The Higgs Boson might get better press, but author and astrophysicist Ray Jayawardhana, dean of York University’s Faculty of Science,makes the case for why neutrinos are the particles people should be paying attention to. He sat down with Piya Chattopadhyay on TVO’s “The Agenda with Steve Paikin” Aug. 29 to discuss the hunt for the elusive particle, and how neutrinos can help physicists unlock the secrets of the universe. Read full story.
Back to School: Looking beyond the 3 R's
Research shows knowing how to handle stress can lead to better health and even academic achievement, reported the Toronto Star Sept. 1. “Stress levels are way too high among children across Canada and it’s a very worrying trend, but there’s all sorts of research on concrete strategies for kids to learn self-regulation and managing their emotions,” said York University psychology and philosophy Professor Stuart Shanker. “It’s no longer all about the 3 R’s – we now focus on the 5 R’s, which include regulation and relationships.” Read full story.
After Rana Plaza, what can we do for workers?
“More than a year has passed since the Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh. Not a lot has changed in Canada – despite the huge public outcry in its immediate aftermath,” co-wrote Darryl Reed, professor of business and society at York University, in the Toronto Star Aug. 31. “Several international organizations, unions and NGOs did initiate a legally binding agreement with some retailers, The Accord on Fire and Safety in Bangladesh, to ensure that workers’ rights are respected…. In Canada, only one retailer has signed onto the accord. For their part, governments have taken little action on public policy.” Read full story.
Tim Horton's CEO set to sell Burger King's takeover offer
To ease any fears customers may have over the pending merger, Tim Hortons took out large newspaper ads last week showing an identical cup of its coffee in a “before and after” they become part of the “global company.”… “They’ve got to proceed very carefully,” said Alan Middleton, marketing professor at York University’s Schulich School of Business, in the Toronto Star Aug. 29. “3G just slashed and burned to get Burger King into shape, and that’s the risk for Tims.” Read full story.
Using laptops for note-taking impedes learning, study shows
A study conducted by Canadian researchers last year showed that those who multitask on a laptop during class perform worse compared who those who don’t. What’s more, students who could see their peers multitasking on a laptop also performed worse compared to those not in direct view, reported Epoch Times Sept. 3. “The results suggest that multitasking on a laptop is a distraction of both users and fellow students and can be detrimental to learning of classroom materials,” said the York University and McMaster University researchers. Read full story.
Fairness for Victims Act faces major constitutional problem
The issue is retroactivity – adding a new punishment to people already convicted and sentenced. In its ruling in R. v. Whaling, the Supreme Court struck down the Abolition of Early Parole Act because it added extra punishment to current prisoners…. Benjamin Berger, who specializes in criminal law at York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School, agreed that the Fairness for Victims Act could be struck down by the courts. “There’s a real possibility this legislation is inconsistent with what the court articulated in Whaling,” he said in The Globe and Mail Sept. 2. Read full story.
City short docs, but numbers might be higher than you think
According to the province's latest Health Care Experience Survey, conducted by the Institute for Social Research, an independent research institute based at York University, 88 per cent of people in Sudbury have a family doctor, reported Sudbury Northern Life Aug. 29. Read full story.
The U.S. still decides the future of capitalism, not the G20, and not the BRICS nations
“International attention has been diverted away from this year’s G20 meetings in Australia by the declaration from the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, at their meeting in Fortaleza, Brazil, this July, that they would launch a new ‘BRICS bank,’ ” wrote York University Distinguished Research Professor Leo Panitch in Global Research Aug. 31. Read full story.
Civic leaders: Ted Rogers brought vision and vigour to Ryerson campus
Students at Ryerson University can be forgiven in wondering why the downtown Toronto school isn’t named for Ted Rogers, the lifelong Torontonian, media mogul and telecommunications visionary, rather than Egerton Ryerson, the 19th-century champion of public education in Ontario…. As it happens, Ted Rogers was a graduate of U of T and of the York University-affiliated Osgoode Hall Law School, reported the Toronto Star Sept. 1. Read full story.
Timmy’s a national institution? Take off, eh?
True story: in 1999, a York University researcher was mocked with the satirical “Ig Nobel” prize for his earnest research into Canadian doughnut shop culture as a place where different aspects of society intersected, reported the Toronto Star Aug. 29. Read full story.