Rest In Peace Midge

At Brandon University for the past few years we had a special guest as part of our student services. A small, and wonderful dog named Midge always accompanied her human Doug Pople. Unsurprisingly, she became part of the BU family and always managed to put a smile on everyone’s faces as they passed her in the halls. 

Sadly, only a few weeks ago Midge passed over the rainbow bridge but she will be remembered by staff and students with great fondness. 

Soon after the outpouring of support and sympathy, Dog responded.

“Thank you to everyone who not only sent a note, card or stopped by….but also a big thank you to everyone that made her time at BU so special…”

He also mentions a place very dear to Midge. The Discovery Centre here in Brandon. 

“The Discovery Centre was a special place that she loved to visit. Even just before she passed we would go and she still liked to walk a little and be carried a lot. In memory of Midge I am sponsoring 3 metres of the walking path… The Discovery Centre is a gem in our community and will always have a special place in my heart as Midge so loved to run free there.”

The cost to sponsor a metre is $100 and they will accept any amount of donation and combine those to purchase metres. All donations of $10 or over will receive a tax receipt. Your contribution will go directly towards enhancement of this wonderful community resource.

Donations can be dropped off at Doug’s office or they can be made directly to the Riverbank Discovery Centre. Donations can also be made by credit card by contacting the Riverbank Discovery Centre at: 204-729-2141 or at the toll free number: 1-888-799-1111. 

On a personal not, I loved seeing Midge and feeding her treats. It was always a way to bring some joy to my day and I will miss her greatly.

New Club At HLC

At the Healthy Living Centre, a new fitness club has been out together. In a collaboration between the Brandon University Aboriginal Students Collective and Brandon Community Powwow club, the HLC now has a new activity very Thursday evening starting October 24th from 6:30 until 8:30 pm on the mezzanine level. 

All students are welcome and encouraged to join. It’s sure to be a great deal of fun. Not only for those into fitness but also those who wish to take part in a significant part of Aboriginal culture. 

Indigenous Homecoming Events

The recently formed BU Indigenous Alumni Reunion Committee has partnered with the BU Alumni Association and the BU Indigenous Peoples’ Centre to celebrate Homecoming. It was to raise cultural awareness and understanding. 

As part of the events at Homecoming, Brandon University Indigenous Alumni were honoured. The He Oyate Tawapi (Ceremony Room) in the Health Studies building held a pipe ceremony on Saturday October 18th. 

The pipe ceremony was followed by a Sharing Circle and Luncheon in the library. The Sharing Circle celebrated academic and personal accomplishments of the alumni. 

Nothin’ Beats Stuffin’

As families get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving, one thing comes to mind. What is going to be on the dinner table when the festivities finally arrive. Indeed, Thanksgiving is usually a time for grand and exquisite meals. Almost always on the menu is good old stuffing. That filling yet simple staple food item is something we all look forward to each October. Below are two of my favourite Thanksgiving stuffing recipes. Thanksgiving Bacon Stuffing ​

​Ingredients ​

• 1 package of bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces ​

• 1/2 cup of butter ​

• 1 cup of finely chopped onion ​

• 1 cup of chopped celery ​

• 2 tablespoons of poultry seasoning ​

• 2 loaves of white bread, torn into tiny pieces ​

• 2 eggs, beaten ​

Directions ​

​Looking to whip up enough stuffing to feed the entire family? This recipe will do just that. Even better, it adds bacon into the mix. You can never, ever go wrong with fresh bacon. To begin making your homemade stuffing preheat the oven to 400 F. Then proceed to fry the bacon on medium heat in a large skillet. After cooking the bacon for 10 minutes drain the bacon slices on paper towel. In a separate skillet melt the 1/2 cup of butter and sauté the onion and celery for 5 minutes. Then stir the bacon and poultry seasoning into the mixture. In a large bowl combine the mixture with the torn-up bread pieces. Once well blended fold in the eggs. Move the mixture into muffin trays and bake for approximately 30 minutes. Combine each stuffing cup into a large bowl. Serve and enjoy ​

Old Fashioned Stuffing ​

Ingredients ​

• Approximately 30 slices of white bread​

• 2 tablespoons of butter​

• 1 large onion, chopped ​

• 2 celery stalks, chopped​

• 2 eggs, beaten ​

• 2 cups of chicken broth ​

• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder ​

• A pinch of salt and pepper ​

Directions ​

There's nothing like classic, old fashioned stuffing on your Thanksgiving table. This recipe will even impress your grandmother. She may even let you bring it to the table this Thanksgiving. In order to blow your family away, begin by preheating the oven to 325 F. Lightly grease a 9x13baking dish with either butter or shortening. Then proceed to tear the slices of bread into little chunks. Place the bread chunks in a large bowl. In a medium saucepan melt the butter over low to medium heat. Proceed to add in the onion and celery and cook for approximately 5 minutes. Once softened remove from heat and drain. Mix the beaten eggs and chicken broth into the large bowl with the bread chunks. Then proceed to add the onion and celery into the bread mixture. Add in the garlic powder and salt and pepper. Press the mushy mixture into the baking dish and bake for approximately 45 minutes. Cool and serve.​

Stuffing literally makes the Thanksgiving dinner. You can never have enough stuffing and you always go back for seconds. This Thanksgiving season whip up some classic stuffing for the family and enjoy the long weekend! ​

Donnovan Hillman ​

Delicious Desserts For Thanksgiving

Turkey season is quickly approaching as students across campus get ready to celebrate a well-deserved long weekend with family and friends. Thanksgiving's a time to sit down and remember everything we take for granted. Whether that's all the support we get from friends, co-workers and family or the fact that we have the opportunity to pursue post secondary studies. Thanksgiving is also a time of classic, tasty deserts. In particular most people turn to baking pies. Whether its whipping up that pumpkin pie you've been waiting all year for or another crazy combination of ingredients, pies are a staple when it comes to Thanksgiving dinners. Below are two of my favourite Thanksgiving pie recipes. ​

Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake​

Ingredients ​

• 2 packages of cream cheese​

• 1/2 cup of white sugar ​

• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract ​

• 2 eggs​

• 1, 9-inch, prepared graham cracker crust ​

• 1/2 can of pumpkin puree​

• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon ​

• 1 pinch of nutmeg​

• 1/2 cup of frozen cool whip ​

Directions ​

How do you make a pumpkin pie even better? You add cream cheese of course! This delicious delicacy is a perfect addition to any thanksgiving menu. To begin preheat the oven to 325 F. In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat the mixture until it is smooth. Blend in each of the eggs one at a time. Proceed to remove 1 cup of the batter and spread it on the bottom of the graham cracker crust. Once the batter is spread add the pumpkin puree and nutmeg to the remaining mixture. Proceed to spread the rest of the batter into the graham cracker crust. Bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Once the pie is cool refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Once chilled, serve with cool whip and enjoy! ​

Classic Pumpkin Pie ​

ingredients ​

• 1 can of pumpkin puree​

• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk ​

• 2 eggs​

• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon ​

• 1/2 teaspoon of ginger ​

• 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg​

• 1/2 teaspoon of salt ​

• 1, 9-inch, graham cracker crust ​

There's noting like sitting down at the Thanksgiving table and seeing that delicious, plump pumpkin pie just sitting there. Despite it being made only around Thanksgiving and Christmas, pumpkin pie is fairly easy to make. To begin preheat the oven to 350 F. Whisk together the pumpkin, condensed milk, eggs, spices and salt in a large bowl. After a few minutes of mixing the ingredients pour the mixture into the graham cracker crust. Bake the pie for approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Once cool, refrigerate the pie for at least 3 hours. ​

Once it is chilled, cut and serve! ​

​These two pie recipes are sure to spice up your thanksgiving dinner this year. Whether its the Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake or the Classic Pumpkin Pie, your sure to get your pumpkin craving filled this year. Bake a pie, sit back and enjoy your long weekend! ​

“Frankenturkey”: Our Hybrid Thanksgivings of the Nostalgic and the Novel

Thanksgiving is a holiday immersed in traditions. Upon hearing the word, autumn-hued memories of feasts and family begin to fill one’s mind: the familiar aromas of favourite Thanksgiving meals; the cozy embrace of jazz on the radio warding off the aging year with its threats of winter; the company, the friends, and the relatives we congregate with to give thanks in each of our own special ways for another year’s harvest of achievements and realized aspirations. These are the conventions, generally speaking, that come to mind when the leaves reveal their shades of red and orange. For those faithful to a particular fall-supper line-up or holiday ritual, Thanksgiving traditions help warm the brisk evenings with a blanket of nostalgia. However, excursions into the untraditional, whatever that may be from person to person, can prove to shake up the grey-skied monotony of the season. In my family’s experience, a combination old with new customs has made each Thanksgiving unique in their own way while still maintaining the comfortable armchair of tradition.

Enter “Frakenturkey”: my family’s Promethean process of cobbling together a hybrid-Thanksgiving with a body of the familiar and appendages of the alternative. Despite its roots in mad-scientist grandeur, Frankenturkey is really a modest tampering of Thanksgiving tradition with no other purpose than to break up years of turkey consumption. Chinese take-out, Indian cuisine, and sushi with a filling of mashed sweet potato (our conventional still finds a way) have all adorned the table with nary a bird in sight or smell. Altering the DNA of our Thanksgiving meals each year has elevated the status of the harvest holiday from shoulder-shrugging routine to genuinely exciting. Frakenturkey has become a motivation to try new restaurants and expand the cultural range of our palettes in a way that our typical turkey Thanksgiving meals do not provide. The outcome has revealed to us that one can be as thankful over a dish of pad thai noodles as one can be over a gravy-submerged drumstick.

But one cannot deny the warmth of traditions! Regardless of the food we down, our family takes in a viewing of “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” each year without fail. The autumnal soundtrack and memorized storyline sparks a childhood reminiscence that no humdrum meal could match. Even Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang give Frankenturkey a try with their gourmet spread of pretzels, popcorn, buttered toast, jelly beans, and sundaes served on a ping-pong table with mismatching chairs. The new can contribute to a more exciting Thanksgiving, and the familiar helps keep the holiday at home. 

Frankenturkey is merely intended to heighten your Thanksgiving experience. The ideal recipe for Thanksgiving  lies in how you wish to celebrate, whether that be a supper of either familiar or untried food, of either a beloved T.V. special or an untouched Netflix show, or your preferred checklist of traditions. But, for the times when a departure from your norm seems appropriate, the Frakenturkey awaits with its blend of the nostalgic and the novel.

Spider-Man Swings back into the MCU with New Disney Sony Agreement

If you’re a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and lots of geek related stuff, you’ll know that the past month was a heart wrenching one as we heard that just as Spider-Man: Far From Home was leaving theaters, Spider-Man was also leaving the MCU as Sony and Disney failed to come to a deal about how to split the profits that the web slinger was raking in for them. Far From Home is the highest grossing Spider-Man film of all time, and also Sony’s highest grossing film, surpassing the 2012 James Bond film Skyfall. I’m sure you’ve probably heard the expression of “Trues art mimics reality” but within the past month, the reverse seemed to occur. I’m referring to the news of Spider-Man leaving the MCU of course.

Now how is the news of this mimicking the MCU timeline? Well, allow me to explain. If you’ve watched Avengers: Infinity War, then you’ll know that almost all the heroes in the MCU with the exception of the original 6 Avengers and a few other characters were turned to dust by the Mad Titan and beefed up California raisin, Thanos. Dozens of fan favourite heroes were vaporized by the purple brute, but none tugged at our heart strings more than Spider-Man, whose actor Tom Holland improvised his death scene, with his Spider Sense alerting him of the unavoidable tragedy that was going to take place. During the most emotional scene of the movie, Peter Parker clutches onto Tony Stark, uttering the unforgettable “Mr. Stark I don’t feel so good” begging for his mentor to help him, but there’s nothing they can do as Peter turns to dust.

A year later, we saw Spidey return in Avengers: Endgame, where we saw him swing back in with style, and it provided us with more emotional scenes, including a role reversal where Parker weeps while his mentor dies after sacrificing himself to save the universe from Thanos. Far From Home was the follow up film to end phase 3 in the MCU and focused heavily on the elements of Stark’s death in Endgame, but just as quickly as he had been brought back, around August 18th of this year, fans learned that the web-head would be dusted from the MCU yet again, but this time because of Sony and a lack of negotiation skills instead of Thanos and the Infinity Stones. Many speculated that Sony would try to integrate him into their Venom movies that star Tom Hardy, but many fans weren’t too savvy about Spidey meeting up with Venom, as we got that in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3, which is considered the worst of the Raimi trilogy, partially for over using too many villains instead of focusing on building the story of their main character. Weeks went by and fans had been desperately clinging on to whatever rumors sounded the most accurate, and that was until the chairman at Sony publicly came forward and stated that Spidey was done in the MCU.

Tom Holland and his fellow Spider-Man cast members were very silent on the matter, mainly because they were contractually obligated to continue with the films, regardless of who owned the film rights to the character. Stars in the MCU had a lot to say though. Jon Favreau who directed the Iron Man films and played Happy Hogan in the MCU said he was “cautiously optimistic” in an interview following the Disney+ streaming service preview of their exclusive Star Wars panel at the D23 expo, and the optimism certainly paid off. Robert Downey Jr took to twitter with some words to say, as did Ryan Reynolds and Jeremy Renner.

The news of Spidey’s return came out last week on September 27th, and fans have Spider-Man himself Tom Holland to thank, as he was able to convince Sony chairman and Disney’s Bob Iger and Kevin Feige to start talking again, and a deal was reached on Thursday evening of that week, with the news hitting the web on Friday. Finally, the stars of Spider-Man started to share some joy online with us, with MJ actress Zendaya posting a dancing Spider-Man GIF on her Twitter, but probably the best reaction was a bit of a NSFW from Tom Holland on Instagram, who posted a clip from the Wolf of Wall Street, with Leonardo DiCaprio’s character stating what was on Holland’s mind stating “I’M NOT F*CKING LEAVING!” Perhaps the second best reaction came from actor and former WWE wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who commented on Holland’s Instagram post with a “F*ck yes.” Now that just leaves a few questions. For starters, the contract basically states that Disney has got another solo film with Spidey and one team up film, likely Avengers 5, but the solo film is set to hit cinemas in July of 2021, and that gives Marvel plenty of time to try and convince Sony to give him an extension in the MCU, and there are rumors stating that we could also see him in the Venom sequel as well, with Sony being granted permission to have Tom Holland’s Spider-Man in the film and subsequent movies, even if they are independent from the MCU.

One big question remains though. Who might the next villain be for Spidey? I’d guess Kraven the Hunter, and here’s why: At the end of Far From Home, Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio name drops Parker and frames him as a murderer responsible for causing mass destruction and panic in London and killing Mysterio, something that JK Simmons’ J Jonah Jameson drives home in the post credits scene. With many people afraid of Spidey now, and his identity exposed, Kraven might try and track down Parker for a bounty, forcing Parker to hide in Wakanda, and teaming up with Black Panther along the way, something the comics have explored, and the MCU is quite faithful to the comic’s storylines. Jason Momoa from Game of Thrones would be an excellent choice to play Kraven, but that’s just my opinion. As for a name, Spider-Man Home Wrecked, Home Bound, Home Away from Home, or Hunted Out of Home or Running from Home. The point is, our friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man is back in his true neighbourhood, at least for a few years.

Library Services

At Brandon University’s library John E. Robbins, an array of services can be accessed by students, staff and faculty. The services offered for students and faculty are ILL (interlibrary loans), Course Reserves, off campus library services, library tours, and bibliographic instruction sessions. For non-students they can obtain a library card and borrow books as easy as a student can. 

As mentioned, the ILL are only for students, staff and faculty and this service entails access to items that are not held at J.E.R but are available for borrowing from other libraries. Course Reserves entails having faculty members place on reserve important course material for their class. Students enrolled in their class are able to pick up the material for an allotted period of time and place back on reserve after they are done using it. Finding out which material is on reserve is easy. Simply go to the circulation desk and look at the reserve lists. You can also check the reserved material by searching Brandon University Course Reserve Catalogue at the BU website. 

Off-Campus Library Services assists with any research needs by providing access to a wide range of services and resources.

These include: 

Over 100 databases

Over 40,000 articles on electronic journals,

Online Online dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases, thesauri, biographical dictionaries, quotations dictionaries, directories, government documents , handbooks/almanacs. 

J.E.R library also provides tours of the library and bibliographic instruction sessions. These can be arranged at any time throughout the year. The sessions entail guidance on effective search strategies for the online catalog, any number of databases, or the World Wide Web. How to evaluate sources for academic merit is also discussed during these sessions. 

To borrow from the J.E.R library anyone who possesses a valid library card. These can be obtained even if you are not a BU student. The following details the library’s borrowing policies. Further information can be found on the BU J.E.R library website. 

Loan Periods

• Reference Books and Current Periodicals/Journals are for in-Library use only.

• Back issues of Periodicals are 1-week loans.

• Books are 4-week loans

• Most of the other items are 2-week loans.

• Reserve and Curriculum items have varying loan periods be sure to check.

Loan Restrictions

• Reserve = 2 items at a time.

• Periodicals = 5 items at a time; 2 of any one title.

• Stack Item = 5 items in each subject area

Loan Renewals

• As long as the item is not on hold (requested by another person) you may renew it twice.

• You may renew by telephone during library hours (Main Circulation: 204-727-9646, 1-877-253-6765 or Music Circulation: 204-727-9630).

• There are no renewals for Reserve Materials.

Holds

• If an item you have signed out is put on hold by another person, it must be returned by the due date.

• If you have a password for the library catalog, you can place your own holds and check your account. Ask at Circulation for information, or call Circulation (204-727-9646, 1-877-253-6765) if you are wishing to place a hold from your home computer.

Gender And Women’s Studies Fall Social

The Gender and Women’s Studies (G+WS)  program hosted its fall social on Thursday, October 3rd. The event was from 4:30-6:00. Upon entering, I was given a small purple handout that listed winter term G+WS courses.There were also some faculty members there, that attendees were introduced to and got to visit with. We were supplied pizza, tons of chips (there was even extra leftover), and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Attendees in a gender class even get an extra credit mark on their final grade if they attend. I ate some pizza and chips and then was given a copy of the Herizons feminist magazine and flipped through it. I strongly believe that if an event has free food and extra credit, it is definitely worth attending. I got a chance to visit with a few other women attending, and also got a chance to casually visit and get to know my Making Sense of Gender professor, Dr. Mihelakis. It was a great chance to ask professors questions that you don’t necessarily get a chance to ask during class or office hours. There was also a raffle, of which I entered but did not win. The prizes included: a BU notebook, three Forbidden Flavours gift cards, a BU mug, a book, and a BU drawstring bag. I helped Dr. Mihelakis bring a stack of Herizons magazines to her office near the end of the event. I was so invested in a conversation that my professor had to kick me out of the room! I very much enjoyed this event, I like that it got me out of my dorm and got me out of my introverted shell. I would strongly recommend that students go to socials in their field if there are some put on. 

Yoga

Students and Staff take part in BU Rec’s annual yoga in the courtyard lead by Lana Lourenco. Sept. 24, 2019.

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Photo Credit: Jolene Osztian

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Photo Credit: Jolene Osztian

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Photo Credit: Jolene Osztian

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Photo Credit: Jolene Osztian

BU Peer Wellness

BU’s peer wellness educators play drunk google wack-a-mole and hand out free mocktails while teaching about safer substance use. Sept. 24, 2019

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Pc: Jolene Osztian

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pc: Jolene Osztian

Speed Learning Techniques

Ever since I first learned of Physicist Richard Feynman’s technique to learning things sometime in high school, I found a decrease in the amount of time it would take me to understand and remember something. Near the end of high school when I was reading the works of many philosophers, I picked up to technique which I call the technique of imitative conversation. The last technique is thought experiments.

The Feynman technique’s main idea is that if you cannot explain something simply then you do not really understand it well. The first step to this technique is to get a notebook and write down everything you know about that topic, and every time you learn something new about that topic add it to the notebook. The next step is to rewrite it as if you were teaching it to someone else. Preferably to someone who has no knowledge about it. In the third step return to the areas of that topic you had trouble explaining and gain more knowledge about those particular areas. The last step is to rewrite and simplify all of your notes in such a way that anyone who read it could understand it. If you cannot do that then return to step one.

The next technique is may be harder to understand at first, but it tends to be highly efficient for language-based stuff. Basically, let’s say you wanted to understand Friedrich Nietzsche’s ideas of good and evil. The first step would be read as much of his own works or listen to as much of his lectures as you can. After a while, because humans tend to be good at imitating people even when we do not realize we are imitating, you will be able to have a virtual conversation with the person. Dreams tend to be good examples of this, in dreams, people tend to simulate people well enough that they do not really pick up on the fact that they are not real or that something is off. The main idea is to do this while you are awake. In simple terms if you asked Aristotle what he thinks about stars or something, what do you think he would say? What this technique does is indirectly force you to change your perspective on what you are thinking about. For example, sometimes in chess, when I am solving tactics, I have to ask myself what would Mikhail Tal do? He would probably sac this bishop on this pawn etc. Just by doing that it helps me see solutions to tactics that are way beyond my level, simply because I am changing my perspective. So, if you are trying to solve some maths problem ask, “what would [insert some famous mathematician here] would do?”

The last technique is thought experiments. Sometimes it is way easier to solve a problem by philosophical thoughts then a vigorous proof. For example, in mathematics one plus one if two, you could prove this with mathematics of course however it might be more difficult than it looks. Philosophically it is easy. Say we had a basket with a lid, I grab a potato and throw it in the basket, then I grab another potato and throw it in the basket. Then I lift the lid looking how many potatoes are in the basket and find two. Therefore, one plus one is two.  Another example say a person is not wearing their seatbelt because they do not think moving twenty kilometres per hour is dangerous. Well let’s say we had a solid brick wall, and then you run into the wall at twenty kilometres per hour, clearly it is going to hurt. Running into the brick wall is the equivalent of two cars moving twenty kilometres per hour then crashing directly into each other. Conclusion, where your seatbelt.

Theatre Opportunity for Students

Play selection will be based on both the quality and quantity of the people that audition.  Auditions will be Tuesday, October 8th and Wednesday October 9th in the Evans Theatre.

Auditioning at the theatre also provides an opportunity for students to qualify for Theatre Performance 1 and 2. If you wish to obtain university credit your participation allows you to register in Theatre Performance One (20:353) in the January term. Only those people who have successfully auditioned as actors or interviewed for a backstage position may register in this course.

Registration is not mandatory and many people have participated in past years as an extra-curricular activity in addition to their regular course load. You may choose to participate in the production either as an actor or as a backstage technician or designer.

Rehearsals will take place two to three evenings a week between Monday and Thursday beginning in November. Rehearsals will be scheduled to accommodate scheduling conflicts but availability is often an issue that affects casting. Depending on the number of roles actors could expect to rehearse between 50%-80% of that time. Opening night is scheduled for February 27, 2020. Thee rehearsals will also continue during the study break. 

If you wish to audition please sign up for an audition time on the noticeboard outside Room 008 McKenzie. You do not need to prepare a monologue. 

If  the drama production instructor is not familiar with your work they may ask you to read from a play or do a short improvisation. For an interview for backstage work please contact Jim Forsythe personally before the end of October. 

He can be contacted at 727-9662 or forsythe@brandonu.ca. 

The Dyatlov Pass Incident Solved? Part 2 (The Solution)

*DISCLAIMER* If you are easily disturbed do not read this article. 

It is tempting to say the reason why the hikers left their tents due to an avalanche, but this theory is quickly refuted because if this was true, the tents would be completely covered in snow and the footprints would have been wiped away. None of these things were true, thus ruling out the possibility of an avalanche as the cause. 

60 years later in January of 2019 adventurers, Richard Holmgren and Andreas Liljegren, Ekaterina Zimina and Artem Domogirov set out to put and end to this mystery once and for all. These Adventures would hike out to the exact same area of the exact same time of the year as the original hikers of the incident. On this expedition they also equipped themselves with the similar gear and supplies as the original hikers to emulate similar conditions. As a result, this would lead to the following theory. 

On February 1st in the afternoon the hikers would have settled in for the night after pinning their tents to the ground. What would have caused the hikers to leave the tents is a katabatic wind or downward slope wind. In most scenarios these winds are mild and not dangerous, but on the right conditions they can become hurricane level winds. Katabatic winds are also mostly local making them often missed by the forecasts. These winds will also cause rapid decrease in temperatures. So, it is likely that a katabatic wind would have collapsed the shelters, and instead of fiddling with the buttons of the tents the hikers would have likely cut their way out of the tent in panic of a potential avalanche.

The hikers would then make for the trees to get shelter from the wind onslaughts. The winds would have been able to lift sticks and stones of the ground hurling them at the hikers causing the minor bruises and injuries. The three hikers that had died in the open were likely frozen to death by the winds upon them. Two of the remaining six hikers would take up the responsibility of creating a fire while the other four would push on to the ravine to create bivouacs as shelter from the threatening weather conditions. 

Because of their light clothing, the two hikers would have minimal chances of starting a fire. However, because of the burn marks it is likely they were successful in starting a fire it was unlikely that the fire would be warm enough to warm the hikers in the extreme cold. The other injuries of the hiker by the fire were likely cause by self harm in order to stay awake and alive. This would remain unsuccessful. The burn injuries would have been a result of the two hikers burning themselves to stay conscious.

The remaining four hikers would have made it to the ravine constructing the bivouacs, but because of early hypothermia it is unlikely they had created a proper bivouac. Thus, leading to the fatal blow. The snow above would have collapsed on the hikers with no time to react, instantly killing the remaining hikers with deadly weight, which would explain the crushing injuries. One of the four was found as little ways away with only half of her body with catastrophic injuries. It is likely the hiker was just entering the bivouac and while entering the snow would have crushed them. Their body would be carried away by the melting and thawing of snow. 

What do you think? Is Holmgren correct?

The Brandon University Politics Society: Building Bridges Amongst Students

As if to match the fall-time buzz of returning students and academic activity, the political hubbub of our country and our world seems to reach a new crescendo every day. Provincial and federal Canadian elections, the conflagrations of Brazil and Brexit alike, and the teetering of democracy across the world fill our attention and our discussions at home, amongst friends, and in the lecture halls. Understanding and exploring our political surroundings while making connections with our peers is crucial to being participants in an increasingly globalized environment. To help facilitate the awareness and mingling of politically interested students on our campus, the Brandon University Politics Society is planning an array of events this semester and invites everyone, from political science majors to casual hobbyists in the discipline, to attend.

Each semester, the Politics Society hosts a meet-and-greet for students to gather, enjoy some snacks and refreshments, and converse with the faculty’s engaging professors. This year’s first meet-and-greet is scheduled for October 1st in the Louis Riel Room, located nearby Ancillary Services. All students of every department are welcome to stop by. The Politics Society especially encourages those who are looking for more information on the department to attend, as this is a great way to learn about the courses that the professors offer.

With the Canadian federal election season in full-swing, the Politics Society has ideas for two election extravaganzas. These events will be held in October, during which the Society will stream the party leader debate and the ballot results as they come in on election night. These are exceptional opportunities to witness the fireworks of Canadian politics play out in real-time. A sizable helping of popcorn and the company of colleagues make these events all the more fun to attend. The Society is planning for these viewing nights to concur with the debate and election night as they happen; as these dates approach, expect to see posters around campus advertising for the 7th and 21st of October.

The Society is looking to expand its ranks of politically interested and curious students. The Society accepts and welcomes everyone from every manner of study to join the club and receive emails about upcoming events. Becoming a member is contingent on only one requirement: the Society does not allow discriminatory and hateful ideologies or opinions to be expressed within its membership. The mission of the Society is to offer Brandon University students a safe and friendly space for the expression and exploration of all non-hateful political philosophies. Everyone, from those who are not immersed in politics to those who engage with the discipline everyday, can participate in the Society’s events and feel comfortable in developing and sharing their understanding of a constantly changing world.

The Society and the professors of the political science department look forward to seeing you at any or all events this semester! During what can seem like a time of intense partisanship and political divisions, the Society intends to build bridges and help fellow Brandon University students make enduring connections with one another regardless of political identity.

Career Planning Workshop Schedule 2019-2020

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Career Planning & Placement

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eBooks V. Physical Books (Makishima’s Argument)

“Find the paperback. eBooks lack character. Physical books are more than the words they contain, they are also tools to stimulate the senses and adjust your thinking. When I don’t feel well, I stare at a page forever before realizing I haven’t absorbed a word. When that happens, I try to understand why. What’s gotten in my way? On the other hand, there are books I can take in effortlessly no matter how awful I’m feeling. Why do those books draw me in? I think it may be sort of a mental tuning. It’s the feeling of the paper against my fingers. That familiar smell of pulp and glue. The momentary stimulations to my brain when I turn each page. These sensations help regulate and focus my brain making it work better.” – Makishima

*Disclaimer* this article excludes the cost of each because if you were choosing a book based on cost then eBooks would always be cheaper than paperback. 

eBooks lacking character may not be obvious what he means by ‘character’. In this case he is most likely referring to the fact that eBooks lack the characteristics to discern themselves from other eBooks. Physical books on the other hand can be identified from the coarseness of the paper, the colour of the paper, weight of the book, and the scent of the paper. For example, my copy of my favourite book Fahrenheit 451 is a hardcover but, it is the only book in my collection that has almost silk smooth paper, making it easy to find even when I cannot see. This also ties into his next statement of physical books are more than the words they contain. 

Physical books are tools to stimulate the senses. An eBook only stimulates the visual sense, a physical book has scent, touch etc., so each physical books continuously stimulate more senses, this also will make it more likely to remember a memory. The more sensations involved make it easier to remember. Physical books can adjust our thinking in a way most people don’t consciously notice. Most physical books cannot remain open on a specific page on their own. This requires us to hold the book open to read it which forces us to use slightly more muscles. Similar to how your muscles will relax when going into R.E.M. sleep. The book could keep you awake.

 The act of physically turning pages can become a habitual relaxation or tuning of the mind. Something an eBook lacks. The scent, the feeling of paper with momentary stimulations eventually become associations for people’s minds to relax. The act of reading in a way forces meditation upon people even if they do not think so. This what he means when he says it helps regulate and focus his mind. For people who have trouble focusing it may be a worthy investment to start reading physical books. The more physical books you read the more your mind becomes used to a semi-relaxed state of mind. Often people read books on tablets, laptops, and among other similar things. All of those things have distractions like social media alerts, email alerts etc. Physical books lack these distractions, so you are less likely to get distracted. 

Overall, Makishima’s argument is most likely saying that physical books make us feel more human. Most computers do not read code on a physical piece of paper. They read it in in data storage and such. Computer’s also do not care about what a paper feels like or what it smells like. Only humans even notice such things. It is likely that super artificial intelligence would not care much for physical books either. Hence, why physical books can make us feel more human. Think about it, we stare at a dead piece of wood with symbols written on it and hallucinate images about it. Have you ever seen a computer do that?

Dyatlov Pass Incident Solved? Part 1: The Mystery

It has been sixty years since the famous incident known now as the Dyatlov Pass Incident. Since then it has remained a strange and disturbing mystery that has captured the worlds attention. It would not be until recently that the answer to this enigma would finally be put to end. *WARNING* if you are easily disturbed it is best to avoid reading this. 

This mystery begins in late January of 1959 when 9 students of the Ural Polytechnical Institute along with an ex-military leader Igor Dyatlov set out to hike in the Siberian Mountains. Each of these hikers were experienced and had an official grading of II. Upon returning each of them would receive a grade of III the highest grading one could achieve at the time. 

One of the ten members, Yuri Yudin would have to turn back due to illness not knowing that his illness would ironically save his life. On February 1st the remaining hikers would have reached Height 1079 and due to the loss of daylight decided to set up camp. 

Later long after their due return on the 23rd of February search parties found the abandoned campsite of the hikers 800 metres up. The tents appeared to be badly damaged with large slit in the side of the canvas and only covered by a light snowfall. The belonging all appeared to be inside the tents along with the heavy winter gear. The next day the search party would discover eight sets of footprints possibly nine leading away from the campsite to the edge of the woods about 1 km down. Most of the tracks were made as if they were only wearing socks and bare footed. At the edge of the tree line small remnants of a fire would be found along with broken branches up to 5 metres up the tree-line. 

On the 27th one of the hiker’s bodies would be found just be the cedar tree near the fire with minor cuts and bruises, along with burns. The cause of death, hypothermia. Another hiker would be found close to the previous one with similar injuries, with death a by hypothermia. Dyatlov’s body would be found 300 metres up the slope leading to the tents. He was found face up covered with snow hands clasped. Similar injuries as the previous bodies. He also died from Hypothermia. One more body would be found on the 27th 600 metres away from the fire leading to the tents. Similar injuries as the previous. Also, death by hypothermia. The next body would by found 480 metres from the fire pit with similar injuries, with a death by hypothermia. Further into the woods behind the cedar tree about 75 metres a six-metre-deep ravine was found with the rest of the remaining hikers but covered deep in snow. Only one of these hikers died from hypothermia. This hiker was found with a broken neck, broken nose etc. The three other hikers found in the ravine were found to have died from crushing blows to the chest and head. These blows were not attributed to blunt force trauma. These injuries would only be seen in car accidents of explosions. Inflicted at great speed and cause high pressure. 

It was found that the tents had been cut from the inside and the footprints indicated panic. The question of this incident was never about how they died, it was always why they left their tents in such a panic with little clothing and gear into the harsh cold environment.

To be continued…

Succeeding In School Workshops

Brandon University offers a series of workshops that improve a student’s work ethic. These workshops cover various topics that will hopefully teach students how to succeed in school. They aim to teach everything from how to create a study plan, different ways notes can be taken, how to take a multiple-choice test, how textbooks should be read, and how to improve your memory. These workshops require students to register. To make register call 204-727-9737 or drop by the Academic Skills Centre reception in McKenzie Building 102.

The following schedules and descriptions come from the BU website.

Making a Study Plan

Create a weekly study schedule and master calendar for the semester and discuss minimizing procrastination. Bring course outlines and a planner/organizer if you use one.

Tuesday, September 17th             12:40-1:30 (free slot) – Rm. 003, basement of McKenzie Building

Thursday, September 19th           1:40-2:30 (slot 14) – Rm. 005, basement of McKenzie Building

Wednesday, September 25th      9:30-10:20 (slot 2)- Rm. 005, basement of McKenzie Building

Taking Lecture Notes

Active listening and being able to judge what are important are skills needed in most careers. Practice taking notes in a lecture with & without PowerPoint slides or handouts.

Tuesday, September 24th             12:40-1:30 (free slot) – Rm. 003, basement of McKenzie Building

Thursday, September 26th           1:40-2:30 (slot 14) – Rm. 005, basement of McKenzie Building

Wednesday, October 2nd             9:30-10:20 (slot 2) – Rm. 005, basement of McKenzie Building

Reading Textbooks

Reading for university courses is different from reading for pleasure! In this workshop learn effective study skills to reduce the need to read the page over (and over) again.

Tuesday, October 1st                     12:40-1:30 (free slot) – Rm. 003, basement of McKenzie Building

Thursday, October 3rd                   1:40-2:30 (slot 14) – Rm. 005, basement of McKenzie Building

Wednesday, October 9th             9:30-10:20 (slot 2) – Rm. 005, basement of McKenzie Building

Writing Multiple-Choice Tests

This session will use practice multiple-choice questions to review specific strategies while studying for and taking tests to help improve performance.

Tuesday, October 8th                    12:40-1:30 (free slot) – Rm. 003, basement of McKenzie Building

Thursday, October 10th                1:40-2:30 (slot 14) – Rm. 005, basement of McKenzie Building

Wednesday, October 16th            9:30-10:20 (slot 2) – Rm. 005, basement of McKenzie Building

Improving Memory

Apply memory techniques to develop a flexible system that fits your courses to help you remember all you are learning this term.

Tuesday, October 15th                  12:40-1:30 (free slot) – Rm. 003, basement of McKenzie Building

Thursday, October 17th                1:40-2:30 (slot 14) – Rm. 005, basement of McKenzie Building

Wednesday, October 23rd            9:30-10:20 (slot 2) – Rm. 005, basement of McKenzie Building