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a, McGill, News

McGill begins feasibility study on redesigning libraries

by Aislinn Kalob on

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McGill will soon conduct a feasibility study to determine how the university’s libraries and archives can best transform its user spaces and collection storage.

According to the library master plan website, the libraries need to be renovated in order to meet the needs of students and faculty, and evolve to current technologies. The libraries also need to meet increasing demands for space, as the archives are overcrowded and lacking in study areas  according to a statement by the library.

Boston-based architecture firm Shepley-Bulfinch and the Quebec-based firm EKM Architecture will be surveying library sites on campus and collecting data from now until spring 2015.  Architects will seek input from students participating in focus groups this week on the future of all McGill libraries.

“I think that the project is really based on a desire to have library spaces that are more reflective of how students study, and particularly of how undergraduate users interact with library spaces and services,” Library Improvement Fund Coordinator and VP Academic of the AUS Erin Sobat said. “It’s definitely indicative of the library’s desire to be responsive to the needs of its users.”

The Osler library has been inaccessible since April 1 due to renovations to the McIntyre Medical Building’s heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) infrastructure.  It will reopen this October.  Its rare books have been moved temporarily to an environmentally controlled storage area and are available through the catalogue.

VP Communications of the Science Undergraduate Society (SUS) May Yin-Liao serves as the liason between the Faculty of Science and the Life Sciences Library by sitting in on the task force responsible for making decisions about the library. The Life Sciences library closed and moved its collection to Schulich Library in August 2013. This group met last week for the first time.

“Any type of renovation to the [life sciences] library will still benefit science undergraduate students in the long run,” Yin-Liao said.  “It means more study space will be available in the McIntyre building, which will be great for all those life sciences students who have classes, research, or work in the building.”

Yin-Liao continued to explain how areas of the library would be renovated to accommodate different  methods of studying.

“The general consensus seems to be leaning towards converting the available library space on both the third and fourth floor into a multitude of things,” Yin-Liao said. “This includes more quiet study space for students, group study rooms that can be used for both seminar and research teaching—for Medical and graduate students specifically—and actual group study when not in use.”

The consultation plans to complete the feasibilible study for recommendations for the development of a marketing file.

“It really is a long-term, conceptual project, and we probably won’t see too many concrete results for several years.” Sobat said.

The student focus group sessions will be held the afternoon of Wednesday, October 15, in the McLennan Library Building. 

Clayton Kershaw
a, Basketball, Sports

2014 MLB Awards

by Aaron Rose on

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American League

MVP: Mike Trout

If winning in baseball is based on scoring more runs than the other team, then there’s nobody better than Mike Trout.  At 23 years old, he’s already the best player in the world, and there’s no telling how high his ceiling will be. Both sabermetricians and old-school thinkers love Trout—deservingly so, considering he has led the league in Wins Above Replacement (WAR) every year since debuting in 2012, and finished first in both RBIs and runs scored this year. He’s unquestionably the best player on the league’s best team, and is a no-brainer for this year’s regular season AL MVP.

Runners-up: Felix Hernandez, Michael Brantley, and Victor Martinez

AL Cy Young: Felix Hernandez

For years, Hernandez’s Cy Young chances have been hampered by a sub-par Mariners offence. This year was no exception, as Seattle’s bats once again ranked in the bottom half in runs scored. Hernandez’s 2.14 earned run average (ERA) is the best of his career, and he gave up more than three runs just three times this year. His win-loss record won’t blow you away, but he nearly always gave his team a chance to win this year. Corey Kluber’s breakout season with the Indians was impressive, but playing with a lead is always easier than playing from behind, a position that Hernandez seems to be stuck in—and thrives.

Runners-up: Corey Kluber, Chris Sale, and Max Scherzer

Rookie-of-the-Year: Jose Abreu

The 27-year-old Cuban phenom burst onto the scene in April, winning both AL Player- and Rookie-of-the Month honours. Abreu finished in the top 10 in all major offensive categories, completely dominating the rest of his rookie class. While his rookie season may have an asterisk beside it after spending five seasons in the Cuban League, Abreu is already drawing comparisons to slugger Ryan Howard, and will certainly compete for the MVP award in the coming years.

Runners-up: Collin McHugh, Matthew Shoemaker, and Marcus Stroman

National League

MVP: Clayton Kershaw

It has been 46 years since the NL MVP award went to a pitcher. It takes an exceptionally talented pitcher to equal the production of an everyday player when you’re only starting once every five days. But, as any Dodger fan can tell you, Kershaw’s season was nothing short of exceptional. His year was reminiscent to that of Pedro Martinez’s historically dominant 2000 campaign. Kershaw led pitchers in essentially all advanced and traditional statistics and finished second in the MLB in WAR, behind only Mike Trout.

Runners-up: Andrew McCutchen, Jonathan Lucroy, and Giancarlo Stanton

Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw

Clayton Kershaw is a freak of nature. He’s the best pitcher in the league and probably the best pitcher of his generation. Not only did he lead the league with 21 wins, but his 1.77 ERA ranks 13th lowest in the last five decades. He was completely lights out in all but one of his starts, posting a 1.46 ERA in 26 of his 27 starts. Expect Kershaw to take home his third—and likely not his last—Cy Young award this year.

Runners Up: Johnny Cueto, Adam Wainwright, and Jordan Zimmerman

Rookie-of-the-Year: Jacob DeGrom

Entering the season, Billy Hamilton was the consensus favourite for this award, but while the rookie speedster flashed potential, it was by no means spectacular. His 56 stolen bases was bested only by the Dodgers’ Dee Gordon, but he was also thrown out a league-leading 26 times. His stolen base success rate of 74 per cent ranked 208th in baseball, hardly elite. DeGrom, on the other hand, was consistently impressive. His 2.62 ERA ranks in the top 15, above the likes of Madison Bumgarner, Zack Greinke, and Jeff Samardzija. While he may not be a household name yet, the league should be on notice because DeGrom will soon be a force to be reckoned with.

Runners-up: Ender Inciarte, Billy Hamilton, and Ken Giles

a, Editorial, Opinion

Editorial: Mental health initiative raises more questions than answers

by McGill Tribune Editorial Board on

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Last week, Bell Canada’s “Let’s Talk” initiative announced a $1 million gift for mental health initiatives, to be split evenly between the Universitè de Montrèal (UdèM)and McGill. (more…)

girl walks along railroad
a, Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Pop Dialectic: The return of Twin Peaks and the “cult” TV phenomenon

by Eric Noble-Marks, Chris Lutes on

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Last week, TV show Twin Peaks’ cult following created an enormous internet buzz when it was announced that the show would be returning in 2016 for a nine-episode season after an unprecedented 25-year cancellation period. Two of our writers weigh in on the potential benefits and consequences of bringing a dormant show back to life.

Keep scrolling to read another perspective

Approach with caution

Chris Lutes

 

First and foremost, let me say that I couldn’t be more excited that Twin Peaks is coming back. But I come to this happy news from a place of cautious optimism. Shows aren’t ‘un-cancelled’ very often—let alone after 25 years of being off the air, and looking at other shows that have come back after periods of cancellation, it’s hard not to be a little apprehensive about Twin Peaks’ prospects.

Shows that have been resurrected from cancellation have generally not lived up to the standards set by their original runs. Futurama started off strong when it came back for its seventh season, but quickly devolved into a pandering shadow of its former self. The fourth season of Arrested Development was intricately mapped out, but ultimately didn’t amount to anything—and limited cast availability constrained the show from being what made it so great in the first place. Community’s sixth season on Yahoo’s new streaming service hasn’t begun filming yet, but it’s lost so much of its original cast that at this point, it’s hard to still be hopeful.

Most of this isn’t the fault of the shows or their creators. They were beholden to impossible standards that they couldn’t live up to, even if the quality of the new season surpassed the previous ones. It will always be different from the show that people were once familiar with. Actors age, sets are broken down and rebuilt, and writing staffs retool. It’s impossible for a show’s voice to stay the same, especially when it has been away as long as 25 years.

Part of the problem is that in the years between cancellation and renewal, there’s nothing new coming from the show, so fan communities have nothing to do but endlessly trade quotes and memes from previous seasons or pick apart any new details about its return. They work themselves up into a fervor and build an echo chamber of how they perceive the show and what their expectations are for the future. If the finished product deviates from what they have in their head, they become disappointed. This kind of build-up puts shows in an impossible double-bind: if they deviate too much from the tone and plot of the original series, then they’re not making the show that fans fell in love with anymore, as in the case of Arrested Development. If they stay too close to the original story, then they aren’t breaking any new ground and there was really no reason for the show to come back in the first place, as with Futurama.

The common denominator with these shows is their cult following, and showrunners are tempted to pander to this demographic, because ultimately, without these fans, the show wouldn’t be coming back at all. The problem is that fans often don’t know what’s best for a show, but show-runners feel a certain obligation to give the people what they want. This can result in a returning show resting on its laurels by cheaply calling back its most popular moments from previous seasons (again, Arrested Development) or devolving into plots that have no purpose beyond fan service.

I’m confident that this won’t be the case with Twin Peaks. This seems vital: It ended on one of the biggest television cliffhangers of all time, and one of the main characters even says, “See you in 25 years,” while looking directly at the camera. Co-creators David Lynch and Mark Frost have learned from the mistakes of the show’s uneven second season, and neither of them seems like the type of showrunner who would be pressured into fan service—Lynch especially. A nine-episode limited series gives them exactly enough room to build a new story without any room for filler. On top of that, this will be the first time Lynch has directed anything substantive since the mid-2000s. With prospects like these, it’ll be a long wait until 2016. Until then, see you at the black lodge.

Give the fans what they want

Eric Noble-Marcs

Campy, dark, and deeply weird, Twin Peaks was wildly successful in its first season before declining ratings prompted its early and polarizing demise in 1991. However, this was far from the end of the Twin Peaks story. The show has proven to be one of the most enduring programs of the period. The more time that passed following the show’s cancellation, the more fans clamoured for another chapter—even in the face of writer-director David Lynch’s frequent and persistent refusals. After nearly 25 years, the fans have finally gotten their wish. On Monday, Twin Peaks was confirmed to be returning to the small screen in 2016 for an nine-episode mini-series. Each episode will be directed by Lynch and written by both him and original co-writer Mark Frost.

As I’m a fan, I’m obviously ecstatic about the return of Twin Peaks, but I don’t share the reservations that some fans have expressed about its continuation. Twin Peaks isn’t the first show to rise from the grave, and in his half of the Pop Dialectic, Chris Lutes touched on a variety of resurrected TV shows from Arrested Development to Futurama to Community. What’s interesting is that none of these shows were incredibly successful to begin with during their original television run. Also common to nearly every one of the returning shows is the presence of a cult following: A relatively small but incredibly loyal fan group. It’s important to note that none of the ‘big’ shows of the ’90s, shows like Friends, Seinfeld, or Frasier, have been resurrected since their endings. By in large the extensive fan bases of these shows have been seemingly content to settle with their impressive legacies—although many Seinfeld fans would prefer a do-over on the polarizing trial that closed out the series—lest they be tarnished by ill-advised revivals. It’s the ‘little shows that could’ that are not allowed to die, for better or for worse.

There are multiple reasons for this. For one, popular shows are generally given ample time to exhaust their writers’ creative drive. Seinfeld had nine seasons to entertain its viewers, Friends had 10. In contrast, due to their limited followings cult shows are prone to untimely and unsatisfying cancellations. Twin Peaks notoriously ended on what Chris described as “one of the greatest cliffhangers in TV history.” With this in mind, who can fault the fans of Twin Peaks and countless other shows for longing for closure?

In addition, the issue with mainstream TV shows is that their fans are generally drawn from a wide demographic and are subsequently difficult to mobilize. People from every walk of life watched Seinfeld—some religiously, others casually. This made it hard to concentrate fans around a particular movement. However, cult followings are by definition devoted and obsessive. The inclusion of Twin Peaks’ first two seasons on Netflix also aided the growth and mutation of this cult movement. Though comparatively small, the fan base is more likely to voice concerns on the internet and other social forums—and, ultimately, campaign harder for the return of beloved shows. So why deny them the opportunity to extend the lifespan of the prematurely perished shows they’ve fought for?

Whatever the reason, the return of Twin Peaks—and shows like it—has broad implications for the future of television. Never before has a TV show that has been dead for so long risen from the ashes. Its return makes one question if any show is really dead, if we’re blessed (or doomed) to live in a world where the story of our beloved TV heroes never ends. What the return of Twin Peaks does tell us is that anything is possible, even when a show’s been off the air for nearly 25 years. Twin Peaks’ following never stopped growing and in the end, Lynch and Frost delivered. As for the show itself, it will most likely be like everything David Lynch has ever made: Genius, a trainwreck, or some combination of the two. It will undeniably be interesting. Your move, Firefly.

a, Science & Technology, Student Research

This month in student research: Alex Coutin, U2 Pharmacology

by Chloe Nevitt on

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Alex Coutin, who worked at UBC this summer, studied recombinant H3, a protein histone involved in maintaining the structure of DNA in a single haploid yeast cell. He looked at the diverse associations of the ASF1 histone chaperone, another protein  responsible for the coiling and folding of these DNA strands into chromsomes.

What lab did you work in?

I worked in the Howe lab as part of the Molecular Epigenetics group at the Life Science Centre at the University of British Columbia.

What was your favourite job at the lab?

Interacting with the graduate students [and] trying to come up with an idea on what detection [to use] for a procedure.

What was a difficulty you encountered when working?

Quantifying the H3 took a lot of effort. I had to test a few models to see which antibodies would connect and how to come up with the right controls. I was just coming out of first year, so I didn’t have a lot of biochemical background. I didn’t know how to do a Western [blot]—I was just learning that. I thought it was going to be easy when I started but it involved a lot of critical thinking and I was way out of my depth coming out of first year. The most difficult part was not seeing results right away and having to be patient. Because I’m the type of person that needs results at the end of the day, and most PhD’s don’t see results for weeks sometimes, it was frustrating.

What advice would you give to someone applying for a lab?

Look for something you like. Don’t just do it because it’s a lab job. If you can’t find something, and your excuse is that you can’t find lab work, you’re not trying hard enough. You need to show passion and determination if you want a specific job. But don’t be deluded into thinking you need a lab job in science. It’s not necessary.

Do you want to go into research after graduation?

I don’t plan on doing basic science research, [but] I might [do] clinical research in the future. My goal is to probably become a surgeon or work in healthcare for marginalized groups. Specifically LGBTQ groups, particularly in [transgender] care.

What was surprisingly easy?

The actual procedures weren’t difficult to complete. Getting publish-worthy or grant-worthy results was easy too because once the procedures [and] optimizing [are] done, it’s easy to just pump out results, results, and results.

If you were a mad scientist, what would you do in your lab?

I would probably look at pediatric endocrinology and look for easing transitions in young children.

If you could choose a super power, what would it be?

Transportation to anywhere in the world. That’d be cool.

a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Album Review: Shakey Graves – And the War Came

by Evie Kaczmarck on

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Quirky one-man band Shakey Graves (Alejandro Rose Garcia) made headlines throughout 2012 and 2013 in the Austin, Texas alt-country scene. His impressive act—complete with a hand-made suitcase kick drum and a slide guitar—made an impression with its angsty, bouncing, lo-fi Americana vibe.

He attracted waves of online attention with his 2012 single, “Late July,” an amateurish, finger-picked, soul-wrenching masterpiece. In his newly released sophomore LP, And the War Came, Shakey’s sound has certainly matured: He’s fined-tuned his restless spirit, but thankfully, without ever pulling on the reins.

Replete with the same foot-stomping madness and expert musicianship he introduced in his earlier work, the new album fits right into the lo-fi Americana, folk-blues niche that Garcia cozily inhabits. However, this time around, he doesn’t hesitate to experiment with some dissonant electronic sounds and a slightly heavier of a rock vibe. What sets him apart from other alt-country and freak folk artists is his shameless, affective omnipresence, which translates into a profound rawness on each song. It is like he has tapped into some kind of deep reservoir of human truth; his tracks can be dark, but never fail to resolve and uplift—it’s a delightful dance between hopeless angst and abundant joy.

This LP takes listeners through a deliberate narrative, absent from his early compilations. The opener amounts to seven seconds of spoken words: “This is the beginning. Hello. 1, 2, 3.” He then brings us through childhood in his second number, “Only Son,” and progresses through the stages of life with each subsequent track. Garcia also collaborates with Paper Bird’s Esmé Patterson for three duets on the album. Patterson’s velvety vocals contrast with his raspy whispers as they both showcase their far-reaching ranges in consummating harmonies.

Austin has bred a true gem in this calculated madman and there is no question he will continue to shake up the folk-rock scene for years to come.

a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Album Review: Ella Henderson – Chapter One

by Jack Neal on

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After gaining worldwide attention during the 2012 season of X Factor UK, 16-year-old Ella Henderson rose to prominence due to her incredibly mature vocals, songwriting ability, and loveable personality. It is upon this supremely elevated platform that Henderson releases her debut album, Chapter One. Despite lofty expectations, it does not fail in the slightest.

Kicking off with hit single “Ghost,” the album comes right out of the gate with a series of catchy choruses, strong vocals, and complex instrumental arrangements, which are maintained throughout the entirety of the album. Perhaps its most uplifting song is “Rockets,” which has summer anthem written all over it. “The First Time” features gritty guitars with Henderson singing primarily in the lower end of her vocal register, resulting in a fascinating track that’s like nothing on the radio.

But it’s not all fun and games. Sprinkled amongst the more pop-oriented songs are slower, much more personal reflections. “Hard Work” sees Henderson confess that she’s ready to look past the troubles of a relationship in order to experience the good. Although touching at first, the sheer number of these piano-based tracks becomes tiring, eventually crossing over into skippable territory.

The biggest downfall to this album is, frankly, its lyrical content. Essentially every song consists of love-torn lyrics in some form or another, which does, unfortunately, wear thin at 13 tracks long—18 on the deluxe edition. But love sells, and Henderson isn’t the first artist to wear out the theme for a monotonous product.

Ultimately, Chapter One is a great debut album for an artist destined to sing universally applicable love songs. It’s not necessarily deep or groundbreaking, and there are too many ballads that slow down the album’s exciting motion, but as far as love albums go, Chapter One is a good piece of work from an artist that has yet to take a wrong step.

a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Album Review: Hozier – Hozier

by Morgan Alexander on

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Twenty-four-year-old Irish singer-songwriter Hozier arguably could have dug himself into a premature one-hit wonder grave long before his eponymous first album came out on Oct. 7. His single “Take Me to Church” was released Sept. 13, 2013 and its accompanying music video came out less than two weeks later, quickly going viral. Shot in grayscale, the video follows the romance of two men until one gets brutally attacked by homophobic assailants as the haunting lyrics, “Only then I am human/ Only then I am clean,” come echoing in from the background.

With the sudden widespread success of the single, anticipation for Hozier’s newest album was high—almost as high as expectations were for the artist to bring something new to the table. In this latest release, Hozier exceeded expectations. Despite the heavy-handed romantic metaphors and simplistic guitar chords, Hozier’s talent as a singer and the overall synchronization of each individual track allow for a strong release that can stand apart from “Take Me to Church.”

The clear highlight is “Jackie and Wilson,” a classic electro-blues song that takes full advantage of Hozier’s vocals, particularly in the chorus—the catchiest on the album. Other standouts are “Someone New” and “Like Real People Do,” both of which are tracks that, on the surface, seem like superficial folksy love ballads, until a closer examination of the lyrics reveals the darker themes of heartache and trust issues that permeate through the album.

The disappointment of the album is Hozier’s unwillingness to take full advantage of his vocal potential. Half of what made “Take Me to Church” so popular was its powerhouse chorus, with Hozier belting out lines with a strong rock feeling that carried the song as a whole. Overall, this album’s true strength is in moving beyond the potential post-viral artistic collapse and showing that Hozier has lasting talent. Hopefully in the future, he steps out of his comfort zone to show us all what he’s truly capable of.

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