Category: Features
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To serve, to protect and to be violent?
Just because the shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri no longer dominates your newsfeed, does not mean the issues behind this act of police violence are resolved. With Brown being…
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Cleaning up its act: Brantford’s green initiatives
Have you noticed the compost and recycling bins spread across campus? According to Laurier Brantford’s 2014 Green Guide, the university introduced an organics program where compostables and green bins can be found…
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Behind the doors of the Armoury
The Sputnik tours Brantford’s colossal historical landmark The building stands alone in front of busy traffic. Its faded brown bricks and dusty stone foundation fit into the city’s traditional 19th century architecture.…
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A master plasterer against all odds
For most people, trying to start their own business would likely be difficult and overwhelming. Imagine starting your own business after moving to a foreign country, where you knew little about its…
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What do you want to be when you die?
The transition from 2014 to 2015 is a reminder of how when one era ends, another begins. It may be the same with human life: can we live on after death? Depending…
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The Middle East from the eyes of third culture kids
We are ‘third culture kids’ –we grew up in a culture that differs from the culture our parents were brought up in. While some of us go back to our home countries…
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The Laurier French teacher who lights fires
Teaching the French language may not seem like the best way to inspire generations, but Bob Howard does just that. Howard, 71, does not just teach how to conjugate verbs, he changes…
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Where do you see yourself next year?
Believe it or not, fall semester is coming to an end. For many students, this means it is time to start planning where to go next year. We have compiled some tips…
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The life-altering decision of organ donation
When deciding whether you want to donate your organs after you die, many questions can arise. Can I still move onto my afterlife if I’m not whole? Are my organs actually going…
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Using your online behaviour for customized marketing
In perhaps the most Big Brother-like marketing incident that has ever hit the media, a large department store determined a girl was pregnant before her father did. Data analysts working for Target…
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My first sexhibition: The Everything To Do With Sex Show
As a fourth-year student, I am completing a journalistic thesis on the controversial topic of pornography. My two colleagues and I embarked on what can only be called our first sexhibition –…
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Sexualizing society’s little women
Bleached teeth, fake tans and fishnets. Not things you would usually associate with young girls, unless you’ve watched Toddlers & Tiaras, the now cancelled TLC show that presented viewers with the crazy…
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Off the clock: The effects of emotionally draining jobs
“You never know when you answer the phone if someone is going to die. If you don’t pick it up quick enough, are they going to kill themselves?” Debbie Matthews, 55, struggled…
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The double stigma: The perceptions of sex offenders
Stephen Collins is the last person Brendan Noël expected to make headlines this year. The actor, known for his role as Rev. Eric Camden on the television show7th Heaven, is being investigated…
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A stress survival guide for Laurier students
With the temperature rapidly dropping, the chaos of classes, and the complexity of human relationships, it is no surprise students are feeling a bit high-strung. Fourth-year student Miranda Small has been “overwhelmed…
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Putting a face to a bipolar disorder
Hillary Verardi is a bold, bubbly, beautiful YouTuber who usually posts videos reviewing the latest eye shadow palette or a tutorial on waterproof makeup. But recently, Verardi used her channel, Putabowon, to…
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Well-seasoned advice on alternative diets
We all love food and we all have different tastes. Some individuals love meat, while others prefer vegetables. For some people, health restrictions or beliefs make it difficult to find foods that…
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A captivating conversation with busker Alex Dickens
I decided I wanted to tell the story of a local busker musician and figured who better to talk to than the long-haired guitar player usually singing in the alleyway between Therapy…
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Inside the mind of a hypnotist
Like many of us, hypnotist Jerry Enns was once extremely skeptical of hypnosis, mind magic and even past lives. But with what he has experienced, it is easy to understand why his…
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Toying with gender
MJ Garcia, 21, recalls her childhood of accessorized Barbie dolls and Easy-Bake ovens. “When I was growing up, my parents were very set on giving me toys that were very female-dominated ……
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Looking inward: A conversation about self-esteem
Like everything else from childhood to adulthood, people’s views of themselves are constantly evolving, a fluctuating reflection from pride to shame and everything in between. Assistant Professor of Youth and Children’s Studies…
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The power of the people
Crowdsourcing can take on just about any size or shape possible to the imagination. From paying for a surgical procedure to finding the best gas prices in town, people can turn to…
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Laurier’s health plans cover more than Western medicine
Naturopathy, acupuncture, athletic therapy and chiropractic. These are just a few of the treatments Laurier’s extended health plans cover. Surprisingly for some, Christian Science is also covered for faculty members. Christian Science…
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Checking yourself is wrecking yourself
Ladies: By the time you are finished reading this article, there’s a good chance you will have done it at least four times. Gents: You are a lot more fortunate. According to…
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Another dimension: The abortion doula
Having an abortion can spur shame, guilt, confusion, loneliness, and many other intense emotions. Some people choose to hide their pregnancy along with their abortion. Some confide in one or two people,…
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Pursuing the passion: The importance of bucket lists
What do sending a message in a bottle, kissing the Stanley Cup and playing basketball with President Obama have in common? Besides being inherently awesome, these are all crossed-off items on the…
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Back to Brantford: The art of staying close
Whether it takes a one-hour drive or a 12-hour flight, for most students, Laurier Brantford is not close to home. Living away from home not only means students have to learn how…
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From dust to dining on Colborne Street
After about ten years of abandonment, a four-story building on Colborne St. is open and teeming with life. Brothers Sona and Bobby Reehal bought and transformed 70 Colborne St. into a multi-purpose…
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Light amid chaos: Salma is home
For months, it has been impossible to watch or listen to the news without hearing of the most recent developments in Gaza. There have been a whirlwind of images, sounds, and video…
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“We are all naked under our clothes, are we not?”
“[Being naked felt] more normal than normal,” Laurier Alumni Stephane Deschenes says. Ever since his “liberating” experience at a nude beach, Deschenes has studied and immersed himself in the naturism lifestyle. Decades…
