Lindsay, Ontario

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Downtown Lindsay (Google Maps)

Lindsay is a small town north-east of Toronto, with a population of 16,000.

If you're in-town on a Saturday, you'll likely see an array of plaid, elderly people, cool-guy types in oversized pickup trucks, and groups of teens wandering aimlessly, desperate for excitement.

The sidewalks aren't crowded, and "bad traffic" is almost unheard of. If it's the summer, a section of downtown Victoria Street is closed off, and filled with farmers selling fresh-picked produce and home-baked goods.

But Lindsay isn't limited to town. Lindsay stretches kilometres and kilometres from its paved roads and street lights. Chances are that you live at least a 10 minutes drive from these luxuries. On the way home, you'll likely pass stretches of fields, forests, and farms with animals ranging from abundant cows, to the odd emu.

You may pass a tractor blowing-up dust, meandering down the highway. You might pass a horse-and-buggy or well-dressed gentlemen riding old-fashioned bicycles; Mennonites heading home. You might pass a porcupine, a deer, a wild turkey, or a coyote. You might have to stop your car for a family of ducks to cross the road.

At night, rural Lindsay is quiet, except for wildlife. It’s pitch-black, and the stars stretch across the sky. In-town, everything has been closed since 7 p.m., and by midnight, only a few people are out. Most of them unfavourable.

Life in Lindsay is simple, often mundane. After living there for 13 years, I was more than ready for a change of scenery, and moved to Toronto for school. Culture-shock would be an appropriate word to describe the transition, but two-years later, I love Toronto.

When I lived in Lindsay, its untouched country and quiet lifestyle was overshadowed by Ford-worshipping rednecks, high teen pregnancy rates, and a desire to see the world.

Now, when I leave the bustling city for a family visit, my eyes thirstily absorb the country landscape, I breathe the fresh air deeply, take my time, and enjoy the luxury of driving a car. I watch kinds birds at the feeder that don’t exist in the city, and take walks to nowhere.

So, am I a country mouse or a city mouse? I think I’m a bit of both. You really need one to gain perspective on the other.

Students and Shopping

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Most university students are strapped for cash.

Ryerson students, however, face the added challenge of the high cost of Toronto living, not to mention an endless temptation for shopping. With Yonge and Dundas Square just moments away, everything is at their doorstep.

Molly Leatham is a second year ACS student. She spends most of her money on necessitites like food and transportation. Although there are copious tempting stores around Ryerson offering more than just necessities, a lack of funds is sometimes the only deterrent a student needs.

"I only shop for clothes every couple of months or at the change of seasons when it becomes necessary," says Leatham.

Coleen Clark is an Assistant Professor of Finance at Ryerson, specializing in Personal Finance. She believes that Toronto is expensive, but points out that a "large portion" of Ryerson's student body commutes. Many of these students commute from home, which is a money-saver overall.

There are some temptiations, however, that students just cannot pass up whether they live at home, on-campus, or off-campus.

"Honestly," says Leatham, "I think for most people, after food, their biggest expense is alcohol."

Facebook Wants to Know Who You Really Are

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When I opened a Facebook account three years ago, I was listed as "Cashlyn T." I, like many users, chose to shorten my last name to an initial for better online security.

Current Facebook users no longer have this option.

Facebook’s rules now dictate that full first and last names are required, and there's no tricking their system. Periods, asterisks, and spaces will not stop Facebook from telling you that "you must provide your full name" if you try to use an initial. Nicknames are allowed, but only when accompanied by a user’s full name.

Therefore, the only way to avoid displaying your true name on Facebook is to alter it completely.

Facebook’s mission is to "give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected." But how open and connected can a website really be, when so many users must use fake names to increase personal security online?

The website also reviews every name change request before it is approved, further limiting personal choice and privacy.

If you had an initialed name before Facebook’s rules changed, then it will remain the same. Otherwise, you will have to divulge your personal information, or prepare a pseudonym that Facebook deems appropriate.

Library vs. Technology

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Journalists are seeing a huge shift in their industry.

Technology is changing the way journalism is delivered, but also, the way that journalism is researched. Instead of heading to the library, many journalists turn to Google as their primary step.

According to Ryerson journalism librarian Brian Cameron, however, the library has not been abandoned as a resource.

"We've actually had an increase in gate counts this year, compared to the last couple years," he says. "The library has advantages over the Internet, such as resource help from staff."

Libraries, however, cannot compete with some of the Internet's features. Researchers often require help from a librarian to find information. The Internet, however, is more searchable.

Cameron highlights that you can also access online articles and resources 24/7, but the library has its limits, as far as time is concerned. Timeliness is a concern for journalists.

Although Cameron sees the relevance of libraries today, he believes access to online resources is essential.

"More and more things need to be online, " he says. "I think eventually most stuff will be online; the format just makes sense."

It remains unclear, however, whether this new format will make journalistic research a dream or a nightmare.

The Future Looks...Digital

(Photo cred: freepixels)

Toronto Star reporter Jim Rankin sees where the future is going.

Rankin said he believed that websites will become a thing of the past at a Ryerson journalism lecture today. He sees future generations accessing information quickly, on devices like Blackberries and iPhones, instead of personal computers.

Rankin emphasized that technology is changing journalism. He told the class that in today's world, reporters must not only write, but also photograph, shoot video, and even Tweet. He reccommended that students learn online formatting now, as it will become critcal in the future.

"Data is finding a real nice home online," said Rankin.

Although, he admitted the challenge with the Internet is making sure people see your work.

Rankin is familiar with this issue from personal experience. He helped create Crime & Punishment; a Toronto Star website, based on Ontario's criminal data.

Although the feature was nominated for a National Newspaper Award, Rankin admitted that he suspects its hit rate is low, due to complications that make it hard to find on the Toronto Star website.

Rankin is always adjusting with technology. He referred to his latest online project as a "scaled down version" of his Crime & Punishment site; improved and more concise, so it is attractive to readers.

"Plenty of Fish" in the City

Singles are Mingling! (photo cred: free pixels)

Toronto is home to over 2.5 million people, and many are searching for love.

Some singles frequent bars hoping to meet someone special, but others are pursuing love with a little help from technology.

PlentyofFish is one of the most popular dating websites in North America and the U.K.. According to the website, around 900,000 daters log-in every day.

The site’s popularity can be greatly attributed to its cost; it's free.

The mission statement for PlentyofFish states that it hopes to "cut the crap and do the work for singles who want to meet without shelling out hundreds of dollars for services that should be free."

What exactly does doing the work for singles entail? PlentyofFish’s sole-creator Markus Frind observes members’ activities on the website. He matches them based on their surfing and message history.

Members also take tests to filter potential partners. Psychological tests determine what they "really want," while the "Chemistry Predictor" tests dimensions of personality. Over 10, 634, 341 people have taken the Chemistry Test.

Internet dating remains laughable for some, but PlentyofFish boasts over 200 pages of success stories. So, if you are feeling like a fish out of water, you just may want to jump in the pool.