Just remember: what doesn't if] you mares you ~~ Your Organs to Save Lives Realistically, youre not going to need them by Carolynne Burkholder >> Editor in Chief It has always surprised me that the only thing that is certain in life is something that we rarely dis- cuss. As we do not like to consider our own mortality, death is a topic that most people shy away from. Unfortunately, this human behav- iour is one of the main reasons ‘why many people die without leaving a will or discussing their wishes with their family. This neglectful attitude is caus- Grr! |. am ing the needless death of many people waiting in hospitals for organs to become available for transplants. The waiting period can be torture for patients and their families, and many people waiting for transplants die while on the waiting list. In 2000, the last year that statistics were available, 142 Canadian citizens died while waiting for organs that could have saved their lives. . In Canada the organ donation rate is extremely low when com- pared to other countries in the developed world. In fact, fewer than fifteen in one million Canadians are organ donors. Fortunately, with more education and more publicity these numbers are starting to increase. -Over the years that organ replacements have been pre- formed, the technique. has been much improved and success rates have exponentially increased. Today, those with illnesses affect- ing their lungs, heart, liver, and many other organs can have a new Richard Parker, Ombudstiger. >> Submit your letters to the editor or | will eat you. | am fur-ocious, >> Send any compaints you have about Over the Edge to me, care of over-the-edge @unbc.ca. Also slather yourself liberally with barbeque sauce. chance at life with the help of the gifts of others. Depending upon the organ, the rate of success varies between 65% and 98%. Although some people willingly choose not to donate their organs upon their death, many people actually support this cause, but fail to let others know of their wishes before their death. Though our mortality is a difficult thing to think about, the possible good that can come out of a death should definitely be some comfort. To become an organ donor the most important thing is to let your family know your wishes and make sure they will honour them. In order to make your decision permanent, merely attaching a sticker to your Care Card is not enough. Canada has an organ and tissue donor registry which keeps track of potential donors. To get more information or to register as a donor go to the organ and tissue donation website at: http:/ /www.hce-se.gc.ca/eng- lish / organandtissue / 8 SEPTEMBER 15, 2004 Men in the Modern World by Sera N. Noosbig tate sitet Reh Ph FEE thn A sci-fi writer once said that if aliens came to Earth in spaceships we should have nothing to be afraid of, because only a non-vio- lent society would be able to advance to such a level of tech- nology without destroying them- selves in the process. In contrast, the most technolog- ically advanced societies in our world are far more likely. to destroy the Earth and everything on it before traveling to another planet. The U.S., former soviet Russia, North Korea have all invested much more money into destruc- tive technologies like nuclear war heads than constructive technolo- gies like social welfare programs. Why you may ask? Men. It’s all men. Never has a woman felt the need to build a 700 mega ton explosive penis extension and point it at someone else. The problem with men is that everything they’ve been good for in the past 100,000 years has become obsolete and dangerous in the modern world. The superi- or muscle strength men are famous for is no longer required now that machines operated by women can do the work. No more tactical hunting prowess is needed now that all of our favorite meats are domestic and easily harvested by anyone who can pick up a bolt gun. Most importantly, the expecta- tion of men to do glorious battle with one another is not only unnecessary, but has also become exceedingly dangerous in a world where weapons technology has advanced faster than men’s abili- ty to sympathize, empathize, and be diplomatic. Who. needs dangerous phallic symbols like guns, rockets and submarines? Men. Who was responsible for the cold war arms race that left the wotld with enough nuclear war- heads to flatten the Earth 7 times over? Men. So what can the human race do to save itself from these outdated .and dangerous male impulses? The human genome holds the key. There are species of spiders that are exclusively female, able to fer- “When our ability to ar wih human point where we can who lize thei own sheuid be WOMEH 1g $e5¢ $ ra nS