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Private, Science & Technology

Advances in veterinary practice: Doggy acupuncture and the technological future

by Kate Lord on

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Anyone who has ever taken an introductory biology class probably recalls the effort that goes into learning a few evolutionarily basic phyla characteristics. Those who remember will likely appreciate a profession that builds exponentially upon that introductory class in order to diagnose and treat species across the animal kingdom.

“Veterinarians are an essential part of civilization,” Morgan Rauscher, the principal consultant in Technology and Business for the Young Women’s Veterinarian Association (YWVA), said. “They’re connected to food production, sustainability research, wildlife conservation—it’s not just your cat or dog at home, although that’s part of it, too.”

Veterinary medicine has evolved into a dynamic field, encompassing much more than check-ups for pets.

“Before, maybe 50 years ago, once you graduated you either started your own clinic or partnered up with [a colleague], ” Véronique Thivierge, Director of Operations for the YWVA and a fourth-year veterinary student at the Université de Montréal, said. “But today, […] you have to collaborate with biologists, people in agriculture, [and] business people. It’s crazy the number of options [available].”

Veterinary science, as a study of the natural world and health science, has inextricable links to sustainability and a duty to keep up with technology. Rauscher explained that while environmental sustainability and advancing technology often compete within their industries, in veterinary medicine, the two advancing spheres help push each other to progress even further.

Veterinary treatments to cure the diseases of pets, farm and wild animals are constantly subject to innovation.

“There are so many different alternatives,” Thivierge said. “If [the client] is not so interested in the classical way of treating an animal, [they] can try acupuncture, hydrotherapy, massage, alternative food, organic food, [and] plant-based food [….] The possibilities are expanding as veterinarians […] with what type of practice you want to have, and as clients, with what kind of service you want for your animal.”

Even with the constantly evolving field of veterinary medicine, Rauscher and Thivierge agree that intuition is still a key component when diagnosing and treating an animal.

“I’ve personally seen Ms. Thivierge next to a horse, and it’s a bit shocking,” Rauscher said. “When she approaches the horse, the whole animal just relaxes. There’s this connection that veterinarians have, and I think that’s what motivates them into the veterinary sciences.”

For students interested in pursuing studies in the veterinary sciences, Thivierge stressed the obvious importance of having a passion for animals. Furthermore, there are other skills required to sustain a veterinary practice in the modern era.

“It’s very important to also think about how you’re not only going to be a health care professional––you’re going to be a business person, a manager, a PR person, [and] you’ll have to deal with families,” Thivierge said.

Thivierge further suggested that those interested should spend some time volunteering at a veterinary clinic, wildlife center, or farm.

“If you’re ready to do it, it’s a great profession [and it’s] so diverse,” Thivierge said. “You can really build what you wish to build and have the impact you want around you.”


The International Conference on Sustainable Veterinary Practice, featuring keynote speaker Dr. Jane Goodall, is taking place on Oct. 6th from 9a.m.-7p.m.in Marché Bonsecours.

Arts & Entertainment

Pop Dialectic: Snapchat Spectacles and the rise of wearable social media

by Morgan Davis and Anna St. Clair on

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Snap to it

When Snapchat first arrived on the social media scene, it was hard to see its purpose beyond sending nudes. The app started as a project created by a group of Stanford students. On Snapchat, the user snaps a picture and sends it to a friend who can view the picture for up to ten seconds before it disappears—of course, someone can always take a screenshot. Now worth over $3 billion USD, Snapchat has added a host of other features, like chat, geotags, and filters that make for a spontaneous and fun social media platform. It’s no surprise that Snapchat’s latest invention, Spectacles, further integrates social media with real life in a positive way.


The concept of Spectacles is simple: They are a pair of sunglasses with a video camera embedded in the frame. They allow the user to take videos from their perspective, which can then be uploaded to the app via Bluetooth or Wi-fi. Once uploaded, the videos go to the ‘Memories’ section of the app, meaning they are saved and users can choose to send it to friends. Spectacles sell for $130, whereas other wearable tech are significantly pricier: Go-Pros are in the $200 to $400 range and the Google Glass, an Android device resembling a pair of eyeglasses, which went for $1,500 USD. Snapchat also announced that they are changing their name to Snap Inc., suggesting that Spectacles are just the first innovation of many. The home page of their website describes Snap Inc. as a camera company. Snap Inc. could veer further into the wearable tech industry by focusing on creating more cameras and camera accessories that are equally affordable and easy to use.


The comparison to Google Glass­­—which stopped selling to the public last year—has already been made; however, Spectacles are much closer to a Go-Pro. Google Glass allowed users to access all of their phone’s features, including internet, apps, and camera, on a glass screen right in-front of their eyes. They were meant to be worn all the time. Google Glass distracted and alienated people from the world around them, whereas Spectacles allow one to capture videos without the distraction of pulling out one’s phone.


The video announcement of Spectacles features a group using the device to capture footage while skateboarding. The handsfree video camera is a great way to capture video in situations where pulling out a phone could be dangerous—biking or skateboarding. Yet, the low profile of the glasses allows Spectacles to be used while casually walking around.


The major objection to Spectacles is the issue of personal privacy. With Spectacles, people can discreetly take pictures of anyone anywhere. Yet, taking pictures of strangers has been easy for years. Spectacles will do little, if anything, to escalate this problem. Think of all the people in photos, videos, and memes that have gone viral. How many of those people were aware they were being photographed? The issue of privacy and social media is far more complex than a pair of sunglasses.  


For a company that has managed to bring out the best in social media and communication, Spectacles are a step in the right direction. Sometimes it’s just nice not to stare at a screen.

 
—Anna St. Clair

Contributor

Snap back to reality

Unsatisfied with its status as a ‘messaging app,’ Snapchat is venturing into the world of wearable tech. ‘Spectacles’ are sunglasses with an integrated video camera allowing users to transfer their memories onto the app via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Snapchat, in changing its name to Snap Inc., is trying to broaden their brand; one that has been  working just fine already. With over 100 million daily users and approximately 8,796 photos shared every second, it’s easy to see where Snapchat gets the confidence to expand. Transitioning from software to hardware, however, is a high-risk move—one that Snapchat hasn’t proved that it’s ready for.


The idea behind sunglasses that film your vision is an exciting premise. With the steady advancements of technology in our society, something as futuristic as a wearable social media device seems only appropriate. What Snapchat doesn’t want its users to remember is that a very similar product was released only a few years ago. Compare the Snap Spectacles to the lack of success of Google Glass. Released in 2012, many people raised their concerns over Google Glass; public places, such as movie theatres and bars, went as far as banning the product due to privacy issues. In fact, Google Glass had significantly more powerful filming capabilities and built-in Wi-Fi when initially released; however, it was still unable to maintain market share. By Jan. 2015, Google officially announced that they would be taking Google Glass off the market in a humble retreat, and the product is now little more than a memory.


The other issue concerning Spectacles is their very limiting style. While sunglasses seem ideal for the function of inconspicuous filming during the daytime, it limits the events a user can wear them to without looking ridiculous. Not to suggest that Google Glass was any more stylish, but at least the clear glass was less of an eyesore.


Much of the concern for Spectacles comes from the fear of unknowingly being filmed. Today the ethics of recording unaware people is a grey area. While it is legal to film someone in a public space, the idea of someone’s sunglasses recording video would make anyone uncomfortable. This isn’t the first time Snap Inc. has found itself questioned for privacy. Recent complaints arose when the company released their new privacy policy stating they have the right to reproduce users’ snaps. With the expansion to include Spectacles, Snap Inc. opens itself up to potential legal implications.


At $130 dollars USD, the sunglasses are being marketed as affordable and accessible. When considering alternatives such as the Go-Pro, which does cost about $300 but films for over two hours and gives you a very high quality image, spending $130 on Spectacles appears fiscally irresponsible. Additionally, it’s inconvenient that Spectacles can only transfer the footage to the app when connected to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Ultimately, Snap Inc. Spectacles would be a misguided venture and an exhaustion of the company’s resources. Snapchat should focus on what it knows in order to remain one of the number one social media apps.


—Morgan Davis
Staff Writer

Off the Board, Opinion

Montreal pit bulls victims of impulsive decision-making

by Albert Park on

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Last week, the Montreal City council passed a bylaw that will prevent the city’s residents from adopting any new pit bulls and introduce a set of rules governing existing pit bull owners. This decision has garnered much attention, mainly in the form of outrage and criticism: Montreal residents have set up petitions imploring the city council to reverse its decision, and various publications have presented facts and expert opinions that challenge the effectiveness of the ban.

Simply observing the messy aftermath of the decision would lead one to believe that the majority of the public is fundamentally opposed to the bylaw. However, it is uncharacteristic of Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre—who is notorious for his populist politics—to push a decision that would go against the general public’s opinion. According to an online poll conducted in June 2016 for La Presse, two-thirds of Quebecers were in favour of a ban on pit bulls. While the bylaw may seem justified in this context, its inception and development was marred by a signature characteristic of Coderre’s decision-making—impulsiveness. In essence, the bylaw is a rushed and limited band-aid solution that is meant to assuage the general public’s fear of dangerous dogs without adequately addressing the issue in the long run.

Leadership entails making difficult choices in a decisive manner, and Coderre has made great efforts in this area; however, leaders must remain critical and think about the long-term implications and practicality of their decisions. They should not make the mistake of bending to the fickle wishes of segments of the population they represent. The Coderre administration’s failure to meet this criteria is clear when it comes to the bylaw.

 

In essence, the bylaw is a rushed and limited band-aid solution that is meant to assuage the general public’s fear of dangerous dogs without adequately addressing the issue in the long run.

Critics and colleagues of Coderre are quick to point out the impulsiveness that pervades many of his administration’s political pursuits. In particular, there are glaring similarities between the story of the recent bylaw and Coderre’s proposal back in May for a one-year ban of horse carriages, which came in response to a carriage accident. Ultimately, the moratorium had to be cancelled due to a ruling by the Quebec Superior Court, which judged that the City did not have the authority to put carriage drivers out of work under such short notice. This mirrors what is happening today with the bylaw: The Quebec Superior Court Justice Louis Gouin has temporarily suspended the ban until he can make an official ruling on Oct. 5, citing the potential difficulty pit bull owners would have in complying with some of the restrictions in the bylaw.

Both initiatives were well-intentioned, and sought to ensure the safety of Montreal residents. Yet, both exhibited a lack of refinement and neglect towards the people that the laws would ultimately affect the most—carriage drivers and pit bull owners. Much like the carriage ban, hastiness was another definite factor in the creation of the recent bylaw: The controversy around ownership of dangerous dogs only came into discussion this June, after Christiane Vadnais, a citizen of Montreal, died after being mauled by a dog that was initially reported to be a pit bull—later revealed to be possibly of a different breed. It only took around four months for a concern to manifest itself into a law.

The mechanism of the bylaw also suggests that insufficient effort was made to ensure its effectiveness and feasibility. Even those who support the general sentiments behind the bylaw question the enforceability and validity of a system based on banning specific breeds of dogs—primarily because breeds are often difficult to identify. A government-appointed advisory panel, which made recommendations on how to curb the dilemma of dangerous dogs in Quebec, suggested a case-by-case approach, making no mention of a universal ban on pit bulls.

While the bylaw was developed with the safety of the general population in mind, the insufficient planning behind it has produced a policy which is an unproductive knee-jerk response at best. The municipal government often introduces reactionary, large scale changes in response to relatively insignificant issues, such as its decision to spend $950,000 on an anti-littering campaign in an effort to “unequivocally target bad behaviour.” Ultimately, the pit bull ban is a byproduct of this kind of impetuous overzealousness of the Coderre administration.

 

 

 

Albert Park is the Features Editor at The McGill Tribune and a U3 student in Immunology and Microbiology. He is a writer, guitarist and above all an enthusiastic patron of Gerts.

 

Commentary, Opinion

In defence of laptops: Students must not be forced to take handwritten notes

by Diana Little on

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When entering their first classes of the semester, students are often apprehensive as they wait to hear the professor’s policy on laptops in class. While insisting on handwritten notes is not the norm at McGill, some professors nonetheless present students with articles and studies that explain how writing notes by hand improves memory, helps with the absorption of information, and is generally the best way to become a successful student.

The campus culture that classifies handwritten notes as ‘best’ or simply ‘better than’ typed notes homogenizes education and labels a student’s learning process as either right or wrong. While taking notes by hand benefits some—possibly even most—students, insisting upon it can create stressful and even inhospitable learning environments.

Despite its alleged positive impact on memory, handwriting notes lacks the accessibility of computers. While professors make exceptions for students with learning and physical disabilities, simply having messy or slow handwriting can disadvantage a student in the classroom. For those accustomed to typing their notes, taking notes by hand can be a grueling process that actually inhibits the absorption of information. Given that today’s students type much faster than they can write, handwritten notes often devolve into a game of catch-up with the professor: If students have to put most of their focus towards maintaining the professor’s speed, simply writing the words down takes priority over what the professor is actually saying.

These frantic notes may be messy, disorganized, and barely-legible, whereas computer programs such as Onenote or Evernote can be extremely useful in organizing important subjects and trains-of-thought. A student struggling to keep up with the professor likely doesn’t have the time to even write legibly, let alone highlight information. This chaotic transcription of a lecture can ultimately leave a student feeling stressed or disoriented, neither of which are optimal mental states for retaining course material. In an attempt to limit distractions and help students succeed, a professor may not realize the alternatively detrimental learning environment that insistence on handwritten notes creates.

 

For those accustomed to typing their notes, taking notes by hand can be a grueling process that actually inhibits the absorption of information.

Typing notes on a computer is admittedly not without its faults. Considering students’ constant exposure to the internet, allowing laptops in class inevitably opens those students up to an infinite number of distractions. These tend to have a snowball effect, in that someone surfing Facebook can distract the person behind them, and so on and so forth.

However, this possibility of distraction does not necessarily warrant a laptop ban, especially when one considers how teaching methods have evolved to incorporate, and even benefit from, digital media. Learning is not confined to spoken lectures; instead, professors employ a variety of digital aids such as powerpoints, music, videos, and images to augment their lessons. This shift towards a digital classroom recognizes that students learn in a variety of ways. For example, a visual learner retains information better with images or other visual cues. Likewise, an aural learner benefits from the presence and assistance of music or other sounds. These different learning methods intersect and overlap, making it impossible to suggest one student learns better than another.

Learning is a highly individual process. Just as the mode of presentation affects how a student absorbs information, so does the way a student takes notes. If it is agreed upon that the diversification of teaching styles should be encouraged, then it is equally important to allow for diversity in note-taking. Just because a student takes notes on a computer does not make him or her a poor or ineffectual learner. Students should be encouraged and allowed the freedom to discover which learning methods work best for them, rather than adhering to someone else’s definition of ‘proper learning.’

 

 

Diana Little is a U2 student in the Department of English Literature whose hobbies include petting dogs around Montreal and going to all-you-can-eat sushi.

 

Opinion

MTL Blog’s repurposing of Instagram content highlights grey area of control on social media

by Grey Gunning on

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MTL Blog is a normally benign clickbait website known for publishing articles such as “The Whole Foods Market Close to Montreal You Have To Road Trip To ASAP.” Recently, however, the blog moved away from think pieces on snow and poutine, and engaged in truly tasteless journalism. Two of the pieces in question, which have been retracted, were titled “12 of the Hottest Concordia University Guys on Instagram” and “18 of the Hottest Mcgill Girls on Instagram.” The articles featured photos linked from the Instagram accounts of 30 students without their consent. The existence of these articles—though brief—was exploitative because it violated the control that Instagram users have over their own content. MTL Blog neglecting to ask users for consent is a failure in ethical journalism.

Instagram images belong to the users who put them up, but the public nature of the website allows these images to exist somewhere between the public and private domains. Because anyone can view a public account, an image can be a simultaneous expression of a user’s private life and a part of the public domain. On the internet, theft is not easy to define and even harder to punish. Social media users might find that they do not have the grounds to take legal action against those who would repurpose their images.

Even highly public cases of image theft fall into this grey zone. In 2015, artist Richard Prince’s “New Portraits” exhibition at the Gagosian Gallery in New York City repurposed images from personal Instagram accounts—primarily, sexually suggestive photos of young women. By removing the captions written by the account users and replacing them with his own, he also removed the user’s ability to dictate the portrayal of his or her image. Just like MTL Blog, Prince placed the images in a new context, robbing the users of their control.

 

 

 

 

The defining aspect of social media is the ability to create and portray a public persona. Image repurposing takes away this control, which is crucial to existing safely in the internet grey zone.

Applications like Instagram enable people to put their lives on display, but this does not mean that the users featured in the MTL Blog articles or Prince’s exhibition invited their own exploitation. Such an interpretation would ignore the fact that social media is as bound by ethics as anything else. Social media is used to engage with a peer group: When university students put images of themselves online, it is for themselves and their ‘public’—a wider network of people they may not know personally. It is not an invitation for MTL Blog to swoop in and repurpose the image without permission. Although today’s youth are seemingly comfortable existing in public spheres such as Instagram—posting photos that anyone can see—the issue here is not publicity, but control.

The appropriation of internet content—especially personal images of a user—can have frightening repercussions for the original poster. Ruby Mae Landry, one of the girls featured in “The 18 Hottest McGill Girls on Instagram,” said in an interview with the CBC that she received unsolicited Facebook messages from men saying they “saw [her] on the blog” after the article’s publication. On Instagram, a user can control their content output and block other users. Once an image is taken out of the Instagram context, the user loses these safeguards. The most worrying implication of the added visibility created by artists like Prince and media platforms like MTL Blog is that it has the potential to make young people, especially women, susceptible to unwanted and even dangerous advances. Decisions like these are callous. An individual’s safety is more important than an artist’s career or the number of pageviews on a website.

Social media has changed the way people express their identities: The defining aspect of social media is the ability to create and portray a public persona. Image repurposing takes away this control, which is crucial to existing safely in the internet grey zone. All MTL Blog had to do was ask. It is a disservice to the online community it relies on that it did not.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grey Gunning is a U2 History major and occasional artist. She enjoys climbing, gardening, and cheesy 80's sci-fi.

 

 

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Science & Technology

Saskatchewan doctors seek state of emergency over HIV rates

by Kate Lord on

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In response to high rates of HIV and AIDS within the province, a group of Saskatchewan physicians is urging the provincial government to declare a public health emergency.

According to an open letter signed by a group of 30 physicians on Sept. 19, the 2015 provincial rate of HIV was 13.8 cases per 100,000 people; this is more than double the national rate of 5.8. For decades, the province has reported the highest rates of the infectious disease in Canada. Rates are especially high in indigenous communities, which account for 70 per cent of all cases in Saskatchewan despite comprising only 20 per cent of the population.

“We perceive this to be an emergency,” said Dr. Stephen Sanche, one of the physicians who discussed Saskatchewan’s HIV crisis at a press conference on Sept. 19th. "It calls for immediate action, and that’s really what we're asking for here.”

Between 2010 and 2014, the Saskatchewan provincial government implemented a strategy targeting HIV/AIDS, which successfully saw rates of HIV testing increase. However, since its expiry, there has been a sharp increase in the number of new HIV cases in the province, with 158 cases in 2015 compared to just 114 in 2014.

“[HIV] is a problem of discrimination, marginalization, […] punitive legal laws [and] notification services,” said Dr. Nitika Pant Pai, an associate professor in McGill's Department of Medicine and leader of the team that created the HIVSmart! mobile-based self-testing app. "[We must fight against] a culture where people are scared to get tested.”

To change the trend of HIV in Saskatchewan, it is also important to address the factors directly influencing the social stigma of the disease.

“Part of reducing stigma is to normalize testing, being diagnosed and being treated,” said Dr. Joseph Cox, an associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology at McGill. “Informed leadership is needed in educating the general population, and risk groups, about HIV and what it means today. The Saskatchewan example […] highlights how quickly infectious diseases like HIV can spread among networks of people when prevention programs are not sufficiently developed or deployed.”

In their letter, the doctors call on the government to adopt and achieve the UNAIDS recommended 90-90-90 goal by 2020. The UNAIDS goal urges governments to make changes to see that 90 per cent of those with HIV get tested and are aware of their diagnosis, 90 per cent of those diagnosed are put on antiretroviral treatments, and 90 per cent of those on treatment reduce the number of viruses in their bodies to prevent further transmission.

“[90-90-90] is a goal for every country in the world,” explained Dr. Catherine Hankins, a former McGill professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics who recently retired as the chief scientific officer for UNAIDS. “[There are] countries in Africa that are close to reaching those targets, while Canada as a whole is not.”

Saskatchewan has pushed back. According to the Canadian Medical Association Journal, the province has not endorsed the 90-90-90 goal. Dr. Denise Werker, Saskatchewan’s Deputy Chief Provincial Medical Health Officer, has thus far declined to declare a state of public health emergency as she says it’s impossible to do so when the term, “state of public health emergency,” doesn’t technically exist under the provincial health act.

According to Hankins, the HIV/AIDS crisis in Saskatchewan is propagating rapidly, and will continue to do so regardless of political agendas.

“What they [need to] do immediately, is make anti-retroviral [treatment] free of charge and offer it […] as soon as HIV is diagnosed,” said Hankins.

In the open letter, the physicians calculate that each new HIV case costs the provincial government nearly $500,000 on medication alone, in comparison with the $1.4 million it costs the province to support an HIV-positive patient throughout their lifetime. To lessen the financial burden, it is in Saskatchewan’s best interest to decrease the number of new HIV cases.

In addition to high costs, access to medication can also be a roadblock for some patients, particularly in indigenous communities. HIV has historically been associated with homosexual men, but increasingly the epidemic has moved to indigenous populations. As indigenous populations make up the majority of new HIV cases in Saskatchewan, it is critical to focus efforts on the populations most affected by the modern HIV crisis.

Baseball, Men's Varsity, Private, Sports

McGill Redmen baseball mercy UdeM Carabins in one sided match-up

by Hana O’Neill on

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The Université de Montréal (UdeM) Carabins (3-10) committed six errors and walked seven batters before begging McGill for leniency. The Redmen (13-1) coasted to a 10-0 mercy-shortened victory this past Wednesday at Gary Carter Field in Cote St. Luc, Quebec.

Redmen starting pitcher Henry Dennis, a sophomore history major, held the Carabins to no runs on two hits in five innings, striking out five and walking none.

“I felt loose [and] good to go. The only difference from last week is I was throwing strikes,” Dennis said, referring to his last start, in which he allowed one hit and walked five. “My team was making plays as usual. I had more energy, my arm felt loose and live.”

The Redmen got on the board in the second inning, when third baseman Jared Kersh singled home designated hitter Camden Lawhead. Right fielder Jack Pantalena came home on centre fielder Rocky Hroch’s groundout to extend the lead to 2-0. From that point on, the Redmen dominated the Carabins offensively, scoring eight more runs on eight hits and four errors over the next three innings. The game was called in the bottom of the fifth inning when shortstop Louis-Xavier Labrosse singled home left fielder Jonathan Duforest for the tenth run, bringing the Mercy Rule into effect.

After clinching first place in the CCBA’s Northern Division with a win over the rival Concordia Stingers on Monday, the Redmen are looking ahead to the playoffs.

“We have a good group of guys, we work hard every game, and the scoreboard usually shows it,” Dennis said. “I’m excited. It’s my second year, I think we have a better team than last year, and if there’s a team that can three-peat it’s this one.”

Despite playing five games in five days, the Redmen haven’t looked tired. Head Coach Jason Starr is confident about his team’s performance heading into the postseason.

“We came out strong, we’ve played a lot of baseball in the last few days,” Starr said. “We just want to keep getting better into October.”

The semifinals will take place the weekend of Oct. 15-16. On Saturday, Oct. 15, the Redmen will host the eventual fourth-place finishers in their division for the first two games of the best-of-three series. If necessary, game three will be played at their opponent’s on Sunday.

The Redmen head to Vermont to play in a non-conference tournament this weekend. McGill will host Carleton for a double-header next Saturday in the last games of the conference regular-season.

 

Quotable: “This is the level we expect out of [Henry….] We like to hold our guys to high standards. He was good tonight, didn’t walk, and was in control.” – Head Coach Jason Starr on starting pitcher Henry Dennis’ performance.

Stats Corner: UdeM pitchers Marc-André Towner and Pascal Desjardins faced a total of 33 McGill batters over five innings.

Moment of the Game: With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth inning and McGill leading 8-0, UdeM reliever Pascal Desjardins walked pinch-hitter Jake Guggenheimer, driving in the first run of the inning. Lacrosse then singled to right, scoring Duforest and ending the game.

Arts & Entertainment, Music

Gold Panda electrifies audience at Newspeak

by Saif Cheval on

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British producer, composer, and electronic artist Gold Panda walked up to an unassuming little table supporting his DJ mixer and turntable at Newspeak on Sunday, Sept. 11. Gold Panda released his third studio album, Good Luck and Do Your Best earlier this year, and has been touring about the world since, which brought him to Montreal that night.

With very little ceremony, he threw up some visuals—four panels featuring a variety of plants—and got to it. His casual attitude offered listeners  two paths: One could get completely lost in the visuals of Newspeak, with its pulsing, needle-like lights scattered across the ceiling in an introspective daze, or they could simply rage. Most ended up trying out both.

The opening act was MC Open Mike Eagle (who happens to be the once-college RA of comedian Hannibal Buress). Open Mike Eagle started the night on the introspective note. His incredibly intimate set, with toned down vocals and crisp production, offered a calm start to the night. The rapper crooned about his friends’ financial woes and dropped sensitive and honest bars, with nothing more on stage than some MIDI equipment, a laptop, and an action figure. The performance showed range, skill, and serious emotional appeal as he travelled from heavy-handed beats with amusing lyrics (“The Advice Show”) to softer, thoughtful ruminations on life and success (“Very Much Money”).

The choice in lineup was perplexing: There is not much of a link between Open Mike Eagle and Gold Panda, besides their collaboration on a single song. But the juxtaposition of the two artists at Newspeak was an effective choice. Open Mike Eagle  served as a voice for Gold Panda’s lyric-less performance. Gold Panda himself agreed, saying, in conversation with fans after the show, that he let Mike handle the talking part.

It was easy to feel at once disarmed and at ease when Gold Panda floated up to his equipment. The serene nature visuals featured behind him flowed into his crisp electronic beats as he moved about his turntables. And thus, for the initial 45 minutes of his nearly two-hour long show, the audience was entranced, swaying slightly to upbeat tempos.

Just as the audience seemed to be lulled, Gold Panda immediately amped up his tunes, playing one of his older and most popular tracks, “You.” The energies in the room shifted, the fluorescent tube lights above began flashing erratically, and the visuals transformed into digital spikes and swirls. Pushed on solely by the music itself, the room partied as hard as anyone could on a Sunday night, and time began to collapse into itself.

Newspeak’s low ceilings, eccentric lighting, and condensed space created the perfect atmosphere for Gold Panda’s show. Rather than the cavernous cathedrals of most electronic music venues, this show was as intimate as it was distant. Sudden beat switch-ups or breakdowns would crash through the soundscape as reminders of the DJ’s sway over the audience. If a listener got too caught up within themselves, rising tempos and erratic visual changes would soon push them to dance with the people around them.


The night had to come to an end, and Gold Panda finished with a flurry of beats as “Good Luck and Do Your Best” flashed on the screen. Newspeak provided the optimal space, lighting, and sound to allow Gold Panda and Open Mike Eagle put on a performance was as intimate as it was exhilarating. Instead of running off backstage after the show, Gold Panda chose to stand by the speakers, taking time out to talk to fans and followers. Not too far behind the gushing fans, Open Mike Eagle was chatting up a few showgoers at the bar. Though Gold Panda was of the view that talking might disrupt the flow of his music, being able to interact with him after the concert only solidified how personal the show was for its audience.

Album Reviews, Arts & Entertainment

Album Review: The Sun’s Tirade – Isaiah Rashad

by Dylan Adamson on

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Tennessean rapper Isaiah Rashad has some destructive tendencies. They were the subject of much of his deceptively laidback flows on his eye-opening 2014 debut, Cilvia Demo. The two years since have not been easy for Rashad: An addiction to Xanax, alcoholism, and the pressures of being his label’s prospective ‘next big thing’ have defined a silent period in which the company, Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), almost dropped Rashad. After this tumultuous time, the 25-year-old returns to the scene with The Sun’s Tirade, released Sept. 1. The sprawling 66 minute release finds Rashad confronting his demons head-on, while earning his place among the TDE elite.

Transplanted from Tennessee into the heart of the US’s west coast scene, Rashad has had a lot of influences to juggle in his music. The Sun’s Tirade uses a lot of standout, funky beats that have defined recent TDE releases, such as Kendrick’s To Pimp a Butterfly and Jay Rock’s 90059. From a production standpoint, this sound is compatible with Rashad’s roots as an Outkast fanboy. There is a lot going on in these tracks, especially in comparison with the beats on Rashad’s debut Cilvia Demo, which featured a lot of synth-heavy, chilled out beats. On The Sun’s Tirade’s best moments, the boom-bap bass, paired with some really groovy, slowed down hooks, almost recall Outkast’s seminal 1998 album, Aquemini. The Sun Tirade’s standout track, “Silkk da Shocka (ft. Syd),” is a clear descendent of the Andre 3000 school of nostalgic rap ballads. Named after a southern rapper of Rashad’s youth, this song couples Rashad’s easy flows with a fantastically soft feature from Odd Future alum Syd (tha Dude) to concoct one of the year’s sweetest hooks.

A particularly sentimental track is “Rope (ft. SiR) // rosegold,” a song in which Rashad expresses his gratitude for still being afforded the opportunity to make music. Rapid fire hi-hats and multiple basslines add urgency to Rashad’s southern drawl, giving credence to stirring bars: “Like nowadays / I barely might know myself / but thank God I found this rope.” He is now able to rise above the chaos that has defined his last two years, and look around with a new lease on life and fame.   The lead single, “Free Lunch,”; “Brenda,” an ode to his deceased grandmother, and “Dressed Like Rappers,” a sobering critique of the so-called rap image, are clear standouts. Despite the record’s heavy emotional subject matter, Rashad’s presence brings a much needed dose of vitality into the often monotonous southern rap scene of 2016.

 

The first side of the album tends toward songs which look back at Rashad’s life through a meditative lens. The second side, however, finds Rashad expending his energy outwards rather than inwards. He spits heavy bars about the people he loves, and the way that modern hip hop has affected predominantly black neighbourhoods such as his own in hometown Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Despite the twist and turns of the album, it never comes off as meandering; in fact, the immersive world of the seemingly reborn protagonist is nothing short of mesmerizing. The album’s title, The Sun’s Tirade, refers to how long the days—and, to extrapolate, the months and years—have felt since Rashad’s move to L.A. in 2014. It hasn’t been an easy journey, but Isaiah has finally emerged to greet the world around him; fans old and new will certainly be glad to see the results.

Sounds like: To Pimp a Butterfly-era Kendrick Lamar (think bass-heavy funk beats coupled with heady introspection); Aquemini-era Outkast (deep South nostalgia)

Opinion

Language of McGill’s Draft Policy for Sexual Violence allows perpetrators too much leeway

by Leila Mathy on

More in Opinion:

McGill University is one of the safest spaces I’ve ever been in. Never in my life have I ever been made so aware of issues of race, sexuality, consent, and gender. This university opened my eyes to topics I had rarely thought about in-depth and made me a far more open-minded and socially-aware person. I know for a fact that I’m not the only person to have felt the impact of this experience, so I was disappointed and angry when I was informed that McGill does not yet have a sexual assault policy. I, and many others, feel betrayed. The university may encourage awareness around consent and implement mandatory workshops for students living in residence about consensual sex, but it needs a formal sexual violence policy—with clear repercussions for perpetrators—in order to live up to these supposed commitments.

McGill is not the only university with this problem: Fewer than 20 per cent of Canadian universities have official sexual violence policies. McGill released its Draft Policy for Sexual Violence on Sept. 12; however, the draft is severely lacking in its punitive measures. The point of this policy should be to ensure that no survivor ever has to see, interact with, or feel threatened by the presence of their attacker on campus. In the case of a confirmed case of sexual violence, the policy must validate the survivor’s importance and worth by employing strict punitive measures. In short, the policy must send a clear message that sexual assault is not tolerated at this institution.

The biggest problem with this policy isn’t how long it’s taken to come together, or how many times it was previously rejected. The biggest problem, by far, is the message this sends to students on campus: This policy is more careful about wrongfully convicting someone than it is about the survivor’s well-being. While it should be concerned with both, false accusations are very, very rare—only 2 to 4 per cent in Canada. This draft tells survivors that they would have to live with their attacker on campus and that the perpetrator’s freedoms, comfort, and educational experience are valued at the expense of their own.

 

 

 

 

There is too much wiggle room for perpetrators to slip through the cracks, because the draft in its current state doesn’t hold McGill to any concrete action.

Instead, McGill University, in the vaguest terms possible, only asserts in clause 9 of the draft that the survivor will have access to support systems. In addition, clause 12 states that “the appropriate University authority may initiate an investigation or disciplinary process.” The policy draft fails to quantify resources and assert concrete measures. The repeated use of the word “may” makes it vague and noncommittal. This weak attempt at addressing the problem of sexual assault on campus does nothing to eliminate rape culture—the dangerous culture that normalizes and excuses sexual violence instead of condemning it. This policy would be so much more significant if McGill specified exactly what resources it will devote and what actions it will take to respond accordingly.

The draft’s harshest punitive measure, in clause 18c, is “temporarily excluding the alleged perpetrator from campus or limiting that person’s role, privileges or duties, in accordance with applicable University policies, regulations and collective agreements.” No suspension, no expulsion, and a lot of leeway. Without the threat of expulsion, perpetrators can get away with sexual violence and know that they will still get a second chance. There is too much wiggle room for perpetrators to slip through the cracks, because the draft in its current state doesn’t hold McGill to any concrete action. This creates a risk of not holding all perpetrators and cases to the same standards. With a justice system that doesn’t seem invested in helping rape survivors, universities need to create as safe a space as possible for members of their community. In fact, survivors of sexual violence in Canada have received so little help in their cases that many would rather stay silent altogether.

Failing to include real, concrete, and harsh punitive measures is what makes this policy severely lacking. McGill’s job isn’t to only educate its students—it’s to create a safe space for the educating to take place in. This is even something the university acknowledges that it is obligated to do in clauses 7 and 8 of the Charter of Student Rights, yet, so far, it seems to be failing in this instance. Given that so few universities in Canada have policies for sexual violence, McGill’s policy has the opportunity be extremely precedent-setting. The campus I thought was a safe space is one where many feel at risk. An administration that isn’t willing to take definitive punitive measures in dealing with perpetrators of sexual violence is not one that is creating a safe space.

 

 

 

Leila Mathy is a U2 double major in Political Science and English Drama and Theatre. Leila is Belgian and was born and raised abroad as a third culture kid her whole life, and has learned to appreciate global affairs, whether social or political. Outside of school, she enjoys playing volleyball and her job as a writer and for thethings.com.

 

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