OVER THE EDGE September 12-26, 2007 Alumni Perfect posture problematic “We know there’ a lot of pressure when we're sitting down because our bodies aren't made for sitting; theyre made for standing and moving.’ Homecoming -UNBC Alumni Association The UNBC Alumni Association’s membership continues to expand every year. In fact, with over 745 new graduates this year the UNBC Alumni membership is now well over 6,200. To celebrate our members’ achieve- ments, the UNBC Alumni Association will be hosting their first Alumni Homecoming weekend. This event is scheduled to take place on September 21, 22 & 23, 2007. It will run in conjunction with activities marking the grand opening of the Northern Sports Centre at UNBC. Alumni Events will include the following: Kicking off the weekend will be an Alumni Pub Night » at the Riverstone Pub on September 21, 2007. This event offers Alumni (and their spouse/ guest) an opportunity to rediscover old friends and make new ones as well. The event begins at 7pm and tickets are $10 each. On Saturday September 22, 2007 from 4 to 7pm the Alumni Association. will be hosting a Pre-Game Party in the parking lot of the Northern Sport Centre. We hope everyone shows up at 4pm wearing their green and gold UNBC colours with pride. Come to this event for the food, fun and enter- tainment before heading on into the Northern Sport Centre. The pre-game party will include face painting, inflatable games, food and drinks, mascots, a beer garden, prizes and more. Attendance to this event is Free. Alumni, current students and members of the community are all invited to attend. So please bring your family and friends. The Alumni Association will be wrapping up the weekend’s events with an Alumni Brunch. This event will take place in the Bentley Centre on Sun- day Septemiber 23, 2007 from 10am-12pm. Speakers will include UNBC President Dr. Don Cozetto, UNBC Alumni Association President, Ryan Schroeder and Initiatives Prince George’s Karen Cameron. This year the keynote Alumni of Influence speaker will be James Moore, MP. Local MLA John Rustad will act as the event’s MC. Our ‘Come Home to PG’ theme focuses on the many strengths and attributes of our local com- munity. Guests will enjoy a gourmet selection of delectable hot and cold brunch cuisine, enhanced by a classic champagne and orange juice fountain while listening to guests listed above. Tickets for this event are only $10. Seating is limited so RSVP early! “With the completion of the new Northern Sport Centre and the contin- ual high level achievements registered by UNBC Alumni, we felt it was the right time to truly celebrate the influence that UNBC has had both in the north and around the world” says Ryan Schroeder, Alumni Association President. “We encourage all UNBC Alumni to return to attend the UNBC Alumni Homecoming and celebrate your many achievements, Please visit our website at www.unbc.ca/alumni for more information about the UNBC Alumni Association and the weekend’s events. See you at Homecoming!” If you would like to speak with one of our members about the Alumni Homecoming or other UNBC Alumni Association events and services please email alumni@unbc.ca or call 250-960-5873. -Dr. Waseem Bashir Liz Durden THe Gateway (University oF ALBERTA) EDMONTON (CUP) -- A quick glance around any university classroom or lecture hall will reveal one collective characteristic: students slumped over books and notepads. While not the healthiest of postures, the commonsense alternative -- sitting up straight -- may not be any better. A recent study out of Aberdeen, Scotland, has shown that sitting upright at a 90-degree angle can put undue pressure on the spine and subsequently lead to damage and back pain. Twenty-two subjects were observed in the study, which used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine that it’s better to sit at a 135-degree angle, called “Keegan’s position.” “Keegan’s position is almost a 100 per cent similar to the lying down position,” explained Dr. Waseem Ba- shir, the study’s lead author. Bashir also stated that they used the lying down position as a control in their study, as it’s the optimal position for your back. “You have to try and open up the angle between your body and your legs, that’s what’s important. That doesn’t mean you slouch, that’s not good for your back either because then you’re not keeping your curva- tures,” Bashir said. Bashir, who’s currently at the University of Alberta hospital on a fellowship, explained that the study is a replica of a study done in 1953 by a scientist named J.J. Keegan, who used X-ray machines to study the angle of the spine and extrapolate what position was least stress- ful. The lab in Scotland was equipped with an upright MRI scanner, which is different than standard MRI ma- chines, in which the patient lies down. “We had the opportunity of looking at the back in the seated position with gravity acting on it -- nobody else has ever done that before,” Bashir said. He explained that, with new technology, they could see the effect of spine position more in-depth and more accurately. ‘Using modern imaging -- basically MRI -- we can see everything in there. We can see the bones, we can see the discs, we can see the muscles, we can see the tendons, the ligaments,” Bashir stated. Bashir said back pain is caused by the loss of water in the spinal discs, which they measured in a separate ex- periment -- again using magnetic resonance imaging. “The MRIs pick up a lot of hydrogen signals and be- cause water’s got a lot of hydrogen in it, you can figure out how much water is in the disc,” Bashir explained. Results confirmed Keegan’s 53-year-old hypothesis that it’s better to sit with a 135-degree angle between your legs and your body, and that the more acute the angle, the more it harms your spine. “The more acute the angle between your body and your legs, the more pressure it puts on your back discs because you’re bending forwards [compressing your discs]. The worst position of all is the forward bending, the hunched-over keyboard position. The second-worst position is the 90-degree position that we commonly sit in, and like most seats are made,” Bashir said. “We know there’s a lot of pressure when we’re sit- ting down because our bodies aren’t made for sitting; they’re made for standing and moving. Sitting down is a modem phenomenon in human evolution. We didn’t sit down, we were all hunters and gatherers; we all sit at desks now and it’s completely unnatural.” Say Goodbye to CDs Indie labels turning to online-only albums Liam BRENNAN Tue Unirer (UNIVERSITY OF WinniPec) WINNIPEG (CUP) -- Record labels, espe- cially indie record labels, are going digital, producing digital albums that would not be available in CD format in an attempt to avoid the high costs of manufacturing. It’s a positive step for struggling indie bands eager to find greater audiences for their music -- regardless of the fact that it could be dan- gerous economically given the popularity of file-sharing programs such as Limewire. “No CDs means less ending up in a land- fill, which is where the majority of CDs ever made will go. No CDs means no ridiculously large investment in stock that sits on a shelf for years, hurting one’s eyes and feelings,” says Chris Hannah, co-founder of Winnipeg’s G7 Welcoming Committee indie record label. Hannah hopes the decision will attract more bands to their label and give them an advan- tage over other indie labels that have resisted the change to digital in fear that it would only make it easier for fans to share files online without paying for it. Hannah knows the risk, but is undeterred. “For independent artists it’s great,” says Grant Paley of local indie group Moses Mayes, which has just made its latest album, “Second Ring”, available online. “The savings after you eliminate manufacturing, shipping and middle men make it cheaper to release a rec- ord, especially for independent acts.” Online albums cost the buyer slightly less, as there are no manufacturing fees to con- sider, possibly provoking more fans to open their wallets. Though Paley sounds confident, the popu- larity of the iTunes store among musicians shows that many still want to control access to their music with digital rights management (DRM) protection, the cost of which is pro- hibitive for indie bands. “Tt’s all about getting the music out there to as many ears as possible,” Paley says. “I understand that for major artists [access con- trol] is a concern because of what’s at stake. Overall, we'd like to think that people would contribute [money] if they like us.” His band downloads music on a regular basis and would consider releasing digital- only albums in the near future. The music is one thing, but managing art- work and album information is another hurdle for the digital store. The recording industry hasn’t quite figured that one out yet. Paley believes having merchandise tables at live events is the best way to go. “Live shows and record launches are the best way to combine these two [artwork and downloading}. I think The Arcade Fire have done an awesome job with their new record, but they have a lot of money and people work- ing for them.” The Arcade Fire announced that fans who purchase the vinyl edition of their latest al- bum, “Neon Bible”, will receive a free down- load of the entire album online. The thing is, once bands are making ser- ious money they’re more likely to care about where it goes and why they aren’t making more of it. Before that point, bands are making their music simply because it’s what they love to do. Nevertheless, digital online albums seem to be the way of the future for the industry, especially with indie bands looking for new listeners. “DRM-free, subscription-based and levy- charged music stores are the next transition,” Paley says. CDs aren’t going to die out anytime soon, he imagines, but neither would he consider them the most viable format anymore. Recent events support that opinion: In February, Can- adian-owned Sam the Record Man closed its original Halifax location, leaving just three stores open across the country, down from over 100 just a few years ago.