Page 6 March 26, 2008 OPINION 3 ‘Ya know what really grinds my gears?’

Cadre reporter Jarrod Yeo takes his Facebook forum to print, putting his sights on student loans

By Jarrod Yeo UPEI Cadre

We’re back after our hiatus, with a new editor and a new direction.

And without further ado, this is my column, “You Know What Really Grinds My Gears.” (members of my facebook group will be familiar with the concept)

Essentially, it’s just me complaing about my problems, some trivial, some not to trivial.. And after six months at UPEI, there has certainly been no shortage of issues to write about.

For example, I’m appealing to any- one who has ever had a pleasant, problem-free experience with Canada Student Loans.

I called them the other day to inquire about my second installment

If it's not size

By Beth Lassaline Managing Editor

as it was now March and I was broke. Come to find out, I wasn’t going to be getting it. On the con- trary, it was I who owed them money, to the tune of $4,200. Going from anticipating money to being told you owe four bills instead is a tough pill to swallow, let me tell you.

After getting the run-around on the phone from about 12 government employees, I finally spoke to a gen- tleman who actually had a clue. The explanation was simple: I worked too much last fall, resulting in an overpayment. Am I the only one who finds this utterly ridiculous?

After filling out their application form, a document larger than the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, I was awarded $7,800 for the school year.

Now I hate to sound like a Mastercard commercial, but let’s

review.

I was enrolled in nine courses this year which equals $3,996. Each course conveniently requires an expensive book, so let’s add another $800 on to that. Rent costs me $330 a month for the eight months I’m in school, so that’s another $2,640.

Now I’m no math major, but my calculator tells me I’m already over the amount they loaned me. If I did- n’t work, how could I eat, pay bills or get loose on the weekends? Seems to me if those geniuses at stu- dent loan had it their way, students would be living without power and eating KD all winter. And not the real KD, I mean the store brand stuff. Unless I pay off this amount, I am S.O.L. on a loan next year.

Thanks guys!

that matters, maybe it’s age

many jokes really do have it going on. As mentioned, older men have been

_ targeted by younger women for

Earlier this year I wrote a short col- umn about older girls going for younger guys. That editorial was received with a bit of shock, surpris- ingly so seeing our generation is supposed to be so liberal and mod- ern. Not that the criticism has swayed me from my earlier opinion, but now I would like to take a moment and point out the benefits of dating an older guy. Somewhere along the way, Ashton became cool- er than Bruce and so the story goes...

So why did the old guys loose their advantage? The women who seem to have it all together are the women who date younger men. However, maybe the classic scenario of old man, young woman actually has some legitimacy. Maybe those women who are often the butt of so

decades, perhaps most commonly for their money and power. Older men have had many years to climb the so-called corporate ladder and accumulate their wealth. They are just waiting for some young girl to come along and help them spend it. I ask myself, is this so bad? Now, I realize that women have been work- ing hard for equality, but c’mon, isn’t spending somebody else’s money way more fun than spending your own? Plus, older men seem to have a much more refined style than a younger guy does. Most likely, a previous woman in his life either taught him how to dress, or just bought all his clothes for him. Either way, that job is done and you need never worry that your guy will show up wearing something he dug out of dirty laundry. They also seem

to radiate charm, most likely from

years of practice. What is that old adage? Practice makes perfect. As I said, these guys have had years of practice! Older guys are also more mature, well, about as mature as men can be. If maturity is lacking, there is always a man’s looks. Luckily, men seem to be more hand- some as they age...well to a certain age. Think of the classic George Clooney or Harrison Ford. They are older, successful, handsome, and powerful and both have younger women. So I’m not sure where this notion came from that younger guys are the shit. Older men have always been the sought out, the desired. If you took my advice last time and found yourself a young’ in, I urge you to take my advice once again. Now, all you need to do is gather up your girlfriends and head on down to

the Gate, let someone buy you a __

drink. I recommend the cosmos!

UPEI Cadre

The UPEI Cadre would &

ga like to extend a thank-you

to the Holland College Journalism students for their

= contributions to this issue:

Ryan Ross Ellen Klein Robin Seymour

as well as Holland College = Journalism instructors §€

Rick MacLean and Wayne Young

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