Monday, February 22, 2010 Volume 36, Issue 18

For the last two months, the UTMSU hasheld caucus meetings during which selectstudent club presidents andUTMSUexec-utives discussed who should run for theUTMSU election that will take place twoweeks from today. After the last meetingon February 9, VP Equity Vickita Bhattwas chosen as the unofficial candidate forthe presidency, said three participants ofthe meeting. Bhatt neither confirmed nordenied this, saying only that she had metwith individuals regardless of their posi-tion atUTM.During the meetings, UTMSU execu-

tives encouraged select club presidents toask questions and vote on who theybelieved should run for president of theUTMSU. But according to Henry Ssali,current VP External and now an indepen-dent candidate for the presidency, the votewas “already skewed to [VP Equity]VickitaBhatt.”Current UTMSU executive Maria Pilar

Galvez joined Bhatt and Ssali in seekingout support from UTMSU and club exec-utives during these meetings, which wereheld in the South Building Antechamberon three separate occasions: January 27,February 4 andFebruary 9.The group ruled out Pilar Galvez as

presidential candidate during the secondmeeting on February 4, said attendants ofthe meeting. A tie vote between Ssali andBhatt led the group to call a third meetingon February 9 to hear from these two can-didates again.Finally, a majority of the caucus group,

whichwas primarilymade upof club pres-idents, cast its vote inBhatt’s favour.Among club presidents who came to

these meetings were Baptist StudentMinistries president Jonathan Wahab,Caribean Connections president DelphinoGilbert Cassar, II, Erindale ChineseStudent Association president KennethPeng, Erindale College African StudentAssociation presidentAdekunieAjisebutu,Hindu Student Council president GarimaBhatt, Muslim Students Association presi-dent FahadTariq andCCITCouncil presi-dent StephanieChan.HSC president Garima Bhatt, who was

part of the “caucus” group, admitted thatshe was “surprised when asked to be partof it by UTMSU.” As to why the groupdecided to support the current UTMSUVP Equity, the HSC president said thatthere had been “deliberation” as well as“speeches and discussion.” Moreover, shemaintained that the HSC has not officiallyendorsed a candidate despite the caucus’sdecision.

MSA president Fahad Tariq claims hewas asked to be part of the caucus groupbyUTMSUexecutives because “our club islarge. We were helping in the decision-making process.We just voted onwho theUTMSUexecutives [who are not running]should endorse.” With roughly 1,000members, the MSA is one of the largestclubson campus.According to Tariq, the MSA has not

officially selected a candidate to endorse.The president claims that the club remainsopen to meeting all candidates and willofficially endorse a presidential candidateonce they meet with everyone during thecampaignperiod.When a campus student club endorses

a candidate, executive members commu-nicate their endorsement throughFacebook messages and emails to all itsmembers indicating who they should votefor. Large clubs may thus have a consider-

able say inwhowins the election.As for Bhatt, the chosen candidate, she

resigned from the Elections and Referendacommittee approximately 30minutes afterthe elections and referenda committeemetto hire of the Chief Returning Officer andtheDeputyReturningOfficer.Bhatt admits she sought support from

the caucus group, but declined to answerwhy she sought clubpresidents for supportin her decision to run for UTMSUPresident. Bhatt also declined to answerwhether she felt she now has an advantageover other candidates.According to VP External Henry Ssali,

any student “who feels comfortable andqualified to run for any position shouldrun and let [other] students decide whothey want their representatives to be,instead of one that’s hand-picked by 6/10people.”Asked why he had come to the meet-

ings if he disagreed with them so much,Ssali said, “I learned about this caucusgroup through the President's text mes-sage, which indicated that I was requiredto attend a caucus meeting in the AnteRoomat 7p.m.AsVPExternal, part ofmymandate is to attend all meetings orga-nized by the President and as such Iattended to fulfillmyduty.”UTMSU President Joey Santiago could

not be reached for comment.VP Internal and Services Carole Au

Yeung was one of several UTMSU execu-tiveswho tookpart in the caucusmeetings.Au Yeun sits on the Elections andReferendum committee and oversees theconduct and supervision of the Electionsand Referenda of the UTMSU. Moreover,in her position asVP Internal and Services,Au Yeung participated in the hiring of theelections administrators, the ChiefReturning Officer and the DeputyReturning Officer, both of which monitorthe election, enforces the election and pro-cedures codes to ensure a fair process.According to the UTMSU Elections

and Procedure code, “the Elections andReferenda Committee has the ability tooverrule decisionsmade by theCRO.”TheElections and Procedure code further stip-ulates that “all committee members shallact impartially during the Election period.Failure to act impartially may result inremoval and/or censure from the commit-tee.”As of press time, Au Yeu had still not

answered emailed questions aboutwhether she thought she could remainimpartial during the election period afterhelping select which candidate the caucusshould support.Official nomination period forUTMSU

spring elections begins today and endsMarch 5 at 5 p.m. Nomination forms canbe picked up in Student Centre room 115fromLindaFeener.

Has campaigning began before the elections?

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USA- 5 CANADA- 3Despite outshooting and outplayingtheir opponents, the heavily favouredCanadian squad lost a shocker to theUSA 5-3 in their final preliminaryround match. The difference maker ofthe game was none other than USAgoaltender Ryan Miller, who stopped43 shots and made key saves down thestretch to pull off the big upset.Canadian goaltender Martin Brodeurwas particularly shaky, allowing twogoals as result of botched clearing andpoke check attempts on separate occa-sions. As a result of the game, USAautomatically advances to the quarterfinals, while the Canadians have totake the difficult road ahead and willhave to battle in a qualification playoffgame against Germany in order toadvance to the quarter finals.

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 20102 THE MEDIUM

February 11 - 9:44 a.m.Trespass to Property Act

Campus Police attended and inves-t igated a complaint from theRAWC with regards to a verballyabusive male. The male was tres-passed from the facilities.

February 12 - 6:42 p.m.Information

Campus Police responded to a com-plaint regarding an indecent act inthe South Building. The suspectswere gone upon arrival.

February 12 - 11:18 p.m.Trespass to Property Act

While on patrol, Campus Policediscovered a group of males skate-boarding in the CCT garage. Themales were charged and released.

February 13 - 1:14 a.m.By-Law Offences

Campus Police attended several res-idence areas in regards to a noisecomplaint. Campus Police patrolledthe area until it was clear.

February 13 - 1:32 a.m.By-Law Offences

Campus Police responded to a noisecomplaint from a residence build-ing. The residents were compliant.

February 13 - 2:26 a.m.Causing a Disturbance

Campus Police responded to a callwith regards to a group of malestalking loudly outside a residencebui lding. The area was clearedwithout incident.

February 13 - 2:45 a.m.By-Law Offences

Campus Police responded to a noisecomplaint from a residence build-ing. The residents were compliant.

February 13 - 3:02 a.m.Liquor License Act

Campus Police charged a male for

being intoxicated in a public place.

February 13 - 10:50 a.m.Information

Campus Police attended the RAWCto investigate a complaint of tres-passing. Investigation continues.

February 14 - 3:15 p.m.Library Code of Conduct

Campus Pol ice at tended theHMALC in regards to a male caus-ing a disturbance. The male depart-ed when Campus Police arrived.

February 16 - 5:25 p.m.By-Law Offences

Campus Police attended the CCTBuilding in regards to a noise com-plaint. The group of people causingthe noise was told to leave thebuilding.

February 17 - 2:42 a.m.Missing Person

Campus Pol ice was ass is ted inlocating a missing person. The per-son was found without incident.

February 18 - 5:54 p.m.Trespass to Property ActCampus Police attended two sepa-rate calls with regards to trespassersat the RAWC. The males werecharged with trespass ing andreleased.

January 11, 2010 – February 18, 2010Campus police weekly summaries

Like hula hoops in the 50’s, bellbottom jeans in the 70’s and theMacarena dance in the 90’s, socialnetworking websites like Facebookand Twitter have become a newfad that people of all ages are intotoday.But unl ike in the case of the

Macarena, reports related to socialne twork ing s i t e s ind ica te analarming trend. Due to the popu-larity of the “slang” language usedin text messaging and on sites suchas Facebook, the level of grammarand spelling in university studentshas decreased. Indeed, many uni-versity students have begun to usethis slang in their academic andprofessional work.The University of Waterloo was

one of the f i r s t to take ac t ionagainst these complaints. It nowrequi res s tudents to take anEnglish proficiency test. Almost athird of the students test fail thetest ; another thirty per cent arejus t over the pass ing l ine .Moreover , the fa i lure ra te has

jumped from 25 per cent up to 30per cent within the past few years.The reasons for fa i lure varybetween poor grammar and badspelling.According to many university

professors and academic directors,the blame should also be placed onhigh school teachers who have nottaken the time to teach their stu-dents proper grammar usage. AnnBarrett, the managing director ofthe English language proficiencyexam at the Univers i ty o fWaterloo, expressed her frustra-tion at the high school curriculum.“What has happened in highschool that they cannot pass oursimple test of written English, at aminimum?” sa id Barre t t in aninterview with Canadian News.Rummana Khan Hemani , the

director of academic advising atSimon Fraser University in BritishColumbia, reported that many stu-dents use emoticons such as happyfaces and sad faces in their lettersof academic appeal to express theirfeelings. Other students use wordssuch as “cuz” instead of “because,”a long with other abbrevia t ionsthat have initially started as a way

of reducing characters when textmessaging.Paul Budra, an English professor

and associate dean of arts and sci-ence at SFU, explains that “punc-tuation errors are huge, and apos-trophe errors. Students seem tohave absolutely no idea what anapostrophe is for . None. Abso-lutely none.” According to Budra,students almost always misspellwords such as “a lot” and “defi-nitely”“I get their essays and I go, ‘You

obviously don’t know what a sen-tence fragment is. You think com-mas are sor t o f l ike parmesancheese that you sprinkle on yourwords… It’s not that hard to teachbasic grammar,” said Budra, whowarns students that this kind oflanguage wi l l a lways be lookeddown upon in traditional corpora-tions.If technology is partly to blame,

technology may also offer a solu-t ion . Accord ing to Margare tProctor, University of Toronto’swriting support coordinator, soft-ware such as Microsof t Word’sspe l lcheck may be helping stu-dents with their spelling problems.

For many people, signing up for a sav-ings account in North America is a deci-sion strongly influenced by the interestrate the bank offers—the higher, the bet-ter. But in regions such as Saudi Arabia,United Arab Emirates and other Islamiccountries, gaining interest on monetarysums is an option shunned by many.This is due to the belief that, accordingIslamic Shari’a law, earning interest onfinances and investing in commoditiesthat contravene Islamic law are forbid-den practices.As Canada’sMuslim community con-

tinues to grow, the demand for Islamicfinance is on the rise. Canadian banksare unable to cooperate, primarily due toa lack of knowledge on the subject.With the Islamic community expect-

ed to form 4.7 per cent of Canada’s pop-ulation by 2017, the lack of Islamicfinance may become an obstacle foragreements between banks and theirclients, especially since there is no legalbarrier to offering such finance inCanada, as shown by a study by Canada

Mortgage andHousing Corp.To solve this problem, Scarborough’s

Centennial College has decided tobecome the first campus in Canada toteach Islamic finance. The $500 coursewill be available to students as a part ofthe accounting program, as a stand-alone course, or for corporate training,and will be taught by Islamic scholars.“We have created the course in

response to demand from a number ofsectors—including one of the majorbanks that said it wants to be able to talkthe same language as clients whose back-ground is based in Islamic finance,” saidJohn Harris, Centennial’s chair of theaccounting and financial services pro-grams.Throughout the course, students will

learn how to form legal agreementswhere both parties agree to fulfill thedeal without interest. This may be donethrough a letter of credit or guarantee.The course will also cover bank loansand mortgages, among many other top-ics.Observers believe this may be big step

for Canada, since Islamic finance, whichhas increased by 20 per cent each yearsince 2001, is expected to be the fastest-growing segment.

MMIIMMII ZZAALLAATT

Spelling and grammar poor among studentsMMIIMMII ZZAALLAATT

First Islamic finance courseoffered at Centennial College

St. George campus recently intro-duced a new compost bin program towork towards a more environmental-ly friendly version of itself. The pro-gram saw green bins set up aroundthe downtown campus to encouragestudents to compost instead of throw-ing their leftovers in the trash.Meanwhile, St. George studentshelped promote the program byhanding out bookmarks with relevantinformation. The goal of the introducing green

bins and composting to U of T’s St.George campus is to create new waysto reduce the amount of garbage pro-

duction and allow students to live agreener life. Last year alone, 1,200tons of garbage was turned into com-post with the help of the U-Compostteam at U of T. Jacob Locker, a chef and director of

Food Services at U of T, oversaw theimplementation of green bins aroundcampus. He had for some time want-ed to see them spread in smaller on-and off-campus locations. However, aprivate contractor hired by U of T topick up the compost from the greenbins required a minimum amount tobe picked up in each location—anamount that less frequented parts ofthe campus were not as likely toachieve.The program, according to the vol-

unteer students, has been a success. In

an interview with News@UofT, GreenTeam member Ioni Waislguess calledthe bins “little green beacons of self-questioning and social questioning,”arguing that they are not just a goodalternative to throwing out garbage,but also get “people thinking aboutwhat garbage is."Other students who participated in

the U-compost effort at the down-town campus were quoted saying thatthe program was not only education-al, but inspiring. Waislguess describerthe work as easier than expected,adding that he got to meet manyinteresting people.For more information about the U-

Compost program at the St. Georgecampus, students can visithttp://blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca/.

Composting programs introduced at St. GeorgeKKAATTHHEERRIINNEE LLUUCCYYZZNNSSKKII

Water awareness on campus

UTM hosted its first ever WaterAwareness Week the week of February 9to 11. The event consisted of informativedisplays and special events to studentsinterested in learning more about whereour water comes from and what is hap-pening to it. Members of the Ministry of

Environment set up display boards in theStudent Centre from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.showcasing information on water treat-ment and disposable water bottles. Theinformative displays also included a tastetesting stand, where large jugs of waterwere set up for students to taste the differ-ence between filtered and unfiltered water.Subsidized reusable water bottles were

also sold. On February 10, a game of “Water

Jeopardy” took place in the StudentCentre, where students were quizzed onall things pertaining to water. The nextday, Harvey Shear held a lecture in theNorth Building. The topic focused onfreshwater and the challenges facingMexico in the 21st Century. The same day,a documentary entitled “Flow: For theLove of Water” was screened in theStudent Centre presentation room. Themovie by Irena Salina focused on theworld’s failing freshwater supply, pollu-tion, human rights and the actualizationof a world water cartel. The week’s events were successful over-

all and students who wish to learn moreabout the water crisis and Salina’s film areasked to visit www.freethoughtcanada.ca.

KKAATTHHEERRIINNEE LLUUCCYYZZNNSSKKII

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On February 12, over 200 studentsdressed in traditional clothing attend-ed Kismat Konnection, a Valentine’sDay-themed semi-formal organizedby the Hindu Student Council andhosted at the Blind Duck.According to event planner

Maryam Masood, the word “kismat”means fate and destiny. The nameKismat Konnection thus entails“meeting someone and celebratingand cherishing that person, or peoplewho are a part of your destiny,” saidMasood.“We here at HSC feel like it was

our destiny to be together and welove each other like a family. Hence,we not only wanted loved ones to cel-ebrate but we also wanted to showour gratitide for the HSC ‘konnec-tion’ which was in our kismat.”In light of the romantic theme, the

Council had offered discounted tick-ets for couples.Masood also expressed her hopes

of bringing people of different ethnic-ities together on campus to enjoy inthe culture celebrated by the HSC.“UTM is one of the most diverse

campuses in Canada. The HinduStudent Council showed this off withthe richness in food diversity and thespectacular dance performances,”said UTMSU VP external HenrySsali.HSC members Maryam Masood,

Dhrumil Parikh, Meenal Tayal,Garima Bhatt, and Rohit Dubey were

all involved in planning and makingthe night enjoyable for attendees.The evening of festivities kicked off

with kathak and Bollywood dancesperformed on stage by UTM studentsNikhita Paluri and Radhika Batra.Attendees indulged in a South Asianvegetarian dinner that included gulabjamun for dessert.After the meal, local band Sukon

took to the stage and performed orig-inal songs from their upcomingalbum. The band, made up of fourmusicians, included second-yearpolitical science student Shery Amirand third-year commerce studentIbrahim Chohan.Next, UTM students Saad Tauseef

and Ashan Bin Arif took the stage forthe main musical event of the night.The duo performed “Billy Jean” by

David Cook, “Aarmaan” by Seige andYeh Jawani from the Bollywoodmovie Jawani Deewani and otherrequests.“The performances were a lot of

fun, especially Saad and Ashan. Theyreceived a great response from thecrowd,” said second-year NabeelJafri.Attendees danced the rest of the

evening to music played by DJs fromSoundEscape. Prior to the event, stu-dents had the opportunity to requestsongs on their Facebook event page.Not everything, however, was of a

romantic or fun nature: the Councilalso made sure to include a booth fordonations to Haiti.Students can look forward to

HSC’s upcoming event Antakshari(battle of songs) on March 19.

UTM professor ranks top tenin the country

On February 8, it was announced thatUTM Biology Professor MonikaHavelka became a finalist in TVO’sBest Lecturer Competition. Out of theinitial 300 nominees from universitiesall over Canada, Havelka is one of tenuniversity professors in the running towin the title of Best Lecturer. In fiveconsecutive years of TVO’s BestLecturer competition, this year is thelargest competition thus far.The ten finalists were chosen by a

jury made up of teachers, trainers,television producers and three hosts:Linda Armstrong, journalist JesseBrown and journalist-poet CliftonJoseph. The finalists were judgedbased on their ability to present ideasin an entertaining and energetic waywhile remaining authoritative andcohesive.Ten different universities are repre-

sented among the top ten finalists:Laurentian University at GeorgianCollege, Queen’s University, RyersonUniversity, the University of Toronto(two contenders), the University ofOntario Institute of Technology, theUniversity of Ottawa and YorkUniversity.Havelka, a member of the UTM

faculty since 2003, has an MSc andPhD in Zoology from the Universityof Western Ontario, where she studiedthe evolution of life history patterns insmall mammals. Apart from teachingbiology, Havelka has also taughtcourses in evolutionary biology, com-parative psychology, biostatistics,

ecology, organismal diversity, land-scape ecology, mammalian biologyand environmental science.“I am a big advocate of experiential

learning—my favourite place to con-duct a lecture is on the tundra inChurchill MB or in a deciduous foreston the Oak Ridges Moraine. I amlucky to have a great husband andkids who share my passion for thenatural world. When not in the fieldor in the classroom, I can usually befound on the back of my horse,” saidProfessor Havelka.Many UTM students hold her in

high regard. “She is a fantastic andenthusiastic speaker,” said PatrickRedegeld, a third-year UTM student.“Her passion for her subject mattershows in her teaching style.”“[Havelka is] one of the most

engaging personalities on the UTMcampus,” said another third-year,Ekaterina Kosyachkova. “Her fun, yetcomprehensive approach to biologyhas inspired me to pursue a biologymajor.”Professor Havelka will give a lecture

airing on TVO’s Big Ideas on March28, with other finalists presentingtheir lectures on different days.Viewers will be able to vote on theirfavourite lecturer online at tvo.org orby calling toll-free at 1-866-792-VOTE (8683). Polls close on April 11,and the winner will be chosen onApril 17. Along with winning severalgreat prizes and the title of TVO’sBest Lecturer 2010, the winner’s uni-versity will also receive a $10,000TD Insurance Meloche Monnexscholarship.

KKAATTHHEERRIINNEE LLUUCCYYZZNNSSKKIIASSISTANT NEWS EDITORSSTTEEFFAANNIIEE MMAARROOTTTTAA

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

While most students were relaxingduring reading week, Universityo f Toronto s t a f f and s tudent s ,a long w i th members o f theMississauga community, gatheredfor the bi-monthly get-together ofthe Royal Canadian AstronomicalSociety. The even t s t a r t ed in s ide the

CCT Building, outside of whichwas a d isp lay of d i f ferent te le-scopes that al lowed the partici-pants to observe the various con-stellations, planets and the moon.Inside, a member of the societydistr ibuted a free astronomicaldevice called the Star-Finder. Thisdevice allows users to turn the dialon the particular time and day ofthe year and follow coordinates tofind the major constellations onthe night sky. Alongside the Star-F inder , the soc i e ty p rov idedevent-goers with free hot choco-late. One highlight of the eventwas moon-gazing, whereby vari-ous members observed a close-upshot of the moon and its craters. “I ’ve never seen the moon up

that close, it looks like a photo-graph except it is real-time andthe fine details on the surface areremarkable on a night when themoon is not in its full-phase,” saidattendee Christie Sanders.Another h igh l i gh t was the

unusua l appearance o f wha tlooked like a red star in the skybut was actually the planet Mars.Many spectators gathered outsidethe South Building’s courtyard toobse rve the p l ane t , wh ichappeared distinct and bright redfrom the other surrounding celes-

tial bodies.Back in s ide , the aud iences

watched the film, Close Encounterso f t h e T h i r d K i n d by S t evenSpielberg.RCAS executive John Marcese

thanked the University of TorontoAlumni association for supportingthe Royal Canadian AstronomicalSociety and its events. Marchesealso bought attention to the soci-ety’s free meetings and purpose ofoffering free beginner level infor-mation on astronomy for all uni-versity students and astronomyamateur s . He encouraged theUTM students to turn out to thesociety’s meetings and take advan-tage of the group’s services. In h i s c lo s ing r emarks ,

Marchese also brought attentionto the next activity of the societyat the Riverwood ConservatoryArea severa l b locks away f romUTM, where the society membersobse rve s t a r s and p l ane t s in amore suitable setting for star-gaz-ing. The RASC is a national not-for-

profit organization devoted to theadvancement of astronomy andthe a l l i ed s c i ences founded in1903 under the Charter of KingEdward VII. It’s headquarters isloca t ed in Toronto , w i th loca lchapters in Mississauga and othersections of Canada. The society iscomposed most ly of astronomyenthus ias t s and beg inners whoattempt to educate the local publicof the age old science of star-gaz-ing. The society has been holdingits meeting at UTM for the pastfew years and caters to people ofall professional and educationalbackgrounds who have a hobby orcuriosi ty about the sky and thecelestial heavens.

HSC “konnects” studentstogether at semi-formal

OOVVAAIISS SSHHAAHH

HHSSCC eexxeeccuuttiivvee mmeemmbbeerrss aatt tthhee VVaalleennttiinnee’’ss DDaayy��tthheemmeedd ffoorrmmaall..

Star sightings at UTM

OPINIONUTM AS A MIRRORMONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 200944 THE MEDIUM

Ialways thought university campuses are a reflection of thecountry they are in. Take UTM. Like Canada, it has a small, yetdiverse population. Its members like to grumble about things, yetare proud that they come here—how else can you explain theirdefensive reaction when others look down on UTM?Moreover, UTM and Canada have their own

police, their own newspapers and their ownadministrations. Lastly, both UTM and Canadahave their own politicians—in our case, we havethe UTMSU executives.Of all the UTM segments I referred to, none

tries so much to differentiate itself from itsnational counterpart as the UTMSU. The Unionprotests on the streets. The Union purports tostrive for change rather than preserve the statusquo. And rather than donning suits and ties, theUnion’s executives make a point to dress in stu-dent-like attire—some even add a slanted base-ball hat to their outfit.But for all their efforts, some UTMSU execu-

tives behave remarkably like the very people theyare trying to differentiate themselves from. Thisyear alone, the Union has been featured promi-nently across these pages for donating student’smoney toward the legal defense counsel of a col-league, for mismanaging proxy votes and for

deregistering one student from a conferencebecause of her affiliation with different campusorganization (us) and the cost involved in send-ing her there. If you think it all sounds too muchlike your regular old’ scandal-ridden politicalparty, you’re not alone. The Union’s latest escapade involves interfer-

ing with the nomination process of candidates fornext year’s ticket. Of course, if you listen to whatthe executives involved in this antic have to say,that’s not what they were doing. Not at all. Whenthese executives secretly met with the presidentsof the largest students clubs on campus, weeksbefore the nomination process began, in a roomthat no ordinary UTM student can access, it wasnot to get these presidents to persuade their club’smembers to vote for a specific UTM executive. Itwas just to seek their input. There are many reasons why the whole thing

stinks. It stinks because the incumbent govern-ment is throwing its weight behind the candidateit favours, thereby reducing the chances of anyother student winning, especially students whoare currently not associated with UTMSU. Itstinks because if the UTMSU really thought cau-cus meetings like the last few were open and fair,it would make them part of its elections proce-dure code, opening them for all students regard-less of how close they are to the Union or howmany members their club has. As it is now, youraverage UTM students only seems to stand achance, elections-wise, if he or she runs a largeclub and if he’s privy to secret UTMSU-orga-nized meetings. Sounds just like what many an ordinary citi-

zen has to say about the way their nation is ran.

MMEEDDIIUUMM IIII PPUUBBLLIICCAATTIIOONNSS3359 Mississauga Road, Room 200,Student Centre, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6Phone: 905.828.5260 Fax: 905.828.5402 Advertising: 905.828.5379

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Politics is always the sameDear Editor,

On the 12th of February, UTMSU orga-nized and hosted Speak Up: A Poetry Slam,in the MIST theatre in CCIT. The eventwas a fundraiser for Haiti, with donationsbeing collected, and t-shirts being sold.There were 10 performers, representingeverything from beat boxing and rap tospoken word and vocal. It was an incredi-bly entertaining night, with the audienceon their feet for most of the time.However, the reason I was inspired to

write this letter is something larger. Moreoften than not, our generation, and societyin general, is accused of being apathetic. Itis said that in the heat of the moment,when the event occurs, we focus all ourenergies to try and help, but as time goesby, we lose interest, even though help isstill desperately needed. Yet events like thePoetry Slam prove our critics wrong, andshow the world that we as students care,and we don't stop caring just because theevent is not on the front page of the news-paper anymore.There we were, exactly a month after the

earthquake had struck, yet the MIST the-atre was packed. These were people whohad come to enjoy a good show, but also

because they wanted to make a difference,because they still cared.Most injustices in society today are not

going to be fixed overnight. They require alonger, sustained fight. At times, it can befrustrating, because it makes one feel asthough the effort they are putting in has noeffect. But as the saying goes “Our fighttoday will ultimately contribute to the vic-tory of tomorrow”. And again, using thePoetry Slam as an example, we see that stu-dents understand that, they understandthat we cannot win in one day, but justbecause we cannot see the results instanta-neously does not mean we give up and stoptrying. All it means is we keep fighting thegood fight, because one day, we will win.All it takes is perseverance.

In solidarity,

Vickita BhattUTMSU VP Equity

Poetry Slam

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

Toronto university campuses have historicallyplayed a central role in the fight for social jus-tice, human rights and anti-racism. Manyalumni proudly remember their efforts in pro-moting the boycott, divestment and sanctionscampaign which helped bring and end toApartheid in South Africa in 1994. With a similar spirit, from March 1st to

March 6th 2010 Toronto campuses will hostthe 6th International Israeli Apartheid Week(IAW), a yearly event which aims to garnersupport for the Boycott, Divestment andSanctions (BDS) movement calling on Israelto comply with international law and torespect Palestinian human rights. The BDSmovement was launched by over 170Palestinian civil society organisations in July2005, one year after the International Court ofJustice ruled the apartheid wall around theWest Bank illegal. Alongside the dismantlingof this wall, the movement also calls for an endof occupation of all Arab lands, equal civil andpolitical rights for Palestinian citizens of Israeland the right to return for Palestinian refugees.IAW began at the University of Toronto in

March 2004, and is currently taking place inover forty cities on five continents, and in

fourteen Canadian cities. In Toronto, eventswill take place at the University of Toronto,York University and Ryerson Unversity.Speakers include South African anti-apartheidactivist Na’eem Jeena and Palestinian academ-ic and Journalist Rabab Abdulhadi, as well asrepresentatives of First Nations communitiesfrom throughout North America. The weekwill also focus on queer solidarity in the anti-Apartheid movement, and on the environ-mental effects of apartheid. The week will endwith a cultural event on Saturday the 6th, fea-turing Palestinian hip-hop artist AbeerAlzinaty and Montreal-based Iraqi MCNarcycist.Anyone who supports human rights, anti-

racism and anti-apartheid should come out tothe events! For a full programme visitwww.apartheidweek.org

Yours,

Ilaria Giglioli, University of Toronto

The Middle East situation

On the 12th of February, at a meeting of theirBoard of Directors, the University of TorontoStudents’ Union passed a series of changes tothe Elections Code that call into serious questionthe ability of the UTSU to conduct free and fairelections.The concern over UTSU’s democratic

accountability is not new. Time and again, yearafter year, students from UTM and from St.George have questioned why it is that candi-dates running for re-election literally always win. It’s true. In my five years at the University of

Toronto, UTSU executives who decide to runfor re-election have never lost. It’s a prettyshocking statistic. 100% incumbency rate.Anyone who has even a passing interest in poli-tics knows that candidates running for re-elec-tion, even some with admirable records, areaffected by changing political tides.It’s inevitable.Sometimes people lose. But not at UTSU.And so the question arises—what is it about

UTSU that ensures that any of the current exec-utives who want to run again can count on win-ning (often with a healthy margin)? In elections,especially in the kinds of “elections” that UTSUis famous for, if you control the rules, you con-trol the result. The Elections Committee isstacked with supporters of the incumbents, andthey propose changes willy-nilly, and withoutthe input of the Board (including UTM’s Boardmembers), to deliver victory for their friends.The current Chair of the Elections

Committee—a committee that is supposed toremain impartial—is a UTSU Executive, AdnanNajmi. Najmi ran on the same slate with someof the candidates who will seek re-election, andhe maintains close personal friendships withthose same candidates. Some of you mayremember Najmi from his role in the UTSUAGM Proxy scandal last November. How canwe trust this committee when it’s chaired by thecandidates’ friend? The only responsible thingfor Najmi to do is resign immediately and allowan impartial member of the student union to beChair. That would be an important step inrestoring the trust of UTM students in UTSUinstitutions.As Chair of the Elections Committee, Najmi

oversaw the process that resulted in severalchanges that were made to the Elections Code.The first, and most offensive change to the Codeis that it is now illegal to criticize the ElectionsCommittee or the CRO who oversees elections.It is illegal to make any “attempt to undermine[their] authority.” That paragraph above thisone, yeah, that’s against the rules. If I everdecide to run for a position on UTSU, I wouldbe in violation of the Elections Code. It’s anaffront to free speech. In a democracy, we havethe freedom to criticize. Why has UTSU takenthat away from us?Second, the UTSU has made it illegal for can-

didates to do anything that might be construedas campaigning (this includes just mentioning

the fact that you’re running) in a place wherealcohol is served. They’ve made it illegal for acandidate to go out for a beer with his/herfriends and talk politics. It makes talking aboutthe election at the Blind Duck illegal. And theofficial reason for the change—the UTSU wantsto make sure students are of “sound mind”when they learn about candidates. Leavingaside for a second the fact that alcohol isn’t theonly thing that can make you “not of soundmind”, does UTSU really have so little respectfor its members that they think they deserve topolice the mental state of UTM students? Finally, UTM’s representatives on UTSU no

longer have the right to ratify important deci-sions about UTSU elections such as wherepolling stations will be located. Instead of con-sulting with their members, and giving UTM’sDirectors on the UTSU Board a say, they’veeliminated oversight. Worst of all, they calledconsultation “unnecessary lobbying.” Well,UTM students know that consultation withthem is neither “unnecessary” nor is it “lobby-ing.” It’s important outreach, and for the UTSUto call it unnecessary is insulting.Removing the role of the UTSU Board of

Directors, on which UTM has 7 votes, is a slapin the face to accountability. There’s a reasonwhy the Board is the highest authority inUTSU—and that reason is because it is made ofthe students’ representatives. This kind ofapproach is consistent with the lack of respectthat UTSU has shown for its members. UTMstudents want a UTSU that listens to them, thatrespects them, and that is interested in what theyhave to say. They don’t want a student unionthat issues orders from St. George and expectsUTM to simply follow along. UTM studentsexpect consultation.I wish I could say that change is possible. I

wish I could be optimistic about the UTSUcoming in March. But as it stands, the rules areso heavily stacked in favour of the current slaterunning the show, that I don’t know if we’ll everbe able to achieve meaningful reforms.When the awful changes I’ve written about

were proposed to the Board, every single mem-ber of the UTSU Executive voted for thechanges. Adam Awad, Danielle Sandhu, SandyHudson, Adnan Najmi, Hadia Akhtar, andDaniella Kyei all voted for the changes. They’vegot a lot of explaining to do to UTM studentswho have now been shut out of importantUTSU elections decisions, who effectively havehad their voice taken away, and who now facean Executive which believes that consultingUTM’s representatives on the UTSU Board is“unnecessary.”It’s now up to UTM students to deliver the

results they deserve when it comes to UTSU.They deserve a UTSU that respects them, thatbelieves in the importance of listening to theirvoices, and that will stand up for their best inter-ests. The current Executives are obviously notcapable of doing that. We need to reformUTSU, to ensure democracy for UTM, and weneed to do it now.

Op-EdGGAABBEE RROOCCHHEE

Dear Editor,

A few days before Reading weekstarted, I had ventured into theStudent’s Centre, with the intentionof meeting several friends who werepromoting U.T.M.S.U’s, “UnityThrough Diversity” campaign, bycelebrating various cuisines from dif-ferent parts of the world. Amongthese friends, I knew a few from highschool, and I as walked past variousbooths, I reminisced about how wewere debating about which universi-ty to accept for undergraduate stud-ies. I remember contemplating aboutthe coexistence of the students at theUniversity of Toronto, Mississaugacampus, where the diversity amongstthe inhabitants creates an atmos-phere of amity. This, more than anyother factor, had contributed to mydecision to be part of UTM. As I waited in line to get sushi, the

medley of voices speaking differentlanguages, the different cultures andbackgrounds and best of all, the fra-grances of delicious food all seemedto unite and meld together to assertthe student union’s message; unitycan and always will be achievedthrough diversity. It really seems tobe a simple phrase, but on closer

contemplation, carries a powerfulmessage. One can associate them-selves to an institution or nationality,but each individual is different inpersonality. With respect to the stu-dents at UTM, the common goal ofachieving success through academicsand extra-curricular activities drivesus; the integral needs of friends,comfort and encouragement bindsus. But most of all, the right to feelaccepted and appreciated, not toler-ated, unites us. Looking around the excited and

friendly faces of my fellow students, Ifelt a momentary rush of affectionand pride. Finishing the delicioussushi, I took pictures of the event sothat I could show my family andfriends. But best of all, I wanted tokeep memories of such studentorganised events which reflect moreabout the spirit of UTM than I couldever truly express in words. Unitythrough Diversity!

Yours,

Marium Chowdhury

Unity, unity

Automotive shows are boring. I’m nottalking about the shows that take place atconvention centres with lots of Asianimport models and tricked-out rides.I’m talking about the kind that areshown on television, which are usuallyhosted by some middle-aged bore andoffer meaningless advice to the everyday“consumer.” Over the years, most carshows have done nothing to change thisperception. They figure that the moresolid information, statistics and test dri-ves they present, the better the show is.That’s clearly not the case. And someBrits have figured this out.Youmay have seen the commercials, ifyou are lucky enough to have cable thatshows BBC2 or BBC Canada at home.Exotic cars speeding along racetracks cutto clips of hatchbacks attacking a beachwith the British Royal Marines. This isclearly not your average car show. This isTop Gear.Yes, it has been around longer than

most shows—since the late 1970’s. Yes, itwas nearly cancelled in 2001 when rat-ings dipped. And yes, it is currently oneof the most syndicated and popularshows in the world. But you haven’theard of it. If you had, then you would-n’t be reading this right now. You wouldbe on Surf the Channel, trying to get pastthe MegaUpload restrictions on the 14thseries’ opener—the one where they tourin an Aston Martin, Ferrari andLamborghini across Romania, getting introuble with gypsies and dignitariesalike.Since its reinvention in 2002, Top Gearhas become one of the most praised andinnovative shows in the BBC lineup. Theshow’s production value is enormous—

most notably the top-quality editing ofthe car footage. You will almost neversee cars strolling along sideroads in aneffort to distinguish their road capabili-ties. Instead, Top Gear comes up withchallenges specifically designed to testwhat the car was made for. When theytested the Bugatti Veyron (the mostexpensive and fastest car on the road)they took it to a top secret German trackin an effort to break the top speed record(over 250 mph). When they tested dif-ferent cars for newly licensed 17 year-oldboys, they determined insurance costs aswell as how cool they would look infront of high school girls. This is notwhat you would normally see on a run-of-the-mill car show.The presenters have a fantastic sense of

humor. Led by Jeremy Clarkson, the TopGear team has a bit of everything.Clarkson, the tall, overbearing leader,doesn’t accept anything of poor quali-ty—people and cars alike. RichardHammond, the smaller sidekick, has apenchant for flashiness, usually in theform of a Porsche 911, which is usuallyaccredited to his mid-life crisis. JamesMay, the “alternative” of the bunch, isusually the butt end of the cast’s jokes,mainly because of his safe driving (he isnicknamed Captain Slow by his peers)and his inability to follow directions.Rounding out the group is the Stig, theirtest track driver who, according toClarkson, has amagnetic right hand.This sense of humor invariably leads tofun and interesting car segments. One of

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

“proper” cars. That is, cars that mostpeople would actually be able to pur-chase. In an effort to appease the writer,the crew took the Fiesta through a seriesof regular tests, looking at its accelera-tion, braking, trunk space and color/fuelefficiency (yes, it is green—very). Inaddition to these normal tests, Clarksonalso wanted to know how it would fare ifbeing chased by a Corvette in a shoppingmall. As it turns out, the Fiesta did quitewell.Whichmakesmewant to buy one.What’s most notable about the show istheir final opinion on the cars they test.You never hear about what specifica-tions make the car worth its price(though it is mentioned during thetests), but the presenters make sure to letyou know how the cars feel, which, asanyone who has every driven a vehicleknows, is the most important aspect. Intheir test of the Lexus LF-A, Hammondmade it clear that the car was well-engi-neered in every shape and form, but atthe end of the day, you’re still driving aLexus, which is boring. This is the casewith all the cars they test, from conceptcars and custom drag racers to familysedans and two-seater hybrids. It’s nothard to be captivated when you feel likepart of the action.

Michael Di Leo, Editor | arts@mediumonline.ca

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2010 THE MEDIUM 5

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Full throttle televisionTaking a look at one of the most innovative shows on televisionMMIICCHHAAEELL DDII LLEEOOA&E EDITOR

cnreviews.com photo

JJeerreemmyy CCllaarrkkssoonn tteessttss aa vveerryy ffaasstt ccaarr..

An Islamic comic?

Ninety-nine superheroes make upthe characters o f the The 99 , acomic book created by Kuwait ipsychologist and CEO of TeshkeelMed ia Group , Dr . Na i f A l -Mutawa . The se supe rhe roe sremain transcendent of culturalbarriers and have no direct affilia-tion to any particular country inthe Middle East. Several, however,do bea r s t rong t i e s t o o the rnations. Widad-The Loving comesfrom the Phil ippines, Darr-TheAf f l i c t e r i s f rom the Un i t edStates , Noora-The Light comesfrom the United Arab Emiratesand the rest are from countriessuch as Ghana, Indonesia, SouthAf r i c a , Por tuga l and Saud iArabia. Al-Mutawa describes hischa rac t e r s a s “ an ama lgam o feast-meets-west , an appropriatecompromise g iven the founda-tions of Islam and the geographyof the Middle East.”The female and male characters

bear powers representative of the

99 attributes of the Muslim God,Allah. Attributes such as the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-seeing,the healer, the listener, the loving,the ever last ing and many moreare featured in the comic book aspowers endowed to various char-acters . The f i rs t i ssue , Origins ,was published on September 2006and is available free of charge inthe comic book’s official website.A l -Mutawa works wi th Marve land DC Comic s wr i t e r s andinkers, including Stuart Moore,John McCrea and Fabian Nicieza,to produce The 99. In the first issue, the story startsin Baghdad in the year 1258 A.D,where Hu lagu Khan ’ s Mongo larmy is set to conquer the city.The rea l i s t ic drawings take thereader through the dark streets ofBaghdad as the Mongolian armyheads t o Baghdad ’ s g r ea t e s tlibrary, Dar-il-hikma, to destroythe Abbasid’s caliphates greatestweapon, knowledge. Al-Mutawa mixes images and

text to re lay Is lamic his tory toyoung comic enthusiasts in the

Middle East. The comic is writtenin Arabic and English, ensuring aw ide r f an ba se ou t s ide o f t heMiddle East. Al-Mutawa explainsthat “[his] superheroes—inspiredby the Qu’ran and known as The99—were designed to take backI s l am f rom mi l i t an t s who hadtaken i t ho s t age . ” The comicbecomes a medium utilized by Al-Mutawa to re-educate the massesabou t the r i ch h i s to ry beh indIslam. Naturally, The 99 comic book

series fuels common discussion inthe Muslim world surrounding artand r e l i g ion . Shou ld A l l ah ’ sa t t r i bu t e s b e l i nked to f in i t ehuman characters? How much ofan influence will these charactershave on shaping children’s under-s t and ing o f A l l ah? Wou ld theability of humans to possess suchpowers degrade or enhance theirconception of Allah’s powers? Al-Mutawa’s comic book series alsobegs the quest ion: Are populartexts mere entertainment or canthey shape and sh i f t cu l tu ra l narratives?

IIMMAANN MMOOHHAAMMMMEEDD

CHIC TRENDS AND TUNESARTS & ENTERTAINMENTMONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 20106 THE MEDIUM

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Lookbook, not FacebookThe most exclusive fashion site on the net lets you post and rate your own styles

Perez Hilton may be your go-toguru for all the current celebrityfashion trends (and faux-pas), butwhere can we find out the lateststreet styles from everyday fashionenthusiasts around the world? Thefashion blog LOOKBOOK.nuspecifically targets these interna-tional trendsetters, which includehigh school s tudents , aspir ingdesigners and amateur photogra-phers. LOOKBOOK.nu allows them

to post images of their everydayoutfits, which are then critiqued byother members according to origi-nality, style and overall appeal.

Relat ively unknown, the blogqualifies as one of the Internet’sundiscovered gems. (It has about50 ,000 members , compared toFacebook’s over 400 million users).The site was founded in 2008 bySan Franciscan Yuri Leeo and hasan invitation-only format. You cangain access to this “exclusive” sitein one of two ways: 1) you trackdown a long-lost friend who hap-pens to be a LOOKBOOK.nu mem-

ber and ask them for a currentinvi te code (they expire everymonth), or 2) you apply for a mem-bership on your own. This entailsbeing asked to submit a photo ofyour f i rs t “ look,” a mini b lurbaddressing what you would bringto the community, and a link toyour website/blog (optional), whichthe LOOKBOOK.nu staff use toassess whether you are “worthy” ofa membership . The blog onlyencourages individuals to join ifthey wi l l produce or ig ina l andinteresting submissions, stating ontheir website that they are not a“kiddie fashion site.” Moreover, thesite enforces many rules, includingthe necessity for photographs toshowcase the individual from head-to-toe, no obstructions to any ofthe clothes worn and no photoswith multiple individuals. If any ofthese rules are ignored, your pho-tos can be deleted, no matter howpretty they are.

Despite these restrictions, LOOK-BOOK.nu is rapidly gaining expo-sure and popularity with the onlinefashion community. Overcomingthese preliminary screening mea-sures in order to obtain an accountattracts many to the website as theyseek the exhilaration of readingthe “YOU’RE IN!” message.

St i l l , there ’s no denying thatacquiring the codes can be some-what of a nuisance, especially if youdon’t have any community contacts(some members go so far as to sellinvite codes on eBay for ten bucks apop) . Thankful ly , most peoplearen’t this lame and will often sendout the codes on Facebook if you

just ask. Sometimes codes are evenlying around on discussion boardswait ing to be found—it ’s just amatter of looking in the r ightplaces to stumble across the magicpassword.

So what do you do once you’repart of the in crowd? You post a“ look” and hope i t becomes aninstant hit. In the meantime, youdo your duty as a LOOKBOOK.numember and “hype” the photos thatyou love. When you hype a photo,it increases in popularity by one;the more hypes the picturereceives , the higher i ts rankingbecomes in the HOT section of thewebsite.

A neat feature of the website isthe LOOKBOOK interv iews , inwhich inf luent ia l members areacknowledged for their style andget a full-length interview aboutthemselves posted on the websitefor other members to draw inspira-

tion from.The site , in conjunction with

H&M, is advert i s ing a contes t(unt i l March 17) ca l led “TheBlues,” in which members mustpost photos that feature eye-catch-ing blue clothes or accessories. Thewinning looks will be featured onthe H&M website for the fashionlabel’s spring collection, and these lected indiv iduals wi l l eachreceive a $150 gift card for H&M.

This past Valent ine ’ s Day ,LOOKBOOK.nu also served ahumanitarian function as it donat-ed ten cents to Haiti relief for everyheart that was given to a photo (ifyou love a look, you give it a heart,which is one step up from giving ita hype). In the end, the Hearts forHaiti campaign managed to raiseover $1500. LOOKBOOK.nu seemsto be hitting all the spots. What areyou waiting for, an invitation? Allyou need is a nerdboyfriend.

NNIIVVEESS HHAAJJDDIINNASSISTANT A&E EDITOR

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There i s no such thing as bandobscurity these days, despite whattheir names might suggest. Take,for example , the London ind ieoutfit, Scanners. So what?

But if I tel l you that they aresigned to Steve Aoki’s record label,have had their music featured inepisodes of Entourage and OneT r e e H i l l , have toured wi thS i l ver sun P ickups and TheHorrors and have even been men-t ioned by ce lebri t ies l ike PerezHi l ton and Carson Da ly , theyinstantly become more interesting.

Another point in this up-and-coming band ’ s f avour i s the i r

eclectic style, which can best bedescribed as a three-way musicalco l l i s ion be tween Arcade F i re ,Mother Mother and Ri lo Ki ley .Released las t Wednesday , theirsophomore album Submarine is anaptly-titled one, contrasting a deepabyss o f sombre melodies wi thperk ie r tunes tha t r i s e up andbreak through the sur face .Opening track “Jesus Saves” setsan upbeat tempo, defined by themelodic melange of synths andacoustic guitar, gradually transi-t ion ing in and out o f ch i l l inginstrumental sections that ironi-cally sound like the opening of thegates of Hell.

“We Never Close Our Eyes” laysdown the drum beat alongside along streak of deep “oohing” fromall the band members, a featurethat appears in almost every song,mark ing Scanners ’ s i gna turesound. First single “Salvation” isincredibly dark and depress ingwith lyrics such as “Looked to myheart, but my heart was empty/I’vebeen wa i t ing for the dark tocome,” yet the eerie melody some-how manages to remain daunting-ly infectious. “Baby Blue” is a lul-laby of sorts in comparison, with asoothing yet equally upbeat style,while “Sick Love” is just a fingersnapping, feel-good dance track.

“A Girl Like You” provides oneof the a lbum’s bes t choruses ,

showcasing the band’s full rangeof ins t ruments ( inc lud ing thepiano and violin). These tracks arethen toned down for a s addermelody on “Strangelovehate,” cre-a t ing an a lmost despera te p leawith the l i s tener as lead s ingerSarah Daly begs to know, “Who’sside are you on, who’s side wil lyou t ake?” The nex t t rack“Goodbye” fo l lows a s imi l a r lygloomy path, yet simultaneouslybrings an empowering element tothe notion of reluctantly turningyour back on someone. “Hal f aMind (Dreamer Forever)” is handsdown the best song on Submarine,with synths buzzing from the get-go and a vague re semblance to par t s o f Gor i l l az ’ s “C l in tEastwood” but still remains entire-ly its own.

Da ly ’ s p i e rc ing vo ice co-mes through on “Sleepwalking,”strongly backed by the compli-menting vocals of Amina Batesand Matthew Mole, while closingt rack “Ha l fway Home” doesn ’ tleave you stranded, but insteadcreates a Kumbaya, campfire sing-a-a long v ibe that per fect ly t iestogether any loose ends still lyingaround. Submarine is a strong fol-low-up album to the band’s 2006debut record Violence Is Golden ,but Scanners still have yet to makea big enough splash to put them-selves on the scene.

Album in review:Submarine by Scanners

SubmarineScanners

NNIIVVEESS HHAAJJDDIINNASSISTANT A&E EDITOR

You are alone in the lab. It’s late,but an important murder investiga-tion demands that you stay to runsome tests. You scan the finger-prints you have retrieved from themurder weapon earlier today. Youpress a few buttons and a “MATCHFOUND” pops up on the screen. Abig smile spreads across your face.This is why I got into forensics, youthink to yourself. This is what foren-sics is all about.Or is it?Every week, millions of viewers

watch as Dr. Raymond Langston,Catherine Willows and Nick Stokeswork with the rest of their team tosolve crimes on CSI: Crime SceneInvestigation. Since the show pre-miered in October 2000, i t hasenjoyed enormous success. In fact,35.1 million people watched the fifthseason’s two-hour finale, “GraveDigger.” The show’s success has alsoled to spin-offs CSI: Miami and CSI:New York, which premiered in 2002and 2004 respectively.

A show this popular must impacta lot of people. Indeed, the impacthas been so significant that it meritsits own name—the CSI Effect.The CSI Effect refers to the sud-

den rise of applications to forensicsprograms and to a change in peo-ple’s expectations of forensics due tothe inaccuracies in forensics-basedshows. Because of the CSI Effect,many schools are now trying toemphasize the differences betweenforensics on television and real-lifeforensics.Dr. Karen Woodall, a forensic

toxicologist at Toronto’s Centre ofForensic Sciences, bel ieves thatsome students are taking the pro-gram solely because of CSI, althoughmany of them don’t realize what ittakes to be in the field of forensics.Universities at Lakehead, Laure-

ntian, Trent, Windsor and Torontoall offer forensics programs. TheUniversity of Toronto’s RotmanSchool of Management even has aforensic accounting program, whileUTM is home to one of Canada’soldest forensic science programs. Itsfirst class of nine students graduatedin June 1997. Now, the programreceives hundreds of applicants eachyear. Around 300 students enroll inthe introductory forensics course,FSC239. According to one of thesestudents, Steph Kolodij,“The onlyreason [forensics] became an optionfor me was because of CSI.”One of the criticisms of shows

like CSI is their inaccuracies, whichlead to a distorted view of whatforensic science is. Dr. Woodall

insists that it is not an easy job.“With my students, I try to get

across that you have to have a realin-depth knowledge of science.Some students don’t realize this andnow they’re struggling,” says Dr.Woodall.She also notes that there are inac-

curacies in what people do whichjobs. “On CSI, police practically doforensics. Real forensic scientists areindependent from the police. Hardlyany of us ever go to the crimescene.”

CSI sparked an interest in foren-sic science for Andrew Rozendaal.But the fourth-year ForensicAnthropology student is aware ofthe realities of his program. “Inforensics, every individual is a spe-cialist in one area. The specializa-tion in a field is what gives youcredibility. When you start doingeverything, you lose credibility,”Rozendaal says.The equipment in these types of

shows is also commonly misrepre-sented. According to Rozendaal, alot of the tools have not even beeninvented yet. (One example is thecomputer program that swift lymatches fingerprints. In reality, thematches are made by trained scien-tists looking at scanned pictures andfinding unique patterns).“Sometimes [my colleagues and I]

discuss how great a piece of equip-ment would be if it actually existed,”jokes Rozendaal.So is the work done in forensics

more time-consuming? Duller?Dr. Woodall, who watches about

two to three episodes of CSI per sea-son, finds it amusing that “every-thing’s wrapped up in an hour.” Inreal-life, she says, tests can takemonths to complete.“Jury trials expect all the bells and

whist les . Sometimes I have toexplain why a report took sixmonths to do. They expect CSI .They also expect you to do every testpossible for each case. Forensic sci-entists only do relevant tests.”Jessica Lam, a second-year biolo-

gy and scientific anthropology dou-ble major and 2009-2010 presidentof the UTM Forensic Club, saysthat the first thing she was told atthe information session for theforensic science program was “Thisis not CSI!”“They told us that forensic sci-

ence is not glamorous,” recountsLam. “It’s slow, frustrating, [andit’s] hard to find evidence, and youspend hours in labs doing the samething over and over again. Theymake FSC239 hard to weed out peo-ple who aren’t in it for the right rea-sons.”Even though the CSI Effect can

give people the wrong ideas forapplying to forensics programs aswell as unrealistic expectations forthe way that forensic research isconducted, prospective students canavoid this by focusing on personalreasons for their interest in forensicscience. Rozendaal says that he likesforensics because he likes challengesand he likes to help. “In murder

investigations, it takes someone withmore than just an interest in deadbodies. It takes someone with thecompassion to help others ,”Rozendaal says.Dr. Woodal l , too, enjoys her

career because “although there’s alot of work and you’re under pres-

sure to get things done, each casecan be unique. It’s very rewardingwhen your work helps solve a case.”So, let’s try this again.You are alone in the lab. An

important murder investigationdemands that you run some tests.You scan pictures of a fingerprint

that was found on the murderweapon. After days and days of ana-lyzing the fingerprint on your own,you finally make a match. A bigsmile slowly spreads over your face.This is why I got into forensics, youthink to yourself. This is what foren-sics is all about.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2010 THE MEDIUM 7

Amir Ahmed, Editor | features@mediumonline.ca

present

Zarqa Nawaz, the creative genius behind CBC’s hit television show, “Little Mosque on the Prairie,”

and Zaib Shaikh, the comedy’s award-winning star, will engage with

the evening’s moderator, Dr. Shafique Virani, Professor of Islamic Studies, and our

audience in an interactive conversation about the popular show, Canadian pluralism, and the

role of the arts in fostering mutual understanding.

Wednesday, Feb 24. Doors open at 6 pm.CCT Building, Room 1080

Free admission but reserve your seat at: www.utm.utoronto.ca/index.php?id=2019

This event is sponsored by the Snider Committee and U of T Religion in the Public Sphere Initiative

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

JJUULLIIEE WWAAIINNWWRRIIGGHHTT

“Jury trials expect allthe bells and whistles.Sometimes I have toexplain why a reporttook six months to do.They expect CSI.”

www.fanpop.com

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EXCHANGE THE LOVEFEATURESMONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 20108 THE MEDIUM

Okay, be honest: if you’re single,you’re ecstatic that Valentine’s Daywon’t return for another year.Romantic candles, heart-shapedchocolates, cutesy teddy bears—they’re all gross. But for those inhappy relationships, V-day is thenext best thing to Christmas. Afterall, who doesn’t love to feel loved?

No need to fret about being sin-gle, because you now have a wholeyear to search for a compatible part-ner to brighten up your V-day blues.With so many people already inrelationships, people tend to ask onesimple question: are there any goodguys or girls left?The answer is yes. You just have

to search for them and stay awayfrom the losers and gold-diggers.Whether you gravitate towards play-ers who won’t commit or girls whoare constantly flirting, these lamepartners will only hold you back.Since habits are hard to break, hereis a plan to escape the loser traponce and for all.

Go on a Guy/Girl Diet

Jumping from one partner to thenext with no downtime in betweenis a prime way to get stuck in a lamerelationship. Get a partner detoxand stay single for a while. This timecan be used to reflect on your pastrelationship and figure out why it

went wrong. If you’re feeling a bitlonely and have some extra time,take up a new hobby and hang outmore with friends.

Update Your Loser Radar

No one deliberately goes looking fora lame guy or a superficial girl, butyou have to sharpen your instincts ifyou want to stay away from them.Never compensate bad qualities forgood ones—it doesn’t make the badqualities go away. To keep a clearhead, take a new relationship slowly.For the first month, see your newpartner once or twice a week; thisway you won’t get attached too fastbefore truly knowing their personal-ity. Always make a note of the quali-ties that seem iffy. This will help younotice the red flags immediatelyrather than getting a shocking wake-up call six months later.

Reality Check

Wonder why we never notice redflags until after the fact? In part, it’sbecause we are blinded by love andlust. When we are really into some-one, we crave attention and attach-ment, and that clouds judgment.One tactic is to see the big picturerather than focusing solely on thepresent. Look at the way your part-ner interacts with others. Do theytreat their family right? Do theyhave a good core group of friends?Their actions and attitudes towards

others will allow you to see theirsocialization skills with other peo-ple.

Be Adventurous

People are naturally prone to habits,from what they eat for breakfast tothe kind of person they are attractedto. Don’t get into the groove of dat-ing a certain type because this canbe hard to change. It may also beone of the reasons you’re still single.If it is too hard to find someone thatyou like, ask a friend who has a sta-ble love life if they know anyonethey think would be a good fit foryou. Even if it doesn’t work out,gaining the experience and datingnew people will steer you away fromyour old habits.

Never Settle

A lot of people date lame guys orsuperficial girls because they believethey can change them. Sufferingfrom good-guy/girl-syndrome willonly cause you more pain in the end.People recognize that their partneris acting like a jerk or jerkette andput up with it because they don’twant to risk losing them or believethey can change them. Kick them tothe curb if they become rude andinconsiderate. Don’t ever settle justbecause you are lonely. If you waitlong enough, an enchanting guy or asweet girl will sweep you off yourfeet, and the rest will be history.

When I decided that I wanted toparticipate in the InternationalExchange program, I was thrilled atthe idea of going to a different coun-try and taking courses that wouldcontribute to my degree at home.The experience, however, provedlong and frustrating. Although mytime spent overseas was the besttime of my life and an episode that Iwouldn’t trade for anything, theapplication process could have beena lot smoother.If you are interested in participat-

ing, my advice is this: do it, butbrace yourself for a long process.The first step is to go online to theInternational Exchange website(http://www.utoronto.ca/student.exchange). This site provides studentswith a list of partner institutions,application documents, transfercredit information and how to con-tact the office.All the documents required can

be found on the website. You willneed to fill out an online applicationform and submit a letter of interest,a resume, two letters of reference,and a copy of non-U of T tran-scripts . Al l of these documentsshould be completed before thedeadline to leave time for anyadjustments or unforeseen delays.Once the ISXO processes yourapplication, they will contact you foran interview. If deemed a proper fitfor the exchange program, you willbe nominated and your applicationsent to the host school.After the application is complet-

ed, be prepared to wait until thebeginning of May before finding outif the host institution accepted you.During this time, you are requiredto attend a pre-departure orienta-

tion that prepares you for obstaclesthat you may encounter during yourtime abroad, as well as informationon transfer credits. I recommendgett ing a pre-departure courseauthorization form signed to ensurethe courses you have chosen to takeoverseas will transfer back to your Uof T degree. You will also need acopy of the syllabus for each coursetaken. While away, you shouldensure your overseas transcripts willbe sent to the exchange office.The exchange program can be

cost ly although you don’t paytuition to the host school. Exchangestudents are required to pay tuitionand incidental fees to U of T. Youwill also have to cover the costs formandatory overseas health coverage,airfare, living expenses, books andsupplies and other miscellaneouscosts. I highly recommend that youapply for any scholarships that youare eligible for, including the ISXObursary, to help with these costs.Other things to note: you are

responsible for arranging living con-dit ions, ensuring that you areenrolled in courses at your hostschool, checking any travel advisorywarnings, obtaining a valid passportand securing any required visas.My last bit of advice is to expect a

shock when you arrive overseas.Regardless of your best efforts toprepare yourself, going to anothercountry on your own where youdon’t know anyone freaks out thebest of us. After the initial shock,however, you will find that yourtime overseas will go by very fast.Make as many new friends as possi-ble, explore the country as much asyou can and enjoy the experience tothe fullest because nothing you haveever done before will quite compareto the amazing experience youwill have.

As far as guest speakers go, havingWill Strickland, the president of theUrban Music Association of Canada,come to UTM and speak to studentson Black History Month is an hon-our. In celebration of Black HistoryMonth, the Erindale Collage AfricanStudents Association and theCaribbean Connections clubs joinedto host a series of events in order torecognize both Black History andhow that history affects us today. OnFebruary 9th, Strickland graced theUTMSC Student Centre to speak ofwhat Black History meant to him.An accomplished person,

Strickland had done more thanenough to make his name known inthe States, and intends to do thesame thing here in Canada. As achild, he became interested in theurban culture. The first free-stylingmatch that he had ever seen senthim home to write his own lyrics.He wrote three lines that establishedthe things that were important tohim: “My mom is cool . I go toschool. I’m not a fool.” On thesefoundations—respect for his par-ents, respect for his education andrespect for his self—Strickland

began to build and he hasn’t stoppedsince.Strickland’s career started early in

1986 and he became one of theyoungest deejays on American radio.Not forgetting his education, hewent to University in Houston in1988 on both an academic and ath-letic scholarship. Final ly triplemajoring in political science, man-agerial studies and economics. Hewent on to launch Urban ArtsMarketing and Promotions.With al l this experience,

Strickland moved on to work withsome large record labels such asUptown, Badboy, RCA andEpic/Sony Music while still beingable to maintain a small basketballcareer. In his career, he has workedwith artists such as Michael Jackson.WuTang Clan, R. Kelly, ShaquilleO’Neal, Mary J. Blige, NotoriousB.I .G and many more. He hasappeared on ESPN, MTV, BET andMuch Music. At the moment, he isstill with the UMAC, but says thathe’s still young and there is a wholeworld out there.Of al l the messages that this

accomplished man imparted to stu-dents, the one that stuck out themost was the advice “Plan yourWork so that you can Work your

Plan,” which means that if you wantto do something, you first have toplan out your strategy. then you takethat plan and do it: plan to make itwork. That was how Strickland did itand he prompted students to lookwhere he was now—all his life, heplanned his work so that he couldwork his plan. He reminded studentsthat they should never forget thethings that were important—respectfor where they come from, respectfor what they can learn from othersand from the world and respect forwho they are as individuals . “Ifmoney is your goal then you’ll nevergo far,” Strickland replied whenasked why he had left the musicindustry in America. His reasonswere personal but never about themoney and he told students that itnever should be about money, butabout doing the right thing.On the subject of Black History

Month, Strickland claimed that asgreat as remembering Black Historywas, he wanted to know about BlackPresent. He asked students whatthey were doing today to help thepeople around them. Black History,he told students, should be celebrat-ed all year round and it’s that historythat should influence not only Blackpeople but all peoples of the world.

Celebrating Black HistoryUMAC president Will Strickland visits UTM to talk about Black History Month

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KKIIMM BBIIRRCCHH

Surviving anexchange

email features@mediumonline.ca

All you need is loveMMAARRIIAANNAA CCOOMMIITTOO

Beatles aside, finding that special someone can make your day complete

FEATURESMONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2010 THE MEDIUM 9

POETRY AND PROSE

2010 SPRING

Elections NoticeUniversity of Toronto Students Union

The U of T Students Union represents all full-time undergraduates at St.

George and Mississauga campuses. U.T.S.U. provides important services such

as Health & Dental Plans, book bursaries, clubs funding and discounted TTC

Metropasses. Your Students Union also represents students to the central U of

T administration and government, advocates for students rights, and connects

students across all campuses to work on common goals, campaigns and social

programming.

following positions:)s(taeSnoitisoP

Division IVictoria College 2

2egelloCytisrevinUInnis College 1

3egelloCsleahciM.tSNew College 3Trinity College 1

3egelloChtrowsdooW

Toronto School of Theology 1

At-Large Arts & Science 2

Division II

Faculty of Music 11yrtsitneDfoytlucaF1gnisruNfoytlucaF1enicideMfoytlucaF1ycamrahPfoytlucaF

Faculty of Law 13gnireenignE&ecneicSdeilppAfoytlucaF1htlaeH&noitacudElacisyhPfoytlucaF2ytlucaFlanoisseforPegraL-tA

Division III *7supmacaguassissiM

ExecutivePresident 1

1secivreS&lanretnItnediserPeciV1ytiuqEtnediserPeciV1lanretxEtnediserPeciV

* cross appointed to the Board of Directors of the UTMSU

Important 2010 Dates:Election Nominations (AllPositions)

Monday, March 1 at 09:00 to Friday, March 5 at 16:00

Election Campaign Period Monday, March 8 at 12:00 to Thursday, March 18 at 19:00

Election Voting Period Tuesday, March 16 to Thursday, March 18From 10:00 to 19:00

Election Results Monday, March 22, 2010

St. George campus:

12 Hart House Circlehours: Monday - Thursday, 09:00 to 17:00Fridays, 09:00 to 16:00

To run for a position, pick up a nomination package during

Please keep in mind the dates and deadlines.

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

Mississauga campus:

UTM Student Centre, Room 100hours: Monday - Friday, 09:00 to 12:30, 13:30 to 17:00

The Dead Sea Scrolls were written thousands of

years ago. You stand before the glass display,

studying their subtle script. Is there then some way

that, thousands of years from now, my love

for you could be unearthed from the ground,

still legible on this fragile sheet?

Giant Buddha, silver goblet; my feet

carry me absently to the sound

of your voice. You study the ashen tomb,

the contrapposto marble figure, and trace

the intricate carvings. I study your face,

the reflection in your eyes. Across the room

the sarcophaguses are open. Two

ancient lovers sleep, stay that way for all

time. Wordlessly I pray to them, call

upon them to let me die next to you.

Thousands of yearsLLUUCCYY ZZEEMMLLJJIICC

Creative Corner

She hear the familiar bang of her husband favour gun

A magnum .357 revolver, black metal

She rushed to the source, futile running

Opened the door to see blank slate eyes

Speaking to himself in foreign languages

Sand was pouring out of his head

Aware of peyote visions of Mulock

She held her husband head, still warn

Blood and dust over her chest, still there

Last moments together his head against her breasts

Sensing, feeling, beating hearts

Hole through his temple, exit wound

Flapping his arms, placing blocks upon

Each other as young children do

She held his head, running her fingers through his hair

Whispering sweet judo�Christian prayers and last kisses

Dropping the limp pistol, offsetting rigor mortis

DDAAVVIIDD FFIITTZZPPAATTRRIICCKK

Revolver

Even before the Winter Games beganon February 12, disaster had alreadystruck.

Nodar Kumaritashvili, a 21-year-oldluger from Georgia, died after a horrify-ing accident during a training session atthe Whistler Sliding Centre in Whistler,B.C. Heading into the final turn of thecourse, Kumaritashvili lost control ofhis sled and was sent flying over thesidewall of the track into an unprotect-ed metal pole. He was moving at 90mph during the crash, and his death

was instant.Kumaritashvili was honored during

the opening ceremonies. A moment ofsilence was then held before the firstheat of the men's luge competition, andmany observers hoped that better for-tunes would lie ahead for the upcomingweeks of competition.But they were wrong. Aside from the

Olympic caldron fiasco during theopening ceremonies, the combinationof bad weather and injuries due to diffi-culty and tough course conditions hascharacterized the Vancouver Olympicsthus far.Excess rain immediately forced three

consecutive days of training cancella-tions on the ski slopes. Of the first sevenscheduled training sessions for men’sand women’s downhill skiers, only onetraining session (the men's downhill)was completed. That session was onFebruary 11, before the Olympicsgames began. Even in that scenario, theslushy conditions forced the skiers totrain on a condensed version of thecourse. Since the main events can’toccur until the entire group of skiers getat least a training session in, both men’sand women’s downhill skiing eventswere postponed to later dates.On Sunday, the weather was ten

degrees Celsius and is expected to reachup to 12 degrees by next week.When temperatures cooled shortly

after the initial cancellations, it madethe ski hills too icy and slippery for thevarious skiing events. As a result, manyskiers fell during their Olympic runs. Inthe women’s downhill event onFebruary 17, as many as eight racerswere unable to finish the race. Most ofthose were due to falls.Canadian skier and medal favorite

Manuel Osborne Paradis along with fel-low Canadian veteran skier EmilyBrydon both took potentially dangerousfalls, shattering their chances of win-ning a medal on their home soil.Swedish veteran ski racer Patrik

Jaerbyn and Romanian Edith Mikloswere both airlifted to the hospital aftertheir devastating crashes. Miklos lostcontrol and crashed through the coursefences while 40-year-old Jaerbyn landedawkwardly after hitting a gate near theend of his race. Jaerbyn suffered a medi-um concussion during the fall and wasreleased from hospital the day after.In cross-country skiing, Slovenian

star Petra Majdic fell and tumbleddown a three-metre bank during train-ing sessions, landing into a tree base.She suffered four broken ribs, a punc-tured lung and was forced to competein immense pain. Notably during herqualification run in the cross-countrysprint, she immediately dropped to theground and screamed in tremendouspain after crossing the finish line. The

medical staff aided her off the courseshortly after. Amazingly, she ended upplaying through the pain and miracu-lously won the bronze medal in theevent.To add to the turmoil, poor ice con-

ditions at the Richmond Olympic Ovalforced several lengthy delays in severalspeed skating events. A zamboni spillmidway through the men’s 500m raceresulted in an hour and a half delay andalmost caused the event to be post-poned for another day.Because of these numerous troubles,

many are considering these Olympics tobe one of the worst ever. GeneralManager of the USA National HockeyTeam and the Toronto Maple LeafsBrian Burke took a stance against thecritics.“I've been to four Winter Olympics.

This is the best one I've been to in termsof organization. You're going to haveglitches in an event this size," saidBurke. "With this many people, logisti-cal things with multiple venues, you'regoing to have glitches. I don't know whypeople are whining about it.”Regardless of the difficulties, the

events have been very entertaining andthe Canadian faithful has done atremendous job in supporting their ath-letes. May the final week run smoothlyand otherwise cap off a very memorableOlympic games.

Discover the possibilitieswww.utm.utoronto.ca/rop Research

OpportunityProgram

Monday, March 1st, 201012:00pm - 2:00pm

Student Centre

Fair

R e s e a r c hO p p o r t u n i t y

P r o g r am

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 201010 THE MEDIUM

Andrew Tysiak , Editor | sports@mediumonline.ca

Bilodeau dedicates gold medal to brotherAfter capturing Canada’s first Olympic gold medal on home soil, the Montreal�born skier draws inspirationfrom his brother Fredric, who suffers from cerebral palsy

After a long wait, anticipation grew inVancouver about which Canadianwould take home the first gold medal onhome soil at the Winter Games. Theanticipation is over: thirty-four yearsafter Montreal and twenty-two yearsafter Calgary, freestyle skier AlexandreBilodeau became the first Canadian everto win a goldmedal in Canada.Bilodeau started on the World Cup

circuit at the age of 18, where he cap-tured rookie-of-the-year honours. Hewon his first World Cup race in 2006.He switched to moguls to improve hisskiing technique, and found his passionthere.Did that switch ever pay off.Bilodeau was considered amedal con-

tender before the Games. Reporters,however, regarded him as inconsistent.But Bilodeau saved his best for last,dethroning the Canadian-bornAustralian Dale Begg-Smith for the goldmedal and sending the Canadian crowdinto a frenzy. He tore through themoguls with precision and the judgesawarded him with a 26.75, which provedgood enough for first place.Following the race, Bilodeau ran to

his brother Frederic, who was diagnosedwith cerebral palsy at age ten. Whenasked howmuch of the gold belonged tohis brother, Bilodeau replied, “A lot! …My brother is my inspiration. Growing

up with handicapped people puts every-thing back in perspective, and he taughtme somany things in life.”Bilodeau believes that he needs to take

any opportunity possible to train despiteweather conditions because Fredericdoes not even get the chance, as he isconfined to a wheelchair.His older brother may be his inspira-

tion, but Bilodeau has inspired millionsof Canadians. When the gold medal waspresented to Bilodeau on Monday nightat B.C. Place, the capacity crowd eruptedinto pandemonium, with thousands offlags waving and cowbells ringing tocongratulate the victor. He received acall from the Prime Minister, congratu-lating him on his accomplishment,In an interview following his achieve-

ment with The Toronto Star, Bilodeausaid, “This gold medal is just as impor-tant to this nation as any medal we earn.We will win more gold medals and I amglad I could bring this home to Canada.I want to thank my family for their sup-port over the years, and my older broth-er for beingmy inspiration.”Bilodeau then invited Dale Begg-

Smith and bronze medal winner BryonWilson onto the first place podium toshare his accomplishment (even thoughan Australian coach had previouslyprotested Bilodeau’s victory over Begg-Smith).As of Sunday, Canada has won four

gold medals, and hopes to increase theirmedal count heading into the final daysof the Olympic games.

WWIILLLLIIAAMM RROOBBEERRTTSSOONNASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Duncan Rawlinson/Flickr

AAlleexxaannddrree BBiillooddeeaauu ppoosseess ffoorr aa pphhoottoo wwiitthh hhiiss ggoolldd mmeeddaall oonn FFeebbrruuaarryy 1177..

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

ANDREW TYSIAKSPORTS EDITOR

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2010 THE MEDIUM 11

SPORTSNATIONAL DOMINATION

Will Women’s Hockey be banned from the Olympics?The Olympic sport may share the same fate as Women’s Softball

In Women’s Hockey, only one ortwo teams seem to dominate thefield. Either Canada or Team USAhas won the World Championshipsevery year s ince their debut in1990. The U.S. has won three of thelast four competitions, breakingCanada ’s 14-year re ign as theundisputed queens of hockey.As seen earlier this week at the

Winter Olympics, Canada humili-ated Slovakia on day one, winning18-0, and crushed Switzerland 10-1on day three . Much l ike theCanadians, the Americans have cel-ebrated a 12-1 tr iumph againstChina in their opening game. Andon Tuesday , the U.S . OlympicWomen’s Ice Hockey Team madean Olympic record, scoring sevenpower-play goals and winning a 13-0 match over Russia in its secondgame of the Winter Olympics .Team USA improved with the winand secured a spot in the tourna-ment’s semifinal round.The amount of goals scored in

each of these vic tor ies i s notuncommon. During qualifications,Slovakia beat Bulgaria 82-0.The lack of competition among

women’s hockey is creating contro-versial views on whether to keepWomen’s Hockey as an Olympicsport or ban it, as it is mostly onlybeing dominated by the same twocountries.Such undisputed domination is

not surprising, given how popularhockey is in Canada and the US.Both countries share similar cultur-al views in encouraging young girlsand boys to play hockey competi-tively at a young age. There aremany hockey schools, professionalcoaches and leagues where kids ofall ages can practice and play com-petitively all year long. Contrast

this with many countries wherehockey is not a cultural or a popu-lar sport. In these nations, there’ssimply not enough interest to startbusinesses that teach children toplay hockey at a competitive level.It will thus be very difficult for

Canada and the US to see a toughercompetitor at the Winter Olympicsthen Sweden. Sweden did manageto shock the women’s hockey worldin the 2006 Turin Olympics when itbeat the heavily favorite USA squad3-2 in the semi-finals. Sweden alsobegan the 2010 Vancouver Gameswith a 3-0 victory over Switzerland.But these were short-lived victo-ries. On February 17, Canada tri-umphed over Sweden 13-1, makingthe Swedes’ infamous victory in the2006 Olympics seem a fluke.Given this story as well as the

embarrass ing blowouts at theVancouver Games, one assumptionis that Canada and Team USA willonce again compete for the gold.Another assumption is thatWomen’s Ice Hockey may share thefate of Women’s Softball , whichwas banned from the SummerOlympics.“I get uncomfortable when the

score gets too lopsided,” says MarkJohnson, the U.S . OlympicWomen’s Hockey coach. “I've beenon the other end of that too manytimes. It can be a difficult balanc-ing act . You certa in ly want torespect your opponent and thehard work they did to get here.”This is perhaps why Canada and

the U.S. have begun to shift theirplaying techniques every time theyhave an increasing goal lead overtheir opponent. Instead of shootingthe puck constantly, they attemptto simply clear it from the goalarea . This prompted HayleyWickenheiser from Team Canadato say, “No apologies when youwin. We work way too hard to

come here and dump the puck inand sit back in a trap.”Indeed, when key players are

benched, they may feel like theywere punished for playing well .This amounts to holding playersback from the best of their capabil-ities. It can also seem an insult tothe challenging team.With the lack of compet i t ion

among women’s hockey, even fansare wondering if it should continueto be an Olympic sport. Some feelthat the excitements of the sport isgone when a team crushes its oppo-nents by a ten plus goal lead, ren-dering the game predictable.“It’s sad when these teams work

really hard to get to the Olympics,only to be humiliated by a domi-

nat ing team like Canada or theU.S.,” says Ana Maria Kudeljanjak,a UTM fourth-year humanities stu-dent and a hockey fan.When viewers watch these

games, whereby without equal skillamong the national teams, shouldWomen’s Hockey still be a compet-itive sport at the Olympic Games?

MMAARRIIAANNOO CCOOMMIITTOO

wordfest.com

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GOLD4

SILVER3

BRONZE1

results as of february 21, 2010

MMeeddaall EEvveennttss:: MMoonnddaayy FFeebbrruuaarryy 2222 ((EESSTT))

1:00 p.m. � Ski Jumping � Team Final Round

4:00 p.m. � Cross�Country Skiing � Ladies' Team Sprint Free Final

4:25 p.m. � Cross�Country Skiing � Men's Team Sprint Free Final

7:45 p.m. � Figure Skating � Ice Dance � Free Dance

EEvveennttss ttoo llooookk ffoorrwwaarrdd ttoo::

FFeebbrruuaarryy 2233: Speed Skating: Men's 10000 m � 1:00 p.m.

FFeebbrruuaarryy 2266: Curling: Women's Gold Medal Game � 6:00 p.m.Short Track: Men's 5000 m Relay Finals � 10:00 p.m.

FFeebbrruuaarryy 2288: Ice Hockey: Men's Gold Medal Game � 3:15 p.m.Closing Ceremony � 8:30 p.m.

February 22nd to February 26th

February 28th, 1pm

Feb 28th

March 1st - 7th

March 8th - 18th

March 16th, 17th, 18th

22nd

15th

2010

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 20101122 THE MEDIUM