The Gazette » Stuart A. Thompson

The million dollar mistake

Stuart A. Thompson — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:24:53 +0000

Renovations in the University Community Centre could finish up to six months behind schedule following a summer of setbacks and a mistake that could force the contractor into the red.

Planners originally hoped to transform the UCC gyms into lounge space by September. Now the official completion date is December, with some involved in the project saying February is more likely.

Ely Rygier, vice-president finance for the University Students’ Council, explained the series of problems at an executive council meeting last Monday.

It all started after an unusually low bid was placed by a contractor at the end of June. At the time, six contractors placed bids on the project by submitting estimates to Western.

The bid from M.J. Dixon Construction, a contractor out of Mississauga, was lower than all the others. Tomlinson said the highest bid — $4.46 million — was probably the real cost of the project. Dixon bid only $3.28 million.

The USC assumed the contractor made a mistake in the proposal. Both sides reviewed the bid and found a number of small mistakes and one larger mistake, causing Dixon to under-price the project. The USC didn’t elaborate on the mistakes before press time, saying only the larger mistake was related to the stage.

A week passed while both sides discussed their options. Unable to alter the bid after they submitted it, Dixon quietly asked to pull from the deal.

“That’s when things from our perspective got a little bit difficult,” Tomlinson said.

Western fired back, saying all bidders agree to a “bid bond” — a kind of insurance worth about 10 per cent of the bid. Boris Pertout, project manager for Western, said the University also has a precedence to award contracts to the lowest bidder. Dixon would have to pay $328,000 just to walk away from the contract.

With Western’s rules handcuffing the USC and the bid bond handcuffing Dixon, everyone in the deal was suddenly gridlocked.

Talks continued for two weeks until Western finally gave an ultimatum — do the project or Western will seek legal action, likely forcing Dixon to pay the money.

The next day Dixon agreed to the project, Tomlinson said. This means the contractor will now do the work for a loss or close to break-even.

Rygier addressed whether the company can cut corners at the meeting last week.

“The answer is patently no,” Rygier said to a roomful of USC brass, including other vice-presidents and the USC general manager.

He explained Western provides the contractor with a large book specifying all the materials used in the project, right down to the types of nails and screws. The contractor agrees to the specifications when they submit the bid.

Tomlinson added Western and the USC will watch the project closely to make sure no corners are cut.

Despite the delays, Rygier insisted the problem was out of the USC’s hands.

“We don’t oversee the project. We oversee the people that oversee the project. We have no power over the situation,” Rygier said. “We acknowledge, as we understood, that there will be some cost increases from this.”

The cost may climb beyond the bid price because of the delays. Since classes will be running beside the gyms come September, the contractor will have to do some work on nights and weekends, which will cost a premium, Tomlinson said.

Any changes to the plans would also cost more money. The contractor would allow some flexibility if there wasn’t a mistake in the bid, according to Tomlinson.

“That’s our job, to make sure that if there are necessary changes — and frankly there are always necessary changes — that we’re getting value for the money,” Tomlinson explained, adding the USC is prepared for any scenario.

Dixon declined to comment on the project.

Getting back on track

Students approved the renovations after a referendum last year. During the USC presidential election, students voted to add $25 more to their student fees, amounting to around $662,500 every year.

At the time, an FAQ was posted on the USC election website explaining when the project would be finished.

“The renovations would be scheduled for completion before the first day of class in September 2010,” the website read.

In early June, USC officials told The Gazette that renovations would finish by November. By the time bids were open, planners pushed the deadline back to December.

Tomlinson said they’re sticking to a December 20 completion date.

But after Dixon agreed to the project, planners faced more unexpected delays. After Dixon’s proposal was vetted, planners realized one of the subcontractors hired to remove materials from the gyms wasn’t qualified to handle asbestos and mercury. The contractor was forced to find a new subcontractor to handle the project, delaying the demolition stages.

At the executive council meeting, Rygier said the new completion date was February.

“I predict that students will be very frustrated with this,” he said.

Pertout called the delays a “concern” and said the real project deadline that remains unclear.

“I’ve asked the contractor for a schedule but we don’t know the final date at this point.”

Tomlinson concluded that, ironically, the delays are ultimately caused by the “good price,” not by any individual or group.

“If we hadn’t got a good price, we’d be in better shape. It sounds counter-intuitive, but that’s just the way it worked.”

Executive Council Meeting

Stuart A. Thompson — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:40:57 +0000

Unlike normal University Students’ Council meetings, this one features the intrepid group of executives, formerly known as board members. I’ll be live blogging as they discuss what are sure to be very, very important things. The live blog will refresh itself below, no need to reload the page.

Feel free to comment or follow me on Twitter.

Live blog:

11:51 am

We’re on to new business. No new business. Motion to adjourn. All in favour? Meeting fizzles to a close.

Thanks for following this live blog. Comment below or follow me on Twitter and let me know what you think.

11:48 am

We originally reported that the gym renovation would end in November. Then they presumed it would start early July for an end date in December, according to Tomlinson. Now it’s pushed back to February.

Obviously this conflicts with promises made about the gyms being available this year.

I wonder how students will react to this.

“I predict that students will be very frustrated with this,” Rygier says.

There will also be a naming contest. Can I predict the “Purple Lounge”?

11:41 am

Note: The difference between budgeted amount and actual amount is $ 648,595.76 and this represents only the project-to-date amount. This is not the difference between what they expected to pay and what they’re actually paying. This just represents what they haven’t purchased yet, but that they will pruchase.

The process of Western negotiating with the contractor took four weeks where construction couldn’t happen.

The demolition crew that the contractor subcontracted wasn’t qualified to do all of the work specified in the gyms. There’s some removal of material that needs to be handled by specific crews. The contractor acknowledges that they screwed up and they’re finding someone to do it. Removing some of that material won’t happen until they find a new team to do the work, which could cause some delays and will increase the cost.

“We don’t oversee the project. We oversee the people that oversee the project. We have no power over the situation,” Rygier says. “We acknowledge, as we understood, that there will be some cost increases from this.”

11:31 am

Now the big question on everyone’s mind. Now that they’re doing it for probably a loss, will they be cutting corners?

“The answer is patently no,” Rygier says.

There’s a giant book that specifies everything they have to use, including what nails and screws they need to use. Tomlinson and others are down there watching that they won’t cut corners. The likelihood of getting “shoddy” renovation are very low, Rygier says.

The contractor understands they’re in a loss position and their entire margin has been shaved. What typical happens now is that if anything changes about the project, the contractor will only relent after the USC pays a premium.

“We don’t intend to change anything,” Rygier says.

11:29 am

Okay, we’re onto the gym renovation. This will be a lot of information. I’ll try to keep up.

The USC got a bunch of bids and one was extremely lower than they expected. USC policy is to take the lowest bid. “The bid was significantly lower and that’s usually because there was a mistake in the bidding process,” Rygier says.

The contractor did leave some things out of the bid, but nothing that was needed.

This is where it gets dramatic.

The contractor was interested in pulling out of the project but due to some technicalities and legalities, they can’t without paying a “bid bond.” Western wouldn’t allow them to to turn down the project without surrendering that amount of money.

If they do the project, they would do it for a loss (but just about break-even). Western thought they would give up the bid bond and walk away. Western forced the contractor to make a decision to ahead with the project or give up the bid bond.

The contractor went in favour of doing the project rather than surrendering the money.

11:25 am

Paul Tomlinson arrived a few minutes ago. He’ll make sure the USC has that name registered. Wellington suggests getting the domain name. Tip: Someone should buy it right now and resell it to the USC.

11:23 am

It’s official. Mustang Alley will be renamed the Purple Store.

11:21 am

Me, taking a picture of the meeting. Photo courtesy of Ely Rygier.

Touché, Ely. A photo of me taking a photo of the meeting.

11:16 am

He also cautions the executive and The Gazette on how discussions are characterized. There’s a difference between casual talks and serious ones. I’ve reported on both here, I hope you can tell the difference.

11:13 am

“If we’re going to hold things back from students, there should be a good reason,” Bortolin says.

One criteria is if it could adversely affect the corporation. It’s a broad criteria you could apply to anything if you really wanted to, Bortolin says. He advises the USC use it sparingly.

Some examples:

The gym renovations. They were in negotiations, so they don’t want to say what their budget is and contingencies are, because it undermines their position with the contractor.
The USC budget in its draft form is confidential. We saw some of this yesterday at the Town Hall staff meeting. Usually this relates to someone’s salary. It’s also a topic for the finance committee, which is confidential.
If a discussion or decision “hinges” on a confidential matter then the entirety of it is. You don’t want to publish something about an incomplete decision, he advises.

Bortolin is working with the USC through the summer and will be doing some part-time work come September when he starts law school.

11:07 am

Will Bortolin

Will Bortolin’s talking about how to make meetings public vs. confidential. They’re going to move “in camera” items to the end of the meeting. “In camera” is latin for “in chambers,” Bortolin explains.

My tip: If you want people to come, don’t host your meeting in the board room. It’s a tiny room and the door’s closed. (But it’s OK, council chambers are under massive construction.)

I’m trying to get a picture of the room up but it’s taking a long time to send to my email.

11:03 am

They’re looking at speakers for this year. “I want Stephen Colbert so badly, he’d be awesome,” Tithecott says.

11:01 am

The executive retreat is tomorrow. I thought they just went to California? But this one is “a lot of work,” according to Tithecott.

Mike’s also meeting with the new London police chief and Project LEARN soon.

Mike’s interested in writing a monthly column for the London Free Press. Seriously? Not sure where this idea comes from.

10:57 am

Mike’s the mentor for all residence leadership floors. Two at Saugeen and one at Perth. Mike will go once a month and talk to RAs and frosh.

For execs, Mike wants them to take on about five students for mentorships. First-year students who want to get involved in the USC but who couldn’t get on council. It’s very preliminary.

The laptop sharing program. They’re looking at different schools and the models. There’s rent-to-own programs, sign-up for a month. They’re looking for the best option. They’ve already bought laptops. I remember calling out Mike on this during the campaign and predicting it wouldn’t happen. So kudos for getting this far.

The Key To Western, another platform point, is coming and may be called the USC for Dummies. Should be ready for P-Fest, aka Purple Fest, aka USC Week.

10:53 am

USC President Skywalker

Mike’s working on getting late night bussing.

He met with Western President Amit Chakma recently. They talked about conciliatory phase with UWOFA, the faculty union. They’re in talks right now. If UWOFA rules “no board,” it’s a strike position, then the USC will have to start preparing for that.

10:50 am

TAs have a “cultural diversity sessions” but it’s not mandatory. If this new TA training happens, it may be an option instead of mandatory. Still in the preliminary stages, though, Kerr says.

10:48 am

Scott Kerr, the quiet one (and VP campus issues)

Ally training is now mandatory for all sophs, thanks to Mark, Kerr says. USC executives, staff, Student Life to take sexual violence prevention and awareness training in preparation for introducing that to sophs as well.

There’s something called a “Sport Services Centre” that’ll open for at the beginning of school or close to then. New carpet, new painting.

Work study position for a women’s resource centre. Kerr says work study students are great because they apply to a program and “get free people working for us, essentially.” It’s true and a good idea in my opinion.

More mandatory training, like discrimination and awareness training, may be coming for TAs.

Another blue light is coming on campus. These lights are used for emergencies — you’ll see one at the bottom of Talbot Hill. They cost $ 30,000. “It’s worth every penny if you ask me,” Kerr says.

10:40 am

Justin Mackie, VP student events

Justin is apparently in charge of the official Twitter account. “We have a Twitter account and the first tweet is coming soon!” he says. “I’m still learning the tweeting lingo. [...] Everyone has those crazy numbers signs and then a word.” He seems unsure about Twitter.

Charity Ball applications are in and they’ll review them in September, deciding on a charity in late September.

I should also mention that Ely said they’ll be renaming Mustang Alley into the Purple Store. I’ve decided the USC owns a creativity equation that goes like this:

Purple + any word in the English language = great idea

These include:

Purple Door
USC Purple Week
Purple Palooza
Purple Store

Know of any others?

10:36 am

Nicole Fassina

Nicole’s report.

They’re hiring a YouTube intern. No explanation on what that is exactly, but the USC has been hiring interns all over recently. They have a social media intern in Student Life right now.

Also interesting, the USC is getting a new website! They’ve met with a local company who does website redesign. They want a cleaner version of the website ready for O-Week. They’re passing around screenshots of this new website. Looks slick.

I wrote a scathing column against their last website idea, a free contest where students submitted finished designs to be converted to HTML. I predicted the USC would quickly look for a permanent solution, making the designer’s efforts (and the benefits from having it online) a fleeting comfort. Surprise!

10:31 am

Ely also says Spoke manager wants to turn the bar/restaurant into more of a “sports bar.” Calls the idea interesting.

The Spoke has gone through changes year after year at the USC. We wrote a feature on these changes and decided in an editorial USC execs should trust the managers and leave they’re ideas out of it.

10:27 am

Executive reports. First to go: Ely Rygier, VP finance.

He’s building an FAQ of 20 most commonly asked questions. How to make a ledger, how to make a budget, how to apply to grant funding. He’s trying to “pump up” grant funding. He gets a bunch of emails from clubs about getting grants.

Also trying to get council finance training going. “It will actually happen this year. There’s no doubt in my mind.” Councillors will take a placement test to decide which level they’re start at — beginner to advanced.

10:23 am

Meeting called to order. I have a handout with Gym Renovations information, including detailed budget vs. actual. They budgeted for a bunch of items like Security Systems, ITS, Surveys, Furnishings, Event Furniture, which are all listed as zero dollars under the actual lines.

10:20 am

In attendance:

Mike Tithecott, president
Pat Weiler, executive assistant
Ely Rygier, VP finance
Nicole Fassina, communications officer
Justin Mackie, VP student events
Scott Kerr, VP campus issues
Will Bortolin, intern
Cathy Clarke, GM
Mark Wellington, student life manager
me

10:18 am

Nicole Fassina and Justin Mackie compare suntans, insist I live blog it. President Skywalker walks in and it looks like we’re ready to start.

10:10 am

These used to be called “Board Meetings” when USC executives were called board members. Now they’re called executive meetings.

…

Alright, there’s not much to report right now. Still waiting for everyone to arrive.

10:04 am

Here’s the room, featuring Pat Weiler, USC executive assistant. USC GM Cathy Clarke is also here. Mike calls, says the meeting will start in 10 minutes.

10:01 am

It’s 10 a.m. but there’s no board members here. Only one former board member: Will Bortolin, last year’s VP campus issues.

9:58 am

Meeting is in Room 307 of the UCC, also known as the board room.

9:54 am

Here’s the agenda for today:

Call to Order
Adoption of Agenda
Approval of Minutes
Comments from the Chair
Presentations
Executive Reports
Matters for Discussion
Executive Council Rules of Procedure
Matters for Approval
Renovations Update
New Business
Adjournment

9:45 am

Sorry I couldn’t live blog yesterday’s USC “Town Hall” meeting. I was told it was a staff meeting, not exactly a town hall, and that caused no real problems for me. Here’s a picture of USC President Mike Tithecott giving an address yesterday in front of his presumed idol, Abe Lincoln. Picture courtesy of Ely Rygier, VP finance for the USC.

Western’s carbon footprint

Stuart A. Thompson — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 23:36:09 +0000

How green is Western?

Staffers from the Physical Plant Department will present their findings about Western’s greenhouse gas emissions on Thursday morning.

We will be live blogging the presentation here at 11:15 a.m. on Thursday, August 11. Check this page for instant updates.

Powerpoint Presentation:
GHG – General Public VF – Rev

12:04 pm

A nice touch at the presentation: glass mugs for coffee, real plates for sandwiches and fabric napkins. They take this sustainability thing seriously.

11:58 am

Presentation is over. Now it’s time for lunch.

Thanks for joining me on this live blog. It was an interesting experiment. I’m hoping to use this preparation for more important live blogs in the future, like breaking news conferences or the like.

One major recommendation for reporters: double up. I had a really hard time following the presentation and getting information down. It all happens very, very quickly.

What did you think of the live blog? Let me know in the comments below or on Twitter.

11:55 am

Audience members asks about conservation. In summer, his building is too cold. In winter, it’s too hot. I can agree — the Gazette office is always freezing cold.

They’re doing some investigation into this, but it doesn’t sound like AC overkill is immediately on their radar.

11:53 am

One category the researchers measured was air travel. They did this because there’s three scopes, starting very close with direct emissions and working out toward emissions they’re causing, but not directly.

Airlines use their emissions as scope one. Western counted it as scope three.

When it comes to reporting to the government, they only need to count scope one.

11:51 am

How does Western stack up?

Compared to population, U of T produces 3.01 metric tonnes per year. By the same comparison, Western has 2.97 metric tonnes per year. So we’re not doing too bad.

11:50 am

These recommendations are kind of all-or-nothing. It has to be integrated and collaborative. Otherwise it’s not enough.

11:48 am

Western departments need to share information on emissions with Physical Plant and keep records to help develop best practices.

11:44 am

Western should reduce the number of vehicles using fossil fuels, possibly replacing with hybrid cars or simply using fewer vehicles. They can also cut down on car emissions by reducing travel “by using Internet, videoconferencing, Webinar, or satellite links.”

11:42 am

Western should also develop programs to reduce end-user consumption. In the end, it’s the end user that controls energy consumption at Western. We’re looking at you, staff and students.

11:41 am

One recommendation is to install automatic lighting control system. Check out our article on the WSRC’s 24-hour lighting problems.

11:39 am

With these results (which I tried to keep up with… there were many results) they have a bunch of recommendations to reduce the carbon footprint.

11:38 am

Main emissions sources:

Natural gas — 54.7 per cent
Purchased electricity — 30.4 per cent
Air travel — 3.1 per cent
Student commuting — 2.6
Distillate oil — 2.3 per cent
Staff and faculty commuting — 2.3 per cent
Chemicals and refrigerants — 1.3 per cent

11:35 am

There are three scopes in the study. The first, direct emissions, involves energy used from “stationary combustion,” of which 96 per cent were from natural gas.

Not being a environmental science student, this is all a little over my head.

11:33 am

In the study they’re presenting today, they included almost all the facilities at Western, except parking lots and some other property like the Research Park.

11:31 am

Interested in following more on Western’s physical plant department? They have a blog.

11:30 am

Voluntary programs include the Campus Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventories, a calculator that takes into account a number of possible emissions.

11:29 am

Western, like any entity in Ontario, is held to two mandatory greenhouse gas (GHG) emission program. Environment Canada requires Western to report anything greater than 50,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. Ontario Ministry of Environment requires reporting for anything over 25,000 tonnes.

11:24 am

Syed Zaidi, seen on left, explains the purpose of the presentation. Green House Gases include carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. A little sulphur hexafluoride has a very large impact, he says.

11:21 am

Presentation begins with Syed Zaidi and Mary Lopez, physical plant environmental coordinators.

11:15 am

Still waiting for the presentation to start. Attendance passes 12 people.

11:09 am

Arrived a little early. By “food will be provided” they actually meant “food and coffee.” Why did I get that Tim Horton’s? People are trickling in.

11:00 am

Heading to the carbon footprint presentation in Rm. 37 of the UCC. If you’re around, come by. Follow updates live here.

O-Week schedule announced

Stuart A. Thompson — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 00:01:00 +0000

The University Students’ Council announced the Orientation Week schedule today. The list of events includes returning hypnotist Mike Mandell and popular sex speaker Sue Johanson.

O-Week will continue to support Shinerama, a fundraising initiative for the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Two Terry Fox runs wrap up the festivities again this year on Sunday, Sept. 19.* It’s the 30th anniversary of the run and the second run will include a barbecue, guest speakers and musical performances, according to Brandon Sousa, external affairs coordinator for the USC.

The schedule leaves several hours open for individual faculty, residence and affiliate programming.

The eight day orientation begins on Sunday, Sept. 5.

Sunday, Sept. 5

8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Delaware, Medway-Sydenham, Perth, 1/2 Saugeen-Maitland, and Brescia move in

Evening
Residence and Affiliate-specific programming

Monday, Sept. 6

8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Alumni House, Elgin, Essex, 1/2 Saugeen-Maitland, and Kings move in

9 a.m. – 4 .p.m.
Off-Campus registration on Concrete Beach

7 p.m.
Opening Ceremonies at Talbot Bowl. This year’s headliner is Down With Webster

9 p.m.
Hypnotist Mike Mandell followed by the Wayback Playback Dance

Tuesday, Sept. 7

8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Residence, affiliate, and off-campus specific programming

9 a.m.
Off-Campus pancake breakfast at Concrete Beach

7 p.m.
Sex with Sue at Talbot Bowl

9 p.m.
Residence and affiliate programming

Wednesday, Sept. 8

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Faculty and affiliate programming

10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Charity BBQ in Talbot Bowl – $5

8 p.m.
Arts, Cultural and Diversity Festival at Concrete Beach, the Social Science Alcove and the 3M Courtyard

Thursday, Sept. 8

10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Residence, affiliate and off-campus programming

1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Faculty and affiliate programming

7 p.m.
Charity Carnival and Midway

Friday, Sept. 10

10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Info Quest — events and competitions around campus with sophs for prizes

6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Closing Ceremonies at Talbot Bowl

8 p.m.
Faculty and affiliate programming

Saturday, Sept. 11

8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Shinerama Day

2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Western football game versus McMaster University at TD Waterhouse Stadium

Sunday, Sept. 19*

10 a.m.
Terry Fox Run 1 – Concrete Beach

2 p.m.
Terry Fox Run 2 – Concrete Beach
*Correction: This indicates the following change on August 10, 2010.
Sunday, Sept. 12 was changed to Sunday, Sept. 19

Contest: Name your O-Week Band

Stuart A. Thompson — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:23:51 +0000

Down With Webster will be playing at this year’s O-Week. Prefer someone different?

Now’s your turn to choose. Let us know who you think should play and we’ll feature the top responses in our annual Frosh Issue.

Note: This is not a contest for who will actually play and we have no influence on that. This is a fun contest for who you’d like to play, if you had a choice. Which you don’t.

[contact-form]

Zeljkovic seeks $750,000 in damages

Stuart A. Thompson — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:01:02 +0000

A $750,000 lawsuit has been filed against Western and London Police Services resulting from the arrest of Western student Irnes Zeljkovic, according to AM980 News.

The arrest, which occurred in the Social Science Centre last October, quickly entered the national spotlight after a video was posted on YouTube.

The lawsuit follows separate reports on the incident by Western and London police. In February, London police released the results of a review and concluded the use of force was “appropriate.” Zeljkovic’s lawyer questioned the report and the use of pepper spray.

“The officer contaminated himself [with pepper spray] too. Who knows where it hit,” Phillip Millar said at the time.

Western’s report included eight recommendations including how to deal with mental health issues.

Five steps to surviving NXNE

Stuart A. Thompson — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:47:08 +0000

1. Find all the bands you want to see. Then cross half of them off.
You can’t understand the size of NXNE until you’re standing in a bar you’ve never heard of and your favourite band is playing on the other side of Toronto. The size of the festival combined with the crowds makes it impossible to see half the bands you want. But that’s not so bad. Some shows have more than eight bands playing, sometimes from mismatched genres, making any single venue a hodgepodge of pretty good music.

2. Triple the price of the wristband.
A wristband for the whole festival costs you $50. Transportation, food, drinks, more drinks, merchandise, cab rides home and after-bar food cost three times that much. If you take out some cash on your first right you can try to budget. But staring at your favourite band at 1 a.m. in a dark bar makes you mighty thirsty, so don’t be surprised if your budget dissolves faster than your sense of responsibility.

3. Sleep in.
Some shows keep the music blasting past 2 am. Luckily for you and your friends, shows don’t really begin until 8 p.m. Make the best of the break and sleep the entire time.

4. Grab free stuff.
Younge and Dundas square is half music, half promotion. Last year an energy drink company set up shop and handed out samples of its putrid, sugary-sweet caffeine fix. I filled right up. It was free, what do you expect? There are also some conferences that you’ve technically paid for with your wristband but wouldn’t otherwise attend if I didn’t tell you to. Some are even worth checking out, especially if you’re into the industry side of the music scene.

5. Arrive very, very early.
Once you pick your favourite bands, make sure you actually get to see them. You’ve bought a wristband, but that’s worth pretty much squat if the venue fills up before you arrive. Media and VIP pass-holders get priority, so bouncers might leave some breathing room to let these special folks in. There’s nothing worse than waiting in line for an hour and seeing Jian Ghomeshi waltz right in. When this happened to me, my friends and I sulked quietly and fled to nearby bar where some lesser-known bands played to a spotty, dejected crowd. Ah, NXNE.

Sam Allen live

Stuart A. Thompson — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:40:11 +0000

Gazette Live presents a new video series highlighting musicians and music. The first in the series is Sam Allen, a local poet and songwriter whose music is often inspired by the wilderness surrounding him. The song is called “Rain On.”

Hot Summer Reads

Stuart A. Thompson — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 05:00:45 +0000

Black Hole

By Charles Burns

Black Hole tells the strange story of a group of teens in the 1970s who contract a sexually transmitted disease. But it’s not your average STD. This one causes bizarre mutations, like horns on your head or mouths on your neck. The hapless kids who contract “the bug” are sudden outcasts who bind together in awkward teenage love stories. Soon enough, the mutations are just the backdrop for a compelling coming-of-age tale in bizarro world. The throwback graphic novel comes from storyteller and artist Charles Burns, whose black-and-white artwork is plain and understated — the perfect compliment to his rich and complicated characters.

— Stuart A. Thompson

The History of Love

By Nicole Krauss

Krauss’ novel is not a typical love story. Rather, it’s a story about love in all capacities found in different settings, time periods and relationships. The History of Love follows two unlikely characters: Leo Gursky, a lonely old Polish man living in New York City, and Alma Singer, an imaginative fifteen-year-old from Brooklyn. The two are soon to find they have more in common than they think. They are bound by a long-lost book, The History of Love, which they both covet for different reasons.

Krauss seamlessly jumps between past and present as well as between Poland and New York, to demonstrate the power of literature through multiple narratives. The History of Love is historical fiction, a love story, a coming-of-age tale, and a memoir all rolled into one beautifully written novel.

— Maddie Leznoff

A Fine Balance

By Rohinton Mistry

*****

If you are in search of a light, fun summer read, Rohinton Mistry’s A Fine Balance definitely isn’t it. The politically-driven novel takes life’s demising realities and bluntly shoves them in your face, outlining the changes in Indian society in 1947. Mistry is well-informed and is able to lift the four principal characters off the pages and transform them into complex figments of the imagination. Each character’s compelling story is memorable and they are all provoked by a thick layer of political turmoil. The 700-page novel is full of political crisis and details a series of lives through a fine lens. Mistry’s transformative writing allows for a smooth read through each chapter, while leaving a true sense of satisfaction after every page.

—Nicole Gibillini

The Girls

By Lori Lansens

Lansens’ follow-up to her critically acclaimed Rush Home Road deals with the the themes of sisterhood and family. A fictional autobiography, The Girls tells the story of Ruby and Rose Carlen, the oldest surviving twins in the world conjoined at the head. Abandoned by their teenage mother, the pair are taken in by their attending nurse and grow up in a small town near Leaford. At 29, the twins’ health begins to deteriorate drastically and Rose proposes writing their autobiography to let others to know their history. What follows is a story of friendship, love, cruelty and survival told from the unique viewpoints of two very different girls.

—Meagan Kashty

Gazette Books launches

Stuart A. Thompson — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:46:23 +0000

It was a sad day when I found out the Used Book Store was closing. The store was kind of like an old grandma — sure, you didn’t always visit her, but you thought she’d always be around. Then she died. I went into mourning the day the University Students’ Council emailed me with an “update” announcing a deal with Western that would end the UBS as we know it.

Then it occurred to me. Students just want to sell their books. No fuss, no markups, no commission, no middleman. They just want a fair price for something they probably barely used. Unfortunately, the market on this kind of service was small. The Book Store at Western has its own student-to-student book sale service, but I challenge you to find it on their website. (Okay, I’ll save you the 20 minutes and give you this link.) Kijiji, Amazon and Facebook have their own markets, but it’s not always easy to find something in your area. These sites cater to the world (or your city) so you’re not always sure it’s a student you’re buying from.

So it’s with great joy that the Gazette launches its own solution to this problem:

books.westerngazette.ca

There’s not much to it, really. It’s a free site where you can post your books and share them with students. You’ll get free advertising for your books, in a way, because we’ll publicize the website in our print version and online. It’s also localized (through advertising) to Western students, so you can meet up at the Spoke to exchange books for cash instead of somewhere south of Dundas Street.

This is a much-needed service for students and one that could really benefit the student population. So get started. Post a book, buy a book, share a book. Whatever. We’ll keep it running on our servers for as long as students want it there. It’s just another way we’re transforming the Gazette to be more useful for your everyday life.

Got feedback? Let me know at stuart@westerngazette.ca or westerngazette.ca/contact