Vol 39 issue 5

mediumutm.ca

October 15, 2012 Volume 39, Issue 5 www.mediumutm.ca

Liberal MP brings politics to UTM John McCallum talks youth politics, education, and the economy, and urges students to vote Matthew Butler staff writer Liberal MP John McCallum spoke with students about youth politics, education, the economy, and other issues at a UTM Young Liberals event last Tuesday in the Davis Building.

About 30 students, staff, and members of UTM’s Young Liberals attended the event. The forum was informal; McCallum stated at the beginning that he would rather answer questions and engage students directly on the issues than make a speech.

McCallum—an economist, noted academic, university professor, and former cabinet minister—talked about why youth issues are a priority for the Liberal party.

“Jim Flaherty calls me an ‘endangered species’. I’m the last Liberal MP in the whole 905 region,” McCallum said in reference to the dismal Liberal turnout in the last election.

Calling youth engagement a major strategy for the Liberal party, McCallum cited the key issues driven by youth in politics. Some highlights

Alberto Becerra/The MEdium

Liberal MP John McCallum spoke to members of the UTM community in Davis last week. of the discussion were the decriminalization and legalization of marijuana, education and student debt, and the struggling labour market for graduates.

“But you need to vote,” said McCallum. “Your parents vote more than you. You need to make sure you are all voting too. You need to vote if you want issues you care about featured.” He added that young people should vote for the party that rep-

resents them, since their issues are often unpopular with adults.

McCallum talked briefly about his background in politics, saying his proudest moment was serving as defence minister under Jean Chrétien when Canada opposed the war in Iraq.

As a professor of economics (he received his PhD from McGill) and Royal Bank of Canada’s former chief economist, he also spoke about Can-

ada’s economy in the global context.

“When Harper and the government say the Canadian economy is doing relatively well, I agree,” said McCallum. “A lot of that has to do with the economy he inherited and our natural resources.”

Students posed a variety of questions to the seasoned politician following his 15-minute opening statement, mostly concerning the virtues and feasibility of Canada’s involve-

ment in foreign aid. In his response, he praised the merits of foreign aid and mentioned his personal belief that it should continue if managed effectively.

The topic then shifted to the Liberal leadership race and Justin Trudeau’s recent bid for leadership.

“He has received more coverage in the past few weeks than others receive their whole campaigns,” McCallum observed. “I think Justin is in a good position to help unite the country and build on our national unity while the Conservatives are focussing on provincial devolution.”

McCallum also had an opportunity to address his take on American politics. “Obama was terrible and not effective,” he said. “He should have brought up Romney’s 47% comment.” Despite his reservations, McCallum said that he hoped Obama would win another term, adding that it would be best for Canada.

McCallum answered questions for around two hours and reiterated his interest in connecting with and engaging youth, which he says is a central aspect of the Liberal Party’s rebuilding strategy.

Maude Barlow speaks at UTM Celebrated Canadian author and activist addresses students at conference Jai Sangha Associate News Editor Maude Barlow talked about the issue of global fresh water shortages and water privatization at a lecture at UTM last Saturday.

Barlow was the keynote speaker at the Sierra Youth Coalition’s national Sustainable Campuses conference, currently in its 14th year.

The theme of this year’s conference, hosted at UTM from October 11 to 14, was the “healthy campus”, with a focus on how our environment affects our health.

“What we are doing as a human species is polluting, diverting, mismanaging, [and] displacing water so quickly that we are actually physically running out,” Barlow said in her presentation. “A recent study done by the large food and beverage companies […] is saying

First Muslim chaplain U of T’s first full-time Muslim chaplain has begun his term.

Medium News, page 3

University rankings U of T ranks among the top institutions in the world but often gets a failing grade in student satisfaction.

Medium Opinion, page 4

J.K. Rowling’s new book Can Rowling conjure up another hit with The Casual Vacancy?

Medium A&E, page 7

Reclaim your inner control Ayman Khan/The Medium

Maude Barlow delivers an engaging speech to the crowd at the Instructional Centre on Saturday. that by 2030, demand for water will outstrip supply by 40 percent.”

Barlow is the national chairperson of the Council of Canadians, the recipient of Right Livelihood

Award, the former senior advisor on water to the 63rd president of the United Nations General Assembly, and the author of several books, including the internation-

al bestseller Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis and the Coming Battle for the Right to Water.

Barlow continued on page 2

Mindfulness meditation and you— the science behind it.

Medium Features, page 8

Blues lose Argo Cup to York York beats U of T for the first time since 2007.

Medium Sports, page 11

2

«NEWS THE MEDIUM

10.15.2012

Students get DisOriented—and involved Joanna Iossifidis UTMSU’s Ministry of Social Justice and Equity hosted the second annual DisOrientation Week, offering students a chance to learn how to get involved on campus.

DisOrientation Week, held from October 1 to 5, featured a series of workshops for students intended to improve their public speaking skills, teach them to express their opinions through art, and show them how they can contribute to UTM’s growing student community. The week-long event also tackled issues such as student poverty and accessibility.

“A lot of people come to school and only think about classes and homework, so we are just trying to show students how much more they can do,” said Yasmine Youssef, UTMSU’s VP equity, in an interview.

DisOrientation Week was created by Youssef and Ruba El-Kadri

in 2011. It was originally known as eXpression Against Oppression Week, and was designed to empower students to speak out against social injustice and inequality on campus.

This year, the focus was on how students can use all kinds of means, including visual art, spoken word, and social media, to reach out to other students on issues of social justice.

“When you are given basic communications skills, you are always more confident,” said Youssef.

DisOrientation Week kicked off on Monday, October 1 with a media workshop, followed by a screening of Misrepresentation, a film that analyzes how the media represents females in today’s society. On Wednesday, students took part in a public speaking workshop and the “UTM Is Ours” panel discussion. Thursday featured an American Sign Language workshop, an “Art of Resistance” panel,

and an open mic night featuring 15 student performers. On Friday, the events concluded with a trip to Mississauga’s Eden Community Food Bank, a ”Bringing Down the Wall” seminar, and a “Breaking Barriers” community café. The café, hosted by Zoë Adesina, UTMSU’s anti-racism coordinator, allowed students to openly participate in discussions about stereotyping.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Equity also organized an anonymous food drive for UTMSU’s food bank, which offers donated food items to struggling students. The food bank becomes especially useful towards the end of the year, when meal plan funds run low.

“We want students to leave inspired,” said Adesina. “We’re hoping we are able to guide them to start their own campus initiatives now, anything from a think tank, or a non-profit organization.”

Former UN advisor on water talks sustainability at UTM Barlow continued from Cover Barlow cited studies that suggest that our groundwater use doubles every 20 years, and talked about the issue of virtual water trade. Virtual water is the amount of water consumed in the production of goods.

“We commissioned a study in my organization […] on virtual water in Canada, and we are the second-largest net virtual water exporter in the world, only after Australia,” said Barlow. “That means we are shipping way more water out of our watersheds and out of our country than what we are bringing in.”

Barlow explained that virtual water trade disconnects consumers from the impact that their purchases have on freshwater sources. She gave the example of the damage done to the Lake Naivasha watershed in Kenya when Europeans buy imported roses, which require a large amount of water to grow.

Barlow drew attention to the dangerous lack of environmental protection policies in Canada, criticizing the current federal government’s environmental deregulation policies and muzzling of scientific research.

“We have a 42-year-old Natural Water Act. We have no national water standards. We have not mapped our

groundwater; we don’t know if we’re destroying it very quickly or not,” said Barlow. “And along comes Stephen Harper […] He has gutted the Fisheries Act, he has gutted the Environmental Assessment Program, [and] he has killed the [Experimental] Lakes Area—which is the area [in the] north of Ontario where decades of groundbreaking research has been done on what hurts water and how to prevent that.”

What we are doing as a human species is polluting, diverting, mismanaging, [and] displacing water so quickly that we are actually physically running out.

- Maude Barlow During her 2010 UN appointment as senior advisor on water, Barlow helped to redefine access to clean water and sanitation as a human right.

Barlow quoted the popular scientist and author Carl Sagan in her closing remarks: “ ‘Anything else you’re interested in is not going to happen if you

can’t breathe the air and drink the water. Don’t sit this one out. Do something. You are, by accident of fate, alive at an absolutely critical moment in the history of our planet.’ ” Afterwards, she took questions from audience members and conference delegates.

Environmentally active undergraduate and graduate students representing universities from across Canada attended the conference. They hailed from the University of Victoria, the University of Winnipeg, Queen’s University, McGill University, Dalhousie University, and all three U of T campuses. The conference had 30 registrants and a total of 50 active participants, including representatives, volunteers, and workshop presenters.

“One of the main goals [of the conference] was networking, and to make contacts with like-minded people who are facing the same challenges that they are, and brainstorm with them: ‘How did you get past that challenge?

How can we get past that challenge?’ ” said Zena Wright, the coordinator of the Sustainable Campuses conference, in an interview. “So that’s really inspirational. You’re hearing from someone here who’s in a different location, but there is a commonality. So I think that is one of the best things they get out of it.”

Junaid Imran/The MEdium

A student performs at the open mic night in the Mist Theatre.

HMALC adds study spaces

Junaid Imran/The MEdium

Students at work in the new study space at the HMALC. Jai Sangha Associate News editor The Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre added 128 quiet study spaces on level one (below the ground floor) this September in response to student demand.

The renovations for the space took place during the summer, replacing the shelves for academic journals, which are still available electronically and at other U of T libraries. Library staff identified the journal collection on level one as one of the first areas to be released for space.

“When we built the HMALC, it was a flexible design, because we intended to release some of the collection space and create new study spaces,” said Ian Whyte, the deputy chief librarian, in an interview. “We’re just doing it a lot sooner because of the growth of the campus.”

Whyte explained that repurposing the space in the library was initially planned forfive to 10 years after the building was opened, but instead began in the second year of the library’s existence due to increased demand.

The Li Koon Chun Finance Learning Centre space was the first new space created.

Student feedback about the lack of study space prompted the library’s changes.

“The ‘Tell Us’ comment board was one of the main ways we received feedback. We do have another online survey where we were collecting feedback,” said Whyte. “We stopped using [the online] mechanism as frequently, but we still have received comments via that mechanism about space.”

The library currently has a total of 1,500–1,600 study spaces, including the 128 newly added ones.

Library waives fines for food donations Jai Sangha ASsociate news editor The Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre donated 1,176 non-perishable food items to the food bank run jointly by UTMSU and Community on Campus. The donation was the result of the library’s “Food for Fines” drive.

During the week of October 1, students were asked to donate food items to the library, and get their library fines waived in return. For every item of food a student brought in, the library waived $2 of their fines, up to a

maximum of $20 per student.

The HMALC was one of 10 U of T libraries, including Robarts and the U of T Scarborough Library, that took part in the initiative. “[Such initiatives] have been popular in public libraries for quite some time. The University of Toronto library system had been talking about that for some time,” said Christopher Sparks, the director of library operations, in an interview. “We decided, ‘Let’s try it this year.’ It’s been a surprisingly easy project.”

Fines owed to Scarborough

campus library and some St. George libraries were also eligible for waivers. Even students who had no fines donated food, and some students brought more food than they needed to clear their fines.

“A student brought in a box of food for a $5 fine. And he’s not alone,” said Sparks. “They’re bringing in more food than the value of the fine.”

Because of the success of the campaign, the HMALC plans to hold the Food for Fines drive again every year.

Junaid Imran/The medium

Students brought in more than they needed to clear their fines.

10.15.2012 THE MEDIUM NEWS

Students reject province’s proposals

The Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario, a lobby group that represents over 300,000 postsecondary students in Ontario, rejected the province’s discussion paper on post-secondary, saying that students representatives were not adequately consulted and that the proposals compromise quality in return for savings.

In a joint press conference with four of Ontario’s largest organizations representing students, faculty, and staff at universities and colleges, the CFS-O released their response, “Students’ Vision: The Future of Ontario’s Post-Secondary Education System”. The document covers topics that were not emphasized in the province’s paper, such as high tuition fees and student debt.

When the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities released a discussion paper titled “Strategies Ontario’s Centres of Creativity, Innovation, and Knowledge”, the province embarked on roundtable consultations—a process that has drawn criticism from stakeholders concerning the government’s intentions. The CFS-O, along with unions and administration, was invited to join the round-

table discussions while student unions were left out of the consultation process, according to the CFS-O.

“The fact that the MTCU is trying to separate the issue of tuition fees and of public funding from this massive discussion on transformative change is highly concerning for

students and faculty.”

—Sarah Jayne King “At each of the consultations, the issue was raised that students were underrepresented,” said Sarah Jayne King, the chairperson of the CFS-O, in an email. “After feeling the pressure to consult the largest stakeholders on our campuses, the Ministry set up a student-only consultation held in the second week of September, a busy time for student representatives.”

The paper proposes more online courses, three-year bachelor degrees, and year-round academic

terms, and includes little discussion on research, post-graduate studies, and tuition fees.

“Beyond the process itself that largely left out student input, there are many changes that look to solve problems that do not exist, or changes that seek to implement changes that are framed as costsaving measures, like mandatory online courses, when the reality is that to have high-quality online education, a lot of resources need to be put into it,” King said. “But above all, the fact that the MTCU is trying to separate the issue of tuition fees and of public funding from this massive discussion on transformative change is highly concerning for students and faculty.”

As part of the consultation process, the province also collected written feedback from the public.

According to the ministry, a report will be released later this year that will include the province’s findings from the discussion.

Students in Ontario are paying the highest tuition fees in Canada for the fourth consecutive year, according to Statistics Canada. The government of Ontario seeks to employ austerity measures to address the $15-billion deficit, as per the 2012 budget.

3

» Are you celebrating

CFS-O releases response to the government’s white paper Stefanie Marotta Editor-in-Chief

»

Oktoberfest or Octsober?

Courtney Soden Third-year, biology

Juliana Olivieri Fourth-year, sociology

Neither.

I work at a bar, so Oktoberfest. But I’ll encourage others to celebrate Octsober.

Kirsten Giannini Third-year, sociology

Chris Martin Fourth-year, management

For the first half of the month, Octsober. Then, after midterms, I’ll get hammered.

Neither, actually. I don’t know what Octsober is...

UofT appoints Muslim chaplain U of T drops in rankings This year marks the appointment of U of T’s first full-time Muslim chaplain. The position has been filled by Amjad Tarsin, a 28-year-old hailing from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Tarsin plans to offer students emotional and faith-based support.

“There are a growing number of Muslim students who could benefit from a Muslim chaplain,” said Tarsin. “This includes providing students support in a way that is fulltime—a consistent presence. As the Muslim chaplain, I will provide services to all students while uniquely relying on my own faith tradition, which is Islam.”

Apart from directing various religious and counselling programs, he looks forward to giving time to students from all walks of life. “In another way, it will be delivered through educational and social programs also, to provide counselling and spiritual care. If a student has

problems, I am willing to listen and support them,” Tarsin said.

His chaplaincy began on October 1, and is intended to expand to the UTM campus next semester.

His main goals are to help students academically and to facilitate their growth as individuals.

“It’s open to anyone just looking for someone to talk to, and I would be more than happy to assist them.

The goal is to bring out the best and inspire the good for everyone,” Tarsin said.

The chaplaincy project was spearheaded by Rameez Mahmood, the former president of the U of T Muslim Students’ Association. The idea of a full-time chaplain was brought up at an MSA meeting, and the team behind the project began collecting resources and feedback from the community. A fundraising campaign called “#70 in 70” was launched to raise awareness and support.

“Inspired by chaplaincy, we wanted to see whether it would be

possible at our university, and the possibility of spreading to other campuses,” said Ruqayyah Ahdab, the managing director and chair of the chaplaincy.

Full-time Muslim chaplaincies are common in American universities and educational institutions, but U of T’s Muslim chaplaincy is the first of its kind in Canada.

“We were looking to build a model that could be replicated in Canada, something accessible to the Canadian community and something tailored to students’ needs,” said Ahdab. “The Muslim community is developing itself in North America.

It’s growing and starting to contribute more to society. [The chaplaincy] is definitely needed now.”

Tarsin has lived in several countries and has a long travel history. He holds bachelor’s degrees in English literature and Islamic studies, and even spent time in law school before deciding to pursue a different path.

U of T dropped two places this year, falling short of the top 20 category in the Times Higher Education 2012/13 World University Rankings.

“In Canada, all universities get the same thinly spread funding for research costs. This means that our best research engines run on fumes,” wrote Cheryl Misak, U of T’s vice-president and provost, in response to questions. She said students and faculty alike should put the case to both the provincial and federal governments to invest more in the universities and the futures of young people.

“The student voice is important with those who govern this province and country,” Misak said.

Last year, U of T was ranked 19th overall, scoring 65.1 points in international outlook, a 3.9-point drop from 2011/12. THE’s 13 determinants include research and development (in which U of T scored 89.4, up from 87.4), citations (85.1, down from 86.5), and industry income (42.9, down from

44.9), as well as knowledge transfer and teaching and enrolment.

“The drop may be due to Canada investing less aggressively in its postsecondary sector than other countries are,” said David Naylor, the president of U of T, in a Globe and Mail report on October 3.

In a report on provincial post-secondary funding, former C.D. Howe Institute policy analyst Payam Pakravan commented that post-secondary funding models are outdated.

“They do a very poor job of meeting goals of quality, accessibility, and responsiveness to labour market needs that the sector should be striving for,” wrote Pakravan.

According to a 2010 Statistics Canada report, higher education expenditures normally account for more than one third of Canada’s gross domestic expenditures.

In the 2009/10 year, $11 billion was spent on research and development, and last year that increased by 0.8%.

However, the total remains below the $30.5 billion spent in 2008.

Mounties investigate circumstances of Todd’s death

Nail-biting to be classified as an obsessivecompulsive disorder

Muslim worshippers shot in Nigeria while leaving mosque

Pope’s butler convicted of stealing the pope’s private documents

Thousands of British troops to quit Afghanistan

The RCMP in British Columbia have launched an investigation into Amanda Todd’s apparent suicide. Weeks before her death last Wednesday, Todd posted a video on YouTube describing years of being bullied in person and online. The RCMP will look at factors contributing to her death.

A proposal for the May 2013 revision of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, a widely used classification of mental disorders, will include nail-biting as a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Nailbiting will join hair-pulling and other bad habits.

Gunmen opened fire on Muslim worshippers on Sunday in Kaduna State, killing at least 20 people. Government officials said that it was likely a local gang.

Kaduna is located close to Nigeria’s volatile “Middle Belt”, where Nigeria’s mostly Muslim north and mostly Christian south meet.

Paolo Gabriele has been convicted of stealing from the pope and leaking private documents to a journalist. He says he did the right thing to increase awareness of misdemeanours in the Vatican. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison, but the Vatican said a papal pardon was likely. He is currently serving house arrest.

The United Kingdom plans to withdraw 500 combat troops from Afghanistan by the end of this year as pressure increases to end British involvement in the war. Thousands of troops will be recalled next year, and all British troops are due to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014.

Source: The Globe and Mail

Source: TheToronto Star

Source: The NewYorkTimes

Source: TheToronto Star

Source: Reuters

Joanna Iossifidis

Saleha Faruqe

4

« 10.15.2012

Editor-in-Chief » Stefanie Marotta

Factors behind university rankings Most of my friends graduated last year, plastering pictures of their degrees on Facebook and updating statuses announcing their freedom. Almost half a year later, those sentiments of accomplishment seem to have faded away.

While many of my closest friends are now making their way through teachers college and master’s theses one long-winded essay at a time, there are plenty of graduates that have either thrown themselves rather blindly into any graduate studies program or they’re looking for work without success.

I refer to U of T students specifically. For some reason, years of researching, essay writing, and midterm cramming haven’t translated into career opportunities, and graduates are confused.

There’s plenty of grumbling going on, both on campus and in the media, that a university education just doesn’t cut it anymore. But has anyone considered that they’ve

chosen the wrong university or program of study?

Without a doubt, a bachelors degree has become the latest basic requirement for a well-paying job.

Companies list undergraduate degrees from varying academic backgrounds as qualifications for entry level jobs--even though sometimes these degrees don’t provide adequate training for the position.

As one of the leading research institutions in the world, U of T stresses theory based learning. Administrators emphasize the importance of developing the university’s strong reputation for pumping out scholarly publications and encourage students to pursue graduate studies. As Joanna Iossifidis investigates in her news article on the Times Higher Education Rankings, U of T received a high ranking for it’s achievements in research.

In other regards, U of T has been ranked among the lowest in

student satisfaction in the Globe and Mail University Report Card and in Macleans university rankings.

In other regards, U of T has been ranked among the lowest in student satisfaction in the Globe and Mail University Report Card and in Macleans university rankings.

In my first year of university, I wasn’t particularly pleased with experience at U of T -- but at no fault of the university.

Coming out of high school at the age of 17, I didn’t realize that I was diving headfirst into a university program that does not stress the skills and development necessary

for my career direction. It wasn’t until second year that I realized a specialist in political science with minors in history and Italian were not appropriate fields of study to drive my career forward after graduation. I was fairly certain that I didn’t want to pursue a life of research and, at U of T, I felt like I was out of options.

Then I discovered the professional writing and communication program. Unique to the Mississauga Campus, the program is spearheaded by department director, Guy Allen. Under his vision, class sizes are kept small, lessons are conducted as discussion seminars, and professors are accessible. Even more impressively, the course material combines theory based studies with practical skill development. Plus, students have the opportunity to participate in an internship that counts towards a whole credit.

Combined with extracurriculars

and part-time gigs, I feel that my university experience has prepared me to move forward with my career after graduation. For many of my friends, they’re left wondering why they chose to pursue a specialist in geography and a major in anthropology.

After 4 years as a heavily involved student on campus, my most valuable piece of advice to those now enrolled in U of T is to venture outside of class and gain practical experience. If you know that you want to become an academic and pursue research after graduation, then by all means crack open those books. For the rest of you wondering what your degree is worth, it’s time for a change of attitude. Start thinking about what you can do to better your degree.

YOURS, STEFANIE MAROTTA

The real issues to be considered Dear Editor, Politicians, as a rule, react to public pressure and rarely take their own initiative to deal with issues in society unless they themselves have a passion for it. One can hardly expect politicians to take the lead where there is none.

While the white papers are officially meant to open dialogue, the stark reality is that they are more of a tool to determine the extent of public opinion—not so much to satisfy the needs of the people as it is to meet the bare minimum of protest. To think that universities will put 60% of their courses online is ludicrous. They expect us to protest; they’ll appease us and put it down to, say, 40%. The bidding

always starts high.

In the time we have before the government legislates, it is absolutely necessary not to be distracted by such petty issues. In all these discussions I am terribly upset that many have neglected to observe the role of funding and the way research operates at this university. The University of Toronto receives more corporate funding than any other Canadian university by far, and I just can’t understand how this conversation has been lost to something as trivial as a debate over online courses. If the school was serious about online education, they would first consider it as a substitute for expensive textbooks—end of story.

In the past several years, there

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Stefanie Marotta editor@mediumutm.ca NEWS EDITOR Larissa Ho news@mediumutm.ca ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR Jai Sangha A&E EDITOR Colleen Munro arts@mediumutm.ca MEDIUM II PUBLICATIONS 3359 Mississauga Road, Room 200, Student Centre, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6 Phone: 905.828.5260

ASSOCIATE A&E EDITORS Aristotle Eliopoulos FEATURES EDITOR Carine Abouseif features@mediumutm.ca ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR Vacant

have been very serious concerns about academic freedom and academic integrity. I am talking about Big Pharma on campus, I am talking about the Toronto Affair with Dr. Healy, I am talking about an educational system designed to feed corporate demands at the expense of the public good. Add to this the growing student debt, the devaluation of our degrees, and the increasing concerns over the quality of education in the classroom, and you quickly forget about online education! For anyone who keeps an eye on the news, this is nothing new, and the coverage seems to increase with each passing month.

Why then the fuss with online courses? The concern with the interaction between professors and

SPORTS EDITOR Isaac Owusu sports@mediumutm.ca

students is such a trivial matter, so insignificant in the broader picture, that if we don’t move beyond this and similar petty discussions, we really do risk the future of this country by ignoring that picture.

The concern with online education should not be quarantined: it is a symptom of a thoroughly diseased culture of business and profit. The white papers mention next to nothing about research. That was not a mistake—the government is testing us to determine the extent of protest. If we miss this opportunity now, the damage will be severe.

Eli-Lilly is a pharmaceutical company that produces Prozac, among other drugs, and they happen to be very generous donors, among others. Eli-Lilly cares about

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Amanda Braddock

AD MANAGER ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITORS Aditya Kristiono Vacant ads@mediumutm.ca PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS Junaid Imran Matthew Butler, Paul Donaghue, photos@mediumutm.ca Sviatoslav Romaniuk, Monika ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR Bianca Nagy Edward Cai COMPLAINTS online@mediumutm.ca Comments, concerns or complaints about DESIGN EDITOR The Medium’s content should be directed Vivian Wong to the Editor-in-Chief who can be located at the email address above.

COPY EDITOR Luke Sawczak COPYRIGHT copy@mediumutm.ca All content printed in The Medium is the WEBMASTER sole property of its creators, & cannot Gary Li be used without written consent.

education; it is in the interest of companies like Eli-Lilly to restrict it. Eli-Lilly takes academic freedom very seriously: it endangers its profits. No one will buy drugs that have been scientifically proven to be ineffective and frankly quite dangerous, and no one is going to be happy that they or their children and relatives have been tricked into paying for medication they don’t need, and that is actually risking their health. Big Pharma is Big Business, and it’s happening right here on campus, ladies and gentlemen. Educate yourselves online.

Phillip Niedzielski Fifth Year, Arts and Science

DISCLAIMER Opinions expressed in the pages of The Medium are exclusively of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Medium. Additionally, the opinions expressed in advertisements appearing in The Medium are those of advertisers and not of The Medium.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the editor will be edited for spelling, grammar, style and coherence. Letters will not exceed 700 words in print. Letters that incite hatred, violence or letters that are racist, homophobic, sexist or libelous will not be published. Anonymous letters will not be published.

»

10.15.2011 THE MEDIUM OPINION

5

The deficit. The economy. Who cares?

Dear Editor, There are two main purposes of student unions and organizations when it comes to politics and political engagement: first, encouraging students to vote for left-wing parties (e.g. Canadian Federation of Students or “CFS” and its unrelenting support of the NDP) and second, to lobby the government for lower tuition or “drop fees”. At both of these tasks they have fundamentally failed. Tuition and student debt is on the rise and categorically students have the lowest voter turnout.

It is time to rethink the old way and try a new approach.

The best thing the provincial government can do for university students is to not run a deficit. In layman terms, a deficit is when the government spends more money than they take in. When someone spends more money than they can afford they have to pay an interest on the amount owed (debt), the same financial logic works with a government-incurred deficit.

Why is reducing or removing the deficit the single best thing the provincial government can do for students? First, when the government is not choking in debt it can take the money it would otherwise be

spending on interest payments (for 2012-2013 the provincial government will spend $10.6 billion paying interest on debt, which is 8.4% of the total budget) and apply it towards programs that need more funding (e.g. tuition subsidies for students).

Which would you prefer: $10.6 billion paid to often-foreign creditors or $10.6 billion invested in Ontario?

If the provincial government applied only a quarter of what it is projected to spend on interest, $2.65 billion, to tuition subsidies, 330,000 undergraduate university students would receive a free education with ancillary fees and textbooks included. Of course this is a utopian example but it is to show how much money is being paid by the government in interest because of its inability to reign in spending; money that could be used for “drop fees”.

Second, a significant majority of students enter university in order to obtain an education and enter the workforce upon graduation. However, in order to pursue a career there must be careers available (the unemployment rate for youth aged 15-24 was 16.8%, up from 15.4% in July 2011). This is another area where maintaining a low or no deficit would benefit students greatly.

The more the government spends

beyond what it can afford the less comfortable investors feel and the less companies want to diversify because it makes investing unpredictable. The less investment there is coming in the slower the economy grows.

If students increase their voter turnout it will make lobbying the government significantly easier and as a result more fruitful. What we too often forget is that students as a group are a large part of the electorate and we have the power to enact change.

When the economy does not grow, job opportunities do not grow.

When the economy is booming, job opportunities are booming. In a situation where the government is heavy indebted, like the current government, students should not lobby for drop fees rather we should

lobby the government to reduce the deficit. The logic may seem strange here but if the government reduces its deficit significantly the economy will improve and job opportunities will become more abundant. Yes, students will be graduating on average with a substantial debt but at least they will have an opportunity to get a good paying job upon graduation and slowly pay down that debt. We must weigh the pros and cons of the situation.

Currently, Ontario is staying afloat financially by receiving money from other provinces, termed “transfer payments”. We are spending so much more than we can afford that we have to ask the federal government ($21.6 billion or 19.4% of projected revenue for 2012-2013) and neighboring provincial governments for more money. Historically, Ontario was an economic engine, leading in Canada. Today, Ontario is what is considered a “have-not” province. Like I mentioned a number of times: when the economy is not doing well and when the province is sinking in debt, job opportunities for students are reduced. Instead of lobbying the government to drop fees, students should primarily lobby the government to reduce and remove the deficit and only second-

arily ask the government to offer a more affordable education, when the government can actually afford it. Students should relentlessly lobby the government for this because it is our futures that are undercut when the government overspends.

Finally, it is essential for students to vote however, not for the party the CFS tells them to but the party and values that they have researched on their own and truly believe in. This is the first and easiest step students can take if they want to have their voices heard; politicians and political parties cater to the people that vote for them. If students increase their voter turnout it will make lobbying the government significantly easier and as a result more fruitful.

What we too often forget is that students as a group are a large part of the electorate and we have the power to enact change. But change won’t come in the tired old ways that have failed before time and time again.

We need to start on a new path as outlined before and start getting real results.

Stan Fedun Fourth Year, Political Sciences

Rage against the campus Dear editor, You can always tell who the first years are.

Bags packed with all their textbooks. Mouths shining with braces and smiles that will surely fade in a month or two. But if you can’t tell the first-year backpack from the fourth-year backpack, and you aren’t particularly interested in staring at a person until they smile, you could always take a walk from the crowded bus terminal to the Student Centre.

Those BMO people, with their suits and their cards and their clipboards. Only first-years—those poor, naïve, little children whose university experience won’t equate to that fictional image in their minds—have the cluelessness to speak to them.

Me, I walk around with my earmuff headphones on, almost as a threat: “I’m in fourth year. Back off, BMO man—or woman!” It’s not that I needlessly hate their guts or

anything. Four years of tuition and overpaying for textbooks I barely use have taught me something: nothing’s free. Not from school, not from BMO, not from anyone. It also taught me to wait a month before buying textbooks from the bookstore, unless you want to make an entire day of it.

That’s not to say I find our campus terrible. I do love the trees, the deer, the library, and the Dyson hand dryers in the washrooms.

But some stuff sucks. I mean, I’d like more study space in November and December. And yeah, waiting in the Timmy’s lineup for 20 minutes just for a bagel is never fun.

Personally, I think there should be at least three Timmys readily available for hungry students. It’s not like they wouldn’t make money off us.

And the garden centre, the garden centre! Don’t get me started on the garden centre! You know, that really narrow hallway leading from CCT to the library? Something tells me that isn’t the best place to host

a garden-selling escapade. Students walking in single-file, sweating, breathing all over me, tugging on my backpack, pushing me, violating my personal space. Whose bright idea was it to host a garden centre there?

Needless to say, some things irritate me.

Campus doesn’t have to be this way. It can be fun. We students just need a place to go besides the library and Starbucks.

Like the construction on a different building every single year. Of course, my last year in the English program takes place the exact same year the North Building will be revamped.

The hopeful first-years make me laugh. The BMO employees and the

garden centre make me angry. But what makes me sad? And what’s going to kill those first-years’ optimism?

You know how music blares during that first week or two? Outside the pub. It’s cool, it’s hip, and it’s a nice place to be (for two weeks). But that’s nothing more than a diversion from the truth. They make UTM seem like this rollercoaster ride of parties and breakdancing outside of the Student Centre.

What’s there to do on campus, you may ask? Well, you can join the debate club, or the students’ union.

Or write for that beautiful school newspaper of ours.

But what is there, really?

There’s nothing sadder for me than hearing students from the downtown campus talk about the latest party they’ve been to. I’m not saying there aren’t any parties on campus. I just haven’t been invited.

And sure, there are pub nights at the Blind Duck, but those tickets sell out fast considering the maximum

capacity is about a hundred people.

Speaking of the pub, what kind of restaurant and bar—yes, a bar that serves actual alcohol, and lots of it—closes at eight Mondays through Thursdays? Well, it’s not that bad.

I mean, it’s probably open to midnight or something on Fridays, right? Wrong. The Blind Duck, that beautiful student sanctuary where I can forget about midterms and essays and have a nice, cold beer, closes at four in the afternoon on Fridays.

Campus doesn’t have to be this way. It can be fun. We students just need a place to go besides the library and Starbucks. Maybe I’m antisocial. No, I’m definitely antisocial. I just can’t help but wonder whether it’s my fault, or whether campus doesn’t present enough viable options to have some good, old-fashioned fun.

Sami Karaman Fourth-year, English

6

« 10.15.2012

Editor » Colleen Munro

Looking to the past for inspiration The Art Gallery of Mississauga pays homage to the Group of Seven in their latest exhibition, “Genius Loci” ALEXANDRA BALAJ We like to possess a sense of self. We are constantly choosing aspects of the world with which to define ourselves and construct our own personal universe. We put together an identity based on our traits and our surroundings, and our art becomes a mirror of our interactions with the natural world.

This is the idea behind “Genius Loci”, a traditional-meets-contemporary art exhibit on display at the Art Gallery of Mississauga until November 4. Admission is free, and the gallery offers guided gallery walks, themed documentary screenings, and artist performances every Saturday in October. The show presents the work modern landscape artists alongside iconic pieces from the Group of Seven.

The name “Genius Loci”—Latin for “the spirit of a place”—sets the stage for a wordless conversation about humanity’s proximity to nature through concepts that span artistic generations.

Stuart Keeler, the exhibition’s curator, has the tour begin with a vibrant red wall covered with oil-oncanvas paintings. Framed posters, all the same size, fill the gaps between the much larger paintings. At first, it’s difficult to wrench one’s attention away from the centrepiece, the larg-

ART GALLERY OF MISSISSAUGA/PHOTO

Kara Hamilton’s “Milicent” is one of “Genius Loci’s” many eye-catching pieces. est painting in the assembly: a bold, streaky forest scene by Emily Carr.

One piece near the opening of the exhibit seems out of place in this exhibition of landscapes: Gu Xiong’s “100 Chinese Cultural Revolution Posters”.

Grinning youths stand proud and defiant in uniforms decorated with a symbolic red star. Surrounding them are family, supporting crowds, and occasionally tall, round mountains or farmers’ fields laid out in grids.

It’s dwarfed by the nearby portraits of Algoma and Georgian Bay riverbanks, and the viewer is unsure for a moment whether the modern artists are only here to pay homage to the greatness of the Group of Seven.

The doubt is dispelled by the fol-

lowing pair of paintings. The first is “Winter Morning at St. Tite des Caps” by A.Y. Jackson, which shows a wintry Québec countryside populated by rural chalets among snowy hills warmed by pink and yellow rays. an unframed canvas covered with overlapping, thumbnail-sized acrylic squares. The two pieces couldn’t be more different. The latter, James Fowler’s “Père Raquette”, looks like a pixelated cross-section of an underground anthill. The only resemblance is the colour scheme of pale greys, pale blues, pale pinks, and beiges.

Fowler’s accompanying description tells the story of AY Jackson’s quick morning sketches; these had to be so rushed in order to prevent his

oil paints from freezing that Jackson would barely have time to settle on a colour scheme. The early excursions to the locations earned Jackson the nickname “Père Raquette” (“Father Snowshoe”) and inspired Fowler’s reimagination of a birch tree. Inspired by this historical connection, Fowler’s piece taps into one the principles of the Group of Seven: an intense preoccupation with colour accuracy that took precedence over other elements.

A highly promoted section of the exhibit consists of two glass display tables. In one of the tables are the three wooden palettes of Group of Seven painters A.J. Casson, Tom Thomson, and F.H. Varley. In the other table lie three identical Petri

dishes of microbes swabbed from the palettes. According to artist Jon Sasaki, “The resulting colonies will constitute an environment of sorts— albeit a far more modest one than the painters depicted in their work.”

However, the unique scientific concept yields only disappointment: the dishes are so covered in condensation that none of the bacteria cultures are visible.

Sculptor Yael Brotman brings out a third dimension in his display of two model trailer homes built with Japanese paper, foam, and wire. Brotman’s experience of driving a rented trailer into the woods to escape the city was motivated by a love of nature he shares with Tom Thomson. As the viewers tower over the fragile model trailers, they find themselves in the position, perhaps even the role, of the surrounding nature. It puts into perspective the unstable power mankind has over nature.

Each piece and its corresponding Group of Seven inspiration reaffirms the awe and reverence with which we still view the natural world. And each one adds a modern, personal element as the artist depicts their experience with the land through real and imagined experiences. Each piece answers the overarching question, “Does being Canadian mean having a special relationship with the land?” with a definite yes.

Two Hollywood heavyweights return Affleck’s blockbuster thrills Frankenweenie pleases children and parents alike RAJ-KABIR BIRK Tim Burton has returned to stopmotion with Frankweenie. A remake of one of his own short films, Frankweenie follows the story of Victor Frankenstein, a high school student who has a deep affection for his dog, Sparky. When a car accident kills Sparky, Victor turns to his own means and those given to him by his science teacher, Mr. Ryzkruski, to bring Sparky back from the dead. Thus begins the story of a dog coming back from the dead, and the trouble it spawns.

Frankenweenie is the first black and white stop-motion film to be showcased in IMAX 3D. This combination of old techniques and new technology creates a nice balance in a family film accessible to all ages. IMAX 3D is a privilege usually reserved for the star-heavy, crowd-pleasing action flicks, but it’s thoroughly warranted in the case of Frankweenie.

Burton manages to create moments of genuine comedy and tenderness wrapped up in what may become the most successful black and white stop-motion film of all time.

(Note the self-reference in the opening scene, in which Victor shows his parents his homemade 3D stop-motion movie.) Despite its unusual visuals, it never strays too far from being a human story. This is thanks in large part to the cast, which includes the stellar voices of Winona Ryder, Charlie Tahan, and Martin Short.

The moments of suspense and thrill are supplemented by the effective score of Danny Elfman, who has scored most of Burton’s films.

The moments of suspense and thrill are supplemented by the effective score of Danny Elfman, who has scored most of Burton’s films.

Elfman’s music adds to the warm atmosphere of the film, which is reinforced by John August’s script.

The film explores different aspects of Victor’s hometown New Holland— including a windmill, a “Dutch Day”, an intrusive mayor, and a competitive science fair—but never

loses sight of the core of the film. As Elsa (Ryder) sings her song “Praise Be New Holland” at the science fair before the climactic insanity ensues, we also see a kind of social commentary on suburban life, safe and shielded as it is from strange events.

Burton turns that on its head and gives us more than either we or the film’s characters anticipated.

Despite the otherworldly events of its plot, Frankweenie has mellow moments that contrast nicely with the mayhem and allow the audience to enjoy the whole spectacle and not just its key plot points. Everyone will have a different favourite moment in Frankweenie, which is why it will likely be a success in the end.

This is a return to form for Burton after two less than stellar remakes (Alice in Wonderland and Dark Shadows). You could even argue it is his best film since 2005’s Corpse Bride, which was also stop-motion.

Burton’s vast experience in both 3D filmmaking and stop-motion animation ensures the film’s lasting appeal.

This isn’t a case of an old dog learning new tricks, but of a veteran doing what he does best.

MMM ½

JASON COELHO Ben Affleck’s much-hyped Argo, which played in early September at the Toronto International Film Festival, is utterly satisfying and definitely worthy of all the anticipation. The film is a retelling of the Iranian hostage crisis, a CIA rescue operation that was declassified under Bill Clinton’s presidency. In the incident, a group of U.S. diplomats working in Iran were held captive, unable to leave the country.

However, six managed to escape from the Islamist revolutionaries and consequently sought refuge in the home of the Canadian ambassador. The movie follows members of the CIA as they desperately attempt to free the six prisoners, giving them fake Canadian identities and helping them pose as a Hollywood film crew on a location scout for a fake sci-fi movie, which is itself titled Argo.

A wild ride indeed, Argo somehow has the audience on the edge of their seat as they ride a rollercoaster of emotions. From the tense drama to the surprisingly generous serving of comedy, it’s a perfect film experience.

The movie is thoroughly entertaining, a testament to the many things gone right in the process of making it.

Ben Affleck once again takes a lead

role: CIA technical operations officer Tony Mendez, who facilitated the escape of the American diplomats. He also directed, and the movie makes it clear that he is a talented and serious Hollywood filmmaker. He has directed his best film so far with Argo.

The cast is an assembly of A-list actors, including Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, and Alan Arkin. The veterans all broaden their range in these roles and deliver solid performances.

As well, Chris Terrio’s script, based on the real-life Antonio Mendez’s memoir The Master of Disguise: My Secret Life in the CIA, manages a meticulous attention to detail but also allows the movie to flow smoothly from beginning to end. The two hours of running time seem to fly by.

There is also a good chance that this political thriller will specifically engage and satisfy Canadian audiences.

A love letter to Canada, Argo features a constant appreciation of our home and native land. As the diplomats await their rescue at the Canadian ambassador’s home, they take on their fake Canadian identities with wonderfully stereotypical humour and a stream of friendly quips about our country, which left the audience applauding well after the movie ended.

MMMM

10.15.2011 THE MEDIUM A&E

»

7

Rowling moves from Hogwarts to Pagford Muggles rejoice! J.K. Rowling is back with a new book for adults, The Casual Vacancy MARIA RUIZ After a brief departure from the literary scene, J.K. Rowling—who has practically become as famous as the hero of her bestselling Harry Potter series—is back in the spotlight with her new book, The Casual Vacancy.

Taking a major departure from the kind of story that made her famous, The Casual Vacancy is her first book for adults. The story takes place in the small town of Pagford, where the residents pride themselves on their isolation and freedom to do things their way. The story begins with the death of Barry Fairbrother, a member of the Pagford Parish Council. As the story unfolds, it quickly becomes clear that Fairbrother played a critical role in the political conflict plaguing Pagford and souring its relationship with the neighbouring town of Yarvil. Pagford has always defined itself in opposition to Yarvil, and the resentment that has been building for close to 60 years has now come to a boil over the redrawing of the towns’ boundaries. With the death of Barry Fairbrother, the two sides of the imminent war rush to find a replace-

ment who can tip the scales one way or the other. In the ensuing chaos tensions run high, and dark secrets begin to spill out, irreversibly changing the lives of all those who had any tie, however small, to Fairbrother.

It is inevitable that this book will be judged, at least initially, in comparison to Harry Potter. Admittedly, the two share several elements. The sharp, quirky writing style that became Rowling’s signature is definitely present, as is her cast of zany characters with intricate connections to each other. That, however, is where the similarities end. The plot is much darker and more morally ambiguous than Harry Potter’s classic showdown between good and evil.

The style Rowling uses here is much more complex and literary; the book showcases her impressive grasp of the English language. Her storytelling is as sharp as ever, and she is supremely careful about when and how she reveals information.

Like any good mystery author, she is amazingly adept at subtly building suspense and creating tension, and she is a master of pitting characters against each other. Despite her tal-

ent, however, the pace of the book is not quick. The plot develops slowly and she periodically launches into digressions on a character’s past or irrelevant and lengthy introspective passages that interrupt the flow of the story. And while the characters are diverse and complex, few are likable or relatable, and there are arguably too many of them. The story is told in omniscient third person, but this time it is not rooted in any one character’s perspective—it unexpectedly jumps from character to character in a detached and impersonal manner.

Nevertheless, there are parts that the author handles well. The book is at its heart a tale of morality that warns of the dangers of politics built on duplicity and hidden agendas. It raises awareness of the impact that petty politics have on people who are at the mercy of governing bodies like the Pagford Parish Council.

Throughout the book, the people who suffer the most are the marginalized and impoverished. While the book at times puts across an incredibly pessimistic view of humanity, the ending leaves readers with hope for change.

JFL ends on a high Stand-up favourite Louis C.K. takes his act to the next level

GOODREADS.COM/PHOTO

In the end, to judge this book on the standards set by Harry Potter is to not fully understand or appreciate it. This is a story based firmly in

Interview: Jully Black COLLEEN MUNRO A&E EDITOR Multi-talented Canadian songstress Jully Black is no stranger to career reinvention. As well as finding success on the charts with her own songs, the Juno winner has written tracks for other artists, including Destiny’s Child and Nas. She’s also taken to the stage in Toronto and served as a correspondent for shows like Canadian Idol and The Marilyn Denis Show. In terms of her own music, she’s explored genres as diverse as old-school R&B, rock, soul, and rap.

Her most recent release—an EP called Dropping W(8), which is available for free online—is decidedly more influenced by dance music. Before her concert at Mississauga’s Living Arts Centre this Thursday, The Medium caught up with Black to talk about some of her inspirations and to figure out what fans can expect from her upcoming album (8)IGHT.

NATIONALPOST.COM/PHOTO

Louis C.K. revealed new material at the Just For Laughs Festival in Toronto.

ANDREA AMBROGI We’ve reached a point in show business where the name “Louis C.K.” is synonymous with comedy, and for good reason. Louis C.K. is easily one of the funniest men alive right now, but that title hasn’t stopped him from getting funnier and setting the bar of comedy even higher.

On the evening of September 28, Louis C.K. performed an hour-long set of new material at the Sony Centre to close off this year’s Just for Laughs Festival.

A Canadian and self-described “man-mountain of comedy”, K. Trevor Wilson had a tall order opening for Louis C.K., but he held his own. His set was brief, but it was tight and filled with thoughtfully placed jokes and punch lines that kept the audience laughing from start to finish.

Reaching the top, especially in

show business, usually marks the end of a career. The only logical place to go next is down, right? Not always. Not only is Louis C.K. enjoying his view from the top, he’s redefining what it means to be at the top. During his hour-long set, he told his anecdotes and stories with surgical precision, choosing each word and beat as though he were playing a symphony. Louis C.K.’s comedy has a melody and a rhythm to it that is both enthralling and admirable.

The set’s jokes strayed from the familiar topic of his daughters, and it was brutally honest, genuinely moving, and deeply philosophical.

The comedian rather boldly tackled subjects such as body image, aging, and even the meaning of life.

Louis C.K. has turned his comedy into an art, and it’s one that plays with the audience’s emotions and expectations. He leads you in one

direction and delivers the finishing punch out of left field. His jokes are the comedic equivalent of TKOs. After his first set, he received a standing ovation and returned to the stage a few minutes afterwards for an encore. Unlike his typical encores, in which he jumps from story to story, this encore was conceptual and lasted 10 minutes. To avoid spoiling anything for the yetto-be-confirmed comedy special he’ll hopefully release in the future, the reactions to his encore could be summed up in two sentiments: “I can’t believe I’m laughing this hard at something like this” with a dash of “this is so morally awful and wrong but so, so, so funny”. It was a perfect bit.

C.K. received a second, even more thunderous standing ovation when he closed the show for the evening—an ovation he had completely earned.

reality and completely devoid of any kind of magic. And that is precisely the point.

MMM ½

The Medium: Although you’ve always incorporated dance music into your work, how did the new heavier [dance] influence on your EP, Dropping W(8), come about?

Jully Black: I co-wrote a bunch of songs with [producer and choreographer] Luther Brown. We’ve been friends since grade three. I started my career with hip-hop and with more dancier beats, so we just started to have fun and experiment a bit. And because my producer, “Young” Pete Alexander, was also a drummer, we really wanted to have some drum influence.

TM: And is your upcoming album, (8)IGHT, going to have a style similar to that?

JB: No, actually. (8)IGHT is going to be kind of a new Motown sound. I’m kind of on my way back to the Sunday school influences. The Motown-style music with horns and with strings— just soul. Right back to soul.

TM: I’ve noticed that you’re pretty active on Twitter and Facebook, and that you refer to your fans as “family”. That’s something that I haven’t really seen a lot of other public figures do. How have these new social media sites changed the way you interact with the people who listen to your music?

JB: Well, it’s given me direct access, which I think is really cool. Back in the day, we relied heavily on mailing lists and the mailing lists were governed by the record company. Now, with Twitter, I can actually create a conversation that continues. It’s not based on a single on the radio, a video. It’s not based on celebrity. Like, for me, it’s based on my personality and who I am, rather than what I do.

TM: You’ve experimented with incorporating a lot of different styles into your music throughout your career.

Are there any unexplored territories you still want to venture into?

JB: I would absolutely love to do a kind of jazzy gospel album. But what I will say—what I can scratch off my bucket list—is a country duet. He’s an artist named Donny Parenteau, out in Saskatoon, and it’s a beautiful, beautiful music duet. I got a chance to explore a different side to my voice, and I think people are going to be in for a big surprise.

TM: If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring musicians on how to achieve a long-lasting career like you’ve had, what would it be?

JB: I would say to figure out your intentions. Why do you want to be in the music business? And if it has anything to do with money or celebrity, then you may want to rethink it.

It’s a long road. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Everything else is pretty much self-explanatory, with work ethic, et cetera. But I like to get to the core of it, which is really your intention.

8

« 10.15.2012

Editor » Carine Abouseif

Reclaiming your inner control Neurological studies suggests we can regulate emotions through mindfulness meditation

A mindfulness meditation session held by the Psychology Association of Undergraduate Students at Erindale.

JILLIAN LIM Zindel Segal, a psychiatry professor at U of T, describes mindfulness meditation as a way to reclaim a choice we forget we have: which thoughts will we pay attention to, and which do we choose to ignore? Through “mindfulness”—or the full awareness of our thoughts and sensations—he says we can shut unwanted emotions out and keep positive feelings in. In other words, we gain control.

As the founder of mindfulnessbased cognitive therapy, Segal joins a Buddhist tradition that dates back to the fifth-century BC prince Siddhartha Gautama. “We are shaped by our

thoughts,” Gautama philosophizes in the Dhammapada, an ancient collection of his sayings. “We become what we think.”

Jump 2,500 years later, and neurological research across North America suggests that meditation alters the structure of your brain and how your DNA chooses to express itself.

Segal’s own lab results show that meditation had an effect comparable to antidepressant pills. These studies give fresh meaning to the cliché “mind over matter”. Can we control our thoughts—and through them, our bodies?

In the dimly lit dance studio of the RAWC, Jeffrey Saah, a mindfulness

meditation guide in a student-run initiative at UTM, begins the meditation with a series of muscle stretches. With our bodies relaxed, we sit cross-legged on mats as Saah asks us to close our eyes and “visualize”. Out of the darkness we create a forest, a pond, a golden temple, and a mountain. Saah instructs us to pay attention to every sensation in the blades of grass, cool water, and fresh air. For nearly an hour, we explore this world.

“Now, in five seconds,” Saah continues, “you will imagine that this entire world you have created—the trees, temple, and mountains—will get sucked back inside your heart. After that, you will open your eyes.”

JASMEEN VIRK/THE MEDIUM

He begins to count: “Five… four… three… two…”

One. When I open my eyes, I start to miss my meditative self as reality settles in. But Shouvik Biswas, another meditation guide in the group, says that we carry the potential to unlock that peacefulness if we choose to do so. “As a guide, I am simply showing you what is pre-existent inside of you,” he explains. “I am merely guiding you in finding the centre.” Biswas echoes Segal’s notion that through mindfulness, we can reclaim an innate control over ourselves. But how do you define this control, and where does it come from?

In 2009, a group of scientists at

the Harvard Medical School studied the genes of people who meditated for eight weeks. The group included Herbert Benson, one of the first Western doctors to bring meditation into medicine. Through blood samples and DNA analysis, Benson and his team found that their participants’ gene expression had changed since their first meditation session. Meditation apparently had activated the genes that prevent stress and deactivated the genes that provoke it. This finding lines up with the increased sense of relaxation the participants felt after meditating.

ing turn-taking, intonation, and gestures.

So context is everything. One type of theory behind register is that in our lexicon—that’s our mental dictionary in which every word is packed with even more data than in a paper dictionary—words and common phrases have a marker to identify the context they’re good for. That would be a sociolinguistic way of looking at it: it doesn’t affect the grammar, but the social context.

But in a sense, register does involve grammar. Not only are entries in the lexicon classified, so are whole rules of grammar. In the example with the cute, nerdy girl, I used the conditional tense—“Would you?” Think about it; what exactly is the condition, the “if ”? There isn’t one. For all intents and purposes, it means the same thing as “Do you?”, except the conditional tense in that situation has been deployed to serve one purpose: register.

Register is also a factor in language change, because of how it classifies elements of a language. The mean-

ing of a context tends to rub off on whatever appears in it. In French, for example, a tense called the passé simple has drifted so far to the literary that it’s now totally absent in regular conversation… but in some French translations of the Bible, most of the past-tense verbs are in passé simple.

Now, passé simple is a tool writers can optionally use to create a certain effect.

We rarely notice these changes as they’re happening, because they’re so subtle. In English, the present subjunctive is disappearing shade by shade—Shakespeare is probably your closest memory of sentences like “Though he be but little, he is fierce.”

And it’s already uncool to use past subjunctive. If I were to use it, you’d probably (forgive the pun) register it.

And that’s exactly the experiment I’d like to encourage you to try this week. Try to register register. As you go about using language every day, notice it. Listen for it in the speech of people around you. And play with it in your own. It can be way fun.

Mindfulness continued page 10

VOL 2 EP 3: Register—it's way fun LUKE SAWCZAK COPY EDITOR Oh, hello, reader! It’s been a little while, hasn’t it? Welcome back. Today’s topic is register—and not the kind you had to switch on to keep warm these last few days.

So what kind of register do I mean?

Well, linguists are actually moving away from the term in favour of “style” and other words. But those are too broad for what I mean—namely, the “level” of language. I mentioned it in last year’s column when I talked about literal meaning versus connotations, and that’s still probably the best summary. Register doesn’t cover actual changes in meaning. It has more to do with why you ask your friend, “Wanna catch a flick?” whereas to the cute, nerdy girl it’s “Would you like to go to the movies with me?”

If any topic in linguistics has a part in your conscious daily life, this is it.

You speak differently to your friend, to your romantic partner, to your parents, to your grandma, to your neighbour, to your nephew, to your

boss, to your siblings (especially to your siblings), and to everyone else.

Go on, imagine how you would ask each of those for a dollar so you can buy a coffee. (For some of them, you just wouldn’t!)

Now, maybe not all of the things involved in that thought experiment count as register. But register is a lot more than formality and informality.

Speaking of formality, we’ve all had to learn one more register to succeed here at UTM: “academese”. You know what I’m talking about; it’s the “We shall first, therefore, examine…” that begins the paragraph after your thesis. The line you would never use in any other earthly context. Academese is a mixture of jargon—that is, technical terms—and, well, what we’ve been taught is a “higher” level of language.

Academese is practically a dialect of its own, but no one speaks it natively. It has to be learned and encouraged. Among us undergraduates, it tends to be over-encouraged. Just about everyone’s first article in The Medium comes to us in the form of an

essay. They spell out every “it is” and “cannot”. But newspaper style is not academic style. It even differs from section to section. (We’re in Features, right? That’s why I get my “Oh, hello” up there.)

You speak differently to your friend, to your romantic partner, to your parents, to your grandma, to your neighbour, to your nephew, to your boss...

As a human being, you’ve learned to speak in many different registers, some of them harder to master than others. And there’s a situation for each one, a situation that dictates what kind of language you can use and still sound sane. According to some linguists, every conversation has a register, which determines even non-verbal communication, includ-

»

10.15.2012 THE MEDIUM FEATURES

9

Clamour over career-crippling quote Why was there so much backlash to Jonah Lehrer’s misquote? It goes back to the basics JILLIAM LIM By the age of 27, Jonah Lehrer had written two bestselling books on how our brains work in everyday life. He had a degree in neuroscience, a reputation as a whiz kid, and a nice smile.

But when journalist Michael Moynihan exposed Lehrer’s fabrication of a Bob Dylan quote this past August, things changed for Lehrer. Tweeters called Lehrer a fabulist and a fraud.

Journalists wrote scathing articles about his deceit. Lehrer’s publisher, Houghton Mifflin, recalled all copies of Imagine: How Creativity Works, the book in which Lehrer’s fictitious Dylan quote appears. Lehrer resigned from his position as a staff writer for The New Yorker and stopped posting blog articles and tweets.

Lehrer’s misdemeanour had people talking, and some of us wondered why it attracted so much media attention— it was just one misquote, after all. How could a small fabrication, a turn of a phrase, cause such a stir?

Let’s let the media backlash that followed the scandal speak for itself. The Guardian first hailed Lehrer, then a fresh young Columbia graduate, as “the prodigy who lights up the brain”, a writer smart and hip enough to give us the scientific explanations behind our everyday lives with panache. Lehrer wrote articles titled “Every Child is a Scientist”, “The Psychology of Nakedness” and “The Difficulty of Loving Strangers”. He wrote prophetically about the mysteries of the human brain. And he did it in style.

The Financial Times describes Lehrer as “skinny and energetic” and “handsome”. In an interview with CBC’s Radio One show Q, he wears quirky plastic-

BAKERSANDASTRONAUTS.BLOGSPOT.CA/PHOTO

A copy of Imagine: How Creativity Works, in which Lehrer fabricated quotes by Bob Dylan. framed glasses and speaks at a rapid-fire pace about his work, which consists of three books and countless articles in major newspapers and science journals. Lehrer’s first book, Proust Was a Neuroscientist, explains how writers like Marcel Proust and artists like Cezanne foreshadowed the field of neuroscience in their works.

Lehrer’s latest book, Imagine, promised to scientifically unravel the “profound mysteries behind creative thought”. Armed with a colourful cover and the promise of enlightenment, the book rapidly became a bestseller. Lehrer seemed to make science simple, attractive, and optimistic.

Then, on July 30, Michael Moynihan published an article titled “Jonah Lehrer’s Deceptions” in Tablet, an online magazine. Moynihan had discovered that Bob Dylan had never said “It’s just this sense that you got something to

say” to describe creativity, as Lehrer had claimed. In fact, many of the quotes that Lehrer had attributed to Dylan turned out to be Lehrer’s inventions.

Though he initially denied the claims, Lehrer finally said (through his publishers), “The lies are over now. I understand the gravity of my position. I want to apologize to everyone I have let down.”

In late August, Charles Seife, a journalism professor hired by Wired.com to comb through Lehrer’s blog posts and articles, wrote an article that exposed Lehrer’s deeper transgressions. “Almost every Jonah Lehrer piece I examined showed journalistic misdeeds,” Seife wrote.

Among the misdeeds, Seife lists plagiarism from other journalists, plagiarism from press releases, false quotations, and fabricated facts.

“A journalist who repeatedly fails to correct errors when they’re pointed out

is, in my opinion, exhibiting reckless disregard for the truth,” Seife writes, “Betraying the reader is the cardinal sin in journalism.”

Why would Lehrer lie at all? Seife suggests one possibility: because Lehrer could get away with it. Seife suspects that contemporary journalism, charged as it is by social media and readers hungry for information, made it possible for Lehrer to rise to fame in a flash by quickly publishing anything that sounded attractive.

David Carr, a New York Times columnist, came to the same conclusion. “Part of the problem with journalism online is that it all seems mutable,” he writes. “You are only as visible as your last post.” In other words, online journalism allows writers to edit and re-edit their work, and with it their identities. We see this in social media like Facebook and Twitter, which allow us to present ourselves as pretty and polished packages.

But plagiarism and fabrication has been around since the early days of the printing press, so social media can’t be the only factor. Todd Gitlin, a professor of journalism at Columbia, suggests that as consumers, our attraction to image may also play a role in Lehrer’s success.

“Conjure me up a guy who talks science winningly, who shows you that everything is transparent, and does it in a self-help-y spirit,” Gitlin says. “In our age, a guy who looks cute and wonky is better positioned to get away with this than others.” Gitlin goes on to highlight an uncomfortable truth about our desire for answers: we are as tempted to believe pretty stories as we are to tell them.

The temptation to simplify and embellish the truth is dangerous in any science, but especially in the young and speculative field of neuroscience. In neuroscience, research builds on whatever is solid in previous research, findings are tentative, and theories about the human mind are always up for questioning. As Steven Poole writes in The New Statesman, “The human brain, it is said, is the most complex object in the known universe.”

And even outside of scientific research—in politics, journalism, or everyday life—there are never simple answers or easy ways out. Lehrer’s fabrications are is inexcusable because even in a market of image and attractiveness, the plain truth still matters.

In October 2012, Lehrer told Los Angeles Magazine that he will write a new book on the subject of his misdeeds. “I’m writing something about the mistake and affair myself, if only so I can learn from the failing,” he says. “And I’d prefer not to talk until my writing is done.”

The outsiders

The science of friendship and alienatation AYESHA MALIK Your friends are doing a lot more for you than you think—and now science proves it. A 2012 review by Meyer-Lindenberg and Tost, which summarizes evidence from other studies, suggests that social stressors and genes may interact to predict mental illnesses.

Meyer-Lindenberg and Tost list three strong associations between mental illness and environmental factors: early childhood neglect or abuse, an upbringing in an urban environment, and being a first- or second-generation immigrant (in any country). These environmental factors are considered “social stressors”; social stress is stress that develops from relationships with others.

A phenomenon called “social defeat”, where a person feels like an outsider, may be shared by these three environmental factors. The term “social defeat” was first applied to animals in experiments that focus on resident-intruder relationships.

An animal would be placed in the cage of an animal of a different species in way that induced some sort of non-lethal conflict. Sometimes, after a clash resulted, the first animal was then kept in a cage next to the resident of the cage it had been placed in. The researchers would then observe cues of acute stress through-

out the experiment, and determine which animal was the dominant one.

A similar phenomenon occurs in humans when an outsider or intruder enters a new community. Social defeat is usually prominent when children or immigrants are unable to make or keep friends in their new environment. Social defeat can lead to depression, and studies show it can even be associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia.

Social defeat is usually prominent when children or immigrants are unable to make or keep friends in their new environment.

But Meyer-Lindenberg and Tost also saw that certain genetic variants can exacerbate the effects of environmental factors. They identified these genetic variants in three genes (the oxytocin receptor gene, the monoamine oxidase-A gene, and the CACA1C gene). All three genes influence the brain’s biochemistry— and all three influence how the brain deals with social situations. The oxytocin receptor gene, for example, receives chemical signals from the hormone oxytocin. Several studies have linked oxytocin with anxiety levels,

maternal behaviour, and social recognition. Oxytocin has also been linked to how people manage trust and empathy in social situations.

Some evidence also shows that oxytocin can boost tribal-type behaviour and the exclusion of outsiders.

The three genes are considered “risk variants” for mental illness.

They affect the brain in a way that makes some people prone to mental illness.

Together, the evidence of social stressors and that of genetic risk variants point to a seemingly simple conclusion. People who feel alienated are at risk for mental illness— especially if they carry the genetic variants that exacerbate the effects of their isolation.

So what should we do about it?

Positive environments for children are key. Pharmacology can also help.

Taking oxytocin, for example, can be used to relieve anxiety when used in conjunction with psychotherapy.

But even perceived alienation or discrimination can be harmful.

Whether perceived or real, the consequences of feeling like an outsider can lead to changes in our neurobiology.

In the end, it still comes down to relationships. Go out and make some friends. You can tell them that you just might be saving both of you from schizophrenia.

Advertising – Media Management Alternative Dispute Resolution Event Management Fashion Management & Promotions Financial Planning Global Business Management Human Resources Management International Development Marketing Management Public Administration

10 WAYS TO LAUNCH YOUR CAREER FIND YOUR NICHE WITH A POSTGRAD IN BUSINESS

business.humber.ca/postgrad

10

«FEATURES THE MEDIUM

10.15.2012

UTM/TV acquired Meditation The DEM Society is recreating UTM/TV CARINE ABOUSEIF FEATURES EDITOR The Digital Enterprise Management Society’s August newsletter reported that they now own and operate UTM/ TV. To me, the word “own” evokes images of financial takeovers that involve bidding, stocks, and ludicrous sums of money, like when Google acquired YouTube in 2006. Or when Facebook bought Instagram last April. Could one group of university students really purchase another?

Both UTM/TV and the DEM Society were created in the span of the last three years. First, in January 2010, UTM/TV became the only platform for independent video production at UTM when it released its first video broadcast. A little over a year later, two students, Mehria Karmizadah and Niwaz Mann, co-founded the DEM Society when they put together a team of managers, designers, developers, and content creators.

That winter, UTM/TV’s board of directors found themselves making a difficult decision: should they dissolve UTM/TV? Many of the original team members were graduating in the spring.

On top of that, their office space had been taken over by Computing Services, leaving what was left of the team with nowhere in which to produce their videos.

The board’s option at that time was to return UTM/TV to the proprietorship of its founder, Andrew Hamilton-Smith.

At the meeting, one of the board members, Eric Madan, made a suggestion. Madan had recently been appointed president and chief operating officer of the DEM Society. He proposed that the DEM Society acquire UTM/TV under its creative development wing.

The most interesting question about the acquisition was the fate of UTM/TV’s content.

How would the new leadership change the content?

In the past, the creative development team had focussed their energies on social media and blog-writing, but they also had the video-editing skills and the creative knowledge to manage a video broadcasting outlet like UTM/ TV, Madan said. So why let it die?

When the votes came in, the board had approved Madan’s proposal.

Madan appointed Mobolade Ekujumi and Ayman Shams, two former DEM Society members, the new creative directors of the reformed UTM/TV.

But the interesting question about the acquisition was the fate of UTM/ TV’s content. How would the new leadership change the content? Or would the content change at all?

According to Ekujumi and Madan, a shift in content should be expected.

In the past, Madan said, UTM/TV would have covered a campus event like Unity Through Diversity Week by attending the event and taking footage there, perhaps covering student interaction and interviewing attendees and hosts. This year, UTM/TV plans to create more content of its own that resembles promotional material more than it does news coverage. For example, for Unity Through Diversity, the team would come together to produce a creative video before the event, in the hope that it would build excitement.

The new content will also be shorter, said Ekujumi. The tradeoff is that the content will be more professionally edited.

Ekujumi also talked about introducing more comedy through student skits.

Undoubtedly, the fact that the DEM Society’s creative team are running it means their interests will also influence the content selection. For example, the team plans to use UTM/TV to advertise the DEM Society’s Young Entrepreneurs Challenge, a networking conference the team plans to host in 2013.

editor@mediumutm.ca

and control

Mindfulness continued page 8 Such changes in gene expression are called “epigenetic”, from epi-, the Greek for “above” or “over” the genes. Does meditation allow us to make epigenetic changes?

If epigenetics deals with changes to gene expression at the molecular level, the phenomenon of neuroplasticity has a similar effect on brain cells. It’s essentially the ability of your brain to change and adapt. In recent years, scientists have increasingly linked meditation with neuroplasticity. In 2011, Dr. Sara Lazar and her team at the Massachusetts General Hospital found that people who practiced meditation for a long time showed increased brain density in the areas that regulate emotions and perception. At the University of California, David Creswell’s lab showed that during meditation, the prefrontal cortex was activated, apparently to quiet down another part of the brain—the amygdala. The amygdala is the brain’s emotional centre; a quiet amygdala means calmness.

If Lazar’s and Creswell’s findings apply outside of the lab, they could prove that meditation allows us to regulate our thoughts and emotions through biological means. Since the fields of epigenetics and neuroplasticity are still young, findings in

them are still open to debate.

Meanwhile, Segal hopes that the recent attention on mindfulness meditation will not position it as a “quick fix”.

“People can go, ‘All I need to do is be mindful,’ and then perhaps they try meditation and discover it’s not easy,” Segal said in a Globe and Mail article. Instead, he is pushing for the image of mindfulness meditation as a sort of training. Likewise, Biswas, who is also a UTM student and has practiced meditation for about eight months, describes his own mindfulness experience as a “work in progress that gets easier every day”.

Biswas, Saah, Vanessa Sabucco, and the meditation group’s events coordinator, Karin Sidey, are a team of students that lead mindfulness meditation sessions with the simple goal of helping people “de-stress”.

And while the biological mechanisms behind meditation remain speculative, the fact that sessions draw students and athletes in every week speaks to their own effectiveness.

Can we reclaim control over our thoughts? In his mindfulness meditation sessions, Saah puts it as a very real choice. “As you visualize,” he says, “remember: you feel strong.

You feel capable. You can do anything.”

10.15.2012

Âť

11

Editor Âť Isaac Owusu

Toronto Blue Jays season in review Looking at why JosĂŠ Bautista and the Blue Jays fell short of the lofty expectations that followed their promising finish in 2011

bananaz83.tumblr.com/PHOTO

JosĂŠ Bautista strikes out at home against the Baltimore Orioles.

KAREEM RAMADAN The 2012 MLB season was a tumultuous one for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Following consecutive 80-win seasons in 2010 and 2011, expectations were high in 2012. Unfortunately for the Jays’ faithful fans, progression was not the theme of the 2012 campaign, but rather injuries—and lots of them.

The wave of injuries started in late April, with opening-day closer Sergio Santos already going down. Initially, Santos was diagnosed with shoulder tightness and labelled each day, but it was later discovered that Santos had an inflammation in his right shoulder that required surgery, and that was the end of the season for him.

Disaster struck again in June when starting pitchers Brandon Morrow (strained left oblique), Kyle Drabek (torn ulnar collateral ligatment), and Drew Hutchison (sprained right el-

bow) were all placed on the long-term disabled list. Drabek and Hutchison have since undergone the dreaded “Tommy John� surgery, which has a 14- to 16-month recovery period. But sadly, the list does not end there.

Right fielder and team leader JosĂŠ Bautista (damaged left wrist tendon), third baseman Brett Lawrie (injured ribcage), first baseman Adam Lind (strained back), and left fielder Rajai Davis (jammed left middle finger) all spent time on the DL this year. In total, the Blue Jays placed 24 different players on the DL for an estimated sum of 733 man-games lost to injury.

To the Blue Jays’ credit, the team managed to hover around .500 until July 30 (51–51). It was not until Lawrie was placed on the DL shortly thereafter that they began to slip. After that, the Blue Jays had a miserable 22–38 record.

But injuries aside, the real downfall of the Blue Jays in 2012 was their

Blues lose Argo Cup to York, drop fifth game of season ISAAC OWUSU SPORTS EDITOR U of T’s Varsity Blues lost to the rival York University’s Lions by a score of 36–24, dropping their fifth game of the season. The game also marks York’s first victory over Toronto since 2007.

The 43rd annual Red and Blue Bowl was held last Saturday afternoon in front of 1,821 fans at St. George’s Varsity Centre, where the teams played for the Argo Cup. The Lions claimed the Cup through their evident ground superiority—they outgained Toronto with 261 to 78 yards rushing.

The damp, chilly game appeared to be in York’s hand when they were pushing a 30–9 lead at halftime, but the Blues closed the gap in the second half. Fifth-year

kicker Andrew Lomasney scored the only first-half points for the Blues, hitting two field goals of a respective 23 and 32 yards.

The Blues once again employed the dual quarterback system, having second-year quarterback Richard Quittenton split his duties with the backup quarterback, third-year Simon Nassar.

Quittenton scored the team’s first touchdown at the end of the third quarter on a one-yard quarterback sneak. First-year running back Ashton Nelson scored on a nine-yard touchdown sprint, bringing the score as close as 30–24, before York’s fifth-year running back Kyle Exume powered in his third and final major of the day with an 18yard rush.

Blues continued on page 12

rotation. Opening-day ace Ricky Romero slid heavily to post a 5.77 ERA, up from the much better 2.92 a year prior. The season was highlighted by a franchise record 13 consecutive losses for Romero between June 22 and September 23. The Jays’ third starter, Henderson Alvarez, did not fare much better, posting a 4.85 ERA, up from 3.53 a season ago. The cumulative ERA for the Blue Jays’ rotation in 2012 is 4.64—their worst since 2002.

From an offence standpoint, the season was a rollercoaster ride filled with peaks and valleys. Before the all-star break, the Blue Jays produced 430 runs. Following the all-star break, their run’ total dropped to 286.

The season was not all bad, though.

Coming from a disappointing 2011 season, first baseman Edwin Encarnacion exceeded all expectations and recorded 42 HR and 106 RBI, with a slash line of .280/.384/.557.

University of Ottawa

On the opposite corner of the diamond, third baseman Brett Lawrie had a quietly successful rookie season, and proved to even his most skeptical detractors that he is capable of playing third base defensively. In fact, according to his defensive runs saved (an advanced metric that records every fielder’s defensive proficiency relative to his peers), Lawrie had no defensive equal in 2012. In the bullpen, Casey Janssen turned in another brilliant season, this time in the closer’s role, converting 22 out of a possible 25 save attempts and posting a 2.54 ERA. Janssen’s bullpen mate Steve Delabar was also brilliant, recording a 3.38 ERA with the Blue Jays and pitching an astonishing 46 strikeouts in 29 innings. But besides these standout performances, there were very few successes for the Blue Jays this season.

Fans’ opinions of the Blue Jays’ season were predominantly negative.

“The pitching was disappointing, and the squad appeared to lack team unity,� says Fazle Rablee, a fourth-year sciences major. “This past year has been one to forget,� adds Shayan Yassaei, a secondyear life sciences student. “I could barely watch games in the second half. Hopefully next season will be better.�

Despite all these negatives, it is important to remember why there was so much optimism at the start of the season. The Blue Jays are a young squad, flush with talent at the minor league level; with some continued health and production, the Jays’ big bats will allow them to take the next step towards first place in the AL. It is also crucial that management loosen the purse strings and make a concerted effort to acquire pitching help on the FA market, or they risk another disappointing season.

|

Study Law in the National Capital Obtain a uOttawa JD degree in either English or French with a concentration in t 4PDJBM +VTUJDF

t -BX BOE 5FDIOPMPHZ

t *OUFSOBUJPOBM -BX

t &OWJSPONFOUBM -BX

Or take advantage of our many joint programs,* including +% --- National Program XJUI V0UUBXB T $JWJM -BX 4FDUJPO +% --- Programme de droit canadien XJUI V0UUBXB T $JWJM -BX 4FDUJPO +% .#" XJUI V0UUBXB T 5FMGFS 4DIPPM PG .BOBHFNFOU $BOBEJBO "NFSJDBO %VBM +% XJUI .JDIJHBO 4UBUF 6OJWFSTJUZ $PMMFHF PG -BX PS̓XJUI "NFSJDBO 6OJWFSTJUZ 8BTIJOHUPO $PMMFHF PG -BX t +% ." XJUI $BSMFUPO 6OJWFSTJUZ T /PSNBO 1BUFSTPO 4DIPPM PG *OUFSOBUJPOBM "òBJST t t t t

:PV NBZ CF FMJHJCMF GPS ĂśOBODJBM BJE UISPVHI UIF )&//*$, -&"%&34)*1 130(3".

8F BMTP PòFS LLM BOE PhD QSPHSBNT "QQMJDBUJPO EFBEMJOF November 1, 2012 'PS NPSF JOGPSNBUJPO

www.commonlaw.uOttawa.ca

12

«SPORTS THE MEDIUM

10.15.2012

Women’s basketball 2012’s many surprises in the NFL The pleasure and pain of keeping up with the NFL for fans at UTM team win first game EBI AGBEYEGBE

STEFANY BAKELAAR UTM’s tri-campus women’s basketball team began their season with an impressive 51–46 road victory over a rival squad from the U of T Scarborough campus last week.

Under coach Jack Krist, UTM’s team has restructured to compete at the tri-campus league level.

This game was their opportunity to reveal their new lineup.

UTM started off shaky against UTSC, struggling to get their bearings and overcome their firstgame nerves. The lead shifted between the two teams throughout the first half of the game. UTM couldn’t defend against UTSC’s outside shooting, letting in four throws from the three-point range. But Navi Sohal and Essence Penazola’s outstanding per-

formances on offence and defence made up for the team’s. At the end of the first half, UTM led by a score of 26–25.

After a quick breather, the team came back on the court with a vengeance, keeping up a fullcourt press for most of the second half. UTM held the lead for the entire second half, gaining momentum as the UTSC players began to tire.

The team’s top scorers were Sahol with 16 points and Penazola with 13 points. Stefany Bakelaar, Alison Gorski, and Sajana Saththiyanantham’s scored a combined 14 points in the second half of the game after a scoreless first half.

“I thought our team played well, with many new players trying to get used to playing together,” Krist said after the game.

York beats Blues Blues continued from page 11 Exume also led all rushers, with 142 yards on 24 carries and three scores, and 15 yards on three catches. York’s quarterback, Myles Gibbon, also gave a solid contribution on the ground. He had 135 yards on 15 rushes, threw the ball for 215 yards passing on 12 of 28 attempts, and scored a touchdown and three interceptions.

UTM’s fourth-year defensive

lineman Abi Olusoga stood out with seven solo tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble. Third-year lineman Justin Marra provided two solos, and fifth-year running back Stephan Boroniec finished with a solo and an assisted tackle.

The Blues are now at 2–5.

They will head to Kingston to play against the Golden Gaels of Queens, who are currently ranked fourth at 5–1, in their final regular season game this Saturday at 1 p.m.

“If I’d told you before the season started that the New Orleans Saints would be 1–4, the Detroit Lions 1–3, and even my Green Bay Packers 2–3, would you have believed me?” asks Shane Driver, a second-year professional writing student.

Going into a season, there are always the favourites that show up, and then there are the teams that surprise us by coming out of nowhere and performing beyond our expectations.

This season in the NFL has been full of surprises. Due to the loss of half of their coaching staff and half of their defensive line in the “bountygate” scandal (which is a story in itself), the New Orleans Saints are 1–4 going into week six.

Jack Hayden, a third-year English student, comments, “They’ve failed to get that offensive outburst they could easily find for most of last season. And due to the holes in their defensive line and the loss of Jonathan Vilma, they can’t seem to stop teams from scoring against them, with Jamaal Charles most recently torching them for 233 yards on 33 carries.”

After winning the Super Bowl three seasons ago and being perennial contenders, the Saints have a legitimate chance of missing out on the playoffs.

The team needs quarterback Drew Brees to start working that arm of his or this is going to be a season to forget for their fans.

Every season, some players fall into a slump because of injury or lack of cohesiveness with their teams. This season there are a few notable players that have underperformed. “Chris

Johnson, otherwise known as CJ2K, underperformed last season and many said it was because he held out to get paid,” comments Jahangeer Hassan, a first-year commerce student and fantasy owner. “This season, too, he hasn’t shown up—and not only is he affecting his own team, I drafted him in fantasy!”

On the other hand, this seems to be the season of running backs, with players like Jamaal Charles of the Kansas City Chiefs, Maurice Jones Drew of the Jacksonville Jaguars, C.J. Spiller of the Buffalo Bills, and Reggie Bush of the Miami Dolphin rushing their respective teams to victory. Running back is probably the most injuryprone position in the league, and if these players can avoid injury and keep their stats high, fans are in for a good show.

Every season, some players fall into a slump because of injury or lack of cohesiveness with their teams.

Tobi Lawal, a second-year philosophy student, comments, “Ever since Fred Jackson went down with his injury, C.J. has put the team on his back—and it seems like he might actually rush for at least 1,000 yards this season.”

Last season, there wasn’t much showing from the rookie QBs (except for Cam Newton). This season has been the complete opposite; Robert Griffin III of the Washington Redskins, Andrew Luck of the Indianapo-

lis Colts, Ryan Tannehill of the Miami Dolphins, and Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks are all strapping up and performing well.

“I thought RG3 had the Rookie of the Year title down already, but after seeing what Andrew Luck did against the Packers last week, I don’t know. I might have to reconsider,” says Tom Rackle, a second-year English student. “The rookies are proving that even though the NFL may be a veteran quarterbacks’ league, rookie quarterbacks still have a lot to say on the issue.”

Mark Hinder, a third-year CCIT major, comments, “The Atlanta Falcons are 5–0. And with Matt Ryan putting up MVP numbers and the Falcons’ defence showing their toughness once again, it’s going to be hard to knock them off this season.” Although the Falcons have shown this sort of form before, Matt Ryan is more determined this season; add wide receivers Julio Jones and Roddy White and running back Michael Turner to that, and Atlanta is arguably the best offensive team in the NFL. The San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants, although they’re both 3–2 right now, have shown enough, both defensively and offensively, to prove that they are in the running for playoffs.

It is still too early in the season to say with certainly who’s going to come out on top come playoffs time, but the Atlanta Falcons, the San Francisco 49ers, and defending Super Bowl champions the New York Giants will have a lot to say about which team eventually comes out with the Vince Lombardi trophy on February 3 in New Orleans.

Hoop dreams

The RAWC hosts unique basketball games and names INGRID MELDRUM

Carleigh Sanderson Master’s candidate, Child and Youth Studies.

Goals: Focus on developmental neuroscience. Enhance learning experiences for children and youth.

For both sides of the brain.

At Brock University, our exceptional people and facilities help to shape well-rounded graduate students.

Just ask Carleigh Sanderson, who collects data from youth to explore how attention and memory help us process information. When she’s not conducting research, she’s reading and gardening. Brock is a place that celebrates both sides of the brain, where people become better versions of themselves.

For more information about our 42 graduate programs, check us out at brocku.ca

The Division 1 recreational intramural basketball league kicked off last Tuesday in the RAWC’s main gym. The games consist of two 20-minute halves with stopped time in the last two minutes if the score is still at 10 points or less at that point.

Two teams, “Lord of the Courts” and “Occupy John Wall Street 2”, started off the day at 9 a.m. Although they were clearly excited, both teams were rusty and showed frustration on the court, evident from the 0–0 score for the first four minutes of the game. When they finally scored some baskets the adrenaline kicked in, and both teams found their rhythm. The score was close for most of the first half, going into halftime with a score of 26–25 in favour of Lord of the Courts.

Occupy John Wall Street 2 took the lead in the second half by making great passes and setting up a number of plays that capitalized on their team’s superior physical fitness. Lord of the Courts had a few skilled shooters who allowed them to keep up on the scoreboard.

In the end, Occupy John Wall

Street 2 landed the 51–40 victory.

When asked about the team name, captain Zak Khan replied, “It was a name I found online last year. I just searched ‘unique team names’ and Occupy John Wall Street was one of them. We added the ‘2’ this year because we won last year.”

“We’re glad we came out with a victor y— glad my guys showed up at 10 in the morning. We played really well despite having only five guys.

Defence works, you know?”

—Mehmet Akcagliyan The day’s second game took place at 10 a.m., pitting the teams “Don’t Get Bodied” against “CUA”.

The game was delayed due to a lack of legitimate players on Don’t Get Bodied. Only three out of five players on each team may be U of T intramural players (that is, players on the Division 1 Blue basket-

ball team); Don’t Get Bodied had four. They decided to allow Osama Abdelkader to join CUA, while Riccardo Nero, who happened to be in the gym, joined team Don’t Get Bodied. They finally started the game with a starting lineup but no substitutes.

Jeff Thorpe, CUA’s tallest player, won the tip-off. He was nearly unstoppable under the net, and scored the majority of CUA’s points in the first half. Despite having one substitute—one more than Don’t Get Bodied—team CUA was down 25–20 at halftime.

Both teams were getting tired in the second half, but Don’t Get Bodied was able to maintain their lead, winning the game with a final score of 52–43.

Mehmet Akcagliyan, the captain of Don’t Get Bodied, said, “We’re glad we came out with a victory— glad my guys showed up at 10 in the morning. We played really well despite having only five guys. Defence works, you know?”

The league will play on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for the rest of the semester. Students are encouraged to come and watch games throughout the day; all they need is a TCard for access to the main gym.