If lying on a sizzling beach during the day and drinking yourself into oblivion every night doesn’t sound like your ideal vacation, Global Vision International may provide the answer to your traveling desires.
Global Vision International (GVI), a United Kingdom based company, has opened its first North American office in Boston. To commemorate this, the Boston office in conjunction with National Volunteer Week is offering an online contest to send one lucky winner on a five-week Costa Rican or Amazonian rainforest expedition.

The contest, “What kind of monkey are you?” involves participants logging onto www.primateprofile.com and taking a quiz to learn their monkey profile. GVI announces winners on April 15, the start of National Volunteer Week.

Since opening in 1998, GVI has sent more than 2,000 volunteers annually to international aid-related programs, ranging from wildlife conservation in South Africa, to teaching English in Thailand, to caring for abandoned street children in India.

“I’ve participated in two Global Vision International expeditions and they truly care for the communities they work in as well as the travelers who desire to do more than the normal tourist,” said volunteer Nicolas Flaherty after returning from the program in Mexico in 2006.

Because GVI runs long-term programs, volunteers are given the opportunity to volunteer year-round, for different durations ranging from a week to a year. Ten-week expedition members are eligible for an internship, and some can even benefit from receiving college credits for their volunteer work. Some programs require language courses or teaching certifications to assure each volunteer is well-prepared.

The closeout date of April 15 is fast approaching, so in order to become eligible to win this unique travel experience, log on to www.primateprofile.com to find out what kind of monkey you are.

Have you ever wanted to take part in a true Canadian springtime tradition? Then it’s time to dig out the lumberjack sweater and wool socks because there is just one weekend left to participate in the Maple Syrup Festival at Bronte Creek Provincial Park.

“This is our 10th year of the festival and we’ve made improvements each year,” says festival organizer, Shiela Wiebe, “The festival opened on March 3 this year and has experienced record attendance. If the trend continues we should see the monthly total reach 33,000 visitors.”

Responding to last year’s demand for more children’s activities, they have added an area offering family games and have made improvements on the Festival Passport Challenge.

This annual festival boasts a number of things to keep visitors busy, including a wagon ride to and from a heated pancake house where visitors can enjoy fresh, hot pancakes with freshly tapped pure maple syrup and sausage.

Other activities include a guided tour of Maple Lane, where 1890s-costumed interpreters demonstrate the method for tapping maple trees, and the processes involved in making maple syrup and maple sugar.

For more laid-back entertainment, visitors can relax while watching a movie in the Logging Theatre, view artifacts in the Maple Museum, or tour the 100-year old Spruce Lane Farmhouse.

For those wanting to leave with souvenirs, the Maple Gift Shoppe allows you to take home bottles of the fresh maple syrup harvested right on the Bronte Creek Park grounds.

Maple syrup festivities are open to the public from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. every weekend in March, including April 1 this year. With only one weekend left to take advantage of this unique opportunity, hurry out to Bronte Creek Park before the taps run dry.

General admission fees do apply, so for more information call 905-827-6911 or visit www.BronteCreek.org.

Festivities take place in the Day-use area of Bronte Creek Provincial Park, just north of the QEW on Burloak Drive (exit 109), between Oakville and Burlingon.

America's Next Ed Hardy
If you believe in the notion that fashion should be a democracy, you’re going to want to check these two new websites out.
Online design sites threadless.com and nakedandangry.com not only provide wallet-friendly shopping, but encourage and reward product creation by the consumer.
Threadless.com founders Jake Nickell, 26, and Jacob Dehart, 25, created the site so aspiring designers, artists, in fact, anyone can submit their original prints, which are then voted on by the Threadless community.
When the votes are in, winning designers receive kudos and recognition as being the next potential Ed Hardy, $2000 in cash and prizes, and their designed printed on a t-shirt which then goes on sale to the public.
If you are like most students who long for the Urban Outfitter-esque style without the wallet-draining price tag, try logging on to www.threadless.com and vote for the latest designs. So far, over 100,000 t-shirt designs have been submitted, building a strong community of talented artists.
If you’d rather spend your hard-earned money sprucing up your room than your personal appearance, another site guaranteed to provide hours of potential procrastination time is nakedandangry.com.
An extension of threadless.com, Naked & Angry focuses on higher-quality products such as fabrics, wallpapers, and neckties. People are encouraged to submit pattern designs which are also voted on by other users for a period of one week, after which a final score is given.
Highest scoring designs are printed and products created from the winning pattern. Winners on this site receive a prize of $500 and five free Naked & Angry items.
The first print run from this website consisted of handmade silk ties, but this has evolved into wallpaper designs guaranteed to make all your visitors envious.
To check out these stylish new sites, log onto www.threadless.com or www.nakedandangry.com. Not only can you check out the featured designs, but also blogs and links to other design sites are sure to satisfy the inner designer in everyone.

Shops on the Dock

This past summer (2006) saw the grand opening of $170 million, 89-acre Muskoka Wharf development in picturesque Gravenhurst Bay. The historic berths of the RMS Segwun, Winona II and Wanda III have undergone an extensive facelift, converting Gravenhurst, Ontario from a sleepy northern town to a central hub of activity.
Over 15,000 visitors and locals gathered on the boardwalk to celebrate the grand opening on Saturday June 24th. Wakeboard demonstrations, antique boats, float planes, petting zoos, and hot air balloon rides were some of the many spectacles taking place for opening celebrations which thousands took part in.
The new waterfront development intended to create job opportunities, share Muskoka heritage and boost tourism boasts many new stores, restaurants, residences and museums.
Boston Pizza, built right on the water’s edge has a vast patio offering a great view of the lake, not to mention the endless menu - perfect after a long day on the water. Other attractions include the Ice Cream Patio and Blue Willow Tea Shop. Rumor has it that the building beside Boston Pizza, which has been under construction all summer long will soon be a steakhouse – a welcome sight the area has been lacking for many years.
For the avid shopper, Due North offers clothing for outdoor enthusiasts. Fashion Lodge Trading Post is exactly what it sounds like, and Milani offers trendy clothing for women of all ages.
The Muskoka Boat and Heritage Centre - easily spotted by the large white words ‘Grace and Speed’ on the side of a red building, is an interactive museum celebrating the area’s history in steam and boat building. Classic wooden launches rest in slips on the docks for those wishing to explore the historic beauty and craftsmanship.
Aside from the new attractions, many tourists can be seen meandering around and taking afternoon or evening cruises on the RMS Segwun, celebrating her Silver Anniversary of return to service this summer.
The way the new wharf was designed creates the perfect opportunity to hold public events. The Gravenhurst Farmers Market rolls in every Wednesday, the Antique and Classic Boat Show comes to town in July and August welcomes the Dockside Festival of the Arts.
This summer, Boston Pizza hosted a resort night on Wednesday evenings, kicked off by a wakeboarding show put on by Base Camp and Muskoka Militia – a group of local celebrity athletes. Unfortunately the Muskoka Militia and Boston Pizza butted heads and next summer the show will be taken over by Summer Water Sports.
Though the summer has suddenly and brutally come to and end, the Muskoka Wharf is still growing. Spring of 2007 is slated to be the official opening of a brand new Residence Inn by Mariott. Following the theme of the Muskoka Wharf, the hotel will resemble the early 1900’s heritage architecture.
For those who aren’t satisfied with just a brief stay at the wharf, construction continues through the winter on the second development of waterfront condominiums as well as townhouses that are also set to open in the Spring if 2007.
“As the new, scenic gateway to Northern Ontario, the Muskoka Wharf will be pivotal to attracting visitors and fostering health, recreation and economic development in the region,” said Tony Clement, MP for Parry Sound-Muskoka Region.
Recent years have seen other Muskoka areas making leaps and bounds in the way of tourism and development, but Gravenhurst was left in the dust. This new waterfront attraction has provided the small town with a bridge to a future of leisurely lifestyle.

Rock n' Roll in Muskoka

On a quiet road in a quiet northern town, the ancient white, shabby building stands silently, as it has every day since 1942.
In a couple of hours, the silence will be broken as hushed whispers echo between the lofty wooden beams, microphones hum with anticipation, and bottles clink loudly while bars are frantically stocked. As loud rock’n’roll music booms across the still waters of Bala Bay, the Kee to Bala will once again come alive with drinking, dancing and the sounds of one of Canada’s many famous bands.
Bala, Ontario may be unknown to most, but over the last fifty years has attracted some of the biggest names in Canadian music. Erected in 1942 by an entrepreneur named Gerry Dunn, Dunn’s Pavilion (which is now known as the Kee to Bala) quickly became known as Muskoka’s hot spot for both young and old.
Gerry Dunn, originally known around town for being the local pharmacist quickly reinvented himself as Bala’s most attentive host. With his charming and eager attitude, he managed to snag the current largest names in music, and everyone who came to see them was made to feel at home with Gerry’s firm handshake and personal welcome.
During its opening years, Dunn’s Pavilion was a high-class establishment where patrons would dress in their finest suits, dresses and shoes to dance the night away on the shining wooden floorboards. Dancers would swing to the house band six nights a week, then boogie on the seventh night to the Big Band sounds presented by the likes of Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Glenn Miller, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey and Les Brown to name a few.
“I was able to offer them mid-week employment,” said Gerry Dunn in an interview with novelist Peter Young, who wrote about Dunn’s Pavilion. “The big bands had no trouble playing halls on weekend nights, and I always had a full house on weekends with my regular house bands, so it worked out well – they were happy with the work and I could promise them a good crowd on a Tuesday or Wednesday night.”
A ‘good crowd’ to Gerry usually consisted of around 1,500 people.
The inside of the Pavilion was as unique as its founder. The vast rectangular dance floor was decorated with palm trees, hanging plants and a fountain in the centre, lit up with colored lights. Silver cedar boughs hung from the rafters to create a fantasy-land atmosphere.
Knowing the Pavilion was destined to be a Muskoka landmark, Gerry Dunn designed the backdrop of the stage to look like a typical cottage, complete with window awnings, curtains and flowerboxes. These original designs, though updated over the years, still grace the stage today.
As the band worked up to the peak of the night, the wooden floorboards would bend and bounce with the weight and energy of the dancers, adding to the overall excitement of the evening. When it all became too much, the large wooden patio overlooking Lake Muskoka offered a breath of fresh air. The bay would twinkle with lights from the boats that had gathered to enjoy the music, echoing off the water.
As soon as the bands stopped playing at 1 am after a Saturday night concert, cleanup would commence to rid the hall of beer bottles and garbage. Few remember that after such a night of debauchery, the Pavilion’s devout Roman Catholic owner used to draw crowds Sunday mornings as well - for Mass.
In the twenty years Gerry Dunn owned and operated his dance pavilion, he became known in the music industry as one of the Canadian greats. People would travel from miles away just to spend their 50 cents and have a night to remember for the rest of their lives. Asking any elderly couple today would likely result in the recollection of a summer night and a fond memory from the early years of Dunn’s Pavilion.
When Gerry Dunn handed over the reins in 1963, poor management combined with the changing trend in music away from Big Band and towards rock’n’roll led the Pavilion on a downward spiral. It changed hands many times over the subsequent years and fell into disrepair.
Fortunately, with a catchy rename - “the Kee to Bala”, and a little work, the Pavilion was revived as a popular place to see rock concerts. In addition, it was no longer BYOB, since the Kee became a fully licensed establishment.
Over the years, many things have changed about the Pavilion – the name, the type of music, the dress code, and the original interior has been cleared out to make way for larger, rowdier crowds. But one thing remains the same…any night at the Kee is guaranteed to stick in your memory.
Walking through the front doors of the venue today, you are no longer greeted by Gerry Dunn, but by the posters of the great bands he brought to his establishment decades ago. No longer do you see greats like Louis Armstrong and Glenn Miller, but posters for bands such as Nazareth, April Wine, George Thoroghgood, Blue Rodeo, The Ramones, Barney Bentall, Kim Mitchell, David Wilcox and the like cover the walls from floor to ceiling.
More recently, bands such as The Tea Party, Matthew Good Band, Sloan, Finger Eleven, The Trews, Thornley, Sam Roberts, and K-os have attracted sold out shows week after week. On occasion, a special guest such as George Clinton, the ‘grandfather of funk’ will make an appearance. It also provides a venue for up-and-coming local bands to showcase their talents.
Not only has the Kee maintained its reputation as a great venue for concerts, but has also become a popular spot for teens and twenty-somethings to gather on Monday nights for what are known as ‘Resort Nights’. Muskoka-area resorts fill buses with vacationers and staff alike weekly to take part in costume-themed nights at the bar.
Although some of the mystique of the Pavilion has been lost over the years, it remains a place where friendships are made and memories are built. Anyone who is fortunate enough to spend a few hours inside what has become one of Muskoka’s oldest and most cherished establishments knows why it holds such a special place in our hearts.

The Waking Moment

What began as an alternative to waterskiing has suddenly leapt to the forefront of the industry. Wakeboarding has now become the leading edge in water sports, brutally taking waterskiing, kneeboarding and tubing almost off the radar. Easy to learn but impossible to master, the sport provides an opportunity for the fair-weathered wakeboarder to enjoy or for the determined athlete to continually progress as each year wakeboarding pros invent newer and more intricate tricks.

Many of those little terrors who have been ripping around the lake behind the family boat and disturbing the neighbors for the last ten years have now grown up into what could be considered local area celebrities. Wakeboarding DVD’s such as the Muskoka Militia volume I, II, and III, and SideB showcase the talents of local riders and were filmed on home waters of the Muskoka region. These DVD’s feature the performances of riders such as Reed Kelterborn, Chad MacWilliam, Patrick Quinn, Mike Weatherall, Christopher Guard, Joel Adair, Jesse Page, Kyle Rattray, Juri Kongats and Scott Duke just to name a few. Coverage and information on these athletes can also be found in Wakeboard Canada magazine as well as all over the internet.

The Muskoka lakes provide the perfect opportunity to hop on a board and try this sport on for size. There is a plethora of wakeboard camps and schools around the area where lesson rates are decent and the teaching comes from local professionals who dominate the national competition circuit.

If you are in or around the Muskoka region in the summer and want to catch some of the action in person, there are competitions almost every weekend.
Nautique sponsors the X-Cup series which travels from lake to lake every weekend throughout July and August.
www.xcup.ca
The Muskoka Militia hosts the Crew Challenge every year at Bush’s Watersports Center in Bala, usually taking place the second weekend in August. For info visit
www.muskokamilitia.com
And although it no longer takes place in the great north, Wakestock has been hosted on Toronto Island the past few years and is something you don’t want to miss. Some of the best wakeboarding from around the globe can be seen at this 4-day party.
www.wakestock.com


For lessons visit www.muskokacustom.com
For some of the above mentioned DVD’s visit www.muskokamilita.com for Muskoka Militia volume I,II,II or for SideB visit www.redbutton.ca

Ways to beat the Winter Blues!

With the days getting shorter and hours of sunlight dwindling away in the early afternoon, many of us don’t see a lot of daylight. What we do not realize is how important the little bit of sunlight we do see is to the functioning of our brains and bodies.
What we do realize is that we feel slightly depressed and lethargic. Seasonal affective disorder (more commonly known as the winter blues), is largely believed to stem from the lack of sunlight and exercise we experience during the winter months.
“Waking up to go to work in the dark is so depressing, and it’s dark again when I go home at night,” said Gavin Tse, 24, a master’s degree candidate at the University of Toronto. “I tend to never want to wake up in the winter.”
Studies have confirmed that six to 10 per cent of people living in the northern parts of North America are affected by seasonal affective disorder, so it is especially important to get as much sunlight and exercise as possible to ward off any symptoms.
When we were kids we never got that lazy, depressed feeling in the winter that many of us experience now as adults, because the arrival of snow meant the arrival of endless outdoor fun. So instead of sitting around inside waiting for nicer weather to come, enjoy the day and lift those winter blues before the snow is gone.
“As long as I stay active in the winter doing things like snowboarding, it definitely helps to keep the winter blues at bay,” said Juri Kongats, 22, a full-time factory worker in Mississauga.
For existing or aspiring ski buffs, Ontario has some of the best hills around, many of which are within reasonable distance. Blue Mountain is a popular destination for those who can find a ride to Collingwood. Mount St. Louis Moonstone and Horseshoe Valley are both just a few minutes north of Barrie as well. For convenience, Glen Eden Ski Club located in Milton is the closest to Oakville, and Centennial Hill in Etobicoke is much smaller but can still be lots of fun.
Most hills offer full-day tickets for around $40, but since this year’s snow conditions have not been top notch, most hills are offering great deals as incentive to hit the slopes. By simply flashing your student card, Horseshoe Valley’s reading week special offers accommodation at the hotel and unlimited downhill or cross-country skiing and boarding for as little as $55. Blue Mountain has a similar promotion where college and university students can sleep, eat and ski for as low as $100.
For those who aren’t as talented on the hills, most ski resorts also offer snow tubing which can be just as exhilarating. Snow Valley in Barrie, Talisman Mountain Resort in Kimberly, Blue Mountain, and Horseshoe Valley all have snow tubing tracks. This is the cheapest way to enjoy yourself on the hill, with tube rides only $3 a pop.
A snowshoeing day trip is another way to enjoy the sub-zero weather while getting exercise and fresh air. Day trips, which go for only $60 a person, let you explore the snow-laden trails, peaceful forest and frozen waterfalls of Halton Hills Conservation Area. The package includes a snowshoe rental, a guide/instructor, snacks, hot chocolate and even free transportation from Kipling Subway Station in Toronto.
For those wishing to try something completely different, dog sledding is the new winter thrill that is taking Ontario by storm. This activity requires a few hours of travel time to get to Huntsville, but half-day trips go for $125 and teach participants how to harness the dogs, hook them up to the sleds, and “mush!” Sleds led by six dogs can carry two people at a time, and the price includes three hours of dog sledding, hot chocolate, snacks, and a lesson.
These are just some of the ways you may enjoy what’s left of winter this year. Anything from as small as walking the dog to mushing six of them from a sled is a guaranteed way to spice up your day and lift the gloomy mood that may be bogging down your days.
For more trip ideas check out www.adventureseekertours.com

How to get out of a ticket

We all know that awful feeling we get in our gut when we realize we are being tailed rapidly by flashing blue and red lights. That’s right- you’re getting pulled over.
June, July and August are the most popular months for traffic offences as reported by X-Copper Legal Services. They should know. X-Copper makes approximately 350 court appearances per week fighting off tickets for suckers like us- only a small percentage of those who have been slapped with fines and demerit points. And that’s only in Toronto.
The Toronto Police have assisted in compiling a few last-minute ways to sidestep a potentially bank-breaking ticket and avoid becoming a statistic this year.

PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY
As soon as you realize that you are being pursued by the police, pull over in the safest, most immediate area. Do not keep driving with the hopes that the cop will lose interest and go after someone bigger and badder than you. Failure to do so will cause the cop to think that either you’re an idiot, you are blind, or you have no intention of stopping. Ever. The bottom line is, don’t waste their time. You both know that you are going down. Pulling over as quickly as possible will earn definite bonus points when it comes to the ‘You’re getting a ticket’ versus the ‘I’ll let you off with a warning’ conversation.

DON”T SAY MORE THAN YOU HAVE TO
Once the officer has sidled up to your window, do not immediately start spewing excuses. This will only frustrate the officer, since they will not be able to get a word in edgewise.
“Nobody likes to be made a fool of,” said Toronto Police Constable Ian Hensbergen, describing personal experience when given false or often far-fetched excuses.
“Police are human beings too.” Open your window, say a simple hello, and wait for them to begin their ‘Did you know how fast you were going?’ routine. Remember the less you say, the less trouble you can get into.

THE 3 A’s: ACKNOWLEDGE, APOLOGIZE, ACCEPT
It’s fair enough to say that we’ve all had our careless moments on the road. Whether its ripping carelessly around campus showing off your new rims, playing catch-up with that hottie you spotted on the highway, or just speeding madly to get to work on time, we’re bound to be caught sooner or later. The key is, never admit anything- at least not right away.
Now, this is a tricky one. In most cases, if you are being pulled over for speeding, the officer will ask you if you know how fast you were traveling at such and such a time. Always answer with an innocent yet apologetic phrase such as, ‘Oh my, I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize I was going that fast.’ Then stop right there.
This will give the officer a chance to determine in their mind whether or not you are genuinely sorry, whether they should be a genuine ass and issue a ticket, or let you off with a mere warning.
If, in the end they do decide to issue you a ticket, don’t cause a scene. There’s no limit to how many tickets they can dole out at once. Three key A’s: Acknowledge, Apologize, Accept.

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS BE POLITE
“It’s the guy who comes on strong who’s gonna get the biggest ticket,” said Detective Constable Alex Grey, a member of the Toronto Police force for 28 years. “We can make it awful damn expensive for you if you wanna give us lip.”
Take heed of Constable Grey’s words of advice if you don’t want to spend your hard earned drinking money on an unexpected roadside stop. It is well known in the police world that the more attitude you dole out, the more points and dollars you tack onto your ticket. And never, ever ask to see the radar gun. It gives the impression you are in denial of your faults and only works against you.
“My advice? Simple. Yes, Sir. No, Sir. I’m sorry sir,” said Grey.

Keep in mind that these are not guaranteed ways to get out of a ticket- just a few pointers to help soften the blow. Police Constable Ian Hensbergen and Detective Constable Alex Grey are the two extremes you may encounter during the roadside rituals. Grey was constantly cajoled by other officers and supervisors for how many warnings he gave out, whereas Hensbergen can’t remember an instance where he let someone off without a ticket.
“There are your roadside ‘nazis’ and then there are your softies,” said Hensbergen. “It all depends on the officer.”
And if worse comes to worse, for ladies especially, a few tears never hurt anyone.

Pro-Anorexia ‘cult’ is becoming popular among North American women

“Oh my god you guys, I totally had more than 300 calories today. That is SO not sexy!” Pink says in her new music video, Stupid Girls, mocking the mindset that, sadly, many young women today have adopted.
It has become widely known over the years that anorexia and bulimia are closely tied to psychological issues, but that’s old news.
Pro-Ana and Pro-Mia are terms that self-identified anorexics and bulimics have given themselves after recognizing that there are numerous women and men who are in support of this lifestyle. The Internet has played a major part in the development of this network.
Those suffering from these diseases have led the Pro-Ana and Pro-Mia movement under the notion that anorexia nervosa and bulimia are a lifestyle choice, rather than a serious medical condition. Some even tout it as being a superior way of living.
In a generation where health education is more accessible than ever before, these sites are in contradiction to common health sense. Many Pro-Ana and Pro-Mia websites offer “thinspiration,” support for anorexics, and tips such as how to hide the disorder, dental maintenance, how to binge, purge, or just how to be a “better anorexic.”
Many of these websites offer photo galleries with pictures of models or other thin women, accompanied by captions such as “If you want to see food, just look at your thighs,” or, “A minute on the lips, forever on the hips.” Some websites offer diet plans for anorexics and have rating systems to decide whether participants are “good anorexics” or “anorexic enough.”
The following is a typical day’s worth of food taken from a www.livejournal.com discussion board:
Breakfast: 1 slice of reduced-calorie bread
1 cup of tea w/ low-calorie sweetener
Lunch: 1 med-large apple
Dinner: 8 baby carrots
Total: 200 calories, 1 gram of fat
Many of the women who consider themselves Ana, meaning anorexic, or Mia, meaning bulimic, receive online support from other sufferers for continuing their dangerous cycle on these Pro-Ana or Pro-Mia discussion boards. The National Eating Disorder Awareness Clinic (NEDIC) reports that most of the administrators of these sites are teenage girls with eating disorders, some as young as 12 years old.
A recent post by a young woman on a Pro-Ana discussion site read: “I took 6 laxatives yesterday morning, 4 more later on in the evening and then another 2 at about 1 o’clock this morning. I took 4 water balance pills yesterday and I’m gonna take more today. I didn’t eat anything else after my binge, so today I’m feeling pretty good.”
These websites promote dangerous eating habits that can be potentially deadly. Health Canada reports that over a 20-year period, one in five people with anorexia and one in 20 people with bulimia will die. Ninety percent of these deaths are women and girls.
The Pro-Ana and Pro-Mia movement has caught on almost like a trend, with Pro-disorder fashion apparel now available. Colour coded bracelets have become popular among sufferers: red bracelets for anorexia, purple for bulimia, black for depression and green for bingeing.
Searches for Pro-Ana and Pro-Mia websites often yield many of the same results, including “The Ten Thin Commandments:”
1) If you aren’t thin, then you aren’t attractive.
2) Being thin is more important than being healthy.
3) You must buy clothes, cut your hair, take laxatives, starve yourself, do anything to make yourself look thinner.
4) Thou shall not eat without feeling guilty.
5) Thou shall not eat fattening food without punishing oneself afterward.
6) Thou shall count calories and restrict intake accordingly.
7) What the scale says is the most important thing.
8) Losing weight is good; gaining weight is bad.
9) You can never be too thin.
10) Being thin and not eating are signs of true willpower and success.
Many Web servers are in the process of shutting down these Web sites as they prove offensive and unhealthy to so many young women. Yahoo! pulled the plug on Pro-Ana and Pro-Mia sites, citing that they violated user agreements to post “no harmful, threatening or abusive material.”
Many Web sites are now out of operation; others have changed servers, URL’s, or added password protection and gone further undercover. The majority of people see this as a positive move; yet health officials fear that the disappearance of these sites may force the issue further underground.
The only visible benefit this movement provides is insight into the lives of those suffering the disorders, so doctors and health officials are better educated on how to help.

If you know anyone you believe to be struggling with one of these eating disorders, the Canadian Health Network suggests taking the following measures:
· Talk to them and find out what’s going on
· Tell them you care and worry about him or her
· Encourage them to speak to a parent, trusted adult or doctor
· Avoid making comments like, “You will look better if you eat” or “You look better since you’ve gained weight.”
· Be supportive
· Encourage them to see a doctor, nurse, counsellor or dietician
· Help them find an eating disorder clinic or support network

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Picture this: its 11:37 p.m. and you are sitting at your desk working on a paper. After many unforgiving hours of wracking your brain for bright ideas you give up and go to bed. When your alarm goes off at 7a.m. you wake up, get dressed and feel around in the dark for your keys and backpack. You sit in class all day. When you finally get out, you trudge through the wind and snow in the darkness to your car. That night it begins again.
Seasonal affective disorder is more commonly known as “the winter blues”. The low-down, sad and lethargic feeling we experience mid-winter is caused by a hormonal imbalance in our brains, causing us to feel unlike our regular cheery selves.
With the days getting shorter and hours of sunlight dwindling away in the early afternoon, many of us students are literally left in the dark. What we do not realize his how important the little bit of sunlight we see is to the functioning of our brains and bodies. The lack of sunlight experienced during the short winter days affects our internal circadian clocks.
Here is the lowdown on circadian clocks: We have all heard people referring to their “biological clock”, yet most of us never thought we have an actual clock built into our bodies. Listen up folks, we do.
The brain’s circadian clock is a small grouping of neurons behind our eyes in an area of the brain called the hypothalamus. This group of neurons is constantly sending out signals to control the body’s daily rhythms such as sleep and wake patterns, hormone secretions, body temperature changes, etc. (the same clock that tells animals when to hibernate, birds to fly south for the winter, and so on).
Serotonin and Melatonin are two important components in the functioning of our circadian clocks. Serotonin, a neurotransmitter in our brain, is commonly boosted and released by exercise. Melatonin is our hormone responsible for telling us when to feel tired.
The combination of prolonged darkness and lack of exercise we usually experience in the winter months causes the brain to convert greater amounts of serotonin into melatonin, increasing levels of melatonin in our bodies. Lowered levels of serotonin, and high levels of melatonin are what allow the symptoms of SAD to develop.
These small yet significant hormones are major players in our bodies. It is responsible for not only our sleep patterns, but our sex drives, mood swings, emotions, and immune system to name just a few.
When our circadian clock is thrown out of whack, we develop a cyclic tendency to become psychologically depressed, especially during the winter. A combination of these feelings of lethargy, depression, anxiety, irritability and sleepiness is generally known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Originally identified in 1845, SAD was not officially classified until 1984 when a psychiatrist named Norman E. Rosenthal began to study cases of depression that for some reason were prevalent only in the winter months. After studying the symptoms and publishing an article in The Washington Post about his research, Rosenthal received nationwide response from people suffering the same symptoms. It was then the disease was classified as legitimate, and steps were taken to try to find a cure.
Seasonal affective disorder has become prevalent among students over the years. Combined with the stress of a full course load, never-ending assignments, lack of sunlight and exercise can really start to take a toll on the student’s body.
“Waking up to go to work in the dark is so depressing, and its dark again when I go home at night.” Said Gavin Tse, 24, a Masters degree candidate at the University of Toronto, “I tend to never want to wake up in the winter.”
Studies have confirmed that six to ten percent of people living in the northern parts of North America are affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder.
“Sunny winter days make me happy, but I need sun to have fun,” Ashley Burke, 22, HBA student at Richard Ivey School of Business joked, “Overcast makes me sad; summer makes me glad!”
“It’s more common for me to be in a good mood in the summertime, because there are a million things to do outside,” said Juri Kongats, 22, who works full time in a factory, “As long as I stay active in the winter doing things like snowboarding, it definitely helps to keep the winter blues at bay.”
Not everyone is affected by SAD. Certain lifestyle choices can ward off any potential seasonal depression. “I walk to work. It’s 30 minutes each way,” explained Joshua Fattore, 24, a recent Queens University graduate who is now an executive recruiter, “Then at lunch I eat quickly and go for another walk.”
There are a few remedies to these mid-winter blues experienced by so many.
“When I can get away to my house in Florida I feel so much better. Even if it’s just for a few days,” said Suzanne Muyshondt, a fourth year student at McGill preparing for her MCATs, proving that even just limited exposure to the sun can improve mood and elevation of spirits, refreshing us for another semester at school.
Light therapy is the most common solution to overcoming symptoms of seasonal affective disorder. The most common form of light therapy involves exposing oneself to prolonged periods of bright light. Many physicians recommend sitting in front of a light-box fitted with high intensity bulbs for 15 to 20 minutes a day. These light boxes have a special 10,000 lux capacity (a lux is the international unit of illumination, one lumen square meter).
Another option provided for those suffering from severe SAD, is hormone-inducing drugs. Some physicians may prescribe anti-depressant medications to treat the symptoms, yet a lot of these drugs have more side effects than benefits. Light therapy is the less intrusive, healthier option for most students.
Since most of us do not have a spare light-box sitting around at home, some colleges and universities have them in their heath centres that students are welcome to use at their discretion. This is an easy and stress-free way to cure the blues, as well as more healthy approach then the administration of drugs.

Woody Allen’s Match Point a mismatch?

Match Point is a change of pace from director Woody Allen’s usual New York locale to a swankier London setting for his newest film. A modern-day film noir, Match Point is about two young hopefuls who scale the social ladder and get caught up in a web of lies, lust and deception
The film begins with a voice over by main character Chris Wilton (played by Jonathan Rhys-Meyers), accompanied by a visual of a tennis ball sailing back and forth across the net. His first lines tell us exactly what director Woody Allen intended the film to be about – luck. “The man who said I’d rather be lucky than good, saw deeply into life. People are afraid to face how great a part of life is dependent on luck. It’s scary to think so much is out of one’s control. There are moments in a match when the ball hits the top of the net, and for a split second, it can either go forward or fall back. With a little luck it goes forward, and you win. Or maybe it doesn’t, and you lose.” The scene fades out with the ball suspended in the air, leaving viewers wondering which side of the net it will drop on.
In his climb to the top of London’s social ladder, Chris Wilton befriends a wealthy young Tom (Matthew Goode), one of his tennis students at the posh English tennis club where he is employed. After quickly becoming friends, Chris is introduced to Tom’s sister Chloe (Emily Mortimer). This friendship soon turns to romance as Chloe expresses her desire. The day Chris meets Nola (Scarlett Johansson), a struggling American actress who also happens to be Tom’s fiancée, his relationship with Chloe is doomed. Nola simply oozes sex appeal, and what happens during their impending affair would make Chris’s innocent wife blush. From their first words, Nola to Chris, “Who’s my next victim?”, to the conversation ending in Chris asking Nola “Has anyone ever told you that you have sensual lips?” their meeting is doomed to be destructive.
Unable to deny the magnetic attraction any longer, they begin an indiscreet, whirlwind affair that abruptly ends when Tom calls off his engagement with Nola for another woman, and she returns to the United States. Months later, Chris bumps into Nola at a gallery and the relationship begins again, yet this time it’s more intense and has greater consequence.
Unsatisfied with what his life has become, Chris is reluctant to let anything harm his financially fulfilling marriage to Chloe yet he cannot seem to resist the sexual satisfaction Nola offers him. Chloe’s father provides Chris with a job, promotions, and more perks than he ever imagined, forcing him to choose between wealth and stability, or an unpredictable, yet satisfying future. But as his social status becomes more demanding so does his relationship with Nola, and he is forced to make promises and deals that he cannot commit to.
Although Rhys-Meyers character is played with a detached sense of emotion and an obvious lack of morals, his acting conveys perfectly how the stress of the situation is starting to get to him. In a drastic twist towards the end, Chris finds himself carrying out an unforgivable act in order to free himself from the demanding web of lies and deception he has woven for himself.
The film ends with a drastic twist in plot, catching viewers off guard and gluing them to the edge of their seats, however when the film comes to its somewhat satisfying conclusion, many questions are left unanswered.
The acting by the main characters in Match Point leaves a lot to be desired. Though both strong actors, Johansson’s screen presence in this film overpowers that of Rhys-Meyers creating a strange unbalanced chemistry that borders on awkwardness. Rhys-Meyers in this role personifies a distant, detached character who feels no remorse or consequence for his actions perfectly. At first this appears to be flat acting, yet later it becomes glaringly obvious that this non-emotion is the essence of his character.
Nola begins as a confident and sexy American actress, but her façade reveals more and more cracks as the plot develops. Everything appealing that Johansson brought to the table in the first half of the film suddenly dissolves, leaving viewers with an emotional and unpredictable mess of a character toward the end. This is where her scenes become very wooden and scripted, as if Allen is standing just off camera and choreographing her every move. What are meant to be climactic scenes between Nola and Chris unfold with an almost embarrassing lack of emotion.
The film is supported by outstanding acting from supplementary characters played by Matthew Goode, Emily Mortimer and Brian Cox. Almost all comic relief is provided by Cox’s role as the wealthy English father who makes constant cracks at his wife’s overindulgence in alcohol. Mortimer as Chloe plays the part of innocent and unsuspecting wife flawlessly, offering the only real emotion in the film.
Match Point is a dark yet basic film about romantic obsession and class difference, portraying the struggle for a better life within a closed society. Woody Allen seems to strive for the raw emotion and honesty we witnessed in 2004s Closer, yet he does not come close to achieving the same response director Mike Nichols provided audiences with.
Just as the tennis ball appears in the opening scene, the verdict on this film is in the air. Director Woody Allen without a doubt has created a work of perfection, each scene meticulously put together with top notch character casting, but the final product is questionable and leaves a lot to be desired.

Golden charity around the Globe

When many of us think of the Golden Globe Awards, we imagine yet another award show designed to give celebrities an opportunity to dress up and bore us with seemingly endless speeches while they pay homage to each other. Were we ever wrong.
Over sixty years ago, a group of Los Angeles based journalists formed a non-profit organization called the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). In addition to creating programs and scholarships for future industry professionals, The Golden Globe Awards have enabled this organization to donate hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to entertainment related charities, adding up to over $5.5 million over the past eleven years.
This year was a landmark for the HFPA when it donated over $1 million in support of charities around the world. The Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund in association with hurricane relief in New Orleans was one of the biggest recipients, receiving $250,000 from the fund alone. This amount was in the wake of the $250,000 they had already donated to aid tsunami victims from the 2004 disaster.
Other top 2005 recipients of the HFPA’s donations were the Film Foundation, which received $250,000 for restoration; the Sundance Institute at $75,000; Film Aid International at $50,000 for the Kakuma Peace and Reconciliation Series for Sudanese and other refugees in Kenya; Outfest, a library of bisexual, lesbian, gay and transgender films at UCLA at $20,000 and the National Association of Latino Independent Producers, which received $20,000 to pay mentor costs for the 2005 Latino Producers Academy.
University and college film programs across the country were also among recipients of HFPA donations, one of them being the well known American Film Institute.
Kicking off award season in January, The Golden Globes are the only award show that honours achievements in both film and television. The ceremony is also seen as an early indicator for the Oscars. It may be because of this that the Golden Globes have been placed under severe scrutiny in recent years.
The HFPA have been accused of accepting lavish gifts from studios in the months leading up to the awards in hopes of buying nominations for their films or television shows. Also in question is the credibility of the journalists who require only four published pieces a year to qualify for HFPA membership, yet benefit greatly from perks such as all-expense paid trips to film festivals of their choice.
Even amidst the many accusations directed toward the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Golden Globe Awards are a ceremony that citizens and celebrities alike look forward to every year. It is hard to ignore the millions of dollars they have generously donated to organizations and charities around the world, and without them the future of entertainment may not be looking as bright as it does today.