McGill Tribune Vol. 32 Issue 2

TRIBUNE

THE Mcgill

Published by the Tribune Publication Society

McGill hackers P7 OAP Charity P2

healthy eating P9

redmen football P 18

curiosity delivers

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Volume No. 32 Issue No. 2

@mcgill_tribune ­ • www. mcgilltribune.com ­

Mixed results for McGill

J-Board to hear case on AUS referenda

Petitioner alleges violations of by-laws Erica Friesen News Editor

Both soccer teams defeated UQAM while the football team fell to 0-2 (Alexandra Allaire, Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune)

The Judicial Board (J-Board) of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) is preparing to hear the case of Bangs v. Calver and Cheng, regarding the potential invalidation of the 2012 Winter Referendum for the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS).

The petition was filed by Chris Bangs, an U3 economics, urban systems, and political science student who was the chair of the ‘No’ committee for two questions in the Winter Referendum Period. In his petition, Bangs wrote that Jade Calver, then-AUS President, and Victor Cheng, then-Chief Returning Officer of Elections AUS, violated the AUS by-laws during this period, and thereby compromising the results.

According to Bangs, these violations included the failure to properly submit the referenda questions to AUS Council, as too many abstentions at the General Assembly obstructed the vote count; the failure to put notification of date, time, and place of polling in an approved student publication, as this information was only released in the listserv; and the reduction of the campaign period, which ended four days before voting began.

According to Bangs, these alleged violations would justify the J-Board invalidating the results of all six referendum questions. However, Bangs only requested the invalidation of the two questions for which he was chair of the ‘No’ committees—“Online Ratification for the decisions of the AUS General Assembly” and “Amending the Constitution.”

In their response to Bangs’ submission, Calver and Cheng cited

Bangs’ challenge of only two referenda questions as “a blatant reflection of [Bangs’] bias in submitting this case,” which they said is also reflected in the incidents he chose to highlight in his report.

“The supposed ‘systematic violations of the by-laws’ are unwarranted and in no way affected the validity of the 2012 AUS Winter Referendum,” Calver and Cheng wrote.

“The Respondents believe that the motives of the Petitioner are not those of democracy, but rather are fuelled by the Petitioner’s position on the questions.”

According to Bangs, his request for the invalidation of only two questions was influenced by the AUS by-laws, which allow a referendum question to go forward despite violations as long as campaign committees agree that it can move forward.

The remaining four questions did not have campaign committees, and therefore could move on without objection. However, as the chair of the ‘No’ committee, Bangs did not believe that the two questions he was involved with should move forward unchallenged.

Although Bangs suggested that the alleged by-law violations could have affected the results, many of last semester’s referendum questions passed with a wide margin of student support. For the question regarding online ratification, 71.7 per cent of students voted ‘yes,’ while only 20.9 per cent voted ‘no.’ Bangs, however, told the Tribune that the numbers aren’t as important as the fact that the referendum period did not follow a fair electoral process.

“This case is not just about the individual questions at hand, but about a larger belief in the need for accountable student unions,” he said.

“AUS members deserve a fair elecSee “J-Board” on p. 3

NEWS

CAMPUS

Open Air Pub donates $15,000 to children’s charity

Profits from April’s OAP Lite will go towards school nutrition programs, ongoing partnership with Provigo a success Bea Britneff News Editor Last Friday, the Open Air Pub (OAP) management team donated $15,000 to the President’s Choice Children’s Charity (PCCC), a national organization dedicated to helping disadvantaged kids across Canada. The cheque, composed entirely of profits from OAP Lite this past spring, was presented to Loblaw Companies Limited Senior Vice-President Roch Pilon and Provigo du Parc Store Manager Eric Robillard.

Run entirely by student volunteers from the Faculty of Engineering and organized by the Engineering Undergraduate Society (EUS), OAP is held every year in Three Bares Park at the start of September and again for two days in late April under the moniker OAP Lite.

The money raised from last year’s OAP Lite further fortifies the existing relationship between EUS, Provigo, and President’s Choice.

According to OAP Head Manager Michael Mizrahi, Provigo began sponsoring the event in 2002, and

now supplies food, condiments, napkins, charcoal, as well as a freezer truck for storage.

Mizrahi said the profits from OAP Lite have always been donated to charity. Before 2009, profits went to Centraide, an independent philanthropic organization. Mizrahi explained that OAP decided to shift from Centraide to the PCCC in order to strengthen its relationship with Provigo.

“That decision was what has allowed [OAP] to break revenue records the past few years and grow larger than we could have imagined five years ago,” Mizrahi said.

“Provigo has been able to sponsor us to a much larger effect, and in return, we’ve been able to raise much more money for the EUS in the fall and for charity in April.”

Founded in 1989, the PCCC focuses on giving aid to children with disabilities, as well as improving childhood nutrition. The PCCC financially supports other similar organizations such as Breakfast for Learning, which educates and empowers communities to deliver school-based nutrition programs.

All PCCC funds are raised regionally and managed nationally, ensuring that all provinces get a share. Pilon emphasized that Loblaw Companies Limited also assumes all administrative costs, allowing 100 per cent of all contributions received by the PCCC to go towards the charity’s projects and programs.

“Since 2004, [the PCCC] has [given] $10 million to Quebec, and helped over 1,700 families,” Pilon said. “Your entire dollar goes to [children in need] … that’s the beauty of our charity.”

Provigo and President’s Choice representatives were thrilled about the donation.

“I was really impressed tonight,” Pilon said. “Fifteen thousand dollars is not peanuts … it’s going to help a whole bunch of kids.”

Students reacted to the presentation of the cheque with a mixture of surprise and approval.

“I didn’t know that [OAP Lite profits] went to charity,” Will Caron, U3 anatomy and cell biology, said.

“I think it’s great.”

“It’s exciting to have been a part of that, and I think that it was

OAP management team presents cheque. (Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune) a very generous donation,” Kristen Bailey, U2 psychology, said.

Both Mizrahi and Pilon emphasized the importance of creating and maintaining strong, reciprocal relationships between the university and local businesses.

“At the end of the day, you always have to give back to your community,” Pilon said. “Offering a discount [to students] is not enough to show a good partnership … so we participate in [initiatives] like [OAP].”

While no new projects have

been planned for the future, the involved parties expressed enthusiasm and commitment towards building on their relationship.

In the future, Mizrahi said that the organizations will be working together again in the spring, with profits from OAP Lite also going to the PCCC. “I think there’s huge potential for what we could do here,” Robillard said. “We feel like we’re a team, and next year … it’s going to be even bigger.”

CAMPUS

Renovated Gerts and SSMU cafeteria feature new options Lola Rosa Xpress, Bamboo Bowl, and Bocadillo sign one-year contract with Students’ Society Christos Lazaris Contributor Following a summer of renovations, the Student Society of McGill University (SSMU) Building now features a new selection of restaurants in its second-floor cafeteria as well as a refurbished Gerts bar.

While SSMU executives have been planning changes to Gerts for three years, the new restaurants in the food court were only selected within the last year, after the previous tenants’ contracts expired.

According to Shyam Patel, former SSMU VP Finance and Operations, the bar in Gerts was relocated to the center of the room to allow more efficient service through a better use of space.

“Before, the bar was sort of against the wall ... It took up a lot of space,” said Patel, who was involved in the decision-making process for the renovation. “There are more seats now, it’s on the opposite side of the room, and it’s shaped like a horseshoe.”

The new shape of the bar is designed to facilitate the movement

Lola Rosa Xpress and Bamboo Bowl now open to students. (Alexandra Allaire / McGill Tribune) of the Gerts staff, and to help them serve more customers faster. Other changes include the removal of a wall to make room for a kitchen, where food is now sold.

Despite the changes, Gerts Manager Natasha GeoffrionGreenslade said efforts were made to ensure that Gerts still felt like the same bar students were used to in previous years.

“My one hope in this project was to preserve the essence of Gerts while updating it a little bit, giving it a fresh look,” Geoffrion-Greenslade said. “But it definitely still feels like

Gerts.”

SSMU President Josh Redel estimated the cost of the renovations to be around $450,000.

Unlike the student bar, the second floor cafeteria has not changed its layout. The cafeteria’s three restaurants have been replaced with three new ones chosen by SSMU executives over the past year—Lola Rosa Xpress, Bamboo Bowl, and Bocadillo.

The new tenants of the SSMU cafeteria have signed a one-year, short-term contract, so that SSMU executives can receive student input

regarding what they like or dislike about the new selection of restaurants, enabling them to adjust accordingly for the following year. “[The contracts are] just for the year so that we can actually get student consultation,” SSMU VP Clubs and Services Allison Cooper said.

“We really want to gather information on what students want in their cafeteria, and if they want the [restaurants] that we selected.”

Problems arose this summer, however, when one of the planned tenants dropped out, requiring executives to find a new business to fill

the empty space in the cafeteria.

“It was a big change from the original plans,” Cooper said.

“One of [our original choices] fell through, so we had to find a third one. It was hard to get a new tenant so last minute, but we’re generally really excited.”

Lola Rosa’s Manager Pascal Hourriez emphasized the restaurant’s assortment of healthy, homemade, and freshly-served foods.

“We have a restaurant on Milton already, and we want to respect its image as much as possible,” Hourriez said. “Our mission is to be the best vegetarian restaurant for non-vegetarian people.”

Communications student Joceline Andersen expressed appreciation for the vegetarian emphasis in the new selection of cafeteria restaurants.

“I liked that there were lots of vegetarian options,” Andersen said.

“It’s better than what I expected.

I expected something mushy and bland, but it was good!”

Curiosity delivers. |

NEWS

| Tuesday, September 11, 2012

CAMPUS

J-Board

3

Continued from cover

McGill to offer new Liberal Arts program

Interdisciplinary degree to replace discontinued Humanistic Studies and Arts Legacy programs Ivy Tang Contributor A new Liberal Arts program, approved by the McGill Senate last May, could be offered by McGill in the near future.

According to Associate Dean of Arts (Student Affairs) André Costopoulos, the new bachelor’s degree was created in response to the discontinuation of the Humanistic Studies program in 2009 and the Arts Legacy program in 2011.

“Both programs had real strengths, but also problems,” Costopoulos said. “The Humanistic program gave students very broad training, but didn’t have a depth requirement. The Arts Legacy program gave [first year] students real grounding in the humanities discipline, but the numbers we could accommodate were very small […] because it was an expensive program to run.”

Costopoulos said that the discussion to create a humanities program that emphasized the strengths of both the Humanistic Studies and Arts Legacy programs—while also addressing their drawbacks—started almost three years ago.

An Academic Policy Commit-

tee report to the Senate advised that the new program be suited to the needs of a research-intensive university. Prospective students will study a large assortment of cultural texts, learn a new language (English excluded), and take a variety of history, literature, art, ethics, and philosophy courses covering a wide range of historical eras.

Students are also required to take 15 credits of complementary courses in one of four specialized streams: languages and literature; fine arts and histories; ethics and social thought; or history and liberal arts. The program also places high importance on preparation for creative leadership and for public service.

The difficulty of establishing a new program—especially an interdisciplinary one—lies in the matter of commitment and resource sharing.

“Interdisciplinary programs don’t have their own faculty and teaching resources,” Costopoulos explained. “Departments decide how to allocate teaching resources.

This means people have to be committed and make the case that this is a worthy investment.”

According to Costopoulos, the

program will only be offered once several faculties or departments step forward and offer to teach the interdisciplinary program.

“In some programs, like International Development Studies, departments share the load,” Costopoulos said. “That kind of arrangement hasn’t emerged yet for the Liberal Arts. But I don’t think it should be a hard sell. It went through all the multiple levels of approval, and the staff is happy with it. I think it’s a strong [and] good program.”

Based on preliminary evaluation, Costopoulos said he expects up to 300 students to enroll in the program.

Haley Dinel, Student Society of McGill University (SSMU) Vice-President University Affairs, said that SSMU would be more than willing to listen to student feedback about the program.

“It’s frankly out of our hands,” Dinel said. “It’s been through Senate and gotten the check marks. That being said, when the program starts, and [if] there are lots of issues and students want to talk to us, we will absolutely do something about it.”

Dinel placed emphasis on the importance of student-university communication and student advo-

cates for the program.

“What’s great with having a new program is that it’s so nascent and new,” Dinel said. “If [the university] wanted to identify any problems quickly, all it would take is 40 or 60 [student voices].”

Costopoulos agreed that student support is important for the implementation and development of the Liberal Arts program.

“Students need to go to their departments and say ‘I think this should be one of your priorities’,” he said. “If there are faculty members to form a committee, find the resources, and administer and teach the program, it will happen.”

Chloe Sauder, U2 English literature and previous Arts Legacy student, said the increased capacity of the new Liberal Arts program will benefit students as long as professors and TAs are still able to give them individual attention.

“An interdisciplinary program can enable one to see from a new perspective how his or her discipline is linked to other departments within the faculty,” she said. “The more students who are able to participate in the new program, the better.”

CAMPUS

Fitness centre reopens after summer renovation

Additional mezzanine constructed to increase workout space, students give mixed reviews Natasha Fenn Contributor This past summer, the McGill fitness centre in the Currie Gym underwent a four-month long renovation. Since its conception in 2008, this project aimed to increase the available workout space in the fitness centre. Renovations were completed in time for the start of the fall semester.

Construction of a new 2,000 square foot mezzanine began in late April. The raised work out space is above where the treadmills and other cardiovascular equipment were previously located.

Angelo Battista, assistant manager of operations and project manager at the McGill Fitness Complex, said the renovation was deemed necessary for several reasons. “[The centre] needed space for less classical workouts,” Battista said. “We wanted areas dedicated to stretching [and] plyometric workouts … [McGill athletics adminis-

tration] was not satisfied with just a weight room.”

Although the original project was to extend the old, smaller upstairs area, this plan did not meet building safety regulations. Thus, the project was altered to construct a competely separate, larger mezzanine instead.

According to Battista, the fitness centre remained closed for the entirety of the construction period because its location—the junction between Avenue du Parc and Avenue des Pins—posed quite a challenge for the renovators. Situated below street level, this junction only permitted construction equipment and crews to access the facility through its windows, affecting the mobility and safety of those using the fitness centre.

Margaret Markin, U2 arts and science, said she was disappointed that the construction prevented her from exercising at the fitness centre over the summer months.

“It’s beautifully done—no one

can argue that—[but] it was just a huge inconvenience to McGill summer students,” she said. “Especially considering how minor the change was.”

According to Battista, the administration was happy with the result, as the renovations were finished on time—the Centre reopened Sept.

1—and within budget. With money left over, McGill Athletics was able to purchase new, environmentally friendly flat screen televisions, which use one quarter of the energy consumed by the previous ones.

While many students expressed satisfaction with the previous layout of the fitness centre, others said the space was a bit limited in peak seasons. Cameron Dagg, U2 engineering, appreciated the new, spacious work out area.

“It’s really nice not to feel overwhelmed for a change when using the [weight training] equipment,” he said. “I can’t wait to try out the [new] TRX machine!”

The TRX machine is another

(Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune) addition to the mezzanine. These machines employ the manipulation of harnesses, and encourage athletes to use their own body weight to modify their workout regimes.

Previously, students could only rent TRX bands, but now the fitness centre has its own apparatus. Furthermore, the centre will also be hosting classes to teach students how to use the machine.

For more information about what the McGill fitness centre has to offer, visit http://www.mcgill.ca/ athletics/facilities/fitnesscentre/

tion, regardless of the outcomes.”

Calver and Cheng, however, pointed towards their actions during the election period as proof that concerted efforts were made to respect the AUS by-laws, and said that Bangs was unwilling to find times to meet with them to discuss his concerns. “[We] are of the opinion that all other measures for mediation were not respected by [Bangs],” they wrote. “Furthermore, [he] was set on resorting to the use of the Judicial Board from early in the process.”

Beni Fisch, a member of the ‘Yes’ committee for the question of online ratification of the General Assembly, agreed that the outcome of the referendum was not affected by Calver and Cheng’s actions. Fisch said he was in contact with both Calver and Cheng throughout the referendum period.

“All [the Respondents’] actions were fair, unbiased, and in no way compromised the integrity of the referendum or its results,” Fisch said.

Because the J-Board has accepted Fisch’s application for intervener status, he will be present at the hearing as a third-party whose intervention is necessary for a complete solution to the case.

Regardless of the effect on the specific questions of last year’s referenda period, Bangs said the alleged violations of the by-laws are symptomatic of other problems within the AUS. “Every year that I have been at McGill, there has been at least one major scandal involving the AUS,” Bangs said. “We need to stand up for the integrity of this organization, and encouraging fair, responsible elections is just one step forward.”

Calver declined to comment on the upcoming J-Board case.

News meetings

Mondays at 5:30 PM SHATNER 110 NEWS@MCGILLTRIBUNE.COM

4

Tuesday, September 11, 2012 |

NEWS Senate

| Curiosity delivers.

Campus

governing bodies By Erica Friesen & Carolina Millán Ronchetti

% of each governing body composed of students

McGill Senate The Senate of McGill University is tasked with controling and supervising policies and guidelines on academic matters of the university.

The Senate is composed of 107 members representing various actors of the McGill community at large, including 13 elected undergraduate student representatives, three postgraduate student representatives, 55 elected faculty representatives, six administrative support staff, the Deans of faculties, and members of the senior

administration.

Students have the most representatives at Senate, relative to the other governing bodies of McGill. It is an important venue for student issues to be brought to the attention of university policy-makers.

The Senate also includes nine standing committees and one Joint Committee of the Senate and the Board of Governors. The Senate committees serve as advisory boards and recommend new initiatives on vari-

ous topics, including academic policy, physical development, libraries, equity policies, and more.

The Senate typically meets twice a month during the academic year.

Although students are sometimes not permitted into the meetings, the university has provided a live-stream link in the past, through which students may watch the open debate portion of the session.

McGill Board of Governors

18.

7% Senate 8% ard Bon ors r GILL e c M gov of

100% SSMU

legislative council

The Board of Governors is the final authority over the conduct of the affairs of McGill University, and is responsible for its maintenance and administration.

The Board has 25 voting members, including Principal Heather Munroe-Blum, Chancellor Arnold Steinberg and 12 Members at Large, who represent the general membership. Representation from the Alumni Association, the McGill Senate academic staff, and administrative and support staff

are also included.

Two student representatives— one from SSMU and one from the Post-Graduate Students’ Society of McGill University—are also allowed to vote. Two student observers who cannot vote also sit on the Board, representing the Macdonald Campus Students’ Society and the McGill Association of Continuing Education Studies.

Some important issues under the Board’s jurisdiction include the appointment of the Principal and other

university personnel, as well as determining their salaries and benefits.

The Board also has various committees, which deal with issues including finances, building and property, and human resources.

The Board typically meets six times per year. All members of the McGill community are allowed to attend open session Board meetings. The first meeting of the 2012-13 year will be at 4:00 p.m. on Sept. 27.

SSMU Legislative Council The Legislative Council is the body that makes decisions and takes action on behalf of Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU).

There are 36 voting members of SSMU Council, six of which are the SSMU executives. The remaining 30 representatives are elected from various constituencies, including faculty associations and councils representing specific student demographics, such as the First-Year-Council.

The Legislative Council is in charge of large-scale policy and financial decisions like the SSMU budget.

Each councillor must also sit on at least one SSMU Committee—contingents that makes recommendations to Council.

In addition to Council, SSMU has another body called the Judicial Board (J-Board), which consists of five students from the Faculty of Law. The J-Board makes rulings on cases in which any individual, organization, or referendum associated with the Society is alleged to have violated the SSMU Constitution or Bylaws. Decisions of the J-Board can only be overturned by a four-fifths majority vote by

SSMU’s Board of Directors.

SSMU Council meets every other Thursday at 6:00 p.m. in the Lev Bukhman Room, located on the second floor of the Shatner Building.

Any undergraduate student attending McGill is a SSMU member, and all SSMU members are allowed to attend open sessions of council. Visit http:// ssmu.mcgill.ca/representation/ governance/ssmu-legislativecouncil/ to read the agenda for the week. The first meeting will be on Sept. 13.

CAMPUS

SSMU Building lease negotiations focus on cost of utilities Society may need to increase student fees in order to cover costs previously financed by the university Leah Brainerd Contributor The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) and the McGill administration continue to discuss the new lease for the SSMU Building, and are currently negotiating an agreement in which they will share the building’s utility costs.

SSMU has been operating in the SSMU Building without a legal agreement since May 31, 2011, when the previous lease expired. Originally, the administra-

tion wanted to renew SSMU’s lease when both parties signed the new Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) in Nov. 2011. However, due to new conditions within the MoA regarding the payment of the building’s utilities, SSMU Council voted not to sign the lease at that time.

Morton Mendelson, deputy provost (student life and learning), explained that the administration is no longer able to cover 100 per cent of the Shatner Building’s utility costs.

“The utility charges for the

building are hundreds of thousands of dollars—an amount that the university can no longer afford to subsidize,” Mendelson said. “SSMU executives understood this and have been willing to take on their share of the costs with the understanding that this will help promote energy conservation.”

The percentage of the costs SSMU and the administration will pay has not yet been determined, but Vice-President University Affairs Haley Dinel said there will likely be an increase in student fees to

help fund the utility costs. Dinel explained that any changes to SSMU student fees would have to be approved by a student referendum.

SSMU may also need to increase student fees because of the need to rennovate the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system in the Shatner Building. This issue was previously a necessity during the lease negotiations, but the parties invovled have since decided to discuss the HVAC system separately from the lease.

Dinel, however, says the new

HVAC system may help decrease student fees in the long term, since the new system will be more energy-efficient than the current one, built in the 1960s.

“We don’t know how much the new HVAC is going to cost,” Dinel said. “If we actually get a new HVAC system, it [could] potentially decrease the amount of energy consumption and the cost. That’s the hope, anyway.”

opinion

THE Mcgill

TRIBUNE www.mcgilltribune.com

Editor-in-Chief Elisa Muyl editor@mcgilltribune.com Managing Editors Carolina Millán Ronchetti cmillanronchetti@mcgilltribune.com Adam Sadinsky asadinsky@mcgilltribune.com

editorial

Production Manager Sam Reynolds sreynolds@mcgilltribune.com

What’s next for the Parti Québécois?

The Parti Québécois won last week’s election with 54 seats and by a margin of .73 per cent of the popular vote. Marois is set to be Quebec’s first female premier, and will head a minority government.

The party has just announced a plan to reverse the tuition increases of the last administration and expand the purview of Bill 101, the law that governs Quebec’s language policy.

As stated in Marois campaign, these changes would close access to English CEGEPs for francophone and allophone Quebeckers.

Despite limited discussion on the student movement during the election itself—the topic of last week’s editorial in the Tribune—the PQ announced last week its plan to throw out the previous government’s tuition increases immediately after its victory. Students who have already paid in accordance with the raise are to be reimbursed by their universities.

Cautious but celebratory steps have been taken within the student movement, particularly by the Fédération Etudiante Universitaire de Québec (FEUQ) and its younger sibling, the Fédération Etudiante col-

légiale de Québec (FECQ), declaring the fight “over,” while only the hardline CLASSE remains skeptical of the annoucement. Classes have resumed in Quebec universities and CEGEPs. This seems to be a hasty end to a drawn-out struggle. The Tribune notes that this is not a clear victory for anyone, and the implications for the student movement are particularly hazy.

First, the PQ is only a minority government. Its ability to get the freeze through the National Assembly is affected by the lack of a decisive majority. The easy way out for Marois and the PQ would be to try and push this through by holding a likley unsuccessful vote in the National Assembly. This is a good way to place the responsibility on other parties for failing to resolve the issue without having to deal with the actual difficulties of balancing a budget and finding that money somewhere else.

The PQ can also bolster support for the freeze, by forming a coalition government with the appropriatelynamed Coalition Avenir Québec (19 seats), headed by François Legault.

While a coalition government is un-

likely, it would likely require modifications to the original proposal, as compromises are to be expected in coalition-building.

Finally, the less diplomatic route for the PQ is to repeal the tuition hikes through an order-incouncil, an executive decree that doesn’t need the consent of the legislature. The PQ has already hinted at this course of action in the past.

This is problematic for the Tribune, in light of the PQ’s minority government, narrow margin of victory in terms of the popular vote, and the overwhelming support for the tuition hikes in the province (64 per cent, according to a poll in La Pres s in May 2012). An order-in-council is the option that is the least representative of the opinions of those who voted in the polls last week.

Therefore, it’s unclear whether the tuition freeze will be overturned, or if Charest’s raise will persist.

Furthermore, there remains the logistical question of having schools reimburse students for tuition already paid. In an interview with the Gazette last week, Principal Heather Munroe-Blum, noted that McGill’s budget for this year was established

on the base set by the Quebec government in anticipation of the hike.

McGill, in particular, has a different relationship with the government of Quebec than do other schools in the province; this is particularly due in part to its international reputation and student body, its independent sources of financing (research, wellplaced alumnae), and its anglophone nature. Although no spokesperson from McGill has said anything to make us think the university won’t comply, its clear repayment will be a contentious issue in the weeks to come.

It seems the Parti Québécois does not really have a plan for students—this is the Tribune’s issue will all of these possible actions.

Representatives at Marois’ electionnight party had vague, ready-made, and politically safe statements on what was next for the student movement in Quebec: promising to resolve it, to take it seriously, and to stick to their guns. Marois has already teetered towards support for students, then shifted back. It’s clear that the issue is not settled, and the Tribune urges students to remain cautious.

Why I remember

Today marks the 11th anniversary of the attacks on September 11th, 2001. On that day, I was a fifth grader in downtown Manhattan. I remember that day, and I remember every September 11th after that. Every year, I’m shocked by the strength of my feelings. Every year, I feel the need to say something, though it seems I don’t have anything new to add.

It still jars me to hear ‘September 11th’ being used as regular date—to mark the due date of a class assignment or an album release. To me, it should be retired and hung up on the rafters next to Patrick Ewing’s jersey in Madison Square Garden.

But I hear it used often enough to think that the rest of the world is beginning to move on. 9/11 is slipping from immediate tragedy

of such magnitude has given me a deeper insight into the pain and tragedy of others. I don’t understand, in a profound way, the feelings that compel others to mark the events of the Holocaust or the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. However, because I instinctively, irrationally, quietly—and in my own admission, shamefully—celebrated Osama Bin Laden’s death, I can begin to approach a comprehension of the strong emotions that follow such tragedies, and the terrible acts of revenge that continue fuel more.

But that’s why, one day a year, it’s important for me to give September 11th its due. Remembrance is a human act. We do it to make sense of tragedy, to try against odds to keep history from repeating itself. It’s important to remember this event even though we will end up forgetting the feelings that make it necessary to remember: the shock, the horror, the loss that would prevent it from happening again. This is impossible, because each tragedy will lose its

Opinion Editor Anand Bery opinion@mcgilltribune.com Science & Technology Editor Leigh Miller scitech@mcgilltribune.com Student Living Editor Jacqui Galbraith studentliving@mcgilltribune.com Arts & Entertainment Editor Chris Liu and Ilia Blinderman arts@mcgilltribune.com Sports Editors Steven Lampert and Jeff Downey sports@mcgilltribune.com Photo Editor Alexandra Allaire and Simon Poitrimolt photo@mcgilltribune.com Senior Design Editor Susanne Wang design@mcgilltribune.com Online Editor Victor Temprano online@mcgilltribune.com Copy Editor Adrien Hu copy@mcgilltribune.com Advertising Manager Myriam Richard cpm@ssmu.mcgill.ca Publisher Chad Ronalds

TPS Board of Directors Shannon Kimball (Chair): chair@mcgilltribune.com

Contributors Leah Brainerd, Natasha Fenn, Joshua Freedman,

From the editor-in-chief backwards into history. In the generations to come, the bottomless pit-in-stomach feeling will be absent from the narratives of the textbooks that record it. It’s impossible to keep this feeling as fresh as it was when the towers fell, when the numbness abated, and the fires finally died out.

Its potency will dilute with time, and I think that is good and normal.

This is important, because I understand now what I couldn’t before: to appreciate the irrational feelings of others that are born of their own traumas. Death happens in such magnitudes, and at what feels like such an accelerating rate, that it’s easy to become desenstized to it. HIV/AIDs claim one hundred times the causalities of 9/11 every year, globally. The recent series of mass shootings in Montreal, Virginia, Norway, and Colorado are both shocking and numbingly familiar.

It’s understandable that 9/11 isn’t as fresh in everyone’s minds as it is for most New Yorkers. But my own experience with a tragedy

News Editors Bea Britneff and Erica Friesen news@mcgilltribune.com

James Hutchingame, Christos Lazari, Cora Lesure, Swathi

Sadagopan,

Joanna

Schacter,

Bharat

Srinivassa, David Stein, Meaghan Tardif-Bennett, Ivy Tang, Susan Westfall

power for those who haven’t lived it. It will happen again, and we’ll get over it again. But it’s these shared feelings in the wake of horror that connect us across the gaps of time, location, identity.

If anything, the act of marking a date is a social signal to the victims of the next horror. That way, we at least live in a world that choses to remember.

It’s the an impossible goal that needs to persist: it’s a constant process of learning, unlearning, and relearning through the dynamic channels of history.

“What do I do?” the dust-covered ghosts asked my mother as they passed her vantage point on a broad downtown avenue that pointed directly towards the black, billowing, smoldering impossible. When in doubt, when the world has ended and you are somehow still standing, remember.

—Elisa Muyl

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columnists For whose sake anyway?

Swathi Sadagopan

Guest commentary

In his talk at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, Fidel Castro labeled the year the “hottest [one] in recorded history.” This was the very year that I was born. Hotter years have since been recorded; the last six months were the warmest ever. Castro’s speech was one that shone light on an imminent environmental crisis that looms larger with each passing day—20 years and two Earth summits later.

That same year, just as I turned one-week-old, a little known but now infamous part of Canada called

The numbing absurdity of fact-checks Joshua Freedman

Guest commentary

In a US presidential campaign full of unremitting stupidity, the ‘fact-check’ has claimed the crown of the most tedious journalistic device used during this news cycle.

Instead of raising the tone of the presidential debate by defending the truth, the fact-check has become another cudgel to be used in the partisan blame-game.

Originally designed to merely check the accuracy of facts and figures mentioned in speeches, the fact-check has now mutated into a shrill, subjective analysis of what can loosely be called facts, all in an

Oka stole the limelight. Misguided motives, misplaced trust and missing priorities strained relations between the Mohawk people and the riverside town of Oka. These two seemingly unrelated events are connected by two words: Plan Nord. Introduced in the Quebec Assembly last summer, Jean Charest’s swan song was pitched as an “economic development strategy” to inject benefits of industrial growth in Northern Quebec. This $80 billion investment has been since mired in controversy. Even among the aboriginal residents, voices of dissent were not heard in unison, as the Inuit and Crees supported the plan.

I side with the environmentalists. The plan is too deeply rooted in the capitalist notion that the aborigi-

nals will lose their land—and the little livelihoods they make off it— to a distant promise of secure jobs.

It bodes ill to dwell on hopes of a castle in thin air. Take for instance the claim of ‘developing boreal forests.’ The very idea of developing a forest seems specious. In this case, ‘development’ happens to comprise—amongst other activities— logging. The government’s Plan Nord document claims that logging in the area would account for 53 per cent of Quebec’s annual wood production while supplying wood to 32 plants—only 11 of which happen to be in the area marked for Plan Nord.

If the irony of those figures don’t hit home, here’s another: $15.9 million has been granted to develop the ports in the region. Freely trans-

lated, this means the cost of recovery of this capital will involve a huge influx of foreign tourists into a fragile ecosystem. With an understanding of the impact of ecotourism on the Tibetan Plateau, I can safely vouch for the inefficacy of such a plan.

“Quebec and it’s northern zone are indissociable,” wrote Louis Edmond Hamelin in the government’s Plan Nord action plan. Yet, indissociability doesn’t lie in its geographical boundaries, but in the unity of the people who inhabit them. Design of developmental projects demand a social conscience to augment the numbers. Recent shift in power will, if anything, see faster spurts of “development and growth” driven by higher royalty percentages. The need of the hour is an unassuming

mind—engaging in a dialogue—that is not disillusioned by the choices it has to make.

Two decades ago, American president George H.W. Bush declared at the Summit that “the American way of life is non-negotiable.”

Today, such snobbery won’t get anyone very far in a planet that is common to all. Sooner rather than later, the shadows of our past will come to haunt us while the solution that lies in our hands today slips away. Pablo Neruda said that “…if we want to establish lands of dignity and integrity, lands where people can live in light and justice, then our guiding stars must be struggle and hope.” So, with stubborn hope, earnest desire, and unshaken patience, I wait.

attempt to receive page-views.

While the fact-check has proved its worthlessness for the past few months, the recent Republican and Democratic National Conventions really brought the shallowness of this industry to the forefront. For example, did you know that Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama are liars? They are not even normal liars, but pantson-fire liars, judged by the number of ‘Pinocchios’ they have received in accordance with ABC’s factchecking system.

A statement that Paul Ryan made on Mitt Romney’s website last week offers a look at fact-checking at work: “In July of 1980, the unemployment rate was 7.8 per cent. For the past 42 months, it’s been above 8 per cent under Barack Obama’s failed leadership. In 1980, under

Jimmy Carter 330,000 businesses filed for bankruptcy. Last year, under President Obama’s failed leadership, 1.4 million businesses filed for bankruptcy.”

This is pretty standard campaign rhetoric, and anyone with less than half a brain can see that Ryan is simply trying to tie Obama to someone commonly thought of as a failed Democratic President.

Yet ABC news in all of its wisdom dinged Ryan for failing to mention that when Ronald Reagan was president unemployment was once 9.8 per cent, all but forgetting his accurate statement of what the unemployment rate is under the Obama presidency. ABC further claimed that Ryan fudged his numbers about businesses filing for bankruptcy, because actually 331,264 businesses filed for bankruptcy under Carter,

and 1,410,653 filed for bankruptcy under Obama. ABC news is against the practice of rounding. Expect an equally vigourous look into Obama’s claim in his speech last night, that he could create 600 000 jobs—a suspiciously exact number—in the natural gas sector.

Also note that, in fact-checking land, whenever Obama compares the economy under his administration to the economy under Bush, he is omitting the fact that the economy was much worse under FDR; thus, he is a liar for not providing proper context.

Partisan websites can then spin this lacking analysis into ‘gotcha’ headlines. Daily Kos used the ABC article to title a post called ‘Paul Ryan lying again. And again. And again,’ and then claimed that on the basis of these ‘faulty’ numbers that

Paul Ryan is a “lying sack of [youknow-what].”

Unfortunately, the above factcheck is not an outlying example.

Both campaigns have called the other a liar, using these ‘objective’ facts as evidence of their own chastity and the other side’s wonton neglect of the truth. It’s no surprise that the presidential campaign has morphed into an immature shouting match between two highly polarized sides.

Recently, the Romney campaign said that it would not let factcheckers dictate the direction of its campaign. To that I say bravo, because what the fact-check websites are checking is nothing you and I would recognize as fact.

Lactantia milk when you can spend $2.85 on two litres of Québon?

The thing is, I have learned to think in the long-term. I choose to go organic—not for the sake of making a statement, but because of my own beliefs regarding quality, the environment, and my personal health. In my opinion, these concerns demonstrate how buying organic foods can make a significant difference in one’s diet.

I believe the quality of organic foods is higher than that of nonorganic foods. To this day, I still remember when my dad presented me with what I like to call “the strawberry test.” He first asked me to taste a non-organic strawberry.

It was a little dry, but a decent strawberry nonetheless. He then asked me to try to the organic strawberry. I was delighted by its intense sweetness and juiciness; it was certainly more satisfying for my palate than the first.

These differences in taste are largely a result of different agricultural practices. For instance, organic fruits and vegetables are

often grown in soil containing better micronutrients and genetic diversity.

As a result, they are much richer in flavour. I derive a lot more joy from cooking and eating if my food is of a higher quality.

Similar to local farming, organic farming methods have also been proven to be significantly more environmentally sustainable than conventional farming. This is because they use less fossil energy, conserve more water in the soil, and increase the efficiency of energy use per unit of production.

Take the case of livestock.

For example, organic, seasonal grazing systems have proven to be more efficient because the animals eat more grass and less grain, leaving more grain available for humans to consume. Organic meat production has also been shown to emit fewer greenhouse gases.

Taking into account the numerous environmental challenges our planet is facing today, I feel that I am doing my bit for the earth by eating in a manner than is more eco-conscious and sustainable.

The most notable reason why I eat organic foods is for my own personal health. I feel infinitely more comfortable purchasing products that have not been subject to pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics, hormones or bioengineering­ —the effects of which are transferred to our bodies when we consume those foods.

While organic farming is not completely pesticide or fertilizerfree, the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers is strictly limited or forbidden altogether. These limitations on pesticides have positive implications for the nutritional value of the foods in question. Produce grown organically or without pesticides has been proven to contain higher levels of anti-oxidants, vitamins A, C and E, phosphorus, and potassium.

Although a recently published Stanford study contested these findings and other health benefits of eating organic, I think you’ll always find studies that suit your own preferences. That being said, I like buying organic produce because

I think it gives me a better chance of receiving the important nutrients my body requires. Furthermore, I believe it decreases the amount of harmful chemicals entering my system.

I am most religious about buying organic dairy products, because I know that they were taken from cows that have not been treated with antibiotics or growth hormones to increase milk production. When so many cancers and other illnesses are hormone-dependent. I simply want to avoid having any more hormones in my body than what is natural. The case is similar with meat and eggs.

With these three main concerns in mind, it wasn’t hard for me to cement my commitment to the organic movement. Maybe it’s because I hail from British Columbia, where the prevailing culture is, supposedly, “eat green and love nature.” Geography aside, I do think we have a lot to gain from eating organic, and it is my hope that governments and companies will do more to encourage organic practices.

off the board

Bea Britneff

News Editor

Why I eat organic

I prefer to buy organic products as opposed to non-organic products.

“Why?” you might ask.

Although the concept of “organic” is an attractive one, it is an expensive diet and lifestyle to uphold. Some people wonder if it really makes that much of a difference.

However, the “expensive” argument is a fair one. It’s true that many organic products are outrageously over-priced and are therefore inaccessible to those working with limited budgets. With only these short-term costs in mind, then sure, how does one justify buying organic? Why spend $5.79 (plus tax) on two litres of organic

6

Title

Science & technology EvENTS

Open source urban planning Hack-a-thon produces site for cyclists Leigh Miller Science and Technology Editor Last Saturday, over 100 hackers gathered in the Shatner Ballroom for Hack Ta Ville. They were drawn by the chance to comb through freshly released data—everything from the location and age of Montreal trees to the legal parking times in spots all over the city—to use as building blocks for smart phone applications and websites to improve the average Montrealer’s life. Hackers used the data to write handy programs, including one that locates available parking spots in specified areas and timeframes.

The event was organized by the Community-University Research Alliance (CURA)—a project of the McGill School of Urban Planning, École Polytechnique de Montréal, and SSMU. Its partners included Living Lab de Montréal, Open North, and YellowAPI. Jason Prince, director of CURA, helped organize the event.

Prince said the idea for the event came from attending other hack-athons and a recent trip to Toronto, where finding a swimming pool to take his kids to proved to be a surprisingly difficult task.

Events like Hack Ta Ville give hackers the chance to solve problems like the swimming pool search.

“Think of [hack-a-thons] as just breaking ice. We’re just breaking ice and trying to get through; we don’t know where exactly, but we’re going somewhere,” he said.

Breaking the ice means making more data available to developers, which Prince thinks will lead to better, more user-friendly cities. Data sets, like the real-time locations of Montreal buses, could mean a more convenient public transport experience, and thus, a more sustainable city.

After a full day of brainstorming, workshops, and programming, the clatter of keyboards fell silent for the presentation of eight projects.

These ranged from a smart phone

application that aims to replace flyers to an interactive website that cyclists can use to learn of biking hazards around the city.

The latter, called Vélobstacles, won the event’s prize for “best data mash-up,” awarded to the project with the best use of city and user data to creatively solve a problem.

On the website, a map of Montreal depicts bike accident sites with red dots of various sizes. The number of accidents in an area are inscribed in the dot—the higher the number, the larger the dot.

Cyclists can use the site to spot dangerous intersections on their routes, or to report locations of hazards, including close calls with vehicles or rough road conditions. Another tool on the site allows users to find bike shops and collectives.

Most of the projects were built over the course of the day by groups of hackers from different disciplines and parts of the city.

George Parker, a second-year masters student in the school of

urban planning at McGill, was working on a project called ‘Suggestions à la carte.’

“It’s a special kind of fun,” he said of the time-pressured brainstorming environment.

Many of the projects at Hack Ta Ville were focused on transportation.

Prince said that transportaion projects resonate with hackers.

“To me, that’s an obvious [area in which…] opening the data would make the city better.”

An upcoming hack-a-thon will focus on that theme: Living Lab de Montreal, a social technology research project, will host TranspoCamp on No Car Day, September 21.

As for the role of hack-a-thons at McGill, Prince sees them as an important chance for students to get real-world experience lacking in their classes. “This world is rapidly evolving around us. We have to at least try to plug into it.”

Hackers at work during the all-day event. (Alexandra Allaire / McGill Tribune)

McGill research

Briefs

Food security, malnutrition and obesity

by Bharat srinivassa

A new disorder in metabolism of vitamin B12 This week, researchers at McGill’s Department of Human Genetics and Genome Quebec—in collaboration with others from the United States, Switzerland, and Germany—published the discovery of a new genetic defect that causes an inability to break down vitamin B12.

Vitamin B12 plays an essential role in the proper functioning of our nervous system and intestinal tract.

Most of us are able to get sufficient vitamin B12 from our food, although vegans may require dietary supplements.

This breakthrough, published in the scientific journal Nature Genetics on August 26th, describes the newly discovered disorder called cblJ. This first came to light when two unrelated infants showed symp-

toms characteristic of vitamin B12 deficiency soon after birth.

Suspecting a genetic inability to metabolize the vitamin was to blame, the researchers tested the two infants to see if their genetic defect matched with any that are already known. Finding no similarity, the researchers studied the genes of these infants and identified a new mutation in a gene called ABCD4, which results in the vitamin being retained in lysosomes (stomach-like pockets in cells) rather than releasing it into the cytoplasm, a cellular milieu.

The identification of this novel gene, essential for vitamin B12 metabolism, increases our understanding of vitamin function, and helps classify patients with the genetic defects in B12 metabolism so that appropriate treatments can be given.

(needvitaminb12.ca)

While some nations, including the United States, suffer from an epidemic of obesity, there are many countries in the world stricken with abundant malnutrition. In some countries, the two disorders even co-exist.

Laurette Dubé, a McGill professor from Desautels Faculty of Management, and Patrick Webb of Tufts University have proposed that this co-existence occurs due to food and nutrition insecurity. This issue occurs where people lack both physical and economic access to the safe, nutritious food which helps them live an active and healthy life.

The work, published in July 2012 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS), argues that ensuring food security is a highly complex task—one that involves a country’s food source from agriculture, the health and disease status of its people, and finally, the environment.

These factors may partially explain the differences between conditions for malnutrition and obesity, and at the same time help policy makers determine strategies to ensure food security for everyone.

(groundsforsuccess.ca)

Coffee and Parkinson’s disease Carriers of Parkinson’s suffer from tremors, shaking, slowed movement, loss of balance and excessive daytime sleeping. Coffee intake has repeatedly been shown to reduce the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.

Students and others regularly abuse coffee to stay awake. This property led researchers to believe it had potential to treat excessive daytime sleeping.

Researchers at McGill University’s department of neurology, led by Dr. Ronald B. Posthuma, in collaboration with researchers from

Toronto and Brazil, studied the effects of coffee on 61 patients with Parkinson’s. Their work was published in August 2012 in the Journal of Neurology.

Surprisingly, researchers found that caffeine had no effect on the sleepiness that these patients suffered from; it only reduced the level of tremors observed by the patients.

The study’s findings add to anecdotal and scientific evidence that caffeine can help relieve symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Further work is required to fully understand how coffee can help alleviate these symptoms.

(psmag.org)

Curiosity delivers. |

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY CALENDAR Stones and Beer Bike Tour

Fossil, rock, and architecture bike tour with beer and snacks included. Sunday, September 16th from 16:00 to 20:00. Meet at the Redpath Museum. Admission is $15 for students, call 514-398-4094 to reserve a spot.

TranspoCamp Montreal

Transportation-focused hacka-thon. Friday, September 21st from 8:30 to 17:00 in the Old Port, Place des Vestiges. Admission is free.

IRCM Open House

The Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montreal (Clinical Research Institute of Montreal) will open its doors with tours of research facilities, information booths, and lectures. Sunday, September 30th from 10:00 to 16:00. IRCM is at 110 Ave des Pins West. Admission is free.

– Leigh Miller

visit

www.mcgilltribune.com

for more information

write for the tribune Come visit us at SSMU Activities Night September 11th and 12th in Shatner, second floor

SCIENCE & TECH

| Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Miss your high school science classes?

BORED of directors? Sit on ours.

Get your dose of curiosity—write for Science and Technology.

The Tribune Publications Society is looking for student representatives to sit on the board.

Meet Tuesdays at 5:30PM in Shatner 110

Email editor@mcgilltribune.com

8

Student living

pro tips

How to make the student lifestyle a healthy lifestyle Simple brain-boosters to keep your mind in fighting shape Susan Westfall Contributor It’s 8:30 in the morning and you are running to your first class. Your head is in a sleepless fog, your limbs are heavy from a hard night of studying, and you feel like arthritis is gripping your joints despite supposedly being in the ‘prime of your youth.’

Yes, university is a trying adventure, where leading a healthy lifestyle is always scheduled to start tomorrow.

Despite pending papers and imminent exams, a healthy paradigm must be adopted in order to perform your best in class. Once you see the benefits of these few simple tricks, you’ll wonder how you ever got along without them!

If you let your body succumb to fast foods and inactivity, you will know in a matter of months what it feels like to be fifty. The first step in preventing this is to find a healthyliving mantra. My go-to is mens sana in corpore sano, translated from the Latin as: “a sound mind in a sound body.”

When you are stressed, stress hormones, or glucocorticoids, surge through your veins, inducing the sensational cravings for sugary and fatty foods. Indeed, indulging in such cravings will seem like the best way to release your body from the misery of stress, since these foods very effectively induce dopamine— the ‘happy hormone.’ As you can imagine, this is probably the worst way to give your brain a boost, as every downhill ride leads to an uphill

climb. Below are some simple tips to incorporate brain-empowering substances into your daily regime that will refresh your mind: Eat regularly. Avoid blood suger-induced mood swings by feeding your body at least three times a day, accompanied by nutritional snacks like nuts, seeds, multi-grain crackers or fruits. Food is fuel, and without fuel your brain is sure to stall.

Start taking a multivitamin.

Young people generally do not feel the effects of vitamin and mineral deficiencies, but, you might be surprised at how invigorating a simple multivitamin can be.

Get your Omega-3s. You may have heard of the benefits of Omega-3 for brain health, supported by ample evidence. For the science majors, Omega-3 builds the myelin sheath —the nerves’ insulation and protection. A great source of Omega3 is salmon, either of the fresh or canned variety. This—source is both affordable and easysimply flake the salmon onto your salad, or pair it with toast for a brain-boosting breakfast. Other sources rich in Omega-3 include walnuts, pecans, pumpkin, and flax.

You can never have too much vitamin B. Especially for the vegetarians out there, vitamin B deficiency is a silent killer if not taken in sufficient amounts from sources other than meat products. Fatigue, hair-loss, and brain-fog are all common symptoms of deficiency in this key vitamin. As well, the absorption

of many nutrients depends on vitamin B12, worsening your nutritional deficit.

Eat flavonoids. Strawberries, elderberries, and blueberries are rich in these anti-oxidants, which add a further boost to your brain’s cellular function. Flavonoids also give a boost to your mitochondria, powering your cells from the inside out.

Dopamine is your best friend.

This ‘feel-good’ hormone will elevate your mood, reinstate your enthusiasm, and activate all levels of pleasure. Phenylalanine is an important precursor found in soy products, beets, almonds, eggs, and whole-grains. On the side, chocolate is a good sustainable mood booster.

The anandamide in chocolate is a fatty component that mimics the active ingredient in marijuana, whose mood-modulating effects are well documented.

Get active. It takes effort and perserverance to do so, but you can always start small. A 20 minute power-walk before class, dancing wildly with your roommates, or doing a few laps up and down the stairs is enough to reap some of the benefits of proper movement.

Blood circulation. If you are a student, chances are you are sitting for a good portion of the day. Blood pools in your legs and pockets of unoxygenated, dead blood pools form in the most unlikely places. Getting your heart-rate up eliminates these pools and invigorates your senses, as well as your brain!

More dopamine. Yes, this

student of the week Q: Describe McGill in three words.

A: Work, play, freezing.

Q: Mac or PC? A: Mac. Q: Jersey Shore or the Real World?

A: Jersey Shore, just because I’m from Jersey.

Q: What is your secret talent?

A: I have a black belt in Taekwondo.

Q: If you could high five anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?

A: President Obama.

Liza Ponomarenko

U3 Arts International Development (Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune)

Q: If you were a McGill campus building, which building would you be?

A: Birks, because it’s a rustic Hogwartslike study place.

Chocolate is a great source of Dopamine. (4.bp.blogspot.com) “happy-hormone” is powerfully induced by even light exercise. Postwork out, you are sure to come out smiling! The “happiness effect” is increased by the release of endorphins that block the pain transmission centres in the brain, leading you to a sense of euphoria.

Brain development. It has been proven that exercise increases memory, dulls physical and mental pain, and even leads to the generation of new neurons. Yes, exercise leads to the increased influx of calcium and

consequent activation of BDNF, a transcription factor increasing neurogenesis. Furthermore, exercise reinforces nerve connections, maximizing the memory formation from those hours of studying.

Start your new healthy life style today. Get up, get out, and walk over to your nearest grocery store for some brain-boosting meals!

The McGill Tribune is proud to introduce a new section of Student Living: Student of the Week. Each week we’re shining the spotlight on one of our classmates, and asking all the important questions about what makes a McGill student tick.

Q: What’s your go-to hangover cure?

A: Fro-yo.

Q: Name a song that defined your summer.

A: Lights by Ellie Goulding.

Q: How many times have you been to Korova?

A: I don’t even know what Korova is.

Sandler movie?

A: I was gunna say Zoolander, but that’s Ben Stiller. Can I just say I don’t like Adam Sandler?

Q: Name one fashion trend you’ll never try again.

A: Maybe Fanny packs. But they’re kind of popular now, and I see people with them and I’m like ‘nooooo’.

Q: Pineapple or watermelon?

A: Watermelon.

Q: What reality TV show are you perfect for?

A: Project Runway. Not that I can sew but…

Q: Name one LA Laker.

A: No. No no. I don’t know.

Q: What’s your signature drink?

A: Long Island iced tea.

Q: Russell Peters or Dane Cook?

A: Russell Peters. I love Russell Peters.

Q: If you could be one flavour of ice cream, what flavour would you be?

A: Mint chocolate chip.

Q: What’s your favorite Adam

Q: Which section of the McGill Tribune is your favorite?

A: The Opinion section.

Q: Who would star in the story of your life?

A: Hmmm… Carey Mulligan.

Q: If you could go back in time to any historical event, which one would you go to?

A: President Obama’s inauguration. I lived through it but I’d do it again.

Q: Why are you an asset to McGill?

A: I work at the front desk at SSMU. (that’s where we found her!)

- Jacqui Galbraith

Free Education

Goes online

By Leigh Miller Many McGill students see recorded lectures as an invitation to take courses from the comfort of their sweatpants and couch. While many students just don’t want to get out of bed, professors at Stanford and educational researchers are thinking bigger: why not offer a course that can be taken from a remote village, a retirement home, or a high

A New Way to Educate Rising demand for higher education coupled with increasing costs led universities to look for smarter ways to deliver courses.

Better teaching techniques mean courses can be scaled to reach more students without losing quality. MOOCs can be used to develop these techniques as they are open-source, online platforms.

One area where MOOCs might break through is “flipping the classroom,” a teaching technique by which content is learned outside of class, and classtime is used for problem solving. In the past, this content would have come from a textbook, but now, instructors can use the growing library of online lectures provided

by MOOCs. Carl Wieman, a Nobel Prize winning physicist, co-authored a study that concluded students in a “flipped” large-enrollment physics class learned more than twice as much as their peers in conventional lectures.

“The traditional lecture is simply not successful in helping most students achieve mastery of fundamental concepts,” writes Wieman in his charming article “Why Not Try A Scientific Approach to Science Education” on science20.com.

The MOOC Experience Students in massive McGill courses (e.g. any course held in Leacock 132) are familiar with the components of a MOOC: recorded lectures, discussion fo-

school library?

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) offer students free education, accessible from anywhere in the world. All a student needs is an internet connection.

Three main providers of the online goods are Coursera, edX, and Udacity. All three have been in the news lately, with recent profiles of the sites

and their founders in the New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR. The attention is focused on the rapid ascent of these online courses and what that may mean for the delivery of higher education. Indeed, Udacity calls itself “a growing group of educators and engineers, on a mission to change the future of education.”

rums, and assignments graded by computers. MOOC providers seek to improve on these teaching tools with the help of pedagogical research. One classic education problem is the limited short-term memory of the human brain. The average McGill lecture presents more information than a student is physically capable of absorbing. Most students work around this problem by reviewing slides or notes to remind themselves of information.

Since MOOC lectures aren’t limited by scheduling or room availability, information can be presented in small, 10-18 minute segments. This allows students to absorb the information at their own pace.

Constant feedback is another strategy that MOOCs use to help students. In-lecture quizzes evaluate comprehension every few minutes. Since assignments are graded instantly, students can re-submit them until they receive full marks. The focus is on mastery and not initial success.

All these forms of feedback could be used in a conventional class. Unfortunately, that’s not the case in many McGill courses.

A student might wait weeks between learning a concept and getting back a graded assignment; by that time, the professor has probably moved onto a new topic.

One area where MOOCs fall short is their lack of personal interaction. MOOC sites have tried to compensate with discussion boards and social networking for users who want to start study groups in their own cities.

The lack of personal interaction means lecturers can’t ensure

that students are turning in their own work—a huge obstacle for MOOCs hoping to provide credit to students.

Another problem for MOOCs is providing a wider range of subjects. Computers can easily grade assignments for basic computer programming or engineering classes, but essays are another story.

To solve this issue, MOOC providers are experimenting with a system of peer-reviewing. Students practice grading until they are able to match the score the professor would give on a series of assignments. Every assignment is graded by five students who have passed the marking test, and the final score is an average of the five marks.

Photos from cija.ca, accelerateokanagan.com, corante.com, chacks.net, edudemic.com

Will McGill Launch a MOOC? The rise of MOOCs shows that universities and educators are eager to experiment with new teaching methods.

The growing list of big name universities that have embraced the MOOC trend means schools should ignore it at their own peril.

The University of Virginia sees such potential in MOOCs that board members temporarily ousted president Teresa Sullivan in June, only to reinstate her two weeks later. Emails between board members reveal that her percieved lack of aggressive action on developing MOOCs contributed to their call for her resignation.

In an interview with the Tribune, McGill Director of Content and Collaboration Solutions Sharon Roy said that McGill has

Coursera established a working group to learn more about MOOCs and whether they are right for the university.

“We’ve just started investigating MOOCs and what kinds of opportunities they might provide and what would be involved in setting them up,” Roy said.

Although the work group is still in its early stages, Roy said McGill already has online teaching capabilities.

“We’re really familiar with online learning technologies at McGill. We make really extensive use of it,” she said. Roy noted that while online courses have their advantages, many students have commented that there is no substitute for one-onone time with a professor.

“We haven’t been aggressive in developing online learning courses where there is none of that contact between instructors and students.”

Another challenge is the cost of setting up the courses.

“They’re not free—that’s for sure—and as you know we want to be very careful with where we spend our money and how we spend it,” Roy said.

In the meantime, McGill students can benefit from the growing list of MOOCs already available.

Finding a MOOC This fall, courses on all three sites are free, though you must pay Udacity a small fee for a certificate that confirms you took the class. EdX has plans to implement a similar fee. Udacity also charges businesses to view the

resumes of top students in certain classes—students pay nothing to give their resume to Udacity. Both Coursera and Udacity use a social networking site called Meetup to organize study groups. Montreal groups on both sites have already scheduled meetings this month.

The Future of Higher Education?

It’s still unclear what role MOOCs will play in the coming years. Will they remain a niche for pure learning, come to replace universities, or wither under financial pressure? Certainly, they are already forcing universities to re-think the value of higher education.

The internet has led us to expect free information, and free education seems to be the next logical step. With that said, however, will students be willing to continue to pay thousands of dollars for classes they can take free online?

Yes, say many MOOC site founders and educators, as the true value of a university lies in the campus environment. Students are paying for the chance to meet one-on-one with their professors, study with a diverse group of peers, and benefit from the university’s network.

One thing is clear—MOOCs are still growing in popularity.

Over a million students have already registered to take one this fall. Whether this will lead to an exodus out of class and back into bed, only time will tell.

Coursera was founded by two Stanford professors and is backed by Silicon Valley venture capitalists. The site stresses the social good of MOOCs: “We envision a future where the top universities are educating not only thousands of students, but millions.”

The site offers classes from an impressive list of schools including Caltech, Princeton, and Stanford. Another school offering classes on the site, the University of Washington, will be the first to give students credit for Coursera courses.

Notable course: Modern and Contemporary American Poetry is an example of a MOOC that can’t use computers for grading.

Assignments will be graded by peer evaluation.

edX EdX is a joint venture between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard. The site uses an open-source online learning platform to offer courses from MIT, Harvard, and UC Berkley.

According to the site: “Along with offering online courses, the institutions will use edX to research how students learn and how technology can transform learning—both on-campus and worldwide.”

Notable Course: 6.002x Circuits and Electronics was the first course offered by MITx and boasts a diverse classroom. According to the edX site the course attracted more than 150,000 students from over 160 countries and those certified in this course range from 14 to 74 years-old.

Udacity Udacity is an online university founded by three roboticists, as they call themselves, one of them a Stanford professor.

Rather than partnering with existing universities, it deals directly with instructors to find content for courses.

Udacity offers a free job placement program through partnerships with more than 20 high tech companies.

Notable Course: Artificial Intelligence taught by Sebastian Thrun is one of the original MOOCs. Thrun decided to offer the Stanford class online in 2011 and was shocked when it attracted more than 160,000 students.

12

Tuesday, September 11, 2012 |

STUDENT LIVING

Drink Recipes

Make a splash with a new drink A patriotic new shot and a colourful twist on a classic James Hutchingame Contributor

for your taste buds. Enjoy with a Beavertail or some ketchup chips for a thoroughly Canadian pre-drink.

The Johnny Canuck

The Belladonna

This is an all-Canadian shooter recipe that involves our very own national delicacy: real maple syrup (NOT Aunt Jemima). So head to your local souvenir shop for some authentic syrup to get the most out of this one.

This is a slightly less sweet variation of a ‘Porn Star’. You can make it as a drop shot or a highball, depending on the pre-drink vibe you’re going for, but either way the Blue Curaçao looks awesome.

•

½ oz. Captain Morgan®

Dark Rum • ½ oz. Maple syrup • ¼ oz. Crown Royal® Whiskey Pour Captain Morgan® Dark Rum, Maple Syrup, and Crown Royal® Whiskey into a shot glass, in that order. Remember to heat up your syrup before adding it if you’re after that warm sensation whiskey and rum tend to give. This drink is a 1¼ oz. shooter, so the liquor-tosyrup ratio is at your discretion. The above measurements are just a suggestion to get you started. The initial kick should be followed by the warm, sweet aftertaste of the syrup, so play around with the sweet to bitter ratio until you find what works

Drop Shot Option: You will need: • ¾ - 1 ¼ oz. tequila • 1 oz. Blue Curaçao • Ginger ale Start by filling your shot glass with tequila—any kind will do—but you can never go wrong with Jose Cuervo® Gold. Next, fill a deep, preferably narrow, glass with 1 oz. of Blue Curacao and a splash of ginger ale (I pour for three seconds, but it’s up to you). Drop the tequila and cheers!

tequila on ice in a highball glass (tall and narrow). Next, add ginger ale until the glass is almost full (leave about an inch of space at the top). Finally, pour in the Blue Curaçao and watch it trickle down. If you want to add a theatrical element to the mix, pour in a dash of Grenadine, and you’ll have yourself a purple cocktail.

To top it all off, run a cocktail pick (sword, umbrella, etc.) through a slice of orange, cherry, and lemon and rest it along the top. We call this an ‘All Dressed.’ Perfect for a classy night out.

High Ball Option: You will need: • 1 oz. tequila • Ginger ale • ½ - 1 oz Blue Curaçao • Grenadine (optional) Start by pouring your ounce of

| Curiosity delivers.

love letter to OAP

S

hall I compare OAP to a summer’s day? That sounds about right. It has everything a summer day should have: beer, burgers, and engineers in lab coats. Oh OAP, it has been a wonderful four years. We started off on a rocky first step, when as a green 17-year-old, I tried to breech your closely guarded entrance for an alleged “bottle of water” and was turned away, embarrassed. But I kept it together, played it cool, and that following April, I finally convinced you to trust my ID and let me in. Since then, every OAP has been like the first: the best place on earth. When OAP is running, school is either over or hasn’t gotten hard yet. Coincidence? I think not. OAP has given me so much in the last few years. It’s a place where you can soak up the last few hours of warmth before the cold Canadian winter. It’s also a place where you can run into all of your friends in one place, which really makes it a

productive and efficient use of your time. OAP brings the party to you, offering sustenance and the invaluable liquid courage necessary to slip back into the school year. But while I know that I need to appreciate and value what we had together, I’m aware now that our time is coming to an end. This was my last backto-school OAP. I knew that it had to end eventually—where I’m going, there’s no time to waste sitting around enjoying myself! There’s no room for outdoor beers and daytime debauchery on the other side of graduation. But for now, I’ll hold onto my last few red tickets and my last few minutes of juvenile fun. As long as you stay relaxed and cheap, I’ll continue to remember you fondly as the best place on earth.

­Elisa Muyl

It’s your life. write about it!

We’d love to hear from you! Email

studentliving@mcgilltribune.com The secret ingredient (eskerridge.com)

Dhal Makani

By Susan Westfall

The enticing smells eminating from the local Indian hub are now available in your own home! This simple bean-based dish from the Punjab combines subtle flavours with a creamy texture to give you a hearty and healthy meal. Make this recipe in bulk, and keep in the fridge for several days, or freeze.

2” cinnamon stick 1 Bay leaf 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1 cup tomato puree or 2-3

chopped tomatoes 1 cup cream (or 2% or coco-

nut milk) Salt to taste and cilantro to garnish

Ingredients

Method

1 cup dry, whole black Urad dal (lentils) 1/4 cup dry Bengal gram

(chick peas) 1/2 cup dry Kidney beans 1 tsp cumin seeds 1-2 tsp green chillies, sliced

thinly 1 tsp ginger garlic paste 1 tsp cumin-coriander powder 1 tsp cardamom powder 1 medium red onion 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves

(Kasuri Methi) 3 tbsp butter (or 1-2 tsp of veg-

etable oil) 2-3 cloves

Prepare the beans: soak the dried beans overnight in a generous amount of water. Rinse well in cold water and then boil for 1 ½ – 2 hours, adding water to replace that which evaporates. The longer the beans are cooked, the richer the flavour. Once soft, mush the beans together using a potato masher or ladle.

Note: You could substitute the beans with the canned varieties (especially if you do not have a pressure cooker), but make sure that you get unsalted beans, without added preservatives.

Prepare the curry: add butter, ghee or 1 tsp of oil to a pan over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is hot, add cumin, bay leaf, ginger-garlic paste, and chillies. Once the seeds start to pop (around 10-15 seconds), add onions and continue to cook until they are soft and translucent.

Add the tomato puree or tomatoes along with cloves, cinnamon, turmeric, and cumin-coriander powder, and cook for about five minutes while stirring.

The curry should become very aromatic.

Add the lentil/bean mush to the prepared gravy. Add enough water to make a thick consistency. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the fenugreek leaves and cardamom powder. Stir in cream, milk or coconut milk.

Cook for five more minutes and serve with naan.

roti or rice. Best eaten with a side of cool yogurt.

modernation.wordpress.com

Curiosity delivers. |

STUDENT LIVING

| Tuesday, September 11, 2012

13

fashion

Ten wardrobe staples your closet needs From fancy to fleece, here are your top ten clothing must-haves Jacqui Galbraith Student Living Editor 1. Those blue jeans you look fantastic in Everybody has (or should have) that one pair of jeans that makes them feel great. They work for a night out, an afternoon at the park, or a day spent cleaning the house. A great pair of jeans can go from casual to fierce with one simple shirt change, and they fit perfectly. If that description doesn’t sound like any of the jeans you have, get a new pair.

2. A plain white t-shirt Another versatile piece of clothing, the white t-shirt can work for a number of your more casual settings. You can go to the mall, the gym, the grocery store, or almost anywhere except a wedding in a plain white t-shirt. Pair it with your favourite pair of shorts and enjoy the last days of summer without overheating.

3. A baggy pullover No matter how stylish you are, you will always need a pullover. I prefer the hooded variety myself, but either way your movie nights just won’t be the same without a cozy sweater to cuddle into. Considering university is one of those times in life where it’s more acceptable to wear comfy—if not sloppy—clothing, take advantage! It’s also a great way to show your allegiance to your favourite sports team or school.

4. Thick, fuzzy socks Again, this item is a pure comfort staple for your closet. Heading into the frigid winter months in Montreal, you simply can’t afford to be without a pair of fuzzy socks. Bonus points if they’ve got snowflakes or some other amusing winter-themed design on them. It’s a proven fact that students study better with warm feet, so do yourself a favour and pick up a pair.

5. A black V-neck A black V-neck is the best of both worlds. It says “I’m stylish and hip, but I’m also laid back and comfortable”. Who doesn’t want to be all that? I would just caution both sexes to watch the depth of their vneck, because you also don’t want it to be too revealing.

6. A comfortable pair of shoes that look good This one is aimed slightly more at the ladies, since shoe comfort seems to be a priority for men already. This is not always so for the fairer sex. Many women buy shoes that look incredible, but they can’t be worn for more than about

six steps. Whether or not you want to wear shoes like that most of the time is up to your own discretion, but please buy at least one pair that you’re actually comfortable in!

Granted, it is extremely difficult to find a pair of heels that marry style and comfort, but it can be done. You shouldn’t have to sacrifice one for the other.

7. A first-interview shirt or blouse Everyone should have some professional attire, even if they’re fresh into their first job as a dishwasher. They say “dress for the job you want,” so no matter what interview you’re heading to, dress to impress. Your shirt should be clean, ironed, and slightly worn-in. Never, under any circumstances, wear a brand new outfit to a job interview.

You’re probably already freaking out. Think of your familiar interview shirt as your safety blanket.

8. A concert t-shirt If you don’t have one of these, get yourself to a concert ASAP. I’m not advocating buying a shirt every time you see a show, but if it’s your favourite band, or it was a particularly amazing show, it’s worth the splurge. Every time you wear that shirt, you’ll remember the great night you had, and chances are you’ll be walking around with that band’s music playing in your head like a soundtrack to your day. It’s an instant mood-booster.

9. A blazer This falls into the ‘formalwear’ section of your wardrobe. A good blazer can work for a day at the office or a dinner out with your friends. No matter what, it always keeps you looking polished. As Oscar Wilde once said, “You can never be overdressed or overeducated,” so feel free to don this staple on almost any occasion.

10. Sweatpants Sweatpants are the final and perhaps most important must-have for any closet. No matter how many chores you have to do, you will have comfort and range of motion.

No matter how much you don’t feel like going to the gym, you’ll be inspired the second you slip into your sweats. No matter how bad of a day you had, the moment you go home and change, you can’t help but relax.

Just know when you can get away with them in public (i.e. almost never).

Fill your closet with these ten wardrobe essentials (www.amherstclosets.com)

arts & entertainment FILM REVIEW

Beast of burden

Bullhead not for the faint of heart, but offers much for the stoic

Matthias Schoenaerts stuns with a forceful, courageous, breakout performance. (collider.com)

Chris Liu A&E Editor If a script can be personified, Bullhead needs but one word: cruel.

Not because it mistreats its audience—on the contrary, the film is as beautiful as it is miserable; dazzling as it is horrific. The sheer amount of sadness that writer-director Michael R. Roskam packs into two hours is so penetrating, so concentrated, and so visceral, that the experience is utterly exhausting. But I’m no masochist. So, it should also be said that Bullhead is assuredly one of the most raw, profound films you will see this year.

Set in Belgium, the story centres on a group of individuals involved in the trade and use of illegal growth hormones in the cattle industry—“the hormone mafia underworld,” as one ambitious reporter states. The subject is idiosyncratic, but the treatment is dead serious. A noir-ish atmosphere is maintained throughout, and the film opens with intimidation and murder.

Though a number of characters are involved in the plot, there is only one star of the show: Jacky Vanmarsenille (Matthias Schoenaerts). This is not because secondary

characters were underserved by the script, nor because the actors portraying them were unskilled; rather, it is due to the breathtaking performance by Schoenaerts in the lead role. Channelling a mixture of brutality and vulnerability, and eliciting a contradictory combination of fear and concern, Schoenaerts utterly dominates his scenes and the film as a whole. The plot brims with originality and suspense, skillfully interweaving Flemish-Walloon tensions with memorable, dynamic characters. The fact that all this becomes a sideshow to Jacky’s personal narrative is a testament to Schoenaerts’ unbridled virtuosity.

The cattle are not the only ones juicing. Early on, we see Jacky injecting what we later understand as a cocktail of testosterone and various growth hormones. The reason for this is soon revealed via flashback, and in undoubtedly one of the most brutal scenes I’ve witnessed this year. The emotion one feels is nothing less than pure, unadulterated horror. What follows is scene after scene of wrenching pain, as the happiness forever stolen from Jacky is trotted out by the screenplay and paraded in front of his eyes. This is what is meant by the cruelty of the

script. What must it feel like to be incomplete, broken, and condemned to perpetual deficiency?

Schoenaerts crafts a character reminiscent of the Minotaur: halfman, half-beast, trapped by circumstance, a creature for which one feels unspeakable dread and endless pity.

On more than one occasion, Jacky snatches defeat from the jaws of victory; at these moments, the cosmic injustice permeating his storyline becomes unbearable. Right up until the end, the only happiness Jacky sees is that of others. It is a reflected living, which is not living at all. His is a life wholly devoid of pleasure.

Through Bullhead, Roskam and Schoenaerts gift the world with a modern day mastering of the tragic form. The story of Jacky Vanmarsenille ends as it begins: alone, abandoned, and in the throes of violence and pain. Bullhead paints a vision that is bleak and uncompromising, a dizzying array of sorrow and rage and anguish. At the same time, it is a cinematic triumph, a reminder of the raw emotional potential of the medium—for from suffering comes glory.

—Bullhead opens this Friday, September 14th at Cinema du Parc, 3575 Avenue du Parc.

Could be Good History of Impressionism: Great French Paintings from the Clark—From Oct. 13 to Jan. 20, Impressionist masters will grace the halls of the Montreal Fine Arts Museum. In this exclusive Canadian stop, the exhibit will showcase the vitality of Gaugin, Monet’s subdued prowess, and ToulouseLautrec’s sauciness. Tip of the hat to the Sterling and Francine Clark Institute for the loan.

J.K. Rowling: The Casual Vacancy—The woman who bewitched the world and marked the childhoods of a generation is back in the literary world and swinging hard.

Aimed at an adult readership, the book centres on a little town as it decends into anarchy. Release date: Sep. 27.

POP Montreal—Back for its tenth year, POP Montreal hosts world class acts in a world class city from Sep. 19-23. Stay tuned for the Tribune’s preview of the festival in our next issue!

Curiosity delivers. |

Arts & Entertainment

| Tuesday, September 11, 2012

15

Albumreviews

MUSIC PREVIEW

Topanga, meet world

Toronto punk band to tour and record in Montreal

Klarka Weinwurm

Continental Drag Saved By Vinyl

Riding the boundary between punk and pop, Topanga lives to play. (myspace.com/musicoftopanga) Cora Lesure Contributor A little under two years ago, four childhood friends started making music in a Toronto basement.

They dubbed themselves ‘Topanga’ either after the character on the popular television show Boy Meets World, or a canyon in California— take your pick. They had few expectations and no goals in mind—just a shared love of punk rock. The band produced a four-track EP titled Lionheart in 2011 as a result of this common enthusiasm; though they describe themselves as a “punk band,” a pop influence is hard to deny. However, the band strives to differentiate itself from the whiny, power-chord ridden stereotype of punk rock, using the term “punkpop” to break away from some of the former genre’s connotations.

“We like to play aggressive music and push the boundaries without losing that catchiness element,” says lead singer Stefan Babcock.

“We try to use interesting time signatures and stuff like that, but also [try to] write memorable hooks that people can sing along to.”

For a while, Topanga remained just a group of friends without any concrete musical aim. They were

broke?

serious about staying together as a band, but largely in order to satisfy their personal desires to play, rather than take their music to the next level. This all changed when producer John Drew—who has worked with the likes of Tokyo Police Club and Fucked Up—came into the picture, and gave the four the push they needed.

“We owe a lot to that guy [John Drew],” Babcock says. “He made us realize, maybe there is something there and we should maybe work a little harder, have a go at music as a career.”

The band sent Drew a few tracks, which he loved, and together, they produced a 7-inch record titled Oceans, released in early 2012.

Only a year and a half old, Topanga plans to re-enter the studio following their current tour and stay in Montreal to record a full length album. They will be collaborating with Dave Schiffman, who has worked with bands like The Bronx—a favourite of the four. The album is expected to debut in the spring of 2013.

As a testament to the group’s dedication, all four have recently quit their jobs. The band is still fledgling; youthfulness permeates every aspect of their approach. This

want to see free movies?

freshness, which comes out in their recordings, is ingrained in their style as musicians and is palpable in the atmosphere of their live shows. They admittedly like to jump around, and rowdiness is encouraged at their performances.

“We started out pretty much exclusively playing house parties, so that has informed a lot of how we are on stage,” Babcock explained.

“The four of us are best friends and we just try to have the best time ever no matter what we are doing, including playing shows.”

The group plans to play at POP Montreal again this year, performing with bands such as Hollerado and Born Ruffians. They will also be playing on October 16 at Casa del Popolo along with The Pack A.D., a garage punk duo from Vancouver.

Those even mildly interested in rip-roaring, youthful, and catchy punk-esque music will enjoy listening to Topanga’s newest single “Guilt Trip.” The band’s musical future holds a good deal of promise— check them out, and get caught up in the fervor.

Music and tour info are available at musicoftopanga.tumblr.com

CATCH UP ON THE LATEST MUSIC?

Klarka Weinwurm’s newly released full length album, Continental Drag, attempts to demonstrate a folksy ambiance with the precision and steady rhythm of traditional indie-rock. With lyrics resembling the scattered verses of Kimbya Dawson and endowed with an odd feminine huskiness, one is prone to think that the album fits the bill for a great listen. However, in what I have come to describe as “gloom country,” her work left me in a confused state of audio limbo.

Perhaps Weinwurm’s relocation to Nova Scotia from her native Toronto sparked a transition in the young artist’s creative flow.

Her latest release strikes one as a cacophony of changes compared to her earlier work. The tracks fluctuate from catchy beats to overdrawn guitar solos; frin steady whisper singing to drowned-out lyrics–all the while bouncing back and forth between classical instruments, solid drums, and the ukulele. Weinwurm leaves you with the impression that she either wasn’t able to make up her mind musically, or struggled with the confidence to more directly channel a genre.

While I admire her chops in testing a broad array of instruments and vocals in the same compilation, the listener may feel lost amidst this collection of risky experimentation.

There is a lot to work with in this album—but then again, there is a lot to work on as well.

—Meaghan Tardif-Bennett

Write for A&E!

Patrick Wolf

Sundark and Riverlight Bloody Chamber Music Although just 29 years old—by many standards a “young” artist— Patrick Wolf’s repertoire speaks beyond his age. After 10 years and five studio albums later–including the much acclaimed Wind in the Wires and the recent 2011 release Lupercalia–the English singer-songwriter has become synonymous with melodic, haunting lyrics, and musical progressions on ukulele, piano, and viola. His vast repertoire, and the recognition he has gained amidst folk, indie, pop, and electronica fans alike, undoubtedly justifies the release of a “best of” compilation.

Sundark and Riverlight features exquisite acoustic re-recordings of songs that, despite escaping the commercial success they merit, have mesmerized listeners. Though perhaps not the most engaging album for first-timers­ as a result, it is an impressive showcase of Wolf’s musical talent and growth, and new listeners may find themselves charmed over time.

The surprisingly deep voice you’ll hear is rife with honest emotion and rich in tonality, singing enchanting lyrics such as “But I’m going nowhere fast/A darker day has holed at last/Deep in this dream I set the calmness to spinning.” Wolf’s lyricism can only be described as poetry set to music. If you are unfamiliar with Patrick Wolf, this musical biography will present you with the best of the best. In today’s world of autotune, this show of acoustic talent is a pleasure to experience.

Sundark and Riverlight is due out on October 16th. Patrick Wolf will perform at the Astral, September 23.

—Joanna Schacter

16

Tuesday, September 11, 2012 |

Arts & Entertainment

| Curiosity delivers.

FILM REVIEW

New take on ancient wisdom

Kumaré shows the guru in all of us Ilia Blinderman A&E Editor From terse, academic upbraidings by Richard Dawkins, to the wit and eloquence of Christopher Hitchens’ broadsides, the past decade has witnessed a surge in public cries challenging the power of organized religion. Amid the continual talk of misconduct and immorality in the halls of self-proclaimed holy men, several unbelievers simultaneously began a multi-pronged offensive against theism. Recently, a young filmmaker named Vikram Gandhi nimbly joined the campaign in the documentary Kumaré: The True Story of a False Prophet.

Gandhi, who plays Kumaré’s eponymous hero, is the real-life, religiously wayward son of devout Hindu parents. After skeptically observing the growing American love affair with yoga and its tinge of eastern mysticism, Gandhi decided to document the many gurus associated with the practice and assess their claims of transcendent power. Gradually, the project evolved. Unable to find support for this profusion of supernatural claims, Gandhi de-

Hip-Hop vs. Homosexuality: Is the rap game becoming self-aware?

This piece contains language used by others that some may find offensive and hurtful. These quotes do not reflect the views of the Tribune.

Had the Beastie Boys gotten their way, their iconic 1986 release, License to Ill, would have been called Don’t Be A Faggot.* Big Daddy Kane, widely regarded as one of hip-hop’s most virtuosic MCs, issued a like-minded edict on “Pimpin’ Ain’t Easy” three years later: “the Big Daddy law is antifaggot. That means no homosexuality.” Twenty years since, against the background of a piecemeal legalization of gay marriage and the abrogation of Clinton’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy, hip-hop fans don’t bat an eye at homophobia.

Nonetheless, the times they are a-changin’. The metamorphosis ostensibly began in 2005, when Kanye West spoke out against homophobia after learning that his cousin was gay (incidentally, West later told the New York Daily News that it was the bravest thing he did that year).

By 2011, a new generation of rap-

Heat stroke and perpetual thirst–all in a day’s work for Kumaré. (filmswelike.com) cided to see whether it was possible for anyone, even himself, a former Columbia University student with a minor in Religion, to gain followers as a guru. Thus Kumaré was born.

The documentary follows Gandhi in the role of the ever-smiling Kumaré, as he teaches his disciples that the answers they seek require no guru save themselves, while Socratically insisting on his own ignorance. Rather than preaching piffle, Gandhi simply tells those looking for guidance that they must act in accordance with the way they imag-

ine their ideal selves: cookie-cutter self-help seminar ideas rendered occult—and therefore alluring—by means of a few yoga poses and an Indian accent. Ghandi’s prescience in choosing a valid gospel is central to the film, and the measured thoughtfulness with which he emphasizes the universal accessibility of self-improvement is apparent.

To his credit, and in no small part due to his own upbringing, Gandhi is a good deal more delicate in his treatment of mysticism and religion than some of his contemporary

pers had begun to express a laissezfaire attitude to sexual orientation, with the then 21-year-old California rapper Lil B releasing a mixtape titled I’m Gay (I’m Happy). Earlier this year, Frank Ocean’s admission to falling in love with a man met with overwhelming support from industry and fans alike, while Azealia Banks’ confirming her bisexuality was (rightly) treated as a non-event.

In part, the change stems from a growing acceptance of homosexuality in culture at-large. Russell Simmons, co-founder of the infamous Def Jam Records, has frequently stated that hip-hop is a reflection of the events occurring within the wider community. Indeed, a celebrity’s emergence from the closet makes a considerably smaller splash than it previously did—contrast the blasé reaction to Anderson Cooper’s admission with the furor that would have erupted had a news anchor come out in the ‘70s—while support for gay marriage extends as high up as the Oval Office.

In the meantime, the emerging generation of rap artists still reliant on violently homophobic lyrics, such as LA’s breakout Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA) collective, is adopting a curiously contradictory attitude. While many weaker rappers use homophobia as a lyrical crutch, Tyler the Creator, OFWGKTA’s most visible and

arguably most talented member, frequently employs it in his verses. Despite this apparent animosity, which seems to be rooted in Tyler’s desire for attention, he is an outspoken supporter of his fellow OFWGKTA members Frank Ocean and the openly bisexual Syd Tha Kyd. Whereas some older rappers seem genuinely disturbed by homosexuality (in an obnoxious display of atavism, Beanie Sigel told XXL Magazine “You gay, go ahead, do you… Keep that shit all the way in the closet around me. For any people who look into it any other way, go into the Bible and look up the story”), younger artists seem to employ homophobia with the same degree of posturing evident in the violent bravado characterizing ‘90s gangster rap.

Historians believe that the vicious braggadocio permeating much of hip-hop stems from its origins in the Bronx. Between the ‘40s and the ‘60s, the impoverished Bronx experienced the destruction of residential neighbourhoods to make room for the Cross-Bronx Expressway and their replacement with densely crowded housing projects. By the ‘70s, hip-hop emerged as an expression of the borough’s frustrations, reinforced by a dense layer of blunt machismo in response to the threatening environment that shaped it.

Rap’s growth into a lucrative business throughout the ‘90s dulled

atheists. Throughout the film, he respectfully listens to self-proclaimed spiritual practitioners, ranging from psychics to proponents of the Law of Attraction. Rather than ridiculing these outlandish beliefs (“We are from different planets,” says one woman matter-of-factly when introducing her partner), Gandhi seems to adopt a kinder, almost paternal approach: if a belief doesn’t affect others, and gives some hope in the struggle with grief or substance abuse, what’s the harm? The point of the matter, then, is to demonstrate

that the edicts of a gatekeeper, like Kafka’s fierce guardian in Before the Law, are a dead letter. Neither priest, nor rabbi, nor imam hold the sacred wisdom necessary for enlightenment. While it’s not evocative or insightful enough for a second look, this idea is certainly salient enough to deserve greater public attention.

Don’t expect cinematographic miracles­—the film consists of sober camerawork with the expected abundance of close-up shots, rightly making way for the discussion of the religious question. The score, which consists of Kumaré’s chants and drumming, is similarly forgettable.

The final sequence, however, which deals with Kumaré’s unmasking, is impressive in spite of a modicum of cheesy slow-motion scenes.

Altogether, Kumaré is a sensible look at the cult of personality that invariably permeates all mystical traditions, suffused with Gandhi’s equable humour. Of all the gurus documented in the film, Kumaré seems to have the best approach.

Pop Rhetoric many artists’ emphasis on social injustice, while keeping the lyrical vituperation and materialism— both marketable elements—sharply honed. Thus, commercial rap became the medium of inane and violent bark.

In the meantime, the intellectual bite emerged in the backstreets of “conscious” hip-hop—a genre eschewing the tripartite model of ostentatiousness, drugs, and sex (exemplified by tracks like Jay-Z’ “Money, Cash, Hoes”), in favour of more reflective rhymes. Not surprisingly, artists under the “conscious” moniker—many rappers oppose the term due to its association with the proselytization of overly-political themes—are also leading the charge against homophobia. This summer, Seattle-based rapper Macklemore released the touchingly honest “Same Love” in support of gay marriage.

Meanwhile, Brother Ali—who has been one of rap’s most honest and contemplative MCs for the past decade—has written an eloquent piece in the Huffington Post, denouncing homophobia. Of course, these efforts may be less noticeable than endorsements by Kanye or Obama.

Such lyricism, however, articulates the sentiment with more aggressive panache than other forms of music, and does double-duty by working on hip-hop’s home turf.

The current generation of hiphop artists appears to be on track to accepting homosexuality, as are the rest of their peers. In addition to a growing general repudiation of homophobia, conscious artists are steering hip-hop culture towards the rejection of vacuous asperity.

Even Tyler’s frequent penning of homophobic verses, alongside those describing rape, suicide, or drug abuse, seems more like an immature attempt to garner the public eye and demonstrate his belletristic skill rather than a nod to the hate-filled attitudes of the past; as he matures, one hopes he will distance himself from such hateful slurs. For rap fans, this change is nothing if not auspicious – fewer inanities used as filler, tighter rhymes, and wittier verses.

Hip-hop can’t wake up soon enough. *They’ve since issued an embarassed apology.

—Ilia Blinderman

SPORTS

FOOTBALL — SHERBROOKE 46, REDMEN 14

Home sweet home? Redmen drop third straight opener McGill’s third quarter turnaround not enough to overcome first half deficit Steven Lampert Sports Editor After a somewhat encouraging start to their 2012 season, the McGill Redmen (0-2) took to the field last Friday night against the Sherbrooke Vert et Or in their home opener at Molson Stadium. While intensity wasn’t the problem, the Redmen’s first half was a disaster, paving the way for a 46-14 loss.

Head Coach Clint Uttley attributed the first half struggles to a couple of key penalties and the offence’s inability to move the ball.

“We didn’t execute on offence. We had two critical penalties—a pass interference and a crowd penalty— and then it was just a case of our freshmen blowing two coverages which resulted in two long gains,” he said.

Sherbrooke (1-1) scored three passing touchdowns of over 20 yards in the first half alone; the longest came in the first quarter on a 62-yard pass from quarterback Jeremy Roch-Doyon to wideout Sebastian Blanchard. Roch-Doyon torched McGill’s secondary all night, finishing with 340 yards and four touchdowns, while Blanchard won numerous one-on-one battles, tallying a game-high of 149 receiving yards. With just 25 seconds left in the second quarter, the two connected on the final touchdown of the half, making the score 30-0.

There isn’t much that a coach can say when his team heads into halftime with a 30-point deficit, so

Penalties and offensive struggles plagued the Redmen in the first half. (Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune) Uttley kept it simple. “I told them to win the [next] half. For me, at that point, it’s a matter of going possession-by-possession,” he said.

“I thought the veterans looked at it and were reminiscing of the past few years, and they didn’t fix it until midway through the third.”

In an effort to spark their sputtering offence, McGill replaced starting quarterback Dallon Kuprowski

THIRD MAN IN When the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association negotiated a new Collective Bargaining Agreement eight years ago, the failure on the part of both parties to reach a new deal resulted in the cancellation of the entire 2004-2005 season. As was well documented, the negative impact of this experience on the league’s reputation was significant. Despite all the bad publicity, the NHL was able to ride out this adverse period on the backs of talented superstars like Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin.

The two entered the league in the following year, boosting the NHL’s popularity. However, should the negotiations for a new CBA result in another lost season, the repercussions from a second lockout in eight

with backup Jonathan Collin at the beginning of the second half. Collin was more effective, leading a couple of drives in the third quarter, one of which led to McGill’s first touchdown of the night—a five-yard run by first-year tailback Luis GuimontMota. The Redmen scored another touchdown just a minute and a half later after Charles-Evens Peltrop forced a fumble on a quarterback

sack, leaving McGill with great field position. Receiver Sean Murphy caught the second touchdown from Collin, making the score 44-14.

Looking ahead, Coach Uttley was clear that McGill’s quarterback situation must be resolved if the offence is to put together consistent efforts. “We have to settle our quarterback situation. We were inefficient in the first half, even though

it had a large part to do with our offensive line [that] wasn’t holding up, so Dallon got banged up a little bit,” he said. “In the second half, Collin did some incredible things, [but] just had too many turnovers. Once we settle that position, we can move from there.”

The fourth quarter saw little action of note and the game ended 46-14.

Other than Collin, who finished with 121 passing yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions, there were some other McGill players who played well. Freshman wideout Shaquille Johnson put together another solid performance, hauling in four passes for 49 yards, while Murphy added 43 receiving yards on four receptions, in addition to his touchdown. Sophomore Yannick Langelier-Vanasse compiled 159 allpurpose yards, 107 of which came on kick-returns. Linebacker Alex Bernard led the Redmen defence with six tackles.

Overall, it was an embarrassing result for McGill football—a program trying to get back on its feet.

Coach Uttley echoed this sentiment.

“After all the time and effort, the energy, the money put in, to present a result like that for all the home fans is completely unacceptable.”

McGill looks to right the ship back at home on Sept. 14 against Mt. Allison in the annual “Fill the Stadium” game.

Can the NHL recover from another lockout?

years will genuinely hurt the sport’s ability to maintain the positive momentum set by recent seasons.

In the midst of a period when a plethora of young and exciting players exist around the league, cancelling any portion of this year’s schedule would seem counterproductive with regards to what the league should be trying to do: showcasing these up-and-coming athletes.

With that in mind, the negative effect that another lockout could have in non-traditional markets would certainly be detrimental. In particular, it will likely hurt franchises such as the Los Angeles Kings, New Jersey Devils, Phoenix Coyotes, Nashville Predators, and Florida Panthers. All five teams made the playoffs last season—with the Kings and Devils locking horns

in the Stanley Cup Final—and gave their fans a reason to be excited. In fact, it can be argued that the fans of these teams have never been more passionate. A work stoppage at this critical time could upset the supporters in these markets so much that any excitement they currently have would be erased by the time a new season finally gets underway. Even though fans in traditional markets will magnetically flock back when the potential lockout ends, the fans of the aforementioned teams are not likely to be as forgiving.

The most devastating effect stemming from another lockout, however, would be damage to the economic well-being in the NHL’s major markets. In big hockey markets such as Montreal, a vast amount of money can circulate through the

economy due in large part to the NHL. A season without hockey in these cities would force thousands of people to lose money that they could have regularly earned. Arena workers, including hot dog vendors and gift shop employees, for instance, will not be able to rely on their sale of hot dogs or team merchandise every time their team plays at home. Moreover, small businesses such as restaurants and bars in the areas surrounding each arena may suffer without the support of its clientele, who purchase services solely when their favorite team is playing.

Ultimately, forcing these people out of commission by way of a lockout would turn out to be fundamentally taxing on each hockey-craved city around the league.

As the current CBA expires on

Sept. 15, the individuals involved must recognize what is truly at stake.

Beyond trying to grow the sport in non-traditional hockey markets, and above the concern that many employees might forfeit income if another lockout becomes a reality, both sides need to do whatever it takes to appease the fans. Without its fans, all the passion surrounding a league is lost. ­— David Stein

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Tuesday, September 11, 2012 |

T

he world’s attention focused on London this past summer, as athletes from around the globe competed in the Games of the XXX Olympiad. These seven athletes, in particular, have ties to the McGill community:

SPORTS

| Curiosity delivers.

McGill olympic & paralympic athlete

photos from flickriver.com, canoe.ca, lapresse.ca, leaderpost.com, thestar. com, zimbio.com

Derek O’Farrell McGill Connection: B.Sc. 2007 Event: Rowing Finish: Ninth in men’s fours

recap

Doug Vandor McGill Connection: B.Sc. ‘97, followed by a master’s degree in experimental surgery Event: Rowing Finish: 14th in lightweight double sculls

Jo-Annie Fortin McGill Connection: Currently studying psychology at McGill Event: Synchronized swimming Finish: Fourth in team routine final

Martine Dugrenier McGill Connection: B.Ed. 2008 Event: Wrestling Finish: Fifth in women’s 63-kilogram weight class

Marie-Andrée Lessard McGill Connection: B.Comm. 2001 Event: Volleyball Finish: 0-3 in beach volleyball round robin

Victoria Poon McGill Connection: Swam for Martlets in 20052006 Event: Swimming Finish: 15th in women’s 50-metre freestyle

paralympics

Cover Fortin and Grand’Maison here at McGill!

Join the sports team.

Email sports@mcgilltribune.com for more details.

Valerie Grand’Maison McGill Connection: Currently studying psychology and history at McGill Event: Swimming Finish: Gold in women’s 200-metre individual medley, silver in women’s 50-metre freestyle, silver in women’s 100-metre freestyle

SOCCER — MartLets 3, UQAM 0

Martlets begin season on the right note; defeat UQAM After slow start, McGill scores three goals in the second half Jeff Downey Sports Editor After a solid preseason, McGill hosted cross-town rivals UQAM in their season opener on Thursday night. The Martlets (2-0-0) seemed to be focused and poised to continue their preseason domination right from the opening kickoff. Unfortunately, the opening kickoff did not come on time, as one of the referee’s assistants failed to show up. This left McGill scrambling for a replacement. Finally, after all the pre-match antics, the game proceeded without a hitch. In fact, the match unfolded just as the Martlets hoped, dominating UQAM (0-1-0) in both possession and goals, and claiming a 3-0 victory for their first win of the season.

Head Coach Marc Mounicot has noticed a change in his team’s preparation this season. “The difference is that all players came to camp fit and ready to compete because veterans know that we had a good number of recruits with high profiles (9 of them made the team), and recruits

knew we had a strong core of older players,” he explained.

Despite the lopsided result, the teams’ play was not as uneven as the score indicated. The Citadins fought hard to keep the McGill attack at bay throughout the entirety of the opening half. Relying primarily upon a defensive formation that limited offensive flair—as well as a few key saves from third-year goalkeeper Constance Laroch-Lafebvre, UQAM seemed destined to play the Martlets to an uninspired 0-0 draw.

Mounicot attributed the slow start to nerves. “We felt that some players were nervous and not at their normal level of performance ... Also we know that we can change players in our system if we need more technical skills and we did that in the second half,” he said.

These substitutions paid off midway through the second half, as the Martlets finally broke through the tiring Citadins’ line of defence to find the back of the net. The opening effort came courtesy of third-year midfielder Hannah Rivkin, off a pleasing right-footed strike that just

squeezed its way between the posts.

After the game slowed into stretches of controlled playmaking, highlighted by brilliant stretches of passing by the Martlets, Rivkin returned to scoring form, striking in similar fashion just 21 minutes later—giving McGill a two goal lead.

Although the contest was all but over, the Martlets refused to let their feet off the accelerator, scoring their final goal three minutes later, in the 84th minute. This time, newcomer Daphnée Morency of Boulder, Colorado did the honours, finishing for the first time in her young CIS career.

The Martlets were active once more over the weekend travelling to Quebec to take on Laval on Sept. 9.

It was another impressive showing and victory for McGill as the club raised its play to achieve a 3-1 favourable result.

This week, the Martlets travel to Concordia to take on the 1-1 Concordia Stingers, where anything less than a victory would be a disappointment.

The Martlets swept their weekend games. (Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune)

Curiosity delivers. |

SPORTS

swimmer in history when she won her event in world-record time.

While Grand’Maison’s performances should make Canadians and McGillians proud, Canada otherwise somewhat failed to live up to expectations. Seven gold medals and an overall 13th place finish should be seen as a step back for Canada’s.

This was likely a result of the rest of the world increasing funding into Paralympic sport rather than a decrease in talent on behalf of the Canadian team.

Around the

W

ater cooler

In case you were catching up on some early readings or the last glimmers of OAP had you occupied, here’s what you missed this past weekend in the world of sports …

PARALYMPICS — Two silver medals evidently weren’t enough for McGill swimmer Valerie Grand’Maison as she added to her impressive medal haul with a gold

medal in the 200-metre individual medley on Friday. Grand’Maison didn’t just beat her fellow competitors in the race, but she also out-swam every visually impaired

FOOTBALL — Upsets reigned supreme south of the border this weekend as a number of teams expected to challenge for titles in both the NFL and NCAA college football crashed to defeat against lesser opponents. The story of the weekend was easily the University of Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks, who used a gutsy fourth-down play trailing three points in overtime to pull out a stunning upset of #8 Arkansas. The Razorbacks were expected to be in the BCS Championship mix (thankfully only two more years of that), but dropped out of the rankings after losing to ULM. In the big kids’ league, the Washington Redskins, led by rookie dynamo Robert Griffin III, took out the scandal-ridden New Orleans Saints at the Superdome. On

| Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Sunday night, the Broncos knocked off the Steelers in Peyton Manning’s first game in the Mile High City.

Peyton’s vintage performance might mean that this was less of an upset than a sign of things to come.

SOCCER — From the reactions on Facebook newsfeeds across this country after the Canadian women’s team’s crushing loss to the U.S. in the Olympic semi-final, one might have thought that we were a soccermad country. While we may not be Brazil or Spain, the fervor might carry into 2014 as Canada’s men’s team took a further step towards qualifying for the World Cup in Rio. On Friday night at BMO Field in Toronto, Canada only needed one goal to move past Panama into first place in their group. They are now in the pole position to make it to the final round of qualifying with regional heavyweights Mexico and USA. TENNIS — The tennis Grand Slam season closed out this weekend at the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows, NY. Serena Williams won her third consecutive major title, adding the U.S. crown to championships won earlier this season at Wimbledon and at the Olympics. Williams closed out top-seeded Victoria Azarenka to solidfy her place as the un-

19

disputed queen of women’s tennis.

Elsewhere, Andy Roddick played his final professional match, losing in the quarterfinal to Juan Martin del Potro. After a marathon final match on Monday, Andy Murray emerged with his first Grand Slam title, defeating Novak Djokovic (7-6, 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2).

SCOREBOARD (Scores since Sept. 5) REDMEN BASEBALL Lost 7-5 @ Concordia REDMEN FOOTBALL Lost 46-14 vs. Sherbrooke REDMEN LACROSSE Won 10-9 @ Trent Won 13-10 @ Queen’s REDMEN RUGBY Won 24-0 @ Montreal MARTLET RUGBY Won 71-5 @ Carleton REDMEN SOCCER Won 1-0 vs. UQAM Lost 1-0 @ Laval MARTLET SOCCER Won 3-0 vs. UQAM Won 3-1 @ Laval

SOCCER — Redmen 1, UQAM 0

Redmen survive defensive battle; shut out Citadins

Team-first play proves effective against UQAM, but fails to generate offence against Laval Jeff Downey Sports Editor Looking to improve upon their preseason success, McGill entered Molson Stadium on Thursday night for their season opener against the UQAM Citadins. Ultimately, the Redmen’s confidence led them to a victory, coming away with a pleasing 1-0 result. Although this was not a dominating performance on the scoreline, McGill (1-1-0) put forth a strong, team-oriented effort throughout. The match—which was nothing more than an ice-breaker for the stronger Redmen side—was marked by the possessive style of play preached by new Head Coach Jose Valdes.

This mentality was evident in post-game talks with Valdes. “[Getting] the [win] is our objective and doing it while playing a possession style of soccer is in our philosophy.

We are implementing a different style of play... and win[ning] with it is very encouraging for the team,” he said.

The first half in particular, showed the theory in practice—long stretches of play unfolding with the Citadins (0-1-1) unable to get any

Winston Pool anchored McGill’s midfield. (Alexandra Allaire / McGill Tribune) touches on the ball, as the Redmen calmly controlled the tempo, attempting to pierce UQAM’s defences.

Finally, this patience was rewarded and the deadlock was broken in the 40th minute of play, thanks to the targeted strike by

freshman Henri Ashe-Taylor. AsheTaylor broke away from his marker in the midfield and used the space to unleash an unlikely effort from far outside the penalty area. Despite the distance, it was well struck; and the UQAM keeper, Gabard Fénelon, bobbled it backwards into the bot-

tom left corner of his net.

In the end, this was all the offensive production the Redmen needed to squeak through with the desired result and start off the season with a bang. The rest was left up to strong defensive performances, headlined

by Alexis Pradie, and a few crucial

saves by McGill’s keeper Max Leblond, including a necessary one off a UQAM corner in injury time.

“For this system to work, all the players need to stay involved,” Valdes added. “As soon as one element is missing, we notice a weakness in the system and then we cannot succeed. The team did a good job working together and following the game plan.”

Given that it’s still early in the season, it is encouraging to see the Redmen working so well together going forward. However, McGill may need to establish a greater goal tally in their upcoming matches against more challenging foes, should the team wish to return to the CIS Championship. It is still early however, and the starting duo up front, Sebastion Munro and Marc Palaci-Olgun, should be expected to provide more offensive chances as the season progresses.

In other play over the weekend, the Redmen travelled north to take on rivals Laval, but fell short 1-0.

McGill journeys across town to take on Concordia on Sept. 14.

Children of the

World Simon Poitrimolt Alexandra Allaire Sam Reynolds