Wednesday, February 2, 1994

THE SHADOW KNOWS:  Today's Groundhog Day, and is there a Waterloo Waldo
to stand beside Wiarton Willie as an indicator of whether this iron winter
is going to last another six weeks?  Sure, says Frank Brookfield of UW's 
biology department. He reports that in past years he has seen one burrow 
on Laurel Creek near Westmount Road and the University Avenue culvert. He 
also says some groundhogs can be found in Waterloo Park.  So decide for
yourself whether there's enough sunshine to cast a shadow that might scare
a little rodent back into his burrow.

NEWSGROUPS DROPPED:  One day after the president announced that the UW
ethics committee was prepared to rule on allegedly obscene and illegal
computer newsgroups, five such newsgroups have officially been blocked from
UW's computers.  This was the announcement, issued yesterday afternoon by
the provost, Jim Kalbfleisch:

	The Ethics Committee, with legal advice, has reviewed a number
	of Newsgroups on the Internet, and has concluded that several
	of them from time to time contain obscene material contrary to
	the Criminal Code.  Therefore, I request that you [the associate
	provost, computing and information systems] take immediate action
	to remove the following newsgroups:

		alt.sex.bondage
		alt.sex.bestiality
		alt.sex.stories
		alt.sex.stories.d
		alt.tasteless

	As indicated in the President's memo of January 31, 1994, any
	individual requiring access to a restricted newsgroup for academic
	purposes should be referred to me.

THE SHOW IS ON:  Opening night has arrived -- FASS '94, Jest Add Laughter,
has its first performance at 8 tonight in the Humanities Theatre.  The show
continues Thursday and Saturday at 8, Friday at 7 and 10 p.m.  What kind
of a show?  See this morning's Gazette for a preview (chiefly through the
eyes of producer Paul McKone) and note that when he calls it a "home-groan"
musical, he's not misspelling anything.  Tomorrow morning's Bulletin will,
we hope, have a brief review.

YOUR RAE DAY:  Monday, February 21, is the day UW is officially closed --
and everybody earning more than $30,000 a year has an unpaid day off --
thanks to the provincial Social Contract.  Well, there might be worse things
than a day off in February (it's the first day of the reading period, when
classes are cancelled anyway).  So, if you work at UW, how will you be
spending an unexpected Monday off?  For possible use in a Gazette article
the Wednesday before the Social Contract Day, please send comments on your
plans to credmond@watserv1.

Chris Redmond
Information and Public Affairs
credmond@watserv1    ext. 3004