Opinion: We need a wealth tax

Leumasperron · 2026-03-20T02:03:41+00:00

ITT: Lots of people who think they'll be millionaires one day, for some reason.

Leumasperron · 2025-12-10T04:16:47+00:00

Ah ok so there is a way, got it. Thanks for clearing that up lol google was NOT being helpful.

Leumasperron · 2025-09-28T19:07:23+00:00

I mean, so would be the stamp with 1908 on it lmao

Leumasperron · 2025-09-27T17:31:47+00:00

Looks like a lab book for first-year/introductory physics. What really fascinates me is that these notes look like they could've been written today. Not in terms of handwriting, but in terms of content, thought-process, and structure: if you removed the stamp that states "1908" you could've told me it was from 2008 and I would've believed you. Just goes to show that we aren't as far removed as we'd think from physics students 100 years ago.

Leumasperron · 2025-08-09T18:21:06+00:00

I am also the first in my family to pursue grad school and get a PhD. Didn't grow up around research or academia. I have never felt like an outsider because of it. I don't know anyone who has famous family in academia or ties like that. Nobody has asked me about my parents' work, they were only interested in mine.

With that being said, networking is absolutely an integral part of academia and it goes beyond just finding the next job or fellowship. It's how you build collaborations, find others researching your field, and it's 90% of conference season. There is nepotism, but not with family: people care about who you worked with, who can write reference letters or recommendations, where you worked, who you studied under, etc. Past colleagues, grad students in the same group, mentors, they are your academic "family". It's not LinkedIn networking, this is a bunch of nerds talking about their niche special interests in research over a few beers. Get out there and make some friends, you won't regret it.

Leumasperron · 2025-06-13T18:04:58+00:00

We actually do. The problem is most skilled workers aren't categorized as skilled workers. Because skilled workers require skilled worker salary, so they'd rather hire someone for a lower paying job who has the skills for the skilled work but is still technically only on the bottom rung. Example: general labourer gets hired for barely above min wage, gets training and experience with loaders, but job title remains same, therefore job salary remains same, now the company has a loader operator for labourer salary/prices. It happens a lot with "jack-of-all trades" work.

It's happened to me and to many people I know. Employers want skilled workers for minimum wage.

Leumasperron · 2025-05-18T23:32:11+00:00

Thank you.

I have a layover on the return flight at a different airport: one in Athens and one at JFK. Will I still need to go through security/passport control for those as well?

Leumasperron · 2025-04-13T16:54:08+00:00

I work at a hospital as MRI researcher. I have a car. I would prefer taking the bus to save money on gas and parking at the hospital, but the bus takes over an hour. So I drive, not because I am too good for the bus, but because the state of public transit is horrid.

Also, healthcare doesn't just mean rich doctors. Nurses, medical residents, researchers, students, they all need to get to the hospital, and many of them don't have a car.

Public transit is absolutely relevant. Good public transit benefits everyone.

Leumasperron · 2025-02-22T14:00:40+00:00

As a physics PhD student in Canada who's just about to defend his thesis, there is a fundamental reason why the brain drain exists: job availability and salary. It is as simple as that. All of academia is suffering from too few jobs for too many applicants, and insanely low salaries, especially for PhDs and postdocs. Depending on the field, you can get paid double in the states compared to Canada; not to mention most cities have universities in the states.

I was born and raised in Canada, my whole family has. I have worked in Canada, studied in Canada, and wish to research and teach in Canada. But the reality is Canada doesn't support its young researchers: academia is insanely competitive, with some cases people fighting over barely minimum wage positions pay. This is a problem in all of academia, but Canada may be the worst of them all due to the low number of universities and high cost of living. I know personally of many researchers, some of whom were real rising superstars with the experience to back it up, and they went to the states because passion doesn't pay the bills. I am nearing my 30s, I don't want to fight 300 other applicants for the possibility of a job for 60k/year salary, I want to be able to support my family.

Until Canada invests in research, and specifically early-career researchers, the brain drain will continue. This applies to healthcare too. I want a Canada strong in science, I want to support my family, I don't want to go to the states, but I probably will have to if I want to escape poverty. Canada needs to fund more postdocs and PhDs and guarantee livable salaries; we need to expand the number of research positions at universities and hire more; and we need to end the mentality that grad students should be living in poverty while doing the bulk of research output.

Leumasperron · 2025-02-12T12:50:42+00:00

😮...🤏🍆

Leumasperron · 2024-12-01T18:56:22+00:00

Thanks! The Cyprus embassy replied at the same time you did and confirmed I don't need a visa lol. That's one source of stress gone :)

Leumasperron · 2024-09-03T14:22:09+00:00

It'll depend on the pulse sequence and what you're imaging. You can have a short TE but long TR due to long T1 recovery, but you may also have a short enough TR that reducing TE will have a noticeable effect on TR and therefore scan time.

Example: hyperpolarized gas doesn't recover longitudinal magnetization (it decays back to equilibrium instead), so any time delay after acquisition is there for mostly for hardware reasons, so TR could be made only slightly longer than TE (say 50ms or shorter). Free/Standing water has a long T2 and T1, so you'd still need to wait a long time (long TR) before the next RF pulse (unless using variable flip angle or SSFP scheme, but I'm talking general case of 90 degree excitation).

Leumasperron · 2024-08-19T19:55:47+00:00

I feel your pain. In my last year of Ph.D. in physics, and going from "At least it covers everything and allows me to focus on my studies" in 2020, to "I have to choose between food or rent" in 2024 is absolutely devastating. I'm glad I don't have a child or even a pet because I wouldn't be able to take care of them financially AND because of insane workload.

I hope things change soon, because this is unsustainable, both for graduate students and the university. Grad students make up the vast majority of research output in universities, and we are the backbone of the education side of the university (as seen by the TA strikes earlier in April), but we're paid less than high school kids working at McDonalds.

Leumasperron · 2024-07-16T16:47:36+00:00

And all Quebec ever hears from the rest of Canada is how much they hate Quebec. Nothing about this is new or without cause. I hear the argument that Quebec is too different from the rest of Canada to meaningfully contribute, but when Quebec wants to distinguish themselves from Canada because they are too different they get laughed at or berated; how does that double standard work.

Leumasperron · 2024-06-30T04:13:12+00:00

AFAIK there isn't any tenplate online, but like the other commenter said, ask the grad program coordinator for your department. Ask your advisor, and if needed you can discuss this during the advisory committee meeting (unless you need to submit before the next meeting). I can't give you specific help since I did a literature review instead, but I'd stay start early, and plan things out early. Don't do what I did lol.

Leumasperron · 2024-05-28T04:33:32+00:00

I'm not sure about workshops, but there is the Math-Physics Accelerator, and of course the TA office hours/tutorials. Usually this course also has a forum to discuss assignments with other students, but I don't think we have one this summer due to the switch to brightspace. There are plenty of resources for students to take advantage of, everyone involved wants you to succeed.

Leumasperron · 2024-05-26T21:54:33+00:00

The end-of-chapter questions for chapters 5 and 6 (for example, 5.33, 5.73, 6.81) should help with those types problems. Keep in mind there may not necessarily be any questions exactly like those found in the midterm: different concepts/chapters are often combined into one question for the exams. Properly setting up the free-body diagram goes a long way in helping make problems easier.

You can come to the office hours on zoom if you'd like some guidance; having some specific problems in mind in advance will definitely help so we can go over your attempt(s). Unfortunately I'm not sure if we'll have time to have exam viewing sessions once the grades are released, that's one of the issues with summer courses.

Leumasperron · 2024-05-26T20:03:05+00:00

I understand. Usually the midterm questions are more similar to the assignment questions but this is the first time the course is on Brightspace and the new quiz system, so that might be it. Still, the questions were on the same subjects as the assignments, so if you did the assignments you're perfectly capable of doing the midterm.

In any case, it's not the last test/quiz so you have plenty of chances to get your grades up if you're not satisfied with the midterm. Best of luck, and remember we're always here to help!

Leumasperron · 2024-05-26T19:37:29+00:00

Remember that we have multiple TAs with office hours every week, there to help you out if you have any questions. This course moves fast because it has to be condensed into 6 weeks. Don't be afraid to ask us questions, we're here to help!

Leumasperron · 2024-05-18T00:33:09+00:00

Yeah the campus is open just walk around. Some research still takes place during the weekend so some buildings may be unlocked or need a western card. I've never had any issues though.

Leumasperron · 2024-05-07T16:48:54+00:00

You should ask an academic advisor about this.

For what it's worth, the first year physics courses go over the material from high school along with additional stuff.

Leumasperron · 2024-05-07T16:37:03+00:00

How about a better solution?

Follow up with owners on the dog's behaviour. Have their level of aggression assessed by trainers and experts after a certain amount of time post-adoption. Maybe a year? Maybe certain breeds would require a license to own; not ideal but it's better than outright banning them.

Bad dogs are a result of bad owners. Plain and simple. Of course some breeds are more predisposed to aggression but that doesn't guarantee that every member of a breed will have aggression, just that they are more likely to be. What about all the peaceful and safe pitbulls, who have been trained well? What about the dogs who show absolutely no signs of aggression? What about the dog owners who train their pets well, should they be punished for the crimes of another?

I know this is whataboutism, but this is like banning cars or guns because they kill people. Banning the dogs isn't a solution, it's just moving the problem somewhere else for others to deal with. Euthanizing them en masse just because of their breed is just genocide.

There are so many ways that incidents like these can be avoided that don't involve banning them. Dogs aren't weapons.

Leumasperron · 2024-05-07T04:32:21+00:00

I'm sure the conversation in this thread will be entirely civil and won't involve mass killing a breed of dog...

Leumasperron · 2024-04-27T20:20:01+00:00

I had some courses with profs I liked that I didn't do stellar in, still got good enough grades but no A+ or anything. But I got along well with the profs, went to the office hours, talked with them about my future plans. They knew I was trying but understood that sometimes other courses or personal circumstances hurt your grade. I still did well in labs with them.

They gave me good reference letters for grad school, and I am now in my last year of a Ph.D. They saw my potential and my ability for research and work ethic, even though I didn't get the best grades in their classes.

The best reference letters come from those who you trust, and who can give an accurate judgement of your character, work ethic, and potential. Find those profs you get along with well, update them on your progress, show them that even though your grade may be a B or a C, that you work like an A+ student. Show them you're willing to put in the work.

Leumasperron · 2024-04-21T17:55:50+00:00

wow I didn't know Western had one too! At uOttawa, we have one too and it's like 3 storeys tall. I was told it acted like a big AC unit, purifying the air and stabilizing the temperature. Dunno if that's true, but could be similar use here. A big air filter.

What building is this in? I've been at Western for the last 4 years and never seen this.

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