Over the edge volume 19 issue 1

Free Volume 19 Issue 01 September 12, 2012 over.the.edge.unbc@gamil.com ote.unbc.ca

Little Fish in a big Pond UNBC Joins Canada West; Leaves CCAA INTS Prof Honoured NEWS 4

PHOTO SOURCE UNBC.CA

Residence Move In STUDENT LIFE 6

PHOTO SOURCE SHELLEY TERMUENDE GEOFF SARGENT SPORTS EDITOR

Backyard BBQ

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 13

PHOTO SOUCE RANDY ROY

Opinion on Iranian Embassy Closure OPINION 14

PHOTO FROM ONLINE SORSCE

After years of preparation and patience, UNBC Athletics has achieved their goal of reaching the top level of Canadian university sports. Beginning in the 2012-2013 academic year, UNBC will compete in the Canada West conference of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), fielding men's and women's teams in soccer and basketball.

Canada West contains the largest universities located west of Ontario and was the obvious final destination for UNBC athletics.

The conferance is composed of 16 schools competing in 11 sports, each sending teams to the CIS National Championships annually.

UNBC's main geographical rivals suddenly include schools such as UBC, UVic, and U of A. Notably absent from the mix is Simon Fraser University, who left after only nine years in 2010 to compete as a member of the NCAA run out of the United States.

While it has almost been a full year since the acceptance of UNBC to Canada West, the announcement

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having been made in September 2011, the CIS itself did not stamp the application and make the move official with its own approval until June. UNBC joins Mount Royal University as new members for this academic year, with both schools immediately jumping into basketball and soccer (MRU is also fielding teams in ice hockey and volleyball).

What this means for UNBC is a massive increase in the level of competition from their previous home, the PACWEST division of the Canadian Collegiate Athletics Association.

Competing at the highest level of university athletics in Canada will undoubtedly allow athletes to reach their full potential while studying at UNBC. The exposure that CIS provides also enables student-athlete recruitment across the entire province or even throughout Canada, allowing UNBC to take some of the pressure off of northern British Columbia in fielding athletes for sports while the area continues to develop its

local sporting communities.

UNBC's state-of-the-art athletic facilities, the Charles Jago Northern Sports Centre, put Prince George on the map and has the campus rank among the best of Canada West, impressive when considering UNBC's relative size viewed against mammoth schools such as UBC. A first glimpse of the complex in August even prompted 2012 basketball recruit Navjot Bains to tweet “UNBC has the sickest fitness facility! Can't wait to play basketball here,� before his acceptance onto the team was even made public.

The facilities that so obviously encourage prospective athletes to commit while visiting the campus proves the investment has paid off, and indeed will continue to do so down the road. Entering Canada West did result in some front-line personnel changes.

Head coaching positions for both soccer teams became full-time commitments, and UNBC Athletic Director Jason Kerswill hired two coaches with impressive previous

CIS experience: Alan Alderson now coaches the men's team by way of Trinity Western, where he oversaw their own program jump from CCAA to CIS, while Andy Cameron coaches the women's team after extensive experience in CIS's Atlantic University Sport conference with UNB, MUN, and PEI. On the hardcourt, the head coaches remain unchanged: Todd Jordan stays in his post, entering his 3rd year as men's basketball coach, and Loralyn Murdoch has been coaching UNBC women's basketball since 1997, becoming head coach in 2000.

UNBC's basketball program has proven to be its most successful venture in the sporting landscape.

Both basketball teams were the PACWEST champions of 2012, qualifying the Timberwolves for CCAA's national championships.

UNBC men have made reaching the tournament a yearly event, even winning the national title in 2010, while prior to last year the women's Timberwolves last won (CANADA WEST, P8)

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from the editors Volume 19, Issue 1 September 12, 2012 A&E EDITOR Jordan Tucker COPY EDITOR Ben Filipkowski NEWS EDITOR Hanna Petersen SPORTS EDITOR Geoff Sargent EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Reza Akbari FEATURES EDITOR Gala Munoz MANAGING EDITOR Shelley Termuende WEBSITE MANAGER Behrooz Dalvandi STUDENT LIFE EDITOR Leila Maheiddinibonab PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Randy Roy CONTRIBUTORS Jessica Bagnall Miranda Wallace

The deadline for the next issue is Monday, September 17th.

Be sure to get your articles in on time!

Over the Edge is the official independent publishing media of students at the University of Northern British Columbia.

As such, it is our mandate to report on issues of interest to students in the Northern Region. We encourage all students, both on the main and regional campuses to submit to Over the Edge.

Over the Edge is part of the Canadian University Press network of papers, otherwise known as CUP.

September 12 2012 • Over the Edge

An Open Letter to the Students of University of Northern British Columbia As I entered my fourth semester at UNBC, majoring in the Commerce program, I joined the Over the Edge (OTE) editorial team as the production coordinator assistant.

It was a volunteer position. The production coordinator at the time was a dedicated member of OTE and taught me many different aspects of publishing a newspaper. The following winter in 2008, I officially took on the position of production coordinator myself. As time passed, however, I noticed many issues with the structure of OTE. The roots of all of these problems lay in the fact that OTE had not seen any structural changes in its operation since the paper had become an independent student organization in 2000. As a result, some issues had become major problems for OTE over the previous 8 years, such as the hiring and recruiting motivated staff, management of the editorial board, developing and improving the skills of the editorial board and its volunteers, as well as overseeing the financial activities of OTE. In other words, Over the Edge had been facing operational issues while simultaneously being a place for students to practice journalism and act as the voice of students in a professional manner.

Upon this realization, I started studying our existing constitution and educating myself with the BC Society Act and its policies. I then followed up with CUP (Canada University Press) and the BC Society Registry, and sought opinions and direction from experts such as a professor in Human Resources

Management at UNBC, a former president of NUGSS, one of the former Editors in Chief of this paper and a member of board of directors of CFUR. I created a series of changes that I believed we needed to apply to the constitution and bylaws of OTE. In order to move forward and present the package at our AGM (Annual General Meeting) to the UNBC student body, I needed the support of all the members of editorial board at that time. Unfortunately, I was faced with a lack of motivation from my team, and the changes were never presented at the AGM. I could not see myself continuing on as a member of the board at OTE with the existing issues we faced; I resigned from the board in February 2009. I always felt I left OTE with an unfinished task. However, I kept my eye on OTE and waited for the right time to come to try again.

I graduated in April 2010 and started my Marsters degree in January 2011 while working full time for Coca-Cola Refreshments as the Business Development Manager for Northern BC. In March 2012, two of my good friends were members of editorial board at OTE and came to me regarding the organization of their AGM, I explained the history of OTE for them as I knew it. I described all the issues with the operation and structure of OTE, and they agreed with me. My friends were Marsters students, however, and were busy with their thesis and other activities that they were involved with. I knew it would not be easy for them to take on

new responsibilities that could be challenging and time consuming.

“You can do it friend,” I said. “Just take the control of the situation and together we can develop the motivation among the editorial board members and proceed toward shaping this paper properly.”

I knew my friend’s personality and her strengths, and I knew that she would be the right person to help me to create the changes to the OTE structure that I always believed were necessary. I just needed to find a way to encourage her to take control of the boat, and realize the potential value and legacy that these changes could give to our student newspaper.

our website. Make sure you check it out: www.ote.unbc.ca.

Finally she agreed and we started working together towards achieving our goals. In May 2012, I applied for the vacant position of Editor in Chief. I was hired on May 12th 2012. Right from that time my two friends and I have been working closely together to develop a platform for improving the newspaper. The first step was hiring a team of qualified and motivated editors; we received 19 applications for 8 vacant positions during this past summer. Another big project was to improve our social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, and our new official website. Jessica Shapiro, my Masters friend who became the Managing Editor of the paper, and Behrooz Dalvandi, who is now the Website Manager for OTE, worked together to develop and design a website that is attractive, user friendly, and provides reliable information for anyone who visits

I would like to expand my great appreciation to Fraser Hayes, Station Manager at CFUR, and Kallie Smith, President of NUGSS, who supported us during the hiring process of this great team. Thank you as well to Behrooz Dalvandi for developing our website, John Hall for his readiness to take on different responsibilities over the past few months, and a special thanks to Jessica Shapiro for her dedication to the paper, and the many hours of volunteer work she put in to realize our shared vision for a better paper. Jessica, without you I would still be carrying the feeling of an unfinished task in my mind. Also, I would like to thank all of the current editorial board members for agreeing to get in this boat that is not only going to publish a great newspaper, but develop a platform for a better future at Over the Edge Newspaper.

Today, OTE has a team of editorial board members who are motivated to work together and improve their skills and the quality of the UNBC student newspaper. I would like to proudly announce to all of the students and faculty members of UNBC that the current editorial board is committed to apply all the necessary changes to the OTE operational structure in order to publish a quality paper that truly represents the voice of UNBC ‘s students. This will not be achievable without your support, as this paper belongs to all students of UNBC.

CUP is an organization that is entirely owned by member papers, and provides such services as a news wire and advertising to Over the Edge.

Over the Edge is published every second week during the fall and winter semesters.

Office Location: 6-350 MAILING ADDRESS 3333 University Way Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9 PHONE (250) 960-5633 FAX (250) 960-5407 E-mail ote-copy@unbc.ca

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Over the Edge • September 12

Meet the Staff Dear faculty, students, and staff of the University of Northern British Columbia, It is my pleasure to welcome all of you to the first week of Fall Semester 2012. I started my undergraduate studies at UNBC in January 2006, and am now a Marsters student at UNBC. Over the past 6 years I have seen many great changes on our campus. I remember the days when we did not have amazing places like the Charles Jago Northern Sports Centre; our newspaper and radio station were situated in the Wintergarden in a corner that we could barely fit our equipment in; we did not have a fun place like The Thirsty Moose that students could socialize in after a long day of difficult classes. I remember the Medical Building and the Teaching and Learning Centre were just ideas for future projects at UNBC. I remember attending a conference at UNBC regarding a research project on bioenergy and biofuel that was going to create heat for the Forestry lab. All these projects are now a reality. In fact, in a short amount of time, we have now achieved the honour of being Canada’s Green University. We showed the country that if we worked together we could achieve the results of anything we imagined. Many thanks to all of you who are or have been actively participating to improve our university. On the behalf of Over the Edge Newspaper, I wish a great year of studies to all the faculty and students of UNBC. Editor in Chief Reza Akbari

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Managing Editor Shelley Termuende is in her second year at UNBC studying International Studies and Political Science. Shelley is currently studying under scholarship from the Sunshine Coast, British Columbia.

Shelley’s hobbies include running, hiking and reading. In addition to her work with the Over the Edge Newspaper, Shelley is also involved with the International Studies Student Association and the Political Science Student Association. Shelley is working towards an internship with the British Columbia Legislative Assembly, and afterward, continuing towards completing a degree in law.

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Student Life Editor Leila is a fourth year undergraduate student majoring in Anthropology with a minor in International studies. As VP of the Northern Anthropological Student Association, Student Assistant at the library and Over the Edge Student Life Editor You can catch her around campus studying, working or hanging out.

Production Coordinator Randy Roy is a first year student striving for a double major of Commerce and international Studies and has aspirations of one day being a diplomat. His hobbies include photography, design, skiing in the winter and water sports in the summer.

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Features Editor Gala Munoz is a third year student pursuing a Joint Major in English and Environmental Studies.

Her interests include surfing the interwebs (like most computer-owning young people), having rational and lengthy conversations with animals and drinking tea. Friendly and approachable, Gala has also been known to exchange words with fellow human beings so feel free to say hi if you see her around the school or in the Over the Edge office.

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Copy Editor Ben Filipkowski is an English and History major entering his final year of study at UNBC. He's tall, standing at seven foot two (218 centimetres to be precise), so stop pointing it out. After UNBC, Ben plans to enter a Bachelor's program at the University of Ottawa for translation. Ben reads and writes heavily in his spare time, or talks about superheroes; it's about fifty-fifty.

Arts and Entertainment Jordan Tucker is a third year English & Environmental Studies major, the Arts and Entertainment Editor at Over the Edge and the Music Director at the CFUR radio station. In addition to spending time with her stupid cats, Jordan likes bad comedy and eating.

News Editor, Hanna Petersen is currently in her fifth and final year of her joint degree in Political Science and English. Hanna has been the news editor for Over The Edge for two years and is looking forward to a fresh start with a new team! Hanna looks forward to meeting any students interested in contributing to the news section. Come and find her in the Over The Edge office with your inquiries.

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In addition to his role as OTE Website Manager, Behrooz Dalvandi has recently finished his Masters degree in Computer Science at UNBC. Besides his work with Over the Edge, he works as an Application Technical Analyst for Northern Health Authority.

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Sports Editor Geoff Sargent is a third year mathematics major and physics minor originally from Victoria. At UNBC, he is the president of the Math & Physics Society. Since childhood, he has had a passion for sports and has always wanted to write about them. After his degree, he plans to add a Bachelor of Education to his wall and become a high school teacher. He is usually found in MACE, at the Moose, or in the Over the Edge office.

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Campus News

Smith Receives Teaching Honour

PHOTO SOURCE UNBC.CA

HANNA PETERSEN NEWS EDITOR

International Studies Professor Heather Smith was recently honoured for teaching excellence by the Canadian Political Science Association (CPSA). Smith is only the second Canadian academic to receive the CPSA prize for teaching excellence, which was first presented in 2010 and only given every two years.

The prize was awarded at the CPSA’s 2012 conference in Edmonton. It is given in recognition of outstanding contributions by political scientists to teaching and student learning.

The CPSA noted Smith’s utilization of alternative methods of teaching in order to facilitate learning. “Heather Smith demonstrates a profound familiarity with research on pedagogy (the science of education) and a real effort to integrate this into not only her teaching practices, but also her teaching development activities,” stated the CPSA. “Just because we’re academics doesn't mean all we do is research.

At UNBC, we also have an equally strong commitment to teaching; it’s the other side of the same coin,” says Dr. Smith, a founding member and acting director of UNBC’s centre for Teaching and Learning. “In fact, a high percentage of our faculty members are working with their students on their own research

projects both as a form of research and scholarship and a method of teaching, which is why UNBC students have such a high success rate and often move onto graduate studies,” continued Smith.

Dr. Smith also cites UNBC’s commitment to innovative teaching and student engagement as playing a large role in the success of her students. Her teaching methods range from traditional essays and test-writing to holding student art galleries in her classrooms and designing courses that provide students with a wide variety or ways to express themselves. Dr. Smith also co-authored the first-ever book on Canadian foreign policy that included a component on methods of teaching.

More recently. Dr. Smith was the lead author in an article published in a prestigious peer-reviewed journal on international studies. Six recent UNBC graduates - her former students - were listed as co-authors.

September 12 2012 • Over the Edge

Provincial Eco-contest Winner Arrives In Style HANNA PETERSEN NEWS EDITOR

The provincial Beat the Heat Contest was held on August 11th where UNBC student Geoff de Ruiter won the top prize of $10,000 dollars for his submission. The contest, organized by Fortis BC and the Northwest Wildlife Preservation Society, challenged BC students to come up with a plan to optimize natural gas use for a greener BC. De Ruiter’s submission was titled “Shifting our Natural Gas to Use a Centralized Model” and discusses the centralization of natural gas use via technology coupling and heat recovery.

The contest final was held at the newly completed Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability building at UBC. De Ruiter, however, had a unique idea of how he would

get to the event. He borrowed UNBC President George Iwama’s hybrid vehicle, a Toyota Prius whose plates bear the name “4 UNBC”.

“He didn’t actually lend it to me; I traded him for my pickup truck. I thought traveling in an eco-friendly car would be an appropriate way for a representative of Canada’s Green University to get to an eco-friendly contest,” explains de Ruiter, a PhD student researching bioenergy and biocarbon sequestration in UNBC’s Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Program. “That’s one of the great things about studying at UNBC; it’s such a tight-knit community that a student can ask the president to swap cars for the weekend. And he’ll actually consider it!” During

UNBC Welcomes Inaugural Writer-in-Residence

the trip, he averaged 3.8 litres per 100 kilometres (62 US MPG; 74 CDN MPG). All in, the cost of the return trip was $86.

“I’ve honestly never been asked to trade cars with a student before,” laughs Dr. Iwama. “I purchased that vehicle and personalized its plates as a symbol of the direction the University is taking and our leadership in green research. Although Geoff’s request was a little ‘outside of the box’, it is entirely consistent with the message UNBC wants to put forward as a leader in sustainability, and evokes the creative problem-solving abilities of our students, faculty and staff.

I was happy to do it - and Geoff’s pickup was a fun change.”

PHOTO SOURCE SHELLEY TERMUENDE

HANNA PETERSEN NEWS EDITOR

In addition to welcoming both new and returning students to its campus and community this fall, UNBC welcomes author Maggie de Vines as Writer-in-Residence. What exactly is a Writer-in-Residence, though? It is a position sponsored by both the Canadian Council for the Arts and UNBC. “The purpose of a Writer-inResidence is to encourage exchange between writer and community and to enable authors to work on a dedicated writing project while being supported by funding,” said Karen Beeler, chair of UNBC’s English department.

Maggie de Vines will dedicate four months to teaching workshops, hosting consultations, and holding readings and talks on campus with writing students and community groups. She will also be visiting three regional campuses in Fort St. John, Terrace, and Quesnel.Ms. de Vines is known for her research and writing on trauma, most notably her memoir Missing Sarah about the death of her sister, one of the women whose DNA was found on Robert Pickton’s farm.

“I’m honoured and excited to be UNBC’s first Writer-in-Residence.

Because my sister is one of Vancouver’s

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missing women, I have visited Prince George and the north central region frequently in connection with the Highway of Tears and I have grown to love this part of British Columbia,” said de Vines. “I am thrilled that I will be spending more time in this region, learning more about local history and culture, building friendships and working with local writers.”

The Writer-in-Residence must be published professionally before they can be considered for the position and their residency must be “of mutual benefit to the writer and the cultural life of the host’s community.” De Vines was born in Ontario and grew up in Vancouver, B.C. She has her BA, BEd and MA from the University of British Columbia. She has written eight books as well as multiple essays in anthologies and magazines.

“We hope that this residency marks the start of a new legacy at UNBC which will see many more Writersin-Residence over the coming years,” remarked Beeler.

UNBC to lead National Urban Aboriginal Knowledge Network in Western Canada HANNA PETERSEN NEWS EDITOR

UNBC is partnering with the National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC), government ministries and regional centres across Canada to develop the Urban Aboriginal Knowledge Network (UAKN) and research the policies and issues that affect Canada’s city-dwelling aboriginal population. The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) recently approved $2.5 million in funding over five years to go towards the project led nationally by Trent University and

by UNBC in western Canada.

“Although more than half of Canada’s aboriginals live in urban centres, the realities of urban aboriginal peoples remain much less understood by researchers, government officials, and many service agencies than those of on-reserve First Nations people and Inuit in the north,” says UNBC professor of First Nations Studies Ross Hoffman, who along with UNBC economics professor Paul Bowles will be coordinating UNBC’s research activities in the project. “This is the

first time universities, government ministries and friendship centres have ever been brought together at the national level to address issues of aboriginal policy.”

The Network’s research activities will focus around three broad themes.

These themes focus on human development, which will address the needs and outcomes of individuals and families; social cohesion, which will address community well-being, education and justice; and economic development, which will address economic participation, employment, entrepreneurship, income and civic engagement.

“Research is most valuable when it’s used to improve people’s lives. Many aboriginal people feel like they’ve been surveyed and researched to death, but to little effect,” says Barb Ward-Burkitt, Executive Director of the Prince George Native Friendship Centre. UNBC will take a leadership role within the Network, significant as Prince George has the secondhighest urban aboriginal population in BC outside of Vancouver. “I

believe UNBC was approached to be a leader in this area because it tries to match its research activities with the needs of the region, and this is another example of that,” continued Ward-Burkitt. A key component of the Network’s strategy is to provide opportunities for emerging scholars (aboriginal scholars in particular) to engage in research about urban aboriginal issues. The knowledge created will be available for use in courses on aboriginal issues at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. The Network's research will also provide new knowledge to community-based and government partners in an effort to improve policy, programs and services for urban aboriginal peoples.

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Over the Edge • September 12

Daybreak North Showcases UNBC HANNA PETERSEN NEWS EDITOR

The first day of the academic year kicked off as usual for new and returning students: books were bought and sold, classrooms were found, coffee consumed, tuition finally paid.

However, this year CBC’s Daybreak joined students and staff during the early morning hours of the first day of the academic calendar. Host Betsy Trumpener was on location in the UNBC

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Wintergarden to catch all of the action. Students and faculty were interviewed allowing listeners across the north join in the excitement of a new year at UNBC. The broadcast first began at 6 am in UNBC’s regional campus in Prince Rupert. Host Leisha Grebinski highlighted stories about education and research from across northern B.C. In the Prince George campus, the

first 200 students to arrive in the Wintergarden for the 7am broadcast were treated to a pancake breakfast courtesy of the CBC. UNBC President George Iwama was also interviewed in a session featuring questioned posed by students and the public.

Free CBC and UNBC giveaways were also reported by some lucky students.

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Student Life

September 12 2012 • Over the Edge

Students help eachother move into residence on September 2nd.

Residence Move-In Day September 2nd saw the revival of the UNBC on-campus Student Residences as a new batch of freshmen moved in. They were helped by an eager volunteer staff of Timberwolves athletes as well as students to unload and move in at record speeds. The RA team held a barbecue, sponsored by Brownridge & Company Insurance, for the new residents.

30% said they did it on the couch.

Do it your way.

Enrol anytime, complete your course where and when you want and transfer credits back to your on-campus program.

MC116858

www.truopen.ca/yourway

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Flexible Credible Online and distance •

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Photographs courtesy: A.Currie and L. MaheiddiniBonab

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Over the Edge • September 12

The UNBC athletics program had a larger presence this year than previous years. Nicknamed "the muscle" by some, the Timberwolves were a welcome addition. Head out and support the Timberwolves at their first home game this Saturday. Way to go team!

It was raining for part of the day, but you couldn’t tell it from looking at the smiling faces of volunteers. They were in great spirits and kept up the welcoming atmosphere for new students throughout.

"We've been doing this for 4 years, Marilyn and I had the idea coming from eastern universities in Canada.

The first years we had a handful of people and look at this year - we've got everybody out. It makes it more pleasant because it is about helping the students but also about us as a community. We meet each other, having conversations like this, so it's a great day and I'm thankful for the Brownridge company for putting on the barbecue all day."

- George Iwama, UNBC President

“It’s just a great event. To see all the students coming back, getting ready for the year. All of the volunteers that are here to help them move in, it’s a real community. I’ve talked to a numbers of parents, a number of students who are really excited to be here for the year, and they’re really appreciative of the volunteer effort of helping them move in… It’s great to see the University coming back to life. It’s a quiet place over the summer; the students are the lifeblood of the university, and it’s great to see them here.”

- John Turner, Board of Governors (not pictured)

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09/09/2012 9:26:13 PM

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Sports

September 12 2012 • Over the Edge

Pictured: 2012 UNBC Women’s Soccer Team Back Row (L to R): Andy Cameron (HC), Catherine Blokker, Jessica Manning, Tiffany Bennet, Georgia Lahti, Riley Flannagan, Rebecca Irving, Sydney Wilson, Brianna Kozak, Iain Flannagan (AC) Front Row (L to R): Regan McMillan, Kirstan Cruse, Kaylee Harned, Kat Hartwig-Clay, Jordan Hall, Sidney Roy, Sydney Hall, Tanya Grob Photo and caption courtesy UNBC Athletics

CAMERON TAKES OVER AS WOMENS’ COACH GEOFF SARGENT SPORTS EDITOR

The first taste of CIS sports in Prince George will come via the UNBC Timberwolves women's soccer team, as they return from a Manitoba road trip to host a pair of games vs UVic and UFV at the NCSSL fields September 15th and 16th. A fast start for the team is key, with only one game against each of the other twelve Canada West schools over a punishing six week schedule. After the regular season concludes, the top eight teams qualify for the postseason in late October.

Soccer season in CIS is designed to begin early and end before snowfall.

With little time to prepare and gel as a unit, incoming head coach Andy Cameron wanted the players arriving in Prince George ready to play.

“The season is short and that creates challenges in preparation. You expect the players to be playing at the highest possible level during the summer and that they come in fit, so you can concentrate on the tactical considerations in preparation for the season.”

Cameron, 50, enters the job holding a resume loaded with CIS head coaching experience. His most recent posting was in Fredericton, where he led the Varsity Reds women over the last nine seasons.

Prior to his time at UNB, he also held the Memorial University of

Newfoundland's women's and Prince Edward Island men's soccer head coaching positions. The Timberwolves have trained with exhibition games against local men's and women's teams in advance of the season. As most of the roster is drawn from Prince George and the immediate area - the roster currently features 17 players, with 9 coming to UNBC directly from high school soccer in Prince George the bond between campus and the local community is an important one that Cameron recognizes. “I like what I see locally with the youth teams and the development that is taking place within the PGYSA,” he said. “As we continue to build the program here at UNBC, the hope is that we can attract these players to become part of the Timberwolves soccer program.”

The team sees over half its roster return from 2011, which gels with Coach Cameron's philosophy of team play. He did not reveal his thoughts on individual positions or players, preferring instead to emphasize a focus on playing as a team unit and adjusting tactics based on the opposition. On the sidelines, he appears patient, his voice being heard above the game noise only rarely, and usually to encourage the midfield and forwards to pressure for turnovers.

The women's soccer program at UNBC is still developing, with major struggles in recent years. Over the last two seasons in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association’s PACWEST division, the Timberwolves scored only once in a 2011 season that saw them finish 0-12, and they posted a 0-11-1 record in 2010. As PACWEST is mostly made up of community colleges in BC, taking a struggling program into an established conference featuring perennial national titans such as Trinity Western may seem unenviable, but Cameron remains optimistic. “I tried not to have any preconceived opinions about the program or the players; I wanted to be as objective about the situation as possible,” he said. “So the first thing was to assess the situation when I arrived and last year’s coaching staff have been very helpful in identifying some of the strengths and weaknesses in the program.

After being here a few months, my thoughts are that there is a good core of players to build on.” Coach Cameron and everyone involved with UNBC Athletics hopes to see solid fan turnout and loud support all season, starting right from kickoff at noon on September 15 against Victoria.

Canada West CONTINUATION FROM PAGE 1

PACWEST in 2008. The soccer program is less developed, being only five years old, and without significant accomplishments to date in the CCAA. With the addition of full-time coaches holding decades of experience at the CIS level, and the availability of an all-weather indoor turf surface to allow for year-round training at the Northern Sports Centre, UNBC's soccer program should now develop at a much faster pace.

Timberwolves fans and UNBC students are already known for their

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passion and support for basketball, and the support should only increase along with the level of play as the campus welcomes increased competition, more media attention, and more community involvement with the move to CIS. Important dates to note in the next few weeks are September 15th, the date of the first women's soccer home game, September 22nd, when the men's soccer team plays at home for the first time, and September 29th, when the UNBC basketball alumni game is held at 7pm. Both soccer teams host their

new conference opponents at the NCSSL fields, located between 15th Ave, 18th Ave, and Ospika Blvd. All women's games kick off at noon, and the men follow the women at 2:15pm when both teams are in town.

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Over the Edge • September 12

INTRAMURALS REGISTRATION NOW OPEN GEOFF SARGENT SPORTS EDITOR

Team sports aren’t limited to varsity athletes at UNBC; the athletics department also runs student intramurals across a variety of sports and competition levels out of the Northern Sports Centre. Students looking to play soccer, basketball, volleyball, floorball, or ultimate frisbee can form teams and register, recreationally or competitively, for the upcoming fall season. Before the seasons officially start, sports host drop-in sessions, allowing anyone without a team to meet potential teammates.

“I made many friends playing on the

intramural basketball team,” reflected recent UNBC graduate Jessica Shapiro. “It was a great way to relax, separate yourself from your studies, and have some fun with fellow students. If you played a sport in high school, don’t stop just because you’re in university. Intramurals are a great way to keep playing those sports you loved, without the intensity of serious competition - it’s also a great way to stay in shape without even trying.”

Most sports have two scheduled nights per week in the Northern Sports Centre.

Drop-in sessions are already underway

and continue through the weekend of September 15th - check the schedule attached. When you find teammates and think up a great team name, find the Intramurals table near the Wintergarden and get registered!

Unsatisfied with simply playing? Intramurals also needs student officials! Soccer and basketball intramurals employ students to keep score, call fouls, and report results to the intramurals office.

Further information can be found on the UNBC intermural website at www.unbc.ca/athletics/intramurals/index.html,

or by emailing intramurals@unbc.ca.

Drop-in Schedule: Basketball – Gym 2, September 16, 5:30-7:30pm; Gym 3, September 18, 9-11pm Floor Ball – Gym 3, September 16, 5:30-7:30pm; Gym 3, September 17, 9-11pm Volleyball – Gyms 1, 2, 3, September 16, 8-10pm Soccer – Field 1, September 15, 3-6pm; Fields 1 and 2, September 16, 6-8pm Ultimate Frisbee – Field 1, September 17, 9-11pm

standings Men’s Soccer Pacific Division

Pictured: UNBC 2012 Men’s Soccer team Back Row (L to R): Aedan Wilson, Manpreet Kajla, Daniel Dell, Christopher Russell, Jared Dillabaugh, Cheona Edzerza, Kellen Strobl, Brett Bobier, Desmond Udeh, Middle Row (L to R): Alan Alderson (HC), Kyle Flannagan (AC), Andrew Seabrook, Robby Panaich, Harjas Grewel, Logan Phenuff, Chandan Sangha, Nikola Knezivic, Sonny Pawar (AC), Brad Stewart (AC) Front Row (L to R): Alessandro Deviato, Sourosh Amani, Jonathon Richards, Mitchell McFarlane, Tyrone Venhola, Lorenzo Bonetti, Connor Noftle, Tyson Hunter Absent: Ahmed Hamour

ALDERSON EXCITED FOR TRANSITION

GEOFF SARGENT SPORTS EDITOR

After an exhibition tour of Vancouver Island and two road trips to start the season, the UNBC men's soccer team returns to Prince George for their first home games in Canada West September 22nd and 23rd against Trinity Western University. The season starts for the men with an early test: two games in Victoria against the defending national champion UVic Vikes. The following weekend sees the Timberwolves leave town again, as they visit Edmonton and Saskatoon for games against Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Opponents aren't the only new faces for UNBC, as Alan Alderson was recently hired to coach the Timberwolves in late May and has spent the summer preparing the team for the transition from collegiate to university level soccer.

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Alderson has previous experience taking a team from PACWEST to Canada West, having done so in 2001 for Trinity Western. “I'm incredibly excited to be back in the CIS, back in Canada West, and into a program that is ideally suited for who I am and what I love to do,” said Alderson in an interview with the Citizen's Jason Peters. Within three seasons of leaving the CCAA behind, Alderson had the Spartans competing for the national title and the school became a regular contender in Canada West, finishing with the best conference record in 2004, 2005, and 2008.

The Timberwolves men were placed in the Pacific Division, giving them two games against each of TWU, UVic, UBC, and UFV. With all games against UBC and UVic being played away from home,

the UNBC men likely have the most difficult schedule in all of Canada this season; neither UVic nor UBC lost on their home fields last season, with the teams combining for an undefeated home record of 12-0-2. The goal for UNBC is a top 6 finish in Canada West, qualifying the team for the conference playoffs in November.

Kickoff time for both games against Trinity Western is 2:15pm at the NCSSL fields, following the women's games at noon. Get loud and support your Timberwolves!

2-0-0 UVic 2-0-0 UBC 1-0-1 Trinity Western 0-0-0 Fraser Valley 0-2-0 UNBC

Prairie Division 2-0-0 Alberta 0-0-1 Saskatchewan 0-0-1 Winnipeg 0-1-1 Calgary 0-2-0 Lethbridge 0-2-0 Mount Royal

Women’s Soccer 2-0-0 Manitoba 2-0-0 Trinity Western 2-0-0 UBC 1-0-1 Alberta 1-0-1 UVic 1-0-0 Regina 1-1-0 Fraser Valley 0-1-1 UNBC 0-1-1 Winnipeg 0-1-0 Saskatchewan 0-2-0 Calgary 0-2-0 Lethbridge 0-2-0 Mount Royal

09/09/2012 9:26:14 PM

10

Features

GALA MUNOZ FEATURES EDITOR

bypassed the Fort George region. By 1909, when the first sawmill had been built by the Fort George Lumber and Navigation Company, the population of Fort George (although mainly consisting of working men) slowly increased.

George Hammond, spokesperson of the Natural Resources Security Company, in an effort to convince the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway Company to include a railway station at the west end of First Avenue, invested in and constructed buildings such as the Hotel Fort George, Fort George Hall, and the Public Library to promote the image of Prince George as a thriving and emergent city.

Despite Hammond’s failure in securing his preferred location, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway station was built in 1914 two blocks west of George Street, between Quebec and Dominion streets. With construction of the railway well underway, the region’s first school was opened in 1910, followed by two small hospitals built in 1911 and 1912. As with any developing city, the quality of education and medical services was well below sufficient, and it wasn’t until the early 1960’s that both had been considerably improved.

With regards to social life, the hotels played a significant role in the merriment of settlers, railway construction workers, pre-emptors, speculators and the plain old curious. Those who had misjudged their tolerance for alcohol nightly were hauled into the “Snake Room” behind the Hotel Northern’s bar where they could sleep off the effects undisturbed. Other social and leisure activities enjoyed by the early residents of Prince George included picnicking, attending concerts and plays, skiing, boxing, curling, as well as playing hockey and baseball.

Like many other smaller communities, the economy of Prince George became stagnant in the period between World War I and World War II, and it wasn’t until the 1960s that Prince George became a prosperous city once again due to the demand for lumber, as well as thanks to the construction of a pulp and paper mill.

Since 1915, when the region was incorporated and the city of Fort George became the city of Prince George, there has existed an ongoing dispute regarding which member of British royalty was meant to be honoured when the new name was chosen.

As Prince George approached the 75th anniversary of its incorporation in 1990, a group of residents from the north central-interior of the province began promoting a proposal to have a university built as a means of stimulating and maintaining the region’s economic development. In 1994, UNBC was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II, with 1,500 students enrolled. The city has had its ups and downs, notably the explosion of the Lakeland Mill, being deemed the “most dangerous city” in Canada by Maclean’s magazine, but also the expansion of the Prince George airport runway, the opening of a new regional Cancer Centre and being picked as the host city for the 2015 Canada Winter Games. It can be said that Prince George has come a long way from its humble beginnings, and has continued to be a fantastic place to study, work and live.

A & A Gourmet Review

Located beside the Bank of Montreal on 15th and Central, A & A Gourmet is only a five minute drive or ten minute bus ride away from UNBC. Open until 8:00 pm on weekdays and 9:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays, with no reservation necessary, this burger bar makes for a great socializing spot for families and students alike. With classic décor of bright red, vinyl booth seats, black and white checkered flooring, and songs such as “Rescue Me” by Aretha Franklin playing throughout your meal, the 60s throwback can be appreciated by both the nostalgic and the youthful. With a specialization, naturally, in burger and sandwich-type meals, A & A manages to add their own touch to the classic combination of meat and bun. A large selection of 100% free-range, local Black Angus beef burgers can be found on their menu, with colourful names such as the “Triple Bypass,” which wears the nickname of the “1 lb. triple threat,” and the “Firehouse” for those who like their burgers hot and spicy. If beef isn’t your thing, the delicious “Mediterranean” burger with roasted red pepper, basil, mayo, feta cheese, cucumbers, purple onion, tomato, and lettuce, can be replaced with a chicken breast. Vegetarians don’t fear! There are several

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PHOTO PROVIDED BY GALA MUNOZ

A History of Prince George

Whether this is your first time in the city or you’ve been here for the past few years, a little look into the history of the place you now call home (however reluctantly or enthusiastically) will help you gain a better perspective on this beautiful and remarkable city.

To start at the very beginning, the first inhabitants ever to grace the Prince George region were the Carrier First Nations, some 13,000 years ago, who lived off the land by hunting and trapping wild animals, fishing for salmon, trout and char, and building homes out of various types of wood. Although Alexander Mackenzie is noted as the first non-native to make the trip across the Rocky Mountains into Central British Columbia in 1793, it wasn’t until 14 years later that a permanent fort was constructed at the junction of what was then called The Great River and the Nechako River by Simon Fraser. It was in an area called “Lheit-let” by the Lheidli T’Enneh (descendants of the Carrier people), meaning “the confluence of two rivers”. Fraser had passed through the area when he first paddled from Fort McLeod to Fort St. James, where he established the headquarters of the North West Company in 1806 in the territory he named New Caledonia.

In 1807 Fort George became the fourth fort in Fraser’s chain of trading posts in New Caledonia. Fraser named Fort George in honour of King George the Third, who by then had been the king of Great Britain for 47 years. Throughout the next hundred years, while Barkerville was seeing a boom in population and commerce due to the gold rush, and Fort St. John was reigning as the hub of the North West Company’s fur trade empire, fame and fortune largely

GALA MUNOZ FEATURES EDITOR

September 12 2012 • Over the Edge

salads to choose from that are made, or can be altered, to please your dietary choices, not to mention the veggie burger that comes with all the fixings. For those that make up the celiac or vegan percentile, there are glutenfree options on the menu for the former, but, sadly, not too many options for the vegan. That being said, the fun and laid-back atmosphere of A & A Gourmet should be appealing enough for the occasional, if not regular, dinein experience for all. For those of us who can’t go a day without something sugary (welcome to my life), the extensive selection of giant, five-dollar milkshakes should keep you inspired for many a visit.

From pomegranate to chai tea spice, the forty plus milkshake flavours don’t fail to impress. Once you are finished your meal (and dessert!), make sure to check out their old-fashioned candy store with goodies such as Jawbreakers, and Pearson’s Mint Patties, located across from the dining area. Particularly appealing to

the ever-constrained student budget, A & A offers a 20% student discount if you show your student ID, so now there is no good excuse for you not to try their tasty food for yourself!

PHOTO PROVIDED BY GALA MUNOZ

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Over the Edge • September 12

ASTROLOGY JESSICA BAGNALL

(March 21- April 20)

(April 21- May 21)

(May 22-June 21)

Aries are all about the new: new ideas, new thoughts, and paradigm-shifting views. A new year of school should give these folks something to be excited about. You will like the attention of your peers, and love rebelling against the formal structures applied this month. Moon enters this sign: Sept 4, 30

Finally, things can get done! While in Virgo, Taurus should be happy as long as material needs are being met and fruition is all around. That said, there may be a few fast ones pulled on you as the Virgo power of paradoxes and opposites throws you for a loop. Moon enters this sign: Sept 5, 6, 7

This month should give Gemini an extra boost to chatting, as the signs Gemini and Virgo are both ruled by Mercury, the planet of communication. Having people around to converse with will make Gemini happiest, with the exception of talking about them later. Have fun sparking the imaginations of those you interact with. Moon enters this sign: Sept 8, 9

(July 23- August 21)

Never quick to leave their den, Leos will brighten up once they see what the fun is all about. A new school year brings new changes, and once the stage has been set, the spotlight will be yours to grab. Keep people from thinking you are shallow by showing them your genuine flair for drama. It is from inside your mind that the truth which brings your actions exaggerates situations. Venus enters your sign on Sept 6th, which will bring love encounters to Leo. Moon enters this sign: Sept 12, 13, 14

(November 23- December 22)

(September 24- October 23)

Although you can see both sides of the debate, try to imagine how one side can be blinded and well defined. Knowing how criticism formulates will help you further develop your grand debate skills, and help you to console those who are stuck in their narrow opinion.

Though you may be quiet at times, you have a profound way of opening up to others when you speak because of your ‘filing cabinet mind’ and diversity. Mercury enters Libra at 7:22pm on Sept 16th, which will involve the Libra and others in communication which is debate oriented. Moon enters this sign: Sept 17, 18

It’s as if you are looking off of a veranda, watching over this society. Like a bird you will fly in to rescue situations, asking questions pertaining to a joker sense of style. Use your knowledge and flair for life to give ‘em what they never saw coming. They will thank you later. To your surprise, the planet Juno is entering Sagittarius on the 16th at 1:50pm.

The shift will affect all zodiacs. Juno is the planet of marriage and partnerships bringing union to those deemed independent like a Sagittarius or emphasizing independence for those already in a relationship. Moon enters this sign: Sept 21, 22

(December 23- January 20)

(January 21- February 19)

Things are looking up as we are heading further into the year. As things become more serious, the Capricorn native feels more at home when responsibility is an advantage and not a burden. Moon enters this sign: Sept 23, 24

The summer fun is over, but the social aspects of school life are enough to keep this sign meeting people and enjoying this time of year. The rigid course of this Virgo month will seem unyielding for the Aquarian, who will feel more at ease when the sun turns to Libra around the 20th. Moon enters this sign: Sept 25, 26

Earth

Air

Fire

(Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn)

Those with an earth sign influence are wellgrounded and down-to-earth types. They are hard workers who will get the job done. They are not risk takers and prefer a steady, stable path. They are reliable, dutiful, conservative, logical, and responsible. They also appreciate all that can be seen and touched, and like to accumulate worldly possessions.

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(August 22- September 23)

This is your time to shine! Education, communication, criticism, and the harvest are iconic representations of the sign Virgo. Moon enters this sign: Sept 15, 16

(Gemini, Libra, Aquarius)

Those with an air sign influence are smart and enterprising. They love puzzles and dilemmas, and will find unique solutions. They are inventive and think outside the box. They are generally optimistic and tend to think of the glass as half full. They thrive on processing information, and are curious and alert.

(Aries, Leo, Sagittarius)

Those with a fire sign influence are self-sufficient and courageous risk takers, who tackle life with gusto, including their relationships.

They are fun, engaging, and creative in all aspects of their lives. Fire signs are, by far, the sexiest of the elemental signs.

(June 22- July 22)

Although you would rather be at home, this is the time of year to step out of your shell and show the qualities you can offer to others. Be careful not to take the frustrations of others personally, as this is a stressful time of year for those who are not water based. Things will lighten up towards the 20th, when the sun in Libra brings an emotional basis for seeing debates. Moon enters this sign: Sept 10, 11

(October 24- November 22)

Intuitive Scorpio may not like this month, and one would rather go with the flow than be told where to go. Institutions and organizations could be too critical and rigid. That said, Scorpions can and do get to work when needed to: usually when they know that their work will end up helping others. Perhaps keep the reminder with you that others will depend on you later for the work you do now.

They are mostly humanitarians. Moon enters this sign: Sept 19, 20

(February 20- March 20)

Although your thoughts would rather be swimming around in a daydream, the month of Virgo will put this to the test by asking the Pisces to communicate, allocate, and plan things out. Do what is necessary, but be careful not to spread yourself too thin, as the earth may dry you out. Moon enters this sign: Sept 27, 28, 29

Water

(Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces)

Those with a water sign influence are feelers of the world; they are artistic, intuitive, compassionate and receptive types, who “just know,” and feel everything quite deeply. They want to care for others and to be cared for, and they love having beauty around them. As the psychics of the world, they are always willing to help, as well as form strong emotional bonds with others.

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12

Arts & Entertainment

September 12 2012 • Over the Edge

Thoughts I Had While Watching This summer's Blockbusters JORDAN TUCKER ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

The Amazing Spider-Man

Is the part where Gwen Stacey births Norman Osbourne's twins going to be in the sequel?

Andrew Garfield has a nice spidey-butt. Gee, all I wanted was to watch Uncle Ben die again.

Thanks for twisting the knife, you stupid reboot. Sooo...you promise a girl's dying dad that you'll stay away from her, skip the funeral, and then show up two weeks later and pretty much say “he's dead now, let's bone baby”? Not cool, Petey. Hopefully if Venom shows up this time around, it doesn't manifest itself with lame pseudo-emo sidebangs. Emma Stone is wonderful. Apparently she knows how to write code and was a huge dork when she was younger.

Apparently amidst all the awkward weirdness and hand twisting that was their love story in The Amazing Spider-Man, the real-life actors who played Petey and Gwen are actually dating in real life. Cute. Bottom line: cute movie focusing on relationships and character interplay.

Don't look for anything too original plot-wise, but overall sweet.

The Dark Knight Rises I was pleasantly surprised with this movie, though I found it to be rather long. Initially I had reservations about Anne Hathaway as Catwoman, because in my brain Catwoman is a glorious and complicated character who exists in a wonderful world of greys, as a foil to Batman's stark black and white reality. (Fun fact: a while ago at the bar, a girl dressed as Catwoman drunkenly informed me that she was a villain and I almost punched her. I had to drink three shots to calm myself.) Bottom line: Catwoman is a fantastically complex character, and I thought Anne Hathaway was too boring an actress to do it. I am so ecstatic to say I was wrong! Anne Hathaway is my new favourite superhero. A+ to her. Even Obama commented, “She’s spectacular, I got a chance to see Batman, and she was the best thing in it. That's just my personal opinion" (Huffpost). But like Catwoman would ever give up crime to sit around in a boring ol' cafe in stupid France in a stupid sundress. Stealing is too fun, and she likes leather a bit too much, I think. Some notes: Bane is not Welsh. Bane was born and raised (if you could call it that, he spent his time incarcerated swimming all day) in a Mexican prison. Also, what's with all the Joseph Gordon Levitt? I thought this was The Dark Knight Rises, not Angry Cute Cop has Coming of Age, Oh and Batman Has a Goatee. His hair was fabulous, and he's really hunky, but please, I paid for Batman. Also, you shoulda called him Tim. Or Richard. Or Jason. But Robin? A bit perplexing. I like to think there will be a spin off series called Robin: Man in Tights that features JGL dancing about the Gotham Skyline, flinging badges around. It's the happy place I picture when I fall asleep.

The Avengers In Joss we trust. During the first appearance of Scarlett Johanssen's Black Widow, I was pretty pissed that they were beating the crap out of her in a way that initially appeared to be sexually exploitative and rather untrue to the character of the comics. Black Widow is a badass, y’ know what I'm sayin'? But then I remembered that this wonderful movie was written and directed

by Joss Whedon, who also brought us Buffy and Firefly, and is himself a pretty vocal feminist.

Her Natasha Romanov was awesome, and smarter than most of the boys, using classic Batman Gambits to trick villains into revealing themselves.

Surprisingly, Hawkeye was not useless! Actually, they used Hawkeye in an a thoughtful way that actually made a lot of sense. Unsurprisingly, Hulk stole the show; Mark Ruffalo was particularly awesome, because unlike his successor in the role, Edward Norton (who made Hulk a meditating moper), Mark Ruffalo made smashing fun again. Tony Stark is stillridiculously charismatic. He's shiny and handsome and funny and I love any moment that Iron Man is on screen. The only thing lacking was Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts; it’s not that she was horrible, but I was a huge fan of the Tony and Natasha romance in the Ultimates 2 comics on which the movie was based, and was looking forward to seeing it realized. Too bad. Awesome movie.

Prometheus Ooh, Space Jesus. But not really. It's a smart movie, with excellent performances by Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender. Written by the same guy who wrote acclaimed and confusing TV series Lost, Prometheus is an epic and searching prequel to the Alien movies. Somewhat confusing at times - why does Charlize Theron insist on running straight when veering two feet left would have saved her from a literally crushing death? - Prometheus is an excellent and philosophical treatise on what it means to be human, and relationships with gods, destiny, and power.

CFUR Top Ten - September 3rd, 2012 Amanda Palmer And The Grand Theft Orchestra Frank Ocean Wax Mannequin Jets Overhead Marina & The Diamonds Passion Pit The White Wires Chilly Gonzales Grizzly Bear Kant

Theatre Is Evil Channel Orange No Safe Home Boredom And Joy Electra Heart Gossamer The White Wires III Solo Piano II Yet Again (single) When Love Comes

Self-Released Def Jam Zunior Warner (WEA) 679 Columbia Dirtnap Arts & Crafts Warp SEe

SCREENCAPS COURTESY ROTTENTOMATOS.COM

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13

Over the Edge • September 12

CFUR Album Review JORDAN TUCKER ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Hello UNBC! To those of you who are returning, here's hoping that your summer was fantastic and that all shenanigans had were mostly legal and all fun. To those of you who are new to our school, welcome! This section will be where we review albums and post the top ten albums played at CFUR this fortnight.

#1- Theatre is Evil, Amanda Palmer And The Grand Theft Orchestra Amanda Palmer, former member of selfinvented genre “Punk Cabaret”, so-called because she was “terrified that someone would use the word 'gothic' in the description”, has created a genre-defying oeuvre, deeply informed by her personal experience and life on the precipice of extraordinary and unlimited thinking. Her husband, acclaimed writer Neil Gaiman, once said that he felt that he was “living with a piece of incredible, all-consuming performance art called Amanda Palmer”.

Her art and music and life are intertwined: nothing is created without informing the other aspects of her life. This album was made possible in part due to her fans.

Amanda Palmer, when still with The Dresden Dolls, the two-person outfit made famous by the 2006 album Yes, Virginia, was signed to Roadrunner Records. While this would be considered a success story by many, Amanda found the pressures, creative restrictions

and financial inequalities of the label to be wearisome. Her process to birth Theatre Is Evil was so ingenious and unprecedented that The New York Times, The Economist and other notable publications took notice. Her formula was simple: she posted a link to Kickstarter on her blog, and presented a detailed budget of the breakdown of how she would spend a million dollars to create an album. Her fans responded with a flood of support and enthusiasm, and an album has been released and a 14-month tour announced (Vancouver on September 29th). Amanda Palmer is brilliant, unorthodox, and controversial. This album is no different, being a hodgepodge of pop, folk, rock and ukelele. In one song, “Ukelele Anthem”, she sings, “Just because your grades are bad, doesn't mean you're failing!” (The song itself was debuted at her Occupy Wall Street performance in 2011, she and Neil are both ardent supporters of the movement) In the video for “Want It

# 3- No Safe Home, Wax Mannequin

Back”, she lies naked on a white bed, and a tattoo artist draws the lyrics as she sings on her body, creating a wonderful picture of the emotional toil and physical vexations a relationship can take on a person. The song itself is no less magnificent, with soaring vocals and the sweet and urgent promise that “He's already on the outskirts/I'm still pulling at his sweatshirt/He says "Fate is not a factor”/ I will let you go if you would let somebody love you like I do.” This album is fantastic. Buy it, and support not only the artist, but the idea that music should be something sold by artists, to fans, without middlemen.

In his role as dramatic performer Wax Mannequin, Chris Adeney is used to taking risks. Of his previous five albums, this may perhaps be the most morose. In a concert at Nancy O's, on August 7th, his performance was theatrical and somewhat sad. The music seemed heavy, thick, visceral.

He stared intensely out at the crowd, a searching sentiment to his performance.

However, while Wax Mannequin is theatrical, extravagant and energetic, he is not uncalculating. His music is well thought out, and often fanciful, dealing with themes of isolation, love, and meowing (check out “Message From The Queen,” from his album The Price).

As a press release states, No Safe Home is "a subdued collection of ethereal and sombre folk songs that are rife with the minstrel's wry wit, morose personal observations, veiled social commentary and uplifting (if understated) melodic cadences." The record

was engineered and co-produced by Nick Johannes of the Kettle Black, resulting in a "hauntingly spacious, sparsely produced, acoustic gem." This album is smart and sober, with all the maturity one would expect from Canada's favourite troubadour. Please buy it off of his website, or better yet, purchase one of the candles with a USB of his entire back catalogue wedged inside. Our boy has to remake the tour money that was stolen from him on his 2011 tour.

NUGSS Backyard Barbecue with Kingsfoil

PHOTO SOUCE RANDY ROY SHELLEY TERMUENDE MANAGING EDITOR

Another fabulous start to the school was had by all last Friday at the annual NUGSS Backyard Barbecue and concert. This year, NUGSS and the UNBC community had the honour of hosting the musical stylings of indie/pop rock band, Kingsfoil and openers The Statistics.

Crowds were thrilled to see their favourite prime-time star, Frankie Muniz, on stage in his musical element as the band’s drummer. Front man Jordan Davis and bassist Tim Warren had excellent stage presence along with strong vocals and popular lyrics. Kingsfoil’s mainstream style was very popular with the UNBC community. After

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the concert, lines of screaming fans (both male and female) stretched on for hours, all dying to get merchandise, autographs and their picture with Kingsfoil’s famous percussionist. The band was thrilled with the level of enthusiasm here on campus, saying “Honestly, there was a lot more excitement than our American audiences, especially since you guys have never listened to our songs before.

It was awesome, and we really appreciate it! We love Canada!”

With another awesome turnout for the Backyard Barbecue and concert, NUGSS has once again outdone themselves.

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14

Opinion

September 12 2012 • Over the Edge

Graduate Student Spotlight

LEILA MAHEIDDINIBONAB STUDENT LIFE EDITOR

UNBC's Graduate Programs have almost doubled in enrolment in recent years to encompass 15% of the student body. With such an increase in numbers, Over the Edge wanted to showcase some of the students and their research.

Who is Jessica Shapiro? Jessica Shapiro is a writer and traveler from Toronto. Her first solo trip was to Montreal, where she escaped to do an undergraduate degree.

Her next stop was Barcelona, Spain on a summer study exchange, where she learned Spanish. Later she traveled to Israel and then to Vancouver for the first time. She then partnered up and left to Argentina before finally ending up in Prince George.

What are you studying/researching? I am studying forest values surrounding the ancient cedar stands located just east of Prince George. I look at the Ancient Forest Trail guestbook, media pieces, and interview local residents to get their perspectives on if the trees are important to them, and in what capacity.

Why did you choose this topic? I chose to study environmental values because they are increasingly becoming hugely important for decision making surrounding natural resources and natural areas. Social science plays a big role in shedding light on what it is society is really concerned about.

How was the research conducted? I spent two months living in the woods, knocking on people's doors and making them like me enough to let me in on their values.

Where would your research be implemented? What are some applications for this research? The research can be used to help northern BC decide which parts of the Inland Temperate Rainforest they should preserve, and which sections they should continue harvesting in.

When will you be graduating? Before the first week of classes ends I hope to have passed my thesis defence, and will be driving back to my hometown, Toronto! Thanks a bunch Prince George!

If you could give one piece of advice to the new grad students this year, what would it be? Find something that really makes you curious, and go out and get those answers. Make the project your own, and feel empowered by your ability to add to the knowledge bank known as science.

PHOTO COURTESY JOHN HALL

UNBC Student opinion: Canada Closes Iranian Embassy LEILA MAHEIDDINIBONAB STUDENT LIFE EDITOR

On September 7th John Baird, the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, closed the Canadian Embassy in Tehran, Iran and declared all remaining Iranian diplomats in Canada personae non grata. As a result, diplomatic relations between the two countries have been suspended; all Canadian diplomats have left Iran and Iranian diplomats in Ottawa have been "instructed to leave within five days.”

These actions have effectively

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PHOTO COURTESY HDW.EWEB4.COM

broken off communications with the Iranian government, as well as the Iranian people in Canada. The Canadian government has ostensibly aligned itself with ideals traditionally associated with Canada – the importance placed on human rights, our status as a beacon for international immigration, and a place of acceptance based on skills and not origins – while acting in the opposite manner and hoping no one will notice.

Personally, I seem to have had a

stroke of luck in this situation. I have been a Canadian citizen for years and thus the embassies closing are more a symbolic issue than a tangible one to me. I worry about what this means to me living in Canada. I think of how this act will affect the average person’s view of Iran and Iranians. I think about other times in history where communication lines have been cut and what happens as a result of silent assumptions. What will happen to the refugee statuses and pending immigration cases? What will happen to the Canadian press in Iran, individuals who often risk their lives to report on a situation so the rest of the world is aware? How do these decisions make me, as an Iranian, feel? Despondent? Sad? Isolated? Targeted? These are the things I think about.

The tangible issues with the embassies closing are another matter altogether. As immigrants and international students know, the

consulate is where you acquire papers from your country of origin or get papers verified and translated so they are valid elsewhere. This ranges from passport renewals, to criminal record checks from country of origin, to degree transfers.

While many of these services are offered by Iranian embassies in the United States, what I see as affecting the student population the most is the renewal of passports and the degree transfer programs. Current international students as well as incoming students are required to have valid passports from their country of origin. Without these passports they cannot get visas and subsequently study permits, making them ineligible to attend an educational institution. Graduating students face another problem.

They have come here, paid fees and studied to get an education from a Canadian institution and now have degrees which cannot be transferred back to their home country; after all, only an embassy within

Canada is authorized to verify the degree they received is genuine.

As a Canadian I’m upset, and I’m noticing a difference between what the government is saying and what they are doing. Mainly, I’m upset because the government’s actions reflect poorly on me and everyone who still strives to live up to Canadian ideals.

Do you think the embassy closings are a good choice? Take the poll online at ote.unbc.ca

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Over the Edge â&#x20AC;˘ September 12

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September 12 2012 â&#x20AC;˘ Over the Edge

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