November 20, 2013

Three Canadian Indie bands take to the Grotto Pg. 7

The Omega Thompson Rivers University’s Independent Student Newspaper

News Pages 1, 2

Editorial & Opinion Page 3

Volume 23, Issue 12 November 20, 2013

Ω

Life & Community

Arts & Entertainment

Sports

Pages 5, 8

Pages 6, 7

Page 11

TRU professor appointed editor of national science journal Karla Karcioglu Ω Roving Editor Beginning January 2014, TRU professor of psychology William Roberts will serve as acting editor for the Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science (CJBS), published by the Canadian Psychological Association.

Roberts said the story of how he got his start in psychology would “destroy his credibility as a reasonable human being,” because everything happened by chance.

He began his academic career in the United States, where

he was born. Roberts majored in philosophy during his undergraduate studies but found his only psychology course rather interesting. The professor recommended Simon Fraser University (SFU) for graduate studies in psychology and he moved to Vancouver to attend SFU, eventually completing his PhD in behavioural psychology.

Roberts considers himself a researcher and a scientist, who also teaches, saying, “It’s because I do research that I am able to teach as well as I do,” he said.

See PROF, Pg.

2

RCMP handed out 52 violation tickets to students crossing Summit Drive outside of the crosswalk last week. It’s a violation of the Motor Vehicle Act and not the city jaywalking bylaw because of the signs indicating no pedestrians may cross.

( Jessica Klymchuk/ The Omega)

BUSTED: Jaywalkers say they’ll do it again, even after a fine Jessica Klymchuk

Luke Marchal got lucky, only managing a warning ticket when he crossed Summit to Dalgleish Drive on Tuesday. He said he doesn’t think the unfortunate ones who did get fined will change their habits, and neither will he.

but he agrees with Marchal that last week’s enforcement is only Ω News Editor a temporary deterrent and the wrong approach.

There’s a sign right there: “It’s not just because it sucks $121 fine. He looked both ways to get the fine, it’s because it and took a chance, but it was the doesn’t solve the problem,” he most expensive chance he took said. all day.

“If they have an issue Despite checking with people crossing for police that might the street there they be watching him have to come up with cross Summit Drive a solution that makes on Tuesday, Feroz it so no one will do it.”

Shah still ended up Howard and Marchal paying the price for live on Dalgleish jaywalking across Drive, but said many Summit Drive, students who don’t a fine he said he live there park on the really isn’t looking street to avoid fighting forward to paying. for a parking spot and —Luke Marchal paying the increased But the next day he was jaywalking rates on campus. They TRU student recently fined for jaywalking often illegally cross again.

Cpl. Brian Summit with groups O’Callaghan said of up to 20 people, Kamloops RCMP Marchal said. issued 52 violations and four Illegally crossing Summit Because they cross between warnings to people illegally cuts his commute in half from two sets of traffic lights they crossing Summit Drive last 20 minutes to ten. He timed the said it’s not difficult to get a week. They were monitoring legal route on Friday.

45-second gap and easily walk the road on Nov. 12 and again “Next week I’ll probably be across the street. on Nov. 14, but not everyone jaywalking again,” he said. thinks enforcement will make a After being warned, Mike See JAYWALKING Pg. difference.

Howard chose not to jaywalk,

“

Next week I’ll probably be jaywalking again.”

William Roberts, TRU psychology professor and newly-appointed editor for the Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science.

(Karla Karcioglu/ The Omega)

2

News

2

November 20, 2013

TRUFA conducts parallel Jaywalking an MVA offence priority planning Faculty association has its own ideas for the university’s strategic priorities Karla Karcioglu Ω Roving Editor While the TRU strategic priorities advisory committee has been conducting its consultation process, the TRU Faculty Association (TRUFA) decided it was important to also conduct a consultation process for faculty members, despite already having 10 TRUFA members on the advisory committee.

TRUFA president Jason Brown said the association represents almost 900 faculty at TRU, making them a major stakeholder in the future of the university. He wants to make sure they get a broad representative voice. “[The] faculty have expectations that the faculty association is looking out for their interests,” Brown said.

“Faculty associations at universities do more than negotiate contracts, we also try and participate in the life of the university and the vision of how we can make this a better institution.”

The first step for TRUFA was to create its own internal committee to find ways to participate in an effective manner. The second step was a kickoff meeting at TRU where they presented a plan to faculty members and discussed the history of TRU, something Brown said is an important part of making any future plans.

“When you want to have a vision of where you’re going, we feel it’s important to remember where you came from,” Brown said.

“The university is grounded in the community, so we can’t have a vision or process that doesn’t take contextual factors into consideration.”

TRUFA has gathered feedback from faculty through a number of follow-up meetings, where they asked faculty to individually list what

TRUFA president Jason Brown holds up a diagram of values that TRU faculty recognize as important to the university.

(Karla Karcioglu/ The Omega)

their ideal vision for the future of the university would be, their values for the university moving forward and what the mission of the university should be.

They plan to gather the information and use it to formulate questions for a survey they will then distribute to the faculty. Once the survey is complete they will share the results with the TRU’s committee.

Brown said the association is interested in making TRU the best possible institution for everyone.

“We have to be caretakers of the academic integrity on campus, making sure that the best interests of students (and the community as a whole) are kept in mind moving forward, that we don’t compromise those values. They have to underpin any move forward,” Brown said.

“We don’t want to water down the type of education students get here.”

Associate VP academic in charge of student relations Katherine Sutherland said the committee plans to work with all stakeholders equally, but she is interested to hear what TRUFA has to say.

Sutherland also said that there is a desire to work with everyone, and they would “never not work with a certain stakeholder group” but no one, including committee members, will get special status in TRU’s consultation process and the committee was advised not to advocate for any private or political agenda.

The plan, as put for th on the strategic priorities website, states that the committee will be f inished collecting priorities

by Dec. 31, 2013 and will begin the implementation stage by Jan. 2014.

Community corner The Omega believes strongly that, as a society, we need to look out for each other and help those around us whenever possible. It is only through cooperation and coaction that we build and retain strength as a whole.

It is with this in mind that we will be offering a

“Community Corner” in the upcoming publishing year, where we will advertise one fundraising or other community effort each week.

Email editor@truomega.ca with your event or cause and our editorial staff will choose one group to feature each week.

TRUSU Human Rights Club live concert to benefit the Elizabeth Fry Society The Kamloops Elizabeth Fry Society is “an active community based non-profit agency that offers programs and services in the areas of housing and community justice to people in the Kamloops area, with a focus on women and youth.”

Alamagokus and Benjamin Bermiller are the confirmed bands playing the Human Rights Club event, which takes place Saturday, Nov. 30 at The Art We Are, 246 Victoria Street.

Minimum $5 donation at the door Show runs 7 to 9:30 p.m.

because of signage From BUSTED, Pg.

1

“If you wait for a break in traffic you could army crawl across there,” Howard said, adding that there are a lot of students who aren’t being smart and waiting for that break, however.

Cpl. Cheryl Bush said Summit Drive is just one street that has been identified as a problem area for which motorist complaints are a contributing factor. Not only is Summit Drive a downhill slope and a multi-lane street, it’s also a designated truck route.

With the change in season, longer dark hours and slippery roads, she said the risk goes up and the RCMP work hard in the fall to get the message out.

Because there is posted signage indicating no pedestrians can cross outside of the crosswalks on Summit Drive, the offence is actually a violation of the Motor Vehicle Act for disobeying a control device, not jaywalking, which is a city bylaw.

“This is a blatant disobey of a control device as a pedestrian,” Bush said.

Health and safety manager, Stacey Jyrkkanen agrees that pedestrians crossing Summit are a hazard, but she wants students to know that TRU did not ask the RCMP to come onto campus and issue these violations. She said she was concerned about the perception of RCMP coming onto TRU property and ticketing TRU students, but the safety issue being addressed is more important.

“We did not ask the police to come up and do that. Definitely not,” she said.

Jyrkkanen said the jaywalking

problem is not a new one and she doesn’t think enforcement deters students from doing it.

“Until such time that we get something like an overpass, I don’t see it changing,” she said.

An overpass connecting the Dalgleish Drive area with TRU is proposed in both the Campus Master Plan and the Pedestrian Master Plan for the City of Kamloops from March 2013. An overpass over Summit Drive is proposed in conjunction with bicycle network improvements at a cost of $5.5 million. The city report indicates pedestrian demand for the overpass is high.

Although Howard and Marchal don’t think crossing Summit is dangerous if you’re smart about it, they would like to see a permanent solution and believe a controlled crosswalk would suffice.

“There will always be idiots, so build us a crosswalk,” Marchal said. “This would be used consistently all day, every day of the week.”

The “Speed Watch” observation team also worked last week to educate motorists of speed limits on campus and make them aware of their own speeds. Last year’s campaign found 47 per cent of 330 drivers at TRU’s east gate were going over the posted speed limit.

Crime prevention coordinators were also out this week promoting the “Get Your Glow On” campaign, which encourages pedestrians to wear ref lective gear or anything that will make them more visible to motorists during dark hours.

“At the end of the day, we just want staff and students to go home safe and we want them to get here safe,” Jyrkkanen said.

Prof hopes to have time for his research From PROFESSOR, Pg.

1

Roberts joined the editorial board for the journal in 2000. In January 2013 he was appointed as a consulting editor for developmental psychology.

He was nominated for his latest appointment by the outgoing editor, and had support from Janet Strayer, a retired SFU psychology professor and his PhD supervisor, and Susanne Denham, a psychology professor from George Mason University and editor of two American psychology journals.

In an email, Denham said, “Bill is extremely smart but also wise, he knows his science and has high standards, as well as a caring heart.”

Strayer agreed with Denham’s assessment.

“Taking on the editorship of CJBS seems a natural consequence in the consistent course of Dr. Robert’s contributions to psychology,” she said, adding, “It is an exceptional and very noteworthy honour for TRU to have such a nationally recognized (and internationally, I might add) researcher and scholar on its faculty.

Roberts said the nomination was a complete surprise and he

was flattered. “It’s really a vote of confidence from a national academic community,” he said, adding that it’s an honour that enhances the visibility and prestige of the department as well as the university.

“I don’t really know what I’ve gotten myself into,” Roberts said jokingly. He is anticipating a heavy workload with his new position, but he hopes to remain an active researcher.

He considers his publishing of research findings a contribution to the larger community, and has collaborated on many projects with other researchers in addition to conducting his own research.

At TRU, he is currently working with Kim Calder Stegemann (a professor in the education department) on researching the ideal characteristics of school teachers.

He also assisted Gloria Ramirez and Patrick Walton in the education department on a recently published paper addressing morphological awareness in young children and effects on language.

Roberts said research is led by personal curiosity, and being published is a validation that others find your passions interesting.

Editorial & Opinion

The Omega · Volume 23, Issue 12

The Omega www.truomega.ca

November 20, 2013 Volume 23, Issue 12

Published since November 27, 1991

Being lazy will either be expensive or kill you The jaywalking across Summit discussion is ridiculous... just stop it from happening already! (that means city, school and gov’t)

editorialstaff EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Mike Davies

editor@truomega.ca

250-828-5069

@PaperguyDavies NEWS EDITOR

Jessica Klymchuk news@truomega.ca @jjklym

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Courtney Dickson arts@truomega.ca @dicksoncourtney SPORTS EDITOR

Adam Williams

sports@truomega.ca @AdamWilliams87 ROVING EDITOR

Karla Karcioglu

roving@truomega.ca @0_kmk_0 SCIENCE & TECH EDITOR

Mark Hendricks

sci-tech@truomega.ca @MarkHendicks5 COPY/WEB EDITOR

Sean Brady

copy@truomega.ca @iamseanbrady

omegacontributors Amy Reinitz, Ashley Wadhwani, Alexis Stockford

publishingboard EDITOR-IN-CHIEF * Mike Davies INDUSTRY REP* Sylvie Paillard FACULTY REP* Charles Hays STUDENT REP* Sadie Cox STUDENT REP* Adam Williams

letterspolicy

Literary and visual submissions are welcomed. All submissions are subject to editing for brevity, taste and legality. The Omega will attempt to publish each letter received, barring time and space constraints. The editor will take care not to change the intention or tone of submissions, but will not publish material deemed to exhibit sexism, racism or homophobia. Letters for publication must include the writer’s name (for publication) and contact details (not for publication). The Omega reserves the right not to publish any letter or submitted material. Opinions expressed in any section with an “Opinion” label do not represent those of The Omega, the Cariboo Student Newspaper Society, its Board of Directors or its staff. Opinions belong only to those who have signed them.

Editor’s Note Mike Davies Ω Editor-in-Chief So the “jaywalking to TRU” discussion reared its ugly head again, as the RCMP have taken to camping out at the popular spots around campus, waiting to ticket those poor students who have decided that being able to leave ten minutes later for class is worth the risk of a fine – or worse.

This is not a new discussion.

As Jessica Klymchuk found this week (front page), the discussion surrounding a pedestrian overpass from the Upper College Heights area over Summit Drive has been going on for years.

Kamloops City Councillor Arjun Singh has been engaged in the discussion for quite some time, and found 140 characters was not enough to engage on a deep enough level with interested parties on Twitter, so he opened up a blog post to have a discussion in August of 2012.

I commented on it at the time, and I stand by what I said.

I pointed out that there is more than one place along that stretch

All material in this publication is copyright The Omega and may not be reproduced without the expressed consent of the publisher. All unsolicited submissions become copyright Omega 2013.

Cariboo Student Newspaper Society (Publisher of The Omega) TRU Campus House #4 900 McGill Rd, Kamloops, B.C. V2C 0C8 Phone: 250-372-1272 E-mail: editor@truomega.ca Ad Enquiries: accounts@truomega.ca

Follow us on Twitter:

@TRU_Omega “Like” us on Facebook.

Do it.

Seriously.

where it is popular to jaywalk (as you can tell by the two separate signs on the median telling you it’s illegal) and putting a pedestrian overpass at just one will not solve the problem at the other, because whichever one it’s at, the people frequenting the other spot won’t be walking to it.

The other issue is that if people are too lazy to walk the hundred (or so) meters to the crosswalk, are they seriously going to take a set of stairs to go over the road?

No. They won’t.

So you’ll end up having to put up a fence along the median anyway. Why not just do that in the first place?

My suggestion was, and still is, that we (the city and the university in a cooperative effort, possibly in conjunction with a provincial or federal arts grant, TRUSU and maybe some sustainability funding) commission an art piece to stretch down that median.

It could go something like this: “Proposals are now being accepted for one piece of public art, to be located on Summit Drive in Kamloops, B.C. “The successful proposal will be a minimum of three meters in height, less than two feet in depth, and run for approximately 200 meters down the centre of a busy stretch of divided roadway.

“It will ref lect the diversity of the local culture and depict the history of the region, celebrating all that is good about British Columbia’s interior.”

I’m betting we get a ton of responses from sculptors interested in taking this on, and that it will cost far less than the current $5.5 million price tag for the overpass being proposed,

which, as I said, will still require some fencing of some kind to get people to actually use.

I also said, truthfully, that I have used those jaywalking spots many times in the past. I’ve lived on Dalgleish Drive for a combined seven years, give or take, and have been part of the TRU community for much of that time.

The reason I took the clearly illegal shortcut was so that I had those extra ten minutes to waste on nothing of value.

In fact, I would venture to say that if I got off my ass ten minutes earlier to go to class, I would probably have been more productive in my studies.

Procrastination spreads through a person’s scheduling like a brushfire. My desire to save those ten minutes every day definitely didn’t encourage me

to do anything useful with that extra time, and it certainly didn’t encourage diligence in scheduling for anything else, either.

Oh, and according to an article

by Mel Rothenburger (who used to be mayor, by the way), a traffic advisory committee recommended a fence be built at this location to curb this problem in 1993.

Yes. This has been a problem since 1993. Some of you weren’t even alive in 1993.

“There will always be idiots, so build us a crosswalk,” said Luke Marchal, who received a warning for jaywalking recently, and has proclaimed he’ll be right back at it.

No, I don’t think we should provide self-proclaimed “idiots” with an easy way to cross Summit Drive on foot. We already did that.

It’s the crosswalk up at McGill. editor@truomega.ca

A jaywalker shows The Omega his violation, which he would not have received had he walked up to the crosswalk, which he admits would add ten minutes to his day.

(Karla Karcioglu/ The Omega)

Who should be responsible for birth control?

copyright

(Correspondence not intended for publication should be labelled as such.)

3

Wellness Matters Courtney Dickson Ω Wellness Columnist In most cases, a child is the responsibility of the two people who conceived it. So, preventing an unwanted child should be up to two people, too – not just one.

Birth control for dudes has been making headlines lately.

The pill hasn’t been perfected, but doctors and scientists are working on a hormone-based contraceptive for men and hope to have it ready in the next five years.

Other than throwing on a rubber, all guys can do to contribute to baby prevention is get a vasectomy, and for most university-aged males, that’s not an option. Otherwise, it’s up to the female, or both parties working together.

Women generally seem to be footing the bill for birth control.

Cost is pretty minimal, depending on the health care plan you have and depending on what kind of contraception you choose. These added expenses seem small, but they do add up.

According to TRUSU president Dylan Robinson, birth control is completely covered through the TRUSU health and dental plan, for up to $3,000 per year. So for those who aren’t satisfied with their health care plans, TRUSU’s plan may be something to look into.

For three months (84 days) of birth control pills, I pay $20. While this number varies depending on whether you use generic or name brand products, what kind of pill you take and what your health care coverage is like, this seems pretty common for the pill. So less than $7 per month – seems reasonable.

After years of footing that bill though, females have often spent drastically more on contraception than their male partners.

Mirena, a common IUD, costs $400. It does last for up to five years, but I don’t know many students or young people who can afford a $400 bill all in one shot. While it might be a good investment in the long run, it’s unreasonable for those struggling with money (i.e. students).

A box of 12 condoms costs roughly $10. That’s not so bad, and that’s a cost that can be shared. Depending on your rate of intercourse and whether you’re in a monogamous relationship, however, that cost can climb pretty quickly.

In 1920, the founder of Planned Parenthood wrote Woman and the New Race, where she stated a woman cannot be free until she makes the conscious decision of whether or not to become a mother.

While this was written almost 100 years ago, I think many would agree. But does that mean no man can be free unless he makes a conscious decision to be a father? Women should be in control of their bodies, and

so should men. All genders need to take responsibility for their sexual health and activities.

About 40 per cent of pregnancies in Canada are unplanned, according to a University of Ottawa study.

Though this can be due to failed contraception, or none at all from either party, I wonder if this number would go down if males, too, could have access to more contraceptive options.

Some might argue there’s no sense in men doing what (some) women are already doing to prevent unwanted pregnancy.

However, having the option wouldn’t hurt. Some women don’t want to go on the pill or use hormonal contraception because they don’t want the side effects.

Perhaps if their male partners could try a pill, or an injection, or something, they wouldn’t mind any potential side effects and the contraception dilemma would be solved.

It’s all very interesting, the idea of a male birth control pill.

Not only would that mean big changes in relationships and health, but it would mean a big change for society. arts@truomega.ca

Got a health or wellness topic you think Courtney should explore?

Email her at arts@truomega.ca (yes, she’s our arts editor, too. Multi-talented, this one is).

Science & Technology

4

November 20, 2013

TRU set to join the wiki world Starting early January, students and faculty will be able to use an open TRU-based wiki Mark Hendricks Ω Science & Tech Editor TRU director of innovation Brian Lamb has had experience launching wikis before. He was the driving force behind the UBC wiki, which is now broadly used across the campus.

Lamb is now in the final stages of launching a TRU equivalent. The TRU wiki will launch in January but it will be a soft launch, so don’t expect to see it advertised much at first.

“It took about a year-and-a-half to two years to get the UBC wiki to the point where there was broadly adopted. I’m actually hopeful we’ll get there quicker here,” Lamb said. “Partially because the technology is better now. We’ve learned a bit from some of the mistakes we made at UBC and the other thing is that the administration has been supportive of it.”

The UBC wiki`s homepage has six million views now, with both faculty and students serving as users and creators.

Some of the content that the wiki will house includes campus life articles, such as a map and reviews of the bars on campus, while others are more educational, such as the graduate students who decided to create electronic versions of old math exams on the UBC wiki.

“They took every single exam they had on record, and they broke them down into individual questions and

environments, at the end of the class you get locked out of most of that course content. What this professor did was take her course lessons and put them into this open wiki format, so now the students have the ability to access it.”

There are technical improvements over the UBC wiki as well. Editing the wiki will now be more visual and user friendly.

“MediaWiki has been rolling out this visual editor that actually allows for editing right inside the document itself, so it’s much more what you see is what you get,” Lamb said.

“I’ve asked the team to try and install it on ours. Apparently it’s not a trivial thing to do, but this is —Brian Lamb, something I hope to have.”

There are already TRU Director of Innovation groups at TRU that have plans for the wiki once it’s up and rendered them on the wiki,” Lamb said. running.

“When you’re doing self-study there’s “There are six or seven groups that hidden hints built in, and sometimes are very keen to go. The library is very there’s multiple solutions.” interested, our group of editors here are Professors can also use this already ready to do a style guide and technology to assist students with the there are people in the career services creation of open content. department that are really interested in “If you take a class, in most course using it,” Lamb said.

“

...our group of editors here are already ready to do a style guide”

Brian Lamb is the driving force behind the TRU wiki. This is the second time he’s launched a university-based wiki. (Mark Hendricks/ The Omega)

This week in science Quantum computing getting closer, photon observation without destruction now possible, and your dog’s family tree in question?

Mark Hendricks Ω Science & Tech Editor

Quantum computing milestone reached A team of scientists at Simon Fraser University have just shattered a time record for preserving a fragile quantum state, a key barrier to quantum computing.

Quantum states don’t exist for very long at room temperature. The previous record was a mere two seconds, but researchers at SFU have recently managed to preserve a quantum state for 39 minutes.

Preserving a quantum state at room temperature is much more practical for future quantum computing than supercooled environments.

Quantum bits of information, known as qubits, have an advantage over traditional computer storage systems which store data as a series of ones and zeroes.

Because qubits are capable of existing in superposition, which enables them to be both one and zero at the same time, quantum computers are able to perform multiple calculations simultaneously.

Find out more: www.sfu.ca/sfunews.html

Potential breakthrough in quantum networks discovered Scientists have discovered a way to observe the passing of a photon without disturbing its quantum state, a significant discovery in the development of quantum networks.

Quantum networks promise the ability to transmit information with unbreakable encryptions by storing information in qubits.

However, one of the key principles of quantum theory is that it is impossible to measure something without affecting the object being measured.

A new study suggests that domestic dogs around the globe may trace their lineage to grey wolves in Europe.

(Image courtesy Todd Ryburn/Flickr Commons)

Traditionally, when a photon is observed and measured it is destroyed in the process. Photons can be transformed into qubits by polarization, causing them to exist in superposition. However as soon as they are measured they pick a single state and the extra information that it is possible to contain in the extra states is lost.

This new technique is a milestone in being able to observe this photon in superposition without destroying the extra information.

Find out more: www.nature.com/news/

Possible new origin for the domestication of dogs A group of evolutionary biologists have come up with a new theory for the origin of canine domestication using mitochondrial DNA that suggests dogs may have first been domesticated in Europe.

The currently accepted theory points to a middle-eastern origin for canine domestication. However the new study found that the DNA sequences of dogs from around the world are more closely related to European wolves than East Asian wolves. This suggests that the origins for domestication lie there.

The team based their conclusion on observing 48,000 different genetic markers from dog and wolf species across the world and comparing them to fossilized remains.

The theory is still disputed however. Critics of the new theory say that the fossilized remains were primarily from Europe and that could have skewed the results of the study.

Find out more: www.sciencemag.org

Retired NASA scientist Don Kessler talks space junk Ryan Brezzi Nexus (Camosun) Are the days that we can look up at a clean sky and see a vast expanse of stars and contemplate the depths of our existence numbered? Human impact is now being felt in space, and aside from the development of megacities with buildings and lights that block the stars, the days of the big sky are gone, and the weight of space junk is above us.

When Don Kessler first began working on his space junk theory within the walls of NASA in the late 1970s, he came up against a lot of opposition. But, with time, it would become clear that he was right.

Now retired from NASA, Kessler recently told Nexus Newspaper (Camosun College) “The general thinking at that time was that ‘space is infinite, you don’t need to worry about it; the probability of any satellites colliding is very small.’”

However, with the energy crisis in the ‘70s, solar stations became the buzz, and Kessler was assigned to look at the environmental concerns related to the stations. This was also his chance to look further into space junk.

“I had wanted in 1970 to look at the debris issue, but I didn’t have a good enough excuse because my management had wanted me to do other things,” he said. “So I was looking for an opportunity to do that and that’s when I looked at the debris issue, trying to understand solar stations.”

Space junk is no arbitrary matter. The amount of space junk in earth’s inner atmosphere, up to 1500 kilometers above Earth’s surface, is 2.5 million kilograms.

Space junk is spacecraft that are launched into space and then left there, as well as the debris created from the collision of these spacecraft.

“An average collision will produce about 100 fragments that are massive enough that if any one of those 100 fragments go and hit another satellite it would catastrophically break it up into a similar type of event,” explains Kessler. “And then at smaller sizes you get about 100,000 objects, and then one million objects.”

Space junk is growing and there isn’t much hope to repair the situation, according to Kessler. Despite people saying that technology will make things more efficient and reduce waste, the growth of space junk isn’t reversible. Efforts to reduce space junk are necessary, but will not solve it, he said.

“What it boils down to is we started that too late,” Kessler said.

“We should have started that 20 years earlier, in order to not have gone over this tipping point where we have so much up there that even if you don’t put anything else up there, we’ll create a collisional cascade within 100 years. Without the mitigation strategy, it would be 50 years.”

“We [will] have 2.5 million kilograms of already processed material in one place [if we gather it], and plan to process it someway in the future,” reveals Kessler.

“But if you go that route you have to have a plan.”

Life & Community International students still paying flat-rate tuition fees The Omega · Volume 23, Issue 12

5

TRUSU campaign calls on university to “grow out of” its flat-rate structure for international students students to pay on a per-credit basis rather than a f lat rate. Ω Copy/Web Editor She’s collecting signatures and feedback from affected students A campaign is underway to present to TRU at the board of to change how international governors meeting in January. students pay tuition. TRUSU “If you take [fewer courses] wants international students you’re just wasting your money. to be able to pay tuition on a It’s more of a pressure. It affects per-credit basis, the same way our grades. Some people are domestic students pay. still learning English, some are International students working with school, and so five currently pay a f lat-rate tuition courses is not really a realistic fee of $16,773 per number for year, regardless all students,” of how many Efretuei said. classes they’re “[They] still taking, though have to take study visas at least three, typically require but let it be a full course load what they can (three or more handle.” courses).

TRU World’s D o m e s t i c interim associate students pay vice president $4,814 per year inter national for academic B a i h u a p r o g r a m s , C h a d w i c k according to explained the TRU’s “Know fee differently, Your Costs” saying that the —Baihua Chadwick rate is not for website.

The difference three courses, Interim Associate Vice in fees stems but for any full from government course load, President International, subsidy afforded which TRU to the university defines as three TRU World courses or more. based on domestic student “The principle enrollment. of the flat rate is “I’m not asking them to not for five courses. It’s for a full decrease anything. I just want course load,” Chadwick said. them to make it fair,” said “The fee is a minimal fee for TRUSU international students’ three courses. Perhaps that student representative Deborah Efretuei. can say ‘Oh, my friend got a better Efretuei is behind the deal,’ but that student is not ripped International Student Collective’s off, because you’re paying what campaign to allow international you’re receiving.”

Sean Brady

“

...every one of them agreed to it before

they showed up.”

TRU World’s interim associate VP international Baihua Chadwick said that changes to the university’s fee structure have been debated, and she foresees change in the future.

(Sean Brady/ The Omega)

Chadwick also made a point of mentioning that the university is transparent in showing how international students will pay tuition.

“Our fee structure has been in place for 20, I don’t know, 30 years. It’s always advertised in our promotional material.

Every international student who is on campus agreed to that structure before they came – and that’s important. I’m not saying they can’t change their mind afterwards, but every one of them agreed to it before they signed up,” she said.

Efretuei noted two other universities in B.C., University of the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island University, which charge international students on a f latrate basis. She called the system unsustainable, saying that the practice is one that every university will eventually “grow out of.”

When asked if the university would look into changing the policy, TRU World’s Chadwick said “It’s been debated. I certainly can see change coming.

It certainly will be considered – all factors.”

While they make up just 15 per cent of the on-campus student population, international students account for 45 per cent of the student tuition revenues for the university, which total $53 million (including domestic students).

This, according to a March 31 year-end report issued by the vice-president administration and finance, which also shows that while domestic student enrollment has gone mostly unchanged since 2009, international student enrollment has increased by 27 per cent.

Sumi Ink Club is a participatory drawing project first established by Los Angeles artists Sarah Rara and Luke Fischbeck in 2005. TRU has its very own Sumi Ink nights, put on by the Visual Arts Students Association (VASA) on the first Monday of every month at 6 p.m. in OM 1564 (the painting studio). The project is designed to use group drawing as the basis for social connections. Using black India ink and a large piece of paper, participants can paint whatever comes to mind in a fun, relaxing environment. All ages and skill levels are encouraged to attend Sumi Ink nights, with the next one being held on Dec. 2.

(Amy Reinitz/ The Omega)

6

Life & Community

November 20, 2013

When local theatre meets local politics Politically-driven drama An Enemy of the People brings some Kamloops politics to the stage Courtney Dickson Ω Arts & Entertainment Editor TRU’s next theatre production might be of interest for those following the Ajax mine debate.

The Actors Workshop Theatre is bringing a Canadian adaptation of the politically-driven drama An Enemy of the People to the stage.

Originally written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen in 1882, this play is the story of a doctor who discovers that the water being used for the spa in her town is polluted, and the difficulties she encounters when trying to find a solution.

“It’s a story about someone who is undervalued,” said director Wesley Eccleston.

The play been given a Canadian spin, set in B.C.’s interior, so Kamloops will be able to relate.

The audience should expect something a little different as far as the set is concerned. The cast will be performing on a thrust stage, meaning the audience surrounds three sides of the stage and sees actors from a variety of angles.

“Different areas of the audience are going to see a completely different show,” actor Wyatt Purcha said.

“You feel very vulnerable because everyone can see everything you do,” said Maddy Henry, who plays Dr. Elizabeth Stockmann. “You have to be very aware of the choices you make.”

The actors have coined the term “backting,” the ability of an actor to express their actions even when their backs are to the audience.

“I try to pick shows that will serve my students and give them an opportunity to explore good characterization,” Eccleston said.

Students cast in lead roles confirmed that he is all about character development.

“I love Wesley’s rehearsal process, and it helps so much in developing your character,” Henry said. She’s taken classes with Eccleston and was in his production last year, so she knew what to expect when she was cast in this play.

“If you’re looking for something a little more heavy, as far as our shows this year, this is the one to come see,” Purcha said.

“It’s very fitting, as far as what’s going on in Kamloops politically right now,” Henry added. “It’s interesting to see different demographics come with different points of view.”

Thirteen TRU actors take the stage in An Enemy of the People at the Black Box Theatre Nov. 21 to 23 and Nov. 28 to 30. Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance at kamloopslive.ca.

“We’re not here to say what’s right and wrong,” Henry said.

“It’s our job to tell the story and it’s the audience’s decision to decide who’s the true enemy of the people.”

The next TRU AWT show, An Enemy of the State, opens Nov. 21 and finishes Nov. 30. It’s up to the audience to figure out who the enemy of the people really is, so this show isn’t for anyone looking for mindless entertainment.

(Photo courtesy Andrew Cooper)

Joshua Hyslop shares stories, and not just through music Alexis Stockford Ω Contributor

www.kamloopscrimestoppers.ca

REWARD Crime Stoppers pays up to

$2000 in cash awards to anyone providing information which leads to an arrest, the recovery of stolen property or seizure of drugs.

Anonymity > Cash Awards

Joshua Hyslop stops for a quick photo op after his performance Nov. 14 at the Alumni Theatre at TRU.

(Alexis Stockford/ The Omega)

“It can just touch you,” said fourthyear student Aylenna Holland. “There were parts where I was almost crying.”

“I think what makes it worthwhile is being able to connect with people on a very deep and personal level, and also being aware that I’m very privileged and honoured to get to do what I do,” Hyslop said.

He claims to be shy in front of crowds, but he had his audience laughing more than once. Relating how he embarrassed

himself in front of strangers when he first heard himself on the radio, or dedicating a song to his girlfriend only to realize half-way through that it was a song about divorce, his stories were almost as entertaining as the songs themselves.

Hyslop expects to play another 25 shows in the next few weeks, and will start work on his third album after Christmas, hoping to release it sometime next year.

Call Crime Stoppers 1.800.222.TIPS (8477)

MC82883

About 100 people were in attendance to hear singer-songwriter Joshua Hyslop perform at the Alumni Theatre in the early afternoon on Nov. 14, 2013 as part of the ‘Live at TRU!’ series. Not only did his music entertain, but his stories gave the audience something to connect to.

From the relatively upbeat “If I Was a Better Man” to the soulful, introspective lyrics of “Nowhere Left to Go,” Hyslop impressed his audience with a mix of songs from his first album, Cold Wind, as well as his newer release, Where the Mountain Meets the Valley.

Hyslop’s music is self-admittedly influenced by the work of artists like Damien Rice and Simon and Garfunkel, focusing on smooth, easy listening and flowing harmonies. Although he usually performs with a back-up band, his performance at TRU was purely acoustic, just Hyslop and his guitar.

“When you strip it all down and you do just the acoustic version of the song… if you can still hold people’s attention, then to me it’s a really good song,” Hyslop said.

While there was no cheering or whooping like you might see at a rock concert, there was rapt attention and wholehearted applause after every selection.

“I love the guitar,” said audience member Ovi Hahyan after the show.

“He has a very good voice.”

All of Hyslop’s lyrics are profoundly personal. His first song “Do not Let Me Go” tells the story of his own neardeath experience while travelling in India. Backed with beautiful guitar work, Hyslop’s music creates a sense of intimacy with the audience.

®

Working to make a safer campus.

The Omega · Volume 23, Issue 12

Arts & Entertainment

Canadian rockers take over The Blue Grotto for an evening PUP, The Zolas and Hollerado give Kamloops just what they’re looking for Ashley Wadhwani Ω Contributor It was an evening to remember for rock fans. Ottawa’s Hollerado came through Kamloops Nov. 12 for their first-ever headlining tour, playing at The Blue Grotto with punk rock band PUP and Vancouver’s The Zolas.

The crowd formed when Toronto-based PUP appeared on stage to play a few tracks off their self-titled debut album, released October 2013. The audience embraced the new band with head banging, jumping and f lailing to the energy of the heavy riffs.

Next on were The Zolas, with a quick set change as lead vocalist Zachary Gray interacted with the crowd, which by that point was pushing up against the stage.

When he asked why so many people showed up for a concert on a Tuesday night, someone in the audience yelled “Tuesday boozeday,” in which Gray told the crowd The Zolas are Mormon, and they don’t know what that means.

The Zolas perfectly contrasted PUP, with upbeat indie-rock and the f loor was finally filled with people.

“Both bands made it personal – about Kamloops,” said audience member Emily Hill.

Last, but certainly not least, Hollerado made their appearance and the crowd began rocking out to energized beats, while lead singer Menno Versteeg did what he does best.

In an interview after the show with Versteeg, he said although he can’t pick only one favourite memory, “visiting the Ainsworth Hot Springs and seeing bears” were among his favourite experiences from this tour.

The stage setting for Hollerado was homemade by lead guitarist Nixon Boyd’s wife. When the black light f lashed on and off, Hollerado made sure to jump off the drums and speakers on stage while their guitars glowed.

“I loved the psychedelic backdrop,” said audience member Kara Wiedeck.

Top to bottom: Hollerado, PUP and The Zolas played to an enthusiastic crowd at The Blue Grotto on Victoria Street Nov. 12.

Juno Award nominated indie rockers Hollerado formed in Ottawa in 2007. They’ve got two albums to their name and this year’s White Paint is their latest effort.

Four-piece punk rockers PUP released their self-titled debut album on Oct. 8 and will be be touring Canada until the end of the month.

The Zolas, featuring Tom Dobrzanski and Zachary Gray, released their last album, Ancient Mars, in 2012.

(All photos by Courtney Dickson/ The Omega)

7

Life & Community

8

November 20, 2013

Student pushes for adoption of Bitcoin at SFU Urges that accepting bitcoins would “put SFU on the world map” Miguel Kudry hopes to change the way tutoring services are provided.

Esther Tung (Sophie Isbister/ The Other Press)

HelpHub.me

The tutoring social network Sophie Isbister The Other Press (Douglas College) NEW WESTMINSTER (CUP) — When Douglas College business student Miguel Kudry was looking for last-minute help on an assignment and couldn’t find the resources he desired, he didn’t just give up—no, the entrepreneurial student decided to construct HelpHub.me, an online tutoring marketplace that he says is going to change the face of the tutoring industry.

“We connect tutors and students over the phone and we do conference calls,” Kudry told the Other Press.

“Everything’s done online. In terms of phone calls, we actually never share anybody’s phone number.”

Kudry explains that all the calls are placed through the website.

Students seeking tutoring place a call to the tutor of their choice on the site by clicking their profile (they can choose tutors based on the tutor’s classes, grades and ratings given by other users), and then HelpHub. me places a call to the tutor. The tutor then accepts the call, and the calls are merged. This way, students aren’t able to constantly call their tutors on their personal phone lines, which, according to Kudry, allows tutors to monetize their spare time.

“The cool thing about it is that students pay on a minute basis, so nobody has to commit to an hour of tutoring.

“If you only have a question that can be answered in 10 minutes, you only pay for 10 minutes,” says Kudry, adding that tutors can choose how much they charge for an hour of tutoring.

He tells us that most tutors currently charge $30 per hour, but that the site allows them to charge up to $200 — a number that seems high, but is a realistic rate for advanced tutoring in specialized subjects. Students can top up their accounts with any major credit card, and HelpHub.me takes five per cent off of every transaction to pay for the interface.

HelpHub.me launched in February 2013, and Kudry says that the site is growing fast and keeping him busy — he is also attending classes full-time and working fulltime. The website currently has over 750 users, and they recently launched a videoconferencing platform.

“We allow students to change files in real time, to change drawings, so it’s sort of like an interactive whiteboard, integrated with a videoconferencing application,” Kudry says.

Kudry is excited to grow the website beyond the Lower Mainland market, and hopes to be in on the ground floor of the tutoring industry, which he says is booming. “[The tutoring industry] will be worth over $100-billion by 2018,

so we want to be growing as much as possible within those five years so we’re there in 2018 to hopefully change the way people get tutored,” Kudry says.

In addition to the paid tutoring offered by HelpHub.me, there is also a discussion board where students can ask quick questions for free.

This is a good way to get to know tutors before committing time and money to them. You can also sign in via Facebook, allowing you to check out your tutors on the larger social network, adding more credentials to the ratings already contained within HelpHub.me’s interface.

About being a young entrepreneur, Kudry says the hardest part is getting started once you have a brilliant idea.

“You have the idea, and then you think, ‘Oh that’s impossible, I’m not able to do it,’ but you don’t really know until you start doing it,” he said. “It all gets a little easier… and busier.”

Kudry said that HelpHub.me won’t replace the current face-to-face tutoring model, which he approves of and says has been working for hundreds of years. It will instead offer a different option to students.

He stresses the convenience of the online marketplace: paying by the minute in an interface that we’re already familiar with, last-minute convenience, and the ability to stay in your own home.

Sustainable Solutions for the Global Marketplace.

Our BBA in Sustainability and International Business enables you to complete your third and fourth year full time on-campus. You’ll build an international network while learning with like-minded students from around the globe, with real-world guidance from expert instructors. We’re ready when you are: 1.877.778.6227.

life.changing

royalroads.ca/bba

The Peak (SFU) BURNABY (CUP) — Since its unveiling one week ago, almost $100,000 in Canadian dollars has been exchanged for Bitcoins at the world’s first Bitcoin ATM, located at Waves Coffee House on Howe Street in downtown Vancouver.

Bitcoin is a virtual currency which has been gaining traction as an investment asset and viable alternative to legal tender. The value of bitcoin has increased dramatically in the past year.

On the heels of several highprofile press stories, including headlines of a Norwegian man who forgot he had purchased $27 in bitcoin a few years ago and found that they were worth nearly $887,000.

Simon Fraser University (SFU) business student Michael Yeung, founder and president of the SFU Bitcoin Club, has put his school’s name in press outlets across the world with his involvement in promoting and facilitating the transition of Bitcoin into the mainstream.

He sees Bitcoin as a particularly strong disruptor of money services like PayPal and Western Union (which currently hold monopolies in their respective markets) but also, eventually, for credit cards and others used for many of our daily transactions. Fees are much lower, at about one per cent compared to 3.5 to five per cent with existing financial services.

The fee is returned to the persons who “mined” the bitcoin.

Yeung says that growing Bitcoin as a mainstream currency will change the way people, particularly young people, think about money.

According to Yeung, because there is only a finite amount of bitcoin (21 million in total) that can be mined,

“the value of a bitcoin will only grow. This means that people are less likely to spend it unnecessarily.”

Yeung stated that this is the opposite of today’s economy, in which governments stimulate the economy by putting more money into the circulation. “This means that the money in your bank account loses value, which incentivizes people to spend it before that happens.”

Currently, the goal of the SFU Bitcoin Club is to push for the implementation of Bitcoin infrastructure, such as point of sale systems at campus businesses and Bitcoin ATMs on site. To this end, Yeung has begun approaching members of SFU’s administration.

Beyond simple transactions, Yeung has his sights set on SFU eventually accepting Bitcoins as payment for tuition fees, much like Draper University, in Silicon Valley, has recently done. Draper is currently the only university in the world that accepts Bitcoins, in addition to accepting other nonconventional payments, such as shares in a student’s business or an in-kind donation of skills to the university.

“Doing this would put SFU on the world map,” he said.

Barrier of entry to accepting bitcoin payments is extremely low, requiring a merchant to simply register with a service, like Bitpay, and have their unique QR code on hand for customers to scan with their smartphones. A larger concern of merchants who may want to accept Bitcoin payments is the volatility of the currency.

There are several methods to reduce seller-side risk by protecting them from any drops in the value of Bitcoin — however, this protection also insures them if their value rises.

“Low risk, low reward,” said Yeung.

Feature

The Omega · Volume 23, Issue 12

9

BATTLING DEMONS Searching for the truth in demonic possessions Therese Guieb Capilano Courier (Capilano) “I cast you out! Unclean spirit! In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! It is He who commands you! It is He who flung you from the gates of Heaven to the depths of Hell!” the priest says in a powerful voice. “Fuck him,” she replies, while her head spins all the way around. This and many more famous scenes from the horror classic The Exorcist brought many people their first glimpse of demonic possessions.

The belief that evil spirits can take over a human being’s spiritual and physical state has been around for thousands of years. It is often said that “man has been fighting demons,” and the method of casting out these evil spirits is still being practiced. Many people still fear that demons can haunt them and destroy their lives.

In many cultures, the presence of evil spirits has been blamed for unfortunate events that occur in people’s lives. These events may include bad crops, death, sickness, and plain bad luck. These evil spirits have been perceived to be in the form of devils, ghouls, and demons. Evil spirits have not only brought bad luck but they have also had the ability to fully control human beings and carry on their malevolent plans. Witnessing this phenomenon made many people fear for their safety, making them turn to religion for advice. In order to satisfy the security of their societies, many cultures have constructed some sort of “guide” on how to battle evil spirits.

According to the documentary Demonic Possessions and Exorcisms

by Georgia Manukas, “Babylonian tablets which date back to 3000 B.C.E contain prayers and chants used to combat demons.” Also, in the sixth century, Persians used holy water, prayers, and special rituals.

King Solomon, leader of Israel in the 10th century B.C.E, used prayer and “a magic ring to exorcise demons.”

However, today, only one method of casting out demons is recognized by mass society. This method is known as exorcism.

GET OUT OF HERE, DEVIL According to the newspaper the B.C . Catholic, exorcism is the ritual of evicting demons or other spiritual entities from a person or place believed to be possessed. It is said that Jesus gave power to his apostles or followers to be able to cast out demons in His name. “He [the exorcist] will be doing it in the name of Christ. It’s God’s doing and it’s His way of prayer,” explains father Frank D’Agostino, a Catholic priest at Our Lady of Sorrows Church.

The Bible was said to be an “actual spiritual sword” in defeating the devil. “[Exorcisms] go back to scripture.

It was always Jesus who performed exorcisms. There are many stories [in the Bible]. One, for example, is called ‘Legion’, where there are many [demons] within a person and Jesus sends them out into the swine, and the swine go out and drown themselves.”

Exorcism was not only a method of driving away evil spirits but it also provided the sense of security for many in the early years. One of the most significant events in history was the occurrence of the Black Death in the 14th century. The bubonic plague epidemic brought millions of people suffering and death. During this time, people turned to Catholicism in the hopes that God would pull them out of their misery because they believed that the Devil reigned upon them.

There were many symptoms present that they couldn’t explain or cure.

One of these symptoms was a person

becoming psychologically imbalanced.

Europeans during the bubonic plague claimed that individuals possessed by the Devil sought to turn everyone else into followers of Satan. As a result, religious leaders like bishops and priests were sent out to perform exorcisms on these people.

Cases of possession in the 15th and 16th centuries were common. People feared anyone who was believed to be possessed and immediately sought the help of Roman Catholic exorcists.

However, during the 16th century, the Protestant Reformation revolutionized the ideologies and practices of the Roman Catholic Church. Donald Kagan, author of the Western Heritage, said that the leaders of the Protestant Reformation were political rulers who wanted to “extend their power and control at the expense of the Church.”

Due to this movement, many began to doubt the practices of the Church, which included their ability to provide protection against demons. Protestants, however, still claimed to be able to perform exorcisms using different methods. This led to both religions competing against one another through sometimes exorcising the same possessed individual. Exorcisms, then, also became a political tool.

IN THE MINDS OF THE POSSESSED Possessions are mostly interpreted as a paranormal phenomenon. However, scientists have tried to explain these experiences.

“When I was four years old, I fell down a long flight of stairs and sustained a very serious brain injury and so throughout my childhood, I had all kinds of very strange experiences and phenomena happening to me because of the brain injury. Seizures and black out spells and paralysis, seeing things, and apparently it was all due to the hit on the head,” says Dr. Leonard George, a psychology professor at CapU. Head traumas can cause serious neurological disorders

“

behavior understood by the possessed person and by others.” Possession is due to the “displacement of the individual’s soul” by another entity.

After an episode of possession, the possessed person often does not recall what happened during the attack.

Symptoms of possession can be identified as different psychological disorders such as schizophrenia and dissociative identity disorder (DID). “Some people suffering from psychotic disorders like schizophrenia sometimes develop the belief that they are something or someone, some other thing different from than we think they are, and that might not even be a human being,” Dr. George continues.

“I’ve met people who believed they were wolves or bears. I met someone who thought they were a mouse.

Sometimes in cases of schizophrenia, [it can] usually feature delusions like false beliefs. People develop that kind of thing or they present themselves as a different person than most of us might think they are.” Individuals who are diagnosed with schizophrenia tend to lose contact with reality. It is commonly mistaken as DID or Multiple Personality Disorder. “I was working in a hospital in Ontario in the psychiatric unit in the 1980s when there was a big wave of this multiple personality stuff happening,” says Dr. George. DID is understood as a “split personality” when a person reveals a sudden presence of “two or more distinct personalities” within them.

These various personalities are shown through particular patterns of speech and behavior.

“You have someone who presents [themself] as one person and then they switch into a different person or, again, maybe not even as a human being. I’ve met the Cookie Monster, you know, as one of these alternative personalities that manifested in a case of DID,” says Dr. George. If a person presents themselves as someone or something else, it does not necessarily mean that they should be perceived as possessed. “In certain frames of

Do I believe that spiritual entities can take over a human body?

After decades of research, I can conclusively confirm ... I don’t know,” —Dr. Leonard George Psychology professor and researcher of possession which can affect the normal functions of the brain. However, there are other people whose symptoms fall into the section of “abnormal psychology”.

“There is a third group of people who are reporting strange things as well but there’s no evidence that they have brain injury and there’s no evidence that they have mental illnesses either. There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with them and yet they are saying that they saw ghosts or they had a mystical experience,” explains Dr. George.

Cases of possessions can vary amongst individuals. They can be possessed not only by evil spirits, but other entities as well. Dr. George’s encyclopedia, Alternative Realities, defines possession as “a form of trance

understanding, someone could see that I’m talking to you now and then suddenly I twitch a bit and I start saying I’m Janet, or something like that. This is actually how it could be for folks with that disorder….These syndromes are certainly recognized within mainstream clinical psychology and psychiatry.”

Though psychologists classify most syndromes of a possessed individual as schizophrenia or DID, some cases that have been reported do not meet the diagnosis of these psychological disorders. “There has been some discussion that maybe there is a syndrome, a set of behavioral features, that is a little different than those things [schizophrenia and DID] that maybe

Demonic possession has been a staple in religious painting since religious painting became a thing. This one is by Francisco Goya and depicts Saint Francis Borgia performing an exorcism.

(Used under creative commons licence)

should be recognized itself as a kind of possession syndrome….It has actually been discussed, the possibility that there could be some distinctive sort of configuration there that’s a little bit different,” says Dr. George.

UNEXPLAINED ABILITIES Many possession victims reveal strange and unique abilities. Some of these abilities include abnormal physical strengths and “speaking in tongues”. “There are two levels of speaking in tongues. One is from a demonic perspective where someone speaks in a ‘demonic language’ and then there’s an angelic speaking in tongues,” explains Father D’Agostino.

The belief of speaking in tongues is derived from Catholicism. The Bible states that speaking in tongues is an ability given by God. “Psychologists have studied speaking in tongues to try to figure out what’s going on with recordings and analyzing as it turns out. It’s not language, it actually doesn’t mean anything. It’s actually a species of rhythmic gibberish,” says Dr. George.

Speaking in tongues is said to sound pleasant to the ear and can be very convincing. “Nicholas Spanos, a psychologist from the University of Ottawa, did some interesting studies where he got recordings of real speaking in tongues from these [evangelical] congregations and found that your average undergraduate with no backgrounds in this stuff whatsoever can actually fairly quickly pick up the knack of generating what sounds like some fluent foreign language but in fact is meaningless. But it’s got a structure in it that it does actually sound like it must mean something. So there’s a skill to it,” says Dr. George. He clarifies that “there’s nothing wrong with people who are speaking in tongues, nothing wrong with them at all. It might be an expression of religious conviction.”

OTHER CULTURES Possessions are usually seen as a

negative occurrence but there are other cultures and religions that encourage possession. “Some possessions are not always regarded as a bad thing depending on the cultural context.

Probably, possession by demons is always a bad thing. But people report being possessed by other entities as well and some cultures not only recognize the validity of those sorts of reports but they actually set things up so society benefits from that sort of activity,” notes Dr. George.

Religions and cultures which use possession during spiritual gatherings are Vodoun or Voodoo, Candomblé, and Santeria. Voodoo is a religion originated from Haiti. According to Dr. George, “Voodoo is religion where a lot of people stick pins in dolls as the black magic aspect of it, but in fact, it’s a spiritual way of making sense of the world.” Candomblé is a religion based on African beliefs that is widely practiced in Brazil.

BBC reports that during spiritual ceremonies, choreographed dances are performed by worshipers to “enable them to become possessed by the orixas [ancestors of Candomblé who were deemed holy].” Santeria derived from an Afro-Caribbean religion with slightly similar practices and beliefs as Candomblé. Both Candomblé and Santeria have Roman Catholicism beliefs added to them.

During rituals in these religions, it is concluded that a possessed individual is being possessed by a holy figure.

Though science tries to make sense of every claimed paranormal phenomenon, there are still many cases which cannot be explained.

“Do I believe that people have these experiences? There’s no doubt. Do I believe that spiritual entities can take over a human body? After decades of research, I can conclusively confirm that I don’t know because I, myself, feel humble of the research that I’ve done,” says Dr. George.

“I am certain that this type of experience is fascinating, dangerous, and has a potentially beneficial aspect that keeps getting missed.”

Coffee Break

sudokueasy

4 2 1

4 9 3 6 9 2 1 5 8 9

7

2 7

“Escaped Cons”

3

7 6 2

MYLES MELLOR AND SALLY YORK

1 9 8 7 2 5 6 8 3

November 20, 2013

crossword

10

3 9 2

3 4 3 1 8 9

6

2 4

sudokuhard

1

5 9 8

1 3 8 2

7 2 6 5 1

Puzzle of the week Puzzle of the week will return in January with new puzzles to work your mind and train your brain...

We could all use a little edge in that, right?

Plus...there are prizes for answering these, and everyone likes prizes.

I think.

I do.

If you don’t, that’s cool, I guess.

Across 1. Donkeywork 5. Window type 10. “Love Will Find ___” 14. Puente ___ 15. Winter wear 16. Radial, e.g.

17. Con escapes from the “City of Festivals”?

20. Demagogue, for short 21. Plays mind games 22. Exigencies 23. Aces, sometimes 24. ___ lox 26. Some are secret 29. Diminish 30. Carney, to pals 33. Medicinal balsam 34. Daring Sufi 35. Former French coin 36. Con escapes from the home of ESPN? 40. Before now 41. Defeat 42. Italian magistrate 43. Nevertheless 44. British cape 45. Grim Reaper prop 47. 2.54 centimeters 48. Chutzpah 49. Scandinavian currency 52. Greek letter 53. ___ de deux

56. Con escapes from resort peninsula?

60. Drone, e.g.

61. Tyrone ___, American boxer 62. American record label 63. Snoop Dogg song 64. Sock fabric 65. Kid brother, e.g.

Down 1. Pack (down) 2. Medley 3. Common contraction 4. Down and dirty 5. Works 6. Libertines 7. Chafes 8. Squeeze out 9. Police, with “the” 10. Addled 11. Owlish?

12. Bone-dry 13. Cravings 18. Bee, to Opie 19. Flip 23. ___ probandi 24. “___ Lunch” 25. Auricular 26. Safely distant 27. Deep valley 28. “The Hippopotamus” poet 29. Marriage announcement 30. English race place

31. ___ draft 32. Student getting one-on-one help 34. Kin 37. Dig 38. Powerful cartel 39. Romantic interlude (var.)

45. Shiny fabric 46. Attack with nails 47. Dickey 48. Bananas 49. Dole’s running mate, 1996 50. Shag rugs 51. Bribes 52. Murti 53. Corn ___ 54. Song and dance, e.g.

55. “Laugh-In” segment 57. ___ system (re: blood) 58. Neither’s partner 59. Western Pacific island C U B E

A R I D

B P O T H A R M A B O E R D I

R D C E A D S H E O A S E S S A N T E R T E U R S T M Y S H U A C O N R U B A T T O M S E I Y

P E R T E R O O H

O N E

E P S L E B S I F A R E W E I I M A G N T I B E H I T G A S E P N J H O W E U R E A S T E R N R A I L S E R G S B F T H E W E E R T E R R E E G

A C L O L L O T O S L L D Y S A L G A

P L O D

Hey, here’s a random joke!

A gorilla walks into a bar and asks the bartender for a drink.

The bartender finds this very peculiar and realizes he is dreaming.

He then wakes up and tells his wife about the ridiculous dream he just had. His wife just ignores him. He rolls over and starts to sob because he knows his marriage is in shambles.

Got a joke? Got a comic? Send ‘em in and we might run ‘em.

editor@truomega.ca

LAST ISSUE’S ANSWERS

9 2

Sports

The Omega · Volume 23, Issue 12

11

Canada West not (currently) moving on basketball scheduling issue Justin Esau The Cascade (UFV) ABBOTSFORD (CUP) — The 2014–15 season is going to be an unusual one for the TRU WolfPack, as it will be for the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) Cascades’ basketball programs, as they will, as of now, play the same five teams again and again…and again…and again.

On Oct. 30, UFV’s motion to rescind the 2014–15 schedule accepted at a previous Canada West meeting in June was defeated by a vote of 22–6, almost ensuring the schedule will become a reality next season. Each of the 14 voting schools in Canada West are allowed two voting representatives at each meeting, and only UFV, Manitoba and UBC-O voted in favour of rescinding the schedule.

Currently, every team in Canada West, a conference of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), plays every other team at least once per season. The addition of six teams in the last five years has necessitated a shake-up of scheduling practices, since playing all 16 other Canada West teams in 2014-15 would stress each program’s athletes and budget. Canada West representatives accepted and analyzed numerous scheduling proposals before the June meeting where they decided to break the league into two divisions: a “Pioneer” division of the 11 “historical” members, and an “Explorer” division of the six “newer” members, including UFV and TRU. Canada West responds According to Basil Hughton, Canada West president and University of Saskatchewan athletic director, change is necessary.

“I’m a relatively new AD,” he said. “I’m just entering my sixth year, and when I first came on board we had 11 full members. That was in 2008 … and then we went up to the point now where we have 14 full members and three probationary.

We’ve seen a very big influx in new schools, new members, and we’ve obviously had rapid growth.

And the biggest challenge with rapid growth is scheduling.”

Individual schedules are voted in for each Canada West sport, and basketball, with the most member participation of any sport, has its own unique challenges. Still, the 11 and six divisional split is controversial in that it doesn’t recognize geographic considerations, historic program rankings or numerical parity between divisions.

“I think in fairness,” said Hughton. “And this is me editorializing now, not as the president, but as a member, I’m saying, very clearly, there wasn’t a good alternative in basketball. The decision to put this [schedule] forward was the best information we had at the time and [the best one] we could try given the circumstances.”

TRU Director of Athletics & Recreation Ken Olynyk said the membership meets twice a year and he thinks this will be a key area of discussion going forward, but that he “did not vote in favour of the new alignment.”

However, at the Oct. 30 motion put forward by UFV, he did vote not to rescind the schedule that was currently in place.

In the six-team “Explorer” division, UFV will play the other five teams four times each to produce a 20-game schedule. Some, including UFV president Mark Evered in an open letter to the presidents of Canada West institutions, have accused Canada West of creating a “tiered” divisional structure behind meaningless euphemisms. While Hughton said “the semantics [of “Pioneer” and “Explorer”] are lost on me; I didn’t like the words, either one of them,” he maintains that Evered and others are mistaken.

“I can understand the perception of tiering,” Hughton said. “But that isn’t what we did.”

“Let me rephrase what I said earlier,” he continued. “The basketball schedule that ultimately passed was the one that membership felt was … the best fit for what they saw that they wanted to do.”

Also voted on in late October was a 2014-15 Canada West playoff format that is dependent on the results of this season’s schedule. If the 2013-14 Canada West champion is in the Pioneer Division, the ten-team format will include the seven top Pioneer teams and the three top Explorer teams. If it happens to be a Explorer

champion, it will be involve six Pioneer and four Explorer teams. The Final Four tournament will be hosted by the highest remaining seed left after the quarterfinals, rather than the team with the best regular season record, as under the current format.

Impact to athletic programs Evered and others at his school have been highly critical of the upcoming schedule, pointing out that it hurts UFV’s recruiting appeal, athletics prestige and potential competitiveness.

Evered especially has been a significant asset to the resistance, despite the traditionally hands-off role of university presidents relative to CIS issues.

“Recognizing that decisions made by CIS or any of its divisions could have an impact on our institutions,” Evered said. “It’s not unreasonable that the president should have some significant say in the work of CIS and its divisions. There’s still those who feel that presidents should have more than an advisory role; they should have a more decisive role.”

TRU’s Olynyk disagrees with the assessment that the realignment will have negative

consequences for those in the “Explorer” division.

“I do not believe it impacts recruiting in a negative way at all. When recruiting, our job is to sell the city, the university, and our athletic program. If we do our job then we are not being impacted in a negative way,” adding that TRU already has a verbal commitment from “one of the top three recruits in this coming class as well as interest from a number of local outstanding recruits.”

Having already been defeated in an attempt to rescind the motion that led to the two-division 2014-15 schedule, UFV will have to adopt other measures in defending the interests of its varsity programs. Since the motion only dictates the schedule for one season, both Gordon and Olfert are committed to preventing it from being extended, or adopted in other sports.

“Our concern is that this is just the beginning,” said Gordon. “that this 11 and six will move into other sports … [We need] to stop this becoming a pattern or trend.”

Evered likened the situation “to the frustration with a referee who makes a lot of bad calls.

Following up on that is unlikely to change the outcome, but you’ve at least alerted others to the problem.”

Neither UFV men’s coach Adam Friesen nor women’s coach Al Tuchscherer are enthused with the schedule their teams will play in 2014–15, yet both understand their authority is on the court rather than in the meeting room. For now, the schools of Canada West have voted to accept a schedule that divides them into two unequal divisions; a system that will require Victoria to play Manitoba, but not have UFV driving 20 minutes down the road to play rival Trinity Western.

Hughton says democracy has spoken, but there is dissent on that opinion, as there is on whether the realignment will hurt some programs while helping others.

“I do not believe the restructuring of the schedule will have a negative impact on basketball at TRU,” Olynyk said.

Clearly Evered disagrees, and this issue will continue to be a contentious one throughout the league.

12

November 20, 2013

TRUSU Membership Advisory Travelling for the Winter Break?

Save some money!

Visit trusu.ca for more info

Thompson Rivers University Sarah Soloman

08/06/1993 09/2013 - 12/2014

Public Governance Workshop Series Strategic Planning with Dr. Katherine Sutherland

visit trusu.ca for details

Wed Nov 20 at 6PM in the TRUSU Lecture Hall Light refreshments provided

Tampon Drive The Women’s Collective is holding a tampon drive to support the YWCA Women’s Emergency Shelter. Donations can be dropped off at the Members’ Services Desk in the Students’ Union Building

visit trusu.ca for details

Advocacy | Services | Entertainment