theGrifter

R o y a l S t . G e o r g e’ s C o l l e g e
Year II Issue II Winter 2010
 theGrifter
Editorial Board Photo Credits

Nick Medline Managing Editor

cover: RSGC GALLERY-Mr. Stevens, Adapted by
Michael Lemanski page 1 (all): RSGC GALLERY-Mr.
Stevens page 4: NEW YORK TIMES-Doug Mills (top),
GETTY IMAGES (bottom) page 6: RSGC GALLERY-

Michael Lemanski Layout and Design Mr. Stevens page 10 (all): RSGC GALLERY-Mr.
Stevens, Adapted by Michael Lemanski page 12 :
WIKIPEDIA page 15 : TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS back
cover: RSGC GALLERY, Adapted by Michael
Lemanski
Jack Gettings IT and Logistics

Staff Supervisor

Ms. Somerville

Contributors Official Royal St. George’s College Publication

Colton Creber
Daniel Gold-Bersani
To contact theGrifter please email :
Mark Kryshtalskyj
Michael Lemanski Nick Medline - Managing Editor
nmedline@rsgc.on.ca
Evan Luke
Anthony Mariano Ms. Somerville - Staff Supervisor
jsomerville@rsgc.on.ca
Nick Medline
David Perl
Andrew Savory If you have an opinion on anything in
Noah Stanton the Grifter, or have a new idea, we
encourage you to submit an article or
letter to the editor.
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Table of Contents

Featured Columns
Everybody’s Best Buddy!! 3 Fiction
Colton Creber & Evan Luke
Tattoo" " " " " 13
What Are They Thinking?"" 4 David Perl
Michael Lemanski
Sports
The Arts
Shake Up in Leaf Land" " 14
Grifter Movie Review" " 6 Andrew Savory
Nick Medline
Commissioner‘s Corner! ! 15
Grifter Music Review" " 8 Mark Kryshtalskyj
Evan Luke
Olympic Memories" " " 17
School Play Review"" " 9 Daniel Gold-Bersani
Colton Creber
Politics
Age of Boy Bands Continues" 11
Anthony Mariano Defending the Left..." " 18
Noah Stanton
Page 3
Everybody’s
Best Buddy...
An Interview
with Dale Hume
" Colton Creber
" Evan Luke
What would we do without our routines?
One way or another, we are all slaves to the routines
that give our days balance and keep us sane as we
trudge through the winter months. It!s amazing how
significant the smallest link in our chain of routines
can be, and how breaking that link can have a
rippling effect on our entire lives. It could be
something as small as forgetting your keys,
forgetting where you parked, or missing out on the
uplifting “Hey Buddy!” that you!re used to hearing
every morning.
As you all know, on December 21st RSGC!s beloved
Dale Hume was admitted to the Cardiac Intensive
Care Unit at Toronto General Hospital where he
received cardiac by-pass surgery.
On February 8th, The Grifter visited with Dale to
check in and ask him some questions
So, how are you doing?
I!m really good, getting better everyday. I!m feeling
much more healthy and obviously can!t wait to get
back to the school. It gets boring sitting around here
every day, and I miss all my buddies!
theGrifter
Will you be returning to RSGC and if so, when?
I!m not sure, I have to wait and see what the doctor
says because I start doing exercises on Wednesday
and am not sure how long I!ll be doing that before I
can return. I!m going to come in and run on those
machines in the FTC, and you!d better be around to
cheer me on.
How do you feel about what happened? And
what process of recovery are you in?
Well, you know, it just happens so I!m just taking it
one day at a time. They told me to do my exercises,
and when the weather gets better they said biking
would be a good source of exercise. So I!m just
doing what I!m supposed to and eating lots of fruit
and green vegetables. I!m doing my best to take
care of myself. I guess it!s about time, eh?
How many bypasses did you have?
It was a double. Thankfully it wasn!t a triple, or I!d
have been out for even longer.
How long have you worked at RSGC and what
would you consider to be your fondest
experience?
As of this January I!ve been at RSGC for 20 years.
For fondest experience, I don!t know, there are
millions of them. Being there with everybody, getting
to know people, in the lunchroom, and sitting on the
stage are some of them. I!m just a frustrated actor,
buddy, that!s all I am.
What are you doing these days during your time
away from the school?
Not much really, when I get tired I rest. I also go for
walks, and I watch TV once in a while. I!m doing my
best to take it easy and rest up for my big return.
Is there anybody specifically you!d like to come
and visit you?
Whoever wants to come! It!s an open invitation to all
my buddies. It gets boring sitting here unless I have
people with me.
 Page 4
What has the hardest part of the experience
been for you?
Not being able to go to work, and that!s the truth.
Well, we all miss you a lot, is there anything
you!d like to say in closing?
Say hello to everybody. I miss everybody and I can!t
wait to come back. Maybe I!ll wait until the snow is
gone, or just make you all do the shoveling.
Featured Columns
Do you have any words of advice for your
substitute?
Just be good to the kids. Take care of my little
buddies and do the job like I would.
Special thank you to Ms. Wagar who contributed
to our questions.
UPDATE: Recently, Dale has returned to work,
and is looking forward to enjoying the rest of the
year in the place he loves.
Dale Hume sitting in Ketchum Hall after lunch
theGrifter
What Are They
Thinking?
" Michael Lemanski
!
“We need to vote for
either new ideologies, or
ones that have worked in the
past, not new parties, or the
ones that we replaced last
time at the polls”
The greatest threat to our civilization is the
incompetence in our political establishment. Although
trust in governments worldwide is very low, and there
are movements that promote "outsider! candidates in
election campaigns, as a society we have not yet
changed. Our elected representatives continue to
use generalizations to demonize opponents and
push flawed legislation through legislative bodies
with a determination and arrogance that defies
reason.
At this point, I do not intend to enter into an anti-
government rant. I do, however, believe that it is
important to be aware of the bad ideas, and
blundering actions that can permanently scar our
future. After all, we do live in a world that is
interconnected politically, economically and culturally.
First, President Obama!s administration appears to
be inconsistent at best. The healthcare legislation
that the President championed includes accounting
provision for companies that, as one Wall Street
Journal opinion columnist observed, appear to have
a lot in common with those of Enron immediately
before its bankruptcy and the subsequent legal
proceedings. The "Obamacare! law stipulates that
Page 5
employers enter into their books speculative future
"savings! from federal subsidies and the transfer of
retired employees from company insurance to
government programs. When companies began to
comply with the new requirements, the
administration!s Commerce Secretary criticized the
move not realizing that it was demanded by the law
the administration supported.
Aside from the apparent ineptitude to project a
unified message, there is another troubling aspect to
this case. The policy change in question is itself a
cause for concern. The "Obamacare! law requires
that employers move privately insured retirees from
the company!s plan for former employees—a system
planed, and even partially subsidized to reduce
Medicare costs—to Medicare and other government
paid programs. Contrary to the Democrats! claims
that "Obamacare! will reduce costs, this significant
policy change will very likely raise them.
The administration fares no better in foreign policy.
Unless President Obama is trying his hand at
reverse psychology, his actions surrounding Israel
are also counter intuitive. His recent shunning of
Israel!s government following a high-profile
announcement about the expansion of settlements is
a perfect example of how to play hardball with the
wrong people. Although the Israeli government!s
actions were a horrible miscalculation on any
account, the condescending American response was
unwarranted. Instead of trying to smooth out any
disputes that could have arisen as a result of Israel!s
actions, the Obama administration wanted to send a
firm message. All this head butting was, of course,
followed by several high profile speeches about The
United States! commitment to Israel. It is unfortunate
that these words of support no longer mean as much
as they once did. The damage had been done by
both sides, and President Obama did little to bridge
the gap.
The President!s new policy on the use of American
nuclear weapons is also a step in the wrong
direction. The newly introduced guidelines limit the
number of situations that the use of nuclear force
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against non-nuclear states, instead opting for a
conventional response. The document does,
however, state that all options will be considered
whenever the Unites States is attacked. Although the
new wording is likely to have little impact on the
practical implementation of the nuclear policy, it,
along with recent nuclear stockpile reduction
agreements with Russia, is not good politics. This is
neither the time nor the manner in which to try to
achieve the ultimate goal of a nuclear-free world.
Although this goal is noble, it is not practical for the
foreseeable future. There are too many liabilities
associated with being "soft! on the use of nuclear
force in a time when countries like Iran attempt to
develop their own atom bomb.
The United States also has trouble in Afghanistan.
Afghani President Hamid Karzai has also become a
liability lately. He is posing a risk for both his own
nation and the international military task force that is
trying to stabilize it. After having his legitimacy
questioned by the international community following
questionable elections, President Karzai has most
likely decided to put on the "macho-man! persona in
order to gain the support of his population; however,
his motives remain unclear. He has accused the
people that helped him gain power and establish a
government of meddling in the affairs of Afghanistan.
Furthermore, he suggested in an off camera
interview that he may consider joining the Taliban.
These troubling statements will make the job of
international troops in the country even harder and
may strain the resolve of many world leaders to face
the challenges in Afghanistan.
Before I end, I would have liked to say something
about the political situation of our own country.
Unfortunately, nothing significant has happened on
the Canadian political scene. The Harper
government continues to stand, albeit with its hands
tied by indecisive and hostile opposition parties.
These parties continue to threaten the current
minority government with an election; however, these
threats have been empty so far. The opposition has
decided that since it does not have the support or
political capital to come up with any bold ideas of its
 Page 6
own, to instead complain about insignificant
technicalities of government plans that it voted for.
Recently all the habitual yelling on Parliament Hill
has been about a mere six hundred troops that the
Conservatives want to keep in Afghanistan to train
local police after the official withdrawal date in 2011.
Our MP!s throats may have become sore from yelling
in vain, considering Hamid Karzai!s recent
comments.
All this apparent incompetence begs the question:
Featured Columns
“What are they thinking?” The answer is simple—
they are thinking exactly what we voted for. In order
to change what our politicians think, we must change
the way we think. We need to vote for either new
ideologies, or ones that have worked in the past, not
new parties, or the ones that we replaced last time at
the polls.
Top : President Barack Obama signs the
Democrats’ recently passed healthcare bill into law
Bottom : Russian soldiers guard an intercontinental
ballistic missile delivery vehicle
theGrifter
Grifter Movie
Review
" Nick Medline
! “the 82nd Academy
Awards...failed to adequately
portray an excellent and
record-breaking year in
cinema”
On March 7th, forty million viewers witnessed the
monumental disappointment of the 82nd Academy
Awards, which failed to adequately portray an
excellent and record-breaking year in cinema. While
Avatar (the highest-grossing film of all time) and The
Hurt Locker (a critically acclaimed and highly
ambitious treat) battled for top prizes at awards
ceremonies, film connoisseurs enjoyed many sleeper
hits and science-fiction tales, but endured unlikely
misses. Here are some of the highlights and
lowlights of 2010 in film:
HITS
An Education: Danish filmmaker Lone Scherfig!s
striking portrait of an innocent yet restless teenager
achieves success not only from flawless acting and
an intelligent screenplay (by Nick Hornby), but also
from the highly provocative questions it raises.
Ambitious 16-year old Jenny Mellor (Carey Mulligan)
is wooed by David Goldman (well-cast Peter
Sarsgaard), a gentleman nearly twice her senior,
who exposes her to cultural experiences beyond her
wildest dreams. However, the pleasures Jenny
encounters have a dubious origin, and she begins to
consider the several warnings issued by her
protective parents (surprisingly hilarious Alfred
Page 7
Molina and Cara Seymour). Ultimately, Jenny comes
to the realization that though her endeavours have a
seemingly negative effect on her life, the education
she draws from them are priceless. While the
newcomer Mulligan has taken her share of credit
(along with an Academy Award nomination), the
supporting cast is equally impressive in embracing
their pithy roles. Nick Hornby!s inspired script
perfectly captures teen angst through an unlikely
victim, and this culminates in a polished masterpiece.
A Single Man: Under the firm direction of acclaimed
fashion designer Tom Ford, it is no surprise that A
Single Man feels more like a museum than a movie.
Lush visuals and spellbinding performances from
Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, and Nicholas Hoult
counterbalance the film!s inherently plodding nature
to provide a hypnotic experience. English professor
George Falconer (Firth) has decided to construct a
clean suicide due to his inability to escape the grief
of losing his longtime lover Jim (Matthew Goode) in a
car accident. Over the course of one day, Falconer
lectures his class, converses with intrigued student
Kenny Potter (Hoult), withdraws valuables from his
safety deposit box, and struggles through a
depressing meal with his friend Charley (Moore).
Firth embodies the role to the point where the viewer
completely forgets about dear Bridget Jones while
witnessing his career-marking performance. Despite
Jeff Bridges! best attempts at portraying a broken
down country singer, his poor-man!s Mickey Rourke
fails to match Firth!s poise and impact, and it is clear
that Firth should have been awarded the Oscar. A
Single Man has justifiably earned praise for its
mature approach to the relevant theme of
homosexuality, and its versatility and refined nature
make for a superb theatrical experience.
Broken Embraces: After the success of Talk to Her
and Volver, expectations for Pedro Almodovar!s
latest film were stratospheric. Though critical
consensus indicates that it fell short of the mark, the
movie succeeds as pure entertainment. In a strong
year of foreign language films (The White Ribbon, a
stellar German installment and A Prophet,
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considered one of the best crime films ever made),
Broken Embraces was a thrill to witness, and one
can barely notice the distinct English subtitles lacing
the bottom of the screen. In last year!s Grifter, I
voiced my outrage at the Academy for nominating
Penelope Cruz for yet another Oscar. However, in
her primary language, it appears difficult to find a
better actress, and throughout this film, Cruz
masterfully filters her emotions. Almodovar uses his
signature complex plot, but manages to add
excitement at every turn. Broken Embraces
overcomes its extreme and occasionally
overdramatic nature and earns a spot as one of the
top films of 2009.
MISSES
(500) Days of Summer: Screenwriter Scott
Neustadter credits the inspiration for this low-budget
film to a trying relationship he endured as a student.
Taking this into account, it is no wonder that the
movie carries a delusional sense of self-importance
through ninety-five painfully overrated minutes mired
in a confusing, non-linear format. The "rom-com"
genre has survived for decades due to partially
likeable characters and reasonable doses of
creativity (see Some Like it Hot and When Harry Met
Sally). However, (500) Days of Summer contains
many cringe-worthy moments, and is unsatisfactory
as a whole. Tom Hansen, a greeting card writer
(played by the incessantly enthusiastic Joseph
Gordon-Levitt) falls in love with Summer Finn, a new
assistant in his office (Zooey Deschanel, who has
regressed since her star turn in Almost Famous).
While Tom actively pursues romance, Summer is
cynical regarding the concept of love, which creates
obstacles in their relationship. They manage to
overcome their differences, but eventually grow
apart, as she is unable to return his zealous
affection. The lone memorable scene has Tom
dancing along the streets of Los Angeles to "You
Make My Dreams" by Hall & Oates while onlookers
unrealistically join him. It feels cute and familiar, yet
the optimism is soon smothered by the contrived
performances, as Levitt and Deschanel are limited to
 Page 8 theGrifter
playing a pathetic couple under the heavy-handed
supervision of music video director Marc Webb.
According to the film's promotional poster, (500)
Days of Summer is a story about love. Unfortunately,
Grifter Music
it was nearly impossible to have any critical love for
one of the weaker films of 2009. Review
Up in the Air: Canadian Jason Reitman is widely
considered to have been the most successful
" Evan Luke
"
screenwriter/director of the decade, yet his first two
films, Juno and Thank You for Smoking, felt shallow A review of the self-titled
behind their intriguing facades. In his third effort, the
cast is beautiful as usual, and George Clooney!s album by Them Crooked
Vultures
teeth deserve a round of applause. However, despite
its relevance to the decade!s rough economic
climate, Reitman fails to control the flight of Up in the
In music, the word "supergroup! makes me cringe.
The Arts

Air, grounding the latter half of the film. Ryan

Bingham (Clooney), a middle-aged man whose
profession is to fire workers on behalf of their
bosses, is seemingly content with avoiding personal
relationships while pursuing his childlike dream of
compiling ten million frequent flyer miles. Suddenly,
the energetic and appropriately named Natalie
Keener (Anna Kendrick) proposes to cut the
company!s travel costs by laying off various
employees online instead of in person. Keener is
assigned to accompany Bingham in order to gain
experience in the field, which results in an eye-
opening experience for both of them. Bingham is
also forced to deal with the fascinating Alex Goran
(Vera Farmiga), who gradually impacts his outlook on
life. Though the screenplay has garnered rave
reviews, the script digresses to the point where
Clooney abandons his acting range and becomes
sentimental leading to up to an ironic plot twist.
Additionally, the film struggles to maintain audience
interest without Kendrick on screen, and does not
earn the must-see status granted by numerous
critics.
Remember Chickenfoot back in 2008? It was
comprised of Sammy Hagar (Van Halen, Montrose),
Joe Satriani (Deep Purple), Michael Anthony (Deep
Purple), and of course Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili
Peppers). All were extremely talented musicians, and
they came up with one heck of an album, but it failed
to live up to what Cream, the first band to be
awarded the title "supergroup,! delivered in the 60s.
We all seem to jump to the conclusion that when
several notable musicians come together, they will
produce something that lives up to the works of Eric
Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Jack Bruce.
The new self-titled album by Them Crooked Vultures
has received an incredible amount of attention. The
UK leg of their tour is rumoured to have sold out in
under twelve minutes, even without a single song
having been released at the time. Of course, with a
line up like Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age,
Kyuss), Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana), John
Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), and Alain Johannes
(Eleven) how could we possibly stay away from that
familiar word, "supergroup?!

Are these four men worthy of the moniker? Each

musician shows off his incredible talent in every song
of the record. If you were to catch them making a
mistake live, you may as well go out and buy a
lottery ticket. It!s not just that they!re good, it!s that
Page 9
they all bring something to the band individually that
develops an interesting sound.
In Homme, we hear the familiar desert influenced
psychedelic tone, though it!s been molded into
something different. It!s clear he is the driving force
behind the band, but at the same time, all the
members have a say. His Elvis-like, hip swaying, on-
stage persona has been rivaled by the presence of
other musicians, yet they still have fun.
In Grohl, that thundering Nirvana sound can be
heard, while he shows shades of Bonham. He plays
hard and with a lot of passion. The first few times I
listened to the album, I almost thought he was
ignoring beats one and three, being as fancy as
possible in his compositions. After a while, his
drumming started to fit into place. It takes some
getting used to, but Grohl has really put something
special together.
In Jones, well, we see Jones, the multi-instrumental,
modest man who was in the most notable rock band
ever to play. He brings a wide variety of sounds to
the equation. Switching effortlessly between
keyboards, four and six string basses, and even a
keytar, he proves why he is quite possibly one of the
most talented musicians to walk the earth. Rumor
has it, he even plays a mean Mandolin.
Then there!s Alain Johannes, who is a live member
of the band. His name is unrecognizable, but he!s
worked with a massive list of musicians. Look his
name up on Google, and I!ll bet you he!s worked on
or played with at least two bands you!ve listened to.
In Them Crooked Vultures he shows why he!s
worked with so many people, sporting an incredible
voice and some amazing guitar work.
If you get a chance, go and pick up a copy of Them
Crooked Vultures, and you won!t be disappointed.
This lone album likely won!t live up to what Cream
accomplished, but it!s still a gem. Rumor has it, the
boys are already planning to go back into the studio
for another album this summer. It!s looking like the
Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age won!t be
getting their frontmen back for quite a while.
theGrifter
School Play
Review
" Colton Creber
January 26th marked the beginning of a three day
run that celebrated the tireless collective effort of
many RSGC students. The Senior School
production, Romeo and Juliet left many of us
wondering:
“How did we do?”
In The Grifter!s continual search for new and
interesting topics to report on, some public thoughts
on the play have been gathered and conclusions
have been formed based on these opinions.
A final, sincere “thank you” must go to Dr. Newton,
who stayed at school until six-thirty at night every
day, and spent his time at home responding to all of
our e-mailed concerns. He brought in personal items
for us to plunder and his dedication was admirable.
We saw Dr. Newton and asked for his thoughts and
reflections following the play!s conclusion, and he
had this to share:
“I was very satisfied with the final production. I think
a lot of the reward from the short run of the show
was how insanely cursed the rehearsal process had
been. I felt at times like I was in a dark comedy about
a show where everything collapses with utmost
effect. But all the adversity made those left standing
so much more surprised and thrilled when the final
work got in front of an audience. The cliché of it all
coming together in the end proved a truism this
time.”
The cast and general student body were then asked
two simple questions that attempted to identify the
strengths of the production.
The Arts
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Page 11 theGrifter
The Age of
1. Who was your favorite character in the play
(besides yourself if you were in it)? Why?

“I'd have to say Friar Lawrence, who despite his best

Boy Bands
intentions, ultimately caused trouble in the classic
romance.”

Continues
“I really liked Paris because he exuded an aura of
sleaziness which was perfect for his character.”

“I'd have to say Tybalt. Burt fit the character perfectly

and had a voice that matched his persona.”
2. What in your opinion was the biggest strength
about the play?
“The choreography was very well done, especially
during the party scene. It was a lot of fun to be up on
stage watching the dances.”
“Even with all the delays, set backs, and conflicts, we
were able to put to together an excellent show filled
with humor, drama and great acting (not to mention
superb music from ManTuna).”
“The biggest strength was that we didn't take
ourselves too seriously, and had fun with interpreting
Shakespeare's work to suit our own means.”
Our final stop was to acquire the opinions of our
terrific Etobicoke School of the Arts talent to find out
how they felt about working with RSGC students for
such a long period of time.
“Honestly, the RSGC guys did freak us out a little bit
in the beginning. They all seemed prepared for us to
stop showing up, which didn!t instill much confidence
in the production. However, this feeling quickly
disappeared and we all got along amazingly well. All
the boys were funny and easy to work with during
practices. We had so much fun acting with such
welcoming people and won!t forget the experience.”
A special thank you goes to David Perl, Rudro
Chakrabarti, Nick Medline, Evan Luke, and Dr.
Newton for submitting their thoughts.
" Anthony Mariano
!
“People may believe
that the boy band era is
over...but it was ‘never gone’”
People may believe the boy band era is over, but
from the days of the Jackson 5 to the more recent
Backstreet Boys and NSYNC, it was “never gone.”
It began in the 1960s and 1970s when the Jackson 5
and Osmonds were famous. They sold millions of
records and pioneered the boy band era. Just as
Michael Jackson and Donny Osmond were pursuing
solo careers, local Boston producer Maurice Starr
created New Edition. After the group parted with
Starr, he sought revenge by forming the New Kids on
the Block, who chopped two #1 albums and three #1
singles.
In 1990, Nigel Martin-Smith from Manchester,
England, saw how popular the New Kids were and
created Take That, a band which became the most
successful British act since the Beatles.
A year prior to the New Kids! split, Orlando
businessman Lou Pearlman, head of
Transcontinental Airlines, made the group airplanes.
Pearlman realized the large sum of money he could
make by forming a band and founded The Backstreet
Boys in 1993. After two years of fame in Europe,
The Backstreet Boys returned home and released
their debut album in 1997. They have since released
two #1 albums, fourteen Top-40 hits and have
 Page 12 theGrifter
earned five Grammy nominations. Two years later, 6) NSYNC (1998)- This debut album put the group
Pearlman used the same formula to create NSYNC, on the US market and remained on the billboard
which would launch the career of Justin Timberlake. charts for more than a year.

Meanwhile back in Europe, Irish manager Louis
Walsh was inspired by Take That in concert and
formed Boyzone, which has compiled three #1
albums and six #1 singles. Take That split in 1996
after Robbie Williams departed for a solo career, but
reunited in 2005, and have since released two #1
albums and three #1 singles.
The Backstreet Boys took a hiatus in 2002, but
reunited three years later to release “Never Gone”
and continue to sell out shows around the world. In
2008, New Kids on the Block reunited to release
The Arts
5) Step By Step (1990)- The New Kids! third album
and title track both went straight to number one on
the charts, and has proved to be one of the group!s
finest efforts.
4) 98º and Rising (1998)- The second album by 98º
turned the R&B group into a world wide pop
phenomenon and featured solo star Nick Lachey and
his brother Drew.
3) Black and Blue (2000)- The third album from
Backstreet marked a step of maturity, as the band
members co-wrote most of the songs on the album.

“The Block” and went on the road once again.

The boy band era is definitely not over. These boys
turned into men have a lot of music left in them and
continue to change the face and world of music
forever.
Top 10 Albums:
10) Where We Belong (1997)- Boyzone!s final
album, which featured two #1 singles: “No Matter
What” and “All That I Need.”
2) No Strings Attached (2000)- NSYNC!s second
effort sold two million copies worldwide, notched
Grammy nominations and said “Bye Bye Bye” to
manager Lou Pearlman.
1) Millennium (1999)- Backstreet!s second album
was marked by their signature hit “I Want It That
Way.” It sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide,
garnered five Grammy nominations, and was the #1
album for ten weeks on the Billboard chart.

9) Backstreet Boys (1997)- The Backstreet Boys!

debut album in the US consisted of the two albums
released in Europe, and put the band on the US
market.

8) Hangin! Tough (1988)- The New Kids! second

album gave them national and international fame. It
produced five Top-10 hits, two of which would go to
#1. This was a step up from their debut album, as
Donnie Wahlberg, Jordan Knight and Danny Wood
were executive producers along with Starr.

7) Nobody Else (1995)- Take That!s third album,

which was written by front man Gary Barlow,
produced 3 #1 singles and was the last to feature
Robbie Williams before his departure.
Page 13
Tattoo
" David Perl
! “Samuel hated the
branding that reminded him
of his past crimes and the
sins he could never hide
from”
How long he had been running for, even Samuel was
unsure. His throat was dry and sore and every time
he swallowed what little saliva his mouth could
generate it stung his esophagus. He was light
headed now, his vision was blurring and he could
barely see. He!d been running for longer than he!d
ever remembered, with the possible exception of
when he first tried to outrun the law, nearly twenty-
five years ago. He felt his body grow tired and
weightless, his fingers numbing, first at their tips,
then down to the centre of his palms. His thighs
burned and demanded he stop and prop himself
against the scarred, concrete wall. He knew a rest,
even for a moment, was completely out of the
question as the sound of a screaming alarm called
out for his name somewhere far behind him and
motivated him to push his heavy legs beyond their
breaking point.
As he ran, he gazed down at the prison identification
tattoo, laser etched in dark blue on his upper arm. He
remembered the pain that ran through the nerves of
his arm and the smell of burnt flesh and singed hair
as the machine moved at light speed and branded
his bicep. The mark of a murderer. It consisted of a
barcode nearly an inch long, made up of bars
ranging in width from pencil point thin, to magic
marker thick. Above the barcode was the prison!s
name, Nova Prospect. Below it was the prison!s
symbol; a triangle with a circle placed in its centre
theGrifter
and the initials "NP! inside. Beside the symbol was
the letter P followed by the number 105 347. Ever
since day one of lock up, he had the number
memorized and would mumble it under his breath
before falling asleep on the thin, hard mattress.
Underneath the number was the letter C followed by
another number: twenty-four-A, his cellblock.
Samuel hated the branding that reminded him of his
past crimes and the sins he could never hide from.
On some days he would find himself sitting on his
mattress, staring dumbly at the barcode for hours on
end, as if in a trance. The first thing he was going to
do when he was free was remove the damned thing
from his arm. He was willing to carve it out of his skin
with a sharp object if necessary.
Samuel was surprised when he found himself still
barreling down the dimly lit maintenance corridor,
which now seemed to close in on him. It got narrower
and narrower as he made his way to where he
presumed an exit would be. Faded blue, crusty paint
chips peeled from the cinderblock wall as his
shoulders scraped against it, resulting in a Hansel
and Gretel breadcrumb path he left behind. His forty-
four year old body was reaching its limit, and his
heart felt as though it would explode through his
chest. He began to lean into the wall as he ran,
creating the irritating sound of hundreds of paint
chips being ripped from their place and sent
flickering to the ground. Only moments later his bare
shoulder and upper arm were raw. At least now the
barcode was hidden. He heard shouts behind him
and then the prison!s announcement system spoke
out in a calm, robotic voice, that said in fragments,
“Attention, code: pressure, sword, neutralize in
effect. Nova Prospekt units dispatch to maintenance
and storage sublevels. Intercept and prosecute
perimeter violator and report containment status.”
Samuel made it to the end of the corridor just as he
thought the walls would swallow him up. A grin
inched its way across his narrow face, as only
seconds earlier he thought he was going to cough up
a lung. At the end of the dilapidated corridor an exit
sign flickered and only a few feet away was a
 Page 14 theGrifter
Shake Up in
dented, red fire escape door with a silver window
running down the centre. Samuel forced himself to
an abrupt stop and wobbled up to the door on jelly

Leaf Land
legs. He took a moment to peek through the window
and make a guess as to where his escape would
take him next. He pushed hard on the door!s stiff
push plate and cringed as he imagined an alarm
alerting even more guards of his location. None " Andrew Savory
!
sounded, and now Samuel found himself outside on
an expansive asphalt tarmac that stretched out in a “Just sit back, relax, put
sea of black until it hit a ten-foot high, heavy, chain
linked fence crested with barbed wire that ran around your feet up and go jump on
the prison!s perimeter.
the bandwagon for another
The sky was unpromising and sinister looking grey
clouds, swollen with rain blocked out the sun. A light team because it’s going to
mist sprinkled down on the tarmac, making his skin
Fiction

shine and causing the blue paint to dissolve, be a long time until we get to
revealing his tattoo once more. He glared at it
momentarily before tearing a loose section from the
witness the glory days”
leg of his faded jumpsuit and wrapping it around his
So, the big Irishman, Brian Burke, has finally made a
arm. Beyond the fence was a wasteland. Barren
notable and perhaps worthwhile transaction. Of
plains with little to no vegetation, dry ground with
course, the ever-anxious “Leaf Faithful” jumps right
deep fissures running through the topsoil and stunted
on a trade such as this and immediately begins to
skeletal trees that reached to the heavens with
prophesize success and assume that the players we
twisted, gnarled branches surrounded him and
have obtained are hockey deities. Unfortunately, to
continued to the horizon. No matter how dismal and
the disappointment of countless fans, this trade is not
appalling the outside world looked, he still had to get
the blockbuster deal that we have been made to
over the fence and out of the confines of Nova
believe it is. Although it is a seemingly beneficial deal
Prospekt.
from a technical aspect, it is not as beneficial in
“Attention malignant, you are convicted of multi- relation to what the Leafs need in reality.
anticivil violations. Failure to cooperate with Nova
In the recent deals, the Toronto Maple Leafs
Prospekt units will result in permanent relocation or
acquired Dion Phaneuf (along with his massive $ 6.5
termination,” the robotic voice stated over the sound
million contract) Fredrik Sjöström, Keith Aulie (all 6!6”
of more screaming alarms. Samuel noticed a parade
of him) and J.S Giguere in exchange for Matt Stajan,
of guards scramble across the raised, metal catwalks
Niklas Hagman, Jason Blake, Ian White, Vesa
of the prison, and the clanging of their boots shook
Toskala and Jamal Mayers. This deal can be broken
his eardrums. He was surrounded. It was now or
into two perspectives.
never.
The primary element was obtaining a hard hitting,
strong defenseman in Dion Phaneuf. Unfortunately,
his large contract is going to hit the Leafs! salary cap,
and will ultimately prevent them from pursuing a high
quality playmaker that they desperately need.
Page 15 theGrifter
Furthermore, Toronto had to give up a very Burke as the future, has performed short of
inexpensive and underrated defenseman in Ian expectations. In addition, when Brian Burke!s tenure
White. Moreover, Ian White can practically do began, he preached patience to the Leafs Nation,
everything Dion can do (four more points this saying that this rebuilding process would take time
season), for $5.65 million less. Would it have been and that the desired results would come. Judging
more favorable if the Leafs kept Ian White for the from what!s been done, there has been absolutely no
remainder of the season, instead of dealing him for rebuilding. During a rebuild, a team isn!t supposed to
an over-priced and currently under-achieving try and sign immobile defenseman such as Mike
defenseman? In theory, if Ian White had remained a Komisarek and Garnet Exelby. They aren!t supposed
Leaf, Stajan and Hagman could have been moved to trade away potential top five-lottery draft picks in
for an efficient playmaker to get the puck to Kessel, return for a “sniper” (Phil Kessel) whose stats have
who has been skating around the neutral zone been inflated due to him having one of the best
aimlessly, leading to several turnovers. playmakers in the game (Marc Savard) by his side.
To add fuel to the fire, who is Jeff Finger anyway?
The second part of the equation is dumping salaries.
You aren!t supposed to sign a practically unknown
Jason Blake!s contract was giving him an average of
defenseman out of Cloud St. University who is
$20 million dollars over five seasons, while Vesa
known merely as a “shutdown defenseman” for $14
Toskala!s exorbitant contract of $8 million over two
million. What you are expected to do is stockpile
years proved to be unreasonable. Therefore, by
draft picks by trading off all your assets that aren!t
taking on J.S Giguere!s six million dollar contract in
registered as building blocks to enable your franchise
return, combined with Dion Phaneuf!s contract for a
to build from the bottom up. Can anyone say
flurry of Leaf!s players, the Leafs cleared up roughly
Washington Capitals?
2 million dollars in cap space for the upcoming free
agency season. So Leaf fans, due to some errors and lack of proper
judgment from Burke Management and Co. we are
Regrettably, another problem still remains even after
going to have to be a lot more “patient” with the
completion of the trade. The Leafs are still without
Leafs than what was once originally thought.
first round draft picks for the next two years. This
Therefore, just sit back, relax, put your feet up and
situation can be attributed to the incredibly steep
go jump on the bandwagon for another team
price that General Manager Brian Burke paid for the
because it!s going to be a long time until we get to
services of Phil Kessel. What!s even more
witness the glory days similar to those witnessed in
unfortunate is that the next two NHL entry drafts are
1967.
deemed to be deep with talent. It is evident that
Burke and the Leafs upper management will have to
put their heads together once again to try and gain a
first round draft pick. To add insult to injury, on a
team with valuable assets (aside from Tomas
Toronto Maple Leafs
Kaberle, who can!t be moved because of his no trade
clause, thank you John Ferguson), a task of the General Manager
utmost importance will be virtually impossible. Brian Burke during a
So, with all the facts being presented, the future is press conference
not bright. As a matter of fact, it is quite dreary, with
the slightest shed of sunlight on the horizon. The so-
called American trio of Viktor Stalberg, Tyler Bozak
and Christian Hanson that was once regarded by
 Page 16
Commissioner's
Corner
" Mark Kryshtalskyj
! “I remember entering
grade nine thinking that my
ball hockey career would be
long, but time flew.”
Sports
While thirty-four grueling games out in the bitter cold
of winter can seem like an eternity to many people,
as a grad I am stunned that I am playing my second
last game on Monday. I remember entering grade
nine thinking that my ball hockey career would be
long, but time flew. It is fitting to reflect on some of
the greatest surprises and memories of the previous
year. So here we go!
#5 – Hitmen go to Alex Cleveland
On many occasions, some of the best players in the
RSGCBHL come into the draft as “sleepers.” While
you get the first round studs such as Snucins,
Ammendolia, Rifle Reble and Ukie Wall, there are
also sleepers like Adrian Steen (!07-!08 third round),
Michael Dawson (!06-!07 third round), and Matt
Darcy (!07-!08 fourth round). Alex Cleveland was
drafted by the Hitmen in the fourth round this year
and has been an impact player. This season, he was
one of only three grade nines to be selected as an
All-Star. He has collected 27 points (11G, 16A) in 14
games. This total leads all grade nines, and if this
trend continues, Alex will find himself hoisting the
Stevens Trophy for Rookie of the Year. He!s also had
two incredible shootout goals, which you can see on
our website. Many are worried that the Hitmen are
losing big pieces after this year, but with Alex!s
theGrifter
leadership guiding the team over the next four years,
this reporter isn!t concerned one bit.
#4 – Rylie!s Cookin!
You know a guy is good when he!s been out three
weeks with a concussion and still ranks sixth in
scoring. What!s been so amazing about Rylie is the
journey he!s taken to stardom. In his grade nine
preseason, he was competing for a goalie job. In
grade ten, he made the shift to forward and
accumulated ten points. This year, he has thirty-
seven, and is making his Sean Avery-like presence
felt by all opposing goalies. He has emerged as a
great leader, and has helped the Steamers soar to
first place. Look for him to be a big factor the
playoffs.
#3 – Injuries
Never in my life have I seen this many people hit the
disabled list in one season. So far this year, injuries
to Rylie Cook (concussion, 1 month), Bradley Walker
(broken thumb, 1 month), Will Guest (broken wrist, 1
month), and Adrian Steen (ankle, 1 week) have had
a great impact on the standings.
#2 – Savory Saves the Day
In Choice!s 8-3 loss to the Roughnecks in last year!s
Love Cup, one big story was the goalie battle
(Andrew Savory vs. Jimmy Boyle). Earlier in the year,
the Roughnecks found themselves without a goalie,
and Choice kindly gave them Boyle, a tall grade 12
veteran. Ever since the departure of legendary Mike
“Stinger” Hastings, Choice cycled through a variety
of goalies, but had not found a solid replacement.
Boyle!s dominance in last year!s playoffs left many
fans wondering if Captain Dawson had traded away
the right player. This year, Choice drafted goalie
prospect Patrick Quaggin-Smith first overall. After
giving PQS a break for one game, Savory has
shined, posting a 5.86 GAA in 7 games, while
leading his team to a 4-2-1 record in that span. While
it is certain that Quaggin-Smith is the goalie of the
future for Choice, this is Savory!s time. His
Page 17
leadership has rejuvenated the spirit of a Choice
team with a history of losing, and has served as an
inspiration to many other players and fans. Could this
guy bring Choice its first Love Cup? Is he destined to
be the league!s next Commissioner? We!ll have to
see in the coming weeks.
#1 – Imagine
Last season, the Hitmen were snuffed out of their
first five draft picks. While the priority was to fill
Choice and Roughnecks with players, the Hitmen
had not been informed of the draft order. Their first
round pick would have been AJ Buchanan, who was
taken in the third round by Choice. This year, AJ
leads the league in points with 54 (37G, 17A) in
sixteen games, and the Hitmen are allergic to
scoring, with an average of only 5.86 goals per
game. We will never know what the Hitmen would
have looked like with AJ in their lineup, but we can
always wonder…
What!s truly amazing about this league is the stories
its participants write. You may not realize it now, but
every game out there, you!re writing the story of your
life. A couple of years down the road, you!ll be talking
about your shootout goals at university interviews,
putting your captaincy roles on job applications, and
will look back at some of the greatest times of your
life, all spent with your friends. This is what ball
hockey at RSGC is all about.
Do you agree with our top five surprises? Send your
feedback to mkryshtalskyj@rsgc.on.ca to have your
say!
theGrifter
Olympic
Memories
" Daniel Gold-Bersani
I begin my walk down Avenue Road and groan as I
look at my watch. The time: 5:30am. However, my
exhaustion and grogginess is countered by the
anticipation of what is about to happen. The massive
figure of Queen!s Park looms in the pre-dawn
darkness as I approach. There is already a small
group of people gathered around the front steps of
the building who share my excitement. It is about to
begin. The haunting chant of an Ojibwa prayer soars
high above the crowd and into the darkness that is
the city. Then it arrives. It has already traveled 40
000km and is nearing the end of its trip.
Two guides are dressed in Ninja uniforms. They
unlock the lantern and transfer it. Finally, the torch is
ignited. The Olympic Flame suddenly fills the area
with an impossible brightness. The man carrying it
looks as old as the Olympic games. He does not run,
but instead strolls casually down the street as the
crowd follows. The flashes of cameras brighten the
sky every few seconds.
He reaches the point where he must surrender the
flame to the next person in line. The crowd cheers as
the next torch bursts into flames. For a moment there
are two torches burning as bright as the smiles on
the runners! faces. As the next torch-bearer starts to
run, I think “Why am I running at 6:00 in the
morning?” The small crowd is also running and
snapping photos. Three more transfers take place as
the torch moves down University Avenue.
Sweating in my down parka and exhausted from the
early hour I decide that my journey should end here.
The flame continues down University until it hits
Front Street where it turns right and continues on.
 Page 18
Defending the
Left...
" Noah Stanton
! “Small movements
known as Tea Party
groups...don’t represent the
interests of many Americans”
Politics
The present day American political scene is not what
many citizens were hoping for. There is now a
congress that refuses to allow bills to be passed into
law. This is far from the campaign that President
Obama was promising. The Obama Administration
had been weak when handling certain criticism, but
when he came out to talk to the GOP recently, he
was on the offense. He confronted media rumors,
which had convinced many Americans that the
Obama Administration is very far left on the political
spectrum. Small movements known as Tea Party
groups have become important in the political world,
but these don!t represent the interests of many
Americans, although they still allow the Republicans
in the Senate to block the normal political processes.
There has been one media power, which has led this
so-called “Grassroots” movement, and it is the FOX
News Corporation. They have funded conventions
and publicized events for the group. The Tea Party
groups deny that the FNC is helping them because
they are Republican and that the GOP motivates
their ideals, but this has been proven wrong many
times. Now that the media has blown up the
importance of these far right groups, American voters
are confused. The change has not been made,
partisanship has grown, and FNC fear tactics have
also affected Obama!s popularity. Fox says that
theGrifter
Obama is enforcing socialist policies on Americans,
when actually many of his policies are quite centrist.
Glenn Beck is one of Fox!s main culprits in creating
false fear. His statements could even be seen as
harmful to the president!s safety. Glenn Beck has
made extreme statements, saying “Obama has a
deep seeded hatred against the white culture.” Along
with these claims, Beck has a plethora of edgy
graphics going on in a compilation. Though many
can see through his silly and ignorant statements,
there are millions who seem to share his extreme
beliefs.
The media has created false fears for Obama!s
administration. Some legitimately believed that death
panels were in the House!s healthcare, and blamed
the inclusion of this amendment in the bill on Obama.
This was all caused by the Fox News Corporation!s
work with the GOP and their efforts in convincing the
American populace that Obama!s policies might kill
your grandmother. These myths were seen as a real
reason why “Obamacare” could not come into law, as
many other news organizations addressed this issue
with great specificity. Obama said that the
amendment that was under fire was actually put in by
a Republican, and had to do with providing pre-death
services information to comatose patient!s families.
Because of the political chaos it caused, the senate
removed it from their bill. This is an indirect intrusion
into the political-legal world by FNC. They used their
accessibility to preach to the masses.
These intrusions into the political process are
constitutionally valid, but slow down the legal side of
things. This makes new laws very hard to pass
because of the strong partisanship in Congress,
which I believe can also be partially blamed on FNC.
Obama planned to pass healthcare in August 2009,
but by March 2010, the failure to do so shouldn!t be
blamed on the president. I believe that it should be
blamed on the FNC and other news organizations
who only blurt out quick headlines, but don!t look into
the whole story.
grift·er /!gr"f t#r/ noun - a swindler, dishonest gambler,
or the like...

theGrifter
YEAR II ISSUE II