The Argosy November 27th, 2014

Mount Allison’s

THE November 27, 2014

ARGOSY Independent Student Newspaper

Dropping out at Christmas since 1872

Vol. 144 Iss. 11

International tuition up 7.9%

Tuition further divides international, domestic peers Tyler Stuart News Reporter

The gap between international and domestic students is growing. While Mount Allison’s international students pay an unsubsidized sum twice the rate of what domestic students pay, a recent tuition increase means they will now pay that, plus almost $1,500 more than their Canadian counterparts.

Tuition for international students has increased $1,206 as of this year’s budget. The 7.9 per cent increase has frustrated students and raised questions about the treatment of international students at Mt. A. “It gives us that feeling that international students are cash cows,” said Rénelle John, a third-year student and president of MOSAIC, which stands for the Multicultural Organization and Social Arena for International Cooperation.

By contrast, tuition for Canadian students increased by 3 per cent to $7,462. With international tuition sitting at $16,421, international students now pay double, plus an additional $1,493.

Chris Milner, Mt. A’s budget officer, said in an email that, “New Brunswick universities are not funded for international students and the university spends additional resources to meet the needs of these students, such as the international office.”

But some international students said they have not seen their rising tuition benefit them in any specific ways.

“We are paying the increase but we are getting nothing back in return,” said Allen Wang, a fourth-year commerce student from Beijing, China.

This substantial hike in tuition has received little attention on campus for various reasons.

Most of the international students who spoke to The Argosy were unaware of the tuition increase. Those who were had not expressed their discontent publicly.

News

“We can’t do anything about it. We have to do what it takes because we are here for four years,” Wang said. “I can’t help the situation.”

Wang felt that even if international students had voiced their opinions and concerns, it would not have mattered because the administration already increased their tuition.

The lack of public response by international students to the tuition increase arguably points to some of the other problems they face, including social isolation from other students.

The international student population is slightly smaller than the advertised 10 per cent, sitting instead at 9.4 per cent of the Mt. A student body.

As of Oct. 1, 220 international students from more than 50 countries attend Mt. A. (Some Mt. A students pay domestic tuition but identify as international. It is difficult to calculate the number of these students.)

With international students in many university advertisements, and flags hung up at Jennings Dining Hall, Mt. A points to its 50-plus countries represented as evidence of its diversity.

But according to some students, the figure is misleading.

While the university does have students hailing from over 50 countries, the fact remains that 90 per cent of the total student population is Canadian.

John also raised questions regarding the type of diversity to which the university refers.

“The university is promoting a certain experience, and the question is whether the university delivers that experience for international students once they arrive,” said Morgan Poteet, a sociology professor. “There is a discrepancy there for all students, and definitely for international students.”

The ethnic homogeneity of Mt. A closely resembles that of Atlantic Canada, where an overwhelming majority of people are white.

This surprised some international students, while others both expected and embraced it.

“For a lot of people, the reason they are doing an exchange is to experience a type of locality,” said Youji Cheng, a second-year chemistry student from Xiamen, China.

Continued on pg. 3

The flags in Jenning’s represent the 50 countries from which international students hail. (Chris Donovan/Argosy)

Opinions

Sports

Arts & Culture

Inside...

News Opinions Sports Centrefold Arts & Culture Ship’s Log Science Humour

MASU sends two to Ottawa: Pg. 8

The loss of personal connection: Pg. 6

Mt. A now ranked #12 in CCAA: Pg. 8

Rogosin fronts jazz trio: Pg. 14

2 4 7 10 12 14 15 18

Pg. 9

NEWS

November 27, 2014

argosy@mta.ca

Arbitrator delays on SETs, but decides on pay, sabbatical

Agreement still needs to be finalized Jean-Sébastien Comeau News Reporter

An arbitrator has resolved most of the outstanding labour issues between Mount Allison’s administration and faculty. The decision gives new insight into the issues that caused the three-week strike earlier in 2014.

The awards resolved differences between faculty and the administration on compensation, sabbaticals and the length of the new collective agreement. An impasse on SETs was sent back to the parties for another chance at negotiation.

Arbitrator Kevin Burkett finalized his decision Nov. 17.

The two sides still need to sit down together and approve of the text of a new agreement.

“I don’t think there’s a strong feeling one way or the other about who won or who lost. I think people are saying ‘it is what it is,’ and we move on,” said Robert Campbell, Mt. A’s president. Mt. A communications staff told The Argosy that Campbell would not be in a position to discuss specifics of the arbitrator’s ruling or the collective agreement.

Arbitration for the fulltime collective agreement dealt with university proposals to force the use of SETs in hiring, tenure, and promotion and evaluation decisions, and sabbatical deferral for some faculty; a faculty proposal for salary increases; and disagreement on how long the new collective agreement should last. Burkett decided on restricting payments in lieu of benefits, compensation and contract length for the parttime collective agreement.

Burkett cut a middle path on money, awarding full-time faculty salary increases for the

next three years, and a boost to part-time compensation.

Full-time faculty received a 1.75 per cent raise from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014, two per cent for 2014-2015, and 2.25 per cent effective July 1, 2015.

Part-time faculty will see their per-course stipends increase from 8.75 to nine per cent of the full-time salary floor in January.

The parties are currently in the process of working out retroactive pay and benefits.

Burkett awarded a threeyear collective agreement, rejecting a university request for a four-year contract. While the administration sought stability, Burkett noted a lack of precedent and strong union opposition. Mt. A’s faculty have never had a four-year collective agreement.

Nearly one-third of the decision’s text dealt with how much faculty would be paid, but salaries, said MAFA President Loralea Michaelis, were not among the issues

UNBSU debates viability of fraternities, sororities at UNB Endorsement would give legitmacy Emma McPhee The Brunswickan

FREDERICTON (CUP) — The University of New Brunswick Student Union debated the merits of endorsing a “Greek Council” of fraternities and sororities at the university. The endorsement would grant some official legitimacy to the societies at a time when similar ones have been subjects of controversy in the United States, where they are much more prevalent.

Because sororities and fraternities generally act upon a system of genderbased exclusion, the Student Union will not ratify them individually, as it violates their inclusion policies. Instead, the concept of ratifying an overarching Greek council was proposed at council and put up for discussion.

“A Greek council, what it is, is an amalgamation of the fraternities and sororities under one board – one governing society – and that society is ratified by the student unions and they are accountable for the actions of the fraternities and sororities that are recognized under it,” said Will MacMackin, vice-president of finances and

operations for the UNBSU. Lee Thomas, UNBSU vice-president internal, said that Greek councils are already a successful part of some Canadian universities.

“The two examples that we’re really following are Dal and McGill. We’ve been reading up a lot on the sororities that are there and when clubs, including fraternities and sororities, get legitimacy, then they’re held more accountable,” said Thomas.

“Greek councils are very successful with other student unions and given that there’s an increasing number of Greek life societies and that we are recognizing more and more of them every year, it just seems to make sense to have something that is working in other places and bringing it here.”

Not everyone agreed.

Some councillors had legal concerns about officially recognizing the council.

“Anyone who’s been following education issues, especially in the United States, can see that there’s a big issue with fraternities and sororities there,” said arts councillor Marc Gagnon.

“I think given the stigma that can come with these, UNB, and especially the student union, shouldn’t have to bear the burden of financial and legal responsibility to these groups. I just don’t feel like this is something we should open ourselves

up to,” said Gagnon.

“I’m really concerned that, for instance, if we ratified a Greek council, I understand that that separates us a little bit from the liability, but we’re still attached,” said Kevin Collins, who is also an arts representative for the UNBSU. Ratification is not binding, however, and the UNBSU council can always vote to take away a ratified status if a club or society violates their policies. For many councillors, the union’s ability to hold the Greek council accountable through ratification is a positive aspect of legitimizing the fraternities and sororities.

“I think that if we were to say ‘no’ to them, then they’re still going to be there, they’re still going to be doing what they’re doing ... There’s nobody looking going to say ‘No, you can’t do this,’” said Hailey Rendel, UNBSU representative for kinesiology.

“I think that it’s better that at least we have a little bit of say as opposed to none.”

Currently, a draft constitution for a Greek council is in the making among Fredericton’s fraternities and sororities.

“A big issue at UNB is a lack of engagement. People aren’t going to things so I don’t think we should shut down a club or society or a Greek council that people want to join,” said Rendell.

With files from Kevin Levangie.

that ultimately triggered the strike.

Money was not as important as matters of tenure and promotion, sabbatical review, intellectual property and teaching evaluations to the faculty.

Ironically, many of these issues were not included in the final submissions to arbitration.

“The ambitious changes that the employer was seeking in this round of collective bargaining, which put us on the picket lines last year, were not settled through the arbitration decision. They were withdrawn in the course of bargaining, during a couple of sessions that were held in mid-August,” Michaelis said.

The issue of SETs, which was sent to arbitration by the university, may not be resolved until mid-2015.

Burkett declined to decide on whether to incorporate SETs formally into the university’s evaluation and promotion mechanisms, writing that

the “complex, multifaceted and divisive issue … goes to the heart of what Mount Allison University is as an institution.” He will make a decision if no agreement is reached by June 30, 2015 or a later date agreed upon by the parties.

Right now, most faculty applying for tenure voluntarily submit SETs as part of their applications. The university “argues that the voluntary use of SETs by individual faculty members does not sufficiently inform university decisionmaking,” Burkett wrote.

It proposed to make the questionnaires a mandatory part of applications for tenure or promotion. The Mount Allison Students’ Union indicated its support for mandatory inclusion of SETs in 2013.

Faculty balked at the idea.

Faculty have a number of reasons to object the mandatory use of SETs, or “anonymous student questionnaires.” Among them

are concerns about statistical validity and interpretation, a lack of scholarly consensus on the best uses for SETs, and a fear that using course evaluations in hiring, tenure and promotion decisions “will select for white males, dressed in suits, for whom English is their first language, teaching easy courses.”

Burkett sided with the university on a proposal updating collective agreement language on deferred sabbaticals for individuals nearing retirement.

The abitrator decided against a faculty request for what Burkett called “signing bonuses” of $1,000 for parttime and $1,800 for full-time faculty, for the university to pay professors’ shares of their benefits plans for the strike period, and the creation of a $100,000 bursary fund for students using money faculty said the university saved during the strike.

With files from Richard Kent.

CASA lobbies MPs Two MASU executives go to Ottawa Willa McCaffrey-Noviss Politics Reporter

The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations provided an opportunity for post-secondary students to meet with federal policy and decision makers in Ottawa last week.

The Mount Allison Students’ Union funded the trip for MASU President Heather Webster and VicePresident, External Affairs Annie Sherry to represent Mount Allison students, a trip which cost students about $1,910.

“Arguably the most important role that a student union plays is representing students and advocating for students,” Webster said. “Not doing advocacy at the federal level would be a serious disservice to students.”

“The things that are taken to these government officials are really able to be acted upon,” said Sherry, highlighting the importance of advocacy week and these memberships.

Throughout the week, university students from across Canada met with members of Parliament, senators, stakeholder organizations, and party leaders to discuss the seven priorities CASA is currently lobbying for. These priorities

MASU sent executives Webster and Sherry (MASU) include various monetary and mental health issues.

Mental health has been frequently discussed in student elections in the past three years at Mt. A. “This is something that Heather [Webster] and I had both campaigned on,” Sherry said. “We wanted to talk about it on a provincial and federal level.”

Sherry identified lobbying to renew the contract of the Mental Health Commission of Canada as a priority for advocacy week. The current ten-year contract will expire in 2017. The MHCC makes recommendations to government on how to best improve mental health care.

Sherry expanded on MHCC campaigns that aim to de-stigmatize mental health.

“It’s just as crippling,” said Sherry in comparing the experience of a mental illness with that of a physical one.

“People don’t hold those up to the same standards.”

One financial priority for the week was lobbying for income exemption limits.

Students who pay tuition

with need-based financial aid and earn in excess of $100 per week lose the ‘extra’ earnings from their loans Canadian student loans policy.

“It’s punishing students for working to pay to get through school,” Sherry said. During Advocacy Week, CASA representatives recommended to the federal government that the Canada student loans program’s in-study income assessment be eliminated.

Asked about which results should be expected from advocacy week, Webster said, “Ideally we would see some of our asks come to fruition.”

Some of these advocacy requests came during Webster’s meeting with Liberal party leader Justin Trudeau. “We’d really like to see post-secondary issues talked about in the upcoming federal election.”

CASA is one of two advocacy organizations that Mount Allison students belong to. This year, students paid $7,200 for their CASA membership and $9,953 to the New Brunswick Student Alliance.

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Continued from cover Despite the student body’s lack of diversity compared to those of other universities in Canada, Ron Byrne, vice-president of international and student affairs, recently suggested that Mt. A will seek to cap its international enrollment between 10 and 15 per cent.

One reason Byrne gave for the enrollment cap was the preservation of what he sees as an identity particular to a place like Mt. A. Speaking at an unofficial faculty council meeting (it had failed to meet quorum), Byrne spoke informally, saying, “In a small community like Mount Allison, it’s important that students have a Canadian university experience.”

Byrne said that if the percentage of international students exceeded a certain point, international students would face more difficulty integrating socially, learning English, and succeeding academically.

But some are skeptical of this.

“I’m not sure that argument holds,” Poteet said. “If there are any questions about whether programs are going to be [able] to accommodate that many students, I think that international students they certainly

NEWS contribute more financially than they take away.”

Mt. A offers several programs to aid international students, including the international centre, as well as the orientation and mentorship programs. Student-run societies like MOSAIC also cater to international students. Other services come in less targeted spaces.

“For me, my social life started in the meal hall,” Cheng said. “Right now, a lot of my good friends are from my core courses or from the same research group.”

Although international students voiced support for the programs in place at Mt. A, others point to cultural issues as barriers for international students to integrate.

“We don’t know why, but for some reason there is this gap between international students interacting with Canadian students,” said Samantha Peña, a third-year student from Ecuador and the vice-president of MOSAIC. Poteet recently completed a study exploring the integration of international students into Maritime universities. While he recognized the cultural barriers for international students, he cautioned against using general terms.

“We don’t want to jump to

conclusions and say international students aren’t integrating well,” Poteet said. “That’s a big statement.”

According to several international students, the ability to integrate depends on their English proficiency, cultural background, and upbringing.

“If you are not from a very multicultural background, I think it would be a bit harder for you to integrate socially,” said Jeehan Jawed, a third-year religious studies student from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

While some students like Jawed have said they did not find bridging the cultural gap particularly difficult, others did.

“In my four years here, I would say it’s very difficult for international students to break into the Canadian circle,” Wang said. “My best friends are international. We have much more to talk about because we have known the same difficulties.”

With the differing experiences of its international community, Mt. A will look to continue its goal of internationalization.

“I feel comfortable that we have done a number of things in the last number of years to move us forward, but there is no way we can relax,” Byrne said. “That work is a continual evolvement.”

MASU forgoes fan subsidies Proposals aim Bowl bound bus, viewing party Willa McCaffrey-Noviss

Politics Reporter

The Mount Allison Students’ Union council debated subsidizing both bus tickets for students to Hamilton, Ont. and $1,000 of student money to a viewing party for Nov. 22’s Mitchell Bowl. Ultimately, council supported neither proposal.

North Side Councillor Madeline Stewart was the one to propose the fan bus subsidization.

“Fan support is hugely important and it does make a huge difference to the players on the field,” Stewart said.

No-one motioned to support a bus ticket subsidy.

“I’m disappointed that [it] didn’t even make it to a motion and was just shot down,” Stewart said.

“There wasn’t enough demand from the students,” said MASU’s Vice-President, Campus Life Andrew Johnston. Without any subsidy, bus tickets to Hamilton cost $207, excluding accommodations.

“The amount of money we would have to put in to get the price down to a reasonable level was just too much.”

The bus’s capacity was limited to 47. The small number of students who would have benefitted from the subsidy was the biggest deterrent.

“It would have been a financially irresponsible decision to give 47 students a subsidy to go to the Mitchell Bowl,” said Arts Senator Piper Riley Thompson.

The fan bus discussion ended without a motion and council’s focus shifted toward an alternative idea, for MASU to support the Mitchell Bowl by sponsoring The

Pond’s viewing party. A motion was proposed by Andrew Johnston, MASU’s vice-president campus life, to give him discretionary power over $1,000 of the union’s surplus money to plan the event.

“It wasn’t clear what the thousand dollars were going to,” said Kyle Nimmrichter, MASU’s vicepresident academic affairs.

Johnston listed possibilities that included the subsidization of drinks, decorations and pub food for the event.

“My problem with this motion was that it was essentially party planning,” said Riley Thompson.

“It’s right to say that we aren’t a party-planning committee,” Johnston said after council, “but we do plan parties.”

While MASU holds multiple parties a year, supporting sports teams can be a grey area for the union.

“It’s also not clear what a students’ union mandate is when it comes to supporting sports,” Nimmrichter said, referencing the recent success of the football team. “It’s simply an issue that we haven’t had to deal with in the past.”

Stewart saw the problem as an opportunity.

“This is the first time in the history of Mount Allison football that we’ve had a perfect regular season,” Stewart said. “This is a good time for community bonding in our shared celebration.”

Third-year sociology student Caroline Kovesi expressed frustration over the council’s priorities. Kovesi pointed out that football may not be the most important expenditure that every student wants to see.

“Students must pay $100-$150 to see a qualified psychologist on campus but the MASU strongly considered subsidizing the cost of partying and alcohol to see footballers play in another province?”

Kovesi asked.

After approximately 40 minutes of debate, the motion was killed following a recommendation

by Ryan Harley, MASU’s vicepresident communications, to use the entertainment budget instead of the surplus.

“I didn’t see how the viewing party was any different from any other entertainment event,” Harley said.

“Ideally, [MASU’s] surplus should only be used for projects that will have a long-term impact on Mount Allison students,” said VicePresident, Finance and Operations Josh Outerbridge. “Using money from the entertainment line versus the surplus really concerns whether or not council considers this an event that will impact campus culture for a long time.”

MASU was left with a $97,830 surplus after last year.

“If we are constantly drawing from this large surplus that the MASU has, we’re not thinking about the future of this organization,” said Riley Thompson.

Riley Thompson criticized the lack of inter-organizational communication that led to the problematic motion.

“The MASU is made up of many portfolios and committees,” Riley Thompson said. “They have to work together to create the strongest possible organization.”

“Last year, the [executive] was highly criticized for perceived attempts to steamroll an agenda through council and to monopolize the debate,” Harley said, in response to questions from the Argosy about his not speaking up earlier in the debate. “I didn’t feel it was my place to limit the direction in which that motion could potentially go.”

After the council debate, Johnston said, “I guess because it’s not something where students want to see their money go, we likely won’t be able to do too much financially.”

3

This Week in the World Joanna Perkin

Missing students prompt mass protests The disappearance of 43 Mexican students has led to mass protests in Mexico City. Relatives and friends leading the protests have been demanding government action to find the 43 missing. The students, all training to be teachers, went missing after attending a protest in Iguala. An official explanation, released by members of a drug cartel, stated that they were responsible for students’ murders, but many are unconvinced. The mayor of Iguala had been arrested and faces accusations of having ordered police to confront the students on Sept. 26, the day of their disappearance. In the past decade, more than 27,000 have disappeared in Mexico.

Many killed in DRC violence Machete- and axe-wielding attackers massacred at least 50 people in the east region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The massacre happened near the Ugandan border, close to the town of Beni where army and UN troops are stationed. Witnesses said that the attackers wore uniforms and were posing as soldiers. The exact number of deceased is unknown, but one woman who managed to escape said she counted at least 50 bodies. Only nine bodies have been retrieved, but the dead are spread out and searches are still ongoing. Government officials said that a Ugandan Islamist rebel group, the Allied Democratic Forces, led the attack.

Fraternities suspended at U of V The University of Virginia will shut down all fraternal organizations and social activities until Jan. 9, 2015, which marks the beginning of UVA’s new semester. The suspension of fraternities came into effect so that students and faculty could address the issues of sexual assault and sexual violence on campus. UVA put the suspension in place after a Nov. 19 article in Rolling Stone magazine described an alleged sexual assault that occurred on campus in detail. The article detailed the sexual assault of a first-year woman by seven men who belonged to a fraternity in 2012. It is unsure what exactly the suspension entails, as school officials were not immediately available for comment.

Madagascar plague kills 40 An outbreak of the plague in Madagascar has killed 40 people and infected 80 others, according to the World Health Organization.

Humans usually develop the bubonic form of the plague after being bitten by infected fleas carried by rodents. High levels of resistance among fleas to insecticide have worsened the situation in Madagascar. 2 per cent of the cases in Madagascar are a more dangerous strain of the disease and have spread from person to person through coughing. There have been two confirmed cases in the capital and one death in the capital, leading to a fear that there will be a rapid spread of the disease in the city because of its high population density.

India tea workers kill owner Workers at a tea plantation in eastern India have killed the owner over a pay dispute. He died after being beaten up and stabbed by a crowd during negotiations. BBC News reports that many workers on tea plantations in India are malnourished and not paid well. In this case, the owner had started negotiations as an attempt to pacify angry workers who had allegedly not been paid for two or three months. There have been reports of several attacks on tea executives by workers in recent years.

Allison O’Reilly

Ferguson jury’s call sparks protests Protesters took to the streets of Ferguson, Missouri on Monday following a grand jury’s decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson in the fatal August shooting of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown. St. Louis prosecutor Bob McCulloch said the 12-person jury worked “tirelessly to examine and re-examine” testimony from evidence and witnesses. The decision led to violence and looting Monday night which continued into Tuesday. The demonstrations were met with firm police force, which included deployment of 2,200 National Guard troops into the area. The unrest came despite pleas from U.S. President Barack Obama for demonstrations to remain peaceful.

OPINIONS THE ARGOSY w w w. a r g o s y. c a

Independent Student Newspaper of Mount Allison University Thursday, October 27, 2014 volume 144 issue 11 Since 1872 Circulation 1,700

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November 27, 2014

Civilian-determined justice a danger ‘Hacktivism’ groups rarely held accountable for actions Samuel Clements Michael Brown, an unarmed teenager from Ferguson, Missouri, was shot and killed by a police officer in early August. Within days of the event, an online hacker group, Anonymous, triumphantly declared via Twitter that they knew the identity of the offending officer. As it was their duty, they released a name and picture of the alleged officer to the growing crowd of protesters. However, there was one small problem: he was completely innocent.

The wrongly accused officer was sent numerous credible death threats for something he did not do.

Though the public now knows of his innocence, the blame that was forced upon this man cannot be excused.

Online civilian driven “justice” cannot be substituted for actual justice in our society. This case explicitly shows that civilian “justice,” or civilians using the internet to essentially crowdsource

Online activist group ‘Anonymous’ was very actvice in response to Brown’s death. (Loavesofbread/Wikimedia) criminal investigations, is not only inept at best, but at times, harmful.

Neil Boyd, a law professor at Simon Fraser University, said this perverted form of justice is “substituting the judgement of a mob or a couple of angry individuals for the judgement of a court.” It is vital to recognize the fundamental importance of our criminal justice system and rule of law. Yes, the justice system can be slow, and yes, it can make mistakes, but it can be held accountable. While online “justice” can do much to accuse, it can do nothing to correct its errors.

After it was discovered that they had accused the wrong officer, online hacker group Anonymous could do nothing to aid or reverse the damage they had done.

While police officers can be

held accountable for their actions, members of the online community are not held to the same standard. On Monday evening, Bob McCulloch, the St. Louis County prosecutor, announced the grand jury’s decision to acquit Officer Darren Wilson of any criminal charges for the shooting of Michael Brown.

While both justice systems can do great harm, police officers will stand trial for any wrongdoings or abuses of power. Civilian “justice” is also flawed, as it presents us with a case of two different groups of people: trained members of law enforcement and computer hackers, both trying to investigate criminal activity in our society. In a sense, technological advancement has given untrained individuals the ability to accuse

of Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of The Argosy’s staff or its Board of Directors. The Argosy is published weekly throughout the academic year by Argosy Publications Inc. Student contributions in the form of letters, articles, photography, graphic design and comics are welcome. The Argosy reserves the right to edit or refuse all materials deemed sexist, racist, homophobic, or otherwise unfit for print, as determined by the Editor-in-Chief. Articles or other contributions can be sent to argosy@mta.ca or directly to a section editor. The Argosy will print unsolicited materials at its own discretion. Letters to the editor must be signed, though names may be withheld at the sender’s request and at The Argosy’s discretion. Anonymous letters will not be printed.

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whomever they wish, but not along the responsibility to ethically conduct this action.

We have a justice system that has the ability to ethically prosecute, yet we are far too ready to hand this responsibility over to faceless people behind computer screens who have a track record of poor. ineffective detective work. If I may close with a horrible cliché, technology has given us great power, but we clearly lack the great responsibility required for its use. Until online “justice”-seekers can be held accountable for their actions, we as a society cannot uphold their accusations. I believe this is reasonable and I believe that the falsely accused officer in Ferguson would agree.

MP dismissal sets policy precedent Sexual assault allegations need to be taken seriously Chad Morash

The Argosy is the official independent student journal of news, opinion, and the arts, written, edited and funded by the students

argosy@mta.ca

On the heels of the Jian Ghomeshi scandal, who was fired from CBC for alleged sexual assaults, two Liberal MPs have been expelled from the party. The connection? Both of these cases deal with sexual assault allegations against public figures and what it means to make these kind of allegations.

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau promptly expelled Scott Andrews and Massimo Pacetti after two individuals from the NDP party spoke up with allegations of sexual misconduct.

Although some would argue that immediate expulsion is somewhat rash, Trudeau certainly sent a strong message, and it’s one that I think resonates much further than just the bounds of parliament.

In many cases, we look to government systems to lead the way for important issues. Sometimes they’re warranted and sometimes they can lead us astray. I think Trudeau’s message, “as an institution we will

Trudeau dismissed Andrews and Pacetti from caucus. (Magnus Manske/Wikimedia) protect and encourage people who come forward with serious allegations of this type,” is certainly pivotal for anyone trying to make their voice heard. This is of increasing importance of the current gender imbalance in representation within the Canadian government and offers possible reasons for why this imbalance exists.

The actions taken in this case could make government positions more approachable for all, now that we have precedent, meaning this is one

step closer to making positions in government safer spaces.

NDP leader Thomas Mulcair added to this sentiment, saying, “Here on Parliament Hill and in every workplace, women have a right to be in a secure work environment.

Everyone who works in these places has a right to be in a secure work environment, free of harassment.”

Furthermore, Mulcair mentioned that all parties should become involved with these issues to show that

harassment is being taken seriously by governing bodies as a whole. This proposed display of solidarity shows Canada that if nothing else, all of the parties on Parliament Hill agree that workplaces should be made safe for all individuals.

These allegations have also brought greater awareness to the need for more policies covering workplace harassment, particularly in parliament, but also applied to other work environments. Liberal party whip Judy Foote noted that there is no precedent for dealing with allegations between party members. It will be interesting to observe the proceedings of these allegations, particularly to see what sort of precedent is set.

No matter the outcome of the proceedings, this process will hopefully prove itself to be highly valuable as an example of how allegations of sexual harassment should be dealt with effectively. As these allegations come further into the public eye, the public could become increasingly aware of these types of issues within their own workplaces. It could challenge their beliefs about what is and is not acceptable behaviour at work, while also discerning that victims do not have to remain silent.

If these allegations proceed in a just and unbiased manner, hopefully the resounding idea regarding methods to deal with sexual harassment in Canadian workplaces can be based on a model provided by the leaders of the country.

The Argosy

www.argosy.ca

OPINIONS

GMOs show promise for biotechnology GMOs provide viable options for food security Eric Leblanc In the last decade, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been largely criticized. Canadian rock legend Neil Young has always been an outspoken activist on environmental and First Nations issues. His latest endeavour includes urging his followers to boycott Starbucks, after the Grocery Manufacturers’ Association (GMA), which is made up of 300 companies, initiated a lawsuit alongside Monsanto in Vermont to prevent the labelling of products containing GMOs. Starbucks has since denied having a hand in this lawsuit, saying that they are merely an affiliate member of the association. However this comment hasn’t prevented the boycott from making waves. Aside from the fingerpointing, the attention has brought up the controversy of GMO-food

GMO corn in Yellow Springs, Ohio. (Canoe1967/Wikimedia) labelling, and it’s worth talking about.

Championed and pioneered by organizations such as Monsanto and DuMont, creating GMOs involve making small changes to the genetic structure of agricultural seeds. For example, increasing the amount of vitamin A in rice or preventing pesticide absorption among maize crops. These ideas are some of many in a rapidly expanding field, which is understandably why people are concerned. So far, however, none of these concerns have held water in

the numerous scientific studies held over the last few decades. A metareview of over 1,700 studies from 2002 to 2012, published in Critical Reviews in Biotechnology, concluded that there have been no “significant hazards directly connected with the use of GE crops.” The situation is akin to when the microwave oven was introduced and the radioactive nature of the device sparked fears over the generation of carcinogenic food. 40 years later, microwaves are commonly used in most households.

But the same doubts among the public remain over our food. As a result, legislation, such as the one in the state of Vermont, is deemed necessary for consumers who wish to make their own decisions. This is a fine concept in theory, but it ends up creating a scapegoat out of nothing.

Most people see biotechnology as a way for larger corporations to make more money at our expense. Yet we are lured to consume “natural” and/ or “organic” products, which take advantage of this irrational fear of the

5

unknown. Ironically, due to the nature of cross-pollination, it is impossible and irresponsible for companies to claim that these “natural” products don’t contain traces of GMOs. What would happen if labels appeared on the food in our supermarkets? If we consider that most of our produce contains at least some form of genetically modified ingredients, we’d find labels on a large portion of our available selection. The foods that don’t have labels will likely have a visible markup in price. In a time in which world food prices are increasing and supply is decreasing, how much more will people be willing to pay for this peace of mind?

I’m also willing to bet that people in developing countries, whose food options are often limited, are looking at us with great confusion - wondering why we can’t simply be satisfied with what we have taken for granted.

Labelling laws and the influence of Neil Young and activists alike seem to want us to go back in time in terms of agricultural technology, despite the great promise it is demonstrating.

Now that climate change globally threatens the very food security we take for granted, food labeling is just another “first-world problem” that defines us. And we shouldn’t be particularly proud of this one.

An open letter to Robert Campbell Need to divest more important than ever Emma Jackson In recent years, students, faculty, and alumni from post-secondary institutions across North America and around the world have called upon their administrators to pull their endowment funds from the fossil fuel industry.

The logic behind the divestment movement is simple. If it is wrong to wreck the planet, then it is wrong to profit from that wreckage.

Let’s be clear: the climate crisis is no longer an issue reserved for future generations. Since the beginning of your contract at Mount Allison University, typhoon Haiyan—the largest storm in recorded history— ravaged the coast of the Philippines, Hurricane Sandy barreled into New York City leaving 75 billion dollars worth of damages in its wake, and a drought in the Sahel left 10 million people in a state of food insecurity.

In Canada alone, a heat wave in 2010 baked Southern Ontario and Québec, heavy rainfall in 2013 devastated the city of Calgary, and heavy flooding inundated Toronto’s subway system just earlier this year.

These are our homes. As a university that draws students from across Canada and around the world, we have collectively become all too familiar with climate change’s

An anti-pipeline protest at Mount Allison put on by Divest MTA earlier this month. (Chris Donavan/Argosy) indiscriminate reach. In 2013, students from High River, Alberta were left wondering whether they’d have a home to return to and just this past summer, Hurricane Arthur left Mount Allison students from across Atlantic Canada without power for days. Research from our own institution indicates that future flooding in the Town of Sackville will leave huge swaths of land underwater, compromising the houses of citizens who share our love for this town.

Climate change is the issue of our generation and no university degree, no matter how prestigious, will insulate us from its effects.

Dr. Campbell, it should be of no surprise that the fossil fuel divestment movement has reached the small town of Sackville, New Brunswick. For 175 years, Mount Allison University has taken pride in shaping young people into national and international leaders in their respective fields.

For years, our professors have taught us to think critically. They have taught us to recognize our privilege

and above all, they have taught us that we, as fortunate, educated, and empowered citizens, have the power to change the world.

It is often difficult to believe them.

Universities can transform students into cynics and Mount Allison is no exception. But fossil fuel divestment is a concrete action. It is a tangible change and it is something that we can and will achieve.

Mount Allison University students have a great deal to be proud of. Every day, we are surrounded by peers who inspire us and professors who expand our knowledge to a point we never thought possible. In many ways, this alone should compel us to be proud of our title as “The #1 Undergraduate University in Canada.” But in reality, until we begin to dismantle our ivory tower, we don’t deserve this title.

As an elite institution, we have a fundamental responsibility to use our privilege for the better.

Climate change is – first and foremost – an environmental justice issue. At the international level, it is

already wreaking havoc on the Global South. While in North America, indigenous groups, low-income communities, and disempowered individuals are being hit hardest by its impacts. As educated citizens, we have an obligation to act.

Many will argue that university endowments should be reserved to advance the institution’s academic mission. Last year, Drew Gilpin Faust, Harvard’s president, said, “The endowment is a resource, not an instrument to impel social or political change.” But her words ring hollow. Universities, including Mount Allison, have, for years, cultivated strong relationships with businesses, donors, and governments to fulfill commercial and political purposes. University presidents, such as yourself, understand that our mission statement does not exist in social isolation. In fact, the urgency of climate change has compelled hundreds of institutions, from Unity College in Maine to Stanford University in California, to embrace

divestment.

Many of the world’s leading political figures support the cause.

The President of the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim; UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon; and the governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney have all urged major institutions to consider how their investments can transition the world toward a renewable energy economy.

Dr. Campbell, you’ll be proud to know that Mount Allison University is preparing us to take on the challenge of climate change. Science students are being taught to understand its complex dynamics and effects.

International relations students are being equipped with the skills they need to negotiate international environmental agreements. Business students are being prepared to build a green economy rooted in the understanding of an ecological bottom line. Fine arts students are being given the tools they need to create art that mobilizes communities under a common cause. Finally, our English students are being prepared to write the success story when the time comes to celebrate what we have achieved.

But without action, climate change will undermine the very education Mount Allison has provided us with.

Dr. Campbell, you have the opportunity to place this institution on the right side of history. Divest now and know that in doing so, you are affirming your belief in our futures.

Yours, Divest MTA

OPINIONS

Through stained glass Israeli-Palestinian violence must come to an end Rev. John C. Perkin Last week, a horrific attack on men at prayer in a West Jerusalem synagogue left five Jewish men dead by two men wielding knives and a gun. The two Palestinian attackers were shot to death by police. In the day following the attack, the Israeli paper Ha’ Aretz published multiple articles with headlines ranging from “After the horror, a test for both left and right,” to “Current Wave of Palestinian terror inspired by ISIS,” to “PM vows more demolitions in response to attacks,” and to “Is it too late to defuse an intifada in Jerusalem?”

Some analysts are suggesting that from this attack and those on the light rail system, we may be witnessing the beginnings of a third intifadah in Israel. An intifidah is a protest, a response to political circumstances, and it represents a resistance to what is seen as the erosion of rights and further occupation or entrenchment

of occupation of Palestinian land.

Literally, a “shaking off,” intifadah refers to the uprising of people in response to perceived abuses or provocations.

While the attacks seem to be random and not part of organized violence, the rhetoric used by Israeli and Palestinian religious and political leaders seems to be leading people in an endless cycle of intense violence.

Since 1967, and consequently the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, there have been two significant intifadas by Palestinian people – both in response to what were perceived as increased provocations by Israelis.

The First Intifadah developed slowly, particularly in response to increased numbers of Israeli enclaves or settlements in the West Bank.

As more roads were put in, some of which were limited to use by cars with Israeli licence plates and as antagonisms grew, local outbreaks of violence began. Initially, stones were thrown at Israeli cars and settlers fired on Palestinians. The violence intensified particularly after an Israeli army vehicle hit and killed five Palestinians; allegations were made that it was deliberate.

By December 1987, the intifadah had escalated to groups of boys and

young men throwing stones at armed forces, who responded with rubber bullets and tear gas. Strikes, protests, and shop closures, along with the street conflicts, brought attention to Palestinian issues. The intifadah began to slow down by 1991 and was more formally brought to an end with the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1991, in which the Palestinian liberation Organization gave formal recognition to Israel. By this time, more than 1200 Palestinians had been killed in armed clashes and about 160 Israelis had died.

The Second Intifada began with a provocation that was at once political and religious. Ariel Sharon, the opposition leader, walked on the sacred Muslim site of Al-Haram Al-Sharif with dozens of armed guards, known to Jews as the Temple Mount. This holy site, at the heart of Jerusalem, represents the conflicting religious claims to the city. Sharon’s very public walk in this area was seen not just as exercising a right of access, but as claiming ownership for Jews.

The resulting intifadah was more carefully organized and more political, yet fuelled by fundamentalist Islamic supporters, causing more violence.

Characterized by suicide bomb attacks within Israel by Palestinians,

Losing the art of socialization Some things are better without technology

November 27, 2014

the armed response by the Israeli Defence Force was equally violent.

At the end of the intifadah five years later, over 4000 people had died: 3000 Palestinians and 1000 Israelis.

Recent attacks have worried leaders and observers as being signs of a third intifadah. The attacks at the rail station suggest an opposition to the extension of the light rail transit system of Jerusalem as being further signs of a land grab in east Jerusalem, which is in West Bank territory, or part of what some nations recognise as the nascent state of Palestine.

The synagogue attack seems to have a personal retributional element, although taking place in a synagogue brings an overtly religious dimension back to the crisis.

In the biblical story of Cain, who kills his brother Abel, God asks Cain ‘Where is your brother Abel?’ to which we receive the reply, ‘I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?’ And the story continues: “The Lord said, ‘What have you done? Listen; your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground!” (Genesis 4:9-11).

Studies and surveys consistently show that Israelis favour withdrawing from the West Bank in exchange for peace.

Polls from a few years ago showed that most Palestinians favoured a

argosy@mta.ca

two-state solution, with support for the moderate leader Mahmoud Abbas. As violence intensifies, one wonders if peace is still possible.

I do not believe that the recent number of personal and intense acts of violence mark the beginning of another intifada, but I do fear that the violence will stand in the way of the road to peace, understanding, and coexistence in the land called holy.

As long as violence is the action of choice, supported by rhetoric from the leaders on either side, there can be no understanding, acceptance, coexistence, and possibly no future – simply an endless replaying of the past. As Jimmy Carter, author of the Camp David peace accords between Israel and Egypt in 1978, writes, “The blood Abraham still flows in the veins of Arab, Jew and Christian, and too much of it has been spilled in grasping for the inheritance of the revered patriarch in the Middle East.

The spilled blood in the Holy Land still cries out to God – an anguished cry for peace.” I pray that we might see peace in this region, before the blood runs dry and there is no one left to shed any more.

John Perkin is chaplain of Mount Allison University.

SUMMER JOB 2015

Become a Parliamentary Guide

Dakota Pauley Just last week, I was enjoying a Sarah McLachlan concert in Moncton.

While listening to the three-time Grammy-winning artist perform a beautiful melody on the piano, I couldn’t help but notice the people sitting around me. Specifically, I noticed approximately a dozen people in my section on their cell phones, typing away. In that moment, I couldn’t help but wonder what could possibly be more enjoyable on that phone than the music right in front of you?

This thought extends far beyond the concert. Every day, I see people distracted by the gigantic online world known as social media. And who can blame them? Social media offers an endless amount of ways to “connect”: sharing, laughing, and communicating with your friends and acquaintances. This allows us to constantly know what everyone is up to and vice-versa. But is this really a good thing? What started as a friendly communication system has become an almost competitive platform, in which people constantly seek out the attention of others through sites like Facebook or Twitter. It seems as though this has prevented people from enjoying the smaller, real, sociable settings around them.

Imagine you are in your workplace,

Phones are a common sight at concerts. (Mariel Penafiel/Flickr) but instead of actually working, you simply walk around and tell all of your co-workers about the work you are supposed to be doing. Doesn’t make any sense, right? Well then why is it that in social situations, this has become acceptable? We’ve all seen people at a party sitting alone texting someone, or even a room full of friends all focused on their own social devices. But why is this? It’s almost as if we are losing the ability to enjoy the present moment, or truly socialize. It seems to me that the reason many students today feel socially awkward or suffer from social anxiety is because we are depriving ourselves of everything it means to be “social.” If we can’t talk to each other in a room with our friends, how are we expected to apply this to other social situations?

Now, don’t get me wrong. I myself use social media as it presents many positive opportunities. It allows me to stay in touch with people whom, without it, I wouldn’t normally be able to. However, the problem arises when

people cannot detach themselves from their devices. Putting away your phone or computer for a few hours should not seem like a daunting task.

Getting as many “likes” as you can on that profile picture should not be something worth striving toward.

We have to learn how to distinguish ourselves between the two worlds and use each one accordingly.

While it has never been easy to stay in touch with your friends, I seem to be seeing more and more people drifting away from one another.

Caught up in the social world, an increasing amount of people are losing sight of the experiences that sit in front of them. While I believe and hope that this will be a temporary phase we are going through as a contemporary society, it is important to keep ourselves focused on the real relationships and experiences we share with people. So maybe, for even just an hour today, put away your phone and go talk to someone, whether it be a friend, a professor, or your family. I guarantee you won’t regret it.

Give guided tours of the Parliament of Canada Interviews across Canada in a city near you Travel costs covered Competitive hourly wage and living allowance

Apply online!

Deadline: Thursday, January 15, 2015

www.parl.gc.ca/guides

SPORTS

November 27, 2014

argosy@mta.ca

Marauders defence prevails in Mitchell Mounties end season one win shy of Vanier appearance Benjamin Foster

Sports Reporter

It was a heartbreaking loss.

Mt. A came into the Mitchell Bowl with high hopes to continue their unbeaten season and advance to Montreal to play in the Vanier Cup. In the end, the McMaster Marauders outlasted the Mounties with a 2412 victory at Ron Joyce Stadium in Hamilton, Ont. Though their Vanier Cup aspirations were dashed, the 2014 Mounties can’t be looked at as a failed team. The 12-point margin is the closest an AUS team has come to winning a national semi-final match up since the Saint Mary’s University Huskies went to the Vanier Cup in 2007.

The Marauders opened the scoring in the first quarter by holding the Mounties deep in their own territory and forcing them to concede two safeties. The Marauders added a field goal in the last minute of the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead.

McMaster would later extend their lead to 10-0 from another field goal early in the second. The Mounties came to life after the field goal, and quarterback Brandon Leyh threw a short pass to wide receiver Josh Blanchard, who broke away for a 48yard touchdown to make the game 10-7. The Mounties would concede another safety before half and go into halftime still very much in the game, down 12-7.

The Mounties were unable to create more offence in the first half, as

Chris Reid (left), ran for 53 yards on 11 carries in the loss. Michael Bohan (right), had a key first down run on a fake field goal in the game. (Paul Lynch/Submitted) the Marauders pass-rush was simply overwhelming. Leyh was sacked nine times throughout the game for losses of 63 yards.

“I was feeling okay. I took a couple awkward hits that lingered a little bit but for the most part, adrenaline took over and I wasn’t feeling too much while actually playing,” said Leyh.

Just 4:17 into the third quarter, Marauders back-up running back Wayne Moore, who had come on to replace injured starter Chris Pezzetta, scored a six-yard touchdown to stretch the Marauders’ lead to 19-7.

Kelly Jeffrey once again reached deep into his playbook of unorthodox plays. This time, the Mounties executed a fake field goal when Michael Bohan took a direct snap on third down and ran the ball down

to the 20-yard line. Adding to the trickery, Brandon Maj lined up as an eligible receiver with the Mounties in a goal-to-go situation. Leyh tried to hit 245-pound Brandon Maj in the end zone, but Maj couldn’t bring the touchdown pass in. Ryan Lambert would end up kicking a field goal for the Mounties to make the score 19-10 McMaster.

The Mounties defence lived up to their reputation in the game, holding McMaster to only 23 points. Nate Rostek had the only

interception in the game by either side. Jacob Leblanc and Andrew Klain added sacks for the Mounties.

Leyh went 15 for 33 for 186 yards through the air with a touchdown and an interception.

AUS rookie of the year Chris Reid contributed 50 yards on 11 carries in his first bowl game.

“We were really focused all year on getting some redemption from last year’s Uteck Bowl, and I thought we were focused and ready to go in and compete.

“I was feeling okay.

I took a couple awkward hits that lingered a bit but for the most part, adrenaline took over and I wasn’t feeling too much while actually playing.”

Unfortunately we didn’t have much of an answer on offense but we will take this experience and learn from it,” said Leyh.

The story of the game for McMaster was Moore, who rushed for 146 yards and a touchdown, and was named MVP of the Mitchell Bowl.

The attendance at the game was 3810 people, including many Mounties fans and many alumni travelling to watch the game.

The Mitchell Bowl was the last game for many Mounties at Mt. A, including Blanchard and fellow wide receivers Troy Trentham and Rodreke Joseph. The team is expected to be a top national contender and AUS conference favourite again next season.

Debating the flu shot? Don’t delay, it’s worth it Getting the flu shot will help prevent you from getting sick Madalon Burnett Your nose is running, you’re feeling achy and tired, and you think you might have a fever. Just in time for exams, you’ve caught the flu.

The flu is caused by a group of viruses called influenza viruses. When the immune system fights viruses, it produces proteins called antibodies that can recognize and attach to the virus, marking it for destruction by white blood cells. Once your body creates the right type of antibodies for the virus, the antibodies remain in your blood so you can fight the same virus quickly in the future; this

is why you don’t feel the effects of the chicken pox after a second exposure to the virus. Usually antibodies work by recognizing the proteins that make up the outside of the virus (inside this ‘coat’ of proteins is the genetic material of the virus).

Unfortunately for us, viruses are able to change genetically in a short amount of time. They reproduce very quickly, so they can accumulate mutations in their genomic structures.

The protein coat which antibodies recognize changes particularly quickly. Once the outside of the virus has changed enough that previously produced antibodies can’t recognize it anymore,

we can be infected again.

Flu vaccines contain either viruses or synthetic viruses, both of which are designed to allow your body to make antibodies for the virus without causing minimal or milder symptoms.

In Canada, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization takes information about the nature of influenza viruses circulating under direction from the World Health Organization, and through provincial health programs, they design a vaccine that will cause antibody production for the three most common types of flu viruses for that year. By the time the next flu season rolls around, there will be new viruses

“Leading health organizations, such as the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, and Mayo Clinic, strongly recommend getting a vaccine.”

circulating and you will need a new flu vaccination.

The flu vaccine has had a controversial history. Common reasons for not getting a flu vaccine include concerns over the side effects of the vaccine and doubts about its effectiveness. Others simply don’t get around to making an appointment, or are scared of getting a needle.

Leading health organizations, such as the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, and Mayo Clinic, strongly recommend getting a vaccine. Though there are side effects and risks associated with the vaccine ranging from fevers and achiness to life threatening allergic reactions, experts suggest that the benefits outweigh the risks. After receiving the vaccine, your chances of getting the flu are decreased by at least 60 per cent. Most importantly, by protecting yourself, you are helping to stop the spread of the infection and preventing it from reaching members of your

community who are at an elevated risk to the flu.

Cydney Kane, a member of a high-risk group, said, “[F]or highrisk groups, someone around them getting a flu shot might make the difference between being fine or having a really nasty flu. Many members of these groups can’t get the vaccinations themselves, and the only way for them to be protected is to have those around them immunized.”

On average, the flu causes thousands of hospitalizations and hundreds of deaths in Canada per year.

In Sackville, the flu vaccine is available by appointment at the Wellness Centre as well as at The Guardian and Jean Coutu drug stores. In New Brunswick, there is a small cost associated with the vaccine unless you’re living with someone who falls in a high-risk category.

Madalon Burnett is Mount Allison University’s Health Intern.

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November 27, 2014 argosy@mta.ca

SPORTS

Mounties roll over UKC

Men move to 4-1 after pair of victories

Alex Bates

Women grab share of ACAA lead The Mounties Women’s Basketball team started the 2014-15 season 0-2, but after three consecutive victories, the Women sit at the top of the ACAA standings, in a three-way tie for first. The Mounties were able to defeat both the University of King’s College Blue Devils 88-71 on Saturday and the Mount Saint Vincent University Mystics 71-60 in McCormack Gymnasium, Sunday.

The Mounties were led by Lauren MacEachern and veteran Mackenzie Gray in the win over the Blue Devils, scoring 21 and 18 points, respectively.

On Sunday, the Mounties went back to work looking for a share of the ACAA lead against the Mystics. After two consecutive victories, a third win would push them into a tie with MSVU, Holland College, and St. Thomas University for first place in the league.

The Mounties did not disappoint. The Mounties raced out to an early lead, and led 37-26 at the end of the first half. Despite being outscored 22-20 in the third quarter, the Mounties quieted the Mystics comeback and held on to a 71-60 lead. MacEachern led the way for the Mounties again with 21 points, and was helped out by a 20-point game from point guard Sarah McGeachy.

The Mounties will now host Holland College Saturday, Nov. 29 in their final game of 2014 before the Christmas break. The Hurricanes have a share of the ACAA lead, and a win would cement the Mounties’ hopes at a title in 2015. The game will tipoff at 2 p.m.

Alex Bates

Sports Editor The Mounties Men’s Basketball team continued their assault on the ACAA standings with a pair of wins over the University of King’s College Blue Devils and the Mount Saint Vincent University Mystics last weekend. After moving to fourteenth place in the CCAA on Tuesday, Nov. 18, the Mounties solidified their status as one of the best in the ACAA with a convincing 87-72 win over UKC and another strong performance against MSVU, taking the game 72-63.

The Mounties travelled to Halifax to take on the Blue Devils Sat, Nov. 22, and they survived an early scare in the game to take the match 87-72.

After one quarter of play, the Mounties trailed 25-10, and looked nothing like one of the ACAA’s finest. Coach Duane Starratt was able to turn things around for the Mounties in the second quarter, and by the end of the first half, the Mounties trailed by just five points.

The Mounties dominated the second half, allowing just eleven points in the fourth quarter, to take the game by a final score of 87-72.

Kaleefah Henry scored 24 points for the Mounties, a game-high for the Brampton, Ont. native. Alex Chisholm also netted 16 points for the Mounties.

The Mounties were back at McCormack Gymnasium Sunday looking for their fourth

Mounties falter against Hurricanes

The Mounties are now the no. 12 rated team in the CCAA (Chris Donovan/Argosy) win of the ACAA season.

The Mounties took on the Mystics, and despite allowing Mystics leading scorer Jack Gallinaugh to net 24 points, three Mounties netted doubledigits, pushing Mt. A to a 7263 victory.

Mt. A held a slim 38-35 lead in the first half, but the team held the Mystics to just ten points in the third quarter— and 28 in the second half—to take the win. Chisholm scored 19 points, Henry scored 17,

and Bradley Fuller scored 16 in the Mounties’ fourth victory of the season.

Coach Starratt took to social media after the Mystics game, tweeting “Nice team win over MSVU to move to 4-1. As always, some ups and downs, but learning to win.”

Starratt’s Mounties trail only the undefeated Holland College Hurricanes in the ACAA standings. The Hurricanes will visit the Mounties Saturday, Nov. 29 at

4 p.m. The game’s result will be critical in the ACAA playoff seedings after the holiday break. A win could push the Mounties into sole possession of first place if results go their way in other ACAA matchups. The Hurricanes have ACAA-leading scorer Chase Borden, who is the only player averaging 25 points per game.

Swimmers compete against some of the best at Dalhousie meet Feschuk qualifies for CIS Taylor Losier Humour Editor

The Mount Allison Varsity Swim team took part in the Dalhousie Invitational last weekend, the team’s third competition of the season.

This year, the Invitational had an expanded field of competition, featuring teams from Memorial University and McGill, in addition to Acadia, UPEI, and UNB Fredericton.

“The meet was both exciting and disappointing,” said coach John Peters. “The relays came up just a little bit short, but overall the team did well.

Sports in Brief

Now we’re looking forward to training camp and getting ready for next year.

“McGill and MUN being there certainly put a lot of pressure on everyone to swim faster in the morning, or else you wouldn’t get that second swim,” explained Peters.

The extra competition reflected in the final standings for the Mounties. However, Coach Peters was not deterred, concentrating instead on the improvement with regard to the times: “We probably had about 60 percent best times, and our first Canadian Interuniversity Sport Championship qualifier.”

The CIS qualifier was achieved by rookie Olivia Feschuk in the 200-metre individual medley, and then again in the 200-metre back, where she also finished second overall.

“I think Allison [Loewen]

and Marya [Peters] will both definitely be able to qualify in either the 50 or 100 free,” said Peters. “The other swimmers will all have the chance to improve their own times, and there are a few others who may qualify. Laurel [White]’s 50 breast, for instance, gives us something to look forward to, and Geraint [Berger] is also close to the standard.”

Fourth-year swimmer Marya Peters earned bronze in the 200-metre back and fourth in the 100-metre back. Allison Loewen finished fourth in the 50 and 100 free, while Laurel White finished fourth in the 50 breast. The women’s 4x100metre freestyle relay (Loewen, White, Feschuk, Peters) managed to earn third place, while the 4x100-metre medley relay (Peters, White, Feschuk, Loewen) came fourth.

“The meet went well overall,”

said White. “It was a little disappointing seeing a couple of swimmers so close to CIS qualifying times, but it’s still progress. We’re on the right path.” White earned best times in all four of her events.

On the men’s side, Captain Andrew Reeder came fourth in the 50-metre back. Rookie Martin Peters finished fourth in the 200-metre fly, while fellow first-year Geraint Berger came fourth in the 100-metre free.

The men placed fifth in both the 4x100-metre freestyle and medley relays, each with the team of Reeder, Jeff Loewen, Peters, and Berger.

“The team came together really well and was very supportive,” said Berger. “I had a lot of fun at the meet this weekend and was pretty happy with my races.”

The Women’s Volleyball Mounties started their two-game series against Holland College last weekend by winning the first eight points, and looked to be poised for a very successful weekend. After their initial success, the Mounties lost their touch and lost both games in straight sets.

The Mounties lost the first game 25-22, 25-20, 25-20, despite their aforementioned strong start to the match. Mt. A kept the match within reach during all three sets, but faltered in the dying moments of each one, allowing the Hurricanes to prevail. Lynne Arsenault led the Mounties with nine kills.

On Sunday, the Mounties suffered the same fate, losing 2520, 25-22, 25-16, but played the initial two sets very close to the Hurricanes. By the third set, the Hurricanes were just too much for the Mounties, opening a 9-3 lead before taking the match in straight sets. Sydney Umlah led the Mounties with five kills in the match.

The Hurricanes surpassed the Mounties in the ACAA standings, and now hold sole possession of second place with ten points. Mt. A has slipped to a tie for third place in the ACAA, with four wins and three losses. The Mounties will host the third-place Dalhousie Agricultural College Rams Friday at McCormack Gymnasium at 7 p.m. This will be the Mounties’ final match before the holiday break.

The Mounties fell in straight sets against the Hurricanes in backto-back games last weekend. The Women’s Mounties will look to rebound against Dal AC Friday night at 7 p.m. (Adrian Kiva/Argosy)

The Argosy

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SPORTS

Mt. A now tied-fourth in AUS Sex Bomb

Mounties top third place STU 3-2

The 12 Days of XXXmas

Benjamin Foster

The Sex Bomb writers are back to spice up your Christmas holiday, regardless of whether or not you and your partner are spending it together or apart.

A reminder that all sexual acts MUST be consensual and respectful to you and your partner’s limits. Be safe, and have fun!

Sports Reporter

The Mounties Women’s Hockey squad entered play last weekend looking to extend a two-game winning streak and move up in the AUS standings.

The Mounties played a pair of games on the road against two playoff opponents from last season, losing the first and winning the second.

On Saturday, the Mounties traveled to Moncton to take on the Aigles Bleues, who have won nine of their first 12 games.

After a first period that saw no scoring, the Aigles Bleus took the lead in the second period on a goal from Natacha Bergeron, which turned out to be the game winner. In the third period, Moncton scored four more goals to make the final score 5-0.

Moncton goaltender Gabrielle Forget was a nightmare for the Mounties as she has been time and again in goal, stopping all 21 shots Mt. A threw her way. Mt. A goaltender Keri Martin let in five goals of 33 shots.

“The game on Saturday against Moncton wasn’t one of our best games. We didn’t have our legs going as much as we should have so we came out playing a step behind, which ended up hurting us,” said Mounties captain Kristen Cooze.

Sunday’s outcome at St.

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12. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Vibrator You met someone fantastic at Mt. A, but now you’re going home for the holidays. Keep in touch through technologies like Skype or Facetime while you play some reindeer games.

Mt. A has won three of their last four. (Chris Donovan/Argosy) Thomas was what the Mounties were looking for. Martin got another start in goal and this time stopped 30 out of 32 shots in a close 3-2 win over the Thommies.

The Mounties scored just 24 seconds into the game after a goal by Lindsay James. The Mounties took a 2-0 lead nine minutes later when Mackenzie Lalonde scored her ninth of the season. The teams traded goals in the last three minutes of the period and Mt. A went to the dressing room up 3-1. The rest of the game saw only one goal scored by St. Thomas, allowing the Mounties to hold on for a 3-2 victory.

Kelly Matarazzo had the last goal for the Mounties. Cooze chipped in with two assists.

“We brought more energy on Sunday and we got rewarded for the hard work that we put forward,” said Cooze. “Getting the win was huge, every win that we can get now is a big two points to keep us in the standings for a playoff position.”

The Mounties now have a record of four wins, seven losses, and one overtime loss, and are holding the fourth playoff spot in the AUS standings.

They finish off their first half of the regular season with two home games, the first against Dalhousie on Friday at 7 p.m., followed by a rematch against St. Thomas on Saturday at 3 p.m. Both games will be held at the Tantramar Veteran’s Memorial Civic Centre.

11. Here Cums Santa Claus Explore your desire to please good ol’ Saint Nick with some strategically-placed presents (it’s my dick in a box), leather boots with matching belts, and, of course, Santa’s recognizable scruff (to be placed wherever appropriate).

10. Ten Lords-a-Thrusting Your ‘lord’ enjoys the throne, or the bed, and doesn’t want to get up. Offer your gratitude with some fun dance moves that will stimulate his yule log.

9. Nine Ladies Dancing… on Pornhub (or Redtube... we’re not picky) Keep the season jolly during

the weeks apart by partaking in the ancient tradition of watching other people get it on.

8. Mis-leto-nary A twist on a classic: Place mistletoe in the bedroom to spruce up the standard. The bottom partner is in charge of mistletoe placement and the subsequent passionate kissing that follows.

7. Jingle Bed Rock We’ll get the bells a-jingling with some fun Christmas sex positions. To start, try the reverse reindeer: it’s essentially reverse cowgirl with a little too much egg nog.

6. White Christmas After you’ve spiked the egg nog (we suggest maple whiskey), continue the titillation in the bedroom with traditional drink toppings (i.e. whipped cream) on certain areas of the body… after all, it’s pretty nipply outside!

5. Last Christmas… I got the clap Christmas brings people together, especially the sad, lonely people who find each other in the corner at the work Christmas party. We fully endorse getting to Dancer, Prancer, Comet, and Vixen,

but remember to wrap your present!

4. Let It Blow The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful! And since we’ve no place to go, let it blow, let it blow, let it blow! Try using the snow outside to add a new sensation to your blowjob technique!

3. The Little Drummer Girl (and Girl) Practise your favourite positions with a new set of ‘drum sticks.’ Check out your closest sex shop for a Christmas present both you of can enjoy!

2. Santa Claus is Cumming to Town Make the best use of your time together before leaving for the holidays by ensuring that ‘Santa’ visits your bedroom, kitchen, apartment stairwell, residence common room, elevator, and miscellaneous closets.

1. All I Want for Christmas is… You! Be sure to show your loved ones how much you care for them during this holiday season, whether it be through role-play, fetish, or traditional romance! (We suggest Love Actually or The Family Stone for ideas!)

Better Know a Mountie: Mackenzie Lalonde Benjamin Foster Sports Reporter

Mounties leading goal-scorer, Mackenzie Lalonde, has come out flying in the 2014-15 AUS campaign.

After her first 12 games, she has a share of the lead in the AUS goalscoring race with eight goals. It has been a breakout season so far for Lalonde, who had only two goals and seven points in her first two seasons for the Mounties.

“It’s the level of confidence I have, I’m more comfortable this year,” said Lalonde.

The Ottawa native has played hockey since the age of four.

“As soon as I got into checking, my dad switched me into boys’ hockey in atom. I started my first few years in girls’ hockey,” said Lalonde.

In the year preceding her arrival at Mt. A, Lalonde played in the highest league for women in Ontario, playing for the Ottawa’s Women’s Intermediate Senators. She scored five goals and ten points for the team.

“Club hockey was fun. It was intense hockey because that’s the highest level you can go. You had girls from

Lalonde has tallied eight goals for Mt. A in 2014. (Sue Seaborn/Mount Allison) Harvard, Cornell, and Princeton.

My coach was Luke Richardson, an ex-NHL player, so it was really fun,”

said Lalonde. “We even got to go the Senator’s gym to work out because he is an assistant coach there.”

After high school, she decided to come to Mt. A on the recommendation of a friend. “I came to play hockey. I had a teacher who came to Mt. A and played hockey. I wasn’t going to play hockey at all. Last minute, I spoke to her and she said that I’d love it.

It’s been a good balance of social life and hockey life,” said the Mounties forward.

Former Mt. A athletic director Jack Drover, who has family in Ontario, got in contact with Lalonde and further convinced her to play for the Mounties. But in her first year, Lindsay James and the Mounties did not do as well as they had hoped.

Of her first year at Mt. A, Lalonde said, “It was a big change coming from Ottawa. We didn’t do too good.

The year before they made it to the finals and lost, so there were big expectations... but nothing happened.”

Things improved in 2013-14, when the Mounties upset nationally-ranked St. FX on an overtime goal by James in a game during the second half of the season. The team’s turnaround led them all the way to the AUS final.

“We still praise her every day for that,” said Lalonde. “Last year was awesome. Somehow we made it to the

finals. But it was a really sad finish, unfortunately. Heartbreaking for sure.

“Making the finals [in 2013-2014] has been my best memory at Mt. A. I’ve never been involved with something so supportive,” she said.“Sackville, the team, and the school all came together.”

2014-15 has brought a slow start for the Mounties. “We always start slow every year I’ve been on this team so far. I don’t what it is but we somehow always find a way to put it together.

After Christmas, we always excel and we expect that to happen again,” said Lalonde.

Lalonde is pursuing a degree in commerce and has big aspirations.

“My dream – still to this day – is to be on TSN as an anchor. I tell everyone that I’m going to make it happen someday. Getting a Master’s in Sports Management is my goal.”

Lalonde has bigger goals she’s aiming to achieve before she leaves Mt. A: “I want to win a banner so bad, I better walk out of here with a banner.

Better Know a Mountie is sponsored by ScotiaMcLeod and the Connors Group.

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November 27 2014

argosy@mta.ca

Happy Holidays

Top row (from left to right): Gil Murdock, Cameron McIntyre, Dan Marcotte, Clay Steell, Alex Bates, Jean-SĂŠbastien Comeau, Richard Kent, Austin Landry, A Donovan, Sam Moore, Sarah Richardson, Amanda Cormier, Willa McCaffrey-Noviss, Lily Mackie. Absent from photo Tyler Pitre, Anna Farrell, Rachelle Tan

The Argosy

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11

from The Argosy

Adrian Kiva, Tessa Dixon; Middle row (from left) Allison O’Reilly, Kevin Levangie, Tyler Stuart, Kyle Forbes, Taylor Losier; Front row (from left) Chris n, Tina Oh, Micheal Dover, Benjamin Foster, Alex Lepianka.

ARTS&CULTURE Reviews

Lily Mackie

Arts & Culture Reporter

Like pages torn from a diary, 24 Karat Gold takes listeners on a journey through the thoughts of Fleetwood Mac’s front-woman, Stevie Nicks.

Each of the 16 tracks was written by Nicks between 1969 and 1995, which shows an evolution in lyricism but not in energy. The album’s sounds are everything one would expect from Nicks and are not held back by her age. Nicks’s voice is not worn-out but wiser, and seems to say “take me back,” as sung in the album’s title track.

Nicks is no stranger to drawing inspiration from her surroundings, and each track becomes a guessing game of the time and place in which it was written. 24 Karat Gold begins with a full-bodied sound that trails off toward the end of the album, but returns in full force with tracks like “The Dealer” and a cover of Vanessa Carlton’s “Carousel.” Through sheer talent and maybe a bit of sorcery, Stevie Nicks has produced another album that affirms why she has earned her title of rock icon.

– Emily Jeffers

argosy@mta.ca

112 Weddings gives insight, but no real answers Doug Block retroactively explores marriage

Stevie Nicks – 24 Karat Gold: Songs from the Vault (Reprise Records, Sept. 30)

November 27, 2014

When one of America’s most hallowed institutions has a 50 per cent chance of ending in divorce, why is there still such a desire to sign on the dotted line?

112 Weddings, directed by Doug Block, explores the attraction behind being legally bonded to another person and what goes into not only getting, but staying married.

As a wedding videographer, Block soon realized there was a whole other aspect of intimacy and emotion which he was privy to in this profession.

Hired for his intimate documentary style, Block frequently found himself standing feet away from two virtual strangers as they publicly pledged

their everlasting love and fidelity to each other. He found that he came away feeling a great affection for the couples, yet he couldn’t help but wonder what had become of them all.

So began Block’s project to track down some of his favourite couples to find out how their marriages had developed. Block often asks difficult questions such as the following: What makes marriage work, or not? Is married life what they thought it would be? How have they navigated the inevitable ups and downs of marriage over the long haul? Why even bother getting married at all? Eventually it becomes clear in many cases that there are no definite answers because, as Block wisely puts it, “happily ever after is complicated.”

Juxtaposing rapturous wedding day flashbacks with remarkably candid present-day interviews, 112 Weddings explores the themes of love and marital commitment, drawing a vibrant picture of the relationships that couldn’t sustain themselves and the ones that seem destined to last

forever. This contrast nails home just how different marriage is from the big day. As Block’s rabbi friend facetiously puts it, “The wedding is the easiest day to make happy. You’ve just thrown a ton of money and liquor at it. Marriage is harder. When you throw money and liquor at it, it makes it worse.”

Marriage is not always a pretty picture; the film displays a lot of raw emotion, even when the marriages have been mostly happy. Out of those who agreed to be interviewed, one couple was divorced, one in the throes of divorce, and several more had clearly been through the marital wringer, particularly those with sick children or those experiencing depression.

Often there are times when it feels like the viewer is intruding on a therapy session, which is a testament to how deeply the film explores the problems experienced by some participants.

Nonetheless, there’s something undeniably fascinating in watching people sit down in front of a camera and discuss the success of their relationship. The shots are framed so

that the interviewees’ body language is in dialogue with their spoken testimony, and we watch carefully for gestures of intimacy underneath their words.

This revealing documentary attempts to put marriage under a microscope – a startling and welcome breath of reality for an institution highly obscured by fantasy. Sometimes charming, occasionally sad, the couples’ stories are often a joy to behold. The secrets of a successful marriage remain mysterious, however, since it seems like there is no one universal set of instructions. What Block does give us, and very effectively, are honest, sometimes painful portraits of couples, what their lives together have brought, and how they are continuing to navigate their relationships.

112 Weddings was screened by Sackville Film Society on Nov. 20.

Their next feature will be Whiplash on Nov. 27.

Upcoming two-actor musical explores love, relationships Mini G&G feature premieres next week Daniel Marcotte

Arts & Culture Editor

Taylor Swift – 1989 (Big Machine Records, Oct. 27) With her new album 1989, Taylor Swift has officially made the 180-degree turn from country to pop.

And the result sounds great.

Gone are the cowgirl boots and acoustic guitar, and in their place are synthesizers and party dresses. The change, however drastic, has been smooth and effortless, and 1989 is the result of that transition.

The songs, as always with Swift, focus on the complexities of love and relationships. In contrast to her previous work, the new album is upbeat and full of attitude. Her latest singles, “Shake It Off ” and “Blank Space,” are reactions to the negative ways in which the media has portrayed her over the years. The message seems to be the following: “You can say whatever you want about me and I don’t care.” It’s a fantastic message at that.

Whether you’re a country music fan who has followed Taylor Swift since her debut, or a pop enthusiast and a new listener, 1989 is full of great new tunes for all to enjoy.

– Amanda Cormier

In anticipation of Garnet & Gold’s production of Anything Goes, premiering this coming January, Meghan McLean and Josh MacDougall are set to star in Jason Robert Brown’s two-actor musical The Last Five Years.

“I think it’s a show that basically anyone can relate to,” said third-year drama student Josh MacDougall, who plays Jamie Wellerstein. “[It] takes an honest look at what being in love is.”

The musical, a 90-minute sungthrough feature directed by Karen Valanne, follows the romantic relationship of Cathy and Jamie over the course of five years.

Meghan McLean, a fourth-year music student who both produces the play and stars as Cathy, was first drawn to the play for its musical and emotional diversity. “It takes you on a roller coaster ride,” said McLean.

The play is reminiscent of Christopher Nolan’s film Memento in its narrative construction, as it alternates between telling its love story both chronologically and in reverse.

The audience first learns that the story ends in tragedy, as the play opens with Cathy lamenting their shattered relationship at the end of the five-year span.

For McLean, this fragmented narrative style presented a challenge, as her character’s emotions evolve backwards in time towards the happy

McLean and MacDougall enjoy a promotional photoshoot in more favourable climes. (Savannah Harris/Submitted) outset of their relationship. “I’ve never been in a show that starts in that really intense emotional place,” said McLean. “We start right in the heart of that emotion.”

Both MacDougall and McLean commented on the play’s realistic treatment of love and human experience. Because Jamie and Cathy remain morally ambiguous, the audience is invited to question the characters’ motives and actions throughout the play.

“We show both sides of the story,” said McDougall. “It’s up to the audience to decide who is in the right and who is in the wrong.”

Despite each character’s shortcomings, McLean said that

the struggles and challenges they face make Cathy and Jamie both relatable and sympathetic. “You really get invested in the characters,” said McLean. “You start to sympathize with them when they keep coming up against these walls.”

Because of its heavy focus on music and vocal performance rather than dialogue, the play uses a variety of musical styles to convey the various emotions in the story. McLean said that the play finds an effective “middle ground” between traditional elements of musical theatre and some jazz, rock, funk, and pop influences. “For people who aren’t used to musicals, it’s very accessible,” said McLean.

McLean also commended the pit

band for their work with the score, and the rest of the production crew that has helped this project come to fruition.

“I’m just so proud of everything we’re doing,” she said. “Everybody who’s involved has really put so much work into it.”

Both McLean and MacDougall are excited for audiences to become immersed in the play’s characters.

“I think [The Last Five Years] will give a lot of people a good laugh and a good cry,” said MacDougall. “It’ll be a nice break during exams.”

The Last Five Years will premiere on Dec. 5 and 6 in Brunton Auditorium at 8 p.m. Advance tickets are available at Tidewater Books for $8, or at the door for $10.

The Argosy

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ARTS & CULTURE

Exhibition delivers environmental message ‘The Purest Lie’ shows artistic and curatorial talent Lily Mackie

Arts & Culture Reporter

Although “The Purest Lie” at Thunder & Lightning may appear simplistic at first glance, upon closer inspection its scope and message are evident and gripping.

The exhibition, featuring the works of Emma Hoch, Alison Willms, Anna Cai, and Nicole Smith, explores elements of nature which have been impacted by human development.

The result is a collection of works which seem to blend into one another, focusing on the transition from idyllic nature scenes to those disturbed by human presence.

Curated by Lily Scales, Emma Culberson, and Catherine Leblanc, the exhibition began as a final project for their seminar on curation. It is clear that the show was largely a collaborative process, and it is evident that much thought went into the selection of the works on display.

“We […] were interested in creating a show which was accessible and relatable to not only students at Mount Allison, but also members of the Sackville community,” said Scales.

Onlookers view Emma Hoch’s photo series What is here at Thunder & Lightning. (Chris Donovan/Argosy) “After much brainstorming, we were able to arrange our ideas into creating a show with the central theme of depicting nature in its transitional states.”

A piece by Willms, entitled Ritual, consists of multiple images of a female figure overlapping with one another, giving a ghost-like effect to the subject as she transitions through various poses. In exploring the idea of ritual, the piece speaks to the notion of finding peace and sanctuary amid a

world of impermanence and change.

According to Willms, it became “about placing someone else in my special place of peace and putting them through all my devotional rituals, and seeing how new and strange it was to them.”

It is easy, in some ways, to notice similar themes in the other works.

One piece by Anna Cai, called The Life Circle of Trees, features four black and white photographs arranged in a vertical line. As the title suggests, the

Rogosin heats up Brunton Jazz trio plays fiery and sultry selections

four black and white images with each photo featuring a trailer home surrounded by sparse grass, and some with trees or power lines in the background.

“I am interested in everyday things that have become uninteresting and unnoticeable in our society,” said Hoch. “Close observation of what is actually around me forces me to see the arbitrary line between the familiar and the unfamiliar.” The show, featuring the natural world, invokes the way in which human presence can be intrusive and destructive.

Clearly, the natural world holds significance and inspiration for the artists involved. All of the works hold a sense of sacredness and sanctuary associated with nature. Nature, as the exhibition suggests, offers an escape from our busy and industrialized world.

For Nicole Smith, the owner of Sackville’s Eudora Day Spa & Wellness Studio, art also functions as a means of escape, providing her with an outlet for self-expression and pleasure.

“Creating artwork is a wonderful way to give back to myself and have a bit of an escape from the world,” said Smith.

For Lily Scales and her fellow curators, the process was a challenging yet rewarding experience. “In the end, we created an exhibit we’re all really proud of, and it’s definitely something we’re looking forward to doing again in the future,” said Scales.

Mixed Tape Winter Chills – Allison Grogan A playlist for when you’ve heard that Michael Bublé Christmas album in the grocery store one too many times.

Amanda Cormier

Arts & Culture Reporter The Rogosin Jazz Trio teamed up with local musicians to perform in Brunton Auditorium on Saturday night, providing an evening of diverse musical entertainment.

The trio – David Rogosin on piano, Jeff Richard on bass, and Scott Cuzner on drums – was the main attraction of the evening. They were accompanied by guests James Kalyn (soprano and tenor saxophones), Jamie Mark (tenor saxophone), Aryelle Morrison (voice), and Mitchell Davey (guitar). Together, they played songs that covered a wide range of emotions and styles.

The trio opened the second half of the concert with Monty Alexander’s “Pointe-À-Pitre,” a piece which is heavily influenced by Caribbean folk music. This performance highlighted the light, fun side of the performers; with a fairly fast tempo and a tropical, summery feel, the group delivered a performance which momentarily distracted the audience from the cold weather outside.

In contrast, a performance of Armando Manzanero’s “El Ciego” resonated with feelings of loneliness and sorrow. Accompanied by Jamie Mark, the performance was slow, soulful, and left the audience listening intently. Eyes and ears were focused on Mark’s solo moments on tenor saxophone, all of which clearly

images depict the stages of trees being turned into firewood and then burned.

The simplistic, yet highly effective linear transitions show the progression from life to non-life.

“We wanted to show how we as humans change and manipulate our environment and use our natural resources, without much consideration of how our actions will play out in the future,” said Scales.

A work by Emma Hoch, entitled What is here, similarly consists of

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“Winter Trees” – The Staves (Dead & Born & Grown) Wrap yourself in a blanket and admire the freezing precipitation from the comfort of your own home.

“Sister Winter” – Sufjan Stevens (Songs for Christmas) Guest performer James Kalyn joins the trio on tenor sax. (Adrian Kiva/Argosy) showed his dedication and passion as a performer.

Even with the heavier and more emotional songs, the trio made it a point to keep the general mood of the show light and happy. Rogosin took a moment to talk to the audience in between songs, sometimes offering context for the song that they were about to play, but more often cracking jokes and giving the audience a bit of a laugh.

The group maintained this light feel during their performance.

Accompanied by Davey, they played Prince’s “Thieves in the Temple,” which combined jazz with a light rock sound. The performance was upbeat and fun, with many of the audience members tapping their feet or nodding their heads along in response.

With his guitar solo and occasional goofy face, Davey dominated the song and made the crowd go wild. The

applause for Davey was outstanding and showed just how engaged with the performance the audience really was.

The final performance of the night created a similar reaction from the audience. “Fulford Street Romp,” written by Oliver Jones, was fast, fun, and catchy. The trio invited Mark back on stage, who showed his love of performance in an entirely different emotional context compared to “El Ciego”: he tapped his feet and bounced along to the music throughout the performance, and his saxophone solos elicited an eruption of applause.

Each performer had a wonderful stage presence, even during the slower, more melancholy songs. This joyful energy was contagious, leaving the audience in a great mood and begging for more.

Who needs jolly carols when you can weep quietly to any Sufjan Stevens Christmas song?

“Snowfall” – Ingrid Michaelson (Snowfall) Time to switch your pumpkin spice latte to a peppermint one.

“December” – Norah Jones (The Fall) Almost makes you forget that you have to write exams next week. Almost.

“Winter Song” – The Head and the Heart (The Head and the Heart) This track goes perfectly with a Picaroon’s Winter Warmer and an overwhelming sense of nostalgia.

“River” – Joni Mitchell (Blue) Escape those end of semester blues

by skating away on Joni Mitchell’s metaphorical river.

“Christmas Lights” – (Christmas Lights)

Coldplay

Coldplay caught on to the trend of writing catchy Christmas songs that are also very sad.

“Goodbye England (Covered in Snow)” – Laura Marling (I Speak Because I Can) Imagine that serene English countryside covered in snow, now go write your next 12-page research paper.

“White Winter Hymnal” – Fleet Foxes (Fleet Foxes) If you don’t listen to the lyrics of this track, it’s almost like it’s not about war and death.

“Winter Song” – Ingrid Michaelson & Sara Bareilles (The Hotel Café Presents: Winter Songs) Bake some sheets of those delicious pre-packaged Pillsbury holiday cookies and gather round the ol’ laptop speakers with your best pals.

Listen to this playlist and others at 8tracks.com/argosyarts.

14 ARTS & CULTURE

Ship’s Log

EVENTS Collegium MusicumChapel: F r i d a y, N o v e m b e r 2 8 : 12:30–1:30PM Chapel Sanctuary: Collegium Musicum - Pe r f o r m a n c e s by the students of the Department of Music.

This special Collegium will be held in the University Chapel.

Admission is free, all a re we l c om e. Fo r m o re information please call the Department of Music at 364-2374 or email music@mta.ca Fundy Research Adventures: F r i d a y, N o v e m b e r 2 8 : 3–4:20PM Avard Dixon Room 118: This fall environmental science students traveled to Fundy National Park to gain real wor ld research experience. Now they will present their results to Parks Canada staff. Come to hear what their research says about climate change effects in C a n a d a’s o n l y m e g a - t i d a l national park.

Mt.A Symphonic Band: S a t u r d a y, N o v e m b e r 2 9 : 7–9PM Convocation Hall Gold Room,Convocation Hall Fo ye r : Mount Allison Symphonic Band, directed by James Kalyn. Admission is free, all are welcome to attend.

Fo r m o re i n f o r m a t i on please call 364-2374 or email music@mta.ca.

Last day of classes in Fall ter m: M o n d a y, D e c e m b e r 1 : Therapy Dogs: M o n d a y, D e c e m b e r 1 : 4–6PM Wa l l a c e M c C a i n S t u d e n t Centre Multipurpose Room: Have you found this semester to be a little ‘r uff ?’ Could you benefit f rom a s h o r t ‘p a w s ? ’ Throw your stressed out self a bone and come to the event that always gets tongues (and tails!) wagging: therapy dogs a t M TA ! T h e T h e r a p y Ta i l b l a z e r s w i l l b e providing a welcome (if only temporary) distraction from all of those pesky assignments and exams. Drop in for some canine cuddles and reap the benefits of these certified therapy dogs’ exceptional stressrelieving powers!

Christmas Collegium: M o n d a y, D e c e m b e r 1 : 4–6PM

Conser vatory of Music Brunton Auditorium: Join the students and faculty of the Department of Music for a Christmas celebration with festive performances, sing-alongs and special guests.

Admission is free, all are we l c om e t o a t t e n d . Fo r more information please call 364-2374 or email music@mta.ca.

Wo r k s h o p : H o w t o Ta k e a Final Exam: Tu e s d a y, D e c e m b e r 2 : 4–5PM Hart Hall Room 101: Are you stressed out about your finals? Do you blank out as soon as you walk into an exam room?

This workshop will teach students some tricks and techniques for taking a comprehensive final exam.

Yo g a / M e d i t a t i o n : Tu e s d a y, D e c e m b e r 2 : 5–6PM Chapel Manning Room: I A M Yo g a / M e d i t a t i o n d r o p - i n c l a s s e s Tu & Th 5:00-5:45 in the downstairs room of the Chapel. Open to everyone, complete beginners or advanced (no charge).

This is the fourth year it has been offered to s t u d e n t s , f a c u l t y, s t a f f o r community members and is a practice transmitted

by Amma and taught internationally Final exam period begins for Fall ter m: We d n e s d a y, D e c e m b e r 3 : Location of Event: ( Pe r t i n e n t i n f o ) Advent Organ Celebration: We d n e s d a y, D e c e m b e r 3 : 11AM – 1PM Location of Event: ( Pe r t i n e n t i n f o ) F r i d a y, N o v e m b e r 2 8 : Wo m e n ’ s I c e H o c k e y : 7:00 PM Dalhousie vs. Mount Allison Ta n t r a m a r Ve t e r a n s Memorial Civic Centre F r i d a y, N o v e m b e r 2 8 : Wo m e n ’ s Vo l l y b a l l : 7:00PM DA L AC v s . M o u n t Allison McCormack Gymnasium S a t u r d a y, N o v e m b e r 2 9 : Wo m e n ’ s B a s k e t b a l l : 2:00PM Holland College vs.

Mount Allison: McCormack Gymnasium

November 27, 2014

argosy@mta.ca

CHMA to announce lineup for Stereophonic 12 at Struts show Struts will host Doiron, McKiel and guests Daniel Marcotte

Arts & Culture Editor CHMA will release the lineup for Stereophonic 12 on Thursday, Nov. 27. Rather than simply posting the dates on their website or on social media, they have opted to host their usual preview show at Struts Gallery.

Stereophonic is an annual music festival held by CHMA, and serves as a fundraiser for the radio station.

Every January, CHMA hosts a variety of musicians and groups from Atlantic Canada and beyond, many of them with strong connections to Sackville or Mount Allison.

Although Stereophonic usually runs for four or five days, this year’s

festival will take place from Jan. 22 to 24.

“This year we’re experimenting with three days in the hopes that it will result in a leaner, more focused series of concerts,” said Scott Brown, who is a coordinator for Stereophonic along with Ilse Kramer. Both are long-time staff members at CHMA, and are joined by Mike Roy, the festival’s assistant coordinator. Roy will coordinate Stereophonic 13 in January 2016.

The lineup for Stereophonic 12 will feature both veterans and newcomers to the festival. In addition to local Sackville favourites, festival-goers can look forward to a diverse array of music from around the country.

“The lineup includes bands from Saskatchewan, Newfoundland, and just about every province in between,” said Brown.

The preview concert will showcase three groups from Sackville and around the Maritimes. In addition to Halifax-based group Walrus and

Moncton punk rockers Impulse Items, the concert will feature Weird Lines, a Sackville-based supergroup comprised of Julie Doiron, Jon McKiel, James Anderson, and C. L. McLaughlin. Walrus and Weird Lines have performed at past Stereophonic festivals.

CHMA will also bring their Stereophonic message to Halifax and Moncton to further garner support for the Sackville event. On Nov. 28, Weird Lines will join experimental electronica group JFM and indie rockers Nap Eyes at the Khyber in Halifax. Impulse Items will go on to team up with Kappa Chow and the Mouthbreathers at Spin-It Records in Moncton on Nov. 29. The Halifax concert will be presented with the assistance of CKDU-FM. The Struts Gallery concert starts at 9 p.m. The admission fee is $3 for students and CHMA members, and $5 for the general public.

Kaleigh Trace talks sex, gender and sexuality Author and sex educator visits Sackville Chad Morash Halifax-based writer and educator Kaleigh Trace revels in promoting discussion about gender and sex.

Last weekend, Trace brought these discussions to the Sackville community along with her newest book, Hot, Wet, and Shaking.

The event was organized by the newly reformed Women’s and Gender Studies Society and was hosted by Thunder & Lightning. It was part of a series of readings performed by the author along her tour that included stops ranging from the University of King’s College in Halifax, to New York City, to the University of Guelph.

As the crowd was settling in and enjoying refreshments, chatting with friends, and ordering drinks at the bar, Katharyn Stevenson, the president of the Women’s and Gender Studies Society, introduced both the topic of discussion for the night and the author herself. Once Stevenson took the microphone, the din died down and she broke into a reading of a formative work on sex, gender, and beauty: The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf.

Stevenson chose an excerpt from Wolf linking societal expectations of beauty with the way we think about sex.

“The reader understands that she will have to look like [a model] in order to feel like that,” she read.

Stevenson continued by relating a personal account of how the understanding of sexuality and romantic relationships can differ in

Trace poses with Stevenson after the reading. (Willa McCaffrey-Noviss/Argosy) specific situations. Stevenson drew her introduction to a close by saying, “It’s okay to have your own sex story.”

Then it was time for Trace to take up the microphone to deliver a reading that was at once serious, thought-provoking, and hysterical.

But before all of this could happen, Trace gave the audience a brief overview of her past experiences and discussed the themes of her book.

Trace describes herself as disabled, queer, and a sex educator. Her book Hot, Wet, and Shaking, as described on the back cover, “discusses her sexual exploits, bodily negotiations and attempts at adulthood, sparing none of the details and assuming you are not polite company.”

Trace read excerpts from three chapters of Hot, Wet, and Shaking including “A Bag of Dicks,” “Looking for Blood,” and “(Not) Moving Like a Dyke/(Always) Dressing Like a Femme.” In these short readings, Trace moved from talking about the embarrassment of accidentally pulling a dildo out of one’s purse to negotiating the grounds of pregnancy tests and abortions.

Finally, Trace discussed the topic of figuring out whether one feels most comfortable in a plaid shirt matched with boots, or a skirt matched with anything pink, and the relationship between appearance and sexuality.

Trace spoke about each topic with humour and, more importantly, with a frank honesty that is frequently left out of normative discourses on sex and sexuality. Each of the stories at once demystified the topic at hand as well as encouraged the audience to accept that these topics are ones that everyone should feel comfortable discussing.

One of the evening’s most important excerpts came from Trace’s reading of “(Not) Moving Like a Dyke/(Always) Dressing Like a Femme.” As the story of how Trace had navigated the complex tangle of appearance and sexuality unfolded, she read, “Maybe queer could look my way too.

This summed up the message of the evening: sex and sexuality doesn’t have to look or feel a certain way, but every alternative narrative of sex should be welcomed and encouraged.

SCIENCE

November 27, 2014

argosy@mta.ca

New method to model enzyme active site Quantum information key to model

Tyler Pitre

Science Editor New advances in quantum information theory have given scientists at Princeton University the tool they needed to model complicated enzyme active sites.

New research conducted has been the first to successfully model a complex system in enzyme active sites. Modeling these systems were previously thought impossible due to its quantum complexities. The paper “Low-energy spectrum of iron–sulfur clusters directly from many-particle quantum mechanics” was published in the journal Nature Chemistry.

Quantum processes are notoriously difficult to understand. In this case, it was a problem in viewing the actions of metal ions in the active site of an enzyme. Scientists’ ability to observe this complex is crucial in understanding the ions’ role. The innovative aspect of this research

Enzyme with active site at the centre. New research has given scientists the tool needed to model complicated enzyme sites. (Fontana CG/wikimedia) was to figure out the pattern of the moving electrons.

“If you want to understand why iron-sulfur clusters are a ubiquitous biological motif and how we can create even better synthetic analogs, then you need to know what the electrons are doing,” said Garnet KinLic Chan, a co-author for the article.

What appeared to be a very complex system was broken down by looking closely at the actions of electrons with respect to their immediate “neighbors.” This was done by “clever quantum calculations” based on quantum information

theory.

An enzyme is a kind of protein that makes reactions in your body go much faster than they otherwise would. An analogy is that if you had a rock at the top of a hill, it may eventually fall to the ground due to some eventual change of events either through time or a neighboring event, but this may take a very long time. If someone were to give this rock a push, then the time that it takes for the rock to fall is significantly reduced. Enzymes act like the push for biological reactions.

The active site is an area of interaction, where a molecule binds

to the enzyme which either inhibits or excites certain processes. Many enzymes have cofactors, such as metal ions, that help the enzyme speedup the reactions. The scientists in this study are concerned with what is going on in the active site; they want to know exactly how that is done.

The research focused on the ironsulfur cluster, which is a common cluster found in enzyme active sites.

“Iron–sulfur clusters are a universal biological motif. They carry out electron transfer, redox chemistry and even ​oxygen sensing, in diverse processes including ​nitrogen fixation,

respiration and photosynthesis” said the four contributing authors. In other words, these clusters make it possible for fundamental reactions to take place such as the ability for a plant to survive and grow.

This research has helped scientists understand more about what is going on in the most remote areas of our biological systems. Although research is still on-going, this is a major breakthrough in our ability to understand complex quantum systems in a biological context.

by a preadtor.

The integrity of the specimen gave scientists the idea of cloning, because it is often hard to find intact DNA samples in frozen specimens, especially in ones that are at least 40,000 years old. The prospect of finding intact samples is now made likely by the state of this specimen.

No particular details exist about what part of the mammoth is being considered to be most viable. The mammoth’s blood is an obvious candidate for research but it seems that most of the blood cells have broken down, and thus have fractured cell components; any DNA retrieved

from this source is unlikely.

Another idea that has been discussed is whether or not we could retrieve enough fractured DNA to combine with elephant DNA so a mammoth-elephant hybrid could be bioengineered. This has its own difficulties and at this stage, none of the research labs are taking this idea seriously. The best approach lies in getting a sample that allows for full cloning.

There are many scientific questions to be asked about the viability of cloning. Nevertheless, what seems to be the issue is whether or not we ought to be cloning this animal in

the first place. Hwang was disgraced and sentenced to prison on charges related to the fabrication the results of stem cell experiments in journals.

Many still question the practice of cloning dogs, and this new cloning project adds to the list of concerns in Hwang’s research.

The process of cloning the Buttercup would involve the use many African elephants, as they would act as surrogate carriers for the experimental cloning.

This puts elephants at risk of being harmed and could eventually lead to killing many elephants that are already in decline and protected

around the world.

The actual cloning of the mammoth is still not something we will see in the near future. Finding a viable tissue sample is part of the battle, but even after that, an immense amount of research and work needs to be done before any serious attempts at cloning can be done.

Mammoth cloning efforts take a leap forward Mammoth may make its return to earth Tyler Pitre

Science Editor The potential to give the mammoth species a new chance on earth in further cloning efforts.

Last year in May, scientists found a very well-preserved woolly mammoth on Maly Lyakhovsky Island in Siberia, Russia. The mammoth, named “Buttercup” by researchers, has been found to be the best preserved mammoth found to date. Talk about potential cloning the extinct species began shortly after the initial find last year. However, it is only now, after we have been updated about the freshness of some tissue samples, and the willingness of a few labs to continue the effort, that is making this a real topic of interest.

In particular, a research group in South Korea at the Sooam Biotech Research Foundation, is taking this project very seriously. The foundation, headed by Woo-Suk Hwang, a veterinarian and researcher, has been cloning dogs for a price of about US $100,000 per dog. He and his research team are now working with a group of Russian scientists in order to accomplish the same thing with the mammoth. The idea would be to clone the mammoth using a surogoate mother, which is hypothesized to be an african elephant.

The mammoth was remarkably found with almost all of its organs and blood in tact. Scientists found evidence that the mammoth was probably trapped and then eaten alive

16 SCIENCE

November 21, 2013

argosy@mta.ca

New research suggests homosexuality gene-linked Region identified as homosexualityinfluenced genes Clay Steell

Science Reporter “Born This Way” is now backed by new research on the genetics of homosexuality. A study published on Nov. 17 in the Journal of Psychological Medicine is the strongest yet to find that homosexuality in men is significantly influenced by genetics.

Its authors said that their findings are a stepping-stone for further research on the genetics of homosexuality, and that they may help fight homophobia through empirical understanding.

The study examined the genetic composition of 409 pairs of homosexual brothers, many of them twins, from the United States, Canada, and Great Britain.

Comparing genetic differences between and within family members, in this case groups of brothers, can reveal which genes are involved with a given trait and which are not. Early genetic research on homosexuality found that it occurred more frequently in men with more homosexual relatives, and that identical twins are both homosexual more often than fraternal twins, suggesting a genetic background to sexual orientation.

The sample size of this study is

three times greater than any previous research, which leads to more conclusive findings.

The study used Genome-Wide Linking Scans, a method that tests for genetic differences and commonalities between and within sample groups. It found five regions on the genome that corresponded with male homosexuality. Foremost among these was the Xq28 region of the X-chromosome, a group of 105 genes that had been implicated in past research on the genetics of homosexuality. This region was first implicated in male homosexuality in 1993, but it has seen conflicting evidence in research since that time.

How the Xq28 region links to homosexuality is still uncertain. The study’s authors suggest that it may be influenced by the gene region’s production of the vasopressin hormone and several types of neuropeptide, organic substances which are implicated in social and associative behaviours. How these compounds relate to homosexuality is also unknown, but they may be potential causative agents.

The Xq28 region may be an X-linked gene group, meaning that men inherit its characteristics from their mothers. Men have only one X-chromosome, which is always inherited from their mother, as

opposed to women, who inherit one X-chromosome from each parent.

Homosexuality is considered an evolutionary mystery: it doesn’t have an obvious evolutionary advantage because it doesn’t aid in reproduction.

Homosexuality’s concordance with the X-chromosome in men may support the Sexually Antagonistic Hypothesis: that the same genes on the X-chromosome influence greater reproductive capacity in women and homosexuality in men, mitigating the evolutionary cost to having homosexual offspring.

The study’s findings focused on male homosexuality, so how the Xq28 gene region and its potential effects

relate to female homosexuality was not analyzed. Sexuality exists on a continuum, commonly measured on the Kinsey Scale in psychological studies. Homosexuality in women tends to span this spectrum more than male homosexuality, which the authors suggest may be influenced by different genetic mechanisms from those which influence homosexuality in women.

A controversial element to research on homosexuality genetics is its implications into embryonic screening, or the testing of a human embryo for genetic predispositions to certain diseases or conditions that its parents can then choose to abort. The study’s authors assert that their findings cannot predict homosexuality, as they still don’t know which genes in the Xq28 genes affect sexuality, and because homosexuality is strongly multifactorial, being a combined product of genetic and environmental effects.

The concluding section of the study referenced past psychological research, showing that factual understanding of sexual orientation can prevent homophobia. Its lead author said that he hopes the study’s findings will increase societal understanding and acceptance of homosexuality.

The study was written by researchers from institutions around the United States and was led by Alan Sanders of the NorthShore Research Institute in Evanston, Illinois.

New neuron simulation technology Twisted light used

to enhance images

Neurosimulation provides insight into Alzheimer’s

Mozart and Schroedinger fly over Vienna

Tyler Pitre

Science Editor

What is going on in your brain?

New techniques to simulate your neurons using experimental data and computer models give researchers more information on that question, where it counts.

A research team from Bonn, Germany published an article in the journal Neuron which shed light on the morphological characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease. This research also provides scientists with a new way of looking at neurons for all different kinds of neurological degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and ALS. The researchers gathered information from experimental data from both single neurons and clusters of neurons. The data included physical characteristics and electric properties.

They used structural data to recreate the neurons and neuronal clusters as a simulation on the computer. Using the model and data on the electric properties of the neurons, scientists recreated the dysfunction seen in Alzheimer’s.

The findings from this study suggest that a hallmark of neurological disease is the inability of neurons to effectively communicate with each other. In particular, the ends of the neurons atrophy due to Alzheimer’s

Tyler Pitre

Science Editor

Neuron clusters as seen using older techniques. (Gerry Shaw/wikimedia) disease, and this is the focal point of the communication problem. The method used in the study is what many medical researchers are striving for: a process to study and maintain the integrity of the biological specimen. This means to keep the biological specimen in as normal of a state as it would otherwise be.

Maintaining biological integrity is arguably the biggest challenge any scientist faces when dealing with living specimens. Understanding pathology requires understanding the normal workings of the system.

Unfortunately, this is incredibly difficult given that it is nearly impossible to observe these processes in detail when our observation methods damage them. Computer

modelling may be a way to overcome this hurdle.

Stefan Remy, a medical doctor who leads the Bonn research team, suggests that now that we know that structural damage could be a significant factor of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s, pharmaceuticals can and should be developed to protect the structural integrity of the neuron so as to avoid these problems.

This success gives scientists a new tool in modelling biological processes and provides insight into how we might better treat illnesses which are thus far challenging to deal with.

How well does the picture look?

According to research done at the University of Vienna, it looks a whole lot better than it did.

Researchers recently published an article in the New Journal of Physics where they outlined their success in sending out twisted light across long distances from the rooftops of Vienna. This is an important achievement because it gives us the ability to send information from earth to the satellites and to other outerspatial bodies. The research was led by Mario Krenn, a physicist at the University of Vienna.

Twisted light, also called “orbital angular momentum,” is light distorted to have a spiral-like shape. It’s been used in fiber-optics, where it has been shown to increase the channels in which information can be carried, and can carry very large amounts of data, which are transferred via twisted light. Fiber-optics are a means of transporting light that exploits the critical angle. At a certain angle, the light reflects completely internally.

This allows for light to travel through the fiber-optical cable.

However, sending light using light beams is not as simple outdoors, without any cables. When scientists tried to send twisted light outdoors, the images were damaged by atmospheric collisions and the data were not accurately transmitted.

This makes the prospect of sending important data long distances very impractical.

The experiment involved setting up a green laser from a tower and shining it on a modulator that would take in the information. The innovative part comes from the way in which the researchers configured the light, which gave them the ability to shelter the images from the effects of the damaging atmosphere. It turns out that configuring the light with a given number of twist shields the data. The total damage to the images after the experiment was less than two per cent.

What this research amounts to is an ability to send more information efficiently while using less light to do it. This is also the first time sending information outside through twisted light has been done outside of the lab, where the distances the light was sent were very small, due to the labs’ confinement. They successfully sent light beams about three kilometers into the sky which contained the images of Mozart, Boltzmann and Schroedinger.

The Argosy

www.argosy.ca

SCIENCE

Quantum computer faster than classical one

17

First time quantum computer faster Tyler Pitre

Science Editor For the first time, the quantum computer proves to be faster in solving algorithms than the classical computer, new research suggests.

Researchers, led by physicist Mark Tame of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, have published an article in the journal Physics Review Letters. Their findings indicate that they have tested an algorithm on a classical computer against a quantum computer, and it was seen that the quantum computer solved the algorithm quicker. This is the first time that a quantum computer has outraced a classical computer.

For many quantum computer hopefuls, this is relieving news. Just a few months ago, physicist Matthias Troyer from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland, reported in the journal Science, quite the opposite. He found that there was no evidence which suggests that a quantum speedup in a variety of different algorithms tested. Troyer’s article was to the

Quantum computer technology given by D--waves systems shown above. (D-wave systems inc/Wikimedia) disappointment of D-Wave Systems, a Canadian company which sells commercial quantum computers, and which had their systems in the experiment.

The algorithm tested is known as Simon’s algorithm, a quantum algorithm which solves a black box problem faster than any classical algorithm. A black box in computer science is a system that can be viewed in terms of its inputs and outputs without knowing the internal mechanisms. You can think of an algorithm as a series of steps. An analogy would be like having a list

of steps to follow in order to get to a destination. Computers follow algorithms and the ideal purpose of quantum computers would solve these steps faster. An increase in efficiency would lead to all sorts of practical applications. One such example would be to map out complex patterns of biological molecules or genes that would help us more quickly and efficiently develop treatments for illnesses. The hope is that calculations that would take an immense amount of time could be done in a relatively short period of time.

What exactly is so special about

quantum computers?

Classical computers work on ones and zeros called bits. Quantum computers work on quibits, which means that they use the conventional zeros and ones, but can also be both one and zero at the same time. This is the idea of superpositioning of states, and is a bizarre characteristic of quantum mechanics that developers are trying to exploit in order to achieve the quantum speedup. What researchers are hoping to derive from quantum computing is that a quantum computer should be able to go through more possibilities

faster, known as a quantum speedup.

Theoretically, this can happen because the third state can eliminate possibilities much quicker.

The research done here does not provide a substantial speedup, but the researchers attribute this to the number of quibits used and says that increasing the number of quibits would drastically separate the speed times. More research is needed to prove that quantum computers have an edge over their classical counterparts. A classical computer remains the dominant machine.

A glass of wine not as beneficial as once thought A glass of wine may not be for you Clay Steell

Science Reporter While alcohol is a vice, at least for university students, it has several commonly cited health benefits. The most widely-believed of these is that it reduces the risk of coronary heart disease when consumed in moderate amounts, which is defined as two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women. New research published in the journal Alcohol last week suggests that alcohol may only reduce the risk of coronary heart disease in a very small part of the population as low as 15 per cent. Only genetically predisposed individuals will benefit from moderate drinking, which the study’s authors say should not be as widely suggested to reduce the risk of heart disease.

The study, conducted by researchers from Sahlgrenska University and the University of Gothenberg in Gothenberg, Sweden, found that only individuals who were homozygous for the Cholesterol Ester Transfer Protein (CETP) gene were at a reduced risk of heart disease from moderate drinking. Homozygous individuals possess two complementary versions of a gene, and homozygotes of the CETP gene make up only about 15 per cent of the population. This is in contrast to most individuals who are heterozygous for the CETP gene.

Alcohol was believed to reduce

Research has found that a glass a wine a day may not be as beneficial as once thought. (mmecheryakov16/Flickr Creative Commons) the risk of coronary heart disease because its consumption had been found to raise levels of High Density Lipoproteins (HDL), a type of cholesterol. This type of cholesterol reduces rates of Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL), another type of cholesterol that is a precursor to heart disease. The new findings connect the CETP gene to HDL production, and shows that alcohol only influences the process in homozygous individuals.

Only one past study had tested whether genetics influenced alcohol’s

effect on heart disease. However, it was done almost twenty years ago, and failed to control for other factors that influence heart health.

This new study confirms its findings and explains why past research on whether alcohol was heart healthy had conflicting results.

The study was conducted on 453 men and 165 women in Sweden with histories of coronary heart disease.

They were part of the Sahlgrenska University INTERGENE initiative, which had amassed data on a range

of health related characteristics and participants for genetic research on disease since 2001. Participants filled out a questionnaire on how much and how often they drank alcohol, as well as other lifestyle habits that influence heart disease risk. Their genomes were analyzed and compared to the degree of their heart health.

Other heart healthy habits, such as exercise and proper diet, did not affect the benign influence of alcohol in CETP homozygotes, and this bolstered the conclusion that alcohol

can reduce coronary heart disease risk in these individuals. Results were the same for men and women, though in women they were statistically weaker due to their smaller sample size.

Unfortunately, for most of us, our heterozygous pair will not hold up anymore in a defense for a casual drink.

HUMOUR

November 27, 2014

Last week’s answers:

70- Routine; 71- Bias; 72- Marsh bird;

(CUP) — Puzzles provided by BestCrosswords.com. Used with permission.

Across 1- Horrors!; 5- Spoil; 10- Heinous; 14- Suggestive look; 15- When prompted; 16- Fermented grape juice; 17- Author ___ Stanley Gardner; 18- Chopin composition; 19- Acquire through merit; 20- Ride at full speed;

argosy@mta.ca

22- Twisted; 24- Go downhill fast; 25- Discounted; 26- Chair for two persons; 30- Heaps; 35- Actress Gardner; 36- Heston’s hero, with Loren: El ___; 37- “Goodnight” girl; 38- By the day; 41- Foot lever; 43- Examined furtively; 44- Bind; 45- Bit;

46- Stagnant; 47- State in the central United States; 50- Editor Wintour; 53- Funnyman Philips; 54- Spiral-shaped passage of the inner ear; 58- Suitcase; 62- Burn balm; 63- Yoga posture; 66- School founded in 1440; 67- The back end of something; 68- Babbled; 69- Stick around;

Patrick Allaby

Down 1- Couturier Cassini; 2- Mother of Ares; 3- 1994 Jodie Foster film; 4- Threatening words; 5- Footwear; 6- Aardvark morsel; 7- Hosp. section; 8- Gentle push; 9- Ages between 13 and 19; 10- Water pitcher; 11- Antidote holder, maybe; 12- As to; 13- Grant temporary use of; 21- Approves; 23- Easy ___; 25- Old Ford; 26- Reindeer herders; 27- Not concealed; 28- Miscellany;

29- Intention; 31- Lyricist Gershwin; 32- Resulted in; 33- China’s Zhou ___; 34- Sows; 39- “Runaway” singer Shannon; 40- Model; 41- “... ___ the cows come home”; 42- Pertinent; 44- Acapulco aunt; 48- “___ Believer” (Monkees hit); 49- Surprisingly; 51- Approaches; 52- Like Fran Drescher’s voice; 54- Singer Vikki; 55- Butter alternative; 56- Paint layer; 57- Roll call call; 59- Sock ___ me!; 60- Fly; 61- “Only Time” singer; 64- Gasteyer of “Saturday Night Live”; 65- Prefix with profit or fiction.

Taylor Losier Humour Editor

The Argosy

www.argosy.ca

HUMOUR

The Twelve Days of Exams: A Festive, Holiday Jingle COLOUR

Illustration by: Anna Farrell, Illustrator

Text by: Taylor Losier, Humour Editor

19

We’re Hiring!

We’re looking for dedicated, motivated, and team-oriented students to join our team for the 2014-2015 year.

We’re hiring for the following Positions: IT Manager Circulations Manager Advertising Manager Assistant Production Manager

To apply, email a cover letter and resume to argosy@mta.ca

Farm Fest 2014

Celebration of our local farmers and premium hormone and steroid free meat being available at Rose’s Independent Grocer Saturday, Dec 6th

Pickles is bringing back premium beer for this event!

11-6pm @ only at Pickles – Bagtown Burger with Bacon Infused Mayo and Homegrown Meats Of Tantramar Ground Chuck Steak - $3 6-8pm @ only at Pickles - Sponsored Supper – Homegrown Meats Of Tantramar Slow Cooked Beef Brisket Sandwich with Irish Whiskey Gravy and choice of side - $7 (while supplies last) 8:45 – 9:45 – Mt. A Prof band featuring Professors Law, Strain, Reiffenstein – Tantrum Art. 10pm – 11pm – Special Guest Jacob Strang & The High Class Hussies If you are going to buy beef – buy it from your local farmer at Rose’s Independent Grocer Look for the Homegrown Meats Of Tantramar label – Guaranteed no hormones or steroids.