By Mary Chan
Writing a column about fiction is difficult because the columnist must convey in prose the power of often-lyrical, brutal or transcendent writing. In other words, the authors I am about to discuss are much better writers than I am. I have been thinking a lot about fiction in the past week, mostly because I have… Continue reading Fiction better than reality of war
By Mary Chan
It is likely that the war in Iraq will begin before this paper hits the stands, and as such, we the viewers will be able to watch coverage from the front lines on TV. The journalists, however, will be “embedded” with American troops, meaning that they eat, sleep and travel with soldiers and therefore only… Continue reading You can’t depend on the media–trust me
By Mary Chan
Brace yourself. Oprah’s Book Club is back, and this time she’s targeting Literature with a capital “L.” Last week, Oprah Winfrey announced plans to restart her influential Book Club after cancelling it almost a year ago. Unlike her original book club, which only featured works from living authors, the new club will focus on classics.… Continue reading The ever-expanding universe of Oprah.
By Mary Chan
Poor Reality TV. Sure, you’re popular, but it seems like no one has anything good to say about you. When people confess to watching you, they use a hushed tone as if divulging a shameful secret. You have been accused of being stupid, dumb and cheesy, pandering to the lowest common denominator, and setting feminism… Continue reading Inherent need for superiority fuels reality TV
By Mary Chan
Does poetry have any place in the political arena? Late last month, First Lady Laura Bush cancelled a Feb. 12 poetry symposium at the White House when some poets planned to turn it into an anti-war protest. Among the protesters are Washington-based poet and publisher Sam Hamill, who declined his invitation and encouraged the poets… Continue reading Censoring poetic dissent in the US
By Mary Chan
Every Chinese New Year, I realize to what extent my identity is in a state of flux. Last year, I watched Toronto residents celebrate the New Year on TV, explaining to reporters the symbolism of the food eaten, the lion dance, and so on and so on. To my dismay, many of the facts were… Continue reading Being Chinese Canadian often means feeling torn between two cultures–but that’s not necessarily a bad thing
By Mary Chan
Thank you, Gordon Campbell, for driving this country to drink. Well, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration. But ever since the British Columbian premier soundly failed a breathalyzer test after being pulled over in Hawaii almost two weeks ago, Canadians have had booze on the brain. Among other questions, they’ve pondered just how much… Continue reading Laughing about drinking and driving
By Mary Chan
Sometimes it seems like the difference between taking responsibility for one’s own actions and blaming someone else is a lawsuit. On October 16, 2002, all seven members of the Dawson family of Baltimore were killed when their house was set on fire in retaliation for reporting drug dealers to the police. It was the second… Continue reading When citizens do good deeds
By Mary Chan
Students, faculty and Calgarians packed MacEwan Hall Wednesday evening to attend a public reading by writer and Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka. A nearly full house welcomed the Nigerian writer, poet, playwright and critic with a sustained round of applause before he read poetry and answered questions from the audience.A thin man with a full head… Continue reading Nobel laureate visits Calgary
By Mary Chan
The one member of the executive who is most critiqued by students is also the one who directly influences them more than any other. However, the Events portfolio is not only dedicated to throwing good parties and keeping the masses content. The VP Events is also responsible for safety-especially Den safety-for raising awareness about Dinos… Continue reading VP Events