FFWD Weekly
Copyright © 1997. All Rights Reserved.
SPLICE
by FFWD staffDrinking problem?
Who hasn't, at some point in their lives, gone on a binge only to awake the next morning (or the next week) cringing from vague yet disturbing memories of the night (or the week) before? You may have a Drinking Problem if... by Calgarian James Chicalo takes a humorous look at the results of over-indulging.
According to the book, you may have a drinking problem if: you have thrown up on your feet while attempting a bowel movement, fallen out of your vehicle, skinny-dipped in a front-yard bird fountain, and 128 other examples. The book also includes interesting case studies of boozers such as "Alan," a party animal who earned the enviable reputation among his friends as "the man" after, upon finishing his 18th cocktail, he tipped his head and threw up in the corner pocket of a pool table. However, You may have a Drinking Problem if... also has a more serious side. Chicalo, a seasoned drinker, eventually realized that he did have a drinking problem and has now been sober for three years, as he attests to in a testimonial at the conclusion of the book.
You may have a Drinking Problem if... ($9.95) can be ordered from: Whatever It Takes, #238 2, 3012 - 17th Avenue SE, Calgary, AB, T2A 0P9, or phone 277-1269.
Geekcore
The long-awaited second edition of Geekcore - the 'zine for people who like what they like because they like it - has finally been released, only about six months behind schedule. According to editor Jess Fuchs, he never expected to do more than one issue, but the response was surprisingly positive so he decided to venture forth again (and, if all goes well, again, with a third issue in about mid-July or so).
Geekcore ($2 per issue) tackles a multitude of fun topics, from video games, records and other 'zines to a piece about what it's like having the same name as a serial killer, written by Jim Jones.
To order, send cash to: Geekcore, PO Box 9146, Denver, CO, 80209. Correspondence can also be e-mailed to blitzer@dimensional.com.
Smoking statistics
For all smokers struggling with their New Year's resolution to kick the habit once and for all, or those who have "quit" several times over the years without success, Weedless Wednesday will be held January 22 to boost your willpower (or plague your conscience). Weedless Wednesday is part of the 1997 National Non-Smoking Week - and as if you haven't heard enough about the negative effects of smoking, here are the latest statistics:
· tobacco causes over 40,000 deaths each year in Canada - more than the number of deaths caused by traffic accidents, suicides, murders, AIDS and drug abuse combined - and is the leading cause of preventable death;
· second-hand smoke contains more than 4,000 dangerous chemicals such as arsenic, benzene and asbestos which have been banned from every workplace in Canada by the federal government;
· the cost of smoking to Canadian society is more than $10.2 billion per year, which is $1.5 billion more than the $8.65 billion per year consumers spend on tobacco products;
· the percentage of daily and occasional adult smokers in Canada decreased to 31 per cent in 1991 from 49.5 per cent in 1965. However, there are still about 6.5 million smokers in Canada and thousands of young people start smoking every month.
The good news for those who kept their resolution this year is that the damage done by smoking can be reversed and the benefits of quitting start immediately.
Web watch
The endless amount of snow and cold weather this winter may become tiresome in the city, but not in the mountains. Skiing and snowboarding resorts in Alberta and B.C. and throughout North America are reporting the best conditions in years, so now is the time to get off the couch and head for the hills to celebrate National Ski and Snowboard Week (January 18 to 26). Also, the temperature is often a few degrees warmer on the slopes.
For more information about skiing and snowboarding, check out http://www.xensei.com/users/bondu/snowboard/. The site includes links to global weather reports, clubs and events, tour packages, product lines, photography and movies, forums, online 'zines, etc. Or, to access amazing photos, personal interviews and coverage of all mountain sports, check out the Mountainzone site at http://www.mountainzone.com/toc.html
Free Stuff
This week FFWD is offering passes for the premiere of Fierce Creatures to be held Wednesday, January 22 at 7:30 pm at North Hill Cinema, co-presented with Rock 107 and Calgary 7 Television. Fierce Creatures is a comedy that unites the cast and creative team of A Fish Called Wanda in an all-new story about zoo managers who come up with a marketing scheme to boost attendance by stocking only "fierce creatures" - animals billed as vicious, man-eating predators to an unsuspecting public. But the zookeepers revolt at the prospect of destroying all the zoo's soft, cuddly animals.
To win passes, drop by the FFWD office with a non-perishable food item for the food bank and name the four actors who appear as the main characters in both movies.
Also, passes are available for the new film In Love & War, good throughout the run of the movie starting January 24. Go to any Future Shop CD Source location to pick up passes (see ad for locations).
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