September 14, 2011

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Thompson Rivers University’s Independent Student Newspaper Sept 14, 2011

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Historic day for TRU as faculty of law opens in style

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WolfPack back at it 11

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September 14, 2011

News

TRU School of Law opens

First new law school to open in Canada in 30 years is located in the Brown Family House of Learning Brendan Kergin News Editor

Over a dozen pairs of scissors were needed Sept. 6 when politicians, lawyers and other local dignitaries came together in the Irving K. Barber British Columbia Centre for speeches and a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of TRU’s new law school.

“This is both a happy and historic day for Thompson Rivers University, the city of Kamloops, and the province of British Columbia,” said the Honourable Chief Justice Lance Finch, Chief Justice of British Columbia.

He was one of the many legal heavyweights who attended the opening.

The day started with a procession led by a bagpiper, a prayer from TRU Aboriginal Elder Jimmy Jack and greetings from the founding dean of law, Chris Axworthy.

This is the first new law school in Canada in over 30 years and only the third in B.C. With the other schools located in Victoria and Vancouver, it is hoped graduates of the TRU program will stay in the Interior to serve the needs of smaller communities.

“People are at the centre of all we do,” said Axworthy.

Like other highly educated professions there is worry there will be a lack of new lawyers outside metropolitan areas.

As young lawyers graduate, some will move into more rural areas to become important parts of those communities.

Many of the speakers touched on the need Canadians have for lawyers in less populated areas.

While these positions don’t carry the glamour of working at a big firm, they are integral to the well-being of a town.

“The increased supply of legally trained professionals comes at a time when access to justice in B.C. has become a serious problem,” said Finch.

The school came about with a great deal of effort from communities in the area which were concerned about their access to legal services and politicians like MLA Kevin Krueger, who spoke as well.

Officially announced in 2009, the school has been running on a small staff, with a great deal of the work being done by Axworthy and founding administrator Anne Pappas.

Some positions weren’t filled until this summer.

The school is focused toward

issues facing the area as well, especially concerning First Nations and environmental/natural resource issues.

It will also be looking at sports law, an area not well covered by other Canadian law schools.

It is a significant moment for TRU as it enters an arena filled with established schools that hold historic importance.

With only 16 other law schools in Canada, there will be an impact on the nation’s legal community when this year’s incoming class graduates in 2014.

The school plans to take advantage of its newness, looking to stay on the cutting edge of the legal world and running a more technologically advanced program.

TRU’s law school has partnered with the University of Calgary and is using the established school as a base for its first-year courses.

“We have a special relationship with Calgary,” said Axworthy.

Law students from the University of Calgary even travelled out to help with orientation.

Other visitors to the opening included representatives from UVic and UBC. The opening reached as far as the University of Zimbabwe, where Emmanuel Magade, dean of law at UZ, visited from.

MP Cathy McLeod brought messages from Ottawa as well as her own praise of the school and community.

“You look at the students in their blue shirts having orientation, you look at this phenomenal building which we just opened for the first time a couple months ago, and now the law school, this is just becoming such an important part of the fabric of Kamloops and an incredible institution,” said McLeod.

Other speakers included former Attorney General of B.C. and TRU Chancellor Wally Oppal, MLA Terry Lake and Chief Shane Gottfriedson of the Tk’emlups Indian Band.

Senator Nancy Greene was also in attendance. She was chancellor of TRU when the idea of the law school was first coming about.

Congratulations were also tweeted by Premier Christy Clark.

The opening took place in the Brown Family House of Learning, the newest building on campus (see sidebar on right side of this page) which is also where the program is based.

ABOVE: Prominent local figures, including Kamloops mayor Peter Milobar (far left) and TRU president Alan Shaver (grey suit, middle) cut the ribbon at the opening of the new TRU School of Law on Sept. 6.

—Brendan Kergin BELOW: The Brown Family House of Learning is the home for the new TRU School of Law, as well as many other ammenities for students.

—Mike Davies

More about the Brown family Many returning students have noticed the giant new building beside the Campus Commons.

It’s the Brown Family House of Learning and it opened in May. A LEED Gold Certified project, it has many environmentally positive aspects and is a state-of-the-art learning space.

The project was made possible by the Brown family, which is why it’s named after them.

Mark and Ellen Brown are a local couple who’ve had success starting, running and selling a local company called Northern Trailer.

Northern Trailer started in 1981 and is based in Kamloops. It serves much of Western Canada.

Though he sold it recently, Mark has stayed on as president of the company.

The couple’s $2 million contribution to TRU is the largest private donation the school has received to date.

With $750,000 donated last year, Mark will discuss with the school on a regular basis where the remaining $1.25 million will best benefit students over the next few years.

Brown called the donation a thank you to the community for its help in both his and Northern Trailer’s success.

www.theomega.ca

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Sept 14, 2011

THE

MEGA

www.theomega.ca

September 14, 2011

Volume 21, Issue 2

Published since November 27, 1991

editorialstaff EDITOR-IN-CHIEF (Outgoing) Coleman Molnar

Meet the Omega

The Omega has a whole new editorial and management staff.

Look for us around campus and say hello, or fire off an email and let us know how we’re doing

editorofomega@gmail.com/250-372-1272 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF (Incoming) Mike Davies

editorofomega@gmail.com/250-372-1272 BUSINESS MANAGER Natasha Slack

managerofomega@gmail.com 250-372-1272 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Cory Hope

SPORTS EDITOR

Nathan Crosby Copy Editor

Larkin Schmiedl Photo Editor

Cory Hope News Editor

Brendan Kergin

Cory Hope

omegacontributors

Arts

Kendra Wong, Christine Adam, Amber Choo

letterspolicy

Literary and visual submissions are welcomed.

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

Opinions belong only to those who have signed them.

Entertain-

ment/Photo Editor

publishingboard

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF * Coleman Molnar BUSINESS MGR * Natasha Slack INDUSTRY REP * Mike Youds FACULTY REP * Charles Hays STUDENT REP* Sadie Cox

and

Brendan Kergin

Mike Davies, Editor-in-Chief I’m really excited to be back for another year with the Omega.

I’m a fourth-year English major in the Professional Writing program here at TRU. I’m big on sports of all kinds (those of you who read the Omega last year will likely know my priorities), but also literature, movies, music and of course writing.

My hope is that we can put together a paper for you this year that is both entertaining and informative, and you can help us out by telling us how we’re doing.

When I’m not producing a paper for you folks or in class finishing the first of what I assume will be at least two degrees, I’m at home with my 16-month-old exceptional specimen of a human named Sven.

Email myself at editorofomega@gmail.com or any of our great crew members directly with comments or suggestions on how we can serve you better.

I look forward to hearing from you.

copyright

Cory Hope is entering his third year of undeclared studies, but is hoping to get accepted into the BIS program this year in an attempt to put together a degree that Canadian Geographic will be hard-pressed to turn down.

He frequently makes the bold claim that he is the prettiest man in Kamloops, and refuses to admit that he’s ever been proven wrong.

Although his social skills are questionable at best, you should never be afraid to buy him a drink if you see him out and about — unless he’s just stopped at a red light, at which point you can still (if you feel like it) throw one in the back seat.

He’ll save it for later.

News Editor I’m from Victoria where I’ve spent most of my life near the ocean and provincial politics. Here I’m a newbie to both the town and to third-year journalism.

While current events and provincial, federal and global politics interest me plenty, I’m also a beer snob, pretentious music lover and fan of highbrow comedy.

I’m also a huge fan of unnecessary white space (see below).

News related issues or questions can be sent to Brendan at: b.kergin@gmail.com

Contact Cory about arts and entertainment or images in the Omega at: cory.hope@gmail.com

All material in this publication is copyright The Omega and may not be reproduced without the expressed consent of the publisher. All unsolicited submissions become copyright Omega 2010.

Cariboo Student Newspaper Society (Publisher of The Omega) TRU Campus House #2 Box 3010, Kamloops, B.C. V2C 5N3 Phone: (250)372-1272 E-mail: editorofomega@gmail.com Ad Enquiries: managerofomega@gmail. com (Correspondence not intended for publication should be labelled as such.)

Want to get involved in covering campus news?

Apply to contribute to the Omega.

Natasha Slack, Business Manager Natasha was born and raised in Penticton, B.C. She attended the University College of the Cariboo (which is now your Thompson Rivers University) earning her Bachelors degree in Fine Arts in 2004.

“Walking through this journey of life as an aboriginal woman, I’ve ventured through many experiences that were inspirational. My philosophy is based on the medicine wheel that encompasses the Mind, Body and Soul.

“It’s nice to be ble to come back here and give back to the TRU community since it was such a big part of who I am.”

Email Natasha with any Omega business related questions or advertising proposals at managerofomega@gmail.com.

Nathan Crosby Sports Editor

Larkin Schmiedl Copy Editor

I’m a fourth-year journalism student from Didsbury, Alberta, a farming town north of Calgary.

This means I likely don’t cheer for the same hockey team as Omega readers, but I am a huge fan and follower of WolfPack athletics.

I am the play-by-play voice of the men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball teams which are broadcast live on sportcanada.tv and can be heard at every home game.

My interests include running on the cross country team, U2 and frequenting the gym.

Larkin is a fourth-year journalism student here at TRU and considers himself a coastdweller turned desert-dweller in regards to his time here.

He is attempting to live a settled life in Kamloops after 10+ years of nomadism.

When he’s not busy copy-editing the Omega hunting down grammar and style mistakes, he can be found hunting down wild foods or hanging out with his pet ferret.

Contact Nathan about sports-related issues at: ndcrosby@gmail.com

any

You can contact Larkin directly with any questions related to stylistic issues in the text of the Omega at: lschmiedl@gmail.com

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September 14, 2011

Feature

A deadly silence

Uncovering the epidemic of missing and murdered B.C. aboriginal women Ali Hackett

Nexus (Camosun College) VICTORIA (CUP) Thousands of Canadian women have been murdered over the last four decades, and hundreds, if not thousands, more are missing. Walk4Justice, a non-profit organization committed to raising awareness of this epidemic, says the number of missing and murdered women is as high as 4,200, with a disproportionately large percentage of aboriginal women represented.

Although the RCMP hasn’t released information about victims’ ethnicity in the past, it is estimated by Walk4Justice that at least 75 percent come from First Nations, Inuit, or Métis ancestry. There have been many detailed reports, commissions, and hearings on the subject, but human rights organizations such as Amnesty International Canada say the need for action is urgent.

An interim parliamentary report released in April by the Standing Committee on the Status of Women, titled Call Into the Night: An Overview of Violence Against Aboriginal Women, outlines the root causes of violence against aboriginal women in particular. According to the report, the vulnerability and mistreatment of aboriginal women is due to both a history of colonization and overt racism on the part of media, law enforcement and the justice system, and the indifference of society to the violence faced by aboriginal women.

The increased vulnerability of women in remote areas is also apparent. A disproportionately high number of missing or murdered

women have been reported around Highway 16 in British Columbia, commonly referred to as the Highway of Tears, between Prince George and Prince Rupert. Statistics from the Sisters in Spirit initiative, an education and research project of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, show almost half of the aboriginal women murdered in B.C. are killed by strangers; the rate is much lower among the non-aboriginal population.

Stolen sisters In October of 2004, Amnesty International Canada released a report, Stolen Sisters: Discrimination and Violence Against Indigenous Women in Canada, which helped bring political awareness to the subject.

According to the report, young indigenous women in Canada are five times more likely than nonindigenous women of the same age to die as the result of violence.

Stolen Sisters describes a pattern of racism, decades of oppressive government policy, and a lack of accountability within police forces.

The report details that although this is a political and a social issue, it is also a human-rights issue.

“Indigenous women have the right to be safe and free from violence,” states the report. “When a woman is targeted for violence because of her gender or because of her indigenous identity, her fundamental rights have been abused. And when she is not offered an adequate level of protection by state authorities because of her gender or because of her Indigenous identity, those rights have been violated.”

According to RCMP corporal Annie Linteau, victims aren’t

discriminated against because of their race.

“Regardless of someone’s nationality or racial background, we promptly investigate any reported missing person or instances of violence against women,” she said.

Linteau also said two major, ongoing projects in B.C. are dedicated to apprehending the people responsible for these crimes.

One is Project Even Handed, which was responsible for the Robert Pickton investigation, and the other is E-Pana. E-Pana is a government-funded, approximately 70-person team dedicated to investigating disappearances and murders.

“The project has a very specific mandate,” Linteau explained. “It’s looking at the disappearance or homicide of women who meet specific criteria: they have to be female, they were involved in highrisk activity such as hitchhiking or the sex trade, and they were last seen or their body was found within a mile or so from Highway 16, Highway 97, or Highway 5.

The purpose of E-Pana was to try and establish if a serial killer was responsible for any of the deaths.”

Currently, 18 cases are being investigated under E-Pana as homicides, although the remains of some women have not been found.

Using databases, the team’s reviewers are now able to see similarities between cases, follow leads, and hopefully discover new evidence that may lead them to making arrests.

But controversy surrounds EPana. Some families whose loved ones aren’t on the list feel they are being neglected. Others feel that the team isn’t doing enough, or that it’s too little, too late.

“In many cases, some of the evidence that had previously been looked at forensically has been resubmitted for analysis, because of technological advances,” said Linteau.

“The oldest case dates back to 1969.”

With state-ofthe-art technology like DNA sampling and seemingly limitless governmentfunded resources, some victims’ families have a hard time understanding why all 18 cases remain unsolved.

“In some of them, we may be able to determine what happened to provide a bit of closure to the families,” team commander RCMP staffsergeant Bruce Hulan said in a December 2009 interview with the Vancouver Sun. “Is it likely that we will be able to charge on all 18 of them?

I’m doubtful about that.”

Winds of change In 2006, Gladys Radek participated in a walk along the Highway of Tears for her niece, Tamara Chipman, who went missing near Prince Rupert in 2005.

“I knew there would be no justice for Tamara, or any of these women,” said Radek, who drew up a petition demanding a public inquiry into the disappearances.

The petitions collected thousands of signatures but didn’t draw the attention of politicians.

In early 2008, Radek made a call to Bernie Williams, a longtime community issues advocate who has worked to bring attention to women missing from the downtown east side of Vancouver since the mid-‘80s.

That year, the pair created the non-profit, non-governmental organization Walk4Justice in 2008.

“Our aim is to bring awareness to the plight of murdered and missing women in B.C. and nationwide, which has been ignored in the past,” said Radek.

“Awareness helps the families of the lost women. It incenses the public to ask questions.”

This year marks the fourth Walk4Justice. They have walked over 3,000 kilometres through all kinds of weather, including the recent storm produced by Hurricane Irene.

The walkers don’t travel in a straight line; instead, they follow a route that takes them to communities where families have lost loved ones. Some families travel from across Canada, including the Yukon and Northwest Territories, to meet the walkers.

Walk4Justice has a grassroots approach to research. Together with the families, they share stories, hold vigils, and add names to their growing list of missing and murdered women. A core group, plus some who joined to walk partway, will reach their final destination on Sept. 17, after leaving on June 21. On Sept. 19, Walk4Justice will hold a rally on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

“When will the government do something about the lives being lost? These are hate crimes,” said Williams, who has also been directly affected by the violence that persists against women in this country; her mother and two sisters were murdered in the downtown east side of Vancouver.

“We want a national, aboriginal taskforce that’s transparent and open to communities and families,” she emphasized. “We want health, healing, and wellness centres for aboriginal women only.”

The group is also calling for a national missing and murdered women’s symposium to be held in Vancouver.

“We need to take actions to provide better safety nets and to stop this ongoing violence against our women and children, and all women,” said Williams. “These unnecessary, heinous crimes have to stop.”

Strength in numbers Walk4Justice is only part of a growing number of organizations dedicated to bringing justice to the women affected by violence in Canada. Sisters in Spirit (SIS) has researched 582 cases of missing and murdered women across

the country over the last several years. According to the SIS, cases in B.C. make up almost a third of the cases in their national database.

Of these cases, almost half are between age 19 and 30. The SIS is concerned with the intergenerational impact these cases have.

“When you kill off a nation of women, you kill off a future generation,” said Williams.

Relatives often struggle to care for children of the missing and murdered. Radek’s niece had a young son who’s now growing up without his mother. Families with missing women who aren’t considered by the RCMP to have met with foul play are ineligible for legal aid and other resources such as victim services, because there’s no evidence that a crime took place. When women disappear without a trace, their families are often left to deal with the aftermath on their own.Findings from the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry will be submitted by Dec. 31.

One purpose of the inquiry is to look into the conduct of police forces that launched investigations between Jan. 23, 1997 and Feb. 5, 2002 on women missing from the poverty-stricken area of Vancouver’s downtown eastside.

Each police official involved has been given their own publicly funded lawyer, while the families of victims and women who were involved have had to provide their own lawyers.

Although the federal government claims they are doing as much as they can, pleas for a national missing person task force have been rejected. As of July, the federal government has allocated approximately $2 million to create a missing person database that will allow all levels of law enforcement to share information, but it’s not yet operating.

At this point, the RCMP hasn’t released information about whether or not victims are aboriginal.

This doesn’t sit well with Radek, who suggested they’re essentially denying that a problem exists.

“It is only through awareness which people start to ask questions, and it is only through accountability that we will find justice,” said Radek.

None of these are new concerns. Several commissions, investigations and human rights groups have identified many of the issues and outlined recommendations for change, but many argue that not enough is being done.

Both Williams and Radek feel there’s an injustice in the inaction of law enforcement to bring the offenders to trial; they see an inequality in our standard of living in Canada.

“This country has a dark side,” said Williams. “It’s beautiful, but there is a dark side.”

Considering that the vast majority of missing and murdered women are aboriginal, Williams suggested the high percentage of unsolved cases is due to systemic racism within government, law enforcement and the judicial system.

“If it was me, I would bring a class action law suit against the country,” she said. “These are crimes against humanity.”

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The Omega · Volume 21, Issue 2

Editorial

A bit of joy on a sombre day Sparwood boy safe at home after manhunt On the day that will be remem- not with his family.

We then woke on the morning bered forever in human history as one of huge tragedy and loss of of Sept. 11 — the day that will life, one family and their small, always be remembered as the one tight-knit community in south- on which the World Trade Ceneast B.C. will remember it quite ter towers fell killing thousands of innocent people — to find that differently.

For four days last week the one innocent child was found on his couch at home public was on holding his blanthe lookout for ket, excited to see 46-year-old Ranhis Mom and Dad. dall Hopley, who So often these was believed to stories end in sadhave abducted ness and despair. t h r e e -ye a r- old So often we hear Kienan Hebert of a body rather from his Sparthan a reunion. wood home in But while the the middle of the hunt continues for night on WednesHebert’s alleged day, Sept. 7. abductor — at least As the report of as of the writing the missing child of this piece midcame out, some were hopeful that Editor’s Note morning on that most infamous of the boy — who had Mike Davies days — I can wear a history of sleepa smile and share walking — had Editor-in-Chief in the relief and merely wandered happiness felt by the Heberts, the off in the middle of the night.

As frightening a prospect as town of Sparwood, and all the that would be, the alternative was concerned citizens who were following the story. even more so.

I do hope that his abductor The public was then made aware of the manhunt happening will turn himself in peacefully for Hopley, who allegedly spirit- to authorities, but so be it if he ed away with the boy in the early doesn’t. The important part has concluded. morning hours.

The Heberts are together on The public immediately went on the alert, using social media this solemn day, sharing the joy outlets like Twitter and Facebook that is family. to spread the word, but after editorofomega@gmail.com three days — and several “sightings” reports — the boy was still

I read the news today. Oh boy…

Christine Adam

TRU Dean of Students Like many administrators here at TRU and other universities across the country, I start my day sweeping Twitter, Google Reader and other sites to learn about what is going on at colleges and universities around North America.

And so it was in this online space that I found myself last Thursday — in the midst of orientation ceremonies and barbeques.

My heart sank as I read the first story.

“Acadia student dies after binge drinking” read the headline.

The student is reported to have been

playing a drinking game earlier in the week and may have consumed an entire 40-ounce bottle of liquor.

This comes during the same week that Queen’s University enforced a new policy that forbids any alcohol in residences during Frosh Week — a response to two alcohol-related deaths last year.

It’s something we all worry about: students testing new limits and finding themselves in over their heads.

We all dread calling parents to inform them that something horrible has gone wrong.

Dear students, have a great time here at TRU. Enjoy meeting new people.

Celebrate with them.

Get a little crazy sometimes. But

please take care of each other.

If you’re worried about how you or a friend are handling alcohol or drugs, know that there are all sorts of smart, caring people here on campus to help you figure it out.

The Counseling Department (250828-5023) and the Wellness Centre (250-828-5010) are good places to start.

The Phoenix Centre in Kamloops (250374-4621) is another place to turn.

This is the first of a weekly column to be written by Christine Adam, TRU’s dean of students. You can find her in person in 1631 Old Main and follow her on Twitter: @trudeanstudents

Law school will benefit community, hopefully Coleman Molnar

Outgoing Editor-in-Chief There’s a new group of welldressed, good-looking scholars on campus this year — and I’m not talking about this fall’s import of Russian exchange students.

These people are the law, or at least they will be.

The only law school to form in Canada in the last 33 years officially opened its doors last week to a group of 75 enthusiastic and sexy students.

With a brand new building to study in, some of the most expensive professors on campus and the simple prestige that comes with being a law school, it’s clear that this is a large step for TRU. The question is, in which direction?

Will the faculty’s if-you-build-itthey-will-come attitude draw lawyers wanting to pay top dollar for a Juris Doctor (law degree) at one of Canada’s smaller universities?

Or will it negatively affect the university’s small, tight-knit-community feel and harbour resentment among staff and students both with-

in and outside the program?

I caught up with law student and friend of the Omega, Amy Ulveland, to get her first impressions on the program and ask about the legality of calling law students — and Russians for that matter — sexy.

“There’s just this palpable energy.

Everybody is excited to be here,” she said.

As for the cost of her education, Ulveland remains optimistic.

“Yes, it is absolutely high when you compare it to other law schools’ tuitions, but at the same time you have to keep in mind that it sort of goes hand-in-hand with the start of a new law school and all the resources that requires. It’s a huge undertaking.”

Though the students and staff have come from across Canada and even as far as Australia, the faculty hopes that most of the lawyers will stay in B.C. after graduation.

Ulveland, for one, plans to stay in the Interior.

“There will be some who return to the bigger centers like Calgary or Vancouver or wherever,” she said, “but I think the law school will pro-

duce lawyers that will stay in the area.”

Locally grown lawyers does sound like an appetizing addition to TRU’s metaphorical farmer’s market, and the program’s focus on legal issues involving energy, socioeconomic issues facing First Nations communities, and natural resources is well suited to the Kamloops area.

Good looking and useful? We should be begging these people to stay!

Still, some people believe lawyers play a crooked game. We all know the stigmas. Have you heard the one about the lawyer who walked into the campus pub? Well, apparently he had a drink, was very respectful and charming to his waitress, and tipped through the roof.

All stereotypes and hypotheticals aside, TRU is lucky to have a program as prestigious as the Faculty of Law. And if the quality of the education lives up to the price, the expected prestige should follow.

Want to chime in on this discussion? Comment on this story online at theomega.ca.

SUMMIT MONTESSORI The Virtue for September is: Peacefulness: Peacefulness is being calm inside. Take time for daily reflection and gratitude. Solve conflicts so everyone wins. Be a peacemaker. Peace is giving up the love of power for the power of love. Peace in the world begins with peace in your heart.

Our Trained Montessori Teachers provide a Montessori Pre-school, and full day Childcare program. Studies include world geography, culture, math, language, art, music and much more! We provide care for Toddlers, 3-5’s and Afterschool.

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September 14, 2011

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The Omega · Volume 21, Issue 2

Photo Gallery

Back-to-class events were on for the first week of the fall semester and the Omega was there... with cameras!

TOP LEFT: It’s possible the lineups were long on Sept. 9 on the Campus Commons because everyone knows you don’t pass up free food!

—Brendan Kergin RIGHT: Once you got through the line, volunteers were ready with burgers and dogs.

—Brendan Kergin BOTTOM: Daniel Wesley and others rocked the Campus Commons on Saturday, Sept. 10 as part of the Tunes Against Tuition Concert.

—Brendan Kergin

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LEFT: The WolfPack cheerleaders show some school spirit at the back-to-school barbeque on Sept. 9.

—Coleman Molnar

7 y9 wa

8

September 14, 2011

Arts & Entertainment

Talk – Action = 0 Cory Hope

Arts and Entertainment Editor D.O.A. has been around since before the majority of the student body was born, and they aren’t showing any signs of slowing down.

I was able to catch up with Joey “Shithead” Keithley in between the two shows he played in town recently — one solo performance downtown and one with D.O.A. at Pogue Mahone — and he sat down on a curb behind the venue to have a chat with me while he waited for his dinner.

Talk Minus Action = 0 is not only the name of Keithley’s new book but also of D.O.A.’s new album, the second one they have released under that name.

This slogan, which is almost synonymous with D.O.A., has its origins in the cover of a Vancouver-based anarchist magazine called Open Road.

D.O.A.’s manager asked if the band could use it on the back of their War on 45 album in 1982.

“We just tried to live up to it,” said Keithley.

The idea behind the slogan is that if you want to change things you have to take some action.

“It doesn’t have to be violent action but it has to be some sort of action that gets people thinking,” said Keithly.

“Be your own boss, think for yourself [and] try to affect some positive change in this world.

“If you have an idea that is any good, you should talk to your friends, your neighbours, the people in your town, and try to convince them that it’s a good idea and that it’s how things should change, because change really starts from a local level.

“A lot of people think that change starts from big business, from captains of industry and politicians and famous actors or whatever.”

D.O.A.’s message is that change really starts from the people.

“Politicians, they just read the polls and react to them,” he said.

To change things, “you have to get the ideas out to your friends and neighbours, spread it across your town, across your province,

across the country, or around the world. If it’s a good idea, it will catch on. Sometimes bad ideas will catch on too.”

He gave examples of various forms of fascism – Nazi Germany and Italy, and Communist China.

My talk with Joey Kiethley was not what your mom and dad would expect to come from a punk rocker, and the show that followed would probably have sent them running for the hills.

I don’t believe for a second that the problem would be with the message he has, though.

Keithley was voted one of Vancouver’s 150 most inf luential people by the Vancouver Sun in 2008, and D.O.A. has been honoured by former mayor of Vancouver Larry Campbell who declared December 21 ‘D.O.A. Day.’ When it comes to delivering a positive message, my guess is that Joey “Shithead” Kiethley is an ambassador we could all get behind.

Talk – Action = 0.

Joey “Shithead” Kiethley of D.O.A. takes the stage at Pogue Mahone for the first show of their latest tour.

—Cory Hope

Terraria is the new Minecraft New indie action-adventure/RPG release worth the $10 download Amber Choo

The Phoenix (UBC-Okanagan) KELOWNA, B.C. (CUP) In the beginning, I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to be doing in Terraria.

There is no tutorial — instead the developers plopped my 2D self onto the surface of the world and left me to fend for myself.

My character was equipped with nothing but an axe and a pickaxe.

I wandered around for a bit saving bunnies from hostile jelly monsters, and then finally realized I could probably use the axe on a tree.

Before I knew it, I was making my first house out of wood.

The way construction works in this game is fascinating, because blocks of dirt, wood, or whatever you happen to have do not conform to the laws of gravity.

Your work doesn’t have to make gravitational sense — rarely does it ever in Terraria.

After slapping a door and a workbench onto my house, I started making a huge staircase out of dirt into the sky for kicks.

I was hooked!

And then the zombie came.

I tried to build faster, but the zombies knew what was up.

They were climbing my stairs, and before I knew it, I was swinging my pickaxe in their general direction with little success.

I got knocked out of the sky and fell to my doom.

After my collision with the hard earth, my disgruntled character respawned outside the crude wooden house I had abandoned earlier.

I went inside and opened my inventory, and realized I had a copper shortsword sitting at the bottom of my inventory.

Those zombies (now outside my house, waiting for me to come outside) were going to get

served.

Fighting monsters with the equipment you have made (or earned) is satisfying.

The number of items players can make with the workbench, the anvil (which comes later), and other crafting stations is continually expanding as the Terraria staff continue to dish out new patches.

There are many weapons and pieces of armour to collect and use, and there are useful accessories to find around the world.

Some weapons and other precious items are exclusively found in treasure chests, which are scattered underground and on f loating islands high in the sky.

Finding those treasure chests is never a cakewalk, because different types of monsters will spawn depending on your location.

For example, a man-eating plant kept eating my face off whenever I explored an underground jungle-like area.

I learned from the guide (a strange NPC who seems to be living in my house) that if I have enough vines and jungle spores, I can make a thorn chakram, which does a lot more damage than my sword.

Vines drop off of those faceeating monsters, so I’ll have to make my way back down there and show them (eventually) who is boss.

Terraria also sports a very fun multiplayer mode whereby you or a friend can host a Terraria server and invite who you want to join in.

The maximum amount of players per server is eight.

I managed to hook up my world onto a local server, and my brother joined in.

He laughed at my terrible wooden house and then proceeded to mine his way underground.

We found some veins of iron and silver, which we later used (with great satisfaction) to make an anvil.

Unfortunately, Terraria serv-

ers can be a real pain to set up, especially if your friend isn’t on the same wireless network as you are.

There is confusion in regards to firewalls, IP addresses, port forwarding and all sorts of headache-inducing traumas.

I managed to get it going by reading through some help forums — reassuring, considering I am not much of a techie whiz.

Terraria is available to download for 10 dollars on Steam (steampowered.com).

It is well worth the money, considering the gameplay is addictive and debatably endless.

You can make as many worlds as you want and move your characters between them with ease.

Treasure chests can be used as storage, so the amount of stuff you can keep from your travels is infinite.

Ultimately, Terraria is a fun and immersive experience that will leave you mining and chopping for hours on end.

9

The Omega · Volume 21, Issue 2

Life & Community

Welcome To Kamloops. Now, Get Out. Cory Hope

Arts and Entertainment Editor Outside, that is!

I know that your classes are now in session, and you might even be living out of boxes for now (some of you might just continue living out of boxes for the duration of the school year), but the weather is in your favour to go outside and play when you manage to sneak in a few spare minutes between doing all of the things you’re doing to avoid doing what you should be doing.

Kamloops has a lot to offer anybody who likes outdoor activities, except perhaps deep-sea fishing enthusiasts or whaling hobbyists (note: if you like these types of activities pick up a map of British Columbia — we keep the ocean on the left).

In an effort to introduce you to some of the beautiful areas we are surrounded by, I’ve devised a little geocaching action for you.

We’re going to start out nice and close, and hopefully we’ll have you finding your way around some of the trails, beaches, rivers and other fun things in the area.

Here’s how it works: Every week or so, I’m going to go on a hike, and I’ll give you the GPS co-ordinates to the location of some f lag tape I’ll be marking.

You don’t need a GPS to play, either.

All you need to do is type the numbers into Google Maps and it will show you the location you’re looking for.

With a little luck, we’ll be able to continue to offer prizes if you are the first one to find the tape and email me the message written on it.

Now is the time to get out and see how beautiful the Kamloops region is. Find this view of Kamloops and win the Are you ready? first geocache prize of the year.

—Cory Hope Up behind New Residence there is a hill There are also probably better things you could do with heck of a nice view. that, for reasons I can’t comprehend, is used It’s a great place to sit down and read, have a coffee, your day if you have any serious aversion to snakes. very little.

If I haven’t lost you already, good luck on being the An easy walking trail can be found by the Trades or generally waste an afternoon.

A few words of caution before I set you loose, though. first one to get back to me with the message on the tape, Building, and it leads to an area that overlooks a good First off, if you’re a smoker, please be careful with and I’ll get your prize out to you as soon as possible. part of the city of Kamloops, both the Thompson River Don’t take the f lagging tape, though. We might have and the North Thompson, and when visibility is good your butts, and bring them back down with you when you can see snow-capped mountains in the distance on you’re done. There’s an ashtray just outside of the a few consolation prizes for those that put in the effort.

Trades Building you can use. the hottest of days.

Tell Cory what’s written on the f lagging tape at: Second, if you happen to have allergies to any of the You’ll find this week’s f lag up at the top of one of these hills, located at N 50° 40.529, W 120° 22.407 (ac- small, yellow, stinging variety of pests, this might not cory.hope@gmail.com curate to within six metres), and you’ll also find one be the best time of year to be hanging around up there.

B.C. university presidents unite to improve financial aid for students Kendra Wong

The Peak (Simon Fraser University) BURNABY, B.C. (CUP) In an attempt to increase the financial assistance available to post-secondary students, B.C. university administrations called upon the provincial government Sept. 8 to bring student loan interest rates in line with other provinces.

Four presidents from the Research Universities’ Council of British Columbia, including Andrew Petter of Simon Fraser University, Stephen Toope of the University of British Columbia, David Turpin of the University of Victoria and George Iwama of the University of Northern British Columbia raised concerns about the province’s skyrocketing interest rates on student loans.

Currently, B.C.’s interest rates sit at 2.5 per cent above prime — effectively the highest in Canada. Collectively, the four universities spend approximately $120 million in financial aid a year for students, which they claim is not enough.

The presidents argue that interest rates may force students to think twice before

attending post-secondary institutions and that providing attractive financial assistance is necessary if B.C. is planning on reaching out to under-represented groups.

“If we’re going to be serious — as the province says we should [be] — about reaching out to under-presented groups like indigenous people, the disabled community, socio-economically challenged areas, and ethnic populations, the current resources we have, and the government has, on the table are just not going to be adequate to do that,” Petter told the Vancouver Sun. The presidents also drew attention to the work of other provincial governments such as Newfoundland and Labrador, which eliminated interest rates on student loans in 2009.

The universities have since submitted recommendations to the B.C. Ministry of Advanced Education, which is in the process of a review.

According to Minister of Advanced Education Naomi Yamamoto, the ministry is conducting a review of the current financial assistance available to students.

Puzzle of the Week #1 You have quite a mess of socks in that drawer: five white, five yellow, six black, four brown, four blue, and one lime green. Except for colour, they are indistinguishable.

You need to select matching socks. There is no light. That summer job was really weird, and you have grown a third leg, so rather than selecting a matching pair, you need to select a matching triplet. “matching” means all the same colour.

What is the minimum number of socks you have to take to be sure of getting a matching triplet? What about if you want to be sure of getting two matching triplets?

This contest is sponsored by the Mathematics and Statistics department. The full-time student with the best score at the end of the year will win a prize. Submit your solution (not just the answer but also why) by noon next Wednesday to Gene Wirchenko <genew@ocis.net>. Submissions by others are also welcome. The solution will be posted the Wednesday after that in the Math Centre (HL210A). Come visit: we are friendly.

10

September 14, 2011

Coffee Break

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1. 60s rock group, with Corner 5. Slight 9. Partition 14. Lion’s beard?

15. Type of insurance for owners 16. Pointed arch 17. Nose out 18. Tapi endings 19. Rich tapestry 20. Place for pessimists 23. Virgo mo.

24. Cries at a circus 25. Keen 28. Swimmer’s gear 30. Banned pesticide, for short 32. “Star-Spangled Banner” preposition 33. Tongue 35. Conundrum 37. Invest in a risky fashion 40. Witch 41. Bean 42. Greyhound, e.g.

43. Magazine revenue source 44. Come back again 48. Go up and down 51. Supporting 52. Grassy area 53. Investing term that came from poker 57. Salad oil holder

59. Old audio system 60. Horse course 61. Where to get a fast buck?

62. Fall locale 63. Anatomical network 64. Experiments 65. Used to be 66. Four’s inferior Down 1. Cells in the sea?

2. Improvised 3. Captivate 4. At no point in time, contraction 5. Native American people 6. Scottish water areas 7. Mosque V.I.P. 8. City in Arizona 9. Drenches 10. Wading bird 11. Great musicians 12. “Desperate Housewives” actress, first name 13. Court matter 21. A chemical salt 22. Deserter 26. Romeo or Juliet 27. Blunder 29. Distinctive flair 30. Beach sights 31. Angry outburst

34. Investor’s alternative 35. Inquisitive people 36. Look at flirtatiously 37. Constant 38. Flower starts 39. Belladonna poison 40. ABC’s rival 43. Amazement 45. Plant 46. Fertility goddess 47. American sharpshooter 49. Driving hazard 50. Common carriers 51. Flute player 54. Consider, with on 55. Cover up 56. Legal wrong 57. PC component, for short 58. Delicacy

last week’s answers B O R E D V I D E O G A M E

E S O O L V E E S N B A A R B V I E B A D Y E

T F R I E E N E M O D E Y I R E P A R A C K T O E A R S E R E M A C D A T E S N V B O D E N T N I L E

N D S I E L T R S E N T A R S C H O H L G O A L C A W E S M O K S R I A L D O L

C A R R U A I N Z S E A B E O L E C S A P A R O M E R E T O R S L S

11

The Omega · Volume 21, Issue 2

Sports

Women’s soccer kicks off another season Nathan Crosby Sports Editor

The Wolf Pack women’s soccer team used the 33 degree weather on Thursday to practise for the regular season — a season that began with a loss to the Kwantlen Eagles 2-1 and a 3-3 draw with the Douglas Royals over the weekend.

The final practice before the regular season happened on the scorching hot afternoon of Sept.

8, with the women scrimmaging at Hillside Stadium.

Head Coach Tom McManus said the biggest improvement made from last year’s team is the emphasis he’s placing on more scoring.

“Last year, [goal scoring] was our biggest downfall. We were possessing very well, knocking the ball down and we out possessed everybody, but we got to certain areas and just didn’t shoot and that’s what I’m looking for this year.”

The injury bug has also hit the team forcing McManus to make adjustments.

He said most of the injuries happened to players during their summer play leading up to the regular season.

First team all-star and second-

year defender Sarah Gomes suffered a concussion on Sept. 3 against the University of Fraser Valley Cascades and did not play the follow weekend against the Douglas Royals or the Kwantlen Eagles.

First-year Madison Wells also sat on the sideline.

McManus added that although adjustments to the roster had to be made, the team played hard and disciplined in the pre-season.

The team went 0-4-1 in preseason play against CIS and NCAA Division II programs.

In 2010, the Wolf Pack women tied Douglas on the road and won at home to win the season series.

The team lost both matches to the Kwantlen Eagles. They went on to finish third in the BCAA “A” division with three wins, three draws and six losses.

Captain Abbey McAuley said the team is finding chemistry despite injuries and other setbacks.

“The girls that came in came with team spirit and we’ve really been gelling together, and if they weren’t at first they are now.

“Everybody seems to be on the same page,” she said.

Tom McManus’ team braves the Kamloops heat to prepare for their 2011 season. The team opened with a loss and a tie on opening weekend, and will not show their stuff to the home fans until Sept. 24 against the University of British Columbia Okanagan Heat.

—Nathan Crosby

“We definitely lost a lot of talent with the graduating players and the players that didn’t come back, but I feel the rookies came in and knew the shoes that had to be filled beforehand.

“I feel the talent we’ve got is great, especially for how young our team is this year.

“We’ve all come in with good

heads on our shoulders.”

The Wolf Pack have one game scheduled for the coming weekend when they’ll visit the UBCO Heat on Sept. 18.

They won’t return to Hillside Stadium until Sept. 24 for their home opener, a rematch against UBCO. That game will be highlighted

by the players wearing pink Tshirts during warm-ups in support of the CIBC Run for the Cure and Breast Cancer Research.

The shirts will also be available for purchase before and during the game with partial proceeds going to the charity.

New-look men’s volleyball team comes together Nathan Crosby Sports Editor

great coach. I’ve heard lots of good things about him from my The Wolf Pack men’s volleyball last coach.”

The six-foot-five, 24-year-old team ran through drills together last Thursday with the new sea- Orman will bring some experison quickly approaching. It was ence to the lineup and said that is a busy summer for a team head- why he chose Thompson Rivers.

“My ball ing into 2011-2012 control and with a weight of my experiexpectations. ence from One of the big beach volmoves made by leyball and head coach Pat from playing Hennelly came in Poland’s at the end of the second divisummer when he sion at a very grabbed left side compet it ive Krzysztof Orman level should of Czestochowa, be benefiPoland. cial for this Orman played team.” in Toronto last —Krzysztof Orman “It will be year for the Naa fun [seational Beach Volleyball program and is excited to son]. We don’t know each other be in Kamloops helping the Wolf- very well right now but we are going to hang out more and learn Pack. about each other.”

“It’s great,” he said.

Second-year hitter Casey “I’ve only been here five days Knight, a native of Salt Spring but the atmosphere is amazing.

“Pat is an amazing guy and a Island, B.C., said despite his off-

“I’ve only been here five days but the atmosphere is amazing”

season injury, he is looking for- eryone has to come together as a ward to the new challenges the team.”

The Wolf Pack used the weekteam will face. end of Sept.

“My serving 10 and 11 to has become more head to a reconsistent, my treat to work jumping is getting on team better,” he said. building Knight suffered exercises. a stress fracture They used in the metatarsal it as an opbone in his foot portunity to while exercisget to know ing and says he each other. will be out for the Six new renext two to three cruits give weeks. the men’s “I haven’t been volleyball able to train much team a new toward the end of look. the summer due A l o n g to my injury, so with Orman, right now it’s all Krzysztof Orman is one of the team about getting back the many new faces of the has brought into shape.”

WolfPack men’s volleyball six-footHe added that team.

—TRU Athletics in seven right right now the side-setter team’s main task is getting familiar with one another. Brad Gunter from Courtenay, “It’s coming together, we got a Nick Balazs, a six-foot-five midwhole bunch of new guys and ev- dle from Prince George, Chris

Osborn, a six-foot-eight right side-left side from Phoenix, Arizona, Mohamed AbdelMoniem, a six-foot-eight middle from Cairo, Egypt, and Jacob Tricarico a sixfoot-seven middle from Huntington Beach, California.

One of the weaknesses the men’s team faced last year was playing away from the Tournament Capital Centre (TCC). They won only two of a possible eight games on the road. The Wolf Pack was however among the best in the Canada West division at home with a seven and three record, which was good enough to put them in sixth and get them a playoff spot. The Wolf Pack then lost in the first round to the Trinity Western Spartans in three straight sets to end the year.

The first chance for fans to see the ‘Pack will come at an exhibition game on Sept. 23 at the TCC when they host the UBC Thunderbirds.

The team will open the 20112012 regular season campaign at home on Oct. 28 against the Calgary Dinos.

12

September 14, 2011

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