Honk if you love chocolate

While browsing the official Facebook Group for Jono Brockman, Member at Large candidate in the upcoming SFSS election, I came upon this choice paragraph:

"And finally, to address the concerns of the chocolate lovers out there, I feel your pain when I see those bars go up to $1.50 a piece, outrageous! As your Member at Large I will ensure that the SFSS explores the possibility of buying chocolate in bulk and selling it ourselves at a reduced rate, forcing those vending machines to drop their prices or go out of business!"

Whaaaaaaa!?

The price of chocolate bars has become an issue? Granted, it was last in a series of election promises, but, come on, chocolate bars? Seriously?

And it's not just Brockman that's concerned about the rising price of campus confectioneries. Jason Town, SFSS presidential candidate, has also made a promise to put an end to the rising cost of tuition chocolate. From his Facebook group:

"8. Reduce the price of chocolate bars and other food in vending machines
a. Establish SFSS vending machines at reduced prices
i. Preferably with ‘healthy’ options: ie. granola bars, etc."

*sigh*

Two thoughts:

1. Is it the role of a student society to supply the student body with cheap snacks?
   
2. Should we trust the student society with yet another business venture?

Perhaps chocolate bar profits could help subsidize the cost of running the student pub?

p.s. It's the second-to-last day to vote for us in the VFM contest, so please vote if you haven't already!

Third Time The Charm? Menzies In The Race

Well I didn't say it Thursday night, but it's now official so here's the news: Xenia Menzies will be running for SFSS President.

On her campaign blog called "Xenia Menzies for President", Xenia explains that although she had decided last week not to run, she has now changed her mind. On the blog, she answers several questions about her reasons for running, her platform, and her qualifications. Throughout her answers, Xenia reiterates that her love for SFU is her strongest motivation for running. Having run unsuccessfully for the presidency twice before, this will be her third attempt at winning the office.

For now, I'll let you take a look at her campaign blog yourself.

Patrick

Privacy Concerns Killed This Blog Entry

Last week, I reported that Xenia Menzies had decided not to run in the upcoming SFSS elections. That post was based on information posted by Xenia herself in a Facebook group open to anyone on the Simon Fraser network, including students, staff, faculty, and alumni. I used that information because I considered it public information. Furthermore, I felt that the intent of Xenia's post was that of a public announcement.

A quick Google search reveals a number of articles, including one from UBC, on privacy issues surrounding journalists using Facebook for information. Where is the line drawn between public and private information on Facebook? There's no simple answer, we're all making up the rules as we go along.

A few minutes ago, I was going to write another post based on other information I recently obtained through Facebook. However, this time the information was published as someone's status. Public? Private? To maintain the person's privacy, I've decided against publishing the information here. It would have been a great blog entry though.

Patrick

P.S. please vote for us in the VFM contest.

Photos:
"Construction Sign" by BitBoy
used under Creative Commons Attribution license.

Semester in Dialogue Deadline & Event

I heart Semester in Dialogue. As such, I alert you to the following (1) approaching deadline and (2) upcoming event:


1. Are you an undergraduate at SFU looking for an exciting and innovative way to learn? Are you interested in learning with students in departments outside your own? Apply now for the fall 2008 semester.:

Health, Issues and Ethics Fall 2008

Full-time, 15 Credits (DIAL 390W, 391W, 392W)
Application Deadline: 29 February 2008

Canadians identify health care as a core value, but the practical realities of delivering care are overwhelming our compassion. This course will consider the nature of health itself, and will explore the complexities of a health care system that corresponds with our values and ethics while being effective and financially stable. Three related themes will serve as a substrate for the semester: the nature of health, delivery of health care, and populations at risk. Issues such as how health and illness are defined, the roles of preventative and curative approaches, and the impacts and ethics of new technologies will be addressed. We will compare public and private models, focus on community health care as a developing new paradigm, and examine the particular challenges of marginalized and vulnerable communities.

For further information visit our web site www.sfu.ca/dialogue/undergrad

Or contact Mark Winston, Semester in Dialogue (778 782 7894, winston@sfu.ca)


2. imagi-Nation - click image to enlarge. More info/register: http://www.sfu.ca/dialogue/undergrad/imagi-nation.htm

Registration deadline is Friday, February 22. If you miss the deadline and are still interested in attending, I recommend calling the event number on the poster below to see whether they can squeeze you in.

Xenia Menzies Not Running

Sixteen days after launching her SFSS Presidential Exploratory Committee to gather feedback from friends and colleagues, Xenia Menzies announced that she would not be running in this year's SFSS elections.


Xenia made the announcement on Facebook on Monday, February 11. Gradually, news of her decision spread around the globe as her friends and supporters checked for new status updates. Yes, SFU politics are dramatic like that.

Xenia's decision apparently came after much thought and discussion with those around her. I must admit, I was surprised when Xenia asked me for my opinion on the matter a couple weeks ago. Although we've been in the same class and we seem to run into each other with increasing frequency at events around town, we don't know each other well. Maybe she was looking for an objective opinion. At any rate, I noted that she did quite well last year considering she was out of the country on exchange during the campaign. My advice was for her to take a Trudeau-esque "long walk in the snow" to sort things out.


It snowed. Did she take that walk? I don't know. But I do know that according to her message to the Exploratory Committee, she's ready to move on (after previously serving as Business Rep and twice unsuccessfully running for President) and feels that she can give just as much back to the SFU community as an alumnus as she could if she were in student government.

Although she feels the SFSS should be more efficient, less bureaucratic, and more transparent, she believes other candidates could do just as well as she could in bringing about those changes. In her announcement, Xenia was critical of the past two SFSS Presidents for being too far removed from the average student. Apparently concerned that further extending her time at SFU would too remove her from the average student, she decided against running again.


In my experience, Xenia is a great person. I like her. However, in the spirit of competition, I must point out that thanks to our crackerjack team of reporters, Instant Blog is the first VFM blog to break this story, even before Xenia's own VFM blog. Nevertheless, now that she's decided not to run, I have no doubt we'll be reading her take on the elections soon enough.

Patrick


Photos:
"No Running With Fish" by Tristram Brelstaff
"Footsteps" by John Haslam
Both photos used under Creative Commons Attribution license.
------------------

If you're from SFU and found the info on Instant Blog helpful, please take a minute to vote for us.

Thank You!

We did it! Instant Blog claimed first place in January's Voter-Funded Media Contest. To all our supporters - thank you! We couldn't have done it without you...all 33 of you. Hmm...I suppose it's actually 31 when you subtract me and Johnny... at any rate, thanks and we hope you'll rate us well in February's contest.

Congrats also to our competitors in January's contest. CJSF claimed 2nd place, SFU Politics took 3rd, and SFU VFM came in 4th. I think Bradley of SFU VFM deserves special congratulations for winning the 4th prize, considering he had absolutely no blog entries on his blog. That's an impressive ROI if I ever did see one.

Special thanks also to Mark Latham for organizing these monthly VFM contests.

Patrick