March 28, 2012

VOLUME 21 ISSUE 28 March 28, 2012

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Quebec rises up against tuition hikes 4

There’s just something 8 missing now

The future of TRU men’s volleyball? 13

Democracy

in action

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IMAGE COURTESY U.S. MARINE CORPS

TRU’s Independent Student Newspaper

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March 28, 2012

Feature

Democracy inaction!

Brendan Kergin Ω News Editor

You live in a democracy

Twenty-five per cent of eligible voters.

Last year at TRU was a big year as well, with 44 candidates and about 18 per cent turnout. One of the reasons postulated by some students for the low poll numbers this year was the fact only one slate ran and each position only had one person running in it. This gave students the option of voting for that slate or to ask for re-running of the process.

For one available position the slate didn’t have a candidate and an independent candidate ran.

“I think there’s multiple things at play. We’re coming to the end of the semester when students are focused on one thing right now and that’s getting their papers in or doing their midterms,” according to Dustin McIntyre, VP internal and incoming president of TRUSU. “If you want to call that student voter apathy, that they care about their schooling more than coming to the student union to vote, sure. I don’t call that voter apathy. I think if people legitimately could come and vote and they just didn’t want to, that would be voter apathy, and I think, sure it was a low turnout, but I don’t think that’s a sign of anything that’s negative.”

According to McIntyre, there wasn’t a hot-button issue in this election, and he doesn’t think there usually is.

“If there was, maybe if there was something larger that was taking place and the student union had a pivotal role in that, voter turn out would be a lot higher because that issue would be in people’s minds and they saw the solution as coming to vote at TRUSU. “We’re talking about a lot of people who are only here nine to five and then they disengage from campus. I don’t think the state of democracy on campus is failing. I feel that democracy is a pro-

With that fact comes a responsibility. If people want the freedoms and choices afforded them in a democracy they are responsible for being aware of the processes which hold such a societal structure in place.

Here’s the thing though - studies show, students and young people at large just don’t give a – On a federal level, ignoring the recent success of Jack Layton’s NDP, the 18 to 25 demographic is traditionally absent from voting booths. Youth Voter Turnout in Canada, a public report on parl.gc.ca (the Parliament of Canada’s official website), compared the turnouts of young people (under the age of 25) for the 2004, 2006 and 2008 federal elections. According to the report under 40 per cent voted on average. Numbers for the most recent election haven’t been tabulated. While they may have TRUSU staff patiently await voters to register and vote at the 2012 TRUSU election polling gone up, it’s likely they will still be the station. Just over 10 per cent of the student population voted for their student union lowest of any age demographic, as they representatives for next year.

have been in nearly every federal elec—PHOTO BY CORY HOPE tion since 1970. learn so many things, and it’s like we’re ing a certain dollar amount every year lowed closely by deals offered by TRUAnd that’s at the highest level of oflearning to not give a shit,” said Jack. “I towards or student union fees, that we SU membership at 21 per cent. There fice. Once we get down to the municithink if it’s that low they should have to should have some more detail on what was a noticeable drop down to tweets pal levels, low levels of voter turnout do it again. It should be a do over. How those fees are going into and what we about elections which was matched by become even more prominent.

TRUSU Facebook page ads, with four embarrassing is that? When you look get out of those fees.

Low municipal turnout is partly due “I think using the Facebook page tweets each. The student with the twitat the numbers? They can’t even claim to the fact that youth-centred issues are that 1 in 10 people on campus wants more because so many people do use ter handle @marvinbeatty was replied rarely discussed during city elections.

Facebook and yet again there was noth- to nearly as much as there were election them in power. That’s embarrassing.”

Young people also tend to be more McIntyre points out that while few ing really about the election there either. notifications, as he had three responses transient, renting homes and moving students came out to vote, the majority Maybe doing classroom presentations, to inquisitive tweets. There were two more often, sometimes changing muthat seems effective. A lot of professors New Years messages, one for the Gredid approve his bid for presidency. nicipalities multiple times in a year. An “Am I glad that we had a low voter really are open to classroom presenta- gorian calendar and one for the Chinese Elections Canada report on the 2010 turn-out? Absolutely not. I can’t say tions especially because their part of a New Years celebration.

Toronto municipal election also noted Joey Jack also points out what he that I’m happy that only 10 per cent union too,” said DeWolf. the lack of data collected on youth and At the time of publication the TRU- feels is another flaw in the TRUSU’s came out, but I’m also municipal elections. going to say that I’m SU Facebook page had three posts use of social media.

It suggested that cam“There’s actually nowhere for me on happy that 500 hun- relating to the election. One post notipaigners found it difdred students came out fied about the closing of nominations their Facebook page to actually have a ficult to engage young and said that Dustin closing shortly. The next announced dialogue with them or with other stupeople without the McIntyre is the best the candidates while the final one an- dents,” said Jack. “Wouldn’t it be great data to calculate their president for the job,” nounced the opening of the polling if TRUSU’s Facebook page had it so strategies. he said. “If they didn’t station. The union has posted 23 times you could write on their wall and ask That brings us to feel that way they had during the winter semester. Seven of some questions?” student politics. Terms Lane feels that social media, while those postings were to add photos to the the option to vote no.” last one year, student useful, may be a bit of a red herring in Kristi DeWolf, a page. union membership alAs for the buzz worthy twitter, @ communicating with Kamloops’ postfourth-year bachelor of most completely turns arts student, majoring TRUSU15 only has 157 followers com- secondary students. over every five years, “Especially in Kamloops it’s imporin history with a politi- pared to the Facebook page with 1415 and the majority of eli-

tant that people are doing face-to-face —Kristi DeWolf cal science minor, ran followers. gible voters are from The twitter feed is more active organizing in terms of going out and for VP external last the age demographic speaking to people about issues,” said year. She’s also been though, with 124 tweets this semester. least likely to vote.

The Omega broke down those tweets Lane. “I think that there is a number of very active in the TRU student body, With the recent Thompson Rivers cess and it ebbs and flows.”

TRUSU Executive Director Nathan as a student caucus member (elected into seven categories. The most com- people that utilize Facebook, but I also University Student Union election it became apparent there was a greater lack Lane agrees to a point, but believes poor co-chair), president and founder of the mon tweets had to do with the Cana- think that there is a lot of clicktivism of participation than previous years. turn out is an issue campaigners need to TRUSU Politics Club, member of the dian Federation of Students (CFS) and that goes on where people may ‘like’ a Educational Programming Committee the campaigns run by the CFS such as page but that doesn’t mean they go to 10.4 per cent of the 7090 eligible mem- face as well.

“I think a lot of responsibility for (sub-Senate committee) and other stu- the Drop Fees campaign and the move- the ballot box, that doesn’t mean they bers partook.

Western governments and interna- youth voter turnout has to be split equal- dent organizations. She also sees onus ment to get rid of bottled water on cam- participate in an issue.” tional media hailed the revolutions in ly. It has to be split because candidates... lying on both the student union and stu- pus. Thirty-nine percent of the tweets Middle Eastern and North African na- have to speak to issues that mobilize dents. While poster boards have proven were CFS-centric, many tagged with tions as a sign of democracy’s power as young people,” said Lane. “You cannot ineffective, there are other streams to #cfsfcee referencing the CFS. Services a concept. However, those same West- expect people to participate in a process engage and encourage student partici- and events were next at 28 per cent, folEE EMOCRACY p. ern countries are experiencing declin- if they do not feel like the issues being pation.

Like Lane, Dewolf sees a duality in ing voting figures according to studies debated in that process affect their evin many established democracies. And eryday lives. I think that that’s impor- communication responsibility.

“And there is onus on students as while many considered the youth a tant. I also think that there needs to be driving force of those revolutions, their some responsibility from young people well. We have to really make a bit of peers in Canada seem less and less in- to say ‘If I want my issues to be heard I an effort to go out and see what’s out there or I guess continue with the apahave to make it to the ballot box.’” terested in those same ideals.

Last week’s cover image tell- independent, and was not a part Fourth-year journalism student Joey thy which makes me sad,” DeWolf said. ing the student body to vote in of the YV=YV slate.

However, she points out the student the TRUSU election was meant Jack has become a vocal critic of TRUTRU The YV=YV slate did not field SU and their communication tactics union has the resources to become a to get across the fact that for a candidate for that position, and While B.C. campuses tend to get during the Winter 2012 semester. In a hub for student communication. each position being voted for, so Mr. Patel still ran unopposed “The TRUSU website, they have there was only one candidate, so in the election, which is the low turnouts, TRUSU has done rela- recent open letter printed in the Omega tively well in the past (heavy on the he called out what he considered a lack made a lot of changes to and it has got- students could vote for that per- message that The Omega was atrelatively). The University of British of effort in the student union’s com- ten a lot better over the past four years, son, or vote to run the election tempting to get across, but the Columbia-Okanagan (UBCO) student munication to students. In particular he but there’s really not a lot of advertis- again. actual wording contained within council election this year was consid- pointed to social media and the lack of ing other than that. And I know that’s The image itself stated that the image was technically inacered a blockbuster as far as turnout is real discussion with students and notifi- something that even within TRUSU the YV=YV slate was the only curate, and as such we apologize they want to work on, especially for option, which was rightfully to Mr. Patel for the implication considered. The UBCO student paper cation of the council election.

“It’s bullshit. It’s embarrassing be- student services,” she said. “I think it’s pointed out to be incorrect.

The Phoenix proclaimed “UBCO has that he was part of the YV=YV massive election.” The huge turnout? cause we all learn so much at school, we really important that when we’re payParth Mukesh Patel ran as an slate, when he was not.

“We have to really make a bit of an effort to go out and see what’s out there or I guess continue with the apathy...”

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The Omega · Volume 21, Issue 28

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March 28, 2012

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Editor’s Note Mike Davies Ω Editor-in-Chief Hundreds of thousands of protestors took to the streets of Montréal recently to protest the Québec government’s intention to raise the amount of tuition post-secondary students will have to pay for their schooling over the coming years (see article on page ).

They’re upset that their tuition fees will go up to the point where they will need to be paying a similar amount to students in the rest of Canada.

So here’s my question: If a couple hundred-thousand people are protesting in Québec against having to pay what everyone else pays, then why are those of us who already pay that much OK with the cost of our education?

Or are we?

It would seem that one could either call us accepting of the amounts we are paying for our education, or

lazy and complacent.

Then again, maybe we’re too busy studying to flood out into the streets and block traffic.

Maybe we’re engaged in what we’re learning and don’t want to take the time away from our studies just to piss off the public and make ourselves look like self-entitled, whiny drains on society.

Let’s face it, many uninformed and short-sighted people already think that subsidizing post-secondary education at all is a drain on society.

They don’t want to look at the fact that a well-educated workforce demands a higher level of financial compensation, and therefore will be paying far more in taxes postgraduation than the amount they were “given” to attend school in the first place.

They don’t want to look at the fact that preparing academically for the workforce creates a more diligent, hard-working employee who is better at dealing with the stress and pressure of the workplace, which could very well lead to significantly fewer costly visits to the doctor later in life (not to mention someone you’d rather be dealing with in your future endeavours than someone who hasn’t experienced any stress or pressure until they got to their job).

But the short-sightedness of those who think that university education subsidies are a drain on society exists within the students of Québec as well.

They think that continuing the

huge subsidies they’ve been receiving that afford them the least expensive post-secondary education in the country is what’s best for everyone, when actually they’re causing the collapse of their province’s financial stability.

They also think they’re entitled to these low rates of financial responsibility for their own education, because they’ve had them as long as they can remember.

Full-time students in Quebec institutions right now pay an average of $2,519 per year according to Statistics Canada.

British Columbian students are currently paying an average of $4,852 per year. Yes, you’re reading that right. It’s almost double.

So I guess each of you has to decide for yourself why you’re not flocking to public spaces and being a nuisance with signs and chants.

I’m not out there because I’m too busy working to pay for an education while attending school, appreciating what it will offer me (and provide for me) in the future, as well as what it will offer (and provide for) society itself.

Maybe if the students of Québec had to get a job while they were in school to help pay for their own education they’d try a bit harder to obtain that education (realizing that the alternative sucks), and appreciate it a bit more because it wasn’t almost free.

That’s what I’m doing.

How about you? editorofomega@gmail.com

Count yourselves lucky, and consider lending a hand I assume most readers of this article are in their early twenties, completing some type of post-secondary education and living independently.

For a fair number of youth in Kamloops, that however is not a reality. Their average week is a struggle to find a secure job, safe housing and nutritious food.

That is not to say student life is a breeze, but many of the basic necessities we have to maintain ourselves are out of reach for our peers.

I met up this week with Taryn, a youth coach who does outreach work at Interior Community Services.

She works with youth in Kamloops under age 24 and her role can include connecting youth with support services, finding affordable housing, visiting youth on the streets and accompanying them to doctor’s appointments.

Many of the youth Taryn works with grew up in government care, and at 19 years old are left to move forward with their lives independently.

Most of the youth she works with are in this transition period. While they’re technically adults, they still have so much learning to do.

“Hidden homelessness” is a serious problem among this age group. “Youth are in places, but

they may not be safe places. If they were on the street, it would set off alarm bells,” said Taryn.

If any of us were to walk past a 15-year-old sitting on the street, the problem would likely be fixed instantly.

Know Your Community Amy Berard

But when most of these youth are couch surfing, no one is aware of the issue.

“The problem with couch surfing is if you don’t have money to contribute, you worry that you can’t stay the next night. You’re more vulnerable to high-risk situations.”

And so the cycle continues.

It is difficult to secure safe, affordable housing when living on income assistance.

Another factor affecting the ability to live independently can be the basic life skills we all take for granted.

Grocery shopping on a budget, comparing products and preparing a meal are all daily tasks we likely watched our families perform growing up.

For youth who may not have had that opportunity, it can be overwhelming or even embarrassing to try to navigate.

One thing that remains unchanged in this lifestyle that surprised Taryn is that, “Youth in general – their resiliency is amazing, their strength.”

The energy, courage and hope our age group is known for is always present in the way these youth face their daily challenges.

Interior Community Services co-ordinates many programs and affordable housing opportunities. If you want to learn more, you can meet up with Taryn at the Youth Centre at 520 Seymour St. Let’s make sure we give our peers the opportunity to develop to their full potential as creative, caring and competent adults.

Amy Berard is a TRU business student and the campus liaison for United Way. To get connected with the community, email her at youth@unitedwaytnc.ca.

American museums evolve to meet the times Crystal Cline

The Muse (Memorial U of NB) ST. JOHN’S (CUP) — The war on social problems has reached new heights in America, and museums are the latest weaponry. The Children’s Museum of Manhattan, for example, is trying to do its part to prevent childhood obesity with displays that send a not-subtle-message: get healthy, kids.

The museum has erected a play centre where visitors learn the power of pedalling, bouncing and jumping.

There’s a place to meet super-powered vegetable heroes and exhibitions where kids crawl through a digestive system.

This museum isn’t unique in its initiative. The New York Times reports that The Young at Art Museum in Davie, Florida, has an after-school arts program for homeless students, while the Providence Children’s Museum on Rhode Island helps fostercare children find permanent families.

The Children’s Museum of the Arts in Manhattan provides a place for fostercare children to reunite with their birth parents. What do they do when they are reunited? They make art, of course.

Museums are becoming much more than receptacles for relics. They are trying to bridge gaps in places where there is often red tape. Social workers want to help build relationships between parent and child; the Children’s Museum of the Arts in Manhattan is creating a new avenue where that can happen.

Museums are also evolving to meet the needs of today’s generation.

Children are much heavier now than they were 20 years ago. Video games, television and fast food have contributed to the high obesity rates in North America. Why not show children the benefits of eating healthy and exercising in an environment that’s even more fun than McDonalds?

In my opinion, there’s no better way to learn than by doing something hands-on. If a child can explore an exhibition play centre at a museum, they are more likely to retain that information because they will relate it to a fun memory. Canada needs to jump on this bandwagon. We need more programs like this to benefit children and adults alike, especially as we are still struggling to understand challenges such as social inequalities, the effects of poor health choices and bullying.

Bullying is front-and-centre in the media lately following the conviction of 20-year-old Dharun Ravi on Mar. 16. Ravi spied on his roommate using a webcam, and streamed footage of the man’s romantic encounters on the Internet. Shortly after the victim discovered what Ravi had been up to, he committed suicide. Ravi was convicted of bias intimidation as a hate crime. He could face up to 10 years of jail time.

The availability of educational programs during Ravi’s youth might have altered his decision to bully later on in his life. Ravi may have been an American, but there are dozens of similar cases in Canada where bullying has ended in tragedy. Canada needs to turn museums into integral centres for education to ensure that our kids grow into the best people they can be.

Education on bullying should be part of that process.

Who knows? In a few years’ time, we may see an exhibition on psychological effects of bullying. We may yet fully embrace the positive effects that cultural environments like museum can have on our kids.

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March 28, 2012

News Hundreds of thousands flood Montreal’s streets in the name of student support Marilla Steuter-Martin and Jacques Gallant The Concordian (Concordia)

in the day, proving that there is more public support for the student movement than estimated.

Despite the success of the demonstration, Gill explained that protesters still have much work to do.

“The fight is not over,” she said. “There will be massive actions in the coming weeks until the government backs down.”

Walcott agreed with her saying that, “it’s not a done deal,” and student groups need to “keep the pressure on.” He added that the organizers’ willingness to communicate with the SPVM really made a significant difference in the tone of the day’s activities.

“I think the fact that we worked with the police really ensured that everyone remained safe,” he said.

Participants in the Mar. 22 demonstration represented every age demographic, from toddlers with their parents to cheering grandparents. Grade 10 student Terra Leger-Goodes of PaulGerin-Lajoie School in Outremont was at the march with a large group of students from her class.

“We heard that the cost of going to university is going up by a large amount, so we’re here to protest that. Society can only advance if people can go to school and gain knowledge,” she said, mentioning that by the time she enters university four to five years from now, the government’s tuition hikes will have almost reached their maximum.

Québec Premier Jean Charest’s Liberals are planning to increase

MONTREAL (CUP) — Over 200,000 people took to the streets of Montréal on Mar. 22 to protest tuition increases, many of whom were students from universities across Québec.

The Concordia University delegation, which led the way for the better part of the three-hour event, congregated near the Hall building around 12 p.m. Over 500 students then began to proceed down Ste-Catherine Street led by Concordia Student Union vice-president external Chad Walcott and president Lex Gill.

The march began officially at Canada Place, where buses full of students from outside the city started arriving earlier in the day. The approximate length of the route was five kilometres, with protesters marching down both Sherbrooke and Ste-Catherine Streets to their ultimate destination, Jacques-Cartier Place in the Old Port.

Protesters held signs denouncing Premier Jean Charest’s Liberal government, the leadership of Education Minister Line Beauchamp and the idea that accessible education is not a priority.

The historic nature of the march had some people in the Twittersphere saying that a “Printemps érable,” or Maple Spring — clearly a play on Arab Spring — had arrived in Québec.

Despite the massive turnout, the protest was extremely peaceful and the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) reported no major incidents during or after the march. Police presence was very light in comparison with demonstrations

that took place over the past few weeks.

“This sends an incredibly strong message to the tuition by $325 a year between government,” said Gill of the 2012 and 2017.

For grandmother Danielle Geprotest. “If anything else, the Liberal party has lost 200,000 nereux, accessible education is an issue that affects everyone in voters for life.”

She went on to say that the Québec, and should be at the top march was the “largest mass of the government’s priority list.

“Major investments in educademonstration over a public issue ... in years. It’s twice what tion should be an absolute priorthey had in 2005,” she said of the ity. There should be no further last major student strike in Que- discussion on that,” said Genereux, a grandmother of seven. bec.

The participation far exceed- “[The government] says opposied the predictions made earlier tion against tuition increases is

The scene at the corner of Berri and Ontario at the Mar.22 tuition hike protest where an estimated 200,000 people took to Montreal’s streets.

not representative of the whole population. But today, they will see that it is representative.”

At the end of the march, Coalition large de l’Association pour une solidarite syndicale étudiante (CLASSE) spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois told students to return to their schools and to keep the student movement going. By 6 p.m., most of the protesters had dispersed, crowding into the nearest metro stations.

CLASSE, one of the main organizers of the day’s march, is planning a series of protests next week in an effort to cause an “economic disturbance” in the city, which they —Lex Gill say will only end when the government retracts its decision to up tuition. The first “manif-action” is set to take place Monday, Mar. 26 at 11 a.m. at Henri-Julien Park.

Concordia’s next general assembly where students will vote whether or not to remain on strike is scheduled for Monday, Mar. 26 at 2 p.m. on the Concordia University campus.

The university has already made clear that as of Monday, students who continue to block access to classrooms or build-

“If anything else, the Liberal party has lost 200,000 voters for life.”

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ings will face charges.

Opposition parties join students Earlier in the morning, a press conference was held at Palais des Congres by the Federation étudiante universitaire du Québec and the Federation étudiante collegiale du Québec, and included representatives from groups such as the Centrale des syndicats du Quebec and the Confederation des syndicats nationaux, as well as opposition political parties, the Parti Quebecois (PQ), Québec Solidaire (QS) and Option Nationale.

At the conference, PQ leader Pauline Marois reiterated that a PQ-elected government would not proceed with the tuition hikes, and would call for a provincial summit on post-secondary education. “The Charest government must stop considering students as enemies of the state,” she said.

QS spokesperson Francoise David, for her part, emphasized that the government could increase taxes on larger corporations in order to bring in more revenue, rather than asking for more money from students.

After the conference, PQ post-secondary education critic Marie Malavoy spoke to The Concordian about the issue of mismanagement of public funds in Québec universities that has often been brought up in the debate on tuition increases. Refer-

—PHOTO BY CHRIS HANNA ring to Education Minister Line Beauchamp’s recent decision to impose a $2 million fine on Concordia for handing out severance packages totalling $3.1 million, Malavoy said, “there is no reason to have targeted one university.

“We must look at the salaries, the benefits and the severance packages at all universities. It’s foolish to think it’s just Concordia.”

Malavoy added that an idea has been f loating among PQ ranks to institute a “commission” to look more closely at the management of public funds in Quebec universities.

Reaction from the government to the Mar. 22 protest became more severe as the days passed.

On the morning of Mar. 22, Charest told reporters at the National Assembly in Québec City that his government would “never stop listening to students.”

By Mar. 23, his education minister was telling the Canadian Press that students needed to get back to class, or else they would face consequences. Line Beauchamp reiterated that the government would not back down from its decision, and said that should students continue to boycott classes, they risk having their semesters extended or classes scheduled at night.

Concordia already indicated in a previous statement that it has no intention of prolonging the winter term.

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The Omega · Volume 21, Issue 25

News

That’s what you said For this week’s issue, we patrolled the grounds looking for your answers to this question:

Why did you vote in the TRUSU elections, and how did you know it was happening?

DEMOCRACY...from p. 2 Jack thinks better ideas would provide more value for the unions communication budget.

“I charge people to come to my events. I’m a stand up comedian and I’m in a band. I charge people $10 to come and see me and I’ve never had less than 100 people come to any of my events,” said Jack.

A Broader Problem

Amanda Svenson

Brittany Riehl

Alison Declercq

“I voted because I’ve never voted before and I figured I might as well do it today.

“I found out about [the election] today just walking in here.

“I heard about the vote through a couple of friends that were actually running..” “[Voting] is important because we’re students and we actually have an opinion about things. We want certain things in our school and in our community that we like to vote for and actually have around here that we can use and gain experience from.”

“There were people standing on my way from residence to class, and they reminded me that [the election] was today.

“To be honest, [voting is] not in the top of my mind.

“I don’t really see the results, but then again I don’t really look very closely.”

Bachelor of tourism management

Bachelor of Tourism Management

Associate of arts

That’s right, we’re getting you involved

To get even more involved, contact editorofomega@gmail.com

It should be noted that the lack of interest in student politics is faced by most campuses. At the University of Victoria the regular turnout of 20 per cent has caused some to question student apathy at that institution. At Simon Fraser University recent columns in the student newspaper the Peak criticize the students for a lack of interest and the candidates for showing a lack of enthusiasm as well.

This may be linked to the fact that local democratic institutions aren’t openly threatened.

“I think the best example of that is if you look at the 1960s in North America when people saw right in front of them that certain rights were being abused,” DeWolf said.

“These blatant abuses or things that people didn’t agree with gave them cause to stand up for what they believe in. And so, because we do feel safe we do tend to just follow the status quo.”

Lane and McIntyre agree that Canadians, especially the younger generation, believe the concept of democracy is safe, and therefore doesn’t require their participation.

“It’s an institution that’s not going anywhere. There’s no imminent threat, there’s no Cold War happening,” said McIntyre. “It’s a lull period where people are like ‘It’s there, it’s fine. We don’t have to worry about it so let’s just leave it there and if I don’t want to be involved I don’t have to be involved. I’m not worried about it.’”

A recent research paper called “The Values of Youth in Canada,” commis-

sioned by the Government of Canada as part of the Policy Research Initiative, dedicates a good section to the political action and interests of youth. While no hard conclusions are made it does note that while political parties have lost membership, political awareness is still high and there is activity among youth.

Arts and culture organizations have seen an increase in membership, as it appears youth are moving away from a political culture they don’t feel they fit into. McIntyre has felt the same way.

“You’ve got the right wing party, you’ve got the union party, you’ve got the crazy party and then you’ve got the totalitarian party, that’s what I see and I don’t want to engage in that,” he said.

“It’s cookie-cutter politics and you tow the line or you’re not a part of it.”

Referencing federal NDP leader Jack Layton and U.S. Democrat Barack Obama’s recent campaigns which seemed to invigorate younger participants with rhetoric, Lane said, “Both of those campaigns were [ones] that mobilized around some form of progressive or positive change.”

So what is the issue?

Why is this generation seemingly so disengaged from those who make decisions on how society is run?

Is TRU facing the same crisis of apathy?

Why is the democratic process so often ignored?

Do we feel it is safe enough to be ignored?

Do the youth feel a lack of empowerment and importance?

Has the digital age, while empowering some to become active, distracted others from the entire political arena?

Does Canadian politics seem too boring compared to the revolutions in some countries?

Are we suffering from political envy watching Obama and the Tea Party?

Have there been no hot-button issues which engage our younger population?

It seems these are all answers. There is no silver bullet.

Unless students start giving a fuck in general.

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News In case you missed it, Kergin’s got you covered:

Things you probably didn’t see happening around you last week

Brendan Kergin Ω News Editor

Global

March 28, 2012

29

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$tudent pricing

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• New species in New York While deep sea dives and long treks into nearly impenetrable forests reveal new species, it’s less likely to find one in one of human civilization’s shining cities.

However, a new frog species has been identified in New York.

In an area better known for skyscrapers there are a few marshes, and a new species of leopard frog was identified earlier this month, with specimens coming from places in sight of the Statue of Liberty.

While the frog isn’t that different from others in its family, it has still come as a surprise to find a new species which evolved around an area which is now called Manhattan.

Read more at sciencedaily.com.

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• EDL meeting A rally in Denmark this week is bound to get some press coverage.

The English Defense League is looking to hold a meeting with other far-right groups and anti-Islamist organizations.

On a continent already dealing with racial tensions in the aftermath of a racially-charged series of murders in France and the trial of the Norwegian man responsible for 77 deaths last year in a two-pronged bombing and shooting attack, this has many anti-racist activists concerned.

The fact the meeting is in Denmark is no mistake either, as the country is a hotbed for tension and violence in relation to immigrants and religion, particularly after an infamous comic portraying the prophet Muhammad.

Read more at guardian.co.uk.

National • Québec City arena The capital of Québec is making another move necessary to bring an NHL team back to the city.

Québec City has announced a $400 million arena deal with the media corporation Quebecor.

The planned arena will be similar to the one the Pittsburgh Penguins currently play out of.

© 2012 H&R Block Canada, Inc. *$29.95 valid for regular student tax preparation only. Cash Back service included. To qualify for student pricing, student must present either (i) a T2202a documenting 4 or more months of full-time attendance at a college or university during 2011 or (ii) a valid high school identification card. Expires July 31, 2012. Valid only at participating H&R Block locations in Canada.

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Read more at vancouver.24hrs.ca.

While there isn’t much talk about showed up to show their support. Of which team might move there or even if special note with this protest was the • UBC honours students they disa new franchise might be viable, the fact total lack of violence.

No arrests were made as the stu- honoured Que. is providing a viable location for a dents marched through the streets, but team has to be noted by the NHL. tensions between students and their In 1942 a decision by the Government The NHL is also looking at several DOCKET/AD#: 11-HRB-047-BW-SP-E-1 NEWSPAPERS: teams in the southern U.S. facing fi- supporters, and the provincial Lib- of Canada put Japanese-Canadians liveral government are becoming more ing on B.C.’s coast in internment camps. nancial issues, which think may- ENGLISH JOB NAME: TS ‘12 YOUNG some ADULT NEWSPAPER SCANNER This included UBC students working lead to relocation. Québec City’s hope strained on a daily basis.

DATE STARTED: Jan 11 LIVE AREA: – MEDIUM towards various degrees. As a result of should be tempered though. Some large ARTIST: CS the government order, 76 students had American cities are still looking atTYPE theSAFETY: – Read more on page 4 of the Ω.

REV#: 0 to leave their educations to become resipossibility of bringing the NHL TRIM: into8" X 10" LASER %: BLEED: – dents elsewhere, outside of the coastal their neighbourhood, with rumours Provincial DISKED: BW zone. still swirling around Seattle and Kansas UBC is now taking efforts to honour City.

On top of that, the Quebecor Bottled ART DIRECTOR COPY WRITER CREATIVE DIR. arena PRINT PROD. • STUDIO MGR. water ACCT. MGMT. those they let go with honourary dewon’t be operational until 2015.

Vancouver Community College grees.

The university is also creating a proRead more at cbc.ca.

(VCC) is making a move to a bottledgram in Asian Canadian history as well water free campus.

• Montreal student protest The college’s president and the as other educational and historical inistudent union chair are pledging to tiatives regarding Asian Canadians.

Lots of people took to the streets of make the school the first VancouverRead more at straight.com.

Montréal Mar. 22 as part of the grow- based post-secondary institution to ing protest about tuition and the place be bottled-water free by 2013. of post-secondary education in QuéWhile VCC does receive some inbec’s political culture. come from water bottles, it was deLocal Estimates range from 50,000 to cided the move to a more sustainable 200,000 protestors, with a math for- campus was worth the cost.

• Ajax parade mula suggesting 80,000. Either way A similar campaign is taking place the number is large enough to grab the on many campuses across Canada A parade of opponents to the proprovincial government’s attention. and was started by the Canadian Fed- posed Ajax mine took to the streets Students from across the province eration of Students. last Mar. 23.

The group included TRU students, and local artists and musicians with signs reading, “I choose animals,” and other slogans.

With about 30 participants the group looked to promote alternatives to the mine and to look past the job creation numbers to the health of the community.

Read more at kamloopsnews.ca.

• New Aberdeen fire station Kamloops’ seventh fire station is operational in Aberdeen.

The station, which will have four employees, is already taking calls while some sections are under construction.

The official grand opening will be in May and tours will be available then.

The station is located on Aberdeen Drive and will serve the Aberdeen area and provide backup to the downtown station and dispatch.

The station will also provide storage and new training facilities for Kamloops firefighters.

Read more at kamloopsnews.ca.

7

The Omega · Volume 21, Issue 25

Arts & Entertainment A case for the tangible

Where did the need for physical sensations and creativity in packaging go?

Cory Hope

Ω Arts and Entertainment Editor I was in the Future Shop a few days ago, and while I was busy per using expensive toys I can’t yet afford and tr ying to f ind a way to justify spending my grocer y money on a fancy f lash for my camera, I noticed a girl.

Not like that. Minds out of the gutter, please.

She was young, probably dragged there by her parents, and while they were shopping for toys that I can’t afford, she found herself a cor ner to sit in and read a book.

Not an ebook. Not Facebook.

Just a book. The kind made of paper.

She immediately became my hero, though because of the social stigma regarding talking to girls that age without a parent being present, I merely smiled to myself and walked away, hoping that the f lash I had been looking at had suddenly become marked down for clearance.

I am far from a Luddite. I own more than my fair share of tech toys, but I f ind the disappearance of tangible, physical media to be dishear tening.

Take records, for example. I won’t bother you with the sound quality issue. My mp3 player sounds better in the car than a record player would, and it takes up less space in my pocket.

It’s the rest of it.

It’s the packaging, the liner notes, the little extras you get when you buy a record, or even a cd, that make buying them wor th the money.

Lookout! Records was great for that, back in the day. Lookout! was the record label that Green Day was signed to before they got picked up by War ner.

On the vinyl version of 39/ Smooth, Green Day’s debut LP (now compiled with their EPs Slappy and1000 Hours and called 1039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours), the words “James, put down that skinhead!” are written more prominently than the band’s name or the album title. You know what that has to do with the album?

Nothing.

And if you hold up the record (and many others by labels like Epitaph) to the light you’ll f ind messages scrawled into the vinyl. The A side of 39/Smooth says “Bill, Mike, John: Loyal Filth Groupies.” (Filth was another Lookout! band) The B side says “Call Back Tomor row, It’s A School Night.”

It’s the little details like these that make collecting records more fun than just downloading a track from iTunes.

I’m not suggesting that all media needs to be physical and tangible, but rather that there are some things that are more

personal if they’re not on a rewriteable string of ones and zeros stuffed into a little electric box. Cer tainly the age of digital photography has more people taking more photos than ever before, but should an album of your favourites be kept only on a hard drive? I’ve star ted printing some of my favourite photos out, and even spent a little bit of money on envelopes and stamps to *gasp* send a copy to somebody in the mail!

And believe it or not, it’s appreciated.

Nobody has sent me an email back asking for a digital copy to be sent to them (well, okay - one guy did). The response is usually via email, but more often than not it’s to say thank you.

I really am all for the digital revolution to a cer tain extent. I enjoy consuming digital media at a fast pace without having to pay anything more than my Inter net bill. The examples of records and photos are but two things I’m afraid of losing to the impersonal-feeling screen I’m typing this on.

One of the great things about the digital age is how we can all be connected if we choose to, but I for one feel more connected to a photograph in my hand than a friend request on Facebook.

Especially when the power goes out.

Canadian Music Corner Taylor Rocca

Bend Sinister is a progressive indie rock band originally from Kelowna but now hailing from Vancouver.

Having just released a new EP on Mar. 6, the band is gearing up for the release of a new fulllength album this summer.

Combining infectious guitar riffs with invigorating piano and lyrics that any listener can relate to, Bend Sinister captures its audience with ease.

In this day and age, it’s rare to find a musical act that is better live than on studio recording.

Bend Sinister is one of those rarities.

Phenomenal studio recordings are reinforced and taken to the

next level by energetic and passionate live performances.

Formed in 2000, Bend Sinister has released three full length albums including 2002’s The Warped Pane, 2005’s Through the Broken City and 2008’s Stories of Brothers, Tales of Lovers. The band has also released three EPs, including 2012’s On My Mind, which features the single Give It A Rest and Got You On My Mind.

Their fourth full-length album is set for release on Jul. 10.

A select amount of Bend Sinister’s music is available for free streaming on CBC Radio 3.

See Rocca’s review of the Bend Sinister’s recent Kamloops show on page 12 this week.

Brendan Kergin

Cadence Weapon.

Hailing from the fine city of Edmonton and the son of a hip-hop DJ, Mr. Weapon has released album after album of unique flows over generally minimalistic, twitchy electronic beats. This led to his debut album landing a Polaris Prize nomination.

He followed that up with a sophomore album which also got the Polaris nod. Since 2008 he hasn’t released a full length album but has remixed, featured and released the odd single or mix tape.

His skill really lies in his words and delivery; which doesn’t really follow the standards set by the mainstream. Subjects vary from the normal fare of drugs and life in a city to less common themes of sleeping with your ex despite the bad vibes.

What makes it different is the level of language he’s using.

There’s a reason Edmonton named him their poet laureate for a couple years.

Rarely swearing, often using combinations which don’t seem to match on paper and always looking to keep the flow even, unless it serves his purpose to drop it, cadence is definitely a part of his writing pattern.

Some may remember him from the moderate hit Sharkin’ which got some air play a few years ago.

While it is fairly typical of his style, a better suggestion for who he is now would be The D.B. Buxton Revue Sex With My Ex (No Sex Mix) which leaves behind some of the glitch electro sound for a more polished beat.

This may lose some of that unique minimalistic sound that he started with but it’s much more fun.

Pro tip: look for his remixes, which are pretty stunning as well.

Ω Roving Editor

Ω News Editor

Roland Pemberton may not sound like the name of one of Canada’s most critically acclaimed rappers, which is probably why he went with

Our arts and entertainment editor misses the days when you had a tangible piece of machinery and physical product you could feel while you were feeling what it was saying.

—PHOTO BY CORY HOPE

The Omega

Is now accepting applications for editorial positions for the 2012/2013 academic year.

Various positions are available for those of varying interests!

We’re not going to tell you what they are — but they’re exciting, and you want to be a part of them.

Submit cover letter, resume and any writing samples you may have for our perusal to: Mike Davies, Editor-in-Chief

editorofomega@gmail.com We’re at least as busy as you are, so keep that in mind while you’re waiting anxiously by the phone — actually, just don’t do that.

Interviews will commence mid-late April.

8

March 28, 2012

TRUSU Membership Advisory

ELECTION RESULTS President McIntyre, Dustin Yes No Spoiled Vice President External Robinson, Dylan Yes No Spoiled

537 109 1

Women Students’ Representative Moulton, Alexandra Yes 513 No 114 Spoiled 0

530 89 2

Representative - Graduate Studies Hutfluss, Kathleen Yes 504 No 104 Spoiled 0

Vice President Finance Spence, Jeromy Yes No Spoiled

495 109 1

Vice President Internal Bahabri, Trad Saba Yes No Spoiled

531 111 1

Aboriginal Students’ Representatives Guichon, Nolan Yes 495 No 114 Spoiled 1 International Students’ Representative Patel, Parth Mukesh Yes 470 No 137 Spoiled

0

Representative - Arts, Science, Education, and Advance Technology Douglass, Leif Yes 531 No 96 Spoiled 0 Representative - Business & Economics, and School of Tourism Macedo, Colin Yes 507 No 112 Spoiled 0 Representative - Social Work, Nursing, Trades, and Division of Student Development Skagos, Olivia Yes 525 No 97 Spoiled 0 Voter Turnout:

Advocacy | Services | Entertainment

10.4%

9

The Omega · Volume 21, Issue 25

Photo Gallery

ABOVE, LEFT AND RIGHT: Some bonus photos from the Rang De Basanti festival held Mar. 16 in the TRU Gymnasium.

—PHOTOS BY TAYLOR ROCCA BELOW AND BOTTOM: About 30 people (mostly TRU students) gather in front of the KGHM offices Mar. 23 to show their opposition to the proposed AJAX mine project.

—PHOTOS BY SAMANTHA GARVEY

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10

March 28, 2012

Arts & Entertainment Music Review: Rude City Riot Little Scream makes big noise through her music plays Pogue Mahone ‘The best social justice style is just good art,’ says Montreal-based American ex-pat

Cory Hope

Ω Arts and Entertainment Editor They played “Made For TV” by King Apparatus.

I’m already ahead of myself, and I haven’t even started yet. Vancouver’s Rude City Riot kicked off their tour with a show at Pogue Mahone on Thursday night, and for those of you who left after seeing your friend’s local band and didn’t stay to see these guys play, I have but one word for you.

Suckers!

There’s something about the energy and intensity of a good ska band that makes a night so much fun that it baffles me the genre hasn’t gathered momentum of the world-domination variety. Here in Canada, we seem to breed good ska bands, which makes me question why Ska-Fest is held in Victoria. I would think they would fear being culled.

Rude City Riot would be safe from the cull, no doubt (not No Doubt), as the strongest survive and they put on what is probably the best ska show I’ve seen since The Mighty Mighty Bosstones.

If that means nothing to you, go check them out (and tune into CFBX to hear some Rude City Riot, too). I mentioned it to Rude City Riot frontman Dustin Lionhart III, and he took it as praise of the highest honour.

And they played “Made For TV”

by King Apparatus.

An eight-piece band on a small stage, Rude City Riot didn’t appear to have much room to move onstage, but like the arms of an octopus or Montreal traffic, they somehow managed to move around each other without colliding.

Opening up the show in traditional ska fashion, Rude City Riot set the pace with a fast-paced instrumental called DC Riot Stomp. From the mo-

Lucas Milroy

The Nexus (Camosun)

Vancouver’s Rude City Riot kicked off their tour with a high-energy show at Pogue Mahone, much to the delight of those who stuck around after their friends’ bands were done.

—PHOTO BY CORY HOPE

ment the first note was played, one of my favourite things about live ska music happened as well: The entire band burst into huge smiles.

Saxophone player Jonny McCormack was grinning so wide I was surprised he could play, but the reason for the smiles was how much fun they were having playing their music.

When it was time for Jonny to play, Jonny wasn’t slacking off.

One of the benchmarks of seeing a live band is how good they sound onstage versus how they sound on their album, when everything has been professionally produced. Rude City Riot sounds as good if not better live than it does on their CD. The energy the band brings to the stage makes the live performance memorable, and Lionhart’s vocals were clear and solid. Vocals can really make or break a band, and Lionhart belts it out with the best of them, as long as you like your singers to sing, and not just yell incoherent

nonsense. When you can make out almost every word of a song you’ve never heard, you’ve got a great vocalist (and a pretty damn good sound tech, too).

And, of course, they played “Made For TV” by King Apparatus. Did I mention that? King Apparatus was a phenomenal ska band out of Toronto in the ‘90s, and having the chance to hear this song played live (ska bands often cover some of their favourites - I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a ska band play a set of only original tunes), made what was already a great night of music that much better.

Keep your eyes open for more from Rude City Riot and more ska shows at Pogue Mahone. If you find your brains are imploding with all the wonderfulness of this highly underrated genre of music, get out to Victoria in July for three days of SkaFest madness.

Did I mention that they played “Made For TV” by King Apparatus?

VICTORIA (CUP) — She’s an American citizen. She was born in Iowa and grew up along the Mississippi River.

Years ago, in an act of romance, she moved to Montréal and assumed the moniker Little Scream.

Who is this mystery woman? Is she a spy?

No, it’s nothing that dramatic.

Little Scream is the stage name of Montréal-based folk singer/songwriter Laurel Spengelmeyer.

Although if it was up to her, the name Little Scream would, like her American residency, be a thing of the past.

“I kind of wish I could change the name now, to be honest, but that is just how it goes once you get out there and do something under a certain name: you get stuck with it,” she says. “So be careful.”

While she’s no longer able to change her stage name, Spengelmeyer is working on changing something else: her citizenship.

So far Spengelmeyer has acquired the status of permanent resident, and is working towards her Canadian citizenship. This is a big win for Canada.

When she’s not busy writing and creating music, Spengelmeyer spends her time painting. Evidence of said skill can be seen adorning the front of her latest album, The Golden Record.

Spengelmeyer isn’t just a pretty face with a catchy tune. Upon moving to Montréal, she attended Concordia University’s design program, which she hoped would help

apply her social-activist tendencies.

“At that time I was way more involved with social activism, which is why I thought design was more applicable,” she says.

Spengelmeyer was never a huge fan of spending hours staring at a computer screen and chose to pursue her social activism through her music instead.

While she admits her latest album has her social views presented in a more distant echo, she also assures that her upcoming album will put a greater focus on the issues.

“The best social justice style is just good art. Period,” she says.

“If you make good art that moves people’s hearts in a certain way, that’s what helps inspire people to be more conscious and to change.

It’s not necessarily because you tell them to do that in your lyrics.

It’s a tricky balance. On the next batch of stuff that I’m working on, that will be more consciously acknowledged.”

So what comes next for this soon-to-be-Canadian? A lot. Spengelmeyer has a life plan, and if her success so far says anything about her character, don’t bet against her achieving these goals.

“I have this bigger-picture outline where I have another two records that I know I want to make, so that is the focus of my life until I get those next couple records out,” she says.

“After that, I’m not sure, exactly.

I miss working with people, being more actively involved in social justice, and even teaching. I know that that is in my future.”

11

The Omega · Volume 21, Issue 25

Arts & Entertainment

I was friends with Justin Bieber’s mom before the fame

How a 13-year-old kid found support and advice in the mother of a future celebrity James Rouse

The Aquinian (St. Thomas) FREDERICTON (CUP) — There are many who believe Justin Bieber changed their life, but few are like me. No, I’m not a 12-year-old girl and yes, I really can’t stand his music.

My story is a bit different. It’s one I haven’t really told anyone before.

I’m an internet kid — I always have been. At 13 years old I was running my own video game forum website and at 14, the site grew to have over 14,000 members. I wasn’t the most social kid, so this took up a lot of my free time. When I got bored of my site, I shifted my attention to the emerging YouTube. I created my own account in July 2006.

I can’t quite remember how I stumbled across “kidrauhl,” Justin Bieber’s account, but it must have been around February 2007. I had just turned 15, and Bieber was about to turn 13.

He had about 10 videos up on his account. They were all shot with low quality cameras and ranged anywhere from a cover of Aretha Franklin’s “Respect,” to break-dancing to Michael Jackson. Regardless, I was impressed with the kid’s talent and shot him a quick message: “Keep it up.”

It was his mother, Pattie Mallette, who responded. That was the beginning of our internet friendship.

Think that’s weird? Trust me, I know.

I was dealing with some of the hardest moments in my life as a teen. I’ve always kept to myself, which often led me to bottle everything up. I was depressed, my self-esteem was at an all-time low, and nobody knew it but me.

That is, until I told Pattie.

After several weeks of exchanging emails back and forth, I somehow ended up spilling my private life. I never told her specifically what I was going

through, but she figured it out.

She had gone through the same things. She shared her story with me and offered her help and prayers.

And so there I was: not willing to trust anyone near me, but the anonymity of the internet allowed me to open up to someone half-way across the country.

I began to look forward to Pattie’s responses. My YouTube messages were often the first things I checked when I got home from school. It felt nice to have someone to talk to. Eventually we ended up speaking to each other mostly through Skype.

And yes, of course, this was all at the same time Bieber’s fame was on the rise. In the early stages, I got involved in a promotion group on YouTube.

Pattie was one of the founders.

I later left the group after it fell under heavy scrutiny from the YouTube community — rumours circulated that the group’s main owner was a pedophile.

So four other members and I started our own collaboration.

We made videos together, and Bieber also went his own way.

When my group, dubbed “TeenTubers,” met its inevitable failure, I quit the YouTube community and went back to my old website. For Bieber, however, things were going up.

I remained in contact with Pattie for a while after. She told me several record labels were looking at Justin and big things were going to come.

But she was still very worried for her son — he was in his rebel years. She was a single mother trying to cope with a teenaged son with a big ego.

It’s odd now, looking back and realizing a 30-year-old was getting support from a 16-year-old.

She told me about Justin getting in fights in school and how they were drifting apart. She worried for him. She worried a lot. She was especially concerned that

he was growing up to be like his then-troubled father.

I never really talked to Justin himself — besides the few odd times he would jump on his mom’s Skype. His life kept getting crazier. Soon, he and Pattie were f lying out to places to meet with high-profile celebrities like Scooter Braun, Usher and Justin Timberlake.

I still remember Pattie sending me the original version of “One Time” long before its official release. I was disappointed in it, but congratulated them all the same. I had no idea it would go on to get almost 400 million hits on YouTube alone.

As Bieber got bigger — and as I started to grow up — contact between Pattie and I gradually waned. I remember once receiving the message, “Can’t talk, on the way to the Junos — watch it!”

I had Pattie on Facebook and I got to talk to her the odd time, but it was difficult. They were now famous and very, very busy.

It was interesting seeing the posts by celebrities like Stephen Baldwin and Asher Roth on Pattie’s wall. She tried to keep her status updates relevant, but eventually she — and Justin — were just too well known. (Too well known and impossible to talk to.)

After several failed attempts to communicate, I knew it was time to delete them from my life.

So I did.

Now, it’s all just a really odd story. Who would have thought?

I consider myself as distant from “The Biebs” as anybody else. I wish he wasn’t a manufactured product, but that’s the price of success sometimes.

Regardless, I’m glad he posted those videos on YouTube five years ago.

That friendship with Pattie was important — no matter how brief it was.

Next year’s Omega staff recruitment will be starting soon!

Keep your eyes on the paper if you think you’d like to be on the team in 2012/13

ocation v n o C tion & n Deadline a u d a r G atio Registr rch 31, 2012 is Ma

Pick up that guitar - you’re sexier Cedric Noël

The Aquinian (St. Thomas) FREDERICTON (CUP) — Remember those teen movies where the guy with the guitar — and the less-thanmediocre voice — sits on the stairs with a flock of girls surrounding him? Or that bad-ass, rebel girl who plays bass guitar and all the guys secretly (or not-sosecretly) have a crush on her?

I sure do. And now, almost three years out of my pimple-filled high school days, I still wonder: what makes musicians so attractive?

Most people don’t usually enjoy the spotlight. Maybe it’s the pressure, maybe it’s the responsibility, or maybe it’s the actual spotlight itself.

But there’s something intriguing about a person who has the guts to rock out and mesmerize their audience.

Max Leblanc is the singer-songwriter for Fredericton band She Roars!. The blonde-haired, blue-eyed guitarist said he can understand the phenomenon, but musicians aren’t necessarily more attractive.

“Attractive is one word I guess,” he

said, “but if you can think of it in a couple ways — there’s hot and [then there’s] sexy. Basically the musician gets sexier, and when I think about that, I think about girls from various bands. They look sexier than girls who don’t play.”

Chris McIntosh is the bass player for She Roars!. McIntosh, who frequently rocks the ponytail and toque combo, said it has more to do with musicians as public figures.

“When you perform, you are the centre of attention,” McIntosh said. “People like to think they have some sort of association with people that they respect, people they look up to.”

In more ways than one, I agree with McIntosh. The same phenomenon can be applied to athletes or other celebrities, whether they’re in high school, university or beyond.

Most people seem to want to be associated with famous people, but I think music adds something more to the mix.

Musicians have the confidence to express themselves in front of a crowd.

They pull out their diary and tell us their most candid experiences through song.

Why do we find that attractive or sexy? I’m not entirely sure.

It could be their confidence or the connection we make with their emotions. Love, loss, hate and sadness — all things we can feel too, bringing us closer to the musician.

Bridget Yard, a third-year St. Thomas University student, said another reason we’re attracted to musicians is because of their ability to fit in with the crowd one minute and then be a rock star the next.

“There’s that whole notion that they’re playing to you, or the lyrics of the song are being sung to you,” she said. “Of course, that’s almost never how it really is, but the thought is pretty exhilarating.”

Whether you strongly relate to a song or you’re just trying to figure out what it means, there’s a definite mystery and mystique around music and the people who make it — and everyone is intrigued by a good mystery.

In any case, music has the power to make us feel alive. Whether we’re rocking out, dancing in a club, or lying down on our beds taking in some smooth tunes, music speaks to us.

So it only makes sense that we we’re attracted to the people who create it.

MC115979

You Must Apply to Graduate and Participate in Convocation Ceremony is open to all students who have completed their studies, paid all fees, and have applied to convocate.

Please contact your Program Advisor or the Registrar’s Office with questions about eligibility to graduate and attend convocation. > Phone: 250.828.5032

Application forms and ceremony details at

www.tru.ca/convocation

12

March 28, 2012

Life & Community

An open letter to TRU students: Community Calendar

What NOT to wear

You’re not proving to the world that you’re sexy, you’re proving something else entirely Micheala Piazzini Ω Contributor

When I walk around campus I see some girls dressed as if they were going to a night club.

It baff les me as to why someone would wear such revealing clothing to classes.

With the images women are getting from media, it’s hard to not think that’s what men would like to see.

But is that what women should be doing, showing off our bodies as if we are pieces of meat?

I believe women are being given the wrong idea of what men really want.

Sure it’s nice to get dressed up and be noticed, but what’s wrong with leaving something to the imagination?

The way these women dress is inappropriate, distracting to others in a classroom environment, and degrading to women in general.

Most people have everyday working clothes and a couple of outfits for going to the bar, but somewhere along the line a few women must have gotten confused, because now they come to school in clothes that barely cover their bodies.

What’s wrong with having some class while picking out an outfit for the day?

Is it too hard to buy shirts that cover more breast, or skirts that have length?

Teachers should not have to walk into class and see a student popping out of her shirt, or wearing a skirt that resembles a belt.

Professors can’t dress like that, so why do some girls think it’s appropriate to show up to class with almost nothing on?

When I show up for class I’m there to focus on what the teacher is saying.

I find it very distracting when someone doesn’t have the respect to cover themselves up.

The men in the class might not complain because it’s eye candy for them.

I believe I can speak for most women when I say that we don’t care that you can squeeze your D cup breast size into an extra small T-shirt.

Dressing so provocatively that even women get distracted or disgusted should give you an idea on how “sexy” you really look.

I’m not saying that it’s always wrong to wear revealing clothes, but there is a time and a place for that. Clothing like that should not even be considered when dressing for school. Think about that next time you look in the mirror!

Women have fought for rights for over 300 years so why destroy what our ancestors worked hard to achieve?

Dressing in that low-cut top and the shortest bottoms doesn’t

suggest a sophisticated student—it shows a woman who would do anything for attention.

This is why women get called names, or are looked at as being easy.

There’s no need to be like that.

Although people talk behind these girls’ backs they never say anything to them, leaving them unaware of how people perceive them.

As women we have to work harder than men to prove to the world that we are just as worthy and deserve the jobs we worked so hard to get, and this doesn’t help.

We are strong and don’t need to show off our bodies to succeed.

Have respect for yourself and dress according to the situation.

You can still dress “sexy” with less skin and more fitted clothes.

I don’t want to be considered anything but an educated woman working to be the best I can be.

I want to gain the approval of men by my knowledge not by my body.

University is for a higher education; it’s not a place to show off your assets.

So next time you’re getting dressed to walk around our campus, think carefully about what not to wear.

Thursday,

Tuesday, Apr. 3

• Muslim Sisters Club presents a talk about Muslim women 12 to 1 p.m.

TRUSU Boardroom

• TRUSU NDP Club Mix & Mingle with Kathy Kendall and Tom Friedman 3 to 5 p.m.

Heroes Pub $10

Mar. 29

• Flair Bartending Competition Cactus Jacks Saloon 9 p.m. $10 cover

Friday, Mar. 30 • Saudi Female Club showcase of Arabian art, music and dance 6 to 8 p.m.

Clocktower Theatre • White Out Party Cactus Jacks Saloon 10 p.m. $5 cover

• Interactive Media Training Workshop with Elisha McCallum 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Open Learning Building Room 127

Know of upcoming events the student body should be aware of?

Get them in the calendar for free!

Contact: editorofomega@gmail.com “Community calendar” in the subject line will help ensure they get to the campus community.

Micheala Piazzini is a firstyear arts student at Thompson Rivers University.

Bend Sinister steals the show from headliner Electric Six Taylor Rocca Ω Roving Editor

Bend Sinister, an upbeat rock act originally from Kelowna, B.C., opened for Electric Six at Cactus Jack’s on Mar. 15 night.

Originally, this review was supposed to be about the performance of Electric Six, but after seeing the mind-blowing awesomeness of the opening act and the atrocity that followed in the form of the headliner, I decided that I would be talking more about Bend Sinister.

Electric Six is a six-piece rock act out of Detroit, known for its recent cover of Queen’s Radio Ga Ga. The band has achieved most of its success in the United Kingdom, with four different singles since 2003 reaching the top 40 on the U.K. charts.

Despite being the headlining act, Electric Six put on an underwhelming and frustrating performance.

The majority of its act seemed like a figurative middle finger to the audience.

Lead singer Dick Valentine was disinterested throughout the entire show.

As a member of the paying audience, I felt disrespected.

At one point, Valentine even said that the band had just finished playing its four worst songs.

Who does that?

Don’t you normally avoid playing your worst songs?

To be honest, I had trouble picking out which songs Valentine was referring to.

Everything that Electric Six played sounded like total garbage to me.

It was an unfortunate circumstance.

I had high expectations for Electric Six after hearing the band’s studio work, which is enjoyable. This was just a classic case of a band that failed to carry crisp and catchy studio performances to the live stage.

Thankfully, Bend Sinister was there to salvage the evening.

Originally out of Kelowna, B.C., Bend Sinister now calls Vancouver home. On Mar. 6, the band released a brand-new EP, On My Mind.

Leading its performance with driving keyboards and soulful vocals, Bend Sinister had the entire crowd on its feet dancing, jumping, fist pumping and having a good time.

Vocalist and keyboardist Dan Moxon led the charge, injecting an infectious energy into the slowly growing audience.

It was difficult not to be pumped up by Moxon’s performance.

Dressed in a bright, tie-dyed shirt with shaggy hair flying all over his face, Moxon embodied the model hippie party rocker.

You couldn’t help but have a good

time with him belting out crisp, strong vocals and bouncing up and down on the keyboard with pizzazz and precision.

People already familiar with Bend Sinister got an advance listen to a few of the tracks that will be featured on the band’s upcoming album, which is set for release this summer.

Opening the set with Don’t You Know and Man of Faith and Virtue, both tracks will be a part of this summer’s release.

The band also played Got You On My Mind and Give It A Rest, two tracks off its recent EP. Bend Sinister managed to squeeze 13 tracks into its one-hour set, including a remarkable cover of Supertramp’s The Logical Song to cap off the evening in classy and respectable fashion.

Typically I am not a fan of the cover song. It is far too easy for a band to ruin a classic track. But Bend Sinister left the stage with the band members’ heads held high, and deservingly so.

Not only did the band nail the Supertramp cover, but its act was easily the most enjoyable part of the evening.

All things said, Bend Sinister simply stole the show from the unappreciated and arrogant Electric Six. It was pleasing to see a Canadian rock act show up a disinterested American band.

Fans of Kelowna-born band Bend Sinister were treated to songs from Spring Romance (June 2010) as well as tracks yet to be released during the show at Cactus Jacks Mar. 15.

—IMAGE COURTESY DISTORT ENTERTAINMENT

13

The Omega · Volume 21, Issue 25

Sports

Men’s volleyball future in the hands of Gunter

WolfPack rookie hopes to recover from injury in time to try out for Team Canada and go into next season continuing to “hit a world class ball” Nathan Crosby

managed to bring TRU volleyball to relevancy in the CIS. It was coach Hennelly who compared the two. Now that TRU There wasn’t a cloud in the sky is seeing players retire after five on the first warm day of spring years of playing, Gunter will be in Kamloops and students were the player to watch lead the ‘Pack walking around TRU in shorts. into a contender.

But Brad Gunter was trapped “He’s hitting a world-class ball inside writing a math midterm. as a first-year guy. Whether he’s When asked how it went, he rerealizes it or not, he’s doing it,” plied in his usual soft-spoken and Hennelly said. to-the-point manner.

“He comes down, has that little “Not bad.” smirk on his face and I don’t even One can assume there’s a lot on know if he realizes how good of a Gunter’s mind these days. hit he made.”

Since being named to the CIS Hennelly, who has coached the all-rookie team, the Wolf Pack’s men’s volleyball team since joinphonemenal right outside-hitter ing the CIS, goes back with Gunthas a lot going on in his life. er a couple of years. He coached Final exams are approaching the young Courtenay product faster than a Colin Carson pass. twice with Team B.C. and said if There are also the tryouts for the there’s anything he trusts about National Junior Team that have Gunter’s game, it’s his instincts.

Gunter occupied while he recovThe Wolf Pack got to match up ers from the injured ankle that with the Stanford University in forced him to stop short in his exhibition play over the semester sensational rookie year. break and it cerThe big six-foottainly was one of seven, 205-pound Gunter’s favourite right-side hitter memories of the from Courtenay, year.

B.C. was one of the Here is a NCAA shining lights in a Division I school lost men’s volleythat was ranked as ball season. high as third in the TRU finished nation at one point last in the treachand TRU took them erous Canada

—Brad Gunter to a 35-33 game, the West. Gunter sat equivalent of what out most of Januwould seem like ary with his injury “I think he’s got a good head three overtimes in hockey. and the Wolf Pack finished with “We played some of our best a 3-17 record and lost eight of its on his shoulders and he’s got a strong sense of work ethic,” the volleyball against them,” Gunter last nine. said.

“It was painful sitting on the Wolf Pack coach said.

“It was awesome comparing “I had high expectations of sidelines watching us lose knowing that I could have done some- Brad and he exceeded them in the the two teams because they are a huge school.” first semester.” thing,” he said.

Gunter spent the games In Gunter’s first-ever game, Gunter’s terrific first half of the season had him ninth in total he had five kills on 19 attempts matched up with Brad Lawson kills at the semester break in the against Calgary. The next night, and Brian Cook, two of the top he had 13 kills on 34 attempts. players in the USA..

Canada West.

But the kid from Cour tenay He would finish the season av- In a game on Remembrance Day eraging three kills a game, which in Regina, he had 20 kills on 36 made Silicon Valley stop and attempts. Even against a tough take a look. was 16th overall.

“You could see [Stanford] The Wolf Pack won its third Manitoba team, he put up 15 looking at him like, ‘who’s this game of the season the same kills.

“Typically when you put a kid?’ as they looked at the rosnight Gunter went down. It was the second match against UBC in first-year guy out there, for every ter,” coach Hennelly said.

“At one point I looked at their one weekend and TRU won three kill they make they are probably straight sets after losing the first. going to make one or two mis- coach and he was shaking his head saying, ‘wow that was a He went for the kill and landed takes,” coach Hennelly said.

“Brad, like Gord [Perrin], got good hit that guy just made.’ awkwardly.

Stanford is a legitimate team “It all happened so fast,” he past that fast.”

Hennelly is referring to former with big-size guys and Brad said.

“The set was hung inside and Wolf Pack outside hitter Gord was one of the best guys on the I had to adjust to it and I landed Perrin, who is the program’s all- f loor.”

As bright as the second half on someone’s foot. I came down, time leader in kills. Perrin also I was kind of dazed and I tried came from a small B.C. town and of the season looked for Gunter, to get up and I realized I couldn’t put any weight on my foot.”

He would sit on the side for the next three weeks while his team fell quickly out of the playoff race with losses to Brandon and Saskatchewan.

He would see action in the last weekend against UBCO, which head coach Pat Hennelly admitted was rushed.

Wolf Pack fans, however, got a glimpse of who the new “big dog,’ as coach Hennelly called him, in the Canada West will be in the very near future.

Back home, Gunter’s father owns a meat-cutting shop. During semester break, Brad works for his dad skinning hogs and carrying sides of beef.

While most students go home for the holidays to ski, party and catch up with friends, Gunter is working.

It’s that hard-working persona that has coach Hennelly excited.

Ω Sports Editor

“I hope to be at the top, and the next couple of years are looking pretty good.”

The coyote atop the Brown Family House of Learning perhaps lending some extra bite to the man who might be the future of WolfPack men’s volleyball?

—PHOTO BY TAYLOR ROCCA

bad luck got in the way.

The ankle injur y suffered at UBC gave him a lot of time to think about the future of the ‘Pack and where he f its into it.

He has star ted practicing with his teammates and said that the healing process is going well.

That ankle will be healed in time for Gunter to tr y out for the Canada National Junior Team, with tr youts expected to star t in June.

If all goes to plan, according to Hennelly, he should have no problem making the team despite missing a large chunk of

the 2011-2012 schedule.

Still, Gunter’s optimism and work ethic will become the biggest factor for the men’s volleyball team’s success, and he’s ready to make it happen.

“I hope to be at the top, and the next couple of years are looking pretty good,” he said.

It’s goi ng t o b e a bu sy su mme r for G u nt e r a nd he a d coa ch Pat He n nel ly, but i f t h is ro ok ie se a son showe d Wol fPa ck fa n s a ny t h i ng, it’s t h at t he f ut u re is sh i n i ng a s br ig ht a s t he f i r st d ay of s pr i ng i n K a m lo ops.

Congratulations to all the 2011-2012 TRU WolfPack Awards winners and nominees Male winner: Chas Kok (basketball) Nominees: Adam Dodgson (soccer), Kyle Sandulescu (baseball), Andrew Fisher (hockey), Joey Chu (badminton), Colin Carson (volleyball), Josh Oostenbrink (cross country) Female winner: Diane Schuetze (basketball) Nominees: Anna Arduni (badminton), Rowena DeBruyn (cross country), Katarina Osadchuk (volleyball), Alanna Bekkering (soccer)

TRU Sports Task Force Athlete of the Year (Grades, Athlete and Community Involvement):

Dr. Roger H. Barnsley Scholar/ Athlete Award:

Athlete of the Year:

TRU Wolf Pack Appreciation Award Brad Pape (head coach badminton)

Male winner: Alex Condon (baseball) Nominees: Spencer Reed (volleyball), David Gore (hockey), Conor Doherty (soccer), Chas Kok (basketball), Dan Drynan (cross country) Female winner: Ashley Piggot (soccer) Nominees: Amanda Frayne (volleyball), Rowena DeBruyn (cross country), Jessica Heitmann (cheerleading), Jorri Duxbury (basketball), Kia Lidster (badminton)

Inaugural Tyler Lowey Award Tyler Lowey (baseball)

Male winner: Andrew Fisher (hockey) Nominees: Mike Hawkins (volleyball), Kevin Pribilsky (basketball), Alex Condon (baseball), Brynden Swint (soccer) Female winner: Jen Ju (basketball) Nominees: Katelyn Lohr (cheerleading), Marlee Mertens (badminton), Kara Twomey (volleyball), Laura Smylie (soccer)

14

March 28, 2012

Science & Technology U of A science students take issue Nanoengineering with new ‘plagiarism checker’ ‘cyborgs’ Student union raises concerns over presumption of guilt damaging relationship between instructors, pupils

Jonathan Faerber The Gateway (U of A)

EDMONTON (CUP) — Textmatching technology is currently under scr utiny at the University of Alber ta, with the depar tment of biological sciences’ plagiarism checker the latest subject in a long discussion about academic integrity on campus.

The aptly branded “Plagiarism Checker” — a mandator y text-matching tool used by the biological sciences depar tment since September — is inciting controversy after the depar tment’s decision to go ahead with the technology last year left students unhappy with the lack of communication about the ser vice.

The depar tment’s plagiarism checker is cur rently the U of A’s most extensive use of text-matching software, and the latest instance of academia’s shift towards Tur nitintype technologies.

The increased use of text-matching software, and the need to discuss its advantages and drawbacks, was recognized by the Academic Integrity Task Force Repor t — a 2011 document outlining sur vey results and recommendations on academic integrity at the U of A. The repor t’s proposed committee on text-matching software, however, is still in the works.

Its emphasis on dialogue also seems to have come too late for the biological sciences depar tment, which left all student bodies, including the Interdepar tmental Science Students’ Society (ISSS), shut out of the decision-making process.

Students’ Union vice-presi-

that the program may be counter-productive in its promotion of incor rect perceptions about plagiarism among students.

“My concer ns with a nt i-plagia r ism prog rams a re the pre su mpt ion of g uilt — the fact that a st udent has to send i n the biolog y repor t even when that st udent hasn’t plagia r ized and disag rees f u nd ament ally with the prog ram,” Csorba said.

Csorba said the text-matching software also risks damaging the relationship between students and instr uctors, especially since it only “prevents” cheating after the fact.

“This sor t of program is reactive, and I would rather see measures that are proactive.”

Hackett admits that the program risks compromising the relationships between instr uctors and students.

“The most pow—Emerson Csorba erful tool in dealing with plagiarism is an instr uctor talking to his stu“There’s nothing in the code dents,” Hackett said.

“If (text-matching software) that says there’s anything wrong with [text-matching software]. becomes something that makes There’s no policy that says you people complacent — that’s one can’t use it, so the [biological of the dangers that I would worsciences depar tment] is do- r y about.”

But Haag feels that there’s ing absolutely nothing wrong,” plenty of oppor tunity for diaHackett said.

The decision was made with logue in the biological sciences students’ best interests in mind, depar tment, and stressed that according to senior lab coordi- the program is still an imperfect process that is only the f irst nator Maggie Haag.

Although Haag admitted that step in teaching students about the plagiarism checker is still intellectual proper ty.

“The whole point is to get the an imperfect process, she sees it as an effective “guide” for students to think like a scieninstr uctors and teaching assis- tist, write like a scientist, and tants to monitor their students’ do all the processes like a sciintellectual proper ty and to pro- entist,” Haag said.

“We’re tr ying to ingrain that mote academic integrity in their from year one.” classes.

Csorba, however, is wor ried dent academic Emerson Csorba said he was sur prised by the decision to use the software, and expressed concer n with the lack of consultation between students and faculty.

“You want to see the off icials going to the representative body before any decision like this is made — something that has the potential to affect a lot of students and has a lot of controversy as well,” Csorba said.

But U of A discipline off icer Chris Hackett, who headed up the Academic Integrity Task Force, argued that the depar tment had no obligation to seek student feedback.

“My concerns with the antiplagiarism programs are the presumption of guilt.”

Not so fast: Possible CERN error Tim O’Brien

The Muse (Memorial University) ST. JOHN’S (CUP) — The OPERA collaboration with the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), which made international headlines last fall with their apparent discovery of fasterthan-light neutrinos (small, electrically neutral subatomic particles), have pinpointed two possible sources of error in their experiment.

On Feb. 22, Science Insider’s Edwin Cartlidge broke the news that a “bad connection between a GPS unit and a computer may be to blame” for the apparent anomaly in the neutrinos’ velocity, according to anonymous sources associated with the experiment.

Physicists with the OPERA collaboration struck a chord in the scientific community when they

announced in September 2011 that neutrinos sent from CERN in Geneva, Switzerland to a detector in the Gran Sasso cavern in Italy appeared to make the trip in 60 nanoseconds less than if they were travelling at light speed.

CERN confirmed on Feb. 22 that two possible effects may have influenced the measurements in Italy. Spokesperson James Gillies confirmed to the Associated Press that a problem in the GPS system used to time the arrival of neutrino particles was discovered earlier in February.

The first, due to a possible bad connection between a fibre-optic cable bringing the GPS data to OPERA and the detector’s master clock, would have caused the experiment to make a calculation error in the neutrinos’ transmission time.

The other possible effect con-

cerns an oscillator which is part of OPERA’s particle detector that gives its readings time marks which are synchronized to GPS signals.

Physicists think correcting for an error in the oscillator would actually increase the discrepancy in the neutrinos’ velocity.

CERN has also said that “the potential extent of these two effects is being studied by the OPERA collaboration.”

There is no indication from CERN as to which source of error is more likely. The main focus is, according to sources with OPERA, on the fibre-optic cable connection.

CERN’s statement also says that new tests will be conducted in May for the two effects, when CERN’s Geneva lab and Italy’s National Institute of Nuclear Physics in Gran Sasso are scheduled to conduct further velocity experiments.

University of Ottawa master’s student works to improve titanium-based implants Tyler Shendruk

The Fulcrum (U of Ottawa) OTTAWA (CUP) — Cyborgs aren’t science fiction. All around us, people with pacemakers, insulin pumps and prosthetic implants continue to live normal lives because of mechanical and electronic parts within their bodies. It’s not sci-fi; it’s mundane.

But that doesn’t mean combining human bodies with technology is scientifically simple. Even relatively straightforward implants need to be biocompatible or human tissues won’t accept them. Implants also need to be reliable.

We may take it for granted, but our bodies are amazingly robust.

When we sustain injuries, we heal — but implants don’t. Hip replacements are some of the most successful prosthetics, but even they have a 20 per cent failure rate after 20 years.

Titanium is one of the best biomaterials for implants. It’s light, strong, non-toxic, resistant to corrosion, and isn’t bad at osseointegration — the merging of bone and non-bone into a single object.

Not all metals are good at this, but titanium isn’t bad.

Amirhossein Ketabchi — an engineering grad and now a master’s student with an interest in medicine and bio-materials in the Surface Nanoengineering Laboratory at the University of Ottawa — thinks he can engineer it to be better.

In order to engineer better biocompatibility, Ketabchi modifies the surface of the titanium. Because your body’s cells are in contact with implants, modifications must change nanoscopic details. Ketabchi does this nanoengineering by dipping titanium into an acid mixtures.

The acid causes an oxide layer of open nanotubes to form on the surface of the titanium, which human bone can then grow into. Nanoengineering the surface of titanium like this improves its biocompatibility.

But soaking metal in strong acid for hours and hours weakens it, and the last thing you want is a titanium pin in an implant snapping. So Ketabchi knows there has to be a tradeoff between biocompatibility and preserving strength to withstand years of fatigue.

He tests the endurance limit of pin after pin, looking for the perfect compromise between biocompatibility and strength, hoping to find the perfect balance.

Know about science and have a knack for the written word?

The Omega will soon be taking applications for editors for the 2012/13 school year, and if this type of writing spins your centrifuge, let us know!

Contact editorofomega@gmail.com

Puzzle of the week Puzzle of the Week #20 – HASTA LA VISTA! This is the last problem of the year, so ”‘HASTA LA VISTA!”’.

Of the letters of the alphabet that occur in “HASTA LA VISTA!”, all but one have something in common. What is it, and which letter is the oddball? (Consider the capital forms of the letters only.)

Have a good summer. See you next year.

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.

Please 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.

15

The Omega · Volume 21, Issue 25

Coffee Break 3 9

sudokueasy

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1. K follower 5. Said sheepishly?

10. Big laugh line (slang) 14. Old World bird 15. Charles de Gaulle’s birthplace 16. ___ Danger 17. Convention city for felines?

20. Pang 21. Masses formed by heating 22. Downer 25. Brahman, e.g.

26. 1935 Triple Crown winner 30. Ancient Greek weight 33. Lifeboat lowerer 34. Fair share, maybe 35. “My man!”

38. Class for teen felines?

42. But, to Brutus 43. Jack-in-the-pulpit, e.g.

44. Kind of wave 45. Of a great range 47. Wee 48. Big sheet 51. Dalai ___ 53. Ham it up 56. Santa’s original reindeer, e.g.

60. Feline in a Salinger title?

64. Cornstarch brand 65. Mushroom caps 66. Dangerous biters

67. Capital of Rhône 68. Light parody 69. Dutch painter, to friends

40. Hook up 41. 20-20, e.g.

45. Cooling system (Brit.)

46. Wyle of “ER” 48. Central 49. Egg producer 50. “Take your hands off me!”

52. Recurring theme 54. Eur. think tank 55. Field ___ 57. Heavy furniture wood 58. European language 59. Ilk 61. 1969 Peace Prize grp.

62. “The Matrix” hero 63. Cousin of -trix

Down 1. ___-Atlantic 2. Risk prison 3. Little impressionist?

4. Anastasia’s father, for one 5. More gloomy 6. Balloon filler 7. “Aladdin” prince 8. Building additions 9. Kosher ___ 10. Diminutive 11. Double-reed instruments 12. Bat an eye?

13. Band on a shield 18. As yet 19. Creep 23. Cleave 24. Slow but steady 26. Ends partner 27. Filly’s mother 28. All fired up 29. Certain retrovirus 31. She has a degree 32. Certain refrigerant, briefly 35. Dwell 36. Bookbinding leather 37. The “O” in S.R.O. 39. “Awesome!”

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I D C K A H O Y O N S M E R I A M D I S C

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LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS

sudokuhard

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Notice anything wrong with The Omega? Bring it to our attention and win a prize. We may have done it on purpose just to keep you on your toes...or you might just be helping us get better. Either way... you win!

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March 28, 2012

TRUSU Membership Advisory Ban Bottled water Come by Old Main on Thursday March 29th between 10am and 2pm

Get a reusable water bottle and sign the pledge to ban the sale of bottled water on campus

END OF YEAR EVENT

March 31st 12-4PM

TRUSU and TRU Environment & Sustainability are partnering to host a Park Clean-up and BBQ.

Post-Secondary Education Fact:

Transit Ridership in Kamloops increased by 78% the year the UPASS was implemented

This Week: • Arabian Nights • Council Meeting • Board of Governors Elections • TRUSU NDP Club Mix & Mingle

To get involved sign up at www.trusu.ca

Check out the Events Calendar at trusu.ca for details!

Graduating?

Log on to trusu.ca and get connected!

The Students’ Union offers free graduation gown rentals for convocation photos.

To rent a graduation gown and regalia, drop by the Members’ Services Desk in the Students’ Union Building. You must provide a $60 cash deposit or credit card. Your deposit will be returned when the regalia is returned.

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