Oct. 23, 2013

TRU is spending less of its operating budget on the library than universities it’s choosing to compare itself with.

A report from the office of the VP admin and finance in May of 2013 ranks TRU last out of 16 other universities for library funding for the fiscal year of 2010/2011.

The report shows the percentage of operating expenditures by area for selected Canadian universities.

TRU spent 2 per cent of the operating budget on the library, while UVIC spent 5.5 per cent, UNBC spent 5 per cent, the University of the Fraser Valley spent 3 per cent and the University of Lethbridge spent 4.6 per cent.

In 2011, TRU spent at least one full percentage point less of its operating budget on the library than any of the 16 selected universities.

“This is kind of a case of apples to oranges,” VP advancement Christopher Seguin said. “Or young apples to old ones.”

“Many of the other universities we compare ourselves to have specialized collections and

specialized archives and we don’t have those or the need to spend money on them,” he said.

Acting upon intelligence from associate VP administration and finance Paul Manhas, who was unavailable to comment on the matter, Seguin characterized these universities as research

universities with models TRU is heading towards. He said several of them have a growing population of PhD students, while TRU is still looking to build its masters programs.

According to Seguin, the library receives its funding based on departmental needs for resources. He used the trades department as an example of a department that has very little need for the library. Seguin pointed to larger universities, like those with a school of medicine and who are more-focused on research, as those that require a

larger share of the overall budget. He also noted that the library will see an increase in funding due to the demands created by new the law faculty.

The OmegaThompson Rivers University’s Independent Student Newspaper Ω

News Editorial & Opinion Life & Community Arts & Entertainment Sports

New Wells Gray research centre breaks ground Pg. 4

Library in limbo?

I don’t think we could

survive another round of

budget cuts.” —Kathy Gaynor,

Long-time TRU librarian

“

TRU says that the library-funding situation will be remedied soon with the influx of law-school money and funds from other research initiatives — an increase that can come none to soon, accord-ing to the library staff. ( Jessica Klymchuk/The Omega)

Volume 23, Issue 8october 23, 2013

Page 3 Page 5 Pages 6, 7, 8 Page 11

Pride might be suppressed in Russia, but TRU students are making sure LGBTQ Russians seeking asylum in Canada know that this won’t be the case in their new home.

The TRUSU pride collective has been gathering donated goods and building care packages for Russian refugees in Vancouver. Recent anti-gay legislation in Russia and protests ending in violence has caused many members of the LGBTQ community to flee to Canada. Reports of Russians seeking refugee status in Vancouver surfaced in August.

“ T h e y ’ r e actually coming over with only the clothes on their backs,” TRUSU pride collective r e p re se nt a t ive Nic Zdunich said.

“ T h e y ’ r e basically going from their middle-class lifestyles to living in homeless shelters with absolutely nothing, so we’re trying to help them wherever we can.”

The pride collective makes an effort to discuss issues within the LGBTQ community, and homophobia in Russia was something that came up in September. Zdunich contacted Vancouver immigration lawyer Rob Hughes, who has been working with the refugees, to see how they could help.

The collective learned that refugees as young as 18 are unable to do anything for their first four months in Canada while their paperwork is processed so they can attain refugee status.

Many of them escaped their Russian towns and went to Canadian embassies just trying to get across.

“Canada has been welcoming so far, and [Hughes] said he should be able to get most of them to stay,” Zdunich said.

Since mid-September, the collective has been campaigning and taking donations such as toothbrushes, gift cards, warm clothing, phone cards and toiletries.

Zdunich said people were very quick to contact local dentists, doctors and businesses for donations with great success. It’s even looking like the goal of 20 care packages might be surpassed.

“It’s been really great that they took that initiative, and it really shows that people are interested in this campaign so it’s neat,” Zdunich said.

T h e collective was c a m p a i g n i n g in Old Main on Oct. 17 to collect more items, but also invited people to write messages of welcome and support to send alongside. Each one will include about ten messages of encourage-ment.

“The response from people has been great. A lot of people still aren’t aware of what’s going on in Russia. The most attention has come with the Olympics and Sochi,” Zdunich said.

Anyone can donate items up until Oct. 29 at the TRUSU members’ desk. Everything is welcome, but they are looking to collect more heavy sweaters, socks and umbrellas.

Zdunich will be personally delivering the care packages on Nov. 1 to meet some of the refugees and hear their stories.

From TRU with love

Ω News EditorJessica Klymchuk

Pages 1, 2

Ω News EditorJessica Klymchuk

Librarian worried for the future of services while being forced to do more with less compared to other institutions

See LIBRARY, Pg. 2

Care packages bound for Russian LGBTQ refugees in Vancouver

They’re

actually

coming over

with only the

clothes on

their backs.” —Nic Zdunich,

TRU Pride Collective

“

October 23, 20132

“We have a research portfolio that is growing and that will translate to changes in our spending patterns,” Seguin said.

In the 2010/2011 fiscal year, TRU spent $2,779,393 on the library and in the annual budget for the 2013/2014 fiscal year, allocated $2,875,749 for the library.

Kathy Gaynor, who acted as interim university librarian from January 2012 to July 2013 and has been employed in the TRU library since 1999, said TRU is going to have to consider investing in the library if it’s serious about realizing its research goals.

“It’s no big secret. We’re the least-funded library out there, and the university is going to really have to invest in this place,” she said.

“I don’t think we could survive another round of budget cuts.”

The library receives its funding from the block allocation, a government grant that hasn’t seen an increase in five years.

“Because of the block allocation freeze in recent years and the reduction in budget across the university, there hasn’t been growth for the past five years, but that applies to all our areas,” Seguin said.

Gaynor said the library is understaffed, with six librarians to the 15 she says comparably-sized universities have.

“If one person calls in sick, we have a hard time keeping services open,” she said.

In addition to staffing, a large portion of the funding goes to electronic resources, which are just as expensive as their print counterparts.

The library cancels database subscriptions based on things like price, quality of content and usage by students, Gaynor said. Because they see a 20 to 50 per cent price increase on resources annually, many of the savings in cancellations are used simply maintaining current resources.

“We can only cut for so long until we start cutting into things that people are using, and that becomes a problem,” she said.

“We’re really stuck in a diff icult spot where the demand is there for resources, but the funding hasn’t matched.”

TRU is currently undergoing a budget model review, which could ref lect specialized departments’ need for resources, such as law and communications.

Seguin said that the reason TRU is comparing itself to other research universities is because of how the university’s research portfolio has been expanding recently, and that this will be ref lected in future spending patterns.

Library cancelling services to maintain current resources

News

Students will no longer need to guess where to go with questions about how to access resources for their assignments or research.

TRU has implemented a new liaison program to encourage better communication between the library and the academic departments. The six full-time librarians now have designated faculties they cater to.

“The idea behind the liaison program was to focus the work of the librarians out toward the campus community,” university librarian Brenda Mathenia said. “They were looking for a way to more clearly articulate what they can do for the community, and for a way to make it easier for the community to know who to talk to.”

The library hasn’t hired any new librarians, but Mathenia said it has allowed the current librarians to focus their energy and not worry about all areas simultaneously.

Larger universities such as UBC and SFU have a library liaison program and sometimes even subject specialists.

“In general we are not prepared to be subject specialists,” Mathenia said, adding that it was the librarians who decided which of them was best-suited to each area, and that it isn’t unusual for programs to start out that way.

It was decided that the librarians would be assigned based on their undergraduate degrees.

Kathy Gaynor, who was the interim university librarian for 19 months before Mathenia started in August, said the librarians started brainstorming over a year ago about the kind of liaison work they could do given the number of staff.

In the past couple of years, Elizabeth Rennie, who does the majority of library instruction, has worked closely with the nursing department. Nursing has integrated library instruction into the curriculum at every level.

“The faculty there were noticing huge improvements in the quality of the research papers that the nursing students were doing, and the kinds of resources they were using,” Gaynor said.

That success fostered an interest in developing the same kind of two-way communication with other departments on campus.

“We certainly don’t have enough librarians to be that embedded in the curriculums across the university,” Gaynor said.

A benefit of the new organization is that librarians will be more involved with program development, allowing them to be more proactive about integrating new resources.

The first step will be for the librarians to attend department meetings and teach faculty about the program.

“We know that if we connect with faculty members they will connect us with students,” Mathenia said.

A list of the departments and the associated liaison can be found on the library website.

Librarians organize themselves by departmentNew liaison program will bolster faculty-librarian relationship and help students find what they need

VP advancement Christopher Seguin says TRU ranks low because of its comparison to research universities with more expensive library demands. ( Jessica Klymchuk/The Omega)

FRom LIBRARY, Pg. 1

Ω News EditorJessica Klymchuk

The library liaison program organizes librarians by department to foster better communication between them and faculty and students. It also means librarians can be proactive about developing resources and

collections. ( Jessica Klymchuk/The Omega)

presents

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

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

October 23, 2013 Volume 23, Issue 8

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The Omega · Volume 23, Issue 8 3The Omega

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Because of allergies, there are a lot of over-the-counter cold medications I am unable to take, so I’ve had to find alternatives to the traditional bad-tasting cough medicine and throat-numbing sprays.

A simple remedy that many students have credited their well-being to is orange juice. However, it has been reported that orange juice can actually cause more phlegm build-up (sexy, right?) so if you’re going to consume liquids, they should be clear, such as water, tea or chicken broth.

What about chicken broth and chicken soup? According to the Globe and Mail’s Leslie Beck, a registered dietician in Toronto, researchers at the University of Nebraska have found evidence that chicken soup as a cold remedy is no old wives tale. Chicken soup was found to calm white blood cells that trigger inflammation-causing congestion.

I find added humidity is always a great help when trying to relieve cold symptoms. Living in an already dry climate, like the one in Kamloops, doesn’t help a dry cough or congested airway, so investing in a humidifier might be a smart idea.

Honey has been reported to cut the length of a cold.

I personally think honey is disgusting, which you’re probably a little confused by, but I hate it. So I personally will never use this, but I think most mothers and grandmothers swear by it. The phenolic acid and flavonoids in honey are thought to be the secret behind honey’s healing powers.

Zinc lozenges not only numb your throat (and mouth) but the zinc itself can help shorten the length of the cold. According to a report from the journal Cell Reports, zinc prevents the immune system from getting out of control by binding to a protein in the

inflammation pathway, which causes inflammation. So, like chicken soup, this can help calm congestion.

Every doctor will tell you rest is key when recovering from a virus. I realize it can be difficult to relax when you have four midterms, three papers and a group project scheduled for next week. I guess that’s where we have to learn to prioritize things, and perhaps swallow our pride and talk to professors and classmates and ask for assistance. I’ve found people are generally understanding when it comes to health.

Getting a cold isn’t the end of the world, but it is inconvenient. Traditional over-the-counter cold and flu medicines are chalk-full of chemicals that aren’t imperative to getting better, so some may want to keep a list of alternatives handy, especially those feeling too crappy to get out of bed and go to the drug store. It might be wise to have zinc lozenges, honey and chicken soup on-hand all the time.

If you’re sick, I think I speak for everyone when I say STAY HOME. Everyone is trying to stay healthy, and you bringing your germs to the classroom, a small space to begin with, is going to make staying well impossible.

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Library makes positive moves, needs funding to make even more

Uncommon cures for the common cold

Courtney Dickson Ω Wellness Columnist

Wellness Matters

As reported this week by Jessica Klymchuk, the TRU library has just introduced a new initiative regarding individual librarians now focusing on individual departments.

I completely approve of specialization like this.

While I worry about a few things — like the fact they have six librarians and the school has nine departments just under the umbrella of sciences, for example, and arts has 15 more — I feel that this is at least a step in the right direction when it comes to a more directed focus on providing research services to our students, and that is never a bad thing.

The bigger issue — and the one that could undermine and negate what I just said — as also reported by Ms. Klymchuk this week, is the funding problem.

TRU spends only two per cent of its operating budget on its library system and comes in dead last in that department when compared to other universities that the university itself continues to compare itself to.

The university is constantly saying they should receive governmental funding on an appropriate level to these other schools, for example, and has joined research councils and implemented systems to try to compete on equal footing for the almighty government dollar.

But when questioned about their library funding allocation, their response is that it’s not a fair comparison because we have different needs from those other schools.

“We have a research portfolio that is growing and that will translate to changes in our spending patterns,” VP Advancement, Christopher Seguin is quoted as saying in the library-funding story.

I, for one, look forward to seeing that funding reallocation, because as it sits right now, we have people waiting outside the library for it to open so they can access the resources they need and being kicked out at closing time

long before they’re prepared for academic success.

According to the people who work there, we also have somewhere around just under half as many full-time employees (six) as comparable facilities (15 or so), and are cancelling services and subscriptions to digital services to keep other services available.

One of the services in question is the unlocking of the doors when students need them to be unlocked.

“We can only cut for so long until we start cutting into things that people are using, and that becomes a problem,” according to Kathy Gaynor, who has worked at the library since 1999 (see page opposite).

I say the fact that people can’t get in when they’d like to means that they already have cut into things that people are using — and it already is a problem.

We’ll let you know if things are remedied once the budget model review is complete and next year’s fiscal budget comes out, but as Gaynor said, TRU is going to have to start getting serious about funding it’s library (where much research is done, after all) if it’s serious about realizing its research goals — one of which is receiving funding on par with these other schools it insists on comparing itself to — but doesn’t want other people doing the same.

[email protected]

Mike Davies Ω Editor-in-Chief

Editor’s Note

Something needs to change when the library itself is publicizing that students can’t get in. (Image courtesy Twitter)

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October 23, 20134 Science & Technology

It’s in the air

The list of things in our everyday lives that are considered carcino-genic is constantly growing. French fries, red meat and diet sodas are all considered carcinogenic, and they now have another companion, the air we breathe.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared air pollution as being a carcinogen and a significant factor in lung cancer. Ac-cording to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), 223,000 deaths from lung cancer in 2010 can be attributed to air pollu-tion.

Although the cancer-causing na-ture of air pollution is worse in de-veloping countries that are heavily investing in industrialization, such as China and India, the research applies globally according to the IARC.

“Our conclusion is that this is a leading environmental cause of can-cer deaths,” said Christopher Wild, director of the IARC during a press conference in Geneva.

Find out more: www.scientificamerican.com

A mosquito-shaped time capsule?

Blood from 46 million years in the past has come into the hands of the Smithsonian through a mosquito fos-sil that had bit an ancient animal and then became trapped in sap.

This find shows that compounds such as heme, a primary component of hemoglobin, can survive through-out the years in a fossil, something researchers previously thought im-possible.

Unfortunately, the DNA does not come with the blood. Even under ideal circumstances, the blood would only have a half-life of 521 years, ac-cording to researchers at the Smith-sonian.

The mosquito, which was found in northwestern Montana, had a belly that was high in iron and full of heme which was found nowhere else in the fossil. This is conclusive proof, ac-cording to the researchers, that this is blood that was inside the mosquito.

Find out more: blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science

We built him, we had the technology

The first-ever walking, talk-ing robot with a human face was unveiled at the Smithsonian’s Na-tional Air and Space Museum on Thursday Oct. 17.

The robot was made by Shadow Robot Co. as a showcase to dis-

play how far artificial organs and body parts have come. The robot is made up of 28 artificial organs and cost $1 million to make.

“The whole idea of the project is to get together all of the spare parts that already exist for the hu-man body today,” Bertolt Meyer, a social psychologist from the Uni-versity of Zurich said to Reuters. “If you did that, what would it look like?”

The artificial robot was oper-ated remotely by a computer but could pump blood through its ar-tificial organs and converse in a manner similar to Apple’s Siri, Robert Warburton, an engineer on the project told Reuters.

The robot is the subject of an hour-long documentary called The Incredible Bionic Man that aired on the Smithsonian channel on Sunday Oct. 20.

Find out more: http://www.reuters.com/news/science

Ω Science & Tech EditorMark Hendricks

This week in scienceAir pollution is officially a carcinogen, 46 million year-old

blood, and a robot with organs?

46 million years ago, a mosquito fed on a lunch like this one and became trapped in amber shortly after. (Photo courtesy John Tann/Flickr Commons)

Wells Gray centre gets a facelift

Ω Roving EditorKarla Karcioglu

Tom Dickinson stands in front of the Wells Gray Education and Research Centre. (Photo courtesy Tom Dickinson)

20 year-old facility updated by TRU architecture and engineering alumnus Blake St. Peter

Dickinson proudly holds Blake St. Peter’s design for a new building. (Karla Karcioglu/The Omega)

For 20 years, TRU’s Wells Gray Education and Research Centre, located on the border of the Wells Gray National Park, has been available to students across British Columbia.

Dean of science Tom Dickinson said the property was originally a one-room school house for children of homesteaders who settled the area after a fire in 1928. The school closed in 1960 and was used by the Girl Guides of Canada until 1992.

“When several of us all came at once to build the university college, those of us who studied nature, ecology and the outdoors knew it that would be very valuable to have a facility where we could do that outdoor education type training,” Dickinson said.

The group began by designing a course before applying to the school district to transfer the property to what was then the University College of the Cariboo, now TRU.

The resulting national resource science programs started in 1992, and the Wells Gray Education and Research Centre opened in 1993.

Since it began, Dickinson said students have used it as a place to go out and see in real life things they were learning in the labs.

One course that frequently uses the property is the field methods and terrestrial ecology course.

Dickinson said the facility isn’t just for TRU science students. Fine arts students have visited the property for a sketching class, the German club has done language immersion weekends there and geography students meet with historical geographers for the weekend. Researchers from UBC, SFU and TRU also work there.

The centre has also hosted an event called Nature for Kids, where one parent and child are enrolled and taught about birdwatching or other nature-related activities. According to Dickinson, several of those kids ended up at TRU. One of them is now a neurosurgeon in Vancouver, another works for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and another for the Ministry of Environment.

“We’ve had really wonderful, successful students coming out of the hands-on programs that added great value to what they were learning,” Dickinson said.

The schoolhouse has electricity, cook stoves, fridge-freezers, bunks, and is heated by a wood stove from wood cut on site. Last spring six temporary sleeping cabins were built by high school students from the

Clearwater school district who were taking the introductory carpentry class.

“For the most part, it’s been a very low-key and a very hands-on experience,” Dickinson said.

“It’s amazing for TRU students,” said Nancy Flood, TRU biology professor. She said the rustic experience “builds

quite a community among the students.”

Currently, Dickinson is working with others involved in the Wells Gray Education and Research Centre to build a new building on the property.

“We realized it was getting to the point where we couldn’t do any more with the facilities,” Dickinson said. “We wanted to give more students opportunities. We wanted to run other kinds of courses there.”

The planning began a two and a half years ago. Dickinson sent a proposal to the architectural

engineering class to design a building. In the resulting design competition, Blake St. Peter, an alumnus of the architecture and engineering program, won and was hired for the summer to draw up designs.

In 2010, institutional surpluses from the budget were allocated for the project. According to Dickinson, all program deans came together to donate some of their capital to the project. “It’s a real big community project,” he said.

On Oct. 5, Dickinson and the Wells Gray World Heritage Committee invited Robert Bateman, naturalist and wildlife painter, for the official “breaking of the sod” that marked the start of the project.

“We’re primed and ready to go,” Dickinson said, adding that he thinks the timing is perfect, with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Wells Gray Park coming this November.

The Omega · Volume 23, Issue 8 5Life & Community

Roy Romanow urged people to get involved in the future of health care when he visited TRU on Oct. 16. His presentation, “The Future of Health Care in Canada,” was part of the Dave Barrett Lecture on Child, Family, and Community Welfare.

Romanow was the 12th premier of Saskatchewan, a member of the NDP party and previously the head of the royal commission on the future of health care in Canada.

He is currently chair of the advisory committee of the Canadian Index of Wellbeing at the University of Waterloo and a professor of political studies at the University of Saskatchewan.

After a traditional prayer from a Secwepemc (Shuswap) elder, Romanow opened his talk by discussing his concerns over the health of Canada’s First Nations communities.

“One of the most important aspects of health care is the abysmally poor health outcomes for First Nations people,” Romanow said, noting that he was shocked that this was still an ongoing issue.

“This is not a question of trying to impose our methods of health care reform on First Nations people,” he said.

“It’s a question of making sure that we understand integrating

the way things work in their society and their cultures.”

Romanow said that good health care should depend on the simple notion that we are all members of a society. “We are all born, live, work, inevitably get sick, and die.”

Romanow said that at the royal commission, his f irst task was to determine whether Canadians saw health care as a social good that should be available

to everyone, or as a private commodity individuals should be responsible for. He found that a majority of Canadians agreed it should be a seen as a social good.

“In order for any good public policy to be enacted and to sustain itself, it must be rooted in the values of the society for which that bill is enacted,” Romanow said.

Romanow also talked about the need for federal leadership. He cited his findings, which showed that since Medicare was enacted, the funding has drastically changed from its original 50/50 split between federal and provincial governments.

Many TRU nursing students were excited to listen to a talk from someone they learned about in the classroom, and to learn about the relationships

between federal and provincial roles in health care as well as the role of federal leadership in enacting reform.

F o u r t h - y e a r nursing student Pavnique Bains said that Romanow’s talk related directly to her future, and that it was great to meet someone who plays such an important role in health care.

Dean of nursing Donna Murnaghan said she is “really passionate and committed to having students and the public understand the importance of health and health system change.”

“As nurses we have the capability

to be leaders in helping inform that change for the future.

“If we work in partnership with policy and decision makers, then maybe we can help to address some of the equities in the system,” Murnaghan said.

In 2014, the current health accord will expire, and Romanow encourages citizens to think about what they want healthcare to look like after that.

Discussing the future of health care

Ω Roving EditorKarla Karcioglu

Roy Romanow addresses the audience in the Irving K. Barber Centre on

Oct. 16. (Karla Karcioglu/The Omega)

TRUSU Director-at-large byelection results

Voter turnout was seven per cent for the TRUSU byelection on Oct. 16 and 17. Meshari Alanazi won for the director at large position with 143 votes. Sabina Donnelly won for the graduate representative position with 398 votes. (Graphic by Jessica Klymchuk/The Omega)

Ex-Saskatchewan premier Romanow visits TRU to talk about the future of health care in Canada, urges people to get involved

In order for any good public policy to be enacted ... it must be rooted in

the values for which that bill is enacted.”

—Roy Romanow,

12th premier of Saskatchewan

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October 23, 20136

You might know that TRU is home to a meat store, lavish botanical gardens and a place to adopt a furry friend. You also may have read about the possibility of a brewery on campus. But you may not have known that Old Main has quietly been playing host a small publishing company.

In 2012, Ashok Mathur started the Centre for Innovation in Culture and the Arts in Canada Press (CiCAC Press). Described as an innovative, progressive, author-driven publishing company, CiCAC has helped f ive authors (so far) see their work professionally printed.

This isn’t the f irst time Mathur has been involved with the world of publishing.

“I have organized various publishing ventures over the years, poetry and art-based alike, always small ventures that attempted to f ill niches left vacant by larger presses,” he said.

“I see CiCAC Press as less of a company, [and more of ] a series of publishing projects.”

CiCAC Press, like many start-up companies, is funded by a credit card. TRU has not contributed any money to the business, but Mathur notes he hasn’t asked for funding, either. The university has, however, given him the space to support his business.

“There is mutual support since TRU can benefit from having such an imprint within its structure,” Mathur said.

Mathur makes no profit from running the company; he simply wanted to launch a small press venture that would be helpful and productive for authors.

“I love working closely with [the author] to make things happen.”

Mathur enjoys being part of the publishing process. He said the multiple dimensions of editing, designing and seeing the f inal product are what keep this project interesting to him.

For authors looking to try something new, and maybe put

out an attractive book and get paid relatively well for their efforts, working with a small publisher seems to be the way to go.

“In traditional publishing, the author is usually given a contract that pays royalties of 10 per cent of the list price,” Mathur said.

“A trade paperback often lists for around $20. At 10 per cent of list, each sold copy nets the author about $2.

“If the books sells 1,000 copies in a year, which would be considered a remarkable success, as average f iction sales in Canada are much lower, the author earns $2000. If the book is a runaway success and sells 10,000 copies, the author earns $20,000. Sounds good until you factor in that many authors might work several years for that one book.”

Because CiCAC doesn’t require the office space, staff or supplies a larger publishing company does, Mathur is able to offer higher royalties to his authors.

“I can print as few as 100 copies with unit prices as low as $2 per book. I’ve been doing print runs of 200 and managing all sales through the author, which is the best way to get a book out to a public. If we do a run of 200 at $3 per book the run costs me $600. We retail the book for $15 a copy, so we have to sell 40 copies to break even. That leaves us with 160 copies to generate revenue. If the author can sell even just 100 copies, then the author makes $1,500.

Mathur didn’t intend to get rich when he started CiCAC Press. In fact, by the time labour and time is factored into the work he does, he’s in the red.

“But that’s okay. This was a way to bring new authors into

publication,” he said. TRU professor of English

and modern languages Karen Hofmann was one of CiCAC’s f irst three authors (all of whom were students and staff of TRU). Hofmann published a children’s book with the help of Mathur and CiCAC Press.

“Mathur and his team, who did the production at CiCAC, were very good to work with. There was a lot of interaction on editing and design, which is great for an author. I found meticulous attention to detail and aesthetics.”

Part of the appeal was that it wouldn’t cost her an arm and a leg to get her book printed.

“A small, local company has the advantage of being able to do things outside of the mainstream, and that can be good for an author who has something that doesn’t

f it a subgenre precisely. There have always been small, i n d e p e n d e n t publishers, but the possibilities have opened up with desktop p u b l i s h i n g platforms and online marketing. Authors with s o m e t h i n g out of the ordinary should investigate the

smaller presses.” “I wanted to experiment with

genre, and they were looking to experiment as well, and the overhead costs were low enough that we could do that.”

Mathur said he’s looked at a variety of genres, but he’s really interested in works of any kind with some sort of social justice agenda.

“I’m not interested in entering the fray of going through unsolicited manuscripts,” Mathur said.

“I talk to folks, see what’s out there and see how this particularly niche press might be useful.”

Mathur admits that for those looking to get into (or already seriously involved in) the book industry, this business model may not be as useful.

For those who are looking for a new project and are inclined to do some self-promoting, CiCAC may be a perfect f it.

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The first three books off the presses at

CiCAC Pressreviewed.

Get your copies, too, and let us know what you think!

Ω Arts & Entertainment EditorCourtney Dickson

I wanted to experiment with genre...and the overhead costs

were low enough that we could do that.”

—Ashok Mathur,

TRU professor and founder, CiCAC Press

“

Arts & Entertainment

The Omega · Volume 23, Issue 8 7Arts & Entertainment

Book review: Sister Cat

TRU English professor Karen Hofmann’s children’s book Sister Cat is a post-modern take on the traditional folk tale, but includes outdated messages that readers might want to think twice about before reading to a child.

Rowan, a young girl, loses her family and must go on a mythical journey to find them. Sister Cat, Rowan’s guide-meets-genie, helps Rowan get through difficult decisions.

Her encounters with a grumpy, lonely troll, old-lady giant and a mother witch with three witch daughters, are typical situations one would encounter in a myth-based children’s book.

But Hofmann includes a concerning infusion of the patriarchy when it comes to love.

Like many other fairy tales, Sister Cat includes a love story, and thus emerges the “beggar-prince,” whom Rowan does not decide to follow when a more stable man comes along. Instead of following her heart, so to speak, she follows the knight, and where Hofmann could choose a storyline of female empowerment, she doesn’t.

Why can’t Rowan follow neither man and continue on her journey all by herself?

She gets distracted from her journey because she decides to grow a “crop” of children, and lives with the knight.

Eventually, Rowan remembers her family she forgot she was looking for, and finds them with a not-very-surprising surprise ending.

To fortify the unnecessary inclusion of a dramatic lost love, the last page includes the following sentence: “And she never again saw the beggar-prince, though he visited her, even in her old

age, in dreams that left her restless and longing.”

On top of being predictable, a life-long regret of losing a potential boyfriend does not come to mind when one thinks of a happy-ending.

Unfortunately, it is often difficult to follow the narration due to lengthy sentences. Even read aloud, the sentences have “and’s” where periods may be more appropriate.

Overall, this book is perhaps not what one might look for in a modern fairy tale that could be shared between those in a young family.

Instead, Hofmann uses the genre to tell the classic damsel in distress story that would make feminists shudder upon reading.

You can read Sister Cat for yourself and see if you agree by ordering a copy from CiCAC Press: cicacpress.wordpress.com

Ω ContributorAshley Wadhwani

Are you tired of suffering through those dry textbooks? Does your brain need an escape? How about a quick read that will whisk you away to the seas on an epic journey to find Atlantis?

Atlantis Rose, the first book in a projected five-book series by TRU science professor Lauchlan Fraser, is filled with excitement and adventure.

Fraser fuses together both fantasy and history to produce a book that is both fun and easy to read.

Not wanting to write something that was too heavy or difficult for children (he wrote the book for his kids) he focused on creating an interesting story, so as you read it, don’t delve too deeply into its historical acuracy.

Set somewhere around the death of King George III is a story about a 12-year-old boy with dreams of travelling the world. Born to a cobbler, his life seems destined for the unfotunate fate of taking over the family business.

But Jamie Heriod has no desire to craft shoes for the rest of his days. His father Jacob is determined to convince Jamie that his heart wants to stay close to home and do the same work as he does.

The Heriod family lives a comfortable life in London.

Jacob works away making shoes and boots for various customers, while his wife Charlotte makes sure everyone is fed, and helps in the business while also taking care of the children: Jamie, Molly and the baby, Bee.

When King George III is pronounced dead and a power-hungry King Kenneth takes over, the family is forced to either send Jamie away to be trained as a soldier for the evil king, or to jump aboard a ship and sail away in search of a utopia.

The Heriod family chooses to escape from London and sail away with Captain Morse on the Blue Moon.

They set sail with hundreds of others to find a better way of life. On the journey, Captain Morse asks Jamie to become his cabin boy. Jamie accepts (behind his parents’ backs) and quickly learns all he needs to know about sailing from the captain and imediately falls in love with the sea.

Weeks into their trip, a monstrous storm pummels the ship for days.

Molly, who had become friends with a French stow-away named Pierre, runs off to find him in the storm and is followed by her protective brother.

They hide away for the duration of the storm and when it ends so does their safe journey.

They are attacked by “the most feared pirate of the high seas, Kristoff Kross.”

The ship is taken over, and Jamie, Molly and the stow-away Pierre escape on a life boat.

But I shouldn’t give the whole story away! Much more excitement follows, including an unexpected confession from Pierre that, in some ways, changes the whole tale.

Fraser was inspired to write because as a child, he grew up around books like Lord of the Rings, Swallows and Amazons. He also raises his children with books, reading to them and telling them stories over and over again. Finally he decided, “I can do this!” and went on to write Atlantis Rose for his children.

Fraser did a great job writing his first fantasy novel, and I am very excited to find out what happens next in this exciting, ongoing tale.

You can pick up the 200-page Atlantis Rose for $10 at either Ashok Mathur’s office (CiCAC Press) in Old Main OM1487, or Lauchlan Fraser’s office in Research Centre RC201, or download a PDF copy of the book at cicacpress.wordpress.com. It can also be purchased at Amazon.ca.

Fraser is eager for feedback on his first fantasy novel and said he needs the inspiration to continue publishing the rest.

He can be reached by email at [email protected].

Ω ContributorErica Tippe

Book review: Atlantis Rose

Book review: Betting Zoo

Betting Zoo is Cory Hope’s first outing as a professional author. It’s a satirical look at office intrigue, and while the premise of the book asks for some suspension of disbelief, and the writing could use some editing, it provides an enjoyable read for anyone looking for some light fiction.

The story centers on Frank Heatley and his company, the Heatley Corporation. Heatley is a reclusive shut-in and the Heatley Corporation uses this seclusion to declare Heatley dead and oust him from control of the company. This begins a conspiracy that is the cornerstone of the book.

The conspiracy is also the part of the book that requires the greatest

suspension of disbelief. The idea of staging Heatley’s death, creating elaborate fake rooms, permanently vacating the top three floors of the office and hiring a squad of secret enforcers just to cover up the titular “betting zoo” doesn’t seem to make sense from a logical point of view.

The book’s title is a reference to the plan for a television show that would pit shelter animals set to be euthanized against large, predatory zoo animals in an effort to see how long they can survive. The idea being that this plan will make more than enough money to compensate any additional expenses imposed by the elaborate cover-up.

This was the biggest problem I had with Betting Zoo. The conspiracy that the entire book centers around seems completely unnecessary, and is focused around creating something that would

be shut down immediately as soon as it aired on television.

Despite this, I enjoyed the book. The strong characters carry the book through and kept me reading. From lazy, sometimes useless Heatley, to crotchety, self-righteous Edna, who should be in jail based on the way she acts in the book, the characters provide the enjoyment of the book. I found myself continuing to read as I wanted to find out what happened to these conflicting characters caught up in the conspiracy.

The book also plays on traditional anti-corporate tropes, such as the “immortal-soul clause” in the contracts, or the large company buying up all the establishments in the town.

Betting Zoo provided a quick, enjoyable read, and as long as you don’t take it too seriously, it is a fun companion for some weekend reading.

Ω Science & Tech EditorMark Hendricks

October 23, 20138

EDMONTON (CUP) — Set in the vast emptiness of space hundreds of miles above the Earth’s surface, Gravity — the latest film from the genius creative team behind 2007’s Children of Men — seems like it would be a scary enough movie even if nothing were to go wrong for the crew of the ill-fated space shuttle Explorer.

But all too soon, the looming terror of the unending void is replaced by a much more immediate threat: a nearby Russian satellite is destroyed in a routine test, causing a chain reaction which sends an unexpected cloud of deadly shrapnel hurtling towards them. Before they have time to react, the cataclysmic storm of debris tears though their ship, killing several crew members and obliterating their space shuttle and way home.

Stranded, terrified and relentlessly pursued by a super-accelerated cascade of twisted metal, the Explorer’s two lone survivors — rookie bio-medical engineer Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) — are cast adrift in the cold, black sky, left with only a half-fueled jetpack to get them to safety.

What follows is a 90-minute nightmare of disaster after disaster, made even worse by the fact that all contact with Earth has been severed — one of the first victims of the debris cloud is NASA’s communications satellite.

Gravity is a breathtaking film, in more ways than one. The pulse-pounding terror of Stone and Kowalski’s desperate struggle for survival runs parallel to some of the most stunning cinematic visuals of space to ever grace a movie screen.

Interestingly enough for such a

predominantly low-light setting, the 3D effects of the film fit incredibly well into the immersive experience of Stone and Kowalski’s adventure.

It’s a struggle not to f linch as shrapnel the size of a mid-size sedan goes whipping past your head in eerie silence while Stone’s terrified screams echo in her helmet.

Dazzling shots of the Earth and stars lend an implacable, pitiless tranquility to the film’s setting, reminding audiences how isolated and helpless the two astronauts really are.

Much of the movie is also filmed from the perspective of Stone, the amateur space jockey, lending a panic and confusion to the narrative gaze.

As the two protagonists tumble endlessly across the sky, not a moment of their journey is wasted, jumping from lavish views of the lush planet below to heart-stopping space action faster than you can say “supersonic death storm.”

In a movie with such a small cast, there’s tremendous pressure on the lead actors to carry the story along.

Neither of them disappoint:

Clooney, with his classic roguish good looks and irrepressible good humour, plays an excellent foil to Bullock, who seems at any moment to be inches away from either a nervous breakdown or the most visceral death possible.

The intense emotional versatility with which Bullock handles her performance might make this one of her greatest roles to date, setting the bar well above the romantic comedy typecasting she’s best known for.

Gravity is a daring attempt at a thriller set in the most minimal and unsettling environments.

There are high stakes involved in making a movie whose success or failure hinges on so few key compositional elements, but rest easy; Gravity blows all expectations out of the sky like a defunct Russian satellite.

Every aspect of the film is as close to perfect as it can get, f lowing smoothly from start to finish with hardly a pause for air. It’s a movie that won’t disappoint, but be warned: it’ll be a while before you can look at the night sky again without feeling a bit of a chill run down your spine.

While many consider the death of print media a certainty, others are putting a new spin on how print is presented.

Long-time visual arts professor Darlene Kalynka is one of the artists showcasing her creativity in Monumental Ideas in Miniature Books II, a display currently running at the Kamloops Art Gallery.

Thanks to this exhibit, Kalynka’s work has been seen by many all over the world.

“The great exposure of it is amazing,” she said.

Museum curator Craig Wilms is happy to have an international exhibit such as this at the gallery. In fact, the Kamloops Art Gallery is the only Canadian venue to host this particular collection.

Monumental Ideas is comprised of a variety of hand-made artist’s books, architecturally and visually unconventional in a variety of ways.

Pieces come from Europe, Asia and North America, according to Wilms.

How did such a worldly exhibit end up in little old Kamloops?

Kalynka shared a table with curator Hui-Chu Ying during a conference. Ying asked her if she could be part of and host the exhibit at TRU. She agreed, and it was showcased in the TRU art gallery for two weeks. She was then invited to submit to the second (current) exhibit.

Kalynka said she is working on submissions for Monumental Ideas in Miniature Books III.

This type of art is Kalynka’s specialty – she’s been print-making for nearly 30 years. She’s also created other artists’ books. One of her favourites was a larger piece, displaying an image of her late grandparents and their family farm.

Monumental Ideas in Miniature Books is open until Nov. 2. The cost of admission to the gallery is $3 for students with a valid student ID, except Thursdays, when admission is free.

Don’t think that your experience will be limited to viewing – as long as you put on the white gloves provided, you can handle and explore the art on display.

Hands-on art at “Monumental Ideas” exhibit

Ω Arts & Entertainment EditorCourtney Dickson

TRU professor’s work featured in international exhibit now running at Kamloops Art Gallery

This exhibit will only be on display until Nov. 2, so make some time to take a look. (Photo courtesy Kamloops Art Gallery)

Gravity has been thrilling audiences since its release at the beginning of October. (Image courtesy Warner Bros.)

Arts & Entertainment

The Gateway (U of A)Brad Kennedy

Film review: Gravity

Interested in reviewing films, albums, books, theatre productions and the like? Contact Courtney at [email protected] for information on how you can do that!

Album review: Mechanical Bull

EDMONTON (CUP) — Just a shade over a decade since their debut album was released, Kings of Leon are back and pulling sounds from their past with their sixth album Mechanical Bull.

Slightly more refined but with a heavy taste, this album is bound to feel familiar to old fans and serve as an awakening for those new to their sound. The band seems determined to show that, despite the public difficulties shared over the past few years that nearly led to its demise, the brothers (and their cousin) are back and not going anywhere anytime soon.

Their first single,“Supersoaker,” sets the pace of the album — determined and relentless. Although this track is upbeat and gets stuck to your skull, the remainder of the album gives a window into their triumphs and struggles.

Sitting nearly opposite to “Supersoaker,” songs like “Wait For Me” and “Beautiful War” show an extended range of emotion and are an obvious ref lection of what has been happening for the band since their last album’s release three years ago.

If you’re familiar with their previous albums, you’ll recognize that there is a piece of each in this one.

From the jagged screeches with a whole lot of bass (take a listen to “Charmer” from their third album and compare it to the intro of “Don’t Matter”), to their softer tones that were made to express rather than impress, you get a slice of every piece of them whether you like it or not.

It’s obvious the Followill boys have a lot more to worry about than drugs and broken women nowadays. “Family Tree” shows where they stand and what’s important. You’re welcomed in with a funk rhythm by drummer Nathan and bassist Jared setting the pace, and paired with Caleb’s vocals reaching low, high and damn near growling.

Mechanical Bull might not be as wild as what they stormed onto the stage with a decade ago, but the screeches and harsh riffs are still there and are far from inferior.

The Griff (Grant MacEwan)Danika McConnell

(Image courtesy RCA)

The Omega · Volume 23, Issue 8 9

OTTAWA (CUP) — For many university students, the demands of academic life are stressful to say the least. To cope, some of us turn to liquor, chocolate (or any other comfort food), coffee upon coffee, or cigarettes. Some of us take caffeine pills to stay awake, sleeping pills to fall asleep or anxiety pills to stabilize our frayed nerves. We’ll try anything to get us through our degree, especially if it gets us an A.

For more and more students, this list includes academic doping.

A new way to study

Academic doping is a term that refers to the use of brain-enhancing drugs such as amphetamine and methylphenidate in order to improve mental alertness, focus or information retention. Many academic dopers who use these drugs are doing so without a prescription.

Dr. Maria Rogers, an assistant professor and the director of the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Development Lab at the University of Ottawa, notes that drugs such as Adderall, Ritalin and Concerta are typically used to treat ADHD, a disorder that affects approximately five per cent of university-aged adults.

“Although there are slight differences in how the various ADHD medications work, they all essentially work the same way,” Rogers said. “[They] increase levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain that allow people to concentrate and focus better.”

For people with ADHD, these medications give an extra boost to calm the mind and focus on the task at hand. For those without ADHD, Ritalin (or methylphenidate, a psychostimulant drug) and Adderall (a mild form of speed also used to treat narcolepsy), sharpen the brain and give an extra boost while studying for a killer exam or finishing off a research paper.

Recent U of O graduate Pamela Sampson (name has been changed) says she often used Adderall, Ritalin, Vyvanse and Concerta during her time at school to get through essays and while studying for exams. She compares the feeling to taking drugs like ecstasy, but with an added sensation of intense focus.

“Physically, I felt like I was extremely anxious and it drove me to chain smoke constantly,” she said. “However, I have never felt so productive or focused in my life. Large doses are a comparable feeling to other recreational stimulants such as MDMA, but surprisingly my mental capacity was enhanced despite the anxiety.”

How common is academic doping?

Given how difficult it is to maintain a high average in university, and given students’ propensity to attend school full-time, volunteer, and work all at once, the use of ADHD medication as a study aid is on the rise in both the United States and Canada.

In 2011, the National Post published an article which cited a survey conducted by McGill University of 400 students. The results suggested that 5.4 per cent of participants had used “study drugs” like Ritalin or Adderall for cognitive

enhancement at least once in their academic careers. In the same year, Maclean’s blogger Scott Dobson-Mitchell followed suit, posting information on academic doping and questioning the merit of using non-prescription ADHD medication to get ahead academically.

Though the issue is reported more frequently in the news, the majority of students don’t necessarily participate or even know about academic doping. Peter Keays, an economics and psychology student at Carleton University, says that academic doping isn’t exactly running rampant on university campuses.

“I don’t know of anyone that is taking study drugs,” he said. “Which isn’t to say that it doesn’t happen. People aren’t exactly open about that sort of thing. You certainly hear rumours of people using them.”

There has been a recent focus on the abuse of study drugs on Canadian campuses, like at the University of British Columbia and Western University. The Vancouver Sun and CBC have reported on students who wanted an edge during their studies. According to Rogers, however, there is currently limited research on the use of study drugs at the U of O.

“I have heard about [them] being used by University of Ottawa students during exam time, but we don’t have any statistics on our campus specifically,” she said. “Research done in other parts of Canada and the U.S. has shown that anywhere from seven to 15 per cent of university students engage in academic doping.”

There may not be any statistical information in regards to academic doping at the U of O, but according to Sampson, U of O students try it just as much as other students in Canada.

“Almost every student I know has used them at some point,” she said. “And all the dealers sell out around exam time, so I assume a ton of people on campus do them as well.”

It’s against the law

Although the statistics may seem minimal, Rogers contends there are other dangerous facts collected from studies on academic doping.

“While it is most prevalent on university and college campuses, it is now being seen in high school students as well, which is very alarming,” she said. “Although we don’t know for sure how students are getting their hands on these prescription medications, it is most likely from friends who have been prescribed the drug, or from someone who has stolen the medication illegally.”

Since study drugs aren’t over-the-counter, students who use the drugs recreationally without a prescription can get in serious legal trouble if they are caught using or distributing. Sampson got the drugs mainly from

dealers, but also from friends with prescriptions.

Amphetamines and methylphenidates are currently controlled under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA), Canada’s federal drug control statute. The Act states, “Except as authorized under the regulations, no person shall possess a substance included in Schedule I, II or III.”

Methylphenidates are listed as Schedule III drugs, which means they require a prescription or license

for legal possession. The maximum punishment for possession of a methylphenidate such as Ritalin is up to three years imprisonment.

Bill C-10, commonly known as the Safe Streets and Communities Act, was passed by Parliament in March 2012 to make amendments to the CDSA. It states that amphetamines like Adderall are listed as Schedule I drugs and have a maximum punishment of seven years imprisonment for possession without a prescription.

There are consequences

Nonetheless statistics seem to indicate that recreational use of Adderall and Ritalin on college and university campuses is on the rise.

For anyone who’s seen the movie Limitless, the pros of academic doping seem clear: you pop a little

pill and your brain is working at maximum capacity for the next few hours, allowing you to achieve that A+ grade, excel at work, and clean your apartment all without getting tired. Surely, there must be a number of potentially positive benefits to taking brain-enhancing drugs.

But taking ADHD medication, even in the short term, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

“Taking stimulant medication without a prescription can be very dangerous,” Rogers said. “Large doses of stimulants can lead to psychosis, seizures, and other serious medical problems. When combined with alcohol, stimulants may create a sensation of less drunkenness and euphoria, which can lead to excessive drug and alcohol consumption, possibly resulting in overdose.”

Taking stimulant medication illegally can lead to a number of negative side effects, including insomnia, anxiety, depression, strokes and diarrhea. Drugs like Adderall and Ritalin are habit-forming drugs and can lead to addictions. Adderall has even been labelled a gateway drug that can lead users to harder drugs like cocaine.

For example, in February of this year the New York Times reported on 24-year-old Richard Fee from Virginia Beach, Va., who hung himself in his bedroom closet due to an Adderall addiction. He became addicted to an ADHD drug in college and after spending a week in a psychiatric hospital in 2011, he committed suicide a few weeks after his prescription expired.

Is it moral?

Is academic doping simply another way to gain an advantage in a time when, due to economic instability, every advantage counts? Or is it immoral, dangerous and even a form of cheating?

Keays believes the argument is two-tiered. He says that on one hand, people who use study drugs still have to write their own papers and study to learn the material to

pass an exam.“On the other hand,” he said,

“people are gaining a competitive advantage by using something that’s not available to everyone. But you could say the same thing about students who can’t afford a tutor or have less time to study because they need to work.”

U of O regulations on academic fraud, which contain clauses on items such as plagiarism, falsifying research data and “any other action for the purpose of falsifying an academic evaluation,” cites a number of punishments for infractions. These include a failing grade on an assignment, a failure in a course, loss of credits for the academic year, expulsion from the U of O for at least three years, and even the revocation of a degree. However, there are currently no explicit rules against taking non-prescription study aid drugs in these regulations.

For Sampson, academic doping has never been an ethical issue, but just another way to study and efficiently complete the necessary hours of homework for students.

“I’ve never considered it cheating, simply using my time effectively,” she said. “Why would I spend 10 days writing a paper when I could spend 10 hours?”

While the ethics behind academic doping remain unclear, the reasons students are taking study drugs are a little more straightforward.

“I think some people are going to try to get any advantage they can,” Keays said. “Getting into a graduate program can be very important and extremely competitive. Faced with that kind of pressure, I can completely understand why people would take drugs if they thought it could raise their GPA a few points.”

Until universities start moving towards a better work-life balance, or start implementing anti-academic doping policies, or administering urine tests at the beginning of exams, the decision to take brain-enhancing drugs is ultimately up to the individual.

—With files from Tori Dudys

Feature

Study drugs: Putting the “high” in higher learningThe Fulcrum (U of Ottawa)Kiera Obbard

Drugs like Adderall (pictured) are being used by more and more students as they explore ways to keep their grades up an in increasingly demanding post-secondary environment. (Photo courtesy Hipxxhearts/Flicr Commons)

Almost every student

I know has used them

at some point” —Dr. Maria Rogers,

Director, ADHD and Development Lab, U of O

“

October 23, 201310

Across

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39. “Awesome!”40. Hook up41. 20-20, e.g.45. Cooling system (Brit.)46. Wyle of “ER”48. Central49. Egg producer50. “Take your hands off me!”52. Recurring theme54. Eur. think tank55. Field ___57. Heavy furniture wood58. European language59. Ilk61. 1969 Peace Prize grp.62. “The Matrix” hero62. Cousin of -trix

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Coffee Break

Got a better joke? Got a comic? Send ‘em in and we might run ‘em. [email protected]

RANDOM JOKE!This lady is giving a party for her granddaughter, and has gone all out. She had a caterer, band, and a hired clown.

Just before the party starts, two bums show up looking for a handout. Feeling sorry for the bums, the woman tells them that they can get a meal if they will chop some wood out back. Gratefully, they head to the rear of the house.

Guests arrive, and all is going well with the children having a wonderful time. But the clown has not shown up and she unsuccessfully tries to entertain the children herself. She happens to look out the window and sees one of the bums doing cartwheels across the lawn.

She watches in awe as he swings from tree branches, does midair flips, and leaps high in the air. She speaks to the other bum and says, “What you friend is doing is absolutely marvelous. I have never seen such a thing.

“Do you think your friend would consider repeating this performance for the children at the party? I would pay him $50!”

The bum replies, “Well, I dunno. HEY WILLIE! FOR $50. WOULD YOU CHOP OFF ANOTHER TOE?”

Puzzle of the weekPuzzle of the Week #7 – Mystery Number

There is a unique four-digit number identified by the following clues. Whatis the number?

1. Neither 0 nor 8 is a digit.

2. The mystery number is prime.

3. The odd digits are not adjacent in the mystery number.

4. No digits are prime.

5. Two of the digits are even, and two of them are odd.

6. All of the digits are different.

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 the second-to-

next Wednesday to Gene Wirchenko <[email protected]>. Submissions by others

are also welcome. The solution will be posted the Wednesday after that in my

blog (http://genew.ca/) and in the Math Centre (HL210A). Come visit: we

are friendly.

The Omega · Volume 23, Issue 8 11Sports

TRU WolfPack golfer Brent Pound finished tied for 16th at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association golf nationals in Quebec City.

Pound finished the first round with a 1-under 71 and was in sole possession of eighth place after the first day, but fell to fifteenth with a second-round 76. His final round score was 76.

Colton Kalkanis of Georgian College led the tournament from start to finish.

After zapping the Chargers in an exhibition game on Oct. 18, the WolfPack women’s basketball team was brought back down to earth by the Golden Hawks the on Saturday.

Friday’s game saw the women double up on the Camosun College Chargers 72-41. Taiysa Worsfold led the ’Pack with 16 points.

The Wilfred Laurier Golden Hawks proved to be a tougher opponent and topped TRU 72-62.

Sarah Malate led TRU with 17 points, while Taiysa Worsfold had 16. Kassie Colonna and Jorri Duxbury each had 14.

The WolfPack women will next play in their season opener, Nov.1, 6 p.m., Tournament Capital Centre, against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.

Not to be outdone the WolfPack men’s soccer team also clinched first place on Oct. 20, playing to a 0-0 draw against the Langara College Falcons.

The ‘Pack picked up a 4-0 victory against the Quest Kermodes and needed a victory or a draw against Langara in order to prevent the team from leap-frogging it in the standings.

Justin Wallace had two goals on Saturday and Oriol Torres and Corey Wallis each scored. Travis Froehlich was in goal on both Saturday and Sunday and now has four consecutive shutouts.

The men will face the Vancouver Island University Mariners on Saturday in the semifinal of the provincial championship.

The Selkirk College Saints continued to get the best of the TRU WolfPack men’s hockey team, winning the Oct. 19 weekend’s games by scores of 8-2 and 5-1, respectively.

The teams will face off again on Friday, 8:30 p.m., at Memorial Arena.

In preparation for their exhibition tournament this weekend, the WolfPack men’s basketball team

played to an 85-56 victory over the Vancouver Island Mariners on Saturday.

Ta’Quan Zimmerman led the WolfPack with 20 points.

The men will start their tournament play on Friday, 4 p.m., at the Tournament Capital Centre. They will open their regular season on Nov. 1, 8 p.m., at the Tournament Capital Centre, against the Saskatchewan Huskies.

Alesha Miller and Connor McKay of the WolfPack cross-country team finished in fourth place in the women’s and men’s divisions, respectively, of the Reino Keski-Salmi Memorial Cross-Country Run in Salmon Arm on the weekend.

Melissa Ryeo (8), Rolena Debruyn (9), Christa Miller (15), Tiffany Adams (16), Kendra Schmidt (21), Lynsie Schmidt (31), Chantelle Forseille (34), Jacky Hiscoe (43), Alannah Steward (43) and Jennifer Revel (55) also competed for the women.

Ryan Pidhirniak (8), Conlan Sprickerhoff (12), Sunny Dulay (25) and Corey Roberts-Reynolds (26) competed for the men.

WolfPack Bites

Bekkering leadsWolfPack into provincials

She went out with a bang, but that didn’t make it any easier.

Alanna Bekkering scored her 13th goal of the regular season on Sunday in a 3-0 victory over the Langara College Falcons. The marker was her final regular season goal as a member of the WolfPack and padded her lead as the Pacific Western Athletic Associations leading goal scorer.

“I was really hoping for a goal today, I guess,” Bekkering said following the match. “To end my league season with a goal is really nice.”

The tally was the third of the match and followed goals from Jaydene Radu and Courtney Daly. The WolfPack finished the season 12-0-2 and are just the second team in the school’s history to go undefeated in the regular season.

Despite the victory, and a berth in the provincials on the horizon, Bekkering was emotional as she left the Hillside turf for the final time.

“At the beginning of the half, actually, I started to cry a little bit, just because it’s my last little hurrah here in Kamloops,” Bekkering said, holding back tears. “I just was a little nervous and I did want to score, I guess. I was really hoping to set up Bronwyn (Crawford) because that’s our little thing we always do, I always look at her for every cross, unfortunately that didn’t happen but I got a goal.”

In his five seasons at the helm of the WolfPack, head coach Tom McManus has seen a number of players come and go, but he admitted Bekkering is going

to be hard to replace. Laura Smylie and Vanessa Zilkie will

also be departing the team at season end.“It’s hard on the heart,” McManus

said, when asked what was going through his mind as he watched Bekkering play the final seconds of her career at Hillside Stadium.

“She’s such a great player, she’s a great spirit, not just as a soccer player but as a human being.”

McManus cited Bekkering’s work in the community, along with the way that she interacts with the Kamloops Minor Soccer players who attend each match, as evidence of how important she’s been to the program and the city of Kamloops.

“It feels really good for people to look up to you,” Bekkering said. “Some people say, ‘It’s just university soccer’ but it’s the highest level that I can go

from here on out. So for little kids to look up to me and ask me for my autograph, it’s something little, but it’s special.”

With the regular season complete, Bekkering and the WolfPack turn their attention to the provincial, and possibly national, championship. They will head to Nanaimo on the weekend where they will face the Falcons for the third time this season, in the Pacific Western provincial semifinal. Langara and the WolfPack played to a 1-1 draw and Sunday’s 3-0 match in their first two meetings this season.

TRU is looking to defend its back-to-back provincial championships (2011 and 2012) and get its third crack at a national championship this year before its departure to the Canada West University Athletic Association for the 2014 season.

Ω Sports EditorAdam Williams

Alanna Bekkering chases down the ball in her final game at Hillside Stadium. (Adam Williams/The Omega)

TRU’s Dion Goulsborough (#11) battles for the ball with Quest’s Charles Impey (#5). (Kieran Markle/The Omega)

The 40th annual Crown of Curling tournament in Kamloops Oct. 18 to 21 sees players come from all around the globe to compete for the championship title. 40 teams, totalling 160 athletes, com-pete at the Kamloops Curling Club over the weekend. Curling fans can check out more world-class action at the 2013 Men’s Grey Cup Bonspiel coming up on Nov. 22 to 24 at the McArthur Island Curl-ing Club or at next year’s Brier (tickets on sale now). (Kieran Markle/The Omega)

Oct. 18-22

October 23, 201312

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