Ote jan 29

Over The Edge

UNBC’s Independent Student Newspaper est. 1994

cost of the competition See page 12

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Volume 20, Issue 9 overtheedgenewspaper.ca

January 29, 2014 ote-newspaper@unbc.ca

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Support is always needed and no experience is required, help make Over The Edge Newspaper better. We want to hear from you! Call us at (250) 960-5633, tweet us @overtheedgeunbc, email us at ote-newspaper@unbc.ca and be sure to like us on facebook. For more information, please visit our redesigned website www.overtheedgenewspaper.ca.

Next Submission Deadline: February 5th, 2014

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Over The Edge is the University of Northern British Columbia’s independent newspaper. Our office is located on the 2nd floor of the NUSC building in room 6-350.We are an equal opportunity publication which represents students in the UNBC and Prince George community. Our publication supports student writing by welcoming news, arts, sports, culture and opinion articles as well as photography, comics, and creative writing submissions.

Every year, we provide employment as editors, designers, and managers to students with a passion for journalism and are always looking for motivated individuals to work and volunteer in our collaborative environment. Over The Edge offers competitive advertising rates for space in our print publication as well as online.

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News

Steph Nicole Halseth News Editor

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ccording to an article by CBC News, “Prime Minister Stephen Harper spoke fiercely in defense of Israel Monday [20 January], accusing critics of anti-Semitism, vowing to stand with the country, and drawing heckles from two legislators who eventually stormed out of his speech to the Knesset.”

In his closing speech to Israel’s parliament, Harper said “through fire and water, Canada will stand with you.” He was rewarded with a standing ovation from most of the crowd. In his speech, Harper also discussed the history between the two countries and stated that Israel and Canada share many democratic values.

The Prime Minister also discussed the relationship between Canada’s and

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Israel’s military forces, stating that they share both information and technology in order to work together.

Harper is the first Canadian prime minister to address the Knesset, the legislative branch of the Israeli parliament.

According to the CBC, Harper “accused Israel's Western critics of moral relativism," said they single out Israel "to go along to get along,” and called this approach “weak and wrong.” He continued to address criticism of Israel, saying “some civilsociety leaders today call for a boycott of Israel... most disgracefully of all, some openly call Israel an apartheid state. Think about that. Think about the twisted logic and outright malice behind that. A state, based on freedom, democracy and the rule of law, that was founded so Jews can flourish as Jews, and seek shelter from the shadow

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of the worst racist experiment in history… that is condemned, and that condemnation is masked in the language of anti-racism.

It is nothing short of sickening." He even went so far as to say this criticism is “the new anti-Semitism,” though he did concede that “criticism of Israeli government policy isn't in and of itself ‘necessarily antiSemitic.’”

Harper then discussed the issue of a new, peaceful Palestinian state. He stated that along with Israel, Canada hopes “the Palestinian people and their leaders will choose a democratic Palestinian state that lives peacefully alongside Israel.” The Prime Minister also announced $66 million in aid for Palestinians.

Harper continued by addressing the possibility of further sanctions on Iran. He stated that he hoped Iran would turn away from the pursuit

of nuclear weapons, but that the existing sanctions would remain in effect until more progress towards that goal is made.

In regards to the role of Israel in relation to Iran, he expressed sympathy over Israel’s situation, and stated that many of the threats Israel faces are the same as those faced by western countries.

Harper was welcomed to the parliament by a red carpet. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, greeted Harper with “welcome to Israel, dear friend.” Netanyahu also claimed that Israel was appreciative of Harper’s support.

This trip is part of a broader visit to the Middle East. This declaration of loyalty is another step on the long path of support Harper has shown for Israel in his foreign policy since his rise to power.

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News

Man boards plane after bomb confiscation Nicole Halseth News Editor

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ccording to an article published by BBC World News, “a man in Edmonton was allowed to board a flight after a pipe bomb found in his bag was confiscated by airport security.” CBC News also reported that one of the security guards at the Edmonton International Airport even attempted to hand the bomb back to the passenger in question.

This passenger was 18-year-old Skylar Vincent Murphy, from Spruce Grove, Alberta. He was allowed to board a plane to Mexico for a week-long family vacation, even after this bomb was found in his carry-on bag by airport security officials.

After inspecting the device, a camera apparently caught a guard returning the bomb to the passenger. He was reportedly told several times that he could keep the device. The teenager, however, refused to take the bomb back. The RCMP was not notified of the event until four days later.

The explosive device was reportedly 15cm long and packed with gunpowder.

According to BBC News, Murphy “claimed to have forgotten it was in the bag after making it with a friend for fun some months before.” Though he admitted to making the bomb, Murphy apparently just “accidentally” took it to the airport, according to CBC News, after he placed it in a camera bag following its creation in February 2013 and forgot about it.

When Murphy returned to Canada he was arrested in the airport. Following this incident, Murphy pleaded guilty and was charged 100 dollars.

In response to this incident, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) has apparently suspended several security officers. All involved personnel were disciplined, and had to complete additional training.

In a statement to CBC News, Lisa Raitt, Canada's Federal Transport Minister, said it was “unacceptable” that Murphy was allowed to board the plane and continue his journey following the discovery of his bomb possession. “The safety of Canadians and the travelling public is our government’s top priority," Raitt told CBC

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News in a written statement. She continued with “this individual should not have been allowed to board his flight, and it is unacceptable that [CATSA] waited four days before seeking the RCMP's assistance.”

Apparently, in an email to CBC News, the spokesman for CATSA, Mathieu Larocque, responded that he understood these concerns and that numerous preventative measures have been taken to discourage similar incidents in the future. He wrote “CATSA has completed a full review last fall of the incident. During the course of its review, CATSA concluded that the RCMP should have been contacted earlier

in the process as per our procedures.”

He continued by stating that “corrective actions have been taken and those involved in the incident were disciplined and required to take additional training.

We have also updated screening officers’ training material across the country and put more emphasis on our procedures.”

This incident raises important questions about the state of airport security throughout the country. Hopefully, CATSA will be able to prevent such missteps in the future and ensure the continued safety of air travellers in Canada.

Snow removal in Prince George Nicole Halseth News Editor

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report on snow and ice clearing operations was presented to the Prince George City Council on 20 January 2014.

Though the city council does not address the day-to-day operations of snow clearing, it does have control over snow clearing policies. The report was meant to address the many problems and complaints that have arisen over the past few weeks over the issue of snow and ice clearing on Prince George streets. The report spurred an hour long discussion over how to address the numerous complications involved with this issue.

Bill Gaal, operations superintendent, discussed recent rumours that have emerged accusing the city of not being adequately prepared for the winter with sufficient machinery, and that the city was keeping snowplows parked in order to save money. According to an article by the Prince George Citizen, he addressed these concerns by saying “snow fleet size has not been reduced. We do have operators.” He also said that the city of Prince George had been borrowing equipment to aid in their operations from such

organizations as the Prince George Airport Authority, Columbia Bitulithic, as well as neighbouring communities.

Numerous other views emerged throughout the discussion. Some councilors called for broader discussion, and even suggested the formation of a committee set to deal exclusively with these issues. It seems many councilors are in agreement that the current policy needs to be reassessed.

Councilor Albert Koehler stated that “past practices may have worked, but they may not work anymore."

However, it seems that not

every councilor is in agreement. Councilor Dave Wilbur said “no matter what you plan, it's not always going to work out… accept that stuff happens, and get on with it.”

According to the article by the Prince George Citizen, Mayor Shari Green was against the formation of a committee, and that “she'd rather the initiative come from staff, not a knee-jerk reaction to a community outpouring of frustration.” The council is set to continue discussions on this matter, following another report to be presented to the council at a meeting on 24 February.

According to the City of Prince George Snow Operations

website, the city budgeted $4.842 million and actually spent $5.299 for snow and ice expenses in 2012, the most recent statistics available. The city has typically budgeted around $4 million for snow and ice expenses each year in the past decade.

The city, through the Transportation Division and using various private sector services and equipment, is responsible for plowing sidewalks (along major streets) and roads, usually based on routes established with garbage collection schedules in mind. During “snow emergencies and major storms,” the city is supposed to regulate snow and ice services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Overall, the City’s Transportation Division is responsible for the maintenance of 670 kilometers of roads in the area. According to Gaal, the city has a five day completion goal for snow and ice clearing that they try to meet. More information can be found at: http://princegeorge.ca/cityservices/ transportation/snowoperations/Pages/ Default.aspx All long-suffering citizens in Prince George who drive a car or otherwise deal with the inconveniences of winter in other ways will be eagerly awaiting improvements to current snow and ice clearing policy.

News 5 Cautions against

growing Nicole Halseth News Editor

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n a recent report published by Oxfam, “the richest 85 individuals in the world hold wealth equal to that owned by the poorest half of the planet's population.”

This report, “Working for the Few,” encourages measures aimed at reducing the growing global inequality. “Working for the Few” was published before the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

In a press release, Oxfam’s executive director Winnie Byanyima said “widening inequality is creating a vicious circle where wealth and power are increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few, leaving the rest of us to fight over crumbs from the top table.”

As a result of its research, Oxfam has claimed that tax rates for the richest people around the world have fallen in around 30 countries since the 1970s. Their research was hampered by a lack of data for some countries.

In the report, Oxfam also noted that “wealthy elites have co-opted political power to rig the rules of the economic game, undermining democracy and creating a world where the 85 richest people own the wealth of half of the world's population.”

Oxfam estimates that half the world’s wealth, or $110 trillion US, remains with only one percent of the population, and 85 of the richest individuals control $1.7 trillion US. Three such individuals include Mexican telecommunications giant Carlos Slim Helu, whose net wealth is around $73 billion, as well as Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft , whose wealth is around $67 billion, and Warren Buffett at $53.5 billion.

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This uneven concentration of the world’s wealth exacerbates inequality, potentially resulting in increased social unrest due to the added pressures of this inequality on the poor and growing middle classes, Oxfam claimed.

According to the article by the CBC, Oxfam explained further by saying “this massive concentration of economic resources in the hands of fewer people presents a

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significant threat to inclusive political and economic systems…people are increasingly separated by economic and political power, inevitably heightening social tensions and increasing the risk of societal breakdown.”

This concern over growing global inequality has also been expressed by the World Economic

Forum, which began discussing these issues at its meeting on 22 January.

According to the article, Oxfam is encouraging the Forum to “support progressive taxation, and to challenge their governments to use tax revenue to provide universal health care, education and social protection for citizens.” Oxfam hopes these measures will address the issue of growing global inequality.

As no citizen of this globalizing world is immune to the touch of systemic social inequality, we can only hope positive action will be forthcoming.

Culture

Kshama Sawant: Seattle’s Socialist Councillor

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Tyson Kelsall Culture Editor

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n 6 January 2014, Kshama Sawant became the first elected socialist city councillor in Seattle in almost a century.

Sawant is a former Occupy activist and an Indian immigrant. She teaches economics,and previously worked as a software engineer. Sawant, a member of Socialist Alternative, was also active in the movement towards a minimum wage of $15 for city employees, and has already begun taking to the streets to demand a $15 minimum wage for all workers in Seattle, which she called a “major city in the heartland of global capitalism” in her inauguration speech.

Sawant, on Democracy Now, credits the Occupy Movement for “breaking the silence” on the two-party domination of American politics. She claimed that she will never make a back-room deal with an unethical corporation for political ascent, and that she wears the “the badge of socialist with honor.” Sawant is making the argument that America is the richest

country in history, yet the working people are being swindled. She argues that average corporate CEOs are making seven thousand dollars per hour, while workers are constantly rejected a fair wage.

This wage inequality is not unique to America. On 2 January 2013, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives published a study that clearly showed that the average pay of the top 100 CEOs in the country was as much in two days as what the average Canadian worker makes in an entire year.

The gap between rich and poor is becoming wider in North America, whether fair or not.

A heavily criticized point in Sawant’s campaign is her stance on rent control.

Most economists agree that rent control is a horrible idea. In fact, in 1992 the American Economic Association produced a survey and found that 93% of economists find that “a ceiling on rents reduces the quality and quantity of housing.” Although it may be a good thing that Sawant is bringing the issue of unaffordable and inaccessible housing prices to the forefront,

rent control is unlikely to help the city’s sustainability; when prices go below market value in a capitalist economy, supply will stop increasing. Historically, a symptom of this type of shortage has also been a lack of maintenance to shelters, and has left cities in disarray. Famous Swedish economics professor and so-called post-socialist Assar Lindbeck, PhD, once said, “In many cases rent control appears to be the most efficient technique presently known to destroy a city—except for bombing.”

What kind of role can a socialist play within a capitalist economy? In the simplest sense, her election win indicates that many Americans are open to a change in the political discourse. The country has a long history of Democrat versus Republican parties. For Sawant, it means reforms will give the labour class selfdetermination, and the ability to live a good life in a system that, theoretically, is not working for them. It certainly gives her a soapbox to stand on when she rallies for things like a higher minimum wage and environmental restrictions, such as her opposition to a new coal terminal. Her

campaign showed people that it is possible to be a grassroots activist and win against the goliaths of American politics. By the end of her first term, it is unlikely that all the cities’ workers will own their means of production through municipal reforms, but perhaps she is creating a safe-place within a capitalist country for the average person to be heard; perhaps the soapbox is not only for her, but for all the working people; all the 99%. In any case, a self-identifying socialist city councillor in Seattle will offer a glimpse to one of the alternatives to the current political discourse in North America.

Culture 7 Tyson Kelsall Culture Editor

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hen people say one thing and do another, it is hypocrisy. Our Canadian environmental laws don’t matter if they are broken." – Neil Young’s message to the Prime Minister’s Office.

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From 12 to 19 January, famed Canadian musician Neil Young played four shows in Toronto, Regina, Winnipeg, and Calgary.

Joining Young on his tour was jazz singer Diana Krall.

This tour is a big deal and it is creating controversy, because Young has dubbed this short tour “Honour The Treaties” and is contributing 100% of the funds to the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation's (ACFN) legal battle against Shell Oil’s proposed Jackpine mine expansion.

Young, a long-time environmentalist, has spoken harshly of the Albertan tar sands after visiting months

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prior to this tour. Since the tour began, it has ignited a feud between him and the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office, of which Young has been highly critical, telling CBC’s Q that the Canadian government is “trading integrity for money.” Prominent Canadians, including Gordon Downie and Jim Cuddy have also released statements of support for Young’s cause.

The PMO came out swinging, stating that Young relies on oil for his lifestyle, and that natural resource development and extraction is a fundamental part of Canada.

However, Young pointed out that he had driven from California to the tar sands without oil, which is an indication that the PMO is ignoring the structural issues that Young is attempting to get at: there are treaties in place, we should respect them and it is time to start taking steps towards a future without oil, not the opposite.

The ACFN's battle against Shell’s proposed Jackpine mine expansion has been ongoing. On 11 April 2013, the Canadian Supreme court decided not to hear ACFN’s appeal. ACFN believes the proposal is infringing on their treaty rights, under

treaty 8, and is thus unconstitutional.

Before filing with the Supreme Court in January of 2013, the ACFN also tried to present their case to the Joint Review Panel, but the panel said they did not have jurisdiction in this domain. Treaty 8 legally protects the ACFN’s rights to “hunt, fish, trap and gather” on their land, and they believe the mine will adversely affect treaty land. ACFN have since appealed the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision, but the process is a long and expensive one.

There have been many donors, but Neil Young’s tour will bring some financial relief, as well as promote the legal battle and encourage many people to continue donating online.

Neil Young

LGBT Northen BC Alliance: Drop in Press Release

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n Thursday, 30 January 2014 (6pm – 8 pm) the Northern BC LGBT Alliance will be hosting their first drop in for people who want or need a place to get information on gender and sexuality or meet people. The drop in will be at 1177 3rd Ave on the main floor from 6-8 pm every Thursday.

“It has been many years since a drop in that is open to all ages has been operating in PG for the LGBT community and I am glad to be part of the re-opening of the drop in.“ commented Shawn Peters, Chair of Northern BC LGBT Alliance.

The first drop in will be an open house theme with an open invitation for everyone to attend. The alliance has worked with

different business, societies and individuals to get the drop ins open after many community members have told us they wanted and needed a place they could go be safe and get information.

“LAMBDA PG has gracefully donated the space to help start the drop ins in Prince George. I believe that the community needs a place free for all ages to go and get information and meet people. I hear so many stories about people needing a safe space and now that I can help provide a safe space for the LGBT Community to meet and get information I am happy to do so.” said Linda, Owner and Operator of LAMBDA PG. The first drop is going to have free food and door prizes. Everyone is invited to come down see the drop in centre and meet the people making changes in this city.

At the open house the Northern BC LGBT Alliance will also be unveiling the plans for a Diversity Prom, where students who don’t feel comfortable attending their own prom can go. The open house will also be featuring all the activities that the Alliance would like to see happen during Pride 2014 events in Prince George. If your group or business wants to get involved or provide support through pamphlets or a donation please come down and drop it off at the open house. Societies will be allowed to have pamphlets out for people to pick up at the drop ins.

Drops ins will then be every Thursday from 6-8 pm If you would like more information please contact the Northern BC LGBT Alliance via email at info@northernbclgbt.com

Opinions

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Tyson Kelsall Culture Editor

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etween the court cases, investigations, and public relations, workers and their families are being allowed to fall through the cracks. The Babine Forest Products sawmill in Burns Lake exploded two years ago in January 2012. Two years later, on 16 January 2014 WorkSafeBC produced an 88-page report finding that the fire was preventable. Despite this conclusion, the Crown decided not to press charges against the mill owners. Under public pressure, Christy Clarke decided to appoint somebody to review this decision. That somebody is her deputy minister, John Dyble. Perhaps it was soon-to-be ex-NDP leader Adrian Dix who quietly critiqued the decision best; as was reported by Gordon Hoekstra in the Vancouver Sun, “The government can't investigate itself.”

Well, Dix was one word off, because although the government should not investigate itself, it certainly is. Dix has also come out demanding an independent probe of the mill itself and local families are supporting his call, Hoekstra reported.

However, as of now, the Oregon-based ownership of the Babine mill can at most face an administrative fine, which under current laws can only go as high as $500,000. Jim Sinclair, President of the BC Federation of Labour, called out the BC government in a press release saying, “Today, a detailed investigation report was released that clearly shows the incident was preventable, that risks were known and that necessary measures were not taken. And yet, in the face of an apparent wall of evidence, the crown has chosen to not lay charges.” Sinclair says workers confidence in provincial safety regulations are “shaken,” to no real surprise.

Since the explosion, which was said to have been caused by a build-up of sawdust that caught fire due to its proximity to the rotating belts that were part of a conveyor belt motor; some BC lumber companies, on 21 June 2013, implemented a program called the “Wood Dust Mitigation and Control Audit.” In theory, this will act as a mechanism for companies to be audited in the name of safety when it comes to dust created in mills. However, this tool is unenforceable by provincial law and is

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thus, completely voluntary. Considering the voluntary inaction currently occurring, is this really a solution? It might be helpful, but does it solve the issue? In fact, the ownership of Babine mill is not even really shouldering the responsibility of the Burns Lake tragedy, as they recently filed a complaint through the BC Supreme Court in an attempt to sue Toshiba, claiming that Toshiba built the motor that caused the explosion. Ian Bailey, reporting for the Globe and Mail, said within the specifics of the complaint Babine says, “As a result of the [explosion], caused by the negligence and/or breach of contract by the defendants… [Babine] has suffered damage, injury, loss and expense.”

WorkSafeBC has long been criticized as an organization that protects elites and large corporations, while punishing the workers. Although in theory, it is mandated to “provide fair compensation to replace workers' loss of wages while recovering from injuries,” it should also be recognized that WorkSafeBC developed out of workers and their families giving up their right to sue their employers. Its defendants will say that it cuts out time in court and other

resources; however, in this case there is certainly some kind of misconnection between workers and WorkSafe. It should also be noted that pressing charges in this case would be outside of WorkSafeBC’s jurisdiction, they provide the final report and the Crown has to make the final decision. WorkSafe, then, is acting as a stagnating apparatus, assuming any family or worker would have decided to take matters into their own legal battle, either right away or because of the present context.

In any case, it is time to squash the gaps between government, the justice system, WorkSafe and workers. The current movement toward safety taking a lesser seat in the political stadium to productivity is not worth the expense of the two lives lost in the explosion, nor the injuries to the 20 others. It is not worth the future human loss either. The new auditing tool is a nice framework, but if it is unenforceable, it will not serve a clear enough purpose. Let us put workers before profits, human safety before big business protection!

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Feature

olympic games: 2014

time for some new approaches Tyson Kelsall Culture Editor

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he Olympic Games began in 1896.

Although the Olympics are regularly attributed to the people of ancient Greece, there was a 1,500-year hiatus between the original and current games. The first of the modern games were held in Athens, as a tribute to the Grecan roots. In 1926, the first winter Olympics was held. At that point, the Olympics started being held every two years, rather than every four.

The modern day Olympics were meant to mimic the ancient Greek belief that art, culture, and sports could be celebrated harmoniously, and that this would, according to the Olympic Museum, strike a healthy balance between exercising the body and mind.

Theoretically, this does not sound like a controversy, in fact it sounds ideal and balanced.

living in Whistler were forced to relocate to Squamish where an emergency shelter had to be set-up, so they had somewhere to survive. In Vancouver, there was a tent city of more than 100 people set up. Frank Harris, one of the community organizers at tent city, told NY Daily News, "They spent $8 billion on these Games, for a two-week party. If they had used one-eighth of that, they could have housed permanently our homeless." BC Housing found 35 units of housing the day after an intrusive protest was held in their office, but before

the money going towards infrastructure for the Olympics has disappeared due to corruption. Money was going to a sort of construction mafia with connections to Vladimir Putin, as was reported by Graham Dunbar of the Associated Press.

The entirety of the Olympics’ building costs is estimated to be roughly $51 billion, with that number continuously rising.

Even though these types of accusations are astounding, it is not the first time construction has become incredibly more expensive than predicted; in the 1976 games in Montreal there have been long

The Olympic Games have arguably moved away from their essence.

Corruption, ecological degradation, cultural appropriation, and politics have polarized the games, rather than uniting different people, as is (or was) their intention. It must be possible to celebrate the athletic attainment and culture of the host cities in a more progressive, inclusive, and just way.

The Olympic Museum articulates that when “the Games are used for political ends, the Olympic idea is placed under threat.”

They list seven well-known examples: the 1936, the Nazis controlled the Games; in 1976 in Montreal, 22 countries boycotted the games due to New Zealand’s rugby team touring South Africa which still had a legal apartheid; lastly in 1984 in LA, the Soviets boycotted the games due to the commercialization of sport. These large political divisions are hardly the tip of the iceberg in terms of people affected or divided by the modern Olympics.

In Vancouver in 2010, there were many local issues. Many of these flew under the radar to elite and wealthy visitors, and were well hidden by Olympic organizers. However, homeless people

such a huge collaboration should be able to be harnessed. Although such a large establishment has many complexities, here are some simple thoughts that might solve some Olympic woes: 1. First and foremost, go back to the original values of rejoicing in athletic endeavors while celebrating the culture of a host city. Manufacturing a town so heavily for a two-week gathering is resource intensive, both economically and ecologically. The boom-and-bust of a neighbourhood can have negative social effects on the people who live there, depending on the context. It might be desirable to dress up the town a bit, but completely reinventing parts of it is not consistent with celebrating its culture,

considering the culture itself is being changed.

that could not find any of the tent city occupants any housing. So, is there no way to celebrate a city a little less expensively and help our own? Would this diminish political actions during the Games?

In post-Olympic Beijing, many of the very expensive stadiums are abandoned, or close to. Some are still costing money; according to the Globe and Mail, as of 2012, four years after the Olympics, the famed water cube stadium was still having its’ water changed each day despite not being used, and the kayak venue was just sitting vacant, for example. In China, there is much poverty, but the environmental impact of building this infrastructure only to serve a two-week purpose should also be factored into the decision to host the Games.

In Russia in preparation for Sochi 2014, corruption has already hit hard.

International Olympic Committee member, Gian Kasper, believes that one third of

allegations of corruption in the construction dealings, including the $1.6 billion Olympic Stadium (once again, an expensive, but rarely used building).

These examples are still barely grazing the surface of the far-reaching issues of the massive Olympic games. There are many other issues resulting from throwing such a luxurious two-week event, such as: the 100 sled dogs that were slaughtered after the Vancouver Olympics because they had nowhere to go after the events were done. In London, in 2012, 500 low-income families were moved over 250 kilometers to the already over-crowded Stoke-onTrent to make room for Olympic-based guests’ accommodations. Some, including Nick Malkoutzis of Business Week, have attributed the 2004 Athens games as the last blow that started the Greek economic collapse, with a cost of roughly $11 billion.

We can also look at the potential benefits of the Olympic Games. With so many people of different cultures coming together, now by both literally being at the games and through social media, the power of

2. The IOC currently looks at the cities’ blueprint for the games. Perhaps the IOC should also be influenced by which cities have sustainable (economically and ecologically speaking) ideas that go beyond their two-week scope in a city. For example, more efficient public transportation that is accessible to the cities’ population.

3. Currently, the city changes each two years between the two sets of Olympics, and then does not return to the host city, with some exceptions. After a city builds the infrastructure, it would be much more inexpensive to host twice. It might be beneficial to consider changing the outlook on that. For example, perhaps a winning city hosts the Winter or Summer Olympics twice within 12 years, and then can plan accordingly.

It might be partially a case of going back to the basics for the Olympics, but it is also a case of progressing towards a structure that fits into today’s needs. The Olympics have the ability to bring many people together; let us make it do so, rather than dividing people amongst classes and beliefs.

Let us celebrate the achievements of the people and the populations of the host cities, rather than elaborate and expensive posturing.

Arts

Laura Mooney Arts Editor

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eeks ago, on 7 January 2014, Las Vegas was once again home to one of the world’s largest technology conventions, the Consumer Electronics Show, where the most well known names in the technological universe gathered to show off their latest triumphs, and causied all us tech geeks to mop up our drool from the floor. Featuring the best of the best in television, gaming, cellular, and much more, the four-day event provides the average consumer the opportunity to gain insight into what their favourite companies have been spending all their time on, and allows them to sneak a peek at the products that will be released in the upcoming months.

While many of the products presented were simple improvements from past devices, some of the featured technology has been causing quite the excitement in the techie world, with many people waiting in line with a handful of bills and anxiously waiting to get their hands on these just announced products. Here are some of the best gadgets found at this year’s CES: Oculus Rift - Taking the title of “Best of CES,” the Oculus Rift 3D virtual gaming headset was one of the most talked about items at CES, and still has a good part of the internet buzzing about it. While this particular piece of technology has been in the works for nearly a decade, never before has the world been this close to owning the piece technology in their own home, and at CES the prototype called “Crystal Cove” was made available for everyone to test.

Featuring a 1080p display, this amazing piece of equipment will change the face of gaming as the headpiece takes you inside

the game as never before. Now gamers will be able to view the game’s environment from all angles, instead of just the typical side-to-side view, you will now be able to look up, down, and every angle possible to gain a full view in the world of the game.

The Oculus Rift also features seamless viewing; with virtually no lag or hesitation in the world the user is experiencing, the game appears more real than any prototype presented in the past.

The great thing about this product though is that it is not strictly for games. The Oculus Rift is also being marketed for use in teaching labs, where medical students could use simulations to practice surgeries and basic medical procedures. All in all this product won Best of CES for a reason, and the consumer world clearly cannot wait to get their hands on this amazing gadget.

Audi A7 Piloted Driving- The world is one step closer to having vehicles that can drive you, with just the touch of a button.

Audi premiered its newest adjustments to its autonomous driving program, now implemented in the beautiful A7, to crowds of people, some of whom were lucky enough to get a test drive. While semiautonomous cars have been on the road

2014

for a few years now, including vehicles that can self-parallel park, Audi’s A7 is the first completely self-driven car to hit the convention scene. What makes the A7 even more appealing is the fact that its sensors are all neatly hidden in the body of the car, making it appear as though it were any other car on the road. This is a huge leap forward seeing as the only other autonomous car on the road is the infamous Google car, which is equipped with the rather large, rather conspicuous, detector on the roof. For those lucky enough to get a ride in one of these awesome Audis, they were treated to demonstrations of its ability to manoeuver with ease through (at this point) light traffic, while recognizing speed limits, and even using facial recognition technology to tell if the driver was nodding off or not paying attention, to which the car would issue an alert to the driver.

So while Audi did not provide an exact date that the self-driving car would be released, this is the first major leap towards production that has been shown in the past couple years, but they assured the public during their conference at CES that once it is finally released, it will be just as fantastic as everyone has imagined. iPhone Equipment- The iPhone in general has become famous for not only the phone

itself, but also the infinite amount of things you can get to add on to your phone, and this year at CES, there was more than one single add-on that stood out. First up is the Mophie Space Pack, a case for the iPhone 5 and 5s that not only adds additional battery life to the iPhone, but also adds additional memory. In terms of the iPhone, the one major complaint heard from nearly every user is the inability to alter the amount of space one has on their iPhone, but now with the simple addition of the sleek Space Pack it adds up to an additional 32GB by just putting the case on your phone. These fantastic cases are already available for order and judging by the reaction of the fans at CES, they will be selling fast. One other fantastic tool for the iPhone shown at CES was the immensely popular iPhone stun gun case. Essentially the stun gun case is exactly what it sounds like, a case that fits snugly over your iPhone, and turns it into a high-powered stun gun. While the company Yellow Jackets introduced this product last year, this year they presented it with even better safety precautions, as well as the option to order one with a stronger charge for those who want their phone to be an even more powerful weapon. Although this particular item may not be the most practical, you still have to admit that it is definitely cool.

The Consumer Electronics Show is the place to go for those who want to be the first to have access to some of the best new gadgets that the top electronics companies have to offer, or even just to get a glimpse at what the future holds for technological advances.

Either way, CES is a fun way to see just how far we have come in the way of technology, and is a great way to pick up a piece of that advancement for ourselves.

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Arts

Madison Scott case gets a new approach Laura Mooney Arts Editor

anyone knew showed up unexpectedly. The morning after, Madison went missing.

t is the case that nearly every British Columbian has had on their mind for three years, but now, the case of Madison Scott’s disappearance has expanded beyond the province and has begun to attract attention on a global level. When Scottish filmmaker Steve Scouller first heard the strange news story of twenty-year-old Madison Scott’s sudden disappearance from a camping trip in Vanderhoof, BC, he was immensely intrigued and knew that this was a story he wanted to explore further.

While this haunting story has become common knowledge to those of us living a short distance away from the crime scene, filmmaker Scott Scouller is hoping that his film will allow the story of Madison Scott to spread to an even broader audience.

In an interview with HQ Prince George, Scouller stated that his meeting with Madison’s family humbled him and he was very grateful that they were able to open up to him during such a traumatic time in their lives. Scouller also stated that while he himself finds Madison’s disappearance fascinating, he wants nothing more than to present the film in a way that will not only expose the story to a much larger audience, but will also hopefully lead to new tips in the ongoing investigation.

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Released on 6 January 2014, the documentary entitled The Vanishing of Madison Scott focuses on the events that led up to her sudden disappearance, and features heartbreaking interviews with her family members and friends who are still living with the horror of not having Madison in their lives. The film focuses particularly on the specific events immediately before Madison’s vanishing on 28 May 2011, when she chose to attend a friend’s birthday at a well-known camping area near Vanderhoof called Hogsback Lake. From the stories featured in the film, one can come to understand that the trip was nothing short of ordinary until a large group of people who, none of whom

When viewing the film itself, the material is presented in a way that not only highlights the oddity of the situation, but also gives those of us who have been hearing about Madison’s vanishing consistently for the past three years a new view on the situation. It is no longer simply seeing the “Find Maddy” posters on billboards and the backs of vehicles, the film gives a whole new life to an incident that now feels like a lifetime ago for the majority of us, but is

still very much a reality for Scott’s friends and family. Through the documentary Scouller wants to present the case of Madison’s disappearance as a case that still very much needs to be solved, and at the same time is bringing light to a method of investigation not commonly seen. When

interviewed about the film, Madison’s parents expressed their hope that the film will not only shed light on their daughters vanishing, but will also convince those with information to finally come forward, so they may finally get some much deserved answers.

The Flowers of War (2011) Nahid Taheri Contributor

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Beijing New Picture Film Co.

Westerner finds refuge with a group of women in a church during Japan's rape of Nanking in 1937. Posing as a priest, he attempts to lead the women to safety. This is a summary of the 2011 movie, The Flowers of War. The movie is based on a novel, and relates to a war between Japan and China in 1937. The war was the result of a decadeslong Japanese imperialist policy aiming to dominate China politically and militarily, and to secure its vast raw material reserves and other economic resources, particularly food and labor. The rape of Nanking was one of the most horrifying atrocities in history, during which the Imperial Japanese Army invaded the Chinese capital city and killed approximately 300,000 civilians, usually raping the women first. Nanking, today is called Nanjing, has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions. The Flowers of War is the first film about this event. It features an American male who escapes and hides out in a church

with a group of students and prostitutes.

The drunken man would at first prefer to leave the students, who are teenaged girls, but slowly pulls himself together, dresses in a priest's vestments, and takes on the responsibility of protecting them.

The Flowers of War is in many ways a good film. There are moments of genuine emotion, and the director (Zhang Yimou) powerfully underlines the horrors of this dreadful moment in history. It is very touching; the director finds a special perspective to show us goodness, hope, sacrifice and humanity. He has crafted a beautiful piece and a compelling story set inside horrific events. This is an emotionally powerful story about people caught in circumstances in which there seems to be no hope of survival.

The script is not based on a true story, as the true stories were much worse because there was no saviour; there was only constant desperation. This is not a movie for entertainment, but watching this is valuable.

Arts 15

: Her Laura Mooney Arts Editor

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hile award show madness is in full swing with the recently passed Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild awards being handed out, everyone’s eyes are now on the upcoming Academy Awards. With the ever growing list of best picture nominees, now bursting to the brim with a grand total of nine films, the coveted category for once has no clear front-runners and will remain a complete guessing game up until the pivotal moment when they announce the winner. While the majority of the films up for best picture are usually widely released, popular films, every year there is that one indie film that sneaks in under the radar, is only released in a handful of theatres, and winds up being a fantastic achievement in cinema. This year, that specific little gem is perhaps the most romantic film this reviewer has seen in a decade, about a man’s love affair with his operating system.

When first hearing that a romance between Joaquin Phoenix and a computer voiced

by Scarlett Johansson is the plot to this independent film, it does not seem all that

unusual that Her took a little while to pick up some steam popularity-wise. What sounds merely like the tale of a man who does not know when to power down his computer, actually turns out to be one of the most sensitive, passionate, and loving films of the year.

Phoenix plays Theodore, a recently divorced, understandably depressed writer who manoeuvers through life in a futuristic society that is only slightly more obsessed with technology than our current generation. With the inherent desire to consistently better what they already have, computer companies develop an operating system that is programmed to interact with its user with personally assigned human voices, and consistently learn from its experiences while bettering itself continuously, and of course, Theodore invests in one. What follows is the tale of Theodore and the OS Samantha’s precarious relationship as they learn to be with each other, without one half of the partnership having a physical body, and eventually come to realize the pivotal role they play in each other’s existences.

While the surface of Her is the strangest

Annapurna Pictures

story of love ever to grace the big screen, director and writer Spike Jonze makes a few poignant comments about our own generation’s love affair with technology.

Jonze presents his futuristic society as one of minimal interaction with other people, with Theodore often shown walking through a sea of people all focused on their own personal virtual universe, without even stopping to take a second glance at the real world that is around them. While we may scoff at this, as even I found myself doing while watching Her, when one takes a step back it is not too far off from what our own society has become. While we may not have our virtual glasses and earpieces that read us our daily emails yet, when was the last time anyone went a day without checking their phone or computer? Jonze

paints this picture almost as a warning, that this love of technology will literally become a “love” of technology if we continue down the path we are on. I mean, do we really want to live in a society where your girlfriend is a computer and no one questions your sanity?

Rich with hidden meaning, themes of inner beauty, and not to mention stunning cinematography, Her may not end up winning the Oscar for Best Picture against some of the more popular contenders, but it is by far one of the best films of 2013, and well worth the watch.

SNL Welcomes Sasheer Zamata

nydailynews

Laura Mooney Arts Editor

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amous NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live is notorious for a number of things, including making stars out of its cast members, controversial skits, and even some internet meme worthy mess-ups. The long running comedy show has made headlines for a mold breaking, and rather surprising, reason; hiring their first African American female cast member.

While at first this sounds surprising, since some of the more famous actors to come from SNL, such as Eddie Murphy, have been African American, this is in fact the first time in the show’s thirty nine seasons that an African American woman has graced the famous stage at Rockefeller Plaza as a full time cast member. Sasheer Zamata’s sudden hiring was the result of a public outcry last year that called SNL out for their lack of diversity with their current cast members, with the last interracial

member, Maya Rudolph, having left the show back in 2007. In true SNL fashion, they turned the situation in their favour by poking fun at the obvious problem in a very funny episode that featured actress Kerry Washington running on and off stage switching between an Oprah and Michelle Obama costume, shining light on the point that there were in fact no African American female comedians on the show. Thus, the search for the first female African American cast member went under way.

Zamata, a 27-year-old comedian and improv actress from Indianapolis, was welcomed to the show on 18 January 2014 to great reception in terms of her performance and presence, but yet something was still not sitting quite right with a number of the critics. The show, hosted by rapper Drake, featured Zamata in nearly all of the skits, but yet some critics claimed that something still did not seem cohesive with the show.

Talk show host Sherri Shepherd made the statement that it seemed as though the writers at SNL were trying too hard

to make Zamata’s presence known to the audience, as though they were pushing the fact that they had listened to the world and had hired a woman of colour. One skit in particular featured Zamata dressed as singer Rihanna, and Shepherd even went as far as to say the skit was “too black” for a mainstream audience. While this statement

by Shepherd is only one opinion, is does bring up a very important issue. Does the fact that it took so long for SNL to hire an African American woman hinder the writers’ ability to seamlessly incorporate her into the show now that she is there?

Or will she always be type-casted into stereotypical roles, and be known as the female comedian they were forced to hire?

Only time will tell if the connotations and assumptions that go along with Zamata’s hiring will eventually fade as she becomes just another cast member, but either way she is clearly a welcome presence on the classic show, and will be forever known as the woman who made Saturday Night Live history.

Sports

Hockey Day in Canada

Adam Vickers Sports Editor

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his year, Prince George had the great opportunity of participating in what should be a national holiday; the yearly hockey day in Canada run by Hockey Night in Canada. The event featured a full day of Canadian hockey teams playing from coast to coast. In Prince George, the match up included the Prince George Cougars and the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League. The Cougars have had a rough season, facing numerous injuries to their line-up, and the Oil Kings have tons of talent with seven players drafted in the top 50 in recent NHL Drafts. One of those draft picks include defencemen Griffin Rienhart, who represented Canada in the recent World Junior Hockey Championships. The night before match up during Hockey Day in Canada, the Cougars suffered a tough loss to the Oil Kings (8-0).

Heading into the Stadium for Hockey Day in Canada, the Cougars had free toques for those who attended early enough, as well as a puckthrowing contest in the second period.

Free toques were not the only draw to the game, as former Vancouver Canuck goaltender Kirk Maclean was signing jerseys before the game. Maclean drew a large crowd, as the line to get autographs trailed nearly the whole way

down the one side of the interior stadium behind the stands. All set for the face-off, the game began with a quick goal by the Oil Kings, reminding fans of the previous day's follies.

The Cougars were quick to respond finishing the first period 4-1. The Cougars looked good to start the game, showing that they would not repeat the performance of the previous night. The second start was much like the first with the Oil Kings scoring a quick goal; the Cougars rallied to

score two more goals to bring the score to 6-2 entering the third period. Winger Tom Fiddler would complete his hat trick in the second period that saw a flurry of red toques, free from entering the game, were thrown to the ice celebrating the Cougars goal. In the third period, the Cougars gave up their 6-2 lead, forcing overtime in a game that should not have come close.

Overtime solved nothing, so the Cougars and the Oil Kings went to a shootout where the Cougars would ultimately fail to score and allow the Oil Kings to pull away with a gutsy win. The Cougars may have lost, but it was a great sight seeing the stadium resemble the crowds of old when players like Dan Hamhuis, Dustin Byfuglien, and Devin Setigouchi showcased their talent.

Hockey Day in Canada for Prince George would end in disappointment for the home team but if anything it was a great hockey game and a great atmosphere.

Newly traded “Cougars” defence man, Wil Tomchuk guards “Hurricanes” Left Wing, Steven Alldridge during a face-off on January 21st, 2014 at the CN Center in Prince George, BC. Shelley Termuende | OTE

Super Bowl XLVIII

Adam Vickers Sports Editor

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ow that the 2014 NFL playoffs are coming to an end, only two teams remain; the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks. The two teams have been at the top of the league all season and feature all pro talent from top to bottom of their line up. The Broncos have the league's best offence, and the Seahawks feature the league's best defence. On 2 February, the two teams will face off in the 48th Super Bowl, located in New York City. The match will test both teams’ strengths and weaknesses.

The Broncos, with their league-leading offence, are headed by quarterback Peyton Manning. Manning had a record season this year, putting up huge passing numbers on every team they played this year. The offence has a number of weapons, from receivers Eric Decker and Damaryius Thomas, to running back Knowshon Mareno. Peyton is a QB of legendary status, looking to get his second Super Bowl ring.

Many have labelled Manning as the best QB

in the league; with the numbers he put up this year, there is little doubt about that.

Although the team is strong offensively, they were not the strongest defensive team in the league allowing 254 pass yards (27th worse in the NFL). The Broncos have been able to out-score any problems on defence, but when facing the number one defensive team in the league, it will be interesting to see if the offence can put up the numbers to win them a Super Bowl. If the Broncos can hold off the Seahawks' offence and find a way to move the ball past the Seahawks strong defence, they will have a good opportunity to win the Super Bowl.

On defence for the Seahawks, look for cornerbacks Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas III to have a big game, attempting to hold off the pass attack from Peyton Manning. Offensively, the Seahawks have, this season, been fairly consistent with QB Russell Wilson and running back Marshawn Lynch. Wilson has not had the greatest numbers this post-season, but has only turned over the ball once in post-season. Lynch has put up solid numbers running the ball, rushing for over 100 yards against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship, who had not

allowed over 100 yards rushing all season.

For the Seahawks to win, they need to have a strong game both defensively and offensively. Look for the offence to move the ball, conservatively rushing Lynch as much as possible and letting Wilson move the ball efficiently down the field. The x-factor for the Seahawks coming into the super bowl will be Percy Harvin, who has been out nearly all season with an injury, only making an appearance in two games all year. Harvin is a dynamic slot receiver who can open up the offence for the Seahawks, allowing for Lynch to break free, and make big runs and big plays down field for receiver Baldwin and Golden Tate.

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very different QB’s who will use different ways to win. The battle of the titans, one offensive titan and one defensive titan, will surely be a spectacle that you won’t want to miss.

The showdown will be a long battle, and will surely not disappoint, Manning and Wilson are two

Team Canada 2014 Adam Vickers Sports Editor

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couple of weeks ago, the roster for Team Canada was announced for the upcoming 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

There are a large number of names that were not included on the roster as well as a few that some may argue should not be on the Team.

In goal, there was little doubt that Roberto Luongo, Carey Price, and Mike Smith would be named to the Team. Luongo will likely start coming into the Olympics, but whether he will stay there is up to Coach Babcock and the performance of Luongo during the early parts of the tournament.

Up front are offensive powerhouses Steven Stamkos, Sidney Crosby, and Jonathan Teows. Stamkos is arguably the best goal scorer in the NHL, rivalled only by Alex Ovechkin of Russia. Stamkos is questionable leading up to the Olympics because of his broken leg, but, if healthy, Stamkos could be a huge part of Team Canada. Sidney Crosby needs no introduction as he will captain Team Canada and most likely be their best player. Crosby is a consistent playmaker who can break a game wide open with his offence finesse and talent. With Crosby and Stamkos playing together, we could possibly see one of the best one-two punches in the history of hockey. Crosby is likely to set up Stamkos throughout the tournament.

On defence, Team Canada features some Norris Trophy winners in PK Subban and Duncan Keith, Subban is always a threat offensively when he gets the puck, so look for him to play a big role in the power play.

Keith is an all around threat, able to shut down the best players in the world as well as put points on the board. He has won a Stanley Cup and a gold medal already, which makes him an important veteran to the team. Needless to say, this team has players that can all make plays; a few notables not mentioned are Drew Doughty, Shea Weber, and John Tavares who rival the best players on both Team Canada and in the world.

Canada is the clear favourite on paper, heading into Sochi with an unrivalled

record throughout the world. A few names left off the list that could be on the team would easily make it on international teams; this list includes Claude Giroux and Martin St.Louis. Claude Giroux has been one of the top scorers in the league for the past three years, rivalling players like Crosby, Stamkos, Ovechkin, and the Sedins. Both Giroux and St.Louis are great Canadian players, but could not find a fit on Team Canada, but in the event of a player being injured or unable to play these two would likely be the first people Yzerman and company turn to.

Canada expects nothing less than gold at the next Olympics. Canada is a 2-1 favourite; to win gold at Sochi will be the only thing Team Canada will be happy with.

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Sports

unbc.ca

UBC vs. UNBC: Game recap Lee Dorner Sports Information Assistant | UBC

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than other people, but overall I am happy getting two wins.”

ANCOUVER – Another big night from Tommy Nixon and another dominant effort on the glass got the UBC Thunderbirds back to .500 at 8-8 on the season with an 86-65 win over the UNBC Timberwolves on Saturday night at War Memorial Gym.

Nixon stayed hot from three-point range after nearly setting a UBC record on Friday night, knocking down three of four long bombs on Saturday to finish the weekend 10-for-15 behind the arc. He led the 'Birds with 20 points and nine rebounds, giving him 52 points and 19 boards for the series.

UBC outscored UNBC 23-13 on second chance points thanks to their 15-7 edge in offensive rebounding. The T-Birds made good use of their size advantage over the Timberwolves all weekend, averaging a +14 overall rebounding margin for the series.

That went a long way in getting the 'Birds their first weekend sweep of 2014, and only their second of the season, with the other coming at home against Winnipeg and Manitoba in November.

This marks the third straight week in which the 'Birds have gotten back-to-back huge nights from a different player. First it was Brylle Kamen kicking off 2014 with a combined 43 points and 23 rebounds against Alberta and Saskatchewan. Then Kedar Wright went off for 37 points and eight rebounds against Mount Royal last week, and this week it was Nixon's turn.

“We're just happy with the win. It's the first time this year we've won back-to-back in conference. That was important for us, especially on home court to keep the hunt alive,” said UBC head coach Kevin Hanson.

“I thought the effort was pretty good this week. There were a few momentary lapses, which, as a coach, you pick apart more

“It's been a funny season that way, where there always seems to be one guy who has an exceptional weekend,” said Hanson. “It's tough never knowing who that's going to be, but I was happy for Tommy and this was a great weekend for his confidence.”

UBC was also buoyed by the young guard trio of Isaiah Solomon, Jordan JensenWhyte and rookie Kedar Wright. They all

got big minutes, often with all three on the court together, and they all found ways to be productive. Wright had 13 points, Solomon added 11 and five rebounds, and Jensen-Whyte dished out six assists to go with six points and four boards. Rookie forward Harpreet Randhawa also had a brief but noticeable performance, fouling out in just 11 minutes of action but playing some tough interior defence and chipping in five points first.

“It was a good win for us and especially for some of the guys who don't usually get all the minutes. Harp was great defensively I thought. He fouled out, but played tough and physical and gave good effort,” Hanson said. “We also got to play Kedar, Isaiah, and Jordan together a lot and they played great defensively.”

Frank Olivier Kouagnia was public enemy number one for the 'Birds once again, as the big man racked up 17 points on 7-for-10 shooting despite being constantly worn down by UBC's physical post defence. He finished the series with a very hard-earned 41 total points on 15-for-21 shooting, not to mention being on both the giving and receiving end of plenty of physical punishment under the basket.

“It was a physical game. It was a different flow to the game tonight, or maybe not so much of a flow, but the physicality was there,” Hanson said. “Both teams were fatigued, and when you play a team backto-back like that you're going to have little rivalries that come up here and there on the floor.”

Charles Barton also scored 17 for the Timberwolves to go with his 10 rebounds.

Devin McMurtry added eight points off the bench for UNBC, who fell to 4-12. They will have road games at Saskatchewan and Alberta next weekend.

The T-Birds now move into sole possession of fourth place and the last Pacific Division playoff spot that goes along with it. They are one game up on both Mount Royal and Trinity Western, and one game back of third place Thompson Rivers.

Next up for UBC is a road trip to Alberta, where they will take on 11-5 Lethbridge and 5-11 Calgary looking to push their win streak past two games for the first time this season. The next home action for UBC comes on February 7 and 8 against UBC Okanagan.

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