January 8th– 14th, 2009 - Vol. XXXI, No: 14
2009 to be a stellar year – U of T shooting for the stars ASHLEIGH INGLE Stellar Chronology Bureau Did you know our galaxy is being swallowed by another even larger galaxy ? 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy, an epic opportunity for the average citizen to see and learn more than ever before about their universe. Human understanding of the cosmos has been gathering incredible momentum in recent years as our technology has become more advanced and our theories more sophisticated. This understanding of our home galaxy and deep space is not a treasure to be hoarded by a small elite of scientists and their benefactors, but is a culturally intertwined force throughout history. The world’s astronomers are eager for the layman to understand the magnitude of their insights, and the International Year of Astronomy
Toronto plans to re-cycle
Greased and ready to go
Bike sharing coming back to the ‘Big Smoke’
‘Grease’ musical slides into U of T
MIKI SATO
SANDRA DEGRANDIS
Environment & Community Bureau
Theatrical Arts Bureau
If all goes according to plan, we will be seeing more bikes on Toronto city streets than possibly ever before. Ideas for a Toronto bike-rental program have been up in the air for the last couple of years, after Toronto Community Bicycle Network’s well known BikeShare program fell through in 2006. BikeShare was relatively successful, but short lived – ultimately coming to a close due to lack of City funding. The new yet-to-be-named service is set to launch in Summer 2009, ideal timing as Toronto’s eco-friendly and TTC-hating populations are likely to increase. The new program hopes to make right what went wrong in the last attempt. It will have to rely on advertising to supplement the lack of public funding, so we may be seeing some funky looking bikes come summertime. Though there are many details yet to be worked out, such as the location of kiosks and the number of bikes in circulation, there is great hope that the project will thrive like its European counterparts, specifically Paris’s famously successful Velib program. With high demand for such a service in Toronto, some might say it is long overdue. Since many people cannot afford to invest their coin in a decent bike and all its necessary accoutrements, the new system will allow for a wide range
of people – including penny-pinching students – to get from one place to another without blowing their budgets. Whatever it takes, many people would like to see this service succeed. Will the program work out to be as awkward as a fat man on a tiny banana seat, or will it be that cool spring breeze in your hair as you bike in the Market after morning lecture? Certainly, most of us are hoping for the latter. Photo: Sam Catalfamo
Running from Friday, November 28th to Sunday, November 30th, the George Ignatieff Theatre played host to a run of Grease. Put on by the St. Michael’s College Arts and Theatre Commissioners, the play was solid and full of the excitement and liveliness inherent in all the best musicals. Furthermore, the performance boasted a stellar cast that fit well the roles they were playing. The play was based on the original musical stage production written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Set in the fictional high school of Rydell, Grease tells the story of teenagers dealing with the pressures of conformity and rebellion during that pivotal point in American history when rock ‘n’ roll and sex were breaking free from the bonds of social conservatism. The boys have their own gang, known as the ‘T-Birds’, while the girls also have their own group, the ‘Pink Ladies.’ All formalities aside, anyone who has seen the movie with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John knows what it’s all about. Leading to the opening scene in which the audience is introduced to the main characters, the first act begins with two members of the chorus singing the theme song, ‘Grease’. Sandy is a transfer student from Immaculata, and Danny is a member of the T-Birds; already acquainted with one another thanks to a
summer vacation fling, they now attend the same school – and thus the drama commences. During the course of the first act, Sandy is initiated into the Pink Ladies, although she is considered a bit of a of a goody-two-shoes by the other girls. Meanwhile, Danny tries to hide his true feelings for her in order to keep up the tough image, but this only serves to upset Sandy. So, the rest of the Pink Ladies try to cheer her up with a sleepover, while the boys go out gallivanting at the local hamburger joint. Memorable songs from the first act are among most well-known: “Summer Nights,” “Look at Me I’m Sandra Dee,” and “Greased Lightning.” With as much drama as the first act closes with, the second act starts with Danny entering the Rydell High dance competition with one of his past flames. Naturally, Sandy leaves the dance in a huff. However, the young couple patch things up and go to the drive-through, where Danny puts on the moves – and is rejected. Poor Danny, it seems like he can never catch a break. In proper love story form, the teenagers eventually cast aside their differences and admit they were meant to be with each other, all the while randomly breaking out in song. Continued on page 7...