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McGill Food and Dining Services advertises new, sustainable seafood options, now available at four of McGill’s cafeterias. (Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune)
a, News

Campus cafeterias now serving sustainable seafood options

by Cece Zhang on

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McGill Food and Dining Services (MFDS) recently received a Chain of Custody Certification by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).

MSC, an independent, non-profit organization, helps to promote an increasingly sustainable seafood market by recognizing and presenting awards to sustainable fishing practices, and certifying fresh wild-caught seafood. The Chain of Custody Certification allows MFDS to use the MSC “eco-labels” for their fish products. McGill is the first Canadian university to receive the MSC certification.

In keeping with MFDS’s Strategic Plan on Sustainability, MFDS have been committed to supplying affordable sustainable options since the plan’s implementation in 2011. The MSC Chain of Custody Certification serves to provide a clear, accountable recognition of the sustainable seafood source.

“Without certification and the use of the MSC eco-label, the students, faculty, and community at large will not know that the seafood they are ordering [from] or consuming [at] McGill is from a fishery that met the rigorous MSC environmental standard, and [that it] can be traced back to the harvester who is fishing responsibly,” Maggie Beaton, an MSC representative, said.

MFDS Executive Chef Oliver De Volpi explained that, initially, MFDS had not set out to become certified, but that the process of pursuing sustainable choices eventually led to MSC certification. However, De Volpi explained that for MFDS to become MSC certified, its suppliers needed to receive MSC certification first. Therefore, MFDS worked with suppliers Sysco and GFS Canada, as well as contract caterer ARAMARK, convincing them to attain MSC certification.

De Volpi explained that once a supplier receives MSC certification, this facilitates their clients’ shift to sustainable practices as well.

“Because [GFS and Sysco] are certified [with MSC], in theory, other restaurants, hotels, [and] institutions [that they supply] could complete the certification process much easier,” De Volpi said.

In its pursuit towards adjustment to sustainable practices, MFDS also worked with a group of students from the environment (ENVR) 401: applied students research class.

The ENVR 401 students undertook a research project that analysed which seafoods in the industry were optimal choices for McGill based on factors such as budgetary constraints and sustainability. Their research was financed by the Sustainability Projects Fund—a fund granted by McGill’s Office of Sustainability to projects that help build a culture of sustainability on campus.

Professor George McCourt, an ENVR 401 instructor, was the supervisor for this particular student research group.

“We were going to look at what the certification of seafood meant,” McCourt explained. “The research was to extract the most applicable aspect of each seafood certification body to create a McGill specific certification process, which would help them inform their seafood purchasing program.”

The students completed their research in December 2011, and composed a realistic guide of sustainable seafood options for MFDS.

Following a review of the research results, MFDS adopted the findings and implemented them in April 2011. De Volpi especially commended Will Agnew (BA ‘11), who was part of the student research team, and remained an active force in McGill’s process of becoming MSC certified even after graduation.

According to De Volpi, the switch to MSC certification will not greatly impact students price-wise, as MFDS will be absorbing any additional cost by making portion sizes of other dishes slightly smaller or using less expensive items in the place of more expensive ones.

“Perhaps the portion becomes 150g down from 165g, or perhaps we eliminate roast leg of lamb and replace [it] with roast beef, [which makes] 50 per cent savings,” said De Volpi.

Students reacted positively to the news of MFDS’ certification.

“I think people will be more willing to eat the seafood, knowing that it’s certified [and] coming from a reputable source,“ Christine Gannon, U1 Arts and Science, said. “I’ll feel like I’m making the right choice when I [consume those products].”

“It’s an achievement to be proud of,” Alan Chen, U1 Arts and Science, said. “I think they should extend [that] transparency to our other foods. It’s a good first step, but we do need to take further steps to making things more sustainable.”

These sustainable seafood choices will be available at four residential dining halls—Bishop Mountain Hall, Carrefour Sherbrooke, New Residence, and Royal Victoria College—with MSC certified wild species accounting for 40 per cent of all seafood served.

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Senate adopts Statement of Values for protests on campus

by Samuel Pinto on

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Statement of Values and Operating Procedures adopted

McGill Senate passed a motion to adopt the “Statement of Values and Principles Concerning Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Peaceful Assembly” with an overwhelming majority on Mar. 20.

The Statement of Values was created by the McGill administration in response to a student occupation of the James Administration Building in February 2012. The document is intended to provide guidelines detailing how protests, demonstrations, and occupations may be carried out on McGill’s campuses.

Although Ashraf Ismail, associate professor in the department of food science and agriculture chemistry, moved to table the entire motion and many senators voiced their criticism of the document, the motion passed.

Provost Anthony Masi reminded Senate that there were two consultation periods to discuss the Statement of Values, and said that the feedback received at the Consultation Fairs made it clear it was necessary that the university possess a document that states its principles on peaceful assembly.

Dean of the Desautels Faculty of Management Peter Todd agreed with Masi’s statement.

“[It’s necessary to] strike a balance between those who want to study and learn and those who are expressing dissent,” Todd said.

Many of the student senators criticized the Statement of Values.

“[An] attempt to define peaceful expression is ideologically dangerous,” Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) President Josh Redel said. “Peace is personal, [and] defining it in two sentences lacks in empathy.”

Associate Professor of Political Science Catherine Lu, who has been a long-time critic of the Statement, told Senate she thinks that the Statement of Values is unnecessary.

“If we were the University of Tehran we would need this, but we aren’t, so I don’t see why it is needed,” Lu said.

Following the motion’s approval, Senate discussed the Statement of Values’ accompanying document, known as the “Operating Procedures Regarding Demonstrations, Protests and Occupations on McGill University Campuses.” The Operating Procedures outline the measures that the university and Security Services will take in the event of a protest or demonstration. Unlike the Statement of Values, the Operating Procedures are not subject to Senate approval.

Associate Professor of Political Science Derek Nystrom asked why Senate was not allowed to vote on the approval of the Operating Procedures. Vice-Principal (Administration and Finance) Michael Di Grappa explained that normal Operating Procedures for campus security services do not require Senate approval.

The Statement of Values will need to be approved by the Board of Governors (BoG) before coming into effect, which will likely happen at the Apr. 26 meeting of the BoG. The Operating Procedures are currently in effect.

 

edX and mental health discussed

Another major topic of debate at Wednesday’s meeting was McGill’s participation in the edX consortium—a not-for-profit enterprise comprised of several universities that offer free Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). EdX was founded by Harvard and MIT. McGill joined edX on Feb. 20 without approval from Senate.

Provost Anthony Masi explained that approval from Senate was not required to join edX, as Senate had already approved the Achieving Strategic Academic Priorities (ASAP) plan, which had an entire section on technological pedagogy, under which edX falls.

Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Morton Mendelson also led a discussion on both student mental health at McGill and student-professor interactions.

Mendelson said that mental health issues at the university are on the rise, citing the fact that last semester there was a 20 per cent increase in drop-in visits at the McGill’s Mental Health Services Clinic.

He also noted that 14 students were hospitalized at the McGill University Health Centre last semester due to mental health issues—a number much higher than the average two hospitalizations that usually occur in a semester, on average.

Wait times are also a concern, according to Mendelson, as students sometimes wait weeks or months to see a counselor.

“Mental health should be the top priority for student services,” said Mendelson.

Mendelson said that his team has explored several solutions in order to curb mental health issues. One would be to restructure the calendar so as to provide for a longer winter break to alleviate stress, while another option sought to create a mental health work group, which would “advance the overall health of students,” according to Mendelson.

 

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Highlights from the Mar. 20 PGSS Annual General Meeting

by Emma Windfeld on

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The Post Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) hosted its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the Thompson House Ballroom last Wednesday evening with students, McGill staff, and PGSS members in attendance. Six motions were passed before the meeting lost quorum.

 

PGSS Council

Before the AGM began, PGSS held a Council meeting to vote on the appointment of Colby Briggs to the position of Chief Returning Officer (CRO) on PGSS Council.

“I did run elections at Concordia for their Arts and Science Federation of Associations,” Briggs, a Concordia graduate and former Concordia Community Assistant, said. “I know they faced many of the issues that I’ve heard go on here, so I think I’ll be more than able to bring my experience there to the McGill environment.”

The room voted in favour of his appointment.

 

Motion to censure removed 

PGSS Member Services Officer Elizabeth Cawley began the AGM by motioning to remove an item from the agenda that called for the censure of Academic Affairs Officer Adam Bouchard and Secretary-General Jonathan Mooney.

The motion to censure arose due to Bouchard and Mooney’s alleged failure to comply with a request passed down to them from last year’s AGM last March, which asked them to contract an independent company to audit McGill’s securitization of campus. Cawley argued that, despite Bouchard and Mooney’s alleged lack of compliance, censuring them was unnecessary.

“These executives have conducted themselves in accordance with regulations, diligently worked to complete their project, and a motion of censure is completely reprehensible,” Cawley said.

Cawley’s motion passed, and the motion to censure was struck from the agenda.

 

Differential Fee Waivers

Differential fees—the tuition supplements for international students—were addressed in the third motion of the evening, which called upon McGill to advocate for Differential Fee Waivers (DFW) based on graduate students’ financial needs.

Mooney mentioned that the dean of Graduate Studies continues to pay 70 per cent of the differential fees of each international PhD student the department admits, but the dean of each faculty has discretion over whether they allocate this money towards the students’ differential fee or not.

“It’s this weird system where you’re getting money based on how many international students you attract, but sometimes you don’t use it to actually make the experience good for them,” Mooney said.

After some debate, the motion passed with a strong majority.

 

Gender Equality

The fourth motion on the agenda addressed the lack of gender parity on PGSS’ Board of Directors, and called upon the Board to have female candidates fill at least 50 per cent of positions.

Most participants agreed with the spirit of the motion, but some expressed the opinion that it needed further refinement.

“Overall, it’s good to diversify the Board, but why are we only talking about women?” PGSS Internal Affairs Officer Michael Krause asked. “[I agree that] we should actively reach out to more women and [to] more diverse members … but I think as the motion stands now, it is not feasible and not fully encompassing what the PGSS should do.”

Cora-Lee Conway, a doctoral student at McGill and a mover of the motion, emphasized that it seeks to diversification the Board.

“My motivation was to bring this motion forward as an entry point to discussion about the values we have here at the PGSS about representation,” Conway said. “[PGSS] Council … has over 50 per cent female membership, [yet our] Board, up until today, did not have any female representation.”

The motion passed after it was amended to encourage increased diversity rather than exclusively female representation on the Board.

 

Oil Sands investments

A motion for PGSS to lobby McGill to cut off its investments in Canada’s Oil Sands industry passed after some issues were addressed, including concern over the feasibility of persuading McGill to divest from these companies, and whether the tax revenues from these companies benefit students.

Divest McGill Spokesperson Lily Schwarzbaum spoke to PGSS, insisting that divestment from Oil Sands interests is a feasible and necessary step for the university to undertake.

“Divestment is a concrete target to symbolically make the statement [against supporting fossil fuels] along with other universities in North America,” said Schwarzbaum.

After it lost quorum, the AGM adjourned amidst debate on the seventh motion, which concerned tuition indexation. It was decided that PGSS will use their in-house researcher to further look into the issue of tuition indexation.

a, News

What happened last week in Canada

by Bea Britneff and Andra Cernavskis on

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Montreal police crack down on one-year anniversary protest

Last Friday, protestors gathered at Place Émilie-Gamelin to commemorate the one-year anniversary of a historic march against tuition increases that took place on Mar. 22, 2012. However, the Montreal police (SPVM) intervened quickly, and arrested over 250 people.

Several demonstrators criticized the police for dispersing them before the protest truly began, and the march’s organizers pointed to the SPVM’s behaviour as “increasingly systemic repression,” according the National Post.

CBC News reported that Québec Solidaire member Manon Massé said that her party is requesting an independent public inquiry into police conduct during demonstrations and protests in downtown Montreal.

Friday’s march, which saw hundreds of attendees­—a number that came nowhere close to the tens of thousands of students who paralyzed the streets of Montreal last year—was the latest in a series of protests that have occurred following the Quebec government’s decision to index tuition by three per cent a year.

 

Cree group to finish 1,600 km trek in support of Idle No More movement in Ottawa

A group of Cree youths will soon complete their 1,600 kilometre march to Ottawa in support of the Idle No More movement.

The group, originally comprised of six young adults and a guide left their James Bay community of Whapmagootsui, Quebec, in January. Many people from other Cree and Algonquin Communities have joined them since their departure, increasing the group’s membership to 200.

The group has been travelling in the winter weather conditions only by snowshoe. Throughout the duration of the march, 22 of the walkers suffered from foot injuries and had to seek medical attention in Kitigan Zibi, Quebec. Three required further treatment and were sent to a hospital in Maniwaki.

David Kawapit, an 18-year-old Cree youth, told  CBC News that the group has received a lot of support along their journey.

The group, who has called their trek “The Journey of the People,” arrived in Ottawa on Monday.

 

TVO pulls online game that shows pipeline bombing

Following heavy criticism from the premiers of Alberta and B.C., public broadcaster TV Ontario (TVO) has decided to remove an online game that features the bombing of gas pipelines. Ontario Education Minister Liz Sandals and two appointed individuals will review the game and determine whether it meets the broadcaster’s programming standards.

According to the Globe and Mail, TVO paid to have the game developed, with the intention of including it in a documentary highlighting the heated public debate over Enbridge’s proposed Northern Gateway pipeline project. The Gateway pipeline would transfer raw bitumen from the Alberta Oil Sands, through B.C., to the West Coast.

“It’s disappointing to see a taxpayer-funded game and organization depict the blowing up of pipelines,” Alberta Premier Alison Redford said in a public statement. “It’s exactly opposite of Canada’s interests given all of Canada benefits from a strong and diverse energy sector.”

TVO spent approximately $100,000 on the production of the game and the documentary, according to the Globe and Mail.

 

Manitobans suffering from flood damages sue Province

People who owned property on Lake Manitoba prior to the flood of Apr. 2011 flood filed a lawsuit on Mar. 23 against the province for $260 million, saying that the government relocated too much water into the area that had already been damaged extensively by flooding.

According to CBC News, the government of Manitoba had committed to providing multi-year compensation for floods from 2011 onwards. Many property owners on Lake Manitoba initially received compensation for the flood. However, they claim that they have not received anything more since 2012, despite remaining property damages.

“The government needs to fess up that they dumped a pile of water in there, and it had nowhere to go,” Alice Dent, one of the plaintiffs in the case who lost her cottage due to the excess water, told CBC News. “I don’t think you can talk to anybody that doesn’t understand that we were sacrificed for Winnipeg.”

 

One-man Hunger Strike begins in Vancouver

On Mar. 22, a Vancouver resident, who calls himself “The artist formerly known as Homeless Dave,” began a hunger strike to protest the gentrification of the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood in Vancouver.

According to the Globe and Mail, his specific demands include that the city’s government deny a permit to build condominiums at 138 Hastings Street E.; that social housing be built on the site of a former police station on Main Street; and, that the entire neighbourhood be deemed a “social justice zone.”

The man only plans to drink sage tea and juice until his demands are met, the Globe and Mail
reported.

This is the latest instance of protesting against the alleged displacement of low-income residents in the Downtown Eastside. Earlier last week, a group that identifies as “Anarchist” stole a sign from an eatery in the neighbourhood that they had deemed to be a “prominent piece of gentrification propaganda.”

a, Sports

Around the Water Cooler

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In case you were too busy finishing up midterms, or preparing for Passover, here’s what you missed last week in the world of sports …

 

HOCKEY — More Shanahan shenanigans on Thursday have left fans and players alike scratching their heads. Leafs winger Joffrey Lupul was slapped with a two-game suspension for a hit to the head of Victor Hedman, while Rick Nash avoided punishment for a similar attack on Tomas Kopecky. Lupul expressed his anger via Twitter following the news; however, it’s unclear if he was reacting to the league’s suspension, or the displeasure of having to play for the Maple Leafs.

In the standings, the Blackhawks remain atop the league, while in the East, the Canadiens and Bruins continue to battle Pittsburgh for the number one seed.  With about a month left to play, nothing is certain, except that Florida is really bad. Also, the Tampa Bay Lightning fired Head Coach and McGill graduate Guy Boucher on Sunday after the team’s disappointing 13-17-1 start. So we’re all sad here at the Tribune.

 

FORMULA ONE — The crazy individuals who drive cars fast were in Malaysia over the weekend for the second event of the year. Last year’s champion Sebastian Vettel claimed the race, edging out fellow Red Bull teammate Mark Webber. Sparks flew in the post-race talks between the duo, as Vettel admitted to ordering Webber to concede first so he could stand atop the podium. Although he finished second in the race, Webber most certainly won the award for iciest stare-down, callously displaying his displeasure for Vettel afterwards.

A similar story unfolded in the Mercedes camp between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Hamilton eventually took third, but his finish was overshadowed by his pit-stop blunder in the early goings of the race. Hamilton apparently forgot that he switched from the McLaren team to Mercedes at the end of last year, entering his ex-team’s pits for a tire change. Evidently, old habits die hard.

 

NCAA BASKETBALL — Madness! Each year the NCAA tournament ruins the lives of those foolish enough to think they have what it takes to fill out a bracket. This year, the collapse came in the form of National Championship contenders Georgetown. The second-seeded Hoyas ducked out in the round of 64 to the 15th seeded Florida Gulf Coast, which sounds more like a retirement home than a full-fledged bracket buster. Florida Gulf Coast offered a repeat performance on Sunday, beating San Diego State to become the first 15 seed to make the Sweet 16, which is pretty … well … sweet. They’re matched up against Florida in the next round, which should be pretty exciting for all the Gulf Coast players who probably wished to be recruited by the Gators.

No.1 seed Gonzaga dropped their third round match to the Wichita State Shockers, consequently becoming the first top seed to exit the tournament. Canadians Kelly Olynyk and Kevin Pangos represented their country well, however, and should continue to showcase the advancement of Canadian basketball next season. Fellow No.1 seed Indiana survived a bit of a scare against Temple University to advance to the Sweet 16.

 

a, Sports

Point Counterpoint

by Mayaz Alam, Remi Lu on

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Each year March Madness offers countless baskbetball fans a glimpse into the world of college basketball. The popularity of this event speaks volumes for the allure of NCAA basketball, but is it more appealing than its professional NBA counterpart? Two contributors weigh in on the better level of ball.

 

For: NCAA Basketball

The debate between college sports and professional sports rages on year after year. For basketball, however, that discussion can be easily put to rest. College basketball is better than its professional counterpart, because of the relatability of the athletes at the college level, and the quality of its post-season.

Some argue that the NCAA product may be diluted, due to the vast disparity in talent between the perennial powerhouses and the low-major minnows. However, this talent gulf exists in the NBA to an even greater extent. For instance, in the past 30 years, the Larry O’Brien trophy has been lifted 25 times by just five teams. Essentially, if your team is not located in a major television market (Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles), there is a miniscule chance that they will have any post-season glory.

Another prominent argument in favour of the NCAA is the fact that the players are not paid. In the NBA, financial motivation can significantly alter a player’s ambitions. In a contract year, for instance, a player may give his all in order to earn a higher paycheque the following summer. Once that player is paid, however, the incentive to provide a full effort every game is diminished. In college, while some are playing primarily to make the NBA, most student athletes are playing because of their pure love for the game.

However, the most glaring indicator of why the NCAA is better, has to do with the cultural phenomenon that is sweeping the continent at this very moment: March Madness. A league should place a premium on the quality of its playoffs, and the NCAA has arguably ,the best post-season of any major sport. There is typically little to no drama or suspense surrounding the NBA Playoffs. This trend continues this year as Miami, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City are the only realistic title contenders.  On the other hand, the structure of March Madness is far more watchable and exciting. If you lose, you’re out; it’s that simple. As a result, the tournament is almost completely unpredictable. One only needs to fill out a bracket to realize that anything is possible when there is only one game on the line. The biggest players rise up to the occasion, and the phonies shy awsportay from the bright lights—the mentally strong are the ones who survive. Moreover, coaching takes on a far greater importance as the X’s and O’s actually make a difference in comparison to the thousands of isolation plays in the NBA playoffs.

There are no Cinderellas in the NBA—just corrupt, wicked step-sisters who only care about making sure that their numbers are balanced. The players in the NBA may be more talented, but the NCAA allows each and every one of us to fall in love with a bunch of no-names who have the guts to deliver blow after knock-out blow to Goliaths. It gives us something to relate to, something to believe in, and reminds us that any one of us can have our own shining moment.

—Mayaz Alam

 

For: NBA Basketball

Russell. Wilt. Kareem. Bird. Magic. Jordan. Kobe. LeBron.

These are the names that have elevated basketball to its current status as an international sport juggernaut. These players’ standings as singular-name icons is a testament to the growth of NBA basketball and its presence in our everyday lives.

While some of these basketball greats used the NCAA as their stepping stone onto the sports scene, the NBA is where they truly cement their legacies and turn into basketball legends. This is due to the nature of the league itself, where only the best of the best from around the world play every night. Those who thrive in the NBA play against the top competition possible, and, as such, are justly awarded a place in the history books.

On the other hand, while college basketball certainly has its fair share of skilled players, very few would claim that it boasts the world’s best players—not even the most ardent fans of the college basketball scene. The NCAA consists primarily of American players coached and raised with the same playing style. As athletes directly out of high school, the skill levels for the majority of students are still raw. Furthermore, the extremely high player turnover rate in the NCAA does not provide enough time for players to establish a legacy for themselves. In comparison, the athletes of the NBA are famous for their career storylines and the twists and turns organic to them. They build themselves a legacy.

In addition, the lack of international variety amongst the amateur league’s roster is blatant. When was the last time the NCAA featured a pleasantly mellifluous name such as the likes of Bismack Biyombo or Ricky Rubio?

Yet the NBA has one of the greatest displays of diversity on a nightly basis. The vast international audience allows the league to reach out to countries all around the world and create a wider viewership of the games. This coming in stark contrast to the intense hunt necessary to catch a rare glimpse of an NCAA game during the regular season. While both the NCAA and NBA are suffering from the commercial gigantism of the sport, the NBA does have greater media accessibility, providing fans simpler means to connect with their favourite teams or players.

Ultimately, the debate between NCAA and NBA basketball comes down to the fan experience. While supposed basketball purists may tout the college game’s “rugged” playing style—which is, quite frankly, another way to say that it’s boring—the NBA features offences and defences of every kind, including those that resemble the team-oriented approach of the NCAA. Furthermore, the NBA is famous for its elite athleticism on display every night, which makes for an incredibly enjoyable experience for the fans.

There is a reason why March Madness is the only time of the year when the NCAA scene really comes alive. It occurs just prior to the NBA playoffs, and acts as a brief burst of excitement during the ‘dog days’ of the NBA regular season. The real test of NCAA and NBA basketball popularity is obvious: if March Madness coincided with the NBA playoffs, which one would fans watch? The answer is easy.

—Remi Lu

 

 

Winner is …. NBA Basketball

Although March Madness is an incredible tournament and exhibition of skills, the lack of interest of most fans throughout the regular NCAA season hinders its popularity. Meanwhile, in the NBA, excitement throughout not just the entire season, but also the off-season, coupled with the league’s explosive talent make it the undeniable winner.

Toronto Blue Jays
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The Tribune’s Top 10 fantasy baseball tips

by Joshua Freedman on

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After a long winter, the greatest (and original) fantasy sport is back: baseball. Here are some tips for all of you gamers out there, planning  on joining a pool for the 2013 MLB season.

 

Do not become too enamored with the youngsters

Notwithstanding Mike Trout and Bryce Harper’s amazing seasons last year, most rookies and second-year players need time to develop in the big leagues. Don’t be the person drafting Jurickson Profar, Oscar Tavares, and Manny Machado way too early. Instead, focus on reliable veterans such as Paul Konerko, Adrian Beltre, and Derek Jeter.

 

Be aware of last year’s performances

Given the luck inherent in baseball, it is possible that many players over and under-performed last year (I’m looking at you, Cliff Lee), relative to their true talent ability. Be sure to look at some more underlying statistics like Batting Average on Balls In Play (BABIP), Line Drive Percentage (LD%), and Fly Ball Percentage (FB%) to see if your player is due for a repeat performance.

 

Stay away from injury risks in the early rounds

The early rounds are the time to build a core group of players who will generate points for your team. This means avoiding players who have spent a lot of time on the disabled list in the past, which is the best predictor for future injuries. It’s also important to keep track of any spring training injuries. You don’t want to take Chase Headley, Curtis Granderson, or Mark Teixeira as top guys when they’re injured.

 

Chase the K’s

Make sure to draft pitchers whose strikeout rate hovers around nine per nine innings. Not surprisingly, many of these pitchers are also great contributors in the WHIP and ERA categories.

 

Wait on closers

There is incredible turnover of closer jobs during the year, meaning that if you are quick on the waiver wire, they can grab these new save contributors. Do not take closers in the first 12 rounds, when you can be building other areas of your team.

 

Generally ignore spring training performance

It is unlikely that Julio Teheran and Rick Porcello will be the best pitchers in the big leagues this year. That being said, keep away from Ricky Romero and Roy Halladay; their springs have been alarmingly bad.

 

Head-to-Head tips

Do not draft starting pitchers, but instead focus on getting two-to-four of the best closers in the game, basically ensuring you win Saves, ERA, and WHIP categories every week. Also, by avoiding starting pitchers, you can stack your offensive lineup.

 

Try out the Auction system

For those who haven’t tried, an auction draft gives every team a set budget and then lets all the league managers bid on the players they want. You can draft the team you want, but keep in mind that it does take a very long time to complete this type of draft.

 

Players I like for 2013

Domonic Brown, Alex Hicks, Cliff Lee, Jose Reyes, Will Middlebrooks, Jesus Montero, Andrelton Simmons, Anthony Rizzo, Ben Revere, Ryan Howard, and Justin Upton.

 

 Players I don’t like for 2013

Ryan Braun (possible 50 game drug suspension), Josh Hamilton, Hunter Pence, Adam Jones, Aramis Ramirez, and Jonathan Papelbon.

a, Behind the Bench, Sports

The mathematics of sports

by Shen Chen on

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Bill James first pioneered it for baseball in the 1980s, Moneyball made it popular, and now it is playing an increasing role within the dealings of NBA teams.

Sports analytics, as it is known,  is fuelled by self-described sports-loving stat geeks, and is the go-to metric for professional sports teams to get ahead of the competition. It has taken sports by storm, and given PhD scholars and die-hard analytical fans a place in the same front office as old-school executives. To plan new strategies, to better evaluate player performance, to improve overall outcomes—this has become an extensive, numbers driven game.

Analytics uses data to formulate models to make forecasts about future outcomes, however specific the domain may be. It goes beyond the scope of traditional box-scores to gain an edge over the competition. The vast amounts of data are all there; the hidden truths and patterns lie within. It is what Nate Silver, an influential political forecaster who started out as a baseball analyst, refers to as “the signal in a universe of noise” when making predictions.

Do these models, then, make instinct and in-game decisions and out-of-date plays irrelevant? No, to the contrary. Analytics can either validate or dispel those intuitions with numbers from collections of big data: from 82 games, to outcomes of shots taken from the same spot, to tendencies of a pitcher at certain distinct situations, to data points from the same combination of players on the court—the possibilities are endless.

One of my favourite basketball analytical tidbits is that not all three-point shots are created equal: the corner three is generally scored at a significantly higher rate than other spots, a statistically validated fact. To Gregg “Pop” Popovich, head coach of San Antonio Spurs, this means more plays drawn for “corner three specialists” like Danny Green or retired shooting specialist Bruce Bowen. Since the three-point line is two feet closer to the basket from the corner than it is from the perimeter, it is no wonder that players tend to shoot at a higher efficiency. Shane Battier of Miami Heat is another example of a corner three specialist, who lives and breathes from the corner. That is how he (mostly) earns his $3M yearly salary, by knocking down those shots, and in doing so, spreading the court and space for LeBron to dominate the paint.

While it may be tempting to be consumed by such models and detailed statistics—trust me, there are plenty to browse through on a leisurely Sunday afternoon—it is equally important to keep in mind that these models, while useful, are not black-boxes to the future. There is, and will always be, some form of inherent randomness.

When Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland A’s took charge in Moneyball, he had far fewer financial resources to play around with than his competitors, yet he still had to compete against high-payroll teams like the New York Yankees. As the modern pioneer of analytics, he trusted numbers and data over traditional methods of scouting and watching. His goal was to find undervalued players who contribute distinct value to the team and come together to provide a good return on the team’s small investment. The A’s, a small market ball club, performed well and Beane’s theories were defended in practice. The victory wasn’t only beneficial for the franchise, but it also changed the field of sports analytics. At that point, the revolution had just started. Now, it’s moving to the forefront of sports management—a reality that will change sports for the better.

(Illustration by: Ben Ko / McGill Tribune)
a, Features

Beyond Medicine: Battling the Disease of Linguistic Discrimination in Quebec

by Colleen McNamara on

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It began as your typical run-of-the-mill wintery sore throat. The slightly inflamed tonsils, scratchy throat, and minor shivers did not prove worthy of a lengthy emergency room wait, much less a painfully early morning, cued up in the cold to snag an appointment slot at the McGill clinic. But a couple of days of home remedies including Halls, fluids, and multivitamins failed to ward off the storm brewing in my brain. As pain increased and the sensation of thick skin amassed from the bottom of my nose to the top of my collarbone, the inability to distinguish my chin from my face or neck pushed me out the door towards the nearest hospital, Hôtel-Dieu.

As the Canadian healthcare algorithm goes, the more serious the issue, the shorter the wait time. I waited only a few minutes between my examination by the triage nurse and my meeting with the emergency room doctor. Taking a look at my throat, he spewed out a multitude of causes for the colony of lymph nodes protruding before him, comically casting my throat as “Nothing like I’ve ever seen in my 25 years of work!” and inviting all residents over to take a look at my freakishly swollen face and neck.

My first impressions of the hospital were nothing but positive. Clean, accommodating, friendly and efficient— what more could one ask for in such a vulnerable physical state? I was attended to by pleasant health care professionals, each assuring me that I would be able to fully open my mouth sometime soon, that this vial of blood should be the last, and that the intravenous would do its job.

However, an inability to pinpoint the infection that plagued me extended my stay at the hospital from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. While the prolonged visit allowed me to emerge from the hospital healthier and with a heavy dose of antibiotics flowing through my veins, it also became the first time I felt the weight of discrimination.

 

At first, everything was going fine, until my English-accommodating roster bequeathed to their homes for a rest in between shifts. When dealing with them, the doctors, nurses, and I would meet each other half way with broken versions of French and English to come to an understanding. One nurse even sought out another co-worker to do my blood work because of her inability to communicate with me.

But the new night nurse assigned to me, unlike her co-workers, made no effort to accommodate to our language discrepancy. Whenever I asked her a question, she would reply to me in French. Then, informing her that I could not understand what she was saying and requesting English, she replied, “Yeah, I can, but you speak too fast.” Aside from the illogical nature of responding to someone in a different language as a punishment for his or her apparent speediness when talking, keep in mind that the swelling of my throat forced me to utter only a couple of words at a time, stretching my mouth as open as possible to annunciate words without igniting too much discomfort.

Ten minutes after I asked to have a caretaker that I could communicate with, I was removed from my single room, which was directly across from the nurse’s station, to the back corner of a narrow hallway right in front of a door. As the nurse stormed away from our heated attempt at trying to speak to one another, I assumed her frustrations would be eased by a break or a breath of fresh air—not by forcing me out of my room altogether. When the hospital staff pushed my bed to its new location, she sarcastically waved and smiled goodbye to me.

One would assume that the snobbery elicited from using the English language in a typically French area would be limited to places such as restaurants, clothing stores, and government offices—in other words, places where clear communication could not mean the difference between life and death. My tumultuous encounter with the nurse had given me a new perspective of language discrimination for Anglophones in Quebec. I wanted answers.

It began with a quest for stories similar to mine. Telling my hospital-gone-bad story to friends and fellow students, tales ranged from one student recalling a time he hopped in a cab to get to the closest hospital, Hôtel-Dieu, and a cab driver warning him that, although it was further, driving the extra mile to the Royal Victoria Hospital would be much better, considering his lack of French.

Most other students interviewed attended Royal Victoria Hospital instead as well, regardless of its distance from their homes. As one student put it, “I feel more comfortable [at Royal Victoria] because I know it’s associated with the school, so I just assume there will be English speakers there.

Although the search for a first-hand account similar to my own yielded returns in which most students talked about intense wait times, further research proves that language discrimination in Montreal hospitals is significant in the field of medical ethics today.

“Dialogue McGill,” a two-day conference held this March to explore communication issues in Canada’s health care system addressed the question of language minorities—especially those who speak English—in Quebec. Keynote speaker Antonia Maioni, associate professor of the department of political science, stressed the strong relationship between health care and politics, emphasizing that changes in the greater Canadian political climate are bound to spill over and affect health care services, noting that “these language questions don’t exist in a vacuum.” She pointed out that in order to fully understand the complexities of protecting minorities in public services, such as health care, broadening the lens of analysis to account for the country as a whole is essential for understanding.

Specifically, Maioni believes the current federal government’s lack of special interest in social policy, combined with its tendency to stay out of provincial matters cultivates a “phantom federalism” in which the government will only pop up into matters as needed. This, mixed with the Parti-Québécois’ focus on keeping provincial doors tightly closed, and Canada out of Quebec’s health care, jeopardizes the protection of minority rights in a publicly funded service. In essence, this lack of leadership on the part of the federal government, Maioni believes, has a high impact on minorities. Despite health care services being a provincial matter, the country’s commitment to spending so much public money on providing health care services insinuates the promise of an equitable service; if all persons are expected to shell out cash for a service, they must have equal rights, and equal services.

In an effort to confront the challenges of providing equitable health care, health care professionals and researchers in the field are seeking to implement innovative strategies to accommodate for the fact that, upon arriving to Canada, 42 per cent of immigrants speak neither English nor French.

Preliminary findings in research conducted by Eric Jarvis, Rana Ahmed, Andrew G. Ryder, and Laurence Kirmayer presented at Dialogue McGill suggest that language discrepancies in the Quebec health care system have a lasting impact: patients are less likely to return for additional care, or follow-up appointments if they speak a minority language. Considering this, the discoveries suggest that, although health care in Quebec and Canada is fundamentally a publicly provided service, only a portion of the population feels comfortable reaping the benefits.

While the statistics may cast a negative shadow over Canada’s already scrutinized health care system, practical solutions can be put in place to lessen the impact for minority language speakers in Quebec. Jarvis et. al suggest employing different avenues for professional interpreters to make themselves available on-site for clinicians and patients.

Similarly, inducting new language teaching materials for nurses to boost confidence and efficiency in communicating in second or third languages will pave way for a clearer exchange. Elizabeth Gatbonton and Leif French of Concordia University, and University of Quebec at Chicoutimi respectively, call for a greater focus on garnering confident language abilities for nurses today, noting that in an already highly-sensitive communicative sphere, providing nurses with practical language tools will increase effectiveness in patient to clinician relationships.

Feature Spread - Beyond Medicine
Feature Spread – Beyond Medicine
The vaulted subject of Bert Stern: Original Mad Man. (www.floridafilmfestival.com)
a, Arts & Entertainment

A portrait of the artist as a cranky old man

by Diana Wright on

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Before Don Draper, there was Bert Stern—a man who forever shaped the way we looked at consumer products. Bert Stern: Original Mad Man takes an intimate look at one of the most influential fashion and celebrity photographers of the 20th century. Stern was a pioneer in the field of commercial photography, reimagining advertisements and fashion magazines alike with a modern and minimalistic eye.

The documentary closely examines Stern’s life, but often its story is sequentially unfocused. It shifts from the present day, replete with lawsuits and the travails of old age, to the past, by way of Stern’s memories.

Stern undoubtedly lived an extraordinary life, and is still lively and entertaining at the age of 94. Known primarily for shooting The Last Sitting of Marilyn Monroe six weeks before her death, Stern is a self-professed womanizer, who claims that women are his “favourite thing in the world.”

Starting out as the assistant to an art director at an advertising firm in New York City, Stern eventually moved into the realm of fashion and celebrity photography. This is what he is best known for today, having shot Monroe, Twiggy, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and more recently, Kate Moss and Lindsay Lohan—the latter in an infamous recreation of The Last Sitting—throughout his long career.

The movie details Stern’s relationships with many women, but most notably his volatile marriage to American ballet dancer Allegra Kent. The focus on women lends the film an almost misogynistic tone, as it appears that instead of loving women and praising them in his pictures, Stern instead used the medium of photography to dominate and own them. Although Stern is not an unlikeable subject, some of his opinions are dated and sexist, and sit uncomfortably with a modern audience.

Director Shannah Laumeister is a close friend of Stern’s, and sometimes her relationship with the legendary photographer gets in the way of the film’s narrative. For example, the documentary tends to focus on their oddly sexual yet platonic friendship, instead of the more interesting, dynamic aspects of Stern’s life, such as his beginnings in advertising, and his relationship with his family. Removing the sections that feature Laumeister and her relationship with Stern would have created a much more focused and consistent direction for the film.

The director’s close relationship with the subject also allows for a large amount of bias, as more unsavoury (yet important) aspects of Stern’s personality and life are only casually revealed near the end of the documentary, only to be immediately swept away.

One of the most notable examples of this is Stern’s descent into mental illness in the ’70s, which is framed in a bizarre way that undermines the severity of the breakdown. Instead of portraying Stern’s illness as a cautionary tale against heavy drug use, its importance is downplayed.

Similarly, Stern’s estranged relationship with one of his daughters is hinted at near the end of the film, but her absence is given absolutely no explanation from Stern himself—Laumeister simply skims over the surface, instead of exposing any true familial emotion beneath Stern’s tough exterior. Interestingly, Stern’s son is not interviewed in the film, for reasons that also go unacknowledged and unexplained.

Despite the documentary’s subject’s extremely exciting life, Bert Stern: Original Mad Man becomes depressing.

“I shouldn’t have been so happy [when I was young], I should have saved it for now … when I need it,” Stern states in the film.

It seems that even with all of his experiences within the world of celebrity, the lack of close personal relationships in Stern’s life has come back to haunt him. His isolation is a topic which is conspicuously missing from the film, and it might be the cause of his estranged relationship with at least one of his children. It’s unfortunate—although he caught many beautiful moments on film, Bert Stern seems to have neglected to pursue them in his own life outside his studio.

 

Bert Stern: Original Mad Man opens Mar. 29 at Cinema du Parc (3575 Avenue du Parc).

 

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