Vol. 19 Iss. 39

Volume 19 Issue 39 - 10/14/2011

Editorial – Hold Fast

They say that no news is good news, and when it comes to what we read online or see on TV, That’s often the case. In fact, sometimes our news consumption can be such a downer that we almost want to avoid it. doesn’t anything nice happen anymore? Actually, it does. they’re hidden, but they’re… Read more »

AUSU Update – Autumn 2011

Update on AUSU awards program AUSU has long had a student awards program to recognize outstanding students and assist those in need. Over the course of the last couple years, though, we’ve sought to revamp and revise our awards portfolio to improve existing awards and add new ones! We now have a wide array of… Read more »

From Where I Sit – Does It Count?

A governance board that I sit on held a recent retreat at the Fantasyland Hotel at the West Edmonton Mall. Because I’m quite new to this group and our regular meetings are months apart, I didn’t know my colleagues very well. Luckily, breaking bread with people is a time-honoured tradition for increasing comfort levels and… Read more »

Write Stuff – Glistering Prose

LOL. ROFL. YMMV. If these initialisms have you scurrying for the comfort of your Strunk and White, You’re not alone. It’s popular these days to bemoan the falling standards of written language. Literacy, punctuation, and grammar have slipped into the morass of text speak and misspelled blogs. Or have they? When it comes to the… Read more »

The Mindful Bard – The Illusionist

Film: The Illusionist (Sony Pictures Classics 2010) Director: Sylvain Chomet Original Script: Jacques Tati (adapted by Sylvain Chomet) Genre: Animated ?Writers and people who had command of words were respected and feared as people who manipulated magic. In latter times I think that artists and writers have allowed themselves to be sold down the river…. Read more »

In Conversation With . . . J. D. Miner, Part I

J.D. Miner is a distinctive alternative folk ensemble from B.C. It now consists of singer and songwriter Darryl Klassen, who also can play just about anything, Joe Worst on bass, and Chad Joiner on fiddle, mandolin, clarinet, and guitar. Honorary lifetime member Joel Klingler, who writes songs and plays mandolin and guitar, also joins them… Read more »

Did You Know? – Open Access Week

As more and more students reject traditional learning models, a more open-minded approach to educational delivery is becoming popular. In recognition of the need for universal access to educational materials, Open Access Week was born. The event, which provides presentations, activities, and resources, is dedicated to ?promoting Open Access as a new norm in scholarship… Read more »

Click of the Wrist – Eternal Life

Last week marked the 60th anniversary of the death of Henrietta Lacks, an indigent African-American woman whose cells changed modern medicine. The fascinating story of Henrietta, and her cells, abounds with ethical and moral controversy. Exploring these links will intrigue you?and get you debating! The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Henrietta’s cells are the cornerstone… Read more »