The University of Toronto’s Independent Weekly Since 1978 VOL XXXIV Issue 11 • November 17, 2011 the newspaper

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‘This isn’t a debate, this is a hoax’ Despite opposition, UTSU AGM passes all bylaw amendments

Ancient secretsPage 7^̂

THE NEWSMad Pride

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THE INSIDEShould Toronto be safer for cyclists?

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THE ARTSOptical illusions

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Inside this issue...

the briefsNo apple on the desk, no classA psychology professor at Sacremento State Univer-sity in California refused to teach his morning class last Thursday after one of his stu-dents did not bring a snack. The prof asks his students to bring a snack to class to en-courage them to get to know one another. The course syl-labus states: “Not having a snack = no Dr. Parrott or TAs. Now you are responsible for your own lab assignment.” Accordingly, Professor Par-rott and his TAs left class last Thursday to have breakfast.

Man threatens to shoot TTC employee “in the face,” gets 45 days in jailA 29 year-old man who threatened the life of a TTC worker last week was given 45 days in jail. The employee had asked the man, who had lit up in a non-smoking area of Finch Station, to put out his cigarette. The man then reached into his backpack and warned the TTC employ-ee: “you have three seconds to get out of my face or I’ll get my gun and shoot you in the face.” The man was later apprehended by police and charged with uttering a death threat.

AGMBill Graham (left) listens intently as Omar Samad speculates

see page 2

After three hours of tedious de-bate and technical difficulties, Tuesday’s UTSU. Annual Gener-al Meeting came to a predictable conclusion. While members eventually approved all bylaw changes outlined on the agenda, several vocal students neverthe-less raised deep concerns about the potential implications of the amendments, probing beyond UTSU assurances of humble “housekeeping.”

A considerable portion of the meeting was dedicated to the discussion of proposed amend-ments to Bylaw VI, Article 2.b (i), specifically the distinction between “newspaper” and “pub-lication.”

“In Bylaw I [Article 6], there’s a specific definition of what a campus paper is, and that it’s ei-ther the newspaper or The Var-sity,” said Michael Scott, Trin-

“Students showed up, for the most part acted respectfully, and voted on the issues.”- AGM Chair

by Andrew Walt

After McGill riot, UTSU supports Quebec students

by Geoffrey Vendeville

U of T student union opposes tuition hike in Quebec and police crackdown on protest

This week, the UTSU sent a let-ter to the Quebec Minister of Education, Line Beauchamp, to show solidarity with Quebec students and to criticize the provincial government’s plan to raise university and CEGEP tuition. In a separate statement, Danielle Sandhu, President of the UTSU, spoke out against the heavy-handed McGill campus security and police response to a protest held at McGill Universi-ty in Montreal on November 10, at which 14 students and a pro-

fessor were allegedly assaulted.The UTSU letter, written by

VP External Shaun Shepherd, said the Quebec government’s decision to increase tuition by $325 per year until 2016 will limit access to higher education. “Education has long been con-sidered the great social equaliz-er,” Shepherd wrote, “however, low- and middle-income stu-dents are increasingly unable to access college and university education as a result of financial barriers.”

“In solidarity with the stu-dents of Quebec,” he concluded,

“ we urge you to reject the pro-posal for tuition fee increase and [to] reaffirm your government’s commitment to affordable, ac-cessible and public education.”

Quebec Premier Jean Charest has argued that cash-strapped Quebec universities desper-ately need more money from tuition. His decision has elicited strong opposition from Quebec students. Last Thursday, 30,000 people staged a demonstra-tion outside Charest’s office in downtown Montreal. Hundreds of protestors moved up McGill

see page 3

More on page 3

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2 November 17, 2011 THE NEWS

the newspaper

the newspaper1 Spadina Crescent Suite 245Toronto, ON M5S 1A1

Editorial: 416-593-1552thenewspaper@gmail.comwww.thenewspaper.ca

the newspaper is published by Planet Publications Inc., a non-profit corporation.

All U of T community members, including students, staff and faculty, are encouraged to contribute to the newspaper.

Editor-in-ChiefCara Sabatini

News EditorGeoff Vendeville

Associate News EditorYukon Damov

Photo EditorBodi Bold

Associate Photo EditorNana Arbova

Web EditorAndrew Walt

Copy EditorTalia Gordon

Arts EditorVanessa Purdy

ContributorsNana Arbova, Miriam Arbus, Suzie Balabuch, Aberdeen Berry, Bodi Bold, Dan Christensen, Yukon Damov, Talia Gordon, Vanessa Purdy, Geof-frey Vendeville, Andrew Walt.

the newspaper is the University of Toronto’s independent weekly paper, published since

1978.VOL XXXIV No. 11

ity representative on the UTSU Board of Directors. “[Campus] publication doesn’t have this definition in Bylaw I, which means that publication could be interpreted rather broadly.”

Scott was not alone in this concern. Several other students took to the microphone to plead that the motion amending the bylaw not be passed, claiming that this lack of definition could potentially be abused. For ex-ample, UTSU could define “pub-lication” as a pamphlet tucked away on a rack in their office, effectively hiding it from the majority of the student popula-tion. “I think that the newspaper and The Varsity are good ways to publicize events that we want U of T students to know about,” Scott said.

Curiously, the AGM package only indicated what the bylaws in debate would be amended to read, and did not include the phrasing as it appeared in the original document. With re-gards to Bylaw VI, Article 2.b (i), the clause in question, “by publi-cation in a campus newspaper,” was to be changed to read, “by campus publication and Union website.” While there is a clear definition of “campus newspa-per” in Bylaw I, neither “campus publication” nor “union web-site” are clearly specified.

Despite vocal opposition, the motion carried. In fact, all

motions to enact the proposed amendments to the bylaws were approved.

“Collectively, members ap-proved a change to provide notice of elections not only in newspapers such as the newspa-per and The Varsity, but in other campus publications as well,” explained UTSU president Dani-elle Sandhu in a formal response to the newspaper. “[This change is part of] an ongoing effort to in-crease engagement of our mem-bers.” Her full comment can be viewed on www.thenewspaper.ca.

Some students in opposition to the motion, such as under-graduate Brent Schmidt, were frustrated by defeat and did not receive the result as amicably. “It seems like we’re getting voted out - like we’re getting stifled out - just because we happen to be against,” he said. “I don’t appre-

ciate being in this atmosphere where if I’m speaking against [the motion], all of a sudden the issue doesn’t matter. I think this is a problem with these meet-ings and with the union in gen-eral.

AGM Chair Ashkon Hash-emi, however, felt that such outbursts might have been ex-cessive. “There are some areas of the UTSU bylaws that are very unclear or contradictory,” he said. “It seemed to me like the amendments were just designed to make them more transparent and clearer. There were no big changes to them [the bylaws], just housekeeping that was long overdue.”

“Students showed up, for the most part acted respectfully, and voted on the issues,” Hashemi concluded. “Whatever the out-come was, at least it was a reflec-tion of the will of the students.”

Dear Suzie

Dear Suzie,

I’m trying to save money but am having such a hard time doing it! Do you have any advice on how to save!?-1 Broke Girl

Dear 1 Broke Girl,

Saving money, like any other good habit, takes discipline and time, but if you stick to it, you will see results on your bank statement. You have probably heard this advice before, but don’t despair: it’s been repeated for a reason.

Start small: try to cut down eating out to two times a week. There are plenty of easy recipes for small budgets out there, and in the inter-net age, you really have no excuse to not learn how to cook simply and cheaply.

Next, use the 24-hour rule when purchasing non-essential items like clothes, gifts, books, whatever you don’t need to actually survive. If you see an item you love, put it down and come back to it in 24 hours. Odds are, you will forget all about it, and that means that you didn’t need it as much as you thought.

Lastly, find out if your bank has an automatic savings program for debit purchases. A small amount, say $3, is transferred from your chequing account into a savings account every time you use your debit to make a purchase. It’s not a magic saving solution, but it does some of the thinking for you.

Broke girl, I hope this wasn’t too overwhelming. Saving money doesn’t have to be painful. Get creative, don’t shop impulsively, and you will soon have a little nest egg.

Sincerely,Suzie

Got a question for Suzie? Submit it anonymously at the newspaper.ca in the blue box

Young Moneyless

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only, while quantities last. The U of T Bookstore reserves the right to end this and other promotions at any time.

Nothing over

$5!Check out our sale tables.Hundreds of books marked below $5.

November 15th - 25th

www.uoftbookstore.com

St. George CampusKoffler Student Services Building214 College St • Toronto • ON • M5T 3A1(416) 640-7900

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UTSU President Danielle Sandhu responds to students’ concerns

from “hoax”

Prostate cancer linked to pill, study findsA study conducted by doc-tors at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto reports a significant link between rates of prostate cancer and us-age of the birth control pill. The study claims that urine excreted by women on the pill contains un-degraded compounds of the oral con-traceptive that are acting as endocrine-disturbing com-pounds (EDCs). The result-ing hormonal interference may cause cancer. The study examined the linkages in 87 countries between the rates of women using various forms of contraceptives, and mortality rates as a result of prostate cancer.

U of T student awarded Ph D posthumouslyAfter Sara Al-Bader, a post-doctoral candidate at U of T, died last November, her colleagues finished her the-sis on health innovation in sub-Saharan Africa. U of T has now awarded Al-Badar a Ph.D posthumously. “She had put so much work into her thesis and she was so passionate about under-standing how innovation can work in different countries to improve health, to reduce inequity and poverty,” said Halla Thorsteinsdóttir, an as-sociate professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health.

www.thenewspaper.ca 3 THE NEWS

‘We’re not just a formal group of people who engage in advocacy . . . we’re a community.’ - Elizabeth of Mad Student Society

The Mad Students Society (MSS) had their monthly meeting last Saturday, No-vember 12, at an unnamed location in downtown To-ronto. In an effort to create a safe and supportive space for members, the location of their meetings is kept se-cret from the general public. Group membership is lim-ited to self-identified ‘mad’ students, with the dual pur-pose of attracting an intimate group of like-minded indi-viduals, and creating a sense of community that supports and celebrates ‘mad’ culture.

In their information pam-phlet, the group is advertised as a “Peer Advocacy Group for Students who Experience the Psychiatric System.” Since its inception in 2005, the soci-ety has sought to represent and support those who “are currently, or have in the past experienced the psychiatric system.” This self-description is merely the tip of the ice-berg to understanding the multiple functions, roles and

voices of the organization. Though advocacy is an

important component of MSS, the society is often er-roneously pigeonholed as a campus group dedicated to ‘mental health’ issues. MSS member Elizabeth explained, “We’re not just a formal group of people who engage in peer-support and advocacy, we’re also a community.” To-gether, group members work to foster this community in order to empower students in a number of different ways, within and beyond the walls of the university.

Group member Alisa ex-plained why the group has chosen the word ‘mad’ rather than ‘mentally ill’ or other common psychiatric terms. “The first big difference is what language we choose ourselves and what language we are labeled with. Most people have been told what their label is, and it’s usually medical.” said Alisa.

Like many marginalized groups who have positively re-adopted formerly oppres-sive language, the MSS pre-

fers ‘mad’ as an identity-label. “We’re reclaiming the word ‘mad,’ which has been used throughout history to iden-tify our community,” Alisa explained. “For me, using the word ‘mad’ is a kind of form of pride. Most importantly, it’s a way of participating in a social movement. . .rather than focusing on a language that has been used against me.”

The language of madness expresses a non-medical par-adigm of understanding and engagement when it comes to advocacy and support for self-identified (and unidenti-fied) mad students. The soci-ety emphasizes a shift from “mental illness awareness,” to encourage alternative un-derstandings of madness and other idioms of distress. In the same vein, the society advocates for the creation of environments and spaces to celebrate rather than to treat or confine the expression of madness.

In describing the advocacy work of the MSS, Elizabeth shared her own experience

of being a mad student in the academic milieu. “What I was dealing with in universi-ty was extreme isolation, the rigid structure of courses and campus itself, and the lack of community . . . [within] structures that didn’t encour-age socialization.” Elizabeth explained how experiences of distress produced by uni-versity structures become individualized, rather than examined as a broader com-munity issue. “It becomes about identifying people ‘at risk’ and about individual in-tervention. But offering treat-ment isn’t going to take away someone’s isolation and lone-liness,” she added.

Even community-oriented approaches to improving understandings of madness can be misdirected and at worst, oppressive. Elizabeth explained, “Often when we’re invited into a public space to talk about mental health, wellness and alternatives, there are already structures in place that expect discovery illness narratives and recov-ery stories. We want to resist

that.” Alisa added, “Or we get tokenized as the ‘spokesper-son for the community,’ and that’s not useful either.”

Instead, the group members suggested that in community education, a good place to start is language. “People use a lot of intellectual disability language . . . like ‘crazy,’ and ‘insane,’ and often in very negative ways that reinforce the idea that craziness is bad,” explained Alisa.

Beyond language, what are more useful and effica-cious approaches to support-ing mad students on cam-pus? Above all, Elizabeth explained, the university should not act as a pseudo health care provider. “The university should be con-cerned with providing edu-cation that is accessible and accommodative, rather than handing out checklists of criteria for things you might be experiencing if you might be crazy. If they handed out a checklist of things that in-dicated you might need ac-commodation, that would be helpful.”

College Ave. and gathered out-side the McGill administration building. Fourteen students en-tered the building and staged a sit-in in the office of univer-sity principal, Heather Munroe-Blum, until they were forced out by campus security.

Police on bicycles soon ar-rived at the scene and tried to break up the protest. They were pelted with sticks and water bottles and quickly forced to retreat. Riot police were then called in and, according to The McGill Daily, used “pepper spray, tear gas, and physical force” to disperse the protestors.

Philosophy professor, Greg Mikelson, was observing the protest when he was clubbed with a baton and pepper sprayed by police. “I had just stopped to watch what was go-ing on,” he told CBC, “and the police just walked up to me and attacked me.”

Principal Munro-Blum has asked the dean of the faculty of law to lead an investigation into the incident. In an open letter to students, the dean said that the purpose of the investiga-tion is “to allow McGill to learn from the events of November 10, 2011, and to take steps that would reduce the likelihood of

a recurrence.”President of the UTSU, Dani-

elle Sandhu, sent The Newspaper a statement concerning the riot at McGill University: “We offer solidarity to students at McGill University, fighting to ensure that education remains acces-sible in Quebec. As students dis-placed from our own campus by riot police in June of 2010, we are concerned about the re-pression of political dissent and use of aggression at McGill.”

The McGill student union, the Students’ Society of McGill University, welcomed support from U of T and other Canadian universities. “I think that can only be positive. It’s been very difficult to get this story out in the major news media,” McGill’s VP External, Joël Pedneault, said about the outpouring of sup-port. “I feel very strongly that if no one other than McGill de-nounces what happened [the police’s forceful handling of the protest], if that becomes a situa-tion that becomes acceptable in Canada and Quebec, then we’re heading for very, very difficult times ahead.”

“I think it’s important that student unions draw the line in Canada and say that it’s unac-ceptable that police were used to use force against student pro-testors,” Pednault said.

by Talia Gordon

Students talk mad culture

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from “UTSU supports”

McGill student, November 11, 2011

4 November 17, 2011 THE INSIDE

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Butting heads on bikes

The history of the automo-bile is filled with safety in-novations, most of them in-frastructural: paved roads, lane markings, traffic lights, highway lane dividers. But al-together, this preponderance of car-oriented changes to our roads has come at the ex-pense of the safety of cyclists, who are forced to share the road with fast, heavy, deadly vehicles. In light of this im-balance, the City of Toronto must work to improve safety for cyclists.

It is already difficult to get more road space designated for cyclists. And in the form of painted lanes, the official-ly relegated space provides little assurance for a cyclist’s safety.

There are the usual com-plaints that cyclists are er-ratic and ride illegally, run-ning through stop signs and red lights. Bicycles, which don’t fit into the current road scheme where there aren’t bike lanes, throw traffic into a kind of chaos for every road user. And for the individual cyclist, part of the problem when mixing with traffic is that the cyclist seems unex-pected and unseen, constant-ly vying for limited space.

The roles of cyclist and driver are not always mutu-ally exclusive. It is hoped that the people who occupy both seats have the kind of empathy that makes for safe cycling and driving.

If the City cannot provide the physical infrastructure necessary to improve cyclists’ safety, it still bears responsi-bility for ensuring safe road conditions. With minimal protection, cyclists are much more vulnerable to danger-ous and sometimes fatal acci-dents, often involving cars or trucks on the road. However, the heightened risks for cy-clists have not been consid-ered in municipal planning decision-making.

The most effective, and least costly way for the City to increase road-safety would be to encourage defensive driving tactics and more re-spectful cycling habits with-in the general population.

The City can responsibly educate its citizens about road safety. It can influence road culture and driving/cy-cling habits. Toronto must help people understand that cyclists and drivers have a mutual responsibility to each other to share the road in a re-spectful, safe, and consistent manner.

THE DEBATE

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Motion: The city of

Toronto has the respon-sibility to

make roads safer for cyclists.

The recent death of Jenna Morrison has galvanized the ongoing feud between driv-ers and cyclists, prompting the cycling community to de-mand upgrades to the safety regulations which govern the shared streets of the prov-ince.

But while Toronto should surely be made safer for cy-clists (as Toronto should be made safer for everyone), it must be asked whether or not cyclists are deserving of a safer city. The answer to that question is perhaps less cer-tain, and certainly more con-tentious.

If there’s one thing both cyclists and drivers have in common, it’s their propensi-ty to lambaste one another at any opportunity. Bad drivers are often berated by cyclists for their ignorance and un-awareness, whereas bad cy-clists are often criticized by drivers for their carelessness and unpredictability.

But consider for a mo-ment how cars and bicycles are equal under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act, the fi-nal word on vehicular laws in the province. Drivers are aware that it’s illegal to speed through red lights and stop

signs, yet most cyclists seem oblivious to the fact. How many times have you seen cyclists disregard traffic sig-nals and signs, an infraction which carries an $85 fine? You’ll surely never see a car drive on the sidewalk, so why do cyclists seem to think they can get away with doing just that?

All too often, cyclists bike in the wrong direction, ne-glect to signal turns, and fail to yield to pedestrians. When so few cyclists can be bothered to obey the rules de-vised for common safety, why should the city make efforts to accommodate their needs?

If I’ve upset you with this piece, dear cyclists, then prove me wrong. Prove to me that you deserve special con-sideration in the changing traffic infrastructure of our city. Not by throwing a tan-trum every time some prick in a Porsche cuts you off, but by being a model of the vir-tues you claim to embody through your alternative transportation choice.

Because while there are a great deal of bad drivers out there, there are far more bad cyclists.

by Andrew Waltby Yukon Damov

The Pro The Con

Tell us which side you’re on at

thenewspaper.ca

If there's one thing both cy-clists and drivers have in common, it's their propen-sity to lambaste one another at any given oppor-tunity.

It is hoped that the people who occupy both seats have the kind of empathy. that makes for safe cycling and driving.

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www.thenewspaper.ca 5 THE INSIDE6

Student works shine in Next DimensionUTAC and the Institute for Optical Sciences explore the potential of holography, a convergence of art and science

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Photographs of holograms at UTAC lounge: “You really just have to see for yourself.”

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by Miriam ArbusThe new exhibit at the Uni-versity of Toronto Art Centre is an interdisciplinary con-vergence of the fine arts and the sciences. The Next Di-mension: Holograms for Op-tical Sciences in conjunction with the Institute for Optical Sciences, features the work of undergraduate students who have taken U of T’s Hologra-phy course since its inception in 2008. The Next Dimension is a delightful, but challeng-ing, aesthetic experience.

Located in the UTAC lounge, The Next Dimension aims to inform visitors of the research and development produced by the Holography course, and also offers a chal-lenge to current understand-ings of the potentials offered by this medium. A selection of screen-like holographic plates are displayed, each of which are intentionally illu-minated by individual lamps. Each plate was designed by undergraduate students, and displays individual three dimensional images or se-quences.

Professor and coordinator

of the Holography course and exhibition, Emanuel Istrate, elaborated on the method of exhibition. He explained that the boxes and stands were created purposefully, intend-ed as medium-specific dis-plays that would both attract the viewer and help situate the holographic plate as art-work in the gallery setting.

Holographic renderings such as those displayed in this exhibition are created in a similar process to the pho-tograph, where light is used to capture the image of ob-jects. In the holography stu-dio, objects are placed in front of the holographic plate, and laser-light rays are directed at the scene. The holographic plate captures the way the light scatters upon illuminat-ing the object. The result is a recording of all the involved perspectives – therefore cre-ating multi-dimensionality.

Though holography was discovered (developed?) in 1947, public knowledge con-cerning this scientific me-dium is fairly limited. Most associate holography with its prevalence in science fiction

movies. The lack of aware-ness is due to the intricate technology required for pro-ducing holograms, and the associated high costs.

Istrate described the Holog-raphy course as a practical, hands-on method for under-standing the mechanisms and applications of holo-graphic research. Multi-disci-plinarity is essential; Istrate explained that his teaching methodology is intended to challenge students from vary-ing academic backgrounds to acquire new abilities. Taught collaboratively by Istrate and a fine-arts professor from OCAD U, this course offers an alternative, interdisciplinary method for comprehending scientific theories and equa-tions.

Istrate explained that in the sciences, students must approach complex method-ologies and theories starting with the equations. By way of first learning how to cre-ate holograms, Istrate hopes to provide a unique method for understanding scientific equations, and for advancing the development of students’

research abilities. This inter-disciplinary environment brings fine-arts and science students together in a dis-tinctively co-operative learn-ing environment.

Holographic research has potential in a variety of fields. Holograms allow for the study of minute details of an imaged object. The multi-faceted perspectives that re-sult from the recording of scattered light allow a closer look at minuscule discrepan-cies in such objects as dam-aged jet engine turbines, or a malfunctioning car’s wheel bearings. Microscopic ho-lograms can distinguish be-tween transparent substanc-es, making it possible to view cells or chemical substances.

The future of hologra-phy promises the capacity for large scale information and data storage. One holo-graphic plate has the poten-tial to hold an unfathomable amount of data, explained Is-trate, but because of the cost-liness of such endeavours, the mass use of holograms is a long way away.

The holograms displayed in

The Next Dimension engage the viewer both aesthetically and intellectually as percep-tions are challenged by the seemingly impossible 3D existence on a 2D plane. The ethereal quality of the images transform from two to three dimensions upon one’s own movement around the holo-graphic plate, which produc-es the full perspective of the imaged object.

Istrate explained that pho-tographic documentation of holograms jeopardizes the captivating three-dimension-al quality, and suggested that, “you really just have to come and see them for yourself.”

The Next Dimension: Ho-lograms for Optical Sciences can be found at the UTAC Lounge, 15 King’s College Circle, from November 8 – December 2, 2011.

For more information on Holog-raphy courses visithttp://www.optics.utoronto.ca/academic/undergraduate/ho-lography

by Dan Christensen

J. Edgar could use less armoir, more bureau on screen

It’s difficult to imagine a film that begs for an Academy Award as desperately, and as fruitlessly, as J. Edgar.

You know just from the trailer that this is Oscar bait, even before you discover that it was penned by Dustin Lance Black, who picked up the best original screenplay Oscar for Milk at the 2009 ceremony, and that it was di-rected by Clint Eastwood, the Academy’s most-nominated director.

Not to mention being pop-ulated by the likes of Leo, Naomi Watts, and Armie Hammer – all part of the pret-ty-people-with-acting-chops family. So, naturally, you’re left with one question when the screening’s over: where did all the talent go?

We’re aided (or, more often, impeded) by a woefully exe-cuted time-jumping contriv-ance that has old man Hoover dictating his life’s story to

various young, attractive male typists while the bad prosthetics-free version of DiCaprio whisks us through a smattering of poorly con-nected biographical highs and lows.

We observe him cantanker-ously forming the FBI, ap-pearing in comic books, and apprehending the Lindbergh kidnapper, though the larg-est component of this clumsy personal narrative is taken by Hoover’s relationship with his “companion” Clyde Tol-son, Armie Hammer’s tender and delicate performance of whom turns out to be the film’s highest point.

Sadly, despite Hammer and DiCaprio’s chemistry as chaste lovers (both physi-cally and verbally), the film’s investigation into their rela-tionship, and Hoover’s sexu-ality in general, has difficulty moving beyond the blunt fact of Hoover’s apparent denial.

Indeed, for the film, it seems that the Freudian reac-

tionary tendencies stemming from Hoover’s private life are a preoccupation to the detri-ment of clarity in the story of his public life. This seems something of a waste, as in the former case we get the point well enough by twenty minutes in.

Though Hoover’s cru-sade against privacy (and, of course, Communists) in the name of protecting Ameri-cans with modern forensic science does provoke some comparisons to the current sociopolitical climate (esp. with Harper’s internet spying bill still fresh on our minds), such thoughts still can’t dis-tract us from the embarrass-ingly lazy visuals.

Between the conspicuously tale and repetitive camera placement and the ineffec-tive muted lighting, we start to worry that maybe old Squint Eastwood has finally succumbed to some eye dam-age after all these years.

Then, when a hideous score-

truly, the audible groans in the theatre would have been preferable–from Eastwood is piled on the aforementioned stilted storytelling and and sorry cinematography, the 132 minute running time be-comes a true marathon.

Suffice it to say, if you’re not familiar with this giant

of 20th century American political history, this is prob-ably not the place to start, and if you are familiar, rest assured that it doesn’t crack open any of Hoover’s secret files. It does, however, feature Leonardo DiCaprio in a dress. So there’s that.

Eastwood does few favours for Hoover’s legacy

THE BLOCKBUSTER

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6 November 17, 2011

Economic, Political and Artistic UnionThe European Union Film Festival is growing (unlike its currency)by Aberdeen Berry

Since 2005, the annual Eu-ropean Union Film Festival in Toronto has screened an increasing number of films, with the intention to promote cultural dialogue. Given the results of Environics’ recent survey, which revealed that the majority of Canadians think immigrants ought to adopt the nation’s values as a condition of admittance into the country, the continued effort to inspire this cultural dialogue and exchange is a pertinent endeavor.

The EU film fest began as a collaboration between vari-ous EU governments and cul-tural institutes. “We started with Germany, France, Swe-den and others, and then it expanded over the years,” said Lars Henriksson, Sweden’s Honorary Consul in Toronto, and co-founder of the festival. The festival was originally hosted on consul premises, but this limited space could only accommodate 100 audi-ence members and attendance soon exceeded capacity. The festival’s growing attendance made it necessary to move

screenings to the Royal Thea-tre on College Street, which can house about 600 people. Even in this larger venue, many screenings sell out.

Henriksson explained why the idea of a film festival was appealing to him. “This is something most countries can participate in. With few exceptions, every country has produced films.” Each country in the EU is invited to submit a film. Because the festival also aims to support independent filmmakers, priority is given to films that have not yet been screened in Toronto. This is also pragmatic: “One of the reasons we do this,” Henriks-son noted, “is that the more broadly released films are al-ready scheduled for commer-cial showings, and they are more difficult to get a hold of.”

Henriksson explained that, “We want to show both to our-selves and to Canadian audi-ences what is happening in Eu-rope today.” With this in mind, immigration is a major topic addressed throughout the fes-tival. While these films have range from comedy to drama, they all touch on serious social issues.

“Last year, we had one about an [immigrant] heart surgeon who ends up working in the subway in Stockholm,” Hen-riksson recalled. This kind of common experience can resonate with Canadian view-ers, many of whom are immi-grants themselves. Henriksson added that responding to the immigrant experience is a con-

J. Edgar Hoover looking out for America

crete example of where inter-cultural dialogue is beneficial. Henriksson commented that in this regard, “Canada is a gen-eration or so ahead of a coun-try like Sweden.”

While some films are about current issues, others have touched upon modern history. “Some countries have used their films as starting points

for discussions. Last year…we had a German-Polish film that dealt with the situation in Po-land during the [Second World] War…then we had a seminar discussion with historians,” says Henriksson, who hopes that the festival will continue to be used as an educational opportunity.

Henriksson has great expec-tations for the festival’s pros-pects. “There are over a hun-dred film festivals in Toronto every year, and we are in the top ten,” he enthused. Admis-sion to the event is free, which is a crucial aspect of its success and remains important to the festival organizers. This sense of mission is evident in Hen-riksson’s objective: “We want to showcase Europe and the European Union, and make people aware that there are other things going on in Eu-rope besides problems with the Euro.”

This year’s European Union Film Festival runs from the 17th-30th at the Royal Cinema on 608 Col-lege Street, and all admission is free.

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THE ARTS

www.thenewspaper.ca 7 THE ARTS

the mixtape

Andrew – Sloan, “Take the Bench”

Aberdeen -- Wolf Parade, “What Did My Lover Say (It Al-

ways Had To Go This Way)

Bodi – Total Slacker, “Psychic Mesa”

Cara – Cat Power, “Song To Bobby”

Geoff -- Talking Heads, “Love --> Building on Fire”

Talia – Braids, “Plath Hearts”

Vanessa – Cat Stevens, “Wild World”

Yukon – Nick Lowe, “I Trained Her To Love Me”

Here's what the staff has on rotation at the newspaper office this week.

Visit thenewspaper.ca to listen.

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ROM exhibit excavates an enigmaMaya exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum, not one for the ages

A civilization with more mystery than known his-tory, the Maya finally get their due in the ROM’s latest collection, Maya: Secrets of their Ancient World, open-ing to the public this Friday.

The exhibit is a joint effort of the ROM, the National Institute of Anthropology and History, and the Cana-dian Museum of Civiliza-tion. It boasts almost 250 artifacts, aimed at shining a light on the delicate dynam-ics between the Maya ruling class and the rest of its society through items that would have permeated the daily rituals and customs of the culture.

The ROM is really go-ing all out for this featured

exhibit; creating a special Maya-inspired menu at c5 and their food studio space. The museum has also organ-ized a monthly lecture series (cost is $23 per lecture), sure to be of interest for those truly invested in new discov-eries of a Maya nature.

The exhibit itself is pre-sented in a very sanitized, perhaps overly generic way, despite the hype around new artifacts from the lost city of Palenque. Some mock stone walls and often dim lighting, intended to create the ambi-ence of being in a Mayan temple (I assume), don’t re-ally do much for effect. Some videos of lush landscapes were projected on the walls, including an interesting Maya countdown calendar,

but all in all, that component is lackluster.

However, if the Maya prediction of our doomsday is really fast approaching on December 21st, 2012, I would not plan to spend too much of my free time in this exhibition. A huge space for what felt like relatively few pieces, let alone pieces of visual interest, the secrets of this ancient world are not as exciting as one would have hoped, at least not in the way they were presented. Few pieces stand out as engaging, independently of a detailed pre-knowledge of the history of the subject matter, as the descriptions of the artifacts are too bland to really inspire new interest.

Lidded bowl depicting iguana-jaguar slaying humans (naturally)

by Vanessa Purdy

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the campus comment In a recent Leger Marketing poll Toronto was voted the “least liked” city in Canada.

the newspaper asked: What do you like about Toronto?

QUAN Hospitality, 2nd year“The food. All those random restaurants in Chinatown and K-town. My favorite is Korean Grill House. ”

“

EDElyN Rotman, 1st year“The fact that you can go out every night and find something new to do.”

JosUE Marketing, 1st year“The city lights, like at Yonge & Dundas Square.”

EDWiN Mathematics, 2nd year“I’’m from Vancouver, but Toronto is definitely more urban. It’s also more connected to the rest of the world.”

NAoMi Computer Science, 2nd year“I like it when various bands are touring the world and Toronto will always be one of the stops. It’s a very cosmopolitan city but it’s liveable at the same time.”

RAbi Chemical Engineering, 4th year“It’s my home and I don’t want to go anywhere else. I’m hard-headed like that.”

Across1. Interrogative pronoun4. Gently knocks8. Eternal city12. Lower abdominal bones 14. Length times width15. Man-made water chan-nel

16. Notion17. Entertainers19. Bird bench21. Super sandwich22. Behold23. Japanese alcoholic bever-age24. Special discounts

25. Weary27. Indian instrument32. Snowboard alternative35. Codes of conduct36. Identity37. Not outside39. Power generators42. Poker player’s pitfall

by Andrew Walt

The Crossword

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43. Informal Italian salu-tation44. Wager45. Sows47. Actor ___ Beatty49. Suddenly get married51. Volcanic output54. Picnic pest57. Unsightly growth58. Glances over, as a book60. “The happiest place on earth” theme park64. Great lake65. Live, as radio or televi-sion66. Is killed67. Fictional FBI agent ___ Scully68. Slavic person69. Mucus70. Place to park

Down1. “___ it” (Devo song)2. Conceals3. Verdi work4. Dance genre5. “Who do you think you ___?”6. Maybe7. With caution8. Aries animal9. Singles10. Female horse11. Ultimatum word13. Potato pouches15. Intersection18. Raw mineral20. Greeting word24. Mends, as a garment

26. Corn unit28. Emerald Isle army29. Grave30. Soothing ingredient31. Relaxation32. Enjoys a chair33. Leg joint34. Lazy38. Aged39. Desperate40. Pirate’s grunt of assent41. Gallagher and Edmonds 43. Ship’s pilot46. Waste tunnel47. Planets

48. Nude50. Establish; ___ a foun-dation52. Wildly popular clip; ___ video53. Some yogurts contain these acids54. Delays55. One before ten56. Slavic monarch59. Bench61. Mini Twizzler62. Matrix protagonist63. Time changing anach-ronism

The Puzzleby Andrew Walt