Vol 36 issue 18

Monday, February 22, 2010

Volume 36, Issue 18

Has campaigning began before the elections?

SAALIHA MALIK AND ALAIN LATOUR

For the last two months, the UTMSU has held caucus meetings during which select student club presidents and UTMSU executives discussed who should run for the UTMSU election that will take place two weeks from today. After the last meeting on February 9, VP Equity Vickita Bhatt was chosen as the unofficial candidate for the presidency, said three participants of the meeting. Bhatt neither confirmed nor denied this, saying only that she had met with individuals regardless of their position at UTM. During the meetings, UTMSU executives encouraged select club presidents to ask questions and vote on who they believed should run for president of the UTMSU. But according to Henry Ssali, current VP External and now an independent candidate for the presidency, the vote was “already skewed to [VP Equity] Vickita Bhatt.”

Current UTMSU executive Maria Pilar Galvez joined Bhatt and Ssali in seeking out support from UTMSU and club executives during these meetings, which were held in the South Building Antechamber on three separate occasions: January 27, February 4 and February 9.

The group ruled out Pilar Galvez as presidential candidate during the second meeting on February 4, said attendants of the meeting. A tie vote between Ssali and Bhatt led the group to call a third meeting on February 9 to hear from these two candidates again.

Finally, a majority of the caucus group, which was primarily made up of club presidents, cast its vote in Bhatt’s favour.

Among club presidents who came to

utmmovement.ca

Current UTMSU executives were chosen for their team UTM Movement through a caucus group last year. these meetings were Baptist Student Ministries president Jonathan Wahab, Caribean Connections president Delphino Gilbert Cassar, II, Erindale Chinese Student Association president Kenneth Peng, Erindale College African Student Association president Adekunie Ajisebutu, Hindu Student Council president Garima Bhatt, Muslim Students Association president Fahad Tariq and CCIT Council president Stephanie Chan.

HSC president Garima Bhatt, who was part of the “caucus” group, admitted that she was “surprised when asked to be part of it by UTMSU.” As to why the group decided to support the current UTMSU VP Equity, the HSC president said that there had been “deliberation” as well as “speeches and discussion.” Moreover, she maintained that the HSC has not officially endorsed a candidate despite the caucus’s decision.

MSA president Fahad Tariq claims he was asked to be part of the caucus group

by UTMSU executives because “our club is large. We were helping in the decisionmaking process. We just voted on who the UTMSU executives [who are not running] should endorse.” With roughly 1,000 members, the MSA is one of the largest clubs on campus.

According to Tariq, the MSA has not officially selected a candidate to endorse.

The president claims that the club remains open to meeting all candidates and will officially endorse a presidential candidate once they meet with everyone during the campaign period.

When a campus student club endorses a candidate, executive members communicate their endorsement through Facebook messages and emails to all its members indicating who they should vote for. Large clubs may thus have a consider-

able say in who wins the election.

As for Bhatt, the chosen candidate, she resigned from the Elections and Referenda committee approximately 30 minutes after the elections and referenda committee met to hire of the Chief Returning Officer and the Deputy Returning Officer.

Bhatt admits she sought support from the caucus group, but declined to answer why she sought club presidents for support in her decision to run for UTMSU President. Bhatt also declined to answer whether she felt she now has an advantage over other candidates.

According to VP External Henry Ssali, any student “who feels comfortable and qualified to run for any position should run and let [other] students decide who they want their representatives to be, instead of one that’s hand-picked by 6/10 people.”

Asked why he had come to the meet-

ings if he disagreed with them so much, Ssali said, “I learned about this caucus group through the President's text message, which indicated that I was required to attend a caucus meeting in the Ante Room at 7 p.m. As VP External, part of my mandate is to attend all meetings organized by the President and as such I attended to fulfill my duty.”

UTMSU President Joey Santiago could not be reached for comment.

VP Internal and Services Carole Au Yeung was one of several UTMSU executives who took part in the caucus meetings.

Au Yeun sits on the Elections and Referendum committee and oversees the conduct and supervision of the Elections and Referenda of the UTMSU. Moreover, in her position as VP Internal and Services, Au Yeung participated in the hiring of the elections administrators, the Chief Returning Officer and the Deputy Returning Officer, both of which monitor the election, enforces the election and procedures codes to ensure a fair process.

According to the UTMSU Elections and Procedure code, “the Elections and Referenda Committee has the ability to overrule decisions made by the CRO.” The Elections and Procedure code further stipulates that “all committee members shall act impartially during the Election period.

Failure to act impartially may result in removal and/or censure from the committee.”

As of press time, Au Yeu had still not answered emailed questions about whether she thought she could remain impartial during the election period after helping select which candidate the caucus should support.

Official nomination period for UTMSU spring elections begins today and ends March 5 at 5 p.m. Nomination forms can be picked up in Student Centre room 115 from Linda Feener.

USA- 5 CANADA- 3 Despite outshooting and outplaying their opponents, the heavily favoured Canadian squad lost a shocker to the USA 5-3 in their final preliminary round match. The difference maker of the game was none other than USA goaltender Ryan Miller, who stopped 43 shots and made key saves down the stretch to pull off the big upset.

Canadian goaltender Martin Brodeur was particularly shaky, allowing two goals as result of botched clearing and poke check attempts on separate occasions. As a result of the game, USA automatically advances to the quarter finals, while the Canadians have to take the difficult road ahead and will have to battle in a qualification playoff game against Germany in order to advance to the quarter finals.

Use spell check.

Use spell PAGE 2 check.

PAGE 2 Top Gear!

Top Gear!

PAGE 5 PAGE 5 Studying Abroad Studying PAGE 8 Abroad PAGE 8 ctv.ca

The nail in the coffin: USA’s last minute empty net goal seals Canada’s fate.

Olympic injuries Olympic injuries PAGE 10 PAGE 10 www.mediumonline.ca www.mediumonline.ca

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY

22, 2010

NEWS FINANCE SPELLING COURSE

Spelling and grammar poor among students First Islamic finance course offered at Centennial College MIMI ZALAT

Like hula hoops in the 50’s, bell bottom jeans in the 70’s and the Macarena dance in the 90’s, social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter have become a new fad that people of all ages are into today.

But unlike in the case of the Macarena, reports related to social networking sites indicate an alarming trend. Due to the popularity of the “slang� language used in text messaging and on sites such as Facebook, the level of grammar and spelling in university students has decreased. Indeed, many university students have begun to use this slang in their academic and professional work.

The University of Waterloo was one of the first to take action against these complaints. It now requires students to take an English proficiency test. Almost a third of the students test fail the test; another thirty per cent are just over the passing line.

Moreover, the failure rate has

jumped from 25 per cent up to 30 per cent within the past few years.

The reasons for failure vary between poor grammar and bad spelling.

According to many university professors and academic directors, the blame should also be placed on high school teachers who have not taken the time to teach their students proper grammar usage. Ann Barrett, the managing director of the English language proficiency exam at the University of Waterloo, expressed her frustration at the high school curriculum. “What has happened in high school that they cannot pass our simple test of written English, at a minimum?� said Barrett in an interview with Canadian News.

Rummana Khan Hemani, the director of academic advising at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, reported that many students use emoticons such as happy faces and sad faces in their letters of academic appeal to express their feelings. Other students use words such as “cuz� instead of “because,� along with other abbreviations that have initially started as a way

of reducing characters when text messaging.

Paul Budra, an English professor and associate dean of arts and science at SFU, explains that “punctuation errors are huge, and apostrophe errors. Students seem to have absolutely no idea what an a p o s t r o p he i s f o r . N o n e . A b s o lutely none.â€? According to Budra, students almost always misspell words such as “a lotâ€? and “definitelyâ€? “I get their essays and I go, ‘You obviously don’t know what a sentence fragment is. You think commas are sort of like parmesan cheese that you sprinkle on your words‌ It’s not that hard to teach basic grammar,â€? said Budra, who warns students that this kind of language will always be looked down upon in traditional corporations.

If technology is partly to blame, technology may also offer a solution. According to Margaret Proctor, University of Toronto’s writing support coordinator, software such as Microsoft Word’s spellcheck may be helping students with their spelling problems.

Composting programs introduced at St. George KATHERINE LUCYZNSKI

St. George campus recently introduced a new compost bin program to work towards a more environmentally friendly version of itself. The program saw green bins set up around the downtown campus to encourage students to compost instead of throwing their leftovers in the trash.

Meanwhile, St. George students helped promote the program by handing out bookmarks with relevant information.

The goal of the introducing green bins and composting to U of T’s St. George campus is to create new ways to reduce the amount of garbage pro-

duction and allow students to live a greener life. Last year alone, 1,200 tons of garbage was turned into compost with the help of the U-Compost team at U of T. Jacob Locker, a chef and director of Food Services at U of T, oversaw the implementation of green bins around campus. He had for some time wanted to see them spread in smaller onand off-campus locations. However, a private contractor hired by U of T to pick up the compost from the green bins required a minimum amount to be picked up in each location—an amount that less frequented parts of the campus were not as likely to achieve.

The program, according to the volunteer students, has been a success. In

an interview with News@UofT, Green Team member Ioni Waislguess called the bins “little green beacons of selfquestioning and social questioning,� arguing that they are not just a good alternative to throwing out garbage, but also get “people thinking about what garbage is."

Other students who participated in the U-compost effort at the downtown campus were quoted saying that the program was not only educational, but inspiring. Waislguess describer the work as easier than expected, adding that he got to meet many interesting people.

For more information about the UCompost program at the St. George campus, students can visit http://blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca/.

MIMI ZALAT

For many people, signing up for a savings account in North America is a decision strongly influenced by the interest rate the bank offers—the higher, the better. But in regions such as Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and other Islamic countries, gaining interest on monetary sums is an option shunned by many.

This is due to the belief that, according Islamic Shari’a law, earning interest on finances and investing in commodities that contravene Islamic law are forbidden practices.

As Canada’s Muslim community continues to grow, the demand for Islamic finance is on the rise. Canadian banks are unable to cooperate, primarily due to a lack of knowledge on the subject.

With the Islamic community expected to form 4.7 per cent of Canada’s population by 2017, the lack of Islamic finance may become an obstacle for agreements between banks and their clients, especially since there is no legal barrier to offering such finance in Canada, as shown by a study by Canada

Mortgage and Housing Corp.

To solve this problem, Scarborough’s Centennial College has decided to become the first campus in Canada to teach Islamic finance. The $500 course will be available to students as a part of the accounting program, as a standalone course, or for corporate training, and will be taught by Islamic scholars. “We have created the course in response to demand from a number of sectors—including one of the major banks that said it wants to be able to talk the same language as clients whose background is based in Islamic finance,� said John Harris, Centennial’s chair of the accounting and financial services programs.

Throughout the course, students will learn how to form legal agreements where both parties agree to fulfill the deal without interest. This may be done through a letter of credit or guarantee.

The course will also cover bank loans and mortgages, among many other topics.

Observers believe this may be big step for Canada, since Islamic finance, which has increased by 20 per cent each year since 2001, is expected to be the fastestgrowing segment.

Water awareness on campus KATHERINE LUCYZNSKI

UTM hosted its first ever Water Awareness Week the week of February 9 to 11. The event consisted of informative displays and special events to students interested in learning more about where our water comes from and what is happening to it.

Members of the Ministry of Environment set up display boards in the Student Centre from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. showcasing information on water treatment and disposable water bottles. The informative displays also included a taste testing stand, where large jugs of water were set up for students to taste the difference between filtered and unfiltered water.

Subsidized reusable water bottles were

also sold.

On February 10, a game of “Water Jeopardy� took place in the Student Centre, where students were quizzed on all things pertaining to water. The next day, Harvey Shear held a lecture in the North Building. The topic focused on freshwater and the challenges facing Mexico in the 21st Century. The same day, a documentary entitled “Flow: For the Love of Water� was screened in the Student Centre presentation room. The movie by Irena Salina focused on the world’s failing freshwater supply, pollution, human rights and the actualization of a world water cartel.

The week’s events were successful overall and students who wish to learn more about the water crisis and Salina’s film are asked to visit www.freethoughtcanada.ca.

Campus police weekly summaries January 11, 2010 – February 18, 2010 February 11 - 9:44 a.m.

Trespass to Property Act Campus Police attended and investigated a complaint from the RAWC with regards to a verbally abusive male. The male was trespassed from the facilities.

While on patrol, Campus Police discovered a group of males skateboarding in the CCT garage. The males were charged and released.

February 13 - 1:14 a.m.

By-Law Offences

February 12 - 6:42 p.m.

Information

Campus Police attended several residence areas in regards to a noise complaint. Campus Police patrolled the area until it was clear.

Campus Police responded to a complaint regarding an indecent act in the South Building. The suspects were gone upon arrival.

February 13 - 1:32 a.m.

By-Law Offences

February 12 - 11:18 p.m.

Trespass to Property Act

Campus Police responded to a noise complaint from a residence building. The residents were compliant.

February 13 - 2:26 a.m.

Causing a Disturbance Campus Police responded to a call with regards to a group of males talking loudly outside a residence building. The area was cleared without incident.

being intoxicated in a public place.

February 13 - 10:50 a.m.

Information Campus Police attended the RAWC to investigate a complaint of trespassing. Investigation continues.

February 13 - 2:45 a.m.

By-Law Offences

February 14 - 3:15 p.m.

Library Code of Conduct

Campus Police responded to a noise complaint from a residence building. The residents were compliant.

C a m p us P o li c e a t t e n d e d t h e HMALC in regards to a male causing a disturbance. The male departed when Campus Police arrived.

February 13 - 3:02 a.m.

Liquor License Act

February 16 - 5:25 p.m.

By-Law Offences

Campus Police charged a male for

Ever wonder how the “real world� works?

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Campus Police attended the CCT Building in regards to a noise complaint. The group of people causing the noise was told to leave the building.

February 17 - 2:42 a.m.

Missing Person C a m p u s P o l ic e w a s a s s is t e d i n locating a missing person. The person was found without incident.

February 18 - 5:54 p.m.

Trespass to Property Act Campus Police attended two separate calls with regards to trespassers at the RAWC. The males were c h a r g ed w i t h t r e s p a s s i n g a n d released.

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TO REGISTER FOR EMPLOYER EVENTS, WORKSHOPS AND MORE, visit www.utm.utoronto.ca/careers UTM

CAREER CENTRE

MONDAY, FEBRUARY

HSC “konnects” students together at semi-formal On February 12, over 200 students dressed in traditional clothing attended Kismat Konnection, a Valentine’s Day-themed semi-formal organized by the Hindu Student Council and hosted at the Blind Duck.

According to event planner Maryam Masood, the word “kismat” means fate and destiny. The name Kismat Konnection thus entails “meeting someone and celebrating and cherishing that person, or people who are a part of your destiny,” said Masood.

“We here at HSC feel like it was our destiny to be together and we love each other like a family. Hence, we not only wanted loved ones to celebrate but we also wanted to show our gratitide for the HSC ‘konnection’ which was in our kismat.”

In light of the romantic theme, the Council had offered discounted tickets for couples.

Masood also expressed her hopes of bringing people of different ethnicities together on campus to enjoy in the culture celebrated by the HSC. “UTM is one of the most diverse campuses in Canada. The Hindu Student Council showed this off with the richness in food diversity and the spectacular dance performances,” said UTMSU VP external Henry Ssali.

HSC members Maryam Masood, Dhrumil Parikh, Meenal Tayal, Garima Bhatt, and Rohit Dubey were

TEN “KONNECTIONS” NEWS

UTM professor ranks top ten in the country KATHERINE LUCYZNSKI ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

STEFANIE MAROTTA ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

HSC executive members at the Valentine’s Day themed formal. all involved in planning and making the night enjoyable for attendees.

The evening of festivities kicked off with kathak and Bollywood dances performed on stage by UTM students Nikhita Paluri and Radhika Batra.

Attendees indulged in a South Asian vegetarian dinner that included gulab jamun for dessert.

After the meal, local band Sukon took to the stage and performed original songs from their upcoming album. The band, made up of four musicians, included second-year political science student Shery Amir and third-year commerce student Ibrahim Chohan.

Next, UTM students Saad Tauseef and Ashan Bin Arif took the stage for the main musical event of the night.

The duo performed “Billy Jean” by

David Cook, “Aarmaan” by Seige and Yeh Jawani from the Bollywood movie Jawani Deewani and other requests.

“The performances were a lot of fun, especially Saad and Ashan. They received a great response from the crowd,” said second-year Nabeel Jafri.

Attendees danced the rest of the evening to music played by DJs from SoundEscape. Prior to the event, students had the opportunity to request songs on their Facebook event page.

Not everything, however, was of a romantic or fun nature: the Council also made sure to include a booth for donations to Haiti.

Students can look forward to HSC’s upcoming event Antakshari (battle of songs) on March 19.

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On February 8, it was announced that UTM Biology Professor Monika Havelka became a finalist in TVO’s Best Lecturer Competition. Out of the initial 300 nominees from universities all over Canada, Havelka is one of ten university professors in the running to win the title of Best Lecturer. In five consecutive years of TVO’s Best Lecturer competition, this year is the largest competition thus far.

The ten finalists were chosen by a jury made up of teachers, trainers, television producers and three hosts: Linda Armstrong, journalist Jesse Brown and journalist-poet Clifton Joseph. The finalists were judged based on their ability to present ideas in an entertaining and energetic way while remaining authoritative and cohesive.

Ten different universities are represented among the top ten finalists: Laurentian University at Georgian College, Queen’s University, Ryerson University, the University of Toronto (two contenders), the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, the University of Ottawa and York University.

Havelka, a member of the UTM faculty since 2003, has an MSc and PhD in Zoology from the University of Western Ontario, where she studied the evolution of life history patterns in small mammals. Apart from teaching biology, Havelka has also taught courses in evolutionary biology, comparative psychology, biostatistics,

ecology, organismal diversity, landscape ecology, mammalian biology and environmental science.

“I am a big advocate of experiential learning—my favourite place to conduct a lecture is on the tundra in Churchill MB or in a deciduous forest on the Oak Ridges Moraine. I am lucky to have a great husband and kids who share my passion for the natural world. When not in the field or in the classroom, I can usually be found on the back of my horse,” said Professor Havelka.

Many UTM students hold her in high regard. “She is a fantastic and enthusiastic speaker,” said Patrick Redegeld, a third-year UTM student.

“Her passion for her subject matter shows in her teaching style.” “[Havelka is] one of the most engaging personalities on the UTM campus,” said another third-year, Ekaterina Kosyachkova. “Her fun, yet comprehensive approach to biology has inspired me to pursue a biology major.”

Professor Havelka will give a lecture airing on TVO’s Big Ideas on March 28, with other finalists presenting their lectures on different days.

Viewers will be able to vote on their favourite lecturer online at tvo.org or by calling toll-free at 1-866-792VOTE (8683). Polls close on April 11, and the winner will be chosen on April 17. Along with winning several great prizes and the title of TVO’s Best Lecturer 2010, the winner’s university will also receive a $10,000 TD Insurance Meloche Monnex scholarship.

Star sightings at UTM OVAIS SHAH

While most students were relaxing during reading week, University of Toronto staff and students, along with members of the Mississauga community, gathered for the bi-monthly get-together of the Royal Canadian Astronomical Society.

The event started inside the CCT Building, outside of which was a display of different telescopes that allowed the participants to observe the various constellations, planets and the moon.

Inside, a member of the society d i st r ib u t e d a f r e e a s t r o n o m i c a l device called the Star-Finder. This device allows users to turn the dial on the particular time and day of the year and follow coordinates to find the major constellations on the night sky. Alongside the StarFinder, the society provided event-goers with free hot chocolate. One highlight of the event was moon-gazing, whereby various members observed a close-up shot of the moon and its craters.

“I’ve never seen the moon up that close, it looks like a photograph except it is real-time and the fine details on the surface are remarkable on a night when the moon is not in its full-phase,” said attendee Christie Sanders.

Another highlight was the unusual appearance of what looked like a red star in the sky but was actually the planet Mars.

Many spectators gathered outside the South Building’s courtyard to observe the planet, which appeared distinct and bright red from the other surrounding celes-

tial bodies.

Back inside, the audiences watched the film, Close Encounters of the Third Kind by Steven Spielberg.

RCAS executive John Marcese thanked the University of Toronto Alumni association for supporting the Royal Canadian Astronomical Society and its events. Marchese also bought attention to the society’s free meetings and purpose of offering free beginner level information on astronomy for all university students and astronomy amateurs. He encouraged the UTM students to turn out to the society’s meetings and take advantage of the group’s services.

In his closing remarks, Marchese also brought attention to the next activity of the society a t t h e R i v e r w o od Conservatory Area several blocks away from UTM, where the society members observe stars and planets in a more suitable setting for star-gazing.

The RASC is a national not-forprofit organization devoted to the advancement of astronomy and the allied sciences founded in 1903 under the Charter of King Edward VII. It’s headquarters is located in Toronto, with local chapters in Mississauga and other sections of Canada. The society is composed mostly of astronomy enthusiasts and beginners who attempt to educate the local public of the age old science of star-gazing. The society has been holding its meeting at UTM for the past few years and caters to people of all professional and educational backgrounds who have a hobby or curiosity about the sky and the celestial heavens.

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER

23, 2009

OPINION UTM AS A MIRROR

Letters to the Editor Poetry Slam

Politics is always the same ALAIN LATOUR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

always thought university campuses are a reflection of the countrytheyarein.TakeUTM.LikeCanada,ithasasmall,yet diversepopulation.Itsmembersliketogrumbleaboutthings,yet areproudthattheycomehere—howelsecanyouexplaintheir defensivereactionwhenotherslookdownonUTM? Moreover, UTM and Canada have their own police, their own newspapers and their own administrations. Lastly, both UTM and Canada have their own politicians—in our case, we have the UTMSU executives.

Of all the UTM segments I referred to, none tries so much to differentiate itself from its national counterpart as the UTMSU. The Union protests on the streets. The Union purports to strive for change rather than preserve the status quo. And rather than donning suits and ties, the Union’s executives make a point to dress in student-like attire—some even add a slanted baseball hat to their outfit.

But for all their efforts, some UTMSU executives behave remarkably like the very people they are trying to differentiate themselves from. This year alone, the Union has been featured prominently across these pages for donating student’s money toward the legal defense counsel of a colleague, for mismanaging proxy votes and for

I

deregistering one student from a conference because of her affiliation with different campus organization (us) and the cost involved in sending her there. If you think it all sounds too much like your regular old’ scandal-ridden political party, you’re not alone.

The Union’s latest escapade involves interfering with the nomination process of candidates for next year’s ticket. Of course, if you listen to what the executives involved in this antic have to say, that’s not what they were doing. Not at all. When these executives secretly met with the presidents of the largest students clubs on campus, weeks before the nomination process began, in a room that no ordinary UTM student can access, it was not to get these presidents to persuade their club’s members to vote for a specific UTM executive. It was just to seek their input.

There are many reasons why the whole thing stinks. It stinks because the incumbent government is throwing its weight behind the candidate it favours, thereby reducing the chances of any other student winning, especially students who are currently not associated with UTMSU. It stinks because if the UTMSU really thought caucus meetings like the last few were open and fair, it would make them part of its elections procedure code, opening them for all students regardless of how close they are to the Union or how many members their club has. As it is now, your average UTM students only seems to stand a chance, elections-wise, if he or she runs a large club and if he’s privy to secret UTMSU-organized meetings.

Sounds just like what many an ordinary citizen has to say about the way their nation is ran.

Op-Ed GABE ROCHE On the 12th of February, at a meeting of their Board of Directors, the University of Toronto Students’ Union passed a series of changes to the Elections Code that call into serious question the ability of the UTSU to conduct free and fair elections.

The concern over UTSU’s democratic accountability is not new. Time and again, year after year, students from UTM and from St. George have questioned why it is that candidates running for re-election literally always win.

It’s true. In my five years at the University of Toronto, UTSU executives who decide to run for re-election have never lost. It’s a pretty shocking statistic. 100% incumbency rate.

Anyone who has even a passing interest in politics knows that candidates running for re-election, even some with admirable records, are affected by changing political tides.It’s inevitable.

Sometimes people lose. But not at UTSU. And so the question arises—what is it about UTSU that ensures that any of the current executives who want to run again can count on winning (often with a healthy margin)? In elections, especially in the kinds of “elections” that UTSU is famous for, if you control the rules, you control the result. The Elections Committee is stacked with supporters of the incumbents, and they propose changes willy-nilly, and without the input of the Board (including UTM’s Board members), to deliver victory for their friends.

The current Chair of the Elections Committee—a committee that is supposed to remain impartial—is a UTSU Executive, Adnan Najmi. Najmi ran on the same slate with some of the candidates who will seek re-election, and he maintains close personal friendships with those same candidates. Some of you may remember Najmi from his role in the UTSU AGM Proxy scandal last November. How can we trust this committee when it’s chaired by the candidates’ friend? The only responsible thing for Najmi to do is resign immediately and allow an impartial member of the student union to be Chair. That would be an important step in restoring the trust of UTM students in UTSU institutions.

As Chair of the Elections Committee, Najmi oversaw the process that resulted in several changes that were made to the Elections Code.

The first, and most offensive change to the Code is that it is now illegal to criticize the Elections Committee or the CRO who oversees elections.

It is illegal to make any “attempt to undermine [their] authority.” That paragraph above this one, yeah, that’s against the rules. If I ever decide to run for a position on UTSU, I would be in violation of the Elections Code. It’s an affront to free speech. In a democracy, we have the freedom to criticize. Why has UTSU taken that away from us?

Second, the UTSU has made it illegal for candidates to do anything that might be construed as campaigning (this includes just mentioning

the fact that you’re running) in a place where alcohol is served. They’ve made it illegal for a candidate to go out for a beer with his/her friends and talk politics. It makes talking about the election at the Blind Duck illegal. And the official reason for the change—the UTSU wants to make sure students are of “sound mind” when they learn about candidates. Leaving aside for a second the fact that alcohol isn’t the only thing that can make you “not of sound mind”, does UTSU really have so little respect for its members that they think they deserve to police the mental state of UTM students?

Finally, UTM’s representatives on UTSU no longer have the right to ratify important decisions about UTSU elections such as where polling stations will be located. Instead of consulting with their members, and giving UTM’s Directors on the UTSU Board a say, they’ve eliminated oversight. Worst of all, they called consultation “unnecessary lobbying.” Well, UTM students know that consultation with them is neither “unnecessary” nor is it “lobbying.” It’s important outreach, and for the UTSU to call it unnecessary is insulting.

Removing the role of the UTSU Board of Directors, on which UTM has 7 votes, is a slap in the face to accountability. There’s a reason why the Board is the highest authority in UTSU—and that reason is because it is made of the students’ representatives. This kind of approach is consistent with the lack of respect that UTSU has shown for its members. UTM students want a UTSU that listens to them, that respects them, and that is interested in what they have to say. They don’t want a student union that issues orders from St. George and expects UTM to simply follow along. UTM students expect consultation.

I wish I could say that change is possible. I wish I could be optimistic about the UTSU coming in March. But as it stands, the rules are so heavily stacked in favour of the current slate running the show, that I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to achieve meaningful reforms.

When the awful changes I’ve written about were proposed to the Board, every single member of the UTSU Executive voted for the changes. Adam Awad, Danielle Sandhu, Sandy Hudson, Adnan Najmi, Hadia Akhtar, and Daniella Kyei all voted for the changes. They’ve got a lot of explaining to do to UTM students who have now been shut out of important UTSU elections decisions, who effectively have had their voice taken away, and who now face an Executive which believes that consulting UTM’s representatives on the UTSU Board is “unnecessary.”

It’s now up to UTM students to deliver the results they deserve when it comes to UTSU. They deserve a UTSU that respects them, that believes in the importance of listening to their voices, and that will stand up for their best interests. The current Executives are obviously not capable of doing that. We need to reform UTSU, to ensure democracy for UTM, and we need to do it now.

Dear Editor, On the 12th of February, UTMSU organized and hosted Speak Up: A Poetry Slam, in the MIST theatre in CCIT. The event was a fundraiser for Haiti, with donations being collected, and t-shirts being sold.

There were 10 performers, representing everything from beat boxing and rap to spoken word and vocal. It was an incredibly entertaining night, with the audience on their feet for most of the time.

However, the reason I was inspired to write this letter is something larger. More often than not, our generation, and society in general, is accused of being apathetic. It is said that in the heat of the moment, when the event occurs, we focus all our energies to try and help, but as time goes by, we lose interest, even though help is still desperately needed. Yet events like the Poetry Slam prove our critics wrong, and show the world that we as students care, and we don't stop caring just because the event is not on the front page of the newspaper anymore.

There we were, exactly a month after the earthquake had struck, yet the MIST theatre was packed. These were people who had come to enjoy a good show, but also

www.mediumonline.ca because they wanted to make a difference, because they still cared.

Most injustices in society today are not going to be fixed overnight. They require a longer, sustained fight. At times, it can be frustrating, because it makes one feel as though the effort they are putting in has no effect. But as the saying goes “Our fight today will ultimately contribute to the victory of tomorrow”. And again, using the Poetry Slam as an example, we see that students understand that, they understand that we cannot win in one day, but just because we cannot see the results instantaneously does not mean we give up and stop trying. All it means is we keep fighting the good fight, because one day, we will win.

All it takes is perseverance.

A few days before Reading week started, I had ventured into the Student’s Centre, with the intention of meeting several friends who were promoting U.T.M.S.U’s, “Unity Through Diversity” campaign, by celebrating various cuisines from different parts of the world. Among these friends, I knew a few from high school, and I as walked past various booths, I reminisced about how we were debating about which university to accept for undergraduate studies. I remember contemplating about the coexistence of the students at the University of Toronto, Mississauga campus, where the diversity amongst the inhabitants creates an atmosphere of amity. This, more than any other factor, had contributed to my decision to be part of UTM. As I waited in line to get sushi, the medley of voices speaking different languages, the different cultures and backgrounds and best of all, the fragrances of delicious food all seemed to unite and meld together to assert the student union’s message; unity can and always will be achieved through diversity. It really seems to be a simple phrase, but on closer

In solidarity,

Vickita Bhatt UTMSU VP Equity

Toronto university campuses have historically played a central role in the fight for social justice, human rights and anti-racism. Many alumni proudly remember their efforts in promoting the boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign which helped bring and end to Apartheid in South Africa in 1994.

With a similar spirit, from March 1st to March 6th 2010 Toronto campuses will host the 6th International Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW), a yearly event which aims to garner support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement calling on Israel to comply with international law and to respect Palestinian human rights. The BDS movement was launched by over 170 Palestinian civil society organisations in July 2005, one year after the International Court of Justice ruled the apartheid wall around the West Bank illegal. Alongside the dismantling of this wall, the movement also calls for an end of occupation of all Arab lands, equal civil and political rights for Palestinian citizens of Israel and the right to return for Palestinian refugees.

IAW began at the University of Toronto in March 2004, and is currently taking place in over forty cities on five continents, and in

NEWS EDITOR Saaliha Malik news@mediumonline.ca ASSISTANT NEWS EDITORS Katherine Luczynski Stefanie Marotta

ASSISTANT A&E EDITORS Nives Hajdin Patricia Figueiredo FEATURES EDITOR Amir Ahmed features@mediumonline.ca SPORTS EDITOR Andrew Tysiak sports@mediumonline.ca

contemplation, carries a powerful message. One can associate themselves to an institution or nationality, but each individual is different in personality. With respect to the students at UTM, the common goal of achieving success through academics and extra-curricular activities drives us; the integral needs of friends, comfort and encouragement binds us. But most of all, the right to feel accepted and appreciated, not tolerated, unites us.

Looking around the excited and friendly faces of my fellow students, I felt a momentary rush of affection and pride. Finishing the delicious sushi, I took pictures of the event so that I could show my family and friends. But best of all, I wanted to keep memories of such student organised events which reflect more about the spirit of UTM than I could ever truly express in words. Unity through Diversity!

Yours,

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITORS Sarah Malagerio Bruno William Robertson COPY EDITOR Su Lyn Liew PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Matthew Filipowich photos@mediumonline.ca ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Edward Cai COMPOSITE EDITOR Matthew Filipowich WEBMASTER Matthew Filipowich DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Heather Friesen BUSINESS MANAGER Romano Bergic BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chris Cauchi, Paul Donaghue, Ali Kasim, Kristian Jurlewicz, Aly Khan Madhavji, Paola Savasta, Phoebe Leung.

COMPLAINTS

Marium Chowdhury

The Middle East situation Dear Editor,

EDITOR IN CHIEF Alain Latour editor@mediumonline.ca

A&E EDITOR Michael Di Leo arts@mediumonline.ca

Unity, unity Dear Editor,

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fourteen Canadian cities. In Toronto, events will take place at the University of Toronto, York University and Ryerson Unversity.

Speakers include South African anti-apartheid activist Na’eem Jeena and Palestinian academic and Journalist Rabab Abdulhadi, as well as representatives of First Nations communities from throughout North America. The week will also focus on queer solidarity in the antiApartheid movement, and on the environmental effects of apartheid. The week will end with a cultural event on Saturday the 6th, featuring Palestinian hip-hop artist Abeer Alzinaty and Montreal-based Iraqi MC Narcycist.

Anyone who supports human rights, antiracism and anti-apartheid should come out to the events! For a full programme visit www.apartheidweek.org

Yours,

Ilaria Giglioli, University of Toronto

All content printed in The Medium is the sole property of its creators, and cannot be used without written consent.

DISCLAIMER Opinions expressed in the pages of The Medium are exclusively of the author and do not neces sarily reflect those of The Medium. Additionally, the opin ions expressed in advertise ments appearing in The Medium are those of advertisers and not of The Medium.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the editor will be edit ed for spelling, grammar, style and coherence. Letters will not exceed 1,000 words in print.

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY

22, 2010 THE MEDIUM 5

Michael Di Leo, Editor | arts@mediumonline.ca

Full throttle television Taking a look at one of the most innovative shows on television MICHAEL DI LEO A&E EDITOR

Automotive shows are boring. I’m not talking about the shows that take place at convention centres with lots of Asian import models and tricked-out rides.

I’m talking about the kind that are shown on television, which are usually hosted by some middle-aged bore and offer meaningless advice to the everyday “consumer.” Over the years, most car shows have done nothing to change this perception. They figure that the more solid information, statistics and test drives they present, the better the show is.

That’s clearly not the case. And some Brits have figured this out.

You may have seen the commercials, if you are lucky enough to have cable that shows BBC2 or BBC Canada at home.

Exotic cars speeding along racetracks cut to clips of hatchbacks attacking a beach with the British Royal Marines. This is clearly not your average car show. This is Top Gear.

Yes, it has been around longer than most shows—since the late 1970’s. Yes, it was nearly cancelled in 2001 when ratings dipped. And yes, it is currently one of the most syndicated and popular shows in the world. But you haven’t heard of it. If you had, then you wouldn’t be reading this right now. You would be on Surf the Channel, trying to get past the MegaUpload restrictions on the 14th series’ opener—the one where they tour in an Aston Martin, Ferrari and Lamborghini across Romania, getting in trouble with gypsies and dignitaries alike.

Since its reinvention in 2002, Top Gear has become one of the most praised and innovative shows in the BBC lineup. The show’s production value is enormous—

cnreviews.com photo

Jeremy Clarkson tests a very fast car. most notably the top-quality editing of the car footage. You will almost never see cars strolling along sideroads in an effort to distinguish their road capabilities. Instead, Top Gear comes up with challenges specifically designed to test what the car was made for. When they tested the Bugatti Veyron (the most expensive and fastest car on the road) they took it to a top secret German track in an effort to break the top speed record (over 250 mph). When they tested different cars for newly licensed 17 year-old boys, they determined insurance costs as well as how cool they would look in front of high school girls. This is not what you would normally see on a runof-the-mill car show.

The presenters have a fantastic sense of

humor. Led by Jeremy Clarkson, the Top Gear team has a bit of everything.

Clarkson, the tall, overbearing leader, doesn’t accept anything of poor quality—people and cars alike. Richard Hammond, the smaller sidekick, has a penchant for flashiness, usually in the form of a Porsche 911, which is usually accredited to his mid-life crisis. James May, the “alternative” of the bunch, is usually the butt end of the cast’s jokes, mainly because of his safe driving (he is nicknamed Captain Slow by his peers) and his inability to follow directions.

Rounding out the group is the Stig, their test track driver who, according to Clarkson, has a magnetic right hand.

This sense of humor invariably leads to fun and interesting car segments. One of

An Islamic comic?

IMAN MOHAMMED

Ninety-nine superheroes make up the characters of the The 99, a comic b o o k c r e a t e d b y K u w ai t i psychologist and CEO of Teshkeel Media Group, Dr. Naif AlMutawa. These superheroes remain transcendent of cultural barriers and have no direct affiliation to any particular country in the Middle East. Several, however, do bear strong ties to other nations. Widad-The Loving comes from the Philippines, Darr-The Afflicter is from the United States, Noora-The Light comes from the United Arab Emirates and the rest are from countries such as Ghana, Indonesia, South Africa, Portugal and Saudi Arabia. Al-Mutawa describes his characters as “an amalgam of east-meets-west, an appropriate compromise given the foundations of Islam and the geography of the Middle East.”

The female and male characters bear powers representative of the

99 attributes of the Muslim God, Allah. Attributes such as the allpowerful, all-knowing, all-seeing, the healer, the listener, the loving, the everlasting and many more are featured in the comic book as powers endowed to various characters. The first issue, Origins, was published on September 2006 and is available free of charge in the comic book’s official website.

Al-Mutawa works with Marvel and DC Comics writers and inkers, including Stuart Moore, John McCrea and Fabian Nicieza, to produce The 99.

In the first issue, the story starts in Baghdad in the year 1258 A.D, where Hulagu Khan’s Mongol army is set to conquer the city.

T h e r ea l i s t ic d r a w i n g s t a k e t h e reader through the dark streets of Baghdad as the Mongolian army heads to Baghdad’s greatest library, Dar-il-hikma, to destroy the Abbasid’s caliphates greatest weapon, knowledge.

Al-Mutawa mixes images and text to relay Islamic history to young comic enthusiasts in the

their most well-known clips to date, Clarkson’s test of the Ford Fiesta, was in response to a letter the show received regarding how they don’t “properly” test

“proper” cars. That is, cars that most people would actually be able to purchase. In an effort to appease the writer, the crew took the Fiesta through a series of regular tests, looking at its acceleration, braking, trunk space and color/fuel efficiency (yes, it is green—very). In addition to these normal tests, Clarkson also wanted to know how it would fare if being chased by a Corvette in a shopping mall. As it turns out, the Fiesta did quite well. Which makes me want to buy one.

What’s most notable about the show is their final opinion on the cars they test.

You never hear about what specifications make the car worth its price (though it is mentioned during the tests), but the presenters make sure to let you know how the cars feel, which, as anyone who has every driven a vehicle knows, is the most important aspect. In their test of the Lexus LF-A, Hammond made it clear that the car was well-engineered in every shape and form, but at the end of the day, you’re still driving a Lexus, which is boring. This is the case with all the cars they test, from concept cars and custom drag racers to family sedans and two-seater hybrids. It’s not hard to be captivated when you feel like part of the action.

POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICGACTAERESERS FOR REWARDIN

Middle East. The comic is written in Arabic and English, ensuring a wider fan base outside of the Middle East. Al-Mutawa explains that “[his] superheroes—inspired by the Qu’ran and known as The 99—were designed to take back Islam from militants who had taken it hostage.” The comic becomes a medium utilized by AlMutawa to re-educate the masses about the rich history behind Islam.

Naturally, The 99 comic book series fuels common discussion in the Muslim world surrounding art and religion. Should Allah’s attributes be linked to finite human characters? How much of an influence will these characters have on shaping children’s understanding of Allah? Would the ability of humans to possess such powers degrade or enhance their conception of Allah’s powers? AlMutawa’s comic book series also begs the question: Are popular texts mere entertainment or can they shape and shift cultural narratives?

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6 THE MEDIUM

MONDAY, FEBRUARY

22, 2010

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

CHIC TRENDS AND TUNES

Lookbook, not Facebook The most exclusive fashion site on the net lets you post and rate your own styles NIVES HAJDIN ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR

Perez Hilton may be your go-to guru for all the current celebrity fashion trends (and faux-pas), but where can we find out the latest street styles from everyday fashion enthusiasts around the world? The fashion blog LOOKBOOK.nu specifically targets these international trendsetters, which include high school students, aspiring designers and amateur photographers. LOOKBOOK.nu allows them

to post images of their everyday outfits, which are then critiqued by other members according to originality, style and overall appeal.

Relatively unknown, the blog qualifies as one of the Internet’s undiscovered gems. (It has about 50,000 members, compared to Facebook’s over 400 million users).

The site was founded in 2008 by San Franciscan Yuri Leeo and has an invitation-only format. You can gain access to this “exclusive” site in one of two ways: 1) you track down a long-lost friend who happens to be a LOOKBOOK.nu mem-

lookbook.nu photo

GO TO MEDIUMONLINE.CA/SONGOFTHEWEEK TO LISTEN

“SHAKE YA ASS” BY MYSTIKAL

Top fashions from the LOOKBOOK site.

ber and ask them for a current invite code (they expire every month), or 2) you apply for a membership on your own. This entails being asked to submit a photo of your first “look,” a mini blurb addressing what you would bring to the community, and a link to your website/blog (optional), which the LOOKBOOK.nu staff use to assess whether you are “worthy” of a membership. The blog only encourages individuals to join if they will produce original and interesting submissions, stating on their website that they are not a “kiddie fashion site.” Moreover, the site enforces many rules, including the necessity for photographs to showcase the individual from headto-toe, no obstructions to any of the clothes worn and no photos with multiple individuals. If any of these rules are ignored, your photos can be deleted, no matter how pretty they are.

Despite these restrictions, LOOKBOOK.nu is rapidly gaining exposure and popularity with the online fashion community. Overcoming these preliminary screening measures in order to obtain an account attracts many to the website as they seek the exhilaration of reading the “YOU’RE IN!” message.

Still, there’s no denying that acquiring the codes can be somewhat of a nuisance, especially if you don’t have any community contacts (some members go so far as to sell invite codes on eBay for ten bucks a pop). Thankfully, most people aren’t this lame and will often send out the codes on Facebook if you

NIVES HAJDIN ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR

The ROP is your ticket to:

Cutting edge research Practical skills/knowledge Hands-on access And...

Earn a full course credit!

Student application deadline:

Friday, March 12th 2010!

Discover the possibilities

www.utm.utoronto.ca/rop

tion from.

The site, in conjunction with H&M, is advertising a contest (until March 17) called “The Blues,” in which members must post photos that feature eye-catching blue clothes or accessories. The winning looks will be featured on the H&M website for the fashion label’s spring collection, and the selected individuals will each receive a $150 gift card for H&M. This past Valentine’s Day, LOOKBOOK.nu also served a humanitarian function as it donated ten cents to Haiti relief for every heart that was given to a photo (if you love a look, you give it a heart, which is one step up from giving it a hype). In the end, the Hearts for Haiti campaign managed to raise over $1500. LOOKBOOK.nu seems to be hitting all the spots. What are you waiting for, an invitation? All you need is a nerdboyfriend.

Album in review: Submarine by Scanners

Submarine Scanners

Research Opportunity Program

lookbook.nu photo

just ask. Sometimes codes are even lying around on discussion boards waiting to be found—it’s just a matter of looking in the right places to stumble across the magic password.

So what do you do once you’re part of the in crowd? You post a “look” and hope it becomes an instant hit. In the meantime, you do your duty as a LOOKBOOK.nu member and “hype” the photos that you love. When you hype a photo, it increases in popularity by one; the more hypes the picture receives, the higher its ranking becomes in the HOT section of the website.

A neat feature of the website is the LOOKBOOK interviews, in which influential members are acknowledged for their style and get a full-length interview about themselves posted on the website for other members to draw inspira-

T h ere is n o s u ch t h ing a s ba nd obscurity these days, despite what their names might suggest. Take, for example, the London indie outfit, Scanners. So what?

But if I tell you that they are signed to Steve Aoki’s record label, have had their music featured in episodes of Entourage and One Tree Hill, have toured with Silversun Pickups and The Horrors and have even been ment ion ed b y c el ebr i t ies l ik e P er ez Hilton and Carson Daly, they instantly become more interesting.

Another point in this up-andcoming band’s favour is their

eclectic style, which can best be described as a three-way musical collision between Arcade Fire, M other M ot he r and Rilo Ki ley.

Released last Wednesday, their sophomore album Submarine is an aptly-titled one, contrasting a deep abyss of sombre melodies with perkier tunes that rise up and break through the surface.

Opening track “Jesus Saves” sets an upbeat tempo, defined by the melodic melange of synths and acoustic guitar, gradually transitioning in and out of chilling instrumental sections that ironically sound like the opening of the gates of Hell.

“We Never Close Our Eyes” lays down the drum beat alongside a long streak of deep “oohing” from all the band members, a feature that appears in almost every song, marking Scanners’ signature sound. First single “Salvation” is i n c r e d i b l y d a r k an d d e p r e s s i n g with lyrics such as “Looked to my heart, but my heart was empty/I’ve been waiting for the dark to come,” yet the eerie melody somehow manages to remain dauntingly infectious. “Baby Blue” is a lullaby of sorts in comparison, with a soothing yet equally upbeat style, while “Sick Love” is just a finger snapping, feel-good dance track.

“A Girl Like You” provides one of the album’s best choruses,

showcasing the band’s full range of instruments (including the piano and violin). These tracks are then toned down for a sadder melody on “Strangelovehate,” creating an almost desperate plea with the listener as lead singer Sarah Daly begs to know, “Who’s side are you on, who’s side will you take?” The next track “Goodbye” follows a similarly gloomy path, yet simultaneously brings an empowering element to the notion of reluctantly turning your back on someone. “Half a Mind (Dreamer Forever)” is hands down the best song on Submarine, with synths buzzing from the getgo and a vague resemblance to parts of Gorillaz’s “Clint Eastwood” but still remains entirely its own.

Daly’s piercing voice comes through on “Sleepwalking,” strongly backed by the complimenting vocals of Amina Bates and Matthew Mole, while closing track “Halfway Home” doesn’t leave you stranded, but instead creates a Kumbaya, campfire singa-along vibe that perfectly ties together any loose ends still lying around. Submarine is a strong follow-up album to the band’s 2006 debut record Violence Is Golden, but Scanners still have yet to make a big enough splash to put themselves on the scene.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY

22, 2010 THE MEDIUM 7

Amir Ahmed, Editor | features@mediumonline.ca

CSI: Crime Show Inaccuracies Popular forensics shows can skew students and the public’s views on an important area of study JULIE WAINWRIGHT

You are alone in the lab. It’s late, but an important murder investigation demands that you stay to run some tests. You scan the fingerprints you have retrieved from the murder weapon earlier today. You press a few buttons and a “MATCH FOUND” pops up on the screen. A big smile spreads across your face.

This is why I got into forensics, you think to yourself. This is what forensics is all about.

Or is it?

Every week, millions of viewers watch as Dr. Raymond Langston, Catherine Willows and Nick Stokes work with the rest of their team to solve crimes on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Since the show premiered in October 2000, it has enjoyed enormous success. In fact, 35.1 million people watched the fifth season’s two-hour finale, “Grave Digger.” The show’s success has also led to spin-offs CSI: Miami and CSI: New York, which premiered in 2002 and 2004 respectively.

“Jury trials expect all the bells and whistles.

Sometimes I have to explain why a report took six months to do.

They expect CSI.” A show this popular must impact a lot of people. Indeed, the impact has been so significant that it merits its own name—the CSI Effect.

The CSI Effect refers to the sudden rise of applications to forensics programs and to a change in people’s expectations of forensics due to the inaccuracies in forensics-based shows. Because of the CSI Effect, many schools are now trying to emphasize the differences between forensics on television and real-life forensics.

Dr. Karen Woodall, a forensic toxicologist at Toronto’s Centre of Forensic Sciences, believes that some students are taking the program solely because of CSI, although many of them don’t realize what it takes to be in the field of forensics.

Universities at Lakehead, Laurentian, Trent, Windsor and Toronto all offer forensics programs. The University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management even has a forensic accounting program, while UTM is home to one of Canada’s oldest forensic science programs. Its first class of nine students graduated in June 1997. Now, the program receives hundreds of applicants each year. Around 300 students enroll in the introductory forensics course, FSC239. According to one of these students, Steph Kolodij,“The only reason [forensics] became an option for me was because of CSI.” One of the criticisms of shows like CSI is their inaccuracies, which lead to a distorted view of what forensic science is. Dr. Woodall

insists that it is not an easy job.

“With my students, I try to get across that you have to have a real in-depth knowledge of science.

Some students don’t realize this and now they’re struggling,” says Dr. Woodall.

She also notes that there are inaccuracies in what people do which jobs. “On CSI, police practically do forensics. Real forensic scientists are independent from the police. Hardly any of us ever go to the crime scene.”

CSI sparked an interest in forensic science for Andrew Rozendaal.

But the fourth-year Forensic Anthropology student is aware of the realities of his program. “In forensics, every individual is a specialist in one area. The specialization in a field is what gives you credibility. When you start doing everything, you lose credibility,” Rozendaal says.

The equipment in these types of shows is also commonly misrepresented. According to Rozendaal, a lot of the tools have not even been invented yet. (One example is the computer program that swiftly matches fingerprints. In reality, the matches are made by trained scientists looking at scanned pictures and finding unique patterns).

“Sometimes [my colleagues and I] discuss how great a piece of equipment would be if it actually existed,” jokes Rozendaal.

So is the work done in forensics more time-consuming? Duller?

Dr. Woodall, who watches about two to three episodes of CSI per season, finds it amusing that “everything’s wrapped up in an hour.” In real-life, she says, tests can take months to complete.

“Jury trials expect all the bells and whistles. Sometimes I have to explain why a report took six months to do. They expect CSI. They also expect you to do every test possible for each case. Forensic scientists only do relevant tests.”

Jessica Lam, a second-year biology and scientific anthropology double major and 2009-2010 president of the UTM Forensic Club, says that the first thing she was told at the information session for the forensic science program was “This is not CSI!” “They told us that forensic science is not glamorous,” recounts Lam. “It’s slow, frustrating, [and it’s] hard to find evidence, and you spend hours in labs doing the same thing over and over again. They make FSC239 hard to weed out people who aren’t in it for the right reasons.”

Even though the CSI Effect can give people the wrong ideas for applying to forensics programs as well as unrealistic expectations for the way that forensic research is conducted, prospective students can avoid this by focusing on personal reasons for their interest in forensic science. Rozendaal says that he likes forensics because he likes challenges and he likes to help. “In murder

www.fanpop.com

Believe it or not, most forensics specialists don’t work like this. investigations, it takes someone with more than just an interest in dead bodies. It takes someone with the compassion to help others,” Rozendaal says.

Dr. Woodall, too, enjoys her career because “although there’s a lot of work and you’re under pres-

sure to get things done, each case can be unique. It’s very rewarding when your work helps solve a case.”

So, let’s try this again.

You are alone in the lab. An important murder investigation demands that you run some tests.

You scan pictures of a fingerprint

that was found on the murder weapon. After days and days of analyzing the fingerprint on your own, you finally make a match. A big smile slowly spreads over your face.

This is why I got into forensics, you think to yourself. This is what forensics is all about.

8,) 72-()6 :-7-8-2+ 0)'896)67 present

Zarqa Nawaz, the creative genius behind CBC’s hit television show, “Little Mosque on the Prairie,” and Zaib Shaikh, the comedy’s award-winning star, will engage with the evening’s moderator, Dr. Shafique Virani, Professor of Islamic Studies, and our audience in an interactive conversation about the popular show, Canadian pluralism, and the role of the arts in fostering mutual understanding.

Wednesday, Feb 24.

Doors open at 6 pm.

CCT Building, Room 1080 Free admission but reserve your seat at: www.utm.utoronto.ca/index.php?id=2019 This event is sponsored by the Snider Committee and U of T Religion in the Public Sphere Initiative

8 THE MEDIUM

MONDAY, FEBRUARY

FEATURES

22, 2010

EXCHANGE THE LOVE

Celebrating Black History UMAC president Will Strickland visits UTM to talk about Black History Month IFY EBOH

As far as guest speakers go, having Will Strickland, the president of the Urban Music Association of Canada, come to UTM and speak to students on Black History Month is an honour. In celebration of Black History Month, the Erindale Collage African Students Association and the Caribbean Connections clubs joined to host a series of events in order to recognize both Black History and how that history affects us today. On February 9 th, Strickland graced the UTMSC Student Centre to speak of what Black History meant to him.

An accomplished person, Strickland had done more than enough to make his name known in the States, and intends to do the same thing here in Canada. As a child, he became interested in the urban culture. The first free-styling match that he had ever seen sent him home to write his own lyrics.

He wrote three lines that established the things that were important to him: “My mom is cool. I go to school. I’m not a fool.” On these foundations—respect for his parents, respect for his education and respect for his self—Strickland

began to build and he hasn’t stopped since.

Strickland’s career started early in 1986 and he became one of the youngest deejays on American radio.

Not forgetting his education, he went to University in Houston in 1988 on both an academic and athletic scholarship. Finally triple majoring in political science, managerial studies and economics. He went on to launch Urban Arts Marketing and Promotions.

With all this experience, Strickland moved on to work with some large record labels such as Uptown, Badboy, RCA and Epic/Sony Music while still being able to maintain a small basketball career. In his career, he has worked with artists such as Michael Jackson.

WuTang Clan, R. Kelly, Shaquille O’Neal, Mary J. Blige, Notorious B.I.G and many more. He has appeared on ESPN, MTV, BET and Much Music. At the moment, he is still with the UMAC, but says that he’s still young and there is a whole world out there.

Of all the messages that this accomplished man imparted to students, the one that stuck out the most was the advice “Plan your Work so that you can Work your

Plan,” which means that if you want to do something, you first have to plan out your strategy. then you take that plan and do it: plan to make it work. That was how Strickland did it and he prompted students to look where he was now—all his life, he planned his work so that he could work his plan. He reminded students that they should never forget the things that were important—respect for where they come from, respect for what they can learn from others and from the world and respect for who they are as individuals. “If money is your goal then you’ll never go far,” Strickland replied when asked why he had left the music industry in America. His reasons were personal but never about the money and he told students that it never should be about money, but about doing the right thing.

On the subject of Black History Month, Strickland claimed that as great as remembering Black History was, he wanted to know about Black Present. He asked students what they were doing today to help the people around them. Black History, he told students, should be celebrated all year round and it’s that history that should influence not only Black people but all peoples of the world.

All you need is love Beatles aside, finding that special someone can make your day complete MARIANA COMITO

Okay, be honest: if you’re single, you’re ecstatic that Valentine’s Day won’t return for another year.

Romantic candles, heart-shaped chocolates, cutesy teddy bears— they’re all gross. But for those in happy relationships, V-day is the next best thing to Christmas. After all, who doesn’t love to feel loved?

No need to fret about being single, because you now have a whole year to search for a compatible partner to brighten up your V-day blues.

With so many people already in relationships, people tend to ask one simple question: are there any good guys or girls left?

The answer is yes. You just have to search for them and stay away from the losers and gold-diggers.

Whether you gravitate towards players who won’t commit or girls who are constantly flirting, these lame partners will only hold you back.

Since habits are hard to break, here is a plan to escape the loser trap once and for all.

Go on a Guy/Girl Diet Jumping from one partner to the next with no downtime in between is a prime way to get stuck in a lame relationship. Get a partner detox and stay single for a while. This time can be used to reflect on your past relationship and figure out why it

went wrong. If you’re feeling a bit lonely and have some extra time, take up a new hobby and hang out more with friends.

others will allow you to see their socialization skills with other people.

Be Adventurous

Update Your Loser Radar No one deliberately goes looking for a lame guy or a superficial girl, but you have to sharpen your instincts if you want to stay away from them.

Never compensate bad qualities for good ones—it doesn’t make the bad qualities go away. To keep a clear head, take a new relationship slowly.

For the first month, see your new partner once or twice a week; this way you won’t get attached too fast before truly knowing their personality. Always make a note of the qualities that seem iffy. This will help you notice the red flags immediately rather than getting a shocking wakeup call six months later.

Reality Check Wonder why we never notice red flags until after the fact? In part, it’s because we are blinded by love and lust. When we are really into someone, we crave attention and attachment, and that clouds judgment.

One tactic is to see the big picture rather than focusing solely on the present. Look at the way your partner interacts with others. Do they treat their family right? Do they have a good core group of friends?

Their actions and attitudes towards

People are naturally prone to habits, from what they eat for breakfast to the kind of person they are attracted to. Don’t get into the groove of dating a certain type because this can be hard to change. It may also be one of the reasons you’re still single.

If it is too hard to find someone that you like, ask a friend who has a stable love life if they know anyone they think would be a good fit for you. Even if it doesn’t work out, gaining the experience and dating new people will steer you away from your old habits.

Never Settle A lot of people date lame guys or superficial girls because they believe they can change them. Suffering from good-guy/girl-syndrome will only cause you more pain in the end.

People recognize that their partner is acting like a jerk or jerkette and put up with it because they don’t want to risk losing them or believe they can change them. Kick them to the curb if they become rude and inconsiderate. Don’t ever settle just because you are lonely. If you wait long enough, an enchanting guy or a sweet girl will sweep you off your feet, and the rest will be history.

email features@mediumonline.ca

Surviving an exchange KIM BIRCH

When I decided that I wanted to participate in the International Exchange program, I was thrilled at the idea of going to a different country and taking courses that would contribute to my degree at home.

The experience, however, proved long and frustrating. Although my time spent overseas was the best time of my life and an episode that I wouldn’t trade for anything, the application process could have been a lot smoother.

If you are interested in participating, my advice is this: do it, but brace yourself for a long process.

The first step is to go online to the International Exchange website (http://www.utoronto.ca/student.exc hange). This site provides students with a list of partner institutions, application documents, transfer credit information and how to contact the office.

All the documents required can be found on the website. You will need to fill out an online application form and submit a letter of interest, a resume, two letters of reference, and a copy of non-U of T transcripts. All of these documents should be completed before the deadline to leave time for any adjustments or unforeseen delays.

Once the ISXO processes your application, they will contact you for an interview. If deemed a proper fit for the exchange program, you will be nominated and your application sent to the host school.

After the application is completed, be prepared to wait until the beginning of May before finding out if the host institution accepted you.

During this time, you are required to attend a pre-departure orienta-

tion that prepares you for obstacles that you may encounter during your time abroad, as well as information on transfer credits. I recommend getting a pre-departure course authorization form signed to ensure the courses you have chosen to take overseas will transfer back to your U of T degree. You will also need a copy of the syllabus for each course taken. While away, you should ensure your overseas transcripts will be sent to the exchange office.

The exchange program can be costly although you don’t pay tuition to the host school. Exchange students are required to pay tuition and incidental fees to U of T. You will also have to cover the costs for mandatory overseas health coverage, airfare, living expenses, books and supplies and other miscellaneous costs. I highly recommend that you apply for any scholarships that you are eligible for, including the ISXO bursary, to help with these costs.

Other things to note: you are responsible for arranging living conditions, ensuring that you are enrolled in courses at your host school, checking any travel advisory warnings, obtaining a valid passport and securing any required visas.

My last bit of advice is to expect a shock when you arrive overseas.

Regardless of your best efforts to prepare yourself, going to another country on your own where you don’t know anyone freaks out the best of us. After the initial shock, however, you will find that your time overseas will go by very fast.

Make as many new friends as possible, explore the country as much as you can and enjoy the experience to the fullest because nothing you have ever done before will quite compare to the amazing experience you will have.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY

22, 2010 THE MEDIUM 9

POETRY AND PROSE FEATURES

Creative Corner

Revolver

Thousands of years

DAVID FITZPATRICK

LUCY ZEMLJIC

She hear the familiar bang of her husband favour gun

The Dead Sea Scrolls were written thousands of

A magnum .357 revolver, black metal

years ago. You stand before the glass display,

She rushed to the source, futile running

studying their subtle script. Is there then some way

Opened the door to see blank slate eyes

that, thousands of years from now, my love

Speaking to himself in foreign languages

for you could be unearthed from the ground,

Sand was pouring out of his head

still legible on this fragile sheet?

Aware of peyote visions of Mulock

Giant Buddha, silver goblet; my feet

She held her husband head, still warn

carry me absently to the sound

Blood and dust over her chest, still there Last moments together his head against her breasts

of your voice. You study the ashen tomb, the contrapposto marble figure, and trace

Sensing, feeling, beating hearts

the intricate carvings. I study your face,

Hole through his temple, exit wound

the reflection in your eyes. Across the room

Flapping his arms, placing blocks upon Each other as young children do

the sarcophaguses are open. Two

She held his head, running her fingers through his hair

ancient lovers sleep, stay that way for all

Whispering sweet judo Christian prayers and last kisses

time. Wordlessly I pray to them, call

Dropping the limp pistol, offsetting rigor mortis

upon them to let me die next to you.

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following positions: Position

Seat(s)

Division I Victoria College Uni versi t y Col l ege Innis College St . Mi chael s Col l ege New College Trinity College Woodswort h Col l ege At-Large Arts & Science

2 2 1 3 3 1 3 2

Important 2010 Dates: Election Nominations (All Positions) Election Campaign Period Election Voting Period Election Results

Monday, March 1 at 09:00 to Friday, March 5 at 16:00 Monday, March 8 at 12:00 to Thursday, March 18 at 19:00 Tuesday, March 16 to Thursday, March 18 From 10:00 to 19:00 Monday, March 22, 2010

Division II Toronto School of Theology

1

Faculty of Music Facul t y of Dent i st ry Facul t y of Nursi ng Facul t y of Medi ci ne Facul t y of Pharmacy Faculty of Law Facul t y of Appl i ed Sci ence & Engi neeri ng Facul t y of Physi cal Educat i on & Heal t h At -Large Prof essi onal Facul t y

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Executive President Vi ce Presi dent Int ernal & Servi ces Vi ce Presi dent Equi t y Vi ce Presi dent Ext ernal * cross appointed to the Board of Directors of the UTMSU

1 1 1 1

St. George campus:

Mississauga campus:

12 Hart House Circle hours: Monday - Thursday, 09:00 to 17:00UTM Student Centre, Room 100 hours: Monday - Friday, 09:00 to 12:30, Fridays, 09:00 to 16:00 13:30 to 17:00

To run for a position, pick up a nomination package during Please keep in mind the dates and deadlines.

For more information, visit our Students’ Union website at www.utsu.ca or contact cro@utsu.ca Please note that, at the time of this publication, University of Toronto Students Union and/or U.T.S.U. refers to the ents Stud Administrative Council of the University of Toronto, Inc. ( SAC ).

10 THE MEDIUM MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2010

Andrew Tysiak , Editor | sports@mediumonline.ca

Bilodeau dedicates gold medal to brother After capturing Canada’s first Olympic gold medal on home soil, the Montreal born skier draws inspiration from his brother Fredric, who suffers from cerebral palsy WILLIAM ROBERTSON ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

After a long wait, anticipation grew in Vancouver about which Canadian would take home the first gold medal on home soil at the Winter Games. The anticipation is over: thirty-four years after Montreal and twenty-two years after Calgary, freestyle skier Alexandre Bilodeau became the first Canadian ever to win a gold medal in Canada.

Bilodeau started on the World Cup circuit at the age of 18, where he captured rookie-of-the-year honours. He won his first World Cup race in 2006.

He switched to moguls to improve his skiing technique, and found his passion there.

Did that switch ever pay off.

Bilodeau was considered a medal contender before the Games. Reporters, however, regarded him as inconsistent.

But Bilodeau saved his best for last, dethroning the Canadian-born Australian Dale Begg-Smith for the gold medal and sending the Canadian crowd into a frenzy. He tore through the moguls with precision and the judges awarded him with a 26.75, which proved good enough for first place.

Following the race, Bilodeau ran to his brother Frederic, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at age ten. When asked how much of the gold belonged to his brother, Bilodeau replied, “A lot! …

My brother is my inspiration. Growing

up with handicapped people puts everything back in perspective, and he taught me so many things in life.”

Bilodeau believes that he needs to take any opportunity possible to train despite weather conditions because Frederic does not even get the chance, as he is confined to a wheelchair.

His older brother may be his inspiration, but Bilodeau has inspired millions of Canadians. When the gold medal was presented to Bilodeau on Monday night at B.C. Place, the capacity crowd erupted into pandemonium, with thousands of flags waving and cowbells ringing to congratulate the victor. He received a call from the Prime Minister, congratulating him on his accomplishment, In an interview following his achievement with The Toronto Star, Bilodeau said, “This gold medal is just as important to this nation as any medal we earn.

We will win more gold medals and I am glad I could bring this home to Canada.

I want to thank my family for their support over the years, and my older brother for being my inspiration.”

Bilodeau then invited Dale BeggSmith and bronze medal winner Bryon Wilson onto the first place podium to share his accomplishment (even though an Australian coach had previously protested Bilodeau’s victory over BeggSmith).

As of Sunday, Canada has won four gold medals, and hopes to increase their medal count heading into the final days of the Olympic games.

Duncan Rawlinson/Flickr

Alexandre Bilodeau poses for a photo with his gold medal on February 17.

Injuries and bad weather plague Winter Olympics Beginning with the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, the Olympic games has encountered many difficulties

ANDREW TYSIAK SPORTS EDITOR

Even before the Winter Games began on February 12, disaster had already struck.

Nodar Kumaritashvili, a 21-year-old luger from Georgia, died after a horrifying accident during a training session at the Whistler Sliding Centre in Whistler, B.C. Heading into the final turn of the course, Kumaritashvili lost control of his sled and was sent flying over the sidewall of the track into an unprotected metal pole. He was moving at 90 mph during the crash, and his death

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Monday, March 1st, 2010 12:00pm - 2:00pm Student Centre

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was instant.

Kumaritashvili was honored during the opening ceremonies. A moment of silence was then held before the first heat of the men's luge competition, and many observers hoped that better fortunes would lie ahead for the upcoming weeks of competition.

But they were wrong. Aside from the Olympic caldron fiasco during the opening ceremonies, the combination of bad weather and injuries due to difficulty and tough course conditions has characterized the Vancouver Olympics thus far.

Excess rain immediately forced three consecutive days of training cancellations on the ski slopes. Of the first seven scheduled training sessions for men’s and women’s downhill skiers, only one training session (the men's downhill) was completed. That session was on February 11, before the Olympics games began. Even in that scenario, the slushy conditions forced the skiers to train on a condensed version of the course. Since the main events can’t occur until the entire group of skiers get at least a training session in, both men’s and women’s downhill skiing events were postponed to later dates.

On Sunday, the weather was ten degrees Celsius and is expected to reach up to 12 degrees by next week.

When temperatures cooled shortly

after the initial cancellations, it made the ski hills too icy and slippery for the various skiing events. As a result, many skiers fell during their Olympic runs. In the women’s downhill event on February 17, as many as eight racers were unable to finish the race. Most of those were due to falls.

Canadian skier and medal favorite Manuel Osborne Paradis along with fellow Canadian veteran skier Emily Brydon both took potentially dangerous falls, shattering their chances of winning a medal on their home soil.

Swedish veteran ski racer Patrik Jaerbyn and Romanian Edith Miklos were both airlifted to the hospital after their devastating crashes. Miklos lost control and crashed through the course fences while 40-year-old Jaerbyn landed awkwardly after hitting a gate near the end of his race. Jaerbyn suffered a medium concussion during the fall and was released from hospital the day after.

In cross-country skiing, Slovenian star Petra Majdic fell and tumbled down a three-metre bank during training sessions, landing into a tree base.

She suffered four broken ribs, a punctured lung and was forced to compete in immense pain. Notably during her qualification run in the cross-country sprint, she immediately dropped to the ground and screamed in tremendous pain after crossing the finish line. The

medical staff aided her off the course shortly after. Amazingly, she ended up playing through the pain and miraculously won the bronze medal in the event.

To add to the turmoil, poor ice conditions at the Richmond Olympic Oval forced several lengthy delays in several speed skating events. A zamboni spill midway through the men’s 500m race resulted in an hour and a half delay and almost caused the event to be postponed for another day.

Because of these numerous troubles, many are considering these Olympics to be one of the worst ever. General Manager of the USA National Hockey Team and the Toronto Maple Leafs Brian Burke took a stance against the critics.

“I've been to four Winter Olympics.

This is the best one I've been to in terms of organization. You're going to have glitches in an event this size," said Burke. "With this many people, logistical things with multiple venues, you're going to have glitches. I don't know why people are whining about it.”

Regardless of the difficulties, the events have been very entertaining and the Canadian faithful has done a tremendous job in supporting their athletes. May the final week run smoothly and otherwise cap off a very memorable Olympic games.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY

22, 2010 THE MEDIUM 11

SPORTS

NATIONAL DOMINATION

Will Women’s Hockey be banned from the Olympics?

The Olympic sport may share the same fate as Women’s Softball MARIANO COMITO

In Women’s Hockey, only one or two teams seem to dominate the field. Either Canada or Team USA has won the World Championships every year since their debut in 1990. The U.S. has won three of the last four competitions, breaking Canada’s 14-year reign as the undisputed queens of hockey.

As seen earlier this week at the Winter Olympics, Canada humiliated Slovakia on day one, winning 18-0, and crushed Switzerland 10-1 on day three. Much like the Canadians, the Americans have celebrated a 12-1 triumph against China in their opening game. And on Tuesday, the U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team made an Olympic record, scoring seven power-play goals and winning a 130 match over Russia in its second game of the Winter Olympics.

Team USA improved with the win and secured a spot in the tournament’s semifinal round.

The amount of goals scored in each of these victories is not uncommon. During qualifications, Slovakia beat Bulgaria 82-0.

The lack of competition among women’s hockey is creating controversial views on whether to keep Women’s Hockey as an Olympic sport or ban it, as it is mostly only being dominated by the same two countries.

Such undisputed domination is not surprising, given how popular hockey is in Canada and the US. Both countries share similar cultural views in encouraging young girls and boys to play hockey competitively at a young age. There are many hockey schools, professional coaches and leagues where kids of all ages can practice and play competitively all year long. Contrast

GOLD 4

this with many countries where hockey is not a cultural or a popular sport. In these nations, there’s simply not enough interest to start businesses that teach children to play hockey at a competitive level.

It will thus be very difficult for Canada and the US to see a tougher competitor at the Winter Olympics then Sweden. Sweden did manage to shock the women’s hockey world in the 2006 Turin Olympics when it beat the heavily favorite USA squad 3-2 in the semi-finals. Sweden also began the 2010 Vancouver Games with a 3-0 victory over Switzerland.

But these were short-lived victories. On February 17, Canada triumphed over Sweden 13-1, making the Swedes’ infamous victory in the 2006 Olympics seem a fluke.

Given this story as well as the embarrassing blowouts at the Vancouver Games, one assumption is that Canada and Team USA will once again compete for the gold.

Another assumption is that Women’s Ice Hockey may share the fate of Women’s Softball, which was banned from the Summer Olympics.

“I get uncomfortable when the score gets too lopsided,” says Mark Johnson, the U.S. Olympic Women’s Hockey coach. “I've been on the other end of that too many times. It can be a difficult balancing act. You certainly want to respect your opponent and the hard work they did to get here.”

This is perhaps why Canada and the U.S. have begun to shift their playing techniques every time they have an increasing goal lead over their opponent. Instead of shooting the puck constantly, they attempt to simply clear it from the goal area. This prompted Hayley Wickenheiser from Team Canada to say, “No apologies when you win. We work way too hard to

SILVER 3

BRONZE 1

wordfest.com

Hayley Wickenheiser, with her gold medal from the 2002 Olympics at Salt Lake City, doesn’t believe in holding back against weak opponents. come here and dump the puck in and sit back in a trap.”

Indeed, when key players are benched, they may feel like they were punished for playing well.

This amounts to holding players back from the best of their capabilities. It can also seem an insult to the challenging team.

With the lack of competition

among women’s hockey, even fans are wondering if it should continue to be an Olympic sport. Some feel that the excitements of the sport is gone when a team crushes its opponents by a ten plus goal lead, rendering the game predictable.

“It’s sad when these teams work really hard to get to the Olympics, only to be humiliated by a domi-

nating t eam li ke Canada or the U.S.,” says Ana Maria Kudeljanjak, a UTM fourth-year humanities student and a hockey fan.

When viewers watch these games, whereby without equal skill among the national teams, should Women’s Hockey still be a competitive sport at the Olympic Games?

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results as of february 21, 2010

Medal Events: Monday February 22 (EST) 1:00 p.m. Ski Jumping Team Final Round 4:00 p.m. Cross Country Skiing Ladies' Team Sprint Free Final 4:25 p.m. Cross Country Skiing Men's Team Sprint Free Final

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Short Track: Men's 5000 m Relay Finals 10:00 p.m.

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Closing Ceremony 8:30 p.m.

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12 THE MEDIUM MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2010

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