Vol 35 issue 1

The Voice of the University of Toronto at Mississauga

MEDIUM THE

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2008

VOLUME 35, ISSUE 1

TIFF preview

www.mediumonline.ca

The cycling master plan

Canada reviewed: Beijing 2008

page 8

page 11

page 5

From camp to campus MEREDITH LILLY NEWS EDITOR Students at UTM will welcome a new student from Kenya this fall. Muno Mohammed is the second student to arrive at UTM through the Student Refugee Program coordinated by the World University Service of Canada (WUSC).

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the cross-Canada refugee sponsorship program. The program has sponsored 1,000 refugee students since 1978.

In a press release from WUSC celebrating their 30th anniversary, Executive Director Paul Davidson elaborated on plans to mark the milestone: “in 2008, we’re looking to expand our development work in Afghanistan, Asia and Africa with innovative projects like our vocational training program for widows in Kabul. At the same time, we’re enhancing the educational part of WUSC’s mandate with exciting events like the first-ever Refugee Student Seminar in Kenya.”

The project at UTM is spearheaded

by Saaliha Malik, the student union’s vice president equity, Jane Ngobia, UTM’s diversity, equity & leadership officer, Mohammed Hashim, the student union’s executive director and WUSC coordinators Zaynab Ahdab and Solomon Negash.

“I am thankful for the administration’s support with the Student Refugee Program. We are lucky because they have waived tuition fees for one year, provided residence accommodation and a meal plan for the academic year,” says Malik. “Every student, whether they

have time to volunteer or not, is part of this program. Every student pays a levy of $0.61 per semester totaling to $1.22 a year which goes toward the student refugee program at UTM.” UTM has a long history of accommodating refugee students. The first student, Abel Mitiku Wako, came from Ethiopia in the 1983-84 school year.

The cooperation of the entire UTM community has proved to be central to the success of each student, with faculty members making generous donations to the incoming students to ensure that their needs are met.

UTM from Kenya through the WUSC program. A referendum in March 2007 gained student approval for the levy, which provides $25,000 to go towards financing Jelle’s education.

Malik notes that “the student levy covers about half of the costs associated with sponsoring a student. In order to continue this program we need to fundraise about $12,000 this year. We have plans to do this and all we need is

a group of strong volunteers who wish to be part of a life changing project.”

There are many ways for interested students to get involved, Malik states that “in terms of volunteer opportunities, what this program really needs are committee members to make it sustainable. We need a group of people who are willing to work on this program and be part of organizing awareness events such as the Student Refugee Awareness

Week that we are organizing this upcoming year.”

As for working with WUSC, Malik had nothing but good things to say: “WUSC is made up of amazing people around Canada whose mission is to foster human development and global understanding through education and training. They are incredible to work with and provide great support to local committees who need resources.”

“Every student, whether they have time to volunteer or not, is part of this program. Every student pays a levy of $0.61 per semester totaling to $1.22 a year which goes toward the student refugee program at UTM.” - Saaliha Malik, UTMSU VP Equity “We have had individual faculty members that have donated household items, kitchen utensils bedding, and we have had a monetary donation made as well. This is really a project that relies on the support of the UTM community which we have been fortunate to have,” says Malik.

Last year, Abdinoor Jelle came to

Photo /UTMSU

Anti-Calendar returns to UTM MEREDITH LILLY NEWS EDITOR After going without an AntiCalendar since its last publication in 2005, UTM students can look forward to a double dose of information this year with the release of both the 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 Calendars.

In cooperation with the Office of the Dean, the Anti-Calendar is c o m p i l e d b y t h e University of Toronto Misssissauga Student Union’s (UTMSU) VP of University Affairs and Academics. The Anti-Calendar is a list of courses rated by students who have taken the class the year before.

The data is collected from the

results of the course evaluations administered in class every year.

The Anti-Calendar, first introduced to UTM in 1987, should inspire students to provide thoughtful evaluations for the benefit of next year’s students.

The 2007/2008 reviews are currently posted online at the UTMSU website. These ratings are compiled from the responses of students who took the course in the 2006/2007 school year.

Marijana Josifovska, UTMSU’s university affairs and academics vice-president promises a new and improved version to be posted sometime within the next two months compiled from last year’s student reviews, along with a new UTMSU website. “The new Anti-

Calendar will be better organized and have a clearer layout,” declares Josifovska.

Students struggling to interpret the 2007/2008 calen dar will be interested to learn the methodology behind the reviews. “The course enrollment is the number of students who were enrolled in the course. Percent response is the percentage of students enrolled in the course who completed the course evaluations. The numbers in the tables represent the percentage, not the total number of respondents.

Only the most relevant questions from the course evaluations that relate to the instructor and course are included in the Anti Calendar” explains Josifovska.

Though useful, the Anti-Calendar has

its limitations. Intended to supplement, not replace, the traditional course calendar, Josifovska makes it clear that “The Anti-Calendar is meant to capture an honest account, from other students, concerning the courses offered at UTM. It is meant to be an additional resource and tool; not a primary utensil for making decision regarding courses.”

Thirteen out of fifteen academic departments are represented in the Anti-Calendar, contingent on the permission of the department.

Those taking courses in Political Science, French, German and Italian do not have access to reviews from past students.

The calendar compiled by last year’s student union was not ready in time for students to use while

selecting their courses. The calendar was made available this year.

Josifovska cites the amount of data processed as a challenge in compiling the Calendar. “Producing an Anti-Calendar requires an immense amount of time for data entry.

There are hundreds of pages from the various academic departments and all their courses that must be reviewed.”

Students overwhelmed by this year’s course offerings can benefit from the thoughtful evaluations made my students in years past and the hours of data entry that go into producing the calendar. They can now use the information available to make the most of their term and plan better towards building an exceptional class schedule.

2 THE MEDIUM

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

THE MEDIUM

NEWS

3

Meet your new vp campus life MEREDITH LILLY NEWS EDITOR

The University of Toronto at Mississauga Student Union (UTMSU) welcomed former Chinese Students’ Association President Johnny Ho to the executive council this summer as VP campus life.

The only UTMSU VP to join the executive unelected, Ho has big plans to share with the students he is now representing. VP campus life is responsible for a significant part of the student experience, with clubs, orientation week and events all under Ho’s jurisdiction.

Club leaders can look forward to working closely with Ho, who is in charge of club recognition, funding, coordinating office space and addressing any concerns club leaders have in organizing activities on campus. Ho is excited to be involved with clubs, which he claims is a top priority of his Campus Life position. A fifty percent increase in club funding means more funds to distribute and more events to manage.

A new Campus Life associate,

Steffi Huynh, and Club Coordinator Kenny Lee have been hired by UTMSU to make sure club executives have a helping hand whenever needed. Gary Li has also been hired to assist the new VP in the events aspect of his position.

“Though we are students and studies should be our first priority, we are also young people who need to have fun once in a while.”

- Johnny Ho, UTMSU VP Campus Life Ho wishes to improve communication between clubs and UTMSU. Thus far, he has been instrumental in establishing an online system where club executives can stay informed with news, meetings and status updates.

As the UTMSU VP who manages orientation, Ho oversees “two wonderful and experienced orientation coordinators,” Lester

Carreon and Ishani Sharma, and is confident that this year’s orientation week will be “the best ever.”

“Throughout the year, events will be held to spice up the dull environment of studying and working” says Ho. “Though we are students and studies should be our first priority, we are also young people who need to have fun once in a while.”

Ho has a busy schedule planned for UTM students who want to have a good time on campus.

“When fall hits, I will be busy planning for Clubs Week, and all the other events that come along afterwards. In September, it is Pub Nights. In October, Halloween will arrive. So it will be event after event for me, but luckily I have foreseen that and have planned ahead for it.”

Ultimately, Ho’s goal as VP Campus Life is to make sure each student feels plugged-in to UTM. “Some students may think helping the union is not worth their time, but this year, I would like to promote to all students that getting involve with the union is actually a good experience that you will never get anywhere else.”

Photo/Matthew Filipowich

VP Campus Life Johnny Ho relaxes on a pile of frosh kits.

MuslimFest a success

Money for students

LUJAYN ALI

MEREDITH LILLY NEWS EDITOR

August 9 and 10 marked MuslimFest’s fifth anniversary. Despite the rain, thousands of individuals gathered at the Mississauga Civic and Library Squares to enjoy North America’s largest Islamic culture festival.

MuslimFest is a “My Mississauga Signature” event and one of Ontario’s top 100 festivals. This year, to keep up with its rising popularity, MuslimFest was extended to fill two full days.

Saturday’s events featured an outdoor stage, a multicultural bazaar and an international arts exhibit. Pony rides, puppet shows and the Fun Village delighted the children and

kept them busy with games, rides and competitions.

The Rising Talent outdoor stage featured promising local performers from across the GTA. Singers, dancers, spoken word artists, poets and actors all performed for the enthusiastic audience.

Several internationally acclaimed artists displayed their unique talents as well. Mohammad Ali, better known as “Aerosol Arabic” skillfully painted a mural while the rain poured. The flawless piece of Arabic-inspired urban art read “Al Ukhuwa,” or “Brotherhood” in Arabic.

Cultural delicacies were available for all attendees at MuslimFest’s international food court. Attendees of

Photo Source/Lujayn Ali

People from across North America enjoy a sunny moment outside at Mississauga MuslimFest..

all ages indulged in a wide array of delicious meals from across the globe.

August 10 launched the much anticipated indoor Flare of Flair Show at the Living Arts Center’s Hammerson Hall. The concert was hosted by acclaimed comedian Preacher Moss who entertained guests alongside renowned artists from across the world.

Mainstream artist Tyson Amir and singer Khaleel Mohammad sang a modern collaboration of hip-hop, soul and funk. Dawod Wharnsby with Idrees Phillips kept the massive crowds smiling with their Celtic and folk bang. Comedian Mo Amer entertained the crowd with his lighthearted jokes, while Spoken Word artist Sofia Baig delivered an emotional performance of original poetry.

MuslimFest attracted over 7000 people from all over Canada and the United States. “The objective of Muslimfest this year was to inspire and encourage our youth to engage in positive and artistic outlets, in hopes of extinguishing rising youth violence” said Mariam Munawar, MuslimFest’s publicity manager and graduate of the University of Toronto at Mississauga.

“Last year was so much fun, and knowing that this year’s Muslimfest was scheduled to be two days long, I just couldn’t miss it,” commented Tariq Tayyab, an annual attendant of MuslimFest. “Every year, MuslimFest surprises me; it just keeps getting bigger and better. I am definitely going to be attending again next year, wherever it is, rain or shine,” added Tayyab.

The Federal government has announced a new student grant program and s t u d e n t l o an r e p a y m e n t p l a n t o make education more accessible.

According to an August 25 Government of Canada press release, students can expect “a new up-front Canada Student Grant of $250 per month for students from low-income families and $100 per month for students from middleincome families, and greater support for students with permanent disabilities.”

Changes to the student loan application will make the process easier to navigate for all potential recipients.

Any applicant to the Canada Student Loan program will be automatically considered to receive the grants appropriate to their situation.

Fourth-year students concerned with making ends meet once they complete their studies at UTM will welcome a new income-based loan repayment method, which ensure that no more than 20 per cent of the borrower’s income will be demanded. All student loan debt will be void after a period of 15 years.

4 THE MEDIUM

Letter to the Editor EDITORIAL

Opinion Ali Kasim, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | editor@mediumonline.ca www.mediumonline.ca

EDITORIAL Watching the Olympic Games over the last month, I was in awe of just how many World and Olympic records were constantly being broken, day after day, sport after sport. Right after he won his eighth gold medal, many were already labelling Michael Phelps as the greatest Olympian ever. That’s a fair argument – it’s no easy feat bettering the record of seven gold medals won by American swimmer Mark Spitz in Munich 1972. I couldn’t help but wonder though, if the same people were throwing the same superlatives at Spitz thirty-six years ago.

And if they did, did they think there would ever be anyone who could better that record?

Earlier in the day, as I walked into the student centre, I noticed hundreds of froshies lining up for registration, their frosh leaders all around, yelling out cheers for everyone to learn and follow. I glanced at all the first-years, all of them fresh out of high school with no clue what to expect. Some of them looked bewildered, many of them appeared nervous. And then I started to recognize everything. It all seemed familiar, as if I’ve witnessed this very same scene before. And I had – three years ago. Back then, it was today’s frosh leaders as the anxious and nervous first-years. I wonder if they ever thought at the time, that years later they’d be the one at the head of the line, running the show.

I enrolled at this university three years ago. I remember the first day I walked into The Medium office, with no idea how things worked and no idea if I was even good enough to have my work published. Like any volunteer writer I started out slow, learning and improving as I went from article to article. I remember observing Julie Tyios, editor-in-chief at the time, as she edited every sentence, argued with union leaders, managed the office, and ran the entire show. o way could I cope with all that, I used to think. I was content with just writing film reviews.

Two years later, today, I sit here at what was once Julie’s desk, as editor-inchief, writing my first editorial in the first issue of 2008-09. Who would have thought? I certainly didn’t.

I’m not the only one stepping into new and important shoes. Wasah Malik, your student union president, has some big shoes to fill as well. Before him, Walied Khogali set the groundwork for many and new initiatives on campus such as the U-pass, more study space on campus, a new and improved Blind Duck Pub and a more functional student centre. As Mr. Malik begins his new and important adventure, I wonder if he ever imagined himself where he is now.

My message to all first-year students is this: ask yourself where you want to be three or four years from now. Maybe you’re into politics and you want to make a change. I urge you then, just like former UTSU vice-president Vlad Glebov already has in his letter to the editor, to venture into the students’ union office and see what’s in store for you. Maybe you want to excel in sports and help the struggling UTM Eagles in the intramurals. The new Recreation, Athletics and Wellness Centre (RAWC) is located right behind the South Building. I urge you to read Jack Krist’s letter on page ten to find out more about try-outs. Maybe you love Frosh week more than anything else and want to be a frosh leader someday. Ask your frosh leader at the end of the week how you can get involved next year. Or maybe you’re an aspiring writer or journalist. The Medium office is always open to new volunteers. Who knows, maybe in only a year’s time you’ll be one of the newspaper’s four section editors.

Whatever it is you’re into, ask yourself now, and work on it from day one, which is the first day of school. And if you’re ever in doubt of whether or not you can emulate or even better the person before you, think of Mark Spitz. Then think of Michael Phelps.

Whose Campus? Our Campus!

Those of you that wisely chose to have the best time of your life at UTM's Orientation week should be able to recite that cheer as a reflex. It serves as a symbol to highlight a key difference between high school and university.

Some of you might already have an impression about college based on a dozen drunken college movies where life in post-secondary education looks more like a transitional institution for future Addicts Anonymous (AA) participants. In reality, if you don't adjust to the higher standards and find the time to study, you'll quickly find yourself on academic probation. Let’s not forget, you are attending UTM, not York or Ryerson.

Aside from spending nights at the library and going wild at one of the Blind Duck parties, there is one more real life course that you can take within UTM's sheltered universe. It involves getting active within your student union and campus clubs. In fact, students like you have been making change at UTM for decades. Most recently, your predecessors worked hard to ensure that you have a Universal Mississauga Transit Pass, health & dental coverage, used

book exchange, child care, student centre, Blind Duck Pub, 24-hour library, additional bus routes, and a united student union. Challenges build character and UTM is a good place to test your own capabilities. One key fight that continues to be waged is the struggle for accessible education, specifically the reduction of tuition fees. It is something you are going to hear a lot more about with the upcoming Student Day of Action on the 5th of November.

If you are looking to make the world a better place, create new friendships, or just get some experience, there is no shortage of opportunity. The UTMSU office in the student centre should be the first stop on your list of places to check out. Joining a campus club that interests you should be your next move.

Traditional rants on “getting involved” and cliché slogans of "be the change" can sometimes seem like a chore, but trust me, university is the real deal.

You'll have the opportunity to make real change and learn about yourself along the way. On that note, I should also give a word of caution to the wise: getting active is fun but it can become pretty easy to get carried away so practice

IMy first blurb and i never really got a change to write it. Fuck it. 25 issues left anyway. Good thing Meredith wrote a little before she went home last night. Here’s her brain-dumpings: Fashion tip for fall: whatever you wear, skip the bedazzler. There is such a thing as too much glitter on campus during the day. You are blinding me. In a bad way. I hope you haven't been eating lunch meat. That stuff will kill you. It will kill you faster than smoking, drinking, or eating foods you are accustomed to eating. Wine is good though, helps your heart. Oh, and if you are traveling, skip New Orleans. Gustav is coming to get you. Weather is dangerous. Be very afraid. All you politicos must be gearing up for a campaign. It is coming. The Feds are nervous. If you're not a politico, you must be thinking about... Michael Jackson's birthday. The man is turning fifty. Inspiring, no? Oprah should get him on her show for one of those Dr. Oz things, where everyone learns how to double their lifespan.

THE

MEDIUM 3359 Mississauga Road, Room 200, Student Centre, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6 Phone: 905.828.5260 | Fax: 905.828.5402 | Advertising: 905.828.5379 E-mail editor@mediumonline.ca | Website: www.mediumonline.ca

Board of Directors Christine Capewell, Jane Ngobia, Isa Cunanan, Raji Aujla, Laura Gaspini, Umeimah Bastaki, Bhagyashi Bhandakkar, Julie Tyios

In student solidarity, Vlad Glebov www.vladglebov.com

Write for us!

There are plenty of opportunities available for you to pad your resume.

Email Ali at editor@mediumonline.ca

- Michael Jordan

Ali Kasim

those time management skills and always make academics your top priority.

UTM is your chance to start over.

High school culture and cliques are now forever gone. Most of you might not know anyone entering into your first year; that's normal. But don't hesitate to meet new people or be too shy to say hello to someone, because they are probably in the same boat as you are. You have a chance to start afresh so go ahead and feel liberated.

As a last point, we end where we begun. We say this is our campus because your presence, whatever it may be, will shape UTM's collective future.

It's our campus because you have an opportunity to build on the successes of those before you. It's our campus because when you end your journey of self-exploration and higher learning, UTM will always be a part of you.

Sudoku

“No matter how good you are, there will always be someone better.”

Yours,

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

EDITORIAL Please write to:editor@mediumonline.ca Letters to the editor will be edited for spelling, grammar, style, and coherence.

Letters will not exceed 500 words in print. Letters that incite hatred, violence or letters that are racist, homophobic, sexist, or libelous will not be published.

Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters and and other editorial materials reflect opinions of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, staff, volunteers, or Board of Directors of The Medium. In other words, just because we print it doesn’t necessarily mean we agree with it.

Submission does not guarantee publication. Submission of materials to The Medium presumes the writer has read, and agrees with, this policy.

Editor-in-Chief Ali Kasim

Composite Editor Matthew Filipowich

News Editor Meredith Lilly

Copy Editor Shelley Bahorie

Features Editor Andrew Hamilton-Smith

Distribution Manager Ali Kasim

Arts & Entertainment Editor Michael Di Leo

Business Manager Romano Bergic

Sports Editor Christopher Sa’d

Webmaster TBA

Photography Editor Matthew Filipowich

or drop by The Medium office (Student Centre, Room 200) at any time to speak with one of the section editors.

The Medium is looking for Assistant Editors for all four sections - News, Features, Arts, Sports. If you have been writing for us the past year or so, and want to be part of the team, let us know. Email your section editors or the Editor-in-chief with your cover letter, resume, and some writing samples.

4 THE MEDIUM

Letter to the Editor EDITORIAL

Opinion Ali Kasim, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | editor@mediumonline.ca www.mediumonline.ca

EDITORIAL

Watching the Olympic Games over the last month, I was in awe of just how many world and Olympic records were constantly being broken, day after day, sport after sport. Right after he won his eighth gold medal, many were already labelling Michael Phelps as the greatest Olympian ever. That’s a fair argument – it’s no easy feat beating the record of seven gold medals won by American swimmer Mark Spitz in Munich 1972. I couldn’t help but wonder though, if the same people were throwing the same superlatives at Spitz thirty-six years ago. And if they did, did they think there would ever be anyone who could beat that record?

Earlier in the day, as I walked into the Student Centre, I noticed hundreds of froshies lining up for registration, their frosh leaders all around, yelling out cheers for everyone to learn and follow. I glanced at all the first-years, most of them fresh out of high school with no clue what to expect. Some of them looked bewildered, many of them appeared nervous. And then I started to recognize everything. It all seemed familiar, as if I’ve witnessed this very same scene before. And I had – three years ago. Back then, it was today’s frosh leaders as the anxious and nervous first-years. I wonder if they ever thought at the time, that years later they’d be the one at the head of the line, running the show.

I enrolled at this university three years ago. I remember the first day I walked into The Medium office, with no idea how things worked and no idea if I was even good enough to have my work published. Like any volunteer writer I started out slow, learning and improving as I went from article to article. I remember observing Julie Tyios, then editor-inchief at the time, as she edited every sentence, argued with union leaders, managed the office, and ran the entire show. No way could I cope with all that, I used to think. I was content with just writing film reviews.

Two years later, today, I sit here at what was once Julie’s desk, as editor-in-chief, writing my first editorial in the first issue of 2008-09. Who would have thought? I certainly didn’t.

I’m not the only one stepping into new and important shoes. Below The Medium office is where the UTM Students’ Union office is. Wasah Malik, your student union president, has some big shoes to fill as well.

Before him, Walied Khogali set the groundwork for many initiatives on campus, such as the U-pass, an increase to study space, a new and improved Blind Duck and a more functional Student Centre. As Mr. Malik begins his new and important adventure, I wonder if he ever imagined himself where he is now.

My message to all first-year students is this: ask yourself where you want to be three or four years from now. Maybe you’re into politics and you want to make a change. I urge you then to venture into the students’ union office and see what’s in store for you. Maybe you want excel in sports and play for the UTM Eagles in the intramurals. The new Recreation, Athletics and Wellness Centre (RAWC) is located right behind the South Building. I urge you to read Jack Krist’s letter on page ten to find out more about try-outs. Maybe you love Frosh Week more than anything else and want to be a frosh leader someday. Ask your frosh leader at the end of the week how you can get involved next year.

Or maybe you’re an aspiring writer or journalist. The Medium office is always open to new volunteers. Who knows, maybe in only a year’s time you’ll be one of the newspaper’s editors.

Whatever it is you’re into, ask yourself now, and work on it from day one. And if you’re ever in doubt of whether or not you can emulate or even better the first person, think of Mark Spitz. Then think of Michael Phelps.

Yours,

Ali Kasim

IMy first blurb and i never really got a change to write it. Fuck it. 25 issues left anyway. Good thing Meredith wrote a little before she went home last night. Here’s her brain-dumpings: Fashion tip for fall: whatever you wear, skip the bedazzler. There is such a thing as too much glitter on campus during the day. You are blinding me. In a bad way. I hope you haven't been eating lunch meat. That stuff will kill you. It will kill you faster than smoking, drinking, or eating foods you are accustomed to eating. Wine is good though, helps your heart. Oh, and if you are traveling, skip New Orleans. Gustav is coming to get you. Weather is dangerous. Be very afraid. All you politicos must be gearing up for a campaign. It is coming. The Feds are nervous. If you're not a politico, you must be thinking about... Michael Jackson's birthday. The man is turning fifty. Inspiring, no? Oprah should get him on her show for one of those Dr. Oz things, where everyone learns how to double their lifespan.

THE

MEDIUM 3359 Mississauga Road, Room 200, Student Centre, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6 Phone: 905.828.5260 | Fax: 905.828.5402 | Advertising: 905.828.5379 E-mail editor@mediumonline.ca | Website: www.mediumonline.ca

Board of Directors Christine Capewell, Jane Ngobia, Isa Cunanan, Raji Aujla, Laura Gaspini, Umeimah Bastaki, Bhagyashi Bhandakkar, Julie Tyios

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Whose Campus? Our Campus!

Those of you that wisely chose to have the best time of your life at UTM's Orientation week should be able to recite that cheer as a reflex. It serves as a symbol to highlight a key difference between high school and university.

Some of you might already have an impression about college based on a dozen drunken college movies where life in post-secondary education looks more like a transitional institution for future Addicts Anonymous (AA) participants. In reality, if you don't adjust to the higher standards and find the time to study, you'll quickly find yourself on academic probation. Let’s not forget, you are attending UTM, not York or Ryerson.

Aside from spending nights at the library and going wild at one of the Blind Duck parties, there is one more real life course that you can take within UTM's sheltered universe. It involves getting active within your student union and campus clubs. In fact, students like you have been making change at UTM for decades. Most recently, your predecessors worked hard to ensure that you have a Universal Mississauga Transit Pass, health & dental coverage, used

book exchange, child care, student centre, Blind Duck Pub, 24-hour library, additional bus routes, and a united student union. Challenges build character and UTM is a good place to test your own capabilities. One key fight that continues to be waged is the struggle for accessible education, specifically the reduction of tuition fees. It is something you are going to hear a lot more about with the upcoming Student Day of Action on the 5th of November.

If you are looking to make the world a better place, create new friendships, or just get some experience, there is no shortage of opportunity. The UTMSU office in the student centre should be the first stop on your list of places to check out. Joining a campus club that interests you should be your next move.

Traditional rants on “getting involved” and cliché slogans of "be the change" can sometimes seem like a chore, but trust me, university is the real deal.

You'll have the opportunity to make real change and learn about yourself along the way. On that note, I should also give a word of caution to the wise: getting active is fun but it can become pretty easy to get carried away so practice

those time management skills and always make academics your top priority.

UTM is your chance to start over.

High school culture and cliques are now forever gone. Most of you might not know anyone entering into your first year; that's normal. But don't hesitate to meet new people or be too shy to say hello to someone, because they are probably in the same boat as you are. You have a chance to start afresh so go ahead and feel liberated.

As a last point, we end where we begun. We say this is our campus because your presence, whatever it may be, will shape UTM's collective future.

It's our campus because you have an opportunity to build on the successes of those before you. It's our campus because when you end your journey of self-exploration and higher learning, UTM will always be a part of you.

In student solidarity, Vlad Glebov www.vladglebov.com

Sudoku

Write for us!

There are plenty of opportunities available for you to pad your resume.

Email Ali at editor@mediumonline.ca

EDITORIAL Please write to:editor@mediumonline.ca Letters to the editor will be edited for spelling, grammar, style, and coherence.

Letters will not exceed 500 words in print. Letters that incite hatred, violence or letters that are racist, homophobic, sexist, or libelous will not be published.

Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters and and other editorial materials reflect opinions of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, staff, volunteers, or Board of Directors of The Medium. In other words, just because we print it doesn’t necessarily mean we agree with it.

Submission does not guarantee publication. Submission of materials to The Medium presumes the writer has read, and agrees with, this policy.

Editor-in-Chief Ali Kasim

Composite Editor Matthew Filipowich

News Editor Meredith Lilly

Copy Editor Shelley Bahorie

Features Editor Andrew Hamilton-Smith

Distribution Manager Ali Kasim

Arts & Entertainment Editor Michael Di Leo

Business Manager Romano Bergic

Sports Editor Christopher Sa’d

Webmaster TBA

Photography Editor Matthew Filipowich

or drop by The Medium office (Student Centre, Room 200) at any time to speak with one of the section editors.

The Medium is looking for Assistant Editors for all four sections - News, Features, Arts, Sports. If you have been writing for us the past year or so, and want to be part of the team, let us know. Email your section editors or the Editor-in-chief with your cover letter, resume, and some writing samples.

THE MEDIUM 5

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Arts & Entertainment MICHAEL DI LEO, EDITOR | arts@mediumonline.ca

Star power at this year’s TIFF ALI KASIM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) rolls back into town from September 4 to 13, and like every year, it’s hyped to be the “best ever film festival.� To be fair, there has been a certain pattern forming over the last three years – the following year has been better than the last. For Tiff 2008 – the 33rd festival of its kind – to top last year would take quite a feat, but judging from the list of films billed, it is certainly fair to anticipate another mammoth festival in T.O. To pick from the cream of last year’s crop, Michael Clayton, The Savages, Eastern Promises, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Into the Wild, and Away From Her all received Oscar nominations months after they screened in Toronto – a pretty impressive correlation between Hollywood’s biggest trophies and Toronto’s biggest film extravaganza.

The Coen Brothers will be looking to sweep the Oscars once again with their new film Burn after Reading.

George Clooney and Brad Pitt, both of whom created waves with their films last year (Clooney for Clayton, Pitt for Jesse James) will be sharing the spotlight at the same press conference this year as they star in the Coens’ latest

comedy.

Joel and Ethan Coen are practised masters of farce. With an all star-cast that includes Frances McDormand and John Malkovich, Burn after Reading harks back to earlier crime capers like The Big Lebowski and Raising Arizona.

Clooney plays a former security agent, drifting around the edges of Washington society and bedding women almost as a reflex. His current lover is a high-powered bully (Tilda Swinton) who has nothing but contempt for her husband, Osborne (Malkovich), even before he gets fired from the CIA. Osborne begins writing a tell-all book, but a disc of his secrets slips out of his grasp. When the disc falls into the hands of two hapless gym employees who need money, the game is on. They are played, with delicious dim-wittedness,

by McDormand and Pitt.

Guy Ritchie (Seven, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) returns from a three-year hiatus with the highly anticipated RocknRolla, a thrill-ride set in “criminal London,� with fast-talking gangsters, gorgeous femmes fatales and hilarious double-crosses.

The film's all-star ensemble cast includes Gerard Butler as a streetsmart criminal who has learned to skilfully accommodate multiple conflicting parties, two-time Academy Award

nominee Tom Wilkinson as an unrelenting mob boss, Thandie ewton as an unprincipled accountant with strong ties to the underworld, and actor/rapper Chris “Ludacris�

Bridges and Jeremy Piven as two Americans trying to make it big in London's music scene.

Ritchie's stylisphoto/www.availableimages.com tic sensibility is back in full force Atom Egoyan’s latest work, Adoration will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. and packing some serious cinematic firepower. RocknRolla cast, as always, is real-life wife Arsinee Hoffman.

If repertoire is anything to go by, this may be the tightest, most pleasurable Khanjian, along with Scott Speedman film Ritchie has yet made, and it's as and Rachel Blanchard. Already con- year’s TIFF should make for star-powsidered as one of his best films by crit- ered affair. The Medium will do their audacious as ever.

What should excite most Canadian ics, Adoration provokes new debates, best to bring you the latest from films, audiences is the latest from maverick furthering the themes of his nearly press conferences, and red-carpet galas.

Stay tuned for more coverage. For TIFF Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan, twenty-five-year body of work.

Other films that have headlined the information and schedules, visit Adoration. Years after Family Viewing, Speaking Parts and The Sweet festival the past few weeks are Steven http://tiff08.ca.

If you have seen a film at the festival Hereafter, this Canadian master has Soderbergh’s Che starring Benicio Del returned to explore the fractured ground Toro, Kevin Smith’s Zach and Miri and would like to write a review or an of human communication and self-pre- with the fast-rising Seth Rogen, and account of your experience, email the sentation but with a cinematic language Charlie Kaufman’s Synecdoche, ew Arts Editor at arts@mediumonline.ca. that has grown even richer. Leading his York starring Phillip Seymour Good luck getting tickets though.

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Tuesday, September 2, 2008

ARTS

Summer albums in review MICHAEL DI LEO A&E EDITOR Back in ’58 Danny Zuko relived his summer to the T-Birds in the form of a song, “Summer Nights.� Since then a strong connection between summertime and music has been present.

Except now, instead of singing about Sandy Olsson and malted milkshakes we contemplate lollipops and their sexual connotations. Here is what we listened to these past few months, the soundtrack to our own Grease summer.

The Cool Kids The Bake Sale EP 4/5 “What Up Man�, the first song off The Cool Kids’ new EP The Bake Sale perfectly encapsulates what the boys from Chicago are all about: funky fresh beats, and rappin’ ‘bout cool tings (not a typo). Much like their namesake, the boys “keep it cool like it’s going out of style,� whatever that means.

These guys are on the tipping edge of what sounds good at this particular moment in time. Scattered, retrofresh beats refitted with their own brand of lyrical stylings, reminiscent of the Beastie Boys. It’s good times – in EP form – perfectly parceled for you to consume.

Wolf Parade At Mount Zoomer

o Age ouns

Lil Wayne Tha Carter III

Scarlett Johansson Anywhere I Lay My Head

3.6/5

4.3/5

3.5/5

2.8/5

At Mount Zoomer is the second fulllength album by the Canadian indierock group Wolf Parade. The album, named after drummer Arlan Thompson’s sound studio, is the product of frontmen Spencer Krug’s and Dan Boeckner’s individual creative geniuses.

The two, while not playing with Wolf Parade, perform in Sunset Rubdown and Handsome Furs respectively, their methods easily distinguishable. As expected, both shared song writing duties – the album being split in half – except on the final track, “Kissing the Beehive,� a confused meandering of sorts. It then becomes clear that Wolf Parade is exciting due to their stylistic differences, taking you on a musical tightrope walk through the record, not knowing what to expect next.

Fave track: “Call It a Ritual�

ouns is the full-length debut from o Age, a guitar/drum duo hailing from Los Angeles. Frenetic and constant, the music borrows elements of shoegaze and punk, incorporating catchy melodies underneath layers of distortion and fuzz. The result is a thick and comforting sound with a tinge of New York style. The vocals are intense yet understated and flow at the same level as the guitars, giving it a late 80s “wall of sound� feel.

All this played in front of a backdrop of amplified noise, causing subtleties within the melodies themselves and leaving room for rhythmic mutations. Changes are quick yet the songs retain their misty flow, playing off the synthetic bleed left from Randy Randall’s overpowering noise tracks. The album is vast and thoughtful and is an impressive release, especially considering they are a two-piece.

“If you let me, you won’t forget me.�

That’s because when you put this album on you will hear some of the biggest tracks of the year: “A Milli�, “Shoot Me Down� and “You Ain’t Got Nuthin,� just to name a few.

The hottest producers in hip-hop today contributed to this record, making it into a collage of sorts. “Phone Home� and “La La,� both produced by David Banner, are perfect examples of his work, sampling voices and strong shots of bass on the offbeat to create a queerly playful feel, working well with Wayne’s flow. Swizz Beatz also makes an appearance on this album, producing the track “Dr. Carter.� As per usual, jazz samples are in order, along with old school horns and talk interludes.

In effect, Wayne extends his own style to work with the slew of heavyweights, proving his versatility.

Although the lyrics are at times nonsensical, the album is thoroughly entertaining. And isn’t that why we love Wayne in the first place?

It has always been all too common for actors to dabble in the musical arts, and as we all know, most of the time it culminates in an unsuccessful and humiliating clash of ego and populous. Those who remember Don Johnson’s Let It Roll do so with great distaste and embarrassment (mostly for the Crockett). So why should we treat Ms. Johansson any differently?

Firstly, it’s not too common for anyone to recreate Tom Waits in their own light.

Scarlett - or should I credit Dave Sitek does so in a uniquely vague and ambient way, disregarding Waits’ gruff and abstract song writing, injecting instead a warm, dreamy quality which complements her grainy vocals.

Secondly, multiple cameos by a certain David Bowie give the album its required authenticity. And lastly, it’s quite difficult not to picture Scarlett while listening to the album (always a bonus).

Despite its shallowness and, at certain points, stagnancy, the end product is surprisingly interesting and hardly a writeoff.

Fave track: “Brain Burner�

Fave track: “Shoot Me Down�

Fave track: “Falling Down�

Help the arts editor!

Fave track: “Mikey Rocks�

Coldplay Viva La Vida Or Death and All His Friends 3/5

Beck Modern Guilt 3.8/5 It is difficult to understand where Beck is coming from. With this release he fulfills his contractual obligations with Interscope Records and seems to have left his trademark stylings behind, instead replacing them with a more conventional sound. No spitting rhythms and rhymes, no sharp cuts or riffs, only trace elements of the old Beck: the choppy, pseudo-reversed guitars and the mid-song fade-ins and outs.

Or maybe, and more likely, it is because of the wholeheartedness of the music. The tunes are quality and as soon as you get past the idea that this is, in fact, Beck (Odelay is far behind us) the record opens up.

Nothing too fancy but a great listen nonetheless.

Fave track: “Orphans�

Any Coldplay release is a momentous occasion, even for the musically-unsavvy. However, this one in particular seemed to be overshadowed by the Radiohead-esque circulation of its first single, “Violet Hill.� Despite the continuous airplay on the radio and the massive hype surrounding the band and their new direction, the songs failed to stick out in anyone’s mind unlike previous hits “Fix You� and “Clocks.�

But what it lacks in song quality it makes up for in production.

Brian Eno – credited for his “Sonic Landscapes� – wastes no effort in transforming a middling record into something larger than life. Jonny Buckland’s guitars echo and reverberate, reminiscent of The Edge (not a surprise considering Eno’s tendencies) and the bass is thick and encompassing. That being said, Coldplay does not play to their strengths with the notable lack of any “stadium quality� songs - the emotive crowd-pleasers destined to be in the background of an iPod commercial.

All in all, Viva la Vida is a mediocre showing from a band of milquetoasts – good but average.

Fave track: “Lost!�

Photo/Matthew Filipowich

Mike is alone and needs help.

If you would like to contribute to the A&E section in any way, please send an e-mail to arts@mediumonline.ca or drop by The Medium office, Room 200, in the Student Centre.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

THE MEDIUM

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Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Features ANDREW HAMILTON-SMITH, EDITOR | features@mediumonline.ca

Cycling in Mississauga building momentum ANDREW HAMILTON-SMITH FEATURES EDITOR When Ben Gomberg spoke to a Mississauga audience on August 12th, he laid out a clear and compelling vision wherein cars and cyclists coexist, where getting around by bike can be as easy and second nature as driving a car. He speaks from experience. As the cycling coordinator for Chicago, he has achieved remarkable results for the windy city, which is now regarded as one of North America’s most cyclefriendly places. Gomberg explained to his rapt audience how he was able to increase the number of cyclists in Chicago by approximately 300 percent in less than a decade through public education and improved infrastructure.

In many cases, Gomberg is preaching to the converted. Several members of the Mississauga Cycling Advisory Committee (MCAC) were in attendance, including Jeff Wachmann, chairman of the MCAC. “Residents in Mississauga clearly want to see a safe cycling network that provides routes leading from home to major destinations,” noted Wachmann. “Such as shopping centers, transit hubs, parks and community centres.” The committee reports to city council on issues related to cycling and is staffed by 12 citizen members and 10 city representatives, including Ward 2 Councilor, Pat Mullin.

With the help of the MCAC, the city of Mississauga is currently undergoing the process of creating a Cycling Master Plan for 2008-12, in order to set out measurable goals and coordinate trails in the future. Public consultations held by the city over the past year found that two of the biggest concerns among cyclists in Mississauga are connectivity and safety. Many respondents said that they would like to see bike-designated lanes on major roadways and some supported removing bike paths from the roads altogether, in order to provide cyclists with safer, more direct access to the entire city. This feedback collected by the city seems to support the argument that giving cyclists equal priority with cars and trucks is an important part of encouraging people to drive less and

ride more often.

Across North America today there are growing numbers of what are called “commuter cyclists,” who differ from recreational cyclists in that they ride to get to a specific point quickly, such as work or a café, and thus are not biking only for fun. Recreational cyclists, on the other hand, tend to focus on the journey and not the destination. For the latter group, a long, meandering, and scenic trail is highly desirable. For commuters, this type of trail can be extremely infuriating.

Traditionally, bike paths in this city were built primarily with recreational cyclists in mind, and as a result, most of Mississauga’s bike trails are near parks and waterways for the enjoyment of someone out for a Sunday afternoon ride. Though arguably absurd, it is not unusual to see someone driving a car to bring his or her bike to a trail at Erindale Park. This is the result of the lack of attention paid by the city to anyone who might want to ride a bike from one part of the city to another.

When the Cycling Master Plan is released by the city later on this year, it has the opportunity to be a visionary blueprint for the future of Mississauga.

Among North American cities, those that have most successfully integrated commuter-cyclists and encouraged the use of bicycles as an alternative to cars have done so only with dedicated support from both city hall and the community. For example, in Chicago, Mayor Richard Daley campaigned on a plan called Bike 2000 and was elected with overwhelming public support. In turn, Daley took that mandate and ran with it, transforming his city almost overnight, adding extensive new infrastructure and educating driver and riders, which increased tourism and improved residents’ quality of life. As another example, the recently built bike lanes at Davenport in Toronto are being well received by local residents, even those who were opposed to them initially. A major reason these lanes were built

was the fervent support of Mayor David Miller and others on city council. In both these cases, there would seem to be a general correlation between having political support, as well as community support, and building red carpet infrastructure for cyclists that will persuade people to give up their cars. The need for political support is very import, as Wachmann himself points out: “I hope that the Mayor and council can embrace the notion that cycling fits in with the healthy lifestyle choices residents of the 21st century want [and] lead the country in design and implementation of this initiative.”

In dense urban areas like Chicago and Toronto, where every bit of space is at a premium, the political battles over bike lanes on roads are understandable. In the city of Burlington, local officials cleverly bypassed the whole issue by creating “bicycle highways” through almost every possible hydro transmission corridor, or hydrofield, as they are often called.

Rather than competing for space on the roads, cyclists and pedestrians are offered a quiet and direct pathway that runs parallel to major roads, complete with push-button crosswalks at every major crossing. Separating car and bike traffic is safer and more enjoyable for both cyclist and motorist. In the National Post, Murray Teitel agreed, that “what stops people from bike commuting to work is fear for their safety.”

In Mississauga, there is evidence of these two approaches being incorporated in future plans. Hydrofields along the south side of the Queensway and north of Sheridan Mall will soon be getting bike paths, and the city is also looking at how to incorporate bike lanes onto major roads such as Lakeshore. To its credit, Mississauga already has several high-quality bike paths running alongside major roads such as the Burhamthorpe Trail. Wide enough for two cyclists to pass and well-distanced from traffic, this particular trail is pleasant to ride on, although it unfortunately does not follow the entire length of Burnhamthorpe.

In addition, all city buses will soon be outfitted with bike racks on their front bumper. The city also has a for-

Photo/Matthew Filipowich

Cycling is growing in popularity in Mississauga, with more and more riders using city trails every year. midable off-road bike network, including the Waterfront Trail by the lake and the Culham Trail, which runs along the Credit River. One of the biggest problems currently facing the city and cyclists is finding an effective way to connect these excellent but isolated existing park trails with one another.

The Master Plan is intended to be “a complete solution with no restrictions,” as Wachmann puts it, to solve the problems facing Mississauga’s bike network by taking input from many different sources in order to create a four-year work plan for Mississauga’s bike network. The recent presentation by Ben Gomberg should be taken into account, especially since his city has made extensive progress with standardized signage and intersection specifications. Public input collected by the city must be considered and recommendations of the MCAC may be considered as well.

Budgetary constraints will also affect the Master Plan, with the city of Mississauga raising taxes this year and next to prepare for a looming financial crunch. There will also need to be

greater public education, both for drivers and for riders, which is a provincial responsibility and beyond the reach of the city itself.

When the Cycling Master Plan is released by the city later on this year, it has the opportunity to be a visionary blueprint for the future of Mississauga, offering creative ways to connect existing trails and allowing cyclists to ride safely along major routes. The recurring themes of safety and connection are the key to getting large numbers of people to bike instead of drive, and should be the primary principles that the Master Plan adheres to. There are many good reasons to get more people cycling instead of driving: it is healthier, eases traffic congestion and wear on roads, friendlier to the environment, and it saves the commuter money as the price of gas goes up. But without a safe and direct way to bike from point A to point B, it will be nearly impossible to convince people to give up their cars.

To find out more information about cycling in Mississauga, please visit the MCAC website at: www.mississaugacycling.ca.

SVU101Y5: surviving your first year LAVAN PUVANESWARAN The summer has finally come to an end and you are about to start the first chapter of what is sure to be an exciting and very different time in your life. Not sure what to expect or how to prepare yourself for this new experience? Luckily for you, I’ve taken the time to talk to my fellow UTM students, as well as reflect on my own university experience to compile a list of some sure-fire tips to ensure your first year at UTM goes as smoothly as possible.

1) Take time to adjust Your first few weeks at UTM will feel like a massive change compared to your days in high school. You’ll go from sitting in a class with no more than thirty students to classes with well over three hundred. Instead of having your teachers and guid-

ance counselors telling you how to handle everything, you’ll have to fend for yourself. These challenges may overwhelm you at first but realize that as time goes by you will get used to them all.

2) Don’t procrastinate Remember all those times in high school when you put things off until the last minute and still managed to get good grades? Well, don’t be surprised if that strategy doesn’t work so well in university. On my first day of class at UTM, a wise professor gave me and my fellow students some very sound advice: “It is easier to keep up than catch up.” The idea behind this is that when you work at the pace of the class, you’re making life much easier for yourself down the road. Rather than putting work off until the last minute, try to make it a priority to get something done for all of your courses every week.

3) Get acquainted UTM is full of a diverse, fun and exciting people and the only way you’ll learn this for yourself is by getting acquainted. Don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with someone in your lecture or tutorial. I know that I would not have met some of my closest friends if I had not made that initial effort to step outside my comfort zone and be social. If someone doesn’t respond as enthusiastically as you’d like them to, remember not to take it personally: chances are they might need more time to open up than you do.

4) Realize failure is not fatal By the end of your first year, you’ll have written your fair share of tests, exams, essays and lab reports.

Unless you’re somehow related to all of your professors and TAs, chances are you will do poorly in at least one

of these evaluations. The important thing is to accept that failure is a natural part of life and that everyone experiences it. If you don’t make mistakes, you will never learn, right?

But do not use this is as a rationale to slack. Try and figure out why you may have gotten a poor grade and then work towards developing new study strategies in order to prevent future failure.

5) Get involved UTM is home to a wide array of clubs, academic societies, sports teams and community groups. This gives you the opportunity to do something more than just go to class.

Make the effort to get involved with at least one campus organization in your first year. Getting involved will provide you with the opportunity to enrich your university experience and meet tons of new people.

6) Know your priorities Aside from going to lectures and studying, many of you will likely be doing various other things throughout the school year, such as working, volunteering and hanging out with friends. At the end of the day though, it’s important to remember that your main reason for choosing to go to university was to get an education. To ensure your academic success, avoid sacrificing time for less significant priorities when you know you should be studying or doing other more important things.

Interested in writing for the Features section of The Medium? Please e-mail Andrew Hamilton-Smith at features@mediumonline.ca

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

THE MEDIUM 9

FEATURES

Creative Corner

Jared This is the first part of a three-part short story. Check back next week for Part 2 and the week after for Part 3.

NILS BLONDON “Life is hard, too short, vague, unforgiving and absurd.”

That was my quote, my reality. A theory predicated on my experience.

My rationale. I’d sit and pound away at my keyboard, fingers like fleshy hammers driving rusty nails into mahogany coffins.

Journaling, reflecting on the brevity of the time spent with my Father; resenting my mother for not caring about his well-being, and wondering why. Why was I the bastard child?

Did my father still think of me as I did of him? Was he alive, and if so, where? Closing my eyes I’d daydream of a weary hitchhiker traveling endlessly in search of his father, who had left him on the curb like a trash bin. A vagrant wanderer wearing dirt brown khakis, a white shirt stained like a dishrag, and well-worn hiking boots.

He was bespectacled, slight of frame, and anemic - not an attractive man by any standard. Not a man who was desired by girls, or envied by men; this hitchhiker was me.

Sleepless nights spent building up the courage to act on this escape plan; I’d pace the halls of my bungalow.

Fearful of the future, blocking out the past.

Mom would awake in mid-snore and whisper from her room, “Jared,” her voice twisted through the crack of her door, “why are you still up?”

“Just thinking, Mom.” She could never be made privy to what I was thinking about.

“Just go back to sleep. I need to think in silence.”

“Jared,” she would pause, “why do you stay up all night thinking?”

I felt paralyzed by the remorse of denying her.

“I can’t say, Mom, but please go to sleep.”

So it would continue until she fell asleep again. The house would fall back into nothingness. My plan to find my father would come to fruition, and no one would share with me in the journey. One morning, I just left.

Leaving no note, no clues as to why I was leaving or where I would be going.

Fading into the morning twilight like an apparition, I ventured towards the strip mall on foot. The dew rested atop manicured suburban lawns. I planned to rent a vehicle and disappear. Hitchhiking seemed a bit rustic for me.

I entered the Rent-A-Car office and filled out the required paper work; a seamless operation. I now had a vehicle. Pulling out of the strip mall in the newly rented car, I passed a cheerful dad with his son in the parking lot.

The man held his son’s hand, glancing at him with an undying smile. The boy gazed up towards his father, giggling; a lifetime of bonding lay ahead of him.

Such a joy I’d never known. *

*

*

I knew his name was George, and he left me on the side of our street when I was two. His last name was Williams. I’d seen pictures of the man who was meant to nurture and guide me through childhood, adolescence and early adulthood in our home, buried in antiquated clothes drawers with cobwebs and dust.

George Williams was a hulking, burly man. A physical specimen with a dour expression in all the family pictures – except one: a photo of us dated March 11, 1980, a month before he left. I was in my sled, he was dragging me through the last snow of the season, smiling, looking back at me protectively.

Why would he leave?

Was it my fault he absconded from fatherhood? Had I misbehaved that day? I naturally assume his reasons had merit.

Confusion controlled my days.

“When I find him,” I sometimes thought to myself, “I’m going to apologize for being such a brat!”

My aunt Maggie had told me that my father was sick. That he was a lonely man with too many demons to raise a family.

“He was a very ill man Jared,” she’d say, as if to provide consolation. Her words were empty, contrived, overly forced.

“You and your mother would have been through hell with that man. Thank God he left before things turned violent.”

Maggie was George’s sister and she had little good to say on her brother’s behalf. As a child I’d creep deftly from my room to the kitchen, quietly eavesdropping on her and my mother from the cupboards. One conversation in particular sticks out in my mind.

“That bastard, HOW COULD A MAN DITCH HIS WIFE AND SON?” my mother groaned, her voice quivered like that of an invalid.

“Catherine, he called me last night,” my aunt Maggie said. My interest piqued. I listened intently.

“He’s in Montreal. He said he plans on moving to Sault St. Marie pretty soon.”

That was 20 years ago. This is my sole clue, nothing but fragmented conjecture. My aunt has a penchant for lies. Regardless, I was Montrealbound. I have no choice.

I sped down the QEW headed east.

Past the blurred mural of lifeless plazas, liquor stores and fast food restaurants. It was pouring. My wipers swatted thick torrents of grey acidic rain from my windshield. The Civic’s speedometer read 140.

Within minutes I was on the 401.

He could be down this very highway, just 500 kilometers away. *

*

*

“Jared, get out of the car, don’t worry, just get out...I’ll be back.”

The Civic’s motor whined as I decelerated into a rest stop. I was closing in on Napanee. This is where Maggie lived; I wouldn’t be stopping

photo/Matthew Filipowich

in to say hello. My father had grown up in this town.

Small towns in general nauseated me. The same banal people tending to the same menial tasks for an eternity, all attending the same churches with the same stories and the same prayers.

Something about the monotony of such lives was troubling, nearly unnerving to me. “How many souls drift aimlessly down these desolate empty streets?”

Maybe this is why my father was ill-equipped for parenthood. How could a man be ready to cope with the stress of childcare after being raised in a town like this?

I felt badly for George.

Inside the rest stop, it seemed everywhere I turned my glance landed upon a father and son. I ate without pause for breath as my mind darted from scenario to scenario.

Could he be dead? What if he moved out of the country? Perhaps

he’s rich, living happily on a farm with cattle and good-company.

None of it really matters. Whether it is a tombstone I find or a mansion on a rolling hill, it would still be my father; it would still be George.

“Stay there sweetheart, wait for me … don’t cry okay?”

Swallowing the last of my meal, I left the rest stop and proceeded to my vehicle. Eating was an arduous task.

The food was tasteless. It rested in the bottom of my stomach with anxiety and resentment.

I hopped into the Civic taking pained breaths and turned the key.

The motor gave out a doleful hum.

Something about the car was nostalgic.

“Had George driven a Honda?” I wondered.

Easing the shift into reverse, I began to inch from the parking spot.

The rage that I felt was suddenly overbearing.

I threw the car into “P” and began pounding at the steering wheel. The entire vehicle rocked convulsively.

My fists ached; tears cascaded down the bony contours of my face.

Someone tapped on my window; a stout, mustachioed man in his late 50’s with ruddy skin.

“Hey,” he spoke with a FrenchCanadian drawl, “you k, you awright?”

Terrified, I reversed the car and sped from the lot.

Back on the 401 the entire weight of my body pressed against the gas pedal. I remembered reading an article in the Toronto Sun years back that had named this very road the “Highway to Hell.” Glancing at the speedometer, I saw 160.

The road became imperceptible. I lost control of the car, careening off the Devil’s Highway and crashing into a flooded ditch.

“Daddy? Where’s daddy?”

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

10

Sports CHRISTOPHER SA’D, EDITOR |sports@mediumonline.ca

A new hope ahead for the Eagles CHRISTOPHER SA’D SPORTS EDITOR

As summer reaches its close, all eyes are on the UTM Eagles as they prepare to put last season’s disappointments behind them and attempt for a different fate this time around.

2007 was a year to forget for the Eagles as they failed to make it past the semi-final stages in all events except men’s soccer. The men’s tri-campus hockey team lost to St. George White 3-2 in overtime. The men’s indoor soccer team followed suit with their 2-0 shutout loss to UTSC, and the women’s volleyball team did not fare any better when they only won one set out of three in their semifinal lost against rival UTSC. The men’s soccer team did go one step further than all the rest when they made the finals, but even that did not end in glory as they finished on the losing end of a heartbreaking 3-2 shootout loss to St. George Gold.

With last season’s disappointments, is there any hope for UTM

in the 2008-09 intramural season?

Early proceedings might point to a “yes” as UTM’s Holy Smokes took home the title during the University of Toronto’s tri-campus Summer Basketball Tournament.

With 44 different teams from all over U of T competing, UTM’s Holy Smokes, with the help of the men’s Divison One head coach Ammer Askary, gave UTM their fifth consecutive title in the summer basketball tournament; indication perhaps of a more successful

“We want students to really get involved this year.”

- Jack Krist Program Coordinator, UTM Athletics and Recreation year to come for the men’s Division One basketball team.

The UTM athletic staff has also begun working together to change things around for the Eagles across all sports – hockey, basketball, soccer and volleyball.

A new strategy is currently in

motion and tryouts are scheduled to be in full swing at the beginning of the fall term as the athletics department plans to invite all students who have played competitive sports outside of school to try out for the intramural teams.

Program coordinator Jack Krist has already made a move to reach out to the students on campus with posters and bulletins in the hopes of finding new talent. Krist’s main concern every year is the turnout at these tryouts.

“Some of the teams competing in the U of T Intramural Leagues last year had weak turnouts at the fall try-outs. The women’s teams in particular had lower than usual numbers at the tryouts. We want the students to really get involved this year,” said Krist.

Another poor turnout at tryouts could mean another poor outcome for the Eagles in the upcoming 2008-09 intramural season. The equation for this is a straightforward one: the more students show up, the bigger the talent pool. So UTM, it’s really simple, if you want to help the Eagles fly high again, all you have to do is show up and play.

U of T Intramural team try-outs A message from Jack Krist, Program Coordinator Athletics and Recreation, Department of Physical Education.

Come out to the tryouts and get involved. The UTM Eagles U of T Intramural teams generally have one game and one practice a week so there is not a huge time commitment to playing.

I want to stress that coaches will try to place all women that come out on a team. We often have more than one team in a sport to accommodate an individual player's skill level.

Last year, women's hockey was one of the sports that did not have enough players for a full team. We had to combine with U of T Scarborough to get a team in the league. For that sport, if you have only ever played ice hockey, you will make the team.

Try-outs begin September 10th for the field sports and continue into the following week. Indoor sports try-outs start the following week and continue for two weeks.

Check the web page for specific sport try-out dates and times: www.utm.utoronto.ca/physed.

If you have played in high school, house league or rep, then we want to see you at a try-out. Get out to as many try-outs as you can so that the coaches can evaluate your skill level.

If you want to play but are unable to attend one of the try-outs, please contact Jack Krist at j.krist@utoronto.ca.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

THE MEDIUM 11

SPORTS

Shakey start for Canada in Beijing It took Canada eight days to get their first medal, but the slow start led to Canada’s best performance in Olympic history KYLE WHITNEY In China, the luckiest number is eight. It’s no surprise then that when they were granted the honour of hosting the 29th Olympic Games, they chose the eighth day of the eighth month in the eighth year of the 21st century to stage the opening ceremony. What most people did not realize was that eight was also the lucky number for Canadians, particularly Hazleton, B.C. native Carol Huynh, who on the eighth day of the Olympiad registered Canada’s first ever medal.

Few Canadians would have predicted that their nation’s first medal would come so late, and perhaps even fewer would have forecasted that the first gold would come from the Women’s 48kg freestyle wrestling competition.

With sixteen medals set as the overall target, Huynh’s teammate Tonya Verbeek made sure she did her part by capturing the bronze in the Women’s 55kg freestyle the same day.

Medal number three arrived from the men’s triathlon, a competition that Canada was widely expected to shine in. Victoria, B.C. tri-athlete Simon Whitfield, who took home the gold in Athens 2004, did not disappoint, bagging the silver medal with a dramatic, last-minute sprint to the finish line.

It seemed like Huynh had set the tone for the Canadian success to come as the medals continued piling up with two bronzes, one silver, and a gold medal in rowing. The men’s eight with coxswain were the golden boys in this category.

Canada has always been strong when it comes to track and field

sports. Priscilla Lopes-Schliep narrowly captured the bronze in the women’s 100-metre hurdles in a race where the top six women were separated by tenth of a second. A photo finish was needed to indicate the winner.

Over in the Water Cube, Canada’s Ryan Cochrane made history by winning Canada’s first Olympic medal in swimming with his bronze in the 1500-metre race. Cochrane was not the only underdog to surprise the sporting world. Outsider Karine Sergerie won silver in the women’s welterweight tae-kwon-do final to maintain the winning groove for Canada.

Like Despatie, other gold medal favourites such as Etobicoke’s Jason Burnett and Toronto’s Karen Cockburn had to settle for the silver in the men and women’s individual trampoline event respectively.

“I just started this sport for fun. It wasn’t even an Olympic sport [at first] and then when it got into the Olympics, I went to three games and now I have a third medal,” said Cockburn who, after her sensational performance, was named as Canada’s flag bearer for the closing

ceremony.

Silver medals were in abundance for Canada as diver Emilie Heymans (women’s 10-meter platform), kayaker Adam Van Koeverden, (men’s K-1 500-metre race), and Canada’s equestrian jumping team all bagged the runners-up spot. Show jumper Eric Lamaze was another big surprise, coming outof nowhere to win Canada’s third gold of the 2008 Olympics.

Canada finished the games with

eighteen medals in total; two more than predicted. Indeed, the success of Canada’s athletes has given all of Canada much to build for in 2010 when the Winter Olympics arrives in Vancouver, British Colombia.

For those games, Canada will aim to be in the top five in the final medal standings.

The 2008 Summer Olympics held many memories for years to come, and the ones with the maple leaf printed on their chest brought home more than they expected.

“My silver medal is gold to me because of all the bad things that happened to me this year.”

- Alexandre Despatie Men’s Canadian 3-metre Springboard As far as slight disappointments go, Canada did not have too many, although gold-medal hopeful Alexandre Despatie finished short of first place in the men’s 3-metre springboard and had to be content with a silver medal. Despatie remained positive about his feat however, “My silver medal is gold to me because of all the bad things that happened to me this year,” he said in reference to an injuryplagued year.

Photo/Reuters

Wrestler Carol Huynh (Canada) taking on Ingrid Medrano (El Salvador) in the women’s 48kg freestyle wrestling competition. Huynh won Canada’s first gold medal of the 2008 Olympics.

NFL pre-season countdown It’s not just the Patriots and Cowboys who are looking forward to the Super Bowl ROBERT SILVA With the upcoming NFL season a mere two days away, odds are on a PatriotCowboy Super Bowl. Although there is a very good chance that we could see those two teams battle it out for Vince Lombardi’s trophy in January, other teams are making some big waves as legitimate threats.

Jacksonville Jaguars No surprise here especially when you look at the Jaguars offense. Jacksonville will win at least twelve games this season by running the football. Running-backs Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew are arguably the best paired running backs in the league.

Taylor is set, to once again, carry the rock at least 200 times for Jacksonville’s offense. This will, most likely, be the last playing season for the underrated and under-appreciated running back, as Taylor is expected to retire at the end of this season. Meanwhile, Jones-Drew will play the same role as last season, serving as home run threat as well as an effective weapon in the passing game.

Aside from their impressive running

game, the Jaguars are a mean team to play against. A hard-hitting, groundand-pound team, look for them to beat the Colts in the AFC South.

San Diego Super Chargers The San Diego Super Chargers took their time building their secondary.

They didn’t go out and sign big name free agents to overpriced contracts this offseason. Instead, the Chargers built their defensive backfield the old-fashioned way: through smart drafting.

Last season, they finished in the top fifteen against the pass, and Antonio Cromartie, a former 2006 first-round pick, who finished the 2007 season with ten interceptions and a long highlight reel, was the NFL’s interception leader.

San Diego’s defense is one of the youngest in the league, and the only defensive back with more than three years of starting experience is corner Quentin Jammer, a former top-five pick from the 2002 NFL Draft. He’s given the Chargers a steady starter and a veteran presence in their secondary.

Lining up opposite Jammer is Cromartie, while the safeties are second-year player Eric Weddle and former undrafted free agent Clinton Hart.

Weddle is by no means a super star, but he’s technically sound and versatile.

Hart played on the special teams before becoming a starter last year, recording eighty five tackles and five interceptions. This season, San Diego should make up for past playoff woes.

Cleveland Browns How do you miss the playoffs when you average almost 400 yards and 25 points a game on offense? The answer is easy: have an atrocious defense.

The defensive line was a big part of the Browns’ problems last season. Simply put, you can’t win games if your d-line can’t make it to the opposing teams quarterback. Realizing their weaknesses, Cleveland gambled a bit this offseason, acquiring former Packers’ defensive tackle Corey Williams and former Lions’ DT Shaun Rogers. These moves could prove costly though, with several draft picks traded away.

Williams should improve the sacks column for the Browns this season.

Coming off the bench last year, Williams matched a career high with seven sacks for the Packers and was a stallion against the run. If the Browns had these seven sacks last season, they

probably would have been able to capture a playoff spot.

Rogers, however, is a huge risk. After acquiring him, the Browns’ coaching staff wasted no time with their praise, labeling him “the best defensive tackle in the division.” No arguments there, but will he be motivated enough to live up to that tag? Often criticized for being lazy and unmotivated in Detroit, it’s up in the air which Shaun Rogers will show up for Cleveland.

If Williams blends in well and Rogers decides he wants to play, you can throw in former Texan Robaire Smith – signed to a four-year, $12-million contract in the last offseason – to create a dynamite defense.

Watch for the Browns to make waves this season and perhaps even take the AFC North division. With a solid D-line now in place, the artillery is there for victory in those close games. ew York Giants I don’t think the reigning champion Giants will match last year’s heroics, but I wouldn’t count them out either.

In the 2006 draft, the New York Giants selected defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka with their 32nd pick in the

first round. That pick raised many eyebrows and nobody understood why.

They already had Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck on the roster.

Fast-forward two years later: Strahan’s retired following the Giants’ Super Bowl victory in January and Umenyiora is out with a long-term knee injury. Suddenly, Kiwanuka is not looking like a questionable pick anymore.

But Kiwanuka has his hands full this season, having to transition from outside linebacker to defensive end to fill the void left by Umenyiora’s absence. He has some shoes to fill, considering what a highly productive player Umenyiora was for the Giants last season, tallying fiftytwo tackles and five sacks.

Tuck will play opposite of Kiwanuka on the line. A talented fourth-year player who recorded ten sacks last season, Tuck has shown much potential. However, this will be the first time in Tuck’s young career that he’ll start the season as a fulltime starter. It’s his job to lose.

I predict the reigning champions to finish with twelve wins, but still lose the division to the Cowboys. ote: For all you gamblers, I predict the Giants will beat the Redskins on Thursday, 27-17.

12 THE MEDIUM

SPORTS

Tuesday, September 2, 2008