Vol 35 issue 17

Monday, January 26, 2009

Volume 35, Issue 17

www.mediumonline.ca

A new era?

ANDREW HAMILTON SMITH NEWS EDITOR

It appears to be the dawn of a new age, with the hopes of humanity seemingly resting upon one man’s back: Barack Obama. In the United States in particular, the current economic crisis has been even more severe than here in Canada, and there is a sense that on the darkest day a hero shall emerge. Broadly wielding the sword of change, Obama has charged into this environment, both by appealing to everyone and their uncle while simultaneously avoiding any attachment whatsoever to a particular group.

That Barack Obama is AfricanAmerican would seem to be a major aspect of his presidency, seen by many as a step forward for civil rights and a monumental turning point in American history. Yet Obama has received mixed support from traditional African-American representatives, such as Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, and even Oprah who was late in coming to the Obama camp having supported Hillary Clinton during the initial phases.

As for Obama himself, he has stead-

fastly refused to even address the issue of his race. It is interesting how in this situation Obama enjoys support for being a certain thing – in this case, AfricanAmerican – to a group of voters, yet avoids any attachment to that group’s present political leaders.

The unexpected ascendancy of Barack Obama, who was a junior Senator from Illinois when elected last November, turned out to be a major upset for Clinton who was widely expected to win the nomination for president from the outset.

Many ask how he accomplished this improbable feat so quickly and so effectively. The election last November was not close: McCain won only 173 electoral votes to Obama’s 365. America is clearly in the grips of a love affair with Barack Obama – to say nothing of other countries, Canada included.

As a young man, Barack Obama was faced with the issue of connections and attachment over and over, such as when his father left his mother and when he was later sent to live with his grandparents in Hawaii. His early years are marked by constant changing family structures and living environments, from Hawaii to Indonesia, to New York, to Chicago, to Los Angeles – the list goes on. In adapting to these challenges, Obama shows he is able to set aside personal issues in order to focus on greater goals, by willing to compromise in order to move forward.

His first major achievement was his election as the first African-American editor of the prestigious Harvard Law Review in 1989, in his first year at the school no less, and this event captured

national media attention at the time. It led to Obama receiving a book contract, which eventually became his autobiography, Dreams From My Father. He later settled into teaching constitutional law at the University of Chicago while involving himself with politics at the same time.

Slowly becoming established in the predominantly black community of Chicago’s south side, Barack Obama won election to the Illinois State Senate in 1997, where he remained until he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004. He failed to win an earlier 2000 bid for the U.S. Senate however, which is hard to believe given the “Obamania” that exists in America today. When Obama delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in 2004, the entire nation was introduced to the man who would be president, and the love affair began.

It is truly Obama’s oratory that draws people to him more than anything else, the way that his words appeal to every listener and how he gently weaves together America’s proud history and traditional values with current economic crises and social challenges. And the problems he faces are significant, greater than any U.S. President has faced in recent times: two wars, growing debt, unemployment, and environmental disaster, to name a few. The world today seems to hinge on that one all-important question: Will Obama make things better? It will certainly take more than appealing words to do so.

See Barack page 3

Photo/Ari Levinson(GFDL)

2 THE MEDIUM

NEWS

MONDAY, JANUARY

26 2009

CHRISTIANS UNITE, NGOBIA DEPARTS

Ngobia bids UTM farewell D e m o c r a t s : S t i m u l us p l a n no quick fix for economy WASHINGTON (AP) The White House warned Sunday that the country could face a long and painful financial recovery, even with major government interven tion to stimulate the economy and save financial institutions.

"We're off and running, but it's going to get worse before it gets better," said Vice President Joe Biden, taking the lead on a theme echoed by other Democratic offi cials on the Sunday talk shows.

Egypt urges EU to offer fast aid to Palestinians BRUSSELS, Belgium (Reuters) Egypt urged Europe on Sunday to help with fast reconstruction aid for the Gaza Strip and to put pres sure on Israel to quickly reopen border crossings. With shaky uni lateral ceasefires in place after a 22 day Israeli offensive on Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, Israel has said it would allow in food, medicine and other essentials to the sector but ruled out a full reopening of borders for now.

New US envoy to visit Middle East soon WASHINGTON (VOA) U.S. diplo matic sources say President Barack Obama is sending his Middle East envoy, former Senator George Mitchell, to the region this week. The sources said Saturday that Mitchell is expected to meet with Israeli leaders as well as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank.

Ind i a n P M M a nm oh a n s t a bl e, comfortable NEW DELHI, India (The Hindu) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is “stable, comfortable and mak ing excellent progress,” a day after he underwent a repeat coro nary artery bypass graft to remove multiple blockages at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). He spent an uneventful night following the surgery.

B olivia con stitut ion would empower Indian majority LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) Bolivian Indians threw their support behind a new constitution Sunday that is aimed at empow ering their long suffering majority while allowing leftist President Evo Morales a chance to remain in power through 2014. The mea sure was expected to pass easily.

FIONA BUCHANAN ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Jane Ngobia, diversity, equity & leadership officer at UTM, has resigned so she can fulfill a role at the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD). Ngobia will be assuming the position of director of diversity & equity initiatives at OCAD after her last day at UTM on January 28.

“It is a better opportunity,” said Ngobia. “I’m really sad to be leaving UTM, but it makes professional sense, it is [in the interest of] career development.”

Ngobia started working at UTM on March 1, 2005. During her time working for the University, she has created the International Student Resource Centre, Student Leadership Program, the Principal’s Advisory Committee on Diversity & Equity, and the Positive Space Committee.

She was also involved with setting up the Student Refugee Program, in partnership with UTMSU. Ngobia maintains that one of her greatest accomplishments working

with the International Student Resource Centre (IRSC) was to help international students transition into their first year on campus. “The challenges for international students are enormous, and not just international students, but new immigrants as well. Many of them are lost. It gives me great pleasure to see them benefit from the programs [offered] and identify with support mechanisms we provide for them.”

Supports for international students at UTM include the Buddy Program, which was established to ease the transition for students new to Canada by setting up relationships between international and local students prior to their first fall term. Once international students arrive on campus, they meet with their Canadian buddy, who helps the new students adjust to a new environment. Buddies are encouraged to often share experiences and to provide support to the new student if needed. Other programs offered by the ISRC include International Student Orientation, Let’s Talk Turkey, Global Cafe, Speak Easy and Specialised Workshops.

A surprise party was held on

Friday, January 16 to bid farewell to Ngobia. “Over forty students [came] with a cake and flowers,” commented Ngobia, “It was a most powerful moment.” Ngobia mentioned her fondest memories at UTM were of times where she could help make a difference in a student’s life, “but more importantly, empowering students to get solutions for themselves,” she emphasized.

“I’ve had a blast, espe cially when it comes to working with students; it’s been very rewarding, very exciting.”

Jane Ngobia International and immigrant students expressed their gratitude towards Ngobia. “Not only was she able to provide international services for the international students at UTM, she also introduced to the UTM community a vast array of leadership development programs, workshops and conferences,” said Lakshmi Geelal, an international student.

Cindy Lai, peer advisor-special projects at IRSC said Ngobia will certainly be missed. “Her resignation signals a doleful time for those who work and have worked with her. At the same time, [there is] elation that she is off to explore uncharted territory,” said Lai. Ngobia said she hopes that UTM devotes more resources for international students and new Canadians after her departure. “Statistics show that every year UTM is becoming the campus of choice for more and more international and new Canadians, thereby increasing the cultural diversity of our campus,” she said. “I hope that every department, student club and division embraces diversity, equity and inclusion as its core values. These values [must] be shared by all in the community.”

Reflecting on her overall experience at UTM, Ngobia said, “I’ve had a blast. Especially when it comes to working with students; it’s been very rewarding, very exciting.”

The new diversity, equity & leadership officer’s position has yet to be filled. Currently, the ISRC is in the process of finding a replacement for Ngobia.

Christian Unity Week at UTM KAREN KRAUSE

The fourth UTM Christian Unity Week (CUW) took place this past week from January 19 to January 22 in and around the Student Centre. Well-organized and well advertised, the week, organized by the Christian Unity Association (CUA), included many interesting attractions that were wellreceived by UTM students.

Outside of the Student Centre, many volunteers selflessly braved the cold in order to warm up their fellow students, handing out over 800 cups of hot chocolate. Free pizza was also on the offering every lunch hour.

Throughout each day, many thought-provoking movies were played in the Presentation Room, including Amazing Grace, The Hiding Place, and Passion of the Christ. Many interested students picked up free DVDs and books as well as free Bibles in English and other languages.

This year’s CUW also incorporated a new initiative – supporting a charity called Christian Blind Mission. The money that was earned will go towards giving sight to blind people in third world countries. A cataract surgery for an adult costs only $33 – a small price to pay to give someone sight and enable them to support a family. UTM students were incredibly generous, and by the end of the week $1,522.93 was raised.

On Thursday, a talent show was held

in the South Building as a way of wrapping up the week. On show were students playing various instruments and performing songs, as well as a variety of contests and games.

The executive members of CUA who spearheaded the planning of CUW are Kenny Lee, Jonathan Wahab, Karen Krause, Randy Schliemann, Grace Koh, Satheis Tharmeswajakan, Andrew Samuel and Deepa Tailor. In addition, Pastor Scott Plavnick of Baptist Student Ministries loyally served as the advisor, helping with whatever was needed. “These are not the only people who helped out during CUW; many others sacrificed their time and energy to serve the UTM campus this week,” said Kenny Lee. According to the CUA, Christian Unity Week is not where it ends. There is much more to look forward to this semester and next year. At the end of every month, there is a worship night for people who are interested in learning more about Christianity, and praising God. After the songs of praise, various speakers are often scheduled to share their thoughts with students. Last semester, two players and an assistant coach from the Toronto Argonauts came to discuss football, why they believe in God and how Jesus has worked in their lives.

If you are interested in learning more about these activities, or would like to get involved in any of the other Christian clubs on campus, visit their website at http:// www. cuautm.org /home.html.

Photo/Matthew Filipowich

A student performs at the Christian Unity Week talent show.

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MONDAY, JANUARY

26, 2009 THE MEDIUM 3

OBAMA IN, YORK STUDENTS OUT

Do you think President Obama will live up to all the hype? “Obama’s victory represents a milestone in race relations in America. Yet Obama is inheriting an economic crisis, and he cannot change any thing without the EU and G20.�

David Fitzpatrick, first year Political Science and Philosophy student “I think that Obama will live up to the hype. Unlike presi dent Bush, he is much more connected with people through his youtube channel and the blog.�

Sinthishan Sooriyakumar, first year Commerce student

NEWS

Barack Obama Continued from front page

There have been a number of welcome changes within the first few days of the Obama Administration, such as the closing of the Guantanamo Bay terror prison camp and changes to lobbyist activities within his purview. These small steps will go a long way to restoring America’s image in the world, to winning back old friends and maybe making new ones. Making bigger changes, like creating environmentally-friendly corporate practices or instituting public health insurance in the United States, may prove considerably more difficult.

Although Obama ran on a campaign of change, and most Americans do want to see change take place, the fact is very few important people are willing to do anything differently.

Corporations want to get back to tax

cuts and profit making and consumers just want to know when the big bad “recession� is going to be gone, so that they can get back to watching television and eating nachos on the couch.

The changes that Obama has promised and campaigned on, and the changes that might actually be possible, are two very different things.

Most Americans do want to see change take place, the fact is very few impor tant people are willing to do anything differently.

Few, if any, guarantees exist in the foreseeable future. Will President Obama be able to pass legislation that makes a significant difference in the lives of Americans, such as public health insurance? More importantly,

will President Obama prove able to rein in powerful corporate interests who resist any changes that might threaten their existing profit models?

These are important questions, but it is nearly impossible to tell what will happen.

The reason this is all hard to predict is down to the nature of Obama himself. His record of political accomplishments is short; his background relatively unknown; and although he currently has few enemies, it is not clear who his close friends are either. In a way, Obama is a lone wolf – one that brings people together, oddly enough – but his success or failure as president and his ability or failure to live up to the massive expectations placed upon him will depend on those people around him, as well as in the international community.

It is the hope of many that he will ultimately be known as more than just the first African-American President.

York strike not over yet “There’s always a love affair at the beginning of every US administration, but in a few weeks I’m sure the hype will wear off and we’ll see the dif ficult reality of running the US in 2009.�

Alex Brett, fourth year English student

UTM campus crime report January 19, 11:47 a.m.

P a r k i n g / V eh i c l e T o w Campus Police supervised a vehicle tow from one of the campus parking lots.

January 19, 7:25 a.m.

H o s p i t a l Tr a n s p or t / P er s o na l Il l ne s s Campus Police responded to a call regarding personal ill ness. The person was later transported to hospital.

January 20, 5:30 a.m.

D o m es ti c D i s p ut e / M i s c hi e f Under $5,000 Campus Police responded to a domestic dispute at a Campus residence. One party was charged with Mischief Under $5,000 and escorted off the UTM cam pus.

January 20, 9:28 a.m.

M o to r V eh i c l e A c c i de nt Campus Police responded to a motor vehicle accident near the CCIT garage entrance and Outer Circle Rd. There were no injuries.

ANDREW HAMILTON SMITH NEWS EDITOR

On January 24, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty introduced back-towork legislation that would end the eleven-week strike at York University. After repeated calls by Conservative leader John Tory for government intervention in the strike, the premier responded by setting an ultimatum for the union. When CUPE 3903, representing the contract teachers and teaching assistants at York,

refused to concede, McGuinty retaliated by legislating an end to the strike.

In order to take effect immediately, the legislation would have required unanimous support of the Ontario Legislature. However, the NDP is backing CUPE 3903 and voting against it, thus delaying the return to classes for over 50,000 students. “It almost looks like the university has taken the position, 'we won't bargain and then we'll allow the McGuinty government to settle this.’ And that's wrong," Hampton said.

The premier ordered a special session of the legislature on Sunday to debate the back-to-work bill, but as of Sunday evening, the NDP had succeeded in preventing the legislation from passing. The CUPE 3903

bargaining team executive committee issued a joint statement which stated that “we feel that it was inappropriate for the mediator to set us this impossible choice between binding arbitration and back-to-work legislation, with a 7:00 a.m. deadline.� “We dropped our demands on wage increases in response to feedback from the membership at the January 21 General Membership Meeting. We withdrew over forty outstanding proposals. We continue to emphasize that minimum guarantees, job security, and child care funds are essential to our members,� the statement explained. “Because York offered a three-year deal with a two-year funding structure, with poor back-to-work protocol, we were unable to accept their offer.�

January 21, 1:57 p.m.

Trespassing / Soliciting Campus Police responded to a complaint of two females solicit ing for an energy drink company in the CCIT Building. The two females were warned and escorted off the campus.

January 21, 3:00 p.m.

Fraud Campus Police responded to a complaint of fraud in the South and Kaneff Buildings. The sub ject was gone upon Campus Police arrival.

January 21, 9:20 p.m.

Causing a Disturbance / Fight Campus Police responded to a disturbance involving two males on the Five Minute Walk near the Student Centre. One male was identified, warned and escorted off campus.

January 21, 9:55 p.m.

Causing a Disturbance Campus Police responded to a disturbance involving a group of males near the Kaneff Centre bus stop area. The males were gone upon Campus Police arrival.

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4 THE MEDIUM

OPINION

MONDAY, JANUARY

26, 2009

Letters to the Editor The Gaza debate wages on Dear Editor:

ALI KASIM EDITOR IN CHIEF editor@mediumonline.ca

EDITORIAL I’ve heard a couple of conflicting comments recently about all the hype surrounding the new U.S. President. One that plays on my mind the most is when an editor of mine noticed some of the posters in the Student Centre advertising for the Obama Pub Night at the Blind Duck Pub. “Yes, we did it?” he read and questioned. What did we do? These people make it sound as if we were the one who voted for Obama,” he added.

In a way, albeit highly indirectly, we did. We helped generate the hype.

Canadians – from east to west –were arguably more in tune with the politics south of the border than their own nation’s affairs. CBC and CCTV conducted several polls that evinced this. We never stopped talking about him, we never stopped turning our heads toward the television whenever he was on giving a speech, and we never stopped demonstrating, in some way or another, our support for another country’s president. And it all made sense in so many ways. After all, what happens in the U.S. affects the rest of the world. Just look at how far the economic crisis has stretched out to; China notwithstanding. Yes, Barack Obama is a promise for change not just in the United States of America, but for the rest of the world as well.

For the U.S. of course, it means so much more. Obama as President also means that change has already occurred. An African-American U.S. president? How many of you would’ve expected that in your lifetime? And so for all those wondering about the hype and if it is indeed overblown, in so many ways it really isn’t. This is more than just a detail in the history textbook, this is a sign of equality never symbolized or even experienced before. This is...a new America.

The big question, which practically every single major publication in North America has been attempting to answer, is whether Obama will live up to all the hype. Allow me to stick my neck out and take a stab at that – no one, no human being on this earth, can live up to the kind of hype that Barack Obama has generated. Just think, from Election Day through Saturday afternoon, 43 children born at the Nyanza Provincial Hospital in Kisumu, Kenya were named either after Barack or Michele Obama. One child was even named Senator (first name) Barack Obama – for the sake of diversity perhaps.

It’s not as if the man has dug that very hole for himself, no. We’ve simply gone ahead and done that for him. And he’s already taking it in his stride. He’s already put himself to work. He’s already changing policies and shutting down abusive detention centres.

Nonetheless, quick and aggressive start aside, Barack Obama has a lot of work to do. The war in Iraq, the economic stimulus bill, and bank bailouts are just a few items many claim should be at the top of his list. But those are just some of the priorities from the U.S. perspective. Then there are international expectations such as the checklist which Amnesty International, the human rights organization, has for Barack Obama – “end illegal detention, eradicate torture and other ill-treatment, and end impunity."

And of course, there’s the never ending Gaza crisis Obama will soon be expected to turn his attention to. Will the U.S. continue to vote in support of Israel now that Obama is in charge? Wouldn’t it be funny if they did?

Because what would the pro-Palestinian masses – the majority of whom are supporters of Obama – say then? Would they finally realize it’s a more politically complex issue than first thought? Or would they simply berate Obama for failing as the most powerful man in the world? I hesitate to think they would do the former, but if the millions of people around the world say that they trust this man, then they should trust in his every decision. Is the world ready for that? Or are we just hoping that Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States of America, is simply the one to take action according to whatever it is we believe in? Time will surely tell, and then we’ll see how the hype splits in two. Which side will you be on?

Yours,

Ali Kasim

EDITORIAL Please write to:editor@mediumonline.ca Letters to the editor will be edited for spelling, grammar, style, and coherence. Letters will not exceed 650 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.

It is easy to simplify a complex conflict: just ignore the interests of one conflicting party, or else ignore the reasons why that party feels threatened.

Voila! No complexity remains. But in fact the conflict has been made even more intractable.

You concede too much to Gabriel Galang's letter, which is full of factual errors whose promulgation can only prolong the conflict. To take just one crucial example – there are too many to dissect here – you accept his correction of your statement that Hamas refuses to accept Israel's right to exist, on the grounds that Khaled Meshal "stated in April last year that he would accept a Palestinian state on the pre-1967 borders and would grant a 10-year truce."

But accepting a Palestinian state is hardly the same as recognising the State of Israel. According to the Al Jazeera report of Meshal's comments in April 2008, he said explicitly, "It is true

Dear Students, I believe that the debate around the Gaza crisis needs to be given some context and its facts laid out. I have taken out my sources due to space constraints, but do go to http: //www. criticalmood.com/guest1. html for full sources.

Israel and Hamas entered into a ceasefire in June 2008, prior to the Gaza bombings that commenced on Dec 27 2008.

The effective conditions were: Hamas stop its firing of Q-rockets into Israel and Israel stop its bombardments as well as its blockade on Gaza.

The blockade on Gaza was implemented after Hamas won its election under the Palestinian Authority in 2006 and pre-empted a show down with Fateh (which was armed by the US after the unfavourable electoral outcome).

During the ceasefire (which was up for renewal on Dec 2008), Hamas limited rocket firings to three per month.

These three were not from Hamas QRockets (claimed 0 lives), but from rogue terrorist groups such as the Islamic Jihad. Perpetrators were detained by Hamas. According to Israeli intelligence groups, Hamas did a commendable job in exercising law and order in Gaza.

In contrast, Israel never cared to even try to lift the blockade to let in desperately needed aid.

In a Times article by Ethan Bronner, he noted that what Hamas expected in return from the Israelis never arrived: "But the goods shipments, while up some 25 to 30 per cent and including a mix of more items, never began to approach what Hamas thought it was going to get, [which included] a return to the 500 to 600 truckloads delivered daily before the closing, including appliances, construction materials and other goods essential for life beyond mere survival. Instead, the number of trucks increased to around 90 from around 70."

The ceasefire, before it was due for renewal in Dec2008, was broken by Israel on November 4th, 2008 – Election Day in the United States. Even CNN admits this. This was confirmed not only by every neutral international observer and NGO on the scene but by Brigadier General (Res.) Shmuel Zakai, a former commander of the IDF's Gaza Division.

Israel, under the false pretext of shutting down a tunnel dug by Hamas to kidnap IDF soldiers, killed 7 Hamas soldiers by intruding Gaza. Israel knew full well that Hamas will react: A hundred plus rockets were shot into south-

that in reality, there will be an entity or a state called Israel on the rest of Palestinian land . . . But I won't deal with it in terms of recognising or admitting it."

Does Meshal's statement differ from the quotation from Hassan al-Banna featured in the founding Covenant of Hamas: "Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it"? Another Hamas leader interviewed at the time said that the Palestinian state on pre-1967 borders would be "transitional". Since the Hamas Covenant rejects "so-called peaceful solutions" in principle, and speaks of an apocalyptic war in which even stones and trees will help Moslems kill Jews, is it any wonder that Israelis have difficulty accepting a truce that would last only ten years, giving ample opportunities for armament in preparation for war? An unequivocal statement that Hamas is prepared to recognise Israel and make peace is yet to come.

You write, "I never said the issue carried a complex moral dilemma. In my opinion as well, it doesn’t." Again, this is an oversimplification that can only prolong the conflict. There is more than one side, and each has both right and wrong on its side, which is precisely what makes the situation morally complex. Recognising that Israelis, like Palestinians, have the right to selfdetermination and have reasons to believe that their self-determination is under serious and violent threat, would be a productive step.

ern Israel the next month. Israel then refused Hamas' offer to renew the truce on conditions that aid can flow into Gaza. This was understood by Israeli intelligence, namely the head of the Shin Bet--Diskin Israel knows full well that it cannot hold on to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank if the world is to know that Hamas is willing to recognize a de facto Israel under pre-June 1967 borders.

This is despite Hamas having an outdated charter that calls for all of Palestine under the mandate.

How do they know this? Because of their intelligence agencies and Khalid Meshal of the Hamas Political Bureau: Mossad: "[T]he Hamas leadership has recognized that its ideological goal is not attainable and will not be in the foreseeable future," a former Mossad head recently observed. "[T]hey are ready and willing to see the establishment of a Palestinian state in the temporary borders of 1967....They know that the moment a Palestinian state is established with their cooperation, they will be obligated to change the rules of the game: They will have to adopt a path that could lead them far from their original ideological goals."

Meshal: "There is an opportunity to deal with this conflict in a manner different than Israel and, behind it, the U.S. is dealing with it today. There is an opportunity to achieve a Palestinian national consensus on a political program based on the 1967 borders, and this is an exceptional circumstance, in which most Palestinian forces, including Hamas, accept a state on the 1967 borders....There is also an Arab consensus on this demand, and this is a historic situation. But no one is taking advantage of this opportunity. No one is moving to cooperate with this opportunity. Even this minimum that has been accepted by the Palestinians and the Arabs has been rejected by Israel and by the U.S." Israel knows Hamas is ready to join in the peace talks. They do not like this, since the world for the past 30 yrs has agreed on a two state solution based on pre-June 1967 borders. The International Quartet, the Arab League and Hamas all are ready. But Israel is not: its only chance at a Zionist, Greater Israel is to exclude Hamas by labelling it as a leading terrorist organization that instigates terror by firing rockets on innocent Israelis, and preaches to wipe Israel off the face of the earth.

EDITORIAL

Thanks for reading, Steven Zhou Ministry of Social Justice

Yours, Paul Franks Professor of Philosophy (UTM) Sources: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middlee ast/2008/04/20086150597219693.html http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middlee ast/2008/04/20086150597219693.html

EDITOR IN CHIEF Ali Kasim editor@mediumonline.ca NEWS EDITOR Andrew Hamilton Smith news@mediumonline.ca A&E EDITOR Michael Di Leo arts@mediumonline.ca FEATURES EDITOR Alain Latour features@mediumonline.ca SPORTS EDITOR Christopher Sa’d sports@mediumonline.ca COPY EDITOR Shelley Bahorie PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Matthew Filipowich photos@mediumonline.ca COMPOSITE EDITOR Matthew Filipowich WEBMASTER Verisha Khanam DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Ali Kasim BUSINESS MANAGER Romano Bergic ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Fiona Buchanan ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR Karen Akhtar ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Lara Matiisen BOARD OF DIRECTORS Christine Capewell, Jane Ngobia, Isa Cunanan, Raji Aujla, Laura Gaspini, Umeimah Bastaki, Bhagyashri Bhandakkar, Julie Tyios MEDIUM II PUBLICATIONS 3359 Mississauga Road, Room 200, Student Centre, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6 Phone: 905.828.5260 Fax: 905.828.5402 Advertising: 905.828.5379 www.mediumonline.ca

MONDAY, JANUARY

26, 2009 THE MEDIUM 5

The way it’s meant to be heard A man’s look into the history of vinyl music and why it has become so popular in today’s scene AYMAN SAAB

Trends are cyclical. What was once popular eventually goes out of fashion, and often, after some time, it returns to the scene only to be adopted by a whole new generation. I’m sure we can all name several of these re-surfaced trends that got a hold of us at some point, even if we’re perhaps too embarrassed to admit it.

Over the recent holiday season, as the masses poured into big-box electronic stores all over the GTA on a quest to return home with the ever-

popular Ipod Classic/Nano/Touch, I was held up at flea market just south of Barrie, searching through cardboard box after cardboard box of dusty old vinyl records. That’s right, records. For Christmas I received a brand new turntable from my parents, and have since been on a non-stop quest for vinyl.

The question I keep getting asked is “why?� With the obvious benefits of digitized music, why revert to such a bothersome, time consuming, and clearly inferior technology?

Inferior? Obviously, the person posing the question has never heard

photo/google.images

CD REVIEW

Andromeda The Immunity Zone 3.5/5 LUCAS DI MASCIO Everybody knows the band Dream Theater – infamous for their lengthy songs and technical guitar riffs and keyboard passages. And usually when the words “progressive metal� is brought up, Dream Theater is the first (and often only) band that comes to everyone’s mind. It’s a shame that they cast such a huge shadow which consumes a lot of other great progressive metal bands.

One of these bands is Andromeda. The Immunity Zone, the fifth release of this fairly unknown band from Sweden, is definitely a great introduction to fans and newcomers of the progressive metal scene, and to the band itself.

David Fremberg’s soaring vocals allure the listener into the bittersweet lyrics of each song while the manic rifffest by Johan Reinholdz puts you into a state of wonder. You’ll want to grab the nearest guitar just to try playing some of

the band’s verbose solos and intricate riffs.

Each of the nine songs is lengthy enough to demonstrate all of the band’s elements, but at times the tracks seem to be a bit long winded. On average, the tracks run around six to seven minutes with a seventeen minute opus as the final track. The tracks range from very catchy choruses to intense instrumental passages. The lyrics are very powerful and most of them revolve around social issues and political insights, which is a good change of pace compared to most of the more popular heavy metal lyrical content.

Songs that stand out the most on the album are definitely “Slaves of the Plethora Season� and “Veil of Illumination,� the final seventeen-minute track full of insane keyboard solos, diverse guitar riffs, and a catchy chorus to boot.

Unfortunately, the songs can be quite hard to get into at first, mainly because of their length. Why progressive metal bands have to make their songs so long and complicated is an unsolved mystery.

It definitely will appeal to listeners of progressive metal, but those that are akin to the genre might have a hard time taking in the overwhelming nature of the music. The odd time signatures between the guitar and keyboards, as well as the choice in keyboard effects in some of the songs can be a bit disorienting and might not appeal to everyone.

The Immunity Zone is a vortex of sound from beginning to end. It’s an album with catchy songs and inspiring guitar playing all the way through. Definitely recommended for those who want to ease into the progressive metal scene.

“Hey Jude� on vinyl.

Music recorded before the “digital age� was intended for a record – the sound that is produced from a compact disc is simply a compressed digital version of the artist’s original analog work. It is this desire to hear that original product that is driving the vinyl trend.

Aside from the audio benefits, records provide a highly physical connection with the music. It is not simply clicking a file on a computer screen with a finger, but a process that is respectful of the work itself. It requires constant cleaning, manual starting and stopping, temperature control, and sometimes going through three separate layers of protection to simply get to the record.

The actual process required to play a record may seem tedious, but I, along with many other audiophiles, find the process enjoyable. The music that has had such a profound impact on my life deserves more than just a mixed CD-R to play it on – it deserves respect.

Recently, bands have begun releasing limited edition versions of their new albums on vinyl. Bands like Coldplay, Guns ’ Roses, and The White Stripes have had great success with their vinyl releases which

are readily available at most major music retail outlets. Even though music from these modern groups was made during, and for, the “digital age,� the vinyl trend has begun to slowly creep into their record sales.

Personally, I don’t see the point of buying modern music on vinyl.

Perhaps it is a novelty, but it is definitely not worth the $30-$50 that most newly pressed vinyl costs.

Modern projects were mixed with an eye toward the “digital format� (the ubiquitous CD) so there is not much to gain from listening to them on vinyl.

I spent an entire day on Queen Street West, the so-called “place-togo� for vinyl, going from record store to record store in search of classic vinyl recordings. I ended up leaving each store just as quickly as I had entered them. They were geared towards the new, independent releases on vinyl and had a limited selection of vintage records. I asked the employees, who were no older than myself, about where to find things in the store and other various questions about record maintenance, and was answered with little more than a shrug and an awkward, somewhat embarrassed, smile.

So I turned to the all-knowing ora-

cle of information: the Internet.

There, I was able to find a glut of information dealing with record collecting, maintenance, and all other essential information for a budding vinyl enthusiast.

I was also lucky enough to stumble upon the website of a true vintage record shop, In the Groove, on the east end of Queen Street. Here was a store that contained the very records that made the format so desirable.

Specializing in vintage and collector records, it’s the store to go to for those in search of music meant for vinyl.

The current vinyl trend shows no signs of dying down in the near future. The warm, analogous tone of years past is again available to the masses. Whether you desire the sounds of the past, or the sounds of today, you can surely get in on vinyl.

So dig up that old turntable, pull out your parents’ old copy of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band, and listen to “A Day in the Life� as it was originally intended to be heard; because when it comes to music, and trends in general, what is old often becomes new again. Just don’t push it – that Beta-max your parents bought in the 80s was, and always will be, a mistake.

with Michael Di Leo

Following from last week’s column discussing the music surrounding the inauguration of President Obama, I would like to point out and discuss the controversy regarding the Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman performance.

As many of you already know, the classical performance played and streamed on inauguration day was in fact pre-recorded by the quartet just a few days prior to the “live� performance. As many of you can understand, weather conditions this year have been less than favourable, especially in the past month.

As many of you don’t know, playing the violin and cello – both very delicate instruments – is difficult enough indoors in a controlled climate, let alone with the wind and bitter cold of a January day in Washington, D.C. Both Perlman and Ma play on Stradivarius’ (each centuries old and worth a few million dollars), and it was clear on inauguration day that keeping those instruments in tune would be nearimpossible in the cold. In fact, prior to the day, the New York Times Arts Section ran a piece detailing how Ma was slated to play on a custom-made carbon fibre cello made specifically for him which wouldn’t detune as much in the weather. Ma, however, eventually stuck with the Strad.

So what’s the problem here? Some people feel cheated that the live performance wasn’t exactly “live.� Perhaps

that’s a reasonable sentiment. Others feel that world-class musicians such as Perlman and Ma shouldn’t conform to the “man� and stick it out like true musicians – not quite as reasonable, but understandable nonetheless.

The bottom line is that it would have been impossible to give a live performance with violins and cellos, especially one worthy of their reputations. Sure Springsteen played live (he’s bad-ass like that) but had you heard what the quartet had actually been playing, you most likely would have preferred to turn the television off. Plus, it isn’t like what you heard wasn’t performed by the greats.

But, let us digress...

U2 has recently released their first single from their upcoming album, o Line on the Horizon, titled “Get on Your Boots.� Adding to the overbearing har-

monies and minimal Edge-yness, the track sounds out of touch with what U2 should be doing. With How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, U2 rekindled their Joshua Tree dynamic, and in that same way, with their new release, they try to get back to their Pop years. The problem is that Pop was terrible and surely the lowest point (though not commercially) of their career.

Instead of expanding on the success of the emotional material found in Atomic Bomb (like “City of Blinding Lights�), U2 try to over-present their “Vertigo� side, and end up sounding well-aged.

On the plus side, the album art is impressive and memorable. The cover features a black and white photo of the sea meeting the sky by Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto, and is possibly the band’s best cover design yet.

photo/features.csmonitor.com

Itzhak Perlman (left) and Yo Yo Ma (center) play at President Obama’s inauguration.

6 THE MEDIUM

MONDAY, JANUARY

26, 2009

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

NEXT TOP MODEL HITS TORONTO

by Ali Kasim

MICHAEL DI LEO A&E EDITOR In this day and age of American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, and America’s Got Talent, few reality competitions on television are as substantial and compelling as the ext Top Model series. Moving into its third season, the Canadian edition of the show – modelled after its American counterpart – features ten aspiring female models competing for the title of the Next Top Model along with a slew of other prizes including a modelling contract with Elmer Olsen Model Management, a beauty contract from Proctor & Gamble, and the opportunity to be featured in an editorial spread in Fashion Magazine. The show is also hosted by Jay Manuel, a Canadian who is also the creative director on the American version.

In addition to footage of the fashion and runway competitions, the girls are also filmed living together for the duration of the show. Not surprisingly, this usually leads to some of the more entertaining and catty events. Even before they’re subjected to each other’s overbearing personalities, they have to first deal with the stress that comes with trying to make it in the fashion world, and prove themselves worthy of being chosen for such an opportunity.

January 23 marked the fifth and final

stop of the Canada’s ext Top Model Olsen provided his expertise throughcasting call tour, and hundreds of hope- out the tour, deciding in the process fuls made their way to an already- whether each one of the hopeful modpacked Fairview Mall in Toronto for els had what it took to not only make it the final chance to make it to the sec- in the business, but to become the best. ond round of selections. Over 4,000 His guidance was not lost on most who others had already submitted profiles tried out. After waiting several hours in and portfolios either in the mail or line, many still appreciated the chance online. These selections, along with the to get feedback from the prominent talsecond round of judging, is all that ent scout. remains between them and making the The third season of Canada’s ext final cut.

Top Model airs this summer on CTV. Shoppers intending to spend a nice relaxing day at the mall were met instead with masses of tall 18 to 23 yearolds decked in skirts and high heels – the line extending all the way down the main floor.

Some shoppers were perturbed, but for the most part, they were curious (especially the men) with the proceedings.

At the front of the line, contestants were met by a swarm of local media (MTV and E! to photos/Jason Corban name a couple) and the gatekeeper to the Meaghan Dewarrenne Waller gives us her proverbial promised impression of Derek Zoolander’s infamous look, land, esteemed model- Blue Steel.Of all those who tried out, only a few ling agent Elmer made it past the preliminary round, Meaghan Olsen. being one of them.

produced by the Professional Writing and Communication (PWC) program

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the nominees for the 81st annual Academy Awards this past Thursday. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button led the field of Oscar contenders with 13 nominations in all – one short of the record shared

by All About Eve (1950) and Titanic (1997), while Heath Ledger became only the sixth actor to get a posthumous nomination.

Slumdog Millionaire, the tale of an impoverished orphan's improbable victory on India's version of the game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” followed with 10 nominations. The only possible obstacle to a big Oscar night for the film is that none of its cast was nominated.

Ledger is easily the favourite to take the prize at the awards on February 22.

The Australian actor died of an accidental overdose of prescription pills exactly a year ago, at the age of 28. To date, the only performer to win posthumously has been Peter Finch, who was honoured for 1976's Network two months after his fatal heart attack.

There were also Oscar nods for “comeback actors” Mickey Rourke and Robert Downey Jr.. Rourke, who spent 15 years in the acting wilderness, and Robert Downey Jr. whose promising career was derailed 10 years ago by drugs, were both nominated for Oscars on Thursday for their respective roles in The Wrestler and Tropic Thunder.

Among some notable absentees to the list of nominees are Clint Eastwood's recent box office champ Gran Torino which garnered no nominations, and The Dark Knight which surprisingly missed out on a Best Picture nomination despite earning recognition as the second highestgrossing film of all time, behind Titanic.

The 81st Academy Awards ceremony will honor the best films of 2008 and is scheduled for Sunday, February 22, 2009, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California.

Following is a list of the main Oscar contenders.

BEST PICTURE " The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" "Frost/Nixon" "Milk" "The Reader" "Slumdog Millionaire" BEST ACTOR Richard Jenkins "The Visitor" Frank Langella "Frost/Nixon"

Sean Penn "Milk" B rad P itt " The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" Mickey Rourke "The Wrestler" BEST ACTRESS Anne Hathaway "Rachel Getting Married" Angelina Jolie "Changeling" Melissa Leo "Frozen River" Meryl Streep "Doubt" Kate Winslet "The Reader" BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Josh Brolin "Milk" Robert Downey Jr. "Tropic Thunder" Philip Seymour Hoffman "Doubt" Heath Ledger "The Dark Knight" Michael Shannon "Revolutionary Road" BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Amy Adams "Doubt" P e n e l o p e C r u z " Vicky Cristina Barcelona" Viola Davis "Doubt" Taraji P. Henson "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" Marisa Tomei "The Wrestler" BEST DIRECTOR David Fincher "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" Ron Howard "Frost/Nixon" Gus Van Sant "Milk" Stephen Daldry "The Reader" Danny Boyle "Slumdog Millionaire" BEST ANIMATED FEATURE "Bolt" "Kung Fu Panda" "WALL E" BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM "The Baader Meinhof Complex" Germany "The Class" France "Departures" Japan "Revanche" Austria "Waltz with Bashir" Israel BEST MUSIC (SCORE) “ The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” “Defiance” “Milk” “Slumdog Millionaire” “WALL E” BEST DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE) “The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)” “ Encounters at the End of the World” “The Garden” “Man On Wire” “Trouble the Wire”

A literary journal showcasing original and exemplary non-fiction prose from students across UTM

Mindwaves is currently accepting entries from all UTM students. If you would like to get published, submit your stories to pwcjournal@gmail.com by February 28.

For more information or to become a participant in the distribution of Mindwaves please contact the editor Ali Kasim at 905 828 5402 or pwcjournal@gmail.com

photo credit/photobucket.com

The countdown to the world’s most anticipated film award ceremony has begun with 'Slumdog Millionaire' and 'Benjamin Button' favourites to clean up at the Oscars.

MONDAY, JANUARY

THI N

T BLACKBER ES N

BERRY ACK L B

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FIRST BLA C Y FLIP ERR KB

AJAX Westney Heights Plaza 1 Rossland Rd. W 957 Westney Rd. S AURORA 91 First Commerce Dr., Unit 5 Hunters Gate Plaza BRAMPTON 16 Lisa St. 9980 Airport Rd., Unit 11 10025 Hurontario St., Unit 118 131 Kennedy Rd. N 10088 McLaughlin Rd., Unit 2 CONCORD Vaughan Mills COURTICE 1420 King St. E, Unit 7 ETOBICOKE 3015 Bloor St. W 4242 Dundas St. W Cloverdale Mall Woodbine Centre Westway Plaza GEORGETOWN 5 Mountainview Rd. MAPLE Maple Plaza MARKHAM Markham Plaza Armadale Square Markville Mall MISSISSAUGA Roseborough Centre 4141 Dixie Rd. 920 Southdown Rd. Bldg. H, Unit 7 2116 Burnhamthorpe Rd. W Sandalwood Square King Square Shopping Centre 6085 Creditview Rd. 5636 Glen Erin Dr., Unit 10 NEWMARKET Upper Canada Mall 1065 Davis Dr. 18075 Yonge St. OAKVILLE Oakville Place 1011 Upper Middle Rd. Unit C17 1500 Upper Middle Rd., Unit 2 1461 Rebecca St. 511 Maple Grove Dr. OSHAWA Oshawa Centre 285 Taunton Rd. PICKERING 1550 Kingston Rd. 1822 Whites Rd. SCARBOROUGH 2900 Warden Ave., Unit 220 Scarborough Towne Centre 2490 Gerrard St. E 38 Ellesmere Rd. THORNHILL Rutherford Village TORONTO 2248 Bloor St. W 333 Bloor St. E Exchange Tower 6758 Kingston Rd., Unit 12 1530 Albion Rd. Toronto Eaton Centre 10 Dundas St. E, Unit 112 Rogers Centre 808 York Mills Rd., Unit 15-17 3151 Yonge St. 330 Bay St. 618 Sheppard Ave. W 730 Danforth Ave. 1080 Yonge St. 2120 Queen St. E 8 Wellesley St. E 1965-1971 Yonge St., Unit A 120 Front St. E Sunnybrook Plaza 2400 Eglinton Ave. W Yorkdale Shopping Centre VAUGHAN 1054 Centre St. WHITBY 1549 Dundas St. E 3940 N Brock St. Whitby Town Square WOODBRIDGE 9200 Weston Rd.

HOT SMARTPHONES FOR HOT, SMART PEOPLE. VE CUR RY

AJAX 85 Kingston Rd., Unit 7 105 Bayley Dr., Unit 19B AURORA 15483 Yonge St., Unit 2B BOLTON 12612 Hwy. 50, Unit 15 BRAMPTON 253 Queen St. E, Unit 3 4520 Ebenezer Rd., Unit 6 Bramalea City Centre Shopper’s World BROOKLIN 5969 Baldwin St. S, Unit 7 COBOURG 975 Elgin St. W, Unit B DOWNSVIEW 1118 Finch Ave. W, Unit 1 ETOBICOKE 850 The Queensway 1234 The Queensway 22 Dixon Rd. 6620 Finch Ave. W, Unit 4 Sherway Gardens GEORGETOWN 265 Guelph St., Unit 3 MAPLE 2943 Major Mackenzie Dr., Unit 4 MARKHAM 300 Steelcase Rd. W, Unit 20 Metro Square Mall Pacific Mall First Markham Place 7780 Woodbine Ave., Unit 3 9570 McCowan Rd., Unit 4 Pacific Mall 505 Hood Rd., Unit 12 MISSISSAUGA 7955 Financial Dr., Unit B 6465 Airport Rd., Unit 102 1100 Burnhamthorpe Rd. W, Unit 13 Dixie Value Mall 888 Dundas St. E, Unit K8 3105 Dundas St. W, Unit 102 Erin Mills Town Centre 153 Lakeshore Rd. E 808 Britannia Rd. W, Unit 2 Meadowvale Town Centre 6295 Mississauga Rd., Unit 102 Square One (2 locations) 100 City Centre Dr. 25 Watline Ave., Unit 10 102-3021 Argentia Rd. NEWMARKET 17415 Yonge St., Unit 2 NORTH YORK 3111 Dufferin St. 3040 Don Mills Rd., Unit 17B 4905 Yonge St. 1905 Avenue Rd. Sheridan Mall Fairview Mall 149C Ravel Rd. 4367 Steeles Ave. W 5815 Yonge St. OAKVILLE 1027 Speers Rd., Unit 22 478 Dundas St. W, Unit 7 OSHAWA Taunton Harmony Plaza 1053 Simcoe St. N, Unit 4B PICKERING Pickering Town Centre 611 Kingston Rd. 1899 Brock Rd. RICHMOND HILL Hillcrest Mall 10 West Pearce St., Bldg. B Times Square Mall 9196 Yonge St. 9737 Yonge St., Unit 211 10720 Yonge St., Unit 102 10755 Leslie St., Unit 5 SCARBOROUGH 1448 Lawrence Ave. E 2555 Victoria Park Ave. 2650 Lawrence Ave. E, Unit 2B 411 Kennedy Rd. Oriental Palace 1291 Kennedy Rd. 3300 Midland Ave., Unit 40 19 Milliken Blvd., Unit U 5095 Sheppard Ave. E Woodside Square 5661 Steeles Ave. E, Unit 5 1900 Eglinton Ave. E, Unit E5A 665 Markham Rd., Unit 5 THORNHILL Shops on Steeles Promenade Mall 31 Disera Dr., Unit 140 TORONTO 1854 Danforth Ave. 471 Eglinton Ave. W 2400 Bloor St. W 921 Bay St. 2266 Eglinton Ave. W 2397 Yonge St. 604 Bloor St. W 548 Church St. Dufferin Mall 421 Dundas St. W, Unit G8 1451 Dundas St. W Dragon City Mall 939 Eglinton Ave. E, Unit 106 Gerrard Square 662 King St. W, Unit 2 228 Queens Quay W, Unit 3 1821 Queen St. E 2 St. Clair Ave. E 1268 St. Clair Ave. W 1350 St. Clair Ave. W 2200 Yonge St., Unit 104 154 University Ave., Suite 101 9A Yorkville Ave. 386 Sheppard Ave. E 525 University Ave. 55 Chauncey Ave. 272 Danforth Ave. W UXBRIDGE 11 Brock St. W VAUGHAN 1600 Steeles Ave. W, Unit 30 WHITBY 25 Thickson Rd. N WILLOWDALE Centerpoint Mall WOODBRIDGE 5317 Hwy. 7 200 Whitmore Rd., Unit 9

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8 THE MEDIUM

MONDAY,JANUARY

26, 2009

Walk the safer way says. “We get two to three calls a night. It feels good to help people feel safe.”

All students, visitors, or faculty members need to do is call 905 607 SAFE and inform the dispatcher where they would like to meet the WalkSafers and what their intended destination is.

ALAIN LATOUR FEATURES EDITOR

UTM student Liza worries when she has a late class in the North Building.

“It’s dark and isolated over there,” she says, “and if someone wanted to do something to me or to another student, well, it’s not a bad spot for that.”

She needn’t worry. Not just because UTM is a pretty safe place but also because the UTM campus police have a program for preventing that kind of situation. The program is called WalkSafer, and despite the fact that it’s been around since 2001, it is not as well-known as campus police would like.

“We do have a link to it on our site, although it is kind of buried under ‘Safety Programs’,” admits Sergeant Dario Cervoni, assistant manager and twenty-plus-year veteran of campus police. “But we’re currently designing new posters about the program. We want all community members to know of it and use it if they need to.”

The WalkSafer program provides two-person teams that escort anyone who wishes to be escorted anywhere on campus. No explanations

Photo/Matthew Filipowich

WalkSafers Marc and Tracey. required. All students, visitors, or faculty members need to do is call 905-607-SAFE and inform the dispatcher where they would like to meet the WalkSafers and what their intended destination is. Walks can be booked up to one night in advance.

The service, which is provided by the Dean of Student Affairs and administered and delivered by campus police, operates Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. On Thursdays it runs from 9:30 to 2 a.m., the difference in schedule here primarily down to pub night events.

“Not every Thursday night is pub

night,” he says, “but historically that’s been the case. We’ve found that on pub nights the number of students who want company walking around campus increases.”

Gender is equally split between the ten students who comprise the program. This allows each two-person team to include one male and one female WalkSafer.

A typical shift begins with students reporting to the campus police office where they are provided with yellow vests, a cell phone, a police radio, and a flashlight. They then begin walking around campus, covering all of its territory while on the lookout

for students who would hail them if need be.

“We’ve never had any violent incidents,” stresses WalkSafer and fourth-year biology student Marc Cerulli. His classmate and WalkSafer partner Tracy Stone concurs. “If we ever had to face a dangerous situation, we’d just call the campus police on our radio. They’d be there in a matter of seconds.”

Asked why they chose to work as WalkSafers, Marc jestingly cites boredom, or lack thereof, as the main reason. “I think this is a lot more interesting than working at the library or in the food service,” he

Two to three calls a night may sound busy, but Sgt. Cervoni explains that use of the program has declined recently. “We want to do everything in our power to help the UTM community feel safe. We have over one hundred closed-circuit cameras and over seventy-five emergency phones around campus. We provide critical situation avoidance training sessions and we’re available twentyfour/seven, so everyone who feels like using the WalkSafer program on weekends, or need us for whatever reason, can call us or just drop by.”

Liza might just do that. “To be honest, I didn’t know we had this service at our disposal,” she says with a relieved expression on her face.

“Next time I’m creeped out by a shadow or afraid to walk late at night, I’ll be calling them for sure.”

Bush’s legacy MATT SABUCCO

George W. Bush has turned over more than just the presidency to Barack Obama. This past Tuesday, the new President inherited a crippled economy, a war in the Middle East, and the expectation that he will right the wrongs of the Bush administration. As President Obama assumes his role as Commander-inChief, it is appropriate to consider the legacy of the former President’s two terms in office.

This is not an easy task, partly because the heat of today’s political climate tends to heighten passions and blur judgement, but also because we have yet to see the results of many of Mr. Bush’s decisions. It is now President Obama’s job to bring them to a close. He acknowledged as much during his inauguration speech as he referred to the current war, the economic crisis, and what he called “our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.”

The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq will surely be among the most debated decisions of Bush’s presidential

term. So many outcomes are still uncertain. Will Osama Bin Laden ever be found? Will democracy prosper in Iraq, or will it lapse into more mayhem or chaos? Will Al-Qaida collapse? The answers to these questions, and how soon they arrive, might determine how we view the legacy of the Bush administration.

It is not clear, for example, how much Mr. Bush could have done to prevent the economic crisis.

Mr. Bush confronted this topic in his farewell address to the Nation on January 16. “There is legitimate debate about many of these decisions,” he said, “but there can be little debate about the results. America has gone more than seven years without another terrorist attack on our soil.”

The absence of attacks on American soil is doubtlessly a positive outcome. But with troops still on

the ground, there is little indication that the war is over. Furthermore, the increasing cost of human lives has earned America more enemies than ever in the past. This is possibly one of the reasons why President Obama will begin withdrawing troops as early as sixteen months into his presidency. Indeed, he has already initiated talks with his top aides about a redeployment strategy.

“No matter where you look, domestic or foreign policy will have a significant impact on how future historians will view the Bush administration,” says Ed Schatz, professor of political science at UTM. “On a rhetorical level, at the moment, the contrast is astounding between what the Obama administration holds out as a promise and what the Bush administration held out as policy.

Time will tell whether the difference, which appears to be so stark at the moment, will actually end up being so stark in the future.”

One thing is obvious: with so much gone wrong in America today, it is easy to blame the exiting president for the nation’s headaches.

Some are undoubtedly Mr. Bush’s doing. But the origins of others are

Photo/Getty images

What lies ahead: he can no longer do anything. not so easy to pinpoint. It is not clear, for example, how much Mr. Bush could have done to prevent the economic crisis.

President Obama’s election and inauguration have so far been met with unparalleled enthusiasm, both at home and abroad. But it would be useful to keep in mind that while President Obama may promise a bright future for America, we have

only pledges to judge him by so far.

Some commentators have already complained about what they perceived was a swift and convenient change of policy as he addressed the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) last June.

Whatever he does or says, no one can continue to inspire that level of faith for four years, not even President Barack Obama.

MONDAY, JANUARY

26, 2009 THE MEDIUM 9

ENVIRONMENT

FEATURES

The big bag ban SHELLEY BAHORIE COPY EDITOR

cling facilities for this type of material exist. Bags with extra frills such as zippers, grommets and Velcro, cannot be recycled at all, of course.

And some even claim to be biodegradable, which begs the questions: How can a material, which contains plastic, biodegrade?

Perhaps they meant to claim “degradable” – over hundreds of years. The material and construction of these bags are produced offshore in developing nations like China.

Let’s cross our fingers they offer fair working conditions and wages in these plants.

Reduce, reuse and recycle your bags.

With environmentally conscious efforts made worldwide, the most publicized is the plastic bag ban.

Despite only occupying about 1 per cent of Toronto’s landfills, plastic bags are made from petroleum products and take numerous years to break down. Nevertheless, Toronto is currently having waste disposal problems.

If plastic bags were not easily accessible, people would need to purchase more heavy duty (or thicker plastic) garbage bags for lining waste bins or picking up after their dogs.

Almost all retailers and other corporations promote their “eco logic” by offering consumers reusable shopping bags, something that has become rather omnipresent of late.

This allows them to appear environmentally responsible while also advertising their logos on the bags.

Another incentive to using the reusable bags is the law that Toronto

Photo/Sunday Star Times

Away they go. has recently passed which cites a charge of five cents per plastic bag in the hopes of discouraging consumer usage and to help eliminate the unnecessary waste of plastic bags. Because it is not always convenient to have a reusable bag handy during a quick stop at the store – and purchasing a new one costs between $0.99 and $5.00 – one might opt to spend the five cents.

How effective is this plan? In Ontario, approximately 2.5 billion plastic bags are used each year.

According to a recent study by the NPD Group, sales of reusable shopping bags have increased by 72 per cent between May 2007 and May 2008. Seems like a step in the right direction to reducing waste.

Will we ever really eliminate plastic bans? If plastic bags were not easily accessible, people would need to purchase more heavy duty (or thicker plastic) garbage bags for lining waste bins or picking up after their dogs. Costly biodegradable bags are available for this purpose

too. While plastic bags seem to be environmentally damaging, they serve several reusable purposes before they are discarded.

Most reusable bags contain recycled content, mainly plastic water bottles, which help to reduce more waste. But this would also mean the other percentage of the bag is compiled of new or raw material, sometimes taking up to 28 times more energy to produce these bags.

Some plastic bags claim to be recyclable, especially where recy-

Bags with extra frills such as zippers, grommets and Velcro, cannot be recy cled at all...some even claim to be biodegradable, which begs the questions: How can a material, which contains plastic, biode grade?

Don’t get me wrong; I am not against the new trend. I think it is a novel idea. Their reusability has decreased the consumption of plastic bags drastically. Some of the better quality ones can hold up to forty pounds, last for a few years, and are quite fashionable. But let’s not overlook the more important factors.

10 THE MEDIUM MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 2009

FEATURES

Children and Motherhood

Grandmothers at UTM KAREN AKHTAR

This week the UTM Historical Studies Society will be hosting a photo e x hi bi t i o n c a l l ed “ O u r Grandmothers, Ourselves.” The exhibit, composed of photographs contain i ng q u o t a t i o n s fr o m t h e granddaughters in English and in the grandmothers’ first language, aims to draw attention to immigrant grandmothers who have made extraordinary contributions to the lives of their granddaughters in adverse circumstances.

The exhibit will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Monday, January 26 to Thursday, January 29 in the Student Centre. Renowned academic Dr. Gina Valle will also host a lecture from 3 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, January 29 in Room 137 of the Kaneff building.

Th e M e d i u m s p o k e t o R a h u l D’Cunha, Vice-President of the UTM Historical Studies Society, about the event.

How were you able to enlist Dr. Gina Valle ?

of our student body who are first or second generation immigrants.

I found out about her book through Prof. Simalchik's WGS335 class, which is called “Women, Migration, Diaspora”, and contacted her in November to see if she would be willing to have the exhibit displayed at our campus. The exhibit was in Portugal at the time, so she booked us for January. She also kindly agreed to give a talk on campus. I contacted Professor Simalchik. She was ecstatic and suggested that we have Dr. Valle give her lecture in the WGS200 class in room 137 of the Kaneth building.

We have since invited other facu lt y wh o h a v e confirmed their at t e nd a n c e , s u ch as Professor Rubincam and Professor BernsM c G o w n . W e are quite excited about this event as it is hard to get an internationally acclaimed exhibit to come to campus, let alone have the creator give a talk too. I think the visual element should appeal to students, while the stories themselves will touch a cord with many

What inspired the U TM Historical Studies Society to organize this event?

Students taking WGS335H5, which is a course on women and migration, were inspired to organize this event, because Gina Valle was mentioned in the course and she’s an expert in the field. We looked her up and decided to hold an exhibition on women and migration, training, second language acquisition and curriculum development.

Why do you think it’s important to explore the relationsh ip between immigrant grandmothers and their granddaughters?

It’s important because this topic hasn’t been explored a lot, and we wanted to explore the different experiences of immigrant families.

It’s also important because it ties into other subjects, such as history, women’s studies, and religion.

My boyfriend and I have been dating since last December and it’s going really well except for one thing – our physical relationship is unbalanced. My boyfriend refuses to perform oral sex on me. He doesn’t even explain why. He just says no whenever I ask. I didn’t mind at first, because I don’t love going down on him either but I regularly do now because he likes it.

Shouldn’t he want to please me too?

I talked to my girlfriends recently and all of their boyfriends are much more willing to perform oral sex on them. Is there something I can do to make him want to do it for me?

Sexual relationships are different for every couple. Boundaries vary from couple to couple depending on the likes and dislikes of each individual.

Ideally, however, a sexual relationship should be give and take.

My concern is that most sexual relationships need open communication if they are to grow. A person may

shy away from giving and receiving oral sex for different reasons. Perhaps your first step is to discuss the reasons why he might feel uncomfortable going down on you.

Some feel uncomfortable with their technique. They may have a dislike for pubic hair and some may not like the smell or taste of a person’s body.

Whatever the reasons are, you should talk to him about it. Try and keep an open mind and listen to his response.

It will help if you speak in positives.

Let him know you want to find a way to make oral sex more enjoyable for him as well. Even if the outcome is not what you want at least you will know more about each other on this issue.

Foreplay in the shower may be a great place to start as it eliminates any possible hygiene issues and can be good clean fun for both. If his discomfort lies with pubic hair, maybe you two could take a bath and shave one another. This will also help if he isn’t keen on taste.

Creative Corner A childhood story LOURIN YALDA

Fall of 1998: Baghdad, Iraq. My fragile fingers hold a Barbie doll and brush her long blond hair while I lie in bed – a small wooden bed just long enough for my eleven-year-old body. I sit up, stretch my legs and smooth out the pants of my baby pink pajamas. I gently take off my Barbie’s red, sparkly gown and dress her in matching pink pajamas.

It’s 10:00 p.m. I lay down my doll on my pillow, kneel by the side of my bed, and rest my elbows on my mattress with my fingers intertwined.

“Our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name…” I whisper.

“Hail Mary full of the grace the Lord is with thee…”

I press my right hand on my forehead, “In the name of the Father,” draw it down to my chest, “Son,” sway my hand to my left shoulder, “Holy,” and finally shift it to my right shoulder “Spirit,”.

“Amen.”

My mom slightly cracks the door open and whispers, “Did you pray?”

“Yes mama,” I say to her.

“Good girl,” she says. She saunters in, and I crawl under my pink blanket with my doll next to me. She tucks me in, kisses my forehead and says, “Good night.”

She exits my room, leaving the door half way open.

On my closet door hangs a long mirror. I step down my bed, lift my hair and walk towards the closet. I open my closet door and stare at the mirror in side of it.

“Woo!” a loud voice rushes through my ears. I jump up and scream.

“You stupid idiot you scared me to death. What are you thinking?” I shout.

Lourid throws his head back and laughs.

“Get the hell out of my room before

I wake up dad and mom.”

“Hahahaha! I was just trying to scare you. Hahahaha! It’s fun,” Lourid says.

“Shut up and get out! Tomorrow I will tell mom and dad so they will teach you a lesson.”

“Good night sister. Love you.”

“Shut up and get out. I hate you.”

Lourid places his arm around me and kisses me. I push him away.

Lourid leaves my room.

The house falls quiet. I lie in my bed with my doll in my arms. I close my eyes, but my eyelids shudder. Images of my upcoming grade six school trip fill my mind. I open my eyes and glance at my things behind the door.

Earlier today, my mom filled my pink backpack with snacks, juice, water, and clothes, and leaned my tennis racket on its side.

I shift my gaze towards the halfopen window in front of me and stare at the bright moon in the sky. I hear crickets chirping. I want a drink but I can’t get it. I am too scared to go down to the kitchen by myself. I wait for the sun to shine. My eyes look up at the navy sky. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight…

“Earlier today, Clinton ordered America's armed forces to strike military and security targets in Iraq. They are joined by British forces. Their mission is to attack Iraq's nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs and its military capacity to threaten its neighbours.” *** BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! I jump up in my bed. My legs tremble. My breath shoots out of my nostrils. I look outside my window, see sharp lights and hear ambulance sirens.

Dead Dreams As the ambulance passes my house, my room swims in a pool of lights. I see shadows. I slowly pull off my blanket and order my feet to touch the floor. I wander towards my door.

Pieces of glass pierce my soles.

I totter close to the wall, my hands feeling the chipped paint. I turn on the lights. Nothing.

My breathing gets heavier and faster. I turn back to my window and try to make my way. My knee collides with my wooden desk. A cry escapes me. As I get closer to the window, clouds of smoke appear.

I suddenly freeze, my body unable to take any more orders. Red and purple clouds fill the sky. Fires light the dark city. Two missiles stab the clouds.

“Daddy! Mama!”

Nothing, but sirens.

Tears pour down my face and onto my baby pink pajama shirt. My heart beats faster and faster. The booms grow louder and louder.

“Daddy! Mama! Please, can anyone hear me?”

I march back towards my bed, pause, and then saunter towards the door.

“Daddy! Daddy!” I sob. I look around. I lost my doll.

I sit on the floor, wrap my arms around my knees and burry my head.

“Lorena! Where are you?” I hear Daddy’s voice. My head shoots up.

“I’m here! Come get me… please. I can’t see. I can’t walk anymore.”

“Stay in your room. I’m coming,” Daddy says.

Daddy opens my door and carries me to his room where I lay in his arms.

“Don’t worry. Just sleep and everything will be fine tomorrow,” Daddy says.

“Will there be a tomorrow, Daddy?

Am I going to wake up to see you tomorrow?”

Daddy places his arms around me and squeezes me.

SHAISTA KHAN

Bodies buried inside of mud, a helmet peeking through.

Five million boys, five million men Never again to gaze over the sky's ocean blue.

Drowned in blood and smoke and soil, They die. Their dreams die too.

Dreams of helping and learning and loving How can these dreams now come true?

And for the five million who survive, They dream of death, and shells exploding.

Wake up to hot sweat in their tired eyes, Not knowing what in war is worth warring.

They are burdened with their dead mens' dreams From the No Man's land.

Slowly they muster the strength to believe, The shaking of the two countries hands.

But friends and soldiers who sadly become lost Watch their dreams mixing with blood.

In shock, immobile, war prancing around, While half their bodies are Stuck in mud.

Their soldier brothers leave them behind, All have to follow orders.

The spark of their dreams slowly fades, If God be good, they'll die by mortars.

But this is not the fate of all, Many die by bullets, straight to the head.

While others yell and holler in pain, Red blood leaking in their blooded red vests.

You have to remember: this was the fate of few.

Ten million there were. Ten million dreams That should have come true.

But just as they died, their dreams died too.

MONDAY, JANUARY

26, 2009 THE MEDIUM 11

Southern Ontario battles for Tavares Sens GM Brian Murray is following the footsteps of Brian Burke in the hopes of beating the Leafs to last place SACHIN MOHAN

The battle between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators has always been fierce in the past especially when both teams faced each other in the playoffs. This season however, the battle has taken an intriguing turn.

Both Ontario NHL teams have struggled so far and are projected to be competing for the NHL first overall draft pick, also known as the “John Tavares sweepstakes.”

Ente r in g th e 2 0 0 8 -2 0 0 9 N H L season, the Leafs were in the midst of rebuilding the franchise with several familiar players let go to make room for young prospects.

The search for the next general manager was also ongoing at the time. Sports pundits all pegged the Leafs as a non-playoff team that

would be in strong contention of drafting an early – possibly number one – pick in the NHL lottery.

The Ottawa Senators, coming off a disappointing 2007-2008 season where they were utterly outplayed by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of playoffs, are on their way toward a similar fate.

Before this season’s opening, the Senators, despite several new faces, still had their core star players on the roster and were expected once again to be playoff contenders. Not long before entering the season, Ottawa let goalie Ray Emery go, m arking an end to a tumultuous relationship that saw Emery as a scapegoat for the team’s problems. The Senators also parted ways with defencemen Wade Redden and Andrej Meszaros.

To the delight of many Leaf fans

Bucks star Redd out for season with torn ligaments MILWAUKEE (TSN) – Milwaukee Bucks sharpshooter Michael Redd will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a pair of torn knee ligaments during Saturday's game against the Sacramento Kings.

Redd was hurt late in the third quarter of Milwaukee's 106 104 win and an MRI exam on Sunday revealed a torn anterior cruciate liga ment as well as a torn medial collateral ligament in the left knee.

Surgery will be scheduled at a later date.

however, the Ottawa Senators have taken a dramatic step back from a team competing in the Stanley Cup finals a few years ago. The Sens are currently sitting near the bottom of the Eastern conference and are also several points behind the Leafs. With the sudden collapse of the Senators, there is now a realistic possibility of the Senators missing the playoffs and selecting a high draft pick. This would increase the competition for the services of John Tavares who is touted as the number one pick this season.

GM Bryan Murray of the Senators has already promised not to trade away their first round draft pick for a temporary fix. “I can

save my job by trading our firstround pick probably, and making the team a little more competitive.”

Murray continued by stating that he would never do such a thing to the franchise.

Even though several other teams such as the New York Islanders, Atlanta Thrashers, St. Louis Blues and the Los Angles Kings are also in contention to select first, the battle of Ontario would certainly take a surprising twist if either Toronto or Ottawa draft first overall. Loyal followers of either Ontario team already despise each other; the impeding competition to draft Tavares could add another dimension of dislike in the already fierce rivalry.

THE MEDIUM HAS A NEW WEBSITE

Chiefs part ways with Coach Edwards KANSAS (CP) – Herm Edwards, the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs during the worst two year span in team history, was fired this past Friday.

Edwards goes out with a three year regular season record of 15 33 and with one year remaining on a four year, US$12 million contract.

Gerrard salvages cup draw for Liverpool ENGLAND (BBC Sport) – Steven Gerrard cancels out Joleon Lescott's first half goal as Liverpool and Everton draw 1 1 in the FA Cup fourth round at Anfield. The two sides now face an FA Cup fourth round replay after their second draw inside a week. Last Monday, both teams squared off in a league match at the same venue and played out to a similar scoreline. Liverpool’s Gerrard net ted the equalizer in that match as well.

Federer progresses to the Quarter final of Aussie Open AUSTRALIA (Yahoo Sports) – Roger Federer survived an early scare before rallying back from two sets down to beat Czech upstart Thomas Berdych in five sets at the Australian Open Saturday night.

Federer now plays 20 year old underdog Juan Martin del Potro, seeded eighth from Argentina, in the quarters. In another fourth round encounter, American Andy Roddick dispatched Spaniard Tommy Robredo in straight sets to set up a tie with Serbian Novak Djokovic.

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12 THE MEDIUM MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 2009

SPORTS

UTM’S NEW SPORTS CLINIC

A haven for the wounded Broken ankles, popping shoulders and busting knees are some of Dr. Christopher Woollam’s specialties as he reaches out to the UTM community to help rehabilitate young athletes JOEL FERNANDES

Brandon Flowers live at the ACC January 23rd. photo by Zita Jones

Any athlete is familiar with their fair share of bumps and bruises and a trip down to the infirmary every so often. However, if you are an athlete at UTM you can take comfort in the new Sports Clinic, which opened a t t h e RA W C l a s t September.

Sp ea r h e a d e d a n d r u n b y D r .

Christopher Woollam, the Sports Clinic at UTM treats a number of sports-related injuries, as well as various other ailments that don't necessarily result from sports.

With a fully trained staff which includes physiotherapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, sports doctors and homeopathic therapists, Woollam is confident that he can treat anything that comes his way: “I want to be the go-to guy on this campus for sports injuries and questions. If you got a medical problem from sports, or even if you just slipped and fell, the sports clinic is there for you.”

The clinic itself is a large 1,400 square foot environment with four separate rooms for various therapies and diagnostic services. A relaxed and jovial atmosphere encourages patients to feel at ease and comfort-

a b l e w i t hi n t h eir surroundings.

While the rates depend on the type of injury, Woollam says that getting an opinion or a consultation doesn't cost anything and may prevent further stress on a possible injury. It may be that preventative medicine is the best medicine.

One of the most common injuries that Woollam sees is the dreaded knee injury. “Without proper treatment and care, a little knee injury can turn into something much more painful. However, with our equipment and experience we can help affected regions to heal faster and more efficiently, [especially] with therapies like ESWT,” explains Woollam.

ESWT or Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy is a relatively n e w f o r m o f t herapy t hat use s shockwaves to treat chronic, painful conditions of the musculoskeletal system. ESWT is used to treat a number of conditions, particularly those where major connective tiss u e s a r e a t t a c hed to bone and encourages bone healing and neovascular genesis.

Another therapy which Woollam hopes students take advantage of is Athletic Therapy, in which athletes would talk about nutrition, sports return and the psychology of the sports mentality and how it can be a

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A student gets treatment from one of the many able staff at the new UTM Sports Clinic. benefit to their activities.

During the winter season, Woollam is the team doctor for the Ontario Ho ckey League’s St. Michael’s Majors and the Oakville Blades Junior “A” hockey club.

And during the summer, Woollam is also the medical director for both the Toronto and Oakville marathon.

Woollam says that since the clin-

ic opened at the start of the fall semester, there has been a steady stream of students coming in with various aches and pains.

“Hopefully, we'll be able to break even by Ma y or June,” says Woollam. “There is also opportunities for students who wish to work here,” citing that there are still a few positions available at the clinic.

S tudents who are interested in working at the clinic should come down with a resume and see Lisa Concannon, the office manager who oversees the administration of the clinic, during working hours.

Woollam encourages everyone, athletes or otherwise to go out there and have fun, and most importantly, to be careful when playing.