Vol 36 issue 7

ten albums you should probably check out if you haven’t already page 6 Monday, October 19, 2009

Volume 36, Issue 6

Ground breaks for Health Science Complex

U of T professor wins Bower award and prize

KATHERINE LUCZYNSKI

STEFANIE MAROTTA

A small orchestra of violins and cellos played in the background.

Servers dressed in black and white passed around hors d’oeuvres.

Three screens placed around the atrium showcased three-dimensional digital representations of a building’s interior and exterior, and a three-square-foot piece of sod stood at the foot of the stairs along with eleven silver shovels lying against the wall.

Seldom has the CCT atrium looked this lavish. But last Friday, UTM officials met there to celebrate the groundbreaking ceremony for the Health Sciences Complex.

UTM Principal Ian Orchard began the celebration by welcoming those in attendance. “The building we’re building is really about students,” said the Principal.

The four-storey Health Sciences Complex will be used primarily as an Academy of Medicine (U of T’s fourth), housing research laboratories and the biomedical communications program. One of only five of its kind in the world, this program is unique in Canada and will grant medical students the opportunity to study side by side with scientists and researchers.

“Since the early 1980s, the University of Toronto has trained close to 50% of family physicians in Ontario and 25% of all specialists in Canada.

The Franklin Institute has chosen Richard Peltier, a University of Toronto Physics professor, as the recipient of the 2010 Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science. Peltier is the first Canadian to receive this $250,000 award.

Previous recipients include Marie Curie, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking.

Renowned for his research on the interconnections of system climate variability in the hydrosphere and cryosphere and the internal properties of the Earth, Peltier uses mathematical concepts to show the trends of climate change that have occurred throughout the course of the Earth’s history.

The Franklin Institute was founded in 1824 in Philadelphia to inspire and celebrate the “[Benjamin] Franklins of today.” Seeking to inspire generations of students to pursue studies in science and technology, the Institute presents the Bower Award to individuals who have made great scientific advances and directed their efforts towards the benefit of humanity.

“The physical state of our planet may well be the most important question facing us today. Professor Peltier is one of the scientific leaders who is helping the global society understand the challenges and opportunities we face in saving our fragile Earth. His innovative research continues to be vital to a host of possible solutions,” said Professor Paul Young.

Building continued on page 3

First year election results KATHERINE LUCZYNSKI Elections for UTMSU first-year representatives took place this month as nine hopeful candidates ran for Division I representative positions.

Campaigning began on October 5 and polls remained open on October 7 and 8 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at voting stations located across campus.

Out of 555 ballots cast, Hiba Mohajir and Mariya Hassan won with 132 and 127 votes respectively. In their candidate statements, both representatives underlined the importance of creating an enjoyable and unforgettable campus. “This is about you, not me,” said Hassan, addressing the student body. “We will not fail to make a difference.”

Matthew Filipowich/The Medium

Students work late into the night at the HMLAC.

Library to remain open 24 hours during exams SAALIHA MALIK NEWS EDITOR

Last Friday, the Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre announced that it would reintroduce the 24/5 schedule abandoned less than a month ago. UTM Chief Librarian Mary Ann Mavrinac posted a message on the homepage of the library website that read, “Great news! Your student

union and your library have collaborated to reintroduce 24/5 hours of opening, five days a week during study and examination periods in December and April funded by the Office of the Vice-President and Provost.” The change will take effect in December 2009.

The library cancelled its 24-hour service only last month, offering alternative shortened hours due to a lack of funding from the office of the Vice President and Provost. The UTMSU immediately began a campaign to inform students and persuade the University’s administration to fund the service.

Over 12,000 students signed a petition supporting the 24-hour library service, which UTMSU then presented to University of Toronto President David Naylor at a town hall earlier this month. (Nearly 100 students joined UTMSU at the town hall.)

Students argued that with the new, shortened hours of service the safety of those who study late at night would be compromised as they returned home or to their rooms instead of remaining at the library.

Library continued on page 3

Marc Bressler elected as Residence Council President

Residence Council President Marc Bressler outside Oscar Peterson Hall Matthew Filipowich/ The Medium

Elections for Residence Council were held on Saturday, October 24, 2009. The voting period was from 1 2 p . m. t o 8 p . m . i n t h e O s c a r Peterson Hall and aproximately 200 v o t e s w e r e c a s t. I n hi s s p e e c h, Bressler noted he has been an active member of the UTM community.

As a former member of the UTMSU board of directors and the UTSU board of directors, Bressler took p a r t i n o r g a ni z i n g O r i en t a t i o n W e e k a n d th e S t u d e n t D a y o f Action. The top three priorities for Residence council, according to Bressler, are making sure fees do not increase for residence students, organizing a food committee to create diverse food options and hold a memorable residence formal.

Priaze continued on page 3

INSIDE Investors beyond borders PAGE 2 Style in focus PAGE 5 UTM Anime Club PAGE 9 UTM Badminton Club PAGE 11

2 THE MEDIUM

MONDAY, OCTOBER

NEWS UTM INVESTORS

26, 2009

Investors Beyond Borders aims to find a G.E.M UTM will compete in the world’s first competition addressing the need for cleaner energy.

KATHERINE LUCZYNSKI

With environmental crises happening worldwide, Investors Beyond Borders, a new student organization at UTM, strives to make a difference. According to its press release, the organization seeks to “combine education, energy and investments to help societies, especially developing and emerging ones, curb their reliance on fossil fuels.”

Investors Beyond Borders is led by former UTMSU VP University Affairs and Academics Marijana Josifovska, who performs under the mantra “find your G.E.M” (G.E.M stands for Green Emerging Market).

When Investors Beyond Borders hosts the International Renewable Energy Case Competition in 2010, UTM will become one of only five international universities to host this competition. During the event, students of different economic, academic and cultural backgrounds will work to uncover uses for renewable energy sectors in emerging markets, advance the education of climate change and renewable energy technologies, and expose the investment potentials of emerging markets. “[It] will be the world’s first global case competition addressing the need for cleaner energy,” said Josifovska.

The focus for the 2010 competition will be the emerging Southeast European nation of the Republic of Macedonia, which has one of the highest levels of GHG emissions per unit of GDP in Central and Eastern Europe. Moreover, 70% of its total emissions come from the unsustain-

investorsbeyondborders.com

Investors Beyond Borders President Marijana Josifvoska in Macedonia, the home of the International Renewable Energy Case Competition. able energy sector. This presents ample opportunity for improvement, and Macedonia has been working to reform its economy by creating green projects that will correct its energy shortage. A complete list of the country’s efforts and reforms can be found in the 2009

Doing Business report by the World Bank, which ranked Macedonia as the top reforming nation in Europe, and thirty-second out of 183 economies.

The national strategy outlines the course of action for Macedonia to take advantage of CDM opportuni-

ties, including: identifying priority areas for projects; setting up the country’s designated national authority under the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, which will establish the rules for CDM projects and grant approvals; and building up

both national private- and publicsector capacity to participate in CDM. More information about Investors Beyond Borders or the IRECC can be found by visiting www.investorsbeyondborders.com.

Campus police weekly summaries October 15, 2009 to October 21, 2009 October 15 Noise complaint Campus Police attended a residence at MaGrath Valley and spoke with a tenant regarding loud music. The matter was resolved.

October 16 Mischief Campus Police investigated graffiti on a wall at Kaneff Building. The graffiti was removed October 16 Assault Campus Police investigated an assault at the RAWC during a basketball game. The culprit left before the arrival of Campus Police.

October 17 Careless driving A parent called Campus Police and

complained about a careless driver on Inner Circle Road.

October 17 Theft under $5000 A laptop was stolen from a house at McLuhan Court during a social gathering. The matter remains under investigation.

October 17 Theft under $5000 A bicycle was stolen from a front yard of a residence at Shreiberwood.

October 17 Trespass to Property Act Campus Police investigated a man for using the gym without a membership.

The man entered the gym using someone else’s membership card.

October 18

Political Science Career Night!

Learn about what YOU can do with YOUR degree in Political Science from professionals in fields such as Law, Government and NGOs.

Person in need of assistance Campus Police assisted an elderly man who became lost at UTM. Peel Police took the man to his residence.

October 17 Theft under $5,000 Campus Police investigated a theft of a knapsack from the cafeteria of Oscar Peterson Hall cafeteria. Inside the bag were books.

October 18 Fire Alarm Someone activated a fire pull station at the CCT Garage. The building was evacuated. The Fire Department attended.

October 18 Theft under $5,000 A cellular phone was stolen from a student at the Library.

October 19 Motor vehicle accident Two vehicles collided on Inner Circle Road. Damage was high. No one was injured.

October 20 Harassment A woman reported being harassed during a chat line exchange. She was at her residence in Erindale Hall.

October 19 Fire Call Someone set a garbage container on fire in the North Field. Extinguishers were used to put out the fire.

October 20 Library Code of Conduct Campus Police attended the Library after a call for assistance from Library security. A man had refused to show identification to security. He left before Campus Police arrived.

October 19 Trespass to Property Act A person was reported soliciting for money at the Library. The person left before the arrival of Campus Police.

October 19 Theft under $5000 A cellular phone and a knapsack were stolen from a locker at the men’s change room at the RAWC

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October 21 Trespass to Property Act A person was reported soliciting for money at the South Building and in the Library. He was not found.

If Teaching is in YOUR Future ... sign-up for the Is Teaching in Your Future Workshop and Learn How to apply to B.Ed Programs!

Wednesday, Nov 4th 2009 Thursday, Nov 5th 2009 From 5:00 - 7:00 From 2:00 - 3:30 Faculty Club, SE 3140 Council Chambers, SE 3130 TO REGISTER FOR EMPLOYER EVENTS, WORKSHOPS AND MORE, visit www.utm.utoronto.ca/careers

Wednesday, Oct 28th 2009 From 5:00 - 7:00 Faculty Club, SE 3140

MONDAY, OCTOBER

26, 2009 THE MEDIUM 3

BOWLING, BUILDING AND BUSSING NEWS

UTM celebrates groundbreaking for new building Building continued from cover

“Now that the Library will be open 24 hours during exams, will you use it?”

The group of MDs who will train here in Mississauga will be part of an innovative partnership with the outstanding local health-care providers” said Dr. Catharine Whiteside, dean of U of T’s Faculty of Medicine.

Harinder Takhar, MPP for Mississauga-Erindale and the Minister of Government Services, added the project will ensure that “our hospitals become teaching hospitals. We’ll be able to retain some of these doctors.”

The Health Sciences Complex became possible thanks to a partnership among the Government of Ontario, UTM, U of T’s Faculty of Medicine, Trillium Health Centre and Credit Valley Hospital.

Construction began this summer.

The complex was designed by award-winning architect Alar Kongats of Kongats Architects and will cost $37 million, half of which was donated by the provincial government as part of a province-wide initiative to increase the number of physicians in Ontario.

“If anybody said to me there’d be a medical sciences building here in Mississauga, I would have said ‘keep dreaming!’ Today we are realizing a team approach,” said Mayor Hazel

“I won’t stay over night but residences students and those who commute long dis tances will, so it’s good for them.”

Paulina Filewska 4th year CCIT

“I will for sure use the library during exams but I usually stay until 3 a.m.”

Matthew Filipowich/The Medium

McCallion. The mayor recalled her first event at UTM, which then had only 1,500 students enrolled. It now has almost 12,000 students.

In accordance to UTM’s promise to “Grow Smart, Grow Green,” the Health Sciences Complex will use energy-efficient lighting and rainwater to fill toilets and water its green roof. The building is designed to meet or exceed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver status, an internationally recognized standard in green buildings.

Brandon G. 3rd year Commerce

The platform party consisting of the speakers and Michelle DiEmanuele, the president and CEO of Credit Valley Hospital, made their way to officially break ground on the Health Sciences Complex.

The group posed, shovels in hand, before Orchard concluded the ceremony.

The Health Science Complex is set to open its doors in the summer of 2011 with its first class of 54 medical students, and expects 216 students at the academy by 2014.

“I’m going to stay over because I commute down town.”

Krishan W. 3rd year Engineering St. George campus

International students bowl with buddies The ISRC took many international students bowling for the first time OVAIS SHAH

When international students start off their first year at UTM, the International Student Resource Centre pairs them with upper-year students or mentors through its buddy program.

According to the ISRC’s website, the program’s objective is to “bring friends together.”

Veronica Vasquez, one of the organizers for the centre’s events this semester, said that “the buddy-program and its events are a great opportunity for first-year international students and their mentors to connect and build social networks in a safe and fun environment.”

With the core objectives of the buddy-program in mind to motivate and assist international students with building a cohesive university culture, Anisha

First Canadian wins international award Prize continued from cover

Sharma, the ISRC buddy-program liaison, arranged a gettogether for a group of international students and their mentors at Classic Bowl and a group dinner.

“Students were so happy and many of them were going bowling for the first time. Most would expect the mood to be tarnished by the torrential downpours last Friday evening, which soaked the students during their bus trip to the bowling arena, but in fact the soaking was a fun part of the entire process,” said Simran Khanna, one of the attendees at the gettogether.

Despite the uncertainty of the weather, Sonal Castelino, an upper-year mentor with the centre’s program, explained the reasoning behind this year’s bowling activity and remarked that the activity was an ideal opportunity to put to practice one of

Student service stays open 24/5 during exams Library continued from cover

Peltier has been part of the U of T community for a long time. He completed his Ph.D in Physics at the University of Toronto in 1971 and went on to teach at U of T in 1993.

In April 2010, Peltier, along with the rest of this year’s Laureates, will conduct seminars and lectures at universities and participate in various educational programs at the Franklin Institute. Most events are free and open to students of all ages, giving young minds the opportunity to meet and converse with the world’s great modern scientists. Peltier will receive his award at the Franklin Awards Ceremony and Dinner on April 29, 2010.

the buddy-program’s visceral principles of teamwork and trust. “Pairing up the students in small groups of bowling teams encouraged everyone to interact and talk and work with one another in a safe and comfortable manner,” said Castelino.

“The Buddy Program’s bowling event was a great opportunity for students to explore Mississauga outside the campus and I think they really cherished the experience,” said ISRC cocoordinator Harpreet Randhawa.

The bowling get-together was one of the many events organized by the International Student Resource Centre, a service provided by UTM Student Affairs for international and internationally-minded students. Its objective is to offer crucial services such as the Buddy Program, Global Café, Let’s Talk Turkey and peer-advisory office hours.

They also referred to other campuses that still offer a 24-hour library service, and contended that services should not decrease while tuition fees increase.

“It is the drive, the compassion, and solidarity that we students have that win these battles.

It is proof that getting involved, knowing the issues, and speaking out get results,” said UTMSU President Joey Santiago, adding that the UTMSU and the Library will make an official announcement later this week.

Santiago thanked the Office of the

Vice-President & Provost Cheryl Misak for funding the 24-hour service and encouraged students to express their gratitude to both the Provost and the UTM Library for their efforts.

Mavrinac credited both the town hall and the Library’s “Tell Us What You Think” comment forum for helping communicate the message.

“We delighted to obtain the necessary funds to support student success during the extremely important study and examination periods,” said Mavrinac.

Details about the Library’s hours of service are available online at library.utm.utoronto.ca/hours

“I’ll use it until 1 or 2 a.m. but I won’t stay overnight.”

Hamza Ansari 2nd year Commerce

Answer this question on our poll at mediumonline.ca/poll

New bus route for UTM SAALIHA MALIK

Last week, Mississauga Transit introduced a new limited-stop bus route, 101 – Oakville Express, that will travel between Oakville, UT M and the Is lin gto n s ubway station.

Route 101 – Oakville Express will run Monday to Friday during the morning and evening rush hours, departing UTM every 20 minutes. Identifying decals have been placed at all Oakville Express bus stops to help travellers identify the service.

“The Route 101 – Oakville Express is the first limited-stop express service that travels along the Dundas Street corridor to the UTM campus,” said Mississauga Transit director Geoff Marinoff in a City Hall press release. “It provides a direct transit route to and from Oakville for UTM students and other passengers. It is also another Mississauga Transit service option along Dundas Street West for commuters going to and from the Islington subway station.”

Route 101 shares several bus stops with Route 201 – Dundas Express along Dundas Street West between Westdale Mall and the Islington subway station.

Commuters will continue to enjoy a 10-minute, combined-service frequency at these shared bus stops, said Marinoff.

The UTM student union, whose Ministry of Transportation has long campaigned for alternative methods of transportation, expressed satisfaction with the new route. “[It’s] a benefit to students from Oakville, allowing them transportation to UTM using the UPASS. It serves as encouragement toward alternative transportation and makes our campus even more accessible to students within and outside of Mississauga,” said Maria Pilar Galvez, UTMSU VP University Affairs and Academics.

Passengers on the Route 101 – Oakville Express will also benefit f rom c onnectio ns to Route 110 that travels between the Clarkson GO Station, UTM campus, South Common Mall and Square One.

4 THE MEDIUM

OPINION

MONDAY, OCTOBER

26, 2009

Letters to the Editor No double standard Dear Editor, ALAIN LATOUR EDITOR IN CHIEF

EDITORIAL The Library (I can never bring myself to call it the Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre) announced this Friday that it would resume the 24/5 schedule that it abandoned less than a month ago (see the article on the cover page). We can once again study in the library as late as we wish. (Not that I or anyone I know ever stayed there after 8 p.m.) More importantly, we don’t have to bow our heads in embarrassment when UTSC or St. George students boast about the hours of their libraries.

So, we got what we wanted. We’ll never know whether we got it because of the UTMSU campaign, or because of The Medium’s coverage, or because of the students who told the Principal during the town hall event on October 2 that they were against the reduced hours, or because the Provost’s Office suddenly came up with the necessary cash. I like to think it was because of our coverage, but of course it was most likely a combination of all of the above.

Two conclusions can be drawn from this unexpected turnaround. Firstly, students have power — more than they think. There is, however, a caveat to this power: It needs to be used wisely. In the case of the Library’s new hours, students not only had a reasonable goal, but also fought for it in a mature way — never mind those who booed a fellow student when she dared wonder aloud whether maybe UTM had a point about cancelling the 24/5 service. Other than that shameful bout, there were no T-shirts depicting a raised middle finger or inviting the library to screw itself. Such gimmicks may be good for publicity; they may stir up “the masses,” but they sure don’t invite respectful, intelligent debate.

The second conclusion is not so easy to arrive at, perhaps because of its implications: that other UTM services may suffer because of funds that were allocated to the Library so that it would remain open. UTMSU President Joey Santiago assures us that this won’t happen. But how can we be so sure? After all, U of T President Naylor himself asked which services students were willing to sacrifice in order to keep the library open 24/5.

If indeed no services get cut, then one question arises: why did UTM change the library hours in the first place if money was not a problem? On the other hand, if money was a problem, how was the Provost’s Office suddenly able to extend the hours back to what they were before? I find it hard to believe that the students’ protests had nothing to do with the old hours being reinstated.

All that matters for now is that the library is back to its regular hours. It would be foolish take it for granted. We cried when something was taken away. Let’s use it now that it is given back.

Alain Latour

Yours,

I was surprised to see that Mr. Beg’s recent letter describes the UTMSU as being unaccountable and unapproachable. He implies that the student union does not truly represent students views, which is simply not true.

Since September, the UTMSU has had a number of consultation meetings through various ministries such as Equity, Environment, Education & Outreach, International Students Affairs, Social Justice, Campus Life as well as an information session for all first years which every student had the opportunity to attend. We have heard many excellent ideas and suggestions from students, which have directly influenced the approach we have taken on a number of issues.

Mr. Beg even goes on to praise the

efforts of the Student Union, saying he supports the campaign to drop tuition fees and other opportunities for students to be heard. The UTMSU has worked tirelessly to be true advocates of students on campus, and we make every effort to represent the campus groups and individual students who ask us to do so.

In his conclusion, Mr. Beg laments that he does not know his “president and execs as much as they [UTMSU] seem to want to know the principal.”

The door to the student union office is always open, and we are always glad to chat with any student — including Mr. Beg — if they take the time to visit us.

I finally would like to update you that due to the collective students effort during the referenced town hall, the Vice President and Provost Cherly Misak has agreed to provide funding for the 24/5 library thanks to all students who came and voiced their concerns.

Henry Ssali

I hope this finds you all well and in good spirits. I also hope that you have had success on your midterms! For those that haven't finished yet, best of luck to you (although you should be studying, not reading the paper!) I have just one item that I want to bring up with you all the Student Day of Action on November 5.

While there may be many issues that happen on campus that we fight for, rising tuition fees remain to be a common issue that we all face. I urge you to join your fellow students, to come out to the demonstration on November 5th and make your voice heard! This year is more important than ever — it is the end of the Reaching Higher framework, which means the Ontario government must institute a new fee framework.

It has recently been announced that the UTM Library will be re-introducing its 24/5 hours. Why? Because students

made their voice heard. We gathered as a collective with one clear message — give us our library hours back. I thank all those who came out, whether it be in support, to deliver your message, or to sign a petition. Let's keep the pressure high, and we'll win this one too!

On November 5, join thousands of students from other universities and colleges to show the government that you will not put up with high tuition fees! We will be meeting up in the UTM Student Centre at 12 p.m. next Thursday. Food and transportation will be provided, so all you have to do is show up! If you are interested in helping organize the campaign, or if you have any questions at all, please send an e-mail to nov5@utmsu.ca.

Again, best of luck on your midterms this fall season, and I hope to see you all on November 5!

Joey Santiago President, UTM Students' Union

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

COPY EDITOR Su Lyn Liew PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Matthew Filipowich photos@mediumonline.ca 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.

COMPLAINTS

It’s About Us Muslim Women. Again.

Today’s plunging necklines and stacked bangles are flashbacks to pre-Islamic Arabia where women walked around heavily ornamented and bare-breasted.

Pre-marital sex, multiplicity of partners and a highly sexualized culture was the norm. The advent of Islam reintroduced a code of conduct that emphasized modesty, marriage, lineage, beautiful character and human rights. Each morning, women choose to either cover or bare something or the other. It seems that to be liberated, women must bare all. But for at least a few millennia, women of various religions choose to cover their bodies.to ensure their feminine grace and modesty.

The veil is not only a sign of dignity, but a common element of religious practice for devout women. It successfully introduces a de-sexualized public sphere which does not inhibit sexuality but rather grants it a defined place in day-today life. Modest dress neutralized sexual differences between males and females, allowing them to rise above primal distinctions.

The command for women to cover their heads is unambiguously stated in the Quran. Therefore, any claim that the head-covering is not commanded in the Quran, or the face-veil an un-Islamic patriarchal concept, should be disregarded as fallacious. Moreover, it is ridiculous to claim that forms of the veil in Islam are a patriarchal legislation. God is the One who legislates, and God does not have a gender.

As the Cambridge scholar T. J. Winter

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UTMSU message Dear UTM Students,

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says, “[a] woman who exposes her charms in public is vulnerable to what might be described as ‘visual theft,’ so that men unknown to her can enjoy her visually without her consent.” The claim that the veil or the face-veil reduces a woman to a vulnerable passive object is baseless since it very clearly does the opposite.

The Canadian public sphere has afforded every individual the right to freedom of thoughtand expression. The woman who veils her face is hence neither ‘barbaric’ nor ‘stupid.’

If face-veils and burkas have led to bank heists, a simple metal detector would solve that problem. To claims that the burka is a symbol of Saudi inspired Islamic extremism, the burka, niqab or the chador are simply cultural and geographical adaptations of the face-veil. If a country chooses to enforce the burka, that is an offense on their part. But if a woman chooses to wear it, then that should be her choice, regardless of its negative associations.

Lastly, what truly is “an insult to the female gender” is stipulating what she can and cannot wear in a free country if she so chooses to. A modestly covered woman is simply neutralizing her sexual difference. In light of this, the Muslim Student Association at UTM unanimously takes a stance against the call for legislation to ban the face-veil. It emancipates itself from any representation by the Muslim Canadian Congress.

Ruqayyah Ahdab Vice-President, MSA

Comments, concerns or com plaints about The Medium’s con tent should be directed to the Editor in Chief who can be locat ed at the email address above.

COPYRIGHT 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.

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, Stephanie Marotta, Ovais Sha, Patricia Figuereido, Mary Dytyniak, Deric Varcoe, Tiffany Scott, Mazin Hassan, Sarah Malagerio Bruno, William Robertson, Hai Bao

MONDAY, OCTOBER

26, 2009 THE MEDIUM 5

Michael Di Leo, Editor | arts@mediumonline.ca

Style in focus: part one Taking a look at winter fashion for men ALAIN LATOUR EDITOR IN CHIEF

There’s one thing that us former tropic natives and style aficionados like about Toronto, and it is that the four different seasons give us a chance to vary our attire. In the summer we can continue to wear shorts and sandals and light, short-sleeved shirts and polos, but we can also wear scarves and sportcoats in the winter.

Some of us take the task quiTe seriously, squinting at GQ articles, asking questions and studying the outfits of well-dressed people (discreetly, lest they think we’re about to hit on them). In the process we usually find, much to our surprise, that many Canadians don’t take winter attire seriously. In Europe, I often saw men wearing scarves, leather gloves, and stylish but warm boots, yet many guys at UTM wear gloves the size of boxing gloves, sneakers with slippery soles and Santa Claus hats.

Given that autumn forgot to show up this year, I thought it was about time I write up a list of tips on what to wear for the winter. It’s not because I know better than you or that I think I’m more elegant, but because there is certain irony to a Cuban writing about winter attire in a Canadian newspaper. And also, you might find something useful.

(Or I might, if some of you decide to write back with tips).

HATS Can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em. I regard hats with suspicion, maybe because in the tropics we seldom wear them. (We certainly don’t wear straw hats, unless we’re working in the fields). Plus I hate hat-hair. That said, I hate frozen earlobes even more. Up to 80% of your body heat escapes through your head. I don’t know if that statistic is true, but it certainly feels true on cold days.

Stick to the basics: a toque on really cold days. (Driving caps look good but are not as practical). Felt toques literally

furhatworld.com

An authentic fur trapper hat will make you look cool, just like this guy.

stink, so get a wool one, or one in cashmere if you can afford it. And no fuzzy balls hanging from the top, for the love of God, unless your name is Hans and you are a ski instructor.

On really cold days, the bold and the daring can get away with wearing one of those fur-imitation trapper hats.

Many clothing brands are trying hard to make them fashionable (they made Ugg boots fashionable, even for some guys, so they’ll probably succeed). A friend at work once remarked that trapper hats look stupid. I can’t help agreeing. He also said they looked warm — and by all accounts, they are — which makes me wonder whether I’m the stupid one for refusing to wear them. In the end, people with trapper hats may look daring, with that screw-you attitude that can, when discreetly done, do so much for your appearance.

Where: Everywhere.

Price range: $20 to $50.

SCARVES One easy way to tell Canadians from foreigners: Canadians seldom wear scarves. To this day, I have no idea why.

Scarves keep the throat warm and fend off colds. They also look great. For those who fear that a scarf will make them look silly, rest assured — they can attract female fingers like a magnet, especially when made of cashmere.

(Once you try a cashmere scarf you’ll never go back).

Hemingway wore scarves. Sartre wore scarves. Scarves are manly things. Get one in a solid colour, or perhaps with a few stripes. The simpler, the better.

Burgundy is a widely ignored, but a smart choice.

Where: H&M, eBay, Winners.

Price range: $50 to $200.

GLOVES Gloves are so easy to get right. Yet most guys don’t. All you need is leather. Thin leather gloves will work anywhere, from Frosh to graduation to the job interview, and they are guaranteed to impress your date.

Ideally, gloves should match the colour of your shoes. Go for brown first (you did get those brown boots, right?).

Get a second pair in black when you find a sale. And make sure they are lined inside. I have a pair lined in cashmere that I bought at Danier for less than $30. Synthetic lining also works — some say it works even better, but I recommend you pass it up if you have sweaty hands.

According to many forums, the best gloves come from a small workshop in Florence called Madova. They are handmade and retail for up to 60 euros.

A bit on the pricey side, but the quality is indisputable. I’ll get them when I make decent money. And when I learn not to lose my gloves.

Where: Danier (waiting for post-winter sales will score you a great price),

Italian men only wear black shoes when they go to a wedding or a funeral. We should take cue. Black shoes are overrated — and overused. Nothing looks better than freshly polished brown shoes. I tend to agree in the case of boots, although there’s nothing wrong with a nice pair of black ones.

Where: Timberland stores, Aldo, Little Burgundy, Brown shoes, online.

How much: $120 to $300.

COATS johnlewis.com

A nice pair of leather gloves will keep your hands warm and stylish during the winter months.

Winners.

How much: $30 to around $80 for the Madova gloves.

Many people think the more stylish the jacket, the less warm. Not necessarily. A wool, wool-and-cashmere or pashmina wool coat can effectively protect you against Toronto’s nastiest winter days, especially if: a) it’s got a warm lining,

and b) the front zips and buttons closed. Moreover, longer dress coats protect your legs like no ski or puffy jacket can.

Now, unlike most other accessories I mentioned earlier, these coats are difficult to find at a moderate price. But you never know. I once found a very nice wool-and-cashmere British dress coat at Goodwill for $15. A quick, $10 visit to a trustworthy tailor made the jacket look as if it had been custom-made for me.

For those who need a winter jacket right away, a parka may be cheaper and easier to find (just go for a solid colour).

Where: Tom’s Place, Winners, some department stores. And yes, Goodwill.

How much: $15 (OK, only at Goodwill) to infinity.

SHOES Come wintertime, I see many people tiptoeing around campus with Chuck Taylors or other sneakers. I wonder if they just haven’t tried boots. Boots are warm, comfortable, and allow us to stroll around without worrying about sludge pools. They’re back in style now, especially army boots and old-fashioned boots like the L.L. Bean Katahdin Iron boots (my likely choice), a few Timberland models, and the Wolverine 1,000 Mile Boots, which were first sold in 1914. Even Aldo has taken to selling vintage-looking boots.

As for the colour, I once read that

superfuture.com

The L.L. Bean Katahdin Iron Boots.

6 THE MEDIUM

MONDAY, OCTOBER

26, 2009

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT BUY THESE THINGS

Haven’t you heard?

A&E Editor Michael Di Leo picks ten albums you should hear if you haven’t already. At least that way we won’t be held accountable for whatever choices you may make in the future

ARMCHAIR APOCRYPHA A DREW BIRD

T he musical equivalent of an ornate antique wardrobe. It’s classy, original, and fits well in any situation. Bus music? Yes. Date music? Yes. Sitting-alone-inyour-living room-late-at-night music? Yes. Crying-about-a-lostlover music? Sometimes.

Andrew Bird is known for his textured sound, and none of his other albums come close to matching Armchair Apocrypha in this respect. “Imitosis” is a collage of violins being picked like a guitar. “Armchairs” fades in smoothly, but ends on an epic high note, filled with pianos, violins, and Bird’s trademark whistling. It will make you feel real nice.

THE YOUNG AND PASSIONATE DAYS OF CARPEDIA [EP] THE CARPS

TIGERMILK BELLE & SEBASTIAN

ROCKET SUMMER [EP] THE FIRST AID KIT

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS SKRATCH BASTID

the first track, when Jahmal Tonge proclaims “this might be the rawest thing you’ve ever heard,” he may just be right. Not so much in the way that Lou Reed is considered raw, or, as a more contemporary example, Pete Doherty (though this is subject to question) but that the music itself, a stripped-down, muckedup, electrified version of drum ‘n bass may be the closest sounding thing to letting it all go on the dancefloor.

And with soulful vocals and songs that address social issues in our native GTA, what’s not to like?

When “twee” was the in-thing in the early 90’s, it was mostly due to the dominance Belle & Sebastian had on the genre. Everyone was listening to If You’re Feeling Sinister and The Boy with the Arab Strap, but no one realized that Tigermilk was what kicked B&S into the mainstream.

There are the staples —“My Wandering Days are Over” and “I Could Be Dreaming” — that are impeccably produced, but the other, lesser known songs are what give this album its character. “Electric Renaissance” and “Expectations” are light and airy B&S renditions of an electronic song and latin-ish song respectively, both adding to the cohesiveness of the album as a whole.

Plus, listening to Tigermilk will make you feel like a little kid again.

I ndie-rock has acquired a bad rap over the past few years. When people hear the name, they cringe, picturing five white twenty-somethings with dirty hair playing on vintage synthesizers while whining overtop.

To be fair, this is generally a pretty accurate description — visit Lee’s on any given night — but sometimes a band comes along whose music is so overwhelmingly good, so distinctly fresh, and so much fun that you forget all the stereotypes associated with “their kind” of music.

This is The First Aid Kit. Hailing from Halifax, they have only two EP’s to their name but promise a lifetime of listening pleasure. Don’t believe us? Try downloading their album for free on their Myspace page.

T here are two kinds of DJ’s: those who work at clubs where they play top 40 hits, and those who take the process of turntabling as an art, digging deep through crates of records to find that perfect drum hit, and mastering the techniques of cutting a record.

Skratch Bastid is the second kind of DJ. Apart from winning several national and international DJ competitions, he brings an energy to his live and recorded performances that is unmatched by any of his contemporaries.

Taking Care of Business exemplifies this energy, and contains some of the most serious displays of scratching ever recorded. That and the tracks are just so much fun.

ELVIS IS BACK! ELVIS PRESLEY

LIFESTYLEZ OV DA POOR AND DANGEROUS BIG L

DUSTY GEMS AND RAW NUGGETS WEEZER

BREAKING ATOMS MAIN SOURCE

It may seem unusual that a bonus disc

R eleased in 1991, Breaking Atoms

would be featured on such a list, but make no bones about it, this is pure Weezer.

Dusty Gems features some classic bsides and demos from the blue album days which have since become popular Weezer hits. Songs such as “Susanne” and “Jamie” hold their own with anything Weezer has produced since. Other lesser known songs, for example “Mykel and Carli” and a barbershop quartet rendition of “My Evaline,” have reached cult status among die-hard Weezer fans.

But don’t assume that this is for Weezer fans only. It is quite the opposite in fact. Dusty Gems opens the band up to some of their more intimate moments — their unproduced demos, their original quirky song ideas, and the unmitigated joy found throughout which makes their other albums almost boring in comparison.

remains one of the best-produced hiphop albums to this day. With styles as diverse as jazz rap and alternative hiphop, Breaking Atoms is notable for having influenced artists such as A Tribe Called Quest and Hieroglyphics and for the debut of future superstar Nas. But what is most impressive about Breaking Atoms is the production behind it. Considering it was made at a time where computers had very little, if any, role in creating music, it is incredible how such complex and full beats were created, not to mention the degree of musicality behind them. A hip-hop classic, Breaking Atoms will never grow old.

On

NIANDRA LADES AND USUALLY JUST A T SHIRT JOHN FRUSCIANTE

M any

of you will recognize the name John Frusciante as the guitarist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

What you may not know is that he has a successful solo career on the side.

Niandra LaDes is the first solo album Frusciante ever released, back when he first left the Peppers midtour in ’92. To put it lightly, this album is weird. Expect there to be times where you question why it was recommended to you in the first place. Also, be prepared to hear the shrieks of a man completely possessed by a life-threatening drugaddiction. Yeah.

But if you can get past that you will find some of the most intriguing melodies, beautifully complex guitar arrangements and mindbending production techniques — all done with a pop sensibility that makes Niandra LaDes so irresistible.

M any

people don’t realize the longstanding effects of Elvis Presley’s music on today’s society.

To put it lightly, without the King, most top 40 music we hear today wouldn’t be on the top 40. It would be played on college radio.

Elvis is Back! is one of the best examples of Presley’s significance.

Recorded after his military discharge in 1960, the album is a turning point of sorts, where Elvis progressed from the more structured Rock ‘n Roll which he was known for to the pop music for which he would later be remembered.

Elvis is Back! features several distinct musical style s, ranging from doo-wop to blues to gospel, each injecting a shot of colour on top of the rigid 4/4 compositions.

Ever wonder why R&B became so popular? This is where it started.

W hen

people discu ss 90 ’s hiphop, all too often Big L gets overlooked. Maybe it’s because he never had a really captivating single — one which he will be remembered for always. Or, more likely, it’s because he was gunned down in his prime, right after signing a major deal with the newly formed Rocafella records.

(Jay-Z was a protégé of Big L.) Lifestylez is the only studio album L released while he was alive. Since then there have been many compilations featuring his freestyles and unfinished demos, but none come close to matching the intensity and delivery of Lifestylez. Mostly because it is difficult to imagine how anyone is able to rhyme like L, mixing multisyllabic rhyming schemes with an intent to destroy anything he speaks of. No one does it better.

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MONDAY, OCTOBER

FOOD POLITICIZED

26, 2009 THE MEDIUM 7

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Hart House wraps up world food week PATRICIA FIGUEIREDO “Cheap food is an illusion. The real cost of the food is paid some where and if it isn’t paid at the cash register, it’s charged to the environment, it’s charged to the public person in the form of subsi dies and it’s charged to your health.”

Michael Pollan, author of In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto

Do you ever think about where your food comes from, who produces it and how it is processed?

With an ever growing concern for better food quality, cost and distribution in today’s society, there has never been a better time to question and challenge our current food system and to adopt more sustainable methods of food production.

During Hart House’s World Food Week from October 16 to 23, students and community members were invited to think critically about food and our relationship with it through a series of tastings, workshops, panel discussions and lectures.

The week began on World Food Day with “Home is Where the Fork Is,” a free tasting of local foods at the Wilson Hall Lounge at U of T’s New College.

The tasting aimed to encourage participants to try local food as well as to discover the benefits of being a locavore — one who eats locally grown

foods.

The week proceeded with the screening of Fresh, a shocking and yet inspirational documentary by filmmaker Ana Sofia Joanes. In an intimate set up at Sammy’s — a small cafeteria at Hart House — audience members learned about the crude reality and disastrous consequences of industrial agriculture. Although depressing at times, Fresh also offered encouraging advice by food experts and motivational examples of farmers who are already changing the way they produce food.

“I’ve seen a lot of food security documentaries and I sometimes find they use a lot of scary tactics to shock and to get the message across. But, I found that [Fresh] had a positive message,” said Ana Greisman, an audience member.

On October 20, “Hungry for Change: What Toronto Eats,” an impressive photo exhibit showing Toronto families surrounded by what they eat, was launched at Hart House. This exhibit runs until October 26 and can be seen hanging from the walls of hallways at Hart House.

The highlight of World Food Week was a keynote presentation about Earth Democracy delivered by worldrenowned author, ecologist, physicist and activist Dr. Vandana Shiva.

“Dr. Shiva’s scholarship and livelihood exemplifies what World Food Week is all about: living consciously to sustain and honour our earth's resources,” said Estelle Oliva, assistant director of Student Life and Leadership and the event’s organizer. “We are thrilled to have her participate in this

Jo Dickins Photos

Students sit and discuss pressing food issues.

week-long awareness campaign.”

Dr. Shiva gained recognition for her tremendous contribution to and support of environmental activism. A visionary, she is the founder of Navdanya, the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology.

Navdanya was founded in India in 1987 and has since served as a network of seed keepers and organic producers in 16 states of the country.

“When I found global corporations wanted to patent seeds, crops or life forms, I started Navdanya to protect biodiversity, defend farmers' rights and promote organic farming,” said Shiva.

Prior to her presentation at Hart House Theatre, Dr. Shiva met with a select group of U of T students, who have “demonstrated leadership skills, taken initiative on campus and [demonstrated] a passion for sustainability and equity issues,” said Oliva.

The event was organized as a Conversation Café, where small groups of approximately ten people sitting at round tables answered specific questions regarding food equality, agricultural sustainability and earth democracy. Each group had a facilitator who would rotate tables every ten minutes, taking their table’s question along. Dr. Shiva was one of the facilitators, giving students the opportunity to engage in conversation with and learn from this distinguished guest.

During this intimate gathering, Dr. Shiva urged students to “petition the government to subsidize healthy food, not the unhealthy.” She insisted that respect be brought back to food, farmers and the Earth.

AT NIAGARA FALLS

Friday, October 30th, 2009

Jo Dickins Photos

Dr. Vandana Shiva gives the ke y no t e sp e e ch a s pa r t o f H ar t House’s World Food Week.

World Food Week ended with a lecture by Um’Khonde Patrick Habamenshi, a member of the Toronto Food Policy Council and founder of Behind Dogon Doors, a Canadian social enterprise working to bring awareness to challenges faced by disadvantaged groups.

Those who missed World Food Week or those who simply didn’t get enough of it are welcome to attend U of T's Action 4 Food Justice — a free lunch provided by U of T’s famous “ Hot Yam.” This event will take place at Hart House’s Music Room on October 27. Action 4 Food Justice is an opportunity for students and community members to come together and share their ideas on food issues.

8 THE MEDIUM

MONDAY, OCTOBER

26, 2009

Amir Ahmed, Editor | features@mediumonline.ca

CAN do attitude Bollywood celebrity Rahul Bose and activist Christine Ora address climate change issues at Hart House MARY DYTYNIAK

On October 20, U of T’s Hart House received Bollywood star Rahul Bose and Solomon Island teenage activist Christina Ora to talk about current issues on climate change.

Voices for Climate Justice Tour sponsored the two-hour presentation, which focused both on the impact of climate change in South Asia and islands in the South Pacific and on what they called a failure of the Canadian government to take positive action. Climate Action Network, a conglomerate of environmentally conscious organizations including Greenpeace and Canadian World Wildlife Federation, worked with the Indian Students’ Society at U of T to organize the event.

Award winning 17-year-old public speaker Christina Ora discussed the impact that rising sea levels, floods

and ion are having on drinking water and food production in the Soloman Islands. Ora shared personal stories of property damage and harm to the islands’ beautiful coastlines. “Don’t leave this room with that knowledge in your head alone. You go out and you spread the word,” said Ora. With highly developed countries such as Canada using 15-20 times the amount of energy as India, Rahul Bose, a film star in Pyaar Ke Side Effects and Thakshak, asked, “How can we ask poor families to reduce their energy consumption when we are so much better off?” Bose suggested supplementing fossil fuel for green technology such as solar power to decrease our energy use.

Student speaker Lauryn Drainie criticized the Canadian government for their recent actions at the last global meeting in Thailand, where 190 countries met to discuss on climate change. Canada supported

blog.taragana.com

Rahul Bose, known as the jewel of art house cinema has turned to environmental activism

Australia, the US and Japan on their suggestion to phase out the Kyoto Treaty. Such an action would eliminate the international goal of reducing gas emissions by 5% by 2012 and allow “highly developed” nations to create their own policies.

With COP15, the United Nations Climate Conference scheduled to take place this December in Copenhagen, it is now the optimal time for students and citizens alike to pressure the Canadian government into taking action on climate change.

Drainie believed a moral stance on climate change will have little effect in motivating citizens and the government. Canadians should focus on informing the government and unsupportive countries that they have much to lose in the face of global warming and climate change.

Canada has impending problems at its doorstep: by 2030, 80% of glacial water will run dry, forest fires in BC will increase and the prairies will face severe draught.

The Climate Action Network had put in requests with the Indian Students’ Society to host a similar climate change event at UTM. The ISS’s financial resources and manpower were insufficient to host such an event, and with an eight-poster limitation on student group advertising, it was a long shot. Ashwin Kapadiya, public relations director of the ISS, sought help from UTMSU’s Ministry of Environment to increase advertising and gain support.

Without any feedback from UTMSU and the Ministry of Environment, the ISS declined CAN’s requests.

“I was disappointed that the UTMSU decided to disregard this event especially during their Environment Week, given that this event would be perfect for them and would not cost them a dime,” said Ashwin. “It is these experiences that make it very difficult for us to unify the campuses in any effort – let alone ‘Green’ efforts.”

Both the Scarborough and St. George campuses successfully hosted a speaking event on climate change as apart of the Voices for Climate Justice Tour.

What exactly is this cottage here for? Munitions? A drug ring? Storage for unsold copies of The Medium?

Over the next few weeks,The Medium will be exploring the mystery spots on campus.

The new 2012

wikimedia.org

Steward Brand’s ‘ecopragmatist’s mani festo’ endorses nuclear energy, GM foods

AMIR AHMED FEATURES EDITOR

Hollywood, some celebrities, and assorted pseudo-scientists with too much time on their hands have cited 2012 as the year the earth will end.

According to James Lovelock, earth scientist and creator of the controversial Gaia Hypothesis, the actual date of our doom may not be that far off.

According to Lovelock, Europe, China and North America may become “uninhabitable for the growth of food” by 2025. This view is supported by Stewart Brand in his new book “Whole Earth Discipline,” in which he cites the many, many people who believe the earth is going kaput in many, many ways.

Brand, environmental activist, former soldier and a graduate of Stanford’s biology program, has been an environmentalist long before Al Gore made “going green” something sexy. He founded the environmental magazines Whole Earth Catalogue in 1968 and CoEvolution Quarterly in 1974. Brand wrote Whole Earth Discipline as his latest attempt to educate the public on the immediate threat of climate change and to offer what he sees as the solution.

In “Whole Earth Discipline,” Brand summons up terrifying statistics. According to a 2008 study, severe climate change — the kind that can turn Europe into Siberia and put an end to water supplies in India — can happen in as little as three years. He

takes these statistics and points out a frightening present day, where glacial melts in Tibet, tropical diseases in southern Europe, and swarms of fishconsuming jellyfish seem like harbingers of an ecological apocalypse.

Brand’s image is frightening, and reading “Whole Earth Discipline,” one can see that Brand himself is frightened.

As a solution for this environmental instability, Brand takes on many societal institutions commonly viewed as anti-environment and champions them to hold incredible potential for sustainability. “While [cities] are becoming the Greenest thing that humanity does for the planet… [they] have a long way to go.” Brand goes on to endorse nuclear energy and genetically modified foods, as well as sticking to the conventional wisdom such as eating locally and discouraging the spread of invasive species.

Unfortunately, Brand’s energetic and passionate writing style, which makes “Whole Earth Discipline” an easy read, also undermining the tone of his arguments. Brand leaves the reader wondering which of his theories are good science, and which are speculation. I guess we’ll find out in 2025.

Want to write for Features?Email us at features @mediumonline.ca

MONDAY, OCTOBER

26, 2009 THE MEDIUM 9

CAREERS AND CARTOONS FEATURES

The UTM Anime Club: Banzai SU LYN LIEW COPY EDITOR

Drop by the Student Centre presentation room on Friday evenings and you might find Sprited Away flashing on the wall or a crowd of students playing Name That Tune to Japanese pop music. They are members of the UTM Anime Club, which focuses on anime and manga and encourages a passion for any part of Japan’s pop culture.

The Anime Club split from the Erindale Gaming Organization several years ago to accommodate diverging

interests when the Japanese pop culture phenomenon became popular on campus. UTMA was created to fill a niche in the community. Anime — animation originating in Japan — and manga — comics and drawn cartoons conforming to a style developed in Japan — became increasingly popular in North America in the late 1990s.

The club served as a space for anime fans to meet and interact with each other.

UTMA’s main event is their biweekly Anime Nights held at the Student Centre’s presentation room. The club shows two to three episodes from four

teefonline.com

A poster for Akira, one of the first anime movies to earn the genre critical respect

different shows throughout the night, along with social activities such as karaoke and raffles for anime merchandise. The anime shown covers different genres to appeal to as many members as possible, and by the end of the semester the club will have finished with four shows.

The members play an active role in the club as well. The executive team take member suggestions for club activities and events, and members often attend anime conventions as a group. “It’s all about entertainment, socialization and relaxation. The club provides a chance to watch anime, but it is also an opportunity for members to spend time with people who share your interests and to make new friends,” said Sarah Overall, UTMA’s returning president.

One of the club’s most important aims is to foster a love and appreciation for Japanese culture. Candy Chou, a club executive, has established Japanese lessons for club members and the club sets up sushi night gatherings for those who crave Japanese food.

UTMA also organizes community activities like anime Movie Nights opened to the public and art sales, in which they encourage artists to contribute anime-themed artwork.

Members also interact with each other on the club’s forums, where they hold discussions and share fan fiction and fan art based on anime series.

Although UTMA has been very successful, it has had its share of conflicts.

Last year, the executive team underwent a complete overhaul when the then elected president quit the club a week before the new school year. The team scrambled to pull the club together and Overall stepped up to the

cmewooon.fileave.com

A poster for the Borderline of Emptiness anime, soon to be shown by the anime club role. Since that time, the club has expanded their activities repertoire.

While the old club held anime nights and one or two sushi nights, the reformed club now encourages social interaction and discussion.

With three of the current executive team graduating this year, UTMA has already made plans for a smooth transition. Core activities such as the Anime Nights and social Sushi Nights will continue, but Overall stated that the rest depends on the club members themselves. “We will keep what works and discard what doesn’t. The club will grow and change with the members.

As long as everyone is having fun, I don’t think we can go too far wrong.”

Many students might feel awkward

joining the club when they know little about Japanese culture or the anime and manga industry, but Overall stressed that everyone is welcome.

“When I joined in my freshman year, I was only familiar with some anime I saw on YTV. I knew about three series.

Now, I’m the club president. Being a hardcore fan is definitely not a prerequisite for enjoying yourself in this club.”

The UTM Anime Club’s next event, the Halloween & Cosplay Anime Night, takes place on October 30 at the Student Centre presentation room.

Check out their website at utmaclub.webs.com or drop by their office at room 220 in the Student Centre.

Where are you going with that?

For humanities students, choosing courses is easier than choosing a career DERIC VARCOE

The question comes to every student, usually from a well-meaning relative or perhaps a fellow student: Four years and tens of thousands of dollars buy us all an education second to none, but where does it lead?

Many students have high aspirations — plans for graduate schools or professional schools. Others, such as engineers or accountants have a pretty good idea of where they’ll end up, and specialized in pointing this out back in the twelfth grade.

In high school, getting that acceptance letter seemed like it was the first step in defining an entire career, but now the English and arts history majors of the world have to wonder what exactly their degrees can get them, and whether or not knowing what ekphrasis means really counts in the workforce.

The career counsellors at UTM advise these students not to worry.

It’s a common problem and simply knowing your options can go a long way.

According to the Career Centre staff, the problem for the nebulously defined humanities programs isn’t a lack of options in the workforce. The options are endless and these students are aware of it. English majors, for example, usually assume that a degree in English inevitably leads them to become a struggling writer or an English teacher, but only a

small percentage actually take this obvious route.

While the other “artsy” majors, such as Italian studies, art history and classics, present less direct approaches, they do exist, and a little work coupled with a few visits to the Career Centre will provide an answer. The Career Centre has an endless number of resources on career choices in the form of handbooks put together for each major and the “careers by major” section of the Career Centre’s website.

For senior students, the Career Centre also offers career advice from UTM alumni and can educate on the process of picking and finding a career.

Unfortunately, there is no one job more common than the next for any major. Language graduates have gone on to endless jobs, from teaching overseas, to journalism, to working for large publishing firms. The

same applies to art history graduates, who can end up in the expected realms of museums and archives, but can also branch out as art therapists and preservationists.

The world is not a logical place and hoping to have a career laid out in advance is unrealistic. The Career Centre knows this and can help any student willing to find what they enjoy and plot out the direction they would like to go with it.

Let’s face it, as students, we’re young and stupid. We don’t like to deal with the real world until we absolutely have to. And the fact is that there are just too many possibilities to create a single plan to fit any specific program, much less a specific person. The world is scary, but by being here, you’ve done the hardest (and most expensive) part. The rest is out there. You just need to do a bit more work to find it. Good luck — see you in the job market.

POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICGACTAERESERS FOR REWARDIN

FINANCIAL PLANNING GLOBAL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL MARKETING MARKETING MANAGEMENT PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

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A screenshot from a Facebook group for English majors opposed to teaching. Despite the stereotype, many English majors have no interest in the profession.

business.humber.ca

10 THE MEDIUM MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2009

FEATURES POETRY AND PROSE

Creative Corner

The King and I TIFFANY SCOTT

Like the hollowed inner tubing of a siphon

Les escargots ALAIN LATOUR EDITOR IN CHIEF

You drain the remnants of my wilted spirits Collapsed and spent on my back Mouth pried open, hands raw I’m praying you’ve had enough You’re not quite certain of who I am Neither am I I think I was supposed to be the scarecrow And you, the tin man, Or maybe the man of steel Or maybe I’s a slave, And you’s a masta.

Can you hear it when I’m choking?

I mean, over your sniffing and snorting?

Gurgle, cough, now I can’ breathe Wiat! I think I remember who you’re supposed to be Yes, I see it It was the king Sitting on a throng of delusion, misogyny and abuse I gorge on the garbage at your feet, I can’t get enough Jesus, I’ve forgotten my title, it’s on the tip of my tongue Who am I when you are not thinking of me?

A fringed, fraying doormat, Or a queen?

I simply cannot recall which one I am supposed To be, And so I bathe in the garbage at your feet.

I had a breakthrough as I sat at a table in the patio of a Parisian restaurant on a sunny afternoon, scanning the menu for what would become my first and only true meal during my stay in Paris, and hoping no one would notice my rumbling stomach. It wasn’t a breakthrough about my student visa application to Canada, which according to a polite, bespectacled Quebecois functionary would likely be rejected, nor was it about our family’s status in Spain, where we had a pending residence application. It wasn’t even a breakthrough about what to do that night.

It was about escargots.

One sunny Saturday afternoon in Havana, five, maybe six years before I sat in the patio of that Parisian restaurant on a similarly sunny afternoon, Walfrido Samuel Henriquez had described how escargots are cooked.

Walfrido — a Cuban professor at the Alliance Française à la Havane, where I studied French for nine years — loved food and wine and children. He was also the best language professor one could ever hope for.

Upon learning that the idea of eating escargots made a few of his students retch, Walfrido launched an explanation of the process by which escargots are collected, prepared and cooked. He explained it with a nearlewd smile and faraway eyes, a true omnivore’s expression, a Francophile one at that. “First you take the snails,”

he said, “and you put them in a little wooden box where not a ray of light comes in, and after a few days the snails are so hungry that they crawl out of their shell. Then you open the box and you take the snails and you boil them in court-bouillon — you boil the shells, too, but make sure it’s a different pot. Then you push the snails back into their shells and you cover the opening with a paste made of butter and garlic and parsley.”

Walfrido’s description didn’t convince me to eat escargots. But it did make me curious. I loved the process he described and wondered who would have ever thought of locking up snails so they would crawl out of their shells. Years later, a Frenchwoman, horrified by my professor’s tale, said that the escargots don’t crawl out. “They are only placed in the wooden box,” she said, “so that they will secrete toxins and slime.”

And merde too, I thought.

I still liked Walfrido’s version better, all the while suspecting he had purposefully adorned it, and as I sat in the Parisian restaurant I thought back to it and wondered, for the first time

Theo Pham

ever, if I should try escargots. I was, after all, a new man now, lucky enough to live in a new world bursting with freedom and possibilities, and escargots had been beckoning me lately, piled together onto small porcelain dishes, striking my eyes with the bold colours of their shells and my nose with the scent of their buttery sauce.

“Je crois,” I said, looking up at the waiter, “que je vais essayer les escargots.” I must have ordered a main course too, but I forget what it was.

The waiter returned with the escargots a moment later, as if he didn’t want me to change my mind, and when I saw them in front of me, sprinkled with parsley and golden with butter, I knew it was too late to do anything but eat them.

A two-tined fork and a tong sat by the small porcelain plate. A mouthwatering scent floated into my nostrils. I grabbed the tong with my left hand and discovered that it fit perfectly around one of the shells. Lifting the shell with the tong, I inserted the fork’s tines into the opening and pulled out a thicker-than-expected snail. I stared at it, holding it close to my mouth, a thick slab of dark flesh, and something turned in my stomach.

“Il faut pas trop regarder,” a voice said. It came from a pretty backpacker sitting at the next table. She was blonde and freckled and she eyed me with a curious smile. She was right.

No need to look at it for that long.

I nodded my thanks, closed my eyes, and shoved the fork into my mouth.

Fate of an angel MAZIN HASSAN

AMIR AHMED FEATURES EDITOR

The school bell rings, Theo and I barely hear it in the backstage hall.

The backstage hall looks like any other hallway near the music wing.

The tiles are the colour of dark coffee, and the oddly shaped trapezoidal-prism bricks that line the walls are the colour of slightly spoiled cream. The hall leads to a side door at the front part of the school, and continues into the rest of the music wing. What makes the hallway different from others is its position — jammed between room 101, the main music room, and the stage in the cafeteria. The two doors on either end of the hallway lead to the backstage.

We don’t have much time until the flood of students interrupts the lesson Theo is set on giving me, but he acts as if crowds and noise don’t apply to him.

Let me tell you about Theo Pham.

The five-foot-five, soft spoken Asian guy standing in front of me.

Theo Pham doesn’t need sleep.

Theo Pham doesn’t need food. All that Theo Pham lives on coffee and awesomeness. Theo Pham is a Mathlete, speaks German at the champion level, and stars as the premier solo saxophonist of the Woodlands School jazz band. Theo Pham scores at least ninety five percent in every class he takes, and is bent on getting into U ofT life sciences on a scholarship. Most impressively, Theo Pham wears blue, woollen old man sweaters and pulls off the look so that he still looks cool.

Theo Pham is teaching me about the sound board.

The sound board controls the audio equipment on the stage during a performance. It can channel and amplify specific frequencies, cut off or turn on the hanging microphones, and in the wrong hands can make an audience’s ears bleed. It’s not so much a board as a slab, a black plastic slab easily the size of a two-year old, and just as heavy.

Spindles, buttons, and LEDs crowd its surface, sometimes moving or blinking by themselves.

“Amir? You understand?”

Not a chance. Theo has — apparently — just taught me how to deal with feedback. I remember the words “destructive,” “awful,” and “for God’s sake don’t let it happen,” but nothing beyond that. I pray for a feedback-free concert tomorrow.

Students start to trickle into the hallway. Theo ignores them, but they don’t ignore Theo, or the soundboard. One guy — he looks like a seventh grader, only a seventh grader can wear that look of smugness and not get beaten over the head — gives us an appraising look, like he’s commissioned the entire concert tomorrow and wants his money’s worth.

“You’d better explain it to me again,” I say slowly, “just to be sure.”

Theo nods, approving of my apparent thoroughness. “Okay, well these spindles over here control the frequency input for —” The sound board’s cool, laidback, party-hardy cousin, the light board, stands next to its sombre relative. I can lift the light board if I want to. I could put it in my back-

pack without too much trouble. I could probably break it if I had some time and a hammer. If I tried that with the sound board, it’d probably hit me back.

One guy — he looks like a seventh grader, only a seventh grader can wear that look of smugness and not get beaten over the head — gives us an appraising look, like he’s commissioned the entire concert tomorrow and wants his money’s worth.

The trickle of students grows to a flow. One unlucky guy, sporting a plaid shirt and a wispy beard, kicks one of the wires. Theo’s nostrils flare at the transgression. “Hey, watch it,” he calls out, and continues his lecture.

I shift my feet and disturb the coils of wires that circle the boards, Theo and me. They run into the open backstage door, up the shadowed wooden steps that lead to the stage, where the risers, electrical switches, and hanging lamps sit ready for the concert tonight.

“So that’s it.” Theo finishes.

“Understand?”

Absolutely not.

I nod. “Yeah, got it.”

“Awesome. So if the sound is too harsh you…” Theo trails off, waiting for me to fill in the blank.

Crap. I take my memory, slam the

gear into reverse, and punch back through time. I strain my mental ears for Theo’s instructions, and repeat them verbatim.

“You check the spindles for the woodwinds against the levels for the brass,” I say, “after the volume output. And then you do the sound levels.”

I don’t know what that means, but Theo nods. “Great. And if Mrs. BK complains about the noise level?”

“Tell her you fixed it but don’t do anything,” I answer. I remember that much, if only for the blasphemy of lying to Mrs. BK, the head of the music program and the school’s equivalent of a stage mom. For Mrs. BK, the Woodlands School acts as little more than a vehicle for the band, which she fights for every year, and usually succeeds. Under her the band has won double-gold standing at the 500 level every Musicfest for the past ten years, despite the fact that the 500 level is reserved for classes composed entirely of twelfth graders. The Woodlands Senior Band’s population is mostly elevens and tens.

Theo claps his hands together.

“We’re all done then. We’ll go over the basics again just before the concert just in case, okay?”

Thank God for you, Theo Pham. I nod, “Yeah sounds good.”

“Great. Any plans before the concert?” Theo asks as he rolls a wire into a loop for some inexplicable purpose.

“Uh, I think I’m going to catch up on my sleep,” I say. After a calculus test today, I need it.

“Oh right. Sleep.” Theo says absently, still coiling the wire. “Tell me how that goes.”

The seconds crawl by, Slowly, painfully, each one deathly silent in its disappearance.

On this heavenly island Beneath the pale blue sky, Where the Almighty king Inscribes His words in the book Of destiny, I patiently await my time Hoping and wishing....to fly.

For my wings are growing heavy, And I fear that I shall soon perish; For some, it was a song; Others, a lullaby.

And for a lucky few, The soft kiss of a lover’s eyes.

As for me, I indeed know what shall set me free: It is the heavenly beauty that adorns you, my lady, The only one that my eyes shall ever see.

MONDAY, OCTOBER

26, 2009 THE MEDIUM 11

Andrew Tysiak , Editor | sports@mediumonline.ca

UTM men’s division 1 basketball team triumphs over Woodsworth Eagles 75 65 victory maintains their perfection, pushes record to 2 0 0 on the season SARAH MALAGERIO BRUNO

The UTM Eagles men’s division 1 basketball team won 75-65 against Woodsworth College last Wednesday. So far in the season, UTM’s record stands at 2-0-0, in step with a triumphant 72-45 win over Law in the Eagles’ first game.

After securing possession from tip-off, UTM continued to dominate Woodsworth, keeping the ball deep in the opponent’s end for the majority of the first half.

UTM tried their luck with a missed three-point shot in the first run, which was easily rebounded by the Eagles for another chance at net.

Although it took a Woodsworth turnover and basket to jumpstart the Eagles’ drive, UTM made it onto the scoreboard early in the eighteenth minute of play after a two-point jump shot from Elias Sbiet. A slew of supporters gathered in the stands chanted loud cheers for the men’s team and the fans received free t-shirts last Wednesday — tokens of gratitude for their spirited support.

The game saw excellent passing and possession by UTM, who played with a calm and practiced approach to the basket. “We practice once a week with the some tournaments and exhibition games every now and then. Our practices

are condition, strategy and skill based. After last night’s game, we need to get back to the basics like rebounding, passing and defense,” said coach Ammer Askary, who has coached the men’s division 1 basketball team for the past three years and won two championships. Anish, who coaches alongside Askary, has been with the team for five years and has led the team to three championships and two finals appearances.

With a solid history behind them, the UTM Eagles conveyed a strong desire to capture first place again this year.

“I believe that we have the perfect combination of players on this squad,” said fourth-year veteran Ambrish Patel. “This year’s team is by far the most talented in the last couple years. We will definitely repeat as champs, no question about that.”

Patel added that the team can improve on pressure defense. “We have quite a few rookies on this team. And they are still adjusting.

But we'll pick up on that soon,” said Patel.

Rookie or veteran, the team tactics of Wednesday’s game was clear. It was strategy versus drive, as UTM showed good movement on the court and manufactured a long list of strategies and plays.

The team wasn’t afraid to move the ball and pass to get a clear

shot— a stark contrast to Woodsworth’s blind ambition and unorganized play.

Woodsworth gained a chance to catch up on points after a few UTM fouls. The Eagles refocused on man-to-man strategy after that and optimized on their opponent’s short-bench weakness.

“We played way below our capabilities. Woodsworth only had 5 players, which might have made our players think we had an easy game. We should play our game regardless. I have high expectations for these guys because they are good basketball players,”said Askary.

Despite the one-sided supply of subs, Woodsworth’s Eddie Kagemana scored the game high with 27 points, followed by teammate Chris Bon with 21 points. UTM’s high scores went to Andre Woodroffe with 12 points, followed by teammates Julian G. with 11, and Osama A. with 10 points.

And the most memorable moment?

“Alan Carty's cross over,” said Patel. “Between the legs of the opponent on the fast break, and an acrobatic lay-up. All you could hear were ‘ooos and aaahs’ from the fans.”

Catch more acrobatic attempts at the UTM men’s division 1’s next home game at 8 p.m. on November 4.

Matthew Filipowich/The Medium

UTM Eagles #13 Alan Carty goes for a slam dunk against Woodsworth last Wednesday.

Badminton Club rises from the ashes at UTM Learning from last year’s mistakes, the club’s membership has tripled so far this academic year

ANDREW TYSIAK SPORTS EDITOR

Only in its second year of operation, the Badminton Club has become one of the campus’s most successful athletic clubs with over 150 members. Things, however, were not always rosy for the club.

Their rise to prominence at UTM was a difficult and strenuous process.

For example, their rookie campaign as a club in 2008 did not meet club president Siew Ching Yeo’s expectations.

“Last year was lacklustre due to our lack of foresight to apply for more funding,” said Yeo. “On top of that, we charged members a very low fee, which couldn’t even

cover renting the gym for one session.”

Although other factors could have explained the mediocrity, Yeo believed that her lack of experience and preparation as club president was the main contributor to the club’s sub par performance.

“We didn’t know that booking gyms were that expensive nor were we aware that the club was required to pay for such things,” said Yeo. “For a club that thrives on the bimonthly use of the gyms, it was mighty expensive to run such meet-ups for members. As such, our first year had a disappointing number of events.”

Rather than lose her motivation and desire to continue, Yeo considered the first year as a learning process and something to build upon for the upcoming school year. After a summer of heavy planning and preparation, Yeo

developed an efficient game plan she believed would solve the club’s problems. As a result, she wa s more tha n rea dy to la unc h the 09/10 edition of the Badminton Club.

“Learning from our lessons last year, we increased our membership fees slightly to cover the cost of renting the gym for our members. We have tried to keep it low because we are students, after all, and can’t afford to spend so much,” said Yeo. Although the slight increase of membership fees appears to be the key to their success, some credit should be given to UTMSU. Yeo hopes to maintain her relationship with the student-based organization and to attract the attention of UTMAC in order to continue progressing as a club.

“Although the sum we have collected this year will last us for one or two more sessions, we are still

grateful that the UTMSU has been supporting us financially since last year for our events. We certainly hope to work with UTMSU and UTMAC this year to provide and expand on more opportunities for our students in the realm of badminton,” said Yeo. After a successful first orientation, Yeo was anxious about the club’s first upcoming meet-up session of the year and excited at the opportunity to see her members gather in full strength and play for the first time. Members should also expect to participate in many new and exciting events on campus. Not only does Yeo want to entertain the club’s members, but she also hopes to take the next step as a club and step outside the realm of its duties.

The club is currently in talks with the RAWC to organize campus-wide Rec Tournaments for badminton. It is also in talks with

UTMAC to have some influence on the badminton tournament that UTMAC is hosting.

With the help of volunteers, the club hopes to organize a second tournament to raise funds for charity. Moreover, it intends to host a separate badminton session with Best Buddies, which pairs volunteers with intellectually disabled students.

As long as students can bring their own racquet, they will find that club offers much fun and excitement. Most importantly, members are not expected to be at a top professional level when they join the club. Anyone of any playing level can join.

Interested members are welcomed to join the Badminton Club for their events. Questions and inquires can directed at ut.badminton@gmail.com.

The fee for the whole year is $5.

12 THE MEDIUM MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2009

SPORTS

PERFECTION AND WEATHER

New Orleans Saints prove to be legitimate Superbowl contenders

Weather conditions could determine who wins World Series

WILLIAM ROBERTSON

HAI BAO

The New Orleans Saints are the most underrated team in the NFL, but have turned heads with their impressive play thus far. Fans and media outlets all over the United States speculate that the team might make it to the Superbowl. Despite critics who initially doubted the team’s abilities, fans should not be surprised if these predictions become reality.

The Saints began the season at 5-0 and have the most potent offence in the league. With Drew Brees leading the way at QB, it seems like no one can stand in their way. Currently, they lead the league in average points per game (38.4) and total yards per game (430).

Running back Reggie Bush led the Saints in rushing and they are the fifth best rushing team in the league. Last week, they scored 48 points against the New York Giants, the leagues leading defence.

Prior to that game, no other team had scored more than 40 points against the Saints since 2007 when the Cowboys managed to score 45. They have a powerful offence with Brees and Bush. The two effectively mix passing and running plays and keep defences off-balance, which is the key to their success on offence.

Many professionals have also criticized the Saints defence as weak and ineffective. This season, they have been anything but ineffective. They are currently the ninth best defence in the league, allowing just over 300 yards per game. Furthermore, they have only allowed an average of 18.6 points per game in six games this season and they have played solid teams. The team has been underrated because of their weak defence in the past and this season is

no different. However, the Saints continue to perform on both offence and defence and have proved their critics wrong this season.

The Saints are expected to win the next five games leading up to a big showdown with the New England Patriots. If they can stop Tom Brady, their offence can do the rest as the Pats will have no answer for Brees. This will prove to be the biggest test for the Saints defence. Even though it will be a high-scoring game, the Saints offence will take control of the game and prove victorious. If they can defeat the Pats, the next big test will be against the Dallas Cowboys. With Tony Romo’s inconsistency and Brees’ near perfect

play, the Saints should remain undefeated.

Regardless of what critics have said, the Saints will continue to prove them wrong with their stellar offence and surprising defence. It would not be surprising if the team goes undefeated this season, with how they perform in the playoffs as the only unknown. If the Saints continue with their recent play, anticipate them to reign supreme in the playoffs and make it to the Superbowl. Despite being vastly underrated, the New Orleans Saints have proven they are a team to look our for. The rest of the season is going to be a hard fight and should be very exciting.

hawkfantasyports.files.wordpress.com

Saints quarterback Drew Brees has thrown for 13 touchdowns and over 1,400 yards so far this season. The Saints brought their perfect record into Land Shark Stadium against the Miami Dolphins yesterday.

As the baseball playoffs take place, it gets easier to notice the effects that the cold weather has had on the way team managers make their decisions.

Cold weather can even affect the outcome of the game One way the near-zero temperatures have affected the MLB playoffs so far this year is how managers setup their rotation. Normally, managers would start with their best pitcher, followed by the second best pitcher in the second game and so on. Managers, however, have to take into consideration that some pitchers on their roster have never been exposed to weather conditions like New York’s and Denver’s.

This came into play when the Phillies manager, Charlie Manuel, decided to start J.A. Happ in game three of the NLDS instead of Pedro Martinez because the game was held in Denver, Colorado. Dominican Republic-born Pedro Martinez never experienced pitching in below zero weather conditions. J.A. Happ is from the state of Illinois, where they frequently experience cold and harsh weather conditions during both the fall and winter.

The result was a win in the NLDS game (although Happ was not very effective, the opposing pitcher for the Rockies, Hammel, was as mediocre).

Rather than start Martinez in Colorado, the managers had him start in game two of the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

This resulted in an amazing seven inning two hit performance by Martinez, which later resulted in a loss.

In the case of the L.A. Dodgers,

not taking the weather conditions into account may have cost them game three of the NLCS. Hiroki Kuroda, a Japanese pitcher, was slated to start for the Dodgers against the Phillies. Dodgers manager, Joe Torre, chose not to make the switch and kept Kuroda as the starter. Kurodo was not used to pitching in these conditions and relied heavily on offspeed pitches to get hitters out.

Pitchers who rely on off-speed pitches tend to struggle in the colder weather due to not being able to throw their pitches the same way they can in warmer conditions.

The results were disastrous. The Phillies scored four runs in the first because Kuroda was unable to throw strikes consistently. The terrible start

by Kuroda ultimately cost the Dodgers the game as the Phillies went on to score 11 runs, six of which were charged to Kuroda.

The weather has also affected the total number of runs scored.

Throughout the regular season, Yankee Stadium was notorious for being a hitter’s haven where ten run games were the norm. Often the offensively inclined Yankees team was able to succeed this margin in runs by themselves. So far in the playoffs, no game played at the new Yankee Stadium has managed to go over the total of ten runs combined for both teams. The jet stream in Yankee Stadium that normally turns fly balls hit to the right field into home runs does not seem to be a factor anymore.

At the end of the day, it is possible that the winner of this year’s World Series isn’t the team with the best skill, but the team that is best able to adapt to the cold weather.

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