Volume 19 Issue 13

March 4, 2009

trees PleAse uGh, my NeW bff struttiNG it

This environmental group is A look at how addictive reality TV So you think you can’t dance?
getting the job done without is, and how it keeps us coming Take some notes as we look at
Camosun’s Student Voice being protesting tree-huggers. back for another hit. Victoria’s current dance scene.
Since 1990 cAmPus—7 life—9 Arts—13

2009
games

Pages 10-11 Photo: courtNey brouGhtoN

2 vieWS March 4, 2009

Cops versus grills and guns

Editorial
Nexus
tessA coGmAN windows just yet, Victoria. their efforts into one area and taking
Staff Writer After the Surrey killings, the them out of another. The Vancouver
How many police does it take to province formed the Integrated police departments are obviously
screw in a light bulb? Homicide Investigation Team, an shorthanded and gangs are taking
Next publication: March 18, 2009 Vancouver Mayor Gregor Rob- integrated gang task force and vio- advantage of this.
Deadline: noon March 11, 2009 ertson says he needs 475 more lence suppression group, to target This is where the citizens step
police officers to bring their staff gangsters and guns on the street. in to lend a helping hand to solve
Address: 3100 Foul Bay Rd., Victoria, BC, in line with the Toronto police, these murders, right? Wrong.
V8P 5J2 and 875 more to compare in size The people that know who’s
Location: Lansdowne Richmond House 201 to Montreal’s force. responsible for these events are re-
Phone: 250-370-3591 With 12 shootings in 16 days, four of six shootings luctant to talk. Generally witnesses
Email: nexus@nexusnewspaper.com Vancouver is starting to look more in early february were will give statements but never carry
Website: www.nexusnewspaper.com and more like Detroit City. Although through with them. I don’t blame
Publisher: Nexus Publishing Society we are an island away, the sound of likely linked to drug them; I wouldn’t want a cap in my
gunfire is getting far too close to or gang activity and ass either.
home, and is leaving many Victoria But, instead of blaming the
NEXUS PUBLISHING SOCIETY
residents anxious, with some point- most of the victims’ police, we should be applauding
STUDENT BOARD MEMBERS
Kyla Ferns ing the finger at the police. vehicles had chrome them for their efforts. It’s obvious
The number of gangs in BC they are trying as hard as they can,
Kelly Marion
has grown from about a dozen 10 rims. and it’s difficult with all their wit-
Andrea Moir
Jason Motz years ago to more than 100 today, nesses keeping quiet.
Chris Pal fueled in part by an expanding So until the guns cease-fire,
Miriam Putters drug trade. The team, which has more than avoid skipping down Douglas Street
MANAGING EDITOR Police haven’t yet confirmed 100 officers from every regional in total oblivion and, while you’re at
Jason Schreurs that the incidents are gang-related, jurisdiction except Vancouver and it, tell your fellow friend to simmer
LAYOUT EDITOR
but we’re not idiots. Four of six suburban Delta, was created in 2003 down on the rap music.
Laila Brown shootings in early February were in part to coordinate investigations While it’s no time to be para-
STUDENT EDITOR
likely linked to drug or gang activity of gang-style killings that spilled noid, it is time to be aware of your
Tessa Cogman
and most of the victims’ vehicles across municipal boundaries. surroundings; Victoria could easily
had chrome rims. But the team doesn’t have 100 act as a getaway for some of these
COPY EDITOR
Alan Piffer
But don’t go boarding up your new recruits; they are just pulling shooting suspects.
graPHiC: adriaN biNakaJ
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Kait Cavers open Space accepts submissions from Camosun students. Submissions to open Space should be
STAFF WRITERS Open Space 400 words or less. responses to previous articles in Nexus should be 250 words or less.
e-mail submissions to nexus@nexusnewspaper.com and include your name and student number.
Guy Alaimo
Brendan Kergin
Jason Motz
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Courtney Broughton
Camosun not UVic’s sloppy seconds
ADVERTISING SALES christi KAy tal during the war and later became Camosun was sub-par. He felt the amount of trees creates a great
Breanna Carey CoNtributiNg Writer Victoria College. The history and same first-year courses at UVic atmosphere at the Lansdowne
Jason Schreurs I was walking into school the would be better than the ones he campus.
250-370-3593 other day and overheard a conver- was taking here. Anyone who walks in from the
Campus Plus NATIONAL sation between two fellow students. i value the privilege of That’s ridiculous. First-year corner of Richmond and Hillside
1-800-265-5372 Their topic was one I hear all too arriving on campus 10 courses at a university like UVic has taken in the beauty of the trees
DISTRIBUTION frequently. can have several hundred people in lining the original driveway leading
Adrian Binakaj They were complaining that minutes before class, them, where each student is nothing up to the Young Building.
Ashley Moore attending Camosun, especially the parking at the far end more than a number. Speaking of No matter how many times I
CONTRIBUTORS: Lansdowne Campus, is an embar- numbers, tuition at UVic is higher trek up that hill, the scenery always
Guy Alaimo rassment. I just don’t understand of the parking lot, and for the same courses. energizes me.
Adrian Binakaj it—Camosun is a great place to making it to class on Also, I value the privilege of Our pub may only be open for
Allie Bowman be. arriving on campus 10 minutes two hours a week for six months of
Michael Brar Many students choose to look at time. before class, parking at the far end the year, but otherwise we’ve got it
Courtney Broughton the older structures, like the Young of the parking lot, and making it to pretty good.
Cristian Cano Building, as being outdated. Why class on time. Students should focus more on
Breanna Carey not look at it from a more positive character in the Young Building is That wouldn’t be plausible at what Camosun does have to offer.
Daniel Carranza angle? far more inspiring to me than some most universities where you need at And at least we don’t have to dodge
Kait Cavers
For example, the Young Build- stuffy modern establishment. least two maps to find the way from a minefield of rabbit feces each time
Tessa Cogman
ing is a historical structure dating I also talked to one student who the parking lot to the classrooms. we arrive on campus.
Maelina de Grasse
back to 1915. It was a military hospi- said he felt like the education at The landscaping and large Take that, UVic!
Michael Duncan
Elizabeth Harvey
me losing a third of my weight, dropping from only the magic of advertising can imbue $2.50
Christi Kay
Weight loss story
Letters

Donald Kennedy 240 pounds to a lean and svelte 160 pounds. worth of materials and labour with the essence
Keltie Larter inspiring Ultimately, only you can put your hopes and of sport.
Joanna Lillard dreams into action; one day I simply decided I’d The article also states purchasing a faux
Will Maartman Chris Burnett’s feature story, had enough, and that I wanted to take one last “takes away from the original creator of the item
Hayley MacDonald Losing the baggage [Feb. 18 issue], shot at trying to be the person I wanted to be. . . .” You don’t have to agree with Proudhon that
Kelly Marion was one of the most positive and en- It takes time and courage, but there’s no all “property is theft” to consider the idea of in-
Chloe Markgraf couraging stories I’ve read in a long better feeling than getting back to school after a tellectual property rights dubious; either way, if
Andrea Moir time; no fuss, no drama, just one man’s struggle break without a hefty set of man-boobs. you’ve ever downloaded music from the Internet,
Jason Motz against a problem of his own making. then you’ve already stolen intellectual property
Amee Nijjar I too can identify with Burnett’s story. As a ANdy roberts
CAMOSUN STUDENT from someone who probably needs the money
Alan Piffer teenager I was always overweight, often straying much more than Versace does.
Sheila Porteous into the obese category. I spent entire summers It’s true the ubiquity of the knockoff takes
Andy Roberts
Shane Scott-Travis
wearing sweaters because I was ashamed of my
appearance, and trips to the swimming pool
Brand names the real away from the prestige of the authentic and
Ed Sum became a thing of the past. Walk around without enemy augmented status that comes along with the
purchase of it.
Joel Witherington a shirt on? Get real. Whatever happened to “send your kids to Depending on your worldview, you may con-
the views and opinions expressed herein are those of the But, like all big life changes, these trans- college, they come home Marxists?” sider this an argument in favour of purchasing the
authors, not of the Nexus Publishing Society.
one copy of Nexus is available per issue, per
formations require two ingredients—brute force In Students shouldn’t support fake brands imitation; this clandestine act of consumer terror-
person. Nexus is printed on a mixture of 100 and a belief in yourself. Nobody can persuade [Feb. 18 issue], Alissa Laurin writes “quality, ism subverts an elitist and materialist system.
and 40 percent recycled paper. Please recycle
your copy. thanks! you to go to the gym and cut down on your food trust, and honesty are obtained in the purchase In an age when consumer decisions shape
Editorial meetings intake; fundamentally, you have to experience [of branded products].” This is a myth of the our world more than democratic actions, what
Come out to our weekly Nexus editorial meetings, where
all Camosun students can get involved in their student
that epiphany for yourself. brand; actually, the disparity in price between should students consider when spending their few
newspaper. Meetings take place every tuesday at 11:30 As the rapper Maxi-Jazz would say, “No brand and “no-name” products goes towards spare dollars? How about ethical consumption
am in the Nexus office, richmond House 201, lansdowne.
Call 370-3591 or e-mail nexus@nexusnewspaper.com for one can be the source of your contempt—it lies manufacturing a brand image which consumer guided by environmentalist and humanitarian
more information. within, in the centre.” fetishism allows us to appropriate into our own principles?
Send a letter In 2000, at the end of a long-term relationship identity through the transmogrification of the
Nexus prints letters that are 250 words or less in response hAydeN Kee
to previous stories. Nexus reserves the right to refuse and faced with a large degree of uncertainty in purchase. CAMOSUN STUDENT
publication of letters. letters must include full name and
student number (not printed). Nexus accepts all letters by life, I began a regime that would conclude with Basketball shoes are easily produced, but
e-mail to nexus@nexusnewspaper.com
nexus@nexusnewspaper.com vieWS 3

Is Obama-rama justified? Pay attention to

AlAN Piffer
Staff Writer
Every time I watch the news, I
find it hard to fathom Barack Obama
is actually in office, especially after
the years of the Bush administra-
tion. Besides the milestone of its
first African-American president,
the United States has a leader who’s
young, tech-savvy, intelligent, and
progressive-minded.
In the midst of two never-ending
conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan,
and a massive global financial crisis,
a lot of hope rests on Obama’s
shoulders. Although it’s going to
be a struggle for Obama to deal
with the current situation, he ap-
pears to be as qualified a leader as
anyone else to clean up the current
mess we’re in.
But is he really? I have as high
hopes for the Obama administra-
tion as anyone else, but with all the
hero worship going on in the media,
I feel a little uneasy. Progressive-
minded people see Obama as their
saviour and don’t want to criticize
him. Meanwhile, American con-
servatives have done their best to
demonize him.
The question about Obama is
can he bring about the positive
change so many of us are hoping
for? Is Obama really the leader of
the free world, or, as many conspir-
acy theorists believe, just another
puppet on a string like Bush?
Not long after Obama was
sworn in he announced the closure
of the highly controversial Guant-
anamo Bay prison; after that, he
announced the States’ commence-
ment into stem-cell research. These
all appear to be good signs, but how
far can Obama really go?
Will Obama pull out of Iraq and
work towards ending America’s
the question about
obama is can he
bring about the
positive change so
many of us are
hoping for?
dependence on foreign oil through
development of alternative energy
sources?
Can he transform America from
the reactionary, imperialist na-
tion under the Bush-ites into the
progressive nation we’d all like to
see? I hope so.
But I also understand that the
many powerful people in America
will do whatever they can to pre-
serve the status quo.
Maybe Obama got in to throw
us progressive-minded people a
bone after so many years of Re-
publican domination. And while
everyone on Earth who doesn’t fall
into the right-wing conservative
camp is ecstatic over the young, hip
new president, the same old things
will go on as usual.
But, at the very least, as Ralph
Nader once said, “Anybody’s better
than Bush.”
Canada, not Obama
Peter GArdNer
CoNtributiNg Writer
Everyone in America has been
watching Barack Obama very
closely, and many people love him.
Many Canadians have been keeping
a close eye on him as well, and have
the same hopes for his presidency
as the Americans do. But when
there’s so much going on in our
own country, as well as our prov-
ince, why are we paying so much
attention to Obama?
Our government was almost,
for lack of a better term, overthrown
this past December. The BC govern-
ment doesn’t know up from down
and they’re hiding from the oppos-
ition with an election coming up.
The economy’s in such dire
straits that Camosun College is ex-
pecting huge cuts to its government
funding, as a great deal of money
has been lost in investments.
So why don’t I hear anything
about these things from students
when I walk through the halls?
Yet most students went crazy on
Obama’s inauguration day.
Maybe it’s just a matter of mar-
keting. So much money was put
into campaigns for Obama. As well,
every celebrity and their mom were
talking about how only cool people
vote for Obama.
How often do we hear a Canad-
ian celebrity, other than Rick Mer-
cer or a news anchor, talk about the
federal government? So perhaps it
wasn’t hard to get swept up in the
commotion of everything Obama.
But even so, why don’t we pay
attention to what’s happening here?
The provincial Liberal government
is trying to sit in the house as little
as possible, diving through all sorts
of loopholes to get out of the way of
an overly eager NDP.
do we need someone
like Steve Nash to tell
us we should pay
attention to our own
province?
It’s really exciting and interest-
ing to follow Canadian and BC pol-
itics right now but, again, not many
people are paying attention. And
there’s an election just around the
corner! Would it be more interest-
ing if some celebrity endorsed the
NDP? Do we need someone like
Steve Nash to tell us we should pay
attention to our own province?
This is in no way a knock on
Obama, who was able to capture
the hearts of a usually politically
apathetic country. I just wish Can-
adians would get their hearts back
and put them in the body of the
country they live in.

Acceptance of other cultures is a two-way street

mAeliNA de GrAsse
CoNtributiNg Writer
Embracing many cultures and
welcoming immigrants to share
our country is what it truly means
to be multicultural. But with so
many ethnicities coming to Canada,
each with their own customs and
traditions, there are bound to be
differences in way of life. Should
Canada be expected to change its
own customs and traditions to fur-
ther accommodate those who move
here? Or should new immigrants
adapt to change, since they’re the
ones who have chosen to live in
this country?
Should Canada be
expected to change its
own customs and
traditions to further
accommodate those
who move here?
Bruce Allen of CKNW’s Reality
Check was introduced as a member
of the creative team shaping the
ceremonies and entertainment of
the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.
But his job was threatened when
he disagreed with the proposal to
translate the Canadian anthem into
Hindi. Many new Canadians found
his comments offensive and tried to
get him fired.
But there’s no reason for people
to be offended. Loyalty to one’s
country shouldn’t be thought of
as an act of racism. Why should
the Canadian anthem be sung in
anything other than Canada’s of-
ficial languages?
Canada has already opened its
arms to people and cultures from
all over the world. Most import-
antly, immigrants are welcome
here just as they are. On the other
hand, Canadians offer to share their
home just as it is. There’s no deal
including individual renovation
plans. Is a homeowner expected
to change the wallpaper if a guest
doesn’t like it?
Upon moving here, Sikhs aren’t
asked to wear beaver-tail turbans,
and Muslims aren’t expected to
stitch the Canadian flag onto their
burkas. These people have a right
to the elements of their culture and
home, and so should Canada have
every right to its cultural elements,
such as the national anthem.
There’s a fine line between ac-
cepting diversity and maintaining
individuality.
Changing the ways and trad-
itions of Canada puts it at risk of
losing its identity.
Multiculturalism is a valued
quality of Canada, but it can’t and
shouldn’t be its only distinctive
feature. Assorted ethnicities in
Canada should add to its identity,
not replace it.
Life is a two-way street. New
Canadians should be just as ac-
cepting of Canada as the country
is expected to be of them.

tell us your best joke.

BY TESSA COGMAN

shANNoN Potts
“What does a duck do
when it’s flying upside
down? Quack up.”
christA mAcAtee richArd bAer hAyley lithWicK cArlos mArK WilhelNis berNAdette Perry
“two peanuts are “What is the capital of “a guy walks into a bar mArticoreuA “What do you call two “Why did Spock pee on
walking in a park. one is iceland? about $25.” and says, ‘ouch.’” “What’s the difference Mexicans playing ping the ceiling? He wanted
a salted.” between beer nuts and pong? Juan on Juan.” to go where no man had
deer nuts? beer nuts are gone before.”
free, and deer nuts are a
buck and a half.”
 NEWS
BC’s education budget doesn’t measure
up, say student groups
Guy Alaimo
Staff Writer
Despite a 7.3 percent rise in
funding for postsecondary educa-
tion, the recent 2009 provincial
budget announcement still has BC
student groups fuming. Not only is
the funding not nearly enough, the
budget does nothing to help student
debt, according to the groups.
“The budget is really frustrat-
ing for students,” says Shamus
Reid, chairperson of the Canadian
Federation of Students (CFS). “The
government had an opportunity to
invest in the future at a time when
we are really going to need it in
an economic recession. History
tells us that in times of economic
decline, people go back to school
to upgrade their skills in order to
build a stronger economic fortune
for themselves, and with this budget
we are continuing to put these goals
out of reach.”
Reid is especially worried about
the national student debt that, ac-
cording to the CFS, has collectively
surpassed $13 billion. He says the
government should have a hand in
helping offset student debt.
“Here in BC and Canada there
was no investment in financial as-
sistance for students whatsoever,”
says Reid. “There is a realization
south of the border that offset-
ting student debt is necessary, and
this realization has not seemed to
make its way up to our federal and
provincial government. We need to
see the federal government invest
more funding into the budget and
the provincial government reducing
tuition fees and investing in grants
for students.”
According to the budget, an-
nounced on Jan. 29, postsecond-
ary institutions will receive $228
million over three years, with $165
million of that allocated towards
making higher education more
accessible for students.
The government also states that
new capital investments into post-
secondary education will create jobs
and provide space for BC’s colleges
and universities in partnership with
the federal government.
Student Society of UBC Van-
couver’s vice-president of external
affairs officer, Tim Chu, says the
budget is less than adequate for
students.
“Current funding levels for post-
secondary education are inadequate,
and the new budget shows no sign
of improvement,” says Chu. “The
$165 million to increase over three
years works out to $55 million a year.
This does not even make up for the
“We need to see the
federal government
damages caused by the $60 million
that was cut last year.”
But the Chief Financial Officer/
invest more funding
into the budget and
Bursar for Camosun College, Peter
Lockie, says the announced funding
increase is promising news, al-
though he isn’t sure how the funds
the provincial
will specifically benefit Camosun.
government reducing “This is certainly promising
news for the postsecondary system
tuition fees and
as a whole, where overall operating
investing in grants for funding to institutions is budgeted
students.” to increase by 7.3 percent,” says
Lockie. “How that will be allocated
Shamus Reid to individual institutions is not yet
Canadian Federation of known. We understand that the
Students
Ministry of Advanced Education
and Labour Market Development
staff is working on these alloca-
tions and these are expected to be
provided to us in early March.”
Meanwhile, Reid acknowledges
that funding to schools is increas-
ing, but says it still isn’t enough for
struggling students.
“The student aid budget remains
constant but is expecting a 7.3 per-
cent increase in enrolment,” says
Reid. “So while there is an operat-
ing increase in this budget, it is still
projected to fall behind enrolment
and inflation increases.”
Lockie says Camosun is project-
ing a shortfall in their budget this
year, despite the increase in funding,
and is getting prepared no matter
what happens.
“Although the funding news
looks positive, it is by no means
certain that any additional fund-
ing we receive will totally solve our
projected budget shortfall,” says
Lockie. “We will be continuing
Less teens bumping
uglies Amee Nijjar
Contributing Writer
We live in an over-sexualized
society, there’s no doubt about it.
But when comparing teens of the
’90s with teens today, the numbers
of those who have “knocked boots”
looks to have dropped.
Telephone interviews with
thousands of Canadian teenagers
showed the amount of teenagers
aged 15–19 who have had sex at
least once dropped from 47 percent
in 1996 and 1997, to 43 percent
in 2005, according to Statistics
Canada.
Victoria High School senior
Anna Macdonell was surprised to
hear the numbers had been drop-
ping. From what she’s seen around
school, Macdonell says by senior
year most girls have had sex.
“Youth want to learn
about sexual health.
It’s a topic that is
current, relevant, and
fascinating to them.”
Jennifer Gibson
Health educator
“The media is telling teens that
it’s cool to have sex, so kids want
to try it and see what it’s like,” says
Macdonell.
But, even with the sex-saturated
media of today, Macdonell says she
is waiting for a steady relationship
with someone she really trusts be-
fore she decides to have sex.
“I would like to believe that girls
are wanting to wait a little more
and don’t feel too rushed, and that
they are also scared of the conse-
quences,” says Macdonell.
Jennifer Gibson, who works as
a professional health educator in
Victoria, says education at earlier
ages and access to community re-
sources is partly responsible for this
decrease in sexual activity.
“The earlier we begin conversa-
March 4, 2009
our budget development process
in order that we are prepared to
respond to whatever funding situa-
tion results when the actual details
are given to us.”
Before the budget announce-
ment, Camosun predicted it would
carry a $3.4 million deficit for
2009/10 and has already asked
department heads how they can
cut five percent out of their budget,
a task that has some faculty con-
cerned about the longevity of their
jobs and students fearing an in-
crease in tuition.
While the threat of job losses is a
serious possibility, Lockie says stu-
dents need not worry about a rise in
tuition to offset the school’s deficit
because the provincial government
has put a cap on tuition increases
to the rate of inflation.
(With files from Jason Motz.)
tions about sexual health, the more
comfortable our youth are with
sexual health information, and the
longer they have to really consider
the risks,” explains Gibson. “Youth
want to learn about sexual health.
It’s a topic that is current, relevant,
and fascinating to them.”
The number of teens becoming
sexually active at an early age also
declined. Statistics from 1996/1997
show 12 percent of teens having sex
before the age of 15. In 2005, eight
percent had sexual intercourse
before the age of 15.
The numbers remain idle for
males, however; their stats have re-
mained unchanged in both cases.
Gibson believes young women
are becoming more empowered and
aware of their right to say “yes” or
“no” to sex. In contrast, she thinks
many of the young men she works
with feel a huge amount of peer
pressure to be sexually active—a
pressure that’s still very acceptable
to be placed on males.
“I make sure that the youth I
work with know that not everyone
is having sex, and that if people
are talking about it casually in the
hallway, then they probably aren’t
doing it with anyone other than
themselves,” says Gibson.
By the time both genders reach
the ages of 20–24, the number of
those having sex increases to 80
percent.
“The number probably jumps so
high in college years because many
students move away from their fam-
ily to go to school, and experience
more freedom which influences
their decision making,” explains
21-year-old Camosun nursing stu-
dent Emily Burrows. “Also, once
people leave high school, they may
be moving away from a core group
of friends who had a large influence
on the decisions they made.”
Gibson says it makes sense that
with these new experiences come
opportunities for sexual activity.
“It also helps that the body and
the mind are pretty well equipped,
hormonally speaking, to be curious
and very interested in sex.”
nexus@nexusnewspaper.com NeWS 5

STV, WTF? NEWS BRIEFS by KAit cAvers

A guide to electoral reform Share underwear

Mustard Seed has got food covered. Salvation army has got the
coats. Now here are some students with a real plan. former Camosun
current system, but Lambertson students, along with uvic nursing students, are organizing an under-
warns, “It’s actually difficult to wear drive on campus to provide much-needed underwear to our
say, because every country and Place, an organization that provides social, health, and advocacy
province is unique and has a dif- services to victoria’s street population. the drive will be running
ferent political culture.” for the entire month of March and donation boxes will be located in
Garrison adds to this, saying, several spots around the campuses, so head to Zellers to grab a 10-
“It would mostly just encourage brief bundle and keep your eyes peeled for donation boxes. for info,
prominent individuals who already contact Chris bigelow at cbignut@gmail.com
have a name of their own.”
STV could encourage more
Hunger pains
people in general to take part in response to the alarming amount of complaints about aramark
filed via Nexus, ami Muranetz, a second-year visual arts student at
in the electoral process, says
the lansdowne campus, is creating a public mural to hang in front of
Lambertson.
the ewing building. the mural portrays french food activist Jose bove
“Let’s say right now you’re
who became publicly recognized worldwide after deconstructing a
a strong supporter of the Green Mcdonald’s franchise with the Peasant’s Confederation in ’99. the
Party; you might feel there is no mural made by Muranetz will depict quotes from bove and others on
point in supporting that party the negative outcomes of serving low-grade food. be sure to stop by
and might feel disillusioned by the and check it out on March 4 while you’re enjoying your overpriced egg
current system,” says Lambertson. salad sandwich.
“Maybe STV will encourage more
people to participate.” Dodgy athletics
But what about STV’s potential on Monday, feb. 23, 50 people making up seven teams partici-
downsides? “Well, you are being pated in the first annual dodgeball tournament at Camosun. the round
PHoto: CourtNeY brougHtoN
left with an either/or choice,” says robin tournament resulted in playoffs and a championship game. the
A new voting system could be passed in the upcoming provincial election.
Lambertson. winners received t-shirts boasting the phrase “dodgeball Champs
Will mAArtmAN “It’s sort of like the difference This tends to create more min- ’09,” and tickets to a Salmon kings hockey game. the event was only
CoNtributiNg Writer between driving in your car and ority governments, which can open to Camosun students registered in the Sport education program,
There will be more to think actually understanding how it sometimes be unstable and un- as well as instructors and Camosun Chargers athletes, but it still had a
about than simply voting for an all works,” explains Camosun productive, much like our current fantastic turnout. if you’d like to organize, watch, or participate in the
MLA in the May 12 provincial Political Science professor Ross federal government. Although, next tournament, contact Sam doney at doney01@hotmail.com and
election. A referendum will also according to Lambertson, not all find out how she worked her magic.
Lambertson.
be on the ballot, asking British STV was chosen in 2004 by the minority governments are bad. Olympics or bust
Columbians if they would like to BC Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral “We had minority governments in early february, the alma Mater Society (aMS) student council
change BC’s first-past-the-post Reform, consisting of 160 people in the ’60s under Lester Pearson. voted to pass a policy to bring awareness to how the ubC campus
voting system to a proportional randomly selected from the voter’s And the Pearson government was will be impacted by the 2010 olympic activities. the 25-page report
representation system, known as list. They met throughout 2004, very productive, it really worked addresses the possible lack of student consultation, effect on trans-
Single Transferable Vote (STV). considering many possible voting very well,” says Lambertson. “You port, inadequate access to student housing, as well as cost of security
If passed, the change would take systems before finally choosing STV can also see how coalition govern- initiatives and surrounding environmental impact. Stefanie ratjen of
place for the next election. by a wide margin. ments are quite common in parts of the aMS council says that “students have not been adequately con-
STV involves a preferential Europe, and often do lead to stabil- sulted about the olympic activities on campus” and goes on to say she
ballot where a voter ranks can- ity. So it is a possible danger that doesn’t want to see any students’ rights violated. the aMS’s mandate
didates according to preference, you will have political instability, is to promote high-quality student learning while improving the quality
with the goal of minimizing wasted “at the moment i only but I don’t think there is a high level of education and the social and personal lives of ubC students. visit
votes and providing proportional of likelihood it will happen.” www.ams.ubc.ca for info.
representation. have one Mla, which Other opponents of STV be-
The goal of proportional rep- lieve our current system creates Mad film skillz?
is analogous to me tourism victoria is asking all students to submit a concept for a 60-
resentation is to match the per- a greater degree of accountability
centage of votes parties win in an going into the grocery since each electoral riding has second web commercial about victoria. they are looking for creative,
election with the percentage of dynamic, unique, and/or humorous concepts that are easy to shoot.
store and there only only one MLA. “Here you’re faced
the commercials about victoria are meant to appear “un-commercial-
seats they receive in the Legisla- with several MLAs, and that is
tive Assembly. Currently, the BC being one kind of certainly a major change and some
like,” and are expected to gain influence in the world of viral videos
and Youtube. Your brainstorming and ideas could lead to a prize of
Liberals have only 46 percent of breakfast cereal.” people see that as negative,” says
$250! Submissions are due March 4, so get to work aSaP! feel free to
the popular vote, but 58 percent Lambertson. include storyboards, illustrations, or photos, but don’t submit actual
of the seats. Compare this to the ross lAmbertsoN In the STV system, voters can’t
CaMoSuN College videos. Submissions can be sent to youtube@tourismvictoria.com and
Green Party, with 10 percent of the hold that many politicians account- more info can be found at www.tourismvictoria.com
vote but no seats in the Legislative able very effectively, especially
Assembly. independents, as opposed to a Call for submissions
Under STV, the electoral bound- single MLA from one party, notes Thirdspace is a ‘zine developed by the uvic Women’s Centre that
aries would be redrawn larger, cre- “This is a wonderful example Garrison. focuses on experiences that are devalued by the mainstream. it aims
ating fewer ridings, but each riding of what I call ‘enlightened popu- But is more choice a bad thing? to bring awareness to racism, patriarchy, and colonization. the pub-
would elect several members to the lism’—in other words, getting “At the moment I only have one lication is currently seeking submissions that relate to the upcoming
legislature. real people to make the decision, MLA, which is analogous to me go- topic of “education is political.” Submissions include artwork,
In our voting district (all of but also, people that have studied ing into the grocery store and there opinions, poetry, photography, rants, interviews, movies, books, music
greater Victoria, including the Gulf the situation extensively,” says only being one kind of breakfast reviews, found items, reflections, experiences, or anything else related
Islands) there will be seven seats to Lambertson. “This is probably cereal,” says Lambertson. “Now to the topic. for information about this publication or to submit your
win. Regardless of district size, a one of the strongest arguments in I might be able to say I have five work, visit www.uvss.uvic.ca/wcentre/thirdspace.html or email karmin
candidate will need around 20,000 favour of STV.” people representing me, and if I and rebecca at thirdspace.zine@gmail.com
votes to win a seat. Lambertson also points out don’t like this person over here, I
Under STV, voters cast several STV would be a more inclusive can choose this person here.”
votes on their ballot (or only one if system to minorities. “The parties Who could benefit the most Call us on it!
preferred), ranking the candidates may become more representative from STV in BC? “I would first Nexus columnists are a lively bunch of writers that like to express their points
from most to least favourite. Vot- of minorities, and more likely to say smaller parties, but let’s turn it of view. Now we want to hear yours. did any of our columns spark your
ers will place a “1” beside their encourage members of ethnic, reli- around and say who’s got the most interest or get you riled up? tell us what you thought in 250 words or less,
preferred candidate, a “2” beside gious, or gender minorities to run,” to lose,” says Lambertson. “And e-mail your feedback to Nexus, and we’ll reprint them. give our columnists
their second choice, and so on. says Lambertson. perhaps that is the larger parties. a piece of your mind!
When the polls close, the votes are Countering this point is fellow But in the long run I would say
tallied in rounds. Camosun Political Science profes- that British Columbians have the
If your preferred candidate isn’t sor Randall Garrison who mentions most to win.”
elected in round one, your ballot there’s no evidence of STV causing And that’s good news for vot-
isn’t wasted. Instead, your vote goes more equality in politics and the ers, especially those disheartened
to your second choice candidate. So, candidates who will be elected by our current system. “The polit-
if your first choice candidate isn’t “would be the people with the high- ical system needs a change,” says
elected, your preferences are still est profiles with the public, which Camosun Political Science student
250.370.3591
part of the process. is straight, white men.” Leah Davis. “Something needs to be
nexus@nexusnewspaper.com
Of course, STV’s added com- STV will theoretically encour- different; the current system is not
plexity may be confusing for age smaller parties like the Green balanced and British Columbians www.nexusnewspaper.com
some. Party, who are shut out in the are not represented equally.” Richmond House 201, Lansdowne
6 NeWS March 4, 2009

How safe are the streets of Victoria?

AlAN Piffer neck, all the while commanding me robbed for their money, it is usually
Staff Writer to give him my money. Eventually because the suspect is looking for
Many people in smaller com- I was able to communicate to him quick cash to buy drugs.”
munities might see Victoria as a that he needed to stop hitting me The majority of violent inci-
big city associated with attention- if he wanted the money, and he dents, says Hamilton, are involved
grabbing crime headlines. When reached into my pocket and took with alcohol consumption in the
they move here they often find that, $50 and my keys.” club scene.
even though Victoria does have its What disturbed Morritt the “When we respond to assaults
problems, it isn’t really that bad. most was the attacker appeared downtown around nightclubs, it
But while cycling through town to be motivated by nothing other is because either one or both indi-
after midnight a few days before than malicious intent. viduals have been drinking and got
Christmas, Camosun student Jay “I can only conclude that, judg- into some form of altercation.”
Morritt had an experience indicat- ing by the zeal and determination
ing Victoria definitely has its big with which he beat me and the
city problems. neglect of my other valuables,
“I was biking down Grant St., ‘yellow’ wanted most just to hurt “When a victim is
approaching Cook,” describes someone,” says Morritt. “That was
Morritt. “I passed by a very large, the scariest part.” assaulted and robbed
young thug in a yellow jacket, who Sgt. Grant Hamilton of the for their money, it is
was flanked by a smaller dude and Victoria Police says while random
a girl. Or rather, I tried to pass by violence does occur in the city, he usually because the
them, but was stopped by ‘yellow stresses these instances are very suspect is looking for
jacket’s’ fist colliding smartly with rare.
my face. This sent me off my bike, “Most assaults and violent
quick cash to buy
and ‘yellow’ proceeded to follow up crime are between individuals who drugs.”
PHoto: CourtNeY brougHtoN his initial blow with a series of very know each other,” says Hamilton.
Victoria police encourage students to stay on well-lit streets late at night. serious blows to my face, head, and “When a victim is assaulted and GrANt hAmiltoN
viCtoria PoliCe

Hamilton also says while Vic-

toria will have a higher rate of
violent incidents compared to
smaller cities, it, like many other
Canadian cities, is seeing a dwin-
dling crime rate.
“The crime rate is generally
going down across the province,”
says Hamilton. “We will have

money back
more assaults than, say, Saanich,
because we have the majority of

fast
the liquor seats and nightclubs.
But, overall, we are the same as
other major cities.”
Even still, Hamilton advises
people to take precautions while
walking around the city.
“Overall, Victoria is a very safe
city, but people need to be aware
of their surroundings and walk
away from confrontations,” says
Hamilton. “The usual safety rules
apply—stick to well-lit areas, walk
with a friend, and avoid groups of
people if they are associated to the
drug trade downtown.”
Morritt says the incident hasn’t
changed his opinions of Victoria,
but he’s now more wary while
Kwantlen Chronicle

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nexus@nexusnewspaper.com
Students campaign to protect old-growth forests
jAsoN motz
Staff Writer
A battle to protect BC’s old
growth forest is being waged at
Camosun College. And University
Transfer student Selena Raven
Cordeau, founder of the Action for
Old Growth (AFrOG) student club,
is in the thick of it.
What began as some volun-
teering on behalf of the Western
Canada Wilderness Committee
(WCWC) soon took on a life of its
own. Not long after, Cordeau organ-
ized a nascent version of AFrOG at
Camosun.
While her studies got in the way
last semester, Cordeau came into
2009 committed to the group. Her
focus was soon rewarded, as a core
of like-minded environmentalists
quickly joined her ranks.
“I didn’t know what to expect,
especially from a small college,”
says Cordeau. “The core group is
into it and really motivated; it’s
really positive.”
Cordeau hopes the group will be
able to move towards achieving its
intended goals, namely protecting
ing campaigns, an aerial picture
to be taken at Lansdowne, and a
movie night.
Ken Wu, Victoria campaign
director for the WCWC, was an
early supporter of Cordeau.
“Selena is a great example of the
best kind of environmental move-
ment-builder,” says Wu. “She’s
motivated, she’s familiar with the
outdoors, having been an outdoor
adventure guide, and she has great
people skills that motivate everyone
around her.”
Camosun has long been a
focal point for young activists
such as Cordeau and her AFrOG
“froggies.”
“Campus-based groups like
Action for Old Growth have been a
fundamental part in the success in
ballooning the influence of the an-
cient forest movement in Victoria,”
says Wu. “The students are the first
to take action, and they give the
movement a major momentum that
attracts all others in society.”
But this is no merry band of
anti-forestry zealots. The crucial
difference between AFrOG and
CaMPuS 7
aim is to convince the government
to move away from old growth log-
ging and commence with second
growth logging.
“the difference,
maybe, with other
environmental groups
is that our group is
not so much based on
confrontation, conflict,
or protest.”
seleNA rAveN
cordeAu
CaMoSuN aCtioN for old
groWtH
With only 10 percent of pro-
ductive old growth logging remain-
ing on Vancouver Island, such a
switch is inevitable. Cordeau is
rallying government to speed up
the switch.
Hardest hit by any downsizing PHoto: CourtNeY brougHtoN

BC’s old growth forests.
“We want to do something we
feel is a good cause, but at the same
time we want to do it and feel like it’s
going somewhere and is positive,”
says Cordeau.
The group will keep busy this
March with several events and
activities designed to raise aware-
ness. These plans include rallies and
marches at Camosun, UVic, and
downtown, as well as letter-writ-
other activist groups is in the less-
than-confrontational ways they put
out their message.
“The difference, maybe, with
other environmental groups is that
[AFrOG] is not so much based on
confrontation, conflict, or protest,”
says Cordeau.
AFrOG’s goals are to be carried
out through the development and
implementation of sustainable
logging practices. Their primary
in the forest industry are the mills “We are asking the government to heard.
that once dotted the island, but subsidize those companies to be “The politicians are a bit more
are now slowing down or shutting able to retool. The government willing to listen to the public be-
down permanently. Part of the prob- subsidized agriculture and auto- cause they want to be re-elected,”
lem, and one Cordeau says needs mobile companies when the times says Cordeau. “Now is a good win-
immediate fixing, is the expense were rough, so why don’t they do it dow to make our message heard.”
of retooling the mills. with forestry?” “The support of the Green party
“One of the reasons is that Negotiating directly with the is really strong,” she adds. “The
they’re all tooled for old growth government is one of AFrOG’s aims. NDP is quite supportive too.”
forest, like big logs. So for them With elections fast approaching, Regarding the Tories’ show of
to be retooled to second growth there’s no time like the present support, however, Cordeau just
is quite expensive,” says Cordeau. for activists to make their cases laughs.

Camosun chemistry student ranks Beating the bell

high in prestigious competition
jAsoN motz
Staff Writer
Despite the long history of
Camosun’s Applied Chemistry &
Biotechnology (ACBT) program,
no student in it had ever competed
in the annual Canadian Institute
of Chemistry Student Symposium.
Not until Shanna McDonald fol-
lowed a whim last year.
“I had no idea that it actually
existed,” says McDonald of the
symposium.
Credit a seminar hosted by one
of the prospective judges that mo-
tivated McDonald to submit her
name for the event. Even though
it was a last-minute entry, Mc-
Donald’s 15-minute presentation
about the effects of Nalgene on
drinking water was good enough
for second place.
Flash-forward a year, and once
again McDonald took part in the
CIC Student Symposium, held at
UVic. This time McDonald dis-
cussed the illuminating history of
Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP)
and received another second-place
prize.
“I was a little bit better pre-
pared with regards to the types of
questions I knew they’d ask,” says
McDonald, comparing her experi-
ence to the previous year. “Last year,
I was really quite shaky because
I had been away from school for
awhile.”
Nasr Khalifa, a professor in
Camosun’s Department of Chem-
istry and Geoscience, was impressed
with McDonald’s performance.
“College is a different
environment; it’s a lot
more supportive.”
shANNA mcdoNAld
CaMoSuN StudeNt
“Considering the fact that she
was competing against both gradu-
ate and undergraduate students
at UVIC, she did very well,” says
Khalifa.
For her symposium topic this
year, McDonald had 15 minutes
to present on GFP. In front of the
judges, a group of mostly retired
Chemistry professors, McDonald
explained how this cluster of amino
acids, once isolated from an Ae-
quorea jellyfish, fluoresces green
when exposed to blue light.
McDonald presented to the
panel a timeline stretching back to
the origin of the green fluorescent
stuff in 1955, up to the 2008 Nobel
Prize-winning research by Martin
Chalfie, Osamu Shimomura, and
Roger Y. Tsien.
This revolutionary advance in
neurobiology could lead to dramatic
changes in modern medicine.
“If I was full of GFP right now
and someone turned out the lights
and just put on a blue light, it would
glow and you would see the parts
that were, say, skin cancer,” says
McDonald.
McDonald is indicative of some
of the bright minds Camosun is
churning out. Larry Lee, chair of
Applied Chemistry and Biotechnol-
ogy at Camosun, sees McDonald’s
recent success as an encouraging
sign the future will reap increas-
ingly greater rewards.
“We are trying to get Camosun
students to go and bring home the
bacon,” says Lee.
The ACBT program is a good fit
for those students who have profes-
sional ambitions. “We try to mentor
our students,” adds Lee.
McDonald echoes those senti-
ments. Having spent the better part
of 10 years toggling back and forth
between the military and university,
McDonald has nothing but praise
for the college scene.
“It’s a different environment; it’s
a lot more supportive,” she says.
For finishing second, McDon-
ald won a cool $200, plus bragging
rights. As for the opportunity to
claim the top prize at next year’s
Student Symposium, McDonald
is content to let another student
try to jump the final hurdle. After
this term, McDonald is off to Royal
Roads University to begin graduate
school.
Says McDonald, “I just wanted
people to know that college kids are
kicking it too.”
joANNA lillArd
CoNtributiNg Writer
ing good money to be here,” says
Arsenault, “it is rude, and it can
After a class starts, there’s al- disrupt the whole class, but we’re
ways a straggler or two. They slip the ones paying.”
in 10 or 15 minutes late, looking Each instructor deals with tardy
guilty and apologetic while trying students in their own way. While
not to disturb the lecture. Despite many deduct marks off a student’s
the remorse written on their face, attendance grade, others go so far
the same scenario plays out once as to lock the classroom door once
or twice a week all semester. class has begun.
While being occasionally late is
one thing, being consistently tardy
can be downright rude. What does “You wouldn’t show up
chronic lateness suggest about
a person, particularly a college late to work
student? continually, so why
According to Camosun learn-
ing skills instructor Darryl Ainsley, would you for class?”
student tardiness stems from a dArryl AiNsley
variety of issues, including lack CaMoSuN College
of motivation, but it particularly
points to poor time management.
Having good intentions for being An adequate punishment for
on time isn’t enough, he says. lateness remains subjective, but
“If you are driving to school Arsenault admits if he were to get
in the morning during rush hour, in trouble for being late, it might
should you anticipate lots of traffic? be incentive for him to show up on
Of course, it’s rush hour,” says Ain- time. “If a teacher got mad at me,
sley. “Time management is a matter especially in front of the entire class
of factoring in the inevitable.” then, yes, I’d try not to be late again
Ainsley adds tardy students may just to avoid the embarrassment.”
be unaware of the accepted norms It may be impossible to teach
of the college, where punctuality students motivation, but it is pos-
is valued. “Students should treat sible to teach them how to practice
school as if it were their workplace. effective time management. Try
You wouldn’t show up late to work planning on being early—not just
continually, so why would you for on time, but early.
class?” “It has been said that after 21
Geo-sciences student Matt Ar- days of solid repetition we can
senault admits he’s frequently late create habits,” explains Ainsley.
for class, but doesn’t believe tardi- “It is hard for punctual people to
ness is something instructors have appreciate the difficulty in arriving
the right to punish students for. on time because they have gotten
“We’re all adults and we’re pay- into a habit of being on time.”
 LIFE March 4, 2009

Tales of Victoria’s raccoon raconteur

Shane Scott-Travis
Contributing Writer
A sudden clatter from the kitch-
en pulls you out of a sound sleep.
What could it be at this time of the
night? Before you can get your slip-
pers on, another loud crash peals
from the pantry. The fight-or-flight
impulse kicks in and a frightening
possibility looms—is this a home
invasion?
Just then, an unexpected chat-
tering shatters the stillness. A
newfound courage carries you to
the kitchen in time to see a black
masked intruder waddle out the
cat door. Another furry fellow fol-
lows in hot pursuit and you see his
striped tail—like Davy Crockett in
raccoon whisperer. “Raccoons
would rather run than face injury.
Despite what you think, they don’t
want confrontation.”
“Raccoons take
whatever you throw at
them; they’re very
resilient.”
Jeff Krieger
Alternative Wildlife
Solutions
Most Victoria residents have en-
countered raccoons and many share
their attics, backyards, basements,
crawlspaces, porches, and tool sheds
with these pesky party-crashers.
“We get calls all the time about
raccoons,” says Andrea Moraes of
photo: courtney broughton Victoria Animal Control Services.
miniature—flash for an instant as “We usually direct them to the Wild-
he too beats a hasty retreat out the life Arc or another agency.”
teeny door from which he came. Seeing a need for wildlife ser-
You’ve just been punked by a pair vices, Kreiger started Alternative
of resourceful raccoons! Wildlife Solutions four years ago
“Today I was up a tree after one,” and never looked back.
says Jeff Krieger, owner of Alterna- “I realized there was nobody
tive Wildlife Solutions, “I wouldn’t around doing a really good job
normally do that after a raccoon, but of humane animal control,” says
in this case I did.” Krieger.
These bushy-tailed brutes, with Krieger may be the best friend
their highly social lifestyle, bold these masked bandits have around
disposition, and opposable little these parts. “Raccoons take what-
thumbs, are seldom given much ever you throw at them; they’re very
credence in our society. resilient,” he says.
“You have to make sure that the Many residents in the Greater
animal has an escape route and Victoria area have crossed paths
come at him from the other way,” with the animals, some on a more
says Krieger quietly, like a re-worked ongoing basis.
“We had a family of raccoons
living under our deck,” says Sonya
Hull, a Fernwood resident, “and we
were concerned our pets might get
attacked.”
Like any animal, raccoons
will protect their young, explains
Krieger. “Usually they’ll mind their
own business and want to be left
alone,” he says. “When dogs and
cats have been attacked by a rac-
coon the reason is usually that they
were defending themselves and
their young—they won’t fight back
unless they’re cornered.”
Hull decided the best course of
action was to call for help, so she
contacted Krieger.
“We didn’t want the raccoons to
be harmed,” says Hull, “so the SPCA
suggested relocation.”
Raccoons can be safely relocated
from 500 meters to 1 km distance,
but relocation is always a last resorts,
says Krieger.
“A raccoon who lives in Fern-
wood learns to follow their mom
and do as she does, looking into
garbage cans or what have you,”
explains Krieger, “If you take them
out into the woods they don’t know
how to get food and it can be a slow
death for them. A relocated raccoon
family can be doomed. The mother
might abandon her young due to
food scarcity. It is often not a good
thing.”
In captivity or in the wild rac-
coons can live 20 years, but in urban
environments their life expectancy
drops drastically. Experts say two
to four years is the average life span
for city-dwelling ‘coons.
“I’ve seen and identified the
same raccoons for years,” marvels
Krieger, “but some don’t make it
very long. Many get hit by cars or
poisoned or hunted. People will
leave food out for feral cats and rac-
coons will get into that and another
bad habit starts.”
Protecting yourself is the most
important thing, advises Krieger,
as well as properly maintaining
your property, especially as it gets
closer to spring.
“Springtime is a busy time for
me because of the concentration
of youngsters and the noises they
make,” says Krieger.
As winter gives way to summer
a mother raccoon may birth up to
seven cubs. Krieger certainly has
his work cut out for him.
“A lot of times people will be
hearing a loud litter and not know
what to make of it. The grunting
and growling of baby raccoons can
frighten people and I’ll get calls
about an aggressive animal only
to find a mother with her babies,”
says Krieger.
Living in the city, it’s easy to
overlook animals and casually brush
aside their interests.
It’s also easy to forget they
live with us, not for us. The next
time a bump in the night pulls you
from that fitful sleep, consider the
little lives all around you and act
accordingly.
“My phone never stops ringing.
I’m at it seven days a week,” says
Krieger.
If you are concerned about rac-
coons or other animals in close
proximity to your home, contact
wildlifesolutions@telus.net

Pemberton music festival postponed to 2010

Hayley MacDonald
Contributing Writer
Music festivals have become
huge events, attracting people of
all ages from far and wide. Some
festivals have developed world-
wide reputations. Glastonbury,
Coachella, Summerfest, and North
by Northeast are familiar events to
concertgoers everywhere.
The Pemberton Festival near
Whistler, which debuted last sum-
mer, seemed destined for the same
type of international fame. But fans
looking forward to Pemberton 2009
will have to wait at least another
year.
Live Nation, the company be-
hind the festival, has confirmed it
will be focusing on summer 2010 for
the next festival. This year’s event
has been cancelled because it took
extra time for the BC Agricultural
Land Commission to issue a permit,
leaving too small a window to book
high profile bands.
Live Nation spokesperson Liz
Morentin had little to say to Nexus’
inquiries about the last-ditch pos-
sibility of a Pemberton 2009, stating
“let’s revisit [it] later in the year.”
Following last year’s festival,
the Land Commission ordered
improvements be made at the venue.
They involved transportation, water
supply, and waste disposal.
Pemberton elevated the concept
of a festival to great new heights.
In July 2008, over 120 artists per-
formed over four days across four
stages for over 40,000 fans. Head- cluding Ozzfest, and Pemberton “I’d like to see more washrooms
lining acts included Coldplay, Jay-Z, was the best,” says Camosun stu- . . . [and] make the price of [alcohol]
Nine Inch Nails, and Tom Petty and dent Jason Carter. a little more reasonable,” says
the Heartbreakers. Rolling Stone Magazine wrote Camosun student Kevin Ogborne.
“the first annual Pemberton Festival With more time to plan, Pem-
will gladly take the title of the next berton Festival should return in
“I’ve been to a few Glastonbury.” The Glastonbury 2010 with even more force, blowing
Festival takes place in a small Brit- even more minds with its crowd
music festivals, ish town called Somerset, not very numbers, musical acts, and, hope-
including Ozzfest, and different from Pemberton, BC, fully, washroom improvements.
about 30 minutes past Whistler. “It’s a letdown, but . . . they are
Pemberton was the Many people who supported last gearing it for 2010, so it’s some-
best.” year’s Pemberton festival wondered thing to look forward to,” says
whether the event would return for Carter.
Jason Carter a second year. After last summer’s solid head-
Camosun student
While there were some logis- line of performers, the expectations
tical problems, festival-goers didn’t are huge for 2010. “I would love to
seem to mind the inconveniences. see Red Hot Chili Peppers,” adds
“Everything was perfect . . . I’ve “It was disorganized, but every- Carter.
been to a few music festivals, in- thing worked,” says Camosun Despite this year’s cancellation,

*
 '


student Liam Wanless. “The people there’s much hope and anticipation
were good to each other. I didn’t see for the festival’s return in 2010.
any violence.” Coupled with the Olympics,
Although the festival was a huge it’s clear the world spotlight will
success, there’s always room for be shining brightly on British Col-
improvement. umbia next year.

MLA Victoria-Beacon Hill Secure your future at the Camosun/VIATeC

Trades
&Technology Career Fair
Thursday, April 9
Specialist exhibitors, employer
presentations, on-the-spot
10 am-2 pm
Supporting more affordable and Technologies Centre, interviews, pizza!
Interurban Campus
accessible post-secondary education Get prepared, bring your
resume, and dress for success.
ENTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN
A $250 CAMOSUN GIFT CARD. Open to all Camosun students
and alumni.
carole.james.mla@leg.bc.ca Camosun Co-operative
Education & Student
250-952-4211 Employment
www.opposition.bc.ca www.camosun.ca/ses
nexus@nexusnewspaper.com life 9

Camosun students need reality TV check

Allie boWmAN
CoNtributiNg Writer
As its popularity continues to
rise and television networks push
boundaries farther than ever before,
are some students falling victim to
the media phenomenon of reality
TV?
“It’s like an addiction,” admits
business transfer student Briana
Fikus. “The more ridiculous the
show concepts become, the more
tempted I am to tune in and see what
happens, even if I find it completely
stupid or offensive.”
Fikus is referring to recent
shows like Paris Hilton’s My New
BFF and A Shot at Love with Tila
Tequila, both of which are examples
of how quality content is being
rapidly replaced with shock value
and cheap thrills. Reality TV is often
a competition of who can create the
most dramatic and demoralizing
shows using sex, alcohol, and vio-
lence to capture the viewer’s atten-
tion. And the bar keeps rising.
Camosun student Jason Fenti-
man is appalled with the latest
additions to prime time schedules.
“I thought watching 25 women
compete for the affections of one guy
on The Bachelor was sad enough,”
says Fentiman, “but then the next
day I saw the advertisement for
that Tila Tequila show and realized
television had hit an all-new rock
bottom.”
In the dating-style reality ser-
ies, which ran two full seasons
“all it looked like to me
was a bunch of naked,
drunk idiots screaming
at each other and
making asses of
themselves on national
television.”
jAsoN feNtimAN
CaMoSuN StudeNt
on MTV, bisexual internet star
Tila Tequila searched for her one
true love amidst 16 males and 16
females. The contestants partici-
pated in foolish and embarrassing
scenarios (including pole dancing,
cross-dressing, and spin the bottle)
to prove their affection and dedica-
tion to Tequila, whom they had only
just met.
“All it looked like to me was
a bunch of naked, drunk idiots
screaming at each other and mak-
ing asses of themselves on national
television,” says Fentiman. “What
a waste of time.”
Considering A Shot at Love
debuted at number one in its time
period and its finale was MTV’s
most watched series telecast, it
looks as though young people have
no problem wasting their time.
“I have to confess, I’ve put off
doing homework and studying for
big tests in order to catch finales
of reality shows,” says university
transfer student Jenny Lawrence,
who stayed up until 3 am writing
a paper after watching back-to-
back episodes of America’s Next
Top Model.
“It’s so easy to get sucked into the
drama! It starts with one show and
before you know it you’re spending
20 hours a week watching reality TV
instead of doing more important
things,” says Lawrence.
But not all Camosun students
find themselves completely ob- The one and only Paris Hilton with the cast of Paris Hilton’s My New BFF.
sessed with reality TV. episode of reality TV. Camosun student Alana Robil-
“I don’t mind The Biggest Loser, “I don’t even have cable,” says liard believes balance is achievable
but only watch it sometimes, if Caffiero. and programs are only negative if
it’s on,” says Shelina Point, who “Me neither; besides, it isn’t they are allowed too much influence
doesn’t let the show’s schedule even real reality,” adds Whetung. or cause a distraction in someone’s
affect her schoolwork. With more reality shows being life.
On the other hand, some stu- created every day with increasingly “Sometimes it’s fun to escape
dents, like Marco Caffiero and scandalous storylines, the tempta- reality for an hour or two a week,”
Karen Whetung from the First tion to watch is only expected to says Robilliard. “Reality TV is like
Nations Family Support Worker grow. Is reality TV abstinence the anything else in life . . . in modera-
program, have never seen a single only way to avoid addiction? tion, it’s okay.”

Nude club shedding clothes and swimming laps

shANe Priestley
CoNtributiNg Writer
A national survey showed that
39 percent of Canadians have
walked around their house nude.
The survey, conducted by Market
Facts, also found 51 percent of
British Columbians have felt the
need to shed their clothing.
Keeping in the spirit of this
survey is a local nudist club. The
Arbutus Park Nudist Club (APNC)
is inviting anyone and everyone,
including college students, to join
their monthly nude swims at a local
recreation centre.
The president of the club, who
wished to remain nameless, wel-
comes all who are interested in
naturalism. “This is the first time
we’ve opened up outside our group,”
he says.
The swim consists of people
from all ages and they all have one
thing in common, they swim in their
birthday suits. The club members
are of any age or size; small, large,
or pear-shaped.
“We have people in their twen-
ties that come to the swim; a good
mix of men, women, and different
races,” explains the president.
“Honestly, i think it’s
awesome. More
people are better off
without their clothes.”
GeorGe ANstey
CaMoSuN buSiNeSS
The APNC had the idea to open
the swims up to the college com-
munity because some of partici-
pants of the swim are Camosun
students.
Though some are very conserva-
tive and self-conscious about their
bodies, nudists appreciate it as a
form of self-expression. Being nude
in a social setting helps you become
more comfortable with your own
body, says the group’s president.
“Basically it’s just like a normal
swim with bathing suits, same
guidelines,” he says.
APNC is part of a larger league
of nudist clubs that connects to
American, Canadian, and European
naturalists.
“We are affiliated with the Amer-
ican Association for Nude Rec-
reation, probably around 60,000
members. If you’re a person who
likes to travel, you can be a member
in our organization,” he says.
In the colder months it’s hard to
find nude swimming venues, and
this is one of the reasons the group
is opening up for students.
“Honestly, I think it’s awesome.
More people are better off without
their clothes,” says Camosun Busi-
ness student George Anstey.
Complete nudity is expected
at these swims, so if you jump in
with socks on, you might get a few
glares. But nudists are very accept-
ing people; they really don’t care
what you look like.
“I say more power to them,”
says Eli Bell, a Camosun university
transfer student. “I’m from Nelson,
BC and I don’t even own a bathing
suit.”
The swims take place once a
month at the Gordon Head Recrea-
tion Centre. The APNC have been
running the swims for two years at
the Panorama, and this is the first
year at Gordon Head Recreation.
“Nice facility there, they have a
steam room and you can swim laps;
they also have a bit of a water park
and sometimes we play volleyball,”
says the president.
The swims cost $10 and run
from 9:30–11 pm. Drop-ins are not
welcome since this is a private event.
If you’re a first-timer you have to
phone ahead and a club member
will go through all the regulations
and requirements.
“We have somebody that’s will-
ing to take the original phone calls
because you have to talk to some-
body here before you go,” says the
club’s president.
The swims are separate from
the actual nudist group; you don’t
have to become a member to swim.
It’s a confidential and very sociable
event.
So instead of getting drunk and
jumping naked into your mom’s
jacuzzi on a Saturday night, go
experience naturalism to its fullest,
and purposely leave your trunks
at home.
For more info, go to arbutus-
parkswim@yahoo.ca or phone
250–472–1805.

Employment opps in some unexpected places

elizAbeth jArvis
CoNtributiNg Writer
Summer is approaching and for
most students it’s time to start look-
ing for a job. While many dream
of sandy beaches, reality involves
saving money to afford school in
September.
Those students dreading an-
other menial labour job like flipping
burgers might want to look at more
exotic opportunities.
A motivated and adventurous
student could make big bucks work-
ing at a mine site in Northern BC or
entertaining children on a luxurious
cruise ship.
Lindsay Budge, a former
Camosun student, paid for her
tuition by working for Dechant
Construction as a flagger on a mine
site up in Tumbler Ridge.
“I worked 12 hours a day for 24
days with three days off. I made $16
an hour, plus overtime, and saved
all of it because food and housing
was covered with living at camp,”
says Budge.
Although her hours were long,
Budge’s job entailed sitting in a van
all day, listening to the work chatter,
and avoiding getting squashed by
large mining trucks.
Her responsibilities included
flagging and then halting all in-
coming vehicles to the mine site.
As she gained additional skills like
laying pipe with the culvert crew,
she earned $19 an hour.
“This is not a job for people
that do not like the outdoors, wild
animals, and dealing with rig pigs.
No wusses allowed,” she says.
Meagan Blaquiere, who is plan-
ning to attend Camosun in Sep-
tember, is currently working for
a Norwegian Cruise Lines vessel,
Spirit and Sky, as a youth coun-
sellor running programs for kids
ages 2–17.
“I get paid on a monthly basis,
starting from $1,000 going any-
where up to $1,750 US, plus tips,
for my position. Room and board
is paid for, so you bank all of it,”
says Blaquiere.
She works 30–40 hour weeks,
depending upon the routes and
schedules. Some staff don’t actually
see their families for months at a
time, which can be an added bonus
for those who want to avoid nagging
parents. Cruise line jobs available
for students include hosting, cruise is sometimes lucky enough to be
ship entertainer, spa attendant, or invited to eat with guests.
receptionist. Still, Blaquiere says it’s the
“best job ever!” “You can go any-
where in the world and get paid.
“this is not a job for You’re working, partying, or explor-
people that do not like ing, so it’s too busy to get homesick,”
she says.
the outdoors, wild A summer job doesn’t have to
be boring, menial labour. The ad-
animals, and dealing venturous type can embrace a crude
with rig pigs. No existence in a northern Canadian
wusses allowed.” town or float romantically about
the ocean.
liNdsAy budGe Many exciting jobs are out there
forMer CaMoSuN StudeNt for students to satisfy the need for
money and travel. When looking
for a job this summer, broaden the
Blaquiere’s biggest disappoint- search beyond the classified ads.
ment is the crew food that consists An adventure could be waiting just
mainly of fish and rice, but she around the corner.
10
10 March 4, 2009
t hawing out
G
eocaching
Geocaching is the world’s biggest
game, bar none. It has to be. It uses
the entire globe. Essentially orienteering
mated with a scavenger hunt, and using
the Global Positioning System (GPS) as
a pirate map, participants hunt for booty
wherever booty may be hid.
Okay, it isn’t quite that haphazard, lists
of geocaches can be found on the internet.
Checking out a website like geocaching.
com will give you the locations of hundreds
of thousands of Tupperware containers
around the world.
But, one hinge, the locations are listed
as coordinates. You could use a map, pen,
calculator, and a couple other analogue
instruments, which would be difficult, time-
consuming, and absolutely ludicrous.
Instead, geocachers use GPS receiv-
ers—small, cell phone-like devices that’ll
tell you your location on Earth and which
direction to go to get to another location.
If you have a GPS in your car, it’s similar,
but that one probably won’t work. The best
bet for a cheap GPS unit is the internet.
eBay generally has second-hand units for
under $50 US.
Once you find the hidden containers,
treasures are located inside them, usually
some McDonald’s toys or dollar store gifts.
The idea is you trade an item of yours for an
item you want and then sign the logbook.
While it’s not necessary to trade an item
every time, you are supposed to sign in once
you find the geocache.
Then, once you’re successful in the wilds
of, say, Mt. Doug, return home and log your
find on the geocache’s home page, alerting
the world that you are a truly amazing hu-
featu
and getting
active breNdAN KerGiN
Staff Writer
Springtime is upon us. flowers will bloom. birds will chirp.
bees will start making sweet, sweet bee love.
it’s a beautiful time, and probably quite bountiful for those in the insect porn
industry.
but if gardening isn’t your thing, if you equate bird-watching to watching paint
dry, and if you don’t enjoy watching invertebrates mate, then there are plenty of
other outdoor activities out there, many of them legal.
for those students looking for something a little different from endless jogging
or the odd game of tennis, but still want to do it in public, we’ve come across a
medley of urban or suburban pastimes. from the world’s biggest scavenger hunt,
to the “ultimate” in disc-based games. from a super simple yet über-cool way
to get from point a to point b, to schoolyard games gone street. from . . . well,
it’s just the four activities today, but there are others out there.
man being for finding a lunch container in oneself through speed and agility, parkour t
a local park. is more pragmatic. Participants (traceurs) o
Geocaching can provide endless hours liken it more to a martial art, with no set m
of hiking, searching, and exploring. With rules or competition.
U
about 1,000 hidden locations in the Victoria So how is it different from a martial
area (even including one at the Lansdowne art?
campus), the capital region is a hotbed for Instead of being combative, it’s trans-
this burgeoning activity. portation. If a gang attacks you in an alley-
o
A wide variety of geocaches are out there way, someone trained in kung fu might try
a
for the absolute beginner, the super lazy to fight. A traceur will be able to run away,
B
non-outdoorsy type, and even the “Grizzly no matter what, in any direction.
I
Adams was a pussy compared to me.” Originally, parkour developed out of the
f
The only costs associated are the GPS idea of training oneself physically to enable
unit, batteries, and transportation. a person. If the big earthquake ever does
t
To get started you can check out geocac- hit this town, it’ll be the guys well versed
l
hing.com, which is the main listing site, or in parkour who will be able to get around
t
vigps.com for local geocachers. the easiest.
f
It’s very much like regular training, but
s
P
with a creative edge. Some basic moves are
arkour i
common, but each traceur is free to try and
One of the most buzz-worthy ac-
develop their own abilities in to new moves
tivities nowadays is parkour, or it’s g
for different situations.
flashy sibling, free running. After stints o
For those interested in trying it out,
on the Bond flick Casino Royale and a Ma- s
it’s super easy to get started. Plenty of
donna music video, parkour has receded a n
videos are on YouTube, including some
little, back into athletics and shoe company m
instructional.
ads. Despite this, it’s still a blast.
Once you see it done a couple times,
I know, right, something that’s still a blast a
it’s much easier to grasp the concept of
after it’s faded from the mainstream! g
how it’s done. At full speed, it looks like the
This is a much more physically demand-
guy went through the wall, or fell directly
ing pastime. It requires some athletic ability, a
from the top of the building, but after closer
good balance, and a willingness to fall down f
inspection he slid his feet over the wall, or
a couple times. T
purposefully bounced on a couple things
A French invention, parkour has some s
on the way to the ground.
of its basis in the philosophy of movement e
Those with poor natural ability need
and strength. But to most beginners it just
not fear; even the best traceurs out there
looks fucking awesome to have abilities just o
didn’t start out perfect. Balance and agility
below the superheroes. p
become heightened with practice.
While free running is based more on w
The only suggestion for parkour gear is
freedom of movement and expressing
some good shoes. Grip and shock absorp-
ature nexus@nexusnewspaper.com
nexus@nexusnewspaper.com 11

rGiN
riter

hirp.
ove.
porn

paint
ty of

ging
oss a
hunt,
way
well,

PHotoS: CourtNeY brougHtoN

kour tion are important, so tuck away the Pumas you, so at best they can block half the field. a blog at manhuntvictoria.blogspot.com
eurs) or Chucks and pull out something a little They aren’t allowed to touch you or the These guys go out for a couple of hours
o set more gym class. Frisbee. and play a version of tag, crossed with

“Jackasses
Then simply throw the damn thing and some hide and seek tactics, using urban

U
rtial hope your team catches it. If it falls to the green spaces as their general place of fun,
ltimate Frisbee
ground or the other team gets it, your op- though some games have taken place in

need not
Disc golf has long been popular
ans- ponents will get a shot at it. indoor malls.
on the lower island, with courses
alley- Fouls are called when contact sufficient Capture the flag is much more difficult
on the UVic campus, in Colwood, and an

sign up;
ht try to arouse the ire of the player fouled occurs. to discover. It’s somewhat similar to a flash
awesome series of baskets on Pender Island.
way, That’s from the original rules, developed on mob, playing in public. Participants must
But disc golf has a bigger, friendlier cousin.
a college campus in the eastern US. be careful not to interrupt the public’s daily
It’s bigger because it’s a bigger Frisbee. It’s
of the
nable
friendlier because it’s a team sport.
Ultimate Frisbee has had a slow burn
Sean avery That’s right, it’s originally a college
sport. You should be playing this! Club
routine, but at the same time the mere
presence of adults playing games out in a
does names reflect quirky college humour, the city is cause for pause.
ersed
ound
to popularity, though there are some small
leagues and even a world cup. Currently will never with teams such as the Knights of Nee
and GOAT.
Most people, especially tourists, don’t
mind the strange distraction from the
there’s an official set of rules and an of-

, but
s are
ficial body, but the spirit of the game is
still super chill. It has to be. Frisbees are
make it as An Ultimate Frisbee organization is
located in Victoria, so check out vups.bc.ca
for more info.
norm, as long as people are enjoying
themselves.
Semi-organized, free drop-in games can
and
oves
inherently chill.
Therefore, no refs. Even in high-level
games between two real clubs, it’s all self-
an ultimate Or at least buy a Frisbee, get a few
friends, and try out the basic rules.
usually be found online if you look around
(try searching “Victoria, BC capture the

player.”
flag”).
officiated. Which means the true spirit of

S
out, Like the drop-in sports at Camosun, all
sport needs to be in all players. Jackasses choolyard on the street
ty of it takes are the balls to go out and be active
need not sign up; Sean Avery will never What games were popular in your
ome instead of staying home, scared of a social
make it as an Ultimate player. elementary school? Capture the
group outside of your own.
The basics of the game are pretty simple flag? Hide and seek?
mes, Schoolyards are where people generally
and unless a league sprouts up in your social Now, do you want to relive your early
pt of learn their basic social skills, so what better
group overnight, it’s all you need. school days? Okay, well, how about just
e the way to use those, hopefully more developed,
A cross between European Handball the good parts during recess?
ectly skills than on a similar playing field.
and Football, the point is to get the Frisbee Yeah, thought you might. Victoria has
loser The biggest issue for most of these
from your zone to the other teams end zone. a very active downtown core, and pos-
ll, or participatory team events is lack of those
There’s to be no running with the disc. As sibly more so than many students might
hings willing to be co-conspirators in random
soon as it is caught, you must make a valiant imagine.
fun.
effort to stop. Immediately! Almost weekly manhunt games are
need Players should be aware of a few laws,
Once stopped, everyone starts counting going on, and other groups organize open
here mostly trespassing issues, which means
off 10 seconds. You must throw it before random games, such as capture the flag
gility reading signs. The rest of the land down-
people reach either 0 or 10, depending on and the odd flash mob.
town is public. Using it is our right, and
which way people count. The manhunt is super easy to get in-
ear is using it in unique and new ways is super
Only one defender is allowed close to volved with. There’s a Facebook group and
sorp- fun!
12 SPORTS March 4, 2009

Playoff-bound Chargers ready to

do Camosun proud
Guy Alaimo
Staff Writer
Two Camosun Chargers teams
are competing in the BC Colleges
Athletics Association (BCCAA)
playoffs this year.
The men’s volleyball team ad-
vanced to the BCCAA champion-
ship semifinals after beating the
Douglas College Royals Feb. 26 in
Abbotsford. The Chargers won by
a score of 25–23, 25–17, 20–25,
17–25, and 15–12.
“All year long we were led by
Dan Goodburn and Brent Hall, but
tonight Aleks Saddlemeyer stepped
up and put the team on his back,”
says Parkinson.
Saddlemeyer led the way with
24 kills, one ace, and seven digs.
Brent Hall added 19 kills and Dan
Goodburn had 16.
The win has earned the Char-
gers a date in the semifinals against
the Vancouver Island University
(VIU) Mariners on Feb. 27. Results
were not available by press time.
Last week, head coach Charles
Parkinson was honored with the
BCCAA top volleyball coach of the
year award, while Dan Goodburn
was named a BCCAA first team-all-
star for the second year in a row,
and the third time in his career. The
reliable fifth-year captain finished
seventh in the league in aces, fifth
in digs, and third in kills.
“To win in the playoffs you need
a number of things,” says Parkin-
son. “You need good preparation,
all players healthy, terrific execution
by every player, and luck. If you
focus on the first three, it’s amazing
how luck seems to smile on you.”
Meanwhile, the women’s
basketball team is coming off its
best regular season in franchise
history. The women finished 17–1
and are two wins away from cap-
turing a provincial title, as their
excellent regular season record has
Chargers head coach Charles Parkinson has high hopes for his men’s volleyball squad in the BCCAA championships.
earned them a bye in the first round
of the playoffs.
But, despite their excellent
regular season that at one point
“To win in the playoffs saw them ranked as high as number
you need good one in the country, head coach Brett
Westcott says they won’t bite off
preparation, all more than they can chew.
players healthy, “We’re worried about every-
body,” he says about the team’s
terrific execution by playoff competition. “You can say
every player, and luck.” our 17–1 record is deceiving. There
were six games in the regular season
Charles
where we had to come from behind
Parkinson
Camosun Chargers
in the fourth quarter to win.”
The team’s ability to rally
might be seen as strength by some
people, but according to Westcott
photo: courtney broughton
it’s a weakness that needs to be
addressed.
“You would hope they wouldn’t
dig themselves in a hole to start
with,” says Westcott. “Another
big issue we have is that we aren’t
very big and we struggle with teams
like UBC and VIU that are strong
in the post. We just need to defend
and rebound. We’ll definitely score,
but if we can defend and rebound
as well, then we have a very good
chance of winning.”
The playoffs start on Mar. 5 and
are hosted by the Capilano Blues in
North Vancouver. The gold medal
game is slated for March. 7.
The other two Chargers teams
didn’t see nearly as much success
this season, and as a result will be
spend the playoffs focusing on their
studies instead of their sports.
The women’s volleyball team,
who attributed many of their strug-
gles this season to a lack of leader-
ship, finished their season strongly
but still missed the playoffs.
They lost their final game
against the third place VIU Mar-
iners, sealing their fate as they
finished in seventh place with a
5–11 record; one game behind
the 6–10 Douglas College Royals
who claimed the sixth and final
playoff spot.
The men’s basketball team
started the season poorly and dug
themselves into a rut early, finishing
second to last in BC (with a 5–13
record), despite the stellar leader-
ship of head coach Craig Price and
veteran forward Jeff Krawetz. Nick
Adair, who plays post, is a BCCAA
rookie of the year candidate.
“There were lots of positives
this year,” says Price. “We were
very young and inexperienced, but
I think we got better as the season
went along.”
The men will use their entire
off-season to figure out next year’s
strategy, as they could possibly be
without arguably their two best
players.
Krawetz is set to graduate this
year and Adair may leave to play for
a Canadian Interuniversity Sport
school.
The men’s basketball team will
start getting prepared for UVic
spring league action and their an-
nual camp that will run from April
10–11 at the Pacific Institute for
Sport Excellence at Interurban.
For more information, go to
www.camosun.ca/sports/chargers
and to follow playoff action, go to
www.camosunchargers.blogspot.
com

Small gyms risk increase in couch potatoes

Daniel Carranza campuses and upgrade the equip- students who use it are happy to that they want, as long as they can
Contributing Writer ment. Many students don’t know utilize its convenience. find eight or nine other students or
One proven relief for student they’ve paid for use of the gyms, “It’s such a good resource; I go friends who are interested in sign-
stress is working out. Unfortu- but those who do don’t care for there every day because of the con- ing up,” says Lambeth.
nately, students tend to neglect the their size. venience, and not many people use That means if you and your
college’s gyms, and the ones that do “It doesn’t matter that I’m pay- the gym,” says University Transfer friends want to take up a Tae-Bo
use the on-campus facilities aren’t ing, because the gyms are too small,” student George Anstey. class, you just need to recruit a few
too happy with them. says General Arts student Alisa At Interurban, students in the people. A bonus for students is the
Palmer. sport programs have benefited from lowest priced gym activity classes
The small gyms particularly the addition of the PISE building, in Victoria are found at Camosun,
cause problems when they’re full. which features a state-of-the-art even when factoring in the manda-
“The overcrowding has “The overcrowding has become workout area, much larger than the tory student recreation fees.
become a deterrent to a deterrent to certain students who regular Interurban gym they had to Although many gyms in Victoria
certain students who do not feel comfortable working
out in such crowded conditions,”
use before PISE existed. Students
not in the program have to pay to
have qualified staff, trainers are
an extra service the customer has
do not feel explains Meghan Lambeth, Recrea- use PISE, however. to pay for. That’s not the case at
comfortable working tion and Fitness Centre assistant. “The space for the weightlifting Camosun.
“With a larger space we would see [in the Camosun gyms] is a little bit “Our fitness centre are staffed
out in such crowded a noticeable increase in our user small, but you can easily get around for much of the time that they are
conditions.” numbers.” in there fine and the machines are open,” says Lambeth, “which
Plans to increase the Lans- up to date,” says Sport Manage- means students have the oppor-
Meghan Lambeth downe workout facilities by using ment student Jonathan Green. tunity to ask for advice or training
Camosun College the adjacent gymnasium have been Another aspect of the Camosun tips while working out.”
put on hold by the college for now, gyms is the services available. Lam- So take a stroll to a campus
says Lambeth. beth explains students can sign out gym and let off a little steam. It’ll
Each month every student at On average, about 60 to 100 footballs, Frisbees, or even chess be money well spent.
Camosun pays almost $6 in student students per day use the Lansdowne sets for those who want to give their The Camosun gyms are located
photo: courtney broughton
fees towards athletics and recrea- gym, and around 45 to 60 students noggin a workout. on the bottom floor of the Young
tion programs. This fee is partially use Interurban. Considering most “Also, we offer students the Brittany Paziuk (standing) and Brianna Building at Lansdowne and Cam-
Green use the Lansdowne gym.
used to maintain the gyms at both students aren’t using the gym, the chance to ask for activity classes pus Centre at Interurban.
 artS
nexus@nexusnewspaper.com
The evolution of dance in Victoria
ANdreA moir
CoNtributiNg Writer
To picture an ordinary night out
for students, most would imagine
alcohol, good friends, and dancing.
And whether you’re cutting the
dance floor like a pro, or keep-
ing with the standard touch-step
combination, you are taking part in
a ritual that has gone on for centur-
ies—the art of dance.
But it’s not just the alcohol
that forces people to perform “Sol-
dier Boy” dance routines in public.
Media influence has played a large
role in dance popularity. Shows
like So You Think You Can Dance?
highlight dancers skilled in any-
thing from street styles to partner
dancing.
“it’s not just about
booty-shaking and
grindin’ like in some
music videos. it’s an
art form.”
brooKe KilGore
vibeStreet daNCe
“These shows help dance by
bringing it onto the front-burner,”
explains Karen Clark, a local dance
studio owner. “When they are on we
tend to get calls at the studio, and
people actually say they watch those
shows. Now they want to dance.”
Victoria studios have seen enrol-
ment increase over the last two dec-
ades. Karen Clark Dance Studio has
been in Victoria for 21 years and in
its first decade increased enrolment
by 20 percent. It has been close to
full every year since 1998.
In the last few years, one genre
has exploded in Victoria’s dance
community. That is the art of hip-
hop, a style that originated from
traditional African dance.
“Hip-hop never used to be popu-
lar, and that has brought a great
number of boys into the dance
studio,” says Clark.
The increased interest in hip-
hop is what led Brooke Kilgore
to open her own local company,
Vibestreet Dance, in 2006.
As Victoria’s only urban dance
company, she’s also seen significant
growth in her enrolment numbers.
Kilgore believes hip-hop has be-
come more popular due to society’s
renewed attitude towards it.
Time to SPARK it up for Belfry Theatre festival
joel WitheriNGtoN
CoNtributiNg Writer
The Belfry Theatre is once
again hosting its wonderful SPARK
Festival.
The festival includes theatre
workshops, play readings, a small
festival of free mini-plays, plus six
different full-length shows.
Last year it took six weeks to
present all the great plays and work-
shops, but this year they will try to
get it all done in just two weeks.
During this 14-day span, the
SPARK Festival will showcase
works from all across the country.
“We’ve never tried something
like this before,” says Belfry publi-
Camosun Hotel Restaurant Management graduate Laura Blain is one of many students at Karen Clark’s popular dance studio.
“People are finding that hip-hop
dance actually has a culture behind
it, and it is finally becoming more
respected. It’s not just about booty
shaking and grindin’ like in some
music videos. It’s an art form,”
explains Kilgore.
Kilgore also agrees with Clark
that dance shows are allowing all
styles of dance to be noticed by
society.
“Dance as a whole is being seen
more, and it is showing dancers of
all ages and abilities dancing vari-
ous styles. It’s very motivating and
empowering,” says Kilgore.
With dance styles like hip-hop
becoming more popular, are the
original dance genres vanishing?
Not so, says Gina Sinclair, a dance
cist Mark Dusseault. “The energy
in the building, and in Fernwood,
will be incredibly positive.
“the energy in the
building, and in
fernwood, will be
incredibly positive.”
mArK dusseAult
belfrY PubliCiSt
We have everyone doing
shows—from 10-year-olds from
George Jay Elementary to some of
teacher and former owner of Sin-
clair Academy of Performing Arts,
who has danced professionally in
both classical ballet and musical
theatre.
“My ballet classes are full and
I continue to have lots of amaz-
ing opportunities to guest teach,
choreograph, and coach, so for me
the ballet business is still as busy as
ever,” says Sinclair.
Classical ballet is one genre
Sinclair says will keep its place in
society.
Most trained in dance would
agree ballet is where the strength
is found to increase abilities in all
other dance genres.
“Art will last forever. Art takes
years of training and perfecting.
Canada’s finest theatre artists.”
The whole thing kicks off on
Monday, March 9 at 7 pm with a
reading of Joan MacLeod’s new
play, Another Home Invasion.
Other events to look forward
to are BASH’d: A Gay Rap Opera,
back from a run of shows in New
York. BASH’d is a passionate play,
using rap music to look at violence,
gay rights, and marriage.
Radio:30 is a play by actor, com-
ic, and writer Chris Earle, about a
man who has given up his convic-
tions to earn his paycheck as a radio
ad jockey.
Radio:30 won the Outstanding
New Play award at the Dora Mavor
PHoto: CHriSti kaY
The Charleston came and went, so
did the twist, and so will hip-hop in
the form that it is now, but classical
ballet will outlast them all because
the training is core to all other forms
of dance,” explains Sinclair.
Whether you take part in trained
dance classes, or simply move to the
beat because standing motionless in
front of a live band is just awkward,
it’s clear dance will continue to play
a part in humanity for generations
to come.
“Passionate people will continue
to be dedicated to their craft, forever
learning what they can learn. We
will learn new sub-genres off each
style, as we are currently,” says
Kilgore. “Plus, who doesn’t want
to learn how to dance?”
Moore Awards in Toronto.
Who would trust a 10-year-old
to cut their hair? Find out with
Haircuts by Children.
A Grade 4/5 class will be doing
workshops with local professional
stylists and then offering free hair-
cuts to the public.
Then the co-creator of BASH’d,
Chris Craddock, returns with his
solo play, Moving Along. This col-
lection of routines about life, death,
growing up, and family shouldn’t
be missed.
Finally, the young or the old can
enjoy Rage, a thought-provoking
story about an aggressive teen-
age boy stuck in an office with his
13
A tale of
two dancers
Stacy Sanderson
Age: 20
Danced for: 18 years
Profession: Camosun College student,
dance instructor, and performer.
Types of dance: ballet, jazz, tap, hip-
hop, modern, lyrical, contemporary, and
theatre/stage.
Favourite genre: “i don’t know if i have
a favourite. i love lyrical/contemporary
[a mix of ballet and jazz], i’d have to say
that’s my baby!”
Why she dances: “i dance because i have
to! dancing is something that is so physic-
ally challenging, so artistically expressive,
and so rewarding that once you start, it
seems stupid to stop.”
On balancing work, school, and dance:
“dance helps everything else. When i’m
just going to school or just working, i
get very restless and bored. but dancing
stimulates the other parts of your brain,
your expressive, emotional, and artistic
sensors. i can concentrate better, feel
more alive, and have more energy when
i’m dancing.”
Dance in the future: “i’m planning on
traveling to la this summer and train-
ing for a few weeks. then i’m looking at
performing arts universities! ultimately,
i would love to own and operate a dance
company based in victoria that performs
internationally. i also want to finish a
degree in kinesiology and open up a train-
ing centre for dancers, involving rehab,
physical therapy, cross-training benefits,
and nutritional advice.”
Laura Blain
Age: 20
Danced for: 17 years
Profession: Hotel restaurant Manage-
ment graduate from Camosun College,
international Hotel restaurant Manage-
ment student at royal roads university,
and server at Cordova bay golf Course.
Types of dance: Jazz, tap, lyrical, hip-hop,
theatre, and ballet.
On balancing work, school, and dance:
“i have definitely had to cut back on
dance now that i’m out of high school.
College was harder because i had co-op
work terms, so i wasn’t in town to take
the dance classes and be ready for the
performances. Now in university i man-
age my time well and i only dance three
hours a week. i manage to go to the gym
still and work and get school done, so it
depends on the person. i love being busy
all the time.”
Dance in the future: “it would be a hard
industry to get into and i want to make
a lot of money when i’m older, so i have
decided to take a different path. Now i just
dance for fun and to stay active.”
female guidance counselor.
The SPARK Festival allows
people to see a range of different
performances, or just check out the
one or two they’re interested in.
But it should have something
for everyone.
For a full list of times and dates,
go to www.belfry.bc.ca
SPARK Festival
March 9–22
Belfry Theatre
www.belfry.bc.ca
1
Author launches Undergarments
Keltie lArter
CoNtributiNg Writer
Chinatown was the setting for
the recent launch of local author
Ilana Stanger-Ross’ debut novel,
Sima’s Undergarments for Women,
a story about the life of a lingerie
store owner in a colourful Orthodox
Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn.
Stanger-Ross, a tiny woman
with a bright smile and a mop of
curly hair, stood in the middle of
a circle of friends and fans, each
clutching a copy of her book and
eager to have it signed. A hush fell
over the crowd as they gathered
around the bar to hear the smiling
author read a passage from her
book.
Stanger-Ross had reason to be
happy; her debut book has been
given rave reviews. Not bad for a
first-timer.
Born to Jewish parents in
Brooklyn, New York, Stanger-Ross’
Lucht shares Ideas at Lansdowne
michAel brAr
CoNtributiNg Writer
Over the course of the last 72
years, CBC Radio has produced
some of our country’s finest journal-
istic work. But few radio programs
have enjoyed the same level of cul-
tural and intellectual significance
that Ideas has.
To this day, Ideas continues
to deliver some of the best docu-
mentaries, interviews, and panel
discussions on the air. The show’s
constant evolution and progression
is due, in large part, to the work of
one man—Bernie Lucht.
Lucht has put together two
books of select interviews from
some of his favourite episodes of
Ideas and is now touring the country
promoting the newest book, Ideas
for a New Century. Lucht recently
stopped at Camosun’s Lansdowne
campus to talk about the book and
his 38 years with CBC.
“What many of us fail to realize
is that most of the thoughts we’re
thinking today, we have thought of
before and will think of again in the
future,” said Lucht.
Ideas debuted in 1965 under
the title The Best Ideas You’ll Hear
Tonight, although Lucht himself
didn’t join the show until 1971
when he was hired as a lowly pro-
duction assistant.
“I was working in Nigeria with
your premier, Gordon Campbell,
before that,” remarked Lucht with a
artS
inspiration for her main character
came from her Jewish roots.
“I’m Jewish, and I was raised
in a very Jewish yiddishkeit kind
of a home,” says Stanger-Ross.
“So, for me, Sima had to be Jewish.
That’s the voice in my head, the
stories overhead as a child that
have stuck.”
Stanger-Ross explains why the
story of Sima’s Undergarments for
Women unfolds in a neighbour-
hood similar to the one where she
grew up.
“It was my mother’s idea; she
grew up in Boro Park, the Brooklyn
neighbourhood where Sima’s shop
is located, and has remained loyal
to it,” says Stanger-Ross. “When
I was a child, we’d go to Boro Park
whenever I needed new clothes, so
I grew up thinking that everyone
PHoto: keltie larter shopped in clothing stores where
the owner squeezed your cheeks and
gossiped with your mother, while
deftly navigating narrow passages
“i grew up thinking between rows of discount clothes.”
In 2002 Stanger-Ross met her
that everyone husband, Jordan, while they were
shopped in clothing both working as camp counselors.
The couple moved to Canada in
stores where the 2003, first to Toronto and eventually
owner squeezed your settling in Victoria.
Stanger-Ross, a mother of two
cheeks and gossiped who already holds an MA in Fiction
with your mother, from Temple University in Phila-
delphia, is currently a student of
while deftly navigating Midwifery at UBC in Vancouver.
narrow passages She’s completing a whirlwind
book tour that started in Victoria,
between rows of
then moved on to Toronto, Water-
discount clothes.” loo, New York, Philadelphia, and
Washington.
ilANA stANGer-
Stanger-Ross is excited about
ross
loCal autHor
the release of her first novel and
happy with its reception. “So far,
it’s been going really well,” she says,
“and it seems to be selling nicely!”
ly appreciate modern advances in
digital editing software.
Lucht continued toiling in the
depths of Ideas’ editing room for
another 19 years before his efforts
and dedication were rewarded with
a promotion to Executive Producer
in 1984, a position he holds to this
day.
Over the course of his career,
the show and the broadcast land-
scape in general have changed
dramatically, but Ideas’ core tenets
have remained untouched since
Lucht took on the task of defining
them.
Eclecticism, insight, relevance,
and the pursuit of providing a de-
“What many of us fail lightful experience for listeners are
what continue to keep the show at
to realize is that most the cutting edge of the industry and
of the thoughts we’re the intellectual community.
“To be completely honest, mak-
thinking today, we ing a documentary radio program
have thought of before interesting from start to finish is a
very difficult process,” said Lucht.
and will think of again “It was quite a while before we felt
in the future.” we had actually succeeded in do-
ing that.”
berNie lucht
Ideas for a New Century is com-
CbC radio
prised of 18 interviews with some of
the world’s most brilliant thinkers,
smirk. “He’s an excellent basketball covering topics from psychology to
player too, if you believe it.” nationalism. The common question
Lucht’s first job on the show tying them all together is “what
was editing recordings of that year’s does the future have in store for
Massey Lecture with nothing but us?” And there’s no shortage of
a pair of scissors and a roll of tape. interesting “what if?” scenarios
Naturally, he has come to thorough- discussed in the book.
Noise Addict
Ears on the indie path
michAel duNcAN
CoNtributiNg Writer
If you listened to all the side-
projects and solo records that are
usually recorded by bands and their
members it would be easy to get lost
in the flood of albums. These solo
forays are often explorations into
other sonic ideas or completely dif-
ferent genres, but can also attempt
to expand musical range. So, in try-
ing to mine the depths of solo indie
acts, here are three recent releases
that are worthy of rising above that
endless parade of albums.
Dan Auerbach (myspace.
com/danauerbachmusic) is better
known as the singing and guitar-
slinging half of the duo, The Black
Keys. His most recent release, Keep
It Hid, is sans bandmate Pat Carney
and his debut solo effort. The album
is a 14-track exploration and sees
Auerbach expanding well beyond
his traditional blues-rock format
with gospel, soul, and folk finding
a home on the album. The sound
of the album is oddly unique and
contains a warmth and rawness in a
style reminiscent of many late-’60s
albums. Tempo and style vary con-
siderably on the album, but it’s not
a complete stray from Auerbach’s
previous blues stylings.
M. Ward (myspace.com/
mward) is in his tenth year on the
solo-indie scene, but is also the
second half of the band She & Him
with Zooey Deschanel. Ward res-
ides just down the coast in Portland,
Oregon with his four-track recorder.
He captures the beginnings of his
albums, which is a case no differ-
ent for his latest album, Hold Time.
Hawksley Workman
Arena Rock
Royal Theatre, Feb. 25
tessA coGmAN
Staff Writer
As hundreds of Hawksley
Workman fans drunkenly piled
into the much-too-fancy Royal
Theatre for his show Wednesday
night, Geoff Berner was about to
blow their minds with his open-
ing act.
Berner, a drunken accor-
dion player that turns original
Klezmer music into drunk, dirty,
political, and passionate music,
captivated the audience with his
well-performed comedy act. His
first song from his new album,
Klezmer Mongrels, had lyrics such
as, “Sometimes you’ll have to fuck
him so he’ll go to sleep.” This is
where Berner had us all chanting
“Weep, bride, weep.”
After Berner explained that a
fan in Yiddish translates to “foch-
er” and that he’s “so hot, hot, hot
he needs a focher,” a brief intermis-
sion of drinking occurred before
Hawksley Workman and band
started their set.
Workman arrived on stage,
accompanied by violin, keyboard,
bass, and guitar. Workman started
by rambling about his running
shoes, how delicious his candy was
that he was eating, mentioned the
weather, and how he once fasted
March 4, 2009
By Michael Duncan
Dan Auerbach
Like all of Ward’s albums, this
recent effort maintains his earthy
vocals and endearing sound. The
songs are well crafted and lyrically
relevant. They are set to Ward’s folk
and blues mannerisms, establish-
ing himself as premiere amongst
contemporary singer-songwriters.
Robyn Hitchcock (myspace.
com/robynhitchcock) is by no
means a young face, but the English
singer-songwriter is a lesser-known
veteran of the indie-rock scene.
His latest album, Goodnight Oslo,
is a tight-knit, catchy listen that
shows Hitchcock working with
the Venus 3, a group of music vet-
erans that occasionally includes
multiple members of REM. The
album is bright and quirky with
Hitchcock’s Bowie-esque vocals
and witty arrangements. The album
is a combination Hitchcock’s many
influences; hints of The Kinks and
The Beach Boys can be heard on
this altogether delightful album.
in Paris. I was left confused and
curious if Workman had a short
attention span.
Dressed in jeans, a khaki blaz-
er, and a matching taxi driver hat,
Workman looked a lot like Canad-
ian Idol Brian Melo, and some of
his songs didn’t venture too far
away from Melo’s style either.
Workman calls his music
“rock,” but with songs like “Al-
most a Full Moon,” I beg to differ.
“Let’s make some soup ‘cause
the weather is turning cold,” was
the first line and it led to an excel-
lent recipe that included carrots
and turkey bones. Mmm, thanks
Hawksley! I didn’t know I bought
tickets for a cooking show!
While the lyrics were some-
times soft and Workman’s micro-
phone could have been louder, the
music was absolutely incredible.
“Strip Tease,” “Autumn’s
Here,” “When You Gonna
Flower?” and “In My Blood” were
all audience favourites. A few fans
even put their beer bottles down
and escaped the theatre seats to
dance up by the stage.
Despite a shaky start, Work-
man and band pulled through in
the end. Although I was bothered
at first with the band’s tendency to
try and cover every style of music,
this might just be the reason why
Workman is so successful.
nexus@nexusnewspaper.com
Shuck
By Daniel Allen Cox
(Arsenal Pulp Press)
jAsoN motz
Staff Writer
NYC hustler and would-be writ-
er Jaeven Marshall spends his days
“tweaking” (chronic Meth abuse),
dumpster diving, and shacking up
with a distant and moody artist.
By night, Jaeven plies his trade
as an up-and-comer (excuse the
pun) among the elite of New York’s
street meat. This is Breakfast at
Tiffany’s if Chuck Palahniuk had
written it.
Montreal-based novelist Cox
uses his past as a gay porn star to
tell a rough-hewn story that man-
ages to avoid overt sentimentality
without utterly dehumanizing the
characters.
Shuck is a fearless, unflinching
bite on the lips of staid, bloodless
writing.
Despite shades of Bret Easton
Ellis (American Psycho), Cox is quite
capable of securing a reputation as
a distinct voice on the literary scene.
His writing bristles with anarchy
and pessimism. Shuck revels in the
gloriousness of hedonism, yet it
never discounts the concept or the
need for love altogether.
Shuck is a throwback/travel-
ogue that takes readers to the New
York of a not-too-distant past. With
pre-millennial tension in air and
Ferris Bueller goes to therapy
Charlie Bartlett
Starring: Anton Yelchin,
Robert Downey Jr., Hope Davis
Runtime: 97 minutes
Bartlett is what happens when
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off meets The
New Guy, and then goes into therapy
in the bathroom.
Charlie (Anton Yelchin), a teen-
ager who’s been kicked out of every
private school he’s ever attended, is
scrambling to fit into life at a public
school. He desperately wants to be
well liked, but annihilates his chan-
ces when he shows up on the first day
in his private school uniform. Less
than 10 minutes into the movie, the
poor kid’s already getting his head
flushed down the toilet.
But when Charlie’s therapist
suggests putting him on medication
for ADD, things begin to change.
The thing about Ritalin is it has
the opposite effect on people who
don’t actually have attention deficit
disorder. Instead of calming nerves
and increasing focus, it can cause
extreme restlessness and hyperactive
behaviour—in other words, it’ll get
you high.
So, after experiencing these ef-
fects firsthand, Charlie realizes he
can use his year’s worth of therapy
and access to prescription drugs
to his advantage; making friends
with Murphy, the bully who flushed
his head in the toilet, is just the
beginning.
Charlie’s popularity skyrock-
ets as students line up outside the
9/11 still a way’s off, Shuck inhabits
a New York of sleaze, scum, and
filth.
This is the city that inspired Lou
Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side,”
after all. And the same New York
that spawned Andy Warhol, Sonic
Youth, and Vincent Gallo.
Pornographers, players, artists,
Duran Duran, Fiorucci, fuckups,
and degenerates fill Shuck with a
kinetic energy that tastes like sugar
but burns like battery acid.
Shuck is easily digestible over
the course of an afternoon. So nip
away from your CHEM 100 text or
HIST 204 course pack and browse
a few pages of Shuck to remind
yourself that, yes Virginia, there is a
literary world outside of college.
bathroom door to pour their hearts
out to Charlie who’s playing shrink
in the neighbouring stall. With his
business partner Murphy collect-
ing the cash for the prescriptions
being handed out, the boys make
a fast rise to the top of not only the
financial chain, but also the social
and romantic chains.
Yelchin succeeds in making
Charlie a loveable antagonist. De-
spite actions that may prove other-
wise, he comes across as a harmless
and innocent kid, and although he
has a knack for getting himself into
trouble, he only has the best inten-
tions in mind.
While not the most realistic story,
the concept is cute and the ride is
highly amusing. Charlie Bartlett is
an entertaining and comical feel-
good movie that finds a nice balance
between not being too stereotypically
sappy, and not being too slapstick. It
settles nicely somewhere in between,
accomplishing a light-hearted feel
and a happy ending.
The talents of Robert Downey
Jr. as the school principal and Hope
Davis as Charlie’s slightly twisted
mother make Charlie Bartlett a
memorable film, keeping it from
being “just another teen movie.”
ratings
Complete disaster . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Unfortunate malfunction. . . . . . . .
A solid stand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Freakin’ fabulous . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
artS
Curtain Call
Alcohol and resentment make
for good theatre
joel WitheriNGtoN
CoNtributiNg Writer
The marvellous acting in The-
atre Inconnu’s classic play Who’s
Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is sure
to please.
One warning though, except
mentioning her name a couple of
times, along with some other 20th
century authors, this play doesn’t
have anything to do with Virginia
Woolf or her work.
The small theatre is located
across the street from the Belfry
and the intimate setting makes for a
great atmosphere. The one-set, four-
character play has been performed
many times; in the ’60s it won the
Tony Award for Best Play.
Because of the sexual themes
and mild use of foul language, the
play has often been considered
controversial; it’s advised that no
one under the age of 17 attends. The
play is a bit longer than most per-
formances, so prepare to be in the
theatre for about three hours. You
will not be bored or disappointed,
however.
The play is about George and
Martha, a couple who like to push
each other’s buttons. They invite
another couple, Nick and Honey,
Coraline
★★★★★
michAel brAr
CoNtributiNg Writer
Director Henry Selick, whose
style is immediately recognizable
from A Nightmare Before Christ-
mas, has taken Neil Gaiman’s 192-
page novella, Coraline, and turned it
into a 100-minute-long movie.
To do this, Selick had to make a
handful of small yet critical changes
to the story in order to lengthen it.
The resulting screenplay is func-
tional, but may fail to haunt people’s
dreams as much as the novella.
Coraline Jones, an average but
likable girl, moves to rainy, de-
pressing Oregon with her parents,
and the film opens with the family
getting settled into their apartment.
While exploring her new home,
Coraline stumbles across a small,
mysterious door in the wall of her
living room. Little does she know a
over to their house after a party;
they do a lot of drinking.
Martha flirts with Nick while
George makes sure everyone’s
booze glass is full. He does a good
job at making his wife and guests
uncomfortable and angry.
What makes this play so enter-
taining is its mature subject matter
and the excellent acting skills of
the performers. It’s also the best
portrayal of George I’ve seen in
many years.
Don’t come to this play expect-
ing an outrageous soundtrack, cos-
wondrous and terrifying experience
awaits her on the other side.
Coraline succeeds almost en-
tirely thanks to its visual magic.
Using a combination of clay anima-
tion, stop-motion photography, and
traditional computer animation,
Selick wisely chose to shoot the
film in 3-D. The result is something
that honestly can’t be described in
words.
The dialogue could be removed
from the movie entirely and it
would still be a memorable experi-
ence because of the visuals and
excellent soundtrack alone.
I’ve Loved You So Long
★★★★★
shANe scott-trAvis
CoNtributiNg Writer
Philippe Claudel is a celebrated
writer from France whose director-
ial debut, I’ve Loved You So Long, is
full of poise and precision. Claudel,
15
tume changes, or special effects; but
you do get to be a fly on the wall at a
very dysfunctional social gathering.
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
can’t help but cause reflection on
whether a “healthy” relationship
can even exist.
Who’s Afraid of
Virginia Woolf?
Until March 14, 8pm
www.theatreinconnu.com
who also wrote the film, lets his
story unfold with steady measure,
allowing the audience to become
rapt in this very human tale of tra-
gedy, family, and absolution.
Kristin Scott Thomas (The
English Patient) is heartbreaking
and heroic as Juliette, a woman
who has come to live with her
younger sister, Léa, played by Elsa
Zylberstein (Time Regained).
Léa has agreed to let Juliette
move in with her family after a 15-
year prison sentence. The reason
for Juliette’s incarceration, her
motive, morals, and her resolve is
the emotional centre of the film.
Léa and her family don’t exactly
roll out the red carpet for Juliette,
and the disquiet in their home is
palpable and unsettling.
Claudel communicates this
with a sometimes jittery cam-
era and nervous editing that may
not be innovative but is certainly
effective.
The best scenes in I’ve Loved
You So Long hint at vintage Hal
Hartley, especially his sparse yet
prevalent use of music, carefully
composed framing, and compelling
female characters. So well written
are Claudel’s women that he also
alludes to Michelangelo Antonioni
and Ingmar Bergman, each known
for their matriarchal tendencies.
At a crucial point in the film,
Scott Thomas says, “I’m really
here,” with such conviction that we
can only concede. For her struggle
has become ours, and so too her
longing.
16 ColuMNS March 4, 2009

Ask Anything By Breanna Carey

Q:Why do girls like guys who treat them badly Q:How do you know if you’re not that into
someone?
?

By Guy Alaimo & Donald Kennedy

A: A:
i’m assuming you aren’t talking about physical abusers,
but more the type who toy with women’s minds. it’s
simple, really; everyone likes the chase. Some people really
get off on having to work to get what they want. Men seem-
ingly like to keep their options open until a prime subject
comes their way. until then, they may play a few women to
see who they like best. i’m not saying all men are players,
but the ones who are do it well. if you’re a nice guy, you’re
more likely to be put in the friend category because you’re
reliable, predictable, and, well, nice. girls want spontaneity
and to be taken off guard. in fact, both sexes like this, but
that’s the whole reason why men who aren’t always available
can wrap women around their pinkie. if you’re looking to win
a woman over, you have to surprise her, whether with your
actions or your words. don’t give her what she wants, no
matter how bad you want to, because it will pay off in the
future. as women age, however, they get sick of mind games
and unpredictable behaviour and seek out good guys, so
you’re not out of the race just yet.
this is hugely dependent on whether you’re in a relation-
ship or not. if you’re dating someone and you’re just not
sensing the spark, it’s easy to call it quits. but if you’re in a
relationship, you need to re-evaluate your needs. Sometimes
couples go through ruts and things get boring. it’s easy to
Intergalactic pop at
allow things, like sex, to fall by the wayside. it doesn’t mean
you shouldn’t work at it. it’s also not fair for you to expect
your partner to assume all of the responsibility to fix your
Mexican food stop
relationship. typically, if you don’t think about the person
very much when they’re away from you and don’t miss
them, that’s a clear sign feelings are fading. emotional and
physical attractions are close-knit, so the desire has to be
evident. everyone experiences the occasional stressful day
where sex is the last thing they want. What people don’t
realize is connecting with your partner in an intimate way is
a wonderful way to relieve tension and stress, and get back
to the loving place you were at. take time to talk with your
partner to figure out what’s best for both of you.

Read this, it’s soooo gay!

cristiAN cANo homophobia, although no longer is—sleeping with people of the
Pride direCtor overtly acceptable in society, is sur- same sex.
A few days ago, I facing in more subtle ways. Us homos aren’t responsible
overheard a conver- I realize not all people who use for ruining your printer or discon-
sation in one of my “gay” interchangeably with “stupid” necting your laptop’s internet con-
classes. One guy re- are homophobic. I even know some nection. We aren’t, as a collective, Orale Taco Restaurant
ferred to something as gay people who use “gay” as a pe- stupid or annoying. 1002 Johnson St., 250–590–3370
“gay,” and his friend jorative term. For the record, Oscar Wilde,
laughed and asked, “Do you think Personally, I find it extremely Leonardo da Vinci, Alan Turing, Tacos, Quesadillas, Nachos, Pastel de Tres Leches, and
gay people refer to stupid things as offensive, and I know I’m not alone Alexander the Great, Michel Fou- Mexican Pop
‘hetero’ or ‘straight’?” in this sentiment. cault, Harvey Milk, and countless Donald: Allow me to paint you a picture. A young, would-be restaurant
A few weeks earlier, one of my A few months ago, Hilary Duff other homos have made significant revolutionary is toiling away in a taquiera somewhere in Mexico. Dreaming
group work partners sent me a and Wanda Sykes participated in contributions to the human cause of a life that allows simple pleasures like getting amped on counting flowers
message saying he couldn’t print off public service announcements chal- throughout history. and bitching about the homeless, he spirits away to Victoria. Whilst work-
our assignment because his printer lenging people on the use of this I don’t call things I dislike “het- ing his last shift at the taquiera he manages to abscond with its recipes as
was being “gay.” The day before I expression. But why do we need ero” or “straight” because that’s dreams of opening his own restaurant flutter through his head. Alright,
wrote this article, another classmate people like Hilary Duff to tell us improper use of the language. so I’ve taken a few liberties with the Orale story, but that’s basically the
couldn’t get online because her something so obvious? Next time you hear someone say- gist of it. Man is working at taquiera in Mexico, man moves to Victoria
laptop was “so gay.” My group partner should say ing, “That’s gay,” think about what in hopes of replicating the menu in a small restaurant on Johnson Street.
I’m noticing a trend here. Appar- his printer is acting “gay” if it’s they’re saying, and decide if you In general, Orale does a pretty good job of providing authentic Mexican
ently, “gay” is a synonym for “stupid” humping other printers of the same want to be part of the problem or cuisine. If the nachos were any better I’d probably be off falling in love with
or “annoying.” Why? It could be that sex. Because that’s what being gay part of the solution. a revolutionary somewhere while the roof of Orale is engulfed in the flames
of forbidden love (a la the plotline of Like Water for Chocolate). As far as
my tastebuds can tell, these tasty triangles are pretty much the pinnacle

Maude’s March Specials of the tortilla chip world. Follow the nachos with a bowl of Pastel de Tres
Leches cake and you’ll end up in a pretty jim-dandy mood. Unfortunately,
the tacos here aren’t nearly as good as the nachos or dessert. The only
Monday taco filling that truly wowed me was the Nopal—a mix of cactus paddles,
$6.95 Burger & Fries tomato, and sweet chili that is easily one of the more unique food items
you’ll find in Victoria. That being said, I could easily get hooked on apple
(substitutes extra) soda and nachos and find myself starting to resemble Pancho Villa after
a few more Orale trips.
Music Bingo starting March 9 at 7:30 PM Guy: I like Mexican food about as much as I like Chicano rap. I’ll oc-
casionally rock my head to a few seconds of “Insane in the Membrane” and
Tuesday I’ll rarely hit up Pluto’s for all-you-can-eat-tacos. There’s just something
$6.95 Quesadilla - Chicken, about the Mexican culture that hasn’t allowed me to embrace it as much
as I embrace the Chinese or the Japanese. As much as I’d like to attribute
Beef, or Vegetarian (after 4 PM) this fact to racism, the hard reality is I’ve never eaten at a Mexican buffet
that I would ever consider returning to. It’s also hard for me to shell out the
Wednesday Benjamins for flour tortillas, hot spice, refried beans, and ground meat.
But after visiting Orale my opinion has changed. Alright, my theory on
.35¢ Wings (after 2 PM) tacos was only solidified further as they were tiny, mostly dry, and not even
close to being satisfying (except for the corn tacos, they were excellent),
Thursday but the quesadillas were filled with different combinations of meat, and the
$6.95 Perogies (after 4 PM) cheese was fantastic. I don’t know what kind of cheese Orale uses, but it
has left an indent in my memory as one of the best cheese moments I have
ever experienced. They use that same cheese on the Nachos, which were
Sunday delectable, along with homemade guacamole. And if you like to experi-
$7. 95 Brunch Specials ment with soft drinks, Orale is like going for a walk on Jupiter without
any protection to shield you from its intense atmospheric pressure. I had
H
$3.99 Caesars/ $5 Doubles Y LUNC
strawberry soda along with something that tasted like apple juice and Coke
mixed together. To cap it all off, I finished with the mega-highlight of the
DAIL 6.95 H meal—angel food cake soaked and solidified in three different types of milk.
Daily Draft Specials $ ND SANDWIC When I come back to Orale, it’s going to be a nachos, out-of-this-world
soda pops, and milk dessert free-for-all. If Orale starts playing Chicano
A
Show your student ID for 10% off food SOUP rap, I might not be able to handle myself.
Price: Tacos, three for $5 plus tax; Quesadillas, three for $5 plus tax;
Nachos, $5 plus tax.
Watch Canucks hockey here! Verdict: The milky cake and handcrafted nachos at Orale may just cap-
ture the elusive government worker/drug addict/pre-teen private school
market yet.
3810 Shelbourne Street (at Cedar Hill X Rd) 250.721.2337 Hey, check out our Victoria buffet and burger blogs at vicbuffet.blogspot.
com (Guy) and vicburgers.blogspot.com (Donald).
nexus@nexusnewspaper.com COLUMNS
GIVING IT UP: old habits di
By Kelly Marion
hard
ready to stay that way.
Day 3: Bright yellow rubber gloves are certainly
eye-catching . . . but not in a good way. Figuring they
may be a bit extreme, I decided to do it Cruella de Vil
style and don the black leather gloves 24/7 instead.
Day 5: I went to the gym today and as I walked in I
could almost see the germs just swimming around. A big
sign says, “Wipe down equipment after using,” but Big
Buck-O left the bench press glistening with sweat and
Six-Pack Steve has left his cooties all over the exercise
ball. I’m outta here! I’ll work out . . . next week maybe.
So much for my New Year’s Resolution.
Day 7: Eeeek, stop sneezing around me! Everyone
around me is sick these days and just dying to share their
nasty little germ bugs with me. Whatever happened to
taking a sick day—you know, relax, rejuvenate . . . not
spread your disease? Stay away!
Day 9: I’m completely in the habit of wiping down
everything with my handy toilettes now. I don’t miss
a thing . . . door handles, keyboards, shopping carts,
apples . . . okay, not apples, but I wash them to death.
You never know who’s been groping those things with
their filthy hands. And speaking of filthy, how about
public washrooms? Why don’t they all have disposable
toilet seats? I don’t want my bum touching what her
bum’s been touching.
Day 11: I’ve heard a theory that one in 10 people
don’t wash their hands regularly, including after they
wipe themselves. Today I stood in the bathroom to
“people watch” and five people left without washing
Photo: Courtney broughton their hands . . . I was in there for three minutes!
Day 12: I’ve decided to avoid personal contact with
Germs everyone. I look like a bad driver as I weave in and out
of the crowds of people in the hall. My friend even tried
The challenge to touch my arm while talking to me and I jumped back
Beat the odds and avoid getting sick by steering three feet. I think I freaked her out.
clear of germs. Day 14: I went on a date to the movies last night
and, of course, we got the “Movie-Lover Combo.” As
The research
he reached into the bag of popcorn a look of disgust
Did you know picnic tables harvest more bacteria took over my face as I thought about everything he may
then Port-a-Potties do? And that most keyboards and have touched that day. “Popcorn?” he offered. “Uhhh,
ATM machines are more contaminated than your aver- no thanks!” What’s worse is when he tried to kiss me
age toilet seat? Nearly 80 percent of germs are spread
by hand, yet only 17 percent of us wash our hands after
shaking hands! God only knows how many pathogens
goodnight. Not these lips, baby!
The result
could be living on our hands just waiting to latch onto The world is a dirty place. I’m really not surprised
their next victim. that some people are germaphobes. Me, on the other
hand, not so much. Besides, I’ve read the best way to
The rationale avoid being sick is by getting sick. It sounds counter-
Students are prone to getting sick by being overly productive, but studies show we need to build immunity
stressed and not meeting the sleep requirements needed to germs and the best way to do this is by being exposed
for their immune systems to run properly. And the to them. I can’t live in a bubble and I haven’t been sick
students who attend class while sick to avoid falling in a while (knock on wood), so I’ll take my chances and
behind in their studies put everyone at risk of catching just try to resist the 10-second rule.
whatever virus they’re carrying.
Next issue
The trial I’m experiencing the Twilight trend firsthand and
Day 1: Armed with a purse full of antiseptic toilettes I’m giving up . . . sunlight?!
and a solid pair of rubber gloves, I’m germ-free and
Feminism often misunderstood
Chloe Markgraf There appears to be a miscon- female genital mutilation in places shade from the sun. Trees are
Womyn’s Director ception that feminism implies like Sudan, or acknowledging hon- a great way to help fight global
Feminism is a word some kind of hierarchy. Actually, our killings in parts of Asia.
that can send shivers it advocates equality. The belief that there’s equality oxide and spit out oxygen; none of
down people’s spines. Rather than being insulted, among sexes is illusory.
It seems to have gained why not join the movement? This perspective turns a blind
a negative overtone, so A lot of disturbing inequalities eye to the devastation and crisis
I wonder what inherent threat is are happening around the world; in many other parts of the world
implied by feminism? tripping on the phonetics or spell- where womyn are victims of ex-
Feminism is often associated ing of the word “womyn” is an treme violence and abuse.
with bra burning and man hating, idle distraction from the bigger Getting insulted and upset by
even though popular literature picture. feminism is not productive; in fact,
defines it as a doctrine based on Globally, we’re far from equal- it’s part of the reason we haven’t
creating equality within the sexes. ity. Here, that means equal rep- gotten as far as we could have.
Perhaps the reason some feel resentation in our government, or It’s time we let go of our egos
threatened by the word is because equal pay for womyn in the work- and personal vendettas and work
it’s uninhibited and critical. force. Elsewhere, it’s addressing together to focus on real issues.
w w w.nexusnewspaper.com
visit t h e nexus online
17
By Keltie Larter
Blowjobs
So I was talking on the phone recently with my friend when the con-
versation veered towards things of a more carnal nature. He was telling
me about how his boyfriend had given him a mind-blowing blowjob the
night before and I said I didn’t find that so impressive because, really,
how hard is it to give a good blowjob?
My friend laughed in my face.
Having a hard time believing what he had told me, I called around and
talked to some other men friends of mine and, lo and behold, he wasn’t
disillusioned after all. Apparently, a good blowjob is hard to come by,
and bad ones are a dime a dozen.
I asked my male friends what, then, made for a good blowjob?
The verdict was unanimous. They all said the most important char-
acteristic of a god blowjob is enthusiasm. You’ve got to really be into it
and if not, well, you might as well not go there.
My friend told me a truly great blowjob involves deep-throating;
opening up your throat so the penis can slide all the way in. However,
he and I agreed while deep-throating may be delectable, it just wasn’t an
option for those with a sensitive gag reflex, and puking on your lover’s
penis would certainly ruin the mood. He confessed this had happened to
him once and the guy he threw up on had never spoken to him again.
Speaking of fluids, lots of spit was also high up on the list, so if you’re
feeling a little dry-mouthed when you go downtown, sipping some water
first or using a mild-flavoured lubricant is key.
All of the guys also stressed licking all up and down the shaft instead
of only concentrating on the head and having their testicles sucked on
while having their shaft rubbed. Many of them also suggested continuing
the journey down south past the perineum and on to the sphincter. I say
if you want someone to lick your poo-portal, you’d better make sure it’s
squeaky clean down there!
My friend told me one time he made a guy come so hard by licking
his perineum while rubbing his cock that the guy cried like a baby.
Then came the question of whether to spit or swallow. Once again,
the guys unanimously agreed—they prefer it when their partner swal-
lows. But they also said they’d rather have a blowjob where the girl spits
than no blowjob at all.
Everyone’s happy
growing things
Joel Witherington to buy trees and plant them around
CSEA Member town. If you don’t want to bother
A great way to con- applying for a grant, just grab some
nect to the natural en- seeds from a berry or cone off your
vironment is by growing favourite tree and plant them in
plants. Even growing your ground.
some flowers or herbs It’s great when you can grow
in a pot can give you a great feel- your own food. Around Victoria we
ing of accomplishment. Growing can grow apple, pear, cherry, and
something from seeds lets you many other varieties of fruit trees.
experience the whole plant cycle. Grab the seeds from the fruit and
Beyond a personal feeling of try to grow them.
satisfaction, many positive en- Camosun Students for En-
vironmental and communal ef- vironmental Awareness (CSEA)
fects are associated with growing will be planting a few apple trees
plants. on the Lansdowne campus near
Trees are beautiful, they make
you feel relaxed, plus they provide
the Wilna Thomas building and
the native plant garden.
Future generations of students
won’t have to walk very far to get
warming. They suck up carbon di- some free food. If you want more
info on the tree-planting grant,
us would be here if not for oxygen. check out www.treesfortomorrow.
Also, the root system of a tree stops gov.bc.ca
landslides and they can also block For more info about CSEA, visit
heavy winds. www.camosunstudent.org/csea
The BC government is offering or e-mail camosunsea@hotmail.
grants to anyone wanting money com
If someone around you became seriously ill or
injured, would you know what to do?
F IRST ID A & CPR Training
Standard First Aid with CPR “C" & AED,
CPR”C” Renewal, WCB OFA Level 1, 2, 3
Group Rates Available
GUARDIAN
EMERGENCY
TRAINING
(250) 642-1911
WWW.bcfirstaid.com
18 COLUMNS March 4, 2009

Other sites to keep you off Crackbook

Ed Sum side of the web worth checking
Contributing Writer out.
Here’s a list of websites that are
entertaining as well as informative Howstuffworks.com
which may help jumpstart students’ Like the TV show of the same
name, this site uses photos, dia-
grams, videos, and animation to
explain the workings of various
No web surfing things. Readers can learn how
experience is historical events unfolded and find
interesting trivia on how everyday
complete without objects work. This website doesn’t
stumbling upon a restrict itself to any particular topic.
Readers can find out how a network
random, awesome television show is written, or learn
website and what makes a particular world
leader tick. The only annoying fea-
bookmarking it. ture is the ads alongside the articles,
but any ad-blocking software can
stop them.
brain cells when they can’t focus on
homework. Beyond our favourite Livescience.com
search engines, news, and social Contrary to what the name
networking sites, here’s another implies, this website isn’t just
for science nerds. With a section
dedicated to strange news, even
bizarre topics are explored in a
semi-scientific context. Just like
Howstuffworks, a variety of sub-
jects are explained without being
too complicated. Here readers can
find a variety of interesting articles
on the metaphysical, culture, and
history, as well as trivia and media
galleries. The best part of visiting
this website is the wide variety
of top 10 lists, including ways to
destroy the Earth and unexplained
phenomena.
Archive.org
This vast archive of information
is the modern-day answer to the
Library of Alexandria. Not only
does it archive nearly every single
website, it also hosts a wealth of
media from the public domain.
The list includes videos, audio
recordings, and text documents.
Examples include early attempts
in filmmaking and radio plays.
Modern contributions are also
included, like concert recordings
by the Smashing Pumpkins and
the Grateful Dead. The archive is
also attempting to provide an online
database of every book published.
Similar websites include OurMedia
and Project Gutenberg.
Televisionwithoutpity.com
Yes, some people still watch
television and here couch critics
take jibes at the entertainment
industry. Unlike most fan-based
sites, these opinions matter because
Hollywood is paying attention. The
website continues a long tradition
of criticizing TV show producers
and writers and mocking their
shows. Visitors to the site can post
on forums, read blogs, contribute
to the Wikipedia, explore the enter-
tainment industry, and learn about
where popular culture is heading.
StumbleUpon.com
No web surfing experience
is complete without stumbling
upon a random, awesome website
and bookmarking it. Users will
then share that website with their
friends; that’s how most websites
become popular. Unlike Google,
where ranking is based on the num-
ber of visits, StumbleUpon uses
social networking as its method of
suggesting cool websites to users.
Each person uploads or tags their
favourite websites that StumbleU-
pon then tracks and makes recom-
mendations based on each user’s
personal tastes. Basically, this site
is host to an ongoing popularity
contest, and the results can be very
interesting.

Keep the beat going, and going, and going...

Sheila Porteous
Contributing Writer
Like the Energizer Bunny, I
require battery backup to keep go-
ing and going and going; I have an
implantable cardiac defibrillator
that prevents my sudden death by
monitoring and correcting a genetic
heart defect.
February was Heart Month
across Canada—did it even make
you stop and think? Nope. You’re
young and healthy, why would you
worry about your heart health yet?
I can give you one good rea-
son—Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD).
Can you vaguely remember hearing
the news story about the young
basketball player who dropped dead
during a game? Or the young girl
who was out dancing and drinking
Red Bull concoctions who walked
outside and fell flat, never to be
resuscitated?
Unlike heart attacks, SCD can
happen anywhere, any time, and
to anyone, including children and
young adults, with little or no warn-
ing. Many disorders like SCD are
genetic.
Recognition of the warning
signs and early medical interven-
tion are the keys to preventing SCD.
Doctors say SCD among school
kids is largely a hidden problem. It’s
estimated about 100 children and
teens die each year because their
hearts suddenly stop, and as many
as 50 percent of young people who health information center with
experienced SCD had symptoms materials and resources on heart
prior to their event. I certainly did. disease for patients and families. For
For years, I had seizure-like epi- more info, call 250–370–8000.
sodes during school runs, or when
I was emotionally distraught. I was
misdiagnosed as having an atypical
The warning signs of
seizure disorder for many years. It Sudden Cardiac Death
wasn’t until I moved to Victoria
that I found a doctor who took me • Fainting or seizure during physical
activity.
seriously. Victoria provides some
of the best cardiac care available • Fainting or seizure resulting from
in Canada. emotional excitement or dis-
Information can be obtained tress.
online at sads.ca from the Canadian • Family history of unexpected sud-
Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syn- den death during physical activity
dromes (SADS) Foundation. Also, or during a seizure, or any other
Vancouver Island Health Authority unexplained sudden death of an
provides a patient and family heart otherwise healthy young person.

Click, click, yakity, yak

Andy Roberts
Contributing Writer
The computer lab stations at
Camosun are like Victoria’s buses;
you get stuck waiting for 30 min-
utes, then there are three available
at once.
But the inconvenience of trying
to find a spot in the labs, particularly
on a Wednesday or during the mid-
term crunch, is vastly outweighed by
the ignorance and selfishness that
lurks within.
I’ve lost count the number of
times I’ve unsuccessfully tried to
SPARKFESTIVAL MARCH 10 – 15
finish a paper at school because the
computer labs are too noisy, messy,
MARCH 2009 BASH’d: A GAY RAP OPERA or full to the brim.
The signage in Camosun com-
MARCH 11– 15
RADIO :30 puter labs state cell phones should
be set to vibrate, phone calls taken
MARCH 14 & 15 to the hall, and conversations kept
HAIRCUTS BY CHILDREN quiet and brief.
Without fail, I’m frequently
Plus Free Mini Plays, Readings and Workshops. MARCH 17 – 21 forced to sit near someone having
Details at www.belfry.bc.ca MOVING ALONG a cell phone conversation or, worse
still, I’m stuck listening to a loud
Tickets $20 / $15 (PSS) / $10 (HSS) MARCH 18 – 22 and pointless conversation in the
No personal web browsing before
4 pm? Most students assume this
doesn’t apply to them because Fa-
cebook and MySpace are the only
ways they communicate with other
students.
The simple fact is, from Face-
book to YouTube, from Twitter to
MySpace, if you’re killing time in the
lab or using it for frivolous personal
activity, you could be keeping a dili-
gent student from their work. Which
is, after all, the primary reason we’re
all here, right?
Even trickier to understand is
how students ignore the “No Food
or Drink” signs plastered on every
wall. Even if your coffee is in a flask,
and you’re only eating an apple, it’s
still food.
Frankly, people seem oblivious to
the germs and saliva they are putting
onto the keyboard, and the germs
and bacteria they pick up from the
keyboard and spread to their food.
Next time you sit at a computer
biting your nails or licking your
greasy fingers, consider the thou-

Belfry
250-385-6815 RAGE hallway because people fail to real- sands of other fingers you’re also
MARCH 22 ize just how sharp the acoustics are tasting.
outside the lab. Hundreds of students per day
Theatre BELFRY 101 LIVE
“Yeah, I’m just in the computer come though the computer labs;
lab finishing a paper,” they say, while resources are tight and we all have
SUPPORTED BY
idly flicking through a Facebook al- to share the facilities. The labs are,
bum of their friends getting wasted as the signs remind us, a study area.
the night before. And, like the library, they should be
As for the subject of personal web used with care, consideration, and
browsing, again, read the signage. respect for other students.
nexus@nexusnewspaper.com
Looking Glass  By Adrian Binakaj
Darth & Luke  By Alan Piffer
Top three staff washrooms at the Lansdowne Campus
Guy Alaimo
Porcelain princess
1. Staff/handicap washroom, Ewing
Building, second floor
Ample walking space between toi-
let and sink. Hot and cold faucets,
Overheard at Nexus
Nexus staff works very hard during production of the newspaper, and there
are times when exhaustion takes over what we say. The following is what’s
been overheard at the Nexus office lately:
“Don’t worry Laila,
I’m not looking at
your nuts.”
“Ooo, they met an
array of lobster
fishermen!”
HUMOUR
without retracting handles allows for
uninhibited water flow. Toilet seat is
wide and low with handlebars on both
sides, prime for the more heavy set in-
dividual. Table and chair also available
to lay items like backpacks and jackets.
Great room to snort rails in.
2. Staff washroom, Young Building,
third floor
Henchwomen located in the offices
adjacent to this hidden gem will give
you a hard time, but don’t give in to
their authoritative stance. This wash-
room has a private toilet stall equipped
with a full rising window that’s great for
post-lunch shits, and even offers a nice
view of the city. Paper cups for water
are located next to the sink.
3. Staff/handicap washroom, Dawson
Building, first floor
A simple, handlebar-equipped toilet
and space to move around make this
ideal restroom a top three hit. Com-
“I see Brendan running
around in Beacon Hill
Park naked.”
“He might threaten
you with his saggy
balls.”
19
Phlegm  By Shane Scott-Travis
fortable, padded chair located in the
corner to lay things on top of, or to
just sit and read a good book in peace
and tranquility.
Notable mention: Third floor of the
Richmond House has two beautiful
restrooms, side by side. One is an an-
tique lover’s dream. The toilet seat is
over 40 years old and is worn out from
extensive use. The bathtub works well,
and there’s a nice view of the back of
the Lansdowne cafeteria so you can
watch all the depressed employees
smoke cigarettes during their breaks.
Disclaimer: We will not be held re-
sponsible if you get in trouble for
using these premier restrooms. But,
if there’s piss all over the toilet seats
in the regular washrooms, we say go
right ahead and use away, because a
clean toilet is your right! It’s your right
as a student, and as a human being
living in a civilized society. Fuck the
(campus) police!
classifieds
Rules
Tessa Cogman
Staff Eavesdropper Each registered student at Camosun
is eligible for up to 40 words FREE per
Calling all skinny-dippers and semester. This can be in the form of a 40-word
wannabes too. A local nudist club
is holding monthly nude swims at
ad, or two 20-word ads. Drop off your ad at
the Nexus, Richmond House 201, Lansdowne,
e-mail it to nexus@nexusnewspaper.com, or
a city recreation centre pool. If you
are interested in attending, contact call the ad in at 370-3591. Please include your
arbutusparkswim@yahoo.ca or phone student number and contact information.
250–472–1805 for information. Small print: Nexus reserves the right to
refuse ads for any reason. No sexist, racist,
homophobic, or otherwise derogatory or
Math scribe wanted for physically slanderous ads. Business-related ads are
disabled man in Math 053. Mon/Tues/ $15 for 20 words or less. 50 cents per
“Is the food there Thurs 10:30 am-12:20 pm, in CBA 117,
Interurban. Pay is $15 per hour. Please
extra word
any good?” call Rob at 250–414–7315 or drop into
the Upgrading Help Centre in CBA 109.
“Well, it does what
it needs to do.”
Mexican
“I’ll probably
Tacos
Tamales
Beer




















Tinga
Cochinita Pibil
really
Beef Barbacoa
end up calling What do Mexicans eat?
Rajas Con Crema
Al Pastor
Tinga
Cochinita
Barbacoa
Pastor
her Reef.”
low low student prices every day
1002 Johnson St. 11am - 7pm Visit us today at
(at Vancouver) Mon - Sat www.orale.ca
Fo r g e t g r o u n d b e e f. . . w e p u l l o u r m e a t !
March 4, 2009
Grow
your education
Add online courses
to your regular studies
Didn’t get into the course you needed?
Is your busy schedule making it difficult to
balance schoolwork and a job?
Thompson Rivers University can help
by bringing education directly to you
through Open Learning. With over 400 online
and distance courses available for registration
throughout the year, you can get the credits you
need and transfer them back to your
home institution.
You can study when you want, where you want
and even set your own exam schedule.
For a complete list of Open Learning courses and
programs please visit our website.
www.truopen.ca 1.877.663.4091
eveNtS
eye on
campus
By Kait Cavers
Friday, March 6
Sweet digs
finally, the sweetest revenge against
aramark has been organized. the plant-
ing of fruit trees. What? You mean i no
longer have to choose between spend-
ing my life savings on eating healthy or
caving and buying the fried mayonnaise
balls at five for a buck? Screw the pricey
carrot sticks, i’m going to get some
apples off a tree that doesn’t require i
take a mortgage out on my life just to
feed myself. if this cold dish of revenge
by kait Cavers
Thursday, March 5
Girlicious, Danny
Fernandez
ROYAL THEATRE, SHOW AT 7 PM, $45
okay, let’s try to stop laughing for a sec-
ond here and let me list this event. al-
right. girlicious, a substandard remake
of the already substandard Pussycat
dolls are in town and onstage to make
you sweat, blush, and salivate. danny
fernandez joins in because, hey, pub-
licity is great, but the chance to sneak
into the girlicious tour bus is even
greater. don’t you wish your girlfriend
wasn’t into this shit? don’t cha?
Friday, March 6
Spindrift, The
Upsidedown
LUCKY BAR, DOORS AT 9 PM, $15
if you’ve had ample time to recover
from stalking the girlicious tour bus
sounds like something you want to
wrap your talons around, then pop by
the corner of lansdowne and foul bay
between the Wilna thomas building
and dunlop House and help to plant
some future happiness. or just show
up to keep some student diggers from
the CSea club company. the ground
breaks at 3:30 pm.
Tax facts
grab your t-4s and hold onto your
butts ‘cause the School of business
accounting students are available to
help you file 2008 tax returns. if you’ve
been saving up for that new iPod touch,
sweet new ride, or you’re just trying to
recover from the line of credit you had
to take out to pay for that egg-salad
sandwich you had from the Caf on
tuesday, then drop those suckers off
and get paid, yo. if it makes dollars, it
makes sense! from 11:30 am–1:30 pm
the previous night, then head to lucky
to check out some real bands produce
some real music. Spindrift’s mystic
tunes will leave you convinced you’re
in a Quentin tarantino movie set in the
west. this is a show that will be forever
etched in your mind.
Friday, March 6
The Creepshow, The
Resignators
SOPRANO’S, DOORS AT 9 PM, $15
a female-fronted punk/rockabilly ex-
plosion is the best way to sum up the
band that has been tearing up stages
since ’03. the toronto-based Creep-
show have shared the stage with big
names like rancid, uS bombs, and tiger
army, and continually prove why their
over-the-top live shows are gaining
them international success. Creepy,
campy, sexy, intense, bing bang boom,
bob’s your uncle, i’m there.
Sunday, March 8
Tom Russell
AMBROSIA EVENT CENTRE, DOORS 8 PM, $28
if you’ve been aching for some good,
old-fashioned music, then you need to
go check out award-winning tex-Mex
nexus@nexusnewspaper.com
and 3:30–5:30 pm, Monday to friday.
located in Cba 289, interurban and the
fisher foyer, lansdowne.
Hockey!
indoor sports were invented by eastern-
ers who found it was impossible to hold
onto a hockey stick in -50 degree weather
in the winter months. it’s a true fact that
i just made up. us victorians? We’re just
effin’ wieners. Plus, 5 degrees is plenty
enough heat for daffodils to bloom in
february, but put me outside in a parka
and winter boots and i’ll pee myself just
to keep warm. that’s why it’s indoor
sportin’ or nothin.’ drop-in on Mondays
and Wednesdays 7–9 pm, Young 112,
lansdowne. info: 250–370–3602. also, if
you want to drop in on Nexus’ own floor
hockey games, we play from 2:30–4 pm
every Monday, also in the Young gym.
bring your foil!
singer/songwriter tom russell. these
acts are few and far between these
days, so be sure not to miss out.
Tuesday, March 10
The Von Bondies, Nico
Vega
SUGAR, SHOW AT 9 PM, $13
if you still haven’t heard about the von
bondies then you’ve been living under a
rock. or not listening to the Zone. these
guys put together a sweet little package
of a set whenever they rock a stage,
and their music is a subtle mixture of
practice and perfection. Check them
out live with Nico vega, an energetic
mixture of dance, punk, and rock.
Tuesday, March 17
Buena Buya, Hillside
Hooligans
LUCKY BAR, DOORS AT 9 PM, $10
do your St. Patty’s day up right with
lucky bar. Check out this insane ska
party devoted to everything green.
dress your best, down some green beer,
and be on the lookout for lucky charms.
Not to be missed, this will be the party
of the week, guaranteed.