Canadian Music Week in Review page8 page12
page16
Monday, March 16, 2009
Resplendent Reds ALI KASIM EDITOR IN CHIEF Not since Istanbul in the summer of 2005 have Liverpool supporters all around the world experienced such euphoria in one week. Only this time, there was no European Champions League trophy to show at the end; or a trophy of any kind for that matter. All that took place were two victories. Two famous wins, back-to-back, in the space of five days. Two results that successfully capped off the biggest week of Liverpool’s season thus far. Reds fans could not have scripted the last five days any better than they have turned out. They’ve watched their side dismantle Real Madrid and Manchester United, two of the game's most decorated clubs, in that time. And if Tuesday's 4-0 Champions League win was accompanied by understandable claims of Real's surprising incompetence, no-one must take an ounce of credit away from Liverpool as they pulverised champions Manchester United 4-1 at Old Trafford on Saturday. Indeed, what made Liverpool’s win even more remarkable was the fact that it was at Old Trafford, where, prior to Saturday, United have managed to stay unbeaten since February 2008 – a duration that has seen a run of 30 home games without defeat for the Red Devils in all competitions. The loss to Liverpool also meant that United were beaten for the first time in the league this season since their 1-2 loss to Arsenal in November last year. More importantly than all though, Liverpool, with this victory, have revived their ambitions of capturing their nineteenth Premier League title – a prize they haven’t claimed since 1990. For the first part of this season,
the Reds looked in good stead of breaking their nineteen-year jinx, opening up a seven-point lead between them and second place Chelsea after twenty rounds of matches. At that juncture, Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez launched a surprising public tirade against United manager Sir Alex Ferguson in response to his comments that Liverpool might get “nervous” in the league title home stretch. Benitez responded with a list of accusations, including how Ferguson intimidates referees before matches and is immune from censure and reprimanding from the English Football Association. The mind games immediately seemed to go against Benitez and Liverpool as the Reds only bagged 10 out of a possible 21 points in the subsequent seven matches, dropping to third in the standings and seven points behind United, who went on to record eight consecutive victories in a row during that time.
needed a trademark block from Jamie Carragher to deny Park Ji-Sung from opening the scoring in the fifth minute.
You’ll
Manchester United 1-4 Liverpool Seven points adrift from United with only nine matches to go, anything less than a victory for the Reds would have all but sealed the title for the reigning champions. Chelsea, lying in second place and tied on points with Liverpool, were hoping for a United defeat as well so as to keep their own hopes alive. But that didn’t seem likely during the opening few minutes as Liverpool, having lost full back Alvaro Arbeloa during the warm-up to a pulled hamstring, struggled to settle into the game. Benitez's revamped side
Never
Pre-match predictions of a United victory seemed to be on course in the 23rd minute when Cristiano Ronaldo's penalty gave them the lead after Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina needlessly fouled the lively Park inside the box. Eight minutes later however, Fernando Torres – fresh off his superb performance against Real in midweek – hounded United defender Nemanja Vidic into a mistake and raced through to coolly beat keeper Edwin van der Sar. The hosts came close to regaining the lead when Michael Carrick unleashed a thirtyyard bender which only just
Tuesday March 10, 2009
cleared the Liverpool crossbar. By this time however, Liverpool had settled into the game`s momentum and continued to stifle United`s forays up front. Midfielders Lucas and Javier Mascherano in particular were crucial in suppressing the threat from Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney. The game seemed destined to go into the break level at one before Liverpool, on the ascendancy for the closing minutes of the first half, took the lead themselves. Torres turned creator this time with a sublime pass
Walk inside Patrice Evra, who proceeded to trip Steven Gerrard in the box after the Liverpool captain had reached the ball first. Referee Alan Wiley, who had a flawless game throughout, was spot on in awarding the penalty which Gerrard struck home for his eighteenth goal of the season. Inevitably, United penned Liverpool back after the break, but found the visitors, marshalled by the determined Sami Hyypia, difficult to break down. Liverpool were fortunate to escape after 62 minutes when Ronaldo, playing well below his standards, found Rooney at the far post whose header flew across the face of goal with Carlos Tevez unable to apply the finishing touch. With time running out
and United seemingly devoid of creativity up front, Ferguson went for broke with a triple substitution in the 72nd minute, sending on Dimitar Berbatov, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes for Anderson, Carrick and Park. Before any of the fresh legs could make an impact however, United found themselves reduced to 10 men. Vidic, who was also sent off in the reverse fixture at Anfield earlier this season, found himself caught out with possession just outside the United penalty area, allowing Gerrard a clear run on goal. Vidic chose to haul Gerrard back, leaving referee Wiley with no choice but to show him red, thereby ending the Serbian defender`s wretched afternoon. From the resultant free-kick, Liverpool full back Fabio Aurelio poured salt into United`s wounds with a superb 25-yard curler that left Van der Sar rooted to the spot. Liverpool weren’t quite done however. With seconds to go, substitute Andrea Dossena inflicted one final piece of punishment on United with a perfect twenty-yard lob over the helpless Van der Sar, leaving the Red Devils to suffer their heaviest home defeat since losing 4-1 against QPR on New Year's Day 1992. Despite the defeat, United remain firm favourites to claim the Premier League as they hold a four-point advantage and a game in hand over closest rivals Chelsea (who won 1-0 against Manchester City on Sunday) and Liverpool. Although this landmark triumph for Benitez's side may not have blown the door to the Premier League title wide open, there is little doubt the emphatic manner of the win has pushed it slightly ajar. The elation of Liverpool’s supporters and the barely confined joy of their players suggest they live in real hope of catching the champions, and their renewed optimism is fully justified by the resurgence of the past week.
Alone
Saturday March 14, 2009
Liverpool 4 - 0 Real Madrid
Manchester United 1 - 4 Liverpool
photo/getty images
2 THE MEDIUM
NEWS
MONDAY,MARCH
16, 2009
NO TALKING IN THE REZ
M an di es i n hos pi ta l a fter stabbing at pub (Toronto MISSISSAUGA Star)—A 29 year old man is dead following an overnight stabbing at a busy Mississauga pub. Jermaine Marlon Scott, a Mississauga resident, was at the Fox and Fiddle pub on Dundas St. W., near Winston Churchill Blvd., around 2:30 a.m. when he got into a fight with a group of men, police said. The altercation continued outside into the parking lot. Scott tried to run away, but he was chased down and stabbed. Get green and clean: Layton EDMONTON (Sun Media)— Buy jobs for the unemployed by building green and clean, and cut out those handouts to the oil industry, says Jack Layton. The NDP leader said more Albertans specifically trade workers could be put back on the job if the govern ment took back billions from the oil industry and paid for building retrofits and sustain able energy projects. Students take flight with paper planes MISSISSAUGA (Miss News)— What used to be many teach ers’ biggest headache, the paper airplane, just gave three students the trip of a lifetime. Three Canadian university stu dents will be going to Austria in May to participate in the Red Bull World Final Paper Wings competition after quali fying at nationals held at Mississauga's MX Aerospace Services yesterday. Recovery of bodies begins off Newfoundland coast ST JOHN’S (CanWest) Recovery crews off the coast of Newfoundland have started to retrieve bodies from the ocean floor where a helicopter may still hold as many as 15 crash victims. One body was recovered from the site Saturday evening, which leaves 15 others unaccounted for following the Thursday’s crash that happened as the Cougar Sikorsky S 9 helicopter was headed out to two off shore oil sites.
Student Housing defends residence fee increases FIONA BUCHANAN ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
Residence fees are increasing, largely due to a five-million dollar mortgage that the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) took out twenty years ago. The new budget, released at the Erindale College Council on January 29, indicated that the average undergraduate residence costs would increase by 5.5 per cent as of next fall. “A sinking fund mortgage was taken out for the building of McGrath Valley,� said Dale Mullings, director of Student Housing and Residence Life (SHRL) at UTM. Mullings explained that because the five million dollars was withdrawn as a sinking fund mortgage, only the interest was paid over twenty years but never the actual principle. “Somehow, that was never noticed before, and this being the first budget I’m taking on, we’ve noticed that there is a five-million dollar [debt] due this upcoming year that we’re going to have to start paying off,� said Mullings. He suggested that if not for this unexpected expense, the current operating plan would have covered a majority of the costs incurred after building Oscar Peterson Hall. “The fact that we had to take on an additional five million dollars [which came due this year] had a major impact. If our department didn’t do so well in saving and trying to recruit more [residents students] this past year, we would have had to raise rates significantly more,� stressed Mullings. He noted that SHRL were also able to save money in their department through eliminating and merging jobs, not hiring new staff, reducing spending for cleaning costs, collecting on non-refundable deposits from applicants who didn’t end up living on residence, as well as collecting more efficiently on damages caused by students and on utilities. Despite the five-million dollar hurdle, plans to enhance student life have been made. Student Housing and Residence Life plans to expand wireless technologies (through a $2.50 fee per student per semester), implement a townhouse lounge revitalization project (purchasing more comfortable furniture and flat screen televisions), and look into a Roy Ivor Hall study space and lounge project, along with other such initiatives. Kristian Jurlewicz, elected president of Residence Council said he associates the increase of residence fees to mismanagement within the Student Housing and Residence Life administration, which students will ultimately have to pay for. “Our residences are in such high demand that the administrators know that they can
raise fees. With the new housing bylaw [in the city of Mississauga], it is going to be harder for students to find residences,� said Jurlewicz. “Instead of seeking funding from the University, for example, they [SHRL] just raise fees.� Approaching UTM to pay off this debt would have been fairer to students, he suggested, since it is not clear who even took out this loan – which the Residence Council is now responsible for – in the first place. Jurlewicz also claims that SHRL has “hampered the renewal of the council� by refusing to assist the Residence Council in making muchneeded reforms. He specifically calls out Adam Fraser, who is Mullings’ contact person with the council, as a barrier to communication between the two organizations. “I do not enjoy or appreciate myself or my council being used as a scapegoat when all [SHRL] has done this year is silence student voices and empty their pockets,� declared Jurlewicz. Communication problems between SHRL and the Residence Council have been apparent since the beginning of the year. These difficulties have, to some extent, affected the efficiency of the Residence Council in responding to the 2009-2010 budget. Misha Waheed and Vivian So, first year representatives on the Residence Council, said that they were not informed of important meetings regarding residence fees and were unable to represent the students who nominated them.
“All Student Housing and Residence Life has done this year is silence student voices and empty their pockets.� Kristian Jurlewicz, Res. Council President “We found out that the Residence Council didn’t show up [in January] to approve the budget for the residence fee increases this year. We didn’t even know that we were supposed to pass this budget,� said Waheed. So added, “None of the representatives from Residence Council showed up to vote for [or against] the increase.� Mullings recently sent an E-mail to all residence students to get their input about improving communication between undergraduate students and the SHRL. He noted that while “students in the family and graduate communities have taken a keen interest in collaborating with us to make their experience the best possible...participation from undergraduate representatives through the Residence
Photo source/Medium file
Last week, a communications break down between the Residence Council and Student Housing and Residence Life became a public issue. Council has not been as enthusiastic.� He added that this has caused the communications breakdown between the Council and undergraduate residents, and that this should not give students the impression that the Residence Council does not care about undergraduate concerns. “The Residence Council has obviously made an active choice not to participate in discussions with any of the department for some reason. When they were requested for budget and general meetings, they didn’t want to meet [and] they didn’t show up for Erindale College Council, so they are not even showing up to the seats where they have influence,� commented Mullings. He described how he had to go to Coleman Commons and sit down with students just to obtain their input regarding the budget. When asked about attending such meetings, Jurlewicz attributed Residence Council’s absences to miscommunications by both parties. “Being a full-time student, it can take a few days to reply [to E-mails]. By then, things can get pushed back or thrown aside,� he added. Jurlewicz added that he is currently looking into restructuring the Residence Council. “[Residence Council] is not able to meet the demands of students or be able to effectively advocate for them. Too much has to go through the administration – they have too much input as to what [Residence Council] can do and how we run ourselves.� According to Jurlewicz, a major issue the Residence Council faces is that they have no insurance coverage for hosting events. If an accident were to occur during an event hosted by the Residence Council, then individual students on the council could be held liable. “We either have to go under the umbrella of the university, which makes us lose autonomy, or we have
to incorporate ourselves. I’ve held off on incorporation until all possible structures of the council are explored.� According to Jurlewicz, instead of helping the council with insurance issues, Student Housing and Residence Life would simply put a stop to events the council wanted to plan. As a result, tensions between the two organizations have been ongoing since the beginning of the school year. “I wrote to [Residence Council] on November 20 regarding issues with their insurance coverage,� said Mullings, who went on to stress that he is mostly concerned about the student leaders and wants to make sure that they are protecting themselves. Some members of the council, like So and Waheed, were not aware that they could be held liable for student injury at their events, a number of which they have already been involved in hosting. “We only found out about it a couple days ago and it’s a bit scary. If I had known about this, I don’t know if I would have signed up for Residence Council,� said Waheed. Both him and So agreed that the Jurlewicz should have informed them of their liability upon joining the council. Currently, SHRL and the Residence Council have been meeting to try to resolve communication problems between the two organizations. “We’re looking toward resolving issues with [SHRL] and trying to find a common ground,� said Jurlewicz, adding that Residence Council is open to discussions. “I want to see [Residence Council] successful,� said Mullings. He also emphasised that he hopes they can find a positive resolution to improve the relationship between the two organizations. In the meantime, however, it is students in residence who are paying the price for their inability to get along.
Gap Year Career Panel
# #$ % $!%# $ (Career Panel)
Come and listen to a range of panelists talking about their experiences taking time off after graduation to travel, volunteer or work in a field different from their field of studies before starting their careers. Register and learn about guest speakers online via our Events Calendar!
Interested in HR? Register for this Career Panel to learn about a typical day in the life of an HR professional, and get advice about how to break in to HR. Sign up and learn more on our Events Calendar!
$ & # ' " '
%#$ & # ' " '
TO REGISTER FOR EMPLOYER EVENTS, WORKSHOPS AND MORE, visit www.utm.utoronto.ca/careers
UTM CAREER CENTRE
MONDAY, MARCH
16, 2009 THE MEDIUM 3
CRIME, LAW AND DEVIANCE
What do you think of the new city by-law restricting lodging houses in Mississauga?
NEWS
“Best Sex Pub ever�
“While I don’t know as much as I’d like to about the subject, it sounds like it’ll make things a lot harder for students to get afford able housing, when money is tight already.� Drew Dunlop Third year English and philosophy “I was actually considering moving to Homestead next year, it is per fect for the student lifestyle: price, space, and liberties such as pets. Now it is completely off the table for the student community.� Melanie Monette Sindrey Fourth year English and politics “It seems as though the city is using this as a way to compensate for their economic losses, by forc ing people out of their houses and into higher rent housing. They are not looking out for students.� Julianne DeVincentis Third year crime, law & deviance “Restrict student housing? It seems to me that the only thing being restricted is the students’ ability to save money. Why not penalize landlords instead of little guys like the students?� Graeme Laird Fourth year art history and classics
UTM Campus Crime Report March 5, 2009 10:44 p.m. Fraud Campus Police assisted HMALC security staff in escorting a student from the premises for producing another student’s T Card. March 5, 2009 5:09 p.m. Assult Campus Police investigated an assault that that took place in the library. No charges were laid at the time. March 7, 2009 11:53 p.m. Fire Alarm Campus Police, Mississauga Fire Department and Peel Regional Police responded to fire alarm set off by an unattended pot of boiling water in a MaGrath Valley resi dence. March 6, 2009 7:33 p.m. Controlled Substances Act Campus Police investigated a report of controlled substances use in front of Oscar Peterson Hall Residences. March 7, 2009 2:02 a.m. Domestic Dispute Campus Police investigated a domestic dispute in Leacock Lane Residences. An arrest was made. March 7, 2009 9:50 p.m. Liquor Control Act Campus Police investigated a
Liquor License Act violation in the South Building Meeting Place. Charges were laid. March 6, 2009 9:30 a.m. Missing Person Campus Police and Peel Regional Police investigated a missing per son from Oscar Peterson Hall. The missing person was successfully located off the property. March 9, 2009 10:43 p.m. Smoking Infraction Campus Police investigated two males smoking cigarettes in the CCIT Garage P0 Level. March 7, 2009 7:49 p.m. Fraud Campus police investigated a stu dent whose T Card was fraudulent ly used by a third party on a Mississauga Transit Bus. March 9, 2009 9:35 p.m. Careless Driving Campus Police investigated a report of a vehicle driving on a lawn in MaGrath Valley. The driver was identified. The investigation is con tinuing. March 11, 2009 12:10 a.m. Controlled Substances Act Campus Police investigated a report of controlled substances use in front of MaGrath Valley Residences.
Photos/Jessica Zita
Girls participate in KY jelly wrestling. Sex Pub saw over 500 students dancing and drinking until the very end. ANDREW HAMILTON SMITH NEWS EDITOR
The most highly anticipated event of the school year did not disappoint last Thursday, with over 500 students turning out to the sexuality-themed party at the Blind Duck Pub. Organized by the Sexual Education and Peer Counselling Centre (S.E.C), the evening was intended to draw attention to sex-related issues and to encourage dialogue around the conventionally taboo subject. “Sex Pub presents students with the opportunity to open up and just have a good time, with fewer people to judge them,� said Simran Dhaliwal, a thirdyear psychology student at UTM, who attended the event with a number of friends. “It’s almost as if they don’t care anymore [about their inhibitions] which is awesome.� Evidence of uninhibited behaviour was not hard to find: amidst the grinding bodies on the packed dance floor, through the revealing un-dress of the partygoers, or when two girls on stage were wrestling in a pool of Jell-O, for example. A number of topless males were decorated in body paint, and bunny-ears were a popular item among the female students. Just as omnipresent were the “peacekeeper� student volunteers, who kept a close eye on everything to make sure that the night remained safe and fun throughout. “My job is to patrol the pub, ensure no one is too intoxicated or underage, and that no one causes a scene,� explained one such volunteer, a third-year sociology student who gave her name only as Nav. Although she expected trouble before the end of the night, Sex Pub was remarkable for its order and good behaviour this year. One of the only negative occurrences was when an unnamed male student removed his pants, called someone a “fag� and was asked to leave the pub by S.E.C staff. For the most part potential trouble-makers were turned away at the door – mostly non-students without tickets – and the security staff maintained tight control of all exits and entrances. There were some other minor disruptions, such as when one individual attempted to bypass the security and gain entrance into the pub. “The highlight of the night was definitely when the guy tried to drop in from the balcony [over the pool tables] and hit his head on the floor while getting arrested,� said Kyle Watson, a UTM student involved with S.E.C. “The night on the whole was an extreme success, and the number of scantily-clad women was very impressive.�
This sentiment was echoed by a number of attendees, such as third-year crime and deviance student Mike Bartlett, who praised the plethora of “very sexy girls,� and declared that this Sex Pub was “better than last year’s.� That the night was a success could be exemplified simply by the fact that the Blind Duck began running out of alcohol around midnight. “Everyone is having fun and that is great,� Johnny Ho, UTM Student Union VP Campus Life pointed out, before winning an honourable mention for the Best Dressed door prize. Not everyone was completely satisfied with the event, however. “Sex Pub is marketed as a queer-positive event but I haven’t seen one queer couple being
intimate,� noted Helen Orvis, a secondyear CCIT student who is also a former member of the S.E.C executive. “Compare that to the countless number of straight couples making out and grinding. This event is a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done to make LGBTQ [Lesbian, Gay, Transgendered, Bisexua, or Queer] students feel comfortable.� At the end of the night, the Blind Duck was still filled with students and the dance floor was still rocking away. With only a few small incidents to detract from the fun and excitement, this year’s Sex Pub was clearly a resounding success, and how the S.E.C will top this one next year remains to be seen.
I earned my
undergraduate degree,
now
I want a
rewarding career * * not just a job
In less than one year, Humber postgraduate programs will help you launch your career in: * * $ " $! " * # ! # % # * # ! # ! # * ! # # * $ "#! # Building on your university degree, Humber’s postgraduate programs offer a concentrated curriculum, career-focused courses and practical field placements. You’ll gain the real-world experience and skills that employers value most.
Get the career you want – apply now. business.humber.ca
4 THE MEDIUM
NEWS
MONDAY, MARCH
16, 2009
MORE SPACE FOR KIDS, LESS ROOMS FOR STUDENTS
By-law affects housing ANDREW HAMILTON SMITH NEWS EDITOR
Mississauga adopted proposed changes to the planning and development by-laws in the city last Wednesday, which means that UTM students will face increasing difficulty when looking for affordable housing close to school in the near future. Spearheaded by Ward 8 Councillor Katie Mahoney at the Planning and Development Committee meeting on March 2, the proposed changes deemed necessary in order to facilitate the city’s new Affordable Rental Housing Strategy, as well as to prevent condo-type townhouse units from being converted into multi-unit lodging houses. “UTM is a major asset to the city and community, and we have an obligation to provide safe and affordable housing,” she said in an interview with The Medium. The student population has increased dramatically in recent years, which has led to unsafe lodging houses in the area. Although students are not the only ones guilty of bad behaviour, these areas tend to attract various negative social elements. “That area (Sir John Homestead) is a real problem; the community has real issues with some of the people who live there,” Mahoney bluntly
stated. She cited examples of latenight parties, vandalism, graffiti and litter, as well as drug activity occurring there and how it is impacting other families in the neighbourhood in a negative way. She was quick to say “not every student is a problem, but there have been real issues with some of the students there,” stressing that the University and its students are a valuable asset to the community. However, she seemed to remain stead-
Revised by law extract “Lodging House" means a dwelling unit containing more than three (3) lodging units each designed or intended for the lodging of persons in return for remu neration. A lodging house shall only be permitted in a detached dwelling and no lodging unit shall be con tained in a basement. A maximum of four (4) lodging units shall be per mitted within a lodging house and each lodging unit shall be occupied by a maximum of one (1) per son. A maximum of 40% of the Gross Floor Area – Residential of a Lodging House shall contain Lodging Units.
fast in her belief that at least some students were responsible for complaints by the community. When asked about VP Joey Santiago's remarks in last week’s issue of The Medium regarding students being left out of the consultation process, Councillor Mahoney pointed out that "letters were sent out to every residence, there was advertising, and Dean Mark Overton was involved from the first meeting." She added that the UTMSU was notified of the by-law changes, but "did not seem very interested at the time." Speaking about the Affordable Rental Housing Strategy (ARHS) that is being implemented with these changes, Mahoney assured The Medium that there is some money already set aside in the 2009 budget to fund ARHS, and that the city is committed to making sure that students can find accommodations. "There are two parts of this process, the zoning and planning changes, and the new licensing system," she explained."We are currently doing a study to look at options [for housing]." Some existing rental units will be grandfathered, or allowed to continue operating according to old rules for a time period, but these will eventually be forced to comply with the new licensing that is being reviewed by the city right now. There will be a meeting on Wednesday April 1 to deal with the licensing, and Mahoney has invited UTMSU and all UTM students who are interested to attend. "I am sure that we can work together to air the issues and find solutions,” she added.
Child Care underway JANE STERLING
The Early Learning Centre will be operating a licensed on-campus child care centre at University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) starting in August 2009. Construction on the centre has recently begun, with a scheduled opening date of Tuesday, August 4, and a target of full enrolment by Friday, September 4, and applications are already being accepted. The centre, consisting primarily of new construction, will be located in a one-storey facility with a playground beside the Leacock Lane residences on the south side of campus. There will be space for 26 children – 10 toddlers (ages 18 to 30 months) and 16 preschoolers (ages 30 months - 5 years). Full-time and part-time care will be available, with priority given to students, staff and faculty. Current users of a child-minding service, operated by the U of T Mississauga Students’ Union, will have top priority. Any remaining spaces will be filled by community members. “We feel extremely fortunate to be able to offer such a highly recommended and well-regarded child care service to the U of T Mississauga community,” said Mark Overton, dean of student affairs. “We wanted a child care operator that would provide the most suitable fit for our campus – our student, staff and faculty parents and their children. We now have an ideal partnership with an organization that currently operates in the U of T environment and is intimately familiar with student, staff and faculty issues and the unique circumstances of providing child care in a university setting.” Fees will be the same as those charged at other U of T Early Learning Centres, said Francesca Dobbin, director of Family Programs and Services. The new centre, she added, is eligible for licensed child care subsidies to assist families with limited income living in the Peel region.
MONDAY, MARCH
16, 2009 THE MEDIUM 5
OPINION
Letter to the Editor Our freedom of expression ALI KASIM EDITOR IN CHIEF editor@mediumonline.ca
EDITORIAL $7.25. Just in case you’re wondering how much each student pays in incidental fees towards The Medium. You see, I’m well aware that many of you UTM students, upon seeing this week’s front page, will shake your heads and wonder what I was thinking. You’ll berate me for “wasting” your precious seven bucks in covering something that’s not only irrelevant to campus affairs, but isn’t even front-page-news worthy. And then you’ll wonder how I could have the audacity of “abusing my power” as editor-inchief in this way. Well, my answer to all you naysayers is this: You’re right. And I’m not sorry. This week’s front page is for me and by me in dedication to all you fellow Liverpool supporters out there. Better still, it’s for all you (European) football fans on campus – and there are actually quite a few of you as I understand. I even wrote the story via the method of football writing/reporting as it is in any other country – i.e. without any need of explaining in the first few sentences which sport or tournament is under discussion. Frankly, if you needed the context, the article wasn’t for you. Turn the page. What transpired this past week in the world of European football and the English Premier League is nothing short of spectacular. Just ask any football fan and they’ll tell you. And if you’re still not convinced, try asking a Toronto Maple Leafs fan what he or she would expect if the Leafs won the Stanley Cup. Front page coverage of that would be arguably acceptable no? “Yeah, like that would happen to begin with,” some might say – exactly what I would have thought if someone told me at the top of this week that Liverpool will earn resounding victories against both Real Madrid and Manchester United – two of the biggest names in world football. Indeed, sports is a beautiful thing. Earlier this year, when my editorial team and I sat down and discussed the visual makeover of the paper, we also decided that we would start making use of the front page for Arts and Sports related articles – significant stories and events such as Nuit Blanche and the World Series (if the Jays ever got there). Having only made this decision after Nuit Blanche and the Toronto International Film Fest this year, and with no remarkable “local” sporting events to report on so far, I figured why not use this opportunity; let’s see how it works. It’s not too far-fetched a move – European football (you realize by now that I refuse to call it “soccer”) is after all the most popular sport in the world. Now admittedly, my editorial team, with the exception of the Sports editor, wasn’t too thrilled with my idea of utilizing the front page for this particular story. But they knew how important it was to me, and more significantly, they were also anxious to hear the reception of such a move. “And if doesn’t work, it’s really only one page – not like we’re using up the whole 16-page issue for this,” I assured them. That’s right. Moving back to the naysayers, we’re still bringing you campus-related news. There’s been no compromise in that respect. So don’t bother sending me letters detailing your disapproval at this week’s front page. I’ve already answered you here. To the rest of you – sports fan or not – who are willing to be open-minded with me in this regard, I hope you enjoy reading the article as much I did writing it. And to the Liverpool faithful out there, remember, You’ll Never Walk Alone. Yours,
Ali Kasim
The Medium is looking for a Distribution Manager for the 2009/2010 academic year. The job pays $85 for 2-3 hours per week. Email Ali at editor@mediumonline.ca to find out more about the position.
"The following piece contains explicit material. Viewer discretion is advised." Unfortunately, I was afforded no such warning when I strolled into the CCIT building last week. Hurrying to print an overdue essay, I barely looked up in time to notice the CCIT Video Wall. I was entirely unprepared for the gigantic depiction of a semi-nude male, bent over on his hands and knees, looking over one shoulder at me with his pants lowered past his rear end. The offensive sight arrested my eyes and the image was then burned into my memory. I felt repulsed and disorientated in the few seconds that followed. While many may justify, and even laud, this display on the basis of freedom of expression, I, amongst others, feel that it is an infringement on our sense of security. I use the term ‘security’ here to signify our basic Canadian legal and human right to be safeguarded from acts of indecency, as opposed to its antonym ‘insecurity’ which could denote a twisted puritanical or antisexualist connotation. From a fundamental ethical precedent, such an exhibit forms the precipice of a dangerous slippery slope. It opens the door for a potential slew of offensive and distasteful elements on campus. If the artist chose to do that very scene as a form of live art, would it be equally acceptable for the Blackwood Gallery to host a seminude person posing on their hands and knees in one of the busiest buildings on campus? Where is the line drawn? Furthermore, what is the threshold of offensive nudity? From a legal standpoint which seeks to codify the
minimums and maximums of offense: the fact that the nuances of offensive nudity are overtly detailed in two sections of the Canadian Criminal Code points to a defined threshold within Canadian society that is beyond moral relativism. Displaying a piece that has an element of nudity in it is then treading dangerous ground, certainly bound to offend others. For although the suggestive exhibition of a bare bottom does not constitute a violation to Section 173.2 or 174 of the Criminal Code, the fact that it lacks any form of warning certainly goes against the Canadian Association of Broadcasting Code of Ethics, if not Canadian legal ethics in general. According to the code, anything that comprises mature or offensive subject matter, nudity, sexually explicit material, or crude or offensive language, must be preceded by a viewer advisory. Not only is the viewer ensured this, but they are also given the choice of keeping that channel on. But of course, the CCIT Video Wall is not a television, and can not be controlled with a click of a button. We would not be self-respecting, intelligent Canadians, if we did not voice our contentions with dangerous absolutes like that of freedom of expression. If we adamantly uphold the freedom rights and ethical standards of Canadian society, it is just as much our duty to be passionately protective over those same standards so as not to exploit them. After all, no one likes a double-standard. I will not submit to a false conditioning that asks me to disregard my freedom of conscience. My sponta-
7
7
4
3 2
6 8 7 3 9 1 8 2
2 8 6
Sincerely, Ruqayyah Ahdab
EDITORIAL 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
SUDOKU
9 3
neous reaction demonstrated an automatic and reflexive aversion to the display; as did a significant population of the student body consider the display to be offensive. Moreover, if Campus Police amassed numerous complaints from students, then I ask of a prestigious Canadian university like UTM to uphold the sanctity of ethical judgement and of our sense of security when displaying pieces on the CCIT Video Wall. I would like the choice of observing an explicit piece or not, to be left to us: so that we can practice our freedom of expression.
4 5 9 6 4 7
1 3 6 9 2 1
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 A&E EDITOR Ayman Saab ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR Karen Akhtar
8 9
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.
ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Lara Matiisen BOARD OF DIRECTORS Christine Capewell, 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
6 THE MEDIUM
MONDAY, MARCH
16, 2009
MAR 16 - 18 AT THE PRESENTATION ROOM U OF T - MISSISSAUGA OPEN 9AM-5PM EVERY DAY
FREE ADMISSION
$100K ROCK BAND TOURNAMENT
†
THE HOTTEST GAMES
††
GET FREE STUFF
FACEBOOK.COM/AMPENERGYCANADA
Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360 and the Xbox logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. “PlayStation”, “PLAYSTATION”, and the “PS” Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. © 2009 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Harmonix, Rock Band and all related titles and logos are trademarks of Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., a division of MTV Networks. Rock Band developed by Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. † No purchase necessary. Some conditions/restrictions apply. For details on how to enter and how you could win, go to facebook.com/ampenergycanada. †† Limited quantities available on giveaways. © Pepsi-QTG Canada, 2009.
MONDAY, MARCH
16, 2009 THE MEDIUM 7
8 THE MEDIUM
MONDAY,MARCH
16, 2009
Michael M Mi Mic icc ael eell DDi Le Leo, eo eo, o Ed Edt Edi EEdit Editor ititoor or | aar art arts@mediumonline.ca rtsss@ @meedum @m ediu edumo ed dum ddi iiuum moon onnli nlin lin iinnneee.c e..ca ca
Th m of yea we bac doin
Bloc Party + 10 years + David Cross’ nose = The Dears the d likes unroe: Ki ore than Colin M effect m nd the ne -tu auto ts. A es silly ha T-Pain lik effect. auto-tune
Last Thursday at the Horseshoe Tavern was the first night of the three day CHARTattack showcase featuring some of the best indie talent in Canada. Kicking off the showcase was the Montreal-based quintet, The Lovely Feathers. While at times off key and struggling to keep up with the complex harmonies, the band did manage to kick out a few a strong jams, complemented by some excellent synth work. “In The Valley,” one of their more popular numbers, breathed new life into the growing crowd using an assortment of tricks: strong vocal hooks, quick jittery guitar, and throwback Casio keyboard lines. This is a band to watch out for.
Thursday
Slim Wh CTV can kiss my ass. The low key lead do singer/songwriter of Montreal’s Malajube, Julien Do Minaeu, preferred an interview with Olympia Blue, Su
my minitape, to the strategic lighting, comfy couch, and cheese host of a televised interview. Wednesday afternoon, up on the second floor of the El Mo – a disastrous array of scuff marks, cigarette butts, and the dank smell of flowering beer – Julien Dub Trio: The name of thei Econoline r band Crush: B joined me on a black leather couch remedied by is about as imaginative ig sh in y tunes four as the called. premise of this article. It was aw duct-tape to discuss the group’s third album, kward. Labyrinthes (the follow-up to 2006’s breakout Trompe-L’Oile). The band – composed of three other members, Fake Shark Real Julien’s brother Francis, Mathieu Cournoyer and Zombie!: Fake ID’s, Thomas Augustin – knows what it wants with a good Rich real 17-year-old fans. head on the industry. Indie-heads were be big delighted when they decided to withdraw a from any major label deals and stay with the cot, a S into o: A ordell raeli walk , an Indie and Montreal-based label Dare to Care B l Is Q: N Gogo n and an Ukrainian , an n ia Records: “We had a really good experience Russ Then a er Russia s. th n a o c n r… ba n, a o Ameri there, and a lot of creative freedom,” doria Ecua ian and tw p remarks Julien on their fidelity. Ethio Who needs to be singed these days anyway? Malajube composes lyrics only in Gene Simmons is a genius. There is no other explanation. French, yet they have managed to In what seemed an odd choice for him, Simmons made an appear- become successful in the US, the UK, ance at this year’s Canadian Music Week as the event’s keynote and Japan. The media loves to talk speaker. In his conference address on Thursday, Gene went through all about this. In fact, the English vs. the points expected in a Gene Simmons sermon: Toronto is the best, I French thing – “will you ever write in English?” – is all they ever get to am powerful and attractive, Simmons Records, I slept with your mom, talk about in interviews. I tried the I am going to turn a Canadian band into stars, 4,000 women. honest approach. I went Meta, and Needless to say, most of the audience was amused by the delegation’s asked the quiet Julien with his choice of such a flamboyant speaker, but more so because Gene fur-rimmed hood covering most Octob sound Simmons took the opportunity to deliver a barrage of advertisements in of his face, “Do you ever wish Huckle Berry Friends : Three front of international media and the heads of every major music market 2006 never happened?” He Girls, two mikes, one song (as smiled and agreed, answering in the game. far as I could tell), no cho ruses. Case in point: Bob Lefsetz’s dismissal of the entire event, posted on “French is just what we feel oats: b w o R his online circulating letter to all the big names in the biz. “He’s not a most confident singing in. It is Maybe S I See re a what it is, we just try to stay s guy dumb dude. But it’s a full time commercial. And why? Doesn’t he have right ide These Rich . true to what we are as a ig b e b Every gu going to enough money? Hey Gene, you were a star once, can you let it go?” band. I suppose good ! glasses Aucoin big Apparently not. things happen because of an Asian In a response to Lefsetz via email, Simmons broke down Lefsetz’s this.” funny as blog entry line-by-line, inserting his own comments which, apart from With a band so : She engrossed in the topic of putting Lefsetz on the defensive, were quite entertaining. Jully Black: Fun fact about Jully Black in has not aged since 1998 by living only Sensing an opportunity, Neill Dixon, head honcho of CMW, managed languages, it’s pretty other short increments during the hooks of rday .Satu to strike up a public debate between the two foes, which took place brilliant to know that Les Breastfee Canadian R&B performer’s songs their moniker as a is actually Fre Friday, March 13 in the Grand Ballroom of the Royal York Hotel. single word, Malajube, At the debate, after calmly asking Lefsetz for his name (callous), means nothing.
Simmons went on to argue that advertising his new record label was exactly the reason he was there. Makes sense, but why should a young band sign with Gene Simmons, countered Lefsetz. This argument made up the rest of the debate, along with a few Kenny M comments about Lefsetz’s mother and his “little” experience in the rock. W ehler: Vaguely hatever Christia that n th music business. at’s exa ctly wha sounds like in you m t th e : is h tt is Instead of submitting to Simmons’ attacks, Lefsetz countered by p://www . .myspac If you don’t e.com/k calling Gene out on his abysmal solo recording career. To which ennym Simmons explained that at the time, his label was folding and he needed someone to watch over him – showing the only hint of weakness throughout the half-hour discussion. At the end of the show, Lefsetz was the clear winner of the debate, calling Simmons out on every facet of the proposed 360 deal he was purported to have offered Down With Webster, a local band which mixes skater-rock and hip-hop. But at the end of the day, it was clear that Simmons came out on top. Though Lefsetz argued that “not all media is good media,” it was difficult to argue against the fact that Gene Simmons, by simply coming to this conference, created enormous media attention for the band he was dealing with. His quips may have been uncalled for, but Simmons did not play dumb to any of Lefsetz’s questions, and in doing so, did his job successfully. Don’t hate the player, hate the game. For the full audio of Friday’s debate and the text of the Simmons/Lefsetz battle, check out this article and many others from CMW at www.mediumonline.ca
MONDAY, MARCH
16, 2009 THE MEDIUM 9
UXL: The Tierney boys are the British Jonas Brothers.
he Travezty: Rem inds me of a little group out f Alberta I saw a few ears ago. I think they The ere called “The Nick lecks.” Hope they’r e ing well. Dublin has U2. New York has The Strokes. Montreal has the Arcade Fire. Shanghai has…The Honeys. Most of you are probably not familiar with The Honeys (Tianmi de Haizi in Mandarin), or the Chinese alternative-rock scene for that matter, but they are hoping to change all that at this year’s Canadian Music Week. This year’s festival in Toronto will feature 28 Chinese artists and provide the Canadian market with the opportunity to sample some of China’s most ground-breaking artists. It was a concerted effort between the festival’s organizers and the Chinese Consul for Cultural Affairs to showcase some of Jack m Twig: If the nation’s more popular acts. Of all the Chinese artists taking the stage at this year’s festival, The a p m hite, a po Honeys have garnered the most buzz and, after watching their set, it is easy to see why. d n a t The four-piece band, who met at art-school in Hangzhou, have gone through some lineup changes, our haircu of but are now a powerful quartet that possess the rare quality of being marketable across cultures. ose One y. bab The band features lead singer Yu Tian, drummer Zhenhao, bassist Zheng Yu, and Wu Qingyong ubtle had a who all bring their own individual personality to their performance. Despite the language barrier – the band sings mostly in Mandarin – The Honeys’ music is universally acceptable in terms of melody and raw emotion. It’s not a “world music” sort of thing, but simply power-pop-rock through and through. Their set at the Hard Rock featured a bevy of precision drumming and guitars buried in spaced-out delay, without overshadowing the band’s vocal harmonies. Songs like “Zai Jie Shang” and “Li Kai” Friday showcased the band’s innovative style that melds both eastern and western flavours. This synthesis was most obvious on “Yi Jiang Nan,” where the band utilizes the sounds of what appeared to a yangqin, the national instrument of China. A Chinese “invasion” may not be immediately upon us, but The Honeys are certainly leading the way. The band is racking up financial support from wealthy corporate sponsors (Sennheiser electronics and Fender guitars), and earning global acclaim from music critics all over the world. Aucoin: This guy is going to The band has established itself in China, and is making definite waves across Europe, mainly in The ig, I See Rowboat U.K. and Germany, but their sights are now set on the Americas. s big! It’s difficult for international artists to crack the illustrious North American Market, especially coming from Asia, but if there is any band that can do it, it’s The Honeys.
up. No such gro
Punish Yourself: You remember all the black light paint covered bad guys in Joel Schumacher’s movies? Batman They started a band.
Toronto indie rock trio fills out a questionnaire for The Medium prior to their Saturday night showcase. 1. Do you get called cute a lot by the music press? We were once called "cute as hell" by the Toronto Star, and readers were advised to lock up their daughters. That didn't stop us. 2. Do the phrases, “formative years” and “with a bright future” bother you? When people say we're in our formative years and have a bright future we take it as a compliment! We think we have a lot of places to go with our music, so it doesn't bother us at all. berman: Even sort 3. How long was your self-titled EP in the making? of ds like The Decemeris ts. We wrote all the songs on our first EP basically in our first six months of being in a band. We recorded the EP in two days all night in Steve's basement. Some of the songs that appeared on it resurface again on Blood On My Blazer (only r you are. re-incarnated with enhanced kick ass-ness). eve ho W e. siv fen Of : Necro 4. A lot of the songs are inspired by women (or women of want). Are Smith: This guy has got the women generally muses in your songwriting? ea. I’ll think of a one liner… We all really like girls a lot. They're very exciting. guy who has Rivers Cuomo 5. Does Blood on My Blazer have an overall message and/or feel you were has had, or currently has, n girlfriend. I hope that’s as going for? s I think it is. I don’t know if it has a "message" exactly, we all just knew we wanted to make some catchy, crazy dance music and try and capture the party atmosphere we love so much. The main thing we tried to put into it was the raw energy of the eir name songs, that's why we did almost everything, just the three of us, “live”, together Montreal. Th eders: From I believe. ” er at w e th r in a room. ea “n r ench fo 6. Are you guys finished highschool? (If not, I hope you guys are wearing sunglasses indoors, in the halls, in gym class, in science... like always.) Yes, we're finished high school, just. We always tried to wear sunglasses, but only a little as each of us is visually impaired to some degree. 7. How did you all meet and subsequently pick up instruments? Bowling team? Busking in Toronto? Your dad plays the jazz flute? We've known each other since high school. A few of the songs on Blood on My Saturday Blazer were written out of tune pianos in the practice rooms, and many lyrics country were penned discreetly in English class when we were supposed be writing our hea d, Shakespearean sonnets. Go figure.
t believe mehler
X: No such group.
Yoav: Fun fact ab out Europe: It’s even cooler than being from Mon treal.
out of one-liners. Z: She’s adorable. I’m
Volcanoless in Canada: Not the Jonas Brothers.
Indies
Winter Gloves: Fu n fact about Mo ntreal: If your ba Montreal, peop nd is from le from Toronto will immediatel you’re cool. y assume
In celebration of Canadian Music Week, the ninth annual Independent Music Awards took place at the Fairmont Royal York on Saturday night inside the majestic Canadian Room. The awards were hosted by Jon Lajoie, a Montreal-born comedian and actor whose popular YouTube parodies of everyday situations have resulted in an online cult-like following. Winner of the Astral Media Radio Favourite Single and Favourite New Artist, Lights was extremely thankful and greatly acknowledged the importance of Canadian music. A Timmins native, she celebrated and emphasized the success of local bands as many of the performers and her fellow nominees began their careers in the Greater Toronto Area. Attention shifting to the main stage, Favourite Pop Group The Midway State kicked off their set with the harmonious single “Never Again” followed by Bif Naked’s tribute to Canadian rock legends Anvil, a heavy metal trio that emerged in Toronto during the late 70s. Still going strong with an anticipated 2010 release, Anvil became the newest inductees into the Indie Hall of Fame, with 16 albums to their name since forming in 1978. For old times sake, they played their 1982 title track “Metal on Metal,” fully equipped with Steve “Lips” Kudlow’s crazed facial contortions. A few more awards were handed out including Favourite Group/Duo to Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker (USS) and Favourite Electronic Artist/Group or Duo to Crystal Castles, the evening’s two headliners. Next up were the Arkells, whose infectious energy and charm really revved up the spirit of the event. Max Kerman divided the audience during their hit single “Oh, the Boss is Coming!” who then took turns chanting “punching in/punching out” with the singer. Although a difficult set to follow, the next performers brought their own fresh style. Straight out of Montreal, the duo known as Beast gave fair warning that they were not to be messed with and delivered sensational performances one after another, as Betty Bonifassi’s swagger showed no signs of faltering. An extremely persistent fan pleaded with Bonifassi to touch her hand, claiming that she was her “biggest fan in the world,” to which Beast’s front woman bemusedly complied. Described by the band as having a style known as trip rock, the rough guitar riffs combined with Jean-Phi Gonclaves’ booming drums made crowd favourites “Mr Hurricane” and “Out of Control” easy to dance along to. However, the most interesting and bizarre act of the night was by far USS, who shifted gears with a performance that incorporated fruit-smoothies and cardboard cut-outs. The duo delivered a whopping 10-song set, receiving more than double the exposure of many of the opening bands, and entertaining the audience well past midnight. They started off with a bang in their matching tracksuits, as turntablist Jason Parsons brought the art to a whole new level, spinning and scratching while balancing on his head. Lead vocalist Ash Buchholz attempted the craft himself during “Stationery Robbery,” but then things started to verge on ridiculous when Parsons began running from one end of the room to the other, jumping and cartwheeling around obstacles, and tying yellow caution tape along the length of the stage. During their last performance they indulged in strawberrybanana drinks with the help of a blender, but despite USS’ crazy antics, the superb quality of hits like “Hollowpoint Sniper Hyperbole” and “2 and 15/16ths” could not be disputed. Greatly behind schedule, the last and perhaps most anticipated act of the night, Crystal Castles, ultimately disappointed their fans. Starting off shakily with a microphone that didn’t seem to be plugged in, Alice Glass sung her hardest and used the stage to her advantage, but when the band exited after only a few songs, fans were angered and even began booing Toronto’s electronic duo. Despite a few lows throughout the night, the main highlight was the generally positive response from all in attendance towards most of the bands. Never is a feeling so great than to witness the support for something outside of the mainstream, and The Indies were out to prove just that. Writer Legend
Michael Di Leo Ayman Saab Nives Hajdin Andrea Grassi Kjartan Hewitt
10 THE MEDIUM MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2009
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FILMS ON TOUR
U of T Film Festival showcase The Medium visits the annual U of T Film Festival. First up, the “Shitty Film Contest” followed by a great Canadian feature NIVES HAJDIN If you blinked, you just might have missed this year’s U of T Film Festival. Rather than the traditional grandeur and prestige of Hart House, festival director Rick Palidwor decided that the low-key Innis Town Hall was to be this year’s venue. His decision turned out to be a wise one. Truer to the nature of aspiring screenwriters, Innis Hall’s grungy vibe set the mood for a showcase of various student productions, with no
lack of originality. Nearing the end of the week-long event, Friday night’s screenings kicked off with the second annual Shitty Film Contest, a collection of comical shorts which left the audience in a state of ambiguity, wondering what their purpose was, if there was any at all. Of the six entries, a 59-second film entitled Lampreydator by Monica Granados and Maggie eff was awarded the coveted title of shittiest film, relaying the accounts of a blood-sucking parasite “devouring the earth.”
photo/spitfirefilms.net
A scene from the Canadian cult classic, Hard Core Logo.
After the laughs, some noteworthy films followed during the Spotlight on Cinema Studies Students, all of which were written and directed by current students of Innis College. Heavily reminiscent of the foreign compilation Paris, Je T’aime, a short film entitled Faut-il Que Je T’aime by B. Lai was a crowd favourite with its depictions of everyday life and people as they are, set to a rhythmic Parisian tune. Yet it was The Vintage Thinker that claimed the prize for best short film in the category, another of Lai’s French-inspired fusions in which skirmishes through the woods attempt to describe the journey of a light bulb. As part of its Free Friday Films, the CINSSU (Cinema Studies Student Union) presented the feature of the night, Hard Core Logo, a mockumetary that recounts the story of a washed-up Canadian punk band on their last legs as they tour across Western Canada, all while trying to keep their once-strong relationships intact. Directed by Bruce MacDonald and released in 1996, the film is based on a Michael Turner book by the same name and is often regarded as one of the all-time best films to come out of Canada. Interesting to note is the character of Billy Tallent, Hard Core Logo’s
Scene from Paris, Je T’Aime. fame-crazed guitarist, after whom Streetsville rockers Billy Talent got their name. It is also crucial to acknowledge that despite popular belief, Canada’s film and music industries are not as far-gone as they’re made out to be. Movies like Hard Core Logo are out to prove that if you have an original script and the right amount of gusto, you’ll just about always be successful. Even if you are from Canada. After the screening, editor Reg Harkema and screenwriter oel Baker of Hard Core Logo stepped out of the audience for a Q&A session. Of the many questions posed by avid film students, “What advice do
photo/nytimes.com
you have for young filmmakers trying to make it in the industry?” seemed to be the most popular inquiry. Harkema stressed the usefulness of re-editing the final cut no matter how perfect you deem it to be, “because the quality will always be increased whenever you revisit your work.” Baker however, offered a less technical type of advice: “Find the heart of the story.” The U of T Film festival is an annual event which runs every year in the middle of the winter semester downtown. Check out the event’s website at www.uoftfilfest.ca for more information and the history of the festival.
Student made shorts and a session on film editing EMILIA WOZNIAK
University of Toronto’s Film Festival 2009 turned out to be a successful and educational experience for not only potential film students but those merely interested in film production and movies themselves. The Thursday screenings introduced the audience to a whole new level of film construction and the process of creating a masterpiece. Alongside the “Open Call Shorts 2” – a group of short films – was focus on film editing and how movies become what they are on the big screen. The short stories presented in the first part of the screening ranged from the portrayal of foreign culture to students’ lifestyle, relationships and love. The topics that the films embodied were current to young adults and allowed for parallelisms to one’s everyday life. A short film that resonated with intrigue and creativity, “Shikashika” was an enjoyment to watch as it drowned the audience in a very beautiful Peruvian setting. The movements of the camera and extended close-ups captured the realism and feelings through the actors’ facial expressions. On the other hand, the short film titled “Boyfriend Latte,” though initially creative, had a highly unrealistic plot along with severe bouts of overacting. The background music was fitted to each of the short films to better express feelings of sadness, drunkenness, love or mere happiness
and laughter. The setting and scene development in each of the short films were chosen carefully and allowed the theme to reverberate between the audience and the screen. The second part of the Thursday night screening was an exceptional documentary by Alex Shuper on film editing titled “Edgecodes: The Art of Motion Picture Editing.” A former U of T film student, Alex Shuper came back to where it all started to present his work. Shuper’s documentary examines the magic of film editing and the process of bringing a particular idea on the big screen. To do so, he brought together popular editors who shared with the audience their knowledge, opinions and ideas on film editing. Every point or idea that each editor discussed was accompanied by an example of its use. Shuper takes successful movies to portray the points and ideas discussed by the editors, providing the audience a visual paradigm. Shuper takes the audience back to the early stages of editing straight through to how it has shaped filmmaking today. Taken as a whole, the University of Toronto Film Festival is a great way to introduce future film makers, actors, and prominent ideas that could all potentially become Hollywood material.
Check out www.uoftfilmfest.ca for more info regarding next year’s showcase.
MONDAY, MARCH
16, 2009 THE MEDIUM 11
University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union
2009 Spring Referendum Notice
The WUSC Student Refugee Program has enabled more than 1000 student refugees from countries of origin as diverse as Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Rwanda, Sudan, Burma and Afghanistan to re-settle in Canada as permanent residents to pursue their education in an environment free of violence and fear. The Student Refugee Program at UTM commits to supporting the sponsored student financially and socially through their first year at UTM. The cost of sponsorship is approximately $25,000.00. UTM has sponsored two students who have been successful in this program. The Student Refugee Program will only be successful if the majority of students who cast a ballot vote "yes" in this referendum.
Do you support the Student Refugee Program with an Do you support the Student Refugee Program with an introduction of a stuintroduction ofadjusted a student levy of $1.00 per student per dent levy of $1.00 annually to inflation per student per semester? semester?
UTMSU currently operates a campus food bank which offers food and resources to those in need in the UTM community, including all students, staff and faculty. For the past five years the food bank has been running without any funding and is in desperate need of resources. The campus food bank will only be sustainable if the majority of students who cast a ballot vote "yes" in this referendum.
Are youinin favor ofintroduction an introduction of alevy student levy Are you favor of an of a student of $0.50 perof $0.50 student per annually semester to support the student perper semester adjusted to inflation to support food bank available to all students? the on-campus on-campus food bank available to all students? You will have the chance to vote "Yes" or "No" to the following questions. Voting stations will be located in the South Building, CCT Building and North Building
12 THE MEDIUM MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2009
Commerce student goes Italian UTM student and her chef husband team up to open a crtically acclaimed Italian restaurant in Streetsville.
ALAIN LATOUR FEATURES EDITOR
There are good stereotypes and bad stereotypes. Mondello Ristorante, an Italian eatery co-founded by Jessica Iatomasi (a soon-to-be graduate of UTM’s commerce program), chef Nicola Iatomasi and manager Umberto Schifaudo, doesn’t just meet the stereotype of what a good Italian restaurant should be – it surpasses it. Named after a location in Sicily renowned for its fine restaurants, Mondello has, in less than a year, garnered a repeat clientele and raving customer reviews on restaurantica.com. Its success should inspire food lovers and potential entrepreneurs alike, especially considering it opened last summer when the recession was arguably at its worst. “A lot of people were scaling back from going out,” recounts Jessica Iatomasi, referring to the recession. Jessica is co-manager of Mondello and wife of Chef Nicola. “Gas prices had gone up and all of our deliveries had gas surcharges on them. But we survived it. And if we survived that, we can survive anything.” Jessica attributes part of the success to the knowledge acquired in the commerce program. “That’s when UTM came in,” she says in a firm and clear voice reflective of someone who knows what she wants out of life. “Having a handle on our
photo/Matthew Filipowich
From Left to Right: Nicola Iatomasi, Jessica Iatomasi and Umberto Schifaudo discuss the philosophy behind Mondello with The Medium’s Alain Latour. costs, running a high-quality establishment, keeping ourselves organized, deciding whether to go for a partnership or a corporation, types of shareholder agreements, securing bank loans — what I learned at UTM proved enormously helpful. And it wasn’t just what I learned in the lecture halls. Many UTM profes-
S UM M E R J OB S COLLEGE
PRO PAINTERS
is presently looking for responsible / hardworking University or College students for:
Full-Time Painting Positions May - August No experience required, we will train you to paint. Positions available in your area. If interested call 1-888-277-9787 or apply online at www.collegepro.com
sors were good enough to sit with me after class.” Of course, smart business practices are not the only component that goes into a successful restaurant. A palatable cuisine is important too. According to restaurant manager Umberto, the Mondello team strives to emulate the Italian food culture as much as possible. Umberto was born in Sicily, a place where he maintains “food is everything.” “The food [over there] is in the middle and everything is around it. Friends, family, conversations,” explains Umberto, sporting dapper dark clothes and a silk tie with a perfect Italian knot. “That's what we bring to the table here – that sort of experience. You come in here, you’ll want to stay for two hours. You’ll never be pressured to leave.” Umberto brings something else to the table: authenticity. In an area sprinkled with Italian restaurants which he says “are not the real deal,” he has everything imported straight from Italy – from the hardto-come-by wines to the prosciutto to the parmiggiano (which unlike Canadian–made parmesan cheese, is made in the region of Parma). The rest of the food is prepared from scratch by Nicola, who after training in Liaison College, worked in everything from bars to casual dining to fine dining to hotels to catering. “I learned a lot from the chefs I worked with,” recounts the Naplesborn Nicola. “But there comes a time when you just want to have your own place, do your own thing, you know?”
Umberto too had worked everywhere and dreamed of opening a true Italian restaurant. No surprise that shortly after he and Nicola became friends, they became partners, and opened Mondello in only one month, as opposed to the usual four to five. “They both have a lot of experience,” says Jessica. “They have seen all of the mistakes. Nicola runs the kitchen. Umberto does all of the front–end, so he’s basically the face of Mondello. And I help take care of the back–end aspect of it.” Their experience also made them aware of the risks. “The failure rate for the restaurant business is 90 per cent,” says Nicola. “But this is our passion. If you put all you got into it, you’re not going to fail.” So far it seems they are far from failing. The team claims they have repeat customers who travel to Streetsville from Georgetown, Woodbridge, Guelph and Toronto. Some, according to Jessica, have even quit the fancy Italian restaurants in Yorkville. Many patrons return to Mondello every weekend. Some of them even reached a point where they have sampled everything on the menu. Mondello’s solution? “We came up with festivals,” says Umberto. One of the latest, dubbed “Taste of the Regions of Italy,” offers four mouth-watering menus with a starter, a main course and desert. Each menu runs for only $25. Reasonable prices are at the core of Mondello’s philosophy. At a time where an average steak in a glittery restaurant can set you back $30, a
bistecca at Mondello is $25-$36 if you have Menu C, which adds antipasto and rigatoni al pomodoro. Despite the comfortable influx of regular high-end customers, Nicola makes it a point to discourage treating affluent customers better than regular ones. “Sometimes I’d have the boss walk into the kitchen,” he says, referring to previous jobs, “and he’d say, ‘Hey, I have a special customer at that table.’ And I don’t care. I think that whoever’s walking in here is making you money. So we make sure everyone at Mondello is treated the same. Doesn’t matter how much money they have.” Jessica, whose next goal is to become a chartered accountant (she jokes that Nicola won’t even let her in the kitchen anyway) hopes that Mondello inspires students: “You can do it, you can accomplish your dream. Don’t let things weigh you down. Just don’t do it for the wrong reasons. Don’t do it for greed.” Sounds a bit romantic. But then so would the idea of getting together with your husband and opening a restaurant in the midst of a recession. Sipping delicious espresso at Mondello, you too would be tempted towards romanticism. Mondello Ristorante: 127 Queen Street, South, Mississauga, Ontario. For reservations call: 905-819-1727 or email info@modelloristorante.ca. Open from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday to Wednesday. Thursday & Friday it’s open from 12:00 p.m to 2:30 p.m.and from 5:30p.m.- 10:00 p.m.Closed on Sundays.
MONDAY, MARCH
16, 2009 THE MEDIUM 13
FINDING THE SPOTS
FEATURES
The new library: time to study? SADAF KHARAL
The fairly new Hazel McCallion Learning Centre (HMLC) can be quite a sight for a first-time visitor. Boasting tall glass windows, a spacious layout, numerous computers and four floors, the HMLC can be regarded a stepping stone in the right direction to bolster a strong academic foundation. In comparison to the old UTM library, the HMLC offers more facilities and a much more visually appealing atmosphere. However, according to surveys conducted on UTM students and their new library experience, perspectives on the new learning space are a mixture of satisfaction and disappointment. The big question asked was if the new library had changed the academic culture of UTM in comparison to the old library. “No,” stated staff member and student Jonty Misra. “The same people that were in the old library are now here doing the same things. The people that come here simply to socialize are always in the study rooms and the people who really want to study are in the basement in the study carols.” Misra added that the new library resembles more of a loft-like space as opposed to an academic learning centre, suggesting that that might in turn foster a more “social” atmosphere instead of a serious study space. Due to the minimal partitioning between computers on the main floors, students are more susceptible to distraction, as their eyes wander off onto the computer screens of their neighbouring peers. This often elicits students to engage in loud chatter while their at the computer terminals. “The main floor has become a zoo,” asserts fourth-year student Alex Garcia, who shares the opinion with several others. “It’s way too loud in here; how is anyone supposed to concentrate?” Alex explains that as a result of all the unwanted noise, he often finds himself “joining the crowd” in chit-chatting with his peers. The HMLC staff has since restructured the sections in the library, clearly, in response to the discerning noise levels at the first floor computer area. Now, that area is classified as a “Quiet Discussion Area.” Meaning, discussions – whether mindless chatter or actually dialogues pertaining to work – are permitted so long as they are within the respectable volume. Aside from that, there are also much conducive, i.e. silent enough, study spaces located in the HMLC, such as the personal study rooms (which require an online booking) and the computer room located on the basement level. Though never a guarantee, these spaces are often enough the quietest spots in HLMC. Several of the students interviewed and surveyed took an issue with the lack of food and beverage options in the near proximity of HLMC. The only nearby offering is the Starbucks located just outside the HMLC entrance. One such student, who refused to be named, complains, “It’s as if we’re put on a deserted island and the only place we can get food or drinks is at the crazy, overpriced Starbucks. We’re students, not millionaires. We cannot afford a five-dollar pick-me-up every single day in addition to the cost of food on this campus.” These students also indicated that Tim Horton’s would have been a far more suitable choice to place in front of the HMLC instead of the
“overrated” Starbucks. While the new library may have its shortcomings, it still seems to be a stark improvement from the old library, which had minimal study space, an outdated research system and
“The main floor has become a zoo,” asserts fourth year student Alex Garcia, who shares the opinion with several others. “It’s way too loud in here; how is any one supposed to con centrate?” was visually unappealing. Indeed, the HMLC provides students with an aesthetically pleasing space to both study and research. It is essentially down to each student to provide for a noise-free environment.
I have been sexually active for abo ut two years now and I’m pretty sure I’ve had an orgasm. Well, I’ve had a clitoral orgasm but to be totally honest I can’t find my g-spot. My friend said gspot orgasms are mind-blowing and that my g-spot shouldn’t be that hard to find. She tried to explain it to me but I couldn’t feel anything. I am really curious! Is there anything you can tell me? Finding your G-spot is kind of like driving downtown, you ha ve to know where you’re going or you’ll get lost. The best thing to do is probably look up a diagram but I can try to give you a little road map. The G-spot is located approximately 2-3 inches inside the vagina towards the front and has a ridged texture. “The erectile tissue that makes up the G-spot is actually an internal
part of the clitoris, part of the same network of interconnected tissue and nerve endings” (Solot & Miller, ILove Female Orgasm). If you want to visualize it, it’s basically on the opposite side of the clitoris; the clitoris is external and the G-spot is internal. Actually, a common reason that a lot of women never achieve G-spot orgasms is because they expect the sensation to be similar to a clitoral orgasm when it is actually quite different. Aside from giving you a general location, there isn’t much more I can say to help. Orgasms in general are complex; and there’s a reason why people think that the G-spot is a myth. In some cases the G-spot is similar to the clitoris and is more s ensitive when the female is aroused so it might be easier to find during sexual activity. Of course every person is different and while
some people require a great deal of pressure when it comes to finding their G-spot some do not need that much pressure at all. So while the information that I can provide you is limited, there are a lot of resources on G-spot orgasms (including one’s you can access for free from the S.E.C. office) and you should take advantage of them.
If you have any questions that you want answered in our sex column, please send them to sex.column@ utmsec.ca.
ONE YEAR TO A GREAT CAREER! Sheridan Graduate Certificate Programs are intensive, applied and will make you irresistible to potential employers, even in a tough job market.
Get your competitive edge in just one year!
Choose from over 20 programs in: t
Business
t
Film, Journalism & Communications
t
Education
t
Engineering & Manufacturing Sciences
t
Information & Communication Technology
t
Public Safety
t
Visual Arts & Design
Book a campus tour today! tours.sheridaninstitute.ca
Fo r m o re i n f o r m a t i o n a n d t o a p p l y : h t t p : / / o n e y e a r. s h e r i d a n i n s t i t u t e. c a
14 THE MEDIUM MONDAY,MARCH 16, 2009
FEATURES
ROWDY SISTERS AND POETRY
Creative Corner
The Sister Thing ROMESA KHALID
They’re rowdy. They’re unpredictable. They’re obnoxious and sometimes they’re downright bitchy. They’re that other part of you that you can’t get rid of, although sometimes you’re not even sure whether you want to or not. They come in all shapes and sizes and a breathtakingly varied range of moods and temperaments. But here’s
the downside, you can’t choose. You take what you get, and mold her into that one person who you can always count on to stick by you, share your world, hold your hand, and always, always eat your share of the icecream. There’s something ironic about a sister. Like some little comic book one-liner God decided to write into your life. You fight like cats and at times there’s no force in the world that can stop you from strangling her to death, but somehow you never
bring yourself to do it. Millions of girls around the globe have tried and failed, (save an exceptional few). You hate their guts but you can’t kill them off because then a part of you dies. The little part that God took out of you before you even existed and put in your sister when you were just souls floating in heaven. Like an automatic mechanism to prevent us from killing off the little mutts. “Haha! She dies or you die. Now choose.” And that’s basically where our free-
E T A U GRAD AMS PROGR
E H T ON
E G ED
) . y l l a r e t i (L
´ Beyond what you’d expect to find at a graduate school on the GET BEYOND THE CLICHE. edge of North America. At Memorial, our graduate tuition and fees are among the lowest in Canada, thanks to a government tuition freeze since 1999. Our programs are leading; our research is edgy. Despite the water, the horizon, the ridiculous beauty and the overwhelming sense of freedom that washes over you, this is not a place for watching. It’s a place for doing. Literally.
School of Graduate Studies MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY OF NEWFOUNDLAND
www.mun.ca/become
dom of choice ends. The funny thing about sisters is that they’ll complain and argue a million times before they agree to do anything for you. It’s simply programmed into them, and if you can tune yourself out for those initial five minutes you’ll not only prevent a domestic war but may actually come to love your sister. Of course, you have to secure those priceless deals first: “Ok fiiiine I’ll iron your clothes for you but then I get two hours extra time online.” “No way, I’d rather iron them myself.” “One hour extra.” “Half.” “45 minutes.” “Done.” Ah, the precious lessons of life. They’re the ones who can always listen to your darkest secrets and never give them away because: a) they’re your own flesh and blood, and b) because they’re always somehow involved in the secret and blowing it would lead to their own execution anyway. Otherwise they can never shut their mouths. It’s that relentless mouth that gets them in trouble, along with you. True they always know what’s wrong before you even make a face – some sort of eerie telepathy that scientists will never be able to explain. They can finish sentences for you at a level that maybe only spouses have achieved. And then of course, they use it to their advantage. They’re always there to help you choose the exact swear words to throw at cheap, flirtatious guys. Always the ones to grab trendy clothes off the rack before you can get your hands on them. Always criticizing your every move. Always having a problem with what you’re wearing. Everything you do, they find it offensive. There’s only one thing worse than a sister; and that’s a sister who looks like you. She may be the exact antithesis of you, yet you’re friends can’t tell the difference when they start up a conversation with her thinking it’s you. And of course she never forgoes that chance of exploiting and taking advantage of you. She’s your shoe-size, your shirt size, your trouser size. She treats your wardrobe like her own, but that sometimes turns out as a blessing, especially if she’s the one with better fashion sense. I don’t know how many times I’ve been complimented every time I wear my sister’s clothes. But then, she’s had her fair share of dibs on my precious valuables and if I was half the snob she was I would never let her hear the end of it. At this point, I would like to make an apology for making sisters sound like little minions of the devil. In order to do justice to their role it would be fair to clarify that they’re more like Satan himself. But it all comes around to the same thing; ultimately you can’t hate them because…you just can’t. Right when you start planning their execution, thinking your head will positively explode from a frothing mixture of rage and oppression they step in and do something so impossibly nice that you end up burying the hatchet. Literally. Sigh. Sisterhood is a mysterious force and a bond of the most sadistic kind of love. A sister is not just a woman your mother gave birth to, she’s a woman your mother gave birth to so you could learn the tough lessons in
life. And learn what to want in a friend and what to look out for. And formulate and execute some of the most brilliant practical jokes. And share your life with someone who fights with you every hour and then forget about it five minutes later. And actually knows what you want for your birthday. Long live the queens of this throbbing, fundamental kingdom of pain. Here’s to the many female parasites of the world. Here’s to… the Sister Thing.
Let me V.B.
I hate to sound cliché You take everything I have, all of my crazed notions and poorly hidden insanities Somehow, somewhere, you make it make sense, between the me that lies here Bearing my soul, everything that I have for you (except that you make it seem okay) And the me that somehow managed to surface her way into the world, without care, full of love When all that’s inside me is paranoia and anagrams, softly spoken obscene words And puzzle pieces that aren’t even for the same picture but somehow man age to fit together Somehow you’ve managed to be the only person who’s come to my door with an empty journal Not a book of definitions or even an encyclopedia Because you understand that I need to be handled with a different touch That the only place I belonged was in a leather bound journal full of empty pages So that both you and I together could make sense of the person that is myself You didn’t come to me, try ing to fit me into a box In fact, you didn’t even come with any pre made words Because, you said, we could make them on our own Damn straight Even we could not be defined, just what the hell are we? And as you calmly held me while I bled my pain and confusion into you I understood, finally, that we didn’t need to be anything. It was, simply, that I just needed you so that I could be. Please explain myself to me... for I've forgotten how.
MONDAY, MARCH
Change of fate at WBC ANDREW TYSIAK
The 2009 World Baseball Classic (WBC) held a few surprises and upsets during its round-one action. And don’t expect to see that trend ending any time soon. Clearly, the biggest surprise has been the Netherlands, a team filled with non-MLB professionals who defeated and eliminated the powerful Dominican Republic team twice in the first round. Despite the presence of several MLB all-stars on their roster – David Ortiz, Miguel Tejada, and Jose Reyes, just to name a few – the Dominicans failed to avenge their first loss against the Dutch by a score of 3-2. When the two teams squared off again in an elimination match days later, the Dominican Republic took a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the eleventh, but proven major leaguer Carlos Mármol – summoned from the bullpen in order to close the game –ended up blowing the lead. Mármol gave up two runs while walking one batter to allow the Dutch a 2-1 victory. “This is a miracle. The Dominican Republic is one of the best teams in the world,” said Netherlands manager Rod Delmonico after the second victory against Dominican Republic. “It’s difficult to describe what took place. These kids have fought for three days. I have never had a team with this much passion.” For the mighty Dominicans, losing twice to the Netherlands simply meant that they couldn’t attribute their disappointing performance at the WBC to bad luck. For the Dutch, their message is clear – they came to play, and the outsider odds strapped to them mean little. Another notable upset involved
Italy defeating and eliminating the heavily favored Canadian team. The Italians marched on to the latter stages of the tournament after a convincing 6-2 victory against Canada at the Rogers Centre on March 9. “It's the most emotional and most disappointing loss I’ve ever been a part of. I think it's going to take some time to recover from it. I've never experienced something like this before,” said Canadian DH Joey Votto after the disappointment loss. The result has since been marred with some controversy however, with the Canadian team questioning Italy’s team roster. They may just have something to go by. The Canadians claim that the majority of the Italian team does not reside or hold their own citizenship in Italy. Players such as Frank Catalanatto, Mark DeFelice, Lenny DiNardo, Dan Serefini, Chris Cooper, Vinny Rottino, Chris Denoforia, BJ LaMura, Jason Grilli, Nick Punto and Cody Cillo are all American-born players who grew up living in the USA. As well, coaches Mike Hargrove and Mike Piazza, along with third base coach Tom Trebelhorn are also American-born. According to the WBC rules, in order to be eligible for the Italian baseball team, a player only has to have one parent with Italian citizenship. Despite their heroic efforts against Canada, Italy has since been eliminated from the tournament, losing to Venezuela 1-10 at the Rogers Centre the day after. The tournament is currently in its Round Two phase, held in San Diego (Pool 1) and Miami (Pool 2). The Netherlands, in Pool 2, are still in contention despite losing their first second round game to Venezuela. They face the United States for a spot in the semi-finals on Sunday. Don’t write them off just yet.
photo/charlotteobserver.com
Joey Votto slugging one out against Team USA in Toronto.
16, 2009 THE MEDIUM 15
NHL seeks rule changes for hockey fights MATT SABUCCO
The NHL general managers met in Florida this past week to discuss, among other things, rule changes that would affect the mechanics of fighting in hockey. Fighting has become a hot topic issue since the death of Don Sanderson of the senior AAA Whitby Dunlops, who fell into a coma and later passed away when his head hit the ice after a hockey fight. Among the proposed rules changes are the wearing of helmets during fights, intensifying the instigator rule and avoiding so-called staged fights. What needs to be considered, however, is the effect that these rules will have on the way the game of hockey is played. The instigator rule is one example of a rule change that has affected the way the game is played. Staged fighting is one manifestation of these rules, as players line up at the faceoff and drop the gloves at the same time. Staged
fighting is a way for players to avoid getting called the instigator. By agreeing to fight before the play, players can simultaneously engage in a fight, without one player being the aggressor. Though fights at the drop of the puck have always been an occurrence, the instigator rule has increased the frequency in which these staged fights occur. Now, these staged fights have become a problem in the NHL. Proponents of the anti-fighting movement in hockey contend that fighting is not part of the fabric of the game. The effects of these rule changes however, demonstrate how even a slight change can alter the way the game is played on the ice. By changing rules with regard to fighting, there will be an effect on the ice, and the rule changes may not have all of the positive results that they are expected to. Making fighting “safe” should be a responsibility of the NHL, but it is also important that the integrity of the game is kept intact. As long as fighting is in the game, it will continue to serve a
purpose on the ice. Some would argue that the hockey “goon” does not have utility, and does more to hinder the game of hockey to help it. As long as there is fighting in the game, the individuals in charge in the hockey world need to ignore the antifighting movement. It is not that there aren’t valid arguments coming from that side, but these arguments come from a faction that does not believe fighting belongs in hockey. If you believe it does, then the rules and the game on the ice need to reflect that, otherwise, rule changes will start to manifest themselves in unnatural instances, such as staged fighting that are not traditional or usual in the context of hockey as a whole. Whether you believe that fighting is a part of the game or not, most people would agree that it is important to maintain the integrity of the game. While rule changes that promote safety in a fight are important, the powers that be need to be aware that these changes may not always have the desired effect.
16 THE MEDIUM MONDAY,MARCH 16, 2009
SPORTS THE EAGLES TAKE HOME GOLD
One more to remember UTM Eagles defeat UTSC for the men’s basketball championship title MATTHEW LONGMORE
The last time the UTM Eagles and UTSC Maroons played each other, UTM won by three points. That was during the regular season when the stakes weren’t so high. UTM has defeated UTSC four times in the last five years. Clearly, this year, during the men’s division-one basketball championship game, UTSC was determined for things to work out a little differently. But the Eagles made sure they were prepared for anything UTSC were g o i ng t o t h ro w t h ei r w a y , working hard and long the night before t h e F i n a l s . T h e Ea g l es focused on working in the paint, their shots, defense, and all the little holes and weaknesses evident in their past UTSC games. “The last time we played them, we played well but a little inconsistently. So we worked on all those inconsistencies in p r a c t i c e , ” s a i d A n n i s h Bhalla, UTM’s assistant coach. The RA W C g y m b u z zed w i t h school spirit just before the championship game tipped off. UTM fans, rowdy and ready for action, packed one side of the bleachers from top to bottom. Chants of “UTM, UTM” echoed from the crowd, sparking some interesting tension with the UTSC f a n s in a t t e n d a n ce . Meanwhile, UTMAC female representatives strutted around the gym
in belly tops with “UTM” painted across their bellies, handing out raff l e t i c k e t s . This was March Madness. The first half was tight with both teams playing off several turnovers. UTSC had three steals within the first minute and flustered the Eagles with a full court press that seemed unbreakable. Fed up with all the turnovers, UTM star forward Alan Carty broke through the press single-handedly with his crafty dribbling and strong finish to the hoop. B u t t h e M a r oons balled w ith more guts. They looked hungrier and for the first ten minutes played like they wanted it more. They also played with a lot of urgency and concentration, hitting 63 per cent from the line and converting on twelve of nineteen. UTM produced a dismal 40 per cent from the charity stripe, a problem that kept them trailing 46-53 at the break. During the half-time pep talk, head coach Antony Nembhard made cl e a r t o h i s t e am how he felt: “We’re playing well offensively but very poor defensively. “They’re getting a lot of lay-ups that they shouldn’t have gotten.” The talk seemed to inspire the Eagles – in the second half, UTM’s Ambrish Patel started an offensive tear scoring from all angles: midrange jump-shots, reverse lay-ups, three-pointers, and of course, the floater. UTSC had no remedy for Patel or Carty who played hard and
hustled non-stop across the court. In the stands, the energy level skyrocketed when UTSC fans started trash-talking to the home fans. And it was hard not to get excited. The adrenaline was contagious w hen bench players from both teams added to the mix with their own chants. The game remained close down the stretch. Both squads traded baskets until Patel drained a clutch three to put the Eagles up by one. H owever, UTM fans had their hearts in their mouths when Patel suffered a nasty collision with an opposing player and collapsed to the ground. Patel sat out for the rest of the game. And this simply paved the way for Carty to take over the reins. For Carty, who is set to graduate this summer, the championship game was his last time to shine. With Patel out, Carty knew the onus was on him to step up if the Eagles held any hope of fending off the Maroons towards victory. And step up he did. The Eagles pushed the lead to nine within the last minute. UTSC fouled Carty in the dying seconds, placing him on the line to score the last point of the game and his career. UTM won 95-85 with Carty retiring in style. “I had a solid game and it feels good,” said Carty, who finished with 24 points, after the game. “No complaints. Gotta go out on top.”
photo/Matthew Filipowich
The Eagles delghted UTM on wednesday night as they edged out UTSC in the championship final.
BRODEUR NETS WIN #551 (NY Post) New Jersey Tuesday can be Marty's Party and St. Patrick's Day all rolled into one. Records are teetering all over Devildom. Martin Brodeur can become the NHL's all time win ningest goalie Tuesday against Chicago in Newark, when Patrik Elias can become the Devils all time leading scorer, while they seek to extend their longest ever home winning streak.
NETS HAVE BROOKLYN IN SIGHT FOR 2011 12 (NY Times) New York City The Nets are committed to moving to a yet to be built Brooklyn arena for the 2011 12 season, overcom ing economic concerns and legal opposition, Brett Yormark, the team's chief executive, said.
DONTE STALLWORTH HITS, KILLS MAN WHILE DRIVING IN MIAMI
Architecture Nature People Campus Life $100.00 for the winner of each category submit entries to mediumonline.ca/photocontest
photos must be 200 dpi and at least 1600 pixels x 1600 pixels all students must submit a name, student number, and telephone number. Contest Rules: Entrants must be current students at UTM and may not be part of The F^]bnf l ^]bmhkbZe [hZk] hk [hZk] h_ ]bk^\mhkl' Lmn]^gml fnlm ln[fbm Z gZf^% lmn]^gm number, and telephone number with entries. A maximum of five entries per person and no more then two per category is allowed. All entries must be original work. Entries will be assigned a number for anonymous judging. All decisions by the judges will be final. Late entries will not be accepted.
(Cleveland Plain Dealer) Miami Browns receiver Donté Stallworth hit and killed a pedestrian while driving his Bentley toward Miami Beach on Saturday morning, police said. Stallworth, 28, struck 59 year old Mario Reyes at 7:17 a.m. as he was crossing the street on a causeway between Miami and Miami Beach, said Detective Juan Sanchez, Miami Beach police spokesman. Reyes was pronounced dead at Jackson Memorial Hospital about 8 a.m.
RIQUELME RETIRES FROM ARGENTINE NATIONAL TEAM (Yahoo SP) Buenos Aires Juan Riquelme blamed Argentina coach Diego Maradona, himself a Boca fan and hero among the club’s followers, for his surprise decision last week to quit, saying they could not work together.