6 THE VOICE, THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2014 EDITOR TYLER HOOPER lewpoints nother semester is underway and the Langara Students’ Union has shown promise of orming better relations with the Voice. It’s been hard to keep track of what’s going in the LSU; they’ve gone through more media represen- tatives than we here in the journal- ism program can keep track of. But hope appears to be on the horizon. In fact, the newest media representative for the LSU stopped by the department at the start of this semester. Ed Hensley suggested he’s going to make more of an effort to cooper- ate and be more transparent with what’s going on in the LSU. Words like this, especially coming from a government body, are hollow in the eyes of skeptical journal- ists such as myself. But part of me hopes the LSU and journalism students can turn over a new leaf this semester. It’s a well- known fact that history between a ) | BS OPINION TYLER HOOPER the LSU and the Voice is one full of conflict and tension, but it doesn’t have to continue this way. I'll be the first to admit there’s room for improvement on both sides. We tend to bombard the LSU with emails and phone calls in hopes of snatching up an interview or getting a quote. I’m sure this can get annoying, but we’re not doing it because we enjoy terrorizing the LSU staff. No, actually, we’re just doing our job and due diligence by reporting on the student body. The reason for this is so we can inform you, the student, of what Why can't we be friends, LSU? your student government is doing with those fees you pay each semester. So as this semester picks up, I hope the LSU and its new media representative will follow through with their intent on establishing a better relationship with the Voice. In turn, I only hope this new relationship will allow us to estab- lish a more transparent line of communication; one that looks towards cooperation, rather than hostility, so we can report accurately and fairly. At the very least, I suppose one can dream. Try energy healing for yourself hen energy healing is Wie: up, skepticism and disbelief often arise. It’s not uncommon to see someone air quote around the words “energy,” as if it’s make believe. For some, energy healing can be an ambiguous concept to grasp. Something very serene and holistic may come to mind, which can bring questions of legit- imacy, compared to more tradi- tional means of medicine. However, trying to find reasons why energy healing doesn’t work is a difficult thing to do. There’s a thriving community made up of patients, students and profes- sionals who insist on the lasting effects integrated energy has on the body. “This is a movement in our society right now,” said Langara’s Integrated Energy Healing program coordinator Dr. Ruth Lamb. “It’s very well received by the traditional conventional health care system.” Although it seems questionable, energy healing is a remarkable alternative to conventional treat- ments, like prescription pills, which can be “expensive and toxic,” said William Lafferty, MD and author of the article Healing, Medical Care, and Health Service Organization. The Integrative Energy Healing program at Langara was founded 15 years ago by a team of nurses with certificates and degrees in transfor- mative healing. The fact that a group of nurses collectively formed a program that teaches people how to heal holisti- cally proves that there must be something legitimate about energy healing. However, the debate continues about how legitimate energy healing is in the medical world, and whether it’s a placebo effect or not. The mind is an amazing instrument. With the right teachings anyone can learn to take control and manage their pain. I say don’t knock it till you try it and educate yourself. Who knows, you may be in for a spiritual awakening. OPINION KARLY BLATS FEW THE HEALING VIBRATIONS?, YEAH, MYT PHONE’S ON SILENT. MIND IF 1 TAKE THIS? Take advantage of Dine Out ttention all foodies: the largest Ppresccean festival in Canada is back and doing great things for Vancouver. The 12" annual Dine Out Vancou- ver Festival has begun, and with new restaurant participants and events, this year is shaping up to be more enticing than usual. Since 2003, Tourism Vancouver has used Dine Out to bring hungry people from across the country to unique restaurants in Vancouver. But you don’t have to be from out of town to join the festivities. Dine Out encourages you to step out of your comfort zone and make reservations somewhere you’ve never been before. Not only does Dine Out spark community curiosity, it also creates the perfect opportunity for students living on a budget to experience high-quality food at affordable prices. Besides the obvious plus of increased sales for restaurants and hotels, Dine Out has earned positive recognition for Vancouver restau- rants. This year boasts an impressive list of 263 restaurants that range from pubs to revolving restaurants, with set menus as cheap as $18. Twenty dollars for a three-course meal? That’s hard to beat. By participating in Dine Out, businesses get the chance to showcase their best dishes at prices that attract customers on a budget. Romer’s Burger Bar is the sole participant in the south Vancouver area, but the lunch menu includes selections like a Magic Mushroom Burger and Drunken Doughnuts. If that doesn’t sound like the ideal post-class pick-me-up, I don’t know what is. The prices are perfect for students, and the restaurants benefit from an increase in business during a usually slow time of the year. From sit-down restaurants and food trucks to a London-style double-decker-bus food tour, Dine Out has something for everyone. So get out there Vancouver, this might be the only time it’s accept- able to post a picture of your food. OPINION MEGAN BOBETSIS Fil fay ce) The Voice is published by Langara College's journalism department. Editorial opinions are those of the staff and are independent of views of the student government and administration. We welcome letters to the editor. All letters must be signed. They may be edited for brevity. Names may be withheld in special cases, but your letter must include your name and phone number. HOW TO REACH US PHONE 604-323-5396 FAX 604-323-5398 E-MAIL thevoice@langara.be.ca DROP-IN Room A226 Langara College There is a mailbox at the entrance to the journalism rooms. SNAIL MAIL The Voice 100 West 49th Ave. Vancouver, B.C. VSY 226 WEBSITE wwwilangaravoice.com EDITORIAL STAFF THIS ISSUE: MANAGING EDITOR/ PAGE 6 Tyler Hooper PAGE EDITORS PAGE 1 Andrea Anthony PAGE 2 Nick Eagland PAGE 3 Vanessa Szpurko PAGE 4 Bill Everitt PAGE 5 Gavin Fisher PAGE 7 Amy Jones PAGE 8 Jesse Lam WEB EDITORS Nadim Roberts Kendra Wong REPORTERS Karly Blats Megan Bobetsis Erin Boe Lauren Collins Alissa Crane Edrick Dudang Madelyn Forsyth-Schiewe Mike Hodder Lukasz Jonca Leslie Kam Ash Kelly David LaRiviere Ashley Legassic Edmond Lu Jeremy Matthews Graham McFie Hannah Myrberg Christopher Slater Renee Sutton Ben Zutter Contact us: Online at langaravoice.com Twitter at @langaraVoice