Student Newspaper of the University of Lethbridge
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Volume 39 Issue 23 ^Meliorist www.themeliorist.com Thursday, 9 March, 2006 STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE h> www.themeliorist.com • March 9, 2006 JMchLonst mehio'rism (meel'e riz'm, me'le e-), n. the doctrine that the world tends to become better or may be made better by human effort An autonomous body, separate from the U of L Students' Union SU-166. 4401 University Drive West, Lethbridge, AB T1K3M4 Phone:329-2334 The Meliorist is the student newspaper of the University of Lethbridge, published most Thursdays throughout the academic year by The Meliorist Publishing Society, an autonomous incorporated body Please address all correspondence to The Meliorist, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, Alberta. T1K 3M4. or drop it off at room SU-166 Deadline for submissions is Sunday at noon The Meliorist appreciates and encourages the writing of thoughtful, concise, timely letters However. The Meliorist will only consider for publication those letters which are signed by the author (special arrangements may be made for those wishing anonymity, but absolutely no pseudonyms), contain the authors legible name, address, telephone number and student identification number (address, ID. and phone number not for publication) Letters may be edited for brevity, clarity and legality The Meliorist reserves the right to edit submissions and will not print libelous material Editor-in-Chief Craig Hamilton cincPthemeliorist.com Business Manager Joseph Brunton [email protected] "Le Medina (Old City)" Advertising Manager Lance Semak Photo by Heather Macbeath [email protected] Managing Editor Amber Herbison [email protected] Know the feeling of getting "that shot" and want to get it published? Stop by the office, or email your picture and story (max 40 words) to [email protected] News Editor Shannon Frank [email protected] Entertainment Editor Jared McKenziw This Week... [email protected] Cover: It's going to be a battle for the ages. Two men enter, Sports Editor one man leaves. A fight to the death. Oh wait I'm thinking Ainsley Doty of Mad Max. This is still pretty serious though. Who's the next [email protected] SU president? It's up to you! You can find out all about the Features Editor Garret Ford upcoming SU elections throughout this week's Meliorist. [email protected] Photo Editor Heather MacBeath News: Unfortunately, bullying is alive and well in Lethbridge, [email protected] and they're not just on the playground anymore. See page Copy Editor 3 for more details. Also, read up on last weekend's Gender Talis jacobsen Symposium, all the bios on candidates for next week's SU [email protected] election, and results from last week's Be Smart, Be Safe Creative Designer Quinn Kuiken campaign - plus more! [email protected] Webmaster Features: A closer look at having a social conscience and Matt Sletto making a difference in our world (page 9) and some insight [email protected] into why TLF's are good for your soul. And of course, all the Office Assistant Jaime Tremblay comics, puzzles, poetry and stories that you could possibly want [email protected] (within reason of course.) Distribution Manager George Andrews [email protected] Entertainment: The results are in from this year's Academy Production Assistants Awards, and our brave Entertainment Editor Jared subjected Chris Hibbard himself to the entire four hour show. See page 15. Also be sure [email protected] to check out photos and a review of last weekends Nikola Tesla Sarah Fulcher gig, why cussin' and swearin' are good for you, and the usual productionlffthemeliorist.com 6.5 things to do this week - including Tricky Woo live on Sunday! Printing Southern Alberta Newspaper Group Sports: The Top 10 most overrated athletes of the year, another edition of This, That, and the Horns, and why not to wear Contributors: AJ Struyk Alex Wylie rings on your fingers if you're feeling athletic. This section also Bill & Ted David Woodroffe Chris Jappert Kris Kantrud features stories on updates on trades in the NFL, doubts about Kaleb Orge Jason Marriott the future of Phoenix Sun Steve Nash, and a humorous visionary exploration of an ideal Super Olympics. "I can remember when the air was clean and sex was dirty." - George Burns From the Editor's Desk Bullies - Not Just on the Playground Anymore Excited, I opened the email, and immediately realized I shouldn't have. This is what the email said. By Jason Marriott A Lethbridge Link website user has a Meliorist Contributor question/Comment about your classified ad: Classified Ad Title: HomoErectus. Our ancient ancestors. Killed Looking for a Band?? each other for dominance, for food and for Name: billy bob partners. Simple. Then we began to evolve, Phone Number: 123-4567 we learned thing, grew and were nurtured Email Address: by the earth. We gained respect for other [email protected] creatures, for each other and began to form Questions, Comments, or Testimonial: y are rules and laws. Killings and murders became you such a fag get a life or slit your wrists looked down upon; what was once an almost normal part of everyday life became penalized. My stomach twisted, and I felt like I had Or this is how it is portrayed in movies. Yet, as been punched in the face. The fact that we evolved even more, into the Homo Sapiens someone here in Lethbridge could sit and that we are now, these killings continued. write something so cruel for no reason, other With the creation of more laws, rules - both than that they could, sickened me. Have we religious and political - people found new learned nothing as a society? I think we have, reasons to hate and destroy one another. but it is not how to be civil or pleasant, it is The main three reasons that are shown in how to be cruel. movies were still used as reasons, but others Was this person bored? Angry? Did he would soon emerge. Religion, politics, music, recognize my picture and decide to do it for clothing, hair, sexual orientation, in fact fun? I was infuriated and hurt. I have lived everything that makes a person a person, was and tolerate children owning guns, and we're here for almost two years, I have made friends, now seen as free game to ridicule, beat, maim, the victim...I'm sure it wouldn't nearly be as the ones who tune in and watch the up-to-the- but I have made no enemies. I am not a rude and kill. entertaining. minute details of what they do with them." I Now you may ask where I'm going with this. person by nature; I don't feel as if I've done a People kill other people each day in the think there is no truer statement. We feed the What I'm trying to say, well I will tell you. I great number of things in my life to warrant a name of one of these things. And sooner or people with things like violence in games and received an email on March 4th from someone comment like that being sent to me. later more began to grow. Territory, finances, movies. Sure, some people may be influenced in Lethbridge. I had posted on Lethbridge I write this not to make you feel sorry for arguments, and we even started to kill each things like this, but we are the ones who crave Link back in June of 2005 looking for a band. myself or for others out there who have had other for no reasons in particular. it, we are the ones who ask for it, we are the As I have been in a number of bands in the past similar, worse or tragic events happen in their So new rules and laws were implemented. ones who beg for it. writing lyrics and doing vocals from melody lives. No. I write this to you to beseech you as Guns prohibited, knives prohibited, it even I'm using us because I am just as guilty as the to screaming, I was in the mood to look for a humans, as individuals, as caring people, that got as bad as having POG prohibited at my rest of you. When was the last time you saw a new band in a new town. I spent a few weeks the next time you are bored or looking for fun elementary school because fights would break TV show or movie that didn't have someone checking around the net, in town, and through don't use your impulse to insult, humiliate, out on the school-yard. With each new craze die, get injured by someone else, or with no email with people, but they all seemed to or beat someone. Think about being on something new was outlawed: Pokemon insults? Probably a long time. Why? Because fall through for one reason or another. So I the other end of the pole. We are a race of Cards, Gameboys, Metal Lunchboxes, and it would be boring to us as a society if such a decided if anyone was serious, they could look proud beings, self reliant, compassionate, and the new Heely shoes. Some of these things thing existed. And the media knows it. They me up, so I posted on Lethbridge Link. I got understanding. We are intelligent, and so the outlawed for safety and some for violence. will continue to mainstream violence into our a couple of replies back and got started with next time you see someone do something that And it doesn't stop there.