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BREAKING: MUN to require masks and vaccines on campus this September

Kaitlyn Woodley
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BREAKING: MUN to require masks and vaccines on campus this September

In an email sent to all personnel, the University has declared masks and vaccines to be required on campus this upcoming semester. The email instructs those wishing for further information to visit the Gazette.

As the article’s main points, Dr. Florentine Strzelczyk writes:

  1. COVID-19 vaccines are required for all students, faculty and staff.
  2. As of Aug. 23, masks will be required on all Memorial campuses in all indoor spaces.

Following those points, the article gives advice on how one can obtain a vaccine, and states that “details of these measures will be shared soon,” including “the process for exceptions based on medical, religious or cultural reasons for those that are unable or unwilling.”

Non-medical masks will be required as of this upcoming Monday, 23 August. They must be worn “in public spaces and common areas or any time a two-metre physical distance cannot be maintained,” not including residences or, in the case of an instructor who may maintain distance from their students.

Furthermore, similarly to the vaccine mandate, MUN makes clear that “[e]xceptions to the mask requirement may be made for medical, trauma-based, religious and cultural grounds. In some courses or programs, where specific learning outcomes would be inhibited by a mask, there may be exceptions based on an approved health and safety plan.”

We at the Muse implore our readers to stay safe and keep up-to-date on verifiable information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Please stay tuned to MUN’s “COVID-19 Information Hub”.

Clean St. John’s Launches New Initiative #buttfreeyyt

Rivers Cafferty
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Clean St. John’s Launches New Initiative #buttfreeyyt

Photo Credit: Andres Siimon (via Unsplash)

            Anyone who has ventured downtown this summer has probably noticed some new installations. Clean St. John’s has launched an initiative designed to keep cigarette butts off the ground in downtown St. John’s.

            Debris from cigarette remains is the number one most littered item in the city. Clean St. John’s consists of a group of 973 volunteers who have removed more than 419 garbage bags of litter from our immediate environment. In reference to cigarette butts specifically, Clean St. John’s hopes to educate community members on the impact that litter from cigarettes has on our city. Cigarettes don’t decompose, and as we know they are full of tar, nicotine, ammonia, arsenic, and all manner of other toxic chemicals that when improperly disposed of seep into our water supplies and damage our environment.

            A total of forty receptacles for the disposal of cigarette butts have been implemented throughout downtown St. John’s, each with a very visible blue arrow pointing to it which reads “Your Butt Would Look Good In This.” They are located on George Street and Gower Street as well as Duckworth Street and Water Street. Not only are these receptacles keeping the butts off the ground, but they are also putting them to good use in the manufacturing of both park benches and shipping pallets.

            These receptacles appear to be motivating many people to recycle their cigarette butts, but that’s not to say that you won’t run across a few when you’re not standing directly next to a receptacle (and sometimes even when you are). There is no foolproof way to completely eradicate cigarette butts from even four streets downtown, but the ambitiousness of the project and the good intentions of the Clean St. John’s organization inspires confidence.

            You may recognize some of Clean St. John’s other beautification work such as the painting of the traffic boxes or the two thousand clean-up initiatives that they’ve hosted. The reduction of litter from cigarette butts is just the next step in their determination to beautify and cleanse the city of all the trash that never found its way into a garbage bin.

            To read more about Clean St. John’s work, or to become a volunteer, visit their website or see #buttfreeyyt on Instagram or Twitter.

“We Were Children”: vandalism vs. counter-monumentality

Anna
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“We Were Children”: vandalism vs. counter-monumentality

In protest of the 751 unmarked graves discovered at a former residential school in Saskatchewan, on June 24th, the doors of St. Paul’s Co-Cathedral in Saskatoon were painted red with the words “We Were Children.” 

Despite being since removed, this act of protest has created a stir amongst locals and sparked conversation regarding whether it was right or wrong. 

According to a CBC article, the priest at the cathedral, Father Stefano Penna, states that although he understands the emotions behind the gesture, “This objectively is a crime. This is vandalism. This shouldn’t be done to any crosswalks with the rainbow flag or any mosque or any synagogue,” and that “we don’t ever solve anything that was hateful in the past by continuing to hate.” 

Meanwhile, in the same article, numerous bystander accounts did not consider the paintings as “hateful” at all, but rather “beautiful,” “peaceful,” and “the most amazing experience [they have] seen in Saskatchewan, ever.”

On this note, disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, and archaeology have provided entirely different perspectives on an undoubtedly complicated situation, and that is the difference between vandalism and counter-monumentality. 

Accordingly, it is important to draw a clear line between the pointless destruction of property and those made in an effort to shed light on past injustices that have not been remedied. 

Most vandalism, although deliberate in its nature, does not hold any societal significance and can be written off as petty crime. Meanwhile, counter-monumentality is defined as a specific type of art that defies imposing societal forces in the form of monuments. 

An article “Counter-monumentality and the vulnerability of memory” by James F Osbourne states: “active and deliberate interventions in traditional monuments, illustrates how the erection of monuments exposes the inherent fragility of memory.” 

In other words, monuments are constructed to honour a specific social memory (example: Christopher Columbus discovered America, George Washington believed all men were created equal, etcetera.) And yet, memory is flawed, and the accounts that were wholly believed in the past may not always be true, or rather, the entire truth.

As time goes on, the public will continue to unearth new information that will challenge the collective image society has of a particular person, group, or establishment. 

For example, Christopher Columbus never stepped foot in America, George Washington owned slaves, and the 51 deaths that were originally registered at Canada’s largest residential school becomes 215, which becomes 751, which continues to grow past one thousand.

In turn, acts of counter-monumentality reflect these revelations. Sure, they may not last forever, but they will become a significant part of the monument’s history; as it should have been from the beginning. In fact, counter-monumentality was especially prevalent throughout the Black Lives Matter movement, where the protestors would de-pedestal confederate statues alongside many other symbols of oppression.  

Furthermore, although Father Stefano made a valid point in saying these acts of protest may not solve anything that happened in the past, the awareness it creates can help these harmful acts against Indigenous peoples from recurring in the future. 

(And they are recurring still. Thousands of Indigenous women and children are still disappearing each year and Indigenous peoples are still facing systemic discrimination to this day). 

Whether the act against the Saskatoon church was “right:” or “wrong” (societally, legally, morally, etc.) is beside the point, or at least beside the point of this conversation. This act of protest has achieved what it has set out to do, and that is to draw attention to the severity of these revelations and the desperate need for action.

Students Vs. Technology – The Rising Cost of University Mandatory Electronics

Rivers Cafferty
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Students Vs. Technology – The Rising Cost of University Mandatory Electronics

 Photo Credit: Dogherine (via Unsplash)

           Electronics such as mobile phones and computers have gradually become more and more necessary for university students to complete their degrees. During 2020 and part of 2021, we completed our courses entirely online and at the mercy of our internet connection. While technology has the potential to make our lives easier, many university students have experienced the apprehension and anguish at the prospect that their 2013 MacBook Pro may give up and die halfway through the semester.

            Our tuition doesn’t include the cost of textbooks. Despite this, they are commonly considered essential to succeeding in a course. How much more valuable, then, is possessing a computer on which to complete tests, type up assignments, perform research and keep up on class cancellations and schedule changes?

            We own computers because we are expected to; because society has become so dependent on technology’s convenience that to do without a computer at home would put you at a steep disadvantage compared to other students. However, technology is always being upgraded and outmoded with new models coming out and older computers starting to overheat and shut down in the middle of an important paper.

            We all pray that our technology will last until graduation, but some of us are less fortunate. Some of us must concede to consumerism and scrape together enough money for new technology simply because we have no choice. At peak desperation and resourcefulness, it is possible to complete your university work using only public computers and a thumb drive, this method, however, is time-consuming and inconvenient. So, what else can you do when your PC kicks the bucket? Borrow a parents’ computer? Type everything up on the Microsoft Word app on your phone? I shudder to think of the alternatives.

            Meanwhile, elementary, middle, and high school students in Newfoundland have received Google Chromebooks which they, for all intents and purposes, own until graduation. Where is the justice for university students? Nobody expects the university to take ownership of this issue and provide students with the technology required for their courses, however, the battle to keep our technology alive long enough for us to graduate is a valid struggle. It is important for universities to be aware of what hindrances students run into that may obstruct their education. So, here it is, for all to consider: We are starving for worry-free access to technology!

Should We Be Wearing Masks? – Government of NL Lifts Mask Mandate

Rivers Cafferty
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Should We Be Wearing Masks? – Government of NL Lifts Mask Mandate

Photo Credit: Engin Akyurt (via Unsplash)

            As of August 10th, 2021, wearing a mask in public spaces is no longer mandated by the government. As a result, students and staff are no longer required to wear masks on campus (with some exceptions). While some of us are thrilled by the news that we can return to some sort of normalcy, others find the lifting of mandatory mask policies to be worrying. According to MUN officials, mask-wearing will still be encouraged on campus, so the question is: to wear or not to wear a mask?

            It has been a long year and a half since the COVID pandemic made headlines worldwide and our lives were thrown into mania as we struggled to cope with all the changes that were being forced upon us by circumstance. Fear made some of us accept change wholeheartedly, though not without struggling to adjust. Others… fought the changes to the bitter end. A further division of people followed guidelines, obeyed laws and rules put in place by the government to keep us safe and did their best to work through the pandemic as a community.

            Now that we have maintained some level of sanctuary in our province for an allotted period, we are being rewarded with the option to not wear our masks (if these conditions persist). There are also no rules to say that we can’t wear masks, so, continuing to wear your mask in public is completely acceptable as well.

            While there are threats of new strains of COVID and this may terrify some, we must remember that the reason the mask mandate was lifted is that the government no longer thought it necessary. It is not unreasonable for someone who has religiously committed to wearing their mask throughout the pandemic to decide to shed their mask now that they are allowed to.

            In my experience, the percentages of people who have been wearing their masks in public over the last few days have been 50/50 – an even split – which I can say most definitely was not the case as little as a week ago. Before Tuesday afternoon it had been ages since I had seen someone in public without their mask on, although there definitely were some people who avoided it at all costs.

The removal of the mask mandate is going to be a big adjustment for us all. It is going to take time to return to normal, and who knows how long this will last? I implore both sides of the coin, those who choose to continue to wear their masks and those who don’t, to be open-minded, free of judgement, and to accept other individuals’ decisions. Our situation has become a whole new story now that we aren’t required to wear masks, and the choice is up to every one of us.

            The most important thing for us to keep in mind over these next few weeks is that it is entirely up to everyone to choose whether they would like to wear a mask. Just because someone isn’t wearing a mask, doesn’t mean they are against vaccinations or that they are selfish individuals. We can’t start taking sides now when we’ve been working together for so long.   

CBS Granted $25,000 To Improve Its Green Spaces – MUN Geography Student Gives Her Opinion

Rivers Cafferty
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CBS Granted $25,000 To Improve Its Green Spaces – MUN Geography Student Gives Her Opinion

Photo Credit: Hayley Whelan

In recognition of Arbor Day, the town of CBS will be receiving a grant of $25,000 to improve upon its green spaces. This grant will be awarded as a part of the TD Green Space Grant. These grants are distributed in support of the Arbor Day Foundation. The grants are generally given to projects or communities that serve low and moderate-income residents. This year, preference was given to projects that tackle the issue of green resilience in communities that were impacted more than most by the COVID-19 outbreak.

The town of CBS is using this money in part to provide a total of 200 trees to residents to be planted within the community and residential areas. As per the grant regulations, no more than 50% of the grant money can be used to purchase trees.

IMG 6743
Photo Credit: Hayley Whelan
The town of CBS plans to use the grant to plant a rain garden at Manuels River

The town also hopes to put some of the money towards constructing a rain garden. A rain garden is a collection of plants that are situated in a low elevation, so that runoff and excess water from rainfall will be directed into the garden. Rain gardens are used to prevent flooding and erosion of the area, remove pollutants from the rainwater, and attract certain species of birds and butterflies. The rain garden in CBS will be installed at Manuels River and will be used for education purposes.

Hayley Whelan spoke with Memorial University student and lifelong CBS resident Meghan Power for a student’s perspective on the situation. Meghan is completing a Geography B.Sc. (Honours) degree. She is currently researching the impact of urban forest vegetation clearance on climate change-related river flooding in Newfoundland. According to her research, it may be important for us to increase urban forest vegetation (not just trees) in green spaces within CBS or Mount Pearl in order to protect the existing greenery and prevent flooding.

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  • IMG 6752 2
Photo Credits: Hayley Whelan
Trees cling to life on the Manuels River Trail due to erosion from seasonal flooding.

When asked about the current state of CBS’s green spaces Meghan said, “CBS has a lot of old mature trees in residential areas – and there doesn’t seem to be a lot of cutting.” She also pointed out that the Manuels River trail and park are still very natural, and we don’t see a lot of human alterations within CBS’s allocated green space areas. The Manuels River trail, for example, was built around the pre-existing urban forest. For contrast, Meghan says, we can look at Bowring Park in St. John’s. Bowring Park’s structure betrays the fact that it was methodically planned out instead of being built through a natural forest. If you go for a walk in Bowring Park, you will see a lot of non-native species of plants and trees. Green spaces exist in St. John’s only where they are supposed to be – where a park was allowed for in the city’s planning. We regularly see active vegetation removal in communities within Mount Pearl and St. John’s, while CBS appears to be striving for the opposite.

IMG 6751
Photo Credit: Hayley Whelan
The Manuels River trail was built around a pre-existing forest.

In terms of how the grant should be used, Meghan has a few suggestions of her own. In addition to the plans provided by the town of CBS, Meghan hopes that the grant will be used to improve existing forest spaces such as Manuels River and Chamberlains Park, which are lacking in infrastructure. Some of the paths on the Manuels River trail have been severely worn by foot traffic and weather, making them perilous at best during the colder months of the year.

Meghan also suggests that some of the money be put towards “contributing to citizens’ appreciation of green spaces – which is equally important.” The use of a rain garden for educational purposes is a small but meaningful step towards increasing community engagement in the building of green spaces. Allowing citizens to apply for a tree voucher and decide where to plant the tree is also a mark of progress in this area.

According to this MUN Geography student, productive use of the TD green spaces grant would split the bill about 50/50 – with half of the money going towards community gardening initiatives, and the other half going towards green space maintenance and further greening operations.

2021 Mel Woodward Cup Winners

Rivers Cafferty
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2021 Mel Woodward Cup Winners

 

Photo Credit: Annie Spratt (via Unsplash)

The Mel Woodward Cup is a memorial competition that carries on the values and ambition of Dr. Mel Woodward, who founded the Woodward Group of Companies. Dr. Woodward began his journey as the leader of his startup company with only $300, invested in him by his wife. Donations made by Mel Woodward’s family to the MUN Faculty of Business amounting to $1.13 million dollars fund this competition. This year, the competition announced the unveiling of a physical Cup to be presented to the winner of the competition.

The Mel Woodward Cup is a competition for students who are looking to put together or who already have a startup company. The motivation behind this competition is to provide financial aid to the top two most promising and innovative startups that are led by MUN students. The winning student team receives $25,000 in funding, while the runners-up receive $15,000. Applications for the cup begin yearly in December and finalist competitions occur in March.

This year’s winners of the Cup were Audyse Technology who are entrepreneurs of motorcycle active noise canceling technology. Their innovative technology is designed to protect your hearing while adjusting your audio or music to convenient levels depending on your current surroundings. Their system is capable of distinguishing between city and highway conditions as well as noise reduction requirements while your vehicle is stopped. Audyse Technology’s Summit system is easy to use and provides essential protection against hearing loss. Audyse Technology was founded by Robin Murphy, Joel Hatcher and Keeley Flynn. If you want to learn more about the Summit system, you can visit their website.

The 2021 runner-up company for the Mel Woodward Cup was Bx Medical Solutions, which was founded by Alex Mills and Malcolm Snow. Bx Medical Solutions aims to help bariatric surgery patients to track their progress post-surgery and contact their healthcare professionals through their online platform. Bariatric surgery is a weight loss procedure that has proven to be the most effective method of surgery-assisted weight loss. The technology provided by Bx Medical Solutions will seek to improve the recovery and progress of bariatric surgery patients by helping them to keep track of their mental and physical wellbeing. It will also allow clinical care teams to monitor their patients’ progress and provide instant feedback on any potential problems. Visit Bx Medical Solutions’ yaffle profile to learn more.

I had the pleasure of interviewing the entrepreneurs behind the 2021 winning company and the runners-up. See the complete interviews below with Robin Murphy (Audyse Technology) and Alex Mills and Malcolm Snow (Bx Medical Solutions) for their perspective on this year’s competition and their advice for students who would like to compete next year.

Audyse Technology – 2021 Mel Woodward Cup Winner

Interview with Robin Murphy:

Hayley:

What was your first reaction to hearing that your startup company won the Mel Woodward Cup?

Robin:

It was really surreal; it was almost hard to believe when they announced our name.

H:       

What did you think about the competition being held online this year? Do you think the online aspect had a positive/negative impact on the dynamics of the competition, or no impact at all?

R:

“I think it’s amazing that the MCE was able to organize such a big competition in this time, going from having in-person presentations to virtual is a major change. I think completing the competition online actually allowed competitors to have more freedom with the presentations, and it was great to see everyone’s different ideas for products and presentation styles.”

H:

What do you think about the unveiling of a physical cup?

R:

I think it is really cool, Florian from the MCE actually came to my house to deliver it, so it was really amazing being able to see a cup with our names engraved on it.

H:

How has winning the Mel Woodward Cup affected your plans for the future of your company?

R:

It really helped us propel our development, with the funding, it has given us the opportunity to get resources and talent that would have been really hard without the funding. And not to mention the connections we made through the MCE and MWC will really help us propel to the next level.

H:

How has winning the cup affected your life as a MUN student (if it has)?

R:

Honestly, it really hasn’t

H:

What inspired you to start your own business?

R:

My mom has a disease called Ushers Syndrome, meaning she has progressive hearing and vision loss, so, from a really young age I learned that protecting your hearing is important and once you lose your hearing it’s gone. So, when I started riding motorcycles I learned about low-frequency hearing loss and how there was no solution to prevent it effectively. So, that’s why I started Audyse, then as we keep researching and talking to potential customers, we started realizing that this solution could be used in much more than motorcyclists.

H:

What motivated you to apply to the competition?

R:

It would be easy to say the money, which, really does help a start-up. But I think the biggest thing is the experience and the exposure. It’s amazing to be able to stand up and present something you are passionate about to a group of people you’ve never met before in your life.

H:

What advice do you have for students who are thinking of applying for the Mel Woodward Cup competition next year?

R:

The biggest thing is to really know your product, your solution, what you are trying to complete and achieve. If you really understand what you’re doing people listening to you can feel that and see your passion. Obviously, have a working product or MVP is nice, but really, it’s the idea and the effort and passion you have to make this a real company.

Bx Medical Solutions – 2021 Mel Woodward Cup Runner-Up

Interview with Alex Mills and Malcolm Snow:

Hayley:

What was your first reaction to hearing that your startup company won runner up for the Mel Woodward Cup?

Alex and Malcolm:

We were absolutely thrilled (and speechless!). Initially we started talking about how all of the miscellaneous meetings over the last several months were all leading up to this moment, but to actually be experiencing it was different. It was both of our first time pitching our idea to experienced entrepreneurs, so we were anxiously waiting to see how the judges would react to our idea.

H:

What did you think about the competition being held online this year? Do you think the online aspect had a positive/negative impact on the dynamics of the competition, or no impact at all?

Alex and Malcolm:

First off, we want to emphasize just how difficult it is to host an event like the Mel Woodward Cup online. The MCE team did a fantastic job at facilitating this process, and in the end created an incredibly successful and engaging event given the current circumstances. Creating a “pitch” was somewhat easier to do, whereas we were required to create a 4-minute video versus pitching to a live audience. However, filming and creating an engaging video in of itself is a challenging task. One downside to any online event is going to be the missed connections that are made organically in-person. However, I think the online system that was used had the option to meet new people, but we were unfortunately unable to use this service as we were participating.

H:

What do you think about the unveiling of a physical cup?

Alex and Malcolm:

It’s an excellent addition to an excellent competition! Having a physical symbol that can be attached to the event certainly adds another dimension of engagement between participants and the competition.

H:

How has being winners of the Mel Woodward Cup competition affected your plans for the future of your company?

Alex and Malcolm:

It has had a serious impact on our future plans! With the financial and in-kind prizes that we won; we can now act on some of the plans we made earlier this year. Our ongoing goal for 2021 is to develop our MVP platform and then conduct a pilot project. We will leverage funding received from the Mel Woodward Cup to work towards this.

H:

How has being winners in the competition affected your life as a MUN student (if it has)?

Alex:

Life as a MUN student has gotten a whole lot busier! The last couple of months of my work term flew by as evenings were consumed working towards the Mel Woodward Cup and Bx Medical Solutions in general. I expect this to continue as the summer semester approaches as we make a push towards application development.

H:

What inspired you to start your own business?

Alex and Malcolm:

This is an excellent question with several answers. First off, both Malcolm and Alex saw the opportunity that existed within our target market, and we believed that we could help fill that need. We also think it’s a really good time for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador to start creating their own businesses, as there are several excellent support programs that offer help to new companies. Notably, the team at MCE, Bounce Health Innovation, and the Genesis Centre. Starting our own business is also an incredible opportunity to learn new skills in entirely new fields. For example, Malcolm’s background is primarily in clinical research, and Alex’s background is in software development. However, through customer interviews and initial product development (e.g., creating User Interface designs & a website), Malcolm and Alex are learning new skills from each other. In addition to these, both of us are learning typical business skills such as pitching an idea, fundraising money, and creating budgets.

H:

What motivated you to apply to the competition?

Alex and Malcolm:

Several aspects of the competition motivated us to apply. Ultimately, to create the product we are developing, it is going to take an incredible team to execute the product, which is going to cost money. At the end of the day, $15,000 is really going to help us expand our team to continue creating our product. In addition to the financial aspects of competition, we were able to expand our network and showcase our company publicly for the first time.

H:

What advice do you have for students who are thinking of applying for the Mel Woodward Cup competition next year?

Alex and Malcolm:

If you are passionate about an idea that you are working on, or even just have the initial concept of an idea, we urge you to seek the help of the MCE team, and go through the process of validating that idea. The Mel Woodward Cup competition is an excellent opportunity to showcase your idea, potentially gain funding, and meet new people. It’s also a great way to meet fellow students who are in the process of creating their own companies.

Beat Your Boredom: Entertain Yourself Right Here At Home

Raven Ritman
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Beat Your Boredom: Entertain Yourself Right Here At Home

Following the winter months spent in our snowy Newfoundland bubble, the opportunity to take advantage of the long-awaited warm weather is amplified with the excitement of provincial plans to begin lifting COVID-19 restrictions by reopening the borders to vaccinated Canadians this summer. While vaccinated individuals are now given the opportunity to travel throughout Canada, those still waiting to get both shots may have to continue to find recreational opportunities on the Island. Due to vaccine wait times and financial needs, many students may fall into this category, with expectations to remain on the island for yet another summer. Although some students may feel like they’ve experienced just about everything there is to do on the island, I will argue that students aching with wanderlust to get off the island can quench their thirst for summer adventure by becoming a tourist in their own province this summer.

The potential for affordable adventure is totally possible as we enter the second summer of “staycations”. In fact, many businesses on the island have even set aside discounts for locals to encourage people to take advantage of the recreational opportunities on the island that we often take for granted. Travelling on a dime in any country is undoubtedly doable with a little creativity. Listed below are five opportunities to become a tourist in your own backyard this summer.

#1 Leave the city!

Although St. Johns has lots of activities to offer, for many students looking to branch out and try something new this summer, there are plenty of small towns although both the west and east coast of the island offering totally different experiences from the city.  For example, countless hikes, beaches, ocean tours, breweries, and restaurants are waiting to be explored in communities along the Bonavista Peninsula. The Bonavista Peninsula is catered to both tourists and locals to provide affordable summer activities for all age groups. The tailoring of these communities to the pre-covid tourist population has created the perfect opportunity for student travel post-pandemic as seen by the multiple accommodations, restaurants, affordable tours, and transportation options available. The opportunity for students without a vehicle to travel around to area is accessible through the different shuttle services travelling between St. Johns and Bonavista every day.

#2 Free Yoga at the St. Johns Farmers Market

If you’re looking to find an affordable activity that allows staying active in addition to maintaining a positive mindset and healthy wellbeing, then look no further as this summer the St. Johns Farmers market is offering FREE yoga classes outside the market to all skill levels. These classes will take place each Saturday during July and August between 10 am and 11 am. Updates on these classes will be posted in the “Free Yoga at The St. John’s Farmers Market” Facebook page.

#3 Classes at the Clay Café

Sometimes finding the time, motivation, or skill to attempt a new art project can totally outweigh the potential price and time commitment to DIY projects. Although art classes can often be pricy, the Clay Café is offering a diverse range of crafty art classes all summer at very reasonable prices. Whether you’re looking to turn a blank canvas into something beautiful to put up on your wall or attempt a totally different project such as glass staining or wheel throwing, the Clay Café will be providing multiple classes all summer to appeal to many types of creative projects.

#4 The East Coast trails

Arguably the best form of exercise during the summer months, hiking gives the opportunity to see spectacular views and get outside to enjoy the weather. The East Coast trail has over 336 kilometres of trail to explore across the Avalon Peninsula. This trail association can lead to whale sightings, potential swimming holes, and views that remind us why we love living on this cold island.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Looking for more student-friendly information on hiking? Check out this article featured on our website.

#5 Explore the Ocean

Living on an island gives us the advantage to experience some of the most incredible marine wildlife in the world. During the summer months, the migrating caplin fish draw in thousands of dolphins, cod, whales, puffins, and other marine life to our waters. The opportunity to experience marine life in such close proximity makes a perfect chance for students to see the surrounding St. John’s area, as well as Newfoundland at large, from a totally different point of view. Companies like Ocean Quest located in both CBS and Petty Harbour offer boat tours, snorkelling, diving, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboard yoga every weekend. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the company is offering locals a 10% discount on any tours booked online. In addition, select tours are also offered at a reduced fee for large groups so students looking to explore the ocean with a group of friends may be particularly in luck.  Whether you’re interested in paddling through the Bell Island sea caves or want to test your chances of having a whale swim right next to you, access to exploring Newfoundland from the water is available all summer.

Why We Should Keep the Record Culture Alive: A MUN Musician’s Perspective

Raven Ritman
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Why We Should Keep the Record Culture Alive: A MUN Musician’s Perspective

July 17th marked the second “Record Store Day” of the summer, a set date to support local independent record stores with rare, limited-edition releases internationally. As such, this allows people the opportunity to both appreciate and support the culture of buying physical copies of music. As students in an age of ever-developing steaming technology, the concept of analog listening through CDs, vinyl, or cassettes may seem unnecessary or excessive without considering the repercussions on the artists who make the music we love. St. John’s holds one of the oldest independent record stores in North America and, in turn, provides an environment to share high-fidelity recordings of both mainstream and local artists. In light of the upcoming opportunity to support independent record stores, I interviewed one of MUN’s own independent artists as an opportunity to understand exactly how different forms of listening (Analog vs. Digital) impacts musicians.

Ben Diamond is a Classical guitarist and graduate of Memorial’s performance major through the Faculty of Music, with further aspirations to pursue his Master’s in Classical Performance at McGill in Montreal. Ben’s passion for playing guitar has evolved into his career path while developing an impressive background in music during his time at Memorial. Ben has performed within the province and around Canada at both conferences and festivals. Additionally, during his undergrad, Ben played with MUN’S jazz ensemble for four years, taught beginner/intermediate guitar students, and released his own album. His album, released in 2020, is called “Prime” and is available on streaming apps such as Apple Music and Spotify, on his website (link provided below), and in CD format at Fred’s Records.

The achievement of dropping his first album has given him great insight into the world of sharing and profiting from his musical talents. Ben described his experience within the changing culture surrounding music listening by stating, “I think that there is really immense value to selling a copy of the music on a CD because the total gros income is so much greater, what’s happening with subscription services like Spotify and Apple Music is that the monetary value has dropped monstrously below poverty levels with the corporation method.” The considerable gap between CD sales and streaming compensation concerns the total number of song streams, as Ben described, “streaming apps essentially work on a one hundred streams per one cent ratio so that even 1000-2000 streams on an album is not actually a lot and could even total to a revenue equivalent to only about 1-2 CD sales. So essentially this means the by purchasing a physical copy of music, you’re supporting local artist like [Ben] by 100-1000 times more financially”. Ben’s choice to sell his album at Fred’s records also reflects the supportive nature of purchasing physical music forms, as he recognized, “I like the idea of putting my CD down at Fred’s because they’re a local store and a real pioneer in music and artists in our community.” The overall theme of support surrounding the relationship between independent stores and local artists promotes a symbiotic relationship of sorts; the small commission taken by the retailer is still appreciably less than the corporation method demonstrated by digital streaming.

While the financial support for an artist associated with buying physical music forms is substantial, listening to streaming services may inhibit the quality of music and hinder the listener from hearing a piece of music as intended by the artist. Ben explained the contrast between the different formats of the autophiles from streamed music vs. analog listening: “When we listen on our phones it is the MP3 file itself but when we hear the same song on a CD it is called a Wave File which has much less compression of the audiophile itself”. Essentially, you’re getting more detail from a CD and further upscale as you listen to even less compressed forms of audiophile such as a vinyl track. In addition, a CD provides the listener with no choice but to appreciate an album in the set sequence intended by the artist. In contrast, streaming sources introduce options like “shuffle,” which could completely disrupt the intended flow of an album.

When I asked Ben how the shuffle function could influence his listeners, his response was, “I never actually thought of pressing shuffle on my album… with my album that would be rambunctious because there are 5 or 6 tracks in a row that belong to a collection of pieces that are related to one another. So, for example, if you were to go from the Scary Clown piece, which is very “in your face” and exciting, to my friend Steve Murray’s piece, which is more intimate and calm, it would completely change the experience.” Much like Ben, most artists put copious amounts of time and energy into perfecting the flow of their album to property portray the story, character, and mood that the music attempts to evoke. Therefore, omitting the option to shuffle songs in an album can enhance the experience of listening to music.

Finally, Ben recognized that there are also benefits to online streaming, including how it enhances the ability to share his music with a broader demographic and provides people with the convenience of instantaneous listening. As students, the best approach we can therefore take to support the artists we love, along with the long-time tradition of record store shopping, is to still try to purchase physical forms of music—even if that means just for listening in the car. Ben described the processing of analog listening as a “hands-on experience” where you go to a record store and search through hundreds of different albums until you choose one to bring home; you may listen while studying the album artwork, read about the artist, and ultimately learn about what you are hearing. On this note, maybe the key isn’t to eliminate one format, but instead to use both listening platforms in combination to reap the benefits of both and make for the ultimate listening experience.

So try to get out soon to support a local business and see the difference for yourself, maybe even support one of MUN’s own musicians!

https://www.bendiamond-classicalguitarist.com/

A History of Amateur Radio in Newfoundland

Rivers Cafferty
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A History of Amateur Radio in Newfoundland

Photo Credit: Leonard Laub via Unsplash

         Amateur or “ham” radio has a rich history in Newfoundland and Labrador. It gives us the ability to transmit messages over long distances without wires or the internet. In 1901, Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless radio transmission from Signal Hill. From this monumental event sprang the Newfoundland Radio Club. This club persisted until 1959 when it was dissolved, and the Society of Newfoundland Radio Amateurs was formed in its place. SONRA is still active today. 

         The term “amateur” does not indicate the level of expertise of the operator and instead indicates the fact that it is illegal to use ham radio for commercial purposes or profit. Amateur radio can be used for entertainment and as a hobby for SONRA members. It is also essential for transmitting and receiving communications across the province during emergencies such as natural disasters or devastating weather. During Snowmaggedon in 2020, SONRA used amateur radio to aid in notifying emergency services when communities on the Burin Peninsula lost the ability to communicate with each other through phone and internet. While the loss of communication during an emergency can be devastating, SONRA members are able and willing to aid those in need with their expertise in amateur radio. Learning how to identify an amateur radio operator in your neighbourhood in case of an emergency is part of the training that SONRA is happy to provide to members of the public at their open meetings. The easiest way to identify an amateur radio operator is by their VO license plate, meaning they are available to help in case of emergencies and their vehicle is likely equipped with ham radio equipment.

         SONRA hosts a variety of “nets” in the province daily. A net is a gathering of ham radio operators through a local repeater system or on a pre-determined radio frequency. Amateur radio can be a rewarding and exciting hobby, however, before using ham radio you must take an exam to receive your certification. SONRA occasionally hosts courses to educate and increase the comfort level of fellow amateur radio enthusiasts and prospective members. The Society of Newfoundland Radio amateurs also celebrates occasions such as Field Day and International Marconi Day along with a yearly awards ceremony for its members. 

         For those who are interested in learning more about amateur radio and SONRA, you can visit their website here. If you want to become a member of the Society of Newfoundland Radio Amateurs, you can contact them for more information at info@sonra.ca.

         Amateur radio has its roots firmly planted in Newfoundland and Canadian culture. The preservation of the practice of using ham radio is crucial for cultural and historical purposes. Most importantly, amateur radio operators can save lives and decrease local panic by transmitting important information during weather emergencies or the breakdown of modern communication methods.

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