Vol 36 issue 2

STAR LANDING

Glitterati take to the streets to celebrate the 34th Toronto International Film Festival.

Monday, September 14 2009

Volume 36, Issue 2

Campus prepares for swine flu With students back on campus UTM officials put together swine flu plan ALAIN LATOUR EDITOR IN CHIEF As the world braces itself for an H1N1 f l u p a n d e m i c t h a t c o ul d infect up to 30 per cent of the population, and with Washington State University and University of Kansas alre ady reporting outbreaks, in addition to a 20-year-old Cornell student dying on Friday, UTM officials maintain that the campus is “in particularly good shape.”

Preparations have been underway throug h o u t t h e s u m m e r . T h e y ranged from the simple and preventative – such as adding hand sanitizing stations, which now total over 100, and instructing the caretaking team at UTM to increase the frequency with which it sanitizes washrooms, food service areas and common gathering places – to planning ahead for a scenario in which up to a third of faculty and staff could end up sick.

In an interview with The Medium, Dean o f S tu d e n t Af f a ir s M a r k Overton said that “U of T is heavily invested in pandemic planning.”

Workin g w i t h t h e M i n ist r y o f Health and Long-Term Care, and with Peel Public Health in the case of UTM, university officials developed a strategy with an emphasis on prevention. So far, the strategy involves d i s p l a y i n g t ip s i n t h e Zoom frames hanging in the campus’ washrooms, forming Health Education teams to promote flu awareness, informing residence stu-

Matthew Filipowich/The Medium

Hand washing is the best way to prevent spread of H1N1 flu d e n t s a n d a dd ing a notice in Blackboard (U of T’s coursework portal). They have also set up a page dedicated to student information on the Pandemic Preparedness website.

UTM V i c e-President and Principal Ian Orchard followed with an email informing UTM students about the H1N1 strain. And l a s t Th u r s d ay , the University released a flu-registry system, accessible through ROSI, U of T’s student web service, which allows students to record flu-related absences without the need to submit doctors’ notes to their professors.

Skipping class – or, in the case of staff, work – is encouraged by both

Public Health Canada and the University. A memorandum was recently sent to U of T principals, deans, academic directors and chairs instructing them to “make reasonable accommodations for students who are unable to attend classes or complete academic requirements due to suspected or actual H1N1 illnesses.”

“The rule of thumb for returning to class,” said Alison Burnett, director of the Health and Counselling Centre, “is 24 hours after the fever has subsided – without any medication. Lots of times people take Tylenol to reduce fever. That’s not the same as the fever subsiding on

its own.”

A visit to the doctor becomes necessary if the fever continues after the first 24 hours or if flu symptoms worsen. Patients might then be given an antiviral drug such as Tamiflu.

“Unlike in the UK, where these antiviral drugs have been given to everyone, here in Canada, they will be given only to people suspected of actually having the swine flu,” said Burnett. “Those with a regular flu will just have to ride it out. If you’re at a higher risk, then it’s more likely you will be given the drug.”

Flu continued on page 2

New childcare centre opens SAALIHA MALIK NEWS EDITOR

Establishing a permanent child care centre on campus has been a struggle for the last five years, leaving UTM as the only U of T campus without a permanent child care facility. But when students returned to campus last Tuesday, they found that the new Early Learning Centre had been completed.

The demand for child care has been an on-going campaign between the student union and the UTM administration for the last five years. Initially there was a childcare facility on campus, but it was shut down due to low demand. Some parents were upset, however, and asked

the students union to intervene. The Erindale Part-Time Students Union and the Students Administrative Council (now UTSU) teamed up to campaign for a new facility. The University did not initially think there was enough of a demand, forcing the UTSU at UTM and EPUS to provide a facility in the student centre to accommodate families.

This move did not satisfy the increasing demand for childcare. The centre could only accommodate five children at a time. At its highest, there were 19 children using the facility on a rotational basis, with over 20 families on wait list.

After numerous meetings and careful negotiations, the UTM administration and the student union came to an agreement and the groundwork for the ELC was laid. The building of the new facility also had many setbacks, with logistical problems plaguing the preliminary stages of construction. Despite numerous delays

construction, construction began in March of 2009.

The Early Learning Centre replaces the child-minding centre operated by the student union. Located beside the Leacock Lane residence, it can accommodate 26 children and provides both fulltime and part-time care to ten toddlers aged 18 to 30 months and 16 preschoolers aged 30 months to five years.

The building is a huge improvement in terms of space as the original centre was located in one of the student centre board rooms. There are now six employees and an on-site supervisor at the ELC that can provide more programs for the children.

The mission statement of the service provider states, “The Early Learning Centre will provide a superior level of support to the family unit of University of Toronto students, staff and faculty by implementing early childhood education

and care programs that strive for excellence.”

The rates, however, have been questioned by the student union, who cited that the fees are more expensive than the previous centre. Whereas the temporary centre charged $5 an hour to a maximum to $40 a day for childcare – amounting to roughly $800 for monthly full-time care – the ELC is charging $982 for preschoolers, $1,286 for toddlers and $1,515 for infants for full-time monthly care.

The student union will be running a campaign to pressure the University administration to lower costs and increase bursaries. “Students have been fighting for many years to gain an accessible child care facility on our campus.

The child care centre finally exists but it is financially inaccessible to students, who are already burdened by soaring tuition fees,” said UTMSU VP Equity Vickita Bhatt.

Woman dies at U of T KATHERINE LUCZYNSKI Leah Kubik, 29, died after falling three storeys off the roof of a building at the St. George campus early on September 10.

Kubik was on her first date with a 34year-old man she met on the internet.

The pair were allegedly ghost hunting before Kubik plummeted to her death at a U of T building located at 1 Spadina Crescent.

Kubik, who was originally from Indiana but had resided in Toronto for several years, was allegedly under the influence of alcohol when she and her date entered the building through a window and climbed to the roof. The pair, who were not students at the University, tried to cross a gap in the structure. The man cleared the gap, but Kubik was not as fortunate. She tried to cross by stepping on the mesh wire used to prevent bird activity within the building. The wire collapsed, sending Kubik to her death.

Police were called to the scene around 2 a.m. Kubik was immediately transported to St. Michael’s Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Later that afternoon, police released a statement confirming that the thrill-seekers had been exploring the building’s gothic architecture when the accident occurred. Police are now calling the accident a “death by misadventure.”

Kubik’s date, whose name has not been released, is not a suspect and is unlikely to face any criminal charges.

This is not the first death in the gothicstyle building, which is believed to be haunted and was home to another death in January 2001 when fifty-year-old professor and artist David Buller was found stabbed to death in his office. The case remains unsolved.

The building, constructed in 1875, was the home of Knox College before becoming a military hospital during the First World War. It now contains art studios, several offices and parking s ervices.

Although the building has witnessed two horrific deaths, paranormal activity has not been proven to exist within the walls of the structure.

INSIDE South Building renamed PAGE 2 Underwater sex PAGE 6 The Great Pacific Garbage Patch PAGE 7 Working out for better marks PAGE 10

2 THE MEDIUM

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER

14, 2009

NEWS PREPARING FOR THE WORST

Swine flu preparations Flu continued from cover The prevention aspect has also been stressed in UTM’s student residence. An additional 25 hand sanitizing stations have been added and an information package has been prepared for residence students.

“We’re in a better position than many other universities,” said Dale Mullings, director of Student Housing and Residence Life, “because they have doubles or triples, whereas all of our rooms are single rooms.”

Students who get the H1N1 virus will not be asked to change rooms. “We’ll ask them to stay where they are and to selfidentify through a self-registry,” said Mullings. Patients will be assigned “flu buddies” who will take class notes and bring packaged meals to the patients’ rooms. Plenty of tissues and hand sanitizer will be on hand and surgical masks will be provided should a patient need to leave their units, for example to drop the garbage.

“It’s self-isolation,” said Overton, “and about how we support that while making the student comfortable.”

And should the University close due to a pandemic that sees a significant percentage of the campus population fall sick, the residence will remain open. “So if you’re unable to go home, you will always have a place to stay here,” said Mullings.

The University encourages students and staff to get the regular flu shot in October then the flu clinic opens, as well as a second shot later in November or

December when the H1N1 vaccine is finally released. Initial reports have indicated that the H1N1 vaccine will require two shots, but scientists now state that one will suffice. Children, however, may still need two.

Forty-two years after the opening of the UTM campus, the South Building will be renamed after the Honourable William G. Davis. This decision received overwhelming support at both UTM’s governing body and U of T’s Governing Council last spring. The South Building opened in 1973 and is the second oldest structure at UTM. Davis oversaw the groundbreaking opening of the building in 1973.

Davis, a Brampton native, pursued a career in law after graduating from University of Toronto in 1951. It wasn’t until 1959 that Davis began his political career with his first election to the Ontario Legislature. Four years later, Davis was named Educational Minister and formed several community colleges, the first of which opened its doors in 1966. He attended Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto and received an honorary doctorate of law from the U of T in 1967. In 1971, Davis was elected 5th consecutive progressive conservative (PC) premier of Ontario. He held office for fourteen years until 1985.

Along with assisting in numerous U of T fundraising campaigns including honorary chair of the Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre Campaign at UTM, Davis was a member of the U

66 students entered Canada this year through the Student Refugee Program

PRACTICE GOOD HYGIENE • When you cough or sneeze, cover yuor nose and mouth with a tissue or your sleeve.

• Wash your hands often and thor oughly with soap and water.

• Carry and use alcohal based hand sanitizer regularly.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with your hands to reduce your exposure to germs on your fin gers.

• When the flu is known to be spreading, maintain a social dis tance of atl east one metre from others where possible and avoid sharing personal items and drinks.

• Avoid close contact with people who are ill.

• If you have flu like symptons (fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue, sometimes with diarrhea and vom iting) stay home and self isolate until you`ve been free of fever for 24 hours and are feeling better. Call TeleHealth Ontario at 1 8 6 6 7 9 7 0 0 0 0 or your doctor if you have complications or further concerns.

MEDIUMONLINE.CA POLL Are you planning to get your flu shots? answer at mediumonline.ca/poll

South building to be renamed KATHERINE LUCZYNSKI

WUSC welcomes students

of T governing council from 19992008. He was awarded with U of T’s Arbor Award for voluntary service in 2000 and was made a member of the Career Centre Board of Fame.

Plans for the new William G. Davis Building include a new student services plaza and more diverse food options.

“Bill Davis has played an incredibly important role in the creation of UTM in Mississauga,” said Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion, co-chair of the William G. Davis Tribute Campaign. “His political advocacy for this region – as an MPP, minister of education and finally premier of Ontario – has been truly extraordinary. Our city and province have been enriched by his outstanding leadership.”

U of T president David Naylor shares similar sentiments in a press release. “As premier of Ontario, William G. Davis transformed higher education and moved his province forward through a period of unprecedented prosperity and social consensus, he has been a wonderful statesman, an enthusiastic supporter and dedicated governor of his alma mater, and a tireless champion of the University of Toronto Mississauga.”

The dedication ceremony and the official renaming will take place during the 2009/2010 academic school year.

need

XGet Experience Fair

Visit the

Wed. Sept. 23 | 10:30 am - 1:30 pm | RAWC Find great on-campus opportunities through Work Visit the Career Centre (SE 3094) or visit www.utm.utoronto.ca/careers

Study

queensjournal.ca

Agot Thon came to Queen’s from a refugee camp in Kenya through the Student Refugee Program.

SAALIHA MALIK NEWS EDITOR

This past August, a student from Kenya was sponsored to study fulltime at UTM. Abdi Hassan Ahmed is the third student sponsored through the World University Service of Canada Student Refugee Program. The SRP has helped sponsor refugees since 1978 and has 44 committees across Canada that welcomed 66 new sponsored refugees thus far this year. Last year, WUSC celebrated its 30th anniversary as well as the arrival of the 1000th sponsored student. The SRP at UTM is lead by student union vice president external Henry Ssali, Dean of Student Affairs Mark Overton, student union executive director Mohammed Hashim, Faduma Gure and Lena Elamin.

In a referendum held in March 2009, UTMSU proposed a levy introduction of $1.00 per semester for full-time students to go toward the SRP. The referendum gained student approval with 484 students voting in favour and 350 voting against. The new fee was introduced in this year’s tuition fees, collecting approximately $20,000.

Students at UTM previously

paid $0.61 per semester, a sum amounting to approximately $12,000 annually, to the St. George campus student union (UTSU), which held a referendum in 2007 for the student refugee program at UTM.

For the third year coming, [UTM Administraion] have waived tuition fees, meal plan expenses and residence costs for sponsored refugee stu dents, an amount val ued to approximately $15,000 per school year.

After the consolidation of offices left full-time students represented only by the UTMSU, a memorandum of agreement between the two former offices began providing UTMSU with the full amount of approximately $12,000.00 in levies collected by UTSU from UTM students.

Through both student levies, UTM’s Student Refugee Program

Now’s the time to start your part-time job search!

Attend the Finding Part-Time Work workshop on Tues. Sept. 15 or Thurs. Sept. 24 to learn effective job search methods.

Learn more and register via the Career Centre Events Calendar @ www.utm.utoronto.ca/careers!

collects approximately $32,000.00 a year, together with additional funds through fundraisers. Aside from the student levy, fundraisers on campus have successfully raised both money and awareness for the program. Orientation Week featured a morning of community service where first year students collected donations for the SRP. This year, students collected $5, 470.

T he UTM admini st r a t i o n has proven to be a strong support system for the program. For the third year coming, they have waived tuition fees, meal plan expenses and residence costs for sponsored refugee students, an amount valued to approximately $15,000 per school year.

Although UTM has only sponsored one student annually, plans are underway to sponsor an additional student each year. “We are in the process of negotiating for a second student to utilize the funds donated by the students through the levy,” states Ssali.

Refugee Awareness Week takes place from September 28 to October 2, with the aim of educating the campus on issues surrounding refugees and raising awareness about the student refugee program at UTM.

Interested in HR? Register for the Shaw Communications Info Session Tuesday, September 22 | 5 pm - 7 pm Interested in volunteering overseas? Register for the Nexos Voluntarios Info Session Friday, September 18 | 10 am - 12 pm Sign up today at www.utm.utoronto.ca/careers

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

CAREER CENTRE

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER

14, 2009 THE MEDIUM 3

ORIENTATION ALL AROUND

FROSH MY LIFE The CCIT Council held their own orientation day last Friday for 40 first-year CCIT students and 25 upper-year leaders. The one-day event featured an afternoon of games at Erindale Park, a scavenger hunt on campus, a meet-and-greet session with professors and ended with a Yuk Yuks comedy show and a surprise

dance party at the MiST theatre.

Rogers Cable, one of the event’s major sponsors, filmed the group at Erindale Park. The dance party featured a live performance by Vibrasonic Sessions and an appearance by the UTM Breakers. Prizes, such as digital cameras, were given out to winners of the scavenger hunt.

Mark Shannon Photos

NEWS

International students orientation a smash OVAIS SHAH Throngs of excited students gathered on Labour Day on the green grass outside the CCIT building for the International Student Orientation. The event, which was organized by campus life divisions such as utmONE, the International Student Resource Centre and UTM Student Housing and Residence Life, aimed to greet international students and facilitate their integration on campus.

Approximately 1,700 international students have been accepted to the University of Toronto; their numbers continues to rise.

The residence and ISRC staff trained for many hours under the guidance of student affairs representative Veronica Vasquez, who worked hard to prepare a day-long itinerary of events that both volunteers and participating first-year students alike visibly enjoyed.

“I think that both the students and staff enjoyed the international orientation,” said Harpreet Randhawa, a thirdyear student volunteering with the ISRC. “It was the best way to kick off the 20092010 academic year.”

After a warm welcome from Dean of Student Affairs Mark Overton, ISRC team leaders gathered international students into groups. Within their teams, these international students and their Canadian peers engaged in a plethora of icebreaker activities to ease the newcomers’ transition to the Mississauga Campus and build a social and academically oriented network.

“The ice-breaker activities were designed in such a manner to encouraged international students and their peers to share their culture in a fun, safe

and comfortable environment,” said Aastha Sahni, a teamleader and a local student. Similar positive comments were voiced by former UTM international student and utmONE organizer, Vasquez, who stated, “The activities reflected the true spirit of the University of Toronto as a mix of internationallyminded local Canadian students and international first-year students got together to learn about the ISRC and its valuable services such as Let’s Talk Turkey, Global Café and the Buddy Program.” Sonal Castelino, an interna-

Campus and UTM Peer Health Services coordinator Chad Jankowski educated students on the University Health Insurance Plan, Canadian cultural norms and topics such as taxes, study permit, student health and student visas. A question–and-answer period helped calm students’ anxieties over other issues not raised in the presentation.

Chris McGrath, Vice-Dean of Student Affairs, provided positive feedback on this year’s orientation. “International student orientation was one of the many successes of the UTMOne

utmsu.ca

tional participant, added that “the activities gave Canadian students and staff an ideal opportunity to gain cultural enrichment and volunteer experience. By taking time out to organizing events and services for international students at UTM, they benefited from an exchange of diverse experiences.”A presentation given by the International Student Centre on the St. George

Orientation Program this year.”

Student orientations help ease the transition of local and international students by addressing the complexity of the university environment and the needs of firstyear students. With this information comfortably in mind, UTM’s new international students should well be on the path to making Canada and the campus their new home.

ERINDALE COLLEGE COUNCIL The council of Erindale College, also known as the University of Toronto at Mississauga (UTM), exercises its powers and dutes under the University of Toronto Act, 1971, as amended.

NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN FOR THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS: Full-time undergraduate students - 50 positions available Part-time undergraduate students - 14 positions available Administrative Staff (non-academic staff other than department heads) - 2 positions available Nominations may be sumbitted through the Council Website: http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/council/ Questions about the nominations? Contact: 826-5357 / devin.kreuger@utoronto.ca

NOMINATION PERIOD for ECC membership: September 8 to 18, 2009, 12:00 Noon Elections*: September 25, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Nominating Period for Standing Committee membership for students and adminstrative staff: October 2 to 9, 2009, 12:00 Noon; For faculty: September 8 to October 9, 2009, 12:00 Noon.

Elections if necessary*: Friday, October 16, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

For available positions of standing committees and more information, please visit the above website *If the number of nominations exceeds the number of available positions

4 THE MEDIUM

OPINION

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER

14, 2009

Meet The Medium Alain Latour has been a soldier, a German Literature teaching assistant, a TV show co host, a yoga instructor, a bookstore clerk and a lottery salesman.

Needless to say, he is older than most UTM stu dents.

Alain grew up in Havana, Cuba, where he and his peers were forced to line up and shout “Long live the Revolution!”every morning before class. He was also forced to wear cute little red shorts and a red bandanna around his neck. The red symbolized the blood spilled by Communist heroes, or something of the sort. To this day he winces when someone uses the words “fatherland” or “solidarity.” He does not dance salsa or think Tony Montana jokes are funny.

A (self) published author whose book he hopes UTM students and staff will buy in hordes, Alain dreams of becoming a novelist and a filmmaker.

His Twitter account is @villatour; his blog, alainlatour.com.

ALAIN LATOUR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

EDITORIAL I had it all ready. Prompted by news that the University of Waterloo reconsidered a much-vilified logo after students orchestrated a media campaign to protest the new design, I set out to write about UTM students and how they should view this paper as something that they can use, rather than the ramblings of a handful of journalist wannabes. The Medium, I’d write, should be a place to discuss the things that matter to them, be it the high price and the lack of diversity of food on campus or the danger of riding a shuttle bus that was designed to transport people half the size of your average UTM student.

Then I got the email. It was signed by UTM Vice-President and Principal Ian Orchard and it had been sent to every UTM student. He welcomed us back to school before warning us about the influenza A (H1N1) strain and its likely spread around our community.

The email reminded me of a conversation that I had back in early August with Dean of Student Affairs Mark Overton. “You should talk about the swine flu preparations,” he suggested, and I nodded, making another note in my note-cramped pad.

Researching the topic only proved Dean Overton right. A swine flu outbreak could wait until the normal flu season in December, or it could, with the aid of what the Globe and Mail last week called “incubators” – classrooms, for the rest of us – gain strength by the end of summer.

This is what seems to have happened. Swine flu has been detected in several US campuses, where classes began earlier than ours. And yesterday a 20-year-old Cornell student died from it. In such tight quarters, it is only logical to assume that such a contagious virus will kindly pay us a visit here at UTM. Experts predicted that the virus would spread widely. They could be wrong. They also predicted that it would be benign. They could be wrong about that too. H1N1 is, after all, a new strain. Run-of-the-mill seasonal influenza comes and goes, with the virus mutating slightly from one winter to the next. But every so often a truly new influenza virus emerges, resulting in a global wave of infection known as a pandemic.

The 1918 Spanish flu pandemic killed between 50 and 100 million people. The latest pandemic, in 1968, killed at least one million. Studies by Lancet and the World Bank estimate that a modern pandemic of equivalent virulence could kill between 62 and 70 million people.

To be sure, modern drugs such as Tamiflu can reduce the virus’s strength. And in the age of lighting-speed communication, agencies and doctors can talk to each and coordinate efforts in a more efficient manner.

The swine flu is not expected to cause anywhere near that amount of fatalities. When fatalities do occur, they are more likely to take place among special risk groups – the elderly, chronic smokers, diabetics – in developing countries. Canada in particular seems ready: we will get the vaccine by November, perhaps December, and our health departments, along with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, have been hard at wok to ensure that the number and severity of cases are kept as low as possible.

Still, for all our scientific progress, we are still unable to predict when the virus will regroup and in what form. “It’s anybody's guess,” said Canada’s Chief Medical Officer of Health last Wednesday. “Influenza is always inventive.”

In other words, no one knows for sure how the swine flu is going to act.

Lest anyone accuse me of stirring panic, I will say that I hesitated before writing this editorial. The media have too often been accused of causing mass hysteria (these accusations are too often correct). But this is about informing students. UTM has already done plenty to update us and plans to do even more, with its emails, on the Health and Counselling website and on posters hanging from the walls of most washrooms. UTM has even designed a new emergency preparedness website, located at www.preparedness.utoronto.ca.

More, however, can be done. There will always be someone who doesn’t know, or doesn’t understand the actual risk, or doesn’t want to.

Young people like to think that nothing will to happen to us. This editorial and the coverage we’ve given to the issue may alarm some, but if that alarm results in increased awareness, in students buying and using alcohol-based hand sanitizer, sneezing into their sleeves, lining up at the two vaccination clinics that will take place between October and December and isolating themselves for the first 24 hours following flu symptoms, then it would have done some good.

Marcel Proust once said, “Illness is the most heeded of doctors: to goodness and wisdom we only make promises; pain we obey.”

Wouldn’t it be nice to prove him wrong?

Alain Latour

Yours,

A former student union vice president and political science major, Saaliha Malik firmly believes that healthy democracy comes from open dialogue and transparency.

Her experience working within the University of Toronto community has given her a strong under standing of news on campus and will assist her in reporting on issues pertinent to UTM students.

Always a pop culture junkie, Saaliha has interned at MTV Canada and with CTV’s eTalk during their coverage of the Toronto International Film Festival.

Saaliha aspires to a career in broadcasting and journalism and is thrilled to be writing for The Medium this year.

Michael Di Leo is doing a double major in Physics and Anthropology. This is his second year as A&E Editor at The Medium and will likely be his last.

When he is not not checking emails (much to Alain’s exasperation), coming up with outrageous layouts for his section or discussing how to get into a bathtub while wearing shrink to fit jeans, Michael enjoys spending his time finding new restaurants and listening to jazz. His favourite writers are Carl Wilson and Richard Brautigan. Michael also enjoys sarcasm and ice cream. His favourite Medium ite is Matt, though he’s not really an editor.

Amir Ahmed is doing a double major in English and Professional Writing and Communications. He dreams of winning several Booker prizes and grow ing a rich, full beard. Unfortunately, neither of these is likely to happen. He joined The Medium as a vol unteer writer last year and became the features edi tor this year. He hopes to use his new position to better himself and earn the respect of his peers.

Unfortunately this is also not likely to happen. His favourite book is the Brothers Karamazov and his favourite movie is Shaolin Soccer. He also thinks puns are clever, which definitely detracts from the “respect of his peers” thing.

Andr ew T ysia k is majoring in Communication Culture and Technology and taking minors in History and Geography. Born in Mississauga and raised in Oakville, Andrew has always had a tremendous pas sion for sports since the day he was born, participat ing in a wide variety of sports including hockey, baseball, and bowling.

Andrew joined The Medium late last year as a volunteer writer. He decided to pursue the recently vacated sports editor position and became the sports editor for this year. He hopes to use his experiences at The Medium as a gateway to helping him get a job as either a sports journalist, sports columnist or sports broadcaster.

Su L yn Lie w is completing a Psychology and Professional Writing and Communications double major. An international student from Malaysia, she lived for seven years in Guangzhou, China and stud ied at an American international school. She is sometimes mistaken as a student from North America due to her American accent and is resigned at how often others misspell her name.

She edits for the PWC program’s literary digest, Mindwaves, and writes fiction for her friends’ birthdays.

Just into her fourth year in Canada, Su Lyn still finds Toronto’s winters far too cold and prefers to stay indoors with her headphones and laptop.

She loves Japan’s pop culture and leads a double life as an executive of the UTM Anime Club.

Matthew Filipowich is a photographer, designer and artist a jack of all trades who can do anything he decides is worth doing. In his fourth and final year of university, Matthew is set to complete his specialist in Art and Art History with a focus in photography and design, and then move into the real world next year. When not in class or hustling around campus with thousands of dollars and many dozen kilograms worth of photography equipment in tow, Matthew spends his time working as the photo editor for Steel Bananas, a Toronto Arts magazine and freelancing.

Matthew has been with The Medium for a year as the Photography Editor, the Composite Editor, and starting this year as the Webmaster. His Twitter account is @filipowich; his website, matthewfilipowich.ca.

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 ASSISTANT A&E Nives Hajdin 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 WEBMATSER Matthew Filipowich DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Heather Friesen BUSINESS MANAGER Romano Bergic BOARD OF DIRECTORS Marc Bressler, Chris Cauchi, Paul Donaghue, Ali Kasim, Kristian Jurlewicz, Aly Khan Madhavji, Paola Savasta.

MEDIUM II PUBLICATIONS 3359 Mississauga Road, Room 200, Student Centre, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6 Phone: 905.828.5260 Fax: 905.828.5402 Advertising: 905.828.5379 COMPLAINTS Comments, concerns or coml panits about The Medium ’s content should be directed to the Editor in Chief who can be located at the email address above.

COPYRIGHT All content printed in The Medium is the sole property of its creators, and cannot be used with out written consent.

DISCLAIMER Opinions expressed in the pages of The Medium are exclusively of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Medium. Additionally, the opinions expressed in adver tisements appearing in The Medium are those of advertis ers 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 500 words in print.

Letters that incite hatred, vio lence or letters that are racist, homophobic, sexist, or libelous will not be published.

Anonymous letters will not be published.

THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS Katherine Luczynski, Kjartan Hewitt, Deric Varcoe, Mimi Zalat, David Esposto, Ovais Shah.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER

14, 2009 THE MEDIUM 5

Michael Di Leo, Editor | arts@mediumonline.ca

Bones, bones, bones A review of 206 Bones AMIR AHMED FEATURES EDITOR

Are you a forensics student looking to test your skills? Or do you just love a good puzzle? In either case, Kathy Reichs’ new forensic mystery novel 206 Bones has a question for you.

How do you escape from an underground tomb and track down your would-be killer?

That’s the question posed to Reich’s protagonist, Temperance Brennan, and she has to find an answer – because time is running

out, and so is oxygen.

Kathy Reichs’ resume is nearly as impressive as the characters from her novels. Like her signature hero, Temperance, Reichs started her career as an academic in the field of forensic anthropology. But while Temperance works as a cross-country forensics investigator, Reichs is currently employed by the University of North Carolina as a professor. Reichs has written numerous academic papers, many of which have large, intimidating titles (“Cranial suture eccentricities: a case in which precocious closure complicated determination

bones picture archive@flickr

A scene from the television show Bones which is loosely based on the collection of Kathy Reichs’ novels.

of sex and commingling” is a favourite). She has also testified for a UN tribunal in Rwanda and was part of a team conducting post-mortem examinations of the World Trade Centre victims. Popculture junkies will also recognise Reich’s contribution to Fox’s television series Bones, which is loosely based on her novels.

Reichs’ first novel, Deja Dead was published in 1997. Since then Reichs has written eleven other novels including titles such as Monday Mourning and Grave Secrets.

206 Bones takes off with Temperance awakening in the dark. It’s cold, she’s in immense pain and she’s tied up. Riechs constructs the novel as a flashback from this point; Temperance intermittently remembers the series of events that led her to her prison as she tries to escape, including dealing with a missing navy apprentice whose body has turned up in a quarry, an old woman found dead in the snow and a mysterious figure set to sabotage Temperance’s career. This last character is the main source of Temperance’s current situation.

The prose is direct and clearly constructed. Occasionally Reichs’ language may throw the reader for a loop. The tense shifting and sudden exclamations in particular may take a while to get used to.

Reichs isn’t Shakespeare, but she doesn’t try to be, and the language

never calls undue attention to itself.

Reichs’ real talent, however, lies in her and Temperances’s specialty: forensic anthropology. Her writing, which includes a wealth of forensic information, is lucid and wellinformed, and the descriptions of the bodies that crop up like sutures on a cranium are masterful. Reichs creates compelling tension between the dead and the living, or the animate and the inanimate. The result is flashes of spooky clarity, setting off alarm bells in the readers’ mind that they could just as well end up on randomhouse.com the Temperance and her colleagues’ exami- Cover of 206 Bones, Kathy Reichs’ new novel. nation table. One scene in particular, when Temperance’s novel within the conventions of its team unearths the body of a mur- g e n r e . I t i s n o t t o s a y t h a t 2 0 6 dered Quebecois grandmother Bones isn’t worth the read - it’s a buried in the northern reaches of La fun puzzle and a good book.

But needless to say, by the end of Belle Provence, is especially eerie.

Unfortunately, readers expecting t h e n o v e l T e m p e r a n c e i s a l i v e , the mind-blowing plot twists of unlike my efforts to schmooze up S h a m y l a n a n d t h e e x t r a v a g a n t to Simon & Shuster to publish my methods of Agatha Christie will own novel manuscript (although if be somewhat disappointed. Reichs any other publishers are reading k e e p s h e r n o v e l r e a l i s t i c , a n d this article, my manuscript: The though the conclusion comes off as Innocent, a tale of madness and the solid and plausible, it keeps the search for religion, is available).

the new mediumonline.ca is here

6 THE MEDIUM

MONDAY SEPTEMBER,

14, 2009

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT TIFF EVERYWHERE check the arts section for the next two weeks for our coverage of the worlds greatest film festival. by kjartan hewitt

Aren’t you not supposed to have sex underwater?

Reproduction in nature can be a strange and beautiful thing. And who better to explain the inner workings of sexuality in the animal kingdom than the often eccentric an d al w a y s b e a u t i f u l I s a b e l l a Rossellini?

In 2008, Rossellini, in conjunction with t h e S u n d a n c e C h a n n e l , released her first Green Pornos – eight short films featuring the mating habits and rituals of insects.

Green Porno: Scandalous Sea, focusing on sea life, is a follow up effort.

In partnership with the Toronto International Film Festival, these one and a half minute creations written, directed by, and starring Rossellini, can be seen at the ROM from September 10 until September 20. Accompanying the film is an art installation featuring some of the set pieces from Rossellini’s films, including a small forest of construction paper penises. Not too small, it’s a good size.

The films are meant to be funny

but also informative. In one of the ads the Sundance channel runs, R o s s e l l i n i i n s i sts that there is “nothing porn about it. It’s just fun.”

The exhibit includes a few text panels, written by Rossellini and marine biologist Claudio Campagna. I read one panel denouncing some of the methods modern fishing companies u s e , w h i c h o f fset un derwater ecosystems. Although the mating habits of barnacles are surprisingly fascinating and offsetting eco systems is, in fact, bad, I’m not sure what one has to do with the other. I prefer to take the films in as fluffy humor with some interesting animal facts tossed into the mix. There was no mention of proceeds going to charity, poor starving limpets or what have you, and the films don’t deal with marine life sustainability at all. Any effort to use these clever, faux-art films for a higher cause s t r u c k m e a s a bit of an after thought. I don’t mean to say it’s not

Kjartan Hewitt photos

This display of giant aquatic penises is taken from the set of Rossellini’s Green Porno: Scandalous Sea.

Isabella Rossellini explains the facts behind the mating systems of underwater creatures. an important issue that the public n eeds to be more aware o f, but preaching does take away from a good time.

The real treat about the shorts, as in the last batch, is the costuming and set design. The lo-fi papermade props, sets and costumes are like objects out of a Michel Gondry production. The effect is a dreamy storybook–like appeal. The colorful and cartoonish sets contrasts Rossellini’s straight delivery.

Somewhere circa Napoleon Dynamite it was decided that when a person with an accent says something outrageous with little affectation, it is i ndeed hilarious . At one po int, Rosellini earnestly explains some of the more lurid oceanic activities of whales whilst dressing the part, complete with a six-foot whale erection. This outlandish and dryly delivered humour suits Rossellini well.

You can check out some of the films from the exhibit online at sundancechannel.com or take in the entire last series on YouTube.

FILM IN REVIEW The Men Who Stare at Goats George Clooney and Grant Heslov have teamed up once again since cowriting Goodnight and Good Luck, which garnered five Academy Award nominations in 2005.

Super cute of them, right? The dynamics have switched this time around with Heslov directing and Clooney back in front of the camera.

Although I am not entirely sure The Men Who Stare at Goats will be getting a lot of Oscar buzz, the adorable couple managed to churn out a pretty funny movie.

After losing his wife to his one-armed editor, journalist Bob Wilton, played by Ewan McGregor, decides he needs to prove himself. That means reporting the war in Iraq, on location. A series of events and chance encounters lead him to Lyn Cassady (George Clooney), who claims to be the ex-golden boy of a secret military group who employed telekinesis among other paranormal abilities. Bob decides to follow Lyn around and make Lyn the subject of an article he wanted to write. Lyn might just be the answer to all Bob’s problems.

Ewan McGregor channels Jason Bateman for this role. Remember how Philip Seymour Hoffman did a great job pretending to be Jack Black in Along Came Polly? It’s exactly the same

thing. If I think about this movie with Bateman in place of McGregor, it doesn’t change a bit. There aren’t many actors that can be interchangeable and I’d never pictured Bateman and McGregor as such. For whatever reason, consciously or not, that’s what McGregor did. And he did a great job.

Kevin Spacey turns up as a hotshot clairvoyant bent on destroying the young Lyn Cassidy. As per many of his roles, Kevin Spacey does an admirable job playing a huge prick. Jeff Bridges plays an aging hippy, channeling himself from The Big Lebowski, and Clooney was Clooney.

After a complex adventure involving superhuman powers, gunplay and LSD (though not necessarily in that order), things end a little too clean – in an ambiguous way – for my liking. It is as though Clooney and Heslov couldn’t quite decide what to do so they simply threw the blanket of “they disappeared into the sunset” over a few characters so we’d stop thinking about them. It didn’t work.

I like it when a film with an outlandish premise can pull you in and have you care for its characters. The story wraps up a little too easily, but The Men Who Stare At Goats is very clever and remains an enjoyable watch.

outnow.ch

George Clooney takes up his role as Lyn Cassidy in the much anticipated The Men Who Stare at Goats.

TIFF survival guide: The art of watching a movie alone Some activities, when done alone, inspire certain social stigma. It’s as though going out for dinner or for a drink on your own is reserved only for characters in films in order to portray how brooding and lonesome they are – think of the wide shot of Bill Murray slouched over the hotel bar in Lost in Translation, still wearing the tapered tuxedo from the whisky photo shoot and looking forlorn.

Many would rather stay at home by themselves than go out into the world alone and risk looking Lost in Translation Bill Murray-ish. Of course, there are ways around it. Chat up your bartender, bring a book with you to dinner – at least you’ll look smart– or have a short-lived quasi-romance with Scarlett Johansson. If I’ve leaned anything from movies, these methods should be effec-

tive, if not a little slow moving and anticlimactic.

As far as films go, deciding what which to see can be a difficult process in a group setting. In a date situation, TIFF tickets start at about $20 apiece, not including the ungodly price of concessions. The following four steps will set you free from financial and social setbacks while allowing you to take in any film in the festival.

This is the art of watching a movie alone.

1. Stock Up You don’t have to worry about appearing cheap in front of your date. You are cheap. Everyone is cheap. Hit up the Shopper’s Drug Mart before the show and pack your bag with Life brand candy and soda. Optimum points? Yes, please.

2. Select a Seat Do you ever go to a packed movie in a group and, despite many vacant seats all over the cinema, have trouble finding enough seats for everyone to sit together? Well, those many vacant seats are now yours. All of them. Leave one, go to the bathroom, come back and set up camp in another. It’s all yours.

3. Get over yourself No one cares that you are at the movies alone. If you’re worried about it, you can tell yourself that people probably assume you’re just waiting for someone. This would be assuming, though, that people are thinking about you, which they aren’t. People are thinking about twizzlers, junior mints and how badly they don’t want to miss any of the previews versus how badly they have to pee.

4. Enjoy the movie The Aristotelian use of drama was as a means of catharsis. People would lend their emotions to a narrative in order to purge certain tensions in their lives.

Whether it’s comedy or tragedy, just allowing yourself to unabashedly feel something is therapeutic. When you watch a comedy by yourself at home, you don’t laugh aloud as much as you would when watching it with a friend or a group of people. This is because even if a film engages us, we’re still aware of other people. However, if you don’t have to censor your emotions or relate them to someone else, the way your respond to a film becomes much more personal. You can formulate your own unadulterated opinions. You might even learn something about yourself. At the cinema, no one is

watching you - they’re watching the movie. You can just let go and allow the film to wash over you. Crying at a matinee of Lars and the Real Girl? Yes please.

Hopefully you’re now prepared to venture out into the cold, dark TIFF on your own, without fear of persecution or financial disaster. If you still feel that you’re not the type to go out into social settings on your lonesome, there is still hope for you. You can always express your brooding loneliness by looking out the window on a train, staring at a photograph of a lost lover before letting it fall from your grip into the fireplace, or standing outside, wearing a trench coat holding a ghetto blaster above your head playing Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes”.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER

14, 2009 THE MEDIUM 7

Amir Ahmed, Editor | features@mediumonline.ca

The core of the matter The City of Mississauga takes steps to develop its infrastructure AMIR AHMED FEATURES EDITOR

In 2007, the city of Mississauga confronted a question – how could they improve the city and stimulate economic growth while practicing environmentally friendly habits? City representatives met with firms, held meetings and deliberated amongst themselves. A series of initiatives followed, beginning with the wide topic of Mississauga’s future. This first initiative was named, surprisingly enough, Our Future Mississauga and was held in 2007. Gradually, the initiatives continued and narrowed in range until they focused on one of the most important aspects of any city: the downtown core.

The city of Mississauga is the result of a handful of townships amalgamated by the province in 1974. Though this happened before many of The Medium’s readers were born, the clues are obvious. The sites of the formerly independent towns, such as Streetsville and Port Credit, maintain distinctive identities, beautiful, pedestrian-friendly environments and elegant urban planning. These areas, however, are seem-

ingly glued together by stretches of big box mats, crowded roads and rows upon rows of cookie cutter suburban blocks that treat pedestrians the way penicillin treats bacteria.

In short, although Mississauga has several well-developed communities, it is ultimately a suburb to larger and richer Toronto. A consequence of this is that Mississauga lacks an impressive downtown area, the kind where buskers patrol streets and people can meet freely outdoors, and where a bubbly, cosmopolitan atmosphere washes over the sidewalks like champagne. It’s true that the city has Square One (the largest mall in Ontario. That’s got to count for something right?), a nice central library and a civic centre with a clock tower in it. The city even has something of a financial district surrounding these centres of governance and capitalism.

But still, there’s little comparison to be had between, say, Nicholas Hoare Books in downtown Toronto and a hulking, styrofoam Chapters from Mississauga, just as there is no comparing Square One with Nathan Phillips Square.

To some, there is no reason to develop Mississauga’s downtown core to become more like Toronto. To most people, Mississauga does not qualify as a fully realised city, but exists as part of the GTA hegemony. But this is not

true. Mississauga is Canada’s sixth largest city and is as demographically multicultural as Toronto, complete with opera, art gallery and historic sites.

A downtown core, many think, would help establish Mississauga’s identity, along with benefiting the city economically.

The residents of Mississauga agree.

In the many initiatives held since 2007, upgrades to the downtown as means of improving the city were at the forefront of discussion. Marilyn Ball – the city’s director of design and development –said that the response from the public has been “more than enthusiastic” for the unveiled development plan.

The plan is called Downtown 21, for its goal of creating a vibrant downtown for Mississauga in the 21st century. The plan consists of three phases: “catalyze employment,” “go green,” and “create and urban place.” The long term goals of the plan will include providing infrastructure for public transit, pedestrians and bicyclists, and to create a liveable, social, cultured downtown.

According to the city’s website, the first stage of the Downtown 21 plan is a research phase to gather economic, geographic and demographic information to determine where and how development should take place. This will continue for a period where the public is given a chance to input their

Wikimedia.org

Mississauga’s civic square area is currently undergoing construction. own ideas, and ultimately culminate in actual development. The city’s current action plan cites Downtown 21, saying it will be used to identify opportunities for art districts and a central park, among other things, within the next three years.

While the Downtown 21 plan seems to be underway, the development of the city is progressing regardless. The city has allocated the recently acquired

funds from the federal government’s Infrastructure Stimulus Fund to develop the Civic Square, which commuting UTM students may have noticed by the closing of City Centre Drive, and the high-profile Absolute World towers are steadily rising in the skyline. Residents of Mississauga and the students that commute here can only hope that once the dust of construction appears, we’ll be satisfied with the result.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch DERIC VARCOE

There is an island twice the size of Texas in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is completely man-made and doesn’t turn up on satellite scans, so don’t bother looking it up on Google Earth.

This sounds like the location of a supervillain’s lair or the site of a secret government project. If it were either, the name would have to be something incredibly cool, perhaps something like “Calligristo’s Island of Doom” or “the Omega Project.”

Unfortunately, the island is neither a lair or a government conspiracy, and its name is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a sprawling pile of plastic waste

caught in the North Pacific Gyre, a system of currents that cycle around itself. When plastic waste ventures into it, it is caught in the current, forced into the patch and fenced in by the circling currents.

The currents that keep the Garbage Patch together circulate an estimated 100 million tonnes of pollution around itself. It isn’t just bottles and Ziploc bags that are caught in the patch either – it is not uncommon to find large items such as plastic lawn chairs or children’s toys floating in the heap.

The waste comes from us: 15 billion pounds of plastic are produced each year in the United States alone. Assuming that an average person weighs 200 pounds, that mass of waste is nearly double the combined mass of the population

sonoma.edu

Oceanic gyres are systems of cycilcal ocean currents.

of Canada. Less than ten percent of this plastic is recycled, leaving the remaining thirteen and a half billion to wander the world looking for things to do. And since this is plastic we are talking about, the things they do are not going to win any good citizenship medals.

Plastic waste of the garbage patch creates bigger problem than conventional pollutants. Plastic differs from natural wastes because it doesn’t fully degrade. It just breaks apart into smaller pieces, which can cause more damage to life, the way shrapnel can cause more harm than a single bullet.

To most, the pollution is “out of sight and out of mind” and has yet to be the focus of cleanup efforts due to its location between California and Hawaii – a part of the ocean rarely traveled by ships. However, the Garbage Patch has grown larger with each decade and has become a plague to marine life. Ingestion of the plastic by aquatic organisms is one of the largest problems.

Greenpeace estimates that nearly one million seabirds die of plastic ingestion each year alone. Sea turtles can also mistake floating plastic bags as jellyfish – a common food source – and die from ingestion.

Disrupting an ecosystem already damaged by industrial pollutants and human activity can be dangerous. Aside from the possibility of shifting currents covering our

shores in waste, our health and the health of future generations may be in jeopardy.

The unusual density of plastic means that it can absorb toxins and pollutants normally found at low concentrations. When organisms consume these plastics, the toxic compounds in them enter the food chain, which humans are a part of.

Birds, fish and turtles are often found off the coasts surrounding the Garbage Patch, their stomachs clogged with items not even a circus performer would try to swallow. Cigarette lighters, balloons and sunglasses, among other waste, have been found.

Unfortunately, there is little to be done about this roundabout of plastic debris. It is predicted that much of the plastic will eventually fall to the sea floor where it will affect another part of the marine ecosystem. Greenpeace, along with many worldwide partners, has proposed enforcing a system of marine reserves. These reserves would allow marine life to live and regenerate their populations in an environment safe from harmful pollutants.

Most experts agree, however, that we should instead focus on how our habits affect the ocean instead of eliminating our interactions with it. Greenpeace advises smarter use of plastic materials, proper recycling and suggests avoiding using the material entire-

recyclemoreminnesota.org

Disposable plastic waste accounts for much of the garbage patch’s composition. ly. The plastic footprint our generation will leave behind is inevitable, but it is possible to stop it from growing. Considering the lack of international attention on this issue, however, it seems unlikely.

We are probably better off with Calligristo’s Island of Doom.

8 THE MEDIUM

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER,

14, 2009

Two (2) positions available for the UTMSU first-year representative on the Board of Directors (Division I) Two (2) positions available for the UTMSU Part-time representative on the Board of Directors (Division IV)

Nomination Period* : Sept 28 - Oct 2

Campaign Period : Oct 5 - Oct 8

Voting Oct 7 - Oct 8

at CCIT and South Building * Nomination packages can be picked up on September 28, 2009 at the Student Center Rm. 115. Any questions, email cro@utmsu.ca

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER

14, 2009 THE MEDIUM 9

STUDENT PROSE FEATURES

Creative Corner My name is a four-letter word MIMI ZALAT

Ever since I was twelve, I’ve had the names of all of my future children determined. And I don’t mean a name or two – I have about seven picked out for each gender. This is partly because fantasizing about the future is part of being a little girl and partly because my parents’ choice of name for me has scarred me for life.

Apparently, when my parents found out they were expecting, nine months just weren’t enough for them to choose a name. For two weeks after my birth, I was referred to as “the baby.” My mother says this is because my father hated every name that she suggested. My father says that she never suggested any.

Eventually, with the help of my grandmother, they chose the name Lama. In Arabic, the name means “the darkness of lips.”

When I asked my mother about the reason behind this name, she said, “Well, when you were born, your face was literally just a small round circle with a gigantic pair of red lips. Everyone who saw you thought you were blowing a kiss at them.” She laughed, then paused for a few moments before adding, “There was a popular song at the time called ‘Lama Yalli Habaita’. It means ‘Lama, the girl I loved’. Sweet, isn’t it?”

I raised my eyebrow. “You turned on the radio and decided to name me after the first song you heard, didn’t you?”

She laughed and called me an idiot.

Growing up in Dubai, my name was simple and easy to remember, though my family never really used it. To them, I was always known as Mimi – a nickname they developed for me when I was just a few months old.

Many ask how my parents got the nickname Mimi out of the name Lama. The truth is, they didn’t. The nickname has nothing to do with my legal name. When I was born, there was a famous Arabic actress by the name of Mimi Jamal. Coincidentally, my father’s name also happens to be Jamal. Due to the fact that in the Arab culture people often refer to a person by their first name followed by their father’s name, I became Mimi Jamal, a joke that never quite ended.

In elementary school, I was always the only Lama in my class. My name became my trademark and I loved it – until I moved to Canada.

I first realized that my name would be a problem when I walked through the immigration gates at the airport, and the man who took my passport glanced at my name and chuckled. “Laaamaaa, here is your passport back,” he said. I knew enough English to understand that he was probably wondering why any parent would name their child after an animal.

Soon enough, the nickname Mimi took over. I was Mimi everywhere and to everyone; even at school, on the attendance list. I used the nickname so often people became entirely unaware I had a different name.

Lama had become the name I used only on legal documents, despite the many lectures that my parents gave me about cultural pride and such. I hated my name and it wasn’t because

I decided it was childish or silly.

Perhaps I could pinpoint one of the main reasons why I hate the name. One afternoon in grade eight, I sat in my homeroom class, waiting for my teacher to hand out report cards. I bit my bottom lip nervously and stared at the clock on the wall as the teacher, Mr. Lung, called out names.

One by one, students walked up to his desk, snatched their envelope from his fingers, opened it, glanced at it, then marched back to their desks with their heads hanging low.

The few students who made the mistake of smiling after looking at their report card were met with growls and curses from every corner in the classroom.

I stomped my feet against the ceramic floor and rocked back and forth in my chair. Mr. Lung had called out all the students, except for a few. In an attempt to make time go by faster, I put my head down on the desk and closed my eyes. Moments later, Mr. Lung’s hoarse laughter filled the silence.

“Well, look at that! There’s a Llama on the attendance list. I didn’t know I had animals in my class!”

I peeked up for a few seconds and saw his chest heave with laughter.

The class instantly joined along.

“Who the hell is that?” asked Michael, who sat next to me I kept my head down.

“It must be a mistake,” Mr. Lung said before looking at the attendance list once more. After a short pause, he cleared his throat and resumed calling out names, until everyone but me had received their report card.

“Mimi, they didn’t send yours down, I guess,” he said. I raised my head slowly.

“They did,” I replied.

“No, I only have the Llama left on here.” He giggled again, and then stopped abruptly when he caught a glimpse of my reddening face.

“That’s not you, right?” Mr. Lung winced as his cheeks flushed a deep red. I stood up, walked to his desk, took my report card and sped out of the class without looking back.

I remember pressing my hands tightly against my ears to drown out the bursts of laughter coming from the open door behind me.

When I went home, and for three years after that, I begged my parents to legally change my name.

“Please!” I would whine. “It’s my name. Honestly, what’s it to you?”

“No!” my mother would roar back.

“Why not?!”

“Because, it’s your name, we gave it to you, and you’re not changing it just because some idiot doesn’t know how to say it.”

“But Mom!” I groaned back, usually in tears at this point., “You don’t know what I go through! You have no idea because you were lucky enough to have a name like Mona!

Why couldn’t you name me something nice like that?”

“What, you want me to name you? Mona? Let’s trade names,” she snickered.

“Can you take me seriously for once? Honestly, it’s the worst thing that has ever happened to me!”

Her reply was always the same.

“You’ll thank me later,” she would say before walking away.

I couldn’t imagine that I ever would.

For years, I dreaded introducing

myself to people. I never knew which name to use. I had to use Lama with Arab adults, just to save my parents the embarrassment of being ridiculed for a daughter with a name as ridiculous as Mimi – so my mother would say. She didn’t understand that when I introduced myself as Lama, it almost felt like I was introducing someone else.

Over time, I grew to believe that it actually was someone else. In fact, at the doctor’s office, when my name was called, I would often look around me in annoyance and wonder why the person they’re calling won’t get up.

My last name is four teen letters long and I share my first name with an animal.

His name couldn't possibly be any more embarrassing .

As I got older, having two names started becoming a real hassle. It annoyed me that I couldn’t leave a regular message on my answering machine to let the caller know they have reached the right person. It annoyed me that other Arab girls had easy names. It annoyed me that my parents wouldn’t understand.

But, despite my tears and several empty threats to stop loving them, I knew deep down it really wasn’t their fault. Neither was it Mr. Lung’s. But could I really ever expect two cultures to be compatible?

As a child, I did. Now, I suppose not.

During my last year of high school, I found a part-time job as a cashier at a men’s clothing store in a local mall. As a part of my duties, I

had to save the names of all new customers into the store’s database. One day, after ringing up one customer’s items, I asked him for his name. The man hesitated for a few moments.

“Why do you need my name?” he asked.

“It’s just store policy, sir. It’s confidential and we will never give out to third-parties.”

“Well.” He paused, then let out an exasperated sigh. “Okay. First name or last name?”

“Both, please.”

“They’re kind of... long. Are you sure you want them both?”

“Please,” I nodded impatiently.

My last name is fourteen letters long and I share my first name with an animal. His name couldn't possibly be any more embarrassing.

As the man spelled out each letter of his name, he kept his gaze fixated on the floor tiles. He spoke slowly and every time I thought he was finished, there were more letters to come. His first name was twenty-one letters long. His last name was fortyeight.

He let out an embarrassed giggle and then hurried out of the store. I stared at the sequence of letters on the screen in front of me. At least my first name only has four letters.

After navigating my way through several part-time jobs and interacting with people of various ethnicities, it became obvious to me that my name is not quite as strange as I thought. Sure, it’s different; possibly even unique. But somehow, a name becomes much less discomfiting when a person is old enough to realize that that’s all it really is: a name.

Nothing more, nothing less. It’s a persona, but not an identity. It’s what people know me as, but not who they know me to be. It’s just a name. A name that I have become

proud of.

Perhaps it was the three years of university that made me realize that.

Perhaps it was the numerous people who found the name and its meaning to be “cute” rather than appalling.

Or perhaps it was the gleam of pride on my parent’s faces that every time I introduced myself to others as Lama.

I still occasionally introduce myself as Mimi. Once, when I noticed that a professor of mine was reluctant to call my name in fear of offending me, I walked up to her after class and gave her the choice of using Mimi instead.

“It’s my nickname and it’s easier for many people. I really don’t mind either name. I’m used to both,” I told her.

She smiled, thought about it for a few seconds and then shook her head.

“Why don’t we just stick with your real name?” she said in a professional-like manner. I shrugged and told her that it was entirely her choice.

Next class, she still called me Mimi.

Today, I’m still Mimi to most people, but only because those who are close to me find it difficult to adapt to any other name. My parents have now become the ones who laugh and tease me about my name. I pretend that I still get upset about it. Little do they know that my first son will be named Jamal and my first daughter will be named Mona – right after their amazing grandparents.

Want to write for features? Have ideas for stories? Contact Amir at features@mediumonline.ca

10 THE MEDIUM MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2009

Andrew Tysiak , Editor | sports@mediumonline.ca

Working out: a solution for UTM students UTM personal training specialist Andrew Bellerby believes students should start establishing a healthy lifestyle right away

ANDREW TYSIAK SPORTS EDITOR

Although they are only one week into the first semester at UTM, many students are already looking to reduce stress and optimize their time. Most of these anxious students likely think that adding yet another activity to their crowded schedule would backfire. As it turns out, if that extra activity involves working out, then the payoffs are handsome.

According to UTM’s personal training specialist Andrew Bellerby, working out can improve a student’s lifestyle – not just physically, but mentally and academically as well “Increased energy, daily activities becoming easier, weight management, reducing stress, mental sharpness, heart health,” said Bellerby.

“Students should start now to establish healthy lifestyle routines or habits before the stresses of a busy term catch up them. Putting in workout sessions into your schedule just like your classes or other commitments is a great way to help establish the routine.”

Although almost any kind of

physical activity is sure to improve fitness levels, only those performed with proper technique will ensure results while minimizing the risk on injury. This is especially true in weightlifting, where Bellerby notices students make the most mistakes.

“The biggest mistakes I see with resistance training is lifting too much with poor technique,” he said.

“This often leads to injuries and does not effectively target the muscles that are intended to be worked.”

For instance, most people tend to perform the ever-popular bicep curl with poor form, rotating their elbows as they raise the weight rather than simply moving their forearms. This amounts to cheating, as one ends up swaying the upper body to assist in lifting the weights which in turn decreases the bicep curl’s overall effectiveness (whether it's better to do arm curls rather than chin-ups is an altogether different matter).

Once gym-goers develop a consistent workout regime, they must find ways to avoid getting stuck in a rut. Performing the same exercises repeatedly with same amount of weight creates a comfort zone and students should push themselves to progress beyond those levels. It is very important, however, to respect boundaries. Moving up in weight

class too quickly can be both hazardous and counterproductive.

In regards to cardio training, Bellerby wants to make clear that the myth about low intensity training being the most efficient method of fat burning is false.

“The myth that low intensity training burns more fat maybe be true if you have a lot of time, but for most students this is not the case,” said Bellerby. “Moderate to high intensity training will burn more calories and more fat in a shorter period of time.”

Nutrition plays a big role. If students want to maintain their progress, they need to stay away from fast food and commit to whole foods instead. Staying hydrated during workouts will also help increase execution and overall performance satisfaction.

Bellerby recommends being active most days of the week for at least 60 minutes a day. Workouts need not be limited to the treadmill or the weightlifting mat. A workout regime can include partaking in activities such as organized sports, casual recreation and group fitness classes in addition to exercising in the Fitness Centre.

In essence, a student should balance their regime with a healthy dose of endurance (4-7 days a week), flexibility (4-7 days a week)

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and strength (2-4 days a week). That being said, following this plan approximately three to five times a week is a good goal for most students.

If you are interested in beginning a workout regime or working with a personal trainer to see efficient results, Bellerby reminds students that there are certified personal trainers available on campus to answers questions or help students get started, free of charge. They offer a complementary 45-minute

consultation/orientation to all students. These sessions can be booked at the Membership Services counter, with individual personal trainers in the Fitness Centre or by calling 905828-5347.

Also, if you decide to begin a workout regime, remember to develop a schedule and workout on a consistent basis. Hit and run regimes do not work. It is essential to stick to your program and give your best effort each time you step into the gym.

Matthew Filipowich/The Medium

UTM student Michael Rosenbloom lifting weights at the RAWC gym.

Scutaro a bright spot in dark season

OMSAS

Marco Scutaro’s productivity this season will perhaps make him MVP for the Blue Jays

September 15, 2009: Last day to register for online applications October 1, 2009: Application deadline

ANDREW TYSIAK SPORTS EDITOR

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January 8, 2010: Application deadline

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In a season that started off well but soon turned sour, it would be difficult to determine the Most Valuable Player of the Toronto Blue Jays.

Despite the fact that players such as Aaron Hill and Adam Lind broke out of their shells this year, hitting 31 and 28 home runs respectively thus far, and that Roy Halladay came close to completing yet another impressive campaign with 14 wins and a respectable 3.03 Earned Run Average, the MVP should be awarded to a player that has essentially been playing under the radar: Marco Scutaro.

With a 280 average, 11 HR, and 57 runs batted in (RBIs) thus far, Scutaro leads in none of the major offensive categories. So why should he be seen as the Jays MVP? To determine this, we need to look at his dominance in various situational and underappreciated statistical categories as well as his confident, disciplined, persistent, passionate and versatile style of play, all

of which have made him a fan favorite north of the border. After all, MVP stands for “most valuable player,” not player with the most HRs or RBIs. Among the nine primary starters on the Blue Jays roster, Scutaro leads in both runs (96) and on base percentage (.380). This effectively fulfills his role as a lead-off batter, whose primary objectives are to get on base by any means possible and jumpstart the team’s offense. Scutaro manages to complete these objectives both repeatedly and – more importantly – on a consistent basis. He is one of the few players on the team that has not fallen into a major hitting slump this season.

Scutaro exposed the true extent of his baseball intelligence against the Philadelphia Phillies on June 18 when he stole second base immediately after being walked – a rare occurrence that resembles something you would see in a peewee game in your local ballpark.

Scutaro continued on page 11

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER

14, 2009 THE MEDIUM 11

PRIDE AND PERSEVERANCE SPORTS

Scutaro is Blue Jays’ most valuable player Scutaro continued from page 10 Scutaro walked in the top of the third inning and noticed that Phillies starter Joe Blanton was not paying attention, while second baseman Chase Utley and shortstop Jimmy Rollins were acting nonchalant and expecting nothing out of the ordinary. Scutaro ran daringly towards second as a confused Blanton hesitantly threw the ball at second. Neither Rollins nor Utley were close enough to the base to tag Scutaro out, however, thus resulting in a successful and mind boggling stolen base.

Everybody knows that getting hits in baseball is important, but if you cannot deliver in clutch situations or with runners on base, you only have so much value on your team. Just ask center fielder Vernon Wells, who has been notorious the last couple of seasons for not being able to hit with runners in scoring position (RISP), ranking amongst the lowest in that category. This is another reason why it should not be difficult to appoint Scutaro MVP for the Blue Jays this season.

With runners on base, Scutaro is batting .290 while hitting 10 doubles and driving in 51 RBI’s. With the bases loaded, Scutaro relishes the pressure of this situation and steps up his game further: he has batted .500 (7-14) and driven in 15 RBIs and even has drawn two walks this season, a difficult act in this scenario since the pitchers are usually extra cautious and are more likely to throw strikes to avoid such a feat.

While Aaron Hill does not draw enough walks (only 34 bases on balls) and Adam Lind strikes out far too much (101 SO), Scutaro is the perfect balance between the two as he leads the team with 88 bases on balls and has only struck out 71

times, the second fewest amongst starters who have played over 100 games with the club this season.

Not only does Marco Scutaro deliver on the offensive end, but also impresses on defense as he helped solidify what was arguably one of the best defensive infields in the entire MLB prior to the trading of Scott Rolen at the trade deadline.

He and Aaron Hill, both quick and athletic defenders, are an ideal 1-2 punch at the middle infield resulting in almost a guaranteed double play whenever the situation arises.

At shortstop, Scutaro has only committed eight errors this season while containing a respectable .987 fielding percentage.

The main reason why the Blue Jays met success in the early months of the season was mainly because of Scutaro’s stellar play both offensively and defensively.

While injuries and inexperience caught up with the club this season, Scutaro never seemed to fall into that pattern, contributing in some way every time he hits the field.

Although some may argue that Halladay should be the team’s MVP, his inconsistent performances of late resulting from persistent trade rumors rule him out.

Scutaro proves to all players and baseball fans that you do not need to have pure raw talent to succeed in the Major League Baseball.

Rather, that success comes from preparation, playing hard, and most significantly, being a team player.

Come this offseason, when Scutaro officially becomes a free agent, he will be in high demand as many teams across the league will be interested in his services.

Hopefully the Blue Jays can persuade one of the few bright spots this season to stay with the franchise for many years to come.

Dichio hangs up his boots The Englishman’s influence goes beyond the field DAVE ESPOSTO For the Toronto FC faithful, May 12, 2007 will forever be remembered as the moment when Canada’s first Major League Soccer team arrived on the scene. On that day, Danny Dichio fortified his place in Toronto sports folklore by scoring the expansion franchise's first goal ever. And three years later on September 9, the hard-nosed Englishman announced his retirement at a press conference, further cementing his place within the hearts of Toronto FC fans as the first player to retire as a member of the squad. The forward's 16-year playing career may have officially ended, but a new one has begun: that of a coach for TFC. In the 24th minute of TFC’s first ever game, with the spectators at BMO Field desperate for something to celebrate, it was the burly fan-favourite from Hammersmith, London, that would drive the ball into the back of the net.

The crowd erupted into a frenzy, hurling promotional seat-cushions onto the field in fits of joy. That goal marks the beginning of a special relationship between Dichio and his fans.

“It wasn’t a great goal, by any means,” Dichio later said. “But it meant a lot to the future of this club and I’ll take that memory with me wherever I go.”

To commemorate the occasion, Toronto FC fans sing Dichio’s praises the instant the 24th minute arrives at every game, a fitting tribute for a man who has done so much to excite and rile up the passions of one of the Major League Soccer’s fiercest and ruckus crowds.

While Dichio will not be remembered for his goal-scoring prowess with the club – he retired with a total of 14 goals to his name in 59 career matches for the club – it is his determination, drive, physical presence and heart that defines his career as a Toronto FC player.

A consummate professional who did whatever it took to help the franchise grow, whether it was playing injured or harnessing a limited, part-time role with the evolving younger side, Dichio’s presence will continue to inspire and influence. This time, he will do it as the club’s ambassador and academy coach.

“It’s a sad day for me because I'm

myphotoclub.com

TFC’s Danny Dichio during a friendly match against Aston Villa in 2007. retiring and I'll never put on the boots again,” Dichio told reporters at a news conference at BMO Field. “But at the same time, it’s a happy day because I'm excited about the future and the next chapter in my life.”

For Dichio, the transition from a player to coach will not be easy. A fanfavourite who played the game with an unwavering energy will surely use these same attributes as a coach to help the team grow and progress from a tactical and developmental standpoint.

“Danny’s been a massive part of the club for the last three seasons,” said head coach Chris Cummins. “And he’s going to continue to be a massive part of

that.”

While the game of soccer continues to expand in this country, the six-footthree, 208-pound target man will be a role-model for generations of prospective players, proving that even though goals may get you the plaudits, hard work never goes unnoticed.

In a city where winning and glory usually means everything, for the diehard Toronto FC supporters, Dichio embodied the traits of a warrior. While TFC continues to find to their footing as they push for a playoff spot, fans will never forget the man who won their hearts that 24th minute on May 12, 2007.

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Spending almost two full seasons with the Blue Jays, Scutaro has developed into an consistent, everyday ball p[ayer.

BASEBALL FOOTBALL HOCKEY SOCCER CRICKET TEENIS WRITE FOR SPORTS mediumonine.ca

Senators ship Heatley to the Sharks OTTAWA Ottawa Senators have sent disgruntled winger Dany Heatley to San Jose.

The Sharks gave up Milan Michalek, Jonathan Cheechoo and a second round pick for Heatley. Ottawa threw in a fifth round pick on its side of the deal. The trade on the opening day of training camp ends a festering dispute that has overshadowed the Sens in recent months.

(The Canadian Press) Sessions officially joins T Wolves Minneapolis, MN The Minnesota Timberwolves have officially signed guard Ramon Sessions to an undisclosed contract after the Milwaukee Bucks elected not to match an offer sheet.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the deal for the point guard is worth $16 mil lion over four years.

(TSN)

12 THE MEDIUM MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 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 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!