A few years ago, The Gazette newspaper in Montreal ran the entire text of a judge's ruling on strip clubs, with the legal reasons why they should stay open. It was fascinating. Like many non-lawyers, I rarely see legal judgements in their entirety and appreciated reading the argument. For this issue, the McGill News asked a core of alumni judges for their most interesting cases. A broader array of themes, I argue, would be hard to find. Not enough women, you say? Well, not for lack of trying. Women are just making inroads into the judiciary and some we approached did not reply. On the whole, we received more cases than we could publish, but we thank all who made submissions. And special thanks to McGill Law Journal editor Mary Pat Cormier who, while undergoing minor contractions in the eighth month and 27th day of pregnancy, reviewed a number of the French-language cases with me. Her daughter, Emerson Cormier Wayland, was born a few days later.

Our news story this issue concerns the state of McGill's professoriate in light of anglo angst. After the first draft, several readers asked that we highlight the positive aspects of Montreal. After all, Montreal was ranked as one of the best cities in the world to live in. Or was it? It was hard to turn rumour into fact. Finding the good news about Montreal took numerous trips to the library and about 50 phone calls. Sure, it was easy to find the bad news . . . but the good news? We tried, tried, and tried again.

Finally, we got our hands on two reports. In 1995, a company which sells information to businesses for their expatriate staff, the Corporate Resources Group Ltd, examined 125 cities. In its Quality of Living Rankings, Montreal was third in North America (behind Vancouver and Toronto) and 10th in the world. All cities were compared to New York with 100 points. Montreal scored 104.88, just behind worldwide leader Vancouver at 107.33.

Just five years earlier, the Washington-based Population Crisis Committee ranked Montreal as the most livable city in the world, tying with Melbourne and Seattle-Tacoma. Montreal received a score of 86 out of 100 points.

Furthermore, the Greater Montreal Convention and Tourist Bureau points out that Montreal is the "gastronomy capital of Canada," second to New York City on the continent, according to the Canadian and American Automobile Associations. Meanwhile, Montreal proves to be the most popular convention site in Canada, third in North America after New York and Washington, and 13th in the world. That's the good news about Montreal--the McGill News is pleased to save you the trouble of trying to find it yourself.

Our other good news is that a demure yet effective blood scientist works in our midst. McGill's Dr. Thomas Chang is the acknowledged inventor of artificial cells, as well as other lifesaving innovations. Journalist André Picard interviewed Dr. Chang for the story in this issue. "This is the typical Canadian story," he notes. "I saw 350 people come from around the world to hear Thomas Chang speak, but locally we ignore him." He notes that an American scientist received widespread media attention in Canada when he spoke about applying just a portion of Chang's research. Picard comments, "Sometimes, we can't see greatness in our midst. Chang's discoveries have been incremental and ahead of our time." The McGill News is pleased to profile this distinguished scientist.

And finally, welcome to our worldwide issue. Some 120,000 copies will find their way to all reaches of the globe.

Funding comes from McGill University through the Alumni Association budget, from advertising revenues, from The McGill Twenty-First Century Fund, and from the interest on the McGill News Endowment Fund. The McGill News is sent to graduates of the last two years, and to anyone who has made a donation to McGill in the last two years. If you are not currently receiving the McGill News, please seriously consider making your annual donation to the McGill Alma Mater Fund or to the McGill News Trust Endowment. Then you'll be reading along with us for the next two years.