Vol 36 issue 15

PAGE 8 Monday, January 25, 2010

Volume 36, Issue 15

Vigil held on campus for Haiti OVAIS SHAH

Last Thursday, UTMSU and the UTM Red Cross held a vigil to raise awaren e s s a nd s u p p o r t f o r t h e earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12.

At the start of the vigil ceremony, UTM Red Cross president Zafir Yousef p l a y e d a sli d e s h o w t h at demonstrated the devastation of the quake. After the slide-show, UTMSU VP-External Henry Ssali said th a t he h ad “ n o w or d s to describe what happened in Haiti.”

Ssali th a n k ed t h e U T M s t u d e nt groups and the Red Cross chairman Zafir Yousef for his continued support in the fundraising effort.

After Ssali, Red Cross chairman Zafir Yousef addressed the student body and said that he is “grateful to the UTM student body who provided a big response in putting together and helping raise funds for those in need . ” H e t h a n k e d t h e U T M MSA, Christian Students Union , African Students Association and the UTM Women’s Centre for their continued support throughout the Compassion for Haiti relief effort.

UTMSU president Joey Santiago also addressed the attendees.“It has been a tragic week, and the story of Haiti is a story of survival, hope and

Edward Cai/The Medium

UTMSU VP external Henry Ssali addresses students and faculty at the Haiti Vigil last week. despair,” said Santiago. “It is a realization that we are privileged at UTM.” The Haiti Coalition, formed by th e R ed C r o s s and UTMSU, received $16,000 in donations from the UTM community, a sum that UTMSU will match.

Aside from student representa-

tives, U of T Academic Dean Gage Averill also addressed those i n attendance. Averill began his address by blowing a conch shell, a traditional symbol of Haiti. As an ethnomusicologist whose expertise is on the musical traditions of Haiti, Averill sang various Creole songs of healing, spiritual deities and elders

that represented the Haitian people.

According to Averill, the Haitian’s rich culture will give them power in this disaster, as per the Haitian proverb, “with many hands no burden is never too great.”

From his previous experience with travelling and living in Haiti, Averill said that the reconstruction

efforts in Haiti are not only on the physical scale, but that the nation needed to the years of political instability, poverty, disease and social injustices that existed even before the earthquake. In the light of the circumstances, reconstruction efforts will take decades.

After the Dean’s speech, the charitable representative from the Red Cross Organization Toronto Head Office claimed a cheque of $15,000 from the UTM Red Cross society and other clubs who participated in the fundraising. The funds collected from the UTM community will be use for medicine supplies, sanitation and to help provide nutritional assistance for the people of Haiti.

The Red Cross also awarded certificates of recognition and appreciation to certain highly devoted members of participating clubs.

Towards the end of the ceremony, UTM students lit candles and held a moment of silence to remember those who lost their lives in Haiti. After the moment of silence, various photographs of all the attendees was taken and the ceremony was declared over with the UTM Dean Averill stating that aside from the Red-Cross fundraising effort, a long-term fund for Haiti would be set up to help Haitians in the recovery years following the disaster.

Students show their pride all week KATHERINE LUCYNZKI ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Last week, OUT@UTM hosted UTM’s first Pride Week, with the goal of educating and informing students of the struggles and successes of the LGBTQ community at U of T and the world.

Display boards were set up in the CCT and South Buildings, showcasing 40 years of LGBTQ activity at all three U of T campuses. Along with information, OUT@UTM also provided passersby with free Positive Space buttons and stickers, condoms, dental dams as well as lollipops with “Happy Pride” tags.

Some of the many Pride events

that took place during the week included the raising of the Pride flag at the Student Centre, screenings of X-Men 3 and Brown Like Me, and BOGL (Big ‘Ol Gay Lunch) held in the green room of the Student Centre. Students of all orientations, whether LGBTQ identified or allies, were welcomed to join in any and all events hosted by OUT@UTM. “OUT@UTM remains [...] the largest gathering of Queer Youth.

Luckily, this year queer issues have been acknowledged and with the addition of a new position, LGBTQ Coordinator at UTMSU, these issues now have the support to be addressed,” said Kumari Giles, an OUT@UTM executive.

“This is a huge step in bringing LGBTQ inclusivity onto the UTM

campus and making LGBTQ individuals feel safe and welcome.”

Raffle tickets were sold at two for $1 all week. Prizes included a basket of Body Shop goodies worth over $100, a $50 gift card to Square One and a $25 gift card to The Stag Shop. Stag Shop goodie bags were also awarded to those individuals who participated in a game to guess the right amount of condoms in a container.

All prizes and events were sponsored by Tart, The Glad Bookstore, The Stag Shop and UTMSU. Along with raffle tickets, OUT@UTM also took donations for the Haiti Coalition.

A discussion about religion and homosexuality was held on January 20. Guest speakers El

Farouk and Darren Edgar addressed the how and where in the intersection of religion and homosexuality.

The following day, a demonstration for gay rights took place on the five-minute walk between North Building and the Student Centre. Members of OUT@UTM and their allies bound and gagged themselves, and held signs with the words, “I am silenced due to Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill.” Next, they handed out flyers indicating the countries in which the death sentence is the response for homosexuality.

Later that day, students from OUT@UTM and their allies joined together in a candlelight vigil in remembrance of LGBTQ-identified persons

who have faced and violence.

See P r i d e on page 2

UTM’s new principal PAGE 2 Music you need to hear PAGE 6 No Olympic snow PAGE 8 Eagles win big PAGE 10

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2 THE MEDIUM

MONDAY, JANUARY

25, 2010

NEWS PRINCIPAL PRIDE

OUT@UTM hosts first pride week on campus Pride continued from cover

UTM’s next principal announced

After a town hall was held to gain student input, the search for a new principal is over KATHERINE LUCZYNSKI

With signs stating “In memorial of LGBTQ individuals and allies who have struggled and faced oppression,” and lit candles, students walked from the North Building to the South Building.

The first ever Pride Parade was held on January 22. Over 20 OUT@UTM members and allies marched from North Building to South Building carrying Pride flags, signs promoting love and equality, and cheered and chanted “UTM has what? Pride!”

“Pride for me, started as a celebration of LGBTQ culture and diversity.

Though upon learning of the history, I’ve come to realize that Pride is a protest,” said Giles. “It has brought to light many LGBTQ issues and brought us to where we are today, with the legalization of same sex marriage. So now, Pride is a celebration of who we are, how far we've gotten and a push for acceptance in the future.”

Closing ceremonies were held the same day in the green room of the Student Centre. Students were invited to join in friendly conversation, games and to enjoy food and drink. Raffle winners were drawn and prizes were awarded.

With few problems, the OUT@UTM team remained optimistic and UTM’s first ever Pride Week was a success. The LGBTQ community at U of T has gained yet another achievement with Pride Week at UTM, with the hopes of many more to come.

Matthew Filipowich/ The Medium

Students gather for the Pride Week vigil last week.

“The turn out this week was great we had a bunch of students come out to events that otherwise would never have attended. I am proud to say that we have reached students, because after all it really is about making student life on campus better and

addressing the issues of students,” said Giles. “This week has been a monumental week in LGBTQ history at UTM and to those that participated, they should acknowledge their roles in the future of LGBTQ life on campus.”

Last Thursday, President David Naylor and Vice-President and Provost Cheryl Misak announced that Professor Hargurdeep (Deep) Saini had been appointed Vice President and Principal, University of Toronto Mississauga.

Currently the Dean of the Faculty of Environment at the University of Waterloo, Professor Saini will serve as UTM’s Vice Principal and President for a five-year term effective July 1.

“I am thrilled to be joining the leadership team of an institution I have always held in the highest esteem,” said Professor Saini. “As Canada’s largest university and a preeminent research institution, the University of Toronto has a unique responsibility in nurturing the brightest minds of our nation— indeed the world. I am particularly excited to be taking on a leadership role at U of T Mississauga, a truly dynamic and innovative campus.”

“The University of Toronto Mississauga is located amidst one of Canada’s fastest growing urban centres, with tremendous entrepreneurial zeal and cultural diversity,” said Professor Saini. “It is uniquely positioned to respond to the area’s burgeoning demand for high-quality education. I am looking forward to leading the continued transformation of U of T Mississauga into an outstanding comprehensive cam-

pus within a strong U of T system.”

Professor Saini introduced several new degree programs at the Faculty of Environment at the University of Waterloo. He also added two new academic units there: the School of Environment Enterprise and Development, and the Centre for Knowledge Integration. Moreover, Professor Saini has been credited with increasing enrolment and with attaining millions of dollars in infrastructure and operating funding.

Before joining University of Waterloo, Professor Saini served as the Director General for the Université de Montréal, where he also taught in the Départment de sciences biologiques, Institut de recherche en biologie végétale. He served as both president of the Canadian Society of Plant Physiologists and president of the Federation of Canadian Plant Science Societies between 2003 and 2007, and represented the University of Waterloo in the 2009 Clean Tech Mission to India.

With a PhD from the University of Adelaide in Australia, Professor Saini has been the Dean of the Faculty of Environment at the University of Waterloo since 2006.

His research interests include the physiological basis of the interactions of plants with their environment, mechanisms underlying plant responses to and tolerance against drought and salinity, biochemistry, molecular biology and genetic engineering of biological detoxification.

Campus police weekly summaries January 15, 2010 to January 21, 2010 January 15 - 1:00 p.m.

Fraud Campus Police investigated a fraudulent parking permit in parking lot #8. Campus Police interviewed the driver and are investigating the matter.

January 15 - 4:30 p.m.

Theft Under $5,000 Campus Police received a complaint and investigated a theft from the Blind Duck Pub. January 16 - 1:30 a.m.

Suspicious Activity Campus Police responded to a call

of five suspicious persons smoking at the back of Oscar Peterson Hall. Campus Police attended and found everything to be in order.

January 19 - 7:45 a.m.

Animal Control Assistance

January 18 - 2:40 a.m.

Mischief

Campus Police along with Peel Police and Mississauga Animal Services responded to a call with regards to an injured deer.

While on patrol, Campus Police responded and investigated an act of mischief on Inner Circle Road.

A student was cautioned.

January 19 - 12:55 p.m.

Driving Offences

January 18 - 4:55 p.m.

Liquor License Act

Campus Police investigated a complaint with regards to an aggressive driver on Outer Circle Road.

Campus Police responded and investigated a report of person consuming alcohol in the CCT garage. The suspects departed before arrival.

January 20 - 6:40 p.m.

Controlled Drugs and Substances Act

Campus Police investigated a report of marijuana found in Oscar Peterson Hall.

January 20 - 4:30 p.m.

Suspicious Activity/Soliciting Campus Police attended and investigated a complaint in regards to unauthorized person soliciting in Leacock Lane residence. The suspects were gone upon arrival.

January 21 - 1:55 p.m.

Trespass to Property Act Campus Police responded and investigated a complaint with regards to a previously trespassed person at Oscar Peterson Hall.

The suspect was gone upon arrival.

January 21 - 2:20 p.m.

Theft Under $5,000 Campus Police investigated a theft of a cell phone from the Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre.

January 21 - 8:14 p.m.

Theft Under $5,000 Campus Police received and investigated a theft complaint from the Recreational Athletic and Wellness Centre.

MONDAY, JANUARY

25, 2010 THE MEDIUM 3

PART TIME PROROGATION NEWS

Part-time attendance for meet and greet KATHERINE LUCZYNSKI ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Last Friday, UTMSU VP part-time Ibrahim Hindy hosted a “meetand-greet� for part-time students.

The goal was to discuss the challenges that part-time students face at UTM. Only a few part-time students, however, walked in and out of the meet-and-greet that was held in room 250 of the Student Centre.

At the last commission meeting, VP part-time Ibrahim Hindy motioned to host the meet-andgreet and asked for a budget of $200 to cover food and drinks.

Hindy claimed he sent an email to every part-time student at UTM to let them know about the meeting upon passing of the motion.

Hindy said that it is difficult to say why part-time students didn’t show up. “I think part-time students don’t spend time on campus. We were hoping to get their ideas at the meeting.� said Hindy, claiming he is optimistic about the success of a future meet-and-greet.

“We’re going to have to try to get in touch with part time students in other ways.�

Ibrahim Hindy V.P part time “We’re going to have to try to get in touch with part-time students in other ways.�

Hindy is the second VP part-

time that has been elected to an executive position with UTMSU. Last year, VP part-time Mubashir Ali resigned early in his term and the position was left vacant for the rest of the year.

Since UTMSU has taken on the role of part-time representation at UTM, Hindy is the point person for students who have concerns on campus or other related part-time student concerns. Part-time students at UTM don’t pay to the UTMSU, but they do pay an amount to the Association of PartTime Undergraduate Students Union (APUS), which legally represents part-time students at both UTM and at the St. George campus.

The “meet-and-greet� is the first event held by UTMSU during this academic school year for part-time students.

Health fair being held this week David Pike/The Varsityt Protesters from around the GTA gathered at Yonge and Dundas Square on Saturday.

Thousands gather in Toronto for anti-prorogation rally STEFANIE MAROTTA ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Last Saturday, more than 10,000 citizens crowded Yonge and Dundas Square in downtown Toronto to rally against Stephen Harper’s decision to prorogue Parliament. Dubbed as the National Day of Action, the protest saw rallies in over 50 cities in Canada.

Groups of excited citizens were dispersed around the area. They huddled together to keep warm and practiced chants for the march. Within 15 minutes, the numbers in attendance skyrocketed and Yonge Street had to be shut down.

Attendees held picket signs that displayed the rally poster. Others got creative and waved homemade signs that read “Get back to work!� and “WANTED: Stephen Harper for crimes against democracy.� The NDP passed around orange posters that read “Stand up to Harper.� One student pulled a permanent marker from his jacket pocket and added “Don’t bend over.�

The MC for the day, comedian Martha Chavez, kept the crowd laughing as she expressed her dislike for Harper and compared him to various dictators.

The rally also included musical and comedic acts. A pair of women, who call ed themselves Wolf Women, sang aboriginal inspired songs. They described the chosen pieces, entitled “Strong Woman� and “Brave Heart,� as expressions of the fight against tyranny and oppression.

A crowd pleaser was the “Raging Grannies,� a group of elderly women dressed in brightly coloured ponchos and bedazzled hats with pompoms. They sang revised versions of well known songs, changing the national anthem to describe Harper as a king and asking, “Is

this the Canada you want to know?�

Politicians in attendance included Toronto Liberal MPs Bob Rae and Gerard Kennedy.

UTM student Walied Khogali taught the crowd the march chants, shouting “Listen to the nation, stop the prorogation� and “Who’s parliament? Our Parliament!� The crowd also tried out a cheer from the revolutionary movement of students in Paris in the 60s, shouting out “Ce n’est que le debut! Continuons le combat!� “It’s really easy to sit at home and say that someone needs to fix this. It’s another thing to come out and march,� said attendee Leslie Holt. “I think it’s really important that we understand that this is just the beginning and we need to continue on.�

Last week, EKOS, a polling firm, released its survey-based electoral predictions. The Conservative party, which just a few weeks ago was looking forward to the possibility of a majority government, has lost a great deal of support.

According to EKOS, 31.5% of citizens surveyed said they would vote Conservative, while 30.9% said they would vote Liberal.

On the effect that the recent prorogation has had on the polls, The Globe and Mail reported that “Paul Adams of EKOS says the depth of anger about prorogation caught political analysts and just about everybody else, including the Liberals, by surprise.�

On Monday, Liberal and NDP Members of Parliament will return to work despite Parliament’s suspension.

Michael Ignatieff of the Liberal Party of Canada, Jack Layton of the NDP and Elizabeth May of the Green party spoke at the rally in Ottawa. International rallies took place in New York City, San Francisco and London, England.

YANIQUE BIRD

UTMAC’s Health Fair will take place this week at Gym A at the Recreation and Wellness Centre.

The Health Fair, a part of UTMAC’s Health Week, will feature over 20 community groups from both UTM and the wider community.

The Health Fair isn’t just about physical health. UTMAC planned this event to represent a range of health and wellness topics. These include social wellbeing, intellectual, mental and emotional wellness as well as physical wellness.

Peel Public Heath, Distress Center Peel, Out@UTM, the Sexual

Education Center, the Department of Physical Education, the Health and Counseling Center, the Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre and the Canadian Blood Services are all scheduled to participate.

On Tuesday, UTMAC will host an Athletic Combine, where students will challenge themselves to get through a series of different physical exercises as fast as possible. Dodgeball Tournament is in the works, and there is also talk of a Wii-Fit challenge.

Throughout the week, the HCC’s Peer Health Educators will also make their presence felt. On Monday, the Drugs and Alcohol team, together with the Healthy

Sexuality and Healthy Relationships teams, will host a display in the Meeting Place. The focus will be on se x, drugs and alcohol.

There will be prizes and giveaways and participants are guaranteed to walk away with more knowledge on the subject of sex and drugs.

On Thursday, the Mental Health and Stress Management Team along with the Nutrition and Activity Team have another set of fun and informative activities in store for the UTM population.

For more information, visit myutmac.ca.

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4 THE MEDIUM

MONDAY, NOVEMBER

23, 2009

OPINION MY SIDE, YOUR SIDE, AND THE RIGHT SIDE

Letters to the Editor ‘Facts’ Dear Editor,

You can’t handle the truth ALAIN LATOUR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ast week’s editorial, as well as the news article “UTMSU denies a student attendance at CFS meeting,” caused quite a stir: we received over 1,000 hits on our website on Monday alone, had a few students comment on our blog, and were even quoted on the Maclean’s oncampus site. We also received a letter from the UTMSU, signed by all the UTMSU executive members—a first in the time since I’ve been Editor-in-Chief, if not longer.

The attention is not surprising. Following UTMSU’s rejection of Stefanie Marotta, one of our assistant editors, as a delegate to the Canadian Federation of Students’ semiAnnual General Meeting, we reported that all the delegates approved by the UTMSU to attend this AGM fall into a category created by the CFS that includes, among others, students of colour, students with disabilities, international students, and students who identify themselves as members of the LGBTQ community.

We then quoted UTMSU President Joey Santiago as he defended the Union’s decision. He denied that it was prompted by either the assistant editor’s affiliation with our newspaper or the cost of sending a Caucasian, English-speaking female to the AGM. In the same article, however, UTMSU VP External Henry Ssali went on record to deny UTMSU’s arguments. This led me, in my last editorial, to denounce the injustice of separating students by colour of skin or affil-

L

iation with campus organizations.

In this week’s Letter to the Editor, UTMSU executives accused us of lying. I won’t explain why this is a lie on its own— Saaliha Malik, our News Editor and the writer of the original article, took it upon herself to defend our position. Her arguments can be read in the Op-Ed beside this Editorial. As for Mr. Ssali, he also had a few things to say, so he sent us a letter of his own.

The main point I’d like to address here is the so-called conflict of interest that would take place, should one of our writers or assistant editors become involved in CFS- or UTM-organized events. I won’t pretend that such a conflict is impossible, which is the reason why editors of The Medium cannot work for the UTMSU (nor can they be, for that matter, club presidents). This is the same reason why Marc Bressler, formerly with our Board of Directors, resigned when he became President of the Residence Council.

But Stefanie Marotta is not an editor with The Medium—she is an assistant editor.

Nothing in our regulations prevents us from telling her what activities to participate in or which organizations to join. Like it or not, we have little control over what our writers do at UTM, and that’s the way it should be.

We are a campus newspaper, paid for mostly by levies collected from students, and we can’t enjoy the same freedom that The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star and The National Post do when they hire their staff.

Unless someone expects to work for us and get paid for it, they should feel free to join other campus organizations. Problems may arise—we’ll deal with them as they do. They will be far less serious than us deciding who gets to do what when we don’t have the authority.

Op-Ed I am pleased to see the UTMSU attempting to address allegations against them as this is rarely done by these individuals, who have had more than their share of scandals this year including mismanagement of proxy votes, a more than generous $1,000 donation toward a legal defence fund, questionable use of student dollars towards a protest and now denying a student attendance at a Canadian Federation of Students meeting.

I personally found the letter submitted by the UTMSU a poor excuse for trying to portray any resemblance to anything true or factual as they claim in their letter.

I will try to help break down the issues and provide UTMSU with much needed clarification for the facts that they so desperately want addressed.

Firstly, in their letter, UTMSU seems to believe that The Medium published more than one article on the matter. This is the first “fact” I will address.

There was only one news article published on the matter. What is published on the opinion page is not in any way promoted as a news article—it is, surprisingly enough, an opinion, voiced by our Editorin-Chief, any reader of our newspaper who wishes to have their voice heard, and other editors.

Secondly, in their letter, UTMSU claimed that neither the President nor the VP external mention Ms. Marotta’s affiliation with The Medium as a reason for her application being rejected when they were interviewed by The Medium. The attempt to address any sort of fact in this case is deeply flawed. I’m not quite sure who exactly wrote this letter, which was signed by all members of the executive committee, but they must have skimmed through the part where VP external Henry Ssali is quoted saying he felt “disheartened that the executive committee voted to deny a fellow student [also a UTMSU stakeholder] from attending the CFS semi-AGM because of her affiliation with another campus organization.” This was in fact a direct statement from Ssali, and was confirmed by Santiago, who shared with me that executive committee members had concerns with Ms. Marotta’s position.

I realize it may not be ideal that executive committee members felt the need to go on the record to discuss the reasons behind this decision, which was clearly supposed to be left behind closed doors (the same doors that UTMSU boasts are open to all students). This, however, is not The

Medium’s fault—had no UTMSU executive felt the need to voice his disagreement and concern with a decision made by the Union, he simply wouldn’t have done so.

UTMSU also believes that The Medium somehow spun the story to portray them in a negative light. I propose the opposite: how about the UTMSU stops making poor decisions that bring themselves into the pages of The Medium?

In my interview with the President, Joey Santiago did not state that the reason Ms. Marotta was denied was due to the colour of her skin. Nor did The Medium state that it was. We did, however, further explore the policy implemented by the CFS that offers students who belong to a minority group a discount of $75, and we quoted Ssali, who had concerns with this being the reason for Ms. Marotta’s rejection. For the members of UTMSU, who skimmed through this part too, Ssali said he never had problems sending delegates “because I never registered any student out of the constituency groups.”

UTMSU also claims that not all members agree with the implementation of this policy. I must ask: if not all members of UTMSU agree with this policy (according to their letter), why has this issue not been raised to the Canadian Federation of Students? Why is it being followed by the student union?

And while UTMSU raises their concerns over accommodation costs for the meeting and wisely spending student dollars—well, it’s a shame this has only kicked in now.

With a track record of spending nearly $975 on the same individual to attend three CFS meetings this year alone, a member who, by the way, is not an elected representative, I wonder if pricey accommodation costs and student dollars were considered then.

I do give credit to the UTMSU for identifying the “messy” situation that has resulted from their decision making, and though I agree there has been miscommunication (especially in their letter trying to address facts), I believe miscommunication can be prevented when honest answers are given and strategic lies to discredit The Medium is put to an end.

Sincerely, Saaliha Malik News Editor

P.S. This is not a news article

The UTM Students’ Union Executive team is writing in response to three pieces published in your paper: First, your opinion piece ‘Here we go again’ from last week’s issue. Second, Ms. Stefanie Marotta’s letter to the editor. And finally, Ms. Saaliha Malik’s news article titled ‘UTMSU denies a student attendance at CFS meeting’.

This letter will address all of these pieces as well as provide readers with a chance to learn the true facts of the – which differ greatly from what has been published.

We began by addressing two “facts” which both the news article as well as the editorial were based on. As you will see, although the Editor-inChief Alain Latour dubbed these issues as ‘facts’, they can only be described as fictitious.

Firstly, the articles were based on the notion that the UTMSU executive committee refused to send Ms. Marotta to the CFS conference due to her affiliation with The Medium. In both Joey Santiago and Henry Ssali’s interview with The Medium, neither of them indicated that Ms. Marotta’s affliation with The Medium was the reason she was refused to UTMSU as a delegate at the CFS Semi-Annual General Meeting.

While her position with The Medium was discussed by the executive committee, it was only discussed initially due to the fact that most of the executive team was unaware of who Ms. Marotta was until she was referenced as ‘a writer for The Medium’.

Ms. Marotta’s affiliation with The Medium was also discussed since the CFS demands a separate procedure for those who wish to attend the meeting as media representatives. This became a non-issue as soon as Mr. Ssali confirmed that Ms. Marotta’s intention was to attend as a delegate of UTMSU as opposed to a representative of The Medium. This is a very reasonable discussion for us to have since it is not common for a writer of The Medium to be interested in attending a CFS as a delegate of UTMSU. Further, it was critical to discuss whether a conflict of interest existed in Ms.Marotta’s position as a media personnel and her position as a delegate of UTMSU. However, while some felt it was a grey area, this was not the reason the UTMSU executive committee chose not to send Ms. Marotta to the CFS Semi-Annual General Meeting.

The second ‘fact’ which both articles alleged was that the UTMSU executive committee deemed it too expensive to send Ms. Marotta to the conference since she is white, and therefore costs more. This is unequivocally a blatant lie. All the members of the executive committee which had been interviewed by The Medium had stated that Ms. Marotta’s race, or the costs associated with her race, was not the reason for UTMSU’s decision. Why The Medium decided to spin the story to make it appear so is beyond us, but we would like every student who read such fabrications to know that there is nothing further from the truth.

For the students who wonder why there is a cost associated with race, CFS provides a discount to students who come from backgrounds or ethnicities which are typically disenfranchised and to encourage a more diverse team of delegates. This is a CFS practice and rule, and not one which all UTMSU executives agree with.

The executives of UTMSU debated the pros and cons of sending Ms. Marotta as a delegate on

www.mediumonline.ca the basis of Ms. Marotta’s experience and merit; Ms. Marotta was not involved in many UTMSU projects and events. Therefore, her attendance at the meeting would not be beneficial for her or for UTMSU. In this regard, the resources that would be spent in sending her would be more appropriated allocated to a student who was better acquainted with UTMSU’s projects and events.

Mr. Henry Ssali who was referenced as stating that UTMSU executive team refused to send Ms. Marotta to the meeting because ‘it costs more’, has since apologized for his statement which was out of context. The argument that it would be better to spend funds on individuals who were better qualified was misinterpreted by Mr. Ssali and irresponsibly spread by The Medium, despite holding interviews with individuals who testified to the contrary.

The UTM Students’ Union has a long history of sending delegates of all ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds to various CFS meetings.

Former VP UTM Vlad Glebov, as well as former VP University Affairs Marijana Josifovska, are examples of Caucasian students who attended CFS meetings on behalf of UTMSU. The UTM Students’ Union does not discriminate based on the color of skin, country of origin, religious affiliation or sexual orientation. Members of all backgrounds and political affiliations are more than welcome to participate in union activities. If the UTMSU committee executive had believed that Ms. Marotta was qualified to serve as a delegate, we would have sent her irrelevant of the cost.

The CFS Semi-Annual General Meeting is a four-day conference which runs all day and therefore accommodation costs must be considered. As such, we have to limit the amount of delegates we send to the meeting. Delegates to this meeting are representing the UTM Student’s Union and vote on matters of our interest. As such, delegates are either elected representatives (Directors, Executives or Ministers) or dedicated volunteers who have been heavily involved in the Union’s activities and whom we trust to hold the common basic beliefs and philosophy of the UTM Students’ Union.

It should be noted that Ms. Marotta is not the first student to have been refused as a delegate, but many others have been in the past due to the same reasons. Ms. Marotta is in no fault for this, and can become an accomplished student leader.

Ms. Marotta has a genuine interest in CFS and in the activities of her student union and she is encouraged to continue pursuing that interest as she obviously has great potential. It is very unfortunate that her attempt to get involved – by no fault of her own – degenerated into such messy situation.

Finally, and most importantly, we would like to extend our sincerest apologies to Ms. Stefanie Marotta for being caught in this mess. There has been much miscommunication, and though we are elected executives of the student union, we do mistakes. It was never our intention to hurt anyone’s feelings and we apologize deeply if this was the case. Please know that our decision was based on the aforementioned reasons, and nothing else.

UTMSU Executive Committee Joey Santiago, Carole Au-Yueng, Vickita Bhatt, Henry Ssali, Maria Galvez, Ibrahim Hindy, Andrew Lalla

I have been contemplating on whether to stay quiet and continue enjoying the privileges of the organization I love or speak out and defend the values for which it was created. The latter is a challenge I have chosen to embark on.

Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely apologize to Stefanie for having failed you. You’re a great student and I still believe we should have given you the opportunity that you sought. Secondly, I would like to apologize to my fellow executives for having dared to challenge your decision. I am sure you all had good intentions although I strongly believe that we should have sought input from the highest governing body [the Board of Directors].

Our refusing Stefanie to attend the CFS semi-AGM was an executive error that should never have happened and should not be blamed on CFS. As per CFS’s definition of a delegate in Bylaw I, “A delegate shall refer to a representative of a member local association who is either an individual member or an employee of the association in question.”

There is no mention of experience, affiliation or other factors in the definition which also gives the autonomy to the individual local in question.

I also strongly believe that as students’ leaders, it is part of our mandate to offer fellow students the avenue to get the necessary experience they require, including but not limited to attending commission and ministry meetings, which Stefanie has previously attended.

EDITOR IN CHIEF Alain Latour editor@mediumonline.ca NEWS EDITOR Saaliha Malik news@mediumonline.ca ASSISTANT NEWS EDITORS Katherine Luczynski Stefanie Marotta A&E EDITOR Michael Di Leo arts@mediumonline.ca ASSISTANT A&E EDITORS Nives Hajdin Patricia Figueiredo FEATURES EDITOR Amir Ahmed features@mediumonline.ca SPORTS EDITOR Andrew Tysiak sports@mediumonline.ca ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITORS Sarah Malagerio Bruno William Robertson COPY EDITOR Su Lyn Liew PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Matthew Filipowich photos@mediumonline.ca ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Edward Cai COMPOSITE EDITOR Matthew Filipowich WEBMASTER Matthew Filipowich DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Heather Friesen BUSINESS MANAGER Romano Bergic BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chris Cauchi, Paul Donaghue, Ali Kasim, Kristian Jurlewicz, Aly Khan Madhavji, Paola Savasta, Phoebe Leung.

COMPLAINTS

We could have done better Dear Editor,

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Although race may not have been a factor in our decision, it is evident that students who belong to a constituency group have an incentive of paying less than those who do not belong to any and it is up to us to question whether that is ethically right.

I am sure several people will grill me for that statement. I suffered sleepless nights and didn’t know how to deal with the heaviness of that burden. I am a male racialized student but did not choose to be so, and for anyone to pity me by giving me such incentives is to undermine my God-given potential as a human being.

Granted, I totally understand “white privilege,” but I also believe in competition and would love to see Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream come true. You know living in the world “where am not judged by the color of my skin but by the content of my character”?

Yes…that world.

So, dear fellow students, as you scroll through this letter, ask yourselves questions such as: Which part of the puzzle is missing?

How do we challenge the system without jeopardizing our future prospects? How do the interlocking systems of privilege and oppression affect you? How do you make this world a better place?

I hope one day we shall be able to answer all the questions posed above and I thank you for having taken time out of your busy schedules to read this apology.

Sincerely, Henry Ssali UTMSU VP-External

Comments, concerns or com plaints about The Medium’s con tent should be directed to the Editor in Chief who can be locat ed at the email address above.

COPYRIGHT All content printed in The Medium is the sole property of its creators, and cannot be used without written consent.

DISCLAIMER Opinions expressed in the pages of The Medium are exclusively of the author and do not neces sarily reflect those of The Medium. Additionally, the opin ions expressed in advertise ments appearing in The Medium are those of advertisers and not of The Medium.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the editor will be edit ed for spelling, grammar, style and coherence. Letters will not exceed 1,000 words in print.

Letters that incite hatred, vio lence or letters that are racist, homophobic, sexist or libelous will not be published.

Anonymous letters will not be published.

MONDAY, JANUARY

25, 2010 THE MEDIUM 5

Michael Di Leo, Editor | arts@mediumonline.ca

The Greek connection Theatre Erindale presents Andromache NIVES HAJDIN ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR

Take a French play that is set in Greece, translate it into English, et voila! Theatre Erindale’s production of Andromache is the resulting dramatic fusion, a 17th century tragedy of pride, passion and jealousy by the French playwright Jean Racine.

Though an English rendition of the play is quite uncommon, Richard Wilbur’s translation is greatly construed and made all the more eloquent by the incorporation of rhyming couplets throughout many of the long, yet essential monologues within the play.

Directed by Patrick Young, the story unfolds over the course of a single day in the palace of King Pyrrhus (Darren Turner), whose status as the son of Achilles has lost him favour with the Trojans, most notably with Andromache (Melanie Hrymak). Andromache’s husband, the Trojan hero Hector, was killed

by Achilles in the Trojan War. Fuelled with a bitter distaste for Pyrrhus, Andromache is taken captive by the king, along with the widow’s son and new prince of Troy, Astyanax (Brittany Kay). It becomes the responsibility of Orestes, ambassador of the Greeks (Andrew Tribe), to convince Pyrrhus to set Astyanax free, yet Orestes must also balance these efforts with his desired courtship of Hermione (Juel Hughes). Despite Orestes’ feelings for her, Hermione is betrothed to Pyrrhus, but upon word that Andromache will wed Pyrrhus instead (on the condition that he releases her son), Hermione’s raging jealousy is unleashed and she easily manipulates Orestes to do her bidding. Resulting tragedy ensues from unlikely places, and the play’s closing moments are the most surprising of all.

Comprised of fourth year students (with the exception of Adam Cresswell, a recurring second-year

James W. Smagata photo

The captive Trojan prince is condemned to death unless Andromache yields (Kelsey Goldberg, Melanie Hrymak, Philippe Jullian, Brittany Kay, Darren Turner). student whose season debuted with Widows, and second-year newcomers Brittany Kay and Jake Maric), the ensemble was much smaller than Theatre Erindale’s usual cast list and allowed greater individual command of the stage by the actors and actresses. Darren Turner stood out as the stricken king who is hated by the majority of his subjects, but also conveyed the forceful nature of Pyrrhus in his ultimate resolve to have Astyanax killed, should Andromache fail to comply.

Pyrrhus’ sometimes meandering thoughts were greatly contrasted with the unwavering tenacity of his mentor, Phoenix, played by Philippe Jullian. Jullian’s firm disposition as the King’s advisor was perfectly executed, as his line delivery was both natural and aptly humorous in reaction to Pyrrhus’ thought processes.

Though the play’s eponymous hero, the role of Andromache, was not as central as some of the other characters, Melanie Hrymak still interpreted and performed the part with such conviction that her performance outshone the character

she was portraying. Strong-willed and unafraid to take her own life, Hrymak’s performance as Andromache was played with a similar vigour as Juel Hughes’ portrayal of Hermione. Extremely animated yet daunting when necessary, Hughes encapsulated the torment felt as a result of betrayed love. She conveyed this anguish extremely well: to the audience, who found humour in her wishy-washy rationalization that a woman’s angry words belie her true feelings, as well as to Orestes, whose inability to comprehend her indecisiveness led to his eventual madness.

Showing a complete transformation of his character over the course of five acts, Andrew Tribe’s performance as Orestes was one of the play’s greatest performances, if not the best of all. In addition to being responsible for a large chunk of the play’s dialogue, Tribe internalized the text with such skill that the resulting speeches he gave were very natural and believable, and were aided by his emotiveness and overall immersion in his complicated

character.

Though the performances were more or less on point, the overall static nature of the plot was hard to ignore, as much of the play’s conflict was relayed in words rather

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Orestes succumbs to a bout of the madness (Adam Cresswell, Jacob Maric, Darren Turner, Juel Hughes, Andrew Tribe, Ramon Vitug).

than in actions. Despite this, certain scenes incorporated historical dancing and music, which served to break the stagnant interaction, and the climactic ending moments of the play certainly made up in excitement. Another of the play’s minor falters was that the verse became too contemporary on a few occasions, in that the actors and actresses contracted words or emphasized them in a way that was more colloquial than the expected formal speech of regal figures. Yet, one must not forget just how difficult the execution of such an abundance of text must have been for the cast, and their hard work in the mastery of the difficult verse must be applauded.

Andromache is indeed a departure from Theatre Erindale’s more contemporary productions, and though not as strong as this season’s past performances, many intriguing elements still exist within it and will be sure to jolt a surprise or two at the very end. Andromache runs at Theatre Erindale until January 30.

Visit www.theatreerindale.com for tickets, which range from $9-$14.

business.humber.ca

6 THE MEDIUM

MONDAY, JANUARY

25, 2010

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT OUR PICKS

Film review: Up in the Air Canadian director’s third feature film fares well COLLEEN MUNRO

With two acclaimed films to his name, director Jason Reitman (Juno, Thank You for Smoking) takes a timely look at the current economic troubles in his third full-length feature, Up in the Air. Thanks to star George Clooney and increased exposure from the success of Juno, Up in the Air is one of this season’s biggest Oscar contenders, and for good reason.

Ryan Bingham (Clooney) is a middle-aged man with few emotional ties and a penchant for frequent flier miles. He’s totally satisfied with his job as a travelling “career transition counsellor.” In other words, he’ll fire your employees for you.

But when a young upstart at his company, Natalie (Anna Kendrick), introduces a video chat system that would allow anyone to terminate unsuspecting employees across the country without ever setting foot out of the office, Ryan is forced to defend his lifestyle. With some prompting from his boss (Jason Bateman), Ryan takes Natalie on a trip across the country to show her the benefits of in-person dismissal. Along the way, he meets his status-obsessed match in Alex (Vera Farmiga), a career woman who seems to seek the same lack of commitment that Ryan does.

It would be easy for the audience to dislike a character as detached from

outnow.ch photo

the rest of the world as Ryan Bingham. But Clooney does a great job of humanizing Ryan. He doesn’t have many people in his life to share his inner thoughts with, but Clooney’s facial expressions and reactions tell us so much about his character.

With films like Ocean’s Eleven and The Men Who Stare at Goats, Clooney has proven that he can crank out one smooth-talking performance after another, and while his quips and smirks are in no short supply here, there are also glimpses of vulnerability in this performance that make it

one of his best yet.

Kendrick, who was perhaps previously best-known for her small role in the Twilight movie series, is also fantastic here. She’s completely believable as an intelligent, ambitious young woman and has a very inviting screen presence. Her character goes through a range of emotions throughout the film, and Kendrick is equally good in the comedic and dramatic scenes.

Farmiga gives a very intriguing performance as Ryan’s would-be girlfriend, and she and Clooney have an

easy, charming on-screen chemistry.

While Alex could have been the bland “love interest” supporting character that we see in so many movies, the film’s writing and Farmiga’s performance make sure that she’s every bit as vibrant as the lead.

The most interesting part of Up in the Air is its characters, particularly Ryan. It’s hard to get on board with his love of the impersonal touches of elite flying status, and we shake our heads when he encourages the audience of his self-help seminar to cut all emotional ties. But watching him be

brought back down to earth thanks to his growing relationship with Alex and his sister’s impending wedding feels like a natural development of his character. And by the time the film takes some unexpected turns in the final act, it’s hard not to feel empathy for Ryan.

As well as giving us a careful examination of the lives of its three characters, Up in the Air also has a lot to say about more universal issues. It deals with the current economic downturn and discusses isolation in a very serious way. There are plenty of comedic moments in Up in the Air and its humour has bite, but Reitman’s not afraid to explore darker themes along the way. This has great results, because some of the later parts of the film are unexpectedly moving.

Another thing that Up in the Air has going for it is a great soundtrack featuring the likes of Elliott Smith. Like all good soundtracks, it never distracts from the film. The songs feel like the perfect accompaniment to a few well-placed montages throughout.

Up in the Air is a meticulously constructed, slick film, but it’s also Reitman’s most mature and wellrounded. Not everyone will like its slower pace and decidedly more serious tone, but Up in the Air is certainly a film well worth seeing for its trio of great performances and its relevance to our times.

Haven’t you heard?

A&E Editor Michael Di Leo picks another five albums you should hear if you haven’t already. At least that way we won’t be held accountable for whatever choices you may make in the future.

EITHER/OR ELLIOTT SMITH

MY WORLD LEE FIELDS & THE EXPRESSIONS

FREE THE ROBOTS (EP) FREE THE ROBOTS

PERSONAL PUBLICATION RICH AUCOIN

BLACK EYED BLUES ESTHER PHILLIPS

I am always surprised when someone tells me they haven’t heard of Elliott Smith. To be fair, he was only in the spotlight for a second when he got an Oscar nod for “Miss Misery” (featured in Good Will Hunting) and, of course, when he killed himself a few years back.

Regardless, the depth of his songwriting is unmatched by most of his contemporaries—most notably on Either/Or. Recorded during his salad days, the arrangements are vibrant despite their minimalism. Smith’s acoustic guitar is the overarching focus here but his comfort level on all the other instruments cannot be overlooked.

The drum work in particular adds a touch of rawness that, along with his sparse piano playing, sets Either/Or above the usual standard of solo songwriters.

Lee Fields doesn’t have to worry about losing his youthfulness. Yes, he’s in his sixties. Yes, he has struggled. Yes, he is exactly what you picture when you think of poor, black soulsters in the Motown days. And yes, he gets all the ladies.

Don’t believe me? Next time you’re on a date with a girl, put on My World and count how long it takes for her to start getting naked and making out with the nearest man in sight (quick tip: make sure that is you). Recorded only two years ago, My World sounds like it’s from the good old days of soul, where trebled guitars weaved with thick vocal harmonies in perfect pop unison. There are some exceptions though—“Do You Love Me (Like You Say You Do)” takes a harder edge to the silky smooth vocals, giving it the effect of having been dubbed. That and also the fact that you know exactly what this senior citizen is doing tonight.

When Hooverphonic released “2 Wicky” in the 90’s, they started a trend among small lounge-nightclubs that remains in full force to this day. The idea that straight jazz can be fused with harder, denser beats works well on the surface, but it has remained a novelty for the most part.

DJ Shadow experimented, yes, but his influence is debatable.

So in comes Free the Robots (actual name: Chris Alfaro), who, in his home studio, managed to substantiate this overlooked genre of music.

His beats are harder, his samples are way cooler, and his synth work is rad.

“Session Two,” the EP’s closer, features one of the best sampled druminterludes ever, easily on the same level as any DJ Shadow recording.

The rest of the album isn’t bad either.

The Dark Side of Oz, for those of you who are uninformed, is a cinematic event where they play Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon in sync with The Wizard of Oz. It is pretty fun to watch, and especially so if you are inebriated in some form or other.

Taking a page from their book, Rich Aucoin from Halifax decided to make his own spin, writing and producing his first album to sync perfectl y to D r. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

If that doesn’t interest you enough, the fact that the music is spectacular should. The arrangements are lush, the melodies are memorable, and Aucoin sings the Grinch’s parts through a robotronic microphone. Plus Halifax is so in right now.

It may surprise you to know that before Destiny’s Child and TLC, there were strong, independent women who took to song to express their feelings. Yes, there were the doo-wop crews, the Aretha Franklins and the Diana Rosses, but none went past the conventional bounds of pop music that, at the time, were set by their songwriters and business managers at Motown and other such labels.

Kind of the antithesis of the blues, wouldn’t you say? Esther Philips is none of that. Her voice is just as smooth and sexy as any other frontwoman’s, but she hailed from a time and place untouched by the fast-selling soul that would later dominate the airwaves. This was the blues, glorified, in its purest form. That doesn’t necessarily mean one acoustic guitar and an old blind guy. Orchestral arrangements are cool. You can hear the rawness in her voice.

MONDAY, JANUARY

ITS COMING ARTS

25, 2010 THE MEDIUM 7

& ENTERTAINMENT

Because losing is fun Less is more: Great graphics don’t equal great games AMIR AHMED FEATURES EDITOR

Take seven dwarves, remove any bulimic princesses, and plonk them into a wilderness replete with wild animals, goblins and the occasional vengeful spirit. It sounds like an exercise in sadism, but it’s just another game of Dwarf Fortress.

Dwarf Fortress, created by Tarn Adams and Bay 12 games, may take one of the most interesting approaches to losing than any other video game has: losing is fun, sometimes hilariously so.

The game takes place in a sprawling, 2D, sixteen-colour world where the player commands seven bearded smiley faces (dwarves) journeying in a realm of coloured ASCII characters.

The mission is to build a settlement that other dwarves can migrate to and live in. Think SimCity with battleaxes.

These settlements are usually named something that probably makes sense in Dwarfish, but loses its meaning in translation (“Boatmurdered,” “Headshoots” and the “Grave of Green Biles” all come to mind). While the player’s ultimate goal is to create a fortress of two hundred dwarves and find the mythical metal Adamantium, the challenges and complexities of running a fortress turns the real goal into survival. This is a game where leaders will impose import/export laws based on how happy you keep them. This is a game where your dwarves can take on professions as simple as mining to as obscure as potash-making. This is a game where

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Dwarf humour. dwarves exposed to too much pestilence and not enough booze will go insane and pummel everything in their vicinity. Madness? This is Dwarf Fortress.

Despite Dwarf Fortress’ challenges and severe difficulty curve (about 26 menus exist on the regular play screen with nothing in the way of a tutorial), it’s a fantastic game that will eat up time like a skeletal eagle eating an unsuspecting hunter (which can happen with embarrassing regularity).

The depth of gameplay and lack of graphic detail make it an incredible experience that is made all the sweeter by the game being available for free download on the Bay 12 website.

Donations are encouraged since the designers have no other jobs, and have been working for the past seven years to complete the already massive

game.

Players who have mastered survival can team up with each other on the internet—a phenomenon known as a “succession” or “bloodline” game. A player will spend one year in game time establishing the fortress, then send the saved file off to someone else, all while keeping a journal of events. If done right, the journals can be a pretty neat project, and in some cases can be hilarious (Googling “the tale of Boatmurdered,” easily the most famous Dwarf Fortress succession game, will show this to be true).

So if you’re tired of the standard shoot-em-ups, games that require actual video cards to play and going outside in the sun, consider the shorter, stockier, beardier alternative. Just remember, the important thing is that you have fun.

“BRIAN WILSON IS ALIVE” BY RICH AUCOIN

GO TO MEDIUMONLINE.CA/SONGOFTHEWEEK TO LISTEN

8 THE MEDIUM

MONDAY, JANUARY

25, 2010

Amir Ahmed, Editor | features@mediumonline.ca

Replacing plastics

Canadian heroes IOANA GHEORGHIU

AMIR AHMED FEATURES EDITOR

In the January 21 edition of Nature, a letter by a team of scientists from the University of Tokyo elaborated on the construction and uses of a potential replacement for petroleum plastics: hydrogel.

Plastic production today is one of the largest industries in the world, and plastics remain the material of choice for packaging, industry and technology. Indeed, the modern world couldn’t exist without them.

But plastics, like many things that define the modern world, such as automobiles and hair gel, use up lots of hydrocarbons. In a bid to find new materials that don’t depend on a vanishing resource, University of Tokyo scientists investigated the making of a material known as hydrogel, a substance made mostly of water and another surprisingly common substance: clay, in nanosheet form.

Hydrogels are gels made mostly of water and polymers. They are insoluble in water but also incredibly absorbent. Hydrogels aren’t anything new; we use them as components in medicine, diapers and even contact lenses. So far, no one has seriously considered them for industrial purposes since, according to the Nature letter, most scientists think of hydrogels as weak. And they were right; until now, researches manufactured hydrogel based on covalent bonding, a process which creates a non-transparent, brittle, nonhealing paperweight. Clay nanosheets solved the problems of brittleness, but required a lengthy and difficult manufacturing process.

The Tokyo scientists opted to skip the covalent bonding process altogether, and created a tough, selfhealing hydrogel from water, clay nanosheets, a dendritic macromolecule (a large, branched molecule, like a tree) and sodium polyacrylate (a polymer used commonly in hydrogels, also fake snow and detergent). The result was a material described as having “a large mechanical strength” and able to regain a solid state after undergoing extreme stress. To put it simply: hit-

ting this gel with a hammer will turn it to mush, but that mush will regain its solid state over time.

So, unless the scientific faculties I’ve gained as an English major fail me, essentially the Tokyo hydrogel is like the liquid robot from Terminator 2.

Perhaps the most interesting property of the Tokyo hydrogel is its stickiness. Blocks of the hydrogel can be cut, pushed against other pieces of hydrogel and then become part of the new block. This only occurs on freshly cut hydrogel, and the resulting bond is as strong as if it were never broken in the first place. The gel is resistant to water and to organic solvents.

So, hydrogel sounds pretty neat.

And it’s interesting to see whether its use in industry may replace conventional plastics, or even open up new avenues of production.

Needless to say, an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional plastics in industry and in commerce would be a definite step up to lengthening the life of our civilization or, if they’re used to make terminator robots, will at least make our final moments really, really cool.

Waiting for a snow day AMIR AHMED FEATURES EDITOR As the Winter Olympics draw near, Canadians and the world have focused their gaze on Vancouver.

After Beijing beat Toronto in a bid for the summer games in 2008, Canada saw the 2010 Olympics as our chance to show the world what we’re made of and to give the world’s best athletes a taste of our wonderful, snowy weather.

The problem is, where’s the snow?

Vancouver, in the grip of an ElNiño event, is presently experiencing balmy, mild weather. While this would be perfect any other winter, the approach of the Olympics makes it a headache for administrators. The mountains nearby the city have little to no buildup, which spells problems for the ski and snowboard events

meant to take place there.

Presently, Vancouver’s plan to save the Olympics in the wake of high temperatures, little precipitation and the little time left—a month—before the opening ceremonies, is to move snow from higher altitudes by land or air. If snow is almost completely lacking, plans are underway to build straw and wood courses, and to coat them with what they can find.

While the events at Vancouver are not due to climate change, at least no more so than usual, the city’s reaction to it hints of something larger, something uplifting about our response to environmental problems beyond the control of an individual or even a nation: we can handle it.

Since the 1970’s and continuing into the 2010’s with books such as Al Gore’s Our Choice and Stewart

Brand’s Whole Earth Discipline, the popular idea about environmental problems has changed from an expectation of far-off governments and scientists to solve a far-off problem to an expectation that the individual matters. Climate and weather problems are engineering problems now, and engineering problems can be solved. Whether it be Stewart Brand’s advice to keep bees, live in the city and endorse nuclear power, or protesters in Copenhagen trying their hardest to reach out to Stephen Harper and his oil sands constituents, the pervading attitude is that change is possible. If a dump truck full of snow is what it takes to do that, then so be it. Hopefully, solving these problems really is a possibility, and the expectation that we can do it is real, unlike the slalom courses on this year’s winter games.

“Keeping Their Dreams Alive” is the motto for the Canadian Hero Fund, a recognized charity. Their mission is to raise $2.5 million over five years, to be provided as post-secondary scholarships to the children and spouses of fallen Canadian soldiers who gave their lives for future generations.

All of the applicants will qualify for the Canadian Hero Fund Scholarship as long as they are a child or spouse of a fallen soldier.

A group of U of T students, influenced by the increasing number of Canadian war casualties and the families they left behind, started the Canadian Hero Fund. The fund received recognition on December 1, 2009, after a two-year wait from the federal government. The organization depends on charity events and donations, whether from individuals or companies, as the means to reach their goal and provide scholarships. In the first two weeks of its existence, Canadian Hero Fund raised over $10,000, and the most recent charity event, “Hot Chocolate for Heroes,” which took place on January 11 at the corner of Bloor and St. George street on the St. George campus, raised

over $800.

All of the applicants will qualify for the Canadian Hero Fund Scholarship as long as they are a child or spouse of a fallen soldier. According to Michael Bell, the charity’s executive director, an Educational Advisory Committee comprised of academics and academic administrators from U of T will advise on “the disbursement of scholarships and best practices in the management of a scholarship fund.” The plan is to start awarding scholarships as early as fall 2010. “We are already in contact with the child of a fallen soldier in New Brunswick who would be eligible for this fall,” said Bell.

The charity has sparked interest across the country. A “Hot Chocolate for Heroes” is planned to occur at Dalhousie University in Halifax.

Other events are also planned for Montreal, Edmonton and British Columbia.

Once the scholarship goal is achieved, “[Canadian Hero Fund] would definitely like to branch out to other areas of need for military families,” said Bell. “There are a great deal of worthwhile projects that we will consider, including community support programs, and we hope to fill the gaps where the need is greatest.”

The Canadian Hero Fund acts as a medium for Canadians to show their support for military families and their sacrifice. More information can be found at herofund.ca or by following the group on Twitter or Facebook.

About last night AMIR AHMED FEATURES EDITOR I just remember telling jokes while vomiting Is asking a girl out on a date while in another girl’s bed in poor taste?

Why is there a cactus in the microwave?

They sound like something out of a sitcom, maybe a stoner movie.

Instead, they’re excerpts from the w e b s i t e T e xt s f r o m L a s t N i g h t (www.textsfromlastnight.com). The website prints texts forwarded to them by people who wake up after receiving or sending a text messages they don’t remember sending. The humour can go from quirky and odd to downright dirty, but it’s a l w a y s f u n n y , p o s s i b l y w h y t he TFLN crew is publishing a book f i ll e d w i th t h e i r m o s t h i l a r i o u s entries. The book is due out January 26, and will join the Lolcats book I can have Cheezburger and FML’s F My Life in the ranks of internet projects transformed into traditional print.

People write about the internet a lot, especially on days when their volunteers don’t submit articles on time. In LIN 204, professors talk about English grammar and the particular codes of communication in text messages and emails, and c o m m e n ta t o rs o n n e w a n d o l d media can’t get enough of how the interweb, once an entity unto itself,

has oozed into the mainstream. It’s been an interesting thing to watch “ I c a n h az c h e e s e b u r g e r s ” s a n d rickrolling go from obscure memes to popular culture, while the usual mainstays of said pop culture—telev i s i o n a n d m ov i e s — ha v e b e e n declining in the public eye.

And now the TFLN book is coming out, joining the Lolcats and FML in mainstream publishing. I h a v e a p e r so n al s t a k e i n t h i s because I’d really like to earn my living as a writer, but the question is, how? Now that traditional media is not only being replaced but permeated by new media denizens, it seems like the web is the new place to go to earn success.

On one hand, this comes as a relief; the web has a huge democratizing factor—anyone can write, and anyone can find an audience, and in theory, with enough of an audience, payment is a cinch. On the other hand, change is terrifying, and having—for example—professionally trained, ethically bound journalists such as the folks at The New York Times being beaten by kids with a Wifi connection and fifteen minutes of spare time is worrying to say the least. TFLN and its cohorts raise some interesting questions about the future of the written word.

The biggest question of all, though, is how can we start partying with the authors.

MONDAY, JANUARY

25, 2010 THE MEDIUM 9

CREATIVE CORNER FEATURES

Nachtmusik OLIVIA MATHIAS

They had been out for hours, and vaguely realized this only when the sun had begun to dip.

Their unease grew as the world darkened and the familiar outdoor sounds quietened, but neither mentioned it to the other. By the time they finished packing the containers and utensils of their meal, the purple evening had slipped into a black night.

They turned home in that dark night, eerie and quiet.

She thought of the bird house he surprised her with in the morning. She looked at his back with love as he went to the house to wash the pink paint off his hands. The memory seemed equally long past as the thought of when he reemerged with their basket of food.

He and she walked together, hand in hand, down the familiar path in the forest under the moonlight. Both were uncomfortable, and both could sense the other's discomfort, but neither could come up with a joke or smile to break the tension.

It was too quiet.

He began to whistle, but he didn’t dare continue and didn't know why.

The air died behind his lips.

They stopped at the strong old bridge that had stood there for many unknown aeons.

She looked down. The water beneath was unbearably silent. Looking up, she saw the moonlight reflecting a body of glass.

She looked to him and made a motion as though sliding her hands over a flat table.

He nodded and his face seemed to say, I know. Odd, isn't it He shrugged and took her hand again. Still facing her, he cocked his head towards the lookout rock. She normally would have smiled, but tonight, she only nodded gravely and began to move in that direction.

He tried to walk slower, trying to match his stride to her step.

They heard silence, black silence and only the crunch of their shoes over the grit and sand of their path. Their path.

Their strange and wonderful path that led to their wonderful lookout over that great expanse of water. They loved the lookout, where they would feel the wind blowing in their hair while they looked out over the water that seemed

to end at the horizon.

There was a full moon out, and they knew that the view would be even more breathtaking tonight.

The path ended just as their patience gave out, and as they scrambled over the rock to the edge, their eager expectancy seemed unbearable.

Their lookout, the place where they felt so alive— Nothing. It was so strange. The moon mocked them and hid behind a cloud. The water was silent here too.

He stared at the water, unbelieving. It normally rushed at the base of— She touched his arm. He looked where she looked.

The cloud was rolling away and the wind began to rise.

It was chilling.

They walked back onto the path, making their steps silent, afraid to break the darkness even with sounds of their breathing. The moon followed them, glinting through the trees with silver beams like ancient laughter.

They made their way back not daring to speak but wanting to run home, for the sound would wake something, alert something of the night to their presence and no, they couldn't allow that. "But what is this something-ofthe-night?", She wondered rhythmically along the path, falling behind him.

I see a bad moon a-rising echoed through her mind, though it was tuneless and Jon Fogerty's voice was a sinister whisper.

She hurried to match her step to his stride, thinking, "The night itself is alive".

As they wandered on in silence, she liked this thought less and less.

They came at last to the bend in the path where the path curved towards their home.

He noticed her grip tighten. Faint, but enough to confirm his suspicions that she too found the sight unnerving.

Everything was wrong.

The light on the porch seemed too dark. It must be time to replace the bulb. The light was so faint it seemed pathetic against the silvery darkness.

The swing moved faintly, and as there was no wind, they could hear it creaking as it shuddered back and forth. It must be time to oil the hinges.

As he turned to look at the side of the house, he swallowed hard and tried to think without emotion or imagination.

It must be time to prune the branches, too.

Dream-weaver

The two trees had sagged low and now bent over the swing they carried.

They seemed to have become a knotted sculpture of two hands—worn and withered fingers twisting towards the seat of the swing.

She looked to him after she saw the swing too.

No moonlit swing tonight.

They had wanted to run home but now wanted to run from it. The overhanging roof scowled at them, daring them to cross.

They remained hand in hand until she turned the lightswitch on. Time to breathe again.

She looked to the front window and frowned as she saw the curtain. She strode purposefully forward to move the curtain into something more aesthetically pleasing when a hand came quick over her mouth and another came around her waist.

She twisted herself back to see. He pressed at her lips and pulled her backwards, shaking his head in quick, tight motions.

She made as if to move free of his grip and he held on tighter. She shrugged, and trusting him, she let him take her back, over the doorway, back outside where they just were, into the night.

Once outside and several feet away from the house, he gently turned her head away from himself, and towards the house he pointed.

She gasped. She looked just in time to see a man's headless body fall from behind the curtain at the window.

She fell to the ground. She looked up just in time to see her last sight: his fist dropping.

He put the seatbelt over her and smiled slightly as her unconscious head nodded down into her chest. He pulled his keys out and the car was moving before he put his own seatbelt on.

He put it on soon after he relaxed, on the highway twenty minutes away from home.

They would be out for hours.

Muse JOSEPH CARON

As a diamond deep in the carbonite vein she is as elevated in value and style.

As rare as a kind heart in the jungle of the urban container, yet she is so close.

As transparent as the bay window, a smile breaking through as radiant as the sun.

As opaque as the darkness, the void in the sky eyes which resemble the ever arching darkness.

Like Polaris, she points the way forward forever there to quell the lost and destitute.

Yet who is this unspeakable woman whose guise can't be drawn?

She is the lady of every poet's desire the one with whom he is ever enamoured.

Yet she acts as the muse for the artist's mind the canvas with which a picture can be drawn.

Wherein words can be spoken.

A place where meaning can be found anywhere.

And yet, that meaning, like that girl, like that diamond, like that kind heart is rarer than them all.

OMBUDSPERSON &RQÂżGHQWLDO DGYLFH DQG DVVLVWDQFH ZLWK FRPSODLQWV XQUHVROYHG WKURXJK UHJXODU XQLYHUVLW\ FKDQQHOV LV DYDLODEOH WR 8 RI 7 VWXGHQWV IDFXOW\ DQG DGPLQLVWUDWLYH

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Dream weaver, weave a dream

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A single thread, a silver beam Through the needle of my mind

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Like silver thread through needle's eye

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The cursed star, its golden beam

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Shakes the fabric, rips the seam Not for a thousand days of sun Would I swap a single one.

So dream weaver, weave your dream With silvery thread on golden scene And paint it on my restless mind, Like endless canvas. I am thine.

$QQXDO 5HSRUW DQG $GPLQLVWUDWLYH 5HVSRQVH SOHDVH YLVLW RXU ZHEVLWH DW ZZZ XWRURQWR FD RPEXGVSHUVRQ

10 THE MEDIUM MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2010

Andrew Tysiak , Editor | sports@mediumonline.ca

Eagles win big against lethargic UTSC Men’s division 1 basketball team begins the semester on a high note, winning 62 44 against the Raccoons

ANDREW TYSIAK SPORTS EDITOR

In their first game of the new semester on Wednesday night against the UTSC Racoons, the Eagles came out strong and never looked back. By the end of the night, they earned themselves a well deserved 62-44 victory on their home court against a normally chippy UTSC opponent.

Taking advantage of UTSC’s sloppy play and careless turnovers, the Eagles went on an 11-0 run to start the game, prompting the Raccoons coach to call a timeout not even five minutes into the half. Perhaps wellrested from a month long break, the Eagles simply did all the right things.

On offense, the Eagles played very determinedly, hustling on every play and driving to the basket whenever they got a chance. They were able to sink many wide open shots as a result of the efficient passing and ball movement they demonstrated throughout the game. The consistent offensive pressure was too much to handle for the lethargic UTSC Raccoons. The Eagles went into halftime with a 38-17 lead and put the visiting Raccoons into a deficit that they were never able to recover from.

Starting guard #13 Kent Bray showed impressive composure and leadership as he led all scorers with 14

Matthew Filipowich/The Medium

Eagles #23 Elias Sbiet battles for a rebound during first half action on Wednesday. points on the night, including a momentum building three pointer just minutes before halftime.

As dominant as they were offensively, it was the Eagles’ defensive game that truly set the tone. They were forcing travelling violations, deflections and steals consistently all night. As the Eagles were applying the full-court press for most of the game, the Raccoons often found it difficult to even pass the midcourt line. By trapping UTSC guards into making quick rushed plays, the Eagles were able to force turnovers and get many fast break opportunities and easy layups.

Notably, back-up guard #23 Elias Sbiet gave UTSC fits with his persis-

tent and pesky defense. Giving them no room to breathe, the Raccoon guards were unable to set up their offensive scheme or penetrate to the basket, forcing them into taking chaotic shots and even several airballs.

A minor scare occurred in the latter part of the second half, when Eagles #12 Marc-Justin Harder was sent to the floor and hit the back of his head while driving to the basket. To the disagreement of the fans in attendance, no foul was called. Fortunately, once the Eagles called a timeout, Harder got up on his own accord and walked towards the bench. He appeared to sustain no injuries on the play.

Badminton and basketball unite students for clean water campaign KEITH SHANKAR

In conjunction with non-profit organization Free the Children, the UTM Interfaith Committee coordinated a Clean Water Campaign on January 19. They incorporated three-on three-basketball and twoon-two badminton tournaments to help raise money for this cause.

“We thought using sports would demonstrate a way of people coming together to unite as a team,” Amani said. “Sports lead to teamwork and everybody was playing for a good cause. With these two sports, since they don’t really fall under the same category, we felt as though we could attract a diverse set of students.”

As a part of Free the Children’s “adopt a village” model, the Interfaith Committee chose to support the Clean Water Project, as all faiths require the same basic nutritional needs. This project was developed to provide clean water and education for young girls in rural

communities, where they typically travel miles to collect from water sources, limiting their time available for education. Additionally, contaminated water is a rising issue in developing countries. The money raised by the Clean Water Campaign will fund the construction of wells and sanitation shops.

“Not many people know about Free the Children,” said event coordinator Amani Akhtar. “We felt that this event was necessary to increase student awareness of child poverty, while providing us [with] an opportunity to unite people of all faiths together.”

Contaminated water has become a massive global problem, resulting from industrial biowaste and raw sewage that are not properly sanitized before entering the water supply. The World Health Organization reported in 2007 that 1.1 billion people lacked access to clean drinking water and that 1.8 million people die from contaminated water each year.

Despite the winners of each tournament receiving $20 gift certificates for Square One, competitors agreed that it was not about winning or losing.

“It wasn’t about winning,” said badminton player Zayd Mughal, who lost all four of his matches.

“This was done to spark awareness about Free the Children, to socialize with people of different faiths, and to come together as a team for some friendly competition.”

Approximately $800 was raised from the event.

Free the Children institutes itself across 45 countries, prioritizing the freedom of children from poverty and exploitation. The organization supports over one million youths in their innovative education and development programs and has constructed more than 500 schools worldwide.

Free the Children is currently active in critical relief work in Haiti after a devastating earthquake destroyed its capital.

The Eagles defensive pressure was the key difference maker in the game and set the two teams apart. Unlike the Eagles, the Raccoons applied little inbound pressure and did nothing to disrupt the Eagles’ offensive flow. By not engaging defensively, they allowed the Eagles to essentially walk the ball up the court freely and establish their presence on the perimeter and in the paint. Because of this, the Eagles were able to build momentum and put the game out of reach early.

Eagles coach Ammer Askary was particularly impressed on how his team was able to execute the offensive and defensive strategies he laid out for them.

“We want to pick up the tempo when we can and be patient when we can,” said Askary. “That’s why we tried the full-court press and went back to half-court press sometimes.”

The mixture of timely poise and aggressiveness is what Askary ultimately preaches to his team—and what will allow them to be more effective each game they play.

He also has high praise for the

team’s preparation and the efficiency of the starting rotation.

“We had a good practice yesterday and a solid win today,” said Askary.

“Our starters did a good job and they held the lead pretty well.”

After this solid victory, Askary feels confident about his team’s depth and gradual improvement each game.

Heading into the latter half of the season, the timing is perfect for the Eagles to possibly start up a sizable winning streak and widen their lead in the division 1 standings.

“I think we are running into form,” said Askary. “Our eight to nine guys we are getting ready for the rotation will be fine.”

If their play on this night was any indicator on how the rest of the season is going to play out, the Eagles should have no problem capturing the U of T Intramural championship title.

The Eagles next home game will be against the same UTSC Raccoons on February 10 at 8 p.m. Expect the next bout to be more competitive as the Raccoons look to seek revenge after this embarrassing loss.

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MONDAY, JANUARY

25, 2010 THE MEDIUM 11

12 THE MEDIUM MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2010

SPORTS DISRESPECT AND DEFEAT

UTM losing streak continues against UTSC Women’s tri campus volleyball team falls to 0 8 on the season with a disheartening 3 1 loss on Sunday at the RAWC KEITH SHANKAR

The U of T tri-campus girls volleyball Intramurals continued today, with UTM hosting UTSC at the RAWC. UTSC won two straight sets with a scoreline of 25-22 and 25-19. After a cautious second game that saw the two teams exchange points, UTM was able to adjust their game plan.

Coach Cody, who plays for Sheridan Varsity, rallied his team together and focused on team play and positioning for the third set.

“He was very positive and encouraged us to keep to our game plan,” said UTM volleyball player Jennifer Osh. This resulted in a more vocal and composed UTM team taking the third set with a score of 25-19.

However, UTSC provided to be too tough for a UTM comeback, taking the final set with a score of 25-18 and claiming victory over the home team.

This loss leaves UTM winless on

the entire season, with a record of 0-8.

“It’s been difficult,” said Osh. “[The] teams we play against have coaches that aren’t students, so they can devote a lot of time to the team. Our entire team and coach are full time students, so planning practices has been a problem. We haven’t had a practice since the December break.”

But the team refuses to get discouraged and looks forward to the playoffs.

“We are neck and neck with teams during the games, so even if we end up in the loss column, we know we can put up a fight and with a little more practice, hopefully lock down a few wins,” said Osh. The lack of fan support also seems to be an issue with the team, with only a handful of guests making it out to their last match.

“With a little more fan support, it could provide us with home advantage,” added Osh. UTM hopes to avoid a ninth straight loss when they host St. George White on January 24.

Matthew Filipowich/The Medium

Eagles #15 (white) reacts to an upcoming spike by UTSC player (red). UTM has yet to win a game this season.

Cheap shots define Junior Hockey Rouyn Noranda Huskies player Patrice Cormier involved in yet another controversial incident WILLIAM ROBERTSON Cheap shots in Junior Hockey have been the main story in sports lately, thanks to two different head shots with intent to injure this past week.

First, Sabres prospect Zach Kassian jumped into a hit on Barrie Colts player Matt Kennedy.

It was an innocent looking play, where the puck was deflected up into the air and Kennedy’s head was tilted up looking at the skyward puck. Kassian took six strides and jumped into Kennedy, nailing him with a shoulder to the face.

Kennedy suffered his fifth concussion of his career and needed three stitches and three staples on the back of his head.

The OHL came down hard on Kassian, suspending him for 20 games.

“Players must understand that they shall be held accountable for

Francis Vachon/Montreal Gazette

Quebec Remparts coach and NHL Hall of Famer Patrick Roy wants Cormier banned from the QMJHL for life. their actions and we must continue to work to improve the level of respect players have towards opposing players,” said OHL Commissioner David Branch.

The hit came in the same week as Patrice Cormier nailed Mikael

Tam with a vicious, blatant elbow at centre ice. Without touching the puck, Tam was skating into the play when Cormier blindsided him with the elbow, immediately sending him to the ice. Tam began to have seizures and convulsed on the

Report: Nuggets to suspend J.R. Smith The Denver Nuggets will reportedly announce the suspension of guard J.R. Smith on Sunday for behaviour detrimental to the team, according to NBC Sports. Smith, who is averaging 14.5 points per game, was seen pouting during Denver's victory over New Orleans on Saturday and only played 12 minutes in that game.

(TheScore.com)

Birmingham may have interest in Boyd Birmingham manager Alex McLeish has confirmed his interest in signing Rangers striker Kris Boyd. Boyd's long term future at the Scottish Premier League champions is in doubt as his current contract runs out at the end of the season.

(sportbox.tv)

ice for several minutes before he was carted off to the hospital. He’s been diagnosed with brain trauma, a concussion and several missing teeth.

As of January 10, Cormier has been suspended indefinitely from hockey and could face criminal charges, according to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).

This was not the first incident where Cormier has pushed the legal limits on a hit. In a World Junior pre-tournament game against Sweden, he elbowed Anton Rodin, who was skating to his bench. There was no call on the play, but it was caught on tape and was a blatant attempt to injure an opposing player. This will also be taken into account as he is a repeat offender and it does not bode well for his case.

If the Liambas incident is any indication, Cormier will not play another Junior hockey game in

his career. (Former OHL player Michael Liambas was suspended for the rest of the 2009/10 season and playoffs for the devastating body check he laid on Kitchener Rangers defencemen Ben Fanelli on October 31, 2009. After the hit, Fanelli laid unconscious while twitching and foaming at the mouth. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition with skull and orbital bone fractures.)

Although the Kassian incident was completely different from Cormier’s, he was still suspended 20 games for a shoulder to the head only because the player was in a vulnerable position. It looks, however, as if Cormier blatantly meant to injure Mikael Tam (he skated two meters with his elbow up).

Cormier should not be worried about hockey (as he should not play again in Junior), but rather worry about an assault charge instead.