BY: SINEAD MULHERN Apparently the Bible Belt is America’s biggest consumer of gay porn. This news comes after Pornhub (one of the largest porn sites in the world) released numbers on U.S. viewing habits for each of the states. Their…
Global Stage
The brilliant marketing campaign that turned diamonds into a precious stone
BY: ALEKSANDRA TARABIC In today’s fast-paced world, offering uncertainties to even the luckiest, finding the reassuring promise of forever has become as rare and as valuable as a radiant diamond. Diamonds, a precious stone, offer many that promise of “forever”…
The impacts of global overpopulation can only be told through photos
7.3 billion people on this planet and counting, with a growth rate of 1.5 million every week. Believing that the logical rationale echoed for decades about the threats of overpopulation were largely being dismissed as alarmist, Tom Butler, editorial director…
When it comes to behavioral tracking, there is a fine line between useful and creepy
BY: ALEKSANDRA TARABIC Unbeknownst to most, there is a tool that the Internet uses, which serves as its very own personal Google Glass—offering insights into our histories and preferences called the Digital Fingerprint. There is an industry behind this concept…
France passes a law requiring new rooftops to be covered with plants or solar panels
BY: TYLER FYFE Earlier this month France passed legislation in response to pressure from environmental activists that all buildings constructed in commercial zones must have sections roofed with solar panels or green spaces. According to smog readings by air pollution…
Urbanization is scientifically proven to be speeding up evolution in animals
BY: LAURA ROJAS Evolution is something we’ve been graciously able to observe in countless species, allowing us to trace their origins back to when they were nearly unrecognizable. For some time, we’ve also been aware that humans can trigger ‘micro-evolutionary’…
Why this professor thinks porn should be shown in classrooms
BY: JESSICA BEUKER If you never suffered through the awkward and uncomfortable sex talk with your parents, then you likely attained most of your knowledge through high school sexual education. If there is anything that I remember about high school…
Why most of our world’s food crops are becoming extinct
BY: LAURA ROJAS A disturbing study conducted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) back in 1999 revealed that since the 1900s, 75% of agricultural crops have been lost, spiking a decline in plant variety and putting at risk…
For 75 days, Costa Rica has been powered using exclusively renewable energy
BY: TYLER FYFE Costa Rican Electricity Institute announced in a press release last week that 100 per cent of its electricity has come from renewable energy sources in the last 75 days. Since January 2015, surplus rainfall has supplied hydroelectric…
When a 15 year-old is strip searched by her teachers, we need to talk about consent
BY: SIERRA BEIN After a student suspected of selling drugs was strip-searched by her teachers, people all over Canada were outraged. She had to remove all her clothing in front of a blanket — underwear included — while another staff…
After 4 years and $60,000 of debt, I realized university is overrated
BY: JESSICA BEUKER For most of my life I never imagined going to university. At a young age, being as dramatic and theatrical as a kid could be, I wanted to be an actress. At the very least I’d perform…
Why average Alaskan citizens were given guns and recruited as spies
BY: SINEAD MULHERN It would take a certain kind of person to live in Alaska during the 1950s. Back then, the population hovered around 130,000—quite a small number considering the state covers 1,717,854 square kilometers. Those shy of rugged terrain…
Why privacy wars and the freedom of information are the struggle of our generation
BY: BRIAN CAPITAO Following all the recent brouhaha with Edward Snowden, the general public has decided that privacy is a big deal. Mr. Snowden has exposed that the National Security Agency—a US based government agency—has been spying on average citizens…
Protests ignite across Canada in response to Bill C-51
REPORTING/ INTERVIEW: ROB HOFFMAN On Saturday, March 14th protestors flooded the streets of downtown Toronto in opposition to the Conservative Party’s “anti terror” Bill C-51. Protestors gathered at Queen and University, about 500 strong, before preceding into the entertainment district…
How do we fix the rampant sexism in the tech industry?
BY: DANIEL KORN Diversity is important. Everyone pretty much understands this when it comes to strategies for success —investment brokers advise their clients to have a diverse portfolio, artists are encouraged to learn as many different mediums and styles as…
Is “The Great Distraction” keeping us passive and uninformed?
BY: RYAN BOLTON We all love a good distraction. I’m pretty sure that’s why social networks were invented. I’m pretty sure that’s why BuzzFeed and Kim Kardashian have colossal followings. That’s why there are soap operas, One Direction and Kanye…
Gay conversion therapists are convincing victims they have a “cure” for being gay
BY: MICHAEL LYONS [Warning: This article mentions torture and sexual abuse.] Can gay people be “cured” with reparative therapy? The long answer is one that’s tangled with a history of spiritual, legal, medical and social discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual,…
Student co-op housing is lightening the weight of crippling debt
BY: DANIEL KORN Common wisdom dictates that when it comes to institutionalized post-secondary education, you get what you give. It’s the time to open yourself to new experiences, knowledge, and people, so it’s no surprise that students often find that…
Frozen diseases are becoming unearthed due to global warming
BY: SINEAD MULHERN A group of 16 Canadian archaeologists dug up a 700-year-old virus encased in frozen caribou dung in the Northwest Territories. While this might sound like a load of shit, when they sent it to a lab for…
Why an out-dated Sex Ed program is dangerous to student health
BY: SINEAD MULHERN In 1998 I sat cross-legged in my grade one classroom in Alberta during my first ever lesson about sex. Our teacher was teaching us proper body part names. She sat at the top of the classroom having…