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M c G IL L T R IB U N E
ONLINE http://tribune.mcgill.ca
Published by the Students’ Society of McGill University
Same old genome— new choices B y H in a M a h m o o d _____________
“O ffering $ 1 0 0 ,0 0 0 for eggs from tall blonde athletic women,” says one ad. “Woman gives birth to grandchildren,” reads a head line. “V is it w w w .ronsangel.com and select your ideal egg,” says a web site that auctions o ff model’s eggs to the highest bidder. “This is Darwin’s ‘Natural Selection’ at its very best. The highest bidder gets youth, beauty and social skills.” U n fa ir ? M a y b e . W e ird ? D efin ite ly . Phenom ena such as these have lead many to question the ethics o f cloning, genetic deter minism, and gene patenting. Dr. Mansfield, a specialist in bioethics, addressed some o f the major con cerns caused by advances in genet ic engineering in a recent presenta tion at M cGill. Though genetic predetermina tio n is a c o n trib u tin g fa c to r to w ard s in te llig e n c e , p h y sic a l a ttrib u tes and p e rso n a lity , it is fo olish to assume that genes are the only input. A cartoon illustrates th is m is p e r c e p tio n : a k id g e ts caught with his hand in a candy ja r and the caption reads, “I couldn’t help it, I ’ m genetically predeter mined to steal.” M a n s fie ld a lso d isc u sse d human cloning, which seems ever more likely in light o f the recent anim al-cloning successes. Just as there are egg-auction websites, we may soon be presented with other unnatural possibilities: “Did your kid die in an acci d en t? W e can now b rin g him back. Call right now and we will a lso throw in 2 0 a d d itio n a l IQ points for no extra charge!” T h is hu m ou r, h o w ev er grotesque it may seem, is not such a fa r-fe tch e d idea. Im agin e, fo r example, being the parents o f out going, funny and athletic Jim , who dies in a fiery car crash. Is it rea sonable to tell them that, although
Pat Fok
Engaging in winter revelry, McGillScience students party their cares away at the Science Carnival2001
Crime and the Ghetto in Y2K B y Sh e h r y a r Fa z l i
As the year 2 0 0 0 cam e to a close, Police Station 19 evaluated the past year’ s crim e level in the M cG ill student ghetto, comparing rates to those o f previous years, and discussing plans to lessen the area’s vulnerability to misdeed. The area under the ju risd ic tion o f Station 19, located at 380 Prince Arthur in the M cG ill stu d en t G h e tto , e x te n d s fro m its northern and southern boundaries o f Mount R oyal, and Sherbrooke South, respectively, and from its east and w est bound aries o f S t. Laurent street and Parc Avenue, and Westmount. The second o f the post’s four zones o f administration encom p asses the U n iv ersity and the G h e tto stre tc h in g fro m the Milton Gates to Hutchison Street. W hile Y 2 K brought few sig
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nificant changes in most o f the cat egories o f offenses in Station 19’s study o f the Ghetto, it did present a striking change in the number of break-ins, with almost a hundred more homes being subject to bur g la ry in 2 0 0 0 th an in 1 9 9 9 . C onstable N elson M arshall sug gested possible factors contribut ing to the area’ s continually high level o f exposure to theft. “The Ghetto is more vulnera ble because thieves know that this is where students live and that, in all likelihood, they have not paid fo r th e s e c u rity m e a su re s th a t older residents in other areas have paid for,” he said.“There is a gen eral feeling that this area is less guarded than others.” Stu dents’ Society o f M cG ill U n iv e rs ity V ic e P re s id e n t C o m m u n ity and G o v e rn m e n t A ffairs Jerem y Farrell added his
view s on the som ew hat exposed position o f student homes. “The Ghetto is very vulnera ble,” he said. “[Students] make up a very transient population. Our neighbours do not know who we are and [therefore] cannot look out fo r stra n g ers. O ur s tu ff is very portable b ecau se we are alw ays moving, and it is these portables that are easy to steal. Students also spend a lo t o f tim e aw ay from h o m e, le a v in g th e ir h om es unguarded for long stretches.” Marshall stressed the need for students to be all the m ore cau tious in protecting themselves and their possessions in such a suscep tible area. He offered a number o f tips that, w hile they are sim ple, ca n n e v e rth e le ss d eter th ie v e s, including: leaving the lights or the televisio n on when not at hom e; leaving small valuables away from
w in d o w s; and k n o w in g o n e ’ s neighbours. Furthermore, Marshall asserted that students should not hesitate to call the police in case o f even the slightest threat. “The more obstacles you have to being a victim , the better,” he said. “So if you see someone who seems even a little suspicious, you should call 9 -1 -1 . I mean, i f you see someone ju st loitering around som ew h ere, and w alking som e w h ere th en c o m in g b a c k , then w a lk in g so m e w h ere e ls e , then coming back, you can just make an anonymous call to the police and te ll th em . T h e p o lic e w ill then show up and question the individ ual. T h is will give a feeling o f a security presence in the area.” Marshall will meet with other o ffic e rs this w eek to d iscu ss an action plan in prom oting safety
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40 12 , Saint Denis street Corner Duluth (514 ) 844 1919
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