Around campus

Science and the Sasquatch

COURTESY OF REPDATH MUSEUM

Big Foot, Yeti, Sasquatch — like a criminal mastermind, the Abominable Snowman uses several aliases and has an uncanny knack for eluding those who would bring him in. But is he a demonstrable fact or a figment of our cultural imagination? McGill anthropologist Dr André Costopoulos will bring his social science expertise to bear on this big shaggy question when he hosts the Dec. 8 instalment of Redpath Museum's Freaky Fridays series, which gives McGill scientists a shot at disproving some of our culture's best-loved but most dubious tales of wonder. Costopoulos' talk, "Snow Creature: Half Man, Half Monster," will be followed by a screening of that camp masterpiece The Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas. All proceeds of the event go toward the construction of a giant origami Pteranodon to be suspended from the museum ceiling in spring 2007.

Friday, Dec. 8, 4 pm, Auditorium, Redpath Museum, 859 Sherbrooke W. Admission: $5, seating is limited, no reservations necessary.

Skating with the Principal

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It doesn't matter if you breeze along the ice like Josée Chouinard or trip over your skates more than a Toronto Maple Leaf — if you're a McGillian, you're cordially invited, along with your family, to Principal Heather Munroe-Blum's holiday skating party on Dec. 17. The rink will ring with seasonal music while skaters make their rounds and, for those whose feet need a rest, there will be hot dogs, snacks and warm and cold beverages to enjoy, as well as a certain white-bearded, red-clad fellow bearing treats to look out for. Admission will take the form of a contribution to one of the Yellow Door's "Food for Thought" food boxes. Free parking will be available via the residences' entrance at the top of University Street.

Sunday, Dec. 17, 2 pm - 4 pm, McConnell Winter Arena, 3883 University. RSVP by Dec. 13 by calling the Athletics Dept. (514-398-0344), Human Resources (514-398-2945) or the Welcome Centre (514-398-6555) and specifying the number of children and adults in your party.

Sun Youth asks McGill to help fuel food drive

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Sun Youth needs a little help from its friends at McGill. The community organization has put out an urgent call for food donations to ensure it has enough holiday gift baskets to go around for the many needy Montrealers it hopes to help this winter. Accordingly, donation bins have been set up in the following campus locations: Martlet House (near elevator on each floor); Cours Mont Royal (ninth floor, outside DAUR Communications Office); Faculty of Law (Atrium, Chancellor Day Hall), Faculty of Medicine (near reception desk, 3605 de la Montagne); and Faculty of Arts and Science (Dawson Hall, second floor, near water cooler).

In addition to the usual non-perishable food products like soup, canned vegetables, Christmas candies, etc., Sun Youth welcomes baby products (diapers, food in jars, cereals), new children's toys, hygiene products and pet food.

The on-campus bins will be picked up in mid-December. Please help show how much McGill cares about the Montreal community by making a donation as soon as possible. Donations can also be dropped off or sent directly to Sun Youth at 4251 St. Urbain St., 24 hours a day.

What the kids are listening to

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Classical music lovers who would appreciate a youthful rendering of Dvorak, Monteverdi and Bach should find their way to Pollack Hall on Dec. 17. In partnership with McGill's Conservatory of Music, the Westmount Youth Orchestra (WYO) will be showcasing the precocious talents of its members with interpretations of Dvorak's "Eighth Symphony," Monteverdi's "l'Orfeo" and Bach's double violin concerto "BMV 1043." Comprised of 45 musicians aged 12 to 22, who get together for a three-hour practice every Saturday, the WYO has just this year become the conservatory's orchestra. It will be conducted by its artistic director, Scott Gabriel.

Sunday, Dec. 17, 7:30 p.m. Pollack Hall, Strathcona Music Building, 555 Sherbrooke W. Admission: $15, $5 for students/seniors. For more information, call 514-398-4547.

Films that transform

No need to hide a gap-toothed smile—Gap Toothed Women unveils beauty in the atypical smile
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For many of us, the definitions of words like "healing" and "wellness" seem obvious. But those in the Faculty of Medicine Programs in Whole Person Care (WPC) would like us all to think a bit harder about what these concepts mean in our daily lives. To that end, each month WPC invites the general public to view a thought-provoking film about healing and wellness issues and to discuss the film with members of the McGill medical community. This month's film is the 1987 documentary Gap Toothed Women, which examines the lives of 40 women, including former US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and model Laura Hutton, all of whom (you guessed it) have a noticeable space between their two front teeth. Singer Lisa Walsh will follow the screening with a special performance. The year-long series, called "Films that Transform," is chaired by Balfour M. Mount, emeritus professor of Medicine, and hosted by Thomas Hutchison, director of WPC.

Gap Toothed Women. Tuesday, Dec. 12, 7 pm. Moyse Hall, Arts Building, 853 Sherbrooke St. W. Admission: $10, $5 students and seniors, season pass $85. For a complete list of films or other information, 514-398-2298, or wpc.oncology@mcgill.ca.