Dear Barb; I feel embarrassed to admit this, but I can’t wait for Christmas to be over. It just seems so phony to me. I really wish I didn’t feel this way. I’m not a religious person, so I can’t really find a reason to celebrate Christmas. Am I a real “scrooge” or are there… Read more »

I would imagine that anyone who has ever fallen under the spell of “Once upon a time,” the enchantment of a well told story, has examples they can cite of books, plays, essays, pieces of poetry, or songs that have fundamentally changed and enriched the way they see the world. It’s possible that this consciousness-altering… Read more »

WHAT’S NEW ON PRIMETIME THE AMAZING RACE Last week, 8 teams set out for Stockholm, then Dakar (Africa) where they searched for a grave. Next this visited the village of Kayar where they had to either stack fish or catch fish. Then they conquered the salt mines and a pink lake. In the end, Kris… Read more »

One thing that distinguishes human beings from aardvarks, apple trees and apes is the ability to choose. To consciously, rationally, wisely choose life partners, homes, careers, what to eat for breakfast. Big or small the decisions are ours. As are the consequences. At no time is this ability to chart our own course, choose our… Read more »

When I think of the crop circle phenomenon I always ask myself about the people they are consulting and how many naysayers they hear. I was very surprised about this particular film. There is a rich supply of information and naysayers are limited simply because they have no answers either. Crop Circles opens with some… Read more »

What’s in a Name? Currently in the United States there’s a bit of a controversy about whether to call this time of year “Christmas” or the “Holiday Season.” I could make various suppositions about why the American media is more concerned with that than it is about Diebold, the maker of their election counting machines,… Read more »

Aaaah, now it finally feels like home. Having moved into a new house in a new neighbourhood almost a year ago to the day, I now realize that there is much more to what makes a house a home than the dwelling and even the people who live in it. One of the most important… Read more »

AUSU Christmas Hours Over the Christmas Holidays, AUSU will be closed for the same duration as the university. Our hours will be as follows: Dec 24, 2004: office closes at 3:00 pm, MST Dec 25, 2004 through Jan 3, 2005: Office Closed Jan 4, 2005: Office open at 8:30 am, MST Are you in Need… Read more »

British Columbia: The Land of Forgiveness The provincial government of British Columbia is expanding (http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/nrm_news_releases/2004MAE0060-001036.htm) their loan forgiveness program. Under this program, students in certain courses of study can have their loans eliminated by agreeing to work in locations that have a high need for those types of professionals. The program used to apply only… Read more »

The thing I enjoy most about the Christmas season is the opportunity it brings for indulging in luxury. Before you accuse me of shameless materialism, or start to think that I’m wealthy or privileged, I’ll point out that I’m not talking about the sort of luxury that only a well-padded bank account or a high… Read more »