@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, "2004-02-13"@en ; edm:aggregatedCHO "https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/Ubysseynews/items/1.0127012/source.json"@en ; dc:format "application/pdf"@en ; skos:note """ Surfing the net for love o ne mans adventures riding the waves of Internet dating. Pages 8-9. THIS ISSUE: '15 to: 19 per cent The tuition increase starts to be mapped out. Page 3. This, week, do Greek Dining out at Talcs Taverna. Page 10. Getting to tii® top Alpine skiers prepare for Regionals. Page 2. - You can'say we're - ■."': hard to hold That's because we hate a whole lot of things. Page 14. B Y S S Ei Volume 85 Issue 37 magazine ^m%w Friday, February 13, 201 Friday, February 13, 2004 taking-shit for the pit since WIS PAGE FRIDAY Friday, February 13,2004 CLASSIFIEDS *M_M_aM UBC FOOD COOP. FAIR TRADE & ORGANIC FOOD FOR THE STUDENT BUDGEX Open 12-2PM weekdays in the SUB basement near the Wellness Centre and Travelcuts. UBC SAILING CLUB PARTY, FEB 13 @ Jericho Sailing Centre www.ubcsailing.org/febl3party POWELL RIVER 3RD ANNUAL FILM FESTIVAL - "The Corporation" with special guest, director Jennifer Abbott on Friday, February 20 + on 21st the Canadian Premiere of "Kk ah Men". Special guests, great documentaries, features films, receptions, book-signing, art exhibit. February 19-21 at the Evergreen Theatre. See website for complete details, including travel specials: www.prfilm.ca Phone: (604) 485-3892. .anemic services STUCK ON A TOUGH ESSAY? EssayExperts.ca can help! Expert writers will help you with editing, writing, graduate school applications. We 11 help you on any subject — visit us 24/7 at EssayExperts.ca LPI / EXPERIENCED ACADEMIC COACH, most subjects. 604.222.2164 WORD PROCESSING AND DICTAPHONE TRANSCRIPTION services for students and instructors. Thesis (APA), term papers and tape interviews. Editing and proofing of existing papers. Call Diane at 465-5524 or email dikalyk(?lshaw.ca* DO YOU NEED A MATH TUTOR? Patient Math tutor with MSc and 6 years tutoring experience. Small groups welcome. $30/hour. Satisfaction guaranteed! Call Dan _• (604)742-1723. nnfliVfliM TUTOR WANTED LOOKING FOR A TUTOR FOR BUSI452. Will pay cash. Please phone. Bryan at 604.377.8324. or e-mail me at pacificorca@telus.net Would like tutor to review written assignments (weekly) by e-mail. TEACH ENGLISH OVERSEAS: Jobs $$ Guaranteed-Great Pay. TESOL Certified 5 days in-class, online or by correspondence. Free information Seminar, every Tuesday @ 6:00pm. #216, 1755 West Broadway (9 Burrard). Free infopack: 1-888-270-2941 or contact globaltesol.com SUMMER CAMP COUNSELORS ON CAMPUS INTERVIEWS FOR PREMIER CAMPS IN MASSACHUSETTS Positions available for talented, energetic and fun loving students as counselors in all team sports including Roller Hockey and Lacrosse, all individual sports such as Tennis & Golf, Waterfront and Pool activities and specialty activities including an, dance, theatre, gymnastics, newspaper, rocketry and radio. GREAT SALARIES, room, board, travel and US summer work visa. June 17th-August 13th. Enjoy a great summer that promises to be unforgettable. For more information and to apply. MAH_KEE_NAC " www.campmkn.com: 1-800-753-9118. Interviewer will be on campus Monday March 1st-10am -4:00pm In the Student Union Building (SUB)-Ropm 212. HIGH TECHNOLOGY PROJECT . REPRESENTATIVE, North Vancouver on Lonsdale, 13 or 25 hrs/wk, Weekday mornings only, $l|.50/hr, www.transmicro.com/jobs.htm. GRADUATING? NEED A JOB? The iCentro Method Job Networking course teaches you where - and 'how' to find opportunities in the hidden job market. Get amazing results! Discount if registering with a friend. Call for free brochure. 604.684.2275. www.icentro.com DEREGULATION OF PUBLIC UTILITIES can work from home. Part time, full time, training provided. 604.783.1901. usicians NEW WEST COAST ALTERNATIVE FOLK ROCK PROJECT seeks young, solid, energetic positive drummer & bass player. New CD, local & regional touring. Paid % of gigs & CD royalties! Influences include: Pumpkins, Young, Bowie, Dead, Harper, CSN, PF, Zep, Beatles, Nirvana. Interested parties should reply to guitararmy@hotmail.com or leave a message at 604-807- 4372. 1995 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO (CONVERTIBLE) - only 75,000 kms! One owner, no accidents, all service records, 5 speed, Dark Green/beige top, black material seats. New tires, and includes 4 winter tires. Also includes CD player, and bike rack. Excellent condition. Asking $13,900. (604) 250- 2617 KEYBOARD FOR SALE. Yamaha Portatone PSR-170. 61 keys, built-in speakers, hundreds of sounds. Excellent condition. $100. Email josh@joshmcnorton.com or call 604- 221-6215. iiafin SCORE POINTS WITH MOM & DAD! They will really like this Kits accommodation for their Vancouver visit, www.cherubinn.com ACCOMODATION AVAILABLE IN THE UBC SINGLE STUDENT REIDENCES. JANUARY-APRIL. Room vacancies are available in selected UBC single residences for qualified male and female applicants. Available for immediate occupancy in Gaee, Fairview, Totem and Ritsumeikan residences. Applicants who take occupancy of a residence rooni before Feb.2 2004 are etigible to participate in the residence lottery for returning students in 2004- 2005 Winter session. Contact UBC Housing in Brock Hall (1874 East Mall) for more information. The Housing Office is open from 8:30am-4:00pm weekdays, or call (604) 822-2811 during , office hours. 'Availability is limited for some residences and room types. en/ices LE PETIT SPA IS PROMOTING WAXING WEDNESDAYS: book 2 waxing services + jecetye 50% off on the service of lesser value. Call 604-224- 4314 or visit www.lepetitspa.ca To place an Ad or Classified, call 822-1654 or visit SUB Room 23 (Basement). tKunderbird radio news "I independent campus and community news, arts and sports every friday at 5p.m. ■Jvs Ws.il-- [ c.\\ v Jus-lice gels confused ii liw(i diction. ; xu--] 1 Imv.o'om.i'is CO"fp •• Via |Li:t*| 1 Ii" ''4 t!'C 'nooks >ft ■-,;ft beautiful pages on ft:;; ftft ft computers nowft : «;ftft/ft:V;- ■. Come learn howl "ft- ■ Gome to- Paul <& Iva's i'': ^Ptoductiirm^ ^AVedxtesday^ft ft ^ruary 25^200# "T/;ft> vj Ipnl to 2:30pm ft~*ft;ft ft-. sub 2 _T:ftft--ftft;;f ■; ^yyyy y: ■. 11 Everyone welcome* 'j."^ftw Hearing hill's end Alpine skiers don't let injuries hurt team by Wilson Wong SPORTS STAFF With the Western Regional Championships in sight, the UBC .Alpine Ski teams are getting a mental workout to go along with their physical training. Various injuries have stricken the team, which caused UBC to compete in their last conference race of the year with a patchwork line-up. On the weekend, the team was in Schweitzer Mountain, Idaho to compete in the final United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association, Northwest Conference race of the season. The women's team looked for some redemption after struggling the previous week in Spokane. That was the first race without injured captain Stephanie Rodenkirchen, who is out for the rest of the ski season with a knee injury. Without their leader, rookie Andrea Lutsenberger led the way, winning the giant slalom race on Saturday and taking silver in the Sunday event. Her weekend performance, combined with strong weekends from Kim Webber and Joanna Rosenfeld, paced the UBC women to a first place team finish on both days. Webber finished fourth on Saturday and right behind her was Rosenfeld, giving UBC three skiers in the top five. Men's team captain/coach, Paul Boskovich, was ecstatic about the women's performance, "The ladies' team had'made the biggest step last weekend. They need solid results to build the confidence and on Saturday, they took three of the top five, winning by over ten seconds.' Boskovich's enthusiasm may have also been a result of his own accomplishments over the weekend. The senior won both giant slalom races sparking his team to a win on Sunday. Support came from the team's youngsters as Josh Anderson finished amongst the top ten skiers on both days. Nathan Crompton gave everyone a scare with a crash on Saturday but rebounded spectacularly with a second place finish on Sunday. Matt Woods also finished in the top 15 in only his second race of the year. With injuries keeping Trevor Bruce and Alex Boedtker out of competition, the strong performances of the younger skiers made Boskovich very happy. "Nate Crompton, Josh Anderson and Matt Woods all stepped up in the absence of Trevor and Alex [Norway]. It was great for the rookies to get a chance to shine and with the return of the vets at Regionals, we should be even stronger.' The short ski season is quickly coming to an end with the Western Regional Championships taking place February 20-22 at Red Lodge, Montana. Boedtker and Bruce will return in time for the Regionals, increasing the men's chances of making the Nationals. To make the National Championships in Maine, the UBC teams need to finish within the top four teams. ♦ ■V F PJ I IS"' UBYSSEY MUSIC Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg and Sergio Odar Assad, Chan Centre for the Perfoming Arts, Saturday, Feb. 14,8-10pm. Looking for something classy for Valentines Day? Take in this guitar duo at the Chan. Cost ranges from $2 7-$45. COMEDY High Noon with Aaron Strate and Ari Lazer, Norm Theatre, Friday Feb. 13, noon to 1pm. Combination: Letterman, Jon Stewart and SNL. Join two senior improv team members for free hilarious satirical news, comedy sketches and funny interviews. Bring your lunch. Laughs guaranteed! DRINKING Canadian Club Valentine's Bzzr Garden, SUB Ballroom, Friday Feb. 13,7-llpm. Join the Canadian Club for beer and donuts. Singles welcome. Cheap booze. Non-Canadians welcome, but please bring passport Cost is $2. Singles Valentine's Dance, Thea's Lounge (GSS building upstairs), Friday Feb. 13,8pm. Don't let your heart be lonely on Valentine's Day. Join the GSS for a night of freei love, beer and loneliness banishment. It's free before 18pm aid $2;after: '' ■ "■''■ r -' ■ '''' ' r1"". PAGE FRIDAY Friday, February 13,2004 : ilejibf isef iiaiaiiic' NEWS 3 Tuition may 90 up 15 to 19 per cent by Jonathan Woodward NEWS EDITOR No new unfunded students, an increase in student financial aid and a significant tuition increase are the main messages as consultation for next year's tuition begins. "The tuition consultation process has started,' said Brian Sullivan, UBC VP Students. The proposal would add between $519 and $657 to a typical undergraduate fee, raising the cost of education at UBC from $3459 to $4116. Certain faculties such as Commerce are looking at larger increases. Research graduate students may face between $480 and $608 increase and Law, Education and some Medicine and Dentistry students could see between $1000 and $2000 increases. First-year Medicine and Dentistry students may face an almost $4000 rise in fees. , ,:,... :.-. . The proposed increase would mean some real hardship, said Rachel Schmuland, a fourth-year biology student Tm getting near my cap on student loans and once they run out I won't be able to afford this/ she said. "I'm counting on UBC saying they would never turn away a student because of lack of funding, but there aren't many options left for me." The discussion comes in a year when funding from the provincial government is to drop by $10 million, according to previous funding letters. But UBC's current plan banks on there being no decrease in BC government funding and instead, an $8 million increase. This is to ensure the cost of education is not borne too heavily by the student, Sullivan said. "If you don't allow tuition tp go above 30 per cent [of the cost of a degree], then the government is still in this," he said. "We have a historical relationship as being a public university and our stand-in for this is that we expect the government to pay it" • The tuition increase will pay for a range of funding commitments for next year which, if left unfunded, will bring the university's budgetary shortfall to $31 million, Sullivan said. $2.5 million of that is slated to go towards need-based student financial aid. This year UBC gave out $2.4 million more in aid than expected. "This represents the university going at this as a core financial commitment in keeping the Board access policy," said Sullivan. Increases in financial aid because of increases in tuition will be accommodated by changes to the student loan program recently made by the federal and provincial governments, he added. $ 11 million will go towards accepting about 1200 students beyond what is funded by the government the amount of extra unfunded students accepted this year. $2 million of the university's revenue will come from a good performance from UBC's investments, said Sullivan. UBC invests in spin-off companies that use technology from UBC and capitalises on their returns. UBC is also waiting on negotiations with the Faculty Association for salary increases, he said. Talks are planned for after the university receives a funding commitment from the government, but figures quoted by Faculty Association President Richard Anstee say that the settlement could be as much as $4 million. "The faculty salary negotiation really ties our hands," said Alma Mater Society VP External Sam Saini. In recent surveys, students have said faculty is the most important aspect of a quality education, he added. "We want to be in a position where we won't lave to fire faculty or let faculty go," said Saini. A report that examines whether tuition increases have had a positive effect on students will be released today, said Saini. Tuition surveys commissioned by the AMS over e-mail will also be compiled soon. Armed with these documents, the AMS will be able to better engage the university in its consultation process, said Saini. Sullivan welcomed the process. Tm confident that student feedback will be shaping this proposal significantly," he said. ♦ Happy Valentine's Gay! A couple shows us how it's done during Pride UBC's Kiss-In scheduled in the SUB for Outweek. michelle mayne photo AMS administrator1! decision overturned, another appeal filed Candidate appealing the appeal ruling against decision to invalidate original AMS Board of G overnors race by Megan Thomas and Dan Burritt NEWS EDITOR AND NEWS WRITER Victory has been fleeting for Alma Mater Society (AMS) Board of Governors (BoG) candidate Brian Duong. After having his elections win declared invalid two weeks ago, he won an appeal of that verdict But that ruling by the elections committee has been called "grossly misinformed," and competing BoG candidate Olivier Plessis has appealed to UBC's highest student elections decision-making body on the grounds that the ruling was made improperly. Three weeks ago, Duong won the second of two available BoG seats by a scant 26 votes over Plessis. But Anthony Waldron, AMS elections administrator, annulled race results because of complaints that several slates, including Doung's Students for Students party, knew how many votes had been cast, and could increase the intensity of their cant paign because of that knowledge. Duong, who denied any knowl edge of race results, appealed that decision to the AMS elections appeal committee. He received a judgment Wednesday overturning Waldron's decision to re-run the race. But because Plessis has appealed that decision again, Duong must wait until next Wednesday when the Senate Elections Committee will hear the case. That is the body that can make the final decision as to who will be the student BoG representatives. "I am just doing what I think is right in this situation," said Plessis. Tm concerned that all the evidence was _..-„_ not accounted. The proper reasoning might not have been elaborated...at this point I would just like to see due process happen." While Duong said he is not surprised by Plessis's counter-appeal, he thinks the judgement by the Student Court Chief Justice was credible and he hopes,that the Senate committee will take it into consider ation when they hear the next appeal "It was fair, he covered all the bases and he made his judgement," said Duong. Chief Justice for the Student Court William Pak gave several reasons for overturning Waldron's decision to re-run the election, including concerns about AMS council suspending a section of AMS Code, that Waldron did not follow the rules of the appeal procedure and that there was a lack of evidence that race results were leaked. "It was indeterminate whether there really was a leak of information and whether there was a leak in information that was pertinent to the election," wrote Pak in his ruling. "I am appalled that the AMS council suspended a section of the AMS Code of Procedure, and I find no authority before me that allows council to set aside an important section of an important code." On January 28, AMS council decided to suspend a section of the Code concerning elections committee decisions, allowing Waldron to independently invalidate the BoG elections. But Spencer Keys, chair of the AMS Code and Policies committee, said it is well within council's authority to suspend sections of the code with a 2/3 majority vote. Much of the code was ignored in the ruling, said Keys, adding that he is not satisfied with Pak's judgment "It was painful to read," said Keys. "I'm not convinced by this document that due process was followed." Keys, who ran as an independent candidate fpi* VP External, said he received a phone call during the election telling him how many votes he had. "There was, I believe, ample evidence that there was a leak," said Keys. Waldron called the ruling "grossly misinformed" and said that due to the structure of the appeal process and the confidential nature of his investigation into the leak, he was unable to present his entire case. Waldron also said that repeated attempts to reach Pak to discuss his concerns over presenting his case were unsuccessful. Given that much of his decision was based on confidential information, he said he was unable to appoint the required representative to present his case. "How could I possibly send a representative for information that I couldn't tell my representative because it was confidential?" said Waldron. Waldron also said that he did present his side of the case in writing and is not satisfied that the ruling took all his evidence into account "If you read the judgement, it is actually crystal, clear that the chief justice cannot possibly have read the entire submission," he said, adding that he had concerns about Pak's job competence. Waldron said he will not file his own counter appeal against Pak's decision, but he does recommend that the AMS elections appeal process be reformed in the future. The Senate Elections Committee will decide between the two remaining options: either to re-run the BoG election or uphold Duong's appeal, making Duong a, BoG representative. ♦ .„''"' tie jbfiief; pasailifft PAGE FRIDAY Friday, February 13,2004 ?§^ ^uj^ piill malt ^it^lta'^^^^Si^£SM^S 'fftSftfe^ftft^ UBYSo£rr^r;drsince:i^i8^ Explore YOUR Explorezde Field of nouveaux Dreams. Horizons. Looking to further a research career in the fields of natural sciences or engineering? You could be eligible for a research scholarship or fellowship. NSERC (the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada) promotes, supports and invests in university research. From undergraduate to postdoctoral levels, scholarships and fellowships can help expand your career and give you the resources you need to succeed. Tn find out more, including competition dates and deadlines, contact the: - '> ■'i -hips and Fellowships Division NSERC 350 Albert Street Ottawa, ON K1A 1H5 Telephone: (613) 995-5521 Fax: (613)996-2589 VWt out web site: www.nserc.ca j Une carriere en sciences naturelles ou en genie vous interesse? Vous pourriez obtenir une bourse pour faire de la recherche. Le CRSNG (Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en g£nie du Canada) est charge de promouvoir et d'appuyer la recherche universitaire et d'y effectuer des investissements. Une bourse de recherche, * du premier cycle au niveau postdoctoral, peut donner un essor a votre carriere et contribuer a votre reussite professionnelle. Pour obtenir plus de renseignements, dcvt les dates des concours et les echeanciers, veuittez vous adu *-er a 'a: Division des programmes de bourses CRSNG 350, rue Albert Ottawa (Ontario) K1A 1H5 Telephone: (613) 995-5521 Tel&opieur: (613) 996-2589 Consulted notre site Web: www.crsi 'g i J 3* t O Nseac CRSNG Canada CLYUb OAM5 CONDOMS AND DAMS AND SNUGGLING CARTOONS. OH MY! Students' sexual safety mores are as bad as they were during the seventies, michelle mayne photo Students losing out on safe sex Protection, risk of disease not important to a seneration that is less informed about AIDS By Tyler Hopson NEWS WRITER As Valentine's Day nears, some students may be tMnMng of roses and chocolates; others, intimacy and sex. What students might not be thinking of, warns Wellness Centre Coordinator Judith Pratt, is having safer sex. Most universiiy-aged students have been exposed to safer sex campaigns since their preteen years or earlier. But there is evidence that those messages haven't been getting through as well as they could. "We're still seeing the same rates of unprotected sex among students compared to ten or 20 years ago,* Pratt said. A 1999 UBC Student Health Survey found that 46 per cent of undergraduate students were having unprotected se;x, nieaning they ' never used protection or used it irregularly. That number is nothing new, said Pratt Various health agencies across Canada say this lack of protected sex is a major factor in the rise of sexually transmitted infections (STI)—a term now considered more favourable than sexually transmitted diseases. In 2002, the Canadian Council on Social Development said chlamydia rates for youth aged 15 to 24 have risen since 1997. At the time, young people aged 15 to 24 accounted for almost 70 per cent of all reported cases of chlamydia. Rates of HIV transmission are also on the rise for young gay men in BC, according to the BC Centre for Disease Control (CDC). Among other findings in the UBC survey was that only 22 per cent of females and 29 per cent males always use some form of protection. Eighteen per cent of females and 19 of males said they have had unprotected sex more than six times and ten per cent of females and seven per cent of males said they had been diagnosed with an STI. "The biggest reason for this [unprotected sex]/ said, Pratt, "is that people don't think they're putting themselves at risk.* Dr Mike Rekart of the BC CDC says youth often ignore safer sex guidelines because they feel they are incapable of catching an STI or causing pregnancy in themselves or others. "It's always said that young people feel they can't get sick and they don't have to worry about getting pregnant,* he said. Another reason, says Rekart, is that today's youth were not likely sexually active five to ten years ago when there was more awareness campaigns about the prevention of HTV and AIDS. As a result, they may not feel the same need to be as cautious as those older than them. Pratt says students need to talk with their sexual partners about having safer sex and about STIs, something she says many students fail to do. "If they're not talking about those issues, then they are putting themselves at greater risk,* she said. Both Rekart and Prat say con-. doms and dental dams are an effective, although not foolproof, method of protection for almost all STIs. The message is not a new one, but they say it is worth reinforcing. The Wellness Centre sells condoms at low prices to students on the Lower Level of the SUB. "We want people to get over the embarrassment of buying [condoms],' said Pratt She calls the Wellness Centre a "comfortable" environment in which matters of sexual health can be talked about openly. The Wellness Centre will also host several workshops on sexual health from February 9 to 13 as part of Intimacy Week. "It is up to people to protect themselves if they are at all unsure," said Rekart. "Young people should not rely on their sexual partners to do it for them." Fortunately, said Pratt, the Wellness „ Centre has seen an increase in the nujhber of partners coming in to get tegted together. ♦ PAGE FRIDAY Friday, February 13,2004 the ut»fs$ef magatljie- NEWS Axworthy leaves to help solve border dispute NEXT WEEK...AFRICA: UBC's Lloyd Axworthy is the United Nations special envoy to Ethiopia and Eritrea to settle boarder woes, peter klesken/ubyssey file photo by Megan Thomas NEWS EDITOR A deadly border dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea is now officially in the hands of former Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy^current director of UBC's Liu Centre. Axworthy left yesterday for New York to begin United Nations (UN) briefings on a mission to try and bring long-awaited peace to a war-torn part of the world that rarely makes newspaper headlines. Ethiopia and Eritrea are in a deadlock over the border laid out by an independent boundary commission. In 2000, both countries signed a treaty agreeing to abide by the decisions of the five-member commission. The compromise ended a bloody two-year war between the neighbours in 2000. But in 2002, tension erupted again when Ethiopia rejected the commission's ruling that Badme, a town at the heart of the conflict, was part of Eritrea. Currently the relations between the two are tense but militarily stable, partly due to the 42,000 UN troops that are maintaining a 25-kilometre buffer between them, called the Temporary Security Zone. Axworthy was first appointed to be the UN special envoy last December, but objections by Eritrea to taking part in the peace process delayed the mission and official announcement until next week. Axworthy will fly to Ethiopia on Tuesday with a group of UN officials and policy advisors to make initial contact with the warring governments and to establish opportunities for dialogue. "This is really the first round of opportunities to see exactly where the respective positions are," said Axworthy. "I think this is just the setup phase." He added that currently there is no com munication between the Ethiopian and Eritrean governments other than at the UN level and at the military level along the disputed border. The 1000 kilometre border was set to be mapped out by the independent commission by November, but the process has been stalled since the two Horn of Africa countries locked horns over rights to Badme. Badme holds special significance because it sparked the 1998 hostilities. Ethiopia accused Eritrea of invading its territory when the Eritreans entered the town. The ensuing conflict killed more than 70,000 people and was fought from deadly trenches like those employed in World War I. Axworthy will be up against many issues that have sfymied three years of UN diplomacy in the region and is being realistic about the scope of this first mission. He thinks it will take months of negotiation and discussion to see peaceful results. "The next time around we can actually maybe start exploring some of the options and choices," he said. One of the key goals of this mission is to clarify the decisions of the boundary commission that dictate where the border is, said Axworthy. "It is really an issue of implementation," he said. "We are going to see what we can do to help and move that along a little bit* Other considerations for the UN team are serious economic problems, a refugee crisis exasperated by drought, and considerable landmine hazards. Axworthy said he will also be drawing heavily on much of the African research of his colleagues at the Liu Centre to help address the issues of the two countries. "I have a good base to work from,' he said, adding that he sees the mission as an example of "academic diplomacy' in action. ♦ S}v Choose from hundreds of day and ] even ng Ai ts and Science courses 1 Pick up credits toward your degree ! .it your home university ' Take advannge of U of T's great ■ l Fri"» 7:00am to 6r:30pm :'ft: SU B:; Lower FLodRftft'Vft;* \\m THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA 2004 PRESIDENT'S SERVICE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE NOMINATIONS The committee is seeking nominations of outstanding staff and faculty who have made distinguished service to the university. For a nomination form, please go to www.external-affairs.ubc.ca/ceremonies/ Please mail nominations to: President's Service Award for Excellence Committee c/o Ceremonies Office 2nd Floor, Ponderosa B CaMpus Zone 2 Deadline for Nominations It February 27, 2004 *^-^ %--3r g,a^.-ft..^s^ ?.w ..^-k ,.,.^..3 ^..^^.^..^1,^,^ . ™**«*.-^*,rei.&^ ^.. ~.*..-^m*m~f?°er..!rv. *:*<«.. ,.... .s*^,..., ^.f. *, .f.^ ,^.. ...^,^.^yy^.i^> ...^ rxm.»&ex?&$*». . ** -a. s ^^.^aaag^a^,..^ ^ gs^w<^*eg^*^T ^.ajs^a^.^iK dsissr..*^aa..tt*sg3w^ YOUR TICKET TO WINTER FUN AND FREE K2 GEAR —J \\g/ v- - 0 CD Q Cllj) (___) (Ll) 4<.w J ff iT wil f Smus CDC_DCD Motorola V300 Motorola T720 GET $80 IN K2 MERCHANDISE PLUS A FREE CARRYING CASE l\\ Motorola C370g Motorola V300 ^COLOUR SCREEN PHQNEf MEGATIME PLAN - only $25/month+ * All the weeknight and weekend calling you need" » 100 weekday minutes • Free incoming text messages RIGHT NOW GET 3 MONTHS OF UNLIMITED TALK AND TEXT- STARTING AT rf*jj«fc JM QQ* ^F aWfli' *or 2-year term Wal ■ NO REBATE REQUIRED No term-$249" ^ ROGERS f jAT&T. 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(250! 756-051? Rutherford M '-iir' PAGE FRIDAY Friday, February 13, 2004 : the jiflitf: ftafaiiie NEWS 7 University hails BC throne speech pledge Worries remain about timeline/ nature of commitment and privatisation by Jonathan Woodward NEWS EDITOR The BC government's commitment to add 23,000 student spaces to post- secondary institutions and reduce entrance averages for universities to 75 per cent by 2010 was a bold statement unmatched in. any other province, said university officials. "This is one of the largest commitments a provincial government has made to access in higher education for a considerable period of time," said UBC VP Government Relations Allan Tupper. But the devil is in the details, he said, pointing to the precise funding commitments in the budget expected Tuesday. Minimum entrance- averages at UBC were 87 per cent for Science and 85 per cent for Arts last year. Simon Fraser University and the University of Victoria had entrances of 82 per cent or better. Reducing the entrance averages to 7 5 per cent would bring in a flood of new first-year students, doubling enrolment from about 5000 in first year to as much as 10,000, said UBC Registrar Brian Silzer. Proposing to add what would amount to another university of student spaces is a daunting task, he added. "To think that we would be able to drop down to [75 per cent] in the face of increasing demand would make that a pretty ambitious commitment on the part of this government," he said. UBC already admits 1200 students beyond what the government funds to deal with a growing demand for seats. This costs the university about $10 million a year, the amount recent funding letters say will be cut from the UBC's budget next year. , ■ Waiting until 2010 isn't good enough in BC's underfunded educational environment, said BC NDP leader Carole James. "It almost came across to me that the university was writing off the existing generation and saying, 'We're not going lo do anything for you," she said. "This is two elections away. They are saying 'trust us,' and 'Wait for the Olympics.' Twenty-five thousand student spaces doesn't necessarily mean 25,000 new spaces at a university, she said. It could mean university- level courses at a college or distance education and the government has not pinned down the nature of its new spending. Instead, James was critical of another part of the Throne Speech which promised to increase the options for private institutions in advanced education. Tm worried that this will be where the majority of new spending will go," she said. She called on the government to make a commitment to reducing the barrier of affordabili- ty as well as reducing the entrance requirements. "If you don't recognise that the cost of an education is a barrier, then you are still creating a barrier,* she said. The government also pledged that $105 million would go towards advanced education by the 2006/ 2007 academic year, about seven per cent of the current operating budget of all funded BC institutions. While he acknowledged that the new money was not as important as the pledge, Silzer credited the government for its priority on education. "This is a very positive direction and we're hoping that they have the wherewithal to put the resources there to make this happen,* he said.»> Pink Book looks to change lives by Lori Leiing NEWS WRITER. A UBC law student and a growing team of dedicated individuals are looking to improve the treatment of young girls in the BC criminal justice system. Patricia Cochran, a third-year law student, has taken on a project Called The Pink Book in an attempt to reduce the unusually high rates of incarceration for Canadian teenage girls. "The purpose of the book is to address some, of the problems in relation to girls and the crijninal justice system in Canada," said Cochran. The idea stems from a larger project being undertaken by the Justice for Girls organisation in Vancouver. This non-profit organization advocates social justice, equality and freedom from violence for young women living in poverty. "The Pink Book is going to be a guide for lawyers, advocates and young women on what their rights are in the criminal justice system under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and international law,* said Joanna Czatsko, a spokesperson for Justice for Girls. This will enable lawyers to defend the rights of girls who are criminalised, she said. Focusing on not only girls who face poverty, but also incarceration and complications with legal procedures. Justice for Girls is providing research analysis for The Pink Book. Cochran formed an independent relationship with Justice for Girls through the program Pro Bono Students Canada, a national network of law schools and community organisations that pairs law students with non-profit organisations, tribunals, government agencies and legal clinics. 'Volunteering has helped me in attaining a law degree. It creates concrete realities," said Cochran. The Pink Book - will provide resources for girls on individual legal rights and will inform defense lawyers. "What girls have told us about their experiences has shaped what kind of information is in the book,* explained Cochran. The team also hopes to give lawyers background information on teenage drug addiction. "Many girls tell us that they are incarcerated as a method of forced detoxification,* said Cochran, adding that medical research in The Pink Book will explain how dangerous forced detoxification is. The book will also provide information on the rights girls have to medical attention and treatment in correctional facilities. - "We point lawyers to the specific criminal and corrections laws that they can use to make sure their clients are not put in danger in this way," said Cochran. The Pink Book team consists of Cochran and another law student who is providing the legal research and academic literature aspect for TICKLED PINK: A UBC law student works for better justice for teenage girls, imic fensom photo the project Also involved is a young woman who has experienced incarceration first hand. "We believe it is important that we have put our team together in this way, because it reflects the importance of developing genuine coalitions between academics and community groups," said Cochran Cochran says the problem with the criminal justice system is shown by statistics of incarcerated girls. An overwhelming number are incarcerated for "their own good.* This means that they are incarcerated because they are in need, whether due to homelessness, lack of income, male violence, exploitation in the sex trade or drug addiction. "But under the law these are not reasons to incarcerate a person,' said Cochran. She is also troubled by the difference between adult sentences and those imposed on young women. "Girls who commit minor offences tend to receive much harsher sentences than what is appropriate under the law," said Cochran. "Justice fo? Girls often see young women being set up to fail with unrealistic probation or bail conditions, being forced into residential treatment and then being incarcerated if they leave treatment or break a condition," said Czatska. What needs to be done, says Cochran, is to establish resources outside of jail and the criminal justice system so that the same girls are not repeatedly incarcerated. "Such resources can come in the form of proper housing and drug treatment," she said. ft The publication date and the number of copies of The Pink Book have yet to be determined, but the team hopes to make it available across Canada to lawyers and other advocates. And The Pink Book will also be accompanied by The Little Pink Book. "Where The Pink Book is primarily for lawyers. The Little Pink Book will be made accessible for girls themselves,* explained Cochran. The Little Pink Book will be published with assistance from the BC Teachers Federation and the Vancouver School Board. It will offer young women advice on matters from making official complaints to dealing with correctional authorities. ♦ NEWS Assured of insurance The AJma Mater Society {AMS) has negotiated an extension to its new insurance policy to cover licensed AMS events such as beer gardens occurring outside of the SUB. Previously the policy was to cover only events in the SUB building, leaving beer gardens to find their own insurance. The AMS recently agreed to a deal that saw fourfold increase in their insurance costs after being dropped by their insurer of more than a decade, the Canadian Universities Reciprocal Insurance Exchange. The new policy, provided by the insurance company Campus Advantage, will provide comprehensive host liquor liability for any claims arising from events on campus. AMS President Oana Chirila said the increase in insurance rates will not mean an increase in costs or fees for clubs or constituencies. But the new policy does not cover April's Arts County Fair, put on by the Arts Undergraduate Society. Arts County Fair is currently in negotiations to find its own coverage. We don't "hate babies* The AMS has passed a motion to allow a child-care subsidy for council members who have children for when they are attending committee and council meetings. The move will be a "step towards inclusivity,* said VP Academic Laura Best. Council members will be reimbursed for the time they spend volunteering on committees and committees for the AMS. The details of how much the reimbursement will be and limitations on how may hours will be accepted is now up to the AMS Code and Policy committee. While council debated the merits of the motion at length. Arts representative Spencer Keys defended his position by saying, "This doesn't mean that we. all hate babies." Community space delayed Pacific Spirit Family and Community Services (PSFCS), a community service located on campus that is facing closure because the university can no longer offer its operating space, was given a prom ise by an AMS committee that if it came down to it, the service could be run out of the SUB. But contention over procedure has put the plan on hold. The committee, which is in charge of allocating club space in the SUB, had promised a vacant room to PSFCS, but because the commission only has the jurisdiction to allocate space to AMS clubs and initiatives, the offer could be withdrawn. N Council was told Wednesday that the offer to PSFCS was only in the event that negotiations with the university did not provide a space. But because the offer was a breach of AMS Code, the society will now decide if it is possible to offer the space to PSFCS. PSFCS will lose its current location in the social work building in April. ♦ 8 \\msm ; tll^^ibi^^y^aj^^^ '^^^B^imtmmiMmtmmmmmaaaa ■Fridayj IBSMI 9 UjJ'stUgizmtipickecl-jpalflS. ^gP *f ¥l * * C *&***&■ &P *S-* Come to room 23 SUB to recieve a complimentary double pass to EUR^TRIP Wednesday, February 18, 7:00PM at Cineplex Odeon Granville OPENS IN THEATRES FEBRUARY 20. European Refer packages London Pack » $815 ■i^fsmsmpm Paris Pack «^s__fis___S«M^ » $838 Amsterdam Pack »$854 c-j.'ff j » ■ ' ie - ' ;i -- iro. 5 ■*j^ts hosfcef ■j _ ■». * -»?■>' ."■?;.■ a _: _ :,'. i". .r -i1" .es bqsed on • ;.j tl *y .re .-.* - * v*_ m-dbtatoufcamay "j| « 4 -^ _ .:■■'.«•*■!? Lj**._ -.'t ncluded. 109-1965 W. 4th Ave. (604) 739.6001 568 Dunsmuir St. (6Q4) 806.4040 1191 Davie St. (604) 685.4066 TRAVEL I www.stalravef.com _ Might As Well \\ A | veryone is doing it your friends, your relatives, your parents. Hell, even your lifemate is tsa probably out there, looking for a better deal. If you have an account with one of the major providers of web-based e-mail access, you already know what I'm talking about The revenues from Internet dating are measured in billions, so some of us have to be doing it How did I get lured into this giant machine of love? Time had passed since the last major relationship derailment and the women I had seen in the meantime—let's just say we didn't occupy the same karma plane. One fine autumn evening, with a glass of Cotes du Rhone in my hand, I was embittered by my inabiliiy to find someone to spend time with. Frustrated, horny, emotionally distraught— and just a shimmer drunk—I did what most of us do. I freshened my drink and turned on the television. Boobs. Thong bikinis. BowFlex. Lo-carb beer. It was like that fucked-up boat ride with Gene Wilder in Willy; Wonka, and the Chocolate Factory. A glut of images flashed without context, only body parts and sex. I started thinking about things more and more, and I really started feeling quite glum about the state of affairs with our sex lives today. Look at pop culture: Blind Date, Fifth Wheel Temptation Island, all of our most popular shows are based on the absence of substance. However, this is all broken-record material. There are many people who have stood atop soapboxes and decried the problems of our oversexed culture. But I wasn't troubled by the amount of sex, but how we were doing it So much of sexuality had become an economy. It seemed that if you owned washboard abs, a large penis and a soul patch, you had the equity to participate in the market Finally I don't mind. Useless tries at finding something Else -Built to Spill, "Else' When it comes down to it, a mix of contempt and desperation pushed me towards Internet dating. One of the most common themes among people our age is to complain about how hard it is to simply meet someone outside of the bar. I agree with this sentiment, and I have been very open to the idea of meeting someone for a while^ Enough of my friends had been meeting people through it for me to give it a spin. On the other hand, believe it or not I was so inordinately disgusted with the idea of Internet dating, the only logical thing left for me to do would be to try it out It is safe and easy to sit on the sidelines and criticise, but it's a lot more challenging to make your decision when you're knee deep in it Lavalife is one of the most popular dating websites, claiming'"over four million unique users in the USA, Canada and Australia. The service is very simple to use add completely free to begin with. There are three basic categories to begin with: Dating, Relationships, and Intimate Encounters. I refer to them as Dating, Delusion, and Fucking, respectively. Dating is the only category where people actually meet each other, and that was my gig. For each category you can set up a profile with unique nicknames and pictures in each category. Pictures are not mandatory, but as you can imagine, your chances increase drastically with the inclusion of one. If you're worried about your parents, friends or partners finding out about your clandestine encounters, there's always the "Backstage* where you can post pictures, naughty or nice. Browsers need a "Backstage Pass* to see these photos, and you get to choose who receives a pass. The key to your online identity, however, is your Profile. The Profile rules all and it is in this space that you actually have the opportunity to write something yourself. Along with your written profile, you have a number of limited selections you can make to describe your interests. You have the ability to describe yourself about thirty different ways from a selection of dropdown lists. It's somewhat like trying to write an autobiography with those Utile fiidge magnets. There are a number of ways to contact someone, - the initial way being to send a "smile.* If you like, you can select a pre-set message to go along with your smile, which is free. You can also send e-mails, instant messages, and now five video footage to help yourself communicate. This is how Lavalife makes its money. The only way to have a voice that isn't pre-recorded is to fork out the cash. The cost is $14.99 USD for 30 credits, thus an e-mail message (the cheapest of the bunch at five credits an e-mail) costs about $1.50 CND a message. After your first message, the rest are free with that user. - Lavalife's latest motto advises you to "think outside the bar,* yet its structure is based upon it Anyone can send a smile (drunken gaze), but the women never pay for the communication (buying a drink), and your success in finding a match depends on the frequency of your visits and personal appearance (bar stars). Sound like an old tune? At least you don't have to dance to shitty music, I guess.- I thought of a nickname that had the appropriate amount of literary obscurity combined with the right amount of accessibility. I figured that I would follow the example of today's marketing companies and create a name that took effort to understand, but not too much effort I wanted my would-be dates to feel the same sense of accomplishment I felt when I recognised the half-assed Biblical references in The Devil's Advocate. So I picked the alias of a character in a novel and revelled in all of the ironies of my screen name. It took a little while to realise that most of the world doesn't really give a shit about your clever screen name. The schtick continued in my first few profiles. I tried writing something mean and funny (I'm 3'2", 450lbs. It's a gland problem). I tried writing some- I by Aman Sharma FEATURES WRITER Illustrated by Paul Carr Falling in and out of Internet dating thing sardonic, like I was cooler than the whole business (Check out the profile below mine, ladies. I'm nothing compared to the guy below me—you know, the stud with the pack of cigarettes rolled in the sleeve of his t-shirt leaning against bis sports car?). Like every clever pickup line in history, the words were born from insecurity. And much like pickup lines, these attempts at intelligence yielded no response. Guess what fellers? Women have heard this stuff before! After seeing a total of zero smiles from four very clever {but contrived) profiles, I changed my tune. I realised that I was doing this because I wanted to meet someone. English majors can be cool for a while, but we sure as hell can't keep it up. So I tried being as honest as I could while still maintaining my sceptical sensibilities. Lo and behold, once I stopped seeing myself as holier than other Lavalifers, people started to respond to my smiles. I cannot communicate how hard it is to perform your personality in 2000 words or less. It's far and away the toughest part of the whole process, and incredibly uncomfortable. If you're actually planning on meeting someone this way, there's not much point in lying. People are not stupid and it should take a person about five seconds to see that you're full of shit I'm gonna try for the kingdom, if I can Because it makes me feel like I'm a man. —The Velvet Underground, *Heroin* My first date started out innocently enough. We smiled at each other and I dropped the buck fiddy to say hello. She was 21 and seemed like an intense and passionate girl—someone who thought about things. I didn't have a picture of her until she e-mailed me two days before our date, but when the picture arrived I was surprised. This girl scored pretty high on the Objective Scale of Hotness (OSH)— an attractive girl in the picture, in the conventional sense. My friends looked back over their shoulders and screamed that the picture was a fake, as they sprinted towards their computers. I must admit I was excited. But it's like the old joke: a funny girl, smart, attractive, and she likes me! So what's wrong with her? We met at a bar in Londsdale Quay, with her brother coming along to make sure I wasn't wielding anything. Since I had nothing sharp with me (except my wit). Brother left and we began our date. She was quite pretty, with long brown hair, glimmering opals for eyes and a fit body. She didn't seem too discouraged when I plopped my doughy ass down on the chair across from her so everything was a go...until we started talking. Now, I'm no stranger to depression. I think it's_a part of life and I've had far too intimate of a relationship with feeling down thus far. A lot of people whom I love have struggled with it and a couple of people have died as a result I try my best not to value people based on their relationship with depression, but I sure passed judgement on this girL She seemed to have a thin veneer of a smile pasted over a seething, bubbling mass of blackness. But this wasn't Sylvia-Plath-meets-Hamlet-niadness-and-lib- eration depression. It seemed like 15-year-old adolescent depression—when you cry over Metallica's immortal "Unforgiven." I was forcing myself to have an open mind, so I tried asking some questions that might lighten the mood a bit Me: "So...what's going on, what are you looking at for the future?" „,._.. _.^,. ,.,-,, .. Her: "Well, I do start my apprenticeship in nine months..." Me: "Apprenticeship?! Sweet! What are you apprenticing to be?" Hen (visibly excited) "Ob, it's so cool! I'll be apprenticing to become a funeral director!* Now, I was expecting her to say something really cooL like 'carpenter* or 'plumber.* And I'm pretty freaked out when someone drops that little gem, but I straighten my spine and shoulder on Me: "Funeral director? Wow, that's crazy! I guess it's one of those jobs that you hear about but never think of doing.* Hen (completely serious) "That's right Everyone dies, so the job security is great* Me: "Wow. So what's on the horizon? What are you looking forward to? What do you think is going to make you happy in the fiiture?* I can't express the drama of this moment She looks me dead in the eye and says without any semblance of sarcasm or mirth, "I'm really looking forward to helping people grieve.* .. Holy shit I didn't know whether to jump into Burrard Inlet or fall to the floor hugging my knees, murmuring horrible things under my breath. Instead, conversation politely trailed off and the dated ended. Neither of us said anything about a second meeting. . My next few dates were all bogged down by something. I didn't know what it was then, but something just seemed to be missing. Then I met someone, a 31-year-old with a Master's degree. We met had a couple drinks and more than a couple incredible conversations. She was intelligent, soulful and lovely. The evening ended with us having sex and it was without a doubt one of the worst experiences Tve ever had with another person. I won't go into the clinical details, but things fell apart like things do. Shamefully walking out her door to the cab, I understood what was missing: me. When the company goes public You've got to learn to love what you own —Destroyer, "Hey, Snow White* After this sordid episode, I realised that I had been putting a lot of energy into overemphasising the parts of me that I thought the other person would find attractive. I was condensing my experience into a caricature of myself, something that these people would recognise and appreciate. I thought about quitting the Lavalife entirely, but instead, I went out with a different attitude. Before each date I began to focus on myself, trying to concentrate on being me, as open as possible. I rewrote my profile and I stopped thinkfng about how I could manipulate other people's perception. Good, bad or revolting, there wasn't anything I was willing to bide about myself. There were fewer responses and fewer dates, but it was a bit more enjoyable and a lot more interesting. It was a liberating feeling being myself with a potential mate. Nothing ever came of any of these dates, even though a couple of times we might have liked to try. Instead, I've become pretty good friends with some of these women My problems with Lavalife are the same now as when I started. There is an inherent over-commod- ification built into the structure of the service. You can do your best to subvert it through the forms you're given, play with the dropdown menus and checkboxes. But then you aren't actually participating with other people. You've made your attempts at happiness into a critical essay or a piece of accidental performance art Does that seem like love to you? It is so easy to become overdetermined—a bunch of pieces instead of the whole human being you are. Even if you do succeed in creating a gorgeous poem out of the most demanding rhyme scheme in human history, the culture of Lavalife decreases the chances of someone reading and understanding you. You're a click, a picture, a fraction of the smallest moment in someone's attention span instead of a lifetime of person. It's fucking scary how instantaneous and proprietised the whole experience is. There is very little depth in internet dating. The image of you becomes even flatter on your flatscreen. What do I like about Lavalife? The entire experience is unassailably fascinating. You can become absolutely enraptured when you think about all of the ways that people try to represent themselves. There's nothing like finding a genuinely funny profile, sending a smile, and imagining the possibilt ties. A lot of people become addicted to the process and I know I was for a not-so-brief period of time. You can wonder about winning the relationship lottery 30 times an hour if you want You can count yourself out or above the medium of internet dating, but then you effectively separate yourself from millions of people. And generally speaking, you don't resort to Internet dating because you want to feel even more separate from everyone else. However, the single most incredible thing about the whole exercise is seeing how you respond. I learned that I was capable of really bad things (surprise!) and that I can be really excited by the most subtle moments. I'd invite you to do the same with this article. I didn't tell you my height, weight, body type or colour of skin. There are some inherent clues in this article, but ask yourself who you think I am. How did I represent myself? What are these clues, and did I create them with awareness? We can only know what we're shown with these things. The rest are assumptions. And I can't say any of this with confidence. This is just drawn from the experience of another heterosexual male, and there are plenty of my sort who have shown they don't know shit After my last actual Lavalife date, I was disenchanted with the whole experience. A perfect ten on the OSH had been totally mean to me and made me feel like I was an unattractive sack of shit I was thinking about writing an acerbic feature for this rag and going on tour thumping a Bible and yelling out how Lavalife was Satan incarnate. Then I checked my Lavalife account one evening and took a look at the people who had sent me a smile. There was one unsolicited smile from Montreal, and with enough credits for one e-mail left I decided to go for broke. I told this woman I didn't want to communicate over e-mail but I still wanted to start a conversation Would she be interested in starting an exchange of letters? After a couple of fact-finding e-mails she agreed. It's turned out to be so much more than I thought it could be. She is warm and funny, with a graceful sense of humility. She's opinionated and unbelievably passionate. I think the whole thing has been helped along by the agonisingly slow performance of Canada Post She lives in Montreal and I will probably never meet her in person. Like an 80s power ballad. ♦>. ■ -• II lUKURi ' tjftft uif|scf ^magaiiii^; PAGE FRIDAY Friday, February 13,2004 Takis'tops all other tave TAKIS' TAVERNA 1106 Davie Street, Vancouver by Ania Mafi CULTURE STAFF Every city has its landmarks, from architectural masterpieces to breathtaking outdoor wonders. A much needed addition to Vancouver's list of must-see experiences is a visit to Takis' Taverna, a quaint warm and welcoming Greek restaurant in the heart of Davie Street in Downtown, Vancouver. A combination of great food at a great price, Takis' offers simple homemade Greek cuisine in, a charming and authentic setting with entrees averaging from eight to 12 dollars. The white stone and blue accents paired with scattered pots of green vines give this Davie Street treasure a genuine taste of Athens; but of course the food speaks for itself. Any of the amazing appetisers will mark the beginning of an addiction to anything that is Greek. The complementary fresh and fluffy white pitas are the perfect teaser to get your taste buds ready for whatever lies waiting in the kitchen. The humus or sizzling saganaki are excellent choices, but if you're looking for a more filling introduction try the fresh fried calamari. For a main course, the souvlaM is by far your best dining choice. Whether you choose chicken, beef or lamb, the meat is always tender, juicy and perfectly grilled on a skewer; accompanied by a generous portion of soft cooked carrots, baked potatoes, Greek salad and lightly seasoned rice. This meal would not be complete without Takis' infamous tzatziM sauce, which will have you scraping every last morsel out of the bowl: Don't worry vegetarians. Tail's'has you covered too! The popular rica-filled grape leaves, known as dolmathes, are satisfying and perfect with a sprinkle of fresh lemon. %A.a s V » • i 1- i ..*> a.V" „-»- . fc J. ■ ■■■ ..." •" -"iA i -V -: - . — » j- ■ ; '*' * > ?) i\\ V 'a ' «_ * -i ■ ■ ■ * il 4 '/ i w * WANT SOME GREEK TO GO? Ivan Santana is just waiting to serve you some saganaki. nic fensom photo What really makes TaMs' such a wonderful place to dine is the incredibly friendly and gracious staff. On any day or riight of the week, you can feel comfortable going here in jeans or after a night on the town. The dim lighting and votive candles create a complementary glow that is paired nicely with a bottle of red or white wine An ideal blend of music and happy chatter, this Greek Utopia is a terrific spot for a dinner for two—over Valentine's Day—or just a friendly feast with friends. You may even be lucky enough to catch Takis himself waiting to greet you with a smile. Even more reason to try Takis', if you haven't already, is their lunch special going on now until the end of February offering any small souvlaM for about seven dollars. So stop by over the reading break after all your hard work, and find out for yourself why TaMs' is one of Vancouver's best kept culinary treasures. ♦ The Ubyssey 2003 -2004 Readership Survey We want your feedback! Fill out this survey and drop it off in SUB Room 24 to win Mt. Seymour lift passes, t-shirts and more! Name/E-mail (Voluntary): How often do you read the Ubyssey? Where do you usually pick up the newspaper? l What sections do you read the most? Rate these from 1 (terrible) to 5 (excellent): News 1 2 3 4 5 Culture 1 2 3 4 5 Features 1 2 3 4 5 Sports 1 2 3 4 . 5 Photos 1 2 3 4 5 Design 1 2 3 4 5 What do you like about the Ubyssey? What has been your favourite content so far? What has been the most important issue for students in the news this year? Do you feel any issues lack coverage on-campus? off-campus? If so, what are they? What content do you want to see in the newspaper? How you ever used our website (www.ubyssey.bc.ca)? Website Rating 1 2 3 4 5 y ¥ PAGE FRIDAY Friday, February 13,2004 the; ybys&y raagiiiitii CULTURE 11 Memorable Quirky Sandler-Barrymore chemistry actually charms rather than annoys 50 First Dates opens just in time for Valentine's day by Greg Ursic CULTURE WRITER Henry Roth is a walking amusement ride for women,' providing them with thrills, chills and special memories of their Hawaiian vacation. For Henry, a devoted commitment- phobe, things couldn't be better. Until he meets Lucy—pretty and blonde, she possesses that certain je ne sais quoi, which sets her apart from his typical run of the mill bimbos. Unfortunately, no matter how funny or suave he is, Henry can't make a lasting impression on her ; due to her pesky lack of short term memory. It brings a whole new meaning to "keeping the love alive.* Sandler's rageaholic rants and scatological jokes may play well with the frat boy set, but those roles are hit and miss at best. But when he chooses to tone down the moron 'factor, Sandler can be quite enjoyable. He plays Henry as a lovable lothario who gets sucker punched by lady love, making his efforts to win Lucy, played by Drew Barrymore, both genuinely funny and tragic. Drew Barrymore meanwhile has to rely on more than her infectious smile as she relives the same moments, and successfully balances the gamut pf emotions. More importantly, the portrayal feqls fresh on each run through, which makes her bewilderment and' sadness all the more painful. The supporting cast is a mixed bag. I'd normally choose gouging out my eyes out with shards of broken glass over patching Rob Schneider on the big screen. But I have to admit that he made me laugh repeatedly as Ula, Henry's hapless native sidekick. Whether this was due to the fact that he is virtually unrecognisable {my friend didn't even realise that he was in the film until we were watching the credits) or simply subdued, I'm not quite sure. Alas not the same can be said for Sean Astin. To go from the saviour of Middle-Earth to lisping narcissistic steroid-ridden village idiot is a painful fall indeed. I realise he wants to get away from hobbithood, but another role like this, and he'll earn a one-way ticket to oblivion. Rounding out the painful performances is Lusia Strus as the frighten- ingly androgynous Alexa, the butt of every nasty comment and joke in the film The chemistry that Sandler and ^r 4V ' ' - .1 • ■ A * J» .►- ii h.\\-*> * " ' » A J aa/T •>_ ''! 'a.' b*J *I i \\ ■■■• \\0 . .' *_^ "■\"""MB'.. __* »T- 1 lA V. /"a h^Ma> a_ '*C* JS t_MlPlgl_l___t _____ Barrymore shared in the Wedding Singer is even stronger this time around, due in part to the nature of the subject matter: it's not all played for laughs. .Also, despite the Groundhog Day-style repetition, it's not a simple case of deja vu. Consequently you find yourself rooting for the characters to find a solution and a ride-off-into-the-sunset ending. What makes it even more satisfying is that the writers refuse to take the easy way out 50 First Dates is perfect for at least one first date. ♦ above the rest Barbershop sequel lives up to its legacy BARBERSHOP 2: BACK IN BUSINESS now playing by Ania Maf i CULTURE STAFF The barbershop is back in business. Barbershop 2 is the follow-up sequel to the 2002 hit comedy about a barber trying to keep his business alive in the unsettled streets of Chicago. Ice Cube is back playing the barbershop owner, Calvin, whose business is this time being threatened by nioney hungry developers trying to fill the small town with franchises. Although the plot hasn't changed much, the original cast brings some new humour to the sequel, giving audiences a second serving of homegrown soul. " Cedric the Entertainer, who plays old- school loudmouth Eddie, creates even more controversy in the shop gossiping about everything from R-Kelly to religion. His character light-heartedly pokes at matters that cause quite a stir with his rowdy coworkers and leave audiences with a comical twist on heavy issues. "I like the' fact that the movie showed that black people don't all have the same opinion,* said Ice Cube in an interview. Indeed, the movie shows more than one side to any and every argument, and feisty female coiffeur Terri, played by Eve, is still holding her ground in the middle of the testosterone-infested shop. Trying hard to establish her character as a strong self-sufficient woman, Terri fails to fight temptation heating up in the staff room in a scene that will have any woman drooling with envy. Of course, you'll have to see the movie to find out who the lucky barber is. Developing the role of Terri in the sequel was a well-received change for this female rap star-turned-actress. On a somewhat disappointing note was the addition to the cast, Queen Latifah, who fooled many into believing she has a notable appearance in the sequel, but actually only appears in a few insignificant comedic interludes. Working at the beauty salon next door to Calvin's, her character Gina is to be further developed in a spin-off sequel of Barbershop called Beauty Shop, expected to hit theatres this spring. But before Queen Latifah gets ahead of herself, she may heed to get a few pointers from Ice Cube, who gives another straight- up and solid performance. His character faces a few of the same cliche dilemmas centred on money and integrity, which by the end of the film are solved with a predictable solution: realising that staying true to yourself is priceless. Giving his clippers a rest, Calvin's problems take a ; backseat to some fresh and heated subplots, which unfortunately means less Ice Cube, but more dimension. This film may not be the movie of the year, or the next great epic film of all time. But, despite the lack of plot. Barbershop 2 proves to be entertaining and charming. So if you're expecting to be blown away, lower your expectations right down to 'just wanting a good laugh' and you'll surely be satisfied with this film. ♦ Let me clear my f hroaf, a-huh a-huh Huun Huur Tu, Tuvan Throat Singers at Chan Centre Feb. 7 by Shireen Nabatian CULTURE WRITER Across the ocean and into the land is a place where mountains sing. At least, this is what I have been led to believe after seeing Huun Huur Tu perform for the second time in my life. This group of four throat singers from Tuva, which is an autonomous republic within Russia, bordering on Mongolia, has been sharing the secrets of the Tuvan landscape and folk music tradition with North American and European audiences since the early nineties, when the group was formed. This time around, they were not the only ones on the stage. Alcvin Ramos, a master of the Japanese shakuhachi flute, opened the evening with a diverse show of his various talents. Ramos also played a powerful didgeridoo and other wind instruments, including one that he designed himself in his search for the perfect combination of overtones and melodies. As a soloist, he did a very impressive job of filling the whole concert hall with soulful harmonics, including a number where the audience sang a continuous D while he played over our drone. That particular number was dedicated to the victims of the earthquake earlier this year in Bam, Iran, where many thousands were killed, injured or displaced. Ramos remained on the stage for Huun Huur Tu's first number, which made for a very cool collaboration. After that, Huun Huur Tu did their thing; leaving me, like last time, completely filled up with optimism and a sense of deep connection with the Earth, even though my heritage is from nowhere near Tuva. Many of the sounds that make up Tuvan music are direct inspirations from nature: the call of a caribou, bird songs and the continuous percussion of horses galloping across the Asian highlands. These all blend into some slow and beautiful songs that seem to be a message of sorrow directly from the belly of the planet and some that are so fast and upbeat that it is difficult not to start giggling or bouncing around in one's seat Kira Van Dusen, a Canadian storyteller specialising in Siberian oral traditions, made a brief but welcome appearance on the stage. While the band played, she told a story about the origin of one of the instruments—discovered in the cave of a mountain and brought to the people by a young man who came back to bis village only to find that three generations had passed in his absence. Kira's performance was a wonderful touch because through language, she was able to give some context and articulacy to the sounds the audience had been enjoying throughout the evening. The Chan Centre, while formal, proved to be a good setting for this concert in particular because of the complexities of throat-singing. There are about four different techniques, and each was clearly heard in the cavernous concert hall whose acoustics definitely lend itself to the subtleties of overtone music. All in all, it was a great night, and I already look forward to seeing them again. ♦ ^ years THE UBYSSEY Still getting picked up at 85. _l i'l*. ■ •1 S n :*** ■■A- S* .« i*. t» *- t**-.' .*-:•.■*: .Ty*V. * 8WB £!*__L AL%1b$ll CY$»S '♦Hi W?5K W|Vfe Zo&O Hi, my name is Emergene. Tm a 4th Year student, studying Sociology & Women's Studies at UBC. I like performing, writing poems and reading the news at Fairchild radio. I'm the treasurer for Colour Connected and hope to be a social worker when I graduate. I like .African, hip hop and Caribbean music. I like to hang out at the SUB. And yes.t. 'MS fcfe___Hr'-f"«C .-+ PAGE FRIDAY Friday, February 13,2004 tK aif siif jfiagailii#: :flJt;TijDE ,\\,Ut, I l_#I\\fc» 13 Sweet dreams in The Den Upcoming release from Vancouver's own P:ano is lulling and lovely P-.AN0 The Den [Hive-Fi Recordings] on shelves Mar. 9 by Michelle Mayne CULTURE STAFF "A lullaby will send me to sleep tonight," sings Nick Krgovich in the opening track of The Den, Piano's sophomore album of sleepy bedtime rock. Yet, just as you are sure to drift off to the soft sustained trumpet, the last bars of the song erupt in a cacophony of brawling brass. So begin the surprises of this Vancouver quartet's latest creation. Thanks to- support from the Canada Council for the Arts, the follow-up to last year's When it's Dark and It's Summer showcases the band's wealth of imagination and artistic growth since their debut. Complete with woodwinds, strings and sighing brass, P;ano takes us on a leisurely trip through soundscapes Uttered with incidental noise, to places one wouldn't have thought possible from a disc adorned with photos of Lower Mainland suburbia. The first few songs of The Den come from all angles, introducing quirky melodies and unusual instrumentation. Equal-parts resignation and hope, Rrgovich's sad and thoughtful vocals pair with Larissa Loyva in random musings on restlessness, mystery and change, and though the chamber choir on the second track is somewhat jarring, it somehow manages to gel with the larger scope of the album. On we trudge at a slow pace through the album, through "lightly falling snow" on a moonlit night, each song like a snowflake: original and unique and wholly intricate in its design. It may take a few listens before you've really heard the songs in entirety, but not to be missed is the charming introductory track "Fucking Ugly Bouffant," the occasionally almost upbeat "Arguing* and the ethereal melodica-soaked "New Son." Tracks on The Den follow the recipe of short equals sweet, but aside from this they never quite stick to the same formula, using simple but explorative melodies while pushing the borders of song-formation. Yet despite its elaborate orchestration using a long string of guest players and a variety of unconventional instrumentation, the album ultimately comes across as simple and genuine. To be contradictory, the only shortcoming of the album is that there is too much of it. The unhurried pace of the disc makes it an excellent accompaniment to" those downtimes, but with 13 slow songs, two-thirds through the album downtime can turn to simple depression. Unless, you approach The Den as your own lullaby to send you to sleep, in which case by now you are probably dreaming your sweet dreams, set to a colourful soundtrack. ♦ Kiddie Korner krap Warning! Music not suitable for children above 12 years old SEKIDEN Junior Fiction [Boompa! Records] By Momoko Price CULTURE WRITER I don't want to sound close-minded, but if a three-chord band wants to have an audience, it has to have two things. Keeping in mind that by definition technical skill is not one of them, these two elements would be: attitude and great edgy lyrics. Sekiden lacks both to such a degree that it is difficult for a person with a post-secondary education to maintain interest long enough to hear their whole album. Junior Fiction, through. By the time I heard the second song, "1+1= Heartache," I had a pretty good idea what kind of sqngwriting gifts these guys had to offer. I will admit, their guitar riffs are catchy in a vapid, mass-produced kind of way, but the thing about three-chord bands is that the successful ones get you pumped with biting truisms about the life of a twenty- something—the music being either funny, angry, sympathetic or seriously drug-influenced. In any case, they strike a chord (no pun intended) in a young person's heart. Without this angle, the repetitive 4/4 guitar licks run out of gas—fast. That being said, I think lyrics like "It's truuuuue/I love yoooooooou (repeated ad nauseam)" and "It was the best day of my life/You were in my eyes/Smile and hold your hand/You will understand" speak for themselves, surprisingly, considering they say so little. These lyrics sound like something Written in the journal of a nine-year old, and could only be appreciated by a kid of twelve, or some pre-adolescent floating in the warm fuz2y dreams of puppy love. There just isn't anything worth getting excited about in the verses of these songs. , Perhaps you might think I'm being unfair, putting too much emphasis on the importance of lyrics. But the lyrics of a three-chord band have to be original enough that you feel cool when you're lip-synching them with your friends at a party. You know what I'm talking about that point around two in the morning when you're too trashed to muster up real conversation, so you succumb to head-banging along with the coolness that the Ramdnes created years ago with universal songs like "I Want to be Sedated." Unfortunately for Sekiden, songs that croon "She's my number one/And she's my number two" (words which, incidentally, I couldn't listen to without giggling like a schoolboy with his mind in the gutter) just don't cut it. Until the members of Sekiden go out and have some seriously dysfunctional, sarcasm-inspiring life experiences and learn how to transcribe them into their music, their days as a band for a post-secondary audience are numbered. But never fear Sekiden, somewhere out there, there's a 12-year old girl rocking out in her bedroom to Junior Fiction, who couldn't be happier. ♦ This Rose stinks KATYROSE Because I Can [V2 Records] by Ania Mafi CULTURE STAFF With the overnight successes of fresh female artists such as Avril Lavigne and the defiantly edgy Fefe Dobson, many new teen queen up-axtd-comers are putting their own daily diaries to music in hopes of becoming the next confused and misunderstood girl to hit the music charts. Unfortunately, not every girl with the ability to write a journal entry should be making an album. Katy Rose's debut album. Because I Can, is definitely not as sweet as a rose and tries too hard to expose the thornier side of being a teenage girl. Although the album cover features a very angry Rose pulling on her blonde locks while fronting the pouty-lips and evil stare that was trademarked by Lavigne, don't be fooled into believing what's inside holds anything remotely comparable. Rose's lead single, "Overdrive," is an awful combination of flat vocals, random, nonsensical lyrics and an overpowering beating guitar that unfortunately remains static and unchanging throughout the entire album. Thankfully, the guitar is put to rest in "Watching the Rain," which starts off by flowing a mellow and sexy house beat with a lot of potential until disaster strikes: Rose takes a stab at rapping. Maybe it's poetry to music, I'm not really sure, but either way it isn't helping Rose carve out her own niche in the music world. With an album full of predictable tracks about growing up as a dreamer and trying to achieve a sense of belonging, one can't help but get the feeling that Rose isn't quite sure where her voice really belongs. Because I Can is a disastrous mixture of Avril Lavigne, Fefe Dobson, PJ Harvey, Fiona Apple, Morcheeba and Slash from Guns and Roses; and all together the result is musical mayhem with an anonymous sound and total lack of originality. Although "Teaching Myself to Dream" has a fairly promising chorus that would sound perfect in the trailer for the next Mandy Moore film, the verses are sung without any emotion or lyrical content. Although a hard choice, the worst track would probably be "Vacation," which features Rose's final shot at being as wicked and controversial as she possibly can with lyrics like: "If I miss my graduation, I'll take a fucking long vacation." An eternal yaca^tion from singing sounds like a' better plan for this artificial flower. ♦ 1M EDTGRAyft-ft; THEUBYSSEY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2004 VOLUME 85 ISSUE 37 EDITORIAL BOARD COORDINATING EDITOR Hywel Tuscano NEWS EDITORS Megan Thomas Jonathan Woodward CULTURE EDITOR John Hua SPORTS EDITOR Jesse Marchand FEATURES/NATIONAL EDITOR Heather Pauls V Photo editor ft < Michelle Mayne PRODUCTION MANAGER Paul Carr Iva Cheung GOOtoESfATORS VOLUNTEERS Sarah Bourdon RESEARCH/LETTERS Bryan Zandberg The Ubyssey \\s 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, "arid 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 erf The Ubyssey Publications Society or the University of BriSsh Columbia., - ' ; The Obysseyjsya founding member of Canadian University Press (CUP), and adheres toCUP^s guiding principles, /ill editorial content' appearing in The Ubyssey\\s the property of The . Ubyssey. Publications Society. Stories, opinions, photographs and artwork contained _i._reir. cannot be reproduced without the expressed, written permission of The Ubyssey Publications Society. Letters to the editor must be under 3DD words. Please include your phone number, student number and signature (not for publication) as well as your year and faculty with all submissions. ID wil! be checked when submissions are dropped off at the editorial office of The. Ubyssey, otherwise verification will "be done by phone. The ^ Ubyssey reserves the right to edit for length and style "Perspectives^ are opinion pieces over 300 words but under 750 words and are run according to space. -"freestyles1* 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 according to length and style H 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.bc.ca BUSINESS OFFICE Room 23, Student Union Building advertising: 604-822-1654 business office: 604-822-6681 fax: 604-822-1658 e-mail: advertising@ubyssey.be.ca BUSINESS MANAGER Fernie Pereira AD SALES Dave Gaertner .AD DESIGN Shalene Takara Neil Braun stormed into the Ubyssey offices, his red beard glistening anger lite an immense, constipated sea dragon. "Who forgot me in the masthead on Tuesday?!* he screamed. 'I'm gonna whip their cracka' assl* Hywel Tuscann, enjoying his fifth danlsh of the day, said, "ask the Boggle players." Indeed, Ania Mafi, Greg Ursic, Peter Klesken, Shireen Nabatian and Melissa Rohde were playing that game, but none answered. Aman Sharma and Jesse Marchand were reading "My Pet Rock* and Wilson Wong yras making peppermint tea, so they ignored Neil bo. Michelle Mayne was cleaning her large antique hooka pipe while Heather Pauls burnt an issue of Maclean's, chanting "rise from the ashes...np_* Iva Cheung said, "The culprit is obviously a terrible person," and John-Bob Woodward mumbled his agreement in between bites of oysters. Megan Thomas and Alex Leslie were bowling with empty water jugs so they didn't hear the complaint, andjohnny Hua was busy with his newly adorned wig. Paul Carf, Bryan Zandberg and Sarah Bourdon were dis- cusing the health benefits of Elestra, toobu^y to notice. Finally, Momoko PiiceyeHed, "He's in the dark room!" Neil strode in, finding Dan Burritt about to enjoy a site hath. COVER DESIGN/ILLUSTRATION Paul Carr Canadian ft University Canada Post Salat Agreement Number 40S7BK2 Sunshine, lollipops... ; tie; ubf si€f Jttagaiinc: PAGE FRIDAY Friday, February 13,2004 It is the season of gift chocolate! Or of lonely, lonely nights. In the spirit of the annual cornucopia of consumer love, the Ubyssey presents our annual list of things we hate: O small dogs . ' OSUVs □ small dogs in SUVs with the driver talking on a cell phone and holding a Starbucks coffee □ cell phones on the bus O sleeping people on the bus who lean on you □ people who refuse to fix their U- passes OBeepI O people who text message in class O post office lineups O student loans that come after tuition is due CJ tuition O small puddles in the bathroom O stepping in them O tapered pants O trucker hats, (UBC makes them now, so over) O the smell of editors at lam O loneliness O loinlmess Q the smell of loins while lonely O digging out other people's hair from the bathtub drain O showering □ other people's hair on the soap O amputation O Shark Club cleavage □ Cactus Club cleavage □ cleavage □ chest hair □ back hair □ trimming O waxing □ plucking O makeover shows O comb-over shows O hair dub for men ads O salons O personal stylists O personal trainers O personal shoppers O personal pan pizzas O sharing O anagrams O anagrams of shitty newspapers likeeiTtoinF O lima beans O couscous O waiting for food to boil O talking about Janet Jackson's breasts O ad nauseam spelt ad nauseum O having your butt continue up your back O the pain of jogging O clingy swimming trunks O having no exercise that suits you O e-mail SPAM O limited Hotmail space O Friendster O People who still use Asian Avenue O getting rejected on Friendster O People who have 150+ friends on Friendster D dustbunnies O fruit flies O artsy prima donna snobs O rebels □ conformists O people who sign letters with "in solidarity' ....'•*.._ □ unoriginal people O original people O people O the music we liked in high school _J Chinese symbols that used to look cool. O lower back tattoos □ Chinese symbols on lower backs O barbed wire armband tattoos O people with huge arm muscles O Chinese symbol tattoos on huge arm muscles O people who ride the bus from the gym to the loop O people who tuck T-shirts into jeans O people who tuck sweatshirts into jeans □ souped-up Neons, Cavaliers and Sunfires O rows upon rows of little figurines on dashboards H people who wear their sunglasses on their forehead, or backwards on their head -ft O parking attendants O advertisements that say "made you look" □ people who refuse to move to the back of the bus LgtaagaipKsaaag wm |*% #% i___ I I itsmI %■_*# Feature sparks debate PERSPECTIVE Aiter reading the article "It's the Pit," We are compelled, as advocates of campus safety and as members of this campus, to express our indignation and disapproval of this article. This article portrayed sexism, drug- induced sexual assault and violence as inevitable and acceptable and represents a step back in our attitudes towards these issues. The article has a distasteful gender bias. One of the most obvious examples is the editorial photo cap: lion, "Girls only go to the Pit for the great tunes...cough," and the author's cynical remarks that the "lipstick-loaded sorority girls' will want to pick up after "they've had a few." The message of these statements and the article is that women go to the Pit, regardless of what they say, to find someone to have sex with. This negative gender stereotyping delegitimises women and promotes behaviour that ignores a woman's stated wishes. The correlation of drunkenness with sexual relations is incredibly problematic and directly tied to sex- ualised violence. .An extremely intoxicated individual cannot give legal consent On campus, safety providers have identified that alcohol is the most common substance used to facilitate sexual assault This article assumes that this behavior is normal, acceptable and to be expected. It reports that the Pit is a place where you don't have to worry about sexual assault laws or personal respect with quotes such as "you just kind of go up and grab a girl. Sometimes you get slapped, other times it's good to go." Actions such as these are illegal and represent willful invasions of someone's agency and personal space. This article also details violence perpetrated on the physical premises of the Pit Pub and patrons. The nonchalant approach to vandalism and aggravated assault portrayed in the article does not condemn the violence but normalises it The AMS, the Pit Pub and safety providers have worked to address these dangerous assumptions and attitudes towards drinking and gender relations. Staff at the Pit have been trained on issues such as drink spiking and sexual assault and there is a zero tolerance policy for sexual harassment. Committed campus groups have worked hard to raise awareness and reduce the incidents of sexual assaults and vandalism at UBC. However, in this article, sexual assault and violence are portrayed as acceptable and inevitable; women's voices are silenced and aggressive sexual behaviour is highlighted as ordinary. When students believe that the happenings at the Pit mentioned in the article are typical, then the vision of having a safe and accepting campus for all people is compromised. The Ubyssey must have some maturity and consider the impact that articles like this, as well as the newspaper itself, has on the campus community. —Laura Best Vice President Academic and University Affairs Representatives from AMS Executive and Council, Safewalk, Speakeasy, Womyn's Centre, Sexual Assault Support Centre, Panhellenic Council, UBC Equity Office, UBC Counseling Services, UBC Access and Diversity Unit, Campus Security, SUB Security U-town makes birdies hobos Has anyone made note of the fact that with the recent clearcut for the new National Research Centre building (south west and across from TRIUMF) the resident owl has been displaced? I know in the Vancouver Sun it was reported that the grey owl has been seen near 16th and Wesbrook. But this is because the owl used to live in that area recently logged. My partner and I would often encounter the owl near UBC farm, usually close to the TRIUMF traffic circle or in the trails just beside the recycling area. We always figured his home was in behind the plant Ops storage area. With his ringra- □ pretentious little indie twerps □ ads inside Translink buses n uninformed TAs O people who try to make you sign petitions on street corners CJ people who are way too mean to people on street corners O double-bagging groceries O pictures of yourself when you're drunk O keychains with more cutesy toys on them than keys O the fake nails booth on SUB market days O AMS elections O car alarms O people who says they're going to be journalists after they graduate, but never ever write for any campus paper D Engineers O rollerblades ft-. , O hamsters or any rodent pets O people who can twirl their pens or jewelery in fancy \\vays. ,,. ,,.-,,,', O people who close the blinds in class on sunny days ♦ tion to 16th avenue, this confirms his residence has been demolished. This is upsetting because it is the thin edge of. the wedge and is transpiring unnoticed. Martha Piper's University Town doesn't take into account the owls, hawks, eagles and other birds that live around the UBC farm and depend upon the field mice and field insects for food. From what I gather, first will come a ring of industrial research buildings along Marine Drive (across from TRIUMF, heading west). These will meet up with the new parking area at 16th and Wesbrook. Eventually surrounded, the UBC Farm is scheduled for "future housing." I'm not sure mat anyone would want to live on "Owl Crescent" or "Eagle Ridge Drive" once they knew how many owls and eagles were displaced to create that home. UBC has always been a community that sets an example. What kind of an example is set by clear-cutting an owl's habitat? aAs you can tell, I'm,not in love with the concept of University Town. Just the opposite. From Hope to Vancouver, lovely and seductive Utile arts-and-crafts condo complexes are replacing the wild—replacing the last unique West Coast wildlands. University Town brochures depict glossy, happy lives lived in picturesque surroundings. How long until all the new University Town residents decide a seawall around Wreck Beach would be a great idea? —Barry Warne ; Department Secretary "*'■' ' UBC School of Journalism PAGE FRIDAY Friday, February 13,2004 'ijtife ;ibf siff p^iiiii^ft; LIWEiS 15 Underachievement can bear fruit by Lisa Stark When I was still in high school, a friend told me about a girl he knew who dropped out of university just a few credits short of graduation I was in awe. She had read James Gleick's book Chaos and it changed her whole perspective. Classes in her major suddenly seemed trivial, and the so-called experts in the field, many of whom were her professors, started to look like frauds. She had what pompous grad students might call a "post-modem epiphany." I'm not too sure what became of her after that Though I have never read the book, over the years I have often taken solace, in that story. In moments of panic before exams I have whispered "chaos" under my breath to remind myself that I too can turn on my heels and walk away. As I approach the end pf my own undergraduate education, I think about doing just that I think about not graduating and visiting my friend Julia in Uzbekistan or not graduating and sailing around the Indian Ocean aimlessly, with no return date scheduled. There is something appealing about walking away from university with nothing but opinions; that is, leaving without the actual degree. It's like brandishing a big middle finger at the bourgeoisie, the establishment, the man, whatever you call the powers that be. Rejecting their highly-prized piece of parchment paper—just a few credits shy of finishing—is pretty punk-rock, romantic even. But chances are I'm not going to do any of that I've already got my application in for an MA program. I suppose I came to UBC expect ing to have a post-modern epiphany of my own. I imagined some Dead Poet Society-style awakening. I thought campus would be like a smaller, more contemporary version of a 1968 Paris, but none of this turned out to be the case. In the past four years here I didn't join any clubs. I didn't attend any rallies. I didn't even vote, not once, not even in the referendum on health care coverage. I didn't 'write any* prize- winning essays. I didn't get any perfect scores. In fact I did very little besides the obligatory course assignments and exams. If these few paragraphs get published, they will be my first at UBC. The fact that my convocation is coming up has got me thinking about all this stuff and maybe feeling a little down about it Admittedly, it took coming to university for me to really appreciate what it means to be a bad ass, and I can say with confidence that I wouldn't have volunteered to read Foucault for example, just for the pleasure of learning; yet his stuff is pretty radical and upon reflection it has changed me, I think. It's just hard to explain how. PERSPECTIVE i f I : * i' V < >! : I guess what I'm trying to say is that university is not what I expected. I thought I would have my sensibilities assaulted but they were only gently prodded. I thought I would achieve some kind of existential denouement—and forgive the pompous grad student speak here before my application has even been processed—but I was only left with more questions. Nevertheless, something good has come out of all this and I suppose I should end on that note. Some people are motivated, naturally curious, self-starters. They don't need a reason to think long and hard about philosophy or whatever; I am NOT one pf those people. Left to my own devices I'd be unemployed, living in a bachelor pad with nothing but a TV and an endless supply of The Simpsons. So for all the times I've ranted about the evils of standardised tests and breadth requirements, and even though I haven't had my own moment on the road to Damascus, or the road to Buchanan as it were, life is way more interesting as a result of university, and I'm pretty sure that I am too. —Lisa Stark is a fourth-year Arts student at UBC A young apatharian speaks FREESTYLE by Alex Leslie Ha hal Excuse me while I laugh, dou- bled-over, and grab at the nearestban- ister for support Recount? New elections? Bring it on you competent people, youl I'll make the popcorn. Why do students not vote, you ask? Obviously not due to a lack of active student concern over issues, as evidenced by the incredible turnout at last week's tuition * ■' j ■ • - rally. Thousands of students demon- strated downtown while a disappointing fraction pressed a button to vote in AMS elections. Then why? Because students invest their time and respect in efforts that they feel make a difference for them! The AMS elections are a hoax—with tabloid-style posters and endless bungling—and are duly treated as a hoax by students. No one votes for a hoax. Or at least not since Reagan. A couple of Fridays ago, I saw my newly elected AMS President interviewed on High Noon, the campus variety and talk show. I watched as she talked about her fat salary—hey. thanks! I can only afford a car that looks like a convict attacked it with a can opener, but how's your bank account doin'? That's good—and then discussed her free laptop, comfy executive office and all the other great pluses of working in the AMS. Really? I thought the pluses of student government were voicing student thoughts and practising democracy to its fullest. But, hey, if there's a free laptop '. - «■ ■ ' involved, well then The tuition rally presented an event in which students could actively participate, for their own benefit When it comes to AMS elections, I just can't buy into people who say they're working for my interests and then bring up their free laptop and extravagant salary. I'm tired of being cheaply accused of apathy by people with the personal convictions of an agnostic jellyfish. " Get these jokers outta my White House! Shiznat —Alex Leslie is a2nd-year Arts student and Ubyssey staff member T-Bird stadium part of community life I am not surprised when reading Jim Taylor's opinion ("T-Bird concerts too loud, say residents,"the Ubyssey, February 10, 2004). He has obviously lived in Hampton Place longer than UBC Campus and Thunderbird Stadium have been places where large numbers of people gather. Thunderbird Stadium is the Lower Mainland's premier outdoor venue for large touring concerts. Every summer it hosts acts that could not appear if not for this venue. It is also integral to the Department of Athletics and other sports associations such as the British Columbia Rugby Union. Mr Taylor should have known this fact when he moved Onto campus, especially since he attended UBC himself. This is like buying a house near an elementary school and then complaining about the noise of children during the day. However, his complaint is a natural 'not in my backyard' reaction. Rather than telling Mr Taylor to change his opinion, I would like to know what UBC Administration's policy will be once even more people are living on campus, especially when they are living only lOOmetres away in what used to be the B-Lots. In an attempt to sound firm on the issue, Linda Moore does not actually rebut Mr Taylor's point Summer concerts are not just a student affair. As has already been seen in the controversy surrounding future ice rink developments, this university plays an important role in the Lower Mainland that should not be jeopardised. Will she be as assertive when the number of complaints rise? Are future concerts and sporting events at risk? —Jackson Hall Arts 2 Wayward grad student, read on I'm writing to remind graduate students—who occasionally read your publication, as I understand- to vote in this week's Graduate Student Society (GSS) elections. While it's true that several candidates are running against the spectre of "Re-Open Nominations," there is a really important issue on the ballot. It's a referendum question regarding the Graduate, which since 1977 has been an in-house GSS publication. The referendum asks if students want the magazine to be independent of the GSS, supported by a $4 annual fee from each graduate student. It's a good deal, and it will allow the creation of a governance structure in which people who are involved with, the magazine—as writers, producers and even readers—get to have a voting say in its management and mandate. Ayes vote means that the magazine will be constituted as a nonprofit society, of which all grads will be members. I would advise a visit to www.gss.ubc.ca/elections to read a full argument in sparkling prose. There's a link there to an external website with more details, and there's a link to the actual voting page from either page. Today's the last day, so vote. If we get quorum and a yes vote, I promise to engage in some girl-on- girl action at Koerner's when the results are announced. In the interests of democracy, you may vote via the magazine website www.gss.ubc.ca/services/graduate as to with whom, although suggestions will of course be edited. —Karen Ward Editor, The Graduate Magazine ?*'!»£•* S__atS3S",^l^^£^ J? UPCOMING FILMS Screenings @ Norm Theatre in SU8 Admission: $3 and Membership: $20 Film Society Hotline: (604) 822-3697 http://www.ams.ubc.ca/clubs/fiimsoc Fri. Feb 13-Sun. Feb 15 6:45PM - Love Actually 9:45PM - Matrix Revolutions Fri. Feb 20-Sun. Feb 22 7:00PM - Brother Bear 9:30PM - the Missing Wed. Feb 25 ~ Thurs. Feb 26 7:00PM - Shattered Glass 9:30PM - Swimming Pool Vmdjov^MtheUb^ mg Emajl^^ find; qu| how| |ft yqt| cap roJnntjeM 6£even aipply, fo_ a joBHere, -M: iMftiiiftft^ CoDiesPlus ~.ixmM£m:xi. mm ; 1950 West Broadway ft* Vancouver BC ft ft " ft 604-73r-786?(;ft;'fi;:'ftivft;ft wwvtf.cppiespjus.ca ea SALE SELF-SERVE COPIES 3*5< New Canon Digital Copiers • Fast & Easy to use «Auto Sort, Feed, Staple, doubleside »r esize 25% - 400% • 20lb Xer ox brand paper • Black & white • 8.5x11 ea. side •Xtra cost for teqal & tabloid »Plus P .S.T & G.S.T Sale ends Feb 26/04 y. ftftft ^^ii0M^^fy^^$-^p^^^^$0w^s??y Mon to Fri 8am-9pm • Sat to Sun 10am-6pm Student, Staff and Faculty Group Rates start at $19 for lift. Skiing, Snowboarding, Snowshoeing and Tubing. On-Hill facilities. Call 604-986-2261 local 215. Tickets available at The Ski & Snowboard Club VIOPINION : ti# ji6f|$«f; iiili|aili|e:: PAGE FRIDAY Friday, February 13,2004 "It doesn't mean much to me. It's supposed to mean love, I guess, for everyone. But love can be expressed every day and not just specifically on one day, I think it's more about the commercial." —Anita Yuen Biology 4 "Just another day, but...you get to buy stuff, I guess. It's a day you get to show love for the people that you don't normally." --Kevin Louden Music 2 S* V '^^a ^f\\ I r ,n l in 1 I'm \\i m l| ir Mil' —Ivin Dionne Fine Arts 4 WImc does Valentine's Ov/ me.hi to you? photos In Mil In.11 lo Mayne \\ '™*^a! A£3 LV I I'll 1 \\ M riUMl -. |i|\\ I-. llll 'II I inn III II > I i i ,i ir I i '■ i'i'\\ ilii 'I iv In Ii ii \\ i1 lnii' — I • jv ■-■liii I i i i'i'k i v ii In i ir ' | Mi ' i I ii lit ip i r |• i ili>' i i>' —David Eso Arts 4 Wil. fr\\\\ il'OD (en .11 five) "Crushing self-doubt." —Naben Ruthnum Arts4 "It doesn't mean too much, but it makes me ^ t want to make little cards and give them to all a/L my friends. It does make me a little bit of a && \\^ romantic." **' *■ ' —Charlotte Humphries Human Geography 4 PLAY THE SPECIAL ONE DOLLAR 7:30 PM CRAZY-U GAME ON FEBRUARY 16,17,18,19 and/or 20 AND YOU COULD WIN A 30 GIGABYTE iPOD. ONE iPOD TO BE GIVEN AWAY PER DAY. CUT OUT THIS AD AND REDEEM FOR 1 FREE ONE-UP PLAYING CARD. INCREASE YOUR ODDS! BUY ADDITIONAL CARDS FOR ONLY $1 EACH. ROOKIE CLUB BINGO LESSONS ® 7 PM EACH NIGHT DURING READING WEEK. lilLI I 11 AVENUE MAIN STREET www.planetbingo.ca inpartnefsMpwiat^^^Sf^^l^ao -r"""@en ; edm:hasType "Newspapers"@en ; dcterms:spatial "Vancouver (B.C.)"@en ; dcterms:identifier "LH3.B7 U4"@en, "LH3_B7_U4_2004_02_13"@en ; edm:isShownAt "10.14288/1.0127012"@en ; dcterms:language "English"@en ; edm:provider "Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library"@en ; dcterms:publisher "Vancouver : The Ubyssey Publications Society"@en ; dcterms:rights "Images provided for research and reference use only. Permission to publish, copy, or otherwise use these images must be obtained from The Ubyssey: http://ubyssey.ca/"@en ; dcterms:source "Original Format: University of British Columbia. Archives"@en ; dcterms:subject "University of British Columbia"@en ; dcterms:title "The Ubyssey"@en ; dcterms:type "Text"@en ; dcterms:description ""@en .