Golden Words
Encyclopedia
Golden Words is a weekly humour publication produced by students at Queen's University
in Kingston
, Ontario
. Currently, it is self-styled as the only humour weekly in Canada.
The paper was originally founded by the Engineering Society in 1967 to give the Engineering Society a voice on campus. Its very first cartoon contained an Engineer reading a copy of the Queen's Journal, thinking to himself "Ohh, what crap is this?". It has been published more or less continuously since inception, appearing every Wednesday for most of the autumn and winter terms, unless the editors have successfully gulled the readers into believing it had been shut down (as was the case in November-December 1988). Recent volumes have run 25 issues.
Along with the Queen's Journal
, it is one of the two main student-run publications on campus, and boasts a circulation of over 9,000.
The paper's humour style reflects its official motto: "Sola Veritas Est Qui Facit Ut Me in Merda", which translates to "Only The Truth Gets Me In Shit". Its printed humour is diverse, running the gamut from absurdist sketches and short stories to political satire and commentary on current events. Practical jokes have also figured prominently in its history, and are typically revealed in subsequent issues. Published parodies have included Queen's Journal (often appearing more than 24 hours early to coincide with the Journal' s publication day), the Queen's Gazette (for faculty and staff), the Kingston Whig-Standard, and Canada's (official) National Newspaper, The Globe and Mail
. (When parodied in the 1980s, The Globe and Mail itself reported that the Engineers had actually inserted the ersatz versions into the coin boxes in the Globe' s own lobby.) In September 1989, the masthead staff successfully stole the Greasepole (an engineering icon) from the first year students charged with protecting it - and ransomed it back to them for 100 cases of beer.
Although Golden Words is owned by the Engineering Society
, the paper attracts contributors (writers, artists, and editorial staff) from across the undergraduate population. Notable Golden Words alumni include humourist Jay Pinkerton
, screenwriter Elan Mastai, and 1000 Awesome Things
author Neil Pasricha.
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
in Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. Currently, it is self-styled as the only humour weekly in Canada.
The paper was originally founded by the Engineering Society in 1967 to give the Engineering Society a voice on campus. Its very first cartoon contained an Engineer reading a copy of the Queen's Journal, thinking to himself "Ohh, what crap is this?". It has been published more or less continuously since inception, appearing every Wednesday for most of the autumn and winter terms, unless the editors have successfully gulled the readers into believing it had been shut down (as was the case in November-December 1988). Recent volumes have run 25 issues.
Along with the Queen's Journal
The Queen's Journal
The Queen's Journal, or simply The Journal, is the main student-run newspaper at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. It was established in 1873, making it one of the oldest student newspapers in Canada. It is as old as the Harvard Crimson, the oldest continuously published student newspaper in...
, it is one of the two main student-run publications on campus, and boasts a circulation of over 9,000.
The paper's humour style reflects its official motto: "Sola Veritas Est Qui Facit Ut Me in Merda", which translates to "Only The Truth Gets Me In Shit". Its printed humour is diverse, running the gamut from absurdist sketches and short stories to political satire and commentary on current events. Practical jokes have also figured prominently in its history, and are typically revealed in subsequent issues. Published parodies have included Queen's Journal (often appearing more than 24 hours early to coincide with the Journal
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
. (When parodied in the 1980s, The Globe and Mail itself reported that the Engineers had actually inserted the ersatz versions into the coin boxes in the Globe
Although Golden Words is owned by the Engineering Society
Queen’s Engineering Society
Formed in 1897, the Engineering Society of Queen’s University, often known as EngSoc, is one of the oldest representative bodies for engineering students in Canada and continues to be a leader in student initiatives...
, the paper attracts contributors (writers, artists, and editorial staff) from across the undergraduate population. Notable Golden Words alumni include humourist Jay Pinkerton
Jay Pinkerton
Jay Pinkerton is a nationally published humorist and a former editor of both CRACKED.com and Cracked magazine.Prior to joining Cracked, Pinkerton served as the managing editor of NationalLampoon.com, the website of the national comedy and film brand...
, screenwriter Elan Mastai, and 1000 Awesome Things
1000 Awesome Things
1000 Awesome Things is a regularly updated, Webby Award winning blog written by Neil Pasricha, that posts one awesome thing in life each weekday. The site was launched on June 20, 2008 with #1000 Broccoflower and is counting down until it hits #1. The topics covered on the blog are varied, and...
author Neil Pasricha.