@prefix edm: . @prefix dcterms: . @prefix dc: . @prefix skos: . edm:dataProvider "CONTENTdm"@en ; dcterms:isReferencedBy "http://resolve.library.ubc.ca/cgi-bin/catsearch?bid=1211252"@en ; dcterms:isPartOf "University Publications"@en ; dcterms:issued "2015-08-27"@en, "2004-11-10"@en ; edm:aggregatedCHO "https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/Ubysseynews/items/1.0127009/source.json"@en ; dc:format "application/pdf"@en ; skos:note """ O^P 5 www.ubyssey.be. ca Wednesday,, November 10, 2004 Volume 86 Issue 18 Remembering stuff since 1918 Maclean's ranks UBC fourth Up from fifth place last year, but lower ratings for teaching by Sarah Bourdon and Dan McRoberts NEWS EDITORS Maclean's magazine has announced its 2004 Canadian university rankings, placing UBC fourth out of 15 medical/doctoral universities in the country. Though UBC has moved up one spot from last year's fifth place rating, the university has not regained the former second place ranking that it enjoyed in 2001, and it received below average marks for teaching from students who had graduated from UBC. "It's all useful information for us," said Scott Macrae, director of Public Affairs for UBC. "We do look at that and if there are things we see in these and say well we need to improve, then that's good information for the university." The University of Toronto was ranked first for the eleventh year in a row, and was followed by McGill University in second place and the University of Western Ontario in third. Queens University dropped to fifth place after being tied with Western for third place lastyear. "I think we've felt for a long time that certainly within the top ten there's a lot of bumping around/ said Macrae, who added that he does not see the rankings as an indication of the overall worth of the institutions in question. "It's not really as though people think that the university is any better or worse having read our new position." UBC did improve in several categories—the average high school marks of the students entering UBC rose, improving the ranking in that area; class sizes decreased, bringing UBC up to ninth place from eleventh for first and second-year classes, and to 14 from 15 for third and fourth- year classes. In addition, the number of tenured faculty teaching at the school increased, bringing that Smells like team spirit EnthusiasticThunderbirds fans got their fix of basketball on the opening night of the regular season last Friday, November 5. max yinan wang photo rating up to 12 from 15. UBC's placing in the student awards category remained unchanged. "Some things are fairly hearSning/ saw! Macrae. "Things like graduate scholarships. Classes taught by tenured faculty I think is an important one because it indicates that we're getting more seasoned senior teachers in front of students." But the news was not all good for UBC, as recent graduates gave the school below average marks on student services and quality of education. A new feature of the Maclean's rankings had students who graduated in 1999, 2000 and 2001 evaluate the overall quality of their university experience. Macrae believes that the dire economic conditions facing UBC at that time may have had an impact on the students' responses. "The real effects of the tuition freeze were starting to be felt [at that time]," Macrae explained. "You can see then some of the impacts ofthat* ,^„./ The tuition freeze cause erences between UBC and other Canadian schools, said Macrae. "What had happened is that UBC had fallen more than 50 per cent behind the rest of Canada in terms of tuition," he said. "It takes a little while for effect of the new money to show up in the system. "I think the fact that we've gone up in the rankings shows the result of some of that tuition increase going to these things." Still, there is lots of room for improvement, said Macrae. "It isn't to say that we couldn't be doing better," he said. "There are very few areas where we could say that we couldn't improve...We are still See "Rankings"page 2. Blix blasts US on fraq WELCOME WORDS: Hans Blix shakes hands with opening speaker Dr W. Allsopp. levi barnett photo by Sarah Bourdon NEWS EDITOR In a sold-out lecture at UBC on Monday evening, former United Nations (UN) chief weapons inspector Hans Blix criticised the US' approach to Iraq and emphasised the importance of getting things right when it comes to international decision-making. "We have witnessed that the swift actions of the world's superpower have been costly," said Blix, referring to the US' decision to invade Iraq in 2003. "In foreign affairs, as in medicine, all problems require a correct diagnosis." Blix left his post as Executive Chairman of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission in June 2003. He returned to his home country of Sweden where he was asked to form an independent international commission on weapons of mass destruction. In the lecture, Blix focused on the UN's role in curbing nuclear proliferation, citing the organisation's first resolution in 1946, which stated that nuclear energy only be used for peaceful purposes. Maintaining such a focus is still an essential part of the UN, said Blix. "The need is still there, only greater," he explained, adding that although the UN is often viewed as "a talkshop, unable to act* and has been criticised for lacking clout in the Iraq situation, it has an important role in the world. "The UN was not created to take us to heaven, but to prevent us from going to hell," Blix stated. Certain changes should be made to restructure the organisation and increase the voices of currently underrepresented states. "Economic strength and size of states are important," he explained. Despite this, he stated that the UN needs to be more representative of the world's population and have a greater focus on the General Assembly, not just on the power of the Security Council nations. Blix went on to address the changing face of conflict in the world. While territorial and ideological conflicts have been See "Blix" page 2. Students to analyse SUB's sustainability by Will Keats-Osborn NEWS WRITER A group of students from the Agricultural Science faculty are planning to assess the ecological footprint of the Student Union Building (SUB). The project is being spearheaded by Jill Dalton, a second-year agricultural science student, and Maggie Baynham, a third-year agricultural science student, with the cooperation of Lyle McMahon, the VP Administration for the Alma Mater Society (AMS). The students are planning to work with the UBC-based Sustainable Development Research Initiative (SDRI) to develop a software program based on QUEST, a program designed in part by the SDRI as a way for public and private interests to organise the vast amounts of information needed to make decisions relevant to the sustainability of the cpmmftinitgr. "There [arej iiiiie facets of sus^ tainability that it looks at through a series of questions, and then from that it can graph where your strengths and where your weaknesses are," Baynham said. "We would go in and work with the AMS managers of each of the businesses, find out what types of energy inputs they're using, where the food's coming from, all sorts of different categories in terms of energy, transportation...food preparation and projection, and we input all this data into the software," Dalton elaborated. The software then calculates how much land is required to sustain that level of consumption. "We are always working to try See "Eco-footprinf'page 2. THIS ISSUE: FEATURE: 60 years kter, they remember A visit to Juno Beach gives a personal look at D-Day and war veterans. Pages 8-9. CULTURE: Seeing Saw Interviewing the writer of the newest horror thriller. Page 13. EDITORIAL: Memories of war What Remembrance Day should mean. Page 14. FEEDBACKOUBYSSEY.BC.CA WWW.UBYSSEY.BC:CA xfl WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2004 NEWS THE UBYSSEY ClASSIFIEDS CALL FOR SUBMISSION. WHO? THE SEED-UBC'S CANADIAN STUDIES PUBLICATION. What? Essays, poetry, photography & printable media with a Canadian Focus. Contact? talynm@shaw.ca or taardmariin@hotmail.com ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF B.C. JOINT AIA/ASBC LECTURE Wednesday, November 10, 2004 8:00pm H.R. MacMillian Space Centre Auditorium (Planetarium) 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver, BC. 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TEACH ENGLISH WORLDWIDE. Earn $5$. Get TESOL Certified in 5-days. Study In-class, Online or by Correspondence. No Degree or Experience Needed. To learn more come to a FREE Info Seminar this Tuesday @ 6pm,# 330, 475 Howe St. 1- 888-270-2941 globaltesol.com xira-cumcuiar WWW.PRIDEUBC.COM: An AMS Resource Group for gay, lesbian, bisexual, rransgendered students and allies. Visit our website for events and info! CLASSIFIEDS FOR STUDENTS! looking for a roommate? Gotsometmng Orlust nave an —rannouncementto maKe?^— If you are a student, you can place classifieds for FREE! for more information, visit Room 23 in the SUB (basement) or call 822-1654. -:2);^tafff-^ Xx':-x'X..' XXX . "xxx'x x.x ..:'-:1'ft;:\\-:. ■;xx/ . :-X'Xi nfSjf'Not ^ :;f;:4V;first:;Nations|^ ;;::6>;|P'OtIuck:ft;;::>f^ x r'tyMndi: of (year ^p^if^Zxy^y Z$}: Beer '■■■ gar cl^riv f-, iffSlllii Wednesday at nppri siifii Improvements can be made to teaching, says student "Rankings" from page 1. struggling with class sizes, but we have made some improvement there this year. "We're trending in the right direction and we look forward to even better performance in the coming years." One UBC student said that teaching is a major area needing improvement at UBC, and that the school's research focus sometimes stands in the way of students getting the most out of their classes. "A lot of these professors are here to do research, and they're on the leading edge of the research which is great but they're not great teachers," said Andrea Dowd, a third-year Human Kinetics student "The sacrifice is that the university wants to be on par with the other universities as far as leading edge with their research but then when it comes to the actual teaching capability of the individuals...They don't know how to teach." Dowd explained the situation in one of her classes, where the professor is unable to meet the needs of all of the students in the class. "He doesn't know how to teach people that aren't at his level," said Dowd. "I went to him for help and said I'm a mature student, I don't have math or physics, and he said to me, what the hell are you doing in my class?" Though this is the situation in only one classroom, Dowd feels that there has been a general lack of improvement in teaching over the last few years. "We're paying for the teachers to be there," she said. "Now, instead of $175 when I came three years ago, I'm paying $400 for my course. The classes are not getting any smaller and the teachers are not getting any better." Another student feels that though she would not rate UBC at the top of the pile, the faculty deserves the fourth-place ranking in Maclean's. "I think the faculty at UBC is pretty good, they're ok," said the student, who did not want to be named. "I would say half of my experience has been good and the other half has been so-so. There could be some improvement "Fourth place is probably good. I wouldn't say UBC would be the highest and I definitely know that the way they teach at some colleges, for example, they are much better. But for a big university, fourth is about right" ♦ Former weapons inspector has pro-UN message "Blix" from page 1. * terror attack, such as the US'"antic- including the event's opening disappearing since the end of the Cold War, weapons of mass destruction in the hands of "volatile states" have become a great concern. "It is Iran and North Korea which today make us hold our breath," he said, adding that he hopes that both countries will renounce all nuclear activities and accept international parties' monitoring initiatives. Blix also made recommendations for methods of dealing with terrorists, suggesting that "intensified international cooperation in day-to-day field work* in the area of intelligence is necessary. "Terrorists do not live on clouds, but must have their feet on states," said Blix, emphasising that states need to limit terrorist access to materials and resources, and ensure that their countries are not used to harbour such groups. However, anti-terrorism requires an international approach, not unilateral action from a single state, according to Blix, who opposed the US' choice to act against the known will of the UN Security Council. "After 9/11, the mood was to punish the perpetrators," he explained. Alternatively, the UN approach was "mainly about the best way and best time to tackle the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction." Since September 11, Blix said that most governments see it as their duty to take action to prevent a terror attack, such as the US' "anticipatory self-defense" toward Iraq. However, such preventative measures depend on intelligence, which is not always reliable and can have devastating effects if proven to be false. He likened some of the US' antiterrorism operations to "using cannons against mosquitoes," reiterating that "such operations, whether "The UN was not created to take us to heaven, but to prevent us from, going to hell/7 —HailS BllX eration." including the event's, opening speaker, Dr W. Herbert Allsopp, honorary consul general for the Repubhc of Ghana. "This talk was very good, especially for young people, and the people at UBC, to reflect on where we need to go from here," said Allsopp, after the lecture. "It's important in a multicultural country like Canada to realise the importance of discussion." Several students in attendance were also inspired by Blix's words. "It was an exceptional speech. Especially the part where he debunked a number of myths, specifically that the UN has independent capacity to act," said Tim Radcliffe, a UBC law student "A lot of people say well why didn't the UN do this, why didn't the UN do that? The UN is simply a forum for coop- Former UN chief weapons inspector for punishment or counter-proliferation, are unacceptable. "I confess I see dangers in the road we are travelling taken by the US administration," Blix said. However, he expressed hope that the recently re-elected Bush administration will use US power to act as a "lead wolf" instead of a "lone wolf in future international situations. The lecture was met by support from many audience members, XL S nice to JUCOI such a powerful role, such an authoritative figure to not just be a figurehead but to actually have substance and arguments and a real command of the issues," added Murray McCutcheon, a graduate student in physics at UBC. In concluding his talk, Blix discussed his hope for greater reliance on international resources in the future and encouraged the audience to learn from situations such as the war in Iraq. "The most important thing we take with us is the need for balance and restraint for people everywhere in our dealing with others." ♦ Eco-footprint may be a yearly assessment for the SUB RANDOM GRAPHICS ;: SINGE 1918 "Eco-footprint" from page 1. to improve the ways that our businesses have an effect on the environment, and we try to minimise the negative effect that those businesses have," McMahon said, citing the sale of fair-trade coffee from the SUB vendors, the recently initiated effort to replace siyro- foam in the SUB with biodegradable alternatives derived from corn and sugar cane, and the ethical purchasing policy that is already in effect in all AMS businesses. Baynham also pointed out the compost facility that is being opened by the UBC Farm as a way to reduce waste. The main goal of the project is to evaluate the effectiveness of present and future sustainability initiatives implemented by the AMS. "The eco footprint isn't really the be-all-end-all/ Dalton warned. "It's a tool that's used to measure how much land we're using and how much environmental impact we have." McMahon hopes that the project will be ongoing. "Being able to document that footprint year to year we can document the success or the failure of some of those initiatives. It also helps us prioritize the projects that we might consider," he said. "This is a very valuable source of information that can lead our managers and the executive in the right direction in years to come." "The AMS businesses have taken a lot of really great first steps and we want to recognise that and acknowledge that...We're trying to encourage them to keep taking more and more steps toward sustainability/ Dalton said. An ecological footprint "is something tangible that people can look at and say 'wow, we're actually making some change." They hope to have a trial assessment of one AMS business done by the spring. The project is a student-run initiative based in a program called Global Resource Systems, which is a flexible interdisciplinary program that encourages understanding of global sustainability issues through a very independent, open- ended curriculum. Additionally, the students will conduct the project as a Social, Ecological, Economic Development Studies (SEEDS) research project. SEEDS is a program that is run out of the UBC Sustainability Office that encourages interested proactive students, faculty and staff to participate in improving the sustainability of the UBC campus, and allows students to earn credit for their work. ♦ i t.fj S-K MHO) THE UBYSSEY NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2004 i Historical geographer receives Order of Canada Retired UBC professor honoured by Canadian government for work on mapping country's historical landscape by Peggy Truong NEWS WRITER Former UBC professor Dr Cole Harris has received the distinguished title of the Officer of the Order of Canada for his work in the field of historical geography. Harris completed his combined undergraduate honours degree in geography and history at UBC in 1958. He began by studying early Quebec, looking at the changes in French social customs and law as the French population increased. Continuing his studies in southern France, Harris took a landscape history course at the University of Montpellier before completing graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin. "The landscapes in Southern France are so richly textured - the human imprint on the land stood out so obviously," said Harris. "That experience and family history, trying to make a life out of this different land, influenced me a lot I've always been interested in the interface of land and people, how they are tied to each other." Harris began teaching at UBC in the 1960s and retired in 2002. During this time, he has had numerous publications, won several awards and has edited an historical atlas of Canada. For the last ten years his main focus has been BC history His current project is a book on pre-Confederation Canada. Spanning the 1500s to 1870, the book discusses issues including native territory, trade, expansion and settlement "It's a general account from the perspective of someone interested in society and land, space and environment* said Harris. "I find that the country's rich foundation of aboriginals is amazing." According to Harris, the biggest threat to preserving the native culture in Canada resides in resource distribution. Affected by colonisation and cultural genocide, native societies are struggling, he said. "The basic reason is that they've lost much of their access to resources," he explained. "Here in BC we need to rethink our allocation of fish, forest lands. The basic challenge is to retumsome larger access to resources." '* BC's Nisga'a treaty is going in the right direction, Harris explained, adding that some form of renegotiation needs to happen in order to return some of the access to resources to the native people. Regarding public participation, he emphasised that policies to-wards native people have always been driv- MAPPING A DISTINGUISHED CAREER: UBC's Cole Harris honoured for life's work, nic fensom photo en by popular values. "Changes are not going to happen unless there is a public approval behind government decisions." Compared to American native history, Canadian history is structured very differently, said Harris. "We are differently composed. We are a collection of scattered peoples living across Canada," he explained. "The native presence exists at the backdoor everywhere across the country, which is not the case in the- VSl" '"'"'-"^ The geography department at UBC has been very helpful in Harris' research and he is very grateful. "To be able to work on the Canadian past from inside the department is always appreciated because of its rich context of good students, social theorists and resources." Ending the interview with an excerpt from Margaret Atwood's "The Animals in That Country," Harris espriessecl Ms passion fit' about this country," he said. "As a his torical geographer, living in the borderland of geography and history has been a very nice place to be in. "Just reporting on history isn't quite what it's about. History is always selective, always passing through the prisms of imagination. For me, I want to say exactly what I want to say, as concisely and succinctly as I can. I want to be able to get.''a^iGaufy.iii^cate thought expressed crisply and clearly ;as possible^ ^ Writing is about thinking clearly."* 'il Bike corridor funding aimed at increasing number of cyclists fi t.fj _ if UBC TREK drafting proposal to use provincial funding to widen Marine Drive routes BIKE FRIENDLY: Cyclists gain space on BC roads, nic fensom photo by Paul Evans NEWS STAFF The BC Ministry of Transportation has announced $2 million dollars in spending for bike corridors that it hopes will increase the number of cyclists who commute to and from work. Municipalities will have until November 19 to submit proposals for safe and efficient projects to the government. "By creating these bike corridors, the whole idea is to strength en what's known as inter-modal forms of transportation transport," said Dave Crebo, spokesperson for the Ministry of Transportation. "It's [biking] good for the environment, it's a good, healthy form of exercise and hopefully will reduce congestion on the roads as well." Individual projects can receive a maximum allowance of $250 000 and all funding will have to be matched by the municipality, said Crebo. The $2 million would cover this fiscal year and the next one as well (approximately 18 months altogether) and Crebo hopes that the initiative will occupy a $1 rnillion line in the budget in the years to come. He suggested that the federal government has shown interest in the initiative in discussions with the province, which could translate into even more funding next year if the federal government decides to get on board. UBC TREK intends to take advantage of this offer and is currently drafting a proposal that would seek to widen the existing road along Southwest Marine Drive and create two 4.3 metre- wide travel lanes. "Basically it focuses on improving the cycling facilities along Southwest Marine Drive. Specifically, it looks at constructing marked wide curb lanes along Marine Drive from...just east of Gate 7 all the way to West Mall," said Carole Jolly, TREK Program Manager. The project, costing approximately "$160,000, will be split evenly between UBC, the provincial government and Translink. "What we're looking at is a partnership because this road is continuous with the UBC property line, between the province, because it's a provincial road, with Translink because it's a regionally significant bike route, and with UBC because obviously it's being facilitated and servicing UBC as well," said Gordon Lovegrove, Director of Transportation at TREK. These proposed changes, while beneficial, don't go far enough, said Gerry Goodlef, a cyclist who uses the Southwest Marine Drive route between four and five times per week. "They should have at least a plan that gives a wide enough and safe, obviously designated bike path. And that needs to be one where only perhaps one cyclist basically keeps inside a line and have a comfort level that makes him feel safe riding his bike. And that's not there, and it won't be there, even with these new improvements." Goodlef recounted a situation in which he was nearly brushed by a truck. He had just cycled past the Museum of Anthropology and was heading north when a large truck attempted to pass him. The situation deteriorated when another truck coming in the opposite direc tion became visible. The passing truck crossed the median in order to leave enough distance to get around Goodlef but had to swerve back into the lane to avoid a collision with the oncoming truck, nearly knocking Goodlef off his bike. Goodlef thinks that UBC needs to develop a master plan that would address the issue of cyclist safety on campus before someone gets killed. "I'd love to be sat down in front of [UBC President] Piper and her bunch, and almost ring these people's necks and give their heads a shake. And let's get the big picture for safety... let's get it right," said Goodlef "Let's try to do something that puts the commuter, the cyclist, in a safe factor, riot in a marginally safer factor, but in a safe factor— that means a designated bike path." However, Southwest Marine Drive does not lend itself to bike lanes, said Jolley. "In order to do bike lanes you have to have a much wider roadway and because of the location of that road, it'isfri^gixt bgr; the cliffr there's erosion to be considered.* This coupled with ^e |Mt th^ the existing levels of parking must be maintained lead Jolly to a decisive conclusion. "Southwest Marine Drive does not have; py >^ not have- Tjike -lanesj'f $►,-.' ;^"K;-V. ■''-''y'^yC-r': |«tt__l___gi___tiii__BAHi^ti___l _nTlTiffrk^r^-*J^"«»wsi*»q 4 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2004 NEWS THE UBYSSEY 2138 WESTERN PARKWAY, VANCOUVER (on Campus, beside Bank of Montreal) CopiesPlus C O P Y HlM AG I N G C E N T; R E 1950 West Broadway Vancouver, BC 604-731-7868 ww w. cop i e5 p I us; ca Large Selection of DVD, VHS & GAMES for your enjoyment! 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Schedule' Totem Park ■> ,.. / 8:30 ■ -1 O^O ;42:30.- 2:30 '• 4;30 Place Vanier; • ' 8:40 :.f] 0:40. jft2:4G 2:40 4:40 ■ Walter.Gage,' ':..'■■"• y 8:50 f 10:50;\\ 12:5C>: 2:50;:. .'4:50, .Fajrview/Acadia [ [ 9:00.; 11:00 ' 'bOO •. :3:00^ .•■■5;00' ->l c limvirtitbloc Arrive at'IKEA Depart IKEA- 9ft3p:- 1 '1:30f,t:J;:30 !3:30:- -5:30. 9f45-: :T i:A5 ■"■'.: p'45" .3:45^'5:45- WRITING HISTORY: UBC's program turns 40. trevor gilks photo 40 years of creativity University celebrates anniversary of writing program with panel discussions by Michelle Sz NEWS WRITER UBC alumni authors from around the country gathered last Wed-nes- day to celebrate forty years of creative writing education in UBC, a- long with the retirement of creative writing professor George McWhir- ter. Panel discussions were held over a period of two days to examine the history and evolution of creative writing teaching. A series of five panels were held at Green College Coach House and the Neville Scarfe Building. Panels consisting of writers and educators explored ideas on teaching methods used in workshops, vocational angst in a post-modern age and many other topics. "It is high time we had these panels/ said Andreas Schroeder, a creative writing professor at UBC. 'UBC has produced many well-published authors, and it's thrilling how such a huge number of [successful people have] gathered here to promote and expand creative writing. * "[These panel discussions] are very unique and let UBC students see what it's like to have a creative writing career out of school,* said Belinda Bruce, author and UBC alumna. "There's a sense of assurance that comes out of these gatherings; everyone else, like yourself, is struggling to maintain the art." UBC was the first university in Canada to introduce creative writing into its curriculum. The panel discussions mark the first time that initiative was taken to publicly discuss issues regarding this discipline. "UBC has a revolutionary, highly regarded program, and as world- class writers, we all carry pieces of what we learned here out to the world," said Cathy Ford, writer and UBC alumna. In one panel, writers discussed the advantages and harm of instruction on theory in the courses. Some consider theory as damaging. Many students could be deeply harmed by the competition and writing is killed when they follow format Others criticised the fact that UBC has little or no theoretical underlying in its classes. Most panelists agreed with writer and educator Beth Kaplan, who said "you can't teach writing, but you can teach confidence and passion." The majority of the panelists had a positive recollection of their time spent at UBC. One writer said that UBC established an environment for scrutiny and criticism, yet had a supportive atmosphere at the same time. UBC provided a retreat from the chaos of the world for writers to focus entirely on their work. "Often you feel really alone and isolated in your position as a writer," said Kaplan. "You need someone to care and trust your work with, and such a creative partner is really important in the process of producing a work. It's not enough to write, but you have to learn how to sell and market your book." As for George McWhirter, the professor is retiring after serving as a faculty member in the program for 35 years. In appreciation of his years in the department, McWhirter's colleagues prepared The Book of George, a tribute consisting of reflections by his peers and students. Luanne Armstrong, moderator of one of the panels, said that McWhirter is one of the best teachers she has ever had. "He is an amazing human being. In a period of two years, he transformed us into poets—it was like magic* "It is hard to find a teacher who has such a moving influence,* said Schroeder, fellow graduate of McWhirter. "George is a special guy. He is truly one of the mythical teachers you hear about but rarely find." ♦ y i THE UBYSSEY NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2004 t u Roundtable message lives on AN INSPIRING BUNCH: New projects have come out of April's Roundtable disscussions. carey linoe/institute of asian research pkotg by Cynda Ashton NEWS WRITER This past April, UBC was the gathering point for a group of five acclaimed educators with the agenda of discussing the importance of a heart-mind balance in modern society. Among the panelists were the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, his Holiness the Dalai Lama, a^tid 'i-'his~ fellow Nobel Peace Prize winners, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Professor Shi- rin Ebadi, as well as Rabbi Zalman Scha-chter- Shalomi and Dr Jo-Ann Archibald, a professor at UBC. Since that time several initiatives have emerged at UBC that are attempting to further the message brought to Canada by the Dalai Lama and the other speakers. The motivating force behind the Dalai Lama's visit to Vancouver was the launching of the Contemporary Tibetan Studies Program, said Professor Tim Brook, who will oversee the program. "It's the perfect time to position UBC,* he explained, noting that no other Tibetan studies programs exist in Canada at this point. The program will also distinguish itself from other programs worldwide. "Rather than being organised around the Tibetan religious tradition, the program seeks to understand the complex conditions shaping the lives and expectations of Tibetans today," Brook added. He believes that the presence of the Dalai Lama at the opening ceremony will "help carry the project to completion.* "It'.s treanendously iraportant to have someone who preaches non-violence,* he said. "It's not that he has any particular power himself, it's that he represents an entirely different way of doing things.* The impact of the Dalai Lama's visit and the roundtable is still being felt at the university today. Maraiba Christu explained that she feels the Dalai Lama's message is a fundamental one. "It's really important to keep his message alive and to incorporate it into student life, not just the lives of educators,* she said With this in mind, she set about developing The Heart-Mind Community Circle for students at UBC. "Whether we're religious, spiritualist, or hu manist, it's important that we remember that sense of the sacred,* she explained, going on to emphasise how the circle helps students learn to apply the knowledge they gain at university to greater social benefit. The circle itself is adapted from First Nations tradition, said Christu. A talking piece is used in order to prevent interruptions and to promote communication. Individuals are not forced to speak but all in attendance are given y equal npppjrtf^ "We like to think of it as providing a support network for students,* Christu said of the circle. "It builds a sense of community." There is no predetermined topic of discussion in the circle. Participants are able to share their thoughts and emotions freely and to help one another to focus amidst the stresses of academic life. "It's the first step in a much larger program," Christu mused, adding that "the seed has been planted." The circle will be holding its second meeting on Wednesday, November 10 from 2-3 pm in room 207 in the SUB. As well, CBC's documentation of the Roundtable will be available for viewing at the Wellness Centre on Friday, November 12 at 5:30pm. ♦ Langara student union ejects anti-war group Activists hijacked committee, misused funds, says student councillor by Jonathan Woodward BC BUREAU CHIEF VANCOUVER (CUP)-The student union at Vancouver's Langara College has banned two "defamatory and disruptive* activists from its property, accusing them of hijacking a student committee and trying to funnel hundreds of dollars of student union money into their anti-war group. Organiser Nicole Burton and co-chair Kira Daley, both of the Movement Against War and Occupation, were escorted out of the Langara student union building Oct 25, when student councillors decided the only way to fix the committee was to dissolve it and start again. "We had no idea of the extent to which they were taking over our peace and social issues committee," said student councillor Erin Sikora. "We had no idea about the bills they sent us for things that were not legitimate.* As part of organising a week of student activism at the college in mid-September, Burton was commissioned with making $200 worth of buttons bearing the student union logo. Instead, the pins came back with only the antiwar group's logo, and Burton requested reim bursement for the cost. Speakers during the week from the group were given $300, which the student union was also expected to pay, said Sikora. The student union is also on the hook for over a thousand photocopies of the anti-war group's posters. "They kept trying new ways to get money, and the fact that they kept trying to put one by us is unacceptable,* said Sikora. The anti-war group can no longer organise on campus nor accept money from the student union. Sikora said when confronted about the spending, the two hid behind charges of racism and sexism, making it impossible for them to work with the student union. That's why they were expelled, she said. But Burton said the expulsion had more to do with the harassment claim Burton and Daley filed against a permanent student union staffer, Richard Bell. During a meeting, the three got into a shouting match that ended with Bell yelling, "Shut up!" according to Burton. "When an older man says such things to two younger women, these complaints of harassment should be taken seriously and should be investigated,* she said. In a forum Nov. 2, Burton and Daley called themselves the Langara Two and started a petition to repeal their ban from the building, which they still pay student fees to maintain. A flyer at the forum, titled Women, Harassment and Abuse, vowed to "outline and expose the sexist attack and violation of women's rights that occurred last week." But the student union's women's liaison saw the exchange with Bell and had no problem with it, said Sikora. ' " "They're claiming that this is about women's rights?" she said. "It's ridiculous." The Movement Against War and Occupation was formed by members of another group kicked out of the prominent Vancouver anti-war coalition StopWar.ca a year ago, said Rick Gordon, a philosophy professor at Langara and a StopWar.ca organiser. For more than a year they hijacked committees, usurped power, spent money without approval, and liberally defamed people who didn't agree with them, Gordon said. "The student union," he said, "woke up to this faster than StopWar.ca did.* *> Alberta bound UBC VP Research Indira Sama- ra-sekera will soon be braving the cold of Edmonton when she assumes the presidency of the University of Alberta on July 1, 2005. A former professor at UBC's engineering faculty, Samarasekera has been a part of the campus community for 28 years. "I am truly feeling fortunate that such an opportunity would present itself," she said. UBC President Martha Piper said that the university will miss Samarasekera's direct contribution. "Indira's commitment, her strategic focus, and her thirst for innovation will be missed. But we look forward to working with her in her new role to address the issues of importance to Canadian universities," Piper said in a pressrelease. For more coverage on Dr Samarasekera's time at UBC and her jieyrM:appointment watch for next Tuesday's Ubyssey: Ujjal giveth 41 health research projects at UBC have been awarded $18.5 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh announced Wednesday. The UBC projects are among 442 initiatives nation-wide that received a total of $ 187 million in federal funding. The research to be funded ranges from investigations of improved drug delivery methods to a hormone involved in obesity and diabetes. UBC President Martha Piper praised the federal government's commitment to health research in a statement released to media. Lest we forget UBC is moving its annual Remembrance Day service to the main gym at War Memorial Gym in anticipation of increased attendance for the event. Held in the main foyer of the facility since its opening in 19- 51, the ceremony has attracted more than 500 people in re-cent years. The program for the ceremony includes music from the UBC School of Music as well as an address from Dr Richard Price, the associate director ofthe university's Centre of International Relations. Wreaths will also be laid on behalf of twenty organisations. Everyone can attend the event, with doors opening at 10:00 am. The ceremony is expected to last for approximately 45 minutes. ♦ rittnUn ________■ ■P^T^im-jrJ.wwiftfw; iv«'H3A. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2004 NATIONAL THE UBYSSEY UPCOMING FILMS Screenings @ Norm Theatre in SUB Admission: $3 and Membership; $20 Film Society Hotline: (604) 822-3697 http://www.ams.ubc.ca/clubs/fjlmsoc Wednesday, November 10 to Thursday, November 11 7:00 A Pure Formality 9:30 Double Life of Veronique Friday, November 12 to Saturday, November 13 7:00 Bourne Supremacy 9:30 Collateral Concordia allows Barak speech University shouldn't invite former Israeli PM to speak, activist says ?'K Par al ega I St u d i es Want a degree that works for you? Humber offers the only Paralegal Studies degree program in Canada, combining a comprehensive understanding ofiegal principles with specific law-related skills for an education that's valued by major paralegal firms, law firms and federal and provincial governments. Think of yourself as a court agent, provincial offences prosecutor, immigration counsel or legal researcher (to name a few potential positions) and you're in the right seat Call 416-675-6622, ext. 3336 or email bernard.aron@humber.ca, for further information. Apply for all Business School programs at w.v,v.ontariocoUeges.ca h-:^-y'---x K£~i~'x4'i'x.-sy www.buslness.humberc.on.ca O HUMBER The Business School by Dave Weatherall QUEBEC BUREAU CHIEF MONTREAL (CUP)-TheFeder-ation Combined Jewish Appeal (CJA) issued a press release late on the night of November 4 congratulating Concordia University president Frederick Lowy for reneging on his promise not to allow former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak to speak at the university. Originally, the university had stated it could not guarantee the security of the high profile guest, Concordia students or the surrounding community if Barak was allowed to speak on campus. The ex-prime minister then denied an offer from Lowy to speak off- campus. It's not clear what has changed in terms of security arrangements for the proposed speech, although the Federation CJA has also announced plans to invest $3 million in added security measures at Jewish schools throughout Montreal. Concordia's administration was unavailable for comment, and the section of its website featuring press releases made no mention of the news. According to the Federation CJA press release, Lowy communicated the university's change of heart to the Israeli ambassador to Canada, Alan Baker, 'following extensive discussions with the Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy and Federation CJA representatives over the last three weeks.* It isn't clear if students were part of these talks. Sylvain Abitbol, president of the Federation CJA, called the invitation *an important step in protecting freedom of speech on campus/ and went on to say he commends the academic institution for refusing to be intimidated by outside agitators. The announcement provoked a strong reaction from Samer Ela- trash, a member of Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights who has been a vocal opponent of Barak's speech since the possibility of him coming to Concordia surfaced in September. "I mean the university shouldn't be going out of their way to invite a man with a lot of blood on his hands to speak here," Elatrash said. 'It is unimaginable that a university would not only reverse its decision, but also go out of its way to invite someone. It shows a total disregard for Palestinians.* Elatrash said the reversal should cause students to question who is running the university and went on to harshly criticise the Fed-era- tion CJA. "These people's work 24-7 is to justify an illegal occupation/ he said. B'nai Brith, a Jewish organisation dedicated to protecting Jewish rights across the globe, was preparing to file a human rights complaint against five universities, including Concordia, for their treatment of Jews on campus. Earlier this week, the former Ontario chair of B'nai Brith, Adam Aptowitzer, resigned after he said terrorism is an option to be used by states to prevent the deaths of their own citizens and. others on a television panel discussion about what constitutes a terrorist. ♦ ffi&KESS $HAM£i~£$$ Copps wants more women in politics <-y* The first 30 students dressed in SpongeBob yellow; or A^ their favorite (MS3 SpongeBob gear, who drop by SUB Room 23 will receive screening passes to: First come, first served. While quantities last. IN THEATRES NOVEMBER 19 ^ftfeWfes^V-sc:****?' 'y:\\ ';■ f^ November 19 Please contactfirstiiatlohsissue^ call 822-230;! to;findj^ •With onsiBal art,/stories or ideasl. ;: • ■"".■■ ■/:-"y WE COULD REALLY USE YOUR HELR..0N THIS ■: -: -.-■'SINCE 1918 Former deputy Prime Minister attacks Martin and slams media by Josh Ginsberg IHE MCGILL DAILY MONTREAL (CUP)—Former deputy Prime Minister Sheila Copps hasn't dropped out of the political scene. Since the recent publication of her controversial book, which accuses Prime Minister Paul Martin of planning to scrap the Canada Health Act, she's been back in the limelight, lampooning Martin's right-leaning Liberals and trying to bring women's rights to the forefront of Canadian politics. Copps spoke at McGill University November 3, criticising Martin's social initiatives and emphasising the need for women's equality to be set as a higher priority in public discourse. Copps's speech, entitled 'Canadian Women, Whither Goest Thou?/ highlighted her own political career, and called on women to run for pub- He office. Copps said that, given inadequate maternity leave and day-care opportunities, the large gap in pay equity between women and men, and a diminishing number of women in the Canadian cabinet, it is more crucial than ever for women to get involved in politics. 'These are clearly not issues of interest to business in a society where women are encouraged to inject their faces with poison in order to appear younger...and they will not be of concern to the neo- conservative right, many of whom believe that all the world's a market and all the men and women merely consumers/ she said. Before her speech, Copps sat down with the McGill Daily to discuss issues such as women's rights, the controversy over her book, her newfound acting career and the recent American election. In her book, Worth Fighting For, Copps blasts Martin for lifting the federal cap on tuition fees in his 1995 budget and attempting to eliminate old age pensions. But what raised the most controversy is her accusation Martin tried to abolish the Canada Health Act in 1995. The prime minister's aides have since denied that Martin attempted any such thing. Still, Copps maintained the validity of her criticism, claiming her book was intended to draw attention to the faces of Martin Canadians do not usually see. "There's a bit of a disconnect between Paul Martin the leader and Paul Martin behind closed doors, and that's what I think comes out in the book, which they were obviously very upset about/ she said, referring to people close to Martin who have lashed out against her accusations. "C'mon eat a few dogs, get out there, push a bit! // —Sheila Copps Former deputy PM, on women getting involved in the male-dominated political scene Copps predicted xtliat if the Liberals continue to slide to the political right, as she says they have under Martin, voters would lose confidence in the party. 'I don't think [Martin] can count on the public's faith for two elections unless he stands for something,* she said. Copps also addressed the recent US election that swept President George W. Bush back to power and the evangelical Christian constituency that helped secure his vote, adding she is concerned about the consequences for women's rights. 'The frightening thing in the United States is it seems as though the balance has been tipped by the religious right voting block. When ever a religious group...is holding the balance of power, it's very difficult in a secular society/ she said. *I don't feel any safer now then I did when Mr Bush started, so I'm not optimistic* Copps also talked about the role of the media in Ottawa. She accused the press of constant sexism, saying she was often portrayed negatively in the media due to her gender. "There is an old boys' club in the Ottawa media. I think they tend to be, generally speaking, afraid of women/ she said. As an example, she mentioned how the media slammed the Liberal women's caucus for failing to bring in pay-equity legislation yet ignored Paul Martin's detrimental role as finance minister. 'And then when [pay equity] was brought in, there was never any credit given to the women's caucus, who had stuck with it It's sort of like you can't win/ she said. To this end, Copps lauded alternative media sources, specifically online sources, as the fiiture of positive media, because of their role in creating more diverse dialogue. 'The media as the message is being distilled through different sources because of the Internet and that democratises the discussion in ways that weren't possible before the last ten years/ Copps was invited to McGill to deliver the annual Muriel V. Roscoe lecture on women's issues. Susan Czarnocki, chair of the lecture committee, said Copps's career has opened doors for other women interested in holding political office. Politics 'is a dog-eat-dog world that is often not appealing to women/ said Czarnocki. 'Sheila went after us, and said, 'C'mon eat a few dogs, get out there, push a bit!" While Copps's political fiiture is uncertain, she will continue to pursue her newfound love of acting. She will take part in a repeat performance of Steel Magnolias in Kingston, Ont, this January, and will re-appear on Global's sitcom Train 48. ♦ b: *i 1 m ii si THE UBYSSEY FEATURES WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2004 $ '■ « b: I 1 Ii uncanny The cases for, and against, a campus food bank at UBC by Carina R. Cojeen features writer While many students sweat over exam results and grades, some have a more basic and pressing concern- simply getting enough to eat Across Canada, 51 university campuses have student food banks on site—of those, nine are located in BC. These food banks yearly serve thousands of students, providing them with food not within their means. This year, the Canadian Association of Food Banks joined with the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations to produce Campus HungerCount, a study that reveals the hard facts behind the operations of Canadian campus food banks. Of those polled, 90 per cent of food banks cited the costs of post-secondary education as the reason for their opening. Forty-four was the percentage of users with children, while 34 per cent of users were single parents. Most campus food banks have mainly been student initiatives, precipitated by the rising costs of pursuing post-secondary education. When the BC tuition fee freeze was lifted in 2001, campus food bank users tripled in number, said Joanna Groves, chairperson of the University of Victoria Student Society. With these facts in mind and student debt on the rise, the fact that UBC, as one of Canada's largest universities, does not have a food bank is thrown into stark relief. Recently, voices have risen in support and opposition to the proposal of a campus food bank for UBC students. Why doesn't UBC have one? Should we have one at all? And, if so, what form should it take? Operation Canned Goods The history of food banks in Canada dates from the early 1980s, and that of on-campus food banks runs roughly parallel. The food bank at nearby Simon Fraser University. (SFU) was founded around 1983, while others, such as the one at the University of Toronto (U of T), were founded in the 1990s. Here at UBC, a number of attempts have been made over the years to establish a food bank for students on campus. The efforts crystallised last year when UBC's student society, the Alma Mater Society (AMS), began to seriously investigate the possibility. But starting a food bank is no simple matter. Before space—a scarce resource for student-run organisations on this campus—can be allocated, a number of other questions need to be addressed, such as who will staff it, what form it will take, and, of course, how to make sure that there is enough food resources available to guarantee consistent operations. Grant Wong, Executive Coordinator of Student Services for the AMS, knows how much work is involved. In order to get this project off the ground, he recently instituted a work-study position dedicated solely to the project of the food bank. He decided that in order for the project to be successful, AMS needed to partner with other groups on campus. This is where lady luck stepped in. Right about the same time as Wong was faced with this problem, the Ismaili Students' Association (ISA) called his office out of the blue. As a group, part of the ISA's mandate is to provide education and service to the UBC community. In this vein, Shabita Nathwani of the ISA approached Wong's office to see if there was a project to which they could contribute; especially one that was in heed°oF long-term volunteers. It was a perfect match. Nathwani and the ISA have taken the project lead on investigating different models and soliciting input from the university communi- tyf But before the hoped-for UBC food bank can be established, many possibilities must be called into question—and the critics of the idea must be heard. How would the food bank work? Looking across Canada, campus food banks follow two main systems of operation. Many are fully campus-run and operated, while others depend on external resources. SFU's food bank is sustained by student fees, stocked mainly by campus food drives and occupies space donated by the university, while the student food bank at U of T depends on the support of their local food bank, supplied with food by Toronto's Daily Bread Food Bank. At first the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society (GVFB) was considered as a logical source of food for a proposed UBC food bank. In this model, the UBC location would act as another one of GVFB's many depots, in a similar fashion to how the U of T food bank operates. However, both in terms of food and logistics, the GVFB, which already has a 'student depot' on Guelph Street cannot afford to add another depot Catherine Matthews, Director of Volunteer Services at the GVFB, claims that they serve up to 25,000 people a week 9,000 through distribution centres and 16,000 through support of meal programs across the city. Providing for these numbers stretches their resources as it is. So, when approached lastyear to help supply a UBC food bank, the GVFB had to turn the request down, putting the onus on UBC and the AMS to come up with the resources necessary for a student food bank. This may not be a problem. The SFU community is highly supportive of their: food bank: As Negar Behmardi, the SFU Food Bank coordinator, puts it, 'it takes time but it builds its own momentum. After a while, the students get used to it and they know that at certain times of year, there is a food drive.' In fact, although SFU receives funding from its student fees, this year they have not had to spend a single cent on purchasing food; the cumulative campus food drives have been enough to stock their shelves. The key to success, says Tim Rahilly, Director of SFU's Student Development and Programming Centre and supporter of the SFU food bank, is building partnerships. This sentiment is echoed by Wong, who says that he is hoping to approach a few potential partner- clubs on campus in order to help solve the space allocation issues. Ideally, the UBC food bank could be co-located with a couple of other clubs that would also provide main staffing. Once established, the food bank would need strong and continuing leadership. Krista Vogt Student life Coordinator of the Student Development and Programming Centre at SFU, says that she used to have to scrape up volunteers to coordinate the food bank. "When you get a new person/ says Vogt "by the time she's trained, it takes up most of the semester, and then it's time to change again.' With Behmardi, who has been coordinator for two years, they've achieved the consistency they didn't have in the past Voices of opposition Whether or not a food bank is the best method for alleviating student poverty, Ihe issue has yet to be much discussed here on campus. After two decades of widespread presence in Canada, food banks are such familiar charitable institutions in our landscape that it is often taken as axiomatic that they should be started where none exist As Catherine Matthews of the of the •Greater Vancouver't^Food---Bank< Society says, "Your basic right is to eat The government doesn't seem to be addressing this need. What are we going to do? Turn our back on those in need?' And certainly, students themselves who are in genuine financial straits are appreciative. But critics of campus food banks argue that they are simply a way of letting governments off the hook. Dr Graham Riches, Director of UBC's School of Social Work and Family Studies, has been studying the growth of food banks since their inception back in the early 1980s. He points out that 'food banks which simply [provide food] are not really addressing the problem.' Riches urges that any food security initiatives on campus 'need to be involved in public education about the issues and advocating for different policies,' not just giving out food. Food banks need rather to be politically active and advocating against the need for their services, he says. In short they need to help put themselves out of business. As for what to do about immediate need, Riches is very aware that in his classrooms, there are likely to be students who are hungry. 'The ways that we've addressed that before is to make sure that they have adequate financial assistance, [and ] UBC has that capacity.' Indeed, students at UBC may have an advantage in this regard. As Martha Piper has stated ad nau- seum, it is a UBC Board of Governors' policy that no otherwise eligible domestic student will be denied a UBC education because of financial constraints. In this regard, the university claims that it puts its money where its mouth is. According to Rosemary Panta- . lone, Coordinator of UBC's Student Financial Assistance and Awards office, although funds are limited, any student who comes in with a financial crisis can and does go home with immediate help. 'We can't administer emergency funds /cash], but a cheque can be drawn the same day or the day after.' However, Tim Rahilly, who formerly worked in the UBC Financial Assistance office, says that sometimes a cheque does not meet a student's immediate needs. "We could cut them a cheque,' he says, but 'sometimes financial instituti-ons withhold money and students aren't able to access their funds quickly enough.' Banking on the future The need of cash-strapped students for alternatives to lighten their financial load is clear—as Rosemary Pantalone says, 'I think anyone would agree there is always a need for food banks, whether for students or for anyone else.' But the success of a charitable service is always dependent on the support of its community and at this point the question of whether this a food bank is the appropriate avenue towards relieving student hunger on campus remains open. Whether the establishment of a food bank goes ahead at UBC or other avenues are pursued instead, the verdict should be in by the end of this school year. In the meantime, the UBC food bank project team still has much work to do in creating the groundwork for the project. But both Nathwani and Wong seem committed to investigating all the alternatives, seeking support, and making the right choices for the university. Nathwani remains deeply optimistic about the future of the project. 'There's a lot of work to do,' she said; "but it will be worth it because the benefits will be phenomenal to the UBC community.' ♦ 8 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2004 F E A TJU RES WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2004 9 THEUBYSSEY 60 years later On the sixtieth anniversary of the historic invasions UBC student converses with veterans on Juno beach by Daniel Burritt features writer wo hundred grams of black bread a day. That was the sustenance provided to Canadian soldier Steve Horan in the German coal mine he laboured in after he was captured by the Hitler Youth SS outside of Caen, France. A short time before, on June 6, 1944, Horan and thousands of Canadian troops landed on the shores of Courseulles-Sur-Mer, better known as Juno Beach. "flhank God for the Red Cross. They fed us/ Horan tells me. He punctuates our conversation with his crisp memory and fatalistic attitude. He believes this will be his final visit to Juno Beach after many trips. *I don't expect to be back/ says the bearded Horan. 'I'm 80 years of age and I'm starting to feel it. His years do not damper his gnarled gratitude. Why then did he come back to this site of such death and ruin? *I like to come back and reminisce a bit, you know/ says Horan. "Thank God I'm alive, a lot of guys aren't. That's the way it is/ Steve Horan's story is amongst many I heard when I attended the official Canadian ceremonies for the 60th.anniversary of D-Day on Juno Beach. Attendance came down to good tuning. A post-UBC-graduation torn' of Europe was underway, and I thought it best to begin my two month adventure at the commemoration of the largest amphibious invasion in his tory, where some claim Canada's national character was forged. I crossed the English Channel from Portsmouth, England, to Ouistreham, France, on June 4,2004. It was chilling to imagine the Allied armada slogging through the cold water, ready to pierce the Western front of Hitler's Fortress Europe in the closing years of World War n. Five thousand ships, battle cruisers, and landing craft laden with sober, seasick troops, drenched with spray and fear. Dwight Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe and organiser of the invasion code-named Operation Overlord, had already written a concession letter taking full responsibility should the invasion fail. Western Allied forces had delayed opening a second front in Europe until a sizeable force had been gathered. Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, whose Red Army had borne the brunt of Nazi forces on the Eastern Front was adamant that a second front be established. A failure in France, however, could devastate the Allied cause and prolong the war in Europe for several years. Courseulles-Sur-Mer lies along France's Normandy coast, only ninety miles from Britain. It was one of five towns which were classified together as Juno Beach, which was assigned to the Canadian forces. One hundred and fifty thousand Allied troops of 14 nationalities landed on D-Day, with American and British forces leading the charge on their respective beaches. It is a smalt seaside town which, for almost a week in June 2004, swelled with war veterans, tourists and well-wishers. Flags of the Allied nations flew along the boulevards. Stark olive army jeeps, trucks, motorcycles and other antique war vehicles clogged sleepy roads while sidewalk cafs proclaimed on their windows, *Welcome Liberators." Gratitude was in the air. Courseulles-Sur-Mer is also the location of the Juno Beach Centre, a magnificent museum and information centre, and a tribute to Canadian forces at D-Day. Initiated by Juno Beach veteran Garth Webb, the Centre sits in front of the shore, proudly displaying names of Canadian war veterans and statues commemorating the invasion. It is here the official Canadian ceremonies for D- Day take place. Just off the ferry, I meet two other Canadians who, like myself, had no accommodation in Courseulles-Sur-Mer and little idea of what to expect for this momentous anniversary. Jason, a Vancouverite and UBC Commerce student was working in Britain for the summer, while Ann- Marie, a Quebecois of Scottish stock, was attending after she discovered her grandfather landed here with a Scottish-Canadian regiment Three Canadians with no directions and plenty of enthusiasm. On our first day, Ann-Marie's fluent French secured us a simple flat for the "bargain" rate of; 130 Euros. Hotels were booked months ini advance, veterans given priority and homeown-j ers graciously offering their sofas and spare i rooms to late-planning attendees. JUNE5:BENY-SUR-MER j A taxi whisks us through the flat coastal countryside, dominated by green and red foliage. We stop at a long, paved road, at the end of which lies Beny-Sur-Mer, the Canadian war cemetery at Normandy. French and Canadian dignitaries: mingle with uniformed soldiers, visitors and armed security. A farmer stops to chat as we stroll to the site. He remembers German soldiers in the surrounding fields, as well as the Allied liberation. A. French military band stops in the shade for rest and cigarettes after playing in the warm sun. We■; meet a member of the French Resistance, clad in • a striking blue suit He explains in French and, Norman dialect his own involvement in the war against the Axis. He was nearly shot at Courseulles-Sur-Mer, but was saved when a cannon gunner didn't pull the trigger.vHis family; was forced to house two German soldiers in their home. There was no gas, water or windows during the cold winter months. Ann-Marie translates as his voice tapers to an unsteady whisper. The destruction he and his countrymen witnessed in this war and the previous bloodbath are "why they have such a horrific feeling towards war... too much death, too many ruins/ she translates. The Last Post begins to sound. The Frenchman straightens and Mis silent We copy, the trumpet competing against wind and children to be heard. I later ask him in my broken French what he thinks of German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder attending the international ceremonies for D-Day. He talks to the effect that the war was long ago, and it is time for reconciliation. He appears to harbour no ill will, only a powerful disdain for the destruction he witnessed. He also speaks about his leader and liberator, Charles de Gaulle, and we laugh about his, memories. Beny-Sur-Mer presents a stark contrast of green and white. It is the resting place of 2,043 Canadian soldiers. Immaculately well-maintained, each of the headstones are clean and many bear fresh flowers and Canadian flags. It is peaceful and eerily quiet the polar opposite of what occurred at the nearby coast six decades before. Large trees frame a grassy court and a marble-white edifice sits in front of the cemetery, engraved with the phrase, "Their Name Iiveth For Evermore.* Each headstones is carved with the maple leaf, the name of the soldier and the day he perished. The many nameless graves identify their charge as *A Soldier in the Second World War- known unto God.* Jason, Ann-Marie and I stroll the countryside back to the beach. We end the day with pizza and red wine at a local cafe, and watch a spectacular light show and fireworks display along the shore. June 6, 2004 awaits. JUNE 6: D-DAY I am unsure of what to expect today. Armed with a poppy and a digital recorder, I intend to speak with veterans, hoping to gain a personal insight into the hell they witnessed. I have one central query: what do they remember most about that day? Their answers are as varied and sobering as one imagines. Queen Elizabeth II is attending the Canadian ceremonies, as are Prime Minister Paul Martin, the Governor General and various dignitaries. After passing through security, Ann-Marie, Jason and myself secure seats on the large bleachers and head out to interact with the medal-clad veterans before the official ceremony begins. I approach a seated veteran and ask for a moment of his time. Colonel Alex Johnson is, in fact a British soldier who landed with the Canadians at Juno Beach, and his admiration of his Canadian colleagues is overwhelming. "I saw them being written off by machine gun fire, but the others determined to get up/ he says. I ask what he recalls most from D-Day. Johnson pauses a long moment "Several things, I suppose. The noise, because you had the big guns firing in country. You had these people firing out at you. Then you i had the screams of the men wounded, and espe- •i dally those in the water who couldn't get out.. -you heard all this and your mind didn't really ^register it, but you heard them. n "The other was the unflinching behaviour of dtheCariadian soldiers, I'm foil of admiration for r them/Johnson repeats, emphasising the tenaci- - ty ofhis Commonwealth comrades, and his own relief. "Relief that I got up unscathed, because we knew that casualties would be high, and you hoped that you wouldn't be one of them. So when you got to the top of the beach you virtually said 'thank-you." Johnson also engaged in commando raids in Norway and France, and ended the war in Germany at the Belsen concentration camp. "Belsen camp was the last big job we did, burying the dead. So, I've had quite a war, you see/ I encounter Corporal Bill Holliday, who drove a supply truck in France as part of the invasion, delivering ammunition to US forces. The war took him from France to Belgium, to Holland, to Burma in the Pacific theatre, and finally back to Germany. "When I came over here I was 18... I knew nothing,* Holliday states, referring to his naivety of the realities of war. "I had to wait until I turned 18 [to enlist]...I hadn't even had a shave yet A lot of us at 18 came over here, and we wasn't old enough to have a beer." Our conversation is brief. Holliday conveys his rapid education in stark terms, from boy to man in wartime. The official ceremony begins. Ann-Marie tells Jason and I that she met several members of her grandfather's Scottish regiment known as the "water rats." Her late grandfather left a wife and several small children to participate in the war, and managed to survive the carnage. She chokes 'up, her pride evident as we watch a ceremonial flyover by a British Lancaster bomber and two accompanying fighter planes. Queen Elizabeth's address cites the triumphant cooperation of the Allied forces and the willingness of Canadians to fight for the freedom of Europe. "I know that present and future generations join me in thanking all Canadians who took part in this great venture," she says. Paul Martin and Adrienne Clarkson's speeches are equally fitting, showering praise on D-Day veterans and their fallen comrades. Canadian Forces chaplain Colonel Bourgeois then reduces me to tears with the most moving address of the ceremony: A prayer, asking God if He remembers the kind words of a ship captain, who asked his men to pray for their comrades storming the beach. Colonel Bourgeois then offers up the fallen men who came to fight from every part of Canada, and blesses their memory. There are few dry eyes in the gathering. The act of remembrance and a minute of silence follow. The Last Post thunders out across the crowd, as do bagpipes and a hymn. The ceremony ends with a salute to the veterans, who walk down to the beach to honour their dead compatriots. CONVERSATIONS Robert Graham entered the war in Europe at age 17 as a Sapper in the Engineers corps, destroying mines, demolitions and booby traps. He landed at Juno Beach on D-Day, and recalls his near- death experience in the water. "I was trying to cany a para-troop bicycle into the beach and almost drownjed] because I had it over my shoulders...I wasn't the only one. We were supposed to then get on the bikes and pedal through the first regiment that got there but we threw them away because the Jerries were shooting at us with sharpshooters. So you're really a target pedaling down the road, ©h?" he says rnatter-of-factly. -. , . Graham says he enjoys returning to Juno Beach to renew memories, but admits the battle was a massacre. "It's many, many memories ago now, sixty years, but it still sticks with you." Frank K. Breakey's memories are both sobering and humorous. I did not expect the latter. "We came in here and there was two rows of soldiers layin' dead about twenty odd in each row. And the guy behind me taps me and he says 'Hey, this looks like the real thing! I think I'm gonna put in for a leave!" The tall Company Sergeant Major chuckles. "There was lots of humour/ he says. Breakey laughs when he tells how he shot two bombs into a nearby castle and nearly hit several comrades. His friend named Smith told him, "I knew it was you that did that, you son of a bitch!" "There was times when I wondered what the hell I was doin' down here," says Breakey, more seriously. "But you could see there was a terrific need for somebody to help these people out and we just happened to be one of the ones that wanted to do something/ The honesty and modest heroism of Sergeant Major Breakey is evident in eveiy veteran I speak with. Lance Corporal Ralph W. Jackson quietly tells me he is "tolerating* the celebrations, sadness etched on his face. He was part of the first wave of soldiers to land at Juno Beach. "Ten men ahead of me, eight of them were killed. That's why I'm back/ he mutters. Jackson asks if I have visited Beny-Sur- Mer, and I answer yes. In the far left corner of the cemetery lies his platoon. Of 36 men, six survived. "We got the shit kicked out of us/ Jackson states flatly. He then asks my age, and says that at 22 years, I would have fit light in his company. On D-Day, Jackson was 23, and had spent four years in the army. Bill Findlay describes his role on D-Day with typical veteran modesty. "I was just what they called a plain old gunner/ says Findlay, who was part of a 15 gun squad which destroyed enemy tank formations. Findlay's presence at Juno Beach today is more than just commemoration, however. "Today we're here representing our regiments, we're representing our colleagues that didn't make it We're here because we have a group of young teach ers that are going to be teaching history, and we want them to see the history that this generation made," he states. Findlay's voice rises noticeably. "Now, by this time in ten years most of this history will be locked in textbooks and there won't be people like me to tell you and so that's what they're here for—to get the ingredients of what's needed so we don't have another bloody war like this again. We don't need a war like this." Bill Findlay thanks me for my interest, and leaves me with a sober, resolute thought. -"^fakeUhe information and just be sure you're a promoter of peace, not war. It's a hard thing." I walk down to the beach. The calm, dark water belies my image of sixty years ago, and the memories these veterans have shared. Noise, fear and death enveloping the landscape. Fighting for a personal piece of the beach the enemy is savagely reluctant to surrender. And humour amidst ferocious resolve. I fill a film canister with sand from the shore, laughing at the memory of one veteran's caustic remark: "Every year people come here for this and every year the goddamn beach gets smaller 'cause people keep takin' it!" Forgive this reporter a small memento. At the end of June 6, 1944, Juno Beach belonged to the Canadians, who stormed its shore, warmed its waters red, and helped to free a captive continent. ♦ <...-.* MOMENT OF SILENCE: Top left: the Canadian flag waves over Juno beach; top right: the writer talks with D-Day veteran Bill Findlay at the ceremonies; above: a WWII soldier's unnamed grave, photos courtesy of dan burritt v*» M feedback(S)ams.ubc.ca • www.ams.uDf sinking a webmaster \\ subcultures mural project x The AMS is seeking a Webmaster to assist with maintaining the AMS website. Working in conjunction with the Marketing and Promotions department, the Webmaster will conduct routine maintenance, develop databases, and continue to improve AMS.ubc.ca. Remuneration: $12/hour Status: Part-time - maximum of 15 hours per week, to end of April 2005,flexible hours Responsibilities: Assist with uploading content on a regular, weekly basis. Develop and maintain relational databases. Provide training and assistance to AMS executives, staff, and other database users with regards to the online interface. Document and organize current code, rewriting as necessary. Create a technical style guide outlining web page templates, styles, and forms. Work with the Marketing and Promotions Manager to ensure graphic design standards are adhered to in the web medium. Orientation to the current site will be provided for the successful candidate. Qualifications: Must demonstrate significant prior experience using ColdFusion Markup Language, database management, and HTML web design. Experience using Dreamweaver, CFML administrator and MS Access. Graphic design and Flash experience beneficial. Experience in managing e-mail listservs and electronic forums. Strong interpersonal skills and high aptitude in English writing. Must be able adhere to challenging deadlines and work with minimal supervision To Apply: Interested candidates should email their CVs and references to Linda Ong, Marketing and Promotions Manager at marketing@ams.tibc.ca, by Friday, November 19. Please include at least two URLs or websites that demonstrate your skill and qualifications. Due to time constraints, only short-listed candidates will be contacted for an interview. The AMS is calling for artist submissions for the creation of the Subcultures Mural Project to be displayed publicly in the Conversation Pit of the Student Union Building. The project's goal is to counteract hate and bias-motivated graffiti by promoting public forms of art expression. The mural will be painted on a transportable surface and mounted on a public wall. Artists - individuals and collective groups - are invited to submit a cover letter, resume, and examples of previous work for consideration. Once selected, the successful applicant will collaborate with the public through an AMS-organized discussion forum in developing the artistic vision of the mural. Preference will be given to UBC students and community members, however all are encouraged to apply. Artists will be provided with an honorarium of approximately $ 1,000. Project proposals can be forwarded to Lyle McMahon, AMS Vice- President, Administration in SUB Rm. 238 or via e-mail to vpadmin@ams.ubc.ca by Monday, November 15 at 5 pm. For more details, visit http://urww.ams.ubc.ca. r w Headline for internships The deadline for AMS Internships is fast approaching for students wanting to be placed in January 2005. The AMS Internship Program is aimed at students looking for relevant work experience in a field of their choice. Students will be placed with a not-for-profit organization across the Lower Mainlaod. The program provides a variety of services, including student-to-student consultation, direct contact with employers, and access to internship resources. Students should be full or part-time and returning to school in the fall. Applications are available at http://www.ams.ubc.ca. Deadline for the January term is December 3, 2004. For more information, e-mail internship@ams.ubc.ca or call 604-822-4994. v v-day2006 speaker series ■ UBC women of ail ages, ethnicities and backgrounds are invited to participate in the 2005 Vagina Monologues. Auditions will take place November 20-22. Email vday@ams.ubc.ca to book an audition time and location. Auditions are limited to a first-come,first-serve basis. J Speaker Spotlight Series With: Melanie Raoul, Educational Coordinator for UBC Food Co-op Tuesday, Nov. 16 12 pm-1pm SUBRm.214 Presented by Sprouts and the UBC Food Co-op Find out more about the UBC Food Co-op and the principles behind it. Enjoy free snacks including backed goods from the Cook Studio Cafe and fair trade coffee from Cafe Etico. More details, at http://www.ams.ubc.ca/speaker. 1 ivcomino lectures Preston Manning -The Lion and the LambrTensions and Opportunities in the Interface between Faith and Political Discourse Monday, Nov. 15 5 pm-6:30 pm Geography 100,1984 West Mall Drawing on his extensive experience in the political arena Mr. Manning will speak about faith, politics and their convergence in his life and in society as a whole. Presented by the UBC Graduate and Faculty Christian Forum. More details at http://gfcf-ubc.ca. Yuen Pau Woo, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada Tuesday, Nov. 16 12:30 pm to 2 pm International House, Upper Lounge Yuen Pau Woo is Vice President, Research and Chief Economist of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. He is Canada's representative on the Standing Committee of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC), Director of the APEC Study Centre in Canada, and Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia's Institute of Asian Research. Presented by the International Relations Students' Association. More details at http://www.irsa.ca. rwammmmmmam new @ the SIR \\ You may have noticed a few additions to the main concourse level of the SUB during November. New AMS ATM Machine (located by Bernoulli's Bagels) You can support the AMS by choosing to use this bank machine for your cash withdrawals. Each time you use this machine, you are helping support the AMS and its many services, such as JobLink,SafeWalk,and AMS Tutoring. A portion of each transaction goes directly back to your student society. Another incentive? Enjoy lower transaction fees than with most automated banking machines. New DVD Movie Rental Kiosk (located across from Pie R Squared) Beginning Nov. 12, there will be a new DVD movie rental machine installed on the main level of the SUB building, across from Pie R Squared. Provided by DT Media, the machine looks like a vending machine kiosk and allows users to conveniently work their way through the touch screen prompts to rent the latest movies. I Faster than waiting in line at a video store and convenient to pick up Land return at the same location. Try it out for the first month - all movies are specially priced at $3.99. ■ i m m m i 1 m 6 n THEUBYSSEY CULTURE WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2004 11 Reclaiming our childhood FINDING NEVERLAND opens Friday by Jodi Carlson CULTURE WRITER We are all familiar with the story of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys, but could any of us really find Neverland? Without the magic fairy dust from Tin- kerbell and Peter's coaching to think of "happy thoughts/ would we be able to find that magical place? James M. Barrie, played by Johnny Depp—in his most paternal role ever—thought so. Finding Neverland is the story of the life changing experience that led J.M. Barrie to create the timeless classic, Peter Pan. After a badly reviewed play, James runs into the four boys of Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, played by Kate Winslet—George, Michael, Jack and of course, Peter. A forty year-old man befriending four young boys may sound too Michael Jackson-esque, but this is Johnny Depp, so we know it's okay. Entering their lives at a time of mourning, James is more than just a friend to the boys, but a vehicle to drive them into a world where no one needs to grow up—Neverland. James, forced to grow up after his brother's childhood death, reaches out to the young boys in an attempt to regain his own lost childhood. As we watch the moving relationship between James and the boys develop, we are reminded of the notion that childhood may be lost in a minute, but may also be regained in an instant —as long as we let our imagination guide us. Peter Pan may have visited the window of Wendy and her brothers that fateful night but I'm confident that if he had perched on any of our windows, we too would have been taken away to his magical world of Neverland. The movie Finding Neverland shows us how we too can have that adventure. Based on a true story, this movie offers us the opportunity to know the man behind the creation of Peter Pan and follow him on a journey through the source ofhis imagination, and the life experiences that lead to the making of Peter Pan. ♦ #■■ This orchard is all dried up Classic remake lacks emotion THE CHERRY ORCHARD presented hy UBC Theatre at the Telus Theatre until Nov.13 by Jodi Carlson CULTURE WRITER As I waited for the first performance of The Cherry Orchard*, peering at the elaborate markings of a wealthy Russian family's nursery, I became excited about what was to come. Then the first scene began. Unfortunately, the dry emotionless lines burst my bubble. Anton Chekhov's 'Cherry Orchard* takes place during the turn of the twentieth century, in a socially evolving Russia. Forty years after the abolition of serfdom, capitalism has struck Russia hard. Chekhov did an excellent job of writing the play, including numertftig images of this change. The plarjr is directed by Stephen Heatley, a Theatre professor here at UBC, and also director of such plays as Good Mother, As You Like It and II Campiello. Despite the fabulous script though, the actors were lacking. There were a few exceptions—Jennifer Braund proves that Chekhov's plays will make you cry one minute and laugh the next Marie-Eve Boudreau, playing the role of Firs, a character trapped in the world of change, was able to convey the dying social structure while offering us some much needed comic relief. The slapstick elements that were added to the script proved one thing: comedy doesn't always work with Chekhov. When Yermolay, played by Matthew Kowalchuk, fell over the couch, the audience cringed at the bad acting rather than laughing. What the play lacks in acting, it makes up for in scenery and costumes. The photos bordering the stage were a constant reminder of the family's high social status in old Russia. The costumes are fabulous, highlighting the era's distinctly unique fashion. But most audiences don't go to a play to see the set and the costumes. Without good acting, any production falls short. No one likes dry fruit, especially dry cherries—and this play overall is a dry and lifeless rendition of a theatrical classic. ♦ Don't call the lifeguard UNDERTOW Now playing by Simon Underwood CULTURE WRITER '!W Plenty of horrible things can cause involuntary physical pain and repulsion: accounts of chipped teeth at the swimming pool, the prospect of 'four more years', or worse, the threat ol an energized Ann Coulter. But few abominations can provoke yelps of phantom pain quite like Undertow's close-up of a rusty nail puncturing the very foot that made Billy Elliot The jarring image, which snaps the audience out of the cinematic trance that Undertow so often induces, portends that this is not the sort of fflrn that will include dance breaks of any kind. Instead, the latest offering from David Gordon Green, whose lauded repertoire includes All the Real Girls, is a meandering thriller set in rural Georgia. Jamie Belt who eclipses both his ballet-dancing roots and his English accent entirely, plays Chris, a good-hearted kid that can't seem to avoid getting into trouble. Along with his younger brother Tim, played by Devon Alan, the brothers live on a dilapidated pig-farm with their reclusive, misanthropic father, John, played by Dermot Mulroney. The setting is hardly idyllic, but the dreamy, rich cinematography of Tim Orr evokes the style of Terence Malick, also a producer on the film, rendering it strangely sacred. Everything really isn't that fine and dandy when John's brother Deel, played by Josh Lucas, enters the picture, but his determination to settle some old scores with his brother turns the story from grim to gruesome. While he initially wins over Chris with his fast car and thinly- veiled insolence towards his brother, warning his nephew that he is "just one ofhis pigs," Deel later reveals a streak of sadism triggered by what he sees as a fraternal betrayal. A box of cursed gold coins, fabled to have belonged to a ferryman on the River Styx, was left to both brothers by their dead grandfather. When Deel decides he wants his fair share, the young brothers are soon on the run along the Southern backroads, barricading themselves in abandoned junkyards and relying heavily on the kindness of strangers. Green elicits strong performances from each of his four leads: Bell, a phenomenal performer, carries the picture; Mulroney benefits from an ugly beard; Lucas, here an un-sweetened Alabaman, is seriously creepy; and Alan is about as good as American child actors get Above all else, each performance is authentic, at least in part due to Green's meticulous attention to detail, and more so in his tendency to linger upon a scene that interests him. The film is brimming with allusions to Greek mythology and the Brothers Grirmn, and the writer-director further entwines road-movie motifs and fairy tale magic- realism, evoking curses and reminding us of messages in bottles. As a straight-up thriller, the film may disappoint but the filmmaker's deviations are intentional. Green's reasoning is found in his script 'sometimes it's the strange moments that stick/ So while all of Undertow's 'strange moments' may not resonate, I can say that I'm still thinking about that nail. ♦ *sr.i' *=o .ftrtrl 12 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2004 CULTURE THE UBYSSEY Human Resources Management -^■■ssifwssy f^J^^S ipsry •^ K?^ :-,!-V-v;V V Take your degree to a whole new level of success. After just two semesters, you'll be able to apply your knowledge, skills and management tools to any human resources department. Humber can prepare you for professional designation/ accreditation by the Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario (HRPAO). Call 41&675-6622, ext. 3381 or email graeme.simpson@humberxa for further information. Apply for all Business School programs at the OCAS web site - www.oritariacollcges.ca Seating is Limited! W HUMBER The Business School www.business.humberc.on.ca GFCF GRADUATE AND FACULTY CHRISTIAN FORUM at the University of British Columbia \\VBC SPECIAL LECTURE PRESTON MANNING Senior Fellow, Canada West Foundation Distinguished Visitor at University of Calgary and University of Toronto Preston Manning served as a member of Parliament from 1993 to 2001. He helped found two political parties - the Reform Party of Canada and the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance - both of which became the official Opposition in Parliament. Mr. Manning served as Leader of the Opposition from 1997 to 2000 and was also his party's critic for science and technology. He is a Christian with a life-long interest in the relationship between faith and science, faith and business, faith and politics, and faith and conflict resolution. "The Lion & the Lamb: Tensions and Opportunities in the Interface between Faith & Political Discourse" Monday November 15, 5:00PM, Geography 100, 1984 West Mall, UBC Drawing on his extensive experience in the political arena Mr. Manning will speak about faith, politics and their convergence in his own life and in society as a whole. This GFCF lecture is sponsored hy the UBC Murrin Fund For more information, please visit http://gfcf-ubc.ca or contact: Paul Stanwood, stap@shaw.ca, 604-822-4020 Jochem Roukema, roukema@mech.ubc.ca, 604-827-5007 Do You Suffer From Acne? BLU-U PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY IS THE ANSWER No Drugs! No Cream! FACIAL CW REJUVENATION CLINIC www.facialrejuvenationclinic.com CALL TODAY FOR A FREE CONSULTATION 604-763-SKIN (7546) #7014281 West Georgia St. Vancouver #270-6091 Gilbert Rd. Richmond VV^^ Shape up, or collapse A Short History of Progress by Ronald Wright [House ofAnansi Press] by Richard Warnica CULTURE WRITER I share an odd trait with Ronald Wright: our skulls. Both have bony shelves three-quarters of the way back that swirl around, and over the neck, to create distinctive buns. But while I've hidden my lumpen skull by wearing my hair shaggy, Wright has embraced his. So much so, in fact, that he has taken to citing his ridge as evidence that somewhere, thousands of years ago, one of his, and by association my, ancestors was a Neanderthal. Only the best kind of book can have you up in the middle of the night examining your skull for telltale signs of Neanderthal heritage. Wright's new book, A Short History of Progress, the latest in CBC's Massey Lecture series, is such a book. In it he details the emergence of humanity and its myriad civilisations, stopping along the way to cite his own bony head as evidence that somewhere in the 10,000 year struggle between the Cro Magnons (precursors to the modern human) and the Neanderthals, odds are, someone did some humping. The central message of Wright's book is that human civilisations have an awkward tendency to drive themselves into destruction. But while the largest portion of the book is given over to a review of the rise and ecological collapse of civilisations from ancient Sumeria (modern day Iraq) to Rome, to Maya, to Easter Island, the main theme is decidedly current The collapse of former civilisations was regional. Modern civilisation is so interconnected that an ecological collapse in one part of the globe will only lead to the faster exploitation of other regions. As Wright puts it 'the collapse of the first civilisation on earth, the Sumerian, affected only half a million people. The fall of Rome affected tens of millions. If ours were to fail, it would, of course, bring catastrophe to billions." What Wright suggests then, is that if our civilisation collapses we might not get another chance. A Short History of Progress is in the very best sense of the term, interdisciplinary. It is a stew of history, anthropology, science, politics and environmentalism that expresses a complex series of ideas and facts in a tight highly readable prose. It would be easy to be critical of Wright for attempting to encompass so many divergent, complex ideas in one remarkably small book. But this is clearly a book intended not for the professor, but for the general read- A Short History of PROQRESS;bj Ro^aup':Wkight er. Besides, Wright doesn't claim that his book is an omnibus textbook on the history of humankind. Anybody interested in reading more doesn't have to go any further than the hundreds of detailed endnotes that make up the last quarter of the text. The book though, does tend occasionally into the preachy and trite. Phrases like 'the thickest walls are of the mind* border the thin line between stoner wisdom and just plain stupidity. But, thankfully, they are few and far between. Wright concludes the book with the ominous and, -agairi rather trite: "now is our last chance to get the future right* But despite the apocalyptic tone it is difficult to dismiss Wright as an alarmist madman baying at the moon. His precedents are too clear, his facts too many and his arguments too lucid to read his book as anything but a fascinating, and more than a little scary, view of where we've been and where, if we don't shape up fast we're going. ♦ Intergalactic Hip-Hop Ninja One deejay with no delay, no emcees Mix Master Mike Bangzilla [Immortal Records] by Zach Goleman CULTURE WRITER Vknow how they always say don't judge an album by its cover? Well, in the case of Bangzilla, the cover artwork gives a great deal away. Muscled cartoon heroes fire lasers at futuristically armoured enemies while the destruction of a dark city burns in the background. Open the sleeve, and you see photographs of Mix Master Mike's workplace: uncountable vinyl records, VHS Japan-ama- tion, and plastic action figures stack the shelves surrounding his technical equipment—an equally chaotic scene. When it comes to talent on the turntables, Mix Master Mike is at the apex of skill. The former Invisbl Skratch Pikl is a ninja on the wheels. Mike takes the action-packed soundtracks of the yesterday's sci-fi programs and remixes them into experimental hip-hop beats, leading the listener through a tunnel of increasingly fast-paced turntabling and audio sampling. The tracks begin with recognisable samples, like the introducer's voice from The Outer Limits ('do not attempt to adjust..we are in control..*) and then take you into a dizzying world of sound effects and perfectly timed record-scratching, from which you surface occasionally for air, only to hear the voice of Dr Spock or Lord Vader. It's fun, it's funky, and it's as entertaining as watching a medley of old Transformers episodes—if you like that kind of thing. Mike has frilly mastered the art of re-introducing the grainy quality of sound, mimicking the audio of older TV series, and in this case adding a sense of vintage authenticity to his selection of beats. The shrink-wrap of the album had a small sticker on it, proclaiming MMM as the 'Beastie Boys' DJ"; a marketing touch to attract those who aren't as familiar with production as they are with vocalists. The sticker raises the question of why the exciting and experimental tracks of this piece of work weren't used on the Beasti.es' latest album, To The 5 Boroughs. Mike set up the tracks for that last release and although the Beasties held the album together vocally, the beats weren't exemplary. Had Mike used the Bangzilla sounds on the 5 Boroughs, the Beasties would have a far more interesting album, possibly as brilliant as 1998's Hello Nasty. Unfortunately, Mix Master Mike's choice means that less people will be exposed to the great cuts on Bangzilla. I especially suggest this purchase for those who need to see their years of science-fiction fandom justified; ♦ m IHE UBYSSEY CULTURE WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2004 13 m Cash for crisis Dance for Darfur at the Croatian Cultural Centre Nov.l3at8pm $30/$20 for students by Ania Mafi CULTURE EDITOR Displaced by political and ethnic conflicts since February 2003, some 1.7 million people have been forced to leave their homes in the Darfur region in western Sudan. These displaced people are in great need of relief supplies and help as many of them wait in camps with very little food. This situation is being called "the world's worst humanitarian crisis' by the United Nations. People like Miriam Jurigova have decided to take action and raise funds for this much needed cause. Jurigova, one of the organizers of an event called Dance for Darfur, says that, "as [the problems in Darfur] became more and more evident in the news...maybe at some point paralleling that of Rwanda, I just felt like a real urgent need to do something about it* After contacting Jenny Moss, the International Services Coordinator for the Canadian Red Cross in the Lower Mainland, to find out more on how she could organize a fundraiser, Jurigova was put into contact with other people looking to organize such a cultural event and so Dance for Darfur became a reality. The event features the Ebonies of Sudan Dancers, Kokoma African Heritage Ensemble, Ache Brasil Academy and many more. Hosted by guest MC Dj Alibaba of The Beat 94.5FM, Dance for Darfur will definitely be a fun event, raising funds for a very deserving and important cause. Although the crisis in Darfur needs large-scale assistance, Moss stresses the importance of events of any size to raise amount of funds possible to sup- whate- port the cause. "Every donation counts," Moss says. Her role in the Red Cross allows her to get in touch with interested fundraisers like Jurigova and help get funds to where they are needed most Moss points out that the Canadian Red Cross has so far used funds in "setting up two mobile health clinics in Sudan and they'll be providing medical assistance to people in remote areas that can't get access to medical." That's where the Canadian Red Cross is helping, but "the international appeal has been helping with providing people with food, shelter, clean water, hygiene kits, clothing...all those kinds of things you'll need when your forced to leave your home," Moss adds. Jurigova's advice for people interested in getting a fundraising project started is to take initiative and contact a humanitarian organization, such as the Red Cross, and give them an idea for a project and begin the necessary steps to get it going. "The way we did, we just approached them and did what's considered a 'third party fundraiser' where we're responsible for this, but money's going to them/ After covering the costs for the event, all proceeds go to relief efforts. 'But if your not at the point where you want to take that much initiative," Jurigova points out, "find out from these organizations how you can contribute as a volunteer/ An event such as Dance for Darfur will not only help raise awareness and funds for the crisis in Sudan, but will also bring our local cultural community together for an evening of fun festivities. Dance for Darfur is still seeking volunteers for the night of the show and can be contacted at (778) 891-1967. Tickets for Dance for Darfur are available at any Ticketmaster location, or at Highlife or Zulu Records. ♦ The behind Saw Screenwriter Leigh Whannell divulges his deadly inspirations Saw now playing by Greg Ursic CULTURE WRITER Sa w tells the story of two strangers who wake up chained to a wall in the bathroom from hell with neither man remembering how they got there. Lying between them, in a pool of blood, is a body with a pistol clutched in one hand and a tape recorder in the other. The pair soon deduces that they're the latest playthings of a serial killer dubbed 'Jigsaw* by the press. Left with nothing but obscure clues, and hacksaws that can't cut through metal, they have until sundown to escape. I sat down with one of the film's "victims/ Leigh Whannell—who also served double duty as the film's writer—to pick his brain about the creative process. I was immediately struck by his garrulous disposition and solid handshake. I also couldn't help but notice his accent—a resident of Melbourne, he could give the Crocodile Hunter a run for his money. I was curious if affecting an American accent posed a challenge for him. Evidently not. "You grow up in Australia watching so much American TV, it's been going in and out of your head for so long that you get a pretty good handle on it...now if I had to play an Icelandic guy I'd be in trou- ble/Jhe^, addedwith. a.chuckle. Talking to him, you have to wonder how a nice guy like Whannell came up with such a nasty premise. The answer is a bit convoluted with its roots in his first acting gig. After losing out on a meatv role in Matrix Revolutions, he was ecstatic to be called back for the role of Axel, a character with somewhat limited screen time—*I was onscreen for five seconds and had two lines: 'Oh Shit' and 'Incoming!'* Still, Whannell, a self-admitted "obsessive fanboy* could not have been happier. "I would have played a tree in the sequel if they'd asked me" he beamed. He'd been bitten by the acting bug. Still aglow after his blockbuster experience, Whannell cast around for his next job, but quickly discovered the feast or famine vagaries of his chosen profession. While stuck in the acting doldrums he received a call from James Wan, his former film school pal, who had an idea for a script two guys wake up chained in a room and they aren't sure why they're there or how to get out "I hung up the phone and I just instantly knew...you know that you've got something good because you can't stop thinking about it* That germ of an idea quickly evolved into a working script Saw really came about as a result of that effort to get work. [I decided] if no one's going to cast me, I'll write my own goddamn film/ The screenplay originally started off as a thriller, but "...because we're [he and Wan] such big horror fans, horror stuff kept creeping in like dolls and things.../ it quickly evolved into what he calls a "Dark thriller/ As with any film involving quirky serial killers and cops. Saw has seen its share of comparisons to Seven. Whannell acknowledged that it had an influence "I loved Seven—the way it wrapped up was beautiful, it was textbook plotted. I wanted this film to be as well plotted as Seven...but story wise it was more about the two victims in the bathroom. In Japan, it's [being marketed as] Seven meets Cube, which is interesting as JOupe [a.science. jictionj mystery] was a real influence." ' The plan was to shoot the film as an independent, so that the duo could retain creative control of their collective vision. But fate had other plans, "Once the script was finished...people were reading it and saying like, 'this is good!' and we should do something with it [and] before we knew it we were in the States." Thankfully the producers were happy to leave the pair in the picture both literally and figuratively. For Whannell, acting in something he'd penned proved to be a mixed blessing. "I think it's best if you're a writer not to visit the set..I'm chained to the wall and see him [Wan] in the corner with the AD's [Assistant Directors] and [he mimics tearing up pages of a script and throwing them on the floor] I'm like, 1 spent the whole night on that you bastards!" In spite of the occasional heartbreak of filming, Whannell enjoyed the process immensely. The same can't be said for his experiences in Hollywood. "There's just something in the air that turns what's fun into work...it's like you spend a year climbing Everest and upon reaching the top you don't have a comfy chair to enjoy the view.../ But he's not about to give up on acting just yet "Writing is hell, whereas dressing up and having people go like Would you like a water Mr. Whannell? Mr. Whannell are you okay?' That's fucking great!*. This was highlighted by his experience on the Matrix, "the time it took to film that five seconds was longer than the entire shoot for Saw [18 days] and everyone fusses over you. I was like 1 can handle this.' I'm thinking if this is how [the character of] Axel, two second guy, gets treated imagine how Tom Cruise is treated/ Of. course that mindset comes at a price. "*ffiat>s when you start to change, that's when you go into an ice cream store and the guy doesn't give you your change fast enough and you say [pretending to be outraged] 'Well I've never been treated like this before!' and you become a prick." He has a surefire method of maintaining his anti-diva status The good thing about being Australian is you never rate yourself You're like, Tm never going to be famous" and Whannell pretends to be bashful and stares at his feet We'll see how his humility stands up after what promises to be a big hit at the box office. ♦> One-woman show lets it ail hang out Fabulous Disaster at the Firehall Arts Centre until Nov. 13 by Ania Mafi CULTURE EDITOR "It's a love story, it's a very strange love story.* Denise Clarke is describing A Fabulous Disaster, a production she created and stars in. Now playing at the Firehall Arts Centre, the play is a solo show by Clarke, and trying to find out more about it proved to be quite a challenge for me. As Clarke points out, Tm being slightly coy about what it's about because it's not my thing to give away my shows. There's always a nice little element of surprise in my audience, and I like doing that" In making this play, Clarke describes that she "assemble[s] a series of elements including ideas, newspaper stories, former sketches of characters [she] had, and put it all to-gether to make this little play/ With only one character running the show, Clarke sounds confident that audiences will find meaning and beauty in her work. With some parts of the play performed nude, Clarke sees nudity as "a costume choice* for her. She proudly explains that while she could wear a nylon body suit, she prefers not to, as she is not ashamed of her body at all. "There is a kind of humanity that can be suggested by striping down... you're looking at a human body, and you begin to see a lot about the psyche of the individual/ Clarke adds. The nudity is minimal, and is done at a very important stage in the character's development. Are people shocked by the nudity? "I'm kinda startled when people express fascination or shock...I've been protected—if anyone's been horrified they certainly don't let me know...it's really commonplace... it's misleading to suggest it's a piece of nude-theatre," says Clarke rather humourously. I agree with Clarke as I explained to her that the poster for the play (a naked sketch of the female form) seemed rather misleading to me, and she interrupts to correct me, saying 'It's certainly not a drawing darling, that's my real naked ass.* Without little insight into the details of this play, after talking to Clarke, it's easy to see that this production will be a reflection of her natural witty charm. A Calgary native, Clarke became a permanent member of the One Yellow Rabbit (OYR) ensemble in 1986, creating and co-creating many shows for the OYR including Erotic Irony of Old Glory, Featherland, and Sign Langua-ge. With a background in dance, Clarke has choreographed musical theatre for the likes of Edmonton's Citadel Theatre, Theatre Calgary and The Canadian Stage in Toronto. Confident in her body, and her work, Clarke will surely combine her graceful artistic form and her contagious humor on stage for an exquisite and refreshing performance that is not to be missed. ♦ ■^e* __■_ 14 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2004 EDITORIAL THE UBYSSEY iitiK w> THEUBYSSEY WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10,2004 VOLUME 86 ISSUE 18 w>'~* " m EDITORIAL BOARD COORDINATING EDITOR Jesse Marchand NEWS EDITORS Sarah Bourdon Dan McRoberts CULTURE EDITOR Ania Mafi SPORTS EDITOR Eric Szeto FEATURES/NATIONAL EDITOR Alex Leslie PHOTO EDITOR Nic Fensom PRODUCTION MANAGERS Paul Carr Michelle Mayne COORDINATORS VOLUNTEERS Carrie Robinson RESEARCH/LETTERS Paul Evans The Ubyssey is the official student newspaper of the University of British Columbia. It is published every Tuesday and Friday by The Ubyssey Publications Society We are an autonomous, democratically run student organisation, and all students are encouraged to participate. Editorials are chosen and written by the Ubyssey staff.They are the expressed opinion of the staff, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Ubyssey Publications Society or the University of British Columbia. The Ubyssey is a founding member of Canadian University Press (CUP) and adheres to CUPs guiding principles. All editorial content appearing in The Ubysseyis the property of The Ubyssey Publications Society. Stories, opinions, photographs and artwork contained herein cannot be reproduced without the expressed, written permission of The Ubyssey Publications Society. Letters to the editor must be under 300 words. Please include your phone number, student number and signature (not for publication) as well as your year and faculty with all submissions. ID will be checked when submissions are dropped off at the editorial office of The Ubyssey, otherwise verification will be done by phone. "Perspectives" are opinion pieces over 300 words but under 750 words and are run according to space "Freestyles" are opinion pieces written by Ubyssey staff members. Priority will be given to letters and perspectives over freestyles unless the latter is time sensitive. Opinion pieces will not be run until the identity of the writer has been verified. The Ubyssey reserves the right to edit submissions for length and clarity It is agreed by all persons placing display or classified advertising that if the Ubyssey Publications Society fails to publish an advertisement or if an error in the ad occurs the liability of the UPS will not be greater than the price paid for the ad. The UPS shall not be responsible for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value or the impact of the ad. EDITORIAL OFFICE Room 24, Student Union Building 6138 Student Union Boulevard Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1 tel: 604-822-2301 fax: 604-822-9279 web: www.ubyssey.bc.ca e-mail: feedback@ubyssey.bcca BUSINESS OFFICE Room 23, Student Union Building advertising: 604-822-1654 business office: 604-822-6681 fax: 604-822-1658 e-mail: advertising@ubyssey.bcca BUSINESS MANAGER Fernie Pereira AD SALES Dave Gaertner AD DESIGN Shalene Takara EDITORIAL GRAPHIC Joel Libin Carrio was not there. It was six in the evening, as Colleen Tang and Claudia Ii observed- 1 wonder if she is in trouble,' Carol Domanko mused. 'I'm pretty sure she's taking a test* Bazile Evans replied with confidence. If only they had known the truth. Eric Szeto had seen it all. while hiding behind Paul Carr's massivs fraine. Carrie was walking down Main Mall when she was waylaid by Dan McRoberts, Dan Burritt and Alex Leslie, who shook her down for lunch money. The commotion attracted Bobby Huang. Matt Simpson and Greg Ursic, who took Carrie's backpack- Frustrated, Carrie readied for a blue phone but Jesse Marchand picked up and cackled. Ill send Sarah Bourdon. Ania Mafi and Michelle Mayne to help,' she said. Relieved. Carrie was then accosted by Jen Cameron, Carina Cbjeen, Trevor Gilks and Liz Green, who demanded that she lead them to glorious victoiy against tbe evil forces led by Levi Barnett and his culture cadre of Zach Goleman. Richard Warnica, Jodi Carlson and Simon Underwood. "But I can't,* Carrie stammered. 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