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OPINIONS
e SACs democratic deficitNew SAC policies stifle free speech among students and threatens impartiality
e Students Administrative
Council (SAC) elections are always a
complicated affair for me. On the one
hand, the election of our peers from
a student body of roughly only 2200
students is an amazingly personal and
engaging opportunity; on the other
hand, given typical election turnout,
between half and three quarters of
university students disagree with me.
Personally, I believe the SAC to be
a very important part of the student
experience here. I know from first-hand experience that a lot of hard
work goes on behind the scenes to
make this organization work for
students.e SACs housing directory
helped me find the house Im currently
living in, their academic enrichment
programme has helped fund many
of the conferences my friends and I
wouldnt have otherwise attended, and
theyve taken a stand on issues such as
equitable tuition rates. All of this to
say, I have tremendous respect for the
SAC and the role they play.
With this in mind, Im concerned
for the SAC. Given lacklustre voter
turnout and general student apathy,
the SAC is perennially faced with the
task of justifying its relevance to the
student body. For many, the SAC is
at best irrelevant, at worst, an annual
waste of seventy-five dollars. No issue
better foments this problem than a
Stephen MiddletonArgosy Staff
presidential election.
Take the current bevy of candidates
for example. In as many words, each
of them has stated that if theyre
elected theyll make the SAC work for
students and increase accountability.ese are lofty ideals; its too bad
theyve been played out in one of
the most acrimonious and personal
electoral campaigns Ive seen in my
four years here as a student.
Over the course of this electoral
campaign Ive had the chance to see
candidates attacked on personal issues,
there have been members of campaign
teams posing questions deliberately
to embarrass opponents, and not least
of all, the current SAC executive have
made no secret of their presidential
favourites.
To be fair, none of these concerns
are against the SAC rules. In a policy
they very recently enacted April of
For many, the SAC is atbest irrelevant, at worst, anannual waste of seventy-
five dollars.
last year the SAC has profoundly
changed the way elections are handled
here. One of the most striking changes
is the introduction of campaign
teams. A campaign team is to be
a group of people whose names are
given to the Chief Returning Officer;
membership on said list entitles one to
actively campaign for their particular
candidate. Barring having your name
on the list, any campaigning for a
candidate is considered a contravention
of the SAC Election Act (SAC
Election Act, Schedule 6.2).
In addition to being a violation of
my fundamental freedom of speech as
guaranteed by the Charter of Rights
and Freedoms, this puzzling piece
of legislation in my eyes takes
something away from the accessibility
of the election. e requirement to
belong to a candidates campaign team
in order to have an electoral opinion
ultimately ensures that people and
popularity, not ideas, will win the day
in this electoral debate.
Further muddying the waters is
the SACs decision to remove the
requirement that SAC executives
cannot actively campaign. Discovering
their electoral hands untied, this years
executive have wasted no time in both
actively promoting and denouncing
their candidates of choice. While
the endorsement of candidates by
elected officials has a long and storied
tradition in the real world, Im not
convinced its a good idea here. For
better or for worse, this is a small
school that can very quickly become
very personal. Depending on who wins
this presidential election, the SAC
executives will soon find themselves
in a position where they are required
to form a team that will work to
represent We the Student Body. If the
process of electioneering for their pet
candidate splinters that team, they will
have failed their mandate and failed
the greater student body. Last, but
certainly not least, I hope any of them
who expressed an electoral opinion
remembered to register themselves to
a campaign team.
In the end, a SAC election is
about giving students the chance to
determine for themselves who they
would like to be their voice. For the
SAC, there is no more important
opportunity than this.
In changing the rules of the election,
the SAC council has silenced the voice
of the individual student and given a
megaphone to those who should best
remain neutral.
Most of us have been in that terrible
situation where youre in a room
full of people you dont know. Not
one familiar face to be found. If you
havent experienced such an awkwardpredicament, youre either a liar or
incredibly lucky. Either way, most first-
years experience the terror of meeting
new people, desperately, and fervently
trying to attain new friendships that
will supposedly last a lifetime.
Moving across the country to
a school not one of my friends
had heard of, let alone considered
attending, I was placed in such an
environment. Of course, I had met
various people via Facebook (which
just increases the awkward factor. Its
rather embarrassing to glance around
the room and spot the people youve
been Facebook stalking for a few
weeks prior). For the most part, I was
completely on my own, forced into the
very social situation that irks me to the
nth degree: meeting new people.
During our first few weeks here at
Mount A, I devised a sort of rule-
book for meeting new people and
potential friends. It consisted of
various questions and techniques
planned out in my head, all of which I
would follow upon meeting a similarly
awkward person, who appeared to bedesperate for the same kind of social
interaction.
Step 1: Begin with Hi Im ___
*insert name here*____ whats your
name?
Crucial aspect: Said person must
be accessible. If he or she is in a large
group and is seemingly ignoring you,
look away. Utilize your cell phone
by pretending to check something
or send a random text message to
eliminate awkward lingering. Pretend
to look around for another person.
Better yet, pretend you are waiting for
a fr iend. Twist your hair nervously, bite
your lip, and/or just pretend to be off
in your own little world. Chances are,
most people around you will be doing
the same.
Best-case scenario: talk to another
lonesome individual like yourself.
Step 2: Once they reply appropriately
(hopefully stating their name),
memorize it. Its terribly embarrassing
to forget the persons name a few mere
seconds after having met them.
Step 3:en add, Nice to meet you
with a lovely smile.Step 4: Ask the basic questions,
retaliating appropriately with the
inevitable question, what about
you?:
1) What year are they in?
2) Where are they living?
3) Where are they from?
4) What are they studying?
5) What classes are they taking?
Step 5: Last but not least, expand.
Do they like their residence? Why did
they choose Mount A? Which class
do they least enjoy? Have they found
their meal hall crush?
I have had at least 100 of these exact
conversations already. It is getting to
be quite tedious, yet very successful.
Freshmans survival guide to meet-ing new people
Kate PatersonArgosy Contributor
Got something to say?Write Op-Ed [email protected]
Internet Photo/About
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8 OCTOBER 1, 2009THE ARGOSY OPINIONS
What is one of the best kept secrets in Sackville?
Catherine Lapointe
e broken bridge. Ithink there are a fewpeople who know aboutit. For the people whodont it is worth seeingespecially at night.(Located at the veryend of Bridge st., cul-de-sac)
Lauren Ledwell
I would say the extensionof the Waterfowl Park,on the other side ofthe highway, and Melscheeseburgers.
Danielle Leroux
is summer myfriends and I walkeddown to Silver Lake.Along the way thereare many abandonedbuildings includingan old school house.
When we went a localcame and taught ussome history about thebuilding.
Domenic Watson-Wall
Everybody should checkout a concert at theSackville Music Hall onBridge st. (e Yellowdoor and a few feet downfrom the Bridge StreetCaf)
Tom Cushnie:
All the rooftopsin Sackville areeasily accessible andenjoyed!
Valeska Mengert
I would have to saySushi on Tuesdays atthe Cackling Gooseand Alipers Hearth.e shitake mushroomsushi is very good.(Buisness across fromConvocation Hall)
Photos by Jessica Emin
It is incredible the support that Mount
Allison rugby receives every fall. As
a club team, to be recognized and
promoted within the Mount Allison
community is hugely rewarding.
Unfortunately, sometimes in the effort
to assist our cause, our relationship withthe school, athletic funding and other
athletes becomes misunderstood. I
cannot speak on behalf of the other 70
members of the Mount Allison RFC, I
can only reflect and comment on what
I know for certain. We receive a great
amount of funding from the athletic
department each year, paying for much
of our transportation, referees and a
multiple of other things, and we are far
from neglected financially. Honestly,
we could not compete without the
time, money and effort put forth by
the athletic department each year, and
for that we are grateful.
In regards to the cartoon put
forth into this years first Argosy,
one depicting a comparison betweenthe rugby and football teams, I must
admit I laughed. It is always nice to
be recognized as a winning team, and
have appreciation within the student
body. However, as with any witty
comment, it often doesnt depict the
complete story. e football team has
been some of our biggest supporters
as long as I have been here. Attending
our games, donating to our fundraisers
and at times supplying some of our
Dear Editor,
Tall Angry Blonde
Youre always wearing your
headphones and a pissed off face.
Im not sure if youre always angry
or if thats just the way your face
looks. Maybe I can give you a hug
sometime.
Eco Hottie
You love turning the lights out and
conserving heat. Maybe we can
snuggle up together over a mug of
fair trade organic shade-grown coffeeand talk about David Suzuki.
Stephen Lewis Questioner
You asked the question that I wish I
was brave enough to ask. anks for
having the courage to get up there.
Funky Rain Boots
I loved watching you walk down the
street puddle jumping during the
rain. You looked like you were having
so much fun and it totally made my
day. anks for reminding me that
its OK to act like a kid sometimes.
Lab Partner
anks for helping me out the other
day. I was in such a tizzy and you
really calmed me down. I couldnt
ask for a better lab partner.
Pub Savior
I was way too drunk at the Pub the
other night and you saved me withthe glass of water. I would have had
a terrible morning without that.
Maybe next time I can buy you a
drink to say thanks.
Boy on Crutches
I honestly thought you were someone
else. Im sorry you broke your leg and
I hope youre feeling better soon!
best players, we hold nothing against
them and hope they feel the same.
Both teams understand how difficult
it is to build a team up from a small
undergraduate school that cycles
students through on a four (or in some
cases five) year program. Although thecartoon was intended to advocate the
recent success of club rugby, the two
programs are incomparable, and it is
thoughtless to mock the hard work of
a team that has supported us so much
in previous years. So thank you to the
anonymous artist, but your illustration
does not reflect the collective opinion
of the Mount Allison RFC.
Sincerely,
Samantha Wolfe
Ian Crowford
Missed@MTASend us your stories,
Connect with your Meal Hall crush,shout out to your favorite stranger,rant about the guy who never turns
offhis cell!
If you think one of the stories mightbe about you, send us an email at
[email protected] and well put you intouch!
8/6/2019 Argosy October 1, 2009
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9OCTOBER 1, 2009 THE ARGOSY OPINIONS
When American President Barack
Obama finished his inspiring and
rousing speech to the UN General
Assembly, I thought to myself, who
could possibly follow this act? Well,I wasnt disappointed. e leader
of Libya, Colonel Gaddafi, spoke
to the General Assembly for about
100 minutes. But while CNN has
sanctimoniously called Libyas leader
Gaddafi Duck, and the National Post
refers to his speech as a long rant,
what can we take from it, if anything
at all?
Gaddafi was skeptical that the
UN Charter ensured the equality
of member states. He said that the
states that we thought would repel
aggression to protect peoples turned
out to the ones that used aggressive
force while enjoying the veto. Is this
statement ludicrous or irresponsible?
I dont think so he cited cases like
Grenada, Vietnam, and Iraq. As we
saw with Iraq, the US used the UN asa vessel of invasion and abandoned it
when the UN resisted.
Gaddafi was also critical of the
UN Security Council. He viewed
the nuclear criteria for the Security
Council as irresponsible. is is when
Gaddafi made his controversial remark
that equated the Security Council to a
terrorist council. S o what is Gaddafis
solution? Re-evaluate the composition
of the entire Security Council so thatit reflects the entire world rather than
the worlds nuclear club. He suggested
permanent seats for the EU, ASEAN,
African Union, Latin American
Union, and a Forum for Small States.
Interestingly enough, Gaddafi also
recommended that the US and Russia
maintain their seats on the council.
Gaddafi called for inquiries into
some of the sixty-five wars which
have broken out since the UN was
established more than sixty years ago.
He went on to say it proved that its
founding principles had been betrayed.
To strengthen his point, he slightly
ripped the UN Charter and later threw
it on the floor. He went on, Firstly
the invasion of Iraq itself is a violation
of the charter. It is unjustified. Iraq is
an independent state and member ofthe general assembly. Why should it
be invaded? Where was the charter?
I think that if countries are a part of
the UN, then they accept the charter
unconditionally. And yet, there were
no repercussions for the US and UK
who sit on the Security Council and
went to war illegally.
One should always remember that
the media will pick up on the juicier
stories surrounding Gaddafis speech.And while Im not ignorant to the
fact Gaddafi talked about jet lag, the
JFK assassination, and compensation
for Africa totaling $77.7 trillion, he
made some valid points and reasonable
suggestions. I believe that his ideas
about reforming the Security Council
and the veto powers of these states
should be taken very seriously.
Gaddafis speech caused some
rebuke, some applause, and some
to leave the general assembly. But
at least this is a reaction! Its time
that the UN change its institutions
to reflect the changing groups and
societies in the world. Inaction has
been a characteristic of the UN far too
long and it risks total irrelevance at a
time when it could be most relevant.
Gaddafi gets the last word: Terrorismis not only the terrorism of Al-Qaeda,
the status quo is terrorism.
Gaddafi made a point or twoJohn BrannenArgosy Contributor
Do of the Week...
Fashion at Mt. A
Name: Gregory PikeProgram: Major in English, Minor in MathTell us about what youre wearing: Im wearing boat shoeswhich I bought this summer specifically for the purpose ofnot wearing so many socks.e hat is a Cleveland Indianshat. I am also a fan of the Washington Redskins and theBlackhawks. All else was picked up off the floor of myroom. I have two mountains of clothing and sometimes Iforget which one is clean and which on is dirty.
Who or what influences your style?: I have no influencesthat I can think of but I admire the look of crusty punksand bikers from the 70s. e two [styles] I dont like oncampus are how people adopt a slumber party aesthetic ofwearing sweatpants, that and the hippies.
On the evening of September 7, I was
sitting in Convocation Hall, innocently
listening to an amazing inspirational
speaker, Drew Dudley. When the
man finished his moving speech, I felt
uplifted as I walked out int o the lobby.
is feeling soon evaporated as I saw
a Bigelow exec, standing in the lobbyscreaming for all Bigelownians to meet
another exec directly outside the hall.
As some of us attempt to flee, we are all
caught outside in a herd of first years,
awaiting an interesting, unforgettable
night. Once we are all gathered
outside, two execs lead us frosh back
to residence, with megaphones blaring,
ordering us to cheer our loudest the
whole walk back.
As soon as we turn the corner onto
Bigelow turf, we are ambushed with
execs and upper class men armed with
water guns. Someone in the chaos is
screaming that we have five minutes
to change into clothes we will never
wear again. We all run frantically to
our rooms to change. inking of
clothes I could sacrifice, I put on a pair
of shorts and a t-shirt, not thinking
about the wind-chill in Sackville at 9
pm in September. About two minutes
later, people are running through
my hallway rushing us outside. I am
warned not to wear shoes so, foolishly,
I go barefoot. Walking through the
doors I am met with a rush of ice coldwind, but thats nothing compared to
the cold I am about to feel.
I look in front of me at the flock of
freshman doing jumping jacks on the
hill in front of our residence. I join
them. At first I hide somewhere in the
back as the front row is getting soaked
with water among other liquids, being
shot from water-guns, hoses, and just
dumped on from buckets. I soon realize
that this night could go one of two
ways, I could sit in the back and mope
as these ridiculous people who are
for the most part only one year older
than myself - scream orders at me, or
I could get even. I decide to jump in
front and scream Is that all youve
got?!is quickly grabs the attention
of an upperclassman with a hose, so I
become the object of humiliation and
entertainment.
Directly following the jumping
jacks, we are forced to scream Bigelow
cheers at the top of our lungs, while
our president explains the rules of an
obstacle course. We pair up, and get in
line for an adventure.e first stop is abucket, which we are told is filled with
rocks and shells, where we have to find
a die. I found it peculiar that we never
found the die, and was later told by an
upperclassman that there was no die,
only green dye meant to dye our hands
green. Luckily that plan failed. Next
stop was a trivia station. Whichever
partner answered the question correctly
got to pour a cup of apple juice on the
others head. Unfortunately, I was a
little late screaming the colours of our
house, green and black, so I can now
say I know what it feels like to have
hair soaked in la jus de pomme. Next
is my personal favourite, a kiddie pool
filled with no less than water, pasta,
dog food, and coffee grinds. Each
partner is told to locate three small
plastic dinosaurs. I only ever found
one but fortunately my partner pulled
us through again.
e last event was the slip-n-slide,
although this was no regular slip-n-
slide. We slid across a plastic canvas
covered in honey, syrup, and fruit
punch; the second we stood up wehad feathers thrown on us. After the
obstacle course was completed, we
were made to stand on a hill waiting
for the rest of frosh to complete their
tasks, all the while chanting Bigelow
cheers of course. is is when the
upperclassmen take joy in spraying us
with apple juice, fruit punch, honey,
and other wonderful liquids. One of
them came up to the frosh and asked,
How long have you been here frosh?!
and my initial reaction in revenge was,
Not long enough! I quickly realized
this wasnt the best response as I was
immediately put on some sort of frosh
hit-list, but I hid myself well among
the other feather-covered freshman.
After taking the Bigelow oath, we
were all accepted as true Bigelownians,
and it was well worth the fight.
I know that the process of initiation
is controversial, because it can be a bit
intense. But I think that initiation is
an activity that really brings the house
together! I know that when I came
back into Bigelow covered in honey
and who knows what else and I sawgirls hiding in the bathroom, I felt so
terrible for them. Not because they
wouldnt have to take an hour long
shower to rid themselves of the remains
of initiation, but because it really
helped the house bond. It really made
me feel like I was a part of something,
and that I had earned the privilege to
be there. So for anyone who missed
out on their initiation, jump in on next
years because I guarantee it will be an
experience you will never forget!
Sincerely,
Jennifer Boyce
Some thoughts on initiation...
Internet Photo/Henry Jackson Society
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10 OCTOBER 1, 2009THE ARGOSY OPINIONS
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND CLASSIFIEDSursday, September 31
7:00 PM e Study of Humour
Wu Centre
What makes humour funny?
Dr. Taylor will discuss what
representations oflanguage can teach
us about the structure of humour, andhow computationalstudies can give us
insight into something quintessentially
human.e talkwill introduce humour
as an interdisciplinary research field,
mature in somedisciplines, and wide
open in others. e talk will then
address humour fromthe artificial
intelligence perspective, discussing the
meaning-based approachto humour
in text, difficulties of computational
detection of humour, and describing
some approaches to humour
recognition. Contact: Andrew
Hamilton-Wright, (506) 364 2539,
7:00 PM Mysterious China: Opening
Exhibit
Avard Dixon G12
Hosted by Ron Byrne, Dr. Owen
Griffiths, and the Chinese Student
Association. Followed by a showing
of Wild China from 8:00 10:00 PM.
Contact: Yazhe Jing(Vera), yjing@
mta.ca
Friday, October 1
7:00 PM Relay for Life
Mt. A Academic Quad
e Canadian Cancer Societys 7th
annual Relay for Life in Sackville,
NB. Be part of the 12 hour Relay that
is helping to make cancer history! For
more information visit: www.cancer.ca
Contact: Deanne Tucker:
7:00 PM Mountie Head Shave
Mt. A Academic Quad
Football players will shave their
heads to raise money for the Canadian
CancerSociety and Relay for Life.
You can give pledges in Gracies Cafe
or JenningsHall at meal times from
September 14-18, or on the night of.
Sponsor a certainplayer and come out
to the event to see the results! Contact:
Lindsey Cox, [email protected]
7:00 PM Vespers
University Chapel
A non-denominational service ofworship in music and spoken and the
spoken word open to the campus and
community.
Monday, October 4
7:30 PM Cinema Politica
Avard Dixon G12
Film Screening of King Corn, a
feature documentary about two friends,
one acre of corn and the subsidized
crop that drives their fast-food nation.
When they try to follow their pile
of corn into the food system, what
they find raises troubling questions
about how we eat and how we farm.
Contact: Sarah, 364-3200, skardash@
mta.ca
Tuesday, October 5
4:00 PM Canada Council Author
Reading Tamas Dobozy
Owens Gallery
Award-winning short story
writer Tamas Dobozy reads from
his collection and from new work.Everyone welcome. Contact: Christl
Verduyn [email protected]
7:00 PM - e Hero in the Garden
Crake Lectures 2009-2010
Owens Gallery Second Floor
Professor Kampen will examine an
unusual portrait of a young boy that
was discovered in the garden of the
grand villa at Oplontis, not far from
Pompeii. She is interested to know
whether we can better understand
his appearance and placement in the
garden through the classical concept
of the hero and will argue that the
relationship between Greek and
Roman artistic and cultural ideas
underlies what could be seen as a case
study in creative reinterpretation.
Wednesday, October 6
7:30 PM Artists Talk, Terrance Houle
Owens Art Gallery
Calgary-based First Nations artist
Terrance Houle will give a talk atthe Owens about his art practice.
Houle works in many media and deals
primarily with issues of stereotyping
and cultural identity. All are welcome
to attend.
Contact: Sara Williamson, 364-2574,
8:00 PM Juan Martin, Flamenco
Guitar
Brunton Auditorium
Celebrated flamenco guitar virtuoso
Juan Martn will perform with a
singer and dancer for an unforgettable
evening of Spanish music at its best.
Contact: Margaret Ann Craig, 364-
2662 (voice mail only), performarts@
mta.ca
I am a hesitant donor. When it comes
to donating blood, I often hesitate as
I consider whether I am willing to
hold offon another piercing or tattoo.
During clothing drives, I am never
quite sure if I want to let go of that
sweater that hasnt seen daylight in
a year, but is endearing nonetheless.
I tend not to put much weight in
televised charity promotions, as I am
never quite sure where my money
would be going.
It is not that I do not like donating
these things. In fact, I find myself a
great deal happier after these acts.
However, my hesitation remains. Callit societal-borne cynicism or personal
paranoia, but I am hesitant to give
when our world has made a game out
of taking.
Ill unapologetically admit that
when I do manage to find a cause I am
comfortable with, I enjoy the thought
that I am helping out humanity in
my own small way. is week, I was
confronted with the suggestion that I
am not in fact helping, or at least not
enough.
e morning after Stephen Lewis
delivered his speech to a filled
Convocation Hall, one of my professors
spent the majority of our class time
speaking about our responsibility as
students to donate. While my personal
opinion on whether my professor
was right in expressing her views
during our class time (admittedly she
linked Lewis speech intelligently and
thoughtfully to our study material), I
find myself questioning the intention
of donating to a better cause.
Do we have a responsibility to
donate? Are we choosing to donate
based on reasons we discern to be
right? Or do we simply follow the
guidelines of a right life as set out by
those around us?
is dilemma also presents itself
when I consider the amount of
humanitarian organizations on campus.
Are students joining because they truly
believe in the cause represented by the
group, or are they simply looking for
another line on their rsum? I would
optimistically like to believe that all
students at Mount Allison join these
groups for the right reasons. In any
case I am not sure the reason because
its the right thing to do suffices any
longer.
I think the other dilemma raised
can be best posed as the question:
how much is too much? I know some
will be outraged outright and demand
that there is never such a thing as too
much. In some ways I agree. I believe
there can never be enough open-
minded and compassionate people
in the world who are willing to act
on the behalf of and for the better of
others. I do, however, question the act
of pushing too much.
e number of student chapters of
humanitarian organizations on campus
can be startling at times. e efforts of
the students and community members
of Mt. A and Sackville are phenomenal
and at the same time frustrating.
Going back for a moment to the
suggestions my professor gave my
classmates and I earlier this week,
I find myself struggling. After that
class, I felt shamed and inadequate.
I recognize this was more than likely
not the intent of my professor, but I
think that it is a hazard of such talks.
My professor even admitted to feeling
similarly after Lewis finished his talk.
is is a sad development that I
Globally aware, charitably responsible?
think has sprung up in response to
the general past unresponsive nature
of humanity. Despite having known
about global warming for years, we
are now running around heralding
the end of the world. Poverty and
unacceptable living conditions have
been a permanent fixture of humanity,
and yet now it is a state of emergency.
Extremism exists in every facet of
human society. Is the way to a better
society really to shame each other for
not doing enough? Should we be
shamed however publicly or privately
for not giving enough? After all,
what is enough? Because I choose to
primarily donate to local causes on a
very irregular basis, does that mean
I am in some way inadequate in the
global community?
Primarily I believe that the decision
to donate, whether it is in the form of
time, money, or materials, should be
Julie StephensonArgosy Staff
made because a person feels it is both
necessary and important.
I abhor any tactics that shove
causes in peoples faces, emphasize the
extremes, and demand action from all.
I do not believe in the phrase simple
donation. Have we now come to a
point in humanitarian action where we
will take anything we can get?
I hope not. I also hope that is not
a feeling people walked away from
Lewis speech with. In fact, I hope
people will think more critically about
their decisions and places in the global
community before they act. It would be
devastating to watch a world just throw
their cash in the global bucket without
thinking first. As Lewis said, it is all
about sufficient awareness, a sufficient
consciousness. Just remember that
the thought applies to each side, every
extreme, and all people.
Internet Photo/Flying Hall School
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HUMOUR
Campus
Balderdash!
We find the obscure word, and yousupply the meaning. One of these is thecorrect definition, and the rest are madeup by your fellow classmates. Can youtell which ones right and which onesbalderdash??
Top Ten Ways To
Meet New People
Lindsay Laltoo
10. Pull the fire alarm in rez soeveryone is forced to mingle outdoorson the lawn. Even if you dont makeany new friends, youll at least get tocheck out the local firefighting crew.
9. Raid the laundry room and drapestolen undergarments on trees outside.When people come looking for theirintimates, strike up a conversation!(OMG I have the same thong as youLOL!)
8. Deposit yourself in the lost andfound and wait.
7. Bring delicious home baked cookiesto lab laced with addictive substancesto build attachments.
6. Advertise a get-together with cheeseand crackers at your place. Substituteget-together with intimate KanyeWest and Taylor Swift duet andcheese and crackers with free beerfor maximum response.
5. Go to the library and pretend youdont know how to use a computerto garner quick and speedy aid. Tryjabbing the mouse at the screenaggressively and whimperingincoherently.
4. Spread your hand with Super Glueand start high-fiving people.
3. Pose as an international student withshaky English skills so you can getpaired up with a tutor for the rest ofthe year (we and you be good friendsya?).
2. Contract H1N1 and spread it to
the rest of your dorm so you can bein quarantine together (like a giantsleepover with face masks!).
1. Write for Humour and Ill bake youbrownies (substance free!).
Stressed to Impress by Lindsay Laltoo
Erik Fraser
Argosy InAction by Lindsay Laltoo
e Word: Zugzwang
i. the term used to describe abumblebees haphazard flight patternsii. a dialect spoken in Ghanaiii. a really shitty chess moveiv. the highest scoring wordpossible in Scrabble
Answer: iii. Describing a situation in achess game where a player is forced tomake an undesirable move, as in Withno other options, my opponent hadcornered me in a zugzwang, that bitch.
Argosys Weekly Essay
Writing Tip
The purpose of writ-ing is to inflate weakideas, obscure purereasoning, and inhibitclarity. With a littlepratice, writing can bean intimidating andimpenetrable fog!
- Calvin and Hobbes
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13THE ARGOSY HUMOUROCTOBER 1, 2009
Moncton
6:45am Wake up. Realize yourealready running late.
7:01am Skip the shower, opting
instead for liberal use of the deodorantand a hat to hide greasy hair.
7:02am Note to self: buy strongerdeodorant.
7:05am No time for a completebreakfast, so you fashion a quickbreakfast wrap using last nights pizzaand a few spoonfuls of beef casserole.
7:10am Get into your car and startthe engine.ree warning lights flashon the dash and an incessant pingsounds. Search the car frantically forthe source.
7:12am Close the gas door. Get backinto the car and turn it on.e gas lightflickers.
7:13am Drive across town to pick upyour carpool buddy. Text them to letthem know youll be there in 5.
7:20am Idle your car outside yourcarpool buddys house. Rev the engineto passively alert them of your presencebefore beeping the horn.
7:24am Receive the text OMGrnnin l8. br out! ttys. Fume silently.
7:36am Carpool buddy emerges,immaculately dressed and smellinglike a fermented rosebush. Beginschattering nonstop about how sheslate because her boyfriend slept overand then commences describing all the
various positions he slept over in.
7:37am Grope frantically for noise-canceling radio on dash. Nothing is onbut the Jonas Brothers, French hip hop,and someone on the CBC discussingtea. Weigh your options and crank upthe tea talk.
7:42am Sit in traffic that hascome to a standstill as a road crewdoes construction. Eight men inhardhats mill about sipping coffee andchatting as one guy steers a backhoeabsentmindedly along a lane closed totraffic. Another bored looking womenholds a stop sign and talks on her cellphone. Carpool buddy bemoans howlucky she is to work with so many cute
guys.
7:58am Finally get on the highway.
Carpool buddy asks to stop for a latte.Remind her you have a class in 30
minutes and you wouldve had timeto stop for coffee if somebody wasntrunning so late.
8:01am Carpool buddy gets on hercell phone with her boyfriend anddescribes what a bitch her carpooldriver is being.
Sackville
8:25am Drop carpool buddy off infront of the McCain Building. Remindher she owes you gas money. She ohwow, completely and totally forgotabout that, ha ha ha, how silly of her,but you know she doesnt have herwallet on her and it s like ok if she getsthe money to you tomorrow right?
8:26am Carpool buddy disappearsinto a sea of students.
8:27am Park car by the football fieldand bolt to class in Flemington. Allthe good seats are taken, and youre leftin the back row beside the kid withasthma who wheezes with every breath.
8:28am Wheeeeze. Wheeeeze.Wheeeeze.
9:21am Class ends; realize you forgotthe assignment thats due in your nextat home. Panic descends.
9:25am Call your roommate at home,who after 48 rings answers in a lessthan chipper tone. Offer to do their
laundry for the next month if they canscan and email your assignment to youin the next 5 minutes.
9:28am Rush to the library anddistract a frosh with a candy bar so
you can steal the computer theyre on.Download and print your assignment.Run to class.
9:32am All the good seats are taken,but at least you have your assignment.Pass it in to the prof. Prof glances at it,and asks why you submitting a pictureof someones face contorted and pressedagainst the page.
9:33am Note to self: Burnroommates clothes.
In Class
4:19pm Your last lab of the day ends.Stomach growls. Your lab partnercomplains about having to walk all
the way home for supper. Try tosympathize with their plight, as theapartments by the pharmacy are at leasta 4 minute walk away.
4:20pm Stomach groans in agony.Ignore it and head to the library to redotodays assignment so you wont lose asmany marks.
7:47pm Finish assignment. Eyesare starting to twitch. Stomach hasresorted to eating your intestine. Dontbother texting carpool buddy, just headto your car.
7:53pm Your car windshield issporting a new horizontal crack. Onthe field, a couple football playersglance over innocently, and then resumethrowing passes to one another.
7:55pm- Get into your car and start
the engine. Gas needle rests on E. Coaxyour car into the nearest gas s tation and
fill it with the entire contents of yourwallet $11.53.
8:01pm Debate sleeping in yourcar in the parking lot to save gas.However the lack of edible products inyour backseat and your penniless selfconvinces you to drive home to supper.
8:02pm Get on the highway. Itscompletely dark. Your headlightsappear to be weakening. Try to forgethow many drivers are killed or injuredby moose wandering onto the highwayat night annually.
8:05pm Its 700.
Moncton
8:56pm Arrive at home. Youhead immediately for the kitchen.Roommate has conveniently clearedout the fridge and disappeared for thenight. You crack open a can of tuna andpair it with a healthy dose of ketchup.
9:22pm Fall asleep at the kitchencounter.
12:01am Roommate comes homeand finds you asleep in the kitchen.oughtfully drapes a blanket overyour slouched form, and then draws amustache on your face in permanentink.
6:43am You wake up, bleary-eyed. Asthings come into focus you look at your
watch. Youre late. Again.
Stressed to
Impress
(continued)
by Lindsay
Laltoo
Tales of a Commuting
Student
Jane MacBeath
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17THE ARGOSY FEATURESOCTOBER 1, 2009
here at hometivities flaunts it; a large portion of the
on is full of altruistic and humanitarian-tudents involved talking about it for this
onal Engagement?
Engaging clubs, and thestudents?Sasha Van KatwykArgosy Staff
It seems these days that our ideas of humanitarian organizations always have cynical
affiliations attached to them. Charity equals hand-outs. Aid organizations equal hand-
outs with more money. Foundation sounds incorporated; relief organization sounds
wrapped in bureaucratic red tape; anything addressing children sounds naive; anything
naming a country sounds over-extended.Of course, most organizations dont deserve this stig ma. However, this cynicism is telling
of legitimate concerns and debates that have arisen from an international community, a
community which is critically engaging with humanitarian assistance regimes.
Here at Mount Allison, the number of humanitarian organizations active on campus
is impressive by any measure. But how much does the student body critically engage with
our clubs?
Beyond whats stated on the SAC constitutions and what club execs can spill out at the
preliminary meeting, what do we know of our student clubs?
We know that Team (Michael J.) Fox raises money for Parkinsons and is famous for their
pancake breakfasts. Habitat, Global Medical Brigades, and Youth Jamaica send Allisonians
around the world to engage in their causes.
War Child raises funds and awareness on women and childrens rights in war zones
and has already planted mines across campus to make their point. Atlantic International
Studies Organization (ATLIS) presents and publishes student works and raises awareness
on international issues through things like the Stephen Lewis forum that occurred one day
before his lecture.
Shinerama and Relay for Life have their start-of-year events to raise important funds
for their causes. And WUSC hosts student refugees at Mt. A and raise awareness for the 8
Millennium Development Goals.
ats not even all the clubs on campus; locally-focused social justice groups would
expand the list twice over.
Its all well and good to have well-mandated organization chapters, but to what degree
does individual engagement and club accountability enter into the minds of the common
Allisonian?
One of the issues that has been discussed increasingly as it becomes more prevalent is
volun-tourism.is is the phenomenon wherein Western-based students pay an exorbitant
amount of money to go to the global south, where they can have expedited shock-and-awe
experiences that make for a great story, but have ultimately little substance.
Criticism of volunt-tourism can touch on the clubs that have some of their members
travel as part of their mandate. e debate becomes whether or not the experiences are
worth it, and to what degree the student must decide to truly immerse themselves in the
new realities around them.
Others criticize the large organizations with campus chapters such as UNICEF, Oxfam,
and War Child, arguing that these organizations use their recognized names and the all
of their resources to draw attention to huge issues, issues that a students donation wont
be able to affect. Meanwhile more locally-focused groups, which could invest their funds
towards more tangible goals, go unseen and under-funded.
e reverse argument could be that these big organizations create chapters to raise
awareness of major global issues that ultimately affect all of us. Local groups will be
supported by people concerned with local issues, meanwhile others have visions of more
globally-scaled questions. University is, after all, about expanding ones horizons.If international trends towards the use and influence of humanitarian organizations and
other NGOs are any in dication, engagement is not simply to join and c ampaign, its also
to question and re-analyse various assumptions of causes as well as ones own involvement
within these institutions. Engagement is also an individuals capacity to become absorbed
in a cause; an open-access and all-inclusive community requires active participation.
e degree to which Mount Allison meets these important indications of engagement
has yet to be seen.
Julie Cruikshank
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ENTERTAINMENT
Pandas and tigers and whistles, oh my!When Hot Panda,e Wind Whistles and Paper Tiger get together for a show, everybody wins.
Planning a concert bill requires a
special kind of intuition. If the bands you pick sound too similar, then the
acts will start to run together and no
one band ends up standing out. Of
course, if theyre too different from
one another, the jarring shift between
sets makes the whole endeavor seem
rather haphazard. So credit the
organizers of last Wednesdays show
at Struts Gallery for absolutely nailing
the balance. Paper Tiger, the Wind
Whistles, and Hot Panda all traffic in
indie pop, but each band approaches
the genre in different and ultimately
complimentary ways.
Paper Tiger hails all the way from
Utrecht, Netherlands, bringing with
them a pair of electric-acoustic guitars
and a slate of songs from their album
Everyone Here. e duo of Chris
Regtop and Tmy Phem sound similarto the quirky acoustic pop of French
band Herman Dune, albeit with a
faster pace, crunchy power-pop sheen
and winning harmonizing with their
voices and their guitars. Of the three
bands that night, Paper Tiger had the
most laid-back sound and demeanor they would make the ideal soundtrack
to lying back in a hammock suspended
between two palm trees, tropical drink
in hand. e chiming, minimally
amplified guitars gave the vocals
space to reverberate. Good thing, as
the lyrics were consistently amusing:
45 Minutes Can Last Pretty Long
told the true story of being forced to
wait around at a brothel at four in the
morning, while the candy bracelet at
the center of Sandy is revealed to be
made of something more chemically
stimulating. Notably, Paper Tiger was
touring without their drummer, which
turned out to be quite a blessing.
When the drummer for the Wind
Whistles backed them on their last
few songs, the percussion drowned out
the simple charm that made their setso engaging.
He fared much better with his own
band, however. e Wind Whistles
are from Vancouver, which for those
geography buffs out there, is further
away from Sackville than Utrecht.
Being a more traditional guitar-
bass-drums setup, they were more
propulsive than Paper Tiger. eir
guitars remained at the same level,
however, allowing the harmonies of
Tom Prilesky and Liza Moserto soar
above the musical accompaniment.
e Wind Whistles songs are more
urgent, with earnest lyrics about
turtles, jailbreak weddings, and rivers,
but the trio never took themselves too
seriously. e set moved along nicely,
peaking when half of Paper Tiger
Neil BonnerArgosy Staff
added some mandolin to the bands
performance.
e gear setup for Hot Panda took
much longer than those of the previous
bands, due mainly to the presence of
some rather hefty amplifiers. I was
concerned that the Edmonton band
would disrupt the mood, but Hot
Panda surprised me: they reined in
the noise so that it filled, rather than
overwhelmed, the small art space.
ey were the logical main act for
the night, turning the strengths of
the previous bands up to eleven:
they played quirky, yet emotionally
forthright indie pop with humor that
arose from their unhinged energy and
unusual instrumentation. Drummer
Maghan Campbell wailed on the
wood-block for Its Worth Eight
Dollars and later treated the crowd
to her first instrument, the kazoo.
Multi-instrumentalist Heath Parsons
played guitar, and appealingly grungey
keyboard and, why not, the accordion.
Vocalist/guitarist Chris Connelly
and bassist Keith Olson didnt get
to be as flashy, but managed to stay
exciting while keeping the lineup from
spiraling off into chaos.
Overall, the show was a success,
blending together three distinct, fun
takes on indie pop. e crowd was
engaged throughout, and everyone just
seemed delighted afterwards.
Not bad for a school night.
Hot Panda, relaxing with some animal friends. None of which, oddly enough, are pandas.
Internet Photo/Briana Hughes
e Tom Fun Orchestra brings the energyHighlights include shirtless drummers, Christmas music and an opening set by Corey Isenor
Oh Georges. Georges Fabulous
Roadhouse.eres not much I can say
about it that hasnt been said before.
Somehow this tiny bar, a sometimes
eerie walk from downtown, manages
to attract the best bands and large
crowds considering the size. Carmen
Townsend was set to open for the Tom
Fun Orchestra, but a few hours before
the show started she bailed and CoreyIsenor stepped up to the plate.e ten
oclock show started early (by Georges
standards) at twenty to eleven, with a
seemingly much more relaxed Corey
Isenor. After some initial feedback
issues Corey sauntered through a
pretty familiar setlist with ease. His
performance was much improved
from the Music Hall performance at
the beginning of the month, and I was
able to enjoy the catchy lyrics more
and more... especially River Woman.
With every song well rehearsed, it
was easier to appreciate the wonderful
lyrics. He delivered the line, When
she cries she brings the soil back to life
so well there was no hint of corniness.
It was a really impressive performance,
especially on such short notice.
After a pretty long intermission,
the Tom Fun Orchestra got on stage
just before midnight and transcended
the, at that time, relatively laid back
atmosphere of the Roadhouse, and
people got out of their seats accordingly.
ere was a bit of a sound level issue
initially, but it was resolved quickly.
I had heard Tom Fun Orchestra was
good, and at midnight I was awake.
I knew this cluster-rock ensemble
offered more than the standard rock-
and-roll instrumentation, but I wasimpressed they could even fit six
musicians on that small stage. ey
made it work, with a unique sound
that further energized the crowd.
e bands repeated references to
Sackville/Georges were, in particular,
very well received.e band began to
drink, drummer omas Allan took
his shirt off, and before long the disco
ball on the ceiling began to swing like
a pendulum to the beat.
ere was a constant energy
throughout the show and at points
the crowd movement was shaking the
floor.e show ended around half past
one with a roaring finale followed by
an invitation to an audience afterparty
and a softer traditional guitar-heavy
song. ey even gave us an early
holiday gift with a Christmas song
featuring Georges Roadhouse. e
band was not sober by the end, but
nobody seemed to mind. Im looking
forward to their eventual return and so
should you.
Geoffrey CampbellArgosy Staff
For those who havent experienced
the late night small town charm of
Georges, its not something to be
missed. Georges is the epitome of
small town bar. A pricey, limited
selection bar, along with pool tables
and cheap seats.e bathroom graffiti
is too funny and homely to be painted
over. Sackville wouldnt be the same
without Georges, and if you havent
been there yet, you need to go at least
once.
Elizabeth von Rosenbach
The Tom Fun Orchestra at a previous concert: melting hearts, one accordion solo at a time.
Internet Photo/Beep! Beep! Back Up the Truck
Paper Tiger (complete with drummer) performing live.
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20 OCTOBER 1, 2009THE ARGOSY ENTERTAINMENT
When fables meet hard rockFair to Midland creates a unique brand of storybook-prog
Internet Photo/last.fm
Fables from a Mayfly: What I Tell You
ree Times is True(2007)
Fair to Midland
Serjical Strike Records
Take a little dive under the shallows
and spy, what do you see?/I see the
tortoise and the hare in a rat-race/Andit fits like a glove under my sleeve.
So begins the whimsical, spiraling
opening track Dance of the Manatee
on Texas band Fair to Midlands third
album, their first since being signed to a
record label. Wherever one might read
about them, a lot of terms get thrown
around to classify this genre-bending
quintet, usually involving the words
progressive or alternative, which is
really just another way of saying that
no one knows what exactly to call
them. By all means alternative insofar
as the term means unusual, Fair to
Midland plays heavy-hitting hard rock
with a storybook mentality, bringing a
shifting, unpredictable quality to their
music that makes it feel like Alice in
Wonderlandwith electric guitar.
A great deal of this complexity
comes from the distinct vocals of
singer Darroh Sudderth. Able to
shift seamlessly from a subdued, soft-
spoken murmur to a soaring wail then
all the way down to a throaty growl,
he brings the music along with him
through swells and softness alike, often
completely transforming the feel of a
song from one moment to the next.
Often, his vocals sound like a call and
response duet between two entirely
different singers, when both voices
are actually his own. A healthy dose
of keyboards adds to the fantastical
nature of the music, and coupled with
production by David Bottrill, the
album as a whole achieves a highly epic
sound, one that takes the listener on a
journey rather than simply providing a
beat to bounce to. Not that it doesnt
rock as well. Signed to former System
of a Down singer Serj Tankians label,
its easy to see what might have caught
his attention. Both bands share a
penchant for adding unusual twists
and turns to their thrash and rock,be it sudden stops and starts, abrupt
shifts in tone, or just the many the
many different sounds each respective
vocalist can achieve. In fact, Sudderth
and Tankian have shown in the past
that they can blend vocals quite well
together, live on stage.
e greatest asset of Fair to Midland
is not just their ability to shift and bend
their musical style without a moment s
notice, but to play well no matter
what particular blend of heaviness
and experimentation theyre currently
residing in. Witness the rising thunder
that escalates track Vice/Versa from
slow, melodious croon into its intense
chorus, featuring Sudderth yelling
his Texan lungs out, only to take the
music back down with him to where
it started, all within the span of a few
lines. On album highlight A Seafarers
Knot, the band just keeps escalating
until it sounds like its going to rock
itself right off the record, all set to
haunting, brooding vocals along with
some more piercing wails. With lyrics
that read like a particularly dark off-
shoot of Mother Goose (If you could
spare me forty winks/While you cry
wolf and I count sheep/What good are
ghosts in Kevlar vests/With backboneslike a jellyfish?), theres really no one
quite like Fair to Midland.
ere are a lot of things to like aboutthis weeks Sackville Film Society
movie, OHorten. It is super charming
and laugh-out-loud funny, without
self-consciously trying to be. It also
has trains in it (always a plus in my
books). Its a movie that starts at an
ending and ends at a beginning and in-
between these two points the sequence
of events are blurry and strange.
Directed by acclaimed Norwegian
film maker Bent Hamer, OHorten
tells the story of Odd Horten, a
recently retired train driver. e film
follows Odd as he departs from his
structured life of the railroad track
into a world thats messy and bizarre.
You get the impression that Odds
life before his retirement had been in
a kind of stasis, and he interacts with
the world as a passive observer and a
sheepish participant. For the majority
of the film Odd continues to wear his
uniform which gives the impression
that even though his life has changed
he has yet to. He acts like hes a train
driver, watching the world move by
outside the windows.
Regardless of Odds attitude, life
seems to happen to him, albeit in
bizarre and out of sync ways. eres
a kind of quietness to the movie, but
dont take that to mean that its boring
or even subtle. Quite on the contrary,
the things that happen to Odd are
often quite extraordinary.
An optical trick exists in which
an audience is asked to focus on a
specific object while, in the meantime,
something crazy happens in the
background, such as a man in a bear
suit moonwalking by (if youve never
seen this, go to YouTube and search for
Test Your Awareness). Oftentimes,
nobody will notice this happening no
matter how obvious it is.e audience
will only see what theyre focusing on. To me OHorten is a movie about
these bear suit moments which should
be strikingly obvious but for whatever
reason are easy to miss.e things that
happen to Odd are not beyond any
realm of the imaginable and theyre
often not really even unusual or, but
theyre magic, crazy, and quiet.
By the end of the movie, Odd has
finally taken offhis uniform. He seems
like a new man, though its hard to
say quite how he arrived at that point.
OHorten leaves you feeling happy.
When it comes down to it its a pretty
warm movie and its a nice way to look
at the world. I wish I could always see
in Horten-vision.
Dylan CunninghamArgosy Contributor
Becky MartinArgosy Contributor
Fair to Midlandplays heavy-hittinghard rock with astorybook mentality,bringing a shifting,unpredictable qualityto their music thatmakes it feel likeAlice in Wonderlandwith electric guitar.
TORONTO (CUP) Damian
Abraham is facing a chicken and the
egg scenario.Abraham fronts the Toronto
hardcore band Fucked Up, which, on
Monday night, won the 2009 Polaris
Music Prize an award given each
year to the best full-length Canadian
album, based solely on artistic merit.
I really have a hard time looking
at Fucked Up and thinking of it as
artistic, he said in an interview after
winning the award on Sept. 21. I look
at it as just what we did. Its hard to
look at it and think, Hey this is such
a great artistic achievement. I suppose
if anything, the reason its an artistic
achievement is because it won the
Polaris.
Fucked Up beat out nine other
shortlisted contestants at Monday
Nights Polaris Prize Gala at Torontos
historic Masonic Hall, includingnew-wave heavyweight Metric, genre-
defying KNAAN, and 2007 winner
Patrick Watson.
Abraham said he was shocked over
his bands win.
I was like, did they say Joel Plaskett?
e whole night, I was like, [itll be]
KNAAN, Joel Plaskett, KNAAN,
Joel Plaskett. And then I was like, oh
man, I cant believe we won.
Fucked Up is the first punk band
to make it to the ten-album shortlist
for the $20,000 Polaris Music Prize in
its four-year history, making the win asignificant step for hardcore music in
Canada.
While Abraham said in the post-
gala press conference that Fucked Ups
win means the hardcore genre could
become more accepted in the country,
It never should be totally accepted.
But at the same time I hope it means
therell be a greater understanding of it
in Canada, because there are so many
amazing bands that have come from
Canada in more extreme genres.
Being considered on par with
previous winners Caribou, Patrick
Watson, and Final Fantasy whom
Abraham said he worships means
the world to the frontman.
CBC Radio 3s Grant Lawrence,
who co-hosted the gala with
MuchMusic VJ Sarah Taylor, said hewas shocked by the winner.
Everyone that said its an indie
rock prize has to look again, because
a hardcore band just won, said
Lawrence after the gala. at shakes
it up, and Im happy for [Fucked Up].
e radio host called the gala the
best hed seen in its four years, and
only had kind words to say for the
nominees.
e quality of the bands that we
see here are incredible. One won, but
I think all of the artists are winners in
many ways . . . It really felt like we wereseeing the cream of the crop of 2009.
is moment, tonight, is the only place
to be in Canadian music anywhere.
For the first time in the prizes
history, each nominated act was invited
to play a short set at the gala. While
some performances were intimate
Joel Plaskett and Metric each played
acoustic sets other acts opted to have
fun with the occasion.
Patrick Watson and band members
played while winding through the
crowd, wearing suits designed to look
like trees made out of lamps. Elliott
BROOD handed the audience cooking
sheets and wooden spoons to play
along with the band, and Hey Rosetta!
brought numerous percussionists and
violinists on stage with them, totaling
fourteen people to play their songTired Eyes.
Fucked Up had their own guests,
too, including Lullabye Arkestra and
2006 Polaris Music Prize winner Final
Fantasy, whose pedal-looped violin
riffs began the performance. e live
broadcast of the show on MuchMusic
didnt hold frontman Abraham back
from performing how he wanted, as
he slowly stripped offhis clothes until
he wandered the stage in hiked-up
boxer briefs. Compared to some of the
bands past performances, though, this
was tame or at least less bloody.
In spite of Fucked Ups let-loose-on-stage antics, Abraham said that
the band plans on using the $20,000
for a legitimately serious project a
benefit record to draw attention to the
over 500 missing aboriginal women in
Canada.
Were going to [. . .] raise some
Josh OKaneCUP National Bureau Chief
Fucked Up upends indie expectationsHardcore underdog shifts Canadian music prize from traditional indie rock winners
money for these people. Its a
marginalized group, its a [racial]
crime and its ignored. Were putting
out a benefit record with some really
fun guests, and we can pay for it.
e 2009 Polaris Music Prize long
list, comprised of forty albums selected
by a 181 member jury comprised ofCanadian journalists, broadcasters and
bloggers, was announced last June. e
ten-album shortlist was announced
in June, and also included Chad
VanGaalen and Malajube.
Frontman Damian Abraham bellows as Fucked Up perform live.
Internet Photo/Donofthedead
OHorten (Baard Owe) and costar.
Internet Photo/Hamburg
Whimsy, Norway-styleA review of Bent Hamers OHorten
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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Geek Chicof the Week
While not strictly geek chic (or indeed, chic at all), this instant-mullet kit is sure to light a fire of ironic delight (oractual disgust) in the hearts of all who gaze upon it. Unsurprisingly, its being sold for ten bucks US.
http://www.thingsyouneverknew.com/product/thingstowear/oddaccessories/ponytail+cap.do
October 1, 2009:Ponytail Cap
Sci/TechNews Ticker
Guy Lalibert, Cirque du Soleil founder, to become first Canadian space tourist, will perform in orbit
ere has been much rejoicing in the
scientific community this past week.
For the first time, an HIV/AIDS
vaccine trial has been shown to workin a minority of people.
Sure, this might prompt questions
like, shouldnt we be rejoicing over a
vaccine that works in a large majority
of people as opposed to a minority?
However, AIDS vaccine trials
to date have been generally labeled
inconclusive at best and practically
cataclysmic at worst. One vaccine
tested in 2007 was stopped early
because it seemed to actually increase
the risk of infection for men.
e new vaccine, called RV 144,
is actually a combination of two
genetically engineered vaccines, which
individually were not shown to decrease
susceptibility to infection. e first
drug, Alvac-HIV from Sanofi-Pasteur,
is actually a canarypox virus that has
three AIDS virus genes grafted ontoit. e other drug, Aidsvax, is an
engineered version of a protein found
on the surface of the AIDS virus. e
drug is grown in a broth of hamster
ovary cells.
RV 144 was tested on 16,402
volunteers in ailand in 2006 and
was found to be just over thirty per
cent effective. Half of the volunteers
were given six doses of two vaccines
in 2006, the other volunteers were
given a placebo, and the volunteers
had regular HIV tests for three years.
e sample of people was drawn from
across ai society, not limited to high
risk groups.
e interesting part was that the
viral load (the amount of the virus in
the blood) of those who did become
AIDS vaccine, almostai trial promising, but battle not over
infected, was roughly the same in those
who had received the placebo and
those who had received the vaccine.
Generally, it would be expected to find
that the viral load was lower in those
who received the vaccine and still
become infected.
is evidence suggests that insteadof producing neutralizing antibodies,
the kind that are normally seen in
vaccinations, would flag the virus for
destruction; the vaccine might also
produce binding antibodies, which
would boost the immune response to
the virus.
While the vaccine is far f rom reliable
enough to market, the researchers are
lauding it as a key step in directing
vaccine research from here on out.
It is yet unknown as to whether this
vaccine would be successful outside
ofailand. Results have shown it to
be successful against the two main
strains of HIV in ailand, subtypes B
and E, though both strains are highly
mutable. Only B is common in Europe
and North America.
e ai study demonstrates whythe HIV vaccine field must take a
balanced approach to conducting both
the basic research needed to discover
and design new HIV vaccines and,
when appropriate, testing candidate
vaccines in people, says Margaret I.
Johnston, director of NIAIDs Vaccine
Research Program within the Division
of AIDS. Both avenues provide
critical information that will continue
to help us better understand what is
needed to develop a fully protective
HIV vaccine.
SciTechLink:
Electron microscopy
of AIDS virus
http://bit.ly/XXQX2
Suzy RogersArgosy Correspondant
Gee Brain, what do you want to do
tonight?
e same thing we do every night,Pinky - try to take over the world!
Growing up watching these two
vivacious rodents collaborate on plots
for world domination gave a generation
of children wild daydreams of a planet
under the control of a population
of mutant, sadistic lab mice. Due to
recent scientific work, it turns out that
the shows creators might not have
actually been too far from the mark
with what rodent demeanor could look
like in the not-too-distance future.
FOXP2 is a gene implicated
in human language development.
Scientists at the University of
Pennsylvania have altered the homolog
of this gene in lab mice to match ours.
In fact, the same gene in mice, though
it has a different function, is only one
base pair different from our own. While no whispers of world
domination were heard, brain patterns
during vocalization were much more
Of mice and men in white coatsHuman gene for language development inserted into mice
similar to ours (of course, on the show
they just wait until the scientists go
home for the day to speak). Curiously,
the vocalizations themselves differed
from the ultrasonic squeaks and
squawks of normal, everyday mice.
Perhaps this means that mice areindeed formulating a dastardly
language of their own.
It is interesting to note that the
existence of the same gene in both
humans and mice gives strong evidence
for evolutionary theory. In fact, ninety-
nine per cent of protein-coding genes
are common between humans and
mice, showing that we must indeed
have a common ancestor.e reminder
of our genes are primarily responsible
for turning on and off the protein-
coding genes (only forty per cent of
the rest of our genome is common).
e FOXP2 gene in mice, as well as
humans, is responsible for all sorts of
development beyond speech, including
brain, lung, and gut tissues.
Of course, speech development
requires a whole lot more than justthis one gene. Vocalization is only one
of piece of a pretty big jigsaw puzzle.
So far as scientists can tell, messing
Ross MacLeanArgosy Staff
with this gene doesnt give the mice
the ability to decipher and interpret
phonemes. And mice, although pretty
intelligent, do not have the ability to
consider absent or hypothetical objects,
or hypothetical situations, some of the
key aspects to human language.Brocas area, which is involved with
speech production, and Wernikes
area, which is involved in language
comprehension, were two of the first
to be mapped in the human brain.
e next step in this field should be
to see what changes could be made to
gene loci affecting these areas to bring
mouse language skills up to ours.
Mice certainly arent composing
Shakespeare just yet, but perhaps
one day soon our conversations could
transcend that species-specific border.
Other, less unnatural applications for
this research could include treatments
for autism and dementia patients who
lose speech capabilities.
SciTechLink:
Pinky and the Braindescribe neuroanatomy
http://bit.ly/172OCS
Internet Graphic /thingsyouneverknew.com
WINDSOR (CUP) - Even though
nurses, doctors and pharmacists may
constantly tell you to wash your hands,
they may not be practising what they
preach.
A recent study conducted by a
University of Windsor researcher could
indicate that healthcare providers
might be speaking hypocritically.
Maher El-Masri, a research chair at
UWindsors nursing faculty, recently
collaborated on an observational study
with a University of Miami researcher
at an oncology unit in Miami, Fla. that
revealed some disappointing results.
In his study, which involved three
nursing research assistants observing
47 healthcare providers for a total of
612 observations, El-Masri found that
hand washing compliance rates were
as low as 42 per cent before medical
procedures, and 72 per cent after
procedures.
Furthermore, a fully proper
compliance, which necessitates
washing before and after any medical
procedure, only occurred 34 per cent
of the time.According to El-Masri, there are a
number of variables involved in this
low rate, but ignorance is not one of
them.
Some people think it is due to a
lack of knowledge, but the truth of
the matter is that healthcare providers
know they have to wash their hands.
is is the first thing they learn
when they come to medical school,
or pharmaceutical school, says El-
Masri.
Factors affecting this rate, according
to El-Masri, include understaffing
and prioritizing, but also include the
invisible nature of micro-organisms.
If I see blood on my hands, Im
likely to go and wash my hands. If I
touch urine, Im likely to go wash my
hands. But if I just move a patient
from a chair back to bed, for instance,
or I changed the IV bag for the
patient, the assumption is that I did
not do something that contaminated
my hands, he says.
Also affecting the rates of hand
washing were the risks involved
with the procedure, with healthcare
providers much more likely to comply
with proper hygiene if conducting a
high-risk procedure.
El-Masri further notes the effects
that over-washing can have on skin,
particularly that of females, who
generally have more sensitive skin.
Healthcare providers, he says, dont
want their hands to dry, and they
dont want their hands to crack. And
its known that if you over-wash your
hands, they dry, and they dont want to
do that. He notes that manufacturers
of hand sanitizer and soap are
beginning to address this with their
products, however.
El-Masri has studied predictors ofinfection in many different ways, but
this was the first time that he was
able to study hand hygiene as a factor,
because it is such a difficult statistic to
quantify in a survey.
He admits that every study could
have a limitation or a possible margin
of error, but he notes that this was
taken into account in his studys
adjusted analysis.
Despite the grave results of this
survey, El-Masri continues to stress
the strong need for hand washing.
He notes that it is the absolute
strongest prevention method for
disease and infection, including the
H1N1 virus.
El-Masri adds it is always a safe
precaution for students to wash their
hands even if they feel like their hands
may be clean.
Hand-washing hypocrisy in healthcare
Michal TellosUniversity of Windsor
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Matt CollettArgosy Contributor
Soviet doomsday device online?Cold War-era Perimetr system supposedly still active
Wisconsin Tourism Federation changes name to Federation for Wisconsin Tourism -- Bank of American sued for $1.784 x 1021
In 1964 Stanley Kubrick directed
the film Dr. Strangelove: Or How
I Learned to Stop Worrying and
Love the Bomb, which presented a
Soviet Union in possession of a fail-deadly system. Called a doomsday
device, the device would guarantee
a retaliatory strike capable of
rendering planet Earth a radioactive
wasteland. When the Americans
accidentally dropped an H-bomb, this
fully automated system awoke and
detonated highly radioactive cobalt
bombs positioned across the planet
resulting in an apocalypse. Fortunately,
Kubricks vision was one of absolute
fiction - who could be stupid enough
to build such a machine, whose sole
objective was to eradicate all forms of
life without thinking twice?
Well, according to an article
published last week in Wired, the
Soviets may have done just that. Even
more terrifying, it might still be active.
e system is called Perimetr,though many have come to call it
Mertvaya Ruka, or Dead Hand. It is
thought to have been built sometime
in the mid 1980s, a time which P.D.
Smith, in his book Doomsday Men:
e Real Dr. Strangelove and the
Dream of the Super weapon, recalls was
when the Soviets realized that their
missile deterrent was not sufficient
and whose command was likely to be
obliterated in an American nuclear
strike. Consequentially, Perimetrs key
feature, and its most terrifying, is that
it needs no orders from high ranking
officials to carry out its function.
e actual infrastructure of the Dead
Hand is quite simple. Distributed
across Russia are various sensors
that relay seismic, radiation and air
pressure activity to central computers.
ese computes are located in bunkers
impenetrable to any known weaponry.
Inside the bunker are junior officers
and regular enlistees assigned to the
unenviable task of fully activating the
In a study of 38,000 patients with
head injuries ranging from moderate
to severe, it was found that those with
alcohol in their system were generally
more likely to survive.e thirty-eight
per cent of patients who tested positivefor ethanol also tended to be younger
(around thirty-three to forty years
old), had less severe injuries and spent
less time on a ventilator or in intensive
care than those with no alcohol in
their system at all.
Basically, for every 100 sober people
with head injuries who died, only
eighty-eight would die who had raised
ethanol levels in their blood.
ese facts have led scientists
to question whether administering
Alcohol and brain injury - a working relationship?New study shows that having a little alcohol in your system may actually save your brain f rom trauma
Jennifer MusgraveArgosy Staff
Much of the Australian inland is
covered by desert, but last week urban
residents in New South Wales got a
little more sand than they bargained
for.
Last Tuesday, residents of Canberra,woke up to an immense cloud of red
dust, reducing visibility in the city to
a minimum. Callers to ABC Radio
described the scene as something
from the end of the world. One man
looked outside his window and initially
thought that he had been spared from
a nuclear attack. Fire stations were
kept busy responding to smoke alarms
falsely set off by the dust. Asthma
patients flooded emergency rooms.
Overnight, the strongest rainstorm in
the capital in months turned all the
dust to mud and washed it away.
e worst of it reached Sydneys
four and a half million inhabitants on
Wednesday. e largest metropolitan
area in Australia saw sales on surgical
face masks soar higher even than during
the swine flu crisis. Unfortunately,
masks couldnt be provided to many
birds and other small animals whose
lungs couldnt handle the dust. Sydney
International Airport saw multiple
grounded planes and incoming
e world ends in OzNew South Wales, Australia dusted red
Ross MacLeanArgosy Staff
flights were diverted to Melbourne.
Unbelievably, by Friday wind had
carried dust almost two thousand
kilometers to New Zealand.
e storm originated in the far west
of New South Wales. It was caused by
a series of ordinary events, beginning
with a not uncommon period of
drought. Dry conditions plus a low
pressure system plus a cold front onSeptember 22 brought tons of dust
into the air, and a gale-force wind of
100 km/h brought the mountains of
dust to the coastal cities. At its worst
point, the storm was carrying away an
estimated 75,000 tons of dirt per hour
from the continent.
Photos illustrate the eerie
apocalyptic-like scenes. e media
made several analogies likening the
storm to the end of the world; in most
areas of the state, visibility was reduced
to 100 to 200 meters. Air quality was
rated as poor to hazardous, sending
at least 500 choking Australians to the
hospital. Two fishermen were lost off
the coast but were later retrieved by a
coast guard helicopter.
No fatalities were reported.
SciTechLink:
Red Dust: Flickr
gallery of Sydney
http://bit.ly/oe3I8
ethanol to patients might help them
recover from brain injuries. e lead
researcher of this study, Ali Salim,
has suggested that the alcohol may
be reducing inflammation and
resultant brain damage by blunting
the amount of adrenalin going to the
brain as a result of the injury. ere
still needs to be a better understanding
of the mechanisms through which thisoccurs so that medical practitioners can
figure out the appropriate doses and
specific timing for treatments before
clinical trials can be considered.
Now, despite what you may
be thinking, while a little alcohol
apparently couldnt hurt to have in
your system before a brain injury, it is
also a fact that about fifty per cent of
the people who actually sustain a head
injury are intoxicated. Additionally,
being a alcohol abuser increases both
Internet Photo/ Australias public broadcaster
Believe it or not, this picture is not related to the mushroom cloud
the likelihood and severity of head
injuries. In animal experiments it has
also been found that while a low dose
of alcohol can protect the brain from
injury, a higher dose can increase the
chances of death.
While Salims study might suggest
otherwise, it is evidently clear that
alcohol is still a major contributor to
brain related trauma and injury. erisk of head injury is double in families
with a history of alcoholism than
those without, while the incidence
of head injury in alcoholics is two to
four times higher than the general
population. Alcohol drinkers also
suffer more complications and severe
injuries than non-drinkers even if their
overall survival rate is higher.
It is also important to remember
that brain injuries are diverse, so that
while ethanol may help some, it may
not work for others. Brain injuries also
destroy brain cells which means that
the remaining cells have to work harder
to make up for the missing ones. is
also means that using alcohol after an
injury can endanger these cells (since
more alcohol spreads out over less
cells) and take away any progress you
make after head trauma.
Alcohol is generally considered tocause more injuries than it can cure,
as it is associated with forty to fifty
per cent of traffic fatalities; twenty-
five to thirty-five per cent of nonfatal
motor vehicle injuries; up to sixty-four
per cent of fires and burns; forty-
eight per cent of hypothermia and
frostbite cases; and twenty per cent of
completed suicides. Finally, each year
about two million Americans sustain
head injuries (half of which are a result
of alcohol use) with a resulting 56,000
deaths.ey rank as the fourth leading
cause of death and the leading cause of
death in people aged one to forty-four
years of age.
Head injuries are simply no laughing
matter; they often (if survived) also
lead to long term psychological and
behavioural problems. Despite Salims
curious findings, the dangers are
obvious when it comes to alcohol andrisky behaviour: ultimately, your best
bet is just to play it safe.
SciTechLink:
Hangover science,
for those not
yet convinced of
this article
http://bit.ly/jtPi4
machine if necessary.
If the device is activated the
system has to check off four if/then
propositions: If it was turned on, then
it will try to determine that a nuclear
weapon had hit Soviet soil using the
network of sensors. If it deemed that
one had, the system would attempt to
communicate with a higher official.
If it did, and if some amount of time
passed without further indications
of attack, the machine would assume
officials were still living who could
order the counterattack and shut down.
However, if the line to the officials
went dead, then Perimetr would
assume that apocalypse had arrived.
en, launch authority for the entire
nuclear arsenal would be granted to
whoever was assigned to the bunker.
Essentially, th