Pretty Ugly

Argus

So kick ass. The art show put on by the Def Sup crew was wild, and for some reason, there were three pieces about dead babies. It’s weird just writing that, but whatever. At first it was hard to digest the images but after a couple walks past I couldn’t look away without still being shock awed. You have to check out this gallery at the college. And the spread was definitely on par with all of the art. So rock and roll. I also didn’t know it rained in Thunder Bay let alone people owned gumboots. Just loving these puddles and throwback k-way jackets; nothing tops the quick two-second rain coat with a little flair flanking the zipper. I wish they still turned into fanny packs though. So west coast. I also caught an early episode of America’s Next Top Model and the girls are fine. A lot edgier than previous seasons. One girl who didn’t quite make the house cut had some metal in her face which was rad, another girl has a shaved head, and one has these thick as caterpillar eyelashes, but all are fierce personalities and know what’s up. Their shoot, they had impersonate a favorite model and although one girl shouted out Megan Fox the other 11 nailed it. All I have to say, this cycle, exotic. For sure. And also, if I didn’t see you at the Argus’s acoustic party, I’ll get atcha next time…2 dollar pizza slices and beer? Hell Yeah.

Mission accomplished: 2010 Mazda 3: Raging Bull or Civilized Griffin

Sohaid Zahid

Zoom Zoom, I ask, What is it? I guess something that we refuse to out grow because a 16 year old is still inside us. It is the spark, that a lucky few never lost. For us, driving is expression, exhilaration, liberation. It is the attitude to get noticed. It is Passion. It is heart and soul. It is what matters. It is 2010 Mazda 3.

Mazda 3, when it came along 5 years ago our first thought was oh dear! Here we go again, replacing a successful Protegė brand and experimenting with a new breed, it is definitely going to disappoint its bank manager. However, the first generation of Mazda 3; the sedan and the hatch was absolutely superb. Now here comes the flamboyant second album. Its a brand new car and amazingly its called the Mazda 3, more like a proud dad to a successful son. For Mazda, new doesn’t mean reheated left overs, its got a new interior, a new body, a new chassis, this really is brand new. Its still got Mazda 3 written all over it. It handles amazing, has a front engine and its a very fast entry level compact car.

This is also the most powerful Mazda 3 ever. With available 169 hp from a new 2.5L 4-cylinder, 0-100km takes only 7.4 seconds. The base 2.0L engine is also very promising with, umm….I guess OK fuel economy. The previous generation of Mazda 3 was a real wam-bam-thank-you-mam, punch in the back and the New Generation is business as usual, rather with a more civilized surge. The Zoom Zoom is in the blood and that is not surprising because Mazda 3 is after all a driver’s car.

On the outside the aggressive front bumper and a spoiler in the back keeps the tradition alive, but in the inside instead of track day harnesses and fire extinguishers you get dual zone air conditioning, a hands free module, Satellite navigation and even a display that greets you with “Hello” and says “Good bye” when you turn the ignition on and off respectively; a real polite car Eh!

Basically, Mazda has got ambitions, and when small car companies get ambitious thats usually a big roar. Its easy for a car company to build an everyday compact car. Just get an engine and some hardware and you have got the recipe. But its very hard to build a segment leader, something that you can live with everyday; rain, shine or snow.

Nevertheless Mazda 3 has stepped out on to the tightrope and I am happy to report that they haven’t fallen off. The handling is absolutely superb, you turn it and it just grips and grips and grips, it feels as if it is riding on rails. I am sure, if you put it in the automotive torture chamber at Nürburgring, it sure will survive without any pain. And yet for all that, the ride is perfectly comfortable. The Mazda 3 really is the sort of compact sedan/hatch that you can use everyday and still have fun. Yes! it is a bit thirsty on gas, it might have a controversial smiley face, but none of that really matters for one very good reason; it’s 14 feet of almost nothing but passion, flare and style makes you happy.

For Mazda 3 Engineers, the challenge was not the crumple zones or the air bags but to put a little extra in the recipe. They answered it by blowing a soul and placing a heart in the car, and Mazda calls it the Zoom Zoom. You can sense the adrenaline and feel the excitement in Mazda 3. Its like a pop song, really short, quick, exhilarating 3 minutes, bish-bash-boosh, big smile on your face and THE END.

I think the reason Mazda has pulled off such an amazing car is because they have kept everything simple. Competition like Civic and Corolla are falling short of their names. To me Civic is just a bucket load of Math and science inside and Corolla is just old and boring, just like a wall paper which only looks amazing if seams could vanish and rather a modern design is available. Whereas, in a Mazda 3 the door is just a door that opens like a door, everything is where it should be and how it should be, with a punch of excitement.

With every new Mazda 3, Mazda seems to take a step closer to the world’s best. In short Mazda 3 does for other cars in the segment what laptop did for the typewriter, what iPod did for Sony music Walkman. I respect it hugely, the same way I respect the technology in my iPhone. It is now the yard stick for the compact car segment. It is the genesis of fun and perfection. The 2010 Mazda 3 is an evolutionary engineering exercise which kept all the plus of the old generation and perfected the car, therefore keeping the Zoom Zoom spirit alive.

While the world catches up, Toyota quietly gets on with its third generation eco savior

Sohaib Zahid
Argus

When a good old dose of electricity has been used to power things, switching over to battery power has always made sense while using regular gadgets like telephones, mp3 players or laptops.
But with car motors, the use of a watt or two to power it has generally had a diminishing effect. Less rampant rabbit, more asthmatic aardvark. The problems of harnessing the low-emission benefits of electric are huge when it comes to vehicles, principally because storing or generating enough power to do more than out-sprint a milk float requires whacking great batteries. Lots of them. And that means space, and weight, and cost.
And of course, the batteries tend to run out, fast. Unlike a hybrid, where you can switch to dear old fossil power and carry on, the only method of propulsion once the batteries have given up the ghost is gravity, or a hefty shoulder to the C-pillar. And once at a place where the current can flow back into them again, you’d better have a box set of The Sopranos to plough through while you wait for the needle to hit full.
It’s a worry, especially for the motorist new to electric avenue, and there’s even a name for this psychological condition: range anxiety.
To avoid this physiological condition, Toyota has an answer with its new Prius, the third in over a decade’s worth of petrol-electric hybrid cars from Toyota.
After shocking the world with its home-market introduction in 1997, the Prius continues to represent the standard by which all other hybrids are measured. Under the car’s hood is a more powerful 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle inline-4. Despite being bigger, Toyota claims that this engine achieves better fuel economy than the old one because it makes more torque, allowing lower rpm on the highway.
The stats are promising: 3.8 L/100km, 89g/km, 134hp. That’s up by 22hp and down by 15g/km CO2 emissions over the last-gen Prius, and easily outshines the Honda insight, VW Gold TDI and VW Jetta TDI.
Also promising, is Toyota’s talk that it’s made the Prius a genuine mainstream contender, a car whose green credentials are just part of the appeal, not most of it. Performance is up, emissions down, practicality and safety increased, refinement and aerodynamics improved. It’s even getting a bit German in the press conference with talk of ‘increased driving pleasure’.
The restyle in bang on the money - instantly recognizable second-gen DNA given extra athleticism with an aggressively creased shoulder line and more rakish headlights. Inside, Toyota has used the so-called ‘ecological plastics’ (‘the world’s first injected molded material derived from plants,’ says the press material, which came from well-managed forests and other controlled sources, thanks heavens) might sound a bit cheap when you bang on them.
As a hybrid, of course, the engine’s also boosted by an electric motor stowed beneath the trunk, and a nickel-metal hydride battery. Both are lighter, smaller and significantly more powerful than before.
This Prius, though, isn’t just a one-trick urban pony. Fully charged, the Prius can slip around on battery power alone at up to 50 km/h for as long as 2km if you press the EV button. In fact, the petrol engine will regularly shut down at speeds of up to 70km/h meaning the Prius now makes more sense for out-of-towners than its predecessor did. And, on the open road, the extra power doled out by the new 1.8-liter engine comes into its own. The power is fed to the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The engine’s extra muscle means you don’t need to work it as hard as the Honda insight, while extra attention to noise reduction means you notice less what noise there is as opposed to a diesel in VWs.
According to Toyota, there’s increased torsional stiffness, better steering feel and improved stability, but don’t go expecting a BMW-rivaling drive. The Prius is perfectly acceptable for the person who just wants to get from A to B, even if A is Ajax and B is Brampton. The Prius is also notably better than - here it comes again - the Insight. The steering has none of the vagueness around the dead-ahead and is just a little quicker too; the handling is a lot less vague at higher speeds; and ride is in a different league. You may be tempted by the $3600 savings the Insight waves under your nose but, seriously, the improved ride quality is almost worth the premium on its own, and when you factor in the Toyota’s improved performance, refinement, interior quality and better tech, well, you’d be slightly mad to hand your cash to the competition.
All in, the Prius impresses as mush as Toyota claims. Although I am yet to establish how close it comes to delivering 3.8 L/100km in real world driving over a more representative period of time. Rest assured, we’ll find that out soon enough.

Pretty Ugly
Argus
Whoa. I love hump day. When Wednesday feels like Saturday, you are living. The Great Bloomers from TO opened for Wooden Sky and, despite the laid back reputation, they delivered the danceability T-Bay has developed a reputation for. Take note, deck influenced shoes, jeans as tight as sin, and whether it was a retro t-shirt, white v-neck, or checkered collared, it was sweaty like any rockstar’s ought to be. I loved the keyboardist from The Great Bloomers. He had skinny black levis with a white deep v-neck t-shirt, which is pretty standard, but the purple ked-like kicks stole the show. The lead singer of the Wooden Sky had a throwback ‘Jays t-shirt with these wicked tight darkwashes and mid-tour scruff. It seemed like for a few of the Toronto natives the prairies had been rubbing off on them, making a sort of pseudo-cowboy look for the majority of the band members. Most of them had slim fitted boots with fresh dark blue denim and plaid with the exception of a few strictly city slicked. The whiskey and Redbull had me “pimmin’” as they said, topping of their beer with red bull. What a night. Anybody else feeling like dropping out of school and becoming a groupie?

Q- Dirk, I keep getting input from every angle on this person I started seeing. We’re in that weird transition between casual and steady, and a lot of people are making some good points in every direction. It’s ironic but I need advice on taking advice.

It seems like been you’ve consulted everyone except the person you’re seeing. Seek their opinion, because chances are they are thinking the same thing. Then decide for yourself, or seek the advice of those you trust. One thing to be sure of is that you are actively listening. A lot of communication gets lost because people have trouble listening and understanding completely. Feelings are a lot less hurt when there is a sensation of closure, and they are also more intensely expressed when there is a sensation of understanding. Keep in mind too, not all communication is verbal, and it takes a lot time to understand someone else’s body language in and out. So when you are talking to that significant other, choose your words, and actions, carefully to get your whole point across. Even though your words and body language may line up to you, remember that they might be interpreted differently by who ever you’re speaking to, so keep it all clear and what you want should come across once you make up your mind.

Fab Dave

I’m sure that you are all the ultimate in the giving and receiving of sexual pleasure, but wouldn’t it be nice to step it up?
The sex toy industry has rapidly changed and expanded to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse audience. Thankfully, sex toys are no longer just neon phalluses or adorable animals (though no one can deny the popularity of the Rabbit). The new technologies and materials involved in modern sex toys can help deepen the experience of pleasure for single folk, couples, and everyone in between. With so many new options out there, how do you decide which ones are best for you?
There are fantasic resources out there, with consumer reviewed products to give you an idea of what you’re getting into. Venus Envy and Babeland both have awesome websites and stores with all sorts of information about what can get you off longer and harder than ever before. To help this process, here’s a list of more popular sex toys, all for under $100.00 to get you started. A hundred bucks is a lot on a student budget, but toys are definitely not a place to be cheap (especially with phthalates in some of the cheaper models).
For men who are willing to explore the awesome power of the prostate, the Aneros Prostate Stimulator could be the toy you’re looking for. The vibrator is not very long, so it doesn’t have to be inserted very far into the anus and it massages the prostate from the inner wall as well as from a small vibrator on the perrenium (aka the taint). Its a great toy for men and women just exploring anal play.
For straight men, the Orbit Ring Vibe can enhance partner sex by acting like a cock ring and keep an erection stronger and lasting longer, while providing vibrations that stimulate the clitoris. This toy can also be used alone, by moving the vibrator down to the base of the scrotum to massage the balls and taint. The Orbit Ring is reasonably priced for its high functionability.
The Violet Rapture may seem small, but its not the size, its how you use it. This toy is set up to be inserted into the vagina with ticklers for the clitoris and the nus. It has an easy to use remote so that you can control the force of the vibrations. Again, this toy depends on the comfort of the user in terms of anal stimulation, but its small size makes the toy beginner friendly while still providing lots of stimulation. Because it massages three sensitive areas, it can bring about a quick and robust climax.
If I could give one negative review, it would be of the Sasi. Though I don’t have personal experience with the Sasi, all of the people I know who have used it have had problems with it. It is supposed to learn over time what the user enjoys to provide a unique and personal experience. It is shaped like a tongue to simulate oral sex, but because the vibes aren’t strong enough and the initial process of letting it know what you like is time consuming, it is a frustrating toy. As great as it sounds to have a perfect cyborg lover, the Sasi just hasn’t lived up to the hype.
These are just a few examples of the many, many different varieties of sex toys. Finding one that is right for you is a very personal process and the toys listed above aren’t going to help everyone get off. If you want to learn more about sex toys and start learning what could work for you, in a fun, safe environment, the GIC is having a Fantasia party on Wednesday March 3rd at 7pm. It’s going to be a couple friendly, queer friendly, everyone friendly event, so bring some cash and an open mind.