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Volume 20, Issue 5 overtheedgenewspaper.ca

October 30, 2013 ote-newspaper@unbc.ca

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News

Free Trade across the Puddle Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Left) President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso (Right) BBC World News

red tape. From an economical and political standpoint, this move is likely to be beneficial. The EU is Canada’s largest trading partner behind the United States, putting it at our second largest trading partner in total.

Nicole Halseth News Editor

F

ollowing in the footsteps of numerous similar initiatives around the world, Canada and the EU have signed a free-trade deal that has been in the works for some time now. The purpose of the agreement is to bolster growth and employment within both areas.

At a recent meeting in Brussels, Prime Minister Harper and European Commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso, put together the agreement.

According to an article on the BBC website, Mr. Barroso claims the deal represents a "breakthrough in negotiations" to achieve "a great

agreement for both the European Union and Canada."

However, before the agreement is actually put into place, it must still be ratified by the parliaments of each EU member state. As such, it may be some time before citizens on either side of the Atlantic start to feel any effects.

Once it is approved, the deal is set to make investing and selling between companies in both Canada and any of the EU’s 28 member states much easier than it has been in the past. It will do this by reportedly lowering tariffs, streamlining regulation, and decreasing

According to the article, Prime Minister Harper claimed that the agreement is "the biggest (trade) deal our country has ever made." It will reportedly open Canada to an aggregate market potential of 500 million people in the EU. This is a landmark value, as it makes this new agreement bigger than the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) signed with the US and Mexico.

It will also reportedly greatly benefit the EU economy. According to the European Commission, the deal is expected to increase annual bilateral trade in goods and services around a fifth of what it is currently, to 25.7billion euros ($35billion; £21.7billion).

This new agreement with Canada is part of a larger initiative spearheaded by the European Commission to negotiate trade agreements with over

80 countries around the world, on behalf of its member states. This comes after the collapse of the last major round of global trade talks in Doha.

Though this free-trade deal may benefit Canada and the EU economically and politically, freetrade deals around the world have been controversial since their origin.

Certainly, the North American Free Trade Agreement has spurred countless rounds of debate and disagreement since it was created in January of 1994. Much of this disagreement comes from the effects of free-trade on the citizens of each country involved. Though it may be a positive move politically and economically, the social effects of such a move are difficult to measure and may not always be positive.

Though it may not impact you directly, the ripple effect of free-trade in all its forms disseminates throughout the country in the prices and availability of goods, among other things. In the next decade, this new free-trade deal may become increasingly significant.

US Government: Back in Business Nicole Halseth News Editor

U

S government employees are flocking back to work in the hundreds of thousands, after President Barack Obama signed a law to end the 16-day government shutdown and extend the US debt limit.

This deal came just in the nick of time, mere hours before the US was set to default on its debt and run out of money to pay its extensive bills.

According to an article on the BBC World News website, Obama said that “there are no winners”

emerging from the situation, but that the US would be able to “bounce back” nonetheless.

This measure follows 16 days of government shutdown after Congress could not agree on a budget. Under this measure, which was approved in Washington, the government is funded until 15 January 2014, and the US Treasury’s borrowing authority has been extended to 7 February. This buys the US some time to hopefully resolve some of their outstanding issues.

The deal does not, however, resolve the initial issue that so fiercely divided the two political parties in government (the Republicans and the Democrats). A distinct faction of the Republicans initiated the budgetary disagreement, and consequent shutdown, as a way to pressure the

government into stalling Obama’s healthcare reform (aka ‘Obamacare’).

Despite their objections, this healthcare reform went forward. Instead, according to an article on the BBC website, this deal “establishes a crossparty committee of legislators tasked with crafting a long-term budget deal and reporting back to Congress by mid-December.”

In an article on the BBC World News website, “Mr. Obama thanked congressional leaders for their help ending the government shutdown and raising the debt limit, but said both had ‘inflicted completely unnecessary damage on our economy.’”

Additionally, President Obama goes on to say that “the American people are completely fed up with Washington," and "how business is done in this town has to change." He stated that the focus of politicians should be on the economy and creating responsible budgets.

Particularly, President Obama had this to say about the Republicans who

initiated this shutdown on the basis of the aforementioned policy and budget disagreement: "Go out there and win an election."

Though the shutdown has ended, it has been forecasted that it will have cost the US economy billions of dollars.

Additionally, though government workers affected by the situation will receive back pay, many were still severely impacted by the delay in their salaries.

The shutdown also had additional effects, such as: denying tourists and visitors access to national sites of interest, delaying various medical research projects, as well as delaying official paperwork such as visa applications, business permits, wedding certificates, and safety inspections. As a result of the far-reaching and varied nature of the shutdown, it may be some time before the full impact can be assessed, including its impact on Canada and the Canadian economy, if it can be at all.

News

Nicole Halseth News Editor

Early Remembrance in Prince George

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t is getting to be that time of year again: a time for remembrance, commemoration, and reflection.

This process sta rted early in Prince George this year, as cadets in the Rocky Mountain Rangers 2618 placed Canadian flags by graves of veterans in Memorial Park Cemetery on 19 October.

According to an article on the Prince George Citizen website, these flags are meant to “commemorate the service of Prince George's veterans ahead of Remembrance Day.” In the article, Cadet Master Cpl. Jordan Morrell had this to say on the matter: “It means a lot to me. It reminds us why exactly we do what we do," and “it brings us closer to those who did sacrifice their lives. Some of us are pursuing a military occupation, so this is sort of special because of that."

The purpose of the flags goes beyond this as well. According to Officer Cadet Gary Archibald, it is especially important to remind the younger generations of the sacrifices and

Tyson Kelsall Culture Editor

contributions of Canadian soldiers and military personnel as veterans from the Second World War and the Korean War are growing older, and may not be able to speak about their experiences first hand for much longer.

Additionally, in the article, Archibald states that “it brings up their awareness

are buried there after doing service with the Canadian military. The cadet corps is also expected to take part in the Remembrance Day parade this year, as well as participate in other Remembrance Day events.

This early act of commemoration

Rocky Mountain Rangers 2618 place Canadian flags by graves of veterans Prince George Citizen

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of part of what the cadet movement is all about. Some of the younger cadets don't have a feel[ing] of what remembrance means," and “anything we can do to improve that is good."

For some of these cadets, placing flags on the gravestones had additional meaning, as members of their families

touched more than just the cadets who placed the flags. According to Memorial Park Cemetery caretaker Linda Wilson, the cemetery is happy to help with honouring residents of Prince George who have given so much for their country. In the article, she states “we get some people who come and

look for markers [of veteran's graves]… we feel it's important that people don't forget."

Remembrance Day in Canada means a great deal to many people, for any number of reasons. For some, it is a personal connection through a family member who served, for others, the various wars in which Canadians fought and touched their lives in other ways. There are those who cherish this day for its evocation of national pride, and others who like it simply for the festivities. Though we may not know individual's reasons for engaging with this day of remembrance, the fact that it means so much to so many people means that it too, cannot be forgotten or disregarded. The efforts by these cadets mark the start of a public process of commemoration, and are appreciated.

If you wish to engage more with Remembrance Day this year, local ceremonies will open at 10 am at the Prince George Civic Centre, followed by a parade to the Cenotaph at City Hall.

BC Ban on Doctor-Assisted Suicide Continues

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controversial topic at best, physician-assisted suicide will continue to have an outright ban in British Columbia after the province’s Court of Appeal affirmed the law on 10 October 2013. One year ago, the late Gloria Taylor won a breakthrough case in BC’s Supreme Court where it was stated to be unconstitutional that assisted suicide was made illegal. The ban, according to Justice Lynn Smith, was discriminatory against people with physical disabilities in relation to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In other words, it was impossible for Miss Taylor to end her own life, as she was suffering from ALS (Amyotrphic Lateral Sclerosis), while an able-bodied person could. Gloria Taylor herself passed away from an illness before needing the aid of a doctor.

The federal government immediately appealed the BC Supreme Court ruling, and it was sent to the BC Court of Appeal. The federal government claimed that the law against assistedsuicide helps to protect vulnerable people, and in the end, the Court of

Appeal agreed in what was a very tense decision. At this point, the case is expected to make its way to the Canadian Supreme Court.

In 1993, the Canadian Supreme Court was brought a similar case from Victoria-resident Sue Rodriguez who, like Taylor, suffered from the effects of ALS. It was also a very close decision, and ended with a split 5 to 4 rejection.

Some argue that having an absolute ban causes more suffering to the patient. Currently, it is legal to commit suicide, but illegal to have aid. So, the worry becomes that people with ALS and other disabling diseases could try to end their own life, but fail to do so and put themselves in a situation of more suffering. Also, with such strong regulations without loopholes, at least one person, Kay Carter, has flown to Switzerland to legally have her life ended. Rodriguez considered travelling down to California, but in 1993 the state proposition to allow assisted-suicide was struck down, and so she stayed in British Columbia and focused her energy on putting an end to the law there. From this viewpoint, perhaps the solution is to offer

some protection, but in severe cases where the individual feels helpless and the medical observations are in accordance, it could be opened up for discussion.

On a more critical level, those who want assisted suicide argue that it is ultimately the decision of the individual should they wish to end their life. They question whether it is reasonable for others to make that decision, and they support people like Taylor and Rodriguez who were unquestionably living a life of misery once the effects of ALS started to take over their lives.

On the other side of the argument is the opinion that it would give doctors too much authority, as well as potentially opening up the door to interpretations of appropriate times to enact the right-to-die. One advocacy group against assistedsuicide, the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, argues that, “depression is the most common factor in requests for assisted suicide. Depression can be diagnosed and treated successfully.”

It is also often brought up that miracle recoveries sometimes occur; so in that sense, assisted-suicide is on the same

playing field as homicide, and currently Canadian law agrees with that, making no clear distinction between euthanasia, suicide, or homicide, but only the reasons behind how it occurred. Lastly, some religious groups oppose assisted-suicide because it goes against their faith. For example, ‘pikuach nefesh’ is one of the most important rules in Judaism, it means to ‘save all life;’ according to the Torah each individual life is seen as having infinite value regardless of the wishes of the patient.

Currently in North America, there are three states where it is legal: Washington, Oregon and Vermont. In Canada it will undoubtedly remain hotly contested for the foreseeable future. In British Columbia, it has certainly been a turbulent case, where assisted-suicide went from finally being legal, to being repealed within a year. Is it a progressive stance to give people power over their lives, or will the deregulation cause more harm than good? Tell us your opinion on Facebook at Over the Edge Newspaper.

Tyson Kelsall Culture Editor

‘Mincome’ A Possibility in Switzerland

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n Switzerland, a grassroots citizens’ committee collected the 120,000 plus signatures needed for a referendum about a guaranteed livable income for all Swiss adults. A Guaranteed Livable Income (GLI) is a social assistance payment to all the working poor and unemployed people, so that they may reach the poverty line and be able to afford their basic needs, and possibly a little more depending on the ideologies behind it. The number being proposed is 2,500 Swiss Francs per month, which at the time of this article, translates to 2,850 Canadian dollars.

In comparison, the basic welfare amount in British Columbia for a single adult is $610 per month, and someone living on welfare is only allowed to make a maximum of $200 or else they lose all support.

The idea of a GLI has been debated in North America ever since the end of the Second World War. In 1974, Pierre Trudeau’s Liberal government and the Manitoba NDP ran an experiment in Dauphin, Manitoba. In Dauphin, a town that had relatively low economic status, the government gave all the

poorest citizens a basic income that matched the poverty line for four years, which ended up being approximately 1,000 people. The belief that people would work less without an economic incentive was strongly challenged by the Dauphin experiment, where equal or more work was done, except for in two segments of the population: new mothers and teenagers. Of course, the economic assistance freed up the mothers to look after their newborns and allowed teenagers to attend school. Hospital visits dropped by 8.5 percent during the four year experiment; in a system with universal healthcare, as in Canada and Switzerland, this is a direct benefit to the taxpayer. It all came to a quick end when a nasty recession hit Canada in 1978.

The idea was based on several different theories; however, many supporters of GLI look to Henry Ford’s situation in 1914. Ford decided that he would double the wage for his assembly-line workers from $2.50 a day to $5.00. This had a tremendous effect for his business. Not only were his workers happier and more likely

to stick around, they also had more money to purchase Ford’s vehicles. As Ford said himself, “It is not the employer who pays the wages. Employers only handle the money. It is the customer who pays the wages.” By keeping experienced workers around, the productivity of his manufacturing plants increased, meaning more buying power for all consumers on a macro scale.

Famous economist, Milton Friedman, (popularly known for his studies in freemarket and neoclassical theories at the Chicago School) also believed in a sort of basic income. It was in a different form, called a “negative income tax” (NIT). In brief, this system would work by having the population send their taxes to the IRS, if they fell below the amount needed for their basic rights, the IRS would send them a cheque to fill that cavity. For example, if the GLI was $35,000 per year and somebody made $29,000 they would receive a $6,000 dollar payment. According to the theory, it would cut some of the cost of providing welfare because of the infrastructure already being in place, as people must already fill out

News 5

income tax forms each year.

In British Columbia, the concept of a GLI was introduced in the 2013 election. Jane Sterk and the BC Green Party came out saying that they would initiate a commission to look into the best ways of implementing a GLI if they somehow won the election.

Adrian Dix and the NDP proposed doubling the amount of income you could receive while on welfare to $400. If combined with welfare, a single person could then make $1010 a month. However, employment would still not be guaranteed.

In Switzerland, democracy is more much direct than in Canada, and it is much easier to start up a citizensbased referendum. For example, on 24 November 2013 the Swiss will also vote on something called the “1:12” initiative. This will be a type of maximum wage that executives will be bound to; they will only be allowed to pay themselves monthly what an average employee makes in a year if the policy is voted in.

Nicole Halseth News Editor

M

ove over Vancouver, it seems Toronto is carrying the dubious honour of being the most reputable city in Canada.

In spite of making headlines recently for their wayward mayor, Toronto has been named the second most reputable city in the world. This is somewhat surprising as bigger cities typically do not do very well in the rankings. For example, New York was ranked 21st, while Beijing come in at 82nd.

Toronto falls just under Sydney, Australia, which managed to get the top spot as the most reputable city in the world. This study was conducted by the Reputation Institute; a consultancy firm that recently polled 22, 000 consumers via online interviews between January and February of

2013, in countries belonging to the G8. Obviously, the limited polling scale limits the integrity of the results somewhat, but Toronto nevertheless gains international fame for its ‘good reputation.’ This fame will likely come with a boost to the city’s tourism, trade, and foreign investment.

Just last year, this title was awarded to Vancouver after the Institute named it the most reputable city in the world.

However, this year, Vancouver has fallen to number 14 on the list of reputable cities. Montreal also made this list in the 18th spot, right before Amsterdam.

The list of criteria used for judging the reputability of a city in the study included such considerations as: economy, appealing environment, and effective government. Under the category of the economy, considerations include: production of unique and well respected products

torontopedia.ca

Good Reputations and services, whether or not leading companies and corporations make their headquarters there, and whether it is business friendly with the potential for stable, future growth.

Under appealing environment, considerations include: physical beauty of the city, as well as a variety of available experiences, and the arts and culture scene. In the last criteria, effective government, considerations include: whether the city offers a safe environment to all residents and visitors, as well as political structure, institutions, policies, and infrastructure. Whether the city is run by well-respected leaders also falls under this last category. Given the recent press notable leaders of Toronto have garnered, the results are even more surprising. Toronto must be an exceptionally beautifully and economically prosperous city.

The full list of the top ten most

reputable cities in the world, as per this study, is: Sydney, Toronto, Stockholm, Vienna, Venice, Edinburgh, Zurich, Florence, London, and Copenhagen.

The Institute also expanded on its rankings. Toronto is apparently the best city in the world to work in, the second best place in terms of where people would want to live, and the seventh most attractive place for investment.

It was not, however, in the top ten for places people would want to visit. That predicted boost in tourism can not come soon enough, apparently.

If Prince George was included in this list of reputable cities, there can be no doubt we would place exceptionally high. Given where Toronto has managed to land, Prince George would do very well indeed.

Congratulations Toronto!

Opinions

Fighting With Fire For Water

Tyson Kelsall Culture Editor

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he title to this article is possibly pre-emptive, as the details are still being smoothed out over which member of which group torched the six RCMP cars in Rexton, New Brunswick, traditional Mi’Kmaq territory. It does not really matter though, either a Mi’kmaw warrior set them ablaze, risking their life and many liberties to protect the land and water over allowing a fracking operation to develop; or, it was caused by the RCMP side, meaning they did it to discredit the peaceful protests which had been happening. The core of this story remains the same: there was a group of peaceful protesters fighting to safeguard their sovereign land and demand consultation (a legal right that is constitution-bound) until a group of 60 or more heavily armed RCMP officers descended on the encampment with intentions to raid it while wearing riot gear.

There is a video on the internet, pulled together by the activists and comedians at www.ShitHarperDid.ca, showing the RCMP officers pepperspraying and shooting ‘non-lethal’ bullets at the protesters. It is titled “The last 48 hours tell us a lot about the next 2 years in Canada.” There are some key points about this situation stemming from the possibility that finding shale gas in the area would lead to fracking by a company called Irving Oil. Irving Oil is a company based in Houston, Texas, meaning that when the tax funded RCMP marched down to the Mi’kmaq blockade to disperse its members, it was doing so for the sake of a foreign investment.

Our national police force came down with the intention to protect foreign interests and fracking over clean water and a group of First Nations people of Canada. Fracking is a hugely contested method of resource extraction. Fracking takes up an incredible

Andrew Vaughan | The Canadian Press

amount of water; some communities like Barnhart, Texas have literally run out of water due to this practice. On top of that, it is done by an incredibly dangerous method of making the earth crack while shooting chemicals (many unstudied ones) underground. Although the sides of a well hypothetically protect groundwater, if there is a single break then the groundwater is instantly contaminated. There are many other potential issues that have yet to be researched.

Some have said that what has happened at Elsipogtog has been building up for a long time. The Canadian government continues to ignore Aboriginal rights and acts as a colonizing body. Just last week during the Speech from the Throne, it was said that “[Pioneers] forged an independent country where none would have otherwise existed.” A couple of days after the incident, Premier Alward pledged to continue to develop a shale gas industry in the province of New Brunswick. Last year, the uprisings of Idle No More swept the country. We saw the appalling living conditions of people in Attawapiskat. These are the big events, the ones that get attention, but they are hardly the tip of the iceberg. What about Fort Nelson First Nations in Northeast British Columbia who have had to deal with shale gas

exploration non-stop over the last years? What about Harper’s continued support (including monetary support) for the Northern Gateway pipeline crossing mostly over First Nations’ land (and vehemently opposed to by many bands)? What about the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation’s fight against tar sands expansion as their land continues to be irreparably degraded? The Beaver Lake Cree versus the tar sands in court? The Unist’ot’en Camp that has removed Pacific Trails Pipeline workers? The list goes on, and it certainly makes one wonder whether these First Nations’ bands that are standing up are having their land exploited primarily as a form of oppression, or, if they are the only ones who care about the planet and future generations, either way, their right to consultation and land rights are being thrown right out the window.

Consultation? Land rights? In most disciplines of the Canadian educational institutions, we do not learn much about these things, instead we learn to celebrate the so-called ‘pioneers.’ Enshrined in section 35 of the Canadian constitution of 1982: (1) The existing aboriginal and treaty rights of the aboriginal peoples of Canada are hereby recognized and affirmed.

(2) In this Act, "aboriginal peoples of Canada" includes the Indian, Inuit, and Metis peoples of Canada.

(3) For greater certainty, in subsection (1) "treaty rights" includes rights that now exist by way of land claims agreements or may be so acquired.

These were even more strongly enforced come 1990, in the famous Sparrow case, where it was stated that, “The constitutional recognition afforded by the provision [35.1] therefore gives a measure of control over government conduct and a strong check on legislative power.”

This does infer that the Mi’kwaq were not only standing up for the land, which is something I look up to them for, but also for a right afforded to them by the Canadian government, before the riot squad came in. What is going on in Elsipogtog is certainly not over; forty people were arrested, and reinforcements are coming for both the protesters and the RCMP. What happens over the next week will certainly tell us a lot about what will happen over the next few years as finite resources become more scarce and as clean water becomes more of a commodity than a basic right. It tells us a lot about our governments’ taste towards First Nations’ rights. I certainly hope that when resourcebased corporations start looking beyond treaty and non-ceded lands, non-First Nations people also stand up for the future. Moreover, I hope that non-Indigenous people stand by the communities currently on the front line before it gets to that point.

Culture

Notes from the Edge of Europe Jedidiah Anderson Contributor

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sit in a Lutheran church, reconstructed in the 1950s after the Nazis shelled and bombed northern Norway in their retreat southward from Soviet forces.

The Russians are seen as heroes here, the only place in Europe where they invaded and then left, retreating back to Russia as promised. A large statue of a Russian soldier with a hammer and sickle emblem at his feet towers over the Norwegian community of Kirkenes.

Located above the Arctic Circle, the community has been attacked by a storm all weekend. Granular sleet, hail, snow, and freezing rain drops are

carried by the wind until the streets are covered in a slick ooze of ice and slush.

As the bells begin to ring for high mass, they are accompanied by the scream of angry winds whipping through the open portals of the bell tower. The sun already sets well before 4pm here and it is dark outside. A young priest stands with his back to the congregation, which includes 70 Norwegian preteens awaiting Confirmation after spending the day fund-raising for dementia prevention and care. A host of tall white candles at the altar flickers and dances as the Arctic winds howl in the spaces between solemn church bell tones. The organ booms and drowns out the wind.

Later, as I walk home under a nearly full moon and the first clear sky in days, I pass by numerous little wooden homes, all built after the war and painted in an array of colours. As is typical in Scandinavia, small glowing lamps or white candles glow in nearly every window to lend a cozy charm to the winter night. It is quiet except for the occasional crow or ship horn in the distance, and the shadows of thin spindly trees dance over the white icy ground.

While I may be in Norway for research, it is evenings like this that will stay with me long afterward.

How to Get Away with Trick-or-Treating in Your 20s automatically, your dog can always leap up on the candy giver, knocking the candy bowl out of their hands, and spilling it all over for you to grab. Just make sure you are a fast runner, for you may have to make a quick exit.

Laura Mooney Arts Editor

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alloween: a day specifically dedicated to going around knocking on strangers’ doors, dressing in outlandish costumes, and begging for massive amounts of free candy to gorge yourself on in one single night until your belly is about to burst.

Halloween is clearly the best holiday, if not a contender for the best day of the year. However, if you are unfortunate enough to be over the age of 20, Halloween is not supposed to be for you. More and more, Halloween is being targeted for younger kids, with costumes for infants only a couple months old now available for purchase.

What about us adults? Sure, we could go out and buy a bag of candy, but where is the fun in that? So for those of you that wish to experience the joys of trick-or-treating one last time, here is a detailed list on how to get away with it when you are in your 20s.

1) Have your costume as something that requires a ton of makeup and a

bulky costume, this way no one will be able to tell how old you are. Try a clown or a mime. Maybe even Cher in her later years.

2) Go out with a huge group of friends. I am talking massive. If you all swarm the door quickly the people handing out the candy will do so in such a panic they will not have any time to question you on your age. Just make sure you do not trample any children in the process.

3) Borrow a friend’s baby. Not a young child, it must be a baby, and it must be cute. That way when you take it door-to-door, people will fawn over its adorableness and hand out extra candy just because they think you created such a miracle of nature. The added bonus is you won’t even have to share you profits because, I mean, who actually gives candy to a baby.

4) If you cannot borrow a baby, try taking a dog. Anything cute and fluffy will melt the hearts of even the most judgmental ageists who come out on Halloween. If this does not work

5) Pull the classic “placing shoes on knees to look smaller” trick. Every time you go to a new house get down on your knees while placing your shoes on them to appear as though you have magically transported back to your childhood height. This trick works best with a robed costume and a mask, that way face is hidden and your legs are covered, since a pair of disembodied legs sticking out from the back of your “feet” may be a dead giveaway. If the homeowners are not fooled, then maybe your desperation will give them a good enough chuckle that they will simply hand over the candy.

6) When you knock on the door, instead of saying the traditional “trickor-treat,” sing Christmas carols. This will cause people so much confusion they will give you the candy just as a bribe to get off their doorstep and never come back.

7) Tell people you have a very rare illness that causes you to age uncontrollably. You are actually only five and your parents told you that the only cure was to consume mass amounts of sugar one night every year.

This should guarantee a pity chocolate bar or two.

8) Whenever someone opens the door and makes an age comment, ask them why they are not out trick-ortreating with you because they look so

fabulous and young they could pass for a teenager. They will be so flustered and flattered by your comment they will hand over a handful just for your quick wit.

9) Pretend you are from a foreign country trying to learn about Halloween in North America by immersing yourself in the traditional candy collecting ceremony. If this does not work, try speaking another language or act like you do not know any English. You will receive bonus points if you stand there looking confused until they hand over their entire bowl of candy just to get you to go away.

10) Finally, if anyone refuses to give you candy because you are too old, break down and cry. There is nothing more terrifying than a stranger in a costume crying on your doorstep, and hopefully they will give you candy in a nervous attempt to cheer you up and send you on your way.

So there you have it! A couple of possible ways to get your own free stash of candy this upcoming Halloween, no matter how old you are. It gets more and more difficult the older you get, so you may have to up the ante after a while, but if these helpful tips can aid you in your first ever experience with trick-or-treating in your 20s then you are well on your way to being a pro. Just remember the most important thing, no matter how old you are, you are never too old for candy and dressing up. Happy Halloween!

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Culture

Heart of the Rockies

Tyson Kelsall Culture Editor

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t is easy to understand why people might be craving some sensory stimulation and fresh air while living and studying in Prince George.

The smaller town has its benefits: a tightly knit community, low traffic, and everything being close by, but it also has its drawbacks, and sometimes there is not much happening. With the two closest big cities being 739 and 786 kilometers away, respectively, sometimes the drive can be too draining to really enjoy a short trip down to Edmonton or Vancouver. That is why it is important not to forget about a small gem that is only a 4-hour drive away: Jasper, Alberta!

In between Prince George and Jasper there are not many townships, except for the village of McBride and Tête Jaune Cache. A small community of roughly 650 people, McBride sits on the edge of the furthest inland temperate rainforest in the world.

Needless to say, the combination of hills, long stretches of farmland and the forest create a picturesque, eyeopening landscape.

Tête Jaune Cache lies at the juncture of highways 5 and 16. The Fraser River runs along the small, unincorporated area of nearly 500 people. Tête Jaune shares its namesake with the

alternative title for Highway 16; it is French for “Yellow Head” and was named after a famous IroquoisMétis fur trapper and trader, Paul Hastination, who happened to have blonde hair. Historically, Tête Jaune was a more vibrant town of 3,000 people, but many of the economic devices have slowed down, or come to a complete halt.

Soon after comes the entrance to British Columbia’s Mount Robson Provincial Park, and on all sides there is a great view of the mountains; while looking forward you will see Mount Robson itself, the highest point in the Canadian Rockies, which stands at nearly 13,000 feet.

Entering Jasper National Park means paying a toll of $19.60 per vehicle per day. Although it may seem expensive, it goes towards keeping the National Park of Jasper in pristine condition. A place as large, natural, accessible, and legally protected as Jasper National Park is indeed a rarity. The most affordable places to stay in Jasper are the hostels, which offer beds for under $30 per night. In and around Jasper there are many hikes to enjoy, including Maligne Canyon, Pyramid Lake, and the Mount Edith area. For wildlife fiends, there are bighorn sheep, elk, mountain goats, black bears, wolves, and moose often wandering around.

The most invigorating and refreshing

Tyson Kelsall | OTE

attraction might be to take the sky-tram to the peak of Whistler Mountain. The fresh mountain air, the great views of Jasper National Park and the walk to the summit will undoubtedly make you feel renewed after a long stretch of being in the city.

In the town itself there are many shops and restaurants. Although the population of Jasper is quite small, it is very concentrated and there are often many tourists. Throughout the spring, summer, and fall, the local shops will likely be packed with people. There are also a number of pubs, nightclubs, and bars which are open throughout the year. In the winter, Jasper offers a whole array of winter sports, including alpine skiing in Marmot Basin, which opens mid-November each year. There are many routes to snowshoe and

cross country ski; there is an ice walk through the canyon, and even a few dogsledding companies.

If you have the time, there are a few notable stops along the highway, including a well-maintained trail through the Ancient Forest 110 kilometers from Prince George, which is organized largely by a local hiking group, the Caledonia Ramblers. There is also a 20-minute wheelchair accessible boardwalk. Additionally, there is Sugarbowl-Grizzly Den Provincial Park, which includes a trail to a cabin at Raven Lake, amongst other hikes. On dreary weekends, when things start to feel a little stagnant, you do not have to go far from Prince George to get a taste of something a little different and reinvigorating.

Marijuana Reefer-endum: Provincial Pot Campaign Lacking Support Tyson Kelsall Culture Editor

T

he legalization of marijuana has been a hot topic in British Columbia since its neighbour, Washington State, decided to legalize it last November.

Since then, the organization Sensible BC has amped up their campaign for a provincial referendum to decriminalize adult possession of the plant. They started collecting citizen’s signatures at the beginning of September.

How it works: Sensible BC has 90 days to collect enough signatures or else the petitions are bunk as far as a referendum goes.

“Enough signatures” means roughly 335,000. However, these signatures must reflect at least 10% of people in each provincial electoral riding. So, no,

not all 335,000 signatures can come from Vancouver Island. Since Sensible BC started in September, the end date will be December. If they end up being successful there would be a referendum in September of 2014.

Historically, only one other grassroots petition has been successfully pulled off and that was the Anti-HST campaign led primarily by former Social Credit Premier Bill Vander Zalm.

After their first month, Sensible BC was approximately 15,000 signatures short of their self-identified target. In some areas they were on track, others they were faltering. Dana Larsen, the spokesperson for the group, told CTV that they are having some troubles in Prince George.

Critics of Sensible BC:

Many people are concerned about the fact that marijuana is not made illegal by provincial law. In fact, only the Controlled Drugs and Substance Act, a federal policy, restricts it. Sensible BC argues that the province can decide to not enforce the federal law and use police resources in a more ‘sensible’ way.

However, the cost of the HST referendum is said to have cost taxpayers roughly $8 million dollars as a stand-alone ballot, compared to the Single Transferable Vote referendum which tied itself to the provincial election and was said to cost somewhere between $1-2 million extra. The question becomes whether or not it is worth the monetary cost of only decriminalizing marijuana on a provincial level, or to wait until there is

an opportunity to make it legal through Federal policy.

Politics Around Prince George: On the provincial level, Liberal leader Christy Clark has been relatively quiet on the subject of marijuana, as has Prince George MLA Shirley Bond. Federal MPs Bob Zimmer and Dick Harris have been opposed to legalization; especially Zimmer who once tweeted that he is “against legalization period.” Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad has been one of the few Liberals saying anything on the issue, stating that it should at least be talked about. If you are interested in Sensible BC, check out their website: www.sensiblebc.ca. Let us know what you think about legalizing in BC on the Over the Edge facebook page.

Tyson Kelsall Culture Editor

O

n 16 September rallies were held across Canada to argue the government’s treatment of science and scientists. This was not the first display of displeasure from the science community, nor will it be the last as events continue to unfold. The popular expression is that scientists are being “muzzled” in Canada, and it has caught the eye of the international world, including criticism from an editorial in the New York Times, which ties in nicely to Canada winning the international “Fossil of the Year” award for the last five straight years for its inaction towards climate change.

Over the Edge spoke with Dr. Katie Gibbs, biologist, and Founder and Executive Director of Evidence for Democracy, the group that organized the “Stand Up For Science” rallies that occurred nationally in September.

OTE: Can you talk about your involvement with the Standing Up For Science rallies?

KG: After the “Death By Evidence” rally last June, we thought instead of having just one big rally in Ottawa, we could have it other cities as well.

So, we put a call out that we had this idea to have them all on one day. Our hope was to have maybe three or four, but the response was very positive. We ended up having 18 cities. Even on the day of the rallies we were getting calls about adding cities to the list. Personally, I sort of initiated them. There was the one in Ottawa, but I suggested having them across Canada; really it did require having local organizers. We were able to offer them supports: such as poster and press release templates, suggestions, sound systems, talking points, and sometimes money.

OTE: So, it was quite a bit more successful than you imagined at first?

KG: Yeah exactly, there is no way I would have expected 18 cities, especially the response from smaller cities. We initially thought that we would have Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver, Toronto and that kind of thing. But, it was really interesting to see all these tiny places like Salmon Arm, Fredericton, or Yellowknife, and I think that can be even more powerful.

There’s lots of talk about how the media and government almost expect protests to happen in these big cities, whereas in smaller towns they do not as often organize rallies. When they

Conservatives Versus... happen in these towns also, you see people concerned about their fellow community members, and not just issues happening in Ottawa, it really brings it home.

OTE: What would you say that Harper is doing so differently? I have noticed he’s the target of many of these rallies and slogans like “Conservatives muzzles scientists,” than the more recent Liberal governments?

KG: Yeah, well it isn’t just this government. Their policies are probably the worst that I have seen when it comes to science, but the Liberals before them made drastic cuts as well.

So we are really trying to make the rallies non-partisan, but the policies right now are really bad and we need to point that out. There are a few things, the first being the governments’ communication policy. Government scientists are no longer able to talk to media. So, before there were only a few science journalists in Canada and when they were doing a science piece, they could just call-up the government scientists. The policy has changed so that now, scientists have been told that they have to forward any media requests to a representative.

Sometimes, we’re seeing journalists never get called back, or getting called back one to two weeks later.

Getting an answer in two weeks is pretty much considered not getting an answer at all [for many journalists].

Sometimes they are permitted to do an interview, and a communications/ media minder will be on the phone as well. They will interrupt if they don’t like the question being asked, or they will cut off the answer if they do not like where the answer is going. We have also seen cuts from some really important institutions for gathering information, things like: the long form census, or environmental monitoring places like the Experimental Lakes Area. These are institutions that provide evidence that is essential to making good policy. Additionally, what we’ve seen is huge cuts to what we call “basic” or “fundamental” research. So, this is research that is sort of curiosity driven, research that is not trying to get to particular outcome. For people who are not in science this might make sense. However, it is not really the way science works. Looking back historically, many scientific discoveries that we use every day, like cellphones, MRI and laser surgery, etc. came from this basic curiosity-driven research. This is sort of

the way the mind works. We see much more innovation and success when scientists are given that free-reign to use their imagination, rather than trying to direct it somewhere. What we have seen is a complete gutting of funding for that type of research. The funding that remains has shifted completely to things like industry partnerships and that kind of research.

OTE: So, you talked about industrialpacts and also convenience – do you think that Harper is directing science heavily by his own ideologies? Are these short-term economic gain and resource extraction, things like this?

KG: Well, [Harper] has not been very secretive about wanting to turn Canada into a type of energy superpower and promote resource extraction in general. Certainly, some of the cuts we have seen have been towards environmental research and environmental monitoring. I do think part of that is pre-emptively avoiding any inconvenient facts that may arise.

My viewpoint is exactly that if we want to ramp up resource extraction, we actually need more research. We need to know the effects of certain resource extractions. We need to know the effects of a potential oil spill. The science will not tell you whether that is good or bad idea, that is really a value-based decision, but we need to know exactly what the consequences of that increased resource extraction will be. Where, we what we have seen is a complete gutting of it.

OTE: This denial of science: what do you think it means to slowing down or stopping climate change?

KG: Well, certainly the closing down of places like PEARL, a northern research station that monitors the climate in the north is a concern. It is just shocking that things like this are being shut down.

Most people seem to agree that climate change is one of our biggest concerns, especially in Canada and in the north.

OTE: You mention in Canada and the north it is a big concern, but when talking about climate change does it not become a global issue and not just a national one when talking about science funding?

KG: Yeah and there are two kinds of issues; one being actually doing science, and one being listening to the scientists’ findings.

I think other countries they do not

Culture 9 have the gutting of science, they may still have that other part of not doing anything with the science, whereas in Canada it is taking a step further and cancelling the ability to have scientific research.

OTE: Scientists are stereotypically known as introverts – geniuses doing their work in the lab – when is the last time scientists had to take this kind of action? Do you think it takes something serious for this to happen?

KG: I have not really heard about scientists rallying like this in Canada.

The last time I can think of is in the 1970s around Nuclear Proliferation.

Scientists prefer not to get involved; we are very passionate about research and it is a never-ending job. But we have gotten to a point where we’ve realized if we’re not going to stand up for it, then nobody is. We’re the ones doing the research; we really know why it is important to everyone and not just scientists. As an additional point, I really think the next generations of scientists are totally comfortable with it though. They are on Twitter, they are on Facebook, you know, they kind of have these communication skills. I think it is interesting how this dynamic, and this stereotype might start changing.

Since the end of the rallies work has began behind-the-scenes. Dr. Gibbs, along with other scientists are working together and speaking to people about what kind of policies need to be changed. Will Canada become a leader in climate science, or continue to collect its’ annual Fossil of the Year award? Will Stephen Harper and the Conservatives become more concerned about fundamental scientific research or just the type that in convenient for them? If past actions say anything, then probably not, but Katie Gibbs’ rallies and speeches have shown there is citizen support for evidence in our democracy.

Science Future Under the Magnifying Glass

Part 2: Teleportation

memory-alpha.org

Mani Samani Contributor

T

he word “teleportation” was coined in 1931 by American writer Charles Fort to describe the strange anomaly of disappearances and appearances, which he suggested may be connected. He joined the Greek prefix tele- (meaning "distant") to the Latin verb portare(meaning "to carry"). The idea is that some individuals are born with a rare innate talent; the mental ability to create a wormhole and use it to transport themselves (and other people and objects) elsewhere on the planet, for example, to the flat spot atop the head of the Sphinx in Egypt for a picnic or to the interior of a bank vault to make a quick withdrawal. The topic is connecting this fanciful Sci-Fi premise to the literature that preceded it, and to the real physics which are relevant to teleportation.

Teleportation is nothing new in the literature of religion. The New

Testament tells us in John 6:16-21 that, shortly after Jesus walked on the waters of the Sea of Galilee to join his disciples in a boat on stormtossed waters, he teleported the lot of them, boat and all, to the safe harbor of Capernaum, at the northern end of the Sea of Galilee. Later, in Acts 8:38-40, we are told that Philip the Evangelist, just after converting an Ethiopian eunuch to Christianity, was teleported from his location on the Gaza-to-Jerusalem road to the town on Azotus, about 15 miles away. Not to be outdone, the Quran describes the phenomenon of Tay al-Ard (folding the Earth), in which you raise your feet and wait while the Earth turns under you until you reach your desired destination. In Islamic believe, holy Mohammad teleported from Mecca to Medina (two major cities in Saudi Arabia) in the blink of an eye Within Science Fiction, teleportation forms a recognizable plot-device and theme. There are several popular

movies about it, and the most famous science fiction film about teleportation is Jumper, which is based on the young adult novels of Steven Gould. In the film, the creation of the wormhole is fast and almost seamless, but it leaves behind a “jump scar” that can be reopened by others, if they act quickly, making for tricky interactions between the teleporting “jumpers” and their ancient “paladin” adversaries. Other examples of this subject can be found in TRON, Harry Potter, The Prestige, and Star Trek.

Quantum Teleportation The most important part of this topic is the physics perspective, thus I talked to Dr. Erik Jensen, Professor and Department Chair of physics at UNBC: Do you think is it possible to transfer objects via network?

In reality, no, because the amount of

data required to transfer an object (even just a small little solid object) is huge. There is such tremendous data associated with it that it is simply inconceivable that amount of data transfer could ever happen; I mean that would be a kind of replication, and really there is no need to destroy the initial object. You can somehow read out that information and then take that information transfer and create a new object. The original object really would be like the duplicated one, because you cannot transport it itself. The idea would be you are transporting information about this state of the object to where ever you would like it to be. But even transfer of this information is an inconceivably huge number, because any solid object has such an incredibly huge number of particles in the atoms and because the atoms are so small and there are so many atoms in it, the amount of data to transfer is astronomical, it is not just an order of magnitude in it. Sometimes we

11 got used to this idea that these days’ computers are so much faster than they were twenty years ago. This would be such an incredibly huge amount of more data to transfer, and that means many, many orders of magnitude that is simply inconceivable for any technology we can think of now.

Is there any research about this?

People are very interested in this idea of transmitting the state of a very simple physical system from one location to another. So the demonstrations of the principle has been done, because if you do it for an atom or even a very small collection of atoms, literally a few atoms, then you can conceivably do this process for a few atoms; and that is what they demonstrated in labs. But once you want to scale it up to any realistic sort of finite sized objects that we could manipulate or even see, the numbers are so astronomically huge that you cannot even imagine that we built something to transmit that required amount of information, so it really puts a damper on the idea of doing it for anything that we think of as a normal object.

Is there any difference between solid objects and fluid objects?

In principle no, because you need to represent the information required of at the deepest level of every individual atom, but this does not represent the problem. The problem is more than that just because there are so many atoms in any object, so the state of this is really an issue. In other words, there are more mechanical issues about how you would assemble atoms in that way one at a time; because atoms are so incredibly small and the time that it would take to sort or meaningfully assemble a macroscopic object out of atoms is an incredibly huge amount of time, and industrially, we do not make things that way because it would be too slow to just think about one atom at a time. When we manufacture things, we do it in such a way that we are manipulating very large chunks of atoms all at once, and we do not worry about what each individual chunk is doing.

software engineer from Stanford University: What are the computational limitations of scanning and sending a creature’s information?

To have a scanner that can record the position of every atom in the body to accuracy of the order of the size of a hydrogen atom would require position accuracy of about 10-10 meters. To get that accuracy over a distance of order 1 meter, this would require 30 decimal digits, which would be about 100 binary digits per atom. However, there would be a lot of redundancy in this data, so let's be optimistic and assume you could compress this down to 1 bit per atom, so we still need approximately 1027 bits of data to just specify the positions of all the atoms in a human body. According to Wikipedia, the approximate data storage capacity of all the computers and storage devices in the world today is roughly 1 zettabyte = 1021 bytes = 1022 bits. Therefore, the data for the scan of one human would require at least 10,000 times the total storage of all the data stored on Earth right now.

The total traffic on the entire World Wide Web/Internet was about 31,000 petabytes per month in 2012. At that rate, it would take more than 3 million years to transmit the bits needed to specify the positions of all the atoms in the body.

Even if you can store and transmit this data and then store it again at the destination, you still have the problem of scanning the original body and constructing the final body. The scanning of the body will probably have to be destructive since you need to essentially take the body apart to get to the inner atoms of the body.

So you had better be able to do the scanning in a very short period of time or the person will die during the scanning operation and you will end up reconstructing a dead person at the destination. Finally, you cannot take a long time to construct the body at the destination since the early parts you construct will die while you are finishing the construction of the later parts. It is safe to say that this method of teleportation is, for all practical purposes, impossible.

Network Teleportation There are a lot of difficulties from the computer science perspective. These limitations are described on quora. com by Frank Heile, a physicist and

Human Teleportation Above all, in terms of DNA and biological objects

the problem of teleportation is more complicated. This question is answered

by Sebastian Mackedenski, Dr. Chow H. Lee’s Biochemistry & Molecular Biology graduate student at UNBC: Is it possible to scan and duplicate human bodies with respect to DNA? Teleportation of biological material is inherently going to be complex.

At the protein and DNA level, there is data in the form of atomic coordinates, oxidation state, and even the surrounding solvent that must be stringently maintained to retain proper function of nature’s tiniest machines.

Consider that cancer is a result of genetic mutation, and even small changes in DNA can have disastrous health implications at the organismal level. Accuracy of every individual atom placement and even electron placement is therefore paramount to successful teleportation. Furthermore, biological macromolecules often cooperate together in multi-unit complexes or in connected pathways, necessitating nearly instantaneous materialization of all the "parts" in a pathway, let alone an entire living organism. Imagine putting together a person organ by organ, how long do you have to teleport the heart after you teleport the brain? Rapid Nanoscale 3D printing offers some hope for this beloved sci-fi tech, but practical restraints in speed, accuracy, and data bandwidth (every atom needs a set of coordinates) at the extremely long distances that would make teleportation useful, make it unlikely

that we will see the canonical Star Trek "beam me up" style teleportation any time soon. However, perhaps the saving grace of the idea of teleporting biological molecules is that they inherently gain complexity by automatically folding from a linear sequence of DNA/RNA nucleotides or protein amino acids, into a regular 3D structure with precise atomic coordinates, a natural sort of information compression.

While the classic concept of teleporting an object across space involves making it seemingly disappear in one spot and re-appear in another, perhaps the definition needs some relaxing.

DNA sequencers are machines that can decipher or "read" the genetic code of organisms. Entire chromosomes have been sequenced and can be read like a book as a series of A's T's C's and G's. On top of that, DNA synthesizers already exist, machines that can make custom DNA molecules of any sequence. So if the objective is to "beam" a DNA molecule of a certain sequence and size to another location, simply reading a genetic sample in one location and emailing the sequence to a synthesizer elsewhere will effectively produce the desired effect. Let’s take this one step further biochemistry labs habitually engineer bacteria to make useful proteins such as insulin based on the gene DNA sequence. If a sequenced, emailed, and synthesized DNA molecule was inserted into engineered bacteria at a distant location, then we now have complex proteins showing up at the destination. This may be a farcry from a complete human being, but it’s a start.

In summary, it is very safe to say that there is no method for teleportation of human bodies that could possibly work or be practical in our universe. Sorry, Star Trek fans...

The

Feature

Kelley Ware Finance Manager

H

alloween is upon us and it is just about time for everyone to get dressed up and become something they are not for a night. For children, it is more the candy and less the costume that is important. For adults, costumes are the integral part of Halloween.

Outside of classic horror movies, costumes are what Halloween is truly about. However; there is a dark side to this tradition. This dark side is not about the blood, fear, and horror that come with Halloween. It is about the “sexy” costumes and the associated problems that may come with these costumes.

For women, the process of buying or creating costumes is a little more complicated and comes with less options than their male counterparts’ experience. For a man, it is simply a matter of finding something or creating something that they would like to wear. The world is open to them and they are full of options. Unless they decide on obnoxiously phallic-themed costumes, there will be absolutely no problems for them on Halloween.

For women, however, the issue is a little more complicated. The creation option is still very much open to them, but there is a definite change in the store-bought options. For the women picking up a pre-packaged costume, options are either incredibly revealing or comically oversized–-likely as a

Skin & Guts: Objectification, Rape Culture, and Slut-Shaming on Halloween backlash against the former. There is little middle ground, and the sheer volume of the former grossly overweighs that of the latter. Chances are, if a woman picks a store-bought costume, she will show up to any party or event in one of these “sexy” costumes.

The movie Mean Girls has the line: “Halloween is the one day a year when a girl can dress up like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.” Sexy and slutty Halloween costumes have been accepted as fact. It is just what happens. Everyone does it, so there should be no problem.

There is even a historical precedent for this. Halloween is seen as a time to break loose of societal bonds for a night. As Jenny Brock on the website Policy Mic writes “The historical precedent would be the sexy costumes at masquerade balls, which were wildly popular from the 18th and 19th century on… Respectable women would wear pantaloons or short skirts and milkmaid outfits when they went to costume parties. At the masquerade parties in London, you had costumes with a degree of body exposure.

You also had artists' balls — in Paris especially— where you had revealing costumes and some nudity, so this trend is nothing new.” Despite it being historical tradition, many still see this as problematic for several reasons.

There are many that argue that society has a tendency to objectify women.

This can be seen in film, music, television, and advertisement.

Halloween is no different. Looking at the differences between male and female costumes makes this point glaringly obvious. The Tumblr blog, with a mouthful of a name, F*** No Sexist Halloween Costumes reveals this double-standard quite well. On this blog male and female versions of the same costume are placed side by side. Picture after picture a man is shown fully dressed in some type of costume and the woman is shown in a sexified version. The most alarming one was a Scooby Doo that has the man in a hooded onesie while the woman wears a short, cut-out dress with paws on it; a mummy costume is shown that had the man in a horror-themed costume, complete with a scary mask, next to a woman with a bandaged strapless outfit (which could barely be classified as a dress) with bandage stockings to match; there is a tigertheme which lets the man get away with a Tony the Tiger costume while the woman has little more than furry booty shorts with a tail attached, a furry bra, and cat ears.

Another aspect of this double standard is when men decide they do want to show some skin themselves. For a man, if they decide to do something overly revealing it is usually considered humorous; like it is nothing more than a joke. When the film Borat came out, there were guys who dressed up in the infamous green mankini.

In this

Buzzfeed

VS.

case, even though it is clearly a revealing costume, no one takes it as overtly sexual. There is also the case of skin-tight spandex costumes. They leave nothing to the imagination, yet when it is on a man it is deemed acceptable. For a man, it is little more than a funny joke while a woman in a skin-tight suit would be seen as overtly sexual. I am not going to argue that men do not get objectified by society at all; that is clearly not true. However, they are not objectified to the degree that women are, especially in the case of Halloween costumes. The only type of costume that men may want to avoid is the previously mentioned “phallic themed” costumes. These are the costumes such as a Breathalyzer Test costume with a “Blow Here” sign conveniently at crotch level. Costumes such as these are seen as obnoxious and even offensive by some people, but there is still debate concerning them. Some would argue that it is a type of costume that really should be avoided while others would argue it is nothing more than harmless fun. It is important to note as well that, while a debate exists around whether or not it is appropriate for men to wear these types of costumes, little discussion goes on about how these costumes devalue women, implying they are little more than blow job machines.

On Halloween, while men can

13 do whatever they wish, women are evidently meant to be sexy. Even prepackaged costumes that do not have the word “sexy” or “slutty” in the title still often have comparable hemlines to their sexy cousins. Worse still is what types of costumes are being marketed as sexy costumes. It is one thing to dress up as a sexy police officer or sexy sailor: they are at least adults (and people). People can be very sexy so these costumes being sexy make at least some sense. There has been a growing desire to be dressed up as something that is not inherently sexy and arguably should not be seen as sexy. These costumes include the childlike--in the case of cartoon characters or fairy-tales--and the offensive, such as sexy Muslim or sexy Nun. This is sexualizing and disrespecting something that should not be sexualized. The very epitome of this is the trend of dressing up as inanimate objects. There have been Sexy Chinese Takeout costumes, Sexy Hamburger costumes, and Sexy Hot Sauce costumes. This trend is a problem because, unlike the other trends mentioned here, it literally makes women out to be objects. The only thing more objectifying than actually making women out to be an object is forcing sexiness at the same time.

Many feminists stand against this. Jenny Brock also writes, “It’s horrific that when women dress sexy, some men see that as invitation to treat those women without a shred of respect, as if sexy automatically equals sexual availability. Sometimes it’s just about strutting your stuff. Not about closing the deal.” There is also an interesting catch 22 in this case. Halloween is the one night where women are expected by society to dress in slutty costumes, yet society cannot accept this. Society correlates “slutty” clothing with slutty behaviour, but it also encourages the former on Halloween while considering the latter shameful. In many ways, this creates a no-win situation for women on Halloween. Anyone who does not truly want to dress sexily feels pressured to do so, while those who want to feel sexy are demeaned and criticized.

This catch 22 and the correlation between dress and behaviour create another societal problem: slut shaming.

This is the degradation and mocking of women because she is expressing her sexuality. This implies that female sexuality is something to be ashamed

Gemma Correll

of, something distasteful. It also ties in with rape culture: that the girl gets what is coming to her because of how she is dressed. The strangest thing about this on Halloween is how some feminists react. Kyra Richards, writing for Buzzfeed, put it best; “I find it perplexing that critics of women who wear sexy Halloween costumes claim to support women’s rights and female empowerment on the other 364 days of the year – yet they chastise the women who have the gall to “go there” on Halloween.” Some people have it in their minds that if a woman dresses in a sexy manner, then she is clearly nothing more than a sexual being who “wants it.” Even in the case of a woman who is only dressed up like this for one night, some people decide that she has an “inner slut” that is just waiting to get out.

On the other side of the rape culture mentality rests the reverse argument.

Women should not dress up in sexy costumes because men cannot control themselves. Chloe Angyal argues on Thought Catalog that these viewpoints are blatantly regressive and puritanical.

For these people, the feminine creature is something pure, dainty, and precious, something that must be protected from the eyes and hands of men who cannot stop themselves from touching, groping, and raping, thus ruining the purity of society’s women. These

same people argue that they are defending society’s pure and innocent young ladies from feeling pressured to dress up as “filthy whores.” This act of costuming as something “sexy” is an act of degradation and should not even be considered, let alone committed.

These would be the same people that would argue that you cannot rape a whore. This is rape culture in its extreme, of course, with its victim-blaming and the “she was asking for it” mentality. It is no surprise that when these sorts of people hear of a sexual assault, the first thing they would ask is “what was she wearing?”

None of these viewpoints are truly right; rape culture, slut shaming, and objectification are all wrong in their own way. The first two place blame on the woman and the last places the blame on society. Each blames someone else. Yet all of them place blame somewhere, as though there is somebody to blame for peoples’ choice of Halloween attire. Costuming is a choice. Why should we blame anyone for a choice they make that concerns nothing other than their own bodies? Just because someone decides to dress sexy on Halloween does not automatically make him or her a slut. It does not mean they are asking for anything. Unless they specifically say otherwise, they do not want to have sex with the first person

they see. The reverse is also true. Just because someone decides to dress up in a costume that covers their whole body, even in one of those comically oversized costumes, it does not mean they are prudish. They are not boring or old-fashioned, they just simply want to wear the costume they want to wear in order to have a fun evening.

Halloween is one of the few days where it is socially acceptable to be someone else for a night. It allows you to step out of the self and pretend. It can be an escape--one that tends to be completely harmless. This has even happened historically. Masquerade Balls had women pushing the boundaries of conventional society for one night, because they knew it would be allowed. The next morning, they could return back to normal and everything would be fine. It is the same now. We need to acknowledge that if someone is making a choice--a choice which affects no one other than themselves--we have no right to judge or decide what is better. It is what they want to do and we should tell them no different. So, on top of the usual message of being safe on Halloween, I bring you one that will make Halloween parties more enjoyable for everyone involved: wear whatever the heck you want to wear and do not judge anyone because they choose to wear something different than you.

Arts

The Next Hollywood Hottie: Monster Edition

Laura Mooney Arts Editor

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ampires, zombies, and werewolves!

Oh my! Years ago, these fearsome beasts were the cause of nightmares and terrified screams, but nowadays it seems that Hollywood has taken the archetypal monster and turned them into something no one could have expected; a hottie. Over the past few years, movies have emerged featuring monsters as the romantic leads, causing hordes of affectionate devotees, onscreen and off, to throw themselves at the creatures, not even caring if they want to suck their blood or if they are decaying. From Edward and Jacob in Twilight, to R the zombie in Warm Bodies, more and more classic monsters are being transformed into the objects of men and women’s dreams. This causes one to wonder which monster might be the next to receive the Hollywood hottie makeover, and cause people everywhere to fall head over heels for a once feared beast. With a little imagination and the endless supply of classic monsters, the possibilities could make for some interesting leading roles.

Frankenstein’s Monster- A sensitive monster spawned from science that just wants to be understood? Sounds like a perfect romantic lead. Ladies everywhere would appreciate his heart melting sensitivity (probably the result of father/creator issues) and his need to find his true identity.

Frankenstein’s monster would be the

ultimate emo heartthrob, a lover not a fighter who is built like a linebacker but has the heart of a kitten. As his smitten lover, some lucky girl could spend her days helping him adapt to modern society by dragging him along to social events, or forcing him to talk to his father/creator to get over his Daddy issues, or even just spend endless days listening to his profound discussions about the meaning of life and human existence. Frankenstein’s monster is the perfect combination of manliness and sensitivity, making him an ideal choice for the next monster hunk. Just don’t expect a romantic night around a raging fireplace.

The Mummy- This angry royal monster from ancient Egypt would be the ultimate bad boy in monster movie hottie terms. Awoken from his tomb to find an entirely changed world where he is no longer relevant, it would take a bit of time to adjust to his new life.

At first people would be frightened of his oddities, like perhaps the fact that he would go to out in public still wrapped in his ancient bandages, but soon he would receive the 21st century makeover and turn into the monster hunk Hollywood knew he could be.

With the gross bandages out of the way, the ladies could see the Mummy for his true self, a rogue bad boy who is just a little bit mad at the world – I mean, who wouldn’t be after being locked in a tomb for a few centuries?

With a little persuasion though some charming girl would come along and

melt that petrified heart, allowing the Mummy to see just how great living in the new world could be. Who knows, maybe he will even invite her over for a sleepover in his sarcophagus.

Sirens- Let’s not forget about the female monsters too! As the ultimate femme fatales from Greek mythology, the sirens were beautiful women who would lure in men with their song, then proceeded to kill them. Of course, all this would be altered with the Hollywood hottie treatment. The siren would be the ultimate bombshell, having men falling all over her at the drop of a hat, but she would have to turn them all down, knowing that if these boys got too close, she would unintentionally kill them. This would be the worst fate when she naturally falls in love one day and must turn away the boy she cares so deeply for without him even knowing why. The siren would be the greatest challenge of all the movie monsters, but no boy could ever resist her charms, even if it meant death. Of course, that cannot happen, so chances are there would be a happy ending for the siren and her chosen victim, I mean, man, if this creature were to be the next monster hottie.

Aliens- While movies such as Starman or, more recently, The Host have touched on the subject of aliens as romantic leads, there is so much more still available to do with the genre of alien love interests. As with most monster lovers, it would be a fish out

of water story, but this time with the added element of knowing nothing about humans, and most likely not even looking like one. The alien could have crashed on earth with no way of getting back to his home planet, and now has to fight his way through daily life, all while hiding from the ever curious government. Using clever disguises to move around the city incognito, the alien could survive on his own for a while before running into the most beautiful human girl he has ever seen. All it would take is for this one understanding lady to figure out what he was and get him to reveal his true self; only through that would she fall in love with his irresistible, otherworldly charms. Turmoil in the relationship may occur when government agents, hellbent on picking at his brain, pursue the alien, but their love would conquer all, and the alien would go down in history as one of the most romantic monsters out there.

While the monster hottie may never live up to the average leading romantic man, they do give the romantic genre an interesting twist that seems to only be growing in popularity.

Whether your taste is more vampire or even alien, with the endless possibilities it looks as though monsters as leading lovers will be a permanent addition to the genre. Also, let us admit that it does make a relationship much more interesting when there is the constant threat of your boyfriend sucking your blood.

Dance of the Happy Shades Nahid Taheri Contributor

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his year, the Royal Swedish Academy’s Nobel committee awarded the Nobel Prize for literature to a short story author for the first time. This will hopefully emphasize the importance of the short story, since it is the first time that an author has received the Nobel Prize for the genre.

Everyone in our contemporary society is more or less always in a rush, and so the short story is more convenient to read than a long novel. Today’s publishers, who ignore short stories in favour of long novels, however, disregard this even though readers enjoy them.

Canadian author, Alice Munro, was this year’s winner of the Nobel Prize for literature and the Nobel committee referred to her as the master of the contemporary short story. She is one of the most important contemporary authors, and has been writing short stories for over sixty years. She is the thirteenth woman to win the Nobel Prize for literature, and she is hailed as the “Canadian Chekhov." Her stories are about human kindness, and most of them take place in her Ontario hometown. Since she does not like to be the center of attention, she rarely appears in media. She was even absent from the Nobel ceremony; according to a note published by the

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permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, she declined the invitation for health reasons. The Academy usually informs the winner half an hour before publishing the news but Alice Munro could not be reached for contact and was instead left a message. She received this prize not

for one particular piece, but rather, for the collection of her life’s work. Munro stated that she is no longer writing.

As an author, however, she published brilliant pieces, especially short stories, and did her best during her many years of writing.

Arts 15

tA s o L e h t f o r e

Rat Laura Mooney Arts Editor

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okémon is back and better than ever in the newest installment to the worldwide phenomenon of handheld games, with Pokémon X and Y versions.

With a whole new look and special additions to the game, Pokémon X and Y look to be two of the most successful and unique games in the series since the original Red and Blue versions, and it is a great addition to any Pokémon lover’s collection.

On par with every other Pokémon game, it begins with you playing as a young Pokémon trainer who is starting their first journey through the Pokémon region called Kalos, based off of France’s geography. Each young trainer gets a starter Pokémon of their choosing, either the fire type Fennekin, water type Froakie, or grass type Chespin. Each one has their own advantages and disadvantages that make them unique, your choice simply depends on your preference or, as

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with many Pokémon players, loyalties to a certain type. Once you choose your starter, you are off on your Pokémon adventure to battle gym leaders, train as many Pokémon as you can, and even save the Pokémon world from the likes of team Flare.

While the main play through of Pokémon X and Y is essentially the same as every other Pokémon game on the market, the game designers added in a few fun surprises that make X and Y stand out from the rest of the pack. First and foremost is the noticeable redesign to the game’s appearance. This is the first Pokémon game that has been specifically designed for the Nintendo 3DS, and the game designers expertly rose to the challenge of creating a game that would feature 3D elements. The game now has a freer feel as the character now has more control than ever before over how their character looks, including choice of skin and hair color, and has access to clothing store to customize what their character wears.

Besides character appearance, the setting now features even more three dimensional elements, such as being able to see background mountains or oceans in many of the towns, adding a more realistic appearance to the game.

Overall Pokémon X and Y are by far the best looking Pokémon games in recent history, and are showing that even a series as old as this one is still able to refresh its image and keep up with changing technology.

Next is the addition of the brand new mega-evolutions. While most of the Pokémon in the game have the standard two level or three level evolutions, Pokémon X and

Y introduces a whole new level of power to some of the game’s most popular characters. Pokémon like the classic Charizard and Blaziken are now able to temporarily evolve one stage further, unlocking hidden power to completely annihilate your foes. Not only do the mega-evolutions get some incredible boosted stats, they also receive stylistic makeovers, making the mega-evolutions even more exciting.

Other exciting additions include new, fun modes of transportation such as roller skates and monorails, new gyms each with their own twists and surprises, and new cities, some of which you could literally spend hours exploring. You can now get a real feel for city life by sitting down in a Pokémon café for a cup of coffee and a quick battle, or if you are the more stylish type, you can visit salons dedicated to making both you and your Pokémon beautiful. One other interesting element is the new sky battles. Trainers can now fight with their flying Pokémon high up in the sky.

The only catch is that once you are out of flying Pokémon, you have lost the battle, so for those who are not so fond of bird Pokémon, you may be out of luck.

Finally, and perhaps the best addition to Pokémon X and Y, is the introduction of the brand new fairy type. This type is exceptionally powerful and is a welcome addition to long time players of the Pokémon series, simply as a type that can finally stand up to those pesky dragon types.

While many of the older Pokémon seen in past games have been converted to a fairy type, such a Snubble or Jigglypuff, the game designers have created a few brand new fairy Pokémon, including a new Eevee evolution called Sylveon. This is the first time a new Pokémon type has been introduced to the games since steel and dark were introduced

in Pokémon Silver and Gold back in 2000, and just goes to show that the game designers still have a few tricks up their sleeves after all these years.

So while Pokémon X and Pokémon Y are typical Pokémon games on the surface, all of the new added elements make it feel as though you are playing something fresh and new, while still maintaining the familiar aspects of the classic game everyone knows and loves. It just goes to show that no matter how old you are, you can still enjoy the same games you did as a child, for they are changing just as readily as you are, almost as if the games themselves are growing up with the audience.

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Arts

A Hidden Obsession: Exploration of Furries

gawkerassets.com Laura Mooney Arts Editor

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ith Halloween just around the corner, most people are wracking their brains to find the ideal costume for whichever event they plan to be attending. While most people only have to deal with dressing up on one day a year, there is an entire subculture dedicated to wearing elaborate costumes on a sometimes daily basis. Furries, for example, are a unique branch of Geekdom who are interested in anthropomorphic animals; animals which exhibit human characteristics and emotions. This genre is still relatively new, but plenty of information has been gathered to gain a good insight into this group of people for whom Halloween comes more than once a year.

The Furry subculture was said to have begun at small sci-fi conventions in the early 1980s, but for the more dedicated fans it has been an ongoing argument as to when the genre actually came into being.

Some even argue that Furries go back to as early as the 1960s and 1970s, with the release of novels and movies like Disney’s Robin Hood and Watership Down paving the way for anthropomorphic creatures to gain a fan base. These days however, while movies and novels still have a place in Furry fandom, the members are more often creating creatures from their own imaginings. Many of the hand drawn creations contain human elements, ranging from the simplest additions, such as an upright fox in human clothing, all the way to animals drawn with muscles and other human attributes.

When asked what the draw to Furries is, most people would not have an answer. Ask a Furry and they will have a million reasons to explain why this fandom is the best. In a documentary entitled Furries: An Inside Look, filmmakers explore the world of the Furry, and what exactly it is that draws people in. The majority of the Furries interviewed for the film all had the same response. It was the way in which the animals mirrored human emotions, and finally being able to connect to a creature that for so long no one has been able to understand. Even if it is just your basic housecat, giving it anthropomorphic qualities enhances one’s relationship to the animal, bringing it to a whole new level. Now you could interact and be real friends with your pets instead of only having them as silent companions.

Many of those interviewed for the documentary said they fell into the Furry universe completely by accident.

They were the average kids who grew up watching cartoons like Sonic the Hedgehog and playing games like Starfox, both of which feature anthropomorphic animals. From there it became an interest in the artistry, and many began doing research on the Internet about art of this variety.

Many of the Furries found the fandom through a website called DeviantArt, where users can upload their own drawings on a public forum. For many Furries this was the gateway into the underworld of the Furry fandom, and was their first experience with the genre.

Soon, Furries began using the subculture and the anthropomorphized animals as a way of expressing an

alternate persona. By creating a “Fursona,” the artist emulates the qualities they believe they have, or they create one that embodies the qualities they wish they had. They can choose to be whichever animal they feel most connected to, while also choosing a more realistic animal appearance or going with a stylized, very human-like creature. The artist has complete control over what they want their Fursona to look like and how they want it to act, making the Furry culture one of the most unique and individual subcultures out there.

Of course the Furries are not alone in this world and hold yearly conventions all over North America, where over 5000 Furries from all over the world gather to celebrate their strange love. The conventions provide a place for understanding and open-minded Furries to get together and dress up as their Fursonas in a completely accepting and non- judgemental environment. Interestingly, Dr. Samuel Conway, the CEO of Anthrocon, the largest organized Furry convention in the world, is a graduate from Dartmouth who has his PHD in chemistry and became interested in the Furry subculture in the early 1990s.

This just goes to show how widespread the fandom has become over the years, and that it does not discriminate against anyone who may be interested in the genre. The conventions also often feature Furry comedians, and special guests who are all members of the Furry community themselves, enhancing the experience even more for those who attend.

The Furry fandom does not come without its hardships. Many of the

members experience bullying due to their interest, sometimes even having these closed-minded people attempt to crash the conventions simply because it is something different that they do not understand. In daily life, not many Furries express their Fursonas and instead choose to hide it. Those who choose to integrate it into their daily lives have experienced relentless bullying because they chose to wear a tail or a set of animal ears out in public. Many misconceptions about the Furry subculture that have presented themselves over the years only add to the negative view that is associated with Furries. Many automatically assume that to be a Furry means to be sexually interested in the anthropomorphic animals they create.

However, according to one poll about the interests of Furries, only a small fraction of the members expressed any sexual interest in the Furry creatures, and of that it was only a mild sexual interest – nothing extreme.

So even though the Furry subculture may have their questionable characters, for the most part they are just a group of people like any other, who simply show their appreciation for the creativity put into animals with human qualities. These people are all very talented artists and who clearly have immense imaginations that should be celebrated and explored even further. For those Furries who have not yet integrated their Furry lifestyle into their everyday lives, Halloween provides the perfect opportunity to get dressed up in their best Fursona costume, and wear it proudly for the world to see.

17

English Society Poetry Writing Contest Winner: “All Hallows Eve”

by Trina Johnson

Up to the eyeballs in gore of blood & guts, Pain slashed open, ripped out from gaping wounds, Inflicted by wickedness & horror, A veritable All Hallow’s Eve House of Horrors, Ghosts of Evils past, Screams flood halls, Wretched souls cling to walls & doors.

Rattling chains, Claws bared, sunk deep into wounds, Relentlessly clinging, Blood drips down the window panes, Moans escape from lips lying on the floor, In pools of tears & blood, Sweat dripping from skin, pale, hot & cold, moments of terror & pain.

Demon breath, Stench, seeps through cracks in the soul, Thick, low laughter fills ears, Wounded spirits quake, The chains slip, rattle, Sound hollow, empty.

Chill fills the atmosphere.

Then, in the midst The terror, shifts, The laughter dies on evil lips

Thank you to all those who participated, and congratulations also to second place short story winner Astrid Nicholson, with “On Both Sides”, and third place Devon Flynn , with “Undergrad” as well as second place poetry winner Katherine Douglas, with “Deteriorated”

18

English Society Writing Contest Winner:

“The Roommate”

by Laura Weisgerber

The filtered light from the streetlamp outside pressed through his curtain, casting a deep orange haze on the walls. Zachary lay awake in bed, listening to the silent shadows. In the surreal night of his room he thought about Cheryl. In the quiet, he could clearly imagine her smoky voice. His fingers curled around the blanket on his bed as he thought about the clothes she wore, about touching them. Touching her.

The image shattered at the distinct slam of the front door.

He propped himself up on his elbows and listened to the clunk of the deadbolt and the clamour of keys dropped on the floor. The newcomer grunted, as though carrying something heavy. The sound of footsteps grew louder in the hall. Light- faint light under the door. Probably the new tenant, doing something in the kitchen, trying to be quiet but failing miserably. None of his other roommates would ever be up so early.

Besides, he’d heard them go upstairs hours ago. Sammy had told him there’d be someone new moving into the house, but he hadn’t realized it would be so soon. Whoever it was must have arrived over the weekend while he was camping with Cheryl. The room next to his had been empty for so long he had become accustomed to the silence, and now...

He picked up his cell from the floor. The display read 2 am.

He texted Cheryl his idea for a Halloween costume.

go 2 sleep

He snorted. Cheryl and her helpful advice. Why was she awake anyway?

He lay back down and adjusted the covers to a comfortable level on his chest, listening to the drawers open and shut. Paper rustling. Water running. The footsteps traveled behind his wall into the other room.

Zachary’s hand had clenched over the phone without his realizing. He took a deep breath and focused on relaxing. He had to sleep if he had any hope of functioning later. He closed his eyes. It was then he heard The Voice from the new tenant’s room. He listened as it muttered softly through the wall, confident that no one was awake to hear it.

“When you look at a crowd you just see a blur. You see a crowd, no one more distinct than the other, no one the force behind the congregation.

If there is movement, the crowd moves as one. If there is stillness, then no one breaks it.

“I could pick you out of a crowd the size of Russia.

“Look at you; God, you’re beautiful. You know what I thought when I saw you? Potential. You, you beautiful thing, you have my full attention with this luminescent skin of yours. That smell, aah, I’ve smelled nothing like it. You...you and me, dear, we’re meant for each other. I knew it as soon as I saw you. You didn’t belong with all of them.

“In fact, I don’t think you’ve belonged to anyone before, have you? Me? Well, I’ve belonged to corporations too, who hasn’t? But I mean really belonging. Baring everything to another. No secrets. Knowing someone in and out.

“I haven’t recently, no. I hope to... soon.

“But, back to what I was saying—hang on, you’ve got some dirt right there. Right—hold still. There. See? I’m here for you. I’m going to take care of you, don’t worry. Isn’t this nice? We can just sit here you and me, enjoying the night and each other’s company.

“You look cold over there. I’ll come sit with you. Wow, oh just look at you. Beautiful. Your shape is completely mind-blowing.

“You don’t clean up very much do you? “No, not an insult. I just noticed... there. Dirt. Haha, no darling, I love being dirty. “But, dirty things have to stay on newspaper. I’m not joking. Do you think I want your filth all over my couch, my floor? Just look what you’ve done to my clothes. “Sweetheart, now don’t look so shocked. I know you- like I said, I can pick you

out of a crowd like that! “Because we’re made for each other. “Sit still.

SIT STILL. Don’t move. Stop! Oh. You fell. Look, look your skin’s bruised. That’s your own fault- I tried to keep you still. But you have to be quiet so you have to stay still. DON’T MAKE a sound.

“Sit quietly there. You’ll wait quietly. I know you will. I know what you are. I know your kind.

“This? Oh, I know it isn’t very soft—definitely not as soft as your skin— so smooth—stop! trying to get away. I think touching this skin is why I do this... So... so much potential.

“I just want to clean you up. There’s dirt on your body. It’s disgusting.

NO, no, I love you- this dirt though, it doesn’t show you off very well. I...

I want you to glow for me. Mmm. There- can you smell yourself? Can you smell this wretched washcloth? It scrapes it off. Did it hurt? I just wanted you clean. Don’t worry, I’m done. I tried to be quick about it. I always tried to be quick before.

“You know you aren’t going to leave. “I would never let you go- at least, not without making you up first. “It’s a washable marker, in case you’re wondering. Is purple alright? It’s the easiest to clean off. Blue always bleeds a little. Well, we want you to look your best. Oh, you’re beautiful already, but- oh and just being this close to- you’re intoxicating. “STOP. Moving away from me. Hold still. I’ll hold you still. It’s not very attractive you know when you try- when I have you down here and I’m trying to keep you still so I can make you up nice- and you keep trying to slip away from me. Rolling on the floor. Like an animal. In filth. Hold still. You’ll- I’ll make you stay still.

“You don’t understand. I have to do this. If you stay still it will only be easier. Easier for both of us.

“How should we make you look? Here. That’s it, turn a bit. This colour looks really nice. It compliments your skin tone. I’m almost done. Now for your mouth... there. There. That should do it. Let me just wash that smear- I’ll be gentle, I promise. I promise? There. There, you sat so nicely for me. You’re so good. No one will be able to ignore you now.

“I’ve been waiting for today all year. Well, every year. Every year I can’t wait to go out and find someone like you. And it’s always so thrilling when I find you- when you’re untouched, waiting for me, and I can touch you and smell you and taste“Heh heh, I’m getting ahead of myself. Getting ahead of you. “But you always taste so delicious. “I hope you like it here. Do you? The window has a nice view of the street. You’ll see that soon enough.

“I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve been feeling so lonely. Like I can’t breathe.

Like the air is meant for everyone else. I feel so disconnected... Well, you always help me reconnect, even if the method is simple. You understand? You’re meant for this time— this place—me—at this time of the year. You shine your brightest.

“That’s how I found you. And I’ll make you shine brighter. “Right. “Right, it’s getting late. Or, early. I work later today. “Come here.

“Come right here. And I’m just going to put back this hair... Now, I don’t want to get this wrong. You have to be really still, so, here, I’ll hold you.

You’ve been so good. Just a bit longer. I have to hold you really tight so you don’t move, alright? See? Like that, yes... Look at you... I’m so happy, so lucky that I have you here tonight with me. Now I get to see you- I’m going to know you so well now- you’ll be all mine.

“Ah! Aah! Ughhh... Uh, mmmm- yeah... Yeah. That was so quick. So easy- you didn’t even notice that- look at you. Sitting so still for me.

I’ve got my knife through your skull now. I’m going to reveal you. I’ll know you- Everyone will know. No one is going to take you for granted anymore. I’m going to make the world notice. Mmm, ugh, it’s always so hard, these first few cuts. I had a really good feeling that today would be the day, the night, I’d get to be with you. This knife is new—it’s really sharp—way better than what I had. It makes the cuts so clean. And fast. Before I would just hack my way through- oh, you would all get so messy. I like you clean- like this, like this.

“Mmmm, that smell. I’m going to get to see your insides. Feel you-mmm,

19 gives me goosebumps.

“Yeah, here we go. I love that crunch sound the knife is making, just as it breaks past your skin. You sound delicious. Oh I could devour you.

“Now we just need to get this off. Look, I’ve sliced you a crown. Here, I’ll just lift it off- take a peek inside.

“Oh, look at you. Look at you. You’re glorious. Mmmm, you’re so colourful inside. Ah, mmmm, you feel cold- this part, this isn’t needed. We can take out all of this slime. This gunk- it’s what made you part of thempart of the mass. But now you’re mine, and you’re new, and you don’t need this. Heh, look- you’re sticking to my skin, it’s drying so quickly. It will take time to wash my hands of all this. You’re dripping there- here, I’ll get it. So ripe. So ready. And you smell so raw.

“Where’s that spoon? Right. Gotta clean out your head. Take out everything. Scrape you hollow. Get to know you. Get to know the shape of you. Mmm, smells amazing. Let me just clean up your face. Can’t have your makeup smudging. How will I know where to cut later?

“Mmm, so smooth. “Wow, there’s a lot in here. I need more newspaper.

“When I’m done with you tonight, I’ll show you where you can stay. Yes. And then I’ll be able to see you whenever I want. But you know how it is. I can’t keep you forever. Not like this, as beautiful inside and out as you are. Then I’ll have to let you go.

Let the cockroaches run inside. I’ll have to put you where I’ve put all the others. On hallowed ground.

“Hahahaha.

“Right, now to make you more than what you are. I can improve you- recreate you. See? We need each other. You need me, yes, you do. I make you what you are. I am the only one who can make you special. Look at this skin- so much potential. I love this.

Just need to trace these lines. Gotta- break through here. Remake this eye. These eyes. Cut. Cut. Poke them out. Heh, out they come. Shapes are fashionable. Triangles are the new circles, heh heh.

“I cut a bit far on your nose there. Hmm, it’s okay. You can barely tell.

“Mouth. Beautiful mouth. Let me cut it open here.

“You’ve got me sweating- this is hard work. You’re quite the project.

“You get so messy. So dirty. I’ll just rinse that washcloth- it’s already almost soaked with your colour. Wipe your face- it got all messy from my knife. Your skin looks so tender where I cut. I’m sorry.

“I’m sorry.

“But look how magnificent you’ve become. So beautiful- you’re terrifying. Gives me chills. Everyone will notice you. How could they pass you now? I’ve recreated you.

“This is your place now. By my window here. I’ll fill you with light so they’ll see you even in the dark. They’ll wish you had been theirs.

They’ll wish they had saved you for themselves.

Now just the crumpling of paper. The rustling of bags. The light reappeared under his door. Footsteps preceded the soft whisper of something being dragged down the hall into the kitchen. The back door opened and closed. All was silent in the house.

Zachary listened. He listened through the drumbeat of his blood pumping in his ears. Somehow he managed to get out of bed and make it as far as the door. He hesitated, body tense, listening to the dead silence before slowly looking out. The light from the hall made him squint as he peered towards the kitchen. He stepped away from the security of his room and walked the five steps to the next, to the room of the new tenant.

The door wasn’t entirely closed. He pushed it open. On top of a bookshelf tucked under the only window sat the tenant’s silent guest. The skin was puckering along the outline of the face: the triangle shape of the nose, the dark pits of the eyes, the gaping forced smile. It stared at him. Cold. Empty. Lifeless.

The knife that had done the cutting was on the floor, covered in the remains of the guest. A small pile of seeds filled the bottom of a green bucket nearby, a few still glistening wetly. Zachary shook his head, suspense turning into cold relief. And disappointment.

hdwallpaperstop.com

Sports Just Down the Hill: Affordable Hockey Close to Home Clark Grieve Contributor

F

or so many of us living in Canada, October means just one thing: the return of the NHL (in this case, a lockout-free NHL that sees the realignment of its divisions and conferences). After living in Vancouver for a few years during my education, I enjoyed having such a high caliber team right at my disposal, and it was a great incentive going to school at UBC. I could always look forward to weekend matchups, and watching games with friends became something of a ritual from the start of the season through to the playoff runs (and the inevitable tears of defeat).

Although I would say the Vancouver Canucks are definitely an organization that extends its support to the entire Northwest, there is no experience equal to seeing your team live, in person and with 18,000 other screaming fans.

It is one thing I’ve really missed during my time at UNBC in Prince George, though the tears of defeat are certainly a constant. I am contributing this week

to admit that, unlike past years, I have yet to watch a single Canucks game.

No, it is not because I am tired of the Stanley Cup drought. Instead, this season I have invested my free time and money closer to home, watching the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League.

Having seen NHL quality play in person before, I do have a high standard of what I will and will not watch when it comes to hockey.

However, with news late in the preseason that team Captain Troy Bourke (Drafted by Colorado Avalanche, Round Three 73rd overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft) and talented winger Zach Pochiro (Drafted by the St. Louis Blues, Round Four 112th overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft) were back from NHL training camps and part of the 2013/14 roster I saw an opportunity to watch just a few of the stars soon destined for the NHL and a deep talent pool that the Cougars have developed over a few tough and disappointing seasons. Even though the Cougars have not had recent success in the Western Hockey League, they still

give many people the opportunity to see future NHL talent. The most recent top draft being Brett Connelly, who was pick 6th overall by Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2010 draft.

First of all, I was surprised to discover that, with my UNBC Student Card, I qualify for a reduced ticket price at the box office. And with the games now serving alcohol in the stands, this means I can get into the game and have a beer during the first period for under $20. Although it may not equal watching the Sedins and Roberto Luongo, a Cougars game definitely fits into my limited budget at that price, and has surprisingly grown on me.

Although CN Centre may not have the unmatched amenities of Rogers Arena or the aura of Maple Leaf Gardens, it does feature better views and seating than you will be used to. With regard to the atmosphere, the faithful crowd may start out as quiet and anxious during stretches of close play at the opening minutes of a period, but they quickly come to life, as they did for the game I attended on 11 October.

Finally, the proximity to UNBC, and with buses running late on Friday evenings ,now make attending games easier than heading to the Prince George Coliseum for a Spruce Kings game.

Games which start around 7:00PM and end by 9:30PM leave enough room between the end of class and the puck drop to relax, but there’s also time after the game to head downtown too.

I cannot recommend the product the Cougars are putting on the ice enough.

There are sure to be a lot of goals, hits, saves, and close games throughout the 72-game season, and that is something you cannot beat unless you drive ten hours to Vancouver. Cougar games also broadcast on the radio (both home and away) for those who cannot make it out of the library in time, which is how I kept up to date during my mid-term week. For more information, check out the Cougars website (www. pgcougars.com), and I recommend visiting the official team Twitter account (@PGCougars) for updates, contests, and prizes.

Go Timberwolves Go! Adam Vickers Sports Editor

T

he 2013/2014 Timberwolves basketball season is about to begin and there are a couple of new changes. This year features an opportunity for new talent to step up and work their way into the line-up.

Last year, UNBC saw five players (mostly from the men’s team) graduate from the Timberwolves basketball roster.

The men’s team, after losing 80% of their roster last year, is looking to fill some spots. One veteran aiming for a spot is Jeff Chu, a transfer from the Langara Falcons. Chu was part of the Falcons team that recently won 2012-2013 Pac West Provincial Championship, and had a ‘player of the week’ distinction in the 2012-2013 season. Head Coach Todd Jordan hopes that Chu can bring leadership and maturity to a team that will feature a fresh crop of young talent attempting

to fill the void of a rebuilding team.

Two international transfer students trying to join the Timberwolves are Franck Oliver Kouagnia and Jibreel Stevens. Kouagnia is a 6’7 power forward who hopes to bring a strong physical presence to the Timberwolves team. Stevens is a 5’7 point guard who hopes to bring his speed and athleticism to the team, giving the Timberwolves someone who can see the court and make quick decisions under pressure.

On the women’s side, the team features the addition of new coach, Sergey Shchepotkin, who is replacing current Athletic Director Loralyn Murdoch, who started the women’s basketball program in 1997.

Shchepotkin has coached women’s professional teams in Russia, and club teams in Lebanon, which include four WNBA players, 24 national team players (Russia, Lebanon, Croatia, and Australia), eight European Champions,

unbc.ca

two Asian Club Champions, and one bronze medalist from the Olympic Games in Beijing. The majority of the team is returning from previous years, but there is a group of rookies looking to impress the new coach.

The men and women’s basketball teams are both poised to make an impact this year, and will need the support of everyone if they hope to do so. Come out and support the home

team as the Timberwolves enter their second season as a member of CIS (Canadian Intervarsity Sports). The Timberwolves start the season against Manitoba and Winnipeg on the road from 1-2 November, and then head back home for the season opener on 8 and 9 November against Thompson Rivers University. Admission is only $4 for students senior and alumni, $8 for adults, and free for children under the age of 6.

Sports21 Review:

hella-life.com

Becoming a Supple Leopard

Adam Vickers Sports Editor

B

ecoming a Supple Leopard is a book written by Kelly Starrett, who has single-handedly changed the way we look at mobility and physiotherapy. Kelly Starrett, aka “K Star,” is the writer of the book Becoming a Supple Leopard which he nicknamed “the Betty Crocker book on how to move.” At first glance one might say “well I know how to move, I can walk, run, and jump no problem!” but can you really? I have played sports my whole life, from popular sports such as football, hockey, and soccer, to lighter sports like golf, tennis, or baseball. I played junior football in Chilliwack, and it never occurred to me that I was moving in the wrong way. It wasn’t until I injured my knee in football that I really gave up with the idea of playing sports at the next level. I tore the meniscus knee, which sort of keeps the knee together, and when torn it causes the knee to swell, creating constant pain and making it very hard to walk. I went to physiotherapy for my knee, which helped, but every so often it would act up and I was told that it would never be 100%; I was told that if I could maintain the strength in my legs it would not become a huge issue. I did that, but in the busy life of a student you don’t always have the time to make it to the gym. When I read this book, it instantly changed my life.

Becoming a Supple Leopard is built

like a textbook, and has different sections that can be referred back to when help is needed with specific movements. The introduction explains a little bit about K Star, his experience as a trainer, and the kind of philosophy in the book. K Star believes that 90% of the issues physiotherapy fixes, such as back pain, knee and hip problems, can be fixed without the use of a physiotherapist at all. All we need to do is “make a better decision.” Make a better decision on how to walk, how to sit, and how to do things we do every day that are constantly wearing on our joints and ligaments. K Star argues that the kneecap is meant to last 110 years but we are tearing holes in them in 20… If that is not an incentive to at least look at the book, I do not know what is.

Becoming a Supple Leopard is a masterpiece in its descriptions on how to move, and how to fix movement issues. The book gives valuable insight into basic movements such as the squat, and how doing the squat properly can fix tons of back problems. The book also does a great job of explaining how we are moving wrong and why we need to change movements to correct functional movements, which are movements that we do in the gym and convert easily to the movements of daily life. When performing functional movements, we take a large amount of pressure off our joints and displace it to our muscles

where we produce the most strength.

The movement fixes are fairly easy to adapt to, and the effects of changing your movement can be felt instantly.

By changing the way you move, you will reduce back pain, increase hip motion, and make knee problems disappear. The book works in conjunction with an online blog called “mobility WOD.” Mobility is the function of increasing flexibility so that you can have full range of motion, and WOD is a CrossFit term: “workout of the day.” The purpose of the blog is to show people how to fix specific issues with mobility. The website, www. mobilitywod.com, is very user friendly, with a search function at the top of the page where you type the problem you have, and it returns a number of videos on how to fix them. The videos are completely free unless you want to get videos for the more extreme athletes with problems that are not as easy to fix. The book works with the blog and is an inspired effort by K Star to provide the general population with a manual about how to move properly in a world not designed for ease of human movement.

The book is highly recommended by athletes, and gets a nod from UFC fighter Forrest Griffin, who highly endorses the book in a post on YouTube. K Star himself has trained Olympic gold-medalists, Tour de France cyclists, world and national

record holding Olympic Lifting and Power athletes, CrossFit Games medalists, ballet dancers, military personnel, and competitive agedivision athletes. K Star actively teaches his children the disciplines of this book, and lives by what he preaches. K Star called his book Become a Supple Leopard for the very reason that he wants his readers to take on the persona of a supple leopard! A leopard can fire all its muscles in an instant and move its body extraordinarily well. Following the rules of this book, the reader can become a human version of a leopard, ready to sprint, jump, and run in an instant.

I know that for me, the book has allowed me to forget about the issues I had with my knee, and has also helped me become a much stronger version of myself. Other advocates of K Star are the US military and the US government, which is looking into changing the prototypical physical education of sports in the school system to educate kids from the beginning about how to keep natural movement in a world lacking in it. A four or five year old kid can do a full squat no problem, so then why is it that we, as adults, can barely bend down to pick up a pen dropped on the floor? I encourage everyone to read this book because it could not only change your life, but it could change the way we look at human movement forever.

22

Sports The Journey of Your Not-So-Average Sports Fan

Adam Vickers Sports Editor

S

o have you ever wondered what all the talk about fantasy sports is all about? Here is your chance to get insight into the life of a fantasy leaguer. There are many different types of fantasy leagues out there, and they range from small groups of 5 or 6 good friends, to company or nationwide leagues. In an article on Newsgames by Ray Vichot, it was claimed that Fantasy sports are a $1.5 billion industry, with an average cost per team being $150. Fantasy sports began with some guys getting together and crunching baseball stats, and then found its way to football. The endeavour into football is what really kicked off fantasy sports, as it allows America’s biggest sport to be an outlet for fans to get more out of the game.

Not until the dot com era and the rise of the internet did fantasy sports really find a home. With the rise of the Internet came a slew of fantasy sport websites, where fans from all over the world could get quick up-to-date stats

on how their team players were doing.

Fantasy sport enthusiasts begin by picking players from a pool of professionals. Depending on the sport, the stats of each professional are scored differently. Each sport has different types of pools, changing according to the size of the pool.

In bigger pools, the goals are a bit different as there are too many people to have every player picked once; a league needs to allow all players to be picked for any team at any time. In bigger pools, one can change their lineup to get the top point performers each week so that, by the end of the season, one will win the league by having the most points. In other versions of big pools, one picks players from smaller subcategories of players at the beginning of the season, and then, at the end of the season, whichever team has the most points wins. Compared to the bigger pools, smaller pools require a lot more attention and research. In smaller pools, one often has a fantasy draft

of all players in the league, and can pick each player only once, making it difficult to get the players one may want. Once drafted, teams can trade, pick up, or drop players to improve their fantasy teams. In these pools, one usually has weekly matchups against different teams in the league. The teams with the most wins make it into the playoffs, where teams battle it out in the last weeks of the professional leagues season to find an overall winner of the pool. Every sport is scored differently, as all sports have different positions and rules.

Each pool also has different point allocations depending on individual fantasy league rules. In general, leagues run on these premises: in football, there are a number of different positions, and each position is scored somewhat differently.

In general, offensive players are scored individually, getting points for touchdowns, rush, passed, or received; defensive players are scored as a team defense, getting points for turnovers

and losing points from beginning, floated points as the team is scored on by the opposing team. In hockey, all players are scored individually with skaters getting points for goals, assists, plus/minus, and penalties; goalies get points for wins, shutouts, and any points that a skater would also get points for.

Why is it a big deal for fans of all types of sports? It is simple: engaging in fantasy sports are much like the fantasy books we read that give us a sense of being somewhere else.

Fantasy sports allow armchair coaches a chance to participate in the sports they love to watch. It gives people a chance to cheer outside the teams we would die for and cheer for ones we built ourselves. Fantasy sports allow an escape from reality and create a personalized team that we think will win, rather than merely accepting the adjustments made by professional general managers. Fantasy truly is a journey down a rough road filled with adversity and heartbreak, not just for your average fan.

Coffee Break

Mirroreyes

Livewire Puzzles

Coffee Break 23 APPLES BATS BLACK CAT BROOMSTICK CANDLE CANDY CEMETERY COFFIN COSTUME DRACULA FRIGHTENING FULL MOON GHOSTS GHOULS GOBLINS GRAVEYARD JACK O LANTERN MASK MUMMY NIGHT

PUMPKIN SCARECROW SCARY SCREAM SKELETON SKULL SPIDERS TOMBSTONE VAMPIRE WEREWOLF WITCHES ZOMBIE

DOWN

1. Cashews and almonds 2. Again 3. A type of infantry 4. A ray of sunlight 5. Part of a mouth 6. Doing nothing 7. Intends 8. Brigand 9. Endurance 10. Cover with asphalt 11. Weightlifters pump this 12. Nothing (British) 15. Rock 21. Epic 23. A magician's tool 25. Plenty 27. A Maori club 28. Fragrance 29. Louse-to-be 31. Showman

ACROSS

1. Short sleeps 5. Arm or leg 9. Whirl 13. Two-toed sloth 14. Notions 16. Tropical tuber 17. Small slender gull 18. Flora 19. Affirm

20. Mops 22. Gift 24. Blue-green 26. Egyptian peninsula 27. Ideal 30. Wimbledon sport 33. Fragrant 35. Curses 37. Also 38. Procrastinate 41. Liveliness

42. Refereed 45. Journeyer 48. Go up 51. Graft 52. Slumber 54. Hearing organs 55. Skilled 59. Tall East Indian timber trees 62. Murres 63. A gold coin of ancient Per-

32. Contemptuous look 34. Bird call 36. Agile 39. Chemist's workplace 40. Stringed instrument 43. Bliss 44. Expunge 46. Decree 47. Side by side 49. Geeks 50. Disfigure 53. Happy cat sounds 55. Cogitate 56. Dry 57. Make melodious sounds 58. Mortgage 60. A man's skirt 61. Satisfy 64. C

sia 65. Diva's solo 66. Transgressions 67. A sloping mass of loose rocks 68. Sediment 69. Jittery 70. Feudal worker 71. Carry

UNBC Life

Be The Change with Rotaract at UNBC

world that we live in.

Allie Dickson Contributor

H

ave you ever wanted to get involved in your community and create change, while meeting up with people of similar age and interests?

If you have, then Rotaract is for you!

Rotaract is a branch of Rotary for young adults aged 18-30. It is a great way to get involved with the local, national, and international communities that we live in, as well as to further develop your leadership and professional skills. Not only do you get the chance to meet like-minded young adults, there is also the opportunity to generate actual change within the

The good news is that Rotaract is coming to UNBC, and we would like you to join us! Rotaract is an international organization with over 9,000 clubs spread throughout the world. Our goal at UNBC is to bring the spirit of Rotary through community involvement to all of the young adults in the Prince George area. Membership in Rotaract is what you make of it; there will be weekly meetings and many service opportunities, but being a member does not mean that you must participate in every event.

If you are interested in becoming a

member or want more information, please feel free to contact us at rotaractprincegeorge@gmail.com or look up our page on Facebook: Rotaract Prince George.

Also, stay tuned for more information about our first club meeting, which will be taking place at the beginning of November at UNBC. Pizza will be provided as we go over club structure and membership, and answer any questions that you may have! For more information about Rotaract or its parent organization, Rotary, please go to www.rotary.org!

CFUR TOP 15 1. Dr. Dog- B-Room

6. Islands- A Sleep and A Forget

(Rock)

11. Kelela- Cut For Me

(R&B)

ting (Indie Rock)

2. Ryan Hemsworth- Guilt Trips

7. Test Their Logic- Be

(Hip Hop)

12. Pelican- Forever Becoming strumental Rock)

(Electronic)

3. Son Of Stan- Divorce Pop (Indie Rock)

8. Shad- Flying Colours

(Rap)

13. Maple You Know- Funny Targets (Indie Rock)

4. Various- EDN- Songs From Hamilton, Vol. 8 (Mix)

9. Best Coast- Fade Away (Indie

5. Radical Face- Family Tree-

10. Juana Molina- Wed 21

Branches

(In-

(Folk-Oriented)

Pop)

14. SO Hideous- Last Night/First Poem (Metal)

(Singer-

15. Reel Nighthawks- Wilderness

Songwriter)

Milk (Indie Rock)

For more album reviews, live performances and charts visit cfur.ca

What About Generation Z? Fraser Hayes CFUR Station Manager

nights?” After all, CFUR is for you, by you.

W

My name is Foster Schlienz, and I am an aspiring broadcaster and EDM enthusiast. I am a first year commerce student right here at UNBC, and my goal is to bring a new sound and a little youth to CFUR.

hen I first listened to CFUR, I fell in love. A radio station on campus at which you can volunteer? It was a dream come true for me. I have always wanted to be involved with broadcasting, and I feel like Cinderella putting on her glass slipper whenever I walk into the studio. The music here is good, the hosts and managers are great, and the whole aura of this fine radio station is awesome. But what about us young folk? I’m not going to lie; it’s a little hard to fist bump in a truck with two 12’ subs and 5 friends when only classic rock or folk are on the radio. As an 18 year old from Generation Z, I thought: “What would university students want to listen to when they’re pre-gaming on Friday

I know what you’re thinking. I’m probably just some Skrillex fanboy who jumped on the bandwagon when “First of the Year” came out. Don’t know who Skrillex is? Wait, I think I might be writing to an audience unfamiliar with the term “EDM”…

EDM stands for Electronic Dance Music. This genre has many, many, MANY sub genres, including trance, electro, house, electro house, progressive house, tech house,

dubstep, glitch hop, and drum and bass. You may have even heard some EDM on the radio recently, without knowing it was EDM. Do you know the song “Clarity” by Zedd? It’s EDM. “I Need Your Love ft. Ellie Goudling” by Calvin Harris? 100% EDM. “Wake Me Up” by Avicii? Indubitably EDM. Even the ’00 cult classic “One More Time”

by Daft Punk is an early EDM song (DP are arguably the EDM godfathers).

And these are just the tip of the iceberg. Go to Beatport.com and you’ll be immersed in a world of music you didn’t even know existed.

It’s all around us, and it’s taking over the planet. And we don’t even know.

30 years from now, Generation Z is going to look back and think, “What were the classic EDM songs of our

youth?” Granted, there will never be classic EDM as there is classic rock from past decades. But thinking back to my first year of high school, one song stands out. “Memories” by the ever so famous French DJ David Guetta. If you went to high school in the year 2009, you know that this was THE song of the year. Played at every school dance, heard from the Grade 12’s cars, and blasted throughout every radio station in the country at least 30 times a day. This is a classic example of those songs that are played endlessly on the radio until you don’t want to hear it anymore ("Dancing With Myself”

by Billy Idol anyone?). But will songs like that last as long as classic rock songs? As Beethoven’s 7th symphony?

Probably not. The world of music is ever changing; new genres are being created