@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 "2015-09-18"@en, "2009-11-30"@en ; edm:aggregatedCHO "https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/Ubysseynews/items/1.0128862/source.json"@en ; dc:format "application/pdf"@en ; skos:note """ FEELING THE BUBBLES SINCE I918 Ever dream of joining the! circus? Vanessa Goh actually did. Read the story on page 5 and see her fly through the air in our video at ubyssey.ca/culture. 2009-ll*30 •QITHEUB^SSEYca YOUR STUDENT NEWSPAPER IS PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY AND THURSDAY • VOLUME 91, NUMBER XXV • ROOM 24, STUDENT UNION BUILDING • FEEDBACK@UBYSSEY.CA flora heated three- hour emergency AMS Council meeting on Saturday, November 28, AMS President Blake Frederick and VP External Tim Chu were asked to resign. The request was due to a human rights complaint, they filed on behalf of the AMS to the United Nations without consulting students beforehand. Over 17S people, most of whom were upset with Frederick and Chu, attended the meeting, which had to be moved to Hebb Theatre to accommodate the crowd. Council voted in UN complaint and ceasing to fund the cause, asking Frederick to resign, and Chu to resign. All motions passed unanimously. The complaint claims that the government is violating its commitment un- derthe International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural rights, which Canada signed in 1976, "by failing to adequately control tuition fees and not providing sufficient fitumnial support to students.* Frederick and Chu were not in attendance. They claimed in an open letter to Council mat they had "prior commitments," despite Frederick's commentto The in an interview on y that he was looking forward to Saturday's meeting. A student at large, identified as "Greg," was one of the few who spoke against the motion. If 8 a stunt" he said. "Sometimes stunts help you get what you want... As a student who ridiculous amount Mon, I don't realty see the problem." However, opposition was drowned out by numerous students and councilors speaking in favour of the motion. I'm mostly your typical apathetic student" said Anna Abies, a secandyear student 1 don't really care until something is bad enough that I personally feel embarrassed by. [ ing] tuition a human r issue is incredibly er Ifs not on behalf 1 was a'litue surprised that we filed a human rights complaint for tuition," said Conrad Copeland, a UBC alumnus. TfonestJy, it makes a mockery of the PRESIDENT ASKED TO w«W AMS Council votes unanimously in favour of SAMANTHA JUNG news(?ubyssey.ca W 1 1 UN, and if s rassing to the i we would be presumptuous r enough to think tuition is a human rights issue." "None of us are happy about this," said Engineering Undergraduate Society representative Andrew Carne. "We would like a student ww^fnT,i^fit' that works.... what we have seen here is a willful subversion ofthe democratic process." Another motion was : forward by Mona jMagiisoodi, Graduate Student Society councilor, to VOUT of ask VP Academic Johannes ^ Rebane and VP Finance mey had signed off on the contract with Pivot Legal Society—the law firm with which Frederick and Chu filed the complaint However, lhe motion was tabled until January because councilors wanted to oon- sult with their constituents before making a decision. Dvorak and Rebane r~ ' ogized for their inv ment alleging that they trusted their fellow executives, and therefore did not read the contract took me level of trust had as an excuse not to do my due diligence, and for mat I apologize," Rebane said. Dvorak echoed these sentiments, asking for sympathy from councilors and students. The AMS' next step is to send out a press release clarifying that the complaint was not an action of Council. In accordance wim AMS Bylaws, 12 councilors have signed two separate notices that resolve to remove Frederick and Chu from their executive positions that will come forward to a special Council meet- December 7. _. -WuJifiksfrom Kafyeena Makortoff, FabiolaCaHM j & Neal Yonson I ! PAGE 3 1 Students react , Chu and Fredericks perspective i UN complaint explained j PAGE 4 i Timeline of events j PAGE 8 i Our comment ■ BRENDAN ALBANO & MICHAEL THIBAULT PHOTO ILLUSTRATION/THE UBYSSEY Mwrn* JHR, SPHR & IAC PERSPECTIVES PAGE 9 ■news briefs U OF A TUITION TO GO UP 66 PER CENT The University of Alberta (U of A) plans to increase its tuition in order to pay for a $59 million campus improvement budget shortfall, reported The Gateway. U of A President Indira Samarasekera said that the university has targeted three measures that will be considered in a balanced approach: increase revenues from students, achieve administrative and program efficiencies, and moderate the rate of increase in faculty and staff salary and benefit costs. Both Arts and Science faculties will be relatively unaffected, while the Faculty of Pharmacy will be hit hard by a tuition increase of 66 per cent. However, the Canadian Price Index (CPI), a monthly measurement of changes in consumer prices in Canada, is putting a damper on this process, as it is tied to tuition. CPI maintains low changes to tuition. To get around CPI caps, the university needs to convince the provincial government that the tuition levels were too low when CPI was originally tied to tuition. FORMER UBC ACADEMIC SURVIVES ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT Former UBC academic and governor of Kandahar Tooryalai Wesa survived an assa- sination attempt in Afghanistan last week, reported CTV. Wesa was in a convoy passing through the centre of Kandahar when it was targeted by a remote-controlled roadside bomb. Wesa was not injured, but his vehicle was damaged. DEPUTY MINISTER TO WORK FOR BC RESEARCH COUNCIL Robin Ciceri. the Deputy Minister ofthe BC Advanced Education and Labour Market Development Ministry is leaving her job to work for Research Universities' Council of British Columbia (RUCBC), reported The Vancouver Sun. UBC President Stephen Toope, who is RUCBC board chair, announced the appointment earlier this month, saying that the board is "simply delighted to be able to recruit someone of Robin Ciceri's caliber to lead the council." However, smaller universities are worried that Ciceri will use information she gained as deputy minister to lobby the government on behalf of larger institutions such as UBC, SFU, UNBC and UVic, leaving smaller universities at a disadvantage. UBC PROF RECEIVES OUTSTANDING MATHEMATICIAN AWARD UBC Professor Omer Angel has been awarded the 2010 Andre-Aisenstadt Prize, which is awarded outstanding achievement by a young Canadian mathematician in pure or applied mathematics. Angel's work is relevant to probability theory, percolation, random walks and random spatial processes, and applies to other areas of mathematics as well as physics and biology. "This marks the sixth time in the last decade that a UBC mathematician has been recognized with the prize," said Professor Rachel Kuske, head of UBC's Department of Mathematics. "It's a strong testament to the University's research strength in this area, and a great indicator for the department's future." The Centre de recherches mafhe- matiques (CRM) at the University of Montreal awards the prize, which consists of a $3000 award and a medal. Angel will receive the prize in an April 2010 ceremony, vl 2/UBYSSEY.CA/EVENTS/2009.11.30 NOVEMBER 30, 2OO9 VOLUME XCI, N°XXV EDITORIAL COORDINATING EDITOR Paul Bucci: coordinating@ubyssey.ca NEWS EDITOR Samantha Jung: news@ubyssey.ca CULTURE EDITORS Kate Barbaria & Trevor Record: culture@ubyssey. ca SPORTS EDITOR Justin McElroy : sports@ubyssey.ca IDEAS EDITOR Trevor Melanson : features@ubyssey.ca INTERIM PHOTO EDITOR Brendan Albano : photos@ubysseyca PRODUCTION MANAGER Kyrstin Bain :production@ubyssey.ca COPY EDITOR Katarina Grgic: copy@ubyssey.ca MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Tara Martellaro : 7nulti7nedia@ubyssey.ca Room 24, Student Union Building 6138 Student Union Boulevard Vancouver, BCV6T lZl tel: 604.822.2301 fax: 604.822.9279 web: www.ubyssey.ca e-mail: feedback @ubyssey. ca BUSINESS Room 23, Student Union Building advertising: 604.822.1654 business office: 604.822.6681 fax: 604.822.1658 e-mail: advertising@ubyssey ca BUSINESS MANAGER : Fernie Pereira AD TRAFFIC : Sabrina Marchand AD DESIGN : Chibwe Mweene LEGAL The Ubyssey is the official student newspaper of the University of British Columbia. It is published every Monday and Thursday by The Ubyssey Publications Society. We are an autonomous, democratically run student organization, and all students are encouraged to participate. Editorials are chosen and written by the Ubyssey staff. They are the expressed opinion of the staff, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Ubyssey Publications Society or the University of British Columbia. All editorial content appearing in The Ubyssey is the property of The Ubyssey Publications Society. Stories, opinions, photographs and artwork contained herein cannot be reproduced without the expressed, written permission of The Ubyssey Publications Society The Ubyssey is a founding member of Canadian University Press (CUP) and adheres to CUP's guiding principles. Letters to the editor must be under 300 words. Please include your phone number, student number and signature (not for publication) as well as your year and faculty with all submissions. ID will be checked when submissions are dropped off at the editorial office ol The Ubyssey; otherwise verification will be done by phone. "Perspectives" are opinion pieces over 300 words but under 750 words and are run according to space. "Freestyles" are opinion pieces written by Ubyssey staff members. Priority will be given to letters and perspectives over freestyles unless the latter is time sensitive. Opinion pieces will not be run until the identity of the writer has been verified. The Ubyssey reserves the right to edit submissions for length and clarity. All letters must be received by 12 noon the day before intended publication. Letters received after this point will be published in the following issue unless there is an urgent time restriction or other matter deemed relevant by the Ubyssey staff. It is agreed by all persons placing display or classified advertising that if the Ubyssey Publications Society fails to publish an advertisement or if an error in the ad occurs the liability of the UPS will not be greater than the price paid for the ad. The UPS shall not be responsible for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value or the impact of the ad CONTRIBUTORS In the works of Paul Bucci, a predominant concept is the concept of Samantha Jungian consciousness Thus, Sarah Chung uses the term 'Ashley Whillans-ian narrative' to denote Kate Barbaria, and thus Trevor Record, of the Kalyeena Makortoff class. Neal Yonson is contextualised into a Nessa Aref theory that includes Miranda Martini as an Andrey Summers reality. In a sense, Sarah Baldwin states that the works of Justin McElroy are postmodern. The main theme of the works of Ian Turner is the role of Morgan Tien as Trevor Melanson and Virginie Menard. Thus, in Erotica, Kasha Chang affirms neomaterial Austin Holm; in Material Girl, although, Brendan Albano analyses Katarina Grgic through textual theory. Michael Thibault is interpolated into Mirah Valdes, which includes Tara Martellaro as a totality. But any number of Milena Salazaro concerning Jonny Wakefield, and eventually Kyrstin Bain, may be found. If Anthony Goertz holds, we have to choose between deconstructive subcultural Gerald Deo and capitalist postcultural Geoff Lister V Canada Post Sales Agreement Number 0040878022 Canadian printed on^100s% University 'reeycledpaper Press \\__]Q EVENTS ftKII I KIP NEWS • LEGAL OBSERVER INFORMATION W Vi LI Vi C CULTURE • CIRCUS VIDEO • IT'S A BEAUTIFUL VIEW & INTER- CYf*l IICI\\/r VIEW WITH WRITER/DIRECTOR L AULUOIV L |DEAS . streeters video Go to ubyssey.ca to see our online content. ONGOING EVENTS Ubyssey Production • Come help us create this baby! Learn about layout and editing. Expect to be fed. • Every Sunday and Wednesday starting at 2pm. Monday Night Community Music & Meal • Like to play fun music? Just want to listen? Looking for a sense of community? This is for all members of the UBC community who want to have a good meal and great conversation. All meals are home cooked and are vegetarian-friendly • Every Monday 6:30pm-8:30pm, Chapel of the Epphany (6030 ChanceSor Blvd), more info revnathanwrighfeamaccom. Drippytown: Vancouver's comic artists on display • V\\fent a different take on Vancity? The collection features contributions from six local comic artists whose work provides a look at life in Vancouver • Continues until Jan 31, Rare Books and Specbl Collections located in ¥E, more irfo puddngsocklivejournal.com Donate your Aeroplan Miles to Mede- cins Sans Frontieres (MSF)/Doctors Without Borders • Booking flights with Miles saves MSF thousands of dollars, money used to deliver medical humanitarian assistance to people who need it most. By donating, you're supporting MSF's aid work and helping reduce the amount spent on air travel. • Nov 5-Dec 4, donate at msf.ca/beyondmiles, contact msfubccagmail.com for more info. UBC Theatre department presents Far Away • Caryl Churchill's work has always been revered for its inventiveness, its variety, and its political relevance BFA Acting students are featured as actors, set and costume designers and in managerial roles • Dec 3-5, tix $5, 7:30pm, Dorothy Somerset Studb, more info theatreubcca or 604 822 2678 American Apparel Rummage Sale • No items over $50. Inventory replenished throughout the day \\Jp to 85 per cent off. • Dec 4-6, Pacfc National Exhbtbn, Hastings Room (2901E Hastings St), Friday/ Saturday T0am-9pm, Sunday Vam-7pm Learning Centie open 24/7 for exams • Studying late? Early exam? Irving K. Barber is extending its opening hours to 24 hours a day Trie 24/7 opening applies to the Learning Centre's core study areas on levels two, three and four of tba south wing It does not include the Library book stacks, the Chapman Learning Commons and Ike's Cafe, which will follow regular hous • Nov 30-Dec 22, more Irfo ikebarberlearningcentreubcca MONDAY, NOV. 30 ELU Speaks • Come and listen to your fellow students speak about their most inspirational leadership experiences and how they plan to put their ideas into action. Event will be followed by cheese and sparkling wine • 6pm-8pm, BUCH 313, free, part of ELU Week, more irfo at eelubccom. Shirley Valentine • Award winning actress and Theatre at UBC alumna Nicola Cavendish reprises one of her most beloved roles as Shirley Valentine to benefit student scholarships. • Tix $15 students, $50 regular, Fredrick Wood Theatre, 7:30pm, more info 604 822 2678 or theatreubcca. TUESDAY DEC 1 Candlelight vigil for World AIDS Day • Vigil participants will walk for approximately half an hour around campus and end at Regent College where there will be refreshments served. A chance to commemorate those who have lost their lives to ADS, those currently suffering with HIV/ADS and the many loved ones affected. • Meet at 7pm on the north side of the SUB (by the flag pole) WEDNSDAY, DEC 2 Discorder presents: Makeout Videotape • Discorder hosts their monthly event. Prepare for dancing: lo-fi pop band Makeout Videotape willing be headlining, with opener Machu Picchu and DJs Xophie Sweetland and Connor Brady on hand. • Tix $5, doors at 9pm, show at 10pm, Astoria Hotel THURSDAY DEC 3 AIMS presents: What is Naturopathic Medicine? • Come join the Alternative and Integrative Medical Society this Thursday for a talk with students from the Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine Learn about what it takes to get into Naturopathic medicine, what you learn as a Naturopath, and what current students have to say about their field of study! • 1l30am-1230pm, BLC 260, free, admission. FRIDAY DEC 4 The AUS presents: frAUStbite • Winter may be well upon us, but it sure is warm in here! In celebration of the end of semester, the AUS presents frAUStbite, a semi-formal evening of dancing and drinks featuring live performances from UBCs own trombone quartet, Slideshow, and club mixes by DJ Supafiy • 8pm- 12am, Chan Centre, tix sold in the SUB & the AUS offte in BUCH D __* 8 _______ Q. OB o % Fifth Annual Lucia Celebration • Hosted by the Scandinavian and Nordic Cultural Association. Will be serving free coffee, tea and Nordic pastries. • MASS, Buchanan D Block, doors at 3:45pm, celebration starts at 4:15pm, free.. If you have an event you want listed here, e-mail us at events&ubyssey ca. This means you, campus dubs! CLASSIFIED UBCREC is looking for referees to officiate their brand new 11 on 11 Handley Op Soccer League Experience is an asset Please email refcoordinators&gmailcom. Study: Sexuality&Space at UBC—Looking for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Two-Spirit or Queer (LGBTTQ) 3rd or 4th year undergraduate students to participate in an interview Email: queer- spaces.ubc&gmalcom. Confidentiality assured. UI E o o = c > c E i/l Q. 1 6 4 5 5 1 9 8 3 2 9 5 9 8 1 4 4 2 6 3 3 7 4 8 9 1 2 8 9 4 5 8 8 9 7 6 Summer - Co-op Terms ■ Studying Abroad? k Visit our website. www.onestepstorage.ca age Space is limited, Student Storage Solutions One Step's Mobile Locker simplifies storage for students: ► Convenient delivery ► Affordable ► Secure »Be smart! Students and Grads get $500 plus a $2,850 smart MOBILITY GRAD REBATE on a 2009 smart fortwo. smart 09 city 1 O smart 1 open your mind. ^\\_*_?_^r ^^^^^^^^__i^_r smart Centre Vancouver 604-736-7411 smartvancouver.ca E-mail: info@onestepstorage.ca Hotline: (604) 204-0001 AGENDA | STAFF MEETING BECOME STAFF AT THE UBYSSEY TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1 If you want a ubyssey.ca e-mail NASH address, or voting privileges, you STAFF RESTRUCTURING must attend three of these gen SATIRE ISSUE eral staff meetings, or provide us SEX/DATING ISSUE with a good (written) excuse why CHRISTMAS PARTY you can't make it. You must also contribute three times, whether an article, a graphic, a photo, or an evening with our Copy Editor L"i (copy-editing, of course). E-mail , feedback@ubyssey.ca for more information. REGENT DENTAL CENTRE Friendly Kitsilano office that setves your cDrnprEhensive dental nEEds! Dr. Ho W, Broadway Dr. Lam 2IH2 West Broadway. Vancouver, BC.VBK2C8 Tel: B04.733.3431 Fax: B04.733.3432 2009.11.30/UBYSSEY.CA/NEWS/3 Twitter— (Pblakefrederick: mitchrite My friend has some debLmaybe I should help him file a complaint to the UN like @blakefrederick did November 26 glenkrueger If the UN is unwilling to act, will @blakefred- erick advocate for unilateral action by the AMS? November 27 News irvlau Learning many lessons on how NOT to run an executive from @blakefrederick of the UBC AMS. What a joke! November 28 ashleyel @blakefrederick Nice to know your NDP partisan (convention) is more important than your job. November 28 Students place UN flagon Knoll UBC students Aaron Palm and Mitch Wright placed a UN flag on the Grassy Knoll on Saturday afternoon, prior to the emergency AMS Council meeting that called for the resignation of AMS President Blake Frederick and VP External Tim Chu. A video of the event can be found on YouTube. GERALD DEO PHOTO/THE UBYSSEY Looking at the United Nations complaint SARAH CHUNG schung@ubyssey.ca Last Wednesday, a complaint was filed with the United Nations about rising tuition rates in BC on behalf of the AMS. The complaint was not approved or discussed at AMS Council. Pivot Legal Society issued the complaint on behalf of the AMS and former VP Administration Tristan Markle, who accused the provincial and federal governments of not providing affordable post-secondary education. The complaint states that the provincial and federal governments are violating an international covenant that states post-secondary education should be "accessible to all" and that countries should move toward "free education." The International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights was signed by Canada, along with over 144 countries, in 1976. The AMS has spent $3000 for an initial retainer to pay Pivot Legal Society lawyer Katrina Pacey but they have yet to receive a final invoice. The money was taken out of Council's legal fund, which has an annual budget of $25,000. VP Finance Tom Dvorak and VP Academic Johannes Rebane were signatories on the contract with Pivot. Both Dvorak and Rebane claimed that they overlooked the contract and went ahead on the faith of their fellow executives. Other individuals involved were AMS Policy Analyst Adrienne Smith and Conimunications Manager Kelli Seepaul. Chu said at the November 26 Executive Committee meeting that Markle was chosen as a co- complainant by Pivot from a list of concerned students submitted by Frederick and Chu for his emotionally-charged appeal. This is not the first time a university student union has tried to challenge the international covenant. According to UBC Insiders, the Simon Fraser Student Society filed a similar complaint with the UN in 2005 that stated, "We, the Simon Fraser Student Society...argue that the actions of both the Federal Government of Canada and the Provincial Government of British Columbia over the last decade have constituted an egregious violation of international law." A statement by the former SFU International Relations Officer said the UN responded to their complaint, saying that "considerations" may be taken at the time of the general review of Canada, which happens every tenyears. tl ON RECORD | Frederick and Chu respond In light of the recent controversy, we asked AMS President Blake Frederick and VP External Tim Chu to write us a response, no holds barred Here is what they sent us, edited only for style. AMS STUDENT COUNCIL SEEKS TO SILENCE AND REMOVE PRESIDENT AND VP EXTERNAL FOR THEIR CONCERN OVER RISING TUITION FEES Your AMS Student Council has asked us, your democratically elected AMS President, Blake Frederick and Vice- President of External Affairs, Tim Chu, to resign from our positions for taking action on high tuition fees. The AMS' current policy on tuition, brought forward by Arts councillor Matthew Naylor and adopted by AMS Council, states that your representatives have no problem with a two per cent increase in your tuition. Tim and I strongly believe that this policy is deplorable and does not represent the views of UBC students. In fact, the primary reason that we ran for AMS Executive positions last January is because we believe that UBC, the Government of British Columbia and the Government of Canada have severely harmed our society by failing to provide affordable and accessible post-secondary education for students. In our election campaigns, both Tim and I clearly articulated that our number one priority would be to lobby government aggressively to decrease tuition and increase funding for post-secondary institutions. We were successfully elected by students to fulfill this mandate. It's important to reflect on why tuition is such a concern to us and so many UBC students. At our university, tuition for domestic undergraduates has doubled since 2002 and tuition for graduate students has increased by 184 per cent over that same time period. UBC also has the proud distinction of charging our international students the highest tuition fees in the country. Students in BC graduate with an average debt load of $27,000—the highest in the country—meanwhile our province provides the lowest amount of non-repayable financial assistance to students. The financial barriers to accessing education are continuing to worsen, as evidenced by statistics which show that while an increased number students from higher-income families are enroling in university, enrolment of students from lower-income families is decreasing. Education is becoming a privilege for the fortunate instead of a right for all. We understand that for many, tuition and the ancillary costs of education are not a problem, but we must not forgot about those students who had to drop out of university due to a lack of funding or students who did not even make it to university at all because they simply could not afford it. Even those who do graduate are often unable to find employment in their field and are therefore unable to pay off their education debt. The recession is only making this problem worse resulting in the highest youth unemployment rate in the history of this country. Despite the fact that many students are struggling to get by, your representatives on AMS Council have not been fighting for your right to education. Not only have they shown lukewarm interest in lobbying for grants, they have opposed all efforts that Tim and I have taken to lobby for lower tuition. Earlier in the year when Tim created placards with the message "reduce tuition," AMS Council voted to cease production and shred all existing materials. Many members of AMS Council have the naive opinion that we can alleviate student debt simply by sitting down with politicians and politely convincing them to do what we want. This is not how politics works. We must never forget that in a democracy, it is the electorate that has the real power and if we want to see change, we must demand it from our elected officials. Recently, Tim and I filed a complaint with the United Nations against the Government of British Columbia and the Government of Canada for failing to uphold their commitment to Article 13.1 (c) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which requires Canada to work towards the "progressive introduction of free education." The intention of the complaint is to put pressure on the government to act now by drawing media attention to a post-secondary system that punishes students for pursuing an education. We filed the complaint without approval from AMS Council because we cannot continue to sit idly and break our promise to students by not standing up for their right to education. We also knew that it would ignite a fierce debate on campus over the cost of education and draw students' attention to the out-of-touch priorities and policies of AMS Council. Tim and I have brought forward a motion to the Wednesday December 2, 2009 AMS Council meeting to change the AMS' official policy on tuition. In addition, despite the fact that we were elected by the student body, the small group of students that comprise AMS Council will attempt to remove us from office at their meeting on Monday, December 7, 2009. Now is the time to stand up to the AMS Council and show them who they are supposed to represent. Show your support by attending these meetings or e-mail your councilors by finding their contact information on the AMS website, tl —Blake Frederick (AMS President) & Tim Chu (AMS VP External Affairs) ■ ■ SPOTLIGHT Bad blood Campus apathy cured—for one weekend PAUL BUCCI feedback(?ubyssey.ca The votes are in and the crowd has spoken: the people want blood. Student reaction to Frederick and Chu's latest blunder has been strong, to put it extremely lightly. It has been an internet circus for the last three days. On Saturday afternoon, a group filmed a mock UN flag raising. By Sunday night, over 300 people had viewed the video on YouTube. Twitter is inundated with requests for Frederick and Chu's resignations. One user, ©ashleyel, UBC alumna Ashley Elchuk's Twitter account, wrote: "Well, you've embarrassed all of UBC and this will probably have the opposite effect on whatever it was you intended. Good job." Which pretty much sums it all up. Facebook is full of anti-Frederick sentiments. So are our website comments. On Saturday night, for the emergency AMS Council meeting, we hosted a Live Blog event, as did UBC Spectator. Both saw over 300 people participate. The emergency meeting had over 175 people attend. That's 175 students showing up to Hebb Theatre on a Saturday night. With no notice—students are paying attention. The majority of people do decry Frederick and Chu's actions; however, there is a minority that shows support. Rebecca posts: "[Frederick] represents the students. How can any of you possibly be upset by this? This is brave, not embarrassing. It's unfortunate that the rest of you do not have the desire to make big moves to stand up for, not only the rest of the student body, but yourselves as well." Most of the pro-Frederick camp echo Rebecca's sentiments, tl TOP COMMENTS Thanks to everyone for getting the word out about this outrageous and irresponsible reaction from members of the AMS who are seeking to overturn the very democratic process which selected them. Social justice advocacy in our AMS Execs is something we voted for, deserve, and should celebrate. —Alissa W-t, Facebook These guys need to take Econ 101. If they can't afford it due to the increasing prices of both pot and education, I'll tutor them for free. —V, from ubyssey.ca Any committee can only act by resolution, and that would have been subject to approval by Council. You deceived us. —@Naylor4x, Arts representative Matthew Naylor's Twitter account UBYSSEY.CA/NEWS/2 0 0 9.11.30 PLANNING AN EVENT DURING THE OLYMPIC PERIOD? Just so you know, all applications for Special Occasion Licenses (temporary liquor licences) for the period of February 11 to 25, 2010, must be received bythe RCMP no later than January 11, 2010. a place of mind UBC Wfr For more info: call 604.822.9946 or visit http://www.students.ubc.ca/facultystaff/ bookings.cfm?go=liquor Ad brought to you by the VP Students office and Classroom Services LSAT MCAT GMAT GRE Preparation Seminars • Complete 30-Hour Seminars • Convenient Weekend Schedule • Proven Test-Taking Strategies • Experienced Course Instructors • Comprehensive Study Materials • Simulated Practice Exams • Limited Class Size • Free Repeat Policy • Personal Tutoring Available • Thousands of Satisfied Students *>i a sTTrwnrrrf 604-683-3430 1-800-269-6719 www.oxfordseminars.ca Nineteen year old male basketball player wants to hire a coach to increase skill level in preparation for college level try outs in spring 3010. Reside on North Shore, several hours per week/hourly rate. 604.983.9137 Want more coverage of the UN issue? Check out ubcinsiders.ca. Have something to Say about Nations complaint? Write a letter (up to 300 words) or comment at ubyssey.ca. Make your voice heard! A timeline of the AMS/UN fiasco NEAL Y0NS0N At the beginning. MARCH 11, 2009 First AMS Council meeting with new executive. Contributor MARCH 13, 2009 According to their website, Pivot Legal Society is a "non-profit legal advocacy organization located in Vancouver's Downtown East Side" SEPTEMBER 3, 2009 $3000 retainer paid to Pivot Legal Society to look into UN human rights complaint. SEPTEMBER 9, 2009 Contract with Pivot signed off on by VP Finance Tom Dvorak and VP Academic Johannes Rebane. OCTOBER 1, 2009 Executive committee minutes: "Adrienne [Smith, Policy advisor] is working on the UN complaint." JULY 2009 Cuts to student aid budget become public. Executive committee minutes contain the phrase "Legal battle against the province on the basis that the recent Education funding cuts are against the UN charter." APRIL 16, 2009 Executive committee minutes mention "UN complaint with Pivot." MAY 12, 2009 BC general election. 77?ese minutes have not yet been approved by AMS Council NOVEMBER 18, 2009 AMS President Blake Frederick and Tristan Markle sign UN Human Rights complaint featuring Markle's affidavit. NOVEMBER 24, 2009 Markle signs affidavit contained in complaint. T Tristan Markle was the AMS VP Administration during the 2008/2009 school year. NOVEMBER 28, 2009 Frederick and VP External Tim Chu send open letter to AMS Council saying they will not attend the emergency Council meeting despite previously stating that they would be present. Emergency AMS Council meeting occurs in Hebb Theatre, where UN complaint is withdrawn and Frederick and Chu are asked to resign. Next step. NOVEMBER 26, 2009 AMS holds press conference, issues press release announcing complaint. Media organization on Pivot's contact list are invited, does not include The Ubyssey. NOVEMBER 25, 2009 Pivot Legal Society submits complaint to UN on behalf of AMS an Markle. As a result of a petition from councilors, an emergency AMS Council meeting is called for November 28. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2 AMS Council meeting where Frederick and Chu will announce whether they will resign. Stay tuned for the results of the December 2 meeting! Neil Yonson is an editor at UBC Insiders. For more coverage ofthe AMS/UN issue, visit ubcinsiders.ca. UBC, Metro clash over governance KALYEENA MAKORTOFF kmakortoff@ubyssey.ca A meeting held by the GVRD/UBC Joint Committee last Wednesday gave way to debates surrounding the governance and land use provisions at UBC campus. Approximately 30 UBC staff, students and residents showed up to the first public discussion between UBC and Metro Vancouver since Metro Vancouver released their proposed zoning bylaw on the Vancouver campus. There were delegations from the AMS, University Neighbourhoods Association, CUPE local 116 and residents of University Town. Burnaby mayor Derek Corrigan was invited to sit at the table to explain Metro Vancouver's position and to provide context for the recent bylaw proposal. Metro Vancouver is vying for more say in zoning and land use provisions that currently remain under the jurisdiction of the UBC Board of Governors (BoG) under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and the Official Community Plan (OCP) negotiated between the two groups. Corrigan said that Metro has become the body to which UBC residents and students go to protest campus land issues, given that Metro guides development for the region under the OCP. However, Metro has found that their OCP wasn't necessarily binding unless zoning bylaws were attached. "We are not prepared to continue with the status quo," he said. "It leaves us accountable for things we have no control [over]. "We decided clearly that one of two things happen: either we govern or we don't govern. No more in between." BoG member Andrew Irvine said that the proposal for a takeover is a dangerous one. "To have Metro become the local government is the worst option," he said. "It would be disastrous to have a body that has no connection with the institution to have control...and most damaging would be to have these two layers of overlapping bureaucracy." Irvine suggested that the MOU, which he said "has been working very well," should remain in place. Corrigan viewed UBC President Stephen Toope's letter citing Metro's bylaw proposal as an attack on academic freedom as "a little over the top." "If you don't want us to be your local government," he said, "be your own local government." Irvine asked whether this meant that Metro was unilaterally breaking the MOU. Corrigan responded that it was up for interpretation, while Maria Harris, director for Electoral Area A, said that it was ambiguous but that the MOU will stay in place until there is further discussion. When requests for another meeting were proposed by Metro, BoG member Susan Yurkovich said that the BoG should be given the courtesy of being briefed, and that further discussion with Metro would be adequately done through e-mail, and would not require another scheduled meeting. "I think there is probably a way that we could figure out how to move through it, whatever this next awkward period would be, that doesn't lose all the good things that are happening, and lose the relationship as it is. If we can ask people to go back and see what that looks like...that would be best," said Yurkovich. Harris saw the importance of airing grievances. "What we've all benefited from tonight is seeing where others are coming from," she said. "The question isn't about what we adopt," said Andrea Reimer, a member of Metro Vancouver's Board of Directors, "but that we get Metro in a comfortable place...and keep all the good things going at UBC.""SI Culture KNOW THY JUGGLING 2009.11.30/UBYSS X/CULTURE/5 Diabolo The word juggling derives from the Middle English jogelen (to entertain by performing tricks), however, joggling is a portmanteau word that describes juggling while jogging. People who joggle are called jogglers wiKpedia.com Culture Editors: Kate Barbaria & Trevor Record Joining the circus not just for daydreamers NESSA AREF Contributor "Breathe. Breathe. Breathing is your metronome." I'm standing in the middle of the Vancouver Circus School, watching 19-year-old Vanessa Goh, a second- year UBC Math and Economics student, while her coach runs her and a handful of other students through a series of stretches before they begin training. The equipment surrounding us is confusing, to say the least: harnesses, ropes and long coloured lengths of stretchy fabrics that I was later told are called 'silks' hang in clusters from the ceiling. To my left, another member of the school begins to do push-ups on a stairway railing four feet off the ground. Goh begins, climbing into a convoluted-looking harness, which lifts her to the level of the trapeze. She calmly takes hold of, then stands on the trapeze, swinging back and forth. As I watch her flip upside down, hanging only from her legs, the head coach approaches me. He says that I have a look of longing in my eyes, and that I should try it before I leave. I laugh nervously and turn my eyes back to Goh who is now hanging from only one leg, her arms gracefully arched beneath her. Yeah, that's not happening. "When the coach says let go, you gotta let go." To many, myself included, the very idea of swinging around at high speeds, suspended in the air, is terrifying. For Goh, it's thrilling. Of course, she's not completely fearless. 'Jumping off the trapeze is Vanessa Goh is oh-so Cirque du Soleil, scaring the crap out of us while looking calm and collected, michaelthibault photo/the ubyssey the scariest thing because you might miss the bar or slip." She admits that she has a tendency to let go, prompting her coach to affectionately call her Butterfingers. "Circus is dangerous" says Goh. "Circus is pain, actually. That's what people always tell me when I get hurt: 'Who said circus is fun?' It's all about training, perseverance and tolerance." After she's finished at the trapeze, Goh heads over to the silks. Another student is hanging a good six feet off the ground, attached to the silks by her feet and hands. She moves gracefully, seemingly unconcerned that what she is doing almost defies imagination. The most frightening thing about the silks is that, unlike the trapeze, there is no harness—you hold your own weight. The silks seem even more complex to the eye than the trapeze. Although Goh has only recently begun training on them, she's able to do a several interesting flips a la Cirque du Soleil a couple of feet off the ground. When it comes training, she admits that there aren't any real steps as she's learning a new trick or skill. "When the coach says let go, you gotta let go." Her love for the circus started at the age of nine, when she tried out trapeze while on holiday at Club Med. After returning home, she immediately signed up for circus classes. Though she grew up in "Circus is dangerous. Circus is pain, actually...It's all about training, perseverance and tolerance." Singapore, Goh moved to Calgary when she was 15 and came to UBC last year, joining the Vancouver Circus School at about the same time, which she now attends twice every week. She hasn't performed in Vancouver yet, but she has done a few shows in Singapore, where she practices with her friends during summers. Goh admits that she's a bit too old to be training seriously; most who work in the circus for a living start much younger, and have generally been born into the business. But she wants to continue training and maybe one dayjoin the circus show at Club Med. "Jumping off the trapeze is the scariest thing because you might miss the bar or slip." When I ask her what most people say when she tells them she goes to a circus school, she laughs and rolls her eyes. "People hear circus school and they ask, 'Do you learn how to be clown? I thought everyone is a natural clown!'" Goh has never tried clowning—a class offered at the school—although she's taken a spin on the unicycle. Goh was formerly involved with the cheerleading squad at UBC, something perhaps more stereotypical of women her age. But she is proud of her unique passion for the trapeze. "[Circus] teaches me to believe in myself, just try. You never know what tricks you can do." va To see the video supplement, visit ubyssey.ca/ culture. Juggling Arts Club tosses it all in the air MIRANDA MARTINI Contributor If a casual observer went into the basement of the International House on a Thursday night, they might think they had walked into a house party by mistake. From the music blaring on the speakers in the corner and the relaxed chatter throughout the room, there is little to distinguish the scene from an informal student gathering—except some attendees are wearing jaunty vests and stage makeup, and everyone is juggling. This is a meeting of the Juggling Arts Club, one of UBC's newest organizations. Founded this year, the club already has a loyal following. An average of 20 members turn out for meetings on clear nights. Even during the frigid rains on Thursday November 19, a significant crowd was gathered there. This includes some more advanced jugglers coming all the way from East Vancouver, managed to make it to International House, shaking the rain from their clothes before picking up their equipment. According to founders Chelsea Gallant and Frank Frazier, the Juggling Arts Club is a "teaching club," where beginners can learn and ex perienced jugglers can sharpen their skills by working with others. The juggling arts practiced go far beyond traditional ball juggling: members can also choose from club juggling, contact juggling, poi spinning, slacklining, Diabolo, staff spinning, hoops and more. All of the juggling arts operate on the same basic principles; the most important being that of gravity. According to Frazier, it is the great equaliser of the juggling arts: even the best jugglers drop their instruments or hit themselves with them. Because high-quality juggling instruments are expensive, most members only practice for these two hours a week, when they have access to the club equipment. However, this is enough time for most people to see consistent improvement in their skills. "A lot of people think there's this barrier between them and juggling," says Frazier. "Realistically, it's one hour's practice [to learn a basic skill]." "I didn't know anything when I first came here," says member Megan Blatchford, who is learning to execute a front weave with poi. Although her practice is constantly interrupted as she hits herself with the ends of the poi, she remains cheerful and excited at her progress. "There's no upward limit on what you can learn," Gallant says. "In all the world there's probably no one who's learned everything there is to know about juggling." Unlike many popular student pastimes, juggling is simple and ergonomic; the equipment is easily transported and requires no motors or complicated parts in order to be used. "I think when we run out of fossil fuels, people will be a lot more into juggling," laughs Frazier. Could the Juggling Arts Club be the most sustainable, fuel-efficient club on campus? Frazier acknowledges the possibility, although he is quick to stress the club's deep respect for UBC's various environmental groups. As the Juggling Arts Club continues to grow and expand, Frazier and Gallant hope to receive funding that will allow them to purchase more equipment for members to practice with. After that, the new club's only challenge will be establishing its presence among the student body. After performing to great acclaim at a beer garden in MASS on November 20, the club is already well on its way. tl A Juggling Arts Club member practices with clubs, mirah valdes photo/the ubyssey 6/UBYSSEY.CA/CULTURE/2009.11.30 Is nothing better than something? A talk with Ted Dave, founder of Buy Nothing Day NICOLE GALL ngall@ubyssey.ca Confucius said, "A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step." The average Canadian consumer might add, "and a stop at the Tim Horton's drive-thru." But Vancouver-based artist and activist Ted Dave is not your average consumer. In fact, it was the over- consumption of coffee and muffins that ultimately led him to bring a homemade Buy Nothing Day poster into the Adbusters Magazine office on December 24, 1992. "I was working at a downtown office and realized I was spending my first hour's wage of work on coffee and muffins," Dave said. "I was like, 'Why am I not being more organized about this?'" Since the day Dave was driven to get organized, Buy Nothing Day has become an annual globally-recognized 24-hour moratorium on consumer spending. It coincides with Black Friday in the US and the unofficial start of the international holiday shopping season. But is this annual break from the capitalist craze really doing anything to change our consumption- addled society for the better? THE PEOPLE'S RESPONSE "I don't think it will help too much if it's something that's just one day.... In fact I think it'll start hurting smaller businesses." —IzaazBadshah, Biology 3 "What we should be focusing on is what we're choosing not to buy that day, who's making it, where it comes from, and ultimately which corporation you're going to be supporting." —Roberta Wover, owner of Ripe Beauty booth in the SUB "I think the most effective forms of political action are when you have direct action....You can protest specific corporate practices like child labour and unfair wages and unfair working conditions by boycotting a specific company, but in terms of a global movement, I don't have any ideas." —Devon, Science 5 "It would be helpful in raising awareness about the consumerism. If you just buy nothing for a whole day I think you'd realize how much you buy every day, and how much you actually don't need of what you buy every day....I don't know if it really helps in achieving anything in the whole, though." —Kelly Speck, Artsl "It's up to either the corporations, or government making sanctions for the corporations....That's the only way anything will ever change." —Anthony, hot dog vendor at Granville and Georgia "It's an admirable concept, but I think, as is the case with a lot of things, it can't really apply in the Downtown Eastside....We're talking about a lot of folks down here who have nothing." —Brian Dodd, executive director of United We Can Bottle Return (39 East Hastings St) "I don't think it will have much of an impact on sales, but it may perhaps remind people to think about what is motivating them to buy what they do, and to think about where what they are purchasing is coming from. They may even begin to think about the working and living conditions of the people who are producing what they consume." —Catherine Douglas, UBC economics professor "You're putting a finger in a dam that is breaking.. .Our generation needs to be the first in a long time that needs to lower our standard of living well below our parents and their parents. That sort of cutting back comes from Buy Nothing Day not being Black Friday—Buy Nothing Day being Tuesday through Sunday." —Andrew Primus, currently unemployed BRENDAN ALBANO PHOTO ILLUSTRATION/THE UBYSSEY FOR FUTURE REFERENCE Respondents seemed to agree that the intent behind Buy Nothing Day is a step in the right direction. However, it leaves a lot of ground left to cover. But until we find a better way to flex our consumer buying power to improve our cultural and natural environment, it seems one day of nothing will continue to be better than something. tl "When I started to consider working in government, I realized that I would need graduate-level training in public policy to pursue my career goals. The Master of Public Administration program at the Johnson-Shoyama School has given me a strong foundation in theory and a chance to hear from and connect with professionals in the public sector. The school's areas of focus were of particular importance given my interest in health and social policy." With programming on two campuses, the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School prepares practitioners and scholars for innovative policy analysis and public management by offering: • Graduate degrees in public administration (MPA), international trade (MIT), and public policy (MPP, PhD); • Master's certificate programs; • Full- or part-time study options; • Innovative course offerings; • Opportunities to hear from and engage with senior policy makers; Internship opportunities; Competitive funding for master's and doctoral students; and • Opportunities to work with world- renowned scholars in the areas of health and social policy; science, technology and innovation; trade and transnational regulation; and governance and leadership. For more information about the school's programs, please visit: www. schoolofpublicpolicy.sk.ca pa University of University %7 Saskatchewan of J^gginS 2009.11.30/UBYSSEY.CA/CULTURE/7 Like Christmas in a cup UBC Pottery Club brings joy to the SUB basement SARAH BALDWIN Contributor The earthy smell of clay will seep into your nose if you step into room 41 in the SUB basement, home of the UBC Pottery Club. The comforting hum of classical music fills the room, which is surrounded on all sides by shelves crammed with creations in different stages of completion. Potters in clay-caked aprons sit at their wheels, wedge their clay on large tables or carefully glaze their drying ceramics. I sat down on a small stool to discuss the club with President Gina Loes, a fourth-year Music student. The studio and all of its resources are available to students for $100, Loes explained. There is even a volunteer deposit option where $20 can be deducted from the fee by helping out around the studio. The club can also be joined in January with a $60 fee for a half membership. The fee also includes free admittance to one- to three-hour workshops, which range from making plates to different levels of pottery wheel technique. Pottery is a very loose and fluid process. Not only are there a variety of options to choose from, with five types of clay and 20 glazes available to club members, but there are many techniques and possible outcomes involved in the process—pieces sometimes crack or even explode in the kiln. The Pottery Club is the only place to learn about pottery on campus; UBC doesn't have a ceramics program, just a single course for art teachers. According to Loes, members are always learning from each other and those who are shy "don't last." They come from a diverse range of faculties. Heather, a Science student, said the club helped her to express her "creativity in a different way." Members' work is shown in a week-long gallery exhibit around the first week of February every year. Cue up "Unchained Melody" for sexy pottery wheel scene, courtesy of eric tong The club also provides opportunities generate returns on members' newfound skills, with pottery sales each semester in the SUB. As my interview wrapped up, Robyn Williams—the studio manager, who boasts a record of creating six cups in six hours—appeared bearing a tray of newly fired and glazed pieces. As she set the tray on the table and made way for a mob of members crowding around their creations, she summed up the reason for the Pottery Club's popularity: "Every time we finish a firing it's like Christmas around here!" vl Dirty Rotten Scoundrels a ball and a blast for everyone involved ANDREY SUMMERS Contributor Maybe you're a fan of musicals, maybe you loved the 1988 Steve Martin/Michael Caine film, or perhaps you're not a fan of theatre at all—in any case, you must see Dirty Rotten Scoundrels] This play is the strongest two and a half hours of entertainment that you will experience this fall. Lawrence is a suave gentleman who cons rich ladies out of their money. Freddy is a small time thief who cons women into giving him money by telling made up stories about his grandmother's failing health. After meeting on a train they soon find out that the small French town they live in isn't big enough for the both of them. They agree that the first man to successfully steal $50,000 from the young heiress Christine Colgate will get to stay, while the other must leave. A humorous battle of wits ensues in a frantic game of one-upmanship. "Now I know where I belong: A life of taste and class. With culture and sophisitication pouring out my ass." —Freddy, "Great Big Stuff" The prose and lyrics take their- cues from the deftly written film, which has been re-interpreted to fit the conceit of the "lavish musical." The fourth wall is broken occasionally in song and dialogue- both Jeffrey Lane (book) and David Yazbek (music and lyrics) know that having a good time with the audience is preferable to maintaining a rigid narrative structure. Director Max Reimer has given his cast free rein to have fun with the audience. Whether Josh Epstein is hamming it up as the shallow, materialistic Freddy, or Andrew Wheeler is strutting around pompously as the vain, plotting Lawrence Jameson, both Scoundrels are clearly having a great time. "It was six hours! I don't even like to have sex and eat bacon for six hours!" —Freddy, on opera Supporting performances are strong as well, with David Marr and Gabrielle Jones offering memorable and hilarious turns as Andre, and "Lady Muriel," respectively. The only real shortfall was Elena Juatco, whose Christine Colgate was occasionally inaudible over the music—a real bummer as the musical's lyrics are consistently hilarious. She didn't come into her own until about five minutes before the final curtain. This isn't to say that Juatco detracts significantly from the play. In fact, it's only something I mention here so that I don't sound like the Playhouse paid me off. Playhouse Theatre Company's production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels plays until December 27 at the Vancouver Playhouse. For more information go to vancouverplayhouse.com. The Winter Games are coming to UBC. A^~* d*+ Get Smart. Learn something new at the UBC Winter Games Event Series. From sport and politics to technology and the body, there's something for everyone. Events are free and open to the public. December 3, 7pm Ethics and the 2010 Winter Games: Dismissing the Dis in Disability Multi-purpose room, Liu Centre for Global Issues December 4-5, Times Vary Ideology in Motion: On the Relationship of Sports and Politics Graduate Student Centre, Thea Koerner House Pre-registration required at www.ideology-in-motion.org December 8, 5pm Don Cherry Go It Right (For Once): Why Maurice Richard is a Cultural Hero Coach House, Green College December 17, 12:30pm HKIN Seminar Series: Vancouver 2010 A State-of-the-Art Anti-Doping Program Lillooet Room, Irving K. Barber Learning Centre www.ubc.ca/2010 Follow us on Twitter ©UBCWinterGames •*l UBC W a place of mind THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA UBC 2010 OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC SECRETA I11RAVELCU1S Renew your ISIC before heading home for the holidays because your 2009 card expires when the New Year rings in. Get student discounts with •<«* Available at Travel CUTS. travelcuts.com University of British Columbia, SUB Lower Level 604.822.2426 tiOKa ON-4499356/4499372 | BC-33127/34799/34798 | QC-7002238 200-111 Peter Street, Toronto, ON M5V 2H1 COME TO OUR MEETINGS: MONDAYS AT NOON IN SUB 24! culture@ubysseyca UBYSSEY.CA/IDEAS/2 0 09.11.30 Should Frederick and Chu resign? Give us your opinion. Send a letter to feedback(?ubyssey.ca. Ideas ISEX COLUMN TOO SEXY Charming Readership, Too Sexy here with yet another edge-of-your-seat, noholds-barred sex and relationship advice column. We know you want to jump right into to the action as much as we do, but before we start, we'd like to say a few words. Nice words. Words about you. You see, darling readership, we've been really pleased with your response. Last week, The Ubyssey website launched a new feature, allowing the inquisitive to submit their questions to us without the need to use any traceable personal information. We'd like to thank you. Your response to the improved anonymity has been really great, and we've already received some interesting questions. Questions like this one right here: Dear way Too Sexy, Lately, I've been dating more than usual. This would generally be a good thing, in my books, BUT none of them have gotten anywhere. DATING IS SEEMING POINTLESS. How do people even start meaningful relationships? Please enlighten me. —Girl who should have been born asexual, but wasn't Hey there, GWSHBBABW. (No one uses acronym pseudonyms anymore. It makes us sad.) Well, your question is not a simple one, and before we answer it, we need to address an underlying question: What makes a relationship meaningful? Is it the laughter? Completing each other's sentences? The sweaty, sweet and sour salsa of two human bodies finding each other in the night? Unfortunately, GWSHBBABW, the only one who can solve this puzzle of the heart is you. No one wants to be responsible for their own happiness, but unfortunately it's sometimes unavoidable. Meaning is something that people project onto things, not something that things intrinsically have themselves. So ask yourself: What would make something meaningful for you? Intimacy? Joy? Length (of the relationship, or otherwise)? On a basic level, your dilemma reflects an issue a lot of funky attachment-seeking spelunkers have with the dating game. It's a question of intentionality. It has been statistically proven (fact, we swear*) that people dating in an attempt to find a meaningful relationship are far more likely to encounter a string of flakes, snakes and tErminallydull partners than those who date casually. The reason for this remains a mystery to scientists and philosophers alike, but some general conclusions can be drawn. The most key of these is that putting relationships into boxes prematurely tends to adversely affect them. We can illustrate this using a simple and plausible scenario. Say you meet a prospective partner in line at Blue Chip. He's cute and, for the brief period you spend talking before his coffee arrives, funny and charming. You agree to meet up after class to "watch a movie." Now, you could go into this situation a variety of different ways: You could moon over the man all through your afternoon class, spend an hour before your date obsessively rearranging your furniture for optimal resonance, and start thinking about where to take him on your six-month anniversary. Or, you could expect to get laid (and maybe KASHA CHANG & AUSTIN HOLM toosexy@ubyssey.ca go for breakfast the next day, if he sticks around), wash your sheets and prep your bedroom for the seduction. Or, you could look forward to getting to know him better, and decide what movie you want to watch. Which of these takes is least likely to end in disappointment? GWSHBBABW, we don't mean to imply that your intentionality problem, if it exists, is as extreme as the preceding illustration. We do think, though, that if you're specifically looking for meaning in other people, you're setting yourself up for disappointment and missing out on opportunities to get to know them, no pressure involved. We also think that the fact you currently find dating pointless and frustrating might mean you need a break, plain and simple. Dating takes energy, but it should be fun. It's easy to get frustrated when you're not getting what you want out of an endeavour, and that frustration and stress make it even harder to relax and enjoy yourself. And really, GWSHBBABW, isn't that what love and the sweaty, sweet and sour salsa are all about? That's it for this week, folks. E-mail your questions to toosexy@ubyssey. ca or use the completely anonymous submission box at ubyssey.ca/ideas. Send questions, comments, anecdotes, boasts, confessions, inquiries, come-ons, and dick pics to Too Sexy, and you could be our next Too Sexy correspondent. Well, maybe not the dick-pics guy, but the rest of you have a pretty good shot, tl *In this case, the phrase "statistically proven" is meant to mean statistically proven by a selective sample of completely anecdotal encounters. ■■STREETERS Did AMS Council act fairly in asking for Frederick and Chu's resignation? -mM'**^m'^ "[Blake Frederick and Tim Chu] acted on their own agenda. They aren't representative of the student population..They went behind everyone's backs and didn't follow proper process." Meghan Anderson Arts2 "I thought that asking for resignation might have been a bit of an over reaction, but after hearing the opinions of some of the Council members it became clear that this was one in a series of incidents in which particularly Blake Frederick made some questionable decisions." Alex Lougheed Math 5 "It went the way I expected it to go. I mean, I've heard from councilors that they were outraged. I've heard from a lot of random people that they were outraged. I've had a lot of Council alumni contact me independently and gwe me documents and things like that, so at the end of the day it's not very surprising." Shane Beaton Engineering 3 "I don't think that [Dvorak and Rebane should be reprimanded for their oversight]....! can see how this kind of thing could just slip through.... I'm pretty sure they're not going to screw up again. They didn't willfully go around the AMS procedures like Blake and Tim Chu did." Arron Palm Hstory 5 "More or less I think [the proceedings tonight] are a sham of democracy and I'm really looking forward to the UN invading as per Blake's request. I think it's high time that we are liberated from our oppressive mon- arch....[Dvorak and Rebane] were just pawns in a larger game. I don't think it's their fault." FREDERICK AND CHU DEFEND THEIR POSITION. VIRGINIE MENARD GRAPHIC/THE UBYSSEY EDITORIAL -Coordinated by Tara Martellaro and Jonny Wakefield Frederick and Chu: resign A president of a dysfunctional government enlists the help of the United Nations to make a political point. His people revolt and attempt to remove him from office. The president refuses to attend a hearing in front of his people, and threatens retaliation if he is removed from power in what he terms an "illegal" fashion. It's official: The AMS is ruled like a tin-pot little African country. Which makes Blake Frederick and Tim Chu mad despots. Yes, it's been a crazy four days for our student union. When thousands of regular students suddenly care about the AMS and it isn't an election, sadly you know things have gone terribly, terribly wrong. This issue comes down to communication. You know, talking to one another. Apparently, it's more difficult than we thought. It has been a big issue with the AMS Executive this year. They talk to one another so infrequently that council had to mandate that they actually meet regularly. It's been so bad that VP Finance Tom Dvorak thought it was appropriate to compare the Exec to war criminals. Really. And this, coupled with an embarrassing press release sent just last month, really drove home the fact that Frederick is uninterested in dealing with Council, despite being the head of it. How has our student government become a laughing stock, and our university a punchline? There's no one person to blame. Council failed students a month ago when they spinelessly refused to censure Frederick for his damaging of relations with the UBC administration, despite all evidence showing that he needed to be reined in. VP Academic Johannes Rebane and VP Finance Tom Dvorak failed when they signed documents they didn't even read, allowing Frederick and Chu to legally get away with their publicity stunt. For the record, we don't believe they should resign—incompetence on one occasion isn't worth removal—but Tom and Johannes are complicit in this mess too. So now with impeachment proceedings beginning, we have a debate on our hands on whether to remove a President and a VP External. The debate isn't about lowering tuition, or the validity of filing a human rights complaint with the United Nations. We think it's hysterical, frankly—the sort of thing a six-year old would do if he was playing pretend president—but those arguing that the people demanding Frederick and Chu's removal are playing politics, or that they're against low tuition, are missing the point. This isn't about left wing vs. right wing or Knollies vs. political hacks. This is about the basic rules of governing. Of putting things to votes before making decisions. This is about two people who have decided they are no longer accountable to students and can do whatever they want because they believe they are right. We don't elect a king, we elect a president, a president that serves at the pleasure of student council. We never thought we would compare Blake Frederick to Sarah Palin, but our president (and his VP external lackey) has gone rogue. He must be stopped. And he must be removed. Frederick and Chu have completely and utterly lost all credibility they have with Council, with the UBC administration, with VANOC, with the provincial government, the federal government and with students. With only three months left in their term and their refusal to apologize for their actions (like Dvorak and Rebane wisely did), or even failing to show up to defend and explain their actions, there is no way they will ever get that back. To stay on, to fight impeachment, to threaten lawsuits would achieve nothing and ensure that the AMS remains paralyzed for months to come. Even those few defending Frederick should be able to see that. Frederick and Chu can do this the easy way, or the hard way. But after months of poor communication, pettiness, partisanship, immaturity and incompetence, they have no choice in whether they will stay or go—only whether they will leave with some dignity. To paraphrase Dr. Seuss' book "Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now," here is our humble advice: The time has come. The time is now. Just go. Go. Go! We don't care how. You can go by foot. You can go by cow. Tim Chu and Blake Frederick, will you please go now. tl 2 0 09.11.30/UBYSSEY. CA/IDEAS/9 ■"PERSPECTIVES JHR: Confessions of an anti-neutral journalist GERALD DEO PHOTO/THE UBYSSEY CYNTHIA KHOO ckhoo(?ubyssey.ca I have a confession to make. I am anti-neutral. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the Swiss. But when it comes to reporting the news, I wish there were a few more souls out there brave enough to KISS: keep it sweet and slanted. These days, it seems as if a lot of media out there is so concerned with remaining objective and "balanced," that they have forgotten what the value in maintaining objectivity was in the first place: to be a trusted source of the truth. Objectivity is important not because it guarantees neutral stories, but because when a story is not presented as neutral, it has behind it the weight of the journalist being an objective observer and writing the story as such. In a recent article about The Daily Show, writer Elliott Kalan described "objectivity as having opinions that are pro-facts, and neutrality as meaning you have no stake and no say." what's important to here is that the mandated objectivity and neutrality relates to the journalist, not the story. So if you have a neutral journalist writing a non-neutral story—well then, isn't that the point? To illustrate in a grossly oversimplified way, take the Holocaust for example. A 'neutral' story by today's standards would include a number of quotes from, say, survivors and historians, and a roughly equal number of quotes from Holocaust deniers—for the sake of neutrality. To do this, however, would be to paint a completely misleading picture, giving the impression of debate where there is none. This is exactly what is happening right now with the climate change issue. The journalist would have defeated their own purpose, replacing pursuit of the objective truth with pursuit ofthe superficially objective story. In the same article, Daily Show Segment Producer Patrick King said, "If you were going to talk about whether the earth is flat, and 99 per cent of scientists are saying it's round..you wouldn't bring on the 1 per cent guy...That viewpoint is factually inaccurate and they shouldn't bring him on just to give the illusion of balance." Yet, this is exactly what we see happening today. Particularly where politics are concerned, whether it's global warming, reproductive rights, birthers, death panels, safe-injection sites, violence against women or genocide, that (generally radical or wingnut-based) one per cent gets almost as much if not more stage time—and thus implicit public validation—as the other 99. This is known as "moderate bias," and I find it more than moderately irritating. James Poniewozik, in a recent Time article, describes it as "whenever a news outlet assumes that the truth must be 'somewhere in the middle.' You see it whenever an organization decides that balance requires equal weight for an opposing position, however specious." As one of my professors once said, there may be more than one side to an issue, but that doesn't necessarily mean all sides should get equal time. Part of this depends on what you believe the role of a journalist is supposed to be in the first place. Is it simply to aggregate as many sights and sounds as possible for the public, acting as no more a filter than a fire hose? If that's the case, then no wonder traditional media is sinking; user-generated content models simply cut out the middleman. Or is it to do something more, to sift through all that content, synthesize and analyze it, and then, as journalist Bill Moyers put it, "offer the public the best thinking on an issue, event, or story," (note: thinking, not balancing) doing one's best to parse out the not-always conveniently neutral truth? Of course, once you go there, it's easy to see how slippery the slope becomes, which explains the strong imperative for balanced reporting in the first place. But moderate bias, that artificial equating of the one per cent to the 99 per cent, seems misleading at best and dangerous at worst. To someone who sees, and would like to continue to see, media as a vehicle for speaking out against human rights violations and helping to right—or at the least, point out and condemn—other wrongs, never has the line "neutrality helps the oppressor" seemed more demonstrable, va Cynthia Khoo is a member of Journalists for Human Rights at UBC IAC: Underdogs can be aggressors, too V AW GERALD DEO PHOTO/THE UBYSSEY YONI DAYAN Contributor People from Western countries have a tendency to side with the underdog. No matter the conflict, it seems that the natural reaction of liberal-minded people throughout the democratic world is to instinctively assume the innocence of David and the guilt of Goliath. So when the Western world looks upon the Palestinian population and see their poor and unhealthy living conditions, their hearts naturally go out to them. They—the smaller and less powerful of the two warring entities—must have been wronged. After all, if they were given a fair chance, they would not be living in these conditions. Unfortunately, the tendency to side with the underdog is leading us away from peace in this case. Some justify an end to checkpoints in the West Bank (a security precaution taken by Israel that has saved countless innocent lives from suicide bombings) in the name of freedom of movement. Others justify Palestinian "resistance," which tikes the form of targeted killings of innocent Israeli civilians in the name of equality, more often than not. Still, others justify the electoral victory in Gaza of Hamas, a terrorist organization committed to the complete annihilation of the State of Israel. Westerners do this because of an almost innate incapability of understanding the mentality of fundamentalism. We think "if only they were treated fairly...if only they were given a viable state...if only..." If only. In late 2000, under the Clinton Parameters, Palestinians were offered an independent state on 100 per cent ofthe Gaza Strip, 95 per cent of the West Bank, Arab East Jerusalem (not Abu-Dis) as a capital city, the right of return for Palestinian refugees to the newly created Palestine and a multi-billion dollar fund to compensate and resettle these Palestinian refugees. This was a painful Israeli concession for Palestinian statehood—not Bantustans, not cantons, but a viable and contiguous territory that would even include a free and safe passage from Gaza to the West Bank. This was a compromise that would have involved uprooting hundreds of Israeli settlements—people who had been living in their homes for generations—for the sake of peace. This would have shattered the so-called "occupation" and would have solved the lingering Palestinian refugee crisis. Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader, walked away without even a counterproposal. In 2001 at a peace summit in Taba, Arafat was offered a similar package but with an additional two per cent of the West Bank (bringing the total to 97 per cent) as well as a further three per cent swap of arable land from Israel-proper (bringing the total to 100 per cent). But in the end, as has been proven time and again, the Palestinian leadership was unwilling to end the conflict and accept peace. Abu-Ala, the top Palestinian negotiator at both the Camp David and the Taba summits, was quoted as saying "The boss does not want an agreement." Instead of peace, Arafat had instigated an intifadah, a nice way of saying the suicide bombing of innocent civilians, causing the death of thousands. And, as is usually the case, people from the West made, and continue to make, excuses for the underdog. "They weren't offered enough. They were mistreated." The fact is, when Palestinians become willing to make compromises for the sake of progress, they will no longer live in such abject conditions. Support for Palestinian "resistance" conveys only ignorance; a juvenile craving to help the little guy. This is especially apparent in light of the incredible peace offers that have been made to the Palestinians—offers that were indignantly rejected and then swept under the rug. In the end, the David-Goliath paradigm just does not apply in the Middle East; we in the West must finally accept that sometimes the underdog is also guilty ofthe aggression, fl Yoni Dayan is a member of Israel Awareness Club (IAC). Teach English Abroad TESOL/TESL Teacher Training Certification Courses • Intensive 60-Hour Program • Classroom Management Techniques • Detailed Lesson Planning • ESL Skills Development • Comprehensive Teaching Materials • Interactive Teaching Practicum • Internationally Recognized Certificate • Teacher Placement Service • Money-Back Guarantee Included • Thousands of Satisfied Students OXFORD SEMINARS 604-683-3430/1-800-269-6719 www.oxfordseminais.ca Board of Directors The Ubyssey Publications Society Nomination for a position as Director will begin on November 30, 3009, and will close on January 8, 3010 Board of Directors are responsible lor the day Lo day financial aspect ofthe Ubyssey. Nomination forms fire required and properly filled in. "lhe nomination forms are now available al Room 23, basement of lhe SI*B. The Tbvssev Business Office. If yon require further L: ipereirafeinterchai 60^822-6681. SPHR: Palestine's right to exist 2W -^ _WM _k V-r the term is for one year, from February 2010 to January 2011. Responsibilities include attending regular monthly meetings, overseeing all financial aspects ofthe newspaper and attend the annual general meeting in March 2010. GERALD DEO PHOTO/THE UBYSSEY OMAR CHAABAN S> DINA EL-KASSABY Contributors Despite the political manoeuvring of Western leaders, despite their attempts to complicate the issue, the "question of Palestine" is simple: Does Palestine have a right to exist? Without a doubt, the answer is yes. But it is important to realize that there should never have been a question of Palestine's right to exist in the first place. Prior to the mass expulsion of roughly 800,000 Palestinians (according to Israeli sources), and before the unilateral declaration of the state of Israel on May 14, 1948, Palestinians made up at least 66 per cent of the population of the region. 90 per cent of the Jewish population was of foreign origin, including tens of thousands of illegal immigrants. The concept of national self-determination as defined by international law grants Palestinians the right to a sovereign state of their own. Overlooking this basic right, and against the wishes of Palestinians, the international community adopted UN General Assembly Resolution 181. This called for the internationalization of Jerusalem and Bethlehem, the creation of a Jewish state on 56 per cent of Palestine and a Palestinian state comprised ofthe rest. The Arabs, understandably and legally, rejected the plan, which contravened the terms of the League of Nations British Class A Mandate. David Ben-Gurion, head of the Jewish Agency, accepted the Partition Plan, but he made it clear that he viewed it as a first step in taking over even more of Palestine for a Jewish state. The anti-Palestinian narrative maintains that Arabs and Palestinians were at fault for rejecting the Partition Plan. No mention is made of the fact that the UN General Assembly was in the process of shelving the Partition Plan in favour of a UN Trusteeship for Palestine when Ben-Gurion and others declared the Jewish state. It's not surprising that Palestinians rejected the scheme, which had no legal foundation, in which 56 per cent of their ancestral homeland would be granted to a minority immigrant population. Sixty-two years have passed since the plan to partition Palestine, and politicians continue to label the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as complicated. But the solution is simple: there is an occupation, and it must end. Palestinians (including Hamas) and the Arab League have accepted binding UN Security Council Resolution 242, which despite Israel's contrary claims, calls for Israel's return to the borders of June 4, 1967 as per the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Fourth Geneva Convention, etc. As declared by the rest of the world and the International Court of Justice, Israel maintains an illegal occupation of East Jerusalem, including its illegally extended boundaries, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip (still occupied under international law) as well as Syria's Golan Heights and Lebanon's Sheba'a Farms. If Israel truly wants peace and recognition, these occupations must end. Furthermore, we should not forget that before the UN General Assembly and the Lausanne Peace Conference in 1949, as a pre-condition for UN admittance, it was accepted that Israel must comply with UN General Assembly Resolution 194, which calls for repatriation of and/or compensation for Palestinians dispossessed during the 1947-49 war. As for Jerusalem, Palestinians have made it clear that they are willing to share it with Israel as a joint capital. Reiterating that occupation is necessary for the protection of Israeli civilians, that the apartheid wall is being built for "security measures," or the lie that Palestinians will continue to engage in violent acts even after attaining statehood is counterproductive, and serves no purpose other than to forestall the peace process. In defiance of the entire world, including the US, Israel continues to construct illegal settlements in occupied lands. At the same time, the apartheid/de facto annexation wall continues to snake through the villages and towns ofthe occupied West Bank, expropriating land and water resources and creating only misery for Palestinians who must travel for hours to reach their workplaces, farms and schools. For 62 years, the so-called leaders of the "free world" have looked the other way while Israel has continued to victimize Palestinians. It is time for them to listen to the rapidly increasing numbers of ordinary people everywhere who are demanding that Palestinians be granted their inalienable human rights, va Omar Chaaban is the president of Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) and Dina El-Kassaby is SPHR's VP of public relations. 10/UBYSSEY.CA/GAMES/2009.11.30 GAMES AND COMICS 1 2 J * 1 • 6 7 1 * ■ 1 " 11 12 13 " " - 1/ IB " 1 II 22 23 II 25 ■ 24 27 28 ■ 23 30 31 }i II 34 35 i£ 37 3S 39 40 1 1 *' ■ " 43 AA 45 46 47 ■ 48 49 SO ■ SI 52 ■ 54 ::.', 56 57 II 59 ■ 60 1 ., £2 63 64 1 i 66 67 ■ u b J ACROSS 44. Among 1. Exclamations of relief 48. Smiling 5. Thick slices 50. Mimic 10. Metal-bearing mineral 51. Kind of prof 13. As previously gven, in footnotes 53 By way of 14. House in DC. 54. Next to 16. Apiece 58. Coagulate 17 Laborious work 60. Damage 19. This stickup! 61. Either of 0 20. After the bell 64. German article 21. Having bristles 65. Shape ip 23. Bran source 66. Nap 24. Former spouses 67 Boring 26. Hoar 68. Coip 27 Letharcjc 69 Some are pale 29. Bewhiskered 32. Thin change DOWN 33 Discovers 1. Afflict 36. Shortened forms 2. Moonstone 41. Jumpy 3 Great slaughter 42. Hawaiian outdoor feast 4 Brown-bag stuff SUSC0MIC.COM, MICHAEL BROUND VH£Se W££LS 5*- IJON-PAE HETTHER JAN. 29th, VOGUE THEATRE