October 28 2010

SCARY STUFF INSIDE

the newspaper University of Toronto’s Independent Weekly

What the new mayor means for you

DIANA WILSON If you find yourself staring down the long tunnel of the next four (or should I say Ford?) years, wondering if the new cityscape will be right for you, we are here to help (a little). Short of a crystal ball, tarot cards, or a fifth sense (can’t smell), we cannot tell you Toronto’s future. So here’s a primer on some of the promises Rob Ford has made to you and we’ll leave it to you to keep track of their fulfilment.

Education This one is easy because there isn’t much. We know that Rob Ford is the coach of a high school football team but otherwise his interest in education is flagged. His campaign platform includes a provision to increase the number of School Resource Officers (Toronto Police’s hallway monitors) to thirty. But since universities are provincial and federal matters primarily, Rob Ford doesn’t need to care about them. So don’t get your hopes up about cuts to tuition fees.

TTC If you’re like the thousands of U of T students that rely on transit to get them to class before that ten-after deadline, you may be biting your nails right now. The Transit City Plan, which favours streetcars, is on the chopping block with an ambitious plan for subways instead. So, if you live between Downsview and Scarborough Town Centre, you can expect some construction in your neighbourhood. You’ll probably have graduated by the time this is finished (2015). In the meantime, you can enjoy taking the bus to the library for a quiet place to study.

Unions While it’s hard to privatize a union with “public” in the title, as in CUPE (the Canadian Union of Public Employees), the one that represents huge portions of the U of T community, there are still plenty of teamsters to smash. Ford intends to make the TTC an essential service Continued on page 2

October 28, 2010

Information Warfare monitors RIM ANNA MARSZALEK

DIANA WILSON

Hart House housed one of the polling stations where students performed their civic duty this past week.

Vol. XXXIII N0. 8

Research in Motion (RIM) is a Canadian company recognized for its highly encrypted, top-notch security network that is the backbone of their popular Blackberry smartphones.

Even RIM cannot snoop on the considerable amount of data transmissions passing through their network, and this strict inaccessibility on the part of the company makes it impossible for third parties to request information on customer communications. Simply put, for RIM, tight privacy is policy.

Privacy policies however, are not universal and can vary greatly from country to country, which is where RIM faces many of its challenges. While cyberspace confidentiality is greatly valued and accepted throughout most of the world, the company’s expansion into

countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as well as Saudi Arabia, China and India has caused a lot of tension and conflict between the company’s policies and foreign leadership.

Prying governments, which are common within the company’s new controversial market, end up clashing with the secure nature of RIM Blackberry`s data streams.

RIM has two primary objectives: to respect customer privacy and if necessary, bend its service policies to conform with the laws of a given country. When in 2007, the governments of UAE and Saudi Arabia approached RIM in order to gain access into the Blackberry consumers’ web browsing and emailing activity, which they claimed was required for national security reasons, the company found itself in a contradiction.

First, RIM could not provide the information desired because of their highly encrypted

network and second, because fulfilling this request would contradict their renowned customer privacy policy. Failing to comply with state authorities, the governing bodies sent out a mass text to Blackberry users proclaiming a ban on the device beginning in October of this year.

More recent news however, reveals that RIM is in the process of changing policy strictness and is now willing to cooperate with UAE and Saudi authorities concerning its Blackberry devices.

The company, most likely feels that it cannot abandon such a large and potentially profitable market.

In a recent article titled “Liberation vs. Control” published in the Journal of Democracy, Ronald Deibert and Rafal Rohozinski ask a rather important question concerning technolContinued on page 2

Legislation bans universities from hiring corporate lobbyists MARTÍN WALDMAN Earlier this month, the Ontario NDP presented documents obtained through freedom of information requests that outlined nearly $1 million spent by Ontario colleges and universities on private lobbyists. The revelations came on the heels of a similar report that showed more than a dozen hospitals across the province are also hiring private sector firms to lobby the government for more funding. Opposition parties were quick to draw parallels to last year’s eHealth scandal, and accused the provincial government of once again squandering

taxpayers’ money because of an insider-lobbyist culture of entitlement.

Last Wednesday, following a scathing report on the matter from the provincial Auditor General, Ontario Minister of Health Deb Matthews announced the proposed Broader Public Sector Accountability Act, which would bring in a new set of rules regarding the use of external lobbyists, consultants and expenses. In the context of the proposal (Bill 122) “Broader Public Sector” refers to any public sector organization that receives more than $10 million in government funding. The simple idea behind the legisla-

tion is to prevent institutions from using that taxpayer money to lobby for more taxpayer money.

While U of T was not among the list of institutions that hired lobbyists in recent years, the university does have an office of Government, Institutional and Community Relations (GICR), which, according to its website, “is responsible for building and maintaining positive and constructive relationships with government, other public sector institutions, the private sector and community partners.” The site goes on to say that “the ofContinued on page 2

the news

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October 28, 2010

Monitoring RIM

Lobbying Continued from page 1

Continued from page 1

fice defines the issues facing the University and provides effective advice on the University’s strategic government relation activities.” In other words, it is an office dedicated in large part to lobbying. While the office does publish some useful documents such as yearly performance indicators or general facts and figures about U of T, the amount of funds dedicated towards “relationships with government” is unknown.

In any case, it is still unclear how exactly the proposed law will impact the university’s funding over time. Danielle Sandhu, Vice President Equity of the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) points out that poor funding from federal and provincial levels of government are behind the need for lobbying in the first place, and that novel approaches to lobbying for better funding should be explored further.

“We’d like to see university administrations work together with students to approach government, rather than hiring private lobbyists to do this kind of work.”

According to Sandhu, past at-

tempts at this kind of partnership haven’t quite met with the desired response.

“We’ve approached the university president about this kind of collaboration, and he’s agreed to the idea,” she explains, “but only if tuition fees are NOT part of the discussion.”

“That’s kind of a deal-breaker.”

Joel Duff, Ontario Organizer of the Canadian Federation of Students, questions the decision to hire private lobbyists when funding for Ontario universities is already 24% below the national average.

“Should university administrations be lobbying? Absolutely! It’s their job,” says Duff, “but university Boards of Governors are appointees with experience and connections in business, law, or government. They definitely already have the government’s ear.”

Duff is equally concerned about the revolving door that seems to exists between government and lobbyists. Private lobby firms often consist of people who have worked in government at some point, and in turn market and sell their govern-

the newspaper Editor-in-Chief Helene Goderis

Contributing Editor

ment connections to businesses when they return to the private sector. “Do we want public policy made because of political connections, or do we want universities to work to convince governments of the importance of this sector?” he asks. “Now is the time for administrations to join students and look at a longrange view of the importance of funding universities.”

What isn’t yet clear is the extent to which the proposed new legislation will actually clamp down, in practice, on private lobbying for the broader public sector. While the legislation would, for example, force university administrations to post their expenses online, a possible loophole is that Section 4.1(a) of the legislation does not ban the broader public sector, such as universities, from hiring lobbyists in principle. Instead, it specifically prohibits the use of “public funds” for private sector lobbyists. That would seemingly imply that tuition fees, corporate donations, and money from other private revenue sources could theoretically still be spent on lobbyists, which would make the new regulations useless.

Whether this scenario actually plays out, and whether Bill 122 actually diverts the flow of public funds to private lobbying firms remains to be seen, but as next year’s provincial election nears, and with opposition parties eager to point out any wasteful spending by the Liberal government, this issue is not likely to be closed just yet.

Diana Wilson

Arts Editor

News Editor

Cara Sabatini

Jamaias DaCosta

Web Editor

Illustrations Editor

Andrew Gyorkos

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Continued from page 1 (which means no strikes), and to privatize city garbage collection so we don’t get a repeat of last summer’s stinky strike.

Bikes At a city council meeting in 2007, Ford said this: “I compare bike lanes to swimming with the sharks. Sooner or later you’re gonna get bitten.... My heart bleeds for them when someone gets killed. But it’s their own fault at the end of the day.” And heck, as his transit plan says, “it’s time we faced the facts.

Cars aren’t going away.” But, evidently, neither are bikes. So Rob Ford has a solution: put the bikes out to pasture. Who would want to cram into the dust and tumult of the city streets when she could breathe in fresh air while zip-zipping across the city on 100km of new off-road bike trails? So what if there’s no greenspace between your house and the campus! You can walk your bike safely along the sidewalk so as not to congest the roads with your excessive threedimensionality.

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ogy’s socio-political role within countries that have high terrorist crime, low human rights standards, and governments wanting power and total scrutiny over their citizens: are these technologies of freedom or control?

In light of the RIM debate, a new research project, RIM Check, has emerged to monitor how, and how much information leaves the RIM network within varying countries. Research is conducted by the Information Warfare Monitor, an independent cyberspace monitoring system. The collected data is published online (https://rimcheck.org/), by the Citizen Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs, located within the University of Toronto. Through their research, the project hopes to observe how cyberspace and new technologies become increasingly influential on matters of government, national surveillance and censorship laws.

The Citizen Lab is an interdisciplinary laboratory that unites studies in digital media, global security and human rights.

The U of T research centre announced their motivations behind the RIM Check project in a statement released on the Infowar Monitor website: “Decisions taken by private sector actors, often at the behest of governments seeking access to their data or assistance blocking Web sites, can have major consequences for human rights.”

The project attempts to address the lack of “transparency and public accountability” these decisions can have.

What new mayor means for you

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October 28, 2010

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The Meal Plan

There (aren’t) plenty of fish in the sea I recall vividly a memory from my childhood. I was five years old, fishing off a small dock down on Anna Maria Island in Florida, the sun beating down on my tiny naked back as I struggled to reel in my catch.

The moment when that fish gave up, exhausted, and I reeled him in became my moment triumph –for the rest of that day I was the tiny king of the sea.

Every summer since then, I have fished. Not down in Florida, but up north in the waters of Georgian Bay. But the thrill of the catch now eludes me. Why? Because, quite simply, there is no catch. While this lack of fish in our local waterways remains a mystery to me, the increasing emptiness of our oceans is far from inexplicable. The answer to this lies in our eating habits: we really love fish, and we eat a lot of it. Quite simply, our consumption habits alongside inefficient trolling practices have contributed to a depletion of fishing stocks worldwide.

AARON ZACK

In his new column, Aaron Zack shares his thoughts and recipes on food, for those of us without a meal plan.

This week: the edible, delectable tilapia

So what’s society’s answer to this? Simple: fish farming. Over the past ten years, commercial fish farming has risen exponen-

tially worldwide in response to consumer demand. While this puts fish on our plates, it hasn’t solved the ecological problems that plague the fishing industry.

The problem lies in the diet of most commercially farmed fish.

The vast majority of the fish we eat are carnivorous and rely on large supplies of wild fish for growth. Simon Cripps, director of the WWF, likened this practice to “feeding sheep to lions – and then eating the lions.” In fact, the WWF estimates that fish such as salmon require up to four kilos of wild fish for ev-

ery kilo of growth.

This is where tilapia comes in.

Tilapia is a fish of African origin that has been farmed worldwide for over 4000 years. In fact, tilapia are featured on ancient Egyptian tablets and it may also have been the fish Jesus is believed to have fed to his disciples. So why are we just hearing about it now? It’s because of fish guts. Well, I should explain that one.

Tilapia are herbivorous and can extract nutrients from almost anything thanks to their relatively massive digestive

tract. This combination makes them ideal candidates for ecologically-minded fish farming.

It also makes them dirt cheap, which appeals to the frugal yet hungry student in all of us. On that subject, tilapia are a great entry fish for the aquatically uninitiated. They’re firm and won’t fall apart from a little manhandling, and they’re mild and will take on whatever flavors are thrown at them.

So what’s the catch? Because of their diet, tilapia are high in omega-6 fatty acids and low in omega-3s. You’ve probably heard of omega-3s and how good they are for the body – this isn’t always the case for omega6s. Some studies link omega-6s to heart problems because they allegedly elicit an inflammatory response in the body. This isn’t necessarily the case, in fact they may contain anti-inflammatory agents, but just the same, it’s probably best to limit tilapia consumption to once or twice a week.

The real problem here is the sorry state of fish farming in general. Lax regulations in some nations can translate to illness, heavy antibiotic use and the presence of hormones in commercially farmed fish – what’s good for the ocean might not be good for you. However, when you’re a student of limited means, your convictions and your dinner are often mutually exclusive.

The Reciple Garlic-Lemon Seared Tilapia Serves Two Two 3-ounce tilapia fillets (or other mild whitefish) One garlic clove, slivered Juice of ½ lemon 2 tablespoons oil (canola, safflower etc.)

1 tablespoon butter Salt and pepper to taste Wash tilapia fillets and pat dry over paper towels.

Season both sides of each fillet generously with salt and pepper.

At the same time, heat a saucepan over high heat and add oil and butter.

Meanwhile, sliver the garlic clove and add to the pan. Sautee until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then remove and discard.

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When the butter/oil has browned and bubbling subsides, add the fillets and sear two to two and a half minutes per side, pressing down firmly on the fish with a spatula.

Add lemon and remove from heat.

Serve over mixed greens or pasta.

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October 28, 2010

Zombiance What the surge of zombies on tv is all about AARON ZACK

This Halloween, The Walking Dead, Frank Darabont’s zombie themed TV series, will premiere on AMC. The series is widely anticipated, thanks in part to its relatively high production values – something previously unheard of in horror-based television production. But the zombies don’t stop there – World War Z, a film about the survivors of an apocalyptic zombie epidemic is slated for release in early 2012, starring Brad Pitt of all people.

Zombies first appeared on the big screen with films like White Zombie and I Walked With a Zombie. These films sprung from Haitian folklore and explored the zombie as a mindless automaton forced to do the

bidding of its voodoo master – a metaphor for the alienated labour force in the wake of early capitalist industrialism. Later, in the 1970s and into the 1980s, zombies enjoyed a brief popular resurgence with George Romero’s zombie trilogy, among others. The second film of the three, Dawn of the Dead, told the story of individuals trapped in a shopping mall, surrounded by zombies. Here, zombies - still mindless - sought not to produce for slave masters, but rather consume endlessly. In this way, the zombie came to represent commodity fetishism and the dehumanizing impact of the rampant consumerism of the era.

Today, a rekindling of popular interest in zombies comes as we take our first steps into an era of post-scarcity, eliciting anxiety

from many.

So what exactly is post-scarcity? Futurists and sci-fi writers describe a post-scarcity world where, as author Jason Pargin puts it, it is “like Star Trek, where matter replicators and fusion reactors have ended all shortages.”

While this is for now an impossible unreality, we nevertheless have entered into a postscarcity society. Pargin uses the proliferation of e-books as an example of this lack of shortages. To this day, libraries lend out books for free, which publishers see as acceptable because the libraries purchase the book, often in multiple copies, and eventually replace them as they begin to fall apart. Enter the e-book: an ‘improved’ book that does not degrade, does not cost anything to manufacture,

and can be made in unlimited quantities essentially instantaneously – the e-book is a postscarcity commodity. So what do publishers do? They insert code into the books that has them delete themselves from the library catalogues after a certain date or after being lent out a certain number of times. This contentious point stands at the crux of anxieties over post-scarcity society: if the books never degrade and exist in unlimited quantities that require no physical production neither the library nor the publisher need exist and the customer need not pay for the author’s book since infinity has no concrete value. Here, in this simple chain of logic, entire skyscrapers full of book publishers, libraries, their staff, the people who make the cars they use to get to work, the people who sup-

ply their food, all of them vanish in the face of a post-scarcity product – and this is where the zombies come in.

Zombies today have come to represent this fear of societal collapse in the face of a postscarcity economy, which is exacerbated by the fact that - like zombies - the vast majority of North Americans do not produce but rather work in service industries particularly susceptible to post-scarcity issues. At the same time, this notion of mindless consumption in the zombie is the solution to these issues. Like the zombie that consumes only for the sake of consumption, our current economic models will only survive in a post-scarcity world, as Pagin puts it, if we can “build the concept of ‘paying just to be paying’ into a new morality.”

DAVE BELL

And now for something completely spooky...Election night of the living dead

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October 28, 2010

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Paranormal sequel could use more activity DAN CHRISTENSEN Playing along with the guise of Paranormal Activity 2 – that it is composed of “found footage” – we wonder about half way into the film: what happened? Could they not find enough interesting footage? Did they find too much footage and then get confused, putting the wrong footage in the movie? Why doesn’t any of this footage show anything happening?

Katie, our possessed protagonist from the previous film, apparently has a sister, Kristi, whose family’s experiences with evil spirits provide us with the story of our present film. Upon Katie’s appearance at the family home, we’re informed that we’re witnessing events occurring just months before those of the initial film.

This familial dynamic, including Kristi’s widowed husband Dan, his daughter Ali, the nanny Martine, and the baby Hunter, provides opportunity for a more robust and complex set of character relationships, and more perspectives on the goings-on.

For example, being the primary family cinematographer, Ali’s

point of view is that with which we’re most aligned through the film. This, along with casual conversations amongst the family (including frequent visitors Katie and her husband Micah) affords us direct access to characters’ reactions.

“

Alternatively, these ways into the characters’ feelings, while managing to be plausible instances of home-movie candidness, are still somewhat obtuse.

This is to say, at the expense of naturalizing the camera’s presence within the action, the film

suffers from a certain degree of “all tell no show” disease on the part of the characters.

This naturalization fortunately extends to the actors, at least for the first parts of the film. Everyone is enjoyable and believable enough during the

the campus comment

film’s long and winding set-up, giving us a comfortable sense of the family’s easy manner and disposition.

But it soon comes time for the hauntings, and the anxiety, fear, and emotional conflicts that go along with them. This is where the performances should approach their fever pitch, drawing the audience in to the dread; but sadly, the acting leaves something to be desired on this front.

This flaw definitely hurts the film’s fear factor, but by no means is it damning. Granted, all of the scare-tricks (bewitched people, haunted doors, and the like) are lifted directly out of Oren Peli’s original film, but they are employed effectively, allowing director Tod Williams to re-produce the suspense.

The biggest block to the film’s terror is that there’s not a trace of it until 40 minutes in. Had we spent a little less time on family poolside chats and a teenager painting her toenails, and a little more time on the phantoms running loose in the house, we may have had a picture that held us from beginning to end.

”

When it comes down to trick, what’s the worst you’ve pulled on Halloween?

(Or, for the meek in spirit: what’s the worst prank that was pulled on *you*?)

Raymond, Math

Bob, EngSci, 1T2

I dressed up as my friend, and his girlfriend mistook me for him a few times.

When I was 11, I was trick or treating in the suburbs. A guy came at me with a chain saw. I saw terrified. Terrified.

Josh, Environmental Economics

Jesse, Economics

Pokey, Rocket Surgery

Having been pranked a lot when I was younger, I’ve become quite a trickster. Trick tip: pull a fart bomb and put it in someone’s candy bag.

When I was a kid, I reached into a big bowl of candy, and a hand grabs me. They cut a hole in the bottom, and the hand was just waiting for me.

Replacing the glosettes with fish bowl pebbles. My dad’s a dentist.

HELENE GODERIS

Alex, Industrial Engineering When I woke up on November 1 last year, and found two condoms wrapped around the handlebars of my bike.

(That’s what happens when you hand out shit candy.)

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October 28, 2010

Sketchy Situation Statutory Jape and Reverse Oreo bring the laughs to Toronto Sketchfest 2010

SUZIE BALABUCH “My dad does this thing where he likes to talk to people on elevators…” says Adam McNamara, sketch comic. This particular habit of his dad’s got McNamara into improv, first at Second City Training Centre, and then as part of various sketch comedy troupes at U of T. McNamara is one quarter of the sketch comedy troupe Statutory Jape, and one third of another sketch comedy troupe, Reverse Oreo. Both troupes are involved in Toronto Sketchfest

2010, a veritable smorgasbord event of sketch comedy. Lasting from November 2nd to 7th at various locations across Toronto, the 5th installment of this increasingly popular sketch comedy festival will feature over 40 troupes from across the continent.

The city of Toronto has a strong comedic tradition, Second City being one of many examples of comedic genius.

Sketchfest brings the funny in a whole new way. Not improv or standup, it is a hybrid of all the qualities most enjoyed by comedy audiences: hilarious, short and relatable.

Statutory Jape, one of many Torontonian troupes performing at this year’s Sketchfest, prides itself on its “high-reference, low-brow” comedy. McNamara self-deprecatingly refers to himself as the low-brow component in their sketches.

Praising his collaborators Eric Turk, Simon Pond, and Aaron Hagey-MacKay as “really, really smart,” McNamara takes the credit for the fart joke component of his co-members’ political sketches.

Clearly, something about the troupe’s modus operandi has

paid off. At last year’s Sketchfest, Statutory Jape won the Arbitrary Award of Merit, a great distinction at the festival. When asked how the troupe would bring it even harder this year, McNamara refers to Sketchfest as the “Super Bowl of comedy,” and divulges the troupe’s yearlong polishing efforts in order to “bring their A-game.”

“We’ve tried some different themes out that are a bit more risky than last year, so we’ve just got to see if that goes over well.”

McNamara also chalks up his good chances at Sketchfest this year to the other sketch troupe he is a part of, Reverse Oreo.

When asked to compare the two troupes, McNamara decides on this: “It’s a bit more wacky…not that we’re going to go onstage and go “waka waka” or something like that…We offer the same thing, but a lot more popculture references.”

Some first-time Sketchfest goers might be surprised to find that sketch comedy is not stand-up, and heckling is a major no-no (one of McNamara’s pet peeves). They will also be pleasantly surprised at the sheer variety and ingenuity

of each troupe’s performance.

This festival is audition only, so comedy lovers of Toronto really get to see the cream of the crop. “Super awesome amazing.

Go, go, go. Go see it!” proclaims McNamara. Sounds like a nobrainer.

For more information of Statutory Jape and Reverse Oreo, visit staturoryjape.com and Reverse Oreo’s Facebook page. For more information on Toronto Sketchfest 2010, visit torontosketchfest.com.

the arts

October 28, 2010

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Show a little activism Hart House’s Conscious Activism Doc Fest screens a small act CARA SABATINI

“Education is a life and death issue,” says Chris Mbruru in A Small Act, the latest documentary from award-winning filmmaker, Jennifer Arnold.

Arnold’s work was the second film screened in Hart House’s current doc series.

Hart House’s annual “Conscious Activism Doc Fest” commenced its third series this month. Spanning until November 10, the festival screens one film every Wednesday evening in the Hart House Library, subsequently featuring a speaker relevant to the doc’s topic. The series aims “to shed some light on people who are addressing these issues in creative ways that step outside the bounds of traditional adversarial struggle,” says one of the series’ organizers, Zoe Dille.

What is conscious activism?

Dille’s fellow programmer Day Milman answers, “It is activism that is conscious of interconnectedness, empathy and compassion.” The series highlights people effectively and creatively addressing global problems

in an effort to solve social justice issues. Says Milman, “Sometimes it’s fun!”

Each award-winning film is selected for its relevance to students and permeation in both local and global affairs. Dille explains, “We see a lot of films, we research, . . . we also look for diverse perspectives.” The documentaries explore a variety of issues from Canada’s impact on the environment to people’s

price paid in war.

Selected for its global outlook on education, A Small Act highlights how one person’s near-effortless expenditure became another’s inspiration – and means – for substantial change. Swedish schoolteacher, Hilde Back, sponsored young Kenyan student, Chris Mbruru for less than $15 a month to attend primary school. Thanks to Back’s minimal monetary backing, Mbruru

is a human rights lawyer for the United Nations, supporting Kenyan students through his Hilde Back Education Fund.

Harvard grad Mbruru explains, “When people are not educated, they can be exploited for political means. That is how we get violence and conflict.”

Arguably not the full picture of life for a Kenyan schoolchild, the documentary captured more smiles than tears. Instead

When oxes fly ALEX INGHAM Last month saw the latest release from Toronto’s own Fucked Up, adding a brand new chapter to the band’s illustrious discography. Keeping with the theme of albums named after the Zodiac calendar, “Year of the Ox” sticks to the formula that prior installments initiated. The title track itself is a thirteen minute opus, cultivating a variety of musical tastes and flavours. The opening string section sets the pace for the majority of the track, eventually adding distorted noises and psychedelic flanger pedals to the mixture. While this stylistic preference is a relatively recent departure from the band’s original hardcore punk ethos, it carries with a life of its own. In fact, holding this LP against any of the past releases within this series (there only being three,

dating back to 2006), a mature and overall more organized composition can be detected. As evidenced on the b-side track, “Solomon’s Song”, a distant yet brash saxophone wails through the introduction, as well as the closing. The catchier melodies and near pop-like chorus sonically enthrall the listener. Although it seems uncommon to find this melodic aspect within the band’s catalogue, Fucked Up has integrated this style successfully into their sound. In terms of lyrical content, “Pink Eyes” grabs hold of the listener while conveying messages of an endless fight for solitude. Altogether, it is the introspective essence behind the music which definitely places Fucked Up higher than the average musical ensemble.

“I am the ox who broke my chains, so I could fly away.”

of evoking viewers’ guilt, the film focused on the far-reaching positive impact a little act of kindness can incur.

The Q&A following the film had OISE PhD student and entrepreneur, Rumeet Toor, outline her initiatives to support Kenyan schools. Following four years’ worth of working to build primary schools, Toor currently works to provide and improve teacher training for Kenya’s Mbooni Region. Integrating her studies and social aims, the businesswoman and educated activist realizes her project is only a steppingstone in the solution, but says, “every little step helps.”

Can A Small Act contribute to a larger impact? The film closed with a large round of applause from the audience. In a room packed with U of T students, the screening implicitly demanded how people receiving quality, higher schooling are responsible in the global crisis of education. Even if no answer was provided, the relatively small act of screening films leads to larger consciousness of an issue. It’s at least a step in the right direction.

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October 28, 2010

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