TOBACCO COMPANY GETS BURNED The RCMP has filed criminal charges (http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/news/nr-03-08.htm) against RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company (a subsidiary of RJR Nabisco) and a host of its former executives for illegally smuggling cigarettes into Canada. Between 1991 and 1996, the RCMP alleges that the company and the executives worked together to defraud the government of over… Read more »

Keeping a journal, and personal writing in general, are topics very dear to my heart. Yet despite my love for the act of writing, I sometimes become stale, run out of ideas, and can find no story to tell. I am always on the lookout for ways to augment and enhance my writing, whether that… Read more »

I never thought a movie could pull me into a full depression; that is until I saw the film Auto Focus. This film is about the life of Bob Crane (played astonishingly well by Greg Kinnear), the witty and favourable star of the 1968-1971 television show Hogan’s Heroes. This movie starts out in a pleasant… Read more »

Looking in the mirror has been quite a feat lately. I don’t know exactly when this happened but my face suddenly seemed to drop! It apparently happened one day when I wasn’t looking. This is embarrassing and frustrating as most of us think the only “fix” for the problem is to head to an expensive… Read more »

Dear Sandra, Are there any ways to tell if someone is lying is or not? I think my boyfriend may be lying to me about his past, but I have no way to prove it. Doubtful in Moncton Dear Doubtful, If you feel that he’s lying, he probably is. Gut feelings are usually right. Physically,… Read more »

Saturday March 8th was International Women’s Day. Formed in 1977 by the United Nations, International Women’s Day provides an opportunity to ponder on the progress made to expand women’s equality, to gauge the challenges facing women in modern society, to contemplate future steps to improve the status of women, and of course, to commemorate the… Read more »

The proposed new AU course extension policy, and what it means to you. The Athabasca University Academic Council will soon be voting on a motion to require students to give 30 days advance notice for an extension. Naturally, this notice will have to be accompanied by the cheque for the extension fee. What this means… Read more »

Part 7 in a continuing series about the Canadian Television talent competition, Popstars: The One. For part one of this series, see: http://www.ausu.org/voice/articles/articledisplay.php?ART=382 Friday morning I woke up, eager to have Amaya home and glad she would be here soon. Amaya was to be on the plane at 1 PM Toronto time (11 AM our… Read more »

Last week we asked readers to send us their feelings on the US war against Iraq. You responded honestly, and eloquently. Our topic for next week is: The proposed new course extension policy at AU [For more info see Over Extended by Karl Low in this issue]. DEBASED Small meaningless men Egos of a king… Read more »

This week: The first edition of Sounding Off Pets and Peeves: Tell us what you love; Tell us what drives you bananas . . Last week I announced a new column, Sounding Off. The idea is simple – I introduce a topic, and readers send in their comments to be printed in the next issue…. Read more »