THE VARSITY
Vol. CXXXII, No. 7
University of Toronto’s Student Newspaper Since 1880
11 October, 2011
THE 100 SERIES: Meet Dan Dolderman The Varsity sits down with PSY100’s Dr. Dolderman and gets to know the man behind the lecture mic Sarah Taguiam ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR
Many U of T professors boast of countless awards, but only a few are privileged enough to have their own fan clubs — one of them is psychology professor Dan Dolderman. Chuckling uncontrollably, Dolderman said he “felt really flattered” after students informed him of the Facebook fan club’s existence four years ago. Though primarily an environmental psychologist, Dolderman is best known for teaching PSY100, Intro to Psychology. PSY100 is taught in Convocation Hall and is one of the biggest classes in the University, catering to 1500 students per lecture. “The large number of students is pretty challenging,” he said. “There are lots of people you don’t get to know at all … so I usually end up spending quite a bit of time after my classes — like, an hour to an hour and a half — just talking to people about different things.” To hold his students’ interest, Dolderman weaves anecdotes through lectures and cracks jokes. “I try to make [classes] fun so they’re genuinely enjoyable, but I also try to strike a balance by making things personally relevant … profound and deeply meaningful,” he explained.
SEE ‘DOLDERMAN’ P4
SEE ‘DOLDERMAN’ P3 BERNARDA GOSPIC/THE VARSITY
Bulletin goes paperless
U of T news source saves time and money by becoming online-only Irina Vukosavic
sion of the Bulletin are extensive,” said Kurts. “We are now able to put out the issue twice a week, therefore allowing us to publish more up-to-date stories. As well, with the removal of paper usage, production time is significantly decreased.” Also available exclusively online is the U of T News website, which is focused more on the external audience outside the faculty and staff. It is similar to the Bulletin in that it offers current news, research, and weekly features. The news, however, is more aimed at students. With the online Bulletin up and running, the news and media department at U of T is interested in hearing from its readers. “We want to make this something that is useful to everyone. The key to success is speaking to the audience,” explained Kurts. In an effort to make the Bulletin more visually appealing, the department is working towards incorporating more multimedia; the amount of video and photography on the Bulletin is likely to increase.
VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
The U of T Bulletin is switching from being offered in print and online to online-only. The news source for faculty and staff, which has a readership of around 2300, covers university life, research developments, and new programs. As indicated by the U of T news website, it promotes the best and most strategic news the university has to offer in terms of teaching, research, and student and faculty experience. “With such a large organization, it is necessary to give out the appropriate information as efficiently as possible,” said Michael Kurts, Assistant Vice President for Strategic Communications and Marketing at U of T. A recent survey found that the majority of readers preferred the Bulletin online, with only 10 per cent of readers favouring the paper edition. Running the news source as online-only will be less time-consuming and more economical. Moreover, the Bulletin will be accessible to just as many people as at present, but with reduced difficulty and costs. “The advantages of having this online ver-
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The U of T News website can be accessed online at www.news.utoronto.ca.
Contents comment
7 got milk? the raw truth about dairy
features
9 leftovers for the sandwich trypto-fan
arts
10 arts’ arts a cornucopia of poetry
science
12 heartburn there’s an app for that
sports
15 scott mcroberts new director has UTSC pump(k)in’ iron
The U of T Farmer’s Market, which has run every Wednesday since May 30, closed for the season on October 5. The market featured local foods and gave urbanites the chance to chat with farmers from around the GTA. Photo by Bernarda Gospic.
VARSITY NEWS
Linda Schuyler, co-creator of Degrassi, honoured by Bonham Centre for contributions to the promotion of sexual awareness
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all levels of education. Especially given Tim Hudak’s recent queer and transphobic messaging around primary sex-ed curriculum, it’s important for us to celebrate diversity and continue challenging discrimination in our community.” The Tories have ignited controversy across Ontario with their distribution of campaign flyers that encourage parents to vote against a Liberal sex-ed agenda that allegedly promotes “cross-dressing for six-year-olds.” The Liberals say that the Progressive Conservatives’ literature is homophobic. SEC commended The Bonham Centre for recognizing Schuyler and Black’s contributions, and defended the need for sexual education in schools. “Sexual education is important because access to information can help prevent decisions that [may] put an individual’s health at risk,” said Kayla Wright, Executive Director at S.E.C. Bredin agreed. “By affronts like Tim Hudak’s vilification of sex-ed … we are reminded of the media’s imperative to portray role models for… youth. “[Schuyler and Black] have produced a body of work so outstanding that it goes beyond just queer communities [and brings] an important message of hope and acceptance to millions worldwide.”
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The Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies at U of T is honouring advocates for sexual diversity and education. This year’s recipients of the Bonham Centre Award include Linda Schuyler, a U of T alumna and the co-creator and Executive Producer of Degrassi. The other recipient is Dustin Lance Black, an American screenwriter and director known for his academy award winning film Milk. “We established [The Bonham Centre Award] in 2007 to recognize either an individual or possibly a group, who have made significant contributions to raising awareness and education around issues of sexual education and sexual diversity,” said Brenda Cossman, Professor of Law and Director at the Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies. “This year, we have [presented the award] to two folks who have made very significant contributions in their cultural works,” continued Cossman. “Linda Schuyler [is] one of the co-creators and producers of the entire Degrassi series — a series that, in our view, has really pushed, challenged, and educated folks around many issues [surrounding] sexual education and sexual diversity.”
The Degrassi series is well-known for its depiction of teenage life. It has brought to light issues including teenage pregnancy, sexual assault, and sexuality and gender. Through the experiences of the show’s characters, Degrassi educates its audience about sexual diversity and promotes inclusivity. Linda Schuyler stressed the importance of sexual education in order to counteract bullying, which is a prominent issue amongst youth. “The only way to combat [bullying] is to encourage acceptance of individual differences,” Schuyler reported to The Varsity. “Sexual education and acceptance … is key to creating an environment of tolerance and understanding. We need to live in a society where people can be accepted for who they are rather than their label.” Simon Bredin, Public Affairs Director for LGBTOUT, was “… especially enthused to learn of this year’s award recipients [at] a time when our community’s ability to provide outreach to youth is endangered by close-mindedness.” Corey Scott, UTSU VP Internal and Services, responded, “It’s important to celebrate Schuyler, Black, and others that promote sexual diversity and challenge oppressive views. “As students,” he continued, “we want to see sexual diversity studies not only at university, but at
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VARSITY NEWS
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CONTINUED FROM ‘DOLDERMAN’ P1 Despite the class size, Dolderman, who started teaching the course in 2007 after joining the faculty in 2002, said that PSY100 is the psychology department’s “well-kept secret.” “It’s actually really fun to teach. You get to really reflect on the most important and perspective-altering ideas that psychology has to offer because we cover a huge amount of terrain in a small amount of time,” he said. According to his Leading the Way Youth Summit speaker’s profile, growing up in rural Ontario has given Dolderman an “enduring love for nature” that has motivated him to focus his research on environmental communication and behavioural changes. “I’ve always been interested in environmental issues. I was trained as a social psychologist but I wanted to apply my knowledge to real-life situations. Environmental psychology’s multidisciplinary aspect allows me to contribute to the world in terms of my interests … like climate change and international development.” Outside of class, he dedicates his time to working with initiatives such as the U of T Sustainability Office’s Rewire program, which aims to reduce total energy consumption through small behavioural changes. He has also lent his knowledge to Toronto’s City Council and organizations such as Free the Children as a consultant on topics ranging from psychology to youth development and volunteerism. With his background in psychology, Dolderman is seeking ways to increase political activism in society; he hopes to achieve this with his new pet project, “Unstoppable Snowball.” The program, to be unveiled this winter, is a social networking experiment that “takes people’s existing motivations and provides them with ways to see how easily they can affect change.” “We are close to passing our tipping points, and after that it would be really hard to turn things around. There is need for pretty massive social change, and without rigorous movements, it is never going to happen,” he stated. “There is a huge disconnect between caring and taking action, and I want to help people feel more comfortable reaching out to their peers,” he continued . When asked about the most memorable moments of his teaching career, Dolderman replied that he cannot name only one. “There are two different kinds of [moments] that are really memorable,” said the professor. “Ones where everyone — even me — is laughing at something that’s happened in class or … ones when the room is entirely silent and you can feel people are completely with you. I can’t really explain it.” To illustrate what he meant, Dolderman reminisced about a lecture he did in his cognitive psychology class last winter. “There was one time in my class where we did a meditation designed to make people feel certain emotions like compassion. It was 15 minutes of guided exercise and at the end of it at least three-quarters of the class had tears in their eyes. Getting people in touch with things that they themselves [felt] really, really deeply — it was incredible. I’ll never forget that,” he said. Having realized that he wanted to be an educator towards the end of his graduate studies in Waterloo, Dolderman said that he has never once secondguessed his decision. “Teaching is basically my dream job, I really like people and … being [at] U of T is a really amazing opportunity to connect with brilliant people every day.”
.BERNARDA GOSPIC/THE VARSITY
Crash test
U of T doctor disproves the stereotype that immigrant drivers are bad drivers
Rida Fatema Ali VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
It is widely believed that immigrants are unsafe drivers due to unfamiliarity with Canadian road laws, signs, and layouts. Dr. Donald Redelmeier in U of T’s Department of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation of disagrees. “Ontario has some of the safest roads … in North America and has some of the greatest ethnic diversity of anywhere in North America, so we wondered whether that combination was just a coincidence or actually part of a larger pattern contrary to prevailing thought,” ex-
plained Redelmeier. He and his colleges decided to try to disprove this popular stereotype; they conducted a study and published their findings in the journal, Accident Analysis and Prevention. Redelmeier explained that the study was conducted by first identifying “every adult who had immigrated to Ontario over the past decade” — about one million people. “These individuals are tracked forward in time for about eight years from their day of arrival, and then matched to long-term residents of Ontario who have the same age, gender, home location, and social economic status.”
Redelmeier said that the main finding of the study was that “the rate of crashes was about 40–50 per cent lower amongst the recent immigrants compared to the long term residents. “If long term residents would have had the same risks as recent immigrants, the differences would have saved over 2,000 surgical operations and over 30,000 days in hospital,” he continued. When asked about his most surprising finding, Redelmeier responded, “We observed that the greatest decrease in crash risk was during the initial years following immigration but that the differences still persisted even beyond the fifth and sixth year.”
“The differences in risk also extended in those with highest levels of crash severity as well as the highest level of baseline economic income.” When asked to explain what he believed to be the cause of the discrepancy, Redelmeier responded that it is “complacency” among long-term residents. “Experienced motorists develop long-term over-confidence after years of uneventful driving [that] breeds an air of familiarity and so the drivers do not follow basic safety practices such as wearing a seat belt, obeying the speed limits [etc.],” he said. Redelmeier offered a second the-
ory: “If you are a recent immigrant to Ontario, the last thing you want is to get in trouble with the authorities. So, on account of that, you don’t get sloppy about speed limits or coming to a full stop at stop signs or cutting corners in all sorts of ways.” Redelmeier feels that “this type of study raises awareness and helps set the record straight.” “If people have mistaken beliefs about walking under a ladder or black cats or breaking a mirror, there’s no serious harm done. But the problem about road transportation … is that mistaken beliefs in that setting can cost you your life.”
VARSITY NEWS
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2011
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NEWS IN BRIEF The Muslim identity
The Toronto Star recently interviewed three women who choose to wear the hijab in order to be “identifiable Muslims.� Each woman stated that this decision was motivated by faith and political ideals, not family tradition. During her first year at Ryerson, Ambreen Syed, 24, was motivated to wear the hijab after attending the annual GTA Muslim convention. “The hijab is part of my identity,� said Syed, who feels that the convention “opened [a] door to self-discovery.� “I wanted to be identified as a Muslim,� she continued, describing how the hijab makes her feel empowered. After a 2006 pilgrimage to Mecca that “revolved around prayer and goodness,� Sophie Siddiqi, 30, chose to wear the Muslim headscarf. Sahar Ammor, 18, decided to wear the hijab a year ago, to strengthen her personal relationship with God. �It reminds me that since I don’t live in a Muslim country, I have to keep my mind on my faith and that I’m representing Islam,� she explained. For these women and other hijabis, the
hijab “completes their identity.� With files from the Toronto Star. —Gabriella Lambert
bachelor of education experience . mentor . community
Thousands run for the cure
Some 30,000 runners made their way through downtown Toronto in the annual Run for the Cure event on Sunday, September 30. The run, which took place in over 56 cities across Canada, aims to raise money for breast cancer research. This year, the event aimed to raise over $33 million nationally. Last week’s Toronto run raised over $5 million. Diane Gordon of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation stressed that the campaign is not just about the money. “The event is more than just fundraising — it’s as simple as hope for [those affected],� she told 680 News. The event is gradually becoming a worldwide phenomenon. Participants ran in Kandahar, Afghanistan this year; this is the first time an overseas team has participated. With files from 680 News and CTV —Charlotte Smith
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Editorial Board Editor-‐in-‐Chief Tom Cardoso editor@thevarsity.ca Design Editor Anamarija Korolj design@thevarsity.ca Photo Editor Bernarda Gospic photo@thevarsity.ca Online Editor Sam Bowman online@thevarsity.ca Senior Copy Editor Maayan Adar copy@thevarsity.ca News Editor Robin Buller news@thevarsity.ca Comment Editor Alex Ross comment@thevarsity.ca Arts & Entertainment Editor Ariel Lewis arts@thevarsity.ca Features Editor Erene Stergiopoulos features@thevarsity.ca Science Editor Bianca Lemus Lavarreda science@thevarsity.ca Sports Editor Murad Hemmadi sports@thevarsity.ca Associate Design Editor Vacant Associate Photo Editor Vacant Associate Online Editor Patrick Love Associate Copy Editor Vacant Associate News Editor Sarah Taguiam Associate Comment Editor Vacant Associate A&E Editor Assunta Alegiani Brigit Katz Associate Features Editor Vacant Associate Science Editor Vacant Associate Sports Editor Vacant Copy Editors Yi Qing Sim Reshara Alviarez Bernarda Gospic Tina Hui Designers Jenny Kim Michelle Yuan Suzy Nevins Yasi Eftekhari
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VARSITY COMMENT
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Transphobia in Toronto Blatant transphobia appears in full-page ads in the National Post and Toronto Sun Savannah Garmon VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
A firestorm of criticism has erupted in response to an ad that recently appeared in the National Post and Toronto Sun. Placed by Charles McVety’s so-called Institute for Canada Values (ICV), the ad features a wide-eyed young girl accompanied by the phrase “Please! Don’t confuse me,” followed by, “I’m a girl. Don’t teach me to question if I’m a boy, transexual [sic.], transgendered, intersexed or two-spirited [sic.]” The ad attacks a new Toronto District School Board (TDSB) resource guide that provides teachers with an age-appropriate approach to sex education that incorporates both sexual and gender diversity. For example, in an activity outline called “‘Pink versus Blue’ — Challenging Gender Stereotypes,” students are asked to divide a group of toys into “girl toys,” “boy toys,” or those that are genderneutral. Students are asked to question why they associate gender with certain toys. They are further asked how a child might be singled out if they do not conform to traditional gender norms, such as a boy who likes to skip rope or a girl who plays sports better than the boys, and how that might hurt the child’s feelings. The lesson is clearly aimed at preventing bullying. It is not designed to convince a young girl to consider becoming a boy, or vice-versa. That being said, there is the possibility that someone in the class might have some such inclination — I did. Growing up in rural North Carolina, I knew from around the age of six I was somehow different. I knew that while my body was ‘boy’ and others viewed me that way, I felt
more like one of the girls. I didn’t completely understand it or know what it meant (I first heard the word ‘transgender’ around the age of 20), but I was a smart kid and I knew that if I shared my feelings I could expose myself to isolation and violence. So I hid myself and, though it wasn’t intentional, gradually internalized that fear as deep shame. It took about 20 years before I could seriously begin the process of unlearning that shame, overcome (ironically) self-imposed isolation, and begin living as myself. That process was not always fun, but I survived it, which is an immense source of pride for me today. The ICV ad is meant to tell my story, only with the opposite conclusion: trans children, intersex children, or anyone who does not conform should learn silence. Silence is often enforced through bullying. Consider the case of an intersex child, who has no choice about the fact that their bodies may not conform to either female or male stereotypes. There is no shortage of horror stories about surgeries performed on such children, combined with attempts to force conformity to either normative gender category — only to have them reject such assigned roles later in life, often resulting in great misery or even suicide. This is why an intersex child must be afforded safe space to work out their own gender, which will not happen in school without strong classroom guidance. The ICV ad attempts to undo that, calling on provincial party leadership to “stop confusing” the little girl in the picture. This effectively acts to silence intersex and trans children into shame and self-erasure, possibly even reinstating bullying as a means to accomplish that.
The ICV ad is meant to tell my story, only with the opposite conclusion: trans children, intersex children, or anyone who does not conform should learn silence.
The ad generated significant protest, compelling the National Post to issue a ham-fisted apology (that itself confuses gender identity with sexuality). Unfortunately, some responses even from LGBTI organizations have been less than stellar, with many describing the ad as “homophobic” or “anti-gay.” The ad certainly does contain (mostly implied) homophobia, which must be condemned. However, the ad aggressively targets trans and intersex individuals. Make no mistake, this is intentional — the religious right believes that by attacking more marginalized members of the LGBTI community they will eventually create an opening to attack the entire community. The appropriate response is not for mainstream gay organizations to avoid discussing trans issues, but rather, to stand up forcefully in order to disarm such an attack. What’s worse, avoiding the issue acts as yet another erasure of trans identities and trans and intersex bodies — ironic, considering that is the intent of the ad itself. On October 2, the heat was turned up further when it was reported that Progressive Conservative candidates in upcoming provincial elections were distributing flyers with a similar message, claiming that the TDSB manual promotes “cross-dressing for six-year olds.” Such bizarre claims obviously represent an intense fear of trans and intersex acceptance that must be countered with a forceful response. We must call on both the Toronto Sun and the PC provincial party to issue a public apology, and for mainstream LGBTI organizations to stand unwavering in the face of anti-trans hate speech.
Contributors Rida Fatema Ali, Mayce Al-‐Sukhni, Patrick Baud, Tanya Debi, Daniel Direkoglu, Savannah Garmon, Craig Gilchrist, Bernarda Gospic, Kevin Grace, Andrew Johnson, Gabriella Lambert, Laura Maize, Madeline Malczewska, Isaac Owusu, Dalana Parris, Samantha Preddie, Tessie Riggs, Andrew Stobo Sniderman, Charlotte Smith, Akihiko Tse, David Woolley, Irina Vukosavic
Board of Directors Chief Executive Officer Paul Humphrey ceo@thevarsity.ca Chief Financial Officer Vacant cfo@thevarsity.ca Chief Operations Officer Matthew D. H. Gray coo@thevarsity.ca Editor-‐in-‐Chief Tom Cardoso editor@thevarsity.ca Board Members Lauren Ash (St. George) Jessica Denyer (St. George) Matthew D. H. Gray (St. George) Paul Humphrey (St. George) Ariel Lewis (Staff) Andrew Rusk (Staff) Erene Stergiopoulos (Masthead) Vacant (UTSC) Vacant (UTM) Vacant (ProFac) Vacant (ProFac) Vacant (ProFac)
Business Office Business Manager Arlene Lu business@thevarsity.ca Advertising Executives ads@thevarsity.ca Jamie C. Liu jamie@thevarsity.ca Kalam Poon kalam@thevarsity.ca Ivana Strajin ivana@thevarsity.ca The Varsity is the University of Toronto's largest student newspaper, publishing since 1880. The Varsity has a circulation of 20,000, and is published by Varsity Publications, Inc. It is printed by Master Web Inc. on recycled newsprint stock. Content © 2011 by The Varsity. All rights reserved. Any editorial inquiries and/or letters should be directed to the sections associated with them; emails listed above. The Varsity reserves the right to edit all submissions. Inquiries regarding ad sales can be made to ads@thevarsity.ca. ISSN: 0042-‐2789 Please recycle this issue after you are finished with it.
An omnibus of abuse
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is treating Parliament like a rubber stamp Patrick Baud VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
With much of Canada focused on provincial and territorial elections, the Harper government has enjoyed a quiet start to the fall session of Parliament, its first full session as a majority government. It has used this lull in attention for federal politics to introduce an omnibus justice bill that includes all of the crime bills that had not been passed before the election in May. The bill — a major plank in the Conservative platform — contains many controversial provisions, the balance of which would see more Canadians spend more time in prison for the same crimes. What is most egregious about the bill, however, is not its provisions, but rather how the government has introduced it. Since an omnibus bill is treated as a single piece of legislation, it will receive a fraction of the debate and scrutiny in committee than each bill would have if considered separately considered in
its original form. The result is that it is much harder for the opposition to effectively hold the government accountable particularly for the necessity of specific provisions of the bill such as mandatory minimum sentences for particular crimes. If the Harper government could prove that it was necessary to adopt the justice bills quickly, then it might be appropriate for them to be combined into an omnibus bill. However, the government has not been able to provide much aside from vague arguments to justify why this legislation must be passed. Crime rates in Canada are already low and falling, and there is little evidence that tougher sentences act as an effective deterrent against crime. It may be that the government has information to the contrary, but if they do not care to share it with Canadians then the urgency has simply been manufactured. In fact, the Conservative government has somewhat unintentionally provided clear evidence as to why
the omnibus justice bill should not be passed by systematically refusing to provide the opposition with any information about the bill’s anticipated costs. Tougher crime laws mean more prosecutions, which will put tremendous pressure on an already overburdened criminal justice system. This will also mean that more Canadians will receive prison sentences, which will require the renovation of existing prisons, the construction of new ones, and the hiring of more staff for these institutions. Without this information, the opposition lacks the resources to make an informed decision about whether to support the legislation. Moreover, the Harper government has announced its intention to invoke cloture on the bill, which is a legislative procedure that allows them to limit debate in Parliament. In this case, the government is expected to reduce debate to as little as two days. This is far too little for a bill that could prove extremely costly to implement and have dev-
astating social consequences, as has been the case in American states that have adopted tough crime laws. As with omnibus legislation, cloture should not be used unless there is a clear need to protect public safety or there has been a concerted effort by the opposition to filibuster a bill. The Conservative government has not been able to justify why it has chosen to bundle its justice bills into a single omnibus bill nor why they have invoked cloture on debate on the bill. The only possible reason for doing so is political expediency, which means that they have little regard for the importance of parliamentary scrutiny. This signals a disturbing shift in the prime minister’s political thinking. Stephen Harper seems to think that there is no reason for Parliament to serve as anything more than a rubber stamp. This approach to Parliament severely undermines Canadian democracy because it keeps the opposition from being able to meaningfully scrutinize the government’s proposals.
VARSITY COMMENT
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2011
7
Lactose intolerance
Why banning the sale of raw milk harms us as consumers and citizens David Woolley
BERNARDA GOSPIC/THE VARSITY
VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
There is a certain substance in this country that is illegal. If someone passed it to you, you’d probably accept it willingly, as would the majority of other people. Yet our government insists on keeping it illegal and spending taxpayer dollars prosecuting the offenders of a victimless crime. It is time this country realized once and for all, that we need to legalize milk — well, raw milk, that is: the natural, unpasteurized form of the beverage we all have such fond childhood memories of dipping cookies into. In Canada it is illegal to market, sell, or distribute unpasteurized milk. Being convicted involves a fine or a jail sentence and this is the predicament Ontario farmer Michael Schmidt found himself in. Schmidt ran a dairy farm in which he sold shares. He would then provide the shareholders with the raw milk the government had prevented them from getting through less clandestine means. In January 2010, Schmidt was acquitted of 19 counts of selling raw milk. However, on September 28, 2011, the Ontario Court of Justice overturned this decision, finding him guilty of 15 out of the 19 charges. Supposedly, the ban on raw milk is a form of consumer protection. The government mandates pasteurization in order to prevent individuals from unknowingly
consuming E. Coli, salmonella or listeria. Surely consumer protection requires that consumers be ignorant to the inherent risks involved in what they are consuming. This was not the case with Michael Schmidt and the shareholders to which he sold the raw milk. These were people who were fully aware of what they were purchasing and bought it because of — not in spite of — the lack of pasteurization. Schmidt himself has argued that the danger of unpasteurized milk comes from large production facilities in which milk from multiple sources is mixed together and one spoiled batch infects the rest. On his farm, Schmidt and the shareholders he sold to knew exactly where the milk came from and what was involved in the production process. If anything, they were much more informed than the traditional consumer, they were certainly more informed than consumers of the processed meats, eggs, and produce that recently infected large numbers of people in North America and Europe with the same bacteria that supposedly motivated a ban on raw milk. As Schmidt has himself noted, none of these products have been banned. It is only raw milk producers who are not given the benefit of the doubt in ensuring the safety of their product. There is another argument against the legalization of raw milk: that it is not so much a consumer protection measure as a taxpayer protection measure. In Canada,
we have a system of universal healthcare, funded by the taxpayer. If an individual gets sick, it costs the health-care system to treat them. If an individual consumes something like raw milk, knowingly or not it will supposedly heighten their probability of getting sick, thereby costing the taxpayer more money. Therefore, we must ban raw milk in order to prevent the spending of taxpayer money on treating people with raw milk-related ailments. If this is the case, then the ban should be extended to all products associated with the spread of dangerous bacteria — although this might rile corporate agri-business interests, which are much more powerful than small-yield, independent farmers like Michael Schmidt. If the prohibition of raw milk is about keeping people safe, then let’s enforce the clear labelling of raw milk as is done with other unpasteurized products like apple cider or honey — with an obvious label on the product stating that it is unpasteurized and that this may add a certain amount of risk to its consumption. Also, let’s extend this requirement to other products with similar risk. But once we do that, let’s treat people like adults and allow them to make their own decisions. People aren’t stupid: they won’t knowingly and continually consume things that make them ill. The ban is a much greater indictment of the faith we have in each other than it is of raw milk.
Comment in brief Are you looking forward to Thanksgiving?
Autumn is my favourite time of year, with its vibrant leaves, cooler temperatures, fall fashions, and delicious food. There’s pumpkin pie, cider, and turkey, all to be enjoyed during your Thanksgiving meal. However, I also think it’s important to get back to the root of the holiday: giving thanks. Maybe it’s old-fashioned, but I stand by the fact that Thanksgiving is a time when we can take a moment to appreciate all that we’ve been given and all that we take for granted. This weekend will be a few days for us to stop stressing about our crazy, hectic lives as students and to be with family instead. When you think about it, it’s one of the only holidays that has not been completely dominated by capitalists trying to make money through gifts and decorations. Rather, it is a time to be thankful for the good things in our life and, obviously, great food. — Samantha Preddie
THE F WORD The word “Thanksgiving” has always left a bad taste in my mouth — and not because of annual struggles with a burnt turkey and rotten cranberries. Making the life-altering decision to become a vegetarian at the age of three had inevitable repercussions. Iron deficiency and weak bones are not what concerns me; I’m pointing my finger at every single classmate who told me I couldn’t celebrate Thanksgiving due to my repulsion of meat. These close-minded individuals ruined the holiday for me every year until I was about 16, which was when I just started telling them I wished the worst ills upon all of them. The ritual of gorging yourself as if you expect to be malnourished for the remainder of the year sickens me. Thanksgiving, to me, has absolutely nothing to do with having a food baby or getting so drunk that you make out with your second cousin. It’s about family and friends, and being able to let them know how grateful you are for them. I’ll be fasting over Thanksgiving weekend to symbolize my contempt towards all those who feast. Thanks a lot, jerks. — Bernarda Gospic
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To put it simply, and not at all poetically, the answer is yes, I am looking forward to Thanksgiving. It’s for two simple reasons: pumpkin and pie (when put together in that order). It’s not exactly Shakespeare, but it’s enough to make one salivate inappropriately in public. As for society at large, Thanksgiving has become like planking; we don’t care so much about the specifics of how the tradition could have possibly started, but we’re willing to humour those who participate because we might get a meal out of it. You may call kids today a gang of tone-deaf-craft-gluesniffers for liking a television program about people from New Jersey with learning disabilities infinitely fascinating, but we are plenty grateful when it comes to the things that count, namely, food. — Tessie Riggs
BERNARDA GOSPIC/THE VARSITY
GRATEFUL FOR FOOD
Gather new skills, strengthen existing gf]k Yf\ Z]f]Õl from exposure to new cultures and people. Ernst & Young’s Global Student Exchange Program is your opportunity to go outside your time and comfort zones. Visit ey.com/ca/possibilities to learn more.
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VARSITY COMMENT
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2011
comment@thevarsity.ca
In defence of private schools The Ministry of Education should better respect private education Craig Gilchrist every private school in the province all private school grads, myself includThere are faults VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR simply lets its students coast through ed. To clarify: school and hand over diplomas when in the current 1. I have never purchased a rewrite This past June, I graduated high school, the price is right. for a test, nor have I ever been made and after having earned my place at U Despite my chagrin that my peers education system such an offer. of T, began to prepare myself for the judge me based on my non-public edu2. If I asked a teacher to boost my next exciting chapter of my life. cation, the biggest proponent of this and it may seem mark without me earning it, they I feel the need to make it clear that I stereotype is the Ministry of Education would laugh in my face. earned my acceptance although I have itself. Two years ago, the Ministry of to most that 3. Yes, I wore a uniform, and funnily attended private school for the last de- Education introduced a plan to bring enough, I miss it. cade. While this may not seem to make transparency to the private school trying to save 4. I didn’t steal your scholarship. a difference to most individuals, it has system, proposing that on a student’s There are faults in the current eduled some to question the validity of my transcript for credits earned outside the reputation of cation system, and it may seem to enrollment. public high schools, a “P” would be afmost that trying to save the reputaThese accusations all come at the fixed. This label would be there for the private school tion of private school students should heels of the Toronto Star’s recent expo- purpose of helping universities betnot be at the top of the Ministry of sé on private schools that grant credits ter distinguish a student who earned students should Education’s agenda. However, the to undeserving students. Don’t get me grades “legitimately,” as opposed to trouble that the Ministry has caused wrong, there are definitely schools in one who had allegedly bought them by not be at the top for students like me, along with my Ontario that have questionable aca- paying a private school tuition. While private school peers, should not be demic practices. I’ve heard stories of this system is so confusing that most of the Ministry taken lightly; I believe it is an issue teachers allowing their students to universities simply ignore it, even if that should be addressed with the rewrite tests for $100 a-piece or for universities’ registrars aren’t evaluat- of Education’s greatest expediency. students who are able to negotiate a ing students based on “Ps” on their Instead of simply placing all prigrade they did not deserve. However, transcripts, these private schools have agenda. vate schools into a category that most by no means does this mean that garnered inescapable stereotype that people don’t understand, why doesn’t
the province dedicate its resources to make it easier for universities, colleges, and all other post-secondary institutions to distinguish a good credit from a bad one? This could be done through stricter inspection standards in both the private and public systems, and making sure that all schools across Ontario are adhering to the provinces set curriculum. Not only would this ensure that every deserving student have a chance to go to university, it would also mean that universities would be better equipped themselves to separate the proverbial wheat from the chaff and offer guidance to students who are struggling. Ultimately, there is no easy solution to this problem. There never is with education. However, what the province, and those who believe that private schools are all “grades-for-cash” establishments, need to realize that there are completly legitimate schools out there that produce excellent students who deserve a fine post-secondary education.
A DIFFERENT CHOICE FOR YOUR MASTERS. STUDY IN SCOTLAND. Come and meet us in Toronto: Sunday 16 October The Gladstone Hotel 1214 Queen Street West 12 - 5pm. Montreal: Saturday 22 October McGill Postgraduate Student Society David Thomson House 3650 McTavish 1- 6pm. Scholarships available. Register at www.studyinscotland.org.uk/canada
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VARSITY FEATURES
Get stuffed
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2011
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he day after Thanksgiving can be rough. That epic meal leads to an intense food coma, and you probably never want to look at poultry ever again. But what do you do with all of those Thanksgiving leftovers your parents insisted you take home?
Sky Blue Sky Sandwich Company (605 Bloor St. West, just west of Bloor and Bathurst), Toronto’s best Wilco-themed sandwich shop, takes us through their version of the time-honoured tradition of the Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich: the One Wing ($4.99).
What you’ll need: Bread of your choice Turkey Cream cheese Cranberry sauce Stuffing Gravy (optional)
Take two slices of your favourite bread (try it with whole wheat!) Spread a light layer of cream cheese on one side Add a dollop of cranberry sauce on top as desired Sprinkle stuffing over your cranberry and cheese foundation Top it off with some turkey slices, and lightly toast your concoction in an oven
Enjoy!
Photo of One Wing sandwich by Bernarda Gospic
10 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2011
arts’ arts
VARSITY ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
arts@thevarsity.ca
Art Caught By Daniel Direkoglu You don't craft art as much as you catch it Somewhere on the shards of Love's smile, running barefoot Over your thinking day. And night, Who makes the sun laugh as he tickles Her hands, knows art isn't hanging On a cliff or a nail waiting to be saved, Or made by you who squint your eyes Holding tools and a delicate disguise Over a tiny page. Because once a love Says something to you and waits for you To start running a poem is a pain, And not worth the world you regain While sitting down. So show your face and toes, Artist, before you think The world a mirror that won't laugh around Your quiet words and their tired sound.
Batter, Banter, and Laughter by Konstantine Polyzois There's no two Ways about it. Your Love is suspicious. My momentary need Is highly insistent. We Might disagree, But My Love Is Very likely. And like me, You need A force that is very frightening. I don't really mind A movement like mine. In others you might, But I can't. Can't. Can't you can always define A world that is faster? But batter, banter, and laughter Is all we're ever after.
by Haley Park
VARSITY ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
arts@thevarsity.ca
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2011
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Overture, curtain, politics! UC Drama alumni take a political approach with Pandemic Theatre Madeline Malczewska VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
Those who have chosen to pursue an arts degree are often told that finding work will be nearly impossible. A group of alumni from U of T’s own UC Drama Program have challenged this assertion by creating their own theatre company. Pandemic Theatre has four resident artists: Tom Arthur Davis, Tara Grammy, Jiv Parasram, and Alex Rubin. With this base, they produce political theatre, often drawing on the talents of both past and present UC drama students, as is the case with their upcoming production entitled Murder on Ossington. Pandemic Theatre had their first production in November 2009. Last year, they had their first full season, which they titled “The Season of Displacement.” They mainly produce works that are written and directed by one or more of their resident artists. Often, the scripts are inspired by events in the lives of the resident artists. For example, last season’s Mahmoud was inspired by the “split identity” of Tara Grammy, an Iranian-Canadian. Davis asserts that the plays, which are not directly linked to personal narratives, often derive from “reactions to the sensationalistic news coverage.” In Toronto, this sensationalism is very visible, especially with the memory of G20 barely behind us. The official mandate of Pandemic Theatre is “to create productions emphasizing personal stories situated within their political realities.” The political theme is evoked simply in the names of past Pandemic productions — My Gaza ‘Tis of Thee and Guantanamo Hotels & Resorts, to name a couple. When asked about the mandate of the company, Artistic Director Tom Davis stated that “all theatre is political, no matter what. Just like life. [...] I guess what we try to do is to be conscious of the politics we’re talking about.” Theatre helps to make accessible
the stories which have been told again and again in North America. Envisioning the experiences of people who are either lauded or demonized consciously can give new levels of awareness to political situations in a way that is unavailable in journalism. Pandemic shows that the news and entertainment sections of the newspaper need not be divorced through their political theatre. The company is prepared for another full season in 2011/2012, called “The Season of Violence.” There will be a total of five shows in the season, two of which had their runs over the summer. The most recent, This Wide Night, had its run at Theatre Passe Muraille and was directed by John Michaelson. Pandemic is becoming a more polished company, firmly out of its adolescence and into a more established playing field. The season will also feature a production of Professor Antje Budde’s Miss Toronto and will also have Stephen Bush, acting instructor and essayist, directing a work under the Pandemic name. The next show on Pandemic’s roster is Murder on Ossington, but if you’re envisioning a theatre with a set, then think again. Instead, Pandemic has decided to do a site-specific show. This means that audiences (limited to 10 people per show) will meet at an undisclosed location at 8pm each night of the run.
In order to see the show, potential audience members have been instructed to e-mail tix@ pandemictheatre.ca in order to reserve their spots, at which point, they will be given directions to the opening location of the play. When asked about the limited audience size, Davis says that “it is an important aspect of the performance. It adds a very intense intimacy, which will bring a much larger sense of
danger for the audience. The more intimate the setting, the less people feel that they can escape. This is kind of the opposite of a scary movie.” The larger themes of the play are also shrouded in secrecy, but with Pandemic, everything is political, even murder. Murder on Ossington runs from Friday to Sunday at 8 pm during the last three weeks of October.
The $10 Restaurateur with Laura Kathleen Maize
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The green place has a proper name, and it’s Buk Chang Dong Soondooboo Dolsot Bap. It only has nine items on the menu, but those items are so mind-blowingly good that you couldn't wish for more. (And, according to a picture on the wall, neither could former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson). My favourite is the broiled BBQ (beef) and hot stone pot rice, which will run you $8.85, followed closely by the soybean soon tofu and the hot stone pot bibimbap at $7.53 each. If you feel like going slightly over our $10 limit, get a nice, cold Hite beer. And don’t be afraid to ask for refills on the little snack dishes!
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ittle Korea, on Bloor St between Christie and Bathurst, is where I head anytime I am too tired to cook (which is pretty often). I know I can always get a meal for under $10 from one of the many yummy restaurants, the only hard part is deciding where to go. I used to have weekly arguments with a guy I was dating (we never fought about anything else) because he always wanted to go to the red place, and I always wanted to go to the green place. Because the restaurant names are usually in Korean, the colour of their signs and their proximity to Clinton’s is generally what I use to describe them. But I digress…
While Blondie may be best known for pioneering the New Wave movement of the late 1970’s, the band also holds an important place in the history of rap music. The 1981 hit, “Rapture,” was the first rap song to hit the top of the charts and was the first rap video ever broadcast on MTV. A “man from Mars” who’s “eatin’ cars” may seem like a meaningless rhyme, but Debbie Harry’s verses proved to be significant in the history of popular music.
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VARSITY SCIENCE
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2011
science@thevarsity.ca
Solar energy plays hard to get Photosynthesis may unlock the power of renewable energy resources VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
The declining supply of oil, natural gases, coal, and petroleum, coupled with the costs of extraction, has many people fearful of the future sources of energy. Scientists have been using renewable energy resources such as wind and water to help maintain our energy supplies, but even building a hydroelectric dam can damage ecosystems while wind turbines can take up useful space. Although the sun is our most abundant resource, humans have yet to master how to efficiently harness its energy. However, a new review paper in Nature by University of Toronto chemistry professor Gregory Scholes and his colleagues from the United States and Europe have revealed new ways to combat the demand for non-renewable energy sources by tapping into the powers of photosynthesis. The chemical process of photosynthesis assists plants in their growth by transforming carbon dioxide with the sun’s rays into sources of energy that can nour-
ish them. Scholes and a team of scholars believe that more of the sun’s light can be used efficiently by studying the antenna complex of plants, also known as the light-harvesting complex. Doing so would allow for the capture and routed flow of energy over long distances. When sunlight hits a plant, it is absorbed by pigments. However, a challenge arises because the sunlight absorbed is only stored for about a billionth of a second. This raises the question of how to efficiently harvest the captured energy before it leaves the artificially designed pigments. Electricity needs to be delivered fast enough to run advancing technologies and cities, but if it cannot be harvested properly, then the whole system fails. It is up to innovative design to come up with systems that can properly harness the sun’s intense energy. A single leaf absorbs over 10 billion photons of light each second, meaning that if artificial antennae can be designed to absorb light the same way plants do, and then solving energy problems would stand a chance.
BERNARDA GOSPIC/THE VARSITY
Andrew Johnson
Apple has its finger on the pulse MAYCE AL-SUKHNI checks out the new ECG app for the iPhone
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sing basic cardiology principles and a lot of ingenuity, Dr. David Albert, an Oklahoma-based physician, scientist, engineer, and entrepreneur, created the first ECG monitoring device for the Apple iPhone. Instead of several wires, sticky electrode pads, and bulky monitors, the iPhone ECG consists of a simple case with two built-in stainlesssteel electrodes. The case, which snaps on to the iPhone 4, along with its app, provides a quality ECG when the electrodes are held in one’s hand or placed directly on the chest. In addition to ECG monitoring, the device has a function for measuring and tracking heart rate. The device made its debut on YouTube late last year when Albert’s channel, ‘LifetoneTechnology,’ uploaded a video showing its use. The interest that followed from the medical and lay community alike was unexpected, least of all by Albert. The video quickly went viral and, according to Albert, it had 25,000 views the day after it was uploaded. As of now, the video has almost 300,000 views. Albert initially created the device to be exclusively compatible with the iPhone 4. He has since created the iCard ECG, which has the same components as the original device but, like its name suggests, resembles a card rather than a case and can be attached using Velcro to other iPhone versions, as well as the iPad tablet. Albert also mentioned that Android versions of the ECG monitor are in production. Though the device is still in its early days, Dr. Caroline Chessex, Clinical Director of the Cardiovascular Rehabilitation and Prevention Program at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, can envision some uses for the smartphone ECG monitor. For one, it may have a role in the ambulatory monitoring of intermediate risk patients. These patients could use the device to track their ECGs
BERNARDA GOSPIC/THE VARSITY
during exercise and then have a medical specialist provide feedback and a tailored exercise prescription based on the readings. Another use could be to monitor events for patients with undiagnosed palpitations. While the modern-day cardiologist has a wide collection of diagnostic tools available for use, the most useful is also one of the oldest — the electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). With the help of various strategically-placed electrodes, an ECG can provide a graphical record of the intrinsic electrical activity of the heart. This information can be used to diagnose cardiac arrhythmias and detect certain cardiac abnormalities and diseases. When more electrodes are employed, the ECG gives a better picture of cardiac functions, but it can still provide valuable information with as few as two electrodes. Albert is quick to warn that when diagnosing a heart attack or detecting potentially fatal congenital cardiac rhythm abnormalities, the device is not a substitute for a more conventional, multi-electrode
ECG. However, he says that the device can be used like an “ECG stethoscope,” allowing for the rapid assessment of cardiac rhythm in a variety of settings. The device can also be used by pharmaceutical companies to collect data on the cardiac rhythms of patients taking certain medications, even after these medications have entered the market and are no longer under direct investigation. Because it is GPS- and internet-enabled, the iPhone ECG allows for the fast transmission of data directly to a medical professional who can then provide an assessment of the results. Albert sees the potential for this device, not only in large North American cities, but also in rural areas and the developing world. Despite the great interest in and potential utility of the iPhone ECG, it is not presently available on the market, as it has not yet been cleared for sale as a medical device in the USA. Once cleared, each device is anticipated to cost less than $100. By comparison, most basic heart rate monitors cost at least $100, if not much more.
SC ENCE N BR EF Making ovarian cancer glow in the dark
Doctors now have a new weapon in the war on cancer. A recent study published in Nature Medicine unveiled a new cancer-fighting technique that allows surgeons to spot ovarian tumours by making them glow in the dark. The authors of the study describe tumour-specific fluorescent imaging as a possible “shift in paradigm of surgical inspection” that provides greater sensitivity than existing methods and eases the difficult removal of tumours. Epithelial ovarian tumours over-express the receptor for vitamin B9, or folate, in 90–95 per cent of patients. These tumours glow when patients are injected with fluorescent folate molecules that are internalized by cancerous cells. The study shows that surgeons guided by the fluorescent label detected a significantly higher number of tumour deposits than unaided surgeons, showing promise for improved clinical outcomes for patients with ovarian cancer. Known as the “silent lady killer,” ovarian cancer is often not diagnosed until its later stages, making it the leading cause of death amongst gynecologic malignancies in the developed world. The authors emphasize that this study represents a significant building block in the future development of tumour-specific targeting for all cancers. — Kevin Grace Source: Nature
Brain exposes “owwies”
A new study published in PLoS ONE has brought about a new way of measuring pain using brain imaging to identify brain activity patterns that correspond to pain. The researchers investigated the brain activity of eight participants using fMRI and a special algorithmic measure. The participants’ skin was exposed to an altered heat probe that could induce pain or not, and an algorithmic measure (called a ‘support vector’) was used to analyze the data in order to find common patterns. The experiment was replicated with 16 other participants, leading the researchers to conclude that they could divide the two conditions of pain with more than 81 percent accuracy. The results of this study will open doors to an objective study of pain, which is known for being complex to diagnose. — Tanya Debi Source: Technology Review
VARSITY SCIENCE
science@thevarsity.ca
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2011
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A tree-hugger sees the climate for the trees ANDREW STOBO SNIDERMAN reviews Tzeporah Berman’s This Crazy Time
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efore Tzeporah Berman became an “enemy of the state,” she was a student at the University of Toronto with thick glasses and an appreciation for a chubby little bird called the marbled murrelet. Berman flew to British Columbia for fieldwork and spent an awed summer in the shadow of thousand-year-old, three-hundredfoot-tall trees, listening for bird calls at dusk and dawn. She figured she could help to protect the forest from logging if she could prove that cute murrelets nested there. Alas, she returned the next year to a moonscape peppered with jagged stumps, the calling card of clear-cutting. What was bad for her thesis data collection was worse for the future of Canadian forests and thousands of species, so she decided to join a blockade in what would eventually become Canada’s largest campaign of civil disobedience in history (Never heard of it? Me neither, but this was way back in 1991, when dinosaurs without internet used to roam the Earth). 20 years later, Berman penned This Crazy Time, a book to “get you off your ass so that you can kick some.” It is part memoir, part dictation of lessons learned, and part throwdown to her fellow environmentalists. Berman’s evolution from logging protester, to boardroom negotiator, to climate campaigner drives the narrative of the book. She first found her “voice” with a megaphone in hand, directing demonstrators who sat in front of tree-slaying, heavy machinery. Over 10,000 Canadians joined the protests in Clayoquot Sound, BC. Berman was arrested and charged with 857 counts of “aiding and abetting,” though she was acquitted shortly after her status as a media darling was secured. She was the spokesperson who convinced 86 per cent of Canadians that logging in Clayoquot should be stopped. Yet, the logging continued, widespread outrage notwithstanding. “Democracy failed,” Berman concluded, so she decided to target the companies that were buying the wood. Berman opted for boycotts and met with far greater success. One particular-
ly memorable campaign targeted Victoria’s Secret catalogues, skinny models printed on dead trees, delivered as junk mail at a rate of a million copies per day. Ads featured a scantily clad blonde bombshell toting a chainsaw under the headline “Victoria’s Dirty Secret.” Boycott campaigns and parallel negotiations with paper customers have helped can-
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cel millions of dollars of logging contracts for BC lumber. When a company agreed with Berman, they sought her advice on where to log, and how, which initiated her into the world of lesser evils. Some companies were sold on more sustainable logging, and Berman was then able to approach governments with her new allies. “It’s one thing to fight or ignore a bunch of hippies blockad-
ing a logging road; it’s quite another thing when those activists are backed by some of the largest corporations in the world.” Despite her many successes, Berman’s book is surprisingly lacking in smugness. This is because she helped to save forests from commercial logging, only to see them threatened by climate change and its ravenous pal, the pine beetle. She realized “fighting for forest without taking on climate change was like repainting the Titanic after hitting the iceberg.” At first, this truth broke her spirits and she retreated to DVDs of Battlestar Galactica and cuddle sessions with her kids. Then Berman took full measure of the carbon behemoth looming on the horizon and rolled up her sleeves once again. Canada has few credible environmental stars, and Berman is among them. She has survived death threats and media stardom, sold Paris Hilton on the merits of forest conservation, and negotiated with First Nations. It’s no fun being lectured about environmental apocalypse by a know-it-all, which is probably why Berman enlisted the help of a comedian, Mark Leiren-Young, as co-author. It seems like Berman promised not to be righteous as long as Leiren-Young wasn’t ironic, and the result is a reminder that it is still possible to be both earnest and funny. Perhaps the book’s biggest contribution is Berman’s take on environmentalism’s “identity crisis.” Her calls for a pragmatic “new environmentalism” could use some branding help, but her suggestions are clear. Do what works, which is typically anything that will cost a business profit or cost a politician votes. Make reducing carbon emissions the top priority, because climate change, is by far, the biggest environmental threat there is. Hydro dams flood forests and wind turbines kill birds, but activists need to keep their eyes on the goal. Finally, come election time, there will be no perfect party or candidate, but people should vote for the leaders who hate carbon the most. “It just makes sense to vote for the person who’s going to save your ass.”
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VARSITY SPORTS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2011
HOME GAMES
sports@thevarsity.ca
Get your head in the game
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO INVITATIONAL WATER POLO Fri. 14 at Athletics Centre – Varsity Pool
U of T psychologists reflect on what makes football players tick
FOOTBALL VS. UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO Sat. 15, 1 pm at Varsity Centre
Linebacker Ejiro (EJ) Kuale stands out not just physically, but verbally in a locker room full of players from the Toronto Argonauts. Sporting sunglasses and speaking with a deep Florida drawl, he’s all fired up following September 24th’s emotional 25–24 victory over the league’s number one team, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He is already prepared for the next opponent. “We [are] here to stay, we [are going to] be in the playoffs,” he says. As for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, “Guess what? They [are] gonna lose next, period, point blank. I’m guaranteeing it!” This is more than a guarantee. With the Argos having a 3–9 record and facing a hated rival,
WOMEN’S SOCCER VS. RYERSON UNIVERSITY Sun. 16, 12 pm at Varsity Centre
Isaac Owusu VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
that a coach uses specific techniques to develop mental toughness. The process of developing this toughness has four facets. The first aspect is “strong self-belief.” Strong self-belief is something coaches look for in players to ensure that what they teach them will be understood and carried out in their performances. “Strong self belief is about confidence, like self-efficacy,” Ahmed explains. “A player has to trust his own abilities going into a task.” The second aspect is “internal motivation to be successful.” This aspect reflects what drives an athlete to perform to the fullest, regardless of past performance. Internal motivation is divided into two parts: “intrinsic” and “extrinsic” motivations. Intrinsic motivation causes a player to perform well for their
physiological activation to maximize performance; that can be something like meditation or stretching,” says Ahmed, “Anything to help [athletes] play at their best.” Coaches use arousalregulation to make players aware of their anxiety and excitement in certain situations. In a physical and emotional game like football, if a player is mentally aware and in control of how they feel, they can more effectively carry out their tasks. Coaches use long and short-term goal setting before each season and each game. It is important that goals be visible to ensure accountability and collected awareness of the task at hand. Inside the Argonauts’ meeting facility at the UTM’s south field, motivational messages, inspiring quotes, and pictures of the teams past successes serve for goal setting. When he took over the Varsity Blues men’s
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some may accuse Kaule of talking big, but in fact, he’s engaging in one of the most important parts of the game: psychology. Psychology creates off field entertainment and thrill for coaches, players, media and the fans. Psychology is not just for the professionals; it is found at all levels of sport, as the similarities between the Toronto Argonauts and U of T’s men’s football team prove. Sports psychology consultant Dr. Peter Papadogiannis, PhD at The Sports Clinic at UTM, explains that predictions like Kaule’s come from a player’s “self-efficacy,” the confidence and belief a player has in their own abilities that they will follow through. “It takes one individual to change the mood of a group,” Papadogiannis explained. “Kuale is taking it from what they need to do to get mentally and physically prepared; they’re taking on additional things and mental energy becomes physical energy very quick.” Whether a team is on a winning streak or having a losing season, like the Argos, the coach’s job involves a large amount of psychology. Faiz Ahmed is a fourth-year psychology and biology student, and plays on the UTM men’s basketball and flag football teams. The aspiring sports psychologist explains that Kaule’s prediction of a guaranteed victory shows an air of confidence that his teammates can either gladly adopt, or resist. When a player goes out on a limb and makes a bold statement, it affects the coach as much as it impacts the players. “So much of coaching theory comes from sports’ psychology,” Ahmed says. He explains
own personal satisfaction and is needed for an athlete to perform at a high level. Extrinsic motivation allows for a limited level of performance, since the athlete is motivated by outside forces like fame, friends, family, coaches, money or media. The third side of mental toughness is “the ability to focus on one’s thoughts and beliefs without distraction.” A coach’s duty is to have their players prepared to focus on their individual and group tasks, whether on or off the field. Kuale’s prediction of victory presented an unconscious distraction for the team. Argonauts’ head coach Jim Barker’s job is to confront distractions like this and help the players ignore their effects. The final aspect of mental toughness used by coaches is the “ability to compose oneself under pressure.” Different techniques are employed to keep an athlete’s mind at ease “Imagery,” “arousal regulation,” and “goal setting” are effective and commonly used techniques. Barker, like other coaches, uses game film, communication, and repetitive tasks during practice to create “imagery.” Imagery is literally imagining yourself executing a task. When done enough times effectively, a person’s brain cannot differentiate whether what was done was real or imagined. “If a player imagines making a game winning play in their head enough times, when they go to do it, their brain’s going to be confident,” says Ahmed. “they’re actually going to believe that they hit it a thousand times in their head.” Arousal-regulation constitutes “cognitive or
football team at the start of this season, head coach Greg Gary spoke of reversing the negative mentality that has plagued the team through many years of losing seasons. “We didn’t know how to compete; we had to learn how to compete and how to practice,” Gary said. “My task was to change that and change the culture.” “You have to create a newness, inspire people, create optimism, show that it’s going to change,” Papadogiannis explains. “It’s called human capital in business. You need to get the people that move the ship to buy into the plan. “You need to have a vision, place the vision, and then you have to follow through on it; you have to walk [the walk], and the players say ‘Wow! Coach is changing things, and I see it and feel it.’” Was Kuale’s prediction more than simply motivating himself — a tactic to intimidate the opponents? “I don’t think our guys can think it out like that, in terms of it being a tactic,” Barker joked. Kuale’s prediction failed to come true as the Argonauts lost 27–12 to the Ti-Cats on October 1. The player took responsibility for his one-tackle performance, but remained confident and did not regret his guarantee the week prior. “I would still say the same thing this week; it’s about my team and I believe in my team.” Kaule said. “I will take responsibility for [Terry Grant’s 89 yard touchdown] run, because I am the linebacker. “[We] were disappointed, but I know we’re not giving up. We’re going to keep pushing on for the rest of the season. There is still something to play for.”
sports@thevarsity.ca
VARSITY SPORTS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2011
15
New Director of Athletics and Recreation for UTSC Scott McRoberts brings a wealth of experience to role Akihiko Tse VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
Scott McRoberts, newly appointed Director of Athletics and Recreation at the University of Toronto Scarborough can vividly recall being in the Canadian team’s changing room in the aftermath of Canada’s shocking 5–3 loss to Russia in the World Junior Hockey Championships earlier this year. “You [could] hear a pin drop. There were a lot of emotions going around. It wasn’t anger. It was devastating; I’ve never experienced emotion like that as a bystander,” said McRoberts, who was on the Host Organizing Committee for the WJHC. McRoberts graduated from Brock University with a Bachelors degree in sports management before obtaining a Masters in sports management at the University of San Francisco. He was an adjunct professor from 2007 to 2009 in the graduate program and, while collaborating with San Francisco City Hall to develop its Sport Tourism strategy, co-founded the San Francisco Sports Council. He was most recently Director of the Niagara Sports Committee. McRoberts is the founder of McRoberts LLC, an international sport management firm specializing in marketing, sponsorship, and the hosting of major sporting events, and also of West Coast Tennis Services, which focuses on community programming.
The Varsity: What have been your impressions of UTSC so far? Scott McRoberts: I really love it. The most impressive thing is the relationships and family atmosphere … the open door policy where you can just talk to students all the time. From the top down, everyone has been tremendous and welcoming. TV: What about UTSC appealed to you? SM: U of T is a well-known establishment, but UTSC has something growing here and it’s exciting to be a part of. I’ve been teaching at universities and I’ve been working in athletics … this job allowed me to take my passions — which [are] community development and working with students in sports facility management — [and wrap them] into one job. I knew one day I needed to go into athletics [in] a university setting to consolidate those passions of mine.
three someone who’s learning to swim for the first time, all in the same pool. TV: What major sporting events have you been a part of? SM: [While on the San Francisco Sport Council], we held the largest International Children’s Games event in the world, which was one of our biggest achievements. A number of friendships between the youth were formed, and [these] broke down the barriers. It educated the children on what was happening in [one-anothers’] countries. I worked at Stanford University and we put on the National Senior Games — that was 10,000 athletes, 23 sports, and 16 days. I helped run the NCAA March Madness Tournament and Sweet 16 to the Elite 8 for basketball in 2007 and this past year I was on the board of directors for the Host Organizing Committee for the 2011 WJHC, which is an event I watch religiously, so being a part of that was great.
TV: As an educator and sports consultant, could you outline how the sports manage- TV: How do you feel about the results both on ment that you’ve specialized in can be ap- and off the ice? plied to a university setting? SM: It was an emotional event from start to finSM: I think it’s [about] integrating more of the ish. I was with the team seconds after the loss, community in here, and having people who and they took it really hard. The fact that some haven’t yet realized that they can achieve some- reports came out after, saying they didn’t care thing … come here. I think the most impressive was astonishing because I saw first hand how thing the new Pan Am facility offers is the fact devastated they were. It’s great for Russia; they that in lane one, you could have an Olympian, came back and won it, but knowing that some in lane two an aspiring Olympian, and in lane T:10”of those [Russian] players were on the plane
that recently crashed is devastating. The result was devastating as a Canadian, but what made me proud that day was the class [with] which they handled themselves; they didn’t throw anything around the dressing room or break anything. They were very supportive of each other. It was a fantastic experience. I think the greatest thing about the event was that I got to work with the [Buffalo] Sabre’s organization and really got to see the inner workings of [the team] from an NHL standpoint. TV: What do you hope to bring to UTSC? SM: I hope to continue my success of bringing partnerships and collaborations [between] the community and schools. There’s nothing more powerful than bringing kids over to a university and being recreational in its facilities. Some people don’t think they can achieve going to a university, and I think this helps provide that. [Having been] a part-time faculty at a few universities, I would love to see a sports management program at U of T. I think it’s growing among colleges and universities, and with the new facilities here, there’s greater opportunities for internships and co-ops. TV: Will you be proposing that to the university board or the dean any time soon? SM: [Laughs] In due time. I’d love to … see a few courses on campus and I think, with where the university is going, it would be a great asset.
Mom! Coffeemaker crashed. Need caffeine for cramming. $$$end help. T:7.5”
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Streeters 16
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2011
The Varsity
What is your goal for the upcoming school year?
photographed and compiled by Rob Leone
ALICE, 2ND YEAR PSYCHOLOGY AND VISUAL ARTS
BEN, 4TH YEAR ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY & PRACTICE
MARINIE, 1ST YEAR LIFE SCIENCE
OLIVIA, 4TH YEAR ENGLISH
“Be confident in what I’m doing – and watch Frasier more.”
“Crack a 3.5 GPA and just giv’r!”
“Find a life goal.”
“Marry rich.”
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SHIA-ZHANG, 4TH YEAR
POLITICAL SCIENCE
“Try to get a better GPA, volunteer more, and handle life well.”