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Editorial
THE MIKE
Letter from the Editor
Masthead
It's time to get pumped.
Editorial Staff
Toronto sports are also giving us reasons to be excited. The Leafs are looking to make the playoffs. The Raptors are not only going to make the postseason, but they look like they will have a favourable seed. On top of that they are playing basketball worth watching. It’s a nice change for this city. Most importantly, at least for me, is that baseball is returning. The Jays look like they could have an interesting year, and there is nothing more summery than watching a baseball game with a hot dog and cold beer. And I’m sure everyone is ready for summer, I know I am. Beyond Toronto sports, Canada had an awesome showing at the winter Olympics so there have been a ton of games worth watching. Peeling away from reasons to stay locked in front of your TV, it is an exciting time to be in the city. Our centerfold has a bunch of reasons to
be excited in the city. My personal picks are the new aquarium that I keep hearing great things about (and is definitely on my list of places to visit), and the new opening of Left Field brewery. The latter of which has been making great beers for about a year now, and finally have a space to go check out. Finally, it is an exciting time here at The Mike. We are winding down the year, but have accomplished so much over the past four semesters. Over that time every position has turned over, and yet I am excited by our continual output of what I see as a consistent product with a strong identity on this campus. Unfortunately, as I’m hoping to eventually graduate, this will be my last semester leading the paper. As such it’s certainly exciting as I get to see the people who are themselves excited to take over. All the positions
are open for election and we are still looking for the right people to take over. Go to readthemike.com to apply. If it hasn’t been clear from my usage of the word, I’m excited. I invite you to be excited with me as we wind down the year.
THE MIKE
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Etsy shop 101 for beginners
The Boylympics
March 1st
February 28
March 1
Coffee, beer and mosh pits
February 27
Lee's Palace, 9:00PM
Anywhere
March 3
Alekzia Hosein
Uniiverse, 7:00PM
Owning your own business is said to be like having to be responsible for things. In fact, that's exactly what owning your own business is, being responsible for your own company. Ah! Responsibilities! Let the experts help.
Did you know February is over? We all survived February! Winter is almost over! This joke about winter will never ever ever get old. Just like the cold. Nobody is sick of that yet.
Toronto Reference Library
managingeditor@readthemike.com
The Winter Olympics are over, so its time to heat it up! Raise your internal temperature to that of Sochi by attending the Boylympics. Men performing cabaret, burlesque, and wearing spandex? It's getting hot in here.
Happy birthday Toronto celebrating 180 years
Toronto comiccon
Chanting
March 8
Toa Sangha Toronto Healing Center,
Metro Convention Center
7:00pm
Editor-in-Chief Micah Gold-Utting
editorinchief@readthemike.com
I’m excited. It’s an exciting time of year. The school year is at its most intense, with classes ramping up to final midterms, and assignments, which will quickly transition into final exams. There is a lot going on and, while it can be mighty stressful, it’s certainly exciting. It’s also an exciting time in television. How I Met Your Mother is finally reaching towards its conclusion, which is long awaited even if the shows quality has become inconsistent. I really believe that the finales of long running, hyper-popular sitcoms really defines television for their given years. Additionally, HBO has come out with another stellar show in True Detective. While it’s still in its infancy, McConaughey’s performance alone is worth checking out (I never thought I would write that sentence either).
News
Managing Editor News Editor Fatima Syed
news@readthemike.com
Arts Editor Louis Train
arts@readthemike.com
Celebrate the Toronto Music scene, with various singer-song writers. Talk about their experiences with coffee, beer and mosh pits. It sounds like a great set-up.
Opinions Editor Micah Gold-Utting | Editorin-chief
Michal Chwalek
Co-Living Editor
Men's undies only yoga
living@readthemike.com
March 4
Sports Editor
Glad Day Bookshop
opinions@readthemike.com
Franco Recchia
Curtis Panke
sports@readthemike.com
Senior Copy Editor Chelsea Misquith
Illustrations Editor
Last week we featured stripped down yoga for women. This week stripped down yoga for men. Be free! (in your undies).
Vacant
illustrations@readthemike.com
Interested in getting involved? SMC students are invited to join The Mike's Board of Directors
Web Editor
March 6 Roundhouse, 7:30PM
A semi-formal cocktail party, because a kegger just didn't seem appropriate for a 180th birthday party. Afterall, Toronto's not 170 anymore!
Sometimes, you just did need a fantastic geek out, nerd out, rock out with your limited edition out. Attend in costume, or ironically. Just make sure to have fun.
March 10
With only three weeks of school left before exams commence, get some spiritual healing in. Attend a free chanting session at the Toa Sangha Toronto Healing Center.
Annum Roshan
Photos Editor Vacant
Writers Catherine Bredin, John Castellarin, Peter Galka, Emma George, Joe Magiapane, Mark Matich, Regan Mcneill, Melissa Morgado, Saad Shah, Alex Wichert, Christine Zelezny
Copy Editors Diane Tam, Jesse Maione, Mark Recto
Business Staff
Apply by email to editorinchief@readthemike.com
Business Manager Yasir Mustafa
business@readthemike.com
Ad Manager Stefano Tesoro
Catherine Bredin | Staff Writer
ads@readthemike.com
Ad Execs
Toronto
John Tory, former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, announced his candidacy for the mayoral race.
Adriano Marchese Nicole Rocha Dennis Amoakohene Christopher Sivry
Kiev
The Ukrainian parliament has named its speaker, Oleksandr Turchynov, as interim president following the dismissal of President Viktor Yanukovych. Yanukovych's rejection of an EU-Ukraine trade pact triggered the mass protests that ousted him.
BOD Alumni Rep.
Sharon Prison
Israeli special forces raided a prison in central Israel, killing Samuel Sheinbein, one of the country's most notorious inmates after he seized a guard's weapon, shot 3 guards and barricaded himself inside the compound.
Kabul
In one of the deadliest incidents for the Afghan army in almost a year, hundreds of heavily armed Taliban insurgents attacked army checkpoints in eastern Afghanistan, killing 21 soldiers.
Jakarta
The eruption of volcano Mount Kelud in Indonesia killed 3 people and forced tens of thousands to flee from their homes.
Vacant
Board of Directors BOD Student Reps.
Andy Lubinsky
BOD College Rep. Steve Hoselton
@readthemike The Mike is the Official Bi-weekly Student Newspaper of St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto, publishing since 1947. The Mike has a circulation of 2000, delivered to over 40 newsstands across the University of Toronto: St. George Campus and is published by The Mike Publications Inc. The Mike is printed by MasterWeb Inc on recycled newsprint stock and is a member of Canadian University Press. Copyright: 2012 The Mike Publications Inc. All Rights Reserved. All editorial inquires should be sent to editorinchief@readthemike.com. The Mike reserves the right to edit all submissions
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THE MIKE
News
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Researcher has tips for sleepdeprived students The University of Alberta's Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine has a few ideas for studious students DARCY ROPCHAN | THE GATEWAY (UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA) EDMONTON (CUP) — When it comes to getting a good night’s rest, there can be a lot to lose sleep over — particularly for students. In the age of computers and tablets, which produce melatonin-suppressing blue light, getting enough beauty sleep can often be a tiresome endeavour. Cary Brown, an associate professor in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, said when it comes to getting the right amount of sleep, society and universities run on a counterproductive model. “We live in a society that’s not set up for sleeping,” Brown said. “University is set up that way. In the daytime, we put you in dim lecture halls with the lights turned out and tell you to look at a PowerPoint way off in the distance. When the lights are out your body produces melatonin to make you sleepy. Then you go home after, working on your computers and tablets, and you’re flooded with blue light so you’re wide awake.” Brown explained it would be impossible for any university student to avoid the sleep-related stresses of post-secondary education, but she said making small, simple changes in everyday life can pay off. Switching to decaffeinated coffee instead of caffeinated can help get students to sleep faster. So can acquiring blue light dimming software for computers or tablets. It filters out the blue light, so even if
students are in for a late night of paper-writing in front of their computers, it won’t keep them as awake at night. Napping may seem like a worthy alternative for those who can’t commit to a full night of sleep, but Brown warned that timing afternoon or evening naps just right is the key to getting proper rest. “Sleep occurs in five stages. It’s a cycle and you have to go through all the stages. You start off in a light sleep and then you go down into a very, very deep sleep where it’s hard to wake people up, but then they start to come up from that and you go into a light sleep again,” Brown explained. “To go through a cycle takes about 90 minutes, so if you have a short nap, like 15 minutes, it’s fine because you’re not interfering with anything — you’re in the early stages of your sleep cycle. If you have an hour-long nap and you need an alarm to wake you up, it startles you out of deep sleep so that stress hormones are created in your body and it counteracts the benefits of having a nap. If you’re going to have a nap, either 15 minutes or the whole 90 minutes.” One of the problems with getting a good sleep is actually falling asleep in the first place, she said. For those with racing minds, Brown advised students focus on one thing at a time in order to rest. Forcing themselves to listen and focus on an audio book is a great way to make their eyes feel heavy, she said. Because they’re intently focused on the book, they don’t have time to worry about not falling asleep —
2014-2015 Staff Elections Interested in getting involved? go to http://bit.ly/1fY3I3b • Editor-in-Chief: Responsible for the management of the content for The Mike. Duties include checking the cohesive nature of the paper, reviewing the content submitted for suitability, managing coordination between section editors, being responsible for the non-production related duties of The Mike and being responsible for The Mike as a whole.
Lara Kmech | The Gateway which makes them fall asleep. When faced with a tough test in the morning, Brown advised that students may want to reconsider pulling an all-night cramming session. “All kinds of studies show that students who stay up late trying to cram for exams do worse
than students who just go to bed. When you sleep, your mind has time to process all the new information that came in during the day and if you don’t process it, it doesn’t get to go into your memory — it just drifts away.” And that’s worth crying to sleep over.
• Web Editor: Responsible for collecting and managing web content and for basic maintenance of the website. Content can include articles printed in The Mike, but position is also responsible for the collection and management of new web-specific content.
• Production Manager: Responsible for the layout and aesthetic look of the paper. Organizes workflow for production days • Editor-at-Large: Responsible for developing larger from start to finish. Production days are Mondays and Tuesdays. stories for the centerfold and cover, in addition to thematic management of the Mike. For example, content could include special event features, such as Halloween or Valentine’s • Senior Copy Editor: Responsible for overall copy editing of the Day themed pieces, or a piece that would take further paper and overseeing copy editing sessions on production days. development, such as a program review or coffee shop review.
Author of Plato, not Prozac lectures on finding your inner philosopher
• Illustrations Director: Responsible for collecting illustrations • News Editor: Responsible for collecting and managing content and comics forThe Mike,while coordinating with the section editors. related to international and campus news concerning students. Example: Content could include information about impending strikes, protests that happened on campus, or pieces about • Photo Editor: Responsible for coordinating with the other universities. Also responsible for the News in Brief section. production manager to acquire photos to complement the articles.
RHYS EDWARDS | THE UBYSSEY (UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA)
• Ad Manager: Responsible for coordinating the Ad Executives, • Sports Editor: Responsible for collecting and managing content while seeking new advertising partners. Commisson-paid position. related to both professional sports and varsity sports. For example, content could include game reviews, strategy reviews, Varsity Blues results, or larger articles talking about sports scandals, or • Ad Executives: Responsible for building team struggles. Also responsible for the Sports in Brief section. relationships with advertising partners, and finding new advertisements. Commission-paid position.
VICTORIA (CUP) — There is a cruel irony in higher education. Contrary to idealized views of university, students may find themselves becoming increasingly insular and less certain of themselves over the course of their studies. With our heads buried deep in textbooks, particularly during the stressful exam season, it’s easy to forget your personal well being. The result of this neglect, more often than not, is depression and disillusionment. Lou Marinoff, the founding president of the American Philosophical Practitioners Association and a former lecturer in the University of British Columbia’s department of philosophy, believes that our culture has lost touch with the search for wisdom. The professor emeritus and author of the bestseller Plato, Not Prozac! went to UBC on November 30th to deliver a talk titled “The Inner Philosopher – A Conversation on
Philosophy’s Transformative Powers”. “It’s the ascendency of science and technology, which has helped to convince people that most of our problems are somehow quantitative or reducible to biology, and that we don’t have to bother so much about thinking, or indeed, fathoming the qualitative aspects of our being,” said Marinoff. “Not everything in the DSM [Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychological Disorders] has a biological substrate.” Personal betterment through philosophic practice is the subject of Marinoff ’s latest work, The Inner Philosopher, co-authored with renowned Buddhist thinker and leader Daisaku Ikeda. Rather than pandering only to students of philosophy or Buddhism, the two scholars are determined to show that anyone can use valuable philosophical knowledge to improve their well-being. Like the classical philosophical works that inspired it, the text takes the format of sixteen dialogues between Marinoff and Ikeda. Their conversations, which began as far back as 2003,
cover subjects such as the distinction between life and death, technological alienation, and the practice of virtue. According to Ikeda and Marinoff, many of the profound social problems that permeate Western societies, like depression, heart disease, educational decline and callous consumerism, are systemic to the beliefs of the culture itself. As such, they need to be addressed through cultural, rather than only institutional means. “If indeed we have a medical problem then we do need to seek a medical cure, but if indeed we have a philosophical problem then the same argument applies: we need to apply for a philosophical remedy and not a medical one. So it’s a question of finding appropriate solutions,” explained Marinoff. Intriguingly, each of The Inner Philosopher‘s discussions feature references to ancient philosophers from both Western and Eastern traditions. Despite the differences in their metaphysical worldviews, Marinoff believes that both can contribute to the development of wisdom.
“Within any school of philosophy, you’ll find irreconcilable beliefs… any two philosophers you can put in a room, will take not more than five minutes to discover irreconcilable metaphysical differences,” reasoned Marinoff. “The beauty of philosophical practice is that we don’t care what people’s philosophical orientations are. The theory is that almost every philosophical school has some way of being applied to the betterment of people, so the differences in this case become a virtue, as opposed to something divisive.” But are Socrates and Confucius even relevant to today’s analytically-oriented students? “If postmodernism has succeeded, then it’s made people more confused than ever, by virtue of having deconstructed everything, including the moral compass, which we as individuals need to have at times,” said Marinoff. “There’s a return to the ancient mission of philosophy precisely because it has pragmatic purchase in the everyday lives of people. “The wisdom of the ancients is timeless and applicable today.”
• Arts Editor: Responsible for collecting and managing content • Business Manager: Responsible for creating the year’s related to the prolific arts scene in Toronto. For example, budget in cooperation with the Editor in Chief. Manages content can include play reviews, show previews, or other advertisement team and maintains business contacts. art news such as gallery openings, or Kelly’s Corner reviews.
• Living Editor: Responsible for collecting and managing content related to student lifestyle. For example, content can include food reviews, trend reports, recent scientific The Mike is always growing its team of designers, discoveries, and interviews with people leading interesting lives. photographers and writers. If you want to get involved, please do not hesitate to email the relevant section editor, or Micah Gold-Utting at the editorinchief@readthemike.com . • Opinions Editor: Responsible for collecting and managing content related to the opinions section. For example content can include opinions on news, popular beliefs or other topics.
Applications close March 12th
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Sports
THE MIKE
Taken to school
This year’s NBA All-Star Weekend has taught us many things. Here are a few lessons that have stood out: Chris Bosh Has Expanded His Range This Year: Our old friend (or enemy depending on your opinion), Chris Bosh, has taken and made more threes in the early half of this year’s season than he has in any season prior. Opposing defenses are now forced to have to pay attention to Bosh when his left-handed release is initiated in 3-point land. If you are still doubtful of this improvement, CB drilled a pair of long bombs not a couple inches beyond the 3-point stripe, but from half court, propelling his squad to the Shooing Stars crown. Someone In The Organizing Committee Has A Crush On Damian Lillard: I find it remarkable when a player is granted a chance to take home even two of the six trophies handed out over
the three days of competition. The fact that Portland’s Damian Lillard was admitted by the NBA to take part in FIVE out of the six events took my re-mark-able feeling and added a funky bunch. This is totally unheard of and looks bad on the NBA for not being able to organize the presence of other talented players in the variety of events. The only thing that would be more embarrassing than having him participating in all these events would be him going winless. However, the very talented and reigning rookie of the year wouldn’t allow that to happen as he prevailed in the Skills Challenge with help from Trey Burke, as well as in the NBA Rising Stars Challenge. Gli Italiani Può Sparare Tre (Italians Can Shoot The Three): Marco Belinelli became this years 3-Point Shootout champion when he took down Bradley Beal in a scintillating tie-breaker. Next time I come home from my nonna’s house with a belly loaded full of homemade
sauce, perfectly prepared al dente fettuccini, and mushroom/pepperoni pizza (my favourite), I think I might go chuck up a couple threes in my driveway to see if the diet is actually the secret to Belinelli’s marksman-like accuracy. Belinelli’s win reminds us of not only his, but also every NBA-playing Italian’s ability to stretch the floor from deep. We Love One-On-One: Possibly the most entertaining moments of this entire weekend came Friday night when Cleveland’s Dion Waiters and New York’s Tim Hardaway Jr. went mano-a-mano in an epic battle of offensive prowess. Starting at the 9-minute mark of the second half Hardaway Jr. scores the next 22 out of his team’s 28 points, while Waiters responds with the next 23 out of his team’s 26 points. It is unfortunately impossible to accurately describe the absolutely bananas atmosphere in the building when Waiters and Hardaway Jr. traded 3-ball after 3-ball, so instead I’ll advise you to
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Rushin’ out of the games
What we’ve learned from the 2014 NBA All-Star Weekend
Peter Galka | Staff Writer
THE MIKE
Sports
Detailing Russia’s 2014 Olympic hockey defeat check the highlights if you haven’t seen it. Trust me, it’s awesome. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see Durant and LeBron give their best Waiters/ Hardaway Jr. impression on Sunday, but there will be other opportunities for that in the future. We Know How NOT To Run A Dunk Contest: “Don’t worry there’ll be another round.” These were the optimistic words I kept repeating as my buddies and I huddled around the television prior to the realization that John Wall won the Dunk Contest with… wait for it…ONE DUNK. Are you kidding me!? What were they thinking!? Leading up to the atrocity that was the premature nature of the trophy ceremony, I actually enjoyed elements such as the group dunking round and even the head to head battles, but c’mon, me and Ray Charles could both see that another round consisting of two dunks per matchup winner (Terrence Ross, Paul George, and John Wall) was imperative for legitimacy of this dunk contest. There’s no doubt that each of these three guys had multiple dunks planned which were probably more jawdropping, and aerially inspiring as the first. But we weren’t able to see them because of the blatantly idiotic contest format that we had to witness this year. The underlying problem not only in the Dunk Contest, but in all of this year’s All-Star Saturday festivities, is that the NBA has chosen to stress the importance of Eastern groups of players vs. Western Groups of players in all competitions. This takes away from the fact that these skills challenges are in place to find the PLAYER that is most skilled in that area (shooting, dunking, etc). The NBA has robbed us of the individuals’ quest for greatness, which we as fans have proved to cherish (hence the emotion surrounding the Waiters/Hardaway Jr. clash). Hopefully the NBA can listen to its loyal fans and return the All-Star Weekend to its electrifying and hero-birthing roots in future years.
Curtis Panke | Sports Editor
NFL
The Seattle Seahawks will be releasing wide receiver Sidney Rice after signing a 5-year $41 million contract in 2011 and tearing his ACL in 2013.
NHL
The New York Islanders will be without captain John Tavares for the remainder of the season after he suffered a torn MCL and meniscus at the Sochi Olympics.
MLB
The Baltimore Orioles sign free agent outfielder Nelson Cruz to a 1-year $8 million contract.
NBA
The Indiana Pacers traded Danny Granger to the Philadelphia 76ers at the trade deadline in exchange for Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen.
Soccer
Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic has announced that he will leave the team at the end of the English Premier League season.
Alex Wichert | Staff Writer Before the 2014 Sochi Olympics began, Russian forward Alex Ovechkin was asked what a men’s ice hockey victory would mean for his country. “Mean gold only cost 50 billion,” he said. For a country that is absolutely fervent about its hockey, it’s not hard to see how a gold medal would have justified any price tag that Russia’s Olympic hosting duties have required. Similar to how, in 2010, Canada delivered despite enormous amounts of pressure heaped onto the group, Team Russia was planning on proving it could rise to the occasion and the podium. The end result, however, was not what was envisioned by Russia. Perhaps it was the overwhelming emotions. Perhaps it was the fatigue. Or, perhaps the Finnish team was just too much to handle. Somehow, Russia found itself ousted from the 2014 games in the Quarterfinal matchup and very much disappointed with the result. “We knew that they played four games in five nights, and we had to make sure they had to grind every opportunity for what they get,” Teemu Selanne, the captain of Finland, said after the game. “I think they were out of gas a little bit.” That would certainly be an apt description. Russia did get the first goal of the game when former New Jersey Devil Ilya Kovalchuk put one past Finland’s goalie Tuukka Rask. Russian Captain Pavel Datsyuk had the lone assist, but that would be all the scoring his team would manage for the entirety of the game. Juhamatti Aaltonen and Teemu Selanne scored before the first buzzer and Mikael Granlund put his team up 3-1 in the second period. Semyon Varlamov, the Russian goalie, was pulled in favour of reigning Vezina winner Sergei Bobrovsky but the move failed to spark any comeback. Despite outshooting Finland 14-5 in the third period, Russia was unable to beat Rask and saw their tournament end on a bitter note. The disappointment doesn’t just stem from the fact
that Russia lost, however – it’s also how the team lost. Lacking any sort of cohesion or plan, Russia’s minimal strategies proved to be largely ineffective against teams with multiple stars. Attempting to start an offensive attack, the squad continually tried to connect long-range passes or stick handle through entire groups; the players’ inability to adapt to opposing systems proved to be their ultimate downfall. Individually, Russia appeared to be an assortment of talented, promising athletes. Collectively, though, they clashed instead of connecting. They missed targets, chose to make an extra pass or shot when the opposite should have been done, and stars such as Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin slumped at the worst possible time. Russia was simply never in sync. “The emotion we feel right now is disappointment that we didn’t live up to the hopes placed on us,” Datsyuk said. In the end, Russia’s struggling offence and team play may have come about as a result of pride. 11 of the players selected to the team play in the KHL and, while the league certainly does contain some fantastic talent, the decision to showcase Russian players from Russia instead of North America was a statement that appears to have backfired. Still, even some of the bigname players from the NHL had unsuccessful showings in the Olympics. Ovechkin, his smiling energy on display via coke machines across Sochi, only had one goal during the tournament – on his first shot in his first game. Malkin scored in Russia’s first game, too, but was invisible after that. “I don’t know why some of our top players didn’t score – especially Ovechkin,” Russian coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov explained postelimination. The coach went on to have a strange back-and-forth with the media, highlighted by this fragment of the interview: Q: What future, if any, do you see for your own work and for your coaching staff? Because, you know, your predecessor was eaten alive after
the Olympics – A: Well then, eat me alive right now – Q. No, I mean – A. Eat me, and I won’t be here anymore. Q. But we have The World Championship coming up! A. Well then, there will be a different coach because I won’t exist anymore since you will have eaten me up. Q. But you’re staying, aren’t you? A: Yes, I will remain living. For Finland, victory over Russia has been just the latest chapter in their incredible run these Olympics. The team lost its top two centres – Mikko Koivu and Valtteri Filppula – before the games even began. Despite the injuries, Finland continued to have confidence. “We are a team who believes,” Selanne said. Finland can take away from this Olympic tournament the story of their dogged determination and interminable faith in their ability. Russia, on the other hand, is being
reported to have had a heated friction between Malkin and Ovechkin versus the coaches. The NHL stars, reporters say, clashed with their bench bosses on KHL bias, lines, and situational usage. It would be an understatement to say that this is the complete opposite of many Russian fans’ dreams prior to the games. As of right now, it appears likely that the NHL will not participate in the 2018 winter games. If that is the case, future Olympic hockey could consist of a much different core group of players and will undoubtedly provide some unpredictable matchups. With many competent players in the KHL, Russia may be one of the top teams when international hockey is played in South Korea. Although it’s not a complete consolation for Russia at the moment, the next generation of Russian Olympic participants will likely have a shot at medaling for their home country and undoing some of the disappointment from this year’s games.
There is baseball in the air Preparing for the beginning of the season, as spring training kicks off
Micah Gold-Utting | Editor-in-chief This paper prints on Wednesday, February 25th the same day that the Blue Jays open their spring training campaign against the
Philadelphia Phillies. While by the time you read this the result of that game will be long in the books, what it signals will last for awhile. Seven months in fact. That’s right, while the snow is still knee deep here, the release of
this paper corresponds with the beginning of baseball. And baseball heralds the start of spring. This season of baseball probably doesn’t start quite how most Jay’s fans expected. It’s well known that last year the expectations for the team were through the roof. While few expected that same level of hype to be regained, there was certainly some expectation that they would add to the roster during the offseason. The good news is that they did address their catching situation, adding Dioner Navarro, which was easily their greatest need. The bad news is that is all they did. The Blue Jays avoided signing any of the middle of the rotation starters who were looking for big contracts. Additionally the team has decided to look to Ryan Goins to fill in full time at second base. This same-look Blue Jays team, therefore, has made almost no changes from the team that went 74-88 last year. That’s not very promising. That being said, it is also very similar to the squad that was expected to take down the whole thing last year. So the big question everyone is asking is: “What is
actually fair to expect of this team?” The question doesn’t have any easy answer. On one hand the team suffered from remarkable injuries last year. Players spent an astonishing 1478 total days on the disabled list. As of writing there is no one on the Jays disabled list. Starting the season off fresh, with a healthy crew could go a long way. However, one of the big reasons the Jays were so favoured last year was that the notoriously strong AL east was unusually weak. This year is not last year. The Yankees, Red Sox and Orioles all made major acquisitions over the offseason, and the Rays return with an exceptionally strong rotation. The division is loaded with teams who seriously consider themselves title contenders. The year will be a long one. All of this information is pretty standard, and the discussion is one that has been going on in different forms since last season ended. The important thing is that after a long offseason of asking these questions, we are finally able to start to find some answers. The snow is getting ready to melt, baseball is coming and so is spring.
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THE MIKE
spring As spring approaches, it’s logical to assume that eventually this endless winter will end. Yes, it will go away, and take our parkas, chapped lips, matted mittens, and salt-stained boots with it. We will be able to bask in the sunshine, rocking shorts and baseball jerseys. We will have to worry about sun protection instead of frostbite protection. I can’t wait. It’s only 22 days until spring! March 20th, 2014 is officially the start of spring. Better get to planning all the sunny destinations you are going to frequent for a summer in the city. Though, most of these locations you can also visit in the winter (And you’re encouraged too! Businesses hate winter too! Seems you have something in common.), there’s something glorious that transforms these adventures into instagram worthy events.
and things,
THE MIKE
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what to do, where to go, things to see and places to be
Hockey Hall of Fame
Scott Pilgrim Walking Tour
Old Town
Though traditionally a winter sport, the Hockey Hall of Fame is an all year round activity! Only closed three days a year (Christmas, News Years Day and Inductee Day), hockey history is always accessible to you. Read all about Wayne Gretzky, arguably the greatest hockey player to ever grace the ice (even if he had never scored in his career, he would still have the most points of any players due to the number he accrued from assists). Enjoy the walk down to Young and Front in the sunshine, and then tour the historic building. Highlights include real hockey history, information about inductees, and a gift shop. With the Stanley Cup playoffs beginning in the middle of April, it’s definitely a fantastic way to stretch this hockey season into the beginning of next.
One of the best comic series of all time is set right here in Toronto! Aren’t we lucky ducks? Even luckier? All of the locations mentioned in the comics exist and are accessible to the public! If you haven’t read the Scott Pilgrim series, it is a must before undertaking this summertime adventure. Take a day, and explore your city by walking, biking, or transiting from destination to destination. The locations included in the film adaptation of the novels include Casa Loma, Lee’s Palace, Hillcrest Park, St. Mikes, Wychwood Library, Sonic Boom, the Pizza Pizza opposite Honest Ed’s, and the Wychwood Barns. Want more? You can purchase the entire series, and note down every location, recreating panel for panel the entire comic series. It’s a summer project.
A lot of people complain that Toronto has no history. To start off, they’re wrong. Completely wrong. Our history may be newer (many of our lovely skyscrapers were built during the booms of the 1960’s and 1970’s), but that doesn’t mean we don’t also have the old hidden away. A perfect example of Toronto’s heritage is in Old Town. Situated at Jarvis and Front, Old Town features some of the oldest buildings in Toronto, and some architectural marvels. It was also the first neighbourhood in Toronto to be granted a name and a border. If looking at old buildings isn’t a good enough reason to visit, you should also explore legendary bar C’est What. Still not enough reasons to go? The best pork sandwich in Toronto is located at the St.Lawrence market.
Do not miss activities: The Game Time Trivia Exhibit, The Hometown Hockey Exhibit, and the Spirit of Hockey Retail Store.
Do not miss activites: Casa Loma, Lee’s Palace and the Pizza Pizza opposite Honest Ed’s
Do not miss activities; Rainbow Cinemas, Toronto’s First City Hall, Flatiron Building, and the Enoch Turner Schoolhouse
Distillery District
Toronto Islands
Yorkville
Did you know that the Distillery District is the largest remaining example of Victorian architecture in North America? Most of the buildings within the small block region were built by the original distillery, Gooderham and Worts. The buildings, which have since been repurposed into a tourist destination, were also featured in many films, including Chicago and Tommy Boy. Not a movie buff ? Head down during the summer, and you’ll be spoilt for patio choice, with superb restaurants such as El Catrine and Pure Spirits offering nicer vibes that are very special occasion worthy. Just want somewhere nice for a drink? Mill Street Brewery has two restaurants in the district, The Mill Street Brewpub and the Mill Street Beerhall, featuring stunning patios, and with over 28 taps between the two restaurants, you’ll be able to find a beer to enjoy. Want more information about the district? Segway Tours run daily, with a variety of choices of tours, including seasonally available ghost walks!
This winter was not kind to the Island residents. Their usual ferry broke after the first freeze, causing a massive disruption to their lifestyle, having to rely on a ferry running from the airport. Not fantastic. As summer approaches, explore the islands. The ferry leaves from the waterfront. Once on the Island, don’t be afraid to roam! There’s attractions everywhere, including Centerville Amusement park, with over 30 rides and 14 food vendors, you’re bound to have an awesome day. If amusement parks aren’t your thing, you can always explore the parkland and beaches. Of course, if a little exhibitionism is in your future, do not miss the nude beach. The Islands are also steeped in history; social and geological. Social history includes Gibraltar Point Lighthouse, the oldest remaining lighthouse on the Great Lakes. Geological history includes displaced and eroded rocks from the Scarborough bluffs.
There’s nothing like sunshine to make a person feel luxurious and rich. Exploit this feeling by traversing the streets of Yorkville. From exclusive designer stores to the Subway Sandwich Shop, there’s an experience for everybody. Yorkville was originally a small village, somewhat on the outskirts of Toronto. Founded by Joseph Bloor (of Bloor Street fame) in 1830, the village was primarily known for making beer and bricks. Although neither of those facilities still exist in the area, the architectural magnificence still remain. Another chapter of the area’s history saw it become a bohemian haven, the former former haunt of such stars as Joni Mitchell and Neil Diamond. Currently, it has a reputation of luxury and upper class, thanks to Holt Renfrew and the Bay. Not enough of a reason to visit? Try any of the rooftop patios. There are so many to choose from, and really, feeling rich while sipping sangria on a rooftop is what summer is all about.
Do not miss activities: Gibraltar Point Lighthouse, Toronto Island Tree Tour and Disc Golf
Do not miss activities; Yorkville Firehall, Holt Renfrew, Heliconian Hall, and the Church of the Redeemer.
Emma George | Staff Writer
Do not miss activities: Segway Tours (pre-book), Mill Street Brewery Tour, Balzac’s Coffee, Sweet Escape’s beer ice cream!
Skydome (Rogers Center) Planning on staying in Toronto once you’ve completed your undergrad? Then you should probably start calling the Rogers Center the Skydome, or just the ‘dome for short. During the winter, it is the home to the Toronto Argos, but when summer comes a’callin’ it’s baseball season. Spring training has officially started in Dunedin, Florida (the spring training home for the Blue Jays), and tickets are on sale for individual games during the season. This upcoming season marks the Jays 37th season. Opening weekend commences April 4th versus the Yankees. Gather your friends, some baseball caps, and head down. This season is the battle of the beards, with Adam Lind and Jose Reyes featuring beards that are fit for a Duck Dynasty marathon. Do not miss activities: Brandon Morrow’s first game back, Hotdogs, Nachos, and Beer.
Kensington Market Kensington Market, during the winter can be a very depressing place, with no bright yellow sunshine to provide the perfect juxtaposition to a mass of grey and graffiti. The market is also much more alive when people can chill out in Bellevue Square, and businesses can move more displays outside. Explore the restaurants, cafés, and shops. Admire the graffiti and some of the more famous shops of the area (Roacharama anybody?). Don’t forget to leave the area with your produce groceries for the week. Best deals in the city. Do not miss activities: Chocolate covered insects, Crows Nest Barbershop, Tom’s Place and Vintage Depot
Leslieville Leslieville is the epitome of gentrification. There’s more furniture shops and charcuterie places than one could shake a stick at, which is perfect for a foodie tour in the spring. The area, which is often lumped together with Riverdale due to their proximity, was first built as a residential zone for the gardeners working for George Leslie Nurseries. It was also the home to many brickwork factories, and subsequently their workers. Leslieville also recently became the home to Left Field Brewery, a craft brewery producing incredible beer with baseball names (their best beer is easily their Eephus Oatmeal Brown Ale, a fantastic beer that is perfect for the dark beer lover). Pay them a visit, as well as the other stores, bars and restaurants in the area. Just be sure to streetcar home. Do not miss activities: PicNic Wine Bar, Leslieville’s Farmers Market, Rasputin Vodka Bar,The Comrade, and Here&Now
Toronto Food Trucks Mobile food providers have stepped up to the plate (pun intended). After becoming legendary in Chicago and New York, the food truck industry is taking Toronto by storm. The number of food trucks is steadily increasing, with many places looking to expand their businesses into the form. If it weren’t for some pesky legislation, they could have regular haunts. However, the regulation persists, and so to find a food truck near you (or to figure out where your favourite one moved to!), check out the website torontofoodtrucks. ca. It will be worth your time to seek them out. They’re affordable, and make the delicious street food Toronto has been clamouring for. Sorry hot dog vendors, there’s a new food of summer. Do not miss: Fidel Gastro’s, Taco Cat, Food Cabbie or Food Dudes
Snakes and _ _ _ _ _ _ Whether its Snakes and Lattes Cafe, or their brand new board gaming bar, Snakes and Lagers, be sure to get all your board gaming fixes this summer. With an incredible selection of games to play, and to take home (they sell a wide variety of board games at very reasonable prices), you will not be board. Plan an evening to play Cards Against Humanity and sip back on craft beer in the dying hours of sunlight. Plan an afternoon to play Dixit (a short picture description game, with amazing artwork) and sip back on an iced coffee in the blazing afternoon heat. It will be a day you won’t forget. Do not miss activities: Dixit, Evo, and Cards Against Humanity
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Entering The Void on DMT
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There’s a movie about that? Regan McNeill | Staff Writer My roommate and I have a fascination with movies that we like to categorize as “trippy” - that is to say, they involve some sort of scifi, supernatural, unexplainable element… and usually, drugs. More often than not, these trippy movies have been scary and hard to watch. So, that brings me to Gaspar Noe’s Enter The Void. Enter The Void has a beginning unlike any film I have seen before (take my word for it… I am a film student and I have seen some WEIRD movies in my day). Essentially the first forty minutes revolves around the death and transcendence of its protagonist Oscar, a DMT dealer living in Tokyo. The entirety of the film is shot from Oscar’s perspective, which makes the opening events especially immersive and traumatic. At the beginning of the film Oscar smokes some DMT and you get to see what world lies behind his eyelids. This trip is interrupted by a call from a friend who wants DMT. So, Oscar goes to meet his friend at a bar called “The Void.” The casual drug deal turns out to be a drug bust. Oscar runs to the washroom and locks himself in. It is in this grim setting where the Japanese police shoot Oscar. This is where he dies (we die) and transcends. While watching this, my roommate and I felt strong urges of paranoia as we slowly witnessed (and essentially experienced) Oscar’s death. If you have seen GasparNoe’s Irreversible, then you would already know that he has an uncanny ability to capture death in a brutally realistic way. Once again, he succeeds at this in Enter
The Void. The death of Oscar makes way for the progression of the film. Oscar’s physical body is no longer a part of the film; the viewer takes on the perspective of his soul. Like Oscar, we are unacknowledged and have an omniscient presence. Oscar watches the world he used to live in and participates in it through strange means. This movie has a lot of sexual tensions. After Oscar’s death, his soul spends a lot of time watching his sister Linda. I must admit that Linda leads a rather depressing life and I did not always want to follow in Oscar’s gaze. One way that Oscar “participates” in the real world is by having sex with Linda vicariously through the body of her pimp. The Freudian theme is the second most disturbing thing to digest when watching this film. Though you may surprise yourself when you begin to understand (however not completely justify) the incestuous relationship between Oscar and Linda. Along with being psychologically unsettling, Noe’s style is unpredictable and experimental. His use of colour and light harkens back to early flicker films, which aimed to impose an unsettling feeling upon viewers. So if the content of this film does not entice you, there are opportunities for you to tap into a psychedelic or hallucinatory experience while watching this film. Truthfully, I think Gaspar Noe used these effects to make us viewers feel like our brains are coated in his version of DMT. One thing I that really liked about this film was how it connected the past, present and
If you received a Common Experience Payment, you could get $3,000 in Personal Credits for educational programs and services. future. Every aspect of the past funneled nicely into the future and we (as in the viewer) are left as the missing link between the two. I liked the imagery of soaring through the night skies over a neon Tokyo. I liked predicting the oncoming of a primal scene and being right. But most of all, I liked that this movie got me thinking of a bunch of other mind-bending movies. And so, following this article is a list of movies that I would not hesitate to classify as “trippy.” Miraculous and Mind-bending Movies: “Trippy Edition”
1. Moon (2009) – Duncan Jones 2. Pi (1998)- Darren Aronofsky 3. Labyrinth (1986)- Jim Henson 4. Night Watch (2004)- TimurBekmambetov 5. Bug (2006)- William Friedkin 6. Fantastic Planet (1973) – Rene Laloux 7. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)Robert Wiene 8. The City of Lost Children (1995)- Marc Caro, Jean-Pierre Jeunet 9. The Seashell and The Clergyman (1926) – Germaine Dulac 10. Rubber (2010)- Quentin Dupieux
No subtlety allowed Reviewing Tribes, hint: it sucks
Louis Train | Arts Editor Watch a TV show in which characters drink wine and you’ll notice some unusual things: 1) the wine is almost always red and 2) the glass is almost never empty. That’s because television is an unsubtle medium that needs to get the point across quickly. How do we know what she was drinking unless we see a red liquid (less mistakable than white) in the glass? People pour wine so they can drink it, but if they empty their glasses we might get confused. We can usually excuse this trick on TV, but when it appears in a supposedly more artistic venue – like, say the Berkeley Street Theatre – it’s a sign that the director is taking his cues from the wrong places. As it happens, Tribes, which plays at Berkeley until March 2, features two scenes in which characters fill wine glass– with
red – but never actually drink from them I’ll get the “aboutness” of the play out of the way: communication, identity, being a part of a group, community, exclusion, language. Tribes is occasionally insightful, which is probably why the people who say they like it think they do, but insight really is the domain of an essay or article. If you want to write a play, it should also be subtle and should probably be realistic (assuming the genre demands realism, which the bickering-family world of Tribes surely does). Tribes, through fault of both writing and direction, is neither of these things. The play is about as subtle as a Baptist sermon, with every character and event forcefully fitted into some sort of function. Billy is deaf, his girlfriend is deaf, and she is active in the deaf community, whereas Billy is not. Billy’s father is an academic who writes
on thought and language and has serious opinions about communities. Billy’s mother is a failed novelist and Billy’s sister is a failing singer. So yes, everyone has something to contribute awkwardly, but none more so than Billy’s brother, Dan, who has the dual graces of voices in his head and a stutter that makes him incapable of speech. It feels like playwright Nina Raine bought “communication” in a jar at Wal-Mart and spread it thickly over toast. But it’s okay for characters to serve the theme when they’re also realistic. They weren’t also realistic. When Billy’s girlfriend Sylvia comes to dinner, the party starts with a wine and pistachio and fig course and never eats any actual food – not because there is such thing as a wine and pistachio and fig course, but because Raine just didn’t know how to write the next course. At the start of the second act, Beth and Ruth spend several minutes trying to iron a bedsheet. Why? I literally have no idea. People don’t iron bedsheets. But we just pretend this is something people do, because it seemed to work in the scene. The acting is a lot of sudden shouting and bickering between people whose personalities, acting styles, and accents are all drastically different. That last point especially irritates me: how does a British family of five have four different accents? So the parents come from different regions - there are still two awful approximations of dialect unaccounted for. But realism aside, and subtlety aside, there’s a third complaint to make here: Tribes breaks some pretty obvious rules of drama,
and not in a good, rebellious way, but more in an amateurish way (think less Dr. House and more Dr. who doesn’t know where the pancreas is). In the first act, for instance, the family gets a call from an unseen cousin, a religious man who’s coming to town. He’s going to visit, which pretty obviously means that he’s going to visit the second act, where he’ll shake things up, add a new face, and move the story when it stalls. Forecasting a new character in the first act is a pretty common device, and one that is usually used to good effect. But in Tribes, the cousin just doesn’t show up. That whole conversation in the first act was not only misleading, but a waste of time. Then in the second act, Billy explodes at his family for not learning sign language. The problem is, a second act is short, and this is half-way through, so only a few minutes pass between “I hate you” and “I’m back”. And then there’s the final scene when Dan, who is now incapable of speech, asks Billy to teach him the sign for love. Really? The last sentiment is “how do I tell you I love you”? When did this become a Whitney Houston song? Many of the critics of this production have blamed their distaste on the direction and acting, which are definitely distasteful. But I’m willing to take my criticism further, to challenge even my beloved New Yorker magazine, which praised Tribes, by saying that the script lacks nuance and realism. It’s an interesting topic wrapped in a forgettable play that, fortunately, I’ve already begun to forget.
The Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. The healing continues. Since 2007, almost 80,000 former students have received a Common Experience Payment (“CEP”) as part of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. CEP recipients are now eligible to receive non-cash Personal Credits of up to $3,000, for either themselves or certain family members, for educational programs and services.
the terms and conditions. Personal Credits of multiple CEP recipients can be combined to support a group learning activity. How can I get Personal Credits? Each CEP recipient will be mailed an Acknowledgement Form. If you do not receive an Acknowledgement Form by the end of January 2014, please call 1-866-343-1858. Completed Acknowledgement Forms should be returned as soon as possible and must be postmarked no later than October 31, 2014.
What are Personal Credits? Personal Credits may be used for a wide range of educational programs and services, including those provided by universities, colleges, trade or training schools, Indigenous Institutions of Higher How do I redeem my Personal Credits? Once Learning, or which relate to literacy or trades, as well as approved, you will be sent a personalized Redemption programs and services related to Aboriginal identities, Form for each individual using Personal Credits at each histories, cultures or languages. educational entity or group. Once CEP recipients have the option of How much are Personal Credits? the Form is received, provide it sharing their Personal Credits with Adequate funds are available for to the educational entity or group certain family members, such as: each CEP recipient to receive up listed. The educational entity to $3,000 in Personal Credits, or group must then complete • Children • Spouses depending on your approved and mail back the Redemption • Grandchildren • Siblings educational expenses. Form postmarked no later than December 1, 2014. Which educational entities and groups are included? A list of approved educational entities and groups has been jointly developed by Canada, the Assembly of First Nations and Inuit representatives. If an educational entity or group is not on the list, please consult the website for more information. Will I receive a cheque? No. Cheques will be issued directly to the educational entity or group providing the service. Who can use Personal Credits? CEP recipients can use the full amount themselves or give part or all of their Personal Credits to certain family members such as a spouse, child, grandchild or sibling, as defined in
What happens to unused Personal Credits? The value of unused Personal Credits will be transferred to the National Indian Brotherhood Trust Fund and Inuvialuit Education Foundation for educational programs.
For more information, including how Personal Credits can be redeemed by certain family members of CEP recipients that are deceased, visit www.residentialschoolsettlement.ca or call 1-866-343-1858. The IRS Crisis Line (1-866-925-4419) provides immediate and culturally appropriate counselling support to former students who are experiencing distress.
1-866-343-1858 • www.residentialschoolsettlement.ca
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The Olympics should be about the athletes, not the countries Rob Mason | Contributor I should begin by saying that I'm proud to be Canadian. I drink Tim Horton's coffee, I instinctively apologize when I've done nothing wrong and I cringe at the thought that Canada's reputation is being rapidly redefined by the likes of Rob Ford and Justin Bieber. More importantly, I believe that Canada is often a force for peace in the world and I take comfort in knowing that I live in a compassionate society that will help me out if I get sick or can't find a job. But whatever I do I can't seem to get excited about hockey. And I'm indifferent about the Olympics. Sorry. I understand that caring about the outcome makes any game more fun to watch, so picking a side increases the entertainment value. But why is it so common to cheer for one's own country in the Olympics? Do we think that by succeeding in sports foreigners will be inspired to adopt our national values? Hitler thought so in 1936, but thankfully when the Nazis clinched a victory in the medal count it didn't lead to the spontaneous adoption of their values. And Paul Henderson's famous goal in the 1972 Summit Series won the game, not the Cold War. Perhaps we feel like we have a stake in the Games because our tax dollars helped pay for athletes' training. I hope this is the reason. I hope that Canadians intuitively know the
details of federal budgets and care as much about Official Development Assistance as they do about assisted goals. Such a passionate connection to government spending would help explain the baffling tendency to say "we" when referring to the accomplishments of Canadian athletes. But it wouldn't explain why so many Canadians are more passionate about hockey than they are about infrastructure spending or electoral reform. Another possibility is that we feel a stronger emotional connection to people who have lived close to us at some point in their lives. But if it's as simple as this then we've got a few problems. First of all, we live in the second largest country in the world, so in a lot of cases we live closer to American athletes than to Canadian ones. By the logic of proximity we should often be rooting for them instead. More worryingly, this explanation suggests that the further away people are, the less we care about them. That's a dangerous worldview, and one that's oddly inconsistent with the values that the Olympics supposedly promote. The Games have a long and proud history of bringing nations together for peaceful competition. They have the potential to entertain, to increase cross-cultural understanding and to inspire people of all ages to be physically active and to work hard in pursuit of their dreams. So there are plenty of good reasons to enjoy the Olympics. Blind patriotism just isn't one of them.
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Selecting the right one
Playing the blame game
The government shouldn’t curtail reproductive choice
It comes as no surprise that with the rate of developments in sex selection technologies, the rate of anxiety about “playing God” is increasing as well. Interestingly, disapproval towards sex selective measures isn’t ending with your traditional stubborn right-wingers – even the most liberal of liberals seem to be hesitant towards
condoning sex selection on the grounds that it might just lead to an epidemic of selecting against females. Currently, some doctors are pushing to end ultrasounds for the purpose of determining the sex of babies, with the expectation that sex selection against female babies is a trend on the rise. While the fight for equality between the sexes is certainly an important endeavour, it’s arguable whether barring sex selection
would help in any conceivable way. The issue tends to focus on countries such as China and India – viewed through a Western-centric perspective, of course – that are always depicted as the centers of women’s oppression. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly why a family might favour one gender over the other, but the traditional reasoning is that these countries believe in male superiority in terms of future careers, financial gain, power in the
private choices. In Canada, we take great pride in the rights awarded to us, particularly by the Canadian Charter. It seems counterintuitive to ignore these rights in the name of maybe setting an example for other countries that we shouldn’t select against female babies…assuming this even occurs in a great enough magnitude in Canada to warrant such discussion. Families simply sometimes want one particular gender, because three girls are enough daughters for the obligatory family portrait, or because the mother doesn’t need another wild child full of testosterone around the house. In any case, these choices should be private. If we as a collective body are willing to claim that women can and should be granted the ability to do with their bodies as they please, then this claim ought to extend to all factors affecting the outcome of the pregnancy. Picking and choosing parameters around a woman’s reproductive choices just doesn’t seem cohesive, and denying women the capacity to know relevant factors about their own future children is at the very least domineering and outright unfair.
The turmoil in Ukraine, now in its third month, reached climax on last week as parliament voted to dismiss president Viktor Yanukovych and free his jailed rival Yulia Tymoshenko – this just a day after a EU-brokered peace accord was signed between the president and the opposition leaders. Protestors took control of government buildings and security forces evacuated the capital. The situation is particularly complex because in addition to the increasingly volatile and unpredictable internal situation there is a heavy international involvement in the crisis. Russia, the EU, the US and Canada are important players in the crisis, with Russia being on one side and the US traditionally siding with the EU. But within Ukraine, what started as peaceful protests over policy have escalated to calls for a removal of the corrupt government, much like what we have and still are seeing in the Middle East. The revolts started with protestors taking to the streets after Yanukovych backed out of a trade deal with the EU. They demanded immediately that Yanukovych be ousted. However what started as protests against policy – no doubt also influenced by Ukraine’s plummeting currency and
drivers and oil companies for slowly killing Mother Nature. A prime example is Al Gore, the man behind An Inconvenient Truth (2006). While discussing climate change as a moral issue, Al Gore was running up an insane utility bill. In 2009, three years after the release of his documentary, it was revealed that Al Gore’s residential energy consumption was twenty times the national average. I’d crank up my AC until I froze to death before I took Dr. Elon Griffith adviceCosmetic on energy usage Dentistry from Al Gore. You & General might as well take eating advice from someone Call: 416-923-3386 who’s morbidly obese. If you have dreadlocks, or email: drgriffith@rogers.com smell like team spirit and want to tell me about
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Looking to make sense of the revolts shaking Ukraine bankruptcy issues – has morphed into a countrywide revolt against corruption. From a Russian perspective, Putin, much like his predecessors, is trying to keep Ukraine in his sphere of influence economically and politically; the same way Stalin subdued the Eastern European countries after the Second World War to advance communism. President Putin is trying to pull Ukraine back into the Russian orbit because he needs Ukraine along with Kazakhstan and Belarus to make his customs union: the Moscow led Eurasian Union. So this is a battle he can’t afford to lose and he wants to ensure that Ukraine stays clear of any western influence. Viktor Yanukovych made normalizing relations with Russia his foreign-policy priority when he came to office in 2010, putting the possibility of a NATO relationship on permanent hold. Ukrainians in the western half of the country fear that, given their poor economic conditions, if Ukraine ends its associations with the west they will find themselves caught in Moscow’s web. On the contrary the US hopes for exactly the opposite. It wants to ensure Ukraine maximizes its ties with the west and becomes actively involved with the EU and renew its
John Castellarin | Staff Writer In late December 2013, just before Christmas, the GTA got hit with an unbelievable storm that left hundreds of thousands of people without power. As one of the most extreme weather events experienced in Toronto in recent memory, it was inevitable that the talk surrounding global warming would heat up once again. A problem I have with global warming, like many other controversial topics, is that people like to point fingers and tell other people what to do. We often hear individuals blaming SUV
A nation divided Saad Shah | Staff Writer
The little things you can do to help stop climate change
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global warming, at least you practice what you preach, so what you say might be worth listening to. The fight to end global warming is simply a matter of prioritization. It’s not a question of whether or not to save the polar bears, but rather a choice between saving the polar bears and driving a gas-guzzling car. I’m not going to lie, if maintaining the polar bear population means I have to start driving a Prius, the polar bear’s going the way of the dodo. This may sound terrible, but I’m sure plenty of people follow the same train of thought although they may not want to admit it. Like most people, I too would like to see the effects of global warming reversed, but we’ve got to draw a line somewhere and for me, that line’s the Prius. That being said, I think everyone should try his or her best to help the environment. For example, not running the tap while you brush your teeth is a great place to start. Or if you’re a real extremist, you could stop brushing your teeth entirely and just use mouthwash. I wouldn’t recommend it, but it is an option. No matter who you are there is always room for improvement and I think if we all looked at our own lifestyles and made changes instead of playing the blame game, we’d make a lot of progress. The issues surrounding global warming certainly aren’t going away any time soon and the trend may be irreversible. But it’s definitely an issue that will continue to affect us in the long run, and hopefully someone will be able to find an effective solution in the future. And if not, I’ll be dead by then anyway, so I’ll let my great-great-great grandkids deal with it. For the record, David Suzuki (if you’re reading this), that was a joke so I hope we can still be friends. .
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engagement with NATO. Since the fall of the Soviet Union the US has spent billions of dollars to make sure that Eastern Europe is democratic, independent of Russian influence, and economically stable. It believes this will make Eastern Europe more stable and secure.
The EU believes that once Ukraine is supported and managed properly it is a rich market with considerable industrial potential. Their interest is primarily economic, but the problem is that with a reasonable standard of democracy and human rights the EU is unsure how far they want to engage
with the Ukrainians. Even if Kiev and Brussels signed an association agreement it is unlikely that all 28 EU members will accept it. By the same token Europe worries that hard-right militants have now joined the once peaceful protestors and they may choose to keep their distance.
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Melissa Morgado | Staff Writer
household, et cetera. It all sounds like your typical fanatical intro-tofeminism-type argument, but taken in a hypothetical scenario, would disallowing sex selection really help? Consider a situation where a father pressures his wife into having as many children as required until they manage to produce a son. Surely the daughters born in this potential scenario would grow up in a hostile environment, living as by-products of a process aimed at producing a male child. Is being given the chance to live, regardless of how disposable that chance might seem, preferable to not having been born at all? It’s a tremendously difficult ethical question to consider, even in hypothetical situations. Now, arguing that sex selection requires any type of legal parameters, whether criminalization or regulation, requires that institutions take notice of what families decide to do with their procreative abilities. For the state, this might mean a questionnaire devised to uncover information about the terms of a woman’s pregnancy. For pregnant women, this might mean having to explain your personal preferences to people who want to limit your
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Comic's Corner MICHAEL JOHNSON | THE GATEWAY (UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA)
Horoscopes Pisces | Feb 23 - Mar 22
coffee full of empty promises.
Happy birthday, little fishes. Congratulations on another year. The rest of us are proud of you for making it around the sun once more. Now could you please all get together and throw a birthday party with lots of cake and dancing? I’m quite bored and could really use an excuse to get out. I’ll bring a tub of ice cream and lots of those cone-shaped party hats.
Cancer | Jun 22 - Jul 22
Aries | Mar 21 - Apr 19 Time to get to work. Reading week is over and it’s time for you to hit the books. Even though the weather will slowly be getting nicer and you’ll actually get to witness a few hours of daylight, strap yourself to your computer and write those essays that you’ve been putting off. If you get invited to the most epic all-Pisces birthday bash then don’t go. You’re not allowed.
Taurus | Apr 20 - May 20 Due to Taurus’ ability to detect pleasing patterns of rhythmic air vibrations, you have been discovered to be the best DJs in the latest issue of The Journal of Hipster Horoscopes. Thus, you’ll be put in charge as some sort of multi-headed-DJ-creatureof-wonderment-and-ultimatelydestruction. Please don’t abuse this power that you wield. Gemini | May 21 - Jun 21
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You’re in charge of drinks.And I don’t mean alcohol, I mean lots of Tim Hortons coffee. It’s roll up the rim season and with your luck we can’t lose. Now is the time to carry around that rabbit’s foot because this year we’ll be able to win something better than another
Thanks for always being there, my crabby friends. No matter what, you’ve got everyone’s back, and I just want to say that we appreciate it. Need a shoulder to cry on? Go to a crab. Need someone to act as a guinea pig in your newest social experiment involving three mousetraps, a game of twister, and a 9-hour Shakira playlist? Go to a crab. Need someone to determine if you have crabs? Go to a doctor.
Leo | Jul 23 - Aug 22 Sorry, Leo, but someone has to get a bad horoscope and today it’s you. No hard feelings or anything, but karma, conservation of energy, and those scales that Libra’s holding are telling me that you’ve got to take the good with the bad. If it will make you happier try saying fun words such as “bubbles,” “kangaroo,” and “spatula.”
Virgo | Aug 23 - Sept 22 Try taking up a new hobby. Like magic! You would be the talk of the town if you learned how to do cool magic tricks. Everyone loves magic, so you would make lots of new friends and bring others together as they “ooh” and “aah” in amazement. Furthermore, you can make up a really awesome name for yourself, such as “The Grand Magnificent Virgo of Excitement and Confetti.”
Libra | Sep 23 - Oct 21 Go look at pictures of kiwi birds. They’re adorable.You don’t need to always follow the advice of horoscope writers, but this is one of those times when you absolutely
Krista Stemmler Substitute Future Seer must. Don’t ask questions. Just look at kiwi birds.
Scorpio | Oct 23 - Nov 22 Don’t listen to those Taurus’ who keep claiming that they’re the best. You are, but I guess you’re just too modest to admit it. So, Scorpio, go out there and show off how great of a person you are. Flirt with the barista making your latte, ask for a pen from that cutie that always sits behind you in that History of Mythical Sea Creatures course, or even get up and sing your baritone rendition of Toxic next time you go out to the karaoke bar.
Sagittarius | Nov 23 - Dec 22 Sagittarius all the Olympians are returning home with big, shiny medals, and it’s got everyone thinking:“What have you accomplished?” Don’t worry, though, if you set your expectations low then you can easily surpass them. Have you made any good puns lately or perfected your impression of your professor with the really thick accent? If so, kudos.
Capricorn | Dec 23 - Jan 22 When was the last time that you called someone that you haven’t seen in a long time? Do that. Both of you will feel better and you’ll reconnect, which will result in one more unicorn being born into the world.
Aquarius | Jan 23 - Feb 22 Here is a list of places that have offset time zones: Newfoundland and Labrador, India, Sri Lanka, Iran, Afghanistan,Australia’s Northern Territory, South Australia,Venezuela, Myanmar, the Cocos Islands, the Marquesas Islands, and Nepal.