Archive

Beyond Literary Landscapes—Michael Ondaatje

From my early beginnings as a young introvert, the public library has always been a bit of a refuge.  Years later, not much has changed, albeit with an additional affinity for endless hours spent scouring second-hand bookstores to add to my ever-growing “to-read” pile. From one bookworm to another, this column will be underscoring and… Read more »

Dysfunction in Canada’s Near-Future. Can It Be Avoided?

Dysfunction is on Canada’s horizon according to a 2023 secret report prepared by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s (RCMP) Strategic Foresight and Methodology Team.  The report, titled “Whole-of-Government Five-Year Trends for Canada”, analyzed domestic and international affairs, topics including the “Effects of Climate Devastation”, “Popular Resentment”, “Erosion of Trust”, “Paranoid Populism”, “Big Data”, “Artificial Intelligence”,… Read more »

Editorial—Reasons to Celebrate

Each year, Athabasca University hosts a convocation, where some of the students will gather to receive confirmation that they’ve indeed passed all their requirements and are heading into the world with the piece of paper that elevates their worth.  They likely weren’t that much different the day before, but evaluating skill is hard; that’s why… Read more »

Islam, Mosques, Imams, and Malcom X

How have the big screens depicted Muslims from around the world? How have those big screen depictions of Muslims influenced the world’s perception of Islam? The one-word answer to the first question is “inaccurately”, while the two-word answer to the second question is “with prejudice”.  Leaving one of those big screen movies, few viewers are… Read more »

How Hackers Fine Tune Their Skills

Long before hacker groups go after big-time targets across vital industries, they test out their tools and software on small- and medium-sized businesses.  This targeting stems from the fact that smaller-sized businesses tend to lack the resources to defend against constantly evolving cyber-attacks.  They cannot afford to retain cyber security services, nor can they afford… Read more »

Student Sizzle—Following What’s Hot!

Facebook: AI at AU. A student asks about Ametros, the AI at AU, and how it works. A student replied that the AI gives supplementary lessons and coaching for trouble areas. Other students believe Ametros quizzes aren’t calculated in the grades, although Ametros participation may be assessed. Reddit: Financial aid for international students. An international… Read more »

AU-Thentic Events

Library Chat Tues, Jul 2, 10:30 am to 2:30 pm MDT Online Hosted by AU Library www.athabascau.ca/library/index.html No pre-registration needed; access through chat box on home page Library Chat Thur, Jul 4, 10:30 am to 2:30 pm MDT Online Hosted by AU Library www.athabascau.ca/library/index.html No pre-registration needed; access through chat box on home page All… Read more »

Scholarship of the Week

Scholarship name:  belairdirect Scholarship Program Sponsored by:  belairdirect Deadline:  July 31, 2024 Potential payout:  $1000 Eligibility restriction:  Applicants must be Canadian residents, be completing high school in 2024, and be enrolled in a full-time undergrad program for the 2024-2025 academic year at a recognized publicly-funded Canadian post-secondary institution (or CEGEP if living in Quebec.)  Applicants… Read more »