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VARSITY NEWS
news@thevarsity.ca
NoteWagon founders behind university meme trend Page creators compile student-made memes in new websites CampusMemes.com and EpicMemeTime.com Sunnie Huang VARSITY STAFF
Two weeks and 8,000 likes later, the growth of Facebook page U of T Memes shows no signs of slowing down, but links to thirdparty sites on the page have some fans raising eyebrows. Created on January 25 by former University of Guelph student Saif Altimimi — cofounder and CEO of note-sharing website NoteWagon — and former NoteWagon campus ambassador and U of T student Khaled Hashem, the page quickly went viral. Last week alone, 230,000 unique Facebook users read the memes, images that have captions commenting on certain topics. Starting from the University of Waterloo, Altimimi and his friends set off to create the meme pages of other North American universities and campuses, such as UTM, the University of Guelph, McGill University, University of Michgan, and Boston University, which were all received with equal enthusiasm by students. Altimimi told StartupStats, a blog about early stage startup companies, that although others are following his lead, he still owns about 80 per cent of the postsecondary meme pages on Facebook. Nick O’Neil, the author of the blog post, wrote, “It isn’t as much about NoteWagon as it is about a clever marketing campaign that the company’s CEO came up with. I wouldn’t be surprised to see millions of college students interacting with pages.” Along with the overnight popularity, however, come the hiccups. Buried in the endless image macros of UBC’s meme page is one student’s comment: “Can I be the first to say how tacky it is that you are attempting to leverage the popularity of this page for your own personal gain?” He was referring to NoteWagon’s nationwide meme contest, where the contributors of the top four most-liked entries posted between February 2 and February 7 would win $50 cash. Students from other Canadian schools including those from U of T participated in the contest. Altimimi, however, pointed out that although he co-created some of the meme pages, they remain community pages. “I just thought it was a cool project to work on personally with a few friends. It has nothing to do with NoteWagon,” said Altimimi, who is also one of the early founders of BroTips.com, a male-oriented advice-giving site backed by media mogul Mark Cuban. He added that NoteWagon toned down the contest’s advertising after participation went off the chart. “We decided it might not be a smart move to keep pushing it, because we only have so much control over the memes page,” he said. NoteWagon, a Waterloo startup that appeared on CBC’s Dragon’s Den last October and later moved to the Silicon Valley, updated its Facebook page on February 9 saying that the organizers were still finalizing the winners due to the sheer amount of entries. While fans of these meme pages are still growing, Altimimi and his team are designing another hub of Internet subculture for the same audience. Launched on February 9, CampusMemes.com indexes memes according
NOTEWAGON
I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE
A U of T Reddit user linked to this meme, which alleges that several university meme Facebook pages are being used as a marketing tool by NoteWagon.
“I just thought it was a cool project to work on personally with a few friends. It has nothing to do with NoteWagon.”
to different post-secondary institutions across North America. It allows users to pass or fail memes and share them on Twitter, Facebook and Reddit. The team is also building its own meme generator, after the third-party website MemeGenerator.net — used by many meme creators — crashed several times due to heavy traffic. “I knew for a fact [memes] are going to be huge in every single campus,” said the young entrepreneur from San Francisco, shortly before the website’s launch. “It captures campus subtitles so well.” A day after its launch, however, Campus Memes — along with other meme pages for American schools — became the target of a raid by the infamous /b/ board of 4chan, a message-sharing platform known to initiate many high-profile Internet hacking attacks. Dubbed as “Operation Higher Education a.k.a The Day /b/ Destroyed University Meme Pages,” the group spammed Campus Memes’ Facebook wall with offensive memes and encouraged users to post memes promoting violence, gore, and racism. Users were also asked to screenshot these posts, email them to the administration and have the pages taken down. Campus Memes’ postings were temporarily disabled. Two hours later, the site went back on with an added moderation feature. Altimimi was not available for comment after the website’s launch. Back to U of T Memes’ home front, cocreator Khaled Hashem, a third-year industrial engineering student, is also planning to launch a similar website that invites U of T meme fans to create content. He hopes that EpicMemeTime.com, a project that he started with fourth-year student
Bilal Khartabil to categorize, promote and moderate memes, will de-clutter Facebook users’ news feeds. Hashem said there wouldn’t be too much competition between Epic Meme Time and Campus Memes, as they target different audiences. On February 10, U of T Memes updated its status and said the page has partnered with Campus Memes and “memes submitted on both this page and on CampusMemes.com will be considered for publishing.” Student Taleen Karnieg commented, “Even this became all about advertising? When will it end?!!!!” Hashem said he is less involved with the Canadian startup since it moved south of the border earlier this year. Both the Facebook pages and the upcoming website are personal projects by him and his friends. “If we ever become anything big, there are going to be costs that go up to the thousands. Obviously we are going to offset those costs,” he said. “But the initial stage is definitely not [for profit]. We are just in there ourselves for fun.” He said he was taken by surprise by the page’s popularity and the amount of submissions both in email and on Facebook. He and a group of his friends are now performing the administrative jobs of moderating and organizing content to remove spam and tasteless posts. “Some of them can be quite harsh,” he said. Hashem added that U of T’s meme enthusiasts can expect Epic Meme Time to be operating sometime soon and he welcomes students to join what he fondly calls the “Dream Meme Team” to help out with the Facebook page and the new website or to “just enjoy a good laugh.”
VARSITY NEWS
news@thevarsity.ca
monday, February 13, 2012
News analysis
That’s the ticket! Can Stop the Salaries win without changing their campaign tactics?
Simon Bredin ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR
After their second campaign — and second loss — organizers of the two Change slates by and large gave up. In the vacuum formed by their absence, a new group named the Student Political Action Committee (SPAC) emerged. By election season, SPAC had amassed a sizeable war chest and prepared to field a slate named Students First. But Students First didn’t advance beyond the qualifying stages of the race, as three candidates were disqualified over their nomination papers. The entire slate resigned and pledged to boycott the election. Today, many of the students who backed SPAC have taken issue with UTSU spending on executive salaries, wages, and benefits. They are working under a new name, Stop the Salaries, essentially an awareness campaign spread through social media. The group has produced a slick website and released a handful of campaign-style videos. They also maintain an active Twitter feed and a Facebook group that has many members in common with SPAC’s group from last year. “Their salaries up, your services down,” they are fond of saying. But the suggestion that the UTSU is cutting student services is disingenuous. In an op-ed published in The Varsity last week, president Danielle Sandhu firmly dispelled the claim.
Strangely, accuracy is irrelevant to the people behind the campaign. They are working with a different playbook entirely. Brett Chang, half of the duo behind Stop the Salaries, told me candidly that the campaign is an effort to import “American-style political strategy” to U of T. That would explain the relentless adherence to their talking points and the populist appeals to student wallets.
Rather than offering constructive critique, Stop the Salaries’ MO has been to occasionally antagonize the UTSU executives in public and otherwise bide their time circulating half-hearted memes on Facebook. In the long run, it will likely prove impossible to win an election on campus using these tactics. What works well for the Romney or Harper campaigns will probably fail when transplanted to a university setting. Here, students that care enough to vote (15 per cent of the student population) demand a lot from their candidates: face time,
nto Students’ Union University of Toro Federation of Students
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e c i t o N s n o i t c Ele Local 98 • Canadian
at the very least, and a degree of earnestness towards a student cause that goes beyond an accounting error. That is, ultimately, the redeeming strength of the pro-CFS candidates. It is also the likely reason for their continual victories. In part enabled by their salaries, executives like Sandhu and her predecessors spend the year attending student-run events and building grassroots support across all three campuses. This, in turn, exposes their brand to students who vote in the March elections. It is possible that the organizers behind Stop the Salaries are prepared to do the same, but they don’t act like it. Most are irritated with the way the UTSU does business, yet few seem committed enough to change it. As we saw last year, SPAC/Students First foundered on an electoral system that is inhospitable to outsiders. Their story should be a lesson: it will take more than indignant rhetoric to win at U of T. Rather than offering constructive critique, Stop the Salaries’ MO has been to occasionally antagonize the UTSU executives in public and otherwise bide their time discussing the UTSU’s activities on Facebook. To mend what has become a lacklustre first impression, they must assume a more dignified role on campus. Why not point out, for instance, that college-level governments dispense a roughly equal amount of money as the UTSU does to clubs while paying only a fraction in honoraria to leadership? Is an alternative method of governance possible? Maybe — but don’t rely on Stop the Salaries to tell you about it.
Know the difference between kerning and tracking?
undergraduates at St. ion represents all full-time es such The U of T Students’ Una campuses. U.T.S.U. provides important servic d TTC nte aug cou siss dis Mis and and g e din Georg book bursaries, clubs fun tral U of as Health & Dental Plans,nts’ Union also represents students to the cenconnects de and Stu , r hts students’ rig Metropasses. You social vernment, advocates for T administration and gopuses to work on common goals, campaigns and cam all oss acr nts stude programming.
The University of Toronto Students’ Union is holding its Spring 2012 Elections to fill the following positions: Position
Seat(s)
Division I Victoria College University College Innis College St. Michael’s College New College Trinity College Woodsworth College At-Large Arts & Science
2 2 1 3 3 1 3 2
Toronto School of Theology
1
Faculty of Music Faculty of Dentistry Faculty of Nursing Faculty of Medicine Faculty of Pharmacy Faculty of Law Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering Faculty of Physical Education & Health At-Large Professional Faculty
1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 2
Division II
Division III * Mississauga campus
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Executive President Vice President Internal & Services Vice President Equity Vice President External Vice President University Affairs * cross appointed to the Board of Directors of the UTMSU
1 1 1 1 1
Important 2012 Dates:
Election Nominations (All Positions) Election Campaign Period Election Voting Period Election Results
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 09:00 to Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 18:00 Monday, February 27, 2012 at 08:00 to Thursday, March 8, 2012 at 18:00 March 6, 7, 8, 2012 From 09:00 to 18:00 Friday, March 23, 2012
Nomination Pick-up and Drop-off Locations: St. George campus:
Mississauga campus:
12 Hart House Circle Hours: Monday - Friday, 09:00 to 18:00
UTMSU Office UTM Student Centre, Room 100 Hours: Monday - Friday 09:00 to 12:30, 13:30 to 17:00
To run for a position, pick up a nomination package during the nomination period at the U.T.S.U. or UTMSU office. Please keep in mind the dates and deadlines. For more information, visit our Students’ Union website at www.utsu.ca or contact cro@utsu.ca Please 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”).
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VARSITY NEWS
monday, February 13, 2012
news@thevarsity.ca
City paves way to keep Willcocks pedestrian-only Coordinators planning to make construction improvements over time Akihiko Tse VARSITY STAFF
Following a successful year-long pilot project, City Council has paved the way for Willcocks Street to become a permanent car-free, pedestrian-only walkway. Approved by council on February 6, the street between Huron and St. George will be converted into a recreational area that will be used for pickup basketball and hockey. It will also host weekly farmer’s markets and the Field to Fork Festival. Council also approved a pedestrian-only walkway at Ryerson University’s Gould Street The closure of both streets is subject to renewal every five years. Originally a pilot that began on September 2010 at the behest of both student unions, the project was granted an extension to January 2012. The closure was part of the Toronto Walking Strategy, which aims to create a physical and cultural environment that encourages walking. After the city conducted a survey as part of its staff report, the Toronto and East York Community Council approved the motion to keep it. Project coordinator Alan Webb said that the main idea behind the project is to “provide round-the-clock relaxed, casual space.”
For the pilot, Webb said that the Campus and Facilities Planning Office installed “fairly modest furniture” such as basketball hoops and an astro turf patch, with umbrellas and planters being provided by the city. The street will remain as city property but the university will pay for ongoing maintenance costs. Webb likened the long thoroughfare, something he said the university was lacking, to a European boulevard where there are “tables and chairs on the piazza sort of thing.” “We found that it was being very well-used partly because of the location with the high concentration of students,” he said. “It provides a different type of space that’s not really associated with a college or faculty.” Councillor Adam Vaughan, (Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina) who tabled the motion to Community Council, said the street is a great opportunity to broaden student activity and academic opportunity without causing much disruption, but added that more improvements can still be made. “I think the street would be better if we could figure out a way to rebuild it entirely to accommodate pedestrians as opposed to simply closing it,” Vaughan said. The curbs, according to him, may also create access issues for people in
wheelchairs or with disabilities. “I think over time, as the money becomes available, the ability to transform it into more of a plaza and less of a street is an opportunity we need to explore, but as it stands now, finding money for a project is a bit challenging,” Vaughan added. Webb agreed, saying that a balance between accommodating both pedestrians and cyclists, who frequently use the street, must also be found. A working group has been organized to discuss and look at longterm possibilities for the street. The closure to the street is exciting news for students, said Shaun Shepherd, VP external for the UTSU, which advocated for more green and pedestrian-friendly space across the St. George campus. “The next step is to see what other spaces we can transform in this way,” Shepherd said in an email response. Vaughan said similar pedestrian-only streets are being considered in parts of Kensington Market and John Street, but did not set a time line for it. The university also tested a pedestrian-only walkway on Devonshire Street near Bloor and Hoskin, but it was found to be problematic with disruptions to traffic and a lack of student presence.
Bernarda Gospic/THe VArsity
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Crime Stats February 1–8
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Physical assault and one sexual assault reported.
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Fire alarms were activated.
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JaNICE LIU/THe VArsity
Finding love in a hopeless place New website Love at School presents a platform for dating at Canadian universities Evan de Souza VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
Between lectures, readings, midterms, and finals there is little time for students to create new friendships, let alone date. Enter Love at School, a new dating website specifically for university students. “When you’re in school and you have a lot of work, online dating can be more convenient than going out trying to meet someone new,” co-founder and third-year U of T student Andrew Danks said. Previously known as Love at U of T — a dating website specifically for U of T students — Love at School was re-launched on January 9 to include all Canadian universities. Founders Andrew Danks and recent U of T graduate Lori Lee created the website by themselves before adding Laurier student Brian Kwok as the head of marketing to the project. With little promotion, the website has grown drastically. Around 250 messages are sent daily among over 2,200 students across universities like U of T, Wilfred Laurier, and Waterloo. Danks said that what makes Love at School unique is that the website is designed and created specifically for university students to make new bonds. “You know [members] will be reasonably within your age range, so it is a lot safer and a lot more authentic. [It] gives the student a bet-
ter experience online,” Danks said. According to him, online dating is usually associated with a “creepy factor” because you don’t know much about the person on the other end.
“You know [members] will be reasonably within your age range, so it is a lot safer and a lot more authentic. [It] gives the student a better experience online.” “There’s no way of saying hoWWw old they really are or how real they are,” the third-year computer science and mathematics student said. To create an account, members are required to use their Canadian post-secondary email addresses. Danks maintained that the use of a post-secondary email account gives students a better experience online. Samantha Chin-You, 18, said that Love at
School being catered to a university crowd makes her feel more at ease. She acknowledged that on other dating websites, you’ll meet a people from different age groups, but with this website, you’re placed with other university students with similar interests. “I strongly believe that most people are attracted to other people who share the same interests and experiences as them,” second-year U of T student Ricky Rodrigues, 19, said. Chin-You shared that she has heard a few success stories. However, she admitted that though the website is good for meeting new people, she doesn’t see herself forming a sincere relationship with anyone on the site. According to co-creator Danks, another aspect that sets Love at School apart is that it’s geared toward helping LGBT students date. “It’s much harder for [LGBTQ students] to meet because you just can’t ask someone if they’re LGBT,” Danks said. Rodrigues is looking for other queer-identified men and believes this site will make dating easier. However, since he hasn’t taken full advantage of the site, he has been unsuccessful. Although both Chin-You and Rodrigues have yet to benefit from the website, Danks said that he has received feedback from people who have met new people. “It feels great knowing that I created a medium where students can easily meet new people and discover new relationships,” Danks said.
Mischievous events occured, two involving broken car windows.
9
Security alarms were sounded.
9
Belongings were stolen, including four cellphones and a small oven.
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Trespassing events reported at places like Hart House, Banting Institute, and Exam Centre.
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monday, February 13, 2012
The Varsity
A E E S A N WAN ! ? E I V O M E FR E TH E S PE C IAL O T S T E K C I T R O F OF G N I N E E R C S E C ADVAN
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CUPE 3902 and U of T hopeful that classes continue uninterrupted on February 24 Administration promises not to lock out TAs in the event of a strike Rida Fatema Ali
BCIT navigates.
ruption is over,” Nugent said. “We are hoping to negotiate a solution to the problems facing undergraduate and graduate students created by the administration during the term of our last contract. “ U of T has agreed to continue its discussions with the union on February 21 and 22. However, in the event that a strike occurs, Matus said that the university would remain open and would “respect the decision of those Unit 1 members who wish to continue working.” “The University will not lock out its teaching assistants, as long as this remains operationally feasible. The University will also respect the decision of those who choose to strike,” Matus wrote. The union, which represents teaching assistants, lab demonstrators, and graduate-student and writing instructors, brought three main issues to the negotiation table: tutorial sizes, funding for grad students — especially in their senior years — and dissertation research compensation. The union wants to decrease tutorial sizes to a maximum of 50 students
VARSITY STAFF
With 91 per cent of its 4,200 members in favour, CUPE 3902 (Unit 1) is set to strike on February 24 if U of T is unable to provide them with an agreement. Despite the deadline, the union and the administration are hopeful that CUPE members won’t be forming picket lines. “We remain optimistic that we will reach an agreement with our teaching assistants, who are so important to us,” wrote vice-provost, students Jill Matus in an email sent to U of T’s student body. “We assure you that, in any event, we remain committed to ensuring that the academic programs of our undergraduate students are continued without significant interruption.” CUPE 3902 chief spokesperson James Nugent said that, likewise, the union is trying its best to avoid a strike and if they see progress, they will continue negotiating rather than put members on the picket line. “During either a strike or lock-out, student course instructors would not hold classes, TAs would not be marking, and tutorials and labs would be put off until the labour dis-
monday, February 13, 2012
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News in brief Plan B sold in university vending machine
Halifax student drops out due to transit strike
Mats Sundin donates $330,000 to U of T
Federal authorities are investigating Pennsylvania’s Shippensburg University for having the morning-after pill Plan B in its vending machine. The university installed the vending machine two years ago when 85 per cent of the students voted in favour of the idea. Some are concerned that the current arrangement would make Plan B, which is typically sold behind the counter, available to women under 17 without a prescription, violating federal law. However, university spokesperson Peter Gigliotti noted that the machine was in a building only accessible to students. “You cannot be a 13-year-old and walk in and get it,” he said. —Aberdeen Berry With files from The Telegraph, Reuters, and the Huffington Post.
A university student has dropped out of school due to Halifax’s ongoing transit strike. Chase Sabourin, 19, a second-year Saint Mary’s University (SMU) student who commutes to school and his three part-time jobs, told The Chronicle Herald that he left school to salvage his suffering GPA and save cash as he has yet to pay the semester’s tuition. CBC news reported that 39,000 students in Halifax are also feeling the strike’s sting as they are required to buy the #134 U pass upon enrolling in post-secondary school. SMU faculty members are encouraged to offer affected students alternative options for attendance and participation. Some are considering temporarily offering online classes. —Shantal Otchere With files from CBC, The Chronicle Herald, and UNews.
Former Toronto Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin donated $330,000 Friday for a fellowship between U of T and Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet. The Mats Sundin Fellowship in Human Development will involve an annual medical research exchange between up-andcoming doctoral candidates in the two institutions. Each year, one “Sundin Fellow” from both schools will be selected for an exchange where they will participate in genetic research with a team of top scientists. With his new international initiative, Sundin aims to support scientific research of the effects of pre and post-birth environments on maternal and early childhood health. —Tina Hui With files from Toronto Star and National Post.
Montreal police caught striking student protesters on video An anti-tuition hike student protest in Montreal turned violent after at least two Montreal city police officers acted aggressively towards the protesters. A YouTube video shows an officer repeatedly striking a male protester with his baton while another officer is seen shoving a female protester to the ground outside the Montreal Education Department building. The students were protesting against a $325 tuition rise over the next five years.
The Montreal Police department have launched an internal inquiry investigating the incident. Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, spokesperson of L’Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante, one of Quebec’s largest student lobby groups, told CTV News that the students were peacefully protesting and the violence was a ‘totally impulsive gesture” of the police. —Mohammad Arshad With files from Maclean’s.
Correction An article in the weekly series “That’s the ticket!” entitled “Can anyone give pro-CFS candidates a run for their money?” was published in the January 23 issue of The Varsity. It reported on decisions made during past UTSU president Sandy Hudson’s term, namely, the denial of funding and club recognition for pro-life groups; the provision of funding for transportation to and from Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) events; and Hudson’s requests to use student funds for legal costs accrued for Angela Regnier’s arrest. The Varsity has since learned that this information is inaccurate. When Hudson was CFS-Ontario’s Women’s Commissioner, CFS-Ontario didn’t deny pro-life groups funding but supported a motion banning them at Lakehead University. Hudson was also recorded to have supported IAW during her first year as UTSU president but wasn’t confirmed to have paid for transportation. Lastly, UTSU, under Hudson, didn’t request for the use U of T student funds to pay for Regnier’s legal costs but appealed to local student unions for donations. The Varsity regrets the error.
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VARSITY NEWS
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Behind the scenes
Meet Marcel Fortin and Janina Mueller The Varsity chats with Robarts’ map librarians
StArring DAviD Ferry
Fortin and Mueller help visitors navigate Canada’s largest cartographic collection. SARAH TAGUIAM/THe VArsity
Irina Vukosavic VARSITY STAFF
the night of the iguana mar 2 – 10, 2012 Box office: www.uofttix.ca / 416.978.8849 Adults $25 / Students & Seniors $15 $10 Student tickets every Wednesday! Hart House Theatre’s 2011/2012 Season is proudly sponsored by:
www.harthousetheatre.ca
Everyday is a scavenger hunt for map librarians Marcel Fortin and Janina Mueller. Located on the fifth floor of the intricate Robarts Library’s Map and Data Library area, both untiringly assist and answer library-goers’ map-related questions. “We basically help people use data and maps for analysis, as well as make sure that all of the information is categorized and maintained,” says Fortin, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and map librarian. On top of answering questions and retrieving information for students, both also work on storing that information. “We have the biggest catalogued collection of cartographic material in Canada, and all of this data we make available online,” says Fortin. “We are an academic unit as much as we are an IT unit.” The Map and Data Library has up to five terabytes of space available of which they currently use more than half. “It’s great working here because no one day is typical and you never get asked the same question twice,” exclaims Mueller original cataloguer and reference specialist. “As soon as you grasp one subject area, a student that is specializing in a completely different field asks something else.” Every day, Fortin and Mueller deal with a wide range of students, from undergrads to
PhD candidates. “You’d be surprised to know that we actually don’t get very many geography students coming in asking questions,” Fortin shares. “We get students from all sorts of programs like medicine, health, or physics.” Once they had a religion major come in asking about
opportunities. It’s important to maintain a bridge of time between the present and the past, she says. To emphasize her point, Mueller proudly shows an original copy of a world map used by the Allies in World War II. A small message on the top reads: “for office use only of the British war offices, 1944.” Visitors can get their help through email or by going to the library in person. Fortin says that visitors usually begin questions with, “We’re sorry to bother you,” but he readily replies with, “No, go ahead and bother us!” They add that everyone in the map library accepts all forms of discussion with open arms and great enthusiasm. “There’s no need to be intimidated by all of this data; we love working with people and helping out with general or specific questions,” says Fortin. Mueller agrees, saying that people should treat their part of the library like a “scavenger hunt.” “They are free to open drawers full of maps and take out the ones they need,” says Mueller. To effectively answer visitors’ questions, the librarians employ the help of the GIS program to assemble, store, manipulate, analyze, and display geographically referenced information. Fortin candidly adds that GIS has been around since the ‘60s and is the basis of Google Maps.
“It’s great working here because no one day is typical and you never get asked the same question twice. As soon as you grasp one subject area, a student that is specializing in a completely different field asks something else.” the location of an ancient church. Amongst their regular visitors are authors and employees from media organizations. Fortin recalls helping the CBC locate historical maps and scans of the 401 for a documentary they did on the highway. Mueller explains that it’s essential for people to have access to these maps in the future for all kinds of research
VARSITY NEWS
news@thevarsity.ca
monday, February 13, 2012
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University diversity
Renatta Austin tells her story
The Varsity celebrates black history month this February by discussing the experiences of minority students at U of T
Bernarda Gospic/THe VArsity
Dalana Parris ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR
Renatta Austin, third-year law student and VP central of the Black Students Law Association of Canada, says that the lack of black role models at U of T has had an impact on her career decisions. Born in Grenada and having immigrated to Canada as a young child, Austin says that her family held high expectations and strongly encouraged her to pursue her dreams. Ever since her first year as a Woodsworth political science and criminology undergrad in 2005, Austin knew she wanted to be a lawyer. “My whole approach to undergrad was just to get in, and get out,” she says. “It was really a means to an end, and at the time I knew that I wanted to go to law school. However, during the last stretch of her undergrad years, Austin re-
alized that she preferred research and contemplated becoming a professor. But her reservations stemmed from the lack of black role models at the university, causing her to question the acceptance of black female professors. “Becoming a professor at that [time] didn’t seem attainable — I’d never had a black professor up to that point at U of T,” she recalls. “I hadn’t even met any, but I had met black lawyers.” Austin believes that for some students, having few black role models at U of T can have an impact on career decisions and can also affect enrollment from the black community. “One of the challenges that I personally experience with other black students’ perspectives is that many don’t apply because they don’t think they’ll get in — and even if they do, they don’t think they will fit in because they don’t see other black students there and
have heard negative things about the school,” she explains. To counter this, Austin launched a campaign in collaboration with U of T law, called See Yourself Here, an event that aims to encourage blacks and other visible minorities to pursue a legal education. Despite U of T law’s mission statement on diversity, Austin believes that there’s still room for improvement in the faculty’s minority representation. “I think that the school recruits nationally, so they aren’t looking for people that are necessarily from the local area,” she explains. “But number two, I think that because of the school standards, U of T doesn’t take on the same holistic approach that some other universities do.” When asked what message she hopes to relay to her community, Austin replies simply: “Don’t count yourself out, and don’t count other black students out.”
CONTINUED FROM P7 as well as award extra TA hours for those who manage tutorials with over 20 students. They also want to alleviate the problem of decreasing funding for fifth- and sixth-year students — a problem worsened by the Doctoral Completion Grant’s elimination — and the up to $3,200 stripped from their annual dissertation research funding, especially when they have been assigned new non-dissertation research work responsibilities without an increase in pay. Nugent said that the administration voted to take no action in resolving these concerns, leading to 91 per cent of CUPE members to vote in favour of a strike.
“Despite the creativity and flexibility that our Bargaining Committee has brought to the negotiation table, the Administration has basically come to the table and said ‘no’ on our three core issues,” he said. The union recently launched its own Boundless campaign, which is intended to be a parody of U of T’s Boundless fundraising campaign. It features pictures and subway posters of select CUPE grad students who are affected by the university’s alleged “boundless inequity,” “boundless inflation,” “boundless financial uncertainty,” and “boundless deception.”
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Comment
13 FEBRUARY 2012
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE
comment@thevarsity.ca
The truth about e-dating
NDP candidates are putting us to sleep Read it here: http://var.st/aa0
Going online can help you make that important personal connection
Meghan McCabe VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
I have a deep, dark secret, one that I have kept close for the past few years. Sure, lots of people are doing it, but nobody really talks about it because it’s deemed embarrassing. I am guilty of online dating, but I am no longer ashamed. Two really wonderful things happened to change my mind about the matter: I got over myself, because online dating is really not a big deal, and on one particularly hilarious evening, I met that longelusive Best Guy Ever. Now I’m in a very happy relationship with a very wonderful man and have become one of those terribly obnoxious, “ridiculously in love” types I once looked at with disgust. As it turns out it happens to the best of us. However, the fact that I met my beloved out in the real world has not diminished my opinion of online dating as a very useful tool, as long as you can do two important things: keep an open mind and accept the fact that you will reject and be rejected quite frequently. We’re all so busy and caught up in our own affairs that meeting a potential love interest is tough. We do everything online, including a whole lot of social networking, so why not include dating? And why, in this hyper-sexualized society, is online dating still rather taboo? It’s perfectly acceptable for ladies to
shimmy into their shortest skirts to shake what their mamas gave ‘em, and for men and women to go out carelessly looking for their Friday night flings. Online dating is a perfectly legitimate way to meet like-minded individuals without the daunting task of that painful face-to-face question: “Um, so, can I get your number?” It also saves us the embarrassment of accidentally hitting on someone else’s significant other, and no one wants to incur the wrath of a jealous girlfriend or boyfriend. I am a fairly confident individual, but I always had trouble approaching a crush. Talking to boys can be so hard. I blame ICQ (the precursor to MSN) for the social deficiencies that are pretty much commonplace amongst our generation. We spent our formative years chatting up cuties over the Internet but barely speaking in person. Now we often cling to text messages instead of putting our phones to our ears for actual voice-to-voice communication. Internet dating is just an extension of all of that, as long as it leads to an actual face-to-face meeting if both parties are interested. In my brief forays into online dating over the past few years, I learned three important things: some people are only interested in chatting over the Internet; some people are only interested in sex; there are tons of eligible bachelors
and bachelorettes on these dating sites. At worst, as long as you’re smart (and I’m pretty sure we’re all wellversed in stranger danger by now), you lose an hour of your life on a bad date and you never see or speak to that person again. At best, you meet the love of your life and live happily ever after. And in between, you meet some cool new people, have some fun dates, and put yourself out there. After all, if you’d like to meet that special someone, you’ve got to meet someone first. Which leads back to the “keeping an open-mind” thing. When dating online, it’s really easy to treat it like shopping and keep a very strict set of criteria in your head before even bothering to talk to someone, let alone meet him or her. Many people approach dating in general with that sort of checklist mentality, and it just doesn’t work. My beloved rarely uses proper grammar, which — I’m ashamed to admit — would once have been a deal-breaker for me. But who cares if he doesn’t always use “your” and “you’re” appropriately? Grammar is never going to hold your hand or make you breakfast. Like I said, get over yourself and whatever stringent requirements you may have for deeming one dateable. So, if you’re single and interested in dating, just hop on the ol’ Internet, find the site that seems best to you, and let the good times roll. Happy dating.
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Comment in Brief
Cardboard Valentines
Growing up Valentine’s
Valentine’s Day = Friday
Remember in grade school when you had about 30 little cards with pictures of your favorite action hero or play-doll, posing in front of a silly, embroidered heart, and you had to choose — out of all of your classmates — who got the biggest, best card in your pile? You gave them out indiscriminately, and you secretly saved your favourite for that special someone with braces or with those adorable freckles, and you hoped that secretly they had saved their best piece of cardboard for you. Simpler times, right? It’s just harder to say “I like you” now. Can we not take a bit of time out of our busy schedules to sign a few Valentines and hand them out to the ones we care about? This Valentine’s Day go out and buy those silly cardboard cards again. Take the time to write a few sincere words on them, and give them to the people who perhaps don’t know that you truly appreciate them. —Jared Shapiro
I’m pretty sure Valentine’s Day has been going downhill ever since the elementary school days of cute paper valentines for all and delicious homemade cupcakes. Still, every year, I try to do something somewhat awesome. This year it’s a Tuesday followed by a Wednesday when I will have to submit a paper and write a midterm. So, I’ll be working a lot — decidedly not awesome V-Day activity. To honour the spirit of love and chocolate, I’ll bring Hershey’s Hugs to my ballet students (we don’t know each other that well); I’ll send a cheesy mass “Happy V-Day, love you!” text; then I’ll eat the chocolate my mom will send me and Skype with the object of my affection. And we’ll get excited about the real celebration of all things romantic when he picks me up at the Edmonton airport Wednesday night and we spend a cozy Valentine’s weekend in Jasper. After all, I’m a grown up now. —Meghan McCabe
This year will be different. When I left England behind for the land of maple syrup, I decided to leave some old habits there too. Last year’s Valentine’s Day pity party involved six girls in pyjamas, a bucket of Häagen-Dazs, and Bridget Jones trying to find love in central London. We epitomised the stereotypical lonely girl. No more of this! This year I am going to spend my Valentine’s Day like a winner, and winners drink a lot. Who needs love when you have friends and vodka? Like any rational, mature, and well-rounded individual, I will drink myself into oblivion, flirt with everyone (it is the day of love after all) and then wake up on the floor somewhere next to an empty bottle of merlot. In reality, Valentine’s Day will just be a mid-week repeat of every Friday night I’ve had in Toronto thus far. I can’t wait. —Kimberly McIntosh
VARSITY COMMENT
comment@thevarsity.ca
bachelor of education
Letters of love to nowhere
experience . mentor . community
Mourning the loss of a distinct form of communication Fatima Syed VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
In a world where emailing, texting, and instant messaging did not exist, there prevailed a most elegant form of communication. Written with nothing but ink, thought, and consideration, it started with “Dearest…” and ended with “Love…” It was an art that originated in the love and care of two people. Written, folded, enveloped, marked, stamped, posted and then opened, unfolded, read, and kept — once upon a time we used to write love letters. Despite the fact that the world’s global postal system has managed to stay afloat amidst the frenetic development of communication technology, the hand-written letter has long since been put to rest. As the world discovered the sparkle of the Internet, it forgot the magic that could be made by a pen on paper. We forgot the feeling of receiving an envelope marked with our name in our loved one’s handwriting. We forgot the experience of reading a page filled with another person’s thoughts that may have had a smudge where a tear had fallen or a giant exclamation mark for when they got excited. We lost the sense of anticipation as we waited for the next letter from a loved one to arrive or for ours to reach them. Letters used to be a representation of a relationship — a constant back-and-forth of words that were special to two people because they were written with the greatest care for no one but them.
People reading this may think I’m being overly sentimental. Some may call it oldfashioned or anti-modern or some other fancy label. The simple truth, however, is that the modern day replacements for the letter do not allow for the emotional consideration that used to be written into letters, nor do they do justice to the emotions being conveyed. The act of emailing or texting is a rapid, on-and-off action: read, reply, send, read, reply, send. Forget elegance; forget style, courtesy, and tone; forget checking what you wrote. Modern day communication has a standard format: start with their name, write a message, write your name, add an emoticon or two if they are your friend, and send. Today we write in haste, typing one message after the other without pausing to reflect or think, leaving all the work to spellcheck. Anyone who has studied the tiniest bit of history and looked at letters as sources will see the striking differences between
these two forms of communication. The first has simple and classy eloquence in that letter and mail correspondents address one another and are presented on a “page.” Letters may seem more formal than emails, but words like “hey” and “whatsup” cannot replicate the emotions attached to “my dearest.” Soldiers communicating with families, mothers with children, fathers with colleagues, friends with friends: it was a constant ongoing exchange of life and emotion on paper. That letters were even written is indicative of the strength of communication, and the detailed pages upon pages of writing are not something that Generation Y cares for. Because of such factors as distance, time, and even circumstances, letters were read with greater anticipation and were written with greater care. Modern technology has shortened distance and time — great progress
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monday, February 13, 2012
THE Varsity VARSIT HE
The scam of Valentine’s Day Joshua Oliver VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
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Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Tom Cardoso editor@thevarsity.ca design@thevarsity.ca Design Editors Matthew D.H. Gray matthew@thevarsity.ca Mushfiq Ul Huq mushfiq@thevarsity.ca Photo Editor Bernarda Gospic photo@thevarsity.ca Online Editor Sam Bowman online@thevarsity.ca Senior Copy Editor Maayan Adar copy@thevarsity.ca News Editor Sarah Taguiam news@thevarsity.ca Comment Editor Alex Ross comment@thevarsity.ca Features Editor Erene Stergiopoulos features@thevarsity.ca Arts & Culture Editor Ariel Lewis arts@thevarsity.ca Science Editor Bianca Lemus Lavarreda science@thevarsity.ca Sports Editor Murad Hemmadi sports@thevarsity.ca Illustrations Editor Jenny Kim illustrations@thevarsity.ca Video Editor Vacant video@thevarsity.ca Associate Design Editor Suzy Nevins Dan Seljak Associate Photo Editor Wyatt Clough Associate Online Editors Mimoza Haque Patrick Love Associate Copy Editor Jasmine Pauk Associate News Editors Simon Bredin Dalana Parris Associate Comment Editor Davin Leivonen Fok Associate Features Editor Simon Frank Associate A&C Editors Assunta Alegiani Brigit Katz Associate Science Editors Ken Euler Yasmin Sattarzadeh Associate Sports Editor Zoë Bedard
Contributors Arash Azizi, Alberto Bustamante, Evan de Souza, Dennis Dobrovolsky, Kevin Grace, Tea Hadziriztic, Daniel Horowitz, Maggie Keenan, Danielle Klein, Meghan McCabe, Kimberly McIntosh, Joshua Oliver, Cristina Olteanu, Kelly Rahardja, Sneha Raju, Jared Shapiro, Kimberly Shek, Nothando Swan, Fatima Syed, Franziska Teusel, Carter West Copy Editors Reshara Alviarez Elizabeth Benn Emily Dunbar Alexa Franczak Ryan Hanney Tina Hui Laura Mitchell Amina Mohamed Joshua Oliver Benjamin Pan Daniel Smeenk Fact Checkers Reshara Alviarez Elizabeth Benn Alexa Franczak Tina Hui Laura Mitchell Amina Mohamed Daniel Smeenk
comment@thevarsity.ca
Why February 14 is the worst day to express your love
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VOL. CXXXII No. 18
VARSITY COMMENT
Designers Simon Frank Matthew D.H. Gray Colin MacLeod Suzy Nevins Mushfiq Ul Huq Dan Seljak Michelle Yuan Photo and Illustration Olga Abeleva William Ahn Jenise Chen Bernarda Gospic Tea Hadziristic Hyun Kim Jenny Kim Anamarija Korolj Kimberly Kwan Sarah Taguiam Mushfiq Ul Huq Belinda Zong
Business Office Business Manager Arlene Lu business@thevarsity.ca Advertising Executives ads@thevarsity.ca Jamie C. Liu jamie@thevarsity.ca Kalam Poon kalam@thevarsity.ca ivana@thevarsity.ca Ivana Strajin The Varsity is the University of Toronto's largest student newspaper, publishing since 1880. The Varsity has a circulation of 20,000, and is published by Varsity Publications, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation. It is printed by Master Web Inc. on recycled newsprint stock. Content © 2012 by The Varsity. All rights reserved. Any editorial inquiries and/or letters should be directed to the sections associated with them; emails listed above. The Varsity reserves the right to edit all submissions. Inquiries regarding ad sales can be made to ads@thevarsity.ca. ISSN: 0042-2789 Please recycle this issue after you are finished with it.
Everyone knows Valentine’s Day is a scam. Amazingly though, unlike many holidays, history isn’t the problem here. Valentine’s Day was originally a commemoration of one of three different saints named Valentine, all of whom were martyred. One of these was famous for being executed for continuing to marry young Christians when the Roman Emperor forbade it. Another is said to have fallen in love while in jail awaiting his execution and to have signed a note to his lover, “From your Valentine.” Whether or not any of these legends are true, the celebration of Valentine’s Day has been associated with romance since at least the Middle Ages, and even the practice of sending Valentine’s cards dates back to the 19th century. While there is some speculation that in the fourth century Pope Gelasius I changed the date of celebration to coincide with an earlier and far less romantic pagan festival (which involved flaying a goat and animal sacrifice), Valentine’s Day can still claim a solid historical basis. So, the problem with Valentine’s Day isn’t the history. The problem is that a day that is supposed to celebrate love and romance is one of the least romantic days in the year. It almost goes without saying that Valentine’s Day is a drag for the majority of people who aren’t currently coupled. Having a day, or even season, when love and romance is constantly forced down one’s throat tends to exacerbate any feelings of loneliness one might be inclined to have. If the romantically-entangled could carry on their romance at different times from one another, and without the assistance of the corporate world, those who are single would probably be happier, and might even be a bit more positive about romance in general. Criticizing holidays for being too commer-
cialized has become tired and routine. Still, it is worth remembering that many well-established holiday traditions have been created or exploited in order to make money. An estimated one billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year, and at several dollars a piece, this represents a massive market for Hallmark and the like. Not to mention the untold fortunes to be made in flowers, stuffed animals, romantic nights on the town, and those little cinnamon
flavoured hearts. The problem being, of course, that spending money is now being substituted for being truly romantic or loving. While a thoughtful gift is a great way to show someone you care, most Valentine gifts aren’t thoughtful at all — they’re perfunctory, and there’s nothing romantic about that. Moreover, the simple fact that this purported celebration of romance is one specific day renders it unromantic. Nothing is less romantic than scheduling, so why is there one specific day when everyone is expected to turn into a dashing Romeo or a blushing Juliet? Any romantic gesture made on Valentine’s Day is ten times less romantic because it’s not only expected but almost required. If you need a calendar to advise you to remind that special someone that you care, it might be time to rethink that relationship. Showing someone you love them should be something you do every day and grand romantic gestures really ought to be spontaneous. Thinking that exchanging some heart shaped chocolates wrapped in red tin foil on one particular day is a celebration of romance is just sad. Another downside is that everyone’s romantic activities fall on the same day making it harder not to compare one another’s Valentine’s plans. This aspect, coupled with how people’s affection can be quantified as a number of roses, leads inevitably to competition. Competition among friends as to who makes or receives the grandest Valentine’s Day show, even if it’s only implicit, is destructive to both romance and the focus on your own relationship that should be integral to celebrating love. Here’s what you should do instead. Love in a way that doesn’t bother those who are single. Allow your romance to be uncompetitive, inexpensive, and spontaneous. Finally, if you really must celebrate this Valentine’s Day, do so only with a goat sacrifice to the Jenise Chen/THe VArsity pagan wolf-god Lupercus.
Valentine’s Day for all A Marxist defense of the romantic holiday Arash Azizi VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
Valentine’s Day: when millions of people around the globe have the perfect occasion to express their love for their significant others in many forms. Also, a perfect excuse for a great many businesses, large and small, to make a good amount of money by selling merchandise to those lovers eager to express their love. In the midst of this rather chaotic lovefest, how should anti-capitalist revolutionaries feel and act? In order to conduct my defense of the Valentine, I have to inevitably start by polemicizing against a few well-known critics who are very skeptical of this modern holiday and the way in which it is celebrated. The two most common lines of criticism point to two realities: one, the supposed Christian and Western roots of Valentine’s Day, and two, its very much apparent commercialization. Let me start by addressing the first one. It is well-known that Valentine’s Day, according to legends (and not historical facts) celebrates the memory of St. Valentine, a Christian Roman saint who was executed on February 14, 270 AD. Isn’t it ironic then that many of our
liberal and secular critics ask that millions of non-Christians today celebrate this very Christian day? I would like to point to the details of this legend. Why was St. Valentine murdered? According to legends, he was killed by the Roman imperial authorities who had forbidden marriage after Roman men began refusing conscription so they could stay home with their wives. St. Valentine’s “crime” was that he would secretly marry couples in defiance of the Roman Emperor’s order. Where can you find a more powerful story of a defiance against the moralities imposed by the authorities and a celebration of humanity against the war-agenda of the ancient imperialists? Besides, why should we buy this secular liberal insistence on erasing anything in our history that has had to do with Judeo-Christianity or other religions? The kind of society that these secular liberals want us to envision, one that is devoid of any “traditional” cultural basis and is based on pure calculative rationality, is, at any rate, merely a modern myth. The modern secular liberal state uses this myth, along with many others, to establish capitalism as its very own “religion” (As Walter Benjamin would say) and maintain the status quo under the cover of com-
mon sense and “rationality.” How about a second, apparently more left-wing group of critics, who point to the acute commercialization of Valentine’s Day? If you’ve ever wandered around leftist circles, you’ve surely come across those who, rather condescendingly, declare that they don’t care for days like Valentine’s or Christmas and refuse to be “consumers” who take part in these capitalist “commodities.” I have to acknowledge that there is obviously some truth to this critique. As I pointed out at the beginning, Valentine’s Day is brisk business for many capitalists. In the United States alone, more than 180 million Valentine’s cards are sent by mail by some rather cowardly lovers while another 700 million are handed in by their more courageous counterparts. Hallmark alone sells more than 1,300 different styles of Valentine’s Day cards. Yes, it’s an ugly aspect of capitalist societies that they turn everything into commodities that you can buy and sell. To quote Karl Marx “[capitalists] resolved personal worth into exchange value.” This is exactly why we Marxists fight for the overthrow of this system. This doesn’t mean that we should shun all aspects of present human culture as “bourgeois” and revert to cave-dwelling. One thing I don’t have
the stomach for is all those organic juice-drinking, self-proclaimed “anarchists” who think they are doing something positive by growing food in their own backyards. We Marxists instead engage in a political struggle for a socialist revolution that would give the working people collective control of our own resources by abolishing private ownership of the means of production. Marxists should welcome a day like Valentine’s Day that is dedicated to the idea of love between human beings, for it is precisely this that goes against the individualistic moralities that capitalism wants to portray as “human nature.” Most people around the world might not consciously question this conventional wisdom or go along with it. Deep down, however, they know that this is not humanity and that another world is possible. One of these possibilities is love. By professing your love for your many loved ones, by giving up some of yourself for other individuals, it is as if you are declaring to the world: “self-interest isn’t all.” By tying part of your destiny to that of another human being, you are practising the life in future communist society, “an association, in which the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all.”
VARSITY COMMENT
comment@thevarsity.ca
monday, February 13, 2012
13
Trimming Ontario’s budget The progressive case for austerity Patrick Baud VARSITY STAFF
Austerity is anything but a progressive policy. The term austerity, which is used to describe what are often drastic cuts to state spending and sometimes increased taxes, is a deeply moral one. Governments claim that they make these cuts not because they are easy but because they are necessary. This term has seen a more widespread adoption in recent years because of the financial turmoil that has put major pressure on debt-addicted governments. Even socialist-led governments are adopting this vocabulary of restraint, much to the horror of their traditional constituencies — particularly public sector unions. Despite the undeniably hurtful nature of these cuts and the poor choices about which programs to eliminate there is a progressive case to be made for austerity. This is true not only of traditional left-wing hobbyhorses like corporate subsidies and tax breaks (though some of these are too economically vital to be removed all at once), but also of core public services, such as education and health care.
Avoiding the problem of rapidly rising spending in these sectors will only increase the pain of curbing them. The progressive case for austerity is simple but admittedly counterintuitive: we all want public services. However, most of us want to pay less for them than we do now. Therefore, we must choose which are most important to us and optimize the delivery of these services so that we can continue to pay for them. If we want more services in health care, then we need to explain how to pay for them, whether that be by cutting services in another sector or increasing revenue to offset the new spending. New taxes are one way of doing this, as is ensuring economic growth to increase revenue from existing taxes. Since most of us do not want to pay more taxes, then we either need other people to pay more taxes or we need taxes that we already have to raise more money. The others whom we want to pay more taxes are usually those wealthier than us, whether they be companies or individuals. This approach works to a point, but we need to be careful not to tax others so much that they want to move else-
where to avoid the added tax burden. This would remove them from the economy, which is bad for growth and in turn reduces our revenue from other taxes. Therefore, increasing growth and taxes are only part of the solution. During good times they can more than cover our needs, but in hard times, they are simply not enough. This is especially true when our spending is growing faster than our economy, as is the case with health spending in Ontario. Some may argue that we should wait out the current crisis and rack up big deficits to keep up services. This makes some sense, but the more debt that piles up, the more likely it will be that we will eventually be forced to make deep cuts to make interest payments. Rather than being forced to cut spending across the board, it is far better for governments to identify their priorities and reduce spending in lower priority areas. While cuts in these areas will certainly be controversial, they will be less painful than cuts that would go to the core of essential services, especially education and health. Spending must be controlled in those areas they do not come to swallow more than their fair share of the bud-
get. This means capping spending and learning to live within these limits. However, it is not simply enough to enact tough austerity measures. It is also crucial that governments examine their sources of tax revenue and identify those which can be increased. There is significant public pressure to increase taxes on the wealthy but they would do more to decrease inequality than to reduce the deficit. Any tax increases will need to affect a large proportion of the population to make a dent in the budget. If we combine modest tax increases with cuts, as the Chrétien government did in the late 1990s, then we can put our financial houses in order. There is a progressive case to be made for austerity. However, this is only true if austerity is taken to mean not only cuts but also new efforts to raise revenue. Neither the left nor the right have the complete answer to the question of how to deal with a mounting deficit and the ballooning cost of social programs. Instead, what we need is a moderate approach that does what needs to be done to preserve and protect the services that we hold most dear.
Out of breadth
Students should be free to set their own curricula David Woolley VARSITY STAFF
University is not a fun time for many students. The Varsity recently published a survey that found students complaining about large class sizes, little interaction with professors, and a virtually non-existent school community. Add that to the fact that university is enormously stressful and you have a toxic combination that too often can lead to escapism through alcohol or drug abuse, and high rates of depression. University is meant to be a time of exploration for young adults who finally have the freedom to craft their own intellectual experience. Unfortunately, this is not the case. A desire to build “well-rounded citizens” has caused the undermining of our education system and all the problems university students suffer from. Almost every student at U of T has complained about required courses — usually the breadth requirements that demand humanities students take science courses and vice versa — but few question the scope of the damage caused by eliminating freedom of choice. In this regard, the problem does not lie primarily with breadth requirements for a degree but with the required courses within any given field of study. There are requirements that demand history students study periods from every continent on the globe or that philosophy students question the na-
ture of reality instead of focusing on ethics, for example. Of course, we are given the illusion of choice — to get our major we must choose one course from selection A, three from selection B, and two from selection C. As anyone who has used ROSI knows, it can be practically impossible to create any semblance of specialization when many of your courses that share subject matter do not fit in the same timetable. What many students end up with is a hodgepodge of virtually unrelated courses, many of which they would prefer not to be in. When you take 30,000+ students and put them in classes they don’t want to be in, you end up with underperforming students, jaded professors and TAs, and a reduced standard for reading material and course work. This means the few students who do get into the courses they want are confronted with a subject they love being taught in a way they can’t stand. University is meant to break from the traditions of high school. You are told that you will have more free agency than you did in the structured world of secondary education, but required courses make this less and less the case. If you are a history student with a passion for Imperial China, what can you gain from having to study what the Germans were doing during the Industrial Revolution? Rather than building an integrated area of specialty from which
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for communication — but because of the fast-paced nature of modern life, reactions to emails are different than those to letters. There is no personality to email, nor is there any thought. It’s a bunch of words strung together in a casual conversational style. We take it for granted, read, laugh, reply. It’s a robotic response, not personal. So yes, today’s emails and texts lack the emotional depth of hand-
written letters, but they do enable us a quick and efficient connection that could not be done with pen and paper. Still, it wouldn’t hurt once in a while to actually think about what we’re writing and read over what we have written really carefully with thought and consideration before hitting “send.” Perhaps it’s time we dig up our boxes of letters and learn a few things about true communication.
you can draw upon deep knowledge of a specific subject, you get a long list of areas of which your understanding is incredibly shallow. It’s a commonly understood educational principle that people will not learn unless they are interested. This is the reason that high schools in Ontario practise the enriched program that ensures overachievers do not become bored with the material they are being taught and thus underperform. It is the same in university. If you do not want to be in class, you will learn almost nothing from class. What if instead we had a system that actually treated students like individuals and gave them greater choice within education? What if you could specialize in the specific
area that interested you no matter how broad or narrow that might be? It may seem like a novel concept but it is in practice in schools like Brown that have no course requirements, and New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study. The Gallatin School allows undergrads to come up with an outline of what they would like to achieve by the end of their studies. The staff and faculty then help them flesh it out using courses from any and all areas of study to achieve a specialized and individualized program based on the desires of each student. Because students are given the freedom to choose, they have a stake in creating their own education and a greater interest in their courses.
Professors know that excited students want to be in class and as a result will want to offer intriguing and challenging courses and introduce students to new reading material instead of tired old textbooks. Excitement makes learning easier and reduces stress and the negative results thereof. And students in self-selected areas of study are surrounded by like-minded individuals, making community and extra-curricular life more enjoyable in the long run. If U of T desires to be one of the top learning institutions in the world, then it should not squander the ability of its students; instead it should undertake a similar course of action and give the student body the freedom of choice it deserves.
Features
var.st/FEATURES
30%
hundreds of students how they like to get dirty. Apparently you're all panthers in bed.
25%
2nd year
20% 15% 10% 5%
5th year or Higher
Read our guide here: http://var.st/49x
Sexy times
35%
Grad School
From the archives: How to have sex in Robarts
features@thevarsity.ca
1st year
We asked
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE
13 FEBRUARY 2012
at U of T
3rd year
4th year
If yes, where did you meet?
Have you ever dated someone from U of T?
33.2% 66.8% No Yes
Have you ever fantasized about one of your profs?
In class At the library On the street Through a friend In a cafeteria or cafe On LikeALittle.com At my college or faculty At a campus event Outside of school Through a club Other
36.7% 28.8% 34.5%
Hell yes Maybe... Ew, never
0
5
10
15
20 20.8
%
Where do you go to find attractive people on campus?
How about your TA?
Where's the best place to do it on campus? 10.2%
9.5% 4.5%
25.8%
27.3%
38.3%
28.4% 10.6%
33.3%
10.6% 24.9%
11.4%
The Varsity
Gym
Cafe
Library
9.8% Class
What colour underwear do you wear when you're feelin' sexy?
Gerstein
Bahen Centre
Sanford Fleming
Kelly Library
Sid Smith
EJ Pratt Library
Con Hall
Graham Library
Any elevator, anywhere
Munk Centre
Other
13.6%
23.9% 9.8%
Robarts
What animal best describes you in bed?
6.4% 42.4%
9.8%
12.1%
31.8%
11.2% Black
Red
Anything with an awesome pattern
Green
No underwear
Animal print
White
Blue
Pink
Purple
Sequins!
Snake Panda Panther Polkaroo Eagle
28.4%
7.2%
Platypus Honey badger
Oh baby, yes Okay, maybe a little Still no
infographic by MUSHFIQ UL HUQ data compiled by ERENE STERGIOPOULOS
THE SCIENCE STUDENT
THE ARTS STUDENT
Where did you meet your past or present sweetheart: In class Top place to find attractive people on campus: Gym Best place to have sex on campus: Gerstein Have you ever fantasized about one of your profs?: Hell yes How about your TA?: Oh baby, yes. Top bedroom spirit animal: Panther
Where did you meet your past or present sweetheart: Through a friend Top place to find attractive people on campus: In class Best place to have sex on campus: Robarts Have you ever fantasized about one of your profs?: Hell yes How about your TA?: No Top bedroom spirit animal: Panther
THE ENGINEERING STUDENT
THE SOCIAL SCIENCE STUDENT
Where did you meet your past or present sweetheart: Through a club Top place to find attractive people on campus: Library Best place to have sex on campus: Sanford Fleming Have you ever fantasized about one of your profs?: Ew, never How about your TA?: Okay, maybe a little. Top bedroom spirit animal: Honey badger
Where did you meet your past or present sweetheart: Through a friend Top place to find attractive people on campus: Library Best place to have sex on campus: Robarts Have you ever fantasized about one of your profs?: Maybe... How about your TA?: Oh baby, yes Top bedroom spirit animal: Panther
VARSITY FEATURES
features@thevarsity.ca
monday, February 13, 2012
Getting the best sex (toys)
Special thanks to Priape for supplying toys and lube for review.
The Varsity Staff got down and dirty to test drive some sex toys. You’re welcome.
Toys
15
Where to buy toys & supplies
For the more adventurous
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Fuzzy cuffs Fleshlight
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Who it’s for: couples looking to try some light BDSM Price: $17.95 Rating: 3.5/5 The soft velvet-like padding on these handcuffs will keep your wrists safe from unpleasant chafing, though it has a tendency to shift and bunch up. Handcuffs can add a fun new dynamic to your sexy times.
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Who it’s for: guys looking for a high quality reusable masturbator Price: $79.95 Rating: 3.5/5 The makers of the Fleshlight tout it as the world’s best-selling sex toy for men, so they’re probably doing something right. The Fleshlight comes in a hard plastic case with a removable cyberskin insert. While it’s much more expensive than the Tenga, it’s also more realistic — the cyberskin polymer is soft, retains heat well, and doesn’t feel like cheap plastic. The Fleshlight doesn’t score perfect marks because the insert can start to feel tacky if you don’t coat it in an absorbent powder after use, such as corn starch or talcum. It also doesn’t come cheap.
Come As You Are 493 Queen Street West www.comeasyouare.com Come As You Are advertises itself as Canada’s only co-op sex shop. Owned and managed by friendly and knowledgeable employees, the store has a good selection of premium toys and books.
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Priape 501 Church Street www.priape.com Located at the corner of Church and Wellesley in the gay village, Priape markets itself to an LGBTQ audience, with an incredibly wide selection of toys and supplies, including Priape’s own make of fetish items.
Tenga masturbator
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Who it’s for: guys looking for an inexpensive and discreet disposable masturbator Price: $17.99 Rating: 2/5 The Tenga masturbator comes sealed, pre-lubricated and ready for action at a moment’s notice. The Tenga is meant to be thrown out after one or two uses, so you don’t get much bang for your buck. The inside has studs and ribs and feels exactly how you’d expect — like putting your junk into a wet soft plastic tube with controllable suction. Don’t expect it to feel like real intercourse.
Nipple clamps by Spartacus
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Who it’s for: guys and girls looking to experiment with nipple stimulation Price: $18.95 Rating: 4/5 On first inspection, nipple clamps seem pretty terrifying; as one Varsity staffer remarked, they closely resemble jumper cables. That being said, the “don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it” principle seems to apply here. The clamps are fully adjustable, with the pressure ranging from a gentle pinch to purple nurple. They are well-paired with intercourse and provide a unique sensation for those inclined to sensory overload.
Lubes
Gun Oil
Base: Silicone Price: $11.95 for 59 mL Rating: 3.5/5 A silicone base means that Gun Oil lasts much longer than water-based lube, but it’s also hard to wash off, and can stain fabrics.
h
GPS vibrator
Who it’s for: the budget-conscious guy or girl looking to try G-spot or prostate stimulation Price: $34.95 Rating: 2/5 It may resemble Death’s finger, but the appropriately named GPS vibrator will help you locate your G-spot (for women) or your prostate (for men). The strong smell of rubber makes it less appealing than the more popular silicone models, and it could have benefited from stronger vibrations, but the price point makes this an appealing starter vibrator.
Icicles hand blown massager
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Who it’s for: The artfully inclined guy or girl Price: $49.95 Rating: 3/5 A little lubrication goes a long way with this beautiful hand-blown glass sex toy. Its gentle curve and satisfying weight make it perfect for both vaginal and anal insertion, but it should be warmed under running water prior to use. Much less natural in feeling than the real deal, this toy is nonetheless a sleek and sexy experience with the absence of tacky rubbers and embarrassing packaging. Cleaning is a cinch, as the glass is non-porous. Totally sexy.
Liquid Silk Base: Water Price: $9.95 for 50 mL Rating: 4/5 As the namesake implies, Liquid Silk lube is very smooth to the touch. It is best for vaginal intercourse, as it is thinner and does not contain glycerin, which can promote yeast infections.
Maximus Base: Water Price: $9.95 for 50 mL Rating: 4.5/5 The thickest of the lubes here, Maximus is great for anal play, providing ample cushion. But it doesn’t last as long as silicone based lube, and can leave a sticky residue.
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Stag Shop 239 Yonge Street & 449 Church Street www.stagshop.com With a store across from the Eaton Centre and one in the gay village, Stag Shop’s two Toronto locations cater to both heterosexual and LGBTQ shoppers. Expert staff at the store’s Church Street are of particular note, as is the 10 per cent student discount.
Materials & care Silicone Pros: soft, easy to clean, inexpensive Cons: some silicone toys that contain phthalates can be damaged from use with silicone lube, and may be carcinogenic Cyberskin Pros: incredibly life-like and soft Cons: expensive, hard to clean and maintain as a result of its porousness, and can be damaged by silicone lube Latex Pros: durable, inexpensive Cons: strong smell, can cause allergic reactions Glass/pyrex Pros: easy to clean, durable, aesthetically pleasing Cons: hard, fragile, and cold to the touch
Arts & Culture
var.st/ARTS
13 FEBRUARY 2012 arts@thevarsity.ca
Five songs to make you feel saxy
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE
We profile Moon King, electro-folk outfit Read our interview: http://var.st/aa8
by Simon Frank
Faust It’s a Rainy Day, Sunshine Girl
John Coltrane Acknowledgement
Alèmayèhu Eshèté Mèkèyèrshin Salawq
James Chance & the Contortions Bedroom Athlete
Roxy Music Love is the Drug
Objectively, “It’s a Rainy Day, Sunshine Girl” is repetitive and somewhat idiotic — much like the bad side of romance. But stick around for seven minutes of hypnotic unsyncopated drumming, pointillistic guitar, and exclamations of the title, and you’ll be redeemed by a scale-based saxophone solo, beautiful in its simplicity.
When John Coltrane pauses towards the end of “Acknowledgement,” the opening track of his 1964 album A Love Supreme, to chant the album title in a rough low voice, he’s probably referring to spiritual bliss or even heroin, not romantic love. Regardless, Coltrane’s rolling turns on the saxophone over crashing cymbals and gongs create some of the most euphoric free jazz ever.
In ‘60s and ‘70s Ethiopia, Alèmayèhu Eshèté slicked back his hair and channelled Elvis and James Brown through elements of local traditional music. In “Mèkèyèrshin Salawq” Eshèté barks over trumpet-aided early rock and roll, but things only really get out of control when Gétatchèw Mèkurya jumps in for a tenor saxophone solo, playing with youthful abandon.
Wild, out-of-control, and erratic, Contortions frontman James Chance twitches around “Bedroom Athlete,” sending out squealing blasts of saxophone, attempting seduction by enumerating just how much he loathes himself. Surprisingly it seemed to work for Chance, who was the toast of early ‘80s downtown New York.
The saxophone in “Love is the Drug” doesn’t do anything too fancy; it just slots in perfectly as another element in the song’s slick glam-rock groove. Saxophonist Andy Mackay layers clarion calls over clipped disco guitar, and singer Bryan Ferry twists clichés of love around, both critiquing them and revealing their lasting power.
The secret world of Arrietty New film from makers of Spirited Away is refreshing but fails to live up to its counterparts Daniel Horowitz VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
“This is for audiences of all ages!” So goes the most clichéd standard used to promote and qualify children’s films. In truth, the best kids movies are treated with as much seriousness and stylistic prowess as a live-action art flick for adults. Japan’s Studio Ghibli, well-known to critics, continues its legacy of sophisticated anime with The Secret World of Arrietty. Based on Mary Norton’s famous children’s novel, The Borrowers, the film focuses on a family of very tiny, very human-like people. “Borrowing” everyday objects for their subsistence, protagonist Arrietty and her parents try to eke out a secret but wholesome life under the floorboards. Unfortunately for Arrietty, fraternizing with the housemate Shawn, a human of terrifyingly regular height, renders her living situation short-lived. Despite its roots in American literature, Arrietty eschews its western ties and disappears into the eastern tradition of Studio Ghibli’s gorgeous, pastoral-focused animation. This is a film in awe of its environment.
Better yet is the film’s maturity, its sincere and honest confrontation with dark themes, proof that a movie’s mass appeal does not rest with its targeted audience. Few figures in animation are as poignant and as victimized as Shawn, the
sickly human boy who befriends the eponymous borrower. Characterized by a rare fatalism, Shawn accepts the prospect of death if surgery fails to correct his heart condition. This separates Ghibli from other dumbed down, kid-friendly studios who
avoid such pronounced pessimism. Despite plunging its audiences into a fantasy, Arrietty maintains enough humanism to reflect the nature of life, just as a proper fable should. The borrowers themselves are an implicit comment on the im-
migrant experience. When they are discovered, they move away from the “bigger people” of the world in search of a better life. The film’s sound mixing reflects the movie’s technical skill and demands the audience’s attention. During her first borrowing mission, Arrietty stares into a dark kitchen. As the camera cuts between kitchen appliances, the audience hears her fear in the form of every noise that one associates with daytime kitchen use. The sounds echo frighteningly throughout the night, but only in her head. For all its professionalism, The Secret World of Arrietty, like the borrowers themselves, is a scaled down version of Studio Ghibli epics such as Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and Howl’s Moving Castle. Arrietty is simply a nice film. It lacks the scope, the ambition, and the imagination of the studio’s bold earlier works, which defied logic and convention. Arrietty is just all too familiar, barely above predictability. Nevertheless, Ghibli remains the Godzilla to our Pixar, making waves in our domestic animated film industry and doing it with class. Domo arigato.
arts@thevarsity.ca
arts’ arts
VARSITY ARTS & CULTURE
MONday, february 13, 2012
Poems about love. And maybe other things. Molotov Mike Welch I shall hand you a bouquet of Molotovs rather than the vain Rose in red or white. It is made of glistening gasoline and white fabric flesh which sit within a green glass stem. The Daisy is too shielding and does not show your best. What you need’s a fiery explosion found inside a Molotov. Chrysanthemum too does not suit you, it lacks passion, as seen in the shade of red that comes from immolation. So what of the Tulip, fair and fresh as Primavera? Surely, you are of equal measure? But no I say, it is still lacking. We ought best search and continue tracking the genealogies of flowers to find what I hold before your eyes. The Molotov, my dear, so modern, new, unique. Simply say the word dear and we’ll set the world aflame.
Solstice Tea Hadziristic outside the day’s first streetcar sails past, its sound a low metal wail — the window gapes, letting in spring-scarred positive degrees.
Three poems Bianca Lemus They can’t take our love Wild thing You make my heart sing Wild thing You make everything Copyrighted
the morning seems to pause, dark, as if tired from spinning through the year’s longest night — sixteen hours of gratitude for the dark —
I like your face Your face is pretty cool I really like it I want to date your face Let’s do it Uh uh Pregnant
one warmth fitting neatly into another. speech bleeds the morning of vagueness, & the relation between bodies emerges as something
On the side-road looking for love You’re a ten Too bad you go to Trin Kickin’ it in your Sperry’s Drinking tea out of saucers I’m not kidding You actually use the china ones Brought an actual set To your room Mmm hmmm
incidental
TEA HADZIRISTIC/THe VArsity
: the crusts of love’s habits.
$10 RESTAURATEUR with Laura Kathleen Maize 2550 Yonge St.
why should it? It’s perfect the way it is). In a neighbourhood where there’s a Starbucks on every corner and more baby fashion stores than you can count, Sorn Thai has stayed traditional. There are only a handful of dishes offered for less than $10, but each is so full of flavour that you’ll be counting yourself lucky. Sharing dishes is a good bet — you’ll get to taste more of the menu — and a good way to get close to your date. Just make sure that you have a breath mint before you get too close; almost every dish contains onions. The spring rolls (2 for $3.95) are a must. I don’t know what’s in them and I don’t want to know, but the sauce they serve with
8 launch ways to
Sorn Thai There are many things I’d like to forget about growing up in North Toronto. Endless bad dates are one of those things, and what is Valentine’s Day, really, apart from the anniversary of many cringeworthy past dates? I’ve had Valentine’s sushi, Valentine’s Pickle Barrel, and I think maybe even Valentine’s street meat, but the older I get, the more choosy I am about a Valentine’s date and a Valentine’s meal. (Learn from my mistakes, people, and if they take you to Spring Rolls, just run!) One thing I’ll never block out, however, is Sorn Thai. I have been eating here for as long as I can remember, and it’s one of those places that never changes (and
17
them is like liquid gold. The hot and sour soup ($7.95) is a favourite of mine, but not the most romantic food to eat — slurping can get pretty ugly. The veggie pad thai ($8.95) and the spicy basil eggplant ($8.95) are better than you’ll find anywhere else, and the mango salad ($8.95) is a sweet treat that you shouldn’t miss. My sage advice, however, would be to pick up two green curry lunch specials, (which come with rice and spring rolls for $10 each) and heat it all up at home while you set up a picnic in front of the TV or computer. Thai food and Sixteen Candles on Netflix: does it get more romantic than that?
YOUR CAREER POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATES IN: Event Management Financial Planning Global Business Management Human Resources Management International Development International Marketing Marketing Management Public Administration
business.humber.ca
18
MONday, february 13, 2012
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The Varsity
Hart House theatre and the u of t Drama coalition Present the 20th annual
University of toronto
A Weekend of Competitive theAtre: Student written, directed, produced & performed
feb 15–18, 2012
Adjudicated by Joel Grothe
7:30 PM curtain
competing groUps: Hart House Players new college St. Michael’s college trinity college u of t Mississauga university college Victoria college
box office: aDultS $12 StuDentS / SeniorS $10 416.978.8849 / www.uofttix.ca
WWW.hArthousetheAtre.CA
arts@thevarsity.ca
VARSITY ARTS & CULTURE
MONday, february 13, 2012
19
A single’s guide to Valentine’s Day For those who aren’t having the love or the sex by Danielle Klein illustrations by Jenny Kim and William Ahn
What to do
You can do more than cry alone with pizza (though that’s an option too) Karaoke your troubles away Sing a ballad to the person who broke your heart, or perhaps a crowd-pleasing singles anthem to an audience of adoring listeners. Or watch people drunkenly embarrass themselves to feel better about yourself! Last year, I went to Heartbreak Karaoke at Supermarket in Kensington and performed a simply breathtaking rendition of the Weather Girls’ classic “It’s Raining Men” with my girlfriends, complete with spoken word introduction and awkward musical breaks — I never looked back. Assume fetal position and cry Admittedly not the classiest option, I highly recommend that this action be taken in solitude. Once you’ve found a rock to hide under, release all your sadness with a good sob — sniffles, hiccups, uneven breathing and all — cursing the universe for causing your crippling grief. You might consider shouting to further express your heartache, declaring, for example, “I’M SO ALONE!” Be sure to nicely stretch out that last syllable. Tissues highly necessary, wearing non-waterproof mascara to create dramatic black tears highly encouraged. Go to the gym, write an essay, run a marathon, read The Odyssey, cure the common cold Who knows? Next Valentine’s Day, you could be attached (don’t scoff — the universe works in mysterious ways)! Why not forget the whole silly affair this year and be super productive instead? Rather than a red velvet box of chocolates and a new bottle of perfume you don’t like, have some real accomplishments to show for February 14 this year. Re-imagine Valentine’s Day: Singles Awareness Day Take advantage of the spectacle of Valentine’s Day to positively highlight your own singleness in order to attract the attention of other singles seeking to couple up. Go out at night (avoiding, of course, restaurants advertising couples’ specials for Valentine’s Day) and look around for someone else who is also looking around. Put yourself out there on the one night of the year that it’s not utterly desperate to begin a conversation by lamenting your relationship status. Slink over to the hottie at the bar and say something like, “(Sigh), Valentine’s Day. Am I right?” Hottie laughs, you laugh, you introduce yourself, he proposes. It could happen. Re-imagine Valentine’s Day: Singles Appreciation Day. Gather up all your single friends and celebrate your independence. Heart-shaped chocolates? Sure, because you HEART yourself! Cards? Absolutely — Dear ME, Keep on being awesome, Love, ME. Gifts? Who better to pick out a gift for you than YOU? Go for dinner, toast to yourselves, and enjoy being without the relationship troubles you’re bored listening to at coffee dates with your non-single friends. Personalize the evening with gifts such as non-sexy, super comfy undergarments and Chicken Soup for the Single’s Soul (it exists). Drunkenness optional, tears FORBIDDEN.
Five faces to expect
A tour of the five people you might encounter when the day arrives The Enthusiast In grade school, this person brought in Tweetythemed cards to sweetly distribute to everyone. Perhaps at office parties, this person will bring a red bow and arrow, doused in feathers and hearts, to shoot at unsuspecting co-workers. The Enthusiast just loves Valentine’s Day — not as a day to celebrate love between two people but just as a day to celebrate love of the world in general. What better way to rejoice in love for everyone and everything than to wear red, give out cards featuring cute animals hugging each other or stuffed bears holding hearts, and eat your weight in heart-shaped chocolates and sweethearts candy? Everything is heart-shaped and chocolate and cute and great! The Cynic “Valentine’s Day is a Hallmark holiday created by corporate fat-cats to pander to the love-starved masses so that they will buy gluttonous amounts of chocolate and cards with stock photos of kittens on them,” is something you might hear from the Cynic. No, it is not because they have no one to share this special day with that they are so against it; it is because there is nothing special about this day at all, so please, stop mentioning it, because it is a sickening testament to American greed and commercialization, etc.
The what? Valentine’s Day? Nope, this person has not heard of that strange holiday to which you refer because they have been far too busy with other things, such as going to the gym and getting straight A’s, but they sincerely hope you enjoy celebrating it. This person opts not to acknowledge this holiday, preferring to happily engage in a state of denial and go about business as usual. Also displays mild risk of privately crying at some point in the day. What? Valentine’s Day? No, sorry, I don’t care for such petty things. The Couples Far less easy to encapsulate in under 100 words, the Couples display varying behaviours, which borrow from other V-Day types. Some go the route of the Enthusiast, purchasing lavish gifts for one another and planning elaborate dates. Others go for more of a denier’s approach, laughing that V-Day is not really on their radar and they won’t be exchanging gifts or anything over the top. These people are nonetheless in a fundamentally different situation than all the others we’ve met so far because being two, rather than one, they likely lack the underlying bitterness we might expect in the others. The Singles While a handful might temporarily lose their minds on this sacred holiday, many really won’t care all that much, continuing to function perfectly fine and being generally content. They will likely continue to accept chocolate if some is offered.
Science
var.st/SCIENCE
13 FEBRUARY 2012
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE
Marriage? No, thank you…
science@thevarsity.ca
Check it out at http://var.st/aab
Mating in the animal kingdom
Anamarija Korolj/THe VArsity
Cannibalism, urine, and exploding testicles! Oh my! KEVIN GRACE takes you on a magical journey through strange mating habits Imagine for a second that you’re a male black widow spider, Latrodectus hesperus. You spot a beautiful female and fall head-over-heels for her. She takes you back to her place where together, your bodies become one in the sweetest of sweet spider love. But just when you least expect it, as you roll over for the requisite post-coital snuggling, she eats your face and tears you limb from limb, leaving nothing but a bloody torso and a broken heart. What’s even worse is that six months later, she’s engaged to some guy who’s three inches taller than you and plays acoustic guitar in his spare time. If you think I’m speaking from anthropomorphic experience, you wouldn’t be wrong. I’m not bitter, I swear. So how do you avoid becoming a bloody torso? Don’t fret, for science has the answer. Researchers from Arizona State University reported in the August issue of Animal Behaviour that many male
black widows successfully avoid sexual cannibalism by identifying well-fed females based on environmental cues in their webs. So if you find yourself in the web of a femme fatale, or a homme fatale for that matter — hello, George Clooney — and it looks as though he or she hasn’t eaten of late, take my advice and back away slowly. The animal kingdom is ripe with mating tips, some useful and others not so much, that should come in handy as we enter the romantic mine field that is mid-February. Particularly at this time of year, we humans expend a great deal of energy trying to gauge level of attractiveness in the minds of prospective mates. Porcupines and giraffes have developed elegant solutions to all this ambiguity and uncertainty. Their secret is urine, and a lot of it. Dr. Albert Shadle writes in the Journal of Mammalogy that when a male porcupine, Erethizon d. dorsatum, wishes to mate with a female,
he will rear up on his hind legs with his penis erect and urinate on her, soaking her from “nose to tail” from up to six feet away. Dr. Shadle remarks that “the quantity of urine used and the force with which it is discharged are surprising.” If it surprised Dr. Shadle, we can only imagine what the female porcupines must have been thinking. Luckily for male giraffes, Giraffa camelopardalis, they aren’t expected to shower their mating partners with urine like the porcupine. Imagine how long they would have to spend at the watering hole to build up the reserve necessary to hose down an entire giraffe. Giraffe mating instead entails what Dr. Fred B. Bercovitch, called “flehman” or urine testing in a 2006 article in the journal Hormones and Behaviour. A male giraffe will nuzzle the hindquarters of a female to induce urination, at which point he helps himself to a few mouthfuls in order to ensure that the female is in
heat. There’s nothing like 100 ml of pee to set the right mood. One of the drawbacks of being a male in practically any species is the stiff competition that comes with finding a mate. This is especially true of honey bees, Apis mellifera. Of the thousands of potential male suitors in the hive, only a select few will get the opportunity to take a mating flight with the virgin queen bee. But even if a male drone bee is lucky enough to be one of the chosen few, his reproductive success is far from guaranteed. Male honey bees have developed what can only be described as a suicide bomber approach to address this problem. For a male bee, mating is literally a castrating experience because when he finishes with the queen, he leaves his penis and testicles lodged inside of her. It’s probably for the best, because he wouldn’t want to stick around for what happens next: the abandoned testicles explode, and
the remaining penis acts as a mating plug to prevent any would-be males from making an additional genetic offering. Exploding testicles aside, I would imagine that women sometimes get pretty tired of having to put up with all the bravado-driven male infighting that gets carried out in the name of attracting female attention. If you’re one of these women, perhaps you should suggest to your male suitors that they do as bonobos (Pan paniscus) do and penis fence. That’s right, I said fence — but a penis replaces the rapier. Two males will hang face-to-face from a branch while rubbing their erect penises together in what is technically referred to as genitogenital rubbing. But don’t get confused; this isn’t some kind of alpha male thing. Bonobos use sexual activity as a means of social communication and conflict resolution. So when bonobos penis fence, everybody is a winner.
VARSITY SCIENCE
science@thevarsity.ca
monday, FEBRUARY 13, 2012
21
A multicellular multiplication DENNIS DOBROVOLSKY explores how yeast may be the whistle-blower of a key evolutionary step
J
Belinda Zong/THe VArsity
ump-started by The Origin of the Species, scientists’ fascination with evolutionary processes remains unquenchable. Many of them are interested in tracking the small genetic changes that accumulate over generations to produce diverse life-forms. But unfortunately, a very challenging aspect of studying evolution is working with the enormous timescales. Within the closed quarters of the lab, it’s hard to monitor something that takes a lifetime to notice. Luckily, there is a branch of evolutionary biology called experimental evolution that tackles such challenges by trying to recreate evolution using artificial selection pressures. Unwittingly, humans have been performing artificial selection experiments for hundreds of years. Dog and pigeon breeders impose artificial selection pressures by selecting animals with desirable features, such as soft fur or sleek feathers. It is the years of artificial selection at the hands of breeders that explain the large size differences between chihuahuas and great danes seen today. So how did the cells that form us come to be? A recent paper by William Ratcliff and colleagues published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences describes a clever artificial selection experiment involving yeast cells. They were interested in studying the origin of multicellularity, a milestone in evolutionary history. According to Dr. Ste-
phen Wright, an evolutionary biology professor at U of T, “Multicellularity has evolved many times independently. Simple multicellularity is very old, back to more than 3 billion years ago in cyanobacteria.” Studying an event that happened over a billion years ago is kind of hard, so Ratcliff and colleagues designed a lab experiment that would result in the evolution of multicellularity in yeast cells, the common type of yeast found in the grocery store. Over the course of two months, researchers spent their time culturing the cells and suspending them in a tube of water. They collected only the heavy clusters that sank to the bottom and repeated the process many times, until eventually the cells evolved into snowflake-shaped colonies of around 12 cells. Even though genetically distinct cells can clump together to create a mere illusion of multicellularity, these colonies were genetically identical and formed when individual cells budded off and formed a group. “The fitness — survival and reproduction — of the cells as a multicellular entity must be higher than the survival or reproduction of single cells,” says Dr. Wright. “Part of the point of the paper is that this is much more likely to be the case if the early multicellular organism is composed of identical genotypes — [meaning that] the cells are copies of the same original genome.” The first steps en route to complex multicellular organisms, such as humans, consist
of a division of labour among these genetically identical colonies — with different cells performing different tasks for the benefit of the whole. There has been a lot of hype in the scientific community about the significance of the Ratcliff paper. “I think the results are quite novel and interesting,” says Dr. Wright. “It highlights how rapidly multicellularity can evolve under the right conditions, and emphasizes the importance of relatedness among cells for it to successfully evolve.” Clearly the evolution of multicellular life didn’t occur in a test tube under the watchful eye of an exhausted grad student. However, artificial evolution experiments can still provide powerful insights into the origin of nature’s diversity. Dr. Wright explains, “Clearly the open question with any experimental evolution study is the extent to which the experiment informs us about the real world. This study shows that if the conditions are right, this process can occur rapidly, but it doesn’t tell us that it necessarily did. In this study they impose strong selection on a specific trait that will favour clusters of cells. While we don’t necessarily think that this exact selection pressure drove the evolution of multicellularity, the study shows the potential for rapid evolution under the right conditions, so it still is a very useful approach to understanding evolution.”
SC ENCe n br ef Men and their peacock tails
Ancient dinosaur nesting site is ancient
Disadvantaged students less likely to marry
The peacock’s tail is a symbol of pride and desirability. Similarly, public generosity is a desirable mate quality among men. Published in the British Psychological Society’s British Journal of Psychology, two experiments revealed that men did significantly more good deeds when observed by members of the opposite sex. Men were found to actively compete and make increased donations when observed by an attractive female, suggesting that good deeds among men increase when presented with the opportunity to copulate. It has been concluded that women tend to look for kindness, helpfulness, and the ability and willingness to care for others in a prospective mate. Thus, men prove themselves when they indulge in costly altruistic acts in the presence of women. —Sneha Raju Source: Science Daily
In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team of scientists including UTM paleontologist Robert Reisz and ROM Associate Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology David Evans, describe the reproductive behavior of Massospondylus, a dinosaur that existed in the early Jurassic period. The analysis was based on the discovery of a 190-million-year-old nesting ground, the oldest one known to date, in the South Africa’s Golden Gate Highlands National Park. This is also where the second oldest Massospondylus nesting site was uncovered. The location of the nests indicated that the dinosaur had fidelity to the nest sites, and the grouping of the nests indicated that these dinosaurs nested in colonies. The discovery of small footprints belonging to the hatchlings suggests that the young dinosaurs stayed in the nests for quite some time, where they were presumably cared for by their mothers. —Kimberly Shek Source: ROM news release
You may think that receiving a higher education may open many doors, but the door to wedding bells is far more likely to be closed for disadvantaged students. Sociologist Kelly Musick from Cornell University found that factors other than income, namely social status, can determine whether marriage is in the cards. Disadvantaged students get caught in what researchers refer to as “marriage market mismatch” — they no longer want to marry down to people with lower educations, and they are not able to marry up to a partner from a more privileged financial background. The chance of a disadvantaged male marrying decreases by 38 per cent while it decreases by 22 per cent for females. In contrast, males from wealthier families that attend a post-secondary institution increase their chance of marrying by 31 per cent while it increases by 8 per cent for females. —Cristina Olteanu Source: Science Daily
Military biosensors
Can we cuddle now?
Kind of like Rosey the Robot Maid
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is currently investigating how to design miniscule biosensors that would monitor soldier health. These biosensors would be implanted on each soldier and would constantly monitor various bodily functions. They could be used to see how, as individuals, soldiers respond to specific environmental conditions, exhaustion, or dietary changes. Monitoring changes in chemical and hormonal signals in the human body, such as histamine and cortisol levels, could easily allow the military to monitor exactly how each individual soldier’s diet and sleep patterns should be modified to optimize his/her performance. These biosensors are still in the planning and early development stages. In the future, implantable biosensors like these may be able to provide real-time information to physicians, allowing the normal civilian population to receive more optimal care. For example, in response to the administration of a drug, the patient’s immediate physiological response could be measured and analyzed by medical staff. —Sean Kennedy and Maggie Keenan Source: Wired
Researchers at the University of Michigan and Albright College in Pennsylvania conducted anonymous online surveys that have refuted commonly-held beliefs regarding partner behaviour after sex. Self-reports from 456 participants revealed that those whose partners tended to fall asleep first after sex had stronger preferences for post-coital bonding time. Contrary to popular belief, the study showed that men were not more likely to fall asleep first after sex. Instead, both males and females had equal tendencies towards this behaviour. It has been suggested that falling asleep first might be a method of avoiding relationship-focused conversation. In contrast, staying awake longer might be a behavioural trait that has evolved from the desire to ensure that partners did not seek other mates. The scientists added that, while the majority of psychological and evolutionary research on reproductive strategies currently focuses on pre-coital topics such as mate selection, postcoital behaviour is just as important and reveals much about partner satisfaction and relationship commitment. —Nothando Swan Source: Science Daily
It may sound like science fiction, but the possibility that humans may one day socially interact with robots is continually increasing. Social robots are more than just machines, in that they are designed to dynamically interact with people. Recent discussions about social robots at the Kavli Foundation brought together experts from the University of Southern California, University of California San Diego, and the Georgia Institute of Technology. Researchers are investigating the best principles for designing social robots and have found that people interact best with robots that communicate like humans do — complex communication involving facial expressions, social learning, and even personality. Social robots must mimic our most human qualities in order to be effective communicators and learners. These fascinating machines are already on their way to assisting the elderly, helping people with disabilities, and teaching autistic children valuable social skills. —April Pawluk Source: Science Daily
22 monday, FEBRUARY 13, 2012
VARSITY SCIENCE
science@thevarsity.ca
Of mice, men, and science How to stay a bit of a child, have a life outside the lab, and get famous Franziska Teusel VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
Since Josef Penninger came to Toronto in 1990 as a postdoc, he has been elected one of the ten most cited scientists twice, and the list of prizes he received for his work on disease-related genetics goes on. He was a professor at the University of Toronto for many years before moving back to Vienna in 2003, but Penninger returned last week to give his traditional lecture on osteoimmunology. When asked about his career, Penninger, who refers to himself as an “accidental scientist,” says, “I followed a girl when I went to Toronto. I just loved doing [science] … as a philosophical exercise to unlock the mysteries of the world.” One of his team’s greatest recent achievements so far is a full mutant Drosophila library which allows scientists to knock down every gene of the fruit fly Drosophila, a frequently used model organism. “People thought I [was] crazy to support this, but this library has become one of the world’s most important resources for functional genetics,” says Penninger. It followed the development of the first ever haploid mouse’s embryon-
ic stem cells. For decades, yeast was the only eukaryotic organism that was known to partially live in a haploid form, a cell that has a single set of unpaired chromosomes. Not only does a rodent cell resemble a human cell far more than yeast, the rodent’s cell system can also be combined with stem cell technology. “People were dreaming of doing this [for] decades and now we managed to do it — a true revolution. It also breaks the paradigm of biology that a mammalian cell with a single set of chromosomes is not viable,” he explains. Not that all of this success came out of nowhere without obstacles. “I had a severe mouse phobia. As a young postdoc in Toronto, you could see me running — or better, sprinting — down corridors because some lab members had some fun and told me there was a mouse in the lab,” Penninger recalls. He knew that when he wanted to pursue a career in molecular genetics and immunology, he would have to overcome this fear. He managed to do so, and explains how he subjected himself to what he calls “shock therapy.” He describes how he spent one year trying to stand in the same room with a mouse, then another until he could touch one
and so on. “I never felt that I made sacrifices because for some strange reason I found something I really liked to do. I am not advocating that people should work day and night. In many cases, this is even counterproductive. People should have real lives outside the lab and real weekends and real holidays.” He stresses that some distance from the scientific world is important. “Let’s face it: we, as scientists,
have ideas, test them with all we’ve got, and then some years, most of our ideas and projects go up in smoke. If it works, we send our work to scientific journals because we need to publish to get grants for a PhD — and we hope that a referee did not have a bad night’s sleep.” A big part of his success surely is his great passion for what he is doing. He loves his profession regardless of the challenges science brings with it, he says. “Being a scientist is
RickEh/Flickr
the coolest job in the world: [you meet] people and [travel] around in the world. We have a common scientific language irrespective of where we come from or how we look, and best of all, [you] can remain an eternal child in not believing the current truth and dreaming up possible future.” Although he leads a world-class institute for biotechnology and genetics in Vienna now, he still collaborates with many friends he made in Canada. “I had a great time in Toronto. U of T combined brilliant minds in one location, people who for the most part wanted to work together. When I went back to Europe to build a new institute from scratch, I made sure to transplant the Canadian spirit and flat hierarchies.” According to him, the main difference between science in Europe and science in North America is that “European institutes tend to be dominated by a ‘big’ professor,” while in North America, young scientists have more freedom and find more opportunities to realize their ideas. Still, Penninger does not forget to express how much he loves being back in Austria: the music, the coffee houses, and especially the cakes.
A farming guide: double-digging Carter West VARSITY CONTRIBUTOR
For more information, visit bigrockbeer.com/eddies
While we may be in the throes of a chaotic winter, it’s always good to know one of the most important first steps to rebuilding your spring and summer garden. Double-digging is simple enough. You get a shovel and you dig. Twice. By turning over the dirt that has been compacted deep in your garden plot, you create a more porous soil that is capable of transferring the nutrients that your plants will need. Over the years, a number of “as-seen-onTV” tools have been marketed as a more efficient way of getting this job done. Don’t be fooled as most of these products have a limited depth potential, aerating only half of the available soil. The benefit of double-digging is the depth made possible by two scoops of the shovel’s spade. With a maximized amount of porous soil, your plants will have fully developed roots, giving you a healthy crop of whatever it is you decide to plant. Every time you get a scoop of soil, remember to lightly bounce it off the shovel’s end. This will break up solidified clumps and give your soil a fluffy look. Happy digging! This is the first entry in the Hart House Farm Committee’s Farming How-To series. Members of the committee are hoping to provide you with insight into basic agricultural techniques that will help your plot of land grow to its fullest.
VARSITY SCIENCE
science@thevarsity.ca
monday, FEBRUARY 13, 2012
23
Diagnosing “kinky” behaviour EMILY DUNBAR analyzes the acceptance and rejection of paraphilias
L
isted under the Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders category in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), paraphilia is an umbrella term for sexually deviant behaviour that warrants psychiatric diagnoses by mental health professionals. The fact that social factors like culture and environment primarily determine the human perception of paraphilias raises a new question: do new additions to the DSM really warrant psychiatric diagnoses? It can be unclear what counts as a sexual “disorder.” For example, some psychiatric diagnoses are based on a poor understanding of sexuality itself, such as the inclusion of homosexuality in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, until the American Psychiatric Association withdrew it from the second edition in 1973. Of greater interest is the particular criterion that a patient must be experiencing “distress or impairment in important areas of functioning.” This mainly refers to work, school, and social relationships at the time of the diagnoses. This is essentially a catchall criterion that eliminates bias in what should be considered normative sexual behaviour and what should be diagnosed as a disorder. While it is absolutely necessary to eliminate this problem, consider the following: if a man dresses as a woman over a period of six months and experiences both intense sexual arousal and distress or impairment, he may be considered to have Transvestic Disorder. However, it may be a matter of the environment the individual is submerged in that blurs the line between the individual’s self-expression and disorder
symptoms. In an environment where crossdressing is accepted, such as in an LGBT-friendly community, a crossdressing individual may feel free to act on their desire and not experience distress. However, in an environment hostile to cross-dressing, the individual would almost certainly experience distress, which could lead to impairment in functioning. The source of the distress may be convoluted in this scenario and may mistakenly be linked back to the alleged paraphilia by a psychiatrist. The fulfillment of the “significant distress or impairment in important areas of functioning” as currently listed in the DSM may be mistaken based on external factors. And once a diagnosis is made, what is left to be treated: the sexual arousal or the distress? Even if distress is due to the individual’s own ruminations, how can its root be separated and identified by observing a display of sexual behaviour? People experience distress over many different patterns of behaviour outside of a sexual context. Many students are attracted to wasting time when essays are due and are both distressed and impaired by their habits. Should a diagnosis for “Procrastination Disorder” be adopted if this pattern of behaviour caused distress or impairment? Why does it seem strange to attribute the act of procrastinating as the sole source of distress? While therapy may be beneficial in mitigating negative feelings that come from the behaviour, the rationale for including sexual attractions involving consenting adult partners as possible psychiatric disorders is weak.
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Sports var.st/SPORTS
13 FEBRUARY 2012
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE
Carlos Condit ruined the UFC’s dream welterweight championship bout
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The Varsity Blues, in their “Cheer Blue, Think Pink” jerseys, score against the UOIT Ridgebacks. Bernarda Gospic/THe VArsity
Blues think pink
Blues mount fifth annual campaign to support breast cancer research
Alberto Bustamante VARSITY STAFF
The Varsity Blues celebrated the fifth annual “Cheer Blue, Think Pink” campaign in support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation at home games this weekend. Members of the women’s basketball, volleyball, and hockey teams turned out in pink to show their support for the cause in what were the last home games of the season for the basketball and volleyball teams. The idea for the campaign came from the CIS Women’s Basketball Coaches Association campaign, “Shoot for the Cure.” That initiative has raised almost $400,000 so far, and this year, all 43 CIS women’s basketball teams will be taking part for the first time. “Shoot for the Cure” operates
throughout the basketball season, with the donations raised being presented to cancer charities at the CIS championship event. The Blues recognized that “Shoot for the Cure” was a great idea but wanted to make it bigger. “What we decided at the University of Toronto right from the beginning five years ago was to say, ‘This is a good cause; why don’t we combine it with many of our women’s sports?’” explains Varsity Blues women’s volleyball head coach, Kristine Drakich. “U of T made the decision that they would raise money for breast cancer, [and the campaign] would include women’s ice hockey, women’s volleyball, and women’s basketball. “So I think we were a little different in terms of being one of the first to embrace it for all of the women’s sports that were ticketed.”
As part of the campaign, the Blues sold Think Pink t-shirts and mittens for $10 each, with proceeds going to the Canadian Breast Cancer foundation. The teams found other ways to raise funds as well. “We also have pink ribbons, pins that have a volleyball on them with a pink ribbon, [and] the money raised will go to [breast cancer research],” said Drakich. “In the case of our team, our pink jerseys are sold off and the money that we make goes towards [breast cancer] research,” said Karolina Urban, the Blues women’s hockey captain. The Blues teams also took time to honour alumni who have been affected by breast cancer. “There are many women who have been involved in the different programs who have Continued on P26
“This is a good cause; why don’t we combine it with many of our women’s sports?”
Two can play at these games Tired of date night? kelly rahardja lists some sporty activities you can try with your significant other Nothing screams sexy like extreme sports. The University of Toronto Rock Climbing Club meets every week and is a great way to socialize while strengthening your muscles. A round of climbing is inexpensive and, as the cliché goes, beginners are always welcome. Plus, belaying (holding the rope so your loved one doesn’t fall) is just the solution to forming that close, trusting relationship you’ve been looking for. Trust me, it’ll rock.
Swimming. Gym. Zumba? That’s right you guessed it, good old Hart House! It’s free for students, so why not try sweating it up here? Remember, nothing relieves heartache better than a gruelling workout, and the greatest revenge will be looking awesome! Once you think you’re buff enough, you might even find yourself joining an intramural or trying out for a varsity team. Maybe true love does come straight from the Hart.
Another option is an invigorating romp through Mother Nature herself. Get your heart racing with the U of T Ski and Snowboard Club, or escape for a couple of days, unbathed and free from technological distractions, with the Outing Club; activities include skiing, caving, climbing, and hiking. Explore the great outdoors with that special someone while gazing upon some natural beauty. I hear the scenery isn’t too bad either.
Every couple fights occasionally, so why not start doing so more athletically? Release your supressed rage with campus clubs including the U of T Kendo Club, Shaolin Kung-Fu Association, and the Victoria College Fencing Club. Kick some beloved booty and get ready for your next lover’s quarrel! At last, a way to show your love in a way that words can’t possibly express — as long as nobody gets hurt or ty /THe VArsi Jenny Kim stabbed of course.
sports@thevarsity.ca
VARSITY SPORTS
monday, FEBRUARY 13, 2012
A running romance
thevarsity.ca
Blues running couple share passion for the track
Bernarda Gospic/THe VArsity
Lia Kim VARSITY STAFF
Despite their busy schedules, middle-distance runners Paulina Maher and Andrew Cruickshank enjoy the active lifestyle of elite athletes. It’s not easy balancing athletic and academic demands with their other shared commitment: away from the track, Maher and Cruickshank are a couple. “[Running well] helps with motivation. If [your partner is] doing well, it motivates you to do well,” says Cruickshank. Maher points out that it would be hard to date someone who doesn’t respect her training schedule. Runners are very disciplined and their lifestyle is very structured; everything they do is intentional. “[Running] requires a lot of determination; it really challenges you physically,” admits Maher. While they’ve ended up heading to races alongside each other, their careers haven’t been mirror images. Cruishank has avoided injury throughout his running career and was part of the team that finished second in the 4×800 m relay at the CIS championship two years ago. Maher’s story is a little different. Hampered by a torn calf in her first year and currently recovering from three damaged ligaments, she is putting together uninterrupted training to “[run the] best that [she’s] capable of right now.” “[When] I got hurt, I was on the bike the next day [trying] to persevere and get through it,” said Maher. “You have to keep going.” Their dedication to the track may
not be the only thing about running that fuels Maher and Cruickshank’s relationship. “There’s [something] known as ‘speed goggles’ in the runner’s world,” explains Cruickshank. “If you see someone of the opposite sex who’s really fast, it affects your vision of them; you’re more attracted to them the faster they are.” “I definitely want to impress him,” giggles Maher. “There have been some instances where if I need to do a hard interval, [Andrew] will pace me through it, which is helpful because he knows what I’m capable of doing.” Both athletes have found training and travelling to races together to be a great advantage. “I’ll ask Andrew for advice a lot of the time; I like his opinion, but it’s more the support of having someone there who’s doing the same work as you,” said Maher. “It’s nice to have someone to vent to, complain, and just talk to when you’re down after a bad race,” added Cruickshank. “Because we understand,” Maher says, finishing Cruickshank’s sentence. Cheering for each other during races has helped them to stay motivated and competitive. “I lost my voice when he was in the 4×800 m relay at CIS in my first year,” remembers Maher. “I crammed into a van with a bunch of people and drove down to Windsor [to watch him race]. The race was about to start in five minutes when we were just pulling into the parking lot. I [had to] sprint [to make it in time].” Running has an important emo-
tional component, according to Cruickshank. “With races, a weekend can bring you right down — but it can also bring you right back up if you have a good race.” Maher concurs. “At the McGill meet, I got tripped and [Andrew’s] race was right after [mine]; but he still took the time to come over and let me cry all over his warm-up gear. I got mascara all over his white shirt.” As with many power couples, trying to maintain two running careers on top of schoolwork can be daunting. “It takes a lot of organizing,” admits Cruickshank. “We have to schedule specific time periods to meet up. A lot of the time, we’ll hang out right after practice.” Having someone who shares a passion for running and knows how to deal with the pressure of the sport are built-in perks of dating a fellow elite runner. “It helps me get through tough times when he’s doing well, because I’m happy for him,” said Maher. The couple stresses the importance of not comparing themselves to each other. “If one of us does well and the other doesn’t, it [can] bring you down because you don’t really want to be happy when [the other person] isn’t,” explained Maher. “You have to be prepared to deal with the good and the bad because not everyone can be successful all the time at their sport. You really have to [show] emotional support. “It’s almost like you have two races.”
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26 Monday, FEBRUARY 13, 2012 Continued from P24 probably been impacted by it in some way, shape, or form,” said Drakich. “We have a former player who graduated in 1992 who’s a breast cancer survivor: four years clean now. “My mom, who is an alumna but also works with the team, is a survivor, and the parent of another athlete, an alumna, has also been impacted by it recently. We’re going to honour those women that were very much part of our program, and still are — share their celebration of being so many years clean.” “Cheer Blue, Think Pink” aims not just to raise funds but also to raise awareness. “I think it brings awareness that it can impact you whether you’re young or in your 30s, in your 40s, in your 50s, in your 60s, in your 70s — it really doesn’t have an age. I think it helps to see that it’s very real,”
said Drakich. Although not everyone involved in the campaign has been affected by breast cancer, they recognize how important it is to help out in any way they can. “We’ve been fortunate enough not to have anyone that has had someone that has gone through breast cancer,” said Urban. “But we want to do our part — the least we can do is take the money that we raise and give it to research.
“Hopefully we can raise awareness at the university as well — get more fans out to games to raise money for this cause.”
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VARSITY CLASSIFIEDS
DOCKET/AD#: 11-HRB-047-BW-SB-E-4
Cost $12.00 for twenty-five words. $0.25 for each additional word. Rates include one line of bold type for the ad header. No copy changes after
VARSITY SPORTS
sports@thevarsity.ca
monday, FEBRUARY 13, 2012
27
var.st/sports
(Be)foreplay
Disproving the myth about sexual activity before sports
Brand Ambassador This On-Premise Brand Ambassador is a part time position, and will focus exclusively on building branding and volume driving activities for a fun and established spirit brand. The selected candidate will directly manage brand relationships within a defined market place.
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Murad Hemmadi SPORTS EDITOR
It’s one popularly held belief that MythBusters seems to have left untested: does sexual intercourse before sports games or events affect an athlete’s performance? “That’s exactly what it is — superstition,” says Doug Richards, medical director of the David L. Macintosh Sports Medicine Clinic at U of T. The days of professional athletes being sequestered away from home by coaches trying to prevent them from getting a little pre-match exercise are long gone. “Many professional coaches … now let married players have their wives come to the team hotel the night before the game,” notes Richards. There are some exceptions, though. Mark Leung, a sports physician at the Macintosh Clinic, points out that the only time he’s heard of athletes abstaining before games is professional hockey players during the playoffs. “Certain players prefer to not have any
psychological distractions, if they consider [sex] a psychological distraction,” he says. The days of official policies prohibiting sexual intercourse before events are over. “There are no rules about … engaging in sexual activity before games,” confirms Richards. The Varsity Blues, U of T’s intercollegiate teams, don’t require their athletes to refrain from sexual activity before games either. Contrast
that with Muhammad Ali; the boxer reportedly wouldn’t have sex for six weeks before a fight. Richards says there’s absolutely no empirical support for the idea that athletic achievement is negatively affected by sexual activity prior to games or events. “None of the studies I’ve seen support the idea that there is any effect on performance.” Leung points out that any studies that looked into the effect of sexual activity in performance would have to be conducted after-the-fact. “It would be difficult to do a randomized control trial,” he says, pointing out that such an experiment would be unlikely to pass an academic ethics board. Still, as Richards points out, the evidence on the supposed negative effects of sex before sports points to a clear conclusion: “it’s a load of nonsense.”
100 The number of career points scored by women’s hockey player Brenley Jorgensen. The forward has 55 goals and 45 assists in 120 games for U of T following the 4–1 win over the UOIT Ridgebacks on Saturday.
The place in the OUA East division in which the men’s hockey team finished. The Blues have a 16–9–3 regularseason record, which includes the 3–1 win over the RMC Paladins on Saturday.
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The ideal candidate is someone who's connected, in the know, and able to influence. The Brand Ambassador will coordinate and manage a schedule to achieve 4-6 events per month, focus on awareness and trial by sampling and engaging with consumers, oversee on-premise event operation from start to finish, conduct consumer engagement activities and build brand awareness by engaging with consumers on brand attributes. Knowledge of liquor promotions a benefit.
If interested, please submit resume to:
toronto.brandambassador@gmail.com
Study medicine in the UK and USA • A unique health science university in London. • Distinctive degree progammes in medicine and biomedical sciences.
Blues by the numbers 4th
The Brand Ambassador will be responsible for building and maintaining relationships with local bars, while engaging consumers with knowledge of the brand via sampling. He or she will become the 'face of the brand' and will know the brand inside and out.
• Study on the campus of one of the UK’s busiest hospitals.
8:38.49 The time recorded by swimmer Bridget Coley in the women’s 800 m freestyle at the OUA swim championships in Sudbury, ON. Coley’s effort broke the event record by six seconds; her closest competitor was fellow Blue Heather Maitland.
• Spend two years undertaking clinical practice in the US.
Want to find out more? INTO St. George’s, University of London will be holding an information session for prospective students. Date: March 3, 2012 Time: 11:00 AM Venue: The Westin Harbour Castle Register at: www.intohigher.com/medicine
DIVERSIONS
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Mad stacks 100 yrs. Kicks out Soothing salve Makes mistakes Louts Free Baseball stat iPhone feature Monopoly token Agents like Bond Avoid cooking “ yellow ribbon…” Quite a bit Actor’s part LSD Polish dynasty Sicilian hotspot Caramel candy Jerk Clock batteries
Varsity Personals!
I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE
20-year-old male, 5’6”, student sports journalist, seeks NOTEWAGONattractive, intelligent female undergrad. Activities: no physical exertion whatsoever and long walks through the snow. Must enjoy: the sound of my voice.
I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE
20-year-old female, 5’7”, design diva, seeks tall, NOTEWAGONhealthy, mysterious male firecracker. Activities: big game sales, colourful language artiste, and animalI SEE WHAT print fashions. Must enjoy: personal hygiene.
YOU DID THERE
21-year-old female, 5’6”, blazer & puppet aficionado NOTEWAGONseeks humorous, classy Ryan Gosling look-alike. Activities: Mad Men styling and self-filmed dancing. Must enjoy: allergy-free environment.
I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE
20-year-old female, 5’4”, photo flirt seeks convalescing student athlete with sparkling eyes. Activities: loud, frequent vulgarity, nacho and pizza consumption, and last-minute essay-writing. Must enjoy: frequently being called “sexy.”
email love@thevarsity.ca
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The Varsity
Weekly Horoscopes by Destiny Starr
Aries
(March 21–April 19) You will wake up one morning feeling as though you were abducted by extraterrestrial beings overnight. It is the most meaningful experience of your life. False alarm: make sure Katy Perry’s “E.T.” is not on repeat while you sleep.
Taurus
(April 20–May 20) If you’ve been reading your horoscope elsewhere, you’ll recall that 2012 is supposed to be your big romantic moment. Well, they were wrong: you’re still aren’t getting any, and you still feel like shit. No worries, though. This week will be better.
Gemini
(May 21–June 20) Winter’s laying it on heavy, but you go with the flow. A snowbank near your front steps? Lost mittens? Challenge accepted. Also, there will be many twins coming your way. Use your imagination.
Cancer
(June 21–July 22) Don’t be a crab just because it’s not summer yet. Put that foul mouth away and visit a Red Lobster. That’s better. Winter will be extra long for you.
Leo
(July 23–August 22) Impress your crush by flexing your cut biceps as you break bars of chocolate in half. Yeah, you know who has the spotlight? You’ve got the spotlight. The frozen lake is that-a-way.
Virgo
Be a winner! Send us a photo of your completed crossword for a chance to win a prize! email editor@thevarsity.ca
I Vant Advice with Ivana Listen
Dear Ivana, I’ve got a bit of a problem. There’s this guy I like and I think he likes me too. We hang out, chat, and both seem to enjoy getting to know each other. But the thing is, he won’t make a move. I’ve done all I can without pushing my face against his scruff. What gives? Signed, Frustrated Florence Dear Frustrated Florence, You need to make him miss you. The trick to doing this without making him think you’re cutting him out is to plan out your burst of absence. If you slowly but not completely pull away from him, it will give him the opportunity to think twice about how you fit into his life. Guys are not completely oblivious (I rarely admit this), and it could be that he knows you like him but doesn’t know how to go about letting you down gently. Pulling away will draw attention to the elephant in the room and it will be a chance to steer your connection towards the fork in the road that divides friends and lovers. Friends don’t suffer heartache over each other, and you will quickly find out if the feeling is mutual. If he does come around, be ready to fess up your ever-lasting adoration. If you play with his head after the fact, you are so on your own. Love, Ivana
Got questions? Need some relationship advice? Email Ivana at ivanalisten@thevarsity.ca
(August 23–September 22) As a Virgo, you are inherently a virgin maiden in every sense. This week, try to find something you haven’t done and do it. Disclaimer: do not try all the things.
Libra
(September 23–October 22) You will be weighing many options and experiencing new things this week. Maybe a mysterious stranger will appear or maybe your palate will develop an unusual taste. You know what to do.
Scorpio
(October 23–November 21) Watch out! Your stinging wit may overwhelm everyone around you. Rethink sending that passive-aggressive signal to your neighbour. It may come back to haunt you.
Sagittarius
(November 22–December 21) You might play matchmaker this month without knowing it, but this won’t affect the amazing news you’ll be hearing about your own love life. Don’t be scared: the wedding bells are metaphysical.
Capricorn
(December 22–January 19) Don’t be afraid to run wild like the terrestrial goat you are. Clothes are made to be eaten, are they not? Your energy is magical and your approach, impeccable.
Aquarius
(January 20–February 18) Don’t drown in your troubles. Fortune is in the near future, rushing swiftly towards you like high waves. Also, there is someone waiting for you in shallow waters.
Pisces
(February 19–March 20) This is the week when you stop being thick-headed and look around for love in the air. There are hot people everywhere, but for your own sake, make your decisions sooner rather than later.