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Volume 20, Issue 4 overtheedgenewspaper.ca

October 17, 2013 ote-newspaper@unbc.ca

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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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Powershift BC

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ix hundred people, mostly youth, converged in the largest climate conference in British Columbian history from 4-7 October in the province’s capital. Over the four-day period, there were a variety of events ranging from a big stage speech from National Chairperson for the Council of Canadians and author Maude Barlow, to workshops held by grassroots activists such as Harsha Walia of No One Is Illegal and Satsi Naziel of Unist’ot’en Camp. Expert panels on a variety of topics including colonialism, climate justice, capitalism, a history of environmentalism, and the future of fossil fuels were also present.

On the opening night, Dr. David Suzuki told a large crowd at Crystal Garden that today’s generation is the generation “with everything at stake,” stating that people his age had the opportunity to party in a time of unprecedented economic growth but now it was time for them to sober up and clean up. Despite being the biggest name on opening night, he did not steal the show, which set a precedent for an event that was meant to be a fusion between grassroots and big named activism.

Powershift was meant to have a healthy balance of inclusion of people looking to get engaged for the first time in activism, and heavier topics for people looking to mature their activism toolkit. Suzuki thought, and many agreed, that it was about time activists (especially environmentalists) started incorporating First Nation approaches to their own methods, as Powershift did. Suzuki credited Haida political figure, Guujaaw, for much of his own understanding of true environmentalism.

The next day, there was a broad selection of panels and workshops depending on what the attendee wanted to learn more about. The workshops were intimate, practical sessions where a diverse set of people would look at a subject and work through them with the help of a facilitator. In any given room there would be people from as far as Minnesota to Fort Chipewyan to Prince George, as well as many locals from Vancouver Island. Some Saturday workshops included: Decolonization 101, Youth Activism and Creative

Crowd-Funding. The panels were lecture-style, and followed by question and answer periods. The panels featured people experienced in the topic at hand. Some Saturday speakers included Chief Rueben George of Tsleil-Waututh First Nation, Ben West of Forest Ethics and Zoe Blunt of Vancouver Island Community Forest Action Network. In the evening, there was a group of keynote speakers including Maude Barlow and Caleb Behn.

Sunday had a similar set up to Saturday, in terms of the day being divided up by workshops and panels.

Prominent journalist of The Tyee, Andrew Nikiforuk, spoke about what he called the “economic lunacy” of Liquefied Natural Gas, and called out Christy Clark on false promises made by her government during the last election. Ben Parfitt of Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, spoke about shale gas exploration through the lens of water, explaining how much water is needed for hydraulic fracturing (popularly known as fracking). As an example, according to Parfitt, 4 LNG production plants would consume about 700 billion liters of water just to get started up.

Caleb Behn rounded out the panel by speaking on the social oppression of First Nations communities on the front lines of fracking, pointing out that the toxic practices being done (and contested) in Fort Nelson would never happen in an upper class Vancouver or Victoria community.

The last day, Monday, coincided with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Royal Proclamation, a historical document that has been ignored by many Canadian governments. Amongst many things, it outlines and recognizes First Nations’ land rights. Idle No More and Powershift came together to say no to pipelines, and actively train for blockades on the legislature lawn.

In the end, many people walked away with new skills and knowledge needed to take action. There was a large understanding of the interconnectedness between social and climate injustices. Perhaps most importantly, people found a community of similar-minded people and created new networks to work with.

Wojtek Gwiazda | rcinet.ca

Tyson Kelsall Culture Editor

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The Truth and Nothing but the Truth?

Nicole Halseth News Editor

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tatistics Canada recently released information on income data that reveals we are now more equal as a society than a few years ago.

Of course, this is wonderful news.

As the income gap between the richest and the poorest in our country grows smaller, as it is clearly doing in Statistics Canada data, life in our country can only get better. We will be more equal as a whole, with overall quality of life improving and social coherence ever increasing. This will benefit our country, and our society, as a whole.

A more equal society is what any country should strive for, is it not?

The image of an ‘equal society’ is, undoubtedly, appealing: millions of happy, healthy people living fulfilling lives with equal opportunities, certain of the permanence of the roof over their heads and the food filling their shelves.

At least, that is what it would look like, were it to be the actual ‘truth.’

This Statistics Canada data reveals an incomplete picture resulting from insufficient data collection methods, directly consequential of Prime Minister Harper’s 2011 decision to replace the mandatory national census with a voluntary National Household Survey.

When this change took place, controversy arose due to concerns that this new survey could never hope to provide same quality of data collection on life in Canada that the mandatory one could. The institution of this survey was so controversial that it prompted the resignation of the then-head of Statistics Canada, Munir Sheikh.

According to an article on the Globe and Mail website, Mr. Sheikh resigned

because he had “always honoured” his “oath and responsibilities as a public servant as well as those specific to the Statistics Act,” and could not continue these duties under this flawed methodology.

It seems criticism over the validity of the National Household Survey has come very close to the mark. Fewer lower-income households filled out the voluntary long survey, which was dominated largely by highly educated, higher income demographics. The richest and poorest in our country were by-and-large not represented in these results. It makes sense, then, why the income gap between the rich and poor appears to be shrinking.

The holes in the data collected through this voluntary census pose a very real danger of misrepresentation. As it has been collected through Statistics Canada-an official government institution-the results can now be considered ‘official.’ They can be used to make decisions about policies and practices across the country that will affect every community, province, and individual. The results can also be used as proof in the international community of the ‘equality’ within Canada.

The new Statistics Canada data obfuscates the truth as effectively as a smokescreen. The most unfortunate outcome of this is that we may never again receive accurate data about the status of social equality in Canada, unless the mandatory census is restored. Though the image of Canadian society the mandatory census provided could never be lorded as the ‘truth,’ it was at least closer than these flimsy results.

This kind of dangerous data collection is supposedly never acceptable in any other realm of public or private research, so why should it be acceptable on a national level?

News Tyson Kelsall Culture Editor

UNIFOR: Modernizing The Canadian Trade Union

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nifor is the newest private sector union in the country; fittingly, it formed this Labour Day and is the product of two major unions colliding.

The Canadian Autoworkers Union (CAW) and the Communications, Energy and Paperworks Union of Canada (CEP) merged in order to, as Unifor’s BC Regional Council Chair, Andrea MacBride, put it, “make a better Canada.” Scott Doherty, Unifor’s elected Western Director, said the new coalition is not just a labour movement, but also a social movement. Doherty pointed out that it is no longer the 1940s in Canada, where unions could be winning major picket line battles for things such as universal health care or fighting for the 40-hour workweek as unions did in that time, but that unions have to adjust to a global economy and re-invigorate themselves amongst their membership.

According to Doherty, the union is going to serve roughly 300, 000 people from coast-to-coast-to-coast, making it the biggest private sector union in the nation. However, it has room to grow, and is not only limited to the industries that the CAW and CEP

used to represent. MacBride described a new approach Unifor is taking, which they are calling “community chapters,” and will make them more communityinvolved. Unifor will also begin reaching out to people who have jobs that do not fit within the traditional trade union framework, but who want to join together with like-minded workers.

As MacBride said, “this is part of looking out for all working people” and that “people in a country like Canada shouldn’t have to work two to three part-time, minimum wage jobs just to scrape by.” Doherty used Fort MacMurray as an example: there, Unifor could build the structures and create a place for people to meet who are working in the oil sands and want to talk about the issues brought forth in such a fast growing industry.

As the Western Director, Doherty is serving 70,000 people from Manitoba to British Columbia, which could easily grow if they continue to keep these doors open. Doherty says that, “in an optimal world we would have these in each community across the nation.”

Unifor is still working out their policies and stances on minimum wage across the country, as provinces each have

unique situations. MacBride said that Unifor is also going to be challenging the difficulties of getting a job, as many students who have gone to university and received degrees are working below a ‘living wage,’ what she describes as an income “where you are not living the high life by any means, but where you can work one job and contribute to your community, assist your family and get a little more than just the basic necessities.” The living wage has become a hot topic as of late; in Vancouver it has been reported to be roughly $18.80 per hour (minimum wage is $10.25 per hour) by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. In the municipality of New Westminster, there is a policy that says the living wage is the minimum wage for all public service workers.

Unifor is also taking a stance on some human rights. As MacBride put it, “we have not made ourselves partisan, but we are absolutely against Stephen Harper’s policies towards working people of Canada – including minorities, women and students,” also stating that, “as trade unionists, we have a stance that women’s rights should be protected”

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and “the approach that Unifor is taking is to look at the world we live in and be representative of it [in our workforces].” She says that Harper’s government continues to “interfere with the collective bargaining process.” The federal Conservatives have passed six back-to-work legislations since coming into power in 2006.

Doherty added that they are not only taking progressive steps outside of Unifor, but also within, stating that the executive boards of CEP and CAW used to be extremely large and full of mostly males, now the executive board has shrunk, is elected, and is about 40% women.

Andrea MacBride ended our interview by speaking about student tuition and the foundation for what will end up being Unifor’s stances, saying that “we do support, as did CEP and CAW, support student union movements, particularly in Quebec – both unions were very supportive of the movements, and they quite frankly shutdown Quebec and started an election… the debt students come out of school with, only to work lowpaying jobs is something that has to be considered.”

Closed for Business: U.S. Controversies in Healthcare Nicole Halseth News Editor

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overnment services in the US have shut down for the first time in 17 years, after the two main houses of Congress failed to pass the new budget on 1 October.

The shutdown includes services such as museums and zoos, national parks, and a variety of other agencies and institutions. Exceptions to the shutdown include air traffic control, national security agencies, and nuclear weapons and power services.

Their disagreement stems from the infamous Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as ‘Obamacare;’ President Obama’s health care reform bill.

The House of Representatives, led by the Republicans, hinged the passing of the new budget on the condition that funding for Obamacare is delayed by a year.

On 20 September, the House voted not to fund Obamacare. Following this, on 30 September, Congress passed two budget bills including Obamacare, which were both rejected by the Senate. Finally, on 1 October, several of Obamacare’s main provisions began implementation, resulting in the partial shutdown of government services across the country. A resolution for this conflict is needed quickly, as the deadline for extending the limits on government borrowing, otherwise known as the ‘debt ceiling,’ occurs on 17 October.

As a result of this disagreement, up to 700, 000 federal employees are in a tough position. Even after an agreement is reached, there is no guarantee the employees will be given back-pay for the unpaid leave they are currently doing.

also goes on to say that "the idea of putting the American people's hardearned progress at risk is the height of irresponsibility, and it doesn't have to happen."

Besides affecting the employees themselves, this action will also have negative impacts on the US economy.

The dollar fell in stocks directly following the shutdown, and according to an article on the BBC World News website, it is estimated that 0.9% might be lost in the US GDP for this term as a direct result.

As the 17 October debt ceiling deadline approaches, House Republicans have demanded other policy concessions. These go above and beyond the postponing of Obamacare and include concessions in the financial and environmental realms as well. According to House Republicans, these must be met before an agreement can be reached to raise the limit of government borrowing.

This shutdown has raised criticism from numerous parties. For example, President Obama criticized the Republicans on national television. In the address, he stated the shutdown would have "a very real economic impact on real people, right away," and would "throw a wrench" in US recovery efforts from the socioeconomic difficulties they have been experiencing in recent years. He

Should the US not be able to resolve this before the deadline, it will affect people and economies around the world. The US is still a strong international economic player, and what impacts the US also impacts those who do business with them, including Canada. As such, many international parties will be eagerly anticipating the results of this disagreement.

News

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worldarttours.net

Developments in Enbridge

Nicole Halseth News Editor

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he Northern Gateway’s proposed oil pipeline project continues to cause debate this month.

The First Nations group, Coastal First Nations, recently released a YouTube video in response to a series of Northern Gateway’s television ads that have not yet been aired. The aim of this video is to compete with Northern Gateway’s newest ad campaign.

This video has been titled Koda and the Orca, which follows a young First Nations girl and her interactions with the whales she encounters in her daily life.

The focus is meant to be on the personal nature of her interactions with these creatures. According to an article on the Prince George Citizen website, executive director for the video, Art Sterritt, describes that “she's out there seeing bears and whales whether they're orcas, or humpbacks or fin whales - she's out there food gathering and having a real personal relationship with whales," and “rather than being a 10-hour drive from the coast, she actually is there.” This video is set to be aired later this month.

The Coastal First Nations group received a copy of the script for the upcoming Northern Gateway ad which was leaked. In this new ad, Janet Holder, Enbridge executive vice-president for western access, was to be featured with a whale.

You can see where the comparison comes in.

According to Northern Gateway spokesman Ivan Giesbrecht, Northern Gateway’s newest television ad campaign, also set to be released later this month, will not feature anything specifically about Janet Holder and whales. In an article in the Prince George Citizen, Giesbrecht states “the ad that I think they're trying to respond to is not actually an ad…it's never been one. The whole orca theme, that was part of an early consideration... that was one that was not forwarded for further consideration." In the article, Sterritt argues that Northern Gateway is trying to run from the negative image of Enbridge by shifting the focus to one of the company’s senior executives. However, Giesbrecht states that the purpose of the campaign is to reach out to the community, hear their concerns, and answer their questions.

Northern Gateway is a company based in Prince

George, which operates under its parent company, Enbridge. For some time, Northern Gateway has been attempting to build oil and condensate pipelines from northern Alberta, through northern British Columbia, to a specifically designed terminal in Kitimat for export. The project will supposedly cost around $6.5 billion dollars. Currently, the project is undergoing an environmental review, undertaken by the National Energy Board Joint Review Panel. This panel is set to issue an environmental recommendation in regards to the pipelines at the end of the year.

This ad competition is merely the latest in the dispute around this subject. Should the pipeline be approved, many people, communities, and ecosystems will be affected by the immediate and potential negative consequences. However, the economic benefits of the project are predicted to be substantial. This has caused disagreement and controversy, at times very heated, from both sides of the debate. As students and citizens of northern British Columbia, this debate will affect you in some way in the near future, if it has not already. Where do you stand? Let us know: @OvertheEdgeNewspaper or Over the Edge Newspaper on Facebook.

Have you ever wanted to ask a professor any question you can think of? Here is your chance:

Next up

Dr. Matthew Reid

Email questions to ote-newspaper@unbc.ca

A Real Thanksgiving Ad

leitesculinaria.com/

Culture

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Laura Mooney Arts Editor

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he day has just passed where Canadians all bow down to the Great Turkey Gods in celebration of the tasty treat these strangely horrific looking birds provide us. Yet another Thanksgiving has come and gone.

Television ads provided us promises of happy times with family, all involving the children laughing and rolling around in the fallen leaves in the backyard, while the grandmothers sat on the deck knitting sweaters from yarn they spent all year saving just for this very moment. The men are inside drinking pre-feast beer while discussing the latest game their favorite sports team just won. The women are in the kitchen making a mound of food large enough to feed a kingdom the size of Canada, all while laughing joyfully at the lack of help they are receiving from their “silly husbands.” Everyone is happy and laughing as though nothing could possibly top this moment... No? Have not seen that ad? While the idea of Thanksgiving is usually one of a completely perfect day spent with family, all fawning over the effortlessly prepared meal, the real Thanksgiving experienced by many families paints a very different picture. It all begins at six in the morning…

The mother’s alarm goes off, the shrill beeping drilling in to her skull like an angry drunk hornet. She hazily opens her eyes. “It’s a Sunday,” she ponders, “why am I waking up so early?” Then it hits her like a 20 pound turkey in the face. It is Thanksgiving! Leaping out of bed, over her husband who is still dead to the world, she throws on her bathrobe and whips down the stairs to the kitchen.

A couple of hours later, the husband finally wakes and stumbles downstairs.

He enters the kitchen to grab his morning coffee only to find that apparently a food bomb has gone off in this once pristine cook space. The counter tops are covered with vegetables of all shapes and colors, some he has never seen before, all in various stages of being prepped for their trip to the oven.

Potatoes are immaculately peeled and sitting in a pot waiting to be boiled and then mashed into oblivion. Ten loaves of bread are perched precariously next to a bowl larger than a Pilgrim, being shredded into tiny chunks to be combined with sausage meat to create the most heavenly of side dishes. Then finally he spots the beast itself; the pride of this years’ Thanksgiving. The 30 pound organic, grain-fed, fresh and never frozen monstrosity the wife chose, named, and fed by hand two months in advance to ensure they got the perfect meal. The wife handles the giant bird with such expertise and precision, the husband cannot help but marvel at her immense cooking abilities.

He thinks to himself with pride, “This is the woman I married.”

Luckily for the wife, her husband has turned and left the room before he had a chance to see the horror that every Thanksgiving cook fears will happen on this holy day. While hastily transferring the turkey into the roaster, the wife slips ever so slightly and almost in slow motion, the bird tumbles to the floor. Juices fly everywhere, stuffing hits the sides of the counter like blood splatters on a battlefield.

The fallen comrade slides to a rest at the wife’s feet, her eyes opening wide and her mouth stuck in a silent “oh” of horror. The Turkey Gods are crying out angrily at this blasphemous moment.

After a minor heart attack and selfreassurance that the ten-second rule still applies, even to food of this magnitude, the wife scrambles around, attempting to pick up the impossibly slippery animal. “Why did I have to use so much butter and oil on this cursed thing!” the wife chastises herself. Once the wrestling match has ended and the wife has a good strong hold on her opponent, she places the turkey in the roaster, and then into the open, scorching hot oven. She wipes the sweat off from her brow, says a silent prayer, and closes the oven door.

Around noon, the family begins to arrive. The father rounds up his own children, making sure they have dug out the sweaters grandma knit lovingly for them last Christmas, and are wearing them as though they were their most treasured piece of clothing.

The doorbell rings as grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, uncles, and cousins from both sides of the family anxiously await the smorgasbord of promised

food and fun family times. The husband throws open the door wearing a smile as large as a cornucopia, and stares around at his family, most of whom he has not even talked to since last year. “Uncle Al, how have you been?” “Oh Mom, your new car is fantastic!” “Oh Jane look at the kids! They’re bigger than ever!” All around, the family smiles, comments on how long it has been, and how much they have been looking forward to this joyous day.

Within minutes the kids have run off to their room, dragging their visiting cousins, to brag about their latest video games and the record amount of “noobs” they have killed in cold virtual blood. The grandmothers and aunts wander aimlessly around the house, making comments here and there about design choices and the lack of family photos hanging on the walls. Eventually they make their way to the kitchen where the wife is disheveled and frantic looking, with chunks of potatoes hanging from her as yet unwashed hair. After hugs and air kisses are exchanged the women begrudgingly ask the wife if she needs any help, fearing the answer. The wife

Culture

After a couple afternoon beers and glasses of wine, the relatives hover anxiously on the back porch waiting for the call to dinner. The grandfathers make comments about their low blood sugar, how they have not eaten all day and they may pass out from the lack of food. An aunt is tipsy from drinking wine on an empty stomach and is leaning against the deck railing with a dazed look on her face. The husband is shaking slightly like an addict waiting for his next fix. It has been hours since anyone has seen the children. Finally, the wife pokes her freshly showered self out from the deck doors and says in a slightly exhausted voice, “dinner is served.”

The feeding frenzy that occurs next can only be compared to a group of sharks finding the last fish in the ocean and fighting for rights to the meal.

Everyone from the largest beer-bellied grandpa to the smallest cousin piles their plate as high as the heavens (and then some). They shovel the lusciously prepared food into their mouths without even tasting it. To an outsider peering through the dining room windows it would appear as though the family was in the midst of an eating contest with a million dollar prize.

Within half an hour, the plates are cleared from both the second and third helpings. The men have undone their belts and top buttons on their jeans, while the women are secretly wishing they had worn sweat pants instead of their form fitting Sunday dresses. No one says a word about their already bursting bellies, because they know that dessert comes up next.

Once the table has been cleared of the now bare turkey carcass and one lonely brussel sprout, the wife, with dark circles under her eyes,

brings out the assortment of pies she had warming in the oven; all different varieties including scrumptious apple,

cars, the aunts and uncles hauling their children who have fallen into a sleep as deep as the pot of mashed

door and sighs heavily. The husband gives his wife a quick peck on the cheek. “Great dinner, honey” he mutters as he heads upstairs, with their nearly comatose children dragging behind him.

The wife wanders into the kitchen to examine the damage. Food is smeared everywhere on the countertops, the turkey carcass is laying in the sink like a fallen soldier, the halfeaten pies are still on the dining room table. The wife’s shoulders sag as she turns around and flicks off the light. She will deal with this disaster tomorrow.

sweet cherry, and of course the holiday favourite, pumpkin pie. The grandmother comments on how lovely they all look, and then innocently asks the wife when on earth she found the time to bake all of these. The wife blushes as she recalls her trip to the grocery store yesterday, and avoids the question, passing a piece of apple pie to her father-in-law, who mutters something about the apples looking mushy. The children begin to get restless as the adults pick away at their dessert. They begin to kick each other under the table and throw scraps of piecrust in every direction. When one rogue piece hits a grandmother in the forehead, the uncles stand up and announce that is the sign that it is time to go.

Hugs and kisses are exchanged at the door as the family members all pull on their now too small coats and say over-enthusiastically how they all need to get together more often, how this was so much fun, and how sorry they are that they cannot stay to help clean up. The wife and husband watch as their relatives waddle to their

potatoes. They wave once more as the relatives reverse down the driveway and away into the night. The wife closes the front

Once the wife has dragged herself upstairs with her last remaining amounts of energy, she slips into her comfiest pajamas, leaving her food stained clothing in a pile on the floor, and climbs into bed.

Her husband is snoring loudly with the faint smell of turkey and pumpkin pie still lingering on his breath. Staring up at the ceiling the wife allows herself a moment of pleasure and congratulates herself on surviving another Thanksgiving. She closes her eyes with a faint smile on her face.

Then it hits her; Christmas is just around the corner.

Andrew Knowlton | bonappetit.com

shakes her head ferociously back and forth, a bit of the potato flinging out of her hair. She says in an overly sweet voice how she could not even imagine them helping when they are guests in her house.

She flaps her dishtowel at them playfully and tells them to go sit in the living room while she prepares some drinks for them to enjoy. The relatives breathe a silent sigh of relief and leave the kitchen smiling to join their husbands in the living room.

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Culture

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Kelley’s “Korner:” Barkerville, Theatre, and Nerds: Oh My!

(Left to Right) Kelley, Claudia Christian, and Amanda (friend) All photos: Kelley Ware | OTE

Kelley Ware Finance Manager

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dancing Jabba the Hutt slowly peels away his skin, revealing sexy a slave Leia underneath. She begins to dance for the crowd, taking off her clothes and shaking what George Lucas gave her.

The scene: Barkerville, during the last weekend of September for Geekenders Lost in Time II: Take the Sky. This was a weekend of theatre, cosplay, themed lunches and dinners, burlesque dancing, celebrities, and history; all thanks to Vancouver’s own nerdy theatre group the Geekenders.

For a self-proclaimed geek living in Prince George and unable to afford to go to big conventions, this weekend seemed like a gift from the universe itself.

For me, the lead-up to this weekend began in mid-July. An advertisement dropped in front of me, and the moment I saw Claudia Christian’s picture alongside Barkerville, my eyes lit up. As a huge Babylon 5 fan, I knew I had to go. The addition of Denise Crosby and Dean Haglund (of Star Trek: The Next Generation fame, and X-Files/The Lone Gunmen respectfully) only made it better.

The weekend event kicked off on

Friday night with a pajama theme.

First we settled down to Dinner at the End of the Universe (otherwise known as a buffet at Wake Up Jake’s) where we were fortunate enough to have a lovely Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy themed show while we ate, inevitably making us miss the end of the universe.

After that, we went to the Theatre Royal where Captain Hammer was planning on a chat with the audience and hosting a trivia contest, but he was very rudely interrupted by Dr. Horrible.

The trivia contest eventually happened, followed by a one-man show titled “Call Me Kirk” before all the exhausted geeks went off to bed to get ready for the busy Saturday ahead of them.

Saturday morning began with an etiquette course that involved outdated social rules, gloves becoming turkeys, women generally being useless (but apparently able to levitate), men having to do everything, and slightly offensive acronyms. The rest of the morning was spent with tours and free time before Tea with Queen Victoria.

During that time I got complimented by the Queen, met a guy dressed as The Doctor, and managed to join Torchwood. The only disappointment was the lack of Captain Jack Harkness.

After the tea had ended and I had promised to defend the Empire against

(Center) Dean Haglund

alien threats, we had a period of free time. This included Barkerville theatre, stagecoach rides, panning for gold, an Aperture Science scavenger hunt, celebrity meet and greets, and dinner.

My friend and I spent this time running around and having a blast with the aforementioned Doctor and our new friend Nick.

The evening began at the Theatre Royal with a fantastic improv act starring Claudia Christian and Dean Haglund - it was glorious. Then it was time for the Geekender Variety Show, what they called “nerdlesque,” with a couple of small acts thrown in between performers. The burlesque routines were hilarious, sexy, and slightly traumatizing to my inner child. There was a sexy ewok, a stripping Kaylee from Firefly, a burlesque themed after Ursula from The Little Mermaid, The Last Unicorn burlesque, LOLCats, as well as the aforementioned Jabba the Hutt/Slave Leia burlesque performance. She had Yoda pasties.

I was not sure whether I should have laughed, cried, or both. During the show’s intermission, Denise Crosby came out for a question panel. During this time she took her belt off as a joke, swore like a sailor, and managed to answer some pretty awesome questions. She also had been given

Sherri Latimer Contributor

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veryone knows that eating fresh fruits and vegetables is optimal for health. Fresh fruits and vegetables are full of antioxidants, nutrients, minerals, and water, which all enable our bodies to function daily as we win provincial championships, give presentations, get a master’s degree, go to boot-camp, or fight off perilous infections. There is something else, however, that people should know about these fresh foods: there are products being used to grow these fresh fruits and vegetables, products which can be harmful to our bodies. One of these products is

commonly referred to as a pesticide.

Pesticides are used to grow food all over the world. They are known to have negative effects on the nervous system, child brain development, and have carcinogenic properties. More than half of produce, after being washed and peeled, are still found to have pesticide residues. Pesticides not only contaminate our fresh food supply, but also our water supply, and are even found in store-bought baby food. The most toxic of these pesticides include organophosphate pesticides and organochloride pesticides, but there are dozens of pesticides used.

You may feel as though there is nothing you can do, and that is where you

four different bottles of alcohol during this time, although she did not drink them all.

After the burlesque show, we wandered over to Barkerville’s House Hotel and drank scotch before heading back to the Theatre where several rows of seating had been removed to make room for a dance party. The Dance Party featured top-40 club music mixed with songs like Weird Science, Bill Nye the Science Guy, and various theme songs. It was the only time where I could be part of a conga-line, dancing around the Theatre Royal in Barkerville, chanting along to the remix song of “They’re Taking the Hobbits to Isengard” and have it feel completely normal.

The next morning, there was one final panel discussing pop culture. Finally, goodbye time came. We had to leave our new friends, since they were all from Vancouver, with hugs and farewells before parting ways with promises of keeping in touch.

So ended Geekenders Lost in Time II: Take the Sky. The weekend was full of excitement and new friends. For those of you who did not go, you most definitely missed out. But no fear, from what I have been told they will be back again next year!

ewo.org

Eating Healthy, Eating Organic

(Center) Denise Crosby

are wrong! You can protect yourselves and others from pesticides by informing yourself about them, advocating for pesticide-free organic growers, and by purchasing items locally. You may think that you cannot afford organic products, but, lucky for you, the Environmental Working Group (2013)

has made a list of produce that should be bought organic to reduce pesticides consumed, and a list of those that are lowest in pesticides, and therefore safe to eat (pictured in photo and available at www.ewg.org). Be encouraged to stay informed about your food, and get healthy!

Culture Laura Mooney Arts Editor

W

hen was the last time a social media website asked you about your deep dark secrets? Or about your personal aspirations for your life?

It is not often that you hear questions such as this on Facebook or Twitter, whose main focus is telling you what your friends are up to without you, and providing an outlet to tell the world that you went to Starbucks for the tenth time this week. While these social sites focus mainly on the basics of your life, SoulPancake chooses to take it a step further. The site combines the fun of a social website with deeper and more insightful purposes, often asking deep questions and allowing you to be fully in control of your creativity involving the website. One thing SoulPancake does have in common with other social media websites is that once you sign up and begin, it is nearly impossible to stop.

SoulPancake was created by actor Rainn Wilson, famous for his role as Dwight Schrute in The Office, and was launched in early 2010. Wilson created the website in order to give a platform for users to explore spirituality, creativity, religion, and philosophy, all while maintaining the social aspects that made Facebook and Twitter popular. The basic idea is that the users were able to ask any question or post photos and videos of anything to do with the more in depth questions in life. While this aspect of sharing and posting personal media is nothing new, the fact that users are essentially the only ones controlling the content on the website is what makes SoulPancake different, and much more entertaining than any other typical social media outlet. When I first heard of this seemingly undiscovered website (which already has over 100 000 active users), being the social media addict that I am, I knew I had to investigate and see what this so-called philosophic place for the 21st century was all about.

When you first arrive on SoulPancake’s welcome page, you are greeted with

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bright colours, a flashy header, and backgrounds like you have never seen before. Each time you refresh the page you are introduced to a new hand drawn background featuring creatures such as an eyeball with arms and legs, or (my personal favorite) a cardinal with a jetpack rocketing through space. While viewing these strange creations, you just know they must have spawned from the deep dark depths of someone’s brain. After a bit of research, I discovered that the person responsible for these wonderfully eerie pieces of art is a man by the name of Mike Mitchell, an artist from Austin, Texas who provides all of the artwork for SoulPancake. It was initially these peculiar and beautiful backgrounds that drew me in, and made me want to explore the site even further to see what other strange and wonderful things I would find.

Once the initial routine account set up is taken care of, you are able to start exploring SoulPancake fully. You have three main options of where to begin your journey: videos, activities, or conversations. I first clicked on the tab marked videos, and was taken to SoulPancake’s YouTube channel where they have partnered with some of the most popular Youtubers (including Kid President), showcasing their videos as well as the creator’s own content. Videos like “Talk to Your Ten Year Old Self” and “Elevator Joy Bomb” are upbeat and positive, pushing a message of gratification and happiness and how to execute that in your everyday life. The videos often feature the creator of SoulPancake himself, Rainn Wilson, in segments called “Metaphysical Milkshake” where he interviews actors and musicians in the back of his van. However, instead of being the typical celebrity interview you see on talk shows, Wilson asks the guests questions about their views and opinions of the world, engaging them in ways not done in many other interviews. The videos section of the SoulPancake website is hours of entertainment and leaves you feeling just a little bit happier with yourself and the world with each video you

watch.

Although the next two areas of SoulPancake are technically two different tabs, they basically provide the same type of service. In the activities and conversations sections the main purpose is to engage your brain and explore the tasks set by other members of the community.

Conversations allows users to post any question they want to start a discussion about, then other users can respond with their own answer or input. When I first joined SoulPancake I posted three questions on my profile asking simple questions about the other users’ favourite books and movies, and within ten minutes I had over 40 responses. While some were straight to the point, others took the time to get very in depth, going into detail about why they loved their favourite book and how it made them feel when they read it. It was incredibly entertaining and even a bit moving to go through and read all of the responses. Activities, on the other hand, still includes asking questions, but it expands creativity even more, allowing users ask questions about a shared link or ask for photographs of favourite things. One of the first things I came across when scrolling through this section was a thread asking to post a photo of your ideal morning. Where you would be, what you would be eating, and who you would be with.

The question was so simplistic and yet the photos being posted were artistic and so well thought out you would think they were straight out of a magazine.

Each new thread I came across was creative in its own way, and it only increased my desire to delve more into this mysterious website.

After scrolling through at least 20 pages of material on the activities page of SoulPancake, it finally struck me as to why this website stands apart from all of the other social media sites. It is the wonderful combination of people and the right type of platform that makes SoulPancake so different. On SoulPancake, there is no fear that what you post will be mocked or chastised in any way. No

matter how personal and meaningful the question you ask or the response you post is, others having replied in a similar way. The beauty is also in the questions themselves. On my journey through the site I saw questions from as simple as my own “what is your favourite movie?” all the way up to having to describe your perfect God in ten words. The responses to each question feel as though you are sitting right in the room with the stranger and they are confessing to you their innermost thoughts and feelings.

SoulPancake provides an outlet where people young and old can be their true selves. Whether they choose to do it anonymously or not is up to them, but it gives you a sense that you are with like- minded people who really understand and will not judge you.

Even the negative “troll” comments can hardly be seen as destructive. On my profile I asked a question about first loves, how old you were and how did you know? While the majority of the responses were incredibly sweet and insightful, one commenter told a story of how he was in a department store and had love at first sight with a mannequin. He went on to describe how he and the doll now had tiny plastic children and had to hide their love from the world because no one understood. Even though the user’s response was essentially mocking my question, I still laughed my head off when I first read it. Even the trolls are upbeat and positive on SoulPancake!

While SoulPancake may never reach the status of Facebook and Twitter in terms of popular social media sites, it has found its home amongst those looking to get a little bit more out of a website. The pure honesty you find yourself pouring into the site is something I personally have never experienced with anything else, and it really does feel as though you are telling your deepest darkest secrets to non-judgmental friends from all over the world. So the next time you are browsing the Internet, give SoulPancake a try, and you just might be surprised at what you learn about yourself and the world around you.

The

Feature

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O Canada: Restoring Balance to the Anthem

Nicole Halseth News Editor

A

ccording to an article on BBC World News, “a group of prominent Canadian women have launched a campaign to make the English-language lyrics to Canada's national anthem more gender-neutral.”

This push comes after a previous effort

by Senator Vivienne Poy to change the lyrics was rejected in 2010 by the Canadian government as led by the Conservative Party. Senator Poy first introduced a bill in Parliament regarding the possibility of revising the lyrics of the national anthem in 2002. In 2010, Prime Minister Harper consulted with Parliament on the issue of the bill. However, after backlash from the Conservative Party, the bill was dropped. At the time, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Harper, Dimitri Soudas, claimed “we offered to hear from Canadians on this issue and they have already spoken loud and clear.

They overwhelmingly do not want to open the issue."

The group advocating for this change includes many prominent figures in Canadian society, such as former Prime Minister Kim Campbell, wellknown author Margaret Atwood, Senator Nancy Ruth and retired Senator Vivienne Poy. It also includes Sally Goddard, the mother of Nichola Goddard, who was the first female

All photos courtesy of restoreouranthem.ca

Canadian soldier killed in a combat situation. They are encouraging Canadians

to participate in the initiative by appealing to Prime Minister Harper’s government.

Their objection is largely over the line “in all thy sons command.” According to the group, a change to this line in order to make it gender-neutral would better reflect the “the equality of all Canadians.” The group is advocating changing this line to “in all of us command;” a change they say is long overdue. The current official lyrics of O Canada, in Atwood’s opinion, suggest that “only male loyalty is being invoked.” Additionally, in an article on the Globe and Mail website, Ms. Goddard believes altering the lyrics “would recognize the heroes,

leaders and teachers who have made Canada what it is today – regardless of their gender."

This line has already been revised in the past. In 1913, "thou dost in us command" was changed to the current version: “in all thy sons command.” The advocacy group, known as Restore Our Anthem, believes changing it to their proposed version would "have the same meaning" as the original version. On their official website, the group states that "restoring the anthem to reflect its original version is the simplest way to encapsulate the equality of all Canadians."

Currently, the leader of the opposition in government, Tom Mulcair of the New Democrat Party, has dismissed the new effort to change the lyrics.

According to an article on the BBC World News website,

Mulcair states that the anthem is “wonderful” as it is, and that “we seem to have agreed on the English and French versions as they are and I think that's probably a good thing."

of a deity who is dismissed as nonexistent by 1 in 4 Canadians,” and “the mention of God in the anthem is not trivial – it has real social and political consequences.”

More information about this subject can be found at the Restore Our Anthem website: http://www. restoreouranthem.ca/

Currently, according to the 2001 Census of Canada, 4.8 million Canadians (16.2% of the population) identified with no religion. Since the official census in 1991, this is an increase of 49.3%. Additionally, this group of people identifying as having no religion was the second largest group in Canada, following the Christians and outnumbering all other religious groups. In a poll conducted in May 2008 by Harris/ Decima, it was also revealed that that 23% of Canadians in total, and 36% of Canadians under the age of 25, claim they do not believe in any god.

This is not the first, and likely will not be the last, time that a group of individuals has wished to change the lyrics of our national anthem to make them more equal and reflective of the current social situation.

Buried within the lyrics of O

Canada are more controversial words and phrases that reflect times as they used to be, and not necessarily how they are today. If the effort to change one aspect of our national anthem is undertaken, should it not be expanded to include broader equality issues than just gender equality?

Another issue that has arisen within the discussion of changing our national anthem is the lack of secularism within the lyrics. One of the main groups in this effort is the Canadian Secular Alliance. Though they stand for more than just changing the lyrics to the national anthem, changing the lyrics is one of their core initiatives. According to their official website, the group recommends that “the government should remove the reference to God from Canada’s national anthem, and return to the original words that existed prior to the introduction of the Godreference: “O Canada, glorious and free” instead of “God keep our land glorious and free.”

Their arguments for this are, as seen on their website, “Canada’s national anthem currently invokes the blessing

Above and beyond excluding those individuals who claim to have no religion or do not believe in any type of god, the current lyrics also allegedly exclude those with religious affiliations other than Christianity. These groups include Muslims, Jews, traditional Aboriginal religions, Hindus, Buddhists, and Sikhs, among many others. Though these groups may not be the documented majority throughout Canada, they are nonetheless vital in their communities and throughout Canada as a whole. As well, in many regions of the country, the majority may actually be something other than Christian. This phenomenon will likely continue to grow as Canada continues to be a settlement destination for individuals from around the world, and from a wide variety of backgrounds. Many of these individuals will likely wish to express

11 their national pride, as Canadians, in some manner. Indeed, in many cases, it has been shown that those who are not born in a country but come to make it their home often identify very strongly with that national identity.

According to the Alliance, “our national anthem is an important way for Canadians to show pride and respect for their country.” Should individuals and groups be excluded from this because of their differing beliefs?

According to the Canadian Secular Alliance, “Canada’s current national anthem puts a sizeable fraction of the population in a position where showing love for their country also entails invoking a deity whose existence they reject.” Therefore, changing the lyrics would result in the secularization of national pride. It would allegedly allow all Canadians, regardless of religious views, the opportunity to express their patriotism.

There have been many arguments over the years for why the lyrics should remain as they are. Many believe that it is important to keep that historical tie; to give respect to both Canada’s Christian heritage and the many Christian Canadians who contributed to building our country.

Many also believe that it would be unprecedented to change the lyrics.

However, since the lyrics were first written in 1908 by Robert Stanley Weir, they have gone through numerous alterations. These occurred before the anthem was adopted into the 1980 National Anthem Act. Both Restore Our Anthem and the Canadian Secular Alliance

advocate changing certain lines back to the original lyrics, or changing them to better reflect the original lyrics, as they were before adoption into this Act. Though the English lyrics may include some religious mentions, the French lyrics are much more overtly religious.

These can be seen in lyrics like: “as in thy

arm ready to wield the sword, so also is it ready to carry the cross”, and “thy valour steeped in faith.” According to the Alliance website, it will take much more to revise the French lyrics because they cannot simply be reverted to the original version, as the English version can. They conclude that “this is a topic for a separate national debate.”

The debate about whether to change the lyrics of O Canada or not goes beyond simply a debate of semantics, and has very real social consequences.

At least, it does according to the Canadian Secular Alliance. On their website, they state that “the mention of God in the

anthem is often cited as evidence that Canada is a “Christian nation”, and used to argue for substantive public policies that undermine church-state separation…thus, seemingly “trivial” issues of symbolism have a tendency to become relevant to highly non-trivial debates about government policy.”

They conclude that as a liberal democracy and a pluralistic country, Canada’s government should not take an official position on the existence of

God, and whether or not organized religion has the right or ability to speak on that God’s behalf. They believe that all of Canada’s public institutions, including the national anthem, should reflect this.

More information on this subject can be found at: http://secularalliance.ca/ about/policies/god-and-canadasnational-anthem/.

The very core of Canadian society is transforming, has been since its conception, and will continue

to do so in the future. The lyrics of our national anthem have also been altered in the past. However, there has been no progress in this for over 30 years. We have seen a few initiatives in this respect in recent decades but, so far, they have not come to fruition.

Now we must ask ourselves: is it time for a change and, if so, how should we undertake this and what should be included?

Diversity within Canada spans more than issues of religion and gender, though those have certainly been among the most prominent. It may not be possible to revise the lyrics of our anthem to reflect the widespread diversity at all levels of Canadian society. This incredible range of diversity and variation may continue to expand and grow in future years, with no hope of any revisions to the national anthem ever catching up to or encompassing even a fraction of it. Whether or not this means we should give up and not even try is up to every Canadian citizen.

So the next time you are standing at a hockey game, a national memorial, or a school event, think about what you are singing. It matters.

How would you change the lyrics to our national anthem, if you are in favour of changing them at all?

Let us know on Facebook: Over the Edge Newspaper or on Twitter: @ OvertheEdgeNewspaper

Arts Vancouver Artists for Conservation Festival

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Laura Mooney Arts Editor

F

rom 27 September 2013 until 6 October 2013, Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver was home to the third annual Artists for Conservation festival, which showcased works of art and other cultural pieces all in support of conserving wildlife habitats and promoting environmental awareness.

Founded in 1997, the Vancouver based Artists for Conservation (AFC) foundation is dedicated to informing the public on the importance of saving our natural environments, not only for the preservation of the environment, but for the lives of the animals living in the environments as well. With approximately 500 artists from around the world in the organization, the AFC is the world’s largest group of artists that use their talents to help conserve the environment.

The festival featured artwork from over 70 of the talented members of the AFC, with nearly 40 of them attending the festival in person for live demonstrations and lectures on using art to generate positivity towards wildlife and environmental conservation.

The festival included over 200 nature based paintings, drawings, sculptures,

and films for the public to view, and purchase if interested, with 40 percent of the money gained from sales of the paintings going towards conservation.

It also featured specialized workshops to teach children about conservation, artist workshops for adults to paint, and social galas which provided mingle time with the artists.

While the ten-day AFC festival was a well-attended popular event, is it a successful way to get the message of conservation across to society? It seems to be a subtle and quiet way of protesting against the ravaging of our forests that we see all too often in the north, and it while it does seem to be effective in a city as large as Vancouver, would the same tactics work in a smaller area such as Prince George? It seems now we are seeing, on a daily basis, more and more trees being demolished for housing developments, thus destroying environments and the animals that reside within them. If Prince George artists were to have our own branch of the AFC, would it change your viewpoint on conservation? Go to Over the Edge’s Facebook page to post your opinion on nature conservation, and methods of presenting it to the public.

Corinne Dupeyrat

Keep Your Peepers on the Playhouse

pgplayhouse.com

Laura Mooney Arts Editor

T

he semester is in full swing here at UNBC, with hordes of essays and midterms being poured upon us like a torrential rainstorm (At least it’s not snow yet, right?). With planners filling up quickly, students are looking for ways to unwind and relax once all assignments have been checked off their lists and they have a few weeks to finally get out and have some fun. If you are looking a fun evening out and would also like to take in some culture,

look no further than some of the upcoming events at the Prince George Playhouse.

This season the Playhouse is offering a variety of events for all tastes, one of which will convince even those who claim to “not be a fan of plays” to come out and experience one of the best venues for culture in Prince George. First up is the presentation of one of the most popular horror movies, turned horror plays, of all time, The Evil Dead. This year, in honor of

Halloween, famous Prince George theatre mogul Judy Russell is bringing the cult classic to our local stage for the first time, presenting “The Evil Dead: The Musical” to horror and musical lovers alike in Prince George. As if a horror musical was not enough to grab your attention, the play also features an interactive splatter- zone where brave playgoers risk being hit by rogue elements from the play. “The Evil Dead: The Musical” runs from 23 October until 3 November, and is the perfect way to celebrate Halloween and have an exhilarating (albeit messy) night out.

If you are not a huge fan of gore, but are still looking for something upbeat and fun, then “Zep Again” may be a better option. “Zep Again” takes you back to when rock ruled the world and showcases one of the most popular rock bands with Led Zepagain, a Led Zeppelin tribute band from Los

Angeles. Providing entertainment for all generations, Led Zepagain embodies the true sound and spirit of Led Zeppelin, and will provide what looks to be an exciting and energy filled night of classic rock. “Zep Again” will be playing at the Prince George Playhouse on 14 November for one night only, for all those who wish to unwind to the sounds of some of the greatest music of all time.

Grit your teeth and push forward through this challenging time at school.

Just keep in mind all the fun you will have once you have finally handed in that last assignment, or completed that remaining midterm. Once you are finished and need to relax, head over to the Prince George Playhouse, where the upcoming events will provide a great way to celebrate, while also allowing you to take in a bit of the best of our own town’s culture.

Art

13

Musical Comedy: Genres of the Music Parody

Laura Mooney Arts Editor

W

hat does the fox say? This question has been on everybody’s minds now for nearly a month, and it is all thanks to one single parody video from two Norwegian talk show hosts and comedy duo, called Ylvis, who had originally created their now infamous video “The Fox” as a joke for a television show. The song has reached over 100 million views on YouTube, and is a great example of just how much parody music has advanced over the years and expanded into a genre of its own. It has even begun to spawn its own sub-genres, with different types of parodies now surfacing and some even holding their own on the music charts against some of today’s top pop artists. We can begin to explore the parody genre by looking at some of the best from those specific subgenres, and the genius behind some of the strangest, and yet catchiest, parody songs.

Parodies of a Specific Song: This is the genre that most often comes to mind when one thinks of parody videos. It essentially consists of the artist taking a popular song, keeping the music but changing the lyrics into something humorous. The most well-known artist who creates this kind of parody is Weird Al Yankovic, who has been doing parody videos since the early 1980s. Some of his most famous parody songs include “Amish Paradise,” which pokes fun at Coolio’s “Gangster’s Paradise;” and the slightly more recent “White and Nerdy,” which is a play on “Ridin’ Dirty” by Chamillionaire. This type of parody is also very popular with the YouTube community, with YouTubers writing their own creative parodies of popular songs and posting it on their channels. Many of these videos, like Ylvis’ “The Fox,” go viral, making them more popular than some of the songs you would only hear on the radio. One great example of a YouTuber making

an online career from parodying pop songs is Shane Dawson.

Dawson’s unique sense of humour combined with his affinity for using gross out visuals, have made his parody videos extremely popular over the years, with most of his videos bringing in upwards of five to ten million views each. Some of his more memorable parodies include a spoof of Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Getting Back Together,” and most recently “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus. While his parodies are not often for the faint of heart, Shane shows true genius with lyrics, much like Weird Al, and a love for the parody genre.

Comedy Songs: The songs from this subgenre are the ones most likely to make it on the Top 40 and be up there with some of the most popular artists of the year. These artists create their own original music and combine it with a humorous topic, in order to make it a song that is both fun to listen to and will make you laugh at the same time.

One of the most well-known groups who specifically write these comedy songs is The Lonely Island which is comprised of members Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone, and Andy Samberg; all three were involved with Saturday Night Live before leaving to pursue their comedy group full time. The group is known for their funny, and often raunchy, videos dealing with a variety of subject matter from the mocking of a popular pirate in “Jack Sparrow,” to giving a questionable Christmas gift to your significant other in the now infamous “Dick in a Box.” The group also often teams up with well-known pop artists such as Akon, and Lady Gaga, making their music seem even more legitimate and allowing one to forget they are listening to a parody.

The main difference with this genre is that the songs being written by groups

paperblog.com

such as The Lonely Island, are not directly poking fun at a specific song, but instead are more similar to going to a comedy club, and simply having the comedy act sung to you. This may be why this particular subgenre, and specifically The Lonely Island, has really taken off and become a part of everyday music over the past few years. The joy of being able to listen to original music and original comedy at the same time was not really something ever done in the past, even by those artists who would directly spoof songs.

Maybe it is that originality that allows for this subgenre to survive amongst the competing pop artists.

Parody of a Genre: The final sub-genre of musical parodies is those groups that parody an entire genre of music.

These bands make fun of a specific type of music, including the sound, the mannerisms and stereotypes of the people in the bands, and even the fans that listen to the music. Most of these bands are found in movies or television shows, but the main thing that makes them stand out from any other musical parodies, is the fact that the music is actually good. Some of the best examples of this type of parody are the groups Spinal Tap and Dethklok. Spinal Tap is a parody band from the 1984 film This is Spinal Tap, which makes fun of the popular 80s metal bands of the time. Although the film itself mocks the attitudes of the band, often showing them as egotistical, misogynistic, and at times just dumb, the music they made for the soundtrack was amazingly good and was on the same level as the bands they were making fun of in the first place. One

other example of a genre parody is the band Dethklok from the animated television show Metalocalypse. The show is based around a death metal band as they deal with the trials and troubles normally assumed to plague any metal band, such as dealing with their overwhelming popularity, handling endorsements, going grocery shopping, and having parents visit your immense castle. Okay so maybe not all metal bands deal with those issues, but that is all part of parodying the genre.

It places seemingly tough as nails guys in situations that are incredibly ordinary, and it takes the entire death metal genre down a few pegs.

Besides the laugh out loud comedy that comes with Metalocalypse, the music produced by the fictional band Dethklok is fantastic. For any lover of the death metal genre, Dethklok’s music is just as good as any of the real death metal bands out there today, perhaps even better because you get to watch a cartoon while listening to it.

Each of these subgenres contributed to the music parody genre in their own specific way, with each band bringing their own comedic uniqueness and originality. Although many of them are still only popular on the Internet, some have had the good fortune and talent to make it in the music industry and have shed light on music parodies as a legitimate music genre that is as good as any other. With that special talent one can only hope that the music parody sticks around for years to come, and we will keep being asked questions as crazy as “what does the fox say?”

Art

cbslocal.com

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t: r A t s o L e h t er of

Rat

4.5/5

Laura Mooney Arts Editor

P

icture the scene: a small town in Missouri is rattled when the news hits that one of their own local residents has mysteriously gone missing one cold, foggy fall morning.

Amy Dunne is a gorgeous New Yorker, currently living in the redneck town of North Carthage with her wannabe writer husband, Nick. Amy is discovered to have gone missing when Nick comes home one night after work, only to find broken windows and overturned furniture; a clear sign of a struggle. However, as the police get involved, they begin to suspect that Nick may be the one who made Amy disappear, as all the evidence that begins to surface clearly points to him.

The story follows Nick’s struggle as he fights to clear his name, all while trying to handle being in the media’s glaring spotlight, and trying to find his wife at the same time.

While th basic idea of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl is a seemingly predictable murder mystery, the style in which the story is written is anything but typical.

The story is told through two voices,

both Amy’s and Nick’s, with Nick’s segment taking place in the present, and Amy’s side told through past diary entries. As the reader begins to learn about each character, Nick comes across at first as the distressed husband, clearly uncomfortable with the fact that the police are swarming his house and tracking every move he makes, and concerned about the whereabouts of Amy. But as we learn more about Nick, from both his recounting of the events after Amy’s disappearance and from Amy’s diary entries, the reader comes to realize that Nick is not the caring and concerned husband he first appeared to be, he is not even a decent human being. As more and more secrets Nick has been hiding come out, the reader begins to question whether he really is innocent, and begins to believe that Nick Dunne really did kill his wife.

Flynn’s use of non-linear storylines and unreliable narrators gives the reader the feeling of having to figure out the mystery for themselves, as though they were working along with the police trying to solve the case. Not many novels is the past few years have succeeded as well as Gone Girl has

in regards to creating a story that is engaging to a wide variety of readers while still maintaining an intelligence not often found in popular literature these days. Flynn takes the reader down twists and turns, forcing the reader to question what the protagonist has been telling them throughout this strange tale. Flynn has a habit of often leading the readers down one path, then introducing a single fact that changes the reader’s entire perception of what they have read up until that point. As if this was not enough though, Flynn includes a twist ending so shocking it will make the reader want to go back and read the whole story again from the start.

Beyond the main story, however, lies a deeper examination of the psychology involved in long- term relationships and what can happen when the basic structures necessary in a relationship fall apart. The story delves into common problems that occur with couples who have been together for a long time, such as lack of communication, trust issues, and even what happens when you lose yourself in the relationship. Of course, Flynn examines these topics within the context of an

extreme situation, but the problems she addresses are themes that nearly every couple has had to deal with at some point. This brings the novel to a more relatable and human level, and explores these typical relationship issues from both the male and female points of view. Instead of just being a story about a murder, the author makes you feel sympathy for Nick and Amy by showing what they both had to deal with in the relationship.

Depending on whose side of the story you relate to more, most readers would sympathize with one or the other.

Flynn’s Gone Girl is a wonderfully crafted thriller that has received raving reviews and was number one on the New York Times’ best seller’s list for eight weeks, and was claimed to be the literary phenomenon of 2012. If you are looking for an excellent read full of mystery and suspense, it is highly recommended that you pick up a copy of Gone Girl and experience the wonderful twists and turns of the novel for yourself. The twist ending alone will be enough to convince you that you have made a great choice in picking up this book.

Sports

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Hockey Canada Reveals New Olympic Jerseys at MAC Harlan Nemerofsky Reporter | The Eyeopener

P

layers of the three Olympic ice hockey teams now know what jersey they will be suiting up in when they represent Canada next February.

Hockey Canada, in collaboration with Nike Canada and the Canadian Paralympic Committee, made its announcement at Ryerson’s Mattamy Athletic Centre on the third-level ice hockey surface on Oct. 9.

Shelley Termuende | OTE

Sunday’s Soldiers Adam Vickers Sports Editor

I

t is a cold October morning, fog in the air, ground frosted by sub zero temperatures, and yet you still hear the sound “Down, Set, Hut!!!” This is the sound at Van Bien Elementary School on Sunday mornings where men get together every weekend to duke it out for Prince George Flag Football League (PGFFL) supremacy. Clayton Riggan currently runs the league of five and we had the opportunity to talk to him about his time in the league.

When asked why the league was started, the fifteen-year veteran said the league was about “getting out of the house [to] hang out with the guys,” and, really, is that not what sports are all about?

The league is built around guys who have known each other for years and look forward to talking trash to each other on the field, as well as showing the newcomers how it is done. The hazing of newcomers is something of legend, mirroring the old age traditions of frat clubs. Initiation marks the fledgling respect of a brotherhood and friendships that time cannot replace.

When asked about the best players in the league, Riggan reacted the way any full-blooded Canadian would…

“You can’t put me on the spot like that!” Riggan is a long time respected veteran of the league and with a guy like that running the league, it is no wonder it has lasted as long as it has.

The league is older than many of the players in it, with roots stretching back to the days when Doug Flutie ruled the CFL. The PGFFL is made up of players

of all skill types, from former junior and Canadian intervarsity sports players to guys who have never played organized football in their lives. The PGFFL follows the Vancouver top-flight league rulebook with small adjustments to the rules, like kickoffs are only used to start each half and after subsequent touchdown. The team scored on begins with the ball on their 20-yard line.

The PGFFL has a long history in British Columbia, and competed in a number of Western Canada Flag Football Championships years ago.

Although it has been a long time since a team was sent from Prince George, this year they finally got organized and pulled a team together to compete.

They ended up getting into the top four, losing in the semi-finals, but with hopes of returning next year and reclaiming its past glory. The PGFFL wants to send another team down and claim its first Western Championship title in many years. There is no doubt Clay Riggan will be a part of that team along with many of the PGFFL’s best players.

As the seasons change and the snow begins to build, it will be time for these Sunday Soldiers to pack up their cleats and call an end to the season. Since there is still grass on the ground and games to play, the Sunday Soldiers will carry on into early November, where a champion is crowned and celebration for some begins. For a league built on character and respect, these Sunday Soldiers will end the season together by reminiscing what a great season it was, and enjoy rehydrating with a nice cold beer.

“When you talk about our players, players give up so much, whether you’re playing for our country on the men’s team, the women’s team or our sledge team,” said Hockey Canada president & CEO Bob Nicholson. “I can tell you that every time they put on the Olympic jersey it is very special.”

Nike Canada’s creative director Ken Black said Nike created the jersey with both function (“range of motion, thermal regulation”) and aesthetics (“putting on a uniform that makes you feel great”) in mind, and that the jerseys primary inspiration was Team Canada’s jersey throughout the 1920s.

“When you look at the stripe on that jersey, I think you can see a direct connection,” said Black. “Our design team wanted to modernize it a bit so that’s why you see that asymmetrical stripe as opposed to run it across, but that the first inspiration.”

In addition to the home red-and-white and road white-and-red, Canada will be the only Olympic team with a third jersey, without a maple leaf, but instead with a gold stripe.

Black said that Canada’s most recent jersey worn in the 2010 Vancouver

Games was overly busy and complicated, which he says seemed to take away from the importance of the athlete, hence why they went back to the simpler look.

He also said that the jerseys are 15 per cent lighter than the 2010 Vancouver jerseys and each jersey is made with 17 recycled water bottles.

Afterwards, Nicholson said he was proud to have the event hosted at Ryerson’s home rink, the MAC, because of its historical connection with hockey in Canada.

“It’s great to be back in what I know as Maple Gardens and it’s great that Ryerson is here. Their university programs are really improving, which is great for the university as well as hockey in this country,” said Nicholson.

Joe Nieuwendyk, a former 2002 Olympic gold medalist with the men’s ice hockey team and long-time member with the Calgary Flames, was very pleased with the jerseys.

“I’ve been fortunate to wear a lot of jerseys and they’re all special but there’s something really special about wearing the Canada jersey- the history and pride and knowing that everybody across the Prairies are all behind you. I love that [the jerseys] are not too busy- just red, white and a maple leaf.”

He also clamoured at having the event being held at the MAC. “It’s kind of been home to hockey for so many years and its almost fitting that they have it here since the old Maple Leafs Gardens is such a historic arena for Canadians across the country.”

Charles Vanegas | The Eyeopener

Sports Kimberley Hartwig Reporter | The Sheaf

Sheaf Staff Trades-in Pencils For Dumbells

O

n Sept. 26, members of the Sheaf staff suffered for their readers.

In order to see what it’s like to go through a personal training session at the Physical Activity Complex, four unlucky participants signed up to be put through the wringer by the coordinator of the Human Performance Centre, Jason Weber.

Our group was composed of varying fitness levels. One had never set foot in the gym, another could remember the day of their last work out three years ago, there was a Brazilian jujitsu practitioner and the last was a semi in-shape tennis player.

But the one thing we had in common was that we were willing to get our butts kicked — and we did.

Dealing with a group of different abilities makes it difficult to plan an effective workout, but Weber made sure that everyone felt challenged.

“We try to create an individual workout in a group setting, keeping each person focused on their own performance,” he said in an e-mail to the Sheaf. “We will typically do large

timed circuits so everyone can work at their own level and not feel the added pressure of being ‘last’ and that everyone is watching them.”

else there for the trainer to terrorize and we all laughed when one of us could only get their head off the ground during crunches.

Weber considered the fitness levels of the participants and the equipment that the workout required before deciding on how to proceed.

Training sessions also cost less when done in a group and when done more frequently. While an individual session once a week costs $45, each member of a small group of two to four people pays only $30. Sessions twice a week cost $35 individually or $25 as part of a group for each workout.

“I chose the workout I did because I wanted to show … something [the group] probably wasn’t expecting and [to] highlight the quality of workout that you can have even if you don’t have a gym, much time or any other common barrier to exercise,” Weber said.

The workout wasn’t easy. In fact it was incredibly difficult and we all felt like giving up at one time or another, but we didn’t. In the end, we made it through. It’s much harder to give up when there is someone there to encourage you or who you want to beat so badly you can’t give up — pride is a surprisingly good motivator.

Working out with friends also made the experience more entertaining and enjoyable than hitting the gym alone would have been. There was someone

Whether exercising alone or in a group, the trainers at the High Performance Centre tailor the fitness plan to each individual.

“Each personal training client will have their own goals, exercise preferences, injuries, likes and dislikes that we need to consider in each session,” Weber said.

Even for the advanced exerciser, a session with a trainer can be a great way to change up a routine. Handing over the reins let’s you experience something new.

“We provide lots of variety and motivation to keep things ‘fresh’ and

16

work you harder than you probably would have on your own,” Weber said.

The goal of a training session isn’t to show someone what they can’t do, but to show them what they’re capable of whether it’s their first time exercising or they’re an elite athlete.

“We ensure that [at] each session, the client leaves feeling that they accomplished as much as they possibly could in that hour, had fun, feels proud of themselves and their accomplishments and knowing that they did the right stuff in the right way,” Weber said.

Anyone can sign up for personal training and the reasons they choose to do so are just as varied.

“Clients seek us out because they are unable to commit to an exercise program on their own or are unsure of what to do, [are] recovering from an injury or for sport performance,” Weber said.

Want to try the Sheaf workout for yourself? You can find it on thesheaf. com.

A ‘Woman’s Guide’ to Surviving the [Leaf’s ] Hockey Season L

adies, I know some of you are as crazy about hockey as your significant others, if not more so. But if you’re like me, the sound of those skates on the ice is like nails on a chalkboard.

If you’re part of this sisterhood of women attached to men who, in late September, turn into jersey-wearing, beer-chugging, hockey-obsessed bros with the onset of the NHL hockey season, and don’t feel that same passion yourself, we’re here to help.

We’ve compiled a list of tips, tricks and facts to get you through this painful time.

You’re welcome.

1. Do not, under any circumstances, talk about last season’s playoffs.

My partner reminds me of why fan is derived from the word fanatic.

He broke down last year after the ‘Buds’ lost to the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of the first round of the playoffs in a game where they were up 4-1 in the third period.

I’m talking full-on, lying-on-the-ground, face-down moping. I had the same reaction to the end of the Harry Potter books, so I sympathize.

Regardless, I’d avoid any jokes about ‘choking’ or asking questions like, “When was the last time they actually won the Stanley Cup?” They likely won’t remember anyway. (Zing!)

2. Venturing into the belly of the beast: The ACC Some like to take their support for their partners team to a next level and actually go to a game. Power to you.

We advise anyone going to the Air Canada Centre to eat beforehand.

Poutine might be calling your name, but don’t cave in unless you are looking to

stock up on empty calories while your partner guzzles beer and fights off feisty fans with finger-licking-good and greasy chicken wings.

Basically the healthiest thing you can buy is the water. And even then you’re shelling out $5 for something you could get out of the bathroom taps at halftime.

Once the game ends, prepare for the subway swarm. The construction at Union Station provides the best platform for meeting unknown drunken strangers that are most likely going to be extremely irritable when the Leafs end up losing the game. Funnelling through Union Station with crowds of unknown and inebriated strangers could be fun if you like being stuck inside a sardine can.

The highlight is the unpredictable sights you see sleeping on the subway. It’s a three

dollar hotel for some.

3. Finally, don’t cancel the cable.

I tried this, thinking that it would mean I would never have to again hear a commentator scream “HOLY MACINAW” from the television three or more nights a week. I was wrong.

Streaming is now an option, and coupled with the pun-filled official commentary, you’ll hear endless griping about the speed of the internet. Just bunker down people. Go Leafs Go….I guess.

ign.com

Lauren Murphy Reporter | The Ryersonian

Sports Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard and the Montreal Canadiens canadiens.nhl.com

17 problem they are presented as, how is it that these two players, both of whom hung up the skates more than a quarter of a century ago, were found to have been suffering from the very issue that has been continually attacked as hockey’s plague of the new millennium?

We’ve heard stories of old-time players being on the receiving end of a big hit and being hard-pressed to make it back to the bench, only to be given a dose of sniffing salts and being sent back on the ice moments later. It was a practice that was encouraged, as athletes lived under a “code” in which their personal health was secondary to the goal of the team.

This mentality has changed, and players have finally begun seeking treatment for head injuries instead of groggily taking to the ice night after night.

Concussions Not an ‘Epidemic’ in ProfessionalSports Mike St. Jean Reporter | The Argus

O

n Apr. 8, 1952, Montreal Canadiens legend Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard scored a goal that has become a part of Stanley Cup playoff folklore.

With the game tied 1-1 late in the third period, and the Canadiens facing elimination at the hands of the Boston Bruins, Richard took a neutral-zone pass from teammate Butch Bouchard into the Bruins end and put it home to give Montreal the lead.

While that would have left the goal as a memorable one on its own, the event was far more legendary due to the fact the Rocket’s game seemed all but over earlier in the period.

Richard, the Canadiens biggest scoring threat, was knocked to his knees by Boston defenseman Leo Labine. Seeing a chance to eliminate their rival’s clutch scorer, the Bruin’s Bill Quackenbush kneed Richard in the head, leaving him sprawled spread-eagle on the ice.

It would take the help of the team’s doctor to get the Rocket back to the dressing room, but even a bloodied face and a pair of black eyes couldn’t

keep a man who could barely stand up minutes earlier from returning to the game. The picture of him shaking hands after the match with Bruin’s enforcer, ‘Sugar’ Jim Henry, has become one of the most iconic photographs in hockey history.

After the game, Richard collapsed into his seat in the dressing room and began sobbing uncontrollably. In interviews years after the historic goal, the Rocket admits he has little memory of the game and its aftermath.

Many fans point to this incident as an example of playoff heroics, an example of an athlete who committed the utmost sacrifice for the better of his team.

In retrospect, however, it seems highly likely that Richard suffered a concussion, and this story, while undoubtedly heroic, can serve as an example of how poorly head injuries were treated in the past.

The narrative of this legendary goal, and even the more recent ‘heroic’ lamp-lighting play Paul Kariya made in the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals after being flattened by Scott Stevens, should remind us that concussions are not a new aspect of professional

sports.

The media’s recent focus on concussions has been biased, for lack of a better word. The general term used to describe head injuries as of late has been ‘epidemic,’ which implies concussions have come out of nowhere to sweep the sports world by storm.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Head injuries have long been a part of professional sports; the only thing that’s changed is the rate at which they are detected and reported and the ways that they are treated.

In recent years, the brains of several NHL players who have passed away have been donated for studies looking into the link between hits to the head and brain deterioration.

While the word ‘epidemic’ implies concussions are a relatively new problem in the NHL, studies of the brains of Rick Martin (who played in the NHL from 1971-1982) and Reg Fleming (who’s pro career lasted from 1956-1978) have shown that both players suffered from degenerative brain diseases likely caused from repetitive hits to the head.

If head injuries are the new found

If Sidney Crosby played in the 1950s, he likely would have been on the ice during his battle with postconcussion syndrome. By no means am I questioning the legitimacy of his injury, that’s just how things worked back then.

With this in mind, there is a stark, yet important, contrast when considering the number of concussions diagnosed compared to the actual number of concussions sustained. Unless we’re somehow able to go back and compare the number of head injuries reported versus the ones kept in the dark, it seems unethical to label concussions as a new ‘epidemic’ in sports. After all, just because we were unaware something existed doesn’t mean it wasn’t a problem.

The real epidemic surrounding head injuries is how far behind our knowledge and treatment for them remains, as well as the continued insistence that many players won’t report them in order to follow the “code.” Our past ignorance towards the issue is a far bigger problem than an increase in players being properly diagnosed with, and seeking treatment for, head injuries.

To put it into simple terms, having an increase in the number of concussions reported doesn’t mean head injuries are on the rise in professional sports, just like not calling in sick to work once over the course of the year doesn’t necessarily mean you were healthy for 365 days.

UNBC Life

18

CFUR TOP 10 1.

Innocents

2.

Top Less

3.

The Bones Of What You Believe (CHVRCHES)

(Moby)

(Top Less Gay Love Tekno Party)

4.

Days Are Gone

5.

Trouble Will Find Me

(Haim) (The National)

6.

Bangerz

7.

Mission Accomplished

8.

Nothing Was The Same

9.

Big TV

10.

(Miley Cyrus... yes, trust me.)

(BA Johnston) (Drake)

(White Lies)

Bitter Rivals

(Sleigh Bells)

For more album reviews, live performances and charts visit cfur.ca Fraser Hayes CFUR Station Manager

H

ey there, dedicated fans and readers of Over the Edge at UNBC. We just thought we would blast you a quick little missive from the depths of our office, letting you know what we've been doing at CFUR. So, without further ado...

CFUR recently welcomed a new staff member, Ian Gregg. Ian joins Station Manager, Fraser Hayes, and Music Director, Jordan Tucker, as the Program Director. Ian is in charge of deciding what plays on the air when, and what our volunteers get up to. He also deals

Your Friendly Neighborhood CFUR with community members a lot. CFUR is more like chocolate-covered broccoli than ever before: Ian has set in place a whole bunch of new ways to make your volunteer experience even more enjoyable and beneficial! Ian has put together a whole whack of workshops and mini-seminars to better instruct new volunteers. At the end, they will come away with a whole wealth of radio knowledge to put in their heads and resumes. It's pretty swell. To welcome Ian, y'all should come to the station and do volunteer work for him as a present.

Fraser is heading up something really exciting: the Northern BC Audio Archive. Thanks to a grant from the Community Radio Fund of Canada, CFUR is embarking on the ambitious task of creating an archive of all the music produced in Prince George and surrounding areas of Northern BC. A panel has been created to oversee and advise on the process, consisting of talented folks such as musician Jeremy Stewart, The Citizen's Norm Coyn, and the CBC's Andrew Kurjata.

Stay tuned for more information.

And of course, the music department is chugging away all tickety-boo.

If you ever want to take a look at what's playing on CFUR, check out our website or our charts at Earshot and CMJ online. The list below is not representative of what's charting... look at it more like a recommended listen.

Here's a top ten of recommended album-y ear candy for you: CFUR's Music Director's 10 Recommended Listens Of The (Bi)Week (aka: what's cluttering my iPod at the moment)

Single and Ready to Flamingle animal looking for a mate, and even if it involves getting down on the floor and doing some weird twisty thing on your shoulder on a piece of cardboard, you need to prove your value to the opposite sex!

quickmeme.com

Jasmine Kirk Copy Editor

I

f you have been following along with Timberwolves Confessions on Facebook, you have probably noticed that UNBC has a whole lot of horny people. A major fear for students (new and old, undergrad and master’s) is that they will be swallowed up by academia, forget how to talk to people, and become the dreaded foreverstudent. You finish one thing, and feel as though the next will CERTAINLY get you a job. “I am all done with my undergrad… I’ll just finish my master’s really quick, and then employers will want me!” Before you know it, you’re doing a post-doctorate in Antarctica

(the best place on earth for your research), and living with ten too many cats. Prince George definitely does not help the aspiring dater. The abysmal club scene (it can be hard to find a decent guy at the strippers!) and the seclusion on campus makes it a challenge to find yourself a significant other in your short time on campus. If you want some advice, you’re probably reading the wrong author… but let’s give it a shot!

1) Show off some dance skills!

Whenever someone is selling tickets to something, and they are playing sweet tunes in the Winter Garden, whip out your dancing booty! If you get into a dance battle, even better! You are an

2) Hang out in original places. Eat alone a lot (preferably studying with headphones in) – it demonstrates to people that you want some companionship. Sit on the grass in the bus loop, particularly in winter! The third floor of the admin building has some great couches that are rarely used; a great place to eat lunch!

3) Shush people in the library. It demonstrates a respect for education, both yours and others. This works best on the first floor, or even behind the library on the couches! Someone else is probably glaring at those obnoxious people anyways, so if YOU are the one to stand up and tell them to shut it, you will have people fawning over you.

You might need a stick to keep them away.

4) Practice alternative sports;

competitive tree-climbing, uphill bathtub racing, boomerang throwing, or extreme ironing. Make sure you play solo – a team is just going to bog you down. While you’re at it - talk about them all the time. Make that your primary focus. People are attracted to originality, so definitely let them know just how original you are.

5) Be original and compliment things like women’s hips, hairlines, ankles, and knuckles. They need to know that they are beautiful everywhere – be specific.

If you’re speaking to guys, make sure you compare them to others. Tell them about your ex who had the biggest arms – it will make him want to work harder for your attention.

Last but not least, DON’T GIVE UP! Be persistent, and stay positive – surely you will meet the right person someday. Just because you’re not going to be able to enter the real world until you finish your PhD at 40 doesn’t mean you still can’t head on down to the bar and meet a fine new partner.

Coffee Break

19

Over The Edge

Newspaper

In association with Canadian University Press

Proudly Presents

WPNCUP October 25th to October 27th, 2 0 1 3

The 76th annual fall Western, Praries & Northern Regional Conference at the Sandman Signature, Prince George, British Columbia With Gord Hoekstra, Bill Phillips, Neil Godbout

and more...

Register at https://cuppres.wufoo.com/forms/wpncup-fall-2013-registration/

by October 18th, 2013