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How Cuba Survived Peak Oil

Cuba Peak Oil

Throughout the term Hart House is hosting ECO FILMS: Exploring Sustainability through Film. They’ll be showing free films that explore environmental issues. After each film there will be an opportunity to engage in dialogue with experts about the issues raised by the films.

The next film is being shown on Tuesday Feb 5th: The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil . When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1990, Cuba saw their imports of oil cut by half – and food by 80%, making Cuba the only country to face the kind of massive reduction of fossil fuels that may soon be faced by many nations. in the face of the climate change crisis. How they managed this transition is an example of options and hope. (2006, 53 min).

The screening take place in the Arbor Room at Hart House. Doors open at 6:30 pm, screening begin at 6:45 pm. Snacks will be served. Free. All welcome!

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FREE Passes to “Fool’s Gold”


Trailer for Fool’s Gold

Thanks again to the very awesome people at CINSSU, we’ve got some FREE PASSES to an advanced screening of Fool’s Gold, a light hearted romantic comedy starring Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson. Should be a fun time. All you have to do to win a pass is send in an email with your name to contact [at] blogut [dot] ca.

When: Monday, February 4, 9 pm.
Where: Innis Town Hall (2 Sussex Ave.)
Details: FREE passes. Each one admits 2 people. Email us to win one.

*ALL PASSES GONE. KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN FOR NEXT TIME!

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New “Physics Practicals” Laboratory – Open House

Bunsen and Beaker


NOTICE: EVENT CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER

The Physics Department has spent a lot of money (probably ours) to revamp the first year laboratories on the first floor of McLennan Physics. To celebrate this spending of money, they are having an OPEN HOUSE to launch the new “Physics Practicals” Laboratory this Friday, February 1st in the afternoon.

If that’s not enough, there will be free food, drinks and fun demonstrations.

When: Friday, February 1st between 3 and 5 PM
Where: MP 126 (at McLennan Physics Labs, 60 St. George Street, enter from St. George and head to the right)
Details: Free food, drink and demonstrations. All are welcome!

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Feeling Kinky??

SDSSU conference poster

Heads up superfreaks, the Sexual Diversity Studies Student Union is hosting a conference on fetishism next month. At last…

Promising to be spicier than the average lecture series Fetish: Working Out the Kinks will address how fetishism, specifically Bondage, Domination, Sadism and Masochism (or BDSM) practice, is regarded in terms of sex work, media representations, identity politics and the medical and mental health community through a series of paper presentations, lectures and workshops.

Fetish: Working Out the Kinks will include participation from sexuality researchers, educators and activists from all backgrounds and features SexTV’s Dr. Carol Queen as keynote speaker. The conference runs March 14 -15, all are welcome and tickets are on sale now at U of T Tix, University of Toronto’s Central Box Office. Get them while they’re hot.

For more info contact the conference organizer at

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David Suzuki Speaks at Convocation Hall

David Suzuki Last Friday, hundreds of U of T students gathered at Convocation Hall for a lecture. But this wasn’t just any lecture — it featured environmentalist David Suzuki. Any SUV-driving, littering, non-environmentalist who attended was probably disappointed that the talk was neither boring nor trite.

The event was hosted by the UTSU, UTERN, the Good Ideas Fund at Hart House, and CUPE 3902, among others. Clayton Thomas-Muller, who is the Tar Sands Campaign Organizer for the Indigenous Environmental Network, also spoke about his work traveling across North America, defending the rights of Indigenous peoples against unsustainable energy policies. City Councillor Olivia Chow also gave a short, motivational speech.

David’s lecture had an informal feel — not what I expected. Instead of pulling out charts and PowerPoint slides, he told stories about his experiences with government officials, business leaders, and other students. How are different people dealing with (or not dealing with) the state of our planet? What have people done in the past to take action, and was it effective? Is it too late? These are the questions he addressed. And FYI, it’s not too late, but it won’t be long until we can no longer escape the consequences of our over-consumption, which he likened to how bacteria live inside a closed container… eventually they will run out of food, overpopulate, and die.

So eat vegetarian for one week every month. Leave your car at home once a week. Turn off your electronics. Sign up for the David Suzuki Nature Challenge!

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Drowning Girl and Tara Slone at Tattoo

Tattoo rock parlour
Inside Tattoo Rock Parlour

Someone once told me that a review is supposed to be unbiased and impartial. I remember disagreeing with them, because it seems that the very idea is to infuse the piece with your own opinion.

In my growing quest to become a pretentious Queen West hipster, I jumped at the chance to review Drowning Girl and Tara Slone playing at Tattoo Rock Parlour this past Wednesday.

Continue reading “Drowning Girl and Tara Slone at Tattoo”

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Can Music Save the Environment?

music environment Watching Madonna’s exhortations of Hey You / Don’t you give up as she took to the stage during Live Earth was probably the lowlight of my summer. Love you as I do, Madge, but owning two Range Rovers, and flying as many as 100 technicians, backup dancers, and managers to the ‘Climate in Crisis’ concert does not a Planeteer make.

It is so bad, and there probably is no chance for us, you-Material Girl, me-earnest treehugger, to be buddy-buddy on the green front, but there has to be more than pseudo-benefit concerts in the intersection of environment and the music industry, right?

A panel discussion presented by the Hart House Music Committee attempts to answer this question. Moderated by Jordan Poppenk (CIUT.fm), speakers Jennifer Larry (Sunrise Records), Candace Alper (Name Your Tune), Liam O’Doherty (UTERN), and Toronto musician Barzin will examine environmental practices in the music industry. The discussion will be followed by a performance from Barzin, whose compositions have been described to “walk a minimalist line between chamber pop, alt-country, and indie rock.” [1]

Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM, Thursday, February 7, 2008
Venue: Hart House – Arbor Room (lower level)
Admission: FREE (all ages)
Contact: Julia Lo, Mitchell Wong, Arvind Ramesh ([email protected])
More information: www.harthousemusic.com

[1] http://radio3.cbc.ca/
Image from http://www.barzinh.com/