With November nearing its end, the Christmas season is finally upon us. But what does Christmas mean anymore? Is it still a religious holiday to reflect on the birth of Christ or have Wal-Mart and Coca-Cola completely secularized (and commercialized) it into a month-long shopping frenzy? Also, what the hell is wrong with the Dutch Santa Claus, and why does he own black slaves?

This week’s program features the Sheaf’s copy editor Greg Reese and web editor Ishmael Daro.

You can download or listen to the mp3 file here. Otherwise, use the player below. You can also subscribe to the podcast via RSS or on iTunes.

Relevant Links

Ӣ A Canadian University Press article arguing that Christmas is now a fully secular holiday.

Ӣ Was Dr. Seuss religious? Some people think so.

”¢ David Sedaris’s Christmas story about the Netherlands’ “Six to Eight Black Men.”

Ӣ Season of joy? Facebook data shows that a lot of people get dumped in December.

Ӣ The creepy stop-motion animation of Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer and The Little Drummer Boy.

Ӣ Dutch Santa, Sinterklaas, arrives in Rotterdam by boat with dozens of black slaves helpers.

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image: Flickr
opening: Patrick Stewart reading A Christmas Carol
music: Jason Silver
This podcast is distributed under a Creative Commons license, so do with it what you please.

The Sheaf’s recent parody issue, featuring genital warts, fat jokes and two dildos on the cover, has raised the ire of Saskatchewan’s beloved conservative talk radio host John Gormley, who describes it as “boy-driven potty humour” and the Sheaf as an “anarcho-syndicalist collective.”

Of course, controversy and criticism are part of any campus newspaper’s operations and the adVerb is only one example. This week, we address John Gormley’s criticisms and talk about some other recent Sheaf controversies, as well as what role a newspaper plays in the campus community.

This week’s program features the Sheaf’s editor-in-chief Ashleigh Mattern as well as layout editor Matthew Stefanson and web editor Ishmael Daro.

You can download or listen to the mp3 file here. Otherwise, use the player below. You can also subscribe to the podcast via RSS or on iTunes.

Relevant links:

The Sheaf’s 2010 parody issue, the adVerb.
John Gormley’s April 12 program discussing the parody.
The November 6, 2008 issue featuring a controversial Remembrance Day article.
The 2006 Capitalist Piglet controversy and the comic itself. [The image is only provided for context. We do not wish to offend anyone unnecessarily and have therefore chosen not to repost the comic, but only link to it.]

Weekend Assignments

Each week, we hope to give out a “reading list” of things people should look up or reconnect with.

Ishmael’s pick: A New York Times article about the American “Tea Party” movement and what sort of voters identify as Tea Party supporters.
Ashleigh’s picks: Our much-maligned parody issue, the adVerb, as well as the consistently hilarious satirical news of the Onion.
Matthew’s pick: The music of Norwegian artist Ida Maria.

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Music: Esprit de Famille by Juicy lee and Sweet Light by BertycoX / image: Flickr
This podcast is distributed under a Creative Commons license, so do with it what you please.

We are all just children at heart, or maybe we are just stuck in a perpetual adolescence. This week we discuss nostalgia for our childhoods, why today’s cartoons are awful, and why we always seem to come back to the things we grew up with.

This week’s program features Sheaf editors Matthew Stefanson, Holly Culp, Ishmael Daro and Rory MacLean.

You can download or listen to the mp3 file here. Otherwise, use the player below. You can also subscribe to the podcast, which would be awesome. We’re even on iTunes.

Weekend Assignments

Each week, we hope to give out a “reading list” of things people should look up or reconnect with.

Holly’s picks: The classic Canadian Log Driver’s Waltz and Polly Pocket.
Rory’s pick: The old cartoon Thundercats, much of which is available on YouTube.
Ishmael’s pick: The hilarious, if often confusing, G.I. Joe PSA parodies.
Matthew’s picks: The music of Len, Shaggy and Limp Bizkit.

SNIT from YTV’s The Zone

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This podcast is distributed under a Creative Commons license, so do with it what you want.

The always entertaining Jim Pankiw recently relaunched his political efforts with a news conference and a flashy new website. It doesn’t really matter that there’s no election. Join the Sheaf’s news editor Rory MacLean and web editor Ishmael Daro for a look at Pankiw’s campaign, his ideas and his website.

The mp3 file is here. Otherwise, use the player below. You can also subscribe to the podcast, which would be awesome. We’re even on iTunes.

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The Pankiw Press Conference

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Podcast music: David Nilsson – There’s Something Wrong in Robot City

In order to get the ball rolling on the multimedia branch of the Sheaf, we present: the Spamcast. Join the Sheaf’s production manager Matthew Stefanson and news editor Rory Maclean as they discuss the worst food ever made.

The next one will be more serious. Though not much more.

The mp3 file is here. Otherwise, use the player below. You can also subscribe to the podcast, which would be awesome.

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photo: Luke Siemens