@ Sto p—H a mmer Ti me! By Jay Schreiber An. the Concourse. Several hundred gallons of concrete, painted piss yellow and centered right in the heart of Douglas’ New West Campus. It is a place for meeting, a place of gaiety and a place for potential break dance fights! Our concourse is the perfect area for performers and other show boaters to shake their groove thang with each other. As it stands right now, all of this is non-existent due to college regulations that state that any unauthorized noise in the concourse is not allowed, be it megaphone, boom box, or anyone really excited to be at school. So, how do we get around this rule and not piss off our wonderful security guards in the bottom east corner? Simple, really: I suggest short flashmob-esque style dance throw-downs for two minutes at a time. Come on, you know you want to! Think about it. It’s 12:20 on Tuesday, and you’re just leaving a boring-ass history lecture to walk through the concourse to get some cafeteria grub. How about busting a move or two to shake off the three hour sitting you just endured? Sure, classes are in session during the day and noon hour is usually peak traffic for our concrete workout room, but think logically for a second. Most times, when the concourse is full of people, it’s noisy anyways, so one boom box providing beats won't be that big of a deal. Plus, classes are just ending at around that time and most people have an hour break right then. Nine times out of ten, Security (a.k.a. Dougie Police Co.) don’t have a problem with people strumming a guitar and practicing dance routines in the giant atrium, or at least I’ve never been bothered for that reason. On Halloween, did anyone catch the Beastie Boys busting a move right through the very heart of Douglas College, complete with soundtrack? Nobody was hurt; no one was punished and everyone enjoyed and got into it. See people? Jt works! Who should provide the beats’? How about every department chooses to send a representative daily to pick their favourite song to which the general population can “shake it”? This way, we’re not having the sports science reps claim “The Time Warp” while the nursing department chooses “Thriller.” All this, while the arts kids are trying to kick it old school with, “Fight for Your Right.” So, when I next make my lunchtime commute down the giant set of stairs in the center of campus, I expect you to stop, collaborate and listen. How about we see more spirit and life in the students of Douglas College? Ranting, Raving, and Relating Think twice about animal adoption I here are so many animals out there that need kind and loving homes. You name it: cats, dogs, bunnies, birds—all would make Crystal Auffray “ranting, raving and relating” © such great pets, yet prospective owners still insist On visiting pet stores at their local shopping malls, or checking out breeders ps 1 1 . Sah that may be provinces away instead of = going to community shelters or other online refuges that are home to thousands of animals waiting patiently for loving owners to adopt them Sure, it’s nice to envision the most perfect, cute, and well-behaved pet; maybe that’s why so many people opt for purebred animals; they can’t resist the thought of a custom animal that’s been tailored to fit exactly what they’re looking for in a furry companion. If you can’t bear the thought of a tabby cat or a crossbred canine, remember that there are tons of purebred animals that are living at shelters as well. There are thousands of animals that can be found online through websites such as petfinder.com, a database listing that is “the temporary home of 306,381 adoptable pets from 12,187 adoption groups” across North America. After working at a non-profit shelter that was home to more than 100 cats, I saw firsthand why it’s so important to consider adopting animals rather than taking out the cheque book and preparing to pay hundreds—or thousands—of dollars for the perfect pet. There were cats of all sizes, breeds, colours, personalities, and genders. Some were playful, some were fluffy, some were old, and some were just plain bored. Some had been waiting for a nice family to come along and scoop them up for over a year. All of them were looking for attention and love. So if you’re thinking about adding a new four-legged member to your family, check out your local shelter, SPCA or Small Animal Rescue Society of BC. Chances are you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for: a whole lot of love in an animal that will be a perfect fit for you and your household.