2 • November 12, 2009 meliorist DJBOODA PROMOTION* Computers 2 u 4 port KVM Switch - Reg. $59.99,1/2 10% off for Students price! Now: $29.99 <& Seniors all the timj Gigabyte G-Pad Net- • Sales and service of PCs, book Cooler Pad- Macs, Desktops, Laptops Reg. $19.99 Sale: $7.99 • Virus Cleanups Windows Vista Home Premium with Windows • Accessories & Parts 7 upgrade coupon Reg. $179.99 • Printing, copying, scanning & Sale: $129.99 THE REAL MARITIME EXPERIENCE WITH faxing specials while quantities last Web Hosting with full featured 684 Columbia Blvd. West Come check control panel and huge package Lethbridge, AB T1K 5J9 us out today! (THE NEXT GREAT BIG SEA) Only $5.99 per month (with 1 E-mail: [email protected] year prepaid subscription) Tel. 403-394-2375 NOVEMBER 12 Best price around! BlcfeneThe y Contents 13 TICKETS #15 IN ADVANCE Opinion Question of the week: Are you involved AT BLARNEY STONE in any on-campus clubs? Re: "Now that Climate is Dead, Can BUCKETS OF MUSSELS AND the SU and LPIRG Get Back to Work?" Campus Beat BUCKETS OF KEITHS ALL NIGHT/ 14 News Positive Space, positive results itlaurx'y> mnanon Defining Darwinism: what does it really mJm mmw nfttmariaiis Womens Space tundraiser mean? Beneath the Roses Catching the buzz with booze, not pot Entertainment College years are high-risk for mental 16 disorders Flavour of the Week 17 What's Happening? What's the Prost! Thoughts on scotch problem? 18 Throw Your Panties! Obama's health care reform likely to die on Senate floor 19 Champ at the movies: Theatre Etiquette Features Sports Marriage, an equal opportunity 20 institution? Women's rugby claims third consecutive CIS Championship Student Engagement 21 The Damn Yankees bankroll their way to 10 a 27,h World Series Men's Shoes: allowing women to judge us from afar since 1659. The Doppel Gang: 22 HINI & the Influenza Assessment Clinic Katie Bruce . Darren Foley . Sarah Fraslce . Shaun Lohues . 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Letters Io the Editor must be less than 500 words. Southern Alberta Newspaper Group Deodline for ALL submissions is Sunday 4pm. the I • • • meliorist ~ November 12, 2009 • 3 Op mions LPIRG - A Facilitator of Facts, A Catalyst Re: Op-Ed by Matthew Bell for Positive Change and Jonathan Wensveen This is in response to last week's article application, one needs only a non-partisan (Nov. 5, 2009): "Now that Quote of regarding the Lethbridge Public Interest project idea that clearly works toward the Climate is Dead..." Research Group (LPIRG) and the Students' betterment of society and a well thought-out Union (SU). It appears, that based on the plan of action. If you have never filled out a In response to the Op-Ed by Matthew Bell in© fVvvK relatively ill-informed nature of last week's grant application form and need guidance, and Jonathan Wensveen, I would like to article that the role of LPIRG, its institutional we can help with that too. That's what we're contribute to the author's understanding relationships and the ideals under which it here for; to help students with the educative of the actual operation of LPIRG from the "It's perhaps as operates are in need of clarification. process of community engagement. perspective of a recipient of their research chaotic as it was For those of you who are unaware, LPIRG But this is not to say that LPIRG always funding. Without regard to many of the valid is one of many PIRG organizational bodies provides support monetarily. The funeral criticisms that the authors bring up, I would in 1989...For me located all over Canada and the United States. for the environment that Bell and Wensveen like to point out that LPIRG does, in fact, PIRGs are student oriented organizations mentioned in their article last week as a "waste fund undergraduate student research which is it was one ot the based on the notion of student citizenship of time" and an "[unjustifiable use of student shown to be in the public interest. My current happiest moments and student engagement in social issues is money to construct a coffin and parade]" was research project is one such example. I am not an important aspect of a holistic, educative a free event, and all materials used (including a SU insider, and I had no prior dealings with of my life." process. PIRGs exist to provide training, the coffin) were borrowed from departments LPIRG before my successful research funding application. Based on my experience, the support, and opportunities for students to of the U of L or from LPIRG volunteers. This - German Chancellor Angela Merkel. authors' implications of LPIRG-SU patronage become engaged, active citizens within their speaks to the inherent community-building as reported by The Guardian on is misplaced. local and global communities. As a result, aspect of LPIRG's mandate. The climate November 10rn, 2009. Chancellor PIRGS have provided thousands of North funeral was put on by volunteers committed Contrary to the authors' assertions, there is no Merkel is Germany's first chancellor Americans the support and skills they need to raising awareness on the current state of contrast between LPIRG's mission statement raised in the former Communist East. to effectively and consistently act upon environmental degradation... And apparently ("student-funded, student-directed, non­ their concerns for environmental and social the methods they chose to express this point profit organization providing resources for justice and social equity. Some of these were effective, judging by the independent students to engage with environmental and just individuals with the same freedoms of skills include consensus decision-making, critical thought that has been expressed. social justice issues.") and their practice of participation as anyone else. group facilitation, events organizing, media I would like to commend Bell and Wensveen funding student research, and there is no Lastly, the authors' description of climate relations, and community-based research. on last week's article. By questioning the reason for students to assume that these change as a "partisan" issue is, in itself, a PIRGs are student-based, student- authoritative hegemony and trying to should be separate functions. partisan statement. Only climate change funded, student-run, student-directed and engage members of the community, you Once it is made known to the authors (Bell deniers feel that climate change is a partisan community-minded. They are democratic, are embodying the values that LPIRG stand and Wensveen) that neither LPIRG nor the issue - everyone else accepts it as an objective independent, non-partisan, and non-profit, for. That is, the abolition of apathy, working SU spent any student money on the Climate reality. Furthermore, many important to ensure that students are able to work on toward social justice, and the need for Funeral (the coffin was borrowed from the political steps toward social justice begin issues of importance to them without fear of elected representatives to be accountable theatre), their complaint is reduced to the as partisan issues before they are widely censure. for their actions. That said, I would like to noise of the procession: a valid complaint, accepted, so if the ULSU is to deal with LPIRG supports student research, education make a distinction. LPIRG, as a permanent but far short of the ideological basis for the any issues at all, then inevitably they will and action initiatives by providing funding organizational body is accountable for the authors' attack on the "partisan" activities occasionally deal with some partisan ones.