Dear Aphra
Hughes:

Read this and then
Stop whining.

Barbara Dalflyen, our
NUGSS director of finance,
photocopies things from text
books, and then returns the
texts to the book store.
Okay...fine. She will admit that
to anyone who asks. I know, I
asked her. So...what’s your
point?

Here’s what the real world
looks like:

Text books are expensive.
Students are poor. Barb found
away around this conflict. I’m
not saying its right because its
not. It is illegal, and being an
myself English Major, I have
had it pounded into my brain
that “plagiarism (and copy
right infringement) is a sin and
I will burn in hell for it” (Kevin
Hutchings). The point is that
while it is an illegal activity,
and your right, the people who
write and produce the texts
aren't going to get their money,
it is an effective way for a stu-
dents to save some money, ille-
gal may it be. I’m a student, I
can’t afford to feed myself at
the end of the month let alone
pay obscene amounts of
money for text books that I
likely won't read half of.

I imagine that Aphra has
never downloaded music,
made a mix tape, or borrowed
a CD from someone instead of
buying it herself. And if she
did, I image she feels this
would be direct representation
of her employer and should be
fired for her actions since they
too are illegal, because that is
exactly what you are saying
about Barb.

How do you figure that
what Barb does in her own
time is a NUGSS issue? If Barb
were to get a speeding ticket,
should NUGSS step in and fire
her? When Bill Clinton cheated
on his wife, does it reflect his
ability to hold the position of
President of the United States?
If I cheat on a test should my
boss at Student Works fire me?
NO! That would be ridiculous!
I understand you are attempt-
ing to say that Barb was acting

as a representative of NUGSS,
as a group leader of the Mature
Students orientation week, but
that fact is you have to sepa-
rate the person from the job. If
Barb was using NUGSS money
to photocopy her text books,
then I can understand having
her fired. As is, the idea of hav-
ing her fired is ludicrous.
Someone in our parliament

said that George Bush was an .

idiot. It was an off hand
remark, and it was even made
while she was working, but it
was off the record and it was
just her opinion. In Barbs opin-
ion, she found a way to save
herself some coin. She never
said NUGSS suggest you pho-
tocopy your text books, and
she never said NUGSS suggest
you break the law.

Photocopying text books
and returning the text book for
refunds is wrong. Its illegal.
But so is crossing the street
when the little red hand is
flashing. What Barb does on
her own time is not a NUGSS
issue. NUGSS does not sup-
port her actions because they
clearly state that they abide by
all federal and provincial laws
and legalities. The fact that
they are aware that Barb may
photocopy her text books is
likely a good thing, but it is
still irrelevant. My boss knows
that I use to drink when I was
underage. So what?

I can understand why you
are annoyed at Barb. You're
right, people are losing money.
She broke the law. I do not sup-
port breaking copyright or pla-
giarism laws, nor do I photo-
copy then return my text
books. I don’t think that Barb’s
actions should be set as and
example for students. What I
do know is that what Miss
Dalflyen does on her own time
isn’t a NUGSS issue, and it’s a
shame that this issue has taken
up so much precious space in
our student newspaper, two
issues in a row no less.

- Michael Cruickshank

t . Pace acs: submissions | to our

“opinion section. Please note that the opinions |
expressed by any submissions are the opin- |

ions of the writers and not Over The Edge. |
_ Over The Edge reserves the right to edit let- |
ters. Submit to over-the-edge@unbe.ca

11

OCTOBER 22, 2003

Photo By Dana Schwehr

The new medical building is going up quickly at UNBC. It will be open by January 2004 and will contain class-
rooms. labs, and office space for the Northern Medical Program. The benefits of the new building is that it expands
UNBC's campus and it provides great photo opportunities for Over The Edge.

Letter to the Editor

Nothing is filler when you care
about what you're writing

This letter is in regards to last week’s letter to the
editor regarding ‘Over the Edge’s “vulgar and
unnecessary” content, which seems to have offend-
ed some of its’ readers. I’m a first year student at
UNBC, and as such I've only had the pleasure of
reading ‘Over The Edge’ for about a month. How I
see is that this student-run newspaper is run solely
by volunteers. Not so coincidentally, this means that
the articles written-in the newspaper are going to
have the sense of humour and style that is associat-
ed with those volunteers.

In the last month, I have found that ‘Over The
Edge’ addresses serious issues, and ones that are
more entertaining. I don’t write articles for ‘Over
The Edge’, but I do find it offensive that Tiffany has
accused the staff that they don’t write articles that
“actually have a point and matter”. This paper
offers comical looks at local issues as well as nation-
al issues, and at the same time addresses more seri-
ous problems or controversies that are faced by
today’s university student.

The point I’m trying to get at is that instead of
condemning what is being written in ‘Over The
Edge’, shouldn’t readers who want to see a change
take the initiative and write articles which they
think might appeal to the public that have the same
interests as themselves. For examples, I know that a
pen comparison isn’t exactly the most intellectual
thing to write about; but, at least I can look at it and
appreciate that someone took the time to write an

article which may only entertain a few. That feeling
this paper gives me is that whoever is writing the
articles is having fun doing it. Isn’t that what a stu-
dent paper is about: to provide information about
the events on campus, and still relate to its readers
in the way that students normally do?

Furthermore, I disagree that the style that the
paper is written in is not provocative. For example, -
“RIAA Sucks Goat Balls” may not be the traditional,
conservative way to title an article. Interestingly, I
probably would have never looked at the article if I
hadn’‘t been stopped, mid page-turning by such a
loud, vivid title. Of course, this is a personal view
and will not apply to everyone.

In regards to the comment about freedom of
speech, what better way to express it then being dif-
ferent? I don’t understand Tiffany’s desire to change
‘Over The Edge’s approach to conveying news?
Would the paper be better, and “freer in speech” if it
conformed to the average, dull, non-student-written
paper? I think not.

In my opinion, ‘Over The Edge’, has a distinct and
unique style which lends itself to the everyday life
of UNBC students. It may be different, but that is
hardly a reason to call its’ articles irrelevant. I hope
that ‘Over The Edge’ stays uninfluenced by the gen-
eral media, and remains strong in its’ indifference to
the “average, relevant paper”.

- Jesse Haber