Vogt a stepping stool for future careers
Dear Editors,
We, the producers of the Vogt Studio Series, wanted to clarify information about Vogt Studio Series for the readers of the Journal.
The Vogt Studio Series was started by and is funded partly by the Drama Department Student Council as a safe, fun and co-operative learning environment for students to experiment with and expand their theatrical skills. Oftentimes, those involved with the VSS are completely new to this type of theatre and the series acts as a stepping stool for their future careers in theatre as well as showcasing creative and innovative ideas to peers. By getting involved with VSS, students add to their repertoires while learning from the experience.
The innovative and educational form of theatre provided by VSS not only allows students to expand their skills but also challenges them by giving all the shows the same space to work in (i.e. the Vogt Studio), and a fixed time frame the entire slot must be preformed in. These are in part just some of the challenges that the producers, directors, actors, crew and everyone involved face.
At Queen’s, the Journal is regarded as a reputable publication and we, the Vogt Studio Series Producers, respect and appreciate the literary contributions it makes to the Queen’s community. We sincerely hope that the Journal will continue to support the theatrical community at Queen’s and provide us with useful and enlightening support in the future.
Anam Ahmed
ArtSci ’07
Nicola Benedickson
ArtSci ’07
Lauren Ghent
ArtSci, ’06
Steph Hawkins
ArtSci ’06
Unequal distribution the real problem
Dear Editors,
RE: “Technological innovation will prevent fossil fuel crisis” (Journal, Oct. 25, 2005).
Unlike Samuel Mok—who would have us believe that Malthus was wrong—I am neither an economist, nor a mathematician, nor a former contributing columnist of the British Columbian newspaper The Province. But I do have a computer and access to the Internet. And so, wary of writing a letter that could be condemned as “lacking of intelligent reasoning,” I found a World Health Organization report and read that in 2000 about 792 million people worldwide suffered from malnutrition. And that was five years ago! Anyway, this isn’t quite Malthusian, in that the problem is largely one of unequal distribution (you could imagine the Earth listing to one side under the collective obesity of its northwestern regions), but one in 10 people worldwide going hungry might still qualify as “mass starvation.” But hey—people innovate and stuff. So that’s good news.
Kyle Gervais
ArtSci ’06
City misses the point enforcing sign bylaw
Dear Editors,
RE: “City takes tough line on house signs” (Journal, Oct. 25, 2005).
With regard to the recent bylaw crackdown on decorative house signs in the Ghetto, I feel the city has missed the point. Perhaps we’ve been unclear about the conditions in the Ghetto, but as a rule, colourful decoration (or “graffiti,” as the signs have been called) has not been one of our complaints. By and large, these signs bring a smile to an otherwise drab, dimly lit, shoddily built part of town.
I can respect that this bylaw enforcement is a city-wide cleanup effort, and that graffiti laws are in effect everywhere in Kingston, but I think we should also respect that the student Ghetto is an intentionally casual atmosphere with a flair for the comic. A literal reading of the bylaw permits the city bring down offensive signs, but this right should be exercised a little more judiciously. Not all our signs are graffiti. The Ghetto’s individual character is part of the city’s overall charm. Let’s not be too hasty in ironing out all of its personality.
Alex Davis
MSc ’06
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca.