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a, Science & Technology

Tech Reviews: Apple Alternatives

by Abhishek Gupta on

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Alien M14x

A true blend of aesthetics and exquisite craftsmanship, the M14x from Dell’s line of Alienware computers is the weapon of choice for dedicated gamers and multi-taskers.

Designed for high-performance gaming, the laptop doesn’t fail to deliver in portability and performance. Under the hood, it packs the latest Intel i7 processor, coupled with 16 GB of Dual Channel DDR3 RAM running at 1600 MHz, as well as a 2 GB DDR5 NVIDIA GT 650M graphics card. This means you could watch a video, use Photoshop, play HD games, run design software, and of course post updates on Facebook— all at the same time.

In addition to processing power, the M14x is completely customizable. Dell allows users to personalize almost all aspects of their laptops, such as the colour of the hood, controls on the keypad, and the central processing unit.

The colour of the backlit keyboard, along with the lighting of the front-end grill of the computer—it looks like the front of a race car—is also completely customizable. Choices range from Valentine pink to alien green—any colour from the pallet can shimmer through the ergonomically designed keyboard and touchpad.

While the M14x is a bit chunkier than other laptops currently on the market—6.45lbs is on the heavier side for laptops, especially in comparison to the MacBook Air—it sacrifices sleekness in design for dependability, remarkable performance, and sheer capacity.

If you’re looking for a reliable gaming computer, or just one with processing horsepower, Alienware M14x is an excellent choice.

Samsung Galaxy SIII 

Just after Apple wowed us with the release of the iPhone 5, Samsung’s Galaxy SIII transcended the boundaries that define a smartphone.

“Designed for humans,” and “inspired by nature,” as Samsung advertises, this phone has a sleek and minimal design that is reflected in its smooth and gentle curves. The 4.8-inch HD display does a stunning job of displaying crisp photos and videos, and with the recent Android Jelly Bean update, the interface is even more intuitive than before. In other words, the SIII is aimed at helping users quickly access applications without searching through a cascade of menus.

Another feature of this gadget is the robust hardware that resides below the Corning Gorilla Glass screen. The Exynos Quad Core processor ensures that the experience of using the phone is never hampered, even if there are several applications running in the background.

While software makes this phone run well, its features make it stand out. Equipped with an 8 MP camera that can capture burst shots—a multi-frame function whereby the camera takes many consecutive photographs in a single click—the SIII lends itself to beautiful, high quality photographs. It also contains the ability to share large files quickly through a technology called Near Field Communication (NFC) S-beam.

In addition, the phone exhibits an impressive intelligence. Features, such as “Smart stay,” which detects your gaze to maintain the brightness of the screen as long as you are looking at the phone, and “Direct call, ”which dials a selected number automatically when the phone is lifted to your ear, truly epitomize the phone’s tagline “Not just smart. More human.”

Analyses suggest Zoloft is no more effective than a placebo pill (www.app.com).
a, Science & Technology

A bitter pill to swallow: Zoloft’s inefficacy

by Ilia Blinderman on

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Pfizer, the world’s largest pharmaceutical manufacturer in terms of revenue, is being sued by a woman who claims that the antidepressant drug Zoloft is no more effective than a placebo pill. The plaintiff, Laura Plumlee, alleges that Zoloft failed to alleviate her depression in spite of a three-year treatment course.

Pfizer responded by saying the lawsuit was frivolous. Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman, president of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), agreed.

“As a class, antidepressant medications are highly effective. They alleviate substantial amounts, if not complete symptoms in 50 to as high as 80 per cent of patients treated who suffer from major depression,” he said in a statement to the Washington Post.

However, Plumlee’s claims have firm scientific grounding. A series of analyses spearheaded by Associate Director of the Program in Placebo Studies at Harvard Medical School Dr. Irving Kirsch, have cast serious doubts on Zoloft’s efficacy. Kirsch’s research claims that Pfizer released the medication with full knowledge that it is no better than a placebo for treating mild to moderate depression.

In addition to examining all openly available data on Zoloft’s efficacy, Kirsch requested Pfizer’s unpublished data through the Freedom of Information Act. He discovered that, while the company had supplied two studies showing Zoloft’s superiority over placebo, as per requirements of the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), it failed to publicize the majority of its research, much of which suggested Zoloft’s inefficacy. After taking into account the publication bias—the tendency for significant findings to reach academic journals while non-significant results (those that do not support the research) remain unpublished—into account, Kirsch found that 75 per cent of Zoloft’s effect vanished.

Worse yet, Kirsch believes that much of the remaining effect stemmed from poor study execution. Successful clinical trials are supposed to keep both the clinicians and the patients in the dark regarding who receives the placebo and the real treatment, through a process referred to as a “double-blind trial.” If certain patients discover that they are consuming the treatment, their expectancies regarding its effects may influence their response; Kirsch suspects this is what occurred in Pfizer’s case.

The lawsuit, which was filed in California, asked a California judge to approve two class-action lawsuits—one for California residents, and one United States-wide. It asks Pfizer to reimburse patients for drug costs, and to cease making claims of the drug’s efficacy. While drug companies frequently face lawsuits from doctors and clients, this may be the first instance of a lawsuit demanding reimbursement due to an ineffective drug. The case may face dismissal, however, because of a previous Supreme Court decision stating that an individual may not recover damages they incurred by alleging a drug manufacturer elicited FDA approval for their drug through fraudulent means.

The case may also have important implications for medicine in Canada. While the brunt of prescription occurs in the U.S., recent survey data suggests that Canadian psychiatrists are six times more likely to prescribe sub-therapeutic doses of antidepressants than non-psychiatrist physicians, thereby harnessing the placebo effect.

The lawsuit brings to light a recurring question of accountability in the drug industry. While pharmaceutical companies marketed Zoloft heavily, with very positive-ads targeting consumers, the company failed to publish all of their findings and, as a result, lacks transparency.

Full disclosure: the author is a graduate student whose research dealt with placebo effects.

a, Science & Technology

Science Capsule

by Kieran Steer on

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Building a house out of French fries seems like a bad idea, but fried potatoes and lumber are, chemically, very similar. Only one bond distinguishes the food we enjoy from the wood with which we build.

Potatoes, made from starches, and lumber, made from cellulose, are both derived from the same sugar molecule: glucose. In order to form carbohydrates, the small glucose molecules bond with each other to form large chains of repeated glucose molecules called polymers in a process known as polymerization. Once these molecules are bound together, they form carbohydrates that can be broken down by our bodies into energy.  This polymerization process creates distinct patterns in the glucose chain structure, which is the key difference between the wood we use as lumber, and the food we eat.

When glucose molecules in starch or cellulose bond together to form long chains, they join by either an alpha (α) or beta bond (β), which refers to the configuration of the molecules in the chain. Based on the type of bond formed, the resulting polymers will have an entirely different function.

Starches, known as glycogen in animals and amylopectin in plants, are characterized by alpha linkages between each molecule. This bond ensures that all the glucose molecules in the long chain are positioned in the same direction, facing outwards. Due to this orientation, these atoms can welcome additional bonds in the molecule to form side branches. These side branches grow very large, as more glucose molecules join in; and eventually, the chain forms a giant web of glucose polymers—although not a very strong one.

In contrast, cellulose—the stuff we build houses with—is made up of glucose bound by beta linkages. These bonds, however, alternate the position of each molecule in the polymer, largely blocking any side bonding atoms. Whereas the alpha linked glucose chains in starches welcome side branching, the beta linkages in cellulose are better for packing linear glucose strands side by side. Unlike a starch’s weak glucose web, cellulose is composed of strong linear chains of glucose that pack together like a bundle of pencils.

Thanks to the difference in this single bond, humans can digest French fries rather than wood—even though both of these substances are composed of glucose monomers. The branching caused by alpha linkages results in a starch molecule with weak bonds, meaning it is not difficult for the body to digest starch. Furthermore, humans possess the enzyme amylase (a protein that helps break down starch) to be used in the digestion of glucose. This enzyme only has the capability to digest alpha linkages; meaning humans cannot break down cellulose in wood to use as a source of nutrition.

Therefore, although our appetites appreciate the soft web of glucose in potatoes, our minds and our houses can appreciate the shelter that a strong beta glucose linkage offers in trees.

Melanie Simon, Biology, U2 (Alexandra Allaire / McGill Tribune)
a, Student Life, Student of the Week

Student of the Week

by Jacqui Galbraith on

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Q: What’s your dream job?

A: This is the nerdiest answer you’re ever going to get—I really just want to work in a lab and do lab things; like wear a lab coat and look in my microscope.

Q: What’s one book you think everyone should read?

A: Obviously, the Harry Potter series. My boyfriend [said], “I hate Harry Potter,” and I [said], “I don’t know if this is going to work out.” I have the whole series on our bookshelf in our living room, and I just love it. It’s like something you grow up with.

Q: What’s your secret talent?

A: I have a bunch of random biology facts that I drop on everyone sometimes. You know when you like someone’s body odour? Like, sometimes people are attracted to body odour….and that’s good because it actually shows that your immune systems would be compatible if you had kids. You recognize the smell of their immune system, so if you’re not disgusted by it, it means that your immune systems are compatible—or different enough—that you’ll have a kid with a really good immune system.

Q: If you could trade lives with anyone for a day, who would it be, and what would you do?

A: Probably the Long Island Medium. I would just have the biggest hair and be so obnoxious, going up to people in the grocery store being like “Who passed?” And they would cry, and it’d be awesome.

Q: What’s your least favourite sound in the world?

A: You know those winter jackets you used to have as a kid that were really starchy and hard? Those big colourful kids jackets that are really rough and hard to touch? The sound that they make when they rub together. It’s the worst sound. It actually makes me so uncomfortable; it makes me want to throw up.

Q: Describe midterm season in three words.

A: Anything but studying.

Q: If you could create a new national holiday, what would it be?

A: Apparently, last week was national Pancake day in the US, and IHOP was giving out free stacks of pancakes; I would be down to do that in Canada.

Q: What word or phrase do you most overuse?

A: I’m going to have to say ‘poo.’ Usually I use it to censor myself from saying other words though, to be fair.

Q: What technological development do you hope to see in your lifetime?

A: Selfishly, teleportation. The thing is, I always leave for class late, and I live like two seconds from campus, so it’s not fair that I do that. It’s not okay, because I’m always there at 10:36 when I could have been there before the class started. But [more altruistically], I would say cures for diseases.

Q: If you were an alcoholic beverage, which one would you be?

A: I would be a Corona with a slice of lime on a hot day.

Q: What’s one thing you would change about McGill?

A: More tunnels. Heated in the winter, and cold in the summer. With maps everywhere. And an app [with a map] that you can check in the tunnels, and Wi-Fi in the tunnels. There you go.

Q: What’s your lucky charm?

A: I always use the same pencil to write all my notes for a final, and [then] I use it for the final.

Q: What happens if you lose the pencil?

A: Disaster. Apocalypse.

Q: What reality TV show are you perfect for?

A: Give me forty years, and I’ll be perfect for Extreme Cougar Wives. Or Keeping up with the Kardashians. I want to be one of the Kardashians.

Q: Who would star in the story of your life?

A: One time a guy told me I looked like Natalie Portman, as like, trying to hit on me, and I laughed for like ten years. So probably not Natalie Portman. Ellen Page? No that’s bad, I don’t like her that much. April from Parks and Rec. Aubrey Plaza.

Q: Why are you an asset to McGill?

A: I’m the largest revenue builder for Sinfully Asian.

a, Recipes, Student Life

Recipe: Cheese (cup)cakes

by Jacqui Galbraith on

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Serves 12

Ingredients:

1 box graham cracker crumbs

¼ cup margarine, melted

1 1/2 packages of cream cheese [8 oz. packages], softened

½ cup white sugar

1 ½ eggs

¾ tsp. vanilla extract

1 package chocolate chips (for garnishing)

12 cupcake liners

Process:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Mix together melted margarine and graham cracker crumbs following the directions on the graham cracker box for exact ratio.

In a separate bowl, combine softened cream cheese and white sugar using a large spoon, until mixed fairly well.

Add in eggs and vanilla extract, and beat together with an electric mixer until smooth.

Spoon a thin layer of graham cracker mix into each cupcake liner, and pack down firmly.

Pour cheesecake mix into each cupcake liner, but leave a little bit of room for cupcakes to rise in the oven.

Add chocolate chips to the top of each cupcake, or substitute any other topping you prefer.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, checking often. Cupcakes should look a little undercooked when they come out of the oven, as they will set further as they cool.

Cool to room temperature, and store in an air tight container in the fridge.

The Shag Shop
a, Student Life

McGill hosts first ever “Sex Week” on campus

by Jacqui Galbraith on

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Monday, Feb. 11 marked the start of McGill’s first ever Sex Week, presented by the Shag Shop. Despite her hectic schedule, the event’s organizer, Monika Viktorova, found time to sit down with the Tribune and give us a rundown on exactly what we can expect from the event.

McGill Tribune: How long has Sex Week been held at McGill? How did it begin?

Monika Viktorova: The health promotion team at the Shag Shop has had sexuality fairs in the past. But … this is kind of the first year we’re branding it ‘sex week.’ A bunch of other universities do have ‘sex weeks.’ The most famous ones are Harvard’s and Yale’s, because they get a lot of controversy. Last year Harvard’s almost got shut down—there’s just a lot of controversy about workshops they were running. It’s usually in that time period, that first couple weeks of February, to coincide with Valentine’s Day and make it romantic.

MT: Do you know what in particular was controversial about Harvard’s Sex Week?

MV: When I took a look at the programming for some of the sex weeks in the States, [I saw that] some of them centre around sex and religion. It’s a topic that’s kind of more specific to the States, and more controversial in the States; so I think that’s where some of the controversy arose.

MT: How does McGill’s Sex Week programming compare [to Harvard’s]?

MV: I have to say it’s not anything like it. When we were first kind of starting to sit down to plan Sex Week, we wanted to look at other models for how they were run. What we found was that the issues discussed [at Harvard and Yale] were campus specific … so we wanted to make sex week specific for the McGill community and the Montreal community.

MT: What kind of events does McGill’s Sex Week offer? 

MV: We’re running a bunch of hour-long workshops that we do in the residences. The Shag Shop has a bunch of workshops developed. On Monday [we held a workshop on] sex positivity; just kind of breaking the barrier of talking about sex, discussing sexual stigma, and discussing health and contraception choices. Then, [today, on] Tuesday we’ve got a trans 101 workshop, which Queer McGill is running for us. Again, just breaking down stigma and opening up dialogue, so people are aware of transphobia. Wednesday, we’ve got a talk by the head of the IGSF, the Institute for Gender Sexuality and Feminist Studies, Professor Groanfeld, and she’s talking about sex and disability. So again: just de-stigmatizing the many different sexualities that are out there. And Thursday, we have a really cool workshop on kink and consent. So if people are thinking about kink, or are involved in the kink community, [they can] discuss consent culture. Then on Friday, we have a polyamory workshop. The facilitator of the workshop is coming in to talk about her experiences with polyamory; her relationships, and how she manages them. [We’re trying to] open up a conversation about what [people] think polyamory is, and the normative nature of monogamy in society.

MT: Can you tell me more about ‘One Night Shag?’

MV: One Night Shag is our grand finale for Sex Week. It’s on the Friday evening at Gerts at 8 p.m. Our colleague Kristin has been organizing it, and she’s very involved in it. It’s kind of an evening of performance, so a lot of the dance groups on campus are coming out to perform. All of the donations are going to support the ACCM which is an AIDS organization in Montreal.

MT: Had there been a pre-existing collaborative relationship between the Shag Shop and these other organizations?

MV: Some of the groups we’ve worked with before. Queer McGill we’ve worked with in the past, and they’re fantastic; so I really wanted to bring them in, so that the week was queer-friendly. In terms of getting in touch with speakers and stuff, we reached out to a bunch of different people. We wanted to make it as broad as possible….I’m definitely hoping that as we see how the event goes, and decide about whether it becomes an ongoing thing year to year, [as] we get more of the groups on campus involved with us, and kind of make it a very collaborative effort.

MT: What do you hope Sex Week will accomplish this week?

MV: I guess the overarching goal is the de-stigmatization of having a conversation about sex. That’s something that’s really important to me, and to everyone who works at the Shag Shop. We kind of work towards that, to just have open and honest dialogue about sex, and that’s something I think McGill could use.

MT: Where can students go to get more information?

MV: If they just look up ‘Sex Week at McGill’ on Facebook, it’ll come up with the whole event page. We’ll also be handing out little cards with schedules on them all of this week.

Sex Week runs Monday Feb. 11 to Friday Feb. 15. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/events/129897910512965/

Sam Reynolds / McGill Tribune
a, Student Life

X vs. Y: Two of Montreal’s best burrito joints go head to head

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Mission Quatre

Ilia Blinderman

One of my longstanding gripes with Montreal’s claim to the title of ‘City of Culinary Delights’ (and I have many—try experiencing food in Australia, and then talk to me) is the dearth of Mexican food. I don’t necessarily mean authentic Mexican; I’m neither a purist, nor a connoisseur, nor even a former visitor to Mexico. My criteria are more ‘Growing Boy’ than ‘Michelin Star’: quick, filling, and delicious, along the lines of the chain of Chipotle Mexican Grills in the U.S. With Mission Quatre (M4) Burritos’ opening last summer, I happily abandon my former criticism.

For anyone who’s been to Chipotle, M4 will be a familiar sight. The aesthetic is brightly lit, industrial chic, with sharp lines, orange seats, and steel all coming together into an environment which seems perfectly adequate for a fast-food eatery.  The menu, which forms the basis of the name, is simple: choose the type of dish, the meat, the salsa, and the sides. Choosing a burrito which I found best suited to my array of skills, I opted for the chicken with a medium-hot salsa.

With prompt service and polite staff, the transaction proved to be a painless endeavor. I received a large burrito bursting with chicken; I feared that incorrect handling would lead the volatile food pocket to burst, but managed to sate a sizeable hunger without making a mess. I happily report that it was, despite its chain-like feel, a highly palatable experience.

Burrito Shop

Sam Reynolds

Burrito Shop is exactly the kind of Mexican restaurant one would expect to find in Southern California. Its location on Saint-Laurent is small and inconspicuous; its prices are incredibly cheap, and its food is spectacular.

The menu is straightforward; if you don’t want a burrito, you can get tacos, quesadillas, nachos, salads, or tortilla soup. The owner, Jacomo Del Rosario, recommended I get the ‘cocinita pibil,’ or marinated pork.

The food seems very simple, but the preparation is complicated. Jacomo wakes up early to prepare the meats fresh every morning. He told me that my cocinita pibil was left overnight in a mixture of orange juice and achiote, then covered with banana leaves and roasted in the oven.

The second time I went to Burrito Shop, I ordered the carnitas—caramelized pork. As the name implies, the pork is caramelized and left to soak overnight in herbs and milk. In the morning, Jacomo fries it with juices, oranges, and coca-cola.

The shop also offers a homemade Jamaica (pronounced ha-mai-cha), a Mexican tea with hibiscus leaves and sugar that tastes like a mild cranberry juice.

What’s most impressive about Burrito Shop is that it brings local, homemade burritos to a city with a blatant lack of Mexican food. Jacomo moved from California to Montreal and was hesitant to open up a restaurant. He originally wanted to call it California Shop because of that simple, cheap, and delicious style of burrito the West Coast is known for, but was unsure how Quebeckers would respond. He opened the store, but changed the name, and business has been impressive ever since.

The first time I went to Burrito Shop, I was shocked that my burrito and Jamaica were under $10. Better yet, students get 10 per cent off their meal with a valid I.D.

Winner: Burrito Shop

For bringing authentic Southern Californian cuisine to the great white North, Burrito Shop takes the title. But both are inarguably worth a visit.

a, Student Life

Fashion Week Montreal

by Karen Chen on

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As a fashion-obsessed U0 in my first year in Montreal, it was only natural for me to pounce on the opportunity to score a ticket to Montreal’s annual Fashion Week. Upon browsing the website, I was ecstatic to find that not all of their shows were exclusive, and that some were available for general admission. The ticket prices weren’t through the roof either—tickets ranged from $15 to $25 (plus taxes and fees), depending on the designer. The line-up featured mostly unknown designers, but Martin Lim’s collection preview caught my eye. Well-known or not, the fashionista within me squealed with joy as I purchased my ticket.

Showtime was approaching, and I hurried out to catch a taxi—there’s no such thing as being fashionably late to a runway show! The venue was at Montreal’s Arsenal, a converted shipyard built in 1846 that now showcases contemporary art on the west side of the island along the canal. The Arsenal whisked me out of the cold, unwelcoming Montreal winter and into a world of style and glamour. Pieces of art adorned the walls, chic furniture filled the room, and impeccably dressed guests chatted along an open-concept bar at the back of the venue. Martin Lim’s show was to be held in the Main Hall, and the queue for the much-anticipated collection was buzzing with excitement.

I was lucky to secure a seat in the third row even with general admission. Electronic, trance-like music opened the runway show, and soon, models filled the stage—at first two by two, then, one by one. The collection began with a flourish of eclectic pieces, and foreshadowed the fringe fest to come; fringe, as well as silk cords and flaps, adorned countless pieces in cool, refined shades from grey-mauve to vivid cerulean. For footwear, each model sported the same chunky wedge wrapped in grey fabric, providing an element of consistency among the wide and creative range of clothing.

The minimalist clothing and barely-there makeup on the models stood in stark opposition against their extravagantly styled hair. As a finishing touch of femininity, Martin Lim’s signature free-flowing layered evening dresses appeared near the end of the show, showcasing the designer’s great attention to detail. I particularly liked the high-low evening dress in black and cerulean silk chiffon, with a low back tastefully cut in a V.

Martin Lim’s Fall 2013 show comprised of a modernist, chic rendition of style. Lim refers to the fringe as a look back in time, referring to the flapper fashion trend of the roaring ‘20s that has been bordering the attention of many designers for a few seasons recently. The ambiance of the show was one to remember, and the image of a smoky runway bathed in a wide array of cool colours lingered in the minds of its audience. The promising work of these young up and comers keeps the fashion crowds waiting for his next collection—what will Martin Lim offer for Spring/Summer 2014? Here’s to another queue of anticipation and excitement for the upcoming season. Living in such a vibrant city certainly has its perks, fashion or otherwise, so get out there and take advantage of it.

Photos from Karen Chen and urbanexpressions.ca

a, Student Life

Valentine’s Day: a celebration over history, in its different iterations

by Elisa Muyl on

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Chocolates, flowers, heart-shaped cards, and cheesy compilation movies with too many famous actors and too few lines—all these things signal the rapid approach of Valentine’s Day. But beyond all of these cliches lies an old, sugar-free legacy.

The Catholic Church recognizes at least three saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred early in the first millennium. The most famous of these was Valentine who performed marriages for Christians—under threat of persecution—when the practice was banned for all Romans. He was thrown in jail, where he is rumoured to have wooed the jailer’s blind daughter and given her back her sight. The night before his execution, Valentine sent a note to his once-blind love. He signed it “From your Valentine,” and the rest, as they say, was history.

Well, not quite. Valentine’s Day wasn’t included in the Catholic calendar until around 500 A.D., when Pope Gelasius declared Feb. 14 a day in honour of the martyr(s). According to many, the celebration was intended to co-opt the existing celebration of Lupercalia, a pagan fertility rite. Lupercalia had persisted into the early rise of Christianity, but only lasted until the fifth century, when it was declared ‘un-Christian.’

Classically, it was associated, as most Saints’ days are, with religiosity and fervor. The first known commemoration of Valentine’s Day with love was made by Gregory Chaucer, in the 15th century:

“For this was on seynt Volantynys day/ Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make” —The Parlement of Foules.

The first documented written Valentine was sent by the Duke D’Orleans—from prison—to his wife in the 15th century. The practice gained traction in 1797, when the Young Man’s Valentine Writer featured generic verses for those unable to write their own. A drop in the price of postage rates, as well as the ability to mail cards anonymously, facilitated the rise of mailed Valentines. Before long, premade cards began to be assembled in English factories. These were exported to the United States in 1847 by Esther Howland. The Greeting Card Association has been giving out the ‘Esther Howland Award for a Greeting Card Visionary’ every year since 2001.

Today, Valentine’s Day is celebrated on Feb. 14 in various denominations. It was booted from the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints in 1969, and left up to local or national calendars “since, apart from his name, nothing is known of Saint Valentine except that he was buried on the Via Flaminia on February 14,” reads that year’s decree of the Vatican Council.

In South Korea and Japan, the holiday’s practices has been lost in translation. On Feb. 14, working women in Japan are expected to give chocolate to the men in their offices. The amount of chocolate is contingent upon how much the woman likes her coworkers—the bare minimum is called ‘obligation chocolate.’

In other countries, the celebration is seen as a highly controversial  Western import. In India, the holiday has been the object of postcolonial criticism as a practice that heightens income inequality and aids in the creation of a falsely-Westernized middle class.  For Muslim countries, like Saudi Arabia, the holiday is opposed or banned for its Christian roots. A similar celebration of love has emerged in other countries, such as Israel’s Tu B’Av and Iran’s Sepandarmazgan, but are unrelated to Valentine’s Day.

In the U.S., Valentine’s Day has become a suitable rallying point for the civil rights movement in favour of same-sex marriage. In 2012, same-sex couples were married atop the Empire State Building first the first time in history, following New York’s passage of the Marriage Equality Act. In Illinois, same-sex marriage legislation is expected to come to a senate floor vote this Thursday, Feb. 14.

In fact, the holiday takes on a broader meaning than just chocolates, flowers, and soaring Hallmark profits. Beyond a crowded Lola Rosa, Valentine’s Day at McGill will feature a ‘break-up’ with the Fossil Fuel industry by Divest McGill; V-Day McGill’s annual production of the Vagina Monologues, and other events that strive to raise awareness, money, and spirits in the fight against gender-based violence. So this Thursday, ignore the chocolate  and romantic implications and make Valentine’s Day whatever you want it to be.

Valentine’s Day Stats (courtesy of Statistics Canada)

16,084,490 — The total number of persons living in a couple (including married spouses and common-law partners) aged 15 and over in Canada, 2011.

$3.2 billion — The value of jewellery and watches sold at retailers in Canada. 2011.

$2.4 billion — The value of cosmetics and fragrances sold at retailers in Canada, 2011.

$2.9 billion — The value of stationery, office supplies, cards, gift wrap and party supplies sold at retailers in Canada, 2011.

470.0 million litres — The volume of wine sold at wineries, liquor stores and agencies in Canada, 2010-2011

$110 million — The value of sales of chocolate and confectionaries manufactured from cocao beans in Canada, February 2012.

10.5 million — The number of stems of roses produced in Canada, 2011

a, Opinion

University Governance: Students and Stakeholders

by Abraham Moussako on

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McGill University, like all universities, has an administrative superstructure and an academic structure overlaid one on the other. As with many universities, this superstructure is generally ignored by much of the student body. The spate of recent controversies over the administration and student input, from the recent course cuts to the Provisional Protocol regarding Demonstrations makes this a good time as ever to talk about how our university should be run.

Before we talk about how McGill‘s governance, the most basic question to ask is: what is McGill’s purpose? At its most fundamental level, the answer is to deliver a post-secondary education and award certificates certifying completion of such an education, but even that is an incomplete description. Different post-secondary institutions have radically different aims; a small liberal arts school may not share priorities with a vocational school, and as such, they need to be governed in different ways.

Indeed, a chief purpose for McGill is to be a global research university. Whether this should be the case is a separate question—­one that probably is inextricably tied with the bundle of factors that influenced our individual decisions to attend this institution. That said, we return to the question of student involvement in campus issues. The size and scale of this institution—over 22,000 full-time undergraduates and over 6,500 full-time graduate students, not to mention the faculty, buildings, or monetary holdings and investments—make it large enough to justify having a rank of dedicated administrators.

How these administrators should relate to the student body is another question. Transparency is critical; while the university should not be obligated to follow the demands of any group of students, it should at least make available information on its activities. In that respect, the university’s recent attempts to exempt itself from Access to Information requests filed by a variety of students is problematic.

The two realms of decision-making where student input should be taken most seriously are those relating to teaching and pedagogy, and those relating to student life (e.g. residences, clubs, etc.). Here, the university should not only clearly explain policies and solicit feedback, but actually mould policies based on student input, especially on issues where a representative sample of students would have an opinion. A case in point would be the recently announced course cuts to the Faculty of Arts; administrators should not only consult with students—as they have to a limited extent—but should be willing to make substantive policy changes based on student concerns. However, they are not obligated to do so.

This approach would be more appropriate on issues such as university finances and investments. The most recent example of this is the campaign to divest McGill’s finances from various fossil fuel companies, a movement I have commented on previously. The administration recently received petitions from Divest McGill, with a promise of a review process. Whatever the result of the review process, the university will have fulfilled its obligation to the students, in the sense that it provided an avenue of dialogue, and reviewed the substance of student claims.

The basic point here, obvious as it may seem, is that university administrations, especially those that manage large research institutions like McGill, should receive and listen to student input, but not be obligated to actually tailor their actions to the substance of these demands. Full student management is certainly feasible, and probably desirable—in a small liberal arts university, where it would not be unwieldy to have the student body involved in day-to-day decision-making beyond a consultative role. However, the main point we must remember when talking about university governance is that a university is not a nation, but an institution that can easily be opted out of. As such, the social contract that the administration enters into with students (and vice versa) carries fundamentally different standards of obligation.

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