Well Alberta, it's been a long journey, but you've made it. Congratulations old bean, you're finally 100 years old. It's really quite an accomplishment, you should be bloody proud of yourself. In fact, you should make a big spectacle of things, getting all sorts of celebrities together, like the British royalty and country music stars. Throw a party with TV cameras, over-priced tickets and all the other extravagant fixings to let everyone know just how swell you really are.

Doug McLean, self-effacing singer and guitarist for the Paperbacks, is no rock star wannabe. McLean and the band are creating a growing buzz the best way they can--by playing jangly, confessional pop to as many audiences as possible, and in doing so, proving there is a place in this world for well crafted music. Although McLean's trademark singing style instantly recalls the poppy greatness of his previous bands, such as the Bonaduces, he isn't too concerned with trying to imitate or surpass previous efforts.

Nearly 50 per cent of the world's population are nerds, but only 20 per cent are willing to admit it. Most nerds will hustle their pasty asses to a DDR dance mat or comic book store to avoid the descriptive. However, the Junior Boys accept and even embrace the title.

"Yeah, I guess we are nerds," laughs Jeremy Greenspan, half of the Hamilton electro-pop duo.

Kyle Reboyna, fourth-year Geology student and one of the potential drivers of the University of Calgary Solar Car, takes a sun-powered zip around Parking Lot 10 in the prototype car. The student-built car will represent the U of C in The North American Solar Challenge running from Austin, Texas to Calgary, Jul. 17-27. For details and information on how to donate to the project, visit www.calgarysolarteam.ca

Lunch with Weingarten

University of Calgary students and faculty have a rare chance to grill the man at the top.

U of C President Dr. Harvey Weingarten will address staff, students and the public Thu., Jun. 2 in Science Theaters 148 from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The name of his discussion is "39 Going on 40" and Weingarten will discuss the university's past and plans for the future. Attendees are invited to pack a lunch.

Students cash in on Royal Visit

With luck, the University of Calgary will be able to admit more students into high-demand programs this September.

The Access Growth Fund, part of Bill 1, commits $90 million to the province's post-secondary institutions over the next three years to increase access to existing programs. The initial Fast Track 2005 commitment promises to make $14 million available to institutions on a competitive basis this year alone, but the selection process has been criticized for not allowing enough time to fill new seats.

The last season finale has run its course, the summer solstice is a month away and the University of Calgary Community Garden wants to give students and community members a reason to get outside and enjoy Calgary's limited months of sunshine.

The U of C Community Garden occupies approximately 7,500 square feet of land west of Lot 10 and began as a 2001 U of C President's Challenge project. The garden is now in its fourth growing season as a venue to unite students, staff and community members to dig in the dirt.

Campus broadcaster NUTV is planning to pump up the volume in MacEwan Student Centre.

In September, NUTV hopes to revitalize its closed-circuit TV system by turning the volume up on the monitors located throughout the MSC food court during a daily two-hour programming window. Plans also include programming changes to highlight the best the station has to offer.

NUTV Staff Executive Director Michelle Wong hopes the changes will make the station more accessible to students.

A great deal of fuss has already been raised over local film maker Aaron Sorenson's Hank Williams First Nation. What raised filmgoers' eyebrows in recent weeks is Sorenson's tale of getting, or trying to get, funding for his project. No production company wanted to touch Hank Williams First Nation as it was, nor did they want to do a substantial script rewrite.

At first glance, it would appear Ron Callari and Jack Pittman try entirely too hard to fit in with the radical left by taking meaningless potshots at George W. Bush and Co. with their book Uncle Dubya's Jihad Jamboree. Upon further inspection, this proves correct. The book is nothing but a failed attempt at conveying any insight whatsoever on the subject of its critique and is cloaked in blind and self-destructive partisanship.