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a, Science & Technology

ABCs of Science: Alzheimer’s

by Clare Lyle on

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Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias affect an estimated 500,000 Canadians. A study by the Alzheimer Society of Canada (ASC) found the disease to be the second most feared by Canadians as they age, and with good reason—the disease leads to cognitive function resulting in impaired short-term memory, the inability to perform routine tasks, and as the disease progresses, the loss of long-term memories.

Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by the formation of plaques and tangles in the brain caused by the very proteins that work to maintain normal brain function. When these proteins—Tau and beta-amyloid—fold into the wrong shape, they become toxic to neurons, eventually causing the death of brain cells.

Researchers are currently exploring a wide range of treatments to deal with different aspects of the disease. Some studies have looked into altering the biochemical pathways that are suspected to cause the proteins to misfold. So far, attempts to control the disease by treating amyloid-beta proteins have not produced any effective treatment options.

Dr. Serge Gauthier, from the McGill Centre for Studies in Aging, offered an explanation.

“The short story is that if you try [to treat] amyloid when the dementia is already obvious, it’s probably too late,” he said.

Potential treatment of the other type of protein, Tau, is still being investigated.

Current treatment options address the physiological and psychological effects of Alzheimer’s. Some psychiatric drugs may be used to treat neuropsychiatric symptoms such as aggression, agitation, and depression.

A class of drugs called cholinesterase inhibitors, which increase the amount of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, have been found to reduce cognitive decline. Another drug called memantine, developed in part by McGill researchers, helps to slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s by blocking chemical receptors in the brain.

There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s. Current drugs can reduce and slow down symptoms, but so far, no one has been able to reverse the progression of the disease. Once diagnosed, patients face an inevitable decline.

With such a grim prognosis, prevention and early detection of Alzheimer’s is a top priority. Luckily, there are several ways for people to reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

Living a healthy lifestyle is the single biggest way to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s later in life, according to the ASC. Eating a healthy diet, exercising, and being socially engaged are all simple ways of improving overall health while helping to prevent a range of aging-related diseases, not just Alzheimer’s.

In particular, exercise has been shown to have a protective effect. It increases the levels of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which causes the growth of the hippocampus, the region of the brain responsible for memory.

Having an intellectually stimulating job, playing sudoku, and even gardening have also been shown to be beneficiary. For men, marital status also plays a role. According to a study done at Harvard University, married men have a lower risk of Alzheimer’s than bachelors.

There are a number of groups working to educate the public not only about prevention but also about living with the disease. The Alzheimer Society of Montreal, for example, runs both fundraising and awareness programs to help make people more comfortable talking about Alzheimer’s.

Society today has a complicated relationship with Alzheimer’s, in part because many people are unfamiliar with the disease.

“There is definitely a stigma,” said Jessica Seidman, a counselor from the Alzheimer Society of Montreal. “Friends and family members [of patients] pull away because they don’t necessarily understand what to do, or they might not be comfortable in helping [the patient] through [the disease] because they’re very concerned about what the disease means and don’t know how to act.” 

While the average university student may run a low risk of developing Alzheimer’s any time soon, chances are that most students will eventually know someone who does. A 2005 study published in Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders projected the worldwide prevalence of dementia to nearly triple between 2000 and 2040.

“Just because someone has that diagnosis [of Alzheimer’s] doesn’t mean that they can’t live a fulfilling life and participate in the community,” Seidman said.

This rise in Alzheimer’s patients makes it even more important for society to increase its familiarity with the disease. Events like Alzheimer Awareness Month in January, as well as many others, help to break down stereotypes of dementia.

a, Basketball, Behind the Bench, Sports

Behind the Bench: Happy days in the NBA

by Max Berger on

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The fabric of a league rarely differs all that much on opening night from what it was the year before. (more…)

a, Basketball, Football, Hockey, Soccer, Sports

10 Things: Sports’ greatest rivalries

by Mayaz Alam on

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  1. El Clasico: 93-89-48. Real Madrid and Barcelona are separated by only four wins after 85 years of an intense, hatred-filled rivalry. Real Madrid represents Spanish nationalism whereas Barcelona symbolizes the fight for Catalonian independence. Many rivalries claim to be more than just a game, but El Clasico is one of the few that can back that up.
  2. The Battle of Tobacco Road: Duke and North Carolina are separated by a mere nine miles of highway and often play with a conference championship on the line. The Tar Heels have reached 18 Final Fours to the Blue Devils’ 15, and have a five-four edge in National Championships as well. Duke, however, has had the upper hand in recent years, winning the tournament in 2010.
  3. Iron Bowl: The state of Alabama has no major professional sports teams. What it does have, however, is the most heated rivalry in college football. Either Auburn or Alabama has played in the last five National Championship games, and the state has produced four consecutive championship teams in that time span. Both teams are ranked in the top five this season, making another matchup with national title implications highly likely.
  4. Canada–USA Women’s Ice Hockey: When there are only two elite teams in a sport, there is bound to be friction. There have been 20 major international ice hockey tournaments since the inaugural World Championship in 1990. One of the two teams has won the gold medal at every single tournament and they have faced off against one another in the finals an astounding 19 times.
  5. Lakers–Celtics: The two franchises have combined to win nearly half of all NBA Championships, an outlandish statistic. Additionally, the Lakers and Celtics have needed to beat each other to win a title on multiple occasions. Both are going through a brief period of irrelevance, but it won’t last. Boston and Los Angeles are basketball’s titletowns.
  6. New York Yankees–Boston Red Sox: Bostonians and New Yorkers hate each other for a myriad of reasons, and the rivalry between the Red Sox and the Yankees only adds fuel to the fire. For 86 years, the Red Sox went title-less while the Yankees won 26 times. In recent years, the Red Sox have been more successful, with three World Series rings to the Yankees’ one in the past decade.
  7. Montreal Canadiens–Toronto Maple Leafs: Let’s call the oldest rivalry in the NHL a historic one, too, given the recent ineptitude of the Leafs. The two teams have met 715 times in the regular season and have combined to win the Stanley Cup 37 times. On the national scale, Toronto and Montreal are constantly being compared and judged against one another as well.
  8. Roger Federer–Rafael Nadal: Men’s tennis has had its notable share of famous players. But Federer and Nadal have come to define the sport in the past decade. Federer is the embodiment of grace and surgical precision, while Nadal is all passion and fire. Both are in the conversation for greatest men’s tennis player in history, but the story is incomplete when just looking at one.
  9. Peyton Manning–Tom Brady: The quarterback in American football is arguably the most scrutinized position in professional sports. Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are already locks for the Hall of Fame, and have played almost their entire careers in constant juxtaposition. In a sport with nearly 1,700 active players, the narrative almost always revolves around two: Brady and Manning.
  10. Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova: They are two of the greatest women’s tennis players in history and they played each other in the championship game of tournaments 60 times. Unlike other rivalries that are based on mutual hatred or dislike, theirs was based on mutual respect and friendship. As the kids say these days: Game recognizes game.
a, Martlets, Sports

Fall Team Previews: McGill Basketball

by Aaron Rose on

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Redmen Basketball

Coming off their second RSEQ Championship in as many years, the McGill Redmen seem poised to win another this season with a group of developing youngsters. Head Coach David DeAverio enters his fifth season with an astounding 15 underclassmen, including five freshmen. Veteran Ave Bross will likely take over the starting point guard position after former captain Simon Bibeau graduated this past year. While Bross’ defensive prowess will keep him in the starting lineup, don’t be surprised if Jenning Leung and freshman Jawara Pedrican make a push for playing time as the season progresses.

Freshmen centre Noah Daoust will likely fill the void left by Nathan Joyal, while swingman Jeremie Casavant-Dubois expects to see significant minutes off the bench.

“Simon and Nathan are two talented players who are very hard to replace,” senior swingman Vincent Dufort said. “That being said, we have some real good rookies that will make an immediate impact.”

Dufort will be relied upon to provide significant production after leading the team in scoring and taking home RSEQ MVP honours last season. With so many underclassmen on the team, the Redmen still need to work out all their kinks. Dufort is confident that the team will work out their issues and improve on their first-round exit from the CIS playoffs last season. The Redmen open their season at home on Nov. 8 against the Bishop’s Gaiters in a rematch of last seasons RSEQ Championship game. If McGill can overcome the injuries and continue to develop young stars, look for McGill to clinch back-to-back-to-back championships and take another step towards a CIS Championship.

Martlet Basketball

The McGill Martlets have been the team to beat in the RSEQ for the past three seasons, and don’t expect that to change any time soon. The squad looks to four-peat as conference champions this season and is hoping to bring home a medal at the CIS National Championships after a disappointing fifth-place finish last season.

The Marlets have seven players returning but will sorely miss Helen Bibeau and Françoise Charest, two key starters from last year’s team. Expect Mariam Sylla to lead the way for the Martlets following a dominant 2013-2014 campaign in which she won RSEQ Player-of-the-Year honours while posting 14 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. Seniors Dianna Ros and Gabriela Herbet return to the starting lineup and will be counted on to mentor the team’s four new rookies. Junior centre Alex Kiss-Rusk looks poised for a big season after an impressive showing during pre-season play, and first-year guard Marika Guerin will be expected to make an impact after starting all three games at the Redbird Classic.

The Martlets currently sit fourth in the CIS rankings after a dominant pre-season that included sweeping the Redbird Classic in convincing fashion. If the new faces continue to play strong and the team’s veterans can improve on an excellent 2013-2014 season, a medal is within reach for these Martlets. They open their season at home against the Bishop’s Gaiters on Nov. 8. While Bishop’s won’t be much of a test for the Martlets, it will be a good taste of RSEQ basketball for the new freshmen before they head out to UQAM on Nov. 13 in a rematch of last year’s RSEQ Final.

a, Men's Varsity, Sports

Redmen cull Badger threat

by Zikomo Smith on

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McGill Redmen
8

Brock Badgers
1

The McGill Redmen (6-2-0) routed the Brock Badgers (2-5-0) 8-1 on a frosty Halloween evening at McConnell Arena.

(more…)

a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Album Review: Calvin Harris – Motion

by Mayaz Alam on

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Nearly seven years after his first album, I Created Disco (2007), Calvin Harris continues to be a relevant fixture at house parties, summer festivals, and clubs everywhere. His latest production, Motion, strays further away from the dance-pop that defined his previous album, 18 Months (2012), and provides a more somber offering.
Don’t worry though, all four singles still follow the standard Calvin Harris form. They are bouncy, up-beat, and bass-heavy—all critical elements that the Scottish DJ is known for incorporating. The two leading singles, “Under Control” (with Alesso ft. Hurts) and “Summer,” are typical Harris—they lack lyrical depth, although “Under Control” tries harder in this regard—but they make you want to get up and dance and dance and dance.
Harris collaborates with a wide variety of artists including John Newman, Ellie Goulding, Gwen Stefani, and Big Sean. His skills as a producer are highlighted by his ability to mirror the lyrical talents of the musicians he works with. Whether it is a collaboration with Goulding and her incredible vocal range or Sean and his rhymes, Harris is able to create enjoyable enough tracks.
Where Motion falls short is in its disjointed feel—the album lacks a constant theme other than espousing ‘feel good’ music. Each of Harris’s albums sounds just like the last—the beats, the lyrics, and the collaborations all start blending together into one massive EDM DJ set. Harris has found his comfort zone and continues to make music that, though chart-topping, is hardly unique. Love him or hate him, two things are certain: Calvin Harris is here to stay, and you’ll probably hear him this weekend.

a, Arts & Entertainment, Books

Ladies’ Book Night provides brutal honesty among hilarity

by Elizabeth Mclellan on

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Librarie Drawn and Quarterly, a snug little bookstore in the Plateau, welcomed four American writers—Mira Gonzalez, Elizabeth Ellen, Chloe Caldwell, and Chelsea Marti—to present their monotone yet dynamically comic collections in spoken word. The synergetic flow between the four writers is astounding, yet makes perfect sense. All four women write poetry, novellas, short stories, and everything in between. It was hard not to enjoy yourself in the laid-back atmosphere of the bookstore, despite how packed the venue was. However, the content of the writing could be a turn off for some. It is painfully truthful, and sometimes feels a bit like a list of ‘first-world problems.’ Each woman forcefully imposes her deepest, most taboo and dark secrets on us, inciting a sense of proximity and accessibility rarely achieved even with our closest confidants.
Author Guillaume Morissette hosted the event with charming sincerity, introducing the authors with a selection of their tweets—which are, in fact, an integral volume of their writing. Unrestrained laughter ensued. Coming to the stand first, in a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle costume, was Ellen. Her poetry is resistant to sending an email, to unconstrained loving, and to life. The sheer honesty and truthfulness of it is shocking—it puts a mirror up to your face, and forces you to look at the harsh reality of your existence. While it is powerful, it is somewhat unrelatable. These are specifically western middle class issues, and while this does not detract from the poetry’s poignancy and value, it does narrow its scope.
Next, Caldwell presented a chapter from her novella entitled Women (2014), which delves into a relationship between a married woman and her much younger mistress. This tumultuous relationship is presented in a factual and even conversational tone. Caldwell states that she “breaks all the Creative 101 rules, which [includes] Show, don’t tell.” Breaking through the boundaries of normative styles of writing, this narrative follows in the steps of the Italian Neorealists in its grit and realism. It’s a dark and somewhat pessimistic view. The poetry explodes into the new world of the internet, with online dating and new paradigms of thinking about gender identity, while always harking back to the age old quest for happiness.
Martin followed Caldwell with an anti-poetic series of internal struggles, titled Even Though I Don’t Miss You (2013). The words form an oxymoron of the un-poetically poetic, and seemingly massive yet minuscule events in her life—like eating a pizza pocket completely frozen. The apathy with which she presents these events makes it strangely relatable and hilarious.
Gonzalez was up next, and continued this unrelenting lack of desire for change. Her writing, entitled I Will Never Be Beautiful Enough to Make us Beautiful Together speaks to a generation living in a daze of technological immersion, losing touch with the vivacity of living in the moment. Her writing, and speech is a self-deprecating parody of ‘now.’
All of the works presented expressed the reality of an individual—significant in their specificity and the compassion they trigger. While this post-modern millennial generation of writers is distinct and fresh, their writing is not universal. Entering their realm, we need to break free of conservative shackles, and come ready to unfasten our preconceptions about writing and its grand aspirations.

a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Gas Girl’s flame is futile

by Evelyn Kaczmarek on

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Written by Canadian playwright Donna Michelle St. Bernard, Gas Girls is an aesthetically intricate play that shares the story of two African girls who survive by trading sex for gasoline, which they then sell for cash. Loosely based on a real-life occurrence in Zimbabwe, the play has immense potential to tell these girls’ story and in turn, open up a dialogue about the global sex industry, female autonomy, and universal struggles. Although enjoyable, the play falls short of delivering a clear assertion to Canadian audiences—instead it is clouded by a monotonous plotline, mediocre acting, and problematic messages.

Set in an unspecified borderland of Africa, “gas girls” Gigi (Virginia Griffith) and Lola (Alexandra Laferrière) solicit highway truck drivers for gas, which their broker, Chickn (Jimmy Salami) converts to cash. Gigi serves as a mentor of sorts to the younger Lola, who often succumbs to men’s flirting and becomes emotionally attached. According to Gigi, interactions should be calculated transactions, nothing more. Gigi’s constant nagging toward Lola and Chickn quickly became overdone and distracted from the unfolding plot. 

Another distractor was the dialect used by the characters throughout the play. Muddled, grammatically incorrect, and unclearly defined, the dialect was a deliberate creation. Rather than isolating a specific area of Africa, the playwright seemed to want to play with the idea of universality. Although the events that take place are specific to the individuals, the struggles transcend borders, culture, and race. This idea reoccurred throughout the play and there is no doubt that it is a powerful one. However, the true purpose of this spunky dialect—besides for perhaps its aesthetic value—feels a bit contradictory. The ambiguous “African” dialect almost generalizes a regional issue and reinforces the mistakenly blended North American view of Africa.

“We all have the same struggle,” Gigi explains to Lola and Chickn. Universality as a concept is important in understanding the play, but really, what else does it do besides evoke empathy toward sex workers in this ambiguous “Africa.”

As it professes it will, the play does much to initiate a discussion of sex workers and the abuse they suffer, as well as the autonomy and negotiation of power that they wager and deserve to maintain. The audience is presented with the intricacies of the characters’ personalities and the nuances within their power struggles and economic hierarchy—something that is absent from much of the North American conversation regarding sex workers.

The “Mr. Mann” character—probably the most successfully executed element of the production—stands in as a symbol for patriarchy in context of the play. A single actor (Chimwemwe Miller) portrays every man that the girls interact with as they work. Sometimes he is cold and cruel, while other times he shows the girls respect and kindness. Miller conveys Mr. Mann’s sadness, flaws, and diversity but also emphasizes his persistent continuity, reminding audiences that he is largely a product of a greater societal construction and cycle of abuse.

The gas metaphor was a strong aspect of the play. The actors engage in an opening dance that incorporates gasoline cans, artistically portraying the cyclical process of the girls’ transactions. Gas, which represents the girls’ livelihood, also serves as their greatest struggle—and, in this production, their ultimate downfall.

In all, the plotline was overly clichéd, repetitive, and unclear. The dialogue was exhausting, and without an intermission for reflection time, the messages were never fully developed. Gas Girls most definitely has extensive potential and has some strong points, but fails to fully ignite.

Gas Girls runs from Oct. 21 to Nov. 8 at the Segal Centre (5170 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine). Tickets start at $22.

a, McGill, News

McGill to implement hiring freeze for administrative staff in light of budget cuts

by Shrinkhala Dawadi on

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Last Monday, Provost Anthony Masi held an open forum where he discussed the effects of the Quebec government’s recently announced budget cuts for the university sector on McGill’s financial situation.

McGill’s budget for the 2015 fiscal year (FY2015) was approved by the Board of Governors last April and accounted for a $7 million deficit. An additional $9 million in funding for special projects was labelled as contingent upon receiving the expected amount from the government. In October, the provincial government announced a $15 million cut to McGill’s expected grant of $360 million for FY2015. The provincial government will also announce subsequent cuts—ranging from $4 million to $12 million—later this year or early next year.

During the open forum, Masi explained that despite the precautionary measures taken by the administration while creating the FY2015 budget, in a worst-case scenario McGill’s operating budget deficit could reach $34 million as a result of the additional cuts imposed by the government.

According to Masi, the uncertain timeline for future cuts will make it difficult for McGill to achieve a balanced budget for FY2015.

“Those formal budget rules were only promulgated by the ministry to the university system in September,” he said. “Trying to manage variances­—both positive and negative—that are due to cuts in the grant, make it much more difficult when they come so late in the fiscal year.”

The Quebecois government’s grant comes with additional stipulations. McGill will have to reduce the administrative salary mass that is not based on instructional expenditures by two per cent and the administrative operating expenses by three per cent. Masi explained that McGill will impose a hiring freeze for all new external searches for administrative staff.

“Right now there’s no immediate plan to claw back monies that have been allocated to units […] but there have to be restraints in ways the money is spent,” Masi said. “Salary mass is not necessarily the number of people [we hire, but] if we end the year not spending two percent less than when we started the year, the government will penalize us.”

Further announcements by the McGill administration regarding spending restrictions will be made in January to allow for expenditure planning for the 2016 fiscal year (FY2016).

“We have begun undertaking very detailed analyses of anticipated expenditure and [… we’re] looking at expenditure pattern on the local level,” Masi said. “Other expenditures that were approved may be postponed for [FY2016].”

According to Masi, all non-essential equipment and furnishing purchases will be postponed. Travel and hospitality funding will also be reduced and the process through which applications for job reclassifications are considered will be reviewed.

Masi spoke to McGill’s budgetary priorities for FY2016, which are in line with McGill’s mission statement.

“The primary budget planning objective will be to minimize the effects on academic programs, which are the source of our [reputation,] our reach, and of course our revenues,” he said. “If students fail to come, if professors fail to generate research grants, then revenues go down.”

According to Masi, McGill’s budgets have been more austere than those of other Quebec universities. He cited McGill’s immediate implementation of the budget cuts imposed by the previous provincial government as a reason for McGill’s relatively stable financial standing.

“It’s clear that these cuts […] will have significant financial implications for administrative units, faculties, schools and departments,” Masi said. “It isn’t yet a crisis because we have a strong base. We took the serious medicine […] and we took the cuts.”

a, Student Life

Bar Review: Ping Pong Club

by Tiffany Le on

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Located where the Royal Phoenix Bar once stood in the Mile End, the Ping Pong Club (PPC) is a trendy new hangout that evokes nostalgic memories of favourite afterschool meeting spots. The casual restaurant and bar opened on Oct. 16, serving up a combination of finger foods and outstanding drinks, with TVs, a foosball table, and a ping-pong table thrown into the mix. The PPC offers an affordable addition to the vibrant young neighbourhood of Montreal’s artistic district.

According to owner Calvin Suggitt, the inspiration for the bar came from a nifty spot in Brooklyn, New York.

“A lot of interesting people hung out [there] in the afternoons around picnic tables and Ping-Pong tables,” Suggitt said.

In line with its origins, the PPC is equipped with large cafeteria-style tables and smaller booth-style seating where friends can easily converge. One side of the PPC is taken over by a large mirrored bar. The place is lively and loud, with a DJ playing a wide selection of alternative and indie artists. Intimate conversation is not ideal in this setting, as it becomes hard to hear over the brassy laughter and rowdy banter of the typical PPC crowd. As there are a small number of tables to seat a large amount of people, it’s easy to make new friends with other patrons seated at the restaurant.

The PPC is a clean minimalistic venue with little to no decor. The restaurant bar is dimly lit by modern light fixtures, yet still offers the cozy, familiar feeling of a great house party. The atmosphere brings to mind the relaxed days before university that were carelessly spent with friends.

Suggitt and his design partner Nicholas Hamel stated that they wanted to invoke this feeling.

“There is nothing like [it] in Montreal,” Suggitt said.

A tentative food menu is currently in use, and the chefs are looking for feedback on its rotation of Mac n’ Cheese balls, Satay Saumon, and various finger foods. What really stood out was its house BBQ sauce, which is infused with a surprising kick of ginger. The Thursday night special consists of chicken wings, with options for ranch and blue cheese, or honey-drizzled and spicy. The spicy wings were disappointingly mild—go for the significantly more flavourful blue cheese wings instead. The food tastes good, if not a little predictable. The PPC has the potential to be a great late night food joint, but the kitchen unfortunately closes at 11 p.m.

“[This] menu is based on  the concept of [diner] burgers, sandwiches, and salads taken to the next level, but is still in an affordable price range,” Suggitt said.

The PPC’s real attractions are the creative and innovative drinks that they offer. Popular Montreal mixologist Andrew Whibley, who recently returned from a Hennessey competition in Sweden, created the menu in collaboration with the owners. The milkshakes and smoothies come in plastic soda cups, with the added option of any choice of alcohol. A whisky vanilla milkshake is hard to come by outside of this bar, and is wonderfully delicious.

Another interesting concept is the cereal milk that is used in several PPC cocktails. The bar uses Kellogg cereal to flavour the milk and then filters the flakes out. This does not alter the milk’s taste in a bad way, but creates an interesting flavour that is difficult to pinpoint. One of their charming beer-based cocktails, the Bière Noisette, combines cereal milk, Hennessey, hazelnut syrup, and their very own “Ping-Pong beer.” This is served unceremoniously in a sturdy red solo cup for the no-fuss drinker.

The only setback is the shortage of ping-pong tables at PPC.

“For a place named after Ping-Pong tables, there [should] be more than one table to play at,” said Edward Park, a patron at PPC.

The Mile End is one of the French-speaking communities in downtown Montreal, and is definitely outside of the ‘McGill Bubble.’ The Ping Pong Club may be a long trek from campus; it might not be worth it for the food, but on a night that calls for some unexpected and tasty drinks, there’s nowhere better.

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