Vol 38 issue 6

THEY’RE

U of T in top 20 in new rankings

Debating dejabbing?

JEROME JOHNSON

STEFANIE MAROTTA NEWS EDITOR The University of Toronto placed 19th in the 2011–2012 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, down two spots from last year.

In its mission to develop the most comprehensive, wellrounded standard in comparing university performance, THE modified the criteria over the past two years to avoid disadvantaging smaller universities. The new model of analysis considers five categories: teaching and learning environment, volume and quality of research, citations and research influence, industry income, and international outlook.

U of T achieved an overall score of 81.6%. In individual categories, the university received its highest scores in research (87.4%) and citation (86.5%), followed by teaching (76.9%), international outlook (69%), and industry income (44.9%).

Times continued on page 2

New Board elected in UTMSU

a hijab more than 20 years ago at age 13, against her parents’ wishes.

For a few of those 20 years Kibria attended UTM, where she kicked off her activist and advocate career by establishing the UTM Food Bank, writing for The Medium, and joining the Students’ Union.

She didn’t end up graduating, but she did marry her first husband in 1992 at 17 and had her first of three children at 19.

The UTM Students’ Union held elections for its Board of Directors on October 3 and the results are in.

Fall Board of Director elections are for first-year student representatives, as well as to fill any vacancies that have opened up over the summer. The winners are Division 1 first-year representatives Emile Sabga and Chia Assad, Division 3 UTMSU and UTSU Board representatives Abdi Ahmed Hassan and Andrew Ursel, both filling vacancies, and Division 4 Part-time Board member Naureen Amirali, also filling a vacancy.

“First and foremost, let me say that the level of excitement from the candidates was great,” said Delphino Gilbert Cassar, the president of UTMSU. Several different portfolios were debated during the formal board meeting. One of these was the Part-Time Student Constituency portfolio to represent parttime students’ perspectives on the Board of Directors.

Dejab continued on page 3

Board continued on page 3

FACEBOOK.COM/PHOTO

After years of wearing a hijab, Shaila Kibria chose to abandon the religious garment.

LORI-LEE EMSHEY ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR Shaila Kibria has accomplished many things since leaving UTM: running for the New Democratic Party, publishing a children’s book, and writing for CBC Radio—but she most recently made headlines over her choice to stop wearing her hijab.

Over the past year the “dejabbing” movement has gained notoriety in the media. “Dejabbing” is when a woman chooses to remove

her hijab (a headscarf). Muslim women wear the hijab when in public as a form of modesty. A hijab can cover a woman’s hair or it can be a niqab, which covers a woman’s entire head and face, leaving a rectangular opening for her eyes.

Every woman who chooses to “dejab” does so for unique and complex personal reasons. For Kibria, her controversial choice to stop wearing her hijab landed her in newspaper headlines.

Kibria started secretly wearing

UTMSU hosts Environment Week SANA HAQ

Last week UTMSU’s Ministry of Environment held Environment Week, an event aimed to educate UTM students about environmental issues.

The events ranged from Farmer’s Market on Tuesday, pumpkin carving and Green Arts on Wednesday, and a showing of the documentary Vanishing of the Bees on Thursday.

The event was held in the Student Centre, where tables were set up with fun and engaging activities.

The pumpkin carving event provided a festive opportunity to learn about the importance of organic food, as well as other healthy food options that do not harm the environment. Students could paint a “fruitful” portrait in hopes of getting in touch with their environmental side.

Dan Dicenzo, a third-year biophysics student and UTMSU VP University Affairs & Academics,

Beer and sex research UTM professor wins parody Nobel Prize Medium News, Page 2

Under occupation What the Occupy movement fails to recognize Medium Opinion, Page 4

Open Mic Night

EDWARD CAI/THE MEDIUM

VP University Affairs Dan Dicenzo and his only friend love the environment. worse is education and awareness described the event as a “stepping waste at UTM. “It’s the best way to provide the among youth. stone”. Environment Week pro“It is important to make sure moted environmental issues to youth with a proper understanding allow youth to engage in learning of the environment,” said Dicenzo. people are engaged within the isRegarding broader environmen- sues so they can work together in about what the Ministry of Environment has to offer. Campus tal issues like the climate-changing the future,” Dicenzo said.

Roots and Urban Agriculture also greenhouse gas emissions, Dicenparticipated in the event, promot- zo feels the first step in preventing ing ways to reduce the amount of the climate crisis from becoming Enviro continued on page 3

The Medium interviews the president of the Music Club Medium A&E, Page 5

Will we survive?

A scientist says the end is near for the human species Medium Features, Page 8

UTMAC visits Buffalo UTM students enjoy a trip to see the Buffalo Bills game Medium Sports, Page 11

2

«NEWS THE MEDIUM 10.17.2011

UTM professor awarded Ig Nobel Prize for beer and sex research Matthew Del Mei In 1983, Darryl Gwynne, a biology professor at UTM, wrote a research paper about Australian jewel beetles who were so determined to mate with beer bottles that they were willing to die trying. Twenty-eight years later, Gwynne and his partner David Rentz finally won an Ig Nobel Prize for their research.

The Ig Nobel Prizes are an American parody of the Nobel Prize, and is given out yearly to scientists whose research “first makes people laugh, and then makes people think”.

“It’s not a boring ceremony, with presentations and speeches. They try to have some fun with it,” Gwynne said. What Gwynne found particularly amusing were the acceptance speeches. The winners are given one minute to deliver a speech on being presented their award, and should they go over the time limit, the organizers have devised a clever way of getting them off the stage.

“They get a little eight-yearold girl to come up right beside you and she just starts yelling, ‘Please stop! I’m bored!’ ” Gwynne and Rentz decided

UTM.UTORONTO.CA/PHOTO

Professor Gwynne and his test subjects. to have some fun with the scenario. They purposely went over their time limit and when the little girl came up on stage, Rentz turned around and handed her a stuffed koala bear.

“We got a great bit of laughter and an extra few seconds,” Gwynne said.

When he first won the award, Gwynne received a lot of media coverage, something he hadn’t expected.

“That was a surprise to me.

I didn’t realize how such a lit-

tle story could cause so much press. I’ve done a lot of interviews and gotten a lot of attention,” Gwynne said. Still, he admits he doesn’t mind the attention, and says that the press coverage has allowed him to get back in touch with students, colleagues, and relatives he had not heard from in a while. He called it an “added bonus”.

One of the interviews Gwynne did was for Marketing and Communications at UTM, cur-

rently posted on UTM’s website. In the article, Gwynne is quoted: “I’m honoured, I think”—which he acknowledges was an attempt to be funny.

“I was being a bit facetious.

It’s actually a great honour. The Ig Nobel Prizes use humour to attract people’s attention, but also gets across an important message,” Gwynne said.

Gwynne’s research brings an important issue to light: the improper disposal of beer bottles is killing off this species of beetle. It also brings up an important point of sexual evolution.

“It’s a perfect example of Darwinian sexual selection.

Males are the only ones who make mating errors; females never do,” Gwynne said.

The Ig Nobel Prize has sustained several controversies in the past, with some scientists thinking that it belittles scientific work. Gwynne disagrees.

“It uses humour to attract people’s attention. Humour is so critical to get across an important message. The Ig Nobel Prize allows people outside of the scientific community to see what it is we actually do. It makes things accessible, which I think is so important.”

U of T receives top ranking Times continued from Cover Similarly to other university rankings, such as Newsweek, the method of analysis developed by THE relies heavily on research criteria.

In total, the research and citation categories amount to 60% of the total evaluation. Teaching quality of learning environment are weighted to count for 30%, industry income for 2.5%, and international outlook for 7.5%.

A table on the THE website and an iPhone app allow users to manipulate the weight of each category. This changes the rankings based on the individual priorities of the user.

The University of Toronto houses 18 faculties, schools, and institutions, and boasts the fourth-largest academic library in the world.

Eight other Canadian universities ranked among the top 200.

Alongside U of T, the University of British Columbia and McGill University placed in the top 50.

“Over the years, the Times Higher Education has consulted widely and strengthened their measurement systems with important innovations such as a survey of teaching and learning environments,” said David Naylor, president of U of T. “I am delighted to see our dedicated faculty, and those of many sister institutions, recognized for their inspiring teaching and world-leading research.”

U of T opens the India Innovation Institute LORI-LEE EMSHEY ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR Last Wednesday, the University of Toronto announced the opening of the India Innovation Institute, a think tank studying “frugal innovation”.

The India Innovation Institute is a joint venture between the Munk School of Global Affairs and the Rotman School of Business. The purpose of the Institute is to study India’s “frugal innovation”—the invention of products and services under economic constraints—and to apply those concepts in Canada and worldwide.

“Frugal innovation is a new management philosophy that integrates the needs of the people at the bottom of the pyramid and work backwards from there: strip down the products to their bare essentials and make them affordable,” explained Shashi Tharoor, a member of the India Nation Congress party and renowned writer, who spoke at the launch event.

Tharoor emphasized that he hoped the Institute would not just look at technical innovation, but creative, social, service, and political innovation.

Tharoor cautioned not to underestimate the power of creative innovation. “Yoga, an ancient Indian art, is now mushrooming around the world, adapting itself to Western taste,” he said. “There isn’t a small American town today without yoga class or a yoga clinic.”

Tharoor said he hopes the Institute does not take “innovation” too literally, so that all kinds of innovation can continue.

“We bring together [a collaboration] from engineering, medicine, law, arts, and social sciences to look at the processes of innovation, understand them better, and put them in a global perspective,” said Janie Stein, the director of the Munk School.

Stein said that while the Institute does not grant degrees, it is a place for researchers, students, academics, and post-doctorates from across the university to work on innovation.

“India is probably the leader of the world in frugal innovation. It’s an interesting concept for Canadians,” Stein said. She hopes the Canadian healthcare system can benefit from frugal innovation.

“We are about to renegotiate the health accord in 2014. It’s probably our biggest area of public expenditure. Think about a model that allows us to deliver services and devices that would be one twentieth of their current cost,” said Stein.

Dilip Soman, the inaugural director of the Institute, said he wants the venture to go beyond scientific and technical innovation. He would like to have ties with academic institutions in India, industry partners, governments, and policy boards.

Soman says the Institute is already involved in a keystone threeway biotechnology collaboration with Canada, India, and China, and is currently looking for new partners at U of T and globally.

The Institute is up and running, and Stein says that for innovation, “the timeline is now”.

Campus politics, clubs, pub nights, and more!

email: news@mediumutm.ca

10.17.2011 THE MEDIUM NEWS

Former UTM student sparks debate over hijab Dejab continued from Cover In 2007, Kibria was nominated to run as the NDP candidate in the provincial elections for Mississauga-Erindale. She hoped to become the first hijab-wearing woman to be a party representative, but votes fell short and Kibria lost to Harinder Takhar, the Liberal representative.

She wrote a children’s book, remarried, wrote for CBC Radio, and was an executive director at Islamic Relief Canada. She now works for the Service Employees International Union. Throughout all of her ventures she has remained an advocate of women’s rights and of Islam in Canada.

Kibria’s decision to “dejab” met with a dramatic response. The Toronto Star published an article on Kibria’s decision only hours after an article supporting women who wear the hijab went up on their website. The first article defended Muslim women’s choice to wear hijabs and niqabs as a way of identifying with their religion and as a form of empowerment.

This was not the situation for Kibria. She said she felt suffocated

and separated by the hijab, and that it failed to offer the identity, security, and truth it used to when she was a teenager. She became worried that her success—the interviews, the radio writing, the children’s book—had all been unfairly helped because she chose to, in a visible and unabashed way, identify herself as Muslim.

She felt suffocated and separated by the hijab, and it failed to offer the identity, security, and truth it used to when she was a teenager.

“Everyone knew me as a Muslim leader,” Kibria told The Toronto Star. “Every issue was not a ‘human’ issue, but a ‘Muslim’ issue.”

After more than 20 years, Kibria decided to abandon the politically, emotionally, and religiously charged hijab.

The worst criticism did not come from her employers, political supporters, or her mosque,

but from her family, friends, and personal advocates. Her Facebook was flooded with negative comments and denouncements of support after she made her decision public.

After the publication of the Toronto Star article, Kibria has declined to comment further on the matter.

“Dejabbing is a social and psychological phenomenon; it’s not necessarily a religious thing,” explained Imman Sarhan of the UTM Muslim Student Association.

“It’s not a new thing. I’m not sure why Shaila got so much attention. Whether she wears it or not shouldn’t affect her cause,” Sarhan said.

Sarhan, who wears the hijab every day, says that no one has ever “made comments”, adding, “UTM is a pretty open-minded campus.”

Nida Tariq, a member of the MSA, chooses not to wear a hijab.

She said that she has met with similar open-mindedness.

“I don’t wear it because I have certain religious goals I want to achieve before [that],” said Tariq.

“Whether [Kibria] wears it or not, it’s not our job to judge her.”

New faces on the Board of Directors The Board of Directors is responsible for overseeing financial matters and holding UTMSU accountable.

Directors become members of various committees at UTMSU. These committees include a voicing committee, a clubs committee, a finance committee, and an organizational, development, and services committee.

According to Cassar, these various committees work on specific functions of the Students’ Union, and it is the responsibility of each new member of the Board of Directors to affiliate themselves with at least one of those committees and their specific functions.

It is expected that the newly elected Board of Directors will make themselves available to students through office hours

and other means, such as social media, and are expected to take part in campaigns. Cassar stressed the need to adopt policies regarding greater disclosure of information to the Board of Directors and students in order to make the institution more transparent and accountable, and to have policies in place that increase the responsibilities of the Board of Directors.

“The major objectives for this year, knock on wood: if I had to narrow it down, I would say Student Centre expansion, leaning for academic policy reform, such as issues around dropping a course, and other concerns students have raised, such as having to pay for their final exams and not having clear indication of how their marks are broken down and compiled, and other academic issues. And [all this] generally and organically,

through the Ministry of University Affairs and Academics,” Cassar said.

“We’ve also been very active on engaging the students, we’ve seen our volunteers grow, and we’ve seen our ministries become very active,” Cassar notes.

“We’ve been very successful at attracting student participation.”

One of the main things Cassar hopes the candidates will achieve is shining a more positive light on UTMSU, and to be more helpful to students by making things more open to students and ensuring that are aware of what UTMSU has to offer them in terms of funding for programs, students, and clubs. Lastly, he emphasizes the need for students to get more involved.

“The Students’ Union is what you make it,” Cassar said.

Woman with transient global amnesia loses memory after sex

McGuinty discusses adding more seats in Ottawa for Ontario

Sex blows minds—literally. The Journal of Emergency Medicine reported a case of a woman losing her memory after having sex. Transient global amnesia affects 3 to 5 people per 100,000 each year. Doctors don’t know what causes memory loss., but it seems to be tied to significant physical or emotional experiences. Depending on the experience, losing your memory from sex may not be such a bad thing.

Source: Live Science

Board continued from Cover

»

3

»What do you do for the Environment?

Ceren 2nd year, Political Science

Kayvan Alumnus, still studying

[Big sigh] “Hmm... Well, I don’t recyle... Oh! I recycle paper all the time.”

“I’m all for the environment. Don’t idle your car.

Send love to the trees!”

Rhita 2nd year, CCIT/Politics

Thomas 4th year, Computer Science

“I don’t really do anything. I still buy bottled water.”

“I print double-sided...

Although I drive a car that kills a lot of gas.”

Language department brings its communities together The Department of Language Studies held the Annual Awards Reception and Music Gala on Friday, September 30 in the CCIT. The event kicked off with greeting and salutations from professor and department chair Michael Lettieri, UTM’s vice-president Amy Mullin, and Anjeza Rexha, the president of the Language Studies Academic Society.

“Life does not come in subtitles, and this is where we come in to ensure that we all can understand each other,” said Lettieri.

Prior to 2003, UTM only offered French, German, and Italian languages to its student body, with occasional Slovakian and Russian courses. However, as the student demographics changed, the department felt the need to

expand the variety of languages.

Lettieri took pride in noting that the language department has since expanded to also offer courses in Chinese, Hindi, Spanish, Persian, and Urdu. They also teach Latin, Sanskrit, and experimental and theoretical linguistics.

“These are the areas of emphasis that distinguish our language studies, and I feel that their synergy places our department really among the nation’s very best in the field,” Lettieri said.

Last year, UTM officially changed the name of the Department of French, German, and Italian Studies to the Department of Language Studies. The languages offered were all combined into one umbrella department which included new courses, including Modern Chinese.

Occupy Rome protest turns violent

NYC restaurant puts Saddam Hussein’s plates to good use

Woman attacks exboyfriend’s house with sword, is arrested

Harper and McGuinty met on Friday to discuss the economy, health care, and adding more Ontario MPs in the federal legislature. Liberal McGuinty won a third minority government in the October 6 Ontario provincial elections. Due to population growth, McGuinty hopes to add another 18 to 19 MPs to the 106 seats Ontario holds in Ottawa.

On Saturday, violent protests against stark economic inequalities took place in Rome. Masked protesters changed the tone of a peaceful demonstration by setting cars on fire and breaking windows. The protest was part of the Occupy movement originating on Wall Street. “They [the radicals] must be condemned by everyone without reservation,” said prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.

The Avenue Autumn restaurant in New York City is serving meals on gold-plated dishes from Saddam Hussein’s palaces. “As symbols of the past, they represent the rich and complicated history of a place long misunderstood by its invaders,” the restaurant owner said.

The meal, called “Spoils”, includes venison topped with date syrup.

Police arrested 49-year-old Toni Jo Silvey after she stalked her exboyfriend and damaging his house.

Silvey allegedly called her ex over 1,000 times and broke the windows of his home with a sword. “I must admit, it is true: revenge is a dish best served cold. Am I a woman scorned? You betcha,” Silvey wrote in a blog post.

Source: Toronto Star

Source: Reuters

Source: Fox

Source: Huffington Post

JEROME JOHNSON

»

4

10.17.2011

MEDIUM OPINION Editor-in-Chief » Michael Di Leo

A city under occupation When I was at the Occupy Bay Street demonstration this past Saturday, I watched as two protestors, clearly affected by the cold, stepped into a nearby Starbucks and then emerged with a couple of pumpkin spice lattes. As they made their way back into the fray, all the while denouncing the evils of capitalism, I couldn’t help but think of the extraordinary statement they were making. Apart from the obvious hypocrisy of the situation, I think it shed light on an important aspect of our society and why many criticisms of the Occupy movement are right on point.

I would like to start by making clear that I do believe that the current state of affairs of our society is unacceptable. Bailouts, bonuses,

and all-time-high profits during a time of high unemployment, widespread debt, and the greatest divide in wealth ever seen is wrong, to say the least. Everyone can agree that something needs to change. Exactly what, however, remains unclear.

The Occupy movement that began on Wall Street in New York City is a good example of this confusion. It has spread to hundreds of cities across the globe, demanding a great many things. The protestors want jobs, money, and health insurance. They would like their tuition paid, as well as such vague requests as “freedom” and “peace”.

The movement has captivated the media: Is this the next Tea Party?

What do they want? What will happen next? Tune in at 11…

The only common theme among the protestors (from what I could tell) was their stance against capitalism—the originator of corporate greed. Which begs the question: How does one make a stand against capitalism while simultaneously contributing to it as a member of our society? The two who stepped into Starbucks are representative of the rest of the protestors—and, for that matter, the rest of the population—who oppose bank bailouts and outrageous bonuses. Yet no one seems interested in looking at how we have all contributed to the problem we now face.

I think the protesters are, unfortunately, combining a general sense of entitlement with very little sense of what’s actually needed to ac-

complish their goals and what their own role is in solving the problem.

It’s one thing to express your discontent, but another thing entirely to rage against the system you so willingly contribute to.

That said, I believe that the movement is an excellent opportunity for democracy in action. The conversation it has opened (belatedly, considering that the recession began three years ago) will speak volumes about our current state. I hope that somewhere in the confused mess of slogans and ideologies we can find a solution that is both fair and realistic. I hope that the protestors will come to understand that they continue to participate in the very same system they now fight against and that

they realize that the bad guys aren’t necessarily those who work on Bay Street (a majority of whom, like the protestors, are just trying to make a living). Only then can constructive change occur.

Philosopher Slavoj Žižek spoke recently about Occupy Wall Street.

“They tell you we are dreamers. The true dreamers are those who think things can go on indefinitely the way they are,” he said—and, perhaps more importantly, added that unless the protestors remember why they’re there, the protest will lose its meaning.

YOURS, MICHAEL DI LEO

Hello, I just want to get a notice out to other students about UTM’s nature element! We hear a lot about how environmental we are. But how many of us actually know what it has to offer in concrete terms? Not feeling good as in “I saved a tree”, but feeling good as in “I’m among trees”? As far as I know, UTM has three easily accessible nature areas.

Level 1: The Pond, south of the Davis Building. Or as I still call it, the South Building. There are a couple of places to walk down and look out over it. True, it’s beside a parking lot, which is not really part of nature. But it’s actually kind of scenic, especially at night.

And the geese seem to like it.

Level 2: Oldfield. Even further south, past the parking lot, there’s a broken part of the fence and a little path that joins a trail in the

MEDIUM II PUBLICATIONS 3359 Mississauga Road, Room 200, Student Centre, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6 Phone: 905.828.5260

woods. (So apparently you’re supposed to take the long way around, which opens nearer to the Alumni House, not the shortcut. Whatever…) Down the trail is a nice open field, and at the other end a gazebo and a Bridge Over the River Credit. Try sitting there and doing your reading, before winter, anyway. But go even further and you get to Oldfield, which has a lot of walking space, a long gravel trail for hiking on one side, and on the other side, a playground and a beautiful old church.

Level 3: UTM Nature Trail. And Lislehurst. This time, go north of the North Building, which still has a name that tells you where it is on the map. A bit down the road, you’ll see a paved road that goes into the woods and a sign for “Lislehurst”. Along this there are a few spaces where you can sit on the grass or a bench, and it doesn’t feel like our campus at all. There’s even

another small pond (decorative) with a stone bridge over it. Perfect for sitting and reading. Or doing cheesy photoshoots. That’s not the end of it, though. At the end of the road is a narrow trail beside a sign that says UTM Nature Trail. At a reasonable pace it takes half an hour to walk, and if you take your time maybe an hour. It goes right through the dark woods, is pretty rough in some places, goes awfully close to the steep chasm—and is really beautiful. You can leave it at an emergency exit that comes out near Davis or you can keep going until you arrive at the other side of Oldfield… an added bonus!

These are great little spots of nature on a campus that keep getting more technologically advanced, so take advantage of them before it gets too cold, and keep them in mind for spring! You’re welcome!

Kelly Ibsen

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michael Di Leo editor@mediumutm.ca

ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR Isaac Owusu Michelle Duklas

AD MANAGER Victor Dri ads@mediumutm.ca

NEWS EDITOR Stefanie Marotta news@mediumutm.ca

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Edward Cai photos@mediumutm.ca

A&E EDITOR Nives Hajdin arts@mediumutm.ca

DESIGN EDITOR Rebecca Arboly

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Amir Ahmed, Matthew Butler, Victoria Dolliver, Paul Donaghue, Jerome Johnson, Lysan Sequeira, Sviatoslav Romaniuk

ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR Colleen Munro FEATURES EDITOR Larissa Ho features@mediumutm.ca SPORTS EDITOR Christopher Callahan sports@mediumutm.ca

COREY BELFORD/THE MEDIUM

Nature on campus

COPY EDITOR Luke Sawczak copy@mediumutm.ca WEBMASTER Gary Li DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Gurami Lomidze

COMPLAINTS Comments, concerns or complaints about The Medium’s content should be directed to the Editor-in-Chief who can be located at the email address above.

COPYRIGHT All content printed in The Medium is the sole property of its creators, & 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.

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, violence or letters that are racist, homophobic, sexist or libelous will not be published. Anonymous letters will not be published.

10.17.2011

«

5

MEDIUM A&E Editor » Nives Hajdin

Music club gets jammin’ the club is only open to those who are musically gifted, and no, it is not.

The club is an opportunity for talent of every kind and level to not only improve their skills but showcase their talent at different events. Being the only music-related club on campus, the goal is to support UTM talent and provide the student body a platform to support their music aspirations.

ARISTOTLE ELIOPOULOS ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR Last Friday, the UTM Music Club held their first Open Mic Night of the semester. The event, held at the Blind Duck Pub, showcased a variety of student musicians and provided a space for students to hear some local talent. The club’s president, Nilabjo Banerjee, talked to The Medium afterwards about the event, UMC’s plans for the year ahead, and his love of Switchfoot.

TM: What’s getting a lot of play in your iTunes or iPod right now? Who would be your dream artist(s) to collaborate with?

The Medium: How does UTM Music Club prepare for an Open Mic Night event? What are some of the things you try to keep in mind?

Nilabjo Banerjee: UMC prepares for an Open Mic Night like most of our events: we set our dates early in the semester and plan out the roles of each executive in the club. Usually, two to three weeks before the show we notify our members of the event and that they can sign up to participate through an online link we provide. Once we get our performers, we create the event setlist, then ask the performers to let us know what they need for their own set. On the day of the show, we usually head to Long & McQuade for any additional equipment that we may need. While we do prep extensively, I feel the most important part of the show is the soundcheck beforehand, in which we have the performers come in an hour early to test their equipment and mic levels; it’s the only way to make sure everything runs smoothly, and it’s the only way to make sure the fun isn’t ruined by technical difficulties.

TM: How do you feel the night went? Were there any highlight performances that you felt the crowd responded well to?

Edward Cai/The Medium

NB: Overall, the night went extremely well. We have a superb sound team that not only made sure everything ran smoothly but that the event ended on time. It’s really hard to give credit to one act. All the performers did well, and the crowd loved them.

I mean, just as an example, Sterling Carter and her friend Jeffrey rapped their own lyrics to a remix track of Kid Cudi’s “Day ’n’ Night”. It was one of those creative moments that I really love to see when we have events like this. Another act that definitely caught the attention of the crowd was Nash Marques’ performance. Nash covered a few songs that I heard one girl say “made her hearts melt.” We also got to see some groovy guitar playing from Uriel Romero, and some classic covers of Jimi Hendrix

by Julien Falcone. Those are the types of performances that create a great atmosphere and mood. Yang played Nocturne on piano, and we also had some great original stuff

performed by two of UMC’s executives Andrew and Michael—as well as a great vocal and guitar performance from James Murray. Nothing was off limits and there was so much variety. I loved them all!

TM: What other events does UTM Music Club plan to hold throughout the year, and how can students get involved?

NB: UMC has a plethora of upcoming events that students and members can get involved in. We have Open Mics, similar to this event, on the second Friday of every month. The performances are limited to UMC members, but anyone can be in attendance and support their friends. We also have an Annual Charity Dinner, where we raise money for United Way. This year, our theme is holidays. Our plan is to encourage music centred not just on Christmas, but holidays around the

world. Our goal is to showcase diversity of talent among our club members. We will be holding auditions for them shortly. Also, every Friday, we host jam sessions in room 250 of the Student Centre from 1 to 5 [p.m.].

This is where members can drop by and just rock out! We also have ongoing guitar and vocal workshops, open to members, that provide lessons in singing and playing guitar.

Right now, because of overwhelming response, the workshops are limited to members this semester; however, we will have more spots next semester. So, if someone is interested, non-members can still sign up for membership and register for a spot next year.

TM: Can anyone be a part of the UTM Music Club? What does the club look for in new members?

NB: Anyone can be a member. We do get tons of emails wondering if

NB: Oh, that is a great question.

When it comes to iPod play, I hate to be cliché, but I listen to a very diverse list of muscians. Right now, I have the new Switchfoot album on repeat, but I’ve been shuffling in some Skrillex and Porter Robinson. I also like to mellow out to this great folk band called Civil Wars.

If I were to collaborate with someone for a song, my dream would be Jon Foreman from Switchfoot. In addition to being gifted with a great voice, his lyrics have a sense of honesty and vulnerability. He is one of my favourite songwriters... like, ever!

It would be a dream come true to be in the same room as him. Can you make that happen? Please.. pretty please?

Nilabjo is the president of the UTM Music Club. By becoming a member of UMC, you get access to the club’s Open Mic events, vocal and guitar workshops, weekly jam sessions, and the opportunity to network with other musicians and music enthusiasts on campus. Drop by their office in room 231 of the Student Centre, or find out more about UMC on Facebook (facebook.com/umcmusic), on Twitter (twitter.com/umcmusic) or by email (music@utmsu.ca).

An alternative end for rock legends MATTHEW LONG

Last month, legendary rock band R.E.M. announced on their website that they were “calling it a day as a band”. They did so not in feud or tragedy, but in the collective agreement that it was the right time. For lead singer Michael Stipe, “The skill in attending a party is knowing when it’s time to leave.” Unceremoniously, the band posted the announcement on their website, concluding the legacy of the 31-year-old band that changed rock music forever.

It was R.E.M. who laid the foundation for the college/alternative rock

scene. Throughout the 1980s their popularity grew, but their records showed no musical compromise.

Infinitely influential to their peers and utterly unlike anything else at the time, they developed a cult following until 1987’s hit “The One I Love” ushered them into the mainstream.

The ’90s brought even greater success, culminating in the hugely popular album Automatic for the People—including the song “Man on the Moon”, which gave its name to the famous film for which they wrote the soundtrack. The second half of their career was more turbulent than the first, but little can be said to argue for or against the overall timeless

quality of their music.

The albums are eternal, but the biggest loss is R.E.M. as a live act. I had the pleasure of seeing them in 2008. Two bands, whose existence and musical journey would have been wholly different without R.E.M, opened: Modest Mouse and The National. Each of the acts arguably represented a peak in alternative music for their respective decade: the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. The younger bands played positively stunning sets, but R.E.M. still came out on top that night.

It’s a shame that audiences will never experience another R.E.M. show. Stipe was a wonder to see in

action. The show was revelatory for a casual fan, as I somewhat was. For serious fans, it just answered a question that there was no sense in asking. The excellent songwriting gelled with the great performances of all the musicians, forever bringing the music to life.

The band has not announced future plans, but this will almost certainly not be the last we hear from these talented musicians. However, as long as Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, and bassist Mike Mills are alive, R.E.M. could always reform. The last decade has seen far more reclusive bands and artists return (thank you, Jeff Mangum). Even bands that broke

up decades ago are reuniting, ready to claim their deserved respect (here’s looking at you, Pixies). One cannot lose faith that one day the world will see another R.E.M. show. Rock and roll has a way of never fully letting go.

For myself, this retirement hasn’t yet conjured the feelings of loss I would once have associated with it.

By all accounts, the band is still on friendly terms. A few years is a long time, and a band of 31 years must be hard to give up forever. So we’ll have to wait and see if this disbanding is final, or if it is only a break. For now, discover, rediscover, or remain locked in that R.E.M. groove. You’re in good hands.

6

«ARTS THE MEDIUM

10.17.2011

Shakespeare and beyond In addition to Stratford’s annual Shakespeare Festival, there are numerous other performances on the bill that are certain to entertain and provoke COLLEEN MUNRO ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR In terms of cultural attractions in Canada, it doesn’t get much more prestigious than the Stratford Festival. Held annually in scenic Stratford, Ontario, it’s the most well-known theatre festival in Canada.

Mixing traditional Shakespearean theatre with more modern fare, the festival always manages to bring in the top-level stage actors. Christopher Plummer starred in the festival’s production of The Tempest last year, and this year the Stratford Festival offers several Canadian and international acting heavyweights to the lineup.

Over the course of a weekend, I had the fortune to take in two very different plays at Stratford. The first was Camelot, the well-known stage musical based on the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

Full of lighthearted musical numbers and melodramatic ballads, it’s likely to leave you humming songs such as “Camelot” and “Fie on Goodness!” long after the actors take their final bows.

Held at the impressive and aptly named Festival Theatre (the newer of Stratford’s two venues), Camelot is performed “in the round” (i.e., the stage is semicircular and allows seating from many angles). This allows the audience to feel more immersed in the action on stage, and director Gary Griffin makes good use of the 180-degree audience view. The main feature of the set is a large tree set on a cir-

canoe.ca

Not a very happy home in The Homecoming. cular track. The tree doesn’t move often, but when it does, it’s impressive to see King Arthur circling the stage up in his perch. The actors also move (and often dance) around the stage frequently, so any seat in the house has a good view.

The love-triangle plot of Camelot is a familiar one, and it becomes the actors’ job to come up with a fresh take on characters that the audience knows so well. Leading man Geraint Wyn Davies makes for a King Arthur full of pathos, and Kaylee Harwood brings plenty of humour to the stage as the hilariously self-absorbed Guinevere. But it was Canadian stage veteran Brent Carver who stole the show, playing both Merlin and King Pellinore. Carver has over 30 movie and television credits to his name, and he won the Best Actor Tony award in

1993 for his role in Kiss of the Spider Woman. Here, Carver plays the doddering old king; every time he tottered onto the stage, he added an extra spark to the performance. Mike Nadajewski is also a standout and received goodnatured boos from the audience during the curtain call for his villainous turn as Mordred.

Camelot offers a fun, beautifully costumed take on a traditional story, but if you’re looking for something a little less accessible, try Harold Pinter’s The Homecoming. It will certainly leave you with a lot to think about.

Staged at the Avon Theatre, The Homecoming is set in post-WWII England and it tells the story of a highly dysfunctional family. When the eldest of three sons, Teddy, comes back to visit his father and brothers af-

UTM walls & stalls aren’t the right canvas.

Keep your campus beautiful!

Report graffiti at www.utm.utoronto.ca/graffiti and we’ll start removal within two working days.

This ad space donated as a community service by The Medium.

ter six years, he brings his wife, whom the rest of the family doesn’t know exists. Needless to say, things don’t go smoothly when a woman is introduced into a household of backwards, intensely sheltered men. The play is often darkly funny and isn’t afraid to push boundaries, and it takes an unexpected descent into even stranger territory during its second act.

Luckily, The Homecoming has some top-notch actors to back up its cast of uniformly unlikeable characters. Not the least of them is Brian Dennehy, who plays the family patriarch, Max. Dennehy has appeared in dozens of movies, including The Next Three Days, Romeo + Juliet, Tommy Boy, and this past weekend’s new release, The Big Year. He has also won two Tony awards for his performances in Death of a Salesman and Long Day’s Journey

into Night. Here, he plays a verbally abusive old coot whose behaviour becomes increasingly bizarre as the play progresses. His performance is simultaneously repulsive and spellbinding, culminating in a dramatic final scene that showcases what a truly fantastic actor Dennehy is.

Other standouts in the small cast include Ian Lake as the Brando-esque youngest son who has just as much insecurity as swagger, and Aaron Krohn, who plays the salacious middle son (and seems to have borrowed his accent from Russell Brand).

But while the acting may take centre stage in this psychological drama, it’s certainly not all that The Homecoming has to offer. The set design creates a very effective, grungy atmosphere. The set is just a family room with stairs leading up to an unseen second level and a front door and windows, but what starts off as a nice but nondescript common room soon feels oppressive. As we see some of what takes place in that room (and imagine what else could have happened in days gone by), the audience begins to hate it just as much as Max does.

It’s challenging to grasp what exactly Pinter was trying to say with The Homecoming, as it’s left open to interpretation, but it’s a fascinating play nonetheless.

The performances run until October 30. Online tickets are available for a newly reduced price for the rest of the 2011 season. Visit stratfordfestival.ca for more details.

Hollywood eyes Toronto for filming ANDREW BOGATEK

Have you ever watched a movie or TV show and wondered where it was filmed?

What if it was filmed right in your hometown? Today, residents of the GTA are noticing just that. Perhaps surprisingly, although the Toronto International Film Festival wrapped up last month, other various film and television productions are beginning their principal photography shoots in the GTA. In the last decade, hundreds of big-budget film and TV productions have come all the way from Hollywood to shoot in our backyard.

Recognizable films that have been shot in Toronto include the Resident Evil films, Silent Hill, Cinderella Man, the Dawn of the Dead remake, all seven Saw movies, RED, Scott Pilgrim vs.

The World, Kick-Ass, and even X-Men. Some television shows also shot here include Lost Girl, Being Erica, and Flashpoint.

Films and shows currently being shot in Toronto include

the $200-million remake of Total Recall starring Colin Farrell and Jessica Biel, the second season of Nikita and the fifth instalment of the Resident Evil film franchise, Resident Evil: Retribution.

So what is it that drives big-budget Hollywood productions to Toronto? The answer is simple: tax credits. Because it is cheaper to shoot television and movie productions here in Canada, it comes as no surprise that Hollywood is gearing up to shoot several of their new productions here. In fact, Vancouver has already been named “Hollywood North” because it too offers tax credits and large production spaces.

While Vancouver is number one for extensive major film shoots, Toronto is now in second place for providing large studios with filming, tax credits, and open space for on-location filming.

The majority of film productions shot in Toronto take place at Pinewood Studios and Cinespace Film Studios, both located in the east end of the city.

10.17.2011 THE MEDIUM A&E

»

7

Klosterman returns with new novel COLLEEN MUNRO ASSOCIATE A&E EDITOR Chuck Klosterman is a writer who’s made a living on his observant and often self-centred memoirs, journalistic pieces, and essays. It all started with 2001’s Fargo Rock City, which was part memoir (based on Klosterman’s experiences growing up in smalltown North Dakota) and part heavy metal history lesson. From there, he became a writer and editor for Spin magazine and he’s since published four more works of non-fiction. And for a writer who’s so focussed on the now of popular culture, fiction might not seem like a natural fit.

But in 2008, Klosterman released his first novel, Downtown Owl. And though the three intertwining narratives in the novel are fictional, it’s easy to spot the influence from Klosterman’s own life. Most notably, the novel is set in small-town North Dakota in the mid-1980s (the time of Klosterman’s youth), and popular culture references permeate the whole novel.

However, Klosterman’s latest novel, The Visible Man, is something of a departure. The novel is set in present-day Texas, and it tells the story of a therapist, Vicky, and an especially strange client who she encounters. The Visible Man poses as the draft for a book that Vicky is writing about her client, who she refers to only as “Y____”. Y____ comes to Vicky under initially conventional

circumstances, but he proves to be an uncooperative patient. However, his strange behaviour is soon explained when he reveals to Vicky that he has created a skin-tight suit that allows him to become nearly invisible to everyone around him. And not only has he created this suit, he uses it to break into the homes of unwitting singletons to observe their behaviour.

If this sounds like a creepy premise for a book, that’s probably because it is... sort of. Y____ claims that he doesn’t spy on people for cheap thrills, but merely to see how others behave when they think they are truly alone. Y____ discovers some pretty interesting things in the process, which he relays to Vicky in their therapy sessions.

Klosterman depicts the lives of the lonely people that Y____ encounters in such detail and with such honesty that it’s impossible not to get invested in their lives, even just for the short time that Y____ observes them.

Klosterman has always been good at pinpointing what makes people tick, and here he offers up some of the most profound, funny, and oddly moving observations on human behaviour of his career.

Klosterman is not a flowery prose writer, yet he comes up with many elegantly crafted sentences in The Visible Man. He’s also known for often expressing his ideas in purposefully twisty, contradictory ways—a manner that annoys some critics—but he keeps the stylized writing techniques

at a minimum here and leaves the syntax refreshingly uncluttered.

But while it’s packed with interesting ideas, The Visible Man is a novel that takes a while to get going.

Klosterman spends a lot of time recounting the unfruitful early therapy sessions between Vicky and Y____. And because Vicky is the narrator of the story, the reader is subjected to several tedious passages of her pondering whether or not Y____ is telling the truth about his ability to become invisible. In real life, a person would obviously have enormous doubts about Y____’s claims, so it’s admirable that Klosterman is going for realism, even with such a ludicrous premise. But from an entertainment perspective, the reader knows that Y____ using the suit and observing people will become the crux of the novel, and all of Vicky’s initial fretting just feels like a hurdle to get to the “real” story.

While there is no conventional plot for the majority of the novel, Klosterman adds a strange narrative shift in the last third of the book. Without giving too much away, Y____’s ability begins to cause problems for several characters. Of course, when the writer introduces a character who can turn invisible, certain issues are going to come up with that, but the way that the last act unfolds feels out of place in an otherwise meditative story. Some of the interesting ideas about loneliness that Klosterman explored earlier on

bookpeople.com

fall by the wayside. This by no means ruins the book, and it’s not a horrible ending; it just feels a little strange.

While it may not be entirely successful, The Visible Man is a fascinating and engrossing read. Though some readers may be put off by its faux non-fiction format or the farfetched premise, Klosterman makes his insightful observations easy to grasp. His narrative is layered enough to provoke some serious thought, but

THIS SPACE

COULD BE

YOURS. Advertise with The Medium email ads@mediumutm.ca

it’s not so deeply philosophical as to put off the average reader. Anyone who enjoys Klosterman’s previous work should add The Visible Man to their reading list, and fans of writers such as Miranda July and Dave Eggers will probably also find a lot to like.

It won’t be for everyone, but those who are willing to try something different are in for a fascinating, if occasionally frustrating, treat.

MMMM

8

« 10.17.2011

MEDIUM FEATURES Editor » Larissa Ho

Will humans become extinct?

Emily Acheson ASsociate features editor Humans are unusually gifted at causing the extinction of species. Fossil record studies show that the rate of extinctions in the human era is 100 to 1000 times higher than that in any fossil record before us. Humans have even caused diseases to become extinct, with the eradication of smallpox in 1979 and of the ruthless bovine disease Rinderpest in 2010. But could humans be next?

Many scientists think so.

Professor Frank Fenner of the Australian National University predicts that humans will be extinct in 100 years. Dr. Fenner, professor emeritus of microbiology, helped eliminate smallpox.

The 95-year-old has vast experience in the study of extinction and its causes. He believes humans are creating the perfect cir-

cumstance for disaster through unsustainable deforestation, resource consumption, and most importantly, procreation.

“It’s an irreversible situation,” says Fenner. “I think it’s too late.”

He adds, “I try not to express that, because people are trying to do something—but they keep putting it off.”

Global problems already cause a lot of worry. Over 80% of global land biodiversity lies in Earth’s forests, and they also help absorb carbon dioxide emissions; since 1960, humans have destroyed over one fifth of the Earth’s forests, and the remaining forests continue to fall. Meanwhile, forest burning and clearing, which contribute to carbon dioxide emissions, continue to rise.

Another source of worry is water supply. Earth has plenty of saltwater, but little freshwater to support the population. Many

scientists predict that future wars will not be over issues like weapons of mass destruction. They will be over freshwater. Canada holds 20% of the Earth’s freshwater, and has the highest freshwater count for any country in the world. As a result, Canada already feels pressure to export its water to other countries in need, such as the United States.

The greatest worry for Fenner is our population’s uncontrolled growth rates. The planet is running out of room for what will be 7 billion people by the end of 2011, forecasted to reach 8 billion by 2025.

Some argue that the world can fit more people, and it can. However, the question is not whether or not Earth can fit more people on the planet, but whether we can provide enough resources and shelter to each person.

Our current situation reminds

Fenner of the cautionary story of the Easter Islanders. The Easter Islanders were an isolated Polynesian people who, through unsustainable resource use, overtaxed their supply and nearly decimated their entire population of 15,000. This small human population serves as a symbol of the importance of environmental conservation.

“Climate change is just at the very beginning,” says Dr. Fenner.

“But we’re seeing remarkable changes in the weather already.”

Dr. Fenner does not say why he predicts exactly 100 years.

Perhaps his extensive knowledge of other extinction rates has led him to calculate our supposed fate using current statistics. Or maybe it’s just a guess. Either way, the human population continues to skyrocket, forests continue to be cut down at an irreplaceable rate, and freshwater

demand is already peaking in many countries.

Yet some scientists remain optimistic.

Professor Stephen Boyden, a colleague of Dr. Fenner, says, “Frank may well be right, but some of us still harbour the hope that there will come about an awareness of the situation and, as a result, the revolutionary changes necessary to achieve ecological sustainability.”

For some, it’s the fate of the Earth that’s worrying. But scientists note that over the billions of years of Earth’s existence, the planet has encountered warming more extreme than our own, it has encountered global freezing that left much of the planet under sheets of ice, and it has seen meteors, solar flares, and violent global weather shifts. The Earth will be fine. It’s our fate that remains to be seen.

Environmental awareness at UTM YARA MATAR In recent years, the importance of respecting, maintaining, and preserving the environment has been in the spotlight. Many companies and institutions are trying to become more eco-friendly, including UTM. Our campus has been involved in several projects and campaigns that support the environmental cause.

“Grow smart, grow green” is our official environmental motto, and many of us have invested a great deal of time and effort into raising environmental awareness in our campus community. Last March, Water Awareness Week was launched to raise awareness about water consumption and the privatization of water on campus. UTMSU worked with the UTM Green Team and the Ministry of Environment to launch a week of events and activities that focussed on what has been called the “world water crisis”. The week’s events included a public lecture by Dr. Harvey Shear on freshwater issues in Mexico, a documentary screening of Flow: For the Love of Water by Irena Salina, and a highly publicized Bottle-Free Day. March 10 of this year also marked a special occasion: vending machines were

cleared of water bottles and food outlets kept from selling bottled water. Bottle-Free Day motivated our campus to become entirely bottle-free, so for those of us who haven’t noticed yet, there’s a reason the Meeting Place and the Instructional Centre (among other food outlets on campus) don’t sell water bottles.

Another important environmental campaign at UTM is the 20-minute Campus Cleanup. Last spring, Deep Saini, UTM’s vice president and principal, organized a “Spring Cleaning”. Saini and other members of the UTM community cleaned some areas on campus, encouraging student awareness of littering. With the environment at heart and a garbage bag in hand, Saini and the other volunteers spent a short yet meaningful amount of time picking up water bottles and plastic bags (among other sorts of litter, of course). This initiative was another great way to help the environment.

The Green Team is another example that shows how dedicated UTM is to being eco-friendly. Operated by the Environmental Affairs Office, the Green Team is a group of students who make the environment number one on their to-do

lists. Members of the Green Team contribute by making posters, raising awareness, and managing ecofriendly projects around the UTM campus. The collaboration not only motivates its own members to devote their time and effort to saving the environment, it also promotes the cause to other UTM students.

After all, we’re more likely to join such initiatives if we see them in the words and actions of our friends.

It’s pretty clear that the UTM community is taking important steps towards making our campus more eco-friendly. In addition to water awareness and campus cleanups, other eco-friendly projects include seasonal tree-planting, nature walks, and hand dryers in place of paper towels (in the newer buildings, at least).

Are all these means effective?

Certainly. We should support all these projects because they help save the environment that we live in, and if we don’t help keep our environment clean, no one will. We now have water and litter covered, but what about all the cigarette stubs outside Davis? We should consider finding a solution for that. Also, it may be time for those paper towel dispensers to go from the washrooms in the old buildings.

 features@mediumutm.ca

»

10.17.2011 THE MEDIUM FEATURES

9

Upped security at the Who do we have to thank?

Instructional Centre Thanksgiving may be over, but how did it begin? darren savage Our campus is unique. If you have ever been here in the early morning, you know that an eerie sense of isolation punctuates the otherwise friendly atmosphere. The silence, perhaps a welcome change to some, can be oddly unnerving. There is sometimes a strange sensation of being watched, almost as if you’re under surveillance.

Never is this more apparent than in the brand-new, state-of-the-art Instructional Centre. With 18 cameras in total, security guards, and computerized locks on all classroom doors, the newest structure on campus evokes the spirit of the most unnervingly attentive watcher of all: Big Brother.

The technology, especially in its relation security, can seem like a bit much. However, at the current rate of expansion, preparing for the future may not be such a bad thing. “There is definitely an increased police presence,” says Special Constable Len Paris, a manager with Campus Police Services.

“Because of the amount of new equipment, I wanted to make sure that the officers made extra checks to ensure that the building is secure [and] people are safe, and to make sure that persons have left the building after it closes,” he says. These are preventative measures that are currently under evaluation.

Regardless of what effect the security has on the space, one thing is certain about the campus’ newest addition: it’s different. A space built on modern technology and environmental awareness, the Instructional Centre is modern and stylish as well as futuristic and forward-looking. It

is a fitting monument to the transition UTM is going through. One of many infrastructure projects on campus, the IB building came with a $70-million price tag. It is the product of a $35-million injection from the Knowledge Infrastructure Plan (KIP), a substantial $2-billion component in Canada’s Economic Action Plan. Similar government subsidies, such as the ones for the recently announced $52.5-million upgrades to the Davis and North buildings, illustrate the rate of growth and development on the Mississauga campus.

In October 2009, Tony Clement, a former Peel politician and the current Industry Minister, spoke of the progressive steps taken at UTM: “At one time, this campus was almost an adjunct to the downtown University of Toronto, but no more… We’re building for growth and it’s going to be a place for research and instruction.”

The remarkable 12,000 sq. ft. Instructional Centre includes a 500seat auditorium, a 350-seat lecture theatre, 25 classrooms, computer labs, and individual student study spaces. That extra room makes a big difference on a small campus that currently provides service to around 12,000 students.

But for some, the larger classrooms are difficult to adjust to. Roxanne Vieira, a fourth-year English and history major, finds the new building intimidating: “I prefer smaller classes.

It’s a lot more intimate. You become good friends with the students in the class and you actually get to know your professor. It’s not so intimidating when you have a smaller class.”

Security continued on page 10

Luke’s Languages 1: Prescriptive/descriptive—I, uh, COULD care less Luke Sawczak “Prescriptive and descriptive?

Sounds like you’re trying to teach me something!”

(Well, briefly, okay? Go make some popcorn if it’s that bad.)

Basically, whenever people have written seriously about language, they either try to say what’s correct (prescriptive), or what it is (descriptive). Hopefully you have some strong opinions about this.

If you don’t yet, here are some points against prescriptivism. It’s had such famous moments as calling non-standard dialects “corrupt”, forming an office in Québec to stop English borrowings from “polluting” French, and the practice of policing “legal language” in the Soviet Union (just like 1984).

After all, said Orwell, if you’re prevented from ever hearing certain words, you can’t think them.

Which is kind of frightening. So in today’s popular linguistics, there’s a ton of support for “all language is equally valid”. After all, you can’t stop language from changing, so why try?

But before we completely trash prescriptivism, has it got anything

going for it? Well, for one thing, dictionaries. Why do we have ’em?

Apparently we trust them to tell us what our own words are supposed to mean. Samuel Johnson pointed out that “no [nation] has preserved [its] words and phrases”—a phrase that, conspicuously, appeared in the introduction to his magnum opus, A Dictionary of the English Language. Prescriptivism was also a factor in the development of to uniform spelling, which makes recognizing words a lot easier on our brains. Finally, there are some neologisms that, if we’re honest with ourselves, make us cringe when we really think about them (and I, for one, could care less).

True, prescriptivism came from the misguided idea of having a “prestigious”, “correct” language.

But the wishy-washiness of descriptivism’s origins are also accused of lacking solid ground. In either case, it becomes a matter of opinion—at least, coming from someone who hesitates to call one view or the other strictly correct.

Now that we’ve got the abstract preparation out of the way, tune in next time for some down-to-earth language stuff!

Hakima Hazifa What does Thanksgiving mean to you? To most Canadians, the Thanksgiving holiday means a long weekend spent away from work, school, and other regular routines, spent instead with family, friends, and long-lost “associates”. Some of the aftereffects are leftover turkey that will serve as lunch and dinner for the next three weeks, a hangover you don’t remember contributing to or deserving, a messy house to be cleaned, and lots of dishes to put away. Especially for those blessed with lots of friends and big families.

Between all that, how can we possibly find time to think about what this holiday truly means to us or how it even came to exist in the first place—right?

The history of Canadian Thanksgiving goes back several centuries.

In fact, historical records indicate that various First Nations tribes celebrated a ceremony of thanksgiving many years before the European settlers arrived. Their celebration included gift-giving and ceremonial dances performed in the spirit of thankfulness to Mother Nature for a successful harvest.

The first recorded European take on it is in 1578, when the English navigator Martin Frobisher held a formal ceremony in Newfoundland to give thanks for surviving his third voyage—the largest Arctic expedition in history. Frobisher was commissioned by Queen Elizabeth I to discover gold in the New World, and was granted 15 ships and 300 ore miners. Although the only thing he ended up mining was worthless iron pyrite (also known

as fool’s gold), he was knighted and Frobisher’s Bay was named after him. Frobisher’s ceremony was not thanks for a harvest but a celebration of homecoming and of having successfully endured the brutal Arctic. Nevertheless, it’s often recognized as the first Thanksgiving ceremony in Canada.

A few years later, the arrival of French settlers brought another Thanksgiving ceremony. Samuel de Champlain and his settlers held a festival in 1606, mainly to celebrate the fact that they had survived a cruel Canadian winter and had escaped death of scurvy. They even formed “The Order of Good Cheer”, a society which consisted of the elite of the colony, in which each member in turn was required to bless the wild game served in the meals. Their feast was celebrated and they shared their meals with the local indigenous tribes, who were critical in helping the French survive in the New World. Together, they celebrated survival.

The history of Thanksgiving also links Canada with its southern neighbours. The Pilgrims are credited with initiating the Thanksgiving tradition in America. The Pilgrims were Calvinist Christians who fled to avoid religious persecution in England, and who came to establish a permanent settlement in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1691.

The purpose of their gathering was to celebrate their survival and their harvest in the New World. Their tradition spread north around 1750 with the immigration of some Pilgrims to Nova Scotia.

The tradition of Thanksgiving continued in Canada for various

purposes and at various times. In 1763, the citizens of Halifax held a unique “Thanksgiving Day” after the Seven Year War ended. The first Thanksgiving Day as a civic holiday was celebrated on April 5, 1872, after the Prince of Wales recovered from an illness. (This prince later became King Edward VII.) Starting in 1879, Thanksgiving was celebrated every year, although it was still not quite what we know it as; it was always held on a Thursday, and each year the holiday was supposed to commemorate a different event.

From 1921 to 1931, Armistice Day (or Remembrance Day, as we now know it) and Thanksgiving were celebrated on the same day, but afterwards they became separate holidays again.

Finally, on January 31, 1957— only 54 years ago—the Canadian parliament proclaimed “a day of general thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest which Canada has been blessed...to be observed on the second Monday of October”. Since then, Canadians have celebrated Thanksgiving annually.

Now that we have taken a few minutes to ponder the historical importance of this holiday, let’s consider what Thanksgiving means to you. Thanksgiving is celebrated in a spirit of gratefulness, a time to feel content with all that has been given to us and all that will be given—however and wherever it came from, if we can afford to be in this country, in our homes, at this university, we must admit we have been blessed.

Thanks continued on page 10

10 THE MEDIUM «FEATURES 10.17.2011

Does IB feel like a prison?

Security continued from page 10 Perhaps we need a building that fosters intimacy but can also accommodate a growing student population and address the inevitable safety needs.

In many ways, the Instructional Centre does just that. With its open concept design, complete with a cavernous atrium and glass walls, the building is open and transparent. However, it’s not really the sort of place one would expect to have such tight security. But it may be that very transparency that calls for an increased police presence.

“We do get thefts,” explained Paris. “Last year we did experience an increase in thefts of laptops and other devices.” He hastens to add that it was not a big increase, but that it’s still an issue that needs to be addressed. “I don’t look to technology for security. I don’t try to fall into that trap—that because we’ve got cameras and because we’ve got card access it’s secure. It’s only as secure as the people who are using it.”

To this end, safety is largely the responsibility of the student body.As Paris explains, even though the socalled “Big Brother” effect makes it easier to manage the building, “We really depend on campus police and the students, faculty and staff when it comes to security.” It is the type of interdependence that only a strong community can effectively provide.

Giving thanks Thanks continued from page 10

edward cai/the medium

They’re watching you!

In the midst of all this change that togetherness may be profoundly affected. “I definitely feel that UTM is losing that close, intimate feeling,” said Vieira. “When I first started [here] I always found a spot on the bus; nowadays, I seem to be the person [to whom] the bus driver says ‘No room, wait for the next one.’ It’s way too crowed on campus. There’s just way too many people. I’m not at all impressed, but I can’t complain; I’m graduating soon.”

Professor Mark Levene of the English department takes a different view of the changes occurring. “My guess is that an incoming student will feel pretty good about his or her part as opposed to just being a

number or financial factor or something like that,” he says. “A student’s sense of the essential activity of why they are there and how they are regarded—that building is going to help rather than hinder all of it.” Perhaps not an Orwellian nightmare, the campus still possesses a privacy and intimacy that might eludes both Scarborough and St. George.

Tas Jubran, a fourth-year student with a major in CCIT and minors in PWC and English, feels that the campus is still intimate, but that the heightened security may change that. “Though I understand that this is a security measure, the heightened security makes me feel like the school could easily start feeling a lot

like a prison that is being regulated by the school itself,” she explained.

“In a way, with the cameras being in class and the students never knowing how the footage could be used— possibly even a research study about students—reminds of a Panopticon prison structure: we know someone is watching, but we don’t actually know when or why.”

For now, however, UTM remains what it has always been: unique. Perhaps the professor put it best: “If the security presence were prominent and the building very chilling, kind of non-human, that would be one thing, but I don’t find it that way,” said Levene. “For what it is, it seems to have been done extremely well.”

The day gives us a moment to consider all that we have and all that is so easy to be taken for granted. This commemoration is especially precious in the time and age that we live in: a fast-paced industrialized society where the goal is to get the latest version of the iPhone, a new Gucci bag to match the Dolce pumps, or a new car. We should take this day to offer our own thanks for having survived, and appreciate not only the food that nourishes us, but also the people who are part of our lives and who help us become better people as we grow.

Take a moment to reflect who you are, who you were, who you’ve become, and who you want to be and everything that has brought you to where you are and helped you be who you are. Whether you do it on the second Monday of October, or any other day, take a minute to practice the ancient wisdom of being thankful.

Check out more Features articles at mediumutm.ca

10.17.2011

»

11

MEDIUM SPORTS Editor » Chris Callahan

Bills begin 2011 season with a fast start CORY CRABTREE If, on the last day of the preseason, you told someone the Buffalo Bills would be an AFC best 4-1, 90% of people would laugh in your face, the other 10% were Bills fans and were far too depressed to laugh. However, five weeks into the 2011 season, the Bills sit atop the AFC along with the New England Patriots and the San Diego Chargers.

The Bills were initially written off by most analysts—ESPN’s annual pre-season power ranking had the Bills ranked 31 out of 32, while Yahoo Sports predicted a 4–12 season (the second worst record in the league). The Bills have surprised even the most optimistic fans. Led by their bearded (and what a beard it is) QB and fantasy football monster Ryan Fitzpatrick, the Bills are off to a terrific start.

The former Harvard Crimson quarterback spent his first four years

as a backup in St. Louis and Cincinnati before signing with the Bills in 2009. After winning the starting job at the beginning of the 2010 season, “FitzMagic”, as he’s called by the Bills’ faithful, made the most of his opportunity by throwing for 3,000 yards and making 23 touchdowns in 13 games. Though the Bills went 4–12 that year, most fans got their first real look at “FitzDragon”, and though analysts certainly placed no faith in him, the organization clearly did, choosing not to pick a QB with the third overall pick of last year’s draft.

If last year was FitzMagic’s coming out party to the Bills’ fans, this year has been his coming out to the rest of the league. In five games he’s racked up 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns, and he currently has the seventh-best QB rating in the league.

His passing numbers, although not league-leading, are solid. He is currently in the top 10 in TDs, QB rat-

ing, completion percentage, and in the top 15 in most other stats, coupled with his ability to avoid turnovers—only four QBs have fewer interceptions per attempt—have given the Bills something they haven’t had since 2004: a QB that can win games for the club, rather than just not lose them.

Though Fitzpatrick (sorry, but I think we’ve gone a bit overboard with nicknames at this point) may be getting the media spotlight, the real secret to the Bills’ success has been fifth-year running back Fred Jackson. After putting up 1,000+ yards in 2009 and 900+ in 2010, Jackson is once again running all over opponent’s defences.

After five games, Jackson is fifth in yards per carry, third in total yards, third in touchdowns, first in yards for a 20-yard gain or more, and second in first downs, and he still hasn’t fumbled the ball. Last year Jackson was ranked the eighth-best

UTMAC’s Bills outing a big hit

LOUNGINGPASS.BLOGSPOT.COM/PHOTOS

UTM students were treated to a gorgeous day at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

ISAAC OWUSU ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR On October 9, UTM students visited Ralph Wilson Stadium, home of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, to watch as they took on the “can’t miss” NFC pick for the Super Bowl: the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles came into the game with a lot of hype and were favoured to win by three points. The team is filled with Pro Bowl players, led by Michael Vick, their elusive, cannon-armed, $100-million quarterback, and prized free agent cornerback Nnamdi Asomogha.

Sunday proved to be a unique experience as UTMAC bussed 53 UTM students from campus to the stadium and witnessed the Bills’ 31–24 victory. This was their fourth win in five contests in a surprisingly hot start to the season.

The afternoon’s weather was uncharacteristic for Buffalo for this time of the year: sunny with a welcome breeze. The good weather al-

lowed many UTM students the opportunity to cheer comfortably. Said fourth-year student Amanda Cho, “It was awesome. When we bought the tickets for a game in Buffalo in early October, we certainly weren’t thinking we’d end up wearing tshirts and being treated to summer weather.”

The Bills did not disappoint the UTM fans (among a total attendance of 69,803). The defence intercepted Vick 4 times (a career high), and the Buffalo offence was just as effective, capitalizing on many Eagles blunders and late-game penalties.

Bills’ quarterback Ryan “Fitzmagic” Fitzpatrick was efficient, but it was the Bills’ running back Fred Jackson who left the biggest impression on the UTM audience, finishing with 111 yards rushing and 85 more yards of caught passes.

The coordination of the trip was not easy, but the demand was clear.

All but three available tickets were sold. As a result, UTMAC is looking

to make this an annual event, and in particular to keep the trip in early October to help reduce the stress of midterms.

“We want to make this an everyyear thing. The students loved it and it was just good to get out and see Buffalo,” said Kassim Baluch, UTMAC’s VP Administration.

Having the chance to unwind, for even just an afternoon, was a welcome opportunity for the UTM crowd. Fourth-year student Jeff Legge commented, “It was good to forget about being stressed at school, and be in a new city with my friends from school. It was an added bonus that the game was so exciting and close until the very end.”

Baluch’s experience was eyeopening and helped create an appreciation for the Bills. “It was crazy,” he added. “I’m not even a Bills fan and it was so much fun.

Random people giving you a high five—and the crowd was nuts.”

pass-blocking running back in the league, something that he is terribly underrated at. This year his skills have only improved, helping Fitzpatrick become the least sacked QB in the league. With 480 yards already, Jackson will most likely eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the second time in his career, while continuing to be the motor behind the Bills’ success.

As everyone should know, a football team is not made up of just a QB or RB, and the Bills’ supporting cast has perhaps been the biggest surprise this year. Last year the Bills’ often-injured offensive line (11 different players suited up for the fiveman unit) was one of the worst in the league, allowing the 11th-most sacks and fifth-most QB hits. However, this year has certainly been a turn around as the Bills’ offensive line has been arguably one of the best in league.

Fred Jackson has been running all over defences, and despite run-

ning the ball 139 times, the tandem of Jackson and Spiller has only lost yards on 15 plays. Fitzpatrick has also benefitted greatly from the improved O-line, having been sacked a league low of three times.

The Bills’ defence may seem like somewhat of a paradox this year.

On one hand, it seems they have no answer to anything the opposing teams do. They are 30th of 32 in total yards given up per game. Opponents are averaging almost 140 yards per game against them, giving them the fourth-worst rushing defence; their pass defence isn’t much better, allowing 283 yards a game, the seventh-worst in the NFL. Though their yards per game is truly terrible, they are in the middle of the league in terms of allowing teams to score. If the Bills can win a few more division games and keep winning the turnover battle, the 11year playoff drought could finally come to an end.

12 THE MEDIUM «SPORTS 10.17.2011

NHL off-season recap: major summer trades

Team is off to a great start for the season MICHELLE DUKLAS ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR

MICHELLE DUKLAS ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR Although this summer has been marked with many free agency signings and talk of injuries, a few blockbuster trades have also taken place.

Burns for Setoguchi and Coyle The Minnesota Wild traded Brent Burns and a second-round draft pick in 2012 to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Devin Setoguchi, Charlie Coyle, and a first-round draft pick in 2011 (which effectively translates to Zack Phillips of QMJHL’s Saint John’s).

Burns, 26, scored 17 goals in 2010 and had 29 assists. He was drafted 23rd overall in 2003 by

UTM volleyball wins again

AJMAZZO.WEEBLY.COM/PHOTOS

Jeff Carter will no longer be wearing Flyers orange this season. the Minnesota Wild, but battled through concussions early in his career. With a year left on his

contract with the Wild, Burns signed a five-year extension to his contract, worth $28.8 million.

Setoguchi has roughly the same level of skill as Brent Burns, and Setoguchi is two years younger. Setoguchi has 84 points in 267 career NHL games. He was traded to the Wild one day after signing a three-year, $9-million contract with the San Jose Sharks.

The other player involved in the deal, Charlie Coyle, is a 2010 first-round draft pick who played last season with Boston University.

Carter to Jackets for Voracek and picks; Richards to Kings On June 23, the Philadelphia Flyers traded 26-year-old forward Jeff Carter to the Columbus Blue Jackets in return for Jakub Voracek, a first-round draft pick, and third-round draft picks in 2011. Earlier that same day, the Flyers dealt Mike Richards and Rob Bordson to the Los Angeles Kings for prospect Brayden Schenn and forward Wayne Simmonds.

Jeff Carter was drafted 11th overall in the 2003 Entry Draft.

He scored 36 goals this past season. He has 11 years and $58 million left on his 14-year contract.

Mike Richards of Kenora, Ontario was drafted 24th overall in the 2003 draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. The 26-year-old centre was captain of the Flyers from 2008–2011.

Brayden Schenn, 20, became a household name after the last IIHF World Juniors, where he stole the show by racking up 18 points over the course of the tournament and was named MVP. Schenn last played for the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL. He was drafted fifth overall in 2009 by the Kings.

Wayne Simmonds, a native of Scarborough, was drafted 61st overall in the 2007 Entry Draft by the Kings. The 23-year-old scored 14 goals last season with the Kings.

Colorado acquires Varlamov from Capitals On July 1, the Colorado Ava-

lanche traded a first-round draft pick in 2012 and a conditional second-round draft pick in either 2012 or 2013 in exchange for 23-year-old goaltender Semyon Varlamov. The Avalanche later signed Jean-Sebastien Giguère, 34, to a two-year deal. The Avalanche have taken a risk by trading for Varlamov; he was limited to 27 games last season due to injuries.

Heatley traded to Wild for Martin Havlat Dany Heatley, 30, was traded to the Minnesota Wild on July 3 in exchange for Martin Havlat in a move that garnered a lot of attention. Havlat will play for the San Jose Sharks this coming season.

Heatley, drafted second overall in the 2000 Entry Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers (now the Winnipeg Jets), struggled through some injuries last season. He went from scoring at least 39 goals per season to an all-time low of 26 goals last season. His contract is worth $7.5 million for the next three seasons. There was a no-movement clause in his contract, where he was required to give a list with 10 teams that he would not want to be traded to. Evidently, the Wild were not on that list.

Havlat, a Czech forward, was drafted 26th overall in 1999 by the Ottawa Senators. The 30-year-old had 22 goals and 40 assists last season. The San Jose Sharks take on a $5-million cap hit for the next four years with this deal.

Ducks acquire Cogliano from Edmonton The Anaheim Ducks have traded Edmonton a second-round draft pick in 2013 in exchange for Andrew Cogliano. The 24-yearold from Woodbridge, Ontario has netted 57 goals and earned 89 assists in 328 NHL games.

He had 11 goals and 24 assists last season. He was drafted 25th overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2005. Cogliano signed a threeyear, $7.17-million contract with the Ducks.

The UTM women’s Division Two volleyball team won their game 2–1 against University College (UC) on Tuesday, October 11.

After losing the first set 20–8, the women, who play in Division 2, rallied together to win the second game 20–6 and took the third game 20–9.

Kayla Colling’s front row and back court shots helped UTM pull ahead of UC, while Natalie Hamshar and Alex Romeo’s serving runs gave the team an edge over their opponents. Another huge factor was Anna Grabowiecki’s quick reflexes, which led to many digs, allowing UTM to finish off UC in their last two sets.

“I felt the team played great,” said coach Brittney Gee. “They played as a team and they all cheered for one another.”

Two weeks ago, UTM defeated Pharmacy 3–0 in their season opener. They won their first two sets 20-10, and their last set 20-19.

The Division Two women’s volleyball team plays on Tuesday evenings at the Sports Gym of the Athletic Centre at St. George. Their next game will be on Tuesday, October 18, at 8:05 p.m., against New College.

UTM Blue defeats UTSC MICHELLE DUKLAS ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR In their season opener on October 12, the UTM Division 1 Intramural Basketball team, the UTM Blue, defeated the UTSC Maroons, the defending champions from last season. The game was close—the final score was 60–56—but in the end UTM proved the better team.

Kent Bray was the top scorer for UTM; he ended the game with 20 points. Not far behind was Fedja K., who tallied 15 points.

“We didn’t have much time to warm up before the game,” said coach Ammer Askary. “The weather was bad and the traffic was heavy, so we arrived late. But the team played very well.”

The team had a few costly turnovers, which made the game closer than it should have been.

“We’re a better team,” Askary said. “We just missed some easy shots and turned over the ball too much.”

UTM Blue are missing two of their players due to ankle injuries. Both are expected to rejoin the lineup in time for next week’s game against the Faculty of Physical Education and Health. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Wednesday, October 19, at UTM.