All posts by Leah Henrickson | Co-Editor

How Tall Is Too Tall?: RAW Press Release

Photography, , , ,

This is a great opportunity for all of you interested in architecture and/or photography. Here’s lookin’ at you, Erik and Jimmy! Note: This text has not been edited in any way by blogUT.

Award winning architecture studio RAW invites all architecture buffs, shutterbugs and those interested in city design to contribute photos to a new Harbourfront Centre exhibit ‘TOO TALL?’ launching Sept 30.  In conjunction with the Toronto Society of Architects, Harbourfront has invited top architecture firms including RAW, Architects Alliance, KPMB and visual artist Douglas Walker to engage the public in a debate on the role, benefit and beauty of tall buildings.

Through a social media campaign, RAW is offering the general public a rare opportunity submit photos to the exhibit and put the debate over tall buildings into perspective.  Hundreds of images are needed!  Examining scale as a relative term, people are encouraged to send in a quick pic using any device of ANY building they consider to be tall, framed between their thumb and index finger. Could be a building people like or hate, just put it in perspective with a caption up to 140 characters.  Pictures will be incorporated into RAW’s ‘TALL IS MORE’ digital installation. Deadline for image submissions is Monday, September 26th.

Images can be submitted via Facebook, Twitter or Email and should include a brief description up to 140 characters. Max file size is 600×800 pixels.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/RAW-architects-and-designers/133960586658656
Twitter: http://twitter.com/rawdesignTO
Email:

‘TOO TALL?’ will launch with a VIP event Friday, September 30th, and will be open to the public from October 1st, 2011 through December 31st, 2011. Harbourfront Centre is located at 235 Queens Quay West, Toronto, ON M5J 2G8. For more information, please visit www.harbourfrontcentre.com

Life Outside the Classroom: U of T Greens

Events, On Campus, Politics, , , ,

Post written by Kara Naklicki.

U of T Greens is a political advocacy club on campus that is affiliated with the Green Party of Canada and of Ontario. However, our primary concern is not converting every U of T student to ‘Green’, but doing our best to encourage every student to become more politically aware and especially to vote.

When meetings happen, they are usually e-meetings focused around either planning for specific events or discussion in response to political factors (ex. the dropping of the writ in the federal election, election day, etc.). Items of discussion include planning different events and approaches to canvassing in order to get students more politically engaged, aware of the Green Party, and excited to vote in upcoming elections. We frame political issues through a ‘Green’ perspective, where priorities include, but are not limited to: sustainable energy; representation of women and other minorities in politics; accessible education and healthcare; public transit; and a economy focused on efficiency and innovation.

This year, U of T Greens organized events that included a documentary night screening environmental/social justice piece Wasteland, as well as a meet-the-candidate pub night. Members of the Greens also participated in U of T’s Vote Mob (video).

U of T Greens is currently working with the Green Party of Ontario to prepare for the upcoming provincial election. Some events on the horizon include an informal pub-style political forum where students of all political leanings can meet and debate local Green candidates (late September), as well as a VIP fundraiser reception and dinner with Elizabeth May (early September) for which we are hoping to have student-priced tickets available.

For more information, please visit our website. If you have any further questions or would like to get involved, feel free to email the or .

The Gainsbourg Giveaway Winners!

Contests, , , ,

Thanks to everyone who entered the Gainsbourg Giveaway! We got to listen to some amazing French music.
All the commenters’ names were put into a hat and the lucky winners were drawn. The winners (and the songs they suggested) were:

AMINA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vv7PwrWp5lQ

TATJANA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2wmKcBm4Ik and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHF3X8tQYPU

PADINA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWrU4We1Nq8

GAËL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmvt4B8rK2U

MICHELLE: http://youtu.be/5BGY6k4Aphs

Each of you will soon receive an email from blogUT regarding the collection of your prize. Get stoked for some Gainsbourg on Wednesday at 7pm!

Special thanks to EFUT for making this contest possible.

The Gainsbourg Giveaway!

Contests, Film, Music, , , , , , , ,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkyJ07TK2dQ

Oh là là.

For those of you out of the francophone-music-loop, Serge Gainsbourg is often considered to be one of the world’s most influential popular musicians. He experimented with every genre of music, from jazz to reggae, to rock and roll to mambo, to so many more. And he did them all well.

So, basically, we have a ridiculously talented French man who somehow manages to look fierce in a pinstripe suit jacket. I guess it’s true that le français est la langue de l’amour, because I have fallen hard.

Excuse me while I swoon.

blogUT is teaming up with the wonderful members of EFUT (check out their new shirts – sont-ils pas magnifiques?) to give away five double passes to an advanced (subtitled) screening of Gainsbourg: Vie Héroïque at the Cumberland Cinema (159 Cumberland Street) on Wednesday, September 14 at 7pm. The film depicts Serge Gainsbourg’s life, from his childhood in Nazi-occupied France to his rise to fame, as well as his steamy love affairs with Juliette Gréco, Jane Birken and Brigitte Bardot, who’s played by French beauty Letita Casta. César Award-winning actor Eric Elmosnino is featured as the title role.

The perfect movie for date night? I think so.

All you have to do to enter your name into the draw is post a YouTube video of your favourite French song as a comment. Comments will be accepted up until 11:59pm on Sunday, September  11th and we’ll be emailing the contest winners on Monday, September 12th. Please note that we will only accept entries from those who provide us with a utoronto email address.

So post a comment so that you can whip out le champagne, throw on your beret, and marchez on over to the Cumberland Cinema with that quelqu’un de spécial!
Or you can just bring a friend. That works too.

Life Outside the Classroom: Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE)

Clubs, Guest Blogger, On Campus, Philanthropy, ,

Post written by Josephine Chou.

Do you sometimes wonder when and where you can apply the concepts that you learn in class? Well, that question – which often distracted me – is no longer a mystery since I discovered Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) at U of T. Unlike any other student group, SIFE gave me the opportunity to apply what I learned in the classroom to real world situations. I never thought that I’d be connecting with business professionals from different industries regarding business ideas, team management, and other business-related issues, but this is my NOW.

SIFE U of T is much more than the gathering of students to participate in good causes. Actively participating in the various projects in the organization triggers all the synapses in your brain and compels you to grow as a business leader and an even better person. It provides opportunities to work with leaders in business and higher education to mobilize university students to make a difference in their communities while developing the skills necessary to become socially responsible business leaders. Our projects aim to ignite entrepreneurship, teach financial literacy, and encourage environmental sustainability. We are currently running seven projects. The adVenture Business Plan Competition provides an opportunity for students to realize their entrepreneurial dream. SIFE2O promotes sustainability within our university community by engaging students on residences to compete in a water-saving competition. TYP empowers students by introducing them to the basic concepts that will allow them to manage their finances effectively while developing entrepreneurial skills. For more details on our 2011-2012 projects (we have 7 in total), please click here.

And it gets even more exciting! Each year, SIFE teams from across Canada get together and compete in three categories: entrepreneurship, financial education, and green and water sustainability. This year, our team won first place in the TD SIFE Entrepreneurship Challenge and Scotiabank & SIFE Go Green Challenge during the Central Regional Competition. All SIFE teams are also invited to attend the national competition where SIFE teams across the country compete for the national cup. The National Competition was held in Toronto this year and, next year, it will be held in Calgary. The winning team from the national competition represents Canada in SIFE World Cup (in Malaysia this year) where SIFE teams from across the globe get together and compete. Although we didn’t win the national competition this year, it was an amazing experience and we had lots of fun meeting other SIFE teams from across Canada, as well as business professionals who were excited to meet with us!

If you’re interested and would like to know more, or would like to join us, feel free to email us at .

U of T SEF 2012: Call for Recruits!

Events, On Campus, , , ,

Submitted by Gordon and Mariam.

The Sustainable Energy Fair is an annual event in March that showcases ideas about our first steps towards a sustainable energy future through exciting exhibits from companies, student groups, community organizations, and researchers, and features an interactive discussion panel with Ontario’s leading industry experts. Participants will be educated on the consequences of today’s energy use patterns, the challenges posed by the coming transition, and new technologies that will play a bigger role in the future.

Be a part of this awesome event by joining the SEF 2012 Coordinating Team. We are currently recruiting until September 18th for new members. You will meet great people, have a chance to network with industry professionals, and influence positive change. If you are interested, please email for more details.

Life Outside the Classroom: Students for Medicare (U of T Chapter)

Athletics & Health, Clubs, Guest Blogger, On Campus, , ,

Post written by Stephanie, VP External Affairs.

The U of T Chapter of Students for Medicare (UTSFM) is a student group that works in collaboration with the Ontario Health Coalition to advocate for Medicare (Canada’s national health insurance program) and educate the public about what is currently happening to the health care system in Canada*.  We believe that health care is an extremely important topic of which all Canadians should be well-informed. We believe that health care is a right and that the Canadian government needs to do it’s best to ensure that acceptable health care is accessible to all Canadians.  We are concerned with ongoing issues regarding Medicare including, but not limited to, privatization, cuts in services, and lowering taxes. We run events and fundraisers, as well as distribute newsletters, aimed at spreading the word.

This school year, UTSFM will continue to attempt to spread the word about Medicare. Sometime this year, we hope to organize a public debate with MPs from the Conservative, Liberal, and New Democratic parties; unfortunately, this event had to be postponed last year due to the election.

As a new group, we hope to involve more students and get more members. We welcome anyone who is interested in what we do to come to our meetings, events, and fundraisers.  Educating the U of T community is a huge task and we need your help!

If you are interested in learning more or joining us, check out our Facebook page or send us an .

*To learn more about the development of Medicare, click here. To learn more about the current debates surrounding Medicare, click here.