SARS, HIV/AIDS, H1N1, and West Nile: these diseases are not just notorious for their human and economic impact; they also share a common trait. All four of these diseases are derived from animals, and they’re only a few of many. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),[Read More…]
Latest News
Faculty of Arts gets short shrift
It may have been two weeks ago, but announcements at the first meeting of the Faculty of Arts Committee concerning the Teaching and Learning Spaces (TLS) budget remain on my mind. At this meeting, Associate Dean Gillian Lane-Mercier announced the results from the TLS working group. For the 2014-2015 year,[Read More…]
McGill Symphony Orchestra flourishes with triad of pieces
This past Friday marked the opening of the McGill Symphony Orchestra’s 2013-2014 season, led by conductor Alexis Hauser. McGill music students were selected through an intense audition process at the beginning of September, and those who place in the orchestra represent some of McGill’s best talent. Friday’s program consisted of[Read More…]
Jays must hit reset button
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…]
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…]
