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Today, the term ‘mafia’ has dark and negative connotations; however, it wasn’t always the case. It was created to defend the weak and the ones in need. However, the Mafia’s goals shifted over time, and it entered another world. The Beginning The Mafia was originally created in Sicily. It is a small island south of Italy and it was historically invaded by many enemy powers such as the French, Spanish, Arabs, etc. Sicily saw the rise of capitalism in the 1860s when feudalism was abolished. Feudalism was an economic system based on land ownership. A lord was the owner of…

March 8th is International Women’s Day, which celebrates women’s achievements in the economy, politics and society, as well as the progress and importance of gender equality globally. This day was developed during the labour movements in the 1900s. The first International Women’s Day took place on March 19, 1911, in some European countries. This day was made possible because of the battles fought by many women to ensure equal gender rights for future generations. As a result, there are four distinctive waves of feminism, where each brought something different to fight for and furthered  the feminist cause. Allow me to…

From the first phonographs and gramophones to your headphones, music has always had an important place in our lives, whether we play an instrument or we listen to it on full-on blast in our AirPods. Not only is it entertaining but it also has important impacts on our brains. Pump up the jam Multiple studies have been conducted to prove the beneficial power of music with neurological degenerescence and diseases like dementia, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s. Nikki Haddad, a Brigham and Women’s Hospital resident in psychiatry, elaborates on a previous experience while she visited and played music for patients in hospitals…

The tattoo industry is reported to have made 1.75 US billion in 2021 and is believed to grow to 3.55 billion in 2029. However, a dark side of the tattoo industry is emerging as well. In 2020, following the #MeToo movement, women denounced sexual abuse by their male tattooers in the #TattooMeToo movement. Many women shared the sexual assaults they experienced. Many learned an important lesson: never go to a tattoo studio unaccompanied. Historically, sexual abuse has been wildly accepted as a part of the tattoo industry without many questions being asked. It is not widely spoken worldwide because it…

With the rise of veganism and vegetarianism as dietary options, the almond milk industry expanded greatly over the past few years. In 2018, it was discovered that the almond milk industry had grown 250% in the previous five years and reported 11 billion in profits. On average, an American eats 2 lbs of almonds each year, thus giving 2.3 billion almonds annually. The increasing popularity of almonds puts pressure on the system to produce more.  Bees pollinate almond plants, and an industry grew around this newly established association. At first, beekeepers would live modestly by trading beeswax and honey. It…

            As an avid reader and book nerd, I love reading every genre of books. Well, every genre except romance (and self-help, but that’s not the point). Therefore, please understand my bewilderment when every other Bookstagram and Booktok recommendation is a romance novel. Or my surprise when I found out that romance is the genre that makes the most revenue in the US (1.44 billion $ to be precise). I was at a loss for words, so I thought I would do a little research to find out the reason why romance novels are so popular. After doing some reading, I…

Valentine’s Day is a popular holiday worldwide. Each country has its different version of St-Valentine. Ghana - National Chocolate Day On February 14th, it is not only love that is celebrated but chocolate as well. This tradition started in 2007 when the government created it to attract more tourists. Special talks, exhibitions, and menus are developed throughout the country to celebrate this occasion. South Africa - Lupercalia Women pin the name of their crush on their sleeves. This tradition bases itself on the ancient Roman pagan festival, Lupercalia, a violent celebration hoping to vanquish wicked spirits. Bulgaria - The San…

Mirror Je ne m’excuserai pas De t’avoir crié dessus D’avoir prié un dimanche À la déesse des infidèles Pour voir ton estime sur le crucifix Tu ne mérites aucun pardon Pour mes hauts et bas, too little ups Unbalanced rage, presque bourré Debout, but in thousand pieces Car pourquoi le faire? When I am you. ——————————————— Vidange dans l’arrière cour J’en donne trop De cette saleté  Within my heart Méchante rareté Car aucune politique de retour  One day empty Reste plus qu’à pisser.  ——————————————— PDA First love at sight RCR dans les bécosses Une catastrophe J’en suis témoin Pris entre…

*Submitted to The Lions' Log anonymously* I’ll be the first to admit it, I'm not a party person. As much as I've tried to convince myself otherwise or as much as alcohol has made me do wild, wild things I have never been and will never be a “partier.” I mostly conform to the nerdy type of person who loves, and I mean loves, going to Staples and bookstores.  This time, I wanted a change. I just turned eighteen a couple of months ago and had never been to a bar or nightclub. I then figured, “Why not? Maybe I…

September was the Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Suicide is a subject that needs to be tackled with great care as it is a mental health-related issue. It is the second leading cause of death among youth and young adults between 15 and 34 years old (Government of Canada).  Each year, the cegep trains fellow students to become gatekeepers who are there to help their struggling peers. Here follows an interview between the Lions’ Log and Aurélie Veilleux, one of the 8 gatekeepers in our school, to learn more about the cause and the role of a gatekeeper. Here are the…