News
Views
Government
On campus
Noticed
In the harbour
Footnotes
News
1. Everything’s cancelled
Snowpocalypse is upon us. Global has branded the storm the “Blizzard of 2015,” which hopefully assumes there won’t be another one next week or whatever. Or, maybe this is a forecast for the end of the world. At least CBC reporters will have something to do as they cover the four horsemen riding up Barrington Street, inevitably to the boardwalk. Always the boardwalk:
For the rest of us, there’s nothing to do but sit around and wait to die.
2. Ryan Millet
Dalhousie Dentistry School student Ryan Millet has agreed to participate in the disciplinary hearing related to the misogynistic Facebook page that he says he exposed. “In a letter to the university’s senate, [Millet’s lawyer] Bruce MacIntosh said student Ryan Millet is willing to continue with the hearing before the school’s academic standards committee on Wednesday even though MacIntosh believes the process is flawed,” writes the CP’s Michael McDonald. “The secretariat for the senate referred calls to university spokesman Brian Leadbetter. Leadbetter couldn’t be reached for comment.”
That phrase — “Leadbetter couldn’t be reached for comment” — will be etched upon Leadbetter’s tombstone.
3. Meningococcal meningitis
Seventeen-year-old Rylee Sears has died from meningococcal meningitis. “Public health officials have spoken to more than 130 people identified through ‘contact tracing’ as potentially at risk for exposure to the bacterial meningitis that claimed the life of the grade 10 boy on Monday morning,” reports Ruth Davenport.
4. Yarmouth branded
Ian MacLeod of the Dartmouth-based Form:Media has been hired to brand Yarmouth, reports Timothy Gillespie in South Coast Today:
[MacDonald] told councilors that possible constellation names included “townus yarmouthus”, “canis tollis” (for the duck tolling retreiver), “gourmeus elegantus” (cuisine) and “spiritus partius” (party spirit).
MacLeod explained that the constellation-themed branding logo and slogan, “On the edge of everywhere” could be readily used as an “anchor” to promote food and wine, music, sports. “This is the edge you’ve been waiting for”, he added.
“I love it,” exclaimed mayor Pam Mood.
Her council was not so impressed and appeared to have serious reservations about the branding package.
As unique as the slogan “on the edge of everywhere” might appear, it is used as the title of two blogs; one an account of a family’s move to Belgium and other the blogging of a feminist who has decided to remain asexual.
5. Wild Kingdom
A Golden Pheasant escaped from the Van Tassel Family Corral Farm, attracting a lot of attention in Digby.
Views
1. Everywhere a sign
“It can be a message in chalk on the sidewalk or a memorial cast in bronze, someone tried to communicate with us so let’s pause and appreciate their effort,” says Stephen Archibald.
2. Blame the Gaelic
Nova Scotia’s confusion over apostrophes in place names may have originated with the Gaelic, who have no apostrophe, an anonymous Gaelicphobe tells Parker Donham.
Government
City
City council (postponed)—Due to a monster lizard approaching the city, today’s meeting has been rescheduled for tomorrow. I’ve written a preview of the meeting, here. This article is behind the Examiner’s pay wall and so available only to paid subscribers. To purchase a subscription, click here.
Province
Standing Committee on Human Resources (cancelled)—This meeting has been cancelled due to the storm, with no rescheduled date yet announced.
When the committee does meet, it will question Janice Ainsworth, cochair of the Collaborative Partnership Network, which is a coalition of nine nonprofit agencies that find job placements for people with disabilities. Last year, the provincial Department of Labour provided $383,448.46 in funding to the Network, while the Department of Community Services provided another $7,758.75. The Partnership’s member agencies were funded as follows:
Community Inclusion Society
Department of Labour—$391,717.23
Department of Community Services—$59,646.16
Department of Health & Wellness—$5,000.00
Total—$456,363.39Cumberland African Nova Scotian Association:
Department of Labour—$681,523.80
Department of Culture, Communities and Heritage—$5,500.00
Department of Seniors—$19,834.65
Total—$706,858.45East Novability Society for Persons with Disabilities:
Department of Labour—$271,288.92
Total—$272,288.92EmployAbility Partnership:
Department of Labour—$564,531.76
Department of Health & Wellness—$136,797.51
Total—$701,329.27Employment Opportunities Partnership
This agency receives no direct funding from the province, but judging from its website I believe it is funded through the Collaborative Partnership Network.Employment Solutions Society:
Department of Labour—$589,547.39
Department of Community Services—$27,660.21
Total—$617,207.60Teamwork Cooperative:
Department of Labour—$567,206.53
Department of Community Services—$67,200.00
Total—$634,406.53WorkBridge Association:
Department of Labour—$514,242.64
Total—$514,242.64West Nova Inclusive Employment Society
Department of Community Services—$61,970.37
Department of Labour—$667,152.35
Total—$729,122.72
Grand total, government funding for the Partnership and its member agencies—$5,023,027.73
I put these numbers out there not to suggest that the money is being spent unwisely, but rather as follow-up to many conversations I’ve had with disability advocate Gus Reed. As with so many other things on my table, I’ve pushed this to the back burner (to badly mix a metaphor), but together, Reed and I have wondered what the lay of the land is with these agencies, so now we know.
On campus
All local universities are closed today.
Dalhousie
Today’s events are cancelled.
Wednesday
Metabolism (Wednesday, 4pm, Theatre A, Sir Charles Tupper Medical Building Link)—Morgan Fullerton, from the University of Ottawa, will talk about “AMP-Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK): Metabolism, Macrophages and More.”
Assisted Dying (Wednesday, 7pm, Room 105, Weldon Law Building)—Jocelyn Downie will lead a “Conversation About Dying: What the law has to say.” In explanation:
The Supreme Court of Canada is considering whether to strike down the Criminal Code prohibitions on assisted dying. The Quebec legislature has passed “An Act respecting end-of-life care” to permit medical aid in dying. Draft legislation has been introduced in both the House of Commons and the Senate. Professor Downie will talk about these major developments in the law on assisted dying, and invite us to think about some of the open questions still to e answered.
The Maltese Falcon (Wednesday, 8pm, Dalhousie Art Gallery)—one of the best films ever will be screened.
Saint Mary’s
Today’s events are cancelled.
Wednesday
Brian Bartlett (Wednesday, 3pm, Room LI135, Patrick Power Library)—Bartlett will talk about his new book, Ringing Here and There: A Nature Calendar.
Noticed
I had planned to fill this space today with a hilarious riff on “bold Halifax” from 1995, but due to technical issues (I can’t read my own hand-written notes), that will have to wait a few days. In the meanwhile, let’s remember that it used to snow a lot more than it does nowadays, and back in the day, you not only had to shovel the sidewalk in front of your house, but also the street. I draw your attention to Section 34 of the Public Highways Act, which is still in effect and very much the law of the land:
Duty of male to shovel snow on highway
34 (1) All physically fit male persons between the ages of sixteen and sixty, residing within every such section or division, are required to work with their shovels on the highways during the winter whenever the highways become impassable from snow, but persons actually in regular attendance at any public school are not, during school hours, required to work under this Section.
(2) If a person does not attend for work in accordance with subsection (1), the overseer shall order him to attend for that work either forthwith or at any time or hour of the day that the overseer designates.
(3) Every person ordered to attend for work shall
(a) attend for work and work as aforesaid;
(b) provide a competent person to work and who shall work in his place; or
(c) pay to the overseer on the day on which he is ordered to work a tax of five dollars for the use of the municipality.
(4) The overseer shall expend any sum paid to him under clause (c) of subsection (3) for the purpose of removing the snow from the highway and making it passable, and shall account to the municipality for all sums so received and expended.
(5) An order of the overseer shall be sufficiently communicated if delivered or given, verbally or in writing, at the usual place of residence of the person, to some inmate thereof apparently not under sixteen years of age.
(6) If any person ordered under this Section to attend for work fails to comply with this Section, he is liable to a penalty of not less than five dollars nor more than ten dollars, and in default of payment thereof to imprisonment for not more than ten days. R.S., c. 371, s. 34.
In the harbour
Verige, oil tanker, arriving from Quebec, was approaching Imperial Oil at 7:30am. Typically, ships don’t risk entering the harbour during a storm, so this is probably the only activity today.
Reykjafoss has sailed for Portland
NYK Demeter has sailed for New York
Errata
A few errors yesterday:
• I had written that SMU was going to introduce “candidates,” plural, for the SMU presidency tonight, but in reality the event was to introduce the “candidate,” singular. That is, the administration has already chosen who will be president. This is a union grievance, as the selection process was done behind closed doors without faculty input. Due to the storm, the university is closed today, with no update scheduled until 7pm, so presumably the announcement will be delayed.
• Dalhousie has a “senate,” not a “faculty senate” as I had written yesterday. They dropped the “faculty” part many years ago because students also sit on the senate.
• Before he became chief of the Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency Service, Mike Eddy was fire chief in Sackville, not Halifax, as I had reported.
Wonder how many jobs were created by all those agencies?
The village in Spain where that elderly church caretaker tried to touch up an ancient painting of Christ but created a terribly botched monstrosity has, thanks to her rather endearing ineptitude, since become a major tourist attraction, earning millions of euros for the church and the village.
The people of Yarmouth should keep this in mind.
““townus yarmouthus”, “canis tollis” (for the duck tolling retreiver), “gourmeus elegantus” (cuisine) and “spiritus partius” (party spirit).”
So I’m not a master latinist, but these terms are trash. Let’s go over each in detail:
“Townus Yarmouthus” – Townus is not a word in Latin, the etymology of Town in english derives from “Tun” in Old English and Proto-Germanic roots, meaning a settlement on a hill. Yarmouthus is incorrect as well – looking at the Orbis Latinus (which is now digitized – http://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/~db/0005/bsb00050914/images/index.html?fip=193.174.98.30&seite=686&pdfseitex=) it should be Yarmuthensis, a 3rd declension feminine noun.
I’d likely go with Oppidum Yarthmensis
“canis tollis” – Canis is correct of course, but “tollis” is a 2nd person, singular present indicative active – literally “You raise, remove.” Setting aside the specific verb, it would want to be a 3rd person singular, and would be more generally better suited by using a participle form – Canis Tollens (Raising Dog) or Canis Tollentis (Dog of Raising). A better verb would also be something like Reddo, reddere.
(The english etymology of “tolling” apparently comes from the old english “tollen” – to lie in wait near the water – as this isn’t an element in latin hunting texts, I’d feel amiss in trying to substitute another word for it specifically – see https://books.google.ca/books?id=edWqkSOvo7wC&lpg=PA856&ots=02_7DckA4c&dq=Middle%20english%20tollen&pg=PA856#v=onepage&q=Middle%20english%20tollen&f=false
-Something like Canis Reddentis?
“gourmeus elegantus” – Gourmet, as a french term is derived in time from the same root as Groom, and seems to be of an english origin. Anyways, if we’re looking to gourmet culture in latin which is similar to the most modern period, we’ve already the figure of Apicius, who’s name was taken to refer to people who enjoy food in such a manner anyways. Elegantus is derived from the latin elegans, but that is a 3rd declension adjective – the singular nominative masculine form is just elegans, and it adopts an -is ending as it inflects.
– Something like [Oppidum] Apicianorum Elegantium would make sense (literally [The City] of the Elegant Apicians – could even use a comparative or a superlative like Apicianiorum (more Apicians) or Apicianissimorum (Most Apicians) for (admittedly silly) effect).
“Spiritus Partius”
… Partio(r) (there are two verbs almost alike in form, one is deponent) is a verb which has changed quite a lot from latin to the role it takes up in modern english – only in going through medieval french did it really take up the sense of a modern “party.” If you want to convey a party, latin already has the perfectly good term “Festum” or if you’d prefer a more private encounter, like that of a nice dinner party, “Cena.” Spiritus works, most technically, but the “Natura” would be more preferable as it carries the context of the modern word in describing the course of things.
-Something like [Oppiddum} Naturae Festo. Although we all know that the real Urbs of such things, where there is truly the res bacchabundissimae, is Halifaxiensis.
Honestly, I’m not that annoyed about them getting things wrong. That’s fine, it’s a natural course of things with Latin or English (or any language). But I’m more annoyed that they just assumed that for a large part they would try to construe some sort of a antiquity to the term, and to their symbols via such lazy practices. This is even leaving aside that there is almost certainly some form of construction which is consistently used when dealing with naming constellations which I don’t know of at this time (and which undoubtedly there is a scholar of). If you are going to use Latin terms (or any terms, Latin, French, English, etc), just be sure to make sure that they are correct for goodness sake. Neolatinisms are fine and needed at times, but don’t just make stuff up.
Also, the branding package is ugly.
Wonderful article Conywilliam. Very amusing and informative to boot. Best thing I’ve read in ages! (barring Tim Bousquet of course).
No graphic designers on the Form:Media “team”. The phrase “communication designers” is a red flag. Not to mention the DOS colon in the company:name. The last time they published a news item on their website was in 2012. And the Form:Media logo is a swirl, the word “form” in italics, and the word media – all in lower case: form:media. But when they refer to themselves in text the spell the name “Form:Media” C’mon Yarmouth. You can do better than that!
From the company description on the form:media website.
“Our studio unites communication designers, web and new media specialists, exhibit designers, 3D animation experts, landscape architects, engineers, interior designers, and writers under one roof. Professional and passionate, this unique arsenal of thinkers and doers are committed to realizing the best solutions for your project.”
Wonder whose relative/friend. etc own the company?
City council (postponed)—Due to a monster lizard approaching the city,
A WKRP Classic flashback…. nice one Tim.
Guess I might be alone – but I like the Yarmouth logo and slogan – better than the Halifax one. Halifax is boooooring. . . and makes me think that the place is too. . . Yarmouth looks different, exciting, edgy.
It could just read “Yarmouth: On the Edge ________” and leave the rest to the imagination.
I’m still laughing. Good one Rafuse.
“I love it,” exclaimed mayor Pam Mood, eyes darting back and forth looking at the expressions on everyone’s faces. Beads of sweat formed on her brow, as she slowly backed towards the room’s exit.
What’s with the two little spikes on the “M” in “Yarmouth”? Cryptic design work, or sloppy design work?
Devil horns.
Also, I’m told that the real reason apostrophes aren’t used in place names is more pragmatic than you might think and it goes back to cartography. An apostrophe on a map could look like an island or something else, so they have been left out to prevent confusion. It’s entirely possible that this also made its way into place signs and things as well.
Or even more pragmatic – computerized GIS systems don’t have an apostrophe option, so they get dropped by default.
Interesting–didn’t know that.
Despite the monster storm, snomagedon predictions (don’t the weather stations love it?!) it is raining here in Pt Pleasant Park at 9.30 am Tuesday!
Raining again!
Monster lizard isn’t so tough, looks like.
That Yarmouth logo is so bad, it makes the new Halifax identity look like it was created by Paul Fucking Rand.
I agree Jeff. I had to look twice. I didn’t realize it was a logo at first. Very odd with all those balls and angles flying about. The Halifax logo is taking me a while to get used to. I may never embrace it. I’ll just wait for them to change it again.
I’d love to sit on one of those committees that dream these things up just to observe what what must be a weird process..
I thought it was a parody of the Halifax one. That all NS communities were rebranding now that Halifax is. That would be funny.
It must be the new catchword to sell politicians and make money off of.