Wednesday, Nov 8, 1995 over The EDGE page 6 = EDITORIAL What is this world coming to? The late 20th century has been known as the great age of peace. In today’s world, we can see the devasta- tion and carnage of warfare mere moments after the event has occurred. j The two great wars in our collective history remind us of the horror of war. Documentary footage and pho- tos all bring a face and an intensity that we do not see when studying dates and events. Most of these faces cannot tell their stories. Now, fifty years after the last great war of the cen- tury, there are even fewer faces left that can tell the us of the hardships experienced during the war. Picture this: a fourteen-year-old girl travels to India fur a family wedding. What interests her more than this socially-sanctioned union are the afternoon talks she has on the verandah. Her grandfather’s older brother would weave tales that stretched into the false dawn. There were no romances or fantasies. Instead she’d hear the grim realities of being an ambulance driver on the Italian front during World War II. That was seven years ago. Why should afternoon talks leave such a lasting impression on a girl who should have been dreaming of movie stars and musicians like her peers? These weren’t just stories. He was sharing a part of nis life that family members in India did not care about or understand. My rudimentary knowledge of the war spurred his need to relate his experiences to someone who was interested. This was his way of ensuring that his experiences were not forgotten. He passed away a couple of years ago and I was un- able to travel to India for the funeral. Yet, he lives on in his stories arid the memories I have of him. Remembrance Day is something special to me and it is a day of honoring the sacrifices people made to ensure neace. . Unfortunately, in this day and age, people have not 9een learned very well, with peace-keepers are respon- sible for certain crimes and where world leaders are as- sassinated at peace rallies.. The next time you see a poppy, think hard about what it means to you. UNBC Student Newspaper Over The Edge ; 3333 University Way, Prince George, B.C., V2N 4Z9 Fax: 96059 [7 E-mail over-the-edge @ugrad.unbc.edu POISON PEN Well October 30 I watched on TV as Quebec tried to separate . . . again. After the vote, during - Perizo’s speech my friend from - Terrace called and, of course, she asked me what I thought of the whole repetitive affair. “We lost again,” was all I could say. She sighed (as she often does when we talk) and said “No, Ian you lost. . . I feel like I won, and most people would agree.” So the separation saga continues. Will it never end. Those of you who read last years Poison Pen on Quebec’s eminent separation may notice that my view has changed somewhat. At first I thought Quebec should get the hell out, and the rest of Canada should deny them passports, an army, generally to make it as un- pleasant as possible. I still believe Quebec should get the hell out, but I think we should make it as easy - as possible. It has become clear to me that the French that want out of Canada are not just being a bunch of whinny assholes. They have a good case and truly believe in a free Quebec. That is a Quebec free of the tyranny originating in Ottawa. The French, while rude and at times condescending, are our brothers, and sisters. If they are truly as unhappy as they claim to be, let them go. How does that say- ing go... “If you truly love some- thing set it free.” Let’s face it Canada would be stronger economically and socially with out Quebec constantly drag- ging us down. We may finally be able to concentrate on Canada’s . debt problems and the Canadian government’s abuse of power if we can forget about all this con- stitutional crap. The only way Canada is weaker with out Que- bec is culturally. And let’s face it Canada runneth over with culture. It wouldn’t kill us to lose a bit. This whole nonsense ‘has been going on since before I was born. Probably will be going on long after I die. it is time to let it end. Sooner or later the separatists will find the elusive 50.01% that they need. Why wait? I have another reason for being so keen to see Quebec leave the federation. Quebecers like British Columbians represent a distinct culture. I am tired of having my life and rights controlled by the puppet masters thousands of miles away in Ottawa. BC should stop taking crap from a government that doesn’t understand us and constantly drains millions of dol- lars from our economy (through transfer payments, contracts lost to appease Ontario and Quebec, wasted taxes etc. .). British Columbia would have no trouble supporting itself as its own sovereign state. We would not have to join the Americans like some might suggest. In fact we would be able to make BC and extremely prosperous state. We have the natural resources, the in- dustry, the culture, and the talent to make it on our own. The only thing we lack is a leader. A cham- pion to go to Ottawa and tell them we are out of here. Well watch out because I, myself, may just enter into politics some day. We could finally control our own destiny and even revamp all those ridiculous laws. Specifically, le- galize marijuana in BC and turn Vancouver into the Amsterdam of North America. Crazy but we could do it. I also see things like, our own friendlier police force, an environmental tax on logging, bet- ter management of OUR re- sources, less duplication and cor- ruption in government services, and thank heaven no more cheatin’ liein’, Mulrony types. With our location on the Pacific Rim BC would flourish as its own state, not merely the province of a second rate (although wonderful) country. If you think my plan for British Columbia’s separation from the rest of Canada is merely the rant- ing of a second rate (although wonderful) journalist take a quick vote in your class some time. We may not have 50.01% yet but af- ter a few more federal screw ups or if Quebec were to leave... how long do you think it would take? My guess is not long. Vive la Que- bec! Vive la British Columbia! IN DEFENCE OF SLACKING OFF ‘Are you one of those students who treats every new semester as a new year, with resolutions to actually read the text book, show up to class, and listen to the profes- sor? If you are, change fast. A university isn’t the appropriate environment for self- improvement and good study habits. The hard work you put into_being a good stu- dent will be rendered useless by extrane- ous factors. Here’s an example. This semester you want to organize your time better, so you plot assignment due dates and class times ona big calendar, photocopy reserve read- ings after the first class, make lists of things to do each week, and even listen in class so you don’t have to waste time bumming notes from a friend. Things are looking good as the midterm approaches. Not wanting to procrastinate, you divide up the chapters in the text and take a day for each to memorize the sa- lient points. Next you quiz yourself and eventually get everything right. So, as you’ve pretty much finished studying for the exam a week early, you get to class bursting with confidence. Your high hopes of a great mark are ‘shattered though, as soon as the professor utters his first lengthy words of the lecture: “T have come to the inestimable conclu- sion that given the relevant circumstancesand applicable environmen- tal constraints faced by a class of this mag- nitude, that the appropriate method of ex- amination must be changed from one based on regurgitation of every run-on sentence I have ever babbled between sips of coffee, to a quiz of several long-winded and pointless questions to be taken to one’s home at which point students will copy answers from an outdated encyclopedia, to be handed in at our next interminably boring session.” When you wake up and ask classmates what the professor said, you instantly learn the errors of your ways. You study hard like the-diligent person you are, and then the professor changes the format from an in-class, test requiring memorization (which you’re ready for), to a take-home exam requiring several double-spaced pages of bullshit. All the time you wasted! What’s more frustrating is how little you can do about it. Other students are not com- plaining about the format change, because they were smarter. They spent their time wisely drinking beer or dancing or talking on the phone or doing whatever it is they do when they should be studying. After all that hard work then, you’ve got fo ad- vantage over the other students who slacked off. This is by no means an isolated incident. Professors have a habit of assigning every page in a huge and’ boring book that by Jason Morris doesn’t even have pictures, only to tell you just after you finished it, that you’re only responsible for the first five chapters. Pro- fessors will lecture for thirty minutes on some complicated point that requires mas- sive amounts of note-taking, only to con- clude by saying something like, “The pre- vious points are not going to be on.the test, I was just seeing how long I could talk about something I know nothing about.” If there is nothing good students can do, it seems like the only solution is to slack off: never, ever, get ahead of the work for a class. Either that, or think of some ways to make professors accountable for chang- ing course requirements whenever they feel like it. Unfortunately, attempts at this have only resulted in professors retaliat- ing, by never telling anyone the require- ments or format for their courses. We can only hope that the second annual United Nations International Conference on Post- Secondary Students Rights, to be held a few hundred kilometres outside Beijing in amud shack next month, will address this pertinent issue.