The Argosy February 5th. 2015

ARGOSY

THE

Up to our asses in snow since 1872

News pg. 2

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Opinions pg. 4

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

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Centrefold: Cancelling class is simpler than you think

Mount Allison University’s Independent Student Newspaper

Sports pg. 6

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Arts pg. 10

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Science pg. 12

February 5, 2015 Vol. 144, Iss. 15

Mt.A hot on the playoff hunt Some seriously crazy shit is going down here, fer reals

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Humour pg. 14

MASU

CRO faces questions after election confusion

Willa McCaffrey-Noviss Politics Reporter

The Mount Allison Mounties are playing their best hockey of the season and have inched to within one point of returning to the AUS playoffs after their 1-0 win over the Saint Mary’s University Huskies. The Mounties need all the help they can get with just two games left in the season. Read more in Sports, pg. 7.

Sasha Weekes/ Argosy.

ARTIST PROFILE

Matt Gillard hosts first solo exhibition Daniel Marcotte Arts & Culture Editor

“I’m interested in the depiction of processes,” said fourth year fine arts student Matt Gillard, for whom the spaces which foster artistic production are both his tool and his subject.

Kicking off this term’s series of START Gallery exhibitions, Gillard’s

“Drawing from Experience to Experience” uses a variety of media and approaches to explore the personal process of creating art.

While snapshots of his workspaces and materials might seem mundane at first glance, Gillard revels in the new meaning which can be created by piecing several images together.

“You start to make art out of it by combining them,” said Gillard. “That’s

where the collage element comes in.

You recreate some sort of experience you had in [that space].”

Gillard referred specifically to a piece entitled Left Alone, which depicts a collage of solitary workspaces that takes the viewer through each one.

Gillard also recalled a specific moment that inspired the piece. After a late night in the art studio, the last student departed and left a trail of snowy

footsteps – and a lonesome Gillard – in their wake.

“I just saw one track of footprints leading away,” said Gillard. “[The moment] hit me quite hard.”

‘Matt Gillard,’ pg. 10

MUSIC

Damon Fowler Band heats up snowy Sackville weekend Lily Mackie Arts & Culture Reporter In spite of a howling blizzard, many eager blues fans braved the nasty Sackville weather to listen to the energetic tunes of the Damon Fowler Band last Saturday. Fowler’s clear, full-room sound cut through the chill outside George’s Roadhouse as his smooth voice permeated the crowded and noisy bar.

The Tantramarsh Blues Society’s most recent performer got the crowd moving with his fiery guitar.

“We just had to get away from the heat, man,” said Fowler, a Florida native. However, Fowler’s tunes were anything but cool. His driving beat and toe-tapping rhythm delivered rocking guitar solos to an enthusiastic and appreciative crowd. Fowler managed to make his complex and intricate riffs seem easy and natural – most likely due to the fact that Fowler first began

playing guitar at the age of 12. Fowler gave a fine display on Saturday night, demonstrating his creative lap steel work and intricate guitar picking.

About halfway through his first song, Fowler broke a guitar string, yet the experienced guitarist remained unfazed.

“I’ll be damned if a B string is going to stop us,” Fowler said to the crowd, while speedily replacing the string, tuning it, and then resuming his performance—all in under a minute.

Fowler had a focused and well-practised sound which was nonetheless comfortable and loose.

While it’s tempting to call Fowler a blues player – and he does feature plenty of blues elements in his music – he has enough flexibility in his voice and his songwriting to paint on a wider canvas.

‘Damon Fowler,’ pg. 11

A proposal to “unappoint” the Mount Allison Students’ Union’s chief returning officer has been sent to the union’s council.

The move follows an election cycle which saw an election result announced but then overturned just days later, leaving MASU without a president-elect for next year.

The Argosy learned Feb. 2 from the chief returning officer, Rayan Bouhlel, that the election of Dylan WooleyBerry had been overturned.

MASU received at least two complaints about the presidential race. The union has announced that Ombudsperson Maggie Fyfe is investigating at least one.

The motion to “unappoint the CRO Rayan Bouhlel” says Bouhlel did not take “the appropriate or responsible measures to rectify his errors” and “making decisions against the best interests of the students,” and calls for the deputy returning officer to determine what should be done about the presidential election.

Bouhlel said operating procedures 8.9 and 9.6, which respectively bar alcohol use from campaign events and allow the CRO to overturn an election result if evidence of rule-breaking is found after the polls have closed, gave him the authority to overturn the election.

Bouhlel’s decision appears to be in line with MASU operating procedure 9.2 section IV. The procedure reads that “if a candidate is found to be in violation of 8.5 or 8.9 they will be disqualified pending investigation.”

Josh Outerbridge, MASU’s vicepresident of finance and operations, questioned the legitimacy of Bouhlel’s ability to make these decisions alone.

“I’ve been reviewing the bylaws and based on my understanding the CRO does not have the power to unilaterally nullify an election,” Outerbridge said.

“However, the CRO does have the power to disqualify candidates for certain infractions.”

‘Election,’ pg. 2

News WINTERFEST

Erma Black crowned for Winterfest

Editors: Cameron McIntyre & Kevin Levangie | February 5, 2015 | argosy@mta.ca

‘Election’: Validity of MASU’s presidential election is unclear in light of recent events

C3 shortens showers and dims halls Tyler Stuart News Reporter

Argosy Staff Erma Black, a prolific volunteer involved with the Canadian Cancer Society, was awarded with this year’s Winterfest crown, presented by the Mount Allison Students’ Union. The award aims to honour a resident of Sackville who has gone above and beyond in their involvement with the community.

The crown was presented to Black at a Legion Luncheon on Jan. 30.

“I was overwhelmed. I did not expect anything like that, at all. I had no idea that I was even nominated,” said Black. “I do what I do because I like doing it. I just like doing things.

It’s hard work, but it’s rewarding.”

Kathy Pooley, a Sackville resident and friend of Black, nominated Black. “[Black]’s got a real willingness to help everybody else. She’s got a servant heart,” said Pooley. “This way of life for her, it’s become a cherished habit. She’s just a lady that makes every moment matter. She’s got a tremendous amount of faith, and she’s just happy.”

At 85 years old, Black remains heavily involved in the greater Tantramar community. A two-time cancer survivor, she is involved with the Canadian Cancer Society, has been on Relay for Life’s organizing committee, and organizes an annual fundraising brunch. During that time of year, she and another lady also call every cancer survivor in the Tantramar area.

Black is also involved with the Tantramar Square Dancing Group, which she held together for a long time. At her church, she creates shawls for women going through difficult times.

“Erma made over a hundred [shawls] herself, at her expense,” said Pooley.

Annie Sherry, MASU’s current vice-president external affairs and Alex Smithers, a third-year student, selected Black as this year’s winner.

“It’s a great for us to get involved with the goings-on of Winterfest, which is so big for the town itself,” said Sherry.

Among the six nominations, Pooley’s was the one which really stood out.

“At 85 years old, she’s done so much for this community, and is still continuing to do so. She was more than deserving of this title for this year,” said Sherry.

The award and luncheon were part of Sackville’s eighth Winterfest, which saw the Sackville community come together for four days of community brunches, music and activities.

Winterfest kicked off Thursday, Jan. 29, with a martial arts demonstration at the high school and continued until Sunday, Feb. 1. Sackville residents took part in outdoor skating at Lillas Fawcett Park and a blues concert featuring Damon Fowler and Deep South Blues held at George’s Roadhouse, among other events.

CLIMATE

While Mary Emma MacNeil, Annie Sherry, and Ryan Lebreton hold the vice-president position on next year’s MASU executive positions, Wooley-Berry’s election as president has been challenged. Anna Farrell/Argosy.

It’s not clear what the functional difference between “nullifying an election” and disqualifying the winning candidate might be.

In screenshots of an email obtained by The Argosy, the text of the motion reads, “Whereas the CRO has not taken the appropriate or responsible measures to rectify his errors. Whereas the CRO is making decisions against the best interests of the students. Whereas this unresolved situation is hindering the MASU’s ability to move forward. Be it resolved: That council unappoint the CRO Rayan Bouhlel so that the Deputy Returning Officer (DRO) can choose the best course of action with regards to the current MASU presidential election situation.”

While the motion has been

circulated, there’s no guarantee that it will move ahead as is. Councillors could opt to amend, reject or accept it.

“I’ve been reviewing the bylaws and based on my understanding the CRO does not have the power to unilaterally nullify an election.”

Bouhlel did not comment on the motion before press time.

Law V section 3 of MASU’s bylaws deals with staff firings.

Part A reads, “One week notice of

the motion to remove a MASU noncontract staff person shall be given to Council and the staff person in question.”

Part C says that a staff member who has “neglected” their duties can be fired if two-thirds of councillors approve.

Fyfe received a complaint Jan. 28, after students voting online were unable to abstain in the second rounds of three of the four executive election ballots. Bouhlel offered to help anyone wishing to abstain in the second round of the elections.

The problems may have led to Wooley-Berry’s victory. The ability to abstain in any round of a MASU vote is guaranteed by bylaw.

With files from Richard Kent and Kevin Levangie.

RACISM

Over the past two weeks, students at Mount Allison and across the Maritimes participated in the Campus Climate Challenge (C3), a competition to lower energy consumption in residences.

With darker hallways and shorter showers, students have tried to reduce their environmental impacts.

The residence with the largest relative percentage change in energy consumption wins 300 house points for first place, 200 house points for second and 100 house points for third place.

Taylor Crosby, a first-year environmental science student and member of Eco-Action, volunteered for the position of C3 liaison.

“I think the biggest goal of C3 is for people to realize their own habits and understand where their energy is coming from,” Crosby said.

Last year’s faculty strike interfered with C3 as many students returned home during the hiatus. Eleanor Hannon, the MASU sustainability coordinator, said that in comparison, this year’s C3 has been a success.

“C3 has really been revitalized this year because we have a huge group of eco-reps who are really interested, whereas last year there was the strike,” said Hannon.

This year, C3 held a film screening and tunnel tours.

C3 ends Friday, Feb. 6 and the organizers will release the Mt. A and Maritime results at a local food night on Thursday, Feb. 12.

Harper Hall decorations draw complaint University will implement sensitivity training for RAs and executives

Tyler Stuart News Reporter Decorations at a recent party in Harper Hall drew attention to racism on campus after a student notified the administration. The decorations consisted of photos of famous black rap artists – Kanye West, Rick Ross, and the Notorious B.I.G. – attached to black paper silhouettes of bodies.

“We just went with popular faces that people would hopefully recognize,” said one of the five students who made the decorations.

“We apologize if anyone was offended by any of our decorations.”

The CBC covered the incident which drew attention to racism at Mount Allison, and interviewed members of the Black Students for Advocacy, Awareness and Togetherness (BSAAT). Dia Minors, the president of BSAAT, said she thought the decorations were not meant to be malicious, but they were harmful.

“Racism has shifted. When people think of racism, they think of what was blatantly racist in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. Racism is not necessarily coming from a place of hate; more often it is coming from a place of not knowing,” Minors said. “But sometimes that ignorance is a wilful ignorance.”

Fellow members of BSAAT echoed Minors, and said the administration can do more to address this racism.

Maureen Adegbidi, a second-year international relations student, says this incident points to a larger issue of racism and ignorance on campus.

“The incident isn’t what is necessarily important,” said Adegbidi, who is the president of Windsor Hall.

“There have been so many different things on a regular basis that we deal with, and the incident is just a representation of that.”

In response to the student’s concerns, Gayle Churchill, director of student life at Mt. A, held a meeting with the executive members of Harper Hall and expressed intent to implement sensitivity training for

residence assistance and executives.

Despite the stated intentions of the administration, members of BSAAT said the administration has been difficult to work with, and that it is not held accountable. Mt. A’s racism policy, which was enacted on Dec. 1, 1999, provides a definition of racism and examples of what can be considered racism on campus.

Rénelle John, a third-year modern languages and literatures student, called Mt. A’s definition of racism “a bit nebulous.”

The policy considers racism “a civil wrong” and a form of “discrimination” and “harrassment.”

Minors agreed that both the definition and treatment of racism lack specificity.

“I think we need to properly define [racism] in a 21st-century context,” Minors said. “You can do something that is racially insensitive and that upholds a system of racism without personally meaning to be racist. I think that’s important to separate.”

Ron Byrne, the vice-president of student affairs at Mt. A, said the

policy provides a clear way of dealing with issues regarding race.

“Anything that challenges people’s sense of inclusion and safety is something that we can’t tolerate, and we won’t tolerate,” Byrne said.

“Surely as an institution our mission is to effect cultural change of this type through education and by providing support.”

With a disconnect between BSAAT and the administration, the direction and momentum of policies and practices remains unclear. More apparent is the opportunity for change at Mt. A. Adegbidi said this incident could serve as a chance to start a discussion about racism on campus.

“As students, we do a lot, and I don’t expect the administration to change everything,” Adegbidi said.

“I expect the administration to try to help us change things; I expect us to give a helping hand, and I feel like that is the very least that they can do.”

The Argosy | www.argosy.ca

NEWS THIS WEEK IN THE WORLD

MASU

Council looks to avoid by-election Argosy Staff MASU councillors passed a motion to suspend the bylaws regarding by-elections. The change potentially eliminates the need to have a byelection to fill the position of vicepresident academic affairs, left vacant by the recent departure of Kyle Nimmrichter.

MASU’s bylaws say a by-election must be held to fill the position.

Steven Black currently holds office as interim vice-president.

Josh Outerbridge, MASU’s vicepresident finance and operations, put forward the motions at the Jan. 26 meeting.

“Personally, I would like Steven to continue,” said Outerbridge. “He’s sat on a lot of the committees, dealing with these issues that we’re asking the interim person to fulfill. While I prefer Steven to do it, if Mary Emma wanted to do it, I think she has a bit of a stronger mandate, being elected for the office,” said Outerbridge.

By not having a by-election, two options are available to council. Mary Emma MacNeil, the newly-elected vice-president academic affairs, could decide to extend her term, starting immediately as opposed to on May 1. If MacNeil prefers not to extend her term, Black will remain in office

as interim vice-president until April 30, before MacNeil’s term begins.

The decision ultimately remains up to MacNeil, but Outerbridge finds it appropriate to seek council’s approval on the matter.

Off-campus councillor Ryan Lebreton supported Outerbridge’s motion. “Because [Nimmrichter] did trust [Black], he is technically the one who would be the best suited to keep going with [Nimmrichter’s] project,” said Lebreton. “If we run a byelection, whether [MacNeil] decides to run or not, there’s still going to be that two weeks for the election, then that extra time for that person to reacquaint.”

“If they really want to focus on continuing the projects that [Nimmrichter] began, I think Steven is probably the best bet,” said secondyear student Katharyn Stevenson, who was present at the meeting. “[Black] has already been quite immersed in what [Nimmrichter] was doing,” Stevenson said.

The motion was brought to council after a meeting between Outerbridge, the president and the chief returning officer. By the end of the meeting, they concluded that having a by-election might not be in the best interests of students.

“It really was a pragmatic decision,” said Outerbridge. “If we were to have

[an election] now, that would put us about halfway through February, then we have the reading break, so the person realistically wouldn’t begin until March,” he said.

Vice-president communications Ryan Harley expressed concern about the bylaw, rather than the need to have a by-election.

“What I was trying to get voting councillors to think about was not to worry so much about the immediate issue that needed to be resolved and to worry more about what this bylaw’s implications are in the future,” said Harley. “Council needs to do a better job of looking at longterm solutions to prevent these things from happening again.”

Harley said that under the current bylaws, if a council member resigns during the second term, it implies a by-election won’t happen because it does not leave enough time.

Stevenson had similar comments.

“If they wanted to simply remove the bylaw or simply pretend it’s not there, then what’s the point of it really being there at all?” said Stevenson.

“I would like to see a byelection happen, but I would like the timeframe of the nomination period and the campaigning period shortened for the same pragmatic reasons that council suspended the by-election,” said Harley.

Black History Month Commemorate. Educate. Celebrate.

Black History Month is observed annually across Canada, the United States and Great Britain. It serves to bear testimony to the struggles and achievements that make up the collective history of the African diaspora in these countries and beyond. While its origins date back nearly 90 years, it did not become officially recognized in the United States until the 1970s.

Canada moved to do likewise in 1995.

February 1 marks the beginning of Black History Month, an annual celebration which honors the legacy of Black Canadians in our country.

History is ongoing and therefore Black History Month involves delving into the past, celebrating the present, and looking forward to the future.

Dr. George J. Seifa Dei embodies these three dimensions of history as he maintains strong connections with his past and works tirelessly to promote social justice and community development.

Born in Ghana, Dr. Dei is currently the Associate Chair of the Department of Social Justice Education at the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE).

His research interests include the role of Afrocentric knowledge in Canadian schools, anti-colonial thought, international and community development, and anti-racism education. He has written numerous publications and

received a multitude of awards for his advocacy and research including the Canadian Alliance of Black Educators Award for “Excellence in Education and Community Development”. Dei regularly travels to back to his native Ghana to conduct research on minority education in Ghana and applying this to the educational curriculum in Canada.

Working across barriers, facilitating knowledge transfer from Ghana to Canada, and embracing an interdisciplinary approach are all unique features of Dei’s life work.

Dei recognizes the sacrifices that his predecessors made in order to afford him the privileges he enjoys today.

He says, “It is this history of sacrifices and the fact that such history must teach one something to fight for that motivates me”.

The notion of community is a strong theme throughout the work of Dei. His ideal community is one that identifies a collective responsibility and a united purpose while challenging common perceptions of difference.

“Any community is as good as we collectively work to make it. We are not homogeneous. We have demarcations around ethnicity, gender, disability, sexuality, class [...] Our differences should not be points of divisiveness but rather must be sites and sources of our strength”. This message of solidarity is a poignant testament to the journey of Black Canadians throughout

history who have challenged such demarcations in order to affect meaningful social change.

Looking forward to the future, Dr. Dei asserts that the key to success lies in how individuals use the knowledge they have gained to improve the lives of others and the communities in which they live. Within the context of Black History Month, Dei sees this as a global quest to reclaim African History which is, as he states, “the totality of the African lived experience globally”.

He says that it is not sufficient to merely learn a fact. Individuals must push themselves to situate that fact within a broader social context and identify an appropriate trajectory for action. He says, “Every history must teach us something; otherwise it is not a history worth telling”.

For more about Dr. George Dei visit http://www.blackcanadians.com/ george-dei

Compiled by Mike Roy

Mattarella elected new president of Italy Sergio Mattarella, a native of Sicily, has been elected by the Italian parliament to become the new president of Italy after Giorgio Napolitano resigned earlier this year.

A veteran politician, constitutional court judge and Democratic Party representative, Mattarella won 665 votes out of a possible 1,009, when both houses of parliament and regional delegates elected him on the third day of voting.

Current Prime Minister and fellow Democratic Party member Matteo Renzi offered support and sponsored Mattarella throughout his campaign. Mattarella was sworn in for his seven-year term on Feb. 3.

Suspected U.S. drone attack kills three in Yemen Three men believed to be al Qaeda militants were killed in a suspected U.S. drone attack that struck a car on Jan. 31 in southern Yemen. The attack occurred within the desert town of al-Saeed in Shabwa province. Residents have stated a second drone may have crashed in the al-Hada district of central Dhamar province, though it is unconfirmed whether the two drones are linked. A similar drone strike occurred on Jan. 29, where two other suspected al Qaeda militants and a sixth grade student were killed. The al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula -claimed responsibility for the Charlie Hebdo Massacre of Paris on Jan. 7.

South African apartheid death squad leader de Kock granted parole Justice Minister Michael Masutha confirmed on Jan. 30 that 66-year-old Eugene de Kock would be granted parole after being sentenced nearly 20 years ago. Know by his alias “Prime Evil,” de Kock was sentenced to two life terms for six murders as well as an additional 212 years for other charges ranging from attempted murder, fraud and kidnapping. de Kock’s death squad, known as the Vlakpaas unit, targeted suspected opponents of apartheid by killing and torturing dozens of activists throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Masutha stated the parole was granted in the interest of nation-building and reconciliation after speaking with relatives of the victims.

One dead, two injured on set of latest Scorsese film During the pre-production of Martin Scorsese’s latest film Silence, a structure on the Taiwan set collapsed and killed a studio construction worker alongside two other employees.

According to police, the workers were repairing a building to be used as scenery on the set when the collapse occurred, sending two to the hospital with one in critical condition.

The production hired a third-party contractor to reinforce the structure when they grew concerned that it may be unsafe to have on set. No arrests or charges have been made, but police will continue to investigate.

NASA launches satellite to measure water in Earth’s soil On Jan. 31, NASA launched an unnamed Delta 2 rocket into orbit from Vandenberg Airforce Base, California.

The rocket contained a new satellite whose purpose is to measure moisture in the top layer of the Earth’s soil. The satellite will spend three years orbiting the Earth and measuring the top two inches of the soil, which scientists hope will lead to better analyses of weather forecasting and tracking global climate change. Soil moisture binds together the planet’s environmental systems, and the data yielded from the satellite may enable policymakers to better handle drought and flooding issues in specific regions.

This satellite joins 19 others launched by NASA whose objectives range from tracking land, sea and atmospheric content for the organization.

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

Independent Student Newspaper of Mount Allison University Thursday, February 5, 2015 volume 144 issue 15 Since 1872 Circulation 1,700

62 York Street W. McCain Student Centre Mount Allison University Sackville, New Brunswick E4L 1E2

506 364 2236

SOCIAL MEDIA

Unkind behaviour is unacceptable Mt. A students are better than this Ron Byrne

Email argosy@mta.ca

THE ARGOSY is published by Argosy Publications, Inc., a student run, autonomous, apolitical not-for-profit organization operated in accordance with the province of New Brunswick.

THE ARGOSY is a member of the Canadian University Press, a national co-operative of student newspapers.

ISSN 0837-1024

The Underbridge Press is a student-run publishing organization at Mount Allison University.

editorialstaff

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Richard Kent

OPINIONS EDITOR Tessa Dixon

MANAGING EDITOR Allison O’Reilly

SPORTS EDITOR Alex Bates

SENIOR NEWS EDITOR Cameron McIntyre

HUMOUR EDITOR Taylor Losier

­­­NEWS EDITOR

ONLINE EDITOR Sam Moore

Kevin Levangie ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Daniel Marcotte

productionstaff PRODUCTION MANAGER Kyle Forbes PHOTO EDITOR Sarah Richardson COPY EDITORS Austin Landry Tina Oh Rachelle Ann Tan

reportingstaff NEWS REPORTERS Jean-Sébastien Comeau Tyler Stuart

POLITICS REPORTER Willa McCaffrey-Noviss SPORTS REPORTER Benjamin Foster

­­­

SCIENCE EDITOR Tyler Pitre

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Chris Donovan PHOTOGRAPHERS Chris Donovan Adrian Kiva ILLUSTRATOR Anna Farrell

ARTS REPORTERS Amanda Cormier Michael Dover Lily Mackie SCIENCE REPORTER Clay Steell

OFFICE MANAGER Alex Lepianka

ADVERTISING MANAGER Taylor Hall

is the diversity within our shared experiences that we must value above all. It is through the appreciation of different ideas and views that we learn, grow and make progress together.

How can we be a true community if we fail to acknowledge and practise respect and tolerance for all members of the Mt. A community?

I recognize that I have a critical and official role to play in addressing these concerns, and to help ensure civility and understanding in our community. But I feel that each and every member of our community must accept that they too have a responsibility to ensure that civility and diversity flourish at Mt. A. We as a community must reconnect with and protect the tradition of civil discourse that has defined the experience of generations of Mount Allison staff, faculty and students over our 175-year history. I ask each and every one of us to remember this: When any one of us is lessened, we are all lessened; when any one of us is attacked, we are all attacked; and when any one of us fails to strive for the ideal, we all fail to reach the ideal.

I therefore issue this plea: each of us must do our part. We must call

people to account for when we see someone being unfairly and uncivilly attacked because of their opinion, their race, their religion or their mistakes. Remind them that in a true community one challenges the idea and does not attack the person.

If we see social media and apps being used to attack people, then hold the attacker accountable for that media, delete the app, or – even better – populate it with positive posts.

Remind them that we should strive to meet the highest aspirations of our shared humanity rather than sinking to the lowest aspects of our nature.

Let us all return to a place where civil discourse is favoured above divisive discourse, where mutual respect is affirmed above a lack of respect, and where we understand that the diversity of our opinions makes us stronger rather than weaker. Let us return to the Mt. A I’ve experienced in my previous years here as a member of this wonderful community. Above all, let us remember we’re better than this.

Ron Byrne is Vice-President International and Student Affairs of Mount Allison University.

WORK

Martyrdom is unhealthy, unnecessary Tessa Dixon Opinions Editor

CIRCULATIONS Vacant

contributors Zoe Luba, John Perkin, Ron Byrne, Dakota Pauley, Sasha Weekes, Mike Roy, Madalon Burnett, Adam Williams, Patrick Allaby, Gabriel Christie

publicationboard Dave Thomas (Chair), Mike Fox, Charlotte Henderson, John Trafford (Ombudsperson)

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

Comments , concerns, or complaints about The Argosy’s content or operations should be first sent to the Editor-in-Chief at the address above. If the Editor-in-Chief is unable to resolve a complaint, it may be taken to the Argosy Publications, Inc. Board of Directors. The chairs of the Board of Directors can be reached at the address above.

All materials appearing in The Argosy bear the copyright of Argosy Publications, Inc. Material cannot be reprinted without the consent of the Editor-in-Chief.

Recent campus events and social media practices at Mount Allison are threatening the respectful civil discourse that has been the hallmark of even the most vehement debates and challenges that have taken place in this community.

There have been many heated campus debates in my time at Mt. A. It is the nature of a university to be a place where such debates flourish.

During such times, I have observed that most people challenged ideas, positions and decisions without resorting to personal attacks on those involved. Indeed, it has been my observation that many people naturally call others to account for when they observed commentators resorting to personal attacks. These “active bystanders” confirmed the ideal that one can disagree with an idea without attacking a person or group of people. At such times, active

bystanders exhorted members of our community to remember and live by this important ideal.

Recently, our community has seen this ideal challenged like never before in my experience at Mt. A. This has been fuelled primarily, but not exclusively, through the use of anonymous apps or through other social media. The recent MASU elections are a case in point.

During this important process, students criticized some candidates and MASU representatives in a manner that went far beyond merely disagreeing with their actions during the campaign. I have witnessed members of our community being personally attacked well beyond any degree of civility. More generally, but no less worrying, I have observed or heard of comments attacking people on the basis of religion, race or other unacceptable grounds.

Why have members of our Mt. A community been subjected to such unacceptable, uncivil attacks?

Whether intentional or not, such hurtful actions stem from a limited view, an implied perspective that some members of our community are perceived as ‘other.’ Surely it

Glorification of overcoming adversity without complaint is damaging

operationsstaff BUSINESS MANAGER Gil Murdock

Editor: Tessa Dixon | February 5, 2015 | argosy@mta.ca

There is something wrong with the way we conceive complaining.

Complaining is seen as ‘healthy’ only if it assures the listener that the complainer has everything under control and that they aren’t struggling too much. Otherwise, a complaint is construed as whiny or obnoxious rather than a call for help or emotional expression.

The ability to feel exhausted, stressed or worn out without expresing those feelings has been glorified.

Those who don’t demonstrate their concerns or fears are placed on a pedestal.

In its origin, a martyr is a person who dies or suffers instead of renouncing their religion. Today’s martyr, on the other hand, is something else entirely.

The modern-day martyr is unstoppable. They can handle anything thrown their way, no matter how many responsibilities they have taken on. They might be exhasuted or overwhelmed, but they are able to unquestionably overcome whatever adversity they are faced with.

We valorize their reluctance to ask for help, or admit being tired.

Even as I write this article – concerned about the way in which we compete for who can handle the most and complain the least – I’m patting myself on the back for waiting hours before asking for advice. I

The Spartan approach may not be all it’s cracked up to be. Photo illustration: Chris Donovan/Argosy. am complicit in the deep-rooted admiration we have for people who insist they can handle everything on their own, suffering without reaching out for help.

A request for help is not an admission of incompetence.

The complicit acceptance of this as normal or healthy fuels the martyrdom complex.

People’s ability to handle multiple responsibilities – and being able to do it well – is nothing short of impressive. The way in which we romanticize the people who seem to have it all together does not take

into consideration that they too are human beings.

I’ve often heard students compare workloads and argue who has more to get done. As if having more assignments or responsibilities somehow makes you more of a person.

This limits most communication to a competition to prove who can handle the most stress and tasks.

Perhaps people are looking for validation and recognition for all the the hard work they’ve done.

Strength and resilience are admirable qualities, but not when they contribute to a competition of

who can struggle more and survive to tell the tale.

There is something inherently disturbing about praising someone for being able to suffer in silence.

For an admission of suffering or stress to qualify as a weakness is an indication of a larger issue in the way we communicate.

There is nothing wrong with being busy – we’re university students, after all. But the resulting stress or exhasution should never be glorified in the name of martyrdom.

The Argosy | www.argosy.ca

OPINIONS

RACE

5

How to talk about racism Solidarity begins with education and exposure

Zoe Luba

I shouldn’t have to write this article.

Then again, a person of colour also shouldn’t have to write this article either. There shouldn’t be a need for this article at all, but as we enter black history month, this needs to be said.

I am, by no means, the most qualified person to be writing this, but my white voice holds an uncomfortable amount of clout when discussing race and racism.

Nobody ever discounts my voice as being “overly sensitive” or “angry all the time.” Nobody ever tells me I am “making everything about race.”

My only experiences with racism are secondhand, and stem from talking to others who do have firsthand experience. Yet I am the one flooded with compliments whenever I call out racism, not those who have the lived experiences with racism that I do not.

This is because I have white privilege.

A white-dominated community such as Mount Allison University only amplifies this unfair “get out of jail free card” handed to us at birth.

So what can you do? What do you do with all this privilege?

One of the most powerful ways in which we can work to alleviate the

Members of BSAAT spoke to CBC New Brunswick on Jan. 30 about racism at Mt. A. Zoe Luba/Submitted. systemic racism is to first acknowledge it, and then talk about it. There are many ways these conversations can go, but just remember that you will make mistakes. Inadvertently saying offensive things is an inevitable byproduct of a lack of exposure and firsthand experience with racism.

This should not deter you from these conversations, as you can learn how not to make the same mistakes next time.

It is easy to freeze up whenever racism is mentioned. People will stutter over using the word “black” as a physical description and wonder if this was the right word to use, or if they were being inadvertently offensive (helpful hint: black is not a

racial slur.) Listening is the first key step. If your friend group is lacking in ethnic diversity because this is a small liberal arts school in Eastern Canada, then read up on blog posts, articles and other sources of information written by people of colour. This is the key to gaining at least some perspective.

The members of BSAAT (Black Students for Advocacy, Awareness and Togetherness) have been working to help the Mt. A community gain some of this perspective. They have done some amazing things over the past few months and deserve recognition.

They have created a platform and mechanism for people of all races to

talk about issues facing black people today and in the past. They also work to help other ethnic minorities feel more comfortable at Mt. A. BSAAT has pulled together a wide assortment of events for Black History Month and will be hosting film screenings, talks and fundraisers throughout the month. They are always looking for new active members of all races and backgrounds, and it is easy to get involved with the group.

On Feb. 11, BSAAT will be hosting a panel discussion at 6 p.m. in Dunn room 113. The panel will focus on listening to people of colour speak about their lived experiences as people of colour living in whitedominated society. The panel will

feature Kim Crosby, a social justice advocate and business consultant based out of Toronto, who will be speaking to her experience as a queer, black woman navigating a whitedominated society. There will also be several Mt. A students of colour, representing varying ethnicities, speaking on the panel about their experiences with racism at Mt. A. BSAAT has also been working to create larger, systemic change within the university administration and beyond, and were recently interviewed by the CBC to discuss the racist climate at Mt. A. It is often easier to disengage from conversations about racism because it does not directly impact us. However, staying silent and ignoring the problem do not solve anything. White people need to use their privilege to speak up in support of people colour, without silencing their voices. Go to events, talks and screenings hosted by people of colour. Listen actively and value this learning experience. White people, during black history month, let’s not complain about how there is no white history month. Rather, let’s use it as a springboard to become anti-racism allies. Our privilege should be used in the most productive way possible.

THROUGH STAINED GLASS

The value of light

Candles have historical, religious, familial and celebratory significance Rev. John. C. Perkin Over the course of history, religions have claimed prominence in culture by building over the foundations of temples or shrines to the religions they seek to displace. This has happened temporally as well as physically. In the Christian West, observances such as Christmas grew in significance as they supplanted the festivals or feast days of other religious practices. In the current post-Christian era of North America, the secular observances have dominated previously religious Christian festivals and feast days.

The observance of Christmas is, for many, a Winter Holiday of lights and gifts. A homage to the Christian martyr Valentine in February has become a celebration of romance and relationships. Candlemas is barely known, while on the same day we turn, in fun and jest, to the meteorological prognostications of the lowly groundhog to determine how much longer winter will last.

In the church calendar, Candlemas is known as the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed

Virgin Mary, commemorating the purification of Mary and the presentation of Jesus in the temple, 40 days after his birth was prescribed by Jewish law. The Gospel of Luke tells of this event as taking place according to common practice, “When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord’), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.” The pigeons, as sacrifice, indicate the relative poverty of the parents of Jesus.

As early as the fourth century, according to the writings of a Christian pilgrim named Egeria, the church in Jerusalem observed a feast of the Presentation, occurring 40 days after Christmas. In the year 542, the feast was introduced to the larger Roman empire by Emperor Justinian in thanksgiving for an end to a plague afflicting the city of Constantinople.

From there, it was adopted by the Roman or Western church. By the 11th century, Candlemas was

observed in the church as a time for the blessing of the candles to be used through the church year, and the celebration would begin with a candlelight procession into the church. This day, coming about half way between winter solstice and spring equinox, is timely in its celebration of light and the promise of spring to come. The day has been, through Christian history, a celebration of the end of the Christmas period and the preparation for the period of Lent. It has been customary in some places to leave Christmas decorations up until Candlemas, and even to have a fire burn the boughs that are removed this day.

Candlemas Day was also the day used to predict weather in anticipation of spring ploughing. People believed the rest of winter weather would go in a direction counter to that experienced on Candlemas, as the old English quatrain notes: If Candlemas be fair and bright Come winter, have another flight; If Candlemas bring clouds and rain Go winter, and come not again.

This suggests, of course, the origins of our modern Groundhog Day. At the heart of this day – as the

ancient name suggests – are candles, light and the promise of life. There is something peaceful, calming and hopeful about candles. A single light in the darkness of winter; a candle can suggest romance, hope, promise, life and expectation. Candles are at the heart of many Christian festivals, and carry significance in many other religious traditions. Candles and the image of light are used outside of religious traditions to convey many meanings. We light candles at vigils to express our hope and solidarity with one another. We light candles to celebrate anniversaries, birthdays and more. We light candles in remembrance of those who have gone before, as an act of grief, of commitment, of hope. We light candles as a demand for justice or for peace. We light candles to signify serenity.

At wedding ceremonies I conduct, the couple being married often lights a single candle from two others which represent their families. The new light represents the coming together of two lives. I present the candle to the couple following the service with the instruction that it should be relit at significant times in their new life

together, at each anniversary, at the birth of a child, at a move, a new home or a new job. In relighting the candle, the event is ritualized, and I hope the vows that brought them together are remembered, and the light becomes both memory and promise.

We noted the eve of Candlemas in Chapel Vespers on Feb. 1, and on Candlemas itself, candles were lit in the chapel. For the Christian Church, this often-forgotten day is one to remember the life of the one who is the light of the world. For us all, of different religious traditions and none, I hope that in the midst of winter, we might take time to pause in the chapel, or at home, and to light a candle or even just think of lighting a candle – and in that, to know the promise of spring, of life, of joy; that we might also remember and give thanks for those who have gone before; and that we might be renewed in our commitments to the things the world needs: justice, peace, community and hope—the light of life.

John Perkin is Chaplain of Mount Allison University.

Sports BETTER KNOW A MOUNTIE

James leading late playoff push Benjamin Foster Sports Reporter

Lindsay James’s list of achievements at Mount Allison could fill a book.

She has made the AUS all-rookie team, gone to two AUS finals and scored the overtime winner to put the Mounties in the AUS final, a goal not soon to be forgotten by the athletics department.

The 22-year-old Halifax, NS native first picked up a hockey stick at the age of five.

“I played female hockey all the way through. I played for the Halifax Hawks up through midget, then a AAA league started for girls. From then on I played for the Metro Boston Pizza team as well as high school hockey.”

Those years were very successful for James. She was named MVP on her high school team in both grades 11 and 12, and was also named to the first all-star team in her last year of midget for the Metro Boston Pizza AAA women’s league.

Hockey is not the only sport James excelled in. She was once a provincial lacrosse player.

“I played in university as well, right up until third year. I played box in the summer. It starts up in April and it goes until July. My brother was big into it and he played at Mt. A, so I was always into the sport because of him.”

The all-around athlete caught the eye of incoming Mounties head coach Zach Ball. “[Ball] came out to a bunch of our games. I submitted my name to tell him I was interested in the program.

He was very active about getting me to come here,” said James, who was named the Nova Scotia player of the year in her final year of high school.

James had a career year in 2013-14.

She exploded in the playoffs, leading all scorers with seven points in eight games with six goals. Half of those six formed her only hat trick in her time at Mt. A. “It is kind of like a blur now. One of my teammate’s dads got the clip on video, and it’s really cool to watch now, because when you are in the moment you do not really realize. Mt. A gets a reputation that they aren’t as good as everyone else but it was fun to prove people wrong,” said James.

“If we played [St. FX] 30 times, they would beat us 29 times, but at that moment it didn’t matter. At that moment it was awesome to pull it all off.”

Even if James leaves Mt. A without a title, she won’t leave empty-handed.

She is graduating with a major in chemistry and hopes to attend either dentistry or pharmacy at Dalhousie next fall.

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

Editor: Alex Bates | February 5, 2015 | argosy@mta.ca

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

Mounties squeak by winless Blue Devils Last-place UKC forces a fifth set against Mt. A after delay Benjamin Foster Sports Reporter

The University of Kings College Blue Devils have lost all sixteen games they’ve played in the 2014-15 ACAA Women’s Volleyball season, but that didn’t stop them from coming within points of upsetting Mt. A Sunday, Feb. 1. The Mounties are trying to slide into the fourth and final playoff spot but are currently having a tough time winning games.

The game was delayed by almost an hour, as the UKC bus didn’t arrive on time, adding to the length of an already substantially long game.

The game against the Blue Devils was the Mounties’ first game since beating the Dal AC Rams in a five-set match one week prior. The Mounties’ game Saturday against top-ranked Mount Saint Vincent University was cancelled due to inclement weather conditions. It has been rescheduled to Tuesday, Feb. 10.

Despite playing against the winless Blue Devils, the Mounties still faced a tough challenge. On Jan. 28, UKC almost pulled off the biggest upset of the ACAA season, taking MSVU to five sets before dropping the final set 15-7. The Blue Devils would do the same to the Mounties just days later.

Coach Paul Settle’s team looked dominating early in the match, winning the first set 25-12. The second set was a different story and both sides looked like completely different teams, UKC winning the set 25-20.

Mt. A took a strangling 7-1 lead to open the third set, or so they had thought. A rotational error negated two points, and gave UKC an extra point. Before the Mounties knew it, they were losing 7-6. The Mounties

Despite cruising in the first set 25-12, the Mounties were forced to go the distance to pick up the win against the University of King’s College Blue Devils on Sunday, Feb. 1. Chris Donovan/Argosy. overcame, winning the set 25-21.

UKC won the fourth set, forcing a fifth set. After the Blue Devils opened with a 5-1 lead, it looked like the upset was all but wrapped up. Mt. A rallied to tie 7-7, before winning 15-9. UKC neglected to take a timeout until the team was already down 13-8. It had seemed as though their coaching staff were already halfway back to Halifax, when the win was snubbed out by a much more organized Mounties squad.

Starting power hitter Katia

McKercher sat out the match with a concussion, her second major injury this season.

“I was there watching and it was nice to see the game from a different point of view. I think the team played pretty well today, we have to work on keeping our momentum going,” said McKercher. “Volleyball is as much a mental game as it is physical, and it’s when everyone is playing at the same pace and intensity that we seem to win. We’re hoping to keep our momentum going from now until the

end of the season.”

The win moved the Mounties record to eight wins and seven losses.

The Mounties are still trailing the UNBSJ Seawolves by one win in the chase for the final playoff spot. Mt. A’s next two games are their most important games of the season, facing off against the third place Holland College Hurricanes on Wednesday night followed by playing the Seawolves on Sunday afternoon at McCormack gymnasium.

WEEKLY WELLNESS

Celiac disease: Are you eating the right things?

The gluten-free diet can hurt your health if not properly substituted Madalon Burnett Many people have started to avoid eating gluten, leaving the rest of us to ask ourselves why. There are two possible reasons for people to avoid wheat and other gluten products: celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

But what exactly is the difference?

Skeletons showing signs of damage by celiac disease have been found from people that lived about 2,000 years ago, meaning that celiac disease did not appear overnight. The first time celiac disease was documented was in the second century, but these findings weren’t translated into English until the 1800s. It wasn’t until 1952 that researchers determined that wheat proteins were causing the disease. Today, in the United States, one in 141 people are affected by celiac disease, although it is estimated that a portion of the population has the disease but has not received a

diagnosis.

Celiac disease is caused by the immune system reacting to gluten in the intestines. When someone with celiac disease eats gluten, the immune system attacks structures in the intestine called villi. Researchers do not fully understand why this immune response occurs. As this reaction continues, the lining of the intestine is damaged, leaving the affected individual unable to properly absorb nutrients. This causes problems in the gastrointestinal system such as bloating and diarrhea, but can eventually have more severe consequences as vital organs like the brain, bones, and liver are deprived of the nutrients they need. This form of malnutrition can lead to poor development, unhealthy weight loss, and stunted growth.

So far, the only effective treatment for celiac disease is a gluten-free diet. This means patients should avoid foods which contain wheat,

including some beers, breads, and cereals. People with celiac disease need to be careful around everything from french fries to soy sauce. They also need to ensure that their food is prepared separately from foods that contain wheat products. Sometimes there are no symptoms, but damage is still being done. It’s important for people with celiac disease to avoid even trace amounts of gluten or their intestines can receive serious damage.

It takes months to years for damaged villi to completely heal.

Failing to avoid gluten can have health effects other than malnutrition due to the inability to absorb nutrients. For example, people with intestinal damage from celiac disease are prone to lactose intolerance.

Bowel and intestinal cancers are also more prevalent in people with celiac disease who don’t follow a strict gluten-free diet.

In very rare cases, a gluten-free diet does not stop the effects of

celiac disease, a condition known as refractory celiac disease. Doctors can prescribe drugs like steroids to reduce inflammation in the intestine and drugs to suppress the immune system, but there is no cure.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of celiac disease, there are blood tests which can be performed to determine if this is the case. These tests must be performed before gluten has been eliminated from the diet to prevent false results from being obtained.

Eliminating gluten from your diet could have other health risks. Unless you eat a balanced diet, it can be hard to get enough iron, calcium, fiber, folate and other crucial minerals and vitamins. For this reason, it’s important to talk to your doctor before taking any action regarding gluten intolerance or celiac disease.

Madalon Burnett is Mount Allison University’s Health Intern

The Argosy | www.argosy.ca

SPORTS

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Mt. A’s loss doesn’t affect standings

Crandall rides hot streak over Mounties in win Alex Bates Sports Editor

The Mount Allison Men’s Varsity Basketball team’s combined troubles of not defending in the second quarter and not being able to score in the fourth quarter proved too much for the team to secure a win against the Crandall Chargers.

The team was roughed up 89-73 by the Crandall Chargers on Jan. 29.

The Chargers came into McCormack gymnasium and scored points at will. Crandall had two players get in double-digits: Akil Charles had 25 points, complemented by Thomarcus Nix’s 20 points. Both made over half of their field goal attempts in the game.

Despite having a 6-6 record this year, the Chargers have been on fire since the holiday break, winning four of their six games since Jan. 10.

Halfway through the second quarter, the Mounties had fallen behind by seven points, but not even a minute later, Bradley Fuller’s

two converted free throws put the Mounties ahead by one point. Mt. A was able to continue rallying back from deficits, but three successful field goals by Abraham Ekperuoh in the final minute of the half put the Chargers ahead by six points.

The Mounties couldn’t make up the deficit and fell by a final score of 8973.

Alex Chisholm had 16 points, Kaleefah Henry had 15 points and 7 rebounds, and Bradley Fuller had 14 points in the game to lead the Mounties.

The Mounties will once again face off against the Chargers at McCormack Gymnasium on Saturday, Feb. 7. Mt. A will then travel to the University of New Brunswick Saint John to play the Seawolves Sunday, Feb. 8.

The Mounties currently hold a four-point lead over both St. Thomas and Crandall in the ACAA standings, but that could quickly be erased. The Tommies have two games at hand over the Mounties, with only ten games played thus far.

If the Tommies win those two games,

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

7

Mt. A loses heartbreaker against CU Alex Bates Sports Editor

Mt. A still holds second place in the ACAA. Paul Lynch/Submitted. they would be tied for second with the Mounties.The Tommies will also

play the Seawolves and Chargers this weekend.

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

Lone-goal pushes Mounties past Huskies

Lalonde scores only goal in the Mounties seventh win of the year

The Women’s Basketball Mounties had allowed just 29 points in the first three quarters of their game against the Crandall University Chargers. What happened in the final quarter was simply astonishing.

The Mounties were up 38-26 with less than a minute left in the third quarter. Mt. A allowed 28 points in the final quarter, to lose by a final score of 57-49.

The 38-26 lead was the biggest in the game for the Mounties against the Chargers on Thursday, Jan. 29.

The team seemed to be on a roll heading into the final quarter.

Crandall had 53 defensive rebounds in the game, highlighted

by Madison McHatten with 16, who notched a double-double in the game, with 10 rebounds. McHatten was not even the high scorer for the Chargers – it was Shamera O’Neal, who had 21 points for the visitors.

O’Neal was 7/8 from the free three line, including two to seal the game late for the Chargers.

The Mounties had a rough day shooting, with a field goal percentage of 23 per cent. Mackenzie Gray had another strong game for the Mounties, scoring 14 points.

Unfortunately for the squad, no other player scored more than nine points in the game.

To add insult to injury, the loss

Mackenzie Gray has led Mt. A in field goal percentage, shooting 46.3%, fifth in the ACAA.

Mt. A has climbed right back in the AUS playoff race after claiming points in four of their last five games. Sasha Weekes/Argosy.

Adam Williams With their recent win over the St. Mary’s University Huskies, Mt. A’s Women’s varsity hockey team has pulled themselves within one point of a playoff spot.

The game was a low scoring affair, with only one goal needed by Mount Allison’s Kenzie Lalonde at 9:15 of the second period to seal the win.

Nonetheless, the game maintained a constant pace throughout, with both teams recording 30 shots. SMU had many opportunities throughout the contest to even the score, however

they were unable to find the back of the net.

SMU’s comeback bid was severely hampered by the constant penalty trouble they experienced throughout the game, capped off by a five-minute major penalty halfway through the third period, which saw Nicole Blanche ejected from the game.

Mt. A has one home game remaining against AUS fourthranked St. Thomas, and one against AUS fifth-ranked Dalhousie University.

In the meantime, UPEI, sitting only one point above Mt. A, must play home and away against the

second and first ranked Université de Moncton Aigles Bleues and the St. Francis Xavier University of X-Women respectively. Dalhousie, at only two points above, must also play teams sitting above them on the conference table before finishing the season off against the Mounties.

With the bottom half of the table so tightly packed together, every remaining game is a must win for each of these teams, and the games surely will not disappoint in the excitement department.

Mt. A has many returning veterans from last seasons’ playoff run, which

saw the Mounties knock off topranked St. Francis Xavier University, and to within one game of their first AUS title. This season, Mount Allison bested the at-the-time CIS third-ranked Western Mustangs in an exhibition tournament, suggesting that there is no shortage of available talent to draw upon for the two remaining games of the regular season, and hopefully for the Mounties, the playoffs.

Adam Williams is a fourth-year Commerce student who beat-writes for the Women’s Hockey team.

came at the same time the University of King’s College Blue Devils have caught a bit of fire. UKC won both of their games over the weekend, and sit just two points behind Mt. A for the fourth and final spot in the ACAA playoff race.

The silver lining for the Mounties is that Mt. A has two games at hand and will have a chance to play two games this weekend against the two worst teams in the ACAA. The team will have their rematch against the Chargers on Saturday, Feb. 7, and will play the 1-10 University of New Brunswick Saint John Seawolves on Sunday, Feb. 8.

UKC meanwhile, will host the 9-3 Holland College Hurricanes. Two wins for the team would push their playoff chances to a near-guarantee.

8

BLIZZARD SEASON

February 5, 2015 | argosy@mta.ca

Staying warm o

Surviving a storm

If you’re a Maritimer, harsh winter storms are simply a fact of life. For those who are fortunate enough to have grown up in a more temperate climate, and are uninitiated to the violent winter squalls that hit Sackville, here are some storm tips to prepare yourself.

Fill your bathtub up with water – Filling up your bathtub may seem like an absurd idea, but when you lose power or your pipes freeze, you will thank yourself when you can use your bathtub water to flush your toilet or wash yourself. In the event of extreme boredom, feel free to dip in, close your eyes and pretend you’re in a Caribbean resort. Or in not-Sackville. Really, imagination is key. Imagination is hope.

Stock up on storm essentials – In the event of a power outage, it is essential to stock up on flashlights and candles. If you have oil heating, make sure you have enough to get you through the storm. If you are a human, stock up on #stormchips.

If you lose internet, make sure you have at least six Adam Sandler comedies downloaded. If you believe in life after love, please just write Cher. She needs this.

Bring your pets indoors – This should be obvious. Look at your cat. Look at how tiny it is. Do you think it can survive a snowfall taller than it is? Do you think something so puny can survive temperatures so low? Shame on you. Cuddling is also key, just like imagination. Cuddling is hope.

‘Buddy’ up – Staying indoors all day can get boring, but braving the storm with the friend makes it ten times more fun! Buddies don’t have to be platonic. Sex with a buddy is better than sex without a buddy.

Wear ski goggles – Why not look like a badass?

Lie to your parents – Your parents love and care about you, therefore this tip is of the utmost importance. They don’t want to know that their little cuddlebug is facing a snowpocalypse. They don’t need to hear that their precious darling is risking hypothermia and starvation if properly impaired. Actually, one second, I need to make a phone call...

Call your landlord – If you have problems with your home, make sure you let your landlord know ahead of time. Get your windows fixed. Any heating problems should be looked at. Have them look at your toaster. Can they change the oil in your car? Have them connect you to American Netflix. Does this look like a rash to you?

Get your money’s worth.

Make a big deal on social media – This is very important. You’re trapped inside with no one around! You need attention. Also, you don’t know if your friends have looked outside their windows. Be the hero they deserve. Go out on a limb and hit “Send All” on your Twitter drafts folder!

Burn this centrefold for heat – Feel free to throw in the rest of the issue, too.

By Cameron McIntyr

The Argosy | www.argosy.ca

on a snowy day

re and Allison O’Reilly

BLIZZARD SEASON

9

Snow day decisions Every time the weather gets dicey, the seasoned student knows to check their Mount Allison email address for an increasingly familiar 7 a.m. email before venturing out into the shit.

“If it’s just on a certain day, we try to make the call as early as we can in the morning before 7 a.m.,” said Robert Hiscock, director of marketing and communications for Mount Allison. “Otherwise, the weather will dictate when we have to make the call.”

Opening a university during bad weather in Sackville poses unique challenges.

“We have a lot of faculty and staff who may live outside of the Sackville area. They may live in Moncton or Amherst or further,” said Hiscock. “[We consider] their safety… with respect to getting to work or getting home.”

“If you’re going to make the call that the university is open, then everything has got to be implemented,” said Hiscock. “So, all of the groundskeepers need to be present. Some live in Sackville. Some may live elsewhere. They need to be on site and actively engaged in plowing and snow removal, making buildings safe and walkways and so on.”

This need to mobilize staff contributed to the university’s closure on Feb. 3.

“You get up in the morning [at] 5:30 to assess and part of what you’re assessing is, Can we mobilize to staff to come in to get open? It was determined [the morning of Feb. 3] that no, we are going to close it until noon,” said Hiscock. “The thinking being conditions would allow staff to be able to come in and all of the other preparations could be implemented for the university to open again at 1:30,” said Hiscock.

After a reassessment, university staff cancelled classes for the remainder of the day, but opened the Library, Athletic Centre, and Student Centre at 1:30 p.m.

“If you say you’re going to open at 1:30, you better do another check at 10:30 or 11 to [see] if that is still a valid strategy,” said Hiscock. “And today just because of a combination of the weather and the road conditions and other things, we weren’t able to get the campus in the shape it should [be in], considering safety.”

Safety is the most important consideration, but others factors influence the university’s final decision, which ultimately lies with Robert Campbell, the president of Mount Allison.

“You look to the academic vision of the university. Students are here to attend school and get an education,” Hiscock said.

The pileup of snow after two blizzards in seven days left Mount Allison closed for the second time in a week. While the snow and frosty temperatures were an inconvience for some, others made the best of it. (Chris Donovan/Argosy)

Arts & Culture MEDIA REVIEWS

Cronenberg crafts dark satire

Editor: Daniel Marcotte | February 5, 2015 | argosy@mta.ca

‘Matt Gillard’: START exhibition engages with place and process

‘Maps to the Stars’ Dir. David Cronenberg (eOne, 2014) From the twisted mind of David Cronenberg comes an unsettling satire of the Hollywood world. It might be Cronenberg’s idea of a comedy, but Maps to the Stars is far from cheerful. The Canadian director serves up a handful of horrible human monsters, including ghosts, incest, child abuse, drug addictions and misplaced violent tendencies.

The film focuses on the Weiss family as its members navigate the troubled psychological waters that permeate the household. Julianne Moore in particular gives a haunting performance: a portrait of an aging, washed-up actress unable to let go of what remains of her former youthful glamour.

As ever, Cronenberg’s work is filled with crisp images and scathing social commentary. The whole plot is filled with name-drops and a critique the film industry. Cronenberg pulls back the curtain of the magical “Tinseltown” to reveal the disturbed nature of the Hollywood machine.

However, he seems to get a little carried away with the clichés and self-references, to the point where the film’s criticism can be turned against itself. As one of the characters dismissively points out, “at the end of the day, it’s an art film,” which is an effective summary of Cronenberg’s latest work.

– Lily Mackie

‘Welcome to Night Vale’ Commonplace Books (bi-monthly) Welcome to Night Vale is a podcast series framed as a weekly news broadcast by the local radio station in the fictional town of Night Vale, a community where impossibilities and abnormalities are a daily routine.

Welcome to Night Vale revolves around strangeness: the fictional news reports in the podcast are contingent of dark, unnatural happenings being described in a calm, ‘business-as-usual’ manner.

This creates a creepy and absurd atmosphere that is relayed by the smooth-voiced narrator and the music accompanying each episode.

The casual tone in which they are told inspires an atmosphere alternating between unsettling strangeness and absurd humour. In the face of bizarre events that face Night Vale, its denizens choose to ignore those terrors rather than confronting or escaping them.

While the mysteries of Night Vale may sometimes lose their ability to surprise as the series continues, the podcast is usually able to keep the “broadcasts” fresh and interesting.

If you are a fan of surrealism and comedy, I would highly recommend giving this series a listen.​ – Gabriel Christie

Matt Gillard poses with his piece Self Portrait, which was also featured at the fourth year “Selfie” exhibition last term. Adrian Kiva/Argosy.

Despite the solitary nature of some of his pieces, Gillard considers collaboration and feedback a critical element of his work. In the case of the exhibition’s sculpture piece, Temporary Bedroom, Gillard enlisted the help of fellow fine arts student Jasmine Keillor.

“I was not all that familiar with making miniature furniture,” said Gillard, noting that Keillor was a source of assistance for the piece’s miniature mattress.

Temporary Bedroom also engages with the exhibition’s central themes of space and process, as it depicts the walls of a building under construction – or, as Gillard suggests, under deconstruction.

“I was thinking of the stereotype

of ancient ruins, where you only have part of the walls that still exist,” said Gillard. “I wanted to convey the idea of this space that’s supposed to be a shelter from the elements, but is incomplete.”

As its title suggests, drawing is a central medium in the exhibition, despite Gillard’s academic focus on sculpture and printmaking. However, many of the pieces’ collage elements allowed Gillard to mix and match various artistic methods. In one such piece, Knowing Someone, Gillard depicts multiple versions of his father at Pinery Provincial Park in southern Ontario.

“It deals a little bit with learning about some of my father’s identity as an Anglican priest, versus knowing

him as a person, as a father,” said Gillard.

As evidenced by Knowing Someone, Gillard often takes a personal approach to artistic expression, using his own identity and experiences as a point of entry. At the same time, Gillard said it is important that viewers of the exhibition and his art are open to their own personal interpretations.

“If [one of my pieces] does do something for someone, I’m happy with it,” said Gillard.

After graduation, Gillard hopes to return home to London, Ont. before further exploring some artistic themes introduced in “Drawing from Experience to Experience.” Recently, he has begun working with ideas

regarding portable personal spaces, in response to the transitory experiences of undergraduate students in general and fine arts students in particular.

“In the past couple years, personal space seems to be very mobile,” said Gillard. “I used to try to design furniture that would be accommodating to moving space. I tried to design a desk that would act as both storage space for books and drawing materials, and that it could all fold up into a neat case that could be easily moved.”

Gillard’s exhibition can be viewed at START Gallery, in the back of Struts Gallery & Faucet Media Arts Centre, until Feb. 11.

FILM

Cinema Politica offers diverse film lineup

Screening group to team with BSAAT, ACIDS and Megan Mitton Michael Dover Arts & Culture Reporter Documentaries can be the most overtly political of all contemporary art forms, mixing narratives with facts and provocative footage. The Sackville chapter of Cinema Politica hopes to channel this medium to spark discussion and awareness on campus, with the help of local campus groups.

The first two screenings of the year were organized in collaboration with Black Students for Advocacy, Awareness and Togetherness (BSAAT) to celebrate Black History Month.

On Feb. 11, the group will reprise their collaboration with a screening of Little Black School House, an hour-long documentary directed by

Sylvia Hamilton which chronicles the lost history of Canada’s racially segregated schools. The documentary features rare archival footage and interviews with surviving students.

One of Sackville’s newest student groups, the Association of Chronically Ill and Disabled Students (ACIDS), is sponsoring a screening of United in Anger: A History of ACT UP, on March 18. The film explores the grassroots actions undertaken in the 1980s and 1990s by AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP).

“I’m really looking forward to United in Anger because it looks at how medical activism can become radicalized,” said Cinema Politica organizer Francesca Patten.

Rounding out the semester will be a screening of Gasland Part II on April 1, a film directed by Josh Fox which explores the environmental impact

of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.

The screening will be accompanied by a talk with Megan Mitton, a local anti-fracking activist who ran for the Green Party of Canada in New Brunswick’s recent provincial election.

Cinema Politica is a Montrealbased non-profit that provides Canadian and international documentaries to its subscribers for a modest fee. The Sackville chapter is run by dedicated student volunteers who organize weekly documentary screenings.

Cinema Politica plays a valuable and unique role within the Sackville community, but its future at Mount Allison is precarious.

“We aren’t sure if the club will still be around next year,” said Patten. “[Most] of our executive is leaving at the end of this year. We’ve had

a difficult time recruiting [new members] and attendance is down.”

This semester, the documentaries will be screened every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in Dunn 108. All the screenings are free of charge, however donations are appreciated.

“All of our donations go toward paying off our membership fee at the end of the year,” said Patten.

“I really just want to encourage everyone to come out,” said Patten.

“I’ve never gone [to a screening] and regretted it. They are all such valuable films, and they let you learn about things that you might not have even realized were issues.”

A complete list of Cinema Politica’s schedule for the semester can be found on the group’s Facebook page.

The Argosy | www.argosy.ca

Arts & Culture

‘Damon Fowler’: Florida blues group hits George’s The wide variety of songs allowed Fowler and his band to settle into a swampy, country-tinged blues/rock groove that felt impressively natural.

There was a taut, precise, haunting tension underlining Fowler’s gently hoarse, naturally flowing vocals.

His low-key sound was assured yet vulnerable, creating a fresh sound within the distinctive blues genre.

Fowler’s cheerful vocals gave the whole show a playful feel, while his slower blues ballads were equally as powerful and emotional. Fowler moaned the lyrics and played long, greasy solos that emphasized the

guitar’s lower range to give the arrangement a special mournful vibe.

Fowler’s lap steel solos managed to bring the right mix of danger and excitement, and emphasized just how good of a finger picker he is.

Fowler’s rocking country-blues tunes were supported by Justin Headley on drums and Matt Walker’s talented backup performance on bass guitar. Fowler and his band members effectively built the songs to create a sound that was both casual and energetic. The freedom of the live performance allowed the band to stretch their songs out and easily

settle into a groove during solos.

In the words of Roopen Majithia, the director of the Blues Society, “Clearly the swamp translates into the marsh.” Speedily launching from one song into the next, the band maintained a high energy level for the growing crowd of dancers.

Throughout the evening, The Damon Fowler Band turned up the heat with their swampy Florida sound and delivered a solid performance to an audience eager for anything the band had to offer.

VISUAL ARTS

Artist duo explores Acadian heritage at pop-up T&L gallery Mercier and Theriault play with culture and memory

Theriault and Mercier pose with their exhibition above Thunder & Lightning. Adrian Kiva/Argosy.

Amanda Cormier Arts & Culture Reporter In their recent exhibition entitled My father was/is an Acadian man, local artists Lisa Theriault and Phil Mercier explored their Acadian heritage through painting, photography and a collection of various items.

Theriault, who graduated from the Mount Allison fine arts program last spring, and Mercier, a second year fine arts student, had each been individually exploring their family roots in connection with their fathers’ traditions.

“Phil was working on photos and I was working on watercolours, and we had talked about wanting to do a show together,” Theriault said. “We noticed that what we were working on had a lot of similarities, so we thought it had made sense to have a show and work on it together.”

Mercier’s family is from New Brunswick, and Theriault has roots in Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. In response to this, their exhibition presented a general view of Maritime and Acadian traditions.

The artists hoped Maritimers could view the exhibits and be able to recognize their cultural motifs.

Theriault’s paintings, though simple and minimalist in style, spoke volumes about her Acadian heritage, parts of which have been lost through the generations. For example, she said nobody in her immediate family speaks French despite their Acadian roots.

“It’s been passed down but also lost,” Theriault said, explaining the use of “was/is” in the exhibition’s title.

Mercier’s photos focused on his grandfather’s hunting camp, where he and other family members would go to chop wood for the winter and hunt for food. An axe, propped up against the wall underneath his photos, further emphasized the significance of the hunting camp for his family.

“For me, it just seems to be about those traditions, and the passing down and loss of traditions, and what once was and what will be no longer,” said Mercier.

The exhibition, which was on display above Thunder & Lightning on Jan. 30 and 31, occupied a single small room. Mercier’s black-andwhite photographs took up two walls, and Theriault’s watercolour paintings took up another. Up against the fourth wall was a collaborative installation made up of two desks, each displaying objects with which

each artist had a personal connection.

Theriault’s desk featured an old photograph of a hotel, which had been a reference piece for one of the paintings on display. A frog ornament was placed on the desk to represent her father’s love of frogs.

The desk also included a note, handwritten by Theriault, which spoke of the loss of Acadian tradition on her father’s side of the family.

“I think he likes things like that to connect to his heritage, which he somewhat lost,” the note said. “Both his parents spoke French, but it never caught on with their children.”

Mercier’s desk displayed objects which he had collected from his grandfather’s hunting camp over time, such as feathers, spent rifle cartridges and other hunting paraphernalia. Each desk also had a lamp, both of which were donated by Mercier’s parents.

Adding to the cultural elements in the art pieces themselves, homemade traditional Acadian treats, like pets de soeurs, were offered at the exhibit’s opening. Taken together, nonAcadians could enjoy elements of another culture while appreciating the traditions that made these pieces possible.

VISUAL ARTS

11

Sackville artists join experimental Halifax show Michael Dover Arts & Culture Reporter “All art exhibitions should be parties,” said Mount Allison fine arts student Agamemnon Kattis. “Art is alive, and art shows should reflect that.”

He then proceeded to draw outlines of blank yield signs on a snow bank with red spray paint. We were in West Halifax, and he was about to display his work in “Shitty Art Show,” a public exhibition hosted on Jan. 30 by independent artists Jeighk Aberdeen, Quincy Russell, Willow Bee and Heather Darwish.

“Shitty Art Show” was a show hosted by artists for artists.

Held in a sprawling second story apartment, it succeeded in making art as accessible as possible. There were no tickets to “Shitty Art Show.” There was no selection process, no programs, no curators. To exhibit work, one had only to show up.

Tape, pins and nails were provided to anyone who was interested. The artists were allowed to display their work wherever and however they saw fit. Sculptures were positioned on stools and chairs. Drawings were hung from the ceiling. Canvases were propped up on window ledges and performers moved from room to room spontaneously reciting poems like medieval bards.

One artist brought several hundred squares of origami paper and taught anyone who was interested how to fold swans. The birds littered the floor of the apartment like a technicolour snow.

Another artist brought water colour paint and a roll of brown paper, and all in attendance were encouraged to add to the communal painting.

Kattis wandered among the crowd painting occult symbols on foreheads, initiating the curious into the cult of art.

On one wall there was a photograph that juxtaposed an old man over a portrait of an old woman. It sat across from an acrylic mural of a jungle, with elephants and leopards peering out from the bases of trees.

Penney×2, a Sackville artist, exhibited a collection of 30 portraits rendered in white and blue acrylic ink. The portraits featured imagined faces with grotesque features, oversized foreheads and wild haircuts. They grinned and grimaced at spectators with the good-natured bravado of circus performers.

Late in the evening, I was fortunate enough to meet Nic Chupick, a Dalhousie student. His abstract canvas, divided into symmetrical squares which were cut into triangles, dominated the living room. Every triangle was painted with a different shade of acrylic paint, and movement was added to the piece through the alignment or non-alignment of the triangles’ sides.

Although the exhibit was untitled on display, he explained that his canvas was entitled Growing Structures, and that every triangle was fashioned with painter’s tape.

He pointed out the varied textures of the canvas, explaining that if one looked closely, the textures and shapes of the nude he had painted over were still visible beneath the geometric forms. “Sometimes I call the piece Where’s the Nipple?” he added with a laugh.

When asked what drew him to “Shitty Art Show,” Chupick explained that he never really considered himself to be a “real” artist, but that he’d always wanted to display his work. “Shitty Art Show” seemed like the ideal opportunity to make his dream a reality.

Such was the magic of “Shitty Art Show.” No one seemed intimidated by the terrifying prospect of displaying their creations to the world. The entire gallery space felt spontaneous and uninhibited; no one seemed worried about establishing a theme or creating a statement. Most of the pieces were untitled, and most of the pieces were displayed without listing the name of the artist. Art was allowed to exist for its own sake. “The Shitty Art Show” was anonymous, egalitarian and completely free from pretension. For me, it was a living case study of everything that art can and should be.

Science

Editor: Tyler Pitre | Februrary 5, 2015 | argosy@mta.ca

PHYSICS

Quantum hard drive prototype developed by researchers New research is one step closer towards quantum computing Tyler Pitre Science Editor How fast can your computer process data? It may get a lot faster, thanks to the development of a prototype quantum hard drive. This is the first time researchers have successfully developed a solid state quantum drive, which will store information longer and faster. The study was published in the journal Nature under the title “Optically addressable nuclear spins in a solid with a six-hour coherence time.”

Research at the Australian National University and the University of Otago in New Zealand involved

developing a novel method of storing quantum information without using fiber optics. Their method included using a solid state device. They used the rare earth metal europium to store quantum information and then placed that into a crystal. Photons are the entity which carry quantum information, which is the word for a particle of light or packaged quantized light.

This method allowed them to overcome distance problems and storage capabilities.

Quantum networks are very fragile and can currently extend to about only 100 km. This means one can transfer encrypted quantum information only a very short distance and even

then, quantum information tends to be destroyed. Unlike conventional means of information transfer such as electronic transfer, an amplification of the quantum signal seems to cause more damage to the information. The current method used optical transfer of quantum information.

The new method described by this study makes it easier to transport information long range and for a greater amount of time. Their record storage retention time is six hours, which may not appear to be significant but relative to the competition, it is.

Quantum technology will enable us to make unbeatable encryption codes, which can be used from a wide range of different areas, from banking to

personal email.

The way this technology works is by the principle of quantum entanglement.

The researchers exploit the fact that two particles can be related such that their information are intrinsically bound to one another. An entangled particle can be a distance across the universe from each other but the observation of a characteristic of one particle will collapse the quantum state of the other particle.

The consequence of quantum entanglement means information about one particle is instantly transferred to the other. The idea would be to store entangled light in separate solid state devices

and transport them thousands of kilometers away.

“We believe it will soon be possible to distribute quantum information between any two points on the globe,” said physicist Manjin Zhong.

Using the solid state approach allows physicists and researchers the ability to more extensively test one of the principle foundational concepts in modern concepts, quantum entanglement, as well improve on the technology itself. Currently, we have not been able to experiment with quantum entanglement with such long distances.

RESEARCH PROFILE

Acadia prof gives public lecture on arsenic in water

#

Professor of Geochemistry, Cliff Stanley, talks about how common arsenic is in our environment and potential health issues that might arise. Clay Steell/Argosy.

Clay Steell Science Reporter What do King George the III of Great Britain, Napoleon Bonaparte, Simón Bolivar and Emperor Guangxu of China have in common?

Each of these historical rulers died at the hands of arsenic poisoning. While arsenic may seem like an arcane health threat, it is relatively common in groundwater of Maritime provinces due to the region’s geological history.

A public audience learned about this health threat last Thursday at a free lecture in the Avard Dixon building given by Cliff Stanley, a professor of Geochemistry at Acadia University and the president of the Atlantic Geoscience Society.

The lecture was the inaugural event of the Atlantic Geoscience Society

41st Colloquium, a conference held on the Mount Allison campus and attended by over 100 academics, students, government agents and professionals who work in the earth sciences. This year’s conference was held in memory of Laing Ferguson, former head of Mount Allison’s geology department from 1973 to 1995. Ferguson passed away last year.

“It was interesting to get a different perspective, because we don’t have a geology department anymore,” said Laura Steeves, a third year student and one of the several dozen members of the audience, “so it was a good choice of guest speaker.”

The talk was coordinated by Melissa Grey, adjunct professor of geography and environment at Mount Allison and the curator of palaeontology at Joggins Fossil Cliffs.

Grey sits on the executive council of

the Atlantic Geoscience Society.

Stanley outlined the geological, chemical and biological origins of arsenic in drinking water. He talked mainly about arsenic’s geological origins in Nova Scotia, since it was where most of his intended audience was located, but he discussed arsenic in New Brunswick as well.

Most of the arsenic in Nova Scotia comes from the Meguma Terrane in the province’s south, a landscape that originated in Africa and stuck to North America as the continents separated millions of years ago.

It originated chemically in ocean sediments, when this landscape was below sea level. Eventually these sediments became metamorphic rocks, which concentrated their arsenic levels. Groundwater that reaches these rocks can absorb the element, making it available to drink.

Soils in the atlantic provinces can also boast dangerous levels of arsenic.

Arsenic in these soils can be inhaled if walked or driven upon.

Arsenic also occurs in relatively high levels in New Brunswick groundwater.

Areas of high concentrations include Fredericton and the St. John River Valley.

Groundwater arsenic is of greatest concern to homes which use water from wells. Municipalities in high arsenic areas treat their water to safely consumable levels.

The Canadian Drinking Water guidelines set 0.01 milligrams per litre of arsenic as the maximum acceptable concentration for drinking water.

Arsenic cannot be smelled or tasted in water and must be detected through chemical tests. The Government of New Brunswick recommends homeowners with wells to test their

water every two years. Tests can range in price from $15 to $230 and can be contracted through either provincial or private water laboratories.

While arsenic is toxic, Stanley emphasized that it takes years to decades of consuming water with high levels of arsenic for it to have an impact on health. He encouraged anyone who drinks well water to test their wells, but said it is not as urgent as it might sound.

“I’m not attempting to alarm people,” said Stanley, “I’m just here to give you some background on arsenic.”

The Argosy | www.argosy.ca

SCIENCE

LECTURE

13

Cockshutt lab researches phytoplankton protein

Findings may shed light on globally important microorganism

Research done at Mount Allison explores mysterious phytoplankton protein. Clay Steell/Argosy.

Clay Steell Science Reporter Two Mount Allison researchers are investigating the biochemistry of a very small but very important microorganism. Picocyanobacteria are microscopic phytoplankton, a type of marine algae. They are the most numerous organisms on Earth, and produce roughly 25 per cent of the oxygen we breathe. Amanda Cockshutt of the biochemistry department and her honours student Jessica Allanach are studying an anomalous protein in these microorganisms to shed light on their biochemistry, evolution and ecology.

Picocyanobacteria are exceptionally

small in size, even among the tiny world of phytoplankton. They thrive in nutrient-poor waters where other algae can’t grow as well, and have come up with a unique adaptation technique to conserve cellular resources.

“These guys are the extreme examples of genome reducers,” said Cockshutt. Picocyanobacteria have shrunk their genomes to conserve resources during reproduction and DNA maintenance, giving them an edge in harsh environments. Some have genomes consisting of only about 1,700 genes. By comparison, humans have about 20,000-25,000 genes.

The information to build everything in a cell comes from its

genes. According to Cockshutt and Allanach, picocyanobacteria have been of great interest to biochemists because they accomplish the same cellular functions of larger phytoplankton with a fraction of the genes. While the ways in which these phytoplankton build their photosynthetic apparatus have largely been explored, the function of a single protein remains unexplained and is the focus of the researchers’ current work.

The Hyperconserved Protein gene (HCP) is found in all strains of picocyanobacteria, but no one knows exactly what it codes for or does.

“To have a gene that has the same sequence at the amino acid level in all these strains, which are known for

kicking out things they don’t need, is an indication that this protein has an essential function in the cell that we don’t know yet,” said Allanach.

The HCP is also found nowhere else in nature outside of picocyanobacteria.

“It doesn’t have a homology to any other protein out there, ever,” said Cockshutt, “so we can’t model what it does.”

Allanach’s research involves investigating if the HC protein binds to other proteins found in picocyanobacteria, which would indicate its function in the cell. To do so, she uses E. coli cells which have had the HCP gene and other picocyanobacteria genes inserted into their genome.

Based on these protein-binding experiments, Cockshutt and Allanach suspect the protein is involved with the functioning of the ribosome or the assembly of photosynthetic apparatuses. Ribosomes are organelles – parts of a cell analogous to human organs – which assemble proteins based on genetic information. The proteins which picocyanobacteria use in photosynthesis may also face a unique challenge compared to other phytoplankton. The microorganisms’ small size squeezes their cellular membrane, which protects the cell from the outside environment. The proteins these cells use in photosynthesis fit into this membrane, and the HC protein may aid them in fitting into the marginal space.

The researchers said their findings may have implications on how these organisms respond to climate change. Cockshutt said smaller phytoplankton might become increasingly dominant as Earth’s oceans change with global climate, and Allanach said their findings might allow greater understanding of the role picocyanobacteria will play in climate change.

Cockshutt and Allanach also said that even though they work on phytoplankton, the methods and theory they use can be applied to any type of organism.

“The skills are transferable. That’s one of the great things about being a biochemist as opposed to being a biologist,” said Cockshutt. “Protein is protein, DNA is DNA, RNA is RNA. Once it’s ground up, it’s just a different colour.”

AGING

Telomeres extended with new lab treatment Researchers have developed a treatment to extend telomeres in certain cells Tyler Pitre Science Editor Still looking for the elixir of youth?

It may be found in a laboratory with a group of scientists using a new method of extending cellular telomere lengths. Their research has shown successful extension of cell life by increasing the lifespan of telomeres, the protective caps for DNA. The researchers used modified RNA which contain instructions encoded from DNA to make the protein telomerase, which produces telomeres. These proteins are typically seen in germ cells and not in somatic cells. Germ cells are cells related to reproductive functions, whereas somatic cells are every other cell in our body, like a skin or muscle cells.

The paper was published in the journal FASEB under the title “Transient delivery of modified mRNA encoding TERT rapidly extends telomeres in human cells”

Telomeres are the protective caps proecting your DNA. Zimbres/Wikipedia. and was co-written by researchers at Stanford University. Their method found that treated cells grew at a much higher rate, about 40 times the size, than cells which were not treated.

This amounts to an increase of about 1,000 nucleotides – single units of DNA – to the telomere length. All cells will age and die and have a

certain lifespan, based on tissue type.

When they were treated, cells in the lab lived past their average life span.

An important advantage in their treatment is the transient property.

Their treatment wears off after about 48 hours. This may not seem good at first glance, but it simply allows for cells to be given an extra coating

of protective gear. If we extended this principle further, the cell would never die but would continue to grow forever. This is something scientists want to avoid. The extended, immortal life of telomeres is a cellular hallmark of cancer.

Every DNA structure in our body has, at its end, protective caps known as telomeres. They are long strings of repetitive sequences of DNA whose sole purpose is to be destroyed so that the functional DNA is maintained.

In young adults they are around 1,000 to 8,000 nucleotides long. DNA replication is a complicated process; it is not perfect and every time our cells divide, some of their DNA become smaller. Without telomeres, a substantial portion of DNA would be destroyed every time our cells divide. Skin cells, to give an example, die quickly because they divide more often and so lose their telomeres the quickest. The idea behind this study is that cellular life can be extended in cells we cannot afford to lose, or those in older people, whose telomere

length has been shortened.

Another important property of this particular cellular treatment is that previous attempts at doing this kind of telomere treatment have caused our bodies to react badly due to the immune system developing an immune response against telomerase.

As the study moves forward, researchers continue to replicate and test their results on a wide range of cells. The idea is to eventually use this as a method of treating diseases that deal with aging.

“One day it may be possible to target muscle stem cells in a patient with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, for example, to extend their telomeres. There are also implications for treating conditions of aging such as diabetes and heart disease,” said Helen Blau, co-author and microbiologist at Stanford.

Humour

Editor: Taylor Losier | February 5, 2015 | argosy@mta.ca

Ship’s Log

Crossword Puzzle

EVENTS

Fearless Friday

Februar y 6, 11am-2pm Ground Flo or Atrium of Wa l l a c e M c C a i n S t u d e n t Centre Stop by a booth in the WMSC for information regarding National E ating D i s o r d e r A w a r e n e s s We e k

Demystifying the Te a c h i n g P o r t f o l i o

Februar y 6, 2:30-4pm Av a r d D i x o n R o o m 1 2 0 A three-part workshop that will guide you through the creation of your teaching portfolio

Détours

Februar y 6-7, 8-10pm Motyer-Fanc y Theatre A bilingual comedy by Alex Fancy performed by Tintamarre

David Rogosin and Al lis on Wi eb e Benstead

Februar y 7, 8-10pm Br unton Auditorium Faculty and Guest Recital by duo pianists

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

Across 1- Puppeteer Tony; 5- Devour; 10- Gospel singer Winans; 14- In ___ of; 15- Acid type; 16- Jazz singer Anita; 17- ...___ saw Elba; 18- Sonata movement; 19- Look at amorously; 20- Woven fabric; 21- Pen name; 23- Exclamation of relief; 25- Lilly of pharmaceuticals; 26- Last; 31- Take pleasure in; 35- A Kennedy; 36- Villain’s look; 38- Gold standard; 40- Archer of myth; 42- Kett and James; 44- Lazy, inactive; 45- Fathers; 47- Smooth transition; 49- Dusk, to Donne; 50- China’s Zhou ___; 52- Heliopsis-shaped design; 54- Lady of Sp.; 56- Air rifle ammo; 57- Second highest in Tibetan Buddhism; 62- About; 66- Strike with foot; 67- Bus station; 68- Radar screen element; 69- An apple ___...; 70- Whiskey type; 71- After the bell; 72- Beatty and Rorem; 73- Fable; 74- Black, to Blake; Down 1- Killed;

2- Leeds’s river; 3- Ridge of rock; 4- Stringed musical instrument; 5- Headset; 6- Old Testament book; 7- Fork feature; 8- Unwarranted; 9- Breed of dog; 10- Masked critter; 11- Nervously irritable; 12- Still; 13- Storm center; 22- Hog sound; 24- Early hrs.; 26- Numbered rds.; 27- Strange and mysterious; 28- Decorate; 29- Tennis units; 30- French beans?; 32- ___ alai; 33- Command;

34- Some locks; 37- Prego competitor; 39- Portable shelter; 41- Poivre’s partner; 43- Bask; 46- Scarf; 48- Outward flow; 51- Containing a platinum-like element; 53- In working order; 55- Olds model; 57- Periodic movement of the sea; 58- Mil. school; 59- The ___ the limit!; 60- Neat as ___; 61- Lion’s share; 63- Thick slice; 64- Bandleader Puente; 65- Dentist’s request; 66- Neb. neighbor.

Last issue’s solutions:

Classic Film Screening

Februar y 8, 7:30-9:30pm S i r J a m e s D u n n Wu Centre

Life after Graduation Februar y 9, 1:30-2:30pm Av a r d D i x o n R o o m 2 3 0 Commerce alumnus Matthew Kesthely will speak to students about life after graduation

Legion Bingo

Februar y 10, 6:45pm Sackville Legion 15 Lorne Street, doors open at 6pm

Summer Job & Career Fair Februar y 10, 10am-2pm Tw e e d i e H a l l Pro,oting summer work, post graduate work and education opportunities to students

Broque Quartet

Februar y 10, 8-10pm Br unton Auditorium Guest Recital: Broque Saxophone Quartet

C ollegium Musicum Februar y 11, 4-5pm Br unton Auditorium Pef romanc es by the students of the Department of Music

C inema Politi c a Fi lm Screening Februar y 11, 7-9:30pm S i r J a m e s D u n n M i n i Wu Screening of Little Black School House

Classic Film Screening

Februar y 11, 7:30-9:30pm S i r J a m e s D u n n Wu Centre

Va g i n a M o n o l o g u e s

Februar y 11-14, 7:30-9pm Purdy Crawford Centre for the Arts Foyer Tickets are available the MASU office and are $5 for students and $10 for non-srudents

RCMP Entrance Exam Februar y 11, 5-10pm Av a r d D i x o n R o o m 1 2 0 Interested students must register at least one week before the exam date

CYM Pe er Group

Februar y 11, 7-9pm All Nations L ounge, second floor of the WMSC D esig nate d by CHANGE YOU R M I N D a s a s t re s s free safe space for students to get together with their peers

DA A D I n f o S e s s i o n

Februar y 12, 10:3011:15pm Bennett Room G03 A representative from the German Academic Exchange Service will be on campus to make a presentation about research and scholarship opportun i t i e s i n G e r m a n y.

Stanley Lecture in Canadian Studies

Februar y 12, 4-6pm Motyer-Fanc y Theatre D r. M e a g h a n B e a t o n , 2 0 1 3 - 1 5 M a r j o r i e Yo u n g B el l Postd o c tor a l Fellow with the Centre for Canadian Studies at Mount Allison, will discuss her current research on Nina Cohen, a prominent social activist and community leader from Cape Breton.

Entre Amis

Februar y 12, 8-10pm Br unton Auditorium Entre Amis, featuring student performers from Mount Allison University and l’Université de Moncton. Admission is free, all are welcome to attend.

Legion Luncheon

Februar y 20, 11am-1pm Sackville Legion M e n u : M e a t p i e & g r a v y, potatoes, carrots, turnip, assorted cup cakes, roll, coffee and tea, cost is $10 per plate

The Argosy | www.argosy.ca

HUMOUR

The great oatmeal raisin debate Taylor Losier Humour Editor Imagine you’re hungry. You look around for something to eat and spot a plate of cookies, unguarded and ripe for the taking. You ask yourself, “What’s the harm?” Grabbing the largest, chewiest looking one, you take a bite and…

Oatmeal raisin.

How do you react? Spit it out in disgust? Grimace and swallow reluctantly? Or enjoy it?

Stereotypically, we would assume one of the first two options. After all, if you type “oatmeal raisin cookies are...” into Google, it will give you four options: flat, gross, healthy and good for you. None of these are appealing to your average student in search of a sweet snack.

Yet, the results of an informal poll done within the Argosy staff, out of twenty responders, only three expressed hatred towards the cookie.

Five said they were “okay”, while the majority of voters, twelve, expressed their love for the cookie.

And why not? Done right, the oatmeal cookie is chewy, welltextured, and contains hints of warm nutmeg and cinnamon. It doesn’t have to be flat either: not only does a correct raisin to oatmeal ratio ensure

The benefits of a Mt. A winter semester

15

Why Sackville is the best place to be this winter Dakota Pauley

that you have a sizeable cookie, but in addition, each bite carries that extra bit of flavour.

And yes, it can be considered ‘healthy’ (as far as cookies go). One responder to the informal poll noted that the oatmeal raisin cookie was “basically just vegetables.” But what’s wrong with that? Healthy isn’t a bad thing, and a healthy cookie only means you can eat more and experience less guilt. Another responder noted that they considered them breakfast-worthy; after all, it’s just a healthy bowl of oatmeal in cookie form!

People who love the oatmeal raisin cookie recognize that they may find themselves in a minority. This may lead some to express false dislike for the delicious dessert. But I say that the oatmeal raisin cookie deserves the same praise that the chocolate chip, peanut butter and sugar cookies earn. All cookies are beautiful and all cookies deserve to be loved. It’s time to end the cookie shaming.

Who’s with me? #YesAllCookies Illustration by Anna Farrell

February has now arrived at Mount Allison. We find ourselves heading into a time when many students start to feel down and depressed… and believe me, I can relate. This is because, of course, it’s the time of year when we have to plan those dreadful spring break vacations.

Just the thought of a warm beach with a turquoise blue ocean and a cold drink in my hand is enough to make me shiver with dread. There is nothing worse than being dragged away from our beautiful campus in its prime season! Now some of you may be thinking that I’m crazy, but I’m here to prove that the winter semester has more benefits than you previously thought.

Let us begin with the superb, lovely Sackville temperatures, ranging anywhere from -10°C to hell freezing over. Sackville’s winter landscape is one of the only places that lets you experience the life of a polar bear in Antarctica without actually going there, and without all the swimming. These extreme cold temperatures are so useful that it’s only a matter of time before NASA approaches us to use our campus for cryonic experiments. On top of this, prolonged exposure to this weather helps develop crucial life skills like gathering hope when there is none and pushing your motivation to its utmost limit. Think of all the blankets you’ll get to buy! Just the thought of it warms my heart.

Another captivating aspect about our winter is the swift Sackville wind, a true tourist favourite. Just when the temperatures are starting to get a little too warm, Sackville treats its students with frequent category one hurricanes. And if you’re lucky enough to be walking in the right direction, you might just shed a few seconds off that morning

walk. However, it doesn’t stop there either! These good guy, gale force winds will save you the trouble of layering up, as it will cut through literally anything you’re wearing, proving your efforts to be pointless.

If these facts don’t blow your mind, then I don’t know what will!

Don’t forget about the best part of the semester: snowstorms. Surely by now you’re asking yourself, what could possibly be better than walking to class in -35°C with raging winds? Well, how about walking in -35°C with raging winds while simultaneously shoveling the very path you walk on. This is a simple but effective way to get you to class and get in that early-morning, full body workout you’ve been longing to achieve. Jumping over snow banks, falling on ice (a personal favourite) and so much more. Mother nature will test every one of your physical capabilities this February. The town of Sackville supports this idea so much that they do us all a favour and don’t salt the roads! They know the impact of what a strong winter season can do for a student, and for that, I thank them.

So, for all the students who are suffering from the “Winter Blues,” I’m here to remind you that the winter semester is really much better than you think. While you’re planning out those awful vacations, just remember that all the fun you could possibly need is waiting for you just outside your door… assuming that you can get it open!

Patrick Allaby

We’re looking for our next

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Qualifications: Excellent leadership skills Interest in student journalism Experience in editing and design an asset Must be a Mt. A Student

Term: May 1, 2014 to April 30, 2015 Honorarium $5000 paid quarterly To apply, submit a cover letter and resume to:

argosy@mta.ca

Samples of work are welcome but not required.

Applications due:

Midnight Feb. 5, 2015