May 6-9 - SHDHS presents Our Town; post-secondary grads give advice

Principal’s Page
By Jeff Reaburn

One of the events that we look forward to at this time of year is the annual school show, and it is rapidly approaching. This year’s production, Our Town, by Thornton Wilder, will be performed from May 6 to 9 in our small gym. Director Beth Jantzi and her cast and crew have been rehearsing and preparing for months for this well known classic. The show begins at 7:30 each evening and tickets, which are only $7.00, can be purchased in the main office at the school. This will be an excellent opportunity to see and hear the dramatic talents of many fine young actors, and we encourage you to come out and show your support of our dramatic arts program.
The School Council’s final community forum of the year will take place on Monday, May 5. This one will be a departure from past forums in that it will take place in the afternoon and the audience will be students rather than parents. The topic this time is “What I Wish I’d Known,” and we have invited graduates who have gone on to college and university to come back and speak to South Huron students who will be heading to post-secondary education this fall. Our goal is to have the grads share their experiences and make our current students more aware of the challenges and opportunities they will face when they head off to college or university.
While we believe that we (the school and parents) do a pretty good job of preparing students for the post-secondary world, some lessons, both good and bad, can only be learned through experience. We also think that recent grads may have more credibility with our students than some of us who attended college or university many years ago. The goal of this session is to have the speakers share the lessons they have learned, to offer some tips and pointers, and perhaps help some of our present students avoid the mistakes and pitfalls that sometimes happen at college or university. If this proves to be a worthwhile forum, we may consider offering it every year.
The forum will be open to Grade 12 students who have applied to college or university and will take place in the cafeteria in last period on Monday, May 5. One of our speakers will be speaking to us via the Internet from Rotterdam, and we are keeping our fingers crossed that we won’t have any technical difficulties. We encourage the students who will be attending this session to come prepared with any questions they may have about post-secondary education, whether they be about finances, independence, having a roommate, workload, or any other aspect of college or university life.
More information about this forum can be found on the SHDHS web-site at: http://www.shdhs.ca/.
This week we have also entered into the election campaign for next year’s Students’ Council. Campaigning will take place throughout this week, with the election on Friday, May 2. Congratulations to Leanne Hoffman, who was selected earlier this month as the Student Senator for SHDHS. She will be meeting regularly with senators from the other high schools in the Avon Maitland District School Board to discuss issues and provide the student voice to the trustees of the school board. Two of the senators were chosen last week as student trustees and they will sit with the elected trustees at regular school board meetings.
Finally, I would like to remind parents that the Semester Two Mid-Term Report Card was distributed in last period last Friday. If you haven’t seen it yet, you may want to ask your son or daughter about it. For this report students were required to complete a Response Form on which they were to comment on their academic progress this semester and on their goals for the year. This form must be signed by a parent and returned to the school to be placed in the students’ Ontario School Records. The deadline for this is Friday, May 9, and we would appreciate any assistance that parents may offer in getting this task completed.

May 2008

May - Ongoing
Mid-May and early June - Forest Canada Day Idol Contest applications.
North Lambton Secondary School. Live out your idol dream! There are three age categories: 10-14, 15-18 and 19 and over. Judges will select top contestants from each category to sing on stage at Esli Dodge Conservation Area on July 1. Application forms are avail-able at Woods Pearson & Associ-ates, 40 King St. W., Forest or at www.lambtonshores.ca. More infor-mation is available from Don Pear-son, Catherine Minielly or Ruth Illman.

Friday, May 2
8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Exercise Club

5 to 7 p.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Meat draw

6 to 10 p.m. - Pine Dale Motor Inn
Weekend Scrapbooking Retreat to Celebrate National Scrapbooking Day! Come all weekend or just for a day! Door prizes and special registration gifts. Friday 6-10, Saturday 9-9, Sunday 9-3. Registration – Weekend $55 until April 15th/$65 after April 15th. One day only $25. Continental breakfast and lunches provided. Sponsored by Creative Memories. Register by contacting Lynn Wilbur at 238-2847 or ewilbur@uwo.ca. Special room rates – contact the Pine Dale directly.

Saturday, May 3
9 a.m. to 9 p.m. - Pine Dale Motor Inn
Weekend Scrapbooking Retreat to Celebrate National Scrapbooking Day! Come all weekend or just for a day! Door prizes and special registration gifts. Friday 6-10, Saturday 9-9, Sunday 9-3. Registration – Weekend $55 until April 15th/$65 after April 15th. One day only $25. Continental breakfast and lunches provided. Sponsored by Creative Memories. Register by contacting Lynn Wilbur at 238-2847 or ewilbur@uwo.ca. Special room rates – contact the Pine Dale directly.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. - various locations
2nd Annual Grand Bend & Area Art Studio Tour. For more information, contact Glen Baillie at 519-238-1472 or visit the Tour website at www.grandbendstudiotour.com.

2 p.m. - Grog’s Restaurant
Hillbillies Meat Raffle

3 to 6 p.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Live Music with The Persuaders

Sunday, May 4
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Pine Dale Motor Inn
Weekend Scrapbooking Retreat to Celebrate National Scrapbooking Day! Come all weekend or just for a day! Door prizes and special registration gifts. Friday 6-10, Saturday 9-9, Sunday 9-3. Registration – Weekend $55 until April 15th/$65 after April 15th. One day only $25. Continental breakfast and lunches provided. Sponsored by Creative Memories. Register by contacting Lynn Wilbur at 238-2847 or ewilbur@uwo.ca. Special room rates – contact the Pine Dale directly.

12 to 4 p.m. - various locations
2nd Annual Grand Bend & Area Art Studio Tour. For more information, contact Glen Baillie at 519-238-1472 or visit the Tour website at www.grandbendstudiotour.com.

Monday, May 5
8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Exercise Club

6:30 p.m. - Grand Bend Youth Centre
Scrapbooking. $2. Bring your own supplies. Contact Kim Widdis: 519-238-6390.

Tuesday, May 6
7 p.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Bingo

Wednesday, May 7
8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Exercise Club

10 to 11:30 a.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Line Dancing

Friday, May 9
8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Exercise Club

5 to 7 p.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Meat draw

Saturday, May 10
3 to 6 p.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Live Music with Don Harvey

Monday, May 12
8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Exercise Club

4 p.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Plant Sale. Grand Bend and Area Horticultural Society. Receive potted and labeled plants.

6 p.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Plant Sale. Grand Bend and Area Horticultural Society. Silent Auction. Following the pattern of last year’s sale, there will be food and fellowship as well as excellent plants.

6:30 p.m. - Grand Bend Youth Centre
Scrapbooking. $2. Bring your own supplies. Contact Kim Widdis: 519-238-6390.

Tuesday, May 13
7 p.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Bingo

Wednesday, May 14
8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Exercise Club

10 to 11:30 a.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Line Dancing

Friday, May 16
8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Exercise Club

5 to 7 p.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Meat draw

Saturday, May 17
11 a.m. to 7 p.m. - Pinery Provincial Park Store
Lakesmith Conservationists & Friends of the Pinery Park Fish Fry. Please call 519-243-1521 for details.

1 p.m. - Thedford Arena
Lawnmower Races. Thedford Spirit Club presents Spring Lawn-mower Race featuring the Western Ontario Outlaws along with local racers. For more information, call Rob at 519-296-4808.

2 p.m. - Grog’s Restaurant
Ausable Port Franks Optimist Meat Raffle

3 to 6 p.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Live Music with Ben Shane and Bobby K

Monday, May 19
8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Exercise Club

6:30 p.m. - Grand Bend Youth Centre
Scrapbooking. $2. Bring your own supplies. Contact Kim Widdis: 519-238-6390.

Tuesday, May 20
Garden clean up. Grand Bend and Area Horticultural Society. Rain date May 21.

6 p.m. - Port Franks Community Centre
Port Franks Garden Club Plant Auc-tion. Silent and live auctions.

7 p.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Bingo

Wednesday, May 21
8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Exercise Club

10 to 11:30 a.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Line Dancing

Friday, May 23
8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Exercise Club

5 to 7 p.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Meat draw

Saturday, May 24
8 a.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Grand Bend and Area Horticultural Society Bus Tour. Wrightman Gardens (Kerwood), Cuddy Gardens (Strathroy), Dowding Water Garden (Mt. Brydges), buffet lunch at Wayside Dining Lounge (Talbotville), Canadale Nursery (St. Thomas), and return to Grand Bend between 5 and 6 p.m. Tickets $55; first come, first served. Reserve by contacting Eric Brown, 519-238-1583 or eandbbrown@hay.net. Cheques must be received by May 5 but will not be cashed until the bus is full and the trip is a definite go.

3 to 6 p.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Live Music with Bob Finlay

Monday, May 26
8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Exercise Club

Tuesday, May 27
7 p.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Bingo

Wednesday, May 28
8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Exercise Club

10 to 11:30 a.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Line Dancing

Friday, May 30
8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Exercise Club

5 to 7 p.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Meat draw

Saturday, May 31
3 to 6 p.m. - Grand Bend Legion
Live Music with Jimmy Vail

Semester two mid-term reports, music cabaret

Principal’s Page
By Jeff Reaburn

The Semester Two Mid-Term Report will be distributed in last period on Friday of this week. Students will be required to complete the Response Form that accompanies this report, take it home for a parent signature, and then return it to the same teacher who hands it out on Friday. The completed Response Form will then be placed in the student’s Ontario School Record (OSR), along with a copy of his/her report card. We would like to have the Response Forms returned to us within two weeks, which means by Friday, May 9. It is always somewhat of a logistical nightmare getting the Response Form handed out, completed, and returned to the school, and we appreciate any assistance that parents can offer in getting this task completed.
Last weekend our music students held their annual Cabaret, with two excellent performances in front of large and enthusiastic crowds. Although I was not able to attend the Saturday evening performance, I did get to the Sunday afternoon presentation, and, as always, I was very impressed with the musical talents of our students. Under the direction of Mr. Moore and Mr. Weston, the bands performed incredibly well, and I would like to congratulate all of them for their hard work and commitment all year long.
The Cabaret is an important fund-raiser in support of our extra-curricular music program, and this year the funds generated from this event will help to offset some of the costs of our bands’ trip to MusicFest Nationals in Ottawa next month. As a result of their excellent performances at the regional MusicFest competition, our bands were invited to compete in the national competition, which is a great achievement, but also an expensive one. On behalf of the bands, I would like to thank everyone who attended Cabaret, all the businesses and individuals who donated prizes for the raffles, and especially the parents who provided snacks and refreshments.
I would especially like to thank the parents who support the music program all year long by encouraging the students’ participation, getting them out of bed and to the school on time for early morning practices, and by attending the various concerts throughout the year. Their support is crucial to the success of our music program, and, in fact, parental support is vital to all of our extracurricular programs. I don’t thank the parents often enough: we are very fortunate to have a very supportive community, and this makes our jobs as educators much easier.
College and university applicants and their parents are invited to attend an OSAP presentation on Wednesday, April 30, at 2:05 p.m. in the cafeteria. Students are asked to check the OSAP website prior to presentation to see if theirÜ2008 application has been posted. This session will give students and parents the opportunity to find out more about the Ontario Student Assistance Program and ask any questions that they may have.
On a completely different note, you may have read or heard that the London District Catholic School Board voted last week to impose a ban on the use of cell phones, MP3 players, and various other electronic devices in their schools. I have commented on this issue several times in the last few weeks, but I would like to get some feedback from students, parents, and the community. Recently, I asked teachers to have students give me some feedback on “electronic etiquette,” and several teachers gathered responses from their students.
I am interested in getting the perspectives of more students, but I would like to hear from parents and other adults as well. If you would like to provide me with some feedback on this issue, please feel free to send your comments to me at the school or by email at jeffreab@fc.amdsb.ca. Although my main concern is the use of electronic devices at school, I am interested in hearing your comments on electronic etiquette in our society as well.

Twist & Shout: The British Invasion ~ Nostalgia made for Baby-Boomers

Twist and Shout: The British Invasion
Performed by cast of 14
Written & Directed by Alex Mustakas
Grand Theatre Production
Grand Theatre, London
April 15 to May 11, 2008

Live! On Stage!
Review by Mary Alderson

If you were glued to the family TV set on that fateful night in February 1964, and watched the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show as they flickered across a snowy black and white screen, then you’ll love Twist and Shout: The British Invasion now playing at London’s Grand Theatre.
This show is aimed at the demographics of our times. Statistics tell us that the baby-boomer population is now in the 45 to 55 age range. If the theatre’s goal is to put “bums in seats”, then it makes perfect sense to put on a show that will appeal to the bulk of the population.
Twist and Shout: The British Invasion will not only attract the populace, but it is a crowd pleaser, as well. In fact, you’d better order your tickets early, as it’s sure to sell out.
The show was conceived and written by Alex Mustakas, the artistic director of Drayton Entertainment. It debuted three years ago at Huron Country Playhouse in Grand Bend. Mustakas designed it to take baby boomers on a nostalgia trip and show them a good time. And he succeeded – it quickly sold out at the various Drayton Entertainment venues.
In some areas, the Grand has improved on Mustaka’s success – flashier costumes with all the bright colours and sparkles of the sixties. But they were also careful to hang on to what made the show so good: they kept the two key voices. Danny Williams and Christine Glen were the show stoppers three years ago, and clearly demonstrated they still hold that position in the Grand’s version.
The audience is taken back to a mid-sixties TV studio, complete with microphones on booms and old TV cameras. Two high large-screen televisions show the action on stage in living black and white. Watchers are treated to some 1960’s commercials – a Heinz pickle ad is particularly entertaining.
A five-piece band under musical director Mike Lerner plays in a loft above the stage, recreating the early rock and roll sounds. A cast of 14 fills the various roles as required, transporting us back to those heady days.
Mustakas, with the help of his historical consultant Michael Bignell, has done excellent work in pulling together a wide variety from those British Invasion years. They educate as well as entertain – trivia concerning the different acts flashes on the TV screens. For example, did you know that Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits was a child star on the British soap Coronation Street?
As well as the Beatles and all their familiar tunes, we see Dave Clark Five (Glad All Over), The Searchers (Needles and Pins), Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders (Game of Love), Donavon (Mellow Yellow – and he still appears to be suffering from that early drug bust), Gerry and the Pacemakers (Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying), Freddy and Dreamers (I’m Telling You Now), Swinging Blue Jeans (Hippy Hippy Shake), Spencer Davis Group (Gimme Some Lovin’), Herman’s Hermits (Henry the Eighth sing along version), The Hollies (Carrie Anne, Bus Stop, ) and more groups with many more familiar songs.
I admit that I didn’t know all the groups – and even when I knew some of the bands, I didn’t know that they were part of the British Invasion. Frankly, I was surprised (and embarrassed) to learn that many groups I thought were American were indeed British. But I did know every song, and I loved them all.
And while all the early rock groups are covered, there is good representation of the female singers: Lulu with To Sir, With Love, Petula Clark’s Downtown and I Know a Place, Mary Hopkins, (Those Were the Days), and the late great Dusty Springfield with fantastic songs like You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me and You Don’t Own Me.
The showstopper is Danny Williams, first when he sings The Animals’ House of the Rising Sun, then Procul Harum’s A Whiter Shade of Pale, and also He Ain’t Heavy; He’s my Brother, which is better than the original. Next he brings the house down when he does his Mick Jagger imitation for Honky Tonk Woman, Let’s Spend the Night Together and Satisfaction.
Similarly, Christine Glen’s powerful voice rocks the house with Dusty Springfield’s Son of a Preacher Man.
The musical numbers are interspersed with Robin Ward as TV host Roy Solomon telling background stories on the various singers. Ward gives a decent Ed Sullivan impression.
Also remarkable are the dancers – Dance captain Michelle DiGioacchino is outstanding, as is Michel LeFleche. Kudos to choreographer Gino Berti who intersperses some Fosse moves with the sixties dance.
After a long winter, this show is guaranteed to put you in the mood for some hot summer weather. This is good entertainment from a talented cast of strong singers and dancers with amazing energy.
Twist and Shout: The British Invasion continues at the Grand Theatre in London until May 11. Tickets are available at the Grand box office at 672-8800 or 1-800-265-1593.

Mary Alderson offers her view of area theatre in this column on a regular basis. As well as being a fan of live theatre, she is a former journalist who is currently employed with the Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporations.

Vol. 1 #19 - April 16, 2008 Grand Bend Strip

View this week’s edition of the Grand Bend Strip online

Blues take Dashwood teen to Ottawa

MusicFest chooses Carly Schroeder as one of the best music students in Canada; three SHDHS bands competing nationally

Story and photo by Casey Lessard

Grade 12 student Carly Schroeder is representing South Huron District High School and her hometown of Dashwood when she heads to Ottawa next month (May 12-18) to perform in the MusicFest Canada national concert band. But her parents won’t be there to see it.
“We’re feeling really bad about that,” says mom Brenda Schroeder. Before they knew Carly was accepted into the band as an alto saxophonist, Brenda and Steve had booked a trip to visit Carly’s brother, an RCMP officer in B.C. “We leave on Thursday and she performs on Friday. The timing’s all bad, so we’re hoping there will be CDs or DVDs that record the event. When it comes to your kids, you like to see them in such situations.”
You can’t blame the Schroeders for making plans; her selection to be part of the band was certainly a surprise to Carly.
“I didn’t expect to get chosen,” she says. “It was a little overwhelming at first. I was like, Are you sure?”
An email mix-up didn’t help. After sending the first confirmation message, something confusing happened.
“They sent me a second one that was addressed to Ryan someone. I emailed them back and a couple of weeks later, they sent me another email to say yes, that I was in. It was kind of a long process.”
That process began when music teacher Isaac Moore helped her record a CD of work learned during lessons with Ryan Fraser of London.
“The pieces I played were not your typical alto saxophone songs,” Carly notes. “The first song I played had this growling part to it, and it was really fun. I wasn’t sure what they’d think about it. Then there was another second movement to it that was more typical.”
The judges must have been impressed, says MusicFest Canada executive director Jim Howard.
“It’s very difficult to get into the saxophone section because Dr. Jeremy Brown (the head of music at the University of Calgary) is a world-renowned saxophone player,” he told the Strip from Calgary. “She must be very, very good to get in there.”
“This is kind of the ultimate honour band,” he adds, noting the band consists of 55-60 students from across the country. “It’s an amazing experience. We run it like a camp as opposed to running it like a touring band. Yamaha provides clinics to sectionals with them during the week. They get access to the MusicFest Canada master classes, and they get to play music they’re normally not going to get to play. They’re playing such a high level of music, even university bands aren’t tackling the repertoire these kids are going to play.”
University scouts will be at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa to hear Carly and the rest of the band play, bringing with them $100,000 in scholarships to attract the best to their schools.
The band will practice for nine hours a day for four days, and then perform twice as a group. Howard estimates about 2500 students will jam the hall to see them perform. A big event for a small-town teen who became attracted to the saxophone as a student with Exeter’s Lori Erb.
“My parents put me in Music for Young Children when I was six,” Carly says. “That was piano, and I picked up the saxophone in high school. I loved jazz and blues, and I played my first blues song on the piano. That’s when I decided I wanted to play saxophone.”
“At about Grade 3 piano, she was wavering and wasn’t enjoying it,” Brenda adds, “and Lori had the insight to let her have a whole year of playing blues and jazz, staying away from the conservatory pieces. That was a real turning point for her.”
Besides jazz and blues, Carly loves classic rock, favouring the Beatles, Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin. Classical music can be heard when she’s studying. And there will be many more years of that. She’s planning on becoming a high school music teacher.
“Music has always been a huge part of my life,” she says. “I don’t see my life without it. Seeing this high school music department, it’s awesome how it brings people together.”
Bringing people together is what the music department does best, and three of its ensembles are heading to Ottawa with Carly. The senior concert band, wind ensemble and percussion ensemble excelled at the regional MusicFest in London last month, with the percussion ensemble earning the coveted gold status.
“It’s nice to be recognized for the hard work we do here,” says teacher Isaac Moore. “The national thing is pretty special because it means some of the best bands in the country come from right here in Exeter, Ontario.”
The music department’s annual Cabaret will showcase some of the work being performed at the nationals. The Cabaret happens Saturday, April 19 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, April 20 at 2 p.m. All of the department’s bands will be featured.

Julianna Zahn is walking for dad

Twelve-year-old Julianna Zahn is walking from London to Windsor April 24-26 as a tribute to her late father’s long struggle with liver disease. A father to Julianna and Kevin, and husband to Anita, Mike Zahn died August 29, 2007 after three failed liver transplants. He was ill all of Julianna’s life.

As told to Casey Lessard

He always joked with us, no matter how sick he was. He always had a good sense of humour, and I really loved that about him.
Even when he felt terrible, he always smiled at us and wanted hugs. He loved music so much and whenever he felt bad, he picked up a guitar and played. He loved animals, just like I do.
My whole life I had to watch my dad suffer. Doing this walk makes me feel that I am helping him because I always had to sit there and watch him suffer, and I couldn’t do anything. We had rough moments when he was really sick and he couldn’t take it. But we’d tell him that we loved him and a big smile would come across his face.
I always remember when he went away in the ambulances. You’d hear the sirens and see them coming in and getting him. And I remember him struggling to get up the stairs, because his bedroom was up there and that’s where he wanted to be.
I want people to know everything about transplants. The waiting, the stress. It’s not just surgery and pain. You have to go through all of this depression, and transplants are really difficult. Some people do well after transplants, but a lot of people are not so fortunate. The heart, the liver and the lung are the worst. Canada has one of the lowest rates of organ donation among Western countries. There aren’t enough donors. People need to sign their donor cards.
While I’m doing the walk, there will be people walking with me who have had transplants. It’s going to feel like he’s walking with me in a way. I know if he were here he would encourage me.
I know I’ll always have my mom to turn to because she knows what I’m going through; her dad died when she was my age. When other girls get to turn to their dads, I get to turn to my mom. I really am going to miss having my dad around to talk to and having a dad. That’s really going to be hard for me when I get married because before he died, the doctor asked him what inspired him to have the third transplant, and he said, “Because I have a daughter to walk down the aisle.”
Sponsor sheets are available at Westland Greenhouses, Country Corners gas station, Movie Gallery, Sobey’s, Twigs flower shop, New Orleans Pizza, Re/Max Doug Pedlar, The Fitness Centre, and Grand Bend Heating Plus.

Help Julianna by attending fundraising barbecue at Twigs

Support Julianna Zahn’s walk by attending a fundraising barbecue Saturday April 19 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Twigs Floral Co. on Ontario St. S. in Grand Bend.
There’s recently been a role reversal at Twigs. Linda Relouw sold the flower shop to her employee Carla Sitter, and Relouw now works at the shop part-time. The store will have a re-grand opening Saturday, an event that will also celebrate the store’s 12-year anniversary.
Sitter studied floral design and business at Humber College, and has worked at Twigs for five years, with three years additional work experience at stores in Toronto and London.
In addition to flowers, the shop carries gourmet food products from Gourmet Village and Garlic Box; Sugar and Spice Chocolates, Jelly Belly Jelly Beans, and a variety of gifts. The store is open year-round, Monday to Saturday, 9 to 5. http://www.twigsfloralco.com.

What to do about China

View from the Strip
By Casey Lessard

I wanted to briefly discuss the Olympic torch relay and the debate over how best to solve the human rights crises caused by China. While Tibet has been the prime concern for Western activists, we can’t forget that Darfur continues to be an unsolvable problem at the United Nations Security Council because of China’s oil interests in Sudan.
So what do we do? Boycott the Olympic Opening Ceremonies or the Games? Avoid the Olympic media machine? Keep working on the diplomatic front? Or do we expect our athletes – who have worked for years to stand on the podium – to represent the concerns of Canadians and boycott the games?
Don’t forget Ontario’s trade mission to Beijing this weekend, which forced the Liberals to pass the buck to the federal government, saying it’s not the provincial government’s job to speak up on national issues.
It’s everyone’s responsibility to speak up for human rights. For now, I’ll be speaking with my wallet and avoiding anything Made in China. If you have a better solution, drop me a line.

Running on empty: how biofuels are powering a world food crisis

Alternative View
By Anjhela Michielsen

Tempers are flaring in Haiti, Egypt and elsewhere around the world as grain prices rise out of reach. Haiti’s prime minister was fired Saturday and the government introduced a rice subsidy aimed at defusing the hungry rage that has triggered violence and looting.
A scarcity of supply is one of the main reasons for the price increase, and the move to replace fossil fuels – which contribute to global warming – with “cleaner” biofuels is one of the key factors in making food scarcer. The move to biofuels has increased the demand and price for biofuel sources, including corn, wheat and soybeans, and monopolizes on land used to grow other food products.
The dramatic increase in demand for biofuels is, as The Guardian’s John Vidal contends, “turning the corn belt of America from the bread basket of the world into an enormous fuel tank.” U.S. President George Bush wants to see the production of biofuels quintuple by 2017 to supply “24 per cent of the nation’s transport fuel,” according to British environmentalist George Monbiot, also writing in The Guardian, who is calling for a five-year moratorium on biofuel production targets and subsidies. The emphasis on fuel security is coming at the cost of food security “on a scale never seen before,” according to environmental analyst Lester R. Brown of the Earth Policy Institute, who notes the world has consumed more grain than it has produced for “seven of the last eight years.” Brown says the low availability of grains for human food consumption is the direct result of “misguided” U.S. policies intended to decrease reliance on fossil fuels by increasing the production of biofuels.
Growing demand for meat-centred North American diets, especially among the rising middle class in the world’s two largest nations, China and India, is exacerbating the problems of using food for fuel. Cornell University ecologist David Pimentel suggests it takes on average “nearly 6 kg” of grain to create 1 kg of high-quality animal protein, noting the amount of grain fed to livestock in the United States alone could feed 800 million people.
The rise in demand for grain for fuel and livestock feed caused a record price increase in 2007; the price of corn doubled and wheat increased by about 50 per cent (Vidal). While meat production is an important part of the increase, The Economist says “ethanol is the dominant reason” grain prices have increased. Elisabeth Rosenthal of the International Herald Tribune says food costs increased 25 per cent in the neediest countries, while the UN Food and Agriculture Organization saw its food price index increase by 40 per cent in 2007, four times the increase of the year before. Considering the impact the diversion of grains for fuel has on food security, its efficiency as a fuel is questionable; ethanol was “20 per cent of the whole maize crop” in the United States in 2006, but produced only enough fuel to offset “2 per cent of US automobile use” (Vidal).
The move to biofuels demonstrates a skewed set of priorities, valuing lifestyle over human life. The World Bank says ethanol is highly inefficient as a fuel, noting “the grain needed to fill up an SUV would feed a person for a year” (The Economist). The curse of the “have” nations is that they – meaning we – will not sacrifice the maintenance and enrichment of material lifestyle, and the people in “have-not” nations pay the price.

Article adapted from a longer essay. For more information, email anj at grandbendstrip.com.

Next Page »