Photo by Stacey Goyan

Local women take to the streets to protest violence

Stacey Goyan

News Editor

Last Friday, the Thunder Bay community came together with a common goal: to end violence against women. A cross-section of people from all cultures, sexual orientations, and genders unified for the annual Take Back the Night March in downtown Port Arthur.

An estimated 60 people gathered at Definitely Superior Art Gallery to listen to stories from women who have survived or been affected by violence against women.

Gender Issues Centre coordinator, Dave Ivany, said that the march is a symbolic “taking back of space” to honour and recognize the impact of violence against women.

Ivany noted the continued social problem of sexual assault and violence in communities.

GIC volunteers included powerful visual displays in the space including a candle vigil and a slideshow presentation including statistics on violence against women.

Event and Campaigns Facilitator, Jaclyn Moneypenny estimates about 10 volunteers were present at the event and many more had a hand in bringing it all together.

The Clothesline Project was also on display, featuring 60-100 t-shirts with messages protesting violence against women. The t-shirts on display included ones made this year, as well as others that the GIC has collected throughout the years.

The event began with stories and speeches from various women who discussed the politics and experiences of gender violence.

Some speakers highlighted the need for women to lobby the government to take action to end violence against women.

One speaker noted that the legislation that will end the gun registry falls near the 20^th anniversary of the École Polytechnique de Montréal shooting that resulted in the death of 14 women.

Ma-Nee Chacaby shared her struggles with domestic violence and racism. Her story conveyed a strong message of resistance.

“I just keep on getting up, keep on being who I am, and keep on doing what I believe in,” said Chacaby before the march.

Other women shared their experiences of surviving violence and rape. Jaclyn Moneypenny said that she felt the stories demonstrated women’s empowerment and not just victimization.

The march went through downtown Port Arthur, leaving Definitely Superior Art Gallery and making its way through Red River Road, Cumberland, and Machar.

Men were asked to stay behind for the march and participate in a strategizing session involving the White Ribbon Campaign. This encouraged men to be allies in the fight to end violence against women.

“It’s about forming a unified strike against violence,” said Moneypenny, noting the importance of involving men in the discussion. She pointed out the significance of equality to the feminist movement.

When the march returned, everyone was treated to food and performance by Winnipeg singer-songwriter Romi Mayes.

Moneypenny also highlighted the connection between the LUSU Gender Issues Centre and the larger feminist community in Thunder Bay.

The GIC led up to Take Back the Night with a film series that focused on violence against women.

As well, students were able to participate in the Clothesline project and a postcard campaign to urge the government to take more action on gender violence.

December 6^th will mark the 20^th anniversary of the École Polytechnique de Montréal massacre. For more information, contact the Gender Issues Centre at gic@lusu.ca.

Top scientific discoveries of 2009

Anthony Marrelli

Argus

Science and inquiry have provided humans with some of the greatest gifts of all, one of the most important being a longer life. While the cure for aging and time travel are still a couple decades away, 2009 was a year for some very important discoveries on Earth and in the cosmos.

1. Nanotechnology

There is an increasing demand to discover the wonders of the microcosmos over the past decade; however we are only now able to create artificial mechanical cells that can actually interact with the tiniest of biological cells. This year marked two major advancements for nanotechnology; the first pore and gear were created. As the ability to create smaller pores and gears increases over the next decade; the complexity of what these nanomachines can do will increase as well. Their abilities may well include killing cancer cells, rehabilitating dead nerve endings, or even rewriting gene sequences.

2. The Telepathy Helmet

A telepathy helmet can be placed on your head so that other people can read your thoughts. This technology is actually being developed for the U.S. military by a team of scientists from three American universities. It will be used to read and transmit soldier’s thoughts to each other so that the need for vocal communication is eliminated.

3. Water, Water Everywhere! So Let’s All Have a Drink!

NASA found water on both Mars and recently on the moon. Although it does not do much for us right now, the potential of life within our solar system becomes increasingly likely. Its discoveries also give hope for the mission to Saturn’s moon Titan that is searching for astrobiology. New life on another planet or moon means a completely different evolutionary path. This gives birth to possibilities of new ways of understanding cell structure, which could lead to cures for the toughest diseases.

4. Giving Sight to the Blind

Blind for a decade, Englishman, Martin Jones, is finally able to see again through a piece of tooth implanted in his eye. Appropriately, the tooth used was a canine, otherwise known as an ‘eyetooth’. Doctors took a piece of Jones’ own living tooth, placed a man-made lens into its core and implanted it under his eyelid where tissue grew over it. A flap of skin excised from inside the patient’s mouth was placed over the tooth in Jones’ eye where it acquired its own blood supply. A hole cut in the new cornea allows light to pass through. The procedure has restored sight to over 600 people worldwide.

5. The Lost World

Researchers discovered an entire lost world of never before seen species when they ventured into the incredibly remote, nearly inaccessible crater of the Mount Bosavi volcano in Papua, New Guinea earlier this year.  In fact, the crater is so remote; it has never before been touched by human influence. The researchers found it remarkably easy to approach the wildlife found within, which showed no fear of the team. A fanged frog, a possum that releases a skunk-like odor when frightened, and a giant wooly rat were among the species discovered.

Honorable Mentions:

The AIDS Vaccine – While effective with some subjects, its use has not been as effective as first anticipated. However, this leaves the door open for a much more effective vaccination.

A Robot Making Scientific Discoveries – Adam, an AI made up of various mechanical arms, tubes, centrifuges, incubators, pipettes, and growth analyzers, was able to find the gaps of a yeast enzyme all on its own. While the findings aren’t revolutionary, it showed how AI can follow through on its own hypothesis, results and retests all without human intervention.

The second lecture fills room with people and many laughs

Esa Keltamaki

Copy Editor

Last Tuesday evening, the ATAC hosted the likes of Superman, Spiderman, The Flash, Magneto, and Dr. James Kakalios, a physics professor from the University of Minnesota.

Dr. James Kakalios, the second speaker in Lakehead’s Science and Environmental Studies Speakers series, dissected the physics of comic books to a boisterous crowd. Dr. Kakalios, a man who describes the X-Men’s Phoenix Saga as “extra sweet crack,” analyzed the accuracies and blunders of the powers and actions of superheroes.

The crowd laughed during the event and left smiling, as Dr. Kakalios’ scientific stand-up hit upon the density of neutron stars, the geological makeup of Krypton, and Spiderman’s ignorance of electrodynamics. His presentation was a colourful mix of vintage villains and science, and modern heroes and physics.

Dr. Kakalios, who has given lectures in United States and Canada in venues ranging from universities to Comic-Con conventions, believes quantum mechanics and comic books go hand in hand.

“Comic book fans are the perfect audience to try and get to believe wild and impossible ideas. They believe not only that a man can fly, but a pair of eyeglasses is a perfect disguise.”

The inspiration for these talks came when Dr. Kakalios tired of hearing the common complaint of “when am I going to use this stuff in my real life?” Having been a fan of comic books since his childhood, Dr. Kakalios decided to incorporate familiar examples. Students began leaving his lectures with smiles instead of complaints.

“In regular examples in physics class, we use fiction all the time,” Dr. Kakalios said. “We’re going to drop a mass off a tower, and we’re going ignore air resistance. That’s a fiction. I want to shoot a projectile on an angle of 37 degrees from a cliff 200 meters high, and I want to find the time it takes to land below. That’s a fiction. Nobody cares how long it takes to land.”

“Interestingly enough, whenever I use superhero examples, students never wonder when they’re going to use it in their real life,” Dr. Kakalios added. “Apparently they all have plans after graduation that involve spandex.”

Acquiring knowledge about the world one question at a time

Ayoub Ansari

“In December 2008 Israel attacked what occupied territory? a) West Bank, b) Golan Heights, c) Gaza Strip.”

This was one of the questions participants of World Quest 2009 were required to answer.

If you know the answer to this question then you should have participated in World Quest. And if you don’t, than you were probably better off doing whatever you were doing—or maybe you could have just watched and learned more about the world we all live in. (For the record the answer is Gaza Strip)

World Quest 2009 kick-started the International Education Week at Lakehead and was held in the Agora. The Quest is an international quiz game, object to see which team was most knowledgeable on current international affairs.

Vice President of Finance, Josh Kolic, hosted the event for the third time.

“We were trying to raise awareness about various international issues while at the same time ensure that all groups had a great time in a fun and educational environment.”

There were five teams that took part in World Quest 2009. One group represented the international group, the others consisted of LUSU board of directors, the Political Science Club, and Residence Life. The last consisted of students who weren’t representing any group.

Reynolds Okoh and Ronald Ugorji were two of the participants who represented the International Group. They said it was an eye-opening experience and they gained more insight about other cultures.

Both had one issue with the quiz: although it was a quiz on international affairs, they estimate 40 per cent of the questions were on Canada and as International students they had a hard time answering Canadian questions. For example: assemble a list of Canadian Prime Ministers in order.

Kolic says he enjoyed hosting the event and says it was learning experience for him also.

The VP of Finance says the students can feel free to contact him if they would like to hold another World Quest at any time.

Tanka Awosika, an International Student Advisor, organized the International Education Week. A six-hour documentary-marathon on Africa that was screened in the study earlier in the week.

Photo by Stacey Goyan

LUSU campaign brings holiday spirit to needy children

Stacey Goyan

News Editor

This Christmas season, the LUSU events committee is making sure needy children have something to open on Christmas morning.

Throughout the holiday season, volunteers will be collecting donations and gifts to give to less privileged children as part of their Christmas Miracle campaign.

The campaign works by having members of the Lakehead community donate money or sponsor underprivileged children.

The children involved are asked which gifts they would like, and volunteers work to ensure each child receives a gift this Christmas.

The committee has compiled a list of roughly 250 elementary school students that may have to do without this Christmas.

The identities of the children are kept confidential for both respect and security.

Events Commissioner Katie Spurvey says volunteers are challenging different departments and offices to participate in the campaign, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive.

“Everyone was really excited,” said Spurvey, whose main function is to coordinate the committee.

The committee has also planned fundraising events to help bolster the campaign, including a bake sale that will take place in the Agora on November 25^th and 26^th.

The group will be on hand to help people sponsor children or to accept monetary donations for the cause.

Spurvey said people have also gotten involved with the campaign through volunteering with the committee. The committee meets every Tuesday and Thursday to plan new events and execute existing ones.

Presently, the events committee consists of approximately six dedicated volunteers who collaborate and lead different projects.

The events committee operates under LUSU and is overseen by the Vice President of Student Issues, Trevor Cava.

Those who would like to be involved with the project can get information at the LUSU office or visit their booths throughout the week.

Photo by Cole Breiland

Professor Kinsman speaks about his book “The Canadian War on Queers”

Stacey Goyan

News Editor

Last Friday, Dr. Gary Kinsman, a Laurentian Sociology professor, spoke at Lakehead about his book “The Canadian War on Queers: National Security as Sex Regulation.”

He discussed Canada’s history of conducting surveillance and interrogation on LGBT organizations and individuals, and viewing them as national risks.

While on the surface, national security appears to have little to do with sexual practices, Kinsman noted that throughout Canadian history, this has been used to regulate LGBT individuals and organizations.

The book compiles various oral histories of LGBT individuals involved in the civil service or military who were interrogated as national security risks.

Dr. Kinsman explained that his use of the word “queer” was not meant in a derogatory fashion, but rather as a method of reclaiming the word. He said that reclaiming a once hurtful term can “turn it back on our oppressors.”

Dr. Kinsman also noted that his use of the word “queer” includes bisexual, trans, and two-spirited identities.

Kinsman called the “Cold War on Queers” to be a surveillance and interrogation campaign run through national security aimed at identifying LGBT individuals in the public service and military.

His book discussed how that National Security particularly watched leftist organizations.

According to Kinsman, people claiming LGBT identities were believed to be a hazard to Canadian nationalism and security.

“Our movements themselves were considered a risk to national security,” said Kinsman regarding LGBT rights organizations.

One problem presented by Kinsman is the notion that the legalization of same-sex marriage in Canada is the “end-game” of the LGBT rights movement.

He described this as a desire for the LGBT movement to forget its radical roots of resistance and in favour of the belief that all rights have been won. Kinsman felt that being “let into” the national fabric was not enough.

In his lecture, Kinsman argued the successes of the LGBT movement ought to empower other forms of resistance, such as to class struggle and Orientalist constructions of the Middle East as the “backward other.”

Kinsman concluded his presentation by taking questions from the audience and signing copies of his book.