Epic Downfall

You won't admit it, but it's probably true. The modern press will change to something we will barely recognize in the next few decades. While reporters and news organizations wrestle to try and define the mold of the neo-news, some people at the Museum of Media History in Florida took aim at trying to define what the future will be. It's definitely worth a watch, and freaky as hell.

I'll be taking donations right now for the apocalyptic collapse of the economy and my future career.

A Great Mess (AGM): Democracy Runs on Pizza

For the first time in a long time, I attended a public meeting for the "fun" of it. I went as a participant - not a reporter - and it was actually fun...not "fun", but fun! Seriously. I know it sounds like I'm one of those pansy student politicos that pines over URSU exec minutes (those exist?!), but things got interesting.

I don't have a lot of experience at University of Regina Students' Union annual general meeting, but damn it, I've tried. I reported for the students' newspaper, the Carillon, and attempted to attend two meetings in the past covering the story. Sad thing is, people usually don't show up. In both cases, the AGM had to be rescheduled because not even Tang and Pizza could attract a crowd.

The difference between years past and this year, though, is that they held it in the Owl. There was free pizza, you could drink beer, and generally didn't have to listen to the emcee. They made quorum, and good times were had by all.

That is, until something that was ACTUALLY interesting happened. People started listening and turned away from the plasma screens and everything! The metaphorical poo had hit the fan. Sadly, when the poo hit the fan, there weren't many people there to see it. The pizza had run out, it was past 1:00, and the bar crowd that was in for lunch took off to their respective corners of the university. There were probably 40-some people left in the room, and that included the bar staff and URSU execs.

The poo was slung when the Carillon asked for $2 more from full-time students and $1 more from part-time students. Funding hadn't been increased since 1997...blah,blah,blah. Not such a big deal, considering a similar motion had just leap frogged from the end of the agenda to the beginning, and resulted in an increase to funding for the Fifth Parallel art gallery on campus.

The tough thing is, when people had just thrown change in the Salvation Army box at the mall, they're probably less likely to throw change in the Tim Hortons cup of the old homeless man outside the mall. People might ask questions as to why they should give that man some money...what will it be used for? Alcohol? Drugs?

I think that the same critique was put on Brotheridge. Many people commented, asking about what it would be used for, why they need an increase, why the paper is good for nothing more than wiping your ass with...that sort of thing.

I had decided ahead of time that I would be voting in favour of the motion because of my time at the paper. I was paid less than $80 a week for writing two articles for the paper as the on-staff news writer. With a full class load, interviews, and writing some quality work, that's hella less than minimum wage. It sucked. Plus, our printers changed twice while I was there, and you can't even begin to imagine how expensive that is. I thought it was time for a change.

So yes...comments continued...for a while. Then, some guy called for a count of the people in the room to make sure there were still enough people to vote. Those dang freeloading pizza kids had already left. The URSU president had to call their lawyer to see whether they still needed quorum. They didn't. Big waste of time, but kind of valid. Lots of people had jumped ship, and there were probably only 20 interested people left with pizza crusts on their plates.

Regardless, the motion went to vote, and I voted against it. I KNOW, I KNOW. I just went on a tangent about how I was voting yes, and blahblahblah funding blah, but it was the principle of the matter.

Lots of people were asking questions and all I ever hear around campus is how the Carillon is crap. Someone had brought up the idea of having a referendum for more funding in January, and I thought it was a damn good idea. Why not let people come and hear out these poor starving art students? They want a damn paper, and they want to prove to you why you'd miss it if it was gone. Let them. At least it will silence the critics until I convocate. It might even help them all get a bit more funding.

Needless to say, the looks I got from the Carillon table could have killed a small feline. I felt like I had committed mutiny against my captain, but I knew it was for the best for the above reason.

But hey, lesson learned. I would rather be the messenger. At least there's an argument against shooting the messenger. When you're there as an active participant, that's when you get into some trouble. Kudos to those who participate in local governments and board meetings because it's way harder to have an opinion than write about others'.