25 Years Ago in Nexus: December 2, 2015 issue

Views December 2, 2015

At least there was no danger of a chemical explosion: Our November 27, 1990 issue had a rather alarming headline on the front page: “Chemicals present safety concern at Camosun.” Turns out that a new paper recycling and chemical storage area being built on the Lansdowne campus had Rinn Rapp, who was Camosun’s chemistry coordinator at the time, a bit worried. “We’re concerned about the whole safety aspect,” said Rinn. “While there is no danger of a chemical explosion, ventilation and condensation inside the temporary storage shed remain a far cry from ideal conditions.”

Language learnin’: In the Everyone Who Loves column, then-Camosun chaplain Clare Holmes mused on the word (and the concept of) wellness. Too bad that, at the time, computers’ spellcheck didn’t like it, Holmes laments in the column. Good news: I just tested and it looks like “wellness” gets a green light from spellcheck these days.

Macaroni shower: Again: macaroni shower. That was the phrase that caught my eye while scanning through the story “KD-fests sweeping the nation?” Not knowing what a macaroni shower or a KD-fest is, but obviously wanting to find out, I read on. Turns out, back in 1990 it was all the rage to find your least-favourite politician and toss Kraft Dinner at them. Indeed, during an appearance at York University on November 5, 1990, then-prime minister Brian Mulrooney was on the receiving end of a macaroni shower.