1990

THE ENGINEERING SOCIETY'S STUDENT FORUM March 2, 1990

Coordination Considers Computers
by Harvie Watson,
3B Chemical
Have you ever been frustrated by the
long lines in front of the interview board?
Pushing and shoving at Needles Hall will
be a thing of the past when a Department
of Career Services goes computerized in
two years.
The new system will be loaded with
features designed to make it easier for
students to deal with The Department of
Co-ordination and Placement. Some of
these features include:
- On-line interview schedul ing whi ch
will allow students to check when they
have interviews.
- On-line job descripti ons to reduce the
number of Want-Ads printed.
- Ranking choices wi lJ be entered
direcLly into the system by students.
- Resumes will be submitted
electronically to Needles Hall and printed
on a laser printer as required.
"In 1986 we were planning to do the
system for interview sheduli ng," said Bud
walker. Director of Data Processing, "but
after a short review it was decided that the
entire system needed to be redone in order
to solve ma ny minor problems and
implement some desired features." A new
study was then done to decide what the
new features would be. and to solicit
suggestions from all the people invol ved
in the projcct.
The program however. was put on hold
after the study was completed in October,
1989 because the university had other
priorities for the data processi ng
department
As an interim solution, Career Services
dccided to "expand resources in the short
term" to revise the already extensively
modified computer sYSLem. These changes
should malce finding interviews easier (or
the spring term interview session.
The comple te computer system
current ly used by Career Services was
designed in 1975 for 6000 math and
engineering students with 4()()0 industry
contact people on fi le. Presently, there are
9700 students in a large variety of
disciplines and 12000 industry contacts.
The new system will greatly simplify
internal operation, scheduling. and
accesses to the database.
Course Critiques Cause Conflict
by Robert Graham
2A Mechanical
It is widely believed that the existing
course critique system is plagued with
problems. The primary means of input
into engineering courses, the student
response form, faces a lack of credibility
to administration, facuIty, and students.
While administration and faculty lament
over the poor student response, students
still fail to believe that their voice j s
heard.
According to Dean Lennox, the present
course critique system "is subject to
criticism because of credibility. " The
Faculty Merit Review Committee
(FMRC), which annually reviews the
performance of each faculty member, relies
heavily on accurate data. Salaries and
tenure are influenced by their decisions.
Without the correct information, there is
the possibility of unwarranted decisions.
Faculty members are evaluated in terms
of teaching, scholarship, and service. in no
particular order. As outlined in the faculty
guidelines. teaching is described as, among
other things. classroom instruction. course
development, and student consultation.
Scholarship is the recognition of teaching
performance in class. articles published in
"refereed journals", and the development of
lab materials. Service involves
appointments to University and
professional committees and related
positions. As in any large organization,
different people will have dilTerent talents;
it would be unrealistic to expect
outstanding teaching from every professor.
However, teaching is looked upon by the
faculty as their number one priority. and
course critiques are the best way to
improve this area.
The present questionnaire has a few
hitches. In particular. there are questions
which address more than one facet of
teaching performance while requiring only
one response. Answers to some questions
which may seem complimentary to
students may not be so to the faculty and
administration. This lack of clarity must
be addressed.
Student response is the major concern.
In a November 17. 1989 letter to the lrwl
Warri or. Professor G .R. Heppler stated
that "It is essentially true that the
response rate on a course evaluation is less
than 50% of the class and an even smaller
percentage of students take the time to
submit written comments (which are far
more valuable than the questionnaire)."
The means of administering course
critiques has also come under criticism.
Some feel that by having EngSoc
administer the critiques, the results lose
credibility. One complaint is that
EngSoc's results are sometimes delayed or
misplaced. However. this may be the
lesser of two evils. The alternative.
having the faculty administer the aitiques,
may create more of a problem by
distancing the student-teacher relationship
and may possibly "glaze" the results.
Though a faculty-administered process
may assure the faculty and administration
a speedy process. it would re move
EngSoc's ability to remove (and burn)
those comment sheets deemed distasteful.
Another problem is the time given to
students to respond. Usually the
questionnaires are filled out in 15 minutes
during a lecture. The comment sheets are
seldom looked at because of the lack of
time. Some faculty would like to have an
entire tutorial set aside to complete the
forms. Another choice would be for
students to fill out the critiques at home
and hand them in the next day. Simply
giving students more time may produce
more effective results.
Dean Lennox flfffily believes in student
review of instructors. In a February 8
seminar on course critiques he said. "there
is value in asking the client whether the
product is useful." He believes that course
critiques are necessary as a learning
process for the instructor as well as for
performance review.
In an effort to improve the course
critique system, a commiuee is being
formed to look at the Members
will be selected from the administration,
faculty, and EngSoc.
As the primary source of information,
students must take the opponunity to
supply constructive criticism to
professors. Students must participate in
the process in order to maintain and
improve the quality of teaching at this
institution.
Page 2
Editorials
There has been a lot of talk lately
about the role of a student newspaper in a
university. Some people believe that it is
primarily supposed to cover school
events, sort of like the Waterloo
Chronicle. Others believe it is an
opportunity for creative students to
practice their writing skills about any
topic that interests them.
I believe it is a combination of the
two.
A strong student newspaper will cover
any event that is of interest to the
university community, but will also
indulge iL'l writers to write about some
issues wh ich are not normally printed in
the commercial press. As long as there is
a balance between the two, the student
newspaper will always be on strong
ethical ground.
But a newspaper's content is only as
good as its volunteers. Students won't
volunteer their time to write about things
that don't interest them. Therefore, the
best way to change a newspaper is to
join a newspaper and change it yourself.
The editorial policy of a student
newspaper is set by a democratically
elected board. If you arc not happy with
the paper, get elected to the board and have
the policy changed.
Taking a strong stance, and making
threats to with-hold funding does not
Canada is a country of paradoxes. One
of iL'l many contradictions is that although
it is amoung one of the most enduring and
succcsful states, it perpetually experiences
deep anxiety about its identity and
capacity to survive as a credible polity.
This distinguishing characteristic has been
seen during the constitutional debates of
the late Trudeau era; and most recently, in
the aftermath of the Meech Lack accord
(Constitution Amendment 1987).
What are the essential powers needed
by the federal government if Canada is to
remain a viable state? What is the
appropriate level of centralization of our
political system? How best to deal
politically the presence of two major
linguistic and cultural societies? What is
the most effcctive way of selecting people
for some fo our major governmental
institutions? How to ensure the full and
equal participation of heretofore neglected
and underrepresented groups? These
provoking questions have been heatedly
debated for the past two years.
One of the amendments to the original
The Iron Warrior is a forum (or
Ihouaht-provokin, and infonnative articles
preaCllleci by the academic communily of
the University of Waterloo: Views
expressed in the Iron Wmjor. other than
the editorials. are thOle of the aulhors and
do not neussarily reflect the opiniolll of
the editors or the Engineering Sociely.
The Iron Warrior encoura,es
submissions from students. faculty and
other members of the university
community. Submiuiolll should reOect the
conc:ems and intellectual standards of the
university in general. and should be
typewritten or neatly written. double-
spaced and on one of the page oo1y.
The authors name, class (if applicable) and
phone number should be included.
Iron Warrior
work. It will only make the situation
worse.
This also applies to The Iron Warrior.
If there is anything in this paper that you
do not agree with, please realize that we
are constrained by the efforts of our
volunteers. We can only print what we
receive.
***
The Imprint has mentioned The Iron
Warrior several times in recent weeks.
Twice it was in reference to our decision
prim a smaJ[ article about John Vellinga's
candidacy for President. We believe that
John's candidacy was news LO engineers.
Since it was not 'our' election, we
1867 constitution is the famous distinct
society clause--"The recognition that
Quebec constitutes within Canada a
distinct society." The clause also affirms
that the Quebec government have a
responsibility to preserve and promote
that distinct society. Another section of
Lhe same clause recognizes that. " .. .the
exisLance of French Canadians, centred in
Quebec but also present elsewhere in
Canada. and English speaking Canadians,
concentrated outside of Quebec but also
present in Quebec, constitutes a
fundamental characteristic of Canada." It
is affirmed that the Parliament of Canada
and the provincial legislatures to preserve
this fundamental characlCristic of Canada;
however, promote is not in the wording.
The treatment of the two declarations are
different in this way. but the Courts arl.-
instructed to interpret the Constitution of
Canada in a manner consistent with both.
This is something of the manner of the
beast known as the Meech Lake accord in
terms of form and wording.
The rest of Meech deals with
All submiuiou. unless otherwise
Slated. become t1ie property of the WuI
Warrior. which reserves the right to refuse
publication of material which it deems
unsuitable. The Iron Wmior also reservers
the right to edil grammar. spelling and
portions of text that do net meet university
stmdards. Authors will be notified of my
major changes that may be required.
All submissions and advertising
enquiries should be forwarded 10:
Iron W mjor
Engineering Society
CPH 1321
University of Waterloo
WATERLOO. Ontario
(519) 888-4762
excluded the non-engineering candidates
from our coverage.
The third time we were mentioned was
in reference to the sit-in. This was unfair
because iL implied that The Iron Warrior
was somehow connected wiLh the event.
We were not. I believe that no maller
how good our paper is, its COOlent will
always be perceived by outsiders as sexist.
How unfortunate.
t}) ,)
Elliott Si mcoe
amendments in immigration policies, the
Charter of Rights, appointments to the
Supreme Court of Canada, and the Senate,
and future constitutional conferences.
These amendments would see much of
Ottawa's authority transferred over to
provincial governments. It would also
give Quebec special standing in some
policy decision-making procedures.
The basic document is only several
pages long. In my opinion, it is easier to
read than any thermo text Press coverage
of the accord have waxed and waned during
the years but is again rising to a peak
level. As members of an information-rich
society which the accord directly affects,
we should be at least aware of the
consequences should the aecord be passed.
Unforturnately, many of us remains
ignorant regarding the accord. How can
we make decisions if we are not familiar
with the topic in question? The accord
affects illl Canadians, and is doing so even
without being ratified. It has polarized the
country into pro or con Quebec.
Unilingual townships are springing up
daily. Quebec is threatening separation.
Whether or not the threat is a valid one
does not malter, it causes the surface
chasm between anglo and francophones to
drift ever wider.
My point: We should all be more
knowledgeable about the accord. This
column has given a very brief account but
LO read the accord itself is not that painful.
Find out more and see what the noise is
all about.
Alice Zee
March 2, 1990
Editors
Elliott Simcoe
Alice Zee
Contributors
R. Caverson
Gregory Doucet
Paul Fieguth
Jay Gibson
Robert Graham
A. Huuman
L. Keedie
Cliff Knox
Jody Levine
Neal Massard
Garry Peterson
Alex Reed
Alexander N. Rink
G. Smith
P. Tremblay
Harvey Watson
Philip Willow
Andrea Zypchen
Photography
Matt PoweU
Andrew Reeves-Hall
Calendar
Cindy Warwick
Bill Kowalchyk
Adyertisiol:
Chris Fleck
Matt Manuel
Layout Staff
Mark Chahl
Art Drevnig
Carolyn French
Robert Graham
Ajay Jindal
John Kingdon
Bill Kowalchyk
Laurie Litwack
Garry Peterson
Chris Pratley
Jody Levine
Todd Ruthman
Ted Timar
Cindy Warwick
No Bu&s About It
Lindi Wahl, you're
tbe best!
r-------------,
I The Iron Warrior I
I is printed on I
I recycled paper. I
I I
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1
March 2, 1990
Iron Warrior
Letters To The Editor
To the Editor,
Misunderstandings tend to cause
emotional conflict and drive people and
groups apart Recently, in the faculty of
engineering, mild conflicts have arisen.
In both cases, some understanding of
each other's views will bring some
reconciliation to the groups, and will in
the future, help more people work
together, rather than against each other.
Indeed, mi sunderstanding is at the root of
much bitterness in many people's ordinary
lives.
In one particular case, I have looked at
editorials and letters concerning feminism
in this term's Iron Warrior. Nobody is
against sexual equality, except when there
is an obvious difference in capabilities
between men and women. Feminism tries
to compensate for the sexism which exists
in our society, through programs, grants,
and quotas established for women. Anti -
feminists are against such special
treatment for women, calling them unfair.
I myself was angered and took an anti-
feminist stance after the Montreal Killings
when men as a whole suffered backlashes 1
thought were unjustified from a few
women's groups.
However, the killings did reveal that
anti-feminism and thus sexism is a
problem in our world, and something
must be done. I believe that those people
who do not see the severity of sexism tend
to think that men and women are already
equal, and feminist compensations are
unnecessary. It seems that our attitude
are much fairer than \.hose of our parents
and grandparents with respect to sexual
equality. I can recall my own experience
with minority discrimination and
prejudice, and I think it is very hard for
people who are not involved to
understand. Just trying to comprehend
this or the sexism that exists, is a start.
... 1 believe that those people
who do not see the severity
of sexism tend to think that
men and women are already
eq ual ...
Female engineers still must work
harder 10 attain equal standing in industry,
and thus should be helped to compete.
Employment quotas may open some eyes
to discrimination, and provide training
which may be otherwise hard to obtain,
and which is necessary to help women
better compete. Scholarships for women
should be intended to provide some
financial security during studies, and
incentive to maintain a high level of
achievement. However, these awards
should not encourage women to enter or
remain in the discipline. Unfortunately,
these awards are the deciding factor for
many women to choose and stay in
engineering. When people do this, the
awards become unfair, and men should
then get a fair chance to win them as well.
DID Vou HEAR fHAI RoeLL) ?
6cNTL.ElMAN
vJE. no ro
PeOPLE:. WHO CAN 'r
L../sr THEIR STRENGr'J.I5
AND WAKNESSES I
The misunderstanding is one of proportion
and priority: How much sexism is there?
How high should we set our quotas
depending on \.he extent of \.he sexi m?
These arc questions that I cannot answer
myself.
It is true that many engineering
traditions are abu ive and sexi t. The
misunderstanding, however is how
seriously they should be taken. As long
as they are not taken literally, e pecially
outside the university, for example by
industry and in-coming students, they
should do no harm. For many people,
these events arc fun, and people participate
in them because they enjoy th.e activities.
However, as long as there is the danger of
these traditions being taken seriously,
perhaps we should be doing some re-
evaluation. I particularly dislike the
chant "System sucks" but r realize it is
not meant to be taken seriously.
Occasionally I do get confused, and 1 think
that some people really do at times think
that "System sucks". Here is the danger
of taking something meant 10 be harmless
too seriously.
I know this kind of pUlting yourself in
someone else's position is difficult.
People's motivations are complex, and
very often we do not act the way we wish
we could. Understanding involves concern
and caring, and to strangers we are usually
indifferent, and instinctive selfishness and
self-defence kicks in. 1nstead of
dismissing Marc Lepine as anti -feminist
or crazy, trying to understand him may be
better at preventing another similar
tragedy in the future.
Edmond Chow
lA S,.&... 0.,; ...
Erratum
The Letter To The Editor written
by Jennifer McLellan in the February 2nd
issue of The Iron Warrior was not
properly proof read before it went to press,
thus the meaning of some of its passages
may have been misconstrued.
The Iron Warrior regrets this error.
Page 3
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the actIvIty would increase,
particularly the number of women.
To The Editor,
I am writing to address some of the
concerns that have arisen about the Iron
Ring Stag. Oh, Oh! I can hear you saying
it now. More complaining. Well, I think
this is a new approach to an ongoing
debate.
It seems clear to me, from the many
conversations I've had with the people in
my class, that the Iron Ring Stag is due
for a change in format. Several different
complaints have been mentioned over
over again. 'I can't enjoy a party with
strippers', 'It is too expensive' , 'I don't
want my clothing tom off, 'The stag is
nonsense in the conte:..t of the
professionalism that the ring is supposed
to represent', and of course 'The I.R.S.
contributes to ritualistic sexism'.
1 feel that a good deal of the complaints
are just people whining. But on one point
in particular, I must agree. If the
organizers of next year's Iron Ring Stag
were to do away with the strippers, it
would be a significant improvement to the
party. The reasons are five fold; .
1. The primary objective of thiS
function (for more 4th year students
to come out and have a good time)
would be accomplished. The
number of poople willing to attend
2. The number of people no longer
willing to attend the activity would
be relatively minor (and besides,
who needs them).
3. I believe I'm correct in saying that
by simply cutting out the strippers
(and making the shorts optional),
the I.R.S. ticket price of $20 could
be approximately halved.
4. A party of this format would
alleviate the worries of those who
feel the stag is an affront LO their
professionalism.
5. There would be one less reason to
point the sexist finger at Waterloo
engineers.
The argument for retaining the stag in
its present form for the sake of tradition is
rubbish. If the tradition is unpopular,
then why keep the tradition?
I believe that relatively few people
attend the stag because there are going to
be strippers. If they wanted to, they could
catch them any day of the week in any
number of local establishments. I have
been told by a number of graduates that
people party so hard at the stag that they
paid little attention to the strippers. If
this is the case, then just how necessary
are these strippers?
Greg LOBne, HWY '90
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Page 4
Iron Warrior
From The Desk Of The President
by Jay Gibson
In my last two articles, I have been a
bit "up on the soapbox", preaching about
our image and our attitudes. In the past
few weeks, many other people have joined
the discussion. Besides the hours of
discussion around the Eng Soc Office, I
am talking about the fallout from the Arts
Lecture Sit-in and other related Imprint
articles.
Let me say first that the Arts Lecture
Sit-in was our mistake. We have offered
our formal apology to Professor
Gerhardstein, and we hope that the maller
can be settled as soon as possible.
In regards to the Imprint articles there
is little I can say, since they are opinion
articles. However, it is a shame that
people fecI compelled to write a letter to
the editor rather than approach the parties
involved dircctly. Neither Judy Hollands
nor Stephen Shoshan came to Eng Soc
with their concerns. Had they come to
me first, I could have considered their
complaints. 1 would have them shown
them what steps we already have taken and
what we are planning to do in the future.
More importantly, I could have asked for
more constructive criticism.
I respect Judy's and Stephen's opinions,
I just wish they had chosen a more
congenial forum. I pride myself on
being open to criticism and always
available 10 students who have complaints
and suggestions. As Elioll says in his
editorial, the best way to change an or-
ganization is to join it, not fight it.
Times, they are a' changin'. So is the
Engineering Society. We are not perfect
(yet!), but we have taken a lot of positive
steps in the past few terms. If you want
to keep seeing improvements - speak up,
get involved. 1f we don't listen, or refuse
your advice, THEN write letters to the
editor!
On a lighter note, congratulations to
the newly elected Fed Executive: John
Vellinga (President), Kim Speers
(V.P.U.A), and Tess Sliwinski (V.P.O.F).
There was a lot of election talk about
improving Fed/Society relations. With
this new Exec, it seems that the talk will
become a reality.
Debate's DeTalk Of DeTown
by Cliff Knox
Debates Director
Well, what can I tell you? It's March,
and that means it's also time for the
Sandford Fleming Foundation Engineering
Debates. For the past few weeks, debaters
throughout engineering have been
engaging in verbal intercourse to
determine the outcome of such resolutions
as "American television is the root of all
evil," or "The Iron Warrior is a beller
newspaper than the Imprint"
Each term, the Sanford Fleming
Foundation sponsors these lively, and
highly ent.ertaining debates. The format is
off-topic, meaning that the Government
and Opposition teams are given five
minutes to prepare their arguments, once
lhe Resolution has been adopted. This
usually means that creative license is often
taken in defining the Resolution, and in
presenting evidence for both sides -
sometimes with hilarious results.
Teams from all five departments in
engineering will be competing in the
semi-final round next week, and the
department with the highest participation
is allowed to enter two teams. This round
consists of two concurrent three-team
round robin series, and the respective
winners go on to the finals. The series is
scheduled for March S, 6 and 7, in El-
3505 and EI-3509, from 12:30 to ]:30
each day (complimentary C&D will be
provided).
The final round will be held in POETS
on March 9, at 12:30. The Winter 1990
champions will receive $100 each, plus
their names will be engraved on the SFF
debating trophy (runners-up receive $50
each). Come watch your distinguished
colleagues expound on noble topics, akin
LO the most useful applications for lime
jello. What a way to top off Engineering
Week! (Sorry, the Debates Directorship
cannot provide frcc "Milk & Cookies.")
The Science-Engineering Debate for the
prized Eastman Trophy is planned to be
held around the third week of March.
Details will be announced when the date
and location have been finalized.
If you just can't wait for these
wondrous activities, you can also come
and support our teams at the Ontario
Undergraduate Engineering Debates. The
University of Toronto is hosting the 4th
annual competition tomorrow, March 3, at
Hart House (downtown campus) from 9:30
am to 3:30 pm. The reigning 'A' Soc and
'B' Soc champions will be defending our
honour in an attempt to bring the coveted
Silver Tongue Award back home. So if
you are planning to be in Toronto
anyway, why not drop in and checr our
teams on 10 victory.
Watch the Whiteboard for details of
daily competitions, and come Out to
support your favourite teams, or just to
heckle them, but plan to malce them part
of your Engineering Week festivities.
The Sandford Fleming Foundation
March 2, 1990
I Think ...
To The Editor,
The front page of the last I.W. had the
headline "Petition Denounces U of A
Engineers". It made me curious as to
what the engineers of Alberta did to
deserve that. It turns out, however, that
only a few U of A engineers were
involved, rather than the entire engineering
body.
The article underneath the headline
presented a petition demanding drastic
action, which was sent to t.he Dean of
Engineering at the University of Alberta.
The group of student individuals,
which the petition addresses, does not
represent the University as a whole, or a
faculty thereof. Their actions were not an
example of typical engineering behavior.
Their actions were criminal. They could
have been charged if Celest.e Brosseau had
taken proper actions. The ushers of the
play could have physically removed them
and charged them with creating a public
disturbance. Therefore, I fecI the petition
was inappropriately sent to the Dean of
Engineering as it was a criminal maLler
that should have been dealt with on the
spot.
The contents of the petition suggested
drastic actions to be taken by the faculty
of engineering. One action was for all
male students and faculty to attend
seminars. Other actions talked about
dealing with anti-female situations and the
expression of women's issues. I fccl these
ideas either did not pertain to the rude
behavior that occurred or they were not
presented in a valid enough manner to be
included in the petition.
I interpreted the disturbing havoc
created by the group of students as a
subjective slanderous outcry made towards
an individual. While on the other hand,
the petition unjustly associates all
engineering students with strong feminism
issues.
Since the Montreal disaster, women's
issues in engineering are of current
concern. It is important to handle them
accurately without going overboard with
sweeping generalizations. I feel the
petition sent to the Dean of Engineering at
U of A was poorly written and was not
the appropriate response for such a
situation.
T.M. Powell
3D Systems Design
Room 4366, Carl Pollock Hall (519) 885-1211, Ext. 4008
University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1
'iJ@
Student Travel Grants
Undergraduate Debates
Teaching Assistant Awards
Karen Mark Scholarship
Available to students participating in technical conferences
- Contact Prof. W. Loucks (E&CE) for additional information.
Winter 1990 Finals- on March 9 in POETS
- Faculty Coordinator is Prof. R. Soulis (CivE).
Think about nominating YOUR outstanding TA for
this prestigious award.
Scholarship established in memory of Karen Mark
- to be available to women in 3rd Year Engineering.
An organization devoted to the advancement of engineering education.
March 2, 1990
Iron Warrior
Page 5


Chernobyl & Ben
Electromuscular stimulation? Chemical
compounds which reduce injury recovery
time?
Where should the boundary be drawn?
by Andrea Zypchen
4B Systems Design
Nuclear energy is viewed by some as
the answer to the world's growing energy
crisis. Viewed as environmentally friendly
in comparison to traditional energy
sources, it is regarded as an option which
will meet our present growing needs for
energy while renewable forms of energy
alternatives are explored.
Canada's nuclear power system is
viewed as one of the safest in the world.
A design process with endless checks and
balances built into it, numerous safety
systems with backups and highly trained
staff, contribute to a reputable, safe
system.
When systems of lower quality design
(such as the CANDU reactor) are sold to
countries where corners are cut on safety
due to cost, staff is less well trained, and
standards are not enforced to the same
exleOl, a potential disaster waits. One
highly publicized example of this is
Chernobyl.
A poor containment design.
insufficiently enforced safety procedures
and multiple human errors culminated in
two explosions in the Chernobyl reactor
core. Millions of curies of radiation were
released into the atmosphere, carried by
wind, and deposited by rain for thousands
of kilometres.
This was the worst industrial accident
ever. Not in terms of immediate deaths,
but in terms of the estimated tens of
thousands of Europeans that will die of
cancer due to ingesting contaminated food
and water; in terms of the destroyed
Laplander culture due to the possible end
The Campus As A Lab?
by S.A. Jones
David W. Orr. one of the founders of
the Meadowcreek enviromental education
and research project in Fox, Arkansas, will
visit the University of Waterloo on Friday
and Saturday, March 9-10, 1990.
On Saturday March 10, Orr will give a
limited enrolment workshop for intereslCd
persons on "The campus as laboratory."
"Every campus takes in food, energy,
and water and discards wastes," Orr
explains, "but it typically gives lillie
thought to how the e flows affect the
biosphere, the local economy, or the
prospect of building a sustainable world."
In the workshop Orr will discuss recent
studies carried out at colleges in Arkansas
and Ohio, where students investigalCd food
systems at two institutions, examining
"where, how much and at what cost" the
colleges purchased food, and what
alternatives were available.
"This event will show us at Waterl.oo
what Meadowcreek has been doing, and
how we might get started on doing the
same thing," says workshop organizer
Sally Lerner, a professor in UW's
department of environment and resource
studies.
In the Arkansas study, students found
that the college bought only nine percent
of its food within the state, even though
Arkansas is mainly agricultural. The
college has since acted on their findings
and has increased in-state food purchases
dramaLicall y .
Another study, conducted at Carleton
College in Minnesota--a location that has
much in common with Waterloo-has
focused on all resource flows on the
campus.
"The campus as a resource processing
system is a laboratory that can contribute
to students' intellectual breadth and
practical competence," Orr conlCnds.
Orr's home base, the Meadowcreek
project, is a non-profit organization
established about 10 years ago for
education and research in applied ecology.
agriculture, renewable energy. forestry and
wildlife as well as the "ethical, social,
economic and political aspect s of
u tainability."
Orr. sees the Meadowbrook type of
approach as continuing in the spirit of
American educational philosopher John
Dewey, who first propounded the idea of
the classroom as a laboratory for
expcrimentialleaming.
Co-sponsors of Orr's visit to Waterloo
are the Department of Environment and
Resource Studies; the Faculty of
Environmental Studies; the Department of
Systems Design Engineering; the Centre
for Society, Technology and Values; the
Faculty of Engineering; and the Teaching
Resources and Continuing Education
office.
The workshop will take place in Room
221 of the Environmental Studies 1
building on Saturday, March 10 from 9
a.m. to 3 p.m. There is no registration
fee. but space is limited and pre-
registration is required. Lunch will be
available for $6.00. Deadline for
registration is Tuesday, March 6.
To pre-regislCr. or [or more details, call
Prof. Sally Lerner at (519) 885-1211, ext.
3060.
You're Right, It Does Sound Like A Harmonica
of reindeer fanning.
Ben John on may soon be able to
compete in international track events. A
recent Globe and Mail columnist stated
that Ben's body has been irrever ibly
altered by slCroids and he hould never be
able to compete.
Is Ben John on human or superhuman?
How hould we perceive him? As
human, because he lied, got caught, and
was reprimanded? As a pawn, manipulated
by his coach, the entire sporting system,
and his country?
Alternatively, he could be viewed as a
professional businessman, using all
possible means at his disposal to extend
the physical human boundaries on speed.
Using this view, what arc acceptable
tools? Masterfully engineered shocs? A
technologically advanced artificial running
surface? Clothes wh ich have been
engineered to cause less wind resistance?
Can it be drawn? By whom?
At a recent international 50 kilometre
nordic ski race, two competitors tied for
first place by a tenth of a second. The
next hundredth of a second was used to
determine the winner. Is it human to
differentiate between two humans on the
basis of a hundredth of a second?
Technology has dramatically changed
the nature of sport. well as challenging
what it means 10 be human. On February
27. at 2:30 to 3:30. in the Burnt
Matthews Hall student lounge (BMH
1039), Jay Thompson spoke on the topic:
"Ben Johnson: A limit on being
human?" Jay is a Kinesiology. professor
who has a wide understanding of sport in
Canada. The event was sponsored by
Pugwash, the Centre [or Society
Technology and the Kinesiology Students
Association.
For more information on this event, or
Pugwash's activities in general. contact
Andrea Zypchen at 747-1808.
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886-0840
Page 6
Iron Warrior
March 2, 1990
Engineers In Oz
by R. Caverson,
A. Huurman, L. Keedie,
G. Smith & P. Tremblay
A group of five Waterloo engineering
students have recently returned from an
exchange with the University of
Technology in Sydney. We got a good
taste of the Aussie culture ... actually more
like a gutful.
The beer flowed non-stop down there.
We can verify the classic, beer guzzling,
Aussie stereotype. The Prime Mninister,
Bob Hawke, once held the Australian
National record for singles boat racing!
We reckon that comer pubs are far more
numerous than convenience stores in
Canada. We frequented them with our
mates to support the local brew
(compulsory). Each state has their own
favorite beer, be it Toohey's, XXXX,
V.B., the list goes on. They all think that
Canadians drink Moosehead!
The weather in Sydney was quite wet
while we were studying. Records were set
for the amount of rain in the first part of
1989. In the winter it gets cool at night.
At times you would actually have to wear
long pants and socks. Although it could
hardly be described as fierce and merciless
by Canadian standards, the Aussies
constanLly twinge about the 'cold'. In
southern Australia the tcmperture
occasionally drops below zero and skiing
is the sport of the Snowy Mountains.
Sydney is a beautiful city marked by
the Opcra House and Harbour Bridge. One
AUSTRALIA
evening, wc five Watcrloo Canuck
Plummers felt daring and took an
opportunity to admire Sydney from the
top of the opera house (a view and evening
never to be forgollen). On that same
night we had the chance to view Sydney
from the top of Harbour bridge.
The major sports are "footy" (rugby),
and cricket. In Victoria, Aussie rules
footy is particularly popular. After
learning the rules, they are all really good
games. Footy is non-stop action while
cricket is slow, deliberate and strategic.
We have all met heaps of great people
and made lots of friends. The laid-back
Aussie lifestyle is easy to enjoy and the
people make it fun. Their accent is
typical to that of Paul Hogan's. It took
some getting used to but now we can
>.
1
...
" o
understand them and their sayings, no
worries. At first they had trouble
understanding us too.
Australia is a vast rugged and harsh
country, much like Canada. The majority
of the population clings to the coastline,
in the big cities of Sydney, Melbourne,
Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Darwin.
The arid red heart of the continent, the
outback, is cruel and unforgiving. The
pancake land is scorching hot in the
summer, at times up to 500C.
Clear night skies cause the
temperatures to plummet, often to
freezing. This year was one of the wettest
since white settlement in Australia. We
were fortunate enough to see a dead,
parched desert become green with both
plant and animal life --- extremely rare.
We even swam at Ayer's Rock, in the eye
of the continent. Other travelling
adventrues include the Great Barrier Reef,
Kakadu National Park and most of the
major cities.
School was/ OK. It is small,
concentrated inpowntown Sydney, mostly
in a 30 noor tower and an engineering
building. As an university, it is typical,
always keeping you busy, always heaps of
fun.
All of us found jobs down under for the
work term. All of us found it difficult to
leave and we will never forget the good
friends we've made and what good times
we've had. We all miss Oz already
especially when stepping outside with
heavy coats on.
Keep your eyes open for the Australian
exchange students here on campus and
welcome thcm ... "G'day!"
Norman Ball Speaks
by Cliff Knox,
38 Electrical
Despite the foul weather, and the lure
of a four-day weekend, about thirty or
forty kindred spirits remained on campus
Friday, February 16 to listen to an address
by Dr. Norman Ball, entitled "Are
Reasonable Dreams Possible About
Technology?'
Dr. Ball is the Northern Telecom
Professor of Engineering Impact at UW.
Fonnerly the senior curator at the National
Museum of Science and Technology in
Ottawa, he is known for his book, "Mind,
Heart and Vision: Professional
Engineering in Canada 1887-1987," and as
a regular columnist for the APEO Journal,
"Engineering Dimensions." His address
was co-sponsored by the Centre for
Society, Technology and Values, Northern
Telecom Canada Ltd. and the Dean of
Engineering.
Through a series of anecdotes, ranging
from Greek mythology, to the
monumental engineering work at Iron
Bridge, Ontario, Dr. Ball directed the
audie.nce to renect on the history of
technological development, and its impact
on society in specific periods. Among the
topics discussed was the once widely held
belief that the English people had some
inherent defect which made them incapable
of casting iron for tools.
... engineers must develop
an awareness of the needs of
society ...
An equally spurious notion was that
railroad travel would reduce criminal
activity, since the engines moved so
incredibly fast that it would be impossible
to rob a train. Then there was the idea that
the arrival of the automobile would signal
the end to urban pollution, since there
would be no manure or urine from horses,
or clallering of their hooves against the
paving stones. .
Dr. Ball provided an answer to hIS
question by insisting that technological
dreams are reasonable, but only if they are
weighed for validity in the context of
society. He pointed out that much of
modem engineering involves the blind
application of technology, without
consideration for its context or suitability
as a solution to a given problem. Even as
innovative new technologies are
developed, we tend use conventional
problem scenarios to assess their overall
usefulness, without considering that
unknown applications may exist. It was
suggested that in order to develop
technology effectively, engineers must
develop an awareness of the needs of
society, and direct their work so as to
anticipate these needs.
He further indicated that engineering is
undergoing a kind of renaissance, in that
many engineers are now developing a keen
interest in the societal aspects of
technology, and now is the time to
introduce programs like those offered by
the Centre for Society, Technology and
Values.
If blowing one's hom is a good way to
gain recognition to one's achievements,
then Dr. Ball is a virtuoso. During the
question period, he mentioned that his
position involved travel to engineering
schools across Canada, to provide
consultation in establishing
interdisciplinary programs in their
curriculums. He also announced his
forthcoming book, a ICxt for both students
and practicing engineers, outlining the
relationship between societal values and
technological development.
Dr. Ball will be speaking at the K-W
Engineers Breakfast Club on Tuesday,
March 13. The club meets from 7:30 to
8:30 am in the Laurel Dining Room at
South Campus Hall, and features a
continental breakfast for $3.75 per person.
Anyone wishing to allend should contact
Georgette Verspagen at the Engineering
Alumni Association (X6838).
Somethingts Brewing at Lionts
Restored CentUl"y-Old
Brewery & Cavern
Excellent chemical-free beer
brewed on premiSes
Dell Sandwiches
Homemade Soups & Salads
DlIU1ers
Take a look at some local
facmaUng brewery artifacts
Speakeasy's 'Bllliards - Darts
Hours:
Monday to Saturday
12 p.m. - 1 a.m.
Locnted at the corner of Princess nnd
King Streets in Uptown Waterloo
ENTER OFF PRINCESS STREET
PHONE: (519) 886-3350
March 2, 1990 Iron Warrior
Page 7
EngSoc Surveys Itself
by Jody Levine
Vice-President, EngSoc A
For those of you who remember the
EngSoc survey which was circulated last
summer, the are in. Instead of
showering you with reams of numbers, I
decided to give you a summary of what
you like and whal you hate, and to respond
to some of your comments.
By far, the favourite events were the
social ones. The scavenger hunt and
athletic events were the most popular, and
many people enjoyed the boat cruise,
POETS parties and the Blue Jays road trip.
People talked about the need to relax
among friends, either with or without
alcohol, and found that these events did the
trick.
Many found that the scavenger hunt
promoted class spirit and was a really good
time. Some complained that it was
expensive and was not worth the society'S
money. I would like to remind yout that
the society does not pay for the scavenger
hunt, the participants do.
A lot of people liked sports, although
some felt that they were too competitive
(co-ree broom ball can get pretty serious). I
encourage classes to have a "fun" team as
well as a competitive one, in order to
attract new participants.
For those who do not participate in
Eng. Soc. social events, you may want to
try them. You'll get a chance to meet
people, as we will be doing our best to
encourage members of other faculties to
attend.
Drinking events had mixed reviews.
Many like being drunk, enjoy the sport of
boat racing. and like the social aspect of
alcohol, but others felt alienated by the
myth that real engineer mu, t drink.
Although boat racing is not to disappear,
thc Eng. Soc ncither pays for it nor
officially endorses it. The image of the
drunken engincer is a problem, not a
quality. I think that drinking can be fun,
but let the record show that the society is
not meant to be a feeder to Alcoholics
Anonymous.
I appreciate all of the constructive
comments written down regarding
POETS. People like POETS for a lot of
different reasons, and we will try to
accommodate as many of them as
possible. We have recently acquired the
big screen T.V., and the new bars, and are
working on licencing the patio and
installing a clock.
... We have the best C & D
on campus ...
For those who suggested vending
machines, we have decided against them.
Most people use POETS during C&D
hours, and failing that there are vending
machines on the fourth floor in the grad
lounge immediately above POETS.
As far as getting pop and different
kinds of alcohol are concerned, right now
we must accept what bar services gives us.
We are trying to work out a deal to get
different beer, coolers, mixed drinks (the
law says that we need a sink) and possibly
some of the profits, but this may not
happen for a while. We can get pop
through bar services, but it would be 70
as compared to the C&D's 50.
Refundable Fees?
by Adrian Earle
38 Electrical
Did you realize that some of the
incidental fees that are included on your fee
statement are completely voluntary? This
article will help you get your money back
from organizations that you choose not to
support.
There are two categories of refundable
fees. The first is voluntary, refundable
and not a requirement for registration
(Undergrad Calendar 3:8). The fees that
fall into this group are WPIRG, Sandford
Heming Foundation (for engineers only) ,
Radio Waterloo, Imprint and Faculty of
Science Foundation Fee (for science only).
If you decide, for whatever reason, that
you do not wish to support lhese groups,
there are two ways to get a refund.
The first way is to go to the office of
each respective group and ask for a refund.
You fill out a form and they will
eventually write you a cheque for the fee
amount. You must apply for your refund
within three weeks from the start of
... organizations often
count on this apathy factor ...
lectures. Obviously this is a hassle and
many people will not bother to apply for a
refund even if they strongly object to one
of the above organisations. These
often count on this apathy
factor.
The second method is to simply not
pay this category of fees in the fiM place.
You can do this because these fees arc not
required for registration. lust draw a line
through the fee and deduct the fee amount
from the total payable on your fee
statement. Nothing could be easier.
The second kind of refundable fcc is
required for registration. That means that
you must pay it at the same time that you
pay your tuition. These fees are the
Federation of Students fee and the
individual society fees, like EngSoc. The
recently approved Voluntary Student
Contribution will also be in this category.
To get these fees back you must go to the
respective office and ask for a refund.
Again this must be done in the first three
weeks of term. However if you do gel a
refund, do not expect to get any of the
services that these groups offer.
If you have health insurance that is
equivalent to that of the Student Health
Insurance Plan, you can get the health
insurance fee refunded. Some companies
enroll their co-op students in the corporate
health plan which is equivalent to UW's
plan. OHIP and similar provincial plans
are not considered equivalent and it is
university policy that you must have
some kind of coverage. To get this fcc
back, go to the cashiers office in Needles
Hall with proof of equivalent health
coverage and ask for a health insurance
refund form. Fill it out and the
University will mail you a cheque in a
couple of weeks. This has to be done at
the beginning of term.
For more information consult Chapter
3 of your Umb"gmduate calendar.
- . -
, ,
Expansions of POETS arc
prohi bitively e).pcn ive, as would be
leaving it permanently unlocked. Any
ugge ' Lions for decoration arc appre iale-d.
Many commented that w have thr be! I
C&D on campu . This is entirely true. I
also agree that it i' a pilY that food
services won't allow u to serve hot f0Od,
chocolate bars, etc,
By the same loken, we an't ell any
form of stationery supplies from the
orifice, lest we undermine the bookstore.
Stamps arc a good idea, however, and we
already have a mailbox.
... Many people wallted a
funny publication ...
As someone described the orifice as
being "ominous'; along with there being
numerous complaints about its being
crowded and disorganized, we will be
fixing it up. Any suggestions arc
welcome .
We arc in the process of changing
photocopier suppliers, and should be
experiencing fewer breakdowns. Venda
Cards are a problem, since we would have
to collect money from the library, bUl if
you have many copies to make you may
ask Cheryl for the key counter.
Unfortunately, because of insurance
concerns, we cannot leave the MacBooth
open all of the Lime. We will, however, be
looking into an answering machine which
will announce the operating hours.
Because many people do not pick up
their laser printouts, or do and don't pay
for them, laser printing profits are indeed
minimal. We will not be reducing the fee.
Engineering publications received
surprisingly lillIe constructive comment.
Many wanted a funny publication and a
separate serious one. J hope thal the
current Iron Warrior and Newsleuer arc
satisfactory. Submissions and suggestions
are always appreciated.
There always has been a publicity
problem in engineering. Through the
whitcboard, the newsletter, the Iron
Warrior and the class reps, I hope that
people arc having an easier time finding
out about events. Since many of you
uggc ted that your class reps arc your
best source of information, I encourage
you to please give them your auention
while they arc making announcemenl<;.
Discouraging them benefits no one; they
arc your link to us.
In general, I was disappointed by the
people who were obviously dissatisfied
with the engineering society, yet did not
indicate why or what can be done about it,
i.e., lhose who filled out the last line of
the survey on Iy. There were not very
many of them, but they may as well not
have been there at all. I was also
embarrassed by the 17% of responses
(about onc third of those who bothered to
comment at all) which suggested that the
society should be the area distributor of
girlie photos, sexist literature and
prostitution. Enough is enough, grow up.
As for those who would like to know
where all the money is going, the EngSoc
budget may be inspected by anybody at
any time. We arc willing to justify every
penny.
I have tried to answer as many
questions as possible, yet I have not
covered everything. If you have any further
comments, please come in and talk to us.
It's your society. We wanl to hear from
you.
Sigma-Chi Plans
Dance-A-Thon
by Dave Smith
Once again the Sigma Chi Fraternity at
the University of Waterloo is staging their
annual Dance-a-thon in support of the
Big Brothers Association of K-W. The
Dance-a-thon will take place Friday, Mar,
9th, beginning at 8 pm., continuing until
noon Saturday in the Campus Centre
Great Hall. The sixtecn hour marathon is
open to any interested individuals. This
fun-filled event can be experienced by
paying a mere $15.00 entrance fee for
singles and $25.00 for couples. This fcc
includes a commemorative t-shirt, pizza,
refreshments, the chance LO win numerous
prizes (including a grand prize trip for two
to beautiful Montreal) and the privilege of
supporting a worthy cause. The object is
to dance as long as possiblc, up to a
maximum of sixleen hours.
The members of the Sigma Chi
Fraternity are very proud to organize such
an event. Our goal for this year, is to
raise between two to thrcc thousand
dollars. If you like to dance, enjoy good
music, and do not want to spend another
weekend deciding what to do or where to
go, then come on out and dance your
socks off with Sigma Chi and help
support Big Brothers. You might just be
lucky enough to win the trip to Montreal;
or if your really keen, make yourself
$200.00 richer by bringing in the most
pledge contributions. puS points will
also be awarded to participating engineers,
For more information and pledge
sheets, please contact Dave Smith at 884-
7117, or the Sigma Chi Fraternity at 746-
1897.
10%
discount for
a 1 J stUdents
come see us
for your
Grad BaJl
Corsages
&
Boutonnieres
50 Westmount Place
(S 19) 886-6410
Page 8
Iron Warrior March 2, 1990
Eng

Weekend
March 2, 1990 Iron Warrior Page 9
Feb. 1-3
Page 10
Iron Warrior
Concrete Toboggan Triumphs
by Alex Reed
2A Civil
On the snowswept slopes of Calgary's
Olympic Park, 49 teams from across
Canada, including two teams from
Waterloo, recently competed in the 1990
Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race.
The competition wac; held February 16-18
by the University of Calgary. 19 people
from the Civil Engineering classes of
Dam Good and Highway 90 sent two
toboggans to the competition.
Preparation for the competition started last
summer, and resulted in two concrete sleds
raci ng (cartwhccling?) down the Olympic
slopes.
Fundraising began in May, and money
was received from corporate sponsors,
EngSoc, engineering pubs in POETS and
Fed Hall, and from the Highway 90
Barbecues. Despite all this activity, the
total money required for the trip was raised
only the day before the teams left for
Calgary.
Highway 90 poured the concrete for
their toboggan in the first week of January
and spent every weekend working on the
sled until it was sent out two weeks before
the competition. Dam Good built theirs
at the same time, spending over 200 hours
designing and building their braking
system.
The competition was judged in the
following categories: Team Spirit and
Presentation, Best Design, Running Speed
and Braking Performance. The
presentations were made at the University
of Calgary on Friday the 16th and race was
held on the slopes of Calgary Olympic
Park on Saturday.
Weather played an extremely important
role, of course. No, not Calgary weather -
- the weather at Pearson Airport. Eight of
the ten members of the Highway 90 team
were stranded at Pearson when the big
snowstonn struck Thursday the 17th. No
nights left Toronto until the next day and
the team arrivcd in Calgary at Ilpm on
Friday.
The Bobbsey Dectuplts.
We used the HP for this one.
March 2, 1990
Despite the late arrivals, the toboggan
presentations were judged on Friday. Dam
Good was triumphant, winning the
judging over 48 competitors. Due to their
late arrival, Highway 90 did not fare so
well.
The Concrete Toboggan Race became
an international competition this year,
with teams from B.C. to Quebec and one
team from the state of Washington. The
toboggans ranged in weight from 75
pounds up to a massive 1000 pound
saucer-shaped sled. Word has it that the
saucer (from British Columbia Institute of
Technology) was equipped with a built-in
stereo system.
The race was held Saturday morning.
Highway 90 was drawn as the sixth team
to start. The team descended the difficult
course and was the first one to actually
c;ross the finish line. Their speed at the
end was 50km/h. Dam Good! was the
30th team to start Initially all went well
until the first main tum of the race. The
toboggan approached the sloping right
hand turn at 30km/h, and left the track
halfway through the tum. The sled and its
five occupants cartwheeled over the left
embankment and into a snowdrift beyond.
The toboggan landed on two team
members and was somewhat damaged
itself. Fortunately, only one person was
slightly hurt. Dam Good! raced a second
time but the sled was too damaged to
break any speed records in its condition.
To make up for all the tearns which did
not complete the course one team (I don't
know which one) went out of its way to
extend it: they broke through a safety net
beyond the finish line, continued down the
hill, crossed a road, and stopped just short
of falling into a creek valley.
The University of Calgary won the
race, but L'Ecole Poly technique of
Montreal was awarded first place in the
competition overall and shall host the
event in 1991. McGill earned the runner-
up position.
Both Waterloo toboggans should be
home Friday (today), and will be on
display on Campus Day, Tuesday, March
13th. Both teams wish to thank
Uni vcrsity of Calgary for being an
excellent and a well-organized host. A
good time was had by all.
Tap Water Filter: Improving Water Quality
by Neal Massard,
UWalumni
The recent media attention to thc
presence of chemicals in Ontario water has
raised our awareness of contaminants in
our drinking water. Peoplc arc seeking
methods to improve water quality. This
article will outline the bcnefits and
drawbacks to the various alternatives.
Existing water treatment systems in
Canada were not designed to filter out the
myriad of industrial pollutants which exist
today. For instance, a 1980 ministry of
environment study showcd Toronto water
contained more than a dozen industrial
pollutants. This was not lake water but
actual Toronto tap water. Water treatment
systems cannot filter ch lorinated
compounds such as trihalomcthanes which
arc created when chlorine is used to kill
bacteria and viruses in water. Some
chlorinated compunds such as chloroform
arc carcinogens.
Some people have sought out spring
water or well water (hoping it will not be
contaminated with the usual industrial
pollutants which enter municipal water
systems) only to find the watcr contains
chemicals such as fertilizer. Also, well or
spring water is not usually chlorinated. If
chlorine-free water is not handled properly
or left to stand, bacteria and viruses can
grow which can cause serious health
problems. Boiling tap water kills bacteria
and viruses, but docs not rid water of most
industrial pollutants. Boiling also
eliminates chlorinc so the water must be
handled properly and not left to stand.
Distillation of water eliminates bacteria
and viruses, but only some pollutants.
Unfortunately, distillation rids water of
salts and minerals which are essential to
our health. Therefore, people using
distilled water or distillation processes
should receive daily mineral supplements
to maintain proper health. Distillation
also eliminates chlorine so the usual
precautions should be taken. Similar
problems may exist bottled spring or
distilled water.
The ministry of environment docs not
test thc quality of bouled water in Ontario.
Some distributors of distilled bottled water
add extra minerals which are lost in the
distillation process; however, no
legislation exists which requires them LO
do so.
Carbon treaunent systems are the most
effective of the inexpensive methods to rid
water of industrial pollutants and chlorine
compounds. Carbon systems absorb
chemicals such as trichlorethylene which
have raised local attention. Fortunately,
carbon systems do not absorb essential
minerals.
Carbon systems must bc used with
caution. Carbon filters eliminate chlorine
so the filters themselves provide a
breeding ground for bacteria and viruses.
Filters must be replaced frequently. For
these reasons carbon loses its effectiveness
with time. Solidified or compressed
carbon is preferable to granular carbon
because the latter allows water to find free
paths around the carbon which reduces its
effectiveness.
The selection of various water
treatment techniques is complicated and
should be made with care. All methods
can be hazardous if used improperly.
People with chronic health problems,
infants or people who must drink large
quantities of water should consult a
physician.
March 2, 1990 Iron Warrior
Page 11
Looking For Trends In All The Wrong Places
by Philip Willow
Statistics may be the worst of the three
kinds of lies. but that doesn't mean they
aren't interesting. Take. for example, this
years stats on applications to Ontario
universities. The first choices of faculty
of soon to be graduating high school
students reflect their (and to an extent
society's) views on job preferences and
opportunities. Selection of universities
shows how student's view the institutions.
Since this happens to be 1990. let's
pretend we've hit on trends for the
nineties.
Table 1 shows the breakdown by
faculty. What does this mean? Are young
stockbrokers becoming nurses? Will our
forests burn up? Are street kids out of
luck? Actually, to the degree that these
numbers mean anything. they show a
improvement in interest in the pure
and applied sciences. just the thing people
say Canada needs to remain (become?)
competitive on the world stage. That's us
folks. New scholarships. particularly for
omen. may also have contributed.
Wall Street's bust. and roving
unemployed stockbrokers (have you read
lJiar's Poker) could account for the decrease
Business Administration. even at the
undergrad level. Not to fear. though - the
MBA lives on as the requisite corporate
rung.

ThW
from 89
Arts 43 I
Business 13 -7
Education 3 13
Engineering 8 5
Forestry .1 -23
Math 2 11
Nursing 1 7
Science 13 -2
Social Work 1 -26
Table 1: Applications by Faculty
Nearly half the students applied to
Arts. Perhaps they want a general
education, or are unwilling to commit to a
particular field. This is the norm. It is
sometimes easy in engineering to forget
that the average university student doesn't
ever solve a differential equation.
Applications by university are shown
in Table 2. Clearly glasnost has taken Ll-ae
wind out of RMC's sails. Do the declines
in Western and Queens signify waning
yuppiedom? Waterloo seems to be
benefitting from an improving reputation
and increased shopping facilities. U of T.
while still in the lead. is declining. Being
1/75000 of the student body may not
appeal to many people any more. Not
listed are non-Ontarian universities. but
McGill and Oalhou ie are on the rise and
have been louted as "hot" schools - the
places to be. It seems Waterloo still falls
a little short there.
Direct comparison is possible because
the overall number of applications
remained constant. for the first time in
more than a decade. A recent article in the
Toronto Star called this a "bust" for
Ontario universities. In this era of
professed restraint on the part of
governments. these numbers may fl:lJ'ther
harm the drive to improve university
funding.
Table 2:Applications by University
Universil,y
R.M.C.
Queens
Toronto
Waterloo
Western
W.L.U.
York
.02
7
16
9
11
6
9

from 89
-89
-7
-5
8
-10
3
6
Don't Be A H
r::,
(reprinted with permission from the
Oral Otis. U. of Ollawa.)
If nothing else. four years of
engineering should teach you to what
degree of accuracy specifications must be
followed. Below is a sample of the
stringent specifications with which you
will be faced.
Hose Specifications;
1. All hose is to be make of a long
hole. surrounded by a rubber centered
around the hole.
2. All hose is to be hollow throughout
the entire length.
3. All hose is to be the very best
quality, preferably tubular or hosular.
4. All acid-proof hose is to be make of
acid-proof rubber.
5. The 00 of the hose must exceed
the 10. otherwise the hole will be on the
outside of the hose.
6. All hose is to be supplied with
nothing in the hole so that water, steam,
date.
7. All hose is to be supplied without
abrasions or gouges as these can be more
readily added at the job site. I
8. All hose tubes are to be cleaned free
of covering such as mud. tar. barnacles. or
any form of manure before outer cover is
added as these objects will make lumps I
under the cover.
9. All hose over 500 [t in length must
have the words "long hose" clearly painted
on each end so that the distributor will
know that it is a long hose. Hose over
two miles in length must also have these
words painted in the middle so that the
length to determine if it is a long hose or
not.
10. All hose over six inches in
diameter is to have the words "large hose" I
painted on it. SO thal the distributors will
not use it for a small hose.
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March 2, 1990 Iron Warrior Page 13
Crash Vegas And Tall Tales And True
by Garry Peterson
38 Systems Design
Well, well my little engineering
tomadachi dmoges and malchilcs. What is
this stuff. Well tisits a wee bit late, but
never-the-less I went to the Bombshelter
'bout three weeks ago for four dollars
worth of pleasure, but I ended up seeing
saw Crash Vegas and Tales Tall and True.
Tales opened up the show with a fairly
lethargic set. Didn't crack a smile. The
violinist gazed out into the lights with an
exudingly grim attitude. These guys are
from Australia, but now living in Ontario.
Some fun violin, but nothing great. Four
guys. Super big grapes of wrath type lid
action on the singer, Matthew de la
Hunty. ''I'm not gonna smile" seemed to
be the motto of the evening. Didn't really
impress me. Thought the song April was
OK, rest was blah.
Crash Vegas was beuer. They' ve been
geuing big time raves up in Now, so I
was sort of preparing to be disappointed,
but they were really good in a mellow
way. I prefer concerts where everybody is
on their feet hoppin and boppin to the
sonic groves, but during Crash Vegas
none bopped. However, still fine time.
The band: two guys and two women.
My pals were swooning the bassist, but
the amphetamined out look of the singer
Michelle McAdurey, in her Motorhead
shirt and a green jacket. Initially, she was
pretty tense seemed tense, but loosened up
after the first few songs, covers of Neil
Young and Patti Smith. Could really
sing, voice Sliding up and down. With a
slow energy, the band roamed through
their set. Gradually built up a gentle
energy.
Crash Vegas reminded me of a garage-
thrdsh band, who practised a bit too much,
lost their bad singer, got really into the
Cowboy Junkies and then got real relaxed.
However once in a while there was a nice
jab of guitar scrag feedback through the
harmony. F tt Rbi
Some songs: RcdEarthand Avalanche orgo en e e s
I dug. Feedbacking out with guitar
by Gregory Doucet
The Forgotten Rebels, a four man
vocal, guitar, bass, drums set, played
Friday, Mar. 14th to a sold out Bomb
Shelter crowd. The lead singer Mickey
Desadist ( A Rod Steward look alike)
opened with a typical joke. "What has
four legs and sucks cocks ?" Grunts by the
audience, "My brother and my mother,"
laughter and moans.
Faced with a well versed Rebel crowd
the Hamilton band carried the show with
ease. The Bomb Shelter bouncers set out
to construct a merry-go-round containment
ring fending both band members and
audience from flying bodies. Despite the
bouncers, the dancers insisted on using the
sheer mass of countless others to contain
their self generated centrifugal fits.
People were crushed, a chain mail vest
was lorn, the camera was knocked off its
tripod, chairs and tables were stampeded.
No noticeable damage or violence.
Who arc the Forgotten Rebels? A
punk band of social and political misfits
rebelling against the grievances of our
outdated society, assaulting our cars with
the sounds of or a mainstream
rock band who having found an audience
have forgotten how to rebel? Lately it
has been more of the latter. The
Forgotten Rebels arc a pop-punk band
with shocking lyrics {"fuck me dead") and
a radical appearance. A band with an
extreme image playing less than extreme
music. And if you have not seen them
yet, it does not mauer, you can sec them
anytime. They have not changed much
and you pretty well know what to expect
at one of their concerts.
Needless to say, the Forgot/en Rebels
arc not to be taken seriously. Should you
find certain streams of lyrical influence
poking at you like a needle with heroin,
remember the Forgotten Rebels arc only a
band.
heroi cs, by ex-Spoon Colin Cripps. I
love the concept of feedback, and
Avalanche made me happy. Round and
round and round scargging out a screech of
malformed information. Did a rock-a-billy
song before closing off.
I thought their whole sound was real
Canadian in some weird way. Talking to
the band later they denied they had any
specific sound in mind, but they liked the
idea of a northern icy sparse sound
suggested by Canada.
Tall Tales and True's new album is
caJled hiver, and Crash Vegas' new
album is Red Earth.
Page 14
I ron Warrior March 2, 1990
POETS Renovates
by David Rashkovan a nd
Gregg Loane
This term has seen a marked
improvement in the services that
P. O.E.T. S. has to offer the engineering
students. For the past three consecutive
terms (both A Soc and B Soc) plans have
been underway for the renovation of
P.O.E.T.S. Fi nally, t his term" most of
the plans have fal len into place.
The first item, whi ch came in at the
beginning of last term, is the new popcorn
machine. Th'is machine is smaller than
our old one but is much more efficient.
churning out thrce times as much popcorn
with fewer unpopped kernels (Orville
would be proud). The cost of the machine
was about $700.
This term began with the purchase of a
big screen projector tel evision. The screen
is approximately 6 feet hi gh and 8 feet
wide .. The projector has a digital processor
for higher resolution, making it one of the
fi ner machines on the market today. The
unit was purchased from Video Works in
Waterloo, who gave us good service and a
good price. The total cost including the
electrical work, installation, and purchase
was approximately $6000 ..
Two new bars were also purchased and
arrived about the end of January. The
main service bar which appears on your
right as you enter P.O.E.T.S . is L-
shaped, while the long stand up bar is
straight and goes along the long set of
windows next to' the exterior fire exit.
Both bars arc made out of solid oak. The
two bars together cost approximately
$3000. The tops were fabricated by
Hansburger Lumber while the supports
were made by the machine shop.
New dart boards were purchased, then
stolen; purchased again, and wrecked. It is
a pity that there are people who cannot use
certain facilities properly without
destroying them. Nobody benefits from
these stupid acts. It only causes hassles,
forces the society to install an alarm
system (which should be in within the
next week or so), and basically costs
money that comes from student fees.
Special lighting was also purchased for the
dart boards. The cost of the boards and the
lighting was about $150.
New furniture was also purchased.
This includes four new pub style tables.
five new captain's chairs (same as the old
wooden armchairs) and twenty new stools
LO go along the main bar and stand-Up bar.
This new furniture increased the seating
capacity of P.O.E. T.S. by about 60%.
The cost of the furniture was
approximately $1300.
There are some items which are sti.1l in
the works. Specifically, new blinds are
necessary in order to increase the big
screen vi sibility. In addition, a sound
compressor is being investigated to make
the watching of movies a little easier on
your ears (most of you watch movies with
your ears). A license for the patio has
also been investigated and is waiting for
approval from both councils.
Many changes have occurred in
P.O.E.T.S. the last few months and we
hope that all engineering students will
take advantage of the new facilities. We
are open to suggestions about further
changes as well as comments about how
to run things (well, not so much the
latter).
P.O.E.T.S. is available for use by
students and faculty during evenings. A
deposit of $50 and the signing of as
booking contract is required. This contract
basically states that the person signing is
fully responsible for P.O.E.T.S. that
night. For more details, see Cheryl in the
Orifice. Come OUl on Thursday and
Friday afternoons and have a beer!!

Okay, everyone make
like trees.
Jello - not just ror kids anymore
Sports Shorts
by Alexander N. Rink
3B Electrical
In our undying quest to find out which
class in Engineering has the best athletes,
we find ourselves trying to find the answer
by looking at the tournament results that
are in so far this semester.
So far, we have results from a lotal of
four tournaments with one still to take
place. Here are the placings for the first
four:
Snow Football
1 - Maciv
2 - Mech Me Wet
3 - Mech Me Wet
DirtDriver
Convenors - Maciv
Volleyball
Division Winner Second
A Psychosys Shafted
B Rampage Chern Stains
C Grads Rashomon
D (tie) Chemadians - Road Kill "A"
Convenors - Road Kill
Basketball
1 - Toast
2 - Dirt
Convenors - La Resystance
Murderball
1 - EMR
2 - Chinchillas
3 - Mech Me Wet
4 - Mech Me Wet
Convenors - DIRT
I think that Mech Me Wet should get
high marks for participation, but when are
they going to win one?
Well, it turns out that they and all other
classes have only one more tournament in
which to display their athletic prowess.
Yes , I'm talking about All-Night
Broomball , which takes place today,
Friday, March 2 starting at midnight.
Only ten teams are allowed in. and there
should be a lot of spills during the night
to keep you entertained.
Each team is assured of a minimum of
two games, with the top four teams in
round robin play advancing to the
semifinals. Lots of pizza and beer prizes
for the top three finishers, so come out
and give it a shot!
Want an unbiased prediction on this
one? I think EMR is going to walk away
with first place, with Hal's Angels
probably coming in second. You don't
think so? Prove it!
Well, whoever finishes in the top two
spots will be invited to play in an outdoor
tournament in Montreal, hosted by
Poly technique. That takes place the
weekend of March 9-11, and has prizes of
$200 and a trophy for first, and $100 and a
trophy for second. The entry fee will be
taken care of by EngSoc, but
transportation and acommodation are the
team's responsibility.
By the way, if any of the convenors or
winning teams would like to give a short
account of any of the tournaments which
they organized/won, I would be pleased to
print it. It would be very interesting to
get a chronicle of all of these events,
which we could print in the next Iron
Warrior.
If you have the time, put a short
summary together with your name and
phone number on it, address it to me and
leave it in the EMR box. Also, if you are
interested in the Broomball Tournament in
Montreal, please let me know as soon as
possible.
Have a good time when you play
tonight!
Farah's Food Mart
r
"
In Store Bakery
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Deli Counter
Full Line of Groceries
Many In Store Features
@[p)UU (j
0
886 - 9933
March 2, 1990
Iron Warrior Page 15
Engineering Quiz
1. Now that exams are over (for most
of us), I feel justified in setting a few
harder problems. This one comes from an
old math olympiad. A competition has
three competitors (A, B,C) and M events.
Points arc awarded for each competition in
every event, where PI > P2 > P3 > 0
(first, second, and third place respectively).
The standings at the end of the
competition are as follows: SA = 22, SB
= 9, Sc = 9. If we know that B won the
high jump, what is M and who came in
second place in the 100 m run?
2. Everyone knows the following
question: a man walks 1 mile south, I
mile east, 1 mile north, and ends up
where he started ... what is his starting
point? Most people do not realize that
there are an infinite number of solutions-
solve for these.
3. Consider a stack of bricks. Bricks
are inserted under the existing stack one at
a time such thatthe centre of mass of the
existing stack is located on the very edge
of the new brick (i.e. just balanced). If an
infinite number of bricks are stacked, what
is the greatest possible horizontal
separation between the top and the bollom
brick?
Solutions
1. A rigorous proof would require too
much space, so the following will have to
do.
Since P3>=1, P2>=2, and SB=SC=9,
therefore M < (sB + SC)/(P2 + P3) < 6.
Clearly M!= O. Since sB = sc, m !=
1. Since sA> 2sB ' M != 2.
If M=3, PI >=8 -> 2P3<=1 ->
contradiction. therefore M !:::; 3.
If M=4, SA =22 PI >=6; SB =9 ->
Pl<=6; -> PI=6 -> P3=1 -> P2 = 4; thi
does not work for constant C, so M != 4.
ButM<6, M=5. SOPI<=(SB-4),
PI<=5. But pp(sA/M), pp 4. PI=5.
Now outside of the high jump, B took
part in 4 events and gained 4 points. i.e.
P3 = I. Clearly C cannot have won any
events, so A won 4 events giving him 20
points. The last event gave A 2 poinL'),
i.e. P2 = 2. The remaining points go to
C, i.e. 4P2 + P3 = 9. The event in which
B won must be A's second place finish, a
all the other events (e.g 100m run) saw C
finish in second place.
2. In polar coordinates,
one mile south -> D. 1>;: + I /r i
onemileeast-> e;: tl/(s;(\;
one mile north -> D. 4>::. - IJr j
. where O<<j><f1. If the man starts at
, Pi, e( ) and finishes at (4f) 8
f
),
clearly 4>i 4' (h . If <1>, c: 0
(ie north pole) then e is immaterial and we
have our classic solution. Note however
that our start and end points are the same
if -e.. <:: .2.1f n (n is an integer); so
-> l/rsin tP,,:: 2.11'1'1
so that .. '" 1/2Tr()C-)
Since 21ff)r>"7I , s/n-'('/21fnr)::::::
'/ZiT'nr or 1f- l/zrrnr.
Now tti : tit-. -A <1" - I/r. If;
t/J,..,:: !/z:rr"C-
1
4;i <0 .
(i.e. we are walking across the north pole
to go south - mathematics does this).
Since this contradicts our original linits
on , we conclude;,. ,,1f-'/1.lrr -Iff"
Thi.s res_ult has us starting ncar the south
Come Push
A Bus!
by Scott Rose
B us Push Director
It is almost time for the annual
Engineering Bus Push for the K-W Big
Sisters. This year's event will take place
Saturday March 17 at 10:30 am.
Big Sisters is a charitable organization
which offers extensive programs to needy
youths in our community. The monies
raised from our event form a significant
part of their operating budget. Last year
we raised $6,358.15. This year we hope
to raise $7,500.
For those unfamiliar with the event,
the Bus Push is actually a Bus "Pull". A
Kitchener transit bus is pulled from the E I
cul-de-sac to Market Square in downtown
Kitchener. The parade leaves at 10:30 am
and will arrive at Market Square at
approximately 12:00 noon.
Every year, approximately 200
engineers, Big Sisters and Little Sisters
participate. The event is not restricted to
engineers, students and professors from all
faculties are invited to participate. Bus
Pushers will be served coffee and donuts in
the morning and pizza and pop after the
Push. Prizes will be awarded to the top
fund raisers. Prizes include a 20" Colour
TV from Mr. Stereo and a Mountain Bike
from Braun's Bicycle.
Pledge sheets are now available in the
Orifice. So pick up your pledge sheet and
come along with us, cause we have a "Bus
to Move"!
- with Paul Fieguth
pole, walking toward it, n times around
it, and then walking back.
QuestIOn :ft3
3. Let Xi be the horizontal position of
brick i; Xo = 0 for the top left edge of the
top brick. After m bricks, the center of
. M-I
mass IS: X .... 1 fI.1 + 'Iz .. ::: G"'1 ""

Ba ed on the problem sk1temelll, this
center of rna. S must balance on the next
brick below, (ie. Xm = CMm -1 =
:f x"IM - 1/')... ..
Sub tituling for lhe summation we find
Xl"" ()C .... , foX"'"1 '"" -1/2
". x ..... ,+ (M-c)lz .. t/z...: X"'-I I/ZM.
This is just an arithmetic eries wiLh
difference term - 112m. Anyone with first
year calculus will recogni7.e this as the
harmonic series. They will al 0 recognize
that X OD:- 00.
(i.e. the serie does not converge) . The
surprising implication of this is that the
lOp brick may extend indefinately beyond
the bOllom brick (even infinitely far).
Although impossible in practise, such a
conclusion is even remarkable in theory.
1990 BUS PUSH
''Bus To Move"
For K-W Big Sisters
Great Prizes
P**5
Pledge Sheets Available
In The Orifice
The Bus Push is sponsored in part by:
Mr. Stereo
Brick Brewing Co.
Mega Pizza
Coca Cola Ltd.
Art Tech
Braun's Bicyclo
Kinko's
TCBY
KW Bus Push --- Support Big Sisters
Page 16 Iron Warrior
March 2, 1990
y Pay More'?'?
Use the on-campus duplicating, copying and bindery
facilities.
Full Colour Copyi ng avai lable*
Graphic Se

ces
Offset Printing
Graphic Services, hours 8:00 am -
4:30 pm
P\hotocopying
We serve at 7 per copy (FST
included), discount on volume
copying. Collating, stapling and a
variety of paper colours available at
no extra cost (available at the
locations listed below) .
Self serve copying at 5 per copy
(available in the libraries and
various locations on campus)
Venda card copiers are located in
the Dana Porter and Davis Centre
Libraries
Copy Centre Locations
*Dana Porter Library - LIB 218,
ext. 2956
Math Centre - MC 51 04A, ext. 2335
Engineering - E2 2353, ext. 2334
Arts Centre - HH 370, ext. 2336
Davis Centre Library - DC 1501 ,
ext. 3878
Graphic Services
Plastic Ring Binding
Same day service available at
Graphic Services, hours 8:00 a m ~ - ~ = - - - - - ~
4:30 pm
Typesetting
Our new Linotronic 300 typesetter will
typeset any computer file in
PostScript format on a Mac diskette,
a 5.25 inch PC diskette, SCRIPT on
CMS and TROFF on UNIX.
For more information about
typesetting, call ext. 3540.
General information, call ext. 3451.
General Services Complex