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Football, Sports

Deflategate: Gone but not forgotten.

by Andrew Libraty on

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After almost two years of federal court cases, independent investigations, and general media sensationalism, the Deflategate controversy is finally over. Tom Brady, the New England Patriots’ star quarterback, has completed his four-game suspension and will return to the field to take out months of pent up anger on the helpless Cleveland Browns. 

The Deflategate saga began almost two years ago after the 2015 AFC Championship game between the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts. The game was a rout—the Patriots won 45-7—and would have been forgettable were it not for the absurdity that followed. Unknown to fans at the time, Colts linebacker D’Qwell Jackson noticed an issue with an intercepted Patriots football, prompting NFL officials to test the air pressure of all 12 Patriots footballs at halftime to ensure that they were inflated as specified by the NFL rulebook. The officials tested the footballs, reinflated them, and returned them to the game. Nonetheless, the NFL publicly stated that they would be investigating the reports of underinflated footballs. A media frenzy ensued.

Immediately, the press sensationalized the initial reports of the controversy, creating a narrative that pitted the New England Patriots against the world. Sports “journalists” offered their opinion on the facts, the analysis of the facts, and the analysis of the analysis of the facts. Even Ben Affleck and Matt Damon weighed in on the controversy. The situation unraveled so fast that the NFL commissioned New York attorney Ted Wells to investigate and compile a report of what really happened.

The Wells report charged a Patriots assistant equipment manager–who called himself “the deflator” in a series of text messages, reportedly in reference to his “weight loss”– with deflating the game balls. Wells also concluded that it was “more probable than not” that Brady was fully aware of the conspiracy. This led to the punishment for the quarterback and his team. Since NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell believes deflating footballs is comparable to using steroids, he suspended Brady for four games without pay at the start of the 2015 season and fined the Patriots organization. However, this was only the beginning of the mayhem.

Brady appealed the suspension in the 2015 summer and the battle between the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) and the NFL intensified. The NFLPA filed an internal appeal within the NFL’s judicial system. Unsurprisingly, Goodell upheld Brady’s punishment, so the NFLPA did what any good American labour union would do and sued. Hoping to reach a settlement, the judge eventually threw out Brady’s suspension; however, the NFL appealed that decision and won. In yet another strange turn of events, the court cited landmark American labour union legislation as the basis for their case. Brady appealed one last time, and failed. He still had the opportunity to appeal to The Supreme Court of the United States, but ultimately decided against it. He ultimately served his four-game suspension a season late, in 2016.

The entire Deflategate scandal was truly ridiculous. That federal court cases, surveillance footage, and Bill Nye became part of a story about deflated balls is the definition of absurdity. However, even Goodell couldn’t stop Belichick and a pair of irrelevant quarterbacks from stringing together a 3-1 while Brady served his suspension. Nothing can stop the New England Patriots’ domination: Not road games, not injuries, not even ‘Deflategate.’

Football, Men's Varsity, Private, Sports

McGill Redmen suffers one-sided loss at Laval

by Patrick Beacham on

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Three minutes into the game, the final outcome was already clear. On their first three possessions, the Laval Rouge et Or (4-1) scored a touchdown and picked off the McGill Redmen (2-3) twice, leading to three scores in two and a half minutes.

The overwhelming crowd fueled the Rouge et Or en route to a 61-9 dismantling of the Redmen in Quebec City on Oct 2. Laval started fast, leading McGill 28-6 after the first quarter on their way to a 52-point victory.

“When you start the way we started, it was an uphill battle,” Head Coach Ronald Hilaire said. “I think we had the jitters a little bit there, and we fought well during the first half, and I think we fought [just] as well in the second half, and, obviously, they have a good team on the other side, so that’s the outcome that came about.”

The blaring music and the cacophonous cheers from the red-and-gold-adorned crowd made the Redmen anxious.

“Some guys were probably a little nervous [with] all the fans,” Redmen linebacker and sophomore Arts student Dane Wagner said. “Not a lot people [on our team] have played in that environment before, but after the first few plays, I think it helps more than [it] hurts.”

After those first few minutes, the Redmen fought to regain the lost momentum, scoring two field goals in the first quarter and one more late in the second. However, a strong Laval defence prevented McGill from achieving anything resembling a real comeback.

“We were able to move the ball well on the Laval defence,” Redmen quarterback Joel Houle said. “[But] we can’t always [score] field goals. Yes, sometimes it happens, but we need to put the ball in the endzone. That’s the thing we need to do and that’s the thing we need to practice in the bye week.”

The next game for McGill will come after a bye next week at Bishop’s on Friday, Oct. 14. Until then, the Redmen have two weeks to sharpen their skills before going up against Gaiters for the second time in the season.

“I think our big thing [for this week] is to just go back to fundamentals for the first week, making sure the guys know the proper techniques,” Redmen offensive coach Alain Mainguy said. “The week after, we’ll focus on really getting ready for Bishop’s because we’re still in control of our destiny as far as whether we can make the playoffs or not.”

 

Quotable: “We beat ourselves during these games, and if we execute better, then for sure we’re going to be an unstoppable team.” – Redmen quarterback Joel Houle on the team’s progress this season.

Stat Corner: The loss was the Redmen football’s largest margin of defeat since a 70-3 routing at the hands of Laval in 2014.

Moment of the Game: Laval’s Anthony Dufour returned the opening kickoff 96-yards down the sideline for the opening score just 13 seconds into the game.

Laughing Matters, Opinion

Rate My Bot: Robots the solution to exasperated, over-worked professors

by George Polanyi-Williamson on

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At a time when educators are finding ways to integrate technology into almost every aspect of learning, McGill would be wise to follow the example set by one high school school in central Maine and implement robotic instructors.

After failing to attract a single applicant for a vacant French and Spanish teaching position, Madison Area Memorial High School found itself turning to Rosetta Stone, an automated language-learning software, to teach language classes. Rather than demanding the return to a human instructor, students in Madison—a town less than a two-hour drive from Quebec—told the Kennebec Journal that they had taken kindly to their new automated instructor, citing primarily the lack of homework.

Robotic professors would have endless patience, and would not be bothered by students constantly asking questions in large lectures. In fact, they would explain concepts over and over without becoming exasperated.

When students are distracted in class by their computers and smartphones, robot professors would be great at recapturing attention, since they are computers, too.

Sticking to a syllabus and remaining on schedule would be extremely easy for artificial intelligence. At McGill, many professors have a plethora of interesting anecdotes to keep students engaged; however, telling these stories often puts them several classes behind. Automated professors would never go off on tangents, owing to the fact that they do not have any original thoughts or life experiences to share.

Turning to an angle of practicality, robot professors would save space. For departments at McGill that are in search of room for expansion, eliminating the need for office space would be very helpful. While human professors require their own room, not to mention a desk and chair, robot professors could be stored in a closet, and provided with nothing more than a charging port.

On an economic note, the concept of automated instructors also emerges as a solution to McGill’s budget problems. While current professors are paid a regular salary, in addition to benefits and a pension, robot professors are essentially a one-time purchase. Potential costs associated with robot professors could include buying warranties and paying for updates. However, these minor costs would likely not come close to the amount of money required for McGill’s human professors—especially if the automated instructors come with a ‘free trial.’

Despite the advantages of robot professors for the administration and the student body, McGill’s current professors may not initially have as positive an outlook toward this new concept. But for the professors that are most excited by the research component of their position, introducing robot professors to the classroom would give them much more time to conduct studies in the field.  

Evidently, robotic professors have the potential to do for McGill students what they did for keen learners in Maine. Robot instructors provide an agreeable interactive learning experience while skirting today’s teaching challenges, all while helping the administration with space and budgeting. Give them several years, and they could be commanding some of the top scores on Rate My Professors.

 

George Polanyi-Williamson is a second year student in Political Science. He is passionate about current events, guitars, and coffee―not necessarily in that order.

 

Features

A walk through Auschwitz

by Natalie Wong on

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I had gone out the night before, enjoying Krakow’s nightlife and the cheap vodka that came with it. With about three hours of sleep, I awoke to get on a bus for Auschwitz-Birkenau, the head extermination concentration camp from the Second World War.

Falling into a deep sleep on my way to the site, I woke up to a grey sky with steadily falling rain. The atmosphere was chilling. I stepped off the bus, greeted by a deathly silence that serenaded one of the most infamous locations of the Second World War. This was where the Nazis had tortured and exterminated over a million Jews, Poles, Roma, and Soviet prisoners of war. Around 6,000 Jews were killed in gas chambers everyday at the peak of the deportations.  

This was not my first time at Auschwitz. When I was four years old, my parents brought me and my sister here, although I retain no memories from that trip. As I grew older and became fascinated by the history of the war, I begged my sister to describe what Auschwitz was like; what did she remember that I could not? She told me that one of the most disturbing images for her 9-year-old self was that of old, tattered children’s shoes that haunted the grounds of the camp.

From these selective memories, I pictured vivid brutality, thinking it would be visibly imprinted upon the structures that had housed atrocities. Perhaps there would be remnants of the creepy cells and dark dugouts which held the prisoners. Maybe blood smeared on the walls, left behind by those who had tried to escape.

It was nothing like I had imagined it would be. Instead, I saw neat rows of brick townhouses—almost resembling a boarding school. Only the signs indicating “Extermination House” on the entrances of various buildings betrayed its identity as a slaughterhouse.

From the BrainSTEM, Science & Technology

The case for eradicating malaria with gene-editing technologies

by Palma Gubert on

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What if we could rid the world of any species that we didn’t like: The annoying ones, the dangerous ones, and the disease-spreading ones? This seems like a tall order and one that carries a number of ethical quandaries.

With the advent of CRISPR/Cas9 gene technologies, the once theoretical bioethics is now a real consideration for scientists in the field. Target Malaria, a university-based research program at Imperial College London, is developing methods for limiting the populations of disease-carrying mosquitos.

Last year, malaria caused half a million deaths, mostly of children under five years old. Three related species of Anopheles mosquitoes are primarily responsible for most malaria transmission. Of these, only the female mosquitoes can bite, and thus transmit the disease.

Target Malaria is testing approaches designed to reduce the number of female Anopheles mosquitoes in sub-Saharan Africa. Cutting down the population of malaria-carrying mosquitoes through the use of CRISPR/Cas9 gene drives will in turn reduce the transmission of the disease.

Gene drives are genetic elements that "drive" themselves and nearby genes to be inherited by almost all offspring. In using gene drives, genes are artificially stimulated to manipulate specific genes in entire populations.

Normally, in a sexually reproducing organism, a particular gene has a 50 per cent chance of being inherited by its offspring. Gene drives, however, ensure that a gene is passed on to almost all progeny––even if that gene reduces the viability of the organism.

CRISPR/Cas9 is a gene-editing technique that allows scientists to delete, insert, or replace a gene of interest in a given species. Coupled with gene drives, these genes of interest would be inherited by nearly all offspring.The gene can then spread quickly through an entire population and to every population group of that species.

The CRISPR/Cas9 gene drive is an immensely promising and powerful biological tool, with numerous possible applications. For example, it can cause all males of a species to be sterile, removing the need for toxic chemical insecticides and herbicides to eliminate pests or weeds, or eradicating harmful invasive species.

“[Gene drives] offer a way to solve biological problems with biology,” the Sculpting Evolution Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology––the first to suggest the use of CRISPR/Cas9 to build gene drives––said. “We are finally learning to speak with the living world using nature's own language.”

A similar process could be used to eliminate other devastating diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, such as Dengue fever and Zika.

“Some species of […] mosquitoes […] are invasive species in North America […and] may very well be eradicable with CRISPR/Cas9 or related techniques,” Dr. Tim Geary, director of McGill’s Institute of Parasitology, said. “This would markedly reduce the incidence of dengue […] and Zika and would target mosquitoes that were not found here. Their eradication would leave all the other native North American species of mosquitoes intact and so would have minimal effects on the ecology of mosquitoes here.”

While promising, this technology is not without enormous ethical ramifications.

"We now have the ability to change entire species at will. Should we?” asked journalist Jennifer Kahn in a TED talk about gene editing.

Many scientists are cautioning the use of CRISPR-based gene drives, emphasizing the importance of safeguards and the necessity for more transparency in the scientific field.

“Even developing a CRISPR gene drive in the laboratory is ethically questionable because an accident could directly impact the lives of others, not to mention seriously damage public trust in scientists,” the Sculpting Evolution Group’s website said.

It is evident that this powerful tool needs to be regulated and treated with the caution it deserves. There are many differing opinions on how to accomplish that goal, including requiring any plans for its use be made public prior to starting experimentation or requesting approval from a regulatory body. Nonetheless, the life-saving potential of CRISPR-based gene drives is huge.

“We did not feel bad about eradicating smallpox or polio or rinderpest,” Dr. Geary, who is in favour of the use of this technique, said. “Getting rid of even 50 species of mosquitoes out of the thousands of species would have minimal effects on ecology, but would change the course of millions of lives.”

McGill, News

McGill appoints new Associate Provost (International)

by Lanya Feng on

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On Aug. 21, Philip Oxhorn, a professor in McGill’s Political Science Department and the former director of the Institute for the Study of International Development, was appointed McGill’s first Associate Provost (International). The portfolio of Associate Provost (International) includes strengthening international partnerships and overseeing international outreach and research.

Oxhorn plans to add more innovative graduate programs in international development in order to attract more faculty and students from around the world. He also hopes to foster an environment that encourages students to participate in the internationalization of McGill by sharing their cultures, completing internships abroad, and bringing global awareness to the campus. According to Oxhorn, developing an international strategy will be a large part of his work.

“As for the first six months, I am working on developing an international strategy,” Oxhorn said. “There is lots of learning—especially with the abundant resources we have—on how to utilize these resources and bring units together. Another defining feature of the strategy is to seek and create genuine partnerships around the world.”

Recognizing the diversity of cultures on campus, Oxhorn feels stronger communication between departments is necessary for fostering a community with global mindsets.

“McGill has many great resources and many strengths, but the right hand may have no idea what the left hand is doing,” Oxhorn said. “So the problem is how to bring [departments] together and centralize them to make McGill a better place.”

Oxhorn plans to introduce a series of new curricula that focus on globalized learning and developing students’ appreciation of diverse culture and perspectives.

“It is important to comprehend the meaning of global citizenship in the 21st century,” Oxhorn said.

Oxhorn was appointed by Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) Christopher Manfredi after an extensive interview and evaluation process. Manfredi has faith that Oxhorn will successfully carry out all the mandates for advancing McGill on the world stage.

“As the former director of the Institute for the Study of International Development and with an excellent track-record in teaching and research in this field, Professor Oxhorn will bring valuable skills and expertise to this new role,” Manfredi said.

Erin Sobat, the VP University Affairs of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU), expressed concerns about the value of the new position for undergraduate students and its potential impact on international student affairs.

“We're interested to see how exactly the portfolio shapes up,” Sobat wrote in an email to /The Tribune/. “And particularly if International Education (exchanges, study away, etc.) will remain under the Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning). Otherwise, it's unclear exactly what impact or added value this role might have for undergraduate students.”

Chenghao Liu, a U1 Science student from China, hopes the new position will help improve the experience of international students at McGill.

“The administration at McGill [is] disappointing at times,” Liu said. “They [seem] fragmented. I need to run around the campus in order to get what I need. It is great to hear that there is a position created to unify, coordinate, and oversee the international aspect of the University.”

Art, Arts & Entertainment

Julie Favreau: Navigating personal space

by Sophie Brzozowski on

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Although she was born and raised in a small suburb outside of Quebec City, curators, critics, and fans cannot help but proudly introduce Julie Favreau as “one of Montreal’s very own.” Since graduating from Concordia in 2012, the 35-year-old artist has been the recipient of numerous grants and awards, including the Pierre Ayot Prize. Even so, no one can deny that two exhibitions showing in two of Montreal’s most reputable galleries is a feat worthy of the elegant reception thrown in her honour.


She Century: Tracer Son Portrait is an exhibition comprised of six pieces that premiered on Monday Sept. 26 at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA), followed by a second opening at the Darling Foundry gallery on Thursday Sept. 29. The title piece is a five-minute short film featuring  Caroline Dubois, a dancer, choreographer, and friend of the artist. Although her background is primarily in sculpture, Favreau’s work has always incorporated aspects of performance art. In She Century, the focus fell somewhere between dance and theater.


“We worked for ten days in a studio,” Favreau explained in an interview at the exhibit’s opening event at the MMFA. “After those ten days in the dance studio, we kind of followed the movements and how she responded to the space. It was very planned.”


Favreau has always emphasized that her work is not performance art. Dubois’ movements are simple but deliberate, filmed from various angles and distances against the backdrop of an empty green field. Her interest is not in the subject themselves but the way in which they interact with their surroundings, something we do everyday without a second thought.


The space seems to lend itself to the theme of the show. Located in the Jean-Noël Desmarais Pavilion, the exhibit is housed in a small, narrow room. In the centre is the television playing She Century, surrounded by two sculptures, another film, and several photographs. The small space makes spectators uncomfortable—one can’t help but be aware of their own body in relation to the room. Audience members are unsure as to where to position themselves so as not to block the sculptures or the screen, and are hesitant to stand close to a piece.  


Whether or not the show was designed to instill discomfort, it drove home the artist’s message in a way that was impossible to ignore. The exhibit forced the audience to pay attention to their environment, and the clumsy way in which they exist inside of it.  Suddenly, the audience is at the mercy of their surroundings, rather than the other way around.


For an artist that specializes in sculpture, Favreau has an unexpected fascination with movement. In 2011, she completed a residency at the Quartier Éphémère in Paris to study dance in order to improve her choreography.


Her interest in choreography and motion seem to be woven into even the stationary pieces of the show. The largest sculpture is an upright three dimensional model version  of a continuous looping structure that Dubois makes out of string in one scene of She Century.


“The question we were asking is, what would happen if the rope materialized into a sculpture?” Favreau explained, gesturing to the steel figure, which the label describes as a “drawing in space.” Although she stresses  that each piece is separate, it appears as though none of them could exist in isolation. Each creation seems to come from a moment or object in the film, each transparent in its own simplicity. In one of the final scenes of She Century, Dubois is shown performing a sleight of hand trick. The young woman twists a white handkerchief into a closed fist, then, rubbing her palms together, makes it disappear while staring unwaveringly into the camera. This scene echoes the theme of the exhibition, forcing the viewer think twice about the way they interact with the objects that inhabit space around them.

Trailer – She century – 2015 from Julie Favreau on Vimeo.

 

Student Life

Political clubs on campus: The secret to improving voter turnout in the US election

by Neha Rahman on

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Due to McGill’s large population of American students, discussions about the looming US presidential election have become a familiar part of life for many students this year. An unprecedented level of polarization between the candidates makes such conversations particularly lively. However, for many American citizens studying at McGill, this election is less about talk, and more about action. 

Despite the fact that voter turnout among 18-to 35 year-olds in the US is typically  dismal—with only 46 per cent voting in the last presedential election, compared to 72 per cent of those aged 71 and up—signs point to this election being different. The extremes to which the campaigns have gone has raised the stakes for members of all political parties, thus increasing voting rates and general interest among students. 

“I do not know a single American citizen at McGill who is not registered to vote,” Phoebe Warren, U3 Political Science and History, and founder of McGill Students for Hillary Clinton, said. “Almost everyone is interested in the election, even if they aren’t American.”

There are many potential reasons why the campus environment is so conducive to political interest. One is that the environment is necessarily one of education and intellect, keeping news and politics at the forefront. Additionally, the social atmosphere ensures that news and opinions spread quickly through the student body. However, what might be making one of the biggest differences on the campus in engaging students in political processes are political clubs.

“[Political clubs] are vital [to engaging students in the election],” Warren said. “Participating in political groups allows us to develop our political identities and find others with similar beliefs and values.” 

In fact, campus political clubs seem to be a key factor in improving low voter turnout. These political groups facilitate student voter rates directly by holding voter registration and absentee ballot request events. Democrats Abroad at McGill, for example, hosted a voter registration table in the Y-Intersection, which was widely attended by students this year. 

“[Our voter registration] had a pretty good turnout this year,” Amanda Demers, U2 Geography and Political Science and member of Democrats Abroad at McGill, said. “There was a constant stream of people really expressing a strong interest to vote, because it’s really coming from a strong sense of concern than [in other elections….] It seems now people are more interested in having their voice be heard.”

Yet, improving voter turnout is not strictly an American effort. Canadians can also do their part by making sure their American classmates are aware these services exist on campus. 

“A lot of Canadians have expressed to me that they’re also […] spreading the word because this election will impact them in some ways, too,” Demers said. “And since they can’t vote personally, I guess the closest thing they can do is help [Americans] vote.”

Voting abroad can intimidate students and deter many from registering to vote. Through voter registration booths, political clubs on campus can alleviate some of the barriers to voting abroad, such as the high cost and time commitment. 

“Voter registration is somewhat accessible,” Warren said. “However, we have to pay for postage with this and the absentee ballot itself. For people on a student budget, this can be a hassle. Democrats Abroad does a great job of taking away all other barriers that come with voter registration.”

To alleviate such stress, student groups on campus are doing their best to simplify the process for American students at McGill, working with students every step of the way. 

“[Casting an absentee ballot] is actually easier than most people think,” Demers said. “You can do most of it online, but the hardest part is that you eventually have to print out everything you fill out online because [the US government] usually wants everything signed. Printing it out and mailing it in is the part that deters a lot of people, but that’s what [Democrats Abroad] is here for.”

While candidates are resorting to desperate measures to get young people to show up to the polls this November, like inviting leagues of pop stars to sing at rallies, or awkwardly using slang in their speeches, campus political clubs are putting power in the eager and educated hands of American students at McGill. These students’ commitment remains unhindered no matter where in the world they are.  

Find out more about how to vote in the US election from abroad here.

Student Life

The Westmount Public Library innovates while keeping its history in mind

by Paige Mysliviec on

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The Westmount Public Library (WPL) sits tucked away from Rue Sherbrooke in Westmount with a red brick façade and green-trimmed windows across its exterior. Attached to its right wing is a white-lined greenhouse with frosted windows, and a hint of foliage peeking out from within. The building seamlessly transitions from antique to modern as new windows and streamlined construction give away the library’s grand addition, which allowed it to add more items and more space for the public’s enjoyment. Behind this library’s façade is an institution that holds an intriguing architectural history and serves as an important place for locals, students, and tourists. 

The original building of the Westmount Public Library was constructed in 1899—the first public library in Quebec. Designed by Robert Findlay, McGill University librarian Charles Gould, and a library committee made up of three counselors, three elected trustees, and the town mayor, the Westmount Public Library was built in honour of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. Because librarians—who prioritize efficiency—and architects—who prioritize style—often clash over building layout, the library was built with the library committee’s ideas on hand to compromise between the two parties. What resulted was a public library with a beautiful and efficient space.

 “[WPL] is the library that we often see cited in books [and] articles. People do refer to the library, just [because of] the aesthetics of the building,” WPL Director Julie-Ann Cardella said. “The aesthetics of the building constantly draws people in.”

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The architecture implied is mesmerizing to outsiders. The inspiration for the architecture was heavily influenced by American libraries, especially those in New England, according to scholar Elizabeth Hanson’s historical article “Architecture and Public Librarianship in the Early Nineteenth Century: The Westmount Public Library.” Gould used an inspector from the New York public libraries to help find library blueprints from Connecticut, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. 

Originally made to hold about 30,000 books, the library has since been expanded to hold over 170,000 items, including books, audiobooks, newspapers, and more. The additions to the library, completed in 1995, are not apparent from the front, but venturing around the building through the park, one can see how the faded red brick merges into a new painted one. The building becomes more straight-edged and modern. 

A library, however, is so much more than its architecture or layout. The age of technology and its allowance for users to read books online has threatened to make books and libraries obsolete. An article in Time Magazine, titled “Study: The Number of Teens Reading for Fun Keeps Declining,” attributed  decreasing reading rates among teens to the growing prevalence of technology. It also found that an increasing number of younger children were reading from ebooks over paper books. Yet, the Westmount Public Library chose to integrate technology into its operations, refusing to let changing times negatively affect them. 

“Technology we actually use to our advantage. We made sure that we didn’t fight it. We didn’t ignore it, we embraced it,” Cardella said. “People are commenting now more and more about their eyes [with technology….] We still have our readers, eh? They’re not going anywhere. In fact, it has increased the readers.”

Perhaps it’s the incorporation of technology, or maybe it’s the yearning for print, but the library, according to Cardella, is more popular than ever. On Friday nights it’s often full of people, and on the weekends it’s busy until closing. The library is open 69 hours a week; it is open every day without fail, hosting over 1,000 people per day on average. 

Catering to this many people a day is not easy, which is why Cardella makes service a priority. 

“We’re more and more popular because we’re very welcoming [….] The staff here is so helpful, always with a smile,” Cardella said. 

The Westmount Public Library is like a grand paradox: The old, unique architecture of the outside merges into the updated addition seamlessly; the inside juxtaposes antique and ornate features with modern windows. The never-ending rows of books are just the beginning of a large collection—a lot of which is in a database. The welcoming atmosphere makes the library feel extraordinary, as if the past and present married and welcomed everyone to grab a book, take a seat, and feel at home.

Baseball, Sports

MLB Awards

by Weiyu Dang and Ben Simon on

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American League Awards

Weiyu Dang

MVP: Mike Trout ( Centre fielder, Los Angeles Angels)

Logically, Trout must win the MVP. He’s been the best player in the MLB for five years; however, the voters are largely establishment cronies and it’s possible he’ll lose because the Angels had a bad season. While Mookie Betts was putting up superstar numbers on one of the best offensive teams this decade, Trout recorded similar numbers with no lineup protection or runners on base for him. On performance and value, Trout should unquestionably win.

Runners-up: Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox; Jose Altuve, Houston Astros

Cy Young: Corey Kluber (Starting pitcher, Cleveland Indians)

Kluber has been one of baseball’s best for the last three years. Finally, the rest of his team has caught up. In a year where pitchers have been good but not great, Kluber stands out as a workhorse and strikeout machine. No other pitcher on a good team has been as influential and statistically productive as Kluber. Orioles closer Zach Britton may be unhittable, but only pitches one inning a game.

Runners-up: Zach Britton, Baltimore Orioles; Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers

Rookie of the Year: Gary Sanchez (Catcher, New York Yankees)

After making his major league debut in August, Gary Sanchez has been the best player in the league. He plays the most demanding defensive position at a Gold Glove level while hitting moon shots at a historic pace. Sanchez has supreme tools of arm strength and power, making him a must-watch on TV. Tigers starter Michael Fulmer was great for a longer stretch, but Gary Sanchez brimmed with transcendent talent.

Runners-up: Michael Fulmer, Starting pitcher, Detroit Tigers.

Manager of the Year: Terry Francona (Cleveland Indians)

On-field production is largely unpredictable, yet it is possible to control the deployment of the right players at the right spots. Francona’s iconoclastic move, turning superstar closer Andrew Miller into a fireman sent out at any whiff of danger, stands out as creativity in a game dominated by convention. Winning the division with one of the lowest payrolls in the American League without superstar Michael Brantley is irrefutable managerial brilliance.

Runners-up: Jeff Banister, Texas Rangers; A.J. Hinch, Houston Astros

 

National League Awards

Ben Simon

MVP: Corey Seager (Shortstop, Los Angeles Dodgers)

Corey Seager should join Ichiro Suzuki and Fred Lynn as the only players to win the Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season. He is a generational talent and what he has been able to do at such a young age is simply outstanding. Unlike Kris Bryant who had the lineup protection and support to put up ridiculous numbers, Seager did it with a constantly changing cast of characters.

Runners-up: Kris Bryant Chicago Cubs; Nolan Arenado Colorado Rockies

CY Young: Max Scherzer (Starting pitcher, Washington Nationals)

Max Scherzer continued to dominate the league this year. While 20 wins might not be as important as it once was, his advanced statistics are all spectacular. He led the National League in innings pitched and was virtually unhittable all season. With the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw injured for most of the season and Kyle Hendricks not breaking the 200 inning plateau, Scherzer should take home his second Cy Young this year.

Runners-up: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers; Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants

Rookie of the Year: Corey Seager (Shortstop, Los Angeles Dodgers)

Dodgers’ youngster Corey Seager has run away with this year’s Rookie of the Year award. While his teammate Kenta Maeda was phenomenal on the mound, nobody came close to touching Seager this season. The NL hasn’t seen a rookie with this much talent since Buster Posey won the award in 2010. Frankly, he was so good that he should take home the MVP award, too.

Runners-up: Kenta Maeda, Los Angeles Dodgers, Aledmys Diaz St. Louis Cardinals

Manager of the Year: Dave Roberts (Los Angeles Dodgers)

Dave Roberts has masterminded his way to a fourth consecutive NL West title. He showed no fear, continually finding ways to win games despite managing a team with a record 28 players on the disabled list. While Joe Maddon led the Cubs to their first 100 win season since 1935, Roberts led a team of misfits to the postseason while dealing with constant Yasiel Puig drama. The Dodgers might not have been the NL’s best, but Roberts was certainly the top manager.

Runners-up: Joe Maddon, Chciago Cubs; Terry Collins New York Mets

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