Aaron Lemkow and Queen’s Students for Accessible Education put forth two questions regarding membership in the Board of Trustees last week at AMS Assembly, but neither will appear on this
year’s referendum …

“While I’m not against vocational majors, especially since these are fascinating fields of study and there are many who are naturally gifted in these areas, my point is that a student interested in art history, for instance, shouldn’t have to feel that they are on their way to a doomed future,” argues Priya Sinha.

This year, the AMS Commission of Internal Affairs decided to shorten the campaign period from 14 to 10 days. It’s not plainly clear why this decision was made but Chief Returning Officer Ilana Ludwin said it was in order to standardize the campaign periods of students campaigning to get referendum questions passed, and students campaigning for AMS executive positions. But could the decision have been made because of disorganization? Shortening the campaign period will only breed more ignorance among the student body because students will have fewer days to get to know the candidates for whom they will be voting.

With Valentine’s Day–the commercially-contrived holiday despised by singletons across the globe—fast approaching, I thought it might be apt to consider why so much is lost in translation in our romantic endeavors.

Personal music players are one of many new technological devices leading us down the depressing road of isolation. Like living in your own movie with a personal soundtrack, MP3 players erect a barrier between the user and the rest of the world. More importantly, they have redefined how we think about community, public space and person-to-person contact.

To combat student indifference, the Journal will dedicate a portion of its election coverage to election issues from students’ perspectives. We will go beyond reporting about campaign platforms and focus instead on issues that you would like to see discussed.

Students can often be heard complaining of the city’s property standards, but the standards aren’t the problem; the standards are there, and so are the means of enforcement—students simply aren’t using
them. Landlords will only stop exploiting students when students demand otherwise. Your choice in a house, landlord and housemates can have a significant effect on your social and academic life, making it even more important to take your time and choose wisely.

Whatever your reason, iPod ownership ensures that everyone knows you are on the cusp of the most revolutionary and relevant technology today; what’s more, you are a lover of music. I personally hope I’ll always prefer the comfort of hearing a friend say hello on the street to the convenience of music you can rock out to while you walk home. Then again, to each their own pod.

The new Earth Centre is a fantastic idea which encourages students to think about the impact their purchases have on the environment and hopefully students will support it. What the Earth Centre needs to do now is make sure they know where to go.

Every year, on Oct. 1, my chic fall clothing gives way to a hooded parka, insulated mittens, thermal knee-high socks and my trusted, full-body coat of armor: Helly Hanson long underwear.

It has now been more than a week since Wajid Khan, a Mississauga MP, left the Liberal Party in favour of a more Conservative political stance. Elected as a Liberal, Khan crossed the floor without the consent of his constituents in the Mississauga-Streetsville riding. What is perhaps even more distressing, though, is that Khan’s report on the Middle East—which was commissioned to the tune of almost $13,000 of taxpayer money while Khan was a Liberal MP, and originally intended to be made available to all parties—is now being restricted to the Prime Minister’s Office alone.

In high school, I became vegetarian for the wrong reasons–to be different, to bug my parents, and to carve out an identity for myself.
Admittedly, these were all selfish reasons for taking on something that requires ample knowledge of nutrition, not to mention strong opinions about the consumption of animals. But, thanks mostly to my mother’s cooking, I managed to remain vegetarian until my second year at Queen’s. More specifically, until homecoming weekend when I scarfed down a chicken burger at Stooley’s. Thus ended my misguided venture into vegetarianism.

As it’s now well known, Saddam was executed by hanging on Dec. 30 after being convicted of crimes against humanity for the killing of 148 Shiites. Although few would dispute Saddam’s guilt, the trial itself was hardly a beacon of justice. Among the trial’s travesties were the open verbal sparring between the judge and Saddam and the assassinations and attempted assassinations of both the prosecuting and defending lawyers. Midway through the trial, the chief judge was replaced.