Volume 21, Issue 3 (Spring 2005)

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Where does NT stand on issue of today?

Find out - Page 6

Check out the new “Sex and Scandals” section page 25

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Spring 2005

Volume XXI Issue 3

SEXXXUAL HEALING PETER HAMILTON AND GABE FREEDMAN A woman walks slowly through an empty forest. It starts to rain, soaking her see-through negligee. She runs for cover under a nearby tree but slips on a puddle and falls, right at the feet of a tall, muscular Latino man. He helps her up, clearly alarmed.

“Are you all right, miss? Are you lost?”

“I’ve been trying to find my way back to the convent,” she replies with a smile.

“Oh, so you’re a nun?”

“No, they just sent me there for my sexual deviancy.”

“Oh really? That’s a shame.

There’s nothing wrong with a little sex now and then.”

She smiles at him coyly, lightly massaging her breast with her fingers.

“You’re telling me.”

Then the music starts: Bowchicka-bow-wow....

Have we caught your interest yet? If so, you are someone who is interested in pornography, which is perfectly normal and acceptable. Then there is the slightly less normal option: you are a connoisseur of adult films, who is aware of the aforementioned scene, the movie in which it can be found, and the names of the actors who star in it. If so, seek psychiatric help. The following is not a review of adult films (and no, there are no hardcore pictures in this article, so you can stop looking). It is instead a study of the effects that pornography’s easy accessibility is having on today’s youth. So don’t expect anything overly erotic, and if

you’re looking for something to bring home and pleasure yourself with, you might as well put this down right now. However, if you are not completely psychotic/obsessed, than you are probably just a healthy, functioning member of society, with a strong sexual appetite who, like the majority of the population, has questions and concerns about their sexuality.

And that’s okay. Maybe you watch porn. Maybe you think it’s immoral. Maybe you have no opinion whatsoever. Whatever your stance on it, the fact is that porn exists, and from the size of its fan base, it ain’t going anywhere.

Rather than play the blame game like so many other groups and religions, we have decided instead to analyze far more pertinent topics to our youth: how does porn affect our behaviour and thoughts on the subject of sex, will it become increasingly easy to access for generations to come, and is this accessibility compromising our morals, or is it adversely opening up today’s youth to the idea of sex, making it a more comfortable, safe ritual than for past generations?

There is much controversy about whether pornography has a positive or negative effect on the general population, and especially on today’s “impressionable” youth. If you refer to Figure I, (the chart, page 25) you will see that 94% of the guys and 100% of the girls surveyed claimed that pornography made them feel more comfortable about sex. But we were still not convinced. How could pornographic images have such a positive effect on youth?

After all, the actors in pornogra-

phy are meant to provoke sexual excitement. As such, they often paint a distorted picture of what a human body should look like. For example, female porn actors are almost always tall and skinny, with

large breasts and flawless skin.

Male porn actors are very muscular, handsome, and.... let’s call it endowed. As such, it seemed natural that youth would experience feelings of inadequacy, anxiety,

and even shame when they saw the way porn actors looked compared to how they looked. Maybe they believed that they just would never measure up; even develop XXX, page 25

Honourless Roll?

MICHAEL FINE Honour – it is a strange concept to grasp. To some people, honour means defending the memory of your ancestors. To others, honour is a way of life, a code by which all our deeds are measured. To others still, it is a dream, an imaginary goal that we can never truly hope to reach because we are all flawed in one way or another. However, to the high school student, honour refers to one thing and one thing alone: an average of 79.5%; making it onto the honour roll.

Looking at the list of Ontario

Scholars on the wall outside the principal’s office, I noticed a surprising trend. The number of graduating students who receive Ontario Scholarships, achieving an average of 80% from their top six courses, has increased practically every year since the nineteen fifties. In fact, in 1959, only twelve North Toronto students were recipients of the once prestigious award. However, almost every graduating year from 1995 to the present has seen over one hundred Ontario Scholarships awarded to NT grads. This unprecedented increase in the number of recipients has caused the Ontario

government to stop issuing cash rewards with this scholarship; the recipient is only awarded a certificate.

This trend is not only visible on the Ontario Scholars list on the first floor. It can also be observed in the honour roll that is published in the first two issues of Graffiti every year. In last year’s final term, an astonishing 40.1% (415 out of 1036) of North Toronto students made it onto the honour roll. Even more impressive, in the first term of this academic year, 46.1% (475 out of 1030) made it onto the honour roll.

For those of you who don’t

know the honour roll requirements, allow me to enlighten you. For a grade nine or ten student to be awarded honour roll status, he or she must have an average of 79.5% in his or her top eight courses, a student in grade eleven must receive an average of 79.5% from his or her top seven courses, and a grade twelve student must receive an average of 79.5% from his or her top six courses.

When our parents were in high school, marks in the eighties were the be all and end all of academia. Marks in the nineties were almost unheard of, and to be on the honour roll was quite an

impressive distinction. Nowadays, getting onto the honour roll is no big deal to NT students.

Most students don’t even tell their parents that they made it; and even when they do, most parents don’t care because it seems as though everyone makes it.

Many people feel that the fact that this is North Toronto contributes to the exceedingly high proportion of students on the honour roll. North Toronto does attract very academic students, and I’m sure that this does affect the honour roll. However, North On the Roll page 3

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Presidential Farewell

I was actually going to hunt a salamander, but Graffiti kept on calling me.

I don’t remember the first time I walked into the halls of North Toronto, although I am almost sure it was strange, overfriendly, and definitely frightened me. I was a quiet kid back then, and I don’t think my Buddy liked me much.

I was actually going to open with a metaphor about the oceans and the seas, but I realized if you wanted crappy analogies, you can just look over to the next article.

My home school, like so many of you, wasn’t North Toronto. I lived – and still do – in the upscale, crimefree neighbourhood of Oakwood and St. Clair, and I thought every high school was the same.

North Toronto wasn’t the same; spirit was everywhere. NT was home to a fervour that was unreal. NT was home to an energy that was endless. The aura was remarkably positive, the people were exceedingly friendly, the building was pathetically derelict, and the passion was absolutely everywhere. It was different, it was contagious, and it absorbed me.

Slowly, I adapted and I became involved. Gradually, I changed.

In four years, I learned to love this school and all it stood for. In two years on student council, I learned some amazing lessons. In some ways for the worse and in many ways for the better, North Toronto, you have molded me into the person I am today.

For that, I thank you.

I was actually going to tell you a joke about the iguana my mother promised me – and never gave me – for coming here, but I couldn’t find

the right wording for it.

Thank you, North Toronto for letting us – Jen, Sarah, Gaelan, Catherine, Jordan, Chloe, Molly, and I – serve you. With you we planned, sweated, and worked. With you we organized better Semiformals, we brought finer lawn parties and assemblies, we held a record-breaking Charity Week, and we pioneered a budding Spring Week.

Irvin and the 20052006 Council, we wish you the best of luck.

Thank you, North Toronto, on behalf of the Graduates, for all these years. With you we acted, modeled, sang, played, danced, wrote, debated, constructed, sprinted, threw, caught, and triumphed. With you we fought, yelled, Kieran Meyn punched, lost sleep, lost friends, smiled, fell down stairs, cried, made friends, and loved.

I was actually going to sign off with something witty, but the dolphins stole the words, “So long and thanks for all the fish,” right out of my mouth.

Thank you, North Toronto, for everything. With you I learnt, experienced, and laughed.

With you I grew.

Hanchu Chen, President

North Toronto, To the students of NT: This is in no way meant to be a humorous address. I would naturally curve towards that trend, but I can’t seem to find it in myself right now. I’m still in disbelief. As a majority, you were able to set time aside to express your faith

in me and seven other worthy candidates. As your next student council, Sabri Ali, Brooke Daprato, Karen Li, Alix Rutsey, Stephanie Dorsch, Justin Im, Victoria Parker, the no doubt dependable future Music Council president, and myself would like to thank you all for the support that you have showered upon us. An astounding 70 percent of you voted for this year’s council, beating last year’s turnout by a full 10 percent.

To the other candidates: If only

there were 30 spots on student council, I would have no hesitation on admitting all of you who put your own wills to the test during the rigorous election gauntlet. But please, don’t be discouraged because of a negative outcome. The future of this school depends not only on the student council, but the leadership choices you make. None of us would be able to bear the sight of any of you disappearing from the face of school politics.

To the disappearing council: I will miss you. You were the ones who kept me going throughout the entire year. Molly, Hanchu, Jordan, Sarah, Gaelan, Jennifer, Catherine, and Chloe, I’m afraid to even use your last names, as it might be taken as a sign that I have distanced myself from you. You have all treated me like a brother, forgiving me for past mistakes. It comes with great sadness to me that I won’t be working with any of you anymore.

I wish you all the best of luck, and the only way I can repay you is to take my knowledge of the past and use it to carry this school forward into greater light.

To the future council: We have gone to great lengths to be where we are right now. Election week has been a draining affair on all of us, but the prospect of serving this school keeps our hopes and adrenalin at highs. I have no doubt that we will have any trouble working together in order to benefit NT. I am willing to give up my time to get to know you as personally as I did the old council. I ask you to do the same for me. It will not be easy, and a strong relationship between us will go far in relieving the burdens that we have accepted on behalf of the

rest of the school.

I see great things in store for the future. I have made promises during my campaign, and I will keep them.

Mark my words. The condition of the school can only improve, and if it comes to personal sacrifice in order for me to achieve this, so be it. Best of luck NT, and once again, Thank You. Your President, Irvin Choo

Farewell, Mrs. McLeod

Mrs. McLeod was born and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where she attended Dalhousie University.

Not only has her journey as a teacher taken her from Halifax to Toronto, she has also taught in Malawi, Africa. At the end of this year, she will be continuing her journey and moving to a new school so that she can share her wisdom, experience, and energy with yet another group of deserving staff, students, and parents.

Mrs. McLeod, thank you for all that you’ve done for North Toronto over the years. Your cheerful face will certainly be missed around the halls of NT next year, and in all years to come.

Good luck in all your future endeavours!

THE GRAFFITI BOARD

Where do you see yourself in twenty years?

?

“

Presidential Address

Daniel Cappell, Grade 10 At the Playboy Mansion, cigar in my mouth, and fans of American 20’s in my hands

”

“ - compiled by Kieran Meyn

Adela Olah, Grade 9

“Somewhere on the beach”

Mikal Staer, Grade 12 Working for a design studio hopefully, and being a well known [graphic] designer

”

“

?

Taylor Yater, Grade 11

“I’m gonna say drinking somewhere”

Meara Deutsch- Goulet, Grade 12 I honestly don’t know...Hopefully in Europe somewhere doing my starving artist thing

”

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from page 1 ing question: does the honour roll still mean anything?

Toronto has always attracted acaDespite the size of the honour demic students, so this argument doesn’t hold up.

Others feel that it is due to mark inflation.

Ministry guidelines for what an eighty or ninety percent mark should be have changed since the 1950s. This has led to students in general receiving higher marks than their parents. However, if an eighty today isn’t the same as an eighty in 1959, then why is honour roll status still given to people with eighty percent aver- Kieran Meyn ages?

The fact that roll, many people still feel that the nearly half the school makes it onto current cut off is important in our the honour role raises a very interest-

school. “It allows people to set realistic goals for themselves. If you raise the cut off, many people won’t be getting the recognition they deserve.” says Molly Segal, a grade eleven student here at North Toronto. Molly isn’t alone in her opinion. There are dozens of students who are just on the cusp of making it onto the honour roll. To these students, the honour roll is definitely a valuable indicator of academic success and validation for their hard work.

Others feel that if the school changed the standards for making it onto the honour roll, increasing the required average to 85 or 90 percent for example, this would

make it unfair for NT students who could no longer write on job or university applications that they were on the honour roll when students from Northern, Forest Hill, and Lawrence Park could.

One suggestion, which can be found in detail elsewhere in the paper, is that the administration should make a new level of the honour roll: honour roll with distinction, or something to that effect. This new level would have higher marks requirement (obviously) and would serve as another level of academic success for students to strive for.

There is clearly a problem with our current honour roll system. Nearly half the student body is on it, and the numbers seem to be growing. In ten or twenty years, how many people will be on the honour roll? 55%? 60%? No one knows. But we do know that eventually, the standards will need to be changed.

Once upon a time, there really was honour to be had in being placed on the honour roll. Now, at North Toronto anyways, the honour roll is honourless for many students.

NT: Now vs. the 80s RACHEL KUPER AND SALLY BAKER The 80s were a decade of bad music, big hair, and way too much spandex. Styles certainly have changed over the years, but has North Toronto? By looking through old yearbooks and talking to the students and teachers of the NT of the 80s, you can see that there are still tacky grad quotes, but, besides the pipes and Mr. Russell, NT has developed along with the rest of the world.

When you think of North Toronto, the first thing that comes to mind generally isn’t the math club, the contest league, or even the environmental club; but in the early 80s, it very well may have been.

Besides our music program, those were the 3 largest clubs/organizations in the school. Environmental club still exists, but math club?

I’m guessing that the majority of NT students can’t stand sitting through a math class let alone a club. Now, students are far more likely to be on the

BAA, the GAA or charity week committee, which are all very important, but, nonetheless, significantly less academic.

The 80s were also a time of creative “teams” like the underwater chess team.

They claimed to have made the playoffs, but if this is like the bocce ball club, that’s a little disappointing, but still a very imaginative name. However, if it was a real team, that’s by far the coolest thing I’ve ever heard of.

E v e n though everyone was extremely busy with math, they seem to have found a way to go all out on spirit day; their costumes were incredible and red and grey could be found everywhere… even on their faces.

There were also tons of little events that just don’t exist anymore; like a night at the hop. Where did that go?

Another big thing at NT is the semi.

The long awaited why-can’t-there-be-asemi-every-weekend-and-what-should-Iwear-semi. Semis in the 80s were almost weekly, which sounds great at first, until you realize that they all took place in the gym and very few people went. I hope they didn’t have formal in the gym as well!

Unfortunately, even with all of these student bonding days, “NT was extremely cliquey,” says a student from the early 80s. Some would say that has changed, others not so much.

What goes on at North Toronto is different, but so are the students. A good 97% of the school was white, and there were about 10 Asians, but that was as far as diversity went. We have come a long way.

Unlike racial diversity, academic di-

FEATURE

On The Roll

versity has lessened; according to Mr. Johnston, who has been at NT since 1983, “we have lost the middle class” - referring not to economic status but to academic status. A 75% average just doesn’t exist anymore, you either have incredible grades, or you’re at the opposite end of the spectrum.

Today many grade 9s easily pass for 18, but in the 80s, easily passing for 8 was more likely. Should we blame Brittany Spears? Should we blame the media? Who knows; but either way, these 14 year olds, who now look 18, looked like little children in the 80s.

So, to say the least, a couple of things have changed. The grade 9s are pretending they are twenty, the semi is the only thing that counts, and we are no longer interested in academic extra-curricular activities. But what does this all mean?

If North Toronto has one of the best reputations academically as a public school, and we’ve dumbed down in the past 20 years, what does this say about our society? Let’s not wait another 20 years and find out a turtle has a higher IQ than we do.

So, do everyone a favour, join the math club.

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Grad Slowdown PAULA NATHWANI AND CHRIS GRAY Paula: ‘Hey Chris, look how broken this lamp is’ Chris: ‘Whoa. That sucks.

Hey, pass the chips.’

P: ‘Yeah sure, here you go.

So… what are we doing again?’

C: ‘Writing all those graffiti articles right?’

P: ‘Oh yeah! Man, those were due awhile ago… I’ve just had so much going on I haven’t been able to get to them’ C: ‘But you haven’t been to class in so long!

All you ever do is sit in the foyer!’

P: ‘Ok ok, so maybe I don’t have that much going on. Well…

I actually do, it’s just that I’m already in univerJason Cho sity; all I have to do is maintain my marks. That won’t be too hard I’m sure…’

STOP. If this sounds at all familiar to you, you have been hit by the Grad Slowdown. If this sounds like something that has actually happened to you… you’ve been hit hard. Unfortunately, it happens to the best of us. The writers of this article consider themselves to be good students; we have always performed our best in school, and

even in grade 9 we were working our absolute hardest to achieve high marks.

So why is it that now, at the culmination of our high school career, we find our marks slipping, our motivation waning, and our energy diminishing?

The answer is relatively simple.

1.

As of today you only have seven more classes left in every subject 2.

However, there are only four classes left until the last day for test and assignments 3.

There are exactly 7 days until your high school formal… you’ve almost made it to

We have been accepted in university (hopefully) and after three and a half years of being told to work hard and buckle down, we just don’t care. Also, many grads find themselves in top leadership positions that are so consuming that by the end of the day we are simply exhausted.

So here are some handy facts that will help the grads in their final days at NT.

the end 4.

You will be finished high school in exactly 28 days 5.

If all else fails, think about it this way. You’ve worked pretty hard for the entire year, is it really worth throwing it all away for an extra hour in the foyer? We don’t think so either…

However, we are fully aware that this article isn’t in-

tended only for graduating students. In fact, it should be geared even more for students in younger grades, because you are the ones who have the ability to prevent yourselves from falling into this trap. We can assure you that everyone claims it will not happen to them. They see the grads sitting in the foyer, wandering the halls, lounging outside, and it just seems ridiculous. They wonder why, at the very end of a long and gruelling high school career, the grads would throw away their marks. We can promise you that last year we took a long, hard look at the grads and said, “oh trust me, that won’t be me, I’ll work hard to the very end because that’s what I’ve been doing all along.”

We can also promise you that that is the exact opposite of what has happened.

There are a select few grads that still have the willpower and incentive to continue working to the very end, and we applaud those scarce few.

However, for those who don’t end up following in their footsteps, we’ve also put together a list to prevent you from falling into the familiar pattern: 1.

It starts with missing one class to “catch up on work” and then you end up sitting and doing nothing. Do yourself a favour, the only time you’ll actually get work done is on your own, so don’t skip class and claim to work on something unless you’re actually working on it.

2.

Beware of MSN. It seems like a fun tool to chat with your friends, until you realize it’s 3 in the morning and your bio ISU still isn’t finished and you have a Model UN conference the next day… not that that happened to one of us or anything…

3.

Don’t buy DVDs such as Life Aquatic and Garden State when you have to write 6 graffiti articles for the next day.

4.

Use your spares wisely, which translates into not sleeping on the grad couch or playing cards 5.

Finally, you’d be surprised how well NT really does prepare you for university.

In almost every course the school goes above and beyond what the Ontario curriculum requires. This material will be reexamined in first year, so do yourselves a favour and go to class, do the work, and apply yourselves. It will pay off eventually…

As we reach the end of our high school career we find ourselves examining what went on in the past 4 years. In the long run, what we’ll remember is our friends, our teachers, our classes, and maybe even some material we learned. But what we’ll definitely remember is the day we found out that we would in fact be graduating, the day we found out our lives would amount to something other than playing cards and partying: the day we found out that we got into university. So do yourselves a favour and make sure you reach that day. Don’t let the grad slowdown get you.

The Lost Pathway to the Land of Nod HEATHER N. COHEN It is three o’clock in the morning as I pull the covers over my pale, limp body and bury into my customary cocoon of blankets. I am exhausted! I set my alarm for 7:15 a.m. and am grateful for the four or so hours of sleep. This situation may smell of procrastination, but I can assure you that I am not a procrastinator!

Two weeks before this incident, another student trudges onto the subway utterly spent and pondering thoughts of drinking coffee (although she has never yet resorted to this method of combating exhaustion). She has just pulled an all-nighter, or almost – she was able to grab a half hour catnap at about four, and yet she too is not a procrastinator.

Sound familiar? I am willing to bet that we have all found ourselves in a situation like these at one point or another. Nonetheless, stereotypes still persist; stereotypes of the teenager as a lazy bum who gets countless hours of sleep. Furthermore, these legends state that if teenagers do keep late hours, they sleep until two in the afternoon the next day, and their late hours are always due to partying and such. More and more I am finding that this is simply not the case!

Sunday morning is considered the teenager’s typical sleep-in day. Apparently, they were up late socializing Saturday night, so they set a date with their bed, which lasts from the early hours of the morning to well into the afternoon. Most adolescents only wish this was the case.

To them, a sleep-in is but a whiff of a dream once remembered, but now lost other than for various brief vacation periods. You may be asking yourselves why there is a lack of sleep-ins. Where did they go? Many teenagers must get up early Sunday morning to complete their homework. In my case, it has gotten to the point where I feel bad for

sleeping past nine no matter what hour I hit the sack. Some students cannot handle the lack of sleep and choose to give up their late hours, even on a Saturday night. However, most just trudge right on managing school, part-time jobs, extracurricular activities, and their social lives on only six hours of sleep a night when eight is the necessary amount to prevent loss of brain cells.

The other common misconception relating to teenagers’ sleeping habits is that their late hours are due to social events. Call it grade twelve, call it North Toronto, but I am finding that this is most definitely a very erroneous statement. Obviously, and this is true of most students, the late hours kept during the week are due to homework assignments, jobs, extracurriculars, and such.

But I am finding that late hours during the weekend are also, surprisingly, related to these causes.

Two or three weeks ago, I was one of those lucky grade twelve students who had the good fortune to have their thirtypagedfamilies ISU and twenty-page chemistry ISU due within two days of each other. The week before the Apocalypse Now of ISUs, I vowed to myself that I would not pull the as yet unfathomed all-nighter twice in the same week, if at all. That

Friday night I worked until midnight, although I had dance class early the next morning. After dance, I worked until two o’clock in the morning Saturday and woke up at nine-thirty on Sunday to continue my work. In the end, by missing nearly all of my extra-curriculars and by working until between one and three o’clock in the morning each night, I was able to avoid the deadly all-nighter. The next weekend I was eager to celebrate and catch up on some much needed sleep, only to have two tests to contend with.

If this article has turned into a rant, I can only offer you my humblest apologies, but this attitude of the teenager as a lazy bum who does naught but sleep must be eliminated. It is insulting to adolescents and it gives them a horrible reputation, which you can see they do not deserve. Teenagers are associated with enough negativity in this world; they do not need something more to pile up onto their lengthy list of offences against humanity. Oh, I nearly forgot to mention, that weekend where I had two ISUs due, I did manage to grab a couple hours of time away from work. They were used to complete my weekly chores. Teenagers as sleep-obsessed degenerates? Try sleep-crazed workaholics!

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NT’s Stance on the Issues of the Day CARLY YOSHIDABUTRYN There are many fascinating, thought-provoking, and controversial issues facing Canadian and North American society today. Elections are won and lost by politicians whose stances on various issues are liked or despised. Although the majority of North Toronto students are not able to vote, they still have opinions and strong convictions regarding various important issues that are frequently debated, discussed, and argued over.

From gay and lesbian rights to the legalization of marijuana, it is interesting, as well as important, to know where NT students stand on the different issues filling our newspapers, magazines, and news telecasts.

One of the most talked-about and controversial issues that faces society today is the legalization of marijuana. In a random survey of NT students, 55 percent of those surveyed said that marijuana should not be legalized in Canada. Reasons people stated that pot should not be legalised include that it causes accidents, public disturbances, and that it would, in general, be a detriment to society as a whole. As well, other students feel that marijuana is a dangerous and addictive drug that could cause serious health problems to its users, and if it became more readily available, it would be a greater danger and burden on society.

However, some of the reasons the other 45 percent of students who said they believed marijuana should be legalised included that they believed marijuana to be a “safer” drug in comparison to tobacco and alcohol. Olga Perju, a grade 12 student, believes that tobacco cigarettes are much more lethal than marijuana, and it doesn’t seem “logical” to her that cigarettes are legal and pot isn’t. As well, other students in favour of pot’s legalisation stated that if marijuana were legalised,

its usage could be better controlled and children and teens would not use the drug as much, for they would not feel the same sense of rebellion that they do now when they use it.

Another issue that is constantly being debated is euthanasia, or assisted suicide. The Funk and Wagnalls Dictionary defines euthanasia as “the deliberate putting to death, in an easy, painless way, of a person suffering from an incurable and agonizing disease: also known as mercy killing.” This issue has been popularized by figures such as Sue Rodriguez, and, more recently, Terri Schiavo. Schiavo was a Florida woman with severe brain damage who spent the last fifteen years of her life in a persistent vegetative state (PVS).

Her medical condition was a constant dispute between her husband and her parents. (Her parents did not believe that she was in a PVS). Her husband, Michael Schiavo, insisted that he would be carrying out his wife’s wishes if her feeding tube was removed, while her parents did not want her to die. Several legal battles ensued, resulting in the removal and reinsertion of her gastric feeding tube.

However, after a final ruling from the court, her feeding tube was removed for the final time, and she passed away several days later.

This issue sparks constant debate, for it is an extremely touchy issue. When does a person have the right to die? What if that person is

Spring Trips at NT

In the weeks before and after March break, it seems like nobody’s around the school except you. This gets to the point that some of NT’s students are quite accustomed to hearing it referred to as the “North Toronto Country Club.” Well, maybe that’s true. So far, four major trips have taken place this year, all organized by the school. The first trip to leave was the girls’ field hockey Europe trip. The highlights of that trip were different for each participant. Some students said things like playing field hockey at such amazing stadiums and seeing the caliber of playing in Europe. Others pointed out things as simple as teaching “stella-ella-olla” to Belgians, and still more remember a boat tour in Amsterdam, and seeing Anne Frank’s house there.

Also a highlight was the Cathedral in Köln.

Also during most of the March break was the Spain ex-

change. This was a different experience for each student, as they stayed with different families and took part in various activities.

Their Spanish partners were here with NT students for about 2 weeks, and just returned to Spain.

The Washington trip took place in mid-April, and it was a great time for everyone. This week was so packed that we managed to see the Smithsonian museums, the Holocaust museum, a live play, countless monuments, the Gettysburg battlefield, and so much more! It was really a great experience to see Washington, as it is such an important city for students learning American History.

It really pulled everything together in one place, and is also interesting because of the architecture and the image of American lifestyle it portrays. It was an awesome week for all who went, but a tiring and busy week for all.

The latest addition to NT trips was the Cleveland trip, which just got back in early May. Talking to music students who went

incapable of speaking for themselves?

Does the government have the right to interfere with cases of assisted suicide? Sixty percent of NT students surveyed felt that the government has the right to interfere in cases of assisted suicide. Many students felt that the government could be a more objective voice than family or friends when determining when to end a life. As well, 20 percent of students felt that the government could help to determine whether or not the patient is choosing to die for his or her own reasons or the ulterior motives of another. An overwhelming 90 percent of students said that people should have the right to assisted suicides. Twenty percent of students said

that people should have the right to an assisted suicide because they may be in a lot of pain, and it would be better for them to be put out of their agony. As well, 35 percent of students surveyed felt that it is simply a person’s right as a human being to decide when to die.

The final issue that NT students were surveyed on was gay and lesbian rights, specifically marriage and adoption rights. Ninety percent of students surveyed felt that gays and lesbians have the right to marry.

Seventy percent of students cited that gays and lesbians are people too and that they should have the same rights as heterosexual couples. Grade 11 student Ji-Young Kim believes that not allowing gays and lesbians to marry is “discrimination” and that she “can’t imagine” how gays must feel when they are faced with that discrimination for simply being themselves.

However, 15 percent of students were unsure of whether or not gay and les-

SACHI MARSHALL

on the trip, it sounds like it was a real success. When asked about the trip, Samantha Germanakos, a grade 11 music student said happily, “It was so much fun; words cannot describe [it]. Singing for the children at Rainbow Babies was one of the most fulfilling feelings I have ever had.” Many other students felt the same way – performing really is still a passion for NT students! Aside from performances, students on the Cleveland trip visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Oberlin Music Conservatory, and saw two live performances, among other fun activities.

All in all, it looks like NT students are having a pretty good time these days, and, really, the trips are worthwhile. It’s great to come to a school where students work so hard on a regular basis that most can afford to take a week off to enrich the courses, sports, or music of the school. Not to mention it’s nice to have a break before handing in all those summatives!

bian couples should have the right to adopt children. These students felt that parents of the same sex may not be able to provide the same gender role models that two heterosexual parents could and that being raised in a same sex parent household could cause some self-doubt and self-esteem challenges for the child.

This survey of students is in no way an exact representation of the views and opinions of the entire school. It is merely a small-scale survey designed to discover some general opinions and stances of NT students on various issues facing our society today. It is important to be informed of the many different problems and issues that are prevalent in our culture. While some of these issues may not seem applicable to high school students, they are nonetheless important issues that will perhaps inadvertently be shaping the future of Canadian society, as well as societies around the world.

Congratulations to the 2005/2006 North Toronto Student Council President Irvin Choo Senior Vice President Brooke Daprato Junior Vice President Victoria Parker Treasurer Sabri Ali

Social Convenor Alix Rutsey Secretary Karen Li GAA President Steph Dorsch BAA President Justin Im

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CATHERINE MORGAN The idea of starving yourself in our society tends to be negatively associated with anorexia or bulimia. But take a moment to consider other motivations for temporary fasting. Several religions use fasting as a method of showing gratitude for sacrifices that have been made for future generations throughout the course of history.

Ghandi fasted as a means of passive resistance in protest of the injustices in India.

From 9:00 am on Friday, May 6th to 3:00 pm on Saturday May 7th a group of NT students participated in a hunger protest of our own. We raised over $2000 in sponsorships to fight hunger, poverty, and injustice. The money, via World Vision, went towards bringing nutritious food and clean, potable water to those in need as well as helping support programs aimed at reducing the global spread of HIV/AIDS. Non-participants wonder what the Famine is actually like to partake in, so I thought I would share some of my experiences with you…

Friday- 9:00 am. The bell rings and Layla and I pop our last two blackberries into our mouths.

It’s on.

9:05 am. Setting up the juice station, I keep replaying last night’s dinner and this morning’s breakfast in my mind. Will this be enough to get me through the next 29 hours and 55 minutes? Will the masses of food in fact make me even hungrier?

9:20 am. I’m hungry.

10:45 am. In a class where we are allowed to eat, people have pulled out snacks and lunches. I must resist the temptation to accept a Dunkaroo or a bit of a cookie.

As simple as it seems, this actually requires an incredible amount of self-control.

12:15 pm. Watching everyone else eat makes my stomach grumble with desire. My jaw is longing to chew.

12:55 pm. I have a Freezie for lunch. Although this is allowed, I feel like I’ve cheated. Even drinking our purified water could be deemed cheating, because often the people we’re doing this for real must settle for drinking contaminated water. So, now I’ll just appreciate my clean water and if I get desperate maybe splurge for juice.

5:00 pm. We are settling in at Spring Gardens, where we will be spending the night. Ms Munro and Ms Ruben (our gracious staff advisors) have gone on a “secret mission.” Code word for dinner- for the lucky few.

6:35 pm. I’m beginning to feel hungry again. It seems to go in waves, popping up especially around meal times.

10:00 pm. We have passed the time by chatting, watching movies, playing poker and other lowkey games. We have committed ourselves to go through with this and I have settled into a state of acceptance.

10:20 pm. A few of us are wandering around Spring Gardens, laughing hysterically at anything and everything. I think the lack of food is starting to affect our brains.

Saturday - 8:30 am. After going to bed late in order to finish Love and Basketball, we are woken up by a medley of Broadway songs.

Yay! 9:00 am. Mr Peddle (our other generous staff advisor) is demonstrating his guitar talents as we wait for everyone to get ready.

9:15 am. We begin our parkclean up, picking up garbage and painting over graffiti in a nearby park. By the time we’re finished the place is glimmering!

11:00 am. Marlem, a representative from World Vision, drops

SUSAN ANDERSON The Duke of Edinburgh’s award, aptly referred to as the “Young Canadian’s Challenge”, sounds professional in an interview, looks impressive on a resume or application, is extremely accessible to all students, and can be completed in six months. Yet it seems a surprisingly large amount of students haven’t the slightest clue what it is.

The chances are if you do know what it is, you’re either involved with it yourself or know someone who is. But for most of us it’s a mystery. I come to enlighten.

The Award is designed for anyone aged 14 to 25. So every single student at NT is automatically eligible (unless of course you failed. . . 9 times. . . ). But since no one is in that boat, it truly is open to all of us. Now there is a registration fee of $20. So technically everyone at school would have to have $20 at their disposal, but something tells me this isn’t really an issue either.

So, perhaps you’d like to know what getting this award actually entails. Well, to put it bluntly, nothing. That’s not to say you can get it sitting at home watching TV all day, but in most cases, especially with NT students, getting this award would mean no change in lifestyle whatsoever.

There are three levels of the award, and all of them have basically the same requirements, just adjusted to different age groups.

Bronze is for anyone in the whole age span.

So yes, you could sign up for the challenge at 14 and complete it on the day before your 26th birthday. Silver is the same as bronze, only you need to be 15 to start it. And last is gold, with a required age of 16 to start. Each level consists of four categories: service, expeditions and explorations, skills, and physical fitness.

Let me paint you a picture. You are a fresh high school student, just finished your first year. You’re proud, because you were by to explain the meaning of what we’re doing in the greater context of things.

11:20 am. The hunger has been transformed into nothing more than profound tiredness.

While most people play ultimate Frisbee, I’m content with my patch of grass to rest on.

2:58 pm. I go upstairs to help Layla with the pizza delivery. Although I cannot see the pizza, I can smell the bread, the tomato sauce,

Where is the Respect?

KATIE JUNG Buckle up. What I’m about to show you has been called, “The biggest blockbuster of the year! Two Thumbs up!” The violence and the coarse language will make you shake to the bone. Better yet, the victims are people you know, or may even be your friends. How real. Believe it or not, it takes place in the most unlikely place – NT’s library. It resides on the checkout desk, waiting for you to discover it, to breathe life into it.

Anonymous, Uncensored, Real.

That’s what I’m talking about: The Most Likely binder, established to create a collection of high school memories, is the living evidence of verbal violence and cruelty.

Some of us have written it. Most of us have seen it. The disgust, shame, and degradation – we are all witnesses to it.

If you haven’t seen it, you are not missing out on anything.

Tell me if the comments didn’t shock you. Tell me if you found the comments funny. I would like to ask some questions.

First, I’d like to tell you that: You are hot.

You are smart.

You are one of a kind.

I like you.

Am I buttering you up? Now, listen to this: You are ugly.

You are dumb.

You have no friends.

I hate you.

How do you feel? Anything but happy, right? If the above comments do not make you feel good, why do you

believe that the comments in the Mostly Likely binder, which are more extreme in nature, won’t affect others? If you mean to hurt others, why do you believe that you are right in doing so? Why do you believe that you will get away with it? Why put a dagger through your brothers’ and sisters’ hearts? Why give yourself enemies? Why take advantage of the anonymous nature of the binder?

Why degrade yourself by leaving the shameful words out for everyone else to see? I’m flustered. No matter how much I try to understand, I just don’t see why the Most Likely binder has had to come down to the level of pure garbage. Don’t get me wrong, there are nice comments which people will look back to and say, “yeah, I really had a great time with these people”. However, some of them are blatantly unacceptable, immature, and sad. Where is the respect? Where is the friendship?

Now the sad binder is censored and ready for the new yearbook, thanks to the individuals who worked on the gross task. Future grads, remember this lesson: be respectful of your peers. And grads, when you read the Most Likely section in the yearbook in June, you too remember the lesson. If you wrote something in anger on the spur of the moment and would like to apologize, go right ahead. Your brothers and sisters would appreciate it.

Most likely… to go to Broadway and become a star everyone loves.

Most likely… to run for a provincial election and win at the age of 35.

Most likely… to buy a fantastic Greek island, marry a cute British guy and live happily ever after.

Most likely… Most likely…

smart and started your community service hours, 15 down, 25 to go. And you joined the hockey team and the soccer team. And even better, you finally took that silly cooking class your mom was on about and now you can handle anything in the kitchen. But now it’s summer, time to kick back, relax and have fun at camp with your friends.

Well whether you know it or not, you just completed your bronze award. Yes, it’s that simple. Service means only that for each level you complete a certain amount of community service hours, but hey, we have to do that anyway.

Expeditions and Explorations only require that you spend two days and one night out in nature, so maybe you’ve gone camping with your family every summer since you were three.

Skills just means that you need to follow a skills programme for six months. It can be anything. It’s just a class to learn a skill.

And last, physical activity – I’m not even going to get into that. A minimum of 30 hours of physical activity over 15 weeks? No sweat. (Not literally of course.)

My point is this, the Duke of Edinburgh’s award is extremely prestigious. It’s a well-recognized and respected award that isn’t difficult to get and can help you stand out in a sea of students. It gives an advantage to any resume or university application.

Face it, you are a student at NT – half the school is on the honour roll. It’s hard to make yourself look under qualified for anything as it is, but this gives you a boost; this can make you. (Heck, you’ve survived this far; we know we can’t break you) This is something realistic you can accomplish. $20 seems a small price to pay to do the things you normally do and be able to show off in the end, when it really counts.

So, now you know. Education’s bestkept secret is out. For more information visit www.dukeofed.org.

the cheese, the vegetables. I enter a state of delusion in search of the steaming pizza, hoping it’s something more tangible than a mirage.

3:02 pm. I start eating and lose control of my mouth. I must continue. I have three pieces of pizza and a doughnut within about three minutes of each other. Food. At last.

4:30 pm. After helping to clean up, I return home irritable and resentful towards everyone who has not been through what I have.

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

The 30 Hour Famine – Our Hunger Protest

Our famine was nothing more than a glimpse into the world of hunger. At the end of our 30 hours, we were met by hot, fresh pizza. Those who truly suffer from starvation are met by nothing more than another day with an echoing void in their stomachs.

This is not another plea for charity, but just a request to take a moment and consider everything that you take for granted. Think about it.

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OPINION

Congratulations to this year’s Toronto Star Newspaper Awards Winners: Sam Brennand Mary Choi Heather Cohen Fei He Kieran Mein Sonja Pavic Chloe Puton Asher Roth Bogdan Tudose Henry Zeng Graffiti is looking for photographers for next year! If you are interested in applying, please talk to Michael Fine, Gill Spiegle, or Mr. Zohar. You can also send us an e-mail at graffitisubmissions @hotmail.com!

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Habemus Papam CATHERINE WALKER The death of John Paul II after a 24-year reign as pope of the Roman Catholic Church was a sad day for the world. John Paul was a man loved by Catholics and non-Catholics alike, a man who brought millions to the church and did much to help maintain peace in an increasingly hostile world. It was a sad day, but at the same time it was also a significant day for the Catholic Church itself; a day for church officials to decide whether they wished to reconcile the Church with secular views on issues like gay marriage and the use of contraceptives, or choose a pope to continue in the conservative footsteps of John Paul II. The election of the newly named Pope Benedict XVI (formerly Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany) sends something of a mixed message to the world.

Ratzinger does stand on similar grounds to John Paul on many of the issues of the day, but, as Ratzinger is already 78 years old (two years shy of being ineligible for papal election) many believe that Ratzinger is more of a caretaker until the Church can decide which direction it wishes to go.

The election of Ratzinger really did not come as much of a surprise, as he was the obvious favourite going into conclave. Ratzinger was named prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith (a title formerly known as Grand Inquisitor) by John Paul himself in 1981 and provided much strength in the weeks following the pope’s death.

But, as Benedict takes his place as leader of the world’s 1.1 billion Catholics, many youths, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, are left wondering what significance this election holds for them. The truth is that the election of a new pope is particularly significant for the youth of the world, as papal policy will help shape the world we grow up to live in. Although there is a legal separation of church and state in North America, the views and policies of the Church do have an impact on government policies.

Just look at the United States at the moment.

American President George W. Bush is a Christian and Church doctrine has shaped his views on issues like stem cell research and gay marriage. Bush and

the papacy both are against gay marriage because they view marriage as a union exclusively between a man and a woman. Also, both are against stem cell research, as Christians believe that from the moment of conception, every human being has a soul, making the harvesting of stem cells murder. These beliefs have prompted Bush’s efforts to severely limit the expanse of stem cell research and have lead to his firm stance against gay marriage.

Religious beliefs also have influence over politics in many other countries around the world. Just look at the numbers; only three countries out of the world’s nearly 200 nations have completely legalized gay marriage: the Netherlands, Belgium, and now Spain. Furthermore, when Spain (a country where, up until recently, it was illegal to even be homosexual) did legalize gay marriage late last year, the 95% Catholic country received countless criticisms from the church in response to the legislation. One of the major forces stopping governments from legalizing the practice is the fact that it could upset religious peoples and groups; if the Church were to change its policies, the stance of many governments on gay marriage could change.

Africa is also extremely affected by church doctrine as the continent is still full of Christian missionaries. The religious beliefs of these foreigners will have a major influence over what they preach to Africans regarding birth control. If they speak out adamantly against the use of contraceptives, calling their use a sin, this serves to worsen the already disastrous AIDS epidemic in Africa. Again, if the Church were to change its stance on this issue, the lives of countless Africans could be saved.

However, under the reign of Benedict, it does not appear that the church’s stance on any of these issues will be altered. Benedict is against allowing female priests, against the use of contraceptives, and against gay marriage; in short, under Benedict, it appears church policies will generally remain the same.

Maybe after Benedict the church will be ready to make changes, but, until then, Ratzinger will provide strong leadership. As American Bishop William Skylstad put it: “In a very difficult, complex time where there are challenges of traditional moral values that are very commonplace in our world... [Benedict is a] really solid foundation as we look to the future.”

High school Relationships CHRIS GRAY AND PAULA NATHWANI The great Marshall Mclaughlin once said that “the medium in is the message.” In our demographic the medium is a relationship. Every day, high school students are bombarded with images of happy dancing couples selling everything from pimple cream to condoms. As a result, teenagers have the idea implanted in their mind that they have to be in a relationship in order to be happy. This not to say that people should be avoiding relationships by any means; however, we are simply saying that they are not the be all and end all of your high school career.

Everyone has either had a “high school sweat heart” or had a friend with one. Either way, we all know how consuming they can become. We are at an age in our lives where we

shouldn’t have to worry about remembering our seventh and a half week anniversary, or remembering all the names of our significant other’s third cousins twice removed. We are at an age were we can be free and have fun with relatively nothing to worry about.

So why is there such a fixation on finding “the one” during high school?

Firstly, let’s make one thing clear. By no means is this article bashing all high school relationships. In fact, the writers of this article are intensely jealous of anyone who has in fact found “The One” during high school, and we wish them all the best. The sad fact of the matter is that those people are few and far between. In fact, the majority of the relationships that we see everyday in the halls tend to consist of the usual high-school relationship clichés. Namely, two people openly displaying their feel-

ings for each other by making out in the hallways, spending every waking minute together, changing their MSN nickname to cheesy lines from love songs, and, if they happen to have any friends left at the end of all that, driving most of them away by constantly speaking about their significant other.

For that fact, and that fact alone, we believe that there should be some drastic change in the mentality of high school relationships.

What people tend to get caught up in is the idea of a perfect relationship, and in building that fantasy there is intense pressure in finding someone to fit the role of the perfect “other half”. That is the root of this entire problem, because if there weren’t such a demand to find someone to fit this role, everyone in high school would be much more carefree. In order to fit this “perfect” role, people often try

to force change upon themselves or others. During this stage people invent traits, twist the truth, and stretch reality in order to make themselves appear as desirable as possible. In such a case, it is easy to start to be attracted to this new person than the original. However, such a façade can only last so long until either side gives up and tries to find someone else, carrying over the same pattern and perpetuating the problem.

On the opposite side of the spectrum there are some high school relationships that tend to start for convenience sake. From the one night stand a t y o u r f r i e n d ’s p a r t y y o u might end up getting roped into a relationship with someone that might not look to appealing once the JD has worn off. It is a known fact that teenagers would like to release some of their ever growing sexual frustration. This is a

phase that all people go through, but it is very important to remember that when tomorrow comes, last nights antics might not have been a very good idea. This concession is designed to show that being too casual with your feelings can be just as detrimental as being too intense with your feelings.

We wish we had a solution to either of these problems, but in some respects it is part of the painful process of growing up. This process helps people to figure out exactly what they’re looking for in a relationship, helps people to understand themselves better, and helps people to figure out what true love really is. At the end of the day we just wish that these people would stop flaunting their so-called “love” all over the school. This is Chris “can animals be retarded?” Gray and Paula “pill poppin” Nathwani signing off, it’s been a pleasure; see you on the other side.

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TIME’S ARROW

MATTHEW MITCHELL I can remember being herded into the auditorium,way back in the oh-so-distant past, when I was in grade nine, and listening to someone at the podium saying “Welcome Class of 2005!” To my thirteen year old self, inhabiting a point in time in the year 2001, 2005 s e e m e d f a r a w a y. I t sounded… futuristic. I would be seventeen, an age that seemed far older than thirteen, barely even into the teen years. In 2005, I would be leaving high school. In 2001, I was just starting it. I was positive that 2005, a year that seemed to be nearly an abstract ideal compared to a concrete part of my future, would never come.

2005 is here.

I have no idea how this happened. Just by waking up day after day, four years have passed. I don’t seem to have changed much. But time has an odd blurring quality, doesn’t it? I don’t notice the changes because they happened so gradually. I have not noticed any physical changes because I have seen myself in the mirror everyday. If I were a distant relative of mine, or an old acquaintance, maybe, who had not seen me in years, I would look like the good old Matt they once knew. My behaviour, my body language, my

rhythms of speech, all seem the same, but they have changed, if only minutely. As much as the changes are unobservable, they add up, chiselling away, creating a different person than stood four years ago.

Time requires many things of you. One is to look back, to try and make sense of the heap of broken images that lie behind you. If someone were to ask me, right now, if there was anything I would change about my last four years, I would have to tell them yes. But the question would be moot. You can’t go back. And even if you could, it wouldn’t make a difference.

Picture time as a line.

For this line to reach the point it is currently at, all the previous points must have led to it—you with me. Now, say time travel is possible, just as a thought experiment.

If you were to go back and change something, all the successive points would be changed as well. Now, here’s the problem—the point where you went back in time would be one of the ones altered. You would have “deleted” that point, meaning you had never gone back in time, meaning you hadn’t changed the past. Confused?

Good. It’s a paradox, it’s not supposed to make sense.

But, hold on, stick with me,

I’m not quite done. Again, say you can go back in time, in an attempt to change the past. The point you go back to, that you enter to get up to your temporal monkey business, has already happened, and it has shaped all the future points, including the one you left. That means you being there, attempting to undo something, was always the case. Your interactions with the environment in the past had “always” happened. You’re not changing anything. Have you ever heard the hypothetical moral question about, if you could, would you go back and kill Adolph Hitler before he could rise to power? It’s a stupid question, simply because you can’t do it. Even if you went back, you would be foiled. You’d lose your nerve, you’d get lost, you’d be intercepted by the police. You wouldn’t be able to do it. You can’t change the past, no matter how much you want to.

Time requires many things of you. Another is that you have to say goodbyes. I suppose, in some strange, distant way, this long, rambling article is my goodbye.

Goodbye, my friends. Goodbye, teachers. Goodbye… well, I’d better stop now before I embarrass myself. I’ll limit myself to a simple “Goodbye, folks,” as I slip out the door.

The Kindness of Strangers GILLIAN SPIEGLE For my last Graffiti article I was planning to write something positive to end my final days as editor of the newspaper. But like any journalist I was forced to react to events as they unfolded and could not create history the way I would want it. Unfort u n a t e l y, s o m e t h i n g h a p pened to me and I couldn’t resist the opportunity to spread awareness about it through a medium such as Graffiti.

Trust. It is only a five letter word, yet it has so much meaning. Trust in your family, trust in your community, trust between friends.

When at a friend’s house you should feel safe knowing that friends would never do anything to other friends, you should trust that nothing should happen to your belongings or to you. While at a party recently at a friend’s house, I was the victim of a random act of theft. Without a second thought I left my purse by the front door expecting it to be there later. It wasn’t. My purse with my money, cell phone, ID, and epipens was stolen. Putting it into its proper perspective

loosing my purse was not the end of the world. For me the worst part is the feeling of being violated- the idea that someone could just take your stuff and walk off with it. Who would steal from a friend? What kind of sick joke was this?

My faith in humanity was restored though when at 6:30 the next morning I got a call from a stranger who while walking her dog came across the contents of my purse scattered all over the park. She collected them and immediately called me using my cell phone to retrieve my telephone number. Her concern was for my safety and well being for she worried that I was victimized along with my belongings. A concerned stranger and a violating “friend”- a confusing paradox that continues to puzzle me. There are more details to the story which I will not bore you with but suffice it to say that I spoke to police at several divisions and retrieved a burnt wallet kilometers away at another police division. In the end I have most of my stuff back, but I have lost something. A stolen purse, a group of friends, a loss of innocence!

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Living in the Past KAYLA RUMACK AND MADDY MACNAB

would go over to a friend’s house is to do homework or to sleepover after a long night out on the town.

What changes at that age to make girls try to act so mature?

The problem is that girls try to act like the prominent females in the media. However, Carrie Bradshaw, Rachel Green, and Gabrielle Solis are all unrealistically together thirty-somethings and they shouldn’t be role models for young girls. Even so, young girls emulate the stars, making themselves into overly mature “women.” Although they want to be like these women, the fact that they’re so nostalgic suggests otherwise. They make themselves miserable and confused by growing up too fast, and the media does nothing to dispel their unhealthy beliefs.

So the next time you find yourself reminiscing, don’t worry.

The Backstreet Boys really were the greatest band ever. But keep in mind, even if you can’t wait to “grow up,” don’t force it. Just like adolescence, being an adult isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Take it slow, and you’ll realize that living in the now is almost as fun as spending your days watching reruns of Fraggle Rock.

Belinda and Belinda MOLLY SEGAL On the morning of Tuesday, May 17 th, Belinda Stronach, former member of the Conservative party, crossed the floor in parliament and joined the Liberals. Belinda Stronach ran for the leadership of the Conservative party, losing to Stephen Harper in March of 2004. She was later elected MP for the riding of Newmarket-Aurora as a member of the Conservative party. She still holds this place, only she is now a Liberal.

Her decision to join the Liberal party could not have come at a better time. She was able to save the Liberals on the vote for the budget. Because of the convenient timing of her switch, there has been much talk of her being an opportunist. But really, if politics isn’t the place for opportunists, what is? We need strong leaders in this country, so cheers to Belinda for stepping up to the plate.

Stronach did the right thing at the right time; I say, good for her. I don’t understand why such a big deal is being made over her switch. So what if she is an opportunist?

One male member of the Conservatives said of Stronach that she, “sold herself like a whore.” That absolutely repulses me. It is completely unprofessional, untrue, and uncalled for.

What bothers me even more is that nasty remarks like these would not have been made if it had been a man. Stronach is a highly accomplished and suc-

cessful woman who is deserving of respect, not sexist comments from angry men.

Belinda Stronach is not the first person to have crossed the floor. It is not unheard of or wrong for members of parliament to do so.

Of course it is made out to be much worse because she is a woman. It also doesn’t hurt that she chose an opportune time to cross over.

a better fit for Stronach.

With the prospect of the next federal election, Belinda may be the woman to, yet again, save the day. By running for the leadership of the Liberal party to succeed Paul Martin, whether it be in a couple of months or a couple of years, Belinda may be exactly what the Liberals need to stay in power. A change of face.

Belinda Stronach the Conservative, now Belinda Stronach

Many say that her party switch came as a surprise. She has held views different from Stephen Harper on many social issues since day one. So doesn’t it make sense that she seized the chance when it came? The Liberals seem

the Liberal.

An opportunist? Probably.

A smart cookie? Most definitely.

In my opinion, Canadians should thank their lucky stars for Belinda Stronach – the Liberal that saved the day.

Every year, hundreds of school crest-bearing envelopes are placed upon students’ desks screaming out, “Congratulations!

I am delighted to learn that you are one of the [hundreds of] North Toronto students who has achieved Honour Roll status based on your February reports…” As I look around the room, I see ignorant faces thinking, “Oh, it’s just Honour Roll;” beaming faces that say, “YES, I just made it;” and then the disappointed looks that whimper, “so close to making it…” Nevertheless, I still hear a few anonymous overachievers discussing whether or not the school should raise the bar for North Toronto’s Honour Roll; thus, bringing up the question: Should Honour Roll standards be reevaluated?

Well, it was definitely interesting to hear some completely opposite points of view from a number of students. While some widened their eyes like it was the end of the world firmly stating, “HELL NO,” others nodded their heads urging, “Yes, definitely, I mean almost anyone can get on Honour Roll, so it’s kind of pointless…”

It becomes apparent that if Honour Roll standards were raised, many students would feel discouraged and left out. On the other hand,

if this standard of 79.5% were kept, people with soaring averages would probably snooze to this socalled recognition of “achievement”. So is there a solution to satisfy both sides?

Well, two grade eleven students – Leah-Ann Cook and Lisa Meng – came up with the suggestion that the current Honour Roll standard should not be raised; however, another award should be granted to the academic achievers who have worked so hard for their ninety and above averages. Hence, a new award could be named “Honour Roll with Distinction.”

Voilà! With this recognition, students who have surpassed the expectations of Honour Roll would now be able to enjoy this sweet fruit of diligent work; students who are at the 79.5% standard would be motivated to reach for an even higher goal; at the same time, those who are barely making it would not be left feeling hopeless, for the original standard is still kept.

In this prestigious institute filled with amazing students, it is not only crucial to provide meaningful recognition for students’ academic achievements, but also essential to encourage those who feel left behind to strive for higher goals.

Honour Roll Standards

“Remember when we used to get together to lip sync to Spice Girls and then we would trade Babysitter’s Club books? I loved grade five!”

Chances are, if you’re a girl, you’ve had a similar discussion with your friends, be it about My Little Pony or Hanson. Yes, nostalgia in girls is as common as a crush on Nick Carter in 1997. But what fuels this longing to relive the past? And what’s stopping our male counterparts from acting the same way?

Think about it. Grade four wasn’t really that great… besides the fact that you had no homework, no responsibilities, no selfesteem problems, no romance woes, no parental trust issues…oh wait a minute, it was amazing! Every weekend the girls would play with dolls, while the boys frolicked outside. Nowadays the girls gossip, while the boys frolic outside. Indeed things have changed for the girls, but the boys? With a mental age of eight, they don’t need to be nostalgic — they’re still acting like kids.

When asked about his child-

hood pastimes, one grade ten boy replied, “Sports.” And his pastimes now? “Sports.” The phrase boys will be boys comes to mind.

Boys, unlike girls, face no pressure to change their pastimes as they grow older. A six year-old boy playing video games? Fine.

A sixteen year-old boy? Even better. This is made even more acceptable through the media. Boys are encouraged by the media to act silly and childish, because on TV girls always think it’s really “cute” and “funny.” Take Joey and Chandler-throughout the course of Friends, they have bought a pet duck, built a fort out of boxes, and put a turkey on Joey’s head. Until men settle down with a job and family, they live in a continuance of their childhood. Therefore they have no need to reminisce, as truthfully their boyhood isn’t over yet.

On the other hand, when girls hit puberty, society expects them to grow up as quickly as Lou Bega’s career. They go from dressing up in mommy’s heels to taking mommy’s money to buy stilettos of their own. It’s no longer acceptable to go over to your friend’s house after school to “play.” The only reason you

JANE MENG

Does Hard Work Really Conquer All? MISO CHOI AND JENNY LIU It’s 1 AM, and you’re still working on your History summative that’s due tomorrow.

You finally finish at 2 AM, after 2 coffees, a Red Bull, and a few Advils.

At last you can get some well-deserved sleep. But you wake up the next morning only to remember that you have a science test second period. For many of the students at North Toronto, schoolwork has taken up most of their free time; it is also the cause of stress, exhaustion, and health problems. As well, this unreasonable amount of work leaves students little time for extracurricular activities and leisure.

The workload for many North Toronto students is significantly above the suggested amount. Four out of five North Toronto students spend more than two hours on homework each evening.

Rosie Gao, a grade 10 student attending NT, had five major projects or tests due in one week in early April. “I had a history essay ISU, math unit test, history unit test on World War II, an acrylic painting for art — I stayed up all night to do this painting, and two parts of a major civics project due,” she complained.

Anxiety is increased further by the poor timing of major school events, due dates, and field trips.

May is a particularly busy and stressful month due to its hectic schedule.

The stress and sleep deprivation, caused by this workload, also leads to minor health problems that can become serious over an extended amount of time. Kristin Jenkins, a medicine and health spe-

cialist explains, “Most teens probably need about 9.5 hours of sleep… but the reality of a teen life – early morning soccer or swim practice, homework and perhaps a parttime job after school – means that most are lucky to get 7-1/2 hours.”

Being deprived of sleep can lead to loss of concentration, memory problems, inability to produce quality work, stress, irritability, and even more serious problems such as depression, a weakened immune system, and high blood pressure.

Moreover, when students have a heavy workload, the quality of each piece of work diminishes as students become less focused on quality and more focused on finishing. Students, having had more than enough homework the nights before, plus the added burden of outside commitments such as family birthday celebrations, rush their homework at the last minute trying to get something down. Not only does this result in poor quality but the student hardly learns anything.

And isn’t the point of homework to learn?

Emily Miller, a grade 10 student at NT, expresses, “I’m stressed by the excessive amount of homework I am receiving.” As a student at North Toronto it is easy to relate to her. The stress is high, and since 46% of NT pupils are on the honour roll, so are the expectations.

Pulling all-nighters and cramming for tests are proven to have serious long term effects on a teen’s health, yet we continue to do this.

Is all of this preventable? Is there an easy solution to this problem? No. But steps to cut down workload and improve scheduling should be made by the TDSB and North Toronto.

OPINION OPINION

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Poverty is the New Black DEREK KREINDLER If you listen to the conversations of older generations, you will hear the topic of teenage fashion nestled between their discussions on the benefits of taking Lipitor, and their ungrateful sons/daughters-in-laws. I once thought that this was nothing more than grumpy geriatrics taking out their anger on today’s youth, and repeating the cycle that previous generations had. But recently, fashion has left me disillusioned. Every other guy walks around with the collars of their polo shirts raised up (or “popped”), in a style reminiscent of Count Chocula’s cape. Girls wear boots lined with enough fur to make a PETA activist have an aneurysm. How many squirrels had to die to make those mukluks? However, this grand lack of taste is the least of my concerns.

Abercrombie & Fitch, the U.S. clothing giant is often credited as being the fashion trendsetter for the 18-25 crowd.

When not being sued for racial discrimination and facing accusations that their catalogues promote group sex, Abercrombie peddles its clothing to the upper-class United States. Among kids in the GTA, owning any of their sweatshop labour produced products is a trophy in the blood sport of social ladder climbing. Every weekend, parents reluctantly haul their offspring across the border to Buffalo to make a pilgrimage to the clothing Mecca of Upstate New York, also known as the Walden Galleria mall. Despite the often crippling exchange rate, they buy bulk quantities of clothing from these stores using their parent’s hard-earned cash or their “allowance money”. Come Monday, they will be bearing the teenage version of the Congressional Medal of Honour: a tshirt with those two magic letters and four numbers “AF 1892” silk-screened on the front. Now that Abercrombie has come to Yorkdale, it remains to be seen whether it will lose its cachet, or simply become even more popular.

Upon entering Abercrombie & Fitch you are greeted by a gigantic poster of one of their clothing models, although whether they are actually wearing any clothing at all is debatable. The advertising types, it seems, would rather show off their sculpted muscles and contrived scowls. After you contemplate just how this young man managed to avoid the “bitch tits” so common of steroid users, your nose is attacked by a medley of scents including Pine-Sol, cheap perfume, and the rampant insecurity of the coifed and cologned masses hoping desperately to fit in to this season’s ideal of beauty.

The sale rack looks like a 1930s soup kitchen. The huddled masses clambering over “slightly irregular” t-shirts, sweaters and khakis on the sale rack, the halo of 35% off looming ominously like a divine light cast down from the marketing department. The Aryan looking sales woman offers free samples of Abercrombie’s new fragrance (perhaps it should be called “Self Conscious: Pour Les Corporate Whores”). After dismissing the fraulein and her claims of a “refreshing, earthy scent” I wandered over to where the real action was taking place.

In the women’s section, girls try to crowbar into these denim sausage casings known as “low rise denim” two sizes too small with shirts that are too tight and short for them to be considered flattering. In a quest to achieve that look where the jeans look as if they were spray painted onto the woman’s body, they buy pants cut for a 26 inch waist when they are in fact a 28 or 29. As a result, the confines of the denim close around their waists, and that extra tissue has to go somewhere. Rolls of fat leap out over the sides of the denim, causing them to overlap the waistband and brining on the dreaded condition known as “love handles”. Unfortunately, this is an understatement. These “handles” look far more like shelves to me. The whole scenario can best be described with a butchered passage from The Book of Psalms: “Thou preparest a sale rack before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my face with perfume; my love handles runneth over”.

The men’s section is just as appalling. Dress shirts in the foulest of pastel colours adorn the racks. Lime green, orange, periwinkle and effeminate seem to be the colours of the season. These shirts also have the misfortunate of being adorned with stripes of all colours, turning them from trendy clothing to optical illusions. I’m sure even the authors of the “Magic Eye” series would find these items hard on the oculars.

Blazers in brown and camel hair are the featured item this season. Abercrombie deserves credit for ingeniously recycling fabric from couches that people leave on the side of the road, and using them to make jackets. I think I even found 10

RE-EVALUATING OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM: THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL LIFE

DAVE FISHER For most students at NT, it’s pretty hard to picture an academic future anywhere other than university; after all, this is the future that we’ve come to expect after four years at North Toronto Collegiate; this is what our parents want us to do and, from our naïve and sheltered perspective, this is what society needs us to do. But is it really?

I can distinctly remember the evening that I first visited North Toronto; I was in grade eight, thirteen years old, and I was nervous in anticipation of having to choose the high school where I would spend the next four years of my life. I can especially remember the numerous times that I was assured of NT’s strong tradition of academic excellence; each time, this claim was backed up with an impressive statistic: 90% of North Toronto graduates go on to study in University. That was it – my parents were sold.

After three years at NT, I do not have a hard time believing that this school is filled with a large number of incredibly gifted individuals. I do believe that standards are slightly higher here, even if those standards are being held up by many of our peers rather than by any sort of official policy. In fact, I actually believe that, for the most part, we are getting a pretty good education at this school. What I do not buy is that we leave here any better prepared to face

the real world than do students at any other Toronto school. Why is that? After all, 90% of North Toronto Collegiate grads go on to study in some of the world’s most… Wait – there it is.

I used to be one of those people who believed that as long as you are smart, university is the best place for you to be. My community, my society, has taught me that doctors and lawyers are smarter than police officers or ambulance attendants; my education has told me that it takes more brains and more skills to be an engineer than it does to be an electrician. My family has persuaded me that, because I am smart, I need to go to university – otherwise I might not get rich like they didn’t (and they’re both university educated). It is my common sense, however, that has reminded me of the truth: you can only ever be truly successful when you do something that you enjoy and, contrary to popular belief, that kind of success can still involve money.

Far too many of us are caught up in the ideology that smart people go to university and become world changers, and less-smart people go to college, or worse, go right to work after high school and contribute nothing valuable to society. And while I do believe that post-secondary education is an extremely invaluable investment in our collective future, I don’t think that that should only mean university.

Somebody who has a profound interest in medicine and in helping people

cents, a remote control and a half eaten Twinkie while inspecting the myriad of pockets on one particular blazer.

The most offensive pieces were, by far, the “destroyed denim” examples. On one hand, these items are masterpieces of marketing and exploitation. On the other hand, they are shockingly insensitive, pretentious, and mind-boggling. Destroyed denim is simply a Madison-avenue code word for “pre-ripped” jeans. “Every piece is individually damaged, no

two are alike,” boasts the corporate website. I can only imagine what must be going through the Indonesian sweatshop workers head: “By the grace of Allah, these Americans make me sit here, sewing their clothing, and now they want me to damage them?” That’s right, for the low price of $98 US, you too can buy jeans that have already been stained, ripped, and faded. It makes me sick to see that a clothing store, particularly one that prides itself on selling clothes for “casual luxury” (read: upscale), is pushing product designed to make you look poor. Especially since some of these items retail for as much as $198 US. That’s like Lexus introducing their new SC430 convertible, and charging 100% premium for making it available with rust, ripped leather interior, bald tires and a dead battery.

Why consumers buy into these repulsive trends is one for the ages. Why companies seek to romanticize poverty is even more revolting. Ordinary people don’t wear damaged or torn clothes because it looks cool. They wear it because their clothes are in bad shape and they haven’t gotten around to mending them yet. In the same manner that the upper-crust of

will probably make a damn good doctor, but somebody who is smart and knows that they love working with their hands will make a far better carpenter than they will a lawyer - besides, they will probably be that much happier and thus that much more productive to society. It is, in fact, to our society’s benefit that we have people doing jobs that they are passionate about; by restricting trades, for example, to those who somehow don’t “make the cut” for professional work, we are effectively destroying a lot of the potential for new ideas and ingenuity in those fields.

Our generation, and perhaps even the generation before us, has become far too focused on the artificial world of standardized marks, tried-andtrue methods, and robot-like learning.

Is it any wonder, then, that our lives seem to be getting more and more artificial and mundane? For the sake of humanity, we need to continue changing the world. For the sake of ourselves, we need to start changing our attitudes.

Please, before you make up your mind about what you want to do with your life, consider each and every possibility. It is only through doing what you really love and what you’re really, truly good at that you can make your life meaningful; it is only through trying and considering everything that you can know what you really love. Don’t follow someone else’s dream – your own will do just fine.

Manhattan society would host extravagant banquets for socialites, with the Black Panthers as the featured guests, being poor has always been seen as somewhat of a novelty by upper-middle class white people, Abercrombie’s customer base. Tom Wolfe, the great American author pioneered the phrase “nostalgie de la boue” to describe this fascination with what have traditionally been considered lower class people or things. Literally, the phrase translates into “love for the mud”. Why do people seek to surround themselves with clothing that makes them look poor? Is it because they want an escape from their ohso-tough life of minivans, two-storey English Tudors, hockey practice, and Jack Johnson? Or is it a pent-up guilt over their (parents’) affluence? Although popular culture, and more specifically hip-hop culture, is the biggest promoter of conspicuous consumption, being labelled “rich” in some circles can often damage social credibility worse than being labelled a slut or a pervert. In private schools such as UCC or Metro Prep, shopping at Winners makes you a loser. Paying full price is the thing to do. At some schools (NT for example), you can be labelled a tool (or worse, “rich”) for buying expensive stuff.

There is something seriously wrong with people when they aspire to look like welfare recipients. So, in the hopes that I can avert sales from Abercrombie & Fitch, while making myself feel morally superior, I offer you consumers this alternative to those wretched pants.

1)Go to Old Navy/thrift store/ cheap clothing store.

2)Buy Jeans 3)Cut/rip/stain/fade your new jeans 4)Subtract the price of your jeans from $198 US 5)Give the difference to the charity of your choice.

Why people feel the need to pretend that they are something they are not is beyond me. Why people feel the need to take themselves down a notch or two in the socioeconomic ladder is even more puzzling. It’s akin to being inversely ostentatious. In two words, you are trying to be the “nouveau poor”. In this age of consumerism and massmedia, it seems impossible for anybody to be happy with who they are, or what they have.

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N o m i n e e s

Sakhawalkar-Bhatt

Dave Fisher

R.H.H.

Mor Shargall

Page

Molly Churchill

Paula Nathwani

Nigel Parker

Valedictorian

Carly Yoshida-Butryn

Kerr

W o m e n

Molly Churchill

Y o u n g

Catherine Morgan

(Bud)

Hanchu Chen Y o u n g

Justin Im

Juliene Hwang

Sonja Pavic

Catherine Walker

Men

Sifton

Michael Fine

Chris Gray

Nigel Parker

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LISA MENG

SABRINA THAI

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ZIXI WANG

FEI HE 15 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005

ZIXI WANG

ANNA LI

16

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MADDY MACNAB I don’t really like loud music. I only play it because I know it makes my mom angry. I close my eyes and feel the music ripping through me, vibrating deep in my chest, then suddenly there is a silence so deafening that it makes my ears ring in protest. I know it’s Mom before I even open my eyes. My hackles go up. I am ready for confrontation.

“Constance, I think I have told you before to turn down your music.” Her calm and controlled voice is betrayed by her face, alive with raw emotion.

“Mother,” I begin, mocking her, “I think I have told you before to call me Connie.” Suddenly she snaps her head around to stare at me. I can see her struggling, fighting the urge to lash out. I jut out my chin defiantly, daring her to punish me. I know she won’t. She finally drops her eyes. Chalk up another win for the kid.

She sighs, a feeling-sorry-for-herself sigh that makes me want to hit her. “Anyway, I just came in to tell you that you’re going to help me make cookies this afternoon.”

I snort, “Mom. It’s Saturday. Do you think I would rather play Martha Stewart with you, or do something interesting with people I actually like?”

“Well hon, I would really like it if you would bake with me this afternoon.” Only I, the veteran daughter, can detect the vicious threat lying beneath her apparently harmless request.

“Cut the shit, Mom.” She flinches. “How are you going to make me stay this time? Ground me again? You think that’ll stop me?”

Looking oddly smug, she reaches into her pocket and pulls out one envelope. She reaches into the envelope and pulls out two small rectangular pieces of paper. My ACDC concert tickets. My three hours waiting outside the box office, two weeks begging my parents permission to go, one month’s paycheck concert tickets.

“You wouldn’t dare.” My voice shakes with rage and disbelief.

“Oh yes I would, Constance.” She is suddenly businesslike and cold. “If you don’t bake with me today then I will burn these tickets. And I am not kidding around.”

I find myself wondering what she would look like with an axe sticking out of her head.

Too furious for a snappy comeback, I hiss like a boiling kettle, getting ready to explode…but no. That’s what she wants.

A reaction. I close my eyes and dig my nails into my palm, pressing until the pain turns to numbness. It calms me. I take a deep breath and spit out the only civil, speakable words I can think of at the moment.

“What kind of cookies are we making?”

Ten minutes of hostile silence later, I am trussed up in a nauseously floral apron awaiting further torture. My mother, looking equally floral (but much perkier), claps her hands together.

“Okay,” beams my mother, “Isn’t this fun? Just us girls?” She squeezes my arm in her excitement. I stand stiff and unyielding. When her smile fades, a small part of me softens at the disappointed look on her face, but then I remember- I’m miserable, I tell myself, I’m having a horrible time. She is the enemy, and any sign of weakness will be instantly attacked. Be sullen…cold…defiant! Make her stop caring. Make her hate me. Stay cool.

“So, we’re going to make chocolate chip. Kind of plain, I know, but they’re a classic! They were my favourite cookies when I was a kid. My mom used to make the best chocolate chip cookies! I still have her recipe of course, but they just don’t taste the same…maybe I’ll get her to make some next time we visit her…” she rambles, pretending not to see my murderous glare. I stand lumpishly to the side, being as unhelpful as possible as Mom bustles around the kitchen. Before I have time to protest, a spoon is thrust into my hand and I’m stirring ingredients around in a bowl.

“A hundred strokes should do it,” Mom instructs. I begin counting in my head. One…two…three…four…

“Not like that, Constance! On an angle, so everything gets mixed in.”

Ten…eleven...twelve…thirteen “Add the eggs now honey. Don’t get any on the counter!”

Twenty…twenty-one…twenty two…

“Is that a piece of eggshell in there? Didn’t you check before you started mixing?”

Fifty six…Fifty seven…

“Did you mean to put that many chocolate chips in?”

Ninety eight…ninety nine…

“Here Constance, you have a bit of flour on your cheek.”

One hundred.

Her hand brushes my face. I snap.

“DON’T TOUCH ME!” I scream, “DON’T TELL ME WHAT I’M DOING WRONG, DON’T TRY TO FIX MY PROBLEMS, DON’T…” I can speak no more. I sink to the floor. I shake. My body is wracked with sobs. My anger is pouring out of me, 16 years of it, and I can’t stay cool. I can’t hold back anymore. It’s too late to be afraid; my cards are on the table now. So I drown in the pain; I let it overtake me. As I sink deeper and deeper, I give up all hope of ever resurfacing. Suddenly, something reaches out to me out of the gloom, and now I know that it’s what I have been waiting for. My mother. She cradles me in her arms, and finally I surrender to her warm embrace, to her comforting murmurs, and to the love that I have hidden for so long. I cling to her for fear that if I let go I will sink back down to the deep. Her tears mingle with my own, and as my sobs fade away I can feel her heartbeat, reassuringly steady against my cheek. I stay clasped tightly to her for a long time. Suddenly, I stiffen as I remember. This is my mother that I am clinging to. My mother, whom I have so carefully hidden from, and now I am completely exposed. The glass around me is shattered, and there’s nothing to protect me. I take a deep breath. I begin to rebuild my shelter, but I hesitate. I think I’ll linger for a moment longer. I’ll keep my wall down…for now.

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N o m i n e e s R o o k i e / M a l e

Pruderick Balmores

Gregory Cohen

James McNeil

Andrew Ledger

Gideon Kalman-Lamb

Sid

A t h l e t e / M a l e

Alex Daprato

Nigel Parker

Ian Rivers

Lyndsey Gott

Vanessa Lockwood

Victoria Parker

Molly Churchill

Sasa Lontos

Frances Male

Andrews

Laura Riesberry

Cathy

A t h l e t e / F e m a l e

Maiyan Buchler

Jordan Slepak

Jackie

R o o k i e / F e m a l e

Frances Ballard

Reynolds

Denny

Jinty Smith

Graffiti wishes to congratulate all of this year’s nominees

018| EDITORIAL SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005

GRAFFITI North Toronto Collegiate Institute 70 Roehampton Avenue Toronto, Ontario M4P 1R2 Tel: (416) 393-9180 Fax: (416) 393-9195 e-mail: graffitisubmissions@hotmail.com Circulation: 2000

The Graffiti Board Editors-in-Chief Michael Fine Gillian Spiegle Senior Editors David Fisher Veiko Parming Molly Segal Catherine Walker Layout Editors Laura Greenberg Lisa Hsieh Tracy Kong May Li Muse Editors Fei He Ari Jeon Business Manager Gregory Murray Head Photographers Jason Cho Kieran Meyn Student Advisors Chris Gray Paula Nathwani Staff Advisor Baruch Zohar Staff Almeida, Daniel Anderson, Susan Anshan, Micah Baker, Sally Bobb, Allan Brennand, Sam Campbell, Rolando Campbell, Tim Chen, Hanchu Choi, Mary Choi, Miso Choo, Irvin Churchill, Molly Cohen, Heather Colgrove, Laura Elkharadly, Amir Fini, Narges Freedman, Gabe Frehr-Smith, Amanda Hamilton, Peter Ji, Kasey Jiang, Nancy Jones, Cheryl Jung, Katie Kreindler, Derek Kuper, Rachel Li, Anna Liu, Jenny

Lum, Zi-Ann Macnab, Maddy Marshall, Sachi Maule, Sylvia Meng, Jane Min, Elizabeth Mitchell, Matthew Morgan, Catherine Nazar, Rita Pal, Asmita Puton, Chloe Quan, Kenneth Querengesser, Johanna Rumack, Kayla Shaafi-Kabiri, Nina Stoller, Jon Symons, Gord Thai, Sabrina Toulon, Dane Tudose, Bogdan Vaga, Meredith Walker, William Wong, Claudia Wong, Kim Xie, Michelle Yoshida-Butryn, Carly Zeng, Henry

Thanks to everyone who helped out on this issue!

Paying the price for Formal of spots; for simplicity’s sake, are, the bare minimum anyone We love Formal. It’s a we’ll say ten is the maximum can really spend is about $150 time to get dressed up, decked for both. Sadly, it’s IMPOSSI– which, including a ticket out, and boogey down with BLE to find exactly 10 close price of $100, is quite cheap. friends and classmates, with friends. Sometimes, people But for most people, the cost whom we have struggled and have five really good friends of clothing, transportation, toiled with for the last four – they can’t fill up either the tickets, flowers, and anything years. It’s a time for celebratable or the limo. An even bigelse you could possibly think tion, a time for remembrance, ger problem is having too of will total more than $300 – and a time to go through one many close friends. What do and probably much more all last rite of passage before enyou do if you have a group of for one night.

“It’s so not tering the adult world.

13 close friends? You either worth it!” says one student, This is our ideal view of don’t take a limo, and end up “You can have just as much fun Formal; the Formal we’ve ensitting with people who you w i t h o u t s p e n d i n g a l l t h e visioned since we were young. don’t really want to sit with, money.”

While few agree with However, when many students or you end up excluding a few this, many feel just the oppothink of Formal today, they think of expensive clothing, expensive transportation, exAverage Cost Item pensive tickets, and expensive “extras.”

We a l s o t h i n k o f Dress $200-$500 stressful situations when trying to plan $50-$150 Tuxedo out which friends sit at which table and Limo $50-$100/Person whom we can fit into $100 Ticket our limo/tour bus.

Not to mention the Corsage $25-$75 stresses of dress shopping.

Hair, Make-up, etc. $50-$300 “Dress shopping was one of the $25-$200 Accessories most stressful things I’ve ever had to go TOTAL $500-$1425 through,” says one grade 12 girl, “I must of your friends – this never site. “While it may be a lot of have gone through a thousand ends well. money for one night, it’s one dresses and spent days and Although Formal is a night that you will remember days shopping. It was really fantastic and magical night, for a long time to come.

It’s a fun at first, but by the end it the price you pay is often far night I’ve been looking forjust didn’t have the same aptoo high.

Formal cannot only ward to since I got to high peal.” This student is not break the bank, but also injure school.

Who cares if I have to alone. Almost every girl in the valuable friendships that have work for the entire summer to grade has been stressed about taken four years to create. w o r k o f f t h e p r i c e o f m y her dress at one time or anOn the bright side, there dress?” other over the past four is a huge range of prices. Your Another major hassle months.

Formal will be what you make for grads going to Formal is The price is the thing of it – make it memorable! organizing limos and tables. about Formal that really gets The problem is that both limos to grads. Although prices vary MICHAEL AND GILLIAN and tables have a set number greatly depending on who you

Graffiti Editorial Policy Graffiti aims to inform, represent the views of, and showcase the talents of North Toronto Collegiate Institute students.

Pieces of writing must be less than 1000 words, with the exception of short fiction, which must be less than 1500 words. Submissions from students in all grades are encouraged and published. Submissions from staff, former students and teachers, and parents are also accepted.

Only letters to the Editors are accepted from those not connected with the school. Only poetry, short fiction, and personal essays may be published anonymously.

The Editors encourage that articles be submitted directly by e-mail. Otherwise, submissions must be submitted on 3.5” floppy disks to the bin at the back of room 308.

It is the aim of Graffiti to do all it can to avoid plagiarized articles. The Editors and North Toronto Collegiate Institute assume no responsibility for any such articles. Graffiti will not print slanderous articles. While articles may be opinionated and controversial, attacking any policy or opinion, articles may not make personal attacks.

The final selection of articles will be determined by the Editors. Articles that are not printed are kept on file for future issues.

All submissions become the property of Graffiti and may be edited.

Those submitting work automatically accept all the provisions of this policy.

The Editorial Board retains final discretionary power in all matters related to Graffiti.

For all public submissions, please send email to graffitisubmissions@hotmail.com

SPORTS | 019 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005

NT’s Finest Athletes MOLLY CHURCHILL

As I watched March Madness this year, I found myself remembering my childhood dreams of someday playing competitive university ball. Of course, that was before I really understood the sacrifices and commitment it takes for someone to reach that level – a type of dedication I simply didn’t have. There are three students at our school, however, who have proven that they do have the passion, the dedication, and the talent to take their games to the next level. None of them fits the description of your typical teen-movie jock: they are all relatively soft-spoken and modest about their accomplishments. The athletic prowess of Bryan Boake, Ryan Hinds, and Frances Male will take each of them on a new adventure for the next few years of their lives.

Bryan Boake played middle line backer for our North Toronto Norsemen. If you’re wondering why you didn’t see number 43 out on the field at most of the games you went to this year, the answer is simple: on October 15, Bryan tore his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in the Red and Grey Day game versus Northern, putting him out of commission for the rest of the season. He has undergone two surgeries and is currently receiving physio. Despite being injured so early in the season, Bryan didn’t stay off the radar screen of Marcello Campanaro, head coach of the McMaster University Marauders football team. His talent, apparently, hadn’t gone unnoticed by the coaches at U of T or Queen’s, either. With a number of coaches showing interest in Bryan as a possible student-athlete, Bryan opted for Mac. In September, Bryan will head to Hamilton to start his studies in Humanities. Because of his injury, Bryan will not be able to play on the team next year and will have to wait until second year. But, as he put it, “In two years, watch out!”

Bryan’s teammate, Ryan Hinds, also suffered from injuries in his grade 12 year, so he decided to take a victory lap – and boy what a victory it has proven to be for Ryan!

There’s no doubt that Ryan has always been a talented athlete: he was Rookie of the Year in grade 9, he has been a key player in the school basketball, football, and track teams throughout his high school career, and he has even been featured in the Toronto Star. Playing free safety and wide receiver, Ryan, number 34, is

impossible to miss. In any given game, Ryan’s athleticism and understanding of the game stand at a level above those of practically all opponents. Ryan’s decision to take a fifth year of high school has paid off – literally. The coaches of both Harvard University (yes, the Harvard University) and the University of New Hampshire courted Ryan earlier this year, trying to convince him to play for their team. Ryan can now boast about something that most people only dream of: he was offered admissions to Harvard – and he turned them down. Ryan opted for a more lucrative deal: he will be attending UNH on a full football scholarship! In a few months, Ryan will pack up for Durham, New Hampshire to start his season on September 3 with a team that made it all the way to the NCAA I-AA Quarterfinals this past season.

And Ryan isn’t the only NT student heading down to New England next year. Frances Male, like Ryan, was Rookie of the Year in grade nine. She, too, has played on a number of school teams – basketball, soccer, rugby, and most notably, ice hockey. Frances has played competitive hockey for years, making it as far as representing Ontario at a tournament in British Columbia earlier this year. It was at a junior hockey tournament this past September, while playing centre/forward for the Toronto Junior Aeros, that she was approached by the head coach at Brown University, Digit Murphy. This was the first communication between Coach Murphy and Frances, but it will prove to be far from the last: Frances will be heading to Providence, Rhode Island in September to study science (at an Ivy League school!) and play hockey for Murphy.

These three student-athletes – Bryan, Ryan, and Frances – have persevered through injuries and endless practices to follow their dreams. They’ve each been rewarded with a chance at a new challenge and a new adventure. Best of luck in all your athletic pursuits!

Major League Notebook VEIKO PARMNG It’s not Gary Sheffield or Jason Giambi, not Frank Thomas or Sammy Sosa.

In the first two months under Major League Baseball’s new anti-steroid policy, the ones identified as cheaters have not been the Herculean behemoths, the ones who send rabid fans into frenzies each time they step in the batter’s box.

Instead, it has been Alex Sanchez and Juan Rincon – the little guys; guys you’ve never heard of. Guys who have had to scratch and claw their way to the major leagues.

More than anything else, the new regulations have finally dug a grave for the myth that the most likely abusers of performance enhancing drugs are the ones swatting the ball 400+ feet.

The fact is, Barry Bonds can hit home runs without steroids. Regardless of whether or not he is taking performance enhancing substances, it would be foolish to chock up all of his 700+ long balls to bulging muscles, when his amazing bat speed and unbelievable handeye coordination are just as crucial.

Rather, it is the players who lack bat speed and coordination who are the biggest candidates to use steroids. It is guys who don’t have great natural ability, but who still want to drive a Hummer, live in a mansion, and get free meals from every restaurant. The multi billiondollar sporting industry has becomes so lucrative that everyone wants a piece of the pie. And when there ain’t enough pie to feed the lot, you gotta lie, cheat, and steal to get your share.

We’ve all heard about the negative aspects of steroids: baldness, back acne, aggressive behaviour, increased estrogen levels, gynecomastia, headaches, stunted growth, kidney and liver problems, impotence, high blood pressure, and the interesting side effect of shaving a few years off one’s life. Yet would-be athletes continue to pump up, ignoring each and every one of these side effects. They see the risk as being worth the reward. Taking steroids, after all, gives you a competitive advantage.

But has anyone ever stopped to consider: If everyone is taking steroids, where is the advantage in that? All of a sudden, steroids aren’t an edge; they’re a pre-requisite. No longer are there any positive effects provided by steroids; just negatives. So you can turn a 400-foot home run into a 425-footer. So you can toss a football an extra 10 yards. So you can shoot a hockey puck at a hundred-freakin’-miles per

hour. But so can everyone else.

You’re not special anymore.

You’re just average. And you’ve still got the baldness and the acne, the impotence, the shorter height, and the shorter lifespan.

Of course, this situation can be stopped before it hits such a drastic low. But it must be stopped now. Steroids are like any other drugs: once you start using them, you will keep using them, and a sudden withdrawal can lead to tragic consequences, including, in rare cases, suicide. That is why it is imperative that performance-enhancing drugs are rooted out now, before they become widespread.

What’s more, it’s not just baseball that falls victim to steroid accusations. Football, hockey, and track and field, to name a few, have all had their own nightmares to deal with.

More importantly, it’s not just the professional leagues. The number of players testing positive in the major leagues pales in comparison to similar stats in the minors. The burning desire to succeed is even greater in these players, who travel in team buses, eat microwave meals, and sleep in two-star hotels. They want so desperately to make it to the majors that they are willing to sacrifice their health and well being for the Hummers and the free meals; for the luxury beds; for the fame, the glory, and the money. That’s a problem.

And what’s worse, the problem is spreading. It’s gotten to the point where many universities and even some high schools have had to deal with students pumping up on ’roids. That shouldn’t be.

So before we cripple an entire new generation of athletes; before we create an army of bulkedup machines; before we build a system where one’s success relies solely on how many needles they have taken, we need to stand up once and for all against performance enhancing drugs.

Make no mistake, baseball was on the right track with their new anti-steroid regulations, and it’s certainly commendable that several other leagues are following suit. But the current system is not a panacea: It is merely step one. Every sports organization, at every level from the pro-leagues to high school, has to step up the plate and start identifying and punishing these cheaters. It’s the only way steroids will be eliminated and their tragic side effects avoided.

I don’t know about you, but I’m willing to endure a urine sample or two, if it stops just one person from destroying their health on steroids.

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L e a d e r s h i p

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Senior Boys’ Rugby Team: Ian Rivers and Ryan Abbot

S p o t l i g h t s

ASMITA PAL Once again I went to Mr. Scudder to write a leadership spotlight on the Sr. Boys’ Rugby Team. This year, instead of handing me a long list of names, he was right away able to tell me about the team’s two most outstanding players: Ian Rivers and Ryan Abbot. We’ll start with Ian because he’s older, and because I managed to snag an interview with him first. Ian has been playing Rugby as either fullback or centre since he was twelve years old. Not including rugby, Ian plays both football and soccer. Friends such as Jake Brennand describe him as a highly skilled player, and a strong leader who is very patient with newbies. His advice for future rugby stars: try and learn the intricacies of the game. His best skill is tackling and goal kicking and his greatest weakness is passing to the right. Sadly, he isn’t a part of the BAA, but, in the future, he wishes to play Club Rugby.

Then there is Ryan Abbot. He started playing in grade 9 as a flanker and, apart from rugby, he also plays football and soccer, and enjoys the sport of curling. He enjoys the entire game, but especially the kicking; however, he dislikes the conditioning and practicing. Fellow athletes Lauren Gill and Jeremy Addleman describe him as a “beast”, and say that he is persistent, determined, and extremely skilled. His advice for other players is to be really aggressive, and to practice on your own. He likes to keep an eye on the progress of the juniors and his best skill is tackling, while he’d like to improve his speed. Ryan is also an active member of the BAA and hopes to get a scholarship, if possible.

Boys’ Baseball Team: Chris Gott DANIEL ALMEIDA

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At 6’3", weighing in at 185 pounds, playing almost any position, number 45 for the North Toronto baseball team…Chris Gott. Brave, experienced, aware, quick, and aggressive are all qualities that Chris exhibits as he steps out onto the field. Chris says he joined the team simply because he enjoys the feeling he gets when he wins, so that he can be with his friends, and make new ones. His optimistic spirit always contributes to his winning ways and leadership skills. Oh, and not to mention that he can play a solid third base, shortstop, second baseman, a quality catcher, and an effective pitcher, capable of putting fear into any batter’s mind. Chris has “Gott game.” Of course, being a baseball fanatic, he’s perfected many quality pitches, including the dreaded knuckler! Chris is just a good all-around player, and as coach Nigro puts it, “[Chris] brings knowledge to the game which is greatly needed; he’s very experienced and very talented. He’s also ‘coachable’; you can tell him anything and he’ll really work the things you teach him into the game very quickly.” That sums up Chris’s playing abilities fairly well and from playing with him myself, I’ve realized that Chris truly is a great, responsible leader. Good luck this season and best of wishes for North Toronto’s baseball team.

Ultimate Frisbee Team: Elan Schwartz

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TIM CAMPBELL From the moment he picked up a Frisbee this spring, Elan has taken a keen interest in the game of Ultimate Frisbee. His positive attitude and leadership qualities are demonstrated both on and off the field. Not only has Elan taken the initiative to learn the game and practice it at any chance he gets, his skills have developed tenfold, in just a few weeks. Mr. Peddle, the coach of the ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams along with Mr. Small, refers to Elan as the star handler of the ‘B’ team. The handler has a leadership role on the field, and sets up plays, not unlike a quarterback in football. “With the rate he is improving, he’ll be our star player by the time he’s in Grade 12,” says Mr. Peddle. With a player like Elan, there is no doubt that the future of the Ultimate Frisbee team is looking promising.

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Girls’ Badminton Team: The Entire Team

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KIM WONG B a d m i n t o n , a w e l l p l a y e d s p o r t a t N T. T h e g i r l s o n t h e badminton team, with their randomly chosen practice days, have played hard throughout the season. They have played six games in total, with two losses and four wins, playing games as far away as Riverdale. The coach, Mr. Wei, is a very tough teacher, says one of the girls, but he is fair and knows their limit, so he doesn’t push them too hard, just enough to motivate them.

Mr. Wei wouldn’t actually give me an interview, but what little he said to me about the team outside of the math office was all praise. I did get a small talk from one of the girls, and she said that their team was excellent because they, surprise surprise, worked as a team.

Congratulations to the NT Girls badminton team on your four wins.

We look forward to seeing more of the same excellent results next year.

Co-ed Volleyball Team: Sophia Kehler

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MICHELLE XIE

Sophia Kehler is truly multi-talented. In Junior Strings, she was the concertmaster. On the NT Swim Team, she made it to OFSAA. On the Junior Girls Volleyball Team, she played a terrific season. She also joined the Cross-country Team, and she is now a key player on the Co-ed Volleyball Team. Sophia started playing volleyball in grade 4. After 3 years of three practices a day, 4 days a week, she joined a club team that competed in provincial levels, and last year, she even competed in the nationals with teams from all over Canada. Keep up the good work, Sophia!

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TEACHER RETIREMENTS | 0 21 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005 SPRING 2005

Ms. Lord

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Ms. Jancik

CHRIS GRAY AND PAULA NATHWANI

HEATHER N. COHEN

Ms. Lord is known to the students of North Toronto as the guardian of knowledge.

Throughout her tenure as the librarian of NT, she has helped countless students complete their last minute ISUs and numerous homework assignments. Her presence in the library is always felt, and students can always rely on her to help them in the hour of their need.

Ms. Lord spends many hours devoting her time to keeping the NT library organized and efficient. Through her steadfast patience she has turned what could have been a logistical nightmare into a well oiled machine.

On top of that, Ms. Lord takes an active hand in educating classes about how to reference their documents and how to research effectively using EBSCO. Without these tools, students would be left unable to complete many of their assignments.

Her dedication to helping students in the library will be missed by many, and we wish Ms. Lord all the best in her retirement. The students of North Toronto sincerely hope that the future librarian is as helpful, personable, and capable as Ms. Lord.

Every one always says that grade twelve is a difficult year – and it is. It’s a very difficult year. However, one person who made this year so much easier, for me at least, is Ms. Jancik - who, after 18 years at NT, is retiring.

Ms. Jancik has worked as a guidence councillor at three schools over the years. Previously, she was at Central Commerce for thirteen years, and a school in Winnipeg for two. Now that she is leaving us, she will be able to focus on photography, one of her favourite hobbies, and pursue other ventures. Still, she promises to visit NT every now and then.

Ms. Jancik says that she will miss the students and her colleagues the most when she is retired and describes her life’s work as “the best career that anybody could have.”. Ms. Jancik, we will miss you. Thank you for all of your help and we wish you the best of luck in your future endeavours.

Teacher Retirements 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Mr. Wallace

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CATHERINE WALKER I have had the extreme pleasure of being a part of Mr. Wallace’s class both at the beginning and end of my high school career, and I can tell you that his care and support have truly influenced me. Thus, I have mixed feelings as I write about Mr. Wallace’s retirement; I am happy to be able to celebrate the career of such a wonderful teacher, but, at the same time, I am deeply saddened that North Toronto must let him go.

Mr. Wallace has spent all of his 33 years of teaching in the Geography department at North Toronto, and he wouldn’t have had it any other way. Mr. Wallace has enjoyed all of his years at NT because they have given him the chance to work with such wonderful staff and students. Although he’ll be sad to go, the added free time will give him the opportunity to work on his golf swing and take part in that past time all geography teachers love: travel. Mr. Wallace, after years of talking about places like the Gobi desert and Mongolia and pointing them out on a map, plans to visit Mongolia and even cross the Gobi by camel. He also plans to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and finally get a chance to attend an annual golf trip to Mexico. But Mr. Wallace will not be completely absent from the halls of North Toronto as he will be back to supply teach from time to time.

Thank you Mr. Wallace for all you have done for NT, your care and dedication have made a difference in the lives of countless students, and I know that you will be sorely missed.

Ms. Dartford MOLLY SEGAL

Ms. Dartford retired in the fall of this school year. Most North Toronto students were taught by Ms. Dartford sometime in their four years here, whether it was for phys-ed or career studies. Most of the students would call her strict, but Chris Gray, a grade twelve student at NT, summed up her teaching persona perfectly, “If you treated her with respect, she treated you with respect.” Ms. Dartford was always very professional in her teaching, with a no nonsense policy towards her students. Her contribution to North Toronto will be missed in the years to come. Thank you Ms. Dartford, and best of luck in your retirement!

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Ms. Botelho de Sousa

Mr. Totaro

THE STUDENTS OF ROOM 208 Ms. Botelho de Sousa has been teaching for 31 years. She is finally retiring. After school finishes, she is going to travel to Portugal, across Canada by train, and also to Ireland. Then she is going back to school to learn Portuguese. From Rolando, I wish you luck.

- Rolando Campbell When Ms. Botelho de Sousa retires she would like to cook much more.

She looks too young to retire. Her advice to students is work hard and follow any dreams for the future. “I’ll always be thinking of you. Hope you all do well in life. I promise I’ll keep in touch,” says Ms. Botelho de Sousa.

- Rita Nazar My favourite subject in Ms. Botelho de Sousa’s class is Geography. I really like learning about different countries around the world. Ms. Botelho de Sousa also teaches us computer skills. Because of the help I have received from her, I am able to type 10 wpm with 100% accuracy.

-Dane Toulon Ms. Botelho de Sousa told us about a student she had who was fascinated with vacuum cleaners. He loved them and knew everything about them.

On Friday afternoons, as a reward, she would let him vacuum the classroom which he really loved doing.

- Kenneth Quan Ms. Botelho de Sousa has been a great teacher throughout my years at NT. It’s sad to see her go. I will never forget what she taught me, like if you try hard and never give up, you can do anything. And, of course, her favourite saying, “If you snooze, you lose!”

-Gord Symons Ms. Botelho de Sousa is a great teacher. When we go to Lucy McCormick School, she watches us cook and make things in woodworking.

-Amir Elkharadly For four years, I’ve really liked being in Ms. Botelho de Sousa’s class. I’m disappointed that my favourite teacher won’t be here next year. But, what can you do?

- Allan Bobb

Mr. Shafton

Ms. Carrier

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PAULA NATHWANI AND CHRIS GRAY The Canadian Oxford English dictionary defines the term “archetype” as an original model or type after which other similar things are patterned. In this regard, Ms. Carrier should be the archetype after which all teachers are modeled.

Ms. Carrier’s classes are precise, well structured, and always relevant. Throughout her carefully thought out lessons, Ms. Carrier manages to captivate her students and achieve one of the hardest goals in her profession: voluntary participation.

Ms. Carrier always knew that she wanted to become a teacher. At the age of nine Ms. Carrier began her teaching career when she helped teach younger children how to read. Since then, her teaching career has thrived, teaching at many different schools throughout her life before finally ending up at North Toronto.

Ms. Carrier’s time at North Toronto has been valuable not only to the students but also to herself. She believes that the students at North Toronto always have a thirst for knowledge, and exhibit good work habits as well as the ability to stretch their minds. However, being a student in Ms. Carrier’s class is much of the reason that students exhibit these characteristics. Through her stimulating classes that always draw upon previous knowledge and experience, Ms. Carrier has the ability to access a wealth of knowledge in her students that they didn’t even know they possessed.

After her retirement, Ms. Carrier plans to take time for herself by going on a cruise in Russia and spending time golfing in Florida. Ideally, she says she would like to find a position that allows her to teach a few times a week. On behalf of the students of North Toronto we sincerely hope that she plans to do so here. Either way, we know that she will be missed by staff and students alike

DAVID FISHER AND VEIKO PARMING Last week, Mr. Totaro asked us: “What is the meaning of education? Why are we forced to spend our adolescent lives in school?” Good question, Mr. T. After all, you’d be hard-pressed to find a student who hasn’t asked the exact same question, at some point or another. The answer certainly isn’t clear-cut, as our subsequent class discussion proved; however, most students agree it is those teachers who expand our minds and help shape us as people, not just our knowledge.

Mr. Totaro has taught us about comma splices, sentence fragments, and proper grammar. He’s told us to trim our “verbal flab,” pointed out our weak “S-V glue,” and chastised our “wussy, fuzzy writing.” But as interesting and important as these lessons have been, they are not what we will truly remember about Mr. Totaro after we graduate. It is the challenging and thought-provoking discussions we have with Mr. Totaro nearly every class that we appreciate the most. He has used his fascinating life experiences as an actor, professor, and now teacher to inspire us to strive further and achieve higher.

Mr. Totaro, you have served the North Toronto “Country Club” well. We know that whatever you choose to do next, you will always be an inspiration to the people who surround you.

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KATIE JUNG Shafton/ sha’fton / n. Used to indicate the last name of NT’s superstar, Mr. Shafton. Possesses a calm, soft presence and never fails to welcome his students with a heart-warming smile. Exceptional explainer of difficult concepts in calculus. Well-respected among colleagues and students, very generous with five-minute breaks in class, and infamous for cute jokes that he himself laughs at. Always melts the writer’s butter. Shaftonitis/ n. a serious disease almost every student of Mr. Shafton has been diagnosed with. Once infected, the student shows signs of deep affection and sincere appreciation for Mr. Shafton, and may even fall to the ground saying: “I love you, Mr. Shafton!”

As you would agree, this is a very brief definition of the gentleman, as no essay would be enough to describe how great a teacher he really is, and how much he means to NT. “He is definitely the best teacher I’ve ever had,” a student confesses, “I will miss him and his car very much when he leaves.” As Mr. Shafton leaves his teaching career of 30 years, he has been invited to choreograph for the Rockettes in New York at Radio City music hall (if his wife permits, that is).

However, he has chosen to go back to his love of astronomy at U of T this September and to spend more time with his family. “I have no regrets. I’ve had the time of my life in the classroom with great colleagues and motivated students,” modest Mr. Shafton says, “It’s been very rewarding, and I’m glad I’ve been allowed to teach.” Well, Mr. Shafton, we’re glad that we were given the rare chance to have such an awesome teacher like yourself! We will indeed miss you dearly, and we wish you the best of luck!

Arts & Entertainment

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Some Films for Thought CATHERINE WALKER

ryone, but if you enjoyed Anderson’s other films and have a bit of a quirky sense of humour, I would definitely check it out, and if you don’t last until the end, make sure to watch the final heist sequence: there aren’t words to describe how hilarious that scene is.

the starring role.

I have always been a movie addict, and I felt it was my responsibility to take this final opportunity to share with you some great films which you may not have had the pleasure of viewing. These films are all available on DVD and are part of my own personal (and ever expanding) movie collection. Enjoy!

Aliens

Momento Although some may disagree, I absolutely adore this Christopher Nolan film about a man who suffers from short term memory loss attempting to find the man who raped and murdered his wife and caused his “condition.” Nolan is probably better known as the man who is directing this summer’s Batman Begins staring Christian Bale and for 2002’s Insomnia staring Al Pacino and Robin Williams.

The film is based on a short story written by Nolan’s brother Jonathon, and what makes the film unique is the fact that the film is edited together backwards.

The film begins at the end, with the main character Leonard (portrayed by talented Aussie actor Guy Pearce of LA Confidential fame) shooting a man in the head.

The audience has no idea why Leonard is carrying out this gruesome act until we see the scenes that lead up to this event.

These scenes are cut between black and

Canadians in Cannes WILLIAM WALKER The Cannes film festival takes place in the south of France from May 11 to 22, a major event in the movies. There are two notable Canadian movies in the Official Selection category: David Cronenberg’s A History of Violence and Atom Egoyan’s Where the Truth Lies. A History of Violence sounds like, in the words of The Toronto Star’s Peter Howell: “a cross between North by Northwest and Straw Dogs”. It’s the story of Tom McKenna (Viggo Mortensen), a small-town American diner operator, living a normal life with two children and a wife (played by Maria Bello). That is, until he becomes a national sensation via the vigilante act of forcefully protecting his diner from two killers. Then, two mobsters (Ed Harris and William Hurt) come to town thinking McKenna is someone he’s not, wanting to settle old issues. It’s based on a graphic novel

by John Wagner and Vince Locke, with a script

by Josh Olson, was filmed in Toronto, and will be given a wide release on September 30, 2005.

Where the Truth Lies stars Alison Lohman as a young journalist, Karen O’Connor, investigating the mystery behind show business duo Lanny Morris and Vince Collins (Kevin Bacon and Colin Firth) with murder in their past. The story spans the 1950s to the 1970s, with a screenplay supplied by Egoyan, based on a novel of the same name

by Rupert Holmes. The 26 million dollar movie is an Anglo-Canadian co-production, filmed in Toronto, Los Angeles, and London. Both Cronenberg and Egoyan will be in Cannes from May 14 to 16. This year’s festival marks the first time both Egoyan and Cronenberg have had films competing in the same festival. This is in addition to the other 18 movies competing from all over the world. So far the Festival appears to be shaping up quite nicely. If anyone at NT will be in France this May, let me know....

white frames in which Leonard discusses his condition; these scenes give the audience insight into Leonard’s past, while the colour frames lead the audience to startling revelations as we come to realize how Leonard came to commit the murder. Each scene lasts only a few minutes, as much as Leonard would remember with his condition, which allows the audience to experience only what Leonard would recollect.

The movie has been masterfully crafted by Nolan, and the acting by Pearce and co-stars Carrie-Ann Moss and Joe Pantoliano (both from The Matrix) is superb. Pearce in particular is remarkable in

Bottle Rocket The debut film from Royal Tennenbaums and The Life Aquatic director Wes Anderson is a smart, funny caper staring none other than the Wilson brothers (Luke and Owen, actors featured in much of Anderson’s work). It’s about two wanna-be criminals who break Anthony (Luke Wilson) out of a hospital that he may leave at any time, rob Anthony’s house, and hold up a book store before moving onto their “big job” for Mr. Henry (James Caan).

This film probably isn’t for eve-

Bohemian Magic AMANDA FREHR-SMITH Bohemian: an early European movement decades before the carefree sixties. The boho or bohemian lifestyle rejected strict moral values, emphasized a carefree and passionate lifestyle, and focused on a life dedicated art and literature. In the fashion world, the boho lifestyle incorporates fur gilets (vests), prairie skirts, crisp linen and jersey cottons, feminine patterns, details such as lace and bows, and raw metals and gems used for belts and jewellery. And unless you have been living in a fashion-deprived world this past year, you will have noticed how prevalent the bohemian style is on the racks of some of Toronto’s most popular fashion boutiques.

For me, boho has always been my fashion style of choice and its predominance in this spring’s fashion scene just gives me one more reason to shop. And while I have always enjoyed the boho style for the pure delight of watching designers such as Matthew Williamson and Anna Molnari work their magic, there is an enchanting element of the boho style that melts away reality. When I wear my voluptuous celery coloured prairie skirt I find myself curled up in a gently rocking hammock, sipping a glass of freshly squeezed lemonade as the sun disappears beyond a crimson and gold horizon. When I wear my turquoise braided jersey dress, I can feel the wind blowing through my hair as I walk through a meadow beaded with flowers of the most beautiful pastel hues.

When I wear my hand-knit poncho and warm sherpa boots, I can hear a summer campfire crackling and loons singing to a velvety night sky. Yes, in my boho attire reality fades, but it’s not just my fashion obsessed mind that

thinks this way; I’ve got fashion experts and fashion gods (a.k.a.: brilliant designers) on my side.

In the ultra-fabulous and deliciously over-the-top fashion magazine FQ editor-in-chief Jeanne Beker described bohemian fashion as a way to “escape grim realities and celebrate our freewheeling gypsy spirits”. The runways of the New York and Paris fashion weeks were strewn with spectacular examples of boho fashion. Elements of bohemian fashion even penetrated through the classic couture styles of fashion houses (and icons) Gucci, Prada, and tweed-clad Chanel.

But why? Why has boho fashion caused designers and experts to create fashion that lets the wearer ‘escape’?

In the fast-paced world of today, with everyone trying to keep up and/or get ahead of everyone else, it is hard to just slow down and relax. Vacations no longer hold the same appeal for one week of relaxation only means two weeks of ‘catch-up’. Massages no longer soothe away stress for they are continually interrupted by the nagging sound of a ringing cell phone. The things that used to provide some sort of escape have been littered with reality and now we must turn to new forms of escape, forms such as boho fashion. It’s romantic, carefree, and artistic ‘vibe’ can’t help but ease our stresses and send us on the first train out of reality and into a daydreamed world.

But of course, and even I will admit this, we don’t have the whole day to ‘waste’ daydreaming in our beautiful bohemian attire and soon our train heads back to reality and all we are left with is the pleasant numbing effect of absolute bliss. All we are left with is memory of escape. All I am left with is my fashion.

James Cameron has shown himself to be particularly adept when working on action movie sequels; both Aliens and Terminator 2 turned out better than the originals. I disliked Ridley Scott’s Alien (although most film critics will disagree with me); I thought it was excruciatingly boring for the first hour and a half and the last portion seemed rushed. I absolutely prefer Cameron’s sequel and I must have seen it four or five times, but I just never seem to get tired of it.

This film picks up where Alien left off with Sigourney Weaver’s Ridley still floating through space after defeating the Alien from the first film. Her ship is finally picked up, but she soon returns to the alien-infested planet from the first film after contact is lost with the settlers who have colonized the planet.

This is a top-notch action movie.

Although it was made in the 80’s and some of the scenes could benefit from recent improvements in technology, the film has the perfect blend of comedy, action, and sentiment that makes a good film.

Heaven not quite worthy of a King CATHERINE WALKER

It seems this has become the decade of the historical drama, but, after the recent slew of lack-luster historical re-creations like Troy and Alexander, the movie and history lover in me hoped that Ridley Scott - the man behind the Academy Award winning Gladiator - could come back with a winner with his latest film Kingdom of Heaven, staring Orlando Bloom, Liam Neeson, and Jeremy Irons. The film is about the Crusades, the war between Christians, Jews, and Muslims over the holiest of cities which lasted hundreds of years, and featured all you need for an epic: kings, queens, battles, deaths, and heroes, what more could you ask for?

It is surprising that a film had not been made on this subject before, given the number of films made about the hundreds of other wars which have taken place in the history of humanity. This telling of the Crusades is about a French blacksmith named Ballian

(Orlando Bloom, above) who, after losing his child and wife (who committed suicide after miscarrying), is sought out by his estranged father, Godfrey of Ibelin (Liam Neeson) and enlisted to join him and his knights Kingdom of Heaven page 24

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Guess Who’s Back, Again MEREDITH VAGA As high school comes to a close and I start preparing myself for the rigours of university, I find my mind increasingly turning to serious world issues that daily beguile us: Microsoft’s (slightly) declining monopoly in the world of technology; Sirius’ demise at the hands of his house-elf, Krinket; and why does Stephen Harper’s hair look like a giant metal coconut? But I also find my mind turning to the Backstreet Boys and their unfortunate impulse to come back. There is a large variety of reasons why their aspirations of once again dominating the music world will never come to fruition, but here are my top five.

1.

Brian. Brian was always the ‘good’ one, but talk about greed – he’s already managed to purloin 250 million dollars from these little tykes’ allowances, and now he’s back for more?!

2.

A.J. – without his crazy cocaine-induced antics, A.J. is just a short, balding, little man who wears hairnets (see Black and Blue.) and is of no interest to me.

3.

Nick will ruin it for them because he’s just really dumb, and unfortunately we all know it now

thanks to his venture into the solo world, where he actually had to say stuff in interviews. I mean, this is a guy who actually said: “Whenever I get the chance to hang out with my family, I head straight for my little brother Aaron’s room, to play with all his toys.”

4.

Kevin’s eyebrows are just too scary for mainstream music these days. They were okay five years ago, but I think they’ve been growing. They look like giant overcooked hot dogs. It’s just a turnoff.

5.

Howie, my dear Howie – nice guy, but have you seen those sordid dance moves? And seriously, his name is Howie; that sounds more like a bunch of nonsensical sounds strung together, or a kind of car, “the Saturn Howie,” or what an adult would say to a little kid who banged their knee: “Oh sweetie, you got a Howie.” (Maybe he got hit by Saturn’s latest model.)

Who knows, maybe I’m just bitter that they coerced me into spending upwards of $50.00 in Burger King sponsored Backstreet merchandise alone, but short of some serious overhauling, there is no way their adoring public wants to see these five characters spewing out the same old drivel again.

Sin City: Sinful GABE FREEDMAN - “Walk down the right back alley in Sin City and you can find anything.”

With this admittedly intriguing tagline, we enter Frank Miller’s hellish, surreal, and always uncompromising vision of a world gone awry, a world in which morals hold no significance and wanton violence is not only normal but the norm. Based on three of Miller’s graphic novels (Sin City, The Big Fat Kill, and That Yellow Bastard), Sin City is a living, breathing (and let’s not forget killing) tribute to the dark, hidden subconscious in all of us.

Rodriguez’s goal, which is evident from the very beginning of this film, was to project his love for the adult comic book world onto the silver screen, most likely so the general public would be able to take part in this love as well. And in this aspect he succeeds tremendously. Sin City, it must be said, looks and feels like a moving comic book, a veritable piece of art that would be right at home hanging on the walls of the finest art galleries in the world. For this feat, Rodriguez should be commended.

And then punished, - many, many times. Why? Because Sin City is proof that if you’re successful and well-respected enough in this day and age, you have license to make a sick, twisted piece of film, having no more merit than a bowl full of excrement, and, if it looks good enough, critics will heap more praise on you than water in a wet t-shirt contest. Personally, I think it’s sick.

I know what you’re thinking - I’m coming on a little strong, right?

For those of you who have not seen this movie, your reaction is understandable. And yet, I feel that it is my moral duty to inform all of you about Sin City so that you can decide for yourself whether to see it or not. I did not have this privilege. For practically

three weeks, I raved and ranted to an assortment of friends, relatives, and yes, even strangers, about how excited I was to see this new movie, Sin City, and how great I thought it was going to be. I had been a long-time fan of Sin City director Robert Rodriguez, (Desperado, Once Upon a Time in Mexico) and the cast, well, it just doesn’t get much better than Sin City’s all-star line-up: Bruce Willis, Benicio DelToro, Clive Owen, Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Elijah Wood, Josh Hartnett, and yes, even Brittany Murphy delivers a fairly good performance. And yet, it is all for naught, as they say.

Call me crazy, but I miss the good old days of cinema when movies actually had a friggin’ plot! You know what I mean? Where was the plot in Sin City, I ask? While critics and blood lusting little preteens heap praise upon this movie as if it is the next Godfather, I sat in the movie theatre, stomach full of half-digested Subway and chips, asking myself, “Where are you, plot? Where have you gone?” Critics say it is brilliant.

All I saw was a visually stunning film with nothing at all to say. Please, Robert Rodriguez, there is such a thing as too much violence! You’re not Quentin Tarantino and you never will be, so why don’t you drop the charade. All I saw in Sin City were three stories, almost identical, about guys who got really pissed off and went on a murderous rampage of revenge, killing people in admittedly creative ways, as casually as one would pop open a can of pop after a heated match of tetherball. Anyone who has the cajoles to say that Sin City has a great plot obviously does not know the meaning of the word “plot.” At least, not in the traditional sense.

Allow me to define it for you.

Plot is defined by the Siegel Film Glos-

Why High School Needs More Art JON STOLLER Three math credits, two science credits, and one art credit. Sound familiar? Well it should. It’s the minimum number of math and science courses that each and every public school student across Ontario has to take if they wish to graduate, and receive their precious high school diploma. Of course it makes perfect sense...doesn’t it? Every student, after all, should be able to solve first-degree inequalities and know what sinusodal functions are, right? Hmmm....

History has proven again and again that it is those who think differently who will change the world: The great minds of the past continue to inspire us today. Copernicus did it with his heliocentric model of the universe, Freud did it with his theories on the human mind, and Einstein did it with his theory of relativity. It’s no wonder that the Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines genius as “extraordinary intellectual power especially as manifested in creative activity.” Indeed, a fundamental part of understanding genius is the realization that these people are called geniuses because of their originality and creativity, not merely because of their extraordinary intelligence. How many people in history have been declared geniuses, and haven’t come up with new ideas?

And this is where the Ontario high school curriculum ties in. Why, for instance, are students required to complete so many math and science courses while no music credits are necessary? If society puts so much value upon creativity and originality, why are students forced to endure courses which seem to have so little imagination, and so many oneanswer questions?

Of course one could argue that the worlds of math and science are filled with complex controversies and wild imaginations, and this is true to a certain extent. Indeed, the worlds of math and science are constantly evolving, and in turn constantly creating fresh and original ideas. When first published in 1964, Bell’s Theorem was hailed by some physicists as “the most profound discovery of science,” whereas others disagreed with it quite strongly. Einstein never accepted quantum mechanics, whereas Niels Bohr strongly agreed with this new branch of physics. But how many high school science students are familiar with such ideas?

Oddly enough, such controversial theories very rarely, if ever, make it into the classroom; rather, calculations and formulas are dictated to students, offering no room for debate or free thought.

Students are expected to memorize their work, then write the test, and that’s the end of that. All that said, it’s not science and math in general that are at fault here, simply the science and math that is entering the classroom.

The arts and their role in high school, on the other hand, are quite the opposite, and any student who has taken a music or art course seriously would strongly agree. From the very beginning, a student is taught that there is no right and wrong, only their own interpretation of what something represents. People can look at Picasso and can see creative genius and beauty, or they can see a bunch of random colours. The same applies to every single form of music there is. Art hinges upon controversy and interpretation, and it could be no other way. The point is, the arts provoke limitless thought among the growing minds of high school students; in turn, this provides students with fresh, exciting, and, above all, original ideas. The results of these thoughts are increased awareness, and, as statistics have consistently shown, generally higher intellectual abilities. It’s no wonder that music students performing their SATs have consistently scored higher for each year of musical study. There is a reason why the Coalition for Music Education in Canada (CMEC) has adopted their slogan of “making music makes you smarter.” Mozart knew six languages, and Einstein played the violin.

One can conclude from the previous evidence and personal experience that the arts are not only valuable in school, but are valuable as life skills. They teach much, much more than what comes out of the teacher’s mouth; patience, independence, and dedication can not be taught by a teacher, but rather must be learned through the personal experiences which art so readily provides.

The solution to the problem of the balance of high school courses doesn’t lie in raising the minimum number of arts courses required to graduate. After all, just like math and science, some students just don’t get it. Rather, a reduction is needed in the required number of math and science courses. If high school students should be thinking for themselves, shouldn’t they be choosing courses for themselves also?

sary as the “specific pieces of the story chosen to tell the protagonist’s story to the film-going audience. The main plot of a film presents the set-up, progression, and resolution of the conflict between the protagonist and the

tured myself dealing this ignorant friend such a savage kick to the nuts that his eyes would shoot out of his head, and he would collapse in a bloody heap. And yet, I did not. And the reason why I did not is because,

antagonist.” Technically, one can argue that Sin City does have a plot. As one of my friends so aptly put it: “The hooker gets killed - that’s the conflict.

The guy gets pissed off and gets revenge by killing many, many people that’s the resolution.” In a flash, I pic-

unlike in Sin City, guys don’t just kick other guys in the balls for little to no reason. Not in Canada at least. They do not grab a child rapist who looks like a freaky version of Michael Jackson by the ding-dong and rip it off...twice!

(You need to see the movie to know

what I’m talking about, but, trust me, it’s not worth it).

I just know that after people read this article (if they read this article) I am going to have to contend with the legions of North Toronto fanatics who believe that Sin City is unequivocally as important to say, the crucifixion of Christ, Moses parting the Red Sea, the Star Wars trilogy, or even *gasp* Lord of the Rings.All I’m going to say is, maybe people should start going to see the movies that actually have something to say (Million Dollar Baby, Sideways) rather than movies that just look good. Or maybe you don’t care at all what I say.

Either way, it’s up to you.

Personally, I am never setting foot in a theatre again and shelling out my hardearned money to see such incoherent drivel! Not unless Austin Powers IV comes out, that is. I’ll see anything if it’s got Mike Myers in it. He’s such a delightful fellow!

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Fraîche Exposed NINA SHAAFI-KABIRI When one looks at a painting or a sculpture and “comprehends” the meaning behind the piece of art, could it be that he is merely deceiving himself? Can one truly feel and absorb an artist’s work the way it was intended? It may be argued that no audience can completely understand an artist’s work.

On the other hand, it may also be argued that the beauty of art is how the audience perceives and understands the work.

The senior artists at our school held a surprisingly conservative art show called “Fraîche” at the Todmorden Mills Museum. Incredible, a museum! However, the Ministry of Citizenship, Culture, and Tourism, who manages this museum, seems to have a different view of what a museum is.

Todmorden Mills’ location is off-putting; it looks as if it is located right in the heart of a jungle! Not only was it devastating to find the museum in this location, but it was twice as hard to tumble down the steep hill and climb back up. Despite the rather unusual location, most of the paintings and the sculptures were phenomenal.

Under the supervision of Ms. Chivilo and Ms. Withers, our senior students each worked tre-

mendously hard to put together a piece of art which represented them as an individual, or symbolized something they truly believed in. The presentation of the show was also amazing. Students hung up every painting themselves and set the statues carefully on pedestals. Many students had at least two pieces of

“A good painter has two main objects to paint, man and the intention of his soul.”

- Leonardo da Vinci artwork for display, and some even put their artwork up for sale.

The selling prices ranged from $50 to $300, and were on display from April 18th until May 2nd.

Almost all the artists were present on opening night and were appropriately attired. They had prepared refreshments (which were exceptionally delicious) and brochures for the guests. The brochure contained an introduction and a thank you page, and the rest were pictures of the artists and their work with a brief comment from each artist.

The show was spectacular and very professional. However, despite the time and the effort that was put into the works of the gallery, some of the works were rather primitive. The guests were able to easily distinguish between the A+ students, and the B- ones. Although every single piece was incredibly well thought out and imaginative, some were more certified than others.

Overall, our senior students’ efforts had a m a z i n g r e s u l t s . I t ’s great that our school focuses on activities other than sports and music once in a while. The parents, the principal, the teachers, and fellow schoolmates were all very proud of the artists.

Seniors, keep up the amazing work, and shine as bright as you can because each one of you has the potential to be the next Picasso.

Kingdom of Heaven from page 22

as they travel to Jerusalem to fight in the Crusades. Godfrey perishes before they reach Jerusalem and it is left to Ballian to serve as knight in Godrey’s place. When Ballian reaches the holy city there is an uncomfortable peace in place between the Christians and Muslims kept in place by the king (Edward Norton, barely recognizable as he is always masked) who is dying of leprosy. The king’s warmongering brother-in-law soon brings war to Jerusalem and it is left to Ballian to save the day.

Walking out of Kingdom of Heaven, I was torn; the film was adequate, but it could have been so much more. With a director like Scott and a cast that features talented, veteran actors like Liam Neeson (Kinsey) and Jeremy Irons (The Merchant of Venice), this film had potential, but lacked focus. The film is fine to begin with, but by the second half it comes down to a series of battles with little to tie them together. In addition, the audience is never quite sure of Ballian’s motivation; at first it seems he wishes to gain forgiveness for his wife by praying in Jerusalem, and then it seems he wishes to fight for a father he knew for mere days, then for the girl, then the people…what is this guy really fighting for? Furthermore, at one point in the film, Ballian is given a chance to bring peace by taking power, but he does not do so because it means an evil, powerhungry man would be killed. If Ballian cares so much for the people, as he repeatedly claims, why sacrifice their lives and his own happiness to preserve his own honour and moral up-rightness – is the needless death of thousands not worse?

I was also unsure how Bloom would do in such a role, but the British heart-throb probably showed the most acting ability he has in any role; although that isn’t hard given his many wooden performances of late. The acting is strong with good performances from much of the supporting cast, including David Thewlis (known for his role as Professor Lupin in the last Harry Potter film) as a monk and friend to Godfrey. I am also a bit partial to historically based films and this film does come at a good moment politically; with all of the fighting in Israel and the Middle East, the film’s message of showing tolerance to other cultures, couldn’t come at a better time.

Overall, Kingdom of Heaven is worth seeing; it’s an enjoyable film, broad and sweeping in nature and full of action, and although it is by no means a perfect film, at least this summer blockbuster has a tad more brains than most.

A Near Hit in Crash WILLIAM WALKER

Unlike most sprawling, character-based, vaguely interconnected movies set in Los Angeles (i.e. Grand Canyon, Magnolia, Short Cuts); Crash’s characters are all bound by one very obvious surface conflict: racism.

This is, as it turns out, a minor flaw, in that there is no subtlety to the film’s approach to racism.

While it can be argued that racism is a topic that people need to be beaten over the head with like a wet noodle, I prefer a subtler approach. With so many movies out there with issues they should strike more upon the nose, it’s unfortunate that such an obvious theme as racism contains very little finesse in its delivery. That said, the film houses very good performances, is technically accomplished, and is well served, usually, by Canadian Paul Haggis’ (writer of Million Dollar Baby) fine writing/directing job (Haggis cowrote the film with Paul Moresco).

As I mentioned earlier, Crash is set in present day Los Angeles in the days surrounding Christmas. All stories involve rising racial tensions.

The film has an obsessive need to point out the positive and negative aspects of practically every charac-

ter. This is okay, and a nice change of pace from most movies, but the point wears thin when such a thesis is applied to every character.

But, I digress: onto the plot threads. A white District Attorney and his wife (Brendan Fraser and Sandra Bullock) have their car sto-

member or criminal.

Another character, a bigoted white cop played by Matt Dillon, in the film’s best performance, pulls over a black television director and his wife (Terrence Howard, soon appearing in the Sundance hit Hustle and Flow, and

len by two philosophical, intelligent young black men (Larenz Tate and Ludacris). The same D.A.’s wife and an Iranian store owner (Shaun Toub) (to whom a gunstore owner will not sell a gun because he thinks he’s a terrorist) are both suspicious of their MexicanAmerican locksmith (Michael Pena) who, as it turns out, is a family man with a little girl, not a gang

Thandie Newton) having oral sex in their car, just because he thinks the wife is white. The cop gives the wife a grossly inappropriate fullbody search/fondle, while her husband and the cop’s partner (Ryan Phillippe) look on. Dillon’s cop is later on revealed to have an ailing father, for whom a black HMO worker will provide no assistance, fuelling his racist tendencies. In my

opinion, Dillon gives the most complete and believable performance, which is certainly one of, if not his best, performance since Drugstore Cowboy. Don Cheadle also plays a black cop having an affair with his Latina partner (Jennifer Esposito), who gets involved in the slayings of a number of black cops by a bigoted white cop.

These are almost all of the vignettes, although there are a few more. The movie could have done with one or two fewer plots, most notably the one involving the D.A. and another involving some Koreans (although the latter arc causes the necessary, if improbable, end for one of the characters). The different narratives collide and merge with each other, some more successfully than others, but the performances sell it. The often honest, painful dialogue is usually successful (except for the occasional groaner, like an Iraqi firefighter named Sadaam), and the film improves in its second half as the characters grow beyond their initially shallow racist banter.

The music and cinematography enhance the mood of the piece, with a slightly cold, metallic look and feel. Haggis keeps a good

reign on the film most of the way through, balancing drama and humour effectively. Some scenes that are supposed to have a large impact emotionally strike false, but not too often. The plot relies way too much on improbable coincidences, but the setup is good enough that the manipulative nature of the film doesn’t bother the viewer. As well, practically all movies of this type overuse the happenstance card.

While my review may sound fairly critical, as, indeed, the movie deserved, I still enjoyed the film. As far as the world of the movie extends, the premise supports it. Practically every conflict in the movie is spurred on by racism, and the movie does indeed do an admirable job in portraying how different races interact. I would have preferred a more complex approach to racism, but, then again, the issue itself isn’t a very deep one. In any case, the approach serves the movie’s message well enough in portraying the way people use racism as a blunt instrument to vent their fear and anger; a simplistic solution as there has ever been. Unfortunately, it’s true to the way a lot of people really do interact, and is also finely made and acted, which ultimately makes Crash worth seeing. In a world with so many movies about nothing of consequence, it’s nice to see a movie about an important issue that affects us all every day.

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XXX an inferiority complex because of it.

We were determined to find out, and what followed was an extensive study of the effects that pornographic images have on male and female youth. Our findings were almost completely unanimous.

Much to our surprise, all but two of those surveyed (out of 31 students) claimed that pornographic images did not make them feel intimidated or inferior, but instead more confident with sex. Why? Well, to quote a Grade 10 student, “It’s not everybody that looks like that. In fact, almost nobody does. I don’t feel bad about myself because I know that most people my age don’t look like that, so I have nothing to be ashamed about.”

In fact, one student went so far as to say that pornography made her feel more confident about herself and content with her physical appearance. “These women, they look so fake most of the time anyway. I’m the real deal. And plus, I don’t only watch porn ‘cuz it’s hot, I watch it to learn how sex is done. Now, whenever I start having sex, I’m going to know what to do and I’ll be ready for it. I might even use some of those old porn star moves (laughs).

Just kidding.” This evidence is a strong indication that pornography can play a healthy role in the lives of youth, if used with care and restraint. However, there are other instances when pornography can affect youth in far less positive ways.

Violence has unfortunately been an influence in the world of pornography for quite some time, but through the recent expansion of such media as the Internet and television, violence has become a more prominent issue of discussion in our society. While many deny the links between violent pornography and the application of this violence in real life, there has been an increase in evidence as of late to support this theory. Since the 1960s, research has been conducted to assess the effects of exposure to sexually explicit material, and while no definite conclusion can be made at this point, we can establish several key factors from prior research. In as-

sessing the potential dangers of pornography, a study conducted in 1997 by the Department of Psychology at Syracuse University focused on three major components: (a) the degree of explicitness, (b) whether the material also contains aggression, and (c) whether it depicts women in demeaning and degrading ways. They found that nearly all of the material depicted nudity and explicit sexual acts (“hard core”).

Less than 10% of the X-rated or hardcore material contained aggression, and very little of that aggression involved physical violence or rape (1%-3%). However, a much greater percentage of the explicit material (15%-33%), depicted men as more powerful than women or demeaned women in some other way. These results differ strongly from those attained by a survey conducted in July of last year by the National Coalition for the Protection of Children & Families. Though we could not find statistics about the percentage of hard-core pornography that exists today, statistics from the National Coalition for the protection of Children & Families did indicate that the percentage of rape and sexual assault acts vs. the population has increased significantly over the last five years, with over 25% of the female world population experiencing at least one act of sexual assault in the past. 67% of those were under 18.

How is this related to violence in pornography?

There have been several cases of those who committed sexual acts admitting afterwards that the viewing of violent pornographic materials played a significant role in their decision to commit sexual assault or rape. As well, there have been documented cases of youth viewing sexually violent materials and then attempting to imitate these acts, either through sexual activity or violence. An example of this took place in 1998, in the U.S. An 11-year-old boy had been looking at graphically violent porn on the Internet for about 20 minutes. Almost immediately afterwards, he stabbed his fellow 8-year-old classmate to

death. In the same year, a 13-year-old boy was in the Phoenix Burton Barr Library viewing porn on the Internet, he then followed a 4-year-old into the bathroom and asked the younger boy to give him oral sex. These links cannot be denied. In terms of the accessibility of pornography, Internet World stats indicated that, as of March 2005, there are 888 million users of the Internet, or 13.9% of the world population, up from 0.4% of the population ten years ago. Everyone knows that porn is the most popular and most-used material on the Internet. If you refer to Figure I, you’ll see that over half of those surveyed who watch porn access it via the Internet (56% guys, 50% girls). But what does all this mean? Sure, violence in pornography may have a negative effect on youth behaviour, but it is also useful in educating youth about sex and making them more comfortable in approaching it.

If we are to ever make a difference in violent sex crimes and the like, society as a whole has got to stop believing that the elimination of pornographic materials will somehow stop the “corruption of our youth” and decrease the number of sex crimes that take place. The Internet is not going anywhere, and porn isn’t going anywhere, so we have to find new ways of monitoring pornography and helping to educate youth, to discourage distorted images of sex and violence.

Sex and the School dents that are, shall we say “up to no good” – whether it be for a smoke or,

was surprised to hear of the other hotspots in the school: the foyer

Sex. Sex and school, or sex in school. Not something that generally comes to mind when I think of NT. NT, notorious for its excellence in every field – but public sexual acts- not so much.

Throughout high school, I have heard rumours of students engaging in sexual activity at school (and we’re not talking about the PDA you see in the halls – locker-make-out people, you know who you are). The most obvious and well-known location for these sexual acts being the infamous Stairway To Nowhere (which by the way does lead to somewhere…). Although I have never encountered evidence of sexual acts in this stairway, many students I have spoken to have (or know someone that has) found condoms, which would suggest Kieran Meyn that students are in fact engaging in sexual acts on school property.

Everyone knows that the Stairway apparently a quickie. The Stairway To To Nowhere is a popular place for stu- Nowhere is no surprise to me. However I

couch and backstage, specifically the catwalk behind the stage (I had

MOLLY SEGAL

no idea this place even existed).

I am skeptical of the foyer couch rumours. After all, isn’t somebody bound to see you there? There is always someone in or walking through t h e f o y e r. B e f o r e s c h o o l , d u r i n g school, after school. So really, when would anyone be able to get away with this?

That leaves the catwalk/backstage. I’ve heard rumours about Stage Crew – you know the ones I’m referring to, about what they really do. But, seeing as these are rumours, and rumours are more often untrue than true, these stories about Stage Crew are probably just that: stories.

All the same, I decided to ask a prominent Stage Crew member, who, since he/she would prefer to remain unnamed, we’ll call Member X. Member X’s initial response when asked about these rumours was “No comSchool Sex page 26

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Teen Sexual Revolution Hard-Core Truth or Adult Paranoia?

SYLVIA MAULE AND BOGDAN TUDOSE

the topic of sex in general.

You see a tan and nubile body in lacy stockings posed provocatively, with a hungry stare and desperate eyes. What could this be? It could be a myriad of things, none out of the ordinary. For example, it could be an ad, a music video, part of a new television show or movie, or maybe just a scene from the Paris Hilton sex tape. In the media sexual images dominate; and with the media constantly thrusting sex into public eye, it is going to lessen the impact and importance of sex. This is

It is common belief that teen relationships and attitudes towards sex are evolving. However, what are these changes, and why have they occurred?

What do teenagers and adults feel about this transformation? Critics abound but is this just the natural objections and paranoia that every young generation faces?

Teens only became the model for drastic change in society in the 1950s. Prior to that, they were known as young adults and had huge responsibilities such as helping out their families financially. Free time, and teenagers, did not yet exist. However, since the advent of the teenage rebel in the mid-fifties, teenshave been regarded by adults with shock and scorn for their rebellious survey sample: 95 people ways. Subsequently, each generation has had its youth Poll by Caitlin Emery uprising and revolt against standard norms. The 1960s one of the factors contributing to the curand 1970s were heavily influenced by the rent youth opinion towards sex. FurtherSexual Revolution. Barriers were broken more, there has never been easier access and sexual attitudes became more relaxed, to sexually explicit materials, from sources especially with the introduction of birth such as the internet. This also assists in control. How do past events affect teens eliminating puritan attitudes toward sex today? The sexual revolution was the beand relationships outside marriage. From ginning of mass sexual freedom in the west a teenage perspective, lenient attitudes, and acceptance of relationships outside the media blitz, and easy availability have marriage. It shapes the present generaresulted in sex being more casual and comtion’s views on relationships, and is remonplace than in the recent past. sponsible for overall casual reactions to

If teens are unmoved by sex, there seems to be little harm in that. Every generation changes in some way. Pundits are saying that these open and irresponsible views are negatively affecting teen relationships. A relationship no longer seems to involve emotions and personal connections. It is more about acting on impulse and having friends with sexual benefits. The basis of teenage relationships is deteriorating. Dates have become sexual escapades and secret liaisons, monogamy has become polygamy, and sex is not intimate and romantic - it is just another way to have fun. Welcome to this brave new world, and in the distance you can hear, “You say you want a revolution, we all want to change the world, you tell me that it’s evolution…”

Is this really the truth? Are teens really just younger versions of “Cosmo” women and playboys who do not value real relationships, and do not think of emotional consequences? According to most of the experts and the adult world, the answer to that question is yes. It is assumed from the media that the majority of teens also share this view, and a common belief is, “Isn’t almost everyone having sex, or having friends with benefits?” as Andrew, a grade 11 student, asks. However, the real answer is a far cry from the reckless abandonment and everyday sexual encounters perceived to be rampant among teens.

In reality, to the typical teen noth-

Not Even SEMI-Appropriate CHERYL JONES It was Friday morning, just a normal day at NT. I heard the announcements on Hot Air: “Semi, Semi, Semi!” The thought of going to the Semi ran through my head. “It’s your last Semi ever!” I kept telling myself. So, I decided, why not? I mean it was my last chance to go to a Semi, and how bad could it be?

(Throughout my four years at NT I have not heard good things about Semis, so I was quite hesitant!) Although I had my doubts, I figured I would just go, try to have a good time, and then at least I could say I didn’t avoid all my dances in high school. But to sum up my experiences at my first, and last, Semi at NT in one word, it would definitely be shocking!

As I was travelling to the Mod Club on Friday night with a bunch of my close friends, I forgot about all the negative feedback the Semi has received in the past, and decided to just have a good time. When we finally arrived, I was shocked by the number of teachers who were standing there when we walked in the front doors. I didn’t think that would be necessary at all, but I was soon proven wrong.

Once we all went through the coat check and showed our

tickets, we entered the dance floor. The moment I walked onto the dance floor my jaw dropped ! I couldn’t believe the sexual movements of so many of my peers.

The girls were grinding the boys like there was no tomorrow, and all the females seemed very willing to do whatever the boys wanted. Half of the people were obviously drunk, high, or both, which I was not expecting. The most surprising thing of all was that the students acting in the most inappropriate way were the juniors: the kids in grades 9 and 10 (FYI- they’re 14-16 years old!).

Now before you accuse me of being a party pooper and a prude, I just want to clarify the reason I think this behaviour is unacceptable. Actually, I don’t think the behaviour itself is unacceptable. I say to each her own; if you want to act a certain way that’s completely none of my, or anyone else’s, business. But I think acting in this manner at a high school Semi is just ridiculous. I mean, you know the rules. You know that teachers, the principal, and both the vice principals will be attending. You know that there is zero tolerance at all school Semis. So why would you act out this way?

I see it as a cry for attention. Why else would you act out at your high school dance? I think

that these juniors just see it as a way to attract attention or to be “popular.” I mean, everyone likes a rebel, right? To show up to the Semi drunk or high; that’s just stupid. You know it’s not allowed.

You know you will get in trouble.

So why do it? Why not just have your fun after the Semi, in private?

It completely baffles me.

I’m not the perfect student.

And I’m certainly not trying to pretend seniors are “better” or “superior” to the juniors in any way. I just don’t understand why the juniors have to be so obnoxious and act so “rebellious” at a school dance. I don’t want to say that the juniors are less confident or anything, because I don’t feel that way, I just don’t see why juniors feel they need to be noticed.

Let me spell it out for you plain and simple: you know the rules, why break them? Do you want to be “cool” or “rebellious”? Well let me tell you that you look pretty ridiculous to me.

I don’t see people acting like that in public clubs, and they’re much older. I just don’t understand why some people feel the need to act out amongst their peers. I guess I’ll never know. I do know one thing; I won’t be at NT for another Semi. And I’m certainly not crying about it!

ing is more sacred than a true relationship.

The evidence for this conclusion is found from polls asking students about their views on sex and relationships. Nobody who was surveyed undermined the value of a relationship. They are still a meaningful goal for most teenagers, and are taken seriously: “Most teenage relationships are about dating and finding your true love,” notes Edith, a grade 10 student. Despite the lack of teenage concern while discussing sex, “I don’t think it’s a big deal. Sex is our own choice and we should be aware of consequences,” says Sergei, an NTCI student. In other words, the stated indifference does not translate to actually engaging in sex. This introduces a whole new realm to the topic that encompasses the question of maturity, who you are as a person, and an expression of love. Cheating, and having multiple partners, is also not much of an issue because most teens would rather be loyal to one person, and they wish to avoid the emotional consequences that are synonymous with uncommitted relationships.

Cheating and having multiple partners is also shunned for being, “…dishonest, mean, and [taking] away the romance,” a grade 10 student points out. Moreover, most of the students surveyed had not had sex, and were not interested in engaging in any form of sexual activity in the next few months.

The upshot is that perception and reality are not always the same. One can argue with some confidence that people’s attitudes towards the issue have altered over time; however, one can also say that today’s views are sensible, hopeful, and as mature as at any time in the past. Thus, while today’s youth move in new directions they still retain values that have persisted over time.

School Sex from page 25 ment.”

This only led me to suspect that perhaps the rumours were true, but Member X soon changed its mind and added, “The rumours of which you speak are 100% false. Nothing of the sort has ever occurred and nothing of the sort occurs now.” Hmm, OK, well that’s reassuring. I guess.

Although no one seems to be able to place specific sexual acts at NT, it remains legend. Which makes me think that it might be happening to some extent, or happened at one time.

If it is, it disgusts me. Can’t students find a more private place to give into their “animal instincts”? How in any way is the foyer couch a turnon? (I still have trouble fathoming the foyer-couch rumour, but that’s Kieran Meyn

probably a good thing because I don’t want a visual).

Hopefully, I am right, and these are merely myths made up by students who have the inability to have a conversation and must instead make up and spread gossip through the student body.

And if I’m wrong, then all I have to say is: Get. A. Room.

That’s not in the school.

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One Snooze in Paris KASEY JI She’s famous. She’s rich. She’s in.

She even has one eye smaller than the other. It seems like Paris Hilton has it all.

Besides the hard work of being an heiress, she’s an “actress,” (yes! She is in a movie, with an actual role, and she actually acts), a jewelry designer (her work is sold on Amazon.com…watch out Tiffany’s), a “perfume developer” (that’s hot), a model (that’s…really not hot), and a “singer” (…no comment). Yes, after working so hard transferring Granddaddy’s millions into her own bank account, she has proved to the world that she is independent and multi-talented.

However, she does lack a certain ability, one which I think is essential in life. And no, I’m not referring to brains (at least, not in the books kind of way). It’s sex.

The first ten minutes of One Night in Paris are excruciatingly painful. When I open the file, I am greeted by Paris, all alone, doing her famous model stare; her teeth are clenched together, leaving her glossy lips slightly apart; her head is in that perfect angle where one of her eyes is staring provocatively at you and the other is desperately trying to open. Ah, the porn cover girl. She proceeds to try to enhance her cleavage by squeezing her 34A’s together. It does not work.

The second segment is shot in the

bedroom. Everything is green and blurry— you would think with that hard earned money, she’d spoil herself once in a while with a hi-tech camera. Eh, must’ve belonged to what’s-his-name. Rick Salomon (yeah…I don’t know who he is either)

starts this scene off preparing himself with a hopeful smile on his face. Little does he know that his hope is not going to be the only thing deflating that night. Finally, the

starlet decides to take over. Lying on the bed, Paris welcomes Rick. At last, the moment he has been waiting for! Though Rick is not well endowed, he tries his hardest.

However, his modest anatomy just cannot compete with Paris’ love for the camera. I watch as the poor guy tries with all his might, while all Paris does is her model stare, this time rotating her head about, experimenting with different angles. Her photo shoot is only interrupted when Rick suggests a change of position. But no matter what position, missionary or churning, Paris maintains a stone face, as if she doesn’t feel a thing.

Just when I think this ghastly experience cannot get worse, the phone rings. With total socialite behaviour, she looks stimulated by the thought of a chance to chat about her meaningful life. She just can’t wait. Immediately, she shoves Rick off. Wow, is he really that bad?

After many gruesome minutes of giving his best effort, to no avail, Rick finally decides to put Paris to work. Getting down on her knees, Paris weakly attempts to put her pretty head to use. She approaches his best friend like a five year old ap-

proaches a lollipop, but with less enthusiasm. Now it is Rick’s turn to be bored.

His paralyzed face is only revived when he lets out a screeching “OW B****!”— he discovers that Paris has teeth.

For those of you who gave One Night in Paris two thumbs up, chances are your thumbs were the only things that were up. “It was boring and bad,” says a grade 10 student, “Just like the Simple Life.” One can’t deny that her moves lack variety and she could do with a little more flexibility. And when asked about Rick’s performance, “Uh…who’s Rick?”

Not only does Paris’ porn flick bore the hell out of me, but it makes me feel sorry for her. She degraded herself to the level of a pornstar, having sex neither for love nor even for personal pleasure. But even pornstars don’t have to sue for their salary (a measly $100,000 –well, you earn what you get). Who would fathom that Paris Hilton, a girl of millions of dollars and adoring fans, would stoop to such a level where one has sex for the sake of fulfilling the girlfriend role, for the sake of relieving boredom, for the sake of attempting to ascend to star status from just a nameless beneficiary?

Paris is obviously no Lisa Lippps.

Watching Paris’ hooky nose and concave ass, as well as listening to her giggles escalating eight octaves high, you’re kind of glad that the movie is in night vision.

So for those who do not have hi-speed internet, I strongly advise you to avoid this horrific experience—it’s just not worth the megabytes. Instead, I think you’d find her book much more stimulating. “Chapter one: how to become an heiress. Step one: choose your genes, step two…”

Archie comics just wouldn’t be the same without a bonafide nerd.

Hence we meet Dilton, the short, dateless, glasses-wearing science geek Mr. Kino would just looove to have on his robotics team. But since his only friends are those he lets copy off his homework, he turns to something else to bring fulfillment. His computer. There’s the World Wide Web out there, Dilton’s playground, in which he earns a living off of hacking into Mr. Weatherbee’s computer to ‘correct’ Veronica’s failing grades. But what does he do when the work is done?

It’s his alter-ego “Web-Cam Guy’s” time to shine. Nothing can boost his self-esteem like a good digital get-down with ‘SuGaMaMa69.’

Enough said.

Something’s bound to go wrong when you’re as rich as Mr. Lodge: namely your children. Veronica is one of those girls you see walking down the hall, about whom you can’t decide whether you want to be them or murder them by the cruelest means possible. But in real life, no one has it that good without some skeletons in their closet. Being the most beautiful girl in Riverdale, it’s hard not to wonder where she got those pouty lips, perky breasts, and flawless nose. Certainly not from mom or ‘daddykins,’ but rather a sweet sixteen present performed by the entire cast of her favourite TV show “The Swan.” It’s true that money can’t buy happiness, but it sure can buy a smokin’ body, tons of friends, anything with a price tag, and an abortion for little Archie Jr. Chances are she’ll get bored of ruining Betty’s life, cleaning out her dad’s wallet, and sucking down caviar, so she’ll end up pulling a Winona Ryder and turn to shoplifting batteries from Riverdale Mall for a cheap thrill.

Let’s gather the evidence. He wears a crown. Who else wears crowns?

Queens! He’s conveyed only disgust for the female sex, especially Big Ethel (but who can blame him?). He closets away his feelings by eating like a fat kid in a candy store. He has always expressed a certain amount of resentment towards the girls Archie dates, as if wishing he were them...well, maybe he does! Let’s face it folks, Jughead’s gay!

MOOSE MASON BETTY COOPER

DILTON DOILEY

The face. Those eyes. That checkerboard red hair. There is no mistaking the likeness of seventeen-year-old Archie. He could have any girl of his choice…and he does. He is constantly switching between the rich and refined vixen brunette, Veronica Lodge, and the poor, athletic, blonde, girl next door, Betty Cooper. A guy with that much charm can’t stay celibate for more than 12 hours at a time without getting the shakes. He would be with a different chick every weekend and all of this promiscuity would lead to Archie destroying his life. By the time he finishes high school, he’ll have countless numbers of offspring from many nights of wild, unprotected sex. Ever wonder why he’s constantly broke? Let’s take into consideration the cost of child support these days. He’ll get a job flippin’ burgers at Pop Tate’s Chock’lit Shoppe, and spend his days remembering when life was so simple.

“bIG” ETHEL MUGGS

What is it about Riverdale that has enraptured youths since the mid-1900’s?

You’d think, seeing as a third of Archie comics are sold in Canada, that we as Canadians would have identified with some of the gang. Not really.

Not a single one of the vacant stereotypes bears the slightest resemblance to a real person. Even though all of us are acquainted with nerds, jocks, rich snobs, and girl crazy lovemachines, none of those personalities comes without its complications. If Betty and Veronica were real people what would they be like? Can Archie get away with his promiscuous ways? And why are Moose’s muscles so big? Let’s take a look and enter the not-so-magical world of Riverdale High.

VERONICA LODGE

LAURA COLGROVE JOHANNA QUERENGESSER

JUGHEAD

ARCHIE AND THE GANG GROW UP!

ARCHIE

ANDREWS

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Though he may be Riverdale High’s most intellectually challenged student (mistaking F’s on his report cards for Fantastic), Moose gains respect by being Riverdale’s number one athlete. He depends on those bulging muscles for everything from football to keeping his frisky girlfriend Midge out of Reggie Mantle’s pants.

Maybe she’s going somewhere else for a reason...Ever wonder if maybe Moose’s size is compensating for something? And why that ‘something’ needs to be compensated for? Steroids, DUH! The hormonal imbalance created by his constant pill popping’ might explain why he should be in jail for manslaughter. Rest in Peace Reggie.

Something that bothers almost every Archie fan is the mistreatment of the comic’s sweetest, purest girl-next-door, Betty. She’s never had any exposure to the world outside of her parents’ protective watch, and she is cruelly ignored by Archie, who is caught up in her seemingly best friend. A picture-perfect Riverdale girl might be able to deal with this situation, but a real person can’t.

Actual teenagers who are treated like children feel the need to do the opposite of whatever their parents advise. Parents compliment her long, blonde tresses; she immediately runs out and buys a bottle of brimstone-black hair-dye. In a fit of teenage rebellion, Betty becomes a drugged out Goth who skips out of class to smoke weed in the washroom. She obsesses over Archie’s lack of satisfaction, finding only her waistline to blame. So she becomes bulimic, and ends up ruining the plumbing at the Chock’lit Shoppe from constantly horking-up after every malt and banana split.

You know a character is doomed when they’re introduced as a foil for Jughead. Ethel is a disaster of bad looks and bad luck, probably resulting from the lazy artists who got ticked off with having to draw her differently from the same mold of every other female in the comics. Boy chasing in Riverdale seems so harmless and innocent, even to Ethel’s extent. But in reality, Jughead would be well advised never to leave home without his trusty pepper spray.

Sure, it started out as a little crush; a few pictures in her locker, but it didn’t stop there: An online shrine, murals in art class, a couple of videos from the boys’ change room, not only capturing Jughead on film, but also Moose’s ‘little’ secret. Ethel will always love Jughead, but from a distance. 200 feet to be exact.

So with Archie pushing a stroller, Veronica running from the cops, and Jughead out of the closet…Egad! Who knows what adventures the future holds?