User authentication, the process by which the identity of a person is verified, often relies on what the user knows (a password), what the user has (a card or physical key) or what the user is (a fingerprint). Password authentication is prevalent and widely used by modern applications and systems, making strong passwords important as they provide a higher level of security and decrease susceptibility to identity theft.

Calgarians can now do something that they haven't been able to do in decades. They can ask people who they voted for and expect an answer other than "I didn't vote." Some estimates are putting voter turnout at 50 per cent. No doubt this is partly due to mayor Dave Bronconnier choosing not to rerun but it's also because mayor-elect Naheed Nenshi made this an exciting election.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel recently declared that the policy of multiculturalism in Germany has "utterly failed." This comes as many European countries are dealing with the tensions and difficulties resulting from immigration and immigrant populations combined with current economic hardship.

Jeff Toth just finished his stand-up routine on stage and sat down across the table, looking a bit dejected. His set didn't quite take off the way he was hoping.

I'm sitting at the back of the room at the Elbow River Casino Yuk Yuk's watching local amateur comics strut their stuff. It's a charity show for the summer amateur program run by professional Calgary comics Marcus Beaubier and Donovan Deschner, the latter also sitting at my table.

University of Calgary philosophy student and high mage Jeffrey Muller astounded classmates this week with his ability to magically reshape a once mundane class topic into an incredible creation of his own design.

Last week, a typical class lecture on the writings of Immanuel Kant was swept up in sudden blast of mysterious energies, which sources say originated from Muller, leading to the remainder of class time focused on unrelated anecdotes and observations from his own life.

Brandon Beasley's column on "The poverty of New Atheism" [Sept. 30] slammed us for not coming up with a "viable, fulfilling worldview." Of course we haven't! Atheism just means you do not believe in a god or gods. Period, end of sentence. Secular Humanists, devout Jains and even some Hindus can all call themselves atheist. If you want a viable worldview from a simple label, you likely expect your toaster to drive you to work.

The University of Calgary will soon boast a new centre promoting the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual and queer community on campus. The new Qmunity opens on Nov. 3, providing a safe space and resources for the GLBTQ community and their allies on campus.

The Qmunity centre's mission is three fold, according to program coordinator Kris Schmidt.

University of Calgary alumnus and former Students' Union president Naheed Nenshi captured 40 per cent of the vote Oct. 18 to become Calgary's next mayor. Many are looking at the youth of the city as partially responsible for the record turn out of roughly 53 per cent of eligible voters.

SU vice-president external Hardave Birk said he's not surprised by the turn out and support of students. Birk organized advance polls in MacEwan Student Centre which he said were a great success in getting the campus community engaged.

Lab Coast/Extra Happy Ghost is the first of a series of records featuring Calgary bands by the label Saved by Vinyl. Overall, experimental noise is the main river of sound, leading off into auditory tributaries of poppy surf rock, mournful shoegaze and over-indulgent psychedelia, all coexisting underneath a fog of ever-present distortion.

"Don't judge a book by it's cover" goes the common english axiom. But what about CDs? In the case of Late Nights and Candle Wax, Jamie Carricks first album, you could get away with it. The cover, much like the music, is cute, soft and minimal. The music is full of white space, as Carrick feels no need to fill in the blanks between guitar notes and vocals leaving the rest to the imagination. Keeping it simple and mellow works for the album.