@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 "2016-01-18"@en, "2004-02-27"@en ; edm:aggregatedCHO "https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/Ubysseynews/items/1.0127658/source.json"@en ; dc:format "application/pdf"@en ; skos:note """ mm possibilities UBC scientist Dr Fabio Rossi explores the future of adult stem cell research. Pages 6-7. v v CD by Alex Leslie FEATURES STAFF The term '^m < I'll loiMirh' h.is lipi-urne i luzz- iwird in ihe niedn, driven to new her/his ol con- trirttT^v by Gei>rj.e W Bush's nuch puMiti&i-d h.iimmg of new stem i ell hnei in the I S due to debute u\\er the rw t iQoint-ut dut life begins In a mdio address to the i-jljun on August 13, J001, President Bu»h Mated, 'I l>ehe\\__: from our frejlor. 1 worry jbuut .1 mlt'ire that devalues life aud J believe, as yo.ir President, I ha\\e an important (iMuifition to foster rind eni our ige respect fur life in Anient a jnd Lluoughout the world." To protest Lhe bc-n, 1 J., pitjetit, ri'srar'h and aiddemic institutions wrote President Bush, d( niJTidmg .i re <:\\ alu.it'un of the ls-sue, ^aluip that "£i\\en 'he urtat hope that .stem (.ell ri-"-e uch provides to those who iii-"vjii-ir.>lt ,i 1'nr 'hi1 llM '"me h it ■id Tt s'l-m (o'ls, 'xiijie Uiit-\\<.'d o.'alv lo |).'udu(i' lilocl, ( i'l '"-o jT'ii'llie 'i'Isi !e (r'lls J'IiiK,i.h die /.(Id"*-. S I 1 liA i'li!l is'u 1,1 1:1,] nul hii'lv 'o 'h- /nlc'iVl I'.r 'laed.iul p_ 1 ['<>se-3 jii ,!ie 1 r-\\l ili-i ide. lis ilis^i'irr. dm us i m .ibu of ;■ j--i'hI. ur^ '"or jd i",t -it ij 1111 '.si -1 -iiddi i'ly iniii h^lit The 1'i.cl iL-sLi^l ol Ru-.-.,'* n M.in \\ .lUit'l -.wil \\e.ir-? 'lowi ■ c1 Vije, < o- Id ! 11 !■! le r.i'W 1 f_eiiei i- 'i\\ e ^ei.niie-i for !,"■ h'l .Ji"< .is ,'i\\rns• ise 'Pie s'lii- 'i a J,s( rj\\i ry ilnl .id ill s'.rm 1 e^U ,11 sse-^-i \\e jln'iiV ' 1 ,>iiidii( e (I'ijui'j'iiji,-. of ^le (■ i'i~c,] ' ( I1-, 'il,!' nui-iV 11 !'s "j.nls 1 siL,n fi (.ii'lsVp !i"\\ . K i M1C1.J n iiijJi'e i!ii(i.-i>-l.ii.d "J dt "he ] e'laUj ruflii m i h.'s. a j> .~->M ■ tua .1 iln ;>1 'K .i_i' .t fi r ei'j'itjt 1 "i .s't-ii n 'I i'se ..'.•) l.t» h-> 1 !i m <>f i < ("»v 1'..'."'1 ."i f ir s;i"i. (1 il si j, ij■ -,1s -.,!( 'l is ^ ,ss| jenes-s of a di iscovery ! i F')^--! Is sji |i|» 1 ii l,is oirice on '.he -vi Hid Hour ol I BC's IX111.1 du .il Ri st iiih Cmlre Pho'ns ui his fbildn 11 fli-h i'ii his iup pn'itT m j,'en. Jiisi outside the dour, his M) liuiiis \\uih ijiiir't .u'Jutv Knssi le.u.ib'.ik uihisih ur iiii'l sjie,iks neni i'ly .11 id i;Hii- eio isly uli jul bn lui'ik'Jirj'iiih pro|ei I m .iduU &Lein cell 'pl,i_ k ity,' Jie teun Lhdt refers to he jlul- ny of .1 tell lo .issuiiie diiTeji-ul mVs in the body Rossi is .in .issMiiut i>r'jfess,or in ihe dt-parl- ment of niedn :il ^enetii s, .iad .1^1) is r.inad^ Pesejri h f h ur (CR(.) 111 regenerjlhe n.eihiine. Pip i'i,i|orily of his luue, liui.e\\er, is drtole'l lo his research concerning stem cells. Rossi began working at UBC at the end of 2001, coming from Stanford, where he had been working on the problem of stem cell plasticity for two years as a senior staff scientist The groundbreaking experiment performed by Rossi's team involved ridding mice of their own population of stem cells and then replenishing each mouse with a 'stained' stem cell, taken from a mouse cloned with a jellyfish gene, designed to appear bright green under ultra violet light. The stained stem cell men repopulated the mouse with its green progeny, the biological term Continued on pages 6-7. LEVI BARNETT PHOTOS THIS ISSUE: iM$*Ik_tl S!il!« UBC test patients not informed about risks. Page 3. Great Wall Mongolian BBQ reviewed in this week's food review. Page 11. p* Vfrappiiitj it ill. up Nordic skiing and women's hockey finish up the season. Page 9. Tlt# _#fp€tifflWlitf of research - ■ Peering into medical research in Canada. Page 10. ' _i J J r \\j Volume 85 Issue 39 magazine ^mr Friday,.February 27, 2004 Mm,; fa $t ^i Hywel ii raul in tight pc %*i *-.:;-! wa 2 CLASSIFIEDS UBC FOOD COOP. FAIR TRADE & ORGANIC FOOD FOR THE STUDENT BUDGET. Open 12-2PM weekdays in the SUB basement near the Wellness Centre and Travekuts. THE UBC CHAPLAINS ASSOCIATION PRESENTS A SPIRITUALLY INSPIRING ART EXHIBITION, "IN SARCH OF YOUR SPIRITUAL SOURCE", by prominent professional artists; Gregg Simpson, Jamie Nicholls, Jean- Guy Dallaire, Marion Jamieson, Pnina Graniter, Janet Ciimmiugs, Monica Hu, and MongYen. ,8-13 March, 2003, 10am-7pm, AMS Art Gallery in SUB. PHARMACY AWARENESS WEEK the UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences invites you to celebrate the pharmacy profession and the health care of our community at our annua] fair in the SUB. Monday, March 1st to Friday, March 5th 2004 12-2PM FREE FORUM on CANADIAN TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN, presented, by Mobilization Against War and Occupation, to discuss the politics behind MAWO's growing Canada-wide campaign against the occupation. Sunday, March 7th, 6:30pm, Collingwood Neighborhdod House (1 block south of Joyce Skytrain) www.mawo\\'ahcouver. org mawoinfo@yahoo.ca 604-322-1764 VISIT THE VEREBRATE MUSEUM! Tons of specimens to see. Meet at main Biology building enterance at 12 noon Tues March 2nd. For info contact Christina: striiick@interchange.ubc.ca usicians NEW WEST CC)AST ALTERNATIVE FOLK ROCK PROJECT seeks young, solid, energetic positive drummer & bass player. New CD, local Sc regional touring. Paid % of gigs & CD royalties! Influences include: Pumpkins, Young, Bowie, Dead, Harper, CSN, PF, Zep, Beatles, Nirvana. Interested parties should reply to guitarai-my@hotmail.com or leave a message at 604-807- 4372. ilH#; uofsief: jla§ixiiif:: PAGE FRIDAY Friday, February 27,2004 tMMM TEACH ENGLISH 0\\TRSEAS: Jobs S$ Guaranteed-Great Pay. TESOL Certified 5 days in-class, online or by correspondence. Free information Seminar, everyTuesday @ 6:00pm. #216, 1755 West Broadway (@ Burrard). Free infopack: l-888-270-2941or contact giobaltesol.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 & Gol£ Waterfront and Pool activities and specialty activities including art, dance, theatre, gymnastics, newspapet, rocketrv 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 Ist-lOam - 4:00pm In the Student Union Building (SUB)-Room 212. GRADUATING? NEED A JOB? The llTnTrr_P?_TTTl HT. iCentro Method Job Networking course BWJ""l"1"i"*lll"',lil'"M""L 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 ACCOMODATION NEEDED: March and April (possibly longei). Pka.se phone and leave a message. 604.708.0844 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. Cal! Diane at 465-5524 or email drkalyk@shaw.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. CUSTOM ESSAY WRITING - Essay research help! Professional writers available at www.essayexperts.ca 6048731688 EXPERIENCED ENGLISH TUTOR, UBC area, 604.222.21.4 ___^_______E____J TUTOR WANTED LOOKING FOR A TUTOR FOR BUSI452. Will pay cask 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. SCORE POINTS WITH MOM & DAD! They will really like this Kits accommodation for their Vancouver visit. www.cherubinn.com 2 BED AND DEN, 2 BATH APARTMENT IN UNIVERSITY VILLAGE available for subletting from March 1st to August 31st. You do not have to occupy for the whole time. Pardy furnished, fireplace and water included in rent, rent is $2100 a month. Washer-dryer I and dishwasher included. Call Anna or Rebecca for more information on 604- 221-1785 (Anna) or 604-224-0098 (Rebecca) or email luckie85@candw.ky or mimento2001@yahoo.ca. FOR RENE 2 BEDROOM GRND LEVEL SUITE. 1 or 2 female students pre£ Dunbar area. Sophie. 604-228- 9207. ciflssiriiDS FOB STUDENTS! ft ft looWno br iroqhtmateR ft -yyjy Got something 10 sell? ft Or (list liaue an announcement to make? If you are a student, you can place j i - ciassifieds Im ft ^ For more information, visit Boom 23 in the Stir ft ; (basement] or call 822-1651 pit I sixtft annual n#/v writing: contest: Is nows ^IplicalHQri W $rjgirja| f ietidri;; riort-f fctiortftftft: anp^ •fin .'..if!-.-!. : .'.'.■ -;■:.. l-.'■:'.'J".'..'.•'r'■- *''•', i. *!.-s.-a.$*<_ (' '.;■< " _. £ZW'\\. ."■ _ .a ■ f ail* " . . "_ ■ »fc.«J I ' ••" f am i >'xmm\\ ■ i.-:-::::1irfft(s|nWCO]ll!f-{,l-."' • j»a ■ « . . -S» $4^ trft *•' x*S- « * a _" * S * *" ' ...-■•■ , t-iJa- - t."* -J* .r ., *i\\jnr.r * '*'s"**"' • ■-' . i . n\\ " •-■• .- .v 5* :.■ ■ pi«Rr . •*■*, .w t- s"--.-^; -,■#•■■". ■ -. ■■> 2'. .*'. > ■» i.k.".* '••'- -*■ < ■_■■-: ■.»«•■£. -■■» .I--- ■_■-*.- **>■* * rf *. ^ ■! 'a, a.I m .* a *. a \\^ * *. ^* ■ 1» ' ft ."r1* -.'"'"Vv-^V..".^\\YiVf.»'?'/»■ «■',/*•;T ^ • t -ts'r).-' esmiKimg •) ;Vil O $Ht ne saves zx Over 500 people wait for organ transplants every year in BC and only about 100 to 200 people receive the organ they need. The waiting list can extend from seven to ten years; some die before they make it to the top of the list But this year, UBC Pharmacy students lave made the odds better for those who are waiting. UBC student Ann Wong, together with the Kidney Foundation of Canada, organised a contest to sign up new organ donors and reduce the waiting list Each person who agrees to be a donor can save as many as eight lives with the organs that they give, said Pauline Buck of the Kidney Foundation of Canada—the contest is called the One Saves Eight Award. Jag Deol, a UBC Pharmacy student organised a team that signed up 46 new registrants, the equivalent of 368 lives, said Buck Deol, along with Dean of Pharmacy Robert Sindelar will receive the award today. Grad school decides In an election remarkably devoid of ~ controversy, the next executive of the Graduate Student Society (GSS), the student group that represents graduate students on campus, has been decided. Carey Hill won the presidency unopposed and incumbent Josh Caulkins remained VP Academic and External. Lihe Zhang defeated Jennifer Billows and Anthony Waldron to become next year's VP Administration and Chen Shen defeated Phil Orchard to become VP Finance. Yashar Khalighi was acclaimed as VP Student Services. A referendum to make the Graduate Magazine independent in a similar structure to the Ubyssey failed to reach quorum, meaning that the magazine will remain in the structure of the GSS. Megathon honoured Ubyssey news editors Megan Thomas and Jonathan Woodward received the Smdeiit Press Freedom Award from' the ;CaitaJ_ian Journalists for Free Expression on Wednesday. " '; ' ft. 'ft, ' The award honoured the pSir's contribution to freedom of the press by using the Freedom of Information Act with former news editor Chris Shepherd to acquire a letter that was sent from Martha Piper's office to the provincial government shortly before striking teaching assistants were legislated back to work. Some have argued that this letter was the agent that ended the strike. The story, entitled "The Piper Effect/ ran in the September S, 2003 issue of the Ubyssey. .AMS aquires art The Alma Mater Society (AMS) has commissioned a painting by First Nations artist Lawrence-Paul Yuxweluptun. The painting may be a landscape inspired by UBG- and will join the AMS's art collection. . Money for the pamfingf which will cost $ 14,000, wiilcome fraiii an art acquisition fond,' to whicn students give $ 1500 per year, according to the results of a student referendum. The expenditure is part of efforts made to make the AMS more open and more accessible to First Nations students, said Josh Bowman, AMS VP Administration. ♦ EVENTS^ UBC Improv " A high school reunion," Scarfe 100, Friday Feb. 27,7pm. Check out this "special" (yes, maybe even in that special way) improv comedy which promises to mix a little of the past, a little of the pubescent. Free for members, $2 for non-members. ♦ Cheap Fares? Budget; Hotels? Advisors Who Gefc Id? This ain't; your parents' travel agency... jb's yours. MimygM |lpttB3OTi Iftjillii ftft$2Slf fills m£mm>-y&mm. ■ ■ • - . i ■ - " I $1 _T ■*: 4'- -.,. ■ * Sal (F i |i.t/.|.- i :»:«5:-fri *^v- 'it! ii:- t r c:*\\ 568 Ounsmuir SC. (604)806.4040 1191 Davie St . 109-1965 W. 4fch Ave. (604) 685.4066 (604) 739.6001 online >> on the phoae >> oncsmpu/ >> on ths /theet www.statravel.com PAGE FRIDAY Friday, February 27,2004 ■the iiby ssey Wagaiiii« .■' NEWS UBC's medical ethics questioned Review reveals some patients may not have been warned of risks by Megan Thomas NEWS EDITOR UBC officials scrambled into damage control mode yesterday after two major newspapers ran frontpage stories saying the university broke Canadian ethical rules and failed to warn some patients of the dangers of medical experiments and drug trials. The National Post and The Vancouver Sun ran stories alleging UBC broke ethical rules on 523 projects because it did not employ a professional ethicist, approved projects using just a summary rather than the entire protocol and failed to adequately inform patients of potential cancer or infertility risks. "We have to have a new look at the protection of the public interest in Canada for people who go into research trials,* said Patricia Baird, a UBC medical genetics professor and ethics expert. But Baird also said UBC is not alone in the struggle to conduct ethical medical research. "There are some major problems across the country in terms of appropriate oversight of clinical trials,* she said. "I think it would be useful for most universities to have a good look and have an external review.* The university's ethical breach was revealed through a 2001 external review ordered by UBC VP Research Indira Samarasekera. But Samarasekera said the review was not a reaction to concerns about patient safety. "I was concerned that the administrative support was inadequate,* she said. "I wanted to make sure that we were completely compliant and, if possible, that we exceeded the standards that were expected of us.* UBC did not notify Health Canada about the breach until March of 2002, but Samarasekera said the delay was because UBC did not receive a written report until August of 2001 and had to assess the results. "Until we received the official report, all we had was a verbal indication and it was inappropriate for us to write to Health Canada when [we] didn't have a written document,* she said. The Post and The Sun also said UBC began the review by looking at industry-sponsored trials, and alleged that the university was "We have to have a new look at the protection of the public interest in Canada for people who go into research trials" —Patricia Baird UBC genetics professor and ethics expert more concerned about research dollars than patient safety. But industry-sponsored trials often involve experimental drugs and are the most dangerous for patients, prompting UBC to reassess those studies first, said Samarasekera. "There was a greater risk to patients that were enrolled in industry funded trials,* she said, adding that only 12 per cent of UBC research is industry sponsored. UBC also receives much of its $3 70 million in research funding from federal government agencies. Samarasekera said she does not believe the breach will affect the relationship UBC has with those agencies. "They have been very pleased with how open and how responsive we have been with respect to fixing what no doubt is a serious problem,' she said. Health Canada spokesperson Jirina Vlk said that each project is assessed individually for merit and that the breach will not affect future funding for UBC. Health Canada is satisfied with the steps UBC took to rectify the problem, but would have preferred the university not be in that position, said Vlk. "They should be in compliance with the laws to begin with,* she said. Samarasekera did apologise to the public for any stress the incomplete protocol may have caused. "We certainly regret any loss of confidence in UBC that the public or the community might have experienced as a result of this situation,* she said. "But we would like to assure people that no patient was put at risk. They may not have been informed of the risk, but they were not put. at risk* Only two of the studies required patients to sign new consent forms after the review. Samarasekera said all patients have been contacted and re- consented. ♦ "Yes means yes, no means no. Whatever we wear, wherever we go" Women gathered Wednesday night for the first- ever campus Take Back the Night march, an annual rally held in Vancouver where women march in solidarity and walk in safety without men. The event was organised by the Sexual Assault Support Centre (SASC) on campus and included speakers, a march and a vigil. x Veronica Fynn and Brenda Ogembo offered cross-cultural experiences and related them to the UBC campus, noting that women cannot take safety for granted even at UBC. One out of every two women in Canada have been physically or sexually assaulted at least once and 4 7 per cent of women in BC will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. Lisa Lafreniere, Sexual Assault Support Centre coordinator, put out a challenge: Tve done five years of anti-violence work. I challenge all of you to put me out of a job." i r ■■:.. »\\ Arts Undergraduate Society in deficit position this year Overdrawn account means every transaction is examined closely by Lori Leung NEWS WRITER The new Meekison Arts Space and an off year for Arts County Fair revenues has pushed the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) $47,000 into the red financially this year. "The AUS is in debt because we are currently paying back money in installments for the Meekison Arts Students Space. This takes out a large chunk of money we would generally use for student services and other events we like to put on for Arts students," said AUS VP Finance Anne Maftei. Because the AUS is in a deficit position, they must rely on Alma Mater Society ^AMS) VP Finance Brian Duong's scrutiny of their expenses. The AMS is allowing the AUS to overdraw their account, but Duong must approve every check written—meaning money is exchanged more slowly. "This is typical procedure. [It] usually results in cheques taking an extra day to be available, but allows for some extra scrutiny," said Duong. The AMS acts as a liaison between all clubs and student societies and the bank by providing them with accounts that are monitored by the AMS. Both the Commerce and engineering Undergraduate Societies have been in debt in the past, added Duong. "This is not unusual so long as the situation is deemed to be temporary. In the case of constituencies such as Arts, it is definitely temporary as they are guaranteed student fees every year,* explained Duong. Constituencies like Arts, with more than 11,000 members, receive approximately 80 per cent of their $13 per-student levy in September. The rest is settled at the end of DUONG the academic year. "These large constituencies will typically budget to spend their entire anticipated revenues given the amount of students they have, but do not receive all the money in their accounts until the end of the year," -aid Duong. The AUS has not implemented any drastic rueasures to remedy the situation and. \\i Ls County Fair will happen as usual this year. But the society has cut down on spending, including reducing the number of free events for students, said Maftei. "The AUS is continuing to operate as usual. We have always been conscious of how much money we spend on our events and services and this has not changed," she said. The AUS is also in a deficit position because of a $40,000 grant from the Dean of Arts that will not be transferred to the AUS until invoices for expenses are submitted, said AUS President Chris Payne. Dean Nancy Gallini said she believes the AUS is working hard to engage Arts students in the university community and wanted to support some intellectual initiatives that the society could not afford otherwise. "I was so impressed by the Meekison Lounge initiative that, at the opening, I announced for $20,000 to be set aside to the AUS for intellectual activities in support of their new space. During [2003's] Imagine Week, I put aside another $20,000 to enhance the undergraduate experience," said Gallini. Maftei said once she knows the expenses to be paid with the dean's money, she will submit a report on the AUS spending. "The dean's grant money has not yet been transferred because we chose to pay for all dean-funded events up front. The money will be transferred once I get a final number of how much the AUS needs to be reimbursed,* explained Maftei. Despite the financial troubles, Duong is not concerned that the AUS will have financial troubles in the future. "The AMS is confident that the AUS will find itself out of the deficit situation by year's end," said Duong. Payne also recognises that the AUS "must make sure in the future to be a little more responsible with the money." ♦ h NEWS tKf 'uifssef: tnliailii: PAGE FRIDAY Friday, February 27,2004 Chiropractic... The Choice For Me Melissa Banyai is a Third-year student from Windsor, Ontario Canada. She graduated from the University pf Windsor with a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Kinetics achieving honours status each of her four years. Melissa explored several schools before choosing Logan. She chose Logan because of the hands on approach, diversity of the program and the knowledge of the staff. "The Admissions staff is extremely knowledgeable about Canadian issues, the program is excellent and the campus is beautiful. What more could you ask for?" After graduation, Melissa plans to open a multidisciplinary practice offering traditional chiropractic care, rehabilitation and acupuncture. "The chiropractic field has many options and specialties that interest me, the possibilities for helping patients through chiropractic care are endless!" Logan College offers students an incredible learning environment blending a rigorous chiropractic program with diverse and active student population. If you are looking for a healthcare career that offers tremendous personal satisfaction, professional success and income commensurate with your position as a Doctor of -' Chiropractic, contact Logan College of Chiropractic today and explore your future. 1? rtpMn-I^Wo-53-3-9|ip _M".M._f- ^-^ ______.wwM-^ft ""ft wu__a_ l/irian ariif - jft^--^* " C>ft^ ft - ' ftftft';-■ VW^toQarire-ditftft x r:> Coiicge*o_»ciifropi;act^ ldganadm@logan.edu ft ft ' ;■ .Sfjt 6cshpetti<2iftRc^ Chesterfield (StftLotiis area)- .MO-ft 63017/''C i .•■ i •- ,n j -r Hi" u -<• j 3m. i PI AMS election upheld Senate lets Board election stand By Dan Burritt NEWS STAFF Closure, after more than a month of waiting, has come to the 2004 Alma Mater Society (AMS) elections. Four weeks and two appeals after the January AMS elections, Brian Duong and Mia Amir have been officially elected as the UBC Board of Governors (BoG) student representatives. The Senate elections committee, the final authority on student elections, decided Wednesday to uphold the original results of the BoG election ratter than hold a re-race. "The committee found that there were irregularities in the conducting of the election, but the committee was not convinced that these materially affected the final results," UBC Elections Officer Eric Smith wrote in an e-mail announcing the Committee's decision. "The committee is recommending that it. Enrolment Services and the AMS work together this spring to streamline elections procedures," Smith added. When informed, of the result, Duong said he was pleased with the verdict "I am a happy man. I'm glad it is over," he said. Duong's and Amir's initial victories were invalidated by AMS Elections Administrator Anthony Waldron because of evidence that race results were leaked during the elections. Waldron said this information could have resulted in an advantage during campaigning. Duong appealed Waldron's ruling and William Pak, Chief Justice of the Student Court, overturned Waldron's decision. Third-place BoG candidate Olivier Plessis then appealed Justice Pak's ruling, sending the decision to the Senate elections committee. With the committee's ruling, Duong and Amir will sit as BoG representatives for the 2004-2005 school year. Amir said she was happy with the committee's decision, but expressed disappointment with the AMS elections system and the appeals process. "I feel that the process was lacking integrity in terms of seeking real justice in the elections," he said, Plessis, defeated by the final appeal, said, "I am confident that a fair decision was made. I'm happy it's over and I'm'glad to see some closure on it." But Plessis did note his concern about the nature of the AMS elections and appeals process and said he hopes that the system will be reformed. "I hope the investigation of the leaks of the [elections] results and other irregularities are not swept under the rug," he said. ♦ Landmine-detecting plant? STARTS FRIDAY FEBRUARY 27™ AT A THEATRE NEAR YOU! Check www.tribute.ca for Locations & Showtimes by Ross Moroz THE GATEWAY EDMONTON (CUP)-A research team at the University of Alberta (U of A) is collaborating with Canadian arid American military agencies to produce landmine-detecting plants. The team, led by U of A Biological Sciences Professor Dr Michael Deyholos, hopes to alter the genetic structure of a plant in a way that would cause it to change colour if TNT is present in the soil. The plan is to modify receptors on the roots of a plant so that those receptors would respond to some of the compounds present in TNT, helping soldiers on humanitarian and peacekeeping missions to - clear minefields. The research is funded by Defense Research and Development Canada (DRDC), the research and development arm of the Canadian Forces. DRDC has granted the team $ 150,000 over two years to conduct a feasibility study. "Everyone knew we couldn't [produce a plant] in two years," said Deyholos, "We were only supposed to find out if it was possible and we think it is." The idea for the project came from Dr Anthony Faust, a U of A alumnus who works for DRDC at Canadian Forces Base, Suffield. Faust was inspired by an American plan to use plants to detect heavy metals on the surface of Mars. He theorised that a similar process could be used to detect the compounds found in explosive landmines. The U of A project has since caught the attention of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the American Military's research and development firm. While DARPA is not contributing any funding to the project at this point, the U of A team is cooperating with an American group funded by DARPA. "DARPA funds way-out, weird stuff—they are probably the basis for . the X-Files," laughed Deyholos, who described a DARPA brainstorming session he attended as "very strange." According to the organisation's website, DARPA "pursues research and technology where risk and payoff are both very high and where success may provide dramatic advances for traditional military roles and missions." "[DARPA] believes that if more than ten per cent of its projects are successful, they are not thinking radically enough," explained Deyholos. DARPA was created in 1958 as a response to the Soviet Union's launching of the Sputnik satellite and has conducted highly secretive, defense-oriented research ever since, including the creation of ARPAnet, a forerunner of the Internet, in 1968. While DRDC and Deyholos maintain that their research is obviously intended to be used for humanitarian purposes, the involvement of the ultra-secretive and military-centric DARPA raises the prospect of the U of A team's findings being used for less altruistic purposes. For instance, Deyholos remembers one DARPA meeting where someone wondered aloud whether or not "we could make plants that attack people." When questioned about the ethical implications of partnering with an American military organisation, Deyholos remained pragmatic. "Knowledge is neutral; what you do with it can be good or evil," he asserted. "Scientists can try to imagine all the possible applications of their work, but in the end they are not responsible." ♦ F PAGE FRIDAY Friday, February 27,2004 ^lf'lifsiff^rtaiiiwnfft; NEWS Ubyssey called to task for Pit Pub article Editorial staff meet with the AMS safety committee by Megan Thomas NEWS EDITOR An expose of the Pit Pub featured in the February 10 edition of the Ubysseyhas resulted in calls for a retraction of the article and a meeting with the Alma Mater Society (AMS) safety committee. Hie K&jsseyreceived a letter calling for the retraction on February 12 signed by several individuals and campus groups calling the article "offensive" and saying it 'succeeded in undoing years of safety awareness work by various committed campus members." Next, the Ubyssey was invited to hear the concerns of the safety committee on Tuesday. "It seemed more like it was an editorial than an article," Tyler Bryant, AMS Safewalk coordinator and member of the safety committee told Ubyssey staff members. "It really normalised just going up and grabbing a girl." According to Ubyssey Features Editor Heather, Pauls, the article was an "eye-witness- account pf. what happens on an : ..."jftU "a . " * _ .«. » * * WW'.1/. average Pit night" The article interviews several patrons at a Wednesday Pit night who describe their reasons for going to the Pit Answers included men saying, "If you want to get laid you go to the Pit," and that they go because "there are lots of ladies there." Physical violence including breaking glass over a patron's face and excessive alcohol consumption were also mentioned. Ubyssey News Editor Jonathan Woodward defended the article to the safely committee, saying, "We didn't make this up. We thought these quotes were pretty outrageous. They speak for themselves." Woodward added that the Ubyssey must also be free to honestly report issues on campus without fear of who it may offend. But Brenda Ogembo, AMS VP Academic- elect and safely committee member said that press freedom also carries responsibility. "A big part of freedom is responsibility," she said, adding that the Ubyssey needs to be more sensitive when reporting about issues regarding campus safety. "It is a very, very slippery slope." Other members of the safety committee expressed concern about the tone and balance of the article, saying it condoned the actions of the persons quoted, which might discourage victims of sexual assault from coming forward. They were also concerned about a photo caption reading "Bump and Grind: Girls only go to the Pit for the great tunes...cough," saying it was "heterosexist* and demeaning to women. The writer of the article Tessa King said she welcomes the concerns of the safety committee and the debate it has created. But she also said she intended the article to be entertaining and satirical, something that she feels is LOOK, PEOPLE DANCING! The caption appearing under this photo in its original publication sparked some debate. MELISSA ROHDE/UBYSSEY FILE PHOTO appropriate because of her confidence in safety at the Pit "Humour only comes through confidence," she said. - * ^ While he said issues around sex and violence need to be treated with sensitivity, Canadian University Press President Craig Battle says the student press has a responsibility to report on campus issues as it sees them. "The role of the student press is to act as a mirror of campus," he said. "[The Pit article] encouraged debate and that is part of the role of the student press." All members of the press must also ensure that they are not self-censoring to avoid offending members of the public, said Stephen Ward, a UBC journalism professor and ethics expert "If in fact you start not writing about some stuff because of possible consequences...in general that is really dangerous," he said. "That doesn't mean, however, that you shouldn't think about, when you write the piece, [how] can we minimise any potential misunderstandings, or minimise any potential harm." Ward added that no article is perfect and that the Ubyssey piece could have had more balanced views, but that the article was not , unethical as long as it accurately portrayed the Pit patrons. He added that newspapers often have to write about offensive attitudes. "As reporters, we cover people with offensive attitudes all over the place." ♦ tit H f ."4 ■ ■ r- '". ■ ' *■_!■... \\ \\*& * # -v -■ - *- r ■ v —»' *_, •*. * ,.£;."- «* . v. *- •- ". awn • ?_F '--' '"** _ »■ «* i- * .■**.¥: * * _ «f". «. a I/."*. *■ •':,- 4*&ft je-ss? rsnriKccjA.or^ ■ ■ ."- :. . * A^-syRi"-.-.^.1.--: *. ■ .r- •■>■■<• --ft-:;" •..;..^W>.-vft;.;;^ '■-:: .:■ ,'- :.-v-'-i®^; ■• ": 'ft- ; : •'■■••'- .._■.■»* %? ■■:•■.::■ ["-: ■■ ■■:".,,v.:=* :i:d & ■":■-•■■■- ; ;.■ I! INK!''£&i\\0 "'■■ .i__3______!_____:-:^_* :i£-~~Ji 2J^'f ^_B_aaE____£-_____f^-s Beyond: Ggoglei Leaiii (Q search the net: Tuesday'l:3gSub 24x THE UBYSSEY ^ SCIMaR TOKYO I X/Marif's aa gfc/ianfs Do it in style .. You are an outgoing, active student with plenty of extracurricular involvement, looking to gain more marketing experience in a paid position. We are a group of downtown nightclubs seeking a marketing liaison who will work with a variety of groups & businesses. Here's your chance for an invaluable work experience opportunity.Apply with your resume and a letter detailing ejctracuricular activities. IParty People Wanted Are you a social butterfly? Do you have a large network of friends on-campus? Here is your opportunity to use your marketing and networking skills to work part time in promotions for our group of downtown nightclubs throwing parties and gaining valuable experience in event planning and gaining advantageous connections. Give us a call. Are you seeking a venue to hold your next fundraiser or party? Richard's on Richards and Sonar are ideal event locations. Conveniently located two block:.! from the Granville strip, Richards has a 400-500 person capacity. In the heart of Gastown, Sonar has a 500-600 person capacity, and the floor plan, with its three separate lounges, is extremely well-suited for events. While you can still have your choice of any evening in the week, your event may also share the evening with an existing club night, with your guests possessing early VIP privileges. Currently, we are offering to assist any UBC club or group planning "a party by offering any number of incentives. Please contact us for more information. Mikepr Rofaib at New World Enfertainirientft-ftft #205-1039 RichardsStreet Vancouver, B.C. V6B 3E. fi. e04-6_6-1099 Ft 604-687-579^«ftft{ftSft.:-:>ft ttftftftftft info i_> rich irds6hrichar-ds.com ft ■= - ■-; - ft-ftft; Great Summer Jobs!!! CAMP COUNSELOR POSITIONS AVAILABLE IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS ON CAMPUS INTERVIEW! Tuesday, March 1st - 10am-3pm ft -ft Student Union Building- Room 212;>ftft NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY-JUST STOP BY!!! Positions available for talented/ energetic, and fun-loving students as counselors at Camp Mah-Kce-NaC for boys. Excellent Salary/ Room/ Board/ Travel and Summer Work Visa are included along with the opportunity to work with great kids this summer. SPECIALISTS NEEPEPiN: Tennis S Golf earn Sports: Roller Hockey Bsseb.il SoCC2T Basketball Radio Station Rocketry Woodworking Arts & Crafe Windsurfing Canoeing Kayaking Water Skiing,. . Sailing Photography Nature/Pioneering Cycling Ropes & Climbing Yearbook/Newspaper Archeiy Swim Instruction Positions run: JUNE 17TH UNTIL AUGUST 13TH, 2004 MAHlKEEiNAC NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY - JUST STOP BY!!! For more information MAH-KEE-NAC and to apply online, Call 1-800-753-9118 visit our website: www.campmkn.com „„,-.„,„„,„,, Enjoy a summer that promises to be action-packed and unforgettable! llVUlf R'#>iP.St,5 6 FEATURE -tie uifis«f; magsi||»2;f 'AGE FRIDAY ■ Friday, February 27,2004 THE TUITION CONSUMPTION IS UNDERWAY You are invited to participate! Open Forum on Tuition with University Representatives March 3, 6:30 pm Place Vanier Commons Block March 4/11 am -12 noon SUB Conversation Pit March 4, 6:30 pm ■■■■;'■■■■■■■■ ■\\;-Magda's Lounge Totem Park Commons Block Express your views at: tuition@interchange.ubc.ca C'mon, I know you wanna wrife some culture. C'mon... do it. Do it. Do it. Meets: Tuesdays @ 2prn ^ft"ftftft:;ftft;rft:ftSu&'Rm^2|: i cu)ture@ubyssey.bc.ca Help the 2004 Grad Class Council Choose a Gift for UBC This year, the GCC would like to consider funding proposals for the following grad gift criteria: ♦ Something that supports social justice initiatives ♦ Something that supports sustainability ♦ Something we can feel proud of ♦ Something creative ♦ Something that can support volunteer programs on campus Note: the grad gift of 2004 should adhere to a minimum of 3 out of the 5 specified criteria. Hopefully, with your help, we can put our money towards something really meaningful this year. The deadline for receipt of a project proposal and budget is Wednesday, March 3rd. Forms can be picked up from Val Levens in the SUB, Room 238. Dr Fabio Rossi's research dri adult stem cells is groundbreaking- But what will this mean for medicine? v *« * % < '* from page 1. for offspring. The green stem cell and its progeny could then be easily traceable against the background of the otherwise normal mouse. Adrienne Lee is a medical student at UBC who worked on Rossi's project for over a year after completing her BSc. Her main task in the project was to design the staining protocol for the stein cells. She discusses the reasons for the success of the experiment "Prior to when we started this project, people would inject a lot of stem cells—like a million or ten thousand stem cells—but the problem with that is that even within the stem cell population there's different types of stem cells. So the way we did it is we would inject only one stem eel." The moment of discovery occurred when green muscle cells started appearing in the mice, showing that the adult stem cells injected, previously believed to be only capable of producing blood, were somehow creating muscle cells. "This led to the theory,' says Rossi, "that perhaps there was population of bone marrow cells that was capable of repairing more than just the blood." He leans back once more in his chair, smiles and spreads^out his hands. "And what does this mean? Wei, it's completely unclear." The chaUenge now faced by scientists is determining exactly how the blood stem cells are able to make muscle. Once this is known, the possibility of reproducing the process in order to design regenerative theories wil be very real. Currently, there is a face-off between two principal theories that claim to account for the phenomenon. Watch out—this could get ugly. Theory 1: changing identities The first is the transdifferentiation theory. According to this theory, Rossi explains, a eel "can stil be convinced to change its destiny when there is a need for a specific tissue." A damaged tissue wil release a signal asking for help and the blood stem eel responds by sending over muscle eels. "They don't have to be a blood eel anymore; they can participate in repairing this other tissue because there is a need," says Rossi. "I believe that human life is a sacred gift from our Creator/' —George W. Bush US President This theory seems plausible, ably accounting for the change in eel type, but it does not account for the whole picture. For instance, if this is a designed physiological mechanism, activated for an express purpose, why is it so rare? "You'd expect it to work a little better," comments Rossi. Cells go on damaged in the human body in huge numbers, a fact evidenced by muscular dystrophy and Alzheimer's disease, both degenerative diseases currently without efficient reparative therapies. Due to its rarity, scientists such as Rossi suspect that the mechanism is perhaps not a regular physiological mechanism, but something entirely different Theory mistake 2: evolution's fortunate The other theory, and the only one that Rossi personally advocates, asserts that the phenomenon is not a physiological mechanism, but a mistake, a biological anomaly. "It's a mistake that doesn't have any major disadvantages so it hasn't been selected against during evolution," he explains. This 'mistake' most likely consists of events of eel fusion in which a eel circulates, reaching more or less everywhere compliments -of the bloodstream, and bumps into a damaged eel and fuses into it, assuming the identity of the damaged eel. "Indeed it seems that this supposed 'plasitic- ity is probably due to eel fusion," says Rossi. "A scientist says, 'Hey! I transplanted eel A and I found eel B. That means eel A turned into eel B!' But that turns but to be: eel A fused into eel B. And that's a big difference." If the production of muscle cells by adult stem cells is indeed a biological "mistake" (a freak fusion event), it wil make it more difficult for scientists to isolate and put to use for regenerative therapies "It's a "mistake. How do you improve a mistake?" But whether the change from blood eel to muscle eel is a physiological mechanism or evolution's fortunate mistake, the possibilities it presents in terms of regenerative therapies remain the same. Toward medical applications Stephane Corbel, a UBC post-doctoral student, has worked on Rossi's team since the outset, deeply involved in the design and carrying out of the experiment. At the moment, his thoughts are focused on designing methods to further investigate the true nature of the mechanism,hopefuly moving towards possible medical applications. The objective of Rossi's team is to isolate the way in which a stem eel operates in order to design an efficient system to use adult stem' eel plasticity for therapeutic purpjses, says Corbel.' "If you could track which type dfblood eels [turn into muscle eels], that might help us make a better system to improve the jrocess, because [right now] we have very low efficiency. Adult stem cells are already used for reparative uses, but such uses are limited; For muscular dystrophy patients, Rossi explains, the treatment currejitly used—injecting stem cells into the damaged muscle—is arduous and inefficient "The problem is that when you inject the stem cells into the muscle, they never realy go very far from the injection tract...even doing hundred and hundreds of injections the efficiency is not sufficient" The treatment of heart disease could also benefit from Rossi's research:* At present, adult stem cells can only be used to repair the organ from which they originate. This presents a problem, as there exists no adult stem eels of the heart in the human body. Theoreticaly, if the nature of the adult stem eel plasticity were to be completely uncovered, the new muscle eels produced could be directed towards repairing the tissue damaged by both muscular dystrophy and heart disease. Such medical applications, however, insists Rossi, are years down the line. "The jury is not out but theie is absolutely no guarantee. Although I am optimistic, I cannot in al honesty say, 'Oh, we'l have it in five years.' It's in my interest to say, 'Yesl Adult stem cells are the best thing, give me al the funding!' But, quite honestly, I can't do that* The embryonic vs. aduft stem cell debate It is impossible to utter the words 'stem eel' these days without immediate connotations of enraged religious groups and heated ethical controversy. The debate surrounding embryonic stem eel research is now so livid that it is difficult to approach the topic without fear of causing offense. Just turn on CNN or climb out of the hole you've been living in if you have any doubt as to this fact Since Rossi's discovery, adult stem eels have been brought to the forefront of the debate. Those against embryonic stem eel research ; -■--.- / a. ■ a ". 1,1 ,■ "Jm _r -.'.""SI i v'. I't*;*:." -!■■-■ .t _ •_v i dfe^fiIHf*/-V^ .ft -5 ■ .< i \\ s I AM FA3IO! Cii.i > in n I J in/ I- ■ ri.i.'il ■' ,n . Il>. A ImIis •■•■1/ MICHELLE MAYNE/UBYSSEY FILE PHOTO ;<_aim that destroying embryos is now unnecessary in light of the recent advancements—a Claim which Rpssi regards as not only erroneous, but also designed to serve a political and not a scientific purpose. 'In my opinion, that's where We'll end up eventually. We'll be able to take a cell and repro- gram it into another cell and then use that cell to repair whatever/ —Dr Fabio Rossi UBC scientist "The idea is that if you have an adult stem eel that can do the same thing as an embryonic stem eel, then why would you not take the adult stem eels that can be given by an informed person with consent versus destroying the embryo to get the embryonic stem cells out?" he says. Sounds good, but, Rossi explains, embryonic stem eel research, according to current scientific knowledge, is more likely to give rise to a successful therapeutic application twenty years sooner than adult stem eel research. "They have hyped the stem eel plasticity beyond, in my opinion, [what] they have done because they want to use that as a very strong argument not to look at embryonic stem cells," says Rossi. "It is used by people with a' specific political agenda...to reduce the importance of embryonic stem cell research"—a field that he claims is the brightest hope at the moment for patients of Parkinson's and heart disease. When science meets George W. Bush It is common knowledge that new embryonic stem eel lines have been banned in the US under the guidance of President George W. Bush. This ban, Rossi argues, is not for the benefit of science. Ironicaly, it is only hurting the US, as researchers leave for Canada, Australia and the UK where their research is legal. Rossi's research isn't affected, however, as it does hot involve embryonic stem eels. But this does not stop him from expressing his utter lack of support for the ban, which he says has no scientific grounds and prevents important research in the US. As stated in the letter to President Bush protesting the ban, with signatories including groups as diverse as the American Foundation for AIDS Research, Hope for ALS and the Association of American Universities, "The discovery pf [embryonic] stem eels may be the single most important scientific and medical breakthrough in the past decade or more. This could impact the lives of millions of Americans suffering from many of humanity's most devastating illnesses, including Alzheimer's disease, ALS, heart disease, cancers, spinal cord injury and diabetes." The future of stem cell research Rossi's research has put the possibility of discovering groundbreaking medical uses with adult stem cells on the map for the first time. But for the mpment, he insists, the embryonic stem eel research banned by President Bush is certainly the mosj promising route towards a successful reparative therapy. Importantly, Rossi's research also marks a significant step towards what could be the ultimate goal of stem eel research: the possibility of nuclear eel reprogramming. "In my opinion, that's where we'l end up eventually. We'l be able to take a eel and reprogram it into another eel and then use that eel to repair whatever," he says. "Once we start understanding how the reprogramming takes place, we can start playing around with it ourselves." For now, such an understanding seems distant in a constantly evolving field of theories and discoveries. "The public thinks that the text book is holy and can't be changed and is the Truth, with a capital T. There is no such thing in science," says Rossi. Outside his office door, the lab hums. "It is the truth today, it's the working model...but what's the truth going to be tomorrow?" ♦ the fbllOAing higr.-er.eijy people en the dick this suwnei: hosts, tjsscis, exper'e-ued \\ ait staff & experienced bmterJets. 1. O P11 . «*.» > •*. ; * w;;tr;ic on a~4 practi practices S.gn '.p as a team or as an indivi ftyer __J * 'k'rt '-° m(h womens football WE NEED ¥00! Hay Football!! For more info visit www.touchfootball.bc.ca or call 604-444-8223 GREAT MINDS DON! ALL THINK ALIKE.. UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY www.ucaigary.ca discovery ft fafgrrnatJohl Booth ft ft ft _ffiM .:;. ^;^ft|.:10 am,to;2; paiftftft Itppbyaridialkitimj^xn^ will[be[served ft ft'ft-ljft the University• of'Chlgar/XX;;i"xf-X' ft': ft -ft K'x -r'':^ vfti xx. ?■ V ftft;ft • ftftftft ■ SPORTS , life: Mbfssef' liiiiailiff PAGE FRIDAY Friday, February 27,2004 3 From Red Lodge to Sugarloaf Alpine ski team takes Regionals by Wilson Wong SPORTS STAFF Paul Boskovich is adamant that all of the DBC Alpine Ski Team members studied hard this week before heading out to Maine. But one wonders how much studying could have been accomplished by the Ski-Birds after the excitement of winning the" Western Regipn Championship last weekend in Red Lodge, Montana. Taking to the hills Thursday with out Captain Stephanie Rodenkirchen, the UBC women showed that they were still a force as rookie Andrea Lustenberger placed second in the giant slalom. A superb sixth-place performance from Rim Webber and a respectable 18th place from Joanna Rosenfeld cemented a third-place finish for the team, heading into Saturday's slalom. Racing with their normal line-up for the first time in a couple of weeks, the UBC men took home second on Friday. Trevor Bruce didn't miss a beat after returning from injury as he took fourth. Teammates Paul Boskovich and Nathan Crompton also placed among the ten best and those results put UBC second in the men s team standings. Both teams needed to ensure a top-four finish overall to win a trip to the Nationals but neither team let up on Saturday. Another second place finish from Lustenberger, this time in the slalom, gave her the overall individual gold medal. Fellow rookie Shelane Wiseman and Webber were UBC's other top finishers and their results gave them win on Saturday and the silver medal in the overall team standings. News of the performance got home quick. "When we called injured ladies captain Stephanie Rodenkirchen in Vancouver, she was in tears. There has been a lot of hard work this season to get to this point and she has been a huge part of it,* said Boskovich. Inspired by their counterparts, the UBC men came out and defended their regional championship on Saturday. Bruce finished in second, Crompton in fifth and Boskovich in seventh, overpowering all other teams. However, the best performance may have come from UBC's Norwegian import, Alexander Boedtker. He crashed into a fence the day before and had to get some work done on his face, but the next day he came out and finished 12th. "For both teams it was a total team effort; Andrea Lustenberger and Trevor Bruce were our real leaders on the hill but you can't have top individuals without a strong supporting cast. The youngsters like Nathan Crompton and Shelane Wiseman stepped up in Montana, improving on their conference results. When you get solid performances from the . rookies it takes pressure off the top dogs," added Boskovich. Both teams head off to Sugarloaf Mountain, Maine for the National Championships, taking place March 1-6. UBC's men finished in fifth last year at the Nationals while the women finished 12th. This time, the teams may be bringing home more than just great memories. ♦ 11*^ JTJJ3 ','■•<{:'•.■■■ J_J<_JJJJ' j_OW. : \\ J GET $80 IN K2 MERCHANDISE PLUS A f RE£ CARRYING ■ T- Mn-otila f??3g 5» i *_ ~t * ? S s J> >_=* * S_U t /_3 *W tf *_> # _ ^ a* %p* 8 » Hi &_ Km "V & *m ** * " t % __-^ J_f $ * i * «* % * *■ f- _$ " ' * * -* ^ 4 . I a^ J- . * -* $ *» i ^ „ ** ^ _s ___ ■t"5 If ^ ^ "S ™_a 1 H« -* ** 5 * _€_. P _* K ~ *s # a * - * - „ : »> * * S * » *3 E3 * v" n - ** j" t IT t * fc a* « 2 8 ■% s - « > ~*Jt *ta E \\C* _ *■ * ■* * w "s - * <: « > tl * >* * - _ -*f f - ^ > ? " 4. ?l - / « -* i ROGERS ~"WfREL_Ts s 0ROGERS SHOP ArROGERS.COM, % 800 IMAGINE, A ROGERS'" ATM, ROGERS PLUS OR ROGERS VIDEO STORE S" RadlaShSck, Os*^feR*© Qrogesis video 01 IV *-'""( -a... J a"i'.'.*.- - ..- ^.<..•_..... a .... . .J . . ^ ;»^. ^ .'J .>,. PAGE FRIDAY Friday, February 27,2004 tl_ij£ tillwsf €11 fflpsaiin®: ' «. • * J? IWr't • UT V . # * -? v - ■ > -> . ifW Cups overflowing Nprdic skiers finish up a" stellar regular season TOP HONOURS: Mike Koehle {left) took a first place ranking in the masters division, photo courtesy of pamela syposz s by Jesse Marchand SPORTS EDITOR "It was actually the best [meet] I've Kad since I left high school," said Nordic skier Davey Mitchell of his fifth place finish in the junior men's ten km and third place team finish in the relay event at this year's BC Cup championships. The last team event of the year, the championships were held in Vernon on the 15th of February. The event featured a men's ten km, women's five km, freestyle relays and an awards banquet which placed UBC third among all club teams in the province. "We definitely had a really good year," said «UBC skier Pamela Syposz. "We had a couple of guys that were really strong and dominated a couple races," she added, referring to team stars Greg Egan and Luke Heckrodt who not only had strong individual finishes but also took their team to a third place finish in the junior men's freestyle relay. "You can't talk about one without talking about the other," added Mitchell. Other results were also strong. In individual placing, Michael McMillan took the top UBC honours in the junior men's category with a fourth place finish in the ten km. For the senior men's ten km it was Egan and Heckrodt who not suprisingly took second and fourth respectively. The top master men's UBC skier Was Mike Koehle—rated first in the region— in third place. And, although his finish wasn't high, Jon Pellicelli skied to 12th place in the ten km with a broken pole, managing to beat his previous ten km record by three seconds. For the women, Susan Vanduijl took second in the senior women's : five km with graduating Kathryn Fairweather just missing the third place podium by one second. Jessica Hanson and Syposz rounded out the master women's category with a fifth and sixth place finish. "Saturday definitely wasn't my best race, but I had a good one Sunday," said Syposz, whose team finished in sixth place in the freestyle relay and was honoured with second place in the league at the aggregate awards banquet. Egan and Heckrodt also managed the first and second place awards for being the best full-time student skiers. r Now that the official season is over, one meet remains: the Nationals. Held in Charlo, New Brunswick, the team is only able to send four skiers this year and they will be Roger McMillan, Egan, Heckrodt and Syposz. The Nationals run from March 14-21. ♦ Fortin the star of UBC hockey team Women's ice hockey season finishes on the slow road to success by Jesse Marchand SPORTS EDITOR Sometimes things just don't go the way you want them to. But for the Thunderbirds women's hockey team, six losses in the first six games didn't mean giving up. On November 14, the Birds recorded the first win of the season facing off against the University of Manitoba. It was their first win in 2 5 games after last year's season boasted only one win. But the Birds weren't happy with the win/feeling that they'd played stronger in other games. That weekend Manitoba also -broke a losing streak, beating the Birds 1-3 on game two of the weekend double-header. The Birds' next win came on November 22 with SO LONG: Lady ice-season ends, peter klesken/ubyssey file photo graduating goaltender Lucie Fortin blocking 35 shots from the Lethbridge Pronghorns. While this game put them into playoff position, the next four losses made it a stretch. The end of January saw the T- Birds become a much better team, recording three of their five wins all season. And even though they didn't make the playoffs this year they had some things to smile about "I think it was generally positive overall," said Coach Dave Newson. "We made some real positive strides in regard to our culture around our team and I think that paid some dividends on the scoreboard in the second term." But the team was still defensively weak, allowing the most shots on goal in the CIS league. The wins they did celebrate were mostly thanks to goalie Fortin who recorded two shutouts and a .930 save percentage. For her last contribution to university sport, she has been invited to goal- tend for the CIS all-star game. While the team will miss her next year. Coach Newson is still confident in the remaining players' abilities. "Our future is in front of us a bit more than other teams," said Newson pointing to the fact that strong teams this year "may be going into turnover" next year. But if they want to make the playoffs next year the Birds will have to work on scoring chances. They only recorded 23 goals compared to 138 scored by the number one Alberta Pandas in their regular season this year. Hockey playoffs conclude on March 9, with Alberta the favourite after recording an undefeated season. ♦ ■srONIVpittP BY, Israel Advocacy Ciubs of UBC, SFU and Langara, Random House Canada, UBC Jewish Students' Association, UBC Young Conservatives, Nations Jewish Campus life F6fm0^m Swuxm SHAMtt^ss Come to room 23 SUB to recieve a complimentary double pass to SriowWalker Monday, March 1, 7:00PM at Cineplex Odeon Granville. OPENS IN THEATRES MARCH 5 Earn $25 in 20 minutes §ot20 Minutea? §et$25 Research Study Will Pay for Interviews We would like to interview non- francophone university students who have studied core/basic French in Canadian schools. We are interested ONLY in your core/basic French experiences, not French immersion nor French in a first language setting. You do not need to be taking a French course now. We will pay $25 each for a limited number of 15-20 minute telephone interviews with individuals who meet the criteria. Please email corefrench@sympatico.ca 1 • lEDITORIAL THE UBYSSEY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2004 VOLUME 85 ISSUE 39 EDITORIAL BOARD COORDINATINGEDITOR Hywel Tuscano NEWS EDITORS Megan Thomas Jonathan Woodward CULTURE EDITOR John Hua SPORTS EDITOR Jesse Marchand FEATURES/NATIONaAL EDITOR Heather Pauls PHOTO EDITOR Michelle Mayne PRODUCTION MANAGER Paul Carr Iva Cheung COORDINATORS VOLUNTEERS Sarah Bourdon RESEARCH/LETTERS Bryan Zandberg Vie Ubyssey is the official student newspaper of the University of British Columbia. R is published every Tuesday and Friday by The Ubyssey Publications Society. .- ~ ft We are an autonomous, democratically run student organisation, and all students are encouraged to participate. Editorials are chosen and written by the Ubyssey staff. They are the expressed opinion of the staff, and do not necessarily reflect fine views of The, Ubyssey. Publications Society or the University of British Columbia y The Ubyssey is a founding, member of Canadian University Press (CUP) and adheres jib CUpi"guiding principles. _ All editorial content appearing in The Ubyssey is the property ofThe Ubyssey Publications Society: Stories, opinions, photographs and artwork, contained herein1 cannot be reproduced without the expressed, written permission of The Ubyssey Publications Society. Letters to the editor must be under 300 words. Please include your phone .number, student number and signature [not for publication) as well as your year and faculty with ali submissions. ID will 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. ' ■ "Freestyles" are opinion pieces written by Ubyssey staff members. Priority will be given to letters and perspectives over freestyles unless the latter is time sensitive Opinion .pieces will not be run until the identity of the writer has been verified. The Ubyssey reserves the right to edit submissions according to length and style. It is agreed by all persons placing display or classified advertising that if the Ubyssey Publications Society fails to publish an advertisement or if an'error in ihe ad occurs the liability of the UPS will not be greater than the price paid for thecal 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 T AD SALES Dave Gaertner .AD DESIGN Shalene Takara Tm firedj* screamed Hywel Tuscano, Alex Leslie, Dan Burrit, Ke\\_o Saberfr, Megan Thomas, Sarah Bourdon, Levi Barnett, Heather Pauls, Jenn Camerbn, Momoko Price, John Hua, Michelle Mayne, "Laurie Leung, Wilson Wong, Jon Woodward, Dan McRoberts, Paul Carr, Iva Cheung, Middle Mayne and Biyan Zandberg in unison. "No masthead equals no fun at one am," said Jesse Marchand. "But I'm Hred too.* " COVER PHOTOS Levi Barnett COVER DESIGN Hywel Tuscano V Canadian University Press Canada Post Sales Agreement Number 40376022 Not in our medicare!? : the-uttf ssef: fflifaiiiic; PAGE FRIDAY Friday, February 27,2004 When it copies to big business influence, aggressive pharmaceutical companies and sketchy medical research ethics, Canadians are apt to brush off the problem as one that concerns our southern neighbours. Not here in Canada, we say. Questionable medical ethics could never get through those swarthy Canadian customs officers. But it is becoming increasingly apparent that Canada needs to take a good hard look at its ethical procedures and methods used to enforce them. UBC got some unwanted press this week when documents, obtained using the Freedom of Information Act, revealed that for years the university had not been properly assessing research protocols and, as a result had not been infmrri.Ttg patients about significant. risks like cancer and infertility. But UBC's woes are really just the tip of a misguided ethical iceberg in Canada, an iceberg that threatens to sink unsuspecting patients as well as our falsely idealised unsinkable ship of Healthcare. While it is important to note that experimental medicine is a vital component of the health care system and has brought tangible benefits to millions of lives. The trend towards Ihe privatisation of research has also assisted the hiring or sponsoring of our most brilliant researchers. But it's also obvious that research ethics.need to be questioned now more than ever. The power of pharmaceutical companies is burgeoning unchecked in Canada. Ontario research company Quest Clinical LE, I „ I. ER.«3: The Presidents satire I am writing in response to .Alex Leslie's freestyle opinion piece entitled "A young apathanan speaks" [the Ubyssey, February 13, 2004.] My speech on High Noon was meant to be satirical, and to point out how unaccountable some Alma Mater Society (AMS) executives have been; I completely agree with Alex's view that the students' union has the mandate of "voicing student thoughts and practising democracy to its fullest' At the same lime, executives do get paid for their positions, and we intend to work HARD for that money. Often, students are elected as AMS executives and enjoy a lavish lifestyle of free food, cozy offices and a comfortable salary without fulfilling their responsibilities to represent student needs and advocate for students' rights. Some past executives have managed to even avoid working their minimum 30 hours per weekl There have to be safeguards to hold AMS executives accountable, and this year, I hope to work on implementing methods to ensure that the AMS executives are fulfilling their mandates before they receive their biweekly stipends. The incoming executives all ran for these positions out of Trials says on its website that patient recruitment is done using "database searches of electronic medical records." There was a day when medical records were confidential. Once patients are identified as qualified for a study, their doctor is approached to solicit the patient's participation. While participants of medical studies can not be paid under Canadian law, doctors are often romanced with "finder's fees" of up to $20,000 per patient Doctors should have the courtesy to ask patients before sharing confidential medical information with profit-driven companies. We are talking about more than just e-mail addresses here. For example, a New Brunswick company called Clinicall answers newspaper ads across North America and tries to match patients with suitable trials. Once they have people signed up they track patients, reminding them to get to that appointment or fill out that diary. Gosh, that all seems nice and helpful until you realise that the receptionists at Clinical], who do not have to have medical training, but are simply required to sign one of those foolproof confidentiality agreements, have full access to patients' confidential medical information, like what drugs they are taking and why. Not to mention the power pharmaceutical companies wield with doctors these days. In the US, it has been found that the industry spends anywhere between $8000 and $13,000 US per physician in order to ensure that these MDs prescribe their products. While it may frustration: we were tired of seeing years of uneven results from the AMS, with some executives doing a huge amount of work while other executives languished in complacency. Prior to attending UBC, I had served two years in the Langara Students, Union (LSU), and I still remember the perception the LSU had of the UBC AMS: an exclusive, elite student society smugly seated in their ivory towers. I believe UBC students often feel this way as well, and in the last election, they demanded change. We believe that AMS executives need to be more vocal, involved and active. We have come to bring the AMS executives back in touch with UBC students, and to finally empower UBC students to get involved in their student society. Regarding the' recent tuition rally, every incoming executive was present, and this is the first step towards active, participation from the AMS on issues such as tuition. We are also laying down the groundwork to build strong relationships with the other provincial students, unions to finally be a player when ft comes to provincial lobbying. P.S, The AMS executives do not receive free laptops, ah the horror. —Amina Rai AMS President-elect Psychology 4 W^" ^ I® "y^W- \\ 1 J*T'/% J^ 'Ay > Ay 1__X 1QQH \\y _// happen on a smaller scale in Canada, rest assured that the pharmaceuticals are wining and dining docs with all sorts of perks in order to influence them. Another ethical conundrum is pharmaceutical companies partnering with Canadian universities, a problem that reaches beyond experimental drugs. At the University of Toronto (UoT) in 2001, David Healy, the newly hired director of the university's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, was promptly fired after publicising his concerns about possible links between widely used antidepressant drugs like Prozac and suicidal behavior. Eli Lilly, the company that manufactures Prozac, is the major sponsor—to the tune of $1.5 million—of the medical facility that had just hired Healy. When Healy published his complaints in an academic journal also fiinded by Eli Lilly, the company yanked funding from the publication. Another U of T doctor, Nancy Olivieri, was removed as director at of a hospital affiliated with the university, ostensibly when she tried to discuss potential harmful effects of a drug called deferiprone. Yet again the trouble stemmed from a drug company, Apodex, who were pro posing a $30 million donation toward the school and hospitals affiliated with them. Clearly, the corruption of medical research is alive and well in our home and native land. Although Canada's research ethics could be seen as dire and the influence and power of pharmaceutical companies as multiplying like experimental bunnies, it could be worse. Stanford, one of the most reputed universities in the US is undertaking research to find a drug to cure the "hidden epidemic' of compulsive shopping disorder, a trial sponsored by, you guessed it a pharmaceutical company. Although we have yet to sink that far into the mire, one still has to ask, where is Health Canada? Where do Canadian universities stand, with pharmaceutical companies or with independant and ethical research? What are they waiting for before they reform medical ethics procedjires and stop the cancerous growth' of sketchy and corporately manipulated research? If they continue with this head-in-the-sind schtick, Canada won't be able to boast purity in ethical matters when comparing itself to the US. ♦ PAGE FRIDAY Friday, February 27,2004 ;1lgilfisil^iilgilli||ft GUtftfURE 11 his on the bar GREA TWALL MONGOLIAN BBQ 2897 W Broadway [Asian cuisine] $10 All-you-can-eat by Jersn Cameron CULTURE STAFF The history of Mongolian BBQ goes something like this: centuries ago ih Mongolia, the armies fighting under the fierce Genghis Khan would hold huge celebratory feasts at their campsites. Of course, there were not very many available utensils, so swords and shields had to do. They would put the shields over a fire, and then sear the meat and vegetables, using the swords to cut and flip the food. Many of you are probably already familiar with Mongolian BBQ style restaurants, and by consequence you are probably also familiar with the expensive 'price by weight" system that most of these restaurants follow. Some of them even try to make it "fun" by making you guess how much your bowl of food weighs, not realising bow much you suffer when you discover your bowl of goodies is going to put you into debt Enter Great Wall Mongolian BBQ. Allyou- can-eat for just under ten dollars. You probably think I'm kidding, or that this place must be a dump. Well it's not It may be small, but it's very clean. The vegetables are fresh, the meat is frozen—not raw and in the open gathering bacteria as I have seen at other places—and the sauce is delicious. There are even pieces of pineapple to add to the wonder of this establishment Yummy fried chips are set at your table to whet your appetite, and let's not forget the yuri::)y rice. Those of you who are familiar with the dr'lights of Mongolian BBQ are probably at the r. staurant already, so I'll go on to explain 'J* i4 > :*'jflL&1. £>! J_Hft *1 "f + i •I. 11 Mr igrnr. A iflm_Hii£.".'Sv YOU CAN COOK A WHOLE COW ON THAT THING! The sizzling martial art of mongolian culinary fighting, kev.n saborit photo how it works for those of you who aren't It works hke a buffet: you get a bowl and fill it up with your choice of meat and fresh vegetables. The best part is the variety of sauces yOu can choose from to complement your meal. There are various suggestions of combinations, my favourite being the "Sweet and Hot" combo. After your food is all saucy, you give it to the chef, who puts it on a huge round grill and cooks it in front of you. If it's not busy, you can go sit down, and the waitress will bring you your bowl after it is cooked. Don't worry; it only takes about 30 seconds so you won't have to wait long. After you are finished your bowL I would suggest trying a different sauce combo. The great thing about this place is that if your food tastes crappy, it's your own fault You can pick your favourite food items and avoid things you dislike, such as my enemy often unavoidable in stir fry, mushrooms. Of course, if you have any allergies to particular vegetables, sauces or even peanuts, I would not suggest going to this restaurant All lie food is cooked on the same grill and, as the sauces are in close proximity to one another, there is bound to be some spillage. Also, if you suck at making sauce, as one of my friends proved to, you might not be satisfied with your meal. So if you are looking for a cheap, slightly adventurous, delicious meal close to campus, get over there! This "all-you-can-eat" restaurant is challenging you to eat at least twice your money's worth, and with what you get at Great Wall Mongolian BBQ, it's easy to do so. I ate four heaping bowls full Can you beat that? ♦ ■ ■ ■ ' *i_*j_r.#ji__ _■■ ** .*■»■ ^*&Vii_A_>VJi1;' 12 eU_TURE ti€; pfeyss^;. ittasaiii# PAGE FRIDAY Friday, February 27,2004 The oIoo liest love story of all time THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST now playing by John Hua CULTURE EDITOR For some, Jesus Christ was simply a man recorded in history as the Messiah, for others he was a prophet mistaken as the King of kings, for many Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who suffered, bled and died for the salvation of his people and in doing so is the sole key to eternal life. The story of Jesus Christ of Nazareth is one infused with passion in every sense of the word. Academy-award winning Director Mel Gibson carefully chose the title The Passion of the Christ, selecting the word passion for its Latin meaning of suffering. But also intertwined within the story is the passion of one man's sense of love, the intense, agape (unconditional) love, where "the greatest love a person can have for his friends is to give bis life for them." 7£e Passion of The Christ begins just after the Last Supper as Jesus and his disciples come to Gethsemane—the Garden of Olives— to pray and rest Mostly overlooked and overshadowed by the gore that is to follow is the painful portrayal of Jesus as he struggles internally with his destiny to the point of utter illness, sweat and tears. Gibson's directorial choice to not understate the one moinent that Jesus calls upon his Father to pass the burden of salvation from his shoulders is extremely powerful due to its humanity. After being betrayed by one of bis own disciples, Jesus is arrested by the leaders of the Pharisees on charges of blasphemy and taken to an unofficial tribunal where he Is spat upon, beaten and condemned. The controversy surrounding the film begins at this point as Jesus is taken to be tried by Pontius Pilate—a man depicted as a fair, but politically- pressured Roman governor of Palestine. Jesus is sent to be tortured in an attempt to quell the angry mob, lacerated with whips and a cat o' nine tails—a whip made up of nine knotted lines with hooks tied on the end of each named for its effect of tearing the flesh like the claws of a cat Jesus is then sent to his death bearing the wooden cross of over 3001bs upon his flayed shoulders and almost lifeless body to Golgotha—"the Place of the Skull"—where he is nailed to the cross and crucified. Mel Gibson's choice to fully depict the violence of Jesus' torture and crucifixion—a choice that has been called the goriest in film history—is undoubtedly extremely difficult to watch However, his attempts to represent the events surrounding Jesus' death in a cold-factual and painfully realistic manner intermingled with heartwarming flashback scenes presenting the son of God on human terms is moving on both a Christian and human level. The film is in Aramaic and Latin with English subtitles, but could easily be presented as a silent film due to its emphasis on the visual rather than language. The acting transcends to a higher level by relying solely on body language and facial expression to convey its message. Doing so masterfully is Jim Caviezel who plays the part of Jesus. Saying almost exclusively what is quoted in the Bible, Caviezel's portrayal relies heavily on his ability to convey raw emotion through fthis body, face and eyes. Jesus' excruciating pain and anguish is captured by Caviezel; the emotions are precisely balanced by compassion, love and gazes that would draw tears from the hardest of hearts. Playing Mary, with grace and strength is Maia Morgenstern. Once again,, the actor must rely purely on emotion as she finds an equilibrium between the heartbreak of a mother losing a son and the strength of a faithful woman. Although this film is an unavoidable forum for debate, Mel Gibson's goal to recreate the story of Jesus Christ, as is it written in the four 131 gospels, is done with artistic precision. The violence in the film does exceed any established standards; however, it is not gratuitous, but rather raw and eye-opening. Concerns surrounding anti- Semitism—the fear that the film blames Jews for the death of Christ and the backlash that could ensue— have little bearing due to the long since passed setting, as well as the necessity of Jesus' death as an integral part of the story. But be cautious, the 18-A rating is not to be dismissed as the subject matter is strictly directed towards those who can comprehend the necessity of violence in a piece based on the nature of sacrifice. The Passion of the Christ is a film based upon the written accounts of Jesus' life and death. It is the Sunday-school story told in a raw nature reflective of its message. In its representation of the Bible it adds little and denies little, leaving you with a work of film artistry produced with passion, wherever personal beliefs lie. The Passion is a bold film which will rest on the minds and in the hearts of many as they leave, having been told a story of ultimate sacrifice, undeniable courage and Incomparable love. ♦ NT1NG THE 1918 F1U <:■£/.. "'....Ml One Scientist's Search for a killer Virus Kirsty Duncan's story of organizing a scientific expedition to exhume the bodies of Norwegian miners, victims of the 1918 Spanish flu, blends the history of disease with the dark side of modern science. Cloth 0-8020-8748-5 $35.00 L Now available at the UBC bookstore Ufii¥@rsity of Toronto Press 'I »fl-Cit««r> »OCIO¥V_>_ UPCOMING RLMS Screenings @ Norm Theatre in SUB Admission: $3 and Membership: $20 Film Society Hotline: (604) 822-3697 http://www.ams.ubc.ca/clubs/filmsoc Fri.Feb 27 SOUTH PARK BZZR GARDEN Bigger. Longer. Uncut. Sat. Feb 28 ~ Sun. Feb 29 7:00PM - Mona Lisa Smile 9:30PM - Something's Gotta Give Wed. Mar 3 ~ Thurs. Mar 4 7:00PM - Big 9:30PM - The Big Chill faculties? a reminder to aM students interested in changing faculties, the applicdt'on deadline for faculty transfer is tomorrow, FEBRUARY 23. App'ications must be submitted online, students.ubc.ca/ssc For oioie information, vibit ihi? SSC \\Road'T(iss;ori'Faaiitv Trnnsfer) UBC !^g$/"""@en ; edm:hasType "Newspapers"@en ; dcterms:spatial "Vancouver (B.C.)"@en ; dcterms:identifier "LH3.B7 U4"@en, "LH3_B7_U4_2004_02_27"@en ; edm:isShownAt "10.14288/1.0127658"@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 .