News

Footloose & fanciful: Finding your way through the thicket of $200 shoes

Ben Kaplan, National Post 

With the launch of Nike’s new $300 basketball sneakers, a shoe called the LeBron X Nike Plus, named for NBA basketball player LeBron James, a new threshold has been crossed in sportswear. While the average name-brand running shoe still sits somewhere around $150, it’s an opportune time to examine our relationship with how much we’re willing to spend on a shoe.

Increase the cost of cigarettes to snuff out smoking in Nunavut: study

"Price is the single most important influence on tobacco consumption levels, cessation and prevention"

JANE GEORGE

More than two of every three Nunavut Inuit smoke daily despite the increased risks to these smokers of developing tuberculosis, lung cancer and other illnesses, along with the high cost of a daily tobacco habit, which can range up to $6,000 a year for an individual smoker.

Kelly Anthony, lecturer in public health and health systems, has been appointed faculty teaching fellow in the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences for a two-year term beginning May 1, 2012.

They'll be a part of London's shadow army

WATERLOO REGION — You won’t see them climbing the podium, marching in the Opening Ceremonies or competing on TV.

But a handful of locals are part of a shadow army of Olympic support staff who have behind-the-scenes roles at the 2012 Summer Games in London. They’ll stay out of the limelight, doing everything from soothing aching muscles to overseeing doping tests, and their work will help athletes perform their best.

WATERLOO — As a student of nutritional health, Lana Vanderlee falls off the wagon sometimes and eats junk food like the rest of us.

But the PhD student at the University of Waterloo says she would never eat a plate of loaded nachos in a pub.

“That’s your whole calorie intake for the entire day,” said Vanderlee, whose research in nutritional labelling on menus has made her more aware of what she eats and how active she is.

John Lohuis, the former director of recreation and parks for the city of Mississauga, has been named general manager of the Niagara Parks Commission.

Lohuis has been in the parks and recreation field for 35 years. Prior to his role in Mississauga he worked in Delhi, Aurora, Windsor and London. He held his role in Mississauga for 12 years. He is also an alumnus of, and lecturer in, the University of Waterloo’s department of recreation and leisure studies.

The University of Waterloo's 104th Convocation took place Wednesday, June 13, conferring degrees for a total of 847 graduates in the faculties of applied health sciences and environment.

Researchers honoured with Statistical Society of Canada's Lise Manchester Award

Geoffrey Fong and David Hammond of the School of Public Health and Health Systems and Mary Thompson, Distinguished Professor Emerita in Statistics and Actuarial Science, are the 2012 recipients of the Lise Manchester Award.