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THE BEACON12.2.10

“WE HEAR YOU”BY: AMY PIKE

I have a petpeave. It drives me nuts when people do not listen to me (which I realize sounds extremely conceited, but let me elaborate). I find that in a world of electronics, distractions, and short attention spans, everyone is being heard less and less. I have this one friend who consistently texts while you talk to her, and although she says she is listening, I know she is really more concerned with whatever is happening on her phone. I know this other woman who you can be talking to, and you can be really upset about something, but you can tell that she isn’t listening when she all of a sudden interrupts you and starts talking about an unrelated problem of her own. This behaviour really irks me. And not to say that I am always the best listener, but I believe that as humans, we have this innate desire to be heard, to be listened to. And we can hurt people a lot by not taking the time to listen.

As a student, I consistently see us not being heard by the administration, by faculty, and by other students. It is for this reason that I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know that we hear you. On Tuesday, November 23rd the Crandall Student Association Representatives held a lunchtime event called What’s Your Beef? It was an opportunity for students to discuss with other students what they felt needed improvement at the school. We also offered free pizza to anyone who would take a survey from us. Many surveys were returned, which was absolutely phenomenal. Although the data won’t be analyzed until over the Christmas break, I took the opportunity to skim through most of them because I wanted to be one of the first to see what the student body is trying to tell us. And one of the things that I knew beforehand, but that was cemented in my mind while reading the

surveys was that we, as your student association, have done a crappy job. So, I want to be the first to apologize. I need to say sorry for all those times that we have not listened to you, or those times that we have put our own best interests before the best interests of the majority of the students. I am sorry for when we have been too timid to stick up for you to the administration. I am sorry that we did not do our jobs properly, but mostly I am sorry that we let you down. I cannot promise perfection. Because perfection, I would argue, is in the eye of the beholder. Joe Schmo might want us to do one thing, and Jane Doe might want us to do another thing, but we have already set some plans in place so that you are hopefully able to see a much more efficient and effective student association - one that actually works for you.

Continued on page 4

PUBLICATION OF THE CSA

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On Wednesday afternoon, November 24, a group of 10 gathered in The Commons, prayed, grabbed their bagged-suppers (thanks Kathy!), and set off for Dorchester Penitentiary. For most of the group, it was their first experience with prison outreach, but by the end of the night all agreed that it would not be their last. Chris Quek, Alex Galbraith, Thomas Coldwell, Janna Fenton, Rhea Loewen, Alisha Mattatall, Ben Consolvo, Josh Daigle, Ron Scott, and Jen Fry made up the team and they piled into two cars, ready to go! The night started off with an interesting twist. Not five minutes had passed when, at the gas station filling up for the drive, one of the cars was found to have some tire troubles. The group split, one car made its way to the prison and the other group scrambled to find a replacement vehicle. Thankfully friends of Jen and Thomas (Ann and Don Pinnell) had a car to lend and in a heroic act of bravery, Cody Bolton drove the stragglers to fetch their borrowed wheels. With many thanks, the second half of the team was soon on their way and the whole group reunited in the lobby of the prison. The crazy night continued with a great chapel service. There was singing, testimonies from two members of the team, a reading, a talk, prayer, some more music, and then some really great mingle time! A lot of guys came out and it was an amazing experience to get to meet and talk with them. They were all so thankful that

we had come out! It was such a good night - one of the team members even said that they had enjoyed that service more than some church services they had attended! Prison outreach is such a great thing to get involved with. It is easy to think that the men (and women) in prisons are horrible people, somehow less human than those who aren’t behind bars. But it’s not true. When you get down to it, we are all the same. We all make mistakes, we all mess up - at the foot of the cross is level ground. How grateful are we when those around us help us when we make mistakes? How does it make us feel to know that even during our times of mess ups and shame, people still love and care for us? Romans 5:8 says this, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”. So, how much more should we show that same mercy, grace, and love to those around us when mistakes are made? While this was the only visit to Dorchester that we were able to organize for this semester, we will be returning in the new year. If you would like to be a part of this outreach, send an email to crandall.outreach@gmail.com!

Communi ty Outreach

“...I was in prison and you came to me”Matthew 25:36

with jen fry

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Euthanasia not Youth in AsiaIf you are a relatively older student,

like me, you may remember the name Robert Latimer.  For those who don’t, I will give you a little background.  In 1993, Robert Latimer strung a hose into his car, where his disabled daughter was and proceeded to kill her by poisoning her with Carbon Monoxide.  He claimed that it was a mercy killing. " Tracy, his daughter, was only twelve years old.  She had cerebral palsy, and the doctors had determined that she needed to have another surgery, which would result in her having to be fed through a tube.  Robert Latimer was not okay with this, and decided that his daughters suffering should end, so he killed her." Despite numerous appeals, Mr. Latimer was convicted of second-degree murder and was issued a mandatory life sentence.  He was; however, granted partial parole two years ago, and was granted full parole on November 25th which will become effective on December 6th – just in time for Christmas." Taking a little liberty in freedom of the press, I am going to let you in on a little secret – in my estimation, this case is very significant.  And I do not want to start any Beacon debates, as I am sure there are people who disagree with me, but let me explain to you why I am so fearful concerning this case." This is a very slippery slope we slide, friends.  Although you may argue that he has served his sentence, I don’t think his sentence was fair.  Mr. Latimer was sentenced to second-degree murder, not first-degree murder.  From my

understanding, the major difference between the two types is that if the murderer has intent to kill, they have premeditated it, and have deliberated over it, than it is first-degree murder.  No one can argue to me that Mr. Latimer did not have intent to kill his daughter, or that he did not premeditate it.  Putting a hose in your car while your daughter is in there is seemingly a pretty deliberate act.  He was, at least to some extent, let off the hook because she was disabled. 

In my mind, that means that those people who are disabled are less valuable than those who aren’t.   If he did that to his non-disabled daughter, do you think they would have lessened his sentence?" And here’s the thing – if we start devaluing life, where do we stop?  If we say, ‘oh it isn’t that bad that you did that for this person, because their life didn’t matter as much’, than whose lives matter the most?  What about when we decide that the lives of the elderly aren’t valuable, and they should be euthanized because they are taking too much money

from our health care system.  And what about the children sick in hospitals, should we just give up on them too?  To me, life is life.  Everybody is here for a reason.  Once we start taking life for granted, we will all be destined into a system of casts, where if we are not giving society enough, society will take our lives and will be able to forgive themselves for it because they were ridding the world of another useless person.

THE SPIN By: AP

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WE HEAR YOU (continuation) The thing is, we can’t solve the issue without getting more people involved. And although I have heard over and over and over again at Crandall that students are not willing to get involved, I strongly disagree. I just think that for too long, students have been asked to do things as minions as opposed to doing things as agents of change. So where do you come in? The Student Council has created a new committee which is meant for us to have a renewed vision of the primary goal of representing our student body. One of the things we would like to do with this is to create a subcommittee which will be made up of student representatives from all aspects of the school. Although this sounds confusing and ineffective, let me explain. Our goal would be to have at least one representative from every major area in the school. For example we would ideally like to have at least one student from each of the following categories: on-campus students, off-campus students, athletes, musicians, business students, psychology students, sociology students, english students, communications students, history students, education students, biblical/religious studies students, science students, mature students, students who are parents, and if possible, ALPS students, and Advanced Education students. The job of these students would mostly entail being the council liaison with their designated constituency. The students would be responsible for bringing student concerns to the

council, and would also be responsible for spreading council information to the constituency. For example, if an athlete brought a complaint to the athlete representative, the representative would then bring it to the council. If we were able to solve the issue, we would then report back to the athlete representative, who would then bring the result of the issue back to the constituency. The final responsibility of the representative would be to act as our source of information regarding that designate group. Believe it or not, we sometimes feel like we are doing something positive for a group, but because we do not get the information first-hand, it isn't always what that group wants to see. This job might sound tedious, but I believe it is crucial to our success and growth. The responsibilities of the job should not take too much effort or time, but it will be a way for us to connect with all of our constituencies and try to serve everyone better. So let me leave you with a final plea. If you are able to communicate with others, you can do this job. And the reality is that if we do not have someone from each constituency, we will not be able to serve all constituencies equally. If you are at all interested in doing this in one of the constituency’s listed above (or another one that you think should be represented), or even if you would just like to receive more information about serving as one of constituency representatives, please email me at amy.kirsten.pike@gmail.com, or feel free to stop me in the hallway. I would love to talk to you. I have come to the point where I believe we can start to say that we hear you. Rally with us, your student association, so that we are able to say with confidence that we truly are listening.

“We can’t solve the issue without getting

more people involved.”

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CREATIVITY IN THE CAFETERIABY: TAYLOR STEVER ! The Crandall cafeteria is an interesting place. People spill things. People break things. People stand up and make announcements. The Morehouses and company bang on the tables. Kathy yells, yet you only notice when it’s your name. I’ve been interrogating people around Colburne House and have come up with a vast list of cafeteria food secrets which I now pass on to you, dear reader.First the two crucial basics.(1) Brunches (12:30 - 1:45 on Sundays) are the best.(2) The spicy chicken wraps are delicious, but anyone who’s tried them will tell you it burns just as much on its way in as it does on its way out. Be warned.! Now that that’s out of the way, you need to know the secrets of short-ordering. If you want the bun whole wheat, write it. If you want two patties on your burger or a double serving of something, just write ‘2’ next to what you want. ! The wraps are great. Again, you might try sliced chicken burger patty in it if you’re not a fan of pulled pork and its kin.

On the days when there’s grated cheese and/or lettuce at the salad bar, try it in your wrap instead of Argentine’s stuff for a change. She won’t be offended if you run and check to see if it’s there

before you order.! Make your burgers happy and take advantage of the salad bar. Try them with fresh lettuce, mayonnaise, chipotle, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, or pickles. Go crazy! Opt for ranch, cucumber or carrots.High on carbs? Lose the bun.! Fries can go from mundane to magnificent. Be brave and have them with sauces other than

ketchup. Try chipotle, sour cream, mustard or ranch. In many countries fries are eaten primarily with

mayonnaise—it can’t be that bad.Don’t forget pepper: there’s freshly ground black pepper by the short-order stuff.If there’s gravy, get some on your fries, and ‘put in’ some cheese to make a poutine.Get some sliced cheese from the

salad bar, put it on your fries, and nuke it. Add some bacon bits on

that and dip it in sour cream if you want it restaurant potato-skins style.On nacho day, put the chilly and cheese sauce on your fries for chilly cheese fries (d-uh).! ! ! Continued on page 11

LATE NIGHT BREAKFAST

DEC.910PM

come get some tater tots.

“The Morehouses and

company bang on the tables. Kathy yells, yet you only notice when

it’s your name.”

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Sassy C,My boyfriend is SO clingy. Like, he's practically hanging off of me every two seconds. At first, I was like "Hey this is cute. He's cute. I like him." But --- now, I can't even go to the bathroom (to pee) without him texting me 4 times asking me where I am! It's driving me NUTS! I want to keep dating him, but I wish I could empty my bladder in peace --- any advice?-I want to PEE

Dear IWTP,Your boyfriend sounds overly needy - are you sure this guy is worth the effort?  It's likely that even if you are able to get him to stop texting/calling you 100 times a day, that he may always be an incredibly clingy person!  If he's worth the effort (and he may be!) then read on.You have to tell him that the clingy-ness is annoying you.  Be specific: "If I talk to you in the evening, you don't really need to call me again that night".  You can't expect him to read your mind.Clingy people are

typically insecure people; remember this and try to build your man up!  Reaffirm him and give him lots of love and attention.  He needs to feel like he is the centre of your world.  It's a bit narcissistic, but he doesn't mean to be.   Encourage him to make some friends!  If he has other people to do spend time with, he won't need you to do everything with.You don't have to answer your phone/text just because your phone is ringing.  Technology today makes us all way too available!!  Put your phone on silent and IGNORE HIM!!

Set date nights!  This means he knows when you'll be seeing each other and he may give you a bit of space in between.  You don't need to spend every minute with (and talking to) your boyfriend.  Spending all your time with them will just encourage their clingy behaviour!I hope these things work.  If they don't, you should consider breaking up with him.  You may be able to tolerate it now, but come exam time, you'll regret that choice!-Sassy C

...maybe he’ll buy you some cupcakes @ the cake box.

S A S S Y C

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! Looking for an interesting alternative to the baby-faced, box rimmed indie crowd? Well do I have an artist for you! Streetlight Manifesto belong to a genre of music called ska. Americanized ska music, that is. The popular genre is a branch of a Jamaican form of music which was essentially reggae with incorporated brass instruments. Streetlight Manifesto are a fiercer take on this; punk with horns. What you’d expect to be a train wreck waiting to happen will shock and amaze you. Who would have expected trumpets coupled with white-knuckled guitar thrashing to sound so good? Their sound is so enhanced by the brass addition that the violent music

often sounds sophisticated and regal.! Their most well known LP, Everything Goes Numb is a rocking album

which shows both the soft and soulful side of punk along with the resentful, rebellious nature more common to the genre. Check out songs such as ‘Everything Went Numb’, ‘Here’s to Life’ and ‘A Moment of Violence’ – I would say these three really represent the band at their most powerful.

! It’s true; punk is often criticized as bland, simple and

noisy, but Streetlight Manifesto have some of the most complicated song

arrangements I have ever heard and a sound that I guarantee you aren’t expecting.

sweet tunes with matthew mcgraw

STREETLIGHT MANIFESTO

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Youtube - created in 05 by

some dudes that used to work

for Paypal. Best invention

ever. Hands down.

Sometimes when I am having

an el-lameo day, my roomie

(S.West) links me to some

ridonklous videos on the tube

-- and it washes all of my

worries away.

#1 DAXFLAME

#2 MIRANDASINGS08

Viral videos to make

your heart swell:

• Kittens Inspired by

Kittens

• Marcel the Shell with

Shoes on

• A Hunter Shoots a Bear

• Charlie Bit my Finger

• Chubby Cupcake Boy

• Single Ladies (fail) -

Beyonce clown

“AAAHHH! I lost my

Youtube.” - Sam Reimer

'Tis the Seasonby: Megan McNutt

youtube.comwith mel moore

When lights do shine so beautiful and bright,And joyous carols cut through the quiet night,

Cookies, gingerbread and chocolate do abound,And garland and mistletoe is hung all around.Wrapped presents under the Christmas tree,Stands lovely and decorated for all to see,While outside the world is snowy white,My heart do all these wonders excite.

What is that which lies in the corner there?Thrown aside in haste with little care.

A little manager, worn and old, Its colours all faded to grey from gold.What use have I for something so plain?

Why would I want something so mundane? It will not fit into my decoration design,It is not pretty, shiny, dazzling, or fine.

I stop and hang my head in shame, For it was during Christmas the Saviour came.Not with fanfare, fireworks, and grand display,

But in humbleness to rescue all who went astray.The glory of God sent down from aboveHow could I forget such mercy and love?

In the centre of all, this stable will I place,That I might always remember this precious grace.

And as you spend the season in cheer,Do not overlook the reason so dear,For the baby Jesus into a man grew,

And on a cross He died for you.

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meet: crandasaurus rex

This cute little dinosaur is on facebook lurkin’ your stuff, commenting on your pictures and reminding you of upcoming events. If you aren’t already friends with him -- go add. There are tons of contest opportunities and always a way to win a free t-shirt. Make sure you are lurking Crandi’s wall for the latest newz.

e-mail crandi.rex@gmail.com if you have a question -- or poke him on facebook. He likes that.

check this link out for some sweet deals on every day items... pgeverydaysolutions.ca

STRESS BUSTERDEC 9

12:00PMGREAT HALL

FREE CANDY CANE HOT CHOCOLATE

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CHRISTMAS MOVIE MARATHONCOLBURNE HOUSE (1W4D)

THURSDAY DEC 912:30PM-2:30AM

Think this Beacon is legit? Think it sucks? Let us know. e-mail BEACON1011@gmail.com.

JANUARY 2011 is a big month at CrandallU. Student Council is going to explode with student services and a sweet new student centre. We’re hooking the students up! If you have any suggestions, or you have something that you’d really like to see at Crandall, let us know -- we want to hear from you. Our official facebook page is Crandasaurus Rex (monitored by CSA executive) -- feel free to drop a bone (haha - get it?) to the Rex and he’ll pass along the news.

!WE NEED WRITERS TOO, MAN! We accept pretty much anything, because we’re awesome. If you write poems, we want to read them. If you have a sweet new band you want to share with everyone, let us know! If you want to talk about who won America’s Next Top Model and why you think Jane should have made it over Chelsey... send us an e-mail. You get what I’m saying?

YOUR EDITORS ARE: BECCA JUDSON

andKEVIN O’BLENIS

Remember these faces because they are the people you need to talk to.

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" At breakfast, give the yogurt a go. Anything goes good between two slices of toast.If you like Cora’s, make it happen at the cafeteria. The fruit bowls aren’t there to be painted. Garnish your pancakes and the like with freshly sliced fruits.For breakfast, I’ve even heard rumors that if you look pitiful enough at, you might get an omelet or fried egg if you ask for one." Mix the drinks. Some swear that apple juice and orange juice mixed tastes exactly like Five Alive.If you’re in the mood for iced coffee simply mix ice in coffee—throw in a whack of sugar if that’s what you like.If you’re into café mocha, just put some coffee in your hot chocolate. If it’s ice-cream night, top it with whipped cream and drizzle with chocolate sauce.Make an ice-cream float with cola, or orange pop. Bring your own root beer if you want." Now I must write a bit on the cafeteria staff. For one, they’re very accommodating. If you’re allergic to something, trying to lose weight, vegetarian, vegan, celiac or lactose intolerant, don’t be afraid to let them know. They’ll whip up you up something special. Kathy is always kind and goes out of her way to keep us all full and happy. It’s only right that we try to make her job easier.Don’t throw the food around.If you spill something small, clean it up. If it’s a big spill, don’t leave it there, let someone know. For goodness sake put your trays and silverware in the right places. It’s clearly marked people!

Don’t stack the cups in the cup holder: they cannot go into the washing machine when there’s more than one cup per square. If there’s no room, stack the cups next to the holder.When the plates are more than a few feet high, don’t keep stacking. Start another stack, or let someone know they’re at risk of toppling over.And don’t forget your please and thank you’s. " " " " -taylor stever

creativityinthe

cafeteriacontinuation of page 5

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“I can’t believe the semester is almost already over!”

“I need snow tires!”

“A soup and sandwich for 6+ dollars? REALLY?”

“I need an extension on my paper!”

“This paper is impossible to write! Sad panda.”

“A nap would be lovely.”

“Three and half weeks until Jordan!”

“4am, we meet again.”

“The wireless in Stultz Hall is still crappy - are you kidding me?”

OVERHEARD AT CRANDALL

ORIENTATION WEEK•STUFF!! (WATER BOTTLES, PENS, LANYARDS AND TUMBLERS)•BUY A DINO-MITE TEE•CHECK OUT THE NEW STUDENT CENTRE (FINALLY....)

photo creds to Ron Scott

JANUARY2011