (the exhibit) is like a matrix,” Greenwood said.  “In other words, something over there connects to something here. That connects to something over there.  So if it feels like it’s non-linear.”

    For example, when first entering the second room of the exhibit, your eyes are drawn to a large orange sculpture. The piece, called “Sarcophagus Hazard,” is an incredible work by itself, but it is actually related to a photographic piece in the other room called “Sarcophagus-Secretariat” that shows similar structures Greenwood came across during his travels in Spain.

    At a time when society wants everything handed to them with an explanation, Greenwood asks his audience to slow down, take a minute and enjoy the sights around us to appreciate the beauty in everyday things.

     

  • Mathieu Yuill 5:27 pm on February 3, 2009 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , progess   

    Student and staff discussion a key part of athletics plan 

    Communication and flexibility are crucial elements in the college’s initiative to provide students with alternative services in the absence of the DEL Gym. 

    During the construction of the Athletic and Wellness Centre, the college and CCSAI have put up a website and blog to keep students informed with updates.

    Steve McLaughlin has said this is crucial in order to get the ball rolling.

    “We can keep information posted, current and up to date,” he said. “That is key for us, because we can do that internally and put it up as soon as we get the information verified,” McLaughlin said. 

    So far, there has been a fair amount of students responding to the websites and expressing concerns. 

    “We’ve received plenty of calls and feedback from our preliminary information that we have put on our website, and we will be upgrading that website regularly,” he said.

    McLaughlin encourages students to communicate any ideas or concerns to the school so they can continuously amend the services being offered.

    In addition to the athletics website, the CCSAI has put up a blog in order to give updates on alternative services being offered. 

    “It’s a communication vehicle, and also a way for students to give us feedback if they have any ideas or any concerns about the project,” said Penny Kirlik of the CCSAI. 

    McLaughlin agreed that teamwork and flexibility are an essential part of the school’s initiative. 

    “We’re going to be as much reactive as we are proactive,” McLaughlin said. “We don’t have any benchmark on the programming that we’re doing, so we’re just exploring.” 

    The school has stated they are willing to negotiate with students about what is called “active recreational program subsidy.”

    What that means is that if a student is interested in active programs offered at Extreme Fitness or the YMCA that were not previously offered at the DEL, such as Tai-Chi or Yoga, the school is willing to see if they can subsidize those programs. 

    “This is a work in process,” he said. “We think we are going to get some reactions to some new alternative programs that we haven’t considered, and we’ll be wide open to that as well.”

    “We don’t really have anything formal within the confines of Progress campus for recreational activity, so we’re out there,” McLaughlin said.

    For all of this to go as planned, the most important thing for students to remember is that the college and students must stay connected to make things work. 

    “We’re in this together,” McLaughlin said. 

    “We’re open to suggestions, comments, concerns and complaints. Fire them to us.” 

    Contact information for Steve McLaughlin of the athletics department and Penny Kirlik of the CCSAI are both available on the aforementioned websites. 

    The websites can be found at:

    http://www.CentennialCollege.ca/Athletics 

    http://www.CCSAI.com/AWC.

     

  • Mathieu Yuill 5:21 pm on February 3, 2009 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , ,   

    DEL gym closes, but alternative athletic options open 

     

     

    The DEL gym is finally closing so a complete overhaul of the facility can commence.

    The DEL gym is finally closing so a complete overhaul of the facility can commence.

    As the DEL gym prepares to close its doors for good, many Progress students are wondering how they will stay active without a campus gym. 

     

    Fortunately, the college and the CCSAI have been working hard to ensure students will still have access to the range of services that were offered at the DEL gym. 

    Parts of the DEL gym have been open since Jan. 19 and will remain so until the end of the month. However, the doors will officially close on Feb. 2. 

    Following the closure of the DEL gym, the Cedarbrae Extreme Fitness and the Scarborough Town Centre YMCA, will be offering subsidized programs to students. 

    In order to get things established, the school had to find out how students would fit into a system that’s already in place, and if that system fits with the students needs.

    Part of the reason for the delay was due to it being a relatively new idea to those involved, said Steve McLaughlin, manager of athletics.

    While it has previously worked well with the Frog’s Gym at the Centre for Creative Communications, it did not go as smoothly this time around.

    “Typically you don’t have health facilities offering memberships to potentially big numbers,” McLaughlin said. “We have tried to do it on a similar basis as the Frog’s Gym, but it hasn’t quite worked that way.”

    Another obstacle that the school faced was how to accommodate varying student schedules.

    As a result, the standard packages had to be modified.

    “A lot of the time they want an annual membership, and that’s not going to work for our students,” he said.

    The school plans to have memberships offered over three semesters, from Sept.to Dec., Jan. to Apr., and May to Aug.

    The initiative is completely financed by student fees, and while primarily aimed towards Progress students, memberships will also be available for HP and Ashtonbee students. 

    Students voted in a referendum in Feb. 07 that asked students to pay $75 per semester towards the building and operation of the Athletic and Wellness Centre. 

    “We started collecting that fee in September of 08,” said Penny Kirlik, Executive Director/CEO of CCSAI.

     “Sixty-five dollars of the fee goes towards the building budget, and $10 of that fee goes towards new initiatives for each campus.” 

    She said the money also goes towards acquiring other facilities for student use while the DEL gym is closed. 

    “Once the building is open, that $10 will go towards operating the facility,” Kirlik said. 

    Although these fees are included in tuition, students will have to pay a one-time administration fee for the semester. 

    The school hopes to have a “sliding scale” of fees, to accommodate students who don’t use the gym as much as others.

     

  • Mathieu Yuill 5:11 pm on February 3, 2009 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , profile   

    Profile: Biotech ironsmith 

    When Allan Richardson’s brother turned 50 years old, he was stumped for gift ideas. He didn’t want to get him something conventional, like a book. So he did something unusual; he made him a battle-axe.

    “No one else got him that,” he said, sitting in his office on the fourth floor of Centennial College’s HP campus. Richardson is the biotechnology co-ordinator for the applied biological and environmental science department at Centennial College. He studied microbiology at the University of Western Ontario and he is also a blacksmith. He makes decorative knives out of railway spikes, as well as elaborate art pieces and innovative candle holders made out of scrap metal.

    “I like to recycle,” he confessed, adding that he rarely buys new steel to work with.

    The leap from biology to blacksmithing may not be as far-fetched as it sounds. Richardson first got interested in his metal-moulding hobby in university, where he worked one summer at a blacksmith’s shop along the Rideau Canal in Jones Falls, Ont. The experience affected him so much that he ultimately built his own forge, which is attached to the back of his home.

    “It’s more of an arts thing,” he said. “There is some work in doing the big hinges of church doors, maybe, or railings and stuff, but (the profession) is kind of industrialized.”

    His hobby is reflected in his office. Three pieces of metal are framed on a wall that show the evolution of a railway spike. It originates as a giant, rusty-looking nail, but evolves into a polished, decorative knife with a wide, flat blade and a twisted hilt. When the metal is heated up enough, Richardson hammers it out and then decides what he wants to create.

     

  • Mathieu Yuill 5:07 pm on February 3, 2009 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: dna, , , personalized medication   

    Biotech professor reveals DNA milestone 

    The Centennial College HP campus hosted guest speaker Dr. Dennis Grant, who introduced the general public to an exciting prospect: personalized medicine.   

    Grant, Professor and Chair of the Pharmacology and Toxicology department at the University of Toronto, visited the campus on Jan. 20, which launches a series of free public lectures that the Biotechnology department is offering every month.  

    Personalized medicine works through the deciphering of DNA, which then enables scientists to figure out how it reacts to certain drugs.  

    “Wouldn’t it be nice to know in advance which one of the agents in different drugs is effective on you rather than going down a list of possible pharmaceuticals?” Grant said. “Once drugs are developed, how do we prescribe them?” 

    Grant illustrated this point by giving an example. A woman was prescribed a standard blood thinner, Coumadin, to treat her blood clots. She reacted so badly to the regular dosage that she had to be treated for hemorrhaging, which is a steady loss of blood. Her unique gene structure reacted with the drug in a way that it made it a lot more potent than it would have been on most other patients. Grant believes if pretests were done on her, these negative side effects could have been avoided.

    “The use of novel genetic technology to develop better medicines and predictive tests to determine the right dose of the right drug, in the right patient, at the right time,” Grant said. “The amount of money that is spent treating bad reactions to medications exceeds the amount of money that is spent on drugs themselves.” 

    Currently, phamacogenetics isn’t implemented in clinics. The first step is to get medical professionals educated in it. Centennial College student, Angela Ferrao, believes in Grant’s work and that “The whole point is getting the doctors educated about it and getting the masses educated.”  

    Grant mentioned that doctors are already practising personalized medicine to some extent when they ask your family history. That gives them insight about your particular set of genes so they can help narrow down the right drug for the right problem. 

    Paula Demasio, professor for the Centennial College biotechnology department, hopes the monthly biotechnology lecture series will engage the public and draw an interest in the subject. More lectures are planned that pertain to the biotechnology field, but Demasio promises a variety of guest speakers. 

    The next lecture is scheduled to take place on February 24 between 7-8 p.m. at the HP campus, located at 755 Morningside Ave. More info will be available later on the CCSAI website.

     

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