September 29, 2011

September 29, 2011 | VOL. XCIII ISS. VIII

The “vegetarian” option SINCE 1918

HOT COFFEE

U

We’ve found the top four coffee spots on campus P6

THE UBYSSEY

HEALTH PLAN

CONFUSION AMS fumbles transition to new student health insurance

PLAGIARISM OR

PRIVACY? Turnitin raises privacy concerns

P3

DOWNTOWN

TO WHISTLER GranFondo hopes to raise youth interest in cycling P9

P3

MMA TAKEOVER Mixed martial arts is redefining crosstraining

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What’s on 29 THU

This week, may we suggest...

Our Campus

One on one with the people who make UBC

THEATRE>>

The Trial of Judith K.: 7:30pm @ Fredric Wood Theatre The Trial of Judith K.—an adaptation of Franz Kafka’s The Trial—is the first show in UBC Theatre’s 2011/2012 season. The tale, as one might expect, is Kafkaesque. A businesswoman finds herself accused of an unknown crime and has to navigate a hellish and dehumanizing bureaucracy to find out what she has done. This play will resonate with anyone who’s had to pick up student loans at Brock Hall.

30 FRI

SOCCER>>

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SAT

BOATS>>

Men’s soccer vs. Lethbridge Pronghorns: 7:15pm @ Thunderbird Park The most popular sport in the world played by our very own Thunderbirds. What else do you have to do on a Friday night?

GEOFF LISTER/THE UBYSSEY

MA film grad Andrea Brooks will be playing a part in The Company You Keep, which will be filming on campus next month.

Rubbing shoulders with the stars Scott MacDonald Staff Writer

2

SUN

MOA>>

A Green Dress: Objects, Memory and the Museum: 12am @ MOA The latest exhibit in the MOA’s Audain gallery, A Green Dress investigates the stories contained in everyday objects: a worn-out shoe, a photograph and the titular dress.

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MON

Day of the Longboat: 8am-5pm @ Jericho Sailing Centre Celebrating the 25th anniversary of a REC favourite, Day of the Longboat has gone 80s-themed this year. Check out the all-day beach party (with hot tubs!) and watch competitors paddle to glory. Tight and bright clothing is required.

YOGA>> Hatha yoga with The UBC Yoga Club: 12pm-1pm @ the SUB Dispel your Monday morning stress and start the week right with some Hatha yoga at the SUB. Two dollars will buy you eternal peace and relaxation guaranteed to last at least until your next class.

U

Got an event you’d like to see on this page? Send your event and your best pitch to printeditor@ubyssey.ca.

THE UBYSSEY September 29, 2011, Volume XXXIII, Issue VIII

EDITORIAL

Coordinating Editor Justin McElroy

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Managing Editor, Web Arshy Mann webeditor@ubyssey.ca

News Editors Kalyeena Makortoff & Micki Cowan news@ubyssey.ca

Art Director Geoff Lister

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Culture Editor Ginny Monaco

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webmaster@ubyssey.ca

BUSINESS

Senior Culture Writers Taylor Loren & Will Johnson

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LEGAL

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Balancing studies and a career is never easy, especially when those studies are at the Masters level, and that career involves acting alongside the likes of Susan Sarandon.

Andrea Brooks was born in the humble town of Brantford, Ontario. She has been heavily involved in the arts since high school. “I started acting for film and television when I was 15,” she said.

“Before that, I did musical theatre; I was a figure skater, a dancer. So I was always doing something artistic.”

She came to UBC planning to pursue a BA in English literature, but after falling in love with film studies after taking a summer course in her second year, she decided to do both. “It just immediately clicked with me,” she said. “I realized there’s this whole other side of the industry...that I didn’t know existed and I was fascinated by.”

After completing her BA this year, Andrea began working on her masters. She also started landing more movie roles, including her latest movie, The

Company You Keep. Andrea plays the daughter of one of the protagonists in this political thriller, which is directed by Robert Redford and stars Shia Leboeuf as a young reporter tenaciously chasing a story.

“My role was small,” said Andrea, “but when you’re working with [a cast] of that calibre… it’s an absolute honour…I would’ve loved to stay and work with those wonderful people forever.”

Part of the film is to be shot on location at UBC, including at the Pendulum in the SUB. The film is still in its early stages but is expected to be released in 2012.

“It’s strange coming to your academic environment and [bringing] your film world with it,” said Brooks. “They were shooting me and I was seeing classmates walk by. So that was interesting.”

Apart from her latest film, Andrea has also had roles in numerous other films and television series, including Saved, Supernatural, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, Hellcats, and The Troop.

Even though she has had great success in her acting career, Andrea remains undecided about whether she wants to pursue a career in academics or acting. “I

might be doing some correspondence work since I’m [moving] to Los Angeles,” she said, “but I’d love to go on and potentially do a PhD one day and lecture at the university level.”

She is also interested in writing her own screenplays. But as one might expect, she hasn’t been able to find the time. U

Andrea Brooks Occupation Actor Age 22 Hometown Vancouver Area of study BA in English lit and film studies, MA in film studies in progress On acting “The reason I love acting, the reason I pursue it, if you will, is because there’s this moment… and in that moment you’ll forget all of your lines, you’ll forget what you were about to say, and you’re just living a moment.”

News

09.29.2011 |

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Editors: Kalyeena Makortoff & Micki Cowan

POLICY >>

UBC considers disciplining students for out-of-classroom behaviour Natalie Corbo Contributor

UBC Vancouver may be following the lead of its Okanagan counterpart in changing the way it treats students who break the rules.

UBC Okanagan (UBC-O) has tried to make the boundaries clear in a detailed non-academic misconduct policy, which was enacted in fall 2009. According to University Counsel Hubert Lai, the Vancouver campus is now considering a similar

policy revamp in the coming year.

Non-academic misconduct refers to punishable activity that has nothing to do with grades, classes or schoolwork.

AMS President Jeremy McElroy said UBC Vancouver’s current policy is vague. “That’s one of the problems with it, so theoretically if a student is caught speeding on campus...they could theoretically face non-academic misconduct even though for all intents and purposes that’s something that should be handled by the judicial system.”

The Vancouver campus’s policy is brief, barely totaling one page in the Academic calendar. In comparison, the UBC-O policy outlines three major components in seven pages, including a code of conduct, the diversion process and the use of what Lai called a “student-centric committee” for dealing with individual cases.

However, the policy seeks to stay out of matters that are not clearly within the university’s jurisdiction. “There needs to be a connection between the

impugned activity and the interests of the UBC community,” said Lai. For this reason, students or employees who participated in the game seven Canucks riot in downtown Vancouver this summer will not be dealt with by the university. “There are better, more appropriate mechanisms for dealing with them,” Lai said.

In order for an off-campus activity to be considered under the policy, the students would have to be acting as representatives of the university, at some sort of university-sanctioned activity.

HEALTH CARE>>

New student health plan falls short Dominic Lai Contributor

Although the AMS is saving money by switching insurance providers for the AMS Health and Dental Plan, some students were forced to pay extra for prescriptions amidst confusion during the transition.

This past summer, the AMS/GSS health insurance provider changed from Calgary-based Sun Life Insurance to the local Pacific Blue Cross. The reasoning behind the change was that the new plan would be cheaper, and more convenient for students to file claims.

According to the AMS/GSS health plan website ihaveaplan.ca , the price for the 2010–2011 plan was $223.45, whereas the current plan costs $214.37—a drop in price of $9.08 since last year.

However, during the transition, some students—at least 15-20 at the Shopper’s Drug Mart on campus, said pharmacist Nathan Swartsman—were denied coverage for prescription drugs that were previously covered, despite the AMS’s insistence that the plans are nearly identical.

“The plan coverage under Pacific Blue Cross remains virtually the same as the plan under Sun Life,” said Sophia Haque, Western Canada program manager for studentcare. net. “Pacific Blue Cross, like Sun Life, has a ‘generic substitution clause,’ in that if a student goes in to get a brand name drug, it will be reimbursed based on the cheapest equivalent generic drug cost.”

Although she has now been informed that her coverage will continue, PhD student Deirdre Curle was denied coverage when she tried to renew her prescription this

GEOFF LISTER /THE UBYSSEY

September. She requires non-generic Type II diabetes medication.

“When I came to UBC in September 2010 to start my doctoral program, Sun Life agreed to cover my prescriptions, even though they’re not covered by Pharmacare, as long as I provided a form asking for an exception signed by my doctor,” said Curle.

“But when I went in to fill my prescriptions this fall, the pharmacy assistant informed me that my drugs were no longer covered because the AMS decided to switch to Pacific Blue Cross.”

Curle uses a more expensive drug, since generic drugs such as Glucatrol caused negative side

effects including slurred speech and tremors.

But Haque said that the former policy still applies. “If the doctor were to specify ‘no substitutions,’ the prescription can be reimbursed for the brand name cost. This process has not changed due to the switch from Sun Life to Pacific Blue Cross.”

Yet considering Curle’s issues, it appears that the AMS has failed to adequately explain the nuances of the new plan.

“It’s all really up in the air. What’s happening now is what we suspected would happen, which is there would be an uproar from students,” said Swartsman about the transition.

SFU students protest board’s lock-out of unionized workers

Students protest against AMS exec pay raise

Curle agreed. “I realize that the change to Blue Cross may have saved a few dollars for many students, but not being able to access effective drugs for the serious medical conditions that some students suffer from will have a strong, negative impact on their quality of life during their time at UBC.” Since Curle made her complaint, she has received an email from the Member Services Team saying that Pacific Blue Cross will continue to honour the drug exceptions that were set up last year “until the existing approved drug exception expires.”

Swartsman clarified. “Blue Cross is willing to honour the special coverage provided by Sun Life last year, up to the expiry date of those forms that were submitted to recieve the special coverage.”

He explained the challenge for Blue Cross to switch 40,000 students to their plan and review coverage of special drugs.

“It is taking time. but from what we know, students will have coverage for those drugs until that special coverage should have lapsed,” said Swartsman.

AMS VP Finance Elin Tayyar spoke about the research that was done before the switch. “Months and months of work went into it, and we did the most thorough review of any community or university in the history of Canada,” he said.

But according to Swartsman, the work isn’t over yet. “What we do know is that the coverage we have in place right now is going to require more work on everyone’s part.” U —With files from Micki Cowan

News briefs Dean of Applied Science resigns The dean of Applied Science, Tyseer Aboulnasr, will be resigning in January 2011 after three years in her position.

Aboulnasr will continue to wrap up a few projects before her departure, while an interim dean will be hired to ease the administrative change-over.

While no reason has been given yet for her resignation, Aboulnasr said in an email to the Faculty of Applied Science that she is committed to ensuring as smooth a transition as possible.

At approximately 1pm on Tuesday, September 28, a group of eight students entered and occupied the office of the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) board of directors while campus and student supporters stood outside in the hallways.

The action was meant to protest SFSS’s lock-out of its unionized workers, members of CUPE 3338-5.

The students said they would occupy the office for 12 hours—1 hour for each week that SFSS services have been cut back due to the lock-out.

A petition initiative against the recent $7500 AMS executive pay raise has been started by a group of concerned UBC students. The petition is the second protest of the pay raise, following the creation of a Facebook event called “Referendum to Cancel AMS Exec Pay Raise.”

One of the students behind the petition, Alex Chan, said their objective is to have 3000 students sign the petition in the hopes of forcing a referendum. “It is ridiculous to implement a salary increase when the AMS has claimed to have been in a six digit deficit per year,” said Chan.

Woman killed at SFU parkade A young woman was killed in a parkade at SFU’s Surrey campus early Wednesday morning. Shots heard at the University Drive parkade were reported to the police at around 1:20am. The young woman was found on the third level of the parkade on arrival of emergency services. She later died in the hospital.

The victim’s name has not been released, but unconfirmed media reports are identifying her as an SFU student. In a cbc.ca article, Sergeant Peter Thiessen said, “Further investigation indicated that this was clearly a homicide.” There was no word from the police regarding suspects in the case. U

“All of this was designed to try to make the process much more responsive to student interests,” Lai explained, “to articulate for students what the standards of the community are as far as behaviour is concerned.”

UBC-O’s policy also allows, in most cases that are not deemed serious, for students to help determine what the consequences for their actions will be.

In a similar vein of student involvement, cases at that campus will now go to a committee that is comprised of students and a committee chair. U BUSINESS >>

UBC alumni get business boost

JOHN QI/THE UBYSSEY

ReFlex Wireless is developing wireless medical monitors after applying to UBC’s e@UBC program.

Kevin Zeng Contributor

Alumni have been getting an extra boost for their business projects.

Entrepreneurship@UBC (e@UBC) is a program run through the Sauder School of Business that helps startup companies founded by former UBC students.

“We are trying to support companies in really particular ways, like through our funds, incubator space and start-up services,” said e@UBC program director Carol Leacy.

The program runs in cooperation with the BC Innovation Council (BCIC) and UBC’s University Industrial Liaison Office (UILO), which facilitates industry engagement with UBC researchers and affiliated teaching hospitals.

“It uses all of the skills that the people at UILO would normally provide to spin-off companies and really offers it to a broader range. It is 40 hours of consulting services of their time effectively donated to companies,” said Leacy.

The program provides a seed accelerator fund that is financed by alumni donations and the BCIC, and invests anywhere from $250,000 to $100,000 per company. E@UBC also provides office space; four companies have already settled into the office spaces, while four other businesses are using it for drop-in.

Since their launch last fall, the program has assisted 42 start-up businesses.

In 2009, Francois Roux established a tourism information website, 2vancouver.com . “The UILO services is providing us with $5000 worth of business services.

The funding will be used to help us refine our business strategy and reorganize the structure of the company. The program is also in the process of matching us with an experienced mentor,” he said.

“We also view it as a form of recognition for what has been done over the past two years.” U

4 | News | 09.29.2011 BUILDING PROFILES>>

Life Sciences Centre: green, great and grand

Ana Komnenic Contributor

The Life Sciences Centre (LSC) opened its doors more than seven years ago, making it UBC’s largest and most expensive building. If you haven’t ventured far enough down East Mall to admire the Vancouver rain through the massive skylight, you might want to make the trek.

The building was awarded LEED Gold Certification in 2006, making it one of the only two lab buildings in Canada to attain this high level certification, according to the LSC case study done by Bunting Coady Architects.

The study outlined how the LSC uses 50 per cent less water than other buildings of the same size, in part through its waterless urinals. The building’s E-shaped design maximizes sun penetration, and uses sensors that detect daylight and occupancy to adjust light fixtures accordingly. As a result, the building saves almost $180,000 in utility fees each year, combating the $197 million in construction costs, which made it UBC’s most expensive project to date.

The building is 565,000 square feet, “making it more than double the size of any other building on campus,” according to John Metras, managing director of Infrastructure Development.

UBC’s Green Building and Engagement manager, Alison

Aloisio, said the LSC is not only about “energy, water and waste efficiency, but also about human health, comfort and productivity.”

Aloisio explained that the building’s design provides large day-lit social spaces and laboratories that create a cheerful environment for students and researchers.

The study also highlighted how the LSC encourages people who use the facilities to be green as well; it contains 10 showers and 140 secured bicycle stalls.

In addition to sustainability and human health, the LSC addresses the urgent need for doctors in BC. According to the LSC study, before the building helped to double UBC’s intake of first-year medical students, BC was accepting fewer first-year medical students per capita than any other province.

But the centre didn’t coincidentally provide more seats for students in medicine. “The LSC was constructed to fulfill the provincial government mandate to double the size of the MD undergraduate program to 240 students per year, in order to alleviate the major shortage of both generalists and specialists trained in British Columbia,” said Metras.

Kewan Aboulhosn, a recent graduate of UBC’s medical school, said that in his classes at the LSC, almost one third of first- and second-year medical students are able to learn via video-conferencing. With the use of the LSC’s

TING KELLY/THE UBYSSEY

The Life Sciences Centre is one of two labs in Canada that is LEED gold certified. It saves some $180,000 yearly in utility costs.

tele-learning facilities, medical students in Prince George and Victoria are able to graduate from the UBC medical school without having to physically attend UBC, aside from in-person requirements

in the beginning of their first year.

For other students looking for study spaces, long tables with outlets and skylights extend from one end of the building, creating the impression of being outside.

But don’t plan on making the LSC the location of your next latenight cramming session, because unless you’re a medical student or researcher, you’ll be asked to leave after 7:00pm. U

09.29.2011 | News

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TURNITIN >>

Prevent plagiarism or protect privacy?

UBC negotiates with online plagiarism-checking program, Turnitin Susan Cheng Contributor

Students in the social sciences should be familiar with the plagiarism-checking website, Turnitin.

But few may be aware that UBC required a review of Turnitin’s privacy policy earlier this year.

UBC has maintained a contract with Turnitin, a California-based online tool, since 2001. It’s meant to aid instructors in detecting copied phrases and misquoted texts that could constitute a breach in academic integrity.

Students can also use it to pick out and correct originality errors in their papers before submitting them to their instructors.

“People are using this software because it supports an academic need...Our graduate students and some researchers use it to protect their intellectual property and assist them with inadvertently committing plagiarism,” Schroeder wrote in an email.

But returning students may have observed that the convenient link to Turnitin through WebCT Vista has been disconnected.

UBC discovered around midMarch this year that Turnitin had been saving student information on American servers. This violates BC’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), which states that personal information under university control must only be stored in Canada.

Marianne Schroeder, senior manager of Teaching and Learning Technologies at UBC, explained that in 2006, Turnitin agreed to

A student anonomously hands in a paper. Turnitin has its servers located in the US, which has led to conflicts with Canadian privacy laws.

move their servers to Canada in order to renew their contract with UBC. The recent discovery in March was a complete surprise.

Schroeder said UBC took immediate action.

The Vista connection was disabled and UBC entered negotiations with Turnitin.

UBC first requested that Turnitin stop backing up data to the US, in order to comply with FIPPA. However,

Follow the lead! Get the story! Write for news!

Kalyeena Makortoff and Micki Cowan news@ubyssey.ca

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the request was rejected. The second option was to design a connection between UBC’s Vista and Turnitin’s website, so that information identifying a student would be removed before a paper was submitted to Turnitin. Again, Turnitin was unwilling to invest in the option.

While Turnitin is still being used by the university, the Vista connection remains disabled. New accounts and passwords must be

created by visiting Turnitin’s website, as opposed to the simpler access through Vista.

As an extra precaution, students are instructed to register under a pseudonym and remove any personal information from their papers. In order for UBC to be compliant with FIPPA and protect students’ privacy, this stipulation was necessary.

“It is discouraging that Turnitin has taken this approach,

DAVID ELOP/THE UBYSSEY

particularly given our long history with them,” Schroeder said in her email, after confirming that negotiations are ongoing, with no easy solution in sight.

UBC’s current contract with Turnitin expires in 2013, and it is unclear what the future will hold in terms of contract renewal or finding an alternative software. “We are currently considering our options,” Schroeder stated. U

Culture

09.29.2011 |

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Editor: Ginny Monaco

COFFEE>>

Four places to get your coffee fix

PETER WOJNAR/THE UBYSSEY

Kayi Wong Contributor KAI JACOBSON/THE UBYSSEY

In The Trial of Judith K., Jordan Kerbs plays a young businesswoman who is accused of an unknown crime.

THEATRE >>

Theatre at UBC opens with The Trial of Judith K.

Rhys Edwards Contributor

Theatre at UBC will open its fall/ winter season on Thursday with The Trial of Judith K. Based on Franz Kafka’s infamous existentialist tale, Judith is a dark comedy about a woman who must prove her innocence after being accused of an unknown crime.

However, the production is far more than an adapted stage version with gender swaps thrown in for novelty’s sake. Though roughly congruent with the plot of Kafka’s text, Judith is a unique adaptation set in 1980s North America, during the ascension of powerful women in the workplace. Judith’s gender is linked with her sense of guilt and innocence.

“What people didn’t really know about The Trial is that Joseph K.

[the original protagonist] is constantly meeting women and seducing them, which I thought was really funny,” said Sally Clark, the author of Judith. She dedicated the original text to UBC and is herself an alumnus.

“But in the 80s, if you transported that and you have a woman doing the same thing, seducing all these men, then it becomes really interesting because our society in the 80s tended to view women as victims, so it would tend to view a woman who seduced a man to get information as being victimized,” she said.

“So I kind of added a whole element to Judith K., in that she is concerned about whether she is in control... or is she in fact a pawn of some greater scheme.”

Tom Scholte, associate professor in the department of theatre

& film and director of Judith, has worked with Clark on previous occasions. With this production, he has endeavoured to emphasize her unique talents as a playwright: “[Clark is] a very important female Canadian playwright—many, if not most, of our best playwrights in this country have been women, and we need to keep celebrating and making sure that every generation understands the tradition of really strong women playwrights in this country.”

The feminine aspects of Judith lend themselves readily to the theatre department, whose students are primarily female. “One of the things we’re responding to is the need to put really strong female roles on our stages,” said Scholte.

One of those strong female roles belongs to Jordan Kerbs, who plays the titular Judith. For Kerbs, Judith

represents an opportunity to take the skills she has been taught and apply them directly to the stage.

“Judith K. is very much a dream for an actor to play, because we are so engaged the whole entire time,” said Kerbs, a third-year BFA acting student. “All our emotions, we get to play them all.”

Indeed, Judith promises to be frenetic on both a conceptual and technical level. Scholte, who was challenged by the high pace of Clark’s demanding script, mentioned, “This is probably the most technically lavish production this play’s ever had.”

The complex stage design—itself a thesis project for MFA student Alexander Carr—will complement the intense performance.

“Clark has put a very comic spin on Kafka,” added Scholte. “But at the end of the day, it’s still Kafka.” U

Under review MUSIC >>

Bon Iver Ginny Monaco Culture Editor

It’s difficult to articulate exactly what happened at the Orpheum on Sunday night, but when trying to describe Bon Iver’s performance, the closest term that comes to mind is the (mildly hyperbolic) “religious experience.” Currently touring behind their self-titled sophomore release, the band played to a reverent, enraptured crowd.

Sunday’s performance did much to dispel the myth of Bon Iver—man retreats into the woods, records beautiful and heartbreaking portrait of the human condition—and showcased the group’s growth from Justin Vernon’s solo project into its current incarnation as a nine-piece indie orchestra.

The sparse but layered vocals and instrumentation of 2007’s For Emma, Forever Ago made a surprisingly easy transition to the band’s larger format, though one of the standouts of the evening was Vernon’s unaccompanied rendition of For Emma’s “Re:Stacks.”

For all the careful, elaborate orchestration, Bon Iver’s greatest asset is still Vernon’s falsetto and devastatingly emotional delivery. The soldout crowd seemed to hold its collective breath during the performance,

which received the biggest response of the night.

The band closed the night with “The Wolves.” Vernon encouraged the audience to sing along, reminding them, “You are not at church. You are not worshipping God.” I don’t think anyone really believed him. U

Sprouts Sprouts sells 75 cent coffee made from Café Justicia’s organic, fairtrade, shade-grown beans. On top of the low price, this modest space in the basement of the SUB is the perfect solution to the ten-minutelong coffee lineups every morning.

Faithful to their principle of sustainability and minimal cost, Sprouts does not provide paper cups. Bring you own flask or simply take a break with a book or a friend at this quaint, tuckedaway corner.

The Gallery Lounge A great place for draft beer and karaoke, it almost makes sense that the Gallery’s coffee sits on the sidelines. However, a cup of their organic, fair-trade coffee is only a dollar. The Gallery opens every weekday at 11am and closes at 1am. It is the late night spot for a cup of joe or some karaoke. Like Sprouts, they do not provide paper cups.

Simon K.Y. Lee Global Lounge and Resource Centre The Global Lounge functions primarily as a meeting place for people interested in global issues.

Events and discussions are routinely held for anyone interested in international events or foreign culture. Located at Marine Drive, the Lounge is worth the trek; there is coffee in the kitchenette free of charge.

VIFF >>

40 Days at Base Camp Andrew Bates Senior Web Writer

The summit of Mount Everest is an enduring symbol of human ambition. But a documentary at VIFF aims to show the mountain as it has become: still great, but flawed, like the climbers themselves.

“You see it all. You see the glory, you see the garbage, you see the death, you see the triumph,” says Dianne Whelan, director of 40 Days at Base Camp. “You see everything. There aren’t any bad guys or good guys, it’s just like the real world. It’s like us.”

Whelan, a Vancouver-based journalist, got the idea for the film while working for an outdoors magazine on her first trip to Everest. When she arrived, it wasn’t what she was expecting.

“I was shocked, because there’s like 800 people from around the

Midterm season—the first of four short periods of time throughout the year when coffee consumption rivals beer consumption—is upon us! Here’s a list of the four best places on campus to keep yourself caffeinated.

COURTESY OF VIFF

Whelan’s film explores a world 20,000 feet above sea level.

Department Lounges

world in a town with no sheriff.

It’s like the Wild West,” she said.

Companies charge $60,000 to $90,000 for services to get people to the summit.

“When I was there last year, 512 people summitted,” Whelan said.

“There’s a kind of commercialization of the world’s highest mountain.”

That growth hasn’t ruined the experience, but constant use by humans is having an affect, according to Whelan.

“The mountain itself is a mountain, and it’s as grand as it ever was and ever will be,” she said. “[But] as a result of the commercialization of the mountain, there’s

Most department lounges are equipped with a kettle and some even have a coffee machine. In the discreet Asian studies lounge, situated in the basement of the Asian Centre, you can fill up a mug or a flask of coffee for 75 cents, or a dollar if you need a disposable cup.

The creative writing department has free coffee in their lounge for students and staff; everyone knows writers need their caffeine. Visit your faculty or department lounges and make sure you’re not missing out on any bargains. If there is no coffee, there should at least be tea bags. U

250 dead bodies on the mountain, and there’s four decades of garbage, which only now is kind of rising.”

“Her film is pretty incredible,” said Stephanie Damgaard, a UBC graduate and associate programmer of the Canadian Images program, which presents 80 Canadian features, shorts and documentaries at VIFF. Damgaard added that the festival’s Canadian contingent represents an opportunity for audiences and artists alike.

“It’s just a really unique opportunity to see, ‘What are we thinking?

What are we making? What are the things that interest us?’” U

09.29.2011 | Culture | 7 IMPROV>>

IMPROV>>

Picnicface stick to their roots Alexandra Downing Contributor

COURTESY OF IMPROVFEST

We’re not sure what this promotional image from the Vancouver International Improv Fest means, but we assume minds will be blown.

Improvfest keeps audiences guessing Rheanna Buursma Contributor

“I think that as time goes by, theatre is becoming less of a shared cultural experience,” said Kaitlin Fontana.

Fontana, the media and sponsorship director of the Vancouver International Improv Festival, admitted that, “Sometimes [people] are intimidated by the experience of live theatre.

“They think that they need to know something. That they need to

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COME BY THE UBYSSEY OFFICE

SUB 24, FOLLOW THE SIGNS

go into it already appreciating the experience they are going to have. I feel like improv bridges that gap.”

September 26 is the first day of the 12th annual International Improv Festival in Vancouver.

The festival started as an extension of Instant Theatre, an improv theatre company in Vancouver. It since has developed into an event that welcomes improv teams from across North America. This year, some of the performers hail from Halifax, New York, Regina, Boston,

Write Shoot Edit Code Drink

Atlanta and Toronto.

Fontana describes improv as “creating live theatre with what’s at hand.”

Improv actors create totally unscripted scenes by working together as a unit, which is what makes the performance so interesting. “You’re seeing a completely unique instance of theatre that will never be seen again,” Fontana said.

Improvfest runs until October 1, with all performances taking place at Performance Works Theatre on

As the pianist began playing a Broadway tune, Brian Eldon Macquarrie sprinted from the back of the stage and leapt onto an imaginary bicycle. Smiling from ear to ear and peddling gleefully, he proceeded to belt out a few bars of impromptu lyrics.

Macquarrie is a member of Picnicface, the headlining comedy troupe at this year’s Vancouver International Improv Festival. It has been little more than five years since Picnicface was charming crowds as a fledgling sketch comedy troupe performing in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Despite its years, Picnicface boasts a tremendous amount of comedic success after blowing up on Youtube.

Though the name of the troupe may not ring any immediate bells, many will remember their video “Powerthirst,” a spoof of energy drink commercials, or “Halifax,” an homage to the group’s hometown.

Members of Picnicface seem eager to shake these dated associations.

They have since written a book, produced a film titled Rollertown, and a new self-titled show that premiered last Wednesday on the Comedy Network. The group admits that television is new territory for them.

“We’re still learning what it’s like to be on camera even though we did a

COURTESY OF PICNICFACE

bunch of online stuff,” said Picnicface member Evany Rosen. “When you’re shooting an internet short you’re running around with your friends, lighting and micing it yourself,” Kyle Dooley added. “There’s no budget and no time constraint.”

Despite the success of their online videos, Macquirrie, Rosen and Dooley agreed that they feel more comfortable performing live than in front of a camera. “On stage you can charm people and laugh at yourself,” said Dooley. “On camera you can’t do that.”

While the troupe is open about the struggles they face moving into different realms of comedy, one thing is certain: Picnicface isn’t afraid to try new things.

Picnicface’s performance is on Saturday, October 1 at 9:30pm at Performance Works on Granville Island. U

Sports

09.29.2011 |

8

Editor: Drake Fenton

MMA more than televised blood sport Kaan Eraslan Contributor

On Saturday night, as Quinton “Rampage” Jackson was being choked into submission during the main event of UFC 135, millions of viewers around the world cheered in approval. Such an open celebration of violence has attracted a stream of criticism towards mixed martial arts (MMA) and its viewers.

In addition to the violent display of kicks, punches and submission holds, the MMA scene in Vancouver has been an ongoing attraction for gang members and men of questionable fashion sense. In spite of these unfortunate side effects, a closer look into the world of MMA training reveals that there is much more to the sport than loud jocks and shiny t-shirts covered in gothic imagery.

Students and residents of UBC now have the chance to get a taste of MMA training with the “Intro to MMA” class offered at UBC Rec. Held once a week at the dojo in the Student Recreation Centre, the seminar teaches the basics of wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai and boxing techniques.

With MMA culture, there is an accompanying stereotype of the meathead MMA fan: the guy with an Affliction shirt and oversized biceps.

In the UBC dojo, that stereotype doesn’t exist. The class holds a varied group of students, both male and female.

Erik Hunter-James, a UBC varsity rugby player, joined the class for extra conditioning in order to boost his rugby performance.

“I thought it was one of the toughest workouts I’ve had in quite a long time,” he said. “After a few weeks of this I’ll be in top-notch shape, no doubt.”

Erik’s older brother, Clayton Hunter-James, joined UBC MMA with a different goal in mind. “I could see myself doing some amateur competition,” he said. “I have done one similar competition in the past and I probably will do some more in the future.”

Clayton, a former wrestler and UBC rugby player, is starting his second term with UBC’s MMA program. Like his brother, he also seeks the benefits of physical training provided by the class.

Head instructor Michael Currie, a martial arts trainer since the early 90s, was adamant about the intensity of MMA conditioning. “Make no mistake about it, we had a couple of linebackers from the [football team] come through and it’s tough, it’s very tough,” he said.

The rigorous exercise routine consists of endless push-ups, sit-up variations, sprawls and different relay races.

The course is open to anybody who has an interest in learning martial arts. There is no bench press or bicep size requirement. Although a background in any type of sport is preferred, Currie explained that with two years of training, he could have the rawest couch potatoes capable of handling themselves.

Those hoping to learn highly advanced techniques might be in for disappointment. The striking and grappling is kept at an introductory level.

“Bread and butter, that’s what we’re focusing on,” said Currie.

Although it’s unlikely that a flying armbar will be seen in the UBC dojo, Currie explained that the emphasis on basic techniques serves as a safety precaution.

“We train in a really cooperative way, where we try to increase the level of resistance to a level that’s

appropriate for the skill level of the participant, so we’re trying not to put people in harm’s way,” he said.

This cooperative environment is one of the most important aspects of the UBC MMA program. The absence of big egos in the dojo makes the program accessible and helps disprove the negative stereotypes associated with the sport.

The rising popularity of MMA, or more specifically, the UFC, has brought focus on the violence and bad blood between opponents. The respect between fighters, trainers and opponents is often unseen in the marketing strategies of fight promoters.

Respect is a large, though overlooked, part of MMA. In the UBC dojo, it is common to see sparring partners touch gloves and hug, just moments after throwing punches and kicks at each other.

Currie, being a witness to such displays of respect on a daily basis, dismisses criticisms that MMA is a barbaric sport. “I think, in particular right now, those people are going to have a very tough time making that argument stick. We know of people that are just polarized to that position for whatever reason. Usually it has to do with them not really having a good sense about the sport,” he said.

As more people decide to dip their toes into MMA training, criticism will likely diminish. Getting a firsthand look at the dedication, pain and humility it takes to become a professional would be an eye opener for even the most jaded skeptics.

The program at UBC offers a safe and friendly environment to grasp fundamental MMA skills. Regardless of preconceptions, every participant will leave the dojo exactly the same way—sweaty and sore from head to toe. U

DAVID MARINO/THE UBYSSEY

Sports editor Drake “the Douchebag” Fenton is the reason you hate the UFC.

Women’s rugby starts season on the wrong foot Colin Chia Contributor

It was a tough start to the season for the UBC women’s rugby team as they suffered two big defeats this weekend at Wolfson Field.

On Friday, the defending Canada West champions from the University of Lehtbridge dominated UBC 33-0. Then on Sunday, the University of Alberta cruised to a 60-5 victory.

The ‘Birds had a miserable weekend as they were out-muscled and out-played by both opponents.

UBC struggled to make tackles and on multiple occasions it appeared as if the opposition was charging through the line at will. UBC spent long periods pinned in their own half and often struggled to get out of their 22-metre defensive zone.

When they gained possession, they simply were unable to gain territory. The only try they managed all weekend came from one period of sustained offensive pressure—but it was long after the match against Alberta had become a foregone conclusion.

In the 72nd minute, UBC’s Justine Jarvis found Erin Ryan streaking down the wing. Ryan outran Alberta’s defenders and managed to put the ball down for a try in the corner. The ensuing conversion

ERIC INASI/THE UBYSSEY

The UBC women’s rugby team got out muscled this past weekend, losing each of their 2 games by more than 30 points.

failed, and UBC still trailed 50-5.

According to UBC head coach Lesley McKenzie, the players did not display anywhere near the effort needed to overcome the physical disadvantage they faced against the Albertan teams. McKenzie was frustrated with the team’s play, especially at the breakdown.

“We are never going to be [big enough] to match them size-wise, but there’s no reason we can’t outwork them in our involvement and in our physicality and aggression,” she said.

Megan Hamm, last season’s Canada West rookie of the year, was one of the few positives, making several penetrating runs that gave

UBC its few attacking opportunities.

McKenzie said the whole team needs to take a page out of Hamm’s book. “[Hamm] leads by example constantly. But what I would absolutely love to have happen is that she doesn’t have to do all the damn work, because there are 14 other players on the field. About five of them are

carrying the team right now and we’ve got ten coasters at any given play, and that’s really insufficient,” said McKenzie.

“We’re going to have talks about that. They’re young and all of that’s fixable and I will be on their case.”

The Thunderbirds won the Canada West bronze medal last season by beating the University of Victoria, but Alberta and Lethbridge have dominated the conference in recent years. The last time the conference title was not contested by these two teams was in 2004, when UBC won silver.

UBC will play the third game of their four-game regular season on Friday at home against the University of Calgary, before travelling to face the University of Victoria on October 15.

The match against UVic will be crucial in deciding qualification for the Canada West conference playoffs, which will take place in Calgary from October 21 to 23.

But with the team’s toughest matches out of the way, McKenzie hopes they can begin focusing on the rest of the season.

“We’ve got two games coming up that we should be able to control.

And all we have to do is get into the tournament, where you win one game and then you’re into the final.” U

09.29.2011 | Sports

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CYCLING >>

Still only for the young at heart

Despite huge turnout, GranFondo has yet to attract younger demographic Drake Fenton Sports Editor

Earlier this month, Vancouver played host to North America’s largest cycling event: the RBC GranFondo Whistler.

The GranFondo event is quickly becoming one of the premier fitness events in Vancouver. In its inaugural year in 2010, there were 4000 registered cyclists, and this year 7000 attended.

“I think it is one of those events that’s going to grow and grow,” said CEO and co-founder Neil McKinnon.

“I think it certainly, if it hasn’t already, captured the status of the Vancouver Sun Run and the Vancouver Marathon. If it hasn’t, it certainly will shortly...It’s one of those events that has really captured the imagination of a lot people.”

Starting from downtown Vancouver, competitors raced 120 kilometres along the Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler. From beginning to end, riders were given exclusive access to a full traffic lane, even on the Lions Gate Bridge.

“I think one of the best parts was the Lions Gate Bridge,” said Andrea Bundon, a human kinetics PhD candidate at UBC. “Obviously it’s right off the start, but everyone was just like, ‘This is so cool, this is so cool.’

To bike down the actual lane and

Cyclists racing across the Lions Gate Bridge during the 2011 RBC GranFondo.

not be on the sidewalk on the bridge was cool.

“So many times you drive up to Whistler and you don’t really get to see the scenery because you are focused on the road, so it was nice to do it at a bit of a slower pace and I felt really comfortable.”

GranFondos and cycling races in general are easier than marathons and have been popular in Europe for a long time. McKinnon said that North Americans have begun to realize that cycling races aren’t just for the likes of Lance Armstrong.

“I think the explosion of popularity is different than running because our average demographic age for the event is 47 years old, and kind of anecdotally what we are hearing is that people’s bodies just can’t support the adrenaline sports or the pounding sports,” said McKinnon.

Though the RBC GranFondo exponentially grew in popularity this year, it failed to attract new participants from the student demographic.

“Of our 7000 participants, we had 15 people registered under the

Don’t play sports. Drink beer and write about them. SPORTS. Drake Fenton sports@ubyssey.ca

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COURTESY DAVE SILVER

age of 20. The numbers from 20-25 were not very high either. To put it into perspective, we had 34 people over the age of 70 riding,” said McKinnon.

The lack of student representation at the event may stem from the race’s intimidation factor. Bundon— who is on the UBC rowing team and finished in the top ten per cent of racers with a time of four hours and seven minutes—said she was a bit timid before the race.

“I was pretty nervous in the days leading up to it. I had never done a

cycling race before with 7000 riders.

It seemed a little insane,” she said.

Riding 120 kilometres to a destination 675 metres above sea level is no easy feat, but both McKinnon and Bundon agreed it’s a realistic training goal for the average student.

“What we do is we create an opportunity for pretty much anybody to participate in something they wouldn’t normally do,” said McKinnon.

“I think it is human nature for people to want to have something on their calendar they can work towards.”

“It’s definitely something you have to train for,” added Bundon.

“But I think it’s a goal that is well within reach for many people. If you put in the miles and build it up slowly you will probably be able to finish the race.”

McKinnon and his team of 21 full-time staff have begun preparations for the 2012 RBC GranFondo, and registration for the event has already opened. He’s hopeful that in the next few years, the student demographic will become more involved with cycling.

“I think the [potential] for growth in the sport is absolutely spectacular because you have this traditionally active group in [youths] that have not even entered the sport yet, and I think that will occur over time.” U

Opinion

09.29.2011 |

10

Editor: Brian Platt

Letters

Access Copyright responds to Toope

GENIE CHEUNG/THE UBYSSEY

The Last Word Parting shots and snap judgments on today’s issues Let the Canadians lead the way, Zorro The Vancouver International Film Festival opens today with director Pedro Almodóvar’s The Skin I Live In. Billed as a “Hitchcockian thriller,” the film received mostly positive reviews when it debuted at Cannes earlier this year. Antonio Banderas stars as a plastic surgeon who becomes obsessed with creating a skin treatment that would have saved his deceased wife. The movie itself looks promising, but its selection for the festival’s opening was a misstep on behalf of the VIFF organizers.

Skin is an entirely foreign production. Yes, we know none of the Canadian films have Zorro in them, but with over 80 Canadian films in its lineup, VIFF should have chosen a production that better represents our national cinematic tradition.

Take This Waltz, directed by Sarah Polley and starring Seth Rogen and Michelle Williams, is Canadian and features recognizable names.

Local relevance is especially important for a smaller festival like VIFF.

Unionization a long time coming The decision by AMS Security to unionize shouldn’t be any sort of shock. In fact, it’s surprising how long it’s taken for a group of workers in the AMS to become unionized.

A push was made by some councillors in 2008 to address the lack of unionization, but that went nowhere. Now, however, the pressure is coming from the workers themselves. And you have to think other groups will follow suit.

While we have some sympathy for the increased financial plight the AMS will go through because of this, it’s tempered by the fact that most other jobs on campus offer union protection or better pay. AMS employees unionizing shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone.

Three student exec pay increases mark a trend On September 7, the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) passed a motion that doubled the hours of all of their paid council members. Doubled hours means doubled pay. This motion came into effect immediately, and will last until the end of the

lock-out of the SFSS administration staff.

The increased hours prompted CUPE Local 338, which represents the locked out workers, to file a labour complaint against the SFSS. This almost certainly breaks an agreement signed in July, but we’d also like to point out that the student societies at SFU, UBC and Kwantlen have now all given their executives immediate pay increases, overturning the established procedure of only bringing in such increases at election turnovers.

This trend represents a serious breach of a financial control that keeps student societies in check: councils cannot vote to give themselves pay raises. We should all let our student representatives know that it must not continue.

Romanian rugby clobbering was a little distracting By all accounts, the Pit Pub was “happenin” last Friday night.

People were dancing, drinks were flowing and the bar staff were kind enough to allow a couple more songs after closing time. It was nice to see a crowd on a non-Wednesday night for a change. But we have one request for the next time the bar decides to host a DJ night: please, turn off the TVs. As amusing as it was to see the English rugby team absolutely clobber Romania, the numerous flat screen TVs around the pub were an eyesore. People who want to watch sports don’t go to DJ nights. That’s what quasi-pubs like Dentry’s are for. But more importantly, people looking to dance don’t want to see a bunch of beefy Brits lifting each other into the air by their shorts.

It’s a buzz kill, and it’s far too easy to glaze over while watching SportsCentre and forget that, hey, people are having tons of fun.

So turn off the TVs and turn up the beats. It’s an easy way to get people on the dance floor.

A temporary stadium is going to be a hard act to follow Last weekend was the Vancouver Whitecaps’ last match at Empire Field. The way this temporary setup seized the imaginations of supporters is surprising, given that it came in at a time of stadium limbo—the beloved but awful Swangard left behind, the proposed waterfront stadium in Gastown fading into a

fever dream, and BC Place unusable as construction dragged far over schedule.

But what could have been a tin shack was embraced by fans. The Southsiders supporters marched down East Hastings singing and waving flags, and the setting was intimate while having amenities like actual seats on all sides. And given the state of the last-place Whitecaps season, it’s safe to say that this debut year’s memories will come from Empire Field rather than BC Place.

Which leads us to next week’s match—the first one at the newlyrenovated downtown stadium. Will the experience resemble a worldclass soccer stadium scaled down to a reasonable, intimate size, or a cavernous tomb whose size will suck all the atmosphere out of fans struggling to fill it? Will the Whitecaps feel like a welcomed tenant now that they’re in a toplevel stadium, or the unloved stepchild of the BC Lions? Those answers won’t really come until next year, after the shine has worn off.

A midseason coaching changeup has not prevented a disappointing performance. Let’s hope the Whitecaps don’t supply fans with a disappointing stadium.

Save a little of that glitz for us Yesterday UBC launched, with much glitz and glamour, a campaign to double alumni engagement and raise $1.5 billion dollars.

On Tuesday night, there were even valets managing the parking lot outside the hulking War Memorial Gym, which was transformed from a giant barn into an awesomely decorated giant barn.

While it’s nice that the university is making a big show of raising money and engaging alumni, those are things the university should be excited about at all times, regardless of any campaign. We’ve been told that they’ve raised around $750 million from alumni in the past two years, so this campaign isn’t that unusual.

While this announcement is primarily about getting past students to donate so future students can benefit, there’s still the matter of the students, here right now, who pay thousands of dollars to attend UBC. It would be nice if a little of that pomp and circumstance was sometimes expended on programs that will help us today. U

Kalyeena Makortoff does a very good job of presenting the concerns of faculty and staff who are still confused about UBC’s opting out of a licensing agreement with Access Copyright (AC). Unfortunately there seems to be a misunderstanding on the part of UBC President Stephen Toope.

Toope makes the following comment: “As high as 70 per cent of the material that we were paying for when we were paying Access Copyright, we were already paying for by having online licenses. So we were effectively being asked to pay twice for the same material. And AC has been absolutely unwilling to parse that out.”

Access Copyright does not, and never has, charged for works that are already paid for or authorized under direct online licences. The challenge in identifying these works lies with the universities, who should not report usage to Access Copyright of material already licensed directly by the library. We are not privy to the terms of the library licenses and so are in no position to “parse out” already licensed uses. Access Copyright only charges for what is reported to us by UBC as having been copied under our licence.

The tariff process at the Copyright Board will identify works for which there is no other licensing arrangement or other exception under the Act. The Board will listen to all sides of the debate, consider evidence presented by both parties and take into account content that is already licensed (such as through university library subscriptions) and copying that is authorized under the Copyright Act (such as through fair dealing) before setting a reasonable rate.

It is surprising that President Toope believes UBC is being held “hostage”

by Access Copyright. Access Copyright offered to negotiate a licence and has always been willing to sit down at the negotiating table. We have negotiated three previous licences with Canadian universities and the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC). Eighteen months prior to the expiry of the last license in December 2010, we reached out to the AUCC and they did not participate in negotiations in any meaningful way, to the degree that the Copyright Board pointed this out when it said, “…in any event it takes two to tango. In this case the Institutions have refused to even walk to the dance floor.”

My door is open. How about yours?

—Maureen Cavan Executive director of Access Copyright

SASC understaffing a “slap in the face”

I am disappointed and disgusted at the AMS’s lack of action to get the Sexual Assault Support Centre (SASC) up and running. The lack of action by the AMS is a slap in the face and tells students that to them, having sexual assault support services is NOT important.

I have yet to come across a university in Canada that does not have a SASC or an equivalent service. I have spent over $40,000 to attend this university and a significant amount of my money has gone to the AMS. Furthermore, I donated my time to volunteer to the AMS. I would like to see that money used to support the SASC and provide this crucial service to students at the most vulnerable time­—especially for firstyear students. I have been involved with a peer mentoring service at UBC for many years and we refer students to SASC because it is an amazing resource. However, given these unfortunate circumstances they will be forced to refer elsewhere.

The AMS must take immediate action to get this vital service up and running. Show the students of UBC that you care about their health and well being.

—Anisha MacDonald UBC alumnus

Recreational drugs no joking matter I enjoyed reading “The Book” that The Ubyssey made at the beginning of the school year, as I found it quite entertaining in providing rudimentary information to those who are not familiar with UBC. However, regarding the article on recreational drug use (p. 39-40), I think the authors should deliver the information with more seriousness. The way the article was written gives me (and likely many other readers) the impression that the majority of students are indifferent, or even condoning, to drug use. (Putting the articles in the “Fun” section certainly did not help either.)

Illicit drug use does nothing but destroy lives, causes emotional and physical suffering, and helps to fund criminal gangs and terrorists. If it was written with the purpose of helping students make new “friends,” then the author(s) are seriously out of touch with reality, because taking drugs with others reinforces drug consumption, eventually leading to addiction.

For those who are curious, MDMA (or “ecstasy”), psilocybin (from certain mushrooms) and marijuana are classified as “Schedule I” drugs in the US, along with other known drugs like heroin and LSD, thus they have neither any accepted medical usage nor any accepted safety for use under medical supervision. Most importantly, they have the highest potential for abuse of all controlled substances. Therefore, students, as tomorrow’s leaders of society, should bear the social responsibility of discouraging and eliminating recreational drug use in any way they can, no matter how small the effort seems.

Nonetheless, I do wholeheartedly appreciate the effort made by the author(s) to provide the phone numbers and websites for those who may need help or simply wish to learn more about drugs. The Ubyssey can definitely do more to help by, for example, providing “positive” advice, such as tips to resist peer pressure.

—Paul C.K. Ng

Scene

09.29.2011 |

11

Pictures and words on your university experience

STUDENT BODY>>

Keeping yourself safe from STIs There’s no such thing as risk-free sex Happy Healthy Horny

Raeven GeistDeschamps Six hours into the eight hour drive from Toronto to Montreal, in full-on rave recovery mode, the conversation turns from meditation to hook-ups and promptly, my friend starts telling me about his STIs. Given that I had met him 48 hours prior, I wasn’t really expecting to learn about his genitals being ravaged by crabs and chlamydia, but it dawned on me: sexually transmitted infections happen to everyone and, for the most part, they are curable.

Nice, horny and monogamous people get them; infections are opportunistic, not discriminatory. This should make you sigh in gentle relief if you’ve ever found yourself drunkenly gyrating in a youth hostel and realizing suddenly that you’re bareback humping and you don’t even know the other person’s last name. Or if you’ve been in a monogamous relationship for years and you suddenly have a first outbreak of herpes.

I spoke to Dr Alana Geist, an obstetrician and gynecologist—and, full disclosure, my aunt—from Saskatoon, and she suggested getting tested as soon as you have any unprotected sex.

However, there is a period directly following the event when you may test negative even though you have an STI, so be sure to return to the clinic again a few weeks later to double check.

Sexuality clinics are able to detect gonorrhea and chlamydia from a urine sample, even if you’re asymptomatic; blood tests can detect HIV and syphilis.

Nice, horny and monogamous people get STIs; infections are opportunistic, not discriminatory.

All four of these diseases land in the reportable STIs category, meaning that if you do have them, the Public Health Agency of Canada will confidentially contact your past lovers to disclose the information, without revealing your name.

When HIV and syphilis are involved, they will try to find the people even if all you remember from them is their first name, where they play billiards and their dragon tattoo.

Social stigma is usually the mental hindrance to discussing STIs. Feelings of shame, or being “dirty” or tainted are fairly common, especially with infections

like herpes, which are lifers in your body.

Thankfully, not everyone has outbreaks. It is, however, very difficult to avoid transmitting herpes unless you wear a full body latex suit or saran wrap your junk, since it is transmitted through skin to skin contact and asymptomatic shedding is common. If you get tested with your partner and both of you show antibodies to herpes, then rage on, because you’re both positive and can’t infect each other.

Also, “serial monogamy does not protect you from STIs,” said Dr Geist. Since infections can remain dormant for years and then erupt, it’s best not to go psycho on your partner if they test positive.

In happier news, condoms are still considered the most effective against bacterial disease and Hepatitis B. They also reduce HPV infection, though they are not 100 per cent effective. There’s no such thing as risk-free sex.

The internet can be a scary place to get information on STIs. DO NOT look at Google images.

You don’t need bulbous red warts glaring at you from the screen. Dr Geist suggested sexualityandu.ca as an OB/GYN-approved website for information on STIs. I’d suggest Violet Blue’s tinynibbles.com if you want a chart on the risks of many different sexual practices.

The point is, STIs happen. Lose the shame, buck up, be an adult and deal with it. U

DAY FOUR: WHY IS SHIA LABEOUF HIDING FROM THE UBYSSEY ? r into the Vancouve We’re several days mpany You Keep, and Co e the shooting of Th even acknowledge Twitter has yet to beouf in the Terminal presence of Shia Lacomes as no surprise. city. Of course, this more refined lot Vancouverites, a fard yokels who keep Mr. than the slack-jawe reer afloat, tend to treat ca Labeouf’s “acting” ething film stars the m washed-up, 20 -so the homeless: by not at same way they tre t. ac nt co e ey ing mak visit The Ubyssey.

Labeouf has yet to

Wow, sure are a lot of staff ads in this paper.

Jonny Wakefield printeditor@ubyssey.ca

U

12 | Ad | 09.29.2011