NEWS AND CULTURE FOR THE STUDENTS OF KWANTLEN POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY
THROW BACK TO THE 90’S P 06
EAGLES WIN PROVINCIALS P 05
ROAD TO FREEDOM P 09
HALLOWEEN COSTUME CONTEST P 10
VOL. 2 ISSUE 06 | NOVEMBER 03, 2009
NOSTALGIA ISSUE
NEWS & POLITICS
The Runner | www.runnerrag.ca
CANADIAN UNIVERSITY PRESS - WHAT’S HAPPENING ACROSS CANADA
vol. 2 issue 06 | November 03 2009 | page two
WHAT’S HAPPENING
New petition fights CFS referendum question at UVic [DAVID J.A. FOSTER THE MARTLET]
VICTORIA (CUP) – The University of Victoria is one of more than a dozen schools across Canada circulating petitions to launch referenda questioning their membership with the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) – but UVic students are facing another petition as well. According to one petitioner, a counter-petition has been created which could overrule the referendum request if it receives more signatures. Toni Gore, a student at Vancouver Island University (VIU) and the director of external relations on the VIU Students’ Union board, has been petitioning on UVic’s campus on behalf of the UVic Student Society (UVSS) and the CFS. According to the CFS’ British Columbian division (CFS-B.C.) website, Gore is the North Island Students’ Union rep on the CFS-B.C. executive. Gore said she came to UVic specifically to collect signatures for both the counter petition as well as the CFS petition, “Education Shouldn’t Be a Debt Sentence,” which asks the B.C. government to roll back tuition, eliminate interest on B.C. student loans and create a provincial grant program. “I believe in student solidarity, and I think [getting] students working across the province, and the country, is very important to get things achieved on the national level,” said Gore. Gore said the counter petition is “about the UVSS continuing to be a member of the CFS.” She said that the UVSS produced it on behalf of the CFS, as a response to the earlier petition calling for a referendum. At the Oct. 19 UVSS board meeting, Shawn Slavin, a UVic student who has worked as a
deputy electoral officer in UVSS elections, said that he’d been approached by Gore, and that he’d also seen two of the four paid UVSS executive directors circulating the counter petition. “How can you justify spending your paid working hours campaigning in favour of a petition that is not related to your job as chairperson of the UVSS?” Slavin asked Chairperson Veronica Harrison at the meeting. Harrison said she didn’t start the counter petition, but that after students had been petitioning for a CFS referendum for a month, there were individuals who wanted to work on a petition that represented a different side. Director-at-Large, James Coccola said he was concerned that executives had spent hours petitioning on the day before the UVSS Annual General Meeting (AGM) rather than promoting the AGM. “When I asked Veronica, she said [the petition] was created by [UVSS] members,” said Coccola. “The reality is . . . it’s a national campaign that’s happened on almost every single campus that’s decided to do a defederation petition.” Harrison added that “yes, this is something that’s happening on other campuses.” “On other campuses, after there had been basically a silent defederation campaign, people went out on the [pro-CFS] side to give some information and clear up misinformation, and I saw that was working well,” Harrison said. The counter-petition calls on the UVSS board to defend student unity and continue to work with the CFS. It also says “I do not want my name to be counted towards any petition to put to question membership in the Canadian Federation of
Students.” “If those people who sign the opposing petition care to sign this one, we will inform them that it will nullify their other signature, and that they’d be supporting this,” Gore said. But the counter petition isn’t aimed specifically at students who signed the referendum petition; rather, the new petitioners are asking for general support from all society members. “If we get a thousand more signatures, then this campaign will be successful and there will not be a referendum,” claimed Gore. “This is written in the bylaws of the CFS.” Slavin said he has no issues with the counter petition itself – his problems are about how it’s being conducted. The UVSS Resource Centre is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and while executives can do UVSS work outside those hours, Slavin said “someone needs to be [available] in the office” for students. Slavin claims misinformation is being used to promote the counter petition. “I’ve been involved in running elections for two years,” said Slavin. “I’ve seen four referenda pass, and never was cost raised as an issue. We can do this by doubling it up with the elections on campus – it doesn’t have to cost students a lot of money.” Slavin also noted the quantities of CFS advertising and numbers of off-campus campaign workers which appeared during the CFS referenda at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C. and Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Greater Vancouver. “They will probably spend more money trying to keep UVic in the CFS than a referendum would cost,” Slavin concluded.
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE KWANTLEN CAMPUSES
NOV
04
Music @ Midweek WHERE: Langley campus - Auditorium WHEN: 12:15pm - 1:00pm WHAT: Come out and listen to Kwantlen Brass Ensemble
NOV
05
Distinctive Art of Haida Villages WHERE: Bill Reid Gallery 639 Hornby St WHEN: 6:30pm - 8:30pm WHAT: Lecture Series: the Art of the Southern Haida Villages. Seating is limited so book early (604-682-3455). Tickets are $10.
NOV
09
KSA U-Pass Consultations: WHERE: Surrey Campus WHEN: All Day. WHAT: Come by and share your thoughts on the U-pass. Consultation times are: 10:15, 12:15, 2:15, 6:00
TUITION
Got extra cash? Study in Ontario
NOV
[SELMA AL-SAMARRAI] [THE SILHOUETTE]
10
HAMILTON (CUP) – Nova Scotia no longer has the highest undergraduate tuition rates in the country, as Statistics Canada announced last week that Ontario now has taken that crown at an average of $5,951 annually. Statistics Canada issued a news release on Canadian University tuition fees on Oct. 20 examining provincial comparisons of tuition fees and discussed the costs of education for graduate students, dentistry students and international students within Canada. Canadian full-time, undergraduate students experienced the same 3.6 per cent increase in tuition for the 2009/2010 academic year that they did in the 2008/2009 academic year. Only three provinces were exempt from tuition increases this academic year: Newfoundland and Labrador and the province of New Brunswick,
where tuition was unchanged, and the province of Nova Scotia, which experienced a 3.1 per cent decrease in tuition. Manitoba experienced a 4.3 per cent increase in tuition fees, Saskatchewan experienced a 3.4 per cent increase, British Columbia experienced a 2 per cent increase and Ontario experienced a 5 per cent increase. It was reported undergraduate students in Ontario paid the highest tuition fees in Canada at an average of $5,951. Quebec undergraduates paid the lowest tuition fees this year, at an average of $2,272. Estimated nationally, graduate students experienced a higher raise in tuition fees, at 4.7 per cent, than undergraduate students who experienced an increase of 3.6 per cent. In addition, fees for graduate students went up in eight provinces. In both the academic year of 2008/2009 and the academic year of 2009/2010, undergraduate students in dentistry paid
the highest tuition fees, at an average of $13,988. This amount is three times the average of most undergraduate disciplines. Law students experienced a 5.9 per cent increase, and business, management and public administration students experienced a 1.9 per cent increase. The national increase in tuition fees for international students in undergraduate programs was 7.1 per cent at an average of 15,674 dollars. Tuition fee increases for international undergraduate students was implemented in all provinces but Newfoundland and Labrador. International graduate student tuition fees experiences an average 5.1 per cent increase from the previous academic year in most provinces, except in Manitoba where they decreased by one per cent and in Prince Edward Island which experienced a 9 per cent increase and Quebec which experienced an 8.2 per cent increase.
KSA U-Pass Consultations: WHERE: Richmond Campus WHEN: All Day. WHAT: Come by and share your thoughts on the U-pass. Consultation times are: 10:15, 12:15, 2:15, 6:00
NOV
12
KSA U-Pass Consultations: WHERE: Langley Campus WHEN: All Day. WHAT: Come by and share your thoughts on the U-pass. Consultation times are: 10:15, 12:15, 2:15, 6:00
vol. 2 issue 06 | November 03 2009 | page three
NEWS & POLITICS
The Runner | www.runnerrag.ca
JOURNALISM REVAMPED
Journalism joins Faculty of Social Sciences
MELISSA FRASER/ THE RUNNER Although there is no set date on the big move from Richmond Campus to Surrey Campus, the merger with the Social Science department will offer more choices for journalism students.
[JEFF GROAT] [ENTERTAINMENT BUREAU CHIEF]
Kwantlen’s Journalism program is abuzz with news it will be moving to the Faculty of Social Sciences and possibly Kwantlen’s Surrey campus in the near future. The move comes as Kwantlen
attempts to bolster its Bachelor of Arts programs by streamlining access to third and fourth year classes for BA students. “This would be a four-year degree that would allow students a greater opportunity to benefit from courses in other Arts disciplines,” said Robert Adamoski, Dean of Social Sci-
HORTICULTURE
ences at Kwantlen. “Aspiring journalists would benefit from a broad, multidisciplinary exposure to the issues that confront our society.” The possible move to Surrey campus would make it easier for BA Journalism students to find classes that fit with an existing timetable of core journalism
H1N1 KWANTLEN
Extreme yard makeover
H1N1 at Kwantlen [DENNY HOLLICK] [CO-ORDINATING EDITOR]
PHOTO COURTESY KWANTLEN
[KASSANDRA LINKLATER] [NEWS EDITOR]
For the third year in a row, Kwantlen horticulture students donated their time and skills to the Yule family home in Coquitlam.The project, in partnership with Cornerstone Home Team (a local church) was based on the American show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” The deserving family was sent to Whistler for a week, accord-
classes, given the wide variety of third and fourth year classes available at Surrey campus, and its growing enrolment of BA students. The move to Surrey is still very early in its development as various issues need to be addressed, especially given that with Kwantlen’s dramatically
increased enrolment, space is hard to come by. There will not be any immediate, jarring changes within the program itself. Instead, the process is slowly evolving and will be under discussion between faculty members for some time. Journalism students who choose to pursue the BA option must decide on five liberal education “breadth” classes in five different subjects and five additional “depth” classes in one of the breadth subjects, three of which must be third and fourth year subjects. For BA students in any program, any move to ease this process is a welcome one, since most (if not all) students prefer not to stick around and finish their degree after their core program has been completed. With faculty coordinated in this way, the needs of students may well be addressed easier, allowing students to finish their programs as planned and start working. ”The faculty continues to work on the structure of the new program, with reference to changes in other programs around the world, and to the thoughts of employers and practicing journalists,” said Adamoski. “The new program will also evolve as it moves through the approval process and ultimately comes before Senate.”
ing to a Kwantlen media press release, “while the crew spent that time completely renovating the Yule house, which was in serious disrepair due to all the time the family spent helping others in need.” In total, the School of horticulture donated $3,000 worth of garden plants, trees, sod, garden mulch, top soil, trucking services, kids playhouse and play set, and other horticulture supplies for the Yule family yard makeover.
Kwantlen has been gearing up their plans to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus on campus in case of a major outbreak in the near future. The H1N1 virus has been at the centre of media controversy and has officially been declared as a world pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). According to Heath Canada and B.C. health authorities, it was first discovered on Apr. 24, 2009 in Winnipeg, Canada, and it mixes swine, bird, and human strains of the flu. The symptoms are very similar to that of the regular flu (cough, fever, fatigue etc.) but people have no natural immunity to the virus. A second outbreak of the virus is expected according to the WHO, and the number people infected will increase as the flu season approaches its peak. Although some cases are severe and can lead to death, most people who acquire the flu have minor cases. Most cases in Canada of the flu are likely to be the H1N1 virus, in which 89 people have died as a result. But
to put this in perspective, there are nearly 400 to 800 flu or pneumonia related deaths during the regular flu season according to Health Canada. Kwantlen’s Emergency Management Committee has developed an influenza virus exposure control plan in case a major outbreak at Kwantlen occurs and has put in measures to prevent the spread of the flu. Most recently, Kwantlen purchased several hand sanitizing stations to be placed in high traffic areas around campus. According to their communications with staff, they are encouraging everyone to use the sanitizers on a regular basis and to contact Healthlink BC if you experience and symptoms by dialling 8-1-1. Further Kwantlen has developed an influenza exposure control plan which is available on their website. The plan outlines the importance of promoting hygiene on campus, vaccinations, discusses measures to decontaminate the campus as well as under what circumstances the school may be shut down. Other universities across Canada have gone as far as to provide vaccination clinics for
students, including Ryerson University. According to The Eyeopener, the Ryerson student newspaper, students will be offered free vaccination clinics to prevent an outbreak on campus. Matt Demers, a journalism student at Ryerson who is recovering from the virus says “They’re offering it for free and it’s going to be right here at the university, so there’s no excuse not to take it.” Kwantlen at this time has not outlined any plans in its reports to hold any vaccination clinics for students and staff, but will rather be directing them to local clinics where they are available. It is not known the number of people that will actually seek out vaccinations in Canada at this moment. The Runner attempted to contact Mo Bual, Manager of Occupational Health and Safety to comment on their plans but he was not available at the time. As always, health officials continue to press the importance of washing hands on a regular basis, sneezing in to your arm, and staying home when you suspect you may be sick.
NEWS & POLITICS
The Runner | www.runnerrag.ca
vol. 2 issue 06 | November 03 2009 | page four
CHIT CHAT WITH THE BUREAU CHIEFS
Meet the Bureau Chiefs: Nostalgia edition
JEFF GROAT ENTERTAINMENT BUREAU CHIEF
ANASTASIA KIRK TRAVEL BUREAU CHIEF
ADAM VINCENT CREATIVE WRITING BUREAU CHIEF
CHRIS YEE STUDENT AFFAIRS BUREAU CHIEF
Who are you? Who am I?
Who are you? Um, I’m undecided. I’m Anastaisa and I am the Travel Bureau Chief.
Who are you? Adam Vincent.
Who are you? I am Chris Yee and I am the News [Student Affairs] Bureau Chief.. the New News Bureau Chief.
When you were young what did you want to be when you grew up? A dinosaur. Seriously? No. Why do you hate juice? It’s too purple. Sum up yourself in one noise. Achoo. Which 90’s rap star are you most like? Will Smith.
What did you want to be when you grew up? When I was a kid, I’d always play teenage Ninja turtles with the boys and I’d be the only girl. I always played April the reporter, and so right from a young age I was always a writer. So no surprise that I ended up where I am. If you could genetically mutate yourself with an animal part, what would you be and why? Wings.
When you were young what did you want to you be when you grew up? A teacher.
What did you want to be when you grew up? When I was in grade one, I thought I wanted to be a cashier, but a rich cashier. It’s kinda weird now that I think about it.
Why do you hate juice? It’s very sugary. Sum yourself up in one noise. EEEeeehhhHHH Which 90’s rap star are you most like? Tupac Why? Because... because he had some California Love
Why? Because he’s really lame.
What 90’s sitcom star are you most like? Ohh... Gotta think about this. Steve Urkle? But less black and more asian. If you could genetically mutate yourself with an animal, what would you be and why? Um.. I guess it’d be a Sea turtle... their long life and anything.. If you think about it they’re really cool , they’re so hydrodynamic.
IN BRIEF
Three Kwantlen students named 2009 B.C. Aboriginal Award recipients [KASSANDRA LINKLATER] [NEWS EDITOR]
Kwantlen students Allison Antone, Lisa Iversen, and Braxton Lawrence received the 2009 B.C. Aboriginal Award from the Irving K. Barber British Columbia Scholarship Society to pursue post-secondary education in B.C. According to the Kwantlen press release, “These awards are an investment in the skills and talents of B.C.’s Aboriginal students”, said Jim Reed, chair of the Irving K. Barber British Columbia Scholarship Society.
Reed also stated, “They will help to open new doors to B.C.’s educational system for Aboriginal people in all regions of the province.” The release also stated that the “B.C. Aboriginal Student Award is funded from the returns on a $10-million endowment fund established by the Province in 2007 as part of its strategy to improve Aboriginal access and achievement.” For more information on Kwantlen Student Awards, visit: http://www. kwantlen.ca/awards.html
IN BRIEF
Kwantlen Board of Governors announces new staff representative and appointed board members [KASSANDRA LINKLATER] [NEWS EDITOR]
Kwantlen recently announced the new appointment of three new board members as well as a new staff representative. The Provincial Government appointments include Kristan Ash, Yuri Fulmer and Kenneth Tung. Ash and Tung’s appointments will last until July 31, 2010, while Fulmer will sit on the board until July 31, 2011.
Ariana Arguello who is an elected representative will represent the professional and support staff at Kwantlen. She has been working at Kwantlen since January 2005 and will sit on the Board for a three-year term. For more information on the Kwantlen Polytechnic University Board of Governors, visit: http://www.kwantlen.ca/governors.
DISTRIBUTORS NEEDED The Runner is Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s independent, studentowned-and operated newspaper. It is read by students, faculty and staff at all four Kwantlen campuses from Richmond, to Surrey, to Langley and Cloverdale – plus surrounding communities. The Runner is written, edited and produced by intrepid – and sometimes sarcastic – students who work to publish student-focused news and culture content without fear or favour. We’re looking for reliable team players to help us out. We offer a fun, casual work environment from our offices, just four blocks from Kwantlen’s Surrey campus. Our Business Division team has has immediate openings for one or more Distribution Co-ordinator(s). We require distribution runs most Tuesdays – mid-day, early afternoons – of newspaper bundles to Kwantlen’s campuses from our office. This is an ideal job for students who want a mix of freedom, responsibility, and with opportunities to gain valuable benefits from involvement in Kwantlen/community life. Salary: $32 per campus per issue (usually weekly), plus mileage costs Responsibilities: Distribute The Runner around any or all of: Langley, Surrey or Richmond campuses Count previous issues, and recycle expired papers Maintain distribution records Qualifications: • Positive attitude a must • Proven reliability
• Physically fit • Clean driving record
Contact The Runner’s Operations Manager, DJ Lam: ops@runnerrag.ca
SPORTS
vol. 2 issue 06 | November 03 2009 | page five
The Runner | www.runnerrag.ca
EAGLES WIN
Eagles make history: women’s soccer wins provincial championship [KASSANDRA LINKLATER] [NEWS EDITOR]
ELISE LE BRUN/ KWANTLEN The Eagles Women’s Soccer team are all smiles after winning the BCCAA Provincial Championships.
FITNESS
The Eagles soccer team is among the first of any Kwantlen’s sports teams to win a British Columbia Colleges’ Athletic Association (BCCAA) provincial championship banner. The team defeated Vancouver Island University, Thompson Rivers University and Langara College to take home the win. According to Kwantlen’s press release, Director of Athletics and Recreation, Elise Le Brun commented, “I am so proud of the team for their courageous and inspiring performance. To win the conference and advance to the national championship is a testament of their hard work and determination.” Some key standout performances during the game include freshman goalkeeper Amelia Ng (Richmond), who faced numerous shots and stood her ground during the 15 penalty kicks she faced throughout the tournament, according to the release. She was awarded the top
honours of Tournament All Star, Best Goalkeeper, and the 2009 BCCAA Tournament Most Valuable Player. Other honourable athletes include Christine (Barb) Walker (White Rock), Christina Henderson (Delta), and Shanay Sangha (Richmond). Le Brun went on to say, “It’s a huge accomplishment for the women’s soccer team and a proud moment for the university and the Kwantlen Eagles athletics program.” By winning the provincial championship, the Eagles will qualify for the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association National Championships, hosted by Humber College in Etobicoke, Ontario. The tournament will run from November 4 to 7 this year. Kwantlen’s varsity athletics teams are the Kwantlen Eagles. In basketball, soccer, badminton and golf, they compete in national intercollegiate leagues. For more information about the Kwantlen Eagles, visit kwantlen.ca/eagles
ON THE ROAD
ON THE RUN WITH RYAN:
The Basketball Diaries
The Importance of Eating Right
Lessons from the road with Ali and Chantelle
ON THE RUN WITH RYAN [RYAN KREIGHER]
Something to factor into fitness and health is what you eat. When it comes to exercise, dieting can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Some diet to maintain weight, and others exercise to maintain weight, but most people must do both diet and exercise in order to lose weight. There were times where I was running upwards of 100 miles a week and if I did not eat the proper foods at the proper times, I was on track to being sick or injured. Being that we are all students, it’s really too easy to just eat whatever we can find quickly. It doesn’t have to be McDonalds or Wendy’s, but there are other healthier alternatives to eating “fast food”. Subway, although at times tastes delicious, is not the only option. There are other choices such as Wrap Zone, Tim Hortons or for those that have acquired the taste, Sushi! The mistake individuals make in dieting is not covering their necessities. From the hype of Atkins or Bernstein, people lack the needed amount of calories, or carbohydrate and protein intakes to function
properly during the day. Like training, you need to stick to a schedule that works and fits your lifestyle. Snacking is not a bad option. Fruits, vegetables or even granola bars will meet our sugar needs to function throughout the day. As I mentioned, when I did not eat properly and covered my needs, I was on track to being injured or sick. When you deplete your system, you weaken your body and allow yourself to become more vulnerable to injury or sickness. I am a firm believer in feeding a cold and because of that, I have been able to fend off colds and get back into running faster. Not only that, but following exercise, protein is needed to rebuild the tissues in your body, the same tissues that were broken down during exercise. When we exercise, we hurt ourselves and damage our bodies, this is necessary to understand why we need to refuel our bodies following exercise. Exercising can allow us all to be more vulnerable to injury or sickness, but proper dieting throughout the day will keep us fitter, longer. Food is our fuel, and like cars, we cannot go without our fuel. If we want the best from our body, as we do our cars, we must put in the right foods. Eat healthy, eat properly and keep on exercising.
[MICHELA FIORIDO] [SPORTS BUREAU CHIEF]
Q
A
It all began Friday afternoon at one forty five in the Kwantlen parking lot. Two filthy rental vans picked us up and took us to the ferry terminals. Our first game was versus Quest University. The game was okay. We started off shooting extremely well, thanks to our many three point shooters. In the second quarter we let them back in the game, sharing basket for basket. By the time the fourth quarter began we were back in the game with a solid lead and finished the game with a 74-60 win. Currently many members of the Kwantlen women’s basketball team are either injured or sick and therefore are unable to play. This leaves the team with only eight players which can be tiring and very interesting. The Camosun game was one of those games. They have a deep bench and one player in particular who is very strong - scoring many of their points, despite our best efforts. We came within two points of the Camosun Chargers but
ended up losing by ten. It seems every time we travel to Victoria we go to the same Tim Hortons which always
seems to have a crowd outside of it. This isn’t any crowd, it’s people and their cars, and we’re not talking hot rods. Just normal cars with their hoods up and people talking and looking at engines. (Apparently there isn’t anything better to do in Victoria on a Friday night.) Because of the quality of people that inhabit the Timmy’s parking lot our coaches thought it would be best to skip out on donuts this year. We encountered a few more dodgy people on the ferry ride
home. First was a man who, from a distance, looked as if he had just taken a baseball bat to the head. His face was covered in bruises and cuts and his head was bandaged. The odd thing was he was wearing a suit. The team was all taking bets whether the injuries wer fake or real. So one brave soul took it upon herself to walk by and take a really good look. Turns out they were fake, makes sense since Halloween is soon approaching, but still it’s pretty weird. The next strange group of people on the ferry were three young men. They felt the need to stare down a few of us as we were innocently watching the Canucks game. It was getting pretty intense so we ended up telling our assistant coach who somehow got them to clear out pretty quickly without ever getting out of his seat or saying a word. Must have been a pretty intense look. Well that’s what you get when you travel with the women’s b-ball team, until next time, Ali and Chantelle are over and out.
Fitness Guru
Kwantlen’s
Meet Elmo:
ASK THE COACH I want to get fit, but I am concerned / scared about the sore muscles that come the next few days. Can that be prevented?
Absolutely! Sore muscles after exercise is caused by too much exercise too soon. The aches and pains are caused by the accumulation of
lactic acid in the muscle cells, produced when previously dormant muscles are suddenly called to vigorous action. So take it really easy with your exercise the first 3 weeks.
I recommend a maximum of one hour per session, three alternate days of the week. To set an appointment, you can e-mail me at: fitness@kusa. ca. My services are free.
FEATURE
The Runner | www.runnerrag.ca
vol. 2 issue 06 | November 03 2009 | page six
VIDEO GAMES
MOVIES
90’s Movies [MICHELA FIORIDO] [SPORTS BUREAU CHIEF]
Perhaps you remember them, or maybe you’ve erased them permanently from your thoughts. Either way, let’s take a trip down memory lane and recall the top ten most disturbing animated childhood movies: The Last Unicorn – This movie, as you may recall, commences with this creepy looking unicorn looking into her reflection asking, in the eeriest voice ever, “I am the last unicorn?”…..if you’ve seen this movie those words continue to haunt you to this day….
1
Ferngully: The Last Rainforest – It was all fun and games until that pollution thing came along and destroyed the rainforest, and my childhood in the process…
2 MIKEZS/FLICKR
90’s Video Games [KRISTI JUT CONTRIBUTOR]
Something all of us ‘90s kids just can’t shake from our identity is our attachment to video games. As children, there were few things more symbolic than our gaming systems. Little did we know that in 1992, when we got our hands on our very first Super Nintendo consoles, our lives would be affected by video games forever. Of course, we would move on to Sega Genesis, N64, and Playstation 1, 2 & 3—but the ‘90s is when we started our life-long love affair with games. The Runner caught up with Gamedeals video-game store owner and enthusiast, Brian Hughes, to bring you the TOP TEN BEST VIDEO GAMES OF THE ‘90s
Super Mario World (SNES): Duh, the first SNES consoles to come out included a “Super Mario package” with the console, one controller and The Super Mario World cartridge. We needlessly say that Mario, Luigi and Yoshi left an impression on our generation that we will take to the grave.
Street Fighter II (SNES): It’s an anomaly that everyone knows Street Fighter II and no one knows of, or has played, the first one. Did the first game fall off the boat and sink into the abyss whilst travelling from Japan? Will those sea monsters ever know the fortune they were bestowed?! No, the original street fighter was actually an arcade game called “Street
Fighter 2010” that came out a few years earlier than the SNES game. But we digress, Street Fighter II and Street Fighter II TURBO were the premiere fighting games of its time, with character each having their own special advances. Blanka is an all-around favourite, with lizard-human green skin, orange hair and the ability to electrocute or bite opponent’s faces off. Chinese scissor-kicking spitfire, Chun-Li, was the hero of many a young girl in ’92, whose turbokicks and helicopter spins could annihilate lame-ass military Ken or kung-fu Ryu any day, any time.
Final Fantasy VII(PSX): Crammed over three-discs, this game literally stole your life away from you. Most young boys at the time spent over 60 hours slaving away at this game. Combining astounding graphics and cinematics, as well as a detailed battlesystem, this game trumped its super Nintendo predecessor. Even 12 years after its release, its concept is still spawning spin-off games and movies.
Golden Eye 007 (N64): Self-proclaimed nerds know that this game revolutionized the first-person shooter genre. Playing solo, the game followed the GoldenEye storyline closely; while multi-player modes offered deathmatch or capture-theflag. Players could choose any of the classic Bond characters including OddJob and Jaws. This was one of the first games (and systems) to feature multipleplayers and the rumble-pack.
A Troll in Central Park – Gnorga the queen…*shudder*
Legend of Zelda-Ocarina of Time (N64): “Traditionally known as the best game of all time,” according to Hughes. After showing up twice in NES and once again for SNES, this game perfected the “Zelda” formula in terms of storyline and invented fun, new game-play. Fishing, anyone?
Donkey Kong Country 2-Diddy’s Kong Quest (SNES): According to Rael Linford, Gamedeals employee, this game was more popular than the first Donkey Kong Country for Super Nintendo. It was longer and more challenging than the first one, and introduced Dixie Kong and her amazing helicopterponytail. With more detailed character-models, this game was a step above the twodimensional Super Mario.
Wipeout XL (Playstation): This is a futuristic racing game, best known for its acccompanying music. “[It was] incredibly popular because of its soundtrack,” says Hughes, which included Prodigy and The Chemical Brothers.
NBA JAM (Genesis): Who wasn’t wearing a basketball jersey in ’94? This game came out when Basketball popularity was at its peak, giving any 10-year-old the
power to be Michael Jordan or Dennis Rodman. In arcade-style, the game was easy to play and the unrealistic number of slam-dunks in a single game just kept kids playin’.
Sonic the Hedgehog: (Genesis): Gold-ring collecting Sonic was saving the poor, mistreated animals from evil Dr. Robotnik—but it was more like Mario on speed. The game was fast-paced— almost dizzying— as Sonic flung himself in and around looped circuits. Mostly fun because of its cuteness-factor, later games would become even cuter when companion, Tails, came onboard.
Mortal Kombat 2 (SNES, Genesis): Featuring fatality moves for each character, it’s a more graphic version of Street Fighter II. MK2 showed a catharsis that most parents (at the time) probably wouldn’t want their kids being exposed to. Boasting a widerange of characters, each with different special talents (i.e. Subzero, Liu Kang and Sonya), MK2 brought up the gruesome level from Street Fighter II’s innocent face-bites to bloody finisher tactics.
3 4
The Princess and the Goblin – Does anyone remember how the goblins were animated? They couldn’t have made them any more repulsive. And really, the breasts on the central female goblin are beyond traumatizing. The Secret of NIMH – Where to start with THIS one? The swarming rats, the one-eyed cat, the death and disease, the experimentation on animals, the ominous rose bush... What a gem, this movie really made me smile... Not.
5
Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland – Not related to the happy childrens’ movie “Finding Nemo”, this is a whole different beast. The black tar creature is even more terrifying than the pollution thing in Ferngully.
6
Rock-A-Doodle – Ahh Chanticleer, the happy-golucky rooster delighted me as a child, until that owl thing named Duke showed up and tortured everyone. I still break out into a cold sweat whenever I see an owl.
7
All Dogs go to Heaven – This movie isn’t about cuddly puppies - it’s about gambling, smoking, hell, death, poverty, and gay alligators – all that good stuff you want kids to be exposed to.
8
The Brave Little Toaster – Giant, angry appliances with teeth, need I say more?
9
Oliver and Company – Images of vulnerable Oliver the kitten in his little cardboard box getting washed away by the rain still makes me tear up and it evokes a deep hatred for all of humanity.
10
I highly recommend that you YouTube some of these. Watching them is like being on some crazy acid trip.
FEATURE
vol. 2 issue 06 | November 03 2009 | page seven
TV SHOWS
MOVIES
90’s Toons [CHRISTOPHER POON] [MEDIA EDITOR]
For anyone that grew up as a child in the 1990’s, or just plain liked cartoons, you no doubt remember the amazing shows that accompanied the decade. The sheer amount of quality shows far outweighs anything from decades prior, and nothing since has come close to matching those shows. So without further ado, I present to you five of the greatest cartoons that the nineties had to offer:
Batman the Animated Series (1992-1995): Up until this point, anything Batman-related on TV was pretty campy and 100 per cent cheddar (that’s cheesy). BTAS changed all that. This show was a Batman realized in a fantastic noiresque vision. Here’s a fun fact, the show was so dark that rather than start by animating on a white background, animators used a black one and added in lighter colours. This show was anything but campy, had a killer voice cast (Mark Hamill rocked the Joker), and introduced a badass Batman to a whole new generation.
Animaniacs (1993-1998): This show was one of the few cartoon variety shows, and had a pretty big cast ranging from the three main characters - sibling dogs who were locked up in the Warner Bro’s tower - to a depressingly simple girl who’s dog ended up saving her life while making himself look foolish. Clean animation and smart, funny writing led this show to being one enjoyed by both children and adults alike.
The Runner | www.runnerrag.ca
90’s Tunes X-Men (1992-1997): You can’t expect DC Comics to hog all of the fun. Marvel Comics’ team of mutant misfits also shared a spot on the Saturday morning line up, and a place in my heart. Along with BTAS, XMen introduced an entire generation to what comic books were all about. The series was revered for its faithfulness to its comic book origins, and was also the longest running Marvel show on television.
Doug (1991-1999): This is the guy that invented emo. When he wasn’t pining over that blonde bombshell, Patty Mayonnaise, he was pondering life’s larger issues, like whether or not his peers will accept him. On top of that, there was a greaser-styled asshole named Roger who was always picking on him. I guess at this point, the show’s writers realized how brooding their show seemed, and they whipped up a zany best friend for Doug. What came of this was Skeeter, a blueskinned, ADHD case constantly strung out and suffering from mild tourettes
Rugrats (1991-1994): Look, it’s a show about babies. What made Rugrats fun to watch was that their outlook on things were pretty awesome and creative. It was like being on LSD without the LSD. I would imagine that a lot of them will most likely end up strung out on acid and listening to vinyls of the Bay City Rollers in their adult years, but as kids, they had a good thing going for them.
[JEFF GROAT] [ENTERTAINMENT BUREAU CHIEF]
Music from the 90’s is a strange beast. There are a few major movements worth mentioning, some more than others, some less than others. What follows is a list of a few of the bigger scenes in the 90’s, and like anything in music, the list is completely debatable.
Grunge The Seattle grunge scene was hot in the early to mid 90’s, with Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden and their heavy, distorted guitars. In some ways, you could say that the angsty depressing, and sometimes angry, artists like Alice in Chains were a reaction to the glam-rock and hair metal of the late 80’s. Suddenly it wasn’t cool to wear makeup, and sing like a girl. Instead, it was respectable to be the moody rock star, always— unfortunately—one step away from overdose. Keep in mind that Pearl Jam’s Ten album is one of the most successful debuts of all time, Chris Cornell sung the theme to Casino Royale a few years back, and almost every band on rock radio is still trying to capture what Nevermind accomplished, sonically and commercially. Grunge is still huge in many ways.
Alternative. New wave was one of those things that could only exist in the 1980’s, kind of like Kelly McGillis being hot, and Tom Cruise
before Scientology. By the time the 90’s came around, the synth and pop sounds of new wave bled into the guitar and pop sounds of alternative. In some ways, alternative in the 90’s is a bit like indie now. Just as indie is not truly a genre and really means “independent,” alternative is supposed to be anything but mainstream. But really, both include bands that are truly “independent,” and bands that just sound like they are. So this is why artists like Blur, Weezer, R.E.M. and even Nirvana and U2 are under the alternative umbrella, even though they were met with huge commercial success and signed with major labels. Purists would say that Pixies, Sonic Youth, Pavement and Dinosaur Jr. embody the true spirit of alternative rock at the time. Notable albums might include Sublime’s 40 Ounces to Freedom, and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Blood Sugar Sex Magic.
Rap In the 90’s, it was simply East coast versus West coast. Where have you been? Instead of the post-funk, New York sounding raw beats and rhymes of the 80’s, the 90’s saw the first major splintering of the genre as it headed out West. West coast rap was laid back and loose, it had a West coast vibe, and it had Warren G, Dr. Dre, and California Love. Sure there was Ohio rap, with Bone Thugs ‘N Harmony, and Southern rap with Outkast, but when 2Pac and Notorious B.I.G. were murdered, the East coast versus West coast battle defined the times.
Girl Rock/ Folk Sarah McLachlan and her creation of Lilith Fair were as significant as Nevermind. The all-women festival was the first of its kind to be commercially successful, and countered the view that concert promoters and radio stations held that kept the concentration of female performances down. Performers included Jewel, Lisa Loeb, Sheryl Crow, Fiona Apple and Tracy Chapman, all of whom had a huge impact on music in the 90’s.
Teen Pop Unfortunately, this one is a notable. There was a time when The Backstreet Boys and the Spice Girls were popular for their music. How and why are questions that may never be answered fully, but let’s just attribute it to millions of teen crushes. Despite attempting to play punk music, artists like Blink 182, Sum 41, and other number bands were nothing more than carefully packaged pop acts, attempting to cash in on another group of teens who were equally capable of having crushes. It’s also worth pointing out that many record companies were quick to cash in on naive teen minds, stuffing covert sexual innuendos into every song, video, album cover and photo op. These are the groups whose albums sounded like Satan having phone sex when you played them in reverse. Notables include B44, Spice Girls and N’Sync.
QUIZ
Pop quiz: What kind of geek are you? Q
Your living situation involves:
Q
People know you for:
a] You annoying your neighbours all the time.
a] Turning into a cooler version of yourself.
b] You living with your rich aunty and uncle in Bel Air
b] Swinging your arms when you dance.
c] You are always at school or at the Max.
c] Calling “time out” then talking to the camera.
d] Three girls, one dad, two uncles.
d] Saying cut it out with hand signals.
Q
Q
Q
If you had a theme song:
a] It would be irrelevant. b] You would rap it yourself.
You always say:
Your hair:
c] You would be at the corner just in time to see the bus fly by. d] You would have a picnic while it played.
RESULTS Mostly A’s:
a] Did I do that?
a] Is relaxed.
b] *snap PSHH
b] A fade (shaved on the sides).
c] Hey preppy.
c] Is bleach blond.
d] How rude.
d] Was cut off by your niece once.
You should be in Family Matters. The show with the family who had the annoying neighbour that always asked “got any cheese?” The best part of this show was
how Urkel could transform his usual nerdy self into a hip, suave fellow named Urkelle. The moral was supposed be about always being yourself, but it just proved that annoying people can be lovable. Mostly B’s: You should be in Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Carlton’s dance was by far the most memorable part of this show, although the sweet haircuts and parachute pants were pretty awesome as well. Another awesome thing about the show: all the famous people, Will Smith, Tatyana Ali, Tyra Banks, Queen Latifah and Alfonso Ribeiro. Mostly C’s: You belong on Saved By the Bell.
From junior high to the beach episodes to the college years, Saved By The Bell was the most amazing thing on television for quite some time. If you belong on this show you can be Zach, Kelly, Screech, Slater, Lisa Turtle or Jesse. Jesse was addicted to cafeine though: I’m so exctied, I’m so scared! Mostly D’s: You’re from Full House. Every girl wanted to be Michelle, Stephanie or DJ at some point in their life. I’m not sure about guys, but I’m guessing they all wanted to be Danny, Uncle Joey or Uncle Jesse. People we didn’t want to be included Kimmy Gibbler, the boy with the duck lips, Aunt Becky and Papouli, the greek grandfather.
EDITORIAL
The Runner | www.runnerrag.ca
vol. 2 issue 06 | November 03 2009 | page eight
OPINION ON H1N1 The Runner is student owned and operated by Kwantlen Polytechnic University students, published under Polytechnic Ink Publishing Society
“Swine Flu” doesn’t have to be catchy: beat the H1N1
Vol. 2, Issue no. 06 November 03 2009 ISSN# 1916-8241 [MICHAEL O’MORROW ]
#205-12877 76 Ave. Surrey, B.C. V3W 1E6 www.runnerrag.ca EDITORIAL DIVISION: Co-ordinating Editor Denny Hollick editor@runnerrag.ca News Editor Kassandra Linklater news@runnerrag.ca Culture Editor Melissa Fraser culture@runnerrag.ca Media Editor Christopher Poon media@runnerrag.ca Production Editor Cat Yelizarov production@runnerrag.ca Bureau Chiefs: Arts & Design (Vacant) Creative Writing Adam Vincent Current Events Natsumi Oye
“Cough, cough.” Must be “swine flu”. Swine flu is the catch phrase of 2009. Unlike the uplifting catch phrase of 2008 “Yes We Can” “swine flu” sounds bad. Barack Obama rode his catch phrase to the White House. Many Canadians will think “swine flu” when they get a runny nose. To many people, the H1N1 virus remains a mystery. Despite living in an age of almost limitless information, many people struggle to identify the symptoms of H1N1 infection, how it is transmitted, and how you can be protected. To prove this point, I ran a survey of Kwantlen students. I wanted to get a sense of what our students knew about the virus, and what, if any, misconceptions still existed. One of the early beliefs about the swine flu was that you could get it by eating pork products. People stopped buying pork from their local grocery store, pigs were slaughtered, and the
Canadian pork industry suffered. Eventually that myth was debunked, people once again bought bacon, and the industry survived. 19 per cent of respondents to the survey still believed you can get “swine flu” from eating pork. I chose to run the survey on Oct. 26 because it coincided with the launch of Health Canada’s H1N1 vaccination program. It was widely broadcast who, when, and where you could get it. 24 per cent of respondents didn’t know of an available vaccination. Of those who did, none knew when they could get it. The onset of symptoms of H1N1 infection is very rapid. In severe cases, symptoms can appear within three to six hours. Otherwise, symptoms are similar to the seasonal flu, including cough, fever, muscle aches, sore throat, and a runny nose. Sometimes, but not always, people infected by H1N1 experience vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea. 38 per cent of students surveyed believed that vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea are always present with H1N1 infection, and 62 per cent believed the onset of symptoms was very slow. Kwantlen has thousands of students, staff, and faculty
Meddling in Nostalgia
Environmental (vacant)
[TODD EASTERBROOK]
Politics Pinder Mandair Sports Michela Fiorido Student Affairs Chris Yee Travel: Anastasia Kirk Contributors: Todd Easterbrook, Michael O’Morrow, Kyle Slavin, Kristi Jut, Ryan Keigher, Cover Art: Agatha Entote BUSINESS DIVISION: Operations Manager DJ Lam ops@runnerrag.ca Office Co-ordinator Victoria Almond office@runnerrag.ca Distribution (Vacant)
knowledge, or in the harshest sense our ignorance, has a consequence. Students have a lot to lose for their ignorance. As of Oct. 27, 89 people have died in Canada due to H1N1 infection, and over 5000 have died worldwide. We are experiencing a pandemic. It is our responsibility to protect ourselves and each other from infection. H1N1 is transmitted by coughing and sneezing – please, cover your mouth and nose. Experts agree that the best prevention against H1N1 infection is proper sanitation – please, wash your hands, clean hard surfaces, and use the sanitation stations the university has made available. As the second wave of the outbreak infects B.C., we have an opportunity to better educate and protect ourselves and each other, and to limit the damage caused by this virus. The effects of swine flu have been negative, but our response – our attitude and our actions – can be positive. Can we do it? Yes We Can. Now that’s catchy.
Have an opinion? We would like to hear from you! Send us your opinion piece or letter and we will publish it!
OPINION
Entertainment Jeff Groat
Langley Campus (vacant)
working together daily, who, each in turn, come in contact with dozens of people in their outside lives. Ignorance in this case is not bliss – it affects the lives of our colleagues, friends, and family. As November approaches and students face second midterms, project deadlines and final exams, we struggle to find time to exercise and eat right, and many lack adequate sleep. We become vulnerable to cold and flu viruses, and that is when we need to be aware. The question we face now is whether to get the vaccination or not. The choice is ultimately up to the individual. Health Canada has deemed the shot to be safe and effective in the fight against H1N1. It was made available on Oct. 26 to people with pre-existing medical conditions, pregnant women, and people living in remote communities. In the second week, health care workers and children between six months and four years will have access to the immunization. By the middle of November, the shot will be made available to everyone who wants it. The shot is available at health clinics throughout the Lower Mainland. For more information, contact your physician. Every action, or inaction, has a consequence. Our lack of
Many of us are too young to remember much of the 1990’s. When in 1991, the music world was changed drastically by one song, and subsequently by an entire scene of music by a little corner of the world in the Pacific North West. The song was “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by a little known alternative band from Aberdeen WA, and this song was successful in many musical extremes; but one in particular, is most notable: it put an abrupt end, a Townsendesque guitar smash on the contemporary pop music which was controlling the charts, and a much needed end to the imagecentred style of Hair Metal shitrock that had long outstayed its welcome. The final nail in the coffin was Nirvana’s rise to number one on the billboard music charts with their “Teen Spirit” single about teen angst and insecurity, knocking off none other than the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Nobody, not even the shy and reclusive Kurt Cobain, saw it coming. Seattle was the birth place of grunge music, a scene very punk in demeanor and origin, yet with too many varied influences to justify a label as specific and assuming as grunge. There were bands like Nirvana, influenced by punk, metal, and classic 70’s and 80’s pop; Pearl Jam, influenced by arena rock and anthemic classic rock
sounds, but with a hint of metal and punk; Soundgarden, a metal band with psychedelic influences, layered, textured sounds and a singer, Chris Cornell, who had the uncanny ability to send shivers down your spine with both his banshee scream and wallowing croon; and Alice in chains, a sludge metal band with, at the beginning, influences (though subtle)of hair metal with a much more meaty sound and later, dark trudging guitars and lyrics surrounding a common theme of Seattle-based rock: drugs and addiction. These four bands made up what was called the “Big Four”, and they single handedly ruled the music world for a short time, showing pompous record execs that the punk rock mentality of the late 70’s was not dead, and that rock was again receiving its just desserts; and also, that art in music was alive and could make it into the mainstream, affecting millions of teens worldwide and regaining the sodden angst that had long since been dead in not only the music world, but in the rock world as well. Unlike the image-focused, decadent hair metal scene of the 80’s, with gigantic hair and stale, hair-sprayed lyrics focusing on pre-Madonna-ism and selfindulgence, the grunge scene was the anti-thesis, focusing rather, on art. They didn’t care about the clothes they wore (hell yes flannel and Doc Martins), they didn’t need that, and, at
the time, we didn’t either. They were artists; many, most notably Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, denounced fame and fortune, yearning to go back to his former life as a surfer and gas station attendant in San Diego, almost quitting the biz entirely in the early-mid 90’s if not for the coaxing and reassurance of his friend, Who guitarist Pete Townshend. This was a time when bands were not even remotely focused on money, for in the mid nineties various bands, again one being Pearl Jam, decided to embark on a three-year legal battle with the most monopolizing corporate giant in the ticketing industry: Ticketmaster. These bands claimed Ticketmaster had a stranglehold on the ticketing biz and could arbitrarily raise ticket prices at the venues they chose, with service charges doubling, tripling—escalating on a whim, giving bands and fans no choice but to belly up and pay. Pearl Jam especially, stopped touring in many large arenas, opting to play free outdoor shows by renting various parks themselves, on their own dime, just to avoid Ticketmaster. This was truly a fans band, a band that ultimately spent millions of dollars in a lost cause against a corporation that, in comparison, spent mere change to sweep the case under the door. This corporate giant still skips in obscenity, hand-in-hand with the record giants in the sky-scraping cavern-
ous dwellings of L.A. and New York, most of whom are surely business men and have no real taste or desire for music or art at all—unless it can provide their younger, plastic wives with a green thumb (not that one) and platinum records on their walls by “musicians” that can’t play their own instruments or don’t write their own shallow, trite, panty-friendly lyrics. The bad thing about plastic—much like this plastic society— is that it does not seem to decay… In an age of limitless media at one’s fingertips, and with pop music on the decadent, image-sex-obsessed decline— with songs equaling in scope the incoherent ranting of a street hooker bleeding, foaming at the mouth, consumed by money or her next fix of skin in an overcrowded alleyway—something, anything must come along and break this dark travesty that has held such a monopoly over the dull, unprovoked, zombiefrothed minds of youth today. It has happened before, but with all the various forms of bloodthirsty media, can it happen again? Or are we all just quiet vampires content to sink our teeth into whatever mainstream, ass-flogging, auto-tuned bitch that comes our way? Or, like the stretch marks of Britney Spears’ grotesque and artistically undesirable bust line, has it all been stretched too thin?
vol. 2 issue 06 | November 03 2009 | page nine
CULTURE
The Runner | www.runnerrag.ca
TRAVEL
Countless ounces to freedom The road to freedom’s never been so good. [ANASTASIA KIRK] [TRAVEL BUREAU CHIEF]
Five thousand km; $2,000; 1,500 cigarettes, 300 beers; 40 ounces to freedom; 20 tacos; eight tanks of gas; seven days; six states; five people; four decades; three shots of Tequila; two in the morning; two at night; two or more in the afternoon and one epic concert that would make us feel alright. The journey was long. The sun was hot. Our mouths were dry. The destination was Sublime. We began our trip in the best place on earth. From B.C. we drove south of the border and into Seattle’s sleepless night. Dark as it was, we had a lot of road to make up and no time to waste but the present. We stopped only briefly for the necessities of life: Food, sleep and beer. We were on a road trip back in time. Our motivation was Smokeout ’09: a massive music festival featuring some heroes from our past. Like a scene straight from the 70’s, Cheech and Chong would be lighting up the stage in less than 48 hours and Sublime would be blowing the joint away for the first time since lead singer Bradley Nowell’s death in 1996. We were officially on a hippy pilgrimage, an “up-
ANASTASIA KIRK/ THE RUNNER On road trip to Smokeout ‘09 in Southern California, a group of kids with a dream are left with a taste of drugs, alcohol and a touch of nostalgia on their tongues.
in-smoke” tour, and it smelled uncannily like Lou Dog inside the van. Smokeout had become our Woodstock. We had become rubber tramps- pirates of the paved road. We had nothing to lose but money and dignity, and we didn’t care much for either. We passed time playing honking games with the kings of the road, stuffing our faces with deep fried everything and watching our temperature gage rise to 32 degrees as we rolled out of the rain and into sunny California. Nothing could stop us until we reached Weed.
Weed, CA. Population 3,000. Elevation: somewhere near the Mt. Shasta pass. Vegetation: do you have to ask? We only stayed for as long as we had to-for as long as it took. We didn’t stay long. The true south was still a long way off. The San Bernardino festival lay 50 miles east of L.A. and 666 miles southeast of us. We had no choice but to keep on givin’er. And give’r we did. After a hefty amount of In-NOut burgers and less sleep than a new octomom, we arrived in San Bernardino and dragged
our sorry carcasses to our hotel. Like children on Christmas Eve, we counted down the hours ‘til morning and tried to guess what songs we might hear the next day. We made our entrance to the stadium shortly after noon. The music was so loud you could feel it in your toes. The air was so thick with smoke you could feel it in your brain. Drinks were so expensive that we were forced to choose between water for the day or food for the week. Heat stroke soon made the decision for us. Muchas gracias for
cheap Taco Bell. When Cheech and Chong hit the stage, a crowd full of blonde and bronzed Californians hit their bongs. An hour later Sublime rocked out with new front man Rome for the first time in 13 years. That’s-when-things-got-out-ofcon-trol. The moral of this road trip story is that it totally pays to chase the dream you gave up on. Sublime was a dead dream: we never thought we’d see them live. Cheech and Chong were a broken dream: we never thought they would appear together again through a cloud of smoke right before our eyes. Road tripping to a California music festival was a dream our parents lived long before us: we never thought we’d make it. So take a small example take a t-t-t-tip from me, hit the open road, live life and be free. Grab your sack-on-a-stick, your VW van, your best buddies and your Dalmatian (other makes, models, breeds and friends will work fine) and never ever say never. Life is what you’ve got, it’s within your reach and you just never know who’s coming back from Long Beach.
BIG BAD BONO
Fans found what they were looking for [MICHAEL O’MORROW]
U2 rolled into Vancouver on Oct. 28 and performed for a sold-out crowd at BC Place Stadium. It was the biggest concert event of the year in the city. Having sold more than 145 million albums worldwide and winning 22 Grammy Awards, U2 ranks with the giants of rock and roll, and despite some unevenness throughout the performance, those who attended the concert did not leave disappointed. Touring to promote their newest release “No Line on the Horizon”, the 360 Tour is a grand spectacle of sound and visuals. The stage design, looking like a giant claw, allowed for seating all around the stage, giving the audience a full 360 degree experience. Those who were willing to pay the extra dollars to be on the floor got closer to the band as the members walked along moving bridges connecting the main stage and a circular catwalk closer to midfield. The sound was sharp and clear, lacking the echo or delay often heard in large venues. The members of the band have aged remarkably well. Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. perform with the excitement and energy of men 20 years their junior, and
demonstrate why they have managed to survive through changing musical tastes and trends. The band opened with three new songs, “Breathe”, “Get Your Boots On” and “Magnificent”. It was a slow start to a highly anticipated concert. Once the band began to play “Mysterious Ways” the show got going. “Beautiful Day” had everyone forgetting the rain outside, and the excitement reached new heights on “Elevation”. Songs like “Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” and “Sunday Bloody Sunday” showed the band’s gift for crafting catchy hooks. The band did perform unnecessary song snippets from other artists. Hearing parts of “Blackbird”, “Stand By Me”, and “Amazing Grace” added nothing to the experience. There were well-known U2 songs – such as “Desire” and “Pride (In The Name Of Love) – that were left off the set list that could have been performed instead. Bill and Melinda Gates attended the concert on what was Bill’s 54 birthday. Bono lead the crowd of 60,000 in singing “Happy Birthday” to the richest man in the world. There was an expected political element to the show. Bono is an outspoken and celebrated activist, and should be respected
COURTESY OF PUBLIKACCION/ FLICKR U2’s 360 Tour gives fans a a view from all angles.
for the effort he gives to his many causes. He made particular reference to the country of Burma, and the house arrest of a Nobel Peace Prize winner who advocates democracy in the country. But how many audience members knew who Aung San Suu Kyi was before
the show, and how many will remember after? To many, the political feel adds to the show. The rest are too drunk to care. The encores included great performances of “One”, “Where The Streets Have No Name” and “With or Without You”. After slightly more than two hours,
the concert came to a quiet close with another new song called “Moment of Surrender.” Based on the feel from the crowd after the show, U2 won’t be surrendering the title of biggest band in the world any time soon.
CULTURE
The Runner | www.runnerrag.ca
vol. 2 issue 06 | November 03 2009 | page ten
KWANTLEN RICHMOND: HALLOWEEN COSTUME CONTEST [CHRISTOPHER POON MEDIA EDITOR]
ROMINA, SHAWNA, KELLY AND CANDACE GDMA “CUPCAKES BANDITS”
MITCH THOMPSON JOURNALISM “DEATH OF PRINT JOURNALISM”
LANDON PENDLEBURY GDMA “ZOMBIE”
LEFT: LARISSA THORNTON IDDS “BO THE CAT (MUSICAL: CATS)” RIGHT: LYNN FINGARSON IDDS “ROBIN HOOD”
LEFT: JESSICA LUCH GDNA “PANTONE ARUBIX CUBE” RIGHT :MADELINE GDMA “PANTONE 309 C”
CULTURE
vol. 2 issue 06 | November 03 2009 | page eleven
FML
MOVIE CULTURE
4
The Runner | www.runnerrag.ca
DEGREES OF SEPARATION: Ewan McGregor to Jim Carrey
1. My engrish broken is. FML 2. Last week I got into an argument with my friend and I told him to go die in a fire. The next day, his family did. FML 3. I accidently fucked my dog and it’s a boy. FML
[KYLE SLAVIN CONTRIBUTOR]
The Men Who Stare at Goats – Nov. 6 What a ridiculous title for a movie, but if you’ve seen the trailer you’ll understand that this is really the most appropriate title for it. I don’t know how supposed “true stories” like this go unnoticed – the U.S. military’s use of psychic soldiers to help bring new interrogation methods into post9/11 wars. The film looks like it could be made by the Coen brothers, which is great, and with a cast that boasts George Clooney, Kevin Spacey, Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor and (taken directly off the poster) The Goat, this is almost a shoo-in to get an Oscar nod or two.
4. Last night I was in my room giving myself “the stranger”. My mom walked in on me before I could jeezed in to my sock. FML
Man on the Moon Nobody really knows about the mystery surrounding Kaufman’s claim that he’d want to fake his death and resurface 20 years later… but that time has passed, and sure enough, he’s dead. I don’t know how accurate Man on the Moon was, but kudos to Jim Carrey for proving himself as a real actor in that film. Also, for most of us, one of our first introductions to Paul Giamatti. Despite having award galore on a list of his credentials, he’s only done a handful of really good movies, this being one of them.
A Christmas Carol – Nov. 6 Hollywood gets it. Nobody really starts thinking about Christmas until after Halloween – Costco, who starts selling trees in August, needs to take a cue. And in Hollywood fashion, the first weekend after Halloween will give us the biggest Christmas movie of the year: A Christmas Carol. Similar to The Polar Express, Bob Zemeckis uses motion capture suits to create an eerily realistic animated film that uses the talents of Jim Carrey as most of the main characters. I’ve seen the trailer a few times in theatres in 3D and I must say, the detail in the animation is astounding. If anything could give Up! a run for its money for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars this year, it’s this.
WINDY DAY
ADRIAN BINAKAJ /NEXUS (CAMOSUN COLLEGE)
6. I work at Wal-Mart 8 hours a week. FML
GROAT IN THE SACK
TO START: FOREPLAY This is Jeff Groat. He’s the Runner’s sex columnist. He has only one qualification for the job: his last name sounds like a dirty word. That’s good enough for us.
Fred Claus Hollywood seems to be running out of Christmas ideas. Take, for example, one of the most successful Christmas movies of the last three years: Fred Claus. It was so poorly written it ranks right up there with Daredevil for the most predictable movie ever. What happened to Vince Vaughn’s career? And Paul Giamatti’s? Kevin Spacey gets this one as his freebie since he doesn’t have many duds in his career. He’s the only silver lining in this movie, unless you find something appealing about Kathy Bates, then there’s something there for you too.
5. I was in the office the other day, and my boss asked me to bring him a pen into the conference room. I gave my boss the pen, and then I headed to the bathroom to change my tampon. When I got there and opened my hand, I realized the pen was still in my hand. I had given my boss the tampon. FML
[JEFF GROAT] [ENTERTAINMENT BUREAU CHIEF]
I know, it may be a little disturbing to think of the numerous Twilight vampires necking with zombies, or worse, MJ’s getting fresh with pirates, but who doesn’t enjoy a little roleplaying now and again, even if it involves Michael Jackson? Okay, bad example. But Halloween brings out the fetishist in all of us, even if it only comes out after a little beer and candy. Everyone is dressed up, some are drinking, some are dancing, some are flirting. One thing leads to another and you wake up next to sexyHermione with a pounding headache, and you ask yourself, “Why am I wearing this skirt?” It’s happened to all of us. But the real question here is, to foreplay, or not to foreplay? There are pros and cons to foreplay, no doubt the lines are pretty evenly split, mostly along gender lines.
Guys just want to get down and dirty where girls like to draw things out a bit, take their time and have some fun, whether a costume is involved or not. It’s something about “bonding,” but I don’t really know. It’s fair to assume that guys would be doing all the chasing of sweet pirate booty playing hard-to-get, so in some ways, it’s best to play along. Is it worth it? “Hells, yes,” says student Talysa Dhahan, 18. “It makes things interesting… variety.” Matt Law, 24, agrees, “It gets both individuals in the game.” This is why it’s best not to talk during foreplay. What’s best here is a little compromise, take your time, guys, and it will pay off. The girls will think you are really sensitive and sweet, and you’ll get some bonus points that don’t really count for anything at all. e-mail questions: culture@runnerrag.ca
POEMS “When I Was Younger”
“A New Manna”
[ADAM VINCENT] [CREATIVE WRITING BUREAU CHIEFS]
[TODD EASTERBROOK]
animated movies were not computer generated nor were musicians. Auto-tune did not exist -Santa Claus did. Stories were reflected in a silver glove through a jagged little pill- never mind. Cell phones built muscle modems squealed birds said tweeta poke was something different. Doors were left unlocked on cars in driveways on houses when at the corner store. Neighbours were friends not enemies nor hydroponic experts who have many ‘friends’ visiting at all hours. Tasers were not murder weapons the globe wasn’t as warm and water was allowed on planes. I am not young anymore.
The many leaves on the sidewalk are dead As men in suits sit placidly In a Seattle-based coffee shop window frame And act the moebius scene of the rat race; The leaves said, “their ken”… Music is hip and fresh and conscious, much like the coffee; Ties are adjusted slightly, Coffee is poured from the hands of hundreds; Black ink vines—oily lines, and still the leaves; Ties are adjusted slightly, And recycled cardboard coffee cups are trashed; The leaves said, “a new manna in the wilderness”… And still, the leaves.
PROCRASTINATION
The Runner | www.runnerrag.ca
vol. 2 issue 06 | November 03 2009 | page twelve
YOUTOPIA COMIC - ANDREW MAC LACHIAN (NEXUS/CAMOSUN COLLEGE)
HOROSCOPE
LIBRA Sept. 23 - Oct. 22 You’re a confrontational douche bag wearing a weird hat. It’s time to change, my friend.
SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22 - Dec. 21
SCORPIO
Oct. 23 - Nov. 21 Do you have nieces and nephews? What about nephews and nieces? Either way get some more.
Write obnoxious four-letter words on your knuckles in Sharpie. Wear fingerless gloves for a week.
CAPRICORN Dec. 22 - Jan.19 You should get those handcuffs off your wrists. They should be around a seagull’s neck by now.
AQUARIUS Sept. 23 - Oct. 22 Put on a robe and grab a bottle of wine. Only then will you know what it’s like to live in a fishbowl.
PISCES Feb. 19 - Mar. 20 Someone with a condom on their hand is going to accost you in the next week. Be prepared.
ARIES Mar. 21 - Apr.19 Sneaking is your forte. Fighting security guards is not. Remember this for the rest of your life.
TAURUS Apr. 20 - May 20 You’re thinking about Mexican wolfboys and roadkill. No need to think of anything else.
GEMINI May 21 - June 20 If you are going to hit on someone, don’t pass out in the bathroom with your pants around your ankles.
CANCER June 21 - July 22
LEO July 23 - Aug. 22 Have you ever tried double-teabagging? If you practice enough, you can really apply it.
VIRGO Aug. 23 - Sept. 22
Mountain Dew at night and Code Red in the morning. Who knew pop could be so useful.
When someone asks you to leave a party the best course of action is not leave, just keep talking.
‘Vintage’ Goods
Sudoku medium #100 | Special to Canadian University Press By Jennifer Zhou, CUP Graphics Bureau Chief
© Puzzles by Pappocom SOLUTION, TIPS AND COMPUTER PROGRAMS www.sudoku.com
COURTESY OF MUADIB.AR/FLICKR
The term ‘vintage’ gets thrown around like taxpayer dollars at a VANOC party. Things from our childhood, like the magnificent Sony Walkman are now found in vintage stores, selling for upwards of $50. What makes them worth this much? The fact that some idiot slapped the ‘vintage’ label on it.
INTERESTING FACT Idi Amin, the former heavyweight boxing champion of Uganda was one of Africa’s most notorious dictators. During his eightyear rule an estimated 500,000 people disappeared or were killed. He praised Hitler and said the German dictator “was right to burn six million Jews.” It was reported that Idi Amin ate his opponents. Source: http://www.interestingfacts.org/category/politics-facts