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( Long live the king

(YW The Taj Mahal in all its splendour

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Contact: Elliot Chan, Opinions Editor

M opinions@theotherpress.ca

www. theotherpress.ca

 

Hotspots for happy campers

» Parks Canada introduces Wi-Fi

Elliot Chan

_ Opinions Editor
= Mopinions

=) @theotherpress.ca

 

anadians live for the

wilderness, especially
British Columbians. We
anticipate our camping trips all
winter long, and for many it’s
our vacation from a stressful
urban life. We want to escape
our emails, our social media,
and anything else linking us
back to our offices and desks.
Camping brings us back to the
majesty of nature—and there is
nothing natural about Wi-Fi.

The current initiative
by Parks Canada is to install
Internet into 150 national parks
locations over the course of
three years. While some spots
will offer the Wi-Fi for free,
others will charge a fee—either
way, it is implemented so that
visitors can stay connected with
all their worries back home.
How wonderful, right?

For those like me,
who work mainly from the
computer, having accessible
Internet everywhere is a great
commodity. But do I want to
do work while I’m camping?
Hell no! I always have this
romantic idea of taking my
work on vacation and doing
it in the midst of travelling. I
believe that type of work ethic

: is harmful to both the product
: and the worker. Separating

: work and play is essential to :
: living a happy, healthy life. “I’m :
: going camping” should still be:
: avalid excuse fora break, even
: if Wi-Fi is available.

It is true that we are

: becoming addicted to our

: mobile devices, laptops, and

: other technology. Whether we
: are on social media or we are

: playing games, technology has
: proven that we no longer need
: to go outside or even converse
: with real life human beings.

: One can live perfectly happily
: from the confines of their home :
: or office. If you think Wi-Fi in
: parks are going to get people

: outside, then you have missed
: the whole reason for being

: outside.

Going out into nature

: should be an opportunity to

: reconnect not with your digital
: devices, but with the world

: around you—the world you

: probably forgot while you were
: busy studying for your finals,

: or working overtime, or simply
: doing other things. There is

: alot to see out there and you

: might miss something because
: you were too busy looking

: down at your phone.

Technology is excellent for

: bringing people together, but
: once people are together—at
: camp grounds for example—
: then it’s best to spend some

In a world where
we can take it

or leave it—it’s
always harder to
leave it.

: quality time with them and not
: worry about others far away;

: there will be time for them

: later.

Parks Canada has stressed

: that there will be many places

: in the back country where

: Wi-Fi will probably never be

: enabled. That’s good, but the

: fact that so many outdoor

: locations will have accessible

: Wi-Fi scares me. What if one

: day Wi-Fi disappears and

: we can't YouTube a video on

: how to build a fire or set up a

: tent? What will happen when

: we aren’ able to get lost in

: the beauty of Canada? What

: makes us Canadians great is

: the fact that we are survivors in
: the wilderness. Take pride in

: having a weekend where you go
: to the bathroom in the bushes,
: or cook meals from a can, or

: log off of the Internet, because
: ina world where we can take

: it or leave it, it’s always harder
: to leave it. Better memories go
: to those who take risks, so be a

: courageous camper and power
: off.

 

 

Just for men

» The new beard-transplant trend needs to be shaved

Elliot Chan

"4. Opinions Editor
=) Mopinions

| @theotherpress.ca

  
  
  

aes et

pores}

L: be honest, unless you
are pretending to be Santa
Claus for Christmas, Abe
Lincoln in an Academy Award
nominated movie, or a wizard
ina children’s novel, there is
no reason a man needs a fake
beard.

But sadly that is not the
case as insecurity shows itself
in the masculine culture. Men
who are unable to grow thick,
respectable beards are now
able to hide their shame by
getting beard transplants. If
you condone cosmetic surgery,

  

By Matt Rourke/AP

: such as breast implants, Botox,
: and rhinoplasty then surely

: you won't have a problem with
: bread transplants; after all, it’s
: all about the feeling you get

: when you look good.

The pricing range for this

: hairy procedure is currently
: costing men somewhere
: between $5,000 to $15,000, and

: it doesn’t necessarily guarantee

: that the transplant will be

: successful since rejection of the
: follicles might occur. For those

: who feel that hair on their face
 : is worth the price, then all the

: power to you; but for those who
: are still contemplating adopting
: the new popular look, I feel

H:
il:

I must remind you about the
inconsistency and irrationality
of trends.

If you don't have a beard it’s

: because you don’t really need

: a beard. I am 25 years old and

: | have never had to shave more
: than those few whiskers on my
: upper lip and the bit of stray

: fuzz growing under my chin. I
: know I should be embarrassed
: at the fact that I am so

: handsomely hairless—after

: all, the men in the magazines

: look so rugged with their

: thick beards and sophisticated
: moustaches. Shouldn't I want to :
: be like them?

In the same way we tell

: women that they don’t need to
: look like models—because it’s
: unrealistic—the same goes with :
: men :

Boys, my dear baby-faced

: boys, you don’t need to feel

: ashamed that you can’t grow
: a beard. This hipster/Duck

: Dynasty trend will surely be

: replaced within a few years—
: next thing you know you'll have :
: aunibrow and muttonchops.

I prefer to be who Iam

: and shave regularly. Sure,
: sometimes I wonder what life

would be like if I] had a beard

: to stroke when I ponder the
: perplexity of facial hair. And I
: wish I could intimidate others

by looking like a lumberjack.

: But being clean-shaven has its
: advantages as well, that’s why

: many men choose to shave just
: asa preference.

If having a beard makes

: you happy, then go ahead and

: get your expensive transplant.

: But if you are motivated by

: the shame of your physical

: appearance, then I feel as

: though your beard transplant

: might be the crest of a slippery

slope. So dude, don’t forget that

: even Michael Jackson had a

: beard at one point—and it was
: weird, not manly. Confidence

: comes from within, bud, so

: don't hide behind your beard.