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SEPTEMBER 15, 20092 THE MIKE THE MIKE 3the.mike@utoronto.ca

EDITORIALVictoria Asikis

Editor in Chief

Hello, Beautiful, Beautiful WorldAs I was sitting on the plane returning home from a

month long study abroad at Oxford University, I got to thinking about things. Here I am, freshly entering my twentieth year of existence, back from Europe, about to enter yet another year of soul-sucking education we call the University of Toronto… and about to become the official head of my college newspaper. You know what my next thought was? ‘Stewardess, can you kindly open that emergency door so I can jump off this plane?

Panicked. That is a reasonable term for how I was feeling. For as long as I could remember, I did not have to worry about my first issue of The Mike until several preceding events had passed: the beginning months of summer, my journey through Europe, and my birthday. Now that the boarding pass destination read Toronto Pearson as opposed to the Paris Charles de Gaulle or Dublin International I was so used to, there was no longer anything holding me back from the work waiting for me back home.

Panic. If Michael Phelps had experienced it, he would not have won eight gold medals in Beijing, an event that

changed Olympic sports forever. Panic. If Rosa Parks had felt it, she would not have sat

at the front of that Montgomery Bus and may never have commenced her career as a Civil Rights activist.

Panic. If Terry Fox had felt it, he never would have

embarked on his Marathon of Hope, a Marathon forever celebrated right around this weekend all across our great country.

Panic. If I allow myself to feel it, how will I prove I can do this to myself and to everybody else? How can I possibly give hope to those who consistently feel like they can not do what it is they want to do?

I am well beyond the age in my life where simply hiding beneath the covers of my bed fixes all of my problems, and as I embark on this exciting journey, I know my bed will remain in tact from when I wake up until I go back to sleep. Confidence, courage, strength, and optimism: I am confident in myself and everybody else working within The Mike. I am courageous enough to face fear and find the solution to any difficulty. I am strong enough to stand up for myself when necessary, and I believe in the strength of everybody telling me everything will work out. I am optimistic that everything will, in fact, work out.

Welcome to the 2009-2010 Mike newspaper year. Let us get this show on the road!

In this day and age when the world is such an unsure place, we as students look for guidance wherever we can. It is important we have some beacons of light to show us our different options and, even more simply, be there in case we need them. The St. Michael’s College Student Union tries to be those beacons. If we participated in all work and no play, there would be a plethora of completely worn out and run down students. SMCSU provides resources that these students can turn to including sports, fundraisers, social events, scholarships, art, and so much more. We pride ourselves in being leaders not only in the St. Michael’s College community, but also beyond. There is no “off-switch” to being a leader; it is in you, and you carry it with you twenty four hours a day.

“A great leader is a person who inspires a group of people to come together and shows them their potential and who doesn’t believe in limitations,” says Athletics Officer Kyle Farren. “He or she is one who values the well-being of those they serve above his own well-being. One who never loses control, loses composure, or loses faith and always judges a situation according to his morals.”

Khalid Mahdi, Education and Government Officer, thinks to be a student leader you must always keep in mind the needs of those you are serving. “A student leader is someone who stops at nothing to improve or better the student experience for his fellow students. He or she is

someone who just doesn’t sit on the sidelines as action is taken, but is someone who takes action; someone who is someone who is easily approachable and not afraid to accept assistance from his fellow leaders and students.”

Our being student leaders does not just influence those we represent, but also ourselves in a deep way. Haleigh King, Double Blue Officer, says SMCSU impacted her experience as a first year student. “The council allowed me to connect with hundreds of SMC students who I had never met before. SMCSU also installed a conscious responsibility to represent the college to the best of my abilities.” Being on the council teaches us all life lessons. Mr. Mahdi states, “SMCSU has changed my student experience by allowing getting in tune with the community and meeting others who are just as passionate about student government as I am. It has also taught me that in order to for SMCSU or any student organization to achieve their goals teamwork is vital; in order for student leaders to be strong that they must work together.”

Though thoroughly involved in so many aspects of student life in the St. Michael’s College, SMCSU as of late has put in the effort to be recognized beyond East U of T campus. We have strived to have a great role in the Toronto community. SMCSU has held many charity events such as the Bachelor/Bachelorette Auction, Cuts for Christmas, and Battle of the Bands, raising funds for Out of the Cold, the Canadian Cancer Society, and families in need, respectively. As a council, we have also canvassed for Sharelife around Toronto. Our events are not simply attended by St. Michael’s College students, but students from all of University of Toronto as well as many other nearby universities.

What does it mean to be a student leader? It means so many different things to each member on the St. Michael’s College Student Union. What we can all agree on is that it calls us to bring out the best in ourselves in order to represent all of the greatness our college has to offer. Our college motto is “teach me goodness, discipline, and knowledge” and that is what being on a council means. You learn the goodness of those around you and in the community, discipline from testing yourself to surpass your limits and discovering what it takes to achieve that, and knowledge every single day because you never stop learning. If you would like to be a part of our team, please run for the upcoming bi-election which will take place mid-October.

Look out for news about that. We would love the great addition of more hard working, fun loving members to our family (because that is what SMCSU really becomes).

We thank the students for electing us, the faculty and staff for being helpful, and the alumni for the support we feel. As president, I am extremely excited about the great potential this council holds and look forward to what the new school year will bring to St. Michael’s College. P.S. I gotta feeling...that it’s gonna be a good year...I can feel it (wooooo hooooo)

What it means To Be A Student LeaderFrancesca Imbrogno

SMCSU President

The University of Toronto Italian Canadian Association, better known, as ‘UTICA’ has been an integral part of the SMC and UofT experience for over 60 years. UTICA continues its proud tradition of celebrating and promoting Italian culture, language and history within the U of T community and community at large. Throughout the year we organize several cultural and social events, which provide a great opportunity to meet other students. It is open to all students of the university, whether you are Italian or not, who share a passion for such an enriched culture.

A presto,

Carmen StaltariVV

10. The infamous blue t-shirt. This t-shirt is in high demand every year and is sure to be spotted around campus.

9. You don’t have to be Italian to join. Just ask our very own Promotions Officer Andy Eason.

8. Pasta and Wine Bacchanalia. A night of limitless pasta and wine and maybe even some table dancing, not to mention the biggest pre-game to the much loved SMCSU ‘Graffiti Party’.

7. The largest Halloween Party. Held in conjunction with the Italian clubs at York University and Ryerson and is one of UTICA’s most anticipated events.

6. A weekend of debauchery in Montreal. Just ask the 2008 Nick Archdeacon recipient Kyle Ferren…if he remembers.

5. End of the Year Gala. A delicious four-course meal and an open bar…a perfect combination! Shots, shots, shots, shots.

4. You could be our next Executive member! Signing up allows you to stand for election and we are currently in the market for a First Year Representative.

3. Francesca Imbrogno said so.

2. Copious amounts of incredible tasting and free food. Look out for our fast approaching Benvenuto BBQ.

1. It will only cost you $5! New members can sign up at the office or at any one of our events.

TOP 10 ReASONS TO JOiN

Caesar’s Having a Toga Party… and You’re Invited! St. Mike’s will be kicking off the year with their infamous Toga Party. Level and Loft have both been renovated and St. Mike’s will be christening their new layout. So grab your grapes, get your wine, wrap yourselves up in your bed sheets and make your way to Level and Loft this Thursday September 17th. Toga! Toga! Toga!

SmCSU eVeNTSThe most important thing about SMCSU Athletics is our intramurals. This year, our intramural program is expanding by a variety of teams. Moreover, the success of Frosh has recruited over 250 new members to add to the 150 seasoned vets. SMCSU has already planned for eight tournaments, a number almost three times that of the previous year. We are offering a selection of leisure athletic activities to involve a greater St. Mike’s community: running, yoga, and P90X, to name a few. Sign up in Brennan Hall or E-Mail Anthony Salandra and Kyle Farren athletics@smcsu.com.

TOGA PARTYSPORTS LISTINGS

UTiCA AND YOUTHEMIKE STAFFeditor in chiefViCTORiA ASikiS

PRODUCTiON mANAGeRJAmeS FiNLAYANDY PiGNATARO

ARTS eDiTORFRANCeS mASON

BUSiNeSS mANAGeRJAmeS Jee

SPORTS eDiTORSTeFAN SLOVAk

COPY eDiTORSkATie BLUNDeLLDANieLA GHAZALiANSAL RAWDATSARAH-JANe VASSALLO

WRiTeRSALeX GReCOFRANCeSCA imBROGNOANDY PiGNATAROFReD CAPRARAAmANDA FiUme

CONTACT iNFOTHe.mike@UTORONTO.CA416-926-727281 ST. mARY ST. TORONTO ON. m5S 1J4

LOOkiNG TO CONTRiBUTe?DROP US A LiNe.

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SEPTEMBER 15, 20094 THE MIKE THE MIKE 5the.mike@utoronto.ca

Anime The anime section has the largest number of fans dedicated to it, but the section itself seems to have stagnated over the past few years. The same perennial exhibitors and the same celebrity guests have left this a somewhat boring experience overall. The highlight of the anime portion is the Cosplay Masquerade, held every year on the Saturday night, in which performers dress up as their favourite fictional characters, put on a small performance piece, and are judged on it by professional costumers. While the quality of costumes has improved over the years, the fact remains: if you have seen one Cosplay Masquerade, you have seen them all. The Good: The retail section of anime is always good for cheap DVDs, cute plush dolls, and more flavours of Pocky than you can possibly imagine. Also, among the people in costume, sometimes you see some really well done pieces that are bound to impress. The Bad: For every really great costume, there is a really bad counterpart. And for every Sailor Moon there is a fat Sailor Moon, and a fatter Sailor Moon, and on some days, even a morbidly obese Sailor Moon. Our working theory is that she ate the other Sailor Scouts. The Ugly: Anime fans. The fourteen year old, internet lingoing, forum trolling, acne filled, voice cracking, excessively hormonal, who think that they are totally cool because they are wearing a headband from Naruto anime fans. At one point during the convention the Mike Newspaper business manager James Jee was heard yelling, “I swear to god if I hear one more person use the phrase ‘Epic Fail’ I am going to grab the first teenager I see and punch them in the throat!”

Sci-Fi The science fiction section did not have a whole lot to show off this year, most of their normal exhibitors were nowhere to be found, and even the sci-fi aimed television station Space had set up shop in the horror section. I imagine most of their time was spent securing their celebrity guests, which was an impressive line-up, but could not cover up the fact that sci-fi was largely absent from the show. The Good: The TRON: Legacy booth featured some new clips and trailers from the upcoming movie, and a replica of one of those crazy TRON motorcycles. The Bad: There was literally no Sci-Fi section to speak of. Even the group of Star Wars cosplayers were noticeably absent at

the Cosplay Masquerade, during which they usually make an appearance.The Ugly: The fact that they let their celebrity guests charge ridiculous amounts for autographs and photos. Really Walter Koening? $60? Yeah, I know, you were Chekov on the original Star Trek; but let’s be serious here, you’ve done fuck all ever since.

Horror Horror has always been the odd section at the convention, kind of like they never quite fit in there. It is weird, but without even talking to a person, you can always tell who is at the convention just for horror. However, since being added to the convention, horror has always had a lively section, and it is always growing. The horror section is always an adventure. You are never sure just what to

expect, but if you can put aside your fear for the morbid and grotesque, it can be a lot of fun. The Good: Exhibitors in the horror section are probably the most in the spirit of the convention in that they actually want to raise interest and build a fan base, as opposed to others who just want to make a quick buck. You can talk to exhibitors in this section for upwards of five minutes before they will try to sell you something, and that is a rarity these days. The Bad: Horror is a tough section to integrate yourself into. If you have not seen at least three Hellraiser movies or read the complete works of H.P. Lovecraft, you are in for a bumpy ride. The Ugly: I am all for the morbid and grotesque, but even for me, it can sometimes be a little much. One exhibitor was selling what can only be described as “Horrific Portraits,” and we are not talking portraits as in painted; this was photographic style; it was meant to look real. Their main portrait on display was that of a woman in a bathtub being showered from above by blood spewing from the slit open throat of another woman hanging from the ceiling by chains. (I am serious. Not making it up or embellishing at all. This is what it was a picture of ). I am not sure just who exactly would buy this to hang in the living room above the fireplace, but according to the proprietor, it was one of their best sellers.

Gaming The gaming section was the latest addition and by far the most unwelcome in the convention when it joined. Last year the gaming section took up about 30% of the total floor space, and most of it was dedicated to losers from Major League Gaming sitting in front of X-Boxes trying to show off their “leet” Halo skills. (That is not a typo. Ask

your little brother what it means). This year was drastically different; while there was some pro gaming going on, it was kept to a minimum, with much more attention given to showing off games to regular guests and actually giving them a chance to play. The Good: From last year, the gaming section was cut to roughly one quarter of the space it previously occupied. The Bad: That there is still a gaming section at the convention. The Ugly: In the gaming section, they still insist on having a Guitar Hero tournament. I am not going to lie, I love playing Guitar Hero, and two years ago, I would have even considered entering a tournament myself. Since then, I have taken up learning how to play a real guitar, and needless to say, it has changed my perspective completely. I still love rhythm based games. They are lots of fun: you get a group of friends together, and it is great. Here is the thing: the minute you start to believe that skills at these games can actually translate to a real life scenario in which you are actually entering a

tournament associated with it, well, to quote former Editor-at-Large Kris Morrison: “You’re not a Guitar Hero. You’re an Idiot.”

In the last weekend of August, members of The Mike writing staff suited up and headed out to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre for FanExpo 09. FanExpo bills itself as Canada’s largest Comic Book/Anime/Sci-Fi/Horror/Gaming convention; a claim that I am inclined to believe, as I am personally yet to see any Comic Book/Anime/Sci-Fi/Horror/Gaming conventions occurring anywhere else. For those of you who are uninformed about these conventions and are unsure as to just what goes on, you are probably thinking that perhaps the way these events are portrayed by the media is exaggerated, and that I am about to dispel all the rumors and falsities about it. I am sorry to inform that everything you have seen or heard about these conventions is pretty much right on the button. There are people in costumes; many of these costumes are badly made. There are celebrities there; many of them were on a Star Trek series at one time, none of them actually want to be there. Nonetheless, having covered this event for the past three years, we wandered fearlessly into the den of geekdom to see what was in store. Upon arrival, we went to check in and get our media passes, only to find that for some reason, one of our passes was not listed. After negotiating for several minutes to no avail, we decided that we needed to get our hands on a computer to secure the e-mail regarding our media accreditation and passes. Thus we ended up at exhibitor services where we proceeded to pay $5 to use the internet for ten minutes, plus another $2 for the two pages we printed off. We then headed back to the Press Room in order to present the proof of our media accreditation to the very person who had just two weeks earlier approved our media accreditation. Yes, it was going to be one of those weekends. With our press passes safely in hand, we then made our way into the exhibitor’s hall in order to survey our surroundings. Not much had changed overall; many of the same vendors and exhibitors from previous years had returned, and other than small changes to the hall layout, there were almost no visible differences from last year. The Friday night of the convention is usually the most subdued, most exhibitors are still setting up, and none of the big events are scheduled for that night. Therefore, we decided to simply give the exhibitor hall a complete walkthrough, and take note of any workshops or panels that we would like to attend; thus ended our Friday night. I awoke bright and early Saturday morning and headed out to the convention in order to make it in for our designated 10:45am meeting time. However, after a subway delay and a minor Tim Horton’s related detour, I quickly found myself running late. As I entered the MTCC, large double double safely in tow, I immediately encountered a massive line stretching almost all the way across the front lobby. At this point I was informed that the convention was overcrowded and that they were not letting any more people in until the crowds inside thinned out. Making my way to the front of the line, I quickly flashed my press pass and was immediately allowed entrance, stopping only briefly to savour the words of anger and disbelief from those still waiting in line. As I made my way down to the exhibition level, I could not help but notice that the scene inside was far from what I imagined upon hearing of the overcrowding issue. What I initially believed to have come as a result of people showing up to the convention in unprecedented numbers turned out simply to be an act of gross managerial incompetence. The two main areas of overcrowding were the area to line up to buy tickets and the area to line up to enter the exhibition hall. The two main chokepoints which most patrons could not bypass had slowed to a crawl, and as a result, the overcrowding issue was entirely comprised of people waiting in line. As I once again took advantage of my press pass and quickly made my way into the

main hall, I was shocked to find there was quite possibly only 1/6 of the amount of people actually inside the convention that there were outside in the numerous lines. Now, in addition to reporting on the convention for The Mike, we staff members have something of another tradition, which involves getting a celebrity to sign one of their lesser known works, just to see how it plays out. For instance, among the thousands of Star Trek DVD’s, Patrick Stewart was asked to sign a copy of the movie Excalibur; which, I might add, was only because I was unable to procure a copy of Robin Hood: Men in Tights. This continued as such for other celebrities: Leonard Nimoy was asked to sign a copy of the album he recorded with William Shatner; and star of The Exorcist Linda Blair was asked to sign a copy of Chained Heat (look it up on Wikipedia, then you’ll get why it is funny). This year, we had two celebrities in mind, the first being Robert Duncan McNeill, who starred on Star Trek: Voyager whom we intended to sign my personal copy of Masters of the Universe, his first major role in which he played the boyfriend of a young Courtney Cox. The second of these was the legendary Billy Dee Williams, whom we intended to ask to sign a copy of Batman, in which he played District Attorney Harvey Dent, only to be replaced by Tommy Lee Jones two movies later. However this plan was quickly dashed to pieces upon seeing that the two celebrities had respective price tags of $40 and $50 per autograph. Despite these setbacks, the convention did have a lot to offer, and each section had its own individual highs and lows. Therefore instead of boring you with the rest of the details of the staff ’s comedy of errors, and also because this article is already huge and the Editor-in-Chief will kill me if it gets too long; I will simply try to highlight what each section had to offer.

ComicBooks The comic book section still holds a fairly dominant position at the convention; they tend to have the biggest booths and the prime locations. While there had not been many improvements in the comic book section in previous years, this year saw a convention first as DC Comics added its name to the list of exhibitors. Despite the common conceptions held regarding comic books fans, this was one of the better sections; it showed off why comic books have been growing in popularity and readership over the past few years: in short, you are no longer destined to be an overweight basement dweller if you like reading comic books. The Good: The DC Comics “booth.” I say “booth” in quotation marks because it was not so much a booth as it was four tables arranged in a square, each table filled with free comic books, posters and buttons. There was consistently a line up just to walk around the DC booth and grab stuff, but unlike every other line at the convention, this one was worth the wait. The Bad: Fans could pay $20 for the autograph of DC Editor-in-Chief Dan Didio. Most fans of DC Comics would have much preferred the option of paying $100 to punch Dan Didio in the face… $250 for the crotch. The Ugly: Marvel Comics held fast with their old strategy of offering almost nothing to fans at their booth and having no name artists sign comics that no one reads. After the same lackluster showing for three years straight, maybe a little Disney Imagineering might be a good thing for Marvel.

Continued on next page...

The mike Goes to Fanexpo '09Andy PignataroAdvice Columnist

Despite repeated attempts asking Disney Staff, we were unable to acscertain an answer regarding whether this was the Red Guy or the Blue Guy.

VICTORIA COLLEGE 18th Annual BOOK SALE

2009

5 DAYS OF HEAVEN FOR BIBLIOMANIACS!

Thousands of good books: used, new, old, rare! All subject areas; Amazing prices!

Thursday September 24: 4pm - 9pm*

Friday September 25: 10am - 8pm Saturday September 26:11am -6pm Sunday September 27: 11am -6pm Monday September 28: 10am - 8pm

(First night only -- admission $3; students free with ID)

In ALUMNI HALL & THE CHAPEL in OLD VIC

91 Charles Street West (at Museum Subway Exit) For more information call 416-585-4585

vic.booksale@utoronto.ca Proceeds to Victoria University Library.

ARTS

ARTS

SEPTEMBER 15, 20096 THE MIKE THE MIKE 7the.mike@utoronto.ca

Can you still sense that contagious college spirit? Can you still hear the echoes of all those infamous

St. Michael’s College frosh cheers such as Bubaloo and Ohhh...when St. Mike’s Goes Marching In, amongst the sacred and hallowed grounds of St. Michael’s College? Every year, SMC Orientation Week reminds us what makes our college so special. For one week in September, we rekindle the magic that makes our college the one to choose and the place to be. On this gorgeous scenic campus, with its abundance of mature trees rooted in decades of history, beaming sunshine, and no clouds in the sky, Katie Blundell and Justin Rodrigues, the coordinators of SMC Superheroes Frosh 2009, set a record of 720 frosh providing, without a doubt, the most enthusiastic, engaging and exciting orientation week these grounds have ever seen. The anticipation before frosh commenced, with cheering, rampant enthusiasm, and college pride, was second to none. St. Michael’s is renowned as a college that bonds together as a community better than any other and makes me as a third year student, who was a frosh just two years ago and a frosh leader the

past two years, conclude that this is what separates us from the other six colleges on the St. George Campus. Without a doubt, Orientation Week at St. Michael’s is the “Ultimate Experience.”In 2007, before my orientation week,

I remember how I was excited yet apprehensive, and kept wondering what was set in store for me during the week and academic year ahead. I was afraid that no one would be welcoming and that meeting new friends would be more of a challenge than a spontaneous experience, given some of the horror stories that I heard from certain students who had attended our university. That could not have been further from the truth, as any fears I had about not making new friends were quickly dispelled. My orientation week, SMC Olympia 2007, was an experience of a lifetime. I remember, over the course of the week while walking around and observing my surroundings, that every member of our frosh staff, drawn from every race, ethnicity and religion were courteous, engaging, encouraging and helpful to all. Many of the commuter students I came across shared the same fears I did when entering a new school community. Brett

Chang, a first year commuter student, confirmed what I thought when he said that “SMC Frosh Week made me feel I was part of the community. Despite the campuses enormous size, SMC seems to allow everyone to get involved as many opportunities present itself at this college. At SMC you quickly become a part of the community and allow personal experience and spontaneity.” If you are a student in residence or a commuter, SMC Orientation Week is the one week where all can enjoy. Harriet Renshaw, a residence student, described the SMC frosh experience as “having an instant connection in which nobody is left out, where everyone is together and can meet people that are cool and understanding.” In essence, SMC Orientation Week as an experience feels like Christmas has come early. You experience a rush of energy that manifests itself in pure enthusiasm for the day’s activities and events.SMC Orientation Week makes one feel

that it does not matter if one is wealthy, modestly comfortable or the struggling student; staff and faculty are UNITED AS ONE! We stand together. I am not saying that this is not necessarily the case

at the other colleges, but we at SMC are a closely knit clan. We have that fighting spirit that spurs us on in good times and bad. Our fighting spirit was tested the day, when after seven years in a row, St. Michael’s College lost to the Engineers in the traditional Bed Race competition. In his speech on Orientation Field following the painstaking, Justin Rodrigues enabled the entire community to rise above the fray and unite. St. Michael’s College knows how to have a good time, be spirited and accept our losses, while revelling in our successes. Despite the outcome, like one of our SMC frosh cheers state, “we fight and fight because we are from St. Mike’s.” It is the God’s honest truth. We are a family that is above and beyond the rest that keeps our heads held high and carries a significant amount of pride.What separates SMC from the rest

is that after the Hoikity Choik’s on C of orientation week inevitably fade and academic pressures pervade, campus life, our college, and its members will manifest themselves as a pillar to lean on when the going gets tough. What a ride it was and what a challenge it will be! Amen!

THE ULTIMATE EXPERIENCEAlex Greco

A FROSH PERSPECTIVELife is full of surprises. Here I was,

nervous and apprehensive about taking the big plunge from the

sheltered world of home and high school into university life. Not just any university, but the University of Toronto, Canada’s biggest university in one of Canada’s biggest cities: just me and several thousand other people. I am not sure what I was expecting to get out of Frosh Week, but a sense of community was definitely not on the list. All I really wanted was to stave off homesickness. Looking back on Frosh Week, what will I remember most? You guessed it: t spirit and the feeling that I was a part of a great community – the St. Mike’s community. We will all be getting to know each other a lot better over the next year, but the foundations have been laid, the bonds have been created, the introductions have been made, the names and numbers have been exchanged, and evidently, the friendships have begun. While we were all cheering, dancing, marching, singing, and clubbing, something pretty remarkable was happening. A new community of St. Mike’s students was born.

I will always have great memories of the cheer-offs with the other colleges and the ambushes in Queen’s Park. I never would have guessed that nothing builds community like intense rivalry with outsiders. Who knew that hurling the vilest insults imaginable could be so much fun? My personal favorite was the “build a bridge and jump” slur we mocked the engineers with each time we would cross paths. I assume that the other colleges gave as good as they got however I do not know for sure since I never actually heard what they were shouting back at us. I saw lips moving and faces contorting, but I did not hear a thing. St. Mike’s was just too loud, too overpowering, too good. We clearly dominated! And as they say, to the victors go the spoils. St. Mike’s is now in proud possession of a lovely collection of engineering hard hats, the engineering Frosh Week schedule and the most prized possession of all, Trinity’s infamous pope hat. Then there was the Bed Race. St. Mike’s arrived in large numbers with such spirit that everyone else looked deflated and defeated before the event began. We fed off

each other’s excitement, building ourselves up into a frenzy. Our might was a sight to behold as was our loyalty. One among our ranks was unfortunately tripped by an opposing team member and run over by the wheels of our own bed racer! Did that stop us? NO! Did that deter us? NO! Said Froshie picked himself up, dusted himself off, pulled himself together, and carried on with the rest of the week’s activities. He stands as a symbol of the dedication and commitment of the St. Mike’s class of 2013. I will never forget the frosh organizers and leaders and the amazing jobs they did. Their costumes were outrageous. Their enthusiasm was as infectious as HlN1. Early morning, late night and in between, megaphone in hand, high on Rockstar, they cheered at us and with us. They were ready to make fools of themselves, making us feel like we had permission to do the same. They broke through the tough shell of even the most reserved in the bunch. They chose a great theme for their costumes this year and that is how we will always remember them: Superheroes! These and a million other images

will be a part of my frosh week memories forever: the parade down Yonge Street (talk about stopping traffic!), the lip syncing competition, the incredible talent on display at Kelly’s Corner, the hilarious comedic acts at the improv show, the banquet and boat cruise on Lake Ontario, the dancing into the early hours of the morning in Circa and Guvernment. Everywhere we turned, day or night, there was something to do, somewhere to go, new people to meet, fun things to do. Sleeping felt like a waste of time. We did not want to miss any of the action. At the end of it all, how do I feel (besides exhausted)? I feel totally exhilarated and so hugely proud to be a part of this incredible college. Never again will I be able to fall asleep without the “Hoikity Choik” playing over and over in my head. Maybe that is a downside but it is a small price to pay for the privilege of becoming a mighty St. Miker and knowing that I am now a part of the best college at U of T!

Alexandra Zaralis

SEPTEMBER 15, 20098 THE MIKE THE MIKE 9the.mike@utoronto.ca

Under the watchful gaze of spectators, the challenge for Haleigh King seemed daunting. Armed with a helmet and safety gears, King mustered courage to ride a bed racer named SuperMike. She whispered, “I’m shutting down my eyes,” as she readied herself to brave water balloons and withstand the pressure of the race.

Indeed, she was underscoring the pressure of meeting the expectation. For seven years, St. Mike’s achieved the impeccable record of victory. The belief of invincibility pervaded the crowd, observing the test-run at Elmsley Lane. Ameena Hak and Zara Gulzar, marshals of Frosh Week, who did not doubt the hint of success said, “We are going to win.”

At the test-run, Andy Pignataro, designer for bed racers said, “We are learning by practice in order to maintain a straight line.” He measured the speed of each bed racer and declared that 10 seconds was unacceptable. The quest for lightening speed was only possible under seven seconds. The air was electrified with excitement as the Frosh gathered in front of Brennan Hall. A dozen of these Frosh spray-painted themselves blue as a show of determination. Dennis “The Menace” Amoakohene, who participated in the Bed Race for the first time, enthusiastically proclaimed, “It’s going to be fun.”

Father Jim Murphy then gave a blessing, “Have faith and belief in just how good we are. Help those other unfortunate colleges. Let us ask St. Michael to watch over and

lead our forces in the battle. So once again, it will be victorious.”

The sea of blue T-shirts arrested the attention of pedestrians and dashing cars, crossing Queen’s Park. The chants of “God’s on our side,” and “Seven years straight, soon to be eight” cast the magic of self-belief.

For the first and second rounds, victory was celebrated by the jovial gestures and thundering cheers for St. Mike’s. The wind-swishing speed of the bed racers made everyone’s heart jump. Frosh lined King’s College Road and cheered feverishly to the rhythm of solidarity. The mood of festivity was buoyed by the continuing streak of wins.

The last round of the Bed Races was marred by an unfortunate accident. A St. Mike’s Frosh tripped during the race and

sustained an injury. Stefanie Baglieri, who was riding bed racer Luci4 at the time, witnessed the incident. “I was scared and concerned,” she later expressed. Soon, a circle of care surrounded the Frosh, whose valiance was esteemed at the highest. The Bed Race team was greeted with outpouring support and sighs of relief at Brennan Hall.

The unsettling experience left many shaken and reflective of the significance of the event. Mina Gewarges, a St. Mike’s Marshall, looked visibly agitated yet remained calm and said, “We came in confident and we walked out disappointed.”Amoakohene expressed his concern for safety for participants and said that “It’s fun but it’s not when it becomes dangerous.” This is true, and despite the events of the day, we can only become stronger next year!

When I first heard the words ‘meal’ plan, I was thrilled. I knew I would never have to beg my mom to make me food again. I was dreaming of all the food I would be eating that did not come flash frozen, waiting for my cordon bleu fingers to press those magic microwave buttons. Needless to say, my mouth was watering. When I found out that my meal plan had been switched to continuous dining, I believe I started to drool.

As a first year student I had grown accustomed to the daily high school cafeteria grind: waiting in line for twenty minutes to pay ten dollars for a fry and a coke, sitting down to eat your sorry lunch and feeling afterwards the gross fullness in your stomach, balanced out only by the emptiness of your wallet, the mess that sits behind at every table, food that seemed to have run amuck on the

floor, and just as sure as you run out of time to finish all of your lunch you will undoubtedly realise that you had been sitting in a sticky juice mess.

I was told that the meals in university were a big step up from the grub I had been eating for four years but I was sceptical about it. When I first stepped into the Canada Room, however, I was blinded by an amazing sight; a salad bar, breakfast corner, delicious looking lunches, and ice-cream. I was impressed that they cared so much about my stomach, that they heard it calling for dinner cereal and breakfast desert.

I grabbed a plate full of food and headed for my destination; the dining hall would become my new best friend. I sat down with a group of new Frosh friends and chowed down - and might I say that

my mom has some competition. I loved the selection and I never waited in line for more than a couple of minutes. The Canada Room really kicks my high school cafeteria’s ass.

After a week of university I went back home for a couple days to unwind. Everything was going great until my stomach started to growl. I walked the journey downstairs and into the inviting kitchen, only to find no one around to serve me. I opened the freezer frantically in search of a microwave dinner – but there was nothing to be heated. I called my mom in a panic to alert her that I had no food and I was dying of starvation! I had lost my ability to feed myself and there was no one around to save me. I was scared and alone, lost and confused, I did not know how to make food anymore. The journey down to the kitchen from

my room felt longer and left me very unfulfilled compared to the walk up to the Canada Room for a warm meal.

I am very happy to say that I am now back on campus and I have switched my meal plan to include weekends. The Canada Room is my dream come true. There is always something for everyone; vegetarian meals, lactose free and soy milk, juice and pop, and for those manly men there is always meat. I love the food here and the polite staff is always ready to bring a smile to my face by filling my plate. If you are as big of a fan as I am about the cafeteria, then you now have two things to do once you are finished reading: go buy a scale and a full length mirror and wait for the freshmen fifteen to roll in!

The man is a legend, a pop sensation and dare I say, a smooth criminal? However is it not about time that we move on?

This self proclaimed, “King of Pop” died nearly three months ago yet people are still sensitive to poking fun at Michael Jackson and believe it to be in bad taste – It is not too soon.

The St. Michael’s Frosh week Improv event showed us that people are taking the death of this internationally known musician way too seriously and need to lighten up. During the evening performance one of the actors alluded to MJ and instinctively, the crowd responded chanting, “Die, Die, Die…” while I sat back laughing. I am sure that if any reference was made about Billy Mays or Farrah Fawcett, the feedback would have been much different. Both of these celebrities died around the same time as Michael and people have already forgotten about them. Yet people still speak about MJ as if he were a gift from a godly presence sent down from the heavens.

What about all the scandals surrounding Michael Jackson, from the plastic surgeries to the nights with underage boys at Neverland Ranch to dangling his child over a balcony– Or have people already forgotten what nasty things they used to say about him?

A week before MJ died, people were still

making immature Michael Jackson jokes; pretending their noses were falling off or just mentioning Michael in a conversation. However upon Michael’s death, these insults were morphed into compliments and Michael was seen as a Saint; everything he had ever done was forgiven.

It seems as though a large portion of Frosh week was dedicated to this man. Music featuring Michael Jackson was constantly being played and Victoria College even allegedly did a dance to Thriller. I did not see it though as I was busy presenting my posterior in their direction with the rest of SMC!

I understand that Michael Jackson may have changed many lives and that not everyone is a hypocrite; MJ will be missed by many of his true, loyal fans. Even so, we have mourned for long enough. This cannot continue forever. We should respect the dead but making a joke here and there should not result in blood stains on the carpet.

Michael Jackson was not a hero, yet he received a hero’s death. Every news channel on television recognized Michael Jackson for the “great man” that he was and his death is still being discussed on channels to this day. The main reason there was so much emphasis on MJ’s death was because he was bizarre. The fact that he brought amazing pop music

to a generation was not as big a factor. Many bands have sold as many if not more records than Michael Jackson and did not get the same attention come their deaths. What about little Annie? Bad things happen to many people, yet their deaths are still not as important as Michael Jacksons… Annie are you okay? I guess not.

Robert Schumann, a famous German composer, tried to commit suicide and was later committed to an Asylum, Beethoven was deaf, Michael Jackson changed his skin pigmentation and got plastic surgery. All these people are famous because they were strange, and it is horrible that we are recognizing them for that. Many celebrities have learned of this quick access to fame and have begun acting out; Britney Spears, for example, got married for a brief second and then cut off all her hair. Sooner or later, the music will not be a factor at all. People will be praised and loved for reasons besides their musical abilities.

I understand that Michael Jackson, like everyone else, needs to be respected in death and I am not asking people to start insulting him. However, it would be nice if people lightened up and moved on.

M.J. Will Not Be Forgotten

Can't Win 'Em AllBut Seven Years Straight Isn't Bad

Chelsea Han

Caitlin Hickson

Canada RoomThrough The Eyes of a First Year

Before you even see the inside of

courtrooms, or even the law school classrooms, you have to conquer one of the most important exams of your law career. A strenuous four-hour examination, which for most law schools carries as much weight as your entire undergrad degree. So, its clear that preparation for the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) should be taken very seriously. Having personally been going through the preparation process for the past few months, I will share some of my experiences to give all you law school hopefuls an idea of what prep for the LSAT is all about:

How much time did I give myself for studying? I dedicated myself to a minimum of five hours of studying, five days a week, for just over three and a half months. What resources did I use? Powerscore Bibles (arguably the best prep resources). Actual past LSAT tests (a definite MUST-HAVE, available for purchase from the LSAC site or amazon.ca). The Free LSATBlog (Has a wealth of information including great resources, tips and study schedules). Various other internet resources (get Googling!)What is the hardest part of studying for the LSAT? The idea of doing poorly on this test was one of my biggest personal challenges to overcome. Too often my prep-test results have discouraged me to the point of almost giving up completely. But, I was not going to let the mere potential of a bad score bring me down. Here are two techniques I used to get myself out of that mindset: I stopped rushing through prep-test after prep-test just to see what I scored. If you do not actually learn why you got an answer wrong, how are you supposed to improve? Instead I invested more time on review and learning the techniques! Slowly but surely, my scores began to improve. I also stopped being so stubborn! The LSAT does not only test you on your ability to answer questions correctly; it also tests your time- management skills. If a question is taking over two minutes with no end in sight, chances are its time to guess and move on. The LSAT is not marked negatively, so no points were taken off for answering incorrectly. Also, regardless of its difficulty level, every question is worth one point. So do not waste valuable time, move on and come back to it if you have time at the end.

What am I expecting on test day? With the LSAT less than two weeks away (September 26th) I am hoping for the best, but expecting the worst. Like the majority of test takers, the LSAT did not come naturally to me, and a retake may be in my future. But don’t stress: most schools only look at your highest LSAT score, and many even recommend a retake if your score is too low. Information on what each school expects can be found on the individual school websites.I interviewed Steve Schwartz, author of the free LSATblog and professional LSAT tutor for more insight on the LSAT experience: A major aspect of the LSAT is the ability to make logical inferences. So, lets start with the obvious. As a professional LSAT tutor, you must believe that the LSAT can be taught, learned and improved upon. But, can you really learn to be logical?-Yes, you really can learn to be logical. The LSAT requires that you are critical and sceptical of arguments, avoid taking things at face value, consider potential alternative causes for any result and potential alternative explanations for any conclusion, devote obsessive attention to detail, understand nuances and, apply general principles to specific situations.What are some of the most common LSAT misconceptions that you have encountered from your students and blog followers?

Far too many students fail to allow enough time to adequately prepare. 1-2 months is not adequate for the vast majority of students, especially when they have to balance LSAT prep with school or work. Students who shoot for high scores (as well as those shooting for mid-level scores) need time to fully understand the various sections, to develop strategies for attacking them, and to work on pacing and endurance strategies. I recommend that students devote a minimum of 3 months of preparation and that they study on a regular basis during this period of time. The other major misconception is that any old LSAT book will do. The problem: not all LSAT prep books are created equal, and most of them don’t even use real questions from previous LSAT exams. Several prep books even contain typos and other mistakes in the questions and answer keys.In your LSAT Blog you advocate self-study above prep courses. Can you explain why you feel that prep courses may not be an efficient way to go about preparing for the LSAT?People often say things like, “I was thinking of taking a course because it’ll force me to study. If $1,500 doesn’t force me to study, nothing will!” My response to that would be, “How do you expect to get through law school if you can’t buckle down and study for the admission test? With regard to discipline, the only thing a course can do is make you feel guilty for not doing

the homework. It may force you to go to class, but it won’t force you to study outside of class. Despite your fantasies about the LSAC being a picnic, it’s not. You will have to put in the bulk of your prep time outside of class.”For this reason, I recommend that students create a reasonable, but demanding, study schedule and stick to it. Hold yourself accountable for time you miss. If your exam date is 2-3 months away, don’t let more than a couple of days go by without using your LSAT books. Preparing for the LSAT is, at a minimum, a part-time job. It will require dedication and consistent attention, but the payoff can be tremendous.

I hope this provided some tips and insight into what this exam is all about. After the exam I will have more tips and tricks to help you get through the LSAT. Future issues will feature information and tips on other professional examinations like the MCAT, GMAT, GRE, BCAT and more. So, if you have written, or are planning on writing one of these exams and want to share your experiences, or if you would like to ask a question please contact The Mike at the.mike@utoronto.ca.Steve Schwartz is a professional LSAT tutor and blogger in NYC. In addition to in-person tutoring, he offers distance LSAT tutoring via email, IM, phone, and online whiteboard. http://LSATBlog.blogspot.com

Anna Vysochyna

So You Want to be a Lawyer?Polma O

Grinds my GearsI would sooner club

a baby seal than have to listen to the platform of yet another extremist environmentalist cult and/or PETA. You can pick them out in a crowd, the self righteous types dressed in uncomfortable looking clothing made solely out of recycled materials. They relentlessly talk about how not eating meat makes them better individuals in society, and personal hygiene. It seems to have taken the backseat to saving the life of a lab rat. Yes, these are the hollow minded do gooders of our generation, and they are annoying as fuck. Do not get me wrong, I am all for free range farms, environmentally friendly agricultural practices, and yes, even recycling. What grinds my gears about these animal loving freaks are the scare tactics, and the fanaticism that these self proclaimed animal-loving, demi-God, global welfare martyrs utilize to get their message across. On more than one occasion, I have been berated by these fuckers; for example by a man at St. George subway station whose forearms were literally covered in tattoos of various vegetables. No, I am not

kidding. Sure I will throw out a half-finished plastic water bottle in the garbage now and then if I can avoid carrying it around for five hours until I reach the next recycling bin.... but sue me. I am not preaching ignorance for global issues and animal rights abuses, but these assholes make it their personal duty to make me feel like I am some sort of neo-Nazi for recycling less than I should. At first, I thought that PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) was a seemingly docile organization; it was not until after I had innocently signed up for their mailing list that I realized that this organization was fucked beyond all measure. Daily emails riddled with absolutely ludicrous propaganda flooded my inbox. Disgusting videos and images of cows being brutally murdered, upside-down, gushing blood, hens having their beaks snapped off and, I kid you not, a picture of a crucified chicken (the similarities that can be drawn between a dead chicken and the savior of humanity are endless). Not to mention the numerous benefits of “going veg”, a recipe for vegan brownies, and of course creative ways

to convert me from my bastard meat-eating ways.If you think pro-lifers are extreme, then PETA takes it to a whole new level of wacko. How do they fulfill their noble quest to protect the lives of the innocent and fuzzy creatures that inhabit our earth? They harass, annoy, and even kill PEOPLE! Does this make sense or am I the only one who thinks that this is seriously messed up!?! In some deluded way, these animal rights terrorists have decided that the lives of the human beings working inside the scientific labs on research that could potentially save millions of HUMAN lives should take a backseat to the salvation of a disease infested lab rat. Some advice to you crazy tree huggers and animal rights activists, who are probably recycling this newspaper as we speak: maybe instead of terrorizing the general population with disgusting images of mutilated poultry and completely ludicrous propaganda (apparently eating meat can give you swine flu?), try talking to human beings that inhabit the civilized world in a HUMANE and civil manner. Discourse anyone?

Amanda Fiume

LIVING

SEPTEMBER 15, 200910 THE MIKE THE MIKE 11the.mike@utoronto.ca

Q: I am a female first year student here at St Mike’s, and one of my Frosh leaders, a third year, was incredibly hot. I tried to flirt with him as much as I could, and I got mixed signals – he was really nice and fun at first and then, when I began to flirt more heavily, he seemed to be trying his best to avoid me. I found out through friends that he has a serious girlfriend also living on residence, and they have been happily dating for over three years. I have seen the girlfriend and I do not think she is good enough for him. I really want to break them up and be his girlfriend,

so I devised a little plan: I followed him for a week and memorized his schedule and class locations. Now I “bump into” him as much as possible! What else can I do to make sure he is mine?Smitten in Sorbara

A:Dear Smitten, First of all, I believe you made a typo – “Psycho in Sorbara” would have been a far more fitting sign-off name for you to choose. Following the poor boy for an entire week and memorizing his entire schedule is usually

termed ‘stalking’ and is entirely illegal, not to mention disturbing. Illegality aside, stalking one’s love interest is never a wise choice; it is putting you much farther away from your (absolutely impossible to attain) goal and is probably giving him nightmares. I would also like to mention that frosh leaders here at St Mike’s have been rigorously trained to be ‘really nice and fun’ regardless of how much we may dislike and/or be freaked out by a froshie, and so I would advise against feeling too warm and fuzzy from such treatment. Now, St. Mike’s is a small community and news travels fast; I do not doubt that you

have already earned yourself a “Potential Homewrecker” warning label on your forehead, and the girlfriend is probably watching you closely. Hell, if it was my boyfriend, I sure would be. You are trying to break up what you yourself termed as a ‘happy’ couple, and have no right to judge his girlfriend. The boy has not remotely shown interest in you, and has a girlfriend he is happy with. My apologies if it is harsh to hear, but my advice is simple: stop being a stalker, forget your little scheme, and pray that his girlfriend does not read this and have her own ‘little plan’ for you…

Ask GIGI

SMCFroshie: @AskAndyAndFred, I attended Frosh Week this year. Everything was good and it was a lot of fun. Our Leaders were really good, except for this one who just spent the whole week hitting on me. It wasn’t as bad during Frosh, but now the school year has started, and he won’t leave me alone. What should I do?Andy: I’m not touching that one with a ten foot pole. Take it away, Fred.Fred: [shakes head] @SMCFroshie, normally I’d advise you to simply tell him to fuck off. The unfortunate truth is that most dudes around SMC just don’t take ‘no’ for an answer anymore. If that doesn’t end up working, you could try getting his friends to convince him to give it up, or go with the more drastic measures like talking to SMCSU or the Office of the Registrar.

Andy: Fred’s somewhat right on this one. I wouldn’t categorize all guys at SMC as stalker-rapists, but the fact of the matter is that you need to find a way to tell this guy that your answer is no. If you have to take it to a higher authority, then so be it. In the meantime, the military suplus store on Yonge Street sells pepper spray.

LonelyandUnsure: @AskAndyAndFred, I decided not to attend Frosh Week this year, and as a result, I am finding it hard to meet new people and get involved around campus. Any advice?Andy: @LonelyandUnsure, you’d be surprised how common this actually is around campus. A lot of students have a lot of trouble integrating themselves into the social side of university and end up missing out on a

crucial part of the college experience. Right, Fred?Fred: Way to not give any advice, Andy. It seems “Let Fred do the heavy lifting” will be the theme of this column from here on in. @LonelyandUnsure, my suggestion to you is to keep an eye out for posters around the residences and Brennan Hall for SMCSU events like DSAC breakfasts and the monthly Kelly’s Korner open mike nights. The Clubs Fair is also a good place to meet people who may have similar interests to you.Andy: UTSU has a lot of stuff too, including the full master list of U of T clubs you can join. Give them a shout.

SMCMovieBuff: @AskAndyAndFred, can you connect Ellen DeGeneres to Kevin Bacon in less than six degrees of separation?

Andy: Wow, this one was too easy for me. Ellen DeGeneres was in Finding Nemo with perennial Pixar voice actor John Ratzenberger, who played bar patron Cliff Claven in Cheers opposite Woody Harrelson. One of Harrelson’s most famous roles was that of the husband in Indecent Proposal with Demi Moore, who starred was in A Few Good Men with Kevin Bacon. Four degrees. Beat that, Fred.Fred: Ellen DeGeneres was in Doctor Dolittle with Oliver Platt, who was in The Three Musketeers with Kiefer Sutherland, who was in A Few Good Men with Kevin Bacon. Three degrees. Check and mate, jackass.

Ask Andy & Fred

A famous scholar, Marshall McLuhan stated very famously that “the medium is the message.” For students attending any post-secondary institution, they want to be assured that there is somebody that they can trust to deliver the facts so that one can make a clear cut choice on any issue. For years, students have been craving for someone to do exactly just that at the University of Toronto, specifically in the St. Michael’s College community. The Mike to date has never had a writer write an article exploring the core of what matters in political journalism: straight talk, clean thinking, no spin, no biased reporting and analysis with no political or ideological agenda - just someone, who is looking out for you! Well, students of St. Michael’s College and the University of Toronto, that time has finally come: this year, I will be looking out for you on all political news stories that matter. I am on your side and I ask for you to come along for the ride this year and explore the most

important political issues of our time. I will bring a new and fresh perspective that you are looking for!Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Alex Greco. I am a third year student completing an Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree, majoring in Criminology and Political Science and I am a proud member of St. Michael’s College. This column, however, is not just for St. Michael’s College. It is going to be for all of you attending any of the three University of Toronto campuses. Politics is my deepest passion. I have studied a wide range of issues and concepts that encompass Canada, Japan, and now Russia. Over the years, I have begun to seriously follow politics outside the classroom, specifically those that affect Canada and the United States. Politics impact our lives. It can shape how society is formed in any nation around the world whether a democracy or autocracy. This three syllable word breeds fierce debate, arguments, controversy, challenges, triumphs and defeats.In today’s 24 hour news cycle, stories come

and go. These stories are rehashed by the minute, and opinions are given by pundits, radio talk show hosts and strategists on a daily basis. Many argue that in today’s world of cable news, we have media organizations that are tainted by political slant or bias. For instance, there have been claims made by some in Canada that the CBC at times has been biased towards one party while CTV has been biased towards another. The same is the case in the United States where critics argue that MSNBC is a network with a separate bias from that of Fox News Channel.Over the course of my two years of study at the University of Toronto and at St. Michael’s College, I have come across a lot of opinion columns that can be quite good but are partisan at the same time. This column will not be partisan. My political beliefs will be left at the door, from start to finish. It will be an interactive news analysis column without speaking for any political party within and outside the University of Toronto. The key word is interactive because for the first time, The Mike will have a writer who

is going to get you involved. I am going to encourage and ask all of you for suggestions, feedback and topics that you want me to address and write about by emailing me at stmikespolitics@gmail.com. By doing this, you will help make this column the best it can possibly be and help The Mike reach more readers than ever before.For me, writing for The Mike this year not only presents itself with an unbelievable opportunity but also provides a learning experience for me personally. In life, the learning never stops. Every single day one should strive to achieve the best they possibly can be.Many political showdowns are playing themselves out as we speak. From Michael Ignatieff ’s quest to overthrow the Harper Government to the issue of health care reform in the United States. What are we waiting for? Come along for the ride. This will be one heck of an interesting adventure. Until next time, I am on your side and definitely looking out for you!

OPINIONWho's Looking out for You?

Alex Greco

I have always thought that I possess a certain level of fortitude, a certain inner strength that I could always fall back on. I may not be a muscular football player or a hardened veteran of combat, but I made it through the clique-ridden hell that was high school with little to no emotional scarring, and I was able to make it through The Notebook without bawling. Needless to say, I am pretty confident in my ability to roll with the punches.

So imagine my surprise when I found myself brought to my knees by a simple online class registration system. Shocking, I know, but after only a few moments trying to understand the class selection process, I found myself huddled in the fetal position on the floor, softly rocking back and forth, crooning gently and soaking in a pool of my own tears, used sodden tissues strewn about my quivering, sobbing body.

The entity responsible for my shattered well-being was University of Toronto’s Repository of Student Information (ROSI), an overly complicated juggernaut of a course selection program, designed to provide, according to the website, “online access to student and alumni academic information”, but is far more successful at breaking the spirit of anyone who wants to access said information.

The first issue I had was with the site’s interface, both in terms of aesthetics and practicality. ROSI looks ancient. In comparison to the other denizens of the Internet, ROSI is dinosaur. Aside from how it looks, ROSI lacks simple innovations that

would make it hundreds of times easier to use. For instance, rather than having students search for codes and then inputting them into a box, a series of drop down menus would be easier and less susceptible to error and confusion. Students would be able to sort classes by narrowing their selection to discipline (humanities, sciences, and social sciences), then subject (political science, philosophy, etc.) and finally the specific course they are looking for. While this would appear to be more complicated, it would

lead to fewer human errors during the input of course codes and make things easier for students.

This need for a better or more streamlined method of selecting courses leads directly to my second complaint. While using ROSI, I was forced to have multiple Internet windows open in order to quickly and easily access all the information I needed. In one I had ROSI, in another I had the University of Toronto’s website with instructions on how to understand ROSI, and finally I had

the Arts and Sciences calendar page open to decipher which course codes I needed to input in order to get the courses I needed.What ROSI needs is for all of the resources needed to pick courses to be in one place. Tutorials teaching how to use ROSI should be on ROSI. Course codes and descriptions that are needed to use ROSI should be on ROSI. Anything a student needs to use ROSI to its full potential absolutely needs to be on ROSI. Otherwise ROSI becomes just another arduous step in a long process of cross-referencing different websites and sources of information in order to actually complete the mandatory exercise of choosing courses.

I am not suggesting that the course selection

process should be pleasant or fun, but these two main issues were what made ROSI such a soul crushing experience rather than a quick and simple exercise for me, as well as for a number of students I’ve spoken to. Hopefully the University of Toronto will take steps to correct these issues before next semester, but I personally will be expecting another tearful hit to my personal resolve. I’ve even started stocking up on the Kleenex.

Ring Around the ROSICourse Selection Tool Falls Down

Dan Seljak

Did your high school teachers prepare you for the real world or just force you to dress a certain way while you are lost in it? This point is debatable as the prehistoric issue of kilt length rears its ugly, unreasonable head once more.

Affective this school year, many more Catholic schools across Toronto have decided that a kilt is no longer a “modest” option for a young woman’s school uniform. According to the Toronto Star, only six of the twenty-five high schools in the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board still allow kilts to be worn. The teachers no longer have the power or authority to reprimand girls who hike up their skirts past the allowed four inches above the knee. By now, you must be thinking that across the city, thousands of teenage boys must be howling in outrage! …Well, think again.

For those people who believe that females only don a kilt to impress the opposite gender, Victoria Bertini, a grade nine Loretto Abbey C.S.S. student, proves otherwise. She enjoys having a choice between pants and a kilt depending on the weather, and says, “97% of the girls wear the kilt, even though there are no boys at school.” She goes on to express her anger if the options were taken away: “…I do not shorten my skirt and I would hate to be punished for other peoples’ actions.”

It is completely unreasonable to force a teenage girl to wear hideously masculine, gray pants when the kilt is the only possible

way for her to express her femininity in such a restrictive environment. Even though some adults may say High School is not about looking your best, teens are just striving to stand out amongst the herd of cattle they walk the halls with. If not by way of a short skirt, then by means of wearing more comfortable or fashionable pants which may or may not be unacceptable by school guidelines. No matter what is thrown at these kids, they will find a way to be unique. I know I did.

Marco Marchese, a St. Basil-the-Great C.S. alumnus agrees with this: “I think most girls were discreet. Yeah, they wore short skirts, but they knew enough to wear shorts underneath. Teens are going to be teens. Unless you give High Schoolers jeans and a T-shirt, they are going to rebel against any uniform the school board gives them. I personally do not think it affected a girl’s learning at all.”

Considering these kids are supposed to be receiving an education would not a teacher’s time, and in turn a student’s, be better spent lecturing about Biology or History rather than uniform policies? I myself remember wasting an entire afternoon in the office in grade nine, because of kilt length, just to have the VP tell me that my teacher was wrong and my uniform was fine. In addition, almost every girl wears shorts beneath the kilt, negating some of the teachers’ worries about rising hemlines. Recently, R. J. McCarthy, a uniform provider,

released the X-kilt, which has shorts built into it. However, even schools with these types of kilts no longer allow anything but slacks, dismissing even the chance to obey the rules.

Julie Cosentino, an elementary school teacher for the TCDSB, believes a uniform adds a level of respect to the classroom that promotes a positive learning environment. However, this teacher still finds the kilt ban to be an exaggeration.

“I attended Father Henry Carr C. H. S. and we had the option of wearing pants or kilts. Most people wore the kilts though. Girls did shorten their skirts back then as well. I think that as long as there have been kilts in Catholic high schools, there have been young girls trying to squeak out their independence and personal style. Rebellion is not a recent thing at all. But if they ban kilts that are too short, what is next? Are they banning something from the guys? Is it fair to give the girls less choice? I do not think so.”

Is there no attempt at equality between the sexes? Just because it is impossible to take the pants away from the boys (unless you want awkward adolescent boys showing up for homeroom in their boxers), that does not make it acceptable to give the females their own set of restrictions. This was the main point made by Andrea M, another St. Basil alumnus, when asked if she agreed with the new kilt ban. “I remember a guy in the office

with pants so low that they literally fell off right in front of me! All I know is that that could have never happened with my kilt, so why are girls the only ones getting punished? All of this just causes the students to spend more time fighting the people who should be teaching them instead of listening to what they have to say.”

Thus, it is conclusive that this attempt to exert power over Catholic High School girls has backfired. In reality, it makes the authoritative figures seem powerless over the rebellion of their students as they could not keep up with their own guidelines and therefore had to change them all together. In the end, these girls are in an experimental stage and need the freedom to make attempts, and fail, in the safe environment of their school. If they feel restricted, who is to say they will not turn to someplace or someone more dangerous?But that is just one past kilt-wearer’s humble opinion. Take what you will from it.

LIVING

The Vanishing KiltsRising Hemlines Cause A Skirt EmbargoCassandra Sottile

SEPTEMBER 15, 200912 THE MIKE

SPORTSco-CEO, Research in Motion (RIM) (1992-present); represented in his

pursuit of the Phoenix Coyotes

Commissioner, National Hockey League (NHL) (1993-present)

Majority owner, Phoenix Coyotes (2006-present)

Initial bid for sole ownership of the Coyotes stood at $212.5 million, more than sixty million dollars stronger than the nearest competitor; the bid was subsequently increased by $30 million as of 07 September 2009; each offer has been contingent on relocating the team to Hamilton, ON

Falling well short of Balsillie, the NHL’s offer hangs at $140 million with the ultimate intent of re-selling the franchise to a party that would keep the team in Glendale, AZ; the NHL Board of Governors considers Balsillie unfit to assume control after attempting to bypass league involvement by dealing exclusively with Jerry Moyes

Coyotes estimated to have lost more than $200 million since 2001 and are projected to bleed another $25-35 million over the next fiscal year; on May 5, Moyes filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Meet The Players

The back-and-forth legal battle between Jim Balsillie and the NHL’s Board of Governors remains deadlocked heading into intermission. All parties were due back in court on Thursday of this past week to resume negotiations – with Balsillie’s potential to participate in an eventual auction still undecided. This is in response to a unanimous vote amongst the Board to reject Balsillie as an owner, considering him an “untrustworthy businessman”. As of this printing, Judge Redfield T. Baum has hinted at the possibility that both bids might be rejected and no sale will be made.

While as a Canadian it is tempting to blindly endorse Jim Balsillie – given his Canadian birth and genuine love of the game – and demonize Bettman – an expatriate of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and proponent of rapid commercialization – it is equally inviting to overlook the fact that our hometown boy has gone about initiating this process all wrong. If there is an element to Balsillie’s character that the NHL must resent more than his (in their opinion) “underhandedness”, it is the boyish whimsy by which he seems to be engineering this transnational enterprise. As early as June, Balsillie announced that he planned to have the Coyotes relocated to Hamilton and up and running in time to start the ’09-10 NHL season, a statement that baffled Bettman and company, all of whom (by a vote of 26-0) still did not recognize him as holding any stake in the club. It could be Balsillie’s relaxed attitude toward procedure and expeditious delight at the mere thought of purchasing an NHL franchise that is irritating Bettman. This is his third attempt – after failed bids in both Pittsburgh and Nashville – to acquire a team. Has the Blackberry billionaire given

thought to the significant obstacles that await him on the northern side of the border or do his eyes remain frosted by the nostalgic snows of youth?

It was not too long ago that Tim Horton’s magnate Ron Joyce said, in response to a question concerning speculation of a team coming to Southern Ontario, “Hamilton isn’t big or affluent enough to support an NHL team”. A long-time friend of Balsillie, Joyce believes it would make more economic sense to situate a team near the west-end of Toronto and create a city with two professional hockey teams, similar to New York. Just a month ago, Balsillie himself admitted that he suspected Richard Peddie and the Toronto Maple Leafs organization were conspiring with the NHL to block his bid to purchase the Coyotes. The Maple Leafs hold the right to veto any transaction that would bring a second team to the “Golden Horseshoe” and infringe on their territorial rights. It is thought that the Buffalo Sabres, who operate forty-five miles down the road, would also be territorially violated. This is made clear in the opposition expressed by Sen. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York who feel that a move from Phoenix to Hamilton would reduce the Sabres’ fan base and overall revenue. From another perspective, the owner of the Ottawa Senators, Eugene Melnyk, feels no sympathy toward Balsillie and from the looks of it thinks little of him as either a businessman or human being. With Bettman inserting the knife into Hamilton’s NHL aspirations, Melnyk has began twisting it

with the other. He has gone to the media and launched a furious assault on Balsillie’s character, accusing him of “bizarre” tactics to push his half-baked agenda. It was originally Basillie’s lawyers who used Melnyk as an example of an owner with legal troubles who had nonetheless been awarded an NHL franchise.

Needless to say, Jim Balsillie has not warmed himself to the NHL’s Board of Governors nor his neighbours in the region of Southern Ontario. From the outset he bypassed the appropriate legal channels to manoeuvre his bid. In the four months since failed to provide any sound and considerate marketing strategy for a prospective base in Hamilton. Despite these reckless errors and unfortunate impressions, the premise of operating a professional hockey team in Hamilton is itself promising, given the city’s infrastructure as well the work already being done on a grassroots level. The Make It Seven campaign, orchestrated by Balsillie, aimed at building nationwide support for a ‘seventh’ team has hooked a volunteer army of over 135 000. Over a dozen affiliated Facebook groups have likewise exploded, each having to date collected at least several hundred members.

On an economic level, while Hamilton does not enjoy the status of ‘international player’ akin to Toronto, it remains a healthy and vibrant city that has endured the recession with remarkable grace. The unemployment rate – at 7.9% - ranks among the lowest in the province, better than that of London,

Toronto and Windsor. Those who argue that Hamilton would be an unwise location for a team on the grounds that their current American Hockey League (AHL) franchise, the Bulldogs, fails to attract a regular sell-out crowd (thus suggesting a lack of enthusiasm) would be fascinated to know that their home games still outdraw those of their conference rival Toronto Marlies. Are we to infer from this equation that there is a lack of hockey enthusiasts in Toronto?

One would also be mistaken to underestimate Balsillie’s acumen as a businessman, especially in the wake of such hyperbolic rants from both NHL and his peers in an ownership capacity. The Make It Seven campaign has found financial backing in such “iconic brands” as Labatt Blue, Home Hardware, First Ontario Credit Union and DeWalt Tools. There is no reason to believe that these corporate entities would not remain partnered with Balsillie for if (or when) a team debuts in Hamilton. In addition to this, years ago, when he was exploring opportunities in Nashville, Balsillie’s name managed to generate 15 000 deposits on season tickets and 80 corporate boxes.If Jim Balsillie can produce before the Arizona bankruptcy court a substantial marketing strategy that addresses the roots of NHL scepticism, he can be successful in his quest and recreate the brilliance he has shown glimpses of in the past.

Patron Saint of the Canadian DreamThe Blackberry Boss/U of T Alum and his quest to bring hockey homeDean Seton