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Military style ankle boots. (dwdshows.com)
a, Student Life

The style guide for fall 2012

by Karen Chen on

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This Fall’s trends stormed the runways of New York and Paris Fashion Week. Here are some of our favourite wardrobe staples, accompanied by tips on how to wear them all without committing fashion overkill.

Peplum detail on a fall jacket. (4.bp.blogspot.com)
Peplum detail on a fall jacket. (4.bp.blogspot.com)

THE PEPLUM 

This feminine fad isn’t ready to go yet. The peplum, a small flare or ruffle of fabric that can be seen over a dress or on a coat, was one of the most wearable trends of spring 2012, and we’re so glad it stuck around for fall. Don’t limit yourself to dresses and skirts; add a little peplum flare to your shirt or pants, and spice it up with your favourite accessories. Chunky necklace, anyone?

THE COZY KNITS

Without a doubt, fall would not be the same without the cozy knits we love. This time around, follow J. Crew’s suit, and dress your knits up with silky pants or a statement skirt. You’ll be sure to catch a few glances, so don’t forget to pair similar colours so your outfit looks more put-together.

THE MENSWEAR WATCH

If you haven’t stolen one from your dad or uncle yet, it’s time to invest in this fashion staple and get one of your own. Adorn your wrist with a chunky, rose-gold menswear watch from Michael Kors, or layer  your old timepiece with bracelets and cuffs.

THE DETACHABLE COLLAR

A bold statement, the bedazzled collar makes even the dullest outfits classy-chic. Collars are all the rage, both on and off the runway. It’s easy to find detachable collars at H&M and Topshop. Indulge yourself, but avoid looking too trendy, by pairing your collars with plain tops and knits for a subtler look.

THE LOAFER

These ladylike shoes are no longer only for your grandmother. As statement shoes on the runway get more and more polished, the refined loafer is high in demand this fall.  Whether sequined or suede, take a break from your old ballet flats and invest in the shoe you’ll be wearing for much longer than just one season.

THE LUXE FABRICS

Incorporate textures into your outfit. Luxury fabrics like cashmere, angora, and mohair made a statement on the runways, so get them into your closet! Not only will you be weather-ready, the fabrics will also act as a staple that’s worth investing in. Let your new piece stand out in your outfit, and remember not to dress head to toe in the same texture.

THE ANKLE BOOT 

Ankle boots are always a fall favourite, but the new, perfectly tailored ankle boots in for this year call for more style worship. We love the classic military boot from Steve Madden, or go with a more smooth and refined look from A.P.C. or Zara.

THE LEATHER LEGGING

Break out of your comfort zone and reach for an edgy leather legging instead of your go-to black pair. Wear it with an oversize graphic sweater or a sheer top for a high impact look.

This menswear watch makes a statement. (2.bp.blogspot.com)
This menswear watch makes a statement. (2.bp.blogspot.com)

THE OVERSIZED EARRING

Yes, we absolutely adore the fact that oversized earrings are in style for the fall season. As if Dolce & Gabbana couldn’t have made it clearer on their runway, these babies are back and ready to dominate your outfit.

THE SILK SCARF

Fall would not be complete without scarves. This season, invest in a silk scarf to add some glam to your getup. Granted, we would all love an Alexander McQueen, but Zara and Urban Outfitters can serve as substitutes. A burst of colour can make all the difference in a neutrally-toned outfit!

a, Student Life

How to limit your social media use

by Colleen McNamara on

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For one week, I sacrificed my beloved Facebook account and Blackberry in the name of research. My aim was to calculate how much time is wasted texting, posting, ‘liking,’ Instagramming, and so on. I wanted to measure effective work yielded to the amount of time that would have normally been spent with casual cell phone or Facebook use. At first, the lifestyle change was difficult—but as time progressed and new habits set in, the importance of social media declined with every completed piece of homework.

However, A complete disappearance of both may be unrealistic, so in light of the daunting midterm season upon us, here are five simple ways to cut down your social media use and increase your scholarly productivity.

Create a ratio

Tell yourself that for every two hours of work you do, you can spend 10 minutes on Facebook or five minutes responding to phone messages. The more realistic you make this goal, the more likely you are to achieve it. If your fingers are usually glued to your phone, and your eyes to your computer screen, start small with a one-hour work to five-minute rest ratio, then work your way up every day.

Keep all alerts on silent

The constant beeping and vibrating of your various gadgets not only interrupt your studies, but also lure you toward lengthy digressions and distractions. Every new sound creates a new excuse to “just check” what’s going on, because it “might be important.”

Separate your social media spheres

In other words, use the medium for its specific purpose.  Keep your friendly greetings on Facebook, your pictures of dinner on Instagram, and your hourly updates for Twitter. You don’t need to update each of your profiles every time you do something. Doing this will not only show you the true value in each site, but erase that sense of constant connectivity that can become overwhelming.

Limit your Facebook alerts

You can control what notifications you get from Facebook, ensuring you’re not disturbed by an event request, or a post in a group you didn’t even know you were in. While you normally wouldn’t think twice about these small little pop-ups, there’s something about midterm season that makes previously irrelevant Internet activity suddenly seem interesting.

The extreme measures

There is an abundance of software programs available for download on the Internet that can block certain websites for a specified amount of time. As for your phone? Dismantle it, turn it off, or try leaving it at home when you venture to the library.

In an age where you can download self-control from the very place that distracted you to begin with, it is up to you to exploit this plethora of technological opportunities to your advantage. You’ll discover that, contrary to popular belief, a couple of hours, or even days, away from your cell phone or Facebook won’t make you and your social life completely obsolete. You may even achieve that A you were hoping for!

McGill dominated ball possession. (Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune)
a, Sports

Chapman proves key in defensive struggle

by Rebecca Babcock on

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The Redmen rugby team was in for a challenge on Wednesday night against the Concordia Stingers. First, an ineligibilty issue had retroactively voided their first four regular season games, sending McGill from the top to the bottom of the RSEQ standings. Second, the Redmen were facing a revamped Stingers’ side, reinforced with newly added club players, which improved the team’s ability. Nevertheless, the Redmen persevered for a 13-6 victory.

While McGill (1-4) outplayed Concordia (3-2) in the first half, its halftime lead was marginal at 5-3. McGill’s Head Coach Craig Beemer was less than impressed.

“Offensively, we squandered way too many opportunities … we dropped at least six or seven balls near their try line when we had good scoring opportunities,” Beemer said. ”If we hadn’t dropped so many balls going into contact, we probably could have put four or five more tries on the scoreboard.”

The first try was tallied after fourth-year hooker Keelan Chapman bulldozed through three Concordia players, side-stepped another, and dove into the try zone. The Redmen had to fight for their opportunities against a particularly effective Concordia defence. However, Chapman enjoyed the competition.

“It’s always fun to run up against your rivals and smash some of the boys, especially at Molson stadium with the home fans. It’s a sensation you can’t get anywhere else in the world,” he said.

McGill generated offence by running through phases well, and thrived when they rucked the ball over and made use of the whole field. At times, Concordia was able to execute some big hits, but this was to be expected given McGill’s constant ball possession.

“What [fans] notice is that we had the ball 70 per cent of the time. If we have the ball, we’re the only ones going to be tackled,” Beemer added.

Even when Concordia earned possession, the Redmen ploughed through their well-formed rucks to put pressure on the scrum-half, and quickly stole the ball back. McGill’s defensive tactics frustrated Concordia, and the Stingers gained their points only through penalty kicks. Coach Beemer was quite pleased with his team’s defence.

“Our defence was the big winner in the sense that every time they got the ball we got it right back,” Beemer said. “We played well the whole game defensively, [had] a lot of big hits where [the Stingers] ended up on their backs or ended up moving backwards.”

McGill continued to stymie Concordia in the second half. The Redmen slowly and methodically marched towards Concordia’s try zone, where Chapman converted another try, making the score 10-3. Concordia answered a few minutes later with a penalty kick, momentarily cutting the Redmen lead to four.

Soon enough though, Quentin Pradere, who missed two penalty kicks earlier in the half, successfully converted one to make the score 13-6. Needing only a try and a conversion, Concordia had a few chances to tie the score as the match wound down. In the last 15 seconds, the Stingers had an opening to run the whole field for a try, but as the wing received a pass from the outside-centre, he fumbled it, causing a knock-on call. The match ended, with McGill victorious, 13-6.

The victory demonstrates the team’s strong spirit in the aftermath of the ineligibility news. Looking forward to their last three regular season games, McGill’s strong-hitting flanker Liam O’Briain is determined that the team can still win a division title, despite being stuck in a 1-4 hole after previously being undefeated.

“Our goal is to win them, win them handily, and win a championship,” he said.

McGill hits the pitch again on Oct. 13 against the Montreal Carabins at McEwan Field on MacDonald Campus.

Marc-Olivier Vachon awaits the faceoff. (Jesse Conterato / McGill Tribune)
a, Sports

Redmen worn down by UQTR, fall in home opener

by Mayaz Alam on

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On Saturday night, the McGill Redmen opened their 2012-2013 home schedule against the visiting UQTR Patriotes. The pre-game ceremonies began with the raising of last year’s CIS Championship banner, in which the Redmen emerged victorious over the University of Western Ontario Mustangs. Once the game began however, the atmosphere was less  celebratory, as the Redmen fell by a score of 5-2.

The season started on a disappointing note for McGill (0-2), who had fallen in its season-opener on Friday to Concordia as well.

The team’s rocky start can almost exclusively be attributed to the inexperienced roster. The team has lost many key pieces from last year’s championship team an is facing a tough time integrating new faces on the ice.

Head Coach Kelly Nobes acknowledged this fact, agreeing that the team was experiencing a transitional period.

“We’ve got a young group with a lot of young guys and it’s going to take time for our chemistry to come together and to have everybody sort themselves out,” Nobes said.

The Redmen started out the contest strong defensively, as there were only a few clear scoring opportunities in the first period. The play was gritty and physical—a theme that persisted in all three periods.

“Guys need to learn to play in this league; it’s a different league. It’s intense and you need to play with a sense of urgency for 60 minutes,” Nobes added.

In addition to a strong physical defence, netminder Andrew Flemming came up big on a few occasions in order to halt the Patriotes’ (2-0) attack en route to 36 saves.

The second period was a stark contrast in the style of play, as both teams played a more offensively oriented style of hockey. McGill, however, was not able to capitalize.

“In the first couple of periods we had some good transitional play and some good entries … [and] some good offensive zone play,” Nobes said.

Unfortunately, penalties hurt the Redmen, and the Patriotes pounced on a 5-on-3 opportunity to open the scoring with a barrage of shots. UQTR finally breached Flemming’s stiff resistance, as Antoine Quevillon slotted one past the Redmen to put the visitors up 1-0. Two minutes later, the Patriotes capitalized on a poor McGill giveaway to bring the score to 2-0.

This ignited a spark in the Redmen, who mounted a frenetic comeback in the latter half of the second period. Patrick Delisle-Houde was instrumental, scoring McGill’s first goal off a cross-ice pass reception from Maximillien Le Sieur and firing it into the top right corner. Delisle-Houde then assisted on Guillaume Monast’s powerplay goal minutes later to tie things up at 2-2.

Both scorers are rookies on the team and will likely play key roles in determining McGill’s fate this season.

“We’re bringing in a good crew of guys and they’re [both] very good players,” fourth-year forward Patrick Belzile said.

However, the comeback was short-lived, as the Patriotes used an aggressive forecheck to slip the puck back in front of the McGill net before taking the lead, courtesy of Olivier Hotte. The second period ended with 3-2 scoreline in favour of UQTR.

The final frame was just as physical, as both sides searched for vicious hits and sent numerous helmets to the ice. McGill, however, struggled to generate much offensively and looked worn down as the period progressed. The Patriotes added their fourth tally on the powerplay with about 10 minutes to go, and sealed the game with an empty netter.

The Redmen will look to bounce back and earn their first victory of the season when they welcome Ottawa and Carleton to McConnell Arena as part of Homecoming weekend on Oct. 12 and 13, respectively.

a, Sports

Point Counterpoint

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The Major League Baseball Wild Card round was held last weekend. The format introduced the expanded playoff system formulated by the MLB in March. Under it, an additional team from each league qualifies for the postseason, leaving them to compete in a single elimination game. Now that the system has seen action, two contributors weigh in on this new format:

FOR expanded format

Major League Baseball’s expanded playoff structure was designed to engage more baseball markets deeper into the season and to restore more significance to the league’s six divisional titles. With the division winners earning a bye to the Divisional Series, the four Wild Card teams played their single elimination games on Friday.

Let’s first turn back the clock to Sept. 22. With 10 games remaining in the regular season, 11 teams were competing for five remaining playoff spots—all separated by four games or less. An 8-2 run by one team coupled with a 4-6 stretch by another—not inconceivable by any means—would have completely reshaped the playoff picture.

Commissioner Bud Selig must have been grinning ear-to-ear. Over one-third of the league was still playing meaningful baseball well into September. This is precisely what the expanded format sought to accomplish.

In the National League (NL), the Phillies, Dodgers, and Brewers—four organizations that would otherwise have been long cleaning their clubhouses and planning for Spring Training—were all chasing the Cardinals for the second Wild Card position. Their hopes were still alive and their fans were glued to the television and packing the parks.

The American League (AL) races were even more crowded, and the importance of winning the division, rather than settling for the Wild Card, was clear. In those final 10 games, the Oakland Athletics overtook the Texas Rangers for the AL West title and the Detroit Tigers surpassed the Chicago White Sox for the AL Central crown. The Baltimore Orioles, clinging to the second Wild Card spot, and still chasing the New York Yankees, had to fend off the Los Angeles Angels and the Tampa Bay Rays en route to their well-deserved playoff berth.

The Texas Rangers, the two-time defending AL Champions, were forced into a single elimination game against the upstart Orioles. Texas lost that game 5-1 at home, and was left to ponder how they had squandered what was once a 12-game lead over Oakland.

The only blemish on the new format was in the NL Wild Card game between the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals, which was marred by controversy. A questionable infield-fly call in the bottom of the eighth inning helped snuff out a Braves’ rally that would have given them the bases loaded with one out, trailing 6-3. Atlanta went on to lose the game by that same score, throwing into question the legitimacy of the single elimination format.

Regardless,  I love the dual Wild Card system because it creates excitement for more teams down the stretch of the regular season. And although I admit that the single elimination game is less than ideal, a longer series would put the division winners at a disadvantage due to the extended layoff.

Finally, there is nothing in sports more exciting than a do-or-die game—it’s win or go home. Anything can happen; just ask the Braves. Though a one-and-done can be a tough pill to swallow after a grueling 162-game regular season, it still beats not having any post-season opportunities, and magnifies the importance of winning the division rather than coasting to the finish line.

— Trevor Drummond

AGAINST expanded format

When Major League Baseball decided to implement an expanded Wild Card system during the later part of this past offseason, the resulting sense of excitement was palpable in the baseball world. For many, baseball’s narrow eight-team playoff format had been hindering in a sport with a 162-game season. People at the top of the MLB’s brass finally realized that in a sport where parity is paramount, it was time to allow for greater competition.

However, after seeing this past weekend’s chaotic play-in games, can we really say that baseball made the right decision? The brutal in-field fly call, which may have cost the Atlanta Braves their game against the St. Louis Cardinals, makes the idea of these one-and-done games even harder to swallow for passionate baseball fans.

Baseball is a sport of attrition and features a grueling season—the longest of any of the four major North American professional sports. Why is it then that baseball also has the shortest postseason? With this newest format, a team could win the championship with as few as 11 games played.

Extending the playoffs using this current play-in format is a sham. It seems futile for teams such as the Braves, who were coming off a strong closing run to take the top Wild Card spot. The Texas Rangers would have met Baltimore in a one-game playoff to decide the Wild Card under the old system—they would have tied for the one and only playoff spot—so the new arrangement didn’t even create more excitement.

For baseball enthusiasts, keeping the eight-team format makes much more sense. This way, there is an even amount of teams, and the one Wild Card spot remains more coveted. In a sense, it is an elitist perspective in which the regular season matters all the more, in comparison to a league like the NHL, where the regular season is simply a training ground for the long playoff grind that follows. The new Wild Card spot takes away the old-school vibe that baseball had for years.

I propose either removing this showdown and reverting back to the eight-team format all together, or to go even further and expand it to a 12-team format and add another series—similar to what the NFL has done.

It is clear from the expressions of Braves’ Manager Fredi Gonzalez’s face or Rangers’ power hitter Josh Hamilton after their respective games; this format is a disaster. Excellent seasons were ruined by one game featuring a decent amount of luck. In the past, baseball has been a sport for purists. Bud Selig is beginning to mess with the game’s winning formula to appease and excite new fans. This fan is definitely not excited.

— Filippo Furlano

Winner: AGAINST

While the new format keeps more teams in the playoff race further into the season, the single elimination game seems unfair for teams who put together excellent 162-game seasons. One game creates the opportunity for luck to determine the fate of baseball clubs. Therefore, the MLB should rework the expanded playoff system.

a, Sports

Sports briefs

by Steven Lampert on

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Martlets sweep podium; Redmen finish second 

The Martlet and Redmen cross-country teams competed this past weekend at the Laval Invitational. Both squads had strong showings, but the Martlets won the meet and stole the show. The women’s race was a 4K event, featuring athletes from four different schools. The Martlets claimed all three podium spots, with Caroline Pfister finishing first (14:14) followed by Sarah McCuaig (14:41) and Evelyn Anderson (15:01). Other Martlet participants included Madeleine Williams (15:22), who finished sixth, and Alison Barwick (15:33) who came  in 10th. The Martlets have now won three of their first four meets this season.

On the men’s side, the Redmen competed in an 8K event, and finished second out of six. McGill’s Benjamin Raymond (25:29) just missed the podium, placing fourth overall out of 55 runners. The Redmen also finished second at the McGill Open in September.

The two teams head to Fredericton, New Brunswick to compete in the AUS Interlock on Oct. 13.

Bielby, Renaud, De Broux; Win Four Medals Each

The swimming season got underway last weekend, as the Redmen and Martlets hit the pool for the first RSEQ Cup meet. The Redmen had a middling result, finishing third of five with 93 points, though a few swimmers did stand out. Fifth-year senior and McGill record holder Steven Bielby added to his growing medal collection, claiming a gold and three silvers. Third-year freestyle and fly specialist Pierre-Alexandre Renaud matched Bielby, winning a gold and three silvers of his own. As well, Marc-Andre Benoit, Michael Luck, and Erik Cheng claimed two medals apiece.

The Martlets swam to a better result, placing second of five. They finished 51 points behind the first-place Montreal Carabins. Sophomore Valerie De Broux was a highlight for McGill, winning a gold, two silvers, and a bronze. Other multiple medalists included Sophie Overney-Ragan and Taryne Landry, who each won a gold and two other medals.

The next RSEQ Cup meet will take place on Oct. 20 at McGill’s Memorial Pool.

Redmen qualify for CIBA Nationals

After a slow start to the season, the McGill Redmen baseball team earned a berth to the Canadian Intercollegiate Baseball Association (CIBA) national championship last Sunday by sweeping the Ottawa Gee-Gees in the Northern Conference semifinal series. The Redmen won the best-of-three series by taking the first game in extra innings by a score of 6-2 and the second 7-3. Fifth-year center fielder Adam Gordon was instrumental in the series, finishing 4-5 with three runs scored, a home run, and two runs batted in. Starting pitcher Elliot Ariganello pitched particularly well in the series clincher, allowing just five hits  in five innings. The Redmen move on to the Northern Conference finals against Carleton on Oct. 13 to take part in another best-of-three series. The CIBA nationals take place  Oct. 19-21 in Nepean, Ontario.

McGill was unstoppable on the ground, tallying 261 rushing yards. (Simon Poitrimolt / McGill Tribune)
a, Sports

Staying alive: Redmen run past Bishop’s

by Peter Laing on

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A must-win game, an undecided quarterback position, and a bruised and battered defensive line did not faze the McGill Redmen (2-4) as they defeated the Bishop’s Gaiters (2-4) on Thursday to capture the first annual Thanksgiving weekend “Turkey Bowl” by a score of 34-20.

After the Redmen’s obliteration at the hands of the Laval Rouge et Or at home, and an away loss at Bishop’s last weekend, Head Coach Clint Uttley realized he needed to send a clear message to the leaders of the team, who, for the majority of this season, have struggled to persevere through challenging situations.

“What I told them before the game was their legacy could be defined by being a group that didn’t win a lot of games or being … the ones that turned the corner,” Uttley explained.

The message clearly resonated with the seniors, who stepped up their intensity.  As a result, the team only gave up a record-low five yards on penalties, and had a stand out offensive performance.

Sam Reynolds / McGill Tribune
Sam Reynolds / McGill Tribune

The Gaiters scored on their first drive after a 40-yard pass sailed into the hands of a wide-open receiver. Despite Bishop’s ability to take advantage of lapses in the McGill defence, the Redmen offence kept it close throughout the first half. This was largely thanks to kicker Samy Rassy, who hit two of his five total field goals in the first half. The first half concluded with the Gaiters on top with a score of 9-7.

Uncharacteristically, McGill was able to grind out yards through the ground game, largely thanks to the play of offensive linemen Laurent Duvernay-Tardif. However, Duvernay-Tardif did much more than just lead the offence to their 261 rushing yards—appearing to take Uttley’s message to heart, he played on both the defensive and offensive lines.

McGill’s offence got rolling at the beginning of the third quarter after Redmen defensive end El-Hadj N’Doye intercepted a bullet pass from the Bishop’s quarterback, leaving McGill with great field position. After struggling in the red zone during the first half, starting quarterback Jonathan Collin was sure not to waste this opportunity, and took the ball into the end zone himself, putting McGill up 16-14.

Bishop’s answered McGill with a field goal on its following drive, but the Redmen responded quickly. Collin made an incredible scrambling pass to running back Sean Murphy, setting up Rassy for another successful field goal.  Collin was in obvious control of the offence, efficiently going 16-25 for 136 passing yards. However, he was sidelined following the end of third quarter with an injury to his MCL.

While Coach Uttley’s message was directed towards his seniors, it was clear that the sentiment trickled down to the Redmen’s young offensive stars.  Once again, receiver and return specialist Yannick Langelier-Vanasse led the team with 127 all-purpose yards, and Luis Guimont-Mota finished the game with an outstanding 119 rushing yards. Coach Uttley had nothing but praise for his return specialist, who has been McGill’s most consistent threat this season.

“Yannick is awesome. He’s like instant field position and he’s only in his second year. I’m excited to have him for three more years,” Uttley said.

However, it was the entertaining receiver Shaquille Johnson who stole the show. Johnson had nine receptions, including the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter.  After Bishop’s cut McGill’s lead to two, Ryne Bondy—Collin’s replacement—connected with Johnson to give McGill a 29-20 lead—one that the Redmen would not relinquish.

Not only did the victory put to rest the notion that this team crumbles under pressure, but it also placed the Redmen in a four-way tie for the two remaining playoff spots in the RSEQ.

McGill will battle the Concordia Stingers on Oct. 13 at Molson Stadium in the annual Homecoming Game.

 

a, Sports

Redmen rugby hit by sanction for ineligible player

by Jeff Downey on

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Following the McGill Redmen’s rugby win over the Concordia Stingers last Wednesday night, it appeared the team had improved to an astounding 5-0 start.

Unfortunately, this record was vacated following routine mid-season checks of player eligibility. McGill Athletics, led by Executive Director of Athletics Drew Love, found an inconsistency in the transcript of a senior member of the squad.

“The normal process of things is that towards the end of August all the teams come together and fill out the various registration and [eligibility] forms,” Love said. “We do a review of all those forms, and the individual who became ineligible … hadn’t completed the forms we got in the first package. So we always do a second review … and in this case we discovered that [he] was ineligible because [he] hadn’t completed the required number of McGill courses in the previous years.”

All student athletes in Canada are required to enroll in and accumulate a certain number of credits while maintaining a standard GPA in order to be eligible for the upcoming year. Falling short of these standards requires athletes to take time off until the appropriate requirements have been met. This is done to ensure a common playing field across the country, in addition to contributing to the academic futures of student athletes.

When the error had been confirmed, McGill immediately passed on the information to RSEQ officials for an official ruling. The decision, made on Oct. 5, declared that the Redmen were to forfeit their first four games—all of which were victories.

“They made the sanction that we expected,” Love continued. “That is, any game that the individual played [in] or was on the roster [for] would be forfeited. It turns out … he had been on the roster for all four games.”

McGill isn’t on top anymore.(Simon Poitrimot / McGill Tribune)
McGill isn’t on top anymore.(Simon Poitrimot / McGill Tribune)

Love also added that the RSEQ ruling will act as an impetus for McGill to improve the process of registration and eligibility checks.

“It is our intention to sit down in [December] to review all of our processes to see whether or not there are ways that we can both make it more streamlined and easier for people to complete all of the forms that are necessary … but also to guarantee that every student athlete is obligated to have their review completed prior to them stepping onto the field,” Love said.

While only three games remain in the season, McGill still has the opportunity to vie for an RSEQ championship. However, the forfeited games may compromise a chance to host a playoff game.

Trevor Clarke, a fourth-year centre, explained that  the recent turn of events has only served to strengthen the desire and drive amongst the team.

“Of course there was disappointment … but we thought about it for a few seconds and we realized that it really doesn’t [have to] affect our season. We can still make playoffs and win the championship; we can still do all that,” Clarke said. “So we put it into the back of our heads pretty quickly in order to move forward quickly … If there is a silver lining I’m sure we’ll be able to find it.”

Love echoed this sentiment, applauding the club’s positivity and dedication.

“We’re disappointed in ourselves. I can say [that] the staff was devastated that something had gotten through, but glad the process did eventually reveal itself, at a point where we can still salvage the season,” Love said. “I am quite impressed with the resolve of the team and … am proud of the way the athletes have decided to take [on] the challenge and accept the penalty, and go forward to do the best they can.”

Wood chips, a common type of biomass. (biomassmagazine.com)
a, Science & Technology

Biofuels: A waste of land?

by Amee Joshipura on

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Oil companies are pumping out oil and natural gas 24/7 in order to meet the worldwide demand for fuel. Despite the apparent assumption that our grandchildren will be able to drive SUVs running on gasoline, the fact is that fossil fuel resources are becoming exhausted more rapidly than we can imagine. To solve the problem, scientists and researchers have suggested switching to biofuels.

Essentially, biofuels derive energy from biological carbon fixation: the process of converting inorganic carbon into organic carbon. Biofuels can be derived from biomass—organic material that can either be burned directly or processesed to produce liquid fuels or biogases.

The main liquid biofuels used are bioethanol, biodiesel, green diesel, vegetable oil, and bio-ethers, and are particularly helpful in reducing emissions. Biodiesel, for example, is added to fossil fuel diesel to lower carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions from diesel-powered vehicles.

Despite these benefits, many liquid biofuels are not necessarily  sustainable, because they are produced from conventional food crops like sugarcane, corn, and soybean, making biofuels major competitors with food. This causes food prices to rise. The reverse effect is also true—as food prices go up, so do biofuel prices.

Further, the energy content in current biofuels is less than that of fossil fuels—ethanol only has one third of the energy as the same volume of gasoline, and biodiesel only contains 80 per cent of the energy of petroleum-based diesel. Bioethanol production is also very expensive when one considers the production, storage, and conversion from biomass to fuel.

If good crop land is used to produce energy crops for production of biofuels instead of food crops, a ‘food versus fuel’ situation may occur. Using crop land to produce biomass is undoubtedly a misuse of land.

On the other hand, if the energy is derived from products of agricultural waste, domestic refuse, sawdust, grass trimmings and dried manure, then land misuse is no longer an issue.

However, the combustion of raw biomass emits considerable amounts of pollutants, such as particulates and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, which are both linked to health concerns. Also, converting raw biomass into liquid biofuel results in the loss of around two thirds of the energy content.

To overcome these problems, scientists have come up with ‘second generation biofuels.’ This class of biofuels is made from sustainable feedstock crops, non-food crops and inedible waste products that do not divert food away from the animal or human food chains.

Dr. Donald Smith is the director of BioFuelNet Canada, a newly formed national research network. In addition, he directs the McGill Network for Innovation in Biofuels and Bioproducts, and is a professor in the department of plant science. His research includes studying methods to increase the sequestration of CO2 from the atmosphere into crop plants, for eventual sequestration into soil, or for the production of bioproducts. The focus of his work is using crop plants for greenhouse gas management.

Dr. Smith believes “the problem regarding the energy efficiency of the biofuels in terms of its output can be solved by changing the energy density using chemistry.” He adds that production of biofuels is not a waste of land if it does not utilise primary agricultural land. Nevertheless, issues with producing cellulosic ethanol, a promising biofuel, and its energy content remain.

I believe that production of this kind of biofuel is not necessarily a waste of land. However, their potential to replace the energy efficiency of gasoline remains questionable.

a, Science & Technology

A guide to professional social media sites

by Bharat Srinivasa on

More in a:

Social media has taken on a new, interactive role beyond its origins as a tool to connect with new and old friends. Facebook now lets users join favourite celebrities’ pages, Twitter lets us know what they’re up to at any given moment, and Instagram can show us what they ate for breakfast (through filters, no less). The Wikipedia article on social media links to over 200 social media sites with focuses ranging from books, to architecture, to knitting.

The majority of social media sites only seek to connect people on a casual basis. A few, LinkedIn being the best-known example, are professional networking sites that help connect individuals interested in establishing professional relationships.

LinkedIn was founded nearly a year before Facebook, and is now amongst the leading social media sites for professional networking. Setting up a LinkedIn account allows users to present a desirable profile to prospective employers who Google their name. However, one drawback of LinkedIn is that it serves as a general overview of a resume, rather than a portfolio of work— an important feature for many professions.

This shortcoming has sparked a number of new social media networks that cater to specific professional interests. Here are a few worth checking out:

ResearchGate

A site created by, and for, researchers, ResearchGate helps connect researchers of all subjects under one professional network. Queries from appropriate growth media for macrophages to Newtonian physics, can be discussed with other like-minded researchers. The site also links all your publications on one page, helping to establish an online resume.

Contently

Contently is designed for freelance journalists and writers, and serves as one location for prospective employers to find portfolios. Designed to help build users’ brands, Contently automatically links your work to your page, as well as provides statistics on your work such as share counts.

Behance

A professional network for artists and photographers, Behance helps showcase users’ best work to prospective employers, thereby providing them with a visual portfolio. Behance, and several of the other social networks, can be connected to LinkedIn accounts.

QFive

This social network predominantly targets athletes, and helps users share their best game plays with potential recruiters and fans.

These are some of the more popular social media networks geared towards people with particular professional interests. There are many more sites that are either established, or in the process of being set up that cater to people in other professions.

Social media has come a long way from the debacles of MySpace and Orkut, and establishing a social presence is increasingly important, especially with employers using Google to find out more information about prospects. Use this to your advantage, by having a resume or a portfolio come up when your name is typed into Google. This can improve your career opportunities, or simply give you a chance to network with others who share your professional interests.

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