The Mike, Nov. 9, 2011

NEW FACES ON

Oohlala!

Cam Anderson

Facebook was originally developed by the infamous Mark Zuckerberg as a networking site for university students. A new smartphone app, OOHLALA, a taste of that back.

“We help university students take control of life” says Danial Jameel, CEO of the new app. “Our vision is to connect students and student unions through different cities and campuses, and creating networks within the student community.”

OOHLALA aims to fundamentally create a student-only network throughout not only U of T, but across the country.

McGill and Ryerson are also hotspots for the new network, and distribution is expanding to universities all over the country.

“The app focuses on three main things.

One: social networking. Two: events, and what’s going on in campus. Three: providing deals to students on businesses around campus,” Danial told The Mike. “We started because of the recession, and we wanted to utilize technology to help students find deals around campus.” The app works with businesses and merchants to work out valuable deals for students who are usually a bit strapped for cash.

Danial goes on to say, “Students should take notice because it’s a social network for students only. It’s focused on smartphones too, which make is easy to access and mobile… The app is also free!

You can download it on iTunes or our website gotoohlala.com. It works on any smartphone too.”

The app is created by students, for students. The app is also spam-free, which should appeal to the clutter-wary. Privacy is also highly valued with OOHLALA; they do not disclose or sell any personal information you give them. Any data they collect does not include your name or link it to you in any way. The app is also Facebook compatible, so you can link up events and other important info to the Facebook community.

On OOHLALA’s FAQ webpage, their final questions asks, “Why are you guys so awesome?” The appropriate reply follows, “Because we are students too.”

5

Adrian Dalla Corte

Olivia Rasekhi

Aaron Williams

Kara Branton

Cullen Brown

On

Tuesday November 1, the students of Saint Michael’s College elected 5 new general councilors to the Saint Michael’s College Union. The Mike brings you a short introduction to each of these newly elected individuals, which will be followed by full coverage of the election online, as well as an introduction to the newly ratified Collegium.

Olivia Rasekhi 2nd Year Major(s): Political Science Minors(s): History and Italian "I would love to create a greater sense of community and comfort on campus, especially in Brennan. I would love to attract more commuters onto campus and to increase the SMC camaraderie."

Kara Branton 3rd Year Major(s): Women and Gender Studies Minors(s): English and Anthropology "I am here to pitch ideas that have never been previously considered. It is the little things that make our experience here at University a memorable one, and I'm here to make that experience unforgettable."

Adrian Dalla Colle 4th Year Major(s): History and Criminology Minors(s): Book and Media Studies "All of the commissions have great people on them and I'm ready to help them make their ideas become realities in any way I can."

Aaron Williams 4th Year Major(s): Philosophy Minors(s): Religion and Music, and History and Culture "I’m going to bring a strong creative voice that will try to ensure that everyone in campus is enjoying themselves."

Cullen Brown 1st Year Major(s): Social Sciences Minors(s): n/a "I hope to bring [to SMCSU] enthusiasm, willingness to help things run and encouragement of cooperation between commissions."

7

9

10

2

Editorial

THE MIKE

Why we Remember

Health Canada help to cover the Insite's operating costs, almost $3 million in the 2010-2011 year.

When Insite opened in 2003, it was granted a three-year exemption from laws surrounding drug possession and trafficking by the federal government. This exemption was later extended twice.

However, by 2009 the Conservative government had made it clear that it did not support another extension, and court proceedings began to save the clinic. In September 2011, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the clinic, finding that it would be a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedom (Section Seven) to not allow the clinic to operate under an exemption from drug laws.

In the ruling, Chief Justice Beverly McLachlin wrote that "Insite saves lives. Its benefits have been proven. There has been no discernible negative impact on the public safety and health objectives of Canada during its eight years of operation." However this is not, McLachlin emphasized, a license or invitation "for injection drug users to possess drugs wherever and whenever they wish... [or] for anyone who so chooses to open a facility for drug use under the banner of

3

Editor-in-Chief Dan Seljak

of “Never again?” From this perspective, the suggestion that each group of people must suffer horrifically to have a valid point is preposterous, especially when talking about war.

Many years before most readers were born, millions of men and women lost more than most of us will ever give in our lifetimes. Some chose to make those sacrifices, while others had that suffering forced on them.

Millions of people have died, and millions have suffered, all in the name of war and all with the intention of maintaining their way of life back home.

In a liberal society like Canada, part of that way of life is the right to free speech. I think it does a great disservice to the memories of those who fought and died for Canada when their memories are used to discredit the concerns of younger generations – younger generations whose futures they fought so hard to protect.

It’s for this reason that all of us, including occupy protestors, should be grateful to our veterans. We owe a great deal to our them, and I believe a large part of that debt is to remember that all of the pain, suffering, and sacrifice brought on by war is something that needs to be avoided.

The flip-side of this conclusion is that critics must recognize that suggesting protest movements are equivalent to ingratitude is a disservice to the men and women who died protecting that very right.

Dan Seljak Editor in Chief

Editor-at-Large Rachel Venturo

Business Manager

Alekzia Hosein

Ottawa

Alex Greco

Ad Manager

Blair MacDonald

Vancouver

News Editor Alekzia Hosein

Over 54,000 unexpected job losses pushed Canada's unemployment rate from 7.1% to 7.3% in October. The Canadian dollar wearkened by nearly a cent after the employment data was released by StatsCan last Thursday. According to economists, the European debt crisis and US weakness combined against the nation's economy and weakened confidence.

After the death of a young woman at the Occupy Vancouver headquarters this past weekend, city officials have determined to shut down the downtown encampment as quickly as possible. Occupants have mourned the on-site death of 23-year-old Victoria native, Ashlie Gough. It is rumoured that the woman succumbed to a drug overdowse, though the exact cause of her death has yet to be determined.

Arts Editor

Toronto

The abduction of a woman from a University of Toronto parking garage has led to an investigation by Toronto police. Although there are no reports of a woman having gone missing eyewitness reports are currently considered credible to investigators. The incident took place at about 11:45 a.m. Friday near Innis College parking lot.

Opinions Editor

Rome

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi told Italian public news station, Canale 5, Tuesday that he would resign after the approval of the country's new budget law. He currently faces two ongoing fraud court cases, and over 30 prosecutions by his fellow magistrates in the government. His agreement came as Italian bond yields plummeted to 7% over the course of the day.

Athens

While Greek politicians bargained over the new leader of a new coalition, Lucas Papdemos, former deputy head of the European Central Bank was tipped to become the country's new prime minister. He is expected the lead the country through a bailout before Greece runs out of money in mid-December.

London

In an appeal against his extradition, WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, lost last Wednesday, as High Court judges ruled that he should face accusations of rape in Sweden. Although there are no charges against him, Swedish prosecutors wish to question him about the allegations.

Quintin Peirce Oksana Andreiuk

Living Editor Nelish Lalany

Sports Editor Sofia Rizzo

Insite coming to Toronto?

Since 2003, Vancouver has been home to the Insite clinic, North America's first legal supervised injection site. The clinic operates for the purpose of harm-reduction, striving to decrease the negative health, social and economic effects of drug use without requiring abstinence from the drugs. It offers a safe environment where clients can inject illicit drugs (which they themselves must supply) under the supervision of nurses and healthcare staff.

Many of Insite's clients, whose long-term drug habits have oftentimes seriously affected their overall health, come from marginalized sectors of society; they may be homeless, living in shelters or suffering from mental illness. Insite's website states that their clients "develop trusting relationships with our health care and social workers, making them more likely to pursue withdrawal management (detox), addiction counselling and other addiction treatment services."

In 2010, there were 312, 214 visits to the clinic by 12, 236 individuals, with an average of 855 visits and 587 injections daily. Principle substances injected were heroin, cocaine and morphine. There were also 5,000 referrals of clients to other social and health service agencies. The BC Ministry of Health and

THE MIKE

Masthead

Letter from the Editor in Chief

Recently a cartoon by Michael DeAdder published in the Halifax Herald began circulating on the Internet of an elderly World War II veteran chastising a young, scruffy looking young man with the words, “When I was your age, I was occupying Europe.”

In the spirit of Remembrance Day, I thought it might be a good idea to take a look at this cartoon with a critical eye. I’ve always had strong feelings about the importance of recognizing the sacrifices and triumphs of our past and current men and women at arms, and to be frank this cartoon rubbed me the wrong way.

To a certain extent, this cartoon resonates. DeAdder has a point – the occupy protestors are not dodging bullets, they’re not living in war camps, and they are at no risk of being dragged from their families to camps from which they’ll never return. But is that a reason not to protest? In fact, isn’t that a reason to exercise one’s right to protest?

War is horrific. You only have to look so far as the American military reporting that in the last year there were more suicides amongst their troops than combat casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan to know what kind of mental toll it takes even on the survivors. Remembrance Day is not only a chance for us to remember the men and women who have fought and died in service, but to remember that each time we go to war, it is in an attempt to eventually eradicate the kind of violence and death it brings. Surely everyone can remember the often repeated Remembrance Day mantra

News

Production Manager Micah Gold-Utting

Senior Copy Editor Vanessa Bertone

Copy Editors Ellie Daigle Ellen O'Malley Michelle Conklin Najla Popel Malina Radu Jo-Anna Pluchino Sarah Grech Stephanie Macfarlane

Illustrations Editor Vanessa Rowlin

Video Editors

'safe injection facility.'"

There have been many calls to bring this type of clinic to Toronto, especially now that potential legal obstacles have been removed.

Preliminary reports from a longawaited, long-delayed report about whether 'supervised consumption sites' would be appropriate for Toronto indicated they would be cost effective. They also showed that the local community would not overwhelmingly opposed to the idea if the goal was to reduce disease and drug

use on the streets. However, Premier Dalton McGuinty has said that publicly-funded sites for addicts are not in the government's plans, and Mayor Rob Ford has been consistent in his opposition to safe injection sites. The Toronto Public Health unit is "supportive of harm reduction, as an evidence-based health intervention to reduce the transmission of infectious diseases,” according to its spokesperson.

Chris Hayes Matthew MacStravick

Distributors

Joseph Frasca David Zamperin

Reading Break!

Monday, November 7- Tuesday, November 8

Enjoy a short reprieve from your studies and spend the extended weekend sleeping in or catching up on readings.

Ad Execs

Melissa Tarsitano Phil Zampini Can Alaluf looking to contribute? drop us a line!

editorinchief@readthemike.com www.readthemike.com 416-926-7272 • 81 st. mary st.

• toronto on • m5s 1j4 •

The Mike is the official 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. It is printed by Master Web Inc. on recycled newsprint stock.

Copyright © 2011 by The Mike. All rights reserved. The Mike reserves the right to edit all submissions.

SMCSU Presents:

Movember Pie-in-theFace Auction & Pub Night (The Coop & O’Grady’s) Thursday, November 24 – Friday, November 25

Join the RCA in The Coop for the inaugural Movember Pie-in-theFace Auction where students can see their classmates, roommates, dons and TAs get a pie in the face.

Afterwards, students can show off their Movember ‘staches over a pint at O’Grady’s.

SMCSU & SMC Alumni Present: Grace Kelly Exhibit (TIFF Bell Lightbox) Sunday, November 13 – 3:30pm6:30pm

USMC Alumni Association and SMCSU Present:

The First Young Alumni Pub Night (Madison Avenue Pub) Thursday, November 10- 8:00pm

Film Buffs will be able to enjoy the rare opportunity to view the relics of Grace Kelly’s movies and personal life in an exclusive gallery that trails her experiences “From Movie Star to Princess”.

Reconnect with old friends and meet new ones over a pint of your favorite brew as members of the 2009-2011 graduating classes and more seasoned alumni enjoy a night out together at an inaugural event.

UTSU’s 2011 Annual General Meeting (Medical Science Building)

Remembrance Day

Tuesday, November 15 – 6:00pm9:00pm

Interested in learning how the UTSU executive operates, spend your money and what bylaw amendments are being proposed?

All full-time undergraduate students can join them for the annual UTSU General Meeting where they have the opportunity to learn more about services, events and advocacy.

Friday, November 11

Join one of the many Remembrance Day events occurring around the city by commemorating the courage of our veterans and the sacrifices members of the Canadian armed forces continue to make.

SMRC Presents: Pub Night (Fox and the Fiddle) Thursday, November 10 – 9:30pm

Join the SMRC for their first pub night of the year and mingle with our residence students. The night includes free drinks and food, as well as live performances from some favourite Kelly’s Corner artists and an exclusive sneak preview of the upcoming “Hairspray” musical.

4

Living

THE MIKE

Living

THE MIKE

5

Daylight savings Blues Nelish Lalany

It’s that time of year again, daylight savings time to be exact.

We finally get to relinquish that one-hour we’ve missed dearly since last spring.

Sleep deprivation is quite common during the school year and studies show that it can actually have a considerable affect on our health.

Like most, I appreciate the extra hour but that doesn’t change this feeling of pseudo-jetlag the Monday after. Russell Rosenburg Ph.D., Huffpost blogger, CEO of the Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine and chairman of the board of the National Sleep Foundation says that our adjustment to daylight savings time can actually take up to a week, and has the potential to send those who are already sleep deprived over the edge, to a state “crash and burn”.

Interestingly some studies show, this time of year has also seen an increase in car accidents and heart attacks.

On the other side of the coin

the New England Journal of Medicine says that the Monday after daylight savings week actually sees a decrease in heart attack rates. The Harvard Health Blog reports that a Canadian study finds a decrease in car accidents while another found an increase. The facts are conflicting and based on this research, it is difficult to say that these fluctuations are a result of the bi-yearly required time change.

It leaves us pondering the question, which one is it?

The figures are interesting but they don’t say much. At this point, I resolve to recommend selfintrospection and sleeping in.

Michael Decker Ph.D and associate professor at Georgia State University compares the time changes to jetlag, he says that falling back is a bit like traveling from east to west, while springing forward is the opposite. If you’ve travelled from coast to coast than you’re probably aware that adjusting to eastbound travel is more difficult than westbound. According the

Huffington Post, Decker says, “The adjustment is much milder in the fall than it is in the springtime”.

Some of us may be unmoved by time changes, but I might disagree that fall-ing back is easier than spring-ing forward. The fall back represents looming Canadian winters, walking home from class in the dark (by 5 p.m.), and invites a time when we wake up before the sun, and finish our days after it’s appearance. While we may lose an hour in the spring, it also represents summer’s inaugural appearance, longer days, and waking up in the warmth of sunlight. Somehow, I am convinced that acclimatization to a Canadian summer is far easier than it’s solemn winters.

TRX Brings the pain

So, if you’re feeling a bit off your game this week remember to remind your professors that daylight savings is now a health concern, and Harvard says its legit.

Doctor’s notes anyone? Feel free to use me as a reference (just kidding... but not really).

Nicole Pinto

Are thin Flexible Screens the future of TV?

Sarah Steinacher

Open houses open minds Fatima Syed

With rising tuition fees on every current and prospective student’s mind it’s only natural that taking the next step becomes more and more difficult to take. For future students moving forward in their academic life is especially difficult. Which university to choose? What courses to select?

These decisions are not just about the reputation of the university anymore in terms of the preferred choice of degree; it’s the range of subjects in the majors being picked.

There are factors such as workload, worthwhile lectures, campus life in dollars and cents and then there’s the popular conundrum of the job search post graduation. In a world where “decent” jobs are few and far between, this is perhaps one of the biggest factors to take into account.

As a result more and more students are now attending university open houses to begin crunching numbers rather than enjoying the experience of university window shopping.

Universities across the UK are reporting huge increases in the number of prospective students attending open houses – up by more than 75% in some places as reported by The Guardian. The visits allow prospective students to create realistic expectations coupled with their background research, to

decide whether the whole experience will be right for them.

It’s not just the number of students becoming increasingly worried; it’s the parents too. Parents are taking a more active approach to help their children make big decisions about the future. Parents have become increasingly a part of the process because they want to be sure, now more than ever, that their children are making the right decision, because one wrong move in today’s economy leads to a brick wall.

The most important parental question is obviously funding – the availability of bursaries and scholarships for those on lower incomes, what "extras" the fees will include and the university's record on graduate employment.

Education with all of its hardships will always be a staple for adolescents who dream of jobs that require university degrees. In spite of our constant complaints about rising tuition fees and overpriced textbooks, the increase in these numbers will probably have little effect on enrollment. It seems people are becoming more cautious about their spending habits, but this may be due to the state of the economy rather than the state of educational costs.

Over the past decades we have watched television in many ways. We have watched the programmes on the screen. We have watched cable and satellite broaden our ability to access world information. Possibly most impressively, we have watched them shrink from a piece of furniture with huge cathode tubes and large pixels into thin, sleek, HD machines.

Not only have televisions shrunk, but monitors and other devices come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny hand held gaming devices, iPads and other LCDs, to huge plasma screen TVs that are so flat they look like pictures on the wall.

The first time I saw a "picture frame" TV, one that sits almost flat to the wall with no plastic boarder, I sarcastically remarked, "What's next? Roll up TVs?" Apparently, that may soon be a reality.

While these products bring us entertainment and allow us to connect with the world from wherever we are, the shrinking size of hard drives and screens are not solely for entertainment purposes. Most modern devices, such as the cell phone, created in the 50's, were designed for military purposes. Many enhancements are not specifically targeted at the consumer market, but the product of research for other applications.

Now, researchers at the University of Toronto have made a breakthrough in OLED technology. OLED

stands for "Organic Light Emitting Diodes", a layer of electrically sensitive organic polymers that lay between two electrical sources, the cathode and the diode, and create light when electricity is applied. OLEDs are currently in use in some phones and monitors, but they have to be encased in hard glass and are fairly easy to break. The UofT team has created an OLED layer so thin, it can be applied to plastic.

Unlike LED, or Light Emitting Diodes, which rely on gathered electrons for their brightness and darkness, OLED screens require no backing. This means that the blacks can be deeper, the colours more vibrant, and the contrast higher, especially in low light situations.

OLEDs are capable of working in an active and an inactive state. Scientists had already been toying with the idea of creating paper-like paper that could be bent, even folded, written on and left around like paper. Thin OLEDs would be the perfect medium for such devices.

Computerized paper is not the only application, the possibilities for OLED are nearly endless. Some interesting ideas that have been attempted and failed in the past may benefit from OLEDs. They may be worked into cloth, contact lenses and even tattoos. LED tattoos exist in trial format, however, OLED could allow someone to turn their body into an interactive, shifting piece of art. Or just watch TV on their hands.

Life is full of distractions, and for some of us finding the right workout regimine can really help take the edge off during the thick of school season. However, I recently found myself stuck in an exercise rut. Regular cardio routines and the same strength/ weight training agenda have pulled me into a comfort zone that no longer challenges my body and, consequently, has stopped giving me desired results. I decided I needed a new push—a spark, if you will, to electrify a normal workout and catapult my body straight through this plateau.

My first step was to talk about it. I lamented to my co-worker, Megan, that I was in need of serious change. She suggested TRX. TR—what? It would entail 18 sessions over the span of 9 weeks. I wasn’t sure I could commit to that amount of time, especially since the Bootcamp schedule is fixed and my personal one is…well, not. Megan is a cop-in-training and made it to her third session. However, I wasn’t convinced that still-pudgy, moderately-active me could do it. While still on the pricey side, it costs less than personal training and guarantees similar results.

Sold!

TRX stands for Total Body Resistance Exercise, a name worthy of everything it promises. It’s an absurdly simple mechanism—two heavy-duty straps mounted to an overhead frame. At each end is a hand-grip that also doubles as a stirrup for your feet. The straps are easily adjustable, which customizes the system for any height but also affects the degree of difficulty.

The original TRX, conceived by U.S. Navy SEAL Randy Hetrick in the 1990’s was a harness made from pieces of parachute webbing stitched together. It helped him and his fellow SEAL’s to stay in shape with its bodyweight exercises.

Most importantly, however, was that it was fully portable.

A few weeks ago, I started my first one-hour TRX session. It’s typically conducted in small groups of 3-5 participants. My instructor, Katherine, welcomed us and told us that every session of TRX would be a little more different and a little more challenging than the previous one. She also said something that puzzled me at first: “You have to trust the TRX”.

Experience is the greatest teacher, and I quickly learned that it meant not being afraid of putting your whole weight into the exercise— even if doing so felt like you were going to fall flat on your face.

By the end of the session I am sweatsoaked, shaky and (despite a Herculean effort to peel myself off the floor) still smiling.

I soon realize that keeping tension is key. By the same token, however, Katherine advises against gripping onto the handles for dear life, because it can potentially strain your forearm. Admittedly, it is easier said than done—especially if you’re one of those people who would likely fall on their face.

The only downfall of TRX is that there is little to no cardio involved, unless things like jumping jacks or mountain climbers are integrated in between sets. Katherine had us doing sprints on the treadmill.

By the end of the session I am sweat-soaked, shaky and (despite a Herculean effort to peel myself off the floor) still smiling.

24 hours later is a different story. I am in pain, but it is quite satisfying. I have just pushed my body to new limits. I may not have been able to do all the repetitions prescribed, but I made it through the first day to the best of my ability. If you’re looking for a new challenge or you need to blow off some steam this exam season, I highly recommend it!

6

THE MIKE

THE MIKE

Mousse up for another smash hit!

Quintin Peirce SMC, the college responsible for bringing you smash hits like Chicago, West Side Story, Grease, and Into the Woods, is venturing into the Nifty Fifties with a larger-than-life revival of Hairspray. It's St. Mike's annual romp produced by Joseph Ianni and Danielle Fallico. Directed by theatre entrepreneur Emily Dix, it displays the vocal talent of Victoria McEwan in the lead role of Tracy Turnblad, Bruce Scavuzzo in the role of lover Link, and Colin Asuncion as Seaweed. Over the last two months, the cast and crew have been working tirelessly to say “Good Morning Baltimore” in a way you've never heard before. And indeed, with a number of triple threats coming your way, you can be assured that choreographers Shak Haq and Melanie Mastronardi, and Music Director Sam Moffat had their work cut out for them. The crew has been working to bring out the “inner diva” of this surprisingly humble ensemble—especially surprising as several of the performers have professional experience! Oh, and

don't worry Stanislavki disciples, the cast has been taking part in improv and character exercises regularly to ensure their performances won't disappoint. And for those of you who want to bring the family, the show has “a lot of positive messages about acceptance and being yourself,” so it's a wholesome treat for the whole gang. And it's a treat for both the ears and the eyes, as costume designer Karen Henderson (the Director's wonderful mother) has been working together with the crew to ensure that the characters are decked out in the best. With all their bases covered, Hairspray is definitely not something to be missed. The show will be performed December 1st to December 3rd at Hart House Theatre, with three evening performances and a matinee on the 3rd. Tickets are 20 dollars for adults and 12 dollars for students, so make sure you bring your student cards! And most importantly of all, don't forget your mousse!

Title Graphic: Gianni Bianchi Photos: Dan Seljak

7

8

Arts

THE MIKE

Arts

9

THE MIKE

Kelly’s Goes Pink!

Tom DaSilva

like crazy. meh.

Helen Stolte “Like Crazy,” directed by Drake Doremus, is a drama that will require plenty of tissues for the hopeless romantics and love enthusiasts. The fresh, yet heavy story captures two young lovers’ journey through a battle against barriers of distance and the law. The universal experience of love and its associated struggles are exposed in the film, and so the story is personal and relatable for anyone who has ever been in love, or fallen out of it.

Set in modern day London and LA, the movie whisks the viewer along for the fast paced ride of love. Quiet, artistic American boy Jacob (Anton Yelchin) is pursued by passionate and forward British exchange student Anna (Felicity Jones), during their final year of university in Los Angeles. Though weary of their fate upon graduation, they engage in a whirlwind romance, portraying the simplicity and purity of young love, as well as all its complexities and awkwardness.

Much of the movie was improvised - not only because of strong acting skills, but also because the actors were portraying people within their actual age groups, making the dialogue authentic and richly appropriate. What becomes stuffy and standard in many romance scripts was not apparent in this movie. Instead, the ultimate importance and impending

finality of love and its conquest that is felt by all those in love in their 20s is perfectly delivered. The fights, priorities, and jealousy that are real and important are captured here.

The film-making itself is raw and unique. The scenes and shots are long, and there is very little flashiness to the movie, besides several montages to quickly remind us of the passage of time through their love saga. Movie montages can often quickly seem like a directorial scapegoat, but in “Like Crazy”, they are sweet, showing the passage of time through screen shots of them sleeping curled together, and emotionally gripping, as revealed in Anna standing still in the airport from Jacob’s departure to his next arrival in London. The simplicity of the filming is paired perfectly with the simplicity of the story. It allows for the intensity of emotions to truly take grip of the characters, while allowing the viewer to join in with the feelings.

Thought the passion of each character seems genuine and believable, the characters themselves often seem more like caricatures. Obstacles seem contrived and demonstrated, rather than experienced, which takes away from the tangibility of the characters. For instance, the well-educated characters decide to ignore VISA restrictions, a violation that prevents

Anna from returning to the US, an unbelievable choice that distracts from engaging in the film. A major downfall was also the lack of explanation as to why Jacob could not move to England. The one time it is proposed, it is just as quickly dismissed as “difficult” (he is a furniture designer without a ban from the UK, whereas Anna cannot reenter the US).

While the main characters are nonetheless well developed, the co-stars fall flat. Sam ( Jennifer Lawrence), who comes and goes as Jacob’s girlfriend whenever he is without Anna, is simply the “sulking girlfriend,” and it is impossible to feel any sympathy for the girl who chooses to go back (repeatedly) to the emotionally unavailable guy.

Anna and Jacob never anticipate how difficult their love would be. Though aware of the patience their relationship requires, Anna and Jacob are challenged by the thrill of rush and love, causing them to say true and focused. Overall, the movie captures the subtle line between the practicalities of life, and the fantastical land of love ever so exquisitely that the movie is more appropriately a horror film for those who want to find “The One.”

Animal Faces Unleashed on Nuit Blanche Mark Wilson

sound. “Living Spaces” makes you want to move and ends with a break down that simply leaves you gasping for air. “A Deep Thought” shifts into slow, quiet build that makes you anxious and excited for what is coming before dropping into an immense wave of a sound that simply drops you to the floor. The album ends with “Follow Faster” which gives the record a somewhat post-punk feel.

It still keeps the frantic guitar riffs

and angry shrieks that are present throughout the record, but also with a break in the middle of the song that makes it sound as if the band is playing off in the distance before dropping right back in front of you with great intensity.

After releasing “Analytical Dreaming” and shooting the music video for “Forward Through”, the band is preparing for upcoming shows and touring, with plans to play at the Pop Explosion Music

Festival in Halifax followed by several Toronto shows in November: “We also plan on doing another East coast tour and then recording another EP hopefully before the end of the year.” Aaron tells me that the band has already begun writing.

And after seeing them play several new songs at Sneaky Dee’s during Nuit Blanche, I am definitely looking forward to Animal Faces’ sophomore release.

cousin whose mother had breast cancer. When Nicole sang, “As the vermin fed on your soul / You lost your glow,” it was impossible to listen and not have your heart ripped in half.

The lyrics were dark and brutal; the vocals, vulnerable and courageous. Honestly, I teared up. It was the most incredible performance I’d ever seen at Kelly’s.

As always, this Kelly’s Korner demonstrated the immense talent here at St. Mike’s. Most importantly, it showed this community’s willingness to stand together and fight for such a special cause. This is all in spite of the media’s efforts to subvert cancer as “taboo” – which Cheryl believes is the biggest obstacle in the fight against cancer. If we don’t talk about cancer openly, in public and private, how are we going to defeat it? Hopefully with events like this, that conversation can become a truly open one – one that will lead to a cure, and to cancer becoming nothing more than history.

(Check out www.readthemike.com/category/arts for an interview with Joseph Ianni.)

Setlist 1. The Skyes 2. Vince Fuda & Chris Faria 3. Alexandra Beamish 4. Dylan Duvall 5. The Liturgical Choir

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

Chuck Russo Claire Bedard Gillian Alexander Aaron Williams Nicole Sardella Bruce Scavuzzo

Slappin’ The Bass at fela!

Lucy Coren

The amount of booty shaking that went down last Tuesday night at the Canon Theatre put all previous nondescript teenage dance movies that I had seen to shame.

Produced by Jay-Z, Jada Pinkettand Will Smith, the musical Fela! has been taking the West’s major metropolises by storm. It’s played in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Toronto to name just a few. The musical follows the development of the musical sound and political activism of Fela Kuti, a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist musician and composer who pioneered Afrobeat music. As you can guess, the evening was filled with a multi-media and interactive performance of such pace and energy that it was a blessing we were allowed our beers into the theatre.

In its simplest form, Fela! is a tribute act rather than a musical, as there is not so much dialogue and action between the cast, but a stream of consciousness delivered from Fela to the audience. The style was similar to that of a Grecian tragedy in that we were mostly informed of the action taking place offstage rather than seeing it. The role of Fela was played by Sahr Ngaujah, a veteran Broadway actor who has been nominated for both a Tony Award in New York, and an Olivier Award in London.

Not only was he an overwhelmingly talented musician (that included singing and saxophone), but he was also a quick wit improviser while being occasionally heckled by the audience. On top of all this, he rocked a superman chest and could be seen doing back-flips and flying splits in between bringing down the theatre walls with his soulful voice.

Although Njaujah led the show,

Oh My Irma headed to NYC Dan Seljak

the true stars were his ensemble that was in turn led by several unbelievably talented women in African tribal dress and paint.

These were the booty-shakers.

These were the vocal power houses.

These were the women that make me feel confident in putting on those jeans I was worrying might be a bit too tight. However these were the women that represented Fela’s twelve wives that were notoriously accosted and abused by the Nigerian Police. An aspect of Fela’s political revolution was the institution of polygamy, and this did not sit well with the government.

Rather than arrest them, a squadron was dispatched to Fela’s place of sanctuary, a recording studio and general haven called The Shrine, where they proceeded to brutally

sexually assault the twelve women, finally throwing Fela’s aging mother from a two-story window.

This sobering action took place in the middle of the second act, and yet the show easily and tastefully regained its previous energy and joy.

The show was a bit too long and ran just under three hours. I believe it could have done without that rather bizarre interpretive dance sequence in the middle that saw the ensemble running after and away from what appeared to be a toilet roll monster.

Even with this in mind, I would absolutely recommend Fela! as a fun and exciting night out, but I would also recommend bringing along a bottle of Gatorade. Beers just didn’t seem to cut it, although it did make the toilet roll monster just that much funnier.

Haley McGee begins Oh My Irma facing a corner, her back to the audience. The moment she turns around -- albeit awkwardly and with many false starts -- she is fully immersed in her character of Mission Bird, an antisocial and bizarre young woman. McGee ‘s one-woman show, which she also wrote, tells the story of a deeply disturbed individual recalling her desperate mission to find answers.

The story is at heart a whodunit, with the audience only being given pieces of information before the disturbing conclusion comes to light.

McGee’s portrayal of Mission Bird is nothing short of impressive – her character’s tone turns from lighthearted whimsy to deep emotional trauma on a dime, and McGee handles the gut-wrenching transitions believably with ease and grace.

McGee’s show ran its full Toronto run back last winter at the Theatre Passe Muraille, but she’s now taking the show on the road, with a showing on Wednesday, November 9 in New York, at the United Solo festival. This is an impressive and well deserved step for an up-andcoming Toronto artist – if you’re into Toronto theatre keep tuned for what Haley has in store.

Photo Credit: Aviva Armour-Ostroff

in terms of influences, we definitely all have our own influences and things that we want to bring in.

But at the same time, me and Ryan really like a lot of rap music so it’s kind of all over the place.” All of the songs on Analytical Dreaming are clearly linked together and flow seamlessly. Each song is also new and interesting without straying too far from the band’s core sound. In large part, this is due to guitarist and primary song writer Ryan Naray’s handy work: “I like to call Ryan the father of the band, even though he’s the youngest he’s kind of the brain child. He usually comes up with structures for songs and presents ideas that we all build on.”

“Analytical Dreaming” sets the tone for the rest of the record from the moment it starts. Even though there does not seem to be an overall binding theme to the record, it still challenges the listener to think intensely; not just about music, but about everything.

“Forward Through” starts things off with rather melodic riffs over the spastic and chaotic drums of Aaron Morrice. “Aesthetics” follows with guitars before gracefully sinking into unbearably heavy surges of

and slap bass (!).

After Skyes’ set, Kelly’s returned to its acoustic roots for the rest of the night. I’ll admit I hate “Pumped-Up Kicks” purely because it’s overplayed, but Vince & Chris’ acoustic rendition was really refreshing.

Other highlights included: Alexandra Beamish’s haunting and gorgeous cover of “Make You Feel My Love” (Bob Dylan); a rendition of “Down To The River To Pray” by the St. Mike’s Liturgical Choir; Chuck Russo performing the Chinese folk song, “Kàn guòlái” (“Girl Over There, Look Over Here”); Claire Bedard playing 98 Degrees’ “Una Noche” on her ukulele; the sexy, R&B-influenced “Teacher” by Aaron Williams; and Bruce Scavuzzo’s big band-inspired “Midnight Boogie.”

The only non-musical performance belonged to comedian Dylan Duvall. After comparing Macbooks to prostitutes, and women to Pokémon, Dylan ended his set with breast jokes (naturally): “The best thing about [breasts] is there are two of ‘em!” I firmly believe that laughter is the best medicine, so I appreciated his performance.

Gillian Alexander’s set featured songs written by herself, Alanis Morrissette, Melissa Etheridge, and Joni Mitchell – “rockin’ strong women,” as she put it. And boy, did she ever rock. Her powerful pipes nearly tore the roof off Loretto.

My favourite moment of the night was also the most touching. Nicole Sardella played a song written by her

Photo Credit: Tristram Kenton

When I first saw Animal Faces playing just off of Front Street, I immediately noticed that they created a genuine mixture of musical styles. Very few bands can create such a genuine mixture as flawlessly as Animal Faces. There are several bands that attempt to combine styles, but end up creating something that just sounds cut and pasted together (Abandon All Ships is one example). Animal Faces avoids this folly with their debut release Analytical Dreaming by creating a melting pot of genres with songs that are both powerful and progressive. The line-up consists of guitarist and vocalist Ryan Naray, bassist Nilsson Gonsalves, and drummer Aaron Morrice. During Nuit Blanche I was actually nervous when I got to talk with Aaron about Analytical Dreaming and the band’s future plans.

Describing the musical style of Animal Faces is an incredibly daunting task. Their music is definitely reminiscent of aspects of more aggressive bands like Native and Capsule. Yet, at the same time you hear so many different musical genres all rolled together. As Aaron pointed out, “We’re really scattered

On October 26th, Kelly’s Korner took its tried-and-true formula and added a big splash of pink. Sponsored by the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, the Pink Edition provided an opportunity to celebrate the musicians/artists of St. Mike’s while simultaneously raising awareness for breast cancer. With my Pink Floyd toque (...get it?), I was ready for an unforgettable evening.

Before the show began, Cheryl Lewis-Thurab spoke to the audience. Cheryl is the Community Development Officer for the CBCF’s Ontario Region. She told us that the tragic loss of her aunt to breast cancer several years ago was her motivation to help others through her work at CBCF. One of the more emotional moments of the night came when Cheryl asked how many people knew someone affected by breast cancer. At least half of the crowd raised their hands. After my initial shock, I then thought that if the question had been about cancer in general, every hand would’ve been in the air.

While introducing the first act, Joseph Ianni (Arts & Theatre Commissioner and Kelly’s Korner Co-ordinator) gave a touching speech, which included his belief that “cancer is beatable in our lifetime.” Hearing the passion in his voice (and especially after our interview the following day), I sincerely believe him.

The show itself opened with something I’d never seen at Kelly’s – a full band (drums included). Skyes got the show off to an energetic start with loud guitars, tempo changes,

10

opinions

THE MIKE

What's the 'sitch with

Kate Uniacke

Quidditch?

Ever since humanity has made a conscious effort to curb its warlike tendencies, people have turned to sports for national pride and power demonstration. From the Olympics to FIFA, sports bring countries together over displays of skill, speed, and strength. Though now there is a new emergence on the world’s stage: the fantastical sport of Quidditch.

For those of you who have not read the Harry Potter series (like the captain of the University of Toronto’s Quidditch team, Rachelle McCann) Quidditch is a magical sport played on a “flying” broom. It is played with two teams comprised of seven players.

Three members of the team are called Chasers and they try to score points by throwing a ball through a hoop past the goaltender, called the Keeper. There are two Beaters whose only objective is to get in everyone's way and cause disturbances. The last member of the team is called the Seeker, who strives to catch the elusive Golden Snitch.

Ah, the Snitch. Though a magical object in the novel and movie franchise, in Muggle Quidditch (for those of you who are uneducated in Harry Potter lingo, a Muggle is a non-Magical person) the Snitch is a person dressed in bright yellow. The objective of the Seeker is to grab a banner worn by the Snitch, reminiscent of flag football. But wait, there is more! The Snitch is usually not contained to the field of play and, in university games, can roam around the entire campus.

sports

And Then There Were Two Stephen Furgiuele

This season the Toronto Maple Leafs are off to one of their better starts in their history currently sitting atop the National Hockey League with a 9-3-1 record over 13 games.

This was large in part due to the superb goaltending of sophomore goaltender James Reimer; that was until he sustained an injury that would side line him for an undetermined period of time. Reimer started the season going 4-0-1 on the Leafs’ 5-game home stand, when in a game against the Montreal Canadiens forward Brian Gionta delivered a hit to the head of our number one goalie.

Despite the hit, Reimer finished the period but found himself sitting out the rest of the game for precautionary reasons and hasn’t dressed since. Following the game Reimer saw doctors who described his injury more as ‘whiplash’ symptoms and not a concussion which was the best news possible to get from this situation for Leafs’ Nation. This prompted to give the starting role to sweedish net-minder

In trying to hold true to the essence of J. K. Rowling's fabricated sport, the players in Muggle Quidditch hold a broom in one hand as they stagger around the pitch trying to score goals. This is a far cry from what I imagined and what director Chris Columbus created in the first film. In a way, though it is inspiring to see a novel influencing the creation of a new sport, the magic is lost.

I just don't get the same thrill as from imagining Quidditch as I do when I watch a bunch of students waddle around with brooms between their legs.

The International Quidditch Association states that their mission is to “promote the sport of Quidditch” and to “inspire young people to lead physically active and socially engaged lives.” In terms of promoting the sport of Quidditch, it doesn't seem to be very popular outside of the Harry Potter fan base.

I'm sure people could play the sport and not be too concerned about the books, but why would anyone who is not a fan go and watch the silly game?

Will Quidditch ever reach the level of soccer or hockey in terms of fan followings?

Will there be jersey sales of one's favourite Chaser? It's rather doubtful. While Rowling's books are wonderful, it won't be long before the next generation finds a new series to grow up with. And Muggle Quidditch is just too ridiculous to gain a sport fan base which surpasses the fans of the literature and films.

THE MIKE Jonas Gustavsson who would be backed up by rookie goaltender Ben Scrivens.

In 2009, Gustavsson was regarded as one of the better goaltenders in the world that was not currently playing in the NHL when the Leafs signed him to a one-year, one-way contract worth $810,000. However, right off the bat Gustvasson struggled with some health issue, which saw him suffer from a heart condition that required him to undergo multiple heart ablation surgeries. Since fully recovering from these injuries Gustavsson has not lived up to the standards set by Leafs Nation mainly in the sense that he is known to let in a few questionable goals. As of late, starting the last seven out of eight games for the Leafs, Gustavsson has gone 4-3-0 with a 3.61 GAA and a .886 save percentage which are not the best stats for a goalie. The reasons for these poor numbers are directly a cause of the Leafs’ poor special teams, mainly their penalty kill. When you allow on average one powerplay goal a game it is hard to put up decent numbers as a goaltender so it’s not fair to blame solely the goaltender in cases like that.

Finally you have the rookie net minder in Ben Scrivens who was called up when Reimer went out.

He sat out the first seven games of his call-up but got an opportunity to start on Thursday, November 3rd against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Despite being heavily outshot 39-18 by the Blue Jackets, Scrivens stopped all but one shot in the second

period to preserve his first win in the NHL. He m a d e innumerable saves to keep the Blue Jackets from gaining any sort of momentum despite being greatly outshot by his opposition: this all from a goalie that went undrafted in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

In my opinion I believe that the Leafs have solid goaltending when looking at either of the goalies that we have seen thus far. All of Reimer, Gustavsson and Scrivens have proven one way or another why they deserve to be playing in the NHL. Management led by Brian Burke and Dave Nonis have done an excellent job building from the ‘net out’ and expect to see a lot more form each of these guys in the near future.

Illustration: Vannessa Rowlin

New pot bill "Harps" On the Wrong People Damian Smith

It’s that time of year again – when governments with hidden, political agendas attempt to implement the most preposterous legislation, while also eventually managing to frivolously spend taxpayers’ money in a time of supposed economic thriftiness.

Consider Harper’s omnibus crime law, for instance, which would supposedly “get tough on crime” and “clean up the streets” by imposing mandatory minimum sentences for drug offences. How impressive. Actually, had the Harper government’s omnibus crime bill been in effect today, a 67-yearold grandmother in B.C. – who was found growing marijuana for the purposes of treating her arthritis and fibromyalgia – would have been sentenced to a mandatory one-year jail term.

The genius legislation would essentially strip judges of their ability to exercise the discretion that the justice system requires in such cases. In addition to instigating miscarriages of justice, Harper’s law would further overpopulate correctional institutions, thus further exhausting the taxpayers’ pocket.

Here’s a more prudent suggestion: If you’re going to use our money, why not use it towards the establishment and maintenance of rehabilitative programs and institutions?

Many are under the illusion that harsher penalties are the sole answer to managing crime, and hardly seem to emphasize rehabilitation. If harsher penalties really were the answer, then the States’ crime rate wouldn’t be so high in comparison to that

Randal David of Canada, who doesn’t entertain capital punishment.

It is interesting that Harper would propose such stringent crime legislation when our country’s crime rate has allegedly been in steady decline. The federal government claims that the law will target serious criminals; however, the aforementioned case exemplifies the poor logic and thought that went into the construction of this crime legislation.

Certainly, we cannot deem ill elderly women like the one we discussed, or other individuals acting under similar circumstances, to have engaged in “serious crime”. The compulsory prosecution of a case like this would undoubtedly produce public outcry as well as disgrace within what we call the criminal “justice” system.

It appears as if no one even thought to consider the ripple effect that the law would produce. In the particular case of the grandmother, a noncriminal would have been incarcerated for a year. Ill and frail, the grandmother would have either been restricted from utilizing the treatment that seems to manage her pain best, or would have racked up health-care costs within the correctional institution.

Moreover, upon the grandmother’s release, she would cost the health-care system more than she did before her incarceration since a year in jail is more than likely to worsen her health conditions. This poor grannie would possibly even lose her home and require social housing or the assistance of family members.

NFL

The Madden Curse lives on. Cover boy Peyton Hillis is having an awful, injury riddled year and the Cleveland Browns probably won’t resign him. Tim Tebow is also having his share of ups and downs; many people don’t believe he can become an NFL QB. Time will tell.

We will also see if the steep price the Raiders paid to land Carson Palmer pays off with a playoff spot.

The Giants & Patriots face off for the first time since that Super Bowl in 2008. Ever since that game, neither team has won a playoff game.

NHL

MLB

Let us also remember her grandchildren, who would have to see their ailing grandmother through steel bars for a year only to learn that the law is unjust and unworthy of respect.

Well, if the law passes, my guess is that

there’ll be quite a few grannies in lock-up, which means a multitude of constitutional challenges involving “cruel and unusual punishment” and ultimately Harper’s walk of shame down Parliament Hill.

The Hot Corner

After a rough loss against the defending champs, the Leafs bounced back and won one on the road against the Habs in overtime. It was costly, however, as Reimer left the game with a head injury and experienced whiplash-like symptoms.

Nicklas Lidstrom played in his 1,500th game, but it wasn’t memorable as the Capitals crushed the Red Wings 7-1.

Congratulations to the Cardinals coming back from an epic 3-2 deficit to win the World Series. Farewell to their manager, Tony La Russa, who decided to retire at the season’s end. It’s great to see an influential coach retire out on top.

Now for free agency: where do the big names such as Prince Fielder and Jonathan Papelbon land?

The Jays plan on being very aggressive this offseason, looking for a second baseman, top-tier starting pitcher, and a closer.

• The Phoenix Coyotes held their Halloween party and Raffi Torres and his wife chose to be Jay-Z and Beyoncé, complete with brown face paint. Some were quite offended, but he wasn’t mocking him. Look at D-Wade, he went as Justin Timberlake.

• Note: Never play pro soccer in Romania. A Petrolul fan sucker punched Steaua player George Galamaz and is going to be out for 45 days. Ouch.

• Once again, Tiger Woods is confident he will win again and is in excellent health. His confidence is blinding, yet infectious.

• No news on the NBA front; we’re still in a lockout, but both parties are talking again.

11

12

THE MIKE

Weathering the Storm

Seeing Red?

Amanda Coletta

Sofia Rizzo

Russian playmaker and Washington Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin had angry comments for head coach Bruce Boudreau Wednesday night. An extremely frustrated Ovechkin sat on the sidelines, yelling at Boudreau, as his team searched for the equalizer in the final moments of regulation against the Anaheim Ducks. In what became a 5-4 overtime victory for the visiting Capitals, the game left a sour taste in the mouth of the left-winger.

“I was pissed off,” Ovechkin commented during a post game media scrum. “Of course I want to be in that situation on the ice. It doesn't matter who I said it and what I said. It's just a little bit frustrating, because I'm a leader on the team and I want to be on that kind of responsibility…So thanks Bruce. “ Boudreau insists the decision was both logical and necessary. Evidently, the Great 8 did not make the cut and Boudreau instead gave the nod to Brooks Laich, Jason Chimera, Joel Ward, and Nickolas Backstrom.

“Ninety-nine percent of the time, Alex is the first guy I'm looking at, but these guys were going pretty good. You go with your gut feeling," Boudreau said.

Backstrom would eventually net the winning goal, his

Sofia's Pick

second of the night, to rally the Capitals from a threegoal deficit.

As for Ovechkin’s reaction, Boudreau says he is content with the Russian’s passion and desire to be on the ice. He maintains that he did not hear Ovechkin’s comments while on the bench.

This should draw attention to the bigger picture that surprisingly no one has taken notice of.

Ovechkin’s proficiency has experienced a significant drop from previous seasons. Currently, he averages a point a game—not a terrible start when compared to other left-wingers in the NHL—however, this is not Boudreau’s expectations for his star player. If Ovechkin wants to tally another 100-point season, the fourth of his career, the former Calder Trophy winner needs to find his confidence, and play some hard-nosed hockey.

Perhaps Ovechkin should take note of fellow Russian Evgeni Malkin or Martin St. Louis—both are among the top 5 NHL forwards with the longest shift length so far—who make the most of their minutes.

Boudreau has made it clear that players who show determination, hard work, and ultimately perform well will be rewarded. Knuble was shifted to the fourth line, after scoring only two goals in nine games, despite reports following training camp that he would play on the first line. In doing so, a coach makes use of his most powerful tool—ice time and line combinations.

This tactic is effective—it motivates players to play with intensity, take chances, and most importantly, to always strive for better. Not playing Ovechkin in Wednesday’s contest speaks volumes. Boudreau’s message for his players is that all will be treated equally and held to the same standard, regardless of salary, rank, or skill level. For this, do not fault Boudreau, but respect his decision. It is time for Ovechkin to either shape up or sit down.

T.J. Oshie T.J. Oshie has had a strong start to the 2011-2012 campaign, showing physicality, confidence, and making sure opponents feel his presence on the ice. In a tough game against the Vancouver Canucks on November 4, Oshie tallied 3 points (2 goals and an assist) to lift the St. Louis Blues over the Canucks with a score of 3-2. Thanks to Oshie’s heroics, the club snapped a two game loosing streak. When he’s not scoring, Oshie is challenging goaltenders and feeding teammates the puck. Expect more from him as the season continues.

As a series of ferocious storms battered Italy’s picturesque Ligurian coast, storm clouds of a very different sort were gathering over the charming Lombard village of Appiano Gentile, the site of Inter Milan’s training ground.

Having collected only eight points from their first nine matches, and hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone following their latest 2 – 1 defeat at home to Juventus, this campaign marks their worst start since the 1946 season.

News of this defeat was worsened by confirmation that Maicon, the Brazilian fullback responsible for netting Inter’s temporary equalizer during the Derby d’Italia, had sustained a muscle strain in his left thigh which is set to sideline him for approximately one month.

When it rains it pours at la Pinetina, but unlike the flash floods which lashed Italy’s western coastline, if Inter finds itself treading water, the club has no one to blame but itself.

The ineptness of Inter’s management was on display last summer as it struggled to replace coach Leonardo, who moved on to the greener pastures of Ligue 1 side Paris Saint Germain. By simultaneously courting Fabio Capello, Marcelo Bielsa, and André Villas-Boas, individuals whose coaching and tactical approaches could not be more diverse, it became clear that Massimo Moratti did not have a clear plan. Inter eventually settled with ex-Genoa boss Gian Piero Gasperini, a man irrevocably enamored with the 3-4-3. Instead of providing Gasperini with players who fit this formation, Moratti failed to back his new coach in the press and transfer market, leaving no choice but to rely on ageing central defenders who lacked in pace to comprise the high defensive line his system requires.

“If Inter didn’t believe in my style of football,” asked Gasperini after he was sacked, “then why did they choose me?” In other words, you

can’t invite Metallica to sing at your daughter’s wedding and be upset when they sound nothing like Michael Bublé.

They then turned to perennial repairman and quintessential ‘nice guy’ Claudio Ranieri, their fourth manager in a year, and one who knows a thing or two about reviving teams mid-crisis. When Ranieri took over Parma in February of 2006, the Ducali had accumulated only 15 points from 22 games, and yet, under his tutelage they would finish 12th. While he has returned the squad to a four-man defense and restored players to duties with which they are familiar, Inter lacks compactness and its players are often poorly positioned. The fragile backline has already conceded 16 goals, four times the amount of goals it had conceded at the same point last year. Their fullbacks, while often excellent at executing frequent marauding runs forward, are poor defensively, while the partnership of central defenders Lucio and Chivu is abysmal. Moreover, Zanetti and Cambiasso are often pulled away from the centre of the park, leaving the middle open and stretching the defense. These big gaps were highlighted as Alessandro Matri and Claudio Marchisio combined to produce Juventus’ winning goal.

While their league position is horrendous, the Nerazzurri’s point total is not all that bad considering no one team has really pulled ahead of the pack as of yet. It may be too late for them to challenge for the Scudetto, but it is also incredibly naive to condemn them to the purgatory of Serie B or to exclude them from European competition altogether.

Growing Old or Growing Strong?

Melissa Tarsitano

The Steelers are no longer without turnovers, key players are getting injured on the daily and Ward looked stronger on the dance floor than he does on the field. They have come a long way from their “slow start” and can no longer be deemed the “velvet curtain”. It was too soon for Steelers fans to panic after week three and, bias aside; there is no need for fans to panic now. The slow start had everyone worried

but the Steel Curtain is back up and ready to destruct. It is funny how an “old team” with a struggling defense managed to obstruct one of the highest ranked offences in the league. Tom Brady is not invincible and that was clear in week eight.

Ben completed 36 passes for 365 yards with 2 touchdowns and the Steelers were able to keep the ball away from Brady, something that most teams struggle with week

after week. Antonio Brown was a serious asset against Brady and Co. and made up for an absent Ward, Woodley and Farrior. As much as I can go into the Pat’s patchy plays, this was just one game for them and there is no doubt they will shake this off and glide through the rest of the season. Regardless, the Steelers were able to come together and defy the 1-6 odds that everyone had to mention going into this game.

As a Steelers fan, that was a great day and I had hoped it was only a preview for week nine. The Steelers faced the Ravens nearly two months ago in week one but it is hard to forget a game that, essentially, gave everyone a glass of the haterade. However, the Ravens’ seemed to have their own

share of issues against “easy” teams and week nine’s SNF gave both teams and their fans a lot to look forward to. The Ben that showed up in week one is not the same Ben that showed up on Sunday. Ben’s ability to move around and create plays were the key to improvement, so much so that Flacco tried to imitate his tactics early in the fourth. Unfortunately, Flacco finally overcame his Heinz Field demons and the Ravens took the series for the first time since 2006. Although the Ravens did beat the Steelers, it did not come easy. Mike Wallace’s (unintentional) touchdown in the final minutes allowed the Steelers to rise above their ten-point deficit and they were able to take the lead giving fans like me hope that they

would continue their four game winning streak. Despite their improvement over the past couple of weeks, their late setback against the Ravens shows that teams are stepping up against Pittsburg and not taking them lightly even after their “slow start”. The Steelers are not the only team that has improved. The objective of the rest of the AFC is to be like Pittsburgh, since they have been the class of the conference for the past few seasons.

Sunday’s loss proves that there are still areas that need work. Major improvements are not needed but fine-tuning and attention to detail will make Tomlin’s team a Super Bowl contender, yet again.