Vol 37 issue 4

Monday, September 27, 2010

Volume 37, Issue 4

OUT@UTM debates ban STEFANIE MAROTTA ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Edward Cai/The Medium

If you have any information regarding this incident, contact a Residence Life Staff member or Campus Police at (905) 828 5200.

Homophobia hits home Last Sunday a student’s door was vandalized in Oscar Peterson Hall. The words “FUCK YOU FAGGOT. EGYPTIAN SLAVE BOY” were written on the door in black marker.

The hate crime was reported to a Residence Life staff member, who immediately removed the graffiti.

An ongoing investigation between Campus Police and Peel Regional Police started immediately after the incident was reported. On September 20, Dale Mullings, director of Student Housing and Residence Life, sent an email to all students living on residence in the hope that the culprit or someone else with information would come forward.

Approximately 1,100 undergraduate students live on residence during the school year; hopefully there was some-

one around who witnessed it.

“In a diverse learning community like ours, such cowardly acts of hate and bias are unacceptable.

Discrimination on any level is inexcusable, and hate is never a punch line,” said Mullings in his email to residence students.

“It’s really surprising that something like this would happen on our campus,” said Patrick Redegeld, a fourth-year biology and psychology double major and member of OUT@UTM. “UTM prides itself on its diversity and acceptance, so hearing that derogatory statements like that were written on someone’s residence room is upsetting and disappointing, regardless of if it was just a prank or joke.”

Another hate crime on the UTM campus involving the use of black marker, happened over the summer.

Someone wrote “Gay Boob Man” on a construction sign outside the CCT building, and OUT@UTM members quickly erased the graffiti and replaced it with the message “HATE HAPPENED HERE”.

“It is unfortunate to hear that something like this has happened on our campus, but this is also a time to educate students about the effect of using and perpetuating discriminatory and hate-based language,” said Kumari Giles, UTMSU VP Equity.

“Hopefully, updates will be given on the resolutions, and that this instance is used as a talking point for positive change for students on and off residence.”

The UTM Student Housing & Residence Life Community Standards for students living on residence outline five levels of disruptive behaviour and how it is dealt with.

Level three of the disruptive behaviour outline states, “Behaviour threatens individual and/or community safety and wellbeing, or is destructive to property. Incidents involve explicit breaches of university policy.

Examples include but are not limited to: vandalism and/or damage to residence buildings and property and open display of exploitative or harassing materials.” Consequences include educational sanctions, fines, commu-

nity service, or behavioural contract; these consequences are determined by a Residence Life Coordinator and/or the Community Standards Board.

Level five of the same outline states that if the event is a significant violation of university policy or provincial or federal law, which includes harassment, the culprit will be considered for eviction and/or UTM Campus Police involvement. The Dean of Student Affairs is responsible for deciding whether an offence is deemed level five andwhat the appropriate consequences should be.

In deciding the appropriate action to be taken, considerations will be given based on the extent of the misconduct, the inadvertent or deliberate nature of the misconduct, whether the act in question is an isolated incident or part of a series of repeated acts of misconduct, and any other mitigating or aggravating circumstances.

Anyone who has information about such incidents, including this most recent one, is asked to contact a Residence Life Staff member or the Campus Police at (905) 828-5200.

Last Wednesday, UTMSU’s Ministry of Equity in collaboration with OUT@UTM hosted a panel discussion regarding MSM (“men who have sex with men”) blood donors. The event was one of many included in the tricampus Queer Orientation week.

Students piled into the Presentation Room in the Student Centre to learn and engage in the “To Ban or Not to Ban” discussion. VP Equity Kumari Giles introduced the panel and encouraged the audience to be prepared with questions once both sides of the issue had been presented. Barbara Hannach and Lorna Tessier, representatives from the Canadian Blood Services, started off the discussion with a presentation describing the circumstances of the policy.

MSM requires that any male who has had sex with another male after 1977 be issued an indefinite deferral for giving blood. The origins of the policy stem from the 1985 Tainted Blood Tragedy, one of the largest public health disasters in Canada’s history. Over 1,100 Canadians that had received blood transfusions had contracted HIV/AIDS. About 700 of these victims died, and over 20,000 Canadians became infected with the hepatitis C virus.

According to the Canadian Blood Services, public trust in blood transfusion procedures was lost and blood donations reached a significant low.

Stricter requirements were enforced until research could provide insight on ways to create effective screening procedures. Since the tragedy, the permanent restriction on MSM candidates has been debated and reviewed, but not yet lifted.

MSM continued on page 2

Successful Experience PAGE 3 Mind of a Tyrant PAGE 5 No Boring Art PAGE 6 Time Travel PAGE 9 NHL Predictions PAGE 11

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2 THE MEDIUM

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER

27, 2010

NEWS CAMPUS PANEL DISCUSSION

Panel discussion on MSM ban MSM continued from cover

With improvements in technology, the CBS conducted a policy reassessment in 2006; however, it was deemed that there is still not enough evidence to ensure that patients receiving blood transfusions from MSM donors will be safe from infection. Hannach and Tessier declared that the gaps in information could be filled by conducting further research and that it is possible that the policy could be amended if it is proved that MSM donations are risk-free. For now, the priority is the patient and not the donor.

The chairperson for the Ontario chapter of the Canadian Federation of Students, Sandy Hudson, introduced the “End the Ban” campaign and lay down arguments to discredit claims made by the CBS. The campaign seeks policy reform to better comply with deferral periods that are currently enforced for heterosexual male donors. Taking the matter a step further, the CFS Ontario accused the CBS of upholding a policy based solely on stereotypes of the queer community.

The CFS representative argued that the policy discriminates against identity rather than behaviour. Instead of denying all

MSM candidates, the policy should take into account the use of protection, the type of sexual interaction, and whether the donor is in a long-term monogamous relationship.

Hudson referred to policy changes in other countries that allow for behaviourbased deferrals. She pointed out the discrepancy of duration for deferrals between heterosexual and MSM donors. Heterosexual donors that have engaged in risky sexual activity can be deferred for twelve months, whereas MSM donors are deferred for life.

Hannach and Tessier responded to Hudson’s statements by pointing out that the only two countries that have completely changed policy to behaviour-based restrictions have since experienced an increase in the contraction rate of HIV/AIDS. Hudson, the CFS-Ontario chair person, argued that the circumstances of the 2006 policy investigation repudiate the credibility of the outcome. The decision to maintain the ban came down to a seven-to-six vote, with five members absent. Hudson also stated that presently, heterosexual women are contracting the disease at a faster rate than men; nevertheless, it still stands that there are three men for every woman that is currently diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.

“Patient safety is our first priority,” said Tessier in defence of the policy. “We are making every effort to research and find a solution to reverse the policy.”

“The policy perpetuates the stereotype that all homosexual men have HIV/AIDS,” said Sean Uyeda from the Peel HIV/AIDS Network. “The policy affects the LGBTTQ community in a very negative way.” Both Uyeda and Hudson continually referred to the sexual orientation of the donor candidates rather than their behaviour as men who have sex with men.

During the question period, UTM student James Raleigh stated the difference between MSM and queer donors. “MSM shouldn’t be interchangeable with gay,” said Raleigh. “It is the behaviour of an MSM candidate that is being denied, not whether he is gay.” In fact, a homosexual male can donate blood if he has never engaged in sexual activity with another male.

Queer Orientation ran all week long and also included a panel discussion on developments in the queer press, athletic activities, a talent show, meet-andgreet events, the annual Homohop, and various other activities for the LGBTTQ community and allies to interact, learn, and enjoy themselves.

Edward Cai/The Medium

A representative from the Canadian Blood Serives speaks at the panel.

Campus Police weekly summaries September 16 to 23, 2010 September 16, 2:05 p.m.

Trespassing Campus Police investigated a non-community member who was causing a disturbance inside the gymnasium. The male was trespassed from the facility by Campus Police.

September 16, 3:15 p.m.

Causing a Disturbance Campus Police investigated a complaint of an irate customer being belligerent with Parking and Transportation staff.

The male was cautioned on his inappropriate actions.

September 16, 6:08 p.m.

Library Code Infraction Campus Police assisted library staff with two students that were being loud. The students were cautioned by Campus Police to adhere to the library policies.

September 16, 7:40 p.m.

Theft under $5,000 Campus Police investigated a reported petty theft of personal property from the Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre.

September 16, 1:15 a.m.

Noise Complaint Campus Police attended a townhouse complex and instructed tenants to turn down their loud music.

September 17, 12:37 a.m.

Trespassing Campus Police investigated two males that had been denied entry into the Blind Duck Pub. Both males were requested to leave the property and left without incident.

September 17, 1:15 a.m.

Liquor License Act Campus Police investigated an intoxicated student outside the Blind Duck Pub. The student was left in the care of a friend living on campus.

September 19, 4:00 a.m.

Graffiti A student’s door was vandalized inside an apartment complex with inappropriate slogans. Peel Regional Police were called in to assist with the investigation.

September 17, 1:20 a.m.

Theft under $5,000 Campus Police investigated a student that had stolen two bottles of beer from the Blind Duck Pub.

September 20, 11:49 a.m.

Transport to hospital A student in the North Building felt unwell.

The Erindale College Special Response Team and later Peel Ambulance arrived on scene. The student refused transport by ambulance and opted to have her parent transport her home.

September 17, 10:10 a.m.

Fraud Campus Police investigated a student who had altered a pay and display ticket that was displayed on his dashboard. The student was cautioned that criminal charges could be laid.

September 18, 11:38 p.m.

Noise Complaint Campus Police investigated three non-resident students that were found inside a townhouse unit unsupervised. Campus Police were investigating a noise complaint.

Tenants of the unit were not on hand. The three males were transported from UTM Residences for the night.

September 19, 10:38 p.m.

Transport to hospital A student that was feeling unwell was transported to hospital by ambulance from an apartment complex.

September 19, 12:22 a.m.

Noise Complaint Campus Police responded to a complaint of a house party that had become unruly.

Campus Police attended and shut down the party. Guests left the townhouse complex without incident.

September 20, 12:00 p.m.

Fraud A student parked in the CCT Parking Garage had displayed an altered pay and display ticket on her dashboard. The student had returned to her vehicle prior to the arrival of the tow truck. Campus Police cautioned the student.

September 20, 4:00 p.m.

Theft under $5,000 A student reported the petty theft of his basketball from the gymnasium in the Recreational Athletics & Wellness Centre.

The ball was recovered.

September 20, 4:15 p.m.

Theft under $5,000 A student reported the petty theft of her textbook from the Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre. The student had accidentally left the textbook behind after leaving the library.

September 20, 05:00 p.m.

Mischief (damages under $5,000) Campus Police investigated a vehicle that had been vandalized in a parking lot.

September 20, 8:14 p.m.

Medical Call The Erindale College Special Response Team attended the Recreational Athletics & Wellness Centre for a male that felt unwell after running on the track. The male’s condition improved and transport to hospital was not required.

September 21, 9:57 a.m.

Medical Call A student that felt unwell was escorted by Campus Police to UTM Health Services.

Peel ambulance services had also attended the call but were not required.

September 21, 11:06 a.m.

Theft under $5,000 A student reported the petty theft of her personal belongings that she had left unattended on a ledge in the South Building.

September 21, 2:01 p.m.

Theft under $5,000 A student reported the petty theft of his personal property from a townhouse unit on campus.

September 21, 08:40 p.m.

Harassment Campus Police investigated a complaint of inappropriate posts on a social networking site from one student to another. The student sending the messages was interviewed and cautioned by Campus Police.

September 22, 12:10 p.m.

Motor Vehicle Accident Campus Police and Peel Regional Police investigated a motor vehicle collision at the Main Entrance to campus. Peel Ambulance also attended the scene.

Neither driver required transport to hospital. An accident report was completed by Peel Regional Police.

Learn about career opportunities in both the private and public sectors!

Friday, October 1, 2010 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM In the RAWC gym T-Card required for entry

September 22, 12:45 p.m.

Harassment A student reported hearing inappropriate comments while she crossed the road leading towards the Recreational Athletic & Wellness Centre. She said that she believed the comments came from a construction worker working on campus.

September 22, 1:00 p.m.

Off-campus theft A student reported the theft of his parking permit from his vehicle at an offcampus address.

September 22, 2:25 p.m.

Motor Vehicle Accident A student reported that his parked and unoccupied vehicle had been damaged in a parking lot. Another vehicle had struck his vehicle and then drove away.

September 22, 8:30 p.m.

Theft under $5,000 A staff member reported the petty theft of his parking permit from his vehicle that was parked on campus.

September 23, 2:50 p.m.

Ill student Peel Ambulance attended a townhouse unit for a student that felt unwell. The student refused transport by ambulance to hospital.

September 23, 3:05 p.m.

Trespass to Property Campus Police attended the CCT parking garage and issued trespass bans to two males not affiliated with the university. They were found skateboarding on the lower levels of the garage.

Participants include: Federal, Provincial & Municipal Governments, DELL Canada, TD Canada Trust and dozens more.

Connect face-to-face with recruiters and professionals!

Find out more at our website: www.utm.utoronto.ca/careers

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER

27, 2010 THE MEDIUM 3

TORONTO POLLINATION EXPERIENCE

NEWS

One Toronto campaign kickoff Bee Pollination linked to climate change SERKAN YILDIRIM

photo/Angelo DiCaro

Tabby Johnson sings a song at the conference last Wednesday STEFANIE MAROTTA WITH NOTES FROM WALIED KHOGALI

After a tedious and conflict-filled mayoral race, the “One Toronto” campaign kicked off last week in an effort to change the nature of the municipal election. Various environmental, arts, labour, and social justice groups have joined forces to encourage Toronto residents to get involved, become aware, and take action for their city.

The campaign holds value for projects that have been relatively neglected by mayoral candidates when they

focus primarily on financial matters.

One Toronto seeks to rally citizens together to enhance services and initiatives in Canada’s largest urban centre. Among these demands, there is emphasis on education, immigration, affordable public transit, culture and arts, and environmental initiatives.

“Students are paying lots and lots of money to go to school, so they need services that are going to be saving them money, but also helping them to get around,” said Sandy Hudson, chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students Ontario, during Tuesday’s launch meeting.

With the election less than a month away, One Toronto is optimistic that

they can still reach the numerous passive and uninformed citizens who haven’t yet been exposed to the advantages of participating in this mayoral election.

The campaign's slogan, "Toronto’s Future: Your Choice", is ultimately a call to action for Toronto’s voters. It encourages concerned residents to get informed and involved, and to ask questions of their candidates.

The OneToronto vision, endorsers, and call to action can be found online at onetoronto.ca. Individuals are encouraged to join the campaign by signing up for updates from the site, joining their Facebook page, and tweeting their support at #OneTO.

Gideon Levy visits UTM STEVEN ZHOU

On September 22, 300 UTM students gathered to hear Gideon Levy, an award-winning Israeli journalist, speak about his new book The Punishment of Gaza and his thoughts on how the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip will play out in the future.

Writing for the Iraeli newspaper Haaretz since 1982, Levy coupled his critique of Israel’s conduct towards the Palestinians with a pessimistic vision of the future.

Having been on the receiving end of constant hate mail from fellow Israelis for his consistent critique of Israeli policies, Levy stated, “There has never been an occupation where the occupier felt so good about himself, and there has never been an occupation where the occupied presented himself as a victim.”

Levy called Israel’s occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territories the “real drama of Israel in its dark backyard,” and went on to condemn the peace process as a sham. He criticized Israel’s prime minister

Benjamin Netanyahu for not doing the “minimum of the minimum” for peace.

Regarding the United States’ long-time patronage of Israel, Levy expressed “disappointment” with the policies of president Barack Obama, which he said do not deviate much from previous administrations.

Levy stated that any successful, realistic, and meaningful negotiations would have to include the choice party of the Palestinians.

Such views have made Gideon Levy a deeply unpopular figure in most of Israel, a country which he describes as fiercely nationalistic. He himself served in the Israel Defense Forces in his youth, and it was not until the late 1980s that Levy started travelling into the OPT, something that most Israelis never do. His visits to the OPT showed him the brutality of Israel’s occupation. Levy believes that it is necessary to tell the story of those who live under Israeli occupation.

“Writing is all I know in this life,” Levy stated in a post-event interview, “and we all must do what we feel is right and just.”

Levy did not seem completely hopeless, pointing to the disbanding of the Soviet

Union and the dissolution of South African apartheid as positive examples. He expressed genuine surprise and joy at what he described as “high enthusiasm” among Canadians in support of justice for the Palestinians.

The lecture was organized by Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, and was partially funded by the UTM student union.

A new study by Prof. James Thomson of the University of Toronto reveals a link between climate change and the decrease in bee pollination. It suggests that the recent decline of the honey bee populations is partially due to changes in the pollination process. The study is based on evidence collected over almost two decades, and is the longest-ever study of pollination.

Bee pollination is a significant part of the ecosystem, because it is a reproduction and fertilization system that prevents some species of plants from becoming extinct. The findings from Thomson’s 17-year study specifically focus on wild lilies found near his cabin in the Rocky Mountains.

Thomson is gravely concerned.

“I believe that this is the first real demonstration that pollination levels are getting worse. I believe it is a significant decline.

I believe the pollination levels have dropped by as much as 50 percent.”

Thomson conducted his research by comparing the fruiting rates (that is, the time when plants produce seeds and fruit to encourage pollination) of a group of naturally pollinated lilies against a control group that he oversaw. Fruiting rates decrease if there are fewer bees, or if the bees are inactive (for example, if the plants fruit when it’s still too early and cold). On average, pollination occurred three times a year.

Although the study’s emphasis was on measuring bee pollination, climate change was a major factor in the study. When global warming is added into the equation, a whole sle w of problems

emerge. For example, if fruiting occurs earlier as it gets warmer, but the bees are not active yet, there is a decline in pollination that can make ecosystems depending on these plants less sustainable.

Thomson’s study is directly concerned with what many people believe is a connection between climate change and bumblebee population, and therefore pollination. “Early in the year, when bumblebee queens are still hibernating, the fruiting rates are especially low. This is sobering, because it suggests that pollination is vulnerable even in a relatively pristine environment that is free of pesticides and human disturbance, but still subject to climate change,” explained Thomson. “Bee numbers may have declined at our research site, but we suspect that a climate-driven mismatch between the times when flowers open and when bees emerge from hibernation is a more important factor.”

At this time, Thomson remained reluctant to make a general statement linking the phenomenons: “Everyone tends to jump to the conclusion that if [their] lilies are having a decline in their pollination rate, it must be that the bee populations are dying off… but I’m not at all sure that that’s happening.”

However, Thomson cautions, “This serves as a warning to other countries.” The study is a significant find; for years, the mystery and perhaps myth about the decline of bee populations has bothered scientists and others in the field. With Thomson’s study now published, the evidence for a connection to climate change could be enough to persuade researchers and public at large.

Get experience on campus Over 70 participating organizations filled the RAWC KATHERINE LUCZYNSKI NEWS EDITOR

The Get Experience Fair was held on September 22 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the RAWC. The goal of the fair was to give students an opportunity to find internships or volunteer experience, either on or off campus, to boost their résumé. International opportunities were also available for those interested.

Over 70 participating organizations filled the gym with pamphlets and informative booths.

Participants included Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peel, Ernestine's Women’s Shelter, Special Olympics Ontario, and University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union.

Many of the participants were on campus organizations. Getting volunteer or internship experience on campus is beneficial for students, since they can stay on campus and close to home.

For more information on how to get the experience needed for the workforce, students are asked to visit the career centre office (in the third floor of the William G. Davies building) or website (http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/careers)

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4 THE MEDIUM MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2010

OPINION

EDITORIAL Last week, I was truly disturbed when I found out a student’s residence door was vandalized with homophobic and racist slurs. I immediately assigned our News Editor Katherine to the story. Not surprisingly, many of the people involved did not feel safe giving The Medium a quote. I can’t grasp how anyone attending the University of Toronto in 2010 would think they could get away with such a hateful crime—or stoop so low as to make someone feel unsafe in their own home.

Homophobia is a huge problem on many campuses, but it always surprises me when it happens here at UTM. As we know, U of T prides itself on its diversity. But what good is a diverse campus if we can’t accept each other? Homophobia is not just an issue for the queer community. I’m troubled about the student who was targeted and the others who must feel unsafe, but there are also students who remain hate-filled and ignorant and I hope they’re found. This week’s cover story lets you know how to help Campus Police with their investigation, so if you have any details, please contact them. Many people on campus will be shaken up about this and it leads me to ask: how accessible is our campus?

By “accessible”, I’m not referring to a convenient bus service or classroom size.

I’m talking about circumstances and obstacles that stand in our way of getting a safe and high-quality education from U of T. For some students a huge obstacle is not having a safe place on campus, evidently not even in their own home. For students such as Ms. Comito and Mr. Buczkowski it’s the UTMSU, which is elected to represent every student on campus that has become an obstacle instead of a resource.

If you ask UTMSU executives they will disagree. VP Internal Gilbert Cassar submitted a letter this week sharing how pleased he is with the achievements of the student union this year, along with a list of successful events they’ve held recently.

Mr. Cassar’s letter echoed the exact same sentiment that the president, Vickita Bhatt, wrote about last week. While I agree that it’s important to reach out to your members, it is tedious to repeat the same achievements without considering an actual topic to discuss and engage in. It would have been great to read a letter from the UTMSU about the recent hate crime on campus, or one letting students know what they’re doing to alleviate the lack of parking space. It would even have been helpful to update students on policy changes or give a rundown of what happened at a Commission meeting for the 10,000+ students who missed it. For the student whose home was vandalized, there was no “call for action” by the UTMSU, no town hall, and no letters of condemnation— UTMSU is very fond of sending letters often “in solidarity” with other student unions in the GTA. So why didn’t anyone from UTMSU speak up for this student?

In their next letter, I suggest they tackle the issues they’ve been criticized on, debating students that disagree with them, and sharing their stance on issues such as last week’s homophobic act. As a former executive of UTMSU, I don’t believe that the organization is as open and accessible as it could be. For example, every year students complain about frivolous spending—and again in the budget $9,000+ is allocated for campaign T-shirts.

The last UTMSU-produced T-shirt I saw, earlier this month, read “No matter how hard you try you can’t stop, you won’t stop us now”. I can’t help but wonder if this was a message to all the students who attempt to change the union by speaking out, like Mr. Buczkowski and Ms. Comito. And while the student union might believe they can’t be stopped, I think Mr. Cassar said it best in his letter. He asks us to “respect, connect, and cooperate with your fellow students”. I ask the same of the student union executives.

Yours,

Have you ever been to a UTMSU town hall meeting or Commission meeting? They generally all follow a script. It begins with a welcome and a slideshow of past achievements. Well, that’s excusable, because you would expect UTMSU to promote itself as an organization. But I have argued feverishly that UTMSU doesn’t advertise itself properly and instead relies heavily on recalling and even inflating past successes. For example, the U-Pass is the crowning achievement of UTMSU. Almost everyone uses it and it’s essential to student life at UTM. I used to be a math major, but it doesn’t take one to know that the U-Pass was achieved in 2006 and a whole four years later it’s 2010. Why is UTMSU still citing it at every meeting?

We see rhetoric all over UTMSU’s events and writings, from the drop fees campaign to the phrase “in solidarity”. But do you wonder why this happens? I suspect that in the past four years, the union has not seen any new executives. The president of UTMSU was a vice-president the year prior... going back four years. This is fact, but it leads to speculation. Does this mean that all communication between the UTMSU and the Student Body is scripted? Look at the bottom of every letter from the president, and you’ll see “In Solidarity”. And rhetoric at its finest is “Whose Campus? Our Campus!”. Consistent rhetoric is a sign of a systematic attempt “to shape perceptions, manipulate cogitations, and direct behaviour to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent” of the union. It creates an “us vs. them” attitude, which creates an even greater need to have a union to stand up for

Saaliha Malik

your rights.

Darren Lilleker defines “Permanent campaigning”; as “the use of office by elected individuals and organizations [...] to build and maintain popular support.” This is a part of any democracy, but it undermines the idea that leaders will do what’s best for the organization and the people it serves. If no one knows that’s what you’re spending it on, then $9,300 is a great investment in Tshirts. You see people walking around with these shirts on and you can see how many people are involved heavily in the union. It isn’t like the shirts are just given away to anyone who asks... oh, wait.

I brought up the fact that UTM students feel that UTMSU is too political—UTMSU is full of student politicians. This is a sentiment that I’m sure some people reading this will agree with. The directors also agreed, but the executive seemed shocked and offended.

At a following meeting I motioned to create a committee for marketing and public relations; it passed in the early summer, but has never met. Perhaps we’re still busy with the great successes of the union—or it could be a systematic attempt to keep things the way they are.

In the other UTMSU letters and meetings, have you been talked to, or talked with?

Were you asked for your input? I look forward to your emails and letters. I will gladly set up a time to meet with anyone about this letter or any ideas you have: Peter@utmsu.ca. I hope my next letter can be a little more cheery.

Yours, Peter Buczkowski

Dear Editor, There has been an impressive amount of student involvement already in the new academic year. Never before have I seen students so eager to make a difference, share their talents, and cooperate for lasting achievements! Frosh Week was a huge success; it sold out very quickly, and saw a high turnout at all events.

During Clubs Week, over 80 clubs came out in full force and broadcast their upcoming events. It was really heavenly to see each student that walked through the Student Centre greeted with genuine smiles, diverse cultural treats, and giveaways. Every day there are several big club events in the Student Centre, so rest assured there’s lots to do! Indeed, UTMSU's First Pub, which sold out in the blink of an eye, is just the tip of the iceberg of the fun in store for this year.

What’s more, our Commission Meeting and the individual Ministry meetings had an unprecedented amount of students come, listen eagerly, and participate!

This momentum should never die.

We must keep it ignited, because otherwise this campus is a boring and antiprogressive place. In order to accomplish the many student-driven goals we share (including a Student Centre expansion), we must stay united and involved.

The UTM Student Union has been doing a tremendous amount of reaching out to students via tabling, promotions, and classroom talks. If you haven't already, sign up for our listserv to receive a monthly email with the dates on which the various Ministries will meet. Ministry meetings are open to all students, and are where all the campaigns and services you

enjoy are born. Our Ministries consist of Student Services, Campus Life, Social Justice, Equity, Education and Outreach, International Student Affairs, Part-time Student Affairs, Environment, and Academics and University Affairs. Please come and let your voice be heard!

If you’re interested in lowering food prices, parking fees, and residence fees— all of which are entirely too high—please consider being an electoral student candidate for Erindale College Council. In the past, motivated students have been able to freeze and decrease parking fees through ECC. If you are in your first year of studies, and are interested in representing first-year voices and opinions, and ensuring that they are recognized by UTMSU, please consider being a firstyear electoral candidate for UTMSU’s Board of Directors. If you’re interested in giving your fellow students the UTMSU highlights, such as vital charity and relief efforts, please register with us to become a class representative. To inquire about any of these things, please email me at vpinternal@utmsu.ca.

As a final word, I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone, and dare to maximize your potential for the student union. I encourage you to see the common good in all of us, and to respect, connect, and cooperate with your fellow students. I encourage you to "Think Big" and to protect your dreams always.

Remain dedicated, determined, disciplined, devoted, and anxious! Join UTMSU, your student union!

In Solidarity, D. Gilbert Cassar II

Dear Editor, During the last weeks of summer, I focussed on only one thing: finding a job.

Since my schedule doesn’t let me leave campus (my classes are spread apart and I commute), my best alternative was to apply at UTM. In late August, I applied for the server/cashier position at the Blind Duck.

Unaware of the formal application process, I went directly to the Blind Duck manager, Shane Madhani. He told me that UTMSU did all the hiring. After I submitted my application, Delphino Gilbert Cassar II, VP Internal Services, told me that the deadline to apply for the position was September 8 and that I should expect a response no later than September 10. When I received no response by September 11, I decided to talk to him again. He reassured me on three occasions that he’d send me an email shortly.

Finally, on Sept 15, after five days and several bump-ins, I received an email that said I was chosen for an interview. I told the UTMSU executive that I wasn’t impressed by the late response. After all, they are our representatives and being slow to respond isn’t acceptable. Perhaps the reason I didn’t get the job is because I expressed myself too overtly to the VP Internal.

In the end, I was told that the pub couldn’t accommodate my availability. I guess 12-16 hours/week isn’t enough.

We’re always told not to bite the hand that feeds us, but as students it’s our right and obligation to make sure the UTMSU is doing their job. We must also keep in mind that we’re attending a university, and deadlines are everything. So if you’re busy, fine, but please do not tell me that you will email me on an exact date.

Instead, give me a ballpark of when you’ll email me—doesn’t that make more sense?

As executives, they should do their job efficiently. I am not writing this letter because I didn’t receive the position at the pub, but because I don’t understand why UTMSU is even doing the hiring. The pub has separate management and the workers report to Mr. Madhani. Is it a way to gain more power over certain aspects of UTM? Or to keep their supporters engaged in UTMSU aspects?

Every time I hear the UTMSU speak, I hear about past accomplishments. I recently attended a meeting where we were to be informed on how to start a club and get funding and so forth. At the start, Vickita Bhatt, president and official spokesperson of UTMSU, briefly introduced the executives and then spoke about past campaigns and accomplishments. One that caught my attention was the 2006 reduced parking fees. Yes, this

was a big accomplishment, but does the fact that UTMSU is reciting successes from four years ago mean that our union has done nothing since?

Besides, they’re not being very effective; $10,000+ was spent on the drop fees campaign last year, but this year our tuition and parking fees have only increased.

Perhaps that campaign wasn’t the way to go when we want the president of U of T and the government to take us seriously.

Maybe students shouting demands and being aggressive are not good ways to go about things.

What I can’t understand is how our student union expects to conquer these issues if they can’t even put enough microwaves in our school. We wait in line for 20 minutes to heat up our food, since there’s only one microwave in the South Building and one in the Student Centre (the one in the North is MIA!). But I forgot—the UTMSU doesn’t have to worry about bringing their food from home and heating it. They can afford to buy campus food. Well, with a $20,000+ salary, (paid for by student tuition) who wouldn’t?

On September 22 I attended the Commission meetings, open to all UTM students. Once again, they introduced the UTMSU executives. During the speech, Ms. Bhatt said that she was so proud for the huge turnout at the meeting. There were about 50 students. At least 15 of them were UTMSU executives, including board members. UTM has over 11,000 students; I don’t think you need to be a genius at math to realize that 50 out of 11,000 students is not a huge or impressive turnout. Quite frankly, it’s sad. But maybe it’s to their advantage: the fewer new people getting involved, the less opposition they’ll face for their agenda.

Halfway through the meeting, no more than 25 people remained. No one is interested in the union and their decisions. I’m here writing this letter to encourage you to attend all meetings open to students, and if you’re interested, get involved as much as possible.

We need to make sure our money is going to good use. We need to make sure our student union is serving our needs, and we need to make sure that the political system at UTM is fair to everyone.

Let’s see if our student union will hold to their word and be willing to make a united UTM, hearing from all students, whether they support or oppose their agenda. After all, we hold the power, because our money cuts their paycheques. Let’s make them work for it. Remember: we pay to be here, but they get paid to be here!

Yours, Mariana Comito

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER

27, 2010 THE MEDIUM 5

Nives Hajdin, Editor | arts@mediumonline.ca

Into the mind of a tyrant

Hart House opens its season with one of Shakespeare’s darkest plays, Richard III LUCY ZEMLJIC

“Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this sun of York.” This phrase has gone down in history as one of the most famous utterances by one of the most tyrannical villains in English literature. And it is without reservation, but with historical accuracy and creativity, that director Jeremy Hutton does justice to one of Shakespeare’s bloodiest histories, Richard III. This rendition of the play actually begins at the end of Henry VI Part 3.

This is a clever choice on Hutton’s part, as this scene provides insight into the mind of the villain; it makes sense to start with his first murder, instead of with the famous lines above. It was under the sun of York that the battle of Tewkesbury was won, and the stage is set for the scheming Duke’s bloody rampage.

Even from his opening lines, it was clear that Richard—played by the impeccable Andre Sills—would steal the performance and keep every audience member glued to his every move.

He does not disappoint; from those famous opening lines, to his scheming soliloquies, to his duplicitous interactions with other members of the court, Sills embodies the villainous King Richard with ease. Besides the power and persuasion he brings to the king’s speech, Sills physically portrays the hunchbacked king by limping across the stage with his shrivelled-up, lifeless hand pinned to his chest, and the performance is a veritable tour de force.

Annemieke Wade also gives a memorable performance as the cursed Queen Margaret. Delivering her anguished, frenzied speeches throughout the play, Wade plays the part with intensity and force. Her curses upon the kingdom resonate across the stage, and she reappears throughout the performance as a sinister, witch-like figure. Hutton’s choice to transform the grieving, embittered Queen Margaret into a wrathful, almost demonic creature works well with the dark theme and setting of the play.

The theme of darkness is indeed prevalent throughout the entire piece.

The stage, props, and costumes all seem to reflect the darkness and austerity of Richard’s wicked soul. Instead of any elaborate props or set pieces, the design is minimal, with tall dead trees lining the back of the stage, all covered in thin, black shrouds. The shrouded branches light up at various moments in the play, as in during Richard’s scheming soliloquies; when the rest of the stage is blackened, the spotlight is on him, and only the mangled branches of the dead trees behind him are outlined with light. The tables and chairs are covered in the same black shroud and tied with rope; there are no ornate decorations present on stage.

Hutton uses this effect to mirror Richard’s twisted mind and allow the audience to see the world through his maniacal eyes, and through the darkness which permeates his soul.

The use of lighting and sound serves to highlight and enhance the world of Richard III. Each time a murder is underway, as a character shrieks and

Offbeat food finds Korean Spicy Tofu Stew (soon dubu)

side dishes of cold kimchi, steamed rice, and buckwheat tea. It has a rich, powerful flavour—heat-seekers like me slurp spoons of the stew straight; others can moderate it by ordering it less spicy (your loss!) or by diluting each spoonful with a bit of rice. nibbledish.com

This week’s dish is recommended by Mark Overton, the UTM Dean of Student Affairs and a lover of small family-run joints that cook authentic regional foods.

It can be found at Semi Korean & Japanese Fast Food, in the food court at Newin Centre Mall, southeast of the Hurontario and Dundas intersection in Mississauga, and has a student-friendly price of $7.

If you love hot and spicy food and are an adventurous eater, dubu will soon become an addiction. The family and owners of Semi, a modest food stall, prepare each individual order of this fiery, red-peppered, anchovy-scented broth, served in a stone bowl. It’s loaded with silken tofu, kimchi (spiced fermented cabbage), and bits of seafood, with a raw egg added at the last minute for you to stir in. Each serving comes with

Semi also has non-spicy options on its menu. And while it won’t impress a date, at the Newin Centre’s multicultural food court you’ll find other cool food options too: Jamaican jerk meats and patties, Pakistani naan with kabobs, South Asian curries and faludas, and more.

Do you know of a great local eatery that people need to know about?

Send us your submissions at arts@mediumonline.ca.

wails, the light music is replaced with the sound of a loud, screeching violin, and the backdrop beyond the shrouded trees turns blood red. This effect projects each victim’s pain and agony onto the set itself, and allows the audience to feel like part of the sinister plot as well.

Several times throughout the play, Hutton uses a series of montage-like scenes in which the stage darkens, with the spotlight resting on one or a few characters. This allows for the story to progress quickly and for entire scenes to be played out in a matter of seconds, giving certain parts of the play a movie-like feel. A strong, resounding soundtrack of Celtic-inspired music is used throughout the play, varying from soft and quiet to loud and screeching, and accents the context of the scenes it appears in.

The experience of Richard III, through the creative direction of Jeremy Hutton, offers an intense and memorable look into the mind and machinations of this deformed, scheming, and tyrannical king. The creative use of sound, lighting, and set design offers the perfect framework through which the powerful performances of Sills, Wade, and the rest of the cast shine through. The design and montage-like scenes add an aspect of modernity and newness to the play, all the while grounded in the traditional Shakespearean atmosphere and experience. Richard III is a performance sure to thrill and entertain.

Richard III runs until October 2 at Hart House Theatre. Visit the website at www.harthousetheatre.ca for performance times and ticket prices.

Daniel DiMarco/The Varsity

Henry (Peter Higginson) feels the wrath of Richard (Andre Sills).

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6 THE MEDIUM

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER

27, 2010

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

No more boring art

Taking a look at the Blackwood Gallery’s role in a tri campus conceptual art exhibition LUCY ZEMLJIC

From September 11 to November 28, the Blackwood Gallery will be home to a portion of Traffic: Conceptual Art in Canada: 1965-1980, which includes a mosaic of conceptual art pieces that shed light on the Halifax art scene.

Despite the multitude of pieces, installations, and photographs, there is one word that encapsulates them all: idea.

Though the ideas behind some of these pieces are quite confusing, it’s not necessarily a bad feeling to have; confusion can lead to an interaction with artwork, and that’s half the battle. If you really look at the pieces it somewhat takes away that confusion, and it’s replaced with a curiosity that begs the question: what is conceptual art?

Conceptualism is a movement deeply marked by the 1960s post-war unrest, and has remained a global phenomenon ever since. Liberation and rights movements, as well as the advancement of new technology, all

played a part in shaping the new wave of conceptual art. Yet at the heart of the conceptual art movement is not mere expression of the individual; it does not require special skills or technique, but is first and foremost an idea.

The exhibition is divided into three sections: on one wall, black-and-white as well as colour lithographs hang; on another are mostly representations of squares; and on a third, canvases filled with text. Upon entering the gallery, you find a series of large prints hung up on the small stretch of wall directly behind. These silver gelatine prints are just calling for attention: a naked man stands in the first one, his right arm raised, his chest covered in anti-bacterial surgical scrub, with no emotion in his face. There are several more large black-and-white prints, and in every photo the same man maintains his cold, blank stare. There he stands, in the nude, with the vulnerability of his nakedness against the stark, cold background. Is this a representation of someone going into surgery? It’s scientific; but is it art? Theodore Wan’s

Edward Cai/The Medium

Bridine Scrub (for General Surgery) is definitely a way to catch your attention.

On the adjacent wall hangs Joyce Wieland’s large lithograph entitled O Canada. The entire print is made up of rows of bright red imprints of a woman’s lips. The lips change in size and shape from one to the next, and are literally imprints of the artist singing “O Canada”. Like many of the pieces in the collection, this print was created at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, and NSCAD had in fact become a centre of international conceptual art activity between 1969 and 1980. Out of that famous school sprung innumerable artistic minds, flourishing among the new era of conceptual art.

On the same wall hangs Vito Acconci’s Trademarks, another blackand-white lithograph that is not for the faint of heart. It’s a large print of a naked man on one knee, contorting himself and biting his own thigh. Next to the lithograph, large blotchy ink imprints are separated by stream-ofconsciousness notes scribbled in messy marker. The imprints are self-inflicted teeth marks on the artist’s own body.

Through pieces like these, which depict rebellion and newness, the core of the conceptual art movement is brought to the fore. These images force us to ask ourselves, “How is this art?” Vito Acconci contorts himself in order to get a better bite at his own thigh. The scribbled notes offer us a look into his consciousness, but they offer no answer to the question, “Why is he doing this?”

The vitrines arranged throughout the gallery help answer this question. They are filled with notes, photos, old letters, and sketches, all written by the artists in regards to their work. Getting a look into the artist’s mind can be a strange experience; many of us never stop to think about the people behind the work, only the works themselves. Yet we can always ask questions to find out more. What was Dan Graham thinking

Edward Cai/The Medium

while creating his piece entitled VideoArchitecture-Television, as he stood naked behind a video camera, capturing a moment in time on film, while at the same time he himself was being photographed in his nakedness? What is he trying to say with this piece? It is conceptual art, after all; does it even need to make sense?

Walking quietly, looking at photo after photo and piece after piece, visitors might be asking themselves all these questions. We can only guess that the conceptual artist’s goal in the first place was to provoke just such thoughts. These artists reject tradition, line, form, colour, and composition, and create something artistic out of something mundane. They believe that anything can be art. Is this why the pieces can be so off-putting? It’s certainly not what we’re used to; the pieces range from minimalist to disturbing, even. But after all, we’re the ones who choose to look.

The lithographic section of the exhibition spans the entire right-hand wall of the gallery, and adjacent to this is a wall filled with various kinds of squares.

These representations range from small

sketches to large watercolours, and even a wooden square. These pieces are more what we’re used to when faced with the idea of “modern art”. On the next and final wall, there hang pieces which are composed entirely of textual representations, including a large white canvas, upon which the phrase “I will not make any more boring art” has been handwritten over and over again.

John Baldessari’s piece embodies the desire of all artists with just one (simple?) phrase. Unable to make the journey to NSCAD where he was commissioned to create an on-site artwork, Baldessari suggested that the students write the phrase “I will not make any more boring art” over and over again on the gallery walls. In one of his letters in a nearby display case, Baldessari emphasizes that the students must inflict this punishment upon themselves of their own free will. Now, next to this letter, a black-and-white photograph showcases a girl standing against a large white wall, writing the phrase in tiny, handwritten letters. Conceptual art may be strange, confusing, doubtful as art, or downright disturbing—but one thing’s for sure: it isn’t boring.

Book review: War by Sebastian Junger HUDA ANSARI

Seb astian J unger , bestselling author of The Perfect Storm, produced another enthralling blend of journalism and storytelling in his latest bestseller, War. He expands upon the articles he wrote for Vanity Fair and the documentary he produced called Restrepo, in order to record the experiences of the time he spend in Korengal Valley in

eastern Afghanistan with the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.

Coming from a civilian situated with the platoon for months at a time, and with no oversight or censorship from the military, this is the reality of the Afghan war which is seldom seen or heard. Most of us are comfortably ignorant of what men and women go through in Afghanistan and Iraq. This book takes you out of your comfort zone with the bare and simple truth of

modern warfare.

When Junger chose to write a book about the war in Afghanistan, he also made the choice to spend months at a time in the most dangerous American outpost in Afghanistan. The “Battle Company” has the highest casualty rate in the army and sees the most combat.

This fact is made clearer and clearer as people that we get to know and like start dying. Junger accompanies the Battle Company in their mis-

sions and his position as an outsider looking in is what makes his writing so memorable. He shares an uneasy camaraderie with the soldiers he is embedded with. As he experiences the terror of combat, the difference between trained soldiers and civilians becomes abundantly clear. Junger analyzes the psychological aspects of these differences throughout the book with historical and scholarly evidence, making this much more than a memoir.

However, the action-packed situations described in the book are not the most haunting parts. The deepest and the most heart-wrenching moments are in the everyday conversations between Junger and the soldiers. These conversations reveal more and more about the men who fight and the toll it takes on them. They reveal men who revel in the danger and are addicted to the adrenaline rush that combat offers. At one point, one of the soldiers actually prays for an attack to escape the boredom and relative safety that their base offered. It is a thought that is alien to most of us.

At the same time, these are men who are more worried about the lives of others than their own. Their biggest fear is that they make a mistake that endangers the rest of the platoon. They embody the kind of selflessness that is the emblemizes heroism. These soldiers are a mixture of contradictions that can only be produced by the harrowing

hbg international.com

15-month deployment that Junger describes and experiences.

The most impressive feature of the book remains Junger’s complete refusal to politicize the experience.

He refuses to demean the sacrifice of these soldiers by polarizing the narrative in any way. This book looks at modern warfare through the eyes of an innocent who sees the worst of it. He does not downplay the importance of the loss of life by debating why we fight, nor does he pass judgment on who is the antagonist in the conflict. As I read the book I remembered a quote by journalist and author Chris Hedges: “The rush of battle is often a potent and lethal addiction, for war is a drug.” In War, Junger shares the experience of menwho are addicted to it, without the glamour and the politics.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER

27, 2010 THE MEDIUM 7

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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8 THE MEDIUM

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER

27, 2010

Poetry—for everyone The 5 poets you should read (even if you don’t like poetry) LUCY ZEMLJIC

Poetry has a pretty weak rep in today’s day and age. The average university student (or anyone, for that matter) doesn’t really care about iambic pentameter or rhyming couplets. Let’s face it: most people see poetry as some boring, pointless stuff written by men in tights, describing things like flowers or emotions.

Although this description may sometimes be right, I want people to know that good poetry is so much more than this. It can be something that speaks to you, something that moves you, if you just give it a chance.

So, as a poetry-lover, I’m making it my duty to shed a little light on the world of poetry, and to show that it may not be as boring or pointless as you might have thought.

With that in mind, here are the top five poets you should check out, whether you like poetry or not.

affair with. Even the famous Sonnet 18 (“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”) is addressed to this youth. I, for one, think that this makes Shakespeare even more interesting and mysterious than before.

The ambiguity about the youth’s appearance, religion, and even sexuality, is the kind Shakespeare often uses; so it’s no wonder that Shakespeare still fascinates us to this very day. Apart from his personal life, his sonnets themselves are also works of some serious literary genius. So go and check a few of them out for yourself!

“We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.

For he today that sheds his blood with me, shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, this day shall gentle his condition.”

those around her.

Often dressed in a long, white gown, she spent most of her time in her room, writing poetry. From a young age, she was amazed and scared of the idea of death, and this is clear in much of her poetry, such as the famous “I Felt a Funeral in My Brain” and “Because I Could Not Stop for Death”. The way that this fragile young woman wrote about life and death with such intensity, and using so few words, is the reason that I think everyone should read her. The words stay in your head long after you’ve read them, and can be calming or harrowing, but are always powerful.

Because of her mysterious life and powerful verse, Emily Dickinson is a definite must-read.

“Because I could not stop for Death, He kindly stopped for me.

The carriage held but just Ourselves and Immortality.”

“Love is more thicker than forget …it is more sane and sunly and more it cannot die than all the sky which only is higher than the sky.”

melodramatic.com

Plath just years before her suicide. #2: Sylvia Plath

Before you put down this paper for recycling, hear me out when I say that Shakespeare is actually not as boring as you might think. Apart from being one of the most celebrated and renowned poets and playwrights of the English language, good old Shakespeare was quite the literary pimp of his time. There’s been a lot of speculation about his personal life, since so few records exist. Out of all the prominent portraits of Shakespeare, scholars only know of one engraving that is without doubt a real portrait of the man. There has also been much debate about Shakespeare’s sexuality.

If you’ve ever taken an English course in high school then you’ve heard of the famous “Fair Youth” that the first 126 of his 154 sonnets are addressed to. The loving languages used by the poet to address this “youth” leads some scholars to believe that there was in fact a real “fair youth” whom Shakespeare had an

sookmyung.ac.kr

Emily Dickinson loves em dashes. #4: Emily Dickinson Now here is an often misunderstood young poetess who I’ve always found fascinating. Again, if you’ve taken English class in high school, then you’ve probably read a few of her poems. But the details of her personal life are what I find most interesting.

She was an extreme introvert and recluse, who hardly ever greeted the guests at her house. Later on in life, she almost never left her room, and had become somewhat of a mystery to

i hope that most of you have heard of ee cummings, but have you read any of his poetry? you may be a bit confused at first if you do, because this groundbreaking poet took the rules of syntax and threw them out the window to produce some of the most unmistakable avant-garde styles in the poetry world. some of his most famous poems contain no punctuation or capitalization at all, and twist words and phrases in a way that leaves the reader confused and even a bit frustrated. but when you finish the poem and uncover the meaning behind the words, it’s all worth it. cummings’ verse is sometimes incomprehensible, chock-full of intentional misspellings and even made-up words. but the way he wrote about life with such force and newness has me spellbound every time. he turned the poetry world upside down, and won many literary awards it. for his unmistakable way with words, ee cummings has a spot comfortable on this list.

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“There’s a stake in your fat black heart and the villagers never liked you.

They are dancing and stamping on you.

They always knew it was you.

Daddy, daddy, you bastard, I’m through.” #1: Richard Siken

#3: E.E. Cummings #5: William Shakespeare

icons of her time and a voice for girls and women everywhere.

Sylvia Plath is the ultimate confessional poet, and one of the most major literary icons for young women all over the world. Her literary talent was apparent from a young age, earning her a scholarship to Newnham College in Cambridge, where she continued to write poetry.

In 1961 she married English poet Ted Hughes, but their intense, passionate relationship soon crumbled. After uncovering her husband’s affair with a friend, the couple split up and Plath went on in a great burst of creativity. Many of her most famous poems were written during this time, their themes varying from pregnancy to infidelity to depression and death.

Plath had suffered depression for a long time, and during the coldest winter in 100 years, on February 10 1963, Plath committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning. Her intense, passionate, and terrifying poetry, and the tragic circumstances of her life and death, led Plath to become one of the major literary

The last poet on my list is here because, in my opinion, he is one of the forthcoming poets of our generation and is definitely worth a try. Unlike all the others on this list, Richard Siken is part of a new time of poets who will shape the new wave of poetic talent. Siken is an American poet living in Tucson, Arizona. He only has one published collection, entitled Crush, but don’t let that turn you off.

This one collection is full of enough raw, desperate, and crushing verse to leave your mind numb. Siken’s long, dragging sentences flow past the ends of the lines and metamorphose from image to image, without catching a breath, without a break or pause. But when you read the last words and finish the poem, it becomes something alive and you can’t close the book anymore.

So go look up a poem or two of his, or even buy the entire collection, because I’ve known people who’ve turned into poetry-lovers just by reading Crush. For his raw, unadulterated, uncompromising style, Richard Siken is number one on my list and will continue to be for years to come.

“Tell me about the dream where we pull the bodies out of the lake and dress them in warm clothes again…”

So there you have it, my own top five poets. I hope this list has inspired some of you, because if even one person decides to look up a few poems from this list, then my work here is done. Happy poetry reading!

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER

27, 2010 THE MEDIUM 9

Amir Ahmed, Editor | features@mediumonline.ca

Time travel without a Delorean ZACK ZERALDO

An extremely sexy man?

Why study English?

IOANA GHEORGHIU

When I first started working on this article I thought two things. The first was that Google would give me some amazing and quick results regarding the history of teaching English Literature. The second was that students and professors would have similar reasons for studying English Literature. I was wrong about both.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines “literature” as “the realm of letters”. This broadly encompasses all types of works, from journalistic articles to novels. “English” is a bit more difficult to define. English’s earliest ancestor was spoken in 450 A.D. and Chaucer wrote recognizable English in the 14th century, but the English we speak today is a long-refined combination of French, German, Norse, Latin, and Greek.

The study of “English Literature” began in the 19th century in Englishspeaking countries and was meant to increase nationalist sentiment.

American students would study great American authors that described their great American nation. But today, English courses at U of T don’t focus on just Canadian writers; we have courses from Shakespeare to Chaucer to Jane Austen to Canadian diasporic literature. So why study this subject?

Professor Chester Scoville of the Department of English and Drama says he studied English for “a fascination with what literature and language can do: the way in which they can create and move readers and audiences; the thick, visceral qualities of the kinds of language that people remember; the way in which they can make nearly any subject matter, however abstruse, approachable and discussable.”

Professor Chris Koenig-Woodyard has similar reasons: “Because of a love of language and narrative, and how the two touch on a number of related fields (culture, politics, history, to name a few)”. He adds that he likes “the play and pleasure of language, its metaphoric and musical qualities.” Professor Koenig-Woodyard “loves the transport and enchantment of narrative; that a story sweeps you up into the world of a

book, poem, or play. Coleridge calls this the ‘willing suspension of disbelief’: readers and viewers stop questioning the fictional nature of a text, and immerse themselves in the constructed reality of a story.”

Students, on the other hand, focus more on exploring the sheer enjoyment of reading and exploring literature.

Jasman Singh, a first-year double major in English and History, chose to study this field because he thinks “it’s the most interesting and educational subject there is! I mean, where else can you read the brilliant work of William Shakespeare? Not in chemistry, I’m sure.”

Other students have different views on how important English Literature is for them. Sara Notenboom, a fourthyear specialist in Psychology, with minors in Sociology and English, chose to study literature “because it delves into the human psyche and it is the recorded history of the human soul”.

The study of English literature has two aspects: one of simple enjoyment and appreciation, and the other, less famous, of analysis. When we read literature, for a short time we discover a different world, which often shows us real human emotion or a new experience. To enter and breathe this new world, to love good books for their own sake, is an important reason why some students choose to study English, but to look deeper and explain them lets the book speak its whole message.

The reason I chose to study English is much better phrased by the author Goethe; he called literature “the humanization of the world”. For me, literature captures the ideas of a culture, which could be the suffering during the Holocaust, broken friendships, time travel to an apocalyptic future, commentary on global warming and world pandemics, or anything else. In the end, though everyone has their own reason for studying English Literature, everyone that reads is a student of it. Maybe not everyone that reads this article is taking a minor, major, or specialist degree in English, but the written word is part of our everyday life, and we couldn’t survive without it.

Until recently, I had essentially given up on explaining my obsession with automobiles. I mean, much of the population considers these giant hulks of polluting steel to be nothing more than another appliance— something to be used until it can no longer fulfil its purpose, and then discarded like a used tissue. Nobody expects to see Grandma out polishing her Maytag, so why do I and the many others like me obsess over every little detail when it comes to our vehicles?

For the most part I had little justification for it, other than that it was simply a beloved time-wasting hobby, like knitting or playing video games.

However, now I’ve got some ammunition: you see, I am really a time traveller.

Just the other night I shot up a highway 427 off-ramp, in a car that’s about as 80s as it gets, right up there with David Hasselhoff and the Rubik’s Cube: a 1985 Trans Am. I dropped the windows and, much to my girlfriend’s dismay, cranked up one of my all-time favourites, “In the Air Tonight” from Phil Collins’ 1981 album Face Value. As the warm night air flowed into the car, and I looked past the red glow of the speedometer at 135 km/h, and out over the hood, adorned with a great silver bird and

frog-like headlamps, I realized that for this brief moment, time had not only stopped—it had actually moved backwards. That’s right; we’d unwittingly accomplished time travel! No Delorean, no flux capacitor, and no science; but in that moment, as the Trans Am rumbled through Etobicoke, ’85 was real once again.

I am sure some students out there know what I’m talking about, but if not then maybe now you’ll feel inspired to dig out that old car your dad stuck away in the garage 15 years ago and have a little fun.

Surprisingly, owning a classic car doesn’t always have to leave you broke. Many enthusiasts opt to do the work themselves and learn along the way. As with everything else today, the Internet contains a vast amount of information that proves invaluable for aspiring car enthusiasts. No matter what type of car you’re into, you’ll find websites, forums, clubs, and parts suppliers all over the ’net. I’ve found that joining the local or online clubs, and participating in events and online forums, is one of the best ways to get information and help for a classic.

Even the most inexperienced home mechanic can handle most jobs on a classic car, given a lot of patience and advice from those who have done it before.

If you’re not the type to get your hands dirty, there are plenty of shops

willing to do the work for you, but be prepared to pay. Good restoration work is not cheap, and despite the large amount of shops in the GTA I have yet to find a well-rounded, affordable restoration shop. However, there are many shops that specialize in one particular area (e.g. upholstery, paint, mechanical work).

Specialization allows them to do exceptional work at a reasonable price. So if you’ve got a wide range of work to be done, shop around; it’s usually best to find a different shop for each major component of the restoration. Often it’s a good idea to look at previous work a shop has done as a test of quality, and ask around to see how the community generally feels about that shop.

What I took from that highway moment was that our cars influence how we experience the world. Cars are like music, clothing, or any other expression of style; they represent a certain time and place in the world.

They are a snapshot of an ever-evolving society.

As technology, environmental concerns, safety, and other issues continue to change society’s perception of cars, the way the automobile influences our view of the world will grow stronger in turn. So hang onto that 15-year-old beater—you never know when you might want to remember what 1995 felt like.

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10 THE MEDIUM MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2010

FEATURES

Creative Corner

Men and heels Pills MARIANA COMITO ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR

Think men will notice your high stilettos or your sexy new pumps? A recent study from Northumbria University examined men’s reactions to women with and without heels. The verdict: men don’t notice whether women are wearing heals or flats.

Time Magazine writes, “The researchers wanted to know whether the changed posture that comes with high heels—longer legs, accentuated rear, and tilted torso—get noticed by men.� Think again!

Evolutionary psychologist Dr. Nick Neave and researcher Kristofor McCarty led the study as part of a larger investigation, in which they also examined attraction related to movement, walking, and dancing. For the first time, they have identified potential biomechanical differences between skilled and unskilled male dancers.

Neave believes that there is a connection between dance moves which reflect a man’s reproductive capacity,

relating to health, strength, and energy. He further states that dancing is a big part in the animal kingdom where it’s used to spark interest in potential mates. The researchers are currently using 3D motion-capture technology to observe male dancers and determine whether it heightens a female’s perception for potential mating.

So, have all those sore ankles, pain, and blisters been a waste? Fourth-year student Vanessa Michielli declared, “I definitely wear heels because they make the outfit come together, but sometimes my nicest pair kills my feet and I’m in pain for days. I always thought men liked women who wore heels—[that] it brings sex appeal and attraction. But, who knows—maybe I’ll just start wearing flats more often.�

Although this news may come as a disappointment for many women, look on the bright side: flats can be sexy too. So, ladies, if your feet hurt from the night before and you’re going to party again the next night, be comfortable and choose a cute pair of flats. After all, men don’t even notice that torturous gear on your feet.

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SERKAN YILDIRIM

Pills—there are many of them.

Pills for pain, pills for pleasure, pills to keep you awake, and pills to induce sleep. We take them; we don’t ask questions. Not that we don’t want to know what they are.

Simply because we don’t want to acknowledge that they’re a part of our lives, a part of ourselves. They enhance our perception; they outline a boundary between reality and fiction. They are there when we need them; who else is a better friend than a bottle of prescription drugs? They are a fix. Many people inherently think that there are those who become indisposed.

That they get “caught up�, that no or little pacing will bring us endless pain. That there is no cautious approach that’s necessary to replace the fabrication.

It’s a lie. In an ocean of anaesthesia, we flap our RX-branded wings over the currents that run deep to an endless pit and a denial of utmost personal feelings. To have no sense of self-regard is our drive. Here’s that little white pill: as you sit on your orthopaedic bed, indulge in a glass of water and be hazily transferred to an ephemeral state. Doesn’t feel good? Men, women, children of all ages enjoy it. An existence like clockwork, designed by a timebound tyrant. Feeding, caring, and nurturing in cyclical style. You never get tired, you don’t want to; and even if you did you wouldn’t be able to.

Words now emerge—they are fierce and unpleasant. Sounds start to collide. At this stage you can’t differentiate anything, you’re too immersed. And as you hold back a breath that once gave you a tabula rasa, breathing out becomes difficult. Some of them acknowledge that and how it does, but cannot describe why. Suddenly the problem becomes complicated.

The room for much-needed individuation starts to shrink. The surroundings become obtuse, and you feel like you’re being carried across a dangerous plateau. Yet you can’t see it, nor feel the depravity of its firm ground. The carrier—or the host—seals shut all which can be perceived. And the tabula rasa is wanting, without further degeneration, as far as you conceive. Isn’t it perfect?

Uncertainty blends with foolish dreams of being awakened, and of lessening the damage on impact.

Uncertainty is a cage with weak bars, made of straws; it is there just to be seen. The mind falters, and this image deceives us.

Pictures upon pictures, formulated in the mind, construct a lucid curiosity. We take it, and try to grasp it, until the obsession violates our findings. But you have found nothing. The impending silence is calm, because the nothingness is not connected with any slightest thought.

Warped by this junk, you start to slow down. The recognition of

it all around you delivers a sharp, uncomforting pain. At once you feel dizzy, and later on it will become a constant dividend of sanity. Rational, irrational—it doesn’t matter anymore. The object of knowledge is far from reach; it is untouched, and remains so. You are present in the moment, and your being remains unaltered; but out of the moment your being pulls away.

Dragged down, scratched, beaten, and bruised are the bitter remnants of your vitality. It is like a trench: you dig it with your own hands, and eventually die in it.

There is no stepping stone; there is no place of origin. It conquers your vision, body, and then mind.

So you look up to the sky, searching for a better place. But now the effects start to loosen, as your body is scrolled through the awful familiarity, and your petition for days grows short. Now there is

everything to look for.

Pillows and blankets roughly rearrange the energy recovered from the womb. Its warmth summons courage, a human trait predominant among petty averters. In the succession in which you find yourself, a greedy hint of emotions, prying like a fleet of winged beasts, ascends towards breaking clouds. It is nearing, but as you draw closer you detect the paradox of its reclusive imagery.

You try to close the gap, but the bridge is far too heavy to be carried away. The distance between has become a recluse, and you can’t perceive it. It forces you away from knowing and fully appreciating the emptiness behind it. Yet you are inclined to grasp it, perhaps to reach out or to eliminate the distance.

But everything is in itself meaningless.

It is distress. It is bad faith.

Substance DAVID FITZPATRICK

Restless and reckless, too many close calls In the Sahara developed a Defiance Messiah Complex on dexedrine with brain drain.

I’m all in with a winner’s grin, grinning in.

This is the winter of our discontent, a veil covering the whole continent continuous and sentimentally, leaving me feeling mentally empty, with something less, asking for substance.

Command the renegade brigade, Suffocating blockade, blocked in and locked in.

I’m a sub zero hero at zero hour, I’m hungry for substance, in a fighting stance; this is not by chance or coincidence in conscience.

Athletic traffic accident left paraplegic, parachuting Percocet, assassinating alphabets Alpha and Omega vent frustration, I have no hesitation in the escalation of violence, ambivalence— violating violets with a violin in line, being infinite, never ending like my path for substance. Go far, go deep into the mystic, looking for what’s realistic Without it I feel nihilistic, shoot like a ballistic pessimist, take the opportunity of an optimist with the priority of substance, make new extraordinary, extra scary destiny left distinctly distinguished Like an alcoholic alkaline combined with a carbine Like at columbine, run a combine with cauliflower ears common to a college wrestler. Being attested, side lined, just resting, wrestling with inactivity, fixed on the aspect of asphyxiation to the point of annihilation...

I feel subhuman without substance. Submerge beneath earth, merged with dirt, converge the fragments in a frantic moment—holding it like a sporadic addict

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2010 THE MEDIUM 11

William Robertson , Editor | sports@mediumonline.ca

Bush out for 4-6 weeks NHL Western Conference predictions CHRIS CALLAHAN Allegations involving Reggie Bush receiving special benefits, including nearly $300,000 in gifts while in college, have been present since Bush entered the NFL in 2006. The talk about Bush’s purported college transgressions once again heated up late this summer. It became a major media story, with analysts taking sides on whether or not the NCAA should strip him of his prestigious 2005 Heisman award, and some reports indicating that a decision on that matter would come soon. In an effort to put an end to the controversy, Bush voluntarily gave up his Heisman trophy earlier this month.

Then, just when he thought he could get back to focussing solely on football, Bush broke a bone in his leg in last week’s win against San Francisco; he will be out for at least four weeks.

Bush, an integral part of the Saints’ Super Bowl nucleus last year, will surely be missed. Bush is not among the league’s elite running backs, but he has carved a niche for himself in the Saints’ offence and is seen as one of the most explosive players in the league. Bush’s moves in the open field and his soft hands make him a tremendous receiver in backfield. He was targeted 68 times by Drew Brees in 2009, the third most on the team, and caught 69% of passes thrown his way. Bush had 725 yards from scrimmage last year and eight total touchdowns. These numbers

represent an important vacancy that now exists in the Saints’ offence. His absence will also be felt in the running game. As a running back, Bush complements starter Pierre Thomas perfectly. Thomas is able to gain the tough yards up the middle while Bush’s speed goes to stretch plays and tosses. Bush lacks the physical presence to be an every-down back, but his skills are ideal for a complementary role.

Bush’s strong play ability will be missed, but the Saints likely aren’t panicking. This injury will him away for a period of time, but fortunately, Bush is just one of the many weapons in the Saints’ offence. The Saints had the highest-scoring offence last season, meaning that no one player (aside from quarterback Drew Brees) is irreplaceable. The running game is sure to miss Bush’s speed, but ultimately the Saints’ offence is built around their strong passing attack.

Brees has tremendous pocket presence. This allows Brees, who completed an astonishing 70.9% of his passes last year, to always find the open man. Brees has a reputation for spreading the ball around as well as any quarterback in the league, so the loss of Bush will mean more chances for his other receiving options to make plays. The Saints also have head coach Sean Payton, who is seen as one of the brightest offensive play-callers in football. As long as the duo of Payton and Brees are around there will be no shortage of points.

MICHELLE DUKLAS Fans and players alike are gearing up for another NHL regular season, which starts on Thursday, October 7.

The Vancouver Canucks want to prove themselves this year. Last season they finished third, at the top of their conference. They will likely finish at the top of their conference again, since they have a powerhouse first line which includes the Sedin brothers and goaltender Roberto Luongo to back them up. The Canucks have a relatively older team, which gives them the edge of experience playing at the elite level of the NHL. They should improve on their finish from last year to clinch first place.

The Detroit Red Wings could finish second in the conference. Despite finishing fifth last year, they held up in the playoffs and delivered a very convincing performance. The Wings have depth and experience, and these veterans have a few new (and younger) players on their team, which should help with speed.

The Los Angeles Kings finished a respectable sixth last season, but this year they have a stronger defence, which will definitely boost their playing abilities. More importantly, there are some new forwards competing to prove themselves, including Brayden

Schenn, Kyle Clifford, and Linden Vey. They will probably finish third in the conference.

The fourth place seed is always an interesting position to be in. It’s given to the team who had the most points outside of the top three division spots.

San Jose Sharks should take this place after giving up top division placement to the LA Kings. Despite finishing first last season, the Sharks are left without last season’s goaltender Evgeni Nabokov. They do have 2010 Stanley Cup goaltender Antti Niemi, but he has to adjust to an entirely new team playing in front of him, and it will likely take a while for him to settle down and get into his game.

Fifth place should go to the Calgary Flames. Clearly the team roster wasn’t working last year when general manager Darryl Sutter made a blockbuster trade with Toronto GM Brian Burke.

Now that the dust is finally settling on that trade and the acquisitions have gotten used to their new team, they can move forward into the playoffs.

The St. Louis Blues are definitely a team to watch this season. They were close to making the playoffs last year, only five points behind the Colorado Avalanche. This year they have former Habs goaltender Jaroslav Halak, who heroically carried his team to the semi-finals of the Stanley Cup playoffs in May. This will definitely make a

difference to the team. Halak is one of those goalies that play either fantastically or terribly, which will result in a yo-yo effect for the team. Hopefully he has more great games than awful games and takes his team to sixth place in the Western Conference.

The Nashville Predators will take the seventh place spot, probably after a long, hard fight with the Blues and the Blackhawks. The Predators finished seventh last season, and bowed out of the playoffs in the first round.

The executives were busy signing players during the off-season, in the hopes of building a stronger team for this year’s regular season. But seeing as they’re up against some tough competition, they are likely to stay in the same position they were in last year.

Finally, Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman slimmed down his payroll by trading away many of the integral parts of the Stanley Cup-winning team. Undoubtedly this will have a huge impact on the team’s performance in the upcoming season.

However, the roster still contains the five core players: Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Patrick Sharp, and Patrick Kane; because of this, they could nab the final playoff spot. But they will need to fight for it right down to their last game of the regular season.

ERINDALE COLLEGE COUNCIL University of Toronto Mississauga The Council of Erindale College, also known as the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), exercises its powers and duties 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) 8 positions available

Nominations may be submitted through the Council website: www.utm.utoronto.ca/council/

Questions about the nominations? Contact: 905-828-5233 / t.breukelman@utoronto.ca

NOMINATION PERIOD for Erindale College Council Membership: September 16, 2010 - 9:00am to September 30, 2010 - extended to 5:00pm Elections*: October 7, 2010 - 9:00am-5:00pm

Nomination Period for Standing Committee membership for students: October 15, 2010 - 9:00am October 22, 2010 - 12 Noon. Elections if necessary*: October 27, 2010 - 9:00am 5:00pm. *If the number of nominations exceed the number of available positions

BE RECOGNIZED

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER

27, 2010 THE MEDIUM 12

SPORTS

Rafael Nadal gets his career Blues defeat Grand Slam. What’s next? cross-city rival ANGELA DOMINGO It took all of four sets, played in three hours 43 minutes, for Rafael (Rafa) Nadal to defeat Novak Djokovic in the highly entertaining final of the 2010 U.S. Open.

The road to completing his career slam may have taken a little longer in comparison, but regardless of when we start counting—from the age of three when the toddler Nadal first picked up a tennis racket, or eighteen when he clinched his first major on the rich, red clay of Roland Garros— the fact is that the current world No.1 has collected nine crowns and the career slam (one of only four men to accomplish this) at the ripe young age of 24. After such an achievement, you have to wonder: what’s next for Rafael Nadal?

By the looks of it: whatever he chooses. Fans who have been following Nadal’s career must feel that claiming this career slam was only a matter of time. But anyone watching him, even only at the U.S. Open, would be likely to come to the same conclusion. There seemed to be something in the air (or stormy gales, more like) at Flushing Meadows signalling Rafa’s time to take the title. But if it was timing or momentum or even fate that gave him his victory, it was no less his own doing.

It’s true that any number of things (like not having to face Federer but the more fatigued Djokovic in the final, or the shiny new 125-mph service bombs at his disposal) may have paved the way for this momentous opportunity.

But look more closely and you’ll see that what he achieved this year was the

result of the one weapon that keeps him winning even when all else fails (though it rarely does): his unrelenting determination to improve.

No, he didn’t have to face his greatest and most successful rival on the way to the title, but surely having to take down the man who beat Federer was enough trouble in its own right.

And that new serve, regardless of how nonchalant or surprised he seemed about it, was no doubt the result of the careful planning, hard work, and masterful execution that we’ve come to expect of Nadal.

We get a better perspective of the value of his astonishing, yet eemingly inevitable achievement by looking back. The boy from Mallorca, with his long hair, sleeveless muscle shirts, pirate pants and all, burst onto the scene armed with the heaviest forehand in the game, and a fiery, tenacious attitude—but not a whole lot else.

After his first Grand Slam title at the 2005 French Open, the lefty assessed his performance and came up with a new game plan: developing a competitive backhand to add to his arsenal. Three Wimbledon finals later, on a surface that no one believed he could win on, he had the SW17 tournament under his belt. In the years following, his to-do list included committing to enhance his all-brawn style with a sturdy net game, getting fit after a series of physical injuries, and coming back after dealing with family troubles. Check, check, and check.

This was problem-solving tennis. This was ever-improving, boundary-pushing, record-setting tennis. Even those who weren’t originally fans of Nadal’s

physical, ball-crushing style of play (made to look even more primitive across the net from Federer’s game so powered by finesse) had to acknowledge that it was getting the job done.

The pirate pants and muscle shirts may be gone, but the bull-headed tenacity and refusal to rest on his laurels lies at the heart of Nadal’s game, as strong as it’s ever been. He has an expanding trophy collection to show for it.

This isn’t to say that he won’t be without his worthy and ever-present challenges; he certainly will, most immediately in Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray (ranked second, third, and fourth in the pecking order). However, all evidence points to Nadal staying the path and finding ways to build on his already formidable game to overcome the road blocks. After all, that’s exactly what he had to do to cement his current place as the world’s best—5,000 ranking points clear of the runner-up.

It’s impossible to speak about Rafa, especially in terms of titles and records to be set, without mentioning the already widely-regarded G.O.A.T., (Greatest of All Time) Roger Federer.

But while it seems it’s never too early to have the Greatest of All Time debate, Nadal makes for a more serious discussion.

For now, the fans of this spectacular rivalry, which is looking more and more like a four-horse race, are privileged (if not inconsolably impatient) to find out what will come. And with Nadal, still only 24, leading the charge of this new generation of tennis greats, they have a whole lot to look forward to.

MICHAEL SKRZYNIAK

The U of T Varsity Blues survived a war—24 to 19—with their archnemesis, the York Lions, in the annual Red and Blue Bowl this past Saturday at Varsity Field.

Quarterback Andrew Gillis had two rushing touchdowns and passed the ball effectively while rookie running back Aaron Milton had almost 150 all-purpose yards and a touchdown.

The Blues’ defence played outstandingly as well. Defensive Lineman Adam Fehler had an outstanding game; he racked up two sacks, six tackles, and an interception. His performance was so dominant that Adam received the OUA Defensive Player of the Week. This makes the Blues’ third straight victory against their inter-city rivals, which should come as no surprise.

D e s p i te t h e i r 1 - 3 r e c o r d , t h e Blues have shown signs of a bright future and might soon be a force to reckon with. The Blues have a bye this week, but will host Ottawa on October 2.

Greg Delaval, the head coach of the Blues, has been able to gradually improve the program. He believes they are on the cusp of greatness, bringing back the glory of pastU of T teams. “We have a solid core for the future; we had 50 f r e s h me n s h o w u p f o r t r a i n i n g camp,” he said. With outstanding freshmen like Aaron Milton and Justin Babin, the Blues have a talent that will only grow and flourish.

However, recruiting was not easy for the Blues in the last few years.

Coach Delaval explains that U of T used to rely on their academics to recruit, but it wasn’t enough: “Our f a c i l i t ie s c o u l d n o t c o m p a r e t o those of Western, and with the losing streak it made it even harder.”

But despite all the obstacles, Coach Delaval’s policy is to stay the course and now U of T is ready to dominate the CIS. Ex-player Drew M e e r v e ld , w h o w a l k e d o n f r o m UTM and became a CFL prospect, talks about the change of culture and the rapid improvement of the team. “The lack of success was constantly reinforced by outsiders who constantly write things in the media. We overcame our struggles by having every player committed to one goal. It started in our offseason and the transformation was evident to everyone.”

The Varsity Blues lack exposure across every campus and it goes beyond football—this goes for all U of T sports. There are tons of people who enjoy football at UTM and would definitely watch their school play if it were more accessible.

U of T should be concerned with the lack of enthusiasm shown; as students, we are all a part of the U of T family and should support these warriors, who stick on the pads every weekend and represent us to the best of their ability. The players and coaches sacrifice not only their bodies, but their time to represent the school. With more support from fans and the constant improvement the Blues show every year, it will only be a matter of time before the University of Toronto Varsity Blues are in the Vanier Cup.

NHL Eastern Conference predictions With the regular season just a week away, one thing is on everyone’s mind: who’s going to win it all this season?

The Eastern Conference boasts some serious power this year and it will be a tight race just to make the playoffs.

The Washington Capitals have failed to make the final leap to the Cup finals with Ovechkin, but that will not stop them from locking up first place in the East yet again this season. Semyon Varlamov will be the starting goaltender this season, and he has a solid defence core to assist him. Mike Green is putting out some impressive play after being snubbed for the Olympic team roster, so he’ll be looking to continue that type of game. He scored 76 points in only 75 games and finished 20th in league scoring—quite impressive for a defenceman.

The Pittsburgh Penguins will probably take the Atlantic division from the New Jersey Devils this season, since they have their core group of players returning, except for Sergei Gonchar. To fill the void, Kris Letang should be able to shoulder the load on the power play; they also still have a constant in goal, Marc-Andre Fleury. If the Penguins stay healthy, they could finish second place, right behind Ovechkin and the Caps.

The Buffalo Sabres did unexpectedly well last season, as they were able to secure the third seed in the East. This can be attributed to Ryan Miller’s per-

formance every night in goal. His goals against average were second in the league at a remarkable 2.22. If he continues this play this season, the Sabres could lock up third place again and win the Northeast Division. Future Hall-ofFamer Martin Brodeur will again be in net for the New Jersey Devils. With an already steady attack, plus the major move of signing Ilya Kovalchuk, the Devils will be able to finish in the top four in the East, battling Crosby and the Pens for top spot in the Atlantic Division.

Boston surprised a lot of people with their mid-season switch of Tim Thomas for Tuukka Rask. Rask played remarkably for the rest of the season and led the Bruins to a sixth-place finish in the East. Rask should start the season as the number one goalie, but will be under close watch at the beginning of the season. The Bruins also received the highly touted draft pick Tyler Seguin this summer, and he may even see some action this season. He could add another offensive weapon to the club if he cracks the squad. The Bruins may be in the middle of the pack in the East, but they will make the playoffs.

The rest of the Eastern Conference could go any way. Philadelphia are coming off their outstanding “Cinderella”type run to the finals last year, but didn’t do too well during the regular season.

The Flyers have their core group back this season and, if they stay healthy, could surprise people yet again this season. Montréal was able to solve their goalie controversy: Carey Price will get full-time duties this season, a move that they hope will elevate his play. If Price

manages to return to his World Junior calibre, they will be in the playoff mix as well. The Rangers just missed the playoffs last season, losing out by a single point on the final day of the season. The bitter taste is still lingering even after the off-season, but they should come out with a huge spark at the beginning of the season. They have a solid blue-line.

And Michael Del Zotto will continue his phenomenal start to his career and be a tough player on the penalty kill.

The Thrashers, Hurricanes, and Islanders all have promise for this season but seem to have inconsistent play from their defence and goaltenders, a trend that might continue this season.

The Lightnings will start Mike Smith or Dan Ellis, which will be their downfall this season. Neither goaltender is a proven number one, and the team will struggle with their goals against, forcing them to miss the playoffs.

Finally, the Toronto Maple Leafs added many new faces to their lineup during the last season and the off-season. This could be the year the Leafs end their playoff drought because of acquisitions such as Dion Phaneuf, J.S. Giguere, Colby Armstrong, and Kris Versteeg. The defence is close to being the best in the league: Kaberle and Phaneuf lead the way, and Giguere can steal a win on any given night. The only obstacle for the Leafs will be offence, which Brian Burke will be actively looking for during the season. However, the Leafs will be in the mix for the playoffs come season’s end.

One thing is certain: there will be many surprises in the East this season, and without a doubt, it will be exciting.

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Alexander Ovechkin (above) will be looked to to take the next step and lead the Capitals to the Stanley Cup finals this year.