Vol 34 issue 18

The Voice of the University of Toronto at Mississauga

MEDIUM T H E

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2008

VOLUME 34, ISSUE 18

www.mediumonline.ca

Rain - The Beatles “experience”

Creative Corner

Super Bowl XLII

Page 6

Page 9

Page 12

Big turnout for blood clinic SAIRA MUZAFFAR NEWS EDITOR Students rolled up their sleeves on Thursday, January 31, to donate at the Blood Donor Clinic in the Student Centre, an event that was organized by the Canadian Blood Services (CBS).

CBS officials were impressed with the large turnout that saw 94 students do their part in replenishing a “growing need for blood and blood products,” according to Anne Edge, a volunteer at the clinic.

“The amount of blood that is needed is quite a lot, accidents can take quite a lot. There’s also gunshot wounds, cancer patients, and burn patients - all have an ongoing need for blood,” she said.

Potential donors began by registering their demographics and having their blood iron level tested.

This was followed by filling out a questionnaire about the donor’s medical history and travel records.

Students would then discuss the questionnaire with on-site nurses to rule out potential points for disqualification.

“Recent travel to certain locations could pose a risk for infectious diseases such as Malaria. You have to be at least 110 pounds to donate a pint, which is, on average, a tenth of the blood in your body. There are also age restrictions if you are between the ages of 60 and 70 and are a first time donor,” said Prakash Masitt, the clinic’s supervisor.

Once potential donors had their health status cleared they were guid-

ed to a bed and prepped by one of the nurses to donate. After about twenty minutes the students were taken to the ‘hospitality table’ where they were served juice, coffee, and cookies to sustain their blood sugar levels. The whole process from start to finish could take up to an hour; a commitment that most students found worth was worth their effort.

“The staff and volunteers were really nice and you kind of have to wait, but it’s worth it because like the motto says, ‘it’s in you to give.’

It’s something that you have and it just requires a time commitment and nothing else,” said first-time donor Ahmed Faress, a third-year biology major.

“This is my fourth time donating and I highly encourage everyone to come out and do it. It’s a good thing. You could potentially be saving someone’s life,” said Junaid Butt, a second-year commerce specialist.

Out of the 94 students who came out, only 74 actually donated blood, with the remainder being disqualified for various reasons, which did not include CBS’s MSM policy on deferring male donors who have had sex with other men since 1977.

“That’s the question we have been addressing on some of the campuses and it’s not the individual, it’s the criteria that we have for the safety of our patients to keep the blood and blood products safer. Because of the research we have so far, there’s a high incidence of HIV in this particular group,” said Masitt.

The policy has recently been the

centre of much controversy with gay rights activists, who argue that it is based on homophobic and discriminatory beliefs, and not scientific research.

“Yes, at this point we still have the criteria in place [but] we are looking into it and we are doing more research,” said Masitt.

The supervisor was also seen handing out official notices from CBS on the MSM policy which explained that the policy is a cautionary measure to rule out potentially undetected cases of HIV. “[It’s] because our state-of-the-art test for HIV has a limitation. In the early stages of infection, known as the ‘window period’, the virus is undetectable. What this means is that, without a screening process, there is the potential for an infected unit to get through the system and be transfused into a patient,” the handout explained.

University of Toronto Mississauga students still found the cause worth supporting.

“I figured if you needed blood yourself you would want someone to help. So you should try and put yourself in someone else’s shoes,” said Michael Calis, a first-year psychology major.

“I heard that 80 per cent of Canadians will need blood at some point in their lives and only threeand-a-half per cent of the population actually donates blood. That’s kind of scary,” said Catherine Chen, a second-year commerce student.

CBS plans to organize another blood donor clinic at the university in March.

photo/Matthew Filipowich

Nurses prepare UTM students to donate a pint of blood during Blood Donor Clinic organized by the Canadian Blood Services. The clinic ended up collecting around 74 units.

Student investigated by RCMP for Internet postings

BY JULIE TYIOS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF An upper-year UTM student has come under investigation by the RCMP’s counter-terrorism forces for comments he posted on Torontobased Internet forums and chat rooms.

After a terrorist attack in Germany last September, Hossain posted: "I hope the German brothers were gonna blow up US-German bases in their country. . . We should do that here in Canada as well. Kill as many western soldiers as well so that they think twice before entering foreign countries on behalf of their Jew masters."

He also posted "Canadian soldiers on Canadian soil who are training to

go to Afghanistan or Iraq are legitimate targets to be killed. Now it is possible and legitimate ... believe me, if we could have enough of our soldiers killed, then we'd be forced to withdrawn (sic) from Afghanistan."

The postings, flagged as hate speech targeting Jews and Canadian forces, have prompted action from various levels of government.

"The promotion of hate and violence has no place in Canadian society, and it is an offence under the Criminal Code," said minister of public safety Stockwell Day, quoted in the Mississauga News. "Our government carefully balances the right to freedom of expression with our duty to protect Canadians from harm."

As well, Senator Colin Kenny, the chairman of the Senate National Security and Defence Committee, has

called for charges to be filed against Hossain.

The rise of a group on Facebook entitled “Expel or Suspend Salman Hossain” has become the center of the student movement against Hossain’s postings, which many feel go against the right to free speech.

“Unfortunately, freedom of speech means just that,” wrote one member of the group. “However, it doesn't mean that other well meaning, patriotic, Canadians can't also ‘express themselves’ to take care of the trash.

Hypothetically of course.”

UTM Students’ Union president Walied Khoghali made a short posting in response to the situation: “As a student union, we will forever acknowledge and encourage free speech, but there is a difference between free speech demonstrating

disapproval and free speech inciting the killing of others. As a union, we cannot support anyone suggesting the murder of others.”

Hossain initially rebutted many of the postings against him, citing a link to his blog, “Eradicating Zionism!!!” with an explanation of his opinions and a response to an article about his case in the National Post, which includes allegations that he knows the Khadr family, thought by some to be involved in terrorist activities.

“The National Post is a Zionist controlled newspaper,” he wrote. “It is with regards the issue and debate about ‘free speech’ since the Zionist Jews via their control of the mainstream media promote hatred against muslims [sic] on a DAILY basis.

They always promote negative images of Muslims and Islam. So

what they say is done for propaganda purposes... So far the article has mentioned many true statements but at times taken them out of their original context or left out a few things that would damage their propaganda major omissions. Remember, in my conversations, I stated many many things. They only chose what would make me look really bad.

“As well as that, some of the facts stated are not right. I personally do NOT know the Khadr family. I know OF them, and I know that they are NOT ‘terrorists’.”

But Hossain claims that the original postings were meant to remain private before declining to comment further on the situation without his lawyer’s advice.

The RCMP has not yet charged Hossain with any crime.

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Monday, February 4, 2008

NEWS

Crazy Kiya Re MEGHA KUMAR ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR On Thursday, the University of Toronto Mississauga Cricket Club (UCC) hosted its first pub night promoting the South Asian community with the tagline 'Crazy Kiya Re' (Drive me Crazy). The event saw about 115 attendees overall. With upbeat and lively music from DJ Jiten, quoted as the “city's top South Asian DJ” by Toronto Life Magazine, the pub saw a large crowd closer to midnight.

“All South Asians have an interest in cricket, and there is a serious lack of South Asian clubs on campus! By hosting this event we wanted to give something great for our members in return for their involvement.”

-Raghav Gupta, UCC president photo/ Sam Ip

University of Toronto Mississauga’s Cricket Club president Raghav Gupta blows out candles on his birthday cake at the Blind Duck Pub during the club’s first ever pub-night. The ‘Crazy Kiya Re’ event saw a 115 students show up to dance to the Bollywood inspired tunes of famous DJ Jiten.

Write for News - Email Saira at news@mediumonline.ca

DJ Jiten began the night with the strong drum beats of Bhangra and Punjabi remixes, and then switched to Bollywood music for the rest of the night. The song of the evening, 'Crazy Kiya Re' from a popular

Hindi movie, saw a large crowd of girls turning up the heat on the dance floor.

DJ Jiten, born in Toronto, is a pioneer of the South Asian party scene and is known for his catchy Bollywood remixes and fusion of Indian and Western beats. He has released over 20 albums and tours worldwide.

Near the end of the night he played R&B and reggae, with some urban mixes to old Hindi songs. The night ended with the foot-tapping title song from one of the highestgrossing Hindi movies of 2007,'Om Shanti Om,' as everyone headed towards the dance floor in groups for the grand finale.

“I have one word - incredible!

And all the synonyms for it. The organizers have done a great job for this event,” said Mubashir Ali, a former director of the University of Toronto Students’ Union.

“The night was rocking! UCC is amazing!” said Satya Tandon, a first-year commerce student.

The UTM Cricket Club has expanded to over 200 members since its inception in November 2006, with Raghav Gupta as president and Saurabh Patel as vice-president. The club organizes cricket matches, popular cricket screenings, and other related events.

“All South Asians have an interest in cricket, and there is a serious lack of South Asian clubs on campus! By hosting this event we wanted to give something great for our members in return for their involvement,” said Gupta.

Bake sale for Gaza SAIRA MUZAFFAR NEWS EDITOR

The university’s Muslim Students’ Association (MSA) held a bake sale on Wednesday, January 30 to raise funds for thousands of Palestinians stuck without water, food, and electricity in Gaza for the past few months as Israel continues to blockade any entry of aid into the area.

“The situation in Gaza is worsened now because of the siege. Not having electricity makes it a lot harder for them to survive. The hospitals are not even accepting new patients because they don’t have enough supplies or clean water. They are lacking in everything,” said Jameela Jaber, the MSA’s events coordinator.

The last couple of weeks have seen desperate Palestinians breach the Egyptian border to reach supplies.

While Israel continues to justify its stance as a response to rocket attacks from within the region, the Egyptian government has come under heavy international pressure to regain border control. Jaber added that the severity of the crisis has pushed many organizations to work together in raising money.

“This is not something that we can solve in one night or like one day. We need to be consistent and help them as much as possible,” said Jaber.

“I think it’s important to support the cause because a lot of times, especially in university, as we tend to get caught in our own lives and we don’t realize what’s going on around the world. It presents us an opportunity to look at our own lives with a different perspective and be more thankful for what we have,” said Maryam Rana, the MSA’s secretary.

The student group also collected money from an on campus Quran recitation competition on Thursday January, 31 and plans to continue raising more funds through a ticketed dinner it will organize with Ryerson University on February 10 at Spiegel Hall.

“We are trying to raise money through all the events we arrange and students can also make donations,” said Jaber.

The funds collected by the MSA would be directed to the Canadian chapter of the International Relief Fund for the Afflicted and Needy that is collaborating with other organizations in collecting aid for the afflicted.

Monday, February 4, 2008

NEWS

UTM Profs discuss a Democrat comeback TEJAS AIVALLI ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Students and alumni almost filled up SE 2074 on Wednesday, January 30, to listen to four U of T professors talk about the upcoming US presidential election and the ongoing primaries and caucuses.

Renan Levine was a panelist and also the moderator of the event. The other panelists were political science professor Ryan Hurl, foreign policy professor Arnd Jürgensen, and the very popular political science professor Mark Lippincott.

The event began with the panelists sharing their observations on the outcomes of the primaries and caucuses so far. Jürgensen said the front-runners in both parties last year – H i l l a r y C l i n t o n o f t h e Democrats and Rudy Giuliani of the Republicans – were working a lot harder than anticipated. Both decided tha t t he y h a d t h e e l e ct i o n wrapped up, but it backfired on them.

Hurl said that 2008 might be the end of the Republican era and the Democrats have the crucial advantage on economic issues.

“I haven’t got the faintest clue what’s going on,” began Lippincott, invoking laughter and applause

from the audience. He went on to say that the current situation is “unprecedented in that there has been no primary-caucus season like this before.” Selling intra-party conflict and treating the elections as a commodity is what dominates the media, he noted.

“I see a solid conservative block solidifying. I see the Democratic party picking up Republican themes.

From what I see in trends, I don’t see health for the Democratic party.”

- Mark Lippincott, political science professor “If you want to bet, bet on big money. Clinton and Romney both still have big money backers,” said Lippincott.

Levine said the big mystery is “w h a t h a p pe ned to Rudy [ G i u l i a n i ]? ” A fter speaking at

length about Giuliani, Levine concluded that John Kerry got bandwagon support in 2004, so it could happen again.

When an audience member asked whether there will be a front-runner after next week, Lippincott agreed saying, “yes, for both parties.”

Jürgensen said, “Obama’s supporters [are] going to Clinton on economic issues. The Republican front-runner won’t be Romney.”

“Unless Clinton and Obama get a policy issue to substantially disagree about, the campaign will get nastier and personal,” said Hurl.

Meredith Lilly, a third year political science student, asked whether the Democratic leadership change was cyclical or was it because of current president George W. Bush.

“For long times there are dominant ideas but they are not always in agreement with the dominant party,” replied Hurl.

Lippincott said he would hesitate to sound the death knell on the Republican Party “just because they failed to establish a solid base.”

“I see a solid conservative block solidifying. I see the Democratic party picking up Republican themes. From what I see in trends, I don’t see health for the Democratic party,” he said.

Campus Police Reports January 22 - January 30, 2008 January 22, 2008 - 15:00 hrs Vehicular collision Two vehicles were heavily damaged when they collided at the exit of Lot 9. A passenger in one of the vehicles was slightly injured.

January 22, 2008 - 20:30 hrs Uttering threats A student complained that he was threatened by another student. The threatening remarks were text messaged.

January 23, 2008 - 12:05 hrs Trespassing Skateboarders were removed from the CCT garage. They were issued trespass notices.

January 23, 2008 - 17:10 hrs Fail to remain Two vehicles collided at Lot 2.

The driver that caused the accident left the scene. He was later questioned

by University Police.

January 24, 2008 - 16:00 hrs Harassment A woman complained that she was harassed by a man at the South Building. The man was questioned by University Police.

January 25, 2008 - 02:05 hrs Harassment A woman received a harassing email from an unknown sender. The woman lives in UTM residence.

January 25, 2008 - 03:55 hrs Mischief under $5000 University Police investigated damage to the CCT parking garage.

Skateboarders are suspected.

January 25, 2008 - 15:05 hrs Theft from auto A wallet with money was stolen from a vehicle. Access to the interior was through a smashed passenger window January 25, 2008 - 16:15 hrs Theft from auto A CD portable player was stolen from a vehicle. The vehicle belonged to a staff member.

January 25, 2008 - 17:00 hrs Theft under $5000 University Police investigated the theft of a personal item from the CCT Building.

January 25, 2008 - 17:12 hrs Elevator entrapment A man was trapped in an elevator at the CCT Building. Engineering Services freed him.

January 26, 2008 - 03:08 hrs Disruptive behaviour University Police attended McLuhan Court to deal with a complaint of people disturbing the peace.

The crowd was gone before the arrival of police.

January 29, 2008 - 03:20 hrs Causing a disturbance University Police attended the Erindale Hall Building to quell a disturbance. The offending party was addressed.

January 29, 2009 - 10:04 hrs Mischief under $5000 A vehicle was vandalized as it was parked in Lot 9. The rear view window of the vehicle was smashed.

January 29, 2008 - 13:00 hrs Fail to remain Two vehicles in Lot 8 were damaged. The driver that caused the accident left the scene. A witness noted down his vehicle’s particulars.

January 29, 2008 - 14:47 hrs Towed vehicle A vehicle at Lot 6 with excessive tickets was towed away.

January 30, 2008 - 03:01 hrs Harassment A woman complained about an obscene call to her cellular. The woman lives off campus.

January 30, 2008 - 15:40 hrs Trespassing Skateboarders were removed from the CCT garage. They were issued verbal trespass notices.

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Monday, February 4, 2008

EDITORIAL

Opinion JULIE TYIOS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | editor@mediumonline.ca www.mediumonline.ca

EDITORIAL The power of the Internet is in many ways astounding.

Consider the case of UTM student Salman Hossain, who is currently being investigated by the Canadian government for some hate comments – “thought crime” - made on a “private” chat room.

In an article from the Mississauga News (Senator wants UTM student charged over web messages, Feb 1, 2008), Senator Colin Kenny calls for the arrest and persecution of Hossain, who made hateful comments against Canadian soldiers and Jews.

Hossain, an upper-year student, wrote on one Toronto-based forum: “I hope the German brothers were gonna blow up US-German bases in their country.

We should do that here in Canada as well... Kill as many western soldiers as well so that they think twice before entering foreign countries on behalf of their Jew masters.”

In another incident, he wrote: "Canadian soldiers on Canadian soil who are training to go to Afghanistan or Iraq are legitimate targets to be killed. Now it is possible and legitimate ... believe me, if we could have enough of our soldiers killed, then we'd be forced to withdrawn (sic) from Afghanistan."

This has drawn the attention of the RCMP’s counter-terrorism forces.

But while the RCMP sits on the fence about this one as they decide whether or not it goes against law and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, many students have been calling for their own sense of justice.

On Facebook, now seemingly the epicentre of the student movement, a group called “Expel or Suspend Salman Hossain” has become the centre of debate on the subject for 439 (as of 10 p.m. on February 3) members. Many have denounced Hossain’s actions, calling them hate-filled and against the university’s Student Code of Conduct. Arguments among members have broken out over various responses, and the responses of the UTM Students’ Union. A lot of it seems to do with the rights of free speech.

But is this a case of free speech? Can hate and ignorance be included as part of this freedom?

Some may argue yes, but I think there is much about this case that crosses the line. Hossain seems not to be exercising a right to free speech, but instead is trying to promote a hate-filled mentality that will only breed more ignorance. But he is not the only one in this situation promoting hate and ignorance.

Much of the attention has fallen on Hossain’s religious identity, which appears to be Muslim. I have read newspaper articles that point out as much, and that Hossain is a member of the Muslim Students’ Association (which has been denied by both the association and Hossain). But, I ask, how is this relevant to the case? In all his comments, though against Jews and the Canadian Armed Forces, there is not a single mention of his religious identity. I don’t see how this plays in to this situation. If anything, I feel this will only breed more Islamophobic sentiments in our society. Hossain is not speaking necessarily as a Muslim, but as a Canadian citizen – note the “we” and “our” in “believe me, if we could have enough of our soldiers killed, then we'd be forced to withdrawn (sic) from Afghanistan." Though the Muslim community has condoned his actions, I do not see why they should come under fire for this, and why “terrorist” seems to be associated with “Muslim” all too easily these days.

As for Hossain, I’m sure action will be taken soon. But in the meantime, what are we all doing to stop our own attitudes of hate and prejudice? I’m seeing an awful lot of it on the Facebook group, and many are quick to judge. This week marks “Unity Through Diversity Week” here at UTM. But how many of you will take the chance to explore and dispel your own prejudices?

Yours,

Julie Tyios

Visit us online at

www.mediumonline.ca Kettlecorn abound, the office is full of munchies. Dan suggests Brazilian rum for what ails me. I feel like a sack of crap. Rob is missing because of the Super Bowl, and so the office is quiet tonight. Dan’s lurking around with a video camera. I hear curses: “Bloody foreigners!” Melissa works quietly, as always. Ali sent me his edits early today, woohoo! Nikita’s all packed up and ready to go. I see a ton of rabbit tracks in the snow. How about that snow day, huh? I heard Rob took a cellphone video of some guy trying to ski down the 5 Minute Walk today, but there was no snow on it. Weird. I brought Rocky Horror tonight but alas, no rubber gloves. Nikita hands me some Macro economics and brain behaviour textbooks whil eshe and Dan chat about Bailey. Apparently, there’s a fan club on Facebook? 8 p.m. and all is quiet. Arts is almost done? “Say what now?” Ed Sullivan Show IS capitalized. You ARE a lousy first editor, and you admit it. Silly Ali. I hear th efaint sounds of classical music. Tis very quiet in here tonight, minus Ali’s occasional “fuck you, you fucking fuck”s. (Sorry, mom.) My aunt and uncle are up here from New York and I think I will be sleeping in the office this week because I no longer have a bed, or a couch. Pity. Don’t forget to change the pull-quote, got it. I think ali has his picture sizes. Creepy, it’s only twenty after eight. Nikita left us. Ali likes the smell of strawberries. “Would you like some?” “No, but I’d like to be closer to you.” “Only if you play me in Boggle.” “Aw, that’s as close as I get?” Would you like some apple pie with that? Would you like some apple pie with that? Ding, fries are done. Llama song abound.

Did you ever see a llama, kiss a llama, on a llama? Here’s a llama, there’s a llama, and another little llama, llama, llama, cheesecake, llama, llama, llama, duck. My dexterity is off. I have very little to blurb, because everyone’s working double-time. Damnit, Rob, we need you here! Finish watching the Super Bowl and get on with it. I keep trying to read Melissa’s shirt, but my eyes aren’t functioning. Something about Jamaica? Group trip! The Medium Does Jamaica - I can see the movie now. I see you put back the Quark Xpress 7 bible, Arts Boy. What gives? Don’t lose my books, now. Comma, comma, comma chameleon. I’ve been hearing some pretty furious typing from Saira’s area for the past hour and a bit. Dan edits silently, as does Melissa. Ali’s loud, as always. You look like you could use a friend, Arts Boy. Like, the kind of friend who reads comics professionally. I have a special someone in mind for you. This is very un-Sunday-like.

“Vy is dis happenging?” 8.45 and the bulk of the paper is done. Time to think about an editorial. I have a lot to say this week. I hear clips of Dan interviewing people about the snow day we had on Friday. Who’s not very bright? Ali’s trudging off to Oscar Peterson, but first he stops to laugh at Saira’s title: “BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD.” Yes, vampires abound, we had a blood donor clinic last week. Ali makes an effort to feed the office. “Are you calling me old?” “I turn 27 in two weeks, and...” “young’un... 27 years old? What the hell are you doing here?” “Fools, all of you, fools!” Happy early birthday, Arts Boy! Dan mutters obscenities at the computer. I can only wonder why. The printer spits a page out at the breakneck speed of one page every 17 minutes. I counted. Looks like someone has a case of the Mondays! I’m never waking up early again. Sniff sniff, onions? Arts Boy, are we still on for the Olympics? Let the games begin. Only 7 left.

THE

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Board of Directors Christine Capewell, Jane Ngobia, Allison King, Josie Rigato, Gian Magalong, Bushra Al Sarraj, Meena Mathialagan

Letters to the Editor

PRESIDENT CONDEMNS HATRED Dear fellow students, faculty and members of the UTM Community, I would like to welcome you all back to another action-packed week. Your student unions have plenty of events lined up for you.

This week, UTMSU and UTSU are hosting Unity through Diversity Week. UTMSU and EPUS are also holding a referendum over the consolidation of representation, services and fees. However I would like to primarily address the comments made by a community member of the name Salman Hossain. Mr.Hossain last week made comments targeting Jews and Canadian soldiers.

I believe that Mr. Hossain’s worldview is repugnant, however as a student union, we will forever acknowledge and encourage free speech. But there is a difference between free speech demonstrating disapproval and free speech inciting the killing of others.

As a union, we cannot support anyone suggesting the murder of others.

The promotion of hate and violence has no place in Canadian society, and it is an offence under the Criminal Code. Mr. Hossain needs to understand that.

In a post 9/11 World it is important for our society to reject all forms of hate. Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, members of various groups, and those perceived to be members of these groups, have been the victims of increased numbers of bias-related assaults, threats, vandalism and arson.

Reducing the incidence of such attacks, and ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to justice, is your civil right. Mr. Hossain does not speak for any community; his actions will only serve to test our commitment to end all forms of discrimination.

As a student leader on the UTM campus, I can confirm that such hatred is not a sentiment felt by all students on the UTM campus. I believe there is an opportunity for us collectively as a community to say NO to all forms of hate. This week we shall be celebrating Unity Through Diversity Week at our inclusive campus. Let us use this opportunity to combat all forms of discrimination such as Homophobia, Anti-Semitism, Racism and Islamaphobia amongst others forms of phobia.

The town hall discussing these challenges is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday or Friday, so please check our website – www.utmsu.ca or email me at president@utmsu.ca for more details.

The second matter I would like to raise with each one of you is the UTMSU-EPUS referendum. Last week, i brought it to your attention that your student union will be holding a historic referendum. This week, I would like to take the opportunity to remind all part-time students, taking 2.5 credits and less, of this momentous referendum. The benefits of the arrangement shall be lower incidental fees for current part-time students.

UTMSU would also be able to lobby more

EDITORIAL Please write to:editor@mediumonline.ca Letters to the editor will be edited for spelling, grammar, style, and coherence.

Letters will not exceed 500 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. Letters and and other editorial materials reflect opinions of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, staff, volunteers, or Board of Directors of The Medium. In other words, just because we print it doesn’t necessarily mean we agree with it.

Submission does not guarantee publication. Submission of materials to The Medium presumes the writer has read, and agrees with, this policy.

effectively due to the strength in numbers. Parttime students will be eligible for the UPASS and other great services, such as club funding, 2-cent photocopying, essay printing, food bank etc.

So if you are taking 2.5 credits and less this year, you are a part-time student eligible to vote. It’s your decision to make, so come out and make history and vote on Wednesday February 6th and Thursday February 7th between 12 p.m and 7 p.m at the South building and CCT link.

This week is also Unity Through Diversity Week with participation from over 30 cultural, social, religious, academic and special interest clubs. This week has a lot installed for you. On Monday, come and check out the Food Bazaar featuring diverse dishes from across the world.

On Tuesday, come out and explore World Issues. On Wednesday, explore our customs and traditions and on Thursday check out the culture show and free pub night.

I would like to end this week’s editorial by reflecting on a quote from a famous British historian and essayist Mr. Thomas Cartyle who said “Men's hearts ought not to be set against one another, but set with one another and all against evil only.”

Stay tuned for more progressive changes at UTM. In student Solidarity, Walied Khogali President, U.T.M Students Union.

Please

Assistant Editors:

Editor-in-Chief Julie Tyios

Composite Editor Andrei Dinu

News Editor Saira Muzaffar

Copy Editor TBA

Features Editor Nikita King

Distribution Manager Ali Kasim

Arts & Entertainment Editor Ali Kasim

Business Manager Romano Bergic

Features P. Andrew Hamilton-Smith Lujayn Ali

Sports Editor Robert Silva

Webmaster Andrew Munro

Photography Matthew Filipowich

Photography Editor Melissa Di Pasquale

Arts and Entertainment Andrea Grassi Rafay Agha News Tejas Aivalli Megha Kumar

Sports Christopher Sa’d Sunny Pathak

Monday, February 4, 2008

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Monday, February 4, 2008

Arts & Entertainment ALI KASIM, EDITOR | arts@mediumonline.ca

Rain: The Beatles Experience?

Some cynical thoughts on “cover” and “tribute” ANDREA GRASSI ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR

I love rock concerts. I love the audience singing along off-key. I love the lights, and buzz, and the action. A b o v e al l, I l o v e T h e Beatles. But there are some things, some God awful things, that divert me wh e n s e e i n g a b a n d p l a y – cover songs.

Don’t get me wrong, sometimes it’s done well. The film Across the Universe took a good shot at the Beatles producing a modernized sound. Sir Elton John, Aretha Franklin, U2, Fiona Apple, and Odis Redding have all produced amazing Beatles covers that bring something else to the table. But when it’s your entire repertoire – you attempt to talk, walk, look, and sound exactly like the Fab Four – it gets to the point of plain annoying.

I know that Rain is supposed to be just w h at i s p r e a ch es : “T h e Beatles Experience,” and, admittedly, it is kind of neat to hear live version s o f “ Im ag i n e , ” “C o m e Together,” and other hits which are otherwise bound to mp3 files and audio d i s k s . B u t at t h e r i s k o f sounding like a cynic, I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortably formal inside of Toronto’s Sony Centre.

But with being asked to get out of my seat at certain points in the show, it felt like a refined rock concert experience, with cheesy filler dialogue from the band.

A s m us i c i a ns , however, the members of Rain deserve a lot of respect. Recruited by Dick Clark to record the soundtrack for the 1979 TV movie The Birth of the Beatles, Rain has since, through various cast changes, been the most prominent Fab Four collective in tribute-ba nd his tory. The band in cl u d e s S t ev e n Landes (John Lennon), Joe Bithorn (George Harrison), Joey Curatolo (Paul M c C ar t n e y ) , Ralp h Castelli (Ringo Starr), and Mark Lewis (offering additional keyboards and percussion).

The show moves from the Ed S u l l i va n S h o w in 1964 to the famous Shea stadium concert, to Sergeant Pepper and on down to Abbey Road. Rain has been doing th i s g i g s i n c e the 70s – they jumped on the Beatles train shortly after it had stopped. But does Rain think to themselves, as they play “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” – ‘maybe I should write something of my own?’ Or ‘my entire success is based upon pretending I am not myself.’ It is an honest living in a cut-throat industry, but I can’t help

but think, if it were me, I would be crying in the dressing room every night thinking my life was an illusion, and my credibility as an artist was based on my talent at mimicking genius, not exuding it. Perhaps this is the artist in me – also known as a ballooning ego – that makes me think this way.

But can we get so lost in a Beatles trance as to forget that these are just four ultimate Beatles fans that happen to be amazing musicians and caricatures? Am I being a prude, Jude, by saying, “Hey, this is weird.”

After posting a commentary on tribute and cover bands on my blog, one reader made a good point: “I am slightly obsessed with going to the ‘Classic Albums Live’ series of concerts to see cover bands perform some of the best music ever. Where else would I get the chance to experience the vibe and sheer joy of a Beatles or Zeppelin or H endrix concert?”

Another reader disagreed, “I’d and “tribute.” This is pretentious, rather just lie on the floor and lis- existentialist dribble – the stuff ten to the Beatle's records and only a burgeoning twenty-somedrink wine and float away.” thing trying to get her critic badge Toronto ate it up – clapping, tap- can muster. Who am I to judge ping, singing, and whistling their –you might love it too. way back into a Beatles reverie, even the illrhythmed of the bunch. Bithorn got a s tanding ovation for his guitar so lo in “While My Gu itar Gently Weeps.” I t was actually spot-on perfect. But can we get so lost in a Beatles trance as to forget that these are just four ultimate Beatles fans that happen to be amazing musicians and caricatures? Am I being a prude, Jude, by saying, “H ey, this is weird?” photo/www.lodinews.com Disregard my Clockwise: John, Paul, George, and Ringo. Or otherwise, solemnity for all Steven Landes, Joey Curatolo, Joe Bithorn, and Ralph things “cover” Castelli.

Monday, February 4, 2008

THE MEDIUM 7

ARTS

Dream catch him Newton Faulkner talks to The Medium about songwriting and his unique percussive sound ALI KASIM A&E EDITOR It’s hard to imagine folk rock icons like Jack Johnson and John Mayer with a British accent. For one thing, their brand of music is quintessentially Americansounding. But ginger-dreadlocked singersongwriter ewton Faulkner will have you second-guessing the genre.

Hailing from Surrey, England, the John Butler lookalike (and sound-alike) has a Berkshire accent so thick you’d second-guess him as vocalist on his debut album, Hand Built by Robots. But it is all Faulkner – the lead, the backing harmony, the guitar, and the wistful and witty lyrics.

In August last year, Hand Built by Robots knocked Amy Winehouse`s Back to Black off the top of the UK charts, but the twenty-three year old Faulkner insists he hasn’t quite “soaked it all in” yet. The dreadlocked troubadour has already had four hit singles to his name, including the top ten hit, “Dream Catch Me” and a folklike but still haunting rendition of Massive Attack`s Teardrop.

The acoustically charged Faulkner is no sleep-inducing indie folk artist. And although the parallels are seemingly endless, he’s not quite as straightforward as Johnson, either. With his ultra-catchy tunes, often accompanied with his unique style of percussion on guitar, the versatile Faulkner sounds in a genre all on his own.

Music critics have tossed all sorts of labels: reggae-rock, funk-fused folk. But even the artist himself doesn’t know where he fits in.

“I try my hardest not to think about it.

Because I’m sure my stuff kind of skips most of what’s going on at the moment. I mean, I don’t read anything anymore. I read things people say about the album sometimes, I read one which was really nice – one guy really got my album in a really deep way and it was really kind of catching my deal. I was like ‘wow! This guy really gets it.’ And then another person despised it so passionately. She didn’t really explain it very well either. She just compared it to some type of poisonous message. I assumed it was a woman.

But yeah, I just left it at that. When I make the music, I definitely don’t want to be thinking about what one person wants because that’s not really the point of it.

When you try to please everyone, you’ll end up doing something that is so supremely bland.”

So, what do you think about when you’re writing and making music?

“Anything. Anything that’s on my mind, whatever’s going on, it’s everything. I mean, you meet a lot of people, a lot of bizarre and weird characters, a lot of strange places, and there’s a lot that you can take from that. It’s a lot of internal stuff as well, just kind of observational.

Watching how people interact – I really enjoy people-watching. There’s a bar I go to that has another level, and a massive window with a ledge on it to sit on. I used to sit there, and you could see four different streets from that window. It was low enough to kind of see what people’s faces would do. And I drew a lot of inspiration from all that.”

I heard you were part of a Green Day cover band when you started out.

Listening to your music, it sounds so far-fetched. What caused the progression?

(Laughs) “Well, it seemed fairly natural at the time. I was playing bass in that band. I was playing guitar at first and then slowly drifted across and played electric. The Green Day cover band was much earlier; it was seriously like a ska punk band, like

a reaction to every single band that was big at the time. Because in my area it was like metal, really hardcore, screaming angry bands, so I thought, ‘why don’t we just go out and be really happy and see what happens?’ And so we did and the local people really kind of liked it because it was completely different.”

What happened after that?

“Well then there was that whole ‘finding myself’ phase. I kept playing, I went out for gigs – this time just me alone - and people liked what I did. I was really confused when stuff started going well on a commercial level because I didn’t think what I did was appealing to the masses. I thought it was too guitar-y. And I thought guitarists would really like it but everyone else would be a bit confused and not really get it. But that wasn’t the case at all.

The guitar stuff seems to be like a bonus.”

Where did you learn to play guitar like that?

“I was taught by a guy called Eric Roche.

Eric and I got along really well and he left a massive influence on me. It’s like playing weird guitar, and writing songs and playing weird stuff.

“The thing that got me going was that there was someone going around Guildford playing Eric’s stuff and saying that he wrote it, which obviously really annoyed Eric. That really pissed him off.

So he went to his gig and got the mic and said some words. That kind of rattled me because I thought that on a subtler level, I was doing the same thing. So I went to him and said ‘Look, can I play you something and if you like it, I’ll keep doing it and if you don’t I’ll do something completely different. But I think I’m onto something here; I think I’ve found the way of doing things, but there’s a lot of you in it and I just want to run it by you.’

And he said ‘Go ahead.’ So I played him ‘I Need Something,’ and he really liked it, luckily. It must be the kind of situation a lot of people find themselves in when you have one main influence. You go to that influence and say, ‘Is this cool, do you think I’m just ripping you off? If you do, I’ll stop.’ It’s kind of an amazing position to be in.”

Apart from the guitar, what other instruments do you play, other than the sitar? (The album contains an instrumental sitar track) “I play the sitar; I play drums, quite a lot of stuff.”

That doesn’t surprise me. I was sure you had some background with the drums with all that wood-thumping fret board action going on.

“Yeah. Sometimes I just want to lay down and consult the groove and fix stuff around it [the beats]. It works really well live, especially when you’re singing, to have a really solid beat and then have all the kind of intricacies around it.”

I’ve read your long list of influences, but there’s no mention of the John Butler Trio.

“I know! I only heard them recently.

Yeah, it’s weird, it’s wicked. If I’d heard of them earlier, they definitely would’ve been an influence but I didn’t know about them.”

So then you see why I’m bringing them up.

“Yeah. (Laughs) It would be a really obvious influence if I’d heard of them before I wrote the album. I actually toured

with them not too long ago.”

There must’ve been some great jams.

“Oh, we had some wicked jams. Yeah, he’s naturally good, and has some really cool techniques. We’d be making the same tunes sometimes but in different ways, and so it was quite a fascinating experience just messing around.”

Let’s talk about the album, specifically the tracks “I eed Something” and “All I Got.” They’re my personal favourites.

(Laughs) “’I Need Something’ was kind of really early on, back when I was searching for all kinds of stuff. I kind of picked it from everywhere and everything that I liked and mixed it together with all kinds of things. And that’s what that song is about. It’s about finding something solid and tangible.” “‘All I Got’ was actually co-written with Crispin Hunt. I really enjoy co-writing. I find it really interesting, especially with professional songwriters. They’re completely different to me, which is why I find them really interesting, because you go to them and they have a massive book filled with loads of one-lines. And that’s not how I usually work. If I do something, I want to do it there and then. I don’t want to write a line and then fill it in somewhere later on. I like to come up with the whole concept in one sitting. And they

work in completely different ways. But it worked well for the song, because I already had the verse and the bridge, and just needed a chorus.

So we wrote the chorus together.

“The song was basically about an argument. It’s about the way you forgive, but at the same time about how awful this person is anyway.

What I would like to get into more of is more of the story-based songs. Songs that are really kind of, like, Randy Newman, people who wrote kind of stories, because it’s something I haven’t had a chance to experiment with yet.”

The track “Face Her.” I’ve always wanted to ask artists who do this, fortysecond instrumentals out of nowhere: What’s it mean? What’s it for?

“Actually, the way I wrote that was, I was sitting in front of my girlfriend (singersongwriter Susie Clarke), and she didn’t know what I was doing either, and I was

photo/www.newtonfaulkner.com

looking at her face and I was trying to think, trying to put together the sound of her face, and it was quite low, lots of depth to it, so I was like ‘dum dum dum...’ That’s why it’s called ‘Face Her,’ because I was facing her, and it was about, well, her face.”

Favourite track on the album?

“Feels Like Home.” That one just turned out perfectly. When I listen back, it’s just right. There’s nothing that went too far, it’s just how it should be.”

8 THE MEDIUM

Monday, February 4, 2008

Features NIKITA KING, EDITOR | features@mediumonline.ca

Campus club spotlight: UTM Writers Group P. ANDREW HAMILTON-SMITH ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR

Few students will get very far in university without developing a few writing skills, and some of us may consider ourselves to be pretty good writers. Rafay Agha and Samantha Berger are part of a growing number of people who enjoy writing so much that they meet every week to read each other’s work and provide suggestions and critiques to one another.

The UTM Writers Group is now in its second year, and has hosted a number of major events such as Caramel and Tastings, both of which were well attended. The group acts as a dedicated support network for aspiring writers, and many of its members are from the professional writing program. The president of the group, Agha, who is a fourth-year PWC and political science student, says that they accept all kinds of writing, from poetry to personal narrative, from fiction to non-fiction. Some members have a distinctly whimsical style, whereas others prefer long, highly detailed sentences to convey their expression. The focus is on the art. Members possessing a bit of bravery and a bit of talent may even be

chosen to take to the stage during a reading event.

“We try to keep (the theme) open conceptually, so that people are free to be as creative as possible,” says Berger, a fifth-year English and professional writing major student. “We don’t want a dozen pieces that are all the same.”

As a general rule, they try not to censor works unless absolutely necessary, partly to respect the varied backgrounds and values of the club’s members, but also to avoid “stifling creativity.” Berger adds that the club’s diverse membership is especially useful when seeking creative criticism, because it allows one’s work to be seen from so many different standpoints.

Agha also jokingly mentions that he would be interested in collaborating with Hollywood studios, if the writer’s strike there continues to drag on. He says he understands where the writers involved in that strike are upset about, though.

“They just want royalties from the Internet,” he says. He refers to the main sticking point in the negotiations; that of who gets the money made from what is called “new media” such as the Internet, and is not covered under existing contracts. Agha argues that artists should be rewarded for their art, and that includes

anything published on-line.

When asked about the current changes to the Canadian Copyright Protection Act being debated in federal Parliament, Agha feels this ownership of art is also the central issue. “It is tricky because people might take your ideas, plagiarize, and not give you credit,” he points out, “so clearly guidelines are necessary.”

But he also recognizes that art is made to be shared in public, and so it is difficult to find a perfect balance between creating art for the betterment of society, and making a profit for the betterment of the artist. The recent online, “pay what you want” album release of Radiohead’s Rainbows will be interesting to watch, according to Agha, “and it will be interesting to see what the next few years bring in terms of the relationship between artists and major record labels.”

If students wish to improve their writing skills, both Agha and Berger feel it is important to “share (your writing), read, keep a blog and update it often.”

Constant practice helps to sharpen writing skill and develop style, which helps the writer to more effectively communicate his or her ideas. “It also helps to read your own writing aloud,” they add, so that you can hear how it flows and how the words interact with one another.

photo files/Rafay Agha

Meeting weekly to share their creative writing, the group welcomes new writers.

Bottom row (L-R): Ashley Braz, Anielyn Benesa, Samantha Berger.

Top row (L-R): Kevin So, Rafay Agha, Kenny Ho, Richie Pang.

The Writer’s Group meets weekly at different times and places, and is always open to new members looking for fellow writers or students who would like a help editing their work.

“Since students are helping students, it creates a more casual and friendly, and therefore open environment,” added Agha. “The process of sharing and creating writing is important to a writer’s development, especially if they are serious about honing their craft.”

The Writer’s Group plans to continue reaching to writers and artists on campus, in the hope of ultimately building a stronger creative writing society at

UTM. Be sure to watch out for the club’s first event for the year, Snapshots, on February 6. The event will showcase a collection of pieces about traveling and culture that touch on theme, “back-ofthe-postcard.” Snapshots will start at the MiST theatre at 7:00PM and costs $2 for non-club members.

If you are interested in contacting the UTM Writer’s Group, you can find them online at: http://www.utmwriters.blogspot.com, through e-mail at: utmwritersgroup@gmail.com or on Facebook as the “UTM Writers Group”.

Thinking green at UTM environment,” explained Aubrey Iwaniw, UTM’s sustainability coordinator and overseer of the team.

The Green Team is composed of a group of individuals whose collective efforts include updating natural maps, monitoring stewardship records and invasive plant manphoto/Jefery Fernando agement docuWith the help of the Litter Art Campaign, the Green Team ments, coordinatraises awareness about litter on campus. ing the BikeShare program on campus, and even colAREEJ SIDDIQUI lecting information on campus greenhouse gas emissions. The team also focuses on greening projects for energy and waste You don’t have to be a tree-hugging hippie reduction. The group has grown in size to think green. With serious environmental over the years, and currently employs 30 issues such as global warming making students. The hard-working team is led by headlines, it’s smart to do your share in tak- Iwaniw and the key members of the club: ing care of the environment. If you’re feel- Nancy Niu, Tooba Shakeel, Anum ing a little helpless and don’t know how to Maqsood, and Andrea Lukac.

Employees and volunteers of the Green start, then consider volunteering with the UTM Green Team. This club brings Team are always busy with many different together a group of students who take part tasks that attempt to provoke positive in activities and events that promote envi- change. Awareness is always being promoted with the sustainable campus ronmental awareness.

“The Green Team is a really great way research assistants who research and preto get environmental interests exposed, sent information on UTM’s environmental especially from those who do not study sustainability issues. Green bins and sys-

tems to improve recycling are tasks for the recycling coordinators, who work to develop and implement a comprehensive recycling program on campus. Alternative transportation coordinators work to promote alternative transportation methods, such as carpooling, to and from the campus. These are just three of the club’s many task forces that strive to tackle a variety of environmental problems.

“It’s tragic that other environmental clubs, such as the Erindale Environmental Association and the Ecologically Conscious Organization lack in momentum just because many environmentally minded students are flocking to positions where pay is involved,” said Aubrey Iwaniw. “I wish students would take up these other club positions so that environmental activism happens outside of the parameters of the Green Team.”

“The UTSU Environment Ministry, UTERN, and Roots and Shoots are exciting organizations which would benefit from more student interest. Starting next year, there will be a course called Environmental Sustainability Practicum (ENV232H5) which will operate as a Green Team-esque course. Rather than a salary, the participants will get a course credit,” she added.

Interested students are encouraged to keep an eye out for Environment Week, which will take place in the last week of February.

Students and staff can contact the UTM Green Team by e-mail at: green.team@utoronto.ca.

Or check out their website: www.utm.utoronto.ca/~w3green.

Monday, February 4, 2008

THE MEDIUM 9

FEATURES

The Olympic symbol’s dark side DANIEL ROSENTHAL

illustration/Claudia Infusino

Creative Corner Ethereal Undertow (Meditate) Breathing Thought becomes notion, notion becomes idea.

Idea becomes concept, concept becomes ideology.

Ideology becomes paradigm, paradigm becomes religion.

Religion becomes order, order becomes system.

System becomes life, affiliate and meditate.

Procreate and educate, infuriate and subjugate.

Assimilate and forget, and we bow down to our lords.

Do you know where you are?

You’re not going back.

Now bow down to our lords.

Prolonged.

Pause.............................. how would Canada sound with an onomatopoeia for a name? ...she would become sonora.........hello, I’m from Bram dam dam, or hello, I’m from Shasharapa Shasharapa....................... another pause........................................... .....the color of your eyes perpetuates the inexistence of forms in art.......... .shining fireflyness of song, songing inside chimaira, frantic clay-like... before me those eyes other us we observe ourselves in their hurting depths of agony ........................

- Ashish Seth Bursting chatter bordering uptown I hope never forever flaming vigilance, nights still finalize, maybe if I repeat eternity seven times.

Eternity, eternity, eternity.

Always present in her great void, I give thanks for this particular absurdity in which I participate.

The only one recognized by the hands on my watch, With whom I maintain a stable relationship of unencounter illustration/Claudia Infusino

- Trevor Abes

Five interlocking rings (blue, yellow, black, green, and red) stand in sharp contrast to its white background. It’s a symbol that unites a common recognition: these five rings represent the five parts of the world which now are won over to Olympianism, and are willing to accept healthy competition. Yet, a sinister past hides behind a torch and five rings which have come to represent the modern-day Olympics.

It all began when the rings were designed in 1913 by Pierre de Coubertin.

He was the founder of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the father of the modern Olympic movement.

Coubertin designed them for a 1914 World Olympic Congress in Paris. They were meant to represent the first five Olympics, but the symbol was rejected when Archduke Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated. Francis Ferdinand’s assassination had then ignited World War I. Leni Reifenstahl, the Olympic filmmaker who also chronicled Hitler’s rise to power, had the rings carved into a stone

altar at the Ancient Greek city of Delphi1.

This created the misconception that the rings dated back more than two thousand years. With Hitler’s influence, the rings became the Nazi display at Berlin’s Olympic Games. People have come to recognize those rings as the symbol of the Olympics ever since.

Hitler wanted the German people to believe that he had brought them these games. He hoped that the people’s pride in the games would cement their belief in the Nazi ideology.

Regarding the torch, William J. Kole of the Associated Press wrote: “The torch relay that culminates in the ceremonial lighting of the flame at Olympic stadium was ordered by Adolf Hitler, who tried to turn the 1936 Berlin Games into a celebration of the Third Reich.”

Hitler wanted the German people to believe that he had brought them these

games. He hoped that the people’s pride in the games would cement their belief in the Nazi ideology. He wanted his subjects to think, “If Hitler has spent this much money and time ‘for the people’, than he must be the leader to trust,” noted Tony Perrottet, author of the book The Naked Olympics.

Perrottet further claimed,"The torch relay is so ingrained in the modern choreography that most people today assume it was a revival of a pagan tradition unaware that it was actually concocted for Hitler's Games in Berlin.”

To this day, the survival of the Olympic symbol has lived on in the form of commercialism all over the world. During the Olympic Games, thousands of products and advertisements around the world constantly remind us to be patriotic and buy Olympic wear to support our athletes. But how many of us really know about the Olympic symbol’s dark roots?

Stories are often attached to symbols in order to preserve what is often lost, in memory, over the years. And, it’s interesting how some powerful groups of people know the shady origins of such a universally recognized symbol, yet 60 years later, they still use it without question.

10 THE MEDIUM

Monday, February 4, 2008

Sports ROBERT SILVA, EDITOR | sports@mediumonline.ca

The bigger they are, the harder they fall SUZANNE CARTE-BLANCHENOT Saturday, February 2 was a night of giants at Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 81, with two heavyweight main events on the card. The first was a freak-show pairing of Frank Mir (at 255 lbs) vs.

Brock Lesnar (at 265 lbs).

I was there in sick fascination to see the no-necked World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) legend, Brock Lesnar. Wait a minute, isn’t that stuff fake? As it turns out, Lesnar is the real deal, with an impressive 106-5 overall record during his four years of collegiate wrestling, not to mention all of his NCAA accolades and a contract with the NFL Europe Vikings. Yet he thirsted for the challenge of true unscripted fighting again, so it brought him directly to the doorstep of Dana White, the UFC Mecca.

Without ever having won or even fought a MMA bout, White basically handed him an all-access pass to the elite.

With the bravado only a professional wrestler could muster, Lesnar entered the octagon to face former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir. This situation is not new for Mir. UFC fed him to the beast Tank

Abbott in 2003 waiting to see him get torn apart, but he was victorious in that test and went on to break Tim Sylvia’s arm, winning the heavyweight belt in 2004.

As soon as the bell rang to begin the bout, Lesnar exploded out of the corner, throwing blow after blow on Mir, knocking him to the canvas early. One misdirected punch landed on the back of Mir’s neck caused the fight to be stopped and resulted with Lesnar having one point deducted (for those of you who aren’t too familiar with the rules, a punch to the back of the neck or head is illegal and results in an automatic point deduction). Not able to sink an armbar on a man whose upper appendages are that massive, Mir went for the leg lock and submitted Lesnar in the first round.

With Randy Couture’s untimely departure from the sport, the next fight brought the Interim Heavyweight Title on the line.

The most disliked, largest and lumbering fighters in the UFC today, Tim “The Maine-iac” Sylvia was back again to strive for a victory over another former- PRIDE fighter, Antonio Rodrigo ‘Minotauro’ Nogueira.

Nogueira began in his usual, and very unorthodox, style of taking a

severe beating in the first and second round before exploding on his opponent. It is a disconcerting strategy that gets the audience walking for the door and bookies counting their money, thus making him the “comeback kid” of mixed martial arts.

If you can get Sylvia, a two-time UFC heavyweight champion, on his back, then you have already won.

Even though Sylvia’s take-down defense is strong, it is not flawless and the Minotauro was able to find the weak spot. Sweeping the 6’8” giant’s leg to land in-guard.

Nogueira was able to sink a guillotine choke, winning in the third round, to become the first man in history to hold the UFC and PRIDE heavyweight championship belts.

As the machine that is Dana White turns out these title fights at an increasingly rapid rate, UFC 82 and 83 will be upon us sooner than you would think. What is in the cards for the upcoming bouts? In a word, Montreal.

So I will subject myself to anxiously waiting on hold with the phone in one hand and my credit card in the other to see if I will get to witness UFC history in April as it finally comes to Canada - the true north strong and free.

photos/ufc.com

Former WWE super star and NCAA wrestling champion Brock Lesnar started strongly but only lasted 90 seconds in his UFC debut Saturday night at UFC 81, forced to submitt via kneebar courtesy of former heavyweight champion Frank Mir.

Two-time UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia took charge in the opening two rounds of the main event Saturday night at UFC 81. That was, of course, until Nogueira took hold of Sylvia’s head, forcing him to submitt via a guillotine choke.

Monday, February 4, 2008

Eagles make roadkill out of Raccoons ADRIANNA DZIUBA

Outside was a chilly winter's eve, but inside Varsity Stadium, the UTM's Women's Lacrosse team heated things up after defeating their cross-city rivals, the UTSC Raccoons, 8-2 Thursday evening.

Kristin Drury opened the scoring less than 30 seconds into the game.

This was followed with goals by Kate Nelson, Stephanie Wegierak, and Drury again, with her second of the night. UTM took total command of the game within 15 minutes as they led the way 5-0.

Regardless of the lead, UTM fought to keep its cool on and off the field. Within the first 10 minutes, it was clear Scarborough had not been informed of what sport they were playing - propelling the ball into the air and taking shots from the ground, it looked and felt more like field hockey than lacrosse. You would think the referees would call these illegal plays, or call anything at all for that matter, but you'd be wrong. It would have been funny if it hadn't been so damn annoying. However, even with these challenges, UTM persevered, taking a 6-1 lead into the first half.

UTM continued to maintain the

Super Bowl Props 1. Which team will have the longest touchdown dance? over/under 3.7 seconds 2. How many holes will Bill Bilechicks sweatshirt have? over/under 5 3. How many times will the FOX broadcasting team mention Archie and/or Peyton Manning? over/under 5 4. Type or colour of liquid winning head coach is doused in?

Lemon-lime ( -175) Fruit Punch (+150) Orange (+200) Clear liquid (+300) Gatorade G2 (-500) 5. Length of ational Anthem?

American Idol winner Jordan Sparks will be singing the anthem.

Sparks took about 102 seconds to complete the anthem at Game 1 of the 2007 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the Cleveland Cavaliers. over/under 103.5 seconds.

6. Who will the MVP of the game thank first?

Teammates God Family Coach Thanks nobody

-300 +300 +300 +700 +1000

THE MEDIUM 11

SPORTS

lead during the second half with goals by Kate Nelson and Adrianna Dziuba, but focused more on passing and creating plays than raking up the score. The Eagle defence stood its ground the entire night and goalie Jenn Chapman allowed only two goals to enter her domain. Regardless of being forced into a hybrid lacrosse/field hockey game and the non-existent refereeing, the ladies of UTM remained classy - sticking by the 'rules' and playing clean, despite the ever-increasing urge to retaliate.

For these reasons this week's special thanks goes out to all the UTM players who maintained their cool; and to Scarborough who showed us what class looks like without the 'cl.'

Sehra leads UTM’s resurgence SUNNY PATHAK ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Late in the second half of the Men’s Division 1 basketball game on January 30, Drew Meervald set a low screen off the block for Neil Sehra, who hit a wide open threepointer. As he ran back, it was guard Arash Moghani, Alan Carter, and Sehra trading head nods.

“Let's go – let's do this,” they said to each other.

Sehra abused the UTSC Racoons for 37 points - 30 in the second half - and shot 70 per cent from beyond the arc (7/10) as the Eagles beat the Racoons 95-85.

"Neil did it again for us," said a relaxed head coach, Ammer Askray. "He played a great game,

stepped up and made the big shot."

If not for Sehra, the game could have been over for the Eagles by the end of the first half. The Raccoons opened up the first half b y picking aw a y at th e E agl es ’ defense, hitting open shot after open shot. The Eagles refused to box out, made poor shot selections, were out-hustled, and out-played.

"No one stepped up in the first half for us. I think some of our guys were hesitant and afraid. I was counting on Alan and Neil to lead this team,” said Askrav. “Aside from them, nobody has experience playing in these big games… this was a big game for us tonight.”

Moghani, playing with an injured thumb, was praised by his coach: “He played well, he started off slow, but he can use his quickness

to open lanes and he did, he was able to find Neil and get us back in this game.”

After returning from his hell week with the still-winless Varsity Blues, Meervald played a strong game cleaning up on the defensive glass, but still a bit rough around the basket.

"Utilizing Drew in our game is different than the other guys. He has some size and speed; with smaller teams, he can abuse with his size, and bigger teams he can burn with his speed."

Moghani finished the game with 14 points. Rookie standout Andre Woodroffe had 11.

The Eagles have some welldeserved time off before their next game against the UTSC Maroons on February 13.

12 THE MEDIUM

SPORTS

Monday, February 4, 2008

A Giant Super Bowl Patriots pick a terrible time to lose as the New York Football Giants upset the Pats 17-14 ROBERT SILVA SPORTS EDITOR

With an 18-0 record and hopes to become the first team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins to go undefeated throughout the regular season, playoffs, and Super Bowl, the New England Patriots went into the University of Phoenix Stadium with high hopes against the New York Football Giants Sunday evening.

with New York taking a 3-0 lead after fifteen minutes of play, ended in dramatic styles when Eli Manning connected with Plaxeco Burress for a 13-yard touchdown with 35 seconds left to play. The victory marked the Giants’ eleventh straight road victory, giving the mighty Patriots their first taste of defeat in more than a year.

"It's the greatest feeling in professional sports," Burress said before bursting into tears.

So what went wrong? The patriots set record after record offensively scoring more points than

Quarterback Eli “Easy E” Manning of the New York Giants holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy high and proud after defeating the New England Patriots 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII Sunday evening.

The Giants, however, led by quarterback Eli “Easy E” Manning and veteran defensive end Michael Strahan, had the perfect answer for the suddenly imperfect Patriots.

In one of the biggest upsets in not just Super Bowl history, but also sports history, the Giants smashed New England's unbeaten season as they won Super Bowl XLII 17-14.

The game that started off a bore

American Idol 6 winner Jordan Sparks sings the National Anthem at Super Bowl XLII.

any other team in history, covering more yards than any other team, and let’s not forget about the individual records that both Tom Brady and Randy Moss shattered.

On paper this is the best team in NFL history; they definitely picked the wrong time to lose.

I just want to break down the main reason the biggest upset ever occurred at the worst time for the Pats: Tom Brady, the league's Most Valuable Player and three time Super Bowl champion, was sacked five times and hurried a dozen more. This caused Brady to force throws into double and even triple coverage. So, it seemed to me that Brady’s offensive line (oline) didn’t quite do their job, but with blitz after blitz coming from the Giants, you can’t really blame the o-line, can you?

My hat goes off to those Football Giants from New York for proving the entire world w r o n g . P e r s o n ally I b la me B ill Belichick, not for calling the wrong plays, or for being outcoached, but for wearing his red sweater instead of his vintage homeless man Patriot sweater.

That may have had a lot to do with it.

With all the hype heading into this game, most people overlooked an element that didn’t get much attention. It was a Boston and New York final. This Giant Super Bowl victory is a sweet one

for New Yorkers as they finally get a bit of revenge for the Boston Red Sox having had the last laugh in baseball for the past few years.

So what happens next for the Pats? Will they match their dominance next year?

I doubt it, but those aren’t the questions I’m really concerned about. What I really want to know is: Will Eli Manning turn into the superstar that’s in his blood? Is this Super Bowl victory going to bring Eli into the same spotlight as his older brother Peyton? If you watched the game you would have noticed Peyton wearing his emotions on his sleeves from a private box in the stadium, celebrating his brother’s victory and Tom Brady’s unexpected loss. Football is in the Manning DNA, and if Eli continues his dominant play throughout the rest of his career, I don’t think it will be too long before we all see a Manning vs. Manning showdown in a Super Bowl real soon.

My condolences goes out to all Patriot fans.

photos/nfl.com

Plaxeco Burress (17), catches the winning touchdown from an Eli Manning pass to win Super Bowl XLII Sunday in Glendale, Ariz.

New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan (92) dives on New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) in the second quarter during Super Bowl XLII. Brady was sacked on the play.

photo/stmichaelsmajors.com

The Mississauga St. Michaels Majors look to keep climbing the standings in the Ontario Hockey League’s Eastern Conference. They currently sit in fifth spot with 52 points, five shy of the fourth-place Niagara Icedogs. Catch them in action this Friday at the Hershey Centre when they take on John Tavares and the Oshawa Generals. The puck drops at 7:30. For more information call the Majors office at 905-502-7788.