Swine Flu: is it out to get you?
welcome, freshman.
Tim Ryan has the answer, p 6. Martha already had it, p 3.
the newspaper brings you the campus round up on the inside
the newspaper
University of Toronto’s Independent Weekly
Vol. XXXII No. 1
September 3, 2009
CIUT moves to Hart House
The Shorts
Campus radio station makes way for Rotman’s expansion plans
Come this fall, the University of Toronto’s community radio station, CIUT FM, will no loner be in its familiar location across from Robarts Library. Neither will the narrow white Victorian it’s housed in. As part of the Rotman School of Management’s $91.8 million expansion plans, CIUT is required to vacate its space at 91 St. George St. The station, which has been at its current location since beginning as the closed-circuited University of Toronto Radio in 1966, will take up residence at Hart House in time for the start of the academic semester. “The move has been in the making for quite some time now,” says Ken Stowar, CIUT’s program director. In the building’s place, Rotman will erect an eleven-story research centre
that will house, among others, the Richard Florida-helmed Martin Prosperity Institute. The new structure will include an event hall, new classrooms and study spaces, and will be partially integrated with Rotman’s current building at 105 St. George. The expansion comes as part of dean Roger Martin’s $200 million fundraising campaign announced last October – the largest of its kind in Canadian history. The school’s initial proposal to the Governing Council saw $204,000 allotted to move CIUT to 256 McCaul St., a building currently occupied by U of T’s custodial services. The idea was met with immediate scrutiny as the proposed space was about a third smaller than the station’s current digs. Laurie Stephens, the director of media relations for the planning and budgeting committee, explains
the local The civic worker strike is over and residents are reminded that free collection of waste and recycling has ended and regular rules for garbage disposal are now in effect.
ALEX NURSALL
aBDI aIDID
91 St. George, former home to CIUT, awaits demolition later this week. that after considering “several possible locations for CIUT, Hart House seemed the best one as it will connect the station
Coach House press purchases namesake building CaILIN SmaRT After a 41-year tenancy, Coach House Press, Canada’s most venerable literary press, has finally purchased its namesake coach house building from neighbouring Campus Co-op Residence Inc. Tucked away in bpNichol lane, the ramshackle building hums with archaic printing machinery. The coach house has always been the heart of CHP, and consequently of independent, experimental Canadian literature. The acquisition of the coach house is of sym-
bolic importance to everyone at the publishing house, and especially to its founder, Stan Bevington. “This was a shell of a building when we moved here in spring 1968,” Bevington recalls. “They basically let us pay for it as though it were a parking spot. We poured the cement ourselves, and bought the cheapest available flooring,” he says, indicating the floorboards. Things weren’t always so peaceful. In 2004, CCRI talked about evicting CHP from their namesake building as part of the CCRI Rejuvation Plan, an
the campus U of T campus police have encountered success in catching bicycle thieves with their ‘Bike Bait’ program which involves placing GPS technology in bicycles on campus.
effort to improve CCRI’s financial position. There were plans to demolish the coach house and erect a new student residence. “It was kind of ironic, because I was always politically aligned with the CCRI,” laughs Bevington. When asked to comment on the CHP tenancy, CCRI President Emmett Ferguson says that there “were no major challenges; about six years back there were some issues that were severely over-blown by the press,” referring to the developContinued on Page 7
more closely with the student life on campus.” Continued on Page 3
the world 2, 000 soldiers have been served letters of dismissal from the South African military after they staged an illegal protest over wages and attempted to scale the walls of the President’s office. the weird Chinese table tennis officials have decided that national superstar Wang Hao is finally old enough to have a girlfriend at age 25. She is Peng Luyang, former national champ. “Wang is 26 and Lu is 23. It is normal to have a love affair at this age.”
apUS hosts pan am Games protest DaN CRaIG This past Monday APUS, the Association of Part-time Undergraduate Students, hosted a protest against Toronto’s bid for the 2015 Pan Am Games. Demonstrators gathered on the front lawn of the APUS programming office, across from Varsity Stadium - where the opening and closing ceremonies would be held if Toronto were to win the games. Among the crowd were members of the Graduate Students’ Union, CUPE Local 3902, and members of No Games Toronto, a
group opposed to the Toronto bid. Chief among the grievances voiced by speakers was the large price tag attached to hosting a large international sporting event such as the Pan American Games. The City of Toronto says that hosting such an event could cost up to $2.4 billion. The province of Ontario, under the leadership of Dalton McGuinty, has also stated that they will underwrite the cost of the games. After protesters swayed to the Continued on Page 6
the editorial Here’s looking at U of T LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
2
As summer ends and the newspaper prepares for the upcoming publishing year, I am continually drawn to our dusty archive room. Cracking open any of the 32 bound volumes of the newspaper is a telling retrospective on the issues affecting the U of T community in any given year. The mid-80s issues offer breaking news on plans to sell the Royal Conservatory building for hotel redevelopment; an expose of the U of T Ping Pong Club; a review proclaiming Prince the new royalty of rock (on this side of the iron curtain). Certainly dated issues, but what remains relevant from those archives is our editorial mandate and voice. the newspaper was founded in 1978 to fill a demand for an independent, community paper. As U of T’s only independent campus paper, we roll free of any financial backing from either the administration or governing student bodies. We are beholden only to our readers – the students, staff and faculty at U of T. This independence gives us the freedom to report truthfully on the news of the week, but it also entails a great responsibility to print content that appeals to the readers’ sensibilities. Advertisers would abandon a publication without readership. We take this responsibility to inform and entertain you seriously. We aim to bring you incisive analysis on the policies and decisions that affect you as a member of the U of T community. It’s unlikely your interests revolve solely around campus news, and so we reaffirm our commitment to entertain you on our inside pages with features and diverse arts coverage. This brings us to you, reader. We invite your contributions, whatever form they may take: feedback, letters to the editor, missed connections. Stop by anytime!
Come roll with us We think that newspapers are still a hot medium. Got a scoop? Ready to join the ranks of illustrious journalists who’ve trooped through here? Come to our weekly open writers’ meetings, held Thursdays at 5pm in our 1 Spadina Crescent office.
the newspaper
Editor-in-Chief
Managing Editor
Arts Editor
News Editor
Helene Goderis
Dan Craig
Miki Sato
Amy Stupavsky
Layout
Helene Goderis
Contributors
Abdi Aidid, Dan Craig, Dan Epstein, Alex Nursall, Tim Ryan, Cailin Smart, Amina Stella, Amy Stupavsky, Mike Winters
Advertising
ads@thenewspaper.ca the newspaper 1 Spadina Crescent, Suite 245 Toronto, ON M5S 1A1 Editorial: 416-593-1552 thenewspaper@gmail.com the newspaper is U of T’s independent weekly campus paper, published weekly 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.
No Games Toronto (NGT) is a collective of students and community advocates who oppose Toronto and region’s bid to host the 2015 Pan-American Games. The Games are already estimated to cost about $2.4 billion, the majority to be paid by tax payers. Traditionally, the games have cost the host city far more than budgeted and taxpayers pay the debt for years, even decades. An example is Vancouver, the host of the 2010 Winter Games that were originally estimated at $660 million, but will now cost the people of Vancouver $6 billion! Premier McGuinty in his haste to secure the bid has assured the Pan-American Sports Organization (PASO) a funding guarantee. This means he has given PASO a blank cheque and unrestricted access to public dollars. As scarce resources are diverted towards infrastructure with questionable importance or relevance to the community, there is a corresponding erosion of valuable social services such as housing, healthcare, childcare, education and transportation amongst others. During these games, there is usually an increase in policing, violation of charter rights and civil liberties as well as general disruption in the daily lives of local people in the host city. The University of Toronto is a major player in the attempt to secure the bid, being the site of several venues for the Pan-Am games. Three of these are new facilities, all of which come with an excessive student levy attached. At University of Toronto at Scarborough, a proposed Aquatics and Track and Field Facility will cost approximately $170 million. Students will be asked to pay a levy for the operating costs (which are permanent and usually increase yearly) in a referendum scheduled tentatively for February 2010. This does not necessarily mean students will be able to use it; already, the University is making arrangements with the Toronto Blue Jays to make use of the Scarborough facility, although students are paying for it. On the St. George campus, the proposed Centre for High Performance Sports will cost another $50 million. Students will likely pay approximately $50-60 per year as a levy to cover operating costs. Additionally, the Centre for High-Performance Sports will
displace the Association of Parttime Undergraduate Students (APUS) from their current Administrative Offices at Bloor and Devonshire to make room for an elitist sports facility. This displacing of student priorities is inappropriate. APUS has yet to be offered concrete options for suitable alternative space if the construction project goes through. This is despite several submissions outlining our space needs (2006, Sept 2008) and most recently Aug 2009 a letter that outlines our net space requirements. It is shameful that the University is willing to compromise on student activity space, foist additional levies on students and sponsor a corporate sporting circus that will lead to the gentrification of the city’s downtown. Currently, Ontario undergraduates pay the second highest tuition in the country (approximately $1000 above the national average) and U of T students just saw an increase of 4.5 percent across the board. Additionally, U of T in a largely unpopular move introduced a Program Fee for Arts and Science Undergraduate students which represents a 66% tuition increase for students taking 3 or 3.5 courses. The Province of Ontario also has the lowest student to faculty ratio in the country (27 to 1) and hiring freezes and slashes to research funding has put a cap on hiring additional faculty, while enrolment and class sizes increase. Joeita Gupta, a member of NGT and a Student Governor notes, “The Province, rather than fund the post-secondary sector, is channelling public money towards fluff, a two-week sporting circus.” The University remains complicit in attempting to entice a bid for the Pan-Am games to the Golden Horse Shoe Region. It is a situation of clear conflict of interest, that the Chancellor for U of T, Hon. David Peterson, is also the head of the Toronto bid committee when UofT stands to gain from this real estate extravaganza. Please join us in denouncing the attempt to secure the Pan-Am games and all that they represent for an economy in recession and for a city that has far more pressing needs and priorities and that cannot afford a two-week spectacle.
September 3, 2009
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September 3, 2009
Sick as a pig
the news
CIUT moves to Hart House cont’d from page 1
H1N1: How to make it out alive
martha weiner As the weather cools, those chills and aches you feel may not be harbingers of autumn, but signs of something not quite kosher. A second, larger wave of the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu, is expected to hit this fall. Swine symptoms are similar to those of seasonal influenza. A university as large and self-contained as the University of Toronto can become a viral cesspool, and students on the front lines should be prepared, but not alarmed. We have not felt the brunt of the virus in the GTA, but being swine flu savvy this September will help to keep you and your fellow students healthy. At press time, classes and activities are set to proceed normally. The university’s response team, headed by VP Human Resources and Equity Angela Hildyard and including health care providers, academic and administration representatives, and student services managers, will continue to assess the situation. The virus is spread via the respiratory system, so it is imperative to wash hands frequently, and sneeze or cough into a tissue or your sleeve. If you are feeling sick, do your peers a favour: forgo classes and convalesce at home. Hypochondriacs evoking the hysteria of the 2003 SARS outbreak can sport face masks, although Toronto Public Health does not recommend their use for the general population. While residence life is an integral part of the university experience, it is also a prime location for swapping germs. There is no reason to become a recluse, but you will need to be more fastidious about health and hygiene. You can download the university’s Guide for Students Living in Residence to brief yourself on prevention measure, supplies to have at the ready in residence,
and what to do if your roommate or floormate experiences flu symptoms. As part of its Pandemic Preparedness Plan, the university has implemented U of T Emergency Alerts with H1N1-related updates. The system sends voice messages to your cell phone in the event of an emergency, including a swine flu pandemic. To register for the alerts, go to https://alert. utoronto.ca/callme. If you’ve been feeling under the weather and test positive for swine flu, the drugs Tamiflu and Relenza work to combat H1N1, although they are often only prescribed in severe cases. Milder cases do not require treatment, and can be cured with rest, hot soup, and afternoons spent in front of the TV. At least you can tell your friends that you have caught the latest trendy virus to rock the globe. Currently, there is no vaccine available for swine flu. Steady progress is being made on developing a safe and effective vaccine, and one is set to be released at the close of the year. According to Toronto Public Health, Canada does hold a contract with a vaccine manufacturer in case of a pandemic, which will cover the production of sufficient pandemic vaccine for all Canadians. It may take up to six months for vaccine testing once a pandemic emergency has been confirmed. U.S. President Barack Obama has spent the past week endorsing a vaccine and encouraging Americans to embrace prevention. Ask yourself, “What Would Obama Do?” (WWOD?), and sign up for a shot if it becomes available as a voluntary inoculation. Following these simple steps will keep you out of the pigpen and healthy as a horse. For up-to-date information on the H1N1 virus, visit Health Canada’s www.fightflu.ca
“[CIUT’s] arrival fits perfectly with Hart House’s new vision,” says Laura Cowin, Hart House’s warden. “We anticipate a lively, welcoming, and harmonious feel for all those that step into the House.” Cowin, who elected to leave the 3rd floor warden’s apartment vacant upon accepting the job, will see the space renovated to accommodate two of CIUT’s three studios. The third will occupy the main floor’s map room, and will be outfitted in a floor-to-ceiling glass encasing. “It’ll have a fishbowl look about it,” Stowar says of the 1st floor studio. “If we so choose, we’ll be able to open up the studio to the remainder of the room.” Stowar, who has been at the station since 1988, adds that map room performances will be able to double as live broadcasts. Cowin notes that the glass walls will help in “bridging the gap between listener and programmer.” Despite logistical and technological upgrades, CIUT’s decamping to Hart House represents the end of a rich tradition. The heritage home at 91 St. George, a “detached former single-family house” according to architectural historian Marta O’Brien, was instantly recognizable for the large CIUT logo painted on the side of the building. And though the station shares space with the
Sexual Education Centre (which will relocate to 21 Sussex), the building has the atmosphere of a stakeout for CIUT’s two hundred-plus programmers. Now, the station joins an institution steeped in a rich tradition of its own. “We’re becoming, essentially, a tenant of Hart House,” emphasized Ken Stowar. “Everybody hopes that it’ll be a harmonious transition,” says Diana Wilson, a producer on CIUT’s popular Take 5 program. Wilson, who is overseeing the office move, notes that CIUT’s addition represents a change of pace for the campus’ activity hub. “Hart House is known for fine dining, classical music, and Shakespearean theatre,” she says. “We have trance DJ’s.” “There will be some adjustments and settling pains on both CIUT’s and Hart House’s parts,” says Cowin, who is entering her third year as Hart House’s warden. “Communication and planning will be key to harmony.” How Hart House’s librarylike serenity will cope with the rigour and clamour of an alternative radio station is yet to be seen. Cowin offers that a rock band is scheduled to play in one of Hart House’s rooms early in the semester, potentially disturbing a nearby meeting. “I expect that will be an early ooops,” she says.
March 24th, 2007 The University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management unveils plans to construct a new building adjacent to Rotman’s current property. The facility, which would be financed in part by a $50 million contribution from the provincial government, is part of Dean Roger Martin’s 10-year plan to establish an internationally renowned think tank. September 18th, 2007 A $204,000 plan to move CIUT is approved by the Governing Council planning and budgeting committee. The tentative destination is 256 McCaul St., where U of T’s custodial services are housed. The plan is met with immediate complaints, as the space is significantly smaller than 91 St. George. October 1st and 2nd, 2007 Rotman receives preliminary approval by U of T’s business and academic boards to construct a 10 to 13 story facility at 91 and 97 St. George. The Classics department is relocated from 97 St. George to the Lillian Massey building. October 29th, 2008 At a special event, Roger Martin announces a $200 million fundraising campaign, the largest by a business school in Canadian history. Of this, $91.8 million will be dedicated to the new facility, which will accommodate a 50% increase in graduate students. CIUT will relocate to Hart House. Summer 2009 Renovations occur on Hart House’s 3rd floor and in the map room to accommodate CIUT’s impending move. Early September, 2009 The heritage building at 91 St. George, which houses CIUT and the Sexual Education Centre, will be demolished. The facades, for the time being, will be left intact.
ALEX NURSALL
Mike Winters
3
Well-wishers scrawled farewell messages over the walls of 91 St. George at CIUT’s Burning Down The House Party towards the end of the Summer.
The stone cellar’s all packed up and ready to go.
September 9th, 2009 A groundbreaking ceremony is slated to take place in the Fleck Atrium of the Rotman School of Management. The event will include a panel discussion titled “Building Excellence in Business Education.”
the inside
4
HOW T.O... explore the city Lower Bay Station
Used as a film set in number of movies including Johnny Mnemonic and Undercover Brother, this abandoned subway station below Bay Station is little known. No longer open to the public, and often used as storage and training ground for the TTC, rumour has it that there are ways to sneak down there. Proceed at your own risk.
Leslie Street spit
Half garbage dump and half man-made parkland, this little bit of ‘wilderness’ is officially known as Outer Harbour East Headland. Approximately 5 kilometers of man made land jut out into Lake Ontario and there are plans in the works to eventually turn the whole thing into a park. Strap on some rollerblades and spandex shorts and go check out the birds that are devastating every living tree out there.
Kensington Market
A small and pleasant village-type neighbourhood populated mostly by hippies and luddites. Cheap vegetables and other grocery items as well as vintage clothing, bongs, and army surplus are all available for purchase.
Korea Town, Greek Town, Little Italy, multiple China Towns
Toronto is known for it’s mish mash of cultures from around the world. Apart from the famous China Town that rests on Spadina Ave., there is also Greek Town east of Broadview Ave. on the Danforth, Korea Town between Bathurst and Christie on Bloor West, and Little Italy that runs along College St. west of Bathurst St. There are plenty more to find out there, but this should get you started.
The PATH system
The Toronto PATH system is rarely talked about, even for Toronto locals. This underground network of walkways connects almost the whole of downtown. In the Winter, or any time for that matter, you can walk all the way from King Street up to Bloor Street between Yonge and Bay without going above ground. Just take the down escalators in many of the large buildings and follow the PATH signs. Remember to come up for air every now and again, because we all know people go insane if they stay indoors for too long.
Toronto Symphony Or- Allan Gardens Perfect stuchestra and the Canadian dent date alert! You can’t get Opera Company Tony cheaper than free! Guys, you’ll tastes on a student budget? The TSO and COC offer deeply discounted tickets to the under-30 crowd. Flash your I.D. and sign up for the TSO’s soundcheck program to experience the orchestra for $12. The COC’s Opera for a New Age initiative sets away a block of $20 tickets for each of its performances. Act fast, because they always sell out!
Honest Ed’s A Toronto institution, it sells everything and the kitchen sink at bargain basement prices. Don’t lose your way amongst the fun-house mirrors.
the round up
academic resources College writing centres
Avoid being one of those illiterate students that professors complain about. Although you are most likely a product of the public education system, you are not hopeless. There are several non-mandatory but very helpful workshops that are designed to get your writing structured and up to university standards.
Librarians Perhaps the most
underused academic resource at U of T. Much more than just clerks who put books back on shelves, they are educated and often bottomless wells of knowledge that are waiting to help you find the sources you need. Start up a conversation and release a big chunk of “Oh
look romantic when you compare your lady to a fine ficus or a red, red rose. You can also brush up on your chivalry by defending her from the area’s scary bums.
Kensington Market Find unpretentious purveyors of organic foods and fine meats and cheeses. This is the easiest place to find a meal for under $5. Try the Patty King goat patty for $2. Chinatown Hold your nose and open your wallet for Toronto’s greatest deals. It’s the place to go for fresh produce.
crap how am I going to get this done”-type stress.
Counselling and Psychological Services CAPS is a great service offered to students and covered by OHIP. If you are depressed, anxious or a victim of trauma or abuse, this is the place for you. Also a great place to get prescription uppers like dexadrin and ritalin. 214 College Street, Main Floor.
Dental and Prescription Drug Benefits Not many new
students, or students in general, are aware of the benefits of paying tuition. Just tell your dentist or your pharmacist that you are a student and show them your T Card to get discounts or perhaps even full coverage.
sexy time “John Holmes” /McLennan Physical Labs Anatomically
suggestive and within close proximity of each other, we suggest a double whammy. Do ‘it’ up against the base of the John Holmes tower, located at ___. If you are clever enough, get it on nestled in between the McLennan Physical Lab domes... boobies.
Earth Sciences Quad While
scouting coital locations, our
penny pinch
September 3, 2009
editors came across condom wrappeds in this secluded, foresty quad. Early evening will provide just enough darkness to ensure anyone left in their office won’t be able to spot you.
Record Room straddles the boundary between public and private. There are couches and a wide selection of music that can accommodate all your coital needs.
Robart’s Book a private study
Convocation Hall The upper
room and study some privates.
Hart House record room
There’s a reason Hart House staff always knocks before entering the Record Room. The
levels of Con Hall offer a refreshing respite from actually paying attention to your lecture. Extra credit to those who join the elite group of couples to get it on during a lecture.
eats and drinks Sneaky Dee’s It’s close to and O’Grady’s are the triple campus, the kitchen is open late and they serve pseudo-Mexican food. The all day breakfast is under $4 and the King’s Crown Nachos will take the edge off your hangover.
booze threat running along the Southern edge of campus. We recommend stumbling from one to the next. All three have daily specials, cheap drinks and solid menus.
Daddy O’s: Just on the edge of campus, this Italian restaurant has a highly-customizable menu with tonnes of vegetarian options. Domestic pints include tax at $5 and you can bring your own bottle of wine ($6 corking fee). Bistro422: Beer doesn’t get any cheaper than this. The beer pitcher is $9, cocktail pitcher is $12, and their service seldom warrants a tip. If you play your cards right and go on Raffle Thursdays, chances are good that you’ll win free drinks or Bistro swag.
Meat Trucks of St. George:
The College Street Crawl: Ein-Stein’s,
Molly
Bloom’s
Forget the horror stories, this is about convenience. Strategically located outside Robarts, Sid
Smith and the Bahen Centre, these deep fryers on wheels are your first line of defense against hunger pangs. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
the inside
September 3, 2009
Welcome, freshmen. Still finding your sea legs around campus? the newspaper staff presents you with this campus round up to help shorten your learning curve. Photos by Alex Nursall.
study spots Emmanuel College Library The Quadrangles If leafy, Tucked away at Victoria College, this library is straight out of Hogwarts. Delight in its oldfashioned charm as you bury yourself in your books.
natural settings are your thing, bring your books to the Trinity or University College Quads where you can study in the fresh air.
Hart House Library A place
Gerstein Library A place for serious studying: a hushed, quiet, airy atmosphere. Park yourself in one of the big leather chairs by the windows.
to learn and be inspired... especially if you don’t mind the hum of gentle snoring! Alumnus Morley Callaghan noted in his memoir That Summer in Paris that his time here spurred his intellectual development. For a little diversion, check the sexy time section.
Future’s Bakery For light
revisions, it’s a great place to surf the web, enjoy a snack, and people watch.
Robarts It’s not only a good
place to have sex - as long as you don’t mind flourescent lights and large echoey rooms where every whisper bounces off all four concrete walls before hitting you in the ears. Go find yourself some obscure corner where no one you know will ever find you.
In your own damn room,
where you have near-total control of your environment. With a bottle of Glenlivet within arm’s reach.
the cluster fuck that is academia will get the better of you. If you need a place to play out your frustrations, visit FMyLife.com. There you can read the posts of like-fucked individuals and let the healing begin.
Weekend Benders: Not only do you get to let loose on Friday/Saturday night, but thanks to the ensuing hangover, you have a valid excuse to lay in bed all day Sunday watching movies as you drift in and out of consciousness.
and Design talks. A cerebral way to procrastinate, but ultimately unproductive. It may be better to actually do something rather than waste hours listening to hyper-successful people give 20 minutes speeches about doing amazing things.
World of Warcraft: Quite
possibly the world’s most successful computer game of all time, and also a colossal timewaster. Very easily you can become more worried about epic raid drops than you are about your next major essay or lab.
TV Show Box Sets: You may think you’re just going to watch one episode of 30 Rock, but it’s likely you’ll get sucked in for the entire season. I know it, you know it, the American people know it.
The Work/Study Program provides part-time employment
initiatives for eligible students. Offering practical experience in a student’s area of study, the program also allows exploration into future academic and
find culture Royal Ontario Museum
Love it or hate it, Daniel Libeskind’s design definitely catches the eye. Inside, you’ll find impressive collections ranging from Ancient Egyptian to Asian artifacts, as well as a revamped dinosaur display. The Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit will be on view until Jan 3, 2010. Admission is half price on Friday evenings.
Art Gallery of Ontario
Queen West Strip Toron-
to’s artsiest neighbourhood. It’s lined with galleries and pubs/restaurants that frequently play venue to musical acts. Cadillac/Drake/Rhino
Bloor Cinema, the Carlton, and the Cumberland For the best of esoteric ,foreign and independent films.
TTC Barns A little slice of Montmartre at Christie and St. Clair; the former Wychwood streetcar repair barns take on new life as blank canvasses for a fledgling artist community.
let loose Dance Cave
So long as the often frustrating security staff doesn’t think you are too drunk, or you are a provocatively dressed young lady, students can get into this dance party for free. Non-student friends get in for $5. Alternative rock and ‘indie’ themed songs spun by the DJ.
not required.
The Brunswick House (if
you want gonorrhea) The perfect place to unleash your inner frat boy. Also the perfect place to get hit on no matter how attractive you are. Just remember to hit the deck if you hear gunshots.
Kensington Market - The House Parties Boat, Terranga, Ronnie’s The drinks are cheaper, and Start the night off with a chilled out evening on the patio of Ronnie’s, if you can get a seat. End up down the street at the hippest dance party for hipsters. Tight pants and tight cotton tees recommended but
student job$ Times may be tough all over, but there’s still work available for those willing to suss it out.
HOW T.O...
Gehry’s architectural masterpiece houses art culled from all areas of the globe. Of special note is the recent Rubens acquisition. Admission is free on Wednesday nights.
procrastinating FMyLife.com: Sooner or later, TED Talks: Tech Education
5
professional endeavors. Visit www.adm.utoronto.ca/fa/ workstudy.htm for more information.
Participating in research studies advertised on your
my.utoronto.ca page run the gamut from psychology experiments to health programs. It may not bring in the big bucks, but at the very least, it’ll be an interesting anecdote you can regale people with at parties.
Get thee to the Career Centre at Koffler Student Services (214 College Street) for advice on resume-writing, interview skills, and hiring opportunities. Visit www.careers.utoronto.ca and schedule an appointment with an advisor today!
the liquor laws of Ontario do not apply. Stop by the LCBO before you hit the party and drink as much as you can afford and for as long as the host will tolerate you.
the inside
6
the science
H1N1: To scare or not to scare Tim Ryan explores the question HELENE GODERIS
beats of drums, dined on complimentary roti and shouted a few slogans, they marched up to Bloor Street and around to the front entrance of Varsity Stadium. Although their numbers were modest, the several cameramen and reporters that followed them was amplifying their presence in the on-going debate about the Games. Several local and national news outlets made significant mention of their day of action. The Pan Am Games will be held in Guadalajara in 2011 and Toronto’s Pan Am Games Bid Committee is lobbying to win the right to host the games in 2015. The bid has been several years in the making and so far has cost millions. The Games will bring more than 10,000 athletes and officials from 42 countries to the city. $1 billion of the proposed budget will be spent on the athlete’s village which will house the athletes and Games officials while they are in Toronto. Many of the sporting events will be hosted on U of T campuses, which is no coincidence considering that the leader of the Toronto 2015 Bid committee happens to be the U of T Chancellor David Peterson. U
September 3, 2009
A group of anti-PanAm bid demonstrators gather in front of APUS. of T plans to spend $220M on two new sports facilities to help accommodate various competitions. One facility planned for the Scarborough campus is a $170M aquatics and athletics centre. A student referendum is planned to take place in February 2010 to determine whether or not this will be built. There are plans to build a $50M Centre for High Performance Sport on the St. George campus, which will be paid for with a $50 - $60 student levy. Apart from the levy, APUS is particularly upset by the fact that this new sports centre will be built on the site of their programming office of 4 years.
But these plans for the U of T campus will affect more than just APUS. The APUS VP External, Joeita Gupta, says the hosting of the Games will have a huge impact on students and workers in Toronto. Gupta says classes will be suspended, civil liberties will be at risk due to heightened security, and major transportation routes will be clogged up with dedicated bus lanes for athletes. All construction planned for the U of T campus is contingent on Toronto actually securing the bid. The final vote to decide the host of the games will be held in November this year in Guadalajara, Mexico.
the campus comment the newspaper asks: what advice do you have for the frosh?
Study hard, party hard. Ayuko Matsumiya, Peace and Conflict Studies
Congratulations Readers, you survived the media assault earlier this year that chronicled the second coming of the Black Plague in the form of a swine-avian-human influenza hybrid. But for those of you who have stayed on top of the story, you’ll recognize that there are currently two diametrically opposed opinions concerning the H1N1 pandemic. Many argue that the swine flu is going to infect approximately 50% of the population with a greatly increased mortality rate. Those who oppose this believe we are simply in for an above average flu season. An aside: After each flu season, that year’s flu virus removes itself from the spotlight while undergoing a number of mutations in its genetic makeup, essentially transforming it into a new virus, one that the standard human immune system hasn’t before seen. Most years the virus does a mediocre job of this, thus our immune systems vaguely recognize the virus from previous years, and while this doesn’t provide us immunity to the technically new virus, it prevents us from being killed by it. However, every few decades, the virus transforms into something so different, that our immune systems are relatively defenseless leading to a more lethal strain of flu. The case for being ‘extracautious’ this flu season: The source of this flu is pigs, meaning its genetic make-up will be like nothing a human immune system has ever seen (see above). This spring, the World Health Organization de-
clared the H1N1 flu the fastest spreading flu pandemic ever, citing that it is spreading “too fast to count”. All of this happened in the spring, the exact opposite of ‘flu season’, demonstrating the H1N1 super-ability to infect quickly. With that said, the cases observed thus far have presented relatively mild symptoms, with a mortality rate similar to normal flu; this is a good thing, right? Not exactly. The last flu pandemic that wiped out approximately 5% of the world’s population (infected 33% overall) began as a mild spring strain before returning in winter in a deadly second wave. In addition, this second wave didn’t kill children and the elderly, as normally seen. It killed young, healthy adults by causing an over-reaction in the immune system called a cytokine storm. Thus, the stronger the immune system, the more prone one is to symptoms, thus its extraordinary affect on young people. The case against the return of a Manson-type flu: A small number of Canadian health officials are calling the swine flu overblown. They have cited the fact that the Southern Hemisphere is currently in the height of their flu season and there is no evidence of a mass-murdering flu virus, simply a flu season that is slightly worse than normal. Include technological advancements which have yielded an apparent swine flu vaccine and anti-flu medications which the swine flu seems to respond to, and there is a strong case that the swine flu won’t be a realization of the Book of Revelation.
If you’re not having fun, you’re not doing it right. Adam Butko, CHEM ENG
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hand-battered wings our burgers are hand made with 100% beef 366-345-4584 366 Bloor St. West (Bloor and Spadina) Don’t date anyone in your res, and don’t skip class. Raffles Cowan, Psychology
I have nothing to say to undergrads. Jordan (last name withheld), PhD Candidate
Make friends with your local bartender. Jesse Dixon, CIV ENG
Don’t lose your field trip partner. Kevin McGahon, Elevator Department
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September 3, 2009
3-Day Novel
the arts
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And you thought you had tight deadlines... If novel writing is a difficult birth, then the 3-Day Novel Contest is the quick cure to unleash your inner Dickens. In its 32nd year, the international competition, which runs over Labour Day weekend, offers amateur authors a 72-hour writing marathon for a shot at publication. “The deadline is the ultimate motivator,” explained Melissa Edwards, the managing editor. “If you don’t have an external force working on you, it’s difficult to get started. Ultimately, it’s not the ten year novel, it’s three days of your life. Most people can afford the small time commitment.” While procrastinators will enjoy the rush of adrenaline, the contest’s appeal is far-reaching. “It’s for all people who like to take creative risks.” In1977,ataVancouverpub,agroup of young writers were discussing how Voltaire supposedly wrote Candide in three days. They dared each other to follow in his footsteps, and the contest was born. Around 500 brave souls register yearly, two-thirds of whom are Canadian. For a $50 fee, entrants sequester themselves in their homes for a weekend of frenzied writing in hopes of penning a masterwork. First prize is a publishing contract with 3 Day Books. Previous winners have achieved positive responses from literary cognoscenti. John Kupferschmidt’s 2007 entry, In the Garden of Men, earned a place on The Globe and Mail’s Top 100 Books of the Year. The competition runs on an
honour system. “It’s foremost a creative experience,” said Edwards, “so there’s no benefit to cheating.” Seasoned judges can discern a bona fide three-day effort from a prepared work. “There’s a certain energy that comes from a genuine piece.” Improbable plotlines are part of the experience, as Edwards notes the most memorable entries. “Some of them are pretty off the wall. One that always sticks in my mind was set in Quaker country, about a group of quilt-makers. The New York mafia moved in and set up an underground quilting ring, resulting in a war over quilt turf.” “It’s just a lot of fun,” said Mark Sedore, an M.A. graduate in Political Science, who will participate for his third year. “I go to the bar afterwards and have a drink to celebrate. It’s a big sense of accomplishment.” Sedore was shortlisted two years ago, and won second place last year for Luminous Veil. He follows a ritual for success. “I sleep with a notepad beside the bed. I caffeinate myself. I set word count goals per day, and I change venues often. It’s not stressful, but it’s not relaxing. It really is non-stop writing.” He has tips to beat bouts of writers’ block. “It helps to write about something that interests you, and then read a few good non-fiction books about it. It’s easy to refer to the books for inspiration.” Even with many success stories, the organizer’s goals remain humble. “My hopes are the same every year,” said Edwards, “that the contest will continue, participants enjoy themselves, and I’ll find some fabulous book I can’t wait to publish.”
DAN EPSTEIN
amy stupavsky
Coach House
Stan Bevington performs a little maintenance on bpNichol’s laneway poem behind Coach House.
DAN EPSTEIN
cont’d from page 1
Coach House staff gluing it old school...with their bare, manly hands.
ment plans. He reports that “CCRI has always had a good relationship with Stan.” CHP also look forward to a friendly relationship with their neighbours. “It was good to finally put all of that behind us,” says Alana Wilcox, Coach House Editor-in-Chief. “Now, things are quite amicable between us.” Bevington adds regarding the purchase: “it was so kind of the CCRI to not increase the price throughout our discussions.” Indeed, Bevington has much to be in good spirits about, given that just last month he was appointed to the Order of Canada alongside Robert LePage and Wayne Gretsky. An honour he has accepted as “finally joining the old folks club.” On September 3rd, CHP will celebrate these accomplishments, including those of their authors - seven of whom were recently longlisted for ReLit awards - at their annual
Wayzgoose party. Bevington’s 41-year long passion for the annual printing tradition is undiminished, as he explains “ a master printer must entertain his workers before they go back to working by candlelight in the fall.” Speeches by CHP’s prestigious authors will start at 6pm. Despite all the cause for celebration, CHP is still concerned with the future of printed publishing, hard-hit by the recession. “We need to try and get the books to the right readers now that so many of the bookstores that we relied on are going through rough times,” says Bevington. Pages, for example, the iconic alternative literary book retailer on Queen West closed its doors on August 31st this year. Bevington remains confident. “We will find new ways to look after our readers, just like we found new ways to look after this building.”
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the backpage
September 3, 2009
the listings Thursday, September 3rd Rochdale Rhymes & Readings, an open mic night featuring local spoken word artists and poets, will take place at the Regal Beagle Restaurant next to the Bata Shoe Museum. Where: 355 Bloor St. W When: 8pm Cost: Free, donations encouraged Friday, September 4th One half of the legendary hip-hop duos Blackstar and Reflection Eternal, Talib Kweli, will grace the stage at the Varsity Arena to kick off Frosh Week. Also performing is Canadian songstress Anjulie and Hamilton, ON rock band Arkells. Where: Varsity Arena When: 6:30 – 10:30pm Cost: Free with T-Card.
Mike Winters
missed connections - on campus To the 7 or 8 girls in my English class: I love you all You were the only one who got the extra credit question in Romantic Poetry and Prose and I think that’s pretty hot. You: corpulent, sweaty guy at the ice cream stand. I like the way you handle that cone. To the guy who looked straight at me at starbucks for like 10 fucking seconds and didn’t say anything: you are a goddamned freak and don’t ever look at me again. jesus. let’s slow dance to popcorn by hot butter again. it was a good time to respond or send your missed connections, email thenewspaper@gmail.com
Sunday, September 6th Poet Dwayne Morgan hosts the 7th annual Toronto International Poetry Slam, a spoken word competition featuring artists from across North America. Where:Kathedral (651 Queen St. W) When: 9:00pm Cost: $15 Monday, September 7th Toronto celebrates one of the world’s most vibrant cultures with Brazilian Day. The event will include live music, traditional foods, and a bazaar. Attendees are asked to bring non-perishable food items for the Daily Bread Food Bank. Where: Yonge-Dundas Square When: All day Cost: Free Tuesday, September 8th Marwan Muasher, the Senior VP External for the World Bank, will be speaking at the Munk Centre as part of the Distinguished Lecturer Series. The topic of the lecture is “Thinking Beyond the Crisis: New and Old Realities for Developing Countries.” Where: Munk Centre When: 2:30 – 4:30pm Cost: Free with RSVP. Abdi Aidid
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