6 THE VOICE, THURSDAY, OCT. 9, 2014 EDITOR MADELYN FORSTYH lewpoints Mainstream sports make way for the Quidditch World Cup itch those frisbees and basket- D::: and prepare for broom- sticks and inflatable bubbles. Iam proud to say that Quidditch, a sport played in the popular fantasy book Harry Potter, was adapted into a non-flying, real-life version in 2005. Instead of flying, players now race around the playing field while mounted on a broomstick. As an avid Harry Potter fan still waiting for my long-overdue Hogwarts letter, it’s a glorious feeling to see part of my beloved wizarding world become reality. Who doesn’t laugh while watch- ing serious players run around with a broomstick between their legs? If Langara adapted it as a school sport, it could provide exercise as well as a much needed laugh to the stressed out student audience. Decidedly non-magical in its origins, bubble soccer involves players running and ricocheting off each other’s inflatable armor while trying to score a goal. It is very entertaining to watch, as players crash around bumper-car style, but bubble soccer is exhausting to play. As I imagine struggling into the giant inflated bubble, overcoming a brief sense of claustrophobia, I can see how tough it would be to not only run around, but also to pick myself up when I fall. The number of players and special equipment required for each game may be difficult for these sports to gain traction. Quidditch requires special hoops and balls that shockingly are not yet sold at local sports stores, and renting inflated bubbles costs a minimum of $15 per hour per person. Excitedly, the International Quidditch Association holds world competitions and bubble soccer groups are emerging from various cities in Canada, United States, the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong. So far, I am still waiting for the day Quidditch is recognized as an Olympic sport but bubble soccer will forever look difficult to me. 7 OPINION. VIVIAN CHUI We want to hear from you Got a different point of view? Write to us. Think we got a fact wrong? Tell us. Problems with something we've said? Let us know. Journalism instructor Erica Bulman oversees The Voice. Email her at ebulman@langara.be.ca E-cigs not fooling anyone the right decision in sending electronic cigarette users outside with the rest of the smokers. Electronic cigarettes, commonly known as e-cigarettes or e-cigs, are battery-powered vaporizers that simulate smoking a cigarette. They work by heating a liquid solution, which consists of a mixture of chemicals usually including nicotine. According to a report by the World Health Organization, the small Yorn city councillors made OPINION KERA SKOCYLAS amount of research that has been done shows no concrete evidence of how harmful the vapour may be. Non-smokers shouldn’t be sub- jected to the risk of inhaling these unnecissary toxins until research shows that they’re harmless. On the American Cancer Society website, Dr. Thomas J. Glynn said that e-cigarettes have been described as “a miracle answer to the devastat- ing effects of cigarette smoking” but he also says they are “a grave danger to the public health.” When there are so many unknown factors it seems ridiculous that anyone would take a chance with their own health. Until it’s proven to be harmless, keep them away. E-cigarettes seem to be a market- ing ploy to repackage traditional cigarettes in a more glamerous way and it’s sending a negative image to young people. The Canadian Cancer Society reported the popularity of e-ciga- rettes is “soaring among youths.” That is the last thing the public needs. More young people thinking any type of smoking is cool. Not only are e-cigarettes poten- tially harmful to you and those around you but they look ridiculous. Do e-cigarette users think they’re fooling non-smokers by using a pen-shaped cigarette? They aren’t fooling anyone. So, the next time you see someone smoking an e-cigarette indoors, let them know that Vancouver has changed the rules and send them out the nearest exit to join the rest of the smoking community. SeevA LATER Losers, IVE Got QuippiTcH PRACTICE MIKE CLIMIE photo illustration Wong's wage hike won't happen ancouver, as a whole, is an VYfosvensie city. Most people seem to know this first hand and the people that don’t, find out pretty quickly. It seems to me that the minimum wage should be going up to counter act the rising cost of living in our city. Union leaders in B.C. are trying to do just that asking $13 dollars an hour, up from the $10.25 currently in place and Meena Wong, the mayoral candidate for COPE, is campaigning for a $15 minimum wage if elected. Iam a server so the rise of mini- mum wage makes no difference to me. I make below %10.25 an hour and there is no sign of that changing. My tips are taken into account as part of OPINION MADELYN FORSYTH my income and therefore it is justified that I can make lower than the average worker. Since some shifts bring amazing tippers, I am not fighting my crappy wage. I complete- ly understand the reasoning behind it. This isn’t the case for many in the Lower Mainland and the rest of the province. One person will make about $1,600 a month working 40 hours a week at $10.25 an hour. This is before taxes. Rent in the downtown core costs roughly $1,400 a month for a one-bedroom apartment. That leaves $200 left over for utilities, emergencies, medical costs and anything else that might pop up. How someone can live properly or even plan for the future with that income gives me anxiety. As a student, I find this even more unimaginable. In order to do well in school we usually have to cut back our work hours, I know I have. A full time student working a full 40 hour work week just doesn’t make sense. That chem lab would never get done and that Geography essay would never get written. Cutting back hours means cutting back income, and if that income is only measured at $10.25 an hour, then every two weeks that pay check is go- ing to look pretty measly. So while that extra $2.75 may not seem like much, at a monthly glance it can take that $1,600 and raise it to $2,080 before taxes. I think the $2.75 increase is modest enough that people will acknowledge the need for it. It might be a little ambitious of Wong to propose a $15 minimum wage. That could be amazing and would obviously help out heaps. I just don’t see it actually happening. When you're faced with student debt, living costs and the possibly grim outlook on job prospects after graduation, that extra couple hundred bucks can make all the difference. 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 Madelyn Forsyth PAGE EDITORS PAGE 1 Renee Sutton PAGE 2 Ash Kelly PAGE 3 Mike Hodder PAGE 4 Megan Bobetsis PAGE 5 Erin Boe PAGE 7 Edmond Lu PAGE 8 David La Riviere WEB EDITORS Ben Zutter Ali Crane Edrick Dudang Lukasz Jonca Lauren Collins COPY EDITORS Ashley Legassic Karly Blats Chris Slater REPORTERS Lena Alsayegh Mary Beach Natasha Chang Vivian Chui Alice D'eon Charlotte Drewett Melissa Edgar James Goldie Jessica Hovanes Nicholas Johansen Shannon Lynch Sableen Minhas Jonathan Parkin Kera Skocylas Sandra Powlik Orvis Noel Contact us: Online at langaravoice.com Twitter at @langaraVoice