The Toronto Blue Jays’ 2013 season was abysmal. For a team that had World Series aspirations, finishing the season 14 games under .500 is simply embarrassing. What’s even more concerning than going from pre-season favourites to 17.5 games out of the nearest playoff spot is the fact that it appears[Read More…]
Author: Aaron Rose
Harvard professor talks role of food in shaping culture
On Oct. 3, Harvard professor and historian of science Stephen Shapin gave a lecture titled “You Are What U Eat” as part of a Mossman Lecture Series hosted by McGill. Over 200 academics, professors, and students gathered at Tanna Schulich Hall to hear Shapin speak on the role of food[Read More…]
Virtuoso guitarist Joe Satriani improves with age
I have a love-hate relationship with Joe Satriani. I love his music, but I hate that he ruined the guitar for me. This may seem a little overdramatic, but hear me out. For when I was a young naïve lad, trying to learn the guitar, the first song I attempted[Read More…]
Redmen drop the ball in stunning finish
In the last minute of regulation with the score even at 29-29, the McGill Redmen (3-3) punted to the No. 8 ranked Bishop’s Gaiters (4-2) in the hopes of playing out the clock and taking the game to overtime. What was supposed to be another routine kick turned into the[Read More…]
Sleigh Bells – Bitter Rivals
If Sleigh Bells was like a Tootsie Pop, they’d be the hard candy exterior, hugging a gooey bubblegum interior— hiding a razor blade. Or rather, on Bitter Rivals, the Brooklyn duo’s third studio album, they’re the interplay of metal guitar, headstrong hip-hop beats, and sugary pop vocals. Those unfamiliar with[Read More…]
Research brief: Computer game aids DNA research
Thanks to the work of McGill professors Jérôme Waldispühl and Mathieu Blanchette, anyone with access to the Internet can contribute to current research in molecular biology. The duo designed a computer game known as Phylo, aimed at harnessing the problem solving abilities of humans to decipher the multiple sequence alignment[Read More…]
Felina finale lands on its feet
*This article contains spoilers* Early on in the Breaking Bad series finale, Skinny Pete, friend and former drug runner for main character Jesse Pinkman (played by Aaron Paul), makes a remark that aptly sums up the episode and the series as a whole: “The whole thing felt kind of shady,[Read More…]
Asbestos conference participants question role of corporate funding in research
On Oct. 1, the Faculty of Medicine hosted Asbestos: Dialogue for the Future, a conference designed to address past criticisms of research on asbestos at McGill and to discuss the role of privately funded research at universities. The conference was organized following a controversy in February 2012, when a CBC[Read More…]
Sports briefs
Lacrosse Vs Concordia Redmen lacrosse (7-0) was continued its dominance on Tuesday as it took on the Concordia Stingers for the second and final time this season. Freshman Spencer Bromley starred for McGill in its 23-1 trouncing of the Stingers, scoring five goals and adding on two assists. Other key[Read More…]
POP hopping: festival recap
Look Vibrant opened at 8:00 p.m. at Casa del Popolo last Friday, kicking off a show that included later sets by AroarA (which includes Broken Social Scene member Andrew Whiteman) and Montreal psychedelic rock outfit Filthy Haanz. The members of Look Vibrant certainly appreciated the gig, and lead singer Justin Lazarus frequently thanked the modest crowd for attending despite the relatively early set time. The lo-fi noise pop they played sounded great live, with a cleaner feel than their fuzzy cassette release Plateau. One drawback was Lazarus’ self-conscious, falsetto-whine vocals, which lag behind his songwriting. However, the band’s enthusiasm, well-rehearsed guitar shredding, and effective use of an intimate venue atoned for his tone.
