After escaping from Afghanistan, Aftikhar Mominzada feels an obligation to create opportunities for others
It was the worst case of bad timing. Aftikhar Mominzada was elated after graduating from the Aga Khan Academy in Hyderabad, India, in the spring of 2021. When he started the academy’s international baccalaureate program in middle school, it was the opportunity of a lifetime, freeing him from the parochial religious education he was likely to receive…
The month must move beyond symbolic gesture to include action, says U of A scholar
As a graduate student at Western University more than 20 years ago, Michael A. Bucknor was asked for his thoughts on Black History Month by a student journalist. His response was deliberately equivocal: “I am more than black and less than black.” The resulting profile in Western’s Gazette stirred controversy, with some wondering if Bucknor was claiming…
Neocolonialism and huge military budgets are prevalent. So is the myth that militarism means order
In our age of cancel culture, it seems odd to see an artist cancelling himself. New-wave icon Elvis Costello recently asked radio stations not to play one of the most popular original hits of his storied career, Oliver’s Army. He added that he will no longer perform the song publicly. The song contains the n-word,…
How something quite ordinary can be transformed by a specific performance
In late 1965, coming to Canada from Ireland had its revelations. My Dublin hometown may have been more architecturally distinguished, but it couldn’t match Toronto’s relative abundance of decently paying jobs. There were also things like diners – which I’d only seen in American movies – and the language esoterica pertaining to “double-double” coffees. Top…
The Christmas tree is a universal symbol that delivers a message of endurance and light during the dark winter months
The traditional German song O Tannenbaum is often translated as O Christmas Tree. This translation is only partly accurate, however. The English version is quite different from the German: the essence of the German song is far more universal. One of the beauties of learning languages is discovering what words and poetry mean to those…
It’s hard to escape ABBA’s sickeningly sweet embrace. Having induced several waves of nausea, they’re back
On Nov. 5, the Swedish pop group ABBA released its first album of new songs in 40 years, Voyage. It will likely rocket up the charts and sell in the millions. Voyage may even end up breaking the record held by Michael Jackson’s Thriller of around 70 million copies sold. Considering the fact that ABBA…
Incorporate Hart Massey’s original model for Massey Hall and charge $1 for tickets to the first few concerts
COVID-19 remains a significant health problem around the world. Fortunately, some things are slowly beginning to shift into what’s commonly referred to as the “new normal.” It’s certainly happening in Canada. Many sports stadiums have returned to full capacity. Small and large businesses like movie theatres, gyms, hair salons and (fairly soon) restaurants are increasing…
Podcast titles have doubled since April 2020, when Apple announced the one-millionth entry in its podcast directory
The phrase “video killed the radio star” is often used as a metaphor for the domination of video over audio. It’s also a song by British new-wave band and one-hit wonder, The Buggles, and was the first selection played by MTV 40 years ago, on Aug. 1, 1981, sparking the music video revolution. It was…
Designation signifies late U of A professor’s importance to the Canadian cultural landscape as a renowned classical music composer
An archival collection documenting the life and accomplishments of a University of Alberta music professor has struck a high note by earning a world-class designation. The Violet Archer fonds at the U of A has been accepted into the Canada Memory of the World Register, part of a UNESCO program that showcases the most meaningful documents in humanity’s…
U of A choral director conducts live performances in a parking lot, with singers performing from the safety of their cars
In a year when in-person concerts have been next to impossible, U of A choral director Tim Shantz has found a way for the university’s Madrigal Singers to perform live before an audience. And it doesn’t involve Zoom. Gathered in a parking lot, the members of his choir sing into microphones from their cars – all safely contained in…
It was the worst case of bad timing. Aftikhar Mominzada was elated after graduating from the Aga Khan Academy in Hyderabad, India, in the spring of 2021. When he started the academy’s international baccalaureate program in middle school, it was the opportunity of a lifetime, freeing him from the parochial religious education he was likely to receive…
