Written by Benjamin Wiebe It’s that time of year again when students return to the University of Lethbridge. The west side has radically transformed—police are roaming the streets late at night, karaoke night at the Duke has Stick Season reverberating into the West Village Mall, and residence is full yet again. School is back in full swing, and with a full university come course outlines demanding higher levels of technology, as well as students fresh with scholarship or student loan money. I started this article with the misplaced idea that PC building is not that complicated of a hobby. Over the past year, I’ve dedicated hours of my life to…
The Impact of Fast Fashion, and the Importance of Sustainability: Introducing the Cost-per-Wear Formula Written by: Hannah Kuipers In 2013, Rana Plaza collapsed, an eight-story commercial building in Dhaka, Bangladesh. In just ninety seconds, over 1000 people died, and more than 2,500 were injured. This building was a centre for clothing manufacturing and was used by many big companies such as Walmart, The Children’s Place, and Primark. The people working in this factory were mostly women, and they were forced to support their families for under $50 per month. Besides that, the conditions these people worked in were inhumane, and the reason behind all these deaths was shocking. The day…
Backyard Astronomy: Introduction to the Stars Written by Shawn Funk The introduction of the James Webb Space Telescope earlier this year has no doubt captivated the imaginations of those who have seen its images, but you don’t need a big fancy space telescope to enjoy the rich starscape beyond our planet. Getting into the hobby is very easy and requires minimal start-up costs. Like any hobby, you can spend thousands on astronomy gear, but it doesn’t and shouldn’t be expensive for a newbie. You can start your journey for free by simply looking up at night. Start easy; learn the constellations that are visible in your sky. I recommend buying…
This article was written by Edward Hsiang As concerns over Alberta’s oil industry and the impact of global warming are in the spotlight, ‘Greengate Power & Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners’ have begun the construction of the Travers Solar Project, slated to be one of the largest solar farms in North America. It will become the largest of almost a dozen solar projects being constructed in southern Alberta with a projected cost of over 100 million dollars. It will be capable of producing 465-megawatts of power (enough to power 150,000 homes) annually for its 35+ year lifespan (Government of Alberta, 2021). Greengate chief executive officer, Dan Balaban, called the finalization of the…
This article was written by Edward Hsiang While evil sentient AI like Skynet in the Terminator or VIKI in I, Robot, might have you believing in a physical manifestation of a robo-apocalypse, the truth in the matter might be more sinister and camouflaged than you’d think. On September 15th, the United Nations’ human rights chief, Michelle Bachelet, made an official statement calling for a moratorium (temporary prohibition) on the use of artificial intelligence technology in ways that could infringe upon human rights. As opposed to “sentient” kill-bots, the dangers of AI in our modern society falls more into the category of profiling and systematic oppression. “We cannot afford to continue…
This article was written by Edward Hsiang The Chinook Symposium has been a long-standing tradition for the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department here at the University of Lethbridge. Every year, poster and oral presentations are held from the high school to Ph.D. levels, with prizes given out at the end of the event. It’s also a perfect opportunity for science majors to get a glimpse of on-campus research and scope out prospective independent study positions. Although this year’s event has been delayed to November 19th, we’ve taken the opportunity to interview the students giving oral presentations to provide you with a sneak peek at what to look forward to! Catrione Lee,…
This article was written by Edward Hsiang It’s no controversy that the Covid-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of our lives. From work, dining, entertainment, and socializing, sacrifices and alternative arrangements have needed to be made. Our sex lives, and in turn our sexual health, however, remains one aspect where safe compromises can be difficult to achieve. Coronavirus transmission occurs via inhalation of respiratory droplets and contact transfer between infected surfaces and your mouth, nose and eyes (Li et al., 2020). While there is no evidence to suggest it may be sexually transmitted, sexual interaction between non-monogamous partners poses obvious risks, especially considering asymptomatic carriers and the very nature of…
This article was written by Gillian Corsiatto Schizophrenia is having to live in two vastly different worlds. One is supposedly real while the other is all in your head, yet they are completely indistinguishable. Schizophrenia is staring up at an empty ceiling in total astonishment. What your mind creates on the blank canvas keeps you utterly captivated. Schizophrenia is the sheer terror you feel as you scrunch yourself into a ball, hidden in between the wall and the dresser. They keep telling you “It’s not real!” but nothing takes away the belief that you are in danger. Schizophrenia is staying awake all night, sensory information raining down on you, and…
This article was written by Rebecca Martin There are a variety of resources on campus to fit your needs as a student. If you are a first-year or a returning student in need of help navigating student resources, here is a brief and easy guide for you to follow. Some of these services may vary depending on what campus you’re on, whether you’re an undergrad, a graduate student, an Indigenous student, or an international student, but a good place to start is the student services page on the Uleth website. Academic Advising Academic Advising will help you figure out your Program Planning Guide; this is important in helping you find…
This article was written by Edward Hsiang “Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together” is the official motto of the Olympic games, and if you took a side-by-side comparison of athletic performance over the years, you would see that it holds true. The men’s Olympic gold for the 100m dash was 12.00 seconds in 1896, compared to Usain Bolt’s 9.69 seconds in 2008. A simple flip off the vault in the 1970’s pales in comparison to the mouthful of words needed to describe Olympic level routines in 2021. The Amanar vault attempted by Simone Biles in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, for example, consists of “a roundoff into a back handspring off the…
