Sex trafficking at UTM
Discussing news and opinion
‘Making a Book’ experience
Indigenous Literatures
Lactic acid and recovery
News, page 2
Opinion, page 4
Arts, page 6
Features, page 8
Sports, page 11
CUPE makes deal despite concerns Multiple members voiced concerns regarding the deal being sent out for ratification with little debate FATIMA WASIF ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR WITH NOTES FROM ALICIA BOATTO NEWS EDITOR CUPE 3902 ratified the tentative agreement with the University of Toronto, despite several CUPE members expressing concerns about the ascension meeting on the 12th of February, in an open letter by members posted online on the 15th of February. The ascension meeting was held in order to recommend a tentative agreement signed between the union and U of T’s administration prior to an all-member ratification vote. The letter listed issues regarding an alleged lack of debate about the agreement. It pointed out that a disruption occurred throughout the meeting by members not following proper procedure during the question period. According to the open letter, “At this point, two members, both white, both men, literally started shouting aggressively in order to call a ‘point of privilege’ against what seemed to be less the last comment, than the
MESHA GHAYUR/THE MEDIUM
The tentative agreement between CUPE 3902 and the University of Toronto was ratified. last speaker (a woman who had been vocal in critique of the T.A.), one of them at the microphone, the other from his seat somewhere in the front rows, against protocol,” the letter
read, “Although the Chair, a woman of colour, patiently requested numerous times that this member move to the microphone in order to make his point, he stubbornly refused to stand
up and continued yelling unintelligibly from his seat.” “We believe that such disrespectful behaviour, toward both the Chair and the assembly at large, should not
be tolerated in CUPE meetings and that this member should have been expelled immediately,” it also added. The meeting was called to question after this disruption, indicating that members were meant to vote on the deal without a full debate, according to the letter. This meant other equity issues, including those of systemic violence, language, and speech barriers could not be addressed. “We believed that debating both the T.A., as well as broader strategy, were indispensable steps toward an enlightened and empowered collective decision,” the letter stated. The letter primarily emphasized systemic inefficiencies within the process of decision-making at such meetings. It recommended an alteration to the practice of setting closing times for meetings regarding decisionmaking process and a decrease in the length of the presentation time used by the bargaining team. CUPE 3902 Chair Pamela Arancibia was not available for comment as of press time. Unit 1 continued on page 3
UTMSU and UTMAGS among fee hikes During the meeting, UTMSU defended fee increases in order to help fund the proposed GTA U-Pass SHARMEEN ABEDI STAFF WRITER The Campus Affairs Committee on February 13th approved an increase in compulsory non-academic incidental fees and reviewed mental health initiatives at UTM. The fee changes beginning in Fall 2018 will include an increase in the U-PASS fee for the UTM Association of Graduate Students increase of up to $10.83, as well as an increase of up to $6.66 per session in the Summer Transit U-Pass portion. The UTMSU fee increase of $9.43 in the Summer 2018 session and an increase of up to $8.12 per session in the Mississauga Transit U-Pass portion. There will also be an increase of $0.01 per session in the On Campus First Aid Emergency Response (ECSpeRT). Other increases include $0.02 per session in the Academic Societies portion, an increase of $0.01 per session in the Food Bank
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Increases in the compulsory incidental fees were approved by the Campus Affairs Committee. portion, an increase of $0.02 per session in the Student Refugee Program. The university has a contract with the City of Mississauga that results
in necessary increases in fees every year. The increase in the U-Pass is now at seven per cent rather than nine per cent. UTMSU’s executive director
Munib Sajjad said that they are campaigning for a GTA U-Pass for which they need financial support. He added that the pass is important because UTM has students com-
muting from widely different areas in the GTA, and the campus should be made more accessible for all of them. Andrea Carter, UTM’s assistant dean, spoke about the importance of the Health and Counselling Centre and the Accessibility Centre. “We believe that these services are very important to create healthy and successful students, and ultimately healthy and successful graduates. This is just as core to a student’s success as academics,” Carter said. Carter stated that successful students have certain traits that help them achieve that success, namely time management skills and resiliency. She noted that resiliency is an attitude that helps students deal with stressful situations in an adequate way. These students prioritize academic success, and have strong social networks. Fees continued on page 2
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«NEWS
THE MEDIUM 26.02.2018
Possible sexual trafficking at UTM Women approached by religious group with alleged ties to trafficking
February 15th, 2018 Driving Complaint A UTM staff member reported to Campus Police a vehicle driving carelessly in the CCT garage. February 16th, 2018 Suspicious Person A suspicious person was reported to Campus Police around a residence area. The person was gone on arrival. February 16th, 2018 Noise Complaint Residence staff reported to Campus Police a social gathering in a residence. Campus Police attended and several people left the area.
February 15th, 2018 Driving Complaint A UTM staff member reported to Campus Police a vehicle that did not stop at the stop sign located at Lot 9 and Outer Circle Road. The driver was cautioned. February 16th, 2018 Drug Offences A UTM student turned in a small quantity of marijuana to Campus Police that was found in the TFC. February 20th, 2018 Theft A laptop left unattended was stolen from a cubicle in the library.
February 21st, 2018 Suspicious Vehicle Campus Police attended a residence area for a vehicle continuously honking the horn at 3 a.m.
These reports are those that have been released to The Medium from Campus Police and do not necessarily constitute an exhaustive list. Students can contact the UTM Campus Police at 905 828 5200, Peel Regional Police at 905 453 3311, or Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222 8477.
Committee reviewed wellness at UTM
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Women have been approached at multiple locations, including a UTM parking lot. ALICIA BOATTO NEWS EDITOR A religious group with possible ties to sex trafficking have been approaching young women at the University of Toronto Mississauga along with other post-secondary campuses in the GTA. At least four UTM students have shared similar stories in the past several months alleging that a young woman of Korean descent approached them, wanting to talk about a female Christian God. The woman, sometimes accompanied by another woman, would attempt to convince the students to leave campus to learn more about their organization. Posts circulating online have alleged that this group has gone to
other universities in Ontario and is a front for sex trafficking. Several women from UTM have shared on social media pages about similar instances occurring at other campuses, Square One, and the UTM parking lot. On February 15th, a UTM student was approached by a girl of Korean descent who spoke about “the female image of God” and asked to exchange contact information in order to organize an off-campus meeting. Many of the posts labelled the group as “pushy” if their offers to exchange information were denied. In an interview with The Medium, Terry McQuaid, U of T’s executive director of personal safety, high risk, and sexual violence prevention, stated that no students have come forward to campus police at any of the
campuses to officially file complaints regarding these instances. “It’s concerning but if any student is approached or feels unsafe, we want them to contact campus police and we have a number of services that are available,” McQuaid said. “We certainly have special constables and building patrols on the campus and there’s lots of eyes out there.” Similar incidents have occurred at the University of Guelph with female students being approached as well. McQuaid stated that UTM’s campus police would be looking into this issue and anyone with more information can contact their office. There are campus police programs such as Walk Safe and Work Alone program that permit the campus police to check in on students walking through campus at night.
Professor posts sexual memes Peter Collins accused of mocking suicide in Facebook posts
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The HCC’s blog was highlighted as a resource about wellness. Fees continued from cover According to Carter, students who are not successful in academics are those who do not have strong social support and may feel isolated, which can lead to feelings of anxiety. One initiative that Carter highlighted was the Health and Counselling Centre’s blog that is run by peer health outreach individuals who look at wellness at UTM. They give tips and techniques to students about wellness.
Carter stated that the Psychology department has undertaken a research initiative that will measure students’ sense of wellbeing in entering into the intake process of counselling. The research will be looking at how students can build resiliency through counselling. She stated that being successful involves saying no to things, and keeping in mind that as a student you cannot do everything. The next Campus Affairs meeting will be held on March 29th.
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An inappropriately captioned pumpkin spice muffin was included in Collins’ posts. ALICIA BOATTO NEWS EDITOR
U of T’s psychology assistant professor Peter Collins has been accused of posting inappropriate and sexual content on his social media pages, including posts humouring molestation and suicide. Danny Tuff, a victim of child-
hood sexual abuse, has brought the multiple posts to the attention of The Medium after stating that he had met with Collins. He stated that he reached out to Terry McQuaid, the executive director of personal safety, high risk, and sexual violence prevention, who told him the University will be looking into the posts and will provide no further comments.
Collins’ posts included a picture of a pumpkin spice muffin with overflowing white icing and the caption “Pumpkin spice muffins, the favourite muffin of the Sexual Behaviors Clinic patient therapy group, is back at Tims.” The Medium will be reaching out to all the parties involved. This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
26.02.2018
UTMSU hosts Sandra Hudson
THE MEDIUM NEWS
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»WHAT KIND OF TOPICS
Sandra Hudson was sued by UTSU following her termination in 2015
SHOULD WE COVER?
Dariya Darvin 2nd year, Math
Rose Davis 2nd year, CCIT and Soc
“An event page of upcoming events each week.”
“More opportunities to get involved.”
Jeffrey Senese 2nd year, Philosophy
Collin Yuen 2nd year, Comp Sci
“More political and controversial topics.”
“More information about the school and administration.”
SAMUEL ENGELKING/NOW TORONTO
Hudson was accused of having amounts improperly paid to her adding up to over $277,000. ALICIA BOATTO NEWS EDITOR Former UTSU executive director, Sandra Hudson was hosted by UTMSU during a Black History month event titled “Blackness and Policing” on February 6th. This came a few months after settling a lawsuit with the UTSU leading students to voice their criticism. Hudson was previously sued by UTSU for taking over $277,000 in unemployment pay after being fired from her position in 2015. In 2015, UTSU filed a lawsuit against Hudson and two other executives after “amounts improperly paid” were given to Hudson following her dismissal from the union. The suit had also listed that Hudson was given over $97,000 in overtime hours. Hudson had settled the lawsuit in November 2017 with an undisclosed amount of money. Sagal Osman, UTMSU’s VP equity, stated that Hudson was chosen based on her work with Black Lives
Matter Toronto. “Sandy Hudson is a highly chronicled and respected community organizer hailing from the student movement. Her work in CFS and Black Lives Matter Toronto has given her the experience and expertise to speak on the impacts of anti-Black racism in police organizations in Toronto, Peel, and across the country,” Osman stated. “Our campus, and ultimately, we as a society are at an integral time to actively think about dismantling anti-blackness at all levels,” she added. “We must begin thinking about how to support black students that are dealing with police institutions. We could not have picked a better person to have that dialogue on our campus and it was a privilege to have her.” UTMSU announced Hudson as their featured speaker on the day of the event. The union’s event page featured a short biography of Hudson’s background and history with BLM Toronto. Her affiliation with
UTSU was not discussed. Osman did not specify why the UTMSU did not choose another BLM spokesperson who as had no ties to UTMSU or UTSU. UTMSU associates have noted that keynote speakers have been paid for UTMSU events in previous events. Osman did not address The Medium’s question on whether Hudson received compensation for her speech. The Medium also reached out to UTSU’s president Mathias Memmel for comment regarding UTMSU’s decision to feature Hudson following the settlement, but did not receive a response, as of press time. Currently, the UTSU and UTMSU are renegotiating the agreement that binds them as sister unions. The unions have disagreed on issues in the past, such as maintaining membership to CFS, and the UTSU’s decision to dismiss two employees in May of 2017.
“Peterson” suggested for North 2’s name
Unit 1 to get improved wages
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North Building Phase 2 will be named according to a contest. SAHIBA SHAH
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The bargaining period saw a push for increased wages and improved health benefits. Unit 1 continued from cover Despite the complaints about the ascension meeting, the tentative agreement was sent out for member-wide ratification and a deal was officially achieved on February 18th. According to the new tentative agreement, Unit 1 course instructors will be receiving an increase in pay to $15,800 for annual wage, which includes a four per cent vacation pay. Teaching assistants will have an increase of wages of 1.8 per cent at
the time of ratification, which will increase to two per cent by 2019. In terms of health coverage, members going on pregnancy leave are now eligible for four months of leave with pay instead of the two months that were previously offered. Any leave longer than four months will not be paid. A member who has a serious illness, needs hospitalization or surgery is now entitled to four months of paid leave, instead of the previously allotted two months. This medical leave also includes time off
for gender reassignment surgery. The university has also offered members a leave for domestic and sexual violence of up to one paid month. During the bargaining period, Unit 1 pushed for increased wages and improved health benefits including benefits for mental health. The terms of the agreement have been implemented and will be maintained until December 31st 2020, ending the possibility of a strike until then.
With the end of the naming contest for UTM’s current North Building Phase 2 project ending this week, the new name will be announced sometime this week. So far, submissions include “Building McBuildyFace,” while UTM Conservative Student’s Association has pitched to name the building after former Prime Minister Steven Harper and controversial U of T professor Jordan Peterson. The administration organized a “Name that Building!” contest for UTM’s North Building Phase 2, which is projected to be completed by August 2018. Between February 12 to 25, the UTM community had the opportunity to submit possible
names for the building through an online form. According to Susan Senese, UTM’s interim chief administrative officer, a large committee including students, staff, faculty, and alumni will review submissions. The top three chosen names will be recommended to UTM’s principal, Ulrich Krull, who will then take up the final choice with U of T Governance. North Building Phase 2 will introduce more active-learning classrooms and provide office space for the departments of English and drama, philosophy, historical studies, language studies, political science, and sociology. Senese did not specify if the winning name will receive any prize.
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MASTHEAD EDITORS Editor-in-Chief Mahmoud Sarouji editor@themedium.ca Managing Editor Menna Elnaka managing@themedium.ca News Alicia Boatto news@themedium.ca A&E Kassandra Hangdaan arts@themedium.ca Features Mahnoor Ayub features@themedium.ca Sports Vanessa Cesario sports@themedium.ca — Photo Olivia Adamczyk photos@themedium.ca Design Mirabelle Eze design@themedium.ca Copy Ayesha Tak copy@themedium.ca Online Meg Sharpley online@themedium.ca ASSOCIATES News Fatima Wasif A&E Keena Al-Wahaidi Paula Cho Features Jessica Cabral Marium Faisal Sports Amrish Wagle Photo Chen Gong Yasmeen Alkoka Copy TBA GENERAL STAFF Webmaster Florence Cao web@themedium.ca Distribution Manager Alison Ross distribution@themedium.ca Ads Manager Mayank Sharma ads@themedium.ca Cartoonist Anthony Labonté COPYRIGHTS All content printed in The Medium is the sole property of its creators, and cannot be used without written consent. DISCLAIMER Opinions expressed in the pages of The Medium are exclusively of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Medium. Additionally, the opinions expressed in advertisements appearing in The Medium are those of advertisers and not of The Medium. All articles published in print are also posted on our website themedium.ca LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the editor will be edited for spelling, grammar, style and coherence. Letters will not exceed 700 words in print. Letters that incite hatred or violence and letters that are racist, homophobic, sexist, or libelous will not be published. Anonymous letters will not be published. MEDIUM II PUBLICATIONS 3359 Mississauga Road, Room 200, Student Centre, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6 themedium.ca
To contribute, email editor@themedium.ca
Distinguishing between news and opinion A how-to guide for correctly understanding the basics of newspaper writing It has been brought to my attention through an opinion piece, that some of my peers, including former employee of The Medium, Russell Wu, have expressed confusion regarding the structure of the news section versus the opinion page of our paper. As the current news editor, it’s my privilege and delight to break down this process. News reporting is different than the other sections of the paper, especially opinion, and requires a different form of writing style, which we will now explore together: 1) In the actual news section, your opinion does not matter. News writing is focused on presenting facts, despite what Wu may have stated in his op-ed. So, if one is looking for what a writer thinks about the subject, they’d be looking in the wrong place if they searched in the news section, and aren’t really interested in becoming an informed reader. Two weeks ago, Wu alleged that my section contains lies. As this is very concerning to me, I’d encourage readers to highlight instances where I have told outright lies and come to The Medium office where we can discuss this together in productive conversation. In terms of being dull and boring, the news section is meant to provide information as un-
biased as possible, so any colourful language that people want to see in these articles is not appropriate or professional. In regards to the opinion section of our paper, this section is meant to reflect a writer’s thoughts on any given topic. So, complaints that the opinion section has topics that UTM doesn’t care about isn’t actually relevant. Op-eds are meant to reflect what the writer feels about a given topic, hence why Russell’s piece was published in our paper despite its criticism of The Medium. Due to the fact that an op-ed is an opinion, calling it “poor journalism” when you don’t like the piece is illogical because it’s not journalism, it’s just an opinion. 2) In terms of obtaining information, depending on our contacts, some individuals refuse to partake in interviews with reporters and will only answer questions on their terms. Short of constantly harassing people to respond to my questions and badgering them in person to do what I want, if people don’t want to be interviewed, we have to respect their choice. I cannot make anyone give me information they do not want to or force a person to speak to me or answer my onslaught of weekly emails.
3) In terms of news coverage, our paper functions on a volunteer basis. This means that anyone who wants to contribute is more than welcome, Wu has always been welcome to write for any of our sections. My biggest opposition to Wu’s piece is that he claims we did not report that Sandra Hudson was being hosted by UTMSU. We explicitly informed him, before the release of his op-ed that the topic was being covered. Russell is correct that investigative pieces are more interesting. However, these pieces don’t happen in 24 hours and it takes time to check information, find sources that don’t want to be “anonymous,” and actually get a response from our contacts. Displeasure was also expressed that the topics we have covered this year, such as the CUPE negotiations, fee increases, and Davis construction, are not actually relevant to the campus or UTM students. I’d like to take this opportunity to reiterate that The Medium has always supported students pitching their own ideas for topics. If any student has a topic they would like to see covered, all they have to do is send us an email. The Medium is always looking for honest feedback and suggestions, especially at our workshop events, meet and greets, and our Annual General
Meeting—none of which Wu has attended this past year. In terms of actually getting topics and events covered—I cannot force people to write and take topics for me. But it is nice to see someone so passionate about news coverage and I look forward to seeing Wu’s contributions to the news section in the near future. I’ve always believed that if someone wants change then it is up to them to be that change and take action. I was really torn over writing this because I already know that any attention I give to Wu’s op-ed will give validation to the author. But at the same time, I don’t like to let confusion and misrepresentation spread. I’ve made this response as clear and blunt as I’m permitted to. I’m more than happy to partake in honest and constructive communication based on reality and facts. Insisting that The Medium is worthless based off of one opinion and choosing to not actively engage with our paper is anyone’s prerogative. However, aninformed opinion is one that looks at all sides, and it has been clear that there is misinformation being spread. ALICIA BOATTO NEWS EDITOR
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Keeping up with Kirsten Armstrong A fourth-year philosophy and PWC student weighs in on the publishing and writing process PAULA CHO ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR
Publishing a book, for some, is a writer’s career-defining moment. For Kirsten Armstrong, it’s only the beginning. Currently, a fourth-year philosophy and professional writing and communication (PWC) student, Armstrong is enrolled in a course called “Making A Book,” for which she wrote, edited, typesetted, and eventually published a collection of creative non-fiction prose. In terms of what the PWC program is accomplishing with student book publications, Armstrong believes that it offers practical experience in the publishing industry. She explains, “There are many job opportunities that take place in this industry, including editing and typesetting. We’re learning how to properly edit, as this course gives us an opportunity to copy edit each others’ stories as opposed to just content editing our own.” In addition, Armstrong says that professor Guy Allen has provided mentorship and guidance through the publishing process. While the course is not like a usual class where-
LIDIA TRZUSKOT/THE MEDIUM
“Making A Book” is a course that allows students to publish their own works. in the professor teaches you step-bystep, Armstrong explains that if “you put in the initial effort, he’ll guide and help you find your way. You have to be accepted into the course after meeting with Guy Allen, so he’ll already have an idea of the students who will put in the effort to accomplish publication because it’s not an easy task. It’s definitely a give-and-take.” Regarding editing with the professor, she says that most of the editing is done peer-to-peer. Because the pieces
should have been written from previous courses where other professors have already edited them, assembling the final collection and providing guidance in design and publication is where professor Allen comes in. Armstrong’s book is titled Contingent Colours. In terms of what the title means, she explains, “As a philosophy student, ‘contingent’ has its own meaning to me. I titled it as a play on words for myself, and it has a double-entendre for every-
one else who don’t necessarily know what contingent means philosophically. Essentially, contingent means in some possible world, so the idea of contingent colour means that in this possible world, I’ve experienced these colours. I’ve divided my book into four chapters and each chapter is a colour containing different stories that represent the colour to me. For example, I have a chapter named blue. I have a page where I describe what blue means to me and then
four stories that represent it. Then I go onto another chapter and another colour.” She continued, “All the stories are creative nosnfiction, so they’re all based on my life. I would say the overall theme of the stories is dark. It’s mostly about personal challenges and how to overcome them, and keeping in mind that no matter how crappy days will get, you’ll always have those personal relationships that help you get through them. The focus of my book would be personal struggles and how I’ve dealt with them.” When asked what has inspired her to write about these personal and intimate topics specifically, she replied, “Growing up in high school, it’s kind of shunned to talk about mental illness or these terrible personal experiences. I wanted to write a book that someone could read and think ‘I can talk about this’ and ‘It’s okay that I wasn’t okay.’ As hard as it was to write the book, I’m really hoping it will affect people in a positive light and allow them to talk and open up about all these experiences they’ve been hiding from people.”
Kirsten continued on page 7
What’s happening at Gander’s home? Come From Away is a musical that depicts personal accounts of what happened in Gander on 9/11 DELANEY ROMBOUGH
After a sold out pre-Broadway run in Toronto in 2016 and seeing much success currently on Broadway, Come From Away has returned to Toronto for an open-ended run. This musical is written by Canadian husband and wife David Hein and Irene Sankoff. It’s based on the true story about events that occurred in Gander, Newfoundland on September 11, 2001 and the days that followed when 38 planes carrying 7,000 passengers were diverted there as part of Operation Yellow Ribbon. During Operation Yellow Ribbon, all departing flights were cancelled, effectively closing the Canadian airspace, while 255 planes were redirected to 17 airports across Canada. In 2011, on the tenth anniversary of the attacks, Hein and Sankoff travelled to Gander and interviewed locals and returning passengers, whose stories were then translated into characters in the musical. With so many stories to tell, each of the twelve cast members takes
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The musical had a popular run upon its opening show at Toronto in 2016. on multiple roles as a stranded passenger or other character roles. The cast does a great job of sharing real people’s stories on stage in an authentic and honest way. The actors switch roles so smoothly, changing costumes, changing dialects, and changing storylines, but this never gets confusing for the audience. This took a lot of clever choreography by Kelly Devine and a lot of talent from the small cast.
Nearly every song involves multiple people. There is only one solo in the show, “Me and the Sky” sung by Captain Beverly Bass (Eliza-Jane Scott). This song gives the audience a bit of a break from the frantic, exciting scene prior to the piece and we get to hear Beverly Bass’s powerful story. One memorable moment is when Bass sings, “1986 the first female American captain in history” all the other female cast members stand
up and start clapping the rhythm and join in on the harmonies. This number got a standing ovation from the audience before the song was over. Come From Away is different than other musicals. The music is not your traditional Broadway show tunes but rather music that is rooted in the Gaelic, rock, and folk style that is part of Newfoundland’s culture. The musicians also sit on the side of the stage rather than in the orchestra pit and
they got to come out and share the spotlight in a scene that takes place in the local bar. There’s a lot of wonderful things about this musical but perhaps the best thing about it is the Canadianness of it all. All these little quirky Canadian stereotypes that were written into the show added a lot of humour and character. The main Canadian stereotype that is proudly celebrated is that Canadians are the nicest people. One lyric that sums up the show is: “When the sun is setting and it’s darker than before if you’re hoping for a harbour then you’ll find an open door.” The people of Gander opened their homes, their community, and their hearts to people from all over the world and individual differences were put aside. This is a story about the goodness of people coming together to help those in need in a time of crisis and it reaffirms your faith in humanity. Come From Away is currently playing at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto with tickets available until September 2.
26.02.2018 THE MEDIUM ARTS» 7
A contingent creation NICOLE SCIULLI STAFF WRITER
One phone call. One hour. No names. No holds barred. These are the opening lines to the podcast Beautiful Anonymous. Hosted by New Jersey born comedian Chris Gethard, who is also the host of his own eponymous show, speaks with one stranger for one hour. He cannot hang up first, and when the hour is over the phone will hang up. So far, 13,000 people ring in every time but only one is chosen. Beautiful Anonymous is great to listen to with the lights off in the middle of the night when life’s important questions swarm our minds. The show becomes an informal therapy session as Gethard gives advice on the person’s problem or situation in life that they may need help with. As a side note, the podcast even has a Facebook group where people discuss each episode after its release. Gethard has an easygoing character and it’s funny to hear his commentary on people’s routines of everyday life or when he throws in a reference to
his home state of New Jersey. Gethard always knows how to get to the heart of the people he is speaking to. Topics could range from love, drugs, abuse, or feeling stuck in life. One of my favourite episodes was of a man who called in from work and he told Gethard that he hated his job. The man explained that he wanted to be a comedian, which was his dream, but he would scare himself into quitting every time he tried to. Gethard implores the man to leave work during the conversation. As a mode of catharsis, Gethard advises the man to run through the city streets and to scream—so that he may release any built-up anger. It was an inspiring episode that showed the listener that no matter what stage you are in life, you are still capable of achieving your dreams. Other episodes focused on abuse— some from a spouse or a teacher. All callers came in with one goal: to be heard. Gethard provides a judge-free environment that allows people to have a few laughs, a few cries, and to hear beautiful stories from anonymous people.
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The PWC program has courses engaging students in the publication process. Kirsten continued from page 6
She adds that what makes her book unique is the way in which she views and writes about her life experiences. She explains, “I think I see the world a little bit differently than others. It gives me a strength in my writing because I find I write more artistically in the way I try to describe things.” A consequential challenge for Armstrong while writing this book has been deciding whether or not to publish something so personal to her family members. “It’s my choice to publish something about myself, but I’m kind of choosing for my family
A glimpse into MMFA
to reveal these things. It’s about finding boundaries. When something is about to be published, you have to go over it and make sure the tiniest things like the verbs you use are appropriate because you don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but you also want to represent as accurately as you can what happened. That’s the whole point of creative nonfiction.” As for the future, Armstrong is “going to take a practical route, probably in public relations,” for when she graduates. However, her end goal is to become a novelist. In terms of advice for aspiring student writers, Armstrong encourages
REWIND VICTORIA DANESI STAFF WRITER
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The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts has a diverse international collection of artworks. KASSANDRA HANGDAAN A&E EDITOR
On Sherbrooke street, a crisp rectangular building marks one of Canada’s largest and prominent art museums. The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is almost inconspicuous in its appearance. Built with gray slabs of rocks and slanting frontal windows, the museum’s outward architectural design is simple. On the inside, however, the museum’s spectacles are impressive. Currently, MMFA boasts five pavilions and houses approximately 44,000 works of art. Concerning MMFA’s attempts to attract an audience, Andrew Nguyen, a fourth-year commerce student, noted that the composition of attendees are varied. “It’s a nice place that allows the younger generation to be in touch with the fine arts. There’s multiple levels and multiple themes,” Nguyen continued, “There’s many levels dividing up multiple themes, showing the different interpretations of art from past to present.” One of the exhibits, housed in the Michal and Renata Pavilion for Peace, displays “Early to Modern International Art.” In fact, MMFA’s website states that the museum holds one of the three largest international art col-
lections in Canada. Artists featured in this exhibit include, but are not limited to, Pieter Bruegel the Younger, Canaletto, Boucher, Goya, and Octave Tassaert. The walls in this exhibit are painted dark grey—evoking a somber ambiance that matches the mood of the displayed paintings. On one side, “The Temptation of Saint Hilarion,” painted by Tassaert around 1857, hangs with a gilded gold frame. The style of the work is a blend of romanticism and realism. Using oil on canvas, Tassaert makes lust and carnal desire almost tangible. In the middle, Saint Hilarion, clothed like a Benedictine monk, hunches over. Surrounding him in an arc are a group of scantily clothed women—visually explaining the title of the artwork. “Lake by Moonlight with Castle on Hill,” painted in 1787 by Joseph Wright of Derby, evokes a similar somber ambiance previously described in Tassaert’s style. Using oil on canvas, as well, Wright’s depiction of a single castle turret overlooking a dimly shimmering lake is forlorn. Wright employs a chiaroscuro effect: the shades of colour used are dull, the sky is painted a pastel blue, the trees are painted a dark green—almost black—shade that casts a pallor over the whole painting.
Underneath, the caption for the painting explains, “[Derby’s] paintings of moonlight owe something to the work of Joseph Vernet, but are more in the realm of scientific observations than romantic descriptions. […] Fascinated by contrasting lighting effects, in the 1780s he executed a number of nocturnal scenes, including this masterful moonlit landscape.” Yet, the exhibit is lined not only with hanging works of art but sculptures as well. Pierre-Eugene-Emile Hebert’s “Et Toujours! Et Jamais!” or in commonly translated in English as “Forever and ever!” and “Always! Never!” is a bronze sculpture. The Spencer Museum of Art describes the depiction as a “Shrouded skeletal figure who, after rising form the grave, has embraced a figure of a nude young woman whose supple flesh provides a stark contrast to his gaunt, angular limbs.” Interpretations of this work suggest that the shrouded skeletal figure is a symbolic representation of Death and the Maiden. Another interpretation is more mundane— this second interpretation suggests that the shrouded figure is actually the young woman’s lover arising from death. Other exhibits in the MMFA feature modern and avant-garde art.
to stick to your own personal voice— it’s what has made her most passionate about writing. “I’ve had a lot of feedback from some professors suggesting that I change or make stylistic variances in my writing. There were times when I understood where they were coming from, but sometimes you have to prioritize your voice over how other people interpret it.” She emphasizes, “Just knowing who you are and knowing what kind of writing you do, and putting that ahead of other things.” Armstrong’s book, Contingent Colours, will be published in May.
Network (1976), directed by Sidney Lumet, is an eerily accurate satire about the TV news business. Howard Beale (Peter Finch) is the anchor for UBS Evening News and is notified by friend and news division president Max Schumacher (William Holden) that he has two more weeks on the air due to low ratings. During the next broadcast, the mentally unstable Beale declares that he will commit suicide on an upcoming broadcast. Beale immediately gets fired for this declaration, but Schumacher convinces UBS executives to allow Beale to apologize and have a formal farewell. In this final broadcast, Beale has another outburst, in which he complains about the “fallacies” of life. To everyone’s disbelief, Beale’s broadcast rating skyrockets as viewers are attracted to his unfiltered nature. Diana Christenson (Faye Dunaway) is the programming producer at UBS and convinces executive Frank Hackett (Robert Duvall) to give control of Beale’s program to her. A live studio audience and dramatic set is created, where Beale wanders into frame and angrily preaches until he faints. The film is meant to be a satire about the TV news business, but watching this 40 years later, it is oddly accurate. The focus on ratings and spectacle over objective coverage
with wild personalities taking over our screens is ever-present in today’s media. The screenplay is masterfully written by Paddy Chayefsky. It is unabashedly outrageous at times, but never loses focuses and provides the vehicle for world-class performances. Dunaway and Duvall capture the insanity of their characters, encouraging the unstable Beale to become more wildly for ratings. When the ratings finally dip, and Beale’s outburst leads to problems with the network’s business partners, Christenson and Hackett make a decision that elevates the absurdity. Beale’s final broadcast is sorely memorable. In one of Beale’s most impactful outbursts that leads to Christenson’s takeover, he yells about the downfall of America and that viewers should be angry about it. He instructs viewers to go to their windows and yell the now famous quote, “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!” Finch’s performance won him the Oscar for Best Actor in 1977, posthumously. Chayefsky was awarded Best Original Screenplay while Dunaway won Best Actress. Beatrice Straight, who played Schumacher’s wife, was also awarded Best Supporting Actress, setting the record for shortest performance to win an acting Oscar with only five minutes of screen time. With its memorable performances and fantastic screenplay, Network is an absurd look at the television news business and the characters that occupy our screens.
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Learning through literature at UTM Indigenous Literatures, a course taught by Prof. Daniela Janes, explores work by First Nation writers NATALIE NG
Indigenous Literatures, an English course taught this semester by Dr. Daniela Janes, explores work by writers from Canada’s First Nations, in the context of global Aboriginal cultures and oral traditions. Janes, an instructor in the Department of English and Drama at UTM, graduated from the University of Toronto with a Ph.D. in English Literature, and has published in various scholarly publications in areas ranging from social reform in the 19th century, to historical fictions and reader-writer interactivity. “I developed an interest in Indigenous literature back when I studied Canadian literature during my undergraduate years,” says Janes. Learning about the Canadian female Indigenous writer named Pauline Johnson, daughter of a Mohawk chief and an English woman in the later 19th century, Janes says, “She created her own Indigenous costume for her poetry performance without reference to the clothing worn by her contemporaries on the Six Nations Reserve, where
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Students are encouraged to discuss various literatures written by different Indigenous authors. she was raised.” The professor also adds that Johnson “recited poems about First Nations subjects to audiences that were eager to hear about Indigenous traditions.” Quoting Beth Brandt, another female Indigenous
writer, Janes says she described Pauline Johnson as the “spiritual grandmother to those of us who are women writers of the First Nations.” Inspired by Johnson’s work and tradition, Janes began to pursue her interest in
Indigenous literatures. Speaking in the context of understanding literature in the current political landscape, the English professor notes the importance of the document “Honouring the Truth,
Reconciling for the Future: Summary of the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.” As noted in the Indigenous literatures course description, the authors of the reconciliation document stressed that “History plays an important role in reconciliation; to build for the future; Canadians must look to, and learn from, the past.” In response to the reconciliation between the First Nations and Canada, as informed by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, Janes believes that as Canadians, we should take part in this social change. In doing so, she emphasizes diversity and decolonization as the main objectives in learning about the indigenous traditions through literature. “Many of the literatures here are written about the connectedness between people, tribal identities, geographical areas, world views, cultural communities like kinship ties, language, spirituality, family, and communal history of the First Nations during the period of colonialism,” says Janes. Stories continued on page 10
UTM students hack the competition at U of T Two UTM computer science students win “Best Use of Blockchain” at the UofTHacks competition JESSICA CABRAL ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR
As volunteers for the annual UofTHacks, Abdul Wasay Mehar and Vaishvik Maisuria, two secondyear computer science students at UTM, didn’t imagine they’d be given a chance to participate in the competition. Responsible for registration, Mehar and Maisuria noticed a lull in the amount of participants and decided to ask the event organizer if they could fill the empty spots. Their risk paid off. The duo developed a project titled “Single Truth” that used blockchain technology to enhance efficiency in the insurance industry and took home the title for “Best Use of Blockchain.” Held at the end of January on the St. George campus, this three-day competition allows students to develop new technology and interact with companies such as Google and Microsoft. Each company supplies competitors with their application programming interface (API) and challenges the students to create an
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“Single Truth” uses blockchain technology to increase the efficiency in the insurance industry. application with that software. For example, if students signed up for Google’s competition, the company required them to use the Google Home API to create an app for Google Home. The team with the best app won a Google Pixel 2. With prior research knowledge
in blockchain, Mehar and Maisuria focused their project on creating a real-world application that combined blockchain and the insurance industry. To simplify the concept of blockchain, Mehar uses an analogy of a group of farmers who want to purchase land. Traditionally, farmers
must negotiate property transactions through contracts, ownership papers, and insurance brokers. If disaster strikes, farmers may lose the physical evidence of their acquisition. Blockchain offers a solution to this problem. With this technology, Mehar explains that the farmers could take
those contracts, create digital copies, and upload them to a digital chain to prevent loss. All the farmers in the area are connected to the chain which generates a decentralized environment where each farmer has access to the transactions. This prevents fraud and forgery. “Since it’s decentralized, if someone wants to attack the system, it’s harder because there are multiple people who are linked and have access to the document,” Maisuria says. “If one aspect changes, then other people will realize and they’ll start checking their own stuff. It’s a more secure way to save all information.” The pair created “Single Truth,” a technology that harnesses the power of blockchain to compress the insurance process into a more efficient system. As Maisuria explains, when purchasing a house, the process of validating insurance can be timely. Their project created an online form that they stored in a blockchain and uploaded to a server for the customer and insurance company. Hacks continued on page 10
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Read all about it: Journalism in 2018 Thomson Reuters hosted a Columbia Journalism Review event titled “Journalism under Trumpism” MENNA ELNAKA MANAGING EDITOR
Since Donald Trump won the race for the United States presidency in the November of 2017, a debate has formed around whether it affected, and continues to affect, the quality of media coverage surrounding him. Trump has been heard several times addressing CNN and NBC as “fake news,” while praising Fox News over other news outlets, and this, as some may argue, could have influenced how people trust media coverage. In a Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) event titled “Journalism Under Trumpism” held on February 12th at Thomson Reuters Toronto, many journalists discussed where, in this political context, journalism stands today in the media world. Madelaine Drohan, a Canada correspondent for The Economist, stated she has observed that the U.S. president is affecting Canada, as well. “Trump’s rhetoric’s been adopted by some conservatives in Canada,” she said. “I went to a conference in conservatives within the last year where every session talked about fake news and everyone was all stirred up about journalism. I’ve never experienced that—in [my] four years of reporting in Canada—I’ve never felt that I was in a hostile environment as a
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Some panelists at the event addressed the challenges that news reporters often face. journalist before. So that is having an impact.” Some panelists also addressed the challenges that reporters constantly face in their news coverage. “For years before the 2016 election, we’ve seen some issues with […] the news cycle. For example, black reporters and black people in general. You know, watching these videos that go viral in the news of armed shoot-
ings of men and boys, and women and girls, and it’s […] a sort of exhaustion,” said Alexandria Neason, a staff writer at CJR and a senior Delacorte fellow, adding her own experience, “And it’s a very strange intersection of I’m a reporter and this is my job to watch this, to read it, to write about it, but I’m also a black person living in America who’s impacted by this outside of just my role as a re-
porter.” An issue that is currently facing many journalism organizations is people losing trust in them. Trump highlighting “fake news” and “alternative facts” may have influenced may people to doubt what journalists are reporting. According to CJR’s chief digital writer Mathew Ingram, the shaken-trust existed before Trump, as well. “In a way, I think you could say
that Trump tapped into something that already existed. It’s not like he created this crisis of trust. He tapped in [and] he knew it was there and he’s fed it like a fire,” he said. Among one of the comments made by the audience is that even if journalists give the public what they need, rather than what they want, people may not like them. The journalists present at the panel were specifically asked how they can separate their emotions, remain unbiased, and try to gain people’s trust back. Paul Thomasch, America’s top news editor at Reuters, stated an example when a leader says they’re going to take a certain action, what reporters try to examine is the impacts of this action as well as to explain to the public what the meaning of the action really is. Neason also addressed this point throughout her talk saying, “I think it can be difficult to sort of muster the energy to do your job every day. It’s hard to be a journalist. It’s hard to keep up with the 24-hour news cycle. It’s harder when the news is upsetting constantly. And it’s harder still when there’s the sense that the public doesn’t believe in your role as a journalist, and in some cases, just thinks that you are not truthful, and that you’re not pursuing the news in an honest way.” News continued on page 10
Around the world in one exchange trip? UTM student Selina Azizi shares her experiences with going on exchange to University of Edinburgh SYEDA HASAN
Last September, as the students of the University of Toronto Mississauga geared up to dive head-first into another eventful academic year, UTM student Selina Azizi was on her way to the lush landscapes of Scotland where she would be staying for the next four months. Azizi, who is majoring in history and political science, and minoring in religion, participated in an exchange program facilitated by the U of T and held at the University of Edinburgh. Azizi was able to make the best of both worlds by not only taking courses that counted towards her degree, but did so in an environment where she had the chance to meet new people and immerse herself in a new culture. Speaking about the details on the exchange program itself, Selina described how it was different from the UTM Abroad programs being offered by the International Education Centre. This exchange program was facilitated by the St. George campus and involved staying at the chosen location for the duration of a semester, while UTM Abroad does not run for the whole semester and is a component of a UTM course. “I had
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Azizi observed differences in the learning and assessment styles at the University of Edinburgh. to send in applications to both U of T, and then to the University of Edinburgh once I was nominated.” She explained that U of T agreed to support their group of students financially in the case of an emergency, crisis or natural disaster. Being an exchange student, Azizi initially faced difficulties when it came to course selection. “Although I had the freedom to choose what
courses I wanted to take, I didn’t get first priority”. Due to this, she was only able to get enrolled in one course of her choice. As for her other courses, she had to wait for a couple of weeks in order to find ones that still had spaces available. Her favourite course was one which focused on gender identities in Britain during the two world wars, and the other two focused on the people of
Britain in the first millennium and the United States during the 1960s, respectively. Additionally, according to Azizi, the structure of courses there was quite different as compared to those at UTM. As she notes, most professors chose to base the entire course grade on a single final exam or essay that was due at the end of the semester. “There was no fixed syllabus
that the professors followed. Everything was spontaneous. The professor could suddenly announce that we had a presentation due in a few weeks and we would have no choice but to do it.” Furthermore, when it came to writing essays, professors at the University of Edinburgh had different expectations in regard to writing stylistics and the method in which students were expected to carry out research. “I’ve never had the same experience here,” said Azizi. Other than that, according to her, the professors were quite helpful. One of Azizi’s professors, as she expressed, sat her down during his office hours one day and explained the different standards and expectations of schools in Edinburgh which helped her gain a sense of how she had to approach her courses. Apart from course structure, Azizi described differences in school demographics and the general cultural landscape. “Classes were very nondiverse. Almost all students were either English or Scottish from wealthy backgrounds. So discussing issues such as civil rights during one of my classes was problematic as there were no students of colour to provide different viewpoints,” said Azizi. Travel continued on page 10
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Is no news good news? Experiences 101
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Other topics of discussion included the rise of online platforms and their influence on reporting. News continued from page 9 She says, in a way that aligns with journalistic values that are long standing.” Neason also continues to say, “You can acknowledge that you have, you know, I’m a black woman and there are things that are going to affect me and I’m going to react to, as a Black woman no matter what […], but I can say that and I can acknowledge that, and then I can try really hard to make sure that I’m reporting things in a fair way. And I’m being transparent about the fact that whatever policy, whatever scandal, whatever it is—that perhaps there’s some stake in this that I might experience,” she added. Drohan noted though that there isn’t an easy answer to gaining people’s trust. “When we talk about how did we engage the audiences, we’ve lost a lot of the audiences already. I mean, it’s not going to be simply a question of, you know, telling them in a different manner that a free press is good for you because some of them aren’t listening to us anymore. So that goes back to how do we gain the trust and how do we fix the business model? And there isn’t an easy answer.” She, however, em-
phasized transparency as a possible method to win back people’s trust. “When you look at why the media has lost trust, [in North America], people think that they [the media] have hidden biases and agendas,” she said, “So if you’re upfront with your agenda then at least you’ve gotten rid of part of that lack of trust.” The panelists also spoke about the rise of online platforms, its impact on regular news outlets, and the power of social media. According to Drohan, the media business was already in a weak form even before Trump became the president, and part of the reason was social media and Google taking the attention from the regular media outlets, “Because they were bringing in all the advertising dollars. So that really weakened the media organizations to take on some of these problems that have come along with Trump.” In terms of how to deal with Trump, she explained that it is important to address “the fundamental problems that he has actually latched on to” before addressing the solution itself. Besides taking attention from the traditional and regular form of news organizations, journalists are still able to reach people through emerging news platforms. In response to
how digital tools could help improve citizen engagement, Ingram pointed out that they do have a “huge” potential and that they are better than “old-fashion” type of news. “Now, there’s so much more potential to reach people in ways that matter to them whether it’s Snapchat, or Instagram, or email newsletter, or whatever,” he said. “So, I think, there’s not just journalists, but anyone who’s interested in helping people understand what’s going on around them, should be doing as much as possible, in as many different ways as possible. And yes, that includes Facebook.” Moderating the panel were CJR’s editor-in-chief and publisher Kyle Pope, the advocacy director at the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Courtney Radsch, and the executive director at CPJ Joel Simon. In addition, other journalists at the panel included Alexandra Ellerbeck, CPJ’s North America program coordinator; Jeff Ballou, news editor at Al Jazeera English; Stephen Adler, Reuters’ editor-in-chief; Kathleen Caroll, chair of CPJ and former Associated Press executive director; and Reg Chua, Reuters’ chief operating officer.
The truth about stories Stories continued from page 8
In the Indigenous Literatures course, Janes also encourages students to participate in intellectual discussions about various literatures across a range of genres written by different Indigenous authors. She also highlights the importance of being aware of “the family narratives from the First Nations, and the colonial history that they have been through such as intergenerational traumas, residential schools, and government-sponsored culture genocide,” and other themes that are central in these literary works. Janes aims to bring her students into critical engagement with the lit-
eratures without biases or through a lens that will prevent them from truly appreciating and understanding the world from the perspectives of the Indigenous Peoples.
“Using the conventions of Western criticism and imposing them onto Indigenous stories will distort our views,” says Daniela Janes Most importantly, she notes again that decolonization is largely the central theme in reading these
Indigenous literary works as she quotes Thomas King, an AmericanCanadian Indigenous writer, who said “The truth about stories is that that’s all we are.” Janes shares an example about how Monkey Beach, an Indigenous story with monsters, was read by one critic as a Gothic tale. This was an example of colonizing Indigenous stories through literary criticism. “Using the conventions of Western criticism and imposing them onto Indigenous stories will distort our views of what Indigenous stories are truly like,” she says. Reaffirming King’s quote, she adds, “It’s an important idea, as it reminds us of how identity is constructed and reinforced by the stories that we tell. It captures the power of stories too.”
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Azizi’s exchange allowed her to visit the Scottish Highlands.
Travel continued from page 9 Other than this, Azizi also joked how it was initially difficult to understand accents. “It was so hard for me to take notes sometimes,” she laughed. Apart from academics, Azizi felt that the campus was well-equipped to provide students with an enjoyable time. “There was a constant atmosphere of fun and there was always something to do,” said Azizi. According to her, the university would host regular comedy shows, plays, and pub nights which took place on a grander scale compared to those at UTM. “Scottish people are really friendly and like to have a lot of fun,” she adds. A particular event Azizi recalled is the Christmas market that the campus hosted in November. “There was a Ferris wheel along with other rides and food stalls as well. Vendors from all over Europe came and set shop,” said Azizi. Furthermore, according to Azizi, in and around Scotland can be very cheap. Azizi was able to save
up over time for visits to the Scottish Highlands, the Isles of Skye, London, Belfast, Dublin, Copenhagen, and Sweden to name a few. When asked about what advice she would like to give to other students who wish to take part in similar programs or international experiences, Azizi said, “It takes a lot of planning. I knew this was something I wanted to do since the start but it still took me two years of carefully assessing all my options and saving up money by doing part-time jobs during the summer.” She was still debating between universities up until the last few days before the application was due. Azizi also suggested that interested students ask as many questions they need to beforehand. “Even after all this planning, I still wished I could have known many things before I went there, but you should go with an open mind and be willing to try new things, otherwise it can be difficult for you to have a good time and enjoy the experience.”
Taking the leap Hacks continued from page 8
This would provide the customer and the insurance company access to the document. This transparency reduced the likelihood of potential criminal activity and damage, while increasing efficiency. According to Mehar and Maisuria, the name “Single Truth” combines two important aspects of blockchain. “Single” indicates that the customer and the insurer possess a single copy of the insurance document that is uploaded onto the blockchain. The term “truth” highlights the transparency of the process and the elimination of fraud inside the blockchain. Alongside the title of “Best Use of Blockchain,” the two computer science students won one Ethereum, a type of cryptocurrency worth approximately $900. Friends from high school, both Mehar and Maisuria shared an early interest in computers, cryptocur-
rency, and technology development. In grade seven, a friend sparked Mehar’s interest by introducing him to mining digital currency. Last year, Mehar and his brother began researching blockchain and its relationship with cryptocurrency. Reflecting on his childhood, Mehar reveals that he always possessed an interest and curiosity for computers. “I’ve wanted to become a computer scientist way before [my interest in cryptocurrency],” Mehar says. “My dad owned a computer shop and I used to always open up stuff and I always wondered and thought that it was really cool to tell a computer what to do.” For Maisuria as well, he knew he wanted to pursue computer science. In the future, Mehar hopes to learn more about cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence. His friend Maisuria aspires to work for Google to gain skills in android development and artificial intelligence.
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Does lactic acid really cause soreness? Lactic acid usually lasts only 30 to 60 minutes and is a way for our bodies to reach a recovery period AMRISH WAGLE ASSOCIATE S&H EDITOR Some organisms rely on aerobic respiration, where oxygen is used to produce energy. Anaerobic processes, on the other hand, are devoid of this characteristic element. Humans fall in the former category and require oxygen for a long-winded process known as oxidative phosphorylation, where biochemical energy from nutrients is converted to a much more usable form for the body. This procedure requires glucose to be broken down into pyruvate molecules, which are further dismantled to produce several energy molecules known as adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP molecules supply energy to the rest of the body and hence are known as the “molecular unit of currency for intracellular energy transfer.” Overall, oxygen molecules are only a modest constituent within this extensive process and involved at the very last stage known as the electron transport chain. Aerobic cellular respiration is a finely tuned process of energy production that deviates drastically when an individual undergoes extreme physical exertion. When the demand for energy outgrows the body’s capacity for energy production, the human
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Lactic acid acts as a defense mechanism by disrupting systems involved in cellular respiration. body reverts to an anaerobic form of cellular respiration. In this case, the process of breaking down pyruvate is forgone as they are instead transformed into a chemical known as lactic acid. Although this process is much less efficient, it facilitates the supply of energy at a much faster rate to continue a sustainable production
of energy during periods of intense physical activity. Lactic acid acts as a defense mechanism by disrupting or slowing down vital systems throughout the body involved in cellular respiration. This allows the lactate to create a burning sensation within the muscles, as well as release hydrogen ions into body
tissues to increase the level of acidity and subsequently create a sensation of fatigue. Overall, these mechanisms prevent the body from permanent injury when it is physically exerted to extreme extents. Eventually, when the body does slow down, the lactate is converted back to pyruvate molecules and processed according to aerobic
cellular respiration. Lactic acid functions to slow down the body and reach a recovery period where the body can regain homoeostasis and discard the lactate and other metabolites. In fact, the majority of lactic acid is cleared within 30 minutes to an hour. Contrary to popular belief, the lactic acid does not cause muscle soreness that results a day or two after a period of strenuous exercise. The soreness, also known as delayed onset muscle soreness, is related more to cellular damage within muscular tissue. Exercise is an integral component of a healthy lifestyle. A buildup of lactic acid cannot be avoided but it can be controlled through several precautions during periods of strenuous activity. To begin with, it is important to stay hydrated. Recommendations dictate drinking 16-20 ounces of water a few hours before a workout and 7-10 ounces every 30 minutes during the activity. Also, it is important to maintain a consistent level of activity and to increase it gradually over time. By doing so, an individual can stay more physically fit and require less glucose for energy production while reciprocally increasing their lactate threshold. The level of lactate within a body during physical exertion can also be used as a unit of measurement for physical fitness.
Vertigo: an ongoing spinning feeling There are two different types of vertigo—peripheral and central—both of which affect a person’s daily life HALEY WEST STAFF WRITER
Have you ever felt like the world was physically spinning beneath your feet? Where you had difficulty moving or balancing until it stopped? If so, you have likely experienced vertigo. Vertigo refers to a sense that you or your surroundings are spinning or moving. It can cause dizziness, a loss of balance, nausea, and vomiting. Vertigo can also be associated with migraines and headaches. On average, the symptoms of vertigo typically last one minute. There are different types of vertigo depending on the underlying cause. Peripheral vertigo is a result of an imbalance within the inner ear. Structures in the human ear, referred to as otolith organs, register the movements and the position of your head as it relates to gravity through calcium crystals. These crystals can become dislodged and move into one of the ear canals. This usually happens while lying down because of the increase in sensitivity to head position changes. Central vertigo is caused by disturbances in the sensory nerve pathways in the brain, particularly the brain stem or cerebellum. According to Dr.
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Vertigo involves a sense that one’s surroundings are spinning. Scott Eggers from the Mayo Clinic, vertigo symptoms are typically accompanied by abnormal rhythmic eye movements which occurs when the inner ear balance system is stimulated in the wrong way. According to the Mayo Clinic, vertigo sometimes has no known cause. When there is a cause, it is usually
related to a minor or severe blow to the head. William Blahd, MD, says that treatment for vertigo can vary depending on the cause and the seriousness. They range from stretching to movements for the head and body, to medication, and even surgery. Specific head and body movements are
recommended from the American Academy of Neurology which aim to reposition the crystals out of the canal to the inner ear chamber where they can be absorbed by the body. It is expected that the patient will experience vertigo symptoms during the procedure when the crystals move. But the movements are safe and ef-
fective when guided by a doctor or physical therapist. Medication can be prescribed for one of two reasons. The first is to treat the symptoms of nausea or motion sickness. The second is to treat the underlying cause and reduce swelling or pressure. Blahd says that surgery is an extremely rare treatment for vertigo and usually only when the vertigo is caused by a tumor or injury to the brain or neck, in which cases, treatment of the underlying cause would result in a decrease in the vertigo symptoms. Vertigo is very uncomfortable, but rarely causes complications. However, the associated dizziness can increase the risk of falling, which can lead to more severe injuries. For people living an active life, experiencing vertigo can prevent individuals from participating in certain activities due to a fear of potential consequences. Vertigo can also be dangerous for anyone driving. According to the Canadian Society of Otolaryngology, you should seek medical help if you are experiencing recurring symptoms of vertigo, as many underlying causes of vertigo can be harmful if not treated accordingly.
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Close your eyes, relax, and just float Sensory deprivation tanks are known to help people manage daily stressors and body soreness CAMERON ALLAN
When one is inflicted with bodily pain, mental distress, or existential doubt, we often turn to drugs, therapy, or religion, and neglect a simple solution. It’s a discipline many experts and users say compounds the healing potential of a pharmacist, psychiatrist, and clergyman all at once, sometimes within a single sitting: sensory deprivation. Tanks, the tool used to invoke no feeling, are soundproof, and lightproof housings of shallow skintemperature water infused with high concentrations of magnesium. Realizing its comprehensive health benefits, thousands of modern day user testimonials document gaining transcendent physical, mental, and spiritual relief. After trying it for myself, I’m equally convinced that sensory deprivation is one of the more powerful holistic tools for self-betterment. Within minutes of lying back afloat, my bodily sensations evaporate, and with it, tensions I’d been unaware of began uncoiling. The buoyant weightlessness of the tank environment depressurizes worn joints and relaxes stiffened muscles. Patients with unwavering neck and back pain who floated found that pain intensity fell and they were able to sleep more. Even the buzz of neurological pain is silenced. “I never really have a sense of my body, or space and time,” says Alana Bell, an eleven-year lupus sufferer and chronic insomniac,
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Sensory deprivation tanks are meant to invoke no feeling to users. shares. The disease paralyzed her in much of her lower body, and the acute neurological pain left her in a state of frustrated restlessness most nights. “You’re so tired that it hurts, and the pain keeps you up,” Bell explains. She eventually regained her mobility, but the pain never subsided. That is, until she floated, she mentions, “My mobility was improved, and my sleep became less broken and deeper.” She laments that her condition has worsened since forgoing floating, but knows she needs to go back. Back in the tank, my brain gradually began to feel safe. Pent-up emotion-
al turmoil from days, then months, then years passed; all my irrational worries, petty anger, unfounded nervousness, and deep sadness were cast overboard into the warm water below. Mental rejuvenation like this is a proven clinical function of floatation therapy. Psychiatric research suggests that with just twelve floats, stress, anxiety, and depression falter, while a grander sense of optimism grows for four months afterward. Tracy Miles, a veteran psychotherapist and crisis program supervisor, explains how she used floatation to manage the unfortunate workplace circumstances she
experiences. “I was working with people who were suicidal and whom had serious behavioural issues every day,” she says, “I started to drink quite a bit.” Alcohol couldn’t help Miles cope, so floating became a mechanism to atone for her own psychic ache. “The tank is a place where you can heal, where you can confront yourself and support yourself. I continue to do it because it’s a beautiful thing.” She has since quit her job to focus on more creative pursuits. After what felt like somewhere between too long and not long enough, there was no me, no tank and no wa-
ter, just an infinite plain to explore. A high-pitched ring reverberates in my head, while violet colours dance, pulsate, and meld into one another. My brain becomes the audience and viewer of its own essence’s production. Though the experience was unique, the state was not. Acoustic and visual hallucinations, as well as prenatal, unifying, and transient experiences have been noted in test environments before. “People described it to me as a legal trip,” says Chris Holiday, an experienced psychedelic experimenter, “When I went in, a younger chain-smoking version of myself came to me. My heart was beating so hard that all I wanted it to do so was stop. Then I thought about the day that it would.” With a past in evangelism, Holiday’s relationship with God was irreparably fractured. “He wasn’t there to save me. It was just me and the void. But that’s okay. I’m not living in a tank. I’m not alone with my thoughts. There is a whole world outside to be experienced.” He intends to go back very soon. Waiting for me in the debriefing room, where aromatherapy oxygen tanks roar, taps of orange oolong kombucha fizzle, an ultraviolet bubble wall percolates, and an elastic bound leather book sits on a nightstand. Jay Ziebarth, the owner of the Hamilton studio Zee Float that I attended, says: “We are all individuals undergoing our own journeys. So, what are you bringing to the table?” I still didn’t know, but I was glad I had set the table in the first place.