news letter

Dear OPIRG world,

The topical and periodic newsletter you know and love as PIRGSPECTIVES is printed, bound and available for your consumption.

You will find between the covers:

• several exciting office updates
• an Interview with Food Not Bombs!' Tom Dusome by Abeer Siddiqui
• a Parable of the Resource Centre by Aisha Sheikh
• impressions on Anti-Oppression by Aerin
• an article on Freeskool by Rachel Nolan
• and more

You can download a copy from the opirg web site here, or pick up a copy at the Union Market (McMaster University Student Centre) and the OPIRG office (MUSC 229) - more locations to come...
(Community members should have received their copy in the mail.)

Sincerely yours,

OPIRG

dumbing down the climate

"You won't see a more important film this year" News of the World

Spanner Films and UBC Continuing Studies Centre for Sustainability Proudly Present

AN INDIE SCREENING OF:

THE AGE OF STUPID
The Climate Blockbuster from the director of McLibel

McMaster University Ewart Angus Centre room 1A1
(McMaster University Medical Centre)
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24th
Time: 8:00pm, doors open at 7:30pm
Admission is free

Brought to you by "'The Other Side' of the news", Tuesdays at noon on 93.3 fm CFMU
Sponsored by OPIRG McMaster, CFMU-FM, Environment Hamilton, Rev Wear, SkyDragon, Green Venture

help pilot a youth anti-o workshop TODAY!

Volunteering and learning experience for a worthwhile cause
this WEDNESDAY FEB 24^th at 6:30 PM!
ROOM 123, in T13 @ McMaster~

McMaster O.P.I.R.G. Body Equity needs your help
in piloting their youth anti-oppression workshop

Participate in our workshop, and provide criticism!
McMaster O.P.I.R.G. Body Equity will be eternally grateful!

Don't hesistate to inquire for more information!
Regards,

Dolly Lin
http://opirg.ca/core.php?content=BodyEquity

open source matrix

Disclaimer: this is not an official opirg mcmaster sponsored event, and is posted for information purposes only. Please contact the event organizers with any questions or concerns.

GO to Guelph!

OPIRG McMaster wants you to take a moment to sign this petition to have GO transit take over the canceled bus route between Guelph and Hamilton.
Petition is here: www.petitiononline.com/commute/petition.html

organic lunch-time talk with farmers

OPIRG McMaster hosted a lunch-time discussion with special guests Chris Krucker of ManoRun Organic Farm (centre)in Ancaster and Ann Lanigan of Simpler Thyme (right) in Flamborough, ably moderated by OPIRG McMaster's Amina Suhrwardy (pictured left).

Below is a call-out for interns at Simpler Thyme. Eat your heart out!

Simpler Thyme Organic Farm
1749 Hwy #6, RR#2, Hamilton, On, L8N 2Z7
Simpler_thyme@hotmail.com

Introduction

• 50 acre property just north of Hamilton.
• 25 acres of forest where we do maple syrup starting in March
• 8 acres of vegetables, fruit trees
• Animals - ducks, peacocks, chickens, rabbits, goats, cats, dogs, cows, a horse & a donkey.
• We run a CSA & weekly farm markets.
• Accommodation is in a trailer, outdoor bunkies or in the house.
• Hearty, healthy, LOCAL, organic meals provided, prepared from scratch.
• We can easily accommodate vegetarians or vegans; we however eat vegetables and meat.
• All the buildings on the farm are smoke-free.
• We accept WWOOFers from March 1st to October 30.

Who are we?

• Ann Lanigan – Farmer full time. Caregiver full time of her brother Dan
• Mike Lanigan – VON nurse, works off-farm
• Bill Orosz – Farmer full time and overtime. Lives on farm
• Charles Aubin – Volontaire extraordinaire, works off-farm, spends all the rest of his time on farm
• Dan Reynolds – half owner of the property. Needs total care(acquired brain injury)
• Patrick Lanigan – Farrier and blacksmith, 4th child of Ann and Mike but only one living at home

General

• Our 2010 goals are vermiculture, mycology, permaculture, seed saving, milking cows, rebuilding a small glass greenhouse.
• Each community member makes one meal for the community each week
• Regular farm duties - making maple syrup, gathering wood, taking care of animals (cows, chickens, horse, donkey, birds), starting plants in hothouse, outside - seeding, planting, weeding, hoeing, mulching, harvesting, packing, marketing, composting, tree care, customer communication, maintenance and repair, book keeping, self education, setting regular goals and meeting those goals, preserving food (freezing, fermentation, storing, canning, drying...), making food (bread, noodles, soup broths, kombucha, kvass, etc),

What can an intern expect from us?

• home grown, home made food, local organic food.
• 3 meals a day 7 days a week plus snacks
• a room
• internet access
• a small weekly stipend (if you stay for 5 months you receive a $500 bonus)
• we will share knowledge and experience about everything under “regular farm duties” above share our home, the community we live in, our way of life
• have a once a week private sharing about your victories and/or concerns, etc

What we expect from an intern?

• a person with great attitude
• a person really interested in learning about organic farming
• a person who will also share their skills and knowledge
• a person who is able to receive and give contructive feedback
• a person who is willing to be a team leader and team member
• a person who is a self starter, can work independantly on projects
• a person who is willing to work 5 days a week, 8 hours a day
• a person who is able to make a 4-5 month commitment

FOOD FLICK

Food Inc. Movie Screening

Begins at February 8th 19:00 PM

Ewart Angus 1A4

Biodiversity Guild

Do you know where your food comes from? Join the Biodiversity Guild for a screening of Food Inc., which discusses the hidden health risks and environmental degradation caused by large-scale factory farming. In the spirit of the film's message, the executive members of the Guild will be providing environmentally friendly snacks and treats!