Pro Tem - Vol. 61 Issue 5

Glendon Food Summit 2022: Stale Food Services Prevail on Campus

Josée Philips Chief of Operations

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

ACTUALITÉ ET OPINIONS

Food services at Glendon have been an ongoing and increasingly distressing problem for many students, especially those residing on campus. On Tuesday, November 8th, ILST 4275: Global Envi ronmental Challenges, Local Solutions hosted the first Glendon Food Summit with supervision and support from Dr. Sabine Dreher, and in partnership with Regenesis. This event was organized with the goal of inciting change within the food services sector of the campus. Students and administrative staff from both Glendon, and from Food Services at York University, gathered in the Glen don Manor to hold a productive discus sion on the topic.

The event began with opening

remarks from ILST 4275 student Ste phen Teong, who led the summit. Many students spoke, highlighting the various problems with the food services of fered to students at the campus, or lack thereof. These issues included the high cost of food items for low-quality prod ucts, the lack of diversity, the foodborne illnesses contracted, the inflexibility of the meal plan, the lack of kitchen ac cess, and the comparisons to our Keele counterparts.

The results of the survey, con ducted by the course, reinforced the problems brought up by students. The survey had 221 student responses, with results showcasing many food service issues that have left Glendon students unsatisfied. The survey stated that 63% of students do not have kitchen access while residing on campus, even though

90% of students expressed the desire to cook their own food. When questioned about this, the administration explained this was due to the fact that there would not be enough kitchen space for every one. However, since students cannot cook their own food while living on cam pus, they are forced to purchase a meal plan, which is inflexible and unclear to most students. The survey demon strates that 37% of the students feel the meal plan is more than sufficient. But since no refunds are available, students lose money, money that York University gains simply on the basis that students are not using the entirety of their meal plans. But why would they, when the quality is so low?

Another issue with the meal plan is that there are two divisions:

Photos par Lauren Castelino

Pro Tem est le journal étudiant du collège Glendon. Publié pour la première fois en 1962, c’est la plus ancienne publication de l’Université York.

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Let’s talk about the big news; winter’s well on its way in! Whether you’re a big fan of snowy season, or somewhat less than en thused, it looks like the holiday season’s finally here to stay. Amid the harsh win ter winds and plummeting temperatures throughout the city, Toronto’s first snow fall brings with it the universal craving for warmth and comfort. I’m already dreaming of heating my cold hands against the sur face of a steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup, and cradling a warm mug filled to the brim with tea, tucked away in a corner for a long afternoon spent reading. Bonus points if the snow continues to fall in soft, fluffy flakes outside, and a plate of crumbly biscoff accompanies my book and tea.

Comme la saison des examens approche, il est important de prendre des pauses pour prendre soin de soi ; lisez Pro Tem pendant vos pauses de révision ! Je suis sûr que vous êtes occupé à réfléchir à toutes les possibilités de vacances, mais nous avons des tonnes d’articles intéres sants pour vous occuper en attendant. Vous cherchez des suggestions sur ce qu’il faut regarder, lire et écouter pendant votre temps libre ? Nous avons une défense pas sionnée du genre de la musique country, une réflexion mesurée sur la télé-réalité et un récit historique du palmarès du soccer

(football) du Canada, en reconnaissance de la Coupe du monde qui se déroule actu ellement au Qatar. Glendon vous manquet-il tout au long du mois de décembre ? Renseignez-vous sur les événements du Sommet de l’alimentation de Glendon, ain si que sur les fantastiques programmes Ex plore et Destination Clic mis en place tout au long des mois d’été sur notre campus. Continuing my little tradition of recommending a song or artist in my let ter to you, I must confess that I’ve got a secret; I’m totally in love with Midnights! The latest studio album from versatile singer-songwriter Taylor Swift is a rare one where I can listen to any song with an equal amount of captivation and plain awe. It’s just that good! It’s been on repeat for the last week, and has definitely warped my Spotify Wrapped by now; that’s a burden I’ll happily shoulder. Current favourites from the album include Snow on the Beach, Mastermind, and You’re on Your Own, Kid. Whether you’re a hardcore Swiftie fighting for presale tickets, or a casual listener like me, I guarantee that the album will bring you all the serotonin you’re surely lacking during the days of the gloomy darkness that arrives at 4:00 p.m.

Comme toujours, Pro Tem n’exis terait pas sans le travail de nos collabora

teurs, de notre personnel et de la commu nauté de Glendon (c’est vous !). Que vous preniez un exemplaire de Pro Tem pour la première fois ou que vous soyez un lecteur fidèle de Pro Tem depuis de nombreuses années, nous sommes très reconnaissants de tout l’amour que vous nous avez témoi gné au fil des ans. En attendant la paru tion de notre dernier numéro du semestre, pas de panique : nous serons de retour en janvier ! Assurez-vous donc de garder vos casquettes d’écriture et de réfléchir à ce que vous pourriez vouloir écrire au se mestre d’hiver ; je n’aimerais rien de plus que de recevoir vos contributions dans ma boîte de réception, editor@protemglendon com, tout au long du dernier mois de l’an née et dans la nouvelle année !

Keep your coats on when dashing between classes, lest you catch a chill, and enjoy Glendon in all its winter glory! Good luck on exams, enjoy the holidays with friends and family, and remember: whatev er holiday you celebrate, I wish you a merry and bright end to the year, and all the best in 2023. Happy Holidays, Glendon!

For the time being et à bientôt, Ariana Mah

Editor in Chief | Rédactrice en chef

Peony Wong

Marya Tiwana

Josée Philips

Elton Campbell

Designer / Maquetteur

Anna Noumtinis

Shilpa Ahluwalia

The Pro Tem Team

Glendon Food Summit 2022: Stale Food Services Prevail on Campus (cont.)

meal plan and taxable. The meal plan only works if a student buys a “meal.” How is a meal defined by the Canadian Revenue Agency? The CRA explains that a meal has certain restrictions; it is what would be “or dinarily eaten at breakfast, lunch, or dinner” and also that “the meal plan does not al low purchases of food and beverage items that are not part of a meal or of non food items or vending machine items” (CRA, 2019). The administration explained that they have no control over what is consid ered a meal, versus a snack. The snacks become taxable, and do not come out of the meal plan budget. Therefore, unless a student is using their meal plan for the budgeted “no less than 10 meals weekly,” there would likely be money left over. When questioned about what a student should do if there is money left over, the administra tion shortly explained that they could file a case for a refund, a case that does not have a strong success rate in accordance with various student testimonials. As the discussion continued and many concerns were brought to light about the meal plan, the administration from York Food Services avoided answering most meal plan-direct ed inquiries.

One of the main problems identi fied was the cost of food. It was explained by a Glendon staff member that these rising food costs pose a challenge to the student body, as there has been more dependency on the Glendon Food Bank this year, and students are unable to eat from the caf

eteria due to these high costs. A majority of the students that answered the survey felt that food was much too expensive at the Glendon cafeteria, and 11% of the stu dents stated that they had contracted food poisoning at the location, a number which should be much closer to zero. The price of the food does not match the quality re ceived. Additionally, the food students are offered lacks diversity in leaps and bounds, which is odd, considering the diversity of the student population itself. Another issue brought up by students involved the ingre dients of the food themselves; students felt there should be increased transparency regarding ingredients used, and that these should be of higher quality, thereby help ing students to make healthy and informed choices. The survey concluded that most students stated they were dissatisfied with the food services at the Glendon campus.

It seems odd that there are so many issues at Glendon, since our Keele counterparts have countless diverse op tions, and even kitchen areas within and outside of residences - moreso when tak ing into consideration the fact that these services are run by the same company and administration. It was brought up by ad ministrative staff and student speakers that students choose to live at Keele rather than Glendon, due to the food services issues highlighted above. Compass Group, the new food provider that took over Aramark’s contract in July of 2022, has not changed or improved the situation on the Glendon

campus in any regard.

As a more reliable option on the Glendon campus for a quick snack or cof fee break, Tim Hortons ranked highest as the most popular food station. It is also the only option on campus that is trustworthy in terms of cost, and will not break the student budget. However, at the time of the Food Summit, the Tim Hortons on-campus was not serving warm foods, including breakfast sandwiches. When this was brought up to a member of upper adminstration, they stated that the standard for the chain had changed and they could no longer serve this type of food. However, students explained to Pro Tem that when speaking to those working at Tim Hortons and asking why there were no typical breakfast foods on the menu, they were told that the on-campus coffee shop was waiting for stock. One must won der where the truth lies, especially when later that very week, breakfast sandwiches were back on the menu. This type of an swer does not come as a surprise for many attendees of the event, as certain admin istrative staff from Food Services seemed negligent in answering student questions directly, a critique made by various partic ipants of the event.

It comes as no surprise that this initiative was said to be “student-driven”, as the issues with food services on campus have long been a concern for Glendon stu dents past and present. The average stu dent is at Glendon on a four-year timeline, but changes are rarely seen in the food

situation on campus, as has been noted by many who have come and gone. There fore, as of right now and for the near future, students are left with minimal and expen sive food options, high-cost meal plans and no kitchen access. Accessing good, healthy and adequately-priced food should be a basic right for students, and although higher-level administration was present at the event, it can be questioned how pres ent they may really be in terms of improving the dire situation at the Glendon campus. The administration for York Food Services stated in their concluding remarks to stu dents that the first item on their agenda is to “identify achievable goals,” but we must ask, have the students not been transpar ent enough? Have the many articles, com plaints and letters not been sufficient? For students, the goal seems crystal clear, but when will real change come? When will students be able to comfortably eat on the campus they pay thousands of dollars to attend?

Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenueagency/services/forms-publications/ publications/20-5/school-cafeteriasuniversity-public-college-meal-plans-foodservice-providers.html#_Toc6389466

Glendon Campus is the Vanguard of Excellence for the Explore and Destination Clic Programs

Elton Campbell

Layout Designer

Explore is an intensive French or English immersion program held annually during spring and summer. Participants can trav el to another province of Canada to learn and improve their second official language, French or English. It is one of the easiest and most engaging ways to turn your po tential in mastering a second language into a success, all while building invalu able networks and friendships. Destination Clic is a summer program designed for francophone youth ages thirteen to fifteen (13–15) residing outside the province of Québec. This program fosters everlasting friendships and heightens the self-esteem of participants by exposing them to franco phone communities in Canada and across the globe.

The Government of Canada is the founder of the Official Languages Pro grams (OLP) of which Explore and Desti nation Clic are affiliates. To promote these programs, and to develop unified proce dures and regulations, several institutions (representatives) from each province and territory work together with the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC) to achieve a worthwhile and exceptional program. Although this is an achievable goal, not all institutions involved have pro cedures, regulations and learning environ ments that are up to par. As such, a partici pant may benefit or feel more welcomed at one institution when compared to another. This article makes the case that Glendon Campus is the vanguard of excellence con cerning the Explore and Destination Clic programs.

First off, the programs at Glendon Campus uphold the key values of diversity, inclusion and accessibility. For example, there are male, female, gender-neutral and wheelchair-accessible bathrooms on campus. Glendon also has strategically placed elevators, ramps, kiosks, and doors activated by pushing a button or motioning at a sensor. The signs on campus are bilin gual, which not only provide directional as sistance, but also allow readers to expand their vocabulary in their secondary official language (English or French). The listed factors make navigation of the campus quick and easy. The college prides itself on creating an environment where those with physical limitations do not have to feel

as if they are in a world designed only for able-bodied individuals. However, Glendon is always open to suggestions, and contin ues to strive passionately toward this goal. Additionally, Glendon has es tablished itself as a proactive and for ward-thinking institution. When participants are notified about their placement within the Explore or Destination Clic programs, Glendon contacts each participant to take note of their dietary restrictions and any accommodations they may need due to a visible or invisible disability. Participants of these programs also have access to the campus’ Accessibility, Well-Being and Counseling (AWC) Centre for extra sup port. Dietary restrictions go beyond a par ticipant having a certified food allergy, and also consider any dietary restrictions due to religious and cultural background. Glendon clearly understands that people from all walks of life are interested in learning and avoids othering individuals through forced compliance or punishment.

Furthermore, Glendon campus is located in a lush green forest, which allows participants to bask in nature right near the bustling metropolis of Toronto. Nature is soothing to the brain and makes learning new information pleasant and digestible. The campus takes safety seriously, with multiple small stations spread across the grounds that can be activated in case of an emergency through the press of a but ton. Bike Share Toronto is also available on-campus, making bikes accessible for exploring the numerous trails, and commut ing to and from campus. Don’t be surprised if you meet Glendon’s neighbour, Canadian rapper Drake, or pass by his house while cycling through the area! Glendon is also a stone’s throw away from downtown To ronto and its many historic districts, easily reached by public transit or by car. With all the options available, discovering Cana da’s largest and most diverse city is a sim ple task.

Moreover, Glendon’s planners and facilitators are highly knowledgeable, skilled, and experienced. Several of the monitors for the Explore and Destination Clic programs at Glendon were once stu dents of these programs at other institu tions or have worked and planned these programs here at home for numerous years. They also include some of the most exceptional current students of Glendon campus. These members of staff bring wis dom and experience as both participants

and instructors. They have tips and tricks to create the best experience for students, remain open to feedback for continuous im provement, are energetic and innovative, and are genuinely invested in making the programs a greater success each year.

Current students at Glendon cam pus are encouraged to apply to become full-time or part-time monitors for spring and summer 2023. This is an incredible job opportunity to assist in the continuation of Glendon’s legacy of hosting the Explore and Destination Clic programs by “facilitat ing on-campus socio-cultural activities, pre paring and delivering in-class workshops, escorting participants on local trips, and supervising participants in residence.”

The Explore program for individu

als nineteen years and older (19+) will run from May 22nd to June 23rd, 2023, while the program for sixteen and seventeen year olds (16–17) will run from July 3rd to August 4th, 2023. The Explore and Destination Clic programs for thirteen to fifteen year olds (13–15) is slated for July 9th to July 29th, 2023. If you are a student outside of Cana da, or a parent/guardian who has a child in a foreign country and would like the child to attend, this is still possible.

To find out more about the Explore and Destination Clic programs at Glendon Campus, visit https://www.glendon.yorku. ca/explore/, email explore@glendon.yorku. ca, or visit the Continuing Education office at room A112 B on campus.

Photo par Elton Campbell

Nine Times

Anna Noumtinis Bilingual Journalist

“All you remember is the bad stuff! Do you ever think about the good stuff?! You don’t appreciate anything I do for you”

They say it takes nine good deeds to erase one bad one

I don’t think he knew that, it’s not like I didn’t tell him I did the math

Nine times the discouragement about any career option I brought up

Nine times every compliment conveniently forgotten to be spoken out loud

Nine times forgetting to call back

Nine times leaving me on read

Nine times forgetting to pick me up at the subway station

Nine times prioritizing a “friend”

I do remember the good stuff

I do think about it

I did the math

Nine times slow dancing in his room

Nine times driving on the highway with me because I was scared

Nine times the picnic in the park

Nine times kissing my hand

Nine times giving up his hoodie to keep me warm

Nine times teaching me how to change a brake light

And I appreciate it too, just not the way he wanted

The good didn’t outweigh the bad, nor did the bad outweigh the good

It all taught me something about love, life and most importantly, myself

I say that good deeds cannot erase bad ones

Take them both in unity and learn from each — derive a greater meaning.

Certaines personnes sont bêtes

Anonymous

1. Certaines personnes sont bêtes.

2. Les gens bêtes ne seront sûrement pas d’accord.

3. Car ces gens bêtes interviennent surtout sur des sujets qu’ils ne maîtrisent pas.

4. Les gens bêtes se demanderont s’ils sont vraiment bêtes.

5. Leur égo leur dira en moins de cinq secondes que la réponse est « NON », sans approfondir le sujet.

6. Car les gens bêtes fonctionnent de cette façon. Ils s’érigent en quelques secondes des vérités qui sortent de nulle part de façon à ne pas avoir à reconsidérer les choses sous un autre angle.

7. Ne sois pas comme les gens bêtes. Reconsidère les choses, reconsidère toute chose.

Country Music and the Mainstream: A Curious Tale

Michael Aquilino English Journalist

Perhaps underappreciated and in need of more popular recognition, the genre of country music deserves a chance in the headlines. According to a nationally representative 2022 poll done by CBS News (https://www.cbsnews.com/ news/rock-music-hip-hop-young-peopleopinion-poll/), Americans over the age of thirty ranked rock music as their favourite genre (32%), and country/western music as fourth-best (12%), whereas those aged 18-29 ranked hip/hop as their go-to (32%), and country/western as fifth-best (8%). This study suggests country music is tremendously unfavourable in comparison to other popular forms of music, an idea which seems rather peculiar.

The weaving of lyrics between intricate composition creates an experience of humanity and various forms of belonging. Music, no matter its genre, has the power to inspire, unite, and uplift individuals — a power unrivaled by much else in the world. At its core, music is a storytelling medium which allows artists to share their experiences and desires. Although constantly cast in the limelight and unconforming with mainstream tunes, country music is a significant genre, known for its moving stories and experiences of heartbreak.

There are many stereotypes and tropes associated with country, including heavy alcohol consumption (whether it be of beer, whisky or tequila), farming occupations, trucks galore, boots, jeans, and, of course, the characteristic Southern accent. It may seem that country music is incredibly repetitive, with nothing really new, innovative or interesting to contribute to modern sounds. I, too, was once guilty of thinking of the country music genre as nothing more than a laughingstock, compared to its mainstream counterparts. I have since come to realize my ignorance, and regret not adding some country tracks to my playlists sooner.

Recent country music has seemingly taken on a whole new nature. Sure, old “honky-tonk” sounding songs are still produced, but there have been a multitude of phenomenal pieces released in the past few years. The foundations of country music are built upon the human

experience, often its woes and sorrows. Life is not an easy, straightforward affair; country music offers an outlet for deep emotional expression. Many country songs are sung from their artist’s heart and soul, relaying experiences and tribulations which may have been personal and intimate. Listened to intently, country music takes on a sort of spoken word-esque, poetic nature, allowing listeners to hear the artist from the depths of their inner-being. I find that country music, unlike other forms of music, is able to express more intimate themes. An abundance of contemporary music is overwhelmed by its accompaniment. Although this is not necessarily a negative aspect, I feel as if the raw and candid vocals and lyrics of many country artists are unmatched in their expression of emotion and the human experience through music.

Definitions of country music have certainly started to change in recent years. One of my favourite, new “country” songs is “Son of A Sinner” (2021) by rapper-turnedcountry artist, Nashville-native Jelly Roll (Jason DeFord). With fervent lines like, “Mistakes I made, I paid for them in cash, Walked a million miles on broken glass, I’m feeling like I’m fading, My heart’s been slowly breaking,” this heartfelt tune and lyrical masterpiece explores themes of substance use and abuse, resilience and leaving the past in the rearview mirror. This has caused some people to question the song’s categorization as part of the country genre. While it certainly contains countrylike themes and sounds country-like to an extent, the rap/rock/country medley is definitely unorthodox. Nonetheless, Jelly Roll, in speaking to Taste of Country, shares, “I’m always gonna give you real music. It’s gonna be for real people that have been through real things” (https:// tasteofcountry.com/jelly-roll Interview-sonof-a-sinner-rap-influences/).

But what exactly does it mean for a song to be categorized as “country”? As per one source, country music, “looks at both success and failure, joy and despair with sentiment and realism” (https://www. encyclopedia.com/media/encyclopediasalmanacs-transcripts-and-maps/countrymusic). I believe it is country music’s innate sincerity and authenticity that sets it apart from other genres of music. Country songs are composed in such a way that allows listeners to truly resonate with their often autobiographical narratives. These songs are sung passionately and offer different, yet similar, perspectives on everyday life. Country music is more of a story-telling medium than many of its counterparts, so eloquently affixing euphonic melodies to its compelling literature. Thus, while other

genres may also endeavour to share stories and experiences, I don’t believe that any other genre collectively (there are some amazing, lyrically/vocally powerful songs of other genres out there, including “Dancing in the Dark” by Bruce Springsteen) delivers so effectively. I believe that the sheer, if nothing else, inspiration behind “Son of A Sinner,” previously described by Jelly Roll, defines the song as fundamentally within the scope of country. Even so, I invite you to take a listen and judge the song for yourself — after all, beauty and excellence are in the eyes, erm, ears of the beholder.

The 56th annual Country Music Association Awards (CMA), recognizing country’s biggest stars, occurred on November 9th. In light of this event, and of one of my favourite country artists, Luke Combs, taking home the coveted Entertainer of Year Award, and his album, “Growin’ Up,” securing the Album of the Year, I feel that it is fitting to share, in no particular order, some of my favourite country music recommendations:

1. Going, Going, Gone - Luke Combs

2. Doin’ This - Luke Combs

3. To the Guys that Date my GirlsThomas Rhett

4. Death Row - Thomas Rhett

5. More Than my HometownMorgan Wallen

6. Sand in my Boots - Morgan Wallen

7. Whiskey Sour - Kane Brown

In spite of its underappreciation, there are signs of hope for country music. The Country Music Association (CMA) reports an organic and meaningful growth of the genre in recent years, including in non-traditional markets and metropolitan cities. This is very exciting news, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for country music! I think the world needs to add some more country tunes to its repertoire, emphasizing that we are all going through these life experiences together, and that we should support one another in our journey. As country music will delineate, it’s okay to experience adversity in life, as we all have the power to overcome it and prosper! The path to success may not be uniform and untroubled, but it exists, and can be found. Therefore, I encourage you to set any predispositions aside, and give country music the chance that it deserves — as you may be pleasantly surprised by what you hear. Happy listening, Glendon!

Mes pensées sur la téléréalité

Peony Wong French Journalist

Je viens de finir de regarder « Love is Blind » sur Netflix, et ça m’a fait réfléchir sur la téléréalité. Je vais déballer mes pensées sur ce genre télévisuel. La téléréalité est un genre télévisuel qui ne plaît pas à tout le monde. Soit vous aimez ce genre d’émis sions de télévision, soit vous le détestez, il n’y a pas vraiment d’entre-deux. Rien n’est préparé avant et la distribution est com posée de personnes qui ne sont pas des acteurs professionnels.

Personnellement, je ne regarde pas les émissions de téléréalité religieuse ment comme le font beaucoup de gens. Cependant, je les regarde de temps en temps ou si cela m’intéresse vraiment. J’es saie de me tenir à l’écart de celles qui impli quent des célébrités, comme la plus popu laire, « Keeping Up With the Kardashians ». Toutefois, les émissions de téléréalité que

Une critique du livre « The Half Wives » par Stacia Pelletier

Anna Noumtinis Bilingual Journalist

« The Half Wives » par Stacia Pelletier raconte l’histoire de quatre personnages : Henry, Marilyn, Lucy et Blue. Henry est un pasteur qui devient un commerçant quand son fils Jack meurt et que son marriage avec sa femme Marilyn s’éffondre. Marilyn, qui était auparavant femme de maison, quitte après la mort de son fils lorsqu’elle accepte un poste à l’orphelinat Maria Kip comme assistante financière. Ce fut un di vertissement pour gérer la tristesse énorme qui lui a envahit le corps. Marilyn est ébran lée par son travail pour Maria Kip, et elle

j’ai regardées dans le passé comprennent « Bling Empire », « Indian Matchmaking », « The Bachelor » et, bien évidemment, « Love is Blind ». Elles sont toutes assez similaires en ce qui concerne le contenu diffusé, car elles traitent de la vie person nelle et la vie sentimentale des acteurs. Si je ne parle que de cette catégorie de téléréalité en particulier, je trouve que c’est vraiment intéressant à regarder, car on ap prend à mieux connaître chaque personne, sa personnalité, et à voir si sa personnalité change lorsqu’elle commence à interagir avec sa moitié. J’ai l’impression que tout le drame entre chaque personne est aussi ce qui rend les choses plus intéressantes. Les producteurs en sont certainement respons ables, car ils choisissent ce qui doit être supprimé, afin de rendre les scènes plus dramatiques que la réalité. En général, ce qui est filmé est sorti du contexte de ce qui se passe réellement hors caméra. Nous ne voyons qu’un petit aperçu de leur vie et des situations dans lesquelles ils se trouvent, et nous n’avons pas l’image complète de ce qui se passe. Je pense que cela nuit à certains membres de la distribution, car le public commence à les considérer soit

déteste les femmes qui le tiennent. De son côté, Henry cherche une distraction aussi - entre Lucy. Lucy et Henry s’entrecroisent le jour où Henry démissionne. Lucy est une jeune taxidermiste avec l’ambition de devenir journaliste. Les deux se voient en secret, sans que Marilyn en ait connais sance. Lucy a honte et se sent coupable, puisqu’elle a essayé de séparer Henry et Marilyn - mais n’a pas eu succès avant de tomber enceinte. Lucy donne naissance à Blue, la fille secrète d’Henry. Blue a une enfance difficile puisque sont père pouvait seulement venir rendre visite le mercredi, et puis qu’elle ne peut pas être vu avec lui.

Le roman se situe à San Francis co, et la ville veut retirer le cimetière où Jack est enterré, ce qui trouble Marilyn et Hen ry. Lucy veut demander à Henry de choisir entre les deux familles, tandis que Marilyn veut retrouver son amour avec lui. Pendant ce temps, Blue cherche à comprendre la raison pour laquelle sa famille est un se cret. Ainsi, Henry veut une vie sans deux identités. Les quatre se rendent à la tombe

comme le vaurien, soit comme la victime. Nous, les spectateurs, sommes prompts à juger et à prendre parti.

De plus, le choix des producteurs est important, car certaines personnes ne sont pas agréables à regarder, notamment en matière de personnalité. Il me semble que certaines personnes n’ont pas les meilleures intentions lorsqu’elles partici pent à des émissions de téléréalité. Ils ont peut-être auditionné pour devenir célèbres

de Jack. Lucy se rend compte qu’Henry ne choisit pas sa famille avec Blue, alors elle quitte et ramène sa fille chez elle. Blue comprend que son père a deux familles, et est reconaissante que sa mère sera toujo urs là. Marilyn découvre que son amour et sa vie avec Henry est finie et que c’est le temps qu’elle recommence. À la fin, Henry se retrouve seul et sans famille.

Dans l’ensemble, le livre est bon, mais très triste. Ce livre est écrit en deux ième personne et ça donne le sentiment que le lecteur est une partie de l’histoire, comme si les événements se passaient à vous. Le livre aborde des thèmes réels, n’étant pas un cas de « tout est bien qui finit bien », mais que la vérité sort toujours. J’aime les livres de ce type parce qu’il nous démontre que tout finira en résolution. Le grand message à extraire de ce livre est de toujours être honnête avec soi-même et avec les autres, comme les mensong es font plus de mal que de bien. Si vous voulez un livre un peu différent, qui parle des réalités de vie au 19e siècle et des

et accroître leur présence sur les réseaux sociaux avec plus d’abonnés, au lieu de chercher à atteindre le but réel de la série, qui est de trouver l’amour. Ce ne sont que mes pensées. Il se passe certainement beaucoup plus de choses que ce qui est filmé et cela ne reflète pas vraiment la réal ité. Cependant, j’aime toujours une bonne émission de téléréalité, et je vais continuer à les regarder de temps en temps.

Photo par stylecaster.com

complexités dans le voyage de la vie, « The Half Wives » par Stacia Pelletier sera idéal pour vous.

Photo par staciapelletier.com

An Off-Season Guide to Halifax for the Reading Week Traveler

Ariana Mah Editor in Chief

Today, in cloudy, slightly overcast Halifax, we’re seeing 15° weather with a chance of rain. As your tour guide, I’ll be taking you on a unique and fun-filled day through the streets of the “City of Trees,” a wonderful place full of lovely people and even more lovely landscapes. A little disclaimer: if you’re in the city for a few days, all the bet ter! You can spread these places out over the course of your visit, and take your time at each one. With that said, bring along your raincoat, and let’s get going!

We’re starting the day off at the Halifax Waterfront, with a scenic walk along the water. Make sure that your pace has slowed to a meander, in order to make the most of the gorgeous water that seemingly stretches on for miles; the early morning light will cast an otherworldly glow over the view, and your camera roll will thank you! The Last Steps Memorial is a must-see for a bit of Halifax history, as well as the “we love nova scotia” mural on the side of the Waterfront Warehouse, facing a parking lot.

While there’s plenty to eat and drink in the area, I’m going to have you walk five minutes via Prince and Hollis Streets, to the Bluenose II Restaurant, located at 1824 Hollis Street. Here, you’ll find one of the best lobster rolls in the city, perfect for your first meal of the day, or a mid-morning snack. Take a seat at one of the many booths inside and people-watch as you eat, or grab it to-go and wander the streets as the city begins to wake up.

It’s time for our first adventure of the day; we’re going to the Africville Muse um, found at 5795 Africville Road. Here, you’ll find informative exhibits on the former 1860s African-Canadian town, as well as artifacts of great historical importance, all housed in a replica Africville church. Take a walk around and view the detailed his tory, accompanying photos, audio record ings of interviews with former residents, and objects from a time not too distant ago. Educational and a crucial piece of the true Haligonian identity, you won’t regret the visit! Outside the museum, you’ll find the Africville Park, a dog-friendly park with a great view and plenty of lush grounds to wander. Please note that the museum is

best accessed by car, though an alterna tive route involves a rough 20-minute hike on the side of the road, followed by a short bus journey back to the city centre.

Having worked up a healthy appe tite, you’re going to head to The Stubborn Goat Gastropub at 1579 Grafton Street for a lunch of epic proportions. If you’re visiting on a Monday, you’re in luck; there’s clas sic mac and cheese on offer for only $9 a shot! Rich and gooey, this dish will be any cheese-lover’s dream, and offers a wel come, warm respite from the rainy Halifax chill. There are multiple versions, including French Onion or Smoked Meatloaf, but the Lobster Mac ‘N’ Cheese comes highly recommended! And if that’s not your thing, you’ll never go wrong with their Fish & Chips, which comes on a platter piled high with crispy, golden-brown haddock and a veritable mountain of fries. Either way, you’re sure to leave The Stubborn Goat stuffed and happy!

Now, with a full belly and a cheery disposition, you’re going to make your way to the coolest comic shop ever, packed to the brim with comics, graphic novels, man ga, anime paraphernalia, and everything in between. Strange Adventure Comics & Curiosities, located at 5110 Prince Street, easily lives up to its name, with countless priceless treasures to be found within. Can’t decide between the first volume of Heartstopper, the classic Archie Comics, or a copy of one of many Inuyasha books? Why not get them all? While you’re at it, pick out some figurines to decorate your apartment or dorm room, and grab a free local publication on the way out the door.

Our next stop had us back for more; we were so in love! Located at 1729 Barrington Street, Freak Lunchbox is a shop with the coolest name, and even cooler wares. You’ll find weird, wacky, and just plain fantastic confectionaries inside, in all shapes and sizes; Arizona Tea-fla voured gummies, Bertie Bott’s Every Fla vour Beans, Fruity Pebbles candy bars, and just about every Hi-Chew flavour one could imagine. Of course, this doesn’t even scratch the surface of the trio of self-scoop candy walls, priced per 100 g, and with fun options like Sour Grapes, Gummy LEGO, and Crème Caramels. And the best part?

The selection changes daily, so you’ll never feel bored; you might leave the city with a few more cavities than you arrived with, but such is the sacrifice one makes for sweets! One other location of Freak Lunchbox can be found in Halifax, as well as one in Saint John, New Brunswick.

At this point, you’ve probably worked up an appetite, though that might depend on whether or not you gorged

yourself on your collection of sweets be forehand. But this next spot is too good to miss, so you’ll have to find space in your belly anyways! Young Pocha Korean BBQ Restaurant, with its unassuming exteri or and nondescript waiting area, is a real treat, found at 5650 Spring Garden Road. Tons of Korean classics line the menu, in cluding jjajangmyeon (짜장면, black bean noodles), fried chicken, and large pots of gyeran-jjim (계란찜, steamed eggs). Regular table service is supplemented by cute tray-holding robots, who move around delivering dishes and taking empty plates. Looking for a good time with friends? You can also partake in shots of soju accompa nied by karaoke; if you drop by closer to the

weekend, the restaurant has a wide selec tion of bingsu (빙수, shaved ice dessert) on offer for the perfectly sweet and creamy end to your meal!

And that brings us to the end of this guide. Make the most of your trip, and don’t take any itinerary too seriously, even this one! Remember: the longer your trip, the better. You’ll be able to spread out these activities over the course of multiple days, and go back for any souvenirs that catch your eye. My only warning is this: the lon ger you stay, the harder it will be to leave. I’m already dreaming of my next trip to the Maritimes, and I’ve only just returned! Hap py and safe travels, Glendon!

Photo par Ariana Mah

La distillerie Winter Village vaut-il

le détour ?

Peony Wong French Journalist

Nous y voilà à nouveau. La distillerie Win ter Village est de retour jusqu’au 31 décem bre 2022. Pour ceux d’entre vous qui ne connaissent pas vraiment cet événement, il a lieu chaque année de la mi-novembre à la fin décembre dans le quartier historique de la distillerie de Toronto. Le quartier réservé aux piétons a été transformé en un paysage hivernal merveilleux avec de nombreuses décorations de Noël comme des bonhommes de neige de 15 mètres de hauteur, le traîneau du père Noël et le plus impressionnant de tous, l’énorme sap in de Noël de 50 mètres de hauteur. Selon la distillerie de Toronto, plus de 500 heures ont été consacrées à la décoration de l’ar bre avec 400 bibelots bleus, 1700 boules dorées, 70 000 lumières et 1000 breloques Dior. Cependant, cela n’est pas tout. Les autres attractions comprennent un chant de Noël sur la scène principale, de la mu sique festive par des musiciens locaux, des vendeurs saisonniers et des cabines de restauration.

La distillerie Winter Village oc cupe une place particulière dans mon

cœur, parce que c’est devenu une tradition pour ma famille et moi. Il s’agit de l’une des meilleures façons de se mettre dans l’esprit des fêtes. Si vous n’y êtes jamais allé, je vous conseille vivement d’y aller avec vos amis ou votre famille, car c’est un moyen formidable de créer des souvenirs et de répandre la joie des fêtes. Nous y restons généralement quelques heures, à profiter de tout ce qui est si festif et magique. L’an née dernière, il y avait un terrain de sta tionnement désigné pour l’événement, qui n’était qu’à dix minutes à pied. Il y avait de nombreuses places de stationnement dis ponibles dans ce terrain, et il fallait évidem ment payer. De ce dont je me souviens, le prix était d’au moins 20 $, ce qui n’est pas terrible si vous prévoyez de rester un certain temps. Vous pouvez aussi vous y rendre en prenant les transports publics comme la TTC ou Go, ou en faisant du covoiturage ou du vélo en libre-service, bien que cela puisse être un peu difficile s’il neige et qu’il y a de la neige au sol.

Je vous recommande d’y aller un jour de semaine plutôt que la fin de se maine. La première raison est qu’il y aura moins de monde, ce qui signifie moins de files d’attente et moins de foule. La deux ième raison est que l’entrée sera gratuite, alors que vous devrez acheter un billet si vous voulez entrer après 16 heures un ven dredi, un samedi ou un dimanche. J’éviterai également d’y aller le lundi, car les cabines de vente en plein air et les vendeurs de nourriture sont toutes fermés ce jour-là.

En plus de ces cabines de vente en plein air, il y a les magasins, les restau rants et les cafés de la distillerie de To ronto. Chaque fois que nous y allons pen dant l’hiver, nous devons nous réchauffer avec une tasse de chocolat chaud de SOMA Chocolate Maker. Nous ramenons même leurs mélanges de chocolat chaud à la maison, car ils sont parfaits comme cadeau pour les bas de Noël. Nous ne pouvons pas non plus partir avant d’avoir mangé une poutine. Il y a quelque chose de spécial à manger des frites, de la sauce

chaude et du fromage en grains par une froide journée d’hiver.

Dans l’ensemble, la distillerie Winter Village vaut vraiment la peine d’être visitée si vous n’y êtes jamais allé. Même si vous y êtes déjà allé, c’est toujours un excellent moyen de passer du temps avec vos proches et de créer de nouveaux souvenirs. Veillez à vous habiller chaude ment et si vous emmenez votre chien, assurez-vous qu’il l’est aussi ! Joyeuses fêtes, Glendon !

Oh Canada! The 2022 FIFA World Cup: A Canadian Return

Michael Aquilino English Journalist

The 2022 FIFA World Cup is now in full swing, and Canada is set to make its mark! After a nearly 40 year absence from what is perhaps the world’s premier athletic competition, Canada has returned to soccer’s biggest stage. Having last played at a World Cup in 1986, Canada’s first and only appearance, Canadian soccer fans, and most proud Canadians, have been eagerly awaiting this very moment, one long overdue.

Held in Mexico (the first country to host the tournament twice), the 1986 edition, like most World Cups, was a true spectacle. It saw the legendary Diego Maradona and Argentina lift their second trophy in eight years at the expense of a defeated West Germany, divine interference (Maradona’s “Hand of God”), and a Canadian languish in the group stages. On September 14th, 1985, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, was witness to Canada’s qualification to Mexico after ousting Honduras 2-1. On June 1st, 1985, Canada would step onto a World Cup pitch for the very first time, with an immensely talented French side staring them down, led by their captain, Michel Platini. The hard-fought, intense match would result in a narrow 1-0 victory for the favoured French — a match that Canada had little to be ashamed about. Five days later, on June 6th, 1986, Canada would fall once more to a strong Hungarian side, losing 2-0. The Canucks’ last group stage game, against the now collapsed Soviet Union, did not take on a much different character. On June 9th, Canada would lose 2-0 yet again and would, without a point nor goal to its name, exit the tournament early.

However, today marks the day that the Canadian legacy in international soccer can be rewritten! Today, Wednesday, November 23rd, 2022, Canada prepares to kick off group F’s World Cup campaign against Belgium at 2:00 p.m. EST. Under the bright lights of the Al Rayyan Stadium in Qatar, Canada looks to start a new chapter of its soccer history. Canada was remarkable in qualifying, which began on March 25th, 2021, showing that it may, perhaps, be a force to reckon with. Topping its CONCACAF (Confederation of North,

Central America and Caribbean Association Football) qualification table, the Canadians finished with 14 wins, two losses, and four draws, in 20 matches played. Canada’s sensational road to Qatar included a historic, twenty years in the making, 2-1 win against soccer giant, Mexico, and a subsequent 2-0 triumph over cross-border rivals and World Cup regulars, the United States. Canadian qualification was secured on March 27th, 2022, when Canada, in front of a home crowd at BMO Field here in Toronto, taught Jamaica a 4-0 lesson.

Ranked the 41st best team in the world, a considerable jump from its lowest ranking of 122nd, the Canadian men’s soccer team has a lot to be proud of — but there is also a lot more work to be done. Expectations are certainly high for this inspiring Canadian squad, heading into Qatar hoping to make some noise; however, such noise-making may not be as easy as CONCACAF qualifying may have made it appear. Not to say that their qualifying campaign was anything short of extraordinary, but the 2022 World Cup cages some much different, more menacing beasts. Drawn into a group with Belgium (ranked 2nd in the world, and boasting some of soccer’s biggest names), Croatia (ranked 12th in the world, having fallen to France in the 2018 World Cup Finals), and Morocco (ranked 22nd in the world, a skillful team not to be taken lightly), the boys bearing the maple leaf certainly have their work cut out for them.

With the likes of Ottawa-raised Jonathan David (LOSC Lille), Edmontonraised Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich), and Brampton-native Tajon Buchanan (Club Brugge) at its helm, Canada may be in good hands. Nonetheless, Canada cannot, at any time, let its guard down, nor underestimate any opponent. Coming off a 2-2 draw with 85th-ranked Bahrain on November 11th, they must play full-throttle, and more fiercely than they ever have before. The teams that Canada will meet in the World Cup are unlike any that it has faced en route, and, should it stand any chance of success — whether it be a victory or merely a draw — it must be prepared. Canada thus must embody the passionate, spirited character that Canadians are known for, playing their hearts out until the final whistle.

Canada has waited 36 years for the opportunity to participate on the global stage once more, and with that feat comes great responsibility. I wrote an article back in October of 2020 (which can be found here: https://www.protemgl.com/articles/ the-beautiful-game-canadas-time-toshine?rq=michael), that spoke on Canada’s

unfortunate soccer history. I spoke about Canada’s rocky past and sole World Cup appearance, as well as lack of development and exposure of the sport to youth in the country. I also mentioned that there were signs pointing to a brighter future ahead, and that it would soon be Canada’s time to shine. Two years later, the time has finally come. The Canadian team will represent the entire country the moment it sets itself against Belgium today — a tremendous

amount of pressure for anyone. Be that as it may, Canada has three games to shine and put it all out on the line, the next against Croatia on November 27th, and the last against Morocco on December 1st. The group stages are a starting point, and it is my sincere hope that Canada will make it through to the next round. From there, perhaps, Canada may begin dreaming of taking home sport’s most paramount prize — the FIFA World Cup. Good luck Canada!

Photo par ESPN.com

I’m Glad My Mom Died: The Truth of Jeanette McCurdy’s Memoir

Amanda Kadima Contributor

I grew up, along with the rest of Generation Z, watching the iconic Nickelodeon show “iCarly” and loving Jeanette McCurdy’s food-obsessed, witty, and unapologetic character Sam Puckett. Who could forget the use of her iconic butter sock that she used as a weapon to defend herself and her friends? Or her unhealthy, albeit under standable, obsession with fried chicken? Anybody who knows me is aware of my love for Smartfood White Cheddar pop corn, so I guess we all have our Sam-in spired vices. In my opinion, she was one of the most dynamic characters of and the best actor on the show. When I first saw the book cover, her name, and the striking title of her memoir trending on Twitter, I was incredibly intrigued. I didn’t know what to expect; McCurdy’s happy expression while holding her mother’s ashes, contrasted with an outright heartbreaking title, had my questioning whether the memoir was going to be funny or tragic. Turns out it’s a bit of both.

Published on August 9th, 2022, McCurdy’s memoir focuses on her life growing up as a child actress with her emotionally and physically abusive mother, Debra. It was shocking to read her memoir and realise how much she disliked acting; from the outside looking in, she seemed like she was having a ball playing her character. Ironically, Jeanette’s character on the show also had an estranged rela tionship with her mother, played by Jane Lynch, who doesn’t really know how to be a parent. McCurdy held absolutely nothing back when writing about her experiences with disordered eating, exacerbated by

her mother, and feelings of shame over not having “the perfect mother.” Reading her memoir, I was moved by her candor, rawness and honesty, which are the main reasons why the title and the content of the memoir make society uncomfortable. Soci ety places mothers on a god-like pedestal, where children who have suffered abuse by their mothers are blamed and shamed into silence. The norm assumes that since their mothers gave them life, they should be honoured, despite any emotional and/ or physical abuse occuring. According to the Canadian Red Cross, “UNICEF esti mated that between 133–275 million chil dren worldwide are exposed to violence in the family. Among the types of emotional maltreatment, verbal abuse in the form of name-calling is the most commonly expe rienced.” Society guilt-trips children into forgiving their abusive mothers and letting go; in reality, that’s not always the answer, as McCurdy writes. There’s an unspoken rule that it is socially acceptable for chil dren to speak about their fathers who were abusive parents, but mothers are off-limits. In our unfortunate reality, abusive mothers are incredibly common.

There were certain passages where I could relate to McCurdy creating a distance between her and her mother in order to protect herself. She expresses that she is “so confused and troubled by this wedge. I’m desperate to feel close with her, but also desperate for that closeness to be on my terms, not hers. I want her to know me for who I’m becoming. I want her to allow my growth. I want her to want me to be me” (231). Another instance where I deeply empathized with McCurdy’s abusive relationship was through a disturbing email that she included from her mother. After she found out about McCurdy’s relationship with her boyfriend online, her mother writes: “I am so disappointed in you. You used to be my perfect little angel, but now you are nothing more than a little SLUT, a FLOOZY, ALL USED UP. And to think—you wasted it on that hideous OGRE of a man. I saw the pictures on a website called TMZ—I saw you in Hawaii with him. I saw you rubbing

his disgusting hairy stomach. I KNEW you were lying about Colton. Add that to the list of things you are—LIAR, CONNIVING, EVIL. You look pudgier, too. It’s clear you’re EATING YOUR GUILT…P.S. Send money for a new fridge. Ours broke” (233–234). Passages like this are meant to make so ciety uncomfortable and more accepting of children who were not raised by a loving

and perfect mother. It’s meant to make so ciety question why children might be glad that their mothers died. McCurdy’s memoir has struck a chord in the culture and has sparked an important conversation regard ing abusive mothers. I highly recommend this memoir to interested readers; it certain ly does live up to the hype.

Photo par amazon.ca

Academic Dishonesty has

Distorted our History

Barrington A. Morrison York Alumnus ‘10

It is at once tremendous and tragic, how universal knowledge flowed from Kemet (ancient Egypt) to the rest of the world, par ticularly Greece, Rome and the rest of Eu rope, all without acknowledgement of the tremendous contributions of the Egyptians. The ancient Egyptians fertilized the intellec tual landscape with ideas that exercise and exalt the highest faculties of the mind, and provided all the necessary conditions for the development of Western and European civilizations. Every honest scholar can now acknowledge, without debate, that ancient Egypt was the distant mother and nurse of Western science, mathematics, astronomy, medicine, architecture, literature, art, Juda ism, Islam and Christianity. The falsification and distortion of this rich history by dishon est scholars should unsettle and sadden those committed to the unbiased narration of historical truths.

The ancient professors of Kemet were African priests, who enjoyed the com fort and security of the temples, where they had the leisure to develop those habits of mind and delights of the senses that laid the foundation for a variety of academic disciplines. At the very beginning of record ed Egyptian history, we find a highly devel oped system of mathematics and astron omy that resulted in the complex design and construction of the pyramids, temples, and obelisks. These enduring architectural masterpieces are a testament to the ma jestic creations of the human intellect and collective genius of the ancient Egyptian priests and Pharaohs.

Nearly all the ancient historians and scholars agreed in ascribing the origin of geometry to the Egyptians. The oldest extant mathematical treatise, known as the Ahmes Papyrus, and dating back to 2000–1700 B.C., illustrates the computation of the capacity of a barn or the area of a field through examples. Egyptian geometry measured not only the area of squares, cir cles and cubes, but also the cubic content of cylinders and spheres; they calculated the value of pi at 3.16. It took four thousand years for mathematicians to advance from 3.16 to 3.1416…It is crucial to note that the figure of pi delineated by the Egyptians

is the result of mathematical writings 500 years more ancient than itself.

The Pythagorean theorem, falsely attributed to Pythagoras, existed in Egypt over 3000 years before he was born. Re garding the theorem improperly attributed to him, P.H. Michel states, “Whether stated or not by Pythagoras himself,…the con nection…had, furthermore, already been known for a long time by the Egyptians and the Babylonians, who had verified it in certain cases.” The Greek historian Hero dotus makes note that, “Pythagoras was nothing but a vulgar plagiarist of his Egyp tian masters,” and Pythagoras’ biographer Jamblichus writes “that all the theorems of geometry came from Egypt.” This fact is also recorded in Eudemus’ History of Ge ometry. With such overwhelming historical evidence of academic dishonesty, how can we continue the miseducation of our stu dents by labelling the ancient Egyptian the orem as Pythagorean?

Archimedes (287–212 B.C.) was another Greek celebrity of mathematics, who published a treatise entitled On the Equilibrium of Planes or the Centres of Gravity of Planes. This treatise dealt with the equilibrium of the lever, a problem that the Egyptians had mastered in 2600 B.C. when levers and pulleys had to be used to lift stones weighing several tons 139 metres above the ground. Archimedes wrote his thesis during and after his trips to Egypt, where he remained faithful to the Greek tradition of borrowing lavishly from Egyptian sources; this practice dates back to Thales, Pythagoras, Eudoxus, Onopid es, Plato and Aristotle, to name a few.

It was at the library of Alexandria in Egypt that Aristotle (384–322 B.C.), the pupil of Plato, began his research on meta physics, rhetoric, poetics and ethics. The Alexandrian library was the Harvard of the ancient world, where all the major Greek philosophers, scientists and mathemati cians went to advance their studies. Aris totle arrived in Egypt in the fall of 332 B.C. with Alexander of Macedonia, the so-called “Alexander the Great.” The eminent philos opher and historian, Will Durant, writes of Aristotle, “But it is unfair to judge him by his books; we know now that they were but hasty notes made sometimes by him self and sometimes by his students.” This is a diplomatic way of saying that Aristotle and his students plagiarized thousands of scrolls and texts in the Alexandrian library.

Plato (428–348 B.C.) and his compatriot Eudoxus spent 13 years in the Egyptian town of Heliopolis where they studied mathematics, philosophy, theolo gy and cosmogony, which inspired Plato to write the Timaeus (one of his famous

books on a study of the nature and origin of the world). Plato was so heavily influenced by the Egyptian texts that he copied word for word without citing where the material came from, when he writes, “That which became has become; that which becomes is in the process of becoming…” (Timaeus 36b). The distinguished Senegalese schol ar Cheikh Anta Diop located these plagia rized words of Plato in chapter XV11 of The Egyptian Book of the Dead (The Book of Going Forth by Day). This is one of many examples of Plato’s plagiarism in Diop’s magnum opus, Civilization or Barbarism And there is no denying the fact that Plato and Eudoxus were in Egypt; Strabo, one of the greatest Greek scholars of his time (58 B.C. to A.D. 25) confirms Plato and Eudox us’ journey to Heliopolis in Egypt, stating, “We saw over there [in Heliopolis] the hal lowed halls that were used in the past for the lodging of the priests; but that is not all, we were also shown Plato’s and Eudoxus’s dwelling, for Eudoxus had accompanied Plato there, after arriving at Heliopolis, they stayed there for thirteen years among the priests.”

In 4236 B.C., the ancient Afri cans of Kemet invented the calendar we use today; it is one of their greatest gifts to mankind. This date alone is sufficient to cause the modern mind to pause and reflect deeply on its implications. Consid er the level of development in advanced mathematics and astronomy that must have preceded this formulation. It strains the creative imagination to envision how the ancient Egyptians understood the complex movement of the sun, stars and moon and the constellational alignment and rotation of the planets without the aid of advanced technological instruments. It is encouraging to note the energy and in telligence of these Black scholars whose patient observation, careful experimenta tion, and systematic formulation of results produced a calendar that can only be im

itated, but never surpassed. The Egyptian calendar divided the year into 12 months of 30 days—360 days—plus the interca lated days, each one corresponding to the birth of one of the Egyptian gods: Osiris, Isis, Horus, Seth and Nephthys. The Greek philosopher Diogenes Laertius explains, “It is said that Thales discovered the seasons of the year and divided it into 365 days.” The Egyptian calendar as noted above was invented 3,600 years before the birth of Thales, and 2,800 years before the emer gence of the Greek people in recorded his tory. Again, here we see the indubitable fact of the Greeks’ capacity for chicanery.

European scholars have been uniformly obsessed with ideas of histor ic “darkness,” hinting constantly at Afri can “primitivism” without providing evi dence-based scientific proof to support their premise. Having lost ground with their indefensible academic positions on Africa and Africans, scholars like the Brit ish historian Hugh Trevor Roper lamented, “Perhaps, in the future, there will be some African history to teach. But at the present time, there is none or very little: there is only the history of the Europeans in Africa. The rest is largely darkness, like the history of pre-European, pre-Columbian America. And darkness is not a subject for history.” How tragic it is to see Roper employing his talents to corrupt himself.

“The history of Africa will remain suspended in air and cannot be written correctly until African historians connect it with the history of ancient Egypt,” says Diop. European scholars are deliberately looking for ways to erase from the mem ory of humanity the powerful influence of ancient Egyptian scholarship on Europe an and Western civilizations. Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored, falsified or distorted. Historians like Roper fail to understand that without historical memory and consciousness, human be ings become mere automatons.