page 5 Tuesday, September 8, 2009
page 7 Volume 36, Issue 1
Orientation rocks Toronto
Matthew Filiopowich/ The Medium
Over 4,000 students marched through downtown Toronto during the annual U of T Parade led by UTM students.
SAALIHA MALIK NEWS EDITOR
Hundreds of doe-eyed first-year students came out to meet mingle and march as the five-day Orientation Week event kicked off on September 1. The Transformers themed week entertained 900 new UTM students and 125 orientation leaders with a variety of activities. A dry pub night held at the Blind Duck was first on the docket where students were treated to a party with music by Toronto-based radio station, Z103.5. Due to the permanent closure of parking lot 2, this year’s carnival was held at the back of lot 8 near the RAWC. The parking lot was transformed to a carnival filled with snow cones, a Ferris wheel, inflatables and a
concert hosted by CFRE radio. Many students tested their strength and endurance with the newly added rock climbing wall while others had the chance to meet campus clubs who recruited new members throughout the carnival. For the second year in a row, Orientation Week fell within the Holy Islamic month of Ramadan. To ensure accessibility for all, signage was placed throughout the campus guiding students to prayer rooms made available all week. “This year ran much smoother than last,” said Johnny Ho, orientation coordinator who overlooked Orientation Week last year as the UTMSU VP Campus Life. “The Orientation committee has been an amazing help, and this year all of the leaders worked as a team. The leaders really impressed me.” The orientation committee was led primarily by orientation co-ordinators Johnny Ho and Gary Li, and supported by VP Campus Life Andrew Lalla, and com-
mittee members Dhananjai Kohli, Marc Bressler, Amy Lin, Thinesh Sellathurai, Steffi Huynh and Anisa Rampersad.
“Orientation week is all about the first year stu dents. We are here to make sure that they have the best week, even if we lose our voices in the process.” Gary Li, orientation co ordinator One eager first-year student, Kathy Chu, a social sciences major, couldn’t wait for Orientation Week to meet her future classmates. She decided to organize a dinner two weeks prior to Orientation Week at Boston Pizza, which was attended by nearly 50 incoming students. On Friday, the St. George campus was filled with over 10,000 incoming
students from all U of T colleges. There were friendly competitions between the campuses with the brunt of the name-calling going towards UTM students. St. George would call out “St. George rejects,” but the UTM orientation team responded and completed the chant with “...get the best sex.” The annual parade, which is traditionally led by UTM students, was stalled for over an hour due to technical difficulties. This resulted in Trinity College shouting “we stop for no one!” as they marched away. The orientation co-ordinators kept students occupied by leading cheers for over an hour, causing some of them to lose their voices before the parade started. “Orientation week is all about the first year students. We are here to make sure that they have the best week, even if we lose our voices in the process.” noted Li. When the technical difficulties were finally resolved, UTM lead the parade, followed by the various U of T col-
leges. Onlookers took photos of rowdy students and danced along to music by the Black Eyed Peas. Another mishap occurred just as the parade began moving. Trinity College students reappeared and cut off the UTM truck to lead the parade. But before tempers could escalate, Trinity College students turned a corner and returned back to campus. After an hour of marching down the streets of Toronto, the parade came to an end when UTSU president Sandy Hudson stopped the parade at Queens Park and got on the UTM microphone to give a speech about rising tuition fees. The parade culminated with Hudson asking the first-year students “what do we think about Queens Park,” to which they were coached to reply “fuck Queens Park!” The parade ended with a dinner and show at Medieval Times and Orientation Week on the whole wrapped up on Saturday, which saw 250 students visit Canada’s Wonderland.
2 THE MEDIUM
8, 2009
CAMPUS CONSTRUCTION
Campus Newswire UTM ad apts web a pplications for mobile student access UTM students can now use their cell phones and data devices to do more than text their sweet hearts. New web based applica tions developed by the IT team in the Office of the Registrar will enable students to flip their phones and check class and exam timetables, important dates and an interactive campus map. These web applications draw upon live information in university databases and can be accessed via the web browser on most brands of Internet capable smart phones.The new applications will be available on September 5 at http://registrar.utm.utorontoca/mobi and are free of charge. (utoronto.ca) UTM goes on Twitter UTM has joined the bandwagon and launched its own Twitter account. Twitter, a micro blog ging service that lets users send messages, or “tweets,” no longer than 140 characters, has taken the Internet by storm, becoming one of the 50 most popular websites world wide and getting 50 million vis its a day. Many consider it an ideal platform for learning about news and updates almost as soon as they happen. By fol lowing UTM’s Twitter account, students will be able to do things like looking at Frosh pic tures or nominating their favourite UTM professor. Those interested in signing up for a Twitter account can do so for free at Twitter.com, where they can also follow users as diverse as President Obama and Snoop Dogg. (UTM E Newsletter, April 2009) TVO's Best Lecturer Competition open for nomination The competition, sponsored by TD Insurance Meloche Monnex, allows anyone to nominate a professor in any Ontario regis tered post secondary institution. TVO staff and an indepen dent jury review the submis sion videos to select ten final ists. The lectures of the top ten will air on TVO in March 2010, and the winner's school is awarded a $10,000 TD Insurance Meloche Monnex scholarship. UTM students who wish to nominate their favourite profes sor should do so between before October 12, 2009. They will automatically be entered into a draw to win one of two iPod touch devices. Visit http://www.tvo.org/ for more information. (tvo.org)
Instructional Centre on its way Construction on campus will eliminate 400 parking spots during the 2009 2010 academic year SAALIHA MALIK NEWS EDITOR
Grounds
UTM recently embarked on two major building projects. The new Instructional Centre and Health Sciences Complex, expected to open in 2011, received support from both the provincial and federal governments to the tune of $70 million in infrastructure funding. “We are delighted that the federal and provincial governments are providing support to enhance instructional capacity and laboratory space at our campus,” said Ian Orchard, vice-president and principal of UTM. On-campus construction sites include parking lot 2 (permanently closed on August 15 and will now house the Instructional Centre) and the lot adjacent to the South and CCT building, where the Health Sciences Complex will be built. The new Instructional Centre will feature a new auditorium, lecture theatres, classrooms, and computer labs as well as renovated science teaching labs. It will accommodate more students and provide more study space on campus, a necessary expansion after last decade’s significant enrolment growth, which is expected to continue. In addition to its new teaching spaces, which include a 500-seat auditorium, three 150-seat classrooms and ten 30-seat classrooms, the Instructional Centre will feature up-to-date digital and internet technology and offer students improved bandwidth and advanced software and tools such as clickers. “The new Instructional Centre and revitalized labs will provide classrooms and instructional facilities equipped with leading edge technology and equipment,” said Orchard. “This project will play a key role in helping us educate the next generation of highly skilled individuals who are ready to meet the challenges of our knowledgedriven global economy.” A d o w n s i d e to this p roj ect is that parking on campus will be limited. All 300 spots in lot 2 have been closed along with another 100 spots in lot 9. UTM chief administrative officer Paul Donoghue cautions students, faculty and visitors that they may need to walk further to reach their destination. In an email sent to all UTM students on August 13, students were warned about the permanent closure of parking lot 2. “There's no way to avoid this. It’s a huge challenge for us. The excess parking capacity we had last year, based on detailed counts of vehicles on campus during peak hours, will make up for some of
Looking for job experience Find great on-campus jobs through
Work-Study Visit the Career Centre (SE3094) or visit www.utm.utoronto.ca/careers and discover great on-campus opportunities today!
Parking Lot 9
N
NEWS
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER
Future site of Instructional Centre (formerly Parking Lot 2)
HMAL Future Site of Health Sciences Complex
Parking Lot 1
CCT Building
South Buildin
Student Centre
August 13, 2009
August 15, 2009
October 2, 2009
March 31, 2011
August, 2011
E-mail sent to Parking Lot 2 Official Ground- Instructional Centre set to Health Sciences Complex students warning permanently breaking be completed after a cost completion as well as the of Lot 2 closure closes at 7 a.m., ceremony for of $70 million jointly removal of 100 parking spots. eliminating 300 Instructional funded by the Federal and Total cost of approximately $36 parking spots Centre (Lot 2) Provincial Government million provided by UofT, Provincial Government, and private donors Matthew Filipowich/The Medium
the spaces being taken out of service. And we will also be looking at contingency plans in the event that parking demand far outstrips availability,” said Donoghue, recognizi n g t h e i n c o n v e n i e nc e t h i s w i l l cause to commuters
“This project will play a key role in helping us educate the next gener ation of highly skilled individuals who are ready to meet the chal lenges of our knowl edge driven global economy.” Ian Orchard, principal and vice president Donoghue also noted that he plans to explore options for a parking structure that doesn’t pave
over green space. The University of Toronto, he claims, is committed to campus expansion in an environmentally responsible manner. Thus, construction will be contained within the campus inner circle, which is consistent with UTM’s “Grow Smart, Grow Green” philosophy and should ensure the protection of the woods and grasslands beyond Outer Circle Road. Sustainability has proven to be a very important feature of the new Instructional Centre. According to Donaghue, “both the Instructional Centre and Health Sciences Complex will be designed to meet or exceed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver rating or equivalent.” In addition to energy-efficient lighting, computer and AV equipment, water-efficient fixtures and the use of durable, local materials with renewable or recycled content, the Instructional Centre will feature a geothermal heating and
Do you have a Career Centre Online account? A Career Centre Online account allows you to r instantly gain access to job postings (everything from WorkStudy to Volunteer to Graduating Student Recruitment) r get details on employer events from all three U of T campuses r view great online resources like Career Cruising & Goinglobal
So what are you waiting for? Visit the Career Centre homepage and click on “Job Postings” to get started!
cooling system. This system, however, will require new pipes to be installed, meaning that the sports field near parking lot 2 will also be temporary closed in late fall 2009. The groundbreaking ceremony for the Instructional Centre will be held on October 2, 2009. The Instructional Centre will be completed by March 31, 2011 and the Health Sciences Complex by late summer of 2011.
drop by the office or visit www.mediumonline.ca
Jimmi C has requested to be your friend! friend! J Jimmi keeps you up to date with the latest Career Centre news Visit our homepage to add Jimmi on Facebook & Twitter!
TO REGISTER FOR EMPLOYER EVENTS, WORKSHOPS AND MORE, visit www.utm.utoronto.ca/careers
UTM CAREER CENTRE
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER
8, 2009 THE MEDIUM 3
STUDENT ARREST
“What was your favourite part of Orientation Week?” “I’m not from Toronto and I love seeing the sights. The trip to Centre Island was so much fun!” Meagan Buchanan 1st year Forensic Science
“The parade was the best part. It was fun to compete with the other colleges.”
Mehmet Ackcaglyon 1st year Management
“The best part was when my group made it to the finals in the cheer competition.”
Ali Karim 4th year Management
More photos from Orientation Week
NEWS
U of T student arrested After faking his own abduction, Furqan Muhammed Haroon has been arrested for the third time SAALIHA MALIK NEWS EDITOR
A University of Toronto student who stands accused of faking his own abduction now faces three charges against him after being arrested again for theft from his former employer in 2008. Furqan Muhammed-Haroon, 22, was initially charged for stealing a recycling bin full of computer equipment from IBM on August 13. On August 22, a search was put out for University of Toronto student after a friend of his called 911. The friend claimed that MuhammedHaroon called him while driving and said he was being chased by three black men, one of which was carrying a gun. Police found his car in the Midwest Road-Midland Avenue area shortly thereafter with the keys still in the ignition. A three-day search ensued, with hundreds of people showing their encouragement for his family, which was in the United Arab Emirates at the time. When they returned to Canada, they pleaded with the supposed kidnappers to return their son. Supporters created a Facebook group in which hundreds posted their prayers and well wishes. After reviewing security tapes and speaking to witnesses, the police were not able to find sufficient evidence that Furqan Muhammad-Haroon had been kidnapped. Subsequent enquiries revealed that the student had been recently fired from a summer internship with IBM Canada after security tapes showed him carrying a recycling bin filled with computer Campus_Network_6x6_2010_2.qxp equipment on August. 7.
Dylan Robertson/The Varsity
Muhammed Faroon runs once again. On August 25, Niagara Regional Police located Muhammad-Haroon near a mosque in St. Catharines after receiving an anonymous tip. He was arrested and charged with public mischief. He was scheduled to leave the country on the day of his supposed abduction, despite a prohibition that bans individuals facing criminal charges from travelling. After being released on a $20,000 bail shortly after, Muhammed-Haroon, formerly with the University of Toronto Student Union, was arrested again on charges by his former employer for 6/25/2009 11:30 AM Page 1 with theft in 2008.
The public outpouring of support and prayer soon turned into a mixed bag of anger and relief. Some posted on Facebook that they were glad Muhammed-Haroon was safe regardless of the situation. Others were outraged. Muhammed-Haroon is scheduled to appear in court on September 29. He may also be held responsible for resources and manpower used in the investigation of his fake abduction. If convicted, Muhammed-Haroon’s sentence could carry a maximum penalty of five years in jail.
Tomorrow’s Professionals Apply Today!
Apply Online! OMSAS
www.ouac.on.ca/omsas/ Ontario Medical School Application Service September 15, 2009: Last day to register for online applications October 1, 2009: Application deadline
www.ouac.on.ca/olsas/ OLSAS Ontario Law School Application Service November 2, 2009: Application deadline for first-year English programs May 3, 2010: Application deadline for upper-year programs
TEAS
www.ouac.on.ca/teas/ Teacher Education Application Service December 1, 2009: Application deadline for English programs March 1, 2010: Application deadline for French programs
www.ouac.on.ca/orpas/ ORPAS Ontario Rehabilitation Sciences Programs Application Service (Audiology, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy/Physiotherapy, Speech-Language Pathology)
January 8, 2010: Application deadline
photos/Matthew Filipowich
170 Research Lane Guelph ON N1G 5E2 www.ouac.on.ca
4 THE MEDIUM
OPINION
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER
8, 2009
Letter to the Editor Presidential address Dear fellow UTM students,
ALAIN LATOUR EDITOR IN CHIEF
EDITORIAL When renowned graphic designer Paula Scher was asked to incorporate elements of graphic design into the architecture of the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Opera and the New York City Ballet – a job that neither she nor anyone she knew had ever done before – she started by revisiting these locations.“Why can't the signage be on the floor?” she asked. “New Yorkers look at their feet.” Ms. Scher later found out that the actors and actresses who worked in these institutions took their cues from the floor, and so her idea, far from being novel eye-candy, evolved into a system that many thought innovative as well as useful. “The best way to accomplish serious design,” concluded Ms. Scher, “is to be totally and completely unqualified for the job.” To be sure, Ms. Scher did not mean to herald ignorance in and of itself. Neither did she mean to brush qualifications aside. She merely suggested that those who are new to the job – rookies, if you will – tend to have less restricted ways of thinking. They are more likely to think outside the box, to challenge conventions, to look at the floor and ask themselves a question that old hands never thought of asking: “Why can't the signage be on the floor?” The Medium this year is composed mostly of new staff. Amir Ahmed, our features editor, only began writing for us last year. Sports editor Andrew Tysiak, though inexperienced is as enthusiastic and hardworking. Su Lyn Liew may be new to copy editing for a newspaper, but her ability to prune prose and give it force and direction is unparalleled by some of her older and seasoned colleagues. And Saaliha Malik, formerly with the UTMSU, had never written a newspaper article before, but has already demonstrated a nose for news and the hunger to chase after it. As for myself, I’m perhaps the youngest person to ever assume the editorin-chief position – alas, not that young in terms of age, but in terms of years worked at The Medium. Which, in my case, means exactly one. I do not mean to discredit experience. Experience matters. Experience saves your ass. More importantly, experience tells you what other starry-eyed idealists have tried but didn't succeed with. Ali Kasim, my former editor-in-chief, current mentor and eternal friend, was an experienced writer and editor who improved this paper in ways I can only hope to emulate. Michael Di Leo, veteran arts and entertainment editor, put his experience to good use – that is, without allowing it to kill his originality. And Matthew Filipowich, composite editor, photo editor and webmaster, has been doing this stuff for years. His enthusiasm and creativity are second to none. None of these guys are in danger of becoming fossils. Some of you may suspect that I’m only trying to protect myself against any future screw-ups. “Oh,” I could say, “I was new. I didn’t know better.” Others may conclude that in quoting a prestigious designer, and thereby comparing my team and myself to her, I’ve set too high a standard for us. I will have dug our efforts into a hole the size of one of the ditches that now litter our construction-mad campus. Perhaps. I will also say that people don’t fail because they are inexperienced – at least not always. They fail because they are not willing to learn. People don’t succeed because they are experienced; they succeed because they work hard and because they are passionate and because they try to look where no one looked before. I can’t promise that we will become a pioneer campus newspaper, or even a better newspaper. But I can promise that we will try. We have already done a few new things. We’ve recently launched a Twitter account, @mediumonline, where we will post links to our articles. We’ve revamped our website by adding RSS feeds, a tip-line section and a new multimedia content section where we will post pictures that didn’t make it to the printer. UTM students and staff are encouraged to submit their campusrelated photos and videos to this new section (to my fellow iPhone users: fire ‘em up). Lastly, we are also enhancing our news section by adding a column that will feature UTM and U of T related news snippets. And we will attempt to focus more on what happens within our campus. In this issue, we feature a map of the new construction sites, an article about said construction and another about the well-known-yet-underused RAWC. Overdue changes, perhaps, and even elementary ones. But other newspapers are still not doing any of it. Newspapers whose teams perhaps stopped looking. We thereby hope to address the concern that furrows the brow of many a newspaperman: how to keep our readership. Given that we The Medium rely on students’ levies instead of income generated by sales, we may not have to worry about our finances, but that’s not an excuse to run from the changes that afflict the industry. Steady funds or not, we must modernize. In doing so, I hope that the many students who have never read these pages – students from places as diverse as Austria and Australia, Chile and China, and with interests as diverse as economics and biology – will decide to pick up every issue. In it, they will learn more about the one thing that unites us all: the University of Toronto Mississauga.
Alain Latour
I hope this letter finds you well. Though the weather this summer h a s c o n ti n u ou s l y s h i f t e d i n a menagerie of blue skies to gray, I hope you have all taken advantage of the warm and sunny days and enjoyed your summer vacation. For t h o s e o f yo u wh o t o o k s u m m er school, I hope you have had a relaxing break before the beginning of this fall term. My name is Joey Santiago, and I a m t h e P r es i de n t o f t h e U TM Students’ Union for this school year. On behalf of the 2009/2010 UTM Students’ Union Executives and Directors, I would like to thank you all for voting and making the March 2009 UTMSU Elections a success. We look forward to fulfilling our campaign goals for the year and strive to further increase voter turnout for the years ahead. Your UTMSU Executive team is as follows: Carole Au Yeung as VP Internal & Services, Maria Pilar Galvez as VP University Affairs & Academics, Ibrahim Hindy as VP Part-Time Affairs, Henry Ssali as VP External, Vickita Bhatt as VP Equity, and Andrew Lalla as your VP Campus Life. In addition, your U T M S U D i r e ct o r s a r e S a ra h Minhas, Nabeel Jafri, Hibba Amin, S u n i l S h a h , Na t a s h a C h o pr a , Shahid Hassan, Amna Noor, Ali Karim, Mazin Hassan, Grayce Yuen and Thomas Kristan. Feel free to approach any of these individuals if you have any inquiries regarding a n y t h i n g ab o u t t h e U T M SU o r UTM! To the first year students who have just arrived at our campus – congratulations! I know it can be an overwhelming experience, but hang in there! The campus gets smaller, the classes get easier and the professors become friendlier as the weeks go by. With that said, however, the next four years will be the toughest you’ve yet to experience. But in those next four years you’re going to learn a whole lot inside and outside the classroom. You’ll obtain skills that will help you in the real world, you’ll work towards a w o r l d - c la s s d e g r e e , a n d m o s t importantly, you’ll make friends that you’ll treasure for the rest of your life. O rien t a t ion W eek h a s bee n a great success. I wish to thank all the
incoming first year students who participated in the week and I hope you all had fun. I also want to thank our Orientation staff, committee and volunteers for all their hard work in the past four months to make sure that Orientation week became the amazing event that it was! I would like to inform everyone of two important changes happening on our campus this year: With parking fees frozen this year (remaining at the same rate as last year’s), the construction of two new facilities on campus creates a whole new dynamic regarding fees. The construction of these two structures have taken away valuable resources to the common UTM driver - places to park. This essentially leaves students to choose between Unreserved and Reserved parking spaces, effectively eliminating any reason to buy a Premium Unreserved parking pass. The elimination of parking spaces will also mean our parking lots will be constantly full. Your UTM Students’ Union will, with no doubt, fight for a reduction in parking fees for the 2010-2011 academic year. We will also put pressure on the UTM Administration and Parking Services to ensure that there is a long-term plan to accommodate parking for all drivers at UTM. If you would like to express your concerns regarding parking, please contact Parking Services. As many of you are aware, our UTM library, the Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre, launched the 24/5 Study Space Pilot Project in 2006. This was a threeyear project funded through the Provost’s Office, called the Provost Experience Fund. As of April of this year, the project was discontinued, and the Provost’s Office has decided that they will no longer proceed to provide funding for it. For this academic year, the Library will no longer offer 24/5 study space. At the UTMSU, we are lobbying for the University of Toronto Administration to continue to provide funding for this essential service. Being students ourselves, we know that it is crucial to have a study space available at least 24/5. Your concerns and opinions regarding the 24/5 Study Space Program are highly regarded, so please contact the UTM library if you have any to express.
Sudoku 7
1 4
9 5 7
2 8 5 5
8
8 9 6
Joey Santiago President UTMSU
EDITORIAL EDITOR IN CHIEF Alain Latour editor@mediumonline.ca NEWS EDITOR Saaliha Malik news@mediumonline.ca A&E EDITOR Michael Di Leo arts@mediumonline.ca FEATURES EDITOR Amir Ahmed features@mediumonline.ca SPORTS EDITOR Andrew Tysiak sports@mediumonline.ca COPY EDITOR Su Lyn Liew PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Matthew Filipowich photos@mediumonline.ca COMPOSITE EDITOR Matthew Filipowich WEBMASTER Matthew Filipowich
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Heather Friesen
6
BUSINESS MANAGER Romano Bergic BOARD OF DIRECTORS Marc Bressler, Chris Cauchi, Paul Donoghue, Ali Kasim, Kristian Jurlewicz, Aly Khan Madhavji, Paola Savasta
7 6 4 3 9
MEDIUM II PUBLICATIONS
7
Yours,
Warmest regards,
ASSISTANT A&E Nives Hajdin
3 4
Feel free to contact myself at p r e s i d e n t@ u t m su . c a f o r a n y i n q u i r i e s y ou m a y h a v e . T h e Executives and I are always in the Student Centre, so please feel free to visit us at the UTMSU office (also known as the Yellow Room) if you have any questions, concerns, suggestions or want to get involved to enhance the student experience. You can keep yourself updated with UTMSU’s services and improvements by visiting www.utmsu.ca and you can also join the Facebook group, “UTM’s Student Union (UTMSU)” for updates. I wish all of you the best of luck in the upcoming academic session and I hope to see you all very soon!
5 2
1
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
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER
8, 2009 THE MEDIUM 5
Michael Di Leo, Editor | arts@mediumonline.ca
TIFF previewed KJARTAN HEWITT
Whatever the festival, be it music, food or film, I am always reluctant to venture beyond what is familiar. For instance, the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival is set to kick off this Thursday and I plan on seeing Jason Reitman’s film Up in the Air. That’s not to say I shouldn’t see it, because I’ll probably like it. Reitman will guide me through two hours of love, quirky humour and Jason Bateman (hurray!), and that night I will sleep soundly knowing that true love really can happen for George Clooney in a movie I saw one time. As safe and wonderful as that little narrative sounds, that just isn’t what a festival like TIFF is for. Such an amassing of art and talent should be explored, not just skimmed until we recognize something we can sit through and not completely regret spending $20 on the ticket. Some of my favourite bands are ones I saw by accident at a festival. I tried Ethiopian food for the first time two years ago at a festival on the boardwalk and never looked back. This is your chance to expose yourself to something, to try something new, to take a risk. Having said that, I went to some press screenings this week, so here are some lesserknown films to take a risk on as well as some headliners.
M A X M A NUS Directed by Joachim Rønning & Espen Sandberg Starring Aksel Hennie & Agnes Kittelsen
ANTICHRIST Directed by Lars Von Trier Starring Willem Dafoe
A fter watching two other movies that afternoon, a Norwegian subtitled WWII drama sounded less than appealing. I was pleasantly surprised, however. Max Manus presents the true story of Max Manus, one of the most successful saboteurs fighting against the Germans in Nazi-occupied Norway. I had never heard of the fellow who played him before, Aksel Hennie. Likely because he’s Norwegian and has only been in Norwegian films thus far. Hennie’s performance was well worth the Amanda (a Norwegian film award) it garnered him. The story follows Manus’ life from early
T his movie is intense. Seriously, it might be brilliant, in that I can’t stop thinking about it, but it might also be disturbing. In four chapters, a prologue and an epilogue, director Lars Von Trier brings us the story of a woman, Charlotte Gainsbourg (Science of Sleep) and a man, Williem Dafoe (the weird looking guy in everything) trying to cope after the tragic accidental death of their young son. Antichrist is eerie, but the graphic content puts it on a whole other level. I watched a screener for it alone at my house and at one point shouted at the screen “No no no no!... Fuck!”
on in the war – from running antiNazi propaganda newspapers to just after – and deals with how Manus copes with life as a war hero without a war. It’s more of a dichotomy of man type of war film than an Inglorious Basterds revenge-based war flick. It’s about the passionate young men of Norway who were fighting to take back their country and how they eventually did. Most interesting though is that it’s a WWII movie that doesn’t mention the Jewish people. It’s a distinctly Norwegian perspective, which I had never seen before.
visits the medi um check the arts section for the next three weeks for our coverage of
THE ROAD Directed by John Hillcoat Starring Charlize Theron & Viggo Mortensen
SUCK Directed by Rob Stefaniuk Starring Malcolm McDowell & Dave Foley
THE INFORMANT! Directed by Steven Soderbergh Starring Matt Damon & Melanie Lynskey
EXCITED Directed by Bruce Sweeney Starring Cam Cronin & Paul Skrudland
J ohn Hilcoat’s adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s post-apocalyptic classic has been getting some big attention after its premier at the Venice Film Festival. In my eyes, Viggo Mortensen can do no wrong. Charlize Theron might be able to, but she’s just so darn pretty, right?
W hen The Winners’ bass player becomes a vampire, his band mates decide to roll with it. Bass players are hard to come by. Penned, directed by and starring Canadian film maker Rob Stefaniuk, Suck looks to be a pretty good time. Henry Rollins, Iggy Pop and Alice Cooper also turn up, so that’s a bonus, even if you are sick of vampires.
Steven Soderbergh and Matt Damon made a comedy about a bumbling FBI informant. That sounds great. Matt Damon already receives all kinds of accolades for his performance in this film, which makes its world premier at TIFF on Friday. For whatever reason, putting on weight for a role and good acting are synonymous in Hollywood (excluding Jared Leto in Chapter 27). Damon gained twenty pounds for the role and did a good job, so I’m thinking Oscar nomination.
It’s pretty cute. Canadian director Bruce Sweeney returns after his 2007 film American Venus with a tale of love, family, and sexual dysfunction. After eight years without a date, Kevin, played by Cam Kronin (American Venus), returns to the dating pool with a splash. He ejaculates prematurely. That’s the joke. Set in Vancouver, this Canadian film is an enjoyable watch, with the best part being actor Paul Skrudland. I was laughing every time he opened his mouth.
the worlds greatest film festival.
mediumonline.ca/tiff
6 THE MEDIUM
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER
8, 2009
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CONCERTS GALORE
Orientation hits a high note Orientation Week ‘09 boasts an impressive list of events, but none of them match the excitement of the Frosh Concert NIVES HAJDIN ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR Ask any first-year what they look forward to most during Frosh Week and they’ll tell you, but of course, the concert. The speculations and lengthy discussions started weeks before any concrete decisions were made: “Which bands are playing at U of T this year?” “I heard there’s going to be five different bands!” “Can I sneak in if I don’t have a T-Card?” With all the hype surrounding the Frosh tradition, it was safe to assume that mass hysteria would erupt from the walls of Varsity Stadium on Bloor Street as U of T students filed in to see Anjulie, Arkells, and headliner, Talib Kweli. Yet moments away from
its inception, the atmosphere at the concert seemed anything but lively, despite the centre-floor DJ trying to rev everyone up. Playing to a more than half-empty arena and a handful of onlookers near the stage, Anjulie kicked off the show. The Oakville-born pop singer is best known for her hit single “Boom,” which reached number one on the US Billboard Dance Chart. Anjulie has played various gigs including VFest this past summer. Although she was supported by an energetic band and elegant backup singers, she didn’t communicate with the crowd as well as she could have, which gave the impression that she is still a timid performer despite her increasing exposure to the music scene. Nevertheless, Anjulie showed
Alex Nursall/The Varsity
Talib Kweli performs as part of U of T Orientation Week ‘09.
her vocal range with songs like “Rain” and “The Heat” and managed to get the crowd going with her powerful choruses. Anjulie revealed that she had never attended university herself and, like many students in attendance, was experiencing a university inauguration for the first time. As her set came to a close, she brought out her digital camera and filmed the revitalized crowd for her video blog, a clever ending that unified the students and the up-and-coming entertainer. Following the performance, two UTSU representatives got the attention of students when they started throwing free iTunes download cards into the audience, and by the time the Arkells hit the stage, the crowd had grown to an impressive size with everyone in good spirits. The Arkells began with their rendition of “Amazing Grace,” sparking murmurs from students unfamiliar with their music, but silenced everyone when they kicked up the melody and transitioned straight into “Deadlines,” the power-punching lead track off of their full-length debut album, Jackson Square. Their infectious style and stage presence was evident in every song they performed, and the band put everything they had into the performance, playing extremely well off each other and in complete unison with their emphatic movements. Current radio single “Ballad of Hugo Chavez” stood out as one of the Arkells’ most well written songs, and they followed it with a mellow track entitled “Country Boy,” which showcased how diverse their sound can be.
Alex Nursall/The Varsity
Arkells on stage at Varsity Stadium. The most amazing performance by far was “No Champagne Socialist,” in which keyboardist Dan Griffin broke out the harmonica for a bone-chilling intro that set the mood and inspired the audience to new heights. The album’s strongest tracks, “John Lennon,” “Blueprint,” and “Oh, The Boss is Coming!” rounded out their set and were greatly received by the audience due to the simple fact that the band engaged with their crowd, repeatedly chanting the words to choruses and encouraging the audience to sing along. After the Arkells performance, I got the chance to speak to front man Max Kerman about what’s ahead for the Hamilton group. “We’re very busy at the moment and we’ve been working on some new songs that we hope to play on our upcoming full tour in
November,” says Kerman. When prompted on the topic of their rising fame and how they’re adjusting to the spotlight, Kerman laughs: “We’re really lucky to have played with some big bands like The Tragically Hip, but in the end we always remember how hard we’ve had to work to get it.” The final act of the night was Brooklyn-born rapper Talib Kweli. He is best known for his once-popular hiphop group Black Star with fellow MC Mos Def, as well as for his work with Kanye West, who produced Kweli’s 2002 album Quality. Kweli jumped from song to song – each one backed with the crowd’s support and enthusiasm – and ended the night on a high note that could not be more true to the nature of this year’s theme, Ampl!fy: Live Out Loud.
write for Carnival concert in review
GREG FIORINI
Froshies and Frosh leaders alike rocked with members of campus radio station CFRE Radio at the Frosh carnival concert this past Wednesday. Carnival-goers had the opportunity to see live acoustic performances from special guests Moneen, Spiral Beach, The Junction and Fox Jaws, and meet members from each band during postperformance interviews in the CFRE tent. CFRE Radio, who debuted their brand new logo and kicked off their “Name Our Bunny” contest, also gave away 500 handmade grab
Tenni Gharakhanian/CFRE Radio
bags containing CFRE merchandise and mix CDs put together personally by CFRE DJs and staff. According to a UTMSU executive, CFRE’s concert and tent attracted the biggest crowd at the carnival. Froshies interested in re-living the experience can download all the performances via iTunes or the CFRE Radio website (http:// www.cfreradio.com), or tune in to 91.9 FM on Monday, September 14 at 10 a.m. for an exclusive re-broadcast of the entire show. CFRE will also be posting HD video footage from the concert on their website in the coming weeks. CFRE will be officially launching their new schedule on October 5.
Above: Moneen perform at the UTM Carnival. Top Left: Spiral Beach being interviewed by CFRE Radio staff. Bottom Left: An intimate performance by Spiral Beach.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER
8, 2009 THE MEDIUM 7
Amir Ahmed, Editor | features@mediumonline.ca
CCIT Council plans orientation for students AMIR AHMED FEATURES EDITOR
The CCIT Academic Society’s orientation week is taking place this Friday and if you’re a first-year student unsure of what to study in the future, a CCIT student who wants to meet other CCIT students, or simply someone looking to network, you may find it useful to attend. For those who don’t know, CCIT stands for Communication, Culture and Information Technology. Its faculty and associated programs are unique to UTM, and incorporate elements of a humanities, business and science education to study and utilize the relationships between society and media. It has a culture described by Stephanie Chan, president of the CCIT council, as valuing diversity, technology and innovation.
This year the CCIT council will have the third annual orientation week for CCIT students. The orientation will also be attended by CCIT faculty and staff. For the past two years, the CCIT student body has been benefited by the CCIT council, an academic society formed eleven years ago under the moniker of the CCIT club. As a club, membership was based on a small fee and the welfare of club members was the primary concern of the organization. Two years ago, the club applied for and received the status of an academic society. As an academic society, the council now looks out for the entire CCIT student population, has greater pull with the faculty and extends its influence beyond the sphere of the UTM campus. According to Chan, the goal of the council is “to bring the culture of CCIT together and to make the pro-
gram known outside the campus. The program is new, and lots of employers don’t know the benefits that graduates can offer.” In the past two years, the council has held ‘meet the alumni’ nights, career nights, mixers, and galas. Chan says that attendance for the gala in particular increases every year – an encouraging sign for the cohesiveness of the CCIT students. The events that the council has organized have been primarily focused on introducing the wealth of career opportunities open to CCIT students, which include the fields of print journalism, marketing, publishing and business. There are some difficulties with running the council, says Chan: “because of the diversity within the programs, the general major program versus the health science communication specialist for instance, it’s hard sometimes to cater to everyone’s unique needs, but I think we do a good job of it.” Indeed, one would be hard-pressed to locate the similarities between the faculty’s digital enterprise management program and its visual culture and communication one. The council has plans for the future to build on their past successes and find new ways to show students what options are available to them. This year, the council will kick off the new school year with its third annual orientation, as well as organize networking events between students and societies with different academic affiliations. “It’s important for CCIT students to learn about marketing, about technology, about business,” says Chan. This year, the CCIT council will have the third annual orientation week for CCIT students. The orientation will also be attended by CCIT faculty and staff, who will participate in speeches in order to get students to know them. “We want to get everyone involved,” says Chan, who invites not only first-year students, but also CCIT seniors, students interested in the program, and students looking to network. More information can be found at www.ccitcouncil.com or by sending qustions to info@ccitcouncil.com.
Time to buy: Comparing PCs and Macs BRENDEN MERNAGH
A war is being fought; fought in the aisles of Future Shop and the corridors of Best Buy; fought on the TV ads where Justin Long mocks John Hodgman; and fought for your wallet, your investment and your allegiance. Who are the warring factions, these bitter enemies of commercial comparison? They are Apple’s line of Macbook laptop computers and the PC laptops of producers such as Dell, Acer, and Compaq. Both sides have their points, but which is better for students? Laptops are growing in favour as a standard piece of college equipment. Whether they’re used to take notes in class, write reports into the wee hours of the morning, or – more typically – watch Family Guy clips and movie torrents, computers have become an integral part of campus life for many students. This review won’t compare Apple’s professional line – the Macbook Pros – and professional level PCs. It will compare costfriendly models of similar hardware capability – the kind students can afford. Often the PC vs. Mac debate is superseded by petty, almost fundamental fervour for whichever company the writer prefers. This approach, however, won’t make any progress in addressing students’ needs and wants. Casting aside the notion of companies, should you buy a PC laptop or an Apple Macbook? Who should win the war for our wallet? Each side has one big selling factor. Apple’s is that their computers last. Compared to the lifespan of a PC laptop, the Apple Macbook, through its OS X operating system, is an incredibly stable machine. I still own a working iMac G3 from 1998, and while I have no reason to use such a machine (a contemporary cell phone works faster than the old iMac) it stands as a testament to the
www.laptopreviews.org.uk
stability of the Mac. Others could say they have working PCs from eleven years ago, but this is a rare occurrence. While Macs don’t age like fine wine (no computer does), they won’t fall apart, and will work for as long as they’re needed to. The PC’s selling factor is their competitive price. PCs, in general, are cheap. This is not to say that the components inside them are reflective of this price. PC hardware is usually equal to or exceeds that of the Macbook. This fact is a huge advantage, and the companies that produce PC laptops expose this fact in their laptop hunter ads. If you have seen these ads on television, then you know that it’s impossible to find an Apple laptop under 1,000 dollars. Apple has recently addressed this issue, significantly lowering the prices of their laptops. PCs are still cheaper, but not all of them: brands such as Sony, Toshiba and IBM carry a premium price tag. But even a PC with a lower initial purchase cost may end up a more expensive product when the owner tries to resell it. Used Macs, on the hand, tend to be easier to sell, which makes them a better investment. Macbooks last longer and PCs are initially cheaper. But is that enough information to decide which computer is right for you?
It isn’t. Students use computers for everything: for listening to music, uploading photos, and watching movies. Students need computers that are functional, run well, and won’t break down the day before a major essay is due. PCs and Macs are structurally similar. Most modern PCs run on an Intel Core 2 duo chip set, and have two gigabytes of RAM. This is similar to the Macbook. But the OS X operating system in the Macbook separates the two. Windows Vista – soon to be Windows 7 – is the standard PC operating system. Consumers and critics alike despaired at Vista’s many quirks and annoyances, whereas Leopard, as well as the newly released Snow Leopard, was greeted with stellar reviews and high sales. Most Mac users are fond of saying that OS X “lets the computer compute and its owner work.” It would be hard to find a creative field in the professional world where the Mac is not the computer of choice. Whether it’s to edit a film, design a webpage, record music, or simply reorganize family photos, the Mac’s interface, with its user-friendly, built-in shortcuts and drag-and-drop capabilities, is just easier to use and keeps users from navigating mazes of databases, and being confounded by too many options. According to a recent Business Week article, Apple’s score on the quarterly American Customer Satisfaction Index soared to 85 on the 100-point scale, which is the highest score ever recorded by a computer company, and a full ten points higher than nearest competitor Dell. Steve Jobs was quoted as saying that he considers Macs to be the BMWs of computers and that PCs are the Fords. Each one brings you from point A to B, but would you say that a Ford is in any way comparable to a BMW? Happy shopping.
Features wants you! Contact Amir at features@mediumonline.ca www.wikimedia.org
The CCT Building, opened in 2006, is the hub of communications studies at UTM.
www.tech2.in.com
The Macbook’s OS X operating system is the deciding factor in the PC vs. Mac debate.
for a chance to get your stories, poems and ideas published.
8 THE MEDIUM
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER
8, 2009
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER
8, 2009 THE MEDIUM 9
POETRY AND PROSE
Creative Corner
My instincts say ‘nay’ ARZOO ZAHEER
At the cafe AMIR AHMED FEATURES EDITOR
“Along with those, I’ll have the chocolate muffin, two mint brownies, one of those oat bar things – is that an éclair?” The voice, her voice, was like the life of an ice sculpture, flowing, freezing to perfection, and melting beautifully back into the muted murmurs of conversation, the shuffle of chairs and the tinkle of jazz piano. “I’ll take the éclair and a custard puff. And a strawberry tart.” The voice, her voice, washed through Eric’s head, waking him out of his mulling. Where was he again? Ah yes, the café. No other restaurant he knew had bright red brick walls, paper lantern chandeliers and a reproduction of Picasso’s Guernica lining the back wall. No other restaurant he knew was this delightfully quirky – pity the sign outside read Starbucks. “Make it two strawberry tarts. And add another brownie, an espresso one.” “Okay, that’s everything?” If this was the café, Eric thought, then it must be Monday morning, or Wednesday night. No, it was too bright outside. Monday it was. Damn. That meant he had work in an hour. Eric shifted his weight between his feet and toyed with the strap of his dark blue man-bag. He played a game in his head, calculating how long he could stay before he had to leave for work. If the walk over took him fifteen minutes, if the man in front of him took five minutes to order, and the girl in front of the man took… The girl! He had nearly dismissed her voice as a dream, but looking ahead, he saw half of her unobstructed by the man in front of him. She wore a short, fluttering yellow skirt that ended at her knees. Nice legs, if the one he could see was any indication. A pale white line of midriff blazed between her belt and tight yellow tank top that crinkled around her waist. She had long, frizzy brown hair that fell over an obscured logo on the back of her top. “That’s it for the food. Do you have any milk? I mean real milk?” “Pardon?” Eric leaned to the left, trying to see her face. Her lips were a soft pink on ivory skin. When she spoke they seemed to sculpt her words with soft, deft strokes. She pursed her lips slightly after each word, as if kissing them before sending them on their way. Snub nose, high cheekbones, and – Eric leaned to his left – a pair of earrings that looked like bronze wind chimes. She was beautiful. Not the conventional imitation, like the beauty of an actress or model, but real beauty of imperfect appearance, frayed edges. She wasn’t made of plastic; Eric liked that. How different. “I mean real milk. You know, whole. None of that skimmed crap.” “Uhh. What we have is what we have.” “Let’s see…” The girl crouched to examine the cold food and drink display, and the contours of her skirt did things. Eric felt a blush blossom on his face, and looked at her bag instead. It was dark brown leather and large enough for three hardcovers to peek over the
top. A green button was pinned to the strap. Eric had seen them handed out at the university before. ‘Students for Sustainability.’ “Here we go,” the girl said and reached for a bottle of milk hiding next to neon green Jones Soda. When she leaned forward, her shirt… Eric blushed again. The books. Focus on the books. He could barely make out the letters of the title. It looked like Cervantes. “There, that’s all,” The girl said, sliding the bottle and ruffling the edges of the paper bags holding her sweets. Was she reading Don Quixote? “Sixteen fifty.”
Was she a fellow English major? “Here you go.” And why was she buying so much food? Why the insistence on whole milk and not on skimmed crap? “Thanks.” She picked up her things and left for a table. Eric saw her entirely for the first time. She was beautiful. Why so much food? What was she doing? He had to find out. And his heart beat faster at the thought that he might actually try. The girl took a seat at a round wooden table near the register. The man in front of Eric moved up and placed his order – small cappuccino. Eric moved up, though he couldn’t see the girl unless he turned his head and gawked like a stalker. “Sir?” the barista at the register asked. Eric’s head swerved back to the cashier. “Hi, cookie and a small latte please.” “That’ll be four sixty-four.” “Here you go.” “Thanks. Latte’s coming up.” Eric nodded and took his cookie. “Thanks.” He followed the counter to wait for his coffee. From here he could turn slightly and see the girl. She sat on the edge of her seat, stomach pressed against the edge of her table. Her food sat in a neat semi-circle around her. She was eating. It was hypnotic to watch her. Alone and totally absorbed in her consumption, she ate with a relish and intensity that let Eric feel shadows of flavour on his palate. Between bites, she took sips of milk, quickly, like she was whispering a secret to it. Did she do this all the time? Why? How did she maintain her figure? Did she always come here? He would have noticed if she did. Eric shifted his feet. Would he actually talk to her? He had promised himself that he would before, with other people, in an effort to make friends and be likeable. He had fortyfive minutes until he had to leave, and less than forty-five seconds until his coffee arrived. Less than forty-five seconds to build up the courage. Did she have anywhere to be? Probably nothing professional, not dressed like that. Was she going to a
FEATURES
class? A barista, hidden behind an advertisement for the café’s hot chocolate, handed Eric his latte. Eric took it and shuffled his feet. The tables were occupied, except for a dingy, wobbly one next to the scary human-bull of Guernica. She was alone at a large table that could easily sit six… Would he do it? His heart thumped, and he felt it in his fingertips. Again Eric wondered who she was, what she was doing, where she was going. Only half-thinking, he walked to her table. He realised what he was doing halfway through, and the floor became the deck of a rocking boat. What would he say? Do you believe in love at first sight? Or should I walk by again? If you were a laser, you’d be set to stunning? Bond. James Bond? “Excuse me?” Eric breathed in. He was going to do it. I don’t know who you are but I have to. It’s not because you’re attractive, although don’t get me wrong, you are. It’s because I hate my life, and work every day trying to be happy, but then I see you finding this abandonment in just eating brownies and milk – provided it’s not skimmed crap. I see you and see an escape, an epiphany. You’re mysterious and different and I want to be too. I don’t know where you’re going, but please, take me with you. She looked at him. “Yep?” she asked. Eric’s words drowned. Her eyes were blank, uninterested. He may as well have been furniture. “Mind if I sit here?” She turned back to her food. “Sure.” Eric collapsed into a chair, mute and ashamed. A drop of latte dribbled from his cup and cut a line across his thumb. He pulled a paperback from his bag and tried to read.
Unknowingly, unwontedly, I stumbled upon a mighty foe A bastard child of sheer ignorance and hatred, ye know A monster that ruthlessly tears the frail fabric of the society Fed lovingly by the mainstream media, prejudices & false notoriety An ideology lovingly propagated by popular culture of some A chameleon that deceptively changes colors to BeComE A deceptive snake writhing within naïve hearts and minds They boast that they are magically superior somehow Race, culture, ethnicity, technology & wealth, oh wow! Their list of useless reasons just continues & is expanded upon Implicitly & explicitly in attitude, lingo, education and tone A social construct it is, falsely believed to be a scientific one A construct that brutally silences the meek and weak, my hun Encouraging the feeble minded to hostility and “sleep” A different sort of a psychopath that regularly brutalizes the weak You foolish Racist! Remember the “Roots” “Roots” of the past, tomorrow and of forever “Roots” that intertwine like those of the tree Holding strongly to give life and strength, to the “free” Oh, why your inner disease infects the “Roots” of the trees? Leading to unwanted infection and decay, of their a.b.c.s And eventually, among us, a noiseless sound EchOS As the tree falls to the ground – silent pathos A blackened heart A broken heart Some blackened hearts Some broken hearts Countless blackened hearts Countless broken hearts Now, oh racist, do you see? Do you see, or are you still blind? Ridicules so casually thrown at a person by a person “Why are you living here? Go back to your country, you bison” Ridicules sung in foreign languages by old ladies on the sidewalks Harassments so casually tolerated by the “colored”; thoughts that stalk Legal decisions carefully & pointlessly drafted on termination papers “Unfortunately, the contract has ended because of such and such” Huh! Decisions are Silent Derisions Racial profiling and media propaganda eventually turns into A war machine maniacally designed for genocide, just to subdue “Social coloniasm” gradually colonizes the “Others” As the “dominant ones” foolishly marginalize their own brothers Creating societal power differences within this so called “democracy” Creating socioeconomic disparities, disabling “minorities”, such hypocrisy Senselessly creating “poverty” despite beautifully rich “diversity” Marginalizing “Others” to the extent of retardation, oh a perversity The “perpetrators” have no skin, they have no skin “They” took my voice, so I spoke with pen, paper and ink Racism As Wanda says: “I find it in my mouth When I speak of other things”
10 THE MEDIUM TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2009
Andrew Tysiak , Editor | sports@mediumonline.ca
RAWC: More than just a facility Department of Physical Education hopes to change the trend of inconsistent student participation in intramurals
ANDREW TYSIAK SPORTS EDITOR
Most university students would kill for a gym with unlimited access to a 25-metre, eight-lane swimming pool, a twelve-person hot pool, three squash courts, plenty of weight machines, a cardio room, a dance studio, a glass-enclosed running track and a high-performance centre with Olympic weightlifting platforms. This gym exists here at UTM. It’s called the Recreational, Athletic and Wellness Centre – RAWC for the rest of us – and yet many UTM students fail to make the most of it. The RAWC’s plentiful features and year-round accessibility makes it attractive not only to UTM students, but also to the entire Mississauga community. The university has had little difficulty keeping the facility at full capacity since its opening in 2006, but when it comes to intramurals and extracurricular programs, student participation has been inconsistent. Whether it is because of a lack of promotion from the department of physical education (DOPE) or the pressures of schoolwork, many students appear oblivious to the activities and programs offered by the school. Perhaps some lack the confidence and motivation to participate, while others might be confused about how certain intramurals function. Whatever the reason, Michael Foley, the program assistant at DOPE, wants to ensure that this year, students are aware of what the RAWC has to offer. “We have a wide variety of sports
and programs here at UTM,” says Foley. “Everything from a men’s indoor cricket league to functional intensity training to yoga classes to ball room dancing. There is no shortage of activities and sports for students to get involved in.” The purpose of intramurals is to form a recreational league that is played within a confined geographical area, such as a campus. In order to join an intramural league at UTM, students need to create a team among themselves and gather a specific number of teammates before the scheduled team entry meetings occur. Despite the intramurals’ first-come, first-served policy, Foley intends to make sure that individual students without a team won’t get discouraged or intimidated by the whole process. “Students who don’t have a team will sometimes think they can’t be involved,” Foley says. “That is not the case. They can join what we call the “Free Agent” list in the program office. If enough individuals sign up for that list, a team will be created. If a team is a player or two short they may also turn to the Free Agent list and recruit an individual.” Those who are unsure about certain details should rest assured that Foley and the RAWC staff welcome inquiries. “I’ve received many questions about ice hockey,” Foley says. “Students need to realize that there is no charge or rental fee for ice hockey. Just bring your equipment and the school will take care of the rest.” For students who feel too inexperienced or out of shape to join any intramurals, each sport’s league offers different divisions based on skill levels. Division 1 leagues are for advanced skilled teams that are looking for competition and willing to take the sport more seriously.
Division 2 leagues are for beginner to intermediate skilled teams looking primarily to have fun and meet new people rather than partake in fierce competition. Interest in different sports vary from year to year. Last year, Foley noticed that while some sports were extremely popular in terms of registration, such as indoor soccer, others, such as men’s ball hockey, were not. Other intramurals which continue to rise in popularity are squash and rowing. Squash became so popular last year that the department of physical education is now offering a new four-week course called “Squash Lessons for Beginners.” The course will be held on Tuesdays from 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. and will cost $40 for students and $50 for non-students. The department offers tri-campus leagues; the highest level of league play available within the U of T intramural program. It requires UTM teams to compete against a team from U of T Scarborough and two teams made up of the best players selected from tryouts at the St. George campus. There is a wide range of sports to choose within this particular program including ultimate frisbee, ice hockey and rugby. For students concerned about the inconvenience of finding their own way to the other University of Toronto campuses, the university provides transportation to all games played off campus. Despite all the accommodations provided by the physical education department, some students feel that joining an intramural would be too much of a burden as it takes time away from their studies. But Foley does not want students to think of intramurals as another responsibility. “Students who participate in
Matthew Filipowich/The Medium
Tri campus Div 1 UTM Eagles beat UTSC 95 85 for the championship last year. sports and other fitness activities are making the most of their university experience. It’s a great way to meet people and stay in shape all at the same time. Students will find that playing sports, taking a dance class or going for a swim in the pool are all great ways to relieve stress as well,” says Foley.
For more information about tryout and team entry meeting dates for intramurals, students can pickup a hard copy at the Memberships Services Counter, the Control Desk or the Program Office. The information is also available online at http://www1.erin.utoronto.ca/~w3p hysed/
Toronto Maple Leafs: Season preview DAVID ESPOSTO
Four years without post-season hockey for Leaf Nation is tough to take. But with an off-season full of gritty acquisitions and most importantly, optimism, it seems Brian Burke and co. has not only made the Maple Leafs better, but bolder as well. A decline in success and fortune had long been in the cards for the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2008/2009 season. As they went on to win their first game of the season away to Detroit at the Joe Louis Arena, many in the Leaf Nation thought that maybe, for just a second, this could be the year. But once again optimism turned to pessimism as the Maple Leafs crashed out of the playoff race and finished on the outside looking in.
As another free-agent frenzy came and went, Burke and co. ensured the fans that change would be imminent. With his first full season as GM now underway, Burke has left his mark. The hard-nosed style he brings to the boardroom has been transported into an on-ice product. Tough and truculent has become the new ethos of a team desperate to rid themselves of the playoff curse. “Our goal is to make the playoffs next year; we're going to have to make some changes to do it. We're going to be a different team,” Burke said this summer. A glimpse at the Leafs roster after a busy offseason will illustrate a trend. While many may be quick to harp on the Leafs lack of offensive firepower, the truth is that offense was never really the issue. The issue turned out to be the lack of defensive cover for
one of the many goalies thrown into the mix by Coach Ron Wilson. Whether it was Vesa Toskala, Curtis Joseph, Justin Pogge or Martin Gerber, there was only so much these goalies could do as the last line of defence. After finishing the season with a measly 81 points, their lowest point total since the post-lockout era, it was time for the team to undergo a wholesale change. Gone is defenseman Pavel Kubina, who was shipped to the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for Garnet Exelby and Colin Stuart (who was later traded to the Calgary Flames). But even while Burke was active on the trade front, his biggest moves were made via free agency. Added to a blue line already bolstering the likes of standout rookie Luke Schenn and Tomas Kaberle, the addition of former Montreal Canadien Mike
Komisarek and former Anaheim Duck Francois Beauchemin give the leafs a bolder, tougher and grittier look. Upfront, the addition of former New York Ranger Colton Orr ensures that the offense will be well protected. “I like a lot of hitting. I like a lot of fighting. We have a passive group. All year long, when a trainer was on the ice - it was always our trainer – that really bothered me. It will be a more hostile group in the fall,” said Burke. Just as the “Burke rebuild” begins to take shape, it is important to remember that Rome was not built in a day. And with a more hostile group ready and willing to fight for their place among the NHL’s elite, hope and patience is needed across Leaf Nation if the Maple Leafs want to relive the glory days of past eras.
www.wikimedia.org
Francois Beauchermin was one of Burke’s main acquisitions this summer.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER
8, 2009 THE MEDIUM 11
OFFSEASON ANTICS
Busy offseason dictates Raptors’ long-term fate ANDREW TYSIAK SPORTS EDITOR
After a dismal 33-win season last year, Toronto Raptors President and GM Bryan Colangelo refused to be a bystander during the offseason, implementing an inevitable roster shakeup that saw nine key trades and acquisitions. The Raptors signed highly coveted free agent Hedo Turkoglu to a five-year contract and restricted free agent Jarrett Jack to a four-year deal to serve as a viable backup to point guard Jose Calderon. What makes this offseason so beneficial for the Raptors organization is not because they made the moves for the sake of change, but because they addressed and solved many of the team’s needs and problems from last season. With the Jason Kapono for Reggie Evans trade, and the Carlos Delfino and Roko Ukic for Amir Johnson trade, the Raptors gained both defensive toughness and tenacious rebounding skills. During his time in Philadelphia, Evans was regarded as an excellent rebounder at both ends of the court and always hustles for every ball. After spending four seasons in Detroit, Amir Johnson drastically improved his game and developed a reputation as an athletic player who shows outstanding anticipation and effort for rebounds and blocked shots. Johnson also possesses soft hands around the basket that causes turnovers on the defensive end and enables him to display an effective short range game on the offensive end. By acquiring both Jack and Turkoglu, the Raptors solved their needs for both a legitimate backup point guard for Calderon and a clutch player that possesses the ability to make tough shots during close games. Both players provide versatility across the roster as each player can effectively play several positions on the court. Jack is noted for being a
speedy and skilled player unafraid to take on a leadership role on the court while being considered a proven threepoint shooter. On the other hand, Turkoglu is a tremendous playmaker and long range shooter for his size, and can arguably play all five positions on the court. Despite all this, Colangelo believes Marco Bellenelli, acquired in a trade for Devean George on July 30, will be the difference maker for the team this upcoming season. “He could be a guy who surprises people if you look at what he was capable of doing in a lot of important situations last year in Golden State,” Colangelo said. “The guy is a really, really good basketball player. From looking at his stats last year to what he is going to do for us, he could really be one of those people who is looked on as a most improved player.” Those may be daunting expectations for the young Italian, who came in to replace former Raptor guard Anthony Parker, but considering the flashes of brilliance he showed at Golden State, the forecasts are not out of the question. If the team is able to develop a consistent chemistry from the get-go, they should be able to make big strides which could include the franchise achieving its first ever 50-win season which could result in a lengthy playoff run. But if there is a repeat of last season and the newly acquainted roster underachieves, the future holds rough times for the franchise. A poor season could discourage all-star Chris Bosh and result in losing him to free agency in the highly anticipated 2010 offseason. It could perhaps be the beginning of the end for Colangelo, who has dealt with inconsistent teams the last couple of seasons. The Raptors begin their regular season against the new-look Cleveland Cavaliers at the Air Canada Centre on October 28.
Chargers LB Merriman arrested in domestic call SAN DIEGO Authorities say San Diego Chargers star linebacker Shawne Merriman has been arrested on suspicion of choking and restraining his girlfriend, a reality TV star, as she tried to leave his Southern California home. (Associated Press) Bruins sign Julien to contract extension BOSTON The Boston Bruins signed head coach Claude Julien to a contract extension Friday. Julien won the Jack Adams award last season as the NHL's best coach for guiding the Bruins to the top of the Eastern Conference. Boston finished 53 19 10 for 116 points. Julien spent three seasons as coach in Montreal, before moving to New Jersey for part of the 2006 07 season. (Canadian Press) Rockets ink Mensah Bonsu Houston, TX The Houston Rockets signed forward Pops Mensah Bonsu on Thursday. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. Mensah Bonsu has appeared in 34 games with Dallas, San Antonio and Toronto, averaging 4.1 points and 3.9 rebounds. (TSN)
SPORTS
Gaunce eyes the prize at UTM and the OHL UTM student and Majors forward Cameron Gaunce adapts to hectic lifestyle ANDREW TYSIAK SPORTS EDITOR
Many students struggle to balance schoolwork with everyday life. Cameron Gaunce, second-year UTM student and Mississauga St. Michael`s Majors defenseman, has bigger ambitions – he dreams of becoming an NHL player, while maintaining a good academic score. It`s not an easy goal. On one hand, Gaunce’s hockey career, thus far, has certainly been successful. As a junior player, he won the OHL cup with the Markham Waxers, which named him Team Rookie of the Year. At the Majors he was voted to the 2007-08 OHL All Rookie Team, ranking 12th among rookies scoring with 40 points at the end of the season. Last season alone, Gaunce scored 17 goals and racked up 64 points in 67 games after the Colorado Avalanche drafted him in the second round (50th overall) in the 2008 NHL draft. Bearing enough physical presence, Gaunce won`t hesitate to throw his body around or to get into a fight or two. He lies among the team leaders in penalty minutes last season with 110 penalties in minutes (PIM). Gaunce models his game after Calgary Flames defenseman Robyn Regehr, with whom he shares a sound hockey sense and very efficient defensive skill. He expects, however, to establish himself as more of a solid two-way player, becoming both a legitimate offensive and defensive threat for the opposing team every time he steps on the ice. For all his success in hockey, Gaunce`s academic performance has been sub par. He will be the first to admit that he struggled during his first school year at UTM. “I fell short of my own personal expectations,” says the feisty six-foot-one defenseman. “I could`ve done better, but getting used to the school-and-hockey lifestyle was pretty tough.” With such a busy hockey schedule, Gaunce had little time and energy to spare for academics. He found, despite being enrolled in only two courses per semester, that the combined workload was too heavy and he resorted to staying up late, desperately trying to catch up on schoolwork. The fact that he was taking introduction to economics and introduction to psychology, two notoriously demanding courses, didn`t help. Eventually, he fell victim to procrastination and let his homework pile up.
Matthew Filipowich/The Medium
Gaunce is heading into his third season with the St Michael’s Majors. Others might have dropped out of school, but Guance adjusted, just as he had adapted to different scenarios on the ice. During the latter half of the year, he developed a routine that allowed him to balance both school and hockey in a more efficient manner. The routine was simple enough, relying on structure and organization. Gaunce began prioritizing his time carefully and setting a rigid schedule that saw him rest when he returned home from hockey and eating something before throwing himself into the books. “I found near the end of the year that I’d started to get a grasp of my studies a bit better,” says Gaunce with a confident glint in his eyes. “But this year hopefully I can start out better.” Gaunce’s journey through university will be longer and even more strenuous than the average students. But the final results matter the most.
Tempting as it may be for a dedicated athlete like Gaunce to give up on school and focus solely on his hockey dream, including the millions of dollars that await him in the NHL, he has always considered education to be important to him. In fact, he values it just as much as hockey. As for the fate of the Majors, which last season lost four straight games to the Niagara Ice Dogs in the conference quarterfinals, Gaunce still expects nothing less than a trip to the finals for the upcoming season. With 19 players from last year’s roster partaking in the final days of training camp, the team, he says, should have better chemistry and should also be more prepared mentally and physically for the long road ahead. On September 18, Gaunce and the Majors will begin their quest for glory as they hit the road for their season opener against the Brampton Battalion at the Powerade Centre.
12 THE MEDIUM TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2009
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION FALL EMPLOYMENT OSAP eligible UTM students are welcome to apply for one or more of our Work Study positions:
Tournament Coordinator League Commissioners Web/Marketing Assistant Program Assistants Facility Admin. Assistant Complete job descriptions and more details will be posted on-line with the Career Centre. Resumes and cover letters can be dropped off at the Program Office.
Officials/Timers/Scorers Needed: All UTM students are eligible to apply for officiating/timing/scoring positions in our Campus Rec Intramural Program. Contact Jack Krist at j.krist@utoronto.ca
REGISTRATION FOR FALL BEGINS THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10th at 8am. Functional Intensity Training (F.I.T)
Squash Lessons for Beginners
This high intensity training is designed to enhance an individual competency at all physical tasks. Improves overall cardio, stamina, strength, flexibility and coordination. Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays from 5pm - 6pm or 6pm - 7pm. 5, 10 and full term packages available.
Tuesdays beginning Sept 22 1 hour sessions (4 total) 5:30-6:30pm or 6:30pm-7:30pm $40 for students and $50 for nonmembers
UTM-Varsity Rowing Ever thought about rowing? Come to our recruitment meeting Wednesday, September 9th in the Fitness Centre here at the RAWC. It begins at 6pm. Visit www.utmrowing.com or see page 33 in our Activity Guide for more information.
UTM Olympic Weight Lifting Club (New Members Welcome!) Stop by the High Performance Centre weeknights between 7pm and 10pm for more information about this style of training.
Do you enjoy Dancing? We offer Ballroom, Belly Dancing, Hip Hop and Latin Dance classes here at UTM. Pick up a copy of our Activity Guide for more details.
Martial Arts/Yoga Stay in shape by enrolling in one of our Martial Arts Instructional Courses. Choose from Aikido, Judo and Karate. Sign-up for one term or two! For a change of pace we also offer a Yoga class. Perfect for winding down!