March 26th – April 1st, 2009 Vol. XXXI, No: 24
University of Toronto’s community newspaper Independent since 1978
1 Spadina Crescent, Suite 245, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A1 Phone: 416 593 1552 thenewspaper@thenewspaper.ca www.thenewspaper.ca
the newspaper
the newspaper
write between the lines
the news
the arts
4 Gold on tap 5 Descended from apes 3 Hate to break it to you...
6 Game on! 7 Rock out with your sock out 7 Schtick it to ya
Hunger pains
Venice Apprentice
JENNY DUONG
JAKUB JAKAL
Social Justice Bureau
Arts & Careers Bureau
Food practices leave people starving
As part of Hunger Awareness Week at U of T, Dr. Leslie Jermyn, anthropology professor and co-founder of GlobalAware, presented her views at Speakers Day on March 19th. From the farm to the supermarket, this discussion served to elucidate the flaws of the international food system. According to Jermyn, regardless of the amount of food produced globally, over a billion people go to bed hungry every single night. Part of the problem has to do with the machinery of the international economy. Along with mass production, technological advancements including sophisticated machinery and complex irrigation systems contribute to generating the highest crop yields with the least pecuniary input. Governments often encourage farmers to purchase such updates; however, because these products are owned by large private corporations that sell for profit, small-scale farmers
Sought by U of T’s Barnicke Gallery
Mark-jan Dalderoop of Foodshare smiles with apples produced by Norfolk Fruit Growers. Foodshare purchases 3000lbs of apples per week and distributes them to school breakfast and lunch programs across Ontario. The apples they sell, though perfectly nutritious, would normally be left on the tree by companies seeking only “Grade A” apples.
A pool of U of T student applicants will be vying for the coveted Venice Apprentice spot at this year’s International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia. Replace Donald Trump with Hart House Barnicke Gallery curator Barbara Fischer and business savvy with an eye for art and you have all the makings of a drama-infused spin-off of The Apprentice. What remains to be decided is who will help represent Canada from the U of T student body. The Barnicke Gallery’s nomination for representation of Canada at Venice Biennale is a great success as it is only the third museum in Ontario and the first U of T gallery to be selected in
cooperation with Mark Lewis, a renowned video artist who is representing Canada at the Biennale with his short silent films that use classic film techniques combined with digital technology. When asked what the Canada pavilion would look like, Fischer explains that “the artist is working on several films and will be developing these until May; that’s when we know what the films will actually look like. Also, part of our project is revision of the pavilion architecture itself.” It goes without saying that it’s not going to be easy to get a spot at such a prestigious and extraordinary event. Despite the tough odds, Barbara Fischer thinks it is important to give stu-
Photo: Jenny Duong
do not have the resources to jump onto the mass production conveyor belt. As a result, the Farming
Industry is increasingly being controlled by fewer people, “Hunger” - Continued on page 5...
Low economy? High time The government has a need for weed MIRANDA BEGLEY Economics Bureau When certain illegal industries are looked at objectively in terms of their possible financial benefit to society, and their relative lack of harm to it, the natural conclusions often cry out in favour of legalization. According to the 2008 Angus Reid poll, for example, more than 50 percent of Canadians support the legalization of marijuana – a statistic determined even before the country was in the midst of a recession demanding new influxes of money for government spending. To be sure, money – making it, spending it – doesn’t always
Is this where economists will find the answer to the current financial crisis? The numbers seem to suggest just that. Photo: Ashley Minuk
breed ethical behaviour, and resistance to marijuana legalization by certain conservative segments of society appears to be rooted in a sort of obsession with regulating the ways in which people handle their money based on ethical terms – a specific set of codes that seem only to arise in response to issues like drugs or sexuality. The Conservative government, in the midst of a 30 billion dollar deficit, continues to spend 500 million dollars a year to uphold charging systems and manda“High” - Continued on page 5...
One Venice Apprentice hopeful will travel with Barnicke Gallery Curator Barbara Fischer to represent Canada at the 53rd Venice Biennale. Photo: Tata Rams
the nationwide competition. The competition is organized every two years by the Council for the Arts in Ottawa, which invite museums, galleries, and curators to make proposal about the artist they feel should represent Canada in Venice. This year, Barbara Fischer has won the nomination in
dents the chance to participate: “We created this position because we feel the Venice project is a really great opportunity and we want students to take part in something like that.” Only four U of T students will get through the online “Venice” - Continued on page 7...
2 the newspaper
March 26th – April 1st, 2009
the newspaper
the inside
Publisher Matthew Pope
THE TABLE OF CONTENTS
News Editor
Arts Editor
Ashley Minuk
Helene Goderis
Associate Editor
the front page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 the inside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 the editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 the news . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5 the arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 7 the puzzles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 the end . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Ari Simha
Administrative Assistant
Layout & Design
Caroline George
Jeffrey Spiers
Copy Editors Elisabeth Bennet, Michelle Ferreira, Tayyaba Jiwani
Contributors Miranda Begley, Jenny Duong, Hannah Fleisher, Andrew Gyorkos, David Ivey, Jakub Jakal, Mathiaus Poe, Jake Steinmetz, Amy Stupavsky
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the mission statement the newspaper is proud to be University of Toronto’s ONLY independent community news source. We look to our readers and contributors to ensure we provide a consistently superior product. Our purpose is to provide a voice for university students, staff, faculty and U of T’s extended community.
“By words the mind is winged”
This voice may at times be irreverent but it will never be irrelevant.
- Aristophanes
write between the lines
CALL FOR EDITORS the newspaper will be holding its annual editorial staff elections on Thursday, April 16th, 2009 @ 5pm
the campus comment HANNAH FLEISHER
The 2009-2010 academic calendar has been changed so that each semester will be 12 weeks, with a new 4 day break in November, a 4 day break in December before exams; keeping reading week in February and a 5 day break before exams in April. Does this sound like a good plan to you?
OPEN POSITIONS: News Editor Arts Editor These are paid positions. Each requires a time commitment of approximately 20 hours per week.
Steven Ramkissoon - 3rd year - Life Science
Rand Saleh - 2nd year - Near Eastern Civilizations
Bardhipan Seevaratnam - 4th year - Geophysics
“I think it’s a good idea, since the majority of courses now
“I think its a bad idea because the year is short as it is. We need
“There is no difference to the students, if there are calendar
are half year and it would be good to have a break much like
enough time to study and learn!”
changes. There should be a longer week for the work to be
reading week in the first semester.”
done.”
Anyone who has had 3 or more articles published this year is eligible to run. A Statement of Intent and resume should be sent to thenewspaper@thenewpspaer.ca no later than April 9th. Anyone who has contributed three pieces this year has a vote and should be present on voting day to elect next year’s editors. We welcome all hopefuls and look forward to seeing you all on voting day.
Zeina Ismail - 4th year - Geography
Farshad Azadianf - 2nd year - Life Science/Equity
Salwa Anwrali - 4th year - Sociology/South Asian Studies
“The change makes absolutely no difference to many students,
“It’s another way to reduce the quality of education while
“I like the idea of these breaks in November but it all depends
not everyone has courses on Thursdays and Fridays. A longer
continuing to make education more inaccessible by providing
on the timings of the breaks. If weekends are included in these
week off means that everyone can actually get some time off to
less OSAP funding (which is provided based on weeks of
breaks then it will not be as useful as the majority of students
get reading done and to relax.”
schooling). In the end, it’s another attack on students, and their
have weekend jobs., so they would be technically 2-day breaks.”
pocket books. All this while tuition fees continue to rise.”
the newspaper 3
March 26th – April 1st, 2009
the editorial I hate People In the news... MATHIAUS POE Opinion Column Bureau This is for all my haters out there; and I mean that as a term of endearment. This week I would like to take a look at some recent news items. Things that you may have missed and, even though they are not Front Page issues, still bear mentioning. First up: McGruff the Crime Dog. Apparently, not even the get-tough-on-crime canine is safe from the nefarious criminal element that rules the underbelly of society. National Crime Prevention Council Responds to McGruff the Crime Dog Assault March 5th, 2009 - Arlington, VA — The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) issued a statement today in response to the recent assault on McGruff the Crime Dog; as he was handing out fliers to children, by a bus driver in Washington, D.C. The bus driver, Shawn Brim, was quickly apprehended by D.C. police officers. Brim later said that he was trying to be funny.
Ok, now I will be the first to say that, in general, violence is not the answer and that ideas and innovators like Passive Resistance and Mahatma Gandhi are visionary in goal and scope. But come on; this is bloody funny. Imagine the screams of once happy children as a uniformed individual approaches the cuddly anti-crime caricature and proceeds to push around the hapless hound. The sheer irony of McGruff’s inability to get tough on crime himself is just too delicious not to laugh at. Now, if you found that story amusing, this next one will be hilarious. I’ve excerpted my favourite parts from my favourite piece on the incident: Bus driver suspended after clubbing fake seal at hunt protest Paul McLeod, Metro Halifax March 16, 2009 A Metro Transit driver has been relieved of duty after running out of his bus on Spring Garden Road to bludgeon a fake baby seal in front of stunned protestors. … The driver then allegedly remarked: “Oh, there are the animal lovers,” and asked a rider he was chatting with, “Should I? Should I?” Apparently, he decided he should. He stopped the bus, ran across the busy street and began clubbing a fake baby seal with a baton as baffled protestors looked on. The driver then ran back onto his bus and drove off, continuing his route. The bloody and tear-stained seal prop was in front of a sign that said: “Hug me, don’t club me.”
Of course, everyone is appropriately outraged by the incident, but almost everyone I’ve shared this story with has reacted with
some mixture of disbelief, horror and delight; the exact ratio of each emotion per reaction varies by individual. Nonetheless, I have a new clipping for my collection. As much as this guy may be a complete moron, what he did is nothing short of brilliantly funny. In both cases, the levels of humour are subtle and many. First and foremost is the obvious slapstick appeal of visualizing these ‘attacks.’ Next is something that we have all known at one time or another; that being the satisfaction of seeing something pure/innocent be corrupted or violated. I flat-out refuse to believe that anyone has not experienced this dark pleasure at least once. The only difference is
that some of us are bold enough, or just A-hole enough, to not care what others think of that fact, or others knowing about it. Guess where I fall. On the one hand, I could say “judge not lest yea be judged” but I prefer to say “screw you People. Get honest.” Then there is the humour to be had in finding such unique, stunted specimens as the kind that would act on the absurd impulses described above. While I cannot condone this juvenile behavior, I can’t look too far down my nose at it because I must be grateful for the many lulz their limited reasoning process brings me. As an aside, WTF is with bus drivers lately? Are they the new postal workers? And speaking of limited reasoning, the first sitting
President to appear on late-night TV demonstrated just that quality when describing his bowling at the White House: “It’s like -- it was like Special Olympics or something,” Barack Obama was quoted as saying. Once again, this is funny on a number of levels, and forgivable for most “normal” People. But this is the President, a champion of equality and Liberalism at that, and he should definitely know better. While I am certainly ‘in favour’ of President Obama, I think it is important to remain critical and analytical of ANY government or political figure. Let’s deflate the Obama-bubble and make him human. - Obama has spent more in his first 30 days in office than Bush did in 8 years. - According to a Gallup pole, Obama’s job approval rating was under 60% as of January 21st, whereas at the same time 8 years ago Bush enjoyed 62% job approval. - Obama is dismantling things
like Guantanamo Bay and certain so-called ‘imperialist’ foreign policies while ignoring the privacy violating policies highlighted in the Patriot Act and maintaining the enormous power centralized into the President’s office by the Bush administration. The former items make for much more pressfriendly stories, because you can take pictures of them and, sadly, people just don’t seem to care about their personal liberties or regulating their government’s power. All of these things can be contextualized or ‘explained,’ I’m sure. But simple facts are also the harshest. Again, let me be clear that I think Obama is the greatest thing to happen to American politics in a long time, but let us not forget that he is a politician, and we must always treat him as such. There’s a lot to get in a tizzy about this week and I can hear you hammering away at your keyboards already, so I will leave the rest to you.
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4 the newspaper
March 26th – April 1st, 2009
the news Super-stud coming soon
World Water Day 2009
Gold from the tap AMY STUPAVSKY Community Events Bureau Toting SIGG water flasks, a crowd of around 150 people flooded the Innis Town Hall Theatre on Sunday, March 22, to celebrate World Water Day. Launched in 1993 by the United Nations, World Water Day focuses attention on the importance of fresh water, raises awareness about the lack of clean drinking water available worldwide, and advocates for the sustainable management of fresh water resources. With a goal to inspire attendees to think more critically about water and make changes in their daily lives, the afternoon’s activities were organized by the Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots & Shoots program and Rotaract, a youth-centred branch of the Rotary Club of Toronto. The event’s highlight was a screening of the criticallyacclaimed film Blue Gold: World Water Wars. The film, directed by Sam Bozzo, is based on the book Blue Gold: The Fight to Stop the Corporate Theft of the World’s Water by Tony Clarke and Maude Barlow, Canadian “water is a human right” activists. “Very important things happen when you put images to words,” said Tony Clarke, guest speaker at the event, in his introduction to the film. “You will see many kinds of images. My hope is that you will see the film in a way that will deepen your sense of water consciousness. We are talking about the most life-giving resource on the planet.” The film’s premise is that water is the new oil; we are moving from black to blue gold. The disparity between water-rich and water-poor areas, the depletion of the world’s fresh water supply, the corporate privatization of water in developing countries, and the resulting political and social upheavals have made water an increasingly precious resource. Despite the sobering statistics and harrowing stories, the film has an uplifting message: one person has the power to effect change in the water wars. The film portrayed several examples of grassroots organizations, especially in Bolivia and the United
States, opposing the corporate takeover of their water resources. The audience routinely clapped and cheered at moments when the underdogs would prevail. The film ended with sounds of rainstorms and running taps, encouraging the viewer to reflect on the subject matter. Brennan Wauters, a filmmaker, extolled the praises of the film. “I was very aware of water issues before attending this event,” he said. “I thought it was very effective, but it will take time for people to absorb the information because this issue is complex and extends beyond water.” Tony Clarke, founder and executive director of the Polaris Institute, used Sunday’s event as a platform to campaign for his organization’s water preservation initiatives. An effervescent speaker, he told listeners to learn to live within the limits of their watershed and appreciate water’s value. The event closed with a panel discussion featuring Mr. Clarke and Nancy Gilbert, Water Committee Chair at the Rotary Foundation, who addressed humanitarian, social justice, and political action suggestions. The audience was then invited to visit information booths for organizations committed to eradicating water problems. “I think it is important for readers to know that many decisions are being made on our behalf without our awareness we need to step up and become aware,” says Rotary member Kimberly Curry. “Water is an issue that affects everyone,” Leanne Rasmussen, a third-year International Relations student and member of the U of T Oxfam group, which spearheads water sanitation projects overseas. “Living in Canada, we don’t often realize that it’s our problem too. We need to have a sense of the consequences our actions.” Clarke especially encouraged youth to actively engage with water problems and find solutions. “I’m hoping that a whole new generation of young people will start to show leadership in creative ways to become the true water guardians,” he said. The glass is half full, not half empty.
DAVID IVEY Check back in an upcoming issue for our interview with infamous FTM (Female to Male) porn star and sex symbol Buck Angel. We will be getting his take on everything from the economy to his journey from high fashion model to a beefy stud with a vagina. Always controversial and always captivating, check back for our interview with Buck.
Buck Angel Photo: Helene Goderis
...“High” - Continued on page 5 tory minimum sentences for, in three-quarters of arrests, mere possession charges (read: not drug dealers), even while a legal, taxed marijuana market could make the federal government 5 billion dollars annually. Ian Mulgrew, author of “Bud Inc.,” deems marijuana Canada’s most valuable agricultural product, worth 5.7 billion dollars wholesale and 19.5 billion dollars in retail. A ten percent tax on these figures means 3 billion dollars a year, combined with the money saved from enforcement – hard figures that could be used for real social good, the only arguments against which are based on hypothetical notions of what constitutes a social ill. For instance, the money spent on punishing marijuana users could be redirected to the prevention or treatment of harder drug use, establishing more programs like the safe injection sites put in place for heroin users. The federal government profits from the sale of alcohol, tobacco, and fast food, products with health effects comparable to marijuana, and it makes more sense for marijuana to be legally classed with them rather than with drugs that it has little in common with – a classification based on arcane notions of
morality. Rather than viewing marijuana as a slippery slope encouraging the use of drugs in general, its legalization would differentiate marijuana from harder drugs, which would still be classed as illegal and which a lower number of dealers or cafes would carry since they could tap into a piece of the lucrative drug industry without risking a criminal record. Legalization would also create jobs in farming, at cafés, and at seed banks, and it would initiate a great boost for tourism and its related domains. It seems irresponsible for a government struggling to perform its duties to refuse a vast influx
Photo: Simon P (Lic. under GNU)
of money from an industry that the majority of its population believes should be legal. A failing economy signifies a rising need for money and escapism by any means. The marijuana industry is about to make some big bucks; it’s a shame our government refuses to get in on it.
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March 26th – April 1st, 2009
the news
... “Hunger” - Continued on page 5
Theory in practice Evolution in the classroom JAKE STEINMETZ Though February 12th marked the bicentennial of Darwin’s birthday – and the 150th anniversary of On the Origin of Species – the day’s celebration also reminds us of the conflict the theory has spawned over the years. In the United States, the teaching of natural selection in public schools initially saw heavy opposition. In 1925, for instance, the Tennessee Supreme Court upheld a law that banned any teaching that contradicted the Bible; this law was only repealed in 1967. In 1968, Epperson v. Arkansas represented the first major federal court battle over evolution in schools, in which the Supreme Court ruled that prohibiting the teaching of evolution was unconstitutional as it catered to religious ideals, thus violating the distinction between church and state. Since then, opponents of evolution have cleverly tried to disguise religious doctrine by classifying creationism as “science” or by marketing it as “Intelligent Design.” Nonetheless, In 1987, Edwards v. Aguillard ruled out any mandate to teach “creationist
science,” and in 2005 the Supreme Court ruled Intelligent Design to be a Christian-based doctrine and “not a science,” making it illegal to be taught in public school classrooms. But recently, there have been indicators of the far right-wing’s ongoing movement to counteract what it sees as an impediment to religious faith, especially in the classroom. First, the Texas School board only narrowly rejected a bill aimed at mandating public school science teachers to address the “strengths and weaknesses” of all theories – including Intelligent Design, creationism and evolution. 150 years after Darwin first published his ideas, North Americans still struggles to accept the hard evidence of natural selection. According to last year’s Gallup Poll, an alarming 44% of Americans believe that “God created man in present form.” Compare this with the 26% of Canadians who, according to a Canadian Press-Decima Research poll, agree that God created humans “pretty much” in their present form. While the controversy across Canada is much milder, there remain signs of the dispute in Canadian classrooms. Brian Alters, McGill’s
director of the Evolution Education Research Centre, told the Toronto Star in 2007 that one-third of teachers throughout Canada showed signs of pressure – from parents – to teach Intelligent Design or creationism. Just last week, Federal Science Minister Gary Goodyear astonished Canadian scientists by refusing to say whether or not he believes in evolution. In the end, the decision for Canadian educators should be clear: it is not possible to omit the one thing that unifies the whole discipline of biology. On the Origin of Species, though establishing itself as perhaps the most significant piece of scientific literature in the past two hundred years, has faced many obstacles attempting to threaten its survival. While many believe that creation and evolution are not mutually exclusive – on the contrary, they might even complement one another – others still flatly reject evolution, on grounds that it compromises their faith. Nonetheless, In its 150 years of existence, the endurance of the theory of evolution is testament to the strength of both the theory and the man who conceived it.
causing food prices to rise globally. With fewer farmers, fewer people have direct access to food and are forced to buy rather than grow their own foods. “Imagine,” Jermyn noted, “someone sitting outside of Loblaws – someone begging. You have to understand that despite the massive abundance of food in that store, people can’t get in because they don’t have money.” Though mass production generates plenty of products, the process does not allow for truly nutritious food. The world food crisis, especially with the precarious state of the economy, continues to spiral downwards and more people are being forced to resort to food banks. Tinashe Kanegoni, another speaker from the Afri-Can FoodBasket, hined that wide-spread starvation, could be the around the corner even for developed nations. “It’s not just them out there, it’s us too – we are starving. No matter how much you eat, it’s just not enough.”
Mark-jan Dalderoop, a farmer and representative of non-profit Ontario food distributor, Foodshare, took the speaker’s chair last to address the problem of unequal food distribution. Using a visual demonstration to explain the inequity, Dalderoop handed out apples to the audience. Four people were given nine apples; they represented 17% of the world population including countries such as Canada, the U.S and Japan, with access to 80% of the world food supply. Fifteen people, however, were given one apple to share, representing 57% of the world population with access to only 2% of the world food supply. The solution lies, in eliminating mass food production, increasing the number of farmers, and reforming the international food system. “Food is not a commodity, it is a basic need and a human right,” said Jermyn, and to change the world, we must deconstruct these rigid structures and see food as a necessity, not a commodity for private profit.
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March 26th – April 1st, 2009
the arts
BEER • WINGS • POOL • JAVA SPORTS • JUKEBOX • SPIRITS EVENTS • OPEN STAGE • GAMES
Sports: The Band
Not your average indie songstress MATTHEW POPE Music Bureau I recently had the pleasure of listening to Sports’ self-titled EP, a collection of expertly produced, eclectic synth-pop melodies that had me tapping my toes 30 seconds in. It is music to vibe, dance, and chill to. I’m wasting space. For me, the really interesting part was my interview with keyboardist Robin Hatch:
Serving up a good time Every time since 9T6!
Weekly Events:
the newspaper: How did you all come together? Robin Hatch: When I moved to Toronto after high school, I joined the Toronto Kickball League, which is where I met Nathan. Nathan met Mike because they were roommates a couple of years ago. Shayne and Nathan met through mutual friends. Separate, we are meaningless; together, we form a unit. tn: I understand a few of you are U of T (alumni). What is it like trying to be a working musician and get a band going while attending a university with one of the highest per-student workloads out there? RH: Towards the end of each semester, things get really rough. As an English major, though, I don’t really think I have the authority to complain, because I only have twelve hours of class a week. My workload issues are motivation based, and I figure I’d have those issues either way. Playing in Sports is just like my intramural college activity or student council extracurricular or whatever, except I’m the one who gets my picture in Eye Weekly. tn: Obligatory question: Are you (or the band) sports fans?
Man vs. Martini MONDAYS Toonie TUESDAYS Open Mike WEDNESDAYS Robin Hatch with Sports: The Band combine charm and impish sophistication on their new EP. the photo: Joe Fuda
RH: No. tn: How long did the album take to put together? RH: We recorded it last summer with Peter Chapman, then took a brief hiatus following a mini tour across Canada last fall. Then our friend Shawn Jurek mastered the demos. I guess it’s taken almost a year tn: The songs are playful and melodic, but sounds heavily produced. How does your music translate to the live performance? RH: In English. tn: To say your music translates “In English” live, are you then discounting our nation’s proud francophone community? RH: Yeah, that’s what we’re doing.
RH: I don’t think Mike watches sports. Nathan and Shayne both really like hockey, basketball and baseball. I like going to Blue Jays and Raptors games. And tennis.
tn: How much is performed live and how much is pre-recorded?
tn: Ever been to a Varsity Blues game?
tn: The instrumental melody of the track “Fleetwood” bears a striking resemblance to the
RH: All of the songs are performed live.
Tragically Hip’s “Ahead by a Century”... Is this a coincidence or am I missing something in the liner notes I didn’t get with my digital EP copy? RH: Well, Tragically Hip uses acoustic guitars with a more mellowed out sound in contrast to the keyboards and electric guitar we use. “Ahead by a Century” is in D major whereas “Fleetwood” is in A major. Their chord progression modulates, whereas ours remains in the same key. I’m not discounting the uncanniness here (because I do see what you mean), but I don’t think we’re going to be receiving any lawsuits anytime soon. Also, f*** the Tragically Hip. tn: The music has an almost UKlike feel to it. Is this intentional or incidental? RH: I don’t think there’s anything wrong with paying homage, considering the anxiety of influence. I suppose it is incidental, then, because our intention was not solely to portray a UK-like feel.
tn: “considering the anxiety of influence.” So, what makes the influence anxious? RH: It’s actually a reference to the Harold Bloom essay of the same title, which argues that the influence of artists’ predecessors are inevitable. But, like Shakespeare, we plan to usurp our predecessors. tn: Do you, as a group, have a message you hope to convey with your music or a cause to champion? RH: We live by the old Latin adage, “Tuam matrem feci a tergo” [“I did your mother in the a**.”] tn: How does one win with Sports? RH: Generally, the team with the most points wins. tn: When can we expect an LP? RH: Whenever we get out of debt from making the EP, I suppose. Or, once we write more songs. You can catch Robin Hatch live at Sneaky Dees Thursday, March 26 for her EP Release Party.
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...“Venice” - Continued from page 1 application process, and those candidates will then work for the gallery on a voluntary basis throughout April. One lucky finalist will then be chosen to experience the world’s premiere of contemporary art, allowing him or her to make international contacts and explore art opportunities abroad. At the Biennale, the final apprentice will work directly with the exhibition and its installment by helping with technical details, assisting
the artist, securing the press packages and generally dealing with all elements that such a colossal event brings along. The magnitude of the Venice Biennale, a top international cultural event, can be gauged from the fact that it is covered by 6,000 journalists, visited by 30,000 of the world’s most important museum directors, gallery curators, art collectors, and artists. More than 350,000 visitors flock to the event.
In Fischer’s words: “the Biennale is one of the most important exhibitions of contemporary art in the world, and I am proud to see the Barnicke Gallery, Hart House and the University of Toronto represented there for the first time.” If you are interested in becoming the Venice Apprentice, check out the application details at the Barnicke Gallery website: www.jmbgallery.ca.
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the newspaper 7
March 26th – April 1st, 2009
HomoHop heats up Stay tuned for more from LGBTOUT DAVID IVEY Community Bureau
Drag Idol competition, including Miss Conception, one of the biggest names in drag, and the always ferocious Mahogany Browne, a U of T alum. With a bevy of such talented performers, it is little surprise that the event, held at The Barn on Church Street, had a line even for the line-bypass entrance.
Upon entering, swarms of young people filled all three floors. With the high energy throughout the party and an amazing turnout, it looks as though the HomoHop will be back as a regular event at its new home. While I may be getting a bit too long in the tooth to carry on with such gusto, HomoHop is
sure to remain a smash hit for the queers of tomorrow. For those of you looking for a good time, keep an eye out for dates for the next Hop, and remember that the money raised goes towards a plethora of worthwhile events on campus, including the upcoming “Let’s Talk About Porn” – more details on Facebook.
Olivya Chin performing some drag. Photo: Nathan P. Burgess
Take a copious amount of underage queer kids, mix in a couple handfuls of college and university age people, and top with just a pinch of those old enough to be chaperones at a high school dance, and you get the HomoHop, a brilliant event on an array of levels. Many who remember the HomoHops of yesteryear, held at Hart House, will agree that they had the overwhelming air of a high school dance. A classy Hogwart’s-esque dance, but a dance nonetheless. LGBTOUT, who in the past organized the Hop, eventually took the stance that the event’s costs were too high and stopped hosting the event at Hart House since it failed to see a profit. So, being the
Social Coordinator for LGBTOUT at the time, I inquired on a lark about a night open for the HomoHop at Goodhandy’s (the pansexual playground home to sexy t-girls and live gay porn shoots) and, to my amazement, I got it. The event saw a line around the block due to such a low capacity, and it was a smashing success. But, we were not about to try another: the amount of stress and damage involved was akin to a running of the bulls straight through the club. Luckily, Corey Scott was brave enough to take on organizing HomoHop this year, amassing himself a considerable lineup of performers. Approximately half the contestants were from the
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Shticks and Tones The Varsity Jews rock on Sunday JAKUB JAKAL Take a well-deserved study break this Sunday, March 29th, and go support the Varsity Jews. Not to be confused with the Varsity Blues, they are U of T’s Jewish a cappella choir. The concert is the choir’s fifth annual event and this year’s proceeds will support the Te-Amin Music Theatre, a Toronto-based not for profit group focusing on tolerance education and Holocaust awareness through the arts. Their music style concentrates on remaking classic rock songs and relating them to Jewish traditions and daily life. Robby Burko, this year’s musical director, took the acclaimed ABBA song Mamma Mia and remade it into My Bar Mitzvah. But most striking is that the Varsity Jews aren’t just your average basement band practicing for the hell of it – their aim is to raise money toward charitable organizations. Since their inception, the choir has donated over $20,000 for charity. Varsity Jews’ general manager Rachel Malach says: “Our goal really is
to perform and to make great music and also to raise as much money as we can for the charity we picked this year.” While many of their annual charity picks link back to Judaism, they make sure their choice helps people regardless of ethnicity or religion – Malach explains. Last year, proceeds supported Save a Child’s Heart, an organization that provides heart surgeries for children from underprivileged countries. And it is not just music, ‘Shticks’ are comic sketches featured in between the ‘Tones’ that allow for audience participation. Musical director Robby Burko promises a good show: “This is a compilation of all the music we got this year, so that includes a lot of material. Come see what we can do.” Tickets are available at 416-9132424, or at the Wolfond Centre for Jewish Campus Life at 36 Harbord Street, or at the door. At $8, tickets are student friendly. For more information, visit www.varsityjews.com.
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8 the newspaper
March 26th – April 1st, 2009
the end
the jumbler BY: ASHLEY MINUK
Unscramble the letters to form common words. Use the letters in the highlighted boxes to answer the riddle!
the four-word BY: ANDREW GYORKOS
Place the 12 letters provided into the grid in order to create EIGHT common four-letter words; 4 horizontal & 4 vertical.
Answer for last week’s jumbler: “Split happens” Solution to THIS jumbler in next week’s the newspaper
Solution to last week’s puzzle: Solution to THIS Four-word in next week’s the newspaper BY STEPHEN NOTELY