Brantford charities successful Page 2
Nipissing to withdraw partnership with Wilfrid Laurier University Page 3
Wired in: An obsession with the web Page 7
Issue 9 | Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015 | www.thesputnik.ca
WHAT DO YOU
WANT TO BE WHEN YOU DIE?
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Become a vinyl record, a shotgun shell or be launched into space.
Karly Rath Features Editor The transition from 2014 to 2015 is a reminder of how when one era ends, another begins. It may be the same with human life: can we live on after death? Depending on your beliefs, you may believe in an afterlife or perhaps that it is possible to live on through a legacy of sorts. For most people, there are only two options that come to mind when thinking of what to do with their physical body
after death—cremation or burial. But does that have to be the end of the story? There are actually many post-mortem options available that may just shock, terrify or excite you. EXPLOSIVE FIREWORKS: There are several companies that can turn your ashes into a colourful celebration that can be set off at a memorial service or in the privacy of your loved ones’ backyards. One international company, Heavenly Stars Fireworks, offers two minutes of explosions at over 100 feet for £249.99. SHINING DIAMONDS: If you want to transform your corpse into something classy, you could become a diamond. One
company, Heart in Diamond, requires 70 to 120 days to complete the process of turning your carbon into a personalized diamond. This option can get pricey though—they offer options that range from $875 to over $22,000 and that excludes the cremation fees and setting the certified stone in jewelry. For a cheaper option, you can become glass, whether that be pendant jewelry, marbles or even dishware. PLANT FOOD: You can always choose to simply decompose and give life to plants. Natural or green burials consist of simply placing the body in the earth – no coffin, no chemicals and often no marking above ground. Of the few cemeteries
in Canada that offer green burials, one of which is near Toronto, Duffin Meadows Cemetery. There, grass isn’t mowed and no “tokens of remembrance” such as cut flowers can be left. VINYL RECORD: A legitimate company called www.andvinyly.com, provides you with a 10-step process to immortalize your life in the form of a working, audible record. In summary, you choose the audio and art content, attend the mastering of the record while alive, after your passing (Step 6 is “Die”) your loved ones attend the pressing of your ashes into the record and finally, you “Live on from beyond the groove!”. - CONTINUED PAGE 2
Point of care testing may revolutionize flu diagnosis
Davis Vallesi Staff
A new method of testing for seasonal influenza may help relieve the strain on medical institutions and reduce wait times for Canadians who have fallen ill. This new process, known as point of care testing, was launched on Monday Jan. 5, at Shoppers Drug Mart locations in Alberta. If the pilot test is successful, it is possible the system will be implemented across the country by next year. Currently, if an individual thinks they have contracted the flu, they have fairly limited options in confirming the influenza and receiving treatment, like, going to the emergency
room, visiting a walk-in clinic, or making an appointment with their general practitioner. These options are often impractical due to long wait times at hospitals or clinics and it can sometimes take weeks to secure an appointment with a family doctor. With point of care testing, an individual who believes they have the flu can simply go to their local pharmacy and undergo a short medical test. The pharmacist takes a nasal swab from the patient and then inserts the sample into a device called a “Veritor” reader. Within approximately 10 minutes, the pharmacist can view the results of the test and determine whether the patient has the flu with up to a 90 per cent accuracy rate. At the program’s pilot pharmacies in Alberta, if an individual tests positive for the flu, the pharmacist can prescribe them an anti-viral medication instantly. The procedure requires a fee from the patient, however no appointment
is necessary. Peter Marshall, of P.C. Marshall & Associates, was involved in negotiating an agreement with Shoppers Drug Mart to launch the program. He calls the development “cutting edge” and believes the program will soon become widespread across the country. “This new technology will revolutionize the way that flu testing is done in Canada,” he stated. Marshall also believes that the testing should become government funded, allowing the service to become free for all Canadians. By conducting point of care testing within pharmacies, he feels hospitals can better care for other patients. This is because point of care testing takes the strain of flu testing away from hospitals and labs, moving them into pharmacies. The new system can be especially beneficial for university students studying away from
home, who do not have a local family doctor to visit. It may also ensure that individuals such as the elderly and small children, who are particularly at risk to death from the flu, receive attention immediately and efficiently. Despite these benefits, the potential for corruption within the process still remains. This can be seen in the fact that the same pharmacists conducting the tests and diagnosing the flu are also the ones dispensing the anti-viral medication. Whether this is a conflict of interest will become an issue of intense debate among experts and analysts of the industry. The new point of care testing will likely become a topic that engages many Canadians, since the flu is such a widespread illness. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada’s FluWatch report, the majority of laboratory flu detections occurred in the provinces of Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, during the week of Dec. 14 – 20, 2014.
Brantfords Farmers’ Market Open year round . Friday 7am - 5pm . Saturday 7am - 2pm Laurier Students get 10% discount Located close to Laurier downtown campus & residences . 79 Icomm Drive