Privacy errors still under dispute Office of the Vice-Provost, Students alleges UTSU provided voter list to UTMSU for Student Centre referendum Larissa Ho NEws Editor UTMSU is undecided about whether to hold the second referendum for the Student Centre expansion in March or in the fall, a decision the union will have to make in the wake of the error that led to the results of the previous referendum failing to be ratified by the Board of Directors. For the referendum of January 29–31, UTMSU used a T-Card scanner that had been loaded with data for UTSU’s November AGM, which means that both UTM and St. George students were able to vote. St. George students were intended to be ineligible, as they are not members of UTMSU and the terms of the referendum do not apply to them. UTMSU was informed of the discrepancy on January 31 by Mark Overton, UTM’s dean of student affairs. According to UTSU, their president Shaun Shepherd and UTMSU’s president Chris Thompson received a letter from Jill Matus, U of T’s vice-provost, students dated February 5, alleging that UTSU had
Junaid Imran/the Medium
UTMSU held a commission meeting to receive input from students on what steps to take next. breached confidentiality agreements signed by UTSU staff for the purposes of obtaining private student information to administer the AGM in November. Matus alleged that
UTSU gave the AGM’s voters list to UTMSU to enable them to hold the referendum at the end of January. In response to what UTSU deems “false accusations”, UTSU’s execu-
tive director, Sandra Hudson, responded to Matus in a letter on February 11, saying that UTSU had not breached the confidentiality agreements and did not provide UTMSU
with the list for the referendum. The first method of voter verification is via an electronic voter list. According to the Office of the Vice-Provost, Students, UTMSU requested a password-protected CD of the voter list on January 7, and in keeping with the office’s preferred method for distributing membership information, the office provided UTMSU with the disk containing truncated student numbers. The disk was couriered to UTM’s Office of Student Life but was never retrieved. (After use, these data disks are supposed to be returned to the Office of the Vice-Provost, Students at St. George.) The second method is the T-Card verification system, which comprises two parts. The first is a basic online database developed by the university’s Information Technology Services for UTSU in response to their need for a quick means of verifying student statuses to facilitate the sale of TTC Metropasses.
Privacy continued on page 3
New UTM Equity and Diversity Officer UTM gets its own long-anticipated Equity and Diversity Officer on staff Michael J. Watson Associate News Editor Nythalah Baker has officially begun her new position as UTM’s equity and diversity officer. This is the first time this role has existed on the campus. “I will be hearing concerns, making referrals, and serving as a resource for staff, faculty, and students about human rights and equity,” said Baker in a phone interview. She will also help organize and participate in workshops on diversity, inclusion, and human rights. Prior to this appointment, UTM made use of the equity and diversity officer at the St. George campus. While helpful, this arrangement was not ideal, said Yasmine Youssef, VP equity of UTMSU. “There were no offices on the UTM campuses, making it difficult and inaccessible for students who might ur-
IslamFest 2013 UTM MSA talks about Islam with guest speakers all week. Medium News, page 2
One student, two unions St. George colleges are separating from UTSU. Why are we still in it? Medium Opinion, page 4
Bent at Hart House
This season ends on a powerful note—and heavy subject matter. Medium A&E, page 5
Making a to-do list? Junaid Imran/The MEdium
Nythalah Baker has a lot of experience to bring to her new position as Equity and Diversity officer. gently need [the officer’s assistance],” said Youssef in an email interview. “In addition, UTM is significantly different from other U of T campuses
in its demographic, students, equity understanding, and activities. Baker will not only be more readily available, but also more in touch
with the campus’s unique makeup and needs. Officer continued on page 2
One productivity expert’s system of archiving tasks for the future. Medium Features, page 9
Why didn’t we win? UTM Blue players reflect on this season’s successes and failures. Medium Sports, page 11
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03.04.2013
Qur’an draws attention at IslamFest The UTM Muslim Students’ Association answered questions about Islam all last week LARISSA HO NEWS EDITOR IslamFest, previously known as Islam Awareness Week, was hosted by the UTM Muslim Students’ Association last week. “We tried to make an event where everyone, no matter what their faith is, can come out and learn about Islam,” said Syed Gilani, the president of UTM MSA. “The purpose of IslamFest was to start showing what Muslims cared about instead of talking about it only.” UTM MSA set up booths in the CCT Building from Monday to Thursday. “People would stop by and ask questions that they had regarding Islam. Questions usually went in all directions, from Islamic history to the idea of a creator, but I think people were usually very interested in the Qur’an,” said Gilani. “A lot of people came and took copies of the translated Qur’an that were available
Mariam Ahmed/The Medium
Yasmine Youssef talks to guests about misconceptions of Muslim women. at the booth.” Each event addressed a different issue, attracted a different crowd, and was facilitated by different speakers. On Monday, an event called
Working for equity Officer continued from Cover This comes as a great boon to UTM’s many diversity organizations, such as OUT@UTM, one of the groups that advocated for the campus to get its own officer. Baker has begun meetings with staff, student groups, UTMSU, and residence executives to get a personal understanding of what needs to be done. “Although many people have a vague understanding of what equity is, there needs to be more awareness [of] how to implement it in their daily
lives, how not to be oppressive unintentionally, and how to be an agent of positive change,” said Youssef. Baker previously served as the senior advisor of education and communications at York University, and before that as the equity advisor at the University of British Columbia. In both positions she worked to improve equity at the schools and raise awareness of human rights. She brings a combined 15 years of experience to her position at UTM. “I look forward to working with everyone,” Baker said. “Anyone is welcome to come speak with me.”
“Muslims in Media!” was held in the Instructional Centre, and talked about questions such as “What is the ‘islamophobia industry’?” and “How are Muslims depicted in the media today? What can we do to empower
ourselves to create our own narratives?” Jawad Jafry, a producer, director, writer, editor, and narrator whose work as a documentarian and children’s television producer has been featured in major newspapers
and on TV across North America, was the guest speaker. Later that night, the IslamFest organizers presented “Why Islam?” with guest speaker Fiyyaz Jaat, a sought-after counsellor and speaker in the GTA. The highlight of the week was perhaps Tuesday’s event, called “Muslim Women: The Real CoverGirl”. The event, hosted by Yasmine Youssef (UTMSU’s VP equity) and featuring guests Ruqayyah Ahdab (the managing director of U of T’s Muslim chaplaincy), Katherine Bullock (a political science professor at U of T), and Rabia Khedr (the executive director of the Canadian Association of Muslims with Disabilities), was presented in the form of a talk show whose subject was the misconceptions people have about women in Islam. On Thursday night, UTM MSA held an Open Mic Night in the MiST Theatre. The tagline for the week’s events was “Learn, enjoy, celebrate.”
SEC talks oral sex
SEC held a wokshop for students to learn techniques for oral sex
SEC executives demonstrate how it’s done. Jai Sangha ASsociate News Editor The UTM Sexual Education and Peer Counselling Centre held a “Sensational Oral Sex” workshop last Thursday in the Davis Building to teach students about sexual anatomy and the techniques and precautions related to oral sex. James Boutilier, the external education coordinator of SEC, and Neena Fernando, a peer counselling volunteer at SEC, led the workshop. They addressed fellatio and cunnilingus, the oral stimulation of the male and female genitals respectively. They began the talk by outlining the risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections through oral sex. Fellatio is low-risk for HIV, but not for bacterial infections like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and viral infections like herpes and syphilis; cunnilingus is high-risk for HIV during menstru-
ation, since blood carries the virus, said Boutilier. “If you do deep-throat, which means taking [the penis] into the throat, you can actually get a throat infection. If you’ve ever deep-throated, your throat hurts like hell in the morning,” said Boutilier. “If you brush your teeth or floss before oral sex, you’re going to have blood exposed in your gums, which can put you at a higher risk for STIs.” Fernando explained the similarities between the clitoris and the penis. “The clitoris is like a mini-penis. The head of the clitoris is like the head of the penis. The G-spot is like the shaft of the penis itself, so they have very similar aspects,” she said. “After all, [males and females] do all start the same, with a clitoris, and suddenly it may grow into a penis and then you become a boy.” Communicating with your partner
Junaid Imran/The Medium
about what you like and don’t like is important for being comfortable with oral sex, since people are especially vulnerable when their sex organs are completely exposed to their partner, said Fernando. The presenters urged people to ask questions with a limited set of options, rather than open-ended ones, when communicating about oral sex. The presenters passed different kinds of vibrators, lubes, dildos, and other sex toys around to the audience. Presenters demonstrated different techniques for better stimulation in both fellatio and cunnilingus on dildos, a strap-on, and a vagina-shaped hand puppet. They also referred the audience to books, websites, and DVDs to learn other techniques, since what works for one person may not work for another. SEC held a raffle for participants at the end of the workshop and gave two free tickets to Sex Pub as prizes.
03.04.2013 THE MEDIUM NEWS
Student group proposes new framework CFS-Ontario wants tuition fees reduced by 30% over three years
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»When should the next referendum be held?
Jai Sangha 4th year, mathematics
Aiman Azlan 4th year, psychology
I don’t care.
Before I graduate, which is this year.
Matthew Del Mei 4th year, English
Agita Wijaya 3rd year, economics
In two years, when I’m not here anymore. I’m so sick of it.
I was thinking of making it before next year.
diaryspy.com/photos
Kathleen Wynne is under pressure from students to make postsecondary education more affordable. Larissa Ho News Editor The Ontario chapter of the Canadian Federation of Students released a document called “Changing Priorities: Moving Towards Affordable Post-Secondary Education”, which proposes that the province’s new premier, Kathleen Wynne, take action to make postsecondary education more affordable. The recommended tuition fee framework would reduce tuition fees by 30% over three years, establish a longterm plan to progressively eliminate tuition fees, and ensure that tuition fee billing policies and practices are fair.
The current “Reaching Higher” framework, which was supposed to expire in 2010 but was renewed for the past three years without review, will expire this fall.
“It’s important for students to come out ahead of the game with a proposal for the tuition fee framework.” —Sarah Jayne King The Reaching Higher framework has allowed tuition fees to increase
by five to eight percent each year since 2006. “It’s important for students to come out ahead of the game with a proposal for the tuition fee framework,” said Sarah Jayne King, the chairperson of the Ontario chapter of CFS. “What we’re calling [for] in our framework is a dedication to funding high-quality postsecondary education, and that’s why we’re actually proposing a reduction of 30% over three years—because this is something that’s absolutely possible and absolutely imperative at this point [in] time, as tuition fees have skyrocketed and student debt has become a huge problem.”
UTMSU deciding on next referendum
Chris Thompson, the president of UTMSU, presented three options: to hold the referendum in March, to hold it in the fall, or not to hold a referendum at all.
“The assumption was made that UTSU gave UTMSU the access to the list because they did their general meeting in November and they were granted access,” said Thompson during the commission meeting. “I don’t know why that assumption was made without asking us how that happened.” According to Thompson, the university had not changed the password since the CRO had last used it, which was during the 2012 UTMSU elections. “They used the same process that they did before,” said Thompson. “They made a judgement call and that judgement call was wrong. When the person logged in using the old password, it worked. So they assumed that
they had been granted access with that password, and they just went ahead and did it.” The error is attributed to the chief electoral officer, Babatumi Sodade, who has since resigned from his position. “So on our end, an error in judgement was made, but our concern that we thought the university should actually maybe explore in the future is: if that access was denied as it should have been, that person would have had no choice but to look for an alternative, which would have been retrieving that disk,” said Thompson. “The human error was improper judgement and the administrative error was access that shouldn’t have been granted.”
Queen in hospital with stomach bug, says Buckingham Palace
Louisiana man claims ex-girlfriend “stole sperm” and conceived
Jail staffers fall ill after being served chicken that fell on floor
Teacher sent home after assigning blonde jokes for homework
Jewish Orthodox couple Nathan and Raizy Glauber, both 21, died in a crash in Williamsburg early Sunday morning. The police are looking for the driver of the car that hit the couple’s vehicle. The expectant couple were rushing to a local hospital when the crash happened, relatives said. Raizel was seven months pregnant. Doctors performed an emergency Csection on the dying mother and were able to deliver the baby boy.
The 86-year-old monarch is in hospital as a precaution while she is assessed for symptoms of gastroenteritis. The Queen was last in hospital 10 years ago for a minor knee operation. The Queen was due to spend two days in Rome with the Duke of Edinburgh next weekend, at the invitation of President Giorgio Napolitano of Italy. It is not yet clear whether the visit will be rescheduled.
A man is suing a clinic in the US, alleging thtat his ex-girlfriend stole his sperm and used it to get pregnant, according to US media reports. Layne Hardin says Texas Andrology Services handed over the vials to Toby Devall without his permission. The child is now two years old and Hardin may have to pay child support. He told local TV he wanted “to throw up, cry, [and] pass out” after finding out.
Staff members at a Toronto jail became sick after they were served chicken that fell on the institution’s kitchen floor, prompting an investigation by the provincial government and the city’s health inspectors. Toronto Public Health received reports from staff complaining of gastrointestinal illness, including diarrhea and vomiting. The jail’s food service manager confirmed to health inspectors that the chicken fell on the floor.
A Toronto high school drama teacher has been put on home assignment after being accused of handing out seven pages of violent and sexual jokes— most involving blonde women—as a homework assignment, the public school board confirmed. It’s unclear what the assignment was, as there were no instructions or questions included with the jokes. Home assignment is a penalty handed out to teachers while investigations are ongoing.
Source: Daily News
Source: BBC News
Source: BBC News
Source: The Toronto Star
Source: The Toronto Star
The university owns, operates, and controls this database, according to Matus. The second part of the system, a physical piece of equipment, is the property of UTSU. It is an optical card reader. Instead of using the CD sent by the Office of the Vice-Provost, Students, which their office says is what the two groups had arranged, UTMSU opted to use the T-Card optical scanner, which carried the voter list data for UTSU’s November AGM, the last list uploaded to the database. “The uploaded voter information was therefore out of date and included St. George students. Had UTMSU advised this office
in advance, as required, that it wished to use the T-Card reader for voter verification, the correct data for UTM would have been uploaded for the T-Card reader,” said the Office of the Vice-Provost, Students in an emailed response to questions. However, in a letter to that office, Hudson alleged that UTSU does not own a T-Card scanner, and that the system belongs wholly to the university. She further states in her letter that no UTSU staff member had access to the system this academic year, because they do not have the password, and that registration for their November AGM was administered manually. UTMSU held a commission meeting on Wednesday to pres-
ent what had occurred and to gather the its members opinions’ on what should be done.
Expecting parents both killed in car crash; baby survives
Privacy continued from Cover
“The human error was improper judgement and the administrative error was access that shouldn’t have been granted.” —Chris Thompson
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« 03.04.2013
Editor-in-Chief » Stefanie Marotta
U of T’s paradigm shift With colleges separating from UTSU, where does UTM stand?
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Stefanie Marotta editor@mediumutm.ca
It’s finally going down downtown. After years of distrust, scandals, and failed attempts from opposition slates to “overthrow” the alleged regime that is the student union, several U of T colleges have announced their plans to legally disband from the University of Toronto Students’ Union. Well, would you look at that! It appears I’m not the only one to question the student union once in a while. A decision like this isn’t made in one afternoon at a board meeting. For months, Trinity College, St. Michael’s College, Victoria College, and the Engineering Society have been considering leaving UTSU. The Varsity reported that the Engineering Society hired a law firm following the highly contested proceedings of UTSU’s November Annual General Meeting. This is no small matter. After months organizing extensions of their AGM and discussion on electoral reform, UTSU announced that they would not be able to implement the amendments in time for this year’s elections. That’s when the colleges and the society publicly announced their plans to disband from UTSU. At UTM, we don’t see or feel the tension of St. George’s political climate. They don’t have just one building run by their student union that houses most of the clubs and societies. Downtown, smaller college unions, professional faculty societies, and other organizations (like the St. George Round Table) advocate on behalf of students, plan events, and offer services. They also question the actions of the largest union on both the UTM and St. George campuses: UTSU. That union is not to be confused with ours, the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union. Those are the people who don yellow shirts and ask you to vote yes for fee increases for the U-Pass and Student Centre expansion. So what does this mean for UTM? We pay fees for and are members of
SPORTS EDITOR Isaac Owusu sports@mediumutm.ca
both UTSU and UTMSU. The story of how this structure developed is from before my time and merits an article of its own, so I won’t bother with the details for now. Here’s what you do need to know: the direct benefit to you of retaining membership with the distant downtown union is your student health and dental plan. Other than that, you’ll only see UTSU executives during this month’s election campaign. And then you’ll see them again next March.
The direct benefits to retaining membership with the distant downtown union is the student health and dental plan. Other than that, you’ll only see UTSU executives during this month’s election campaign. And then you’ll see them again next March. The colleges and society downtown seeking defederation acknowledge that the health and dental plan is a necessary service. If these organizations leave UTSU, their students will no longer be members of the student union and will not receive health and dental insurance. As such, the colleges and the society are reportedly looking for affordable alternatives to administer the service to their students, thereby eliminating the main need to pay membership fees to UTSU. Did UTMSU consider administering this service to UTM students? I don’t know. You’d have to go back to 2006, when the union was established, to find that out. Will they consider it? I’m almost positive that they won’t. By
WEBMASTER Gary Li
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contrast, the students at the Scarborough campus only pay fees to their own union. From my own experiences at St. George, it seems like the question isn’t really about electoral reform. That was just the catalyst. The question remains: why should students pay fees to two unions? At St. George, students belong to smaller colleges that operate under the greater U of T banner. They register with one college and take up residence in that college if they choose. UTM used to be a college as well. We were called Erindale. Even though we’ve transitioned to a governance structure with greater autonomy to become a campus of our own, we still operate as a college in terms of student union fees. We pay membership to UTMSU, which used to be our college council, and to UTSU. It surprises me that colleges and societies based on the St. George campus would consider separating from UTSU before UTM would. We in Mississauga are separated not only by technicalities, but by entire cities. Many students don’t realize we have separate student unions and separate student newspapers. Even with the shuttle bus we pay for through our tuition, the St. George campus grows more and more distant. This year is the first time UTM has run elections for Campus Council, a new governance structure that will allow the Mississauga campus to make more important decisions independently of St. George. With all these bodies insisting that greater autonomy promotes efficiency, why is UTM still tied to a union that we see and hear from once a year— when they need us to vote them into office? yours, Stefanie Marotta Editor-in-chief
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03.04.2013
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Editor » Colleen Munro
You won’t find this in the history textbook Hart House Theatre closes their season with a haunting production of Bent COLLEEN MUNRO A&E EDITOR We all know the usual arc of a love story by now. Nearly every romantic comedy movie of the last 30 years offers the same “boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back” narrative trope, and if you’ve seen one Katherine Heigl movie, you’ve seen them all. But this seemingly endless repetition only makes it all the more refreshing when you come across an innovative piece of fiction that depicts love in a way that says something new. And even though Hart House Theatre’s latest production, Bent, is the furthest thing from a romantic comedy, it arguably tells a far more powerful story about love than any go-to date movie. Its heavy story and somewhat racy content will inevitably turn some viewers away, but those who give it a chance are in for crackling, memorable night of theatre. Written by Martin Sherman, Bent follows the life of Max (Liam Volke), a man living in 1930s Germany whose freewheeling lifestyle and homosexuality land him at odds with both his unaccepting family and the Nazi rule of the era. When he and his lover, a dancer named Rudy (Jordan Gray), are forced to flee their Berlin apartment, they are caught by the Gestapo en route through the forest and are forced onto a train. After a treacherous journey, Max arrives at the concentration camp Dachau, where he begins his numbing, unending work and befriends Horst (Jad Farris), a compassionate fellow prisoner. Bent takes many other dramatic turns that are best left as surprises, but even from its most basic plot
DANIEL DIMARCO/PHOTO
Max (Liam Volke) meets with Uncle Freddie (Peter Higginson) on the sly in Bent. description, the wrenching subject matter is clear. But director Carter West treats the difficult material with all the respect and solemnity it deserves and offers the audience a truly moving character study that conveys the horror of the Holocaust through the lens of one man’s experience. The small scope of the story falls into place perfectly with West’s intimate approach to the production. The simple but sturdy backdrop stands in for the walls of an apartment, storefronts on the Berlin City streets, a train car, and the fences of a concentration camp. The high
walls make for a slightly claustrophobic set that subtly echoes the intense restriction and persecution of the time. Aside from this backdrop, though, West leaves the stage largely uncluttered by props. This allows the movement of the actors to become the sole focus of the audience’s attention, and West uses that to his full advantage. Many striking images throughout the play are created simply through the positioning of the actors. Just by having one actor stand on a small platform above the others or by setting two actors as mirror images of each other on
opposite sides of the stage, West makes powerful statements without anyone having to say a word. The play’s warm lighting and woozy, jazzy music during the scene breaks adds to the hazy quality of Bent, which places decadence and love in direct opposition to judgement and hatred. Also helping Bent pack an emotinal wallop is its uniformly strong cast. As Max, Volke has a dramatic character arc to work with, and he is fearless in his portrayal. Max seems reprehensible at times, but Volke’s nuanced performance forces the audience to ponder their own judge-
ments: can we fully condemn Max for doing what he thinks will give him his best chance at survival? And after an already treacherous narrative journey, Volke nails his character’s intense final action, whose symbolism could have come across as heavy-handed in the hands of a different actor. Farris, who becomes a key player in Bent’s second act, also contributes a strong dose of humanity and proves to have brilliant chemistry with Volke, despite the fact that their characters are rarely even permitted to make eye contact with each other. Bent’s message is unavoidably political, and the play tackles an important and often overlooked part of history. But if the persecution of homosexuals during the Holocaust sounds like an overly grim subject, you might be relieved to hear that Bent also offers some lighter moments. The easy banter between Volke and Farris is actually quite funny at times and provides welcome relief from the injustice and suffering depicted in the rest of the play. Even with all the odds against them, the characters in Bent keep up hope and learn from each other in unexpected ways. This raises the emotional stakes and makes the tragic story even more moving, but it also gives the play an unexpectedly life-affirming message. West’s appropriately tender direction and the dynamic performances bring Sherman’s script to life perfectly, and Hart House Theatre’s production certainly lives up to Bent’s reputation as a resonant piece of contemporary drama. Bent runs at Hart House Theatre until March 9.
UTM filmmakers step out from behind the camera The Oscars may be over, but awards season carries on with the UTM Film Festival MARIA CRUZ STAFF WRITER The Department of Visual Studies Student Society held the awards ceremony for the UTM Film Festival in the CCT Building last Wednesday. A few students were scattered around the theatre and the event coordinators sitting in the front row offered the audience free popcorn to create a true theatre atmosphere. DVSSS accepted short film submissions from UTM students from January 28 to February 18. The films were posted on Vimeo as well as being screened at the event, so viewers had the opportunity to watch them ahead of time and vote for their favourites before the awards were handed
out. The awards were Best Special Effects, Video Art, Best Picture, Best Documentary, and Viewer’s Choice. Two of the winners were shown first. The night opened with a great film directed by Miguel Sta Cruz called “Life’s Moments”. The film is described on Vimeo as “a man recounts his life/death experience where he remembers pivotal moments in his life that have shaped him”. The film won Best Picture at the end of the evening, and definitely deserved the award. The second picture shown was the Best Special Effects winner, directed by Mikei Huang. It was called “The Music Music Video”, described as a fan-made video for the song “The Music” by the Japanese electronic band Cap-
sule. The film was designed to convince viewers that it was an official music video. The catchy tune and fantastic special effects caught viewers’ attention; it was one of the best films of the evening.
The biggest award of the evening, Viewer’s Choice, was given to “Occupation Jello” by AnnaLiisa Ollila. “I Lived Here, Once” from Lauren Baker was up next and took home the Video Art award. It was also up for Best Documentary,
but that award was handed out to “Calamity” by Stephanie Hagendorn. This film was described as “a short film shot entirely on my phone. The videos are 1–2-second clips. These were supposed to be photographs taken on my iPhone, when the video button was selected instead. As a result these quick clips accumulated video footage of my life.” The biggest award of the evening, Viewer’s Choice, was given to “Occupation Jello” by AnnaLiisa Ollila. Some of the other films nominated for awards were “Untitled (Blowing)” by Andre Markovic and “Cold Dish” by Bora Yun. Six other films were shown as well. One of my favourites was an adorable little film called “The Walk” by Jeannie Kim, in which a cute
song accompanied a little paper man on his journeys for just under two minutes. The other films were Kelly Kornet’s “Swim: A Poem for Mississauga”, Hagendorn’s “For the Wounded”, Oscar Cordero-Graf and Filipe Santos’ “The Last Job”, Laura Krick’s “The Boat”, Huang’s “Taiwan Say Cheese”, and Adnan Bashir’s documentary “Pillars”. Unfortunately, the event didn’t draw nearly as big a crowd as it deserved. With the free popcorn and great cinema, those who didn’t attend missed out on a great evening of films from some very talented filmmakers. For everyone else, the films can still be viewed online at the UTM Film Festival’s Vimeo channel, UTMFilmFest2013.
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«ARTS THE MEDIUM 03.04.2013
Getting ideas on the page EDSS offers tips on writing and publishing your own novel SONIA DHALIWAL STAFF WRITER Seventeenth-century English philosopher, statesman, scientist, and author Sir Francis Bacon once said, “A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.” I wonder if Bacon was describing the world of 21st-century publishing when he uttered that line. Last Thursday, UTM’s English and Drama Student Society hosted the “How to Write a Novel and Get It Published” workshop to guide students through the process of literary publishing—a process that requires seizing opportunities. Katherine Nader, EDSS’s events coordinator and the author of a selfpublished novel, The Deadly Mark, presented the world of publishing through the lens of her experience working with the self-publisher iUniverse. The workshop started with an introduction by Nader, who explained how her story came to be and how it went from her computer and into the hands of iUniverse. “My high school writer’s craft teacher knew about that stuff,” said Nader. Instead of handing in the planned assignments for the class, Nader made a deal with her teacher: if she continued writing the book she had started, she could submit it as a portfolio for her grade in the class. With her teacher’s guidance, Nader prepared her novel for literary agents, who serve as the intermediary between a writer and a publisher or producer. The agent assists the writer in negotiating a publishing
deal with whichever company suits the writer’s work best. According to the Writers’ Union of Canada, 80% of published Canadian writers do not employ agents to represent them. So what’s the appeal in having an agent? Nader explained in her presentation how helpful it was having someone on her side who knew the field: “Your agent will have a good idea of what type of genre publishing companies are looking for, and that can help you pick which company you’ll have the most success with.”
What sets the published apart from the unpublished is simply the desire and persistence to push for a deal. As the workshop progressed, it became clear to me that anyone with a manuscript has the potential to publish it. What sets the published apart from the unpublished is simply the desire and persistence to push for a deal. But once your manuscript is ready, you have to edit it. You have to get your family and friends (at least) to look at it and give you their honest opinion. This idea is enough to stop many of us dead in our tracks; sometimes the idea of foreign eyes on our work is enough to put publishing dreams under the mattress for good. When the first 10 to 30 pages of
your manuscript are ready, it’s time to approach a literary agent. This process is extremely specific to the individual agent. “If you don’t submit your cover letter and synopsis in the exact right format, they won’t even look at it,” Nader said. The cover letter should contain some combination of a two-sentence summary of your novel, why you wrote your novel, a comparison of your novel to three others published recently, a little background on your life, and who you think your target audience is. Often, you will also need to provide a more detailed synopsis that clearly lays out the key plot points of your novel. There being few literary agents available in Canada, it may take a while to hear back from one; sometimes it can be weeks or months. When they do get back to you, they’ll expect the first 10 to 30 pages of your novel. At this point, discussions can begin about which company will be most interested in your book based on the genres each company tends or plans to publish. “Sometimes it takes three years to get your book published,” warned Nader. As a writer myself, I left the workshop with mixed feelings. Retaining the essence of your work and creating it solely as a means of self-expression can feel at odds with tweaking your writing to make it appropriate for publishing. But for those ready to share their work with the world, be at ease knowing that your dream is only too possible, and the opportunities to bring it to life are plentiful.
Review: Atoms for Peace PHILIPPE WITMER For many music fans (including myself ), Radiohead is as inextricable a part of life as spouting opinions online and buying overpriced concert venue food. They are one of the few bands that two (possibly three) generations can claim as one of their greats. The immense burden of consistently high artistic quality that lies on the heads of these five talented men weighs heavy, particularly for singer Thom Yorke. Yorke famously helped steer the band into the left-field electronic experimentation of Kid A after he felt that 1997’s flawless OK Computer had painted them into a corner. Thirteen years later, Radiohead are both elder statesmen and “cool”. They are not washed up, but they are tried and tested. Amok, the debut album by Yorke’s side project, Atoms for Peace, arrives in this odd limbo. A supergroup (though Yorke vehemently denies this tag) formed to play Yorke’s solo material in 2009, Atoms for Peace features Yorke, Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, bassist Flea and touring percussionist Mauro Refosco of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and drummer Joey Waronker of Beck and R.E.M. Despite the diversity of this lineup, much of Amok is almost musically indistinguishable from both Yorke’s 2006 solo album The Eraser and Radiohead’s most recent album, The King of Limbs. Skittering drum loops, odd chord progressions, and Yorke’s trademark falsetto vocals colour each of the album’s nine tracks, giving Amok a cohesive sonic quality. The overall mood is paranoid and claustrophobic, which shouldn’t
come as a surprise to longtime Radiohead fans. Actually, there’s not much here that is a shock. Yorke, as the de facto leader of Atoms for Peace, exerts an enormous influence, but it’s unclear which tracks here were collaborations between the musicians and which were unused solo demos sitting in Yorke’s laptop folders. The opener, “Before Your Very Eyes...”, is the one of the few songs here that sounds like a jam session, as afrobeat rhythms and scratched guitars lock into a groove reminiscent of Talking Heads’ Remain in Light. By contrast, “Default” and “Ingenue” are creeping electronic numbers driven by frigid synths and clicking drums. None of these tracks are bad by any means, but they are not immediate, only revealing their subtle hooks on close scrutiny. Amok’s distance is mostly due to Yorke, who sticks to his upper vocal register for the majority of the album and thus refuses to become an engaging element of the songs. A lack of catchiness isn’t the problem here; it’s the lack of almost anything to draw the listener in and of anything that sticks after multiple listens. Case in point: the best track here is the shortest and least fussy. “Judge, Jury and Executioner” not only has Amok’s best chorus but is genuinely eerie with its mix of acoustic guitar, choral moans, and off-kilter time signatures. It could easily have fit on Radiohead’s underrated 2003 album Hail to the Thief, of which Amok sounds like an underdeveloped version. Without a focus, Yorke’s jittery paranoia is toothless and without any revelatory performances, the all-star cast feels underused. MMM
Murder and mind games take over the pub Forensics Society hosts charity dinner and murder mystery play ANDREEA MUSULAN The UTM Forensics Society tried their hand at thrilling spectators with their Murder Mystery Charity Dinner on February 27 in the Blind Duck Pub. Part of the night was devoted to a murder mystery play called “Criminal Mind”, written and directed by Tiffany Lee. The script was sometimes shocking and emotional, but the comic relief and the fictional detective’s determination for justice in this murder mystery alleviated the gravity of the subject of murder. Lee set the play on our very own campus, which hit close to home and familiarized the audience with the characters. The actors’ excellent performances combined with the interesting plot and relatable setting compensated for the simplicity of the props. After an introduction by host Tiffany Tse, vice-president of the UTM Forensics Society, the play began with a very dramatic first scene in which Detective Barclay barged in on a student named Diane and questioned her on the death of a young woman named Kate. Other suspects included Kate’s boyfriend, Peter,
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The truth begins to unravel in the Forensics Society’s murder mystery play. and Jackie, a swimmer who knew Kate and witnessed a quarrel between Diane and Peter. Evidence of Kate’s murder surfaced when the detective received a phone call explaining that a bag of Kate’s wet clothes had been found in Jackie’s dorm room. Peter was very convincing in
his epic defence throughout the play, but it was the detective who ultimately proved the shrewder of the two, eventually coaxing a confession out of Peter. A flashback scene explained Kate’s death: a jealous Diane told Peter that Kate had been unfaithful to him, and the two got into an argu-
ment. The anger physically manifested itself and Diane shoved the bathroom door, which pushed Kate into the bathtub where she hit her head and drowned in the water. Peter then proposed taking Kate’s wet clothes and leaving them in Jackie’s room and dumping Kate’s body in the swimming
pool, thus making it look like she drowned there. In the next scene Peter was arrested, surprised and confused considering Detective Barclay’s earlier promise of help. The detective didn’t neglect Diane’s involvement in the murder, calling for a search warrant and squad car to her dorm room. John Lee was a hilarious standout as Detective Barclay, who was vigilant in his search for justice and enforcing “…the law!” to protect the defenceless. And he was just one of an impressive cast. All of the people involved in the play were first-year students, and director Tiffany Lee singlehandedly brought together the cast and wrote the play. In our conversation after the play, Lee really impressed me with her pride in the play yet nonchalance about how she had quickly strung the event together. The proceeds from the charity dinner were donated to “Childfind”, a charity in Ontario that provides families aid in the search for their missing children. Lee says she intended this thematic relation to her play. All in all, the Murder Mystery Charity Dinner was a success. It featured a great narrative about justice, and sponsored it as well.
03.04.2013 THE MEDIUM A&E
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Students and staff show their stuff PAUSE’s annual Variety Night raises money for a good cause
JASMEEN VIRK/THE MEDIUM
Talented members of the UTM community came together on Thursday for PAUSE’s Variety Night. NIVEEN FULCHER Variety Night turned out to be a fitting name for the event that UTM’s Psychology Association of Undergraduate Students at Erindale hosted last Thursday. The aim of the event was not only to gather some of our most talented faculty and students in the Blind Duck Pub to celebrate PAUSE’s 16th annual Variety Night, but also to raise awareness of and funds for a local charity, ErinoakKids Centre for Treatment and Development. The organizers handed out prizes in a raffle
(including iPod Shuffles) and sold cupcakes and other baked goods throughout the night. PAUSE will donate 100% of these proceeds to ErinoakKids, which is remarkable considering that many people would have paid just to see the show. After offering to give all of his students As for showing up to support him, Professor Jeff Graham and his band, the Shift, opened the night with classic rock songs he said they think of as “new”, as well as some original songs. Graham announced that his band comprised his cousin David and
two of his oldest friends, Steve and Erik; I found that the personal connection enriched their performance. They also closed the show. When Alice Li took the floor with her profound contemporary dance performed to a beautiful song, it gave the audience an opportunity to settle down and unwind. Li showed off her elegance through this wonderful song and dance that made for a pleasant change of pace. Between a few of the sets, the Legit Crew, a crew of talented breakdancers and hip-hop danc-
ers, formed a circle before the stage and improvised to the beats and remixes the DJ threw at them. The crew occupied the audience’s attention during short breaks, but they might as well have been one of the main acts, given how well they connected with the audience. The talent show also featured two friends, Tamara and Michelle, who began their student life at UTM as lab partners. They sat at a table on stage, each with a cup in hand, and performed a medley of two fun folk songs to the percussion of their cups against the table. It was a magnificent display
of talent, and the connection between the two friends was evident in their smiles and synchronicity. This was my first Variety Night, and I was pleasantly surprised. I highly encourage students not only to give Variety Night a chance next year, but also to check out other talent shows on campus. You never know which professor or student has a trick up their sleeve until they take the stage. If it’s anything like the talent at PAUSE’s event, it will leave you filled with energy and eager to do nothing but join in the excitement and dance along.
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Editor » Carine Abouseif
Tastebud testing: Piatto
Giving writers a chance to experiment with new eats, expand their palates, and report back
ALBERTO BECERRA/THE MEDIUM
Piatto sits a few minutes away from campus in an old-style red brick building with a retro neon sign. One of our writer tested her tastebuds with some dishes she’d never tried before. Intrigued by the concept of an authentic Spanish-Italian fusion, she headed over to the nearby Piatto. Tiffany Limgenco reviews Piatto 1646 Dundas St W When I got the green light to review Piatto, my mouth watered. The restaurant’s website bragged Italian classics mingled with Spanish flavours brought in by Madrid-born chef Carlos García. The marriage of flavours excited me. I had never heard of Spanish-Italian fusion before.
Late one Monday, my family and I pulled up to the restaurant, which was in a brick Victorian-style building on Dundas Street, just a few minutes from campus. Opposite the foyer stood tables dressed in white linen, tall wine glasses, and sparkling silver cutlery. It seemed the snow and freezing rain that day had kept Mississauga’s residents at home. The place was empty. A chalkboard hanging on one wall listed the day’s specials. Against another stood a large, dark wooden shelf crammed with over a hundred bottles of wine. The wooden frames on the ancient windows gave the place a rustic feel. And a light yellow glow warmed each table.
The owner, Tom Skrela, greeted us, took our coats, and led us to a table by the window. Our server poured us water and read the specials. For such a fine dining place, I felt comfortable enough to slouch in my chair as the waiter made polite conversation with us. When I flipped through the menu minutes later though, I found none of García’s Spanish fare on the menu. “Chef García left us in October,” our server said. “Chef Abramo Tonelli runs our kitchen now. Everything is authentic Italian.” We couldn’t leave. We were settled, served, and just about ready to order. I kissed my paella valenciana
dreams goodbye and strapped in for a different kind of evening. We began with steamed mussels in a tomato and white wine sauce. We paired that with a smoked salmon and avocado antipasti, a combination of salty and fresh with sweet and rich. We each chose a different entrée from Chef Tonelli’s menu: thinly sliced veal cutlets wrapped in spinach and mozzarella, ground veal cannelloni in a rosé sauce, linguine with truffle oil and fresh shitake and oyster mushrooms, and risotto and mushrooms in cream sauce. Each plate had layers of flavour, all balanced, all precise, and all just right. Each plate harmonized deca-
dence and creativity. Each plate was a true foodie’s delight. We finished the night with classic tiramisu, an inventive chocolate espresso pate, and a light, mousselike mango cheesecake that I continue to dream about. I may not have gotten to savour the flavours of Spain, but Piatto certainly did not disappoint. I enjoyed the thoughtful service, the delicious food, the warm atmosphere, and the reasonable prices. Situated just around the corner from UTM and with courses from $8 to $33, Piatto is the perfect place to celebrate birthdays, graduations, and anniversaries.
Guilt, consequences, and evolution You should probably be studying right now. Guilty? CHRYSTAL COLQUHOUN There might be one or two things you feel guilty about right now. Maybe you’re reading this article instead of writing a paper or studying for that looming Monday midterm. Maybe you’ve spent too much time on Facebook or Twitter this week, or too much money maintaining your caffeine addiction at Timmies or Starbucks. Maybe you feel guilty about breaking your New Year’s resolution or a promise to a close friend. We all know what guilt feels like—the heaviness in the bottom of your stomach, the uncomfortable sense that you need to fix what’s been damaged. Guilt seems to be a universal emotion that
doesn’t account for age, gender, or culture; but where does it come from? And how does it develop? When you were four years old and stole your younger sibling’s favourite toy, did you feel guilty? Guilt is commonly defined as the feeling of remorse that accompanies an offensive act, the violation of a moral rule, or deviance from a norm. Tina Malti, a professor at UTM and director of a laboratory that studies children’s emotional and social development, says guilt is much more than a lingering feeling of remorse. According to Malti, guilt is a moral emotion, an emotion that lets you assess yourself with respect to others. Compared to more basic emotions—those tied to a
physiological response, such as sadness, happiness, or fear—moral emotions like guilt require developed cognitive abilities.
Moral emotions like guilt require developed cognitive abilities. “Guilt is a more complex emotion that requires perspective-taking skills,” said Malti. “The child has to understand what he or she did in relation to [other people], so we do think that guilt typically develops around six to seven years of age.” Children as young as three to five years old may show precursors of guilt, Malti explained. She says
these feelings are called precursors to guilt because a child may not be able to feel true guilt in all its aspects. For example, a child that young may feel sorry for the person they’ve wronged, but wouldn’t be able to take the perspective of the person and feel real remorse for their actions. Thus, your fouryear-old self may not have felt guilty for stealing your sibling’s toy, but in your defence, your perspective-taking skills weren’t fully developed at the time. So we know that very young children don’t feel what we would proplery call “guilt”, but what about older children, adolescents, and (yes) university students? Guilt can linger in a person, but what is its purpose?
When you feel guilty, sometimes you’re motivated to act in ways that will erase that guilt. Freud proposed that we develop defence mechanisms to ease anxiety or guilty thoughts. We find ways to justify our actions to ease our feelings of guilt. Some well-established evolutionary theories hold that guilt helps us maintain social relations. When we lived in tribes and hunter-gatherer societies, survival required the cooperation of other humans even more than it does today. Ostracism meant death, and getting along with others often led to a better-functioning group and a prolonged life. Guilty continued on page 9
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03.04.2013 THE MEDIUM FEATURES
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“File now, think later”
Archives and “tickler files”: how to write the best to-do list JILLIAN LIM ASSOCIATE FEATURES EDITOR “The interesting thing about crisis is that it produces a type of serenity,” says David Allen, a productivity expert and the author of Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity. During a crisis, people must make quick decisions, prioritize what’s important, and move fast. They must act. But once a crisis ends, extra thoughts flood in and we think about unfinished tasks, getting distracted from the task at hand. So with our endless list of reminders and thoughts about the future, how do we tap into what Allen calls “true survival mode”? Allen has created a productivity system based on filing important and non-important thoughts effectively. Allen’s advanced version of a to-do list, which is called GTD (very simply, “Getting Things Done”) and has garnered media attention and driven the sale of more than 600,000 of Allen’s books. Through GTD, Allen believes we can clean out the bulk of unfinished tasks in our minds. It’s a system of maps, priorities, file folders, and compartments, of thinking ahead and categories and cleaning. But to start with the basics, “filing effectively” requires dividing your tasks into three types. First, you should have an archive where you store all the tasks and thoughts you may need one day but can forget about for now. For example, the clothes you’re going to wear to a party, a vacation spot for next summer, and a potential PhD program might all go in your archive. That way, you can feel assured that they’re in the “system”,
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but your mind can focus on other things for now. Future tests, essay deadlines, and summer job applications can also go in your archive. Allen refers to the old cliché “out of sight, out of mind”. File now, deal with later. Next, Allen describes a current task list. These are the tasks and thoughts that must be dealt with right now. Every single thing in your current task list must be stored as an action. In other words, writing “English essay” in your current task list just won’t cut it. To make the task doable and less repulsive, you must redefine it as an action verb. You must break it down into something that involves
Oh, the guilt Guilty continued from page 8 “For example, if you feel guilty when you harm someone else, then I think it’s adaptive, because then at least you realize that you did something wrong and this can facilitate reparation or reparative behaviour—for example, an apology,” said Malki. Guilt can also be maladaptive, though. Studies have found that high levels of guilt are reported by people with depression, and have shown that continually feeling guilty for a long time can lead to depressive symptoms. On the other hand, studies have also found that low levels of guilt are reported by people with psychological disorders, like psychopathy. Researchers at the University of Queensland have found that excessive guilt can lead to self-harm, and that this self-harm may reduce feelings of guilt. In a 2010 study, Brock Bastian, a researcher at the university, had 62 participants write about one of two experiences: in one, participants wrote about excluding someone else from a social group,
and in the other, they wrote about a neutral experience. After writing about the event, participants were asked to hold their hand in a bucket of water that was either ice-cold or warm. They then completed questionnaires to assess their levels of self-reported guilt and pain. Bastian found that participants who were asked to write about excluding another and given the bucket of cold water tended to leave their hand in the water longer. They also reported feeling more pain. So is guilt maladaptive or adaptive? Does it depend on the situation? Should we pay close attention to guilt and act to reduce the feeling? Should we control our feelings of guilt beyond a certain point? “I think there is probably something like an optimal level of guilt,” said Malti. “If you never feel guilty, that would be a problem. But if you feel extensive levels of guilt all the time, that would be maladaptive. At the same time, you know, being moral and being healthy—or feeling healthy—[are] not the same.”
physically moving an arm, hand, finger, or other limb. Instead of “English essay”, write “Open book to page 15 and start reading”. Or “Type email to prof@utoronto.ca and ask for help on thesis”. Instead of writing “Book venue for birthday”, write “Dial (416) 029-2042”. Because we’ve written these tasks as actions, there is immediacy and urgency and we feel more inclined to do them. Allen refers to his last component of the filing system as a “tickler file”. Think of the tickler file as a reminder, a way to remember which tasks are current and which belong in the archive. For Allen, the tickler file consists
of 43 folders of reminders: one folder for each of the next 31 days, and 12 folders for each of the next 12 months. Each day you open a folder and see the tasks you have to complete for that day or month. Tomorrow’s folder might say “Call sister”, while January 2014’s folder might read “Go to bank and pay first instalment of student debt”. So how exactly do we organize our tasks into these compartments? Mentally, physically, electronically? Allen says we must get these thoughts down in a physical form, whether electronically or on paper, so they can turn into actions. Allen uses Lotus Notes, a software by IBM that helps people
organize their businesses through widgets and calendars. But Allen writes that you “still can’t beat markers on a whiteboard”. He also uses a small notebook he calls a “note-taker wallet” in which he writes small lists of tasks. For more passionate followers of GTD, he provides a list of physical tools like baskets for your desk, file cabinets, plastic travel file folders, and desktop organizers. Whatever medium you choose, Allen emphasizes that we should externalize all our extra thoughts about future tasks that could interfere with our present problems. Allen’s GTD system relies on what psychologists call the Zeigarnik effect. The Zeigarnik effect is described as the tendency to fixate on tasks we haven’t finished. Psychologists call these fixations “intrusive thoughts”. We must free our minds because our attentions have a limited capacity. By organizing every task in terms of priority and writing them down as actions rather than words, our minds adapt to what a BBC article calls “a complete system for self-management, something that will do the remembering and monitoring for you, so your mind is freed up”. As a 20-something student, I juggle thoughts about my personal life, school, work, and the future. I think about what to eat, drink, say, and write, and I often feel overwhelmed as these thoughts compete for my attention. But through the system of organization and categories proposed by Allen, I might, as he puts it, “know how to discriminate what’s meaningful and what’s not” in my world. In other words, I just might get things done.
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Mediumsports Editor » Isaac Owusu
Sprint to the very end The murder by Olympian/Paralympian Oscar Pistorius and the athlete’s tarnished reputation JASON COELHO ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR In a year in which we’ve been bombarded with sports scandals, the recent news of famed Olympic and Paralympic runner Oscar Pistorius shooting and killing his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, still came as a shock to the world. After making history by being the first athlete to compete in both the Olympic and Paralympic games in London, Pistorius—also known as “The Blade Runner”—inspired the world with his determination and remarkable story. After a week of allegations that Pistorius murdered Steenkamp, a former law student, a four-day bail hearing that concluded on February 22 confirmed that Pistorius was at fault, and he was charged with premeditated murder. Pistorius’ reputation has irrevocably been tarnished; this comes as yet another blow to the world of sports and the fans who look up to athletes like Pistorius as role models. “It’s upsetting that whenever an athlete makes world news it’s regarding scandals such as Lance Armstrong, Manti Teo, Jerry Sandusky, or Oscar Pistorius. It seems like more athletes are turning into public [an-
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Oscar Pistorius defends his case in the court of law—and of public opinion. tagonists], then they are idolized. The media attention is giving us athletes a bad name,” says Kyle Kuczynski, a third-year history and political science major and centre on the UTM hockey team. “Most athletes will maintain a level of professional-
ism to protect their image, but at the end of the day, they’re still human and mistakes will happen. It’s unfortunate that scandals outside of their athletic careers are more newsworthy than their athletic accomplishments.”
UTM feels blue EBI AGBEYEGBE ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR After winning their last two games before the playoffs, UTM men’s Division 1 Blue lost their semifinal game to Scarborough by a score of 79–59. From the tip-off, UTM couldn’t get into the offensive flow that got them this far in the postseason. They got open looks, but the shots weren’t falling at all. Scarborough adopted a zone defence that UTM didn’t know how to penetrate in a half-court offence. On the other end, Scarborough was having its way with UTM’s defence; they hit their first four shots and got off to an early 10-point lead midway through the first half. During the regular season, whenever UTM’s offence struggled, their defence picked up the slack and got them going. That defence wasn’t there for most of the first half of this game. UTM guard Jonathan Harvey, who usually sparks the offence into action, couldn’t land his shots. Faiz Ahmed and Jordan Nazarene gave the team some momentum with tremendous hustle plays that got the crowd cheering, but the hustle didn’t translate into
defence, where Scarborough got everything they wanted. Scarborough went into the break with a 12-point lead. UTM came into the second half with renewed vigour; they picked up more rebounds and cut the lead down to eight points with 10 minutes left in the second half, but then their offence suddenly stalled again.
“I feel like I let the team down; I usually facilitate the offence, keep everyone motivated, and do some scoring on my own.” —Jonathan Harvey Harvey fouled out of the game with 10 minutes left. With their new player advantage, UTSG kept capitalizing on offence and drove their lead up to 14 points with eight minutes left. Nazarene, Ahmed, and Osama Abdelkader were playing what might have been their last game in Eagles
jerseys, and their motivation could be seen in their hustling. Nazarene caught an alley-oop pass, his first in all his time at UTM, which got the crowd going again. This was the highlight of the second half for the team. But on the other end, Scarborough scored with ease thanks to their starters and bench players. In the end, UTM couldn’t come back from a slow start and it cost them the game. After the game, disappointed fans cleared out of the RAWC and the coaches congratulated the players on a season well played. “The game went horribl[y]—worst game of the season,” said Harvey after the game. “I feel like I let the team down; I usually facilitate the offence, keep everyone motivated, and do some scoring on my own.” The season started off with so much promise for Div 1 men’s Blue, but it ended with both the team and the fans disappointed and wanting more. But with the core group of Tevin Sutton Stephenson and Jonathan Harvey returning next season, UTM Blue will remain a very good team. Hopefully, the experience from this year will propel them to win it all next season.
Pistorius had his legs amputated when he was 11 months old after being born with fibular hemimelia in both of his legs. He did not let his disability stop him from participating in sports, and partook in water polo, wrestling, tennis, and rugby from an
early age. His success at the Paralympics amounts to six gold medals since he began competing in 2004 in Athens. Pistorius recently became the first man to compete in both the Paralympic and Olympic Games when he competed in the men’s 400 metres and the men’s 4x400-metre relay in London last year. Kuczynski believes Pistorius has been in a downward spiral since he started making allegations against Vincent Kiilu of the Kenyan national team, who, during the 4x400metre relay, was believed to have cut in front of South Africa’s Ofentse Mogawane, causing both runners to fall. Pistorius and his South African team accused Kiilu of interference. “I don’t think the public will allow him to return to his former glory,” says Kuczynski. “I don’t know all of the circumstances of the case, but I read his affidavit and it’s an unconvincing alibi.” As many still struggle to come to terms with the criminal actions of the renowned runner, it is certain that Pistorius’ lauded career has come to an abrupt end. Pistorius has been released on a bail of $1 million South African rand and will make his next scheduled court appearance on June 4.
What went right— and what went wrong BRANDON RYNKA The Division 1 men’s Blue team ended their season on Tuesday night, losing to the UTSC Maroons in the semifinals. “Overall, we were disappointed. We had expectations of winning the championship but fell short. We played bad[ly] in some key games, including tonight, which is disappointing,” said UTM Blue’s coach, Ammer Askary, after the game. “Yet we learned a lot of things as a team and as individuals through this whole experience; that’s the key. We are going to be losing a lot of guys this year, but we have some things to look forward to, as we have some young guys coming up.” Tevin Sutton-Stephenson, a starter for UTM Blue, was disappointed by how the year ended but optimistic about how the year had gone. “This season was full of ups and downs. We had spectacular moments where it felt like we couldn’t be beat, and then we had some pretty rough times as well,”
he said. “I tried my best to step up for the team, but we still fell short despite my efforts, as well as the efforts of some of the main guys, like Jon, Jordan, Osama, and of course guys off the bench, who were just as vital to the successes we had this year.” Another key contributor throughout UTM Blue’s season was Jonathan Harvey, who was disappointed about how things ended, since he saw the great potential his team had had. “Overall, we had a good season. The only time we would lose is when we weren’t practising consistently, but when we did practise consistently and everyone was on the same page, we were an unstoppable force,” said Harvey after the game. “We had a lot of talented guys on the team who worked hard; to lose in the semis to Scarborough is a heartbreaker. We had a couple of guys on the team who were graduating, so we were really hoping to win the championship.” Wrong continued on page 11
03.04.2013 THE MEDIUM SPORTS
Prepare for the worst RANDY JIN This season, the Toronto Blue Jays have pulled off two blockbuster deals and signed several players, bolstering their rotation with the likes of Josh Johnson, Mark Buerhle, and R.A. Dickey, while strengthening their lineup with stars like José Reyes and Melky Cabrera. Fans and media have called them the early favourites in the American League, and in Las Vegas, the have the highest odds to win the World Series. John Lin, a first-year linguistics student, opined that the team “flows with talent, and are ready to revitalize baseball in Toronto”. However, this writer isn’t buying into the hype yet. While this team is a good bet for the postseason, I believe this team will not win the World Series. Here are five reasons why. The injury-prone stars Through no fault of their own, many of the players on the Jays have problems staying healthy. José Reyes has missed more than 50 games per year from 2009 to 2011. Josh Johnson, acquired in the same deal, only managed to make 14 starts in the majors in 2008, and had even more trouble in 2011, appearing in only nine starts. The face of the team, José Bautista, missed 49 games in 2009 and 70 games in 2012. Playing in the ultra-competitive AL East, routinely missing three of their biggest stars will be felt even more strongly.
The lack of serviceable backup This is related to the first reason. When your star goes down, someone has to take over for him. The Jays obviously lack high-quality replacements. Mike McCoy, with his lifetime batting average of .190, has gotten into 158 games with the Jays the past three seasons. While Emilio Bonifacio is an adequate hitter, the Jays lack the powerful bat off the bench that many playoff teams of 2012 had, so if Bautista or Encarnación go down, the flawed bats of Adam Lind and Colby Rasmus will be heavily relied on. On the pitching side, if Josh Johnson gets injured or Mark Buerhle shows more effects of aging, while there are serviceable arms in the minors, the team lacks an impact pitcher that has proven he can step up and fill the void. The competition The Jays are pegged as the top team in the AL East, but their status as the top AL team is highly doubtful. The Detroit Tigers have a formidable lineup with 2012 AL MVP winner Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder, and Victor Martínez in the middle, and their rotation is anchored by the 2011 AL Cy Young and MVP winner, Justin Verlander. The Los Angeles Angels have an intimidating lineup of their own, headlined by 2010 AL MVP Josh Hamilton, three-time NL MVP Albert Pujols, and phenom Mike Trout; their rotation features three-time All-Star Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson, and vet-
eran Joe Blanton. The Jays just don’t have a middle-of-the-lineup combo or a rotation that can compete with them. The unproven manager After John Farrell forced his way out of Toronto, many fans hoped that the Jays would bring in a manager with considerable reputation, so it came as a huge surprise when John Gibbons was picked. Gibbons did not manage to reach .500 in his tenure with the Jays, but it was widely accepted that he had a talented team under him, including stars such as Alex Rios, Vernon Wells, Roy Halladay, A.J. Burnett, and B.J. Ryan. He butted heads with his players on multiple occasions; incidents involving Shea Hillenbrand and Ted Lilly were highly publicized. Hillenbrand admittedly had a poor reputation, but Ted Lilly has not had any controversial incidents since. One has to wonder whether the fault lies with Gibbons or the players he feuded with. The pressure Almost none of the Blue Jays players have ever experienced the thrill of a pennant drive. The only players on the Jays’ roster with playoff experience are Mark Buerhle and Mark DeRosa. As Karl Go, a first-year history student noted, “There are a lot of expectations on them.” Can the huge expectations of a playoffstarved nation prove too big a burden for them? Only time will tell.
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Game over Wrong continued from page 10
Although Coach Askary is excited for the future of UTM Blue and the young talent it has coming up, the team will be saying goodbye to some veterans and key contributors to this year’s successes. Faiz Ahmed, a graduating senior and five-year player for UTM Blue, commented, “I don’t even know where to begin. First off, I want to say this isn’t the end of my basketball journey. This was my last year suiting up in the navy, and as disappointing as it was to have it end the way it did last night, I remain thankful that I had the opportunity
to represent UTM on the hardwood. “Throughout the season, I thought our biggest opponent was ourselves,” he added. “We had the talent to be champions, but the mental toughness wasn’t consistent. Last night was an example of that— an early run by UTSC built their confidence and diminished ours. And although we never gave up, a late run from UTSC really sealed our fate. “To my fellow graduates, Jordan and Peter, I wish you the best of luck, and I wish the future of the UTM team all the luck as well,” he concluded.
Easy access EBI AGBEYEGBE ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR The UTM Div 1 women’s team won their game last Monday against U of T Law by forfeit. Law failed to show up to participate in the first round of the playoffs. The Div 1 women’s team barely get to play any home games, so they were looking forward to showing their talent in front of their home crowd. The Eagles came out ready to play, engaging in shootarounds and laughing among themselves. Parents and students filed in, awaiting Law’s arrival. The clock showed 8 p.m. and the
referees gave the customary 10-minute waiting time for Law to show up. At 8:15 the clock ran out and the referees officially called the game a forfeit. UTM’s coach, Essam Nadeem, shook hands with the referees, and after exchanging some words, the referees took their leave. Nadeem brought his players together afterwards and gave them a small talk. The Eagles played some five-on-five basketball and were joined by Essence Penaloza of the tri-campus team. The Eagles move on to the next round of the playoffs. With the rest and extra practice they got this week, they are one step closer to bringing home the trophy.