argosy convocation issue may 12, 2011
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Argosy Convocation Issue May 12, 2011TRANSCRIPT
May 12, 2011 Turning a new page since 1875 Vol. 141 Iss. 1ATHE RGOSY
Convocation at Mount Allison
ARGOSY
INSIDENewsOp/EdFeaturesSci/TechConvocationCentrefoldSports Arts & LitEntertainmentHumour
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Seeds of successMount Allison’s farm initiative fosters sustainable food practices on once barren land.
NEWS, page 3
A Sappy reunionThe sixth annual festival returns this July, boasting a line-up of old favourites and fresh faces.
ENT., page 14
In 2007, this graduating class was told during Commencement at Convocation Hall that, “You become a part of a university community dedicated to learning and to developing; not only the mind but the whole person.” Hopefully, in these graduates four years at Mount Allison, they will fondly remember this learning and community.
John Brannen
MAFA book prize recipient announced
The Mount Allison Faculty Association recently recognized the hard work and dedication of a current student by awarding the George J. De Benedetti
Book prize to Amelia Thorpe-Gosley. The prize consists of a book and two hundred dollars. Thorpe-Gosley was nominated by Dr. Janet Hammock. Hammock, explaining her choice stated, “Amelia’s influence both on and off campus is profound. Her expert leadership empowers students and encourages friendship and camaraderie between Sackville residents and Mt. A students.”
This award recognizes the contributions of George J. De
Thorpe-Gosley recognized for her contributions
Elise Dolinsky
Features Writer
Mansbridge internship provides international opportunity
Valued at ten thousand dollars, the Mansbridge Internship is the highest valued award of its kind at Mount Allison. Third year biochemistry
Aspiring doctor heads for Africa this summer Carly Levy
News Writer
student Monica Jepson is the inaugural recipient of the scholarship and will be taking full advantage of the opportunity provided by the funds this summer. Jepson will be travelling to Kenya where she will spend seven weeks with the international organization Medics to Africa.
Established this winter by University Chancellor and CBC News Chief Correspondent Peter Mansbridge, the internship is open to third year students who are responsible for developing, planning and implementing their own internship.
As described in a recent university press release, the funds acquired through the internship will go toward aiding students in developing attitudes, abilities, and skills essential to active participation in an increasingly globalized and interconnected society. The funds are administered through Leadership Mt. A’s Global Connect program.“The internship is meant to provide students with an experience that builds on what they learn in the classroom,” says Mansbridge. “Such
JEPSON, page 3 THORPE-GOSLEY, page 3
NEWS May 12, 2011 [email protected]
thursday may 12, 2011 volume 140 issue 22
Mira Le-BaHannah Saunders
Martin WightmanReverend PerkinNoah Kowalski
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CIRCULATIONS Mathew [email protected]
Mount Allison students are all set to break ground on a new farm initiative that will provide several benefits to the university. Plans to cultivate a twenty-two acre parcel of land bordering King, Kirk and York Streets to grow fruit and vegetables are now in the final stages.
The project proposed in March was approved last week and includes several promising uses for the farm: to grow vegetables for the dining hall-which would decrease food costs and increase quality, to employ students to work the land and create connections between students and food where it is lacking in an increasingly urbanized world. The farm will also provide an outlet for campus compost.
The proposal describes plans to eventually prepare eight acres for production, the team will apply green manure on five this summer leaving only three acres for food production this year in the hopes that “an investment in soil health will translate into higher yields of produce next year.”
The eight acres will be divided into two gardens of approximately four acres each. One would be farmed using organic methods with the other plot using eco-farming techniques that are a balance between organic and chemical fertilizers or other applications meant to increase yields. While there are many examples of campus farms in Canada and the US the Mt. A farm will be unique as a demonstration farm with two gardens farmed by different methods.
The proposal also describes intentions to allocate an additional acre for fruit trees, an herb bed, berries, a garlic bed, rhubarb, flowers and other things such as space for a bee keeper and hives to help with pollination will also be developed.
If the project goes according to plan all eight acres would be in food production next summer
with the majority of the space allocated to root crops such as potatoes, beets and turnips along with other food items, including corn, onions, tomatoes, lettuces, peppers and cucumbers that are all consumed in large quantities in the dining hall.
Two students, Avery Wheeler and Heidi Goodine have been hired full-time to work this summer at getting the project off the ground. Both students have grown up on farms, experience that Director of Administrative Services, Michelle Strain is confident that will be “well suited to ensure the first year is successful.”
The students will be involved in all areas of planning and work on the farm and responsible for the smooth running of the operation. Students will be able to get involved with the farm in several ways as it expands. It is already in the works to bring Cuthbertson House on board to help with the fall harvest in exchange for vegetables for house consumption.
The proposal to farm eight to nine acres would only mean approximately four to six weeks of vegetables depending on menus, harvest and types of items grown. “A twenty-
Fifty year-old land to facilitate learning, economic benefits to university community
Carly Levy
News Writer
ONLINEPreview
New farm initiative will reap many benefits
two acre parcel cannot sustain a dining hall that serves 1,000 to 1,200 meals three times a day, no farm in the area can produce all of the fruits and vegetables we consume in a year,” states the proposal.
Though the farm will never be able to fully support student meal plans, in the future more students will be hired and a food stall will be set up to sell produce on a weekly basis as the farm expands. Furthermore, it is expected that educational programs will be developed for and delivered to school children in the form of summer camps.
Purchased in the mid sixties, the area known simply as “The Farm” has not been in production since it was acquired nearly fifty years ago. Considered, ‘a valuable parcel of land’ the university has previously declined offers to sell the land for housing developments or other purposes however they have stated that if an opportunity should emerge to sell at a price exceeding the value of this present proposal then the university should take advantage of it and that there is no expectation of a long term commitment in the current plan for this project.
Welcome to the new Online Preview section of the paper. My name is Geoff Campbell and I’m the first ever Online Editor of the Argosy. My primary writing for the Argosy will be writing weekly for the new Online Only section of the website. My first article will be on the Argosy’s first live-streamed election debate, the Argosy website going offline, and unenforceable section 329 of the Canada Elections Act.
Here, I’ll be mentioning the upcoming post and highlighting the best of our upcoming reader submitted content section of the website.
If things go according to plan, a refurbished version of the Argosy website (Argosy.ca) will be up and running by the end of May. In an age where local news is read by thousands all over the world it became apparent that the Argosy needed to update the style and share-ability of its website. Over this summer we will be designing a simple means for accepting reader submissions.
This Online Only section of the Argosy is in addition to the letters to the Editor and distinct in that we will accept photos and video
submissions. These submissions, if approved by myself and this year’s Editor-in-Chief John Brannen will be published online. We will begin accepting student submissions on September 1, 2011.
Also featured on the Online Only section of the website will be a weekly post by myself on various topics.
Geoff CampbellOnline [email protected]
The vacant farm lot will soon be producing fruits and vegetables. Mount Allison
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The Argosy www.argosy.ca 3NEWS
Sackville honours Victory in EuropeParade marks sixty-six years since German surrenderJohn A. W. Brannen
Editor-in-Chief
The national flags and Legion banners unfurl, the shrill notes of a bagpiper ring, and veterans, some in their nineties, take their positions in three ranks on the street, their rows of medals clinking as they march. Sixty-six years ago, these men and women returned home after fighting in World War II, the deadliest conflict in human history.
Victory in Europe Day, or simple VE Day, has been celebrated in Sackville every year on May 8th since 1946. Royal Canadian Legion Branch 26 President Colin Penley was on hand to lead the ceremony. “It was the day that the Germans surrendered to the allies,” he stated. “Hostilities, which had started in 1939, had ended.” Penley, a career soldier, served in the Canadian Armed Forces for thirty-five years, serving in Bosnia with NATO from 1997-99. He points out that the men and women who went overseas “came from big cities and small towns from all across Canada.” Noting that VE Day was also on Mother’s Day, Penley remarked, “we probably wouldn’t be able to have a Mother’s Day if people hadn’t answered the call.”
At the cenotaph, army cadets stood solemnly at each corner. Wreaths were laid on behalf of organizations, including the town of Sackville, the Legion Fenton Corey, a music student at Mount Allison and instructor with the local air
cadet squadron, played the pensive Lament on the bagpipes.
Earle Thompson, a lifetime member of the Legion, spoke of his father who served in World War II. “Sixty-six years ago, we got a phone call. Daddy was coming home,” he recollected. “When he arrived home, it was like meeting him for the first time, a complete stranger.” Mike Olscamp, MLA for Tantramar stated, “VE Day is an opportunity to keep alive the memories of those veterans who are still with us, those who have passed away, and those who never returned to Canada.”
The atmosphere in the Legion after the parade was very relaxed, and mingling and reminiscing was the order of the day. Rod Johnson, a veteran of World War II, received a special pin for sixty-five years of membership in the Legion. “I was in the infantry of the North Shore of New Brunswick,” he recalled. “I landed in France on D-Day,” the largest amphibious invasion in world history, with over 160,000 troops taking part. Holding back tears, he laments, “many of my friends are still there.”
Jim Kay, a veteran who served in the army, served his country at home. “I tried to get overseas, but I wasn’t stout enough,” he jokes. He did however serve in Summerside, St. John’s, and Jamaica and after the war in Germany and Egypt. Kay joined in 1939 when the war started. “I knew the sergeant in charge of recruiting in Sackville, so he got me in.”
Sadly, the number of veterans at the parade from year to year is diminishing. The average age of a World War II veteran is around ninety years old. With this in mind, there is no reason to celebrate Victory in Europe just one day of the year – take time to visit these incredible men or women. Their stories are our county’s history.
Top left: Sgt. James Ellis-Trenholm of #2335 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps in Port Elgin, NB stands on guard at the cenotaph. Top right: Fenton Corey brings music and a steady beat to the parade with his bagpipes. Middle: Legion President Colin Penley lays a wreath of remembrance on behalf of the Sackville Branch #26.Bottom: Leading Cadet Jacob Hicks, 10, of Navy #193 Kodiak in Moncton marches in the parade. He joined his grandfather, Legion member Brian Blakney.
perspective is vital in today’s world.’’The international organization
Medics to Africa has a hands on program that focuses on both academics as well as cross cultural awareness. Students from medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and the sciences are selected to travel to Africa and provide basic medical support in hospitals and communities.
Jepson, who hopes to pursue a career in medicine, says she is honoured to receive this internship opportunity. She will be working at St. Joseph Mission Hospital in the Migori county region of Kenya. The county is home to roughly one million people and only eighteen doctors. A high percentage of the population suffers from HIV/AIDS in the region. Jepson believes, “working in that environment will truly be a life-changing experience.”
This experience will build on her involvement with Mount Allison’s Global Brigades, of which Jepson was treasurer this year. The group travelled to Honduras during the
university’s reading week. While in Kenya, Jepson will be assisting doctors in a wide range of areas including pediatrics, radiology, surgery, maternity, ICU, ENT, and emergency. The hospital also has a special clinic for people with HIV/AIDS and their family members.
In addition to her work at St. Joseph’s, Jepson will also travel to Mwijabu School in Mombasa to follow up on a project she completed while attending high school in Calgary, Alberta. Along with nine other students, Jepson raised money to fund a computer lab at the school in 2007. They also created a teaching curriculum to provide students and their teachers with the necessary technological skills to use the lab. Jepson will be able to visit the school for the first time during the Mansbridge Internship this summer.
After the internship, Jepson will be returning to Mt. A. to complete her fourth and final year. “It is my hope that through sharing my experiences, I will be able to encourage others to get involved and broaden their global perspectives,” Jepson explained.
Jepson working at hospital in Kenya
Continued from cover
Benedetti, an economics professor from 1968-2000, who made remarkable contributions to the university, Mount Allison Faculty Association, and the broader Canadian university academic staff. The award is given by the Mount Allison Faculty Association Executive and recognizes a student that has good academic history and shows a significant contribution in the areas of social activism, advocacy work, and attention to student, university-wide, or community issues. There does not seem to be a more deserving recipient than Thorpe-Gosley.
Through her years at Mt. A Thorpe Gosley has been involved with Oxfam Mt.A, Oxfam Canada, the Sackville Coalition for Social Justice (while it was operational), Rights and Democracy. Thorpe-Gosley explained how much she appreciates the opportunities the university has given her, “I am privileged to have the opportunity to engage in activism in addition to
my academic studies, and work with fantastic organizations and people.”
One of her largest contributions has been through her work furthering the health and safety of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals. She has been heavily involved with the Sackville NB/Amherst NS organization of PFLAG as well as Mt. A’s catalyst group serving as its president. Thorpe-Gosley has brought attention to LGBT issues on Mt. A’s campus with these groups through many awareness raising campaigns including the transgender day of awareness and coming out day.
Thorpe-Gosley is set to graduate in 2012 with her Bachelor of Arts in History and plans on pursuing her Masters. “After Mt. A, social justice and activism will be important aspects of my life and career, and I hope to continue my involvement in other branches of Oxfam Canada, PFLAG, and other organizations,” she stated.
Thorpe-Gosley is appreciative of the recognition, “I was very honoured to have received this award. It is both humbling and heartening to have one’s efforts recognized in such an active community such as Mt. A.”
Thorpe-Gosley recognized for activism, social justice
Continued from cover
All photos taken by John Brannen
Mount Allison
OP/ED May 12, 2011 [email protected]
The 41st General Election saw dramatic changes to Parliament on par with the results of the 35th General Election in 1993 when the Bloc Québécois became the official opposition. For those that are the ‘silver-lining’ types, each party has something positive to take away from this election. The Conservatives got their majority, the NDP are the official opposition for the first time, the Green Party finally won a seat and the Québec nationalists are able to focus their efforts and finances on the upcoming provincial election. What did the Liberals get? They get a four-year opportunity to stop the bleeding, rebuild the party and return
to making a significant, positive contribution to Parliament.
There is a great deal of work to be done first. The party is without a leader, and that will be the first (and the most important) decision to be made. The interim leader will need to be selected before Parliament resumes at the end of the month. They need someone with experience, a good
policy-oriented mind and someone who is not going to set the bar for leadership too high for the elected leader down the road. While pickings are slim in the current caucus, there have been a number of names circulating, ranging from local MP Dominic LeBlanc to former Ontario Premier Bob Rae. The problem with these names is that the party needs an
Leader wantedWho’s left underthe big red tent?
Op/Ed Editor
interim leader with no ambition. A leader like Stéphane Dion would be the perfect fit for the party. He would be someone who would be capable of shrugging off attacks and set the bar for his successor, elected by a party convention.
Beyond the interim leadership, it will be important to select a leader capable of electoral success in 2015.
The party needs a leader who is more resistant to the attacks that Dion and Ignatieff endured. An individual who comes from a military background would lend itself well to a party often accused of not supporting the Armed Forces. What’s more, the Liberal Party will need a leader who can be spun as a political icon as Jack Layton was spun in this election. Who better to spin as a Canadian political icon, than an established Canadian icon like retired astronaut Marc Garneau? For any party to launch personal attacks on Garneau would come across as un-Canadian. Further, what fodder would be available to the parties? Imagine the attack ad, “Marc Garneau, he didn’t come back from space for you, Canada”. Imagine how many Canadians would be motivated to vote Liberal, simply to have an astronaut Prime Minister. Garneau could launch the party to new heights, bringing them ‘to infinity and beyond’.
Alex Macdonald
Liberal Members of Parliament, Stéphane Dion (Left) and Marc Garneau (Right)
Internet Images/Liberal Party, NASA
A roadmap for New BrunswickMartin Wightman
Argosy Contributor
The Extreme Middle
I’ve never warmed to the notion of a monarchy. For me, it seems like it is an out-dated institution; an old-money family trying to cling on to what little remaining relevancy they believe they still have. As an American, I’m happy to have the President represent both our leader politically and as our head of state. I’m honestly still confused by the Governor General and up until a few days ago, didn’t get what all the fuss was about for the wedding.
The media frenzy surrounding Kate and Will’s wedding was baffling. Why did so many newspapers, magazines, and people care about this wedding? Everywhere you turned, people were gushing about the potential dresses, brushing up on their royal family trivia, and setting their alarms so that they could wake up early for the ceremony.
I was not one of those people. I saw the wedding as, at best, a trivial party thrown at the expense of the taxpayers and at worst, a last-ditch effort by a failing institution to try to regain some relevancy, to attempt to claim that the monarchy is still necessary. I certainly wasn’t going to wake up to watch the ceremony nor did I aim to read anything about it afterwards.
However, on the fateful day, I broke down and watched a video
from the ceremony. And then another one. And finally a few more. Then it dawned on me. I cared about the wedding. I cared about the monarchy. My position had been completely reversed. I finally understood why everyone was so excited about this wedding.
The royal wedding represented an opportunity for people from around the world to watch a young lady, Kate Middleton become a princess. We got to cheer for Middleton, raised by two upper middle-class parents, and who met Prince William while attending
Something old and something newAn American perspective on the Royal Wedding
the University of Saint Andrews. We got to watch something that everyone dreams of at some point in their lives: the chance to meet a prince or princess and in turn become royalty. A real life romantic comedy or fairy tale.
If you want an even easier explanation, the royal wedding was a celebrity wedding the whole world got to be a part of. Rather than having a private ceremony in St. Lucia to avoid paparazzi and media attention, the ceremony was held at Westminster
Abbey with 1,900 guests and an additional million waiting on the street to cheer them on. If that’s not enough, millions of people tuned in from around the world to watch the ceremony on TV. It felt like we were there, a dear old friend of the Queen, watching her grandson tie the knot.
Does the massive attention to the royal wedding mean that the monarchy is back in vogue and that the debates over the merits of the institution will die down? Probably not. It’s important for countries such as Canada and Australia to continue
to question if they’ll continue to have the monarchy as their head of state. Australia’s Prime Minister Julia Gillard has proposed that Oz transition to a republic after the end of the Queen’s tenure. Canada should look to their southern neighbours for guidance on how to shape their debates.
However, for that day, it was all about the groom and his new princess. And for that day, the monarchy was all anyone could talk about.
Noah Kowalski
Argosy Contributor
I have a favourite place to which I bike occasionally. When I am in this favourite place, I often meditate and reflect. On life, love, God . . . and the future. And, to that end, I expect I will return, periodically. Quite honestly, I can’t remember how I found it. I must have been exploring, seeing as I didn’t have a road map.
Mentioning this favourite place serves two purposes.
First, I hope it’s a sufficient preamble to guard against the charge that what follows here are simply the supercilious and patronizing suggestions of a Westerner. I love New Brunswick, as much as anywhere I’ve lived in Canada, and I expect to stay, at least for a while.
Second, it introduces the notion of a roadmap for New Brunswick, which is what I offer here.
New Brunswick is not in terrific shape. Regardless of how we got here, the reality is that the province needs to deal with issues of debt and economic development.
Public debt: I think that the New Brunswick government needs principally to reduce public spending, on roads in particular, which are colossally expensive. I can already hear the howls of protests, but our roads aren’t all that bad, compared to others I’ve seen, and I’m not convinced that investing heavily in roads is forward-thinking. We should privatize NB liquor, raise the corporate tax rate modestly, and bump up the tax rate for high-income earners (fourth bracket, above $118K). The provincial government is taking some action to generate revenue and reduce spending, but I think they need to be
yet more serious about the latter. Household debt: if you listen to
politicians, you’ll hear that folks can’t afford “the daily essentials.” That is true in some cases, but in many other cases trouble with the daily essentials is based on prior lifestyle decisions. Make a budget and match your lifestyle to your income as best you can, so that the February heating bill won’t sink the ship.
Economic development: New Brunswick needs to develop a culture of entrepreneurship. Stephen Harper certainly didn’t win any friends by decrying a “culture of defeatism” in Atlantic Canada, but, without agreeing explicitly, I can say that the economic success in the West isn’t simply the result of natural resource royalties or federal goodies. It’s the result of a local culture that promotes independence and entrepreneurship.
We could develop that culture in New Brunswick in three ways: make hiring processes more open and competitive (stop efficiency-killing nepotism, and hire some youth), provide grants and loans at favourable rates to small business start-ups (this is already happening to some extent), and keep the promise to reduce the small business tax rate.
For more economic development, New Brunswick needs to develop more intelligent, environmentally friendly, value-added ways to exploit its forestry resources (Scandinavia provides an interesting example of this; think IKEA).
Finally, despite serious downsides, I think uranium mining is worth pursuing here, for the jobs it will create, for the royalties the province will reap, and, most importantly, for the contribution it can make to the non-carbon energy pool that will become necessary in the future.
New Brunswick is a good place. The roadmap and the future that New Brunswick chooses will certainly lead to a new place — a good place, I hope.
Internet Photo/Daily MailPrince William and Kate Middleton share a much anticipated and enjoyed public kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
The Argosy www.argosy.ca 5OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
Internet Photo/Mount AllisonProposed design of the new Fine and Performing Arts Centre, released by Mount Allison this week.
Dear Editor,
Bright yellow daffodils and vivid varicoloured tulips cause me to pause, reflect and remember. While a student at Tantramar Regional High School, I traveled to the Netherlands on an exchange trip to experience Dutch culture as a guest of the Dutch government where I saw acres of colourful blooming tulips. That trip was organized by the Dutch to honour the Canadian-led Liberation of the Netherlands in 1945. Dutch students, in turn, explored Canada with our family the following summer.
During WWII, the Dutch Royal family sought refuge in Canada. During their stay, the Canadian government declared a room at the Ottawa Civic Hospital as “International Territory” so that in 1943, when Princess Margriet
Internet Photo/NationalTulip Festival
Dear Editor,
Here is one last conundrum for you [graduating students] before you go: Is the pen mightier than the wrecking ball? Apparently not at Mount Allison even though this university claims to be a champion of sound thinking and the written word. So what is going on here?
Who is planning to wield the wrecking ball?: Well, in case you haven't heard, the President, his four Vice-Presidents, and the Members of the Board of Regents, all respected
men and women of letters and business, are planning to knock down our Memorial Library Building to make way for a new Arts Centre.
And who is trying to stop them by writing letters to the newspaper? A military officer, an advertising executive, an architect, an engineering professor, a medical doctor, a fine arts professor, an economics professor (all retired), and some Alumni. A motley crew of rebels who come from professions not normally known for
writing letters critical of those in authority.
To understand this odd situation I suggest to our graduates that you read "The Devil's Disciple" by Bernard Shaw, and "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller. And yes, you will be tested on this, perhaps someday by your grandchildren.
Sincerely yours,Ron Boorne
was born to Queen Juliana, the infant would be able to have Dutch citizenship. The Dutch Royal family gifted 100,000 tulips to Canada in appreciation of the hospitality extended to them by Canadians. Since then, the Dutch continue to send 20,000 tulip bulbs annually to Ottawa in respect and in memory of Holland’s 1945 Liberation by Canadian troops from Nazi occupation. The Netherlands celebrates Memorial Day on May 4 with services of remembrance and, at sundown, Holland stops to pause for 2 minutes of silent stillness to remember the war dead and to give thanks for their liberators – Canadians. Each May 5, the Dutch have a national holiday; they commemorate Liberation Day with special celebrations and festivals.
Canadians flock to Ottawa to take in the capital’s spring Tulip Festival. The city blossoms and colour abounds. In Ottawa’s Commissioner’s Park stands a striking statue of the ‘Man with Two Hats’, a gift from the Dutch – a replica is in Apeldoorn. The plaque reads: “With donation of this monument - an expression
of joy and a celebration of freedom - the Netherlands pays lasting tribute to Canada. The twin monuments symbolically link Canada and the Netherlands; though separated by an ocean, the two countries will forever be close friends. ” The Dutch recognize and celebrate the immeasurable cost paid for their freedom and the lives sacrificed for their liberty – especially Canadian lives.
Amongst those who gave the supreme sacrifice in the Netherlands are nine Allisonians remembered in the Mt. A Cenotaph, Memorial Library 1914-1918: James Bell, 28, of McAdam, NB; Thomas Campbell, 28, of North Sydney, NS; Donald Eddy, 27, of Bathurst, NB; Arnold Hupman, 30, Rugged Is, NS; Donald Jack, 31, Westmont, Que; William
Kackafanas, 23, Glace Bay, NS; Lawson Smith, 25, New Glasgow, NS; Gerald Tanton, 39, Summerside, PEI; and G. Stanley Bickerton, 24, of Upper Sackville, NB – a local lad from the Tantramar. The Canadian War Memorial at Groesbeek, NL is inscribed with these profound words: “Pro amicis mortui amicis vivimus.” Translated: “We live in the hearts of the friends for whom we died.” The Dutch revere this trust.
Why would we destroy the memory of these heroes when the Dutch do not? Would we not better honour the sacrifice of those lost overseas by sharing the May 4 “Sundown Pause of Silence” and by planting tulips, the Dutch symbol of freedom, life and hope - rather than by destroying our Cenotaph?
Restore Memorial Library 1914-1918. Relocate Arts. Remove Tweedie Annex – and plant there a festive tulip garden!
Sincerely yours,C. Jean Cameron
What do you think of the proposed Fine and Performing Arts Centre?
Contact us at [email protected] contribute to the discussion
online at www.argosy.ca
Dear Editor,
President Campbell has invited Alumni and friends to ‘take a virtual tour’ of the proposed Mount Allison Fine and Performing Arts Centre.
The tour begins at the intersection of Main and Salem Streets with a view of the brutal northeast corner of the theatre and a cascade of colourful and impractical terraced gardens struggling to beautify the scene. This is certainly not ‘the signature look’ that Dr. A. J. Diamond had envisaged in his master plan. Travelling east along the cold north elevation facing Main Street, you arrive at a large set of exterior, (and hopefully not icy) stairs leading to the main entrance hidden under one of the several planes of floating red sandstone that mask the functions of the building. Entering the interior space quickly you circle a freestanding staircase and down the corridor to the exit at the east end with a good view of the Avard Dixon building. From there you return back around the corner to Main Street and again along the north elevation to the point of origin.
This virtual tour, complete with classical music, is a deceptive portrayal
of the proposed new building; it is informative, not by its inclusions, but by its omissions. There is extensive transparency upon entering the lobby but no indication that looking back from the interior captures a questionable view of the heating plant and maintenance sheds. From the interior public spaces there is no view of the beautiful campus of Mount Allison. The most glaring omission of the virtual tour is complete exclusion of the south elevation facing the old campus quadrangle. The conclusion drawn is that the architects place little value on this aspect of the building.
The south facing elevation of any building is the one that has the natural possibilities of being warm and inviting, particularly significant in our harsh winter environment. This is where the main entrance to the Arts Centre should be, leading directly from the quadrangle, as it is with all the academic buildings on campus except one; as was deliberately planned with Campbell Hall. The proposed design has turned its back on the campus and even separated itself by a wide snow-catching
moat. There is no visual sense of the existence of the new theatre from the campus circulation. To put it bluntly, the architects have the building design ass-backwards.
In a sense the building plan should be flipped creating a pleasant entrance and giving visibility of the new theatre from the old quadrangle and taking the glare of the sun out of the studio spaces. The proposed design is clearly an example of bad campus planning.
The trust of the families who built the Memorial Library in honour of their loved ones who gave their lives in the Great War has been broken. The fact they sacrificed their lives so that this Arts Centre may be built is one thing. But when this memorial is being replaced by an expensive building, from a capital and maintenance point of view, and does not strengthen the fabric of the campus, it makes no sense at all.
Sincerely yours,Robert Eaton
FEATURES May 12, 2011 [email protected]
by: Le Garcon
There is nothing quite like a royal wedding that can capture the attention of the world. What a spectacular distraction from wars, economic woes, and general malaise in the world. Then again, it is not easy to escape the allure of a fairy-tale story between royalty and a commoner and youthful innocence. Indeed, estimates peg the number of viewers at roughly two billion, nearly a third of the world’s population. With these figures suggesting that Britannia rules the air-waves, it’s hard to deny the influence of Anglo culture, language, traditions, and political institutions in some parts of the world.
Dr. David Torrance, the head of Mount Allison’s history department, has a long-standing and intimate knowledge of British history. “Though it has been centuries since kings and queens have wielded effective power in Britain, the monarchy still serves crucial symbolic functions,” Torrance stated. As head of state of Britain and other Commonwealth realms, the King or Queen is apolitical and rarely intervenes in Commonwealth politics. Nonetheless, the monarch and heir to the throne are of great importance to Britain politically and
culturally – William and Catherine are no exception. “They seem to hold the potential to recover (or uphold) the respectability of royalty.” Torrance noted. “Many doubt that Charles will be so successful in this.”
The Commonwealth, formed mostly from the remnants of the British Empire, holds the King or Queen in special regard as head of the organization. For countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and others, it goes one step further: the monarch is head of state of that particular country in addition to the United Kingdom – we share the sovereign. However, Torrance asserts that, “the Queen’s authority in Canada is different from what it is in, for example, Australia and vice versa.”
The question of succession rules, which favours men over women, has been raised in the lead up to the royal wedding. MP Nick Clegg, deputy prime minister of Britain, stated that male only succession in the 21st century was indefensible. The New Zealand Herald quoted Clegg stating, “If the royal couple’s first child was a daughter, I think most people would think it perfectly fair and normal that she would eventually become queen of our country.” Constitutionally, rules of succession would have to be discussed and agreed upon by all of the Commonwealth realms, since it would affect their future heads of states.
What about the monarchy itself ? Isn’t a hereditary, un-elected family
out of touch with a progressive, democratic, and liberal society? Some in the Commonwealth believe this is the case. Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has stated that an Australian republic is inevitable, but out of respect for Elizabeth II, it should happen when the Queen she is no longer on the throne. However, the apolitical nature of the Queen and her governors-general add some decorum and stability to an otherwise boisterous government. Some countries like Tuvalu have
held referendums on whether or not to abolish the Crown, with results showing a strong no vote, affirming the revelvance of the Crown. Others, like South Africa in 1960 abolished the Crown and pulled out of the C o m m o n w e a l t h altogether.
The appeal of this year’s royal wedding is perhaps a mix of
hope – hope that the monarchy will stay relevant and hope that this couple will fare better than William’s parents. Otherwise, the voices questioning the institutions will grow louder (and may grow louder nonetheless). One of the classic authorities on the British Constitution, Walter Bagehot said it best: “All but a few cynics like to see a pretty novel touching for a moment the dry scenes of the grave world. A princely marriage is the brilliant edition of a universal fact, and as such, it rivets mankind.” For now, it seems that Britain, the Commonwealth, and the world are content to enjoy the regal festivities – along with the royal family.
John A. W. Brannen
Editor-in-Chief
The royals, the Commonwealth and the ties that bind
After the pomp and circumstance, the wedding had major implications
Internet Photo/Enchanted Serenity of Period Films
[William and Kate] seem to hold the potential to recover (or uphold) the respectability of royalty.
Dr. David TorranceMt. A History
Department Head
Here we are. Convocation. The sexual equivalent of the last supper. These couple of days mark the completion of a fantastic chapter of our lives and what’s a good chapter without a superb climax?
That’s right, these days are your last reasonable opportunity to finally close the deal on that crush you could never draw up the courage to talk to. Now you’re university graduates and should be able to figure all this out on your own, but in spirit of this also being your last Sex Bomb, let’s talk about how you’re going to get that tassel to the other side.
First, there needs to be a rule we all should obey: never approach your crush only after they’ve drank enough to confuse you with Johnny Depp or Jessica Alba. It’s just not good manners and how would you feel if you were celebrating one of the most important moments of your life and all you can think the next morning is that dumb ass thing you did with that one person who looked like triplets, spinning.
Now with that covered let’s get back to the fun of celebratory banging. First, the approach: we’re all adults now, how about we pull a classy move and buy them a drink. But instead of squeezing through the crowds to hand them a tequila shot only for them to assume you’re just too drunk to realize you giving away a drink to the wrong person, ask the bartender to personally deliver a drink to their table and inform them it’s the compliments of *insert your location that is conveniently parted from the crowds*.
Now what kind of drink is kind of relevant. If it’s a guy you so seek, it’s hard to go wrong with a double scotch straight. It makes him feel like a Mad Man, which suits you well since you might still be in a nice dress and he may still be in a suit. Say it with me: Role Play!
If it’s a girl you fancy, it’s a little more of a challenge. Girls have a more refined and varied alcoholic pallet as they just spent the last four years having girls’ nights and getting bought drinks from guys like you. And don’t be thinking to yourself that it can be whatever’s drink of the week you cheap bastard; if this is your last Allisonian lay, you better earn it! Go for something she doesn’t expect: champagne with a touch of orange juice. She’ll think it’s a screwdriver since it’s a safe drink to send to anyone but then as she sips it while looking across the bar at you she’s surprised to taste the sparkle and
lightness of champagne. Suddenly, you’re the guy who’s unexpected and perhaps someone she overlooked and now you’re half way to getting your hand on her diploma.
The next stage is the approach. Ideally wait until the drink you just bought them is just reaching the bottom. It gives you an easy opportunity to offer them a second if you play your small talk right. In the mean time, you can’t open with something like “wasn’t Peter Mansbridge’s hat magnificent?”. It needs to be personal and familiar. With all the excitement and uncertainty of graduation and the next steps, it will be comforting to your guy or girl to finally be talking to someone as if tomorrow wasn’t their jump off the career cliff. This means no reflection on the year or asking what they’re doing next; sure nostalgia is often a good clincher for girls but it’s too easy to backfire given the platoon of supportive girlfriends around her. Once you have an open dialogue, ask him/her if they’d be interested in another drink and lead them to the bar when they agree.
Now that you’ve separated them from the group (admittedly, more of a requirement if you’re pursuing a girl; a guy would start rounding the bases in front of his friends if he had the chance) discussion can be more spontaneous. Try to find a corner to talk and focus on good body language that keeps them engaged in you instead of always looking back to monitor their friends. Also, several drinks in, body language is much easier to read than one’s mouth (it’s loud, assume not everything you’re saying isn’t being heard).
With the right talk you can close the deal. What’s really only left to figure out is where to go. If you’re a more wild individual as is your pursuit, how can you pass up the last opportunity to do it somewhere strange? Bathroom, against a campus building, or in the backroom of Ducky’s? If you have more civilized locations in mind, ensure that you aren’t travelling with people you know—drunk people are impetuous and will easily redirect you to getting slices of pizza or one last drink at your place.
Finally, you have achieved a four-year campaign filled with victories and disappointments, and this, fine sir or lady, is your final Mountie display of perseverance. Time to tear off that cap and gown and celebrate the best way you can. Congrats everyone, and good luck.
William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, will enjoy a short repose after their nuptials. The royal couple will one day become the face of Britain and the Commonwealth to the world.
Internet Photo/She Knows
The Argosy www.argosy.ca 7FEATURES
Through Stained Glass
Start your morning off right with the heart-healthy version of this staple breakfast food. With only 228 calories and 2 grams of fat per serving, your body will thank you.
Ingredients:
Compote2 cup frozen blueberries1/3 cup apple juice1 T sugar1 T cornstarch
Pancakes1 t baking soda1 ½ cup buttermilk1 cup whole-wheat flour1 T cinnamon2 egg whites 1 t vanilla
Michelle Cielen
Production Manager
To make the compote, combine the blueberries and apple juice in a small saucepan; simmer for 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add to the berry mixture, gently stirring until it boils. Remove the compote from the heat and let it cool slightly until it thickens.
To make the pancakes, in a small bowl dissolve the baking soda in buttermilk; set aside. In a larger bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, and sugar. Add the buttermilk mixture, egg whites, and vanilla. Blend together. Spray the griddle with vegetable-oil cooking spray. Ladle the pancake mixture onto the griddle and cook until the pancakes are light brown on both sides. Serve with blueberry compote.
Serves: 4Prep Time: 10 minutesCook Time: 12 minutes
Sweet . . . and good for you too
Cinnamon Whole-Wheat Pancakes with Blueberry Compote
One of my research and teaching areas, as many people are aware, is apocalypticism, end of the world ideas, and cultural expressions of endism. Recently I have been hearing from many friends and former students about Harold Camping’s campaign to announce the rapture on May 21 of this year, to be followed in October by the final apocalyptic event in which God will destroy the world having first spared the righteous in the rapture. Camping’s organization, Family Radio, and now the web site wecanknow.com, has focused recently on proclaiming across North America the imminent end of the world as we know it. This fascination last flared up just prior to the turn of the millennium, and then seemed to settle down for a few years. However, with Camping’s organization touting imminent catastrophe, and with our pop culture obsession with the end of the Mayan calendar on December 21st, 2012, North America seems once again ready to embrace the ideology of apocalypse. Just recently I attended an event in Moncton in which the visiting speaker was describing how the churches and governments of the western world are spinning a web of conspiracy that will ultimately allow Satanic control of society in the forthcoming time of tribulation.
While I am sure most of us pay little to no attention to such
declamations of the end of the world – after all, they have all been wrong before, and even Harold Camping has a poor track record, with his radio ministry coming to public attention in the 1980s with his prediction of the end of the world in 1994 – I am concerned about how such a steady diet of doom and gloom predictions can contribute to a breeding of despair and disinterest in the world. After all, if things are going to get worse, and there is nothing that can be done, then why do anything?
I reflect on this as we come to Convocation weekend, and in the light of teaching a course titled The Christian Tradition and the University this past semester; in this course we reflected on the history of Mount Allison, read John Henry Newman’s Idea of a University, and discussed the goals and purposes of liberal education. Newman, a century and a half ago, wrote on the idea of knowledge for its own sake, moving away from utilitarian approaches to education, or job training. Mount Allison’s history has reflected this ideal. While Charles Frederick Allison could not have read Newman’s work in preparation for his founding, as it did not appear until well after Mount Allison was established, the idea of a university as a place for raising up young men (and at first it was young men) to an openness and awareness of the world around them was held in common. One goal of the university was to give its graduates a sense of responsibility, care, and interest in the world around them. Higher education was not
Rev. John C. Perkin
University Chaplain
simply about facts and information; utilitarian notions of liberal education were secondary to the moral or ethical demands. Certainly for the Catholic Newman and the Methodist Allison, the goal of education was wisdom in biblical terms: right and ethical living, life concerned with the world and the people who dwell in it.
So even in the face of predictions of the end of the world (these, too, will pass away and be forgotten), even in the face of doom and gloom, of despair and hopelessness, still Mount Allison graduates its students as those who are to be involved in the world, interested in the world, and concerned for the world. On Convocation Day, morning and afternoon, once more I will feel hope for the world as our graduates cross the stage and prepare to enter into the world as involved, engaged, and committed people: community leaders, volunteers, activists, those who seek to make a difference.
I extend my best wishes to and blessings on our graduates, and trust that they will seek to make a difference to our world and its people. May our graduates, even in the face of despair and disinterest,
“Press forward still, the vanguard in the fight. For truth and faith, for justice and for right; Their emblem as of old, the Garnet and the Gold.”
May you be as shining light in the darkness of our world, bringing change and hope, love and beauty, everywhere you go. I will be watching for you, through stained glass.
Although it was assumed that undergraduate students would complete their degree in four years, we are now seeing more and more students taking longer to receive their Bachelors degree. This trend is apparent at Mount Allison, where of the 428 prospective May 2011 graduates, only sixty-seven per cent of these completed their degree within the standard time period of four years. A hundred and one students have taken more than four years, but no more than five years, to complete school; twenty-three have finished their degree within six years; nineteen
students will have completed their degree in more than six years.
There are many reasons for students to take more than four years at Mt. A. Some students prefer to take a reduced course load, while others want to complete more than one degree or pursue an Honours degree. Many athletes and extremely involved students also plan on spending longer at Mt. A to reduce the pressure of balancing extracurricular activities with course work. Other students take time away from school for financial, medical, or personal reasons.
Cory Pothier, a recent graduate, has no regrets about choosing to complete his degree in five years in order to have an easier time managing schoolwork while playing rugby for provincial, Mt. A, and Moncton teams. In fact, he recommends it to other students who are struggling with balancing school and other commitments. According to Pothier, “the real world is not going anywhere, and when you are only young once, why not spend it with your friends in University.”
Some students take longer to complete their degree because they changed schools or programs. Many students are not lucky enough to know what career path they want to take, and how to plan their university education to get there. There seems to be a growing emphasis on figuring out what you really want to do, instead of focusing on spending as little time in university as possible. Andrew Daigle, a graduating student who transferred from sciences to music, explains that the switch, “hasn't just been the single biggest change in my life, but has made me into a completely different person from when I first came to Mount Allison.”
This trend is certainly not unique to Mt. A students. All across North America the number of students who have taken over four years to complete a Bachelors degree has increased over the past thirty years. In the United States, money is often a main factor for students taking longer to complete their degree. Many students need to take time off to work so they can pay for their tuition.
The economy has also played a role in this change; many people return to school to increase their value to the workforce after the recent economic recession.
In Canada, however, taking more than four years to complete a degree is more of a personal choice than a financial one. Students are realizing
Graduation, at their own paceInfamous fifth-year not as uncommon as you’d think
Elise Dolinsky
Features Writer
that taking your time to complete your degree is not the worst thing in the world, as it can provide a more robust university experience, and allow students to graduate with a degree that better suits them. Overall, there seems to be no set time limit on education at Mt. A.
Internet Photo/Food Network
Internet Photo/fandangoTrends seem to indicate that completing school as quickly as possible is not the only approach to education.
SCI & TECH May 12, 2010 [email protected]
Science BriefsMay 12, 2011
Nintendo is an icon in the gaming world, and they are here to stay. After suffering huge declines in revenue over the past fiscal year, they have been compelled to take some serious action. This June at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) they plan to unveil a new game console; flashier and more promising than its Wii predecessor. The question remains whether it will be a radical change, or whether Nintendo will play it safe with a Wii carbon copy.
The venerable game company has experienced continued financial troubles over the past year. According to their annual earnings report, ending March 31, “Nintendo generated revenue of 1.01 trillion yen ($12.32 billion), representing a steep twenty-nine percent decline year over year.” Based on a full year profit, they are “down a whopping sixty-six percent at 77.6 billion yen ($946.7 million)”. As a result of poor hardware sales, the gaming giant is resolutely invested in protecting its turf by piquing the interest of consumers once again.
When the company released the Wii, they were widely ridiculed by game critics and avid followers alike. Its simple name was considered amateur, and the lack of HDTV along with a controller unconventional in architecture seemed a death sentence. Today such statements sound ironic and cynical, as the Wii re-conceptualized the game controller and opened the entire industry to new, viable ideas.
The Wii is not broken and does not need fixing; it just needs to be upgraded. The new console, rumoured
to be named Nintendo Stream, will have a processor more powerful than the XBox 360 and Playstation 3. Its graphics chip will be far superior to any game console on the market, and the exterior design itself will be revamped from the current Wii model to make porting games accessible for outside developers. The controller is designed to allow for games to stream seamlessly from the television to the controller, hence the catchy name. It will be highlighted with inventive features like a 6.2 inch high definition touch screen with two analog sticks, a D-pad, and a camera.
This system alters Nintendo’s
Production Manager
Nintendo fights backNew gaming console to be released by fading industry powerhouse
Michelle Cielen
$50 Drop in the price of the Wii, beginning May 15
27 per cent Reduction in sales of Wii hardware
$24.6 million Loss of revenue over the past six months
Striking Facts
market demographic slightly, catering to the core gamer audience rather than the mainstream focus of the Wii. The sophisticated controller is separate from the new hardware, and is a playable device on its own. The intent of this extension of the console is to provide the premiere experience for social/online gaming. If at any point while playing you need to leave the room, you can simply take the controller with you to watch the game live and interact with your components via messaging. Nintendo expects to release in 2012, retailing “for $350 to $400 when it launches”, IGN reported.
Internet Graphic/CNET
The Mount Allison University Dendrochronology (MAD) research team has received a generous grant from the Association of American geographers to study tree-rings at the Athabasca tar-sands. They hope to better understand the environmental and ecological impact of natural resource development in the Alberta energy sector.
As the price of oil continues to fluctuate, even more so with the recent political instability in Libya, the Middle East, and the nuclear situation at Fukushima, oil-
Mt. A MAD lab receives significant grant Trees could hold key to understanding oil-sands impact
Sci-Tech Writer
Marc-Alexandre Chartrand
HIV drug could prevent cervical cancer
University of Manchester researchers have discovered how the antiviral drug lopinavir attacks HPV by switching on a natural viral defence system in infected cells. Lopinavir selectively kills HPV-infected, non-cancerous cells, while leaving healthy cells relatively unaffected. In many developing countries, HPV-related cervical cancer accounts for approximately 290,000 deaths per year worldwide.
Universal signaling pathway found to regulate sleep
Neurobiologists at Brown University have now found that “Notch,” a fundamental signaling pathway found in all animals, is directly involved in sleep in the nematode C. elegans. The fact that this highly conserved pathway regulates how much these little animals sleep strongly suggests that it’s going to play a critical role in other animals, including humans. Ultimately, researchers could this knowledge to develop safer sleep aids.
NASA selects investigations for future key missions
From the three potential investigations chosen, one 2016 mission will be undertaken. The missions are to either look at Mars’ interior for the first time; study an extraterrestrial sea on one of Saturn’s moons; or study the surface of a comet’s nucleus. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California would lead the Mars investigation.
Geoff Kershaw takes a core sample while on a research trip. Internet Photo/Mount Allison
dependant nations seek more stable supplies for their energy. Though research is ongoing for green and renewable alternatives, most of these developments cannot yet serve as an adequate replacement for fossil fuel. Many look to Canada as a country with huge oil reserves, that also has a stable economy and an effective political authority - and there is a lot of pressure on Canada to deliver. Most of the energy reserves are found in the Athabasca oil sands of Alberta. Not only can the development of Canada’s oil sands offer other countries a stable and reliable source of energy, but this oil windfall also generates large inflows of revenue, attracts more investors, and produces tax dollars for the federal government. The project is viable – however, its progress may carry significant consequences for the environment.
The tar-sands of Alberta contain over an estimated 1.5 trillion barrels of oil, placing Canada second only to Saudi Arabia in terms of total oil reserves. However, unlike the clean crude oil in Saudi Arabia that flows easily from the ground, the energy found in Alberta must undergo a long
and intensive refinement process before it can be transformed into useable energy. This process extracts oil known as bitumen, from a natural mixture of minerals, sand, water, and clay. In recent years, this procedure has come under the scrutiny. Environmentalists and geographers have revealed Alberta oil sands development to be detrimental to the environment. This spring, Dr. Colin Laroque and Geoff Kershaw of the MAD lab will travel to Alberta and apply the rather unconventional method of tree-ring analyses in the hopes of finding answers to some long-standing questions.
According to Laroque, “[t]here has been a lot of research around the environmental effects of the Alberta Oil Sands. Most studies have looked at soil and lake water samples to measure substances though, making it hard to determine how long the substances have actually been there. By using dendrochronology, looking at tree rings and measuring the age of the tree, we will be able to provide a timeline of when they first appeared in the area. Analyzing the tree rings also allows us to see changes in the
climate patterns and adaptations over the trees’ lifetime.” Accompanied by Alberta native Kershaw, the two will travel by canoe to Fort McMurray, the boomtown of oil-sands development, and collect data from trees along the way.
Kershaw commented, “We expect to have our field work finished in two weeks. Following this, we will review the samples both in the MAD Lab at Mount Allison and also at the Canada Light Source, Canada’s national synchrotron research facility at the University of Saskatchewan. These two facilities will help give us a better picture of the level of substances, when they began to appear in the environment, as well as the effects that they, and climate change, have had on the trees.”
If successful, the MAD lab may not only offer a objective way to confirm existing research, but their findings might also uncover the answers to many unanswered questions including the disappearance of certain species of plants, and other changes in the ecosystem which have been reported by locals.
CONVOCATION 9
Yours has been a very special class, indeed an exceptional class in so many ways.
You have made as enormous an impact on me and on my family, as you have made on each other and on the Mount Allison community. As I met and talked with you, got together with you at events or while walking across campus, or had you over to Cranewood, I became increasingly enthusiastic about the terrific people you have become and of the great advantages that you have taken of what Mount Allison and Sackville have offered to you.
I have had many opportunities to see how talented you are, how hard you have worked, how creative you can be, and how accomplished you have become;
Whether it was with the SAC or the SAN, at Senate or with The Argosy;
Whether at student academic conferences, Leadership activities and academic presentations, or in your classrooms and labs;
Whether at the library or at the gym or on the playing fields and in arenas;
Whether at gallery openings and events or at theatre and music productions;
Friday, May 14
9:00 amAlumni Reunion Registration, Campbell Hall5:30 pm – 7:30 pmAlumni Welcome Back BBQ, Student Centre
Saturday, May 15
9:00 amAlumni Registration Continues, Campbell Hall11:30 am – 1:30 pmClass Photos, Jennings Hall Mezzanine1:30 pm – 3:00 pmMount A Scramble for Alumni, Library3:30 pmAlumni 25-year Pin Ceremony, Convocation Hall4:00 pmOpening Reception, Fine Arts Graduating Students’ Exhibition, Owen’s Art Gallery4:30 pmAlumni 50-year pin Ceremony, Convocation Hall6:00 pmAlumni Reception, Jennings Hall Mezzanine7:00 pmAlumni Banquet, Jennings Hall9:00 pmGarnet and Gold Gala, Student Centre
Sunday, May 16
8:00 am – 10:00 amContinental Breakfast, Jennings Hall11:00 amService for Alumni, Graduating Students, and Friends, University Chapel11:30 am – 12:30 pmBrunch for Alumni, Graduating Students, and Friends, Jennings Hall2:00 pm Convocation Weekend Recital, Brunton Auditorium4:00 pm – 5:00 pm BOUFFE! The school-tour version of Tintimarre’s bilingual comedy with music about food, created this year by thirty Mount A students, written and directed by Alex Fancy (‘61). Admission Free, Windsor Theatre.5:00 pm – 6:45 pmPre-Baccalaureate Supper for graduates and families, Jennings Hall, Greetings From President Campbell at 6:00 pm.
BACCALAUREATE SERVICEMarjorie Young Bell Convocation Hall
7:00 pm Regents, Members of the Senate, Faculty and Graduating Class will meet in the basement of Convocation Hall to form the procession.7:30 pm Baccalaureate Service – Guest Speaker David Adams Richards. Reception to follow, Tweedie Hall, Wallace McCain Student Centre.9:00 pmDance Party, The Pond
CONVOCATIONSMarjorie Young Bell Convocation Hall
Monday, May 16
MORNING CEREMONY:8:45 amThe Academic Procession including Regent, Senators, Faculty, and Guests will form at Tweedie Hall. Students’ Procession will form at the Athletic Centre.9:30 amConvocation for Science and Commerce GraduatesReception to follow – Lower level, Wallace McCain Student Centre.AFTERNOON CEREMONY:1:45 pmThe Academic Procession including Regent, Senators, Faculty, and Guests will form at Tweedie Hall. Students’ Procession will form at the Athletic Centre.2:30 pmConvocation for Arts, Fine Arts, and Music GraduatesReception to follow – Lower level, Wallace McCain Student Centre.
During Convocation Ceremonies it is requested that picture taking be confined to members of the Press.
Dear Class of 2011:Schedule of Events
On May 16, Mount Allison University will recognize outstanding contributions to New Brunswick, Canada, and the world. This international pallet of men and women have worked to make positive change in their fields and beyond. The honorary degree is a useful tool to acknowledge and award exceptional individuals while simultaneously bringing fame and recognition to Mount Allison.
Sheila Fraser has been Auditor General of Canada since 2000. She made political history when her report on the federal government’s sponsorship program indicated illicit and illegal
Honorary degree recipients well deservingSix individuals to be honoured at convocation ceremony
This year’s honorary degree recipients, clockwise from above:Sheila Fraser (CMAJ)José Antonia Abreu(Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela)Edward Burtynsky (Studio Smaku)Shelagh Rogers (CBC)Douglas Coupland (Scotiabank)Wendy Nielsen (Colbert Artists)
activities had taken place. This precipitated the 2006 federal election, which saw the end of thirteen years of Liberal rule and a new Conservative government. She has earned the respect of politicians and citizens alike and was listed as one of the “top ten most trusted Canadians” in a Reader’s Digest poll.
Born in Venezuela, José Antonio Abreu studied to become an economist and world-class musician. In 1975, he founded ‘El Sistema,’ known as the National Network of Youth and Children’s Orchestras of Venezuela. Without his hard work and passion, nearly 250,000 poor children would not get to attend music school. With honours from Japan, Italy, the United Stated, and the United Nations, José Antonio Abreu impact cannot be understated.
Edward Burtynsky is known as one of Canada’s most respected photographers. A testament to his ability, his website indicates that his “depictions of global industrial landscapes are included in the collections of over fifty major museums around the world.”
Burtynsky was raised in St. Catherine’s, ON, and studied photography at Ryerson University. His contribution to Canadian arts was recognized
when he received the nations highest honour, the Order of Canada.
Douglas Coupland is a well-known author, with best-selling titles under his belt including Generation X and jPod. He has been described by critics as, “one of the greatests satirists of consumerism.”
Internationally acclaimed and recognized soprano Wendy Nielsen is no stranger to Mount Allison. Besides the festivals and master classes, Nielsen most recently came to Mt. A as part of the Performing Arts Series in 2010. She has performed with companies such as the Canadian Opera Company, L’Opera de Montreal and many more. Nielsen remains an active teacher and adjudicator on the international stage. Her contributions were recognized when she received the prestigious Order of New Brunswick.
Shelagh Rogers, an Officer in the Order of Canada, has made it her life’s work to promote Canadian culture. Rogers worked with the CBC for over twenty-five years, where she was featured or hosted radio shows including Morningside and This Morning. She has been recognized as an advocate for mental health and literacy in Canada.
John A. W. Brannen
Editor-in-Chief
Or at the many academic, cultural, and celebratory events at Cranewood that have been so memorable for us.
I applaud your capacity to have taken in and benefited from these activities and experiences, while surviving and indeed excelling at your academic programmes and challenges.
I am confident that you have developed your capacities and your potential through these experiences - intellectually, socially, physically and creatively – so that you have the personal capacity to make a successful, meaningful intervention into and contribution to your society and to your world - in your own way.
Indeed, the Mount Allison and Sackville traditions represent a long, historical extension of the University experience, whereby students leave their home environments to enter a new world and a new community. And, in this new environment, you have been asked to find yourselves and to help build your own community.
I am confident that you have gone a long way to discovering who you are, what your values are, what makes you ‘tick’, and how you want to live your lives.
And I am also confident that now that you have learned to survive and flourish in this social laboratory called Mount Allison, Sackville, New Brunswick –you are now ready to go on and do the same in the communities that you join.
I appreciate that for many of you, this is a bittersweet moment – perhaps even a melancholic moment – at a point of moving on from this memorable, halcyon Mount Allison stage in your life.
But I feel that you will ‘live forever’ at Mount Allison and that you will always be a part of the Mount Allison community – and that the Mount Allison experience will in turn be a part of you forever.
So – to the Graduating Class of 2011: well done, thanks for the memories, good luck in the future, and do keep in touch. We are proud of you.
Robert CampbellPresident and Vice-ChancellorMount Allison University
10 May 12, 2011 [email protected]
BFA Graduate Exhibition 2011
“Afternoon Nap” (Emily LeMesurier)
“And don’t you remember the babes in the woods?”
(Lydia Hayward-Munn)
“Carrion” (Erika Sullivan)
“Cultural Collection” (Brittany Crossman)
“If the devil can’t come himself, he sends and old woman”
(Lydia Haywood-Munn)
“Praxis” (Keeley Haftner)
“Carrion” (Erika Sullivant)
“Fruit Flies” (Ainslie Moss)
The Argosy www.argosy.ca 11CENTREFOLD
BFA Graduate Exhibition 2011
“Carrion” (Erika Sullivan)
“Let Me See the Colts” (Olivia Caldwell McNair)
“Untitled” (Emily Saab)
“Untitled” (Erika Sullivan)
“Untitled” (Nicole Sharp)“Beach Party”
(Emily LeMesurier)
“Wolf Skin” (Andrea Thiessen)
SPORTS May 12, 2011 [email protected]
Team looks to build off impressive year
Robert Murray
Sports Editor
The 2011-2012 season promises to be an exciting one for fans of Mount Allison’s men’s basketball team. After a rough season last year, the team finished fifth out of eight teams in the ACAA at 8-13 that concluded with a loss in the quarterfinals of the ACAA playoffs against Kings College. This past season could be seen, however, as a look at the promising future of Mounties basketball to come in the next two to three years, a likely result of the positive chemistry established between a solid core group of young players. With only two graduating players from a roster of thirteen, coach Bruce McMillan will be able to implement his coaching system more effectively in the years to come.
The Mounties will surely miss the leadership of Kevin Monaghan and Stephen Bohan on the hardwood. However, second-year players like Tim Crouse and Jake Planinc should provide a stable transition on the back-court while 2010 ACAA second team All-Star Ben Chisholm leads the attack up front. The Mounties played well for a young team against some of the top teams in the league. Yet if they are to compete, they must commit to both ends of the court, especially on defines. Teams from Humber College and the Halifax area proved to be offensive juggernauts last season, averaging over eighty points per game. The Mounties' ability to shut down opposing teams and play the game consistently throughout both halves will largely dictate their record this coming season.
Another key ingredient to the success of the team will be shown in their road record. Although the team finished with a losing record away from Sackville, there were several highlights to their 2010-2011 road campaign. Two of the losses on the road came against a strong Kings College team. However, those two matches were only lost by 17 points combined.
Overall, the future has never looked brighter for the men’s hoops team.
Mt. A basketball in 2011-2012
For the first time ever, Mount Allison’s lacrosse team heads into the 2011 season in the Maritime University Field Lacrosse League (MUFLL) with plenty of momentum. Coming off a 2009 season where they went 0-7-0 while finishing last in goal differential, the Mounties impressed spectators with their first two wins ever in MUFLL history. This past season also saw rookie middie Kevin Isherwood finish fifth in league scoring, while also picking up rookie of the year and a first team all-star nomination to boot. The 2011 campaign will be another uphill challenge for the Mounties as veteran leaders like Jackson Trehearne and Wayne Crossman graduate. However, with the development of new leaders like Isherwood and Bryan MacEachern on attack, and with the
Mounties Lacrosse head into 2011 season with renewed strength
return of defensive leaders like goalie Tyler James, the future looks bright for Mount Allison lacrosse.
While the Mounties will face challenges from within for depth, the ultimate goal for the team is to be able to compete with the perennial contenders from Xavier, Saint Mary’s, and Dalhousie. Third year attacker Bryan MacEachern noted that the key to defeating these teams is for the team to further develop their skills, adding that their two wins over Acadia last year were mainly a result of the physically punishing style of play by the Mounties. Outgoing captain Wayne Crossman, however, sees the need for the team to focus on making the most of their scoring chances while leaving everything on the field.
While the Mounties have been able to plant the seeds for a high-octane offense that showed a lot of promise this year, their success will depend on their ability to defend their own end. Making improvements on a league-worst of 16.22 goals against per game over the past three seasons is one of the factors holding back their ability to compete with the powerful teams from the Halifax area. Tyler James has proven over the past three seasons
that he is one of the elite goaltenders in the five-team league, but there is only so much he can be asked to do.
The Mounties will have to experiment until they find the right balance between a defense that needs dire attention and an offense found after many years of searching. The responsibility will directly translate to the style of play by the midfielders on the team. Middies like Ali Rehman, Sam Imbeault, David Carson, and Mike Doucet will be counted on by the team to provide a stable transition between the offense and the defense. Depth middies and attackers will also need to provide an effective relief in order to ensure that the team does not fall victim to challenges of a short bench that plagued them in previous years from competing effectively. Overall, the team needs to communicate better with each other on the field and work as a unit, rather than individual players. Regardless of their challenges on defense, they should exceed expectations again this year. With a strong commitment towards expanding their skills beyond playing a physical game, the team is likely only a few years away from being able to compete with the likes of Saint Mary’s and Dalhousie.
Robert Murray
Sports Editor
Men look to play giant killer against Halifax area teams
The women’s team paralleled the accomplishments by the men’s basketball team last year. As a team that has previously won four championships since 1996 under the guidance of coach Al Hart, the future looks bright for the Mounties to once again assert their dominance on the hard-court. Finishing in a tie for third place last season with Kings College, the team held their own against stiff competition from perennial contenders Mount Saint Vincent and St. Thomas.
Unfortunately, the team's standout player, Meghan Dickie, who won ACAA player of the year and was named as a first team all-star, will be graduating this year. Graduates Allie Mayberry and Danielle Trenholm will also be missed as spots on the wing open up for players like Allison Turcotte and Ainslie Oland, who look to fill the void.
Despite their 9-9 regular season record, the stats only tell part of the story. The Mounties battled hard in every game, especially against the perfect St. Thomas team where they held the Tommies below their average points for per game for the season. The Mounties did well to attack the opponent while being mindful of their defensive responsibilities, finishing as the third best team in total points for or against. The gaps at wing made by graduating players will also open up a search for some of the secondary scorers to step into primary scoring roles this year.
Al Hart’s system seems to keep providing dividends each year, regardless of who steps on the court for the Mounties. If the female Mounties are looking to build upon this season positively, buying into his style of play will no doubt lead to an improvement on their finish in the top half of ACAA teams. Expect the Mounties to continue playing with the grit that has given them success in the past, which will lead to giving Saint Thomas and Mount Saint Vincent a run for their money in the coming season. Go Mounties!
Female Mounties look to build off third place ACAA finish
After posting their first playoff appearance in five years in 2010-11, the Women’s Hockey Mounties will look to do even better in 2011-12.
After finishing 0-2 in the playoff round robin, Head Coach Zach Ball and the Mounties expect a better
end to the next season. The Mounties finished the regular season in sixth place with a record of 10-12-2, but were only one point removed from third place entering the final day of regular season play.
The Mounties return a very strong group of forwards, including Kristen Cooze and Lindsay James, who made the AUS All-Rookie Team this past season. Goals leader Katelyn Morton returns, and the Mounties also return some great depth down the middle, with centres Courtney King, Darla Frizzell and Ashlyn Somers all coming back.
Seniors Megan Davies and Lauren
Oickle anchor a strong back end which loses Andrea Switalski to graduation. Also returning on the blueline are rookies Megan Cameron, Beth Deveaux and Carmanah Hunter.
The Mounties are fortunate to return some outstanding talent in goal with first-team AUS All-Star Meghan Corley-Byrne and Jenelle Hulan. Corley-Byrne posted one of the best save percentages in the league this past season, and has stopped more shots than any other AUS goaltender over the past two seasons. Hulan is a more than capable backup who in two seasons has a record of 4-6-1 and a save percentage of .925.
Hockey Mounties hope to improve upon playoff recordFuture is bright for Mounties
Wray Perkin
Sports writer
Come back for a 5th or 6th year and write for sports!
To compete in their conference, the Mounties will need a strong defence heading into next year.
Sue Seaborn
The Argosy www.argosy.ca 13SPORTS
Mount Allison Mounties defensive end Akwasi Antwi was selected in the fourth round, 26th overall by the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League’s Canadian College Draft on Sunday.
The 6-foot-2, 250-pound Commerce Major from Toronto, Ontario, spent the week leading up to the draft participating in the CIS East-West Bowl held at University of Western Ontario. The East-West Bowl is mainly for players who are eligible in the following year’s CFL Draft, but since Antwi is a little older at 25 years of age, he was eligible for the draft.
He was the second of only three AUS players selected this year. St FX linebacker Henoc Muamba was the first overall pick to Winnipeg, and Saint Mary’s defensive lineman Chris Hodgson was one of the draft’s last picks by the BC Lions.
In only three seasons as a Mountie, Antwi has made a huge impact, leading the CIS in tackles in 2009, and is already seventh all-time in AUS tackling with 138.5 tackles, an average of 46.2 tackles a season.
Antwi found out he had been drafted as he was being pulled over for speeding on his way back to Sackville from Halifax on Sunday afternoon.
“Jermaine (Oram) got a text saying I had been drafted,” recounts Antwi. “I thought it was a joke at first, I didn’t want to believe it but then I got a call from (Calgary Defensive Coordinator) Chris Jones. I was not expecting it at all.”
Mounties Head Coach Kelly Jeffrey was full of praise for Antwi, who just completed his third year at Mount Allison. “Akwasi has a rare combination of size, strength and speed. He’s got the athleticism to make plays other guys his size wouldn’t be able to.”
Antwi becomes the first Mountie taken in the draft since 2004, and his being drafted by the Stampeders likely was aided by the fact that his defensive coordinator this past season, Scott Annand, has been a guest coach with the Stampeders for the past few seasons and is close personal friends with Chris Jones.
“I think he’ll be an excellent fit for Calgary’s style of play,” says Jeffrey. “We did a lot of similar schemes this past year with Akwasi s o he’ll be able to adapt quickly.”
“This is a once in a
lifetime opportunity,” says Antwi, who also realizes that his road to a professional career is nowhere near done yet. “I’m very grateful, but the real work is ahead of me in training and getting into CFL shape before camp.”
Mountie Draft Trivia: - Antwi is the 21st Mountie to be drafted into the CFL, and fourth to be drafted by Calgary. He is the sixth-highest Mountie to be drafted in going 26th overall.
Antwi is the fourth Mountie selected since the turn of the century.
Of the 21 Mounties drafted, twelve have been defensive players, eight have been offensive players, and one kicker.
The highest Mountie ever drafted was defensive back Phil Girard in 1998, who was picked in the 1st round, fifth overall by Edmonton.
Six times have two Mounties been drafted in the same year: 1973, 1974, 1977, 1984, 1986, and 2003.
Antwi is the first Mountie defensive lineman to be drafted since Bloyce Bulman in 1985 (Although Girard played D-Line once getting to the CFL)
Recent Mountie draftees to crack a team’s regular season roster: Girard with Edmonton in 1998, Eric Lapointe (drafted by Edmonton but played with Hamilton in 1999), and Sebastien Roy with Winnipeg in 2003.
Follows is a round-by-round breakdown of when Mounties have been drafted:
- 1st round: 1- 2nd round: 2- 3rd round: 2- 4th round: 4- 5th round: 2- 6th round: 2- 7th round: 4- 8th round: 3- 10th round: 1
Antwi drafted 26th overall in CFL Draft
Wray Perkin
Sports Writer
First Mountie drafted in the CFL since ‘03
2010 saw the Football Mounties post their best season in twelve years, but Head Coach Kelly Jeffrey and the rest of the squad aren’t about to stop there.
Gone are stars like Gary Ross, Bradley Daye, Jermaine Oram, Callan Exeter and Matt Pickett, but there are plenty of players ready to step in and fill the void.
All-Star quarterback Jake Hotchkiss returns behind centre, and will have a dangerous receiving corps at his disposal featuring Jarrett King, Stu Moore, Jared Collett, and Nick Cuda among others. Nick Kukkonen and Nathan Zavarella give the Mounties a dangerous two-headed attack in the backfield.
The offensive line returns all five starters, including all-star Aaron Harper and All-Canadian Mike Filer. Chris Munn, Mario Basque and Alex Healy round out an impressive and
sizeable starting five.Defensively, Scott Brady takes over
the reins in only his second year as a coach. Sacks leader Ryan Downe will anchor an improving defensive line, while Ben Halpern and Justin Richard will lead a young group of linebackers.
The secondary is in a rebuilding mode, but will still be strong nonetheless with Matt Kenny and Tyler Nadolny providing leadership there.
The Uteck Bowl, one of the national semi-finals, will be in Moncton in 2011, and you can bet the Mounties will be hoping to make Moncton their home for that week.
Sights set on national spotlight
Josh Chrvala
Standout stars graduating but team remains stronger than ever
Wray Perkin
Sports Writer
Star-studded team setting sights on return trip to Nationals
After capturing the ACAA Championships in 2007, 2009 and most recently in 2011, the Women’s Volleyball Mounties will try to find the right formula in order to repeat in 2012.
Head Coach Andrew Kennedy
expects to return every player from the championship roster this past year, and says they will be prepared to retain their champion status a year from now.
“We have just as much chance, if not more, to win next year as we did this year,” says Kennedy. “We have a real solid group of players who now have playoff experience; with that experience that we have, we know what to expect.”
Caila Henderson and Vanessa Gray received individual recognition from the ACAA as all-stars this past season, and are the only holdovers from both the 2009 and 2011 championship teams.
“There have been a number of firsts I’ve been trying to accomplish for this team,” says Kennedy, who has been in
charge since the 2005-06 season. “It would be great to repeat next year as champions.
“At the end of every season, you start laying the groundwork to win come September, and this year is no exception, only this time we’re the defending champions.”
The Mounties, despite only narrowly making playoffs with a 9-9 record this past season, upset their way to the banner by taking down first-place Mount Saint Vincent en route to a thrilling five-set win against host UNBSJ in the final.“The repeat just hasn’t been there for us yet,” grins Kennedy, who along with the Volleyball Mounties will look to change that in the coming season.
Wray Perkin
Sports Writer
Searching for a repeat
CFL draft pick Akwasi AntwiSue Seaborne
Sonyericsson.com
ARTS & LIT May 12, 2011 [email protected]
This memoir is impossible to put down. It’s gritty and heartbreaking, but still contains ample bits of dark humour. The author, Jeannette Walls, courageously recounts her impoverished nomadic upbringing, with an admiring air of contentment. Starting with the most young, impressionable years of her childhood, every memory described exposes a life of secrets she so fervently disguised – until now.
Jeannette’s parents, Rex and Rose Mary Walls, are new-age hippies with strong unconventional beliefs on how to live. They are adamant that the establishment, the education system, and even their extended family are out to get them; they are paranoid that any authority they encounter will force them to conform to the rigid ideals of America. Living on the outskirts of society, both literally and ethically, they are able to raise their four children, Lori, Brian, Maureen, and Jeannette the way they intended: to be self-sufficient, tough pariahs. The father, Rex, is a brilliant man, who clings to his dreams with childish abandon. Like many great men however, his aspirations are paralyzed by alcoholism, squandering whatever little money there may be to feed his family on booze. The mother
is no source of strength either, as she refuses to fulfill the domestic role, or even do anything for that matter. She secludes herself to her canvas, painting constantly, but only for leisure, as becoming an artist for profit would mean that she “sold herself out”. Alas, the children are left to fend for their own survival, yet they miraculously seem to make ends meet.
Walls’ greatest strength is her ability to tell her story with compassion and empathy rather than bitterness. Even to this day, she speaks of her parents with love and respect, as if their neglectful parenting were the product of circumstance rather than selfishness. Her resilience and resourcefulness from such a tender age evokes passion and hope, so much so that as you recap her life, you can’t help feeling invested in her struggle.
The Glass Castle is the winner of a Christopher award, a Books for Better Life award, the 2005 Elle Readers’ prize, and the American Library Association’s Alex Award in 2006. After occupying the New York Times Best Seller List for 100 weeks, you don’t even need me to tell you this book is a gem; the countless readers out there paying full price already attest to its merit.
Michelle Cielen
Production Manager
The cycle of poverty can be broken, according to the The Glass Castle
From rags to riches
Internet Photo/Shop the Shows
Mount Allison has cultivated a reputation for training some of the most talented artists in the country through their Bachelor of Fine Arts Program. This year, the thirteen graduating students more than live up to that reputation. The Owens Art Gallery hosted the final show of the graduates this year, featuring the artwork of Emily LeMesurier, Sarah Grass, Emily Saab, Kate Boyle, Olivia Cusack, Lydia Haywood-Munn, Ainslie Moss, Andrea Thiessen, Brittany Crossman, Keeley Haftner, Erika Sullivan, Nicole Sharp, Olivia McNair and Sarah Mullin.
The show this year featured all female artists, which is unusual for a graduate exhibit. The artwork showcased was also particularly diverse, making the show an even more unique and interesting experience for the viewer. The exhibit featured a mix between contemporary [ways] of making art, such as multimedia and installation, contrasting with more traditional methods such as drawing, painting and photography.
This year, much of the artwork was quite experimental, with Keely Haftner showing a nude piece entitled Praxis that could previously be seen in the R.P Bell Library .
“This piece,” explains Haftner, “ is a developing body of work that is constantly evolving. For the work, I have used my own body to generate subject matter through process. Each image is then painted to a high degree of finish in oil paint on a freestanding false wall. The painting is then deleted performatively and publicly with a roller and white latex paint, a process which has been recorded through video documentation”. Olivia McNair created a stop-motion video of a boy, with elements of collage, called “Bounce,” which explored a distinctive and unique medium for the show. Ainslie Moss showcased a piece entitled “Fruit Flies,” for which the artist drew inspiration from her own writing, through the observation of others, and through the “explorations of language and its colloquial uses, and what happens when words and phrases are taken out of context.” Moss adds that for the work she has tried to “pair a de-contextualized piece of text with a related image (the fly - which I see as existing to reinforce the text) to evoke a reaction from the
audience. I’m interested in any range of reactions - confusion, amusement, disappointment, familiarity, ambivalence, etc.” Moss explains that she “likes to see what an audience can parse from what minimal/ambiguous information they’ve been given.”
There is a catalogue for the show, which is curated by fourth-year coordinator Erik Edson, as well as an essay written by John Murchie, the director of Struts Gallery. The official opening of the exhibition will be at 4pm on the 14th of May with opening remarks by Jerry Ropson.
The Owens Gallery is currently showcasing several other exhibitions including the bi-yearly Salon Hanging, showcasing work from the University’s collection; and Bonafide Handmade, Homemade. The gallery will also be featuring the self portraits of the graduates from 1951, 56, and 61.
There are also extended hours during the Convocation weekend. The gallery will be open from 9am -6pm, and Colville House will be open from 1pm-6pm.
From classic methods to contemporary mediums
Julia McMillan
Arts and Lit Editor
Mt. A alumna art featured on beer bottleArtist Deborah Colvin’s artwork selected for Innis and Gunn’s Canada Day beer
Mt. A Fine Arts graduates showcase their work at Owens
Internet Photo/George Pimentel
This Canada Day, celebrate the birth of the nation in a truly patriotic way- with a bottle of Innis and Gunn beer and the artwork of Mount Allison alumna, Deborah Colvin. Earlier this year the Scottish Brewer organized a nationwide search for artwork to be showcased on its limited edition Canada Day 2011 beer. An original piece by Colvin was selected and will be featured on the beer’s packaging this July.
Deborah Colvin studied Fine Arts at Mt. A, class of 1977. She
continued on to the Banff School of Fine Arts where she was given the opportunity to work independently, meet, and interact with other established Canadian artists She has since lived and taught art in various communities across the country. Colvin is an elected member of the Society of Canadian Artists and has been recognized by the society with the prestigious Antoinette Stevens Award. She now lives and works in Mount Albert, Ontario, where she specializes in works of mixed media. Her current series are reliefs made from plaster castings of disposable plastic items. The concept is ‘what are we going to leave behind for archeologists to discover in the future’. The human form figures largely in many of her pieces.
The Innis and Gunn packaging art pictures an ice skater hitting a puck into the vast Canadian landscape. Colvin describes her creative process, stating that “I started thinking back to my childhood, skating on our backyard rink and my cousins coming over to play hockey with my brother.
Hockey is part of the Canadian psyche. The game represents freedom, camaraderie, competition, and a sense of fun. The playground (rink) is Canada and the light that shines on the scene is the symbol of Canada, the Maple Leaf.” Colvin continues by explaining that “drawing or colouring maps of Canada is also a very Canadian pursuit…Children all over our country participate in this endeavor in school…I did as a child and loved it. This simple activity really brings national self-awareness to our youth. The shape of the map also references our rugged geography and visually serves as a goal for the three hockey players. Furthermore, the birch bark embodies our connection with nature and refers to our aboriginal peoples of Canada.”
New to commercial design, Colvin notes that “commercial display reaches a much bigger audience [than exhibited work] because of reproduction and accessibility. Images bombard us every day.” Colvin feels honoured to have her representation of Canada be
Lea Foy“Super Surprise” by Keeley Haftner.
associated with Canada Day. At the end of the process, she felt that although she had portrayed a true vision of Canada, it was only a small part of what this country represents. Colvin developed a renewed sense of nation pride and awe for the incredible diversity of the country through her involvement with the Innis and Gunn project.
Despite being a Scottish company, this July marks the third year that Innis and Gunn will be releasing its special, limited edition beer to celebrate Canada Day. The vintage was created to thank loyal Canadian fans for their devotion to the beer company. It is intended to celebrate both the nation as a whole, as well as its beer-loving individuals. Although this is not the first time the company has released the Canadian brew, this is the first yeah that Innis and Gunn has chosen to feature the work of a Canadian artist. The company plans to continue releasing Canada Day beer, and will hopefully continue to display the work of many more Canadian artists in the future.
Julia McMillan
Arts and Lit Editor
Colvin is honoured to have her work seen across Canada.
The Argosy www.argosy.ca 15ARTS & LIT
It is impossible to over-celebrate International Women’s Day. Other holidays popular with students (St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, etc.) often come with unpleasant repercussions. Hangovers, broken hearts and excessive tomfoolery can easily ruin a typical student holiday.Not the case with International Women’s Day.
International Women’s Day is a day when people all around are called to celebrate the accomplishments of women and to raise awareness for women’s ongoing struggles everywhere. This day of celebration and solidarity has thankfully maintained its authenticity, giving people a chance to gather and celebrate the struggle for human rights and social justice.
2011 marks the hundredth anniversary of International Women’s Day. This past March, Mount Allison students took part in many different activities to celebrate IWD. The celebration continues in Sackville this May.
The Tantramar Heritage Trust is hosting its annual “Taste of History” fundraising dinner on Saturday, May 14. This year’s evening is titled
“Sackville Women in History”. The evening will feature an illustrated discussion, many dramatic presentations and a silent auction. Dr. Hannah Lane of the Mt. A History Department will be giving a presentation on the evening’s theme.
As many Mt. A students already know, the first woman to receive a bachelor’s degree in the British Empire was an Mt. A student. Grace Annie Lockhart graduated with a BSc in 1875, a time in history when many universities were reluctant to begin allowing women to obtain degrees. Lockhart is one of many women of Sackville’s history who will be featured at the fundraising dinner.
All are welcome to attend this educational and entertaining evening. Tickets are on sale for fifty dollars each (including a twenty-five dollar charity receipt), and are available by calling 536-2541, or dropping by the Boultenhouse Heritage Centre at 29 Queen’s Rd.
Another chance to celebrate IWDHeritage Trust to host “Women in History” fundraising dinner
Joel Young
Arts and Lit Writer
Sackville’s bilingual theatre group, Tintamarre, is taking their comedic production BOUFFE! on the road this summer, as the troupe embarks on its annual tour of maritime schools. From May 2-15, Tintamarre will be performing twenty three shows for twenty five schools, as well as the PEI Food Security Committee, and the Mount Allison University community. This is Tintamarre’s twenty-first “Tintamarrathon,” and the troupe has performed for well over a hundred thousand students in the Maritime provinces.
Tintamarre is comprised of twelve dedicated bilingual students from divers backgrounds and academic disciplines, and is run by Alex Fancy, a professor emeritus of French and drama at Mt. A. The actors featured in BOUFFE! are Allison Aubé, Eric Biskupski, Graeme Bousada, Rosalind Crump, Laura Gibbon, Hannah Gibson, Adrienne Kasdan, Amanda Matchett, Brie Nelson, Kelsey Ryan, Alissa Sylvester, and David White. The theatre group will be performing an adapted version of their original production BOUFFE!, an activist comedy about food. The play explores nutrition, where our food comes from, the choices we make every day, and the complexity of the wold-wide politics of food. Fancy explains that “although a colourful comedy with numerous comic characters, BOUFFE! - which is set in a fast-food restaurant - asks serious questions about where our food comes from, what it contains, and the plight of farmers, audiences are not encouraged to refuse fast food, but rather to ask questions and practise moderation.” Filled with eccentric, hilarious characters and an important message about our relationship with the food we consume, BOUFFE! has been met with rave reviews, uncontrollable laughter, and has left
audience members with a new outlook on the food they eat. A longer version of the play was presented in the Windsor Theatre in February.
According to Fancy, the writer and director of Bouffe, “Tintamarre aims to celebrate our differences, and to highlight the role that drama and theatre can play in our world.” As seen in the program notes, one of the company’s actors stated during rehearsal that “group creativity knows no limits. Nous vous invitons à célébrer nos différences, et le rôle que le théâtre peut jouer dans la société.” Fancy certainly aims to allow group creativity to flourish as he directs Tintamarre. As the playwright, he encourages the troupe’s performers to modify the script through numerous collaborative efforts. Fancy works to ensure that the performers play a significant role in the final outcome of the script, all the while attempting to help them break through new creative barriers by improvising, storytelling, and more. The students even contribute to the musical production of the show. The score was
composed in a variety of musical styles by Mount Allison student performers Bousada, Biskupsi, Landon Braverman, and Bernard Soubry. The play in its entirety, therefore, becomes a group effort infused with input from everyone involved.
During the tour, the actors will give drama workshops after their performance in four Nova Scotia schools. In addition, all the educators will receive a teacher’s kit, which was
created by director Fancy. The goal of these kits is to enhance the students’ enjoyment and understanding of the production. Thus far, the troupe has been met with an exceptional reception from the schools. Fancy states that “ the post-show discussions have been rich and rewarding, and students enjoy activist comedy. The play has been included in programs in Drama, French, and Health, and is part of the curriculum.”
BOUFFE! will be performed at Mount Allison University on Sunday, May 15 at 4:00 pm in the Windsor Theatre during the university’s Reunion Weekend Celebrations. Tintamarre’s annual tour made possible for the generous sponsorship of the J.E.A Crake Foundation and additional support by alumni and friends of Tintamarre.
Exact tour dates can be found on the troupe’s blog at http://tintamarrathon.wordpress.com.
Tintamarre hits the road
The comedic troupe will perform for twenty-five schools across the Maritimes
Julia McMillan
Arts and Lit Editor
Lockhart was the first woman to receive a university degree in the British Empire.
Internet Photo/Mount Allison
Mount Allison’s bilingual theatre group, is set for their twenty-first annual “Tintamarrathon,” performing the original production, BOUFFE!, this Sunday in Sackville.
Internet Photo/Associated Press
Tintamarre aims to celebrate our differences, and to highlight the role that drama and theatre can play in our world.
Alex FancyMt.A French and Drama Professor
Emeritus
ENT. May 12, 2011 [email protected]
In it’s humble beginnings in 2006, SappyFest was a collection of friends celebrating the release of several albums from Sappy Records. The first festival took place on Jon Claytor’s farm (one of the founder’s of the festival, along with Julie Doiron and Paul Henderson). The setting was small and intimate, but as renowned
musicians began headlining the festival, the venues grew to include George’s Roadhouse, a tent outside Struts Art Gallery, United Church and the entire length of Bridge Street. The addition of the one thousand-person tent on Bridge Street launched SappyFest into a new level, changing the perception of the festival held by the residents of Sackville and festivalgoers alike. While encompassing an entire town may not seem conducive to maintaining a personal and intimate atmosphere, within Sackville it is possible. Unlike other festivals, SappyFest is lacking the barrage of corporate sponsors and advertising seen in large, urban music events. The canvas of Sackville erases the grit of an enormous outdoor festival, maintaining the sentiment of the first SappyFest; a gathering of friends. Of course, this would not be
possible without the support of the community. Residents and businesses of Sackville have been faithful supporters of SappyFest, closing down entire streets and extending noise bylaws to accommodate the festival.
Dan Bejar of Destroyer stated that SappyFest is so enjoyable to preform at that it should be called something entirely different from a festival; high praise from a musician who claims to not enjoy festivals at all. But Bejar is right about SappyFest being markedly different, the difference perhaps being due to the fact that SappyFest is an artist-centered event. The organizers are all artists themselves, who seek to create a space for musicians. This creation was made blindly, acting on creative intuition, knowing what would work best as an artist. The result is a festival where the
performers mingle with the audience, waiting in line to see a show just like everyone else. The lack of backstage access is integral in the relaxed feel of SappyFest, an aspect remarked upon by musicians and music lovers.
The feedback of festivalgoers has played a key part in SappyFest’s lineup this year. Reacting to the criticism that the festival favors “dude heavy” rock and not enough electronic dance music, the organizers have made a conscious effort to diversify the talent to be showcased. Bands like Gobble Gobble and Homo Duplex have been enlisted to hopefully satisfy the hunger for electronica, yet still appeal to those who favor rock music. Another welcome addition to the event’s lineup is Charles Bradley, whose band form Brooklyn includes a seven-piece horn section. For three years SappyFest has been trying to
SappyFest 2011 “With Or Without You”
Sackville festival grows while retaining a personal feel
Anna Robertson
Entertainment Editor
wrangle a soul act, and has at last managed to secure Charles Bradley with the help of the Sackville Blues Society. There will be returning bands known to please SappyFest veterans such as BonJay, Chad VanGaalen, The Acorn, and Shotgun Jimmie.
The title of the Festival this year, “With Or Without You”, is a tongue in cheek reference to the Saturday night of the festival when both U2 and Arcade Fire are scheduled to play in Moncton. The U2 song title underlines the lighthearted feel of SappyFest. Instead of being worried about the competition that may occur between the two events, organizers remain optimistic about the large numbers of people the Moncton concert will bring in. The draw of SappyFest will surely lure some of the concert attendees to Sackville, for a musical experience unlike any other.
Top: Cat Pontoon
Left: Chad VangaalenRight: Charles BradleyBottom Left: Lady HawkBottom Right: Bonjay
Photos courtesy of Thunder and Lightning
Lea Foy
The Argosy www.argosy.ca 17ENTERTAINMENT
On election day, I was lucky enough to be chosen to work as a poll clerk. It was not the exciting event I imagined it to be. Of course, I had known that a day of paperwork wouldn’t be fun, but I was stricken by the lack of excitement among the voters about the election. The unfortunate reason for this was that many Canadians felt that they had no one to vote for, only people to vote against.
After all of the backlash that has been presented targeting Harper and the talk of “strategic voting” (a.k.a. anything but Harper), it was shocking, especially for students, to see him seize a majority. There is great change underway in Ottawa however, with an NDP opposition and a new Green seat. This leaves some to wonder if these changes may be a result of the rallying and activism that has been presented by youth throughout the election, encouraging an NDP or Green vote.
The efforts to promote an NDP or Green vote are exemplified candidly in the music video made by Toronto-based band Gaiaisi, entitled “Canadian Revolution.” Despite being arguably one of the worst songs I’ve ever heard (the best part of the song is the Aboriginal introduction), the lyrics paint an astonishing message. It acknowledges environmental issues including the tar sands, mass deforestation and the destruction of natural habitats. It acknowledges that even as one of the wealthiest countries in the world, many Canadian citizens are still faced with social insecurities such as hunger, homelessness, and inequalities in health care. It acknowledges the crimes that have repeatedly been imposed on Canada’s
Musician sings a new tune in Canadian politicsCan the new leaders dance the new dance?
Taylor Mooney
Entertainment Writer
Walking through the doors of 90 York on April 16—right in the middle of the exam period—I was feeling more than a little strung out. I graciously accepted a generous serving from the keg, and moved into the living room of the farmhouse. Spacious and softly lit, the audience found plenty of seats on the floor and on sofas lining the perimeter of the room. It felt like I had crawled into a bubble that exam-induced stress couldn’t penetrate. Celebrating the launch of Devarrow’s first full-length CD release, entitled The Coast, The Cottage, the evening was set to include performances from Julie Aube, Corey Isenor, Devarrow and Bolivia.
Devarrow is the solo project of Graham Ereaux, a second year BFA student from Moncton. Featuring his own vocals, guitar, and harmonica playing, Devarrow also collaborated with some of the show’s other performers. He accentuated the show’s casual atmosphere with his personal style of introducing each song, speaking of the inspiration he found for the album in his cottage and the houses surrounding it near the Bay of Fundy. Each song transported the listener to a place far away, evoking images of cottages filled with woodstoves, quilts, and foggy coastlines bordered with evergreen trees. Devarrow certainly proved himself to be a folk music proficient.
I was lucky enough to catch up with Ereaux after the show to ask him a few questions, and found out that in addition to being a talented musician he’s also a lovely person. After watching his friends pick up instruments in the ninth grade, Ereaux began playing guitar. He has never received formal lessons, though you’d never know it upon hearing him play. Proving his talent on The Coast, The Cottage, Ereaux plays acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, piano, organ, harmonica, percussion, autoharp and glockenspiel. Ereaux sings and composes all of his own tracks, saying that most of them were written during his grade eleven and grade
twelve years. He said that he found it difficult to write once he came to university, helping him to realize that his inspiration comes from memories of the coast and his longing to be there. When asked which musicians he feels influenced by, he replied with, “not who, but what.” He cited artists including Fleet Foxes, Iron and Wine, and Bon Iver to accommodate my question, but expressed that he is truly influenced by the places he has gone. Through the album he hopes to evoke feelings of longing for nature and home, communicated in a relaxed, natural sound. I was also curious about Ereaux’s stage name, “Devarrow.” He explained that he had been looking for something that was one word, and easier to spell than his true last name. In a benefit concert he played last year, someone misspelled his name “Devereaux.” Liking the sound, Ereaux changed the spelling and decided to keep it.
Bolivia followed Devarrow’s performance, a promising new band that Ereaux is part of in addition to his solo project. Along with Ereaux, Bolivia is comprised of Zoe Caddell, Liz Kent, Jake Bastedo and Luke Trainor. The group employs beautiful five-part harmonies, accompanied by instruments ranging from an accordion to a glockenspiel purchased at the Salvation Army. Each member contributes both vocals and instrumentals, but the cello in particular gave the band a unique, full sound. When asked about the band, Ereaux explained that Bastedo had organized the group to record a track for the Conduct Becoming CD. They enjoyed jamming together, and found that between the five of them they could write songs quickly and easily. Addressing the topic of a CD, Ereaux revealed that there are no solid plans yet. Upon completing his solo album, he’s realized how much work recordings require. Although they are still quite new, Bolivia provides a welcome addition to Sackville’s folk-music scene.
Though plans for a CD from Bolivia haven’t yet been made, I’m keeping my figures crossed. I want to hear more from these guys. Leaving 90 York, I found myself tumbling back into the real world of stress and exams, but I kept a piece of the serenity that I felt that night in the form of Devarrow’s CD. While I’m sure Devarrow will be moving onto bigger stages, I don’t think any of them will suit him as perfectly as the one in his own living room.
A night of fun and folk90 York provides a one-night getaway during exams
Taylor Mooney
Entertainment Writer
Chapel offers brilliant acoustics and majestic architecture
Aboriginals. Watching “Canadian Revolution” undoubtedly made most Canadians extremely uncomfortable, because it starkly brings to light all of the things that the “True North, strong and free,” is too ashamed to acknowledge. Set on the steps of the Parliament building, the video displays the band giving the members of parliament an explicit and direct message. The video is broken up by segments showing the injustices that they sing of in the form of memoirs from abused Aboriginals and visuals of natural destruction and poverty in Canada. Gaiaisi’s song has relayed a strong message, ending with the line, “I call that a recipe for a revolution, let’s do it!”
This campaign is working with hopes that these issues will be addressed through a merged Green/NDP party. The movement, named GREENDP, strives for immediate action to be taken concerning the state of the environment and poverty in Canada. The success of this movement is probably much less likely now, with the rise of the NDP on its own.
With the huge advances made by the NDP in Canadian politics, the playing field has been drastically changed. Only time will tell if our new leaders can dance to beat of Canada’s ever-changing song.
Winnipeg-based talent, Christine Fellows (left), played to the heart of the Chapel last Friday. She is touring across Canada with local favourite, Shotgun Jimmie (below).
All photos by Lea Foy
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18 May 12, 2011 [email protected]
Grey KingdomEulogy of Her and
Her and Her
Classifying music produced by Gold Panda is a difficult feat. Wavering somewhere between experimental, electronic dance and ambient, Companion creates the same addictive musical escapes offered on Lucky Shiner. Gold Panda continues to use diverse soundscapes and recycled snippets of noise to construct his songs, challenging the listener with the unexpected. A distinctive Middle-Eastern tone can be heard in the opening track ‘Quitter’s Raga’; sitar tantalizingly weaves in with broken vocals making the one minute and fifty-eight second song seem far too short. Nostalgia remains a theme on Companion. The soft crackling of vinyl hums in the background of songs like ‘Lonely Owl’; a sharp contrast to the heavy bass on ‘Win-San Western’. If you’re looking for music to become immersed in, I highly recommend this album
JookaboxThe Eyes of the Fly
The final record The Eyes of the Fly from Jookabox was released only a few weeks after the band’s official break-up. The dark lyrics sing of slime, of rot, of the afterlife, and serve as a requiem for a band that jerked, leaped and convulsed in their angst inspired music. The Eyes of the Fly is the best parting gift that Jookabox could have left, filled with haunting vocal harmonies set in an almost primordial tone. “Cold Solution” is has a beautiful irony, with dark, melodic chants of ‘la la la’; the song is perfectly layered, never overpowering but rich in composition. The ‘walking grave’ is a theme explored in ‘Drops’, and rotting flesh seems to play a part in almost every song. Within the lyrics of The Eyes of the Fly rests great power, and sonically the album is just as alluring.
After a well-received self-titled EP album, Spencer Burton of Attack in Black continues thriving in his solo project Grey Kingdom with the new album Eulogy of Her and Her and Her. Singing of love and loss, Burton pairs a rich acoustic and electric composition with his vocals. ‘1941’ is a beautiful illustration of the power held by the instrumentation within the album. The sonic canvas is one that is deeply ingrained in classic folk music, with splashes of modern noise carefully placed amongst the tender guitar plucking. Echoes of electric guitar are strung out through ‘She Came From Spencer’, diverging from the notions of a strictly folk oriented album. Although not as recognized as it deserves to be, Grey Kingdom’s Eulogy of Her and Her and Her does not fail to please.
Animal Collective is one of those bands that people either love or hate. The same can be said for Panda Bear, the solo exploration of electronic music by Animal Collective frontman Noah Lennox. His latest album, Tomboy, is filled with looped beats, synthesizer, vocal melodies, coughs, crashing waves, moans and anything else you can imagine. Opening with the haunting chant of “You Can Count On Me”, the album draws you in and grows on you with each song. The ethereal abrasiveness felt in Animal Collective’s sound remains, something that is resisted at first but later embraced. A soundscape of waves introduce the melody in ‘Surfer’s Hymn’, followed by a chaotic build of electric beats. Tomboy is not an album that will settle upon first exposure, it needs devoted listening to be loved.
Panda BearTomboy
Gold PandaCompanionWH@M
What’s happening at
Mt.A
Pat Lepoidevin,Dog is Blue,Construction & Destruction
Thurs. May 128:00 pmLegion
$8 at door19+
Handsome Dan & his
Gallimaufry
Fri. May 13 7:30 pm
Sackville Music Barn
$5 at door
Kite Hill,Handsome
Dan,Deadhorse,
& Ingrid Gatin
Wed. May 18 8:00 pm
Struts Gallery $8 at door
Rec Room Expo
Fri. May 13- Sat. May 14
George’s
Why do movie theatres always make room for far-fetched, sappy love stories that pull at the heartstrings? In two hours, Water for Elephants will without a doubt answer this question for you. Based off the award-winning novel, Water for Elephants successfully portrays a beautiful, passionate love story in an interesting and playful way. The story-line follows the life of a poor veterinary student, Jacob Jankowski played by Robert Patterson, who runs away and joins the circus after his parents are abruptly killed in a tragic car accident. After abandoning his studies at Cornell University, he ends up falling in love with the beautiful circus owner’s wife, played by Reese Witherspoon. Witherspoon plays Marlena, the circus’ star performer who shares Jankowski’s love of animals. Their relationship grows stronger as Marlena’s husband August grows more and more abusive
and cruel.Though the basic summary may sound cliché and lackluster, setting up a very predictable love story plot line, I guarantee director Francis Lawrence will keep you guessing till the very end. The movie is full of symbolism and metaphor, exploring themes of desperation and basic human moral. Use of lighting and color plays a key role in the movie, as imagery was clearly well thought out. The music selection and costume design stayed true to the 1930’s depression era, adding a feeling of nostalgia and
wistfulness. Tying it all together, the strong cast is ultimately what carried the odd movie outline. Despite the many criticisms against Patterson for his leading role in Twilight, portraying a fourteen-year old girl’s heartthrob, he was honestly really mature, charming, and eye-catching as Jankowski. When paired with the stereotypical chick-flick movie actress, Witherspoon, the movie was full of passion and heartfelt yearning. Lawrence made good use of the couples natural on-screen chemistry, capturing the sexual
Mira Le-Ba
Argosy Correspondent
tension and desire on film.It also has to be noted that Lawrence did a great job of balancing the slow, sentimental parts of the movie with the more racy bits. My only criticism is that the movie was a bit long, and at times lagged. There was almost too much content to squeeze into a movie while still staying true to the original story. This can be attributed to the fact that it was based off a very well written, fast-paced novel. I’m sure author Sarah Gruen’s fans were not left disappointed, though, as the film was an overall success.
Beauty amidst the world of the big topAcclaimed novel, Water for Elephants, a hit on the big screen
All reviews by Anna Robertson
Jacob Jankowski, played by actor Robert Pattinson, cares for the circus’ star act, Rosie the elephant.Internet Photo/Entertainista
HUMOURThe Argosy www.argosy.ca
10. Dress up just like the professors, and then sit on the stage. See if you can stay there long enough to accept your diploma without being found out.9. Steal the mascot costume, alter a gown, and accept your diploma in a way that is as unquestioningly full of school spirit as it is ridiculous and probably felonious. 8. Wear a gown, but make sure that your tassel and any other identifying colours are those of a different university. Realize very suddenly and loudly whilst on stage that you actually aren’t at St. FX. Panic.7. Naked under your gown.6. Naked, with no gown. 5. Try to go up each time a name, any name, is called.4. Give a speech. Allow no one to interrupt you until you’ve said what you want to say. Make shout-outs.3. Bring up a diploma with you, and try to present it to the President as he’s handing you yours. 2. Ancient Ninja Technique of Shadow-Graduation.1.With the quiet dignity and grace expected of a graduating student. Come on, people, this is no time for shenanigans.
Top ten ways to walk up and accept your diploma
Seriously, think about it.
A girl like Lost is dramatic, full of suspense... you’re so done with her by the end of the series. Like, who would ever watch Lost OVER again? You KNOW what’s gonna happen. You’ve done it all before, and it’s the same damn twists and turns over and over again. You dump her, ‘cause dramatic is only exciting the first time; once you know what happens, then it’s done, it’s over.
Or, A girl like Seinfeld. She’s funny and comforting, and you can watch those reruns all day long. Is she ever going to really shock you? Probably not, but she’s never going to completely flip her lid and go psycho on you like Lost Girl.
The best would probably be a girl like House. Now, Seinfeld gets old after a few years, becomes distant and unrelatable, and even kind of lazy, but House? She’s dramatic AND funny, but not batshit insane. She’s exciting, and you can stay with her over and over again, or wait for the new seasons, the new adventures. It’s like a win-win.
A word of caution: Stay away from the girls who are like anime. They might seem cool, but then you find out about their twisted pasts, their attempts at reinvention, the incredibly strange things they try to hide beneath the surface, and the fact that they’re actually a better fit for MUCH younger boys. Seriously.
Girls are like tv showsJennifer Boyce Geoff Hutchinson
Convocation 2011
Get a 12” Pizza &12” Garlic Fingers
for$20.11
Thursday May 12 to Monday May 16
Delivery included
Dine In Casual Italian DiningPatio open Live Music on Friday
Reservations Recommended
To all the Grads and their Families who have made Joeysapart of their years, thank you , we appreciate it!
All the best in all you do!