The Voice of the University of Toronto at Mississauga
MEDIUM THE
MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2008
VOLUME 35, ISSUE 6
www.mediumonline.ca
Nuit Blanche lights up
Student spotlight: Dimitri Tcherbadji
Ball tournament for a cause
Page 6
Page 9
Page 12
Third-year UTM student deported
Photo/Fariah Chowdhury
Saad Alam, a Bangladeshi UTM student, was deported last Friday despite protest from the University community. “Literally hundreds of people have contacted minister Diane Finley, asking for the decision to be overturned,” said Fariah Chowdhury, an organizer with No One Is Illegal. Chowdhury and others hope to meet with University of Toronto president David Naylor. “We would like Naylor to articulate that non-status students have a right to post-secondary education, and to make it clear that immigration enforcement is not welcomed on campus.”
Andrew Coyne and Paul Wells weigh-in on election MEREDITH LILLY NEWS EDITOR The School of Public Policy & Government at the University of Toronto hosted Andrew Coyne and Paul Wells Wednesday in a discussion on the upcoming federal election. Moderated by Director and Professor Mark Stabile, the two-hour discussion shed light on Canadian politics. Coyne, the national editor of Macleans magazine, and Wells, author and senior columnist at Maclean’s, presented a short address and fielded questions. “The story of this election is that there is no story. The election polls that generated so many headlines over the past weeks have spanned all of a percentage point. We’re right back where we started,” said Coyne. “Harper had no particular reason to
call this election, their record in power is one of random chance. The opposition has been constantly caught off guard. In that sense, governing inconsistently does give one enormous tactical advantage,” he added. The increasing clout of Alberta’s economy in the confederation was identified as one of the contributing factors to the resurgence of conservatism in Canada. “The Liberals thought that Harper would be easy to beat. It was urban futurism versus Canada’s decrepit rural past,” said Wells. “They forgot that there is another Canada, one that is difficult to see from the steps of the Munk Centre.” According to Coyne, sceptical Canadians found Harper to be considerably more staid than expected. “Incrementalism is really too strong a word for it. Harper has no agenda, hidden or otherwise,” Coyne noted.
Some of Harper’s restraint has been credited to his minority government, but the commentators did not foresee any significant changes if he were to win a majority. A majority for Harper may be in tension with his tightly controlled style of governance. “What a leader like Harper wants is the smallest possible coalition to ensure victory,” said Wells. “He would prefer to have a smaller caucus than one that gets too big for its britches.” The Liberal ticket looked less than promising to Coyne and Wells. “Stephan Dion has a tough job for anyone, let alone Dion,” said Wells. “Dion had a shaky start with his own party. On the first ballot for Liberal leadership he ranked fourth with only eighteen per cent of the vote. He has a huge challenge in this election; he’s fighting without an army behind him.” Having the Liberal party in power “ain’t so natural anymore,” said
Coyne. “The Liberal empire has been slowly falling apart. Their base has been narrowing. Their stronghold going into this election consists essentially of Toronto and Montreal.” The Liberals under Dion tried to redefine their base by moving left. “The green shift was intended to win the left of centre vote, but those voters scattered,” said Coyne. “The green shift had a few problems, the salesman was poor and there were some flaws in the program.” Coyne and Wells agreed that the primary problem with the Green Shift was that it lacked substance. “It was just radical enough to really annoy everyone,” said Coyne. The green movement in general has a difficult political mandate, especially when advocating radical change. “Voters perceive that Canada alone is not going to save the planet. We in Canada will come along with this
when the rest of the world does,” said Wells. “The Liberals need a blue collar candidate. Not a professor, not a business elite, not the son of Pierre Elliott Trudeau. They should beat the bushes to find someone more personable.” “Hopefully not from Alaska,” added Stabile. Coyne criticized Canada’s first past the post system that has cultivated “risk-averse” parties. “Canadian parties don’t present substantial policy, but rather trade in sudden bursts of leveraged bets and shiny little wedge issues to tie the vital two per cent,” said Coyne. “What we need is a long-term plan to get our productivity up. It’s difficult to pull together when every politician’s slogan is ‘in the long run, we’ll all be out of office.’” Continued on page 2
2 THE MEDIUM
Monday, October 6, 2008
NEWS
Too Cool 4 Skool brings euro vibe Campus Police Weekly FIONA BUCHANAN
Last Thursday, techno music flooded the Blind Duck Pub for the Too Cool 4 Skool pub night. “We’re trying to go for more of an electronic/dance/euro feel,” said Mike Zariczniak, the co-organiser of last week’s pub night. The other half behind the party night was Paul “Euro-polak” Trazaskalik, a third year student who also wanted to bring the party to UTM. Friends since high school, the two decided that they needed to do something to enhance the night life on campus. “UTM isn’t really known for its partying. We’re just trying to get it started,” said Paul.
The two hosts, sporting matching Tshirts which lit up like stereos, were able to establish a relaxed club-like atmosphere. “All my friends are here and I know Mike. Everyone’s having a good time. They did a good job putting it all together,” commented Aliyah, a CCIT student in her third year at UTM. The event was hosted by Club Linx and DJs Pierre Dini and Pavel W, both friends of Mike and Paul. The dance floor started picking up close to midnight and despite a few minor technical difficulties, the crew was able to keep the music going to the supportive applause of the crowd. There was a turnout of over 100 people. Many students, like Heather in first year social sciences came to get away from the stress: “I needed a
break to calm myself down.” Vicky and Juliet, commerce students added, “We don’t have class [tomorrow] and this is good for stress relief.” Others came out simply to support the organizers. “The DJs are pretty good but we need to get more people out. Still, I give it an 8 out of 10. Good job Europolak.” says Andrew, a third-year English major who was there to celebrate his birthday with friends. There were also a number of students from other schools such as Humber College and Ontario College of Art and Design who had heard about the event on facebook. Will UTM ever see something like this again? The self-proclaimed “party bros” hinted at the possibility of another pub night to come real soon.
National media should dig deeper Continued from front page
Wells was more optimistic: “On the days when I look up from the weeds I am a little sad that we aren’t focusing on building and creating. Canada is blessed among nations.” The media was the recipient of the harshest criticism. A senseless fixation on political polling, strategy, and campaign trail dramatics show an industry out of sync with their readership. “What Canadians really want to know is ‘who are these people and what are they going to do to us?’ There should be televised debates every week of the campaign. It shouldn’t be a prize fight, but a story about what the candidates have to say,” said Coyne. “After a debate, when a journalist
says that there were “no knock-out blows,” what he really means to say is that there were no useable clips,” Coyne continued. “We in the media are once again disgracing ourselves. We are part of this election. Every time we enter into an election we blow it.” Bloggers didn’t fare much better in the commentator’s estimation. “Citizen Journalism and new media are missing their chance. The overwhelming majority of bloggers are partisans preaching to the choir. All they want to do is say ‘here’s what I think of this morning’s headlines.’ Utterly useless, nobody cares,” said Wells. “Ninety-five per cent of everything is crap. It is as true of bloggers as it is of all media. Most human activity is wasted, and most people aren’t very
good at their jobs,” added Coyne. The discussion on the media ended on a positive note provided by Coyne: “Last election we published a twentyfour thousand word article analyzing the entire process. It was our second best-selling issue. It flew off the shelves, you couldn’t find it anywhere. It serves as a rebuke to those who think media has to be superficial,” said Coyne. “When we have faith in what we do it has only ever been rewarded by faith from our readers.” When asked what to expect from Maclean’s election edition cover this year, Wells did not mince words. “We’re putting the winner on the cover. I anticipate that it may have a strong resemblance to our cover in 2006.
Summaries September 25 – October 1, 2008 Sept. 25, 2008 11:13 a.m. Controlled Drugs and Substances Report of males smoking marijuana near a residence unit. University Police attended and cautioned two males. Sept. 25, 2008 2:26 p.m. Fire Alarm Report of a fire alarm. Mississauga Fire Department and University Police attended the scene and found the cause of the alarm to be a damaged sprinkler. Sept. 26, 2008 11:01p.m. Cause Disturbance University Police and Peel Regional Police investigated a male who was disrupting a residence party. The male was arrested, charged and released. Sept. 27, 2008 12:18 a.m. oise Complaint Campus Police spoke with three UTM residents in regards to loud music from their party. The persons apologized and shut down the party.
Sept. 30, 2008 10:29 a.m. oise Complaint Campus Police spoke to an occupant inside a residence unit regarding music being too loud. The occupant was advised to turn down the music. Sept. 30, 2008 2:10 p.m. Trespassing/Soliciting Campus Police investigated a male that was soliciting in the South Building. The male was spoken to and he was given a written trespass notice. The male was escorted off the campus. Sept. 30, 2008 3:10 p.m. Medical Transport Campus Police assisted a student to Health Services for further medical treatment.
Sept. 27, 2008 1:41a.m. oise Complaint Campus Police spoke with a UTM resident in regards to loud music coming from their unit. The person was advised to turn off the music.
Sept. 30, 2008 4:10 p.m. Careless Driving Campus Police investigated a complaint of careless driving in the CCT Garage.
Sept. 27, 2008 9:15 p.m. Liquor Licence Act University Police charged three students with consuming open liquor in other than licensed premises.
Sept. 30, 2008 4:45 p.m. Mischief under $5000.00 – Graffiti Campus Police investigated a report of graffiti in the North Building. The graffiti was cleaned up caretaking staff.
Sept. 28, 2008 1:18 a.m. Theft under $5000.00 University Police investigated a report of a stolen phone.
Sept. 30, 2008 6:15 p.m. Theft under $5000.00 Report of a stolen purse and personal contents. Some of the personal contents were recovered a short time later. Sept. 30, 2008 6:49 p.m. Personal Injury Campus Police responded to the RAWC for a sports related injury. The person declined transport to the hospital.
Sept. 28, 2008 2:45 a.m. Liquor Licence Act University Police charged a male for being intoxicated in a public place. Sept. 28, 2008 5:00 p.m. Theft under $5000.00 University Police investigated a report of a stolen laptop. Sept. 29, 2008 12:30 a.m. Domestic Dispute University Police and Peel Regional Police investigated a report of a domestic argument. The couple was spoken to before they left the campus. Sept. 29, 2008 10:13 a.m. Trapped Animal University Police and Mississauga Animal Services rescued a trapped animal inside the CCT building. The animal was released outside. Sept. 29, 2008 2:35pm Harassment Campus Police and Peel Regional Police are investigating a report of harassment. The investigation is continuing. Sept. 30, 2008 10:17 a.m. Medical Call
Getting into Med School Workshop
Campus Police responded to a medical call in a residence. The person was assessed by ambulance staff and Campus Police and was then transported to the hospital for further medical treatment.
Oct. 01, 2008 12:30 a.m. Medical Call Campus Police responded to a residence unit for a medical call. The person was assessed by Campus Police and the ambulance. The male refused transport to hospital for further treatment. Oct. 01, 2008 7:30 a.m. Fire Call Report of smoldering wood chips outside the Library. University Police and Mississauga Fire Department contained the smoke and prevented further incidents. Oct. 01, 2008 12:55 p.m. Mischief Under $5000.00 University Police are investigating damage to athletic equipment. Oct. 01, 2008 4:43 p.m. Graffiti University Police are investigating graffiti in the Library.
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Monday, October 6, 2008
THE MEDIUM 3
EDITORIAL
Opinion Ali Kasim, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | editor@mediumonline.ca www.mediumonline.ca
EDITORIAL UTMSU VP equity Dhananjai Kohli was spot on in his letter when he wrote that the “alternative explanation” was “scary to believe.” To think that no matter what we did – a rally, sending tons of letters, hundreds of phone calls – still wasn’t enough. In a time when politicians and student leaders everywhere are preaching against voter apathy, it would be worrying to think that even when we do take action and speak up, it all counts for nothing. Like Mr. Kohli, I refuse to believe that was the case. So maybe he was right – maybe we are to blame for not doing enough. Just what would’ve been enough though? What’s actually more concerning is the fact that such an important and controversial affair is decided by just one individual, even if the individual was the Minister of Immigration and Citizenship. But is this really fact? Would there not have been a group of individuals who along with the minister, advised and participated in the decision-making process? It’s hard to determine all that when the officials involved were so tight-lipped on the matter. “No comment,” they’ve been saying all week. The facts we do know are as follows: Saad Alam was starting his third year of a life sciences degree with hope for medical school in the future. He and his family arrived in the GTA five years ago with a bid for refugee status. It was rejected in 2004, along with two other subsequent appeals, one based on compassionate grounds, the other on fear of persecution. The Alams didn’t think it was a fair decision but accepted their fate, asking only that Saad be allowed temporary status to finish his education. Was that too much to ask? Saad earned a scholarship to UTM, where he is in good-standing academically and vice-president of the Bangladesh Student Federation. This wasn’t just any average student launching an appeal. And all he had left was a year. So why was status not granted? We’ll never know. Except that strict deportation rules require him to make all his re-applications from Bangladesh. What are his chances from there? And how long will that process take? If this whole affair has evoked any form of cynicism, and to an extent it has, I’d say let’s not count on him returning anytime soon. Cynicism however, must be put aside when you think of the big picture. This affair, with its unsuccessful rally and appeals, should not deter us from launching our protests in the future. It should not evoke apathy within us. It should never cause us to stop questioning. And it should never stop us from doing enough, whatever that extent may be. Though I did not know him, I’d like to wish Saad Alam the best in all that he undertakes. Considering he was such a bright and active student at UTM, I’m sure he must be taking nothing but the positives from this - that while this door has closed for him, some other door somewhere else will open up. Positivity. That is what he and we must continue to uphold.
Yours,
Ali Kasim
So you read the blurb now? And all it needed was just three little letters. I swear we’ve printed worse before. Come up to room 200 and visit the archive room if you don’nt believe me. Anyway, i wished i found the time to say all this last week. I hope Shelley’s list of “turn-ons” didnt make you feel awkward. She means well that girl. But tonight it is me. Ali. Back by popular demand. And i have something to share with you. Now that i know all of you are listening. Here it is: I dont think the critisism of Dirk Kuyt over the last two seasons has been in any way fair. First off, he’s being played out of position. Look at him now, playing like a natural right winger. And when Torres is swamped up front by opposing defenders, he finds his way into scoring positions just like any solid supporting striker. Granted his finishing is a little off at times, but three (crucial) goals in the last four games should shut up even the harshest of critics up. The best part about Kuyt is that he runs his lungs out (many have suggested he might have three of them) wherever he plays. Hell, he’d be adept at right-back if he had to play there. And as for Torres, two goals against the nouveau riche Manchester City is priceless; and when we were 2-0 down no less. Is it our time in the premiership yet? Every year, we ask this question. We can only get better from here, especially once Robbie starts firing and Riera gets used to the English game. I cant wait for Mascherano to return. Then we’ll see the real Liverpool. Meanwhile, this issue’s for you Dirk. And i challenge anyone who has a problem with that to write me a letter. Tell me what ive’ said here is blashphemous. I dare you.
THE
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Letter to the Editor Dear UTM community,
By now I’m sure most of you have heard of the tragic case of Saad Alam, a third-year UTM student who was deported from Canada because his family didn't have status. I might be taking some liberty here, but on behalf of UTMSU, and every other organization that helped in the campaign to grant clemency to Saad Alam, I would like to apologize. I would like to apologize to his family that is still here, I would like to apologize to his friends, and I would like to apologize to Saad Alam. I'm sorry. We're sorry. The only way that such a tragedy could be allowed to occur in a country like Canada is if the people who were trying to help didn't do enough. That is my only rationale for what has happened. Because the alternative explanation – that no matter what we did, this scenario would play out the same way – is just scary. Indeed it is frightening to believe that one person had the power to stop this atrocity from occurring and didn't. And I don't want to believe that. I don't want to believe that the Minister of Immigration and Citizenship, the “Honorable” Diane Finley, heard all
of our arguments and all our pleas and still decided to do nothing. I would rather place the blame on our shoulders, and say that we didn't do enough, because if the alternative explanation is true, then Canada has, in my opinion, just lost its path in the world. Saad Alam and his family had been living in Canada for over four years. Both parents worked; sometimes more than one job. A scholarship student, Saad paid international student fees and had aspirations to go to med school. His family were integral members of their community, and Saad himself was the vice president of the Bangladeshi Student Federation at UTM. They paid taxes, contributed to the economy, and lived a rewarding, if hard, life. And this was all ripped away from them. Consider this: All this pain and turmoil brought on to the life of a family could have been stopped by one person. And she didn't. The “Honorable” Diane Finley is running again in her riding, to be elected as an MP. During election time, all the candidates run around making promises. When they get elected, some of them keep their promises, and some of them don’t.
There’s no way of knowing who eventually fulfills the items on their platform, but for those who you know that wouldn’t, don't vote for them. Vote for somebody else. Vote for somebody who represents what you think, because they are supposed to be our representatives. For those who live in the Mississauga Erindale riding, UTMSU is holding an All Candidates Debate on Thursday, October 9 at 6 p.m., in South Building 2072. Come out and ask the people who want your vote all the questions you have. Find out who represents you and reward them by voting for them. That is the essence of democracy, and that is the only way democracy will work. Exercise your power, because once in, your elected “representatives” don't always listen to what you have to say. Let them know that you’re watching. Let the people in power know what the power of the people is.
In solidarity, Dhananjai Kohli (DJ) VP External
EDITORIAL Please write to:editor@mediumonline.ca Letters to the editor will be edited for spelling, grammar, style, and coherence. Letters will not exceed 500 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. Letters and and other editorial materials reflect opinions of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, staff, volunteers, or Board of Directors of The Medium. In other words, just because we print it doesn’t necessarily mean we agree with it. Submission does not guarantee publication. Submission of materials to The Medium presumes the writer has read, and agrees with, this policy.
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4 THE MEDIUM
Letter to the Editor Imbalance of access to past midterms create rift Dear UTM community,
As mid-October approaches, one major priority for UTM students including myself is studying for midterms. Now going into my third year, something crossed my mind that I did not really think about all these years. I've almost always had an unfair advantage compared to many of my fellow UTM students – lack of access to past midterms to study from. This really got me thinking about the advantages and disadvantages of having and not having past midterms. On the one hand, when you're the student who has access to past midterms from previous years, it really does give you an upper hand over students who don’t. Although, many professors make an effort to change up the material they test students on each year, there is still likely to be certain questions and/or concepts that are likely to be repeated. Having old midterms may give you a better idea of what to focus on when it comes to studying for the course. A potential issue here is
Monday, October 6, 2008
OPINION
that if a midterm does turn out to be similar to a previous midterm, it can result in students who have not studied nearly as hard as you obtaining a similar, if not a better grade, simply because they had access and you didn’t. This can result in a hike in the course average for your course, which could then potentially lead to more difficult future evaluations in the future. When this occurs, chances are your mark will drop about the same amount as your fellow classmates' marks. Hence, you are now worse off than before. Even if the course average isn't too high, if some students having access to past midterms result in there being too many students with marks over 80 per cent, then this could also result in a decrease to your grade. This is because most professors who are teaching classes of more than thirty students will aim to have no more than 25 per cent of the class receiving an A- to an A+ grade. Hence, they may attempt to achieve this goal by means of more difficult future evaluations. In terms of fixing this problem, I believe the fac-
ulty and staff at the University of Toronto Mississauga have really taken an active role in ensuring that we are all on a level playing field. For example, some professors make an effort to post their tests online for everyone to have access to. The library posts old tests on their website. Also, some professors will not return tests at all and there are also student societies who sell test packages for everyone to purchase. By taking such actions, the University of Toronto Mississauga, in comparison to other universities, is really making it so that all UofT students have an equal opportunity to succeed in whatever academic field they choose to pursue.
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THE MEDIUM 5
Monday, October 6, 2008
Arts & Entertainment MICHAEL DI LEO, EDITOR | arts@mediumonline.ca
King Lear rules Hart House The Hart House Theatre opens its doors this season with a Shakespearean classic that spills more than blood ODILIA YIM
Kicking off the 2008-2009 season, Hart House Theatre brings a fresh and fun quality to this classic Shakespearean tragedy. King Lear, directed by Jeremy Hutton, follows the story of a British family torn apart by greed and treachery when Lear divides his land among his three daughters, depending on how they profess their love for him. Unlike her two sisters, Cordelia (Lesley Robertson), the youngest, refuses to praise him with empty compliments. In a fit of rage, King Lear (Peter Higginson) renounces her, thereby setting the family onto a path of insecurity and impetuousness. Within the court, Edmund, “the bastard son,” envious of his brother Edgar,
“the legitimate one,” proceeds to betray him. After receiving their land, Lear’s two remaining daughters (Andrea Wasserman as Regan and Lada Darewich as Goneril) team up with the wicked Edmund and reveal their coldness and disrespect to their father, leaving him neglected and vulnerable to madness. Together, the few honourable characters must weather the storm, overcoming the disappointment by being betrayed by someone you love while confronting the chaotic turmoil that ensues. Sincere and refreshing, King Lear presented a fascinating glimpse into the intricacies of familial relationships and the resilience of the human spirit. Usually the audience gradually develops hatred towards the villain, awaiting his downfall or remorse, but those in attendance at Hart House did not detest Benjamin Blais’ Edmund for one moment; the audience looked forward to his scenes and was sad when he died. Blais puts his heart into the role and gives Edmund a smooth calculating nature, guided by jealousy and resentment that is amazingly interesting to watch. Also note-worthy is Neil’s Silcox’s portrayal of Edgar in the latter half of the play. It is in the
final scenes that we see Silcox’s surprising versatility, transforming a homeless lunatic to a strong and noble young man. The charming cast gave genuine portrayals with well-timed fights and comedic moments – all worthy of the audience’s standing ovation. Peter Higginson’s King Lear is incredibly expressive; he showed off Lear’s turbulent emotions in a controlled yet heart-wrenching manner, not intimidated by the title character’s complexity. Similar to Higginson’s role in last year’s Criminals in Love, he was believable and gave depth to the character. Certainly, the applause is equally directed to the entire production team who cleverly used sound and lighting to keep the audience’s attention during this lengthy play. Always imaginative with what they do in between scenes, the Hart House crew used a series of dramatic freeze frames to highlight soliloquies and set changes that are simple yet captivating or aesthetically beautiful. King Lear runs until October 18, Wednesdays to Saturdays. With tickets reasonably priced, I urge you to take in this well-casted and well-produced classic piece of Shakespeare.
photo/Daniel DiMarco
No love lost between them, Cordelia (Lesley Robertson) kisses the disgusted Regan (Andrea Wasserman) as Goneril (Lada Darewych) watches on.
ATTENTION FULL-TIME UNDERGRADS
IMPORTANT INFORMATION about your Health and Dental Plans.
If
you are a full-time undergraduate student at the Mississauga campus, you are automatically enrolled in the U.T.S.U. Health and Dental Plans. If you have alternate coverage (other than OHIP or UHIP) you may apply for a refund of these fees.
TO OPT-OUT: Go to www.heath.ca/students (HEATH not health).
DEADLINE: October 10, 2008
If you have questions please contact: dan@utsu.ca
6 THE MEDIUM
PAOLA SAVASTA
I am sure you’ve heard chatter on campus about that all-night ‘French thing’ taking place. If you weren’t curious enough to investigate, you missed o ut o n o n e o f t h e m o s t important events in your lifetime. Well, not really, but it was great. For those of you who are unfamiliar, u i t B l a n c h e i s b a si c a l l y Stephen Harper’s worst nightmare – the right side of the world’s brain splattered all over the streets of Toronto. Hosted by Scotiabank and
Monday, October 6, 2008
Nuit Blanche ARTS
fighting to huddle around a garbage can, a zombie with a walker, or a v a g i n a r e nd e red in desiccated coconut. Not knowing north from my rear end, I got lost right away. After some wandering, I stumbled upon UTM’s very own John Armstrong and his collaboration with Paul Collins, called Four Sisters. This was a thirty-minute video loop projected onto the EnWave building at the corner of Elm and Bay. In front of the projection was John’s car parked in the direction of how the film was shot. The film was made
photos/Matthew Filipowich
we could write any wish we liked and could hang it on the tree along with the others. She told us that Yoko Ono was collecting them to hang all over Iceland in attempts of world peace. I was apparently not the only person who thought this was hilarious; there were tags wishing that condoms weren’t necessary and a tag reading “this is not art.” Nice try, Yoko. So I learned three things during Nuit Blanche: My navigation skills suck, Yoko Ono is still an ass, and nothing hits the spot better than street meat.
City Hall’s lights were programmed to work like a giant screen. If you had the cellular capabilities you could work them from your phone.
UTM’s John Armstrong’s collaboration with Paul Collins featured a a video of the trip along the Gardiner. the City of Toronto, this sunset-tosunrise event saw artists from all over the world make the downtown core their playground. This year, the downtown area was divided into three zones ranging from Jameson to Parliament, and Dupont to Lakeshore. This is about the onl y t i m e y o u w i l l g e t t h e chance to see a hundred people
from footage from the passenger side window of John’s car while it travelled east to west along the Gardiner Expressway. Text running from appropriated stories in English and French was added in production. There was a microphone running into John’s car where the passenger was reading segments of the narrative through a synthesizer. I
laughed a little. Stock Extravaganza, another exhibition, was absolutely amusing. It was clearly the most popular attraction of the night, with people pushing up on top of others, crowding around a blaring garbage receptacle which pulsated with the hard base of a techno beat. I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed so many Nikons being manhandled in the air in attempts to capture a glimpse of such a spectacle. I finally got to peek inside the “glass only” opening to witness a tiny concert with lights, stage supports, and the whole shebang. Then there was Rita McKeough in a parking g arage, desperately attempting to scrounge oil from the stains on the pavement. She had tiny oil rigs on top of select stains which were attached to a car where she would manually generate energy to keep the car running. It was a nice attempt to address our rapidly growing issue of oil, but didn’t
quite hold my attention. I then reached the site of what was supposed to be Don Coyote and a six-piece band at King and Church, but I was treated to something even better: A red Ru Paul lookalike lip-syncing to an old opera, standing on top of a mound of garbage in nothing but army boots and a nest-turned skirt. Interesting to say the least. Down the street, in a parking lot at Church and Colborne, was Thierry Marceau’s exhibition, The Great Falls, where RCMP dressed in red sequined uniforms hoisted a projected image of Christopher Reeves up and over Niagara Falls. After getting lost again, gorging on an Italian ‘SAUSEECH’ and losing the title of “navigational captain,” I reached Yoko Ono’s display. She had an “Imagine Peace” banner jacked up on a huge crane and on the trees beneath were tags hanging from string of visitor’s wishes. A woman stopped to tell us
Need a reason for tipping the animatronic cowboy? His wagon wheel is flat and needs a new one.
Movie review: Beverly Hills Chihuahua MARY DYTYNIAK Beverly Hills Chihuahua is like any other movie with talking animals voiced by famous Hollywood stars – childish and full of mediocre jokes, but fun to watch if you’re under the age of ten. As you may have guessed, this movie is about a pimped out chihuahua named Chloe (voiced by Drew Barrymore) living the glamorous life in Beverly Hills alongside her owner, Aunt Viv (played by Jamie Lee Curtis). The opening credits to the movie are among the most ridiculous I’ve ever had to sit through. While Disney is trying to make a mockery of rich women who deck their pooches out in diamond collars and cashmere, this scene goes too far. I couldn’t suppress a grimace as one dog received a pedicure, another soaked in a tub of rose pedals, and another was having her fur dyed. As if that wasn’t enough, Disney hired Ugly Betty’s Michael Urie to voice Chloe’s effeminate, gossip-loving (dare I say gay) dogmate Sebastian. Drew Barrymore’s unmistakable perky voice suits the prissy white-haired chihuahua perfectly. Jamie Lee Curtis’ role as Chloe-obsessed Aunt Viv is well captured in a number of girl-on-dog smooching scenes adding up to about ten minutes of screen time. This corny canine adventure takes off when Chloe is placed in the care of Aunt Viv’s niece, Rachel (Coyote Ugly’s Piper Perabo). Rachel and her girlfriends head out on a party vacation to Mexico City and are forced to drag high-mainte-
nance Chloe along. Chloe soon goes missing, so Rachel pairs up with Aunt Viv’s gardener Sam Cortez (Manolo Cardona) and his Mexican chihuahua, Papi, to search for the Aunt Viv’s “most precious treasure.” George Lopez voices Papi, who is head-over-paws in love with upper-class Chloe. Chloe rejects Papi, but that doesn’t stop him from rushing to her aid in Mexico City. George Lopez does exactly what’s expected, conforming to the Taco Bell chihuahua stereotype with painfully worn-out jokes such as “hold your tacos” and “ai-chi-hua-hua.” The children loved it and even the adults couldn’t help but laugh when Papi’s painful separation from Chloe is expressed through Enrique Iglesias’s Hero. We then find out Chloe has been kidnapped by the greasy, pony-tailed Vasquez who operates illegal dog fights - super original villain portrayal, I know. Precious Chloe is dropped into the fighting cage with the nasty doberman pincher, El Diablo. The highlight of the movie for me? Watching a little white chihuahua voiced by Drew Barrymore about to get torn to pieces by a massive, barking dog. Unfortunately, my grinning was cut short when the heroic German shepherd Delgado (voiced by Andy Garcia) snatches her out of danger and brings her back to the streets of Mexico City. I suppose the movie is rated PG for a reason. Delgado is by far the most interesting and complex character in the movie, humans included - I mean interesting and complex for a movie about talking
dogs. Delgado used to be on the Mexican police force, but was let go after a traumatizing incident in which the evil El Diablo mauled him and deprived him of his sense of smell. Delgado’s inability to sniff out scents isn’t a physical problem, it’s a psychological one. Oh, the complexity. Moving on: Villainous Vasquez somehow links the escaped Chloe back to Aunt Viv and discovers just how much this tiny dog-heiress is worth. Vasquez attaches a wicked GPS collar onto his dog El Diablo to track down Chloe. Chloe, paired up with Delgado, is on the run for the rest of the movie, encountering over-the-top characters like the child-friendly iguana and mouse conartist duo. Chloe soon finds that her biological roots are linked back to the ancient Aztec chihuahuas when she and Delgado are saved by Chief Mantazooma and his dog army. This is the greatest and worst part of the movie, featuring “tiny but mighty” Aztec chihuahuas dancing to jazzy-pop rhythms and chanting “chihuahua” whenever they get the chance. Amongst the beautiful ruins of Machu Picchu, Chloe is enlightened and digs deep to discover that landscaper Papi is her Mi Corazon (my heart) despite the fact that he is way below her social class. Chloe also tosses her last booty into the wind, a symbol of her newfound rejection of materialism. Disney never forgets to insert a good message for the kids. The final showdown between the good guys and the bad guys deserves some praise. Chloe, valiantly but stupidly, pounces on the massive El Diablo and is
photo/outnow.ch
Aunt Viv gives her final goodbye to Chloe before handing her off to her niece Rachel. flung into an ancient wall, leaving her nearly dead. Delgado, spurred by the need to find his friend Chloe, regains his sense of smell in time to knock a few revengeful blows to El Diablo. Delgado gets his job back on the force, evoking a sense of pride in anyone who likes dogs. This dog managed to pull of the ‘I’m-sohappy-I-could-cry’ expression when the police officer holds up his old police col-
lar to him. Before we know it, Chloe is safely at home again in her Beverly Hills mansion, pimped out in diamonds and cashmere and ready for puppy-making with Papi. So much for the earlier message, Disney. I guess money and hooking up with the gardener really is the way to go. And you thought Desperate Housewives had it all wrong.
Monday, October 6, 2008
THE MEDIUM
ARTS
7
Casting shadows; creating spectre Two installations at the Blackwood Gallery you shouldn’t miss this fall
with Michael Di Leo
ANDREA GRASSI
It is always nice to find simplicity in an art exhibit. Too many times, I have been required to don headsets, breathe into a microphone and look at a picture through some intermediary with the light just right, and then some. However, much a fan of innovation I am - and I am all about playing outside of the sandbox – it’s nice to go back to the basics once in a while. Let the images speak powerful and complex. But let them hang, just as they are, with no strings. I think the fall program at the Blackwood does this nicely, marrying two solo exhibits from two very different artists: Loitering Shadows, a collection acrylic and oil on canvas by Montreal’s Etienne Zack, and The Spectre and the Sphere; a video installation by Dublin’s Jesse Jones. The two works couldn’t be more different, but work well as a set – both artists staying true to their form, decluttered, and ever conscious of the social construct of art. For Zack, the artist’s progress tells a story reminiscent his own ideologies of nature and culture. For Jones, it is the reworking of an old idea, the change of location and context that fascinates and serves as an artistic vehicle. Zack: method and message in fineart Etienne Zack’s installation Loitering Shadows opened to high praise at the Blackwood on September 19, featuring nine large paintings that were completed over six years. His work is real enough not to be purely surreal, but the style, high detail, three-dimensional effects, no apparent attention to gravity or mathematics – “Jolly Over” (2003) features a floating blue and white cooler in a field - is reminiscent of early Escher. I appreciate how unassuming the exhibit is, generous sized paintings on the white walls, allowing me to spend time absorbing Zack’s message. When you think about culture, what do you see? In this age of commodity, name brands persist, but also ideologies can be reflected through social stranding such as a book group, or the evening news. For Zack, culture looks like a hierarchical development falling on the weight of a red mackintosh apple. This is what I see when I look at Zack’s “When I think of culture”
photo/Matthew Filipowich
Jesse Jones’ film exhibit featured a light show and a musician playing the Theremin. (2008) – a 90x70 inch oil on canvas that hits you, brightly coloured, as soon as you enter the exhibit. My interpretation of the persistent image of a happy face – first encased in glass, then outlined on a lecture hall blackboard in chalk, and than finally printed out in succession for production and appraisal, is what culture wants to create. What Zack creates here is wonder in method – his work very detailed and colourful, methodical, yet leaving the message as bold and unshaped as his brushstrokes. The paintings range from high colour, concept, to dim and dull with wood, nails, and brown tones methodically slathered. Paint cans, collapsing constructs – like a house in “On reflection” (2006) – speaks to the conscious artist. Zack touches on the artists struggles and blunders with the creative process, but also branches out from the studio to larger social issues, such those portrayed in the already mentioned “When I think of culture” (2008) and “Heads” (2007) - a criticism of the Iraq war. With story and detail, you will always see something new when you look at a piece by Zack. Jonesing through history For film artisan Jesse Jones, it is all about location. Jones’s 16mm film, “The Spectre and the Sphere,” relocates Karl Marx’s iconic Communist Manifesto - a literature about the future of the socio-historical - to Vooruit castle in Belgium. Built by socialists in the early twentieth century, the apt aesthetic is home to the haunting sound of the Whisper Choir revisiting Marx. Jones calls the unity “two generations of movement intersect[ing] with each other… that it why is figures the appari-
tion of a spectre.” Also adding to the soundtrack of the film, which continuously plays in twelve-and-a-half minute loops in the E Gallery, is “The Internationale” – a socialist anthem composed in Belgium in 1888. The score is played by musical protégée Lydia Kavina on the Theremin, which is an early electronic instrument from the 1950s associated with American B-films. Re-contextualizing history in this way creates a spook that only Jones, setting the forestage in a dark and classic theatre setting, can create. Thinking of history as an apparition, returning in a future or different time and location makes sense. It is fleeting and malleable to time but when present creates shock, and demands attention, it forces re-evaluation of your current ideologies. Like Zack's work, it makes you question what is in the foreground, what is going on, and what is falling under the everyday rumble. Curated by Seamus Kealy, the former curator of the Blackwood Gallery, the spectacle persists until November 9.
In response to last week’s article, I would like to extend a congratulatory hug to Dan Snaith (a.k.a. Caribou) for beating out some tough competition and winning the coveted Polaris Music Prize. You’re a champ. In other news, though it has relatively little consequence for any of us here, the Pop Montreal festival took place last weekend. Although I didn’t get the chance to visit (many thanks to my physics professors who seem intent on socially castrating me), I have heard good things. Not a surprise considering the exceptionally eclectic lineup which included groups such as Porn Pop, Jean Jacques Perrey, Patrick Watson, Owen Pallett, Nick Cave, Burt Bacharach (my personal fave), and a copious amount of other talent. So why don’t we have such well-casted music festivals in our fair city? Well, for one reason, bands hate to play here. It’s certainly not that no one goes to shows, or that our residents don’t take the time to learn about unknown bands – it’s quite the opposite in fact. For the most part, the concert scene is littered with know-it-all douchebag haters. Some come in the form of the common hipster, while others dressed in dirty clothes, smoking cheap cigarettes, and feigning apathy – all ostensibly better than everyone around them. Don’t you think bands take notice? It is obvious when a show goes beyond feeling uneasy and into the realm of awkward, each time instigated by these
concert-haters and their lack of vibe. When you stand in the middle of the floor without shifting for an entire set, everyone suffers – myself included. No normal person wants to be subjected to the embarrassment bands feel when no one moves. And, unfortunately, it is all too frequent in our city, where this generation is full of haters who are the product of our social musical upbringing – more commonly known as the indiescene. There is a game I secretly play in my head every time I go somewhere. It’s called “Spot the Douchebags.” There are no rules, you just try to count how many dickticklers you are surrounded by at any given moment. Interestingly enough, the instant you step into a concert hall or grimy club, the number increases about twofold, and when an indie-rock band is playing the number swells exponentially. Now I realise that just by saying this it makes me one of them, but let’s disregard that fact for the sake of my argument. I have been told on more than one occasion that many bands choose not to play Toronto solely because of our populous’ strange relationship with live music. Despite being the largest consumers of new music in the country, it makes no sense that we give our live bands such a hard time. I believe we have gone over our heads with this trend and I suggest that many of you take a long, hard look at yourselves. Do you hate?
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photo/Matthew Filipowich
Visitors pass through Etienne Zack’s exhibit at the Blackwood Gallery.
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8 THE MEDIUM
Monday, October 6, 2008
Features ANDREW HAMILTON-SMITH, EDITOR | features@mediumonline.ca
Movies and markets: everyone loves a freebie ANDREW HAMILTON-SMITH FEATURES EDITOR
With the release of Michael Moore’s latest movie, Slacker Uprising, I was struck by the irony of how this movie about getting people excited about voting is being received with such tepid disinterest by the general public. There is a crisis in America today, Moore insists, and young voters could make a crucial difference in tight, 50-50 elections. With this in mind, Moore sets off on a tour of twenty “battleground� states, where a small number of voters will determine who wins or loses the presidency. Due to a complex system of tallying votes – everyone no doubt remembers how Al Gore received a larger percentage of the popular vote but fewer electoral college votes – the result of an election will be decided by only a few hundred thousand voters. If youth voters were to turn out in the same numbers as older voters do, Moore argues convincingly, the end results would be massively different. Sadly, very few youth are bothering to download or watch Slacker Uprising, which is especially surprising considering it is free of charge. After all, who says no to free things? Certainly not the consumers who took on massive credit debts and bad mortgages being peddled by unscrupulous (and largely unregulated) banks, which have now collapsed in a tidal wave of red ink and caused great financial turmoil worldwide. Certainly not the bankers themselves, who now insist – after years of demanding that government stay out of corporate markets – that the government does have a role to play in markets after all: A source of free money. They proposed to spend nearly one trillion dollars of tax-
payer money, supposedly sacred by their own descriptions, on buying bad debts and preventing executives and shareholders from suffering any sort of financial loss. Never mind that these same shareholders were warned of these risks – that precisely this event might occur – before they bought their investments; never mind that these bankers demand that this money must be forthcoming within a week’s time, lest any jobs be cut or retirement plans threatened. Speaking of which, isn’t it threatening to demand the largest single public investment of money in the history of the world, which must be paid immediately with no questions asked, or else bad things will happen? Moral indignation aside, in all this I see a connection between Slacker Uprising and the “bailout crisis,� as it is called by the media. Both suggest that there is a need for change in America today. Moore identifies a political crisis, asserting that young people cannot simply disengage from the world around them, that they need to play an active role in causing the changes that they seem to desire (or at least lament the lack of).
Isn’t it threatening to demand the largest single public investment of money in the history of the world, which must be paid immediately with no questions asked, or else bad things will happen? On the other hand, the Wall Street financial crisis is the latest sign that our economic system is under strain and needs to reform, much like the popular neo-conservative ideas of unbridled, no-government, free-market capitalism.
photo/google.images
The growing devastation to our environment tells us that the economy must change; the growing numbers of housing foreclosures and people living in poverty suggests that something is wrong; the critically sluggish pace of innovation – in the North American economy at least – that screams for some upheaval. If there are so many forces in our society demanding change, why is nothing happening? One possible explanation – and greater irony – is that the detachment from the system of young people is one of the main reasons why certain changes to our economy, political system, and society as a whole, are not taking place. This generation is essentially missing in action, choosing to bury their heads in the sand (and consumer culture) rather than face the harsh reality and difficult decisions that our communities must make right now. By doing so, this generation
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is inadvertently handing even greater power to the very people whom they claim to reject, allowing established special interests and multi-national corporate hegemons to maintain the status quo, a state that defies nature by its artificially static nature. As much as our society is trying to adapt, it is being stymied at nearly every turn by powerful groups who stand to lose huge sums of money by changing their ways for the greater good.
No doubt tough times will follow if Congress does not allow this huge whack of money to support the status quo, but perhaps this is an unavoidable fate. If this is the case, and a down-turn is inevitable, surely a massive amount of money like $700 billion could be put to better use. These static interests now demand that we, the people – or at least the American people – should hand over our sacred tax money in order to “fix the market,� and delay making necessary changes even further. The banks and their affiliate politicians insist that there is no time to attach conditions or new regulations to this money-gift; that an unthinkable disaster will follow if we do not heed the sage advice of those who have everything to lose if we don’t. While it is true that many people will lose their jobs if the economy collapses right now, who is to say that this bailout will prevent such a collapse in the future? No doubt tough times will follow if Congress does not allow this huge whack of money to support the status quo, but perhaps this is an unavoidable fate. It could be argued that markets cannot climb indefinitely, due to the cyclical nature of the forces involved in economic growth and development. If this is the case, and a downturn is inevitable, surely a massive amount of money like $700 billion could be put to better use. The Toronto Star estimates that six years of Universal Health Care
could be provided to all Americans for that price, or one Iraq War, which has cost just over $680 billion in the last five years. So how can we obtain the changes that are so obviously necessary in our society? What force or power will push for new ideas, new ways of doing things, bringing some fresh perspectives to our corrupt, stuffy and bloated systems? Sadly, only one group can truly serve this purpose, as they are naturally inclined to do: Young people. The same segment of the population that Moore is trying to persuade to vote could in fact bring about the very changes that we desperately need to undergo. It is deeply regrettable that so few young people are willing to stand up bravely before various committees and bureaucracies, passionately fighting and protesting for the common good, resisting the static nature of the private special interests. Youth turnout in the current federal election is expected to reach new lows, dealing yet another blow to the cause of progress, and further retarding our own socioeconomic development. The result will inevitably be – with the help of an expected Harper majority – more pollution, more bailouts, the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. In short, no change for the better; are you happy with that future? You have the power to do something about it.
Download Micahel Moore’s New Movie Slacker Uprising For Free! www.slackeruprising.com
Monday, October 6, 2008
THE MEDIUM 9
FEATURES
Student profile: Dmitri Tcherbadji UTM Student Dmitri Tcherbadji has developed a creative and innovative new on-line mapping system of the Erindale campus. It is available at http://maps.datube.ca ALAIN LATOUR
Most people sign their emails with their full first name. Some add their last name; others add their professional title. But 24-year-old Dmitri Tcherbadji - UTM student, designer, coder, artist, and self-appointed savior of UTM’s artistic future, if not of Canada’s - signs his with only a lower-case “d�, preceded by a dash and followed by a period. Surely this tiny signature reflects a bashful and unassuming personality. He certainly looks the part: short, thin, pale, with the closely cropped hair of a practical man who does not give too much thought to his appearance. But look closely, as I did later when I inspected the pictures I took of him, and listen closely to his words, and you’ll notice the quiet intelligence of his eyes, the relaxed confidence in his voice, the perpetual slight smile that seems the result of a joke you’ll never understand --one that’s perhaps aimed at you. Certainly his intentions are everything but modest. I’ve come to the Student Centre to interview Dmitri about his website, an ambitious topography project, among other things, which attempts to increase creativity on campus and help students store and locate their memories of UTM. That’s why I’m grateful to Dmitri for pro v i d i n g t h e m w i t h c a r g o space. H i s p r o j e ct ( o n l i n e a t http://www.dmitrisanimation.com) originated as he took a stroll along UTM’s Nature Walk. “It’s a trail right beside the Credit River, and it’s just beautiful there anytime of the year,� he recounts, “and it hit me that not too many people knew about it, and I wanted to share it somehow.� Thus was the idea born to build an interactive map that would give everyone the ability to express their feelings about UTM by means of photography, art, music, or video. Big deal, you might think: I can do the same with Google Maps. But when Dmitri’s apple landed on his head Google Maps users couldn’t upload images or videos. Even now he has no interest in competing with the un-evil empire: “There are differences in terms of presentation and target audience,� he explains. “First off, my project is not intended to perfectly map-out the UTM campus or have a 3D realistic representation of it. I wanted to describe the campus, but not in a traditional way. I’m thinking less of a descriptive way, ‘This is how this building looks’, and more like ‘This is how I feel about this building’.� Another goal of Dmitri’s was create artwork consisting of only original materials and drawings, which he and the artist, aka his mother, a former Bolshoi theatre stage designer, drew with pencil on paper and then scanned and processed on a computer. The results, in his own words, look like “some kind of oldschool electronics fusing with random doodling and mixed with dropdown labels and other design frills.� To me it looks like a scene out of a Tim Burton movie: dark, haunting,
magic, a world for the sinister child w e a l l ha ve i n us, the one that burned your sister’s Barbie Doll one day and was scared of the Boogie Man another. If the project sounds like a lot work, that’s because it is. It took D m i t r i s e v e n months, a $1,800 g r a n t f r o m UTM’s Media Generator, hundreds of hours of coding in Flash and PHP, and the help of three volunteers and a professional coder to finish it – or rather to post it online as a beta version.
“My project is not intended to perfectly map-out the UTM campus or have a 3D realistic representation of it. I wanted to describe the campus, but not in a traditional way.� “Currently,� he says, “I’m still in the process of enhancing the user interface, dealing with some accessibility issues, bug fixes, and so on. I’m hoping to start getting submissions soon.� Most of his own visual work is already available on the site.
photo/Alain Latour
Dmitri Tcherbadji poses in front of the CCIT building before discussing his latest project. The whole thing may sound like a diligent designer’s undertaking, but Dmitri has never formally studied web design. There was a lot of trial and error, and he conducted a lot of online research. He sees himself rather as an artist, reducing design to hobby status “cause I’m not keen on sitting in front of a computer all day.â€? He sounds dismissive, and he often is. Asked why he didn’t seek help from campus clubs, or attempted to form one, he drawls, “Clubs‌ I mean, I don’t mean to bitch, but many clubs are just about making
friends.� He’s equally merciless with the status of arts at UTM: “Nobody’s really interested in doing anything unless it’s for an assignment, which is kind of understandable. I mean, it’s a tough university. But at the same time the university has a responsibility to facilitate interest. The Media Generator is a great project, but they’re so tiny. And even Canada - it’s getting bigger and richer, but with time, do you want to be remembered as this country which had a lot of resources and got
rich or do you want to be remembered as a country that contributed to culture in some way?� Not too long ago, as they walked along UTM ’s nature walk, it occurred to Dmitri and his friends to cross the river - just like that. “Me and my friends went ahead and crossed it,� he says, smiling that knowing smile. “It doesn’t sound like much, but it’s kind of a challenge. And then in the end you go like, ‘Man, I crossed this river.� Spoken like a man who likes a challenge.
A federal general election is taking place on October 14, 2008.
For information on where and when to vote, check your voter information card. It tells you where and when to vote. You’ll get through the voting process more quickly if you have it with you.
You will find the voting hours for your polling station on your voter information card or at www.elections.ca by clicking on “Voter Information Service�.
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When you vote, you must prove your identity and address.
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10 THE MEDIUM
Monday, October 6, 2008
FEATURES
Creative Corner
Artwork by Karan Marba
My boyfriend asked me to have a threesome with him and a girlfriend of mine. Without going into too much detail, things went really well, but now I am feeling attracted to my friend. What does this mean? Am I a lesbian? Is it possible for me to just be finding out about this? How do I tell her, and how do I tell my boyfriend? I am so confused! Please help! I don’t think that finding out that you’re a lesbian could come as a complete surprise. Before you do anything rash, consider a few things: 1) These feelings could be a result of you enjoying the threesome and wanting to continue to explore that aspect of your sexuality. Threesomes introduce new and exciting possibilities into your sex life and it’s possible that your current attraction to your friend isn’t so much about her but about what she can do for you and your relationship with your boyfriend. 2) It’s possible that you are experiencing genuine attraction and feelings for your friend. Guess what though; your boyfriend probably isn’t going to disappear temporarily so you can explore this side of yourself. Maybe you should take some time to consider what these feelings mean to you. That might mean not telling your boyfriend or your friend yet because it might make you more confused. Figure out if this is something that you want to pursue and go from there. Your friend might not reciprocate the feelings and decide whether you might want to try dating someone of the same sex anyway.
Either way, if all parties are still interested, I would recommend trying again. If these feelings are completely new, you can’t base your decision on an isolated incidence. Besides, three isn’t always a crowd.
Last night I was having trouble sleeping, and I woke up to hear my housemate masturbating in his room next door. He didn’t realize that I was awake, but I feel a little awkward talking to him now. To make things worse, I did feel a little excited to be kind of spying on him, but I’m pretty sure I don’t like guys. What does this mean? Should I tell my housemate that I caught him doing this, or just pretend like nothing is different? Just how thin are your bedroom walls? What else are you able to hear? Credit card numbers? Banking pins? Aside from the fact that Student Housing needs to stop using cardboard during construction‌this sounds like it must be a common problem when you have roommates. Masturbation is a really normal part of sexuality and it sounds like you witnessed your roommate getting a healthy dose. Be grateful that he’s doing it in the privacy of his own room and not in any of your common spaces. Should you tell your roommate that you heard him partaking? I guess it depends on your relationship. If this has only happened the one time, put yourself in his situation. Would you want him to tell you if the roles were reversed?
Now as for the excitement‌I don’t know about you but I think porn is pretty exciting and you had a free all-access pass. It’s not wrong that you found it exciting and it doesn’t mean that you’re gay. It’s also possible that it was more exciting because he didn’t know that you were listening. However, there are some privacy issues here. Your roommate is entitled to his own space and it might make him uncomfortable knowing that you can hear him masturbating. I would suggest exploring other avenues when it comes to excitement; there are plenty of options on the internet. If this becomes a nightly ritual, it might be best to let it slip to your roommate that the walls are a bit thin and that he might want to consider putting on some music when he masturbates because while you might find it exciting this has a potential to affect your relationship as roommates. If you’re uncomfortable with telling him directly, perhaps try turning on some music the next time you hear him and he’ll probably figure out on his own how thin the walls are. If not, I’m pretty sure they sell ear plugs at the campus bookstore. You might need to invest in some. Good Luck, SEC If you have questions that you want answered in our sex column, send them to us at sex.column@utmsec.ca. Please note that this column is intended for entertainment purposes.
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THE MEDIUM 11
Monday, October 6, 2008
Sports CHRISTOPHER SA’D, EDITOR | sports@mediumonline.ca
Steelback is back CEO John Sherman has re-launched the Steelback brewery with a better beer all around ROBERT SILVA AND CHRISTOPHER SA’D SPORTS EDITOR
Steelback Brewery has risen from the dead to start a new era in the Ontario beer market – a new image, owner, and a new plan. Right after Frank D’Angelo fell short in the beer market with an inexpensive beer, a new owner stepped in to save the Tiverton brewery from extinction. In May 2008, Jonathon Sherman, CEO of the new Steelback Brewery, relaunched Steelback to build a new reputation for taste, quality and involvement within the Ontario community. Steelback was originally launched in 2004 under the ownership of Frank D’Angelo, owner of D’Angelo juices, in search of a prosperous beer sold at a low price. However, low sales and some overzealous spending with highpriced sponsorships and advertisements pummelled Steelback into a deep financial hole. Initially, D’Angelo had a vision to make Steelback Canada’s premier beer by spending large amounts of money on sponsoring the Toronto Grand Prix, a Formula One race car, the Toronto Argonauts and the five-thousand capacity arena for the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. It wasn’t until Sherman bought the brewery’s assets out of bankruptcy court protection, that Steelback not only improved, but
began to get Canadian recognition. In 2007, Steelback Dark Beer took home gold in both the Canadian Brewing Awards and Provincial Brewing Awards in the Dark Lager Category. Sherman came into the business as a young entrepreneur with an engineering degree from Columbia University, in search for not only an investment but a career in the beer industry. “I am a beer drinker and always have been a beer drinker. I found an opportunity and I knew the quality of Steelback beer was good, so I stepped in and gave it a shot,” Sherman explains. With quality beer in his hands, the first order of business for Sherman was to change Steelback’s image. Along with the new the bottling and logo, its slogan carries a more different tune too, “premium taste, genuine value.” Sherman switched packaging from clear plastic bottles to the traditional brown glass bottles. The plastic bottles shortened the beer’s shelf life, and caused the beer to lose its flavour and carbonation. The classic brown bottles help preserve the taste and quality of the beer. It also eliminates exposure to light. “By improving the packaging and extending the shelf life of our beer, it gives the consumer an opportunity to experience the true award-winning taste of Steelback beer,” Sherman says. With the logo, Sherman tossed away the bland silver and black and created a simpler and more colourful
array of labels – a look that focuses on a design bearing true Ontarian meaning that the locals can appreciate. The Steelback facelift didn’t end there. Sherman had one final upgrade to implement. “We wanted to ensure our consumers received the best quality beer possible. So for those who look under the cover, they’ll discover that the ingredients are local and come from mills and farmers from around the Tiverton, Ontario area,” explains Sherman. “Even the honey comes from a farm just a few kilometres away from our brewery...we want to keep the Canadian in Steelback beer.” Sherman is also a big sports fan, since it compliments his beer appetite. So every opportunity he has to help the community is a definite go-to. Not just for publicity, but for the humanitarian cause as well. Steelback have already sponsored several golf tournaments and local sporting events over the summer. For the revolutionized brewery, 2008 has more than what’s expected from the average Ontarian beer drinker. Steelback is concentrating on exclusivity within this province; they aren’t even distributing to our neighbour provinces. Sherman and the Steelback Brewery are dedicated to sponsoring local events around Ontario. If you or your organizations are interested in obtaining Steelback’s support in any sport or community event, contact Steelback at questions @ steelbackbrewery.com.
photo/Matthew Filipowich
Jonathon Sherman enjoying the spotlight behind the bar at the Blind Duck Pub.
Eligibility criteria
Healthy participants of both sexes 18-35 years old
Description of project
Two 30 minute visits are required to complete the study During each visit, participants will: complete two short questionnaires give a blood sample be measured for body composition (BMI, waist-to-hip ratio) and pigmentation (using painless, non-invasive measures)
photo/Lori-Lee Emshey
September 30 2008: The University of Toronto Mississauga Eagles Division 1 Men’s Volleyball team enjoying extra practice time after their opponents on the day, Trinity College, failed to show up. The match was later forfeited.
12 THE MEDIUM
Monday, October 6, 2008
SPORTS
A cause and a whole lot of sweat UTM’s RAWC plays host to Basketball tournament sponsored by CAF CHRISTOPHER SA’D SPORTS EDITOR
On Sunday, the University of Toronto at Mississauga played host to the 2008 CAF Unity Basketball tournament. Organized by the Canadian Arab Federation (CAF) specifically for the youth of Mississauga, the tournament brought about excitement, cheers and sweat all around in UTM's Recreation, Athletic and Wellness Centre (RAWC). The tournament was assembled to help raise funds for their Youth Initiative program and to support their involvement in the community. CAF is an independently run notfor-profit, non-partisan, membership-based organization. They focus on educating the community on domestic issues that affect the GTA (including Mississauga), and work to uplift youth by creating cooperation, teamwork and leadership. “It's great to see the potential in the community and a cohesive group of youths and students participating towards it,” explained Walied Khogali, CAF access and equity officer. “I am really excited that even the Peel Region Police joined the tournament too... every-
one was involved.” The Peel Region Police brought in their own all-year round team, led by captain Dennis Edward, and “charged” the court to try to beat out the youngsters in the competition. “We are solely here to support what CAF and everyone a part of this event are trying to do...and maybe try to win." Edwards laughed. “We try to come out as much as possible to any local event. It's fun and great to play with so many different people. We are more than happy to be a part of this.”
“Sunday was busy and long, but the teams made it exciting and I hope this brings us all closer together.” -Walied Khogali, CAF’s access and equity officer and event organizer And don't forget the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services (SVC) who funded the majority of the tournament in support of awareness toward domestic violence in the community. UTM's Residence Council also partnered with
Kholgali and CAF to gather up as many teams as they could, helping the tournament flourish toward a huge overall success. Both UTMAC and UTMSU also sponsored the event and helped with advertising the event to all students on campus. UTMAC president Andrew Lalla along with his crew brought out their own team to compete and ended up as one of the top teams in the bracket. The winners, “Tawheed,” were awarded four hundred dollars in cash and a championship trophy. Tshirts with "CAF's 2008 Unity Basketball Tournament" printed on the front were handed to all the players involved. Lunch was provided in the Student Centre too, with a pub kitchen full of sharwarmas and falafels for all participants and even the students studying across campus. “We're here to build bridges between the students and the community, and to create something big,” Khogali said. “Sunday was busy and long, but the teams made it exciting and I hope this brings us all closer together.” The tournament saw a successful turnout with eight teams battling it out on the court for the top prize. It was great to see the support for the Youth Initiative and Domestic Violence programs along with the pulsating action in the RAWC gym.
photo/Matthew Filipowich
Team Blue, “Tawheed” taking a shot above the arch during the preliminaries.
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