February 25 2010 by The Newspaper

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We’re over Giambrone and page onto broken Zambronis page 2

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the newspaper

university of Toronto’s Independent weekly

MNRUPE VIRK Woodsworth College will bring an added touch of glamour to the Royal Ontario Museum on February 27 with Rock the Runway, their third annual charity fashion show. The event has been wildly successful in the past, raising over $10,000 for War Child Canada. This year is proving to be no exception. The event was conceptualized four years ago by two Woodsworth students, Fatima Yusuf and Juliana White. With the added efforts of Heather McCann, Woodsworth’s then-VP Social, the first show was organized in February 2007. It was also at that time when the three met Randy Alexander, event director for the Bata Shoe Museum and founder of Randy Alexander Events and Design. All four have continued as members of the head organizing team for Rock the Runway. Continued on page 2

Rossi rocks the vote

the brief the campus

UTSU will be selling tickets at a discounted price for Friday’s Toronto Raptors vs. Cavaliers at 6pm. Tickets are available at the UTSU office from $72-120 along with the option to come early and hang out on the court, play games and perhaps even see some of your favourite players!

Smitherman gets some competition

the local

The federal government issued a 7.5 million dollar grant to a learning center at the Art Gallery of Ontario. The 35,000 square foot center will have space for workshops, community-based exhibitions and art instruction as well as technology for online art education.

TOMASZ BUGAJSKI Rocco Rossi is now one of the two most important figures in Toronto’s mayoral bid. With Adam Giambrone’s surprise withdrawal from the race on February 10, only George Smitherman and Rossi remain as serious contenders. According to the latest poll released on January 14, before Giambrone’s exit, Smitherman stood at 44 per cent support, Giambrone at 17 per cent, Rossi at 15 per cent, and veteran city hall councillor Joe Pantalone at four per cent. It is still unclear where Giambrone’s support will go, but pundits speculate that Smitherman is most likely to benefit. Rossi might slag in the polls, but he insists that at this point in the race, he does not read Continued on page 3

the world

The United National Environment Program (UNEP) says that in the face of increasing sales in electronics, developing countries such as India and China risk serious consequences to the environment and human health issues if proper e-waste collection and recycling programs are not instated. TOMAsZ bugAJskI

Charity rules the runway

February 25, 2010

vol. XXXII N0. 21

You can go home again Return migration to Hong Kong and its implications

ALEX NuRsALL

nicOle leUnG

A red-tailed hawk enjoys a tasty pigeon in the sir Daniel wilson quad last week. Now if only we can teach them to eat squirrels...

Scholars from Canada, the U.S., and Hong Kong discussed return migration at “Home Sweet Home: Return Migration to Hong Kong and its Implications,” a conference held on February 17 at the Canada Hong Kong Library and organized by the Asian Institute at U of T. The conference attracted a crowd of professionals and students with different ethnic backgrounds. During the discussion, the scholars shared their views on the study of return immigrants from different

the weird

Czech medical staff are being disciplined after a foot-long surgical instrument was discovered in the abdomen of a woman operated on over five months ago. 66-year-old Zdenka Kopeckova complained repeatedly of severe abdominal pain following a gynaecological operation and threatened to kill herself if something was not done to stop the pain. Kopeckova is seeking compensation over the error, claiming staff initially tried to cover up the mistake telling her there was nothing they could do but give her painkillers. -Amina Stella

perspectives, and introduced to the audience various scholarly work they have completed. Some scholars believe that in Hong Kong’s case, the political reason (the handover of Hong Kong, a former British colony, back to China) prompted many to migrant overseas in the early 1990s. In recent years, many of them returned to Hong Kong for economic reasons, after seeing Hong Kong’s close financial link with the mainland China. While some claimed that return migrants, equipped with experiences from abroad, would gain an edge

in the job market, others pointed out that these movers might find it difficult to integrate themselves into the local community after returning to their home country. The audience seemed most interested when the scholars, some of whom were return migrants themselves, shared their personal stories. At the end of the conference, some attendees expressed their concerns that no scholars touched

Continued on page 2

the editorial

February 25, 2010

Canada may get medals, but doesn’t get sportsmanship The Vancouver Olympic Games have been an unmitigated disaster. The endless laundry list of blunders on the part of Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) and the underachievement of many favoured Canadian athletes have disappointed hearts domestically, and dominated headlines internationally. What exactly has gone wrong? 1. Before the Games opened, Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili was killed on the new sledding track, to be relocated to Canada’s Wonderland after the Games. The track is the fastest in history, and has prompted the International Luge Federation to place restrictions on future designs to “ensure that this never happens again.” VANOC then inexplicably blamed the

MELINDA MORTILLARO

tim ryan

deceased competitor’s lack of driving experience and not the track, meanwhile they moved the start gate almost one-quarter down the track to reduce rider speeds. But it wasn’t the track… 2. The Opening Ceremonies

the newspaper Editor-in-Chief Helene Goderis

Managing Editor Dan Craig

Arts Editor

News Editor

Miki Sato

Amy Stupavsky

Associate Arts Editor

Associate News Editors

Layout Editor

Illustrations Editor

Science Editor

Photo Editor

Web Editor

Copy Editor

Cailin Smart

Natalie Rae Dubois

Tomasz Bugajski Tejas Parasher

Tim Ryan

Laurent Noonan

Mike Winters Alex Nursall

Joey Coleman

Contributors

Sarah D’Angelo, Aschille Clarke-Mendes, Nicole Leung, Melinda Mortilarro, Thiru Shathasivam, Amina Stella, Mnrupe Virk

Business Manager Taylor Ramsay ads@thenewspaper.ca

the newspaper 1 Spadina Crescent, Suite 245 Toronto, ON M5S 1A1 Editorial: 416-593-1552 thenewspaper@gmail.com www.thenewspaper.ca the newspaper is U of T’s independent weekly paper, published by Planet Publications Inc., a non-profit corporation. All U of T community members, including students, staff and faculty, are encouraged to contribute to the newspaper.

were plagued with missteps, firstly with one of the flames suffering erectile dysfunction, followed by the parading of a terrified Wayne Gretzky through the rain and thousands of enthusiasts to light the official Olympic Cauldron - in the back of an empty pick-up truck. 3. At the Richmond Olympic Oval, home to long-track speed skating and the crown jewel of the Vancouver’s proposal, the ice-resurfacing machine repeatedly malfunctioned, spilling liters of hot water onto the ice, leading to numerous delays in competition. Perhaps, investing in a back-up Zamboni would have helped. 4. VANOC’s “Own the Podium” Campaign. This national embarrassment, designed to provide Canadian athletes with the funding and training required to win the medal count at Vancouver, has done two things; created staunchly unrealistic expectations of Canadian athletes requiring them to shoulder inordinate amounts of additional pressure, and pissed off every other competing na-

tion as they were denied preGames access to the Vancouver sites. The first rule of Sports Psychology: Don’t give your opponent a reason to loathe you. The result – while the $20 psychics at the Vancouver Sun predicted 39 Canadian medals – we currently hold 11 at the three-quarter mark of the Games. The international media, in particular, the Brits (who have little more than a curling team in Vancouver, but who host the 2012 Summer Games) have sniped at the overall games, on day four, calling them “the worst in history”, amongst other extremist offerings. The Canadian media fully engaged in the cat-fight, defending the games with headlines such as The Star’s, “Why This Olympics is Already a Winner”. One national journalist even employed the argument that compared to the misfortunes of other Games, such as the terrorist attacks of ’72 Munich, the Centennial Olympic Park bombing of the ’96 Atlanta Games, and the black air of Bei-

Runway

the Runway will not be held at the Bata Shoe Museum. In regards to the change, the organizers respond, “The ROM, from the start, has always been a goal of ours and this year, with enough support from all our sponsors, we were able to secure the grand venue.” Clothing featured at the show will include Spring/Summer 2010 collections from Bedo, French Connection, and Club Monaco. “What is most unique with this year’s show is our launching of upcoming designer Diana James and the showcasing of other designers pieces such as Gonzalo Cardenas men’s shoe designs, J(Two) menswear, Gay Isber jewelry designs, and Allieoopbags,” the organizers said.

cont’d from page 1 “We have always aimed at bringing together the attraction of fashion with individual desires to reach out and support a charitable cause,” the organizers explain as the motivations for Rock the Runway. “On top of fundraising, raising awareness has also always been a goal of ours. Letting people know where their money is going and what type of an impact it is having.” The organizers feel strongly towards the work of War Child Canada and aim to continue supporting the charity. This is the first year that Rock

jing; the blunders of the Vancouver Games should be somehow overlooked. While the sentiment of defending our Games is appreciated, the argument just isn’t there. Errors of gross mismanagement by an Olympic organizing committee cannot be compared to terrorist attacks and poor environmental conditions. The former is easily remedied with plain ol’ competence, the latter, is unpredictable and controlled by forces external to the Games themselves. Coming into these Games, I cared about two things. How would we showcase our great country on the international stage? And how would our athletes perform? Both have disappointed. With my rant behind us, Vancouver’s mistakes, aside from the Kumaritashvili tragedy, can be forgotten in the coming days. You see, there are classically two ways by which the Olympic champion nation is determined, total medal count, and gold medal count. And while we trail the U.S.A. 26-12 in the total medal count, we are behind by only one, single gold medal after Ashleigh McIvor’s win in women’s ski-cross Tuesday afternoon. We have men’s and women’s curling and hockey that have a combined win-loss record of 24-2 thus far. We also have team-event speed skating. These teams are all capable of mining more gold. If, at the end of these Games, Canada can say, “We won the most events at the Olympics”, while we could not claim to “Own the [entire] Podium”, we could claim the top of it. And that would instantly transform these Games into an unmitigated success.

The night promises to be filled with fashion and grandeur, beginning at 7:00 p.m. with an hour-long reception including hors d’oeuvres, cash bar, and designers lounge. The fashion show will also feature dance and musical performances. At 11:00 p.m., attendees over 19 gain access to an exciting afterparty at Rockwood Night Club on 31 Mercer St. Tickets are $25 for students and $30 for non-students. Tickets are available online at www. rocktherunway.ca and on campus in the WCSA office (Room 103 of Woodsworth College), Woodsworth College Residence from 3-5 pm and in Woodsworth’s Kruger Hall from 1-3 pm. All proceeds go to War Child Canada.

the news

February 25, 2010

FOUR HUNDRED WORDS EACH

Black History month: two writers explore the grey area The charge usually brought against Black History Month is that it’s divisiveness. For many, bombarding students with tales of Rosa Parks and the Million Man March in February—and only in February—seems to imply that Black History is somehow separate from American (or Canadian) History. Critics constantly harp on how, at least in the Obama era, we should be able to define ourselves as “American” or “Canadian” rather than by race. If only those who made this argument would flip on the nearest TV and count how many seconds it takes for a black man to swagger onscreen bragging about AKs and gold-chains. They wouldn’t even need to wait for Much Music or BET. Fox, in all its crass glory, is ready with a show where the only black characters are being tackled to the ground for robbing some sweet old lady. North America consistently feels the need to hold on to very narrow definitions of “blackness.” Even as we boast that we have moved beyond race, that judging someone on skin colour is only confined to the world of sepia photographs, our popular culture dictates to twelve-yearolds what their identity is supposed to

be. A garish caricature of the black man/ woman is held up as what one must live up to, at the risk of failing one’s skin colour. “I am black,” the message says. “Therefore, I must try to be x. After all, every black person who’s made a name for themselves is x.” The frequency of these images is an inevitable consequence of living in 2010. With each new leap in technology, the media and all its distorted perceptions come at us even stronger. We can’t possibly expect kids to bury their heads in the sand and escape all reality. What we can do is open their eyes. We can help them realize that being “black” does not mean having to replicate some cardboard cutout from 106 & Park. This is where Black History Month comes in. For February, at least, impressionable young minds are given a perspective on the world that undercuts the nonsense. By having time specifically dedicated to black history and achievements, this is made obligatory and necessary. Yes, it may sometimes reek of worn-out symbolism; but in the era of COPS and T-Pain, unfortunately we have to resort to legislation to provide positive role models for black youth.

aschille clarke-mendes

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tejas parasher

Black History Month proves to be a black and white issue. Is it celebrated sufficiently? Does it serve an important purpose or does it create differences where none should exist? This week, the newspaper reaches towards understanding.

One February celebration always comes to my mind: Black History Month. Along with the other sub-categories like Jewish History and Asian History, African History is displaced from “regular history” (whatever ethnic group’s that may be). It’s taken out of its box for one special time of year. Thankfully, I received the complete schooling on real, uncensored Americas’ History as a student in the Caribbean. Presumably, most curricula outside of North America provide non-Eurocentric dialogue on its roots and origins. Living in Canada and talking to its residents, however, I don’t get the same impact that African Heritage brought over. In fact, most people admit to only hearing short narrations of the gruelling 400-year African enslavement in high school after lengthy discussions on Norwegian Vikings finding Canada or Columbus “discovering” the West. With all due respect to historian Carter G. Wood and his well-intentioned idea, one must really put the relevance of Black Freedom Month into question. How do we celebrate it? I can’t recall hearing about a mainstream remembrance this year, save for a handful of visual arts presentations and lunches. I remember being treated to “Black His-

ROSSI

Migrants’ home

cont’d from page 1 much into them. He cites the John Tory example: In 2003, Rossi ran Tory’s mayoral campaign against David Miller. He pointed out, when speaking to the newspaper, that Tory was polling in the single digits until Labor Day, and finished the race at 38 per cent. Sachin Aggarwar, Rossi’s campaign manager, told supporters at Rossi’s February 21 open house at campaign headquarters, that they are facing an uphill battle. He enthusiastically added that Toronto loves underdogs. Rossi is a centre-right candidate and former Liberal Party organizer. In 2009, he joined Michael Ignatieff in a project to overhaul the Liberal’s finances. He takes credit for tripling Liberal party membership and restoring the party’s financial position in less than a year. As a businessman, Rossi’s professional experience speaks to his financial acumen. He has held senior executive roles at The Boston Consulting Group, The Toronto Star, Labatt/Interbrew, Advanced Material Resources (now NeoMaterials), and MGI Software. He was also CEO of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario.

tory month specials,” all week at residence last year. For the most part, “specials” meant barbecued chicken and rice or some variation of pork. Announcements flash on the TV screen presenting a timeline that stretched from Abraham Lincoln to Barack Obama, advertising a Black History program that presents the pragmatic histories of Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, and Frederick Douglas’ narrative. We receive the same trivial information each year, additional anecdotes that give reasons for some chest-beating. Black men invented peanut butter and the traffic light, for example. But why isn’t more attention given to other aspects of Black History, besides tracking the progress of the African diaspora? It’s lesser known that Africans sailed to the Americas before the Europeans settled there. We also don’t tend to hear the controversial debate over whether Lincoln freed the slaves at all. The remembrance is relegated to the shortest month of the year, picked off the shelf like Christmas lights, only to go back up when the month is done. Where is the integration into normal history? Why separate it from mainstream history as if they run parallel? I think this implies that enslaved Africans were only in the Americas for one month out of the year.

So far, Rossi’s campaign has centered on three pillars: fiscal stability, transportation, and economic development. His emphasis has mostly been on the city’s finances, which he criticizes as unsustainable. The Toronto Board of Trade has estimated that under current conditions, Toronto will be short $1.2 billion annually in the next ten years. The city has been increasing spending since David Miller became mayor in 2003. His first 2004 operating budget was $6.6 billion. Since then, it has skyrocketed to $9.2 billion in the latest 2010 budget. Many people in the city, including the mayor, blame provincial downloading for much of Toronto’s budget problems. Rossi and Smitherman, however, see deeper problems with Toronto’s finances, including waste and mismanagement. “The City of Toronto has to be the last multi-billion dollar operation on earth that plans on a year-to-year budget basis,” Rossi said at the Empire Club on January 21. “We can’t just paper over, as we’ve been doing on a year-byyear basis,” Rossi further explained to the newspaper. “We need some structural changes

to the budget, and we have to start by planning more than one year in advance.” On the top of Rossi’s agenda is a plan to sell city assets like Toronto Hydro, Enwave, and municipal properties. He also wants to outsource city services to the private sector and rein in the unions. “Last summer’s city workers’ strike showed just how weak the city has become in the face of its major unions,” Rossi complained at the Empire Club. This position has made him popular with many who are frustrated with the relatively high pay public employees receive compared with the private sector. Rossi has also called for a pause on Transit City, the multi-year and multi-billion dollar plan to expand the public transit system. Although the provincial and federal governments are supposed to provide the majority of the funds for the project, Rossi is worried that Toronto will not be able to afford the operating costs. He has also called for the replacement of city councillors who sit on the TTC board with private sector experts. He cites negligence on the part of those councillors and their lack of expertise for

many of the transit system’s problems. When criticized for being against public transportation, Rossi responds that he is “not against mass transit, just mass incompetence.” He owns a metropass, and takes the subway several times a day. It is simply a matter of what the city can afford, he maintains. Downtown residents who rely on bikes may have reservations about Rossi. He has sharply criticized city council’s recent decision to allow bike lanes on Jarvis. Despite being an avid bike rider, he opposes bike lanes on arterial roads to avoid congestion. While the October 25 election is still months away, unless something unexpected happens, Rossi and Smitherman will be the main candidates. Whoever wins, Toronto is heading for a transformation. Seven years of David Miller have left many Torontonians looking for a major change. The new mayor will be under pressure to deliver it.

cont’d from page 1

on the question whether return migrants would become more active in political participation. The scholars agreed that there is so much more to explore in this field of study. Having deep connections with Hong Kong since conducting research in the city in the 1960s, Janet Salaff, U of T Emeritus Professor in Sociology, released Hong Kong Movers and Stayers: Narratives of Family Migration, a new book she co-authored with two other scholars, at the conference. The book explores the issue of family migration through various real life stories. “Not many people are studying return migrants, and we are doing it at the U of T because we have personal mobility of people to interview,” Salaff said, when asked about the study of return migrants at U of T. “We are also doing a study on the U of T alumni in Hong Kong, and we were interviewing there about why people returned to Hong Kong, and what their experiences are. I think it’s a very rich field, because there are so many Chinese in Canada, and many of them are at the U of T. I think there’re a lot of things that we can learn by talking to our own students.”

the inside

February 25, 2010

amy stupavsky It’s Labour Day Weekend. While most people are savouring the last days of summer, you’re holed up in a country house with four friends, feverishly hammering away at a 60,000 word novel that you must complete in 72 hours. There are many words to describe this ambitious feat: brutal, crazy, masochistic. Mark Sedore, winner of the 32nd annual 3-Day Novel Contest, might use a different word: fruitful. For Sedore, the victory represents the fulfillment of his meteoric career as a 3-Day Novelist. He entered for the first time two years ago and made the shortlist. Last year, he placed second. This year, the old adage about the third time being a charm proved true, when his novel received the top ranking among the 600 entries. As an extra boon to the title, Sedore’s

book will be published. “Obviously, I want to be a novelist,” he said. “Everyone wants to be a novelist. I can’t imagine anything I’d rather do. It’s a very self-fulfilling profession. I always thought I’d publish something, but I never thought I’d win this contest. Out of 600 entrants, I was chosen. I’m one of only 32 people in history who has ever won this contest. That’s pretty cool.” The international contest was conceived in a Vancouver pub in 1977 by a group of young writers as a cure for writer’s block. Sedore believes the contest is a great way for writers to test their limits and the fecundity of their imaginations. “I’ve really strongly recommended it in the past,” he said. “If you take it seriously, it makes you focus and it develops a muscle or tool that you can use for the rest of the 362 writ-

AMY STUPAVSKY

And on the third day, he wrote a novel

ing days of the year. The realization that you can actually write 60,000 words in three days is a huge confidence builder.” On January 5, Sedore received

the fashion This week I want to consider fashion’s conniving side, and take into account the careful process of “dressing for one’s shape”. In the words of famous Mexican designer Ramon Valdiosera: “Fashion is an art form and a kind of poetry. And poetry, as we know, can lie in many ways. And lies are not just the opposite of the truth. They consist, often, in hiding truths and defects.” CAILIN SMART

Siobhan Angus, Robarts

Bonsitu Kitaba, Sid Smith

My style is classic but playful. I have always thought that fashion should not be taken too seriously. This is an Opera coat my dad bought for me at a vintage store, it was floorlength and I had it taken up. I love the buttons on it, they’re unique. My favourite piece in my closet right now is a silver brocade jacket. It’s hard to wear, though, because it’s silver, so it’s only for special occasions. I buy mainly vintage clothing: I love “I miss you” on Ossington and “Public Butter” in Parkdale.

I would describe my personal style as diverse. I wear what I feel comfortable in and what works for my body. I’m a skinny girl so I try to wear clothes that don’t fit too tightly and create the illusion of curves. I get my clothes at H and M, Urban Outfitters and sometimes Abercrombie. I love unique pieces, especially printed scarves--I wear one almost everyday. My favourite piece right now is a black dress from Club Monaco with beautiful intricate beading on the shoulders.

the call that he won, although the 3-Day Novel editors did not make a public announcement until January 26. “It was three straight weeks where I couldn’t tell anyone,” Sedore said. Sedore’s winning entry, Snowmen, is a story of sibling rivalry at its most sinister. It chronicles a dying man’s struggle to traverse the Arctic Circle while his younger brother, consumed with jealousy and bitterness, attempts to thwart his progress. The plot is embellished with themes of love and loss, but according to Sedore, it’s mostly a meditation on loneliness. The book has gone through its first set of revisions by a professional editor to fix plot and character holes, and will pass two subsequent edits before it’s published. Sedore, 31, works as a professional writer at the President’s Office. He completed his MA in Political Science at U of T and is currently pursuing a second in Communication and Culture through a joint program at York and Ryerson. “I don’t see myself quitting my day job anytime soon,” he joked, despite his newfound success. Sedore hopes his win will lend some clout to his next novelistic efforts. “It’s a great thing to put on a cover letter,” he said. “I’ve submitted cover letters for novels in the past, and I’ve always received the typical rejection letters. If you already have some credentials, publishers will take notice. I think a lot of it is giving the writer the benefit of the doubt. ” Sedore’s previous 3-Day Novel stints have involved staying at his Toronto home with his cats. As a departure this year, he went to a house in Perth, Ontario, with the members of his writing group. They all decided to take part in the contest. “It was just a lot of fun to be

sequestered up there,” he said. “We had strict rules never to disturb people while they’re writing. We kept a whiteboard in the common room where we could write messages to each other.” At the close of the weekend, the group celebrated with a trip to the LCBO and a $65 bottle of champagne. Drawing on his travels to Iceland and the Yukon, Sedore supplemented his inspiration for the novel with Oliver Sacks’s Musicophilia (Sedore’s protagonist is a music therapist) and surfing Wikipedia for information about Asperger syndrome for another character. The novel grew organically over the writing period. “I knew I wanted it to be about two brothers and I wanted them to walk across the arctic,” said Sedore. “That’s all I knew.” Sedore’s intensive writing experience also offered him the opportunity to experiment with stylistic techniques. All of the even-numbered chapters in his 24-chapter book are written in the present, while the odd chapters are written in the past as flashbacks. “I think that really helped me to win because I think that most people wouldn’t try that,” he explained. “Once you start writing in the urgency of present tense, it’s hard to jump back to past, which can be quite boring. I thought the switch was quite effective. I’m glad it worked out that way.” Sedore said he’ll probably choose to end his participation in the contest on a high note. He may enter unofficially this September, or as a team with his best friend, Doug, who is also a part of his writing coterie. Snowmen is set to be released by 3-Day Books in August, 2010, and will distributed by Arsenal Pulp Press.

the inside

February 25, 2010

Yalla provides friendly forum for Israel-Palestine debate Reflecting, Najat Abdel Hadi calls her 17-year-old self a rightwing extremist and a member of the “righteous, infallible team” in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. Now a recent graduate of the University of Toronto’s Peace and Conflict Studies Program, Hadi is an active board member of Yalla, a forum providing space to individuals with interest in the Conflict to engage in meaningful dialogue. Yalla, formed in 2003 by a group of Arab and Jewish Canadians, encourages youth between the ages of 18 and 35 to both creatively express their thoughts and engage with others, “without fear of retribution.” As a child in the Palestinian city of Nablus on the West Bank, Hadi calls herself blessed to have been able to take pleasure in the “little things in life.” Life, however, consisted of curfews, annihilated buildings, and the blare of gunshots. These children, who knew nothing else, who felt the illusion of safety, were inundated with “messages of hate and distrust that would shape their future ideas and decisions.” Hadi later realized that both sides of the conflict were fed this inculcation, these distorted depictions of the truth. Her revelation, which came during the same time the Israeli army invaded her city, took place at the United World College of the Adriatic. Here Hadi met three Israeli students and her perspective changed as she recognized that these people were not “cruel soldiers on a checkpoint,” but instead potential friends. Hadi realized her place was in the field of communication; that “building channels of dialogue between real people on both sides is the only way to achieve stable peace.” In one of the Yalla’s featured articles, Danny Iny writes of the pertinence and power of dia-

logue. Iny asserts that one perspective is just one piece of the big picture. He deems “insight” the most gratifying gain of dialogue; insight into “the other” perspective and one’s own. For, defending one’s opinion means, “you have to examine and refine

everything you believe.” Though he does not deny the frustration and frequent disappointment that comes with dialogue, Iny maintains that constructive discourse is worth the work and can be achieved through “respect, genuine curiosity and

patience.” Maintaining faith in people’s humanity and rationality, Hadi feels proud to be part of Yalla: “We probably won’t alter the course of history in the Middle East, but I believe it is a step in the right direction.”

“ the campus comment ” the newspaper asks: what are your thoughts on the Canadian Men’s HockeyTeam?

“Go USA! Wait, now everyone on campus hates me.” Cristina

“As long as they stick with Luongo, they should be fine.” Luke

“I don’t really follow hockey at all.” Jasmin

“I’m just glad we were finally able to make Germany pay for their war crimes.” Chris

“Go Green Bay Packers!” Sarah

“This is what I want to do to Brodeur after his poor performanceintheCanada-USAgame!Gnawhisfingertipsoff!” Dill

ALEX NuRsALL

CARA sAbATINI

the science

February 25, 2010

Dolphins gots a sweets tooths Most people don’t realize it, but diabetes is the fourth major killer worldwide. In Canada alone, there are more than three million individuals battling this metabolic disorder. Sadly though, with the current obesity epidemic, diabetes will only grow more popular. Medically, diabetes is diagnosed by the presence of excess glucose in the blood (a condition

called hyperglycemia), which indicates an uptake failure by the cells of the body. Insulin is the required token for admissions. Considering that, there are two main causes of hyperglycemia. Either one’s body fails to manufacture any insulin (resulting in Type 1 Diabetes) or the cells do not respond properly to the produced insulin (causing Type 2 Diabetes). Approximately 85 per cent of all

patients have Type 2 Diabetes. To date, most diabetes research has involved our rodent friends as the best animal models, upon manipulation. Recently however, a team headed by Dr. Stephanie Venn-Watson, a veterinary epidemiologist at the National Marine Mammal Foundation in San Diego, has identified the only animal other than humans to develop Type 2 Diabetes naturally: the bottlenose dolphin. Dr. Venn-Watson and colleagues analyzed routine blood samples collected from bottlenose dolphins (owned by the U.S. Navy!) and discovered their fasting blood chemistry to resemble that of diabetic patients. In contrast, following a meal their blood chemistry paralleled that of healthy humans. It appears as if dolphins possess a switch to turn diabetes on and off! Dolphins have the largest brain to body size ratio, second to humans. Some scientists believe dolphins require a constant supply of glucose to ensure proper brain function, like we do. Since their diet consists primarily of fish, which is high in protein and low in sugar, Dr. Venn-Watson believes dolphins may have evolved this harmless

form of insulin resistance to be activated only when necessary, during overnight fasts. dolphins primarily eat fish à which is high in protein, low in sugar to get enough glucose from this diet, they’ve evolved a mostly harmless form of insulin

resistantce, according to SVW but unlike people, dolphins can activate their diabetes only when the animals need it – and without the serious side effects dolphin diabetes “turns on during their short overnight fast and turns off when they have breakfast in the morning”

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THIRU SHATHASIVAM

the arts

February 25, 2010

Robertson Davies peels away at audience wilbur huang Today I was rummaging through a heap of papers on my floor in a flurry of lateness when I found a subway token. Clouds parted, the sun came out and my faith in the day was revitalized. This is precisely the same type of refreshment that gusts through the doors of Freedom Clothing

What I find most impressive about the store’s journey to success is the amount of professionalism that the volunteer management has maintained. Every refurbished vintage, every found plaid button-up or silk-screened purse is a quality designed piece. The vast collection of clothing lines includes designers from all across Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto, aiming to sustain local community and Canadian quality. Among my favorite design lines are adorable silk screens and jewelry by My Missing Pet (Ewa Konart) and Poppyseed, a series of remodeled and individually named furniture. The lovely thing about Freedom’s community-based approach is the versatility it allows the space to have. Bringing in local designers and artists also means that there are guaranteed

North of America will martin Today I was rummaging through a heap of papers on my floor in a flurry of lateness when I found a subway token. Clouds parted, the sun came out and my faith in the day was revitalized. This is precisely the same type of refreshment that gusts through the doors of Freedom Clothing Collective at 939 Bloor Street West. In 2004, Freedom Clothing boldly went where no independent fashion collective had gone before and set up shop on Bloor just east of Dovercourt. Originally the store started with intentions of only operating for one summer under a government-subsidized business start-up program but has since then paved way for other emerging gems in the neighborhood like Saving Gigi Café and Holy Oak.

HART HART HOUSE HOUSE HAIR HAIR PLACE PLACE Finest Cutting and Style Colour and Highlights

7 HART HOUSE CIRCLE MONDAY TO FRIDAY, 8:30 - 5:30 SATURDAY, 9:00 - 5:00 For Appointments Call: 416-978-2431 EXCELLENT EXCELLENT WORK WORK & & REASONABLE REASONABLE RATES RATES

cd revi events that range from print making workshops to art openings and music launches. As I flip through a binder of Jack Dylan posters sitting on top a beautiful burgundy dresser I am in a state of sensory overload. There is not an inch of this impeccably merchandised space that is not bursting with new talent and vigor.

February 25, 2010

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